Sime~Gen Roleplaying: District Controller's Office Scenario
Episode #67: Loaded Gens (9/3/99)
Linn hurries through the rain, trying to keep the stack of books under her cape dry.
Linn is looking forward to being dry and having a nice cup of tea with the landlady before starting the long evening of trying to absorb the day's lessons.
Riyyh is sitting at a small table outside of a posh cafe, under the cafe's awning and therefore quite dry.
Riyyh has been procrastinating on leaving because his horse is warm and dry in a stable, and he has nothing on his schedule, and so there is very little incentive to get wet and therefore ruin his immaculate and very fancy look.
Riyyh sips trin and watches the people scurrying past, trying not to feel too lonely.
Linn lowers her head as thunder booms and the rain picks up in response.
Riyyh had spent one night with Max's owner, as an extension of returning Max and earning her unending gratitude, but is now back at the hotel.
Riyyh, somewhat affected by the dreary weather, worries that he's getting too old to sleep his way into the free housing arrangements of the rich and famous.
Riyyh doesn't have the usual surrounding Narosian flatterers to boost his ego, right at the moment, either.
Riyyh looks around for the waitress, hoping to order another cup of tea and thereby practice his charm technique.
Linn yelps as the overflow from an awning splashes at just the proper angle to get under her coat.
Riyyh looks around, startled, at a yelp from the street and recognizes Linn.
Linn steps under the awning, as desperate as you might expect to dry... her books.
Linn: ~~ scholarly distress ~~
Linn: Oh, dear.
Linn looks around to see if there is a dry napkin or something that she can use.
Riyyh jumps up and hurries over to Linn, carrying a cloth napkin stolen from another table.
Riyyh: Here... allow me.
Linn looks up.
Linn: Sectuib Riyyh!
Riyyh smiles kindly.
Linn: What are you doing here?
Linn gestures around at the city, and the tea house, and all.
Riyyh: I'm having some tea, would you care to join me?
Riyyh: I was just about to leave, but... my dear, you are drenched. You'll catch your death.
Linn: That's very kind of you. I think perhaps it would be best to wait out the storm here. My books will be ruined if this keeps up.
Linn takes Riyyh's napkin and starts carefully drying the books.
Riyyh: Let me see if I can find you something to warm up.
Riyyh nips off to ask the waitress, who by now likes him quite a bit, if there are any towels he can borrow.
Linn sits at Riyyh's table, glad to at least be out of the rain.
Linn sets her stack of Donor texts carefully on the table, after making sure that that portion of the tablecloth is both clean and dry.
Riyyh returns a short time later with some hand towels from the kitchen.
Linn smiles.
Linn: Thank you. It's truly nasty out there.
Riyyh utterly fails to notice the books, as he hands Linn a towel and assist her in drying off with another.
Linn uses the first towel to make sure her precious books are completely dry, then starts wiping the rain off of her face.
Riyyh can be very helpful, and he is after all a hands-on type of helpful by nature.
Linn is starting to feel much warmer, with the... thorough rubbing.
Linn: I hadn't realized I was so cold.
Riyyh automatically moves closer, radiating Sime heat.
Riyyh: Would you like some hot tea? ~ concerned ~
Riyyh flicks a tentacle to alert the now somewhat jealous waitress that some more tea would be nice whenever she has a moment.
Linn scoots her chair a few inches back, not being used to such a small-to-nonexistent social distance.
Linn: Thank you. Tea would be lovely.
Riyyh smiles apologetically.
Linn: But what are you doing here? I thought you rarely traveled?
Riyyh: Well, things have changed recently. Anmyn is ready for more responsibility, and unfortunately some of our larger outreach programs require more supervision than they used to.
Riyyh: I seem to be the one most qualified to deal with that, and there are some who feel it is time that more room is left in Naros for the younger generations.
Linn: I see.
Riyyh has been getting crowded on that subject for a year now, but never really considered actually traveling more until a pressing need for it came up.
Riyyh still isn't too happy about it, though.
Linn is well able to see that Riyyh isn't his usual cheerful self.
