Will and Emma

[AnotherOldGuy]

(OOC -- This thread is sort of a post dated role play thread. It takes place soon in the larger story of "Coming Home", but since it is entirely between two primary characters and doesn't happen for a few (role play) days from where the current role play time line is, it is being written as a separate thread. You are, of course, welcome to subscribe to it now and read along; or you can wait until it is posted in the "Coming Home" thread at the link above. And you are welcome to join the "Coming Home" role play, too. Check out the "Writers Discussion/Interest Check".)



Will 44678 hovered over his former lover's shoulder, staring at the monitor as she typed rapidly. "Wait! Go back!"

"Back where?" she asked, annoyed. "And why am I doing this for you?"

"'cause you know how to use their Webnet better than--"

"World Wide Web," she corrected, shaking her head. "Jeez, didn't you prepare for this before we left?"

"Yeah, I prepared using our Webnet," he replied, reaching a finger up to play with the lock of her huge, blond curls that was almost blocking his view of the screen. "But, there not the same--"

She slapped his hand with a crisp sound that echoed through the otherwise empty Monitoring Center. "Of course not, you idiot. Now ... tell me what the hell you're looking for again."

"A contact," he said bluntly. "I got an assignment, finally. No more just bumming around the Department ... getting lunch and coffee and taking out the garbage--"

"Yeah, yeah," she cut him off, wiggling her fingers over the keyboard anxiously. "You were telling me what the hell we were looking for, remember?"

"I'm supposed to find a contact ... someone to act as a liaison between the Twenty-Firsts' conservationist groups and the Environmental Restoration Department."

"Okay ... so ... what's the problem?" She went to work with a speed he could never have matched; she tapped at the keyboard, moved the mouse, waved her hands before the 3D display manipulator, and touched her short nailed fingers to the touch screens. Several lists came up on the screen before her. With the tap of another button the display moved to the big screen on the wall before them and the lists expanded to provide more information. "There you go ... seventeen thousand, three hundred and twelve suggestions."

She peeked back to see his expression of dismay and burst out in laughter. "What's the problem, genius? Just pick one."

"Not that easy, dammit."

She chuckled again and turned back to her panel. "Neither was pleasing me, but you managed ... usually."

"That's cold," he murmured.

"I know, that's why I said it." She looked up to the major headings, under which were dozens, hundreds, or thousands of names of people from all across the globe. "So ... how do we narrow this down?"

"English speakers only," he said without hesitation.

She looked back at him, confused. "You speak four languages, including Mandarin Chinese, German--"

"But I only write English well, so..."

She shrugged, knowing that that made sense. She tapped at the screen; suddenly the list shrunk, to about half of what it was.

"That didn't help much," he complained. "You're telling me that the rest of the non-English speaking world can only count for half of those people?"

"No, I'm telling you that the Twenty-Firsts' world wide web was dominated by English speaking and English writing people ... therefore ... most of the names I found in the first place--"

"Yeah, yeah ... sorry ... makes sense."

"Next...?" she asked anxiously.

He thought for a moment. "Oh! A background or previous involvement with environmental issues concerning preservation of--"

"Forests," she finished. Will's area of study had been temperate rain forests, so it only made sense that he would want to liaise with a person who talked his language, figuratively. She tapped more, and this time the list got whacked down to about a tenth of what it was. "Okay ... eight hundred and twelve."

"People from temperate regions."

Again she tapped and manipulated her station's tools, and again the screen changed. This time, with only two hundred names left, photos of most of the individuals appeared, filling the vacant space. "Next..?"

"Someone closer to my age," he suggested.

"You're gonna have to give me an age, because these people don't--"

She stopped suddenly, glancing at him with an embarrassed look. "Will ... I'm, I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

He waved her concern off, feigning that he wasn't concerned with her slip, even though he was in fact very much hurt by it.

The reason Will was, essentially, a nobody in Project Rejuvenation was because he was a Natural -- an non-enhanced human -- and, because so many people in the upper echelons of government and the military were enhanced, he was sometimes considered a poor specimen of a man. The only reason he'd even gotten a ride on the Time Jump Platform was because he'd won it in the International Lottery.

