Sime~Gen Roleplaying: Householding Naros Scenario
Episode #83: Chef's Surprise (12/18/98)
Nick slips into the room he shares with Snake.
Wise Snake: Watch out, the floor is slick there. [not looking up]
Nick: Slick?
Nick inspects the floor to see if something got spilled.
Wise Snake sighs.
Wise Snake: Never mind.
Wise Snake: Let's get out of here.
Nick is a bit surprised.
Wise Snake is repacking the medical kit.
Nick: You're not going to stick around to give Riyyh transfer?
Nick moves over to the bed, with due caution for the floor, and starts packing the rest of their belongings.
Wise Snake hesitates for just a moment.
Wise Snake: No.
Nick "packs" his extra sweater by wearing it.
Nick is glad he ate his usual big breakfast.
Nick: Which direction are we heading? To Greater Dumphoft?
Wise Snake: Well, that's the direction we're heading, there aren't that many choices out here. But I don't know if we'll stop there. Sounds like a reactionary town.
Wise Snake thinks, then again, if it's full of gullible people....
Wise Snake: Maybe. [amends]
Nick nods.
Nick looks around to see if they've missed anything.
Wise Snake: Do you want to put together some kind of a list or something, of goods you want to buy from the Inn?
Nick considers.
Nick: A few day's worth of food would be nice, and some blankets.
Nick: And our supply of the tea you like is getting a bit low.
Wise Snake: Yeah, whatever you require, make a list and give it to Mogan.
Nick: All right.
Wise Snake: I'm going to go inspect the horses.
Nick starts scribbling on the hotel stationery pad left on the dresser.
Wise Snake leaves.
Nick finishes his list with "grain for the horses", and goes in search of Mogan.
Wise Snake walks out the front door of the Ronapl Inn, into about 3 feet of snow.
Mogan is doing his accounts in his tiny office by the kitchen.
Wise Snake squints up at the sunny sky, then goes around back (maybe "slogs around back" is better) to the stable.
Wise Snake makes a mental note to warn Nick it's even colder now.
Amia is sweeping out the stable, and finishing up assorted barn chores.
Mogan hurries because he is way behind from being short-tentacled since that cook up and vanished.
Nick pokes his head in the door to Mogan's office.
Nick: Good morning.
Wise Snake grunts, thinks the better of disturbing the Simephobic woman, and instead goes to Freelance's stall.
Wise Snake: Oh, you're all ready to go, aren't you. [horse nonsense, patting his cheek as she looks him over]
Nick holds out his list.
Mogan looks up. "Good Morning!"
Mogan snags it with two dorsals.
Nick: I was wondering if you could supply these items for us.
Amia notices Wise Snake. "Good morning." ~~cautious, not fearful~~
Mogan: What can I do for you this morning?
Wise Snake looks at Amia.
Wise Snake: Good morning.
Mogan turns it over and reads it.
Amia smiles at her while working.
Amia: Are you planning to leave? ~~curious~~
Wise Snake: Yes.
Wise Snake looks around for, and locates, Freelance's tack.
Amia: Safe journey then. Do you require help?
Wise Snake: Oh, don't get all excited now. [to the horse]
Wise Snake looks at Amia again.
Mogan: Yeah, there shouldn't be much problem with any of this.
Wise Snake: You could saddle Pumpkin. [gestures at Nick's orange horse]
Wise Snake: His stuff is over there. [points with a tentacle]
Amia nods ~~cautions, not fearful~ and goes about grooming and saddling the horse.
Nick: Thank you. Snake is eager to make an early start, if you wouldn't mind...?
Wise Snake does the same for Freelance.
Mogan: So you're leaving us?
Nick: Yes.
Nick: There isn't enough work at an isolated inn like this to keep a channel like Snake healthy.
Amia finishes the job and places the horse back in the stall, hopeful it meets with approval from Wise Snake.
Mogan: Ok. I'll get this ready.
Mogan scribbles on his desk.
Nick: Thank you.
Wise Snake leads Freelance out into the yard, smiling wryly at his antics.
Wise Snake: You're just a big baby. Look at that.
Mogan holds out a paper. "Here's you final bill. Are you or Hajene Snake handling finances?"
Amia goes back to the remaining barn chores.
Nick: Ah, Hajene Snake handles our finances.
Wise Snake goes back to fetch Pumpkin.
Wise Snake: Thanks.
Amia: You're welcome.
Mogan: Ah. Could you give that to her then?
Nick: Certainly.
Nick takes the bill and absently stuffs it into his pocket.
Nick: If you could bring the items on the list to the courtyard?
Wise Snake ties up Pumpkin next to Freelance.
Wise Snake: It'll be just a few moments, guys.
Wise Snake never talks to horses in front of people she knows well.
Wise Snake wades through the somewhat trampled snow to the back door of the Inn.
Amia doesn't think it odd that someone speaks to the horses, she does it all the time herself.
Mogan: Of course.
Mogan gets up.
Nick goes in search of Snake.
