Sime/Gen Roleplaying: Two Roads Diverged Scenario
Episode #17: City of Eyes (6/12/98)
Treno carefully cuts a rosebud and puts it in the basket to carry indoors.
Treno is a middle aged, very carefully preserved renSime, in an expensively casual house dress, sun hat and gloves to protect hands and tentacles from the rosethorns.
Treno lives on the expensive outskirts of a well to do town which boasts both a Sime center and an ancient and well respected Household.
Treno places another rose next to the cut one, then glances up curiously as her ears tell her that horses are heading her way.
Treno stands up and removes her gloves, the better to zlin.
Eliza looks over at Snake.
Eliza is a bit surprised that they are entering this prosperous looking town, looking the way they do and all.
Treno takes a good look at the people on the road, and rushes into the house to get her husband.
Wise Snake is a bit surprised they are entering a prosperous town too.
Wise Snake: Shen!
Wise Snake punches her own thigh angrily, startling her horse into a prance.
Wise Snake jerks the horse into line again with unaccustomed roughness.
Treno: Mil! Mil! There are some very weird looking people just entering the town! Do you think we should contact the authorities?
Mil doesn't look up from over his paper.
Mil: Define "weird" and just what authorities do you think might be interested?
Wise Snake: Come on. Just ride on through without looking around. [instructs the others]
Wise Snake demonstrates, wearing a scowl.
Wise Snake is dismayed by the size of the place, and just how long it's going to take to ride through.
Eliza: Maybe we could find someone to bleach your hair here, Snake.
Treno wrings her tentacles together.
Treno: I'm sure at least one of them was a channel. I do wish you would come out and zlin for yourself Mil.
Mil sighs and gets up and goes to the door.
Mil zlins the group. "I don't zlin a channel, and I don't see what it would matter anyway. You know what you are Treno? You are paranoid!"
Mil blinks and looks at the group.
Mil blinks again.
Wise Snake: Eliza, we shouldn't be here at all. Just look straight ahead and try to avoid drawing attention to yourself.
Eliza stops in mid wave to the people with the nice rose bushes.
Wise Snake doesn't stop her horse but keeps riding straight down the main street.
Mil hesitates, their appearance hardly matching what he zlinned.
Mil: Most likely they are just riding through. But I might just wander down to town anyway.
Eliza: [wistfully] It's a nice town though, isn't it?
Eliza kicks Flossie to move up level with Snake.
Wise Snake: Ummh.
Wise Snake's eyes dart about in a paranoid fashion, even though she is facing straight ahead.
Riccie swings by his legs from a tree, back towards the group.
Riccie hears unshod hooves on the road and crinks his neck around to see.
Riccie sure is surprised to see what he thinks is a group of gypsies riding down the road.
Riccie quickly swings down from the tree and runs over to them.
Riccie: That's a nice horse! What you doing in town? My names Riccie. What's your name?
Riccie puts his hand out to pat Freelance.
Wise Snake controls the horse as he shies.
Riccie: Are you gypsies? Are you going to put a curse on someone? My teacher is a real bully, you should put a curse on him.
Wise Snake zlins Riccie.
Riccie trots along side.
Riccie: ~ young boy about 8 ~
Riccie: My dad said I can have a horse one day. We are going to move into the country and have lots of horses.
Wise Snake: Ah... how pleasant.
Wise Snake: [on edge]
Wise Snake tries not to look the kid directly in the eyes, for fear of ruining his sleep.
Wise Snake: Tell me, what is the name of this town?
Riccie: Here? This is Novic Place. It's a big town. It's even bigger then the Capital I think.
Riccie: We have a Sime Center. Are you going to the Sime Center? I'm going to be a channel when I grow up and make people better.
Wise Snake: Well. That's ambitious.
Wise Snake hopes he grows up to be a 3rd.
Riccie: Can I have a ride on your horse?
Riccie: It's a nice horse, what's it's name?
Riccie: I had a cat, but a dog ate it.
Wise Snake hesitates, then offers Riccie a hand.
Riccie: Oh wow.
Riccie grabs her hand.
Eliza: Errr Snake, do you think you should?
Wise Snake hoists him up onto the bow of the saddle.
Riccie: Oh wow!!!
Riccie starts waving.
Riccie: [loud voice] Look at me Mr. Randle! I'm up here on this horse!
Mr. Randle looks up from his gardening in shock, and waves uncertainly back.