It was also the reason the two of them were no longer lovers. His Ex was looking to start a family as part of the New Start Initiative ... and once she'd learned that he wasn't of the same genetic superiority as she was, she'd broken off their relationship. They'd preserved their friendship, though, and while it was never enough for Will, it was all he had ... so he made the best of it. And, on those occasions when he was feeling a bit hurt, he reminded her that while she had the youthful beauty of a twenty-two year old, she had actually just turned the Big three oh.

"Twenties," he specified. After she tapped some more, again reducing the list, he thought about her slip again and the reason they were no longer pleasuring one another at night and then talking about their future together the next morning over breakfast. He smiled broadly as he said, "Female."

She turned and glared at him. "Excuse me?"

"Female," he repeated, keeping his eyes on the big screen on the bulkhead. "Female ... single ... childless ..."

She returned to her panel, working as she gritted her teeth. The faces on the screen dropped off; first there were a hundred ... then fifty ... then fifteen."

Will moved out from behind the panel and closed on the bulkhead screen. His eyes set upon one particular photo. He stared at the woman's picture for a long moment.

"Emma Grace Copeland," the woman sitting behind him began reading, "Only child of Grace and Ben Copeland of Washington, D.C., United States of America. Parents were lawyers--"

"Were...?" Will asked quickly. "They're deceased?"

She searched the data, answering, "Doesn't say. Do you want me to dig farther on them--"

"No!" Will said anxiously. "Tell me more."

Behind him, unseen, his former lover shook her head in disgust as she continued. "Went to the best schools ... was friendly with the upper crust children of the political elite. After Secondary School, spent a year touring the United States. Became involved with an organization of environmental protestors ... looks like ..."

When she didn't finish, Will spun to find her reading intently. "What...? Looks like what?"

"There was an incident, Will," she said, concern in her voice. "There was a bombing. People died. There's ... there's no definitive connection here between her and the incident, but Will ... the times coincide."

"Facts, give me facts."

"Will, you can't ignore the fact that this woman--"

"We don't know that she had anything to do with it!" he snapped. He was already beginning to defend the woman's past and he hadn't even met her yet. He drew a deep breath and released it, saying, "Sorry. Tell me more, please."

"Educated at Harvard, an Ivy League University," she went on, trying to hide her own concern for Will. "Studied Environmental Law. Worked in the Federal Government of the United States as ... as ... what's an Intern?"

"I think it's like and Aide," he answered, turning to return to stand behind her again. "But ... usually unpaid, I think."

"Now ... looks like..." she murmured, still operating controls. "Yeah, looks like she's involved in the effort to stop or limit strip mining."

"Coal? Gold?"

"Doesn't say," she answered. "Does it matter? It's all going to come to an end, so ..."

When he didn't respond, she looked up and found his gaze set upon the screen. She dropped her gaze lower, then reached to his crotch and laid her hand softly upon his swelling penis.

Will jumped in shock, backing and laughing, "What the hell...?"

"I just wanted to know," she said with a hard expression.

"Know what?"

"Which head was choosing your liaison."

She stood and tapped her panel one last time. Giving him another dirty look, she turned to leave and called back, "Her file ... including her contact information ... is printing at Station One."

He stood there watching her exit the room, then called out loudly, unsure whether she would hear him, "Someone out there might want me--" And softly, just to himself, he mumbled, "Even if you don't."



It took three days to get the clearance, but within minutes of having done so, he was on the Comm' making a connection to the Capital of the United States of America. A woman's voice sounded on the other end of the connection. "Hello...?"

"Hi," he said simply, suddenly with no idea of what the hell he was supposed to say to her.

After a moment she responded, "Hi ... who is this?"

"Emma Grace Copeland...?"

There was another moment of quiet. "Who am I talking to?"

"You know that big ship in orbit of Earth...?" he asked, not really sure how the hell he was supposed to start a conversation with a woman who not only didn't know who he was but didn't even come from his time. "I, um ... I'm on that ship ... and ... well, I'd like to meet you."