Wise Snake and about 50 pounds of snow come in the back and make their way through the kitchen.
Amia finishes her chores and returns to the inn.
Nick's eyes widen as he sees the height of the "snow line" on Snake.
Nick: The innkeeper said he'd get the stuff together, and handed me this.
Nick passes Snake the bill.
Wise Snake: Great. Ugh!
Wise Snake scans the bill.
Wise Snake: What a rip off! This guy is overcharging us.
Wise Snake: ~disgusted~
Wise Snake: I have to learn to stop saying "Farris".
Nick: I don't suppose he sees much business this time of year.
Wise Snake: Maybe he can charge more for the room now that "Snake Farris slept here".
Nick thinks that one look at Snake, and anyone who's seen a Farris would recognize her as one, no matter what name she gave.
Wise Snake digs in a pocket and withdraws a small roll of bills of dubious origin.
Nick grins.
Amia helps her father prepare the list of provisions for the travellers.
Wise Snake puts it back.
Wise Snake: No, go grab those rocks.
Wise Snake: The little one.
Wise Snake sees that Nick is confused.
Wise Snake: The found objects? Our payment for my last gig?
Wise Snake: "Trade goods"?
Nick: Ah.
Nick digs in the baggage and extracts the requested object.
Nick passes it to Snake, and repacks the saddle bags.
Wise Snake goes off in search of Mogan.
Amia slowly piles up the requested items on the common room table for the departing guests.
Nick packs them carefully in the saddle bags as they appear.
Mogan comes into the common room. "Amia! Good Morning!"
Wise Snake zlins Mogan in the common room and heads in that direction.
Amia turns to look at her father.
Amia: The day's half gone already.
Wise Snake hears Amia say that and suffers a moment of temporal distortion.
Mogan: Always pays to be cheerful in our business.
Amia nods.
Amia: I have been.
Amia: I was up early doing chores.
Wise Snake grabs the doorframe and waits until it's over, then walks into the common room.
Mogan: Good Morning, Hajene!
Wise Snake: Ummmh.
Wise Snake produces the bill.
Mogan is ~~ proud ~~ his daughter is so industrious.
Wise Snake waits until she has Mogan's full attention.
Mogan turns to Wise Snake. "Yes?"
Wise Snake: About this bill....
Mogan: Is there a problem?
Wise Snake: Well, yes, frankly.
Wise Snake: I'm sorry, but this... can't be what you normally charge.
Mogan: ~~ slight deviousness ~~ Ah. Step over to my office, and we'll discuss it.
Wise Snake zlins Mogan and her eyes narrow dangerously.
Wise Snake gets a grip on her temper.
Wise Snake: Fine.
Wise Snake follows Mogan.
Amia sees them leave, but continues with her work.
Mogan leads her to his office, closing the kitchen door behind them.
Wise Snake is ~wary and annoyed~ under a deliberately thin facade.
Mogan: I wanted to talk with you about my daughter.
Wise Snake: What about her?
Mogan: We were concerned about being stuck here without enough selyn for Hajene Riyyh.
Wise Snake: He's not going to attack anybody. He's a channel.
Wise Snake: Anyway, I can't be responsible for how the Sectuib in Naros conducts his affairs.
Mogan: I know that. ~~ not really ~~
Mogan: But I am in one way disappointed.
Wise Snake: Disappointed?
Nick finishes packing the last items.
Mogan: My daughter has never donated.
Mogan: I've protected her.
Mogan: But I won't be here forever.
Mogan: I know she can't live here after that high field all the time.
Wise Snake: Ummmh.
Mogan: I was hoping that the excuse of the situation would persuade her to donate.
Wise Snake: Have you talked to her about donating at a Sime Center?
Wise Snake: Ever?
Mogan: I ... no. She was too frightened of just the Simes that came through here.
Mogan: She hasn't travelled much, even to town.
Wise Snake: She wasn't that scared when I went into the stable, just now.
Wise Snake: Have you ever considered it might be you that is scaring her?
Mogan: ~~ indignant ~~ "Me?!"
Wise Snake: Gens are a lot more sensitive to the emotions of others than they're given credit for.
Mogan: ~~ doubtful ~~
Wise Snake: If you tense up when she's around Simes, you can affect her just by your tone of voice, your body language.
Wise Snake: Think about it. [advises]
Mogan: "All right" ~~ briefly ~~
Wise Snake: In the meantime, about this bill.
Wise Snake: I'm not going to pay 12.50 for half a loaf of stale bread, and don't you try to tell me that isn't what that was.
Wise Snake: I've dived a lot of dumpsters in my life and I know it when I taste it.
Mogan: I was going to suggest, that, as a Farris, you ...
Wise Snake's eyebrows raise.
Wise Snake: I... what?
Mogan: Would be the best choice for my daughter.
Wise Snake's eyes go vague for a moment as her train of thought is derailed.
Wise Snake: Oh.
Wise Snake: Well, yes, of course.
Wise Snake: What, you want me to take down her field?
Mogan: Yes.
