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Finance night at the university

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  1. #1
    Michael Redfill's Avatar

    Michael Redfill
    Michael Redfill

    Pre2 (scholarly)
    Aspect of the Predator active outside Elysia

    1
    PRE

    OOC


    Princess

    It is rather late in the evening and the main building of the California State University is mostly deserted except for one small auditorium, where technitians are setting up huge twin monitors and a computer for the lector to work with. The room can house about 50 people and there are refreshments in the back: mainly pastries and fruit. A shiny coffee machine promises anyone daring enough a sleepless night. After a few minutes, the men switch on the machines and Bloomberg terminal interface appears on both displays.

    Tonight is a seminar about the new capabilities the Bloomberg system itself, new ways of exporting data into Excel for processing and the API designed for incorporating their data retrieving software into your own applications. Pretty much everyone in Sacramento who has something to do with securities trading or risk-management has been invited. Of course, not everyone has time to come, but the turnover is expected to be impressive.

    Anyone with an invitation can get into the University by showing an ID and then get a badge at the entrance to the room, signifying their name and company affiliation.

    Michael is one of the first to arrive, as he has just finished teaching a small class on Medieval Russia. His badge says proudly "California State University". After walking in he winces at the sight of food and then takes a seat in the first row. Realizing that the lecture won't start for another 15 minutes, he takes out a laptop and occupies himself with some computations. For now, he seems completely focused on work.

    The room starts to slowly fill with people. Most of them represent major banks.

    Like this, only two more rows and two 52-inch LCD displays instead of the screen


    -1 for Blush of Life, as this is not Elysium, Aspect of the Predator is on
    Pre2 (scholarly), BP1
    Aspect of the Predator active everywhere because Deputy
    Status(Academia) 3 (PhD Scholar)
    Sanguine Scribe of Terror
    Default Vitae: 9/10

  2. #2
    Princess's Avatar


    Ms. Tunt strolls into the room, her name tag indicating her affiliation with Citibank. Admittedly, she didn't particularly matter in Sacramento's financial world as yet - being a backroom fixer in Wall Street meant nothing in the "real world," particularly when one had kept a low profile - and had a low profile kept for them. With her attire quite formal, it seemed all the more odd when her hips insisted on rocking the charcoal suits' skirt. But she was contained, enough, for a formal event as she took in the crowd gently. This was not the occasion for her to stare down anyone - as comfortable as she was with that habit of hers, it came across as rather predatory, particularly from a woman. But despite the fact that all of these fools should be cowering before her might, she settled in to be an observer, though it did not preclude being observed, herself.

    There was something painful to her about how humble this room appeared, but not so much as how some of these other people had adorned themselves with pauper's clothes masquerading as formal business attire. I can almost smell who does not belong by their poor choice in fabrics. Hmm.

  3. #3
    Michael Redfill's Avatar

    Michael Redfill
    Michael Redfill

    Pre2 (scholarly)
    Aspect of the Predator active outside Elysia

    1
    PRE

    Plese remember that Michael's Beast is apparent and they haven't met properly before.


    Michael tenses visibly for a few moments, as the wolf inside him senses another predator approach from the back. Instinct tells him to turn around, throw the notebook into the Kindred's face and then fight, assert dominance.

    He suggests the canine to keep quiet. This really wasn't a proper scene for a spectacle. Turning, he finds that the Beast's owner appears to be a stunning woman. She doesn't look like a model, but Michael has never been into those skinny starving types. Health and fitness were much more attractive.

    Relaxing, the Savage Doctor smiles at her and motions to the free seat near him.
    Pre2 (scholarly), BP1
    Aspect of the Predator active everywhere because Deputy
    Status(Academia) 3 (PhD Scholar)
    Sanguine Scribe of Terror
    Default Vitae: 9/10

  4. #4
    Claire Edmonton's Avatar

    Claire Edmonton
    Claire Edmonton

    4
    PRE

    Claire recoils internally at the press of terror, the need to escape presented by the unknown kindred. But then again, she knew she should not be entirely unprepared for the city's - "Long Term" - residents to be present, so she stood her ground. The sudden jerk in her movements could be seen to an outside observer as merely the shock of seeing an unexpected, but familiar, face. And she was intimately familiar with monsters. Most of them, thus far, had been entitled nouveau-riche who required her former bosses to be the crucial catalyst to staying on top of America's economics... and she actually found the Damned easier to deal with, oddly enough. At least they had the personal power to back up their entitlement.

