Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #61: Fairy Hunt (10/30/00)
Nick waits outside the infirmary for Arat to finish some last-minute paperwork.
Nick does enjoy having a few minutes to enjoy the fresh air, toxic as it is to his channel.
Nikki has gotten away from her mother again. She left her napping this time. This new place is so big, not like home. It is fun to go exploring.
Nick is pleasantly tired after their latest shift, which involved the victims of an ill-timed blast in the tunnels, two cases of food poisoning, and a miscarriage.
Nick does like variety in his workday.
Nick is dressed in Tecton uniform today, a formality that he did not bother with when paying an "informal family visit" to the Narosian compound.
Nikki has seen some buildings that look like fun to explore. There are people everywhere and none of them notice her. She likes not being noticed. At home everyone notices her and everyone criticizes too.
Nick people-watches as he waits for Arat.
Nikki is very careful to try not to get muddy today. Her mother screamed for half an hour about her messing up her clothes.
Nick thinks that it will soon be too cold to be outside by choice, even by his standards.
Nikki turns the corner of another building. This is fun!! So many places to and things to see!
Nikki looks around the corner of the closest building playing hide and seek with the people going by. They don't know she is there. She ducks around another building and continues her game. As she sidles along a wall she sees a familiar form across the way. She giggles and decides to go play with her big brother.
Nikki has never had a big brother before. All her brothers are the same age she is and a big pain in the -- she can't use that word.
Nikki runs up to Nick and pounces on him when he is looking the other way.
Nikki: Hi Nicky!!
Nick lets out a strangled yelp, barely managing not to slam every Sime in half a mile.
Nikki giggles. She likes that they have the same name sort of.
Nick looks down at the wriggling six-year-old attached like a leech to his waist.
Nick: Nikki!
Nick: What are you doing over here?
Nikki: Playing hide and seek!
Nikki: Whatcha doin'?
Nick: I'm waiting for Controller Farris.
Nick: Remember, I told you he was my channel?
Nikki: Oh. Is it fun to be a channel?
Nick: You'll have to ask him yourself.
Nikki: Is daddy a channel?
Nick: Yes. But he's not as sensitive a channel as Controller Farris.
Nick: Farris channels have the highest speed and capacity of any channel family.
Nick is leaving out a few other common traits of Farris channels, of course: overlarge noses, warped personalities, obsessions with perfectionism...
Nikki: What's sensati--- sensatif?
Nick: He can zlin things that nobody else can, and he can zlin things that are farther away, too.
Nikki: Like fairies?
Nikki know that no one can zlin a fairy.
Nick: Well, I don't know about fairies. Mostly, he zlins what makes people sick or hurt, so he can help them get better.
Nick: That's what we've been doing all afternoon.
Nikki: Oh. [this doesn't sound quite as much fun as zlinning fairies]
Nikki wonders if maybe he could show her where the fairies are and they could play sometime.
Arat exits the infirmary (such as those with no sense of humor call it; it has other names as well) having finished off his shift.
Arat comes out the door right between Nick and Nikki.
Nick: Arat, there you are. I was starting to wonder whether something else had come up.
Nick had noticed that "things" seem to come up when Farris channels have to stop working and start taking care of things like sleeping.
Nikki looks up at the man who has just arrived. He is very very tall.
Nikki: You must eat a lot to get so big.
Arat looks from Nick down to Nikki.
Nick: Arat, this is Nikki. She's my....
Arat comes up short like a carriage horse that has found a street urchin under foot. He has about the same expression, too.
Nick tries to figure out the degree of relationship between them, given that they have a common father, but Nick's extra 25% makes....
Nick gives up.
Arat: Your sister. [fills in]
Nick: Er, my sister.
Arat is not blind.
Nick: Yes.
Nikki: Hello!
Arat examines Nikki briefly. He would rather ignore her and go on with his life, except that it would be rather awkward with Nick there.
Nick: Nikki, this is Controller Farris.
Arat nods to Nikki.
Nikki smiles. She is missing her two front teeth.
