Sime~Gen Roleplaying: Two Roads Diverged Scenario
Episode #2: Pollenosis Diagnosis (5/22/98)
Linn sets her book aside and grabs for a handkerchief, just in time to politely corral a sneeze.
Linn: Excuse me.
Linn blows her nose in a ladylike fashion.
Linn: It's dusty today.
Wise Snake is looking out the window, somehow managing to look morose and tense at the same time.
Nick is still too post to worry about the future.
Bum Bum studies Linn speculatively.
Bum Bum: Do you have allergies?
Linn: Just a touch of hay fever. Look at all the weeds blooming out there.
Linn nods towards the window.
Linn remembers that her supply of handkerchiefs is limited, and sighs.
Linn feels her sinuses swelling.
Wise Snake had thought the "weeds" were flowers.
Wise Snake mutters something to herself, disgruntled.
Bum Bum brightens.
Bum Bum: Would you like me to do anything to reduce your discomfort?
Bum Bum actually hates healing work, but he is intrigued by this unexpected travel company.
Nick looks at Bum Bum, a bit alarmed.
Wise Snake: Bum Bum, leave off her. [tired]
Bum Bum: I was just asking. [delicately]
Linn looks at Bum Bum with interest.
Linn: There's a cure for hay fever?
Bum Bum: Not exactly, but the symptoms can be relieved.
Linn had thought it was just one of those things that has to be endured, like Kids From Hell in the classroom.
Bum Bum smiles. "Let me know if you want to give it a try. We can go somewhere a little more... private, if you like."
Wise Snake finally turns away from the window and looks at Bum Bum in some irritation, wondering if she is going to have to actually do something about the guy.
Linn looks to Snake for confirmation of this medical claim.
Wise Snake glances at Linn.
Nick: ~~ approval of Snake for staying on top of the situation ~~
Wise Snake: Well, it's true. Swelling can be reduced, as can fever and so forth.
Wise Snake: Also there are medicines although I don't have any on hand at the moment.
Linn: I've never understood how that works, really.
Bum Bum: [neither has Bum Bum]
Linn sneezes again.
Wise Snake: Ah... well, just as your body affects the selyn fields around it, so can the selyn fields affect your body. To a lesser extent, of course.
Wise Snake: I can induce changes in your body by manipulating your field at close range.
Bum Bum notes Snake's use of the word "I".
Linn had thought that she understood conversational Simelan, but this is a bit technical.
Linn: I see, sort of.
Linn blows her nose thoughtfully.
Linn notes a certain longing tone in Snake's voice, and inspects her more closely for symptoms of entran.
Wise Snake sighs. "Nick? Can I have a piece of paper?"
Nick fumbles in his pocket and pulls out a crumpled receipt.
Nick smoothes the paper out and hands it to Snake.
Wise Snake pulls out a pen she pickpocketed off... never you mind who, and scribbles a simple field equation on the back of the receipt.
Wise Snake reaches across Nick to hand the paper to Linn.
Wise Snake extends a tentacle to point to part of the equation.
Linn inspects the indicated squiggles.
Linn: Oh, I see.
Linn: ~~ pleased comprehension ~~
Wise Snake: This represents the Gen's field. As you can see the frequency and amplitude of the induced selyn flow is proportional to that in the field projected by the channel.
Wise Snake: Obviously in real life it would be much more complicated... this equation represents the effects upon a single nerve.
Bum Bum: Obviously. [sarcastically; didn't understand a word of it, or the drawing for that matter]
Linn: And the reduced [pause for nose blowing] swelling comes from changing this term?
Linn points.
Wise Snake: Well, actually it's a bit more... excuse me, Nick.
Wise Snake gets up and squeezes in between Nick and Linn, giving Nick the window.
Nick scoots over to give Snake room to sit.
Wise Snake: Your body tends to respond to induced selyn flow with an increase in metabolic rate, which includes faster healing and incidentally, higher selyn production.
Wise Snake: That is why Gens who spend time around Simes are healthier and have better yield.
Linn: ~~ interest ~~
Linn: I thought that was because you just kept going deeper?
Wise Snake: When it comes to doing very specific work, a channel must focus the effects of the showfield upon a very narrow... er, what?
Linn shrugs.
Linn: The way my donation payments kept going up.
Linn looks back to the paper.
Linn: So how do you focus?
Wise Snake: Oh... that.
Wise Snake: Well, it is true that being pushed on donating will speed the process also. Just as using your hands more will make your fingernails grow faster.
Linn looks at her fingernails.
Linn: I hadn't noticed.
Wise Snake: Or just as exercising will make your muscles bigger and your cardiovascular system more efficient.
