Sime~Gen Roleplaying: Two Roads Diverged Scenario
Episode #64: High-Maintenance Relationships (8/18/98)
Nick inspects Snake's pockets to discover if there are any more forbidden substances on her person.
Nick secretes his loot in a secure location, then uses his nager to nudge Snake out of her reverie.
Nick frowns as his nudge fails to bring Snake out of it.
Nick tries again.
Nick wonders what portion of her pharmaceutical purchases were on Snake's person, and how much is within her person.
Nick: Shen!
Nick: Why does she think I hide the horse pills, anyway? Because I think it's fun?
Nick waves a hand in front of Snake's staring eyes.
Nick puts his hands on Snake's arms, right over her laterals.
Wise Snake 's laterals twitch in their sheathes.
Nick: ~~ profound relief ~~
Nick: Snake, come on! Talk to me.
Nick: ~~ overwhelming Gen ~~
Wise Snake 's eyelids flutter.
Wise Snake lets out a sigh.
Nick redoubles his effort to bring Snake back to normal consciousness.
Wise Snake slowly comes around... sort of.
Wise Snake: Ummmhhh... ggle.
Wise Snake: What... unnh.
Wise Snake's eyes open.
Nick: Snake! What did you take, anyway? And how much of it?
Wise Snake's eyes, realizing they had already been open, close instead.
Wise Snake: ... ummhhnble nick umahh.....
Nick snaps his nager to get her attention.
Wise Snake's eyes open again.
Nick: Snake, come out of it, shen you!
Wise Snake: Oh.
Wise Snake blinks and tries to push herself up.
Wise Snake: I'm awake, I'm awake. [at least that might be what she's trying to say.]
Wise Snake realizes she's already sitting up, so proceeds to try to stand up.
Nick puts an arm around her scrawny shoulders to help her sit up.
Nick: What did you take?
Nick: And how much?
Wise Snake: I'm fine, Nick.
Wise Snake tries to put a reassuring hand on Nick's arm and misses by about 3 inches.
Nick: No, you're not. Look at you!
Nick: ~~ extreme worry ~~
Wise Snake corrects her hand position, laying both hands on Nick's wrists.
Wise Snake: Really, I'll be okay.
Nick: You are usually more careful to avoid an overdose.
Wise Snake blinks, trying to clear away the cobwebs, or failing that, rearrange them into some sort of pattern where they'll act as a substitute brain.
Wise Snake: Nick, I'm okay.
Wise Snake repeats the Farris motto.
Nick is blatantly skeptical.
Wise Snake makes another attempt to get to her feet.
Nick pushes her back down.
Nick: No, don't try to stand until you're steadier.
Wise Snake: Argh... Nick, let me.. unnh.
Wise Snake submits to the instructions.
Nick is even more concerned as Snake actually respects his Companion's call.
Wise Snake starts digging around in her pockets and finds them all empty.
Wise Snake scratches her unruly head.
Wise Snake: Look, Nick, I'm sure I'm fine.
Nick: I'll believe that when you stop looking so green.
Nick: I've seen seasick travellers with better color.
Wise Snake: Ucch... fine.
Wise Snake leans back, resigned to Nick's attentions.
Wise Snake: What a nightmare I was having.
Nick: What sort of a nightmare?
Nick provides a steady field for Snake to work against.
Wise Snake takes Nick's arms [this time splaying her tentacles to capture the sneaky little buggers wherever they really are].
Wise Snake's eyes are closed.
Wise Snake: First Richard came and proposed marriage.
Nick's sneaky little buggers freeze.
Nick: He did?
Wise Snake: Then Eliza came and asked me if I'd let her join in a giant orgy with him, me, you, and Tanzarra.
Nick doesn't like the direction this nightmare is going.
Nick: An orgy?
Wise Snake: I threw a lamp out the window, only it turned out it was Richard.
Wise Snake: And I used your armpit deodorant.
Wise Snake: Sorry.
Nick had been under the impression that his services were "adequate", and doesn't like Snake dreaming about another lover.
Wise Snake shakes her head, wondering why she is apologizing for something that didn't really happen.
Nick: My deodorant?