Mogan: Who could do that more gently than a Farris?
Wise Snake: Ummh.
Wise Snake: Will-she, nill-she, or only if she agrees?
Mogan: If she agrees.
Wise Snake: OK, you have a talk with her when we get done.
Wise Snake: Or are you proposing that my service will cover this bill?
Mogan: And if you agree to try, I'll give you a substantial dis... cancel that.
Mogan gestures nagerically at the bill.
Wise Snake: Oh, I suppose I could do that.
Wise Snake figures if she doesn't, he'll just try the same spiel on Riyyh and probably talk him into it. Why throw away perfectly good work?
Wise Snake: Send her in, then.
Mogan: OK.
Mogan awkwardly edges past Snake in the small space.
Wise Snake takes the opportunity of his absence to rifle through his desk and cabinets, though she has already done so twice in her stay here.
Nick is sneaking a last few minutes in front of the fire in the common room, figuring that it's likely to be the last warmth he feels in quite a while.
Mogan comes into the common room. "Amia?"
Amia turns to her father.
Amia: Yes Father.
Nick looks up, a bit surprised to see Mogan is still in one piece, given Snake's opinion of his inflated bill.
Mogan: Could I talk to you in the kitchen?
Mogan smiles.
Amia: ~~puzzled~~ Of course.
Nick wonders where Snake went, and retraces Mogan's path to the office.
Mogan goes back into the kitchen, over on the other side from the office.
Nick raises an eyebrow as he sees Snake's tentacles in the paperwork.
Wise Snake: Hmmm.... this doesn't add oops. Hello, Nick.
Nick: Did you get the bill settled to your satisfaction?
Wise Snake puts Mogan's ledger back.
Wise Snake: Trade for taking down his daughter's field.
Amia follows Mogan wondering what's on his mind.
Nick: Taking down the girl's field?
Wise Snake tosses the piece of Ancient metal in the air, catches it, then puts it back in her pocket.
Wise Snake: This wasn't necessary.
Wise Snake: He's small-time.
Mogan: Amia. You know we were talking about you donating.
Nick is a bit surprised, but not displeased.
Wise Snake: Or being ready to. He says he only wants it taken down if she's willing.
Wise Snake shrugs.
Amia nods.
Nick: Well, either way, it leaves more cash for later.
Mogan: Well, even though the difficulties that would have made it necessary have passed, I still think you should.
Amia: I told you then, I would try to do it. I still will if you think it wise. ~~cautious, not frightened~~
Mogan smiles. "My brave girl."
Amia smiles back at him.
Mogan: I spoke with Hajene Farris about it. Farrises are the best channels.
Amia: If you say so, Father.
Nick: And I can't fault him for wanting the best channel around for his daughter.
Wise Snake gives Nick an indecipherable, but not necessarily bad, look.
Mogan: All right. Where would you feel best doing it?
Amia: I don't know.
Amia looks to him for guidance.
Mogan: Hajene Snake is in my office now.
Amia nods. "Whatever you suggest I'm sure will be the right thing"
Mogan: OK. We'll be private there.
Mogan puts his arm around Amia as they cross the kitchen.
Mogan taps on the office door.
Wise Snake: Yeah.
Nick moves closer to Snake as they enter.
Nick: ~~ support ~~
Mogan: Amia has agreed, Hajene.
Wise Snake: Um, Nick, Mogan, could you wait outside?
Mogan nods ~~ reluctant ~~
Nick raises an eyebrow, but leaves as requested.
Wise Snake thinks the donation will be tricky enough without the side effects caused by 4 people being pressed together in an enclosed space during it.
Mogan hugs Amia. He whispers in her ear. "Everything will be fine, Mia."
Amia is ~~concerned, not fearful~~ as they leave.
Wise Snake closes the door behind them.
Wise Snake: When too many people are too close, it messes up the ambient, [explains to Amia]
Wise Snake: It's easier with privacy. That's why they have little rooms for donating at the Sime Centers.
Amia listens.
Wise Snake: OK can you roll up your sleeves for me?
Amia does as she is told. "Yes."
Mogan: [As the door closes, Mogan starts to move about the room, straightening already straight things to try and divert himself from his ~~ concern ~~]
Wise Snake: There isn't much to this. I'll take you in a transfer position and the selyn will just sort of move over from you to me. You won't feel a thing, but you'll have to wait for a little bit.
Amia: I think I understand. ~~cooperative, yet concerned~~
Wise Snake: Do you know what a transfer position is?
Wise Snake wouldn't normally ask this of a child raised in Sime Territory, but in this case you can never tell.
Amia: I think so. I offer you my arms, right?
Nick notes Mogan's nervousness and tries to ~~ calm ~~ it.
Wise Snake: Yes. I'll hold onto your arms with my hands and tentacles, and we'll touch lips. Then you wait. When I let you go, we're all done.
Amia: OK. I think I can do that.
Wise Snake: Great.
Wise Snake: If you don't have any questions, go ahead when you're ready.
