Sime/Gen Roleplaying: Bender Cove Township Scenario
Episode #138: Picture of You (1/22/98)
Alea goes to the boards to check her day.
Alea is surprised, and relieved that someone fixed the boards.
Rhelana clutches the grotesque picture of Tarsh without tentacles or laterals, still upset.
Alea has no idea where the schedules were since they weren't where they should have been.
Tarsh is having breakfast.
Briel strides leisurely to her office, smiling.
Rhelana finally decides to look in the cafeteria for Tarsh since he wasn't anywhere else.
Briel goes in, and isn't surprised to find the missing papers almost immediately that she had been searching for yesterday before transfer.
Briel gathers them up, goes over them to make sure they're correct, and then leaves to take them to Clerk.
Rhelana: Tarsh? [holds picture to self so he can't see it]
Tarsh: Good morning, Rhelana.
Rhelana: May I join you for a little bit? [pained look]
Alea sees Briel and smiles.
Alea: Good morning, Hajene.
Tarsh notes that there are a number of people around. "OK."
Briel nods, looks around and sighs.
Rhelana sits next to him.
Briel: Do you suppose Clerk will be back soon?
Alea shrugs.
Alea: I just got down here myself.
Briel nods.
Rhelana: I have to show you this picture. [upset, fear on face] You have to know.
Tarsh: I hope you've been... feeling better.
Tarsh: Picture?
Briel: I see. Well, could you see he gets these? They're the latest paperwork so he can finish updating the boards.
Alea thinks she's discovered where all the paperwork must have been.
Alea: Of course.
Tarsh remembers Alea mentioning Rhelana stealing a picture from her.
Alea takes the paperwork.
Rhelana shakes her head. "Not really. Not since I saw this picture that Alea drew of you."
Briel: Tell Clerk I'll talk to him later.
Briel leaves.
Tarsh chews while looking puzzled.
Alea takes the reports and looks through them, her suspicions confirmed.
Tarsh: [ mouth full ] "Why?"
Alea looks around, sees no one around, so decides to finish the boards herself.
Rhelana: "It has made me ill every time I looked at it but..." [tears in eyes] "I finally decided that you must know just how she sees you."
Tarsh thinks it must be some erotic picture of him and Alea together. That would upset Rhelana.
Tarsh: Did she show it to you?
Rhelana: No. She dropped it and... and....
Alea crawls up onto the chair, blocking the wheels with a book.
Rhelana waits until he has swallowed his mouthful then pushes the picture towards him, face up.
Alea stands up, smiles when she sees that the chair is going to remain steady.
Tarsh: You shouldn't hav--
Alea grabs up the chalk and begins erasing the minor problem spots and filling them in with the updated information.
Tarsh gets very pale and snatches his arms into his lap. ~~terror~~
Rhelana: [picture drawn by Alea is of Tarsh with his tentacles and laterals cut out and dripping blood]
Alea flips the page on the report and scans down it.
Rhelana turns the picture over so he no longer can see it.
Alea: Ah... well... we should make a minor revision here.
Tarsh's feet scramble at the floor as he tries to push himself away from the table.
Alea climbs down, grabs a pen and makes a few changes.
Rhelana stands to face him.
Rhelana: Tarsh? I... I'm sorry! [pales]
Tarsh is too frightened to breathe.
Alea looks at the report and the changes with satisfaction.
Alea turns and scrambles back up into the chair.
Tarsh starts breathing in wheezes.
Alea grins at the Sumulo change and the two people he'll be working around.
Rhelana augments to a signal to call a channel to the cafeteria immediately.
Rhelana goes to Tarsh. "Sit down. You have to sit down." [wishing a channel was there to help].
Briel zlins the terror tinged nager in the cafeteria and decides to go investigate.
Briel bolts down the hall.
Tarsh slowly crumples to the floor.
Rhelana: Oh, Tarsh!!!. Please be all right. Please.
Briel comes around the corner... "Oh, shen..."
Briel skids over to Tarsh's side, pushing others out of the way.
Briel: What happened here?
Rhelana tries to use her useless renSime field to help.
Briel zlins Tarsh.