Mr. Randle: You be careful up there Riccie lad!
Riccie: I will!!!
Riccie thumps the horse with his legs.
Riccie: Can we gallop?
Riccie: Oh look! There is Chad! Hey Chad!
Riccie waves wildly at another young boy.
Chad runs over.
Chad Hey Ric, what you doing up there? Who are you? [to Snake and crew]
Riccie: These are my friends, they are gypsies and are going to curse old sour face Terpkin.
Wise Snake: We may have to, if you keep yelling. [mutters to herself]
Wise Snake: I suppose you want a ride too?
Wise Snake: [to Chad]
Chad looks at the other riders.
Chad: Yesh! can I please?
Riccie doesn't care, he is on the biggest horse. If Chad wants to ride one of the others, that's okay.
Wise Snake offers Chad a hand.
Riccie's face falls.
Chad takes the offered hand a bit nervously, remembering what his mum said about taking lifts with strangers.
Wise Snake hoists Chad up between Riccie and her.
Wise Snake works to control Freelance, who did NOT sign up to work with little kids.
Chad: Oopp!
Chad: It's a long way up isn't it!
Wise Snake: Hold onto his mane.
Chad looks at the ground and sways dangerously.
Riccie is very silent suddenly.
Chad clutches the horses neck.
Chad I want to get down!
Riccie: Chad's a baby, a great big baby!
Riccie is delighted.
Wise Snake whispers in Chad's ear, "If you ride all the way through town without crying, everybody will say you're a brave boy."
Chad grips the horses mane tighter.
Chad All right, but don't make him run!
Eliza hopes that Snake hasn't taking up kidnapping as well.
Riccie feels happier again now that Chad is being such a baby.
Riccie waves to people he knows, and quite a few he doesn't know!
Wise Snake continues on into the main section of the town, the others following behind.
Rixion comes out of a shop, head down, counting his money.
Riccie: Oh look!!! There is my dad!
Riccie: HEY DAD! Look at me!!
Wise Snake winces as the kid's stiletto falsetto nearly pierces her eardrums.
Rixion looks around in surprise, then catches sight of the group and heads over, face going red.
Rixion: What are you doing on that horse Ric? Chad? [to Snake] I'm sorry if they have been any bother.
Rixion puts his arms up and lifts Chad and then Riccie off.
Wise Snake halts Freelance.
Wise Snake: Not at all.
Rixion: Riccie you should know better then to get on a horse with a stranger!
Rixion squints at the group.
Rixion: You people aren't from around here are you?
Wise Snake: Ah... no, just passing through.
Riccie loses interest now that the grownups are talking and runs off with Chad.
Rixion: You got business with someone in town? Can I direct you somewhere or something?
Rixion: ~ suspicious ~
Rixion zlins the group, wondering why a renSime is travelling with so many Gens.
Eliza fidgets uncomfortably.
Wise Snake: Actually, we were hoping to make up some distance today, so we weren't planning on stopping.
Wise Snake: Unless, you happen to know of a good restaurant?
Rixion is taken aback by the request.
Wise Snake keeps a neutral, friendly expression, since she knows that her smile, especially the small one, tends to unnerve people.
Rixion: Well, there's Mah's eatery if you want a budget meal that's edible.
Rixion: It's just down the next block and to the left.
Wise Snake: Thank you.
Rixion: Or, if you want something a bit more up market....
Rixion looks at them and stops.
Rixion: Well, Mah's is good.
Wise Snake: Mah's would be fine. [nods]
Eliza finds her mouth is watering at the thought of a real meal.
Rixion waves and heads after the kids.
Wise Snake sighs and rides onward.
Wise Snake zlins all the rumbling stomachs behind her and reluctantly turns aside and dismounts in front of Mah's.
Eliza hopes that Snake was serious about the food.
Eliza: ~ joy and hunger ~
Eliza swings off and ties up Flossie and Socks outside with the other horses.
Mah is a one of a kind. She is a renSime cook.
Eliza drifts in, following her nose.
Mah: Two on a raft and a coffee!
Mah yells from the front counter to the kitchen.
Wise Snake winces at the ambient inside, and pulls closer to Nick.
Eliza starts planning what to order.
Eliza: I'll have eggs and cereal and toast and baked beans and toast and and....
Wise Snake massages her heart, then her forehead.
Eliza slides into a booth.
Mah heads over with a pad and pen.
