Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #3: Swab the Decks (5/23/00)
Klyzer putters anxiously about the Transfer Room.
Klyzer curses that his Donor took this day, of all days, to leave him high and dry.
Klyzer brushes down the velvet on the transfer lounge again with a frantic precision.
Klyzer dons cotton gloves and gingerly removes the felt pads, cotton scrubs and other paraphernalia that came into physical contact with Yubim.
Klyzer places these items in a metal container for incineration.
Vatya staggers towards the building the captain told her about, leading her sister.
Klyzer anxiously looks at the tea tray, where one of the eight teacups has been used and is empty while the others are still full.
Vatya is not staggering for her usual reason, which she thinks is very unfair.
Vatya believes that if one has to live through the symptoms of a bad hangover, one at least ought to have the pleasure of a bender first.
Klyzer congratulates himself that he did not drink his own tea, which would have left two empty cups, a most unlucky number.
Levya doesn't care for the idea of donating much at all.
Klyzer retrieves the cup that Yubim drank from and sterilizes it.
Klyzer feels a bit queasy.
Vatya: That looks like the place.
Levya looks at the building and then at her twin.
Vatya points to a building that matches the description they were given.
Levya: I don't like this.
Klyzer holds himself perfectly erect as he shifts the now clean cup to its proper place on the tray.
Klyzer measures tea into the cup.
Vatya: You'd prefer going back? Look at those clouds.
Klyzer pours water into the cup, making sure the level is exactly equal to all the other teacups.
Levya is still trying to get the ground to stop moving unexpectedly.
Vatya has come to the conclusion that life comes in degrees of nastiness.
Vatya isn't quite sure where donating lies among that continuum, but she is sure where sailing is concerned.
Klyzer sees perfect symmetry restored. His stomach, however, feels even queasier.
Levya: No! I just don't like this.
Klyzer notices that the newly poured cup of tea is steaming, while the tea in all the other cups is cold.
Vatya: It's on dry ground. How bad can it be?
Levya is wondering what she or her sister did to get the universe so mad at them.
Klyzer wonders if it is the unbalance of having only one steaming teacup that is making him feel dizzy.
Levya: All right! Just go.
Klyzer wonders how long it will take for the tea to stop steaming. With his Simelan mathematical aptitude and time sense, he carries out the precise calculations.
Klyzer notices he is also developing a head-ache.
Levya can't help feeling picked on. This whole mess was Vatya's bright idea.
Klyzer anxiously scans himself for health problems.
Vatya walks unsteadily to the door, and knocks loudly.
Vatya: ~~ banged knuckles ~~
Levya holds her head to keep it in place and glares at her sister for making so much noise.
Klyzer hears the knock just as he was focusing his attention hyperconscious. His knuckles ache.
Klyzer: Stop that!
Vatya is not about to confess the real reason they can't go back, not even to her sister.
Klyzer now zlins the two high-field Gens on his doorstep.
Vatya cocks her head.
Klyzer groans.
Vatya: Could you make that out, Levya?
Klyzer: Open the door! Come in!
Levya: No!
Vatya: Well, at least we know that there's someone home.
Levya regrets yelling.
Vatya opens the door and walks in.
Klyzer: You! Stop right there!
Klyzer whirls to face the invading Wild Gens.
Levya: What?!?
Klyzer senses the lack of comprehension and switches to his English, such as it is.
Klyzer: You! Stop!
Levya is really not happy with the whole mess and now there is a Sime yelling at them.
Vatya's eyes focus on Klyzer's tentacles, and she tries to tell herself that her stomach is nervous from the seasickness.
Vatya: We were told to go here.
Klyzer feels the wave of nausea sweep the ambient and swallows, hard.
Klyzer: Wait.
Vatya thinks it's utterly unfair to be yelled at for doing what they were told to do.
Klyzer: You Gens.
Klyzer: From Yubim's boat? Yes?
Vatya: Yes.
Levya thinks that this Sime is not too swift.
