Sime~Gen Roleplaying: District Controller's Office Scenario
Episode #73: Nick be Nimble (9/14/99)
Nick arrives at Arat's office, reasonably promptly after receiving Arat's summons.
Nick signals.
Arat: Enter.
Arat is currently between handholders.
Nick comes in, and raises an eyebrow when he sees Arat unattended.
Arat gestures for Nick to have a seat.
Nick offers a light, unobtrusive ~ support ~, in case Arat feels neglected, as he sits.
Nick: You're doing much better this month.
Arat nods.
Nick is ~~ pleased ~~
Arat doesn't want to rush straight into what he has to ask Nick today, so he says, "Would you like any tea?"
Nick: Yes, please.
Nick checks to see if Arat has any.
Arat has an ice cold cup of 4 hour old tea he has forgotten about.
Nick smiles with the sort of affection only a Donor can feel, and takes Arat's cup over to the tea table.
Nick searches through the teas, and makes two cups of Narosian tea.
Nick sets Arat's cup temptingly close to his nose, where the aroma will tempt him.
Arat gives in to the double temptation and has a sip.
Nick moves the visitor's chair closer and sits.
Arat isn't throwing himself bodily into Nick's support, but he isn't exactly climbing over his chair to avoid it either!!
Nick doesn't insist, as Arat isn't in bad shape, but he doesn't stop making the support available, either.
Arat: Presumably you are already familiar with the Division of Morale?
Nick: I've heard a little about them. I gather they aren't the most popular folks around.
Alea signals softly before entering.
Arat pauses for a moment.
Alea quietly goes over and sits down, picking up her knitting.
Nick relinquishes his support to Alea, not without a touch of reluctance.
Arat: Lately they have been displaying a good deal of interest over you.
Nick: Me?
Nick: How come?
Nick hadn't noticed that his morale was particularly low.
Arat: I believe the Powers that Be [delicately; he doesn't like to admit there are any, except when they're actually present] have asked the Morale Division to look into what will get you to pledge.
Alea thinks her channel would make a good Zeorite with such an attitude.
Nick: Ah, I see.
Arat: If that is the case, then they have lost their belief that I can do anything in that regard.
Arat has more or less lost it himself, to be honest.
Nick sips at his tea.
Arat sighs.
Nick: I have to say that I have found working for the Tecton much more--livable--than I had thought.
Nick: I even think that I could pledge.
Nick: But it would be wrong to do it just now.
Nick is utterly ~~ sincere ~~, about all three statements.
Arat looks utterly tired of these three things, which are after all the same things Nick was saying five months ago.
Arat tries to be as patient as possible, which for Arat isn't very easy.
Arat: Nick... that isn't enough any more. [quietly]
Alea senses the seriousness in the talk and moves forward increasing her support.
Nick: If it were just me, I'd have pledged months ago.
Nick: But there is Snake to consider, as well.
Nick: I've come to believe that she would do best with the Tecton.
Arat just looks at Nick.
Nick: But only if it's her free choice. Trap her, and she'll escape no matter what it costs her.
Nick meets Arat's eyes.
Alea think Snake will never pledge.
Alea has heard she is being kept prisoner here
Arat: If you cannot pledge, you will not be able to work much longer. With Snake or myself, or any other Tecton channel.
Alea ponders the necessary evil and thinks if Nick would only belong to a Householding he could circumvent many of the Tecton rules.
Arat: You've been here for several months - you've been given an unprecedented amount of time to consider.
Nick: I know.
Arat: Your fate, and Wise Snake's fate, are no longer inseparable.
Nick wonders if Arat has any parental feelings for Snake at all.
Arat appears to have a number of feelings at the moment, which mainly have to do with duty and being under way too much pressure from outside forces.
Nick: I have said that I will pledge when Snake has accepted a future with the Tecton.
Arat blinks, because Nick has never said so in so many words before.
Arat: Do you understand that it is possible that you may not be assigned to her often, if at all, in future years?
Nick nods.
Nick has a certain confidence in his ability to keep track of Snake, and get at least a reasonable number of assignments with her.
Alea sure wishes she were post right now.
Arat: Well, there is that, then.
Arat: Perhaps it won't be so bad, if you are only laid off for a short time.
Nick: There is always Naros.
Arat attempts to keep any signs of a grimace off his face; being a Farris, he succeeds mainly in conveying a very subtle and elegant grimace that speaks volumes and volumes.
Arat: There is.
Arat doesn't think there is a person alive who could both successfully work for the Tecton and truly be happy at Naros for anything longer than a vacation.
Nick: My fa... Sectuib Riyyh's Companion is unable to travel outside of Naros, which makes it rather difficult when he has to spend a lot of time here in Capitol.
Nick is hoping that Arat will use this information as necessary with the appropriate authorities to win enough time.
Arat looks as if he finds the whole situation more or less hopeless.
Arat had genuinely believed that Nick would pledge at the end of his first month with Arat.
Arat: I see.
Arat: Well. As it stands, I will be releasing you at the end of this month.
Nick's nager ~~ softens ~~ at Arat's obvious distress.
Nick: I see.
Arat: If anything should change before then, I hope you will let me know.
Nick: I will.
Nick drains his tea and sets the cup down.
Alea wonders who else from Bender Cove she's going to find here... the gnome?
Nick stands.
Nick: If there is nothing else?
Arat looks up at Nick with an expression that says he'd truly hoped this conversation had been different.
Arat: That will be all. Thank you.
Nick lets his own ~~ regret ~~ show as he quietly leaves the office.