Sime/Gen Roleplaying: Bender Cove Township Scenario
Episode #204: Shaggy Dog Story (4/1/98)
Darrel feels a strange sense of deja vu as he enters the deceptively quiet lobby.
Darrel hopes there will be time for a cup of tea before the first disaster of the day strikes.
Darrel also hopes that there will be time for Arcadia to show up.
Darrel sips his tea, idly waiting for the first client of the day to arrive.
Muttley has enjoyed his brief burst of freedom on the street again, but somewhere warm would be nice, so he heads back towards the Sime Center and that nice girl who fed him there.
Darrel hopes that young Gens with God complexes and cranky old ones with outrageous hats aren't on the roster.
Darrel then reconsiders: there might be something even worse, and if so, it'll end up in the Bender Cove lobby!
Alea walks into the lobby with her tray.
Alea is hoping to get some work done early today.
Darrel zlins Alea, enjoying her nager.
Darrel liked having Farris support.
Darrel is currently without support, since Arcadia has disappeared. Again.
Darrel: Sosu Alea, good morning.
Darrel flashes a good-looking hunk type smile in Alea's direction.
Alea sees Darrel and smiles politely.
Alea: Good morning.
Darrel: Combining breakfast with work this morning?
Katarn enters the lobby, looking confused 2
Darrel zlins Katarn come in and regretfully puts down his tea.
Darrel approaches Katarn, stopping at slightly more than the usual conversational distance, just in case.
Darrel: Can I help you, sir?
Katarn: Ummm, I'm here to donate.
Darrel: Of course.
Darrel zlins Katarn to determine experience and emotional state.
Katarn: ~~worried~~
Darrel: There's really nothing to it.
Darrel: Have you donated before?
Katarn: No, I haven't.
Darrel thinks, 'it figures. Where are the shenned Firsts who are supposed to be taking care of the virgins?'
Darrel pastes a reassuring smile on his face.
Darrel: Well, then, there is a bit of paperwork to fill out first....
Darrel snags a clipboard with form from Clerk's desk.
Eliza enters the lobby looking unloved and available to any lonely Channels.
Darrel: Here.
Eliza: [boy will they regret not assigning her this month]
Darrel holds the clipboard out towards Katarn, tentacles well retracted, and tries to look harmless.
Darrel: Why don't you have a seat on the couch over there, and fill it out?
Katarn grabs the clipboard quickly.
Katarn takes a seat and proceeds to fill out the paperwork.
Eliza looks mournfully at the lack of her name on the schedule board.
Darrel zlins frantically for Arcadia, but the only other Gen around is Eliza.
Darrel remembers that Eliza is supposed to be a promising trainee, and decides that half a Donor is better than none.
Eliza sighs and goes over to annoy the clerk.
Darrel goes over to Eliza.
Muttley walks up the front path of the Sime Center.
Darrel: Err, I don't suppose you know where Arcadia has gotten to, do you?
Muttley: [faintly] woof.
Eliza looks at the new Channel hopefully.
Darrel: She was supposed to be supporting me, and now there's a new donor. You know how tricky they can be.
Eliza: Arcadia? Probably in a closet with a book somewhere.
Darrel looks at Eliza hopefully.
Eliza: And Lanyi and Frutata have gone out without me. ~~mournfully~~
Darrel: I don't suppose you'd be willing....
Eliza: Oh yes!
Eliza: ~~ sure! ~~
Eliza: ~~ joyful bounce ~~
Muttley smells his ancient enemy [a cat] and takes off after the scent.
Darrel jumps a bit at the enthusiasm.
Darrel is starting to wonder if this was a good idea.
Darrel: Please, the man is worried enough as it is. Don't startle him by bouncing around.
Eliza smiles brightly at Darrel, such a NICE looking man too.
Darrel checks to see if Katarn has finished filling out the form.
Eliza's smile disappears.
Eliza: ~~ cringe ~~
Eliza: I'm sorry.
Katarn chews the end of the pen over some of the questions. 'What brand of breakfast cereal do you prefer?' What sort of question is that?
Darrel: Look, just give me good, solid support, and don't scare the donor any worse than he is already.
Darrel smiles a professionally reassuring smile.
Katarn finishes with the clipboard and hands it back to Darrel.
Eliza: ~~ slightly nervous support ~~
Darrel: Thank you. [with sincerity, to both Katarn and Eliza]
Muttley shakes his head and tries to work out what he was doing.
Muttley makes his way back to the front door of the Sime Center.
Darrel: Why don't you come back to the donation room with me now?
Darrel leads the way.
Muttley: [scratch scratch at the door]
Katarn follows Darrel
Muttley: [muffled] Woof.
Eliza stays close to Darrel giving her impersonation of steady support.
Eliza: [It goes a little like this: ~support~, oh look a cobweb, ~support~ my left foot is itchy ~support~ I wonder where Mostan is? ~support~]
Darrel opens the door to the donation room, trying to control the nausea brought on by the erratic support.
Muttley decides to charge the door to try to get it open that way.
Muttley: [Thump]
Alea hears a sound and pulls open the door.
Muttley goes bounding into the Sime Center.
Darrel hears the thump from the lobby, and firmly closes the door behind Katarn and Eliza, glad that the impending disturbance is Somebody Else's Problem, for now.
Muttley: Woof, Woof [loudly]
Alea: YOU!
Alea: Oh no you don't!
Alea waddles after the shendoni mutt.
Darrel waves Katarn to a seat in front of the desk.
Darrel: Make yourself comfortable while I look this over for a minute.
Katarn takes a seat.
Muttley goes bounding straight towards Alea.
Darrel sits behind the desk and starts to read through the forms.
Alea skids, trying to stop.
Alea: No!
Alea: Don't you dare....
Muttley jumps up and licks Alea's face.
Eliza gets a towel ready and tries very hard to concentrate on Darrel.
Alea: Oh ugh!
Muttley: [Muttley is just happy to be somewhere nice and warm again]
Alea sneezes.