Linn: I am sure you will be able to solve the problems quickly.
Linn: ~~ Gen optimism ~~
Linn's teachers have been stressing the importance of Gen optimism, lately.
Riyyh smiles.
Riyyh: Thank you. I do hope so.
Riyyh: My, you have certainly been practicing.
Riyyh: Have you been enjoying your work?
Linn is glad to see that the technique actually works, pretty much as advertised.
Linn: I hardly know, I'm so tired every night.
Riyyh appears genuinely sympathetic.
Linn: Though I am learning a great deal.
Riyyh: Have you been able to see Snake as much as you'd like?
Riyyh personally can't really get with the idea of liking to see Snake, although he can understand it on an intellectual level.
Linn: I see her quite a bit, and Controller Arat has said that she will be working with me starting next week.
Linn: It was supposed to be sooner, but... well, it didn't work out.
Linn smiles wryly.
Linn: I don't expect I'll get even this much sleep when that happens.
Linn does indeed have noticeable dark circles under her eyes.
Riyyh automatically edges nearer to her again in concern.
Riyyh: Gens do require their sleep. Perhaps they don't realize they're working you too hard?
Linn: It's not that the work is so hard. In some ways, it's actually easier than teaching.
Linn: It's trying to understand what I'm being taught that's the problem.
Linn: These books are a bit vague, at all the important parts.
Riyyh: It is more difficult to learn after First Year.
Riyyh glances at the books in question.
Riyyh, not being one to go for books when comforting a fellow human being is an option, had barely even noticed they were there.
Linn: They don't have the equations, and it takes so long to derive them from basic principles.
Linn is feeling just a touch inadequate.
Linn: I wish I had some of the books Nick was learning from, back in Bender Cove.
Riyyh: There there, you'll get better at it with practice, and the more you learn, the more you'll be prepared for each new concept.
Riyyh is just trying to be nice; he is a perfect example of a person who probably wouldn't be able to handle Linn's course load at all.
Riyyh does like the sound of vague, rather than intensive, math though.
Linn has no idea that Berfield's Transfer Mechanics is not generally considered an elementary text.
Riyyh is glad he's been out of school for, oh, some number of years to remain unspecified, now.
Riyyh: Could you request the books you want? Surely you might buy them, on your own?
Riyyh touches her arm lightly, as if attempting to transmit encouragement to the Gen.
Linn: I did mention it, but Hajene Tiarala said it wasn't time to take up that subject just now.
Linn reflects that two years ago, she would never have been able to sit calmly while a Sime touched her, not even one as harmless as Riyyh.
Waitress walks up with a hot pot of trin tea and some steaming hot rolls.
Linn eyes the repast with the eagerness only a cold, wet, hungry Gen would bring to it.
Linn: Oh, thank you.
Waitress smiles at the young soaked woman and the nice man next to her and looks in question at them before placing them before them.
Waitress: No problem.
Riyyh looks up, and smiles at the waitress, trying to make up for what had happened earlier.
Waitress shakes her head and hurries off.
Waitress had brought them for the Sime, but wasn't surprised the Gen was the one who reacted--alas.
Waitress goes to drown her sorrows and jealousy in a nice spiced cup of Irish trin.
see note 1
Arat leads Jeniard and Alea to the door of Seruffin's office.
Alea ~~ calm cool gentle support ~~
Alea is in completely control of her field, almost serene as she walks with the other two.
Arat checks the time, and signals at precisely the instant of their appointment.
Arat has never been accused of being anything less than perfectly anal about making appointments on time.
Alea smiles wryly at the Farris control but says nothing.
Seruffin: Come!
Arat glances at Alea and Jeniard to make sure neither of them is going to embarrass him visually, then enters.
Alea walks calmly by Arat's side, continuing to offer gentle steady support.
Jeniard watches Alea like a hawk, having been in a state of total jealousy ever since the Donor's suspiciously fortuitous arrival.
Neptude is already sitting in a visitor's chair, and has been for a while, judging from the half-empty tea cup he's holding in his tentacles.
