Sime~Gen Roleplaying: District Controller's Office Scenario
Episode #130: The Plunge (1/7/00)
Nick has managed to argue his way past the guards on the security wing, and to Snake's cell, on the grounds that he requires her analysis of Arat's condition.
Nick is still a bit surprised that it worked, but after Rhonda's Rose, he is particularly disinclined to look gift equines in the mouth.
Nick slips through into Snake's cell as the door opens.
Nick: Snake!
Wise Snake is curled up on her cot reading a fascinating copy of "The Art of Transfer" which was all a harassed Neptude was able to find for her to do.
Wise Snake throws the book away with relief as Nick appears.
Nick: ~~ joy ~~
Nick hurries over to Snake's cot.
Wise Snake inspects Nick for signs of wear.
Nick looks fit from travel, but hasn't gotten the regulation amount of sleep in the past day or so.
Nick: How have they been treating you?
Nick: You've been working with Beni, haven't you?
Wise Snake: Oh yeah, off and on.
Wise Snake: He's OK.
Nick takes Snake's hands, inspecting her for any signs of the sort of abuse Arat suffered.
Wise Snake seems healthy enough, and has various odd nicks and such on her hands and tentacles from all of the unsanctioned activities she's been doing lately, such as smashing through safety glass windows.
Wise Snake also has a bit of a tan, oddly enough.
Nick is ~~ relieved and reassured ~~ at this sign of normal Snakely activity.
Nick: You're doing well.
Nick: In fact, you look healthier than I've seen you in a long time.
Wise Snake: Oh, I've been getting a bit more exercise lately.
Wise Snake: [casually]
Nick: So I'd heard.
Nick: I can't argue with the results, but, Snake... be careful.
Nick: Please?
Nick lacks Riyyh's practice at begging and wheedling, but has an appeal all his own (some 25% different), at least where channels are concerned.
Wise Snake looks at Nick, amused.
Wise Snake: All right, Nick.
Nick: ~~ relief ~~
Nick: Thank you.
Wise Snake wonders why Nick is so gung ho on safety all of a sudden.
Nick: The Tecton isn't very kind, when they want to teach a channel a lesson. Look at Arat.
Wise Snake snorts.
Wise Snake: He does it to himself.
Nick could point out that certain blue horse pills and other pharmaceuticals that caused Snake trouble were equally self-inflicted, but doesn't think it will get him anywhere.
Nick: Perhaps he does, some of the time.
Nick: But still, he and Jeniard both told Neptude that Pylor couldn't handle Arat, and Neptude made the assignment anyway.
Nick: If they could do that to Arat, after the way he follows every little regulation, what would they do to you?
Nick: Maybe without even meaning to?
Wise Snake sighs tolerantly.
Wise Snake: Nick, he does it to himself.
Wise Snake: He actually requested Pylor after their worst transfer ever.
Wise Snake does think it's kind of cute how Nick tries to protect his channel, though.
Wise Snake has not been particularly difficult to amuse, these days.
Nick can't help being cute on occasion; it's genetic.
Wise Snake: And that entire lawsuit thing is ridiculous.
Wise Snake: He should just swallow his pride, forget the lawsuit, and petition the Tecton for dependency status with Jeniard. Sure, it's a little unusual, but the facts are the facts.
Wise Snake can speak lightly of pride-swallowing since she's not the one who'd have to do it.
Wise Snake still hasn't figured out what to think of her father. On the one hand she finds him nagerically dominant and impressive, but on the other hand she finds him a neurotic, self-destructive puppet of the Tecton.
Nick: Somehow, I don't think that the Tecton would accept such as ruling.
Nick: It's too far outside the world as they think it ought to be.
Wise Snake: Well, it's worth fighting for, unlike public forgiveness for having fathered a Farris bastard.
Wise Snake thinks that Arat should have gotten over it before she did - and she has.
Nick nods.
Nick: He ought to have someone who will tell him when he's acting like a fool. Jeniard doesn't bother, most of the time.
Wise Snake: Jeniard has enough to take care of, what with wiping his nose for him and telling him when to eat and take a leak.
