Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: District Controller's Office Scenario
Episode #216: Poor Reporting (9/2/00)
Seruffin threads his way through the 53rd District Center, noting that there are a lot more smiles on the employee's faces than there used to be, when Arat was in charge.
Seruffin is all in favor of high employee morale, of course, but is beginning to be plagued by lingering doubts.
Seruffin is learning that it is possible for a Center's staff to be too happy and relaxed and confident for optimum efficiency.
Riyyh sprays a small quantity of a fabulously expensive rose-petal scent on his wrist.
Riyyh: Hmmm! [sniffs happily]
Riyyh has been receiving many more gifts since becoming 53rd District Controller.
Seruffin can't quite put his tentacle on the evidence he'd require to back his suspicions, however, as Neptude's last monthly report was forced to omit information on the 53rd District, due to delays in Riyyh's report writing.
Riyyh adds a little to his throat as well, then replaces the rose-shaped flask in the inlaid wooden box it arrived in.
Seruffin wouldn't be so concerned, but the report from the month before was also missing.
Seruffin has been concerned enough to walk over to examine the situation personally.
Seruffin's enthusiasm for Narosian hospitality has nothing to do with it, of course.
Riyyh has been thoroughly enjoying his tenure as Temporary 53rd District Controller.
Riyyh has made many, many good new friends, and Naros' business contacts in Capitol have tripled.
Riyyh finds the Tecton employees extremely kind and helpful, and ready to do anything he might wish.
Riyyh hopes to know all of them for many years beyond his working here.
Seruffin notes that the door to Riyyh's office is open hospitably, and walks in.
Riyyh's face lights up as he spots Seruffin.
Riyyh: Why, Seruffin! What a pleasant surprise!
Riyyh: ~~genuine welcome~~
Seruffin: Sectuib Riyyh! I was just in the area, and decided to drop by and see how you were doing.
Riyyh is looking particularly nice today, with his hair whipped into a froth of silvery curls, and wearing the new Tecton-symbol worked jewelry set that was given him by the Mayor.
Riyyh also smells of roses, but tastefully so.
Seruffin smiles in pleasure at the effusive greeting.
Riyyh: Can I get you some tea?
Riyyh jumps up to do so.
Seruffin: Thank you, I would love some tea.
Riyyh has transformed the tea area into a veritable tea heaven, with about 50 different varieties, 35 of them Narosian.
Riyyh: I have the Eternal Bliss already made, or if you'd prefer another?
Seruffin has still not realized that every visitor to Riyyh's office gets the same hospitable treatment, and that this might account for some of the delays in report-writing.
Riyyh: Such pleasant weather we're having.
Riyyh: Why, I haven't seen so many sunny days in Capitol in years.
Seruffin: Eternal Bliss? I don't believe I've sampled that.
Seruffin is eager to remedy the omission, of course.
Riyyh: You simply must. It's fantastic.
Riyyh pours two cups of Eternal Bliss, and brings them over to a pair of chairs and a small table.
Riyyh also brings a small fruit tray from the Executive Lounge. It is a very special tray, as the workers at the Executive Lounge adore Riyyh.
Riyyh goes to a considerable amount of work to make sure everybody adores him.
Seruffin takes a seat at the table and wraps his hands and tentacles around the cup in a manner that's best described as, well, blissful.
Seruffin takes a reverent sip.
Seruffin: It's delightful!
Riyyh smiles.
Riyyh sits beside Seruffin and has a sip of tea himself.
Seruffin finds Riyyh's whole office delightful, in fact: the employees of the interior decoration firm were truly... inspired... when they redesigned the offices to Riyyh's specifications.
Riyyh: It's not released yet, you know. Maybe this winter.
Seruffin: How do you get that delightful tang?
Riyyh winks.
Riyyh: It's a bit of a secret, at the moment.
Seruffin: Of course, of course.
Seruffin thinks that Riyyh has a delightful wink.
Seruffin would love to have a Donor or three winking at him like that--and rumor says that Naros is full of them.
Seruffin reluctantly recalls himself to business, more or less.
Seruffin: So tell me, how have things been going here in the 53rd District?
Seruffin: Neptude hasn't been keeping me very well appraised, you see.
Seruffin is less distressed about that omission then he was before, because personal investigation is proving so pleasant.
Riyyh: Everybody has been so kind.
Riyyh: Your employees are truly a pleasure to work with, and so industrious!
