Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Bender Cove Township Scenario
Episode #78: (11/17/97)
Wise Snake sits in the living room, looking over some papers and waiting for Nick to wake up.
Wise Snake squints at some fine print on a contract.
Wise Snake: Who thinks of these things?
Nick finally wakes, and stumbles to the bathroom.
Wise Snake: "Contract not binding if signee not sixteen natal years of age or older?" Sheesh.
Linn comes out of her room, fully dressed and awake, and goes to the kitchen to make tea.
Wise Snake: Must have stolen the wording off a Gen
Territory contract.
Wise Snake scribbles a note.
Linn brings Snake a cup of tea.
Linn: What are you looking at, Snake?
Wise Snake: Oh... thank you. [takes tea, still looking at contract]
Wise Snake: This is the construction documents for the permanent Sime Center.
Wise Snake indicates a huge roll of blueprints leaning in a corner.
Linn: Permanent Sime Center?
Wise Snake: Didn't you know? That building Veraik and
Briel and them are in right now was only supposed to be temporary.
Wise Snake: Although at the rate things are going, it'll be in use for a while.
Linn: I thought you didn't want to go back to the Sime
Center.
Wise Snake looks up, surprised.
Wise Snake: This has nothing to do with that. The contract to build the new Center was put to public bid a few weeks after the fire that destroyed the old Center.
Wise Snake shrugs.
Wise Snake: There is no law preventing Tecton employees... or ex-employees, for that matter... from bidding on Tecton projects.
Linn: You want the contract to build the new Sime
Center?
Wise Snake laughs.
Wise Snake: No...
Wise Snake: I am handling a few documents for other people, however.
Wise Snake: I don't think I should commit to any projects lasting an amount of time measurable in years, at this stage.
Nick joins Linn and Snake in the living room, still in his bathrobe, but at least marginally coherent after his shower.
Nick nods at the blueprints.
Nick: How do they look?
Wise Snake: Eh... my honest opinion?
Linn goes to get Nick some tea.
Nick: Why not?
Wise Snake: It seems a bit ambitious. The design was the result of an architectural contest...
Linn: And the winning architect paid more attention to artistry than practicality?
Linn hands Nick his tea.
Wise Snake: Call me old fashioned but I don't know if this part of town is ready for a "Soaring glass enclosed atrium" and a "cantilever suspension construction throughout"
Wise Snake: It'll look like someone dropped their diamonds in a big pile of.. um..
Wise Snake: .. of the surrounding neighborhood.
Nick: A high-ceilinged glass trimmed in a place with winters like this? Why don't they just make the lobby a patio and have done with it.
Wise Snake: Well, I don't claim to be an expert. I'm just handling the paperwork.
Wise Snake: Can you believe this contract says all signers must be 16 natal years of age or older?
Linn: I suppose they wanted to give out-Territory firms a fair chance at the contract.
Wise Snake: Hmmm... I guess so.
Nick finishes his tea, and takes the mug--and Snake's empty one--to the kitchen.
Wise Snake notices Linn certainly has at least one of them well-trained.
Wise Snake: How was the children's shelter?
Linn: You were right, they could certainly use the help, although they're doing a remarkable job, considering.
Linn: I told them I'd be over this morning.
Nick goes back to his room to dress, now that he's awake enough to find an outfit that matches, at least vaguely.
Wise Snake: I went to the Center last night, after I brought Nick back here.
Linn: Oh?
Wise Snake: Tried to get some information on their current Donors and channels for maybe doing a partial so
Nick can get transfer this month.
Wise Snake feels fairly confident that Linn will get the gist of that.
Linn can tell that Snake isn't satisfied with the outcome of the conversation.
Linn: And did you?
Wise Snake: Umm.. no.
Wise Snake: Veraik said I was no longer authorized to read the files.
Linn: Nick will be disappointed.
Wise Snake: I dunno... Veraik made a kind of offer.. I don't think Nick will go for it but we'll see.
Nick returns, dressed for the day's work.
Nick: You don't think I'll go for what?
Wise Snake: I talked to Veraik about options for you this next month.
Nick: And? Is he inclined to be reasonable?
Wise Snake laughs shortly.
Wise Snake: I suppose that depends on your definitions.
Wise Snake: He will not allow the use of any of the Sime
Center staff without himself or Tramila there to monitor, and all information - including yours - taken down in the official Tecton records.
Wise Snake: I explained your disinterest in becoming a file in the Tecton system.
Nick is disappointed.
Nick: Well, so much for that idea.
Wise Snake: His answer to that was to propose sending your records to Tecton Central by such an involved route that it will have passed through the hands of every Sime
Center official from here to Down Under before finally arriving there about a year from now.
Wise Snake: He seemed fairly sure you would agree to it...
Nick: I don't see that it would help to have half the
Tecton get their tentacles on my file, instead of just
Tecton Central.
Wise Snake: I suppose it's possible the others who see it won't be centrally placed enough to do serious damage with the information very quickly.
Nick: Given twenty Controllers, even of out-of-the-way
Centers, what's the chance that none of them know someone who knows someone?
Alea: Z.
Nick: I'm no more willing to risk that than you are.
Linn puts on her heavy winter coat.
Wise Snake: Well you're free to go talk to Veraik about it if you want to know more. I didn't find his attitude very encouraging myself.
Linn: I'm off to the shelter. I'll see you this evening.
Wise Snake: Good bye...
Wise Snake: I have been thinking about it... there is another alternative we haven't talked about yet.
Meri strides into the Sime Center's lobby, radiating self-importance.
Nick: What's that?
Nick: ~~hope~~
Meri is a fairly young renSime in much better clothes than are usually seen in this part of Bender Cove.
Briel zlins the new arrival on her way to the front desk.
Wise Snake: I have Rafe for this one last transfer. I could go ahead and take that transfer, but not take down your field this month.
Wise Snake: Then, take transfer from you, at such a time as our fields come to match. Which would be early for me.
Meri zlins Briel.
Meri: Are you in charge here?
Briel looks down her nose at the question.
Briel: May I help you?
Nick: How early? I'd hate to throw your whole cycle off.
Wise Snake: Not that early. Five or six days at most.
Meri: I'm Meri Lisston, with the Chamber of Commerce.
Briel: And how can I help you?
Nick: ~~surprise~~
Nick: My production has grown that much?
Meri: I am arranging a visit for a group of business executives from Gulf, Nivet, and New Washington
Territories.
Briel listens.
Wise Snake: Well... I wasn't going precisely by your production... I was factoring in also how much self-
Control I feel I'd have under the circumstances.
Meri: The goal is to encourage cooperation and lower barriers to trade.
Wise Snake: But your production has been growing steadily.
Nick has a fair idea of what kind of capacity a Farris channel requires.