Klyzer: I am channel.
Klyzer: My name is Klyzer.
Vatya was taught manners at one time, even though she rarely bothers to use them.
Vatya: I'm Vatya, and this is my sister Levya.
Levya nods to the channel.
Klyzer rakes both of them with a frenzied stare.
Klyzer: You come over lake?
Vatya: Boats usually go on the lake, yes.
Vatya shares her sister's impression of Klyzer.
Vatya: Now, what's with you? Are you in charge of signing up workers for the Dam?
Klyzer: You legal? You got visa?
Levya has moved next to Vatya ready for anything. Or so she thinks.
Klyzer: I channel. I take donation.
Vatya: What's a visa? We got four strong arms and legs between us, and you guys got a dam to build.
Levya nods.
Klyzer: Need visa to work here.
Klyzer: Proof of donation.
Klyzer: Health inspection.
Klyzer: Work permit.
Vatya scratches her (somewhat greasy and definitely uncombed) head.
Levya looks at her sister and shrugs.
Klyzer: No visa?
Vatya: I suppose you have this visa and proof of donation and heath card and work permit handy?
Vatya thinks this is starting to look like a shakedown.
Klyzer: I take donation.
Klyzer: Make health inspection.
Klyzer: The rest not my problem.
Levya: For how much?
Klyzer raises eyebrows.
Klyzer: Don't know until you donate.
Levya: What's it gonna cost us? We ain't got much.
Klyzer: Just donate. Your selyn.
Klyzer stares at the pair.
Vatya looks at Levya dubiously.
Klyzer: You still seasick.
Klyzer: Did you take shower?
Levya looks at her sister and frowns.
Klyzer: You sick.
Klyzer: Get rid of sick.
Levya: How?
Vatya: If you have some hair of the dog to settle my stomach, I for one would be glad of it.
Klyzer is not about to touch either one of them in their current unsavory state.
Klyzer: Medicine.
Klyzer: Don't move.
Vatya: Medicinal, of course.
Vatya thinks "Don't move" is the most sensible thing this Sime has said yet.
Klyzer goes to the medicine cabinet and begins to measure out some root powder helpful for reducing nausea.
Levya has no intention of moving anyway now that the floor has calmed down.
Klyzer folds each dose of powder in a twist of brown paper and brings it to the Gens.
Klyzer doesn't want to touch either one of them with the proverbial 10-foot pole, but manages to hand the paper to them so there is no physical contact.
Vatya unfolds the twist of paper and looks at the powder.
Vatya: Got anything to wash this down with?
Klyzer looks back at the arrangements of eight cups of cold trin.
Klyzer decides that anyone who could ride in a boat wouldn't care about the temperature of trin.
Klyzer is, however, faced with the problem of needing 2 cups of trin.
Levya never has liked medicine and is not sure this Sime fellow can be trusted not to poison them.
Klyzer snatches up 3 cups of trin, handing one to each of the Gens and keeping one for himself.
Klyzer congratulates himself on a lucky escape from misfortune.
Vatya is a trusting soul at heart, and so dumps the full dose of powder on her tongue.
Vatya's eyes pop, she gags, and quickly gulps the cold tea, trying to wash the taste out of her mouth.
Klyzer cringes as the Gen field carries her disgust straight to him.
Levya see her sister's reaction and decides the Sime is trying to poison them.
Klyzer zlins the other Gen's suspicion.
Klyzer: Eat your medicine!
Levya: I'm not takin' this stuff!
Vatya: That was as bad as our old granny's tonic.
Klyzer: Make your stomach feel better.
Vatya was never completely sure that said tonic was as efficacious as granny claimed, but never quite had the nerve to tell that to the beetle-eyed old crone.
Klyzer: Get rid of seasick.
Levya eyes the medicine and her sister. Vatya doesn't seem to be dying but her reaction to the taste is still fresh in her mind.
Vatya notes that her queasiness is abating a bit.
Vatya: I think it's working.
