Sime~Gen Roleplaying: District Controller's Office Scenario
Episode #191: You Asked for It (4/8/00)
Seruffin works through some last-minute paperwork as he waits for his appointment to arrive.
Seruffin does not expect to work a moment past the appointed time.
Arat had had to scramble to make room in his schedule for the unexpected summons from Seruffin. Between the negotiations, Snake wrestling, and his morning meetings with Jeniard, Tiarala and Lexus, he scarcely has a free moment. It is extremely stressful.
Arat knows better than to be unavailable for Seruffin under any circumstances, of course.
Arat augments slightly to make it in time, then signals precisely on schedule.
Seruffin puts down the report he was skimming.
Seruffin: Enter!
Arat does so.
Arat does his best to appear as if he'd made the trip in a stately and dignified fashion.
Seruffin: Thank you for coming on such short notice. Please, have a seat.
Seruffin's nager zlins ~~ cordial ~~
Arat takes a seat.
Seruffin: Tea?
Arat is cautiously relieved by Seruffin's positive manner.
Arat: Thank you.
Arat doesn't actually know what this meeting is about. There are various good and bad possibilities, but no low-stress ones.
Arat has some concerns that Neptude's continued animosity may be taking the form of complaints to Seruffin about Arat.
Seruffin pours a fresh cup from a decorative teapot and pushes it towards Arat, then tops off his own cup.
Seruffin takes a moment to inspect Arat, nagerically and visually.
Arat took the time to groom himself properly, but he looks harassed and stretched thin. He zlins controlled and neutral.
Arat takes the tea cup and has a sip.
Seruffin one again indulges in the futile wish that he could zlin through Arat's nager, but tentatively decides that Arat must be handling the stress of his position all right.
Seruffin: How have the negotiations between Public Works and that union representative been going?
Seruffin: And you've involved some other departments as well, I understand?
Arat wouldn't say that their involvement was his doing, but they've certainly been involved!
Arat nods.
Arat: It is difficult, but some progress has been made.
Seruffin had hoped for a more optimistic response.
Arat found the main difficulty lay in remaining civil in the face of childish lack of discipline and petty inter-office bickering, as well as Fragga's obvious interest in baiting the government officials.
Seruffin: Have you any feel for how much longer it will take to hammer out a solution?
Arat: Of course, it is impossible to say with any precision given that the outcome is determined by the rate at which the parties involved can come to an understanding.
Arat: However, they are settling into serious negotiating and I would expect to see some public proposals within the next two weeks.
Seruffin nods.
Arat's opinions of the self-discipline and teamwork skills of the public leadership will reach new lows, if not.
Seruffin then settles back and zlins Arat in a speculative fashion.
Seruffin's private estimate had been that the negotiations would take at least a month longer, so he is not displeased.
Seruffin: As you might expect, the Gen Territory authorities have not been pleased by the riots and surrounding confusion.
Seruffin: They have expressed serious concerns about our ability to fulfill our half of the project.
Seruffin: And they are insistent that we take strong measures to prevent any worker-caused disruption of the construction site.
Arat: Of course.
Seruffin: The diplomats have been working overtime to convince them that we will have an appropriate, disciplined workforce on hand at the proper time.
Seruffin: However, they have asked for additional assurances.
Seruffin zlins a tad ~ apologetic ~
Arat looks a little more alert at the change in Seruffin's nager.
Arat has done his best to avoid thinking about actually going to the Snake River Dam project as selyn movement Controller. For one thing, his cover depends utterly upon his ability to realistically appear to have fallen into the role by chance and not premeditation. For another, the very thought of it makes him deeply uneasy for reasons he can't pinpoint.
Arat's uneasiness is triggered by Seruffin's hint of apology, too.
Seruffin: In particular, they want someone on hand who had credibility with both the workers and management, and who is familiar with the details of whatever agreement is reached.
Seruffin: An on-site emergency arbitrator to enforce any deviations from the agreement, before they become disruptive.
Seruffin: And to prevent, as far as possible, such unproductive sentiments from spreading among the rest of the workforce.
Seruffin has spent enough time with the diplomats to have picked up quite a lot of euphemisms for "union busting".
Arat: I understand.
Arat understands that the Gens are responding to the drama of the Capitol riots and not aware of just how little events in Capitol would affect the actual job site.
Seruffin: Do you? I'm afraid that with the newspaper coverage of your role in the current negotiations, the Gens have asked for you specifically.
Arat: They have?
Arat seldom blurts, but that was a blurt.
Arat: ~ startled ~
Seruffin starts himself, never having zlinned a spontaneous reaction from Arat before.