Nick: Well, yes. But even if weren't too busy with other tasks, Jeniard doesn't have what it takes to out-maneuver the Tecton.
Nick: Snake, I've come to a decision.
Nick is ~~ determined ~~, although not particularly happy about it.
Wise Snake glances at Nick.
Nick: Arat almost died because he didn't have a Donor who cared enough to look out for him.
Nick leaves out the small matter of competence and self-inflicted damage.
Nick: It could have been you--might be you, next time.
Nick: I can't stop that from happening, unless I have the credentials.
Nick: And that means, well, I'm going to have to pledge.
Wise Snake looks at Nick cynically.
Wise Snake: Forever?
Wise Snake knows that a pledge is supposed to be forever, but wonders if Nick was thinking along those lines as well.
Nick: For as long as you--well, and I suppose Arat, too--need a Donor who's willing to fight to look after you.
Wise Snake: Don't make the mistake of giving your pledge and bond to a faceless government entity on the basis of wanting to serve two particular channels.
Wise Snake: Once you're theirs, they can do whatever they want with you.
Wise Snake: Arat can throw temper tantrums all he wants, but if they need you more badly somewhere else, they'll send you off.
Wise Snake does not mention herself.
Nick: I'm sure they will, from time to time.
Nick: But any system can be manipulated--how else could Arat keep Jeniard all these years?
Nick: It will take time to learn the system, but it's not impossible.
Nick: ~~ determination ~~
Wise Snake can zlin that Nick is determined to go through with this.
Nick has learned a great deal about system-manipulation during his travels with Riyyh.
Wise Snake: Well, it's your life.
Wise Snake: Don't say I didn't warn you.
Nick: What else can I do, Snake? I can't just walk away from you.
Nick: And what is there for me outside the Tecton, now?
Nick: Riyyh?
Wise Snake thinks Nick is deluding himself if he thinks he can have Snake by pledging the Tecton.
Wise Snake: Nick, it's your choice to make.
Wise Snake: If that's how it is, then that's how it is.
Wise Snake: One thing that's guaranteed is you'll always get a transfer with someone who at least matches you.
Nick has been frustrated for long enough that this in itself is a powerful inducement.
Nick is not particularly happy with having his life determined by biology, but then, what product of a breeding program is?
Nick: Yeah.
Wise Snake: So, speaking of Pops, what's the latest gossip?
Wise Snake means her Pops, not Nick's.
Nick: He's getting to the grumpy stage.
Nick: He wanted to get up and work, earlier.
Wise Snake: And you left him alone?
Wise Snake laughs.
Nick: Well, a little bit of exercise won't hurt him.
Nick: He won't risk much--I said I'd be back in a half hour.
Nick knows that if he had agreed to half an hour's exercise, Arat would have insisted on a few hours of real work.
Nick: If I can get a decent transfer into him, he should be all right.
Nick considers.
Nick: He's not going to be happy when he learns about Lalique, though.
Wise Snake: He still doesn't know?
Nick: Not unless Jeniard's told him.
Nick is well aware that Jeniard has little ability to deny Arat anything.
Wise Snake suspects that Jeniard isn't going to be withholding much of anything from Arat after the incident of her own coming into existence.
Nick: Maybe Buggfa will keep him happy for a while.
Nick: I hear his bosses have hired a lawyer.
Nick: Neptude and Tiarala have even kept Riyyh confined to the Center as a potential witness.
Nick: ~~ amusement ~~
Wise Snake snorts.
Nick stands.
Nick: I'd better get back.
Wise Snake: I suppose you'd better.
Wise Snake: Now that you're a Tecton man, you'll have to watch your schedule.
Nick grimaces.
Nick: I suppose so.
Nick wishes the whole Tecton concept didn't make him feel so much like an item of used clothing being passed around among a group of beggars.
Nick's current outfit, having been acquired under Riyyh's direct supervision, is both stylish and comfortable, and so can not be held responsible for his feelings.
Nick signals at the door for the guard to let him out.
Nick has gathered that Snake has developed alternative methods of gaining freedom, but knows that keeping up appearances is vital.
Nick pauses halfway out of the door.