Amia offers her arms to Wise Snake ~~cooperative~~
Wise Snake takes Amia's arms gently but firmly.
Mogan stops pacing.
Mogan looks over at Nick.
Wise Snake leans forward and makes a fifth contact.
Mogan: Is she really....
Mogan stops, feeling ~~foolish ~~.
Nick: You don't have to worry. Snake's as good as she thinks she is.
Amia trembles at her touch, but does nothing to move, or make things a problem for Wise Snake.
Nick: Your daughter will do just fine.
Mogan nods.
Wise Snake drains selyn slowly from Amia's system.
Mogan: I know. ~~ Not ~~
Amia slowly relaxes and stops trembling.
Wise Snake releases Amia when it is over.
Amia looks at Wise Snake, ~~relieved~~.
Wise Snake: That wasn't so bad, was it?
Amia: No. It wasn't.
Amia: Thank you.
Wise Snake: Do you have a minute to talk?
Amia: If you want, yes.
Wise Snake sits in Mogan's chair.
Nick shakes his head.
Wise Snake: You might seriously consider going in and donating at a Sime Center. There are a lot of benefits you are missing out on.
Nick: Mogan, I've seen Snake talk people into doing some pretty unlikely things.
Amia nods and listens to what Snake has to say.
Wise Snake: I know it seems like a lot of trouble to travel all the way to Toot Valleyfarm or wherever the nearest one is, but think about it:
Wise Snake: For one thing, you'd be registered, you'd be legal. That way you'd never have to worry about the inspectors or anybody coming to visit.
Nick: Getting a nervous Gen to relax enough to donate is child's play to her.
Nick forbears to say that Snake didn't do much playing as a child.
Wise Snake: But aside from that, you'd be into the health care system. That's really important. What if you want to have a baby some day?
Wise Snake: Also the money doesn't hurt. Donating pays pretty well for how little time it takes. It might help your father get through his dry times.
Amia: I know, but Amia is such a sensitive girl.
Amia: I'm not sure what you mean, but you're trying to tell me it's the right thing to do? Donate regularly, if I understand correctly?
Wise Snake: Well, yes. You see, all the other Gens do it.
Wise Snake: It's considered the usual thing.
Nick: She's a Gen, and if there's one thing Farrises are good at, it's handling Gens.
Amia: I saw that traveling troupe come through here, and work with you.
Wise Snake: Did you like them? ~curious~
Wise Snake can't see Amia as the running-away-to-join-the-circus type, but an interest in something besides her immediate surroundings might be a good sign.
Amia: I haven't thought about it one way or another.
Wise Snake: Ah.
Wise Snake: Well, think about what I said.
Wise Snake: You're low field now, at any rate.
Amia: I will ~~sincere~~
Wise Snake gets up and leaves the office.
Wise Snake: Nick.
Nick looks up.
Wise Snake gestures for him to follow.
Amia follows her out of the office rather than be alone.
Nick picks up the saddle bags and follows.
Wise Snake continues on out of the Inn.
Nick: It went well?
Wise Snake: Pretty standard.
Nick does not doubt that it did.
Mogan zlins Amia intently.
Nick hands Snake one set of saddle bags, and ties the other one behind Pumpkin's saddle.
Wise Snake passes the chunk of metal to Nick.
Amia: ~~ fine~~
Wise Snake readies Freelance and swings up onto him.
Amia: I'm all right, Father. Really.
Nick puts the metal in his saddle bag, refastens it, then mounts Pumpkin.
Nick puts on his mittens and wraps his coat around himself.
Wise Snake pats Freelance's neck as the black stallion bounces excitedly around in the snow.
Wise Snake: Come on, let's go.
Mogan grabs her up in a crushing hug and swings her around.
Mogan: "Congratulations!"
Amia: ~~ surprised~~
Amia laughs.
Nick nudges the reluctant Pumpkin after Freelance.
Wise Snake rides out of the courtyard and down the road and away.
Mogan puts her down and beams at her.
Amia: She told me a lot of reasons why I should donate every month, and I'm thinking about them.
Mogan: "I'm glad to hear that."
Riyyh slept for about 6 more hours after the 3 Nick sat with him, making up for lost time.
Prunida eventually gets tired of waiting, and returns to the room she is sharing with Riyyh.
Mogan: "If you want to, you could come with me when I go for my transfer every month."
Riyyh snores gently into the pillow.
Amia nods and smiles "It would be better than travelling alone."
Riyyh, far from having needmares, is having a dream about dancing through a glowing, sunlit field of flowers with pretty birds and lambs and bunny rabbits frolicking here and there.
Riyyh: [Nick's nager is powerful stuff]
Prunida attention fixes on Riyyh.
Riyyh stirs.
Amia: I guess I should get back to work now. We've got to get lunch ready for the rest of the guests still here.
Mogan: Well, I think you're entitled to a special treat.
Amia: Why?
Riyyh's happy frolicking bunny dream feeling lingers for a moment longer as he blinks and opens his eyes.
Mogan: For being so brave.
