Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #37: Impulse Hi (9/11/00)
Jeniard has just come off an exhausting shift in the emergency "ward" (read: huge ramshackle hut) and is taking a quick ten minutes to make sure his and Arat's living quarters are prepared for Arat's return.
Jeniard may not see Arat before then, and hates for anything to be out of place.
Jeniard has discovered that this little service, which had been quick and convenient in the 53rd District Office's employee dorms, is a raging pain in the ass on the sprawling construction site.
Jeniard and Arat's current quarters are also a lot more difficult to keep nice than the old ones were.
Jeniard hurries through the acts of straightening up, making sure the right tea is in the right place and two cups ready, the "special" blanket folded at the foot of the bed, etc.
Jeniard is due to assist in the census tent, which has become a statistical analysis think tank in the wake of the data-gathering stage of the census.
Edka is taking a walk along the outskirts of the "official" camp, and notes signs of life in the Controller's quarters.
Jeniard isn't a statistician (he'd have figured out there's no percentage in hanging out with Arat long ago if he was) but he can supervise.
Edka acts on impulse, and diverts to tap on the door.
Edka: Anyone home?
Jeniard thinks he hears somebody knocking on the front door of the building. It's a bit more substantial than the ward, so he actually has to go into that room to zlin for sure.
Jeniard zlins Sgt. Edka and purses his lips, wondering what the soldier will want now.
Jeniard was not pleased by the demands put on Arat by Mr. Birch.
Jeniard goes to the door and opens it.
Jeniard: Hi, Sgt. Edka.
Edka is already regretting the impulse, and is in the act of stepping back when the door opens.
Jeniard: Are you looking for Arat?
Jeniard: He's on the emergency ward.
Edka: Er, good evening Hajene.
Edka: I saw the light, and thought that perhaps Sosu Nick was off duty.
Edka is not yet truly comfortable around Simes, although he can get along with them professionally if he must.
Jeniard: Oh! No, he's with Wise Snake, working on that renSime who... well, I'm sure you know the one. [somewhat lamely]
Jeniard is referring to the fellow who was being chased by thugs and ran off a cliff while hyperconscious.
Edka winces.
Edka: I'd heard. That was a nasty incident.
Jeniard realized halfway through the sentence that the subject might be a bit prickly with Edka, seeing as how the renSime in question had been part of a group chanting protests at Edka's men a few minutes before that.
Jeniard pauses for an appropriate length of time in deference to Edka's show of sympathy, and then says "You might try Nick here at dawn tomorrow. He usually stops for breakfast before going out."
Edka: Perhaps I will. I was hoping to find out how the investigation into my men's fall is proceeding.
Edka: There has been no definite word from Controller Arat yet.
Jeniard: It's Arat you'll want to talk to about that.
Jeniard: Although Nick might be able to tell you some.
Jeniard means, Nick can tell him whatever he picked up despite concentrating on support, blocking, and the hundred little things needed to keep a working channel working smoothly.
Edka is struck by conflicting emotions at the suggestion: part the intimidation that Arat seems to inflict on just about everybody, and part composed of lack of confidence in such an unmanly leader.
Jeniard zlins the peculiar mixed reaction and wonders about it.
Jeniard is used to the intimidation part, but the other bit is unusual by Tecton standards.
Edka: You work with the Controller, don't you? I don't suppose you know what action has been taken?
Jeniard considers.
Edka thinks that Jeniard doesn't look all that manly, either, although somehow unmanliness looks better on him.
Jeniard: Well, Arat would want you to speak to him directly, I think.
Jeniard: He has not given me an official report, and I wouldn't feel comfortable passing on what I know without speaking to him first.
Jeniard: I'm sure you can understand?
Jeniard supposes a military man would be familiar with chain-of-command issues.
Edka: I suppose so. It's just that he's so... strange.
Jeniard: Arat?
Jeniard has heard Arat described various ways, many of them not very complimentary, but never quite that way.
Edka: Yes.
Edka's lack of confidence and general uneasiness increase.
Jeniard zlins the increased decrease.
Jeniard wonders if he should be doing something about this.
Jeniard was born in Gen Territory and despite how long it's been, he does remember some of what it felt like to be immersed in In-Territory culture for the first time.
Jeniard wonders if this is a culture shock problem.
Jeniard: Is this your first time in Sime Territory? [guesses]
Edka: Yes. And there wasn't time for the sort of briefing one usually gets upon reassignment.
Jeniard: Really?
Jeniard thinks that is just typical.
Edka: I suppose they'll send us a manual or two, eventually. No doubt just before we leave.
Jeniard has never understood the mentality that will rush a man off to a job that will take weeks, without 1 day of preparation.
Edka: But, that's the New Washington Army way.
Jeniard: I see. Well, if there is anything I can do to help, let me know. I was born Out-Territory myself.
