Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Bender Cove Township Scenario
Episode #64: Hot Veggie Surprise (11/1/97)
Briel comes down the stairs.
Briel walks into the lobby, stretching, feeling fresh and alive for a change.
Briel is a mid-first level Channel who just had transfer two days ago.
Rache is standing behind the counter again, in her newly-accustomed position.
Rache is a 2nd order Donor.
Briel: Good morning Rache.
Briel walks over to where Rache is standing.
Rache: Morning Briel. You look much better.
Briel smiles.
Briel: Thanks.
Jon Drake is there at Briel's side, a place that has become very familiar.
Briel: I heard you haven't been assigned anywhere yet?
Rache smiles and shakes her head. "Not yet. I've met two QN2s, though."
Briel: Since Veraik isn't here, I'll go ahead and find somewhere to assign you.
Briel thinks.
Rache nods to Briel, and leans on the counter.
Rache: Obviously, assigning me to one of the seconds would be a start.
Briel: Hmmm.
Briel: Let me check the roster and see who you would match.
Briel goes over to the roster.
Rache smiles slightly.
Briel: Jirelle.
Briel nods.
Briel: Zlinning you, I think you two are close enough together.
Briel: We'll put you with her.
Briel nods again.
Rache nods. "Sounds fine to me."
Briel: What type of work are you experienced in at the other Center?
Briel goes to the filing cabinet and pulls out the files, pulling Rache's file.
Briel beings to flip through it.
Rache: I've usually helped with administrative details.
Briel: Currently, we need a supervisor over the housekeeping division. Would you be interested in that?
Briel: As you know, we've had problems with people painting, destroying, making a general mess of everything.
Briel: This is an administrative job...
Rache nods. "I can do that."
Briel: Good.
Rache frowns. "I think I know who you mean."
Briel makes notations in the file.
Briel: Overseeing, paperwork, making sure things get ordered, turning in your finance reports to Tarsh....
Briel: Things like that.
Alea comes slowly down the hall, weak, but recovering.
Rache groans.
Rache: Yeah. I can do that.
Briel: I think, with your organizational skills listed here, you'd do great.
Briel looks at Rache.
Briel: I apologize it took so long to assign you.
Briel: Things have been rather hectic here.
Rache nods. "It's OK. We'll make it all work."
Briel: Great.
Briel turns to Jon.
Briel: Will you show Rache to her new office?
Jon Drake: Yes, right away.
Jon Drake: If you'll come with me?
Rache: Of course.
Alea goes into the kitchen.
Alea is hungry for the first time since her miscarriage.
Alea goes to the stove and pulls out a huge cooking pan.
Rache follows JD to the office, humming under her breath.
Alea decides to have a fried veggie sandwich. She doesn't care what Veraik says about her not cooking.
Briel goes to her office.
Jon Drake wonders what that tune is. It's a bit catching.
Alea walks listlessly over to the refrigerator and pulls out some vegetables.
Alea finds a butcher knife and begins to slice the vegetables.
Alea pours oil in the frying pan.
Rache sings under her breath "ghosts and goblins eve-ry-where, life's no fun without a good scare". 1
Alea tosses the vegetables in the frying pan.
Jon Drake opens the door to the office.
Alea goes over to the tea container and realizes there is no tea.
Jon Drake: Here it is.
Alea: Well, shen.
Alea starts to cry.
Rache looks into the office, and nods quietly. She walks in and gestures for JD to come in as well.
Jon Drake enters.
Alea goes over to the cabinet, but is too short to reach the tea.
Alea: Why do they always place everything where you can't reach it?
Rache: Question for you?
Alea goes over and grabs a chair, does her best to shove it over to the cabinet.
Alea collapses in it, exhausted.
Jon Drake: Yes?
Alea wipes the tears from her face, then turns and climbs up onto the cabinet to grab the unopened tea.
Alea knocks the unopened flour out of the cabinet.
Alea: Oh shen!
Alea looks down at the sack that burst open, waving her hand and coughing as the dust reaches her face.
Alea carefully lowers herself back to the chair.
Alea grumbles.
Alea: You would think in a Center full of Simes they'd keep the tea made up.
Rache: What recording has been done so far? Has the housekeeping been recorded, or have things just been bought as needed?
Alea walks wearily back over to the huge tea pots.
Alea looks at the tea then the pots.
Alea shrugs and dumps the entire contents in one pot.