Nick remembers that he couldn't find it this morning.
Wise Snake's eyes drift open, then narrow as she spots something on top of the bureau across the room.
Wise Snake: Wait a minute.
Wise Snake struggles to get up.
Nick helps Snake to sit.
Nick: What is it?
Wise Snake tries to get up and run across the room to where Richard's ring is lying.
Nick catches Snake as she overestimates the steadiness of her knees.
Nick: Careful!
Nick picks Snake up.
Nick: Here, let me carry you.
Nick transports Snake over to the dresser.
Wise Snake's tentacles clutch the ring and bring it close to her face for inspection.
Wise Snake: Great jumping Jabbahutt!
Wise Snake faints.
Nick has no idea what a Jabbahutt is, but it sounds really nasty.
Nick: Shen! Not again!
Nick carries Snake back to the bed.
Nick: Shedoni-doomed idiot channel.
Nick sits beside Snake and takes her arms, running his fingers down her lateral sheathes.
Wise Snake's fingers loosen, letting Richard's ring fall to the bed.
Wise Snake's tentacles stir, stimulated by Nick's field.
Nick sees the ring.
Nick picks it up and looks at it.
Nick recognizes the crest.
Nick: ~~ shock ~~
Wise Snake's tentacles shoot back into their sheathes.
Wise Snake grunts.
Nick: That slimy little bastard....
Wise Snake shows signs of distress.
Nick thinks about the rest of the "nightmare".
Nick: Oh, no!
Nick gets his nager under control, then quickly starts stripping off Snake's shirt.
Nick lifts the arm to inspect the pit.
Wise Snake is wearing Nick's armpit deodorant.
Nick winces at the nasty rash.
Nick: You'd think by now she'd have learned to read the ingredients.
Wise Snake mutters something in a delirious fashion.
Nick: Or at least look for the black stripe on Farris-safe products.
Wise Snake: ... mummble.. no no, Eliza, I'm saving you for Tanzarrrrrrrammnble
Nick goes to the bathroom and collects water and a washrag.
Nick stops by the medicine satchel to collect a Farris-safe antiallergen cream, then returns to the bed.
Wise Snake's hands and tentacles rub her face, head and body in a wandering fashion.
Wise Snake: [moaning whine] Richard, what is wrong with you??
Nick snags an arm, lifts it, and starts washing off the deodorant.
Nick: Thinks the allergies don't apply to her....
Nick: ~~ grumble, grumble ~~
Nick: Shen, that looks nasty.
Wise Snake: ...... ooommmmmm, I like the greeeeeeeen ones...
Wise Snake's muttering breaks off as she comes semi-conscious.
Nick applies the cream generously.
Wise Snake's eyes slit open groggily as she tries to make out what Nick is doing to her.
Wise Snake: Deodorizing me while I'm down, will you? [slurred]
Wise Snake lets her head fall back.
Nick rinses out his washcloth, grabs the other arm, and applies cloth to pit.
Nick: Whatever possessed you to use my deodorant?
Wise Snake: I couldn't find mine.
Nick: I thought you were over that suicidal bit?
Wise Snake: I knew Linn bought it, I didn't think she'd buy you anything I couldn't use.
Wise Snake may have been assuming a little too much, there.
Nick: She bought my regular brand. Which isn't Farris-safe.
Nick squeezes a generous portion of cream onto the pit and starts rubbing it in.
Nick: Next time, read the ingredients.
Nick shakes his head.
Nick: No wonder you were catatonic.
Wise Snake: Well, how was I supposed to think clearly with Richard and Eliza both doing their best to drive me insane?
Wise Snake is actually starting to realize how close she just came to serious illness or death.
Wise Snake: ~~sweaty palms~~
Nick: Look, Snake, you can't take chances like that.
Nick: ~~ worry ~~
Wise Snake: Shen, Nick, I didn't realize.
Wise Snake: I told her...
Wise Snake had told Linn to only buy what she could use, but she wouldn't put it past Linn to assume Snake could tell the difference, either.
Nick: Linn knows to buy Farris-safe things for you, but no one told her you'd be using other people's toiletries.
Wise Snake: I did.
