Sime~Gen Roleplaying: District Controller's Office Scenario
Episode #33: Unannounced Visitations (6/3/99)
Nick is sitting in Arat's office, waiting for his channel to meet him.
Nick is taking full advantage of his break time to consume a cheese sandwich and tea.
Osca, Capitol's first elected Gen Mayor, bustles up to the door of the District Controller's office and signals.
Osca is looking her best in a power suit, City Office insignia and an expression of official desperation.
Nick swallows hastily.
Nick: Come in!
Osca takes a moment to prepare herself mentally and religiously, and then walks in.
Nick looks curiously at the stranger.
Osca looks around and is disconcerted when the person she had girded herself to meet is missing.
Nick: Can I help you?
Osca: Hello... is Controller Arat in?
Nick: I'm afraid he's caught up in something just now.
Nick assumes that's the reason for Arat's unaccustomed lateness.
Nick: I'm his Donor, Nick Reckage.
Osca: Oh.
Osca then says "Oh," again, a good deal more thoughtfully.
Osca: Well, perhaps you can help me.
Osca: I'm Osca, Mayor of Capitol City.
Nick: Pleased to meet you, Mayor Osca. Would you like some tea?
Osca: Oh yes, please.
Nick fills the cup he had set out for Arat and hands it to her.
Osca thinks this is an incredible stroke of luck: She has managed to find somebody who may be able to solve her problem, without having to face the fearsome Controller himself.
Osca: Oh... [surprised] Thank you.
Nick: Please, sit down.
Osca sits.
Osca shuffles through some papers in the folder she'd brought with her.
Nick regretfully decides that it would not be polite to finish his sandwich in front of the Mayor, since he can't offer her one.
Nick sips his own tea instead.
Osca: Thank you for taking the time for this, it's just been a crazy week, hasn't it?
Nick: Well, every week has its share of crises.
Nick tries to remember what Arat said about this Mayor.
Nick: What brings you here, Mayor Osca?
Nick tries to look attentive and professional, while hoping Arat gets back before he does something wrong.
Osca smiles.
Osca: Well, I know this is technically outside of the District Controller's job description, but Arat was such a help to us before, and we are having a terrible problem.
Osca: This is a little bit awkward, I hope you aren't offended, but I am referring to Riyyh ambrov Naros.
Nick nods guardedly at the name.
Osca sighs unhappily.
Osca: The man is simply amazing. I wish I had him lobbying for me, next year. But you see, living out of town as he does, he simply doesn't grasp the complexities of the situation in Capitol, and I don't think his people are telling him all of the details when they point him in the City Council's direction.
Nick: And what is it you wish for Arat to do?
Nick: As you said, Naros and its Sectuib are not under Arat's control, strictly speaking.
Osca: I know this office has dealt with Naros on a District level, and Arat isn't the type to let himself get sweet-talked by anybody unless he's good and ready.
Osca: The Tecton is the closest to an authority Naros will listen to.
Nick appears apologetic.
Osca: Lord knows they don't listen to the City!
Nick: I am afraid that Controller Arat and Sectuib Riyyh are... not on the best of terms.
Nick: I doubt that my... Sectuib Riyyh would do anything as a favor to the Controller.
Osca had been thinking more along the lines of the Controller putting the fear of the Tecton into Naros.
Nick wishes that Arat had gone into more detail about how he planned to handle this problem.
Osca: Perhaps he'd at least listen to him?
Nick winces.
Osca: As it is, we can't get anybody near him without... er... well, it's difficult to make any progress.
Osca: He can be very persuasive.
Nick: I know that.
Nick: You mentioned that you believe that Riyyh is not being provided with full reports by his local staff.
Osca: The new municipal hospital project was set back 8 years for the third time in a row!
Osca pauses.
Osca: Well, yes.
Nick nods thoughtfully.
Osca: I think a lot of his people in town here are more radical-minded than he is.
Osca: I don't doubt that they're simply handing him a list of sticking-points when he's in town, and having him sort their problems out for them.
Nick: Have you considered simply telling him why you object to his actions?
Nick: In full?
Osca: Well... yes.
Nick: He's not an unreasonable individual.
Osca: I realize that, but....
Osca: The problem is, it seems to be very difficult for people to remain on topic while speaking to him. I know it sounds absurd, but....
Nick: I understand.
Nick has a pretty good idea what has been happening.
Osca: And he has the most amazing ability to bring people over to his own point of view.
Nick: Perhaps if you sent the information to him in a letter?
Osca: Over half the City Council now thinks we should review the other sites rejected for the....
Osca: It's been tried. It works for some things, but not everything.