Neptude looks a bit unhappy, but resigned.
Alea glances at the person's office they are entering, a gentle smile on her face, her total nageric attention on the prickly Farris beside her.
Arat: Controller Neptude. Controller Seruffin. [formal]
Seruffin: Arat, punctual as always, I zlin. Alea, my dear, it's good to see you again.
Alea nods.
Alea: Zeor offers greeting, Controller.
Alea is wearing blue trousers and top with black piping on it, hair pulled back close to her head, very neat, precise.
Alea is also wearing a black belt and thin decorative black tie.
Jeniard pretends to be invisible.
Arat is, as always, dressed in a stiff, clean Tecton uniform and a foreboding expression.
Seruffin smiles at Alea; he doesn't get offered formal greetings from Zeor very often.
Seruffin: Have you been treating Arat well, Sosu?
Seruffin checks Arat over, and decides that he'll do.
Seruffin: Do have a seat, all of you.
Arat sits down.
Alea simply nods and seats herself formally next to Arat.
Jeniard chooses a chair near Arat, on the opposite side from Alea.
Alea ~~ pure professionalism, careful gentle support ~~
Alea smiles at Jeniard, winking, without taking her control from Arat.
Alea has no idea why poor Jeniard is uptight but is doing her best to let the channel know she is no threat.
Seruffin settles back in his chair, and gestures towards the teapot.
Seruffin: Do help yourselves.
Alea reaches for the teapot and hesitates.
Alea: Would you like some, Hajenes?
Alea: [to Arat and Jeniard]
Jeniard: Yes. [notes Arat has not responded] Thank you, for both of us.
Arat is a bit too on edge, even with Alea's support, to want to think about tea at the moment.
Alea picks up the pot and pours two cups of tea and sets them before the two channels.
Neptude is trying to figure out whether this Sosu Alea will be the sort of problem he has been led to believe she might.
Alea reseats herself and slides a hand gently over Arat's forearm ~~ warm support ~~
Arat, after the initial shock of Alea's arrival had worn off, had done considerable research on the Donor and had found some rather alarming items in her history, and not much information on why she'd ended up at Capitol.
Seruffin: So, to business.
Alea herself takes no tea so as not to make poor Arat any more nervous than he is already.
Seruffin: Arat, perhaps you might begin by giving us an update on the progress our two rogues are making.
Seruffin is pretty sure that progress is at least acceptable, or he would have referred to Nick and Snake as "your" two rogues.
Arat nods.
Arat: Wise Snake has been much more tractable since Nick was assigned to her. We have been re-introducing her to work in controlled environments.
Arat: Nick has not showed any signs of losing stability as a result of contact with Snake.
Alea wonders who the second rogue is, pretty sure that... oh dear, Nick. Now there was a name she hadn't thought of in awhile. She has to wonder how he would react to finding her here.
Neptude: What sort of work have you had her doing?
Neptude is a bit concerned of the consequences if a rogue were to be allowed to get her tentacles on the wrong patient.
Alea is very interested in all being said and listens.
Arat: Staff transfers and donations, isolation cases in the burn ward, and one transfer burn victim who was unconscious at the time.
Arat has been very careful to cover his ass with regards to Snake's treatment.
Seruffin: And how would you assess her general abilities?
Arat: Wise Snake is an effective channel when she is not distracted.
Seruffin: Does she distract easily?
Seruffin is well aware that the same has been said of Alea, quite frequently.
Alea doesn't laugh at that, but she thinks about it.
Arat: No. However, short work sessions do not suit her. It will be better when she is in full use.
Arat: It isn't that she is easily distracted so much as, [hesitates]
Seruffin makes an encouraging noise.
Arat tries to think of a way of saying Snake tends to get into a lot of trouble when she isn't distracted by working.
Arat: Underutilized.
Neptude: So the problem is that there aren't enough patients who can be entrusted to her?
Arat: The difficulty isn't in numbers so much as in the levels of treatment. At this time, there aren't many employees of the Sime Center requiring healing work or therapy that would challenge a Farris channel.
