Sime~Gen Roleplaying: District Controller's Office Scenario
Episode #10: Day of Breakthroughs (3/22/99)
Jeniard signals at Beni's door.
Beni rubs sleep out of his eyes.
Beni: Come.
Jeniard enters, looking concerned and harassed.
Jeniard: Oh, thank you for seeing me at this late hour, Sosu Beni.
Jeniard appears to have only realized it was a late hour just that moment.
Jeniard: But I really had to talk to you.
Beni: Is something the matter with Arat?
Jeniard: I'll say!
Beni sits up in bed and reaches for his robe.
Jeniard collapses into a chair next to Beni's bed, waving a hand.
Jeniard: No, no, don't get up.
Jeniard: I've got him to sleep.
Jeniard: But what in the world happened between you two?
Beni nods and settles back against the pillows.
Beni: Well, it seemed to me that he's been really resenting it, every time I insist on helping him.
Beni: And it was getting worse, not better.
Beni: So, I told him that from now on, I wouldn't do anything to him that he didn't ask me to do.
Beni: I was hoping that he'd relax a bit if he had more control over the situation.
Beni: I take it that it didn't work that way?
Beni: ~~ disappointment ~~
Jeniard: Was that what you were doing? [scratches his head]
Beni: Yes. It seemed to be working, for a while. He was more relaxed.
Jeniard: He said you were behaving erratically, made a lot of grandiose promises, then immediately broke them, all while acting as if it was Arat's behavior that was faulty.
Jeniard: Not in so many words, of course, [adds quickly] but....
Beni: Huh?
Beni: ~~ bewildered ~~
Jeniard looks bewildered to match.
Jeniard: Well, he was terribly upset. I haven't seen him like this since the time Sosu Mulla dropped the tea set in his lap.
Jeniard: That was... five years ago?
Beni: ~~ interest ~~
Beni: Is that why they don't get along?
Jeniard looks at Beni oddly.
Jeniard: What do you mean, get along?
Jeniard: Anyway, that is beside the point.
Beni: Well, I don't know what the problem is, unless he's feeling betrayed because I didn't force him to behave?
Beni: The way he was working, his shoulders must have been hurting him pretty badly.
Beni: And he didn't ask for help with them.
Jeniard: He said you behaved disgracefully in front of subordinates.
Jeniard: After promising total obedience.
Beni: In front of subordinates?
Jeniard was having a hard time getting the precise details of what happened out of Arat, actually.
Jeniard: And that he had to order you out of the room.
Beni: He did ask me to get the mail when Hajene Darrel came in. Considering how jumpy the man still is around First Order Donors, I'd assumed that Arat just wanted a coherent conversation.
Jeniard is beginning to despair of getting any useful information out of Beni, or fixing the problem.
Jeniard: I see.
Jeniard: Well, I'm sorry to have wasted your time.
Beni: No problem.
Beni nods widely.
Jeniard rises.
Beni: Maybe Arat'll be in a better mood when he wakes up.
Jeniard gives Beni a measuring look, then turns and leaves the room.
Beni settles back to grab what sleep he can, figuring that he's likely to be rousted from bed the instant Arat sleeps off Jeniard's influence.
Beni is awakened by the sun coming in the window.
Beni finds this vaguely surprising; rather disorienting, when added to the unaccustomed sensation of being well rested.
Beni stretches, trying to figure out why the sun and restedness should be unexpected.
Beni explodes out of the bed, trailing blankets on the ground.
Beni: Shen!
Beni glances at the clock as he reaches frantically into the closet for a clean uniform and runs for the bathroom.
Beni: That little lorsh... hasn't he thought about what's going to happen to me if he manages to murder himself with his denial games?
Beni had realized the risk when he made his promise to limit his attentions to those specifically requested, but had thought that the "unless medically necessary" clause would prevent the most serious abuses.
Beni reflects that it is hard to determine medical necessity when one is fast asleep in another room.
Beni uses the toilet and splashes water on his face.
Beni debates grabbing some food from the cafeteria on the run, then resigns himself to raiding the bag of trail mix he keeps by the tea.
Beni takes a moment to compose himself, then walks briskly towards Arat's office.
