Sime~Gen Roleplaying: District Controller's Office Scenario
Episode #144: No Autographs (1/30/00)
Riyyh approaches the restaurant on foot.
Riyyh has found that Vanity and Ali together are simply too much for any one person to deal with except when strictly necessary.
Ali follows after. Young as he is, it isn't difficult to keep pace with the Sectuib.
Ali views the restaurant with interest. He seems to be always hungry these days.
Riyyh: I do hope Nick has been getting along well. [frets]
Riyyh: The rumors, you know.
Ali: Which ones do you think are true?
Riyyh: There's always a grain of truth to a rumor, Ali. [kindly]
Ali looks forward to seeing Nick again.
Nick is holding down a table, sipping tea.
Ali admires Nick for being a powerful enough magician to merit pictures in Dr. Roosle's book, although of course Sectuib Riyyh had even more pictures.
Ali thinks, but of course Sectuib is Sectuib but Nick is another Companion like me.
Riyyh sees Nick through the restaurant's window as they reach it.
Riyyh: Ah, he's here already. Let us not keep him waiting.
Ali pauses a moment to examine his reflection in the window as they pass, running a hand through his thick brown curls to make sure they are properly fluffed.
Riyyh smiles fondly at this sign of vanity.
Riyyh of course has been surreptitiously checking his own look in all the buildings along the way.
Ali, satisfied, hurries after his channel.
Riyyh enters the restaurant and makes his way over to where Nick is sitting.
Riyyh: Hello, Nick. [smiles] I apologize for being late.
Nick is wearing one of the compromise civvie outfits Riyyh bought for him, not a Tecton uniform.
Riyyh: It took us longer than expected to get out of our room.
Nick is somehow not surprised.
Nick: I was a little late myself, I'm afraid.
Riyyh: You've met Ali?
Riyyh: And Ali remembers you, of course.
Ali: [big smile] Hi, Nick! Here I am in the big city, huh!
Riyyh seems to recall Ali being a pest when Snake and company were around, as well. He supposes he really ought to be grateful that Ali didn't choose Snake for his idol instead of Dr. Roosle.
Nick nods at Ali, even though he has a bit of trouble sorting out all his Narosian family--the 75%ers especially tend to look remarkably alike.
Nick: Ali is your new Companion?
Riyyh: Yes, he is. [smiles]
Ali is a bit crestfallen at the Nick's lukewarm response.
Riyyh removes his heavy winter cloak and hangs it on the peg, and then moves to help Ali with his [being a solicitous Sime]
Nick inspects Ali one more time, and then reflexively checks Riyyh over for damage.
Riyyh appears to be in excellent shape, if a bit tired.
Ali removes his coat and hands it to Riyyh.
Riyyh hangs Ali's coat beside his.
Riyyh: Ali has been a pleasure to work with.
Nick: I'm glad to hear that.
Riyyh takes a seat.
Ali smoothes down his tunic. He was sorry Riyyh forbid him to wear his magical robe to this meeting, but at least the current outfit is heavily embroidered with gold and silver trim as befitting a Companion in Naros.
Riyyh: And you, how have you been? [somewhat concerned]
Nick sighs.
Nick: Well, they're letting me stay here in Capitol, at least for now.
Ali sits at Riyyh's side.
Nick: How long that will last, I don't know.
Riyyh: Forgive me, but I've heard... [apologetic] ... so many rumors.
Nick is considerably less optimistic about his chances, since his last conversation with Arat.
Ali belatedly remembers to check his support of Riyyh for the new location.
Nick is somehow not surprised.
Nick has already managed to compensate for Ali's temporary forgetfulness.
Nick: What have you heard?
Ali smiles at Nick in apology and gratitude.
Nick is Narosian enough to be interested in exactly how much of the story has gotten out.
Ali is Narosian enough to be interested in all variants of the gossip.
Riyyh: They've said you had a falling out with Arat.
Riyyh seems rather worried about this, since he'd been under the impression that Arat was one of the main reasons Nick had decided to pledge.
Nick: That's true, mostly.
Riyyh wouldn't want Nick to be unhappy in his new life.
Riyyh: I'm so sorry.
Nick: He doesn't trust me any more.
