Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Bender Cove Township Scenario
Episode #66: Iholo-who? (11/3/97)
Zhopchus walks up to the front of the Sime Center and stops, peering intently at a piece of rumpled paper in his hand.
Zhopchus looks up at the sign on the front of the Center, then back at the paper.
Zhopchus looks back and forth between the two, several more times.
Zhopchus crams the paper in his pocket and grips his suitcase tighter, marches up the Center's front steps.
Zhopchus reaches for the doorknob with his other hand, dropping all the newspapers that had been tucked under his arm.
Zhopchus opens the door a crack, closes it again, bends over, and tries to pick up the newspapers one-handed.
Linn turns into the walk, intent on consulting Veraik about several matters in connection with the new Eastcove Children's Center.
Zhopchus tucks the folded newspapers between his knees one at a time until they are all collected there, then grips them carefully with his elbow.
Linn notices Zhopchus trying to pick up the papers.
Zhopchus is a medium height, medium age, average clothed male Gen with a small gray suitcase and a bunch of foreign newspapers.
Zhopchus stands up... sort of... and gropes for the doorknob again.
Linn: Here, let me.
Linn opens the door.
Zhopchus: Oh! [bows]
Zhopchus: Plank you very much.
Zhopchus enters the Sime Center.
Linn is so glad to hear English that she doesn't mind the accent.
Linn follows Zhopchus into the Sime Center.
Zhopchus: I am new to this burial. Is this in need the Sime Bender?
Zhopchus: Wait.
Zhopchus gropes in his pocket, and produces a tiny dictionary, raining newspapers in the process.
Zhopchus looks something up.
Zhopchus: Ah!
Zhopchus: Area.
Zhopchus: I am new to this Area.
Linn helpfully picks up the fallen papers, looking at them for a clue to this Gen's territoriality and native language.
Zhopchus: [the papers appear to be from several different cultures]
Zhopchus: Oh... plank you, plank you. [retrieves papers]
Linn: You're welcome.
Briel comes down the steps from her room.
Linn assumes that a gentleman as polite as Zhopchus is not talking about lumber.
Zhopchus: I hope I now bind himself in the Sime Bender for I have much to offer.
Linn is starting to understand a little of the accent.
Linn: Yes, this is the Sime Center.
Briel zlins two Gens near the front of the Center and turns that direction to go investigate.
Zhopchus: Ah! Sime Center. Very good.
Zhopchus: I have much to offer.
Linn reflects that Sime benders are better accomplished in the shiltpron parlor down the street.
Briel goes to the front door.
Briel: Hello, Linn.
Linn: Hello, Briel.
Zhopchus: Ah! The employment arrives.
Briel nods to the other Gen nodding.
Briel: How can I help you two today?
Zhopchus: You must be the Boner of the day.
Briel simply smiles.
Zhopchus: Trees, help her lovely Woman before me.
Zhopchus pauses, then flips through the pages of his book, muttering, "please, please, hoobly gna rhabulch!"
Zhopchus: Please, help her lovely Woman before me.
Briel shrugs.
Briel: Well?
Briel looks from the Gen to Linn.
Linn: I was in the area, and thought I'd drop by to see how Veraik is coming along with his Eastcove project.
Briel nods.
Briel: Ah, I see.
Briel motions them to come on in.
Zhopchus moves obediently closer to Briel.
Briel: From what I understand, classes are to start next week.
Linn: Then the renovations are complete?
Briel goes over to the lobby and leans against the desk, motioning to the couch.
Briel: As I understand it.
Briel: Veraik is over there right now, finishing the last of the inspections to make sure they did what we ordered.
Linn: I'm glad to hear that progress has been so rapid.
Briel: He likes to get his job done.
Briel: We'd like to ask you about any ideas you might have on spreading the word--not that people probably don't know already what we are doing.
Linn: Of course.
Briel: Do you know any publicity that works better? Flyers, open house, what would you suggest? Or just word of mouth?
Zhopchus listens with interest. Various strange expressions he makes suggest he is hearing their meanings at least somewhat inaccurately.
Linn: Flyers would be appropriate, and an announcement in the school's weekly newspaper. Invite kids and parents both to a grand opening, to make it clear you have nothing to hide.
Zhopchus mutters "flyers"... looks up in book... eyebrows shoot up.
Briel nods.
Briel: That's sounds good.
Briel: I'll make sure to mention that to Veraik.
Linn: Is Veraik expected soon? If so, I can wait and share my ideas with him directly.
Zhopchus tries to look up "Veraik".
Briel: Ah. He might be back later today.
Linn: In the meantime, you can help this gentleman. He actually arrived before I did.
Zhopchus: ... veracity... veranda...
Zhopchus scratches head.
Briel: How may I help you?
Zhopchus: Ah!
Zhopchus: I have much to offer.
Zhopchus: This is the Sime Center, no? I retire to submit my selling.
Zhopchus: Desire.
Zhopchus: Desire to submit my selling.
Zhopchus: Selyn.
Zhopchus looks in book again.
Briel: What are you selling?
Briel: Ah... selyn?
Zhopchus: Yes! Yes! [enthusiastically]
Zhopchus: I have much selling to offer.
Briel: Have you donated before?
Zhopchus: Oh! Yes, yes, much donated before.
Zhopchus: Everything no problem.
Briel nods.
Briel: Good.
Briel: Why don't you follow me?
Briel motions and starts down the hall.
Briel goes to the donation room.
Zhopchus hesitates, looks worried, follows Briel.
Zhopchus looks up "follows" on the way there, seems relieved.
Linn sits down on the lobby couch to wait.
Briel pushes the door open.
Zhopchus: You know, I have many hairy happiness about being at a Sime Center at last.
Zhopchus: Very.
Zhopchus: Many very happiness.
Briel: That's great.
Briel motions to the donation couch.
Zhopchus looks at the couch.
Zhopchus: Ah! Very nice.
Zhopchus: My name is....
Zhopchus hesitates.
Briel goes over and sits down and pats the other side, motioning for the Gen to sit down.
Zhopchus pulls out rumpled piece of paper and studies it.
Zhopchus: Zhopchus.
Zhopchus peers closer.
Zhopchus: Iholochus.
Iholochus sits, looks at paper in some mystification, then puts it away once again.
Briel: Well then, why don't you sit down here. I am Briel. [points to herself]
Iholochus: Briel... how brutiful.
Briel smiles.
Briel grabs a chart and fills out some of the lines.
Iholochus appreciates Briel's bruty.
Briel puts down as much information as she knows, deciding to let Veraik or their financial officer sort it all out later.
Briel: Now then....
Briel tosses the chart to the side.
Iholochus smiles.
Iholochus: I am ready for you, Briel.
Briel motions at the Gen's arms.
Briel holds out her own arms.
Briel: Let me take your Donation.
Iholochus looks quite excited.
Iholochus moves forward in clear intent to embrace Briel.
Briel snags his arms, easily holding them and leans forward for fifth contact point.
Iholochus tries for a passionate kiss.
Briel concentrates on drawing the selyn, trying to ignore the rest.
Briel draws as much selyn as she can and then sits back.
Iholochus sighs afterward.
Briel: There we go.
Iholochus: Ah, you Western Woman are so firm in brutiful self-selection.
Briel releases his arms and snags the chart again.
Briel: Yes, I'm sure.
Briel nods, smiling absently as she scribbles some more on the chart.
Iholochus: This is the mastery I seek! Plank you, plank you very also.
Iholochus: May I seek you again brutious Briel?
Briel hands him a voucher.
Briel: Of course.
Iholochus looks at the voucher - confused at first, then comprehends.
Iholochus: A token! Many plank you, very many.
Briel: Now, go down the hall... then go left... the cashier will be on the left... big window... can't miss it.
Iholochus: I remember always. Plank you.
Briel nods.
Briel stands up and goes to the door and opens it.
Iholochus follows Briel slavishly.
Briel: Thank you too.
Briel: Bye now.
Briel: You take care.
Iholochus re-enters the lobby clutching the voucher to his breast with both hands and looking somewhat dewy-eyed.
Briel waits until he is out of sight and then wipes her mouth.
Briel: Yuck.
