Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #47: There'll be Elte Pay (9/29/00)
see note 1
Elte takes note of the sour lemon set to Arat's expressive lips.
Elte: Although SWAT's leaders requested you as mediator, you do not seem particularly fond of that organization or its membership.
Elte has found the ins and outs of in-Territory politics quite a tangled mess, but the grumbling in the SWAT union hall was plain enough.
Arat's expression becomes more guarded as Elte identifies his emotions regarding SWAT. Since his face is not particularly difficult to read for one as adept at it as an OT Gen, his expression also reveals a touch of his worry that he is being too transparent.
Elte: Why did they want you in particular?
Elte thinks that Arat is an unquestioned leader on his own Sime turf; if he can identify the elements of that leadership style he can figure how to adjust it for Gen culture.
Arat: They felt I could help them. [says stiffly - and truthfully enough]
Arat: Some of their other choices were radicals and would have lent them no legitimacy.
Arat thinks, nor played along with the charade of the negotiations. He surely would have given up halfway through if it had not been for his deal with Fragga.
Elte: So you are seen as a representative of legitimate authority.
Arat: Yes, of course.
Arat has worked very hard to make that so.
Elte: And yet a man who radicals and underdogs can trust to be fair.
Arat examines that statement cautiously.
Arat: I would not prefer to be associated with the radical element under ordinary circumstances.
Arat: But fairness is essential to true authority.
Elte: So you rolled up your sleeves and waded into the mud to do a dirty and difficult job because it had to be done....
Arat frowns.
Elte's metaphors are perhaps not quite apt applied to Simes.
Elte's heroic exaggeration faculty is whirring along quite nicely, however.
Arat may think far too much of himself, but even he doesn't think of himself as the type who "rolls up his sleeves and wades into the mud".
Arat is more the type who is seized by the halter and dragged through the mud while being pushed from behind by 3 or 4 helpers.
Elte: ~~creatively inspired~~
Elte: Because the finger of fate tapped you on the shoulder....
Arat was rejected from Zeor because while brilliant in his own way, and capable of amazing feats when he applies himself, he is fundamentally a reserved person who prefers conservatism to heroism.
Arat gets a chill up his back at the mention of the "finger of fate".
Arat is imagining a hero-worship column about him being posted in an OT newspaper that is subscribed to by ever major Sime Center staff lounge in Sime Territory.
Arat shakes his head.
Arat: No...
Arat: No. [more firmly]
Elte picks up on the channel's distressed expression.
Elte: No?
Elte: Tell me how it was, then. The truth.
Arat looks away.
Elte settles back to listen. He loves to hear stories as much as he loves to tell them.
Arat: I was not as major a figure in this as it seems.
Arat: They had first to decide they were willing to negotiate before they chose a mediator, and I had nothing to do with that decision.
Arat is going to get an entirely undeserved reputation for modesty if he keeps covering his ass this vigorously.
Elte thinks this man is very shy for a scion of aristocrats who runs a major bureaucratic department and was tapped as a political mediator.
Arat: However, "fate" as you put it, placed me in the right place at the right time, and by accepting their request I was able to provide some service in the resolution of the dispute.
Elte steeples his hands again.
Elte: But you said that others might have been capable of handling those negotiations.
Elte: What quality in you earned those rioters' trust?
Elte: What abilities enabled you to bring the negotiations to a successful conclusion?
Arat suspects it was sheer bloodyminded Farris persistence, and equally typically Farris misguidedness.
Arat has had many weeks to learn to seriously regret having put himself through all of that in order to endure a worse and possibly much more permanent hell here.
Arat looks discouraged as he has those thoughts.
Elte is surprised to see the channel look despondent at the thought of what the world considers a victory.
Arat: My letter to the newspapers was the first public indication that anybody might be interested in a compromise.
Arat: While I was not an employee of the city government, my voice as a Tecton channel was seen as the voice of the establishment.