Mah: What can I get you folks?
Mah looks suspiciously at Snake.
Mah: Don't I know you from somewhere?
Wise Snake looks away.
Eliza carefully reads the menu.
Nick: I'd like the potato pancakes, please.
Nick: [smoothly directs attention away from his channel]
Eliza: I'll have that too! And eggs, and baked beans and some fruit juice.
Wise Snake tries not to grimace at the combination of eggs and baked beans.
Eliza smiles at "Mah" while Griff and Linn order.
Mah takes the orders down, but keeps looking at Snake.
Mah: I'm sure I've seen you somewhere before. Tell me, you grow up around here?
Wise Snake: Um, no, uh hey, do you have the apple bread today?
Wise Snake: [not meeting the lady's eyes]
Mah: No, but we got some apple dumplings.
Mah scratches her head with the pen.
Wise Snake: Okay, that's fine, and, ah, trin tea, and [looks at the menu]
Mah: Well, it will come to me. You want the dumplings?
Mah writes it all down.
Eliza: How about some eggs Snake?
Wise Snake: Ug, er, ah, no, I'd like a side order of the buttered toast.
Mah: Huh, right you are. You want the drinks first? Or with the meal?
Nick: Now, if it isn't too much trouble.
Nick smiles at Mah.
Mah heads back to the kitchen, muttering "Snake, Snake...." under her breath.
Wise Snake: Eliza, you shouldn't use my name unnecessarily like that. [low voice]
Eliza: Now we are stopped, why don't we look and see if we can find a hairdresser.
Eliza: Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't think.
Eliza: ~ downcast ~
Mah gives the order to the cooks and gets the drinks prepared herself.
Mah: She surely does look familiar.
Mah looks back at the table and gets a view of the back of Snake's head.
Mah: Of course!
Mah: It's the hair. Stupid of me.
Wise Snake: Eliza, we can't go to a public hairdresser, it would defeat the purpose of changing my hair. [voice low, only for Eliza]
Eliza: Oh! I hadn't thought of that. Well, maybe I could go buy the stuff while we are here and we can stop and do it once we leave town.
Mah carries the drinks over to the table.
Mah: I'm sorry there. I just realized that it isn't you I know at all. You just reminded me of a visitor we had in town a few weeks back.
Mah puts the drinks down.
Wise Snake: No problem.
Wise Snake fingers her tea glass.
Mah: I'm sure glad I realized that. Things like that drive me bonkers, you know?
Eliza looks up.
Nick: Do you get many travellers stopping here?
Nick: [sensing Snake's discomfort]
Mah: Well, a fair few, a fair few. We are directly on the road to Mysop of course, and we have both the Sime Center and the Householding.
Mah: So we get a few people coming into town for that.
Mah: That's who you reminded me of actually. A big shot channel who was visiting the Householding.
Mah: What was his name now? Sly? Shi? Shimi, I think that was it.
Mah: Shimi Farris.
Mah: You wouldn't be no relation would you?
Nick: I suppose it must pick up around the holidays, too.
Mah: We do pretty good business all year. Not so much in winter of course.
Wise Snake mutters something noncommittal to Mah's question, not even looking up.
Mah: Then it's just the locals.
Eliza drinks her fruit juice.
Mah: I'll just get back to the kitchen and see how your food is going. These hungry Gens sure would be good for business!
Nick's stomach rumbles loudly.
Nick looks sheepish.
Mah smiles perkily at Nick and heads back to the kitchen.
Wise Snake nods acknowledgement to Mah [sort of] as the renSime leaves.
Wise Snake: Shendoni! Am I related to some Farris! Ucch. [shudders]
Eliza: Well you are! [reasonably]
Wise Snake: Ummmh.
Wise Snake: Anybody have any idea what an apple dumpling is?
Eliza: I think it's like apples and dough sort of cooked...
Eliza: No, not really.
Eliza: But it sounds good.
Eliza: You know, places like this should hire hungry Gens to stand outside.
Eliza grins.
Mah and another person return to the table and put plates stacked high with food down.
Mah: There you go folks, enjoy. Who wants the bill?
Mah: Usually I don't give it 'til after folks have eaten, in case it puts them off their food!
Mah laughs.
Wise Snake reaches out for the bill automatically.
Mah hands it to her with a smile and a "just pay it when you have finished," then returns to the kitchen.
Eliza tucks in immediately.