Wise Snake has to admit that she tells Linn to do enough things that make no sense that Linn may have guessed wrong on a few items that were borderline.
Wise Snake would never admit this out loud, though.
Wise Snake: At the Ferry Building, when Sky was buying it, he always got Farris approved everything.
Wise Snake shies away from the mental image of what Eliza looked like after using the Farris shampoo.
Nick: Snake, just do us both a favor and be more careful, will you?
Wise Snake nods.
Nick: I don't want to lose you to the wrong brand of deodorant.
Wise Snake tries to laugh, but this close to need and so soon after the brush with, er, cleanliness, she doesn't do that great a job.
Nick realizes that he missed lunch while trying to get Snake operational.
Nick: ~~ starving Gen ~~
Wise Snake grimaces.
Wise Snake: I hope you're going to let me up now.
Nick assesses Snake's condition.
Nick: You should rest for another hour or so.
Nick: Tell you what.
Nick: I'll go ask Linn to sit with you while I get something to eat, and then we can go out and find some work for you.
Wise Snake: OK.
Wise Snake plans to get up and get some work done as soon as Nick takes off.
Linn carries a load of laundry into the main room of the suite.
Nick flags Linn down, and sends her in to look after Snake.
Wise Snake struggles up into a sitting position.
Nick then goes in search of Bum Bum and lunch, not necessarily in that order.
Linn: Snake, you look so pale!
Linn: What happened, dear.
Linn: ~~ Gen concern ~~
Wise Snake blinks, and pushes back her hair with a hand that is not shaking.
Wise Snake: I'm fine.
Wise Snake puts on her best I'm-a-Farris-and-I'm-OK-DAMMIT expression.
Linn: Tell me that when you look a bit less like something the cat dragged in.
Linn considers how that sounds, in view of Snake's usual appearance.
Linn: After playing with it all afternoon.
Wise Snake removes her hand self-consciously from her hair [mostly because she needs it as a prop to help maintain her upright position]
Linn: Whatever happened?
Wise Snake: Didn't I ask you to only buy Farris-safe supplies?
Linn: Everything in your kit is Farris safe.
Wise Snake: Didn't I tell you to buy only Farris-safe supplies?
Wise Snake gives up and falls back, so as to be able to use both hands to clutch her forehead.
Linn calculates to seven significant figures and offers ~~ support ~~
Wise Snake: Ugghh... Linn, that's a little ambitious.
Wise Snake: I appreciate the sentiment, but the flesh is weaker than the will in your case.
Linn frowns.
Linn: I haven't got it right?
Wise Snake: I'm sure you've calculated it perfectly... it's your nager that isn't right.
Wise Snake: I'm also good for a few more decimal places than the average 1st.
Wise Snake checks her pockets as the pounding head ache intensifies... for some reason, nothing has magically appeared in her pockets since the last time she checked.
Linn: Which direction am I off?
Wise Snake: To be perfectly honest, Linn, you're off in all directions.
Linn: Is your head hurting you?
Wise Snake: A little.
Linn: All directions?
Wise Snake: Yes. I'm sorry, Linn.
Linn tries to figure out how she can be off in multiple directions at once.
Wise Snake: Here... give me a piece of paper.
Wise Snake has given up trying to look for paper when Linn is around.
Linn looks around, and grabs the cheap pad of hotel stationary on the bedside table.
Linn: Here.
Wise Snake uses the hotel's pathetic cheap free pen to maul the paper in an imitation of writing.
Linn looks at the result, glad that her years of teaching allows her to decipher almost any scrawl.
Linn: But that's an oscillation.
Wise Snake: I guess you could call it that.
Wise Snake: I usually use "oscillation" to refer to something a bit more even.
Wise Snake: Now consider that you are "oscillating" in frequency as well as magnitude in nearly every aspect of your field.
Wise Snake: A situation which I can not only perceive clearly but feel quite profoundly in its effects upon my own field and person.
Linn's oscillations calm as she studies the math, and allows her nager to naturally stabilize.
Wise Snake: A Third Order Donor should not in her wildest fantasies attempt to support a Farris channel. I'm sorry, Linn.
Linn: Well, then, perhaps this will help.