Briel goes over to the sink and washes her hands then dries them before leaving the donation room.
Iholochus picks up his suitcase and newspapers (more than once) and leaves the Center.
Briel starts back out to the lobby.
Alea comes carefully down the stairs, holding her head in her hands.
Alea's eyes are closed because of the light.
Iholochus walks a few blocks down, then stops beside a mail station.
Alea takes another step and realizes she is at the bottom of the stairs.
Alea blinks and opens her eyes.
Alea sees Linn.
Iholochus carefully removes a pre-addressed envelope from his interior coat pocket and slips the voucher inside, then hands it to a postal courier with money for an express delivery.
Iholochus dumps the foreign newspapers in the nearest trash pile and walks off humming to himself.
Briel goes back down the hall to the lobby.
Briel: Well, Linn, Veraik hasn't made it back yet.
Briel zlins Alea and winces, turning her back on her.
Briel: Would you like to go in his office and wait?
Nick wakes up late, feeling anything but rested, and stumbles into the kitchen.
Linn stands.
Alea turns and goes slowly down the hall toward the infirmary, looking for fosebine.
Briel goes to Veraik's office and opens the door.
Briel: I'm sure he won't mind.
Linn: Well, I really don't have time to wait much longer today.
Briel: Oh.
Briel closes his door.
Linn: If you could tell him that I called?
Briel: Well, then, I'll just tell him you came by. How's that?
Briel: Of course, Linn.
Linn: If I have time this afternoon, I'll stop by and see if he's returned.
Briel: Great.
Briel: I'm sure he'll want to talk to you.
Nick makes himself a cup of tea, but finds that he has no appetite for the leftover pastries of the night before.
Briel walks Linn to the door.
Courier knocks on the door of Snake's house, using the knocker of course, not his knuckles.
Nick looks up at the sound, then stumbles to the door, clutching his ratty bathrobe around him.
Courier looks around as he waits... watches some construction work going on across the street.
Nick opens the door.
Alea fumbles with the door to one of the infirmary rooms and finally gets it opened.
Courier: Looks like somebody's putting in a new fence. Oh! Hello. Letter for Anonymous at White and Green House on Vine at Peach?
Courier hands over letter.
Courier: You are Anonymous, aren't you?
Linn starts back to Snake's apartment.
Nick blinks at the letter.
Courier is obscenely awake and cheerful.
Nick: I certainly don't feel like anybody in particular at the moment.
Briel shakes her head and goes to her office.
Courier: Well then, have a pleasant day and I'll be off!
Courier whisks himself off down the sidewalk.
Nick: Well, I guess we'll never know which Anonymous is meant unless somebody opens the thing and looks.
Nick decides that this sounds like a challenge more suited to his talents than dealing with dishes, and opens the letter.
Letter contains nothing but a Sime Center GN-1 payment voucher with a complete stranger's name on it.
Alea goes into the infirmary and searches for fosebine.
Nick blinks at the voucher, trying to figure out what it could mean.
Nick decides that this effort is too much for him first thing in the morning, and sets the voucher aside for Snake to deal with.
Alea finds everything but fosebine.
Nick decides that he really should eat something, because it's a pretty good bet that Snake's going to run him off of his feet as usual today.
Alea wonders whose job it is to stock this place.
Alea grabs her head and goes down the hall to her office.
Linn finishes a few errands and finally reaches Plum Street.
Nick reaches for a pastry and nibbles it.
Linn pauses to watch the fence rebuilding across the street from the apartment.
Nick makes himself another cup of tea, hoping that it will make the pastry wash down easier.
Linn enters the apartment.
Alea goes in her office and sits down, groaning.
Alea tries to remember what happened yesterday.
Linn discovers Nick, looking slightly pale as he huddles over his tea.
Linn: Hello, Nick. Are you just getting up now? Snake should be back very soon.
Nick looks up with bleary eyes.
Nick: I know.
Nick tries to eat another bite of the pastry, but he has a very hard time making himself swallow it.
Nick is feeling a bit hung over, which is strange, he thinks, because it was Alea who was drunk.
Linn looks at Nick, concerned.
Linn: Are you all right?
Nick tries to decide.
Nick: Actually, I'm a bit....
Nick breaks off and runs for the bathroom, one hand over his mouth.
Linn shakes her head as the sound of retching echoes down the hall.
Alea lays her head down on the desk and moans.
Linn picks up the mug and washes it with plenty of soap and very hot water.
Alea: Where the shenned is all the fosebine when you need it?
Linn picks up a rag to wipe the crumbs from the kitchen table and finds the voucher sitting on top of the special delivery envelope.
Wise Snake stops by the house to pick something up... in a bit of a hurry. Rafe is with her.
Alea makes a note to talk to whoever is in charge of ordering the stuff and make sure it gets ordered.
Alea: A Sime Center without fosebine.
Alea starts to shake her head and groans.
Wise Snake: Hi, Linn, did somebody come by and drop off... oh, it's here. Great!
Linn hands Snake the voucher.
Linn: You might want to take a look at Nick while you're here. He's not well.
Nick punctuates this statement with another round of retching.
Wise Snake: Oh?
Wise Snake is alarmed.
Wise Snake hurries in the direction of the sound, and Rafe follows.
Nick looks up as Snake enters the bathroom, radiating misery.
Nick: Snake, you're back early.
Wise Snake zlins Nick.
Wise Snake: I just came to pick something up. Linn said you were sick.
Alea gets up and goes out to clerk's desk.
Nick is nauseated and feverish.
Nick: Yeah.
Alea asks for supply lists of meds ordered this last month.
Alea takes the list and goes back to her office.
Alea: Well, shen.
Alea looks over the list.
Alea notes half of the supplies haven't been ordered properly.
Alea realizes someone else took this over when Tarsh moved up to Finance and just screwed up.
Nick staggers over to the sink and rinses his mouth out.
Alea decides she'd better do an inventory.
Wise Snake: Uh... Nick... I think you'd better go back to bed.
Alea gathers up the reports and goes to the stock room.
Wise Snake: You're just going to get sicker if you stumble around the house running into things.
Nick: But who's going to support you when you work? Rafe's already gone twelve hours. He can't cover my shift too.
Alea uses her key to unlock the med storeroom and goes in. She opens the first box of meds and pulls them out to count them.
Wise Snake: I don't know, Nick, but you aren't going to be any use to me in that condition.
Wise Snake: And I'd rather lose you for a day or two getting better than for three weeks to some horrible complication of pneumonia or something because you pushed it.
Alea thinks that every movement is only giving her more of a pounding headache.
Wise Snake takes Nick by the arm and leads him toward the bed.
Wise Snake: Come on....
Alea finishes counting the first box and checks it off the list.
Nick stumbles along at Snake's side.
Wise Snake puts Nick to bed.
Alea wearily pulls down the second box and begins counting it.
Wise Snake does some general work on Nick to try to help his body fight off the disease, and helps him get back to sleep.
Wise Snake: Rafe, I guess you will have to crash in the guest room. I wouldn't want you to catch the same thing.
Alea finds the third box: the special order drugs for Farrises and sighs in relief.
Alea pulls out the bottle of special orders and begins checking them, until she finds one to help pain.
Alea knows it's very very strong and will probably knock her out, but....
Alea opens the bottle and shakes out two pills then pauses.
Alea: These don't look right.
Alea leave the store room and goes to her office, pulling down her reference book on medications.
Alea compares the meds to what the label says and sees they are definitely different.
Alea: Oh dear.
Alea turns to the visual id section and begins to pore over the pictures.
Alea eyes widen when she finds the picture.
Alea thinks a stimulant like that certainly wouldn't put her to sleep but have her climbing the walls.
Alea is relieved to see it is one of the rare medicines that Farrises don't react adversely to.
Alea dumps it in the trash.
Alea rubs at her temples.
Alea goes out of her office.
Alea: This is just great.
Jon Drake heads down the stairs.
Alea: Figures someone might forget to order half of our supplies.
Alea: And with a flu epidemic.
Alea: But to screw up and fill bottles with the wrong pills....
Alea shudders that it was Farris medication.
Alea vows to tell Veraik as soon as he returns.
