Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #78: Dat Wascally Wabbit (11/30/00)
Borgmann arrives precisely on time for his requested appointment with Arat, at least within the error of a renSime's time sense.
Borgmann signals at the Sime Shack, with the precise degree of intrusiveness appropriate for a bureaucrat of his status visiting a Controller on matters of business.
Arat indicates that it is all right to let Borgmann in.
Beni opens the door, looking down at Borgmann.
Beni represses an urge to inspect the lower lip under the beady eyes for whiskers.
Borgmann: Girf Borgmann, Immigration, to see the Controller.
Beni steps back to let the visitor in.
Borgmann scuttles in, looking around Arat's office with jerky movements, much as a scavenging mouse would search for stray felines.
Borgmann's gaze (and zlin) fix on Arat, and he can't help feeling just a bit intimidated.
Arat nods to Borgmann.
Arat: Please, have a seat.
Borgmann wishes his own nager were half as impressive, although he's willing to live without the impressive nose that seems to go with it.
Borgmann moves to the indicated seat.
Arat's office is quite a bit more impressive now that he is using the large, ornately carved desk Sayward brought him.
Borgmann: Controller Farris, it was good of you to see me so promptly.
Arat: Your mission is of great importance.
Arat of course assumes that Borgmann is here to talk about his important mission, and not some foolish side pursuit.
Arat would be very disappointed if this were not the case.
Borgmann: We must all do what we can.
Borgmann: I was hoping that I could clarify some of the details of the project with you. What I have been hearing differs in several important details from the agreement I made with Sectuib Riyyh.
Borgmann: For instance, there is funding for the project.
Arat: I am certain that Sectuib Riyyh is more up to date on the details than I.
Arat: I have only been peripherally involved in the decision making.
Arat is searching for and locating his copy of the agreement even as he speaks.
Borgmann: My draft of the agreement between my office and Sectuib Riyyh placed financial responsibility for locating funds for the project on Naros.
Arat scans his.
Arat: I believe several amendments have been recommended since.
Borgmann: ...Amendments? I was not informed of any "amendments".
Arat notes that Borgmann has shifted his language. Originally he had implied that Riyyh and he had an agreement. Now he is speaking of drafts.
Borgmann gets out the copy of the agreement that his own people drew up.
Arat attempts to be patient as he waits for Borgmann to produce his copy.
Arat hopes that he will not be required to mediate between the IDAS and Naros. Surely that is beyond the scope of his responsibilities here?
Borgmann passes the copy of his version over for Arat's inspection.
Borgmann: As you see, several critical differences appear to have crept into the version released by Sectuib Riyyh.
Arat frowns.
Arat: As I understood it, this agreement has not yet been finalized.
Arat: Sectuib Riyyh asked for my input, and I believe he has contacted others as well. Mr. Birch, at the very least.
Borgmann: I realize that the situation is fluid. However, I am particularly concerned that the project not be held up awaiting funding from my department.
Borgmann: While my superiors in Capitol may eventually decide to allocate funds towards the project, I do not have that authority.
Borgmann wishes he did, but that isn't particularly relevant, so he doesn't mention it.
Arat: I see.
Arat is not sure that he does, actually, but saying so gives him some time to ponder what Borgmann is saying.
Arat: I was under the impression that the funding for the project has been very much on the forefront of everybody's mind.
Borgmann looks relieved.
Borgmann: Ah, then an alternative funding source has been found.
Borgmann: My people will, of course, cooperate fully with such accounting as is required.
Borgmann is very good at accounting, actually.
Arat nods.
Arat passes Borgmann's copy back to him, having satisfied his curiosity as to the accuracy of Riyyh's claim that the IDAS was leery of taking on much responsibility for the camp, at least initially.
Borgmann returns his copy to his briefcase.
Arat: I am sure that Sectuib Riyyh will be pleased.
Arat is sure that Sectuib Riyyh will pass all paperwork responsibilities on to Borgmann as well.