Wise Snake looks at the ...lumps sitting in a bowl, half submerged in some kind of liquid.
Wise Snake pokes one cautiously with a fork.
Lump squirts out some whitish fluid.
Wise Snake recoils.
Lump just sits there innocently.
Wise Snake puts the fork down and pushes the bowl away.
Eliza: You don't want that Snake?
Wise Snake picks up a piece of toast instead, and nibbles on it half heartedly.
Wise Snake: Ummh -- go ahead.
Eliza: Here, want to swap? [pushes baked beans on toast towards her]
Wise Snake: No, no, just take it.
Wise Snake fends off the baked beans.
Eliza looks at Nick.
Eliza thinks ~ hungry ~ from one side of Snake.
Nick starts cutting off part of his food for Snake.
Eliza keeps eating the eggs, concentrating on how good they taste.
Wise Snake flinches away from Eliza's projection.
Wise Snake: Eliza... don't.
Eliza looks up innocently, egg yolk on her chin.
Eliza: I'm sorry Snake, I'm just hungry.
Wise Snake: You're not projecting hunger on purpose?
Eliza: Well, maybe a little bit. Sorry.
Eliza looks ashamed.
Eliza: They always said it was a waste for a hungry Gen to eat alone.
Nick has been piling cut off pieces of pancake on a small plate in front of Snake while she's been distracted.
Wise Snake: Eliza, you wouldn't attach the food to a club and start beating me with it, would you?
Eliza looks shocked.
Eliza: I would never try to hit you Snake!
Eliza is so shocked she stops eating.
Wise Snake nods, gratified.
Mah comes back over with top ups for tea and coffee.
Mah: Seconds on the drinks anyone?
Wise Snake: Don't project at me either, all right?
Wise Snake avoids Mah's question.
Nick: Yes, thank you.
Nick holds out his cup.
Mah fills Nick's cup.
Nick: [Linn also accepts more tea]
Mah: Everything to your liking then?
Nick: Oh yes, it's wonderful.
Nick: Thank you.
Mah looks pointedly at the untouched dumplings.
Nick: We're not quite done yet, though. [adds]
Mah tops up Snake's cup unasked and returns to the kitchen.
Wise Snake now sees what Nick has put in front of her and sighs, begins to pick at it with the fork.
Wise Snake: [a different fork, not the one that had been contaminated by lump-spooge.]
Mah goes back into the kitchen and beckons to one of the cooks.
Mah: Run over to the Center, see if Berman is free. Make sure you bring him in through the kitchen now!
Mah watches while he runs off, then goes back to the front counter and proceeds to wipe it down, keeping a watchful eye on the group.
Mah: ~ suspicion growing ~
Eliza manages to regain her appetite, despite being corrected by Snake yet again.
Wise Snake zlins Mah's suspicion and reaches into her pocket for money, her appetite quite lost.
Eliza manages to finish the eggs, but has no desire for the baked beans, or the lumps.
Wise Snake counts out the correct amount for the meal and a tip, and leaves them on the table.
Wise Snake: Come on you guys, finish up. We shouldn't have stopped here.
Berman comes in through the kitchen.
Berman: What's this all about? I really don't have time, you know.
Nick obligingly stuffs pancakes in his mouth faster, knowing he'll probably be going hungry before their next meal if the past days have been any example.
Eliza wipes her mouth with a servette. She wishes she could eat more, or take it with her.
Eliza: Oh! Do you think we could take the rest away with us?
Wise Snake: Move move. Come on.
Berman is directed over to the door and moves over curiously.
Wise Snake prods Nick out of the booth, waves to Linn and Griff.
Berman zlins the room outside and at first only zlins a few renSimes and some unusually high field Gens.
Berman: Yes? What is it?
Mah hears Berman's voice from the kitchen and slips back there.
Mah: Thank you for coming Hajene. Can you zlin anything unusual about that group out there?
Berman zlins again, less perfunctorally this time.
Wise Snake: Eliza. Come on.
Berman snorts in surprise.
Wise Snake seems tense.
Berman opens the door and goes into the main room, projecting a greeting.
Eliza gets up and starts towards the door.
Nick, Linn and Griff troop toward the front door, Griff stuffing his leftovers in his pockets.
Berman: Welcome Hajene Farris!
Nick: Shen!
Wise Snake freezes like a startled scavenger.
Berman: Welcome to Novic Place.
Wise Snake wears a "I really didn't want that to happen" wince.
