Sime~Gen Roleplaying: District Controller's Office Scenario
Episode #86: Wall's Ears (10/5/99)
Seruffin is working late, as he waits for an expected visitor.
Seruffin deliberately scheduled the appointment for a time when his own Donor, and hers, would be safely abed.
Jree waits until there is nobody to see or zlin, and then approaches Seruffin's office.
Jree taps the door lightly with a tentacle.
Seruffin: Come in!
Jree enters.
Seruffin: Thank you for coming.
Seruffin indicates a seat.
Jree sits.
Seruffin: You weren't seen on your way over here, were you?
Jree might have personal reasons for resenting this assignment, but she is all professional now.
Seruffin: It would be... inconvenient... if word of our association should get back to Arat.
Jree: No. I made sure of that.
Seruffin: Good.
Jree: Indeed. ~ slight humor ~
Seruffin smiles.
Seruffin: So, have some tea, and give me your report.
Seruffin pushes a steaming mug towards Jree.
Seruffin suspects that there will be pertinent details which Arat "forgot" to mention.
Seruffin settles back to listen.
Seruffin: You're actually working with one of your subjects, are you not?
Jree: Yes, Linn Haskins.
Jree: She is a fairly straightforward Donor trainee, except for one curious detail: She doesn't seem to think that she is ever going to be a Donor.
Seruffin: Really?
Seruffin: Whyever not?
Jree: Honestly, I think she took the training because she required the cash, and wanted to spend more time with Wise Snake.
Jree: She doesn't even think of herself as a Donor, and not only that, but half the time she doesn't sound like she's even thought much farther than about a month from now.
Seruffin frowns in concern.
Jree: I can't say I'd bet she'd stay if anything happened to separate Wise Snake and the Tecton.
Jree is aware that this isn't exactly how Arat characterized Linn in his reports - which is the whole point of Jree being there, after all.
Seruffin: So her first loyalty is to Wise Snake?
Seruffin: Could it be a Donor fixation?
Seruffin at least has some idea how to treat those.
Jree almost - but not quite - laughs.
Jree: I don't think so. [straight faced]
Jree: I think she's just become so used to following Wise Snake that she is slow to set a different focus in her life.
Seruffin nods.
Jree: She's also been uprooted several times; it may take a while for her to trust in the stability of a situation again.
Seruffin: What sort of Donor is she likely to become, if that problem can be overcome?
Seruffin has seen a copy of Linn's test results, of course, but knows that it is a better measure of potential than personality.
Jree: A fairly respectable Third.
Seruffin: She won't be too handicapped by coming late to the profession?
Jree: Some.
Jree: She'll never be a genius at it, if that's what you're asking.
Jree is not unaware that the Powers that Be are interested in squeezing as much unbelievably newsworthy positive results out of this batch of rogues as they possibly can.
Jree however is not paid the big bucks to tell her bosses what they want to hear - that's what their other employees are for.
Seruffin: Well, that would be too much to ask.
Seruffin wouldn't let that stop him, though.
Seruffin: She at least has enough skill not to embarrass her teachers, I hope?
Jree: She does well enough at the mechanics. As I say, the only oddity is her lack of passion for the work and her apparent idea she has no future in it.
Seruffin: Well, we can hope she will settle down once she actually Qualifies.
Seruffin: What about the Narosian, Hero?
Jree's mouth quirks into a little smile at the mention of the hyperactive young Gen.
Jree: Hero seems to be well-adjusted to the idea of working for the Tecton, and tries her best.
Jree: She is handicapped by the lack of emphasis on concentration in her environment and upbringing, but this is improving slowly with practice.
Seruffin: I'd heard she was a bit flighty.
Seruffin: What sort of potential does she have, if this problem can be overcome?
Jree knows Seruffin doesn't expect her personal evaluation as a 3rd; he wants to know what Arat really thinks, as opposed to what Arat tells Seruffin.
Jree: Arat is very interested in this Gen.
Jree: He's been personally monitoring her progress ever since she was brought in.
Seruffin leans forward with ~~ interest ~~
Seruffin: Does he believe that Reckage's potential wasn't a genetic accident, then?
Jree: I think he sees the potential for a good First. Not a natural, but a good solid Tecton-trained First, someday.