Rhelana: He had a shock. [blanches at the thought of the picture and what was happening to Tarsh]
Tarsh: [laterals retracted far into sheaths, paralyzed with fear]
Briel: Tarsh!
Rhelana: Tarsh! Please. I'm here with you. I'm here. [crying]
Tarsh: Get
Tarsh: it
Tarsh: away.
Briel grabs hold of the fields. ~~soothing~~
Briel: Tarsh...
Briel looks at Rhelana, zlinning.
Rhelana: I'll get it. I'll take it. [promise]
Briel: What's he talking about?
Rhelana snatches picture and hides it.
Briel: Let me see.
Briel: Rhelana, shen it, if this is causing the problem....
Rhelana backs. "No. I promised Tarsh that I would hide it."
Briel looks back at Tarsh....
Briel: You answer to him, not me?
Briel: I think you've got that backward!
Briel glares.
Briel turns back to Tarsh.
Briel: What is it?
Rhelana: I can't. I won't.
Briel tries to coax his laterals out....
Briel: Rhelana, you'll be in my office when I'm done here.
Briel: Come on, Tarsh..
Briel ~~Gen field~~
Tarsh clutches his arms to his chest.
Rhelana shakes head in denial.
Briel reaches for his arms.
Tarsh: ~~alarm~~ "Were-Gen!"
Briel: Rhelana, tell me what the shenned happen so I can help....
Briel: Shen!
Briel drops her field.
Briel: Tarsh, tell me what's going on. Come on....
Briel: Rhelana, tell me what the shenned is scaring him like this.
Briel: If I'm to help him, I need to know.
Tarsh: Were-Gen... ripped out my laterals.
Rhelana: [whispers] She's no good for you.
Briel looking back and forth between the two... Were-Gen?
Rhelana: [whispers] How could she?
Tarsh: Out of my dreams....
Briel: You're not... Tarsh, your laterals are still here, hon.
Briel shudders at the thought of what he is saying, her own instinctively curling.
Briel: It's only a dream....
Briel: You're fine.
Briel: I'm here for you.
Briel ~~promise of safety~~
Tarsh feels his arms to make sure.
Rhelana's laterals are withdraw in response to seeing the picture again and the tense ambient.
Briel: What triggered this, Rhelana?
Briel: That's it. See, they're still there.
Rhelana shakes head but says nothing.
Briel: Zlin ... you can't zlin without them....
Alea finishes the writing the fill-ins... and smiles.
Briel zlins Rhelana, getting angrier with the woman by the minute, forcing that anger behind a showfield.
Tarsh tries to zlin.
Tarsh zlins Briel.
Briel turns back to Tarsh. ~~encouraging~~
Briel: See, Tarsh. You know me. You zlin me.
Rhelana zlins Briel's anger, knees almost buckling.
Tarsh starts breathing more deeply. "Are... you... sure?"
Briel: Absolutely.
Tarsh zlins Briel carefully to make sure she's really Sime.
Rhelana: I'm sorry Tarsh. I'm sorry.
Briel still has no shenned idea what is going on.
Tarsh reaches up for Briel's shoulder.
Briel sits still not helping, afraid to startle him.
Rhelana's tentacles flick in and out and wrings hands.
Briel ~~reassurance/promise of safety~~
Briel: That's it.
Briel: Everything is fine.
Rhelana backs away towards the door.
Rhelana zlins Tarsh.
Briel: Would you like me to help you up? Do you think you're ready to stand?
Briel: Rhelana?
Briel without turning.
Briel: One hour. In my office. You'd better be there.
Tarsh: Please. Yes.
Rhelana: [Startled]
Tarsh: ~~terror being held at bay, barely~~
Briel lifts her hands off her legs where they were resting and reaches carefully out for Tarsh.
Alea makes a few more changes, thinking that will work better.
Briel stands, hauling Tarsh up with her.
Tarsh puts his hand on Briel's shoulder, avoiding her hands.
Briel slips an arm to his back.
Briel: Come with me. I'd like to... talk a bit.
Rhelana cries in relief as she sees Tarsh stand.
