Sime~Gen Roleplaying: District Controller's Office Scenario
Episode #16: Special Requests (4/6/99)
Ekwoo signals at Arat's office door.
Arat doesn't even look up.
Beni nudges Arat gently with his nager to get his attention.
Beni: There's someone at the door--are you expecting a visitor?
Arat looks up, distracted from his paperwork, then reaches for his appointment book.
Arat stops when he realizes whose nager that is.
Arat looks disgusted.
Arat: No.
Arat: Would you get the door?
Beni goes to the door.
Beni: Good....
Ekwoo pushes past Beni and stalks towards the desk.
Arat, who is finishing the last of the letter he'd been writing, look up at Ekwoo's approach.
Ekwoo: What are you trying to do--sabotage Unity?
Arat keeps his expression carefully neutral.
Arat's nager is carefully distanced, usually a bad sign.
Ekwoo: ~~ anger of a small-time paper pusher who sees trouble approaching and can't foist off the blame onto a subordinate--yet ~~
Arat: No. [pointedly]
Ekwoo: Then what were you hoping to accomplish in sending a high-field out-Territory Gen all the way to Naros, without even an Escort?
Ekwoo: A rather important Gen, I might add; a special guest of the Tecton.
Arat puts down his pen.
Ekwoo: Have you any idea of the kind of fuss it would raise if the lor....er, our honored guest should get himself killed doing something foolish?
Arat: If you are referring to Doctor Roosle, he was sent with an escort, and he went of his own wishes.
Arat: I hardly think that he stands a chance of getting killed while at Naros.
Arat thinks that various other things which Ekwoo certainly wouldn't approve of might happen there, but is not about to elaborate upon that aloud.
Ekwoo: Do you know for sure that he got there?
Arat: Yes.
Ekwoo: Oh?
Arat can say this with some assurance since the escort arrived back safe and sound.
Arat wouldn't waste a perfectly good employee on babysitting, long term, a person who he hopes will stay gone for good.
Arat: Yes. [repeats]
Ekwoo: Do you have any idea how much effort went into planning the itineraries of those visiting psychologists?
Ekwoo: Whatever possessed you to just go sending Dr. Roosle off, without so much as a by-your-leave?
Arat: He requested it.
Ekwoo: ~~ thoroughly aggravated ~~
Arat: He told me he had informed his colleagues.
Ekwoo: What has that got to do with anything?
Arat: I had not been made aware that the psychologist trades were to be treated as prisoners. [mildly, for him]
Ekwoo: We at the Diplomatic Office are the only ones with authority to approve changes of travel plans.
Ekwoo: If Dr. Roosle wanted to visit Naros, he should have told us, and we would have arranged it.
Arat's nager slides from the "mild" zone into the "ruthless" zone.
Arat: It sounds as if you have a problem, then.
Arat: Perhaps you should approve of his change of plans.
Ekwoo: Have you any idea what chaos there would be, if out-Territory Gens were allowed to wander as they pleased?
Ekwoo: He never even got around to donating!
Ekwoo finds that offensive as only a renSime depending on donations could.
Arat: Yes, another serious oversight on your part. [observes]
Ekwoo: My part? ~~ offended ~~
Ekwoo: You're the channel.
Arat: You're in charge of his schedule. [points out]
Ekwoo: He was told to donate before he came.
Arat finds conversation with Ekwoo tedious, and it tends to show.
Arat: So he would not cooperate with you?
Ekwoo waves a dismissive tentacle.
Ekwoo: He was so busy blathering on about unzlinned forces and influences that he never really understood that there was anyone with whom to cooperate.
Ekwoo: Still, I'm holding you personally accountable, if anything should happen to a guest of the Tecton due to your advice.
Beni edges closer to Arat and offers ~~ support ~~
Ekwoo: Rest assured, my report will mention your actions in detail.
Arat's eyes narrow.
Arat: My advice?
Arat: What are you talking about.
Arat: ~ wary ~
Ekwoo tosses his head with scorn.
Ekwoo: Roosle certainly didn't come up with the idea of haring off to visit Naros, of all places, by himself.
Ekwoo: You told him there was fruitful ground for his research there.