    And she could feel the wave, the press of this one's personal power. And given the invitation, it would be uncouth of her to not accept his wonderful invitation to go have a seat. Casually continuing to look about the room, she strolls to the seat indicated, and takes her place in it. She half-whispers to him, "Hello. How are you this evening?"

  5. #5
    Michael Redfill's Avatar

    Michael Redfill
    Michael Redfill

    Pre2 (scholarly)
    Aspect of the Predator active outside Elysia

    1
    PRE

    As Claire approaches him, Michael smiles and looks her in the eyes. Hi gaze darts to the badge only for a moment. He also takes note of the clothes. Clothes, he figured, could tell you a lot. Whether the person was willing to give up comfort for looks. Or whether they had money. Or whether they gave a damn about what anyone else thought.

    Quite the formal one.

    Michael himself wore a dark-blue suit and a white shirt today. Both looked simple enough, but the fabric and the way the clothes fitted him betrayed their price. He found out that wearing clothes that were obviously expensive meant problems. And there was nothing more disappointing than ripping a 3000-dollar suit in a fight with some thug.

    As Claire sits down, Michael turns off his notebook's screen and answers:

    "Excellent, thank you. I don't believe we've been fully introduced when we met before. I'm Michael Redfill, a visiting professor at this University and a Doctor of History." - her Beast is vaguely familiar, so they must have passed each other in Court. He must have been rather busy though, not to notice someone this good looking.

    The room continues to fill with people, but there is not much chatter. The sound of Redfill's computer's fans can be distinctly heard, as the machine is running a program he has just finished writing.
    Pre2 (scholarly), BP1
    Aspect of the Predator active everywhere because Deputy
    Status(Academia) 3 (PhD Scholar)
    Sanguine Scribe of Terror
    Default Vitae: 9/10

  6. #6
    Claire Edmonton's Avatar

    Claire Edmonton
    Claire Edmonton

    4
    PRE

    Claire was pleasantly surprised to see that his seemingly simple attire did have a price tag appropriate to credibly speak about high finance. It was refreshing, given the slovenly nature of so many men and academics, let alone when the two crossed paths. He'd look so much better in grey, though. A pity. She doesn't linger overly long on his clothing, however, being more interested in what he might have to say.

    "Claire Adelaide Tunt. Financial Analyst, Citigroup and independently. Master of Economics, Princeton," she replies, her voice heavy with the signs of rote recitation.

    She looks over at the buzzing computer, as though wondering what it might have to contribute to the conversation, before turning back to Dr. Redfill. "So you are the primary presenter tonight, Dr.?" she tell/asks him, in an almost rhetorical manner.

  7. #7
    Michael Redfill's Avatar

    Michael Redfill
    Michael Redfill

    Pre2 (scholarly)
    Aspect of the Predator active outside Elysia

    1
    PRE

    Michael bows his head slightly:

    "A pleasure, Miss Tunt. Financial analyst? And, judging by your attire, a rather successful one? What is your primary area of specialty, if I may ask? Company solvency, bank products, financial instruments?" - he looks at her with sincere interest.

    Not just looks, heh?

    Michael sincerely admires Kindred who have active professional life among mortals. It's a show of character and willingness to remember that they weren't just monsters. Much later, such pursuits would probably have to be abandoned, but right now he enjoys them and the company of those with similar interests.

    Especially when 'those' are extremely good-looking and smart women.

    The mention of Princeton makes his smile grow wider: "Ah. I've done my doctorate work at NYU de jure, but, de facto, I've spent most of the time in libraries in Europe." - Michael stops there to prevent the conversation from the usual Alma Mater and scientific standing measuring contest.

    And mine is longer anyway.