Linn: About the focusing?
Wise Snake: Ah. Well... [attempts to think how to describe that]
Bum Bum: How do you focus your eyes? [impatiently] What kind of question is that?
Bum Bum is feeling ornery because he doesn't like his own lack of knowledge in the area.
Linn looks at Bum Bum.
Linn: One which I find interesting.
Wise Snake: Well, it is a rather complex concept, actually. There are a number of different factors that affect the the general shape and the focus of the showfield.
Nick listens with professional interest.
Wise Snake: The channel's attention, the energy level of the field, and how the field is manipulated, as well as the position of the laterals. Near the laterals is where the channel has the finest field control.
Nick does not forget, however, to maintain support in case something Snake says sets Linn off.
Linn: How fine can you control fields, anyway?
Wise Snake's expressive Farris features display a subtle indignation despite her best efforts to hide it.
Linn: ~~ genuine interest ~~
Wise Snake: It depends on how much control the channel has of his or her own field, and how sensitive he or she is, to be able to zlin what he or she is doing.
Bum Bum notices Snake's use of the words "he or she".
Linn thinks that over.
Linn: Sort of like eyesight? Most people sort of average, but some can't see beyond their noses, and a few can see twice as far as anyone else?
Wise Snake: Well, not exactly. More like hearing.
Wise Snake: Some people hear normally, some people are almost deaf.
Wise Snake: And every once in a while some poor fool comes along who can hear people whispering 2 blocks away.
Nick looks at Snake, concerned to hear her offer such an unflattering self-portrait.
Linn: That would make it hard to follow a conversation close by.
Bum Bum smiles as he realizes Snake is feeling her mortality.
Wise Snake: Well, it wouldn't be difficult to follow so much as extremely loud and painful.
Wise Snake: Fortunately, such individuals are rare.
Bum Bum thinks this Linn is proving a good source of entertainment despite his being kept away from her.
Linn: Which doesn't help those few--poor fools, I think you said?
Linn sneezes twice in a row.
Wise Snake winces at the sneezes (actually at Linn's words) and tries subtly to help Linn without being obvious about it.
Linn sees Snake wince.
Linn: Is this hay fever bothering you? [somewhat slurred by blocked sinuses]
Wise Snake: Ah... well... [nervously] It is a little hard to stand by when somebody is ill.
Bum Bum smirks, not feeling entran at all yet himself.
Linn: ~~ comprehension ~~
Wise Snake is embarrassed by Linn's realization.
Wise Snake is not used to the sensation and finds it quite unpleasant.
Linn: And you haven't been able to work since yesterday!
Linn: Well, if you think you can help, you're welcome to try.
Wise Snake does not have to be asked twice!
Wise Snake: Nick? [flicks a tentacle, indicating he should move to block out Bum Bum and the rest of the train. [the sleeping Eliza is no problem, her field relaxed]
Nick moves into place, managing to block Bum Bum's field but not his view.
Nick hopes that the channel will find the sight educational. Shen knows he could use some education....
Wise Snake reaches cautiously to Linn's head, zlinning.
Linn holds still.
Linn: ~~ interest, trust, and a few faint reflexive shivers of unease ~~
Wise Snake works to reduce the swelling in the sinuses and nasal passages, and reduce the pressure in the ears and sinuses.
Wise Snake is not usually asked to do this kind of work but isn't about to turn it down, instead experimenting to find what seems to work best.
Nick keeps up a steady support.
Linn feels a weird tickle in her clogged sinuses, and fights the urge to sneeze in Snake's face.
Wise Snake finally sheathes her tentacles.
Linn sniffs experimentally.
Linn: That's much better. Thank you, Snake.
Wise Snake: Ah... great.
Wise Snake wishes she felt a little more relief herself, but one can't expect to support a Farris Channel on one hay-fever case.
Nick looks at Bum Bum to see if he's learned anything.
Bum Bum appears bored.
Wise Snake: I'm going to go for a little walk.
Wise Snake: Nick, could you stay with Linn and... the others?
Bum Bum perks up.
Nick hesitates, torn between responsibilities, but then decides that Snake isn't so ill with entran as to be unable to visit the facilities by herself.
Nick: Of course.
Wise Snake's tentacles flick out of their sheathes, then relax into them.
Wise Snake nods.
Wise Snake turns and walks toward the rear of the train, zlinning for sick people to pester.
Wise Snake: [sick people... that also includes pregnant people, people who were once sick, people with chronic back pain... even allergies!]
Bum Bum stretches.
Bum Bum: Well, I could have done the same thing, you know.