Linn reaches out to rub Snake's temples.
Wise Snake: There is a certain amount of "slop" inherent in all field control, a oscillation or variance produced by constant adjustments made by you, and... urhhhj
Wise Snake: Can you possibly do that without engaging my field at all? [hopefully]
Linn considers for a moment.
Linn: ~~ disengagement ~~
Linn: How's that?
Wise Snake sighs in considerable relief.
Bum Bum is wondering where in the hell Linn has gotten off to.
Bum Bum: ~~anxious but trying to hide it~~
Nick finally finds Bum Bum.
Bum Bum has been more or less glued to Linn every minute of every day since Linn admitted to being assigned to him.
Nick: Ah, there you are.
Bum Bum: Nick!
Bum Bum barely restrains himself from rushing forward
Bum Bum tries to look dignified.
Bum Bum: Er, Nick.
Bum Bum: Have you seen Linn, er, by any chance? [casual]
Nick: Yes. She's with Snake.
Nick adjusts his nager to casual semi-support.
Bum Bum: Oh.
Bum Bum: [it actually comes out more like a surprised "Ooh" as Nick's nager engages.]
Nick: Keeping her from running away while I get some lunch.
Bum Bum edges closer to Nick.
Nick: Want to come with me?
Bum Bum: What??
Bum Bum: Oh.
Bum Bum acts deliberately [if belatedly] casual.
Bum Bum: Sure.
Nick: Good. I've been wanting to have a... chat... with you.
Nick starts moving towards the cheap cafe next door to the hotel.
Bum Bum 's expression becomes vaguely alarmed as his brain tries to warn him there may be trouble ahead, while his body wants to get snuggly with that yummy Gen field.
Bum Bum's body walks after Nick.
Nick: Tell me, after the time you've spent with Linn...
Nick: What do you think of her?
Bum Bum's brain flashes "danger, danger"
Bum Bum's pulse races and his palms sweat in a fight-or-flight response.
Bum Bum's feet keep walking after Nick.
Bum Bum's mouth, regrettably, was not shut off when the state of emergency was declared.
Bum Bum: I hope to be with her for the rest of my life.
Bum Bum's ears recoil in horror as they receive evidence of the mouth shutdown failure.
Bum Bum's ears send frantic signals to his brain which scrambles to shut down the mouth for real.
Nick nods encouragingly, keeping a neutral nager as he waits for elaboration.
Bum Bum's brain, now scrambled, goes into a holding pattern while the mouth finally clamps shut and stays that way.
Bum Bum's feet continue to follow Nick.
Nick: You find her skills adequate, then?
Bum Bum's feet trip.
Bum Bum's ears, having freaked out at Nick's 2nd question, sent many signals to the brain, and getting nothing intelligible out of that, finally resorted to signalling the feet, which promptly forgot what they were doing.
Nick reaches out with his nager to steady Bum Bum.
Bum Bum's entire system goes back to normal with Nick's nager's nurturing.
Bum Bum: Huh?
Bum Bum shakes his head.
Bum Bum: Thank you.
Bum Bum wonders what got into him.
Nick enters the cafe and selects a reasonably isolated booth.
Nick: Now, then, about Linn?
Bum Bum tries to sit down right next to Nick.
Bum Bum: Oh, she's great.
Nick's nager gives no hint as to the "correct" answer, or at least, not one zlinnable by a Third.
Bum Bum: Well, mostly great.
Nick: "Mostly"?
Nick lifts a politely encouraging eyebrow.
Bum Bum: Yeah... not that I know that much about the different supporting and everything, but...
Bum Bum: And, I'm not saying she doesn't make me feel pretty good when she gets around to it...
Bum Bum: But she is kind of slow.
Bum Bum looks embarrassed.
Bum Bum: Don't tell her I said that though. I really appreciate her working with me.
Nick considers.
Nick: Has she been improving as you two spend more time together?
Bum Bum tries to think.
Bum Bum: Well, sometimes she's pretty fast, but usually not.
Bum Bum: I'll wait maybe two, three seconds, and her attention isn't even on me. Then... boom, she's right there, doing exactly what I require.