Berman: What bring you here? We had no prior notice of your coming.
Berman's face drops a bit as his eyes catch up with his laterals and he sees Snake and her troop.
Wise Snake: Ah, I'm, ah, just passing through. It's not official.
Wise Snake is obviously trying to downplay things as much as possible.
Wise Snake: ~~maybe you were mistaken?~~
Berman feels unsure of himself for a moment.
Berman: You must let us welcome you properly. A room for the night, perhaps, a bath?
Nick, realizing a Donor capable of serving a Farris channel is a bit harder to disguise than a Farris channel, discreetly finishes stepping out the door.
Wise Snake: Ah... that's very generous of you but, ah, we are actually just passing through.
Eliza hovers uncertain what to do.
Berman looks disappointed.
Berman: I imagine you are on your way up to the Householding then?
Berman's tone of voice says what he thinks of THAT.
Wise Snake wonders which part of "we have to get out of here now" Eliza didn't understand.
Wise Snake: No. We're on private business.
Wise Snake: I'm sorry, I really must be going.
Wise Snake tries to ease towards the door.
Berman: Ah well then. It was nice meeting you, I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name? I'm Hajene Berman from the Center here.
Eliza walks over to the door and opens it for Snake.
Mah walks unobtrusively over to the table and picks up the money, counting it by feel.
Wise Snake: Ah... very pleased to make your acquaintance, [tentacles fluttering nervously as she backs toward the door] I really do regret having to rush out like this, good bye.
Wise Snake turns and scurries out the door.
Wise Snake is relieved to see the others are already mounted, and unties Freelance.
Wise Snake is shaking.
Berman looks confused.
Berman turns to Mah. "You were right to call me. Something here is very odd."
Eliza drops Socks' lead rein, and leans out to pick it up again.
Eliza: Do you think he will cause any trouble Snake? He seemed willing to help you.
Wise Snake swings up onto Freelance.
Wise Snake: He didn't know who I am.
Eliza thinks about this.
Eliza: He knew you were a Farris, it didn't appear to worry him too much.
Eliza: He seemed pleased about it.
Wise Snake turns Freelance and starts off down the road at a trot, making sure the others are keeping up.
Wise Snake: [a good trot, but not a breakneck one]
Eliza tries to get Sock to move faster so she can keep up.
Wise Snake: Eliza, most Farrises are good guys.
Eliza: But you are a good guy Snake!
Eliza finally drags Socks into a trot alongside Flossie.
Eliza: Aren't you?
Berman heads back toward the Center, thinking of how to word the letters he is planning to send out.
Wise Snake: Well, from my own perspective I am, but not from the Tecton's.
Wise Snake: And likely not from the point of view of anybody else who hasn't known me or benefitted from me personally.
Wise Snake is technically a bad guy, but can't bring herself to say this to Eliza in so many words.
Eliza: Do you mean because you were harboring Bumanuel and as a junct he should have been handed over to the Tecton?
Wise Snake: Shen, no.
Eliza: No?
Wise Snake: Eliza, I probably haven't done a legal thing since the day I was born, that would be big enough to mention if you wrote a book about my life.
Eliza: ~ uncomfortable ~
Eliza has never seen Snake do anything illegal that she can remember. Shen, Snake even paid for the drugs that she, Eliza, flinched.
Wise Snake: Just to stay alive I have to do things that are against the law. That makes me, ah, technically,
Eliza wonders uncertainly if Snake is sort of junct or something.
Wise Snake: Well I don't think a lot of these people would really give me a chance to explain, if it came down to an arrest situation.
Eliza: Oh dear. I had no idea.
Eliza: ~ distress ~
Eliza looks around as they ride along. Suddenly every doorway, every lamp post seems to hide a plain clothes policeman.
Wise Snake: Look, the situation in Bender Cove was a lot different. I had history there, I had a support network I'd been building for literally years.
Wise Snake: And, I had people looking out for me on the Tecton side. Veraik, Briel, and my... contact... at the Uptown Center.
Eliza: ~ fear and suspicion ~
Eliza jumps as a man crosses the road in front of her.
Wise Snake: I was being overlooked to some extent because I was doing more good than harm, in the city.
Wise Snake realizes she no longer has Eliza's full attention and sighs.
Eliza: What will they do if they catch you?
Wise Snake: What do you think they will do? [irritated]
Wise Snake: Either attempt to reform me, or decide I can't be reformed.