Alea: That looks about right.
Alea goes to the cabinet and begins filling a small pitcher with water, carrying it back and forth filling the huge pot.
Alea sighs in relief when it is finally done.
Alea suddenly sniffs.
Alea whirls.
Alea eyes widen at the flames leaping from the burning oil and veggies.
Alea: Fire!
Alea is so very thankful they have fixed the sprinkling system to only go off room by room.
Alea is really thankful when water starts pouring out of the sprinklers.
Alea gasps at the coldness and goes running out of the kitchen.
Alea: Help!
Alea: Someone?!
Alea: Anyone! I need help turning off the sprinklers!
Alea runs down the hall, soaked to the bone, looking for help.
Jon Drake hears the alarm and comes running!
Jon Drake: Excuse me!
Alea sees Jon.
Alea: Fire.
Rache looks up as the fire alarm goes off, and looks at JD. "Let's find out...."
Alea Gasping.
Alea: The Kitchen.
Jon Drake nods, runs into the kitchen.
Rache starts to run out of the room, into the hall.
Alea is soaked to the bone, robe and hair.
Jon Drake assesses the damage, looks for active flame.
Alea: Quick! I don't know how to turn the water off.
Jon Drake quickly goes to the panel and opens the cover.
Rache runs into Alea’s line of sight, looking around.
Alea shivering from the cold water.
Jon Drake turns the valve, shutting off the flow.
Alea: I forgot the grease and vegetables while making the tea.
Alea stands there dripping, staring at the mess in the kitchen.
Alea: Veraik's gonna strangle me.
Rache walks into the kitchen, after JD. She looks at the hot frying pan, then picks up a lid and a teatowel and calmly (using the teatowel) puts the lid over the frypan.
Rache turns and looks at Alea, folding her arms.
Rache: You were cooking with oil and you forgot?
Alea shrugs.
Alea: It happens.
Alea's teeth begin to chatter.
Jon Drake thinks with Alea, it happens a lot.
Jon Drake: Alea, come with me.
Jon Drake: Let's get you into some dry clothes.
Alea nods miserably.
Alea: I was hungry.
Alea: The cafeteria was temporarily closed so they could mop the floor.
Alea's teeth chatter louder and she glances at Rache.
Jon Drake leads her to the stairs, offers to help her up.
Rache looks at JD, then sighs softly. "All right. I'll see that there's always something which can be eaten, any time day or night."
Alea: Won't do an-ny-g-g-good... V-Veraik p-pr-promised that.
Rache: First order of business. JD, get her out of those wet clothes. I'll get her some food.
Alea sniffles.
Alea: Veraik is gonna be really mad.
Rache starts into the process of cooking, and of cleaning up the kitchen.
Rache: What won't do any good?
Alea glances back at Rache.
Alea: V-v-veraik d-ddin't want me cook-k-king.
Alea: He p-promised..food any-t-time.
Alea nods for emphasis at Rache, pausing on the stairs.
Rache speaks calmly. "Veraik is in charge of the entire Center. He's too busy to make certain things get done."
Alea shrugs, thinking he would for her.
Alea: If you say so.
Rache: I, however, am in charge of housekeeping, according to Briel. I'll make sure of it.
Jon Drake: Don't worry about that, Alea. Just come upstairs.
Jon Drake: You need to warm up.
Alea nods.
Alea: Jorgre.
Alea: He's over the kitchens....
Alea sneezes.
Rache studies what Alea had apparently been trying to make, then sighs and starts over.
Alea goes wearily up the stairs with Jon.
Jon Drake pulls her into her room, sits her down on the bed.
Alea: Maybe I should have stayed up here.
Jon Drake: OK, you take those off, I'm going to start a hot shower for you to warm you up.
Alea: Someone had been bringing me food on a tray....
Alea blushes and shakes her head.
Rache makes a warm casserole, and tries to find some usable tea.
Alea: I'm fine, Jon.
Rache pokes her head into the cafeteria area, and finds the staff who had been mopping. She discusses some matters with them at some length.
Jon Drake: I'm serious, Alea.
Jon Drake is calling from the bathroom. He's turning the shower on, very warm.
Alea: No, really. I'm fine.
Jon Drake: You are chilled, Alea.
Alea gathers up the small baby garment and stuffs it in a drawer by her bed, then goes to a box with her old clothes in it to try and find something.
Jon Drake: You need to take care of yourself.