Nick: And I'm not sure there's a way to change that.
Nick looks glum, although he keeps most of it out of his nager.
Ali listens avidly, concentrating hard to maintain his support of Riyyh while still listening to the conversation.
Nick: He was expecting me to do one thing, and I did something else instead.
Nick: I had my reasons--he's even admitted that they were good ones--but that's not enough.
Riyyh places a hand on Nick's, in earnest sympathy.
Nick finds a part of him--OK, 75% or so--responding to the sympathy.
Nick: How do you heal broken trust? Particularly with someone who hardly knows how to trust at all?
Riyyh: By showing again and again that you can be trusted - and trusting in him in return.
Riyyh: I don't think it can be done quickly. [gently]
Riyyh suspects Nick has a better crack at it in the long run than his grandmother does in her similar quest.
Riyyh wonders what ever became of Prunida - he's heard rumors that Prunida chased Dr. Roosle all the way to the border and has kept him from re-entering by sheer persistence.
Nick: I hope I can manage to get the time required, then.
Nick: I'm afraid that Arat will let me be reassigned.
Riyyh is not sure he believes those rumors, though; for one thing, the Prunida he knows wouldn't have let something as puny as the Gen Territory border stop her.
Nick is having a great deal of trouble facing the prospect of losing both his channels, so soon after he sacrificed in hopes of keeping them.
Riyyh: I hope so too.
Riyyh reacts to the fear of loss by removing his hand from Nick's and taking one of Ali's instead.
Ali steps up his support of Riyyh.
Nick: Riyyh, you've been running around the edges of the Tecton for a long time.
Nick: Who has the authority to reassign me, or to let me stay?
Nick has been wishing he paid more attention to Arat's lectures on Tecton political structure, although it didn't seem germaine to his own situation at the time.
Ali is glad he is a member of Naros and not subject to the whims of invisible bureaucrats.
Riyyh considers.
Riyyh: Well, certainly Arat's direct superiors could reassign you without any trouble whatsoever.
Riyyh: They could also exert some influence to keep you there, although it wouldn't be absolute.
Riyyh: To be honest, it is Zeor you may have to watch out for.
Riyyh: I am sure that Kenmore brought back an excellent report of you.
Nick finds that a bit ~~ unnerving ~~
Riyyh thinks, aside from the bit about the little communications problem that wrecked their transfer.
Nick: But I'm not one of their members. Not even to the extent that Snake is.
Riyyh: No, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't make an excellent Donor for one of them. You might even be invited to pledge, if you made enough friends among them.
Nick considers the prospect as clinically as he can, considering that his latest pledge is not working out at all the way he'd hoped.
Nick: Would that make a difference, when it came to getting assigned back here?
Riyyh: It would give you more personal influence, but you would also then have obligations to your House.
Riyyh: It is also possible that, if that happened, you might not be interested in coming back. [cautiously]
Nick does a double-take.
Nick: What??
Riyyh: You might find a new home and new connections if you are sent elsewhere.
Riyyh: People grow and change, Nick. You are young yet.
Nick: I couldn't abandon Snake and Arat to Neptude's mercy. They'd die, Riyyh, and I couldn't live with that on my conscience.
Riyyh nods understandingly.
Ali tries to control his thrill at getting the inside scoop on the relationship between Nick and Snake and Arat.
Nick: Neptude wants to assign Pylor to Arat again, once Snake has had a little more time to get the worst of his rough edges off.
Ali reminds himself that the hallmark of a true practitioner is discipline.
Ali bends all his effort towards maintaining steady support for Riyyh, while not missing a word.
Nick: If I'm not here when it happens, Arat will die. Beni certainly couldn't do much to help.
Riyyh: Perhaps Pylor will improve enough to make a difference?
Riyyh suspects, just from Nick's words, that the rumors of Pylor's rehabilitation have been greatly exaggerated.
Nick: I don't think Neptude is willing to wait that long.
Riyyh sighs unhappily.
Riyyh: Nick, if there's anything I can do to help....
Nick has confidence in Snake's ability to beat Pylor into some kind of shape, eventually, but he has no confidence at all in Neptude's willingness to wait until she's finished with him before pressing the issue.
Nick: You said that the authority to reassign me rests with Arat's superiors?
