Sime/Gen Roleplaying: Bender Cove Township Scenario
Episode #174: Instruments of Murder (3/1/98)
Alea stumbles down the stairs rubbing at her eyes, still tired.
Alea is heading toward the cafeteria for breakfast.
Gaelan walks up to the Center door... knocks.
Alea hears the knock and pauses before going to the door.
Alea pulls it open.
Alea: Oh....
Gaelan: Good morning.
Alea steps back.
Alea motions Gaelan to come on in.
Gaelan enters.
Gaelan: Well, I'm ready to start.
Alea: The conference room has been set up for you to peruse the files.
Gaelan: Let's go.
Alea nods.
Alea: Please follow me.
Gaelan: Okay.
Alea looks coolly at Galen, then starts down the hall.
Gaelan follows.
Alea leads Gaelan to the conference room and shoves open the door.
Alea: The last half of most of the files you requested are in here.
Gaelan: Well miss Alea, if you don't mind getting me the files I never got a chance to see yesterday, I'll pick up where I left off.
Alea goes over to the table.
Alea: these here are the ones you would be interested in.
Alea touches two different stacks.
Large Rodent scuttles from behind the stacks.
Alea jumps back, jerking her hand back.
Gaelan: Not many records for a Center this size.
Alea hopes Gaelan didn't notice that.
Large Rodent scuttles for his hole.
Alea: You'd have to talk to someone else about that.
Alea: All I can do is give you what's available.
Gaelan: Well what do I talk to you about?
Gaelan: Tea?
Alea definitely makes it known with a look that he's not going to get any helpful information.
Alea: You don't talk to me, Gaelan.
Alea smiles sweetly.
Alea: You simply do what you came here to do while I do my job.
Alea: And my job in no way intersects your job.
Gaelan: You'd be surprised what intersects my job.
Jerl sneaks down the path to the Sime Center, looking behind him to make sure that no one has seen him.
Gaelan sits down.
Alea turns to leave.
Alea: Just call out if you require something. I'm sure someone will hear you.
Gaelan: Oh by the way, you don't happen to have a fly swatter I can borrow?
Alea sighs and turns back around.
Alea: A fly swatter?
Gaelan: I'd hate to mess up a record smashing a bug.
Alea wrinkles her nose.
Alea: Use your shoe.
Alea turns and pulls open the door.
Gaelan: Of course as messy as these are you probably wouldn't notice.
Drosophil and about 30 buddies are hovering over a dirty mug with tea dregs in the bottom.
Alea pauses.
Alea turns and looks back at Gaelan.
Drosophil and buddies are about the size of gnats, rendering fly swatters of questionable value.
Alea: Those files are in perfect order.
Gaelan turns back to work.
Gaelan: Yeah sure.
Jerl checks one more time, then opens the door and slips through the Sime Center's door.
Alea smiles.
Gaelan removes notebook and pencil from pocket.
Alea: Would you like some tea, Gaelan?
Gaelan: If it would not be to much of a problem.
Alea: Oh, no problem at all.
Alea: I'll be right back.
Alea hurries out of the room and to the kitchen.
Jerl finds himself in a very intimidatingly formal lobby: furniture so new there are still springs on the couches and no patches on the upholstery, carpet so new it almost squeaks, furniture polished (!).
Alea pulls down her 'special' tea and mixes it with other ingredients and then pours hot water into it.
Gaelan stands, walks to door, and looks out.
Jerl feels very out of place, even freshly bathed (in cold water) and in his least-patched shirt and pants.
Alea mixes it well, to make sure nothing can be seen in it.
Gaelan returns to table and starts going through files.
Alea carefully picks up a plate of snacks and the tea and returns to the conference room.
Alea slips into the conference room.
Alea: Here you go, Gaelan.
Alea moves over to his side and sets the tea and snacks down by him.
Gaelan: Thank you,if you'd just put it down I'll help myself.
Alea: This should keep you occupied for awhile.
Alea thinks occupied is an understatement of what this is going to do to him.
Jerl looks around, trying to find someone who is in charge.
Gaelan: Thanks.
Briel strides into the lobby to check the boards for the day.
Gaelan: I'll let you get back to work.