 

[SweetAsSuga]

Emma Copeland didn't look like your typical D.C. lawyer. In fact, dressed in her favorite pair of skinny jeans and a form fitting White Stripes t-shirt, her black and white striped tie hung loose around her neck, you would never have guessed that Emma was, in fact, the leader of a team of lawyers. She wasn't even supposed to be in the office today, but off with some friends at a Greenpeace rally. But her day had been interrupted by a frantic call from her assistant. Now, Emma was tied to a conference call, her black Chuck Taylors propped up on her desk as she reclined in her ergonomic chair. Her relaxed posture was in complete opposition with the heated tones coming across the phone line.

"I understand your position, sir." Emma seethed. "But you need to realize that what your company is doing breaks completely with the contract that we've drawn up."

The past two months of her life, Emma had been working tirelessly with her team to mediate a dispute in Colorado that pitted a poor mountain town against the mining company that was strip mining the mountain tops for coal. The issue had come to Emma's attention through her friend, Donovan Marshall, who was a Colorado senator. The fight against strip mining was very personal for Donovan, who came from a small town very similar to the one for which Emma was fighting.

An hour passed in which Emma bit back every retort, ones that even a sailor would blush at, that came to her mind. Finally, she had the head of the company on the ropes and, in a fit of rage, he had hung up on her.

With a sigh, Emma hung up the phone and ran a weary hand through her hair. It was in these moments that she had to force herself to remember why she was an environmental lawyer and not a lawyer for a lobbiest group like her parents had been. While her parents had been able to retire at the ages of 56 and 54 due to the profits they had reaped working for the "fat cat liberals" - as Emma liked to call them - Emma could barely afford the rent on her apartment because she had chosen the "public aid" route of law.

With a quick glance at her watch, Emma surmised that she could still make it to the rally and catch the key speaker. She got up, slipped on her blazer and slapped her fedora on her head at a cute and jaunty angle. She was just about to walk out the door when her office phone rang. Hoping that the son of a bitch she'd just been talking to wasn't calling back to call her a few more choice names, Emma picked up the phone.

"Hello?" She said.

"Hi." The voice on the other end was hesitant.

"Hi...who is this?"

"Emma Grace Copeland?"

What the hell was going on? Emma knew that a lot of strange things had been happening ever since the "alien invasion" a few days before, but this was extremely weird.

"Who am I talking to?" She asked, trying to sound patient, but wanting to demand that this man identify himself.

"You know that big ship in orbit of Earth...?" he asked, "I, um ... I'm on that ship ... and ... well, I'd like to meet you."

Emma nearly dropped the phone at his words.

"Is this some kind of sick joke?" She barked, having lost all her patience. "Who the fuck are you and what do you want?"

 

[AnotherOldGuy]

"Who the fuck are you, and what do you want?"

Will's stomach turned over at the assault; he had expected disbelief or possibly shock, but a verbal attack ... he didn't do well with strong women, and now he was thinking he'd made a serious mistake in his choice.

He looked to the image on the monitor at his work station and thought, how could that language come out of those beautiful lips?

He had to take charge, he knew. Or ... at least stand his ground. He opened his mouth to speak ... and nothing came out. A different tact, he told himself.

"No, really, I am," he responded. "I'm a Civilian Member of Project Rejuvenation, and I am aboard the Platform. I can prove it. Go to the window of your office and look up. I'll wave to you. I'll be the guy hanging out the window on the third deck, next to the flag pole."

He waited to see if his humor was as well taken as it was back home in 2288.

 

[SweetAsSuga]

"No, really, I am. I'm a Civilian Member of Project Rejuvenation, and I am aboard the Platform. I can prove it. Go to the window of your office and look up. I'll wave to you. I'll be the guy hanging out the window on the third deck, next to the flag pole."

Emma bit her lip to keep from laughing a little at his reply. Everyone knew that the "Platform", as he called it, was too high in the sky to be able to see anybody on it.

She did feel bad for snapping at him, it had just been a very bad day and she was taking all her frustration out on this poor stranger.

"Ok, say I do believe you." She said slowly, "what do you want with me? I'm not that important. I'm not some huge key player in this whole apocalyptic scenario that's going down right now. So why me?"