Arat: It also inspired many ordinary people to speak out for compromise, people whose lives had been adversely affected by the unrest.
Arat is sure that Elte has read the article, of course.
Arat: I have not often spoken out over social issues, because of my past.
Arat: Those who knew this felt that I must have unusually strong feelings on the matter to have written such a letter.
Elte: So you, as a government official, spoke with the people's voice.
Arat: Yes.
Arat: It was a risk, but as I say, the violence at the Sime Center compelled it.
Elte: And when you were asked to handle a difficult political situation completely outside the scope of your normal duties, you volunteered.
Elte prefers heroes who are passionate about their causes, but martyrs to duty and the public welfare make good copy too.
Arat: I discussed the situation with my high level staff and my superiors, and it was agreed that the risks to my reputation were overshadowed by the gravity of the situation.
Arat: I was given the option to refuse it, but I chose to accept.
Elte: And when the Gen government requested that you leave your high position and comfortable working environment in Capitol to come out to this wilderness and manage a situation that could explode into an inter-territorial incident, you accepted that also.
Arat's expressive Farris features betray his dismay, despair and disappointment at how that has turned out.
Arat: I will admit I did not understand how difficult it would be.
Arat: And there were political reasons to do it, as I said before.
Arat hadn't mentioned the bit about Seruffin wanting him and Neptude separated; no use in drawing attention to such things. It is a private Tecton matter.
Elte notes the expression of dismay and begins to understand Mr. Birch's concerns about Arat's lack of Gen-style machismo.
Elte is, in fact, amazed how easy Arat's facial expressions are to read; most Gen leaders learn to keep their expressions cold and blank when they're being given the third degree like this.
Elte: How difficult has it been?
Arat, attempting to cover up his disquiet, moves forward and begins to prepare the two cups of tea.
Arat's body language is just as easy to read as his face.
Arat: It has required considerable adjustment.
Elte watches curiously the dance of Arat's tentacles as they handle the tea set.
Elte: And more for you than for others, if I understand it correctly?
Arat's lips press together in disapproval. He can't do anything about the rumors, of course. And even people who didn't know would have been able to guess what a Farris would go through here.
Arat: Farris physiology is more suited to a controlled environment. However, the problem is not insurmountable.
Elte: Has any Farris ever worked under conditions this primitive?
Arat: Yes, in the earliest days of the Householdings, and during the Unity Wars.
Arat forbears to mention that the earliest Farrises were nowhere near as "bred up" as the modern ones.
Elte: What precautions do you have to take to manage problems unique to the Farris mutation?
Arat: It is mainly a matter of sanitation, avoidance of allergens, and unbroken access to Farris-safe medical supplies.
Arat thinks, now if all of those things were actually feasible....
Elte: I understand that some of the symptoms that worry Mr. Birch are actually allergic reactions common to Farris channels?
Elte heard some gossip about this from Sergeant Edka.
Arat: Yes.
Arat thinks that what really worries Birch is the veil that prevents most of the dust from reaching him, not the actual inability to breath that the dust produces, but does not imagine Elte will be interested in that. He will have already heard Mr. Birch's opinions anyway.
Elte: You mentioned sanitation. I can see your living quarters are immaculate.
Arat glances about the place, which hardly seems immaculate to him, although it certainly is compared to the rest of the construction site.
Elte: But the rest of the construction site is not maintained as well.
Arat: Yes. The dust of the construction site and the pollen from the surrounding areas are a problem.
Arat: It is also difficult, in a meeting or other public situation, to avoid coming into contact with smoke, scents, fabrics, chemicals or other substances that are unsafe.
Arat: In some cases measures can be taken to prevent the physical reaction to their presence from becoming as obvious, at least for the duration of a meeting.
Arat and Nick have experimented with this in an attempt to satisfy Mr. Birch's request.
Elte: What measures have proven helpful?
Elte has heard Mr. Birch expound at length on Arat's greenish complexion and sniffling in public meetings.
