Sime/Gen Roleplaying: Two Roads Diverged Scenario
Episode #36: The Long Pencil of the Tecton (6/28/98)
Torrance rides down the road towards Vortez Lake.
Torrance is a well dressed, well mounted renSime, with prosperous looking saddle bags and a Tecton ring.
Linn heads over to City Hall, carrying a change of clothing for both Nick and Snake.
Linn suspects, from long experience, that after several days of disaster-relief, their current garments will be disasters themselves.
Wise Snake is putting the finishing touches on a report on the state of the town, for the Tecton when they arrive.
Wise Snake: [read: scribbling madly in an attempt to finish on time]
Torrance notes the signs of storm damage, as well as the fact that an effort is being made to fix it, or at least the more dangerous aspects of it, as soon as possible.
Nick is sitting near the desk, munching on a sandwich.
Wise Snake doesn't have Tanzarra's report yet so she is basing her report on her own data, figuring it must be more or less the same in Tanzarra's neighborhoods.
Linn climbs the stairs of City Hall and signals at the door to the Mayor's office.
Wise Snake jumps at the signal, carving a ridge straight off the top edge of the paper.
Wise Snake: Shen!!
Wise Snake: Come in.
Torrance stops momentarily to watch as a group of workers board up a basement with no house attached.
Linn opens the door and steps through.
Linn: Hello, Snake.
Wise Snake picks up the paper to examine the damage, then sighs as the top of the paper flops over... one half forward, one half back.
Wise Snake puts it down.
Wise Snake: Ah, Linn.
Wise Snake: Hello.
Linn: You haven't been back to the house for a few days, so I thought you could use some fresh clothes.
Wise Snake: Oh... er...?
Wise Snake wasn't aware she hadn't been back to the house, but now that she thinks of it....
Wise Snake tries to remember if Nick has been getting enough sleep lately, then looks over and realizes he's practically asleep now.
Wise Snake: Oh.
Wise Snake: Thank you, Linn.
Nick looks at the split paper and shakes his head at this evidence of nerves.
Linn hands Snake one of the brand-new outfits purchased when the previous ones were dynamited.
Wise Snake starts to remove her current shirt.
Nick perks up at the thought of odorless jeans.
Torrance talks briefly to one of the workers, finding out how the new channel has been arranging things before thanking him and riding on.
Linn shakes her head at its condition.
Linn: What were you doing, rolling around in the dust?
Wise Snake: Well, it was mud to begin with.
Wise Snake doesn't realize that is even worse.
Wise Snake finishes undressing and puts on the new clothes.
Nick accepts the clean offerings, and takes them to the attached bathroom to change, out of respect for Linn's out-T conventions.
Linn cocks her head to check the effect, then hands Snake a hairbrush.
Torrance pulls up in front of the Town Hall, noting the recently fixed windows.
Wise Snake looks at the hair brush in confusion.
Wise Snake realizes Linn wasn't just handing it to her for convenience, she actually wants her to use it.
Linn: Here. They'll never believe you're a Tecton channel if you look like a hedge.
Wise Snake starts hacking away with the brush.
Wise Snake: [if you have ever tried taking a hairbrush to a morning-glory choked rose bush, you know the effect]
Torrance ties up his horse, pulls out a bag from one of the saddle bags and climbs the steps.
Nick emerges from the bathroom smelling a bit sweeter, and with a clean face, but still carrying a four day's growth of beard.
Linn rolls her eyes.
Linn: Here, let me.
Wise Snake hands the brush to Linn.
Linn: ~~ amused affection ~~
Linn starts efficiently taming (sort of) Snake's mane.
Wise Snake looks at Linn in surprise, caught off guard by the emotion.
Torrance looks around the lobby and notes with amusement the signs saying "Chanle in heer"
Torrance goes in "heer".
Wise Snake winces rhythmically as items best left in hedges are distangled from her mane.
Nick sees Snake shooting looks at Linn, and moves closer just in case.
Nick: ~~ support ~~
Linn sets down the brush for a moment and works two burrs out of a clump of hair.
Torrance sees no evidence of a "chanle" in the outer room, so walks over and signals at the office door..
Wise Snake: Come!
Wise Snake is unaware that she is in the middle of a ridiculous scene.
Torrance lifts the latch and enters.
Wise Snake takes one look at Torrance and jumps about 3 feet.
Wise Snake: [hair: rrrip]
Linn: Hey!
Nick watches the newcomer with as much alertness as he can manage, with only two hours' sleep in the past two days.