 

[AnotherOldGuy]

"Okay, say I do believe you," Emma said, "What do you want with me? I'm not that important. I'm not some huge key player in this whole apocalyptic scenario that's going down right now. So why me?"

Will considered his answer for a moment. He didn't really want to admit that he, too, was unimportant. He was just an Adviser, and he was lucky to be that. In fact, the only reason Will was part of Project Rejuvenation in the first place was because he'd won a lottery seat and been thrown into the "Supplementary Support Personnel" division, which was basically the "Temp Personnel" pool for the entire Project But when his Assignment Supervisor in SSP saw his credentials and record, he was immediately assigned to the "Temperate Forest Riparian Division" ... where again he sat around waiting for something specific to do.

And now that he had it -- his actual title was simply "Liaison", nothing more -- he was going to make the best of it. He snatched up the scribbled note he'd been memorizing for the past few hours and, paraphrasing, answered her, "Because I've read your record, Emma-- uh, Miss Copeland. And my department needs well intentioned, hard working, well educated, and well placed people such as yourself if we are going to accomplish our goals in preserving the diversity and beauty of Mother Earth."

He cringed a bit as he thought about those last two words. In his time, Mother Earth wasn't just a cute phrase, it was a staple of a growing movement that had replaced Islam and Christianity as the dominant religion in many parts of the world. Throwing it out like that had felt like blasphemy to Will; he could feel his mother slapping his face and stomping off, angry that his scientific mind had not been able to fully accept everything she believed concerning Gaia.

Will had studied the religious beliefs of the TwentyFirsts a bit, of course; it was required learning for all Futurists. But he didn't know enough. Had he offended Emma with the use of the words? Did they mean the same here in this time? Was he making a big deal out of nothing at all? Maybe she wasn't religious at all; maybe she was of the scientific mind like he was. Maybe she wouldn't even catch what he'd said.

He shook off his concern and quickly added, "I have the ability to connect to the Webnet-- excuse me, your World Wide Web. Would you mind if we talked in person, face to face in a matter of speaking?"

Will knew he didn't really need to be able to see her as they talked. He just wanted to see her. The image that his Ex had found of Emma had, of course, been primary in his choosing her for his Liaison. She was ... just so damn cute; he wanted to see more of her, wanted to see her animated, speaking and smiling and talking and laughing.

Will didn't realize it, but his loneliness for female companionship was pushing him into infatuation with a woman he didn't even know ... a woman from a different time ... a woman who might never take to him.

He grimaced, thinking, Rejected in two different centuries ... oh, this ought to be fun.

 

[SweetAsSuga]

"Because I've read your record, Emma-- uh, Miss Copeland. And my department needs well intentioned, hard working, well educated, and well placed people such as yourself if we are going to accomplish our goals in preserving the diversity and beauty of Mother Earth."

Emma listened to this stranger, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. How did she know he wasn't actually one of the...what were they calling themselves now?...Futurists? It was entirely possible. And what he was saying sorta made sense.

"Ok..." Emma said hesitantly, "I'm all about protecting and preserving Mother Earth, but you have to understand me when I say that environmental lawyers like me are not looked upon very...favorably by the higher ups in government."

"Would you mind if we talked in person, face to face in a matter of speaking?" He asked.

Unsure, Emma ran a hand through her hair, thinking. Had her parents overheard this conversation, they would have been warning Emma that one should never meet strange men (especially those who claimed to be from the future) in person. Of course, Emma did almost the exact opposite of everything her parents said.

"Yea, sure. Why not. But first, you mind telling me your name?"

 

[AnotherOldGuy]

"I'm sorry," he laughed, "Will ...my name is Will--"

He knew that people of this era generally had at least two names -- a given and surname -- and had wanted one himself, just to fit in. He didn't see any harm in it and -- having no idea that the name was already taken by somewhat of a famous guy -- quickly added, "--Will Smith. My name is Will Smith."

Will looked down to the page before him titled Guidelines For Liaisons and tried to recall what he was and wasn't allowed to tell her about what she could expect in the near future concerning her job.