Nick: Make Beni take care of you.
Wise Snake: I will. [dryly]
Wise Snake: Thanks.
Wise Snake knows this might be goodbye for them and that Nick knows that too.
Nick waves farewell, then rushes off to see if he can beat Arat back to the infirmary.
Nick arrives at the door to Arat's and Jeniard's room some twenty minutes later, having already checked out the infirmary, Arat's office, and several of the wards that frequently generate Farris-interesting cases.
Nick hopes that having one of his channels disappear directly after he decided to officially join the Tecton isn't an omen of things to come.
Nick signals at the door.
Nick: Arat? Are you in there?
Nick: ~~ harassed/worried ~~
Arat, in a move which would be recognizable to anybody familiar with his record over the last 15 years, has indeed returned to his own bed instead of his infirmary room.
Arat gets up to let Nick in.
Arat looks exhausted as he had overdone it a bit.
Arat also looks somewhat apologetic as he realizes what he must have put Nick through.
Nick: What did you think you were doing? You were supposed to stay in bed.
Nick doesn't let the scolding prevent him from maneuvering Arat back towards the bed.
Arat decides the best answer to that is to get back in bed, where he was before Nick signaled.
Arat allows Nick to put him back to bed.
Nick: Where were you?
Arat: I went to my office.
Arat means, that's where he went first.
Nick: Neptude's made that much of a mess of things?
Nick indicates Arat's exhausted appearance.
Arat has to admit he wasn't very impressed by what he zlinned of Neptude's handling of the Buggfa situation, but then he isn't going to talk against Neptude in anybody's presence, not even Nick's.
Arat: I wanted to catch up on what I've been missing. I don't want to get any farther behind than I already am.
Arat may talk against Neptude in Jeniard's presence, of course, but that's different.
Nick: Arat, this District will survive a few days without you.
Nick: ~~ fond exasperation ~~
Arat is prepared to believe that... now that he has no energy left and his need-to-Control has been temporarily staved off.
Arat nods.
Nick: This Tecton fiction that all channels and Donors are interchangeable may be nonsense, really, but at times it almost works.
Nick is trying to find a positive side to the Tecton, under the circumstances.
Arat tugs the "special" blanket more securely against him.
Arat of course believes that he is irreplaceable and therefore un-interchangeable with anybody, but then he is terribly arrogant and self-centered.
Arat is prepared to believe that he can be temporarily replaced with a corresponding loss in productivity and quality, however.
Nick: Although it doesn't seem to come close, in Pylor's case.
Nick's tone makes it clear how he views Pylor, although his nager remains soothing.
Arat: What has been done about Pylor?
Arat has not been able to determine this, mainly because nobody will tell him.
Arat just knows he hasn't seen him since before his collapse.
Nick: I'd heard Neptude offered him to Riyyh.
Nick: Riyyh wanted to go back to Naros for transfer, but if that isn't possible, he might accept.
Arat snorts, sounding remarkably like Snake.
Nick finds the likeness comforting.
Arat: Neptude doesn't know what he's doing, keeping that man here.
Nick: Well, with Pylor, it might just be that there isn't a chance of getting anything decent in exchange.
Arat is of the opinion that Riyyh could do a lot of damage to the works of the 53rd District Offices, at least personnel wise.
Arat: I meant Riyyh.
Nick: Oh. I think Neptude's afraid that if Riyyh goes home, he won't have a case against Lortuen Records.
Nick: Unless Buggfa decides to let himself be zlinned.
Nick is personally rather skeptical that Buggfa will agree to anything that is detrimental to his employers.
Arat looks disgusted.
Arat: Neptude is a fool to let himself be manipulated by them.
Arat goes back on his previous attempt to not say anything negative about Neptude.
Arat: It is irrelevant whether Buggfa gives his express permission or not. His condition is easily zlinned on a casual basis, meaning it is serious enough to warrant severe measures.
Arat: At any rate, I collected all the information that will be required, while I was there.
Nick: You did?
Nick: He was in your office?
Nick was mainly interrogating Neptude on Arat's whereabouts, and missed the chance to discover what had occurred.