Arat gives Ekwoo an expression of sincere contempt.
Arat: Yes, I am well known for suggesting Naros as a destination at every opportunity.
Arat is in fact well known for loathing Naros.
Ekwoo: Thought you'd get rid of two problems at once, did you?
Ekwoo: ~~ nasty ~~
Ekwoo: And get away with placing the blame on me?
Arat regards Ekwoo with something between impatience and boredom.
Arat: Your existence does not play quite so central a role in my decision making processes.
Arat: Nor, I note now, did you actually have an appointment for this visit.
Arat closes his appointment book.
Ekwoo: Appointment?
Ekwoo: ~~ scorn ~~
Arat: Did you have official business, or were you dropping by simply to cover your... oversight?
Arat: Beni, take a note for me, please.
Arat: Wednesday, April 7, 12:05 AM... Tuib Ekwoo, Diplomatic Corps, dropped by in order to ask an unofficial favor.
Beni picks up pen and paper.
Beni hopes that Arat doesn't get too upset at his lamentably illegible handwriting.
Ekwoo snorts in scorn.
Arat: Ekwoo requested that I claim to have suggested Dr. Roosle, a Gen Territory diplomatic exchange visitor, visit Householding Naros, in order to cover up Dr. Roosle's having gone there without Ekwoo's knowledge.
Ekwoo: ~~ outrage ~~
Ekwoo: It was your doing, and you know it!
Arat: While I agreed to do this on the basis of my agreement with Regional to accommodate the Psychological program to my full ability, I must register this formal protest.
Beni tries to remember whether "register" has one g or two.
Arat: I do not feel it is appropriate for Diplomatic visitors to the Tecton to be exposed to the environment in said Householding, nor do I feel that it is appropriate for the District Controller's office to field these types of 'requests', particularly given the current political situation.
Ekwoo: You suggested he go there!
Arat looks Ekwoo blandly.
Ekwoo: He'd never heard of the place, before you told him about it!
Ekwoo is starting to get a bit worried, well aware that few channels in the World Controller's office would (or could) penetrate Arat's showfield far enough to detect the half-truths.
Arat: [to Beni] Please have that prepared for post directly to Gent Harmich of the Diplomatic Wing, and place another copy in my file.
Beni: Of course, Hajene.
Ekwoo: You won't get away with this, Controller Arat!
Arat returns his attention to Ekwoo: His nager is bright, cruel.
Arat: Is there anything else you would like to request, while you are here?
Ekwoo debates asking Arat to go jump in the nearest lake, but suspects that that will not facilitate matters any.
Arat's eyebrows raise.
Ekwoo: I assure you, my own account of this matter will be in Tuib Harmich's tentacles before the day is out.
Ekwoo: The lives of Tecton guests are not to be taken lightly.
Ekwoo tries for ~~ dignity ~~ and falls far short.
Arat: Then you had better go attend to the rest of your flock, Tuib Ekwoo.
Arat: Good day.
Ekwoo advances to the rear with unseemly haste, and scuttles for the door.
Beni stares after Ekwoo thoughtfully.
Arat waits until Ekwoo is well gone before releasing his ~~~ fury ~~~.
Arat looks after Ekwoo a good deal more malevolently than Beni.
Arat: Why does he pick me for his idiot games?
Beni tries a bit of ~~ soothing ~~
Beni: Because you're competent, and he can't stand being shown up.
Arat: Give me that.
Arat's request is a little bit more toned down, due to Beni's influence.
Beni hands Arat his notes for the memo.
Arat takes the letter and begins to rewrite it himself.
Arat: We can't even be compared.
Arat: We're not even in the same branch of government. The man is a fool.
Beni: Exactly. And he can't stand anyone who isn't.
Arat finishes the letter, seals it with the District Controller's Office seal, and hands it back to Beni.
Arat: Have this delivered, or deliver it yourself.
Arat: Within the hour.
Arat leans back, rubbing his eyes.
Beni looks Arat over, and decides his channel requires some work.
Beni: I'll have someone take it right over.
Beni ducks out to nab the first possible messenger type, and get back to Arat as soon as possible.