Klyzer: Eat your medicine!
Klyzer watches the Gen, ready to duck hypo when she actually swallows the stuff.
Levya is beginning to notice the floor getting a bit lively again. Anything is better than trying not to fall off the floor.
Levya: Okay!
Levya puts the powder in her mouth and inhales half of it. She drinks the stuff in the cup and coughs and splutters.
Klyzer: Eat!
Klyzer peers to see if the Gen has enough tea to wash the nasty stuff down.
Levya still coughing and trying to swallow at the same time.
Klyzer hands the Gen his spare cup of trin.
Klyzer: Drink!
Vatya helpfully wallops Levya on the back.
Klyzer is very thankful he was staying hypo during that maneuver.
Levya gives her sister a dirty look and tries to swallow without drowning.
Vatya is feeling almost human again.
Vatya: Coulda used some of that stuff last time I had a few too many.
Levya finally stops coughing. And notices the floor is moving slightly less than before.
Klyzer carefully collects the cups from the Gens.
Vatya prefers not to think about that occasion, since it in turn occasioned certain unpleasant events culminating in having to cross the lake in a stinking boat that reeked a lot worse after they'd been there a while.
Levya: I would rather have the hangover.
Vatya: That's cause you don't get real hangovers.
Levya: You mean I know when to quit.
Klyzer examines the Gens for evidence that Yurim has given them the promised dunking in cold water.
Levya: Now what?
Vatya's clothes do indeed look like they've been washed and put on again wet.
Vatya's ensemble is fortunately worn enough that being wet doesn't harm the fashion statement.
Levya's hair is still dripping water on her shoulders.
Klyzer decides he will probably not have to force them to strip down and shower.
Klyzer: You wash.
Vatya: Again?
Klyzer: Face. Hands. Arms.
Klyzer goes and opens the door to the washroom.
Klyzer gestures to the Gen.
Vatya takes the hint and steps into the washroom.
Klyzer hands a cotton washcloth to Vatya.
Vatya: You got hot water, at least?
Klyzer: Yes.
Klyzer is the only person in town to have hot water.
Klyzer: Wash hard.
Levya: I ain't washed this much since we left home.
Levya joins Vatya.
Klyzer hands a washcloth to Levya.
Klyzer: You, too.
Levya: Okay!
Klyzer supervises the scrubbing.
Levya takes the cloth and starts to scrub her arms neck and face.
Vatya scrubs the indicated areas with the enthusiasm that allowed her to keep a janitorial position for a record three months before she was absent one too many times.
Vatya finds scrubbing soothing, particularly when hot water, decent soap, and towels are available.
Vatya dries the last drops of water.
Vatya: There.
Levya watches the Sime as he inspects her work.
Klyzer is pleased that Vatya has done the job with right spirit.
Klyzer: Good.
Klyzer goes to the medicine cabinet and takes down the bottle of astringent upper-epidermal-layer-removal lotion.
Klyzer: Now I clean more.
Klyzer takes the cotton swabs.
Vatya: More?
Levya: Hold on!
Klyzer: Hold still.
Vatya eyes the bottle and swabs dubiously.
Vatya: What is that stuff, anyway?
Levya: Yeah!
Klyzer: Make clean.
Levya: I made clean already.
Klyzer: Not enough.
Levya thinks that if this is what Simes are like she is not going to be happy.
Vatya: What do you mean, not enough? There isn't a spot of dirt left!
Klyzer: Show hands.
Vatya holds out her hands, ~~ defiantly ~~
Klyzer looks at her hands. Her months as a janitor have left her with a greyish callous in one spot.
Klyzer: See there! Dirt! Skin dead!
Vatya peers skeptically at the patch.
Klyzer dabs at the callous with the astringent lotion.
Klyzer scrubs, exfoliating away, leaving a slimy grey blotch on the cotton swab.
Vatya: Hey, that's my skin you're taking off!
Klyzer: See! Must clean!