Arat, having been up since the crack of... er... pre-dusk, has dispensed with some meetings and is now composing some weighty reports for the Regional Controller's Office.
Beni follows Tecton etiquette for Donors entering their channel's space by making sure his nager is zlinnable through the door, then opening it without signaling and without letting his nager disrupt the ambient.
Arat looks up as Beni enters.
Arat: Beni.
Beni immediately gives Arat a visual once-over, looking for symptoms of distress.
Beni: Controller Arat.
Arat having acknowledged Beni's presence, proceeds to go back to his work.
Beni: Is there anything I can do for you today?
Arat's writing hand hesitates.
Arat: No, not at this time.
Beni nods acceptance, and goes over to the teapot.
Arat hunches over his pen, ignoring Beni.
Beni pours himself some tea, grabs a handful of trail mix and his book, and settles down in his chair (3.5 feet from Arat).
Beni wonders if he should offer the support requested yesterday, on the grounds that that request hasn't been countermanded, or not offer support because it hasn't been requested.
Arat briefly massages his eyes with the fingers and tentacles of one hand.
Beni decides the two interpretations are approximately equally valid, and that Arat looks miserable, and follows his preferences.
Beni: ~~ support, to the exact degree requested the previous day and not a jot more ~~
Arat: Don't.
Arat: Just... can you go sit over there?
Arat gestures in the general direction of the other side of the room.
Arat: [or maybe the other side of the building]
Beni is a bit surprised at this request, considering Arat's condition, but lets go of his support and moves as requested.
Arat watches after him, looking as if he regrets the order already.
Beni wonders how long it will be before he's forced to invoke the "medical necessity" clause.
Arat, confused by his own emotions, pulls himself together and goes back to his paperwork.
Tiarala hums cheerfully as she makes her way to Arat's office.
Tiarala signals flamboyantly.
Arat: Enter.
Tiarala opens the door and peers through without waiting for an answer.
Arat pauses at the intrusion.
Tiarala: Arat, love, I did it!
Tiarala waves a bundle of papers in triumph.
Arat's eyebrows raise.
Tiarala sashays over to the desk.
Arat's nager is carefully schooled to be Tecton standard, revealing nothing in particular.
Arat: All of it?
Arat's voice sounds mildly encouraged by the news.
Arat had assumed Tiarala would handle Naros better than most, of course, but hadn't expected her to accomplish everything on her list.
Arat: Sit, please. [belatedly]
Tiarala's nager is Tecton unstandard, revealing triumph and pride in a job well done.
Tiarala plops down in her chair, and starts undoing her bundle.
Tiarala: Here are the signed reports.
Tiarala passes them over for inspection.
Arat takes them and examines them carefully.
Arat: This is... impressive.
Tiarala: And Naros's annual report in back... it's more interesting reading than such things usually are.
Arat's expression sours at the mention of Naros' "interesting" last year, but he says nothing.
Tiarala: Ah, and the selyn usage form. That's why it took me so long--there was some nonsense about a piece of farming equipment, and dear Riyyh was too busy to look up the numbers.
Arat: All of this is very good. Well worth the extra time invested.
Tiarala: And in addition....
Tiarala holds up a non-Tecton form.
Arat is somewhat distracted from the selyn form, the numbers upon which couldn't possibly be right.
Arat looks at what she's holding.
Tiarala: I have here an order for an assortment of Imil garments from the spring catalog, and five assorted packets of real tea.
Tiarala holds up a small bag with packets of Narosian blends.
Tiarala also looks as if she's very well-rested from a pleasant vacation, indeed.
Tiarala: So, all in all, it was a most productive stay.
Tiarala stretches languorously, a satisfied smile on her face.
Arat finishes looking through the reports.
Arat: These look very good. You are to be commended for your excellent work.
Arat thinks the selyn usage form is all lies, and terribly bad ones at that, but it's better than what he's had for Regional the previous two years: Nothing.
Tiarala settles back with a pleased smile.
Tiarala: So, dear, what have you been up to while I was braving the wilds of Naros?
Tiarala: You look a bit peaked.