Arat: When we are able to use her with regular patients more often, it will ease the problem considerably.
Arat isn't recommending rushing into that, though.
Seruffin frowns, realizing that it isn't practical to injure the staff just to provide work for Snake.
Seruffin thinks, however, that having Alea in the same Sime Center might turn out to be more fortunate than he'd expected, when the idea was first brought up with him.
Seruffin is in possession of a much less edited version of Alea's file.
Alea wonders just why Jeniard is here.
Seruffin: You said that Reckage has had a calming influence on her?
Arat: Nick is more familiar with Snake than Beni is.
Neptude: She did train him, I understand.
Arat: Yes.
Arat is becoming more and more unsure what this meeting is really about. He'd been under the impression it was to be about Alea Farris' presence here.
Arat hopes Seruffin isn't about to override his treatment program for Snake.
Arat particularly hopes Seruffin hasn't had any brilliant ideas about transferring Nick away from Arat's control and substituting Alea instead.
Seruffin: Is the effect strong enough that you can expand her client base a bit? At least when she's paired with a loyal Donor?
Arat's tentacles knot up in their sheathes.
Arat: In due time, yes.
Seruffin: Alea has worked with Snake before, haven't you, my dear?
Alea idly wraps a finger around a handling tentacle nearer his nodes trying to relax him....
Alea glances at Seruffin.
Alea: That would depend, Hajene, on what you mean by work... and if it was on a cooperative basis or not.
Jeniard glances at Arat, but prudently keeps his hands and nager to himself.
Alea ~~ soothing calm ~~
Arat is in a curious state of being very upset by the direction the conversation is going, and threatened by Alea's control over him, but also nowhere near as angry as he'd be if Alea wasn't actually exerting that calming influence.
Seruffin: You feel that Snake would not accept your help, Alea?
Alea eases off her control, not wanting to worry or upset her channel and not sure where this other person is going thinks it's best to keep a little distance ~~ withdraws support slightly ~~
Alea: Ah....
Alea smiles.
Alea: Snake is very dear to me, however, I have no idea if she would or would not as I have not seen her in a long time.
Alea: I am ever ready to serve my Sectuib, my Controller, and my Tecton in anyway required.
Jeniard steals another glance at Arat.
Alea glances again at Jeniard and wonders why the channel is there. She had thought she was going to be reassigned to him perhaps and now isn't so sure.
Seruffin: Well, do see what you can work out.
Arat nods.
Seruffin: We can't afford to have a First with such potential twiddling her tentacles all day.
Alea would be more than happy to see Snake but knows better than to open her mouth and say so. She knows politics and that in a new place she should be careful of speaking first.
Arat: Of course.
Seruffin: Speaking of wasted talent, how is Reckage coming along? Is he likely to pledge soon?
Alea has no idea what they are now considering but carefully keeps any concern or worry from her nager.
Seruffin has been drooling out his laterals since Nick was brought in, he has so many favors he could garner by having such a Donor to work with.
Arat, already not at his best, tries not to feel defensive as well (without much luck, I might add).
Alea quietly moves slightly, angling her field to give Arat more comfort and less of Seruffin.
Arat: I do not have an answer for you at this time. [stiffly]
Alea ~~ calm quiet firm conviction safety ~~
Arat has, in fact, nothing more to say about that then he had 3 months ago, because Nick is singing exactly the same tune now as he was back then, a disastrous report for Arat's attempts to win him over.
Alea wishes she could break into the files and read just what is going on.
Neptude looks at Arat with a bit of concern, wondering if that's the Controller speaking, or the channel who by some accounts spent two months mooning over Nick's absence.
Neptude: He's still not willing to commit?
Arat uses Alea's support to bolster his outward appearance of dignity, such as it is around people who know him this well.
Arat: He is not.
Arat hates to admit to failure.
Arat is still tormenting himself over the Pylor failure, which fortunately has not come up with the Powers that Be.
Seruffin is ~~ openly disappointed ~~
Seruffin turns to Alea again.
