Sime~Gen Roleplaying: District Controller's Office Scenario
Episode #43: Difficult Visits (6/23/99)
Messenger signals at Arat's office door. 1
Messenger is dressed in Lightning Delivery's uniform.
Arat: Enter!
Messenger opens the door and does so, grinning broadly.
Messenger: A very good day to you, Controller Arat.
Arat looks wary.
Messenger: I have a message for you from young Nick Reckage.
Arat nods, and reaches for the message.
Messenger holds out an epistle.
Messenger: I must say, it gave me a jolt to see him in Tecton uniform.
Messenger: ~~ amusement ~~
Arat looks at the messenger narrowly.
Messenger is only recently in uniform, himself.
Arat: Was there anything else?
Messenger pulls out a second letter.
Messenger: I've got another one for Nick's fair lady.
Messenger: I promised I'd set it in her dainty tentacles personally.
Messenger: ~~ charm ~~
Messenger has always been good on charm, when he cares to.
Arat: I am afraid I cannot allow that.
Arat's manner is very reserved, with a hint of offense at the ~ charm ~.
Arat: However, I can see that the letter is passed along to her.
Arat still hasn't decided whether this guy is just a wiseass, or if he actually knows Snake and Nick as well.
Messenger: What? But what harm could it do? Surely the young lady is pining for visitors.
Arat, who is not used to being argued with by mere messengers, simply looks at the man.
Messenger: And young Nick was most insistent that I bring him a personal report of her condition.
Messenger is eager to claim the large bonus Nick offered for such information.
Arat: I cannot allow it. [repeats]
Messenger sees his hopes of the bonus fading.
Arat's arrogance, reserve, and frankly, his combination of protectiveness toward Snake and desire to protect the rest of the Center from the consequences of having her there, prevent him from feeling any sympathy whatsoever for the messenger's feelings of loss.
Messenger: Is the young lady's condition so serious, then? Nick didn't say she was contagious.
Messenger: She was so kind and helpful to me....
Arat begins to become somewhat impatient.
Messenger is starting to get concerned for Snake, apart from issues of bonus.
Arat: If you wish to write a letter of your own, I will pass it along as well.
Arat makes a mental note to tonguelash Security for letting this joker, who is obviously not a real messenger, get through to him directly.
Messenger: To be sure.
Messenger is starting to wonder if even Nick's letter will actually reach Snake, if she is being guarded so closely.
Arat hasn't had to worry about assassins as much in recent years, but Snake and Pylor have gotten him rather paranoid in the past couple of weeks.
Messenger looks around for paper and writing utensils.
Messenger appropriates a sheet of Center stationary and pen from Arat's desk and sits down to compose a note.
Arat resents this entire exchange greatly, of course.
Arat tries to go back to work, but is far too conscious of the person sitting in his office.
Arat considers going down and scaring shen out of the head of security as soon as this person is out of the door.
Messenger's high field doesn't help to make him unobtrusive.
Messenger truly morns the loss of Snake from the ranks of rogue channels, as he has not been able to locate as competent and thorough a replacement.
Messenger signs the note with a flourish, then appropriates some sealing wax and makes sure the flap is properly closed.
Messenger then hands both messages to Arat.
Messenger: There you are. Please give the little lady my fond greetings.
Arat nods.
Messenger hopes that the verbal message will be passed on eventually, even if the written one is confiscated.
Messenger has, of course, not written anything incriminating in the note, under the assumption that it will be read by Arat or someone else before Snake sees it.
Arat places the messages in a drawer for safekeeping.
Messenger: I'll be on my way, then.
Messenger figures that if he changes into some less conspicuous clothes, he can still manage to find a friendly game and make up at least some of the forfeited bonus.
Messenger heads off to investigate the possibilities.
Beni comes to make his daily check up on Arat, cunningly disguised as a report on Snake.
Arat waits until the messenger is gone, then re-opens the drawer and examines the outside of the letter from Nick, to see if it's really Nick's writing.
Beni signals, as he is not officially assigned to Arat and thus does not have the customary Donor's privilege to walk in on him.