Wise Snake: Either way, it will be short and unpleasant.
Eliza: Well, if you settle down somewhere....
Wise Snake looks at Eliza.
Eliza: Maybe, if you stop whatever illegal things you did....
Eliza: Well,
Eliza is still uncertain as to exactly how illegal Snake is talking about.
Eliza: You are a Farris, after all.
Wise Snake thinks it's so easy to say "stop whatever illegal things" she's doing.
Eliza kicks Flossie harder and tugs at Socks to move up next to Snake.
Wise Snake: Eliza, according to the Tecton's laws, I am not even allowed to take transfer from Nick.
Wise Snake: And lets not even get into the subject of pharmaceuticals.
Eliza: Why not!? What do they expect you to do?
Eliza won't get into the subject of pharmaceuticals cause she isn't sure what they are.
Wise Snake: I am expected to take transfer from Tecton channels, if I do not work for the Tecton, or from Tecton Donors if I do.
Eliza: But Nick's a Tecton Donor. Isn't he?
Wise Snake: No. He isn't.
Eliza: He isn't? I thought he was!
Wise Snake: I trained him myself.
Wise Snake: He never made it through the Tecton's training program.
Eliza looks at Nick out the corner of her eye.
Eliza: Why not?
Wise Snake thinks it's more accurate to say he barely began the program, but....
Wise Snake: It was a difference of philosophy.
Eliza: ~ very confusing, all this ~
Eliza nods.
Eliza: I understand that.
Wise Snake zlins the difference between Eliza's nager and her words/actions, and sighs again.
Berman calls a quick meeting of his senior channels and Donors.
Eliza: But I don't understand why they wouldn't let you take transfer off Nick. Surely they wouldn't have a channel capable of serving your need?
Wise Snake feels a little better as they pass through the outskirts of the town and enter into rural areas once again, but feels an itching of her back as she knows full well the damage has probably been done.
Wise Snake: No, not every month, but a Tecton channel is expected to do with less for several months at a time.
Eliza: Even if it isn't necessary?
Eliza: The Tecton is mad!
Wise Snake: Oh, it's necessary.
Berman organises some other, more immediate actions.
Wise Snake: There are more high level channels than there are high level Donors.
Wise Snake: Those few there are, must be shared around.
Wise Snake: That is why you saw so many Donors getting transferred to and from the Sime Center while you were there... they were being juggled.
Eliza: Oh! I see. So they would take Nick off you to be errr, shared around.
Wise Snake thinks, that is why it was a travesty to have assigned Eliza to Mostan, a 3rd.
Wise Snake: Well, Nick would never join the Tecton.
Gerney mounts up on the tall, sleek horse.
Wise Snake: He's demonstrated his feelings on that subject clearly enough.
Eliza: What's the other choice then? Householdings?
Eliza: Are they the same?
Wise Snake shudders.
Wise Snake: I suppose that Zeor would take me back, if I were to crawl back into their fold.
Eliza: ~ interested ~
Eliza: I've heard about the Zeor Household!
Wise Snake: Who hasn't? [mutters, disgusted]
Eliza: Alea was going to have her baby there at one stage.
Wise Snake feels the ring burning in her pocket.
Wise Snake: Ummh.
Eliza: So, are we going to go there?
Wise Snake: No!
Eliza: ~ excitement ~
Eliza: ~ loss of excitement ~
Eliza: Oh.
Wise Snake appears repulsed by the idea, and also distressed by it.
Eliza: I'm sorry. If you don't feel like talking about it. But, if I know about these things I'm less likely to cause problems accidentally!
Wise Snake: Well, as a general rule of thumb, avoid bringing up Zeor in my presence.
Gerney comes flying over the hill, horse totally out of control, barrelling down on them at a full gallop.
Gerney is a high field Donor.
Wise Snake's horse shies as she spins around at the zlin of the Donor.
Gerney: ~ shen shen shen shen SHEN SHEN SHEN SHEN SHEN SHEN shen shen shen shen ~
Gerney gallops past them to disappear over the next rise.
Nick moves automatically to shield Snake from the out of control Gen.
Eliza fights with Flossie, losing Socks' leading rein.
Eliza gets Flossie under control in time to see Sock's fat rump disappearing after the other galloping horse.
Eliza: Oh damn! I put all our supplies on him!
Eliza takes off after Socks.