Arat: Mainly the use of medicines to suppress the allergic reactions. It is unpleasant, but can be done for short durations.
Arat absolutely hates the effect that kind of dosing has on his mental faculties.
Arat hates anything that has to do with lessened control.
Arat has found, however, that at most of these meetings people are perfectly satisfied with him not saying much.
Elte frowns. The public makes up stories about leaders who make themselves scarce, and these are usually not pleasant ones.
Arat: Of course, the medical facilities and my own office can be controlled more readily.
Elte: That's something to put on the agenda, then.
Arat pauses in the act of handing Elte one of the cups of tea.
Elte: Scheduling your meetings in controlled environments, finding better ways to handle the problem in other settings.
Arat doesn't remember inviting Elte to troubleshoot the situation to that extent. Of course, Mr. Birch has probably ordered him to do so.
Arat forces himself to finish handing the tea to Elte.
Arat: Do you believe Mr. Birch will be amenable to such plans?
Elte sees the Sime's tenseup as he holds out the teacup.
Arat doesn't recall the man being terribly sympathetic when Nick and Jeniard attempted to explain, or when he confronted Arat about it.
Elte grins, as if to say, hey I don't bite!
Elte tries to copy the Sime gesture in taking the teacup.
Elte: Yes, I'll find a way to explain it so he understands.
Elte: That's an important part of image management.
Elte: Putting the right spin on the stuff that can't be changed, so people see it your way.
Arat frowns.
Arat: What sort of 'spin' do you intend to use?
Arat does not notice that he has as good as condoned Elte's meddling.
Elte: Not sure yet. First I have to understand what I'm dealing with. Then I'll figure out the best way to package it.
Elte: Part of it might mean you have to change a few things. Part of it might be I convince other people to change a few things... maybe just their pre-conceptions.
Elte: I'm very persuasive.
Elte flashes that big grin again.
Arat wonders what sorts of things he would have to change. He has already put a big effort into this, and it hasn't been pleasant. In fact, in some ways it's been downright demeaning.
Arat has had enough other difficulties, what with the shortages and the labor issues and the larity issues, as well as his own not-so-obvious health problems, that the public appearance bit has been one more straw on the camel's back.
Arat being a Farris has a compulsion to bear whatever load he is challenged to, however.
Elte: For instance, Mr. Birch said your veil gave the wrong impression... looked like something an old lady would wear.
Elte: But if I'm understanding you, it helps keep you from getting sick from these allergens in public places.
Arat: It is mainly used to prevent excessive contact with dust.
Arat: As well as triggering breathing difficulties, the dust is laden with chemicals from the construction site, and can cause problems in eyes, throat and lateral sheathes.
Elte brings the tea up to his lips and sips it. His mind is racing in a dozen directions.
Elte: Quite frankly, Controller, I've been observing Channels and Donors at work as you suggested.
Elte: Did you see those photos of the mud slide that I sent for publication?
Elte: Forget meetings at a table, how do you manage to function as a channel under these conditions with these unsanitary workers?
Arat: I do not work in the field.
Arat: We have done much to improve the sanitation of the wards and the Sime Center buildings.
Arat: It is difficult, but manageable for me there.
Elte nods.
Arat mentally thinks, extremely difficult but we hope it will be manageable long term.
Arat: I have had more work available to me here than in many years, and not having to deal with entran has helped considerably in maintaining my health.
Arat does not know if any of the channels or Donors Elte has talked to have told him what an unwanted job the Controllership is, and why.
Arat does not know if Elte knows what entran is, for that matter, although if he'd done any research into Arat he ought to have seen mention of it.
Elte: Well, Birch is right. When a leader looks sick, it's bad for morale. And public confidence.
Elte: Of course, the best way not to look sick is not to be sick.
Elte grins again.
Elte: So if you need a controlled environment for public meetings, we'll have to arrange for that.