Arat: Come!
Beni enters with a ~~ welcoming ~~ nager.
Arat replaces the letter - which does have Nick's handwriting on the outside - and closes the drawer.
Arat: Sosu Beni.
Beni: Good morning, Controller Arat.
Beni assesses Arat's general condition.
Arat is following the recent trend, that is to say, more tense and irritable than each previous checkup.
Beni sighs, and offers ~~ comfort ~~
Arat looks at Beni guardedly, then after a moment decides to accept the offer.
Beni goes to sit down as closely as he can, without appropriating the official Donor's chair.
Beni: Hajene Snake continues to make progress.
Arat listens carefully.
Beni: She is having more frequent entran attacks as her general health improves, however.
Beni: It doesn't improve her temper, either.
Beni: ~ wry ~
Arat: Has her behavior improved?
Arat has no intention of exposing anybody, even Center employees, to violence.
Arat will not allow Snake to work if she continues to threaten violence, or even talk about it.
Beni: She hasn't threatened me, or the other people on the team.
Arat just looks at Beni, since a person doesn't have to zlin to know that is a half answer.
Beni sighs.
Beni: She's irritable, and sees no reason to be polite to the people holding her prisoner..
Beni: However, as I said, she hasn't shown signs of doing anything worse than simple rudeness.
Arat: Perhaps it is time that I make another personal visit.
Arat hasn't since the fateful (and scandal-raising, and friendship-wrecking) news came out, and is painfully aware that he has been procrastinating criminally.
Beni: That would be a good test of her willingness to cooperate.
Arat thinks it will be a good test of whether Snake is actually homicidal or not.
Arat nods.
Beni is not at all sure Snake will pass the test.
Beni: Would... would you like me to accompany you?
Beni is fairly sure that Snake won't try to damage him, which would give him an advantage if things get nasty.
Arat: You will accompany her. I will have [the barest of hesitations implying it's hard for him to get the word out] Pylor.
Arat does not accompany Pylor to meals, an arrangement which seems to agree with them both.
Beni nods.
Arat has in fact done very little in the way of eating, sleeping, etc. since Nick left, partly because Pylor doesn't do a good job of enforcing it, and partly just because being assigned to Pylor makes him lose his appetite and gives him insomnia.
Pylor chooses this moment to come back from his "break".
Pylor notes with some annoyance Arat's preference for Beni's company.
Pylor does, however, nod with at least minimal courtesy to them both.
Arat: We are going to visit Wise Snake Farris in a moment. [to Pylor]
Pylor: Snake?
Arat removes the 2 letters, unseals them both, looks them over, and refolds them again.
Pylor's dislike for rogues wars with his satisfaction at Snake's incarceration.
Arat puts them in a pocket, intending to hand them to her personally if he gets the chance. If he doesn't, he'll give them to Beni to pass on later.
Arat looks at Pylor, zlinning the dislike/satisfaction.
Pylor moves to his place at Arat's side.
Beni excuses himself, and takes a short cut to the security wing.
Beni exchanges a brief word with the leader of the security team, who agrees to delay Arat for a few minutes if possible.
Beni then enters Snake's cell, hoping that she is in a reasonable mood.
Beni: Snake?
Wise Snake is lying on her bed, such as it is, avoiding staring at the ceiling only by virtue of the fact that a "Channel's Monthly" is held at arms' length toward it.
Beni: ~~ support ~~
Wise Snake lets the magazine fall somewhere, and sits up.
Wise Snake: Shen, that's some boring stuff.
Wise Snake accepts Beni's support.
Wise Snake: What has you in such a knot?
Beni: You have a visitor.
Beni: Controller Arat.
Beni: He wants to check your state of mind for himself, before approving you to work.
Wise Snake looks surprised.
Wise Snake: Work?
Beni: Yes. With staff members only, at least to start.
Beni: Surely you'd prefer that to entran outfunctions?
Beni: ~~ encouragement ~~
Wise Snake: You mean he's not coming to see me about where the hell he was during the first fifteen years of my life???
