Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #93: Unlikely Champion (12/31/00)
see note 1
Arat sits in his big Mayoral chair at his fancy vine-carved desk and frowns as he reads through Klyzer's report of his latest week of therapy and working under construction site conditions.
Arat's fingers press against his temple as he reads, implying that he has a raging headache, or at least is rapidly developing one.
Arat also has, as it happens, a running nose and an interesting rash on both wrists. It is shaping up to be a delightful day.
Klyzer nervous twines his dorsals together and then, realizing what he is doing, withdraws them into his sheathes with an audible snap.
Klyzer's skin is well cleansed but no longer scraped raw.
Klyzer is not enjoying Controller Arat's idea of therapy, but it is certainly preferable to Hajene Snake's.
Ms. Afred has once again donned her one good wool tweed suit and wrestled her frizzy hair into a prim and proper bun at the back of her head. Winter is not her favorite time to travel but at least the boat ride over had been on a glass calm lake.
Klyzer shudders when he remembers the weird concoction of bark and mushrooms Snake forced him to drink, threatening to put centipedes in the outhouse if he refused.
Klyzer remembers getting nauseous and sick all over his nice transfer lounge, which irreparably contaminated the Palisades Sime Center.
Ms. Afred quirks a wry smile. If someone had told her that she would be trying to see after Plum she would have laughed in that person's face.
Klyzer is not sure if the talking cockroach was a drug-induced hallucination caused by the bark, or if it really was there. He has declined to discuss the particulars with anyone, even though he has been disciplined for refusing to speak.
Klyzer got in enough trouble about the cockroach the last time he was brought into the infirmary. He thinks that was prior to the bark treatment, but with Snake you just can't be sure.
Ms. Afred has determined to go straight to the head of this facility. That person is Controller Arat Farris. She is glad she has at least met the man before.
Arat frowns as he rereads a sentence that describes a lack of hallucinatory drug treatments as a positive aspect of the current situation.
Arat is puzzled, because he doesn't remember anything of that nature in Klyzer's file.
Arat opens Klyzer's file and scans back over the records made by previous channels.
Klyzer has started working outside his clinic in the Dam site collectorium. It is hard to get these Gens clean to his satisfaction.
Klyzer's supervisor will not allow him time for a proper scrub-down and exfoliation.
Klyzer thinks that at least there don't seem to be any talking cockroaches in the collectorium. Just normal fleas and ticks.
Klyzer is trying to find a way to scrub the Gens to a cleanliness he can bear and still keep the line moving.
Arat adds that to his growing list of points to question Klyzer on, and returns to the tail end of the report.
Ms. Afred approaches what the locals call the "Sime Shack". People always try to trivialize what they fear. Well that was what she thought before she saw the place.
Klyzer thinks the Controller is taking a long time going over his report, and tries to control his anxiety. He has been careful to make the report complete, with meticulous calligraphy and a precisely asymmetrical placement of the letters.
Klyzer tries to remember if there were an odd or even number of letters on each page.
Klyzer is sure he made the counts all come out odd. That can't be the problem.
Klyzer is tempted to ask Arat to give him the report back so he can check it and count, though.
Klyzer takes one zlin of Arat's smooth and impenetrable nager and squashes the idea.
Ms. Afred sees that the guard standing at the door does lend a certain air of formality to the shack. When she asked if this were the Controller's office he had only nodded and held the airlock (a mini-shack) door open for her.
Klyzer zlins a determined Gen nager approaching.
Ms. Afred, poised at the door, checks her hair by smoothing it back and squares her shoulders.
Ms. Afred prepares to knock.
Klyzer wonders if this Gen is somehow involved in supervising his work also. Everyone else seems to be in on the fun.
Klyzer thinks that after a decade of being allowed to rot quietly in this isolated wilderness, he is certainly becoming a focus for lots of unwelcome attention.
Arat finally notices Ms. Afred, distracted by his report.
Arat puts the report down in annoyance.
Klyzer can see the Controller is not in a good mood, and hopes he is not the cause of it.
Klyzer suspects that might be too much to hope for, however.
Klyzer prepares himself for more discipline and chastisement.
Klyzer: ~~self-abasement~~
Arat has no Donor present to play door-opener, so he gestures impatiently for Thureal, at the door, to do so.
Ms. Afred is startled by the sudden opening of the door before she can knock.
Klyzer stares at the Gen in the doorway.
