Sime~Gen Roleplaying: Householding Naros Scenario
Episode #68: Seed (11/24/98)
Povkhia pushes a wheelbarrow full of mulch down the walk.
Povkhia is singing a little song to herself.
Mostan comes out of the admin building, lost in thought.
Povkhia: "...make sure that he minds his P's and Q's and has the right X's and Y's..."
Povkhia: "La la la la, tra la la... oh Hi Mostan!"
Povkhia: ~happy~
Mostan doesn't notice for a moment.
Mostan zlins up.
Mostan: Hmm?
Povkhia sets down the wheelbarrow and runs over to him.
Mostan: Oh!
Mostan: Povkhia!
Povkhia: Hi, Mostan. ~more shyly now~
Povkhia: Remember me?
Mostan: Of course I remember you.
Povkhia grins.
Mostan: How have you been? I haven't seen you since....
Povkhia: Since you went up on stage.
Mostan zlins her carefully just to be sure.
Povkhia: I was really proud of you. ~likes Mostan a lot~
Mostan: Yeah.
Mostan preens. "Well, thank you. Naztehr."
Povkhia glances back at her wheelbarrow, which somehow doesn't seem very important any more.
Povkhia: Would you have tea with me? I'd love to talk to you.
Mostan: Definitely. I'd love to.
Povkhia's nager is transformed by a glowing smile.
Povkhia: ~happy~
Mostan smiles back as he zlins.
Povkhia: I was so glad when I heard you'd decided to pledge.
Mostan offers his arm to Povkhia.
Povkhia accepts it, obviously thrilled by the gesture.
Mostan: It just came to me suddenly. I was talking to Riyyh and I called him Sectuib without realizing it.
Povkhia: Really?
Povkhia: ~curious~
Mostan: I realized that I'd decided without knowing I'd decided.
Povkhia: Wow... it's like it was fate or something.
Mostan: I'd been mulling it over for over a month, since Riyyh asked me.
Mostan walks in a stately fashion with Povkhia towards the cafeteria.
Povkhia: Now that you're Naros, I feel like....
Povkhia: ~~first impulse quelled by sudden bashfulness~~
Mostan: Feel like what?
Povkhia: Well, like maybe... you and I....
Mostan: Of course. You're most of why I decided.
Povkhia breaks out in a delighted grin.
Povkhia: Oh wow.
Povkhia: ~flattered~
Mostan squeezes her hand with tentacles.
Povkhia: I want to help you love it here.
Povkhia: ~loves the squeeze~
Povkhia helps hold open the door to the dining hall as they pass through.
Mostan stops just inside the door to turn towards her.
Mostan smiles and puts his hand up to her face.
Povkhia: ~pleasure~
Povkhia blushes.
Mostan: ~~ happy ~~
Riyyh is just passing through the Medical Center, having finished serving transfer to a junct, and on his way back to his office.
Dennifa comes down the hall, looking nervous.
Riyyh spots Dennifa.
Riyyh: Hello, Dennifa. [smiles]
Riyyh notices she is nervous.
Riyyh: What's wrong? ~concern~
Dennifa: Hello, Sectuib.
Dennifa: I... uh, wanted to... ~~ despair/hope/fear ~~
Dennifa smiles weakly.
Riyyh immediately goes over to her, concerned.
Riyyh: Yes? [encouragingly and kindly] What is it, Dennifa?
Dennifa: Sectuib, can you check... me again?
Dennifa: [rushed] I know you said last time that it couldn't, but....
Riyyh: Of course.
Riyyh: Of course, we can check you again. [kindly]
Riyyh: It couldn't hurt to, after all.
Riyyh smiles at her, gently.
Dennifa: Thank you.
Dennifa's heart tries to well with hope, but her head keeps knocking it back down.
Riyyh feels great compassion for this woman, who despite everything that has come in the past, still hopes she will one day be found fertile.
Riyyh: Please, come into this examination room.
Riyyh: If you have a moment now?
Dennifa: Of course, Sectuib.
Dennifa: Yes. Yes, now is fine.
Riyyh goes with Dennifa into an available room.