Wise Snake: Eliza - stop!
Eliza doesn't hear Snake and also disappears over that damn rise.
Wise Snake: Shen it.
Wise Snake looks wildly at Nick, and is relieved to see he's carrying the all-important medical satchel, full though it is of only about half of what is needed and that mostly in inferior substitutes.
Wise Snake: Come on.
Eliza quickly catches up with Socks, who, fat and lazy as he is, didn't get very far before running out of puff.
Wise Snake turns off the road and leads Nick, Griff and Linn away from it.
Gerney lays by the side of the road, his horse grazing unconcerned near by, a bump the size of a goose egg on the side of his head and a rock nearby with blood on it.
Eliza picks up Socks lead and ties both horses securely up, before walking over to see if the man is still alive.
Gerney groans.
Eliza figures he is still alive and looks behind her for Snake.
Eliza checks him over for broken bones.
Eliza: It's okay, you look okay. There is a channel coming. I think.
Eliza walks up to the horse, which shies away at first, then lets itself be caught.
Eliza ties it up to something firm.
Wise Snake leads the way between some hills, keeping to alongside a low irrigation ditch.
Eliza looks around for Snake.
Gerney groans and starts to sit up.
Eliza rushes back to him.
Eliza: Just lay still, I'm sure she will be here soon.
Eliza pats his shoulder, causing him to groan louder, then gets up and walks a short distance back towards the rise, looking for Snake.
Gerney groans pitifully.
Gerney: ~ PAIN ~
Gerney: ~ LOTS OF PAIN ~
Gerney: ~ OUCH MY HEAD - I THINK IT'S BROKEN! ~
Wise Snake zlins pain and feels compelled to return to the road, despite common sense.
Wise Snake: [entran isn't pretty]
Wise Snake turns and sends Freelance back that way at a canter.
Gerney sits up carefully.
Wise Snake appears over the rise.
Wise Snake zlins the scene down below.
Gerney feels his head and pulls his hand away sticky with blood.
Gerney: ~ pain and distaste ~
Eliza is relieved to see Snake.
Wise Snake's entran overlooks Snake's quite natural desire to stay away from the Householder, and she rides down the hill toward them.
Eliza returns to his side.
Gerney looks at Eliza through a haze of pain.
Gerney: Who are you?
Eliza: Errr, don't talk, there is a channel coming to help you now.
Eliza: Shussh.
Eliza get up and goes to hold Freelance to leave Snake free to help the poor man.
Eliza offers to hold Nick's horse too.
Wise Snake dismounts and goes to Gerney.
Eliza takes the two horses and ties them up too.
Gerney: My head... I think it's broken....
Gerney makes a woozy attempt to control the pain in his field.
Wise Snake zlins his head without bothering to introduce herself, as Nick falls automatically into support.
Gerney: I'm sorry, Hajene.
Gerney: Hajene...?
Wise Snake slides into healing mode.
Gerney is still to let her do her work uninterrupted.
Eliza goes back over to the tall horse the man was riding and runs her hands over it to make sure it's okay too.
Eliza notices that the horse has a tender region over its far shoulder.
Wise Snake works to block pain, prevent swelling, and heal the gash.
Eliza: Shuush girl, steady there.
Eliza wonders how Snake would feel about looking at a horse in terms of healing.
Gerney feels the pain easing in the general area of his skull.
Eliza keeps patting the horse soothingly as she watches Snake.
Gerney: Thank you so much Hajene...?
Wise Snake comes duoconscious.
Wise Snake: What were you doing riding like such a maniac? A Donor like you should know better.
Gerney shrugs helplessly.
Gerney: She just, got away from me.
Gerney: I can't stop her. She is one of the racing horses from Lord Farnoff's stables.
Eliza frowns.
Wise Snake: Might I suggest you lead her back home, then, rather than attempting to ride.
Gerney: She shied at something and I just came off. Actually, I'm sort of glad she stopped!
Gerney: I guess I'm lucky you were near. I'm sorry, I didn't get your name?
Wise Snake: I didn't give it.
Wise Snake: Look, we are in a bit of a hurry.
Wise Snake: Now that we know you are fine, we must be on our way.
Gerney: Oh, well let me introduce myself. I'm Gerney ambrov mumble.
Wise Snake helps Gerney up.
Gerney stands up.
Wise Snake: Pleased to meet you, I'm sure.
Wise Snake: And do be careful.
