Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #60: Strayed from the Tree (10/29/00)
Nikki dodges through the tents and mud. She has fallen twice and is covered form head to toe in the sticky mess. Her mother doesn't even know that she is gone. She left her arguing with that Howe man.
Nick, being older (or perhaps because he has an additional 25% of Riyyh's taste for soap and hot water), is not collecting near as much topsoil on his way across the compound.
Nick's boots being the notable exception, but even 100% Riyyh's genes can't prevent that.
Nikki knows where she's going. She see the tent ahead of her. She runs up to the entrance and darts inside.
Nikki is greeted with the wonderful smell that she now associates with the man who is her father.
Riyyh is nowhere to be seen. The tent is pristine and orderly, and it does smell nice.
Nikki looks around frantically. Where is he?! She knows she can't stay long. She just has to see him again.
Nikki collapses in the middle of the floor and begins to cry, heartbroken.
Nick therefore has a personal as well as a professional interest in keeping abreast of the bathhouse construction project.
Nikki would love to live where things are pretty and smell nice and....
Nick's most urgent personal reason for wanting the bathhouse completed, is that it will no longer require Riyyh to use Arat's shower.
Nick still can't believe that he and Jeniard have gotten away with that as long as they have.
Nikki hugs her knees to her chest and sobs quietly. She has learned be quiet when she cries so Momma won't hear.
Nick daily regrets having made that offer to his... progenitor, and suspects that Jeniard would, as well, if Jeniard had other, more legitimate reasons to meet with Riyyh.
Nikki can remember a time when she didn't know anything else but her mother and her many, many aunts. But then the people had come to take her to school. Her momma had been very angry.
Nick spots Riyyh hard at work, being very nice indeed to a crestfallen Narosian who has apparently just realized that the stones gathered for the foundation will be covered over in the course of construction, preventing their beauty from being visible in the finished bathhouse.
Nick waits politely until the stone-gatherer has been mollified, with the help of a great deal of personal attention from her father. Or is that grandfather?
Nick then approaches his... well, in Nick's case, it's both.
Nick: Riyyh! How is the bathhouse coming along?
Riyyh brightens as he sees and zlins Nick.
Riyyh: Why hello, Nick.
Riyyh glances at the construction scene behind him.
Nick looks around at the piles of materials.
Nick: You have been very busy here.
Riyyh: Well, they are very enthusiastic. I only wish they had more experience, but I suppose they will once they are finished.
Riyyh smiles a bit sheepishly. Not that he had any idea they'd be building anything when he selected the Narosians for this new program.
Nick is slightly ~ concerned ~ at this admission that the construction crew here are amateurs.
Riyyh places a reassuring hand on Nick's forearm.
Riyyh: There are plenty of volunteers from among the true construction workers.
Nick: Perhaps it might be wise to ask some of the engineers on the Dam project to look over the plans?
Riyyh: It will be a beautiful bathhouse, or at least a functional one. It's just that there are so many little disappoin... [pauses]
Nick: Just to make sure that nothing has been overlooked?
Riyyh: I am sure it will be fine, Nick.
Riyyh pats Nick's arm, wondering why Nick with all of his problems has chosen to worry about the structural integrity of the Narosian bathhouse.
Riyyh supposes it is just because Nick is such a nice boy.
Riyyh smiles at Nick in gratitude at the thought.
Nick: You said that there have been a lot of disappointments and problems? Nothing that's going to be unsolvable, I hope?
Riyyh looks at Nick more closely. He had said little disappointments. Why is Nick so worried about this?
Nick really doesn't want to be left trying to coax Arat out of his sulks if the Narosians turn from a project that is "Not a bad idea, actually" to one that is less acceptable.
Riyyh: No, of course not.
Nick looks a bit relieved.
Riyyh: Is anything wrong? [quietly] You seem... tense.
Nick shrugs.
Nick: No more than usual, I suppose. Trying to keep Arat physically stable in this environment would be a hard task for three Donors.
Nick really doesn't want to have to admit how much of his tension stems from his impulsive offer of Arat's shower to Riyyh.
Nick is still trying to figure out what possessed him to make the offer.
Nick: This problem of the Gens who won't return has been bothering me, as well.
Riyyh: It is a difficult problem, [admits]
Riyyh: It was not easy to convince Sayward that her idea was an impossibility, given the amount of time involved.
