Sime~Gen Roleplaying: Householding Naros Scenario
Episode #163: Call of the Nager (10/8/99)
Riyyh is enjoying a peaceful morning in his sunny hotel suite.
Riyyh's morning has consisted so far of 1) a leisurely bath and grooming session, 2) a late breakfast of very expensive room service, and 3) reading a fascinating book he picked up the other day, while lounging in the main room.
Tiarala enters the hotel where Riyyh is allegedly staying, dressed in casual but flattering civilian garb.
Tiarala is starting to wonder whether Riyyh actually is there, as he was absent the past two evenings.
Desk Clerk doesn't recognize Tiarala, as she doesn't work evenings.
Desk Clerk smiles.
Desk Clerk: May I help you?
Desk Clerk is dressed in a fine uniform as befits such an establishment.
Tiarala had to finagle a trade in her work schedule to free up the time for this third try.
Tiarala smiles pleasantly in return.
Tiarala: Hello. I am here to visit Sectuib Riyyh. I believe he's staying in the honeymoon suite?
Desk Clerk: Why, yes. Is he expecting you?
Tiarala is still wondering just why she has been ordered to get a good zlin of Riyyh, and who exactly gave those orders.
Tiarala: I'm an old friend of his. I heard he was in the area, and decided to drop by and see how he was doing.
Tiarala is pretty sure that the desk clerks are used to such happenings, Riyyh having been in town for a while.
Desk Clerk: I'll have someone show you up. [smiles]
Desk Clerk: Oh, Peeteer, would you? [to a nearby fellow wearing an even fancier uniform]
Tiarala smiles at Peeteer, trying to look like a large tipper.
Tiarala is therefore whisked to Riyyh's room with a minimum of delay.
Tiarala rewards Peeteer suitably, and signals at the door.
Riyyh looks up in surprise.
Riyyh: Now, who could that be? [to himself]
Riyyh puts down the book, his tea, removes the blanket from his knees, and finally makes it to the door to open it.
Tiarala smiles in relief as the door finally opens.
Riyyh: Tiarala!
Riyyh: ~~ surprise ~~
Tiarala: Riyyh! It's so good to zlin you again.
Riyyh looks and smells immaculately groomed... and looks and zlins like he's been partying non stop for 5 weeks and in hard need besides.
Tiarala steps gracefully through the door, and hugs Riyyh, suiting action to words.
Riyyh: Oh, my. It's so good to see you again.
Riyyh hugs her in return, keeping his field as pleasant as possible considering.
Riyyh thinks the zlin is a bit deep, but it doesn't occur to him to think it might be anything but concern or curiosity.
Tiarala: You look wonderful as always, my dear, but you are zlinning a bit... peaked.
Tiarala: You haven't been overdoing things, have you?
Tiarala: ~~ concern ~~
Riyyh: I'm due back in Naros the day after tomorrow, for transfer.
Riyyh: I'll be fine. [smiles kindly]
Riyyh: It is difficult to have no one to turn to, but soon Nick will be here.
Riyyh obviously has come to cling to that hope, in the last few days.
Tiarala: You can't think to travel all the way back to Naros, without a Donor!
Riyyh: It's only a day's ride. Two days, conservatively. 1
Riyyh is noticeably ~~ touched ~~ by her concern.
Riyyh: I'm afraid I've become all too used to riding, of late.
Riyyh: Please, sit down, have some tea.
Riyyh: I have hot water all ready.
Tiarala: Oh, I would love some tea. One of your own blends?
Riyyh hurries over to clear away the book and blanket and prepare a second cup of tea.
Riyyh: Of course. [smiles]
Riyyh is well stocked with samples and catalogs, to make as much use as possible out of his regrettable traveling lifestyle.
Tiarala: Such a treat.
Tiarala: ~~ light anticipation ~~
Riyyh has found that the combination of increased sales and the gift income generated by frenetic social activity has nearly compensated for the cost of this hotel and his other living expenses.
Riyyh just wishes it didn't take quite so much energy!
Riyyh serves Tiarala a cup of her current favorite.
Riyyh: Would you like some of this breakfast? I wasn't able to eat as much as I'd hoped. It's quite good.