Alea's eyes water.
Muttley jumps back at the sound of the sneeze.
Muttley: Woof.
Alea pulls off her black Farris braid and loops it around Muttley's neck.
Muttley isn't too happy about that idea, but isn't all that sure about what to do about it.
Alea sneezes again.
Alea: Come on you old hound, you're going outside.
Muttley pulls back against the thing around his neck.
Alea turns toward the door holding onto the black.
Alea is jerked back and falls on her rear.
Alea: Ouch!
Muttley takes off down the corridor towards the donation rooms.
Darrel realizes to his distress that the particular clipboard he happened to pass to Katarn contained a consumer survey dropped of by some out-Territory marketing firm, instead of a pre-donation questionnaire.
Alea: Shendoni!
Muttley: [still with the Farris braid around his neck]
Alea rolls awkwardly over and gets up on her hands and knees, panting.
Muttley: Woof, Woof.
Alea: This being on the floor has got to stop.
Darrel finds himself trying to work with name, address, and soap brand.
Alea pushes herself up, rear first, and nearly lands on her head.
Darrel tries to remember the most important items on the form.
Darrel: Err, Mr. Katarn, have you any current medical problems?
Darrel thinks, besides, apparently, a tendency towards dandruff.
Alea manages to get her feet under her and starts down the hall after the mutt.
Muttley smells a familiar scent and heads towards it.
Katarn: Not that I'm aware of.
Muttley finds his way blocked by a closed door, and skids to a stop.
Darrel: Are you taking any medications besides the, er, chewable daily vitamins?
Katarn: No.
Darrel: Any allergies?
Alea sees the dog.
Alea: There you are!
Alea rubs her back and hurries down the hall.
Muttley: Howwwwl.
Alea stops rubbing her back to cover her ears.
Katarn: No.
Eliza jumps at the howl.
Eliza: Ooops!
Eliza: ~~startlement!~~
Darrel decides the Hallin's Extra-Strength Decongestants must be for someone else.
Darrel: Yeow!
Alea hurries up toward the door.
Eliza looks at Darrel guiltily.
Eliza: Sorry. ~~cringe~~
Muttley: Woof, Woof [loudly]
Alea: Stop that you mutt!
Alea: Come here. We're getting you out of here right now.
Eliza tries desperately to ignore the barking.
Eliza had wondered where the dog had got to....
Muttley: [turns towards Alea] Grrrrrrrr [softly]
Darrel zlins Katarn carefully to see how he's taken this confusion.
Alea freezes, her eyes widening.
Katarn: ~~very confused~~
Alea ~~ frustration ~~
Alea: Don't even think about it.
Alea: A Farris doesn't get bit two days in a row unless said dog wants to say goodbye to his life.
Darrel is very glad that Katarn didn't mistake his yelp for an impending attack.
Muttley: Grrrrrrrrr [towards Alea again, but louder this time]
Eliza shuts her eyes and grits her teeth.
Eliza: ~~ stress, support, stress ~~
Alea glares at the dog.
Alea: You can Not stay in..achooo!..here.
Muttley: [turns back towards the door and very loudly] Woof, Woof, Woof.
Darrel: So, Mr. Katarn, have you any questions about donating, before we begin?
Alea: It is absolutely forbidden.
Alea takes the opportunity to make a grab for the black still around the mutt's neck
Darrel is gritting his teeth against Eliza's stress.
Katarn: Umm, yes I do.
Katarn: ~~slightly scared~~
Muttley snaps at Alea's fingers just missing the tips.
Alea gasps and jumps back.
Muttley: Grrrrrrrrrr.
Katarn: Umm, is it true that Simes can kill me during this?
Darrel gives his most reassuring smile.
Darrel: Mr. Katarn, I'm a channel. No channel would ever harm a Gen during a donation.
Muttley: Howwwwwl. [After all nothing else seems to be working.]
Darrel discounts some unsettling rumors he's heard about a rogue channel who burns Torn By Tentacles fans for an exorbitant fee.
Eliza jumps again.
Darrel turns to Eliza.
Katarn looks at all the confusion, and starts to get very worried.
Katarn: Ummm, I think I've changed my mind.
Darrel: Look, Eliza, why don't you go help corral that dog?
Alea goes to find a broom to shoo the dog out.
Katarn gets up from the seat, getting ready to leave the room.
Darrel has decided that no support is better than being slapped by an inattentive Donor at regular intervals.
Eliza: Oh okay!
Eliza: Thanks.
Eliza flees from the room.
Darrel: If you don't want to donate, Mr. Katarn, no one will make you.
Darrel: However, there's really nothing to be alarmed about.
Darrel: It's completely painless, and it pays quite well.
Muttley sees Eliza come out of the room and jumps towards her, intending to lick her on the face.
Eliza rushes to the back door.
Eliza: ~~nice Dog~~ Hey boy - where are you?
Eliza: Ah!
Eliza kneels down and takes the dog in her arms.
Muttley know's what out there, so has no intention of going out the back door, and tries to wriggle loose.
Eliza: Good boy!!!
Eliza: Where did you go to?
Eliza pats the dog reassuringly.
Darrel stays seated, so that Katarn won't feel pressured or, worse yet, under attack.
Muttley: [Lick]
Katarn starts to relax, as the room quiets down, and sits back down.
Muttley tries to scratch an annoying itch.
Darrel zlins Katarn relaxing, and keeps talking.
Eliza: You still itchy?
Eliza: Want another bath?
Eliza: ~ nice doggy ~
Eliza scratches Muttley's back for him.
Darrel: You would simply sit beside me on the couch over there.
Eliza: You know - I can't keep calling you "boy".
Darrel nods towards the transfer lounge.
Katarn moves over to the lounge.
Eliza: lets see... you look like a Muttley I think. Yes, Muttley.
Muttley wriggles around as the flea bites again.
Eliza: Do you like that name? Muttley?
Muttley looks suitably unimpressed.