Nick: That would be Neptude, and Seruffin above him?
Riyyh: They have the most direct influence, but anyone sharing their rank could try to demand you.
Riyyh: And in doing so, influence higher powers to act on their behalf.
Nick thinks that over.
Nick: But Neptude or Seruffin would have to approve such a demand?
Riyyh: Well, their disapproval would certainly slow things down a bit, although the higher the rank of the persons involved, the less difference they could make.
Riyyh: I'm afraid it is quite within their interests to reassign you.
Nick droops.
Riyyh: You see, they stand to gain a good deal of favor by doing so.
Nick: I was afraid of that.
Nick: Is there any way to work on them, to discourage them from doing it? At least for a while?
Riyyh: I am sure there must be. [reassuringly]
Riyyh: And if that fails, there are less... conventional... means to get what you wish.
Nick: What sort of means?
Ali waits with bated breath to hear the secrets of these Masters of the Occult Arts.
Nick wouldn't have been able to act as Snake's Companion if he were adamantly opposed to unconventional means.
Nick freely admits to being rather an amateur in comparison to Snake, though.
Ali wonders, maybe another ritual with the bridle, or at least sympathetic magic with an artichoke head doll.
Riyyh: Arat is not happy in his assigned position.
Nick: He would love to get back to New Othwol.
Riyyh: I have heard - this is just second hand, mind you - that he would accept almost anything that was nearer to there, even if it meant a step down in responsibility.
Riyyh: Not all cities near New Othwol are in the 53rd district - or Seruffin's Region.
Nick tries to superimpose the District boundaries over his knowledge of the area.
Nick: So it might help to wrangle a transfer for all of us to a town in a more... amenable Controller's District?
Riyyh: Yes, or at least if you can get one or two critical people transferred, the rest may follow naturally.
Nick: If I can get the two of us and Snake, and maybe Jeniard, the rest would follow.
Nick understands Arat is good at arranging that sort of thing.
Riyyh: Perhaps only Snake or Arat would be required.
Riyyh: But yes, do investigate.
Ali controls his disappointment as the discussion gravitates to boring politics rather than occult wisdom.
Ali: The Moon is in Sagittarius. This is a good time to seek out information.
Riyyh almost - but not quite - winces.
Riyyh has been developing quite a bit of experience with these type of comments, over the past days.
Riyyh: How interesting, Ali. [kindly]
Nick looks at Ali with a bit more interest.
Riyyh doesn't like to discourage young people, particularly when their enthusiasms aren't doing any harm.
Ali is unfortunately coming to recognize that tone of voice only too well.
Ali understands that he is only a magician's apprentice, but he wishes Sectuib would take his aspirations seriously.
Nick: Actually, that's not a bad suggestion, Sagittarius aside.
Nick: There is the matter of locating a suitable assignment, and seeing that it is presented to Neptude and Seruffin as having a problem that requires Arat's expertise. And Snake's.
Riyyh: I am afraid it will be more difficult than that.
Riyyh: They are not capable of making assignments outside of their areas. The assignment would have to come from higher up, which means that a request would have to be made by the Controllers on the other end.
Riyyh: It will be necessary to educate a number of people as to their capabilities, and learn yourself what the various locales requirements are.
Riyyh also thinks Nick would be overly ambitious in trying to find any place willing to take Snake as anything but a price to receiving something else.
Nick contemplates the task.
Nick: I'll have to give this some thought.
Riyyh: Of course.
Nick: It will be necessary to get information on the particular Controllers in charge.
Nick: And what problems they feel are particularly severe.
Ali imagines sending out a troop of Narosian secret agents to gather intelligence throughout the land.
Nick makes an additional note to consult Snake about the possibilities of creating a suitable crisis, if an appropriate one doesn't exist.
Ali imagines using a crystal ball to scry each Controller's private offices.
Nick: It will be rather difficult to get Arat out of Neptude's clutches, I suspect. He's done a great deal to get the District running smoothly, in the past few years.
Riyyh: It is true that Arat has been District Controller for an unusual length of time. That, and his recent health problems, will be in your favor.
Nick looks at Riyyh thoughtfully.
Riyyh looks beautiful and oh-so-innocent.