Alea gapes at the way this Gen thinks he can simply dismiss her.
Gaelan: Unless you want to stay and keep me company?
Alea turns and walks out, holding her tongue.
Jerl's eyes widen as he sees Briel.
Jerl thinks she looks even more intimidating than Snake, with her starched Tecton uniform.
Briel zlins the young Gen.
Briel: May I help you?
Briel walks over to where he is standing.
Gaelan follows Alea out of the room with his eyes.
Briel nods.
Jerl: Err....
Briel: Yes, it is.
Jerl looks around.
Briel: Have you come to donate?
Jerl: Is this where they do donations?
Jerl looks down and shuffles his shoes, which are in the process of falling apart.
Jerl: Umm....
Jerl wonders if it's too late to go back to Snake again, then remembers she was the one who told him to come here, instead.
Briel: I see.
Jerl: Yeah, sort of.
Jerl glances surreptitiously up at Briel, to see if she's going to throw him out as an undesirable vagrant-type.
Briel: Well then, why don't we get some information on you then.
Briel snags a chart.
Jerl hadn't counted on having the Tecton know all about him.
Briel: Why don't you come with me to the donation room, then....
Briel: I'm Briel... and you are?
Jerl wonders if this was a good idea.
Jerl realizes that Briel might get mad if he fails to answer.
Jerl knows what Snake is rumored to have done when mad, and decides that he doesn't want to know what this channel might do.
Jerl: Um... My name's Jerl.
Briel: Jerl.
Gaelan stands and goes to door.
Briel nods and starts down the hall to a donation room.
Briel: Nice to meet you, Jerl.
Briel: Have you donated before?
Gaelan looks out into hallway for people.
Jerl follows along, gaping at the clean floors, the lack of spider webs on the ceilings, and the fresh paint.
Jerl: Yeah. Once.
Briel goes into a donation room and motions for Jerl to have a seat.
Briel seats herself and begins to scribble.
Briel: Not here, though...?
Jerl feels like a grungy beggar.
Jerl sees a funny-looking piece of furniture along the wall.
Jerl: What's that?
Briel glances at where Jerl is looking.
Gaelan walks out of the conference room toward the lobby.
Briel: A donation chair.
Briel gets up and sits down on one end, motioning Jerl to sit down on the other end.
Briel: Please, come have a seat.
Gaelan arrives at the lobby.
Gaelan looks around.
Jerl thinks his mother and her johns could find some other uses for such a couch, but shrugs and joins Briel on the lounge.
Briel: So, what brought you to this Center to donate, Jerl?
Jerl: Umm, well....
Gaelan moves to lobby desk.
Jerl remembers that Simes can zlin lies.
Briel smiles trying to reassure the youth.
Jerl: The weather has kept the fishing boats in, so I couldn't get a job in the gutting yards.
Alea goes to Lanyi's office and slips inside.
Gaelan looks around the desk for any loose files.
Briel: Well then, their bad luck is our gain.
Alea carefully locks the door behind her.
Jerl: Umm.... Yeah, I guess.
Briel sets down the chart.
Briel: Well then, you know the drill.
Briel: I'll take your arms. You make fifth contact point....
Briel: and then sit there and in seconds it'll be over.
Jerl is really uncomfortable in the too-clean room, where everything is shiny and new.
Alea goes over to Lanyi's desk and begins searching.
Jerl rolls up his sleeves, wincing as rotten thread gives and a button goes flying.
Jerl sees the worn button roll to the middle of the pristine floor and sit there like an eyesore.
Briel reaches out for Jerl's arms.
Gaelan heads toward the basement.
Briel ignores the button.
Briel: Don't worry about it.
Jerl lets Briel take his arms, wishing he was back in his mother's tenement.
Wise Snake holds out a letter at arm's length.
Briel: I'm really quite good at this, Jerl. You won't feel a thing.
Wise Snake finds that it is even more difficult to read at that range, and tries staring at it really, really closely instead.
Gaelan approaches the basement door.
Nick wanders into Snake's office, much more steady on his feet than on the previous day.
Wise Snake squints.
Alea finishes searching the desk and goes to Lanyi's files.
Jerl blushes and mutters, "Sorry."
Gaelan tries the door on the basement.
