Sime/Gen Roleplaying: Householding Naros Scenario
Episode #47: Relaxation Exercise (10/28/98)
Ifto signals at the door of Riyyh's office.
Riyyh: Come in!
Riyyh puts aside a paper and looks up.
Ifto opens the door and comes in.
Riyyh: Ah, Hajene Ifto.
Riyyh appears nervous, yet much more pleased than he would have appeared had it been Snake or Kenmore.
Riyyh smiles at Ifto.
Ifto: ~~ Zeor discipline covering exhaustion ~~
Ifto: Good morning, Sectuib Riyyh. Do you have a moment?
Riyyh becomes ~concerned~ as he zlins Ifto.
Riyyh: Of course. Please... have a seat.
Riyyh jumps up to fetch Ifto a nice, hot cup of tea.
Ifto sits, just a tad more quickly than a Sime normally would.
Riyyh brings the tea to Ifto.
Ifto: Thank you very much.
Ifto: One of Naros's special blends?
Riyyh: Yes, yes it is.
Riyyh smiles, pleased.
Ifto sips gratefully.
Riyyh returns to his seat.
Ifto: That's just what I required.
Ifto starts to relax, leading to ~~ less stringent discipline covering mere tiredness less well ~~
Riyyh waits attentively, projecting kind understanding.
Ifto: Kenmore sent me to ask you....
Ifto blushes.
Ifto: Well, actually, I think he and Snake just wanted to get rid of my nager for a while and were being polite.
Ifto: However, Kenmore wanted to know if you were really planning to travel to Bender Cove?
Ifto thinks that Kenmore must have gotten the story from Hero, and that's why he felt it had to be confirmed.
Ifto has already figured out that zlinning Hero to determine the truth of her stories is useless, since she always believes them implicitly, right or wrong.
Riyyh's expression is subtly altered from kind understanding and attentiveness to lack of comprehension and vague alarm.
Riyyh: Bender Cove? No! [coughs]
Riyyh: I mean, no, I wasn't, er...?
Ifto looks at Riyyh, surprised.
Ifto: Is something wrong?
Riyyh knew there were rumors that Snake wanted to send him there after she staged her coup.
Riyyh looks uncomfortable.
Ifto is a bit puzzled by this reaction.
Riyyh: I am sorry, it would seem someone was misinformed.
Ifto: I'm sure you were sent an invitation to the pledge party.
Ifto wishes he'd gotten one.
Riyyh: It's... it's possible. [cautiously]
Riyyh does remember something about an invitation, although he would certainly remember if he'd accepted it.
Riyyh begins to look rather helplessly through his inbasket in the hopes of finding it there.
Riyyh: Really, this is no time for travel, for me.
Riyyh: I must stay here, the people require my presence.
Ifto watches with ~~ concern ~~, hoping that Zeor didn't really mess up and space out on inviting Naros, particularly now that Riyyh's been told about it.
Ifto: It sounds like it will be quite an event. Hilo will be there, and Sectuib Keon, and Sectuib Chanel....
Ifto: Lots of Tecton dignitaries, as well.
Ifto thinks the Tecton dignitaries are much less important.
Riyyh: Ah, here it is.
Riyyh pulls out the invitation with evident relief.
Riyyh remembers now why it hasn't been handled yet - he was going to decline until he remembered Mytag was supposed to be checking out BC as a possible repository for Snake.
Riyyh had wanted to ask Mytag if the Donor cared to take advantage of the invitation to make a personal visit.
Riyyh figured the answer would be no, but it's always polite to ask.
Riyyh knows this is what Zeor was thinking when they sent the invitation in the first place.
Ifto is not high enough up in the Zeor echelon to have been let in on such plans, however.
Ifto looks at the invitation reverently.
Ifto: I expect Hilo wanted to talk to you personally, about handling Hajene Snake and the Tecton's demands.
Ifto's nager displays just a bit of ~~ awe ~~ as he mentions Hilo's name.
Ifto: He doesn't ask just anybody's opinion, you know.
Riyyh blanches, but then smiles as kindly as possible at Ifto.
Riyyh: I am afraid this was simply sent out of politeness.