Nick: You know, if I can pull this off, it would also get Arat off of Naros's back.
Riyyh: Why, I do believe you're right. But that is nothing compared to your happiness, Nick. [sincerely]
Nick is sure that Riyyh is speaking truthfully--at least for the moment.
Nick is also sure that the other considerations will assume greater importance when Nick is no longer present.
Riyyh would, of course, feel perfectly free to enjoy Arat's potential absence after Nick's happiness has left the room.
Nick: It is fortunate that both aims would be served by the same outcome, then.
Nick: Surely with so much at stake, for both of us and for Naros too, you will provide me what information comes to your ears about suitable locations?
Riyyh: Why, of course, if I am able.
Riyyh: I will be travelling, of course, and not in the region we are referring to.
Riyyh: But I will do my best.
Nick: I do appreciate that.
Nick in fact is already showing his ~~ appreciation !!
Riyyh hopes he hasn't gotten Nick's hopes up unrealistically. It is a monumental goal.
Ali: Uh, Nick?
Nick: Yes, Ali?
Riyyh smiles at his young Companion.
Ali: Since we'll be traveling, we might not see you again for a while.
Nick: I know.
Ali: I brought my copy of Tentacle Magic, with the wonderful picture of you. Would you autograph it for me?
Riyyh, who had paused for a moment to take a sip of water, nearly chokes.
Ali fishes his copy out of his coat pocket. He never goes anywhere without it.
Ali offers the book to Nick.
Nick looks at the book with undisguised loathing.
Riyyh is forced to retrieve a napkin and make sure there is no damage to his clothes, and therefore is not available to deflect the boy's well-intentioned request.
Ali quickly shields Riyyh from the shift in the ambient, and quails at Nick's expression.
Ali: I wished I could be in it too, but they said I was too young.
Riyyh looks up, a bit surprised himself by Nick's strong reaction.
Nick: Believe me, I doubt you'd enjoy the experience any more than I have.
Nick pushes the book back to Ali, unsigned.
Riyyh had known Nick was embarrassed by the picture, but hadn't expected such negativity toward an innocent kid.
Nick is not normally vindictive, but he has been hoping that Prunida would manage to catch up to Roosle--or better yet, his publishers.
Ali puts the book away, crestfallen.
Riyyh: There, there. [to Ali, kindly]
Ali: I'm sorry.
Riyyh: Nick has had some bad things happen recently, and isn't feeling very well.
Ali: I didn't mean to overstep the boundaries.
Nick sighs.
Nick: I didn't mean to snap at you, Ali, but that book has been a nightmare for me since it was published.
Ali: But, why?
Ali: It's a wonderful book.
Nick had been about to say, "You'll understand when you're older", but then recalls that Ali is likely to remain at Naros for all or most of his life.
Nick: You will understand, if you ever spend any length of time outside of Naros.
Riyyh: Ali is a big fan of Dr. Roosle's. [explains]
Nick: He's not the only one.
Nick wishes heartily that he was, though.
Nick pushes back his chair.
Nick: I really must get back, now.
Riyyh: So soon?
Riyyh: But we haven't even ordered yet.
Nick: Yes, unfortunately.
Riyyh is disappointed and saddened.
Ali is puzzled by Nick's reactions, but understands that sometimes the Masters instruct their apprentices by leaving them to struggle with the mysteries on their own.
Riyyh: Well... I wish you luck, then, and perhaps I will see you again in the summer.
Nick: Please do go ahead and eat; I simply have tasks that can't wait.
Nick wants to check Arat before his lunch hour is over.
Nick: Thank you very much for the advice, Riyyh, and do let me know if you hear anything interesting.
Nick: Ali, it was nice to see you again. Look after Riyyh for me.
Ali: Good luck, Nick. It was good to see you again.
Ali: We will do our best to aid your quest!
Nick hopes that the implied compliment to Ali's Donor abilities will make up for his reaction to Roosle's book.
Nick: Thank you.
Ali, reminded of his responsibilities, checks Riyyh.
Nick leaves the cafe.
Ali hopes this doesn't mean they will miss the opportunity for a meal.
Riyyh smiles at Ali.
Riyyh: Do not worry, it wasn't your fault.