Darrel blinks, then decides that Katarn has changed his mind and wants to donate, after all.
Darrel gets up and follows Katarn over to the lounge.
Alea comes back with the broom and sees Eliza and the dog.
Alea: Eliza!
Alea raises the broom.
Muttley: Woof.
Eliza: Nooo!
Muttley sees Alea and tries to make a leap for safety.
Eliza: Alea!
Alea: Get out of the way....
Alea: He bites!
Eliza: No no!
Alea swings the broom at the dog.
Eliza: He doesn't bite!
Muttley wags his tail.
Eliza jumps in front of the dog.
Alea: Look at my bandaged hand. Yes he does!
Alea hits Eliza instead.
Eliza: ~ouch~
Alea drops the broom.
Eliza: Alea!
Alea: Eliza!
Alea: Grab that flea bitten dog.
Muttley tries to bite Alea [again].
Eliza: Alea! Don't you hurt Muttley.
Eliza grabs him by the neck.
Muttley: Grrrrrrrr.
Alea jumps back, placing her arms around her stomach in protection.
Eliza: Muttley - don't!
Alea: See.
Eliza slaps him over the nose.
Muttley tries to wriggle loose.
Eliza: ~bad dog~
Alea: Dogs are not allowed to roam the hall.
Eliza: I'm sorry Alea, but you shouldn't have tried to hit him.
Muttley: Yelp.
Eliza: I'll put him in my room then!
Alea: Fine.
Darrel waits for Katarn to finish inspecting the lounge and sit down.
Alea: But he can't wander these halls... and he needs a BATH.
Eliza: Come on, Muttley. [drags him towards her room]
Alea sneezes again.
Katarn sits down.
Eliza: [shin hurts where Alea hit it]
Eliza: OK OK! I'll bathe him.
Eliza: Come on, Muttley.
Muttley smells food and breaks loose to head in that general direction.
Eliza: Oh, shen.
Eliza takes off in pursuit.
Darrel sits beside Katarn, zlinning him to see how he is taking having a channel so close to him.
Muttley heads back towards Alea's office. [it's her breakfast tray that he can smell]
Alea: Oh no!
Alea hurries at her snail's pace after the dog.
Katarn: ~slightly nervous~
Alea: Shendoni... too slow... too big... gonna kill that dog. [muttering]
Muttley makes it to the office door.
Eliza launches herself at Muttley and tackles him with her arms around his neck.
Darrel tries to look relaxed enough for a Californian.
Alea comes into the lobby and then toward her door where the commotion is taking place.
Eliza: What are you doing? Are you trying to get thrown out?
Darrel: All right. Now, I'll ask you to roll up your sleeves. Then, I'll take your arms and wrap my tentacles around them.
Darrel: When you're ready, you can make the lip contact, and I'll take your donation.
Eliza picks Muttley up with a grunt.
Eliza: Oooofff, at least you haven't missed too many meals!
Eliza staggers with him back towards her room.
Alea stops by her door, breathing heavily.
Darrel: You won't be able to feel anything at all, but the selyn you give will provide a Sime with a month of life.
Alea sneezes.
Alea: Great... I'm... [sneezes again] allergic to him. [sneeze]
Muttley allows himself to be carried.
Eliza: I got him now Alea.
Eliza bends alarmingly at the knees.
Alea: Goo--achoo!--ood.
Katarn rolls up his sleeves, waiting for Darrel.
Eliza staggers up the hallway, getting lower and lower with each step.
Darrel holds out his hands, zlinning to make sure that Katarn is ready.
Muttley twists around in Eliza's arms [but not too much] trying to track down that annoying flea.
Katarn: ~happy~
Eliza: Hold [grunt] still or I'll drop you.
Eliza gets to her door and is faced with the problem of opening it.
Eliza slips Muttley into a better grip and gets her hand around the doorknob.
Darrel takes Katarn's arms and secures the grip with handling tentacles.
Eliza slips Muttley into the room and quickly shuts the door.
Eliza speaks through the door. "Look, I'm sorry boy, I'll be right back soon. I'll bring you something to eat. You just be patient okay?"
Darrel once more curses Arcadia's absence.
Muttley looks around and settles on the bed as somewhere nice and warm to sleep.
Eliza runs back down the hall and stops just outside the donation room.
Katarn proceeds to make contact with Darrel.
Alea goes into her office and tries to wash up, digging in the Farris med kit for allergy medication.
Eliza hope that Darrel can zlin her through the door and won't be upset when she slips back in.
Alea: Well, shen... what do I take if I'm pregnant too?
Alea sets the meds aside and splashes water on her face.
Darrel zlins Katarn deeply, checking for potential problems, then starts to draw from the GN-3 level.
Eliza slips quietly into the room.
Katarn remains perfectly still.
Alea pats it dry, her eyes all red and puffy now from the allergic attack.
Darrel zlins Eliza's presence.
Darrel drains the last of the GN-3 level, and decides to quit before Katarn gets nervous.
Darrel breaks lip contact.
Darrel: Hold still a moment, so I can retract my tentacles.
Katarn stays still.
Darrel neglects to mention that Katarn doesn't actually have a choice about staying still.
Darrel retracts his tentacles, making sure his laterals are out of danger before he lets go with his handling tentacles.
Darrel sits back, trying not to look too relieved.
Darrel: You did very well, Mr. Katarn.
Darrel: It made things very easy for us both.
Darrel returns to the desk and fishes in the drawers until he finds the blank voucher forms.
Eliza hopes that Darrel isn't too angry at what she knows was a dreadful job on her part.
Darrel hands Katarn the completed voucher.
Darrel: If you take that down the hall, the cashier will see that you get your donation payment.
Katarn takes the vouchers, and starts to leave the room.
Darrel: See you next month.
Eliza bites her tongue accidentally.
Eliza: ~ouch~
Darrel winces.
Katarn heads down the hall. where he gives the cashier his voucher, before leaving the Center.