Riyyh: As Head of a Householding I receive many such invitations.
Riyyh: It would be impossible to accept them all.
Riyyh thinks, also with the news of his, er, patriarchal frenzy slowly becoming public, he would rather not revisit anyplace he "did" during the first 35 years of his Sectuibcy, at least not any time soon.
Ifto: I know you are busy, as any Sectuib would be.
Ifto looks at Riyyh.
Riyyh looks, of course, very handsome, dignified and Sectuibly.
Ifto: Do you mind if I ask a... personal question, Sectuib Riyyh?
Riyyh forces himself to be brave.
Riyyh: Of course. [kindly]
Riyyh assumes Ifto won't ask anything he hasn't been asked a dozen times already these past couple of months.
Ifto: You're not a Farris, with that incredible stamina and capacity.
Ifto: How do you manage to keep from exhausting yourself, just trying to get your job done?
Ifto drops his showfield.
Ifto: ~~ bone tired, brain dead, and generally in need of recuperation ~~
Riyyh gets a better zlin of what he'd only glimzed™ before. 1
Riyyh's heart immediately goes out to Ifto in ~~sympathetic support~~.
Ifto: Zlin me. That was from just an hour of working with Snake and Kenmore.
Riyyh: They've exhausted you!
Riyyh: Of course, that will be good for you in the long run. The more you are pushed in your First Year, the greater your capacity to work will be in the future.
Ifto: I know that, Sectuib Riyyh.
Ifto: But I'm not a Farris--I won't have the stamina that they do.
Riyyh was not pushed particularly hard during his First Year... nobody at Naros is.
Riyyh nods sympathetically.
Riyyh: I'm afraid you're right.
Riyyh: Farris stamina is legendary.
Ifto: I was hoping you could give me some hints as to how you compensate.
Riyyh: Well, Ifto, you must understand, I am rarely required to compensate for Farris stamina.
Ifto nods.
Riyyh: Wise Snake and Kenmore are the first Farrises I've had close contact with in years.
Riyyh: And I haven't had the privilege of actually working with either one of them.
Ifto: Still, I'm sure there must be times when there is more work than can be done comfortably.
Ifto: How do you keep from losing your focus, when you're tired and can't spare the time to rest?
Ifto is hoping for a technique usable by non-Farrises, rather than a Farris technique that he'll never have the sensitivity to master.
Riyyh: I work with juncts, and people with serious transfer pathologies. It is more important that I am able to fully and completely serve the needs of each patient, than to be able to serve many patients at high speed.
Riyyh listens, and then nods.
Riyyh: Yes, there are times when it is difficult.
Riyyh: Particularly when other factors - my surroundings, or my relationships - are not going well.
Riyyh: At times like those, I find that the two greatest cures for depression are helping others, and spending time with my Companion.
Ifto considers those options.
Ifto thinks that Riyyh must be used to much friendlier Companions than Eruditia.
Ifto: I'm not talking about depression so much as just being too tired to concentrate.
Riyyh gets up and moves around his desk to pull up a chair next to Ifto.
Ifto: How do you manage when you don't have time to recover from one functional before you must perform the next?
Riyyh: ~~gentle support~~
Ifto leans on Riyyh's support.
Riyyh, who should have been much more of a channel than he was ever pushed to be, is rather more sensitive than his capacity would suggest.
Riyyh: I know it's difficult, Ifto. [gently]
Riyyh: Sometimes, all you can do is focus on the fact that it must end, that your mentors have chosen an amount of work for you that they know you can survive.
Ifto: That helps.
Ifto: And Kenmore usually does let me rest before I lose control of my nager entirely.
Ifto: But what happens when I'm out of training?
Riyyh: When you're out of training, you'll be working for the Tecton. You'll be assigned the number of cases your profile states you should be capable of handling.
Riyyh: ~~reassurance~~
Riyyh: You'll see. You're going to keep getting stronger and stronger every week until then.
Ifto perks up a little at the encouragement, and continued support.
Riyyh reaches for Ifto's hands, not realizing he's doing it.
Riyyh: You're one of the best, one of brightest stars in the Tecton's future, or Zeor wouldn't have invited you to pledge.