Jree: Her assigned channel would like to see more of a well-trained Second sooner. [adds]
Seruffin: That concentration problem?
Jree: Hajene Darrel is recently out of therapy for fear of erratic Donors, and this is also his first experience with training.
Seruffin: I see. Well, it's not surprising that he's not taking the long view, then.
Jree: He is not in a position to understand the difference between training a Second and training a will-be First, and finds the situation frustrating. [agrees]
Seruffin: How effective was that therapy he underwent? He's not going to bolt again, is he?
Jree: Arat does not seem concerned.
Seruffin: You haven't had a chance to form an opinion?
Seruffin is well aware that Darrel wasn't on Jree's original subject list.
Jree forbears to mention that Arat has worse problems where Darrel is concerned... like having no idea that Darrel melted an entire tub full of stuffed animals in the autoclave, filling the 3rd floor west wing with poisonous gases, requiring a partial evacuation.
Jree: I think he's basically content. His nervousness is more to do with day to day things - the breakdown that led to his flight from Bender Cove is not something that seems about to repeat itself.
Seruffin: Good.
Seruffin: Do you feel that Hajene Darrel is an appropriate teacher for Hero, under Arat's supervision? Is she learning at an appropriate rate, or would she do better back at New Othwol?
Jree thinks this is hardly her area of expertise.
Seruffin zlins Jree's uncertainty.
Seruffin: I know you're not an expert in Donor training--and Arat does report her test scores.
Seruffin: I'm asking whether Hajene Darrel is acting as a good mentor and teacher, or whether there is excessive friction between them.
Jree: I think Darrel feels a little sorry for himself for having been picked for it.
Jree: But he seems to feel that way about all of his assignments. [adds]
Jree: Hero does like him quite a bit.
Seruffin: Well, that will help.
Seruffin decides to not to tinker with Arat's handling of Hero's education.
Seruffin: Have you had a chance to meet Wise Snake Farris herself?
Jree: Yes, I was able to follow Linn on two visits.
Seruffin: What were your impressions of her?
Jree's nager indicates subtly that she was rather intimidated at the time.
Jree chooses her words carefully.
Jree: She's sharp. And she has potential to be an excellent asset to the Tecton - if she is tamed. But she's dangerous, and only her own indecisiveness keeps her controllable at this time.
Seruffin: ~~ concern ~~
Seruffin: You feel that she may try to escape?
Jree: If she makes up her mind what she wants to do, and the Tecton would get in the way of it.
Jree: It could just as easily go the other way.
Seruffin: Were you able to get any feel for what would be required to tip the balance? In either direction?
Jree: She's not inspired by anything around her.
Jree: I'm told she hasn't had any true life goals in more than a year.
Jree: If something happens that decides her....
Seruffin: In more than a year? Who told you this?
Jree: Linn.
Seruffin: Has Linn expressed any opinions about how Wise Snake might be motivated to express her potential with the Tecton?
Jree: No. She seems concerned about Snake's lack of direction, though.
Seruffin: Well, if she does drop any useful information, make note of it. Of all Snake's former companions, she has been the most cooperative.
Seruffin: On the subject of the less cooperative associates....
Seruffin: Has Arat made any progress in persuading Nick Reckage to pledge?
Jree: No, if anything it's been going the opposite way.
Jree: Earlier this month he told Nick he was going to cut him loose if he didn't pledge, and Nick shows no signs of changing his mind.
Seruffin is ~~ not pleased ~~
Jree: In fact, as I understand it, Nick has been visiting with his father much more frequently since then.
Jree: The rumor is that Riyyh is going to be spending time away from Naros and will require a regular Donor... or Companion, if you will.
Seruffin: It would be criminal to lose a Donor like that to Naros. What would Riyyh do with a Farris-trained Gen, anyway?
Jree: I'm told he hasn't transferred with anything less than a Farris-grade First in months.
Jree: Ten months, actually, is what I heard.
Seruffin: Has any other First had a chance to zlin him, that you know of?
Jree: Nick?
Jree: Everybody at the Center has, of course... and there was the party Arat brought him to.
Jree forbears to mention that Arat was ordered to do so.
Jree: Granted, that was a while back, but they'd remember a nager like that.