Alea passes the stairs and sees Jon. She nods carefully.
Jon Drake: Alea. How are you doing?
Alea winces a bit.
Alea: Fine.
Jon Drake: ~~concern~~
Linn enters the bedroom with the bucket from the night before, now clean.
Alea's hand goes to her temple.
Linn sets the bucket beside the bed.
Alea pauses as an idea forms.
Jon Drake: Headache?
Linn: He may require this later.
Alea: Do you have a bit of extra time, Jon?
Jon Drake: Sure, what can I do to help?
Wise Snake frowns at the bucket, wonders if Nick caught whatever it was from Alea.
Alea rubs her head.
Alea: Meds are all messed up. We're going to have to do an entire visual inspection of each bottle and make sure we have the right things in the right bottles, and count up everything we have.
Jon Drake: Great. How could that have happened?
Alea: Easy.
Alea: Tarsh is no longer doing the paperwork.
Alea: As for the pills in the wrong bottle... Veraik will make sure someone's head rolls for that.
Nick groans and turns over, then quiets.
Jon Drake: I'll be happy to help. Where do we start?
Alea tries to think through the pounding of her head.
Wise Snake makes sure he's warm then goes and gets a glass of water and sets it on the bedside table, closes the door to give Nick some privacy.
Wise Snake sighs.
Wise Snake: Great.
Wise Snake: This is just great.
Jon Drake: You haven't been able to find any fosebine?
Alea: Let's start with room 12 and work our way back.
Alea: No.
Alea: Not a blasted bit of fosebine.
Linn: Can Rafe fill in until Nick is better?
Jon Drake: So that is one of our priorities.
Alea: If you find any, please tell me. However, the sheets show that wasn't reordered as well as several other essential items.
Alea goes back to the back of the Center.
Linn is very concerned, about both Nick and Snake.
Wise Snake: This does wonders for my schedule.
Wise Snake: I suppose I shouldn't be worried about my schedule when Nick is ill but shen it, I am anyway.
Alea: What have you been up to today, Jon?
Wise Snake paces erratically around the living room, in no particular pattern.
Horseman rides along the eyeway.
Linn sits on the couch and watches Snake pace, hoping to calm her by example.
Alea goes in the back room and begins to search, doing an inspection on every bottle, making notes on what is in there and how much of each bottle and that it is the correct medication.
Linn's concern grows as she considers how likely Snake is to get into trouble without assistance.
Jon Drake: Not much. It seems strange not being so busy.
Horseman stops and dismounts to lead the horse down an embankment to a stream.
Alea: Huh, don't I know. I'm not assigned to anyone and will be on sick leave for at least two more weeks.
Alea: And with the problem with Veraik. I have no idea who my channel will be this month.
Jon Drake stiffens.
Alea moves to the next room with Jon.
Alea: What's the matter?
Alea eyes Jon curiously.
Jon Drake: It looks like I'm in the same boat.
Horseman squats to dip water with his hand and drinks.
Wise Snake fidgets.
Alea: Oh yeah, you've had two transfers with Briel.
Alea nods.
Wise Snake gets out the voucher, re-reads it, sighs, and then flings herself onto the couch, tossing the voucher aside onto a table.
Wise Snake tries to relax without much success.
Linn inspects the voucher more closely.
Horseman shakes the water off his hand and gets up. He says to the horse "We should do this more often."
Linn: What's that for?
Alea begins going through the next meds, tossing the clipboard to Jon so he can make notations.
Jon Drake: I guess, though the first one ended in our abort and channel transfer for her.
Wise Snake: It's a Sime Center donation payment slip. Haven't you ever seen one before?
Equine snorts, slobbering water all over Horseman.
Linn: Only once.
Horseman leads the horse back up and then remounts and rides toward the notch the Ancients cut for the eyeway.
Jon Drake: It just left me so confused.
Alea goes on to the next room.
Alea: Why?
Linn: Why was it delivered here, and by a special courier, if that's the envelope it came in?
Jon Drake: It all seemed so sudden. I guess I missed that part.
Equine picks up a stone in one hoof and begins to limp.
Alea steadily makes her way from room to room.
Horseman notices the limping. "Whoa!"
Alea: Ah.
Alea: Well, Jon, you're new. It's hard at first to get used to the switching around.
Horseman dismounts.
Equine stops with alacrity, holding up one hoof.
Alea: And some Channels are better than others.
Alea: But that's the Tecton way.
Wise Snake: Oh... well I guess the guy didn't want to hike all the way down here... [vaguely]
Linn: Why didn't he just hike to the payment window, like all the other donors?
Jon Drake: I guess one gets used to it.
Horseman: Lets see what you've got there.
Alea wishes that were only true but smiles and nods.
Alea is worried that she is going to end up in underdraw again. She thinks she was lucky in a way, by all the happenings lately. She wishes for a Farris Channel and sighs.
Jon Drake: I think I did again, I brought part of it on myself, curse my curiosity.
Equine waits until Horseman picks up the hoof, then tries to lean its entire weight on that foot.
Alea: Why is that?
Alea glances at Jon as she heads to the med supply room.
Jon Drake: Well, you see....
Alea has three bottles that were filled with the wrong prescription -- all various Farris medications.
Jon Drake smiles weakly.
Alea: Yes?
Wise Snake: Oh.... he didn't donate to get the money, he donated to get this name... Iholochus... on official Tecton records as having donated here, this month. The voucher was just to prove he had done it.
Jon Drake: Briel and I encountered Nick in town.
Horseman drops the foot and leaps back.
Horseman: Hey! None of that! You want my help or not?
Wise Snake: He was well paid in advance... I guess he could have sent in his receipt but didn't want to bother going to get the rest of the money.
Jon Drake: I don't know if it was related, but when we got back, Briel wrote a note to Veraik.
Alea frowns.
Equine stumbles at the sudden loss of support, nearly falling.
Jon Drake lowers his voice, blushing.
Alea: I doubt it is, Jon.
Alea: What did the note say?
Jon Drake: She had me deliver the note to his door, and I... well, I peeked.
Linn: And what's so important about that name?
Wise Snake points a tentacle at the voucher.
Jon Drake: She was suggesting that I be transferred to another Channel. Snake.
Alea: Snake?
Alea's eyes widen.
Alea: But you aren't a Farris. You couldn't match her speed.
Wise Snake: That guy is some kind of mobster in New Washington. Required an alibi for something he's going to be doing today.
Alea forces herself to calm down.
Wise Snake: Not the guy who donated... the guy whose name is on this slip.
Jon Drake: My first thought was 'What had I done wrong'.
Alea feels her head pounding at the idea of Jon serving Snake.
Wise Snake: This slip is worth some serious money, Linn.
Alea tries to soothe Jon.
Alea: I'm sure it's simply that Briel thought to find you a channel close to your selyn production. How about Veraik, possibly? He's here too.
Horseman: Let's try that again, shall we?
Alea: We just don't have a lot of choice. Maybe she didn't realize I won't be able to serve Veraik this month.
Linn stares at the voucher in alarm.
Linn: Snake, what have you gotten yourself into now?
Horseman goes over and leans up against the limping leg. "C'mon!"
Wise Snake: I haven't gotten myself into anything. I just owed somebody a favor from a while back and he said this was one way I could help pay some of it back.
Jon Drake: I'm still not used to the way things are done. I've come to care for Brie-Briel very much and I took this too personally.
Alea pauses in her counting.
Alea: Oh dear.
Alea: Well, that shouldn't affect the other.
Alea shrugs.
Alea: Transfer is transfer. Friendship is something entirely separate.
Alea: You can still be friends.
Linn isn't very reassured, since association with mobsters, favors or not, is dangerous.
Jon Drake: That's what she said.
Alea frowns.
Alea: That's not very reassuring Jon, to find out I'm suddenly agreeing with Briel.
Linn then reflects that putting oneself out as a target for political terrorists isn't a lifestyle recommended to promote a long and peaceful life either.
Wise Snake takes the voucher and folds it carefully, tucks it into a pocket.
Wise Snake is quiet and thoughtful.
Horseman is a gray haired old Gen. He has a rifle slung over his shoulder and a bedroll on Equine.