Tiarala doesn't bother to comment on how Arat zlins, having long since figured out that Arat's showfield only shows what Arat wants everybody to think he's feeling.
Arat glances in Beni's direction, then looks even more peaked.
Arat: Business as usual, for the most part.
Arat: We had a visitor from the Diplomatic Corps requesting 19 Firsts and the Master of Purchasing for a two week diplomatic mission next month.
Tiarala: I hope you didn't laugh too loudly--you might split your diaphragm.
Arat: I offered what I hope will prove to be a list of suitable alternates.
Tiarala: Did they accept them?
Arat: I don't know yet. I gather they were none too pleased when the replacements arrived for the briefing, but I have not heard anything - from any quarter - since then.
Arat has actually been quite worried that he'd hear something from above, especially now that this has happened with Beni.
Arat: However, what they requested was simply impossible. [points out]
Arat realizes that sounded a little defensive, and frowns internally at himself.
Tiarala: Well, there's no sense working yourself into a knot about it. The World Controller's people know your situation, and know that your first duty is to staffing your district.
Arat nods.
Tiarala: Oh, I suppose they'll give you a token reprimand if the Diplomatic Office insists, but no one will act on it.
Arat hopes not.
Tiarala eyes Arat sharply.
Tiarala: Are you sure you don't want your Donor to start earning the no doubt considerable amounts of food he puts away, and get the kinks out of your shoulders?
Arat: Perhaps later.
Arat's tone makes it clear he doesn't want to discuss the issue.
Arat gathers the papers she'd given him.
Arat: And now, if there is nothing else...?
Tiarala gives Arat one of her patented "don't think you've pulled the wool over my eyes" looks.
Tiarala: Don't leave it too long, Arat.
Tiarala gets to her feet.
Arat's eyes flicker in acknowledgment of her advice, though there is little evidence of whether he intends to take it or not.
Tiarala nods as she sees that her message got through, then sashays out of the office.
Tiarala: Catch you later, dear.
Arat looks after her, then back down at the signed reports.
Arat: Truly remarkable. [to himself]
Beni checks Arat as the door closes, just in case he's decided to take Tiarala's advice immediately.
Arat puts the papers aside, then pulls out a sheet of stationery.
Arat pauses to rub the wrist on his writing hand, thinking of how to phrase the letter.
Beni can well imagine what Arat feels like after writing for hours with no breaks, no treatment, and no support.
Beni wonders, though, which one of them will break first.
Arat then quickly pens a letter "To Whom it May Concern", outlining Tiarala's unprecedented success with Naros and his personal endorsement of her achievement.
Arat adds his signature, blots the paper, and slips it into his out basket with a note saying it is to be copied to the appropriate parties and the original placed in Tiarala's file.
Arat finishes and then leans back in his chair, stretching.
Beni is glad that Arat has at least that much sense, although stretching is more effective when followed by a shoulder rubbing.
Beni suspects that Arat's writing hand could use some work, as well.
Arat checks the time, notes it will be three and a half hours until Jeniard can get free, and sighs.
Arat looks at the ceiling and ponders how to best fit the late-received Naros information into what he's already written of the Regional report without having to rewrite too much.
Beni chews a mouthful of trail mix, thinking that he might just as well have stopped for breakfast.
Arat gets up and begins to pace his end of the room, thinking furiously.
Arat disciplines himself to ignore all nageric and physical discomforts for the time being.
Arat finds the report's formatting slipping loose of his thoughts, anyway.
Arat returns to his seat and re-reads what he'd already written, trying to regain the feel for what he'd had in mind.
Arat massages his writing hand as his irritability level, never low, rises.
Beni follows Arat's creative fury, and his cramping hand, but manages to hold his ground as instructed.
Arat makes the mistake of taking a look at Naros' year report to see what information he'll have to include.
Beni is starting to wonder if this work-only-on-request thing was such a good idea in the first place.
Arat's nostrils flare and his breath snorts out in disbelief and outrage.
Arat snaps the report shut and puts his elbow on the desk, resting his forehead in his palm.
Arat counts to ten, then counts to a hundred.
Beni just hopes Arat gives in and asks for help before the word spreads, particularly upward in the chain of command.
Beni decides to risk an overture.