Briel wraps her tentacles around Jerl's arms.
Briel leans forward and waits for Jerl to make fifth contact.
Wise Snake: [confused] Well, I got this letter back from Agnis Forrest, but I can't make head nor tails of it.
Wise Snake: How strong is your English, Nick?
Alea goes through all of Lanyi's files, one by one, looking for anything that might prove interesting.
Gaelan opens the door.
Gaelan: Ugh, smells.
Wise Snake: Does this say she wants me to burn in hell, or that she would rather burn in hell?
Gaelan starts walking downstairs.
Jerl wonders what Briel is waiting for, and tries to remember if he used his mouthwash that morning.
Briel: Jerl... remember, you have to touch your mouth to mine... I don't want to rush you.....
Nick goes over to Snake's desk and looks at the relevant passage.
Nick: Hmm. The first bit here says the former, and the next paragraph, the latter.
Alea doesn't find anything -incriminating- on Lanyi, though she DOES find some interesting things.
Wise Snake: Ah... thank you.
Wise Snake shakes her head.
Gaelan gets to bottom of stairs.
Gaelan looks around for a light.
Jerl blushes with painful adolescent embarrassment.
Jerl: Oh. Sorry.
Wise Snake: And what is this bit about it being illegal to rid the place of vermin... is she referring to Simes?
Alea shakes her head and leaves the office, thinking Lanyi definitely isn't involved in the drugs... unless she is really good at hiding her tracks.
Jerl leans forward to make lip contact.
Briel makes sure his lips are firmly seated and begins to draw.
Gaelan pulls his trusty lighter from his pocket.
Alea decides to check out the files downstairs in case something is down there.
Nick looks closely at the letter.
Gaelan starts looking around for loose files.
Nick reads the passage twice through, then once more, slowly.
Briel draws slowly draining his lowest level and taking just a bit of his next level before stopping.
Nick: Yes, but I think that bit refers to the whole of Bender Cove, not the Ferry Building.
Briel carefully sits back and dismantles her grip.
Briel: That wasn't so bad, was it?
Alea goes to stairs and goes downstairs to the basement.
Jerl looks down at the floor.
Jerl: No, Ma'am.
Gaelan hears someone coming.
Briel snags the chart and starts filling out a voucher.
Briel: Care to tell me what's the matter? [to Jerl in concern]
Alea goes down to the filing room and twists the knob.
Nick: It's kind of hard to tell, with a rant like this.
Gaelan decides to play it nonchalant.
Wise Snake puts the letter down.
Wise Snake: You know... I want to talk to her in person.
Alea shoves open the door and goes in--and runs right into Gaelan.
Alea: Wha--
Jerl tries to find a diplomatic way of putting it.
Gaelan slowly closes the file drawers.
Nick: What?
Gaelan turns toward the door.
Nick tries to keep his alarm within reasonable bounds.
Gaelan: Hello.
Jerl: This... [glances around at the pristine surroundings] This just isn't the place my sort belongs, if you know what I mean.
Gaelan: Just checking that everything was upstairs.
Wise Snake: I think she'd be perfect for a certain project I have in mind.
Briel looks at Jerl oddly.
Briel: I'm afraid, Jerl, that I don't.
Wise Snake: But I don't think there's any point in trying to communicate through these letters... I can barely make this stuff out.
Alea shoves back from Gaelan.
Nick: What project is that?
Alea: I'm sure you were.
Gaelan walks past alea towards door.
Alea 's eyes narrow angrily at Gaelan.
Alea snags his arm.
Alea: Just a minute.
Wise Snake: That mural downstairs. I'd do anything to keep Geschrieber's hands off of it.
Gaelan: 'Fraid I can't, my tea is getting cold.
Wise Snake: Doesn't it say here that Agnis Forrest is "the foremost authority on 6th century B.U. interior surface decoration"?
Alea moves to block the door.
Alea: I think you can.
Alea crosses her arms and stares up at Gaelan smugly.
Gaelan: Is this some sort of territorial thing?
Wise Snake points at a line that certainly says something about "authority" and includes many four letter words as well.
Jerl decides to give it one more try.
Alea's smiles widens.
Alea: As a matter of fact, it is.
Alea: You are here only to examine certain records.