Tarsh: OK.
Rhelana: [whispers to herself] I'm sorry.
Briel was going to say examine him, but got a feeling she shouldn't after him calling her the names and talking about ripped out tentacles.
Briel heads toward her office, with him, slowly.
Tarsh stops at the door and every turning to zlin ahead carefully.
Briel: Tarsh. Tell me what's going on in your mind. What happened in there?
Rhelana looks in Tarsh's eyes, pleading.
Tarsh is silent until they reach Briel's office.
Briel pushes open the door and leads Tarsh in, closing the door firmly behind them and locking it.
Alea finishes the boards and smiles.
Rhelana runs to her room to hide the picture.
Alea carefully climbs down.
Briel leads Tarsh over to the sofa.
Briel: Would you like some tea?
Tarsh collapses onto the sofa.
Boards: You know that Sumulo is gonna be after you with this schedule.
Tarsh: Shen, yes.
Alea wipes her hands, then files the reports away.
Briel fixes two cups of tea and returns to Tarsh's side.
Briel hands him one.
Tarsh takes the cup with his fingers.
Briel: ~~concern~~
Tarsh: Jirelle is right about this place.
Briel: What is that?
Tarsh: It's haunted.
Briel holds her tea, not drinking, however noting how Tarsh is holding his cup awkwardly.
Briel: Why do you say that?
Tarsh: It keeps happening. The dreams, the attacks, and now this...
Libby Whore enters the Center, nervous and in need.
Briel thinks she is going to tear a strip off Rhelana for not telling her what was going on and giving her an advantage in this.
Briel: What keeps happening?
Tarsh: Excision.
Briel looks green.
Tarsh clutches his arms in, sloshing tea on the couch.
Briel: But your laterals weren't excised.
Libby Whore zlins Alea.
Briel quickly takes Tarsh's cup.
Briel sets both cups down.
Briel: Tarsh, tell me exactly what is going on here.
Briel: I can't help you until I know.
Alea looks up and sees Libby Whore and stands.
Alea: Someone will be right with you.
Tarsh: My needmares...I had one where I killed Alea and the baby... and I cut them off in grief.
Alea turns to leave, thinking she was an idiot to stay sitting in the lobby...
Briel: You killed Alea and the baby... and cut off your laterals....
Libby Whore wishes that a channel could get there faster.
Briel tries to think of something to say.
Briel: Okay. Any idea why you killed Alea?
Tarsh: Then, that crazy Gen... tried to crush my lateral nodes....
Briel: Perhaps you were simply stressed at the time, worried about the child...
Briel: Ah yes, Avaleia.
Alea tries to gauge Libby's need, and decides to find her a channel--quickly.
Libby Whore stalks the lobby floor, waiting. ~~NEED!!!~~
Briel: Well, we know there is no control over that.
Tarsh: Then, the day before yesterday, I had another needmare....
Briel thinks they are getting to the bottom of this.
Briel: Ah...
Briel: Why don't you tell me about that?
Lanyi finishes dressing in Tecton uniform after her shower.
Alea: Why don't you just have a seat, Libby.
Alea: I'll have someone here for you in just a minute.
Tarsh: I was on a raft, in need... and I found a ship....
Briel nods.
Libby Whore zlins Alea .
Libby Whore: ~~hyper~~
Tarsh: It was full of Simes. All renSimes, all post....
Briel: I see.
Libby Whore walks towards the huge Gen source.
Alea pulls Libby duo.
Alea: Now, wait just a minute, Libby. A channel will be here.
Libby Whore blinks and sees the cute Farris Donor.
Alea backs around the desk and signals for a channel.
Libby Whore: ~~NEED~~ [stares at Donor]
Lanyi hears the signal and hurries down the hall, tucking her hair up.
Briel: All post except you.
Briel ~~encouraging, safe security~~
Libby Whore zlins Alea and starts to walk towards her, tentacles and laterals extended.
Alea: Libby.
Alea pulls her duo.
Tarsh: I looked everywhere for a G-* ... a channel.
Alea goes to move out from behind the desk for more room.
Tarsh: I went below decks.