Wise Snake: Oh! Er, hello,
Wise Snake: [eyes ogling Tecton ring]
Torrance sees two Gens, one obviously a Donor, the other, apparently hacking at what can only be described as a "chanle" hair, while a pile of dirty clothing adorns the room.
Wise Snake: I'm Hajene Farris, um,
Torrance clears his throat.
Torrance: Hajene Farris?
Wise Snake: Yes, yes. We've been expecting you.
Wise Snake was actually expecting a lot more of "you" than one renSime, and wonders what's going on.
Torrance: Ah. I'm Torrance la Manche, from Demose Center.
Linn deduces that this is an important visitor, and sets the brush aside until Snake has dealt with him.
Torrance: I have a letter for you.
Wise Snake's hair is half sagebrush, half dandelion puff.
Wise Snake is looking a bit panicky.
Wise Snake: Oh! Er, thank you.
Torrance pulls a letter, sealed with a Tecton seal, from his bag and hands it to the hedge-- errr, channel.
Wise Snake accepts the letter.
Nick zlins like a high First-order Donor, but looks like a bum in very tight pants.
Nick: ~~ support ~~
Wise Snake opens the letter and scans its contents.
Wise Snake: WHAT!!!?
Linn: ~~ alarm ~~
Linn: What's wrong, Snake?
Wise Snake: This is--! [starts hyperventilating]
Torrance , who knew the contents, still wasn't prepared for such a negative reaction.
Nick: ~~ CALM ~~
Torrance: Perhaps you should sit down?
Wise Snake leans on Nick's support and tries to get a grip.
Torrance: ~ concern ~
Wise Snake sits.
Wise Snake looks at the letter again, then at the signature.
Wise Snake: A week or two?
Torrance turns to Linn. "Perhaps some tea?"
Linn: Of course.
Torrance: That's the estimated time of course.
Wise Snake hands the letter to Nick so as to have more hands free for clutching her forehead.
Linn hastens to the outer office, hoping the teapot there is full and reasonably fresh.
Nick glances over the letter.
Torrance: I hope that isn't too much of an inconvenience.
Wise Snake: Er... no... not at all. [weakly]
Wise Snake: What sort of, "administration", are you experienced in?
Torrance is much more use to channel who look like, well, channels and less like, well, ferrets who have been pulled out of their burrows backwards.
Nick: A week or two more before replacements arrive?
Torrance pulls out his credentials.
Nick: Is the District office aware that there are approximately twenty juncts at large?
Wise Snake wonders if the Tecton really doesn't give a rap about 21 juncts loose in the countryside.
Torrance: I have been instrumental in the setting up of several Centers, both In- and Out-Territory.
Torrance: Ah, that's unfortunate, but at the moment...
Torrance spreads his arms indicating that there is nothing else to be done.
Nick: Unfortunate? Those Simes will be seeking kills as they come into need.
Torrance: Our responsibility at the moment is to the townspeople.
Wise Snake takes his credentials and reads them, not really getting what the point is in sending somebody like this out here.
Wise Snake: What, are they opening a Sime Center here?
Torrance: That, of course, is a possibility down the line, but at the moment there is insufficient population to warrant it.
Wise Snake looks up at Torrance wondering if this guy is a relative of the Sheriff.
Wise Snake: No Sime Center?
Wise Snake wonders if Torrance is being sent here as some kind of a punishment then.
Wise Snake: I see.
Wise Snake hands back the credentials.
Torrance: We will use the people of the town to act as guards, and let it be known that there is a channel here to service any need.
Wise Snake: Ah... okay...?
Torrance puts them back in the bag.
Wise Snake wants to appear anxious to please without letting on that she is worried he doesn't know what he's talking about, but her Farris features betray her.
Torrance: I am sorry that this isn't as much as you expected, but at the moment it's the best that can be done.
Wise Snake: Ummmh...
Nick wonders if it is an appropriate moment to explain that there are actually two channels around.
Wise Snake thinks they are going to have to do something about those juncts by themselves.
Torrance: It is my job to lift the administrative burden from you and let you get on with worrying only about the health and well being of the people of Vortez Lake.
Wise Snake tries to translate that.
Linn returns with four cups of tea.
Wise Snake decides it translates into, "we don't want you, Snake, taking over that town and trying to live there permanently".
Wise Snake wishes they'd asked her first... she'd have let them know she was NOT interested in that kind of burden.
Wise Snake: Ah... Linn, thank you.
Wise Snake may be kidding herself on the subject of the town however.
Torrance puts down the bag, keeping it close to hand.