Wise Snake: ~~growing rage~~
Wise Snake: Entran bedamned!
Beni: Snake, please!
Beni: ~~~ CALM ~~~
Wise Snake: Are you telling me that ... [pauses, then voice lowers as Beni goes to work] ... that coward is going to try to pretend nothing ever happened? That I'm just his prisoner?
Wise Snake begins pacing restlessly.
Beni: Snake, I don't know what he plans to do about...your relationship.
Beni: You'll have to ask him yourself.
Wise Snake: Oh, don't you worry, I plan to do that. [fumes]
Beni: But please, do it as calmly as you can.
Beni keeps up the calming support, with a bit of ~ pleading ~
Wise Snake: Calmly? Is calm what you'd be in my place??
Beni: No, I don't think I could be calm. Not entirely.
Beni: ~~ honest ~~
Wise Snake thinks Nick would understand.
Wise Snake: [or at least, the old Nick would.]
Wise Snake is not so sure about the new version.
Beni: But still, you can't get answers from Controller Arat if he's fighting off your attack.
Wise Snake continues to pace, passing in and out of Beni's core of influence, which keeps her reasonably calm. For her.
Wise Snake: Like hell I can't.
Wise Snake knows she can't get answers out of him by strangling him either, but it would sure give her a good deal of pleasure.
Beni: Snake, if you attack him, I'll have to stop you. Please, don't make me do that.
Beni steps up the ~~ pleading ~~
Wise Snake mutters darkly to herself, and stops pacing.
Wise Snake: What in shen can I do to him through a glass wall, anyway?
Wise Snake: The bloody coward won't even talk to me face to face.
Wise Snake: Why start now, I suppose, after all this time?
Wise Snake glares at the window, which currently has nobody behind it.
Wise Snake pauses, looking at it.
Wise Snake: Where are they all?
Wise Snake doesn't know about Beni's delay request.
Beni tries to ~~ soothe ~~ the bitterness, a task made more difficult by his sympathy for Snake's position.
Beni: I, er, came on ahead.
Beni: They will be here shortly.
Wise Snake: He sent you ahead to take the edge off me, eh? [bitterly]
Wise Snake: Coward.
Wise Snake sits down on the bed suddenly.
Beni sits next to Snake, hoping that his field will be up to the coming interview.
Beni: He didn't send me. I just didn't wait for him.
Wise Snake sits looking at the empty window.
Wise Snake: He's still a coward.
Beni maintains a prudent silence.
Arat meanwhile is having trouble getting past outer door.
Arat has gotten hung up in conversation with a guard who is earnestly telling him of the many compliments bestowed upon the 53rd District Office and its security system at a security seminar the guard had recently gone to.
Pylor would have thought that the guard would have picked a better time and place for communicating this information.
Pylor understands, however, that security types tend to have a certain professional disregard for personal danger.
Arat finally manages to talk the guy into writing this up and submitting it to him via the usual channels.
Arat when he finally gets past the guy, goes to the door to Snake's prison instead of the observation window room.
Arat fishes for the appropriate key, which believe it or not, he keeps on his person, like all proper supervillains.
Pylor is a bit alarmed, having become well acquainted with the excellence of Snake's dentition over the past week or so.
Pylor: Do you think it's wise to go into the cell before you've ascertained the prisoner's state of mind?
Pylor: ~~ nervous ~~
Pylor: What if she attacks you again?
Arat pauses.
Arat really wishes Pylor hadn't had to verbalize his fears for him.
Arat's lips form a hard line, and he resolutely goes through the door.
Pylor manages to plausibly hold back a pace, to keep Arat between himself and Snake.
Beni is a bit ~ surprised ~ as Arat enters the cell, instead of the observation room, but steps up his ~~ CALM/support ~~ in hopes that Snake will take his earlier advice to heart.
Wise Snake jumps as the door opens, then jumps up to face it.
Beni sets one hand lightly on her shoulder.
Arat stops as Snake jumps up.