Gerney looks at her expectantly.
Wise Snake nods to Nick and turns back to Freelance.
Eliza: Errr, ummm, Hajene. could you come here for a moment please?
Eliza runs her hand down the horse's face.
Wise Snake grunts, annoyed by the delay near the inquisitive Gerney, but turns away from Freelance and walks over to Eliza.
Wise Snake: Yes, what is it?
Eliza: Could you have a look at this horse?
Wise Snake looks at the horse.
Wise Snake: Ummh.
Eliza: I don't know if you can do anything for animals or not, but she has a lot of bruising here.
Eliza points to the horse's right shoulder.
Wise Snake can zlin, by the light of Eliza's nager, that there is some damage to the tissues there.
Eliza waggles her eyebrows at Snake.
Eliza pats the animal, who stands quietly under Snake's observation.
Eliza does something odd with her nager.
Eliza: ~ flicker flicker hop ~
Gerney walks slowly over.
Gerney: Is she hurt?
Wise Snake backs away from Eliza and the horse.
Gerney: Farnoff will have my skin if she is injured!
Eliza: ~ disappointed ~
Eliza: She has a large painful bruise here.
Eliza: Any idea how that would have happened?
Gerney: ~ uncomfortable ~
Gerney: Must have knocked it on something.
Gerney takes the reins.
Gerney: I'll take it easy on her the rest of the way. Perhaps we can go together?
Wise Snake, holding Freelance's reins, looks suspiciously at Gerney.
Wise Snake: You never did say where you were going in such a hurry.
Eliza walks back to Flossie and Socks, doing drunk with a twitch things to her face at Snake.
Gerney: Returning the horse. Didn't mean it to be such a hurry!
Wise Snake of course can make nothing of the facial contortions.
Wise Snake, distracted, drags her eyes back from Eliza's face to Gerney's.
Gerney: I see you have a spare horse, and you are going in the same direction as I am. It would be a great kindness if you would let me ride along with you and lead this lunatic.
Gerney: ~ hope ~
Gerney: ~ semi truth ~
Gerney: I would feel safer if you were near also.
Gerney: ~ and ain't that the truth! ~
Wise Snake thinks this smells like skunk roadkill.
Eliza is frustrated that she can't get her message across.
Eliza looks at Gerney ~ distrust ~
Wise Snake looks at Eliza.
Wise Snake: Take the equipment off of the spare and redistribute it amongst our animals.
Eliza: But!... Oh okay.
Wise Snake: Put Socks' saddle on him while you're at it.
Eliza stomps over to Socks and starts moving things around.
Gerney: This is very kind of you.
Wise Snake studies the mare, idly.
Gerney smiles at Snake.
Wise Snake: Ah... it is nothing.
Gerney: ~ smoothly friendly ~
Wise Snake moves Freelance closer to the mare, which fortunately isn't in season.
Wise Snake curbs his prancing and fidgeting.
Eliza puts the supplies on Flossie and puts Flossie's saddle on Socks.
Gerney: Where are you folks from?
Wise Snake looks at what Eliza is doing in growing annoyance.
Wise Snake: What happened to Socks' saddle?
Eliza: I don't know, I guess it got left behind somewhere.
Eliza: ~ annoyed ~
Eliza: It doesn't matter, I'll walk or something.
Wise Snake backs Freelance away from Eliza.
Wise Snake: [not hard to do; he likes sidling and nervous movements]
Wise Snake looks very frustrated.
Eliza: I'll ride her [points to the other horse]
Eliza: I don't believe she is dangerous!
Eliza finishes doing up the girth and hands Socks to Gerney.
Gerney: You are welcome to ride her of course. I'm sure she will be much quieter now. We had a very long fight.
Wise Snake moves to the outside of the group, with Nick between her and the others.
Gerney pats Socks' neck and adjusts the stirrups before mounting.
Eliza leads Flossie over to the tall horse and climbs on.
Eliza looks at Snake and Nick.
Eliza: Where are Li... the others?
Wise Snake: They're right here.
Wise Snake wonders why Eliza, who dropped Socks' lead twice today while riding amiable Flossie, still wants to hold Flossie's lead while riding the questionably-tractable highblood mare.
Wise Snake: Come on you guys! We're leaving.
Wise Snake: [to Linn and Griff where they are fiddling with their saddle bags some way up the road]
Eliza rides the extremely placid seeming horse over close to Socks.