Nick takes a cup with a smile and takes a big gulp, hoping that it will help him stay awake.
Torrance: Do you have lodgings available close to the center of town?
Torrance accepts his tea with thanks.
Wise Snake: Yes, yes, we have a small apartment, you are welcome to a room if you like.
Torrance nods.
Wise Snake thinks Tanzarra can room with her and Nick, and the three other Gens can room together.
Torrance: Thank you. I notice there was quite a bit of storm damage, were many people hurt?
Linn blinks, wondering which room Snake intended Torrance to share: Eliza and Griff, Nick and Snake's, or hers and Tanzarra's.
Wise Snake: Please, have a seat.
Wise Snake digs through the various reports she has written up.
Torrance sits.
Nick frowns, hoping that Snake doesn't plan to take in a roommate for them so soon after transfer.
Wise Snake finds the one based on the door-to-door search and hands it to Torrance.
Wise Snake: As you no doubt know, the town's channeling records were obliterated in, er, an unfortunate incident.
Wise Snake: [1001 euphemisms and still going strong]
Torrance accepts it and skims his eyes down it.
Wise Snake: We have done a census of the town and performed channel's examinations on all of the inhabitants of the town proper.
Linn sits beside the desk and drinks her tea, figuring that it will be a while before she can get back to Snake's hair.
Torrance: I'm impressed. You did all this in so few days?
Wise Snake: Here is a summary of the storm damage in terms of both real and personal... yes.
Torrance knows exactly when the twister hit from his talk to the workmen at the basement site.
Wise Snake sets that one on the front of the desk.
Wise Snake: Well, we've only been here a few days ourselves.
Torrance reads: 3 people dead, 2 missing, assumed dead, so many major wounded, so many minor wounded....
Wise Snake isn't about to admit to the guy that Farris entran was the primary motivator in the work-orgy.
Wise Snake is feeling pretty good right at the moment, except for being ready to jump out of her own forehead with stress.
Wise Snake decides to hold onto the report regarding Mr. B, the juncts, etc. for now.
Nick lets a hand drop "casually" to Snake's shoulder, in hopes of keeping her from jumping out of her skin.
Wise Snake jumps at the touch, but then relaxes a bit more with the effects of Nick's nager.
Eliza walks up the steps of the center, singing.
Nick tries to support Snake without making it so obvious that Torrance's curiosity is roused.
Torrance: I have some spare uniforms available for you and your Donor, if you wish.
Wise Snake: Er.... oh?
Nick controls horror at the thought of exchanging his cool tight pants for Tecton wear.
Wise Snake: I mean, oh. [nods] Thank you.
Wise Snake realizes that this guy hasn't been told everything and wonders why they would send in such a heavy duty guy while leaving him in the dark information wise.
Linn: It will make you look more professional.
Eliza walks into the outer office and almost opens the door without signalling, but remembers that Snake might have a clients.
Wise Snake winces at Linn's comment.
Linn might have said "marginally less like a half-dead ferret which has been dragged around the neighborhood by a dog", but that wouldn't be polite.
Torrance: I also have a supply of Tecton forms for transfer and healing reports.
Wise Snake: Oh.. great.
Torrance: And a book for monthly accounts.
Eliza signals.
Wise Snake: MONTHL...!
Wise Snake: er, Come, Eliza.
Nick starts to get a little nervous at the thought of so much paperwork.
Wise Snake's heart races and she breaks out in a pale sweat.
Nick never was able to get the Tecton forms straight, and doesn't care to try.
Wise Snake: How long did you say the delay would be?
Eliza hears Snake yell and opens the door quickly.
Eliza: ~ concern ~ What's wrong! Are you okay Snake?
Eliza: Oh, hello.
Torrance: There should be reinforcements within the fortnight.
Wise Snake zlins Torrance for truth.
Eliza looks curiously from the stranger to Snake and then back, and decides that the stranger is much easier on the eyes so keeps looking at him.
Torrance: ~ truth as far as he knows ~
Eliza: ~ curious ~
Torrance makes a mental note that they seem to be a Donor spare.
Wise Snake: Ah... Torrance, this is Eliza, a Donor in training. Nick, my Comp, ah, Donor, and this is Linn.
Linn: Pleased to meet you.
Wise Snake has no idea if this guy was told Linn was Nick's wife or what, so she doesn't bother saying much about Linn.
Wise Snake: [to the others] Torrance will be staying on until the replacements arrive, to assist with er, "administration".
Torrance: I'm honoured to meet you all. Is this the total of your staff?
Wise Snake: No, there is an additional channel.