Jree assumes Seruffin wants to know about possible other avenues of Nick-loss.
Seruffin: I meant Sectuib Riyyh, not Nick. I'm curious to know if his capacity has grown, since he paired up with... wasn't it a Donor that Snake trained?
Jree: Rapol.
Jree thinks.
Jree: I don't know specifically of a meeting with a channel, but I do know Pylor has spoken to him recently.
Jree: Actually, I believe they had some working interaction.
Jree: There was an argument with Arat, and Pylor went out that afternoon. The story is he spent a few hours with Riyyh in a public museum and around downtown.
Seruffin: Really?
Jree: According to the Post Express and the Comment. [adds]
Jree isn't above gathering her information from the "sightings" columns, if the information seems to be accurate.
Seruffin: If you could get Pylor's assessment of Riyyh's current rating, in a casual way? I do have some old estimates around here someplace.
Jree nods.
Seruffin: Not the most efficient way to approach the problem, but Riyyh is unlikely to allow himself to be examined more closely.
Seruffin: And he is the key to the whole question of Narosian potential, after all.
Jree: I'd think it could be arranged. Riyyh ambrov Naros is anything but unapproachable.
Jree: Somebody like Hajene Tiarala ought to be able to zlin him rather closely without too much difficulty.
Jree: I doubt if I could arrange for that myself, of course.
Jree: And I will ask Pylor, as you wish.
Seruffin: I'll leave the matter in your capable tentacles, then.
Seruffin: While we're on the subject of Pylor, I understand from Neptude that some changes were made in his training program.
Seruffin: Have they produced results?
Jree: They have.
Jree: Not necessarily the intended ones in all cases.
Seruffin raises an inquisitive eyebrow.
Jree: Word is that Pylor has been trying his best at least part of the time, which he hadn't done in any previous assignment with Arat.
Seruffin: Good. Is he showing any of that potential his tests detected?
Jree: I'm not sure I'd go that far.
Seruffin: Oh?
Jree: The reports I managed to see stated he'd succeeded in meshing fields with Arat and sustaining support for minutes at a time.
Seruffin frowns.
Seruffin: He should be doing better than that.
Jree: However, rumors are rampant about how badly the sessions are affecting Arat. And I saw paperwork on an incident the other day - Arat collapsed during one of their sessions.
Seruffin: Collapsed?
Jree: The same day Pylor spent time with Riyyh, [adds]
Seruffin: ~~ concern ~~
Jree: But that was later.
Seruffin: How badly was Arat damaged?
Jree: I didn't see anything that detailed.
Jree: He did go through with his session with Pylor that evening, though.
Seruffin: I'd assumed that with Alea ambrov Zeor to stabilize him, Arat could cope with just about anything Pylor could do.
Seruffin: Although he never has followed the rules, not even the Farris ones.
Jree files that choice quote away for future distribution.
Seruffin: Have there been any further incidents?
Jree: I am not aware of any.
Jree: That was only a few days ago.
Seruffin: Perhaps Alea might be able to provide further details.
Seruffin: Salvaging Pylor is important, but not if Arat's health is permanently damaged.
Seruffin makes no promises regarding temporary incapacitation.
Jree has nothing to say to this, since the policies of Assistant World Controllers regarding healthy working conditions for Farris District Controllers is a bit over her head.
Seruffin: If there are any more... incidents... let me know as soon as you can.
Seruffin does not necessarily trust Arat to report such problems to Neptude, nor Neptude to pass it on.
Jree nods.
Seruffin: Is there anything else of note you have noticed during your current assignment?
Jree: Neither of them appears pleased with the arrangement.
Seruffin: Well, given their history, that's hardly unexpected.
Jree: Arat's various Donors are even less pleased.
Seruffin: Various Donors?
Jree: I say "various" because despite Alea's assignment to Arat, both Beni and Nick continue to visit him at least a couple of times a day to offer assistance.
Jree: Arat usually accepts.
Seruffin: I admit I find that a bit perplexing, given Arat's reputation for being a difficult assignment.
Jree: All three of them dislike Pylor.
Jree: Alea and Pylor in particular do not get along.
Seruffin: Really? I would have thought a Zeor professional....
Seruffin remembers the rumors about Alea's behavior in Bender Cove.