Libby Whore gasps as she is pulled duo again.
Tarsh: I saw a Gen there....
Briel thinks: So, he still wants a Gen in his needmares.
Lanyi comes down the stairs.
Briel: Yes.
Alea: Someone will be right here....
Alea: Just wait for a moment....
Lanyi zlins Libby and Alea.
Libby Whore tries to stay hypo but she can't. ~~hyper~~
Tarsh: I... I went to the Gen, and was about to take transfer....
Briel: And then what happened, Tarsh?
Briel: Yes?
Tarsh: And the Gen turned into a Sime....
Briel: I see.
Libby Whore: ~~NEED~~
Alea: Libby....
Alea: Shen.
Lanyi: ~~GEN~~
Libby Whore zlins Lanyi.
Lanyi: It's all right, Alea.
Alea sees Lanyi and waits.
Lanyi: Relinquish her to me.
Alea nods.
Libby Whore: [tentacles and laterals extend towards the new Gen source]
Lanyi: ~~Gen~~
Lanyi: ~~need-to-give~~
Libby Whore augments towards the Gen.
Tarsh: The Were-Gen grabbed my laterals and... [choked sound]
Lanyi stands firm with her arms out.
Libby Whore: ~~NEED~~
Libby Whore takes the Gen.
Briel reaches out with her field. ~~reassurance~~
Briel: It was a needmare, Tarsh. Just a needmare.
Lanyi: ~~GEN selyn offered~~
Briel: Those should have ended after your transfer a couple of days ago.
Libby Whore makes fifth and takes.
Tarsh: Then _where_ did the _picture_ come from!!
Briel is concerned that he is still having night mares like this after....
Briel: What picture?
Lanyi: ~~joy in giving~~
Tarsh: The picture Rhelana had...
Briel: Yes?
Tarsh: IT WAS FROM MY DREAM!!!!!
Libby Whore pours the selyn into herself, taking the joy, reveling in it.
Briel stares at Tarsh.
Briel: She had a picture of your dream?
Briel: ~~confused~~
Alea is so glad Lanyi showed up.
Lanyi pours out selyn, luxuriating in the GIVING.
Tarsh: YES!!
Briel: What... I don't understand. You gave her a picture of something like that?!
Tarsh curls up into a ball on the couch.
Briel runs a hand over her face and leans over him, rubbing his back, projecting comfort.
Tarsh: No. I hadn't told anyone about it.
Briel blinks.
Libby Whore feels the joy as she is stuffed.
Briel: Well, where did the picture come from then? Did she steal it from you?
Briel wonders what would push someone to draw a picture like that.
Libby Whore finishes and suddenly stops.
Tarsh: She stole it from Alea.
Alea sinks wearily into the chair in the lobby at the desk, relieved that this is over.
Briel: Alea!
Lanyi holds as Libby finishes.
Briel: Why in shenned would you give a picture of that to Alea?
Briel realizes she is allowing herself to react and calms down. ~~soothing~~
Tarsh whispers, "I didn't."
Briel: I'm sure it doesn't matter... You didn't?
Libby Whore starts to cry.
Tarsh: I don't know who made the picture, but it wasn't me.
Briel: You told no one about this dream, you didn't give the picture to Alea, you didn't draw it, but it is a picture of a dream you had. Is that right?
Tarsh: I never saw the picture before today in the cafeteria.
Alea pulls out a record and begins filling out a record on Libby Whore as a transfer.
Lanyi supports Libby physically and nagerically.
Briel grimly thinks of Alea's drawing abilities.
Briel: Farrises. They're all off in the head.
Briel disgust that she would draw something so gruesome and just a little wary that it was something she'd not seen that she drew.
Libby Whore continues to cry but glances at Alea. ~~desire~~
Briel: I have no idea, Tarsh, how Alea got this picture. But let me reassure you, it was only a needmare. All Simes have them.
Alea happens to look up halfway through filling out the chart and see Libby glancing at her.
Alea: ~~wary~~
Briel: I would say it's only...coincidence. Maybe the picture wasn't exactly like your dream? ~~hoping~~
Libby Whore looks back at the channel and then at Alea. "Please, luv. You are the one."