Wise Snake: And an orderly.
Eliza: Ah!
Eliza nods as if she understands what Snake is talking about.
Wise Snake wonders why nobody gave this guy any information.
Griff bounces up the stairs and into the office.
Griff: Hey, Snake, did you see how that house on the corner got smushted?
Griff mashes a fist into his other hand to demonstrate.
Wise Snake: Oh er, yes Griff, that was quite a storm eh?
Griff: Yeah! Real ooky!
Torrance blinks as the office becomes more and more crowded by the minute.
Griff: ~~ enthusiasm ~~
Wise Snake: Too bad you weren't there when I had to climb down into the cellar and rescue the lady who lived there.
Griff: Was she smushed?
Wise Snake: Yeah
Griff shoots an envious look towards Nick, who always gets to be there when ookyness is present.
Griff hasn't seen nearly enough ookiness lately.
Torrance: ~ faintly ill ~
Wise Snake realizes she has become rather insensitive to Griff's behavior when she zlins Torrance's reaction.
Eliza: ~ annoyed ~
Eliza: Griff, Snake has a visitor, you really shouldn't just come barging in like that.
Griff finally notices Torrance.
Griff: Who's he?
Griff thinks the guy looks awfully adult and boring.
Griff sticks his tongue out at Eliza.
Wise Snake opens her mouth to answer Griff, then stops, surprised by the exchange between Griff and Eliza.
Torrance is really not used to children, except the awfully polite ones who belong to the well educated parents who are involved in the setting up and running of Centers.
Wise Snake: Er....
Eliza grits her teeth and shakes her head warningly at Griff.
Wise Snake: Griff, why don't you have a look at this book for a while?
Wise Snake hands him FREYLOR'S COMPARATIVE ANATOMY
Wise Snake hopes that will keep him relatively quiet.
Griff takes the book suspiciously and opens it to a picture.
Griff: Guts!
Griff: ~~ happy ~~
Wise Snake: Did you know every gut has a name, and lots of ooky long words to describe it?
Eliza rolls her eyes.
Wise Snake: Maybe you should learn all those in case you have to describe any to somebody?
Torrance clears his throat (again)
Griff: Yeah!
Wise Snake thinks the quest to make Griff more useful as an orderly never ends.
Griff: ~~ enthusiasm for the project ~~
Wise Snake turns back to Torrance.
Wise Snake: Ah... now, you will require office space I assume?
Wise Snake looks around.
Eliza just wishes that Griff were more human.
Wise Snake: This office ought to be fine.
Wise Snake starts picking up all her stuff.
Torrance: I notice you have an outer office. I you like I would be happy to set up there.
Wise Snake: Er... oh.
Torrance: Then you could continue to use this office for your channeling needs.
Torrance: I notice there is no transfer lounge?
Wise Snake tries to decide how she feels about an office where nobody can visit her without walking past the Tecton, then realizes there's nobody in this town who wouldn't mind doing that.
Wise Snake: Yes, there is, it's downstairs. Sort of.
Wise Snake: We have one on order.
Wise Snake also has about 500 lbs of books on order.
Griff: But it isn't a banana.
Griff seems to feel that this is a shortcoming.
Torrance: ~ confused ~
Nick: We have been using this office as a treatment room, because of the insulation.
Torrance: What were you using for payment?
Wise Snake: Oh, I've just been paying them out of pocket.
Wise Snake: I have a record here... [pulls out a small ledger]
Torrance pulls some forms out of the bag.
Wise Snake hands it to him.
Torrance: If you would like to fill out these forms, we would be happy to reimburse you of course.
Wise Snake: Ummh.
Wise Snake puts the forms in the ledger and puts them on the desk.
Torrance: Also, anything else you need please let me know and I'll arrange for it. Although it may take some time to get here of course.
Wise Snake: Uh... thank you.
Wise Snake thought she'd had everything pretty much in hand in that department, except of course for a replacement channel, Donor, and a team to collect those juncts.
Wise Snake sighs.
Nick: We've been very busy taking care of patients. Perhaps you would be willing to take care of the matter for Snake?
Nick wonders if Farris meds could be put on the list.
Torrance: Which matter in particular did you have in mind?
Eliza had thought she was through with Tecton paperwork.
Nick: Calculating the reimbursement, of course.
Nick indicates the forms and ledger.
Torrance: Of course, I'd be happy to.
Torrance picks up the ledger and forms and puts them in his bag.
Torrance: Your trust in me is quite heartening.
Wise Snake soon has the same idea as Nick.