Meri: I feel it would be a good addition to our program if we had a channel or Donor to address the conference on the special considerations of interterritorial trade.
Briel: Our Controller, Veraik ambrov Liorie would be glad to. However he's not here right now. I'll be glad to give him your name or you can stop back by later.
Meri: I am also arranging for various tours and activities for the participants. Since Sime Centers form such a vital part of interterritorial cooperation, I was wondering if I could arrange to bring a group through, to see you folks in action,
Meri: So to speak.
Briel nods.
Briel: Of course, though you might want to wait until the flu epidemic is over and the snow stops.
Briel: As you can see, we are overflowing with flu cases right now.
Meri peers around at the miserable faces seated in the lobby.
Meri: So I see.
Meri: The conference won't be until spring, but I am currently preparing the promotional information.
Briel: Good. that should work out fine.
Nick: I can wait a few more weeks, I suppose. That's better than getting onto the Tecton's files.
Briel: We are getting ready to prepare for faith day this next week too, so we'll be doing a lot of local promoting.
Wise Snake: You don't want to go talk to Veraik first, before making a decision?
Meri: Would it be possible to tour the Center today, so that I can write a summary of what our participants can expect from their tour?
Briel: Actually, we won't be having any tours for at least two more days.
Briel thinks of the shaking plague cases.
Briel: If you come back then, Veraik will be here and be glad to show you around.
Briel thinks by then they'll be certain about Alea and
Tarsh; Tamlen and Tramila should be much better by then too.
Nick: What's to talk about? He's Tecton, body and soul. He won't discard his commitment to its principles for our convenience--and to tell the truth, I'd think less of him if he did.
Wise Snake: Well... As I told Veraik, it's your choice.
Wise Snake: Shall we consider the alternative, then, the plan? At least unless something better comes to mind?
Nick: Yes. wisesnake nods.
Wise Snake: All right.
Wise Snake: ~~~ shivers ~~~
Meri: You said you were about to start planning your
Faith Day promotions?
Nick: You're really worried about this, aren't you?
Wise Snake: Wouldn't you be, in my place? [edgy]
Briel: Yes.
Briel: The person handling it is ill right now, though.
Briel shrugs.
Briel: Most of the people are ill right now.
Nick reflects that if the worst happens, he'll just be dead. Snake will be junct.
Nick: I suppose I would.
Wise Snake shakes her head.
Wise Snake: Well, we will see what happens when it happens. All we can do in the meantime is prepare.
Nick nods.
Wise Snake: There are exercises that can be done to accustom you to the feel of selyn movement.
Wise Snake thinks, and to estimate your maximum delivery speed.
Nick thinks this sounds like progress.
Wise Snake: I confess I've been holding back on that stuff to discourage you from getting all antsy about transfer.. but I think it's passed far beyond the stage where such attempts will work [smiles weakly]
Nick: Probably.
Briel: Well.
Briel: Why don't I take your name down and I'll have
Veraik contact you when he gets back.
Meri: Let me give you my card.
Briel smiles despite she is three days from transfer.
Meri takes a small rectangle of cardboard from her shirt pocket and hands it to Briel.
Briel takes it and reads it, then pockets it.
Briel: Thank you for stopping by.
Briel: Be careful out there.
Meri: I will be in touch.
Briel: I'm sure Veraik will be too.
Meri pulls her cape around her and departs.
Briel hurries off to her task she'd been about earlier, thinking soon things will let up and she'll get some rest...and a Donor.
Nick is eager to start the exercises.
Wise Snake pretends to go back to her work for a few minutes, then laughs.
Wise Snake: You're going to sit there making eager beaver nager at me all morning, aren't you...
Nick shrugs, trying to zlin innocent.
Wise Snake: Oh all right, come here.
Nick joins Snake on the couch.
Nick's eager beaver nager tries to regain its usual discipline.
Bundtwadd approaches the front door of the Sime Center.
Bundtwadd reaches for the handle.
Bundtwadd hesitates.
Bundtwadd turns and scurries back down the front steps.
Bundtwadd scrutinizes the building.
Alea: Well, Tarsh. We have our walking papers.
Alea: I for one, am ecstatic to be out of here.
Meri bumps into buntwadd as she returns to the Center, depositing both of them on the sidewalk.
Bundtwadd: Whooppp!!!
Bundtwadd lands in a heap, as her bundt pan flies through the air.
Meri: Oh, I am sorry.
Meri augments to try to catch the pan, and succeeds only in spinning herself around on the ice.
Meri: Shen!
Bundtwadd: Aah...
Bundtwadd rolls over and gets to her feet slowly.
Meri inspects her fellow accident victim more closely.
Bundtwadd: [Meri's feet kick Buntwaddler's out from under her again]
Bundtwadd's feet fly up in the air and she lands on her posterior.
Bundtwadd is a round Gen wearing a tan felt coat buttoned up tight, and a flowery scarf which was once covering her hair.
Bundtwadd: Oh!
Tarsh: We can go now?
Meri yelps as BW skids, knocking the pan painfully into her ankles.
Alea gathers up Kati in her arms and her small bag of hairbrush and soap.
Alea: Yes.
Alea: It's noon. Veraik said after noon we could go.
Meri zlins her ankle to see if the bone is chipped, or if it only feels that way.
Tarsh: I'm glad you'll be able to get out, dear.
Alea pauses to look at Tarsh and roll her eyes.
Tarsh: I'm just transferring to deferment, after all.
Alea: Be honest, dear, it's your sanity we're both concerned about here. You'll be glad you can relax away from my constant field.
Alea: Exactly.
Alea chuckles.
Meri concludes that as the Sime, she's supposed to be able to handle this sort of physical challenge.
Tarsh: Yeah, there's that too.
Alea nods.
Meri zlins the sidewalk for something approaching a source of friction.
Alea: Sorry you still have one more day to go in isolation.
Tarsh: But it didn't seem polite to say so.
Alea: Hey, it's not going to bother me for you to be honest.
Alea: I understand.
Meri can't zlin anything but an inch of sheet ice, so she picks up the bundt and whacks the sidewalk a few times, cracking off a chunk of the ice.
Alea looks around for her shoes and finds one under the bed and the other one in the bathroom. She puts them on.
Meri pushes the chipped ice to one side, and stands carefully.
Briel zlins a commotion out front and goes to the door.
Bundtwadd stares up at Meri, looking somewhat overwhelmed.
Meri reaches for BW's wrist with her right hand and tentacles.
Meri: Here, let me help you up.
Bundtwadd gets up with a great deal of puffing and panting and pulling on Meri's hold.
Bundtwadd: Oh.. thank you... [pant pant] thank you.
Bundtwadd holds out free hand for bundt pan.
Meri surveys the six feet of sheet ice between them and the porch railing.
Briel brow furrows as she sees Meri and another person staggering around..or rather one staggering around.
