Sime~Gen Roleplaying: Two Roads Diverged Scenario
Episode #67: The Road to Naros (8/25/98)
Nully helps Eliza saddle her horse. She is only a gen after all and a girl as well, so she needs all the help she can get.
Wise Snake is astride Freelance, waiting for everybody else to get ready.
Neffy waits patiently to be told what to do.
Wise Snake is in a somewhat grouchy mood because Nick, true to his usual early-morning form, is not really awake yet.
Wise Snake: [and therefore no good for either support or conversation]
Eliza: Thanks Nully, that's good.
Eliza: Neffy, you want to ride with me?
Neffy: Sure!
Neffy brightens up considerable and goes over to Flossie's side.
Nully helps Neffy to get up behind Eliza.
Hoft staggers around the corner.
Wise Snake looks at Hoft, glad to have something else to zlin besides Nully's "chivalrous" "helpfulness".
Hoft has spent too long in the porstan parlor and therefore doesn't see the rear end of the horse until he walks into it.
Wise Snake: Whoa... watch out there.
Hoft: Whoa. What's this? [mumbles]
Wise Snake turns Freelance around so the guy won't get kicked. [a miracle it didn't happen already]
Hoft peers up at the figure atop the horse. "Who are you?"
Eliza holds Flossie still as she complains about the double weight.
Wise Snake: Snake. Who are you?
Wise Snake thinks if the guy knows that, where he lives and how to get there, he's probably fine.
Neffy hangs on and hopes that she won't make a fool of herself by falling off.
Hoft: I'm Hoft. Have I seen you before? [Hoft is barely able to remember his name, let alone anything else]
Nully thinks that he smells bad.
Nully can't work out why the channel is taking time to talk to him anyway.
Wise Snake: Probably not.
Wise Snake zlins the guy to make sure he's not in imminent danger of falling down and dying of alcohol poisoning before the next person comes down the road.
Hoft takes sometime to work that out.
Eliza moves Flossie over to be closer to Tanzarra on Trigger.
Hoft: Oh, I didn't think so.
Eliza figures that with Neffy as well, well, two Gen fields have to be better then one, don't they?
Neffy flares fear briefly as the horse moves suddenly sideways.
Hoft turns and faces Eliza. "Have I seen you before? There must be someone here I know."
Nully whirls around to see who is making his sister frightened.
Wise Snake rides off a short distance, then turns Freelance to see how Eliza handles the drunk.
Eliza goes red.
Eliza: I don't think so. ~ shove off creep ~
Wise Snake frowns at Nully's flare of fear.
Hoft: Are you sure?
Eliza is worried about Tanzarra. She is so unresponsive.
Eliza: I'm sure.
Hoft: Well young lady, I don't suppose you could lend me some money for another drink? ~ hopeful ~
Wise Snake: Come on, Eliza.
Eliza starts patting her pockets automatically.
Eliza: Err, no, I'm sorry. I don't have any money.
Eliza: We have to go now.
Nully releases that as no one has offered to double him he is going to have to walk.
Nully feels a bit hurt.
Hoft is a pre-turnover Sime.
Hoft makes a grab for Eliza's leg, determined not to let a possible source of money get away that easily.
Eliza: ~ PUSH OFF CREEP ~
Eliza resists the urge to kick him in the face
Nully: Hey!
Nully: Get away from them!
Hoft finally zlins some of what Eliza is feeling. "How dare you." ~ angry ~
Nully steps over and takes the drunk by the shoulder and pulls him backwards.
Nully socks him in the jaw.
Nully: ~ ouch my hand! ~
Nully had no idea that that was going to hurt.
Wise Snake sits there watching with increasing contempt and incredulity.
Neffy: NULLY!
Hoft is used to being hit so he simply goes with the blow and collapses in the middle of the street.
Neffy starts to slide off and grabs Eliza around the waist for support.
Hoft: You shouldn't do that, young fellow. [gets up ready to swing, but he's not quite sure who he wants to hit]
Eliza hangs onto the saddle to stop Neffy from pulling her off.