Edka looks at Jeniard ~~ curiously ~~
Edka: Really? Where?
Jeniard was kind of hoping Edka would take the hint and leave, as he is now late to the Census tent and still has to finish preparing their quarters.
Jeniard realizes he did leave himself open for it, though.
Jeniard: Not far from here, actually. Grover Bottom.
Jeniard: My parents were the town doctors.
Edka: I've never heard of Grover Bottom, I'm afraid. But then, I grew up a great deal farther East.
Jeniard: Listen, do you mind coming in? I'm trying to finish up a few things here before I go on shift.
Jeniard will try to kill two birds with one stone, although if he'd really wanted to be efficient he'd have avoided spotting more than one bird in the first place.
Edka doesn't feel quite so uncomfortable around Jeniard, after learning that at least he started out as a normal person.
Edka: I'd be glad to.
Jeniard stands aside to let Edka enter the main room of the timber frame "chateau" (such as it is).
Edka enters, looking around curiously.
Jeniard: If you want to sit down, you're welcome.
Edka has never seen the inside of a Sime dwelling before, or at least, not a permanent structure.
Edka: Thank you.
Edka sits down on a bench, rubbernecking shamelessly.
Jeniard grabs a wet rag and begins thoroughly wiping the dust off all the surfaces in the main room, augmenting slightly to hurry.
Edka's earlier impression of Jeniard's human-ness suffers cognitive dissonance at this display of whirlwind housecleaning.
Jeniard: Yes, I came here -- that is to New Othwol, where the channel's school was -- in year 13, when I changed over. I was 14.
Jeniard: My parents were great sports about it, although I know they were disappointed I wasn't able to take up their practice. I was an only child.
Edka: Oh. I hear channels are the doctors in Sime Territory. Did you decide to become a channel because your parents were doctors?
Edka's military education was a bit lacking in some areas, such as Sime biology, outside of ways to murder them efficiently, that is.
Jeniard: No! [surprised by Edka's lack of this basic knowledge]
Jeniard: A channel is different from a regular renSime, physically.
Jeniard: They knew I was a channel as soon as I changed over, so I was sent for the training. It was a coincidence, really, although I think it made things much easier for my parents in the long run.
Edka is, however, openminded about gaining new knowledge, as sometimes that can be brokered into better assignments.
Jeniard: I'm just lucky my parents were doctors, because a lot of my friends' parents wouldn't have picked up on the changeover symptoms in time to bring me all the way to the Sime Center in Oming City.
Edka: That wasn't an option, when I was growing up.
Edka: There's a lot of things I don't approve of in the modern world, but that's not one of them.
Jeniard gauges Edka's age, and nods. The man would have been born well before Unity.
Jeniard finishes with the rag and picks up a string mop (imported) which he uses to sweep the floor without kicking the dust into the air.
Jeniard has become adept at this after practicing several times a day for the last few weeks.
Edka watches the swabbing.
Edka: I see the Tecton is just as much into spit and polish as any general inspecting troops in barracks.
Jeniard smiles as he works.
Jeniard: Well, Arat likes to see it clean, but it's the dust I'm worried about.
Edka: Why?
Edka: It's only dirt.
Jeniard: To you or me, yeah.
Jeniard: To Arat, it may as well be a minefield.
Jeniard uses a military comparison unconsciously.
Jeniard darts forward and plucks up a puffball that had blown in and lodged under one of the chairs.
Jeniard: And this... (holds it up) ... well, don't even get me started. You don't want to hear what I go through to keep him out of the infirmary here.
Edka: ...Infirmary?
Edka: ~~ curious ~~
Edka hadn't realized that Arat was ill.
Edka thinks that might account for his wasted appearance.
Jeniard puts the puffball out the door and resumes his mopping.
Jeniard: This is no place for a Farris. I don't know what they were thinking, sending him up here.
Jeniard doesn't know what Arat was thinking in choosing to arrange for himself to be sent here, either, but that isn't anything anybody will ever know about.
Jeniard knows none of it would have happened, despite Arat's efforts, if Seruffin had ixnayed the idea.
Edka: What's his family got to do with it?
Edka has, of course, gotten most of his information about channels from Tecton propaganda.
Edka's information on Farrises is therefore limited to their talent, political power, trustworthiness, and so on, and includes nothing about puffballs.
Jeniard: They've been bred for generations for their channelling abilities, to the exclusion of nearly everything else. They've got so many allergies and special requirements they can barely survive in a normal Sime Center, much less a construction site in the middle of nowhere.
Jeniard doesn't mind saying this, as anybody with a 3rd grade education and 5 minutes to stop and think about it would already know it... if they were born In-Territory.
Edka, however, was not born in-Territory.
Edka: ...Allergies?
Edka: Is that why he's always sniffling? I thought it was some sort of cold.