Linn: Snake, how are you going to cope with Nick unable to take the day shift?
Alea: Well, it looks like only the Farris medicines were the only ones messed up.
Horseman continues to lean while lifting the hoof to examine the underside.
Wise Snake reaches up suddenly to massage her forehead... perhaps it's only a coincidence it happened immediately after Linn's question.
Wise Snake: I guess I will have to do without. I used to do without all the time, I can handle it for a day.
Linn: Is there anything I can do to help?
Horseman sees the stone and tries reach into the saddlebag with his other hand.
Jon Drake: That's strange.
Alea: And there are several bottles unaccounted for [looking at list she took from Jon]
Wise Snake: Linn, it's kind of you to offer, but....
Stranger is walking through town bundled in his cloak.
Horseman fumbles around in the bag.
Wise Snake: Donor's work requires more than goodwill. It requires a strong nager, which I am afraid you do not have, and it also requires complete support of the channel's activities, or at least utter impartiality.
Equine gets tired of holding up its hoof and leans on it again.
Horseman winces. "No, that's the hoof knife. Where the shen...."
Alea makes a list of the meds that are missing, the ones that are packaged wrong, then goes to her office.
Horseman leans back hard. "Hold your... just hold it."
Alea: Do you know, if I'd taken one of those medicines, I probably would have been sick as a new channel in changeover.
Alea shudders.
Jon Drake: Wow!
Jon Drake: Did you find any fosebine?
Alea: No.
Alea: Not a drop.
Horseman pulls out a hoof pick. "There you are."
Alea: Of course, I didn't check Briel's office. [mutters]
Horseman probes at the stone.
Linn: Oh.
Equine turns its head and wipes the last of the water off on the back of Horseman's pants.
Horseman glares over at Equine's belly.
Horseman: [stone pops out]
Horseman carefully puts the hoof down and carefully steps back.
Equine snorts.
Stranger sees a strange looking Gen down the street.
Horseman hitches at his rifle strap significantly.
Equine blinks patiently and then limps off to the side of the road and begins to sample the shrubbery.
Horseman looks over, realizing he is closer to town than he thought.
Wise Snake massages her forehead again.
Linn: Do you have a headache?
Wise Snake: I can't believe this is happening. Why couldn't Nick have gotten sick toward the end of his shift instead of the beginning?
Wise Snake: Yes, I have a headache! I always have a headache. [growls]
Stranger approaches, curious.
Wise Snake gets up and goes into the bathroom, opens the medicine cabinet.
Alea takes all of the lists she's holding to her office and begins to painstakingly fill out new ones, plus filling out order forms for the many many meds they are low on and out of.
Jon Drake helps as much as he is able.
Wise Snake opens a bottle of the super duper Farris painkiller, notices it is empty, starts to toss it over her shoulder, then stops and drops it carefully into the trash can Linn bought.
Wise Snake opens the new bottle she stole from the Center the other day.
Horseman hears a sound from a step and turns quickly to look at Stranger.
Wise Snake notices the pills are different; frowns and re-reads the label carefully.
Wise Snake: Huh.
Wise Snake shrugs.
Wise Snake figures the worst that could happen is they'd kill her outright, and even that would be a blessing at this point, so...
Wise Snake downs a couple of the new pain pills and replaces the bottle in the cabinet.
Wise Snake returns to the living room and sits down again.
Linn watches Snake sympathetically.
Wise Snake looks for the papers she had left in a pile on the couch a couple of days before.
Wise Snake looks under the cushions, behind the pillows - where did those come from? - under the coffee table, and behind the lamp tables.
Wise Snake: I give up, Linn, where did you put my papers?
Stranger: Trouble with your horse? Is it all right?
Linn: They're on the desk, of course.
Horseman: Yeah, he went lame on me. Bloody nag.
Wise Snake pushes herself up off the couch and sways, disoriented for some reason.
Wise Snake's eyes track the room, trying to remember if she actually owned a desk or if it is something else Linn bought.
Horseman: This Bender Cove?
Linn: I put the ones from behind the radiator, under the coffee table, and on the kitchen counter with them.
Stranger looks him over.
Stranger: Yes it is.
Wise Snake shoves off in the direction of something that looks like it might be a desk... hard to tell with tunnel vision.
Horseman: Knew I should have just hiked it. I can still hack it.
Stranger: Looks like your luck isn't quite so bad.
Wise Snake's laterals wander about helplessly as she zlins in quadruplicate.
Linn: There was plenty of room on the desk, as you see, once I got the clothing into the laundry and the dirty dishes back to the kitchen.
Horseman sticks his hand out of his sleeve. "I'm Tamlen Bobers."
Wise Snake hallucinates a large radiator collecting pieces of paper and stacking them up in the sink to be washed.
Wise Snake laughs at the sight.
Wise Snake arrives at the desk and clamps onto it with both hands for support, breathing hard.
Stranger pauses a moment and then puts out his his hand.
Wise Snake: Oh....
Wise Snake: Oh no....
Wise Snake: I'm in trouble.
Linn thinks that this is strange behavior, even given Snake's allergy towards cleanliness.
Linn: What's wrong?
Wise Snake blinks.
Stranger: Piotr... Piotr Ravan.
Wise Snake clings to the edge of the desk, knowing something awful will happen if she lets go.
Wise Snake sweats.
Wise Snake: I don't....
Linn approaches Snake and puts an arm around her in support.
Linn: Here, why don't you sit down for a minute.
Wise Snake feels something dimly, as if she has nearly lost perception of her own bodily existence.
Wise Snake hears Linn's voice from very far away.
Tamlen shakes Piotr's hand. "Glad to meet ya."
Wise Snake thinks Linn would be very disappointed if Snake didn't do what she wants.
Linn tries to lead Snake over to the couch.
Linn: Come on, it's only a few steps.
Piotr nods.
Wise Snake watches as the couch gets up and walks haltingly toward her.
Wise Snake passes out.
Tamlen: Which way is it to the Sime Center in this town?
Linn manages to catch Snake as she falls, and lowers her to the floor, since small as she is, she's too heavy for Linn to carry.
Linn confirms that Snake is still breathing, then runs to get Rafe.
Piotr: From this road, you'll eventually come to the docks.
Linn rushes into her room, where Rafe is sleeping, and unceremoniously jerks the covers off of him.
Linn: Rafe, wake up!
Rafe: Hey... uh....
Rafe blinks.
Rafe: Si?
Rafe: Uh, senora Linn?
Rafe looks alarmed.
Linn: Snake needs you! Now!
Linn grabs Rafe's arm and pulls urgently, repeating "Snake" several times.
Rafe jumps out of bed and rushes out of his room.
Piotr: From there, I believe it is a couple of blocks away -- to the west, I think.
Rafe nods.
Rafe bumps into a wall.
Rafe blinks and hurries into the room.
Rafe goes down on one knee.
Piotr seems to be a tortured man, his smiles seem very strained.
Rafe: What happened, Snake?
Rafe looks at Snake... her breathing, her color, the beds of her nails....
Rafe gets up and rushes into her bathroom... checking the meds.
Tamlen: Thanks for the intelligence, friend.
Rafe: Shen... this was not part of the bargain coming here. Stupid channel has taken some wrong meds... I should have been awake.
Piotr: I'm not sure if those are completely accurate to their door, but they will get you there.
Tamlen: I'll manage. Troopers always do.
Linn listens to what sounds like garbled cursing in Rafe's native language, and sits on the couch to watch, growing increasingly concerned.
Wise Snake is pale and very still.
Piotr raises an eyebrow in reaction.
Piotr: Good luck then.
Piotr nods.
Tamlen goes over to sit on a bit of old stone wall. He unslings his rifle.
Piotr continues on his way, leaving the road to wander.
Tamlen holds the rifle upright and unloads it.
Tamlen checks again to make sure it is unloaded and the safety is on.
Tamlen goes over to Equine. "OK, lunch is over."
Tamlen grabs the reins.
Alea finishes the first list and pulls the next files over to her.
Alea: Shen.
Alea rubs at her throbbing temples.
Alea looks at the list of meds they're missing... the mixed up Farris meds... and then the ones in stock. Shakes her head.
