Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #64: Gun Gen Pen (11/4/00)
Nick walks at a steady pace towards the Sime Shack, to give himself time to digest his breakfast.
Nick's new sweater and gloves pad out his bulk, making him look even more Gen than usual.
Nick's nager, of course, is very Gen indeed, no matter what he's wearing.
Nick's boots make visible footprints in the morning frost.
Riyyh picks his way up the hill, trying not to mess up his fancy dress clothing. It is easier when the ground is frozen like this.
Riyyh is finally on his way to speak to Arat about the Gen military problem, after being waylaid by Elte and then having to completely redo his grooming and wardrobe afterward.
Riyyh finds that after the seemingly interminable delays, his fear of the encounter has been blunted somewhat. Well, a little.
Nick spots a flash of color approaching.
Riyyh has donned his gold-and-silver embroidered Sectuibly cape again, and still wears the wheat necklace, but has totally changed the rest of his outfit. He wants to put forth his best appearance when dealing with the volatile Controller.
Nick blinks at the sight of Riyyh in full regalia.
Nick: Riyyh! What brings you to this section of the camp?
Riyyh smiles at Nick.
Nick wonders if Mr. Birch has summoned Riyyh for an accounting of the previous night's disturbance.
Riyyh: I am on my way to speak to Controller Arat, actually.
Nick now understands the absence of Ali, who is not a good prospect for an interview with Arat.
Riyyh: Is he in?
Nick: Arat? Why yes, he's been taking care of some paperwork while I ate breakfast.
Riyyh tsks.
Riyyh: You should have brought him with you. [gently]
Nick reflexively blocks the camp ambient for Riyyh, since he doesn't have his Donor with him.
Nick has never been very good at failing to look after a channel he's been responsible for.
Nick: I know, but he can't bring himself to eat in the middle of a crowd, no matter how hungry I am.
Nick: And the one time I tried, he was too tense to eat for a day and a half.
Nick: Even in private.
Riyyh looks puzzled. He'd heard Arat was difficult in that matter, but if there's one thing he'd expected a grandson (and/or son) of his to do well, it's helping a person to relax.
Riyyh: Oh, I see.
Riyyh: Well, I'm afraid what I bring to speak to him about is not going to help.
Nick: Oh, dear. What's the matter?
Nick: ~~ concern ~~
Riyyh: I rather wish that I had been able to bring up the subject of the funding of the Gen encampment with you before this came up. [frets]
Riyyh had intended to ask Nick to pressure Arat into contributing his personal fortune.
Nick: ...the funding?
Riyyh: Well you see, I was hoping that Arat could provide it. [explains]
Nick had thought that Riyyh had that covered, although now that he thinks it through, an addition 20 instances of child support would make rather a dent in the available funds.
Riyyh: But that is neither here nor there.
Riyyh: What is important is the issue at hand.
Riyyh: You said he was in his office?
Nick wonders what is more critical than arranging food and shelter for the Gens who will otherwise start freezing and starving in mere weeks.
Nick: Yes.
Nick hastens his strides just a bit.
Nick: Riyyh, what is so urgent that it's more important than getting the Gen encampment supplied?
Riyyh glances at Nick, trying to decide whether he should go into detail with him.
Riyyh knows that the younger generation is less equipped to understand the seriousness of the situation.
Riyyh: I fear that there is a situation here which could lead to an inter-territory incident.
Nick stops to look at Riyyh squarely.
Riyyh stops rather than run into Nick.
Nick: An "incident"? What sort of "incident"?
Nick's ~~ concern ~~ acquires a tinge of ~~ worry ~~
Riyyh: Possibly a... military incident.
Riyyh: And at the very least, a political one.
Riyyh has had a chance to do a wee bit of research on this (he asked among the other Narosians) and has a little bit better information on Edka's presence at the construction site.
Riyyh: The Gen Army troops Mr. Birch brought in are fully armed.
Nick: Fully armed?
Riyyh: They even moved to contain what they thought was a problem in our camp last night.
Riyyh: Nick, a rifle was pointed at my chest.
Nick's ~~ shock ~~ isn't quite contained to Farris standards.
Nick: Someone threatened to shoot you?
Nick: But why?
Riyyh: That is how the military react to the unknown. They threaten it.
Riyyh: They destroy it.
Nick has never actually experienced war, or the military in action.
Nick: But Arat said that nobody was hurt?
Riyyh: That isn't the point. Nick, there is no way, no way that our government would have authorized the presence of armed Gen Army troops here.
Riyyh: They would have to have been given passes, permits... there would have to have been an arrangement.
Riyyh: Any such arrangement would have stipulated that they arrive unarmed.
Nick thinks that over slowly.
Riyyh: Those weapons are present illegally, and they have now demonstrated that they will leap to use them at the slightest provocation.
Riyyh: What they responded to was a noise... a noise, Nick, that doesn't correspond to any noise in warfare. It was just a steam leak. That is all.