Beni: Is something wrong?
Arat almost turns on Beni, but instead starts counting to 100 a second time.
Arat tries to slow his heart rate.
Arat has no idea what it is about Naros that enflames him so, and he isn't in the best of shape to deal with it at the moment anyway.
Arat reaches 100 and removes his hand.
Arat: No.
Arat: Go on with what you were doing.
Beni sighs, and returns to his book.
Beni thinks that at this rate, he'll be a paper expert on higher transfer mechanics, with no practical experience whatsoever.
Arat rearranges some papers meaninglessly.
Arat is beginning to come to the realization that he can't concentrate on his work.
Arat: Yes, shen you! [suddenly]
Arat looks at Beni in an accusatory fashion.
Arat: I can't concentrate.
Beni smiles.
Arat: My back hurts, my shoulders hurt, I haven't felt like I have anything coming to me at the end of the month in a day and a half, and on top of it all I have entran.
Arat: Does that satisfy you?
Arat is upset and bitter.
Beni's nager reaches out in ~~ strong support ~~ as he sets his book aside.
Beni: I will be more than glad to help you.
Beni walks quickly over to Arat, placing his hands on the channel's shoulders.
Arat bows his head into his hands.
Arat's entire body is extremely tense.
Arat: What are you trying to do to me? These last couple of days... it's bad enough ordinarily.
Beni starts to rub Arat's shoulders, ~~ coaxing ~~ him to relax.
Beni: There's no shame in asking for help--that's why I'm here.
Arat's nager, very gradually and with much coaxing, comes to lean on Beni's.
Beni: When you push me away, you only make us both miserable.
Beni works down Arat's arms, carefully unknotting each muscle.
Beni lets his ~~ happiness and fulfillment ~~ at being able to help Arat tint his nager.
Beni reaches Arat's writing hand, and tsks as he works the fingers back and forth.
Arat's shriveled black heart shrivels smaller at the touch of the ~~ happiness and fulfillment ~~
Arat is, however, gradually relaxing.
Beni works his way back up Arat's arms, pausing to unknot his tentacles.
Beni spends some time on the scalp and back of the neck, then goes for the abused back.
Arat places his head on his desk, ostensibly to increase access to his back.
Beni makes sure that every bit of tension-knotted muscle is relaxed and supple.
Beni finally holds out his hands.
Beni: Want to do an entran outfunction?
Arat straightens.
Arat: I suppose I don't have much choice.
Arat misses the bygone time when he was periodically relieved from the position of Controller by Deah Tigue's replacing him.
Beni drops his hands.
Beni: Yes, you have a choice.
Arat starts to reach for the hands, then stops as Beni's hands fall.
Arat looks up at him.
Beni: If you don't want the outfunction, I won't force it on you.
Beni: At least, not until it becomes serious enough to endanger you.
Arat: That's not what I meant. [defensively]
Arat jumps to his feet and paces across the room.
Arat: What has gotten into you, Beni?
Arat's irritability, always just below the surface, returns in full... er... irritability.
Beni: I suppose I got tired of seeing you flinch away from me like you expected to be assaulted.
Arat looks away from him.
Beni: I became a Donor because looking after channels was all I wanted to do with my life.
Beni: I didn't sign on to be the nageric equivalent of a serial rapist.
Beni: I would be more than happy to take care of your entran--but only if you want me to.
Arat: Of course I want you to, [in a low voice] It's only....
Arat can't believe how screwed up every Donor situation he ever gets into becomes, usually sooner than later.
Beni: Only what, Arat? [softly] What happened to make you so determined to run away from your Donors?
Arat: You misunderstood me. I didn't mean I didn't want an entran functional.
Beni continues to offer ~~ sympathy and support ~~, since he has not yet been specifically ordered not to do so.
Beni thinks that's definitely an Arat-like evasion.
Beni: Ah.
Arat: And I... I don't think of what you do as an assault, unless you interfere with what I'm doing or continue after I've said no.
Arat: But those happen so often!
Beni approaches Arat, offering his hands.
Arat watches Beni's approach, his hands rising automatically to meet Beni's.
Beni's nager shifts to provide exactly the proper amount of resistance for Arat to work against.