Seruffin: Good, good.
Riyyh: The facility is clean and well-maintained, and quite surprisingly secure, considering the location.
Riyyh: And I've found the greater District to be quite easy to manage, with cooperation to be had on all sides.
Riyyh is very good at the you-scratch-my-back-and-I'll-scratch-yours game, which may be part of why the District has been so cooperative.
Seruffin has no way of knowing, unfortunately, that most Narosians share their progenitor's work habits, and thus that Riyyh's standards of work efficiency are definitely more relaxed than Tecton Standard.
Seruffin: I was sure that you would do a marvelous job as District Controller.
Seruffin isn't averse to a bit of back-scratching, himself, particularly since putting Riyyh in charge of the 53rd District was his brainstorm.
Riyyh's own standards are probably a bit relaxed from their usual, as well; he knows he is only here for another month at most, and as long as nothing disastrous occurs, his replacement will be surprised by a happy, relaxed staff ready to start working hard again.
Seruffin: Have there been any disciplinary problems among the staff?
Seruffin seems to recall that Arat's reports frequently mentioned discipline.
Riyyh: Much fewer than I was led to expect.
Seruffin brightens.
Seruffin had long suspected that Arat was overly harsh.
Riyyh's kind manner melted most of the more confrontational employees, and his nearly limitless capacity for understanding allowed most of the other trouble makers to impress him with their side of events.
Seruffin: I'm so glad to hear that.
Riyyh has managed to mediate and/or otherwise soften difficulties between employees who didn't like or couldn't work with each other, and most of the supervisors are more relaxed, leading to better relations with their underlings.
Seruffin wouldn't be, if he was better acquainted with Riyyh's infinite capacity for forgiveness.
Riyyh has, however, run into a few problems with jealousy for his attentions. These people did not grow up knowing that Riyyh would always be available to everybody.
Riyyh has, to tell the truth, found it a bit exhausting at times.
Seruffin does feel compelled to make one more inquiry, although he is feeling so relaxed by now that it is merely a token formality.
Seruffin: How has the burn ward been operating? Is it still performing to its usual excellent standards?
Seruffin knows that flagship programs like the 53rd District's famous burn ward come under greater scrutiny, while at the same time require greater precision from employees.
Riyyh: Why, I think it's doing quite well, although of course it's lacked direction since Arat left, but that is to be expected.
Riyyh can't hope to replace a Farris in the eyes of people who regularly work on the most critical patients.
Seruffin frowns.
Riyyh may have experience and wisdom, and is actually quite a good channel within his narrow specialties, but he is no burn expert and he is no Farris.
Seruffin: The fatality rates aren't increasing too badly, are they?
Seruffin: We might be able to bring in some outside assistance, if necessary, for some of the worst cases.
Seruffin mentally runs through a list of the Farris channels in town, and what sort of bribes they are susceptible to.
Riyyh: No, [reassures him], nothing like that. It's just that to be truly cutting edge, a certain amount of pressure must be put on the working group.
Riyyh will be the first to admit he is not suited to the task of brutally flogging a bunch of brilliant workaholics.
Seruffin: Well, I suppose so.
Seruffin: Still, I'd hate to see an end to the sort of innovations that have come out of that program.
Riyyh: A thought to keep in mind when selecting your new Controller.
Riyyh smiles.
Riyyh has no intention whatsoever of staying beyond the time he promised, however pleasant it's been.
Riyyh would have serious problems with Anmyn if he did. She would not appreciate being left to deal with harvest on her own.
Seruffin: Yes.
Seruffin really hates to think of losing the pleasant aspects of Riyyh's reign in the 53rd District.
Seruffin: Well, if everything is going well, I suppose I really must get going.
Seruffin reluctantly puts down his teacup.
Riyyh: You must be very busy. ~sympathetic and understanding~
Riyyh: I do appreciate your visit, it means the world to me.
Riyyh clasps Seruffin's hand between his, to illustrate his sincerity.
Seruffin smiles, charmed.
Seruffin: You're so kind.
Seruffin extracts his hand--slowly--and stands.
Riyyh rises also.
Seruffin: You won't forget to send Neptude a report on the District's happenings during your tenure, before you return to Naros?
Riyyh: I have been preparing just the thing. [promises]
Riyyh has been preparing it ever since the day he arrived, missing the various deadlines for monthly reports.
Seruffin: Good.