Ms. Afred blinks and repossesses herself and walks into the office. She sees two Simes, one of whom is seated behind a desk that Mayor Custor would kill for.
Klyzer thinks the new Gen zlins and dresses like someone from over-the-Lake.
Klyzer is relieved to zlin that she isn't high field, so at least she's not a client. He really yearns for the privacy of his Palisades Receiving Room where he could channel with some privacy, before his world was invaded by cockroaches, Snakes, and centipedes.
Klyzer thinks that channeling in the Construction Site Sime Center is nasty, brutish and filthy.
Ms. Afred walks up to the desk to stand directly in front of Controller Farris, at a relatively safe distance of course.
Klyzer wonders that this Gen would have the nerve to intrude on Arat's formidable presence and even more formidable nager. But of course, Wild Gens are child-like and blind to emotional nuance.
Ms. Afred has been tromping around from one place to another since she got off the boat. At this point she is rather tired and in a not too bright frame of mind. Bright meaning happy that is; she would never actually say that she was unhappy.
Ms. Afred hasn't been in a bright mood since that bunch of pompous ridged, berobed idiots representing the CoP Synod had approached her to see if she might inquire among her "friends" to see if they would tell her what they had done with him.
Arat, despite being rigid and berobed, probably doesn't bear much other resemblance to the idiots in question.
Arat: Ms. Afred.
Arat is none too pleased at the interruption, and it shows. However, he is not having her thrown out either... yet.
Ms. Afred: Thank you for seeing me Controller Arat.
Ms. Afred: I am sorry to interrupt your meeting with this gentleman but I have been trying to track down some information on the whereabouts of Minister Plum.
Arat notices Klyzer glance at the door, and raises a tentacle to warn him not to even dream of leaving.
Arat: I see.
Ms. Afred: I was hoping you could help me trace him or direct me to someone who can.
Klyzer, who had hoped the rest of his report might be postponed, wilts a bit.
Arat: Minister Plum was detained at the border for failing to produce identification or a border visa.
Arat: He had also failed to donate after twenty-four hours in Sime Territory as provided by the border treaty.
Arat: I spoke to him some days ago and he appeared to be in good shape physically, although somewhat distraught.
Arat: It is my understanding that as soon as his identity is confirmed and his hearings held, he will be deported.
Ms. Afred: But -- Controller, you know who he is. Why would you not let him return?
Arat frowns.
Arat: This is not my area of speciality.
Ms. Afred: Surely they would let you vouch for him.
Arat: As I understand it, the burden of providing his identity falls upon the Gen Border Control Commission.
Arat: From what I had heard, there has been some delay in the provision of the replacement documents.
Arat doesn't come right out and say that the fellows who staff the Salmonton branch of that governmental body hate the CoP and are putting as much red tape into the process as possible.
Nick exercises Donor's privilege and slips into the Sime Shack without interrupting the proceedings with a signal.
Nick is, of course, also careful not to interrupt the proceedings with any nageric disruption.
Arat: At any rate, I have no connection with border matters.
Arat: My authority lies only with selyn movement and related issues.
Ms. Afred has just come to the realization that governments are universally slow and mindless. She had hoped it was different with the Simes.
Klyzer glances up to see the Donor enter.
Arat: I spoke to him to ascertain whether his field had, indeed, been taken down and whether he was competent to represent himself in a court of law.
Ms. Afred: I see.
Arat: If I am called upon to vouch for his identity, I will do so. No such request has been made, however. [adds]
Ms. Afred: Well, can you tell me whom I should be speaking with?
Nick ghosts unobtrusively to his chair by Arat's desk and sits, offering his channel's preferred level of ~~ support ~~ when facing visitors.
Arat: Border and deportation matters are handled by IDAS, the Immigration and Donor Assimilation Service. You will want to speak to Borgmann, who heads the Service's operations here at the Dam.
Klyzer is relieved to have Nick present, as much to soothe the Controller's irritation as to protect him from sudden moves on the part of the Wild Gen.
Klyzer has not seen Ms Afred do anything too outrageous yet, but his experiences working in the Dam Site clinic have left him a bit gun-shy.
Ms. Afred: Thank you, Controller Arat, but I have been trying to locate the man since I arrived and no one seems to know where he is. Is there no one who can help me other than him?
Arat: What precisely is it you require?
Arat has already provided as much information as anyone but Borgmann knows about Plum's situation.
Borgmann approaches the Sime Shack, hoping for an interview with the Controller.