Nikki: Nick says you can zlin things that no one else can.
Arat notes that no other persons who could be attached to Nikki are nearby. From this he can gather that Nick is responsible for the child for some reason. This is unfortunate and unexpected.
Nick notes Arat's search for a child-care agent.
Arat glances at Nick, realizes Nick expects him to have a conversation with Nikki, and wilts just slightly in resignation.
Arat: It is true. [admits]
Arat studies Nikki again, this time more thoroughly.
Nick's nager ~~ warms ~~ at this display of amiability.
Arat: I did not realize Naros brought any children.
Nikki: Can you zlin fairies?
Arat looks at Nikki oddly.
Nick: Nikki's mother and her lawyer arrived in camp a few days ago, in search of Riyyh.
Arat: Her lawyer?
Arat thinks he would rather not know about that, to be honest.
Arat: Never mind.
Nikki looks from Nick to Arat. He didn't answer her question and it is important to know these things. She tugs on Arat's pant leg.
Arat's dark eyes flick down to Nikki again in some annoyance. He wouldn't even let his own daughters paw him that way.
Nick winces as Arat's pants crease gets mangled, and reaches for Nikki's hand himself.
Nick isn't as prone to hold hands as their mutual father, but it seems the best way to prevent the hand from going where it shouldn't.
Arat: No. I do not zlin "fairies".
Nikki frowns. Oh well.
Arat does not believe in fairies either, but it is beneath his dignity to say so.
Nikki: Oh. [she holds her arm up to Nick for him to pick her up]
Nick looks a little startled, and a little dismayed, but he really doesn't want his half-sister (well, a bit more than half-sister) making a fuss around Arat.
Nick therefore obediently bends down and picks Nikki up.
Nikki hugs Nick tight once and kisses him on the cheek.
Nikki: [to Arat] It's okay if you can zlin them. I can see them sometimes anyway.
Arat: You will meet me at the house, then? [to Nick, leaving it unspoken that Nick will ditch Nikki beforehand]
Arat walks away without waiting for an answer.
Nick is reluctant to leave Arat to the mercies of the camp's ambient nager.
Nick hurries to catch up, still carrying Nikki.
Nick: I'll see you back home first, and then get Nikki back to her mother.
Arat has no answer to that save to scowl at a total stranger passing in the other direction.
Nikki shivers at the thought of the punishment she will get for her little adventure when her mother get a hold of her.
Nikki: Do I have to go back? Can't I go see daddy?
Nick: I don't think your mother would like that.
Nikki: [hangs her head] Okay.
Nikki is radiating unhappiness at what will come.
Nick gives Nikki an encouraging squeeze, in hopes of preventing an outburst.
Nikki hugs Nick.
Nikki: I like having a big brother.
Nick usually prefers being hugged by females some ten years older than Nikki.
Nick is technically old enough to be Nikki's father, although he doesn't take after their mutual sire in some respects.
Nick is rather encouraged by the way Nikki is responding to him, though.
Nick therefore ventures a response.
Nick: You know, I didn't know I had any brothers or sisters at all, when I was growing up.
Nick was under the impression that his father and grandfather were different people, too.
Arat stalks along slightly ahead of them, pretending he is not with them. This is how he usually walks with people.
Nikki: I gots too many. They're all my size.
Nick: Well, that's only some of them. You have lots of older brothers and sisters at Householding Naros. And a lot of nephews and nieces, as well.
Nick: You're bigger than some of them, you know.
Nikki's eyes get very big and round.
Nick: In fact, most of the people in the Narosian camp are your relatives.
Nikki thinks about this. She really wants to be the only something -- the only anything.
Nikki: I don't want more brothers and sisters.
Nick notes a knot of people ahead and lengthens his stride to close the distance between himself and Arat.
Nick understands Nikki's sentiments perfectly.
Nikki now sees herself having to share her new found daddy.
Nikki is unhappy again.
Nick: Well, I think you'll find that some of your brothers and sisters are rather nice, if you give them the chance.
Nick can assure Nikki of this with perfect safety, as that aspect of Riyyh's genome appears to have a high penetrance.