Alea ~~ yes? ~~
Seruffin: Do you have any idea why Reckage is being so stubborn?
Seruffin: It's not as if the man hasn't been fulfilling the duties of a Donor all along, and quite competently, by all accounts.
Alea glances at Arat, not wanting to do anything that might bother her channel.
Alea ~~ apologetic to Arat ~~
Alea: I have prior experience with Nick.
Arat's nager hardens into inscrutability.
Alea: He hates the Tecton.
Alea: He has a near phobia of hate, if that's possible, of the Tecton.
Alea: As much as he hates the Tecton, he loves Snake.
Alea runs a finger up over one of his sensory nodes trying to show her concern and care for Arat.
Alea: That's all I know, Controller.
Alea: I doubt if Hilo himself invited Nick to join, you would ever get him to join.
Alea shrugs.
Alea: The Distect would gladly accept him and he'd probably go.
Seruffin casts an admonitory glance at Arat.
Seruffin: You didn't say his feelings were that strongly entrenched against the Tecton, Arat.
Alea thinks she shouldn't have mentioned the 'd' word.
Alea: Forgive me Seruffin.
Alea: But... this was a long time ago I knew the man.
Arat pulls his arm out of Alea's grasp and wipes his suddenly sweaty palms on his thighs.
Alea: You must remember this and know that I am certainly no expert.
Alea ~~ oh dear ~~
Alea: I would imagine what Arat has told you is more up to date than what I've known of the Donor.
Alea knew she shouldn't have spoken.
Arat's expression is sort of half way between I'm-sure-this-isn't-really-happening and please-let-me-wake-up.
Arat naturally can't think of anything appropriate to follow that up with.
Neptude is starting to think that they have been worrying about the wrong member of the pair--at least Snake must work as a channel, and so is ineligible to join the Distect.
Neptude: Has Reckage even spoken about joining the Distect, even in passing?
Neptude: ~~ worry ~~
Alea glances at Arat to see if he has and waits to see who they expect to answer.
Arat: No.
Alea thinks thank goodness, since she'd always considered the two of those basically junct anyway.
Neptude is ~~ moderately relieved ~~
Seruffin: What about Snake?
Alea quietly stands and moves across the room to where she sees a pitcher of water.
Arat: She has mentioned it occasionally. It appeared to weigh no more than her other options.
Alea pours two glasses of water thinking Arat might need a sip since he's ignored his tea.
Arat means to say, Snake says a lot of things nobody could possibly mean, including that.
Alea wipes the condensation off them and then returns to her chair setting them on the tray, not caring what anyone thinks about her forward behavior only worried about the channel.
Jeniard watches Alea in fascination. He's never liked Nick much, but he's never met anybody who could shoot down a person's career faster in fewer sentences.
Alea takes a sip of water.
Alea smiles at Jeniard and nods at him.
Alea glances back at the Controller.
Seruffin: I see.
Seruffin is just a tad ~~ doubtful ~~
Alea: If I may... I don't see how Snake could ever go Distect with the system she has.
Alea: Why do you think, Hajenes, she was living on the street as she was?
Alea: She had to work, and the Distect doesn't offer that.
Alea ~~ submissively offered ~~
Seruffin: Well, she wouldn't survive long that way, but she could do an immense amount of damage before she died.
Seruffin: Do make sure your security is sufficient, Arat.
Arat: Of course.
Arat thinks that this is in complete opposition to what Seruffin was trying to get him to do earlier in the meeting.
Arat of course will continue to depend upon his own judgment for the most part, since he's constitutionally incapable of doing anything less.
Alea wonders if she should tell them about the time Snake crawled into her bathroom window... nah.
Neptude: Arat, I don't recall your reports mentioning any hatred for the Tecton of the type described by Sosu Alea.
Alea ~~ well that's good ~~
Neptude: Are you sure you haven't overlooked something important?
Alea ~~ uh oh ~~
Alea chuckles and glances at Neptude.
Alea: Surely, Hajene, you aren't saying you take my word, the new Donor in the District, over this channel's word?