Nick: Have you tried working with her on it?
Bum Bum: No!
Bum Bum: Shen no, do you think I'm going to criticize her? I'm not crazy.
Bum Bum: She's my last chance.
Bum Bum: I'm lucky she'll try at all.
Nick shakes his head.
Bum Bum sees Nick shake his head and thinks he may have given the "wrong answer".
Bum Bum: Aren't I?
Bum Bum: I mean, should I?
Nick: Bum Bum, believe me, I would never have thought that even Snake could talk Linn into this crazy scheme.
Bum Bum pales.
Bum Bum: Then that does it. I can't talk to her at all about it.
Bum Bum: She can do it any way she wants! Just as long as she does it.
Bum Bum nods firmly.
Nick: Tell me, Bum Bum, do you like Linn?
Nick: Apart from needing her as a Companion, I mean.
Bum Bum: Like her?
Nick: Yes.
Bum Bum: Well, she's, I mean we don't have a lot in common or anything...
Bum Bum: I think she sees me as some sort of barbarian filth.
Bum Bum: [confesses]
Bum Bum: But she feels sorry for me, and she wants to do the right thing.
Bum Bum: I guess I can respect that in a person.
Bum Bum doesn't make it clear whether he means he can respect only the latter, or both of Linn's sentiments.
Nick: You've told me what you think she thinks about you.
Nick: Now tell me how you feel about her.
Bum Bum looks confused.
Bum Bum: I told you I respect her.
Bum Bum: [defensively]
Nick projects ~~ calm ~~ at Bum Bum.
Nick: I know you did.
Bum Bum can hardly avoid calming down, under the circumstances.
Nick: But what do you think about her? As a person, not a Donor.
Bum Bum tries to think.
Bum Bum: Well, I... I guess I have never known anybody else like her.
Bum Bum: From her social class, you know, from her background.
Bum Bum: I'd really have to get to know her better to know how I felt about her as a person.
Nick: Hmm, it sounds like the two of you haven't been talking much.
Bum Bum: It takes me a while to decide how a feel about someone. I don't like to make snap judgments.
Bum Bum has actually found Linn to be quite eager to talk, so long as it's her talking about incomprehensible math and using him as a guinea pig for her projects.
Bum Bum is not about to look a gift horse in the mouth, however.
Nick is just a tad concerned about Bum Bum's apparent reluctance to really get acquainted with Linn.
Bum Bum: Anyway, I think I make her uncomfortable if I talk too much.
Nick: You think?
Nick thinks even Bum Bum should be able to zlin that much.
Bum Bum: I zlin. [concedes]
Bum Bum: We did have a talk the other day, it was pretty good.
Bum Bum thinks he was wrung out like a wet dishrag afterward, but at least Linn hadn't dumped him.
Nick: What specifically do you talk about that makes her so uncomfortable?
Bum Bum: Well, she asks me questions, and doesn't like the answers.
Bum Bum: I think she knows she isn't going to like the answers in advance.
Bum Bum: I know I don't like the answers.
Nick: Questions about what?
Bum Bum thinks Nick asks the same kind of questions.
Bum Bum looks distinctly uncomfortable.
Bum Bum: Well, about, my past history, and... about... people who I've... who I used to know.
Nick: The ones you killed.
Bum Bum flinches almost imperceptibly.
Bum Bum: Yes.
Bum Bum: But even though she's asking about them, it doesn't seem like she really wants to know.
Bum Bum: I guess that's what makes me the most uncomfortable.
Nick sighs.
Bum Bum: It's like she's looking for something else.
Bum Bum: She asked about one particular person, and I started to tell her, and she started asking different questions before I was done.
Bum Bum: And there I was, she'd made me remember this woman, this woman whose life I'd ended, and then she asks about something completely different.
Nick: Another of your...previous Donors?
Bum Bum: Yes.
Bum Bum: I don't think she did it to be cruel.
Bum Bum: I don't think she even knew she'd done it. She was just curious.
Bum Bum: I couldn't figure out exactly what she was looking for.
Nick considers.
Nick: Did you ask her?
Bum Bum: No! No. I didn't want to make any trouble.