Tamlen loosens his bed roll and sticks the rifle inside it.
Tamlen: [to Equine] Guns don't fit the donor image, ya'know.
Linn watches anxiously as Rafe returns to the living room.
Linn: Can you help her?
Rafe goes to Snake.
Rafe: What happened, Linn? [in Spanish]
Alea lays her head back on her desk.
Alea does not want to think where those other meds might be.
Rafe: Linn? Esnake?
Rafe uses his field to project desire to give.
Tamlen starts leading Equine down towards the docks.
Rafe sees that Snake is not doing too well and picks her up without a problem since she is so light.
Linn: Her head hurt.
Rafe carries the unconscious Snake out the door.
Linn grabs her coat and follows.
Rafe: Lo siento Esnake. [I'm sorry]. [Spanish] But it is either psychospatial or dead.
Tamlen arrives at the docks and curls his lip at the fishy smell.
Wise Snake is as limp as yesterday's lettuce that fell out of a sandwich onto the street and froze and thawed several times under the noonday wagon traffic.
Rafe almost runs with Snake, hoping that he can get her to the Center on time.
Tamlen wanders around a bit until he finds the Center.
Rafe enters the Center, shouting. [Spanish] "Look. Look. Get a Channel for Snake!" then carries her to a treatment room.
Linn figures Rafe could use some help, and runs off to find a channel.
Tamlen watches the Gen carrying some Sime and shouting in some foreign lingo.
Linn tries Veraik's office first, since all the channels seem to hang out in it when Veraik isn't there.
Briel hears the commotion and comes out of her office.
Briel: What's going on here?
Wise Snake is as pale as a salt-bleached, forgotten dishrag washed up on a beach head.
Briel zlins.
Briel: Shen! Snake!
Linn sees Briel.
Rafe lays Snake on the table and goes to the medical cabinet.
Linn: She had a headache, and then she collapsed.
Briel: What happened? [to Linn as she charges down the hall]
Wise Snake zlins like a cross between a Third Order channel and a large building with a bad termite problem.
Briel rushes into the room.
Rafe continues to project need to give.
Briel goes over to Snake, taking her arms, pulling her into full transfer position.
Linn follows Briel into the treatment room.
Tamlen ties up Equine and loosens the girth.
Briel releases Snake.
Briel: What did she take?
Briel runs a tentacle down Snake's throat to make her throw up, turning her on her side so it'll go on the floor.
Rafe just looks at Briel.
Linn has learned enough to know to stay back out of the way.
Linn: Is that what happened? She had a headache, she might have taken something for that.
Tamlen takes off his bedroll and walks into the lobby checking his boots first.
Briel: Pain medicine didn't do this.
Rafe continues to rummage in the medical cabinet, projecting caring.
Briel allows Snake to finish emptying her stomach then lays her back down.
Linn: She has a lot of bottles in the medicine cabinet. Could she have taken the wrong thing?
Briel: I don't see how.
Rafe finally finds a Farris rated anti-allergic medication which was stuffed way in the back hiding behind some other meds.
Rafe hands the bottle to Briel.
Briel takes Snake's arms into her own arms, and encourages her to respond by projecting Gen need.
Linn waits tensely as Briel works over Snake.
Briel: Rafe... look for one of the tablets to dissolve under her tongue.
Briel: A stimulant.
Briel: Make sure it's Farris compatible.
Rafe goes to the cabinet again to look.
Linn: He doesn't speak Simelan, or English, for that matter, Briel.
Briel repeats it in halting Spanish.
Rafe: Senorita Briel. I... edon't espeak well. Farris?
Rafe nods and looks.
Briel growls low at the incompetence in the Donor.
Briel: [Spanish] Hurry!
Projecting need to give towards Snake, Rafael looks in the cabinet.
Briel continues to project need, trying to rouse Snake.
Briel ~~ Gen need to give ~~
Rafe: Briel? [shows empty hands] No Farris.
Veraik augments into the room, carrying Farris meds. "I just heard."
Veraik places a wafer under Snake's tongue.
Wise Snake lies pale and unconscious, oblivious.
Briel steps back to allow Veraik to handle Snake.
Veraik motions for Rafael to support him.
Briel leaves the room.
Rafe steps to the perfect place to support and observe the Controller he has heard about but barely meet.
Wise Snake takes some uneven breaths as the stimulant begins to have some effect.
Veraik gets Snake in lateral contact and zlins the poison coursing through Snake's veins.
Briel goes to her office, cursing a blue streak.
Wise Snake moans, shudders once as the stimulant drives her towards consciousness against the will of the other drug.
Veraik uses his field to block any more poison from entering her brain and vascular system, allowing only enough blood flow until the wafer could take better effect.
Wise Snake begins trembling and sweating.
Linn hears Snake's moan and dares to hope.
Wise Snake starts panting and trying to twist away from Veraik's hold.
Veraik signals for Rafael to get some blankets.
Wise Snake moans again.
Rafe gets blankets and covers Snake in them to help bring up her temperature.
Wise Snake thrashes.
Wise Snake's body temperature climbs quickly as her body tries to simultaneously defend against the two drugs and the increasing symptoms of disorientation.
Linn's hope goes back to worry as Snake convulses.
Veraik holds her down, placing straps around her which are attached to the bed and were made for this purpose.
Rafe helps Veraik secure her to the bed.
Wise Snake's breath comes in hoarse pants.
Wise Snake begins to struggle wildly, held by the restraints.
Veraik: Rafael? Did you move Snake when she was unconscious? [broken Spanish]
Wise Snake's tentacles grope nothing.
Rafe: Si. Senor Veraik. [shrugs] [broken English] or dead.
Wise Snake fights like a mindless crazed beast.
Wise Snake does not, however, cry out.
Alea lifts her head from the desk and picks up all of the reports.
Alea takes a set to the lobby to give to the clerk.
Linn watches Snake thrash, wishing with all her heart that there was something constructive she could do.
Alea meets Tamlen and has someone show him to his room, telling him Veraik will be back later.
Veraik adjusts the ambient fields as Snake sends each wild signal to the universal coordinates.
Alea: These are to go out today. [to clerk]
Alea goes to Tarsh's office, tired, finds he's not in.
She places the files and a copy of everything she ordered on his desk.
Alea bends down and pens a quick note to him, then leaves.
Linn does not, however, allow her gaze to rest for long on the thrashing tentacles, which bear all too much resemblance to those of a berserker seeking prey.
Wise Snake abruptly breaks off struggling and subsides into a wretched shivering lump pressed down against the bed with closed eyes, tentacles gripping the edge of the bed, the restraints, and whatever else is there.
Alea takes the list of mixed up meds and goes to Veraik's office, tired, realizing she has done just a bit too much today.
Alea goes in his office and sits down with the papers.
Alea looks at the reports and wonders if she should go tell Briel instead, but since nothing has happened, figures she can wait to tell anyone.
Linn sees Snake's eyes open, staring wildly around.
Linn: Snake!
Wise Snake's tentacles jerk slightly at the sound of her name.
Veraik looks at Linn then says nothing.
Alea goes to Veraik's desk to place the papers there.
Wise Snake is nearer to real consciousness but still fighting the disorientation and the drugs.
Rafe lightly trails a finger back one of Snake's lateral sheaths to stimulate orientation.
Wise Snake shudders.
Alea straightens up the mess on top so these papers will be the ones seen.
Alea puts all of the papers in one folder and then files it in the front of the files.
Alea lays her reports out clearly, feeling it is very important Veraik see these.
Veraik: Snake? Can you hear me?
Alea sits down in his chair, exhausted.
Veraik: Tell me what you took.
Wise Snake's breathing gradually becomes quieter, and she finally does crack her eyes open, although her hands and tentacles are still clutching the bed.
Veraik: I have to know.
Wise Snake looks at Veraik with slitted eyes.
Wise Snake: I don't [whispered] I don't know what it was.
Rafe continues to trace her lateral sheaths as he concentrates on the selyn field around them.
Alea opens Veraik's drawers, looking for a pen.
Veraik slightly rubs the back of one of her hands.
Wise Snake's eyes peer in between Veraik and Rafe at Linn lurking behind.
