Sime~Gen Roleplaying: District Controller's Office Scenario
Episode #46: Sisterhood (7/1/99)
Clerfia bounces into Arat's office, several hours after she was given into the care of an underling for a tour.
Clerfia: Papa Arat!
Clerfia runs over to the desk.
Clerfia: ~~ excitement ~~
Arat gathers the shreds of his nerves and turns to her with as much patience as he can manage.
Arat: You really shouldn't burst in without signaling, Clerfia.
Clerfia: I saw a donation room, and a room just full of cabinets and files all over, and a lab just like a real scientist's, and....
Clerfia is forced to pause a brief moment for breath, but that doesn't stop her from dancing around.
Arat nods.
Clerfia: When can I work in a Sime Center, Papa Arat?
Arat wonders what he's going to do with a pumped-up Clerfia for the rest of the time until her mother decides to stop by.
Arat: When you're grown up, Clerfia. That isn't long now.
Clerfia: My mom says I'll be sent away when I go through changeover.
Arat: You'll require training before you can go to work. That's what you'll be sent away for.
Clerfia: Oh.
Arat: When you finish, you'll work in a Sime Center like this one.
Clerfia considers.
Clerfia: Is training like school?
Arat: Not exactly.
Arat: Somewhat.
Clerfia: I told Nesel it wasn't school, but he wouldn't listen.
Clerfia appears rather pleased to have the question settled in her favor.
Clerfia: Can I go to the place where my sister went?
Arat: We'll see when the time comes. [promises]
Arat doesn't feel particularly optimistic on that front, but then again he's scarcely in a position to be optimistic about anything right at the moment.
Clerfia: Does my sister work here now, like you do?
Arat: Not yet, but she will.
Clerfia: What will she be doing?
Clerfia has had it drilled into her thick head by the tour that channels do a lot of different things.
Arat: At first, she will be serving the other employees who work here, and helping me with the scheduling.
Arat hopes so, anyway.
Clerfia: I want to see a real transfer, Papa Arat.
Arat: You will have to ask somebody you know if they will allow you to see theirs. [explains]
Clerfia: They wouldn't let me watch--I had to stay outside.
Arat: Yes, transfer is usually done in private.
Clerfia: It's not fair. I'm going to be a channel, so I should know how it works.
Arat tries to hide his irritation, without much success.
Arat: You will be given the opportunity to learn in the future.
Clerfia cocks her head at Arat.
Clerfia: Can I watch your transfer, Papa Arat?
Arat: No. Not this time. Perhaps another month.
Clerfia: When?
Clerfia: ~~ eager but skeptical of adult promises of "another time" ~~
Arat: I don't know yet.
Clerfia pouts.
Clerfia: You don't want me to see your transfer.
Arat looks grim.
Arat: Transfer is for adults.
Arat: If you do not behave as an adult, you will not be given an adult's privileges.
Arat: You will accept that I have a good reason for saying no this time, and bide patiently until the proper time arrives.
Clerfia looks at Arat, clearly disappointed in his fatherly skills.
Clerfia: You always tell me that. But when I do act like an adult, you still say I can't do things, because I'm a child.
Arat looks tired.
Arat: If you behave correctly as a child, you will be prepared for adult responsibilities and privileges as soon as you change over.
Arat: You don't want to change over and then still be treated as a child, do you?
Clerfia: So, what you really mean is that no matter how I behave now, I still won't have the slightest chance of learning about adult things until I change over.
Clerfia tends to take a more short-term view of the matter than Arat.
Arat looks at her critically.
Clerfia looks back, with just a trace of cynicism at the games parents play.
Arat: I am not interested in discussing this with a petulant child.
Arat: I will answer your questions, but not argue about the answers.
Clerfia looks disgusted.
Arat is not impressed by her use of only the more pretentious "adult" emotions.
Arat is also not interested in compromising on the subject of a transfer which more than likely will result in one or more of the parties getting hurt.
Clerfia: Why do grown-ups always say that sort of thing, when they don't want to admit that I'm right?
Clerfia: Can't you just say, "That's right, Clerfia, absolutely nothing you can do or say will persuade me to let you see my transfer"?
Clerfia: Why do you try to bribe me with a reward you don't ever intend to deliver?
Arat just looks at her.
Arat doesn't like to play into the game of responding when other people put words in his mouth.
Clerfia: I could be a perfect grown-up in all but nager, and you still wouldn't let me see your transfer this month. Would you?
Arat: No. I already told you not this month.
Arat: As for my reference to your age, it was in response to your behavior during this conversation, not in response to your wish to see my transfer.
Clerfia: If you won't let me see your transfer, how about letting me see my sister's transfer?