Meri surrenders the pan.
Bundtwadd: Whoo!
Alea: Well, Tarsh...[sad]I hope this ten days hasn't caused to many problems, the isolation.
Bundtwadd: They should do something about theuuuu uuuuuwhooaaa!!!! [almost falls again; ends up embracing
Meri firmly, with the bundt pan pressed in between]
Alea: Good luck with your transfer.
Alea keeps her field neutral.
Briel sees the problem and calls out to clerk.
Meri: They should.
Bundtwadd: Ohh!
Bundtwadd: I'm so sorry!!
Tarsh: It's been bittersweet. But I'll let you make it up to me in a couple of days.
Bundtwadd: [voice muffled as face is pressed into Meri's lapel]
Briel: Someone let the sidewalk ice over. Send someone out there to clear it immediately, please.
Meri: Here, if I hold onto you, you can reach the railing and grab it.
Alea allows her eyes to show her promise.
Alea: With pleasure.
Alea goes out the door.
Bundtwadd looks over her shoulder, then slowly steps backward, reaching out with her free hand for the railing.
Bundtwadd: [pan clanks to ground at their feet]
Bundtwadd's mitten waves inches short of the railing.
Briel reluctantly goes out the door into the bitter cold, carefully anchoring her feet on the stairs.
Bundtwadd: Oh... help us... [hopefully]
Bundtwadd holds out hand toward Briel.
Briel: Uh, yes...yes[calls back in]
Briel: Or one of his helpers.
Clerk come out to the door.
Briel reaches out and takes BW's hand.
Meri zlins Briel anchoring BW's other hand, and stoops to pick up the pan.
Meri miscalculates and slips again, pulling BW, and
Briel, down after her.
Bundtwadd steps carefully toward Briel, wearing an expression of suspense.
Clerk takes hold of a solid object and reaches out to
Briel.
Bundtwadd: Eeeeiii!! [skids on back several feet]
Meri: Ouch!
Briel grabs at clerk.
Briel feels her own feet slipping.
Clerk grabs Briel's hand, careful to avoid the wrists and forearms.
Meri reflects that BW must indulge in her own cooking a bit overmuch, judging by how squished Meri is currently feeling.
Briel reaches back out to BW.
Briel: Right here.
Briel stretches with her tentacles and fingers, ignoring the blowing snow.
Bundtwadd reaches out and curls her fingers into Briel's.
Bundtwadd: [her mittens are now off, and hanging on their strings]
Clerk carefully holds tight to Briel on one side and a post with another.
Jon Drake is warm inside working with his channel Kaymeil.
Alea comes into the lobby, enjoying the ability to be able to go where she wants.
Alea feels the chill and goes to close the door...and sees a chain of people from the door to the sidewalk and wonders what they are doing.
Piotr is in a slightly drafty flophouse room, tending to an injured renSime.
Bundtwadd crawls towards Briel.
Briel: That's right.
Briel: Right, here...
Bundtwadd crawls up onto the steps.
Alea: So, what are you doing?[to clerk, or Briel or whoever will listen]
Clerk: Ice rescue.
Briel grabs BW's hand.
Meri grabs onto BW's ankles with one hand, and the pan with the other, and lets herself be pulled towards the porch.
Briel: That's it.
Briel braces her feet and begins to reel them in, slowly.
Alea watches curiously. "Need some help?" bundtwadd crawls the rest of the way up onto the porch.
Bundtwadd: Oh... oh my... oh my word....
Alea steps out on the porch and carefully moves to the other side of the railing just in case.
Bundtwadd tries to stand up.
Briel holds firmly, waiting for Meri to regain her footing and come up the stairs too.
Alea reaches out and grabs at BW's arm.
Meri grabs the porch railing as soon as it comes within range, and pulls herself to her feet.
Bundtwadd: Well!
Bundtwadd: I haven't had so much excitement in years!
Bundtwadd looks warily back at the icy walk.
Meri apologetically hands the pan back to BW.
Bundtwadd looks at the bundt pan.... heavily dented, and the aluminum foil covering it is torn.
Bundtwadd: Thank you, dear.
Bundtwadd takes pan.
Briel: I apologize. That is going to be cleaned off immediately.
Bundtwadd: I brought a bundt cake for somebody here...
Alea shrugs, seeing everything is under control and slips her way back into the center.
Clerk: I'll see to it Hajene.
Briel: Thank you, Clerk.
Bundtwadd: At least I hope he's still here...
Bundtwadd: Oh, dear.
Briel: Who might that be?
Briel rubs at the back of her neck, massaging a knotted muscle.
Bundtwadd: Tarsh Chutmas?
Briel nods.
Briel: Yes, he's here.
Bundtwadd looks relieved.
Bundtwadd: This is for him.
Briel looks down at the cake, then at clerk.
Briel: I see.
Briel steps back.
Meri zlins BW to make sure she's unharmed.
Briel: Why don't we all come inside.
Bundtwadd: ~~~ a little bit dizzy from all the excitement, but otherwise unharmed ~~~
Meri allows BW to proceed her into the lobby.
Tarsh picks up all his trashy adventure novels in a unsteady heap.
Bundtwadd enters the Sime Center, looking around curiously.
Tarsh pushes out through the door to the hall.
Briel: It's a bit busy right now.
Bundtwadd: Oh, I won't take too much of his time, I know he does important work.
Briel smiles.
Briel: I'm not sure where he...
Briel zlins...
Meri reflects that it would be convenient if Gens wore that kind of protective padding year round, and not just in the winter.
Briel: Just a minute.
Briel sees Tarsh in the hall.
Crew: Several renSimes come into the lobby with buckets of cinders, shovels, rakes, and implements of destruction.
Briel: There he is now.
Briel motions down the hall, indicating Tarsh to BW.
Tarsh: ?me comes down the hall, maneuvering to keep the heap from toppling.
Bundtwadd: Oh!
Bundtwadd waddles towards Tarsh.
Bundtwadd: Tarsh!! Oh, Tarsh! ~~delighted~~
Briel forces herself hypo.
Tarsh zlins a Gen field approaching and stops.
Meri waits with as much patience as she can muster for
B W's business to be concluded.
Briel sighs, relaxing.
Auntie Baw: Tarsh?
Alea watches the proceedings curiously, enjoying the interaction.
Auntie Baw tries to see around the pile of books to see if it's really him.. notices some of the titles.
Tarsh: [ uncertain ] Auntie Baw?
Auntie Baw: [ Selyn Slave...... Lateral Maneuvers in the
Dark...... Come Hell or High Fields....]
Auntie Baw: [shakes herself, tears eyes away from titles]
Auntie Baw: Yes!
Auntie Baw: Yes, Tarsh, it's your Auntie Bawbera! [voice swooping up and down]
Tarsh is glad that the spine of _Raiders of the Lost Pen_ is towards him.
