Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #130: Three Warnings (2/25/01)
Riyyh: Well Ali, we have no more appointments for at least an hour. What do you say to a nice break with some tea and cookies?
Riyyh both anticipates and dreads the day Ali decides to become the sort of Companion who protects his channel from vices like multiple cookie sessions in a day.
Riyyh smiles kindly at Ali.
Riyyh really does appreciate Ali's skills as a Companion, which at this stage are still always increasing.
Ali smiles protectively.
Ali: Sure, Sectuib.
Ali is always ready for a nice tea party, though in his off hours he has been investigating more adult treats.
Riyyh checks to make sure the bath house's tiny transfer suite/donation chamber is neat and clean (yes) and then leads the way out and toward the bath house's now fully functional mini tea parlor.
Ali agrees with Riyyh that after any work is accomplished it is time for a break.
Ali hums under his breath one of the new songs he recently learned from a drinking buddy at Mardith's.
Ali: I'm a lumberjack and I'm okay....
Ali: I drink all night and I work all day....
Riyyh smiles indulgently at Ali. He knows what sorts of things Ali has been doing in his spare time, and it reminds him fondly of his own youth.
Riyyh hadn't spent quite so much time in quite such terrible locations, of course, but the actual activities are much the same.
Nick enters the bath house, carrying a packing crate covered by a piece of cloth.
Ali has gone from wishing he were Sime to being intrigued by the possibilities of Genness. He has been trying to get himself to look more like some of the burly construction workers.
Nick asks the attendant currently in charge -- somewhat older than himself, and thus only 50% Related -- a question, and frowns at the answer.
Nick was not exactly thrilled when he was asked to perform this particular errand, and is less thrilled to find that it is, in fact, necessary.
Nick makes his way to the tea parlor, where he has been told Riyyh is likely to come on break.
Ali follows Riyyh into the tea parlor, trying to catch a glimpse of his reflection in the glass as they move by a window.
Riyyh notices Ali's glance, since he was doing the same thing himself.
Riyyh: You like very fine. Very... [hesitates, as he knows how prone teens are to getting upset of you identify the wrong effect in their appearance]... manly.
Ali has been trying to coax his beard to grow out full like the local lumberjacks and trappers, and he thinks he may have finally succeeded.
Ali: ~~grateful that Riyyh understands~~
Riyyh isn't sure exactly what Ali is going for, to be perfectly honest, but he has his guesses. He thinks they are all precious. Ali is his son after all. And his grandson.
Riyyh beams, glad to have hit near the mark.
Ali: It only makes sense, to wear it this way in the winter. It's so much warmer.
Ali spent a distressing several months in which his face was producing only thin wisps.
Riyyh privately wonders how it is possible that Ali's beard is growing in red, instead of brown like his (and most other Narosians') hair.
Riyyh hasn't commented, because he thinks if it was his beard, he would be frightfully self-conscious about that.
Riyyh has never had to shave, which makes him even more beardless than the average Sime, so it is very possible that his genes are what is giving Ali a bit of beard trouble.
Ali is finally proud to be sporting hair that is thick enough to be worthy of a Narosian, though he still needs to acquire some length.
Nick has spent so much time racing after Farris channels that he has gotten out of the habit of admiring himself in improvised mirrors, and so he is already ensconced at a table by the time Riyyh and Ali enter.
Nick has placed the covered packing crate prominently on his table, and has ordered a plate of nutritious Sime-oriented snacks to go with his tea.
Nick suspects that Ali may not be seeing properly to their parent's nutritional needs.
Riyyh and Ali enter the tea room, where Riyyh spots Nick.
Ali having satisfied himself on the matter of his appearance, turns his attention back to Riyyh and checks the ambient.
Riyyh: Shall we sit with Nick, Ali?
Riyyh knows there is a bit of friction between Nick and Ali, and he will defer to his Companion's wishes.
Ali sees Nick.
Nick is watching the pair enter, and nods a polite greeting to Ali.
Ali has never appreciated the way the Tecton Companion grabs control of the fields every time he is around and displays a lack of confidence in Ali's abilities that is close to insulting.
Nick then nods towards the empty chairs at the table in invitation.
Ali: As you wish, Sectuib.
Ali controls his attitude, understanding that diplomacy is part of his job.
Ali: ~~friendly light support~~
Riyyh smiles at Ali, then goes to Nick's table.