Riyyh crashes back down to reality.
Riyyh: ~hard need~
Prunida: Oh, good. You're finally awake.
Prunida: ~~ somewhat annoyed at the long wait ~~
Riyyh: Ohhh... uh.
Riyyh: ~regret~
Riyyh pushes himself up, looking exceedingly tousled.
Riyyh: I'm sorry, I was....
Amia: No. You advised me to do this, so I wasn't being brave, but dutiful.
Prunida: I've never known a Sime so close to need who could sleep nine hours at a stretch.
Amia heads to the kitchen to help with lunch preparations.
Mogan smiles again. "All right. Let's get to work then. But I'm very proud of you."
Riyyh thinks the better of protesting that Prunida has known him for many years.
Mogan makes a note to think of something nice to get for Amia.
Riyyh has his faults, but not doing all those things Companions want channels to do is not one of them.
Amia smiles at her father ~~love~~
Riyyh: I'm sorry. ~apologetically~ You should have wakened me.
Prunida: I wanted you to be in good shape for your transfer.
Riyyh climbs out of bed and rubs his face.
Prunida has a very proprietary interest in Riyyh's transfer.
Riyyh: Of course, you're right. Thank you.
Riyyh is not awake enough to realize that he has just contradicted himself in capitulation.
Riyyh goes into the washroom.
Riyyh looks in the mirror, grimaces, then leans his forehead against it and closes his eyes, doing through some nageric exercises to try to control the feelings of need.
Cook comes trudging up from the ravine behind the Inn.
Prunida wonders if there's time for a bit of fun before sending Riyyh off to Snake for transfer.
Cook is a Gen with a powerful and ~~ COLD ~~ nager.
Riyyh turns on some cold water and holds his forearms under the flow.
Prunida already has plans for afterwards.
Cook walks into the stable and looks around.
Riyyh has almost zero experience with having to wait, or being uncertain, about transfer - and none prior to the last three months.
Prunida looks at the curtains, imagining them torn into strips and attached to the corners of the bedframe.
Cook looks around at all of the animals, and smiles at them.
Cook goes out and towards the kitchen door.
Prunida licks her lips, and decides to send Riyyh to Snake immediately.
Cook opens the door and walks into the kitchen without knocking.
Riyyh turns the water on a more reasonable washing-up temperature and reaches for the soap.
Amia is surprised to see the cook.
Cook nods to her.
Amia taps her father on the shoulder and points to the cook.
Mogan looks around.
Mogan: ~~ anger ~~
Amia: Look who just came back. ~~surprised~~
Mogan: Where the shen have you been?
Amia doesn't like it when her father is so upset, so she keeps herself occupied with kitchen preparations and out of their way.
Prunida settles on the bed and stares at the bathroom door with the patience of a kitty in front of a mousehole.
Mogan: You vanish with no warning, right before a bunch of customers show up, in a storm that even Simes shouldn't have been out in!
Cook shrugs.
Cook: Busy.
Cook: Back.
Riyyh brushes his hair, then pauses and inspects some hairs that are growing in pure white instead of silver.
Riyyh: ~aghast~
Riyyh temporarily forgets his need in the face of this more desperate problem.
Amia thinks that isn't much of an explanation.
Mogan: I zlin you didn't learn to use complete sentences at wherever you were.
Cook: Cook?
Amia starts to set the table in the common room, coming and going while they talk.
Cook: ~~ inquiring ~~
Cook: ~~ COLD ~~
Mogan shivers under the nager.
Riyyh rushes out of the washroom and over to Prunida.
Riyyh: Prunida!
Amia returns to stand in front of the cook.
Riyyh grasps her hands desperately.
Prunida comes to her feet in alarm as she zlins Riyyh.
Prunida: What's the matter, Riyyh?
Mogan: Not like that, you'd likely put out the stove with that nager.
Riyyh: Do you find me attractive?
Riyyh: ~worried~
Amia: Can't you do anything to help? ~~annoyed~~
Mogan: Go up front and get your self warm. We'll talk then.
Prunida smiles like the proverbial cat-on-domesticated-fowl-diet.
Cook: Certainly.
Prunida: Can you doubt it?
Riyyh looks at her pleadingly.
Cook plods through the room and through the door.
Riyyh: But I'm... I'm...
Riyyh can't even make himself say the word "old".
Prunida: Just as soon as you have your transfer, I'll show you exactly how attractive I find you.
Prunida: ~~ blatant come-on ~~
Cook goes over to squat in front of the fire.
Riyyh lets his hands fall away.
Riyyh: Oh dear, I'm being... I don't know what's gotten into me lately.
Riyyh is in fact the same as he has always been, except under more external stress.
Riyyh: I'm sorry.
Riyyh looks around for the much-hated change of clothes and begins to put them on.
Mogan starts chopping potatoes while muttering to himself.
Riyyh: I'll go to her now.
Prunida: Good.
Riyyh knows Prunida wanted him to go get transfer a day ago.
Prunida: And when you're through, I'll be waiting.