Klyzer: Dead skin.
Vatya: What's the matter with dead skin?
Levya: Yeah!
Klyzer: It's dead.
Klyzer thinks this answer should be self-evident.
Vatya: Yeah? So what do you think it's gonna do, haunt you?
Levya has absolutely no intention of letting this Sime take skin off.
Klyzer zlins the gathering Gen protest.
Klyzer would immobilize the balky Gens but he might contaminate himself with their dead skin cells.
Klyzer uses a ploy that, surprisingly enough, has worked in the past.
Klyzer: Dead not pretty.
Klyzer: You clean, be very very pretty.
Klyzer: Look all alive.
Levya: Pretty can't work all day.
Klyzer can count on the astringent bringing a blush to any Gen's cheeks.
Vatya wonders if that was what the boss at the cannery meant when he told her to "look alive".
Vatya rejects the idea after due consideration; the man seldom bathed himself.
Klyzer: Can work and be pretty.
Klyzer proceeds past Vatya's wrist and advancing to her forearms.
Levya: You take off my callouses and I can't work worth nothin'.
Vatya: You really have to be pretty to work over here?
Vatya: ~~ dubious ~~
Klyzer: Have to donate to work.
Klyzer: Have to clean to donate.
Vatya: Oh, I see.
Klyzer works on Vatya's other arm.
Levya looks at her sister with a promise to get her later for getting them into this mess.
Klyzer: Now close eyes.
Vatya: ...eyes?
Klyzer: Clean face.
Vatya takes another look at the swab, and her de-callused hands, then squeezes her eyes shut.
Klyzer vigorously defoliates Vatya's face, leaving it red and shining.
Levya watches the strange Sime cleaning her sister's face as if she were a little kid.
Klyzer: Okay. Very good.
Vatya pats her face cautiously.
Vatya: It feels like I have sunburn.
Klyzer turns to Levya.
Klyzer: You see? She pretty. Healthy.
Klyzer: Now you.
Levya notices that her sister looks like she has a bad sunburn.
Levya: Oh, no!!
Klyzer discards the old cotton swab and moistens a new one.
Levya starts backing toward the door.
Klyzer frowns.
Klyzer: No donate, no job.
Vatya: Levya, we gotta do this to get a job at the dam.
Levya looks at Vatya and then the Sime.
Klyzer: No clean, no donate.
Levya would like to take her sister out back and swat her around some.
Levya: For you I will. But I want to have a talk with you later, sister dear.
Levya holds out her hands to the Sime.
Klyzer begins to scrub away Levya's calluses.
Levya: Just be careful of the face. And leave me some calluses!
Vatya is, of course, less concerned with calluses than her sister, since she is much less likely to hold down a job long enough to use them.
Klyzer cannot understand why any sentient being would want to have disgusting dead cells clinging to their body.
Klyzer scrubs at the Gen with a snort of disdain. After all, these Wild ones probably eat dead flesh, too.
Klyzer works up Levya's arms to the elbow.
Levya is wondering what her sister is up to. And wonders if she can get a good steak in this place.
Klyzer: Okay. Arms good. Close eyes.
Levya closes her eyes.
Klyzer burnishes Levya's face.
Levya: Hey not so hard!
Klyzer finishes the job to his satisfaction.
Klyzer: Good. Now donate.
Klyzer gives Levya a hard stare. She seems to be the more cantankerous one of the pair.
Klyzer: You ever donate before?
Klyzer really wishes his Donor were here.
Levya thinks he must be nuts.
Levya: No.
Klyzer: I show you.
Klyzer: Come here.
Klyzer leads Levya to the transfer lounge.
Vatya wonders how Klyzer plans to show them how this donating thing works without anyone to demonstrate on.
Vatya wanders nearer.
Levya: Now what?
Klyzer: Lie down.
Levya: Whoa!
Levya: I don't think so!!
Klyzer wonders if this Gen is going to fight or panic.
Klyzer: Nice. Soft.