Riyyh: Right?
Ifto: That's an awful responsibility.
Ifto: ~~ intimidated by the prospect ~~
Riyyh squeezes Ifto's hands, wrapping his tentacles around them, and looks Ifto in the eye.
Riyyh: ~~sincere~~
Riyyh: You'll be ready for it.
Riyyh smiles.
Riyyh works subtly with his nager to try to soothe Ifto's field as much as he can.
Ifto thinks that Riyyh's remarkably good at the Sectuib thing, for someone who has to work without a Farris's legendary charisma.
Ifto smiles back at Riyyh.
Riyyh: Now, do you have a little bit of time to yourself, at the moment?
Ifto: Well, Kenmore said I didn't have to report back for an hour.
Ifto: There's about half of that left.
Ifto has learned that Narosians don't appreciate having such questions answered to the half second.
Riyyh nods.
Riyyh: One very effective way of combating stress is to learn what activities you can do during these breaks that will make you feel best.
Riyyh: Perhaps you could go for a walk and look at the fall leaves. Or read a book? A non-technical book.
Ifto: Activities?
Riyyh: Yes. The Tecton recognizes that channels and Donors require breaks to remain mentally and physically healthy.
Riyyh: If you are careful, you can learn to use those to your significant advantage.
Riyyh: After all, the more rest you get during that half hour, or hour, the harder you'll be able to work afterward.
Ifto: Most of the time, I'm too tired to do anything but sit and maybe drink some tea on my breaks.
Riyyh releases Ifto's hands, but maintains the support.
Riyyh: Perhaps you would like to borrow this?
Riyyh removes a book from a shelf and offers it to Ifto.
Ifto looks at the book.
Riyyh: [it's entitled "The Channel's Life"]
Ifto: The Channel's Life?
Ifto opens the book and flips through a few pages, skimming a paragraph here and there.
Riyyh: For you to read, while you are relaxing and drinking your tea.
Riyyh: Instead of dwelling on work.
Riyyh smiles kindly.
Riyyh: You may keep it for as long as you like.
Ifto: Thank you, Sectuib Riyyh.
Riyyh: You're welcome.
Riyyh: And please, feel free to come and talk to me any time you want to.
Ifto clutches the book to his chest.
Ifto: I think I'll go find a seat in the garden and read a chapter.
Riyyh: ~~pleased~~
Riyyh thinks Ifto is a nice boy and hopes Hajene Kenmore and Eruditia will take it easy on him.
Ifto gets up, no longer quite so exhausted.
Ifto: Thank you for the advice...and the support.
Riyyh: Good bye. [smiles]
Ifto heads for the garden.
Ifto finds a bench under a rose arbor, and settles down for a concentrated session of learning how to relax properly.
Mytag bursts into Riyyh's office.
Mytag: I'm sorry - am I too late?
Riyyh had just let his Radiant Sectuibly Glow collapse.
Riyyh jumps.
Riyyh: No, no, not at all.
Kenmore zlins Ifto in the garden.
Riyyh smiles and reaches out to Mytag.
Kenmore mumbles something under his breath.
Mytag: Oh good.
Mytag rushes out again.
Riyyh blinks.
Kenmore heads down to meet him.
Mytag returns, carrying a large box.
Mytag: Look at this, will you?
Riyyh stands curiously.
Riyyh: What is it?
Mytag opens the box to show Riyyh 20 or so puppies around the 4 week old mark.
Mytag: I found them outside, I've been asking around.
Riyyh is amazed.
Riyyh: Outside the gates?
Mytag: It's a miracle, no one seems to know any shendoni thing about them.
Mytag: Inside the gates.
Kenmore: Ifto?
Riyyh: I see.
Kenmore looks unappreciatively at the roses and tries not to breath.
Mytag: Want a puppy?
Ifto is startled out of his focus on learning relaxation.
Ifto: Oh, Hajene Farris.
Kenmore: What are you doing here?
Ifto follows Kenmore's gaze to the roses.
Ifto: Err... relaxing.
Kenmore wonders if Ifto came to the roses on purpose to get away from him.