Riyyh: What would happen if another climbing sabotage occurred?
Nick: I'd heard that the Gen troops were sent in quickly, when it became clear that there would not be enough selyn to smooth the cliffs with hand tools.
Nick: It is possible that certain matters were overlooked in the rush.
Nick: I don't think that they were ever intended to stay here this long.
Riyyh's eyes contain an icy glint Nick would not have been unfortunate enough to see before.
Riyyh: There is no such thing as "overlooking" something of that sort.
Riyyh: Even today.
Nick nods.
Riyyh looks away, trying to calm down. He doesn't like to think of what it was like to live through the Wars, much less go back and do it again.
Riyyh: Well. Arat ought to be told, if he hasn't already.
Nick: Yes.
Riyyh now isn't sure he can handle such a meeting, however.
Riyyh had psyched himself up for it, but that was before becoming so angry again. He doesn't handle anger well, which is one reason he has gone so far out of his way in life to avoid ever feeling it.
Nick adds his efforts at ~~ calming ~~ to Riyyh's own, along with a bit of ~~ confidence ~~
Nick has never seen Riyyh in this sort of mood, and isn't quite sure how to handle it.
Riyyh: Thank you.
Riyyh is able, with Nick's nageric assistance, to see that even if he freaks out during the meeting, Arat will still grasp the basic message.
Riyyh: Let us tell him, then, before any more time has passed.
Nick is also unsure how Arat will react to the news.
Nick leads the way into the Sime Shack, having used the remainder of the walk to work on his field control.
Nick has a feeling that it will be very important to have the ambient well-managed during this interview.
Nick: Arat? Sectuib Riyyh has some... unsettling news.
Arat looks up from his latest communication from Capitol (with emphasis on "latest"; it took two weeks to arrive, even by best courier).
Arat looks from Nick to Riyyh, who is looking over Nick's shoulder.
Arat hopes this doesn't have anything to do with the disturbance last night. He had been hoping that it was nothing he had to know about, and his hopes had been strengthening as the morning wore on with no word.
Nick enters, moving to his customary seat at Arat's side.
Arat: What is it? ~~disciplined, arrogant nager with clear indications of interruption of something important~~
Arat's Farris expressiveness betrays his dislike of Naros' Sectuib.
Nick looks at Riyyh to see if his... relative... prefers to break the news himself.
Riyyh looks after Nick as the Gen abandons him to the exposed center area of the room and Arat's scrutiny.
Riyyh sighs internally, and composes himself.
Nick catches Riyyh's look and continues.
Nick: It appears that Sergeant Edka and his men are a bit more... completely equipped than we had been led to believe.
Riyyh opens his mouth to speak, and then stops as Nick speaks instead.
Riyyh stands there looking lame as Arat turns his head to look at Nick instead.
Arat: Explain.
Arat doesn't like pussyfooting.
Nick: During last night's confusion, they showed up in the Narosian encampment. With guns.
Arat: Confusion. [flatly]
Nick looks at Riyyh; he doesn't have the details of what happened.
Riyyh: There was some difficulty with the boiler for the bath house, [explains]. A number of people came to see what was happening.
Riyyh: It was purely a mechanical difficulty; no one was seriously injured and the incident should not have been of much importance in and of itself.
Arat nods once, then turns back to Nick for the rest of the explanation.
Nick: Apparently, the Gen troops came to investigate the disturbance, one of them pointed his gun at Riyyh.
Nick: I don't believe any of them actually fired, did they, Riyyh?
Riyyh: They were all armed, [beginning to tremble with indignation again] and they had no care for my wishes at all.
Nick infuses the ambient with ~~ calm ~~, hoping to calm Riyyh.
Riyyh: They behaved as if it were their perfect right to come armed onto our land and do as they wanted.
Arat's lip curls with irritation as Nick attempts to manipulate a less sensitive channel farther away. He does not say anything, however.
Arat can see that Riyyh requires the help.
Arat of course may be partially influenced by the fact that Nick is zapping him with about twice as much ~~calm~~ as would ordinarily be required to keep him silent.
Riyyh spreads his hands in appeal.
Riyyh: Surely this is against whatever agreement was made to bring these men here.
Riyyh: And Arat, they have explosives. What if there is some plan afoot that we are not aware of?
Nick knows that he is overdosing Arat, but he doesn't think that it will help matters if Riyyh falls apart.
Arat frowns.
Arat can zlin that Riyyh is telling the truth. The rest of the problem is not that simple.
Arat is probably the highest ranking Sime Territory person in the area, but his responsibility is only for selyn movement. He would probably be the most-listened-to if he sent word to Capitol, but it would take weeks to get a response - assuming snow had not closed the passes in the meantime.
Nick: Have you heard any rumors of such a plan, Riyyh?
Nick well knows the efficacy of the Narosian rumor mill.
Riyyh: Nick, I did not even know there were Gen soldiers here until last night.