Wise Snake takes a moment to recover from her surprise, and then almost... almost... flings herself at Arat with both hands outstretched in a manner suitable for strangulation.
Wise Snake and Arat just stare at each other for a few moments.
Beni's grip on Snake's shoulder tightens, then he gradually shows his ~~ approval ~~ of her restraint.
Pylor peeks around Arat to see if it's safe yet.
Arat stands very still, rather like someone does when confronted by a very large dog of uncertain disposition.
Wise Snake's eyes gradually travel over to Pylor.
Wise Snake zlins him in some surprise.
Pylor swallows as the pale eyes rest on him.
Pylor: ~~ unnerved ~~
Pylor wishes that Arat had allowed an observer to watch through the window, if he insists on being in the cell.
Wise Snake: Is that what they've given you? Egads, you've been punished enough.
Pylor is ~~ offended ~~ at the insult.
Beni, however, finds it ~~ amusing ~~
Wise Snake's violent tendencies subside.
Arat blinks, surprised more than anything else.
Arat: Hajene Farris.... Wise Snake.
Arat: I know we are long overdue for a, a face to face discussion.
Pylor ~~ fumes ~~ silently, further eroding his always-marginal (by Farris standards) support.
Wise Snake: No shit.
Beni does his best to steady Snake, in hopes that the promised face-to-face encounter will not become just that--literally.
Wise Snake gives him a thorough once over, visually and nagerically, since this is the first time she's really gotten a chance to.
Wise Snake: So. Is it true? [demands]
Beni wonders how anyone can doubt, now that he sees them together for the first time.
Arat had known, after receiving one or two replies to his letters.
Arat particularly has no doubt now that he's had a better chance to look at her; the face is near enough to the one he has to look at in the mirror every day, to make one lose sleep.
Arat sighs.
Arat: Yes, it is.
Wise Snake feels a strange mixture of emotions.
Beni works to make sure that calm and peace are among them, wishing that Pylor would get ahold of himself and reinforce Beni's efforts.
Pylor just wishes that he were elsewhere--particularly if "elsewhere" was collecting on the betting pool on Snake's parentage.
Arat: I... want you to know that those who prevented me from knowing of your existence will be punished.
Pylor is well aware that there are plenty of skeptics, largely because rather few of the bettors have actually seen Snake in person.
Arat: And that I do consider you a daughter, and I am prepared to offer you whatever resources and support you feel are your due as a daughter.
Arat's manner is painfully dignified, although his nager, from Snake's perspective, betrays some of the tormented self-flagellation and anger towards the others that he is trying to hide.
Wise Snake finds what she zlins unpleasant, so she studies Pylor again.
Wise Snake doesn't like what she zlins there either, but it is so much less... personal.
Arat senses that Snake's attention is wandering, and it unnerves him.
Arat doesn't know Snake well enough to understand that this is a way she avoids things she can't deal with at the moment.
Pylor senses that Snake's attention has fixed on him, and prepares to duck.
Wise Snake frowns.
Wise Snake: You... go stand over there.
Wise Snake: [points]
Pylor is so intimidated by Snake's odd glare that he actually obeys.
Arat aborts a nervous glance after the departing Pylor in favor of keeping his eyes on Snake.
Arat tries to keep his body language and nager as unprovoking as possible: Dignified yet not a threat.
Wise Snake zlins Pylor alone, thoughtfully, and then turns back to Arat.
Wise Snake: Holy shen, what has this guy done to you?
Wise Snake: Don't tell me Nick left you in this state. I know Nick better than that.
Wise Snake dares anybody to besmirch Nick's name or, more to the point, her training of him.
Arat stiffens automatically, but says nothing.
Pylor ~~ resents ~~ this casual contempt of his abilities by a criminal, particularly since there's a grain of truth to it.
Arat feels like a none-too-clean test tube on display in the lab, and recalls his attempts to get into Zeor with less than fond memories.
Pylor is well aware that he isn't doing Arat any good, and he isn't used to having such trouble with his channels.
Wise Snake turns around and zlins Beni up and down.
Beni looks at Snake calmly.