Osca: The main problem is the timing. We never know when he might appear in person.
Osca: Getting a letter off in advance is tricky.
Nick: I see.
Osca: A while back the Department of Works tried CC'ing him on every public works memo that came out, but they received a letter of complaint.
Osca can't say she 100% blames Naros on that one.
Nick: What is the most urgent issue at the moment? This hospital?
Osca hands the folder, which contains memos, newspaper clippings and blueprints, over to Nick.
Osca: The hospital, and the new First Year school.
Nick flips through the folder, scanning for the overall picture.
Nick: I understand that the local Narosian activists want the land for urban farms?
Osca: Yes. Originally the land for both these buildings was seized in a rally in Year 9.
Nick: You said that some of the Council were considering alternative sites?
Osca: After a number of years of resistance tactics on the part of Naros' little ... [pauses as Nick interrupts her again]
Osca: Yes.
Nick: How viable are the alternative sites?
Osca: Well, they are somewhat viable, but the City has already purchased these locations, torn down the houses and buildings there, paid for environmental surveys, arranged for the construction of the buildings, and even paid the architect.
Osca: Every time somebody brings up the idea of changing the location, the Department of Works, the Utilities Commission, and the neighborhood groups start howling.
Nick: All of this preparation took place while the land was tied up in the farming project?
Osca: After the initial seizure of the land, the Narosians were thrown off by the police in year 9, again in Year 11, and again in Year 12.
Osca: After that, Sectuib Riyyh succeeded in talking the former City Council into a lease to use the land until the actual construction was begun, which at that time would have been three years.
Osca: Most of the work had been done beforehand, although a second environmental study had to be done at the end of the three years.
Osca: During that time, Sectuib Riyyh managed to obtain a second lease, this one for 10 years.
Nick nods.
Osca: You can imagine how it went from there. By now, our biggest headache is we have people who grew up farming on that land, who claim we're violating their homesteader's rights.
Osca: If it were just this one location it could almost be a joke. But there are sites like this all over the city. One of them, the West End Park project, had to be abandoned.
Nick: So what you really want is for Naros to give up on its urban farming program, so that the city can build as it pleases?
Osca: No, no, it's not like that at all.
Osca: But... [winces] ... well, there really isn't any way around this.
Osca: If Riyyh ambrov Naros could somehow be persuaded not to lobby on his program's behalf in these matters, things would be so much more balanced.
Osca: The Naros lobbyists who live in town are fine people, but they aren't... [tries to figure out how to say "superhuman" in the context of political schmoozing]
Nick: You find them easier to ignore and overrule?
Osca looks at Nick in surprise.
Osca appears to be really studying Nick for the first time.
Nick does bear something of a resemblance to his 75% progenitor, apart from the unfortunate hairstyle.
Nick notes the surprise.
Nick: Forgive me for being so blunt; I'm simply trying to get the problem straight.
Osca: I think I'd better wait until Controller Arat is here. [tartly]
Nick: Perhaps so. Goodness knows, I have little experience in politics of any kind.
Nick: More tea?
Osca: No, thank you. [still angry]
Nick warms his own cup.
Nick is pretty sure that Arat won't be happy if he discovers the Mayor in his office, particularly in her current mood.
Nick: Look, I'm sorry to have offended you. I know that my f... er, Sectuib Riyyh, can be very persuasive.
Osca appears somewhat mollified by the apology.
Nick: However, as I said, he is a reasonable man.
Nick: If he is simply being provided with biased information by his subordinates, then providing him with the other side of the issue may bring you the results you wish.
Osca: I'd like to think so.
Osca: Perhaps if Controller Arat were to forward it for us, it'd help.
Nick: The problem, then, is to get accurate information to him in a timely fashion.
Osca: Before his visits, yes.
Osca: Nobody's ever been able to predict them.
Nick: My understanding was that he doesn't leave Naros very often.
Osca shudders as she remembers some 15 year old reports she's read, regarding the era when Riyyh was turning up at Capitol every six weeks or so.
Osca's main problem with all of this is that there is no point in having elected officials if somebody from out of town can come in and bend everybody's will to his own devices. It may as well be a tyranny at that point.
Osca: Thank goodness for that.
Osca: Well, it seems Controller Arat has been held up for longer than you expected.
Osca: I have to get back to my office.
Osca: I'm going to leave this, for him to look over.
Osca indicates the folder, now reposing conveniently in Arat's IN basket.
Nick: Very well. I'll make sure he sees it.
Osca has high hopes that the contents will hit Arat where it hurts: Right in the unreal-but-very-realistic-sense-of-personal-responsibility bone.