Mogan: "Shuven unreliable help. Can't get anyone willing to work these days. Especially Gens."
Amia looks to her father.
Mogan: It's the Tecton. Pays them too much for donating.
Amia: Stop getting so upset over him.
Riyyh dresses carefully, then re-brushes his hair one last time before leaving in search of Wise Snake.
Mogan: He left us in the lurch!
Mogan: You ended up doing most of his work.
Amia: But we managed to get everything done, didn't we? I didn't mind.
Cook almost scorches his front, and turns around to get done on the other side.
Prunida reaches for the curtain, and begins manufacturing, er, "props".
Mogan: Yes, but... It just burns me that he comes back expecting his job back, and I have to give it to him.
Amia: Why do you have to give it back to him?
Mogan: I thought he might have gone to donate, which he certainly requires, but he clearly hasn't.
Amia: There's still a channel here....
Mogan: We've got those actors in. Lot of work keeping up with them.
Amia nods.
Riyyh comes into the common room, and does a double take as he zlins the cook.
Riyyh: ["double take" is really too gentle a word: Try "whiplash rezlin"]
Mogan: And he is a good cook. Almost as good as you.
Amia smiles at the compliment.
Cook: ~~ Roasting on one side, freezing on the other ~~
Riyyh winces at the combination.
Riyyh: Excuse me... are you, are you all right?
Mogan pushes the potato slices to one side and starts peeling an onion.
Cook looks up.
Cook: Cold.
Cook: ~~ fingers and toes starting to warm up. And hurt ~~
Riyyh fights down intil as he gets a really good zlin of the cook.
Riyyh: ~hard need~
Amia moves to another counter to start the dough for the bread.
Cook: ~~ High level field. 1st Order ~~
Riyyh: Will you... allow me to examine your injuries? [breathless]
Cook looks away, but responds to the need.
Riyyh is drawn helplessly nearer to the cook.
Cook shrugs "Certainly."
Cook stands up.
Riyyh narrowly averts a major system collapse as he gets a good look at what the cook is wearing!! and the information conflicts with the Perfect Nager he is zlinning.
Riyyh manages avert disaster by going hyperconscious so he can't see it.
Riyyh thinks that feels nicer anyway.
Riyyh reaches for the huge Gen and his huge bright nager.
Riyyh's intentions are a little garbled at this point.
Cook holds out his arms.
Riyyh's hands and tentacles move over the skin, caressingly.
Riyyh: ~~intil~~
Cook ~~ offers ~~ in a fashion that seems willing but not eager.
Riyyh clutches the cook's arm's desperately.
Riyyh seeks a 5th contact, pulling himself up to reach the tall Gen's lips.
Cook does not resist.
Riyyh abandons all control - heck, he had none left anyway - and draws voraciously.
Riyyh: ~~need/desperation~~
Cook starts releasing selyn at a slow rate, barely enough for a Third.
Riyyh struggles for more.
Riyyh: ~~need~~
Cook is ~~ surprised ~~ at Riyyh's draw rate, and starts to increase.
Riyyh: ~~hope/hunger~~
Cook seems to actually be paying attention now as his flow rate rises to 1st order levels.
Riyyh knows ~~ecstatic bliss~~
Cook is experiencing some ~~ pleasure ~~.
Cook continues to increase the selyn flow.
Riyyh's nerves are set afire as the cook pushes beyond the draw rate he would ordinarily be able to sustain himself.
Riyyh: ~~pain/pleasure/bliss/submission/ecstasy~~
Cook continues pushing.
Riyyh's selyn capacity is reached, then strained.
Riyyh: ~~white-hot screaming all-kinds-merged-into-one SENSATION~~
Cook feels some of the sensation coming through and his eyes fully open for the first time.
Cook sees Riyyh's face. ~~ Surprise ~~
Cook chokes off selyn flow in ~~ anger/devastation ~~.
Riyyh clutches the cook's arms as the transfer suddenly ends.
Riyyh can't even react in the first moments.
Riyyh: ~shock and confusion~
Cook stands frozen, staring wide-eyed at Riyyh.
Riyyh's eyes blink, then open.
Riyyh looks up at the cook, appearing completely overwhelmed.
Cook pulls back, breaking 5th contact. "Who?"
Riyyh: I'm... I'm... oh, I'm so sorry.
Riyyh is just now realizing what he's done.
Riyyh looks horrified.
Riyyh can't believe he lost control and seized somebody, Donor or no.
Cook: Why?
Riyyh realizes that whoever this man's channel is now has nowhere to get transfer this month.
Riyyh: ~~guilt~~
Cook absently ~~ supports ~~ Riyyh.
Riyyh lets go of the cook's arms and clutches his head instead, as it feels as if a giant anvil has just been deposited there. Rhythmically.
Riyyh: I don't know what happened do me, I never... I'm so sorry. I didn't know what I was doing. ~shame/horror~
Cook shrugs.
Cook flexes his fingers, which aren't hurting anymore.