Tarsh: Auntie! How long has it been?
Auntie Baw: Five years, dear child, five years!
Auntie Baw: Let me take a look at you...
Auntie Baw frowns slightly at Tarsh's appearance.
Auntie Baw: Don't they feed you right here? When are they going to give you a decent transfer?
Tarsh: Let me put these down.
Auntie Baw: I hope you were taking those to the dump!
Alea overhears the comment and is glad she has no relatives to check up on her reading material.
Tarsh dumps the books on clerk's desk and turns the titles away from AB on the pretext of stacking them neatly.
Alea studies Meri curiously as she sees her still hovering near the door.
Tarsh: I have to take custody of contraband material, yes.
Meri approaches Alea.
Auntie Baw: I brought you a bundtcake... chocolate/blueberry....
Alea smiles.
Auntie Baw: It was hot when I left the house, but...
[glances down at pan]
Alea moves over on the couch, motioning to the seat beside her.
Alea: Please...
Crew set to attacking the ice with several wills.
Meri sits by Alea.
Alea: Quite a site outside.
Tarsh: Really? My favorite! You shouldn't have.
Meri: Hello. I'm sure it was. I don't suppose you know who's doing the publicity for this Sime Center, do you?
Auntie Baw hands bundt pan to Tarsh.
Meri: Arranging tours, that sort of thing?
Crew: THUNK! CHUNK! KRAK!
Alea: We have several people that work on publicity...ah...
Auntie Baw removes a package of frosting which has been inside her coat, hands that to Tarsh.
Alea: For tours.
Alea: Well that certainly narrows it down.
Alea: Let's see...
Auntie Baw: Well, the frosting is still warm anyway...
Auntie Baw: Oh, dear.
Tarsh takes them and sniffs at the cake.
Auntie Baw: When I stepped outside, I realized it was very cold, but I had promised myself would come today, so
I just kept going.
Tarsh looks misty eyed...
Meri: I'm Meri Lisston, with the Chamber of Commerce.
Alea: We would, of course, ... and I am Alea Farris.
Auntie Baw: Are they treating you right here?
Alea: For tours we would run that through the
Controller.
Meri: I'm arranging an interterritorial conference on business opportunities, with particular reference to cross-Territory trade.
Tarsh thinks for a moment. "Yes. Better than I deserve."
Alea: However, Rayal ...
Alea nods "I see."
Tarsh: You should be careful Auntie. I'd have been here tomorrow.
Auntie Baw: Oh, nonsense. It was just a little ice.
Crew: SMASH! SCCRRRAAAPPPPEEEE!
Auntie Baw: And you deserve the best! I have been telling myself for weeks I should come down here and say hello.
Alea: That sounds very interesting.
Tarsh: I've been promoted to Chief Financial office of the Center.
X- Termina drives his wagon up the street at a reckless speed.
Tarsh: =3D=3D office -> officer =3D=3D.
Meri: I'd hoped to have someone from the Tecton come to address the conference, since the Tecton is one of the best examples of an interterritorial organization.
Crew scatter before the charging wagon.
Alea: Well I'm sure Controller Veraik or Briel would love to.
Auntie Baw: Why Tarsh, that's simply wonderful! You must come and visit us sometimes so we can keep up on your good news!
Meri: I'm also to arrange some outside activities for the conference members, and I thought a tour of your
Center might be appropriate.
X- Termina hauls his team to a halt; ice chips fly through the air as the horse's shoes cut into it.
Alea: That would be great.
Alea: I'm sure I could see to getting it arranged for you.
X- Termina leaps out, cleats hitting the ice with a metallic CHINK.
Tarsh: I'm sorry Auntie, for not getting over there sooner. How is everyone?
Alea: Just what type of tour do you want.
Meri: Well, the thrust of the conference is running cross-Territory businesses.
X- Termina starts seizing backpacks and odd shaped cases out of the back of the wagon as the horses snort and sidle about excitedly.
Crew all glare at X-T the mad driver.
Alea: We are expanding our teaching facilities...that might fit in. Also, perhaps a demonstration of how out
Territory relations have improved with the classes we are now conducting in Eastcove.
Meri: I'd like the participants to see the adjustments one has to make when dealing with clientele from both sides of the border.
Meri: That's exactly the kind of material I'm looking for.
Crew: One scatters cinders along X-T's path.
Alea: You might interview a couple of our people who are from out-Territory for that.
Auntie Baw: Well, your uncle Gliame is doing quite well, although the doctor says he mustn't exert himself or he may have another heart attack... and your cousin Veppe is, doing much better. So kind of you to ask!
Alea: We have some that work here, donate here. And we'd be glad to show you the different routines involved in working with both sides.
X- Termina marches into the Center, leaving ice shavings in each footstep, wearing a face mask and carrying a huge assortment of bags and cases.
Tarsh: I saw Zray, he's doing Ok.
Alea glances curiously at the newcomer, frowning when she sees his mask.
Auntie Baw: Oh really! [softly]
Auntie Baw: Well I tell you. I didn't come to take up all your precious time...but please do stop by one day and have dinner with us, won't you?
Meri: Also, since the conference will draw members from
Sime and Gen Territories around the world, I was wondering if you could spare a channel or Donor for security...
Alea glances back at Meri.
Alea: Security?
Meri pauses and follows Alea's gaze to X-termina.
X- Termina whips off his mask, revealing a stunningly handsome Gen face with a chin like a block of oak.
Alea: Oh...yes..yes.
Meri: Is something wrong?
Tarsh: I promise Auntie. Next week sometime?
Alea glances back at the person.
Alea: I...don't know.
Auntie Baw: That would be perfect.
X- Termina picks up a drawstring that seems to be linked through the lids to all the assorted cases.
X- Termina: Ladies, [pause] Your pest problems are now over.
Tarsh: Wednesday? And can I bring a very good friend?
X- Termina pulls the string with a quick, short jerk.
Alea Stands warily.
Alea: You're an exterminator?
Alea looks to Meri.
X- Termina: [assorted mongooses, weenie dogs, cats, preyingmantis, ant eaters and other creatures erupt from the containers and scatter across the room]
Alea: Perhaps you'd like to go for a walk in the garden..
Auntie Baw looks surprised, and extremely pleased.
Crew notices Alea as she gets up.
Auntie Baw: Why, Tarsh! How delightful! A special friend?
Crew: Alea!
Alea sucks in a sharp breath and jumps up onto the couch.
Crew: =3D=3D make the last two Tarsh.
Alea: Bugs!
Alea: Oh shen!
Mongoose darts between Meri's feet.
Alea crawls up onto the back of the couch, forcing her field neutral, holding her breath.
Meri yelps and jumps onto the couch next to Alea.