Ifto: It's a Narosian exercise Sectuib Riyyh was trying to show me.
Kenmore: Relaxing? Here?
Kenmore: Why?
Ifto: He's very good at it.
Kenmore: Roses are involved?
Ifto: Not as such.
Ifto: The idea is to just walk around outside, or read a book, or something else unproductive.
Ifto: It's supposed to be good for fatigue.
Kenmore looks at Ifto in surprise. "You are feeling fatigued?"
Kenmore sort of thought this whole trip was an educational holiday for Ifto.
Ifto: Well, I was a bit tired, after that session with you and Hajene Snake.
Ifto: I'm afraid I wasn't able to maintain my showfield properly.
Ifto: ~~ shame ~~
Kenmore: Aw shen Ifto, I'm sorry. I never thought.
Kenmore: I didn't really expect you to do so, don't worry about it, please.
Kenmore: You are young yet. I know I put you through some stress, don't do it to yourself.
Ifto: Sectuib Riyyh's technique does seem to work, though.
Ifto: You haven't zlinned all that good yourself, lately.
Ifto: What happened during your transfer with Sosu Nick?
Kenmore rubs his forehead.
Riyyh finds that he can't think of what to say.
Ifto: I wouldn't have thought a Gen with a nager like that could give such a lousy transfer.
Kenmore: No, I guess not.
Riyyh reaches into the box and picks up one of the small golden puppies.
Kenmore: Oh there was nothing wrong with him as such.
Kenmore: There was a slight imbalance in the field and I indicated to even it with me and when he didn't react I automatically aborted.
Kenmore shudders.
Mytag avoids pointing out that the puppy's coat is the same color as the younger Riyyh's hair.
Ifto: ~~ sympathy ~~
Ifto: He ignored your signal?
Riyyh: I am sure we can find some of them homes. Perhaps the others in town?
Kenmore: He didn't ignore it. He didn't receive it, or didn't recognise it as a signal.
Ifto frowns.
Riyyh places the puppy carefully back in the box.
Ifto: He doesn't seem to have had any trouble following your signals when you've been working with him, has he?
Riyyh: Why don't you give these to Wolfa and ask her to have Hero distribute them?
Riyyh: She has a lot of friends, and would probably enjoy the job.
Riyyh smiles.
Mytag: I'd love to know who produced all these.
Mytag picks up the box and walks out with it. "Back in a moment."
Kenmore: My fault, I wasn't thinking of - well, you know how it is.
Riyyh returns to his desk and picks up the invitation Ifto had called his attention to.
Ifto: ~~ First Year curiosity ~~
Riyyh sits and studies it without really seeing it.
Kenmore: He is not the most gleeful person to work with, there is a lot of deep seated resentment there.
Kenmore frowns.
Ifto: Resentment?
Kenmore: I'm sure he works better with Snake.
Mytag returns sans box.
Ifto: He'd have to, or she'd have found someone else long ago.
Mytag: Yep, you were right, Hero was thrilled.
Mytag: She is so like you.
Riyyh smiles again, then - almost - winces.
Riyyh: Why thank you, Mytag. ~as sincere as possible~
Mytag: Sometimes I wonder what you were like as a kid, then I look around and see the kids playing and I don't wonder any more.
Mytag smiles.
Riyyh's smile wilts.
Riyyh looks down at the invitation.
Riyyh: How is your research on Snake's situation in Bender Cove going?
Riyyh: [not to change the subject or anything!]
Riyyh: [well OK, a change of subject certainly wouldn't hurt!]
Mytag: Well she owns a large building there. It's being looked after by someone called Richard Hardwick-Greaves.
Riyyh looks surprised.
Ifto: Is that sort of problem the reason rogue Donors are considered so dangerous, even if they don't have control problems like Eliza?
Mytag: He seems to be very well off.
Kenmore: Do you mind if we head back to the office?
Kenmore wipes his eyes, which are starting to water.
Riyyh: Richard Hardwick-Greeves!
Riyyh: [thoughtfully]
Ifto: Oh, of course.
Mytag: Yes, that's the name. Why? Do you know him?