Seruffin: ....well, perhaps not.
Jree: Alea has performed well, by all accounts.
Jree: It is the assignment to Pylor that has been the problem.
Jree: Or so I have heard.
Jree has also heard that Arat is at least 50% his own problem.
Seruffin nods.
Seruffin: You said that there was friction between Pylor and the others?
Jree: Yes, none of them like him.
Jree: Wise Snake... [hesitates]
Jree: She's fairly outspoken on the subject.
Jree: She may have influenced Nick and Beni, but not Alea.
Seruffin: Really?
Seruffin: Has Wise Snake worked with Pylor, then?
Jree: No, she has only zlinned him on occasion.
Seruffin: What is her opinion?
Jree: May I paraphrase?
Seruffin: Of course.
Jree would rather not repeat what Snake said to her, in the presence of an Assistant World Controller.
Seruffin trusts Jree to maintain accuracy in content.
Jree: She said he'd ruin Arat and that she'd enjoy a chance to, uh, vigorously reform him, perhaps involving a raised rating.
Seruffin: Indeed?
Jree tactfully rewords Wise Snake's assertion that Pylor was a "Farris wrecker" and that she'd enjoy a chance to "hurt him so bad he won't remember his own name... then rebuild him in my image."
Seruffin: I had heard that she resented Arat--something about abandonment, I believe?
Seruffin: Does this indicate a change of heart on her part regarding her father?
Seruffin: An acceptance of him as a parent, perhaps?
Jree: I doubt it.
Jree: She disliked Pylor upon sight, and that was only the second time she'd met Arat.
Seruffin: It was merely an expression of professional interest, then?
Seruffin is well aware of how a Farris channel can latch onto a potentially interesting case.
Jree hesitates.
Jree: No, I think she has an unhealthy predisposition towards violence.
Jree: And Pylor seems to have caught her attention in that regard.
Seruffin frowns.
Seruffin: Has she been violent? Or are these just threats?
Jree: She hasn't been given an opportunity.
Jree: Arat's security surrounding her has been very restrictive.
Jree: There has been much talk of problems trying to balance enough freedom for good morale with enough restriction for the safety of others.
Seruffin: How is her morale, overall?
Seruffin: Aside from the lack of goals you mentioned earlier?
Jree: It seems to vary.
Jree: The lack of goals keeps her from being too frustrated, but she is not getting enough stimulation to be particularly happy.
Jree has noted, however, that Wise Snake seems to require more stimulation than the average person.
Seruffin: That is a potential problem, then, and not an immediate crisis?
Jree doesn't feel qualified to answer that one.
Jree: It's hard to tell with Wise Snake.
Jree: A First might be able to tell you more.
Seruffin accepts that as an answer, for now.
Seruffin: What is your overall opinion on how Arat is managing his rogue reclamation program?
Jree considers.
Jree: It seems an odd move for him to make at this point in his career.
Jree: He may be trying to fail, in order to get demoted from the District Controller position.
Jree: Or, dissatisfaction with his post may be driving him to take reckless risks.
Seruffin: You feel that he is failing deliberately, then?
Seruffin thinks reckless risk-taking, at least in work-related situations, is as much a part of being a Farris as wild hair and a beak.
Jree: I don't think he has failed at anything yet, but his aggressive techniques are cutting it closer to the line than is necessary.
Jree: It wouldn't take much to render any one of these projects a failure.
Seruffin: I see.
Jree: Arat strikes me as conservative in most other matters.
Jree: It seems like an inconsistency worth analyzing.
Seruffin nods.
Seruffin: Are there any other pertinent observations you would like to report?
Jree hands Seruffin a packet of papers.
Jree: Nothing that isn't covered in my written report.
Seruffin accepts the packet.
Seruffin: Thank you. I do appreciate your willingness to come out of retirement for this assignment.
Seruffin didn't really give Jree much choice, but he believes in showing ~~ appreciation ~~ for good service rendered, nonetheless.
Seruffin: And I look forward to your next report.
Jree finishes her tea, and rises.
Jree: Until the next.
Jree departs Seruffin's office.
Jree waits until she is out of zlinning range of Seruffin to think, "willingness to come out of retirement my lily white..."