Tarsh: Yes, she's -
Weinerdog gallops wildly out of the lobby down a corridor, hind end scrabbing on the slick floor.
Briel stares in stunned shock.
Briel: What are you doing!
Meri: I see you decided to get the biological pest control.
Anteater slowly waddles over to the potted plant and sniffs the dirt.
Mantis creeps forward slowly, oblivious to the hubbub around it.
Briel rushes forward and grabs the anteater.
Alea: I..I...no.
Alea: I didn=92t know there was an exterminator coming or
I would have been long gone.
Tarsh reaches to scoop at the soil with long claws.
Tarsh: =3D=3D scratch =3D=3D.
Briel hauls the anteater toward the door.
Briel shoves it out, slamming the door.
Kati spots the Wienerdog and hisses fiercely.
Weinderdo gallops after the kitten, now yelping furiously.
Mongoose erupts back out from under the couch, shaking a snake wildly back and forth.
Alea groans.
Tarsh move over towards Alea to protect her from fauna.
Kati scales the curtains in the lobby, then settles on the curtain rod, mewing plaintively.
Ladybug flies through the air, then lands on Alea' shirt front.
Alea: Oh!
Alea grabs at her shirt jerking.
Alea: Oh yuck!
Ladybug barks for a few more minutes, then gives up and starts crawling under somebody's bed, looking for small animals.
Anteater skids across the pouch and thumps against a post.
Alea digs, trying to find ladybug and scoop it out.
Briel grabs a dog running by and tosses it in the closest office--Alea's--and slams the door.
Briel: So help me....
Meri: Here.
Meri retrieves the bug from Alea's clothing and flips it across the room.
Smalldog realizes it is trapped and begins howling plaintively.
Alea finally rips the bug out of her top and tosses it away.
Alea jumps down and runs over to Kati.
Alea: Come here sweetie.
Ladybug rights itself and opens its wings just in time to do a magnificent three-foot-skid-mark crash landing on the receptionist's desk.
Alea jumps from foot to foot to avoid the various wildlife.
Weinerdog jumps up and down against Alea's leg, hoping
Alea will get the kitty down for him.
X- Termina stands by, appraising the handiwork of his minions.
Alea pulls on the curtain, jerking, trying to get Kati to jump to her.
X- Termina: [curtain rod pops off]
Alea jumps back as the curtain falls.
Alea cries out in pain at Kati's sharp claws.
Mongoose squirms wildly.
Alea pushes at the curtain, trying to untangle her and the cat.
Tarsh starts at the pain in Alea's nager.
Kati howls in fear.
Briel holds on tight, hurrying toward the nearest office and tossing it inside too.
Curtain wraps around Alea.
Alea: Shen..ouch...yikes!
Alea stumbles.
Alea: Kati...it's okay.
Meri catches Alea before she can fall.
Mongoose flies into Veraik's office and skids underneath the desk.
Bat flaps out of a box and circles the room widdershins.
Alea shoves at the curtain, feeling someone grabbing at her, knocking the curtain off, Kati still held in one hand.
Meri unwraps Alea from the curtain.
Briel shudders at the ambient.
Tarsh augments down the back corridor.
X- Termina decides to go for a walk.
X- Termina leaves by the front door, whistling.
Kati squirms, trying to climb back to Alea's head.
Alea holds Kati firmly against her chest.
Alea: Thank you Meri.
Bat squeaks ultrasonically and swerves around Tarsh.
Alea forces herself to ignore the pain and hurries toward her office.
Kati attaches all four sets of claws to Alea's shirt and tries to scale Alea's shoulder.
Anteater tries to shamble back in out of the cold.
Alea hears the noises in her office and veers off to another office.
Alea: Sorry sweetie.
Alea tosses it in and closes the door.
Tarsh bursts out the back door into the garden.
Kati lands in a heap with an indignant yowl.
X- Termina holds the door for the ant eater, then pauses on the porch to pull out a cigar.
Anteater hooks the closing door with claws.
Anteater goes in.
Meri looks around at the chaos, and decides that maybe her conference attendees should NOT be touring the place.
X- Termina lights up, enjoying the pungent sweet scent.
Tarsh stops in the gazebo and sits down panting.
Briel: Where in shenned did that exterminator go?
Anteater returns to the potted tree.
Briel zlins...stepping over the various smaller animals.
Meri hurries out the door, and passes X-Termina on her way to the freshly cindered sidewalk.
Tarsh: Auntie will be _*so*_ impressed.
Littledog finds a rat underneath Alea's desk, drags it out with tail flopping.
Alea goes toward the door.
Kati waddles over to the door, and discovers that it is closed.
Tarsh digs into the tree's pot, upsetting it.
Kati starts to claw at it, mewing loudly.
Tarsh: =3D=3D make that anteater =3D=3D.
Alea: Uh...[Alea points to the porch.
Auntie Baw watches it all in wide eyed amazement, mouth in the shape of a small "o"
Briel continues her way across the room and outside to confront exterminator.
X- Termina blows smoke rings.
Briel: What in the world do you think you are doing, releasing all of those..those animals into our center?
Alea sees AuntieBaw and goes over to her.
X- Termina: Don't worry. They'll find all your pests in no time... and they'll return to me when I call.
Alea: Are you okay, ma'am?
Briel: Then why don't you call?
Auntie Baw: Oh! I... I'm not sure!
Briel: We have sick people here. We can't afford this chaos.
X- Termina glances at his watch.
X- Termina: They should be finishing up in another five minutes or so, in a building of this size...
Alea hooks her arm gently in the older woman's arm.
Alea: Why don't you come this way.
Auntie Baw: Thank you, dear...
Auntie Baw follows Alea.
Alea takes her into conference room one.
Briel groans.
Briel turns, goes into the Center and jerks up the phone.
Briel: If you want something handled, do the calling yourself.
Anteater finds no ants in the treepot and shambles off to sniff along the wainscoting.
Briel dials the regular exterminator and sets an appointment for him to come out and spray.
Auntie Baw sinks down into a chair.
Alea: Let me fix you some tea ma'am.
Alea hurries over to the burner and turns it on.
Auntie Baw: Oh, thank you, dear, that would be nice.
Alea runs some hot water into a teapot and sets it on to boil.
Tarsh looks at the ice-covered snow lump he thinks is
Gnome. "Don't you love the circus?"
Kati mews louder, then pauses to take a swat at a preying mantis.
Alea puts tea into two cups.
Alea: It really is a bad day to be out on the streets.
And well, evidently it is not a very good day to be here at the Center either, not that this has ever happened before.
Alea: Any day in the past has been just fine to visit the center.
Alea thinks except the day the water sprinklers went off, or the day snake left non Farris medicine just lying around.
Alea thinks then were was that day that this very conference room almost burned down...
Alea thinks no, no..that was the same day as the medicine...it was Veraik=92s office...not that was the water...