"As far as environmental law, Emma..." he began, pausing, wondering whether they'd established how he was to refer to her. Don't say too much! he reminded himself. "...I can assure you that you are going to find that you have a great deal more clout in the days to come."

That's enough! he told himself. He wanted to tell her what he knew, that the New World Order -- a phrase that had been used again and again but never more appropriately than now -- would see anyone and everyone who fought for the preservation of any element of Mother Earth elevated to positions of influence and power. Soon, Politicians and CEOs and the financial elite would be groveling to teachers and conservationists and equality activists.

People like Emma -- Miss Copeland -- would be the new power brokers on 21st century Earth.

Will pressed afinger to the screen before him and, over the Comm-Link to Emma's land line phone, he heard a tone near her. Wow! It worked! he thought, reluctantly recognizing that technology wasn't one of his strong suits.

"Miss Copeland," he said, choosing formality, "If I have done this correctly, you should be able to open your ...webcam, is that right...? And ...well, you'll see me."

He quickly ran his hand through his hair, trying to direct it as he rarely could, then ran a finger across his front teeth. First impressions, he told himself, desperately fantasizing that she was going to take one look at him and fall desperately in love -- or at least in lust -- with him.

He smiled toward the monitor and waited; unlike the visual hook ups of 2022, the Futurists' technology combined the camera and monitor together. Will would be able to look directly at Emma's image, and on her end, he wouldn't seem to be looking away at her shoulder or the top of her head or, worst, her tits.

 

[SweetAsSuga]

"Well, Will Smith, it is nice to meet you." Emma couldn't help chuckling at his fumbled introduction. She just couldn't stop picturing the gorgeous actor on the other end of the phone, even though she knew it wasn't him.

"As far as environmental law, Emma....I can assure you that you are going to find that you have a great deal more clout in the days to come." He continued.

"Ok, let's say that's true, I still don't know what I can do for you." Emma said.

She hated to admit it, but Emma was actually starting to enjoy this odd conversation. Will sounded like some of the kids that Emma had gone to high school with. The bumbling nerd who didn't really know where he fit, but who desperately wanted everyone to like him. Emma had always gotten along well with kids like that. She had a soft spot for the odd-man out.

"Miss Copeland," he said, choosing formality, "If I have done this correctly, you should be able to open your ...webcam, is that right...? And ...well, you'll see me."

"Alright, Mr. Smith," Emma smirked, mimicking his formal tone. "We have visual contact in 3...2...1" She pressed the button that activated her webcam and smiled brightly as she came virtual face to virtual face with Will.

 

[AnotherOldGuy]

"Wow..." Will mumbled ... then, realizing what he'd done, immediately blushed. He laughed nervously, glancing away for a moment before looking back at her again, and laughing yet again. "I'm ... I'm sorry, I don't mean to ... well ... well, you see, I ... I only saw the one picture of you ... I think it was a college photo or something..."

He smiled broadly, and after a moment said, "You're just as pretty as in that picture." He laughed again, looking down, feeling like a school boy with a crush. Without looking up, he said, "Sorry. I, um ... I'm not being very professional."

He finally looked up, his face red again. He drew a deep breath, exhaled, and said with a more formal tone, "Miss Copeland ... it is a pleasure to meet you ... as it were. My name is Will, and ... and--"

He looked down again, searched his desk, pulled the electronic Pad closer, and -- glancing down occasionally to review what he'd spent hours editing and reediting and reediting again, only to return right back to the words he'd started with -- continued, "--as a representative of Project Rejuvenation, I would like to tender an offer to be your Li-zing ... Li-is-sing..." He glanced down again, found the word he was having troubles with, pronounced it in his head -- la-i-zon -- then grimaced, and abandoned the text. He looked back to Emma and asked quickly, "You wanna work together...?"

 

[SweetAsSuga]

Emma smiled politely when she heard Will's mumbled "wow." She wasn't a conceited woman by any means, but she knew that men found her attractive.

"I'm ... I'm sorry, I don't mean to ... well ... well, you see, I ... I only saw the one picture of you ... I think it was a college photo or something..." Will stumbled over his words before smiling broadly. "You're just as pretty as in that picture. Sorry. I, um ... I'm not being very professional."