Borgmann: While I am here, Controller Arat, I should mention a potentially ticklish situation.
Borgmann: It regards the status of the Gen soldiers.
Borgmann: They were admitted under temporary work permits, my inquiries have showed.
Arat nods. His own information matches.
Borgmann: Quite apart from the illegal weapons they brought across the border, their work permits have expired.
Borgmann: Under the circumstances, it would be problematic to grant them an extension.
Arat: I was given to understand that they are to leave any day now.
Arat in fact was told they'd be gone before the first snow, which is patently not the case.
Borgmann again zlins ~~ relieved ~~
Borgmann: Ah, good. I was not looking forward to confronting Mr. Birch about their currently illegal presence.
Borgmann in fact doesn't care to confront Mr. Birch under any circumstances, as he finds the Gen very intimidating.
Arat zlins exactly how Borgmann feels about confronting Mr. Birch.
Borgmann: I... don't suppose there's any substance to the rumors that some of the unemployed illegal Gens are in fact Gen Army troops in disguise?
Borgmann: ~~ apprehension ~~
Arat frowns more deeply.
Arat: It seems unlikely.
Borgmann notes that Arat has not answered with a definitive "no".
Borgmann really does not want to be spending the winter guarding a camp full of Gen troops.
Borgmann: They at least are unarmed, unlike Sergeant Edka's troops?
Borgmann: ~~ pleading ~~
Borgmann: We're not equipped to face down an army.
Arat: I have not investigated these claims thoroughly. [admits]
Arat: It would seem a wild rumor on the surface.
Arat: There have been no reports of sizable numbers of weapons in the possession of the Gens in question, and those few that have been discovered were confiscated.
Arat knows that does not mean more haven't been hidden somewhere.
Arat's training as a channel predisposes him to hold off on making a judgment when he doesn't have all the data.
Borgmann: Could those weapons that have been discovered, have been planted to give us a false sense of security?
Arat: It is possible.
Borgmann is not finding this conversation very reassuring, but he does prefer knowledge to ignorance.
Arat: If there is indeed an organized force afoot, they have been extremely well prepared. We have documented stories from each of the Gens as they donated, as regards their origins and intentions. There is little correlation between them.
Arat knows that there are a lot of reasons why a jobless, homeless drifter on the wrong side of the border might zlin less than truthful when answering channels' questions, so they do not have a lot to go on.
Borgmann: Still, very few have left the area, even though there is no work for them here, and the weather will soon be dangerous.
Arat: The weather is dangerous now. [points out]
Arat: Already there have been hundreds of cases of injury through exposure, not only among the Gens.
Borgmann nods.
Borgmann: It will get worse.
Borgmann: Although if those Gens are an invasion force, presumably we won't have to feed them all winter, before they make their move.
Arat simply stares at Borgmann. He has no sense of humor, at least not to the extent that one can be aroused by total strangers when talking about business.
Arat decides it is time to air a concern of his own, and one which is of more immediate and realistic importance than phantom armies.
Arat: Is IDAS fully committed to the internment camp plan?
Borgmann: As outlined in the draft agreement I showed you, yes.
Borgmann: It is not our usual sort of program, but there seems little alternative, if disaster is to be avoided.
Arat: How is it that you have not been involved in discussion of the plan since your initial draft proposal?
Borgmann: I would like to know that myself. Although given the limits of IDAS authority, Sectuib Riyyh may have simply decided that locating a source of funding was more important than our contribution.
Borgmann prefers not to mention another possibility: that Riyyh left him out of the loop in order to prevent objections to the "amendments" to the agreement.
Arat: It would seem that your service has serious disagreements with the plan as currently outlined by Sectuib Riyyh, Mr. Birch, and the others involved. I would strongly suggest that you make an effort to insert yourself into that process as soon as possible.
Borgmann: I intend to.
Borgmann zlins about as grim as a small rodent can.
Go on to Episode #79: Barking up the Wrong Riyyh
Return to the Index of Episodes