Dennifa goes into the room.
Riyyh closes the door and sets the privacy indicator to "in use".
Riyyh: Have you had any recent indications that there's been a change?
Dennifa goes over to sit on the edge of the examination table.
Dennifa: Uh, no. ~~ guilt ~~
Riyyh goes over to Dennifa and carefully pulls up her shirt to bare her stomach.
Riyyh: That's all right, then, this will just be to check and make sure.
Dennifa: But since there was all that ... trouble recently,
Riyyh's manner is very gentle and non-judgmental.
Riyyh nods.
Dennifa: And they said that there might be problems with children because of... circumstances.
Riyyh touches her stomach, extending his laterals and concentrating.
Dennifa: And since both Darlen and I....
Riyyh zlins that her tubes are blocked, permanently, as before.
Riyyh sighs to himself, sadly.
Dennifa shuts up and holds her breath to let Riyyh zlin without interference.
Riyyh lets her shirt back down and gives her shoulder a pat.
Riyyh: Because you are both my children?
Dennifa: ~~ worry trying to become despair ~~
Dennifa looks away. "Well, yeah, that was what I was wondering."
Riyyh: ~compassion~
Riyyh: I'm sorry, Dennifa.
Dennifa: ~~ devastated ~~
Riyyh feels a powerful urge to embrace her, to comfort her, and actually takes a step forward but manages to stop himself just in time.
Dennifa starts weeping silently.
Riyyh: I'm... I'm afraid I must agree with the original diagnosis. The infection that struck you during your peace mission Out-Territory has fused your fallopian tubes.
Riyyh can't bear her sorrow and compulsively takes her hands.
Riyyh: Dennifa... Dennifa, I am terribly sorry.
Riyyh: I know how much children meant to you.
Dennifa: I... I just wanted. Just one.
Riyyh: I know. I'm sorry.
Riyyh pulls her gently into an embrace, wishing there was some way he could comfort her.
Dennifa sobs on Riyyh's shoulder.
Riyyh: I wish there was some way that I could... I mean, would you consider adopting a child? From another Householding perhaps?
Riyyh: Certainly I would support it fully if you wished to do so.
Riyyh thinks that would have been impossible only 3 months before.
Dennifa: And now everyone is talking about all the new people.
Riyyh: I know. [patting her back] I'm so sorry, Dennifa.
Dennifa shakes her head. "I couldn't do that. That child has parents, or Aunts or Uncles or something."
Dennifa lets go of Riyyh and sits back with her face tear-streaked.
Riyyh looks at her, his face filled with kindliness and compassion.
Dennifa: Thank you, Riyyh. I'm sorry to have bothered you again.
Riyyh: It's quite all right... I can understand your wanting to be sure.
Riyyh nods.
Dennifa: Could I just... stay in here a while? Could you leave the door closed?
Riyyh glances at the door, then back at Dennifa.
Riyyh: ~concern~
Riyyh zlins her carefully.
Dennifa has a tight feeling in her chest from the sobs she's holding inside.
Dennifa: ~~ utterly empty inside ~~
Riyyh is not about to risk a repeat of what happened with Lotta.
Riyyh: Dennifa, are you sure you should be left alone right now? [gently]
Riyyh places a hand on her shoulder and squeezes.
Dennifa: [choked voice] Yes, I'll be... well enough. I just have to be alone for a while.
Riyyh zlins to find out whether she really believes that or not.
Dennifa: ~~ sincere sorrow ~~
Riyyh nods reluctantly.
Riyyh: And you're sure there isn't anything at all that I can do to...?
Dennifa shakes her head. "No. Nothing anyone can do."
Riyyh sighs.
Riyyh: All right.
Riyyh: Well, you do know you can come to me if you have to talk... anytime.
Dennifa: I know. Thank you.
Riyyh gives her shoulder a final pat, then releases her and leaves the room.
Riyyh closes the door behind him, but on his way out arranges for somebody to "accidentally" walk in on her every 10 minutes or so.
Dennifa lies down on the table facing the wall and start to sob openly now that no one can zlin.