"It's alright, Will," Emma reassured him. "A woman does like to know when a man finds her attractive. However," her tone turned serious, "I hope that's not the only reason you wanted to talk to me. I can assure you that, right now, I'm not looking for a man, even if he is from the future." She smiled softly to lessen whatever blow her words may have caused. "Now, let's get down to business. What do you want with me, Will Smith."

"You wanna work together?" Will asked after stumbling over his words a little more.

Emma sat back in her seat, surveying Will's earnest expression as he watched her. Biting her lip, deep in thought, she debated what this offer could possibly mean.

"Alright, Will, you have my interest. What all would you expect of me?"

 

[AnotherOldGuy]

"Alright, Will," Emma said, "You have my interest. What all would you expect of me?"

He felt his heart literally jump with excitement and smiled, presenting his joy without any doubt. He looked to the computer next to the one he was talking to her on and tapped a couple of keys. "I just sent you a work packet ... to your mail. It lays out the goals of the department I'm a member of, the Temperate Forest Riparian Division. Your file says that before you got involved in the strip mining issue, you used to be involved in forest conservation."

Will looked back to Emma's image on the second monitor and said, "Listen, there are pages and pages in the goal's paperwork, but I can give you the highlights in just a few words. First ... the logging of natural forests will is to come to an immediate end."

He'd expected her reaction, so he wasn't surprised when he saw it. He confirmed his statement, "Mission Commander Lee is and has been talking to leaders around the world explaining that this is the way it will be from now on. Trees and algae ... together they are the lungs of the planet. Without them ... we stop breathing."

He tapped at a button on the other computer, wanting to bring up some numbers. They didn't appear. He shrugged and continued. "A plan will be initiated within 15 days to begin retraining and reemployment of those who will be affected by this new policy, Emma. These people who rely on logging ... they will be taken care of."

Will hesitated for a moment. There was more to this policy than he was authorized to explain, of course. Trees became boards, which became houses and businesses, which turned the world's economy; without the logging industry, there was no growth, and without growth, the 500,000 people who were born each and every day on this planet wouldn't have homes to live in or businesses to work in.

Of course ... this population growth ... it was going to end. And that, of course, was what Will was concealing ... what was turning his stomach over as he considered the next piece of information he was authorized to tell her. How does a person from some where else -- some time else -- tell a woman he wants to meet, to get to know, to ... what ever else ... that his people have a plan that will not only stop population growth but reverse it? A plan that the people of her time will not be happy to hear about...

 

[SweetAsSuga]

Emma looked over the packet of information that Will had just sent her as he continued to lay out his plans.

"Listen, there are pages and pages in the goal's paperwork, but I can give you the highlights in just a few words. First ... the logging of natural forests will is to come to an immediate end."

"Whoa, wait a second, Will. That is not going to be easy. Logging is an essential part of everything we do. Without it we can't build homes or business. People are going to lose their jobs. This economy already sucks, there's no way we can afford to have all those people out of work." She protested.

Honestly, Emma wanted logging to stop, especially logging that completely wiped out forested areas. But she knew the consequences should the logging end completely. There was no way that people would be able to survive without those jobs. Emma was felt so torn between her love of the environment and the knowledge that thousands of families would end up on the street should the loggers lose their jobs.


"A plan will be initiated within 15 days to begin retraining and reemployment of those who will be affected by this new policy, Emma. These people who rely on logging ... they will be taken care of." Will reassured her.

Emma bit her lip, deep in thought. Could she trust that Will would do as he said? Could she trust that these futurists really did care what happened to the people in this time?

"Alright," she said. "Against my better judgement, I'm trusting you in this, Will. Do not let me down."

Emma sensed that there was something else on his mind. She felt as if he wanted to tell her something, but couldn't. A surge of sympathy filled Emma, she wanted to reach out and hold Will, to let him know that he could tell her whatever he was holding back. She sensed, however, that this was not something done in the future and so withheld any reassurance she wanted to give him. Instead, she focused on the task at hand.

"Where do we go from here?"