Arat finds himself thinking it is a good thing that he had denied Lt. Lirt's request for preapproval of military actions.
Arat: Please tell me exactly what happened, in the order it happened in. [this time to Riyyh]
Riyyh: Well, I awoke to the sound of the steam leak. It was very loud, very alarming - like a whistle. I immediately knew it must be the boiler. Nothing else near us could produce such a sound.
Riyyh actually hadn't been previously aware that their boiler was supposed to ever make that sound, but he does know what a tea kettle sounds like, and was able to add 2 + 2 + Racknie with reasonable alacrity even given the hour.
Riyyh: I could zlin that people all around the camp were being awakened.
Riyyh: I was concerned that my... householding member, Racknie, might be in danger since I knew it was probably he who had activated the boiler.
Nick wonders why Racknie had ever been allowed within 100 yards of anything potentially dangerous.
Arat frowns; he remembers Racknie as the reckless idiot who had actually approached him wanting a donation of a building for the Narosian cause.
Riyyh sees the frown and realizes that Arat has been previously acquainted with Racknie. His nager correspondingly becomes rather apologetic.
Riyyh: I got there as quickly as I could, and ascertained that the problem was was indeed with the boiler.
Riyyh: While Racknie and I worked to rectify the situation [he means, shut off the awful noise] many onlookers arrived to see what was happening.
Nick is glad that someone was attentive; if he had known that Racknie was involved, he wouldn't have gone back to sleep.
Riyyh: By the time Sgt. Edka and his men arrived, the situation had been brought under control.
Riyyh: However, he and his men proceeded to enter the bath house and surround us, aiming their weapons and shouting demands.
Riyyh: Well, [amends after a moment] I believe Racknie was not in the bath house at the time.
Riyyh: So it was only me. Well, and Elte and his boy.
Arat: Elte Andover was there? [sharply]
Nick thinks, shen.
Nick gives up any idea of having a quiet talk with Edka and asking him to keep the weapons packed away.
Riyyh: I'm afraid I was not as polite as I could have been, [admits]
Riyyh: I was quite upset, you see, to have weapons pointed at me in this way, and so unexpectedly. And when they attempted to prevent me from leaving, I became quite alarmed.
Nick: They tried to prevent you from leaving?
Riyyh: I am sure it was mostly the heat, and the unaccustomed augmenting....
Riyyh is trying to justify his anger and distress.
Riyyh: Well, yes, they did.
Riyyh: They said it was because they thought I might be injured.
Riyyh: But the fact remains that Sgt. Edka deliberately attempted to seize control of the situation by force.
Nick: You were injured?
Riyyh: It was most unsettling.
Riyyh thinks Nick is not being helpful at all in this.
Riyyh supposes the poor fellow can't be blamed in not understanding the priorities, given his background or lack thereof.
Riyyh: Not seriously. [reassures him]
Riyyh: I received some slight burns when I was removing the coal from the furnace.
Riyyh leaves out the bit about Elte grabbing him and dragging him through hot coals in his slippers. It doesn't do to make others look bad unnecessarily.
Nick: You were burned? Where?
Nick surveys Riyyh for damage.
Arat sits back, frowning to himself.
Nick knows Ali is still quite inexperienced, and wants to make sure that Riyyh has been properly taken care of.
Arat ignores their prattle about burns (which he can zlin are minor, and well started on healing) and attempts to decide what action he should take.
Riyyh shows Nick some small red marks on his hands, forearms, and chest which are about all that can be easily viewed of him at the moment.
Riyyh doesn't go quite so far as to remove his shoes in the presence of Arat.
Nick decides that Ali has done well enough.
Nick: And Edka and his men tried to detain you for being injured?
Nick hadn't heard that that was an offense, even in Gen Territory.
Riyyh smiles sadly at Nick. He knows Nick means well.
Riyyh: They simply wanted to be in charge.
Riyyh: It was their instincts I mislike, not the specifics of their actions.
Riyyh: How will they react to an announcement of the plan for internment of the illegal Gens?
Riyyh: Will we have to allow all of the Gens their freedom in order to avoid an incident?
Riyyh: Do you see what I mean, when I say that this is a dangerous situation?
Arat's dark eyes flick back to Riyyh again, disturbed.
Nick is struck by a sudden thought.
Nick: What if they think that the interment camp is a Pen?
Riyyh: It essentially is, Nick. [kindly]
Riyyh had asked Nick for his opinion on others' reactions precisely because of the controversial nature of the idea.
Nick hadn't been thinking of it along those lines, and gulps.
Riyyh: I had wanted it to appear more a charity than an imprisonment, and perhaps it could have been handled that way before. But word of Sgt. Edka and his armament will spread.
Riyyh: He had to pass through most of the camps to reach us.
Nick: Oh, shen. And SWAT is already paranoid about the Gen troops.
Arat's fountain pen turns over and over in his fingers as he ponders what may prove to be the Dam project's grimmest chapter yet.
Go on to Episode #65: Edka's Reprise
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