Sime~Gen Roleplaying: Householding Naros Scenario
Episode #124: Poultry on the Prowl (3/1/99)
Darrel checks the mirror to make sure that his hair is in order, and the now-clean civvie shirt isn't too wrinkled.
Darrel has only a few days in which to promote his scheme to stay at Naros, before he hits turnover and has to take a break for two weeks.
Darrel squares his Simely unimposing shoulders and makes his way out of the guest cottage.
Lucia is hiking across the grounds on her way to drop in on a friend.
Darrel decides that the garden is more romantic than the dining hall, and heads in that direction.
Darrel scans the paths for likely targets.
Lucia zigzags between the buildings, then cuts through the garden to get through the Admin complex.
Darrel tries to keep his nager ~~ friendly ~~, and manages well enough to fool a renSime.
Darrel zlins Lucia, gulps, and moves in her direction.
Darrel: Good morning, Lucia.
Lucia: Hello!
Darrel: It's a lovely day, isn't it?
Darrel has been told that the weather is a good place to start a conversation.
Lucia looks at Darrel in a new light since she overheard part of the conversation about his not being sure what to do with women.
Lucia: Er, yes! Yes, it's so nice, with the snow melting.
Lucia: Too bad it won't last, hey?
Darrel: Well, spring will come eventually.
Darrel: I expect this will be a very beautiful spot, then.
Lucia: This? [looks around]
Lucia: Sure, if you like roses.
Darrel: Do you like roses?
Darrel: I've always thought they were very... romantic.
Lucia personally prefers clean architectural beauty to fussy flowered gardens.
Lucia: Well, yeah, I suppose they are.
Darrel's studies on the subject have mostly be limited to ads in flower shop windows.
Lucia smiles, trying to look sincere since she doesn't actually think so at all.
Lucia: ~~reasonably good facsimile of no opinion~~
Darrel smiles back charmingly.
Lucia: Did um... [lowers her voice slightly] Sectuib get you straightened out on the Birds and the Bees?
Darrel: Birds and bees? No, we've mostly talked about etiquette and customs.
Lucia: Oh, I see.
Lucia: You know, he thinks you're really hot.
Lucia doesn't give this kind of information away to just anybody, but she feels kind of protective of Darrel since she was the first one to meet him.
Darrel: Really? I'm only a Second, you know. I'll never match his ability.
Lucia: I don't think it has anything to do with that.
Lucia: Oh, I mean, that might be part of it, but....
Lucia thinks Darrel really is much calmer and less flighty than he was last time she saw him.
Lucia thinks there may be some hope for him as a channel after all.
Darrel: Well, it's true that a good bedside manner, as it were, makes up for some deficiencies in channeling ability.
Lucia grins.
Lucia: I'm sure if, you know, you were interested, all you'd have to do is ask.
Lucia: Riyyh, I mean.
Darrel: Oh, I'm sure he has a pretty good idea of my skill levels. We spent a fair amount of time together in Bender Cove, you know.
Lucia: Really?!
Lucia looks around, then eagerly pulls Darrel into a more discreet spot of the garden.
Lucia: Tell me everything, would you? Please? ~genuine interest~
Darrel is cautiously optimistic at Lucia's action.
Darrel: Well, you have to understand that Bender Cove isn't your usual Sime Center. Not at all.
Lucia: It isn't?
Lucia struggles to encompass what all that might mean.
Darrel: It's not in the best part of town, and it seems to be a magnet for every disaster you can imagine.
Darrel: And it attracts a very unusual clientele, too.
Lucia listens.
Darrel: So I was very glad that Sectuib Riyyh was around when, for instance, the boy with four separate nagers showed up to donate.
Lucia appears vaguely confused by that last, but doesn't interrupt.
Lucia will grill Riyyh about it later, if he lets her.
Darrel: But he seemed kind of confused by the Tecton bureaucracy, so I did what I could to show him around.
Lucia's interest revives at this tidbit.
Lucia: Took him under your wing, as it were?
Lucia: Became his protector? [suggests]
Darrel: Well, if showing him how to get his laundry done, and making sure he had a room, counts as protection, I suppose so.
Lucia: And he... showed his gratitude...?
Darrel: Well, he thanked me, yes.
Darrel: That's why I thought of Naros when things got bad.
Lucia: And you thought that your... relationship... might be renewed?
Lucia is very interested in everything Darrel has to say.
Lucia: ~~very friendly and very curious~~
Darrel: Well, yes. But truly, I'm sure we can find something more interesting to talk about than my friendship with Sectuib Riyyh.
Lucia's interest flags.
