Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #126: Of Dubious Artistic Value (2/18/01)
Jeniard pushes his way out of the infirmary building. It is the wee hours of the morning, when even channels think about hitting the sack, and he is exhausted after a night of patching up tunnel collapse victims.
Jeniard rubs his newly scrubbed hands together, then tucks them into his Tecton cloak.
Jeniard looks both ways, then starts trudging in the direction of his distant bed.
Sayward has determined that she will be a lot less dependent on Cris by thaw. While Cris does do the translating for her Sayward is determined to learn how these Tecton forms work for herself.
Sayward sees Jeniard coming toward her. She has been looking for him. Now all she has to do is figure out a way to ask....
Sayward: Hajene Jeniard. [waves as she makes her way to him]
Sayward hopes that he will be able to demystify some of the paperwork.
Jeniard: Hello, Sayward.
Sayward: Hello. I was wondering if you have a moment to help me with something. ~~slightly embarrassed~~
Jeniard has thawed out to Sayward to some extent since she dropped Arat as a "personal project". He had found Arat nearly impossible to handle after the disastrous "pancake breakfast" fiasco.
Jeniard: Sure, what's up?
Sayward: I'm sure you've heard about the forms that I tried to fill out in Simelan?
Sayward does put this in the form of a question but is sure of the answer.
Sayward: Well, I have determined to be able to do it in future without the, er, suggestive content.
Jeniard: Sounds like a good idea to me.
Sayward: ~~more embarrassed~~
Jeniard smiles.
Jeniard has been known to put suggestive content or in-jokes into reports meant to be seen only by his direct superior -- Arat -- but only intentionally.
Jeniard: How can I help?
Sayward: Yes. Well I was hoping that you could explain to me some of the more arcane references on the forms as well as letting me run a couple by you to check.
Jeniard: Sure. Er... right now?
Jeniard had kind of been hoping to catch some shut eye so he doesn't cause any paperwork calamities of his own.
Sayward: Well, I do have one with me. But if it's a bad time, I could come back when it's more convenient.
Jeniard hesitates, then nods.
Jeniard: OK, well if it's just one. [smiles]
Jeniard: Let's see it.
Sayward smiles back and fumbles into her heavy winter coat to retrieve the document.
Jeniard: There's more light back here.
Jeniard goes back to the entrance of the infirmary, which is lit very expensively, but necessarily, all night round.
Sayward: Thank you.
Sayward: This particular report has a section on the back page that asks about -- well I'm not sure. It looks like they want information about his, er, private parts.
Jeniard reads carefully.
Jeniard's expression becomes rather astonished almost immediately.
Jeniard: Is this a real patient, or just a practice page?
Sayward: It is real.
Sayward: I did do the report in English so it is already in process but I wanted to try the same one in Simelan.
Jeniard: Oh.
Sayward: I take it I didn't do so good.
Jeniard puzzles a bit longer over the bit that says he is a large breed of hairy dog, then shakes his head.
Jeniard: No no, it's great. Let me keep reading.
Sayward can read Simelan but the forms aren't just in another language they are also laid out completely differently.
Jeniard turns a page and gets to the part where the form filler indicates that the patient has been appraised of his privacy rights.
Jeniard of course is familiar with the wording, which states that the patient should be asked about his knowledge of part A and part B, and then asked to sign if he understands and affirms them.
Sayward could just let Cris do it all but Cris is not her secretary!
Jeniard lets out a helpless laugh as he sees what was written there.
Jeniard: Oh Sayward. You're putting me on!
Sayward: Uh, no I don't think so. How bad is it?
Jeniard zlins Sayward incredulously. Surely a General Order Donor couldn't keep that straight-nagered in the face of a First, just to push a joke?
Jeniard realizes that Sayward is serious, and his smile falters.
Jeniard looks back at the page.
Jeniard: Well, I think it's just a misunderstanding.
Sayward slumps a bit. She thought she had the thing at least close to right this time.
Sayward smiles to herself; at least Jeniard is laughing and not looking offended. That is something at least.
Jeniard corrects his expression to a reassuring smile.
Jeniard: No no, it's really not that bad.
Jeniard: But this part here, it's not talking about private parts, it's asking if the patient understands his privacy rights, as outlined in parts A and B.
Jeniard points to the two sections in question.
Sayward: Oh! ~~consternation and embarrassment~~
Jeniard is trying not to laugh again as he imagines Sayward nerving herself to ask a 42 year old construction worker if he understands how private parts A and B work.
Jeniard: Look, maybe it'd be easiest to keep a blank English form on hand, to remind you which lines are which?
Jeniard scans through the rest of the forms.
Sayward: I do, but there isn't a strict line by line correlation.
Jeniard: Really there aren't that many errors in your actual Simelan, aside from the bit about the dog.
Sayward: Dog?
Jeniard quickly flips back to the beginning of the forms to point out the error.
Sayward didn't remember anything about a dog.