Alea is afraid she is really in hot water now, with someone actually questioning Arat's observations. She knows how testy Farris channels can be about such things.
Neptude: You've known the man longer.
Neptude forbears to point out that Alea isn't a Farris channel who hasn't had a decent transfer in a long time.
Alea: I'm simply a Donor. ~~ overly innocent ~~
Alea glances at Arat. ~~ forgive me Hajene ~~
Neptude: So is he--and Donors often tell each other things that they "forget" to mention to their channels.
Jeniard is itching to protect Arat, but of course there is no way that he can.
Alea shakes her head.
Jeniard therefore is in "helpless hover" mode, and it shows.
Alea: You misunderstood me, Controller.
Alea's eyes narrow.
Alea: Nick and I hated each other.
Alea: I was pure Zeor.
Neptude notices Jeniard's hovering.
Alea: He was pure anti-Zeor.
Alea: We definitely have no love lost between us, nor any conversation except to argue over Snake.
Alea: So I am certain Hajene Arat is a far superior judge of what Nick is or is not feeling.
Alea thinks, oh well.
Alea ~~ so much for starting new here ~~
Arat places a hand briefly over his eyes.
Alea reaches up and rests a hand unobtrusively on the back of Arat's chair and then on the back of his neck ~~ soothing ~~
Arat after a few moments removes his hand and looks at Neptude.
Arat: Nick has not displayed any hatred for the Tecton in my presence.
Arat: He was unsure about it at first, until he understood that his basic rights were not going to be violated.
Seruffin: Yes, you've said that he was an independent type.
Arat: His unwillingness to pledge seems more an unwillingness to commit than an active dislike of the work or the Tecton itself.
Alea is very relieved to hear this.
Seruffin: Is that likely to become a problem in the future?
Seruffin is assuming, perhaps prematurely, that Nick will end up pledging.
Arat: Could you please restate the question? [after a pause]
Seruffin is slightly ~ annoyed ~ at having to do so.
Alea gently engages Arat's field and works to soothe the kinks and snags that are being caused by the other channel's questions.
Arat is feeling rather out of control, not something he is very good at dealing with.
Alea keeps her hand on Arat's neck while returning her attention forward, ~~ pure professionalism working Donor ~~ and lapses into silence. ~~ here for you ~~
Seruffin: If Reckage's reluctance to pledge stems from an independent streak, is that going to cause problems when he's pledged?
Seruffin's nager makes it clear that it had better be "when", not "if".
Arat: I have considered the problem.
Arat: I believe it is more likely that Nick will not pledge because he honors his commitments, and wants to be sure of it first.
Arat thinks it's either that, or Nick has just decided to freeload on the system until he's kicked out or forced to choose between pledging and leaving.
Arat would rather it's not that, but as the weeks pass, he's beginning to fear that might be the case.
Neptude looks at Jeniard.
Neptude: You've been very quiet. What is your assessment of the situation?
Jeniard looks at Neptude sharply, caught by surprise.
Jeniard is so used to either being ignored or reviled and ignored that he hadn't expected to be addressed.
Jeniard: The Nick situation?
Jeniard: I don't think he's going to pledge.
Jeniard: He's still here because it's been made easy for him to stay without too much pain or hassle, but he'll leave pressure's put on him.
Neptude: Really? Why not?
Jeniard: Why not? It's not in him.
Jeniard: It's not in his blood, and it's certainly not in his upbringing.
Jeniard: What his grandmother put him through would have put anybody off the Tecton life.
Seruffin: And you believe that he hasn't learned enough about the Tecton to distinguish it from his grandmother's abuses?
Jeniard: Oh, I'm sure he does, when he thinks about it, but gut feelings are different.
Jeniard: You can zlin it in the guy. He doesn't have that connection, that loyalty, to the idea of the Tecton that most people do.
Jeniard: When the subject comes up, he avoids it, inside.
Arat chews his thumbnail, scowling at the front edge of Seruffin's desk.
Arat and Jeniard have argued about this many times.