Gaelan: Or do you just like to be a pain in the, well, neck.
Alea: I don't care WHAT....
Alea narrows her eyes
Jerl: You and the rest here... you're not the kind that associates with the likes of me.
Alea: You do NOT have authority to wander our halls and break into rooms to 'check things out'.
Gaelan: I'm here to do my job.
Alea: Yes, from out-Territory.
Nick looks at the indicated passage.
Briel shakes her head.
Nick: Well, she seems to think so, anyway.
Gaelan: With authority of your government.
Alea: I wouldn't go around breaking too many rules if you want to see out-Territory again.
Gaelan: Is that a threat?
Briel: Jerl. Do you really think it matters to me, or anyone else here where you come from?
Nick: You think you can use Agness Forrest to get Geschrieber off our backs?
Alea realizes it was... but doesn't want to say that when she's down here alone.
Briel: Don't you know there are those of us who came from the same background as you?
Gaelan: If you will excuse me, I've got work and tea waiting.
Jerl looks at Briel.
Briel: Please don't think like that.
Wise Snake: Well, the way I see it is this. Geschrieber is so convinced that all we are trying to do is mess the building up, that she has no interest in helping us, only in getting in our way and harassing us.
Jerl: No. You're no whore's bastard.
Nick nods agreement.
Wise Snake: If we have an acknowledged expert who is even more of a witch than she is working on it, then either she will have to change tactics and start helping us, or the two of them can duke it out on their own and leave me in peace.
Gaelan reaches out to "gently" move Alea aside.
Alea: As long as you realize...hey!
Wise Snake says the last with a good deal of fond hope.
Gaelan walks toward door.
Jirelle comes down the hall, a sheaf of papers in her hand.
Jerl gets to his feet, ready to flee the too-neat building and return to his falling-down tenement.
Briel: Maybe not, but then, you have never killed, or murdered.
Jirelle: ~~happy merry~~
Briel hands Jerl the voucher
Gaelan walking fast runs into Jirelle.
Briel: You can cash this at the cashier's desk.
Jirelle: Oh! I'm terribly sorry.
Jirelle reaches out to steady Gaelan.
Gaelan: Excuse, ma'am.
Nick: It's worth a try, if you can get Forrest to go along with it.
Jirelle zlins what a terrible mood he's in and immediately is afraid she is the one who put him into it.
Jirelle: Are you all right???
Nick is not very optimistic on that point.
Jirelle concerned/interested
Gaelan: That's okay.
Alea ~~ anger - fear ~~ comes out of the filing room
Alea ~~ anger ~~
Nick has great faith in Snake's ability to talk people into almost anything, but such tactics do require the victim getting within talking distance.
Gaelan: Oh sure, never better.
Alea stops when she sees Jirelle and Gaelan and turns the other way.
Gaelan bites his tongue.
Wise Snake: Well, maybe what I can do is put Agnis Forrest just in charge of part of it, and that might draw Geschrieber into demanding to handle the other part.
Jerl takes the voucher and looks at it, eyes popping at the sum.
Wise Snake: Perhaps one of them the main lobby, the other the side rooms.
Gaelan: Excuse me, I'm new. May I ask you some questions?
Wise Snake is convinced there is some way to harness all that negative energy for the cause of good.
Jerl: This is more than my friend Eddi makes in a week of selling honeybee!
Jirelle: Sure!
Jirelle smiles at Gaelan.
Jirelle is very relieved that he is not angry at her.
Jirelle: Anything I can do to help....
Jirelle: ~~eager/helpful~~
Briel chuckles
Briel: You come here every month and you'll make that, and possibly more as your system produces more.
Gaelan thinks, kinda cute, for a Sime.
Briel stands and walks to the door
Nick: The difficult part will be to get in to see Agness Forrest.
Wise Snake: Oh, it couldn't be that bad. I'll just stop by her place on the way to the hospital.
Jerl follows, still so dazed that he miscalculates and walks into the door frame.
Alea goes down the hall and up the back stairs.
Briel winces.
Briel: Careful there, Jerl.
Gaelan: yes I'm helping out on an audit.
Jirelle: Oh really? How interesting.
Alea goes to the kitchen and gets some extra salandful and goes to the conference room and mixes it in the tea.