Linn smiles to see Snake fully conscious.
Wise Snake's eyes roll back as she falls into a healing trance.
Alea finds handwritten notes in Veraik's neat, compact script.
Alea: Hmmm....
Veraik: Projecting a field stimulated by Rafael's, he constantly adjusts the ambient in minute increments which simulates an ambient field massage..
Alea absently reads the notes.
Alea eyes widen in surprise.
Linn's smile disappears as Snake loses consciousness again.
Alea: Oh my.
Veraik smiles at Linn. "It's all right, Linn. She is in a healing state. This is the best for her."
Alea blushes and gathers the notes up and stuffs them in her pocket.
Alea thinks the Sectuib would not like some of the things he said in those notes.
Linn: Will she be all right?
Alea wonders if he has gotten her latest note..and sighs.
Alea digs through the next drawer...and finds her undies.
Alea snatches them up and stuffs them in her other pocket.
Alea: You are just a treasure tonight, Hajene.
Alea grins.
Veraik: [in broken Spanish] Rafael. Stay with her. She'll be fine now as long as your field is here.
Alea finds a magazine in the bottom drawer -- one of those -- and takes it over to the window and quickly opens the window to toss it out.
Veraik: Linn, Snake will be fine. She is going to rest now.
Alea exhausted, sits back down in his chair, forgetting what she wanted, and closes her eyes.
Veraik: I don't know how long it will take. Only her body knows that.
Veraik: Rafael is going to stay with her. If you would like, you may stay as well. I understand that you are friends.
Veraik smiles.
Alea reaches up and absently straightens the bun on top of her head -- which she has started wearing again -- and then leans back again and sighs.
Rafe: No hay problema, Senor Veraik.
Linn remembers Nick, still sleeping off the flu in the apartment.
Veraik waits while Linn decides what to do about staying or leaving.
Alea tries to remember what is was she wanted in Veraik's office.
Alea: Oh yes, the pen.
Alea remembers the note and begins to search again.
Veraik: Or perhaps you could go back to her place to find out what she has taken and bring it back.
Alea finds more notes, other things in the desk that have been tossed around.
Alea: What a mess.
Linn: I can stay for a little bit.
Veraik: I'm having a hard time thinking that Snake would take something which would produce the effects she has experienced.
Alea can't find a pen though, wonders how he writes or just what he does if she sits here all day.
Alea: Reads his PlaySimes....
Linn appropriates a chair on the opposite side of the bed from Rafe.
Veraik: That's fine. Then I'll leave you to it.
Alea thinks among other things probably.
Alea leans back in the chair, deciding to wait on Veraik.
Veraik leaves and goes to an adjacent office.
Linn reaches out to hold one of Snake's limp hands.
Veraik picks up a phone. "Hello? Is this the Ever-Secure Locks and Bars?
Alea slumps down in the chair, thinking he is taking longer than normal at Eastcove today.
Alea's eyes drift close.
Veraik: Oh good. This is the Controller of the Bender Cove Sime Center. I contracted you several weeks ago to have bars placed in my windows.
Veraik: I want you to come out and replace those bars free of charge and this time do it right. A Gen woman removed them without a problem.
Veraik: This time, I want you to embed those bars into the brick so well that the Sectuib in Zeor can't remove them.
Veraik: And one more thing. I want you to replace the lock on my office door.
Linn rubs Snake's hand gently.
Wise Snake stirs faintly.
Veraik: It has to be the best lock you have. One that even the aforementioned Sectuib couldn't pick.
Veraik: And I want you to make sure that only I have the combination and the key.
Linn, encouraged, redoubles her efforts, concentrating on the task.
Veraik: Understood!
Veraik: Good.
Wise Snake's head rolls slightly toward Linn and her tentacles move.
Wise Snake's breath sighs out.
Veraik: I want it done by noon tomorrow. And it had better be good or I will make sure that everyone knows about the Gen woman.
Wise Snake: Linn? [faint murmur]
Veraik: Good. Good. I look forward to seeing you.
Linn: Snake!
Wise Snake's eyes slit open, feverish.
Linn's grip tightens.
Veraik sighs and rubs tentacles over his face, thinking of Snake, the locks totally forgotten for the moment.
Wise Snake tries to move, finds herself still restrained, settles for giving Linn's hand a pathetic squeeze.
Linn's happiness at this sign of more-or-less-rationality suffuses her low field.
Wise Snake: Who's watching Nick? [whispered]
Linn: I'll see that he's cared for.
Veraik stands and goes to the window, enjoying a moment of solitude in his secret hiding place.
Wise Snake looks around the room.
Wise Snake: Wasn't Veraik here?
Linn: Yes, he was.
Veraik finally leaves and decides to go back to his office and to the work which is always waiting for him.
Wise Snake: Ah. [relieved it wasn't a hallucination]
Veraik opens his office door.
Veraik: Alea? [suspicious]
Alea is dozing.
Linn: He and Rafe between them managed to keep you breathing.
Wise Snake's eyes flicker, troubled.
Veraik goes to his desk and sees a PlaySime laying on top, then looks at his paper work and realizes that part of it is missing.
Veraik sees the papers in Alea's pockets and her panties.
Veraik lifts the panties and hides them.
Linn: What's wrong?
Wise Snake: What's wrong? [repeats weakly]
Alea stirs and opens her eyes.
Wise Snake: I don't know what happened, is what's wrong.
Alea: Veraik?
Veraik looks through the papers, Alea had and hides them.
Linn: Rafe thought you'd taken some drug you were allergic to.
Veraik: How are you feeling today?
Alea watched him hide them and glances at him, flushing.
Alea: I'm fine.
Alea has a huge hangover.
Veraik hoping that Alea will think that what was in the papers was only a part of a dream.
Wise Snake: I... I don't....
Veraik: Veraik zlins Alea.
Alea: I came to report to you some problems I found today.
Linn waits for Snake to complete the sentence.
Veraik makes a double fosebine and hands her a huge vitamin pill to take with the awful tasting stuff.
Alea: Fosebine?
Alea: The only fosebine in the entire Center.
Wise Snake: It was from the Center. It said it was Farris safe.
Alea grabs the fosebine and takes it, tossing the vitamin pill in the trash.
Veraik smiles, thinking of his depleted private stash.
Alea grimaces at the taste.
Wise Snake: I didn't recognize it but the... the label... I read it first.
Alea sits back in Veraik's chair and closes her eyes, waiting for the medication to take effect.
Veraik goes to the trash and retrieves the pill. "You are going to take that pill or you will not be allowed to leave this room."
Wise Snake tries to remember if she really did read it first.. can't remember.
Alea shrugs.
Linn overlooks for the moment this confession of drug theft, and concentrates on the potential to discover the reason for Snake's allergic reaction.
Alea: I'm fine where I am, thank you.
Linn: Which bottle was it?
Alea turns her head.
Veraik: Your nager is nauseous.
Alea: That it probably is.
Alea smiles tiredly.
Linn: Can you remember what the label said?
Veraik stands in the middle of the room waiting. "The vitamin will help you recover from alcohol poison."
Alea: I don't think that's the problem Veraik.
Alea: I just drank a little too much.
Alea frowns, trying to remember how much she drank.
Alea: It was very warming.
Wise Snake: Yes.
Veraik rubs a hand over and down his long hair.
Alea: Warmed me up for this first time in days.
Alea nods, her eyes still closed.
Linn fumbles in her purse for a pen and a piece of scrap paper.
Wise Snake names the drug.
Wise Snake: It was new. A new bottle, still sealed.
Veraik zlins the true meaning behind 'warming'. "Yes, it probably was but Alea....people can be more warming than something artificial like alcohol."
Wise Snake: I didn't recognize them, but....
Alea frowns at Veraik's words and opens her eyes.
Alea sees him still standing there and looks disgruntled.
Linn scribbles down the name phonetically in the English language, hoping that Nick can help her sort through all the bottles in the medicine cabinet and find them.
Alea: I'm fine.
Veraik: Veraik zlins Alea.
Veraik: No, but you are getting there.
Linn: Nick and I will find them, and Veraik will help us figure out what they were.
Alea attempts to close herself off from Veraik.