Bum Bum thinks back on that night, and grimaces.
Bum Bum: I guess I ended up making some anyway. But I didn't want to.
Nick: Look, Bum Bum, I'm not asking you these questions just to make you uncomfortable.
Bum Bum: You aren't?
Bum Bum: Errr, okay Nick.
Nick: I admit, I wasn't happy when Snake told me what she had planned for Linn.
Bum Bum looks haunted.
Bum Bum: You weren't?
Bum Bum isn't too surprised.
Nick: I'm not at all sure she's ready for you, and frankly, I'm a lot more ready to lose you than her.
Nick: ~~ subtle warning ~~
Bum Bum is still afraid that Snake has planned for him to be crushed by disappointment when Linn fails to follow through with the transfers.
Bum Bum's shoulders and spirits droop at Nick's ominous projection.
Bum Bum nods.
Nick: However, as long as Snake--and Linn--seem determined to go through with this, I'm willing to offer what advice I can to make it work.
Bum Bum: ... advice? [nervously]
Bum Bum nods, wanting to appear cooperative.
Nick: Yes.
Bum Bum wonders if Snake is aware that her Gen is working him over.
Bum Bum wonders if Snake actually sent Nick after him.
Bum Bum decides that has to be it.
Nick: I've known Linn almost as long as Snake.
Nick: She can accomplish a great deal with a channel whom she trusts, but she falls apart when required to work with a stranger.
Nick: If you want to win her as a Donor, you're going to have to win her trust and friendship first.
Nick inspects Bum Bum closely to see if he's getting the message.
Bum Bum looks confused.
Bum Bum: [and cowed]
Bum Bum: Okay.
Nick: Convince her that you value her as a person, not just a Gen, and you'll have a much easier time working with her.
Bum Bum: She knows that!
Bum Bum looks a little indignant despite the fear factor.
Nick: Does she?
Bum Bum: She acts like she does.
Bum Bum tries to think back.
Bum Bum feels a head ache coming on and wonders if Nick gives Snake head aches too.
Nick: It doesn't sound like she's completely convinced, or she wouldn't be inquiring about your previous... mistakes.
Bum Bum: I think she was just curious.
Nick: Perhaps.
Bum Bum: And not too interested in many details. [adds]
Bum Bum: Look, I have to take what I can get. If she wants to ask me a lot of questions, I'll try to answer them.
Bum Bum: I don't have any other choice.
Nick: No, you don't.
Bum Bum: That's what it really comes down to, doesn't it? I don't have any choice.
Bum Bum: She could be the Gen from Hell, or even a channel, and I still wouldn't have any choice.
Bum Bum: So I can't afford to do anything other than take her questions and her actions objectively and try to see her for who she really is.
Bum Bum: And I can't figure that out in only a few days.
Nick shakes his head.
Bum Bum is beginning to realize that he hasn't been treating Linn as a lady, and wonders if that is what this is.
Bum Bum's face slowly changes into surprise as he realizes Linn may have interest in him as a man also.
Nick: Bum Bum, let's get one thing clear right now.
Bum Bum looks at Nick obediently.
Nick: You don't take a dynopter of selyn from Linn until both she and Snake agree that she's ready, willing, and able.
Nick: And when that time comes--and only then--you still don't try it unless Snake and I are there to monitor.
Bum Bum's shoulders drop again and he looks mulish and put upon.
Nick: Is that clear?
Bum Bum: I know that. Why do you have to rub it in?
Nick: I've spent a lot of time around Simes in need.
Nick: Even channels tend to stop thinking at such times, and nobody likes a monitor.
Bum Bum looks around for a way out of this situation.
Bum Bum: I know.
Nick: Good. Then we understand one another.
Nick pushes back his empty dishes, drops a few coins for a tip, and stands.
Nick: I'd best be getting back to Snake, and free Linn for you.
Bum Bum looks up at Nick with a disturbed expression.
Nick: Good luck with her.
Nick: ~~ sincerity ~~
Bum Bum's expression flickers to uncertainty at the change in Nick's nager.
Bum Bum nods wordlessly.
Nick nods and heads back to the hotel, and his thoroughly sick, if well deodorized, channel.