Riyyh: I've been trying to think of an alternative.
Riyyh: Come with me... I have some ideas I would like to run past you.
Nick perks up at the idea of a possible solution. Or even part of one.
Riyyh would like some idea of just how much trouble he could get into with Arat and Mr. Birch for this.
Riyyh likes to have this sort of information on hand, even if he ultimately ignores it.
Riyyh waves to his members and the other volunteers, letting them know he will be back, then starts down slope in the direction of the distant Narosian tent camp.
Nick follows Riyyh, hoping that some tea can accompany the discussion.
Riyyh: You see, the difficulty is in collecting all of the Gens before winter prevents their leaving.
Riyyh: Even if we stopped all work on the bath house and dedicated our time to locating and collecting these Gens, we couldn't hope to find more than 10 or so a day, and with two or three thousand of them hidden among the camps, you see the problem.
Riyyh: There are only thirty of us.
Nick: Yes. The problem would seem to be to make them come to you.
Riyyh: If we removed the restriction of having to actually transport the Gens away, [pauses, as Nick seems more interested in voicing his own ideas]
Riyyh: Oh?
Riyyh is nothing if not a good listener.
Nick: Even if they are hard for your people, or Mr. Birch's people, to locate, surely they talk to each other?
Nick: You were talking about transporting the Gens?
Nick has been a bit worried about this, given what even one good snow will do to the trails.
Riyyh: Well. What I would like to propose is the creation of a collective living space for these Gens.
Nikki cries herself to sleep in the midst of her father's tent.
Riyyh: Each Gen captured or surrendering will be charged with illegal entry into Sime Territory and held there. However, they will also receive 10 shares of communal property rights and 100 shares of communal debt.
Nick: Debt which they could work of by doing camp chores and so on?
Riyyh: Let me get to that part.
Riyyh: As I see it, the main difficulty with these Gens' presence here, aside from the legal aspects of course, is their housing and feeding.
Nick: Yes. And those will become more urgent as winter arrives.
Nick: I can't say that the selyn they produce would be unwelcome, though.
Riyyh: There is no reason why their selyn production cannot pay for their housing and ... [pauses again as Nick speaks]
Riyyh: Yes.
Nick considers the idea for a moment.
Nick: It might work, logistically speaking.
Riyyh: What would seem to be required is an initiative to arrange for the housing area, the import of enough food to last the winter and the building of adequate storage facilities.
Riyyh: It is this expense that would be represented by the communal debt.
Nick nods.
Nick: I don't think that Mr. Birch would approve, but if it is handled by the in-Territory immigration authorities, it might be possible to bypass him.
Nick thinks it's about time that the immigration people did something useful.
Riyyh: Well, of course the Gens would still be liable for their crime in border-crossing, unless they were to go through the appropriate immigration procedures.
Riyyh: We could provide some assistance for those who are interested.
Riyyh and most mature Narosians have a reasonable knowledge of immigration issues, due to Naros' disjunction program.
Riyyh: As weather permits, those who are unwilling could be deported a few at a time.
Nick: Perhaps Arat could be enlisted to help convince the immigration people to cooperate with this plan--he can be rather persuasive.
Riyyh honestly can think of no reason why the immigration authorities would not cooperate. He is more worried about Arat and Mr. Birch.
Riyyh simply nods, however.
Riyyh: Some tact and discretion would be required to prevent larity issues from becoming a problem.
Riyyh: Such an internment might remind some of earlier times best forgotten.
Riyyh: There is also the issue of the initial capital for the project. I was hoping you could be of some assistance in that matter, actually.
Riyyh arrives at the door of his tent and holds the flap open for Nick to enter.
Riyyh does a double take as he zlins (barely) the small child curled up on the rug on the floor.
Nick: Initial capital?
Nick: I....
Nick breaks off as he almost steps on Nikki.
Nick: Who is this?
Riyyh: Oh, dear.
Riyyh lets the flap fall shut behind them.
Riyyh: I'm afraid it's my daughter. And her mother must be frantic with worry.
Nikki sleeps as only children can, deeply and undisturbed.
Riyyh: The poor dear, she's exhausted.
Nick: Your daughter?
Nick's voice squawks as he realizes that he has acquired another sibling.
Riyyh: Well, it's a long story.