Lanyi continues to support her while trying to conceal her puzzlement and revulsion.
Alea is certain she has to be talking to Lanyi.
Alea turns back to the chart and quickly finishes scribbling in the pertinent information.
Libby Whore stares at Alea. ~~hope, lust~~
Tarsh: It was _me_ with my _laterals_ ripped out and blood _everywhere_!
Briel: Okay. Okay.
Wise Snake walks into the front door of the Sime Center.
Briel: ~~soothing~~
Alea takes the chart over to Lanyi.
Alea: Here you go.
Lanyi releases Libby and takes the file.
Alea sees Snake.
Libby Whore: Won't you just once? Please.
Wise Snake zlins Alea and Libby in the same room and augments to leave the Center suddenly. 1
Alea: No.
Alea: Snake!
Lanyi is not surprised that Snake isn't far away for this situation.
Alea stares surprised.
Libby Whore looks at Lanyi and starts to cry again. "She wants the other channel. Not me."
Alea gapes at Libby, then looks at Lanyi in horror.
Wise Snake retreats to a cafe about three blocks away and sits down shaking to order a tea.
Alea shakes her head.
Lanyi is more confused. "You are a renSime, Tuib..." [looks at folder] "Libby."
Briel: So, the picture is what upset you. I can understand that.
Libby Whore takes a step towards Alea. "I'm better than she is. I promise..."
Lanyi: "RenSimes take channel's transfer."
Briel: It would be pretty shocking--terrifying--to me if my last needmare suddenly appeared in print.
Tarsh: It was a needmare made flesh.
Briel: Yes.
Briel: I imagine it was.
Briel: And I can see why you would react as you did.
Briel: Reality and dream world blending together like that.
Alea sidles over behind Lanyi, trying to make it look casual and not like she's running.
Tarsh: What will happen next? Gnome running amuck, destroying all in his path?
Libby Whore blinks through tears. "Although it would be lovely to have transfer with Alea, transfer is not what I want at this time." ~~desire towards Alea~~
Alea groans and moves fully behind Lanyi.
Briel chuckles.
Briel: Don't even say that. If I end up with needmares over that purple Gnome, I'll have to hunt you down over it.
Lanyi's initial suspicion is confirmed. ~~revulsion peeping out of showfield~~
Libby Whore: It will be the best ever. Promise. [looks hopeful]
Lanyi: Well, I'm sorry, but that isn't the business we are in here.
Libby Whore looks at Lanyi. "You're a channel. I know you don't understand these things."
Briel: I think, to put your mind at ease, you should find out just how Alea knew about that picture.
Briel: Perhaps you talk in your sleep. Maybe you mentioned it in passing?
Briel: There are many possibilities... [thinks, "As to why she'd draw it, that's another matter entirely."]
Tarsh: I... I don't know....
Alea touches Lanyi's back, then peeks around.
Alea: And I'm a channel's Donor.
Lanyi: ~~true enough~~
Alea: Which means, I owe everything to my channels. Sorry, Libby.
Libby Whore: But please. Just once. [hopefully]
Alea moves back behind Lanyi.
Alea: You should have learned last time when you locked me up in that room and attacked me Libby. No, is no, dear.
Tarsh reaches for his tea again.
Briel: Why don't you just talk to her, ask her?
Tarsh: Because she might tell me something I don't want to hear.
Briel picks up her tea, too.
Libby Whore nods and gulps, crying but finally turns towards the door and leaves.
Briel does NOT want to find out about this picture. She's afraid of what she might hear, too.
Lanyi zlins her leaving and turns to Alea.
Alea looks up at Lanyi.
Lanyi: Does that count as getting her post?
Alea: ~~relief~~ [chuckles]
Alea: That woman is ALWAYS post, I think.
Lanyi: Really?
Briel: You know, Tarsh, this is going to haunt you until you get to the bottom of it.
Lanyi has trouble imagining that.
Alea groans.
Alea: Well, let me just say that I'm afraid to leave the Center for two weeks now because she has the strangest ways of finding me out on the streets--every time I'm alone.