Seruffin: He has the capacity to be loyal, I assume.
Seruffin looks at Arat questioningly.
Alea sighs inwardly and removes her hand from Arat's neck.
Alea seeing no one is drinking their tea takes the glasses and dumps them.
Alea brings the cups back and sets them down and lifts the hot teapot and pours two new cups of fresh tea.
Alea lifts Arat's and hands it to him smiling.
Jeniard: Of course. But there's being loyal because it comes naturally, and there's being loyal because the law tells you to.
Jeniard: [since Arat hasn't answered]
Arat absently takes the cup, obviously pondering something.
Alea had thought about dumping it in Jeniard's lap but then knew her channel wouldn't like that.
Neptude: Perhaps you would elaborate on that statement?
Jeniard: All right.
Jeniard: Nick is a natural Donor.
Jeniard: It's natural for him to feel loyal toward channels.
Jeniard: First he was loyal to Snake, his first channel.
Jeniard: Then he was loyal to Arat, even though Arat was a Tecton channel.
Alea feels the shifting of the fields and moves with them, and then quietly gets up and moves over to Arat's other side between him and Jeniard, perching on the edge of Arat's chair for optimum support.
Jeniard: That didn't make him loyal to the Tecton, a government that had nothing to do with him in the past and to which he owed no allegiance.
Jeniard: When his two months with Arat were over, he tried to remain loyal to both channels while he was sent away to New Othwol.
Arat signals to Alea to return to her other chair, a bit impatiently.
Alea definitely thinks Jeniard has hit upon something.
Alea listens closely, gathering up the other glasses and moving them to the side before reseating herself.
Alea folds her hands and turns her full attention upon Arat.
Seruffin looks a bit sharply at Alea.
Seruffin: Do you agree with Hajene Jeniard's assessment?
Alea: Me, Controller?
Alea shrugs delicately.
Alea: My channel and Jeniard would know more about Nick than I would.
Alea: I can say, however, that any First or Farris Donor might react as he is describing.
Alea: It's only 'natural'.
Neptude: Nick's no Farris Donor.
Neptude thinks through the implications.
Alea: Nick, however, is a natural. [points out]
Neptude: Do you think that's why the Narosians are so... difficult?
Seruffin: And it's precisely for that reason that he must be persuaded to join the Tecton.
Alea closes her eyes to concentrate simply on Arat.
Alea: ~~ fat chance ~~
Alea: ~~ ooops ~~
Alea: ~~ soothing calm ~~
Seruffin: Alea, do you recall the specific reasons for Nick's... distaste for the Tecton?
Alea glances at Arat for permission to answer.
Arat gives a "I can't imagine how this could get any worse" type flick of his hand, while giving the front of the desk a fierce look.
Alea: Actually, I believe it was stated here--about his grandmother. I only heard rumors therefore, have no idea why.
Alea: I would suggest, Controller, if you are worried about Arat doing his job, then you take a turn with Nick and judge for yourself.
Seruffin: Perhaps I should.
Alea may be a Donor and one in a tad bit of recovery, but she still has the arrogance of a First Order Farris Donor and puts every bit of it into her words.
Seruffin has been itching to get his tentacles on Nick since he first zlinned that nager.
Alea: Of course, since Nick is splitting his loyalty between Arat and Snake, how would that affect Snake, I wonder?
Alea: To have someone else who wants her Donor in the same room?
Arat reinforces his tight nageric shield to hide the fact that mention of assigning Nick to Seruffin, and zlinning Seruffin's response, sent creeping fingers crawling up his spine.
Jeniard who has known Arat for a long time and is devilishly sensitive for a non-Farris, is not fooled.
Seruffin: So you don't recommend it?
Seruffin looks at Arat, just a tad wistfully.
Arat glances up at Seruffin, his Farris features betraying a certain amount of stress. OK, a lot of stress.
Arat: No, I don't see any reason why it couldn't be done. After the end of this month, of course.
Arat sounds remarkably calm.
Alea casually lays a hand on Arat's arm ~~ pure Farris field of comfort ~~
Arat's visible stress lessens noticeably at the touch.