    He actually chuckles at her suggestion of him being the presenter:

    "Or no, I'm not. This " - he points to the notebook. - "is a private project. I am actually in financial analysis as well. Mostly financial crises study and trading strategy development based on collective behavior models. I work with Didier Sornette."

    After a short pause he adds:

    "I believe Bloomberg flew an expert from the East Coast to present its new features."

    Having discussed all the business, he smiles again:

    "I've been inactive for some time. A sudden unfortunate trauma that I got while hunting. Have you been working here a long time?" - after looking at his watch he adds, - "We still have a few minutes. Don't hesitate to ask me anything, or I'll just keep talking about you. I'm very curious, I'm afraid."
    Pre2 (scholarly), BP1
    Aspect of the Predator active everywhere because Deputy
    Status(Academia) 3 (PhD Scholar)
    Sanguine Scribe of Terror
    Default Vitae: 9/10

  8. #8
    Claire Edmonton's Avatar

    Claire Edmonton
    Claire Edmonton

    4
    PRE

    "Financial instruments and market adaptation. So not too far away from your own interests, it seems. But I've just recently come to this area. Somehow or other I always went from New York to Beijing without stopping here, but I'm finding it hospitable here." Claire maintains direct eye contact for the duration of her answer, pupils steadily focused, without a flinch.

    She skips right over the comment about European libraries and Marxism that came to mind immediately - best not to joke about communism with a fresh acquaintance. But skipping back a step in his remarks, she casually offers the tidbit, "Mr. Bloomberg is quite sharp, isn't he?" with a hint of affection in her voice as her eyes drift upward.

    Returning to the subject at hand, here eyes lock back onto Dr. Redfill's, pupils dilated noticeably as she asks, "Coming up with anything particularly exciting in your own project?"

  9. #9
    Michael Redfill's Avatar

    Michael Redfill
    Michael Redfill

    Pre2 (scholarly)
    Aspect of the Predator active outside Elysia

    1
    PRE

    There is an abvious burst of enthusiasm after Clare states her are of expertise:

    "Oh, then you might find our research fascinating. The basic premise is, that when a market is in crisis, normal economic models don't work because it shifts into a completely different state. Now that's not news, but the interesting thing is that our team of researchers was able to come up with a model that does work." - he pauses, perhaps somewhat too dramatically, leans a bit closer and lowers his voice.

    "Earthquakes. It's basically the same premise. You model economic agents as separate elements of a system. The system can be characterised by the strength of coupling or synchronization. A crisis occures when most of the agents synchronise and throw the entire system out of balance. The results are quite impressive. And, if applied with skill, they can bring profits." - his smile grows wider.

    Michael then pulls back and resumes talking normally:

    "The trouble with most financial analysts is that they use models without thinking and understanding. There is quite a bit of money to be made for those that don't."

    He notices how her eyes drift upward when she speaks about Bloomberg.

    "That's an understatement. The man has changed the financial world, he made it possible to act based on online information. And then became the mayor of New York." - politics really wasn't Michael's area of interest, but you still had to respect the man.

    At the mention of his work , he gestures to the notebook:

    "Trying to adapt the models I've spoken about to social crises. The main problem is the lack of quantitative data. Running Monte Carlo simulations to infer the parameters I need from what I have. Mostly, boring technical stuff."

    OOC
    Pre2 (scholarly), BP1
    Aspect of the Predator active everywhere because Deputy
    Status(Academia) 3 (PhD Scholar)
    Sanguine Scribe of Terror
    Default Vitae: 9/10

  10. #10
    Princess's Avatar


    "Fascinating. Once your research comes a bit further, It would be my great pleasure to help test it in the field for you. It sounds as though you are somewhere in the middle of things now, though? Best to be patient with such things."

    She nods and grins to his next remark, saying, "The tragedy of our time may be how few of the thinkers can think."

    And when he brings the topic back to the other Michael, her eyes divert again, "Quite the charmer, to boot."

    But she frees herself from revery without delay. Looking back into Redfill's eyes, she asks, "But you seem to enjoy the nitty gritty, don't you?"

    OOC

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