Sime~Gen Roleplaying: District Controller's Office Scenario
Episode #50: Administrative Aide (7/16/99)
Devera walks into a plush outer office with thick carpet and tastefully decorated selyn-insulated walls. As the door closes behind her, Devera feels the isolation of the rooms nageric feel from the rest of the building.
Devera takes a seat and waits.
Devera looks at the plants, admiring the blooms.
Devera crosses her hands in her lap.
Tayla pops in the door, not realizing anybody is sitting in there.
Tayla is a perky general-class Gen of about 20 natal years.
Tayla: Oh!
Devera is a young Sime of 25
Tayla: I didn't see... er... [becomes more interested when she realizes she doesn't know this person]
Devera: Good afternoon. I'm the Controller's new assistant, Devera.
Tayla: You are??
Tayla looks in both directions.
Tayla: You haven't met him yet, have you? [stage whisper]
Tayla's nager takes on a definite tinge of ill-concealed pity and concern.
Devera frowns, stands, looks around.
Devera: No....
Devera: You are expecting me, aren't you?
Tayla: Oh, I'm just a clerk. I came to drop this mail off.
Tayla offers Devera the pile she is carrying.
Devera takes the pile in her handling tentacles and moves toward the desk in the corner, hidden behind a few planters.
Tayla follows.
Devera: Is there anyone who could show me the current procedures?
Tayla had heard there was a new assistant, and also heard there was a betting pool on how long the lady would last before running screaming out of the building.
Devera smiles warmly.
Tayla: Oh... well, I can try!
Tayla is flustered.
Tayla: But, er, don't take anything I say as gospel. Arat is very particular about paperwork.
Tayla doesn't think "anal retentive" is a term one uses with the new employees on their first day.
Devera: You are so very helpful, Tayla. Is there anything else you need to do? Or can you help me?
Devera gives the impression of an island of calm in the office.
Tayla is taken in by Devera's calm manner and believes, quite without reason, that nothing bad could possibly happen.
Devera zlins the hesitancy and offers an out.
Devera: But I would understand, of course, if you have other things that must be done.
Tayla hesitates, torn between finding out more about Devera and getting caught here when Devera's new boss shows up.
Tayla: I could help for a while. [smiles]
Devera moves behind the desk and starts looking in drawers.
Devera smiles at Tayla as though she could not believe that anyone else would have done as well.
Tayla: You know, I think this is the first time anybody's used this office in two years.
Tayla: Arat doesn't even use that, except for special occasions. [points to the closed inner-office door]
Tayla: His real office is on the 5th floor.
Devera frowns briefly.
Devera: I wonder why I was directed here.
Tayla: In fact, I heard this is the first time he's ever had an administrative assistant working for him directly, at least not while he's been District Controller.
Tayla wonders what sadist put this particular scheme in motion.
Tayla: I guess it must be because of what happened last month. [decides]
Devera settles on the corner of the desk with an open, inquiring look.
Devera: Last month?
Devera: What happened last month?
Tayla: What didn't!
Tayla: First they caught that awful monster Snake Farris, and she turned out to be Arat's daughter, and then they reassigned Jeniard and brought him back... and that awful Pylor!
Tayla shudders.
Devera listens.
Tayla actually thinks Pylor is cute, but wouldn't want anybody else to know that.
Tayla of course is unaware that her explanation is less than explanatory.
Devera nods understandingly, encouragingly.
Tayla: And the transfer was so bad, Arat was in bed for 5 days afterward... and came out vowing to reform Pylor, and Snake, and Nick too.
Tayla: Nick doesn't really need any reforming though, [concludes thoughtfully]
Devera: Five days? The poor man!
Tayla: He's OK now though. [reassures her]
Tayla: It's usually much less eventful around here.
Tayla: Lots of paperwork, and filing, and such, and scheduling of course....
Tayla has started to worry about what might happen if Devera tells Arat Tayla was talking about him.
Devera smiles warmly, and gestures at desk. "Any ideas how the work is sorted around here?"
Devera: Perhaps we should start bringing down files from the fifth floor?
Tayla looks horrorstruck.
Tayla: Well... maybe....?
Devera: If this is to be the new office, that would make sense.
Tayla: Ummm... well yes, perhaps, er,
Devera: But perhaps we shouldn't until I get a clearer understanding of what the Controller wants.
Tayla: Yes, I think you're right. [confidently]
Tayla: Well I can at least show you where the upstairs office is.
Devera: So, where are you from, Tayla? [Moves to follow Tayla from room]
Pylor is pacing the more obscure halls of the Sime Center, trying to avoid Arat for as long as possible.
Tayla leads Tayla out the door.
Tayla: Oh, I'm from Capitol here. I grew up in the West Ring. How about you?
Devera follows.
Devera: A small town further East.
Pylor doesn't want official confirmation that he really is going to be held responsible for his bad month with Arat.
Pylor: ~~ glum ~~
Tayla: Any particular town, or just... oh! There's Pylor!
Pylor pauses and turns around at the sound of his name.
Tayla: ~~not particularly well-hidden desire~~
Devera turns to greet the new arrival.
Pylor: Tayla!
Tayla: Pylor is Arat's Donor this month, he'll be able to help you. [nods]
Pylor is very glad to see a friendly face.
Tayla walks toward him.
Tayla: Pylor, this is Devera, Arat's new personal assistant.
Pylor tries not to flinch at this confirmation that he's stuck with Arat for another month.
Pylor looks at Devera with ill-concealed pity.
Pylor: My condolences.