Wise Snake reins Freelance in a little closer, not particularly willing to be involved in anything quite this ridiculous, but ready to take action if it's necessary.
Eliza: [the saddle, having been put on by Nully, starts to slide]
Eliza and Neffy start to slide with it.
Wise Snake motions to Linn, Nick, Griff, Bum Bum and Tanzarra to come on over by her.
Nully shakes his hand to try and get the pain out of it.
Wise Snake notes Nully's pain and shakes her head to herself.
Nully: Ow, that hurt.
Hoft finally swings and collects... the side of Eliza's horse.
Eliza and Neffy end up on the ground on the far side of Flossie, who, between that and the punch from the drunk has finally had enough and starts pig rooting, narrowly missing the two Gens.
Eliza: Oh shen!
Eliza covers her head with her arms.
Neffy screams as she feels herself falling.
Nully stops shaking his hand and lunges for the drunk again, certain that he is after his sister.
Nully: Leave her alone!
Wise Snake turns Freelance and rides over to Flossie, grabbing her reins.
Hoft looks at Nully and winds up to swing again.
Wise Snake: Nully, stay away from him, shen you.
Wise Snake: ~~annoyed~~
Nully grabs the other sime by the throat.
Neffy rolls over and sits up, surprised that she is unhurt.
Neffy: Nully! I'm all right!
Hoft, being totally unsure where it came from, looks shocked and reaches for the hand that has suddenly grabbed him.
Eliza sits up, relieved that the girl got off her.
Hoft finally succeeds in grabbing the stranger's arm, but appears to be unsure what to do with it.
Nully proceeds to throttle the Sime who is trying to take away his Gen.
Neffy runs over and dances around, screaming for Nully to stop.
Wise Snake: Eliza, get on your horse.
Wise Snake: I think we should cut our losses here.
Hoft finally stops trying to stop the arm, and goes after the arm's owner instead.
Eliza gets to her feet and goes over to stand next to Snake, who is holding the "butter wouldn't melt in my mouth" Flossie.
Eliza starts to fix up the saddle so she can do as Snake asks.
Hoft raises his leg and tries to kick Nully where it hurts.
Nully, being very young and inexperienced, doesn't see it coming and goes down like a sack of flour.
Hoft: That'll teach you, young fellow.
Neffy yells and runs over to him.
Neffy: Nully! Nully!
Eliza hesitates before getting on.
Eliza: Snake, you can't just leave them here.
Hoft suddenly realises that he has no idea what he was fighting over and stands there looking unsure as to what's going on [looking unsure is fairly normal for him. Shen, being unsure is normal for him]
Wise Snake: Why not?
Wise Snake: Do you think I have time to deal with a scene like that every time a stranger walks by?
Wise Snake: And in case you hadn't noticed, riding with Neffy severely compromised your attention to Tanzarra.
Wise Snake won't even mention the loose girth.
Eliza: It did?
Eliza: But they are just kids.
Hoft finally realises that he was in the process of asking for money so he starts to stagger over towards Eliza again.
Wise Snake: Neffy is a Gen. Her untrained nager was nothing but an annoyance for Tanzarra, and you were paying more attention to her than your channel.
Wise Snake: Excuse me.
Eliza stands next to her horse looking up at Snake on Freelance.
Wise Snake: What do you think you're doing? [to Hoft]
Neffy sits on the ground next to her brother who looks a bit green.
Hoft: I am about to ask this young lady [points to Eliza] for money. What of it? [still feeling belligerent]
Eliza looks over her shoulder at the approaching Sime and levitates up onto Flossie.
Wise Snake: She doesn't carry any money, for one thing.
Hoft: Oh.
Wise Snake: Also, I don't appreciate you busting the balls of the person I'm supposed to be escorting.
Wise Snake can zlin that Nully's balls are still in one piece, but it's the principle of the thing.
Hoft: He started it [he thinks he started it anyway]
Wise Snake: Well, it's over now. How about you go home and sober up?
Hoft: Home? [that's a unique sort of idea for Hoft] I may just do that.
Wise Snake: Great.
Neffy helps Nully back up onto his feet.
Hoft staggers over to the nearest gutter and collapses in amongst the filth.