Veraik goes to the couch and sinks into it.
Alea: You look tired, Veraik.
Veraik: Don't do that, Alea.
Wise Snake starts to rub her face, but is brought up short by the restraint.
Wise Snake: Linn... could you...?
Linn: You go back to sleep, now. I want to get back before Nick wakes up.
Veraik: It hurts too much when you close me off.
Alea pushes herself up from the chair and crosses to Veraik.
Alea: I-I'm sorry.
Wise Snake glances down at the restraints.
Linn: Of course.
Alea ~~concern, sorrow, understanding~~
Rafe: Esta bien, Linn. [points to self then to Snake] [Spanish] I'll be here.
Linn figures out how the restraints work and releases Snake's hand.
Veraik relaxes under the soothing nager of his hopes and desires.
Linn: There. I'll be back this evening to see how you're doing.
Veraik nager locks onto Alea's, pulling it into that perfect synchronization that feels so good.
Alea leans back against the sofa
Linn takes Snake's hand again to give it a parting squeeze.
Wise Snake: Thanks, Linn.
Wise Snake: For everything.
Alea looks over at Veraik.
Rafe smiles and turns his attention back to Snake. [concerned]
Linn bends over to drop a light kiss on Snake's forehead.
Alea: Do you feel up to a report now or not? I went back to work today... and boy, what I found.
Alea sighs in disgust.
Wise Snake closes her eyes.
Linn lets go of Snake's hand and tiptoes out the door.
Veraik: Tell me. [smiles, reveling in Alea's nager and attention]
Alea: Well, when I reassigned Tarsh to Financial, we didn't think about reassigning someone to do a majority of work he did though it wasn't even his job.
Rafe pulls a chair over and falls asleep, nager soothing Snake.
Alea: So, I went looking for fosebine today and couldn't find a drop.
Alea: We are totally out.
Alea's headache is slowly going away.
Veraik frowns.
Alea: I decided to check what we were out of, do a bottle by bottle inspection.
Alea: And when I came to the special Farris drugs, well, the one which should have helped me didn't have the right drug in it. So, I went through the entire Center bottle by bottle, doing a visual inspection.
Wise Snake drifts semi-conscious, on the edge of a healing-trance.
Alea: We are really really low. Any epidemic and we'd be wiped out.
Alea: And three different Farris medicines didn't contain the right medications.
Alea shudders.
Veraik gets interested but the intriguing fields which combine and swirl around him in perfect harmony is very distracting.
Alea: One of them, if I had taken it, would have knocked me out for a week if it didn't cause my death.
Alea: Veraik?
Veraik: How... soon... do you think... we could... ge....
Alea pulls back from Veraik, nagerically.
Alea: Hajene, this is not healthy.
Veraik tracks the field.
Alea brings him hypo.
Alea: Veraik.
Veraik straightens and blinks. "What?"
Alea: Those medicines that were sent here could have caused my death.
Alea: Or any Farris.
Alea: Someone messed with them.
Alea: And it wasn't an accident.
Alea: Three different medicines, all specifically for Farrises, were messed up.
Veraik only nods and tries to focus on what she just said.
Alea stands and moves away from him to the desk.
Veraik: Suddenly, Veraik stands.
Veraik: What?!!!
Alea gathers up the reports and turns.
Alea holds up the papers.
Alea: My entire report is here.
Veraik: Show me.
Alea crosses back to the room and hands the papers to Veraik.
Veraik augments to read all the reports.
Alea rubs at her temples.
Alea: Stop that shenned augmenting before I do it for you.
Veraik: But the paper trail ends.
Alea looks up confused.
Alea: What?
Veraik: We are going to have to discover who did this.
Veraik: Augmenting? I wasn't augmenting.
Alea gives him a get real look.
Veraik: Not that. I was just using it to read the report.
Alea nods.
Veraik: It's low consumption.
Alea: The last two months you have screwed up your system. It would be nice if you did everything slowly. Very slowly.
Alea: You're going to destroy yourself at this rate.
Alea: Anyway.
Alea: The drugs were delivered here, still in the bottles in the box, though the box was opened.
Alea: Some are missing.
Alea: I did a count and compared it to our reports. I couldn't find the missing ones.
Veraik: [Distracted] I'm the Controller Alea. I have very little time to handle everything that happens in this Center.
Alea: Then delegate.
Alea: But stop giving me stupid excuses.
Alea places her hands on her hips and frowns.
Veraik: There is no one to delegate to. We are short handed here, you know that.
Alea: Oh?
Alea: Dump more on Jirelle or Jorgre.
Alea: They don't have to worry about entran like you do.
Veraik: Who was the delivery company? Do you know?
Alea: No, I do not know.
Alea: I thought you just might like this information first.
Alea: Excuse me for not doing a complete work up for you.
Alea: I'll go pull the files right now.
Veraik grins. "I'm afraid that it's the paper work that I personally must attend to which has doubled lately."
Alea shrugs.
Veraik: [thinking with all the fires, flooding and disasters in the Center]
Veraik: Thank you.
Veraik goes to his desk and pulls out a blank page.
Alea goes out to the lobby, her feet dragging, and sifts through the files until she can find what he wants -- the purchase orders and anything else he might require.
Veraik starts to make a picture that helps to visually trail the paperwork.
Alea drags back into Veraik's office.
Alea: Here.
Alea drops them on his desk.
Veraik zlins Alea.
Veraik takes the papers, then picks Alea up and carries her to the couch.
Alea: Will you stop that.
Veraik's system surges with the contact.
Alea glares at Veraik.
Veraik: Alea.
Alea: Yes?
Veraik: You are so tired.
Alea: Well, yes, just a bit, but do not try to put me to sleep.
Alea: I won't allow that.
Veraik: Let me get a blanket and a pillow for you and you can sleep while I go over the files.
Veraik: I promise.
Alea: I'd rather work. I don't want to sleep.
Veraik: I know but you are overdoing it.
Alea sighs, leaning her head against Veraik.
Alea: I'll be fine.
Veraik: Just lie here while I look over the papers.
Rest. We can talk just as easily while you are resting here.
Alea nods.
Alea: Fine, Hajene.
Veraik gets a blanket and a pillow, gently placing it under her head, accidentally allowing his hair to fall in her face.
Veraik goes to his desk and processes the papers.
Alea: Your hair is getting long [murmurs] maybe I should cut it for you since you never seem to have time to see to it yourself.
Veraik smiles. "I've decided to let it grow."
Alea shrugs, thinking Veraik must be going through mid-life crisis or something.
Alea: Fine.
Veraik gently adjusts the ambient with the lightest touches of sleep, not enough to make a child sleep but enough to deeply relax.
Alea relaxes.
Alea: You know, Hajene, I think this didn't happen here.
Alea: The seals weren't broken on a couple of those bottles until I opened them.
Veraik: I think you are right.
Alea smiles softly at his agreement.
Alea: How unusual for you to agree with me on anything.
Veraik: Not unusual Alea.
Veraik: You are an intelligent woman.
Veraik: You just get distracted easily.
Alea shakes her head at Veraik's words.
Alea: I'm learning.
Alea sighs and stretches, wincing slightly and grabbing at her abdomen before settling back down.
Alea: You know, I've spent so many years drifting and... things... that, well....
Alea purposely does not say 'and spying, purposely causing problems'.
Alea: I suppose most of what I learned in first year just fell by the wayside.
Veraik: Probably, but you have relearned a lot since you have been assigned here.
Alea: By allowing myself to become lax, I suppose I have just forgotten how much energy and work it takes to focus.
Alea shrugs, winces when a pin pokes her in the head.
Alea reaches up and readjusts her bun.
Veraik zlins Alea.
Veraik gets up and goes to Alea.
Alea: So, if it wasn't here, where do you think it originated from?
Alea blinks wondering why Veraik came, pushes herself to sit up.
Veraik, one by one, removes all the hair pins and puts them in his pockets.
Alea: Veraik.
Alea makes a grab for the pins.
Veraik: Well, I noticed that.... What?
Alea grabs at her hair, trying to tie it back up on her head.
Veraik fends her off.
Alea holds out a hand for the pins.