Riyyh steps carefully around the sleeping form and goes to get some water heating.
Nikki slowly wakes to the sound of voices. She also begins to remember where she is.
Riyyh pours purified water from a covered pitcher, then adds scented wood to a tiny stove (complete with tiny stovepipe leaving through an insulated ring in the side of the tent).
Nick shouldn't get so worked up about it: the percentage increase is negligible, really. Even when Nikki's siblings are added in.
Nick: I didn't think any Narosian children had been brought up here?
Riyyh 's tiny stove is destined to be the centerpiece of a small trin parlor attached to the bathhouse.
Nikki stirs and covers a small yawn as she sits up.
Riyyh: Not by us.
Riyyh smiles at Nikki.
Riyyh: Hello. I thought you were going to be a good girl and stay with your mother.
Nikki looks up to see her father smiling at her. She smiles back.
Riyyh can't quite bring himself to appear unhappy at her presence though. He is always happy about everybody's presence.
Nick: Not by....
Nick voice trails off as he tries to follow the implications.
Nikki hangs her head.
Nikki: I -- I just wanted to see you again.
Riyyh: This is your brother, Nick. Nick, Nikki.
Nikki worries that her father will send her away.
Nick looks at Nikki.
Riyyh has a lot of progeny named different variations of Nick. Not as many as are named variations of Riyyh, though.
Nikki looks at the other man. Another brother! Not another one!
Riyyh thinks if Nick knew that he was named after Riyyh's own grandmother, he would probably change his name.
Nick tries hard not to wince at the coincidence of names: after all, with as many progeny as Riyyh boasts, such situations must occur frequently.
Nikki's heart breaks as her hope of being alone with her father are shattered by another sibling.
Nick reminds himself that the name is most likely not Nikki's fault.
Nick: Hello, Nikki.
Nick looks at Nikki, trying to figure out if she is 75% like himself, or only 50%.
Riyyh zlins their mutual dismay and sighs to himself.
Riyyh is glad that he didn't quite get to the part about asking Nick to talk Arat into investing his personal fortune in the project.
Nikki: I don't want you here!! Go away!!
Nick blinks at this frontal assault.
Riyyh blinks at it also.
Nikki looks horrified. She has never raised her voice to an adult before.
Nick decides that Nikki must be only 50%, and that her mother must be as bad as Prunida.
Nikki: I'm sorry!
Riyyh: Oh, dear.
Nikki starts to cry again.
Riyyh's tentacles flutter in consternation as he goes to Nikki's side.
Riyyh: There, there.
Riyyh pats her back.
Nikki: I didn't mean to be bad. I....
Nikki looks desperately from her father to her brother and back again.
Nikki: Please don't send me away!
Riyyh: There, there, Nikki. [says again] You know I can't help what your mother wishes for you.
Riyyh: But you're welcome to stay here until she comes to get you. [smiles]
Nick: Nikki, where is your mother?
Nick manages to avoid asking who Nikki's mother is, barely.
Nick can't help being curious about it, though.
Nikki slumps in on herself, resigned to the fact that yet another adult would rather not be bothered with her.
Nick: Did she come here to work on the Dam construction?
Nikki: She is in her tent.
Nikki doesn't understand what damn construction is.
Riyyh: She and her lawyer came specifically to visit me, [explains]
Nick: Her lawyer?
Riyyh: Poor Nikki was simply brought along as evidence, I'm afraid.
Riyyh: I do hope they are able to leave before the passes are closed.
Riyyh doesn't just mean because the lawyer and the mother are a pain in the ass, either.
Nikki: I want to stay with you.
Nick can't help feeling a bit more sympathy with Nikki's plight, having been bred for his grandmother's financial advantage, himself.
Nikki gets up and stands in front of her father.
Nikki: Please let me stay?
Riyyh: Nikki, you are more than welcome here. But I cannot simply take you despite your mother's wishes. There are rules and laws about that. [kindly]
Nick: Nikki, it may not be possible for you to stay with... our father. But that doesn't mean he doesn't love you.
Nick feels on fairly safe ground making this statement, as Riyyh loves everybody.
Nick: And while you're here, you can meet all your other brothers and sisters.
Nikki: Do you love me? [asks Riyyh]
Riyyh: Why of course, Nikki.
Riyyh strokes her hair.
Nikki: But you won't make Momma let me stay?