Tarsh shivers. "And what will happen to me when I do?"
Briel: You'll be to the root of the problem. It won't haunt your nights, keeping you up.
Lanyi: She's stalking you?
Briel: If you don't get to the bottom of it, before turnover, I would venture to say you're going to have a really rough time of it.
Alea: You might say that.
Alea: Only when I leave the Center, though.
Lanyi: Ah.
Alea: She locked me in a room a month ago to try to encourage me to... well, anyway... I, well... decided to nagerically handle it and Snake ran right into the middle of it.
Tarsh: I don't know if I can face it....
Alea: That's probably why she took off like she did when she saw the two of us standing here.
Briel: Can you face your nights, the problems you'll go through for two weeks and the problems this is going to cause your next transfer?
Lanyi thinks about a Farris in a slam meant for a renSime and winces.
Briel: Either one is going to be hard. I'd think your transfer being messed up would be worse.
Alea: Exactly.
Alea: I had no idea she was there when I did it. She augmented full open, right into it.
Tarsh: What am I going to do?
Alea: It was awful.
Briel: ~~sympathy~~
Tarsh gulps at his tea.
Tarsh: I'll... I'll think about it, Hajene. OK?
Briel: Of course.
Briel zlins Tarsh.
Briel: If you want to talk some more...?
Briel: I'm here.
Tarsh: Yeah. Thanks.
Briel gets up and unlocks the door, pulling it open.
Lanyi sighs and looks over the folder.
Wise Snake lurks in the cafe until she has spied Libby hurrying past, then cautiously slips out and heads for the Center once again.
Tarsh gets unsteadily to his feet.
Tarsh: Thank you Hajene. For everything.
Briel nods.
Briel: Any time.
Tarsh goes out.
Briel thinks she has a short time to wait for Rhelana to get the story from her, then nail her hide to the wall for the way she acted, refusing to give information.
Briel closes the door.
Tarsh goes upstairs to his room and locks himself in.
Wise Snake approaches the Sime Center hypo, and peers into a window, making sure all is clear in the lobby.
Lanyi: Are you all right now, Alea?
Alea: Of course I am, Hajene.
Alea: ~~sheepish~~
Alea: I kept pulling the woman duo, she was just determined to... uh....
Wise Snake zlins very, very cautiously.
Alea shrugs.
Wise Snake: Ah. Seems safe enough now.
Alea: I didn't want to leave her alone in her state, in case a Gen walked in.
Alea: I apologize things got so out of control.
Wise Snake goes around to the door and enters the Sime Center once again.
Wise Snake enters in time to hear "I apologize things got so out of control."
Wise Snake gulps.
Alea: Thank you for coming in and convincing her she didn't....
Lanyi: ~~Tecton standard neutral showfield~~
Alea: Oh, Snake.
Alea smiles.
Lanyi turns to see Snake.
Wise Snake: What did I miss? Or do I want to know?
Lanyi: An urgent transfer.
Alea nods.
Wise Snake: Is that what they're calling it these days? It zlinned like... well....
Wise Snake: I hope nobody was injured.
Lanyi puts the folder on the counter and starts writing in it.
Alea looks surprised at Snake.
Alea: Why in the world would you think anyone would be injured in a transfer?
Alea: She's only a renSime.
Lanyi: A rather unusual case of postsyndrome.
Alea blanches, wishing Lanyi hadn't brought _that_ up.
Wise Snake: Last time I saw you and Libby in the same room together... [glances at Lanyi and doesn't elaborate on the circumstances or events]
Alea: She knows.
Alea shrugs.
Alea: And it's not like I encourage her.
Lanyi: Not the sort of thing I've encountered before.
Alea mutters, "Get ready."
Alea thinks if she stays here she's going to see that and much much more.
Lanyi reflects that Snake probably has.
Wise Snake: I'll say. The method you used to discourage her that other time nearly put me in the hospital.
Alea: Well, it seems hiding behind a channel works much better.
Alea: I'll remember that in the future.
Wise Snake: The channel is still standing afterward, anyway. [observes]
Alea smiles at Wise Snake.