Nick is, after all, Narosian by genes only, and thus lacks finesse in gossip-mongering.
Arat nods.
Arat: They all were. 1
Nick: ...All?
Arat: Will you make me a cup of tea?
Nick: Of course.
Nick goes over to the tea table and starts the water heating.
Arat does not want to talk about Buggfa or Lortuen records. He is angry that he is not going to be able to handle it his own way, because of his recent medical problems.
Nick looks at the canister of Tecton #5, then shakes his head absently and digs through his pockets.
Arat would probably be less angry if there were less chance of his being dragged into it much later when it gets screwed up and his name comes up as somebody who'd been in on the beginning of it.
Nick pulls out a slightly mashed teabag with the Narosian imprint, inspects it for cleanliness, and nods in satisfaction.
Nick returns to the bed shortly with two pleasantly aromatic, steaming mugs.
Nick: There you are.
Arat accepts the tea and props himself up to sip carefully.
Arat places the cup on the side table.
Arat: I didn't want to go back to the infirmary. [explains, rather too late]
Arat doesn't comment on the fact that the tea was a good deal fancier than his usual - although he did lick his lips after putting the cup down.
Nick: So I gathered.
Nick: Still, next time, would you leave a message so I know where to find you?
Arat looks as if he would rather not make a promise like that, but finally nods.
Nick hopes that Arat will not land in the infirmary again soon, and will therefore not be required to keep this promise.
Nick sips his own tea slowly, thinking that he's going to have to make arrangements for a regular supply.
Nick became rather spoiled, tea-wise, while traveling with Riyyh.
Nick: I'll hold you to that, you know. Now--and in the future.
Arat slumps back down into his bed.
Arat has taken to not thinking very far into the future, lately.
Nick, on the other hand, has been doing some serious long-term planning.
Nick: So don't think I'm going to forget.
Arat rubs his eyes,
Arat: I didn't think you would forget.
Nick notes Arat's depression, and wonders if the thought of keeping his Donor informed before running off is that oppressive.
Nick tries to inject some ~~ Gen optimism ~~ into the ambient.
Nick runs a hand down Arat's arm to intensify the effect.
Arat sighs as Nick's nager and touch make the world seem a bit less unbearable.
Nick: That's better.
Nick has a new appreciation of the challenge of working with a channel who matches him, after months with Riyyh.
Nick: It will be good to have a decent transfer again.
Arat nods, looking grave.
Arat hasn't had a decent transfer in a long time.
Nick: Unless you'd really prefer Pylor?
Nick: ~~ gentle teasing ~~
Arat: No.
Nick: Mmmm. I didn't think so.
Nick runs his hand down Arat's arm again, stroking the tentacles in a soothing fashion.
Nick is trying to dwell on the advantages of working for the Tecton.
Arat closes his eyes, concentrating on the sensation. He is, after all, in bed ill and has already done all he can in the way of work for the day.
Arat finds it necessary to justify his recreations, such as they are.
see note 2
Nick has managed to keep Arat asleep for a sustained one hour and seventeen minutes, a feat which would have stunned Beni, much less Pylor.
Arat begins stirring restlessly.
Nick is, however, fighting Sime nature, and so is forced to let Arat awaken.
Nick lightens his nager, while keeping up enough support to orient Arat.
Nick just wishes it were possible for a channel to return the favor, when rousting him out of bed after insufficient sleep.
Arat's eyes open.
Nick: Feeling better?
Nick: ~~ relaxed ~~
Arat nods.
Arat: Thank you.
Nick: Would you like some more tea?
Arat: Yes.
Nick: There isn't anything but #5 available, I'm afraid.
Nick: ~~ apologetic ~~
Arat: That will be acceptable.
Nick had felt that keeping Arat asleep was more important than retrieving his luggage.
Arat actually prefers the Tecton standard blends, due to their being politically correct.
Nick is not even very sure where his luggage ended up, but supposes that he'd better find out soon, while people will still get within three feet of him.
Nick moves to the tea table.
Nick makes two cups of #5, and pours water from the steaming kettle.
Arat: Nick, [begins]
Nick returns to the bed and hands one cup to Arat.