Devera gives a pleased smile, and follows along. She gives Pylor a look that suggests that all is right with the world, and everything in its place.
Tayla is impressed by Devera's calmness and serenity, and thinks it's a pity it'll all vanish within a week or two.
Devera: It's a pleasure to meet you, Pylor.
Tayla: Will you show her upstairs? She seems to have gotten misdirected to the formal Controller's office.
Devera is a young Sime, 25, attractive in a no-nonsense sort of way.
Tayla: Unless it's to be used from now on? Or something?
Pylor: I haven't heard anything from Arat about moving.
Pylor is well aware that under the circumstances, he wouldn't necessarily be consulted about such things.
Tayla tries to think of an excuse to stick around in Pylor's presence, but has an uncomfortable picture of her supervisor standing in Tayla's cubicle wondering where she is.
Devera: The sooner I learn how things have been done, the sooner I can help.
Pylor: Well, if you're really sure, I'll take you to Arat.
Pylor thinks that at least the presence of another person might blunt the worst of Arat's temper.
Tayla: It was nice meeting you, Devera.
Tayla: I have to go back to work now.
Devera: Thank you for your help. I look forward to seeing you again.
Pylor: This way. [to Devera]
Devera follows.
Pylor starts plodding towards the stairs.
Tayla grins at Devera, a bit sympathetically, and walks off.
Pylor: I take it that you've never actually met Arat?
Pylor can't think of any other reason for Devera's current serenity.
Devera: No, I've not had that pleasure.
Devera: But, he came highly recommended to me by a friend. He said I was probably the only one who could help Controller Arat.
Devera reflects fondly on the last time she saw her friend.
Pylor: Well, it's true that very few people have had much luck trying to help Arat.
Pylor: He can be rather difficult to work with.
Pylor starts up a staircase, still at the same plodding pace.
Devera: That's often the case with the higher order channels. It takes special training to learn how to take some of the burden.
Pylor snorts.
Devera gestures with one tentacle at surroundings.
Devera: I look forward to meeting everyone here.
Devera: In addition to being the best Donor here, what are your other duties?
Pylor's chest puffs out a little bit at the "best Donor" compliment, even if Beni actually does outrank him a bit.
Pylor: I look after Arat. About 20 hours a day.
Devera: No one helps, you? Don't Gens need more sleep than that? [frowns puzzled]
Pylor: Arat isn't all that concerned about his Donor's comfort, usually.
Pylor: Except for his pet rogue, of course.
Devera zlins the bitterness and oozes support.
Devera: I'm positive you are appreciated. It can be difficult to be so completely dependent on another person every month.
Devera: After all, without you, we die. [serious]
Pylor indicates an office door about halfway down the hall.
Pylor: It's that one.
Pylor exercises a Donor's privilege and walks right in.
Jeniard is sitting at Arat's desk.
Devera: Thank you for showing me along. If there is ever anything I can do to help, please say so.
Devera offers hand to Pylor.
Pylor nods a greeting in Jeniard's general direction.
Pylor: Hi, Jeniard. Where's His Highness?
Pylor: I've got a new assistant for him.
Devera smiles confidently at Jeniard.
Jeniard is a high order channel whose sensitivity and loyalty far exceed his sense of humor and his social life.
Devera: I'm Devera, the new assistant.
Jeniard: Oh...!
Jeniard: ~~ lack of comprehension ~~
Devera is a low Second, mid-cycle. Her nager is remarkably stable.
Jeniard looks quickly through some sealed letters and finds one from Personnel.
Jeniard: Er, please, sit down.
Devera: Thank you. [sits]
Jeniard: Pylor, I thought he was with you. At least he left here about 45 minutes ago saying he was going to find you if it's the last thing he does.
Jeniard is unaware that Pylor has been deliberately leading Arat on a wild goose chase all over the building.
Pylor: Shen. Well, I suppose I'd better go find him, then.
Devera turns to Pylor.
Pylor: It was nice to meet you, Devera.
Devera: Perhaps you had better go. Thank you for your kindness on my first day.
Pylor: You're welcome. I wish you luck with Arat.
Pylor is not, however, very optimistic about having that wish fulfilled.
Devera puzzled at the way everyone keeps saying that.
Jeniard meanwhile has opened the letter and scanned it; it is informing Arat of the new assistant and her duties.
Jeniard: Welcome, Devera.
Devera hands Jeniard a sheaf of paper.
Jeniard takes it.
Pylor waves at Jeniard in a lackluster fashion, and wanders out the door.
Devera: Here are my qualifications.
Jeniard: Thank you.
Jeniard glances over it and puts it with the letter.
Devera's qualifications are impressive, lengthy, and sometimes obscure.
Jeniard: You seem well qualified for the, er, for this new position.
Jeniard had not been aware that the position had been created until just now.
Jeniard smiles.
Jeniard: Forgive me if I seem a bit confused, I was apparently out of the loop on this decision.
Devera: Quite all right. Small wonder if I have no predecessor.
Jeniard: Arat has taken on a major rehabilitation assignment which has limited his ability to handle the less important Controllers' duties.
Devera nods knowingly.
Jeniard: I've been handling some of it, but the powers that be tend to... frown on that sort of thing.
Devera: Exactly what I'm here for.
Devera: If someone could introduce me I'd love to get started.
Jeniard nods.
Jeniard: Yes, I can explain all of the procedures for you in the meantime, and Arat ought to be back here shortly.
Devera: Wonderful, let's dig in to these files. How are Donations organized?