Darrel turns to Eliza and sighs.
Eliza: I'm sorry, Darrel.
Eliza: Honestly, usually I'm more centered then that.
Eliza tries to pull the tattered remains of her dignity around her.
Darrel: You can't offer much support when you're distracted like that.
Eliza: ~miserably~ I know.
Darrel: Why don't you find a quiet place, without distractions, and sit for a while?
Eliza tries to think of such a place in the Center... no... Bender Cove... no....
Eliza sighs.
Eliza: Yeah, I guess.
Eliza: I'm not much use to anyone, am I? [utter dejection]
Darrel gives Eliza an encouraging smile.
Darrel: Not at all.
Eliza was afraid of that.
Darrel: You do very well, I've heard, when you're able to concentrate.
Darrel: Now, all you have to do is learn to find that concentration, even when there are distractions around.
Eliza wonders who said that.
Walter mops around the lobby in an unusually careless manner for him.
Darrel: Once you've learned that, you'll be a very good Donor, indeed.
Eliza: I'm trying, honest I am. But some days it's just so difficult!
Eliza feels close to tears.
Walter would feel dreadful if Walter was in any condition to feel anything at all.
Walter is buffeted on a sea of differing fields, with little defense against them.
Darrel feels an overwhelming desire to cry.
Allaire enters the lobby, to have his field lowered, but is really afraid in doing so.
Darrel: I know it is. But I'm sure you can master the technique, if you keep working.
Darrel: Now, I've got to get back out to the lobby. You go get yourself some tea, and find your center.
Walter zlins a sudden touch of fear and turns towards it instinctively.
Eliza heads towards the cafeteria to get tea for herself and something for the dog.
Darrel hastens back to the lobby, bracing himself to face the dreaded lobby without benefit of Donor support.
Walter takes a few hesitant steps towards the fear.
Loopy waltzes into the Sime Center lobby.
Loopy is an overweight Gen, with bad eyesight, and even worse hearing.
Walter is confused by the sudden change in the ambient.
Katryn walks out of the donation room and into the lobby.
Mytag is close behind her.
Walter zlins from one to another, then continues towards the slight fear.
Loopy: Excuse me, young lady, but is this where I come to get my eyesight checked? [to the nearest potted plant]
Katryn: So, Mytag....
Katryn pauses, zlinning what is going on.
Allaire glances about, his fear growing.
Griff hurries down the walk to the Ferry Building, eager to start his new, super-ooky career.
BumBum drags himself toward the Ferry Building with extreme reluctance.
Walter makes a strange sound.
Mytag sees Walter closing in on a Gen.
Mytag: Katryn! Walter shouldn't be in here! Can you distract him?
Mytag gets ready to lunge, just in case.
Darrel's lobby phobia flares up, and he decides to search for Arcadia before braving the chaos.
Loopy: Eh? You'll have to speak up a bit there, young lady, I can't hear you.
Katryn sees the other Gen, zlins it's fear. [fascinated, never having seen it in a Gen before in regards to a stalking Sime]
Walter takes another step towards the fearful Gen.
Griff knocks loudly on the door, hurting his knuckles.
Katryn: How cool!
Katryn ~~~ nervous excitement ~~
Wise Snake jerks the door open.
Katryn flares ~~ GEN ENTICEMENT ~~
Wise Snake: Ah... Griff. Come in.
Wise Snake zlins up and down the street.
Loopy realises that he isn't talking to a person [finally], and heads in roughly the direction of the clerk's desk.
Walter turns suddenly towards the new tempting field.
BumBum passes by a whorehouse.
Loopy: [Unfortunately that happens to be in the same direction as what Katryn is.]
Griff grins at Snake.
Griff: ~~ throbbing knuckles ~~
Walter says, with great difficult "Walter... shouldn't... be... alone...."
BumBum stops, and then goes back and passes the the whorehouse by again, savoring the novelty of the situation.
Griff bounds inside, looking around for something really ooky.
Allaire freezes in fear.
Loopy realises that there is a people shaped blob in front of him and stops.
Wise Snake sighs and closes the door.
Walter turns back to the fear.
Wise Snake: It seems BumBum isn't here yet. But as soon as he's here, we can begin.
Walter looks confused [as usual] and upset.
Katryn: Shendoni... go get help, Mytag.
Loopy: Excuse me, young man, but is this where I come to get my eyesight checked? [to Katryn]
Katryn is totally shocked and hesitates... not sure what to do when the Sime turned away from her.
Katryn thinks, after all that's what the textbooks said to do.
Mytag circles around the other side of the renSime janitor.
BumBum sighs, and continues onward, looking at the clock tower just ahead over the buildings and loathing it greatly.
Mytag: Kat, grab Walter - control his field damn it.
Griff: Cosmic!
Griff is practically dancing with excitement.
Beleal is walking into the Center for his transfer, way past when he should be and zlins the need.
Walter feels a strong Gen field on his left and turns towards it.
Beleal goes hyper.
Beleal ~~ NEED ~~
Beleal augments toward Allaire....
Allaire suddenly disappears.
Beleal snarls... grabbing Allaire....
Beleal sees the Fearful Gen disappear and falls to the floor, screaming in fear.
Loopy: Uhm, Excuse me young man, but is this where I come to get my eyes checked? [this time to thin air]
Katryn flares her field again, staggering slightly.
Katryn ~~ GEN~~
BumBum finally arrives at the home of his tormentor, and signals at the door.
Katryn: Come here, Walter.
Wise Snake answers the door with relief.
Wise Snake: Ah... BumBum, there you are.
Walter lurches at the Gen on his left.
Griff looks at the new arrival eagerly.
Mytag sidesteps, grabs Walter and pushes him at Katryn.
BumBum steps in, looking about with considerable distaste.
Loopy moves in front of Katryn again [having finally found a blob to look at].
Walter feels himself flung towards another Gen field and puts his arms out pathetically in a begging gesture.
Walter: Now?