Nick: Yes?
Arat: Why did you return with Tiarala?
Arat pushes himself up to sit in bed and accepts the tea cup.
Nick: She said that you'd collapsed, because of Pylor's mismanagement.
Arat: Ah.
Arat had rather suspected something of the sort.
Nick: I couldn't leave you to Pylor's tender mercies.
Nick is, of course, trying to rationalize a decision that was made on the nageric level, bypassing the cerebrum entirely.
Arat had hoped that Nick had come back of his own accord, having made a decision.
Nick sips the #5 and grimaces, although his nager remains steady.
Nick looks at the cup with resigned distaste.
Arat is of course not at all surprised that Tiarala manipulated Nick into it; it wouldn't be difficult under the circumstances, and Tiarala had incentive to do so.
Nick: I suppose I'll get used to the stuff, eventually.
Arat feels irritation stirring within him.
Arat: Don't be ridiculous. Don't drink it if you don't want it.
Arat's reaction is, in part, to an unrecognized, squashed hope that Nick would return because of personal feelings for Arat.
Nick sets the cup aside, and sets to work soothing Arat's irritation.
Nick: Now that I'm here, though....
Arat also has enough trouble enjoying food and drink without other people disliking them.
Nick: Well, I won't be leaving with Riyyh when he returns to Naros.
Arat: You won't?
Nick puts his hands lightly on Arat's arms.
Nick: I won't. I've decided to stay.
Arat: But your pledge....
Nick: With you, and Snake. For as long and as often as I can beg, bully, or blackmail the Tecton into allowing.
Arat sighs.
Arat: Neptude is not going to be as permissive as I was.
Nick: Neptude has problems of his own--not least of which is trying to explain just why you collapsed to Seruffin.
Arat looks troubled.
Nick: I don't think he'll risk leaving you without a decent Donor for quite a while.
Arat simply nods, however.
Nick's attitude is perhaps more typical of a long-term Tecton employee than a raw recruit.
Arat: I appreciate your coming back, Nick.
Nick nods.
Nick: You and Snake make the idea of joining the club bearable.
Arat sips his tea as he tries to decide what Nick meant by that.
Arat then looks up at Nick, suspicion dawning on his Farris features.
Nick is, perhaps, underestimating the cumulative effects of inadequate transfers on Donor psychology.
Arat hasn't allowed himself to actually hope in that area for quite some time.
Arat: Do you mean...
Arat: You are going to make a pledge?
Nick: If the only way to keep the Pylors away from you and Snake is to work from inside the Tecton, that's what I'll do.
Arat can't believe it.
Arat: But Nick, that's....
Arat tries to think of an appropriate word.
Arat zlins Nick to make sure he is sincere.
Nick isn't ecstatically happy about it or anything, but he is sincerely committed.
Arat abandons the (admittedly uncharacteristic) word "wonderful" he had been considering for the end of his sentence.
Arat: The Tecton desperately requires Donors of your caliber. [says instead]
Arat: You will find yourself very much in demand, and you will make a difference.
Nick: I hope so.
Nick doesn't mind making a difference to other channels, as long as it doesn't interfere with keeping Snake and Arat healthy.
Nick is not blind to Arat's almost-pleasure at the news, however, and his nager warms.
Arat allows himself to hope that he might have Nick for transfer, and indeed as Donor for the entire next month.
Arat hopes so with pathetic sincerity, as a matter of fact.
Arat: Do you think that you might pledge before I am due? [attempting to sound grave and business like]
Nick catches the hope underneath the question.
Nick: I don't see any reason to delay.
Arat puts his tea aside, and reaches out toward Nick's hands.
Nick puts his hands in Arat's.
Arat squeezes Nick's hands, once, transmitting a silent thank you he has no words for.
Arat's expression is a mixture of relief and vulnerability and wanting-to-believe.
Nick: As soon as you're able.
Nick really couldn't contemplate giving his pledge to the Tecton through any other channel.
Notes:
1) This places the events of Episode #129 as happening during Nick's conversation with Snake. [return]
2) Some time passes between these two scenes. [return]