Klyzer brushes the velvet of the transfer lounge.
Levya: Look junior, I don't know you and I don't want to. I ain't layin' down!
Klyzer: I channel.
Vatya: And you're the one who spent all night saying you'd give anything for a decent bed!
Levya: And I don't care. I ain't laying down!
Klyzer: Donate on bed.
Klyzer doesn't know the English for transfer lounge.
Levya: If you can't do it sittin' up you can't do it!
Klyzer thinks about that. She will be more able to struggle in an upright position.
Klyzer: Okay, sit on bed.
Levya is not about to get compromised for any job.
Levya sits on the bed.
Levya: Now what?
Klyzer doesn't like the idea of the second Gen wandering the room while he is locked in transfer. She could brain him with a vase or something.
Klyzer: One at a time.
Vatya has indeed drawn closer, the better to watch.
Klyzer gestures to Vatya.
Klyzer: You! Go out. Wait on porch.
Levya: Hold it! Why can't she stay?
Vatya is feeling a bit guilty about putting Levya through this.
Klyzer: One at a time.
Vatya: If she wants me to stay, I'm staying.
Vatya plops down in one of the chairs.
Klyzer zlins the Gen's intransigence and sighs.
Levya is about ready to swim back across the lake.
Klyzer: Okay. You stay there.
Klyzer: Don't move.
Klyzer: Don't move one foot.
Vatya looks at her boots.
Vatya: Which one?
Klyzer shifts back towards the transfer lounge.
Vatya has never been known for having excess intelligence.
Klyzer: No foot. Not!
Levya looks at her sister and wonders if they could take this Sime down if they have to.
Klyzer turns his attention to Levya.
Klyzer: You know what is selyn?
Levya: No.
Klyzer: Like sunlight. In you.
Levya: Sunlight? In me?
Klyzer: Yes.
Vatya hoots with laughter.
Levya thinks, Yup he's nuts.
Vatya: Mother always said you were the sunny one.
Levya is thinking of all the vile things she will do to her sister when this is over.
Klyzer has the impression he isn't getting his point across.
Levya: So I got sunlight. What's that got to do with anything?
Klyzer: Simes want sunlight. Like flowers.
Klyzer: You give me light.
Klyzer: That is donation.
Levya: How?
Klyzer: Give me your hands.
Levya looks dubiously at the Sime.
Klyzer holds out his hands, tentacles still sheathed.
Levya slowly extends her hands.
Vatya: Hey, at least he's not coming after you with that cleaning gook.
Levya: Shut up Vatya.
Klyzer grasps Levya firmly at the elbows.
Klyzer: Not move. That very important.
Levya is surprised how strong his grip is.
Klyzer extends his handling tentacles and immobilizes the Gen.
Levya: Wait a minute!
Klyzer: Not move.
Klyzer: But I wait.
Klyzer: What?
Levya makes the mistake of looking down at her arms and childhood fears of snakes come screaming to her mind.
Levya swallows hard.
Vatya looks at her sister, concerned.
Vatya: Levya? You all right?
Klyzer feels the incipient panic and shudders.
Levya gives her sister a frightened look.
Klyzer: No. Not! No fear.
Levya is breathing hard now and trying to get up.
Klyzer: Wait! I not hurt.
Klyzer: Don't move.
Levya starts to panic when she can't get away from the Sime.
Klyzer wishes, for the twentieth time this morning, that his Donor were here.
Klyzer lets the Gen go.
Levya is so surprised that she sits and stares at him.
Klyzer curls into a ball, shuddering, trying to regain control of his systems.
Vatya: You see? It's not so bad.
Klyzer moans.
Levya: Hey, is he all right?
Vatya: Dunno.
Vatya forgets the admonition to stay put and comes over to inspect Klyzer more closely.
Klyzer curls into a foetal ball on the end of the transfer lounge, shaking like a leaf.
Vatya: Maybe he got a chill?
Levya looks around for something to cover him with.
Levya finds a blanket and tries to cover him.
Klyzer feels the Gen concern soak through him and begins to regain a fragment of self-control.
Levya: Hey, you okay?
Klyzer unwinds and shakily sits up, gasping.
Klyzer glares at her accusingly.
Klyzer: You hurt.
Levya: I didn't!
Klyzer: You fear.
Klyzer shudders.
Levya: Well, yeah. I don't like snakes.
Klyzer: Not snakes!
Klyzer is not too sick to be insulted.
Klyzer: Tentacles.
Klyzer: Like fingers.
Levya can see that she hurt his feelings.
Klyzer extends one dorsal and twitches it a bit to show.
Levya: Sorry! They look like snakes when you had'em all over my arms.
Klyzer: Not snake.
Levya: Can I touch one?
Klyzer hesitates. He is not sure he can take another panic.
Levya looks him dead in the eye and waits.
Klyzer: Not afraid, please.
Klyzer: Hurts.
Levya: Okay. Not afraid.
Klyzer extends his dorsal a little further, into touching range.
Vatya watches curiously.
Klyzer tenses himself for the contact.
Levya touches the tip of it gently.
Levya is happy to feel normal human skin. The softest she has ever felt.
Vatya: What's it feel like, Levya?
Vatya reaches over Klyzer's head to feel for herself.
Klyzer shivers at the intersection with her field.
Levya: Like he's never done a lick of work in his life. Soft as a baby's butt.
Vatya nods.
Vatya: Must use his own cleaner on them.
Levya: Yeah.
Klyzer is afraid to let himself enjoy the contact, as these Wild Gens nagers could shift at any moment.
Klyzer: See. Not snake.
Levya: Not snake.
Levya smiles at the Sime.
Klyzer: You not afraid?
Levya: No, not now.
Klyzer: Okay, we try again then.
Levya: Yeah.
Klyzer: Vatya, go sit.
Klyzer: Not move.
Vatya grumbles, then returns to her chair.
Klyzer: Levya, sit on bed.
Levya: Sure.
Klyzer: Give hands.
Levya gives him her hands.
Klyzer: Now I hold you.
Levya: Okay.
Klyzer: No move.
Levya: I won't.
Klyzer slips his tentacles out and grasps the Gen again.
Klyzer: Okay, next.
Levya doesn't move but it feel so strange.
Klyzer: Listen.
Levya: Yeah.
Klyzer: I have more tentacles.
Levya: How many more!?
Levya wonders if this is going to get worse.
Klyzer: Four more. Very....
Klyzer doesn't know the English word for sensitive.
Klyzer: Very soft.
Levya thinks, how could they get any softer? But she relaxes.
Klyzer: I touch you.
Levya: Okay.
Klyzer: Then here.
Vatya is finding this interesting; she didn't have much opportunity to learn about Simes before, and after all, she isn't on the hot seat, as it were.
Klyzer: Touch lips.
Levya: What?!
Klyzer: That is donation.
Levya is trying not to hurt the poor little fellow but she surely doesn't want to kiss him.
Levya: Do I have to kiss you?
Klyzer: Not kiss.
Klyzer: Just touch.
Klyzer: I take sunshine.
Klyzer: Very fast.
Levya: Very fast, huh? Okay, very fast.
Klyzer doesn't plan to stay in lateral contact with this wild thing an instant longer than he has to.
Klyzer: But important!
Klyzer: No move!
Klyzer: Not afraid!
Klyzer: Okay?
Levya: Not afraid and no move.
Klyzer: Yes.
Levya laughs at herself for talking like him.
Levya: Okay. Do it.
Klyzer is reassured by the Gen's laughter.
Klyzer: Okay, now.
Levya waits for him to get it over with.
Klyzer quickly slips his laterals into position on her arms.
Klyzer pauses just an instant to be sure she is holding steady.
Levya feels something wet on her skin, but doesn't move.
Klyzer reaches forward and makes the lip contact.