Seruffin: I'm afraid so.
Arat frowns to himself. It is not a good time for powerful random elements to be coming into his carefully laid out plan.
Arat thinks the plan is difficult enough to manage as it is.
Seruffin: I know it's not the sort of position you prefer--primitive conditions and all that.
Arat in fact would have chosen some manner of striking against Neptude and retaining his 53rd District Controllership, if he had to do it all again.
Seruffin: You'd have to be Controller for the site, as well as emergency arbitrator.
Seruffin: I know you said that you would do it if necessary, when we discussed it before, but I had hoped that there would be another way.
Seruffin personally can't imagine Arat Farris amidst the chaos of a construction site.
Seruffin: ~~ apology ~~
Seruffin: It would get you out from under Neptude's authority, however,
Seruffin: I know that things have not been easy between the two of you, recently.
Arat looks even more uneasy, as he wonders what Neptude has told Seruffin and how much of it Seruffin believed.
Seruffin had in fact pretty much concluded that it would be necessary to separate Arat and Neptude before both were ruined.
Arat: I... am aware that the problems which have developed are unacceptable.
Arat: I regret that there will not be more time to resolve them.
Arat can't regret getting away from them, though.
Seruffin wishes he had the control to get away with making such diplomatic half-truths around his superiors.
Seruffin is, after all, a Tecton Controller, and thus used to informing his subordinates that he's going to screw them. (In a figurative sense, of course: Seruffin is not related).
Arat: You have decided to reassign me, then?
Arat takes in the information for a few moments, and then nods.
Arat: Effective when?
Seruffin lets out a cautious sigh of relief when Arat appears to take the news in stride.
Arat has, as has been mentioned before, not fully grokked just how hellish an assignment it is going to be. He hasn't permitted himself to examine it closely.
Seruffin: You'll have to stay until these negotiations have been successfully concluded, of course.
Seruffin: That should give you time to bring your successor up to speed.
Arat: Has the successor been chosen?
Seruffin: Not yet. I was hoping that you could give me some insight into the candidates.
Arat would like to know who they officially are.
Arat: Of course, to the best of my ability.
Seruffin: Neptude has been promoting that nephew of his for some time, but I haven't liked a lot of what I've heard of him.
Seruffin: Is he capable of doing the job?
Arat considers, knowing he will be expected to make a fully objective statement.
Arat: The lack of comparable experience would be a severe handicap.
Arat: He also lacks the steadiness which maturity can bring.
Arat: I would not recommend him for the position.
Seruffin nods.
Seruffin: That is about how I view the situation.
Arat thinks that the Riyyhs of the District would wrap Lexus around their fingers and the Ekwoos would trample all over him. Meanwhile, Lexus' own desires and notions would play havoc with the people working under him.
Seruffin: I'll find him a larger Center for him to take care of, then, until he's ready for a District.
Seruffin: Neptude is right about one thing: The boy is stagnating where he is.
Arat nods.
Seruffin: I'd heard that you have had one of your department heads filling in for you while you are so heavily engaged in the mediation?
Arat: Hajene Tiarala.
Arat frowns, as he had been under the impression that Hajene Tiarala was a candidate from the very beginning.
Arat thinks now it sounds like she only came under consideration in the 2 days since he appointed her to cover for him.
Seruffin: How is she handling the position?
Arat: It has not been long enough to judge. There have been some initial difficulties in adjusting, but she was only given the post two days ago.
Arat doesn't mention, she also has Lexus on her back.
Seruffin considers.
Seruffin: Well, I would appreciate having your reappraisal in another week or so, when you have had a chance to get a better impression of her suitability.
Arat: Of course.
Arat: However, in picking her for the temporary position, I considered her strength to be large scale employee management. She has managed many wards larger than the average Sime Center, and in most of the fields our Center specializes in. In addition, she has done much travel and has contacts in much of the 53rd District's area. However, she would have to learn political subtlety, and I am not entirely certain of her limits in terms of workload.
Seruffin nods thoughtfully.
Seruffin: Well, that's something everyone has to learn on the job. She is certainly a better candidate than Lexus, and if she already has experience in running the 53rd District, that would make it very difficult for Neptude to object to her taking precedence over his nephew.
Seruffin: The other possibility would be to reassign an experienced District Controller from another area.
Seruffin: I can think of several who would be capable of handling the position, although most of them are urgently required where they are.
Arat wonders why Neptude's objections are given weight in this decision. What else is going on that he doesn't know about?
Seruffin isn't going to base his decision on Neptude's preferences, but if he can manage to avoid getting one of his Regional Controllers in snits, he is willing to go to some effort to do so.