Gaelan: Yes, normally they are.
Jerl corrects his course, still without looking, and continues down the hall towards the cashier.
Alea thinks that particular plant should keep Gaelan in the bathroom--sick--for the entire night.
Gaelan: I was wondering if you knew who the clerks were for the Center?
Briel goes out into the lobby to collect the next donor.
Gaelan: The ones who would do any filing?
Alea smiles with satisfaction and leaves the room.
Nick: Well, the worst she could do is not talk to us. When do you want to go?
Jirelle: Oh, sure, sure! Why of course. There's Bosis, and Peni, and Lukass, and Benie, there are five or six of them actually.
Jirelle: ~~grateful for a chance to make up for her clumsiness~~
Nick is eager to get outside after spending so long in bed.
Clerk nods to Hajene Briel as she takes another donor to the donation room and turns to start his filing.
Wise Snake looks at Nick in surprise.
Clerk hums through his nose as he files.
Wise Snake: You're not going anywhere anytime soon!
Wise Snake: You have to get your rest if you're going to recover properly.
Gaelan: You don't happen to know if any are around?
Jirelle: Well, we can go look! I was just going to take these papers over there now. [smiles fawningly]
Jirelle: I just have to make one teeny, tiny stop first okay? Right in this office over here.
Jirelle: Then I'll show you.
Jirelle smiles again.
Gaelan: Sure.
Jirelle goes to Briel's office and signals.
Gaelan: Oh, by the way....
Nick: Snake, I've been off of the fosebine for two days now.
Clerk is glad his boss isn't here right now. He is such a slave driver about these shendoni files.
Gaelan: You don't happen to know what happened to the older files?
Nick: My toes aren't sore.
Clerk stuffs a couple in haphazardly.
Gaelan: You seem to be missing a bunch.
Nick: I'm about as recovered as I'm going to get, without getting some exercise to build up stamina.
Clerk continues to hum as he checks the list and beings rummaging through them and pulling the files for the day.
Gaelan glances over shoulder to see if Alea is around.
Nick: Besides, you shouldn't go out-Territory without a Donor, and poor Rapol is so exhausted he couldn't walk down the stairs, much less to Eastcove.
Wise Snake gives Nick a long, narrow look.
Wise Snake zlins him.
Nick: ~~ pretty much recovered, except for stamina ~~
Jirelle: Older files? Gosh, do I ever. They go down in the basement and we ALL have to file those. It's not the most interesting work ever.
Jirelle realizes Briel isn't in her office and wonders how much she is going to be able to tell this guy without finding out what Briel wants her to say.
Nick: I'm not suggesting that I should take a full shift today, but I can certainly do a few hours before I have to rest again.
Jirelle thinks, "Oh, dear" because she hates to disappoint anybody.
Wise Snake: Well....
Wise Snake: I suppose we could make a special trip there just for that, and bring you straight back.
Wise Snake: And we'd have to go by cab, not on foot.
Wise Snake hovers near Nick protectively.
Nick nods acceptance.
Nick: Good. That will give poor Rapol at least a few extra hours of sleep.
Gaelan: So there's no one person who has more responsibility.
Jirelle: Well, I think there is, but that's not really my department. [blushes] [hopes he is not offended]
Jirelle waves her tentacles in an attempt to appear confused rather than untruthful, which fortunately is not difficult.
Alea goes to the kitchen to get some breakfast and then to her office to work for the day.
Gaelan: Well. I appreciate the info.
Gaelan: I hope you don't mind me getting back to you if I have anymore questions.
Gaelan: I guess I really need to get back to work.
Clerk continues to hum off-key until he is done filing.
Nick reaches for the medicine satchel along with his cloak, out of force of habit.
Gaelan holds out hand then remembers that Sime thing about shaking hands and just waves.
Clerk notes no one is around, so sneaks off to take a tea break.
Gaelan heads back to conference room.
Jirelle hurries into the lobby to hand in her paperwork and get the next donor.
Nick checks the satchel quickly to make sure that everything is present and in place, then puts on his cloak.
Wise Snake sees that Nick is raring to go and sighs, gets up to put on her sweater and cloak as well.