Neffy: Can you walk?
Neffy: ~ concern ~
Wise Snake shakes her head, then looks down at Neffy and Nully.
Nully squeaks, an octave higher then usual. "Yes." [clears throat] "Yes."
Neffy: What a horrible man!
Eliza takes Flossie over to stand next to Tanzarra.
Lapek comes riding down the street, and slows as senses the group of people.
Wise Snake is about to ask Neffy and Nully if they are ready to act like civilized people, but instead looks up in Lapek's direction.
Lapek is a Gen with a 'ripe' nager, and he looks around nervously as he sees the Simes in the group.
Wise Snake's eyes narrow as she zlins the stranger's immediate nervousness.
Wise Snake: [this doesn't usually make people any less nervous, but oh well]
Lapek slows even further once he realises that at least one of the Simes is watching him.
Wise Snake: Can I help you? [calls out]
Wise Snake figures the guy will either come closer or run off, either one is fine with her.
Lapek: Ah, excuse me but can I go past? [softly, unable to stop watching the Simes]
Lapek speaks with an obvious out-Territory accent.
Eliza had no idea that this section of quiet country type road was so busy.
Eliza looks around to see what is stopping him.
Eliza can't see any obvious obstacles.
Wise Snake studies Lapek.
Lapek doesn't want to go anywhere near any strange Simes until he is sure that he is safe around them. ~ slight fear ~
Neffy helps Nully sit down carefully on a tree stump.
Wise Snake can't believe how long it's taking them to leave the shenned camp... if anything, they're getting closer to it as the minutes wear on.
Wise Snake reins Freelance aside to leave more road clear.
Wise Snake wonders what somebody so obviously afraid of Simes is doing this far In-Territory.
Hoft noisily brings up last night's tea, and since he didn't eat anything solid last night it's not a nice looking sight.
Lapek flares fear as Hoft makes his presence known.
Neffy: Oh gross!
Lapek steers his horse over to the far side of the road and starts to inch forward. As he gets closer to the group he starts to peer intensely at Wise Snake.
Wise Snake is a young, scrawny, unkempt Sime with black crazy hair and white eyes, currently looking bored, restless and irritable.
Wise Snake is looking at the horizon and telling herself she really shouldn't ride off without everybody else.
Lapek: Haven't I seen you around somewhere? I don't come over this side of the border often, but I'm sure I've seen your face. [to Wise Snake]
Wise Snake turns to stare at Lapek.
Eliza is amazed. She could have sworn that anyone who had seen Snake before wouldn't possibly forget her.
Wise Snake zlins him again.
Wise Snake usually never forgets a face or a nager, but she can't say he rings any bells.
Wise Snake: Ummh.
Wise Snake: Sorry, can't say I know you.
Neffy sits with her arm around her brother's shoulders, the resemblance between the two faces obvious when seen so close.
Lapek: I'm not sure where. Oh well, I've got to get going. If I don't get my field taken down soon then I've going to be in real trouble.
Eliza: Snake could do that for you.
Wise Snake winces.
Eliza wishes she could bite back the words before Snake bites her.
Lapek turns so fast in the saddle that he almost puts his neck out. "You?" ~ disbelief ~
Lapek: That's it, I've seen you in Bender Cove. You were doing something in the park there, you are a channel aren't you? ~ starts to relax ~
Wise Snake: Yes, I am. ~surprised~
Wise Snake: Do you live in Eastcove?
Wise Snake glances at Linn and Griff, who have taken an interest in the conversation.
Lapek: I work in Eastcove, at least normally. I live just outside of the place. I work for a company that makes wagons and we've being chasing up work on this side of the border.
Wise Snake: I see.
Lapek: NKL Wagons, the best either side of the border. ~ proudly ~
Wise Snake: I would be glad to take down your field, if you wish it.
Lapek: If you could, it would help me get back in time to sign the contract I'm after. Then I can go back home and relax and not have to worry about being attacked.
Hoft starts to bring up the previous days breakfast.
Wise Snake: Sure. Well, we may as well do it here.