Veraik: I like your hair down.
Alea: I don't.
Alea: It's unprofessional.
Veraik: As I was saying, I noticed that....
Veraik: It's not, what it is is spinsterly. You look differently when you hair is down and I think it looks more professional to have your hair down.
Alea: Noticed what?
Alea continues to hold her hand out for the pins.
Alea: Well, I am a spinster, so what's the problem?
Alea smiles.
Alea wonders where he picked up such an English term.
Veraik: ...that the Moranga Delivery Company handled this delivery.
Alea: That's not the usual delivery company.
Alea frowns trying to remember.
Veraik: That is the first time that particular company has done that.
Alea nods.
Veraik: I think we should contact the one was use and ask for an explanation.
Alea gives up and lays back, not willing to admit it does feel better with her hair down.
Alea sits back up.
Alea: I'll get right on it, Hajene.
Alea swings her feet off the couch and removes the blanket.
Veraik: Naztehr?
Alea glances up.
Alea: Yes?
Alea knows he has to be talking to her since no one else is in the office.
Veraik: I'll handle it. You should rest some more.
Alea: I'm not an invalid, Hajene.
Veraik: You are still not fully recovered.
Alea averts her eyes.
Veraik: No, you're not.
Alea: I'm fine.
Veraik: I know. Just don't overdo it.
Alea: Look who is giving the advice.
Alea looks down at her shoes trying to scoot around Veraik and sighs when her hair swings into her face.
Veraik: I'll do the investigation and then we can talk about it some more.
Alea pushes it back and looks exasperated at Veraik for taking her pins.
Veraik: You are the expert of this kind of thing, after all.
Alea: That sounds good.
Alea: Yes, I am.
Alea ~~sad~~
Veraik: And I value your opinion.
Alea: Of course.
Veraik smiles, only showing a little sadness in his eyes.
Veraik: Come, let me help you to your room.
Alea: No.
Veraik: No?
Alea: I, um, would rather... how about my office?
Alea's nager goes flat.
Veraik: Veraik zlins Alea.
Veraik: What is the matter?
Alea smiles.
Alea: Nothing, Hajene.
Alea: I just have some work that I should do in my office. And I can rest there in between.
Veraik: Your nager just flattens to nothing and you are trying to tell me that there is nothing wrong? Try again.
Alea sighs.
Alea: I haven't been sleeping good in there lately.
Alea: It's too cold.
Alea: My office is warmer.
Veraik: It's your room, isn't it?
Alea: What?
Alea blinks blankly.
Veraik goes to the floor plan.
Alea gets up to leave, crossing to the door.
Alea: I'll be in my office, Hajene. Let me know what those people say.
Alea opens the door and goes through it.
Veraik: There is an empty room, with a low Farris rated shielding. I can give you that room and have the shielding increased within the next few days. Is that acceptable to you?
Alea: My room is fine.
Alea sticks her head back in to say.
Veraik zlins Alea.
Alea: I don't want to leave it.
Veraik: Are you sure?
Alea softens up at Veraik's concern.
Alea goes back into the office and leans against the wall by the door.
Alea: Yes, Hajene. I'm certain.
Alea: I'm just... there are a lot of memories up there.
Veraik goes to Alea.
Alea: I was going to bed to rest when everything happened.
Alea shrugs.
Veraik: Naztehr, you do not have to be this strong. Let me help you this way.
Alea: The memories are going to be there no matter what, but it's not as bad.
Alea: At least, not there.
Alea shakes her head, knowing she's not making sense.
Alea: My office... this office... the recreational room I made for the Donors....
Alea's eyes widen when she realizes what she revealed.
Veraik is concerned.
Alea: Anywhere... but my room is still my room.
Alea covers her blunder by explaining more.
Alea: Anywhere but my room.
Alea nods.
Veraik thinks that he knew it was her, but is glad to hear her confess it.
Alea studies Veraik warily.
Veraik's field locks onto Alea's.
Veraik: A new room would feel like a new start.
Veraik: Why don't you consider it?
Alea: No, it'd still be the room I slept in, I think. I don't know.
Alea sighs.
Alea: I'm just tired.
Alea: Why don't I just go....
Alea trails off.
Veraik nods. "Then rest."
Alea: Perhaps I can go sit in the infirmary and work.
Alea smiles.
Veraik: Only if that work involves sleeping.
Veraik smiles.
Alea's smile leaves.
Alea: You are determined I sleep.
Alea: Then it better be behind Farris insulation. [mutters]
Veraik: Why should you complain? You get to do your work in the infirmary while sleeping.
Veraik: The people there will always welcome a Farris nager.
Alea wonders what would happen when she had a nightmare in the infirmary and sent every renSime in the area running for cover.
Alea decides she can work in the infirmary and just not sleep.
Alea: Okay.
Alea: That sounds good.
Alea: I'll go to the infirmary.
Veraik zlins dissension but decides not to say anything else about it.
Alea thinks about the Gnome and thinks maybe she should go talk to it.
Veraik sweeps his hair out of his face.
Veraik: Then I will find you there when I'm ready to talk to you about my findings?
Alea thinks he probably stole her pins to use them himself.
Alea smiles.
Alea: Of course, Hajene.
Alea moves to slip past Veraik and out the door.
Veraik: And Alea?
Veraik: Nice try.
Alea: Yes?
Veraik closes the door and places a pad lock on it.
Alea decides to ignore Veraik's remarks.
Alea: What are you doing?
Veraik: You know. Alea. You are really not supposed to see all the files in my office.
Alea: I'm a Farris.
Alea shrugs as if that explains it all.
Veraik: True.
Veraik: But Controller files are private.
Alea: Well, it's not like I read them.
Alea thinks, most of the time... and besides, she already knows what is in them.
Veraik: How would you like it if Tarsh or Fise or Briel read your file?
Alea wouldn't mind since she has erased and changed almost everything.
Alea: No problem.
Alea: Besides, you know Tarsh knows everything about me.
Alea smiles sweetly.
Alea: Briel wouldn't change her opinion.
Alea: And Fise, he's only a Third. Who'd believe him?
Alea shrugs.
Veraik gives a little laugh. "There is always someone you wouldn't want to see files like that."
Veraik: In any case, there are my files and are closed to you.
Alea: Fine, whatever.
Veraik: Good. Glad we have an understanding.
Alea turns toward the front door, remembers Veraik is watching and moves back toward the infirmary.
Alea: I'll talk with you later.
Alea thinks when pigs fly.
Veraik: Later.
Veraik: Have a good talk with the Gnome.
Alea ignores him and grabs up her cloak and goes out the back door to the gazebo.
Alea: I don't want to talk to the Gnome [mutters].
Veraik walks towards the front office, feeling smug.
Alea sinks down on the bench and wraps up tightly watching the snow flakes fall.
Alea allows her eyes to drift shut, concentrating on the peaceful look of the floating snowflakes, wondering why life isn't like that....
Alea drifts off.
Briel goes to check on Snake.
Briel opens the door and looks in, finding Rafe asleep.
Veraik waits for ten minutes then goes to the garden in search for Alea.
Briel zlins Snake, thinking she looks much better.
Veraik seeing her, picks her up and carries her into the cafeteria.
Alea snuggles into his warmth, not waking.
Veraik sits on the lounge in the cafe with Alea in his lap.
Briel goes to the cabinet and pulls out a Farris medication, thinking to give it to Snake to make sure she sleeps.
Veraik watches the snow fall.
Briel then decides she is sleeping fine and puts it back up, leaving quietly.
One of the kitchen help brings him a cup of trin tea. He nods his thanks then sits with his love in his arms, holding her and wishing.
Veraik's field locks onto hers and he bathes in it, not caring about how bad it will be later.
Veraik: Only this moment matters.
Alea shifts to get more comfortable, accidentally knocking the cup of tea in her sleep and spilling it on Veraik.
Veraik feels the wet tea running down his pants leg and he lets it.
Veraik augments to bring up his temperature since the wetness is cold, knowing that the temperature will not only warm him but assure that Alea remains asleep in his arms. The snow falls.
Veraik never wants to put her down. Never.
Veraik falls asleep nestled in Alea's forbidden nager.