Tiarala takes the cup and sits on the overstuffed sofa, patting the cushion next to her.
Tiarala: ~~ steady supportive field ~~
Riyyh immediately comes and sits beside her.
Riyyh makes use of the supportive field, gratefully.
Riyyh: Thank you. You've always been so kind.
Tiarala is naturally not as good at support as a Donor would be, but is much better than nothing.
Tiarala sips at her tea, then sets it aside.
Riyyh as always is very attentive.
Tiarala holds out her hands, tentacles extended.
Tiarala: Would you like me to see if I can do a bit more?
Riyyh: Why, I'd love to.
Riyyh: That is, if it isn't too much of an imposition...?
Tiarala: Not at all, my dear. How you have managed for so long without a Donor amazes me.
Riyyh's hands reach toward Tiarala's with pathetic neediness.
Riyyh: It's more the companionship than the actual work they do, usually.
Tiarala takes Riyyh's hands--not her least favorite thing to do, by any means--and extends her laterals.
Riyyh's laterals slip hotly about hers.
Riyyh: But it is so different when days pass with no help at all, and even though the work itself is easy enough, it's more than I've done in the past.
Tiarala: I know you can't do many of your usual duties, when you're away from home like this.
Tiarala starts to work some of the knots from Riyyh's nager, imitating a Donor as best she can.
Tiarala takes the opportunity to zlin Riyyh very deeply, of course.
Tiarala: Still, I admit that I wouldn't want to be without a Donor for so long.
Riyyh appears by all indications (well, heck, she can zlin them all!) to enjoy the attention and genuinely appreciate the help.
Riyyh: It will be much better when Nick comes.
Riyyh has been promising himself this for 2 weeks now.
Tiarala: He's coming to visit you this afternoon?
Tiarala: I would have thought that Wise Snake would occupy his time.
Riyyh: No, in a few days, when he's released from the Tecton. After their transfer.
Tiarala is well aware of the demanding habits of Farris channels.
Riyyh's heart betrays a ~ yearning ~ for the future.
Tiarala: You mean... permanently?
Riyyh: Probably not. [admits] But for at least a while.
Tiarala hadn't heard rumors that Nick was giving up on being Snake's Donor.
Riyyh: Until he decides....
Riyyh can't quite bring himself to articulate the thought.
Riyyh: Well. For as long as he wants.
Tiarala: Everybody has been wondering. Do you think he'll end up pledging the Tecton, or will he go rogue again? Or even pledge Naros?
Tiarala would like to know where to place her own bets, but has not been able to get enough insider information to be confident which side to back.
Riyyh: I can't know.
Riyyh: ~~ sadness ~~
Riyyh: He may wait until the decision is made for him.
Tiarala: Made for him?
Tiarala: By whom? Controller Arat?
Tiarala has heard rumors that Arat has been under immense pressure to get Nick pledged at any cost.
Riyyh: By time. Eventually the other options will close, due to circumstances, or other people's actions, or blind luck.
Riyyh considers.
Riyyh: Nick said that Arat has not tried to force him.
Riyyh: He zlins of truth when he says it.
Riyyh is aware that despite his being more sensitive than his capacity would suggest, he can't zlin through Nick if Nick doesn't want him to.
Tiarala is ~~ glad ~~
Tiarala: Too much pressure would be counterproductive.
Riyyh alas is far too deep into need to find that comment arousing.
Riyyh smiles anyway.
Tiarala realizes that Riyyh really doesn't want to talk at the moment.
see note 2
Tiarala is now lounging beside Riyyh in the honeymoon suite's oversized bed.
Tiarala is very glad that she suggested a back-rub as a tension-moderator.
Tiarala thinks that Riyyh really does know his way around a back.
Tiarala: ~~ feline contentment ~~
Riyyh is feeling very, very mellow, and has achieved a good deal of success in pretending it isn't the time of the month that it is, mainly due to Tiarala's cooperation and helpfulness.
Tiarala: There now, you zlin much better.
Riyyh: You are very zlinful today, my dear.
Riyyh doesn't mind, though. He's flattered, really.
Riyyh continues his expert massage.
Tiarala: There's something a bit different about your nager.