Nikki isn't use to her siblings doing anything except pushing and shoving and trying to move her out of the way.
Nikki: Well maybe. [she is not convinced]
Nick shifts Nikki to the other arm, even though that brings her closer to Arat.
Nikki: [to Arat] You walk real fast.
Arat ignores Nikki, although his head turns slightly her way making it obvious he heard her.
Arat appears none too pleased at the imposition of her presence, but is not going to protest it verbally.
Nick: He has very long legs.
Nikki: Yeah.
Nick wishes on occasion that Arat were a bit more inclined to be personable.
Nikki: He is very quiet. Did his momma tell him he can't talk to strangers?
Nick: Arat doesn't talk when he doesn't have anything to say.
Nick is starting to discover just how great a difference there is between Arat and six-year-old girls, in that respect.
Nikki has a thought.
Nikki: Does he gots any kids?
Nikki has a tendency to lose her Simelan when she is thinking.
Nick: Why yes, he does. But only one of them lives here.
Nick: She's a channel, like Arat.
Nikki: Oh! She gets her daddy all to herself? She must be happy about that.
Nick frowns.
Nick: I don't think she is.
Nikki: I wish I could have daddy all to myself. I would be happy.
Nick: Don't you think that would get kind of lonely?
Nikki: No! It would be fun!
Nikki: I wish I could tell his little girl that she should be glad to have her daddy all to herself.
Nick sincerely hopes that Nikki will never get the chance to converse with Snake.
Nikki: That must be why he is so sad.
Arat sincerely hopes that he will be able to escape into the house without being followed by Nick and the kid.
Nick fails to follow the six-year-old logic.
Nick: Why is that?
Arat spots the house through the small grove of trees still surrounding it and increases his pace.
Nikki: He must wish his daughter was glad to have him all to herself.
Nikki: She should give him a hug.
Nick thinks that in her childish way, Nikki has come a bit too close to the truth for comfort.
Nick is at least pretty sure that Arat would rather have Snake give him a hug, than poison his tea.
Nick: I don't think she's ever done that.
Nikki: I like to hug my daddy. He smells so good.
Arat could almost be said to be hurrying as he homes in on the crude timber structure.
Nikki: Haji Arat, I will give you a hug for your little girl.
Arat: That will not be necessary.
Nikki thinks for a minute.
Nikki: Don't you like to get a hug?
Nikki can't think of anything better than hugging her daddy.
Arat climbs the front steps of the hov... er, lodge or house that he lives in, and whips the door open.
Jeniard pops out at the same time, some 3 minutes late in finishing up his straightening of the place and returning to his shift.
Jeniard: Oh!
Jeniard: Er....
Jeniard zlins Arat, Nick and Nikki and then zlins Arat again.
Nick's arms are tired, and so he sets the child down on the relatively clean steps.
Jeniard makes an executive decision.
Jeniard: Well, who's this? [intercepts Nikki as Arat goes in the door]
Jeniard smiles at Nikki.
Nikki smiles at the nice man.
Nikki: Nikki!
Jeniard: You must be Nick's sister.
Jeniard isn't blind either.
Nikki: Uh huh.
Nick wishes that the Narosian resemblance wasn't quite so strong.
Nick: Nikki came with her mother and their lawyer to see Riyyh.
Jeniard: Well! That must be quite an adventure.
Jeniard thinks, for the lawyer, the mother and Nikki. Riyyh is probably finding that sort of thing a bit old hat by now.
Nikki tugs on the nice man's pant leg.
Nikki: What's your name?
Jeniard: I'm Jeniard.
Nikki: Genyard?
Nikki giggles.
Nikki wonders what a gen yard is. But he is a nice man.
Nikki: Are you a channel?
Nick: Yes, he is. Jeniard works with me and Controller Farris.
Nikki: Oh! Haji Genyard. [holds her arms up for a hug]
Jeniard picks up Nikki.
Nikki likes having so many men to hug.
Nick shows his ~~ gratitude ~~ for Jeniard's forbearance.