Wise Snake is partway into the next car when she zlins something interesting and hurries in that direction.
Sick Lady stares glumly out the window past her bulging belly, feeling the ache spread through her back, but reflecting that at least it's better than morning sickness.
Sick Lady sneezes.
Sick Lady: Shenned pollen.
Wise Snake: [to the sick lady] "Excuse me, I am a channel. I couldn't help but notice you aren't feeling well. May I be of assistance?"
Wise Snake: [hope springing eternal on her Farris features]
Sick Lady looks at the grubby, wild-looking kid.
Sick Lady: What??
Sick Lady isn't sure she heard correctly.
Linn looks at Bum Bum.
Linn: Could you?
Wise Snake eases into the seat next to the woman.
Wise Snake: I'm a channel.
Wise Snake: Do you require any healing?
Bum Bum: Yes! I am a channel, you know.
Bum Bum: A person doesn't have to be a shendi-flecking Farris to be of use, you know.
Sick Lady: Doctor said there's nothing wrong that nine months won't cure. Of course, it's not HIS back.
Bum Bum realizes his inferiority complex is showing, and rearranges his face to a smooth humor.
Wise Snake zlins the sick lady's back reflexively.
Sick Lady: ~~ long-term ache ~~
Wise Snake: Hmmm... would you allow me to examine it?
Linn thinks she recognizes this phenomenon: a channel trying to steal business from someone else.
Bum Bum: She could have just let me do it, instead of stepping in.
Wise Snake: I might be able to do some good.
Wise Snake thinks, if she can't, she'll eat her hat.
Sick Lady looks at Snake's disreputable appearance once more, and shrugs.
Sick Lady: You think you can do some good, you're welcome to try.
Wise Snake: Can you turn around a little so your back is to me?
Sick Lady obliges, grunting at the effort.
Linn looks at Bum Bum primly.
Linn: I didn't ask you to.
Linn has no intention of asking Bum Bum for any services until she knows whether he's trustworthy.
Wise Snake runs her hands and tentacles down the woman's back, probing it gently as she zlins.
Bum Bum smiles, intrigued by her schoolteacherly manner.
Bum Bum: You didn't, at that.
Bum Bum: [agrees]
Linn realizes that this wasn't the most tactful thing to say.
Linn: Look, Snake's been my physician for quite a while now. She's familiar with me, and I with her.
Bum Bum: I see.
Bum Bum is disappointed... all the good finds are protected under Snake's wing.
Bum Bum: Figured out why you're here yet?
Linn shrugs.
Wise Snake gives the sick lady a backrub, trying to work loose knots in other muscles abused by trying to compensate for the strained ones.
Linn: It appears that Snake's into kidnapping again.
Bum Bum: Kidnapping? [amused] Really.
Bum Bum: I had thought it was rather more of a "taking care of any witnesses" type of thing.
Sick Lady sighs as some of the muscles unknot.
Bum Bum darts a glance at Nick, to see if he will prevent Bum Bum from toying with Linn.
Wise Snake: How much longer until you reach home?
Wise Snake uses the motion of her hands, and the question, to distract from the fact that she also zlins the condition of the baby and the woman's general health.
Sick Lady: Oh, it'll be six weeks before I get back. I'm going to Mum's to have the baby in peace and quiet, while my man looks after the others.
Wise Snake: Will you be to your mother's soon?
Nick looks at Bum Bum in some amusement, well aware that Linn is more familiar with Snake's highhanded habits than the channel.
Bum Bum wonders what Nick is smirking at.
Sick Lady: Yeah. She lives in Feemo.
Linn: The two aren't necessarily incompatible.
Wise Snake: I think your doctor is partially right - the travel and the stress of being pregnant are affecting your back. However, if you be sure to get plenty of rest, including lying down for a while each day, it should improve somewhat.
Sick Lady is feeling a bit less grumpy as the pain fades.
Sick Lady: That'd be nice.
Wise Snake: And the good news is, aside from a touch of hay fever, you are perfectly healthy, and so is the baby.
Sick Lady sneezes.
Sick Lady: Well, when I get to Mum's, I'll be able to take it easy.
Wise Snake makes a mental note to pick up some hay fever remedies next time she isn't on a train to nowhere with nowhere to go,.
Wise Snake: Great.
Bum Bum: Oh?
Bum Bum is pleased that Linn is continuing to talk to him.
Wise Snake: I must be going. But thank you for letting me help you.
Wise Snake slips out of the chair.
Wise Snake continues down the aisle, zlinning.
Bum Bum: Do you suppose she's snatched you for ransom?
Bum Bum: Or for her own nefarious future use?