Arat is getting genuinely angry with her repetitiveness.
Arat: Clerfia, what did I tell you about transfers?
Clerfia: Well, if she agrees.
Arat: Perhaps, then. But this still will not be a good month for it.
Arat isn't about to have a kid observing Snake's first Donor transfer "in captivity".
Arat has, after all, read the literature on how Snake's transfers usually go.
Clerfia: Good or not, it's likely to be the only chance I'll have for months and months.
Arat: Perhaps so.
Arat: However, safety and propriety are more important than one's personal wishes, in a Sime Center.
Arat's tone makes it clear his word is final.
Clerfia thinks that ice cream or not, this visit has been a real dud.
Clerfia: I should have gone shopping with Mom and my aunt. You don't want me to visit you at all, do you?
Arat, who is ill equipped to communicate by means of emotional blackmail and/or guilt tripping, just looks at her.
Arat finds what she says unfair, but would never permit himself to respond to such an accusation in any way.
Clerfia takes this silence as agreement, and her expressive Farris lips start to quiver.
Arat also thinks that saying the other person doesn't like you, just because they won't give you what you want, is about as spoiled as spoiled gets.
Arat rearranges a couple of papers on his desk, then looks at her again.
Arat's jaw hardens.
Arat: So far, all you have demonstrated is that you enjoy fighting for what you perceive you cannot yet have.
Arat: If you are genuinely eager to learn the craft of the channel, I would suggest reading books on anatomy and fieldwork.
Clerfia: Will you teach me?
Arat: We do not see each other enough for that. But you can learn quite a lot on your own.
Arat: If, [adds after a pause] that is what you truly want.
Clerfia finds the prospect much less appealing when it doesn't include even a little bit of the parental attention she craves.
Asial signals at the door.
Arat: It's your mother.
Clerfia goes to open the door.
Clerfia: Mom.
Asial sails into the room, completely ignoring Clerfia.
Asial: Arat, darling, how are you?
Arat: Asial. [nods]
Arat zlins Asial for signs of wear and tear and other things relatives concern themselves with.
Asial smiles brightly, hoping that her latest makeover will succeed in charming Arat.
Arat finishes zlinning her and belatedly notices the smile.
Asial has not had all that much luck in doing that, since she got pregnant with Clerfia.
Arat: I trust your day was a pleasant one?
Clerfia: Oh, yes, darling. How do you like it?
Arat attempts the difficult territory of communicating sociably with a person he never really quite had a relationship with, but now has a child with.
Clerfia puffs up her hair.
Asial: I got it done in this charming little boutique.
Asial: It was in that section of town with all the coffee shops and things.
Arat nods.
Asial: I think she's a genius, don't you?
Asial: Or do Tecton employees have a different sense of fashion?
Asial: She said that one Donor unaccountably disliked a cut she gave him, and made her ruin it by shortening the bangs.
Arat: I cannot speak for the opinions of others. [temporizes]
Asial: I ask you, how can an artist do her work if the critics come along and destroy it after her?
Arat: As you say. [agrees. sort of]
Asial: I mean, there are some styles that just require bangs.
Arat is having trouble getting around to a topic or two he'd hoped to bring up with Asial.
Arat particularly would like to give her a piece of his mind about dumping Clerfia here all day with no warning to Arat, and no provision for Clerfia's safety or occupation had Arat turned out to not be around.
Clerfia comes over and tugs on her mother's clothes, aware through long experience that this is the only way to get a word in edgewise when Asial is around.
Clerfia: Mother, can I go meet my sister?
Asial looks at Clerfia vaguely.
Asial: You don't have a sister, dear.
Asial has no intention of risking her figure again trying to remedy that, either.
Clerfia: I do, Mother. Tell her, Papa Arat.
Arat finds it difficult to believe that Asial has neither received his own written statement on the matter, or heard the gossip from all the other far-flung relatives who feed on Arat's money and scandals.
Arat: She is referring to Snake Farris.
Arat therefore concludes, at least tentatively, that Asial doesn't consider Snake a "real" sister to Clerfia.
Asial only skimmed the part of the letter that assured her that her income was safe, and then discarded the rest as irrelevant to her life.
Clerfia: She's my sister, Mother, and Papa said I could meet her if it was all right with you.
Arat: The risk, I feel, would not be great, so long as the visit were relatively brief and Clerfia behaved herself properly.
Clerfia may not be able to manipulate Arat, but she has her mother down cold.
Clerfia looks as eager and lovable as a puppy.
Asial waves a casual hand.
Asial: Go ahead, then, if you want to see her.
Asial thinks that if nothing else, the story should be good for astonishing her friends.
Clerfia gives an enchanting smile.