Ifto jumps to his feet.
Ifto: ~~ apology ~~
Kenmore: One of the reasons.
Kenmore: Certainly lack of training can lead to a multitude of problems.
Riyyh: He's a big name in financial trading and he holds shares in many large business ventures all across the Sime and Gen Territories.
Kenmore pulls out a hanky and blows his nose.
Ifto follows Kenmore back towards the administrative building.
Mytag: Wonder what he has to do with Snake, then? I had heard that she had business with drug lords or something.
Ifto: But I thought Hajene Snake had trained Nick?
Riyyh: I have no idea what the connection might be.
Riyyh: Are you sure he hadn't simply taken over the building in her absence?
Riyyh: It is still considered her property and this hasn't been contested?
Kenmore: She has, but you don't really think that training from one partly trained channel can be compared to the training our Donors get do you?
Kenmore: Or even training in any Household, or the Tecton.
Ifto: Well, I suppose not.
Ifto: But he seemed steady enough.
Mytag pulls out a letter and skims it.
Ifto has not considered that Snake might be half trained, but is all Farris, with all of the demand for field control that implies.
Mytag: Yeh here it is. 'The building is being refurbished by one Richard Hardwich-Greaves on behalf of Wise Snake Farris."
Kenmore considers it.
Riyyh: Very interesting. ~~thoughtfully~~
Riyyh: Yes, this is very promising.
Kenmore: There is a tendency to drift slightly that could actually have been brought on by her own preferences.
Kenmore: Hard to notice unless you are zlinning for it.
Riyyh: You know, with his sort of financial backing, it would not be difficult for her to obtain required medical supplies and treatment, as well as the appropriate physical facilities.
Riyyh: It would be almost as good as going to Zeor.
Ifto: She likes drift?
Riyyh thinks, provided Zeor people were allowed to check up on her occasionally.
Mytag: All we have to do is convince her to return.
Ifto thought that all Farrises were adamant about preventing drift.
Kenmore: Eh? I don't know. But her lack of training might account for his tendency to drift.
Kenmore: Of course, I could be wrong.
Kenmore says this in a way that shows that of course he isn't.
Ifto: Is that what you've been working on with Nick? Preventing drift?
Mytag: Any ideas how we are going to do that?
Riyyh: It really is unfortunate that we don't know what their relationship is. Perhaps if Hardwick-Greeves could be convinced to ask her to return....
Riyyh hands the invitation to Mytag.
Kenmore: Deepening his hold as well. He has the concentration on a higher level, now I'm trying to take it deeper.
Riyyh: If I could arrange for a meeting between you and Richard Hardwick-Greeves, would you be willing to travel to Bender Cove and try to talk to him about it?
Mytag: What's this?
Riyyh: This is an invitation to a pledge ceremony and party being held there. You could go on pretense of attending this, and Snake would never be the wiser about your true purpose for travelling.
Mytag: Me? Bender Cove? Are you mad?
Mytag skims it.
Riyyh: I am certain that the home or business office of Richard Hardwick-Greeves would be a very safe and elegant place.
Mytag: But the ceremony is happening at the lower Sime Center.
Riyyh: Well, you wouldn't have to spend much time at the actual ceremony.
Riyyh: I suppose you wouldn't even have to do more than put in an appearance.
Mytag had sworn never to set foot in that place again and shudders.
Mytag: How about I go there, and just forget bout the ceremony?
Riyyh: So long as Snake, Nick and the others believe you're going for the pledge ceremony, they won't suspect....
Riyyh: Well, er....
Mytag: Hold on, what am I saying!
Mytag glares at Riyyh.
Riyyh's tentacles flutter.
Mytag: Did you....
Riyyh: Oh dear.... did I what?
Mytag: Nothing, never mind.
Mytag: What about you?
Mytag: You really want me to go away - without you?
Riyyh: Well, naturally I should remain here, that is to say.... [made nervous by the idea of Mytag leaving without him]
Mytag: I mean, you don't know how long I'll actually be gone, after all.
Riyyh pales.
Riyyh: Well, it shouldn't have to be long, ~nervous~
Ifto nods.