Osca: [or in other words, she has heard Arat will not tolerate a mess in his jurisdiction, and is trying to trick him into feeling this is on the edge of it]
Nick is himself feeling some unwelcome familial responsibility.
Osca: Thank you for your time. [standing]
Nick: Mayor Osca, there is one thing I might be able to do for you.
Nick: ~~ hesitant ~~
Osca: Oh?
Osca obviously is ready to hear some good news.
Nick: I will be traveling by Naros in a week or so, on my way to New Othwol.
Nick: If you would care to entrust me with a briefing on your side of the issue, I can see that it is delivered into Sectuib Riyyh's own tentacles.
Nick: What happens from there, of course, would be up to him. And you.
Osca: I appreciate it. I will see that something is sent up to you.
Osca internally rejoices as it sounds like Riyyh will safely back home within the week.
Nick tries to guess whether this offer is likely to be sufficient to get the Mayor off of Arat's neck, at least until after their transfer.
Osca leaves the office.
Nick drains his cup, then prepares to go in search of Arat.
Arat comes around the corner from the other direction at the precise wrong time to notice the retreating Osca, and goes to his office.
Arat walks in, and is relieved to find Nick there.
Nick is also ~~ relieved ~~ to see Arat.
Nick: I was just about to go looking for you.
Arat: I was detained to assist in an emergency.
Nick inspects Arat for signs of wear.
Arat comes near Nick and Nick's nager.
Arat appears somewhat tired, but nothing that a few minutes of rest won't cure.
Nick makes his nager particularly ~~ welcoming ~~
Nick: You just missed Mayor Osca.
Arat promptly leans on the welcoming nager. [thud]
Arat: Did I?
Arat: [scowls]
Arat notices the file in his basket and picks it up as he goes around to his seat.
Nick: She wanted you to stop Riyyh from lobbying on behalf of his members.
Arat notices there isn't any tea ready for him, and scowls again, then frowns at himself for wanting Nick to have made him some tea, then again for not knowing what he really wanted.
Arat: Yes, yes, I know what she wanted, it's always the same.
Arat: When will these people learn to fight their own battles?
Arat flips through the folder.
Nick takes the mayor's used cup to the sink, and takes down a clean cup for Arat.
Arat pauses at one particular page [detailing the cost in total of the delays on the hospital] and groans.
Arat: I did not want to know this.
Nick: ~~ sympathy ~~
Arat: This really isn't my jurisdiction. [insists, to nobody in particular]
Nick makes Arat a cup of tea, and sets it in front of him.
Arat: Thank you.
Nick: I know it isn't.
Arat decides he did want a cup of tea after all, and has a sip.
Nick: The Mayor seemed to feel that the problem was that Riyyh was not being provided with accurate information on the issue.
Arat: I don't doubt it. Those Coalition for Urban Resourcefulness people are shameless.
Nick: I offered to deliver a briefing to him personally, when I go by on my way to New Othwol.
Nick: That should satisfy her, at least for a week or so.
Arat, still flipping through, winces at a chart of estimated costs of moving the First Year School project to one of its more expensive alternate sites.
Arat: I hope she will be providing you with the material to bring. You won't have time to write it yourself between now and then.
Arat CERTAINLY hopes Nick didn't volunteer Arat to write it.
Arat: Or was this to be an oral briefing?
Nick: I merely offered to act as a courier. She will get whatever materials she wants to send delivered to me before I leave.
Arat nods.
Arat: Did you promise anything from me?
Nick: No, nothing.
Arat looks almost pleased.
Arat: But you were not uncooperative?
Nick: I tried not to be. I admit, much of this political maneuvering leaves me baffled.
Arat studies Nick in some concern.
Arat is not unaware that the repercussions would find him rather quickly if Nick the Rogue Donor was rude and/or uncooperative with the Mayor of Capitol.
Nick: I don't think she left angry or offended, at least.
Arat knows a half-answer when he hears/zlins one.
Arat looks just a bit apprehensive.
Arat: I'm not going to hear anything about this from higher up, am I?
Nick: I don't think so.
Arat closes the folder and hands it to Nick.
Arat: Bring this with you when you go.
Nick takes the folder.
Arat would rather not have it around, himself.
Nick: All right.
Nick: I'll pack it in with the rest of my luggage.
Nick tries to asses Arat's mood.
Arat is moody, as usual.
Nick: Arat, do you have any inescapable commitments for this evening?
Nick: ~~ tentative ~~
Arat looks at Nick in surprise.
Arat: What did you have in mind?
Nick sips his tea.