Anteater smells something behind the filing cabinets and scratches at them.
Kati likes the way the mantis tries to run away, and pursues it.
Alea remembers Tormer's visit and shudders.
Kati bats the mantis across the office.
Briel goes back to rounding up various animals and tossing them in the front office.
Tarsh starts to feel cold and goes to peer in the door.
Alea sees the water is boiling and pours two cups of tea.
Alea: Here you go, ma'am.
Kati pounces on the feebly scrabbling insect, growling furr-ociously.
Auntie Baw: Why... thank you! Thank you....
Auntie Baw accepts tea.
Alea smiles.
Briel growls low in her throat as a lizard darts between her feet.
Briel drops down into clerk's chair, a nervous wreck.
Alea: Would you like something to snack on while we um...straighten up out there?
Alea glances at the conference room door, worriedly.
Kati discovers that the mantis is broken, and starts mewing again in distress, poking at it now and then to see if it will move.
Auntie Baw trudges to the Center, skirting the big nervous black horses attached to a wagon out front.
Auntie Baw: =3D=3D=3D that was Snake =3D=3D=3D=3D.
Auntie Baw smiles at Alea
Auntie Baw: Oh, let's just stay in here where it's safe?
Nick walks at Snake's side, trying to maintain the proper distance in the uncertain footing.
Wise Snake notes the crew working on the sidewalk.
Anteater gives up on the filed ants and moves on.
Alea thinks of her bleeding head and the ladybug incident and thinks maybe she should just stay in here.
Wise Snake: Now that is Tecton efficiency put to genuinely good use.
Tarsh comes in the back door and walks carefully down the hall.
Auntie Baw: Oh, I hope Tarsh is all right. He was looking pretty nervous when he ran off.
Alea: He'll be fine.
Nick: Indeed.
Auntie Baw: [nervously fiddling with tea cup]
Alea ~worry~
Alea thinks that, though she is worried, her field is the last thing he needs right now so she stays put.
Briel runs a weary hand through her hair, wrinkling her nose disgustedly when she feels a ladybug in it.
Wise Snake weaves between the crew and climbs the front steps... is assaulted by cigar smoke.
Nick wrinkles his nose in disgust.
Wise Snake coughs and glares at the nasty man smoking it.
Tarsh comes out to the lobby, zoo-zlinning.
Briel sees Tarsh and zlins him.
Wise Snake is amazed by his get-up... an olive green jumpsuit and many different boxes on shoulder straps.
Tarsh: ~~ a bit chilled, but intil reasonable for his state of need ~~
Nick is glad that Snake doesn't get ALL the weird customers.
Briel: You should be in determent, Tarsh.
Tarsh: I was going there when I met Auntie, and then....
Wise Snake: Egads.
Wise Snake: [to herself]
Briel nods.
Tarsh gestures at the wildlife.
Wise Snake: Come on, Nick.
Briel: Yeah.
Wise Snake enters the Sime Center.
Briel: Well...
Nick follows.
Wise Snake: [cough... cough... hack]
Briel sees Snake and Nick and simply stares.
Anteater sniffs around Briel's feet. Someone said something about ants.
Nick puts his arm around Snake to support her until she recovers from the smoke.
Alea clasps her hands together, watching AuntiBaw drink her tea.
Wise Snake nearly trips as a dachshund runs under her feet.
Wise Snake: What the...
Wise Snake: Briel? What's --
Briel: The exterminator.
Briel rubs at her temples, sighing.
Auntie Baw: Um... is Tarsh's job always this exciting?
[timidly]
Wise Snake looks around the place.
Briel shoves the anteater away.
Alea smiles.
Wise Snake: The exterminator what? Has a grudge against somebody here?
Alea: Sometimes.
Auntie Baw: No wonder he looked so tired.
Anteater feels rejected, but deals with it.
Anteater ambles out from behind the desk.
Briel: I was wondering the same thing, Snake.
Alea: Your nephew has been through a lot lately. But he's good at his job.
Briel: Can we help you?
Wise Snake scratches her head.
Wise Snake: [it feels funny since Linn made her take a shower]
Wise Snake: Uh.... yeah, is Veraik here?
Briel absently swats at another bug in her hair, realizes it's a lizard and plucks it out.
Briel: Nope. Eastcove. Classes today.
Wise Snake's eyes flicker back and forth between the lizard, and a ladybug in danger of crawling into Briel's ear.
Wise Snake: Oh.
Briel carefully avoids zlinning Nick.
Nick flicks a preying mantis off of Snake's new black cape.
Briel flicks at the ladybug, then tosses the lizard toward the anteater.
Wise Snake: Um...
Anteater turns to sniff at the lizard, but realizes it wouldn't fit down his snout.
Wise Snake: So is this before, or after, the exterminator's visit?
Briel: The exterminator thinks this is the way to catch the bugs.
Briel: I have a feeling he is in cahoots with whoever tossed the bugs in here.
Alea goes over to the counter and puts on some more water to boil.
Nick cocks his head at the furious mewing echoing down the hall.
Tarsh tries to gather up his books again.
Briel: So, how can we help you?
Wise Snake believes that last she checked, Mantises and
Ladybirds ARE bugs.
Wise Snake: Well I wanted to talk to Veraik about last night, but, uh,
Briel: Ah.
Briel nods.
Briel gets up and goes to the files and pulls out several sheets of papers.
Briel hands them to Snake.
Wise Snake: What are these?
Wise Snake looks at them.
Briel: Veraik allowed copies to be made of some of the information you wanted[different parts are blackened out on the sheets]
Wise Snake: Huh.
Tarsh nods to snake and nick and moves towards the stairs.
Wise Snake looks at them, then folds them carefully.
Briel: He said something about files but personal information had to remain personal...took the files, copied them and then took a marker to them. I have no idea what they are. He just stuck them in the first folder and said if you came back, to give them to you.
Wise Snake zlins Tarsh as he passes.
Alea pours another cup then decides she has got to find out what is going on.
Alea: Please excuse me, Auntie. I'll be back in a moment.
Tarsh: ~~ 1 day from transfer, has been exposed to Gen field a lot recently ~~
Kati hears passing Alea-footsteps and mews even louder.
Alea hurries to the office she locked Kati in and rescues her.
Alea: There you are, sweeite, have you calmed down any?
Mostan walks carefully down the slick street with a duffel bag.
Kati continues to yowl.
Alea strokes the kitten gently, trying to calm it, snuggling it closely and whispering softly.
Wise Snake: Oh.
Wise Snake looks down at papers again.
Briel: He'll be here later if you want to talk to him.
Mostan steps on the cinders with relief at the traction, and winces away from flying ice chips from the crew.
Briel attention is caught by something moving across the wall. She sees another lizard and sighs.
X- Termina finishes his cigar and walks back in the front door.