Mytag can't see why he should go alone.
Ifto: Is he a good pupil?
Kenmore nods.
Kenmore: Oh yes, when he wants to be.
Kenmore: Loads of resentment to work through, though.
Kenmore: I hope that he is coming to trust me more.
Mytag: You know, I really don't think that I should leave you here.
Mytag: Snake on the lose, Nick uncontained....
Ifto: Why does he resent you so much? Because you can help Snake and he can't?
Mytag: Might not be safe.
Riyyh: Oh, Mytag. [touched by Mytag's concern]
Kenmore looks at Ifto in amazement.
Riyyh: You are a good Donor, a good friend.
Kenmore: You know, I had never thought of that!
Riyyh: But Kenmore will be here. I am sure he can prevent Snake from... from....
Mytag: Not to mention Linn and Eliza.
Mytag: And Griff. ~ dark worry ~
Ifto is ~~ proud ~~ to have come up with a relevant observation.
Riyyh becomes quite nervous.
Mytag: ~ fear for Riyyh's safety ~
Mytag has visions of Riyyh laying there, tentacles cut off....
Riyyh becomes downright rabbit-hearted as Mytag's nager affects him.
Mytag: A trip wouldn't be a bad thing.
Riyyh breaks out in a sweat and clings to his desk.
Riyyh: I am sure that Kenmore could handle them. [not sure he'd want to be around to see it, even.]
Mytag: And, after all, you would be honoured as the Sectuib of a Household.
Mytag: ~ doubts ~ Yes, I'm sure you are right....
Riyyh: But the risk of us both leaving... what if we returned and found Snake had taken over?
Mytag: If you want to bet your life on it of course.
Riyyh realizes suddenly that Mytag is right.
Mytag: Well, that's your business - how is the Heir going?
Riyyh: [it was the bit about him betting his life that Kenmore could control Snake that did it]
Mytag: I'm sure that Kenmore wouldn't allow any such thing - we are much too close to Zeor!
Riyyh: She's on her way here.
Kenmore: You know, I think you are right. Hmmm.
Riyyh: If I went, I'd miss meeting her as she arrived.
Kenmore: I must start working them together then.
Kenmore: Ifto, keep up the good work.
Mytag: Oh, well, you shouldn't go, then.
Mytag: You have to be here to meet her.
Mytag: ~ worry ~
Ifto grins proudly.
Mytag: ~ fret ~
Mytag: ~ concern ~
Ifto: I will, Hajene Farris.
Kenmore: Anything else you have noticed?
Kenmore: Don't be afraid to come forward with observations.
Ifto considers.
Ifto: Well, I can't think of anything in particular right now, but I'll let you know if I do.
Riyyh: No, no... I'll do it.
Riyyh: ~unhappy~
Riyyh: You're right, of course, it is more important that we move ahead on getting Snake out of here, than that I meet my heir on her second arrival here.
Riyyh: Perhaps I can be of assistance, in speaking to Hardwick-Greeves, or in some other way.
Mytag: But what about the young girl? You can't leave her to arrive and not be here to greet her.
Riyyh: I will speak to Tictoc about it. I am sure she will be willing to handle it.
Riyyh: Personally.
Riyyh has in mind pressing Tictoc to have Anmyn stay in her house until Riyyh and Mytag return.
Mytag nods.
Mytag: ~ pleased ~
Riyyh looks at Mytag, both pleased and distressed.
Riyyh: We'll get through this, Mytag, I promise you.
Mytag mentally rubs his hands with glee that Riyyh should get a taste of Bender Cove.
Riyyh: These are difficult times, and we may have to do many things we do not like but we will prevail in the end.
Riyyh wonders what Mytag finds so funny.
Mytag: Yes, Sectuib.
Hero spies Nick and bounces up to him enthusiastically.
Hero: Hey Nick!
Hero: How are you?
Hero: ~~puppydoggish~~
Nick turns to look at Hero.
Hero has one puppydog under each arm.
Nick: Hello, Hero.
Hero: How would you like a puppydog?
Nick: ~~ grooooaan~~
Nick looks at the puppies.
Hero: It could protect you when you're asleep, and kiss you when you're feeling down, and....