Riyyh isn't taking it very seriously because he knows it won't make much difference as long as they receive at least one.
Seruffin beats a strategic retreat, before he is forced to acknowledge that Riyyh is famous for not delivering his reports.
Clerfia arrives shortly after Seruffin's departure, carrying a rather smudged and much-folded newspaper clipping.
Clerfia: Papa Riyyh! Papa Riyyh! My Papa Arat's in the newspaper!
Clerfia is not so excited about the media coverage that she fails to throw herself into Riyyh's arms for a proper greeting.
Riyyh hugs Clerfia.
Clerfia has very much enjoyed having a "Papa" who will hug her back.
Riyyh has become quite used to Clerfia's visits, and enjoys them immensely.
Riyyh has many children of his own, but he never tires of being openly loved as a father.
Riyyh: Is he, then? How nice.
Riyyh smiles.
Clerfia thrusts the smudged clipping into Riyyh's hands.
Riyyh: Why, here is is. Let me read:
Riyyh reads the clipping.
Clerfia: I don't think the reporter likes him very much.
Clerfia frowns; after all, this is one of her Papas who's being criticized for such sins as allowing a huge and unanticipated crowd of unauthorized workers to cause a selyn shortage, and for a high injury rate and lack of sanitation among the work force.
Riyyh: Oh, dear.
Riyyh reads through to the end.
Clerfia: I don't think it's all Papa Arat's fault, do you?
Clerfia is ~~ anxious for reassurance ~~
Clerfia: I mean, wasn't there supposed to be houses for people already?
Clerfia: That's not a Controller's job, is it?
Riyyh: I don't think anybody could really blame your father for that, [kindly]
Riyyh: He is only responsible for their getting enough selyn.
Riyyh has to admit the article is pretty damning, though, particularly if the reader doesn't really care what a Controller's official responsibilities would be.
Clerfia: The reporter doesn't think he's doing that, either.
Clerfia: But his last letter to me said that there were thousands of extra people, and most of them were Simes.
Riyyh: That's true, there are.
Riyyh: That makes your father's job very difficult.
Riyyh: But I am sure he is trying the best he can.
Clerfia looks at the clipping again.
Clerfia: All those poor people.
Riyyh: Yes, it is sad, isn't it?
Clerfia: Do you think my Papa Arat can help them?
Riyyh: Well, Clerfia darling, he does have his hands full already. But I am sure he would like to do more to help them. He is not without compassion, in his own way.
Clerfia: If I was there, I could help him.
Riyyh: There are always people in the world who require help the Tecton and the government cannot give them. And many people do wish they could help. That is why we at Naros have so many outreach programs in the different towns and villages.
Clerfia frowns.
Clerfia considers that.
Clerfia: Papa Riyyh, do you think Naros could have an outreach program to help Papa Arat?
Riyyh smiles sadly.
Riyyh: I don't think your father would appreciate our help, Clerfia. Although perhaps some of those hungry people might.
Clerfia frowns.
Clerfia: Well, if there were fewer hungry people, wouldn't people like that reporter be less mad at my Papa Arat?
Riyyh: Sometimes people think whatever they want to think, no matter what. [admits]
Riyyh: The more famous someone is, the less he can control what people will think.
Clerfia: That's not fair.
Clerfia is still young enough to think that life is, or ought to be, fair.
Riyyh: I think if there were fewer hungry people, the good would lie in that fact, not anything it would do for your father.
Riyyh: But it is kind and generous of you to care, in either case.
Clerfia: Do you think it would make the reporter less angry at my Papa Arat, if I wrote and told her that it wasn't Papa Arat's fault that so many extra people came to work on the Dam?
Riyyh: Well, it certainly couldn't hurt. [smiles]
Riyyh likes to encourage activism in young people.
Riyyh: Do you know how to find the reporter's address in the newspaper?
Clerfia: I think so.
Clerfia: Papa Riyyh, would you check my letter, for spelling and things?
Clerfia knows that adults tend to put an inordinate, and un-called-for, emphasis on spelling and grammar.
Riyyh: Of course. [hugs Clerfia] I would be honored.
Clerfia: I'll get started right away. Have you got a paper and pen?
Clerfia: ~~ fired with enthusiasm ~~
Riyyh: Certainly.
Riyyh gets up and goes to his desk to fetch the requested materials.
Clerfia settles down to write, frowning in concentration over her task.
Go on to Episode #217: Altruism, Prunida-Style
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