Ali prepares himself for having the big Gen wrench his field control away as he always does.
Nick: Riyyh, Ali. Do have some tea.
Riyyh: Nick! I wasn't expecting you until your usual time. What a pleasant surprise. [smiles]
Riyyh: Oh, thank you. [takes a seat, artfully arranging his cape and his hair as he does so. This is quite automatic for him]
Ali knows that Riyyh has never given up his secret longing for Nick.
Nick notes that Ali's control has improved since they last met, and contents himself with providing secondary support.
Riyyh nearly purrs as he finds himself cocooned between two cooperative Gen nagers.
Ali: Hello, Sosu Nick.
Nick is, of course, prepared to take over on an instant's notice if Ali drops the fields, but fortunately that isn't perceptible to another Gen.
Nick: Hello, Ali. You've grown a great deal, since we last spoke.
Nick looks at the reddish growth adorning Ali's chin, and is forced to admit to himself that not all the growth has been positive.
Nick is, however, much too polite to say so.
Nick instead pushes the tray of healthy snacks towards his guests.
Nick: Do help yourselves.
Riyyh: Oh, dear. [looking at the healthy snacks, which consist basically of different kinds of preserved trail food]
Ali: Thank you.
Ali considers Nick's statement and decides it is not really a compliment, but at least not an insult.
Nick looks at Riyyh, only half amused.
Nick: Let me guess: you were planning on ordering cookies?
Ali looks over Nick, noting that the Gen is clean-shaven.
Nick: Simes do require proper nutritions, you know.
Ali can see that Nick is horning in on his turf again.
Riyyh squirms somewhat. The ambient of cooperation isn't quite what it was anymore.
Riyyh sighs.
Ali: Our Sectuib is quite competent to order what he wishes to eat, Sosu Nick.
Ali emphasizes the Tecton title.
Nick: I know, but what he wishes to eat is frequently not good for him. Still, I suppose it's an improvement over not being willing to eat at all.
Ali sees Riyyh is bothered by the conflict, and offers calm and firm support.
Riyyh smiles apologetically at both Nick and Ali, and takes a piece of dried fruit to be nice.
Riyyh: It isn't that important, really.
Nick notes Ali's efforts with provisional approval: at least Ali is recognizing when his nager is causing trouble, and doing something about it.
Nick's own nageric secondary support, of course, has not wavered in any fashion that would be perceptible to a non-Farris.
Ali wonders how the Gen, who used to be a wandering rogue for crying out loud, can dare to criticize the habits that have sustained the Sectuib for decades.
Nick nods towards the covered packing crate.
Nick: I came to return this. Apparently, it belongs to Racknie.
Ali deliberately turns his attention from the irritating Donor to the food.
Ali likes cookies of course, but for a young Gen growing as fast as he is, the trail mix looks really good too.
Ali reaches out and picks out a walnut, one of his particular favorites, and pops it in his mouth.
Riyyh: Oh... thank you. I will make sure he gets it. [kindly]
Nick reaches over and pulls off the cover, revealing three sickly young (well fertilized) spider plants.
Riyyh's eyes widen in surprise.
Riyyh is quite certain there couldn't be more than one plant like that -- or rather, like the mother of that -- in the Dam area, or more to the point, in the fifty mile radius of the Dam area to include Salmonton.
Ali peers with interest at the crate. Racknie's stuff is always interesting.
Ali has learned that Racknie's experiments are, however, not always safe, and eyes the spider plants with some suspicion.
Nick: Apparently, he was setting up a small, unauthorized garden in the coal room, over at the infirmary. Hajene Rifan caught him sneaking in, yesterday.
Nick: With Nikki.
Riyyh had not known that Racknie kept some of the "babies" when Riyyh made him return the plant to its rightful owner.
Nick's nager is nicely supportive, but his tone of voice is less than approving.
Riyyh: In the coal room of the infirmary? [quite surprised]
Riyyh: Why, I had no idea.
Riyyh: And with Nikki, you say?
Ali decides the plants look harmless enough.
Nick: No one else knew, either. And yes, Nikki was with him. I thought you were going to keep her from making unauthorized visits to the infirmary?
Nick is not being completely fair: he knows Nikki well enough to know how difficult it can be to corral her.
Ali snags a few more nuts.
Riyyh: Well, