Sime~Gen Roleplaying: Householding Naros Scenario
Episode #166: I Was Just Leaving? (10/15/99)
Nick strolls leisurely towards Riyyh's hotel, having taken as much post-transfer time with Snake as the guards would permit, and then some.
Nick left with many promises to Snake in regards to frequent visits and such.
Nick has a suspicion that Riyyh will not keep him particularly busy.
Nick is very glad to have shed the Tecton uniform for civvies, at least for a while.
Nick looks down at his silk shirt and (properly fitting, by his standards) pants with ~ pride ~
Nick spots the hotel and picks up his pace just a bit.
Riyyh is in the lobby finishing up a "conversation" with a clerk about his bill.
Nick pokes his head into the hotel, just a tad intimidated by its grandeur.
Meexie and Riyyh have come to a... very close... understanding and are currently getting to know each other better, out of sight on the floor behind the counter.
Riyyh: Well, I will just drop that off early tomorrow morning, then if it is all right with you? [between kisses]
Meexie: Oh... yes... yes, that would be wonderful.
Meexie tries to think of what she has to wear for the occasion.
Meexie has completely forgotten that her boss told her to collect Riyyh's bill tonight or else.
Nick squares his shoulders, remembering Arat's lecture about a Farris-rated Donor being anyone's equal, and heads for the desk to inquire whether Riyyh is in.
Riyyh rewards her with a series of kisses along her throat, his hands caressing her hair.
Meexie: Oooh... ummmm... ahhh....
Nick doesn't see the clerk, for some reason, but there are strange noises coming from behind the counter.
Nick clears his throat loudly.
Nick: ~~ ahem ~~
Nick: Excuse me.
Riyyh pops up like a startled groundhog, wearing an innocent expression, looking slightly rumpled and featuring lipstick in various unusual locations.
Riyyh: Nick!
Riyyh quickly wipes off the lipstick.
Riyyh: How good to see you!
Meexie, who had fallen to the floor rather unexpectedly, staggers up in confusion.
Meexie's mind takes a moment to switch tracks back to business.
Meexie: Can I help you, er... are you here for him?
Nick gapes at Meexie and Riyyh.
Nick: I thought I was.
Meexie turns bright red at Nick's stare, and brushes her hair back self-consciously.
Nick is starting to wonder if he should have delayed his arrival for a bit longer.
Riyyh looks somewhat sheepish.
Nick: I could come back later, if...?
Riyyh: No no, you're fine. Meexie, I do wish to see you tomorrow morning, if that is at all acceptable to you?
Meexie: Oh... of course....
Meexie still looks a bit star struck.
Riyyh smiles dazzlingly.
Riyyh: Thank you for understanding.
Riyyh touches her cheek, and then ducks around the counter to join Nick.
Meexie is left confused but breathless.
Nick's nager betrays his uncertainty, then solidifies into a steady support.
Nick is starting to wonder just what he's gotten himself into; somehow this sort of thing seemed less of an issue at Naros.
Riyyh places a reassuring hand on Nick's forearm.
Riyyh: Come upstairs. I'm sure you have much to talk about.
Nick allows himself to be led.
Riyyh whisks Nick up to the room, sits him down, and plies him with tea and a tray of room service goodies.
Nick eats with the appetite of a Gen who's very recently had a very good transfer.
Nick: ~~ appetite ~~
Nick is cognizant enough of his duties to inquire:
Nick: Have you eaten yet?
Riyyh obediently sits down beside Nick and nibbles on a carrot stick.
Riyyh: You zlin well.
Riyyh: The transfer went smoothly, then?
Nick smiles, nager softening with the memory.
Nick: Yes.
Riyyh smiles also, of course.
Nick tries not to think about it as a possible last time.
Riyyh: And everything is well between Arat and yourself?
Nick: As well as can be expected. He would much prefer me to work for him, or at least the Tecton.
Riyyh nods sympathetically.
Nick: I hope his superiors aren't too displeased with him over this.
Riyyh: I had a most odd experience the other day. A reporter came and asked me many questions about you, Arat, Naros, and Zeor.
Riyyh: I think she was trying to establish some kind of elaborate connection dating back to pre-Unity.
Riyyh appears genuinely puzzled.
Nick: That's strange.
Riyyh: And entirely unfounded, I think.
Riyyh sighs.
Riyyh: But I suppose they must make their livings somehow, after all.
Nick: Although come to think of it, I'd heard there was some sort of disturbance in Arat's office.
Nick was aware mostly of some rather well-chastened guards being significantly more alert than usual.
Nick has, of course, spent the past week or more safely out of reach of all reporters.
Nick: Well, I know that I had no dealings with Arat, Naros, or Zeor except in the past year or so. Well, except for the genetic connection, of course.
Nick: I hope she wasn't too much of a bother?
Riyyh: Well. I was hoping to leave town before she returned as promised to ask more questions.
Riyyh: That will depend upon you, of course. How much time will you like in town before we leave?
Nick: ...leave?
Riyyh waits patiently.
Nick looks rather taken aback.
Nick: I thought you had business here in Capitol?
Nick looks at Riyyh hopefully.
Riyyh smiles kindly.
Riyyh: Well of course, I do have some business here, but most of our outreach programs are in other towns and cities, or in the country.
Riyyh: I think the Urban Farming Program is more or less under control again, at least until spring.
Nick: ...oh.
Riyyh: I hope this won't be a problem?
Riyyh begins to look rather alarmed, as he'd assumed Nick had made the obvious connection.
Nick: So you want to move on before the weather gets too bad for travel?
Nick: Ummm....
Riyyh: To be honest, I really must be in Naros for the pre-planting administration, and after that, I'll have to be back here again. That leaves the winter for doing all of the other visits.
Riyyh: It's not an ideal situation for me, either, [confesses]
Riyyh loathes travel anyway, and doing it in the winter seems like sheer barbarism.
Nick tries to rethink his plans on the spur of the moment, which has never been something he was particularly good at.
Nick does recall that he promised Riyyh his assistance.
Nick also remembers that Prunida has been trying to get in to see him for the past ten days, and that today the answer the guards give won't be "he's busy with his channel", but instead, "he doesn't work here any more".
Nick finds the prospect of immediate travel a bit more appealing, suddenly.
Nick: You are sure that you will be back at Naros in a few months?
Nick figures that if Riyyh is at Naros, in Rapol's care, his obligation is finished.
Riyyh: Probably not until the third month of next year.
Nick chews his lower lip thoughtfully.
Riyyh: When the planting decisions are made, and the budget is re-finalized.
Nick: That's a bit longer than I'd planned on staying away.
Riyyh's budget is technically finalized in the fall just after harvest, but practically speaking everybody thinks of what else they want right before planting. Like, for example, a replacement cultivator.
Riyyh looks rather pathetically worried.
Riyyh: Well, of course, you have no obligation to serve me. If you wish not to, by all means,
Riyyh's hands dither nervously.
Nick thinks of Prunida once more.
Nick: Well, I did promise.
Nick: When did you plan to leave?
Riyyh looks somewhat embarrassed.
Riyyh: As soon as possible, within reason.
Riyyh: I realize you'll require some time to get your affairs in order and enjoy yourself in the city.
Nick: Yes, and I don't have a horse, either.
Riyyh: Of course, you must have a horse. Would you like me to arrange for one?
Nick: Please do. Nothing too spirited, though.
Nick fondly remembers Pumpkin's plodding habits.
Riyyh looks somewhat disapproving, but wouldn't dream of going against Nick's wishes.
Riyyh: Certainly. [covers with a smile]
Riyyh consoles himself with the thought that he will look twice as good when accompanied by Nick on an unstylish mount.
Aperry comes storming down the hall, ~~ furious ~~
Aperry tries to straight-arm the door, and rebounds from it when it proves to be locked.
Aperry: [THUD]
Nick looks up in alarm, wondering if Meexie's husband has arrived.
Nick: What...?
Riyyh glances at the door in surprise.
Riyyh: This is usually such a quiet place.
Nick has yet to learn not to make assumptions as to exactly which aggravated spouse is most likely to arrive at any given time.
Riyyh can't zlin Aperry or his fury due to the building's excellent insulative qualities.
Aperry pounds on the door in frustration.
Riyyh flinches back from the pounding.
Riyyh: Oh, my.
Aperry: Open up! I know you're in there!
Riyyh: And their security is usually so good, here.
Aperry realizes that he doesn't have to wait, and fumbles for his master key.
Riyyh is under the misapprehension that Meexie has handled her boss properly.
Aperry takes three tries before he gets the key in the lock.
Riyyh's eyes widen at the key-jabbing noise, and he glances at Nick.
Nick betrays a bit of ~ apprehension ~ as the lock turns.
Aperry flings the door open.
Riyyh cringes back against Nick.
Aperry: There you are!
Aperry shakes his fist at Riyyh.
Riyyh on second thought wriggles around to hide behind Nick instead.
Aperry: I want my money tonight, as you promised!
Aperry: Not tomorrow morning, or next week.
Riyyh: Oh, dear. [to himself]
Aperry: Do you think I'm running a charity here?
Aperry moves closer, tentacles writhing, as he tries to increase his intimidation factor.
Nick tries to back up, rather difficult with Riyyh plastered against him.
Nick: I'm sure there must be some mistake.
Nick frantically uses his nager to try to ~~ calm ~~ the enraged renSime.
Riyyh is glad Nick is there to provide back up, since he'd have fainted by now if he'd been alone.
Riyyh is terrified of physical confrontation.
Aperry: There's a mistake, all right, and he made it!
Aperry tries to duck around Nick, to get at Riyyh.
Riyyh considers fainting anyway.
Riyyh: I thought everything had been all arranged.
Nick blocks Aperry's advance.
Nick: See? It's all arranged, like he said.
Aperry: You said you'd pay me tonight!
Aperry sounds somewhat less outraged, as Nick's enforced calming takes effect.
Riyyh can't deny that.
Riyyh: I realize that, but....
Aperry: So where's my money?
Riyyh: I really thought this was a higher-class establishment than this. [to himself]
Nick puts his hand gently on Aperry's writhing tentacles. ~~ soothing ~~
Nick: Why don't you just sit down for a moment?
Riyyh is careful to keep Nick directly between Aperry and himself.
Nick: You caught us by surprise, that's all. Sectuib made arrangements with the clerk to pay the complete bill in the morning.
Riyyh grins appeasingly, apologetically, from over Nick's shoulder.
Aperry: And in the morning, he'll want to pay in the evening. Won't you?
Aperry glares at Riyyh over Nick's shoulder.
Riyyh: Please, be reasonable.
Riyyh has found that anybody who that phrase must be used on is not likely to be reasonable at all. However, one must at least try.
Aperry: What's unreasonable about an innkeeper wanting his guests to pay their bills?
Aperry finds himself sitting on the couch, much to his surprise.
Aperry also notes that his last statement was much less emphatic than he'd intended.
Riyyh: But I've been a customer here for many years, and I've paid a considerable sum into the hotel already just this summer.
Riyyh's tone is whining, not surprising under the circumstances.
Riyyh: It's not that I don't intend to pay you, it's just that sometimes a certain amount of flexibility assists in a smooth transaction.
Riyyh particularly finds that to be the case in collecting the money himself, since it's all in gifts and the givers must be handled with tact and delicacy.
Aperry: I must insist that you settle your outstanding account tonight..
Riyyh sighs.
Aperry: I have already granted you three extensions.
Riyyh: It was never like this before.
Riyyh means, before the change of ownership.
Riyyh: I will see what I can do. [assures him]
Riyyh mentally rearranges his list of which order to "put in an appearance" at certain parties.
Aperry: I can wait here while you fetch your moneybag.
Aperry might be a bit less obstinate if Riyyh hadn't arranged one of his delays with Aperry's wife, and another with his daughter.
Nick looks at Riyyh, trying to gage whether his father has the cash on hand.
Riyyh looks as if he can't believe Aperry could be so rude and unreasonable, and is quite unable to think of what to say in response.
Nick: Perhaps you could provide something immediately as a partial payment while you make arrangements to settle the full account?
Nick looks at both Riyyh and Aperry to see if they will accept this compromise.
Nick is finding this situation unexpectedly awkward; Snake would have had Aperry running away screaming by now.
Aperry is not happy at the prospect of a partial payment, but he is practical enough to consider a partial payment better than losing the whole sum.
Riyyh sighs unhappily and goes to fetch his purse.
Riyyh shakes out a small number of coins (all that was in there) and offers them to Aperry with considerable trepidation.
Aperry starts to bristle at the paucity of the payment, only to be forcibly calmed by Nick.
Aperry: I suppose this will do as a deposit.
Aperry: ~~ grudging ~~
Aperry: But I want the rest tomorrow morning!
Riyyh actually looks rather insulted.
Riyyh nevertheless manages to say, "Of course."
Aperry nods curtly.
Aperry's former hotel was conveniently located between two casinos, and he is thus rather more used to wealthy-looking customers who prove penniless than your average innkeeper.
Aperry gets up.
Riyyh backs away from him, since Aperry has the vibe of a violent type.
Riyyh has never been able to deal with violence.
Aperry feels more in control of the situation as Riyyh gives off vibes of the rabbit type.
Aperry: Don't forget.
Aperry stalks towards the door.
Nick keeps his nager between Aperry and Riyyh.
Aperry slams the door behind himself.
Nick winces at the noise.
Nick: That was... unpleasant.
Riyyh looks depressed.
Riyyh: It used to be such a... refined hotel.
Nick: New management?
Riyyh: Yes, or rather, new ownership and he prefers to manage it himself.
Riyyh had rather hoped Aperry would realize his mistake and reinstate the original manager sooner.
Riyyh is now wondering if Aperry is going to be a permanent fixture around the place, and worries about having to switch to a lesser hotel.
Nick: Well, if I know his type, he'll be all smiles once he's been paid.
Nick: Acting as if he would never dream of being unpleasant.
Riyyh: It hasn't been that way in my experience. [unhappily]
Riyyh: I've been here all summer and it's like this every week. Well, not quite this bad, [adds]
Riyyh after all would have fled screaming after the first time if it was this bad.
Riyyh: The younger generation just doesn't respect the Householdings the way their elders did.
Nick: I wouldn't know.
Nick is, of course, not a Householder himself.
Riyyh smiles sadly at Nick.
Riyyh thinks Nick couldn't possibly understand what it's like to lose something as precious as a decades-treasured good hotel.
Nick: Still, he's gone now.
Nick: And if he's that bad with everyone, the place will change hands again in no time.
Nick means this as ~~ consolation ~~
Riyyh realizes he's going to bring Nick down if he doesn't act more cheerful, and forces himself to smile again.
Riyyh: Perhaps.
Riyyh goes over to Nick's comforting, if low-field, nager.
Nick obligingly provides ~~ support ~~
Nick: You were saying that you could find a horse for me?
Riyyh: Yes, that shouldn't be a problem.
Riyyh: Do you have plenty of warm clothing? If not, you may want to do some shopping.
Nick: I did lose most of my winter wear in the avalanche.
Nick: I still have my coat, though it's a bit tattered in places.
Riyyh: That will never do!
Riyyh: Buy yourself another, do. You deserve to be clothed decently.
Riyyh: ~~ chiding ~~
Riyyh reaches up to brush Nick's (now grown-out) bangs back fondly.
Nick: You sound like Linn.
Nick: ~~ amusement ~~
Nick: That first winter I was with Snake, she gave us both warm clothing for Year's Turning.
Riyyh: A sensible woman. [smiles]
Nick: Yes.
Nick: I can pick up a few traveling supplies tomorrow, then.
Riyyh: When do you think we should leave, then? I don't want to rush you, but I admit I would like to avoid the reporter if I can.
Riyyh: I daresay you might like to avoid her as well. [after a thoughtful pause]
Nick: Well, yes, if she's as persistent as it seems.
Nick has grown somewhat more aware of the power of the press since observing the Great Pylor Disaster.
Riyyh: She just doesn't seem to want to talk about anything that isn't awkward.
Riyyh neatly sums up the vast range of Morca's less than endearing qualities.
Nick: Well, that's her job, after all.
Nick: I admit I'm a bit more concerned about Grandmother Prunida.
Nick: She's not going to be happy.
Riyyh hesitates.
Riyyh: I... I have made a disturbing discovery, regarding her.
Nick: You have?
Riyyh: It seems that she has given up regular supervision of her business and has devoted herself to winning your trust.
Nick: ~~ apprehension ~~
Riyyh: As a career.
Nick's eyes widen in alarm.
Riyyh: That being the case, I am not entirely sure that even constant travel will suffice to avoid a certain amount of contact with her.
Nick: It's better than being a sitting target.
Nick: Perhaps we should plan to leave by noon tomorrow?
Nick: That would give me a few hours to purchase the most necessary items.
Riyyh: I will obtain a riding horse for you, and two pack horses, as well as the required tack and supplies.
Riyyh isn't exactly a genius in this area, but can be counted upon to tell if a horse is reasonably well bred and not injured or ill.
Nick: Good. I'll have to leave a note for Snake, explaining the situation. Linn can take it to her.
Riyyh sighs unhappily at the prospect of spending so long in close proximity to the back of a horse, without even the balm of having an audience to see how good he looks up there.
Nick starts pacing as he thinks through everything that will have to be done.
Nick thinks it was a lot easier when Snake simply hopped on the next train, or threw the saddles on their horses and headed out of town in a random direction.
Nick conveniently forgets the way Linn usually managed to bring along the minimum amount of luggage for all of them.
Nick: We should bring some food along, and grain for the horses.
Nick is familiar with the Sime tendency to underrate a Gen's appetite.
Riyyh: Remember, we will have food and shelter waiting for us when we reach Marpan.
Riyyh: And in most cases. However, some extra food might not be a bad idea.
Riyyh smiles, knowing the Gen fondness for snacking, and his own dislike of others' suffering.
Nick: What is the situation in Marpan?
Nick is not used to being briefed, having worked mostly with Farris channels, but hope springs eternal.
Riyyh: Naros has an outreach program to help children orphaned by accidents in the cannery there.
Riyyh: There haven't been any problems, that I know of, so it should be quite a pleasant visit.
Riyyh is saying this to reassure himself as much as Nick, having had far too much unpleasantness today already.
Nick: I hope so.
Nick is Narosian enough to enjoy the prospect of a bit of laziness, after two months with a Snake being irritable with confinement.