Levya can't believe she is kissing a Sime.
Klyzer draws down her field to the first barrier.
Klyzer disengages from the transfer contact.
Levya: Is that it?
Klyzer: Yes. You do good.
Vatya: You all right, Levya?
Levya he must be hard up to do all that to get a kiss.
Levya: Fine!
Vatya gets up from her chair and comes over to see for herself.
Klyzer retrieves the washcloth and basin so Levya can clean up.
Klyzer: First donation. Congratulations.
Levya: Piece of cake.
Klyzer turns to Vatya.
Klyzer: Now you.
Vatya: Me?
Klyzer: Yes.
Klyzer: Come sit.
Klyzer pats the velvet of the transfer lounge.
Levya is looking forward to her sister being kissed by the Sime.
Vatya shrugs, then sits.
Vatya: Might as well.
Vatya: ~~ growing bravado ~~
Klyzer: Levya, sit in chair.
Levya: Right.
Klyzer: No move.
Levya: No move.
Klyzer positions himself at Vatya's side.
Levya rolls her eyes toward the ceiling.
Vatya looks at Levya and thinks, how bad could this be?
Klyzer is emboldened by the nager of Vatya's bravado.
Vatya is, after all, a bit less picky about whom she kisses than her sister.
Klyzer extends several tentacles towards Vatya.
Klyzer: No snake. See?
Vatya inspects the offered appendages.
Vatya: I see. Snakes have heads.
Klyzer notices that Vatya's nager has a rather attractive silky texture.
Klyzer: Like fingers.
Vatya: Yeah,
Vatya holds out her own hands and wiggles her fingers to demonstrate that she gets it.
Klyzer lets his fingers do the walking up her arms.
Klyzer: Now I hold you. No move. No afraid.
Klyzer: Okay?
Vatya: Yeah, I guess.
Levya watches her sister.
Klyzer pauses a moment, checking to see if she can hold steady. He doesn't relish getting zinged again.
Klyzer: Okay. You saw.
Vatya: Well, sort of. View's kind of bad from across the room.
Klyzer: Little tentacles touch. Lips touch. No move.
Vatya: Right.
Klyzer: Ready?
Vatya: I suppose so.
Vatya: This place sure does have the strangest work permit requirements I ever heard of.
Klyzer makes lateral contact.
Vatya gasps.
Vatya: You didn't say they were wet!
Vatya: ~~ accusation ~~
Vatya: And tingly!
Klyzer shudders.
Klyzer: No!
Klyzer: Not afraid.
Levya starts to get up but remembers her promise.
Vatya gets ahold of herself; after all, it would never do to let Levya think she was afraid.
Vatya: I'm not afraid. It just feels strange.
Klyzer: Please. No move.
Vatya holds still.
Vatya: I won't move. Get on with it! We haven't got all day.
Klyzer gulps in air, trying to regain his equilibrium.
Levya feels sorry for the poor little Sime.
Klyzer: [in a strangled gasp] Not mad!
Levya: Oh for pity sake Vatya. Just do it.
Klyzer, holding himself together by a thread, reaches for the lip contact.
Vatya mutters something under her breath and leans forward to meet Klyzer half way.
Klyzer manages to take her donation without losing control.
Klyzer dismantles the contact, cursing softly under his breath in Simelan.
Vatya wrinkles her nose at Klyzer.
Vatya: Yeah, yeah, I love you, too.
Klyzer: All done.
Klyzer: First donation.
Klyzer: Congratulations.
Klyzer staggers away from the transfer lounge to fetch another set of washcloths.
Vatya: Does that mean we can get those permits you were talking about?
Levya: Yeah.
Klyzer: Yes.
Klyzer: I write papers.
Klyzer: In a minute.
Levya: Hey, you don't look so good.
Klyzer: First donation hard.
Vatya takes a closer look at Klyzer.
Klyzer goes to the tray where there are still five cups of cold trin laid out with perfect symmetry.