Torrance hands over some more forms.
Torrance: These are the forms for ordering any other supplies you need.
Wise Snake takes the forms and looks for one regarding pharmaceuticals.
Torrance: Medicines, equipment, uniforms, light fixtures, sanitary items, stationary.
Torrance puts down a form each time he says an item.
Wise Snake: Ah yes...er.... ~~dismay~~
Wise Snake: Light fixtures?
Nick expects Snake will go over the completed form with an eagle (or at least stoat) eye, but the guy might as well fill in the entries.
Wise Snake is becoming really worried about how long they will be staying here.
Wise Snake wonders if Muryin has decided to try to pin her down here.
Torrance: Kitchen utensils, livestock feed and supplies, laundry supplies,
Wise Snake sighs and pulls out the medical one, starts writing.
Torrance: Small appliances, transport, food, repairs,
Wise Snake fills the page with a memorized list of necessities, with large stars next to the Farris ones.
Torrance: Of course, you won't need all of them.
Wise Snake: Of course not. Here, could you handle this one right away?
Wise Snake thinks, then pulls out the Livestock and Supplies one and orders 2 bottles of horse tranquilizers.
Torrance takes it, reads it, signs it, stamps it, perforates it in 3 places and pulls out an express envelope.
Wise Snake has never figured out why horse tranquilizers can be bought more cheaply through the Tecton than elsewhere.
Nick reads the order over Snake's shoulder.
Nick: ~~ concern ~~
Wise Snake gives him the other order too
Nick: Don't you dare take more than one at a time. [whispers]
Torrance puts the forms in the envelope and puts the envelope in the bag.
Wise Snake mutters something about being able to handle herself.
Torrance takes it, raises his eyebrows and looks at Snake.
Torrance: Horse tranquilizers?
Nick: We have horses stabled in town.
Nick smiles at Terrance innocently.
Torrance: Ah of course.
Wise Snake: You will want yours to be stabled with ours, I presume?
Torrance signs the form, stamps it, perforates it in 3 places and pulls out an express envelope.
Torrance: That would be most accommodating.
Torrance: Is there someone available to deliver these to the closes post office?
Eliza: Oh! I'll go Snake.
Wise Snake opens her mouth, then sighs.
Wise Snake: Sure, go ahead Eliza.
Eliza is keen to get on Flossie and go anywhere fast, specially if it's away from any channel.
Torrance hands the envelops to Eliza.
Torrance: Thank you.
Wise Snake: Torrance, would you like to retrieve your belongings so Eliza can stable your horse when she fetches hers?
Torrance: Of course, that would be most kind.
Wise Snake waits until Torrance and Eliza have left, then sighs and sits back down.
Wise Snake realizes her hands and tentacles are clenched into fists, and releases them.
Nick: Shen.
Nick: Are we really going to have to live with a spy?
Wise Snake: Well, what else would you suggest? The housing problem is even worse with the storm damage.
Wise Snake: At least this way we'll be able to keep our eye on him.
Nick: Let him camp out in the office.
Nick: How? We haven't been back to our new house in two days?
Wise Snake: The office? What kind of an impression would that make?
Wise Snake: ~~guilt~~
Nick: Just think of all the trouble he could get into while we're out working.
Wise Snake: I'm sorry... when we show him there, maybe you could stay and get some sleep.
Nick sighs.
Nick: An honest one?
Griff looks up from his book.
Wise Snake: Er, well, ah,
Eliza waits while Torrance removes his saddle bags, looking admiringly at his horse, then takes the horse with her to the stables.
Griff: You could always slice him through the ab-domen and pull out his dow-denum.
Griff likes these ooky words.
Wise Snake's eyebrows raise.
Wise Snake: Er.....
Torrance puts the heavy saddle bags down in the outer office and re enters the inner sanctum.
Nick winces at this suggestion, thinking that "guts" by any name remain as ooky.
Eliza arranges for Torrance's horse to be looked after and stabled with theirs and saddles up Flossie in favour of Trigger.
Nick: I hope you don't mind us putting you to work right away?
Nick thinks they might as well make the informant earn his pay.
Torrance: I would be happy to be of service.
Griff wonders if Torrance knows how to be ooky.
Griff has learned during the past few months that not all Simes are acceptably ooky, despite their tentacles.
Torrance: I'll unpack to the outer office.
Torrance thinks one of the things he has to have done are signs that spell "chanle" correctly.
Wise Snake sighs.
Wise Snake: Here, why don't you finish this report for me?
Wise Snake gives him the report and her huge stack of notes.