Ms. Afred: I would like to see Minister Plum. I would also like to know exactly when he will be free to travel back across the lake.
Borgmann has a few technical issues he would like to clear up with regards to the interment camp's interaction with Arat's staff.
Borgmann nods to the guards and signals.
Klyzer always knew that wild Gens could be dangerously unpredictable. He is also coming to dread encounters with children and animals--not to mention snakes and insects!
Ms. Afred really doesn't want to see Plum but she did accept the responsibility.
Nick gets to his feet and looks at Arat for direction on whether the newcomer should be admitted or turned away.
Arat: Please have Borgmann come in. [to Nick]
Arat is unaware that this makes it look like he produced Borgmann magically; he unlike certain other administrative types doesn't think that way.
Nick nods and goes to answer the door.
Klyzer can see there is a whole group gathering here. He wishes fervently his report will somehow get lost in the shuffle.
Arat uses the free moment to finish scanning the end of Klyzer's report.
Arat's eyebrows draw down at the mention of a certain meddling child. He knows what child this is, too.
Nick opens the door and gestures for Borgmann to enter.
Klyzer's report details how a Narosian child had to be forcibly removed from a hospital room by security guards because she was preventing the channel from treating a patient, an out-Territory army courier.
Klyzer notes that the Gen did not want the child to be removed from the room and refused Klyzer's treatment, insisting that only a Donor be permitted to touch him.
Arat circles the paragraph and places the report on Nick's empty chair, then turns his attention to his guests.
Borgmann scuttles through the door, happy to have gained an interview so quickly, then blinks at the crowded office.
Arat: Ms. Afred, this is Borgmann of IDAS. Borgmann, this is Ms. Afred of Salmonton. She has come inquiring as to Minister Plum's current status.
Ms. Afred: Mr. Borgmann.
Ms. Afred has an odd feeling that she has seen this man before.
Borgmann: Good morning, Contr.... Oh.
Borgmann: Pleased to meet you, Ms. Afred.
Arat frowns to himself, fingers tapping on the papers on his desk, and then picks up his pen and makes several notes as to the goings-on of the last 10 minutes in his log.
Ms. Afred know that she hasn't met him before but....
Borgmann bows politely, knowing better than to offer the out-Territory courtesy of a handshake.
Klyzer glances with curiosity at Borgmann. He has lived in this remote border region for a decade and never before encountered an IDAS official.
Arat has found the goings-on at the Dam site so irrecoverably insane that he has been forced to take careful notes to just assure himself that his memory has not gone goofy -- these things really did happen.
Ms. Afred: Pleased to meet you at last sir.
Nick returns to his chair, noting the report on the cushion.
Klyzer: Good morning, N'vet Borgmann.
Ms. Afred: Controller Arat informs me that you are the person who has Minister Plum in custody.
Borgmann: Yes, Ma'am, that's true enough.
Borgmann: He's awaiting a preliminary hearing on assault charges.
Ms. Afred: What!?
Ms. Afred: Assault charges? What happened?
Borgmann: During my first interview with him, he pulled out a hidden razor blade and attempted to murder me.
Ms. Afred is now switching gears. She knew that Plum was a zealot but she hadn't thought he was a violent one.
Ms. Afred, if she had stopped to think would have realized that all CoP people are violent zealots.
Borgmann is more ~~ regretful ~~ than upset about it.
Ms. Afred: Why would he try to murder you?
Borgmann: I think he felt he owed it to me.
Ms. Afred: ~~confusion~~
Ms. Afred: Owed it to you?
Borgmann: He was always very dedicated to those who depended on him, even when we were children.
Arat watches this exchange with some impatience (because it is happening in his office of all places) but restrains himself from interfering.
Ms. Afred: ~~total incomprehension~~
Arat does not of course restrain himself from zlinning both Borgmann and Afred down to their constituent atoms.
Ms. Afred: I'm sorry. He knew you as a child?
Borgmann: Very well. He was in charge of me the night I went into changeover.
Ms. Afred is getting that feeling of near recognition again.
Ms. Afred: Who are you?
Ms. Afred knows everyone in their small town and there are no Borgmanns.
Borgmann: I am Glif Borgmann, now. But I was Gideon Borderer, back then.
Nick sits down and reads the red-circled portion of the report.
Ms. Afred now recognizes the face of Gideon. Many years have changed him but that can be said of all of them.
Nick's eyes widen.
Ms. Afred: Well... I'm glad to see that you have done well on this side of the lake Gideon.
