Angelo and Sooraya: during the flight (backdated)

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Sooraya and Angelo chat a little on the flight to Congo.



Sooraya quickly searched through some of the various papers, studying the various sets of data and numbers they had been given as their preparation. Birthrates of the various area's in Congo, both human and mutant... estimations of the number of kids disappearing... all kinds of numbers that could provide a clue to what was happening. Still, the search for clues was not what was keeping her busy at the moment.

With a quick movement she grabbed her bag, pulling out another file. Sooraya pulled out a few papers, comparing the set of numbers to the example on the page she was holding. Setting down the copied pages from her statistics text book, she grabbed her notebook and started scribbled, muttering softly.

Angelo, on the way back to his own seat, glanced casually over her shoulder then paused at her side. "What're you working on?"

"My statistics professor is a... grrr..." Sooraya muttered to herself before she looked up. "Oh sorry... uhm... I have to do a make up assignment for my statistics class since I am apparently gonna miss a pop quiz on the concept of this week. So I have to make a paper showing that I understand the concepts covered with the data we got."

"I didn't know you were taking math." He leaned down for a closer look.  "Not my strongest point, but do you need any help?"

"I needed to take a math class for my General Education Requirements and I figured since we deal with data quite a bit a statistics class would come in handy. But thanks for the offer. I am just looking for idea's though." Sooraya quickly looked at the empty chair next to her. "But a break would be nice. Want to sit down?" She patted the empty chair.

"Yeah, probably easier than craning over you the whole time", he said with a grin, and slipped into the seat. "So, looking forward to our first X-Corps mission?"

"Not sure if looking forward is the right word, but yes, I think it's very interesting and even a little exciting." Sooraya explained. "And you? Are you looking forward to it?"

"About the same as you."  He nodded. "I'd kind of stopped traveling with Elpis, more working in New York City and delegating other people to travel.  Be nice to get back into it."

"I think you told me once that was one of the things you missed?" Sooraya asked, her eyes slightly quizzical. "It must be good then to get back into the field."

"Closest I've got in a couple of years is chasing John to Chicago to try and keep him out of trouble", Angelo agreed with a wry grin. "And yeah, I did miss it."

"Ah... but that must have been quite an endeavor also..." Sooraya said with a wink. She quickly glanced around her and spoke a little softer. "I think starting up X-Corps has been good for you though. You look happier."

His grin softened into a warmer smile as he looked at his little sister.  "I think I am, y'know. Elpis was great but I always wanted to do things the remit wouldn't let me do. X-Corps is all in my control."

"It was a very good idea of the Professor to ask you. I like that we can explore so many ways to help people with X-Corps. And we can still work together with Elpis if it's the best thing to do."

"Definitely.  Leaving them was the best thing to do all around, even if I could probably have kicked up a fuss and got all our jobs back. They were right, it would have hurt their work and this way everybody can get on with things."

Sooraya's eyes went distant. "I just wish it could have happened another way." She mused. "These were not exactly... how should I say it... the best circumstances... Still, this might actually one thing from Genosha that might turn out for the better... at least in a way..." Her eyes refocused again. "I am sorry... I was rambling..."

"There are a lot of things from Genosha that might turn out for the better", he said, quiet but firm.  "We won, remember? The Moreaus are gone, maybe now Genosha can get back to the way it started. It was a good way to run things, before it got corrupted."

"It was a way to do things... Better then some we have seen." Sooraya agreed. "I know we won, Angelo, but it was quite bitter victory. Too many people I loved were hurt."

"I know.  But hurts heal, and we move forward." He smiled slightly. "Can't live a real life and never get hurt at all."

"I know... Still, that does not mean I have to like it..." Sooraya's voice trailed of. "Okay, enough of being morose. I have never really been in the field with an NGO mission... do you have some good advice?"

"Make friends with the locals", was the immediate response. "If they like you, they'll trust you, if they trust you, they'll talk to you. Also, some of these countries, don't be afraid to... grease the wheels a little bit.  It's bribery, but it's the way things work and you have to work with it until it gets changed."

Sooraya nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense. And with the locals... I am guessing not to just focus on the leaders, but also within the larger community, with many different people..."

"Exactly.  Not that the leaders aren't worth meeting, but it's the people that support the leaders as well.  They're the influence you really need to get, 'cause the leaders need to keep them happy."

"I also imagine they want to keep up facades sometimes... not wanting to show there are actually issues. I remember the NGO's in Afghanistan running into that sometimes when I was with my mother in the refugee camps." Sooraya added. "Do you haven encountered that a lot?"

"It does happen", Angelo agreed.  "Especially with outsiders. Which is why you have to do everything you can to make them feel like you aren't an outsider.  For you, I'd say start with the girls your own age or a little bit younger.  Show them you're just like them."

Again Sooraya nodded thoughtfully. "I can do that. I also figured that maybe many of the women might be easier to talking to a woman then to a man. That might be a good way to expand later on?"

"Quite possible.  In the future, maybe we'll have permanent outposts in some of these countries, with locals working in them, but that's getting way ahead of ourselves.  You're right, some of them wouldn't want to talk to a man they don't know at all."

"Permanent outposts... that sounds like quite far in the future indeed. But it is a nice idea to think of. There is still a lot to be done before that can happen though."

"Lots of work", Angelo said with a nod.  "But you know me, I get bored if I'm not kept busy."

"Oh, I know you get bored when not busy..." Sooraya's eyes twinkled. "It's a pity you go the other way too.... much sometimes. Hence why you still have people feeding you at age 26."

"My mother will be feeding me as long as she lives", was the wry response.  "And I have a feeling so will you."

"It's starting to look that way..." Sooraya quickly hid a giggle behind her hand. "Though I have even seen Yvette leave apples on your desk a few times."

"Yvette and apples is a long and honourable tradition", he said with great dignity.  "I'd never tell her to stop that."

"Oh, you are absolutely right... It's just...." Sooraya could not stop her laughter and she giggled. "Your face when you said that... Somehow you remind me of the Professor at his most serious." She dissolved in giggles again.

He fought to keep a straight face, but eventually had to give up and concede to laughter.  "Who do you think I learned it from?  Nathan's pretty good at it too when he wants to be."

Sooraya pictured Nathan's face and nodded through her laughter. "You are totally right. I can just see his face. Sounds like you had some great role models for that. I wonder if I could..." Sooraya took a deep breath and attempted to smooth out her face in a calm expression. Too soon though she had give up though and started giggling again. "No luck at the moment."

"It takes practice", he advised lightly.  "Give it time and keep trying, you'll get there."

"Trying to do it at a moment I am not giggling like crazy should also help." She leaned a little closer and whispered. "And people are starting to stare at us..."

"Let them", Angelo said cheerfully.  "At least they're not staring because I'm grey this time.  Unless they were, and then I don't care even more."

"Hmmm... I can also do this..." Sooraya raised her hand and waived cheerfully at a lady who seemed to be staring particularly hard. "Or am I being mean now?" She said as the woman colored red and quickly looked in front of her.

"No, you've got it."  He grinned.  "If they can't be subtle about it, they deserve everything they get."

"Hopefully they will learn one day." She turned a little more serious and took her glass of water, raising it slightly. "To our first mission. That it may be successful."

"A successful first mission", Angelo echoed, and mimed touching an imaginary glass to hers.