Arat thinks that it would be a good thing, if cleaner environments for meetings could be arranged.
Arat: Jeniard or Nick would be able to assist you with determining the requirements for meeting-places.
Elte: Or maybe there's some type of veil that would look more impressive.
Elte: I mean, a channel's like a doctor. So a dust shield that looks like surgical scrubs would convey the idea of scientific hygiene, not weakness.
Arat: The forearm veils are just as important. There is no out-territory equivalent, is there?
Elte brainstorms several other wardrobe changes.
Elte: Well, out-Territory judges wear robes that cover them all over. It's kind of an intimidation thing... makes an authority figure more imposing if you can't see the expression on the face.
Elte thinks that an outfit like that would also mask Arat's all-too-revealing facial expressions.
Elte: And a channel's a kind of judge, right? Power of life and death?
Arat frowns thoughtfully.
Arat knows that in the fierce cold of a mountain winter, they will all be covered in robes anyway.
Elte: I mean, it wouldn't look much like a Tecton uniform, but it would shout "authority" to people from my side of the Border.
Elte: Might also frighten them a bit, though. I guess that could be a problem.
Arat: If it were of the correct material and and color and bore the Tecton symbol, it could be cleared as a uniform.
Arat doesn't even consider the fear factor. People are always afraid of him. That is just how it is.
Elte: Well, it's worth looking into, if it would help you attend your meetings without getting ill.
Arat nods.
Elte: And while threatening and inscrutable is not the best image to project, it's certainly better than weak or passive.
Arat frowns.
Arat: It is odd.
Arat: I have been accused of appearing threatening and inscrutable many times, but never the other.
Arat rather wishes Elte found him threatening and inscrutable, actually.
Arat thinks it would have saved him a good deal of trouble.
Arat: Except for Mr. Birch's comments, that is.
Elte: Well, of course Gens are different.
Elte: We blunder about guessing and our imaginations fill in the blanks.
Elte is incapable of finding anyone threatening, but does agree that Arat is rather inscrutable. However, he views this as a challenge.
Arat: It is different with in-territory Gens.
Arat thinks it if were the same, he would not have had anywhere near as much trouble with the reports Donors gave of him after their assignments. Controllers never came down on him for moments of weakness or passiveness.
Elte: No doubt. I am told in-Territory Gens have to learn to be sensitive to others around them. Here, we cultivate insensitivity.
Elte: As for Birch, you can usually get his attention if you hit him with a 2' x 4'.
Arat remembers Nick's rude demand that Mr. Birch put out his cigar. It had, indeed, produced results.
Elte: But people who are blind are easily redirected. Leave it to me.
Arat's tea is growing cold in its cup, quite forgotten.
Elte sips some more of his lukewarm tea. He is acquiring a taste for it, though he suspects a good dash of Birch's private stash might improve the flavor.
Elte: I'll talk with Nick and Jeniard, as you suggest, about meeting places.
Elte: If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to sit in on a few of those meetings, just quietly observing.
Elte: Might give me some more ideas.
Arat nods.
Arat is tentatively willing to cooperate with Elte, as Elte's ideas do not seem ridiculous as stated.
Elte's eyes and nager twinkle. The old charm has worked its magic again, even on this angry stick of a Tecton channel.
Elte gets up, placing his teacup on the coffee table
Elte: Well, I've taken up enough of you're time for today.
Elte: Do you mind if I leave through the door?
Arat has not been charmed so much as convinced that Elte's ideas have at least a marginal chance of success, and the situation is intolerable enough that anything that offers relief must be grasped at.
Arat: Please.
Arat means to tonguelash his security people for their laxity the moment Elte is gone. They know it, too; he can zlin it in them, as Elte makes ready to leave.
Elte remembers that he has left his piton in the cliff-face, and decides not to retrieve it.
Elte doesn't think he'll need it again, but you never know.
Notes:
1) This scene is continued from the previous episode. [return]
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