Wise Snake is feeling a little post-panic-peakedness.
Torrance takes them, bending at the knees under the pile.
Linn notices that Snake looks a bit peculiar, even for her.
Torrance: Of course. [staggers out to the outer office]
Eliza mounts up and trots towards the town limits. She has in mind the next town on which she heard had a respectable mail system.
Torrance puts the forms on the desk and goes to his bag.
Linn: Are you all right, Snake?
Eliza hopes the mailman isn't going to be delivering these "express" items on Socks.
Torrance pulls out pens and paper and more forms and carries them over to the desk.
Wise Snake looks at Linn, once again surprised by the kindness after weeks of... sorta glazedness.
Wise Snake: I'm fine, Linn.
Wise Snake: [stock answer]
Wise Snake: Thank you.
Linn decides that it's the clean clothes and half-brushed hair that make Snake look so strange, and relaxes.
Torrance picks up the top form and begins to try to decipher the writing.
Wise Snake eyes the brush and wonders if Linn is going to go after her again with it.
Torrance finds it's quite clear to read after he works out that many of the f's are crossed and the e's are dotted. Strange the way the dots manage to go clear through the paper.
Eliza figures she is far enough away from even Snake, and relaxes.
Eliza: You have no idea, Flossie, how hard it is to be a Donor.
Nick sees the dots of light shining through the paper, and resolves to stay awake when on duty if he has to drink a lake of trin.
Torrance transfers the information onto the correct Tecton approved form in triplicate, and files both copies in a draw.
Linn sees that the visitor is well occupied and picks up the brush again.
Linn: Here, let me get the rest of those burrs and weeds out, before they mat.
Wise Snake sees Linn pick up the brush and swallows, bracing herself for another weed-whipping session.
Wise Snake doesn't look quite as odd as she had a few minutes before, as the brushed side of her hair has already begun its descent back into the Dreaded Farris Hair Thing.
Linn starts working on the nearest hank, figuring that she will never get express permission.
Linn removes four burrs of assorted sizes, two twigs, five grass seeds, and an assortment of plaster chunks.
Wise Snake submits to the curiously soothing, if a bit nervewracking, attention.
Linn: I don't know how you managed to walk around, with a load like that attached to your head.
Wise Snake: Ow!
Linn: ~~ amusement ~~
Linn: Hold on, there's another burr.
Nick grins, liking the effect.
Wise Snake wonders if Linn has forgiven her and is her friend again now, or if this is a lead up to a gory murder.
Linn finishes the previously unbrushed side and resmoothes the weeded other side.
Wise Snake finds it much more relaxing once it's just brushing and less burr-weeding.
Linn finishes getting the hair untangled (momentarily) and gathers it back.
Linn reaches into her pocket and pulls out a black elastic hair band.
Wise Snake thinks actually this isn't bad... somebody else doing her paperwork, Nick standing nearby, and somebody massaging her head.
Torrance realises that the immediate need here is for staff.
Linn expertly finishes off the ponytail, and stands back to admire the effect.
Linn: There, that will keep it out of your face when you're trying to work.
Wise Snake starts in alarm as she realizes Linn has "done something" to her hair.
Wise Snake: What did you do! [cries]
Wise Snake feels around and locates the ponytail.
Wise Snake: Eeei!
Linn looks at Snake in surprise.
Linn: I just tied it back.
Wise Snake: I'll look stupid!
Linn: No, you look very nice.
Wise Snake: But...
Linn thinks, for a person with dark circles under white eyes and a scrawny not particularly clean bod.
Nick: She's right.
Nick: ~~ admiration, tinged with a touch of lust, and exhaustion ~~
Froddy comes up the steps of the Town Hall, a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
Froddy sees the sign "Chanle in heer" and enters.
Torrance looks up as the young Sime enters.
Torrance: Yes, can I help you?
Froddy: I've come to see the Channel.
Torrance: Do you have an appointment?
Froddy: Errr, sort of, the other channel told me to come down here and see her.
Torrance: Other channel? What other channel?
Froddy looks confused.
Wise Snake: ...Oh.
Torrance: Never mind that now. What is your name?
Wise Snake zlins Nick in concern.
Wise Snake: You really do have to go to bed, don't you?
Nick shrugs.
Froddy: I'm Froddy.
Nick: I can manage for a while longer, after that tea.
Nick: ~~ too much caffeine ~~
Froddy is getting less and less excited and more and more upset by the minute.
Nick's ability to look acceptably semi-professional would be greater if he had a shave and a bath.