Jeniard: "Patient is a mature 42 year old Gennot in perfect condition, aside from the leash marks."
Jeniard: A Gennot is a large long haired working dog in the Rockies region.
Jeniard: [grins]
Sayward: Oh.
Sayward shakes her head and chuckles.
Jeniard: I can see where you'd have dogs on your mind if he came in with leash marks though.
Jeniard rubs the back of his neck.
Sayward: I was trying to say scratches. Sorry.
Sayward: I didn't know the word for rope burn.
Jeniard: What are you using for a medical glossary?
Jeniard: I assume you've got some kind of glossary or dictionary at hand?
Sayward: Uh, Cris when I can get her.
Sayward: She has been dealing with the Gen camp a lot more than me lately.
Sayward: I'm not complaining mind you.
Jeniard: You really want a good medical glossary written by someone with some medical background, if you want to make medical reports.
Jeniard still isn't sure why Sayward fills these out at all. Can't the attending channel do it?
Sayward: I mean I can do the forms in English but, well, my pride was a little bruised by the other reports.
Jeniard: You're lucky none of them reached Arat.
Jeniard thinks Arat would have refused to believe that anyone could make that many egregious mistakes of such a humorous nature, and assume that she was trying to make a fool of him. When he finally found out the truth, he would have lost all respect for Sayward forever.
Sayward: Yes, I think so too. He already has a rather low opinion of me from what I've seen.
Jeniard: Oh... well, you pushed some of his bad buttons very early on, and some of the... later... incidents didn't help either.
Jeniard: But don't take it personally.
Jeniard: I mean, it's not just you.
Sayward: I don't.
Sayward: If I let people's opinions of me determine my actions I would never get anything done.
Jeniard thinks that sounds a bit odd.
Jeniard thinks that if a person went through life refusing to take other people's opinions into account, their productivity would be severely limited.
Jeniard is glad it is none of his business.
Sayward has no idea that she has mis stated herself.
Sayward has been fighting people's perceptions of her for most of her life. After all there aren't many women in her profession, let alone her position.
Jeniard: Well anyway, that's my advice... a good medical dictionary for translation should allow you to use explicit technical terms that will prevent misunderstanding.
Jeniard: You can probably order one in the spring.
Sayward: Yes, I will. I will also be losing Cris in the spring too I think.
Sayward: I'll require a good dictionary. But if you don't mind my running things by you occasionally, that will help.
Jeniard: Sure.
Sayward: Now, a favor for a favor. What can I do for you? Shelves, furniture, new desk?
Jeniard: Oh, no thank you, I'm just fine.
Sayward has learned that with Simes it is better to ask, well with one Sime anyway.
Jeniard: Just do me a favor and don't try to make Arat eat pancakes again. It was two weeks before I could convince him to touch breakfast after that.
Sayward: What! Really? Goodness!
Jeniard looks somewhat rueful.
Jeniard: He's kind of sensitive on the subject.
Sayward: Well, I have learned my lesson on that score. It must have been an awful trauma though.
Sayward: I mean the one that made him hate food.
Jeniard considers whether one's entire childhood could be considered a single trauma, then shakes his head.
Jeniard: It's a long story, but the short version is, if you want to keep things simple just don't mention it around him.
Sayward: Understood. Well, then what do you like to eat?
Jeniard: Oh, I'm not too picky. I did develop a fondness for the executive lounge at the 53rd District Offices though.
Jeniard smiles wistfully.
Jeniard drags his mind back to reality.
Jeniard: Well, and camp food is OK too for a change.
Sayward: Did you get any of the vegetable stew I brought to Nick?
Jeniard: Sure, it was delicious. I was never that big a fan of out-Territory cuisine, but that was not bad at all.
Sayward: Well, I will make sure to bring more then.
Sayward: Got any preferences for tastes, I mean seasonings?
Sayward: Well the food is incidental. Nick reminds me of the knee baby boy in my family. Jeshua never never seemed to get enough to eat.
Jeniard: Well, we don't use spices as much here. And there are a lot of very good mushrooms and milder seasonings that are poisonous to Gens, that I quite like.
Sayward: Hmm, Cris has been out mushrooming. She always warns me about the ones that we call toad stools back home. I'm not sure if she finds them or buys them. I will have to ask. She's a good cook by the way.
Sayward isn't above matchmaking on occasion.
Jeniard: She probably buys them.
Jeniard: There are over 10,000 people scavenging out there, I think all the ones easy to get to have been staked out.
Sayward: Good. I'll see what I can do about getting Cris to share some. Can't promise for her though.
Jeniard happens to know that there are a couple of patches in the tiny grove of woods that surrounds his and Arat's abode.
Jeniard wonders if he should tell Sayward about them, or leave well enough alone. It is difficult enough to keep trespassers out of the area when the guards have easy-to-follow instructions like let no one in.
Jeniard decides he doesn't have to decide until spring anyway, since any shrooms that might be growing there would be unavailable until then.