Wise Snake's eyes are shining weirdly.
Beni lets his ~~ approval ~~ of Snake's current behavior show.
Beni does not, of course, let his nager even hint at engaging Arat's field, much as he is sure that Arat would appreciate support just now.
Wise Snake: Get him the hell out of my sight. And while you're at it, talk him into switching your assignment with dickwad's there. I don't need someone like you for sitting around staring at the ceiling, and it's obvious this fellow's not living up to his nager.
Wise Snake looks at Beni steadily, daring him to not take the order.
Beni is ~~ astonished ~~ at this combination of total rejection of Arat's company, while offering him her Donor.
Beni wonders if the alleged dependency of Nick on Snake goes both ways.
Arat shifts his weight as he watches Beni and Wise Snake.
Beni decides that it is best to allow Snake at least token control of her surroundings.
Arat is more interested to see what happens than anything else.
Beni turns to Arat.
Beni: She's right, you know. You're not in particularly good shape, just now.
Beni takes a step towards Arat, letting his support of Snake dwindle.
Wise Snake takes advantage of Beni's distraction to cast her eyes over in Pylor's direction.
Wise Snake's lips move in the words, "you're mine now" as her eyes suggest she is looking forward to seeing how close a match he is to her nagerically.
Pylor backs a bit further away, eyes widening at this roguish behavior.
Arat is tempted, but knows Pylor can't hold his own with this channel and isn't prepared to be responsible for what might happen.
Pylor casts a desperate look at Arat.
Arat: She is right. However, we will wait until next month before we see about a switch.
Arat: ~firmly~
Arat meets Snake's eyes.
Pylor has been having nightmares about this sort of situation since he arrived at this Center and heard the stories of Snake's attack of Arat.
Wise Snake resents it, but the amusement factor of having scared the pants off Pylor has mollified her somewhat.
Pylor is only provisionally reassured by Arat's refusal to surrender him immediately.
Wise Snake: Whatever you say. Father. ~~a thousand nageric inflections, many of them unpleasant~~
Arat decides it is time to leave.
Wise Snake: I suppose letting me go doesn't fall under the umbrella of fatherly "resources and support"?
Arat: No. It doesn't. [trying to hide his increasing tension]
Arat: I am sorry, I must go now. Pylor, come.
Pylor for once hastens to obey Arat's orders.
Pylor: ~~ relief ~~
Snake: Yeah, run to daddy you incompetent little worm. [mutters under her breath]
Beni resumes his ~~ support ~~ of Snake.
Arat: Do not hesitate to call for me if you... wish to speak to me.
Arat turns and flees the room in as dignified a fashion as is possible with Pylor in tow.
Beni returns to Snake's side, looking after Arat thoughtfully.
Wise Snake: He's actually scared of me. [looking at the closed door]
Wise Snake says this as if she hasn't been calling Arat a coward for the last 2 weeks.
Beni: I don't think I've ever seen him so... unsettled.
Wise Snake: He grabbed his Donor and ran like a rabbit.
Wise Snake had thought any father of hers would be, well, a bit more forceful.
Wise Snake has to respect him a little bit for refusing the better Donor and protecting his own, though.
Wise Snake thinks it seems appropriately, if misguidedly, Farris.
Beni: Did you have to go after Pylor like that?
Beni: ~~ amused ~~
Wise Snake considers.
Wise Snake: It seemed to work.
Beni: He's not up to working with a Farris channel, really, even when he's not upset.
Beni: And he's terrified of rogues.
Wise Snake: He seems to have the nager for it, if he'd bother using it like he means it.
Wise Snake ignores the bit about being terrified of rogues, since being terrified of her is scarcely evidence of being scared of rogues in general.
Beni: I think he was assigned to Arat the first time in hopes that he could be trained to Farris standards.
Beni: It wasn't a successful experiment.
Beni: I'm sure he was only reassigned to Arat because there was no one else available.
Wise Snake: Some people are better users than teachers.
Wise Snake: So. Aren't you going to congratulate me on not poking out those two beady black eyes and choking him with his own ponytail?