Alea defensively.
Alea: I was. I was trying to eat and get back my strength.
Rache: ...and you didn't even feel Alea's fear when she saw the fire? I know the place is shielded, but shen it all!
Alea pulls out one of her old outfits, refusing to look in her armoire for something to wear.
Jon Drake sees what she is doing and can't say anything for a while.
Rache: I do not want to hear of the kitchens not being attended at any hour.
Jon Drake: Alea....
Alea swings around.
Alea tries to smile.
Alea: I was trying to find something to wear. This is the only robe I had, and it's all wet.
Jorgre comes hurrying into the kitchen..
Jorgre: What the....
Jorgre sighs.
Jon Drake: I'm so sorry, what happened to you.
Jorgre: What happened here?
Alea shrugs.
Alea: It happens.
Alea avoids his glance.
Alea: Moreso with Farrises than others.
Rache turns and looks at Jorgre. "Sosu Farris - Alea - was hungry. The kitchens were unattended and she decided to cook for herself."
Jorgre groans.
Rache gestures at the wreckage.
Jorgre: How'd she get to the kitchens? I had specific orders from Veraik that she was not to be in here again.
Jorgre: And she had promised.
Rache speaks with exaggerated patience. "Through the door."
Jorgre is mentally adding up the price of the water damage.
Rache: The cafeteria had been closed for mopping.
Jorgre: You know, if I get someone in here immediately, maybe we'll only lose the wall paper.
Jorgre: What?
Jorgre turns toward Rache.
Jon Drake goes to Alea.
Rache looks around and does her own calculations. "So she tells me."
Jon Drake: I'm still sorry. If there's anything I can do to help.
Jorgre: They have specific instructions to give Alea anything she wants, so she won't sneak in here.
Alea nods.
Alea: Thank you, Jon.
Jon Drake: In the mean time, though, we need to get your body heat back up.
Jorgre: We'll have to do something about this.
Alea flushes again.
Rache nods. "All right. Henceforth, there is always to be someone capable of cooking in this room. Regardless."
Jorgre stiffens.
Jorgre: I believe that is my job to see to that, not yours.
Jorgre shows his affront plainly on his face.
Jon Drake gently urges Alea toward the bathroom.
Rache sighs and shakes her head, shrugging. "Whatever."
Alea: I can do this fine, Jon. Really.
Rache walks out of the kitchen, her nager subdued.
Jorgre calls to the others mingling around who came when the alarm sounded and puts them to work.
Jon Drake gives her a critical look.
Jon Drake: OK.
Alea is vastly relieved. She is embarrassed at how awful she looks and doesn't want anyone seeing her.
Jon Drake: Your food will be downstairs waiting for you. Be sure you warm yourself up completely.
Alea: Of course, Jon.
Alea: I'm not a simpleton.
Rache goes off to her office and just sits there, crying.
Maleane signals at Rache's door.
Rache wipes her tears, calls out "Come in."
Alea slips into the bathroom and very carefully slips off her robe and steps into the shower.
Jon Drake: You want me to get someone else to help you? I didn't say you were, Alea. I'm just concerned.
Maleane opens the door.
Alea gasps, sees Jon still standing there and flushes bright red.
Alea: I'm fine, really. [hanging onto the towel rack]
Jon Drake leaves Alea to her privacy.
Maleane: Oh, ah....
Rache: Who is it?
Rache: Yes?
Maleane: Excuse me, but... well, I'm Maleane.
Rache: Mmhmm?
Maleane: I've been cleaning the offices. Briel told me you were in charge now and to come report to you.
Alea sighs in relief and jerks the shower curtain closed...sinks down to the floor and cries.
Rache nods. "All right. Sit."
Maleane, a renSime, crosses the room and sits down.
Maleane: Are you okay?
Rache shrugs absently. "Not really. But we'll get there."
Rache: I need details. I need to know what furniture we have, how many rooms we have, what's in them, what condition they're in... [smiles] We're going to know everything we need to, and we're going to make this place work.
Maleane smiles.
Maleane: It's about time.
Jon Drake walks down the stairs, still worried.
Rache nods. "OK. Do you have some of that information? Or can you tell me who would?"
Maleane: Well, we definitely require more furniture in the lobby as well as transfer couches. Those seem to be missing. As for who would have all that information, well, Tarsh Chutmas would.
Maleane: He's our new financial officer. But he knows everything about the Center.