Vatya: You look like you just hauled in a whole net full of fish, and gutted them, too.
Klyzer: Want drink. One minute.
Klyzer drains one of the cups of tea.
Levya looks at Vatya and shrugs.
Vatya thinks that a drink would be a very good idea, but she has a different beverage in mind.
Klyzer drinks a second one.
Vatya has a feeling that Levya is going to insist on going on the wagon after this, and sighs.
Klyzer would like to stop here but of course two is an unlucky number.
Klyzer drinks a third cup of trin, leaving six empty cups, two full.
Klyzer thinks of course he can't leave two full cups.
Levya watches the Sime drinking and shakes her head. He is nuts.
Klyzer drinks a fourth cup, leaving seven and one, quite a good combination.
Klyzer: Okay. Now papers.
Klyzer moves over to his desk, kidneys sloshing.
Klyzer meticulously fills out Donation certificates for both Gens.
Klyzer: Can you write?
Vatya: Sure.
Levya: Of course!
Levya tends to remember her schooling when she is insulted.
Klyzer hands them both paper and pencils.
Vatya can print her name, although she never won any awards for handwriting.
Klyzer: Write names in English, please. No mistakes.
Levya: Okay.
Vatya chews her lips as she concentrates on forming letters.
Levya writes her whole name and watches her sister work at her own.
Klyzer: When you last sick? Before seasick?
Vatya finishes, hoping she didn't leave out any letters.
Vatya: I had a bit of morning after a few days ago.
Klyzer carefully copies the Gen handwriting onto the Simelan forms.
Vatya consoles herself with the knowledge that the night before was memorable.
Levya: Never been sick a day in my life.
Klyzer: What morning?
Vatya: Morning after the night before, if you get what I mean.
Levya is glad she doesn't share her sister's taste for the drink.
Klyzer doesn't understand the slang, but the nager conveys the meaning.
Klyzer: Drink beer?
Vatya: Beer was the least of it.
Klyzer nods.
Klyzer fills out health certificates for both Gens. He took a quick diagnostic zlin of each while in transfer contact.
Klyzer decides a complete clinical history can wait for someone who speaks more than pidgin English.
Levya: Well? Can we work or not?
Klyzer: Here donation papers.
Klyzer: Here health papers.
Klyzer goes to work filling out their credit vouchers.
Vatya pockets the papers, then eyes Klyzer's new efforts with a bit of apprehension.
Klyzer: You still require work permit.
Vatya hopes that this won't end up costing them everything.
Klyzer: And visa.
Klyzer: Not my job.
Klyzer hands the vouchers to both Gens.
Levya looks at her sister and then at the Sime.
Klyzer: Pay for donation.
Klyzer: Trade at store.
Vatya looks at her voucher.
Vatya: We can't possibly afford to pay this much!
Levya: Yeah!
Klyzer: No, no! For you.
Levya: For us? You mean you are paying us?
Klyzer: Yes. Pay for donation.
Klyzer: Buy food at store.
Vatya's face splits with a wide grin.
Klyzer can't help smiling with them.
Vatya: If it'll buy food, there's lots of other things it'll buy.
Klyzer: Make more sunshine. Then come back.
Levya looks at her sister and is not smiling.
Klyzer catches the by-play between them.
Klyzer: Beer not good for you. Eat food. Be healthy.
Levya: Yeah.
Vatya pouts.
Levya looks meaningfully at Vatya. She has had enough of pulling her out of barroom brawls.
Vatya: What wrong with enjoying myself?
Levya: Let's take this outside.
Klyzer: And keep clean. Very important.
Klyzer gives each of them a bar of soap.
Levya: Right.
Levya motions her sister towards the door.
Klyzer shows them out.
Vatya follow, feet dragging in anticipation of a royal scolding.
Klyzer retreats to the office, collapsing full length on the transfer lounge. He does not want to see any more clients today.
Go on to Episode #4: Lake Monsters and Rogue Farrises
Return to the Index of Episodes