Seruffin: Well, we shall see.
Arat: May I ask for clarification on a matter?
Arat seems uncomfortable with asking.
Arat in fact had hoped this meeting was being held to explain the matter in question.
Seruffin waves a tentacle in permission.
Arat: Alea Farris' assignment here. [glances at Alea]
Arat: I was not briefed about it.
Arat: I was able to obtain some of her records. Is there anything else I should know, and are there any special instructions?
Seruffin: Ah, yes. I do apologize for that.
Alea stiffens slightly though her field remains under control, though there is a certain contained control about it that wasn't there earlier. Her smile still stays in place and her gaze doesn't waver.
Seruffin tries to figure out how to put the matter without admitting that he was acting on orders, which were not very well explained.
Alea: Would it help to say I asked for the transfer?
Alea knows that isn't exactly true. She did ask for 'a' transfer....
Seruffin is glad to take the hint.
Seruffin: With Alea acquainted with Snake, I thought that she might be able to assist in your... salvage operation.
Alea glances at Arat thinking a Farris transfer is worth going anywhere even if he isn't Zeor.
Alea wonders if her yearning to have transfer with a Farris is showing that much.
Arat looks at Seruffin.
Arat: You want me to assign Alea to Snake.
Arat wonders if Seruffin knows that there has been damage done between them in the past.
Alea thinks Snake... and worries to herself how Snake will take that.
Alea glances at Seruffin.
Seruffin: I will leave that to your judgment. It might be more important not to change Donor assignments for Snake in the middle of the month.
Alea is soooooooo glad that he is leaving it up to Arat... hoping Arat can be told of certain things and not everyone need know them.
Seruffin: However, it will be convenient to have another Donor around who has the nager to handle her. I gather Pylor isn't capable of doing so?
Arat gives Seruffin a patently incredulous look.
Arat: Pylor?
Arat looks for all the world as if Seruffin had just suggested Arat strip nude and model for them carrying a basket of roses.
Arat: ...in an extreme case, perhaps.
Alea strokes Arat's arm, intertwining her fingers around his tentacles while he talks to Seruffin, hoping to calm him down.
Alea likes the color of his tentacles, and the shape.
Alea thinks of others' tentacles and compares them.
Arat is finding Alea's attentions just a little bit distracting, which is saying a lot.
Alea thinks these could definitely hold a junct in full augmentation.
Alea wonders just who Pylor is but doesn't ask. Obviously not in Zeor or she would have heard of him or her.
Alea relaxes when she realizes Arat is a bit distracted and hopefully a bit more calm now.
Seruffin: Well, I'll leave it to your judgment how best to use Alea.
Alea glances back at Seruffin and smiles. [gulp]
Arat nods.
Arat: Very well.
Alea thinks that sounds so... so... so very unZeor like -- how to 'use' a Donor -- but doesn't say a word.
Arat was kind of hoping for some guidance as to whether Alea was considered a patient or an employee.
Jeniard decides Arat has had about as much as he's going to take for one day.
Jeniard leans forward and whispers something in Arat's ear.
Arat: Jeniard has reminded me of our appointment with the department chiefs.
Alea thinks thank goodness.
Seruffin knows that Arat has proved adept at handling... unusual... individuals in the past, and hopes that it will work for Alea, too.
Seruffin: Very well. Do keep sending me regular reports.
Arat: Of course.
Seruffin: And Alea, I will be seeing you soon, no doubt.
Alea stands.
Alea: Of course, Hajene.
Arat rises also, shepherded by Jeniard.
Alea: It would be nice to discuss the recent promotions of Zeor and other things.
Alea nods.
Alea goes to the door and pulls it open, thinking the sooner they are out, the better.
Arat feels a fleeting sense of inadequacy at hearing them speak of things he is not privy to and never will be, but then deliberately puts it out of his mind.
Jeniard nods to the Controllers, and follows up the rear.
Notes:
1) Meanwhile, at the 53rd District Controller's Office.... [return]