Lucia: I'm just on my way to visit a friend.
Lucia: Maybe we could have lunch sometime?
Darrel: Oh..
Darrel: ~~ disappointment ~~
Darrel: Certainly. We'll have lunch.
Lucia: Great! I'll see you another time, then.
Lucia waves as she strides away.
Darrel's shoulders droop with discouragement as he realizes that he just wasted a precious half hour of pre-turnover time.
Darrel zlins around for another woman of childbearing age.
Darrel would prefer to be zlinning for an unmarried woman of childbearing age, but that's a bit harder for a Second to zlin.
Zhafero is a slender, androgynous, seemingly nonlaritied figure, who upon 2nd inspection is revealed to be a Gen male in his early 20's.
Zhafero sees Darrel looking in his direction and smiles, walking over in that direction.
Darrel zlins instead a young man who just might have an unmarried sister of childbearing age.
Zhafero: Well, hell-o, traveling man.
Zhafero: ~~friendly and open... very open~~
Darrel: Hello. I'm Darrel, Second Order channel.
Zhafero: I'm Zhafero, and I am so ready to get to know you.
Zhafero looks Darrel up and down, with obvious appreciation.
Darrel: I must say, I've enjoyed the friendliness of the Narosians I've met so far.
Darrel wonders if Zhafero likes variety in the channels to whom he donates.
Zhafero: What do you say, hot stuff, your place or mine? [looks at Darrel through his eyelashes]
Darrel: Err....
Darrel zlins Zhafero to determine whether he's high field enough to donate.
Darrel: Tell me, do you have family?
Zhafero laughs.
Zhafero: You are so funny.
Zhafero pushes Darrel's shoulder playfully.
Zhafero: I'm three quarters, you know.
Darrel: Three quarters?
Zhafero: Three quarters Riyyh. Does that turn you on?
Zhafero: ~~sincerely wants to know~~
Darrel is beginning to understand just how complicated marrying into Naros would be.
Darrel: I suppose that means you have a lot of sisters?
Zhafero: Well, yeah.
Zhafero wonders if Darrel will want one of them along as well.
Darrel: I understand that sisters can be a real nuisance, at least until they marry and leave home.
Zhafero looks confused.
Zhafero is having a little difficulty following Darrel's meaning.
Zhafero: Er... oh?
Darrel: Or at least, so I've been told.
Zhafero wonders if this means Darrel is looking for a couple who are already married.
Zhafero: Oh. I see.
Zhafero: I think.
Zhafero realizes he's looking confused, and puts on a pout instead.
Darrel hopes this is an offer of introductions to eligible female siblings.
Zhafero: Well, if I see any, I'll let them know.
Zhafero flounces off, trying to hide his ~~disappointment~~
Darrel finds the confusion in Zhafero's nager a sad contrast to his words, and decides that he can't afford to wait until Zhafero gets back to him.
Zhafero soon brightens as he realizes he can console himself by spreading his newfound knowledge of Darrel's preferences.
Zhafero: [or at least, what he has guessed]
Darrel therefore carries on in the search for a bride.
see note 1
Anmyn signals at Riyyh's door, holding the next batch of... correspondence.
Riyyh: Come in!
Anmyn enters.
Anmyn: I have today's letters for you.
Anmyn appears a bit distracted.
Riyyh looks up from the noodles he was trying to slurp up before anybody realizes Vissera had brought him lunch again and complains.
Riyyh: Thank you, Anmyn. [smiles]
Riyyh: I do appreciate you doing this for me, and you do so well at it, too.
Riyyh sets the tray aside.
Anmyn notes that Vissera has been visiting Riyyh again, and notes that this time, there was no lunch for Rapol.
Anmyn: Sectuib?
Riyyh: Yes, Anmyn?
Riyyh: [kindly]
Anmyn: I'm a bit worried about our guest.
Anmyn: He's not at all what I expected from his letter, or from your description.
Riyyh: You are? ~~concerned~~ In what way?
Anmyn: Well, he's been here nearly a week, and nobody seems to be sure of his preferences. It's causing a lot of unnecessary confusion, I think possibly some hard feelings.
Anmyn finds hard feelings hard to deal with.
Riyyh: His preferences? Surely he could be asked....
Anmyn: Well, I understand that several people have, and every one of them is sure that he said something different.
Riyyh: I see.
Riyyh isn't 100% clear on what sort of preferences they are talking about here, but is beginning to suspect.
Anmyn: Teena swears that he was her first, but he didn't go to the party the youngsters threw.
Riyyh nods, listening.