Edka had, in fact, been washing his hands carefully after being in the same room with Arat, in hopes of avoiding infection.
Jeniard: It's all the dust, pollen, chemicals, and lack of sanitation around here.
Jeniard: Well, that and the humidity.
Jeniard thinks that Farris noses and lakes do not make for a pretty combination.
Jeniard: Nick and I disagree on the subject of antihistamines.
Jeniard: But that's neither here nor there.
Jeniard finishes up with the mop and vanishes momentarily into the curtained-off bedroom, carrying a stray book.
Edka: I don't recall hearing that Klyd Farris was that delicate.
Edka: ~~ doubt ~~
Edka: Not that we were personal acquaintances.
Jeniard: Well, it's not exactly the sort of thing that gets spread around to give hope to the people, during a war. [points out]
Edka thinks that over, and nods.
Edka: I suppose he'd try to keep it hidden.
Jeniard: Ugh! Tell me about it. A Farris will tell you he's just fine when he's missing an arm.
Jeniard vanishes into the bedroom again, bustles around briefly then reappears carrying two glasses toward the door of the kitchen area (such as it is).
Edka grins wryly.
Edka: I've known a few officers like that.
Edka: Personally, I've always preferred to have the straight story.
Jeniard: Sure, we all do.
Jeniard disappears into the kitchen (sort of a pantry with a pump, and about 2 feet of counter space) where some banging and clinking can be heard.
Edka: So why'd they send Controller Arat out here, if he's too delicate for the climate?
Jeniard: Apparently the Gen Territory government requested him. And with the labor relations being the way they were, and everything.... [calls from the kitchen, over the sounds of clinking glassware] ...Well, it's only supposed to be temporary, but who knows?
Edka: You know, your Tecton sounds like it's run a lot like the Army.
Jeniard returns from the kitchen carrying two clean glasses filled with filtered water.
Edka: Sending people here and there, without regards to how suited they are to a location.
Jeniard has decided that if Edka really wants to talk to him, maybe he can make something of value out of this interruption. After all, it's not as if the Census folks will sit around on their hands until he shows up, or anything.
Edka: I've had boys assigned to my unit who'd never seen a cliff before.
Jeniard chuckles.
Jeniard: Here, try some of this.
Jeniard: There are some perks to living with someone who can't drink the real thing.
Jeniard sits down in a nearby chair, and realizes it's the first time he's sat down all day.
Jeniard sighs.
Edka accepts a glass of the purified water and sips with appreciation.
Edka: Thank you. That's tastier than what's issued to us.
Edka: I'm sure it's healthy enough, but it always tastes like canteen.
Edka notes Jeniard's sigh.
Edka: Been kept on your feet all day?
Jeniard: It's par for the course, around here. No sense in spending channels' minutes on restful paperwork when there are so many workers available.
Edka is in a similar situation, as his specialty is in such a high demand, and ~~ sympathizes ~~
Edka: I suppose not.
Edka: I expect the selyn shortage and all aren't helping any.
Edka's nager flickers just a hint of ~ uneasiness ~ as he mentions the shortage.
Jeniard notes the uneasiness.
Jeniard: It sure is. But if anyone can straighten that mess out, it's Arat. He's a brilliant Controller.
Jeniard is never shy about bragging about Arat.
Jeniard: Things have gotten better already.
Jeniard means better in the strictly relative sense, of course.
Edka: I hope so. I've seen what happens when Simes turn to hunting.
Edka shudders.
Edka: It was long ago, but some things are hard to forget.
Jeniard: It definitely won't come to that. They're talking about a shortage of selyn for working, not for basic living. [confidently]
Jeniard: A working Sime can spend sometimes three times the regular amount, when doing hard labor all month.
Jeniard: That's what's being held up, right now.
Edka is reassured by Jeniard's explanation.
Edka: I'm glad to hear that--I've heard a few rumors that weren't pretty.
Edka: Most of my boys are too young to know what it would be like if you folks couldn't provide transfers, fortunately.
Jeniard: Well, I'm sure they'll never find out.
Jeniard: Now, the construction site, that's another issue. Mr. Birch is hopping mad about the schedule delays.
Jeniard: But nobody could have predicted how many extra folks would show up looking for work.
Edka: Since they must have been getting their selyn someplace before they came here, I assume the problem is transportation?
Edka is familiar with logistical difficulties, since the supplies his unit uses are rather specialized and difficult to transport.
Jeniard: The real problem is the arrangements, and the delay time for communications. Now that the system is set up, it is just a matter of the shipments falling into the schedule.
Jeniard: The setup is what took all the time. Selyn can't just be taken off the shelf, it has to be acquired directly from the source, which means from areas with a surplus.
Jeniard: The Controllers of those areas would have to rearrange their own schedules to accommodate, since of course they would have been distributing their surpluses elsewhere before hand.