Nick: Where did you find those?
Hero: Mytag gave them to me.
Hero lets them go on the ground near Nick's feet.
Hero: Can I ask you like a totally personal question?
Nick: Do I have a choice?
Hero: I heard that you drift.
Hero: In your nager.
Hero studies Nick's face brightly.
Hero: Do you?
Nick: Why don't you zlin me and find out?
Hero: Oh Nick! You're soooo funny!
Hero giggles.
Hero: But also Hajene Kenmore said you were all full of resentment, and all.
Nick: He did, eh?
Hero: Yeah, so, are you?
Nick is definitely full of resentment for the Narosian preoccupation with gossip, at the moment.
Hero watches as the puppies explore Nick's boots.
Nick winces as one puppy starts to chew.
Hero: Where's Snake?
Hero: Maybe she drifts.
Nick: Hey, don't chew that.
Nick reaches down to shove the erring puppy away.
Hero never goes and pesters Snake, since Snake tends to throw things.
Nick looks back at Hero.
Hero: ~~curious~~
Nick: Why don't you ask Snake? She zlins better than I do.
Hero: Oh, I couldn't!
Hero: She's got such a temper.
Nick: Yes. She doesn't care much for being gossiped about.
Hero decides a change of topic is in order.
Hero: Are you going to go to Bender Cove with Riyyh and Mytag?
Nick wonders if throwing temper tantrums would work as an effective anti-Hero device.
Nick: No. I told you that before.
Hero doesn't believe everything she hears.
Nick: I stay with my channel, and Snake's not well enough to leave yet.
Hero: Oh.
Hero: What about Linn?
Hero: Is she going to go back to Bender Cove?
Nick: Why would Linn want to go to Bender Cove?
Hero squats down to play with the puppy that is not gnawing on Nick's shoelaces.
Hero: Because, because, well I don't know.
Hero: Maybe she misses it.
Nick: Linn misses Eastcove, sometimes, but she can't go back there.
Hero: Why not?
Hero picks up the puppy which promptly urinates in Nick's general direction.
Nick steps back, avoiding the flow.
Hero: Oh no! Oops!! [giggles]
Hero: So you sure you don't want a puppy?
Nick: Snake's allergic to fur.
Hero: That one seems kind of attached to... oh.
Nick remembers the problems caused by Alea's cat.
Nick picks up the second puppy and hands it to Hero.
Hero: Whoops! Thanks! [giggles yet again, holding one puppy under each arm]
Hero: Bye Nick!
Hero runs off.
Nick rolls his eyes and makes his way to the medical center.
Nick poke his nose into the infirmary, as the most likely herpetological habitat.
Nick: Snake?
Wise Snake jumps up.
Wise Snake: Hello, Nick.
Wise Snake: They don't have any work here.
Wise Snake: ~disgusted~
Nick looks around at the deserted infirmary.
Nick: So I see.
Nick: Are you having entran problems?
Wise Snake: No. [admits]
Nick: ~~ relief ~~
Wise Snake: Kenmore and I did a bunch of exercises for a few hours.
Wise Snake: Did you sleep well?
Wise Snake was thinking of dragging Nick into town tonight for a little "moonlighting".
Nick wishes that he was so eager to continue work after one of Kenmore's "exercise" sessions.
Wise Snake zlins Nick.
Wise Snake: What's wrong?
Nick checks for eavesdroppers.
Nick: Snake, do I... drift?
Wise Snake sees Nick looking around, and zlins for people's attentions on them. [none that she can zlin]
Wise Snake: Drift? Of course not.
Wise Snake: I am sure I'd know if you did.
Wise Snake: ~indignant~
Nick: Hero was passing gossip around again, and that one could only have come from Kenmore.
Wise Snake: Kenmore said it??
Wise Snake frowns.
Wise Snake obviously takes the idea a lot more seriously now.
Nick: She didn't say so, but who else would be talking about that?
Nick feels much as if he'd been accused of excessive body odor.
Wise Snake: Riyyh or Tictoc?
Wise Snake can't really imagine either of them actually saying that though.