Clerfia: ~~ happiness ~~
Clerfia throws her arms around her mother.
Clerfia: You're the best mother in the world!
Asial beams at the flattery, and pats Clerfia on the head.
Arat's dark eyes shift back and forth between them.
Arat feels somewhat uncomfortable at viewing what to him appears to be an entirely artificial interaction.
Arat: Very well.
Arat: Tonight, or tomorrow morning?
Asial: Oh, we couldn't do it tomorrow, we've got to catch the early train.
Asial: There's a bit of time, now--Jiril won't have supper ready for another hour or so.
Asial: She's making her famous stew.
Asial, being Gen, is eager for the meal.
Arat nods.
Arat: Where shall we meet you?
Asial: Oh, I'll just go down to the gift shop. I saw the cutest little stuffed bunny there.
Arat, who had never been able to relate to stuffed animal fetishes even in children, even as a child, nonetheless is glad Asial didn't insist upon accompanying them to visit Snake.
Arat somehow doesn't think Snake and Asial would hit it off.
Arat: Then we will meet you there in a few minutes.
Asial waves negligently.
Asial: Of course, darling.
Asial takes this to mean that Clerfia is still Arat's responsibility, and happily wanders off in pursuit of cloth rodents.
Asial has never considered the contradiction between this and her loudly expressed abhorrence of the unstuffed rodents which her cat brings in occasionally.
Asial seldom ponders deep philosophical questions.
Arat, who had supposed during the conception of his first (or so he thought) child that the personality of the mother wasn't that important if they weren't to be married, learned a lesson and has since been a good deal more careful.
Arat: Come, then, Clerfia.
Clerfia happily bounces over to Arat's side.
Arat makes sure Asial is well clear of the office, then leads Clerfia down the hall in the direction of the security wing.
Clerfia is practically dancing.
Arat: Now Clerfia, it is very important that you treat Hajene Farris, your sister, with a good deal of respect.
Clerfia: ~~ excitement ~~
Clerfia: Yes, Papa Arat.
Clerfia's eyes widen as they make their way past the security precautions.
Clerfia: Is my sister in danger?
Arat thinks it would be easier to relate to Clerfia if she didn't have the emotional and mental attention span of an excitable terrier, and the manners of a four year old.
Arat: Probably not.
Arat: [reassures]
Clerfia finds this reassuring, having not thought the problem through enough to realize that if the guards aren't there to protect Snake, they are probably there to protect her visitors.
Clerfia: That's good.
Arat stops Clerfia near the secure cell door.
Arat: Wait here for a moment.
Arat disappears into the observation room to exchange a word with the people there, and get Beni's attention.
Beni notes Arat's unscheduled presence, and raises an eyebrow in question.
Beni goes over to the window.
Wise Snake pretends not to notice either one.
Arat learns that Snake has been behaving herself... well, more or less... well, hasn't been violent anyway.
Clerfia is rocking from one foot to the other.
Clerfia: ~~ eagerness/impatience/anticipation ~~
Arat gives some instructions to Snake's "team" and then gestures to Beni that he's coming in - just in case Beni has any objections.
Beni looks at Snake.
Beni: Snake, you want a visitor?
Beni feels it's only polite to ask, and would probably veto the visit if Snake showed signs of actual violence.
Wise Snake: Which one, Daddy Dearest or the rug rat lurking behind Door #1?
Beni: Rug rat?
Wise Snake points at the sliver of shadow crossing back and forth in the slit under the door.
Wise Snake: Either that or it's the world's smallest Tecton employee.
Arat returns to the door where Clerfia is waiting.
Beni tries to think of any reason why a child would be visiting Snake, and can't come up with any.
Arat: All right.
Arat retrieves the correct key and unlocks the door.
Clerfia manages to contain her squeal of delight, but only by bouncing a full six inches off the floor.
Arat isn't sure where Clerfia inherited her moments of dizzy excitement, except that it definitely wasn't him.
Arat: Remember, be quiet, polite and well mannered.
Arat doesn't feel the triplicate instruction is overdone in this particular case.
Clerfia bounces through the door.
Clerfia looks around, rejecting Beni as a possible sister-candidate.
Wise Snake: Egads! [sits bolt upright on the bed]
Clerfia: Are you my sister Snake?
Clerfia: ~~ eagerness ~~
Clerfia: You look like Papa Arat.
Clerfia: Well, except for your eyes.
Wise Snake looks at Clerfia in continued surprise.
Clerfia: I always wanted a sister.
Arat: Wise Snake. [nods]
Arat: Beni.
Beni gives Arat a "what the shen is going on?" look.
Beni is, however, an adult, and is therefore able to postpone his questions for later.