Edka: Sounds very complicated.
Jeniard: Taxes are complicated too, but there's a big incentive to make it work.
Jeniard finds this analogy helpful with OT Gens.
Edka considers, then nods.
Edka: I suppose it doesn't help, that the people here come from all over?
Jeniard: Actually, that part doesn't matter much. In fact, it's almost better.
Jeniard: It means that there isn't a matching problem on the other end, as it were.
Edka: Really? I'd think it would be easier to arrange to get your... surplus... shipped in from only one place, instead of many.
Jeniard: Oh, no. You see, it can only be transported in small quantities - the amount that a single person can carry.
Jeniard: Furthermore, they must travel separately because if any accident befell them, you wouldn't want to lose too many of them at once.
Edka is still not used to thinking about what happens to the selyn he donates (in accordance with General Order 39492Q).
Jeniard: So actually it's much easier, and much more efficient, to collect small amounts of selyn in a capillary effect from all parts of the Territory, than it is to make a mass transportation of it from point A to point B.
Edka: I see.
Edka: It still sounds as if it would drive a person crazy, though, trying to work out the details.
Jeniard: Oh, it does, believe me. That's why nobody wants to be Controller.
Jeniard: And even taking turns at it, it still takes hundreds of Controllers all across the Territory to coordinate it all.
Edka: So Controller Arat was the unlucky one who got the hot seat during the shortage? Or did he offend the higher-ups?
Edka has by now concluded that the Tecton is too similar to the Gen military to have picked Arat solely on the basis of competence, even if Jeniard does have a high opinion of Arat's.
Jeniard: Well, as I understand it, it was your government's request that tipped the balance in favor of sending Arat.
Jeniard: And that probably had to do with his role in the negotiations after the Capitol Labor Riots.
Jeniard uses the term that was used in the major newspapers, including the interTerritorial ones.
Edka: So they shipped him off in spite of him not being suitable for the area?
Jeniard spreads his hands.
Jeniard: Everybody's so used to Farrises being able to pull off miracles.
Jeniard: Sometimes it's hard to remember they're not miracle machines. Even for them.
Jeniard: Arat was eager enough to come here, at the time.
Edka: I suppose his briefing didn't include anything about puffballs?
Edka: Or does he just ignore them, until he can't any longer?
Jeniard: More the latter. [admits]
Edka: Sounds like bravado to me.
Edka: Tell me, have you been working with him long?
Jeniard: We met in First Year School.
Edka is unfamiliar with the term First Year, and automatically associates it with the Gen system of grades.
Edka: So Arat's from Grover Bottom, also?
Jeniard is confused for just a moment.
Jeniard: Er... I mean, my first year of being a Sime. We trained as channels together.
Jeniard: We've been assigned together ever since.
Jeniard doesn't mention that this is fantastically unusual.
Edka: Oh.
Jeniard: So I have been working with him for nearly two decades... I suppose my answer would have to be yes, then.
Jeniard chuckles in an attempt to smooth over the misunderstanding.
Edka grins wryly in return.
Edka: A lot can happen, in twenty years.
Edka's own career spans a good 35.
Edka: Particularly in times like these.
Jeniard: Yes.
Edka: If anyone had told me, when I was a boy, that I'd be sitting here today, having a civilized conversation with a Sime, I'd have said he was a raving lunatic. But here we are.
Jeniard smiles.
Edka is actually enjoying the conversation, and he is finding it a relief that the veil, the excessive crying and nose-blowing, and Nick's hovering are caused by simple allergies, not by disease or by what a few of his men had speculated.
Edka would, of course, be much less relieved if he knew that his men's speculations were correct in their conclusions, even if the symptoms that led to those conclusions had nothing to do with it.
Jeniard: I hate to rush you, but I am due for a duty shift.
Edka stands immediately.
Jeniard: Do you want to stop by tomorrow morning and ask after Nick? Or better yet, shall I make you an appointment with Arat for sometime tomorrow afternoon?
Edka: Perhaps I had better speak to Controller Arat in person, after all.
Edka feels a bit more comfortable with the idea, after talking to Jeniard.
Edka: It would have to be after the day's blasting is complete.
Jeniard: Sure.
Jeniard: I can work something out.
Edka: I appreciate that.
Jeniard isn't sure Arat will be thrilled with the prospect of such an appointment, as the investigation has not been proceeding apace.
Jeniard rises and takes both glasses, depositing them in the kitchen.
Edka: It has been a pleasure talking with you, Hajene Jeniard.
Edka does not salute the civilian, of course, but stands to attention and nods his head in respectful farewell.
Jeniard smiles and waves.
Jeniard waits until Edka is gone, and then beats a hasty trail to the Census tent.
Go on to Episode #38: The Kingdom of the Dam
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