Rache nods. "All right. I'll talk to him."
Rache: Missing as in, we own the furniture and it's probably somewhere in the Center?
Maleane: Missing as in, someone has stolen it.
Maleane: We had all of our retainers stolen two months ago.
Maleane: Now transfer couches have turned up missing.
Rache nods. "All right. We'll work on that as well."
Maleane: No one has really noticed. It's the rooms we don't use much. And the furniture is always rearranged....
Rache picks up a pen and taps it to her lips, thoughtfully.
Maleane: But if you're one of the housekeeping staff, you notice things like that.
Rache studies Maleane, and nods. "Report such things to me."
Maleane nods.
Maleane: Very well.
Rache: Would you have time to make an inventory for me, Maleane? Of the things we currently have?
Rache: And where they currently are? And which items are in use?
Maleane: Of course.
Maleane stands.
Maleane: Is that all?
Rache smiles. "That's all for now. We'll get it working."
Rache: Thank you.
Maleane smiles.
Maleane pauses.
Jon Drake goes down to find Briel, checks her office.
Rache: Yes?
Maleane: Don't let the newness of this get to you. You'll be fine.
Rache smiles. "Thank you."
Maleane goes out the door.
Briel: Come. [to Jon Drake who she zlins outside her door]
Jon Drake enters.
Jon Drake: Briel, I'm worried about Alea.
Briel: Yeah, I zlinned she is at it again.
Briel sighs.
Jon Drake: On the tail end of her miscarriage, it's not like the others.
Briel cocks her head.
Briel: What do you mean Jon?
Jon Drake: She seems... so... out of it, listless, lifeless.
Jon Drake: She was soaked, and I had to urge her to take a warm shower and change her clothes.
Jon Drake: Could you look in on her for me?
Briel: I suppose so.
Jon Drake relaxes.
Jon Drake: Thanks.
Briel thinks she doesn't have time to coddle Alea.
Briel: I'll get to it when I have a minute.
Jon Drake: OK. Thanks, Brie.
Briel nods.
Briel: How long is it going to take them to clean up her mess this time?
Jon Drake: I'm not sure, I didn't go back down. I shut off the sprinklers before they did too much water damage in there.
Briel: Thanks JD.
Briel: That woman....
Briel: I am seriously considering asking Veraik to get rid of her.
Briel: She's a menace.
Briel: I don't know why he even keeps her around.
Jon Drake: She's a complex mystery.
Briel laughs.
Briel: A mystery all right.
Jon Drake: There are times when she seems to want to do things right so badly, but something always seems to happen.
Briel: A mystery how she hasn't killed us all.
Jon Drake doesn't want to get in an argument with Briel, tries to find some way to defuse it.
Briel: Yeah, Alea gets involved in them.
Briel sighs.
Briel: I don't want discussion of Alea to ruin my day. Why do you think I avoided the kitchen?
Briel: She was there.
Briel: So, let's just drop it by now.
Jon Drake shrugs, welcoming the chance to drop it before it gets too hot.
Jon Drake: OK, Brie.
Briel: Did Rache find her office okay?
Alea finally drags herself out of the shower, dries off and crawls into bed.
Jon Drake: Yes, she did.
Briel stands and goes around the desk.
Briel smiles slowly.
Jon Drake: I expect that she'll find it comfortable once she has a chance to spruce it up.
Briel: Good good.
Briel runs a tentacle up Jon's chest.
Briel: So, Jon... what are you plans for today?
Briel smiles in invitation.
Jon Drake smiles.
Jon Drake: What do you have in mind, Brie?
Briel's grin widens.
Briel: I thought we might go back upstairs and finish what we started last night.
Jon Drake places his hands on Briel's hips.
Jon Drake: I'd love nothing better.
Briel slides her hands up his chest.
Briel: Great. Let's go. The paperwork can wait for an hour or two.
Alea ignores her growling stomach and pulls the other blanket up over her, wanting to get warm.
Jon Drake's nager shows his decided agreement.
Briel goes out her door and up the stairs.
Jon Drake follows right behind.
Alea wonders what Trel will say about her message. Alea is certain it will be ignored, and with a sorrowful sigh, covers her head and tries to sleep.
Notes:
1) This is a reference to the musical animated film Nightmare before Christmas. It is a line of lyrics from the opening song in which the town of Halloween and its ruler, Skeleton Jack, are introduced. [return]