Arat has been hanging out with (or onto, if you prefer that) to Jeniard during the nights, since Nick moved out of the Sime Center. Arat and Jeniard would probably disagree on how inescapable a commitment to dinner is, though.
Nick: Well, I was hoping you'd be willing to come home with me, and have a cup of tea with my landlady. She was quite taken by you.
Arat thinks this sounds mildly interesting.
Nick is far more ~~ worried/serious ~~ than the occasion would seem to merit.
Arat ponders for a moment, without a change in expression.
Arat decides it seems fairly important to Nick, and nods.
Arat: I can... put off my other commitment.
Nick: ~~ relief ~~
Nick: Thank you.
Arat is puzzled by Nick's emotions.
Arat however cannot read minds, which is probably a good thing.
Arat: Have you already set a time?
Nick: No. I was hoping we could make it look like a spontaneous visit.
Nick: I'm worried about Gracilla, you see.
Arat: Oh?
Nick: Yes. She slipped in the bathroom the other day, moving from her wheelchair to the shower.
Nick: She claims she was just shaken up a bit, but I'm not so sure.
Nick: ~~ worry ~~
Arat nods.
Arat: It will be no trouble to examine her while I am there.
Arat can get a closer examination from a distance than many channels can on an examining table.
Nick: ~~ relief ~~
Arat wouldn't dream of being arrogant because of it, though; it's so much easier to be arrogant about everything than to pick and choose individual traits and abilities.
Nick: Thank you. She is adamant that her daughter not be told--doesn't want her taking time off from work just to take "a useless old biddy like me" to the Sime Center.
Arat frowns.
Arat has always been intolerant of familial neglect.
Nick: I am a bit reluctant to go behind Gracilla's back, unless it's necessary. Her daughter can be rather protective, and Gracilla is such an independent woman.
Arat: Perhaps you should have brought it to the attention of the daughter instead, then.
Nick: Perhaps I should have, but I hate to cause a great deal of family fuss if there isn't good cause.
Nick: If all it is, is a bit of bruising, then there's no reason not to honor Gracilla's wishes.
Arat says nothing.
Nick: Besides, you can tell more about her condition sitting across the table, than most channels could with a full lateral contact exam.
Arat: I will go with you.
Nick smiles, physically and nagerically.
Nick: Thank you.
Nick collects cape and the file from the Mayor.
Arat: I will have to tell Jeniard.
Nick also pockets the smallish Farris medkit, wishing that he had the more comprehensive medicine satchel which was lost with Snake in the avalanche.
Nick then reminds himself that if Arat finds any serious injury, Gracilla has ready access to a fully-equipped Sime Center.
Nick: Of course.
see note 1
Gracilla is watching out the window for her tenant to come home.
Gracilla is finding having a real Donor living in her house a treat: it provides a glimpse of Important Happenings, and he's such a nice young man.
Gracilla ignores the throb in her shoulder and the general stiffness, in hopes that they will go away.
Nick is careful to mask his concern with ~~ casual cheer ~~ as he and Arat near Gracilla's Victorian Monstrosity.
Arat follows Nick silently down the boardwalk.
Arat wears his usual outdoors-under-actual-sky-black-frown.
Nick is well aware that Arat can zlin through the act, but Gracilla is only a renSime.
Nick looks at Arat.
Nick: Could you try to look a little less forbidding?
Nick's nager teases with a touch of ~~ wistful humor ~~
Arat looks at Nick blankly for a moment.
Nick: Smile?
Nick: ~~ coaxing ~~
Arat's two choices for very controlled expressions are "distant" and "attentive but unreadable".
Arat's uncontrolled expressions generally come in flavors of annoyed, apprehensive, or fierce.
Arat: ["apprehensive" in Arat's case means a small dose of "dismay" mixed in with "annoyed".]
Nick remembers the Farris allergy to good humor.
Nick: Never mind.
Nick leads the way down the walk.
Arat nonetheless modifies his expression to "attentive but unreadable", which in combination with his uniform usually comes across as military discipline.
Gracilla sees Nick coming down the walk with company.
Gracilla: ~~ excited ~~
Arat notes Gracilla's lap-dog-like glee at Nick's appearance.
Gracilla starts unlocking the door, using her good hand.
Gracilla opens the door.
Gracilla: Come in, come in!
Arat does not even consider that the excitement might have anything to do with his presence, since so few people tend to react to him that way.
Nick: Hello, Gracilla!
Nick touches her with a bit of ~~ happiness ~~
Arat follows Nick, giving Gracilla a polite nod and a thorough zlin.
