Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #51: Preferences (10/8/00)
Nick waits until Arat finishes the last sentence of his latest report, then sets a steaming cup of Lemon Delight in front of him.
Arat's nostrils curl at the brazenly lemony scent of the tea.
Nick is glad the new supply arrived in time.
Nick glances at the bodyguard stolidly watching from his post near the door, wishing they had true privacy.
Nick has resigned himself to Arat's bodyguards, however, especially after they intercepted the... but that's neither here nor there.
Nick: Have some tea, Arat, while I get the kinks out of your shoulders.
Taskent stands beside the door quietly. He is a rather burly Gen with large blue eyes and slick black hair and nondescript features other than the eyes.
Nick proceeds to the shoulder rub without waiting for an invitation that will never come.
Arat proceeds to ignore the body guards (which he does habitually), and the tea (which, alas, is more than habitual), but he does put down his pen in concession to the shoulder rub.
Taskent has been on a few difficult jobs in his career. This one has been the hardest and he is looking forward to rotating out of it in a month or so. [He doesn't realize that he will be stuck as soon as the first snow flies]
Nick: Arat, there's something I've been meaning to ask you about..
Nick inspects Arat to see if he is likely to reject the prospect out of hand.
Arat appears to be thinking about the next report, while waiting for the backrub to be over. He hasn't objected, though.
Nick has actually gotten quite good at gaging Arat's degree of non-communicativeness.
Nick therefore decides to proceed.
Taskent adjusts his stance slightly and tries not to eaves drop on the conversation of the Controller and his Donor. Hard to do while standing in the room. Most jobs he would be outside the door but not this one.
Nick: Lately, people keep bringing me problems, expecting me to have the answers because I'm your Donor. And a lot of the time, they're not even problems that a Donor might be expected to know about.
Arat considers what Nick has said.
Nick: Yesterday, I was cornered by two renSimes, who wanted me to settle how they should divide up their camp expenses.
Nick: Why should they think I know anything about their finances?
Arat frowns.
Nick does, as it turns out, know a bit about camping out, but Snake kept a tight hold on their finances at the time.
Nick has, in fact, never had more than a common laborer's salary to dispose of, until he pledged.
Arat: That is the sort of questions they ask you?
Nick was therefore actually far better qualified to settle the dispute than the renSimes could have imagined.
Nick: Well, sometimes. I was also cornered by a clerk who works under Jeniard, and who wasn't satisfied with the way Jeniard was handling things.
Nick: They seemed to think that I might be more approachable.
Nick can actually be considered approachable only on a relative scale: he appears some 75% as approachable as his sire and grandsire.
Arat can't look at Nick from this angle, so he frowns and studies the empty chairs across from his desk.
Arat: Who was it?
Nick: It doesn't matter; he was speaking on behalf of a group of his colleagues.
Taskent has to swallow his laugh at the image of Nick as mother. He has certainly seen him motherhenning the Controller enough.
Nick: They seemed more concerned about creating a line of communication that bypassed Jeniard, than at any specific thing that Jeniard had done.
Taskent wishes he were outside the door.
Nick: Jeniard seemed to think that they were mainly worried about having to solve their problems themselves, and I have to agree with his assessment.
Nick: But still, why would they come to me? I don't know anything much about running a clerical office.
Nick's clerical abilities have improved remarkably since he pledged: he has actually learned about three quarters of the reports he's supposed to file, and those only have to be sent back for revisions once or twice.
Arat's shoulders tense.
Arat: I asked you for a name. [firmly]
Arat is not interested in being spoon fed by Nick because of any lack of confidence Nick may have in his ability to manage fairly.
Taskent shakes himself and reminds himself that the Controller is a Farris channel. He reapplies his discipline.
Nick: Vavka, or something of the sort. But he had been elected as spokesman for a group of clerks.
Nick: What I don't understand is why they thought I was worth approaching on a clerical matter.
Arat doesn't understand why Nick didn't remember the man's name. That he was elected to speak for a group is no excuse - in fact, it marks him as being someone to keep an eye on.
Nick doesn't normally misplace names, and that he did so in this case is a measure of how unsettling the incident was for him.
Nick is fortunate that there are currently no Narosians around to hear of his unforgivable lapse in gossip-mongering.
Taskent hadn't thought that switching shifts with Wisen would require him to be inside the room instead of outside (his usual post). He had been very careful to make sure that he was posted outside after his first posting inside. His rather quirky sense of humor was proving more of a problem than he would have thought.
Arat: He was attempting to take the problem over his immediate superior's head in the chain of command. It is a common enough tactic, although not well looked upon.
Arat thinks this is perfectly obvious. He is unaware of Nick's continued inability to comprehend his own rank and position.