Eliza starts to say something about him still being attacked - but thinks better of it.
Wise Snake signals everybody to dismount and, with a sigh, leads Freelance over to the side of the road.
Lapek: Ah, ~ nervous ~ OK then.
Freelance is delighted, since he'd been interested in going over there all along.
Wise Snake thinks this would have to be the longest break-camp in recorded history.
Wise Snake: Let's see... those trees and rocks ought to provide some privacy for you.
Eliza stays close to Tanzarra who seem to be doing everything by remote control.
Wise Snake: Shall we? [gestures towards a small secluded grove]
Lapek: Okay, wherever.
Nick falls in beside them.
Nick still isn't 100% at his best, but he's awake enough to be pleased that Snake has picked up a little work. Maybe it'll improve her temper.
Lapek starts to walk over to the grove, the expression is frozen on his face.
Wise Snake follows him, with Nick in tow.
Lapek: Uhm, are you a good channel? [trying to take his mind off the donation]
Wise Snake: Of course. I am one of the best.
Wise Snake doesn't have any problems with modesty either, except of course for having no idea what that might be.
Lapek: ~ disbelief ~
Wise Snake's eyebrow raises at his disbelief.
Wise Snake decides it's not that important.
Lapek: That's good. [not looking at Snake, so he misses the raised eyebrows]
Wise Snake: Ummh.
Wise Snake: Here OK?
Wise Snake turns to face him in the shady area.
Lapek: Yeh, here's fine. Any place is as good as any other.
Nick slides naturally into a supportive position.
Lapek puts his arms out. The right one is shaking slightly.
Wise Snake notes the shaking and zlins Lapek to make sure it's just nerves and nothing more serious.
Wise Snake: [not that she is greedy for extra work or anything... well, actually it's a lot like that]
Lapek: ~ nervous ~
Wise Snake: And you've donated before?
Wise Snake reaches carefully for Lapek's arms.
Lapek: Yeh, well sort of. I've come over this side of the border twice and each time I meant to donate. Something happened the first time and the donation wasn't finished properly, I think that was the channel's fault, though. The second time I donated but something strange happened then as well.
Wise Snake: Oh really? Perhaps you should tell me about it.
Wise Snake grips Lapek's arms carefully and makes a lateral contact without making the mouth contact, zlinning him deeply.
Wise Snake zlins for any sign of transfer burn, nervous trauma, etc.
Lapek: It was the Sime Center's fault I think, there were all sorts of strange things going on both times I went there. I meant to go back this time as well, but I decided not to.
Lapek: ~ slight transfer burn ~
Wise Snake: So you were injured?
Wise Snake: I zlin that you have been burned.
Lapek: I had a headache after the second time. It took a couple of weeks to go, too.
Wise Snake nods.
Wise Snake releases Lapek.
Lapek: [what Snake just said sinks in] Burned? As in transfer burned?
Wise Snake: Well, I would be interested in hearing the entire story of both visits, before I do anything about your field.
Wise Snake: Yes, you appear to have received a very slight transfer burn. I can zlin the damage to your system, and that would also have accounted for the head ache.
Wise Snake: That sort of occurrence is very, very rare in a Sime Center setting. I would really like to hear more about this.
Lapek: The place should just about have being called lunatics limited. There were arguments going on both times, someone came into the room shouting the first time. And the second time the channel looked like he was half dead, and that's before they started. He looked worse when he finished.
Wise Snake: I see.
Wise Snake: You said the transfer was not finished the first time. What happened that interrupted it?
Lapek: Someone came in complaining about the boss. The channel stormed out trying to sort the problem out. I was left just sitting there.
Lapek: This is my first time over the border in about 3 months. No way known was I going to go back to that madhouse. ~ disgust ~
Wise Snake: And the second time?
Lapek: The second time, well I walked in and there was blood all over the floor in the lobby, that should have being enough to warn me. I finally got into see a channel after waiting 2 hours and the man looked like he was half dead. He was working on his own, which I thought was a bit strange but he said it was okay. Then just as he started the was a scream from the next room and he jumped.
Lapek pauses to take a breath.
Wise Snake looks extremely concerned.