Katryn augments, smoothly taking Walter into her arms and wrapping tentacles around him.
Loopy blinks myopically, trying to work out where the young 'man' has gone to this time.
Beleal gasps, lunging up when "his Gen" reappears. 1
Walter takes the grip hungrily, extending laterals and reaching for 5th contact.
Katryn leans into Walter touching his lips.
Katryn ~~ desire to give ~~
Griff: Is this the guy I'm gonna work with?
BumBum is a small, sharp-dressed but disreputable looking channel with long ratty hair and a mean face.
BumBum looks at Griff, then does a double take.
Loopy stumbles into Walter and Katryn.
Beleal jumps up, attacking Allaire, tentacles grabbing, lashing... laterals licking out.
Griff thinks that BumBum's ookyness potential is acceptable.
Wise Snake: Yes, Griff, this is BumBum, he's a--
BumBum: THE NAME is Bumanuel Altavista, and you said nothing about having to work with...! [points nagerically at Griff]
BumBum has a naturally whiny voice.
Walter draws quickly.
Katryn ~~ encouraging pleasure ~~
Beleal snarls, the look of the hunter about to kill on his face.
Beleal slams forward, his lips seeking out Allaire's.
Walter's eyes cross.
Loopy has no idea of what's going on around him.
Walter finishes drawing and sighs deeply.
Walter: Thank you hajene!
Griff: What's the matter?
Mytag feels a deep relief at a disaster diverted.
Beleal ~~ need ~~
Katryn releases Walter, shoving him behind her and augmenting toward the other two.
Walter picks up his mop again and goes back to mopping.
Griff is a bit offended by BumBum's attitude.
BumBum: I don't want to be here is what's the matter!
BumBum: I certainly don't want YOU to be--
Wise Snake pushes BumBum back hastily.
Wise Snake: Er, Griff, he's a little tense today.
Mytag races after Katryn.
Griff: Oh.
Wise Snake: Just ignore any um, unpleasantness, it's just nerves.
Rapol comes downstairs, chewing at a bagel in one hand.
Beleal begins drawing from Allaire.
Wise Snake grins weakly, while giving BumBum a firm nageric jab of warning.
Griff: When do we get to the ooky part?
Griff likes ookyness.
Mytag sees what she zlinned and launches himself at the couple.
Allaire tries to struggle as the Sime sucks the selyn from his body.
Beleal ~~ intense pleasure ~~ ~~ Mine ~~
Allaire: ~pain~
Loopy starts an animated discussion with... thin air.
Mytag hits the renSime with his shoulder, knocking them both to the ground.
Katryn augments toward Beleal and Allaire.
Rapol sees Snake with that sleazy little 3rd and some kid, might not be established yet.
Wise Snake: That all depends on BumBum, here. Are you ready to do any work?
Katryn stumbles into the pain, snatching Allaire away from the Gen and shoving him toward Mytag.
Beleal ~~ stiffens ~~
BumBum is more than ready to do work, having been nagged by entran for weeks.
BumBum snarls and mutters something to that effect, looking at Griff suspiciously from behind Snake.
Allaire: ~relaxes slightly~
Katryn pulls Beleal into her grip... working and pushing selyn into Beleal.
Rapol stills his brief ~~ anger ~~ and hurries over before something happens.
Katryn tries to imitate what she just witnessed going on.
Griff frowns; BumBum sounds just mean, and not in an interesting, ooky sense.
Mytag picks up Allaire and rushes back up the steps into the Center.
Loopy finally realises that there's no-one there (again), and starts peering around trying to work out where all those people who were there just a minute ago have gotten to.
Beleal hesitates, then draws pleasure mounting and peaking as his system is filled.
Wise Snake: Ah, Rapol!
Rapol envelopes Snake, walling off BumBum and what he realizes is a low field Gen.
Wise Snake: ~~relief~~
Mytag rushes into the lobby with the burnt Gen in his arms.
Beleal collapses against Katryn.
Darrel has just returned to the lobby, after an unsuccessful quest for Arcadia.
Mytag yells, "Get me a channel to the infirmary - burn victim" as he runs through.
Wise Snake smiles at both of them.
Rapol gives Snake a brief 'what are you doing running around Donorless _again_?' look.
Wise Snake: Shall we to the hospital, then?
Allaire moans slightly, as he falls back into unconsciousness.
Darrel zlins the problem and follows Mytag.
Wise Snake's grin turns sickly again as she can't help but notice Rapol's look.
Beleal suddenly falls to his knees and begins to weep, looking none too good.
Griff: Yeah!
Mytag puts the Gen on a bed and turns to the following channel.
Darrel: What happened?
Mytag: Attack outside, Katryn's got the Sime.
Katryn slips down by Beleal and works with him as he recovers.
Mytag steps back so that Darrel can zlin the burnt Gen.
Beleal: Di-did I kill him?
Darrel grabs Allaire's arms and makes a lateral contact, zlinning deeply to assess the damage.
Katryn shakes her head.
Katryn: No, no, you're fine.
Katryn: Just fine.
Katryn: He's fine too.
Griff can't wait to get to the ooky part.
Katryn thinks, or he will be and would love to go zlin and see how he actually is.
Loopy finally finds a couch and sits down to wait for someone to get to him.
Katryn is suffering a bit of aftershock too... her adrenaline rush making her just a tad queasy.
Rapol hears hospital and glances around for a medical bag and Snake's retainers.
Darrel: Shen, this is a nasty burn.
Beleal shudders, cries, shudders some more and then finally recovers.
Wise Snake grins and points at new retainers she had made for BumBum.
Katryn continues to talk and encourage Beleal until he is better.
BumBum's snarl turns into a greenish gulp, as he has never worn them before.
BumBum: [except when arrested]
BumBum: [under circumstances better left undescribed]
BumBum: [more than once]
Griff looks at the contraptions.
Mytag gets fosebine ready.
Griff: Those looks nasty.
Beleal finally gets up and leaves.