Riyyh, who is actually quite post despite the pain and the unhappy ending, starts sobbing.
Riyyh: Oh shen, that was the best transfer of my entire life.
Riyyh wonders how he'll endure touching another Gen after Nick last month and this mysterious Gen now.
Mogan puts the fixings for fried potatoes by the stove and decides to try and get cook to do them. They're his specialty, after all.
Amia finishes the bread, and goes out to set the table in the common room with plates and utensils.
Mogan comes out of the kitchen. "Warm enough now? OK, you can ...."
Mogan trails off as he zlins.
Mogan sees a channel trying to crush his own head, and a tall brownhaired Gen who can't be the cook, as this one zlins to be fully awake.
Riyyh turns as he realizes Mogan is there.
Riyyh is still crying his eyes out.
Riyyh: Oh... I'm terribly sorry, I'm a mess.
Riyyh tries to wipe his eyes.
Riyyh has never been caught in a public place while Post and owing major apologies to present company.
Mogan is zlinning, being rather slow on the uptake of the obvious explanation for Riyyh being high-field and cook low-field.
Mogan: What happened?
Riyyh: Oh dear.
Cook shrugs. "Nothing."
Amia just watches the three of them.
Riyyh: I... took... he....
Riyyh is not sure exactly who took who, come to think of it.
Riyyh: I don't know!
Cook looks around for something edible.
Riyyh: I have to go lie down.
Riyyh realizes this is not exactly answering their question and tries to take deep breaths.
Riyyh looks over to the cook.
Riyyh: Please accept my deepest apologies, Sosu...?
Amia: Lunch is almost ready.
Cook looks over. "Certainly."
Amia figures if the cook is hungry, he'll find something to eat.
Cook brightens at the mention of food.
Mogan: Ah. Of course, Hajene. Have a good 'nap'.
Mogan realizes that they had transfer, odd as it sounds, and from what Sethan told him, Riyyh will have a very energetic post-syndrome.
Riyyh thinks the whole situation is far too surreal: He walks out into the public room of the inn and is promptly subjected to a completely mind-blowing transfer by a complete stranger, whose selyn presumably belonged to somebody else, and then everybody sits down to lunch.
Riyyh realizes sadly that this must, in fact, be another needmare.
Riyyh: Oh, it's too cruel, it really is. [to himself]
Riyyh leaves the common room.
Mogan wonders if he can stick a charge for cook's selyn on Riyyh's bill. After all, cook is his employee. Might even make up for the write-off on Wise Snake and Nick.
Riyyh returns to his and Prunida's room.
Mogan says "Well, I don't have any choice but to give you your job back, Cook."
Cook looks over at Mogan. "Rapol."
Rapol nods and walks into the kitchen.
Amia figures since he's back in the kitchen, she may as well just relax in the common room and let Rapol take care of lunch.
Mogan: Well. That's good to know.
see note 1
Rapol is chopping potatoes.
Rapol is surprised Mogan isn't here insisting on doing it, for fear of him cutting himself.
Rapol: [chop-chop-chop-chop-chop-chop-chop-chop-]
Riyyh slips into the kitchen and goes weak with relief as he zlins the mysterious cook-Companion is there.
Riyyh pauses for a moment in the doorway, zlinning the luxuriant (if somewhat lower-field) nager.
Riyyh admires the Gen's unusual dexterity.
Rapol scrapes off the potato slices into a bowl and picks up an onion.
Rapol: ~~ Calmly quiesceint ~~
Rapol: ~~ underlying distress ~~
Riyyh prudently waits until the Gen has put down the knife to say, "Excuse me...."
Rapol is feeling better (and is lower field) than he has in a long time.
Rapol looks up.
Riyyh smiles tentatively.
Riyyh: I wanted to thank you.
Rapol looks at Riyyh.
Rapol looks blankly ~~ surprised. ~~
Rapol hasn't been thanked for that in so long he'd forgotten it happened.
Riyyh advances a little farther into the kitchen, smiling.
Rapol: "What?"
Rapol: ~~ accommodates automatically ~~
Riyyh: I... wanted to thank you for the transfer. I've never had one so, so wonderful before.
Riyyh actually had one pretty much as wonderful the month before, with Nick, but he sure as shen wouldn't dream of saying that now.
Riyyh: ~sincere~
Rapol ~~ thinks ~~, trying to figure out what Riyyh is saying.
Riyyh in fact is harboring a wild hope that Rapol is as unattached as he appears and might in fact be suitable for a Companion for Riyyh himself.
Rapol: "Oh."
Rapol: "Ok."
Rapol resumes peeling the onion.
Riyyh feels a touch of ~nervousness~.
Riyyh sidles nearer.
Riyyh: Was it... good for you?
Rapol offers Riyyh ~~ support ~~ without seeming to be aware of it.
Riyyh practically swoons on the high-grade support.
Rapol puts the onion down on the cutting board and picks up the knife.
Riyyh is so ready to take this man home he's even got several ideas for which of the ladies might like to meet him.