Jeniard: Nick, you going to...? [looks after Arat]
Jeniard couldn't help but notice that Arat was upset when they arrived.
Nikki has been hugged by all the women in the commune at one time or another. Well, except for her mother.
Nikki has found hugs are hard to come by at home these days though. Everyone is always mad.
Nick: I should. Can you see Nikki home for me? Her mother's tent is about halfway down the slope.
Nikki kisses Jeniard on the cheek. He doesn't smell at all like her daddy but he is nice.
Jeniard: Does she know where it is?
Nikki: Yes.
Nikki is suddenly afraid.
Nikki: Can't I go see daddy first?
Nick: I think you'd better let Jeniard take you back to your mother. You wouldn't want her to be worried about you, would you?
Nikki is the one who is worried.
Nikki: Okay. [feeling sad and afraid]
Nick is Gen, and therefore free to ignore the feelings if he chooses.
Nick: That's a girl. I'll see you soon, I'm sure.
Nick is inching past Jeniard on the stairs as he speaks.
Nikki refuses to cry. She will have more than enough of that later.
Nikki: Bye, Nick.
Nick: Goodbye, Nikki.
Nick has seen how much store Nikki sets by hugs, and so reaches out awkwardly to give her a brief one.
Nick: Thanks, Jeniard.
Nikki smiles at Nick.
Jeniard: Sure thing Nick.
Jeniard isn't so much eager to be even later to work as he is eager to avoid a tonguelashing by Arat for not rescuing him when he did.
Nikki likes her big brother.
Jeniard knows that simply preventing the kid from access to the interior of the house wouldn't be counted good enough if he let Nick run off.
Nick slips inside, hoping that Nikki hasn't cost Arat all the stress-relief benefit of the extended work session.
Jeniard: Nick has to go make sure Arat is OK. [to Nikki]
Nikki: What's wrong with him?
Jeniard: Nothing, he's just upset.
Nikki has something else to think about for a little bit.
Jeniard steps carefully down to the dirt path.
Nikki: Why?
Jeniard: He just is. Some people are like that, you know.
Jeniard starts walking through the (relatively) peaceful little woods.
Nikki: Oh. Like my momma.
Jeniard chuckles.
Jeniard: Now, I'm sure it must seem that way sometimes.
Jeniard knows the mother can't be as bad as Arat, or Nikki would be too.
Nikki: No she is all the time.
Nikki: Does his little girl ever hug him?
Jeniard: Elly? Well, Elly lives way down in New Othwol, so they don't see each other very often.
Nikki is confused.
Jeniard refers to Arat's second youngest child, who is several years younger than Clerfia. He doesn't even consider Snake, who is 3 years past changeover.
Nikki: But Nick said she was here.
Jeniard: No no, Elly lives in New Othwol with her mother. So do the boys, with their mothers.
Nikki: But Nick said she is a channel and is here.
Jeniard: Oh! You mean Snake. She's not a little girl though, she's all grown up.
Jeniard: She's a working channel, like her daddy.
Jeniard thinks, not quite enough like her daddy for many people's tastes.
Nikki now has another concern.
Nikki: She can't hug her daddy because she is grown up?
Jeniard emerges from the trees and hikes across the rutted, trash-strewn mud-pits of the edge of the construction site.
Jeniard: Grown ups can hug their parents whenever they want.
Jeniard smiles. Children get such funny ideas.
Nikki is relieved to know that she will always be able to hug her daddy.
Nikki: She should give him a hug so he won't be upset anymore.
Jeniard thinks, if only it could be that simple!
Nikki: I like hugs. You hug good.
Nikki: But my daddy hugs best of all.
Jeniard: I'll bet he does.
Jeniard doesn't actually have to bet, he knows it for a fact. This has caused him some awkwardness with Arat over the years, but I digress.
Nikki remembers the wonderful smell of her daddy.
Nikki also remembers where she is headed. She hopes her momma is still napping and that she can sneak back in before she know that she was even gone.
Go on to Episode #62: The Scream
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