Wise Snake looks in a small mirror and pushes her hair around a little bit until it looks the proper mix between "sweaty raven" and "wild pony".
Wise Snake frowns as the effect achieved is closer to "sweaty wild pony and molting raven".
Wise Snake runs fingers and tentacles through her hair and finally ends up with "outrageous musician meets negative-image lava eruption" and decides she'd better quit while she's ahead.
Nick hands Snake her cloak.
Wise Snake: Ah... thanks.
Wise Snake dons the cloak.
Wise Snake folds the letter back into its envelope and slips the envelope into an inner pocket.
Nick follows Snake down the stairs.
Wise Snake leaves the Ferry Building with Nick and locks the door behind them.
Wise Snake waits until they reach a reasonably busy street, then hails a cab.
Nick sits in the cab, glad that he's not walking through the slush.
Wise Snake insists upon helping Nick in.
Wise Snake directs the driver to the Forrest residence.
Agness is drinking coffee in her kitchen.
Nick reaches into the satchel and pulls out Snake's fake retainers.
Nick: Here. We're almost at the border. You'd better put these on.
Wise Snake: Ughh....
Wise Snake doesn't tell Nick she has been known to skip that bit when traveling alone.
Wise Snake: I guess I'll have to.
Nick gives Snake a sharp look.
Wise Snake bares her arms for Nick.
Wise Snake avoids the sharp look.
Nick carefully helps Snake on with the first retainer.
Wise Snake braces herself against Nick so the cab's jostling won't cause her to lose a lateral.
Nick makes sure that Snake's tentacles are properly placed to avoid damage, then carefully snaps the fake retainer closed.
Wise Snake grimaces, squirming.
Nick: Just be glad that these aren't the real thing. You'd be much more uncomfortable if your laterals were extended.
Nick opens the second retainer.
Wise Snake: I wish I didn't have to wear them at all.
Nick: I know, but without them, you'd never get within shouting distance of Agness Forrest.
Wise Snake thinks if she augmented she could shout pretty loudly.
Wise Snake 's tentacles quiver unhappily as she presents her other arm.
Nick: Sheathe them.
Wise Snake withdraws everything.
Nick slips the second retainer on, just as they reach the border.
Wise Snake: Ugh. [complains]
Nick pats Snake's wrist consolingly, and offers nageric support.
Wise Snake feels much better with Nick's support.
Agness looks out the window, curious, as a cab draws to a halt in front of her house.
Wise Snake pays the cab to wait.
Wise Snake isn't sure how long it will take, so pays him a lot.
Wise Snake insists upon helping Nick out of the cab.
Agness sees a scrawny little teenager get out of the cab, followed by a young man, both wearing capes.
Agness frowns at this Sime affectation.
Wise Snake approaches the house with Nick.
Wise Snake leans on Nick's field as she experiences an unexpected fit of nerves.
Agness goes to the door, determined to run the Sime-loving lowlifes off.
Wise Snake zlins somebody coming and doesn't bother to use the knocker, simply waiting.
Agness pulls open the door and glares.
Agness: Whatever you're selling, I don't want any.
Wise Snake: Hello. [smiles]
Wise Snake tries to keep her in-Territory accent from being too glaring.
Agness: ~~ impatience ~~
Wise Snake slips the letter out of her inner pocket and offers it to Agness.
Wise Snake: I came in response to your letter.
Agness sees that the girl's hair is far from clean, and apparently uncombed.
Agness: What?
Agness takes the letter.
Wise Snake: I understand you are interested in interior wall coverings in pre-Unity Gen architecture?
Wise Snake: Particularly the 700 to 400 B.U. era?
Wise Snake tries to keep her voice as pleasant as possible.
Wise Snake tries to block the wind from making Nick shiver, but the size difference makes this difficult.
Agness checks the address on the envelope, looks at Snake again, checks her arms and sees the retainers, and pales.
Agness: ~~ fear/hate~~
Wise Snake moves her hands behind her back and smiles reassuringly, and also nervously.
Agness: Snake! [hisses]
Wise Snake: May we come in? Nick is... cold.
Wise Snake glances at Nick who even LOOKS cold.
Agness looks at Nick, finding little sympathy for any Gen stupid enough to live with Simes.