Wise Snake: I am sorry you have had such unpleasant experiences in the past.
Wise Snake: Rest assured, donations - and Sime Centers - are usually very calm, controlled, clinical things.
Lapek: It was awful, just plain awful. I thought Bender Cove would be better than that.
Wise Snake thinks the guy would hardly be reassured by either the knowledge that she used to work there, or that she left for the very reasons he did.
Wise Snake: Ummh.
Lapek: I have to get this contract, though. Otherwise we lose everything. [takes a deep breath to try to calm himself]
Wise Snake: Well, I can certainly take your field down now, and I can assure you that it will be perfectly easy for you.
Wise Snake thinks this guy must have nerves of steel to be able to contemplate donating again after those first two experiences.
Wise Snake: That's good. Everything will be just fine.
Wise Snake takes his arms again, then leans forward to make a 5th contact.
Wise Snake draws gently, wary of his sensitized pathways.
Lapek allows one foot to tap against the ground, but otherwise holds himself still. [or at least as still as he can]
Lapek closes his eyes and waits for the ordeal to be over and done with.
Wise Snake ekes out as much as she can [just so he won't have to go through this again too soon] and then releases him.
Wise Snake: There you go, you're all done.
Lapek: Is that it? I didn't feel anything.
Wise Snake figures if the guy's business is about to go under he probably wasn't planning on donating his selyn for free, so starts digging in her pockets.
Wise Snake: Yes, that was it. That's how all donations normally are.
Wise Snake thinks, though, that it takes her own special touch to be really that good, but there is no use in mentioning that at this point.
Wise Snake: Did you want to be paid in In- or Out-territory currency?
Lapek: If they had only being that way the first two times, I'd be in a lot less trouble now.
Wise Snake pauses in her counting and looks up at Lapek
Wise Snake: What kind of trouble is it? I thought you had business troubles.
Lapek: Paid? I didn't realise you would pay me? Uhm, In-territory would do me. I can use that to pay off some of the loans.
Wise Snake: Great.
Wise Snake hands him his payment.
Wise Snake: Yes, you always get paid for donating.
Wise Snake: Some people actually live off of it, you know.
Wise Snake: Perhaps if you and any Gen employees you have were to donate every month, it could offset some of your personnel costs.
Wise Snake: Er.. don't let on you're doing it, however, technically it's illegal to offset employee wages based on donation money.
Wise Snake thinks, at least in Eastcove, at least last time she checked.
Lapek: Hah, I didn't get paid the first two times either, that may have being because I walked out before they got the chance to tell me mind you, but I didn't get paid. I was donating because I had too.
Wise Snake: I see.
Wise Snake: You can probably go back there and collect what is owed you. They would have kept records.
Wise Snake thinks it sounds like the guy wouldn't be caught dead within a hundred yards of there, however.
Lapek: Hmm, oh well this contract should be enough, and if I can talk the employees into donating.. well, that should be enough to actually start showing a profit again.
Wise Snake nods.
Wise Snake: Well then, if there's nothing else I can do for you...?
Lapek: No, things should be right from here. I've got business to do. The quicker I get out of Sime Territory the better, I think.
Lapek: ~ relieved that an end to his 'ordeal' is finally in sight ~
Lapek: Thank you.
Wise Snake: You're welcome.
Wise Snake and Nick accompany Lapek back to the road.
Lapek walks down to his horse, surprised that all the minor aches and pains that have haunted him since his first two donations have gone.
Eliza has gone to sleep sitting next to Tanzarra.
Lapek gets up onto his horse and starts back the way that he came.
Wise Snake looks around at all the people slumped around the campsite she thought they were going to abandon an hour ago.
Wise Snake sighs.
Neffy: ~ hungry ~
Wise Snake looks incredulously at Neffy, who had only eaten an hour before.
Wise Snake sighs, thinking, "teenaged Gens"
Nully sighs.
Nully: At this rate we are never going to get to Naros.
Nully thinks that they were going faster when they were by themselves.
Wise Snake: Come on, you can eat on the road.
Wise Snake: Neffy, you ride with Linn, and Nully, you ride with Griff.