Klyzer rather nervously watches Nick read his report.
Nick resigns himself to a long, educational chat with Nikki about not interfering with channels who are trying to work.
Ms. Afred is trying to reconcile the two people in her mind.
Nick also figures that he'd better have a long talk with Riyyh about setting limits on Nikki's wandering.
Klyzer remembers that Nick is related to the child he had taken away by the security guards, who had claimed Sectuib Riyyh was her father.
Borgmann: Well enough. And thank you.
Arat has temporarily forgotten about the report as he intently explores Borgmann's revelation and Afred's discovery, laterals tasting the air.
Klyzer hopes Nick won't hold a grudge against him for his treatment of his sister.
Borgmann: You can see, however, that it will take some time to sort the matter out.
Ms. Afred: But... Gide-- Mr. Borgmann, if you knew who he was why didn't you just let him go home?
Borgmann slumps just a bit, looking more tired than a Sime ought to.
Ms. Afred is very aware that this isn't what it all looks like on the surface.
Ms. Afred is also aware that getting Plum out is not going to be easy. Red tape!
Ms. Afred has had more than a passing acquaintance with the ponderous slowness of agencies that are supposed to aid but end up harming instead.
Borgmann: It was not a simple case of lost papers. He was originally detained on suspicion that he was a fugitive from the law on this side of the border.
Borgmann: That is why I interviewed him personally.
Ms. Afred: A simple misunderstanding then.
Ms. Afred: Certainly rational persons can clear this up.
Ms. Afred knows only too well there is no such thing as a rational government agency.
Nick wouldn't dream of penalizing Klyzer for detaining Nikki; he knows his sister, after all.
Borgmann: I hope so. It will take time, however.
Ms. Afred: Did you file the assault charges against him?
Borgmann: I didn't have to. He did it right in front of two security guards and more than a dozen witnesses.
Ms. Afred: Can't the charges be dropped?
Ms. Afred only has Gen Territory judicial knowledge, and that only third hand.
Arat came duoconscious enough to hear the last part.
Arat had not been aware that Borgmann was actually filing charges for the assault. And there has been no mention whatsoever of lack of cooperation from Salmonton officials.
Arat makes a mental note to take his informant out and rake him over the coals.
Arat will have to figure out a way to do that without angering Nick, as it was Riyyh who had passed on the information.
Borgmann: There is some confusion as to which legal authority has jurisdiction. IDAS can only deal with the issue of the missing papers. Controller Arat has the responsibility for taking any action with regards to what appears to have been a clandestine donation.
Ms. Afred turns to the Controller.
Klyzer notes that there are five individuals actually part of the conversation, but the security guards sometimes shift position. He is not sure whether they should be counted or not.
Arat dwells for a moment upon the thought of a faintly narcissus-scented roast turning on a spit over an OT Gen cook pit, then reluctantly returns his attention to the matter at hand.
Borgmann still isn't really sure what happened, although he has adopted Plum's story for the purposes of dealing with the man.
Ms. Afred: Clandestine donation? [looking straight at Arat]
Klyzer can't determine whether the configuration is lucky or unlucky. This makes him fidgety.
Arat returns Ms. Afred's gaze without difficulty. He has stared down Regional Controllers after all.
Klyzer tries to keep his tentacles from squirming nervously.
Arat: There is some question as to whether Minister Plum is competent to represent himself in a court of law.
Arat: Leaving aside the issue of his attempt to murder Borgmann, there is the fact that he apparently made a donation and then subsequently does not remember doing so.
Ms. Afred: Controller... .
Arat is certain Plum is telling the truth as he remembers it, as he could very well zlin as much.
Ms. Afred is now becoming flustered. If anyone here knew her they would realize what a rare thing they were seeing.
Arat of course does not find flustered people rare at all. In fact nearly everybody who comes to speak to him is flustered, either well before entering or soon after doing so.
Borgmann, unlike Arat, is aware of the consequences to Plum's career if his donation becomes known.
Borgmann is not certain whether being insane or being the victim of theft would be regarded as mitigating circumstances by the Synod.
Ms. Afred: He would never donated knowingly or willingly. I think you know that.
Arat: He is low field. [points out]
Klyzer zlins the wild Gen's growing agitation and pulls himself hypoconscious just in case. His tentacle squirming becomes more prominent.
Ms. Afred: Then it is he who was assaulted.
Arat: By Borgmann?
Arat looks at Afred in total disbelief.