Katryn gets up and staggers into the Center, wondering where her Donor is.
Wise Snake: Yes. Do you know what retainers are, Griff? Let me show you.
Wise Snake figures Griff will get into the details.
Darrel manages to get most of the fosebine dose down Allaire.
Katryn collapses on the couch.
Katryn sighs.
Wise Snake: Rapol, can you assist?
Katryn: Wow!
Mytag looks from Darrel to Allaire.
Mytag: Will he be okay, Hajene?
Loopy is starting intently at... nothing whatsoever [which is about standard for Loopy].
Griff draws closer, watching eagerly.
Rapol isn't concerned with BumBum's retainers, not his responsibility.
Rapol sighs. "Certainly."
Darrel: I think so. Do you recognize him?
Wise Snake glances at Rapol, a bit concerned.
Wise Snake: Um... let's see here.
Mytag: No, just came in, got stalked, ran out, got attacked.
Rapol takes the retainers and steps over to BumBum, gesturing Griff over.
Mytag: must have been his karma to be attacked today.
Wise Snake watches with proprietary pride.
Mytag: If you are all right, Hajene, I should go check on Katryn.
Darrel covers Allaire with a blanket to ward off shock, and sits beside him to support his weak field and promote healing.
BumBum looks alarmed.
BumBum: Wait a minute... what is this!
Rapol opens and closes the retainers to show the mechanism before handing one to BumBum and one to Griff.
Alea sighs in disgust at her cold food and stands to go out into the lobby.
Wise Snake: Just a little demonstration, BumBum.
Rapol looks witheringly at BumBum. "Retainer."
Darrel: Go ahead.
BumBum looks indignantly at Rapol.
Rapol: Asked.
BumBum: Do I have to put up with this? [to Snake]
Wise Snake: Er... yes.
Mytag rushes out to find Katryn figuring she is probably either upset or elated over what just happened
Alea sighs, wondering why it has been such a quiet day... sees Katryn sitting on the couch and nods politely as she starts down the hall toward the cafeteria.
Griff inspects the retainer, turning it over and over.
Mytag sees her sitting in the lobby with a rather large clear area around her and sits down next to her.
Rapol: [to Griff] Simes have to wear out-t, by law. Shot otherwise.
Wise Snake: The whole point of the retainer is to immobilize the tentacles. Those rollers, there, are to make the tentacles extend.
Mytag: Are you all right, Katryn?
Katryn smiles wanly.
Wise Snake: And those there, are where the tentacles slide into when they're extended. [pointing with a tentacle]
Katryn: Just a bit peaked after that. Adrenaline rush, you know.
Mytag takes her arms.
Katryn: That's the first time I've ever seen Gen fear... or an attack.
Griff remembers from some rather lurid "historical" novels that retainers were originally ooky torture instruments.
BumBum holds the retainer as if it were a sample of noxious organic residue.
Katryn slides her hands up his arms, leaning on his field.
Mytag works on stabilizing her before suggesting that they move somewhere a little more private.
BumBum's body language is an offended wince.
Griff: Cosmic!
Mytag: Yes, it was a nasty situation.
Alea happens to glance in a room and sees Darrel sitting by a patient.
Mytag: You did very well.
Mytag: ~soothing support~
Katryn: I didn't even think about how I did.
Katryn: Do you think I did?
Rapol: Retainers hurt, so Channels shouldn't wear them longer than absolutely necessary.
Katryn ~~ sudden worry ~~ more of a far off feeling because of Mytag's support.
Mytag: You did just fine. The Gen owes you his life.
Griff looks at the retainer again.
Katryn: I just have never seen anything like that before. I mean, I've read how it's suppose to work... but why did Walter turn from my field like that?
Katryn shakes her head.
Griff: They pinch tentacles?
Katryn: Fear must be a very powerful thing.
Griff remembers how squishy the tentacles were when he donated.
Alea: Hello, Darrel.
Alea: New patient?
Darrel looks up.
Wise Snake: Er, well we don't WANT them to pinch.
Rapol: Not if careful.
Alea moves in ~~ support ~~
BumBum looks queasy.
Darrel: Yes. He was burned. Right in front of the Sime Center.
Alea: really?
Alea frowns
BumBum looks around for somewhere to put down the retainer, his own tentacles shrunken into their sheathes.
Alea: I didn't hear a thing.
Griff: ~~ disappointment ~~
Alea is frustrated because the insulation is just a bit too good in her office.
Darrel: Yes. Apparently, he was coming to donate.
Wise Snake thinks Griff isn't getting full value out of this conversation.
Rapol: Pinched lateral can put a channel in bed for days.
Mytag: yes, it is
Wise Snake tries to help out.
Alea: Oh dear.
Wise Snake: Yes, and you know, the whole reason for retainers is the Gens are afraid Simes will go crazy and start attacking people.
Mytag: Feeling better now Kat?
Griff 's eyes widen.
Griff has read quite a few thrillers which expound on this theme.
Katryn finally notices that Mytag has shortened her name and looks at him in surprise.
Griff likes thrillers.
Katryn: Uh, well... yes, yes I am.
Katryn: Thank you, Naztehr, for your assistance.
Mytag: How about we go somewhere a little more comfortable and get you some tea?
Alea: Is he going to be okay?
Griff: How does it go on?
Katryn: That sounds fine.
Rapol: Gen fear hurts channel, Donors have to shield them from it.
Mytag smiles and caresses her with his nager
Griff: ~~ disappointment ~~
Darrel: Yes. Apparently, he was coming to donate.
Rapol looks at Snake "Show here or at the border?"
Wise Snake: At the border. [glances at BumBum]
BumBum is reconsidering whether chronic entran and lousy transfers might be worth avoiding getting further into this situation.
Griff is eager to go.
Katryn is past turnover and simply smiles at Mytag
Wise Snake: Come on, everybody. Let's go.
Rapol: Certainly.
Griff bounces through the door after Snake.