Riyyh: I can't really make her do it. You see, I can only ask, and hope she says yes.
Riyyh would hate to be the one to have to break it to Nikki that adults have to obey as many seemingly tedious and senseless rules as children do. There is time enough for Nikki to figure that out as she gets a bit older.
Nick: Does Nikki's mother have plans for her, like my grandmother did for me?
Nick hopes that is sufficiently clear to Riyyh, without revealing any unpleasant truths to Nikki.
Riyyh: I do not know. [admits]
Nick: She didn't say?
Nikki thinks for a moment.
Nick: Nikki, have you and your mother ever talked about what you might do when you're grown up?
Nikki: If she says yes, you would take me? You would let me live with you?
Riyyh: Of course, Nikki.
Riyyh suspects this will not happen, as Nikki's mother has demonstrated desire to give nothing to Riyyh but maybe an excess of bile.
Nikki: Will you ask her? [hope shines in her large gray eyes]
Riyyh: I will ask her.
Nikki leaps into her fathers arms and hugs him tight.
Nikki: My daddy!
Riyyh: Oh dear, [to himself]
Riyyh hugs Nikki back, trying not to think about what some other Narosians might have to say about such an arrangement if it came about.
Nick decides that he really ought to do something constructive, or Riyyh is likely to be overly distracted by the confusion.
Nikki kisses him on the cheek and buries her face in his hair.
Nick: Nikki, your mother is probably very worried about you. Would you like me to take you back to her tent?
Nikki: My daddy, my daddy. [she murmurs softly]
Nick: Or do you want to wait until she comes here looking for you?
Riyyh can't help but notice that Nikki is completely ignoring Nick.
Riyyh zlins Nick in an attempt to determine whether there is any jealousy on Nick's part, but of course he can't tell much due to Nick's larger field.
Nick: Her mother might be less distressed if I return her, rather than you. [to Riyyh]
Nikki: No!
Nikki: I want to stay. Please daddy! I want to stay!
Nick goes over to kneel by Nikki, following Riyyh's tactics and taking her hand, in an effort to get her attention.
Nikki feels a sudden desperation rising in her heart.
Nick: Nikki, your mother will be very mad at... our father, if she finds out that you have been coming here without permission.
Nick: If she's mad at him, she won't want to let you stay with him.
Nikki peers at her brother through her father's hair.
Riyyh wonders if he should ask Nick to not bother Nikki. What he really wants, though, is to not be caught between them. A little late for that, though.
Nikki knows he is right but...
Riyyh smiles, trying to be nice to both of them at once.
Nick: So don't you think it would be better to let me take you back now, before she has a chance to get too angry?
Nikki leans back to look into her father's face.
Nick isn't jealous of Riyyh's attention, but he doesn't want Riyyh to be completely distracted by an angry mother and lawyer.
Nikki: You will let me stay with you if momma says I can?
Riyyh: If she does. [promises]
Nikki: Okay. [looks at her brother]
Riyyh can't really see a responsible mother agreeing to dump her child on an unplumbed, unsanitary construction site in the mountains before the fall of winter, with a man she is currently suing for rape, but he can see it's important to Nikki.
Riyyh's decision making process tends to place extra weight on other people's ideas of what's important.
Riyyh: [particularly whatever person is sitting in his lap at the time]
Nick smiles at Nikki and holds out his hand in a companionable fashion.
Nikki kisses her father once more and lets go of him.
Riyyh smiles and lets her go.
Nick's smile is only 75% as charming as Riyyh's, but it is half again as charming as Nikki's would be, if she was smiling.
Nikki: [looking at her brother] Your name is Nik?
Nick: Yes. Nick Reckage. I'm a Donor with the Tecton.
Nick: Has your mother ever told you anything about Donors?
Nikki giggles. They have the same name almost. This brother is kind of nice.
Nikki: She doesn't talk to me much. Except when I'm bad.
Nick understands the type all too well.
Nick: Well, then, let's get you home before she decides that you've been very bad indeed.
Nikki: Okay. [turns to her father] Bye, daddy.
Nick meets Riyyh's eyes over Nikki's head and shrugs wryly.
Riyyh: Good bye. [kindly]
Nick leads Nikki from the tent.
Nikki: [to her big brother as they leave the tent] What's a dona?
Go on to Episode #61: Fairy Hunt
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