Sime~Gen Roleplaying: District Controller's Office Scenario
Episode #189: Autopilot (4/4/00)
Lalique has made it in even earlier than usual to carry out her drug search and destroy mission.
Lalique has noticed Rifan has improved his hiding techniques.
Lalique, after putting on the tea, sat down in a chair and has fallen asleep sitting up.
Lalique snores musically.
Rifan shows up about 15 minute earlier than he usually does (which is pretty shenned early) and is amazed to find Lalique there... again.
Rifan puts his cloak on the peg and spends some time searching the office, but through her diligent efforts she's found his stash again, even the pill he'd set on top of the door frame.
Rifan mutters something unkind, and flops down in his chair.
Rifan has been up all night with his wife screaming at him and the kids crying in the hallway.
Lalique stirs slightly, roused by the movement in the room and the change in the ambient.
Rifan looks over at Lalique. He's glad he has a decent Donor, even if some of her practices do drive him batty.
Lalique: Uh... wha....
Lalique lifts her eyelids just a sliver. The room is way too bright.
Lalique: Hajene?
Lalique tells herself she must wake up right now, but her body has other ideas.
Rifan: Don't mind me. It's early yet.
Lalique: G'mrning. Wunnerfu day'n Im et yr serviss.
Lalique tries to open her eyes again.
Lalique succeeds in raising the lids half-way.
Rifan hasn't exactly missed the fact that Lalique has been skipping sleep in order to work ridiculous hours.
Rifan had assumed that she would stop when it got to be too much.
Lalique: Lemme gett'ya sm tea.
Lalique wills her body to move.
Lalique totters to her feet.
Rifan: Why don't you just sit down? [suggests]
Lalique: I'm here to help. 'Jus get a little tea'n I'll be fine.
Rifan watches her skeptically.
Lalique somnambulates in the direction of the tea kettle.
Lalique slowly sets out the cups.
Lalique measures out the tea leaves, scattering some on the counter.
Lalique carefully and with immense concentration pours the hot water.
Lalique: There.
Rifan shakes his head.
Rifan wonders why all of the women in his life are completely off their rockers.
Lalique: ~~ satisfaction at having accomplished a task of great difficulty ~~
Lalique offers one cup to Rifan.
Lalique: G'd morning, H'jene.
Rifan takes it carefully, lest she drop it on him.
Lalique: ~~ affectionate if dazed welcome ~~
Lalique takes possession of her own cup.
Lalique: I'll be r'dy to work in just... just a minute.
Rifan: Don't knock yourself out.
Rifan thinks it's way too late for that.
Lalique sips the tea, letting the tart flavor clear away some of the cobwebs.
Rifan sips his own tea.
Rifan wonders if Lalique is going to be able to work at all today. Maybe she will learn her lesson if she can't?
Lalique gazes at Rifan, worried that he is annoyed with her.
Rifan learned his own version of that lesson several years ago, but still has a few things to learn in other areas.
Lalique offers ~~ support ~~
Rifan: Have a seat. I'm not going anywhere right away.
Lalique knows she should be providing Rifan with triumphant optimism and joy but she doesn't feel quite up to it yet.
Lalique obediently sits and sips some more tea.
Rifan: Shen, you zlin like me after a bad night, and you don't even have Etta on your back.
Lalique: Sorry, Hajene.
Rifan has a final sip of his tea, and then sets it aside to pick up some paperwork.
Lalique relaxes her projection a bit, opening herself to become more aware of him.
Lalique: You have bad nights? Can I help?
Rifan looks up at her.
Rifan: Oh, no, I shouldn't have said that.
Rifan: It's nothing, just my home life.
Lalique has noticed that Rifan often doesn't look or feel very well.
Lalique: If there's anything I can do, just ask. Or I'd be happy to listen, if it would make you feel better.
Rifan thinks about it.
Rifan: It's mostly my wife.
Rifan: She refuses to work, and she gets drunk and gets these crazy ideas in her head.
Rifan: If I don't agree with her latest schemes, she goes wild.