Wise Snake: Don't tell me I wasn't thinking about it.
Wise Snake actually had kind of forgotten about it, after the first few minutes.
Beni chuckles.
Wise Snake just doesn't have the heart to murder somebody who isn't a criminal per se.
Beni: Your self-control did you credit.
Beni bows acknowledgment.
Wise Snake: Thank you. [too dignified for realism - possibly an imitation of Arat]
Wise Snake: As was yours in not flinging yourself all over him before I told you to.
Wise Snake: Don't bother denying it, it was perfectly obvious.
Wise Snake does not appear angry.
Beni: I have been slipping in to help him a bit, when Pylor is eating.
Beni doesn't appear as guilty as perhaps he should at this confession.
Wise Snake: Ummmh.
Arat strides away from the security area, unable to conceal his shaking with reaction.
Arat scarcely notices Pylor at his side.
Pylor can't help, since he is shaking as well.
Pylor: How could you even think of assigning me to her?
Arat: It was her idea, not mine.
Arat in fact would love to foist the hack off on her, except that she'd all too likely murder him and Arat's career would go down the tubes as a result.
Pylor: But you didn't refuse her!
Pylor is well aware of how desperately Arat wants to get rid of him.
Arat: Don't be ridiculous, she's mentally unstable. Did you want me to set her off?
Arat: [irritable]
Arat: I'm not going to assign you away, not now.
Arat dearly wishes he could, but isn't stupid enough to say so aloud.
Pylor had never thought he'd be glad to hear such a promise from Arat, of all channels.
Pylor: She'd murder me.
Pylor: ~~ conviction ~~
Arat actually stops in the hallway as he is nearly overcome by a longing for Beni's nager, or perhaps Nick's, or even... no, not Jeniard. Not any more.
Pylor: You saw the way she was zlinning me--like a black snake about to pounce on a hapless mouse.
Arat can't bear to hear Pylor's whining voice any more.
Arat: Yes, I was there. Now would you shut up about it!
Arat wishes Pylor could be some help in getting his fields together, but sadly this is not the case.
Pylor's mouth closes abruptly.
Arat starts walking again, continuing doggedly toward his office which is at least well-insulated compared to the hallway.
Pylor follows, hoping for time to drink a relaxing cup of tea before the next disaster strikes.
Pylor would not put it past Arat to ensure that said disaster happens: He has observed that Farris channels seem to find emergencies relaxing.
Seruffin waits, a tad impatiently, in Arat's office.
Arat walks into his office, fully planning on throwing himself into the chair and pretending the world doesn't exist for as long as it takes to get his fields into shape and, basically, stop freaking out.
Arat stops short in utter surprise.
Arat: Controller Seruffin!
Seruffin sits up with ~ alarm ~ at Arat's disordered fields.
Arat isn't doing very well on his plan to stop freaking out.
Seruffin: Arat, what's happened to you?
Arat clamps down on control of his showfield, hiding the disarray.
Seruffin gestures for Pylor to attend Arat.
Arat belatedly grabs Pylor's arm, more for appearance's sake than anything else.
Pylor hesitates, then offers the best ~~ support ~~ he can, under the circumstances.
Arat: I have been to speak to Wise Snake Farris. There was a... disturbance.
Arat: No harm was done, however.
Seruffin appears relieved.
Seruffin: What is her current condition?
Arat lets go of Pylor's arm and walks around his desk to take his chair.
Arat sits down in a dignified fashion rather than flinging himself into it like a drowning man at a life preserver.
Arat: [possibly because he hasn't yet found the surface of the water so to speak]
Pylor follows, trying to maintain appearances.
Pylor finds it rather difficult, since it is an unrehearsed role for him.
Arat finds Pylor's clumsy attempts at roleplaying distracting.
Arat: She is much improved.
Arat: She demonstrated a willingness to control herself and an ability, at least part of the time, to perform a channel's natural functions.
Arat can't say she demonstrated much civility, except in comparison to their very first meeting.
Seruffin: You have her working?