Alea shrugs and wanders on down to the cafeteria to hopefully get her some food.
Rapol gets his coat and Snake's Black edged cape.
Griff bangs the retainer against his leg.
Wise Snake dons her cape with a nod of thanks to Rapol.
BumBum pushes the other retainer at Griff, wanting to get it out of his sight.
BumBum: Here. YOU carry it. [prissy distaste]
Rapol picks up the medical bag and checks through it quickly.
Loopy tries to stand up, and on his fourth try succeeds and starts trying to find the door to get out of building.
Griff takes the other retainers and bangs them together experimentally.
BumBum winces.
BumBum drags way behind the others, wishing he weren't there.
Rapol starts to have a touch of sympathy for BumBum if this is his prospective Donor.
Loopy see's a bright patch of light and heads in that general direction.
Loopy: [Just missing the end of a couch Loopy disappears out the door.]
Griff likes the sound of the clanging, so he hits the retainers together a bit louder.
Wise Snake: Griff.... cool it okay? Those were really expensive.
Wise Snake: If you broke one you'd be indentured to me until you're 83 years old. NOT a good thing, trust me.
Rapol: New cape suit you?
Rapol is proud of having gotten it for Snake, even if it is rather drab.
Griff quickly pretends that he never clanged the retainers at all.
Wise Snake: It's nice, Rapol.
Wise Snake smiles at Rapol.
Wise Snake thinks it's nice to have Donors to take care of those details like noticing her cloak is getting old and ratty, since she has no time for that stuff.
Griff drops back to walk with BumBum, very temporarily abashed at being scolded for banging the retainers.
Griff looks at BumBum curiously.
Griff: Have you worked for Miz Ferret long?
BumBum: No!
BumBum: [snaps]
Griff: Me neither.
BumBum's nerves crawl at the the words "worked for"
BumBum: You're not really a Donor, are you.
Wise Snake looks innocent, since she never suggested Griff was.
Rapol is proud to have worked for Snake for a relatively long time.
Griff has no conception of the difference between a donor and a Donor, since they don't teach that stuff in school, and he hasn't found the topic ooky enough to be worth investigating on his own.
Wise Snake wonders why Griff refers to her as "Ferret", since she has no idea she resembles one closely.
Rapol scowls at Griff using that name so many people use for Snake behind her back.
Wise Snake: Ah, here we are at the border. Retainers on, everyone.
Griff: Of course I'm a donor! I donated almost a week ago.
BumBum blanches, at Snake and Griff's words.
Wise Snake: Er, I'll assist you, BumBum. Griff, you may want to watch this.
Wise Snake thinks, then grins an evil grin.
Griff hands a retainer to Snake.
Wise Snake: No, on second thought, you'll need to learn this anyway. You go ahead.
Rapol ~~ supports ~~ Snake.
BumBum: What? [startled alarm]
Wise Snake: I'll talk you through it.
Griff examines the retainer he's still holding more closely, and finally figures out how to open it.
BumBum: Look ah, I'm liking the sound of this less and less.
BumBum hides his arms behind his back.
Wise Snake: Now, Griff, you should ...er.. turn that around the other way, so the smaller end is toward you.
Griff performs the indicated manipulation.
Griff: Like this?
Wise Snake: Great. Now, hold it open, and let BumBum place his arm across it. Try not to move at all. And whatever you do, don't close it.
BumBum's eyebrows jump at the words "close it".
BumBum: I don't think....
Griff holds the retainer out, one hand under each half, ready to clap the two halves together.
Wise Snake: Do you want to work? [sharply]
BumBum looks at Snake, then at Rapol.
BumBum finally looks at Griff, wishing the kid didn't zlin so... eager, and like he's ready to snap it shut.
BumBum: You're just doing this to torment me, aren't you. [accuses Snake]
Griff is practically quivering with delight at participating in such ookyness.
BumBum zlins no relenting in Snake's nager, and reluctantly brings one arm forward.
BumBum places the arm carefully over the retainer, noting without much surprise that his fingers are shaking.
Wise Snake: Now, Griff... stay steady.
Wise Snake: BumBum, start your tentacles into the beginning of each track... you know what it's like if you don't do that first, right?
BumBum complies, feeling exceedingly sorry for himself.
Griff 's holds the retainer almost steady.
Wise Snake inspects the proceedings.
Wise Snake: Great, now, Griff, make sure there's nothing sticking out where it might get pinched... [inserts a tentacle to poke a bit of sheath out of the way]
Wise Snake: And, close it. Not fast, but not slow either. Evenly.
Rapol tries not to sneer. It isn't BumBum's fault his a 3rd...
Griff inspects the ooky tentacles, then closes the retainer at a brisk rate.
BumBum winces, closing his eyes.
BumBum 's life flashes before his eyes as the retainer closes.
BumBum: [its a pretty sordid parade]
Griff snaps the catches closed.
Griff: Like that?
Wise Snake: Perfect. Now for the other one.
Griff is kind of proud that he figured out the catches bit by himself.
Wise Snake zlins BumBum and is pleased by the results.
Griff takes the other retainer from Snake, opens it, and holds it out for BumBum.
BumBum holds out his arm, looking in the other direction and gritting his teeth.
Wise Snake: Um, I guess you'll have to move the retainer into place. [to Griff]
Griff does so.
Wise Snake thinks BumBum is a wimp, conveniently forgetting she herself was much worse back when she had real retainers.
Griff waits a (short) moment.
BumBum sticks the tentacles in place quickly.
BumBum: [afraid Griff will snap it shut when he's not quite done]
Griff glances at the arm, not really knowing what he's supposed to be looking for, and snaps the retainer closed.
Rapol wonders if he should support BumBum or if Snake would take it amiss.
BumBum jumps and then deflates, letting out a weak sigh.
Wise Snake: Great! You did very well, Griff.
Wise Snake makes a mental note to give him more lessons on that before inflicting him upon BumBum again.
Griff 's chest puffs out with pride.