Riyyh: Really? ~~ gentle amusement ~~
Tiarala zlins again, trying to pinpoint it.
Riyyh: Perhaps it's your presence filling my lonely day.
Riyyh's tentacles and fingers work the muscles of her calves.
Tiarala wiggles her toes in appreciation.
Tiarala: Oh, do that some more.
Riyyh smiles and intensifies his efforts.
Tiarala: ~~ pleasure ~~
Tiarala: I think you've experienced some growth since the last time I zlinned you.
Tiarala: More than I'd expect, for someone....
Tiarala thinks it would be tactless to say "as old as you".
Tiarala: ...for someone so mature.
Riyyh: Do you think so? [a little surprised, but not as surprised as someone who hadn't already suspected]
Tiarala: I'm almost sure.
Riyyh is ~~ thoughtful ~~
Riyyh works his way to the knee region.
Tiarala really appreciates the kneading.
Tiarala: Is it working with Nick that's done it?
Tiarala: ~~ curiosity ~~
Riyyh: I haven't worked with him that often. But the transfers I've had recently....
Riyyh pauses for a moment, really getting heavily into the memories.
Riyyh is very close to his due date, after all.
Tiarala: That mystery Donor you keep hidden away?
Riyyh: Some of them from Rapol, yes.
Riyyh pauses for a massage of his own arms.
Tiarala: And the others?
Tiarala thinks that information on Narosian Donors would fall under her general orders to get all relevant information from Riyyh.
Riyyh: Well, I am not entirely innocent of transfer with Nick. [shyly]
Tiarala: You lucky man.
Tiarala: I've wondered what it would be like to have a nager like that...
Riyyh: To be honest, it's been a while since I had transfer with a Gen I truly measured up to.
Riyyh doesn't sound unhappy about that at all, but a little wistful as if he is already missing it.
Tiarala: However did you manage that?
Riyyh: It just seems to have happened. [confesses]
Riyyh: While I enjoy it, I certainly could not have arranged for it on my own.
Riyyh: I've been very lucky.
Tiarala: Yes. There's always such a demand for the best Donors.
Tiarala: ~~ wistful ~~
Riyyh in fact may hold the post-Unity record for "getting lucky".
Tiarala: I don't suppose you'd share one of your Donors with me, if Nick comes to you?
Riyyh smiles gently.
Riyyh: You will have to ask Anmyn and Rapol.
Riyyh's sense of humor is somewhat impaired by his condition.
Tiarala understands this as the closest to "no" that Riyyh is capable of managing.
Tiarala is struck by a thought.
Tiarala: I wonder if other channels would show the sort of growth you do, if they were paired with Donors who outrated them for months.
Tiarala is quite ready to volunteer for the experiment.
Riyyh chuckles.
Riyyh: I daresay they would.
Riyyh: That is, if I've grown.
Riyyh: It really is noticeable, you say?
Riyyh is both vain enough, and cautious enough, to really want to know.
Riyyh of course hasn't had many opportunities to be zlinned by a channel high enough to be able to tell.
Tiarala: I'm almost sure you have. Although I admit that the last time I zlinned you this closely, I wasn't concentrating on measuring your selyn capacity.
Tiarala had a great deal of fun measuring other aspects of Riyyh's capacity, however.
Riyyh's eyes widen in a ridiculously innocent expression.
Riyyh: I will be back in Capitol for a few days after my transfer.
Tiarala gives a dazzling smile.
Tiarala: In that case, I can give you more of an answer.
Tiarala: It's always easier to make such comparisons at the same point in the cycle.
Tiarala has her own preferences for the portion of the cycle, at least where Riyyh is concerned.
Riyyh: I agree entirely.
Riyyh may mean any one of a number of things, all of which are eminently appropriate.
Tiarala smiles much like a kitty presented with a fresh sardine.
Tiarala: I'll make a point of dropping by when you return.
Notes:
1) This is a point upon which the game's background differs radically from Kaas Baichtal's writings. In Kaas' stories, Naros and New Othwol are within a day's ride of each other but about two weeks from Capitol by train. [return]
2) Some time passes between these two scenes. This is a crossover episode with the DCO scenario and in the full episode, a pure DCO scene happens here. To see it, read DCO #88. [return]