Arat: [not necessarily in that order]
Nick: I've brought my channel home for a cup of tea... you remember Hajene Arat, don't you?
Arat: Gracilla.
Gracilla: Of course I do! Welcome, Hajene. There's water hot for tea.
Arat will wait to say anything about the shoulder until enough time has passed that it doesn't look like Nick brought him there specifically to zlin her; it isn't anything serious enough to absolutely require immediate attention.
Nick looks at Arat, with a hint of questioning under the ~~ good cheer ~~, as they follow Gracilla towards the kitchen.
Arat makes a "not now" gesture.
Nick nods, replacing the questioning with a touch of ~~relief~~ that it is not an emergency.
Gracilla wheels herself into the kitchen and checks the kettle, which is starting to steam.
Gracilla: It will just take a moment to boil.
Gracilla: Nick, be a good boy and get down another cup for your friend.
Gracilla smiles at Arat confidingly.
Gracilla: He's such a good boy; so helpful and kind.
Gracilla meant to speak confidentially, but like many her age, is slightly hard of hearing.
Nick's eartips turn pink as he overhears.
Nick busies himself with getting the extra cup down.
Arat: Yes.
Gracilla: The house will be so empty when he's away.
Gracilla: ~~ wistful ~~
Arat would offer the roommate services of his next Donor, except that 1) he doesn't know who that will be yet, and 2) he wouldn't wish most of them on this poor old lady.
Arat: I know what you mean.
Arat appears dispassionate, but that may not be the case this time.
Arat: The office will not be the same either.
Nick takes the cup to the sink to wash it.
Gracilla: Oh, how thoughtless I'm being.
Gracilla: He's my tenant, but he's your Donor.
Gracilla: I keep forgetting that he's a lot more than just a young man who is willing to humor an old woman like me.
Arat has never been good at this game.
Arat nods.
Arat would ordinarily never tolerate dithering poor-meish maneuverings, but he is in 'passive mode' for the duration of this visit.
Nick sets the washed cup next to the others on the tea tray.
Arat: Your daughter will visit you in the meantime?
Gracilla: Oh, yes, she or my granddaughter come over two or three times a week to check on me.
Gracilla smiles brightly.
Gracilla: I do like company.
Gracilla tries to set the chair moving with its customary briskness towards the stove, and hisses as she forgets and pushes with her bad arm.
Gracilla: ~~ twinge ~~
Arat: Were you going to ask her to take you to have that arm looked at? [quietly]
Gracilla: Oh, dear.
Gracilla looks embarrassed.
Gracilla: I was hoping to wait until my transfer, to do it all at once, you know. It's only another ten days.
Arat: A broken bone should be immobilized, even for self-healing.
Arat: For best results. [adds, as an afterthought, since the first part sounded too severe]
Nick resists the urge to scold Gracilla for trying to hid her injury, and leaves handling her to Arat.
Gracilla: Broken!
Gracilla: ~~ alarm ~~
Gracilla: It was just knocked around a bit.
Arat automatically shifts his field toward ~~calming~~
Arat: It is only a hairline fracture. [concedes]
Nick drops into ~~ support ~~, the better to back Arat's efforts.
Arat: Nonetheless, it will heal more quickly if it is protected.
Arat waits until he judges her initial ~~alarm~~ is over, and then tapers off his manipulation of her field.
Gracilla: I do hate to bother my daughter. She's a dear about it, but I know how much time it takes for her to get me and my chair to the Sime Center.
Gracilla: Are you sure it's broken?
Gracilla doesn't zlin seriously doubtful, only reluctant to absorb bad news.
Arat looks at her sincerely.
Arat: As certain as I can be.
Gracilla looks very downcast.
Gracilla: It has to be immobilized, you say?
Arat: Would you rather I did it for you, or would you rather tell your daughter and go to the Sime Center?
Gracilla: You could do it here?
Gracilla: ~~ hope ~~
Arat: Do you have basic medical supplies?
Arat hopes that anybody with a regular Gen visitor would.
Arat of course hopes that anybody who lives in earthquake country would keep three weeks of Gen foodstuffs too, but Arat can't always have what he wants.
Gracilla: There are some bandages in my chest, and some wound cleaner.
Nick has, of course, a good selection of other options in the Farris medkit.
Arat's past has been such that he would never consider using the Farris medkit on anybody but himself except in the direst of emergencies.
Arat: Then, I can do it here.
Arat nods.
Gracilla: Oh, thank you, Hajene.
Nick's thanks are less audible, but very clear to zlin.
Notes:
1) Some time passes between these two scenes, during which they travel from the District Offices downtown to the Quayside area where Nick is now living. [return]