Nick: Well, yes, but why me?
Nick: I don't have any authority over the clerks.
Arat: As for the first issue, the camp expenses, they turned to you as an inarguable authority figure. That is a time-honored way of solving disputes.
Arat: The difficulty is that there is no formal government for the camps outside of the construction work camp.
Arat: The organizations which could have provided such an authority, such as SWAT, are in disarray at this time.
Nick considers.
Nick: I wonder if it would help to set up panel of arbitrators, to settle such disputes?
Nick not only found the incident unnerving, it also took up a good five minutes of his precious free time.
Arat twitches his shoulders out from under Nick's hands. The irritation factor of the start of the conversation has taken the pleasure out of the shoulder rub, and now it just feels like an entrapment and a distraction.
Taskent thinks that arbiters would be a good idea. But his opinion counts for nothing.
Arat: It would not be in our place to do so directly [points out].
Arat: The governor of the construction camp could appoint a judge, however.
Nick: Yes, that's true.
Nick finds it relieving to know that his instincts were sound, and he really isn't going to be expected to be a judge as well as a Donor.
Nick reaches out to lay a finger beside a reddened patch at the base of one of Arat's handling tentacles.
Nick: That rash is still bothering you?
Nick feels far more self-confident when taking care of normal situations like Farris allergies.
Arat: It is also possible that under its new leadership, SWAT will accept most of the renSimes who are able to work. That would... [flicks his hand away from Nick's finger]
Arat: It is fine.
Nick sighs mentally; obviously Arat is inclined to be difficult today.
Nick: It would certainly help if SWAT would take in more of the renSimes.
Nick: Elte came by with plans for an alternative uniform for you.
Taskent sometimes wonders how the man can function itching and sneezing all the time. He can't help but respect anyone who is that sick all the time who keeps going in spite of it. Not to mention that thing with the drugged tea.
Taskent shudders. The firm will never forget that they let that happen to a client. Pay penalties were going to put a real cramp in his lifestyle for a while.
Nick: It's supposed to look like an out-Territory judge's robes.
Arat: Did it appear workable?
Nick: Yes, once I convinced him that his choice of fabric was... inadvisable.
Arat is glad he was not there at the time. Although he would insist upon veto power on the new uniform, he doesn't think he can handle more than minimal contact with Elte on a regular basis.
Nick: Although it doesn't look all that much like a standard Tecton uniform, outside of the color.
Nick shrugs; as far as he's concerned, that's not a bad thing.
Nick: I don't think that the renSimes will care about that.
Arat nods.
Nick: I think it will be comfortable enough to work in, and that it will keep the dust out.
Arat: Good.
Nick is reminded by something Snake said during the ensuing conversation, about the reason for Arat's self-destructive habits.
Nick isn't sure he agrees, but it does suggest a possibly useful approach.
Nick is having enough problems keeping Arat functional in these primitive conditions that he can't afford to disregard a hint, no matter the source.
Nick must at least concede that this particular source has made a very close study of Arat, whatever her motivations for doing so.
Nick sits in his chair beside Arat and sips his own tea, letting the ~~ relaxed pleasure ~~ wrap his channel in a comforting nageric blanket.
Nick: Arat, what did you do when you had free time, back when you were still a child?
Arat automatically takes a sip of his own tea in response, then grimaces at the taste.
Arat glances at Nick in surprise.
Nick does his best to appear interested and concerned, without seeming to pry too obviously.
Arat: When I was with my parents, I was expected to keep myself close at hand and occupied when they did not require me. I often read. Many of the families we stayed with had well-educated parents.
Arat: I also interacted with their children.
Arat lost himself in schoolwork more often than not, however.
Nick gathers from the choice of words that this "interaction" rarely involved actually playing together.
Taskent finds this portion of the conversation more interesting.
Nick: What did you read? History? Adventure novels?
Nick assumes that at that point of his life, Arat would not have had access to the 30-volume set of Tecton Rules and Regulations, although he's apparently found time to commit them to memory since.
Arat: These were political families. Their books were mainly historical and political in nature.
Nick: Did you have any favorites?
Arat rarely found it difficult to keep himself occupied when with his parents. It was when he was being fostered that the time stretched out empty and endless. He was not permitted to interact with the children of non-supporters, and they often had nothing but trash to read around the house.
Nick: Or any favorite eras you liked to read about?
Taskent thinks poor guy! Politics and history! Ack!
Arat considers.
Taskent remembers how much he loved adventure stories as a boy. Daring rescues, intrigue, fist fights....
Arat: I enjoyed discovering a book on foreign history, particularly if it was published out of Norwest Territory. They were unusual, and often discussed events I had never heard of.