Rapol pauses and looks at Riyyh again. "Was it - what?"
Riyyh looks down, then back up at Rapol shyly.
Riyyh: Was the transfer... good for you?
Riyyh: As good as it was for me?
Riyyh looks searchingly, encouragingly, into Rapol's eyes.
Rapol tries to get his brain around the idea, which it is long unused to dealing with.
Rapol's bright blue eyes are vacant as he is busy thinking.
Riyyh begins to worry.
Rapol: "Good?"
Rapol shrugs.
Rapol: "Certainly."
Rapol gives the answer he thinks is expected, rather than one he hasn't formulated yet.
Riyyh: It was? [grasping at hope]
Riyyh: Then you don't regret it?
Rapol: ~~ puzzled ~~
Rapol: "Why?"
Riyyh's tentacles wave nervously.
Rapol notices Riyyh's tentacles and puts the knife down.
Riyyh: Why am I asking? Er... well you see, I wanted to apologize for the odd circumstances of our taking transfer together,
Rapol puts an arm out alongside Riyhh's without thinking.
Riyyh: And the unusual fashion in which it happened,
Rapol: ~~ Understanding ~~
Rapol: Oh yeah.
Riyyh: But yet I also wanted to determine whether you might be interested in extending our association and er uh...
Riyyh loses his train of thought.
Rapol: Cold.
Riyyh: Pardon me?
Rapol: I was cold.
Rapol: ~~ shivers at the memory ~~
Riyyh's skin prickles all over, at the proximity of the Gen's arm.
Riyyh shivers too, in response.
Rapol: Came to fire.
Riyyh, listening to Rapol's oddly truncated Simelan, is beginning to realize that Rapol isn't quite 100% there.
Rapol: Warm. Need.
Riyyh: ~concern~
Rapol looks into Riyyh's eyes. "You."
Riyyh: Y-yes.
Rapol: Channel?
Riyyh could get lost in Rapol's field forever.
Riyyh: Yes, I'm a channel. [with an effort]
Rapol: Ah.
Rapol: ~~ pleased to have guessed right ~~
Rapol looks over Riyyh's hair and clothes.
Riyyh is admittedly not dressed or groomed the way he ordinarly would be, although he has done the best he could with what's available.
Rapol notes the absence of black, and the remarkably un-unkempt hair.
Rapol: Not Farris.
Rapol: Not Tecton.
Riyyh: No, I'm not, [admits]
Rapol: ~~ approving of the second, diappointed at the first ~~
Riyyh zlins the mixed reaction and wonders.
Riyyh: I... [tries again] I was wondering if, if as it appears you have no channel, if you might consider spending some time with me? Perhaps transferring again in a month?
Riyyh isn't sure at this point whether he should be trying for "kind and harmless" or "persuasive and smooth".
Riyyh is not even sure if Rapol is getting everything he's saying.
Rapol's brow and nager furrow as he tries to cope with thinking that far ahead.
Rapol shrugs. "Certainly."
Riyyh doesn't know what to make of the difference between Rapol's words and nager.
Riyyh zlins Rapol again, and then zlins him more deeply.
Rapol: ~~ accepting ~~
Riyyh becomes alarmed as he gets a better zlin of Rapol's systems.
Rapol: ~~ regulators in a very odd state ~~
Riyyh is more experienced with transfer problems in Simes than in Gens, but he has seen enough to know there is something wrong with this Gen.
Rapol relaxes and allows zlinning without resistance.
Riyyh: What has happened to you? [breathes]
Riyyh is beginning to see enough details, between Rapol's nager and his speech, to paint a pretty ugly picture.
Rapol looks blankly at Riyyh.
Rapol's eyes go blank as he recalls.
Rapol: ~~ loss ~~
Rapol: ~~ fear ~~
Rapol starts to tremble.
Riyyh quickly takes Rapol's hands.
Riyyh: What is it?
Riyyh's concern and care for Rapol are easily heard in his voice.
Rapol's hands are shivering as he goes white.
Riyyh zlins Rapol urgently.
Riyyh: What is it, what's wrong?
Rapol's mind flickers through dozens of faces, all in need, all hostile.
Rapol's field suddenly goes limp, offering desultorily without a trace of resistance or interest.
Riyyh zlins the offering, and cautiously removes his hands from Rapol's.
Rapol is ~~ puzzled ~~ at the withdrawal.
Riyyh: It's all right... I'm not in need, I'm fine. [gently]
Rapol: Oh.
Rapol looks down at his cutting board.
Rapol: Food then?
Riyyh would have to deep zlin the man to be sure, but is now pretty sure something traumatic has happened that has made a hash of the mind and body of a once-excellent Donor.
Riyyh sighs.
Riyyh: Yes... yes, that would be nice.
Riyyh vows to find a way to examine Rapol again just as soon as he has gotten matters settled back at Naros.
Rapol nods, glad to have something he understands to do.
Rapol picks up the knife and holds the onion steady.
Notes:
1) Some hours pass between these two scenes. [return]