Sayward: By the way, are there any problems with the desk? The wood was somewhat green and I figure there will be some cracking as it dries. the drawers were made of dried wood though so they should be all right.
Jeniard: I haven't heard any complaints.
Jeniard grins.
Sayward: Good. Just let me know and I will see to them. I enjoyed doing the carving. It's something to do to pass the time. I don't sleep much. Never have, used to drive my dad nuts.
Jeniard forbears mentioning that if Sayward bothered to get proper sleep, she'd find it easier to do things like learn foreign languages.
Sayward: Have you got any hobbies Hajene?
Jeniard: Oh, a little of this, a little of that, nothing major. Arat keeps me pretty busy.
Sayward: Well, I like the wood working. Can't sew worth a darn. I'm not very "ladylike" I'm afraid.
Jeniard: Nothing wrong with that, or so they say.
Jeniard has had a bit of that sort of problem himself, as it happens, although not in exactly the same way.
Sayward: Have you taken up whittling like just about everybody?
Jeniard: Oh well, I've done a little of it.
Jeniard looks a bit sheepish.
Jeniard: So far nobody has been impressed.
Jeniard has nobody to show his work to except the people he lives with, who are a tough audience, and his patients, who feel obligated to act appreciative but who he can zlin right through.
Sayward: Good for you! I would love to see your work.
Jeniard: Oh well, uh, I have a couple right here.
Jeniard digs in a cloak pocket.
Sayward is always happy to find a fellow woodworker and can't wait to see what he has hidden away.
Jeniard: I bring them to work because Arat ignores them and Nick just isn't that interested. I guess I keep hoping one of my patients will think they're the greatest. Or maybe one of my employees.
Jeniard isn't being 100% accurate when he describes Arat's reaction. Arat ignores them pointedly until Jeniard insists, and then he looks rather pained as he studies them.
Jeniard is certain that Arat has made a good effort to be complimentary in those cases, but the man is just not cut out for the job, and he also is a very honest person.
Jeniard produces two unidentifiable lumps of crude wood.
Sayward holds out her hand to take one of the carvings.
Jeniard: This one is called "chance" [shows Sayward a block about an inch square, but not quite square exactly]
Jeniard: And this one is called "A perpetual bliss." [holds up a twisted pillar about a half an inch wide and 2" tall]
Sayward studies the carvings from all angles.
Sayward: ~~interest~~
Sayward: What do you use to carve with?
Jeniard: Oh....
Jeniard searches another pocket, and produces a flint hand-axe. The sort with no handle, only a blade, and of a fairly small palm-sized dimension. Still a big rock to be carrying in a cloak pocket, though.
Jeniard doesn't think it would be prudent to explain to Sayward that he doesn't keep sharp objects such as knives readily to hand, particularly around the house.
Jeniard just shrugs apologetically.
Jeniard: I'm a lot better at stone than wood.
Jeniard has to practice stone chipping on the sly, as it is so outrageously dangerous that Arat would never allow it if he found out.
Sayward: Did you make this? [points at the carving implement]
Jeniard: Yeah. There's loads of flint around here. As I'm sure you've noticed. And obsidian isn't too difficult to get.
Jeniard: I have arrowheads too, do you want to see them?
Sayward is intrigued. With all the rock around stone carving would be another good pass time.
Sayward: Yes, actually I would!
Jeniard shows Sayward a handful of tiny arrow heads in different colors of stone, carefully shaped with minutely ridged edges.
Jeniard: For some reason the Gens across the border go nuts for these. I have gotten some good trades for delicacies that way.
Jeniard is unaware that the Gens in question are selling them to gullible fellow Gens in other parts of Gen Territory for good money as supposedly authentic pre-Ancient relics.
Sayward examines each one carefully. They are unique and interesting in shape and texture.
Jeniard has now spent more time talking to Sayward about hobbies than he typically has for actually doing hobbies in a given day.
Jeniard's hobbies tend to be long, drawn out affairs stretching out over many years with only a few minutes spend on them at a time.
Sayward: Wood is not your medium. Stick with stone. You have a real talent for it!
Jeniard: Uh... thanks!
Jeniard decides that is not the worst anybody has ever said about his wood carving, not by far.
Sayward: I can't do what you do. It is marvelous.
Jeniard: Well, I'd better get to bed, or I'll be useless tomorrow morning.
Sayward: ~~enthusiasm~~
Jeniard hates to leave just as Sayward is starting to give him the sort of feedback he's been craving, but Arat will give him feedback of an entirely different sort if he slacks off on the job.
Sayward: Oh, so sorry! Didn't mean to keep you. Thanks for your help and letting me see your work.
Jeniard stuffs the various items back into his pockets.
Jeniard: Any time.
Jeniard waves to Sayward.
Sayward waves back and heads for her office to get some more paperwork done.
Go on to Episode #127: Smuggler's Lament
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