Nick: Really? What sort of events?
Taskent has to admit that is why he became a personal security guard.
Nick actually is ~~ interested ~~, as he never had much chance to study history.
Nick would probably be much less interested if he had.
Taskent smiles to himself. The reality is far less romantic.
Nick's grandmother's obsession with recent Tecton history (particularly in the cash value of Donors) did tend to limit his education in other areas, however.
Arat: Wars, policy changes. Social experiments.
Arat studies Nick oddly. Nick has never shown much interest in his past before.
Nick is aware of Arat's curiosity, and also that he appears a bit less tense due to this conversational turn.
Nick: What sorts of social experiments did they try? I admit, my school didn't bother with anything but the standard Nivet Territory history, and most of that was confined to post-Unity times.
Taskent is trying not to be too interested in the conversation. History was never anything he cared much about outside of the fact that his grandparents would have sold him for a Choice Kill.
Arat: The stability of the Gen Territories was due in large part to regulations that prevented large numbers of berserk attacks from occurring.
Arat: The cores of those Territories were virtually free of Sime sightings.
Arat: The ways in which this was achieved were varied, but they were nearly always accompanied by controversy and difficult transitions.
Nick: I can see that they would be.
Taskent thinks yeah they killed their own kids on both sides of the border.
Arat: Those who felt the methods used were unacceptable would pressure for new regulations, and further changes would occur.
Arat: Now, of course, somewhat different methods are used.
Nick: I have to admit I prefer the newer methods to the old ones, most of the time..
Nick smiles a bit wryly.
Nick is well aware that Prunida would have had him on the block at a Choice Auction, instead of dumped on the doorstep of the closest Tecton training camp, if he had established forty years before.
Nick wonders if Prunida would have preferred that sort of solution: at least it would have promised an immediate profit.
Arat masochistically tastes his tea a second time.
Nick: Have you ever thought that some of those old ideas could be useful, if adapted to modern circumstances?
Arat: History does have lessons to teach.
Arat does not elaborate, however.
Arat's instinct for non-self-incrimination in anything that could be linked to Audnes revival is fairly well-developed.
Taskent shifts his stance slightly again. At least if he were outside he could recon the area to get some exercise. He glances at his fellow guard, a renSime, who ignores him.
Nick deduces from this noncommittal statement that at least some of what Arat read proved relevant, in understanding or coping with his situation.
Nick wonders if he might learn something from investigating Naros's past, but he finds certain aspects of at least its recent history rather hard to take.
Nick values his illusions, and is therefore reluctant to settle the issue of whether those aspects of his personal history go back farther than three generations.
Taskent will spend a few hours working out after this shift. He has improvised some weights. He couldn't bring his up the mountain. Pack mules with a quarter ton of weights would have cleaned his cash reserves for a month.
Nick: Was there one book or historian that you found particularly instructive?
Nick: Or did you find that a variety of perspectives was more valuable?
Arat: The latter.
Arat's opinion may have been shaped by necessity, however; he didn't often have the luxury of returning to a library he had previously perused.
Arat: It is often not possible to gain a full understanding of a situation by reading only one person's perspective. Or even one researcher's perspective.
Nick: You have to read the controversial ones, as well as the ones that take a more standard approach?
Taskent was intrigued by that out-T Gen making the climb up the cliff face. He wondered if he could do something like that as well. Nah, the Simes in their contingent got nervous enough with him lifting weights. They would flat freak if he decided to hang off of the cliff face.
Nick hopes the bodyguards are listening; the idea he is beginning to form does have some risks, although there are ways to minimize them.
Arat frowns.
Arat wonders what Nick is getting at.
Nick would much prefer to have a friendly witness to this part of the conversation, if there is trouble..
Arat generally doesn't announce to all and sundry that he reads controversial materials. It just isn't prudent.
Arat: It is important to get multiple perspectives. Sometimes that means simply reading the work of two different scholars.
Nick thinks that that should be sufficient cover, particularly since if he can pull it off, Arat will not be suspected of deliberately collecting possibly controversial materials.
Taskent smiled to himself. No one had minded him working out in the company gym. In fact he used to draw crowds of Simes. He guessed the difference here was the lack of nice safe equipment. Drop big rock on foot and watch Simes run. Problem is the ones who run toward you.
Nick has become convinced that Arat would profit from having a hobby, and while he would prefer that Arat take up something that interests his Donor as well, he can't afford to be picky.
Taskent is enjoying his own train of thought. It's a good way not to eavesdrop. His interest started drifting around the controversial versus noncontroversial history.
Taskent wonders how anybody could find that stuff interesting.
