06-25-2014, 08:17 PM
The flame-haired woman passed him by with brief gratitude. From behind, Elias followed the sway of her hair and the dance of her steps, but she soon collected herself in front of a book and paid him little more attention.
He shrugged and moved on.
The librarians gave him as much thought as the girl had. A blonde looked up at him as he passed by and promptly looked back down again.
He had no interest in browsing workstations or data ports, but one holoscreen caught his eye. It was a map of the library itself. There was an extensive collection of work, digital and otherwise, on marine biology despite the landlocked nature of the city. A brief search found the professor he was here to meet authored several additions to the collection. His name was also cataloged next to a long list of works required for his classes, but a special designation caught Elias' eye.
Listed beneath the professor's recommendations was a curious title. "On the flight and fancy of arctic sealife: the intersection of the archaic, colossal, and wondrous."
"Interesting title."
Eli pulled it up in the cue. The cover depicted a chthonic-looking creature that seemed to be pulled from a sketchbook. Normally he would have dismissed such a work, but given the nature of his interests in Moscow to begin with, he was curious of its contents. As he lacked the full access usually allowed to students, he would be trudging through the bowels of the library to find a hard copy. After downloading appropriate directions, he made his way onward.
He briefly glanced at the flame-haired woman as he passed out of curiosity rather than real interest, but he moved with no more noise than the rustle of his coat against his legs and the footfalls of heavy boots.
The library reached both skyward and delved downward. Elias was searching the seemingly endless aisles for the professor's recommendation when the sounds of a hushed and hurried conversation gave him pause.
Their words caught him like a fish in a sudden net, completely unexpected. He stopped to listen.
He shrugged and moved on.
The librarians gave him as much thought as the girl had. A blonde looked up at him as he passed by and promptly looked back down again.
He had no interest in browsing workstations or data ports, but one holoscreen caught his eye. It was a map of the library itself. There was an extensive collection of work, digital and otherwise, on marine biology despite the landlocked nature of the city. A brief search found the professor he was here to meet authored several additions to the collection. His name was also cataloged next to a long list of works required for his classes, but a special designation caught Elias' eye.
Listed beneath the professor's recommendations was a curious title. "On the flight and fancy of arctic sealife: the intersection of the archaic, colossal, and wondrous."
"Interesting title."
Eli pulled it up in the cue. The cover depicted a chthonic-looking creature that seemed to be pulled from a sketchbook. Normally he would have dismissed such a work, but given the nature of his interests in Moscow to begin with, he was curious of its contents. As he lacked the full access usually allowed to students, he would be trudging through the bowels of the library to find a hard copy. After downloading appropriate directions, he made his way onward.
He briefly glanced at the flame-haired woman as he passed out of curiosity rather than real interest, but he moved with no more noise than the rustle of his coat against his legs and the footfalls of heavy boots.
The library reached both skyward and delved downward. Elias was searching the seemingly endless aisles for the professor's recommendation when the sounds of a hushed and hurried conversation gave him pause.
Their words caught him like a fish in a sudden net, completely unexpected. He stopped to listen.