Bum Bum thinks Linn is nowhere near Gen enough for Snake, although she might do for him.
Linn: ~~ genuine amusement ~~
Bum Bum zlins Linn thoughtfully.
Linn: Only insofar as she's always looking for work.
Bum Bum looks at Linn, wide-eyed.
Bum Bum: Do you suppose she zlinned your hay-fever in the train station and made a decision based on that? [facetiously]
Wise Snake zlins an old man.
Old Man huddles in his seat, bones aching from the jolting.
Linn: Of course not.
Linn: ~~ amusement at Bum Bum's naïveté ~~
Wise Snake slips into the seat alongside the old man.
Wise Snake: Hello. [small, curious smile]
Old Man blinks in Snake's general direction, trying to see through his cataracts.
Old Man: Who are you? It isn't time for lunch yet.
Wise Snake: Pardon me for disturbing you, but I couldn't help notice your aches and pains bothering you. I'm a channel, and I thought maybe I could help?
Old Man: You've brought my lunch?
Bum Bum: I wonder if she picked you up for me! [sudden idea]
Bum Bum: ~~confusion, dawning interest~~
Bum Bum: Although, there are already Eliza and Griff....
Linn: I doubt it.
Bum Bum: Then again, they never last as long as you'd think. [half to himself]
Bum Bum: Probably a good move... I'll have to thank her for this.
Bum Bum hates to thank Snake for anything, but he is beginning to realize she can be pretty sharp during her good moments.
Wise Snake: Er... no. Would you like me to?
Old Man perks up.
Old Man: I like those little sandwiches, like they make at the Home.
Wise Snake: I'll tell you what. I'll bring you something in just a bit, if you'll let me examine you first.
Linn frowns, not sure she understood.
Linn: I beg your pardon?
Wise Snake: [hopefully]
Wise Snake's tentacles squirm plaintively in their sheathes.
Bum Bum: What? Oh!
Old Man decides that Snake is a nice kid, not like most kids nowadays.
Old Man: Well, that's very kind of you.
Bum Bum: I just realized that of course Snake got you for me. We're perfectly matched, and when Eliza and Griff are gone I'll need somebody.
Bum Bum nods.
Wise Snake smiles in relief.
Wise Snake zlins the man carefully.
Old Man: ~~ advanced arthritis in hips, hands, knees... you get the picture ~~
Linn: I doubt Eliza and Griff will be leaving us any time soon.
Linn is pretty sure that Snake intends to keep anybody who could reveal her whereabouts close at hand.
Wise Snake reaches out and gently takes the man's hands, concentrating.
Bum Bum: I hope they last a good two or three months apiece. [agrees]
Old Man thinks its been a long time since he held hands with a girl, even if this one is kind of skinny.
Wise Snake works to reduce the inflammation in the joints of the hands.
Wise Snake feels a heady joy as her system settles into the familiar harness of healing work.
Linn: I expect Snake will be very disappointed in you if you drive them away so quickly.
Old Man: Say, young lady, that feels kinda good.
Bum Bum: I daresay.
Bum Bum glances at Nick, an eyebrow quirked; wonders when Snake and Nick will bother telling Linn about his dirty little secret.
Nick gives Bum Bum an excellent imitation of Snake's Look, to make it clear that Linn had better not hear anything untoward from a certain incompetent channel.
Bum Bum winces.
Wise Snake does what she can for the old man's hands, then moves her hands, working her way to the various aching joints in his body and limbs.
Bum Bum is still glad Snake is looking out for him by stocking up.
Brat comes running down the aisle, bumping into people without apologizing.
Brat crashes into Linn.
Brat's armful of stuffed animals falls in Linn's lap.
Old Man enjoys having a woman's hands on him.
Brat looks up at Linn, startled.
Linn reaches out to steady Brat.
Linn: Be careful, there.
Brat: Hey! My animals!
Linn gathers up the animals.
Brat snatches them.
Linn: Here. Walk slowly, and you won't drop them.
Brat eyes Linn.
Brat: Are you a teacher?
Wise Snake finally releases the old man.
Linn: Yes.
Wise Snake: There. [leans back, in recovery]
Wise Snake: Do you feel a little better now?
Old Man moves his fingers, finding a bit more mobility than he expected.
Old Man: Why, that's truly remarkable, young lady.
Wise Snake would offer him a painkiller, but she'll be shenned if she's going to let go of any of THOSE.
Wise Snake: [after all, she doesn't know when she is going to be able to obtain more]
Wise Snake: Let me go get you that lunch, then.
Old Man: Mighty kind of you.
Wise Snake actually has an ulterior motive... she is hoping to nab Griff in the dining car.