X- Termina fishes a whistle out of the front of his shirt and blows it.
Briel sees the exterminator and glares.
Wise Snake winces.
Tarsh dumps his books on his bad and considers whether to go back for his clothes.
Anteater raises head.
Kati leaps for Alea's head as the wienerdog runs past, ears flopping.
Alea winces and carefully removes Kati's claws and pulls her back down.
Mongoose (the one locked in Veraik's office) searches for a way out.
Anteater moves toward XT at a medium shamble.
Alea: Shush. It's okay Kadi sweetie.
Weinerdog runs back to its master and jumps in its little cylindrical shaped cage.
Kati stretches out her front claws, as high up on Alea's shirt as she can reach, and tries to climb, hissing.
Bat glides out of the corridor an circles XT.
Briel looks in surprise.
Briel: You might want to get the ones out of the office too.
Littledog claws the inside of Alea's office door and barks frenetically.
Briel motions with a tentacle.
Alea continues to stand in the hall and calm Kati.
Monday November 17th text.
Alea: It's okay. Just calm down.
Alea decides the safest place for Kati is in her room so she trudges upstairs.
Xterminat marches to the offices and opens them one by one, receiving the beasties trapped therein into their separate cases.
Alea goes in her room, sets up a makeshift litter box, a cup of water and deposits Kati on the bed.
Alea goes back downstairs toward the kitchen to ask cook's helper to please send up some food scraps to Kati.
Wise Snake steps prudently behind Briel as Xterminator passes.
Bat lands on XTerminator's back and wing crawls up.
Chameleon Mostan.
Alea puts Kati in her room.
Xterminat waits until all the little creatures have been gathered in.
Alea makes sure Kati has water and then goes down to the kitchen to ask cook to send up scraps for Kati.
Tarsh comes into the lobby and wonders what the chain of boxes is.
Briel: I have no idea how we get all the crazy people here, Snake, I really don't.
Xterminat pulls the string and all the boxes snap shut.
Wise Snake frowns.
Wise Snake: I still think it has something to do with providing 24-hour free services.
Wise Snake: Especially in cold weather like this...
Briel stands up and moves to Snake's side.
Briel: I'm sure you're right.
Nick is careful to keep his nager neutral towards Briel.
Mostan goes back to the isolation room and gathers up his clothes and misc. toiletries.
Mostan: =3D=3D Tarsh on the last. =3D=3D.
Xterminat marches out the door, leaving faint cleat-
Imprints in the linoleum.
Xterminat marches down the front steps.
Mostan goggles at this bizarre sight.
Briel sighs and sits back down.
Briel props her head in her hands, running her tentacles wearily through her hair.
Xterminat flings himself onto the wagon, throws the brake off, and jerks the reins.
Wise Snake: Briel? Are you all right? [zlins]
Briel: Fine.
Briel sits back and looks at Snake.
Xterminat thunders off down the road.
Briel: Just three days from need and waiting on the promised Donor. They said they'd have someone here by tomorrow.
Briel ~doesn't believe it~~
Wise Snake stares at Briel.
Briel: And then this mess and we're short handed temporarily. And the flu epidemic.
Wise Snake: Is it really so bad? They can't even get
Donors in time for transfers anymore?
Briel: It's been a rather busy week or two.
Briel: Evidently the Snow is causing problems in some places.
Tarsh comes back towards the stairs.
Briel: And we aren't the only place with a shaking plague outbreak.
Briel: Seems like several Centers have been hit...some very hard.
Wise Snake: Huh.
Wise Snake winders if she is exposing herself by being her at all.
Wise Snake: Winders =3D=3D=3D wonders.
Wise Snake: Um, look, Briel.
Briel: I guess we're pretty lucky. Only two people that
I know of so far.
Briel: Yes?
Wise Snake: If it makes you feel any better, you know you can always come to me. Just give me a little advance warning so I can get the selyn, and I'd do it.
Briel hesitates then nods.
Briel: I know you would, Snake.
Briel: I'll be fine. I would just hate to have channel's transfer.
Briel: And it's the work that=92s the worst. Not having a
Donor to work with.
Briel shakes her head, then sighs again.
Tarsh goes upstairs.
Wise Snake: I know. I couldn't do it.
Wise Snake: [work without a Donor]
Wise Snake: Not anymore.
Wise Snake: Or at least, not regularly.
Briel: I don't like it.
Briel: I've been doing this since the day of my turnover.
Briel: The only time I've had help was when one of the channel didn't require their Donor anymore.
Briel: Which meant they usually slept their way through my work.
Wise Snake: I know. That was me for a long time. I couldn't deal with it. I started to freak out.
Briel sighs.
Briel: It's not that bad. Or at least, it wouldn't have been if we didn't have two Donors in the infirmary.
It'll surely ease up now.
Alea comes back into the lobby and sees Snake.
Wise Snake: Perhaps you could pull in some more young
Donor trainees with some sort of education campaign among the general class donors. You know, hand out literature at the reimbursement counter or something.
Briel: Good idea. As soon as the epidemic slows maybe we'll put that idea into use.
Alea moves up behind Briel. "Hello, Snake."
Wise Snake: Hello, Alea.
Wise Snake: I thought you were in isolation or something.
Mostan comes into the lobby with his duffel.
Wise Snake zlins Mostan.
Alea: I'm out. I wanted to let you know Tarsh and I aren't contagious.
Nick takes a step to the side to balance the fields.
Briel zlins Mostan.
Briel: Hello again.
Wise Snake studies Mostan with a keen interest.
Mostan is a short, and skinny even for a Sime.
Mostan: ~~ 6 days from hard need ~~
Briel: I see you're back. [eyes the duffel bag with surprise] "For awhile?"
Mostan: ~~ appears to be a renSime in poor health - but there is something odd ~~
Briel relaxes under the Donor field.
Briel: Mostan is our newest third order channel.
Wise Snake looks down... sees a dead snake lying belly up with teeth marks on its throat.
Mostan: Yeah. For awhile. See how it goes.
Wise Snake nudges it under the receptionist's desk with her foot, then looks up at Mostan again.
Briel nods.
Wise Snake: Ah. pleased to meet you.
Briel: This is wisesnake and her Donor, Nick.
Briel: And this Donor behind me is....Alea.
Alea nods to Mostan.
Mostan zlins them both. Nice to meet you.
Mostan realizes that these are those Donors he has heard so much about, and zlins Nick intently.
Wise Snake is a very high order channel with weird pale eyes and a somewhat unsavory aura.
Alea moves slightly, placing her hand on Briel's shoulder.
Wise Snake's nager becomes downright frosty at the zlinning of Nick.
Briel frowns.
Wise Snake tolerates it for a moment, then changes her own field to make it hard to zlin Nick's.
Briel: Mostan?