Nick settles back ~~ contentedly ~~ sipping his tea.
Nick: Did you ever get interested in Gen Territory history, or just that of Norwest Territory?
Taskent's ears perk up a bit. Gen Territory is a mystical place. Imagine living without Simes around. He can't actually.
Nick has actually lived in Gen Territory for brief periods, when it seemed advisable as a way to dodge Prunida, and could have told Taskent that there are far more Simes out-Territory than the Gens like to admit. Although they don't stay long.
Taskent has decided one day he is going to go to Gen Territory to just see what it is like.
Taskent contemplates the value of being more conversant in Genlan -- English. He has heard all manner of strange thing about the "Wild Gens". He thinks he would like to see where the wild things are.
Arat: I found the Gen Territory historical references to be of some interest.
Nick: It's a very different culture, Gen Territory. I was never quite comfortable there.
Arat: I have never had the opportunity to visit Gen Territory until I came here.
Arat 's "visits" have thus far been limited to extremely high security, short duration visits with authorities and such, and mainly only for appearance's sake.
Arat therefore has had little to no contact with the people or culture of the area, aside from what said authorities thought would make good entertainment for the visit.
Arat may have been interested in travel in Gen Territory when he was younger, but the Tecton would never have permitted it during his first years as an adult.
Nick: You wouldn't get the full impact even if you did: they tend to distrust anyone who belongs on this side of the border.
Nick: They were open enough with me, though, as long as they didn't know where I grew up.
Nick smiles wryly as he recalls an unfortunate incident when he was exposed at a particularly inconvenient moment.
Taskent is startled by that bit of information. He didn't know it mattered to the Wild Gens where another Gen came from.
Arat takes another, very cautious, sip of his tea. He does not like lemons, or fruity tea in general.
Arat discovers that yes, it is still lemon.
Arat puts it down.
Arat: I would prefer a different tea.
Nick: I have some of that cinnamon one left, I think. Or the anise.
Arat: There is no ordinary trin?
Nick is already taking the offending teacup away.
Nick looks through the selections.
Taskent would love to take what's left of the tea the Controller has discarded. It smells wonderful.
Taskent quickly reconsiders, remembering a certain adulterated brew.
Nick: There's some of Jeniard's, here.
Arat: Why is it not possible to maintain a usable supply of ordinary trin tea?
Arat: They have it in the camps.
Arat: We have fresh fruit. Why can we not stock trin?
Arat thinks he knows why: because Nick is holding off on buying ordinary trin in favor of waiting for another shipment from Naros.
Arat manages to avoid saying so, though; petulance doesn't become a Controller.
Arat in fact is becoming frustrated with the endless shortages in petty things.
Taskent grimaces. If the Controller wants real trin he can have his ration.
Nick: There is plenty of plain trin around. That's part of the problem: it would be too easy to... slip in another surprise. At least it's harder for someone to do a quick switch with my Narosian blends; they're pretty distinctive.
Taskent never has liked the stuff. Now the Narosian that Nick always seems to have in abundance that would be nice.
Arat had estimated how hard on employee morale the constant lack of a full range of supplies would be, but had failed to make the same calculation for himself.
Nick avoids looking at Arat.
Nick: Jeniard had a cup of this earlier, though, so it's safe enough.
Nick rinses Arat's cup and measure's Jeniard's tea into it.
Arat looks disgruntled, but there isn't much he can say to that is there?
Arat: Order it brought in by courier, then. With the fruit. [says at last]
Nick has been relying on the premise that Snake is unlikely to risk poisoning her Donor.
Arat thinks that if Seruffin objects to that, it will take at least a month to find out.
Arat thinks that Seruffin has more problems to worry about than a vastly over-run budget in one small district.
Nick: ...All right.
Nick: I'll get you some plain trin.
Nick wonders if Riyyh would be willing to send some unflavored trin with Nick's shipment, preferably labeled as something more exotic.
Nick decides that it's worth a try.
Nick sets a steaming cup in front of Arat.
Taskent wonders if he can parlay his office as Arat's bodyguard into extending to Nick. Maybe then he could get some decent tea.
Nick: There you are.
Arat: Thank you. [somewhat mollified]
Nick little suspects how infrequently Arat addressed those words towards a Donor, before his own arrival.
Taskent wonders if the out-T Gens drink tea. There are certainly enough of them wondering around the site. He decides that maybe he could ask someone. Maybe the Diplomatic Corps liaison what was her name? Oh yeah, Cris. He had heard that she was born out-T. She would know.
Nick therefore doesn't call for Elte to have his editor stop the presses, but instead settles back into his chair and sips his lemon-flavored tea.
Nick: You're welcome.
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