Anmyn: Then there are the rumors that he likes men, but Zhafero talked to him in the garden and says he likes married couples.
Riyyh's eyebrows raise in moderate confusion.
Riyyh: I... see.
Anmyn: But he didn't respond to Alline; at least, she left the guest cabin very disappointed, and you know how much she wants a child.
Riyyh: I wonder if I should have another word with him.
Anmyn: You've already spoken to him about it?
Riyyh: To some extent.
Riyyh: He simply wanted to know what the etiquette was for his situation.
Anmyn: Did he express any preferences to you?
Riyyh: I didn't ask him in so many words, but I had thought he was more or less heterosexual.
Anmyn wonders how compatible that is with the rumors of him with Riyyh.
Anmyn: People simply want to know if they have a chance, you see.
Riyyh basically had Darrel pegged as so straight he didn't even know there was any other possibility.
Riyyh would rather that, than fear that his own seduction routine is slipping.
Riyyh: I will have a word with him and make sure that is true, and then you may tell everybody. How is that? [gently]
Anmyn beams at this offer to let her distribute a priceless piece of gossip.
Anmyn: Oh, thank you!
Riyyh smiles in return.
Anmyn has become enough of a Narosian to understand just how precious a gift the offer is.
Riyyh: I could use a chance to get out of the office anyway.
Anmyn gathers up the next batch of mail.
Anmyn: I'll just answer these while you talk with him.
Riyyh: Thank you.
Riyyh rises, and leaves his office in search of Darrel.
Darrel has by this time made it almost across the garden, without latching onto a suitably eligible lady.
Riyyh comes out of the Administration building.
Riyyh spots Darrel almost immediately and walks toward him.
Riyyh: Darrel! Hello. [smiles]
Darrel: Sectuib Riyyh! A lovely morning for a walk, isn't it?
Riyyh: Yes, it is.
Riyyh closes to a conversational distance.
Riyyh: Soon, this garden will be in bloom again.
Riyyh: ~pleased~
Darrel wishes that he could enjoy the day without the complications of bride-hunting, but that's neither here nor there.
Darrel: You can already spot a few early buds swelling, if you know where to look.
Riyyh blinks.
Riyyh: Perhaps I can have a moment of your time?
Riyyh: I had hoped to ask you something, of a... a rather private nature.
Darrel: Oh?
Darrel wonders if the Tecton has already caught up with him, before he could even manage to get a date.
Darrel: ~~ apprehension ~~
Riyyh looks around, then places a gentle hand on Darrel's arm and guides him over to a spot which is about as private as one can get in that particular garden, which is fairly private on a lucky day.
Riyyh: [in other words, jammed into a small nook way in the back]
Riyyh lets his hand linger.
Riyyh: You see... apparently there has been some confusion regarding your sexual preference.
Darrel: My sexual preference?
Darrel hadn't realized that it was unusual enough to attract comment.
Riyyh: Do you.... prefer men? ~~sincere~~
Riyyh: Or women...?
Riyyh: Or perhaps, some combination thereof?
Riyyh: People aren't sure who should approach you. [explains]
Darrel wonders if he is making things more difficult than they have to be, and whether he could solve his entire dilemma by simply getting up in the dining hall and announcing that he's looking for an unmarried woman at or just above his own age.
Darrel: I assure you, there is nothing... unusual, about my preferences. I am a channel, after all.
Riyyh: You would prefer only women approach you, then?
Riyyh is too gracious to allow his sincere disappointment to show.
Riyyh: [much]
Darrel: Well, yes, if they're after more than friendship.
Riyyh belatedly removes his hand.
Riyyh: Then I will let them know.
Darrel: But I had hoped to make friends here.
Riyyh: You might try going to a party.
Darrel: Is there a party scheduled?
Riyyh: Or spending a little time in the Dining Hall... yes, of course. House parties are a regular event at Naros.
Riyyh: I am sure somebody will invite you to each, and I encourage you to accept. [smiles]
Darrel: I will, then.
Darrel hopes the party doesn't have too much shiltpron and porstan; he's already gotten into trouble once from being hung over.
Riyyh: But now, I must return to my work. Thank you for answering truthfully.
Darrel: You are quite welcome.
Darrel forbears to mention that as a Second, he hasn't a chance of getting a lie past a First.
Riyyh: And... forgive me, if I made you uncomfortable before. I will be more careful in the future.
Darrel nods, wondering what Riyyh is talking about.
Riyyh leaves, to go deliver Anmyn's information to her.
Notes:
1) The next scene follows immediately, time-wise. Gossip travels fast in Naros! [return]