Arat continues to look at Beni for a moment, then closes his eyes and begins working his fields to ease the symptoms of the entran.
Beni provides Arat with a ~~ refuge ~~ from the pain.
Arat releases Beni at length.
Beni: Better?
Arat appears to have regained his composure fully.
Arat: Yes.
Beni is ~~ glad ~~
Arat considers for a moment whether he wants to continue the previous conversation or not.
Arat: Sosu Beni....
Beni: Yes, Hajene Arat?
Arat now finds himself in the unenviable position of not being able to say anything particularly accurate without damning himself.
Arat hesitates.
Arat: I... am aware that neither my reputation or my written record are the best regarding the treatment of Donors.
Arat carefully didn't say anything about actual mistreatment of Donors.
Beni nods neutrally.
Arat: I suppose it is no particular secret that I have been told to work on trusting the people assigned to me, more.
Beni: It is in your file, yes.
Arat: There are... some things you could do differently that would... perhaps ease the process somewhat.
Beni: Of course. What would you like me to do?
Arat moves back to his desk and sits down, mostly to cover the fact that he's thinking out his words carefully.
Beni drifts closer to the desk, since he hasn't been specifically ordered to go back to his chair.
Arat: I never said I didn't want you to do anything for me, or to come up with your own ideas of what to do.
Arat: And I enjoy and benefit from much of what you do.
Arat: But when I am deep in thought, or solving a difficult problem, and you come along and distract me or remove the papers from my desk, it is most....
Arat searches for a word that is both accurate and mild.
Arat: It has an effect on me that is perhaps out of proportion to the act.
Beni can certainly agree with that much.
Beni: While I can certainly understand the value of uninterrupted time to study a problem....
Beni speaks from personal experience, having studied all of the end-of-chapter questions in the first 11 chapters of his transfer mechanics text.
Beni: ...your industry is such that you continue to work long past the point of physical distress.
Beni: If I am to keep you comfortable and able to do your best, you must take breaks every hour or so.
Arat: I am sure that is too often. However, it seems fair to establish some sort of schedule for it. Perhaps each four hours?
Arat's manner is stiff and formal.
Beni: Two at the outside, and only if you're not writing continuously.
Beni: Otherwise, you stiffen up.
Beni thinks Arat might be able to go as long as three hours at a time, if he didn't insist on the calligraphy.
Arat thinks Beni is being entirely unreasonable about this.
Arat: Very well then, if you insist. [hint of irritation]
Arat: I will schedule my work around these two hour breaks, but you will not physically interfere in my work between times?
Beni: Not unless you are in physical distress.
Beni: Or, of course, unless you ask me to.
Arat: And then there is the matter of your asking if I require assistance and my saying no, and your going ahead anyway.
Beni thinks it would be easier to avoid doing this if "no" wasn't Arat's standard response to that question, regardless of his condition.
Arat: I would feel more comfortable around you if... [pauses, not wanting to have started out that way]
Arat is perpetually afraid of saying something that, passed on verbatim to his superiors, could spell more trouble for him.
Arat usually doesn't think about it quite as frequently as this, however.
Arat: Things would probably go easier between us if you'd take "no" as "no".
Arat: And if I could count on that.
Beni considers.
Arat: And... if you'd take an absence of "no" as a yes.
Beni: Of course.
Beni: If you will do one thing in return?
Arat looks wary.
Beni: Don't refuse assistance when you require it, just because you're busy and you might be able to survive without it.
Beni: You can't function efficiently when you're miserable.
Arat: I will try.
Arat's difficulty is that quite often, he isn't even aware he's doing it until hours later, usually when Jeniard is chiding him.
Arat checks the time again.
Beni nods, treating this as the concession that it is.
Arat: I am sure that if we both work on this, things will improve.
Arat is sure that month will eventually be over no matter what... and then it'll all start again with a different Donor.
Arat tries not to sound too cynical.
Arat knows there's no way around any of it.
Beni brings his chair back and sets it 3.5 feet from Arat.
Beni settles down, offering ~~ support ~~
Arat looks at his paperwork again.
Arat starts re-reading his report again, this time with more luck.