Rifan: I try to stay away.
Rifan thinks that pretty much sums it up.
Rifan: There's nothing you can do about it.
Lalique takes seriously the responsibility to keep her channel healthy, happy and sane, not just satisfied in transfer.
Rifan: If I could never leave here, that would be just about perfect.
Lalique: That's so sad.
Lalique: What was she like when you married her?
Rifan: Well, she was... [considers]
Rifan: She was exciting.
Lalique has spent as many years listening to drunks in shiltpron parlors as she has providing field support for channels.
Rifan: Daring.
Rifan: She had new ideas. Not crazy ones, just... different.
Rifan: It was always interesting to talk to her.
Lalique: So you loved her.
Rifan: Sure.
Lalique: When did it change?
Rifan: Well....
Rifan: I guess it was when Kilie was born. She was our 2nd.
Rifan: Etta told me she wanted to move to Scarborough Bay. That's up in Norwest.
Rifan: There are ships there that sail into the North to catch a pink fish. She said the Gens will pay well for them and one can become rich off of one summer's sailing.
Lalique nods encouragingly.
Rifan: I asked her if there was a Sime Center in Scarborough, and she said what did it matter?
Lalique: She wanted to leave you?
Rifan: She didn't know what she wanted.
Rifan: Three days later, she said that she could not handle being a mother of two, and that she wanted to give our children up.
Rifan: She never wants the same thing from day to day.
Rifan: And she gets so violent when she can't get what she thinks she wants.
Rifan holds out his arms, showing Lalique the marks of minor injuries, mostly healed, on his hands and handling tentacles.
Rifan: But she's not insane.
Rifan: She's just unhappy, and she doesn't think what she does has any effect on me.
Rifan: Or the kids.
Lalique: The children are with her, then?
Lalique: Does she hurt them too?
Rifan: No.
Rifan: But they are frightened more than they should be.
Rifan wonders why he's telling her all this.
Rifan supposes it's because he thinks she won't remember most of it, she's so bushed.
Lalique moves closer to Rifan, holding out her arms to soothe his bruises.
Lalique: Let me take care of you.
Rifan: Maybe you ought to take the day off.
Rifan lets her touch his hands, though, because her nager feels so good.
Lalique may be half asleep, but her field would respond to a channel's if she were half dead.
Lalique: No, I'd rather be here.
Rifan figures she'll learn eventually.
Rifan: OK.
Lalique: What does she want, then? Or think she wants.
Rifan: I think she'd like to be free of me and the kids, but not have to be afraid of being alone either.
Lalique: Has she ever left you? Tried to live by herself?
Rifan: When I met her, she was traveling with a circus.
Rifan: She talks about it, but she never has.
Rifan: She won't take a job.
Rifan: If she did ever go, I'd have to support her.
Lalique: Do you want her to go?
Rifan just looks at Lalique, not knowing how to answer that.
Lalique sees his hesitation and nods understandingly.
Lalique: Or do you love her still?
Rifan: I can't help but hope that one day it will just be back the way it was.
Lalique: I hope someday it will. You deserve better.
Rifan smiles at her.
Rifan doesn't think it ever will.
Lalique: Look, I wouldn't want to interfere in your marriage....
Lalique: But I hope you'll think of me as a friend.
Lalique: Not just when we're assigned.
Lalique: There's not much I can do, but if you want someone to listen, or just a place to hang out that's not the office, come and visit.
Rifan: Thanks, Lalique.
Rifan squeezes her fingers.
Rifan: Now, don't you think you ought to take today off? Friends don't let friends sleepwalk.
Rifan: I swear I won't mention it in my report.
Lalique: Well, I'd really rather not, but maybe.... There's a cot in Examination Room 2. If you can spare me, a little nap....
Rifan: Sure. [grins]
Lalique: Thanks, Hajene.
Lalique: ~~ gratitude and relief ~~
Lalique: I'll be back in just a little while.
Rifan: OK.
Lalique drifts towards the door.
Rifan looks after her and thinks he is lucky to have such a dedicated Donor.