Wise Snake: Ummh... ~doubtful~
Nick hopes he doesn't have to resort to toothpicks to keep his eyes open.
Torrance: Wait here please and I'll see if the channel can see you soon.
Torrance gets up and signals at the office door.
Griff looks up from his book.
Griff: Did you know that you can take lots and lots of blood from someone, and they still can recover?
Griff delights in the ook such an experiment would generate.
Wise Snake: Yes, I knew that. That's because your body grows its own blood all the time. Inside your bones.
Wise Snake: Come! [to the door]
Griff flips pages.
Griff: Here in those tunnels that look like pirate caves?
Torrance enters the office
Wise Snake: Yes?
Torrance: Hajene, there is a Froddy to see you. He said that the "other channel" sent him?
Wise Snake: [to Torrance]
Wise Snake: Er, thank you. Please send him in.
Torrance looks at her oddly.
Torrance: Very well.
Torrance goes out to where Froddy is jumping from foot to foot.
Wise Snake wonders why the weird look.
Torrance: The Hajene will see you now.
Froddy: Thank you.
Froddy walks slowly and nervously into the office.
Froddy looks from Griff to Nick to Snake
Froddy: Ummm, Hajene Tanzarra sent me.
Wise Snake zlins Froddy
Froddy: ~ faint shadowy flutter ~
Froddy: ~ also very nervous ~
Wise Snake gets up and moves around the desk toward Froddy.
Froddy is a renSime that Tanzarra suspects to be a 3rd.
Wise Snake: What is your name? Froddy?
Wise Snake: Please, come sit over here.
Froddy sits down and tries not to be so nervous.
Wise Snake sits down across from him and zlins him carefully.
Froddy: It's only, the other channel said she thought I was a 3rd, I didn't even know that there were 3rds, and....
Wise Snake: Now, what can I do for you... er... ah, I see.
Froddy: She said she wanted me to see you.
Nick moves closer to Snake.
Nick: ~~ support ~~
Wise Snake: She meant she thinks you are a 3rd order channel. A channel, like us.
Wise Snake: Sometimes the lower order channels can go undetected, especially in an area where channel's services are, ah, spotty.
Griff looks up.
Froddy: Oh? You are a 3rd order channel too?
Griff: He's a channel, with all these ooky nerves and things?
Griff points to his current page of interest.
Wise Snake wonders if this guy failed Simelan sentence construction.
Wise Snake: Er, no, I am not a 3rd. However, I am a channel.
Wise Snake: And you appear to be one, also. Congratulations.
Froddy's eyes go all glassy with tears.
Froddy: Oh! that means I have a job doesn't it? I don't have to work in the feed store?
Froddy: I can get paid proper and look after mum and Hydrance.
Wise Snake smiles.
Wise Snake: Yes, you can.
Froddy sits quietly for a few minutes, soaking it all in.
Wise Snake: Could you come out here with me for a moment? We can fill out a few forms and get you started on your training.
Nick contemplates the difficulties inherent in training a new channel as well as Eliza and Linn, and his mind boggles.
Nick: We should start a school.
Froddy: Oh, oh sure.
Wise Snake was actually planning on abandoning Froddy to the Tecton replacements, assuming the Tecton replacements really show up.
Wise Snake leads Froddy back out to Torrance.
Wise Snake surveys Torrance's desk.
Wise Snake: Err.... do you have the forms for the changeover of a 3rd?
Wise Snake: I guess that would be the Amendment to that form.
Wise Snake has secretly feared that the only reason she was ever able to keep the Tecton paperwork straight in her head while working in BC was that she had still been in 1st Year, and now that her mind is less flexible she will have no hope at all.
Wise Snake: Or maybe an Amendment to the changeover of a renSime? Yes.
Froddy gets up and follows Snake out.
Torrance: Of course.
Torrance rifles through his stack of papers until her finds the correct, and rather sickeningly coloured orange forms.
Wise Snake winces at the coloration, and accepts the forms.
Wise Snake: Thank you.
Torrance: Here you go.
Torrance: Oh and Hajene Farris?
Wise Snake turns back.
Wise Snake: Yes?
Torrance: When you have a moment I'd like to talk to you about this "other channel".
Wise Snake looks at Toddy.
Wise Snake: Er....
Wise Snake: Whatever you say.
Nick imagines such an interrogation and moves closer to Snake.
Nick: ~~ calm support ~~
Wise Snake is impressed that the renSime was able to detect Froddy's channel-ness, so hard to zlin for many channels.
Wise Snake tales Froddy over to the couch.