Mostan wonders what her problem is and zlins Alea.
Mostan: Yes?
Briel: You shouldn't zlin that closely.
Mostan: Why not?
Briel: Now, let's see...you'll require a room. We have one ava...
Briel sighs.
Briel: It's just not done. Y.
Mostan cannot imagine how he could ever absorb all the selyn in either of these two.
Briel: You have a question, please feel free to ask a
Donor... I'm sure you are very curious about high order
Donors.
Mostan shrugs.
Wise Snake is also very curious about high order Donors, as well as furiously jealous of any interference with the ones she considers hers.
Nick is certainly very curious about higher order
Donors, and hopes to be one soon.
Mostan tries to think who he would have matched these two to and realizes he has no earthly idea.
Briel: As I was saying. We have an available bed in the
Sime residential wing where most of the new Simes stay.
Briel: Oh, and Tarsh is out of isolation if you want to talk to him too.
Mostan: Tarsh is better?
Briel: He was only under observation.
Briel: He's on his way to a deferment suite since ... well...but you might be able to catch him before he gets there.
Mostan: Yeah, I think so. Where is that?
Briel motions to one of the halls behind her.
Auntie Baw comes hesitantly into the lobby.
Mostan: Thanks.
Auntie Baw: Is it safe?
Briel: Down that way...I believe it's the third door that he has been assigned to.
Alea looks around and realizes she forgot Auntie.
Mostan turns to pick up his duffel and sees Baw.
Alea: Oh, my yes.
Mostan stops and stares.
Alea notices Mostan's actions and falls silent, curious.
Auntie Baw sees Mostan.
Alea realizes this is the one who caused all of Tarsh's problems.
Auntie Baw looks surprised.
Mostan: Baw. Here to see Tarsh?
Auntie Baw: Mostan!
Mostan: I thought I smelled bunt cake.
Auntie Baw: You and Tarsh are still friends?
Mostan: I hope so. I couldn't see him when he was sick.
Alea wonders if there is something she can do to get his room assignment changed, to the one with the cracked glass pain. Nice and cold.
Wise Snake zlins Alea's interesting mood shift.
Mostan zlins hostility behind him and turns to look.
Briel shifts, watching the interplay.
Alea turns her attention back to Briel.
Auntie Baw: Well I... hope... everything works out.
Auntie Baw wraps her scarf tighter around her hair.
Alea thinks, on the other hand, the room he is in is warm and maybe some of those snake's wandered in there...
Auntie Baw: I have to start heading home or I'll never make it back in time for cards.
Mostan can't place it and turns back to Baw.
Briel wonders if Crew finished with the steps.
Mostan: Ok. Mind the ice.
Auntie Baw exits the Center.
Auntie Baw slips on the front steps, does the splits, and keeps sliding downhill and out of sight.
Mostan: [ crew comes trooping back in with empty buckets and shovels and racks and implements of destruction, grousing ]
Alea looks up at Mostan.
Alea: Perhaps you'd like some tea. You must be cold?
Alea gleam in her eye.
Wise Snake glances at Briel in vague unease.
Tarsh shrugs. "I guess.'
Briel shifts in great unease.
Nick is uneasy about all this unease.
Briel: Uh...
Wise Snake fidgets, spurred into downright nervous agitation by Briel and Nick's feedback.
Briel: Let me just order some sent to you and Tarsh in the deferment suite.
Nick realizes what is happening and thinks calm.
Tarsh notices a change in the ambient, but can't characterize it.
Wise Snake calms down somewhat under Nick's influence.
Tarsh: Sure. Thanks.
Tarsh: =3D=3D make that Mostan ++
Alea frowns, focuses back on Briel.
Briel: Great.
Tarsh: =3D=3D the last two, that is =3D=3D.
Briel sees clerk coming back and sends him after some tea.
Briel stands.
Tarsh looks at everybody not unkindly and walks off towards the deferment suite.
Tarsh: =3D=3D Mostan again! err... =3D=3D.
Alea glances back at Snake and Nick, curious.
Tarsh finishes hanging up his clothes and putting things away in the deferment suite.
Wise Snake: Well, I suppose we should get going...
Briel: Ah..okay.
Briel: I'll tell Veraik you were here.
Wise Snake wraps her cape around her, looking like somebody else in black, with nice clothes and actually washed up.
Briel: You know, Snake, black.....
Briel sighs wearily.
Nick is rather proud of being seen Escorting such a
Farris-looking channel.
Briel: Why am I surprised to see another Farris wearing black?
Wise Snake narrows her eyes.
Wise Snake: What?
Alea strokes her collar where she always wears black and smiles.
Wise Snake: Linn bought the cape for me. My other one was about to fall off in rags.
Briel nods.
Briel: Good to know.
Nick reminds himself never--ever-to express his prind in such terms.
Briel thinks all Farris channels and Donors think too much like Farrises.
Wise Snake: I couldn't offend Linn. [defensively]
Wise Snake actually thinks she looks pretty good in the cape but doesn't want anybody else to know that.
Alea: It looks good on you, Snake.
Briel feels Alea's displeasure and thinks of Snake's offer...
Briel: You should wear it, I suppose. You are entitled to it.
Briel thinks why anyone would want to be related to Trel she couldn=92t' imagine.
Alea: Tell Linn she has good taste.
Alea smiles.
Wise Snake thinks of the ring she also owns, and is entitled to wear, but never does.
Wise Snake puts it out of her mind.
Wise Snake: I will.
Briel frowns.
Briel: Be careful out there.
Wise Snake looks at Briel curiously, zlinning.
Wise Snake: We will.
Briel nods shortly.
Briel: Good.
Wise Snake leaves the Center.
Nick follows, stepping carefully to avoid the remaining ice patches.
Wise Snake: Nick?
Nick raises an interrogative eyebrow.
Wise Snake: Do you think you could ever...
Wise Snake: No.
Wise Snake: Never mind.
Alea waits until Snake is gone then allows Briel to feel a small part of her anger. "Do you know who that shendoni fleckin Sime was that you have taken into this
Center?"
Nick: Ever what?
Wise Snake: Ever consider joining a, a householding.
Briel flinches, then breathes easier when Alea controls her field today.
Briel: "A friend of Tarsh=92s. Why?"
Nick is surprised at the question.
Nick: What makes you ask that?
Wise Snake: I'm just curious.
Nick reflects that Snake is never "just" curious.
Alea growls low. "Friend?" [shakes her head] I doubt that....I'll speak to Veraik when he gets here. If I have my way, that Sime isn't going to spread his distect views all over the Center and cause even more problems.
Alea turns and leaves.
Nick: I've never given it any thought.
Wise Snake: Oh...
Briel simply stares, feeling the loss of the temporary
Donor keenly.
Wise Snake and Nick trudge off into the slowly falling snow.