Wise Snake: Good grief. It's the spawn of the train station marauders meets late pre-adolescence.
Arat meets Beni's eyes with a determinedly neutral expression.
Clerfia looks confused, but draws closer.
Wise Snake eyes Clerfia with a typically Snakish measuring stare.
Clerfia has never been all that good with multi-syllabic words, not having heard a lot of them at home.
Arat: Wise Snake, meet Clerfia. Your... half sister.
Arat: Clerfia, Wise Snake Farris.
Clerfia politely holds out a hand for a fingertip touch.
Clerfia: Pleased to meet you, Snake.
Clerfia is, if anything, understating her happiness at having her longed-for sister at last.
Clerfia should, perhaps, have paid more attention to some of those doom-and-gloom proverbs, such as "Be careful what you ask for; you might get it".
Wise Snake looks at the hand momentarily, as if Clerfia had offered her a large squid, then gazes at Clerfia's face again.
Clerfia looks back.
Clerfia: Did your mother have white eyes like you? Papa Arat's are dark.
Arat places a protective hand on Clerfia's shoulder: It's actually a warning that her question was too personal, but indirectly protective as well.
Wise Snake examines Clerfia's quality of dress, general health, etc.
Clerfia's clothes are sturdy, if rather rumpled and dirty in spots from the day's activities. Her health is good, a skinned knee aside.
Wise Snake: Wouldn't you like to know. [snorts]
Wise Snake: You don't live with him, do you.
Wise Snake: Your father. You may as well not even be related to him.
Clerfia: I see him sometimes....
Clerfia: Well, a couple of times a year. We don't live very close.
Wise Snake meets Arat's eyes with a cool cynicism.
Wise Snake: They're all like that, aren't they?
Arat says nothing, refusing to rise to the bait.
Clerfia: Well, some of my friends have fathers who live with them.
Clerfia believes in being scrupulously honest with sisters.
Wise Snake: Ummh.
Wise Snake rolls off the bed and walks over to the glass wall, then leans against it with total disregard for the observers behind it.
Clerfia: I always wanted a brother or sister.
Wise Snake: Really.
Clerfia: Do you have any other brothers or sisters?
Clerfia has realized the possibility of getting more than one sibling out of this meeting, preferably one young enough to play with her.
Wise Snake: A half-brother. But he's gone.
Wise Snake's tentacles lash as she looks away.
Clerfia: Gone?
Clerfia: ~~ sorrow/sympathy ~~
Clerfia: That's even worse than never having a brother or sister at all.
Wise Snake: Well, this is cheerful. [growls]
Wise Snake: Where is your mother?
Wise Snake: Do I get to meet her too?
Clerfia: She's buying a rabbit.
Beni moved discreetly closer to Snake at the growl, and started to offer ~~ soothing support ~~
Clerfia: A stuffed one. At the gift shop.
Wise Snake: Umm.
Clerfia: She likes stuffed animals.
Clerfia: She came to Capitol to shop, so that's why I spent the day here, with Papa Arat.
Clerfia: She got her hair done, but it looks funny.
Wise Snake stares at Clerfia; her own hair looks pretty funny, although not any funnier than Clerfia's own.
Arat: We should rejoin your mother, Clerfia.
Clerfia's expressive Farris face crumples with disappointment, but she manages to hold her tongue, not willing to get a scolding for childish behavior in front of her new sister.
Clerfia runs over to Snake and throws both arms around her in an enthusiastic bear hug.
Clerfia: Goodbye, Snake. I'm glad you're my sister.
Wise Snake stiffens in surprise, but permits the hug.
Wise Snake: OK.... OK, there.
Wise Snake finds the intense reaction surprising in a kid as old as Clerfia.
Wise Snake pats her shoulder.
Clerfia: Can I come and visit you again, when I come back to Capitol next time?
Wise Snake: I don't see why not, if I'm still here.
Clerfia decides to leave a request to view Snake's transfer for a time when Arat isn't around.
Clerfia: I'll send you a letter when I get back home.
Wise Snake: I'll, um, be sure to read it.
Wise Snake has been known to answer letters, although not reliably.
Wise Snake: [and certainly not legibly!]
Clerfia hasn't ever been much for letter writing, since Arat is really the only likely correspondent she has, but is willing to make the effort for a sister.
Clerfia lets Snake go and runs for the door.
Arat nods to Snake and Beni.
Clerfia struggles with the handle, trying to turn it.
Clerfia: The door is broken!
Arat: Let me do it. [turning to her]
Arat unlocks and opens the door.
Clerfia runs through it.
Arat leaves also and the door closes.
Wise Snake stares after them in lingering disbelief.
Wise Snake: That was... brief.