Borgmann remembers the Synod as having no sense of humor or flexibility in applying doctrine, and Plum is already suspect from allowing Borgmann to survive. Twice.
Ms. Afred: By whoever took his selyn.
Ms. Afred had been led to believe that no one would do such a thing.
Arat: There is no evidence of a trauma such as would lead to the blockage of a memory.
Ms. Afred now harbors a small worry for her children if this sort of thing can happen.
Arat: There is, however, evidence of considerable mental and emotional imbalance.
Ms. Afred can't argue with the Controller on that point.
Ms. Afred: But you say he does not remember?
Arat: He does not remember.
Ms. Afred: Then someone here has taken his selyn in a way of which he was unaware.
Ms. Afred: Can that be done Controller Arat?
Arat: Nobody would do such a thing.
Arat: It would be technically possible, if he were asleep, but there would be no purpose to it.
Arat: He could as easily have been escorted to the border or convinced to agree to a donation.
Ms. Afred: But you admit that it can be done.
Nick is well aware of one channel who has done worse things, and who might well consider the feat an interesting technical challenge.
Arat in fact is not in the habit of admitting a nageric feat cannot be done, so his admission on this matter is of little surprise.
Arat: I could have done it.
Borgmann thinks that Arat really doesn't know Plum at all, if he thinks Plum could be persuaded to donate.
Arat: Klyzer, here, could not have.
Klyzer listens to the discussion with growing curiosity. He wishes he knew some ways of taking wild Gens donations without their knowing it. Their fear is like being cut with razors.
Arat finds the way Nick is zlinning right now a bit disturbing.
Ms. Afred: Controller Arat, in view of what you have told me it would seem that Minister Plum has been assaulted and burgled and punished for being the victim of one of your citizen's criminal behavior.
Arat glances at Nick.
Nick makes a clandestine "tell you later" gesture, and gets his nager back in order.
Klyzer knows the Tecton would consider this unethical, but he sometimes wishes he could employ some of those drugs they used to pacify pen Gens.
Ms. Afred is no friend to Plum but she is now disturbed by what looks to be a conspiracy and cover up.
Arat begins to look a bit paranoid as he puts two and two together and wonders if Nick was thinking what Nick might have been thinking.
Arat looks thoughtfully back at Ms. Afred.
Klyzer thinks that would make his job a lot easier, not only taking the donations, but the clean-up and exfoliation part as well.
Arat: Ms. Afred. The matter of his "Donation", if that is what it was, is still under investigation. No action has been taken against him as of yet.
Arat: As for his continued detention by Mr. Borgmann, I was given to understand that it was because of identity issues. If in fact it is because of his assault upon Borgmann, I do not see how your argument applies.
Ms. Afred: Then surely you can send him home.
Nick is then struck by an even more unsettling possibility: that Riyyh might have met up with Plum and taken his field down in the course of seducing him.
Arat: Ms. Afred, it is not in my power to send your Minister Plum home.
Nick can understand why Plum would not admit to having dallied with Riyyh, and how he might have overlooked donating under such circumstances.
Arat: It is in my power to provide him with a public defender if he is not able to defend himself in the matter of his assault upon Borgmann.
Ms. Afred now returns her attention to Gideon, er Borgmann.
Ms. Afred: Will you drop the charges Mr. Borgmann?
Borgmann looks genuinely upset.
Arat feverishly thinks back to a mention Kenmore Farris made of Snake making trips into the town outside Naros for "clandestine activities reputed to be of a channelling nature" and wishes he still had access to Snake's file.
Borgmann: I am not at all convinced that that would be advisable, even if there weren't the additional issues of his missing papers and mysterious donation.
Arat is looking a bit upset himself, as he feels himself getting pincered between the general public and Snake's diabolical hold over his life.
Ms. Afred: Gentlemen, you do realize that when I report this to the Synod that they will use this incident to stir up more anti-Sime sentiment in our Territory? The press will have a field day with this.
Arat tells himself firmly that Snake would not do such a thing, even to torment him.
Borgmann: As Controller Arat pointed out, Josef Plum's sanity appears to be in question. He could easily become a danger to others, or to himself, if released in his current condition.
Arat has had a good deal of practice at self-discipline, so is able to put aside the panic attack until later.
Borgmann: And as a purely practical matter, for the safety of my agents, I can't allow a murderous assault on IDAS staff to go unpunished.