Alea: Yes, she is. Tigues have that ability.
Wise Snake looks surprised and disconcerted.
Lanyi's lips curve up at the corners.
Wise Snake: DID you slam her?
Alea smiles.
Alea: Well, you did mention she's still standing after our encounter. Don't I go around slamming everyone?
Lanyi: Not that I noticed.
Alea smiles at Lanyi.
Alea: Tigues.
Lanyi shrugs.
Wise Snake has no idea what Alea is talking about now.
Wise Snake shakes her head and walks away from them, heading deeper into the Center.
Alea chuckles.
Alea: Forgive me, Hajene. I shouldn't have done that to her. [to Lanyi].
Lanyi: "Huh. Far-*"
Lanyi bites off the word recalling who she is talking to.
Alea: She blames me for getting slammed. And though I am sorry for it, it was just....
Alea grins.
Alea: Yeah, Farrises.
Alea: They're something else, aren't they? [big grin].
Lanyi: I'm sorry.
Alea shakes her head.
Alea: No problem.
Alea: If you'll excuse me, I'll let you get to work.
Alea: Thank you, again, Lanyi, for responding so quickly.
Wise Snake searches for the room the pharmaceuticals used to be stored in, discovers that not only have they been moved, but remodeling has changed the various rooms and walls around.
Wise Snake mutters to herself and resorts to zlinning, finally locates the correct storage area.
Lanyi: Of course, the other annoying thing about Farrises is the way they are almost always right.
Lanyi shrugs.
Alea: Annoying?
Alea: I think that would be pleasing.
Lanyi notices a loose strand of her hair and tucks it back up.
Wise Snake manages to get into the room by hurrying up to it just as somebody is leaving and catching the door before it closes.
Wise Snake: Thanks.
Lanyi: Usually, but at times it does get to you....
Alea: I would think, as a Tigue, with a Tigue's zlinning ability, that it wouldn't bother you as much as it would others.
Alea: As a matter of fact, I would imagine that you get as much flack as Farrises in regards to your abilities.
Alea wishes a few of the channels she'd known could stand up like a Tigue could to nageric disruptions.
Wise Snake discovers that the little green bottles are the perfect size and shape to wedge in the crack under the door making it impossible to open.
Wise Snake: Ah... perfect.
Wise Snake stretches all her fingers and tentacles, selects a tool and begins going to work on the cabinet with the desirables in it.
Lanyi: A lot depends on how you handle it. A lot of your relatives are a bit, abrupt, and... undiplomatic.
Alea smiles
Alea: Are they?
Alea: ~~obviously knows this~~
Wise Snake teases the cabinet's lock open and surveys the cabinet's contents.
Lanyi decides to quit while she is behind.
Lanyi: Sometimes. Present company excepted, of course.
Alea smiles.
Wise Snake picks out three or four items manufactured in Tecton labs, for which there are no street equivalents available at any price.
Alea: You don't know me very well, Lanyi. Give it time before you decide.
Wise Snake hums to herself softly.
Alea nods to Lanyi.
Alea: Have a nice day.
Alea strolls off down the hall.
Lanyi: Likewise.
Lanyi finishes the file and puts it in the return basket.
Wise Snake eyes the sign out sheet, considers skipping that bit, then reluctantly signs the drugs out.
Wise Snake: Well, it's a small price to pay, considering.
Wise Snake slides the bottles into various pockets, then recloses the cabinet and retrieves the green bottle from under the door and replaces it on its shelf
Wise Snake walks out and nearly gives a heart attack to some guy who was just going to walk in .
Wise Snake: Sorry. [mutters]
Wise Snake heads toward the Center's front.
B'cal comes around the corner and sees Snake.
B'cal: Snake.
Wise Snake: Ah... B'cal.
Wise Snake: Hello.
B'cal: Came back after dropping me off, I see.
Wise Snake: Er... did I? Well, yes.
B'cal smiles.
Wise Snake: [darting evasive eyes]
B'cal: What's up?
Wise Snake: Oh, nothing... do you know who I just saw in the lobby? Alea and the woman she nearly killed me trying to slam.
B'cal sneers.