Wise Snake doesn't want the channel actually INJURED, or anything. At least not fatally.
Wise Snake turns to Rapol for help with her own retainers.. the modified ones of course.
BumBum studies his forearms, noticing he feels almost exactly like he's under arrest and being dragged off to jail.
Rapol opens the left one and holds it out after glancing in for foreign matter.
Rapol: ~~ calm support ~~
Wise Snake places her arm, projecting a very casual showfield.
Wise Snake thinks Rapol wouldn't worry about little things like going out without a Donor if he knew she sometimes skipped the retainers when slipping over the border alone.
Rapol watches for any flesh out of place as he carefully closes it.
Griff thinks that BumBum doesn't look half as ooky and Simelike without his tentacles showing.
BumBum looks rather small and put-upon at the moment.
BumBum: How did you get this job, anyway? [to Griff]
Rapol clicks it closed and readies the other one.
Griff has no idea.
Wise Snake carefully positions her arm.
Griff nods at Snake.
Griff: Miz Ferret just said she had a job for me.
Rapol repeats the ritual.
Wise Snake waits until the second retainer is on, then wriggles her tentacles experimentally.
Wise Snake sighs.
Wise Snake: Well, let's go then. They're expecting us by now.
BumBum wonders if Snake picked this kid out especially because she thought he'd be a great torment to Bumanuel.
Griff follows Snake.
Griff: Come on, Mr. BumBum.
BumBum: The name's Altavista. [mutters]
Wise Snake leads the way on the lengthy trudge to the Eastcove General Hospital.
Rapol follows behind Snake.
Griff follows behind Rapol.
Simon lies in bed and sweats
Simon has been sweating for 3 days now
Simon has been chucking for the same amount of time
Simon is exhausted
Wise Snake leads the way into the basement of the hospital.
Wise Snake: They have set us up an examination room down here, where the walls make excellent insulation, and incidentally, no patients will accidentally see us unnecessarily.
Griff bounces along, hoping to see something really ooky.
Simon feels really ooky
Simon throws up again, adding a bit of colour to the otherwise rather dull decor
Fise fiddles with stuff on his desk.
Fise looks around the hospital basement "Provisional Sime Center"
Wise Snake signals at the door to the examination room, er, "Provisional Sime Center" [she sees now on the sign on the door]
Fise: Well, you outsmarted yourself, Fise. Told him he'd like being post. Now he likes it too much to show up.
Fise gets up and goes to the door.
Fise opens the little window.
BumBum looks around with distaste at the ducts, pipes, conduits, pumps, heaters, and other things in the hospital basement that human beings should never have to see.
Fise: Oh! Just a second.
Rapol: [ Griff looks at all the machinery that he is sure are for handling pure ook ]
Fise unlocks the various locks and opens the door.
Wise Snake: Hello, Fise. [zlins him]
Fise: Hi Snake.
BumBum stiffens as he realizes there is another channel there. A third order... sort of.
BumBum zlins Fise rudely.
Wise Snake: Fise, this is BumBum, and Griff.
Fise: ~~ better than he's been before that Snake zlinned ~~
BumBum: Bumanuel [mutters]
Wise Snake: I was hoping to try them out as alternates during your off hours.
Wise Snake: They're both a bit raw, although BumBum has some field experience.
Fise doesn't notice BumBum zlinning.
Fise: Ah. Uh, *in*formal training?
Fise eyes the two of them.
BumBum is an expensively dressed, disreputable sharp mean looking fellow of short height and longish hair.
BumBum is wearing a sulk.
Fise: Have you introduced them to the people upstairs? They got antsy when They came down and found me with a Sime friend.
Wise Snake: Are you busy, or can you spare a moment to give them a quick tour of the building and introduce them to the staff?
Wise Snake: We don't want any surprises, it's true.
Fise sees that BumBUm at least dresses well. May be some hope.
Wise Snake wonders why Fise brought a Sime friend to the hospital, then decides if no real trouble was caused, it's probably okay.
Fise: Sure, no Problem.
Fise: Hold on a sec while I get my retainer on.
Wise Snake looks around.
Wise Snake: Where's Loylic?
Fise goes over to the desk and sits down.
Fise: [ talks while concentrating on retainers ] "He, uh, well, he's still post."
Wise Snake flicks a tentacle at Rapol, a request for him to assist Fise.
Wise Snake: I see.
Wise Snake: Don't let him abuse the situation.
Rapol goes over and takes the retainer and holds it a good angle for Fise to insert.
Fise shrugs.
Rapol: "Still!"
Fise obeys.
Fise: I used that as an excuse to talk him into it, so I can't complain. Annoying though.
Fise: But the transfer was worth it.
Wise Snake has to laugh a little.
Wise Snake: Well, okay. But if you do have any trouble, let me know. I'll talk to him.
Rapol: [ Griff can't quite understand this 'post' stuff, but instinct tells him it has to do with the major ookiness that adults never explain clearly to him. ]
BumBum wonders if that stiff, Fise, is flaunting how post he got his Donor just to get on Bumanuel's nerves, or if he's just naturally an ass.
Fise: Yeah, sure.
Fise is more ~~ frustrated ~~ that he hasn't managed to hook up with Jirelle yet.
Rapol closes up the second retainer.
Wise Snake zlins Fise's frustration and suppresses a grimace.
Fise gets up.
Fise: Ok. Shall we go. I'll introduce you to the nurses at the transit desk, they are who we talk to mostly.
BumBum sighs resignedly and follows Fise.
Wise Snake: [griff hopes they'll get to see some interesting injury cases upstairs]
Fise doesn't understand why not seeing Jirelle bothers him after the bit of stuff he picked up last night, but it does.
Fise leads them down the hall to the stairs.
Notes:
1) Allaire's player has returned to IRC at this point. [return]
2) He's probably not the only one looking confused right now, as there is another scene of Katarn donating only 2 days earlier. Unclear exactly how or why this is the case, but no mention of it has been made in play. [return]