Arat shoots Nick an betrayed look, as Nick is if anything more disturbed than he is, and doing nothing to help him either.
Borgmann: Particularly when it happened in so public a setting.
Arat of course doesn't know that Nick's thinking about Riyyh, or he'd really be worried.
Borgmann does not mention certain documents found on Plum's person, and the disturbing plans they revealed.
Arat's head ache, for some reason, has not gone away.
Ms. Afred: What is the punishment for the crime if he is convicted?
Ms. Afred wants to get as much information as she can now that it looks like Plum is a goner.
Nick tries hard to soothe Arat's obvious (to him) freak-out, which would have been easier if he weren't entertaining such disturbing notions himself.
Borgmann: That would depend, upon other things, on whether he is legally sane.
Borgmann: And on how much allowance the judge is willing to make for his lack of understanding of our laws.
Ms. Afred is experiencing visions of a mob coming across the lake to free their captured minister.
Klyzer, who let himself drift duo-conscious for a moment, dives back hypo.
Ms. Afred: And if he is not deemed legally sane?
Borgmann slumps.
Ms. Afred: Bottom line, Mr. Borgmann, what is the worse penalty for the crimes he is accused of?
Borgmann: I don't know. I'm not an expert on criminal law.
Klyzer's tentacles will not stay properly sheathed and wriggle in distress.
Ms. Afred turns to the Controller again for the answer.
Borgmann is pretty sure that no judge would attempt to sentence Plum to death by public attrition, at any rate.
Arat: If he is not deemed legally sane, he will be sentenced to some sort of rehabilitation.
Arat: If he is deemed legally sane, he will be sentenced to some more ordinary means of punishment, such as imprisonment or fines.
Arat: There is considerably leeway in the sentencing guidelines, so I can offer no more than that.
Ms. Afred: What is the maximum in time and money?
Arat neglects to mention community service, since Plum probably wouldn't be allowed near a community with a 10 foot pole.
Arat frowns.
Arat: Our law does not work according to theoretical maximums, as yours does.
Arat: Each situation is evaluated on its own merits and flaws.
Ms. Afred: In other words you don't know either.
Arat was sentenced to a life of community service because of his parents' crimes; they were sentenced to a quick and brutal death in prison.
Arat is therefore a bit cynical about the legal system as a result. However, he is not paid to express disbelief in it.
Arat: My area of expertise is selyn movement.
Arat: I have no legal authority except in areas pertaining to that.
Arat: I apologize, but I would suggest you obtain the services of a lawyer familiar with Sime Territory Law.
Arat: I have already suggested that Minister Plum do the same.
Arat also tried to give Plum the money to do so, but was refused.
Ms. Afred is becoming more and more worried about the townsfolk doing something monumentally stupid in reaction to the situation.
Nick: I believe there are several lawyers in camp.
Nick: Or there were--I'm not sure whether they were able to leave before the trails closed.
Ms. Afred: Thank you for your time and patience, Controller Arat.
Ms. Afred has her doubts that the situation can be saved at this point.
Arat is glad Ms. Afred appreciates the patience, since she has used up his entire stock of patience for the day and everybody else for the next 20 hours is going to get his or her head ripped off the moment they walk in the door.
Arat nods.
Arat: Ms. Afred.
Borgmann: Ms. Afred, we are working to resolve an unprecedented situation.
Ms. Afred: Mr. Borgmann could you take me to see the Minister?
Borgmann: I can. I expect he would be glad to see a familiar face.
Borgmann also hopes to get a chance to convince Ms. Afred to be circumspect in her report to the Synod.
Ms. Afred doubts he will be glad to see her face any more than she will be to see his, but....
Ms. Afred follows Borgmann out of the Controller's office and back into the cold. She hopes that where ever they are headed it is at least warm.
Klyzer realizes that the end of the distraction leaves him with his report to complete. And the interruption has not improved the Controller's mood. Not at all.
Arat waits until they are gone, and then accepts the report back from Nick.
Klyzer grits his teeth and tries to regain control of his wandering tentacles.
Arat had zlinned Nick's acceptance of responsibility for the Nikki bit, so all that remains is dealing with Klyzer himself.
Arat zlins the last of Klyzer's composure slipping away, and then with perfect timing launches his critique.
Notes:
1) The very beginning of this episode was actually played on 12/24/00. However, play was interrupted when one of the players had to leave suddenly. The episode is presented in its entirety for readability's sake. [return]
Go on to Episode #94: The Devouring of Plum
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