Neffy and Nully get to their feet, Nully cautiously.
Wise Snake hopes that she isn't creating a monster by putting Griff and Nully together, but at least they probably won't find each other offensive.
Neffy looks up at Linn and smiles.
Neffy likes Linn, she reminds her of her teacher at school.
Neffy liked school.
Wise Snake goes to Freelance.
Wise Snake: I hope you had a good time stuffing yourself. [grumpily]
Wise Snake readies him for the road again.
Nully looks cautiously at Griff and decides that he doesn't seem to bad, for a Gen.
Eliza: Err, what? What?
Eliza wakes up as Tanzarra gently shakes her.
Eliza: Are we going again now?
Wise Snake grabs Freelance's reins and leads him back to the road for what feels like at least the dozenth time.
Eliza rubs her eyes, which feel hot.
Eliza climbs back onto Flossie.
Nully isn't sure that straddling a horse in his "delicate" condition is a good idea, but it looks like a pretty soft horse so he gives it a try and discovers it isn't nearly as painful as he feared.
Wise Snake wonders if Griff will relay the story of his own, similar injury, and makes an effort to avoid overhearing them.
Wise Snake sees they are all ready and starts off down the road at last.
Wise Snake turns to Nick.
Nully wraps his tentacles around Griff's belt.
Wise Snake: Can you believe the stories that man had of the Center?
Eliza yawns.
Nick: Yes.
Eliza can believe them.
Eliza could have anyway - if she had been awake to hear them.
Neffy climbs up behind Linn.
Wise Snake knows Nick is prejudiced against the Centers, so passes over his comment.
Wise Snake: Who knows how many people have had similar experiences, and no positive experiences to balance it out?
Wise Snake shakes her head.
Wise Snake thinks, on the whole, that it's a good thing she isn't still there to add to the problems. [or have to try to fix them all]
Nully hopes that they can go very fast to make up for the time lost.
Nully says something along those lines to Griff, who gets a sly smile on his face.
Messa is walking along the road carrying a bundle on her shoulders, when she sees the group of people ahead of her.
Messa is a young Gen covered in bruises, and her clothing is slightly torn.
Neffy points to the young girl. "Look, someone else."
Messa has got to the stage where her bruises no longer hurt. She is basically just going to walk until she dies.
Nully: Just ignore her and she will go away.
Messa looks at the group with very little interest and just keeps on walking straight towards them.
Wise Snake zlins Messa, concerned despite herself.
Wise Snake: [that entran, it's the enemy I tell you]
Wise Snake reins Freelance over to walk near Messa.
Wise Snake: Are you all right?
Messa: No. Not really. [keeps on shuffling along, giving the distinct impression that she doesn't want to stop]
Messa: [mainly because if she stops she knows that she won't be able to start again]
Nully scowls.
Wise Snake turns Freelance around and stops in the road, looking after Messa.
Wise Snake: I'm offering to help, if you want any. [calls after her]
Wise Snake sighs.
Wise Snake: Ah well.
Nully: Good, we can keep going.
Messa pauses, starts to turn and then her legs give out and she collapses in the middle of the road.
Messa: ~ pain ~
Nully: Awww, shen it. She is going to make us stop again ain't she?
Wise Snake jumps off of Freelance and darts to Messa's side.
Nick gets off his horse in a slightly less breakneck fashion and hurries after her.
Messa is on the ground oblivious to what's going around her.
Wise Snake zlins the young Gen.
Wise Snake: [in an attempt to locate what's wrong with her]
Eliza moves Flossie over to Tanzarra so that their legs are touching.
Messa: ~ 3 busted ribs, busted bones in both feet, 4 deep cuts on her legs, and what looks like an attempt to slash her own wrist on her left arm ~
Messa: [plus assorted bruises ]
Wise Snake: Good grief.
Wise Snake: Nick.
Nick follows her hand signals and takes up a position to support her during healing.
Wise Snake thinks it's astonishing she didn't notice all this damage earlier.
Wise Snake wonders if she's losing it.
Wise Snake slides into healing mode, and forgets the outside world.