Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #123: A Simple Solution (2/15/01)
Nick yawns and stretches in his bed, trying to make the most of the last few minutes of warmth.
Nick got rather cold and tired the previous day, as Snake dragged him all over a snowbank in search of victims of a small avalanche.
Nick reminds himself to pack an extra pair of dry socks today, just in case.
Nick can hear Jeniard cleaning in the main room, and reluctantly opens his eyes.
Nick is rather startled when he doesn't see much better with his eyes open.
Nick rubs his eyes, but that just makes things worse.
Nick's eyelids are rather swollen.
Nick is waking up rather faster than he'd planned, however.
Nick: Jeniard?
Nick: ~~ apprehension ~~
Jeniard appears after a long pause. Or at least, the sound of him appearing in the door... never mind.
Jeniard: What's wrong?
Jeniard can zlin that something is wrong, of course.
Nick: I can't see.
Nick's voice quavers just a bit.
Nick: And my eyes hurt.
Nick: It must have been all the glare on the snow yesterday.
Jeniard: Well, now, it probably wasn't that. [attempting to be practical]
Jeniard comes over to Nick's side and examines the eyes visually, then zlins.
Nick clenches his hands together to keep them from rubbing his eyes again, then gets his nager in order so that Jeniard can zlin him thoroughly.
Nick is perhaps exaggerating the degree of the problem a bit, as he had not yet consumed his morning tea.
Nick's eyesight is never at its best before his visual cortex wakes up.
Jeniard uses some tentacles to pry the eyelids open to assist in his study.
Jeniard: Well, your eyes are certainly dry.
Jeniard: And it looks like there might be a small scratch on your left.
Nick winces.
Nick: It feels like a lot more than a small scratch.
Jeniard releases Nick's head and goes over to the window so he can throw open the curtains (such as they are).
Nick is aware that cat hairs too thin to see can feel like crowbars, when they're in an eye, however.
Jeniard: How's this, better?
Jeniard picks up a glass of water that was near the bed and returns to hand it to Nick.
Jeniard: Drink some of this, it'll help the dryness.
Nick raises the glass to his mouth and drains it, aware that he is thirsty.
Nick holds the glass out in Jeniard's general direction.
Jeniard hastily corrals the glass before it gets dropped.
Jeniard places the glass back on the stand.
Jeniard: You said there was glare yesterday?
Jeniard: It's possible the muscles of your eyes are exhausted from focusing against it - and the muscles of your face too.
Jeniard thinks it zlins like that kind of pain.
Jeniard: Do you see spots?
Nick shakes his head.
Nick: Not really. Everything's blurry though, and it hurts when I try to focus.
Nick is able to interpret the blurs much better as he wakes up, though.
Jeniard: Well, try to give your eyes a rest. And better have Arat have take a zlin of it when you get a chance.
Jeniard thinks Arat would have his guts for garters if he found out Nick was running around with some kind of injury when working with Snake, and didn't tell him.
Jeniard (he'd have Nick's as well, but Jeniard's are the ones Jeniard is primarily concerned about in this case)
Nick finally squeezes out a tear or two, which aids the blurring somewhat.
Nick: I don't suppose there's been a blasting accident today, down in those nice, dark tunnels?
Nick: ~~ plaintive ~~
Jeniard chuckles.
Jeniard: Well, just explain to Snake what the problem is, and I'm sure she'll work out something.
Nick reaches for his robe, which was provided by Riyyh during their travels together, and thus contrasts rather dramatically with the plain blanket.
Jeniard isn't a fan of Snake's, but he is fairly confident as to the amount of trouble the average channel will go to to prevent injury to their Donor.
Nick rubs a hand over his chin and decides to put off shaving until tomorrow, in hopes that he will be able to see what he is doing then.
Nick knows that Arat demands a cleanly-shaven, neat-looking Donor, but Snake couldn't care less.
Nick would have to work very hard at it, anyway, to look scruffier than Snake.
Nick: I don't suppose my uniforms got back from the laundry yet?
Jeniard: Why don't you check? [a bit tartly]
Jeniard will only extend so much babying to Nick, who is after all nearly a rival.
Jeniard leaves to resume his cleaning.
Nick leaves the now-sparking quarters a half hour later.
Nick consumed several glasses of water while he dressed, and with the aid of the resulting tears, he can now see well enough not to trip over every unevenness in the path.
Nick is aware that this will require more frequent stops at outhouses and latrines, and hopes that this will not cause problems.
Nick has his own hang-ups about such breaks, with perhaps a bit more justification than Snake's.
Nick squints against the sun, looking to see if Snake has arrived yet.
Nick has noticed that Snake prefers not to enter the quarters he shares with Arat and Jeniard, which is probably just as well.
Wise Snake is leaning against a tree, her black clothing and slender build causing her to blend into its shadow with uncanny - and terribly dramatic - precision.
Nick can't really see Snake very well, but he can feel his response to his presence as he draws closer.
Nick: Snake.
Nick blinks his eyes and forces them to focuses, at least long enough to check Snake's condition.
Nick tries to figure out whether Snake is under the influence, and if so, of what.
Wise Snake: That's me.
Nick concludes from this that whatever Snake has taken recently, she's more or less functional.
Nick: I don't suppose you want to stay inside the infirmary today?
Nick: My eyes are giving me some trouble.
Wise Snake squints at Nick closely.
Wise Snake: Don't tell me you're going to go on about how bright it is all day today too.
Wise Snake: If I could do anything about the sun I would. Have you ever tried wearing a hat with a brim?
Nick: I'll make a note to get one, next time I make it to civilization.
Nick: In the mean time, I'd just as soon not spend all day running around in the snow, if there's something interesting inside?
Wise Snake: Well, come to think of it I did want to inspect the communal toilets today.
Wise Snake: You know, that is the best way to scan for certain types of infectious diseases.
Wise Snake: You take all the male ones and I'll take the female....
Wise Snake: Check everybody out thoroughly and report to me if you find anything suspicious.
Nick looks at Snake, a bit astonished.
Wise Snake: It's nice and dark in there. [adds in satisfaction]
Nick usually has to blast Snake for at least 10 minutes with "full bladder" before she will consent to splitting up in anything resembling a rest room.
Wise Snake: After two or three days of that, everybody who has a disease will either be cured or be avoiding the public toilets.
Nick shrugs.
Nick: Why not?
Nick figures his nose will go numb after a while--or at least, he hopes it will.
Nick knows better than to think that Snake will be deterred by the smells.
Nick does intend to keep his eyes out for casualties in better-smelling, yet shady places as they make their way through camp, however.
Go on to Episode #124: Choice Gig
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