Torrance: Thank you.
Wise Snake: Here are some forms, can you fill these out?
Nick wonders what sort of total incompetent Frooter was.
Froddy: Oh sure. I can read and write as long as you don't mind the spelling.
Wise Snake is glad a channel has surfaced in the town; she had been beginning to wonder about the huge number of Donor capable Gens here without a corresponding number of channels.
Wise Snake: Great.
Wise Snake gives him the papers and pen, then goes back to Torrance.
Wise Snake: Now, he's distracted. What did you want to say about him?
Torrance: About him? Nothing. Why?
Froddy chews the end of the pen in concentration.
Wise Snake looks annoyed.
Wise Snake: You just said you wanted to talk about him.
Wise Snake: "This other channel"... there's only one other channel in the room. Who else would you be referring to?
Torrance: No I didn't. ~ confused ~
Torrance: He is the 3rd?
Torrance zlins the kid.
Torrance: Hmmm, glad you picked it, I wouldn't have!
Torrance: No, it's the other channel - the one that sent him.
Torrance: Who would that be?
Wise Snake: Ah... Tanzarra.
Wise Snake: Hold on a minute.
Wise Snake goes back into the Mayor's office and pulls out the report she wrote up on Tanzarra, brings it back to him.
Nick is afraid that he knows.
Wise Snake at least assumes it was Tanzarra, as the only other channel she knows about in town is Loth, and Froddy didn't seem like his type.
Wise Snake: Here... this ought to explain everything.
Torrance takes the paper and scans it.
Torrance: Tanzarra Barahn, hmmmm
Torrance: That sounds familiar... ah. Dependency?
Nick wonders just how much of the reports will find their way back to Tecton ears--and which official and unofficial ears are involved.
Torrance: Oh dear!
Torrance looks up at Snake.
Torrance: You managed to get her through a transfer after that?
Torrance practises looking at Snake with respect.
Torrance finds it a bit easier with her hair tied back.
Wise Snake looks a bit defensive.
Wise Snake: Well, of course.
Wise Snake isn't used to there being any doubt about her abilities.
Nick looks a bit smug at his channel's expertise.
Wise Snake is, of course, careful to keep herself surrounded by her devotees and those desperate for medical care.
Torrance: Well, I must say.
Torrance doesn't say what he must say.
Nick thinks that if Torrance wants to be on Snake's good side, he'd better say complimentary things on a regular basis, starting now.
Wise Snake: I will be bringing her with me when I leave Vortez Lake.
Torrance finishes reading.
Torrance: I see.
Torrance: She has agreed with that?
Wise Snake: She requested it.
Wise Snake thinks "begged" is closer to the truth, but Torrance probably isn't interested in the details.
Torrance: Ah. And you have suitable Donors for her when... Oh! That lass.
Torrance: Of course, if you ever need help you need only go to the nearest Center.
Wise Snake: Ummh.
Nick thinks, "fat chance".
Torrance: Thank you for bringing me up to date on that. Is there anything else I need to know?
Wise Snake: Well, er, the reports are all on my desk. Why don't you just read through those?
Wise Snake: And, ah, help Froddy finish up with the paperwork, and....
Wise Snake: I want to take my C.. Nick back to get some sleep.
Wise Snake scribbles the address of their temporary housing on a piece of scrap paper and hands it to Torrance.
Wise Snake: This is the apartment we're using.
Linn wanders out of the office with the hairbrush and dirty laundry.
Froddy finishes the bit about family and address and looks in confusion at the bit about selyn usage and amount taken at changeover.
Linn: I'll just take these back and get them clean.
Wise Snake wonders at Linn's sudden shift of caring and industry.
Wise Snake: [all for it, of course]
Wise Snake: Thank you, Linn.
Linn: You really should get some sleep, Snake.
Wise Snake: Again?
Nick is swaying on his feet, holding his eyes open by sheer stubborn concentration.
Linn: When was the last time you slept?
Wise Snake thinks she slept a whole 6 hours only... er....
Wise Snake: Three days ago? [hazards a guess]
Linn: You really should sleep more often than that.
Wise Snake: I know.
Nick YAWNS.
Wise Snake takes it by Torrance's long silence that he's agreeing to take care of everything.
Wise Snake: Ah... well then.
Wise Snake turns and walks out of the Town Hall, trying not to yawn.
Linn follows, with Nick stumbling sleepily in the rear.
Griff , of course, is so involved in the ooky book that another tornado could come by and he wouldn't look up.
Go on to Episode #37: With Safety Like This, Who Needs Danger?