B'cal: This Center attracts all kinds.
Wise Snake wonders why nobody seems to think the bit about her almost getting killed is very important except her.
Wise Snake: Well.
Wise Snake: I'll be going, now. You should get some sleep.
Wise Snake tries to ease past B'cal.
B'cal: Must be drugs.
B'cal: That, or you're trying to recruit a Donor. Otherwise you wouldn't have tried to change the subject like that.
Wise Snake stops, squirming uncomfortably.
B'cal studies Snake.
Wise Snake: Look, ah,
B'cal shakes her head.
B'cal: As long as it's not endangering your transfer, I don't want to hear it.
Wise Snake is disappointed in B'cal's words.
Wise Snake: Is that all you care about? My transfer a month from now?
Wise Snake wonders why nobody else besides her thinks her transfer yesterday was anything but a screaming disaster.
B'cal looks surprised.
B'cal: I would think after yesterday, you would know better than that.
Wise Snake: Well... yeah... I guess so... it just sounded like....
Alea continues down the hall toward the Sime Quarters to talk to a... friend.
B'cal: Like what?
B'cal: I meant I simply trusted that you wouldn't do anything to endanger yourself.
B'cal: ~~soothing~~
B'cal: You had a mess yesterday.
Wise Snake relaxes a little with B'cal's efforts.
B'cal: I tried to help after it was over. I still feel guilty as shen about what happened. And I want to make sure this month goes better with you.
Wise Snake: ~~embarrassed~~ For a second there, it sounded like you were just ready for next month to come so you could... [doesn't say it]
B'cal: Your transfer isn't just one day, but an entire month leading up to that day.
B'cal: You know better than that, Snake.
B'cal: ~~hurt~~
B'cal: I want to see you succeed.
Cricket hops across the hall and lands on a nice, warm, smooth leg.
Wise Snake looks down, sees the cricket, thinks it's a cockroach, so ignores it.
B'cal: What were the dreams we talked about yesterday about? Not a transfer date, but your future.
B'cal glances down, sees the cricket on Snake's leg, and swats it off and steps on it.
cricket dies.
B'cal: They're suppose to come out today and spray I hear.
Wise Snake remembers last time she was here when they sprayed, and blanches.
B'cal: What's the matter?
Wise Snake: I hope somebody tells Alea not to inhale.
B'cal looks concerned at Snake.
B'cal: Why's that?
Wise Snake: She and Veraik were making out in his office when the exterminator arrived once... She didn't know better than to breathe a bunch of the chemical spray.
Wise Snake fails to mention that she herself was a quivering coward and didn't lift a tentacle to save Alea.
B'cal sneers.
B'cal: Figures.
B'cal: I hope they have sense enough here to get someone who will use Farris standard spray.
Wise Snake gives B'cal a "get real" look.
B'cal: You know, come out, test the Farrises beforehand, see if they're allergic....
Wise Snake: Farris safe chemicals that will kill insects, rodents and reptiles? I don't think so.
Wise Snake: The usual procedure is to not spray the rooms while people are actually in them.
B'cal: The idiot sprayed while....
B'cal suddenly realizes what Snake means and shakes her head in disgust.
B'cal: Shen.
Wise Snake: Still and all, I think people appreciated that guy more than the all natural one.
B'cal: Oh yes. I'm sure.
B'cal: I heard all about that.
Briel waits in her office for Rhelana.
Wise Snake: Look, I really do have to get going. And you really should get some sleep.
B'cal rubs at her eyes.
B'cal: Yeah.
B'cal: If you need me, please call.
Wise Snake: I will.
Wise Snake hurries toward the front of the building.
Briel decides Rhelana isn't coming and sits down to write up a report for the permanent record and for the Tecton.
Briel changes the schedule, putting Rhelana on restrictive duty until further notice--or until Rhelana shows up.
Briel goes out and has the boards change to reflect the latest developments and then goes back to her office to work.
Notes:
1) Last time Wise Snake saw Libby and Alea together, she was Genslammed by Alea a moment later. Evidently the lesson stuck. [return]
Go on to Episode #139 (under construction)