Wise Snake: Ah.. well....
Wise Snake: The reason we came is because there is a large mural in serious need of restoration, which I am reluctant to consign to the local experts.
Wise Snake: You see, the... subject matter... is a bit disturbing to some Simes, and our only local expert who is a real authority in the area is, as it happens, a Sime.
Wise Snake: I would hate to see a beautiful mural of this size compromised by, er, squeamishness on the part of the restorers.
Wise Snake edges closer to the doorway, so Nick can catch some of the heat radiating out.
Agness grudgingly backs up a step or two.
Agness: Well, I suppose you'd better come in.
Wise Snake lets Nick enter first, then follows.
Wise Snake: Thank you.
Agness is just as glad that the other Gen is between her and the Sime.
Wise Snake zlins cautiously but does not detect any other Gens in the house.
Wise Snake's eyes flick up to various rifles around the living room, then lower nervously.
Agness selects a seat right underneath a particularly nasty specimen of the gunsmith's art, and waves Snake and Nick to the couch opposite.
Nick sits down, and sends an ingratiating smile towards Agness.
Wise Snake takes a seat on the couch, unable to avoid studying the long rifle with fins of razorblade radiating out all along the barrel.
Agness sees Snake's interest in the gun, and lifts it down.
Agness: It's a genuine Wurrful.
Agness: My husband paid a small fortune for it, but we wanted the best.
Wise Snake: I... see. Very nice.
Wise Snake thinks, for a brutal instrument of murder.
Agness pats the barrel fondly, and replaces it on its rack.
Wise Snake 's tentacles squirm in their captivity, making the interior of the retainers quite unpleasantly moist.
Agness is glad that the Sime's brutal instruments of murder are decently covered.
Wise Snake attempts to drag her attention both from the sensation and the ugly rifle.
Agness: Now. What are your concerns about this mural?
Wise Snake: Ah... so... well it is quite large. Actually there are several. The oldest covers the walls of the main Ferry Building terminal.
Wise Snake: There is a slightly later one on its ceiling, and various additional smaller ones in surrounding rooms.
Wise Snake: There is also another in the hallway on the second floor.
Wise Snake: The one I am most concerned with is the one on the walls in the main terminal.
Wise Snake: Its subject matter is... well, frankly, a bit sadistic and violent.
Agness: Sadistic and violent? That's not the usual style for public buildings in that era.
Wise Snake: Well... perhaps the Gens of five hundred years ago saw things a bit differently than we do now.
Wise Snake: At any rate, I anticipate there being a great deal of trouble over these murals, particularly that one, and I was hoping to enlist the services of a qualified, Gen Territory expert who would be able to make sure that the murals were restored to their former, er, accuracy.
Agness: I see.
Wise Snake: I had the local expert, who as I say is Sime, over to look at it the other day, and frankly I found some of the things she said quite alarming.
Wise Snake: ~~total truth~~
Agness: You think she would tamper with the mural, rather than restore it?
Wise Snake: I hope not!
Wise Snake: But... er....
Wise Snake: Well, frankly, she doesn't really listen to, or believe, anything I say.
Agness is indignant at the thought of a Sime being allowed to destroy historical art.
Wise Snake: And I would certainly trust her work in most other areas, in this area... with scenes of excisions and attritions and executions and breakouts and kills and murders and suchforth, I'd be afraid of... er... mistakes being made.
Wise Snake: Accidentally, you know, out of ignorance perhaps?
Wise Snake tries to appear to be extremely reluctant to question this other expert's expertise, but compelled to do so.
Agness: I've met that type.
Nick sees Agness nibbling at the bait, and leans back to enjoy the sight of Snake reeling in her prey.
Wise Snake: Since this is to be a public meeting room, where gatherings and speeches and such occur, I would hate for anything to be inaccurate.
Agness has nothing but contempt for "that type".
Wise Snake: [confides] "Actually I suspect that she is interested more in making a big name for herself than anything else."
Wise Snake grimaces as if she hadn't meant to say that.
Agness: Humpf.
Agness: So, what do you want from me?
Wise Snake smiles tentatively.
Earnest walks up to the door and knocks at the door.
Agness turns at the noise.
Agness: Excuse me a moment.