Seruffin: Do you have any other candidates you would like to put forward for consideration?
Arat can't really come out and say he thought certain personnel from the City Sime Centers were under consideration, because of course he wasn't supposed to know about this until now. He can't name the exact people either, for the same reason. At least not all of them.
Arat: There are some good, solid people in local offices who might be considered.
Arat: Estralan with the City Controller, for example.
Seruffin is not planning on disrupting the local Centers any more than he absolutely has to, after the riots, but the information that Arat approves of Estralan is valuable in itself.
Seruffin: Anyone else?
Arat considers carefully.
Arat: There are the more radical alternatives, of course. I don't know how much risk is acceptable.
Seruffin raises a questioning eyebrow.
Arat: You might consider Neptude. Or pull a channel from retirement into circulation. I understand Riyyh ambrov Naros is due to turn the reins of the Householding over to his heir.
Seruffin: Riyyh?
Seruffin: ~~ astonishment ~~
Seruffin: He's never worked for any length of time for the Tecton.
Arat nods.
Seruffin: Neptude, however--well, he can't claim inexperience.
Arat actually thinks that Neptude might not do badly as 53rd District Controller, with an ambitious Lexus under him as Assistant to keep him motivated, and Arat's example to have to live up to.
Seruffin: On the other hand, that would disrupt the Regional Office.
Seruffin realizes that he is perhaps not being as close-mouthed as he might, for such a delicate discussion.
Arat's nager is scrupulously even.
Seruffin: Well, thank you for your input. It is always valuable to have the perspective of those most familiar with the details of a position.
Seruffin rearranges a paper or two on his desktop.
Seruffin: Now, about your new assignment.
Seruffin: Under the circumstances, and because there isn't a working Sime Center at the dam site at present, I am prepared to give you a bit more leeway in staffing than is perhaps usual.
Arat has been known to take a mile in that area, on more than one occasion.
Seruffin: I assume you'll want Jeniard?
Arat nods expressionlessly.
Seruffin considers the dam project sensitive enough that he isn't willing to risk Arat-fits on the subject.
Seruffin: Do you have any other staff you would like me to consider assigning you?
Arat: It will take me some time to compile a list, of course. [Arat has actually thoroughly memorized a list of some 75 personnel already, but it will take some time to get it down on paper] However, I could give you some names now.
Seruffin poises pen over paper.
Arat: I think it would be best if Wise Snake accompanied me.
Seruffin: Hmm, yes, I'd have to agree with you there.
Seruffin: I don't think any of the candidates for your replacement could handle her.
Seruffin: ~~ wry ~~
Arat doesn't think anybody anywhere can handle Snake, and he can only do it when 100% alert.
Arat: I cannot ask for Nick as well, but I would prefer that at least Beni be assigned with me.
Arat assumes that all of Capitol and most of the Farrises in the Tecton will be all over Nick like wolves, and it'd be politically smartest to stay out of the way.
Seruffin considers, then writes down both names, with a question mark after Nick's.
Arat: Ordinarily I would prefer that Tiarala accompany me as well, but if she is under serious consideration as my replacement, I will not name her as a request at this time.
Seruffin: Very well. I will add her name to your requests if I decide not to make her your replacement in the 53rd District.
Arat: Thank you.
Seruffin: Is there anyone else?
Arat: There are several others. I can get you a complete list tomorrow.
Seruffin nods.
Seruffin: Please do so. I can't promise you that you will get all of your requests, but I will try to give you at least some of them.
Arat: I appreciate it.
Arat is more than capable of obtaining at least some of his favorites through less straightforward means, should anybody get left out.
Arat wouldn't stage the sort of dramatic strike for a Lalique or a Linn that he would for Jeniard, but he has been known to bribe, threaten, coerce, trick, and even (once) gamble employees away from other Controllers.
Arat would never admit it in a thousand years, either.
Seruffin: I will draft up your official reassignment shortly, and start considering who can be reassigned with you.
Seruffin: I am sure that Neptude will not give you any trouble over them.
Arat is curious as to the detail behind that statement, but must make do with what was presented.
Arat: Very well.
Arat: And I shall endeavor to bring the negotiations to a smooth closure in a reasonable time frame.
Seruffin knows where Neptude keeps his personal skeletons, and Neptude knows he knows.
Arat is anxious to start researching the Snake River Dam project and the working conditions there as soon as possible, now that he is officially assigned and can do so openly.
Seruffin: Good. I'll leave you to your preparations, then.
Arat realizes he is dismissed.
Arat sets down his tea cup and rises.
Arat nods acknowledgment and leaves Seruffin's office.