Nick: If you can't zlin it, they certainly wouldn't be able to.
Wise Snake: Well, no, not necessarily. ~uneasy~
Wise Snake: If the problem is... [can't quite make herself say it]
Wise Snake: Well, it's very unlikely.
Nick notes "unlikely" as opposed to "impossible".
Nick: If the problem is what?
Wise Snake: ~uncomfortable~
Nick: ~~ support ~~
Wise Snake: If the problem originated with me, and your system is schooled to match mine.
Wise Snake: It would be difficult for me to zlin it then.
Nick considers.
Wise Snake: But, as I say, [hastily] that is rather unlikely.
Nick: Is there any way to find out?
Wise Snake: Well, it is as easy as being zlinned by a competent channel.
Nick: Without involving Kenmore?
Wise Snake: The test is only as accurate as the sensitivity of the channel testing you, though.
Nick: Oh.
Wise Snake: Kenmore is the most sensitive channel here, who isn't me.
Nick thinks, so much for keeping Kenmore out of it.
Wise Snake: Then again, [considers]
Wise Snake: Well, if Riyyh or Tictoc can zlin it, that would certainly answer the question.
Wise Snake refuses to believe she drifts enough that either of them could detect it though.
Wise Snake: No, no, it's ridiculous.
Wise Snake: Forget about it, Nick.
Wise Snake: It's just children's gossip.
Nick strokes his beard, which is looking quite dashing, actually.
Nick: That Hero is a problem.
Wise Snake: I thought you said you had her under control.
Wise Snake frowns.
Nick: She's spreading my version of the story, or we'd know it by now.
Nick: But in the long term....
Nick: She could prove troublesome.
Wise Snake: The first thing I'll do when Riyyh is out the door is send her off to the Tecton.
Nick winces.
Wise Snake: She's young enough she could be trained up into a nice First Order Donor for some shuffling string of drippy-nosed Tecton channels somewhere.
Nick: She's a nuisance, certainly, but that seems a pretty severe punishment, even for inveterate gossip mongering.
Wise Snake: Just think of how good she'd be at filling out all that paperwork.
Nick: Well, she'd certainly have no trouble composing the monthly status reports.
Nick: Not with the way she knows everybody else's business.
Wise Snake smiles slightly.
Wise Snake: Then it's settled. Off she'll go, at the first opportunity.
Wise Snake: In the meantime, just try to keep the damage to a minimum OK? And don't let her comments throw you off.
Nick smiles wryly.
Wise Snake: It really is a shame that we don't know whether she'll grow out of that, because I have half a mind to train her as a second for myself.
Nick: ~~ astonishment ~~
Nick: Hero?
Wise Snake: Why not? If her personality could be corrected, of course.
Wise Snake: She has a pleasant enough nager, and is developing quickly.
Wise Snake: [casual]
Nick: She also pokes her nose into everybody's business, and then blabs it to everybody else she meets.
Nick: And she's obsessed with Riyyh.
Wise Snake: Well, yes, that's why I said it'd be nice to know if she'd outgrow that or not.
Wise Snake definitely would not be able to work with a Donor who liked to blab secrets.
Nick: I doubt it, at least if she stays here.
Wise Snake: Ah well, I expect there are others at Naros who would be more suitable.
Wise Snake shrugs.
Nick: No doubt.
Wise Snake has been scoping them all out of course.
Nick thinks of all his siblings and shudders.
Wise Snake zlins Nick.
Wise Snake: What?
Nick: I'm not used to having so much... family... around.
Wise Snake: Do they seem like "family" to you? ~curious~
Nick: No, not really.
Nick: We don't have much in common, not even the past.
Nick: I don't feel like I understand them, or they, me.
Wise Snake: When I first went to Zeor, I found myself surrounded by my... relatives.
Nick: ~~ sympathy ~~
Wise Snake: I didn't know exactly how each was related to me, of course, but I knew that they were.
Wise Snake: And I thought I had found a home.
Wise Snake: Forever.
Nick nods.
Wise Snake's eyes grow hard.
Notes:
1) Definition: Glimzed™: Briefly zlinned, similar to a visual glimpse. [return]