Wise Snake: Well, would it be at all possible to get you to come and look at the mural in question, and recommend how we go about er... okay.
Agness goes to answer the door.
Wise Snake sits back, trying not to look alarmed by the approach of another Gen.
Agness: Earnest!
Nick sighs quietly in relief when the name tells him that it isn't one of their erstwhile prisoners.
Earnest: Hey Agness! Earnest: Whatcha doing?
Agness: I've got some unexpected visitors just at the moment...
Wise Snake grips Nick's wrist.
Nick offers solid support.
Agness: What can I do for you, Earnest?
Earnest: Oh, I hope I'm not interrupting. I was just on my way to town. They have an amazing sale going on at Vern's.
Agness: They do?
Earnest: Yep. You wouldn't want to miss it. Ya know what I mean?
Agness: I'm sure. I'm busy just now, but I'll certainly try to make it when I'm finished.
Agness: It shouldn't take too long.
Earnest: That's good. How is the family?
Agness: Bitsy's out with her friends, and my husband is working today. He's so serious about his job.
Agness doesn't mention her second daughter, Valrie, whose name disappeared from the family roster when she ran away from the camp for incorrigible children.
Earnest: Ain't that just like him. He's always been that way.
Agness: Look, Earnest, I shouldn't be too much longer. If you'd like to have a cup of coffee, I'll be done with my business and we can go check out Vern's deals.
Wise Snake is glad she let Nick come along, because she probably would have gotten nervous and slipped out the back way by now if she'd been alone.
Agness shows Earnest into the kitchen and pours him some coffee.
Agness returns to the living room and resumes her seat under the gun.
Agness: I'm sorry for the interruption. Now, what was it you wanted?
Nick nudges Snake, who appears to have drifted off temporarily.
Wise Snake jumps.
Wise Snake: Ah.
Wise Snake: Well, I was hoping you'd be willing to come and take a look at the mural, and perhaps outline a plan for restoration that would include suggestions of personnel and techniques to use, companies to employ, and experts to consult....
Wise Snake: I'd be able to pay quite well.
Wise Snake: You would be allowed as much involvement in the process, once it begins, as you would desire.
Agness 's eyes narrow.
Agness: I see.
Wise Snake: Or as little. [adds]
Agness fights temptation, and looses.
Agness decides that she can always hide her trips in-Territory by inventing a project for the Historical Society.
Agness reflects that it wouldn't even have to be much of a lie.
Agness thinks that actually, it could be seen as a virtue to deprive Snake of the money required to really restore such a mural properly, rather than as the vice of cooperating with Simes.
Agness: Very well.
Wise Snake looks pleased.
Wise Snake looks relieved, since she can leave now.
Wise Snake: Would you like to set a time for your visit?
Agness: Tomorrow. At noon.
Wise Snake: That would be perfect. I'll be sure someone is there to let you in. Will you require anything besides adequate lighting?
Wise Snake has had the "adequate lighting" point hammered home enough times that she remembers it automatically now.
Agness: You might arrange for an Escort from the Sime Center. I don't want to get killed on my way to look at your murals.
Wise Snake keeps her face as straight as an in-Territory raised Farris is capable of, which is not very.
Wise Snake: I can arrange for an escort of some sort, if you would like.
Agness: Good.
Agness stands.
Wise Snake stands also.
Wise Snake: Thank you for your time. And if I do not see you personally tomorrow, I look forward to reading your suggestions.
Agness shows Snake and Nick to the door.
Wise Snake leaves hastily before the woman throws them out physically.
Agness: Until tomorrow, then.
Wise Snake: Until tomorrow.
Wise Snake and Nick return to their waiting cab.
Nick is pleased to find that he's tired, but not exhausted.
Nick: That went pretty well.
Wise Snake: I'm actually surprised.
Wise Snake: I thought I would have to be a lot more, er, persuasive than that.
Nick: Well, we'll see what she does when she sees the place.
Nick helps Snake off with the retainers as soon as they reach the border.
Wise Snake: I should think that the building would be a better argument than anything I could say.
Wise Snake gratefully snatches her tentacles back from the Sweatwringer 3000's.
Nick puts the retainers back in the satchel and leans back on the cushions to rest.