Arat: Not yet, but I would like to get her working as soon as it is safe to do so.
Seruffin: Safety, yes. That's always an issue in these situations.
Pylor quite agrees.
Arat wishes Pylor didn't have to agree so loudly.
Seruffin: What do you have in mind for her?
Arat has altered his idea of what would be good in the short time since the conversation today.
Arat: I would like to start her out doing diagnoses and assignment matching.
Arat holds up a hand to forestall any arguments. "I realize that won't help her entran, but it could be started safely sooner than transfers and donations."
Arat thinks, and it would satisfy part of what Snake needs right now.
Seruffin: Assignment matching? And you'd allow her access to patients?
Seruffin: Isn't that a bit risky?
Arat: Retraining a rogue at all is risky.
Arat meets Seruffin's eyes.
Seruffin nods agreement.
Seruffin: True, but it's one thing to take the risk oneself, as you did with Nick Reckage. To risk our patients is something else entirely.
Arat shakes his head.
Arat: It will be only Tecton employees, to begin with.
Arat: My employees, to be precise.
Seruffin: You will make sure that she is under observation?
Seruffin: And that the sessions take place in the security wing?
Arat: Of course.
Seruffin: Are you sure that you wish to continue the case? Under the circumstances, no one would fault you if you decided that you were unable to maintain the necessary objectivity.
Seruffin zlins ~~ concerned for Arat ~~, not accusatory or belittling.
Arat gives him a look suspiciously like a sad Borzoi, and very un-Arat like.
Arat: I think if I am ever to gain her respect, I must remain on this case.
Seruffin: I see.
Seruffin: Well, if that is what you want, I'll let you continue, for now.
Arat in fact would very much like for this whole thing to have never happened, starting with the bit that happened in the train station in Bender Cove, but we can't always get what we want, can we?
Seruffin: How is Reckage coming along? He'd be in New Othwol by now, wouldn't he?
Arat: Nick is doing well. He is... adjusting to working with another channel.
Seruffin: I was concerned that Wise Snake's capture would set his progress back.
Arat nods.
Arat: Nick... of course had some conflicting feelings when it happened.
Arat: But he never disobeyed my orders either during her attack of me or afterward, and he did go to New Othwol.
Arat won't say Nick didn't try to talk him out of the assignment, however.
Arat: I think he cares for her, and he does know she couldn't have survived long in her previous condition and surroundings.
Seruffin: Has he expressed an interest in pledging yet?
Arat has been told more than once he wouldn't have survived the same conditions himself for more than two weeks.
Arat: He has expressed an interest, but at the time he left for New Othwol, he said he felt it is too soon.
Arat: It is possible he will not be willing to pledge until Wise Snake is.
Seruffin tuts in mild displeasure.
Arat personally thinks it will come sooner than that, but feels it is his duty to let Seruffin know the worst.
Seruffin nods, a bit unhappily.
Seruffin: It is a bit...awkward, politically, to have a rogue working as a Donor without the usual assurances.
Arat realizes this.
Arat: Of course.
Seruffin: And this exclusive limits his usefulness as well.
Arat thinks when Nick was first brought in, nobody was even sure Arat could prove him trainable, and he did.
Seruffin: I'm not going to break it, mind you, not with the situation as delicate as it is. Still, the sooner you can get both of our rogues tamed and pledged, the better.
Arat's chest muscles relax; they'd tensed up without his knowledge when the exclusive had been mentioned.
Arat: I will endeavor to do so to the best of my ability.
Seruffin nods shortly, then rises.
Seruffin: I'll leave you to it, then.
Seruffin is almost to the door when he pauses and turns back.
Arat looks up at him.
Seruffin: And get some sleep!
Seruffin turns without waiting for a reply, and leaves.
Arat looks after him for a moment, and then bends over and puts his forehead on the desk.
Arat supposes he shouldn't be surprised that his awful week is turning into an awful month.
Notes:
1) Although he is not named here, the messenger is Plig, a customer of Snake's in Bender Cove and on the road since. [return]