Brat looks a bit suspicious, now that he knows.
Brat: Why aren't you in class?
Linn: I'm traveling. [primly] Now, on your way.
Linn shoos the brat off.
Brat continues on up the aisle, looking back over his shoulder once or twice in a mistrustful fashion.
Brat: [but walking normally instead of running]
Griff is in the dining car, stuffing his face.
Wise Snake walks back through the train, pausing by Bum Bum, Nick, Eliza and Linn.
Wise Snake: Everything going okay here? [to Nick and Linn]
Wise Snake appears noticeably more at ease than earlier.
Wise Snake does, after all, have Farris powers of denial, and in the presence of work has conveniently forgotten about the doom of her future.
Nick inspects Snake carefully, noting the improvement.
Nick: Well enough.
Wise Snake zlins them, then nods.
Wise Snake continues toward the front of the train, and the dining-car.
Griff sinks his teeth into a cheese sandwich with everything, except the hamburger, of course.
Wise Snake finds Griff and sits down across from him.
Wise Snake: Hello, Griff.
Wise Snake: How are you doing?
Griff looks up.
Wise Snake zlins him carefully.
Griff: Miz Ferret!
Griff did not, alas, remember to swallow before speaking.
Wise Snake zlins him to find out how he's doing, since he didn't answer.
Griff: ~~ hungry Gen ~~
Griff: The food's okay, but they can't make a hamburger.
Wise Snake: That's a shame.
Wise Snake is relieved Griff is not feeling any homesickness yet.
Wise Snake: I'll bet they can make you a milkshake, though.
Griff perks up.
Griff: Great!
Griff looks around for the waiter.
Griff: My mom hardly ever lets me have milkshakes.
Griff: Not since I dumped one on my sister's head.
Wise Snake flicks a tentacle, getting the waiter's attention.
Wise Snake: When was that?
Griff: Last summer. She yelled something awful.
Wise Snake orders some lunch for the old man.
Wise Snake leaves Griff happily slurping a chocolate shake, and carries the old man's lunch rearward.
Wise Snake suddenly wonders what she's doing... there is absolutely no use in doing this sort of thing for people she is never going to see again in her entire life.
Wise Snake feels the familiar haunting terror try to rise in her again at the thought that there isn't anymore thinking like that, not for her.
Wise Snake ignores it and hurries down the aisle.
Plig sees Snake approaching.
Plig: ~~ startled recognition ~~
Wise Snake zlins Plig and grimaces.
Plig waits to see if Snake wishes to resume their previous clandestine association.
Plig still looks very nondescript, except for his conspicuously high field.
Wise Snake flicks a 'wait' at him and brings the meal to the old man.
Old Man takes the meal.
Old Man: Why, thank you very much, young lady.
Old Man gives a toothless imitation of a lady-killer smile.
Old Man is in no danger of committing femicide any time soon.
Wise Snake: You're very welcome.
Wise Snake hurries back to Plig, trying to decide how she's going to handle him.
Plig looks up as Snake sits beside him.
Plig: Greetings, my friend.
Wise Snake: Hello.
Plig: I see you are sharing this particularly dull journey.
Wise Snake: Ummh.
Plig: Twelve cars full of passengers, and not a single game.
Wise Snake realizes she can't kidnap everybody who knows her in a 3 day radius of Bender Cove.
Plig shakes his head in regret.
Wise Snake: On business?
Plig: In a sense. My... professional interests in Bender Cove became somewhat complicated, so I decided to seek greener pastures elsewhere.
Plig looks up at Snake slyly.
Plig: It would certainly be of assistance if my nager weren't so... obvious.
Wise Snake glances at the (well-insulated for obvious reasons) loo, and lifts an eyebrow.
Plig nods agreement.
Plig stands and makes his way discreetly down the aisle to the loo.
Wise Snake follows him in and slides the door latch.
Wise Snake: [squeezed into very tight space]
Plig breathes in, managing to free enough room to get his arms between them.
Wise Snake has more trouble avoiding extra contacts than finding a 5th contact.
Plig is conscious of a sink corner gouging him in the side.
Wise Snake draws selyn.
Wise Snake releases (sort of) Plig when it is done.
Plig: Thank you, Hajene. [somewhat shortly due to inability to draw a full breath]
Wise Snake figures Plig will want to wash off her ronaplin in peace.
Wise Snake: I'll see you later ok?
Plig: I hope so.
Wise Snake slips (more like erupts) out of the loo.
Wise Snake rubs her hands and tentacles.
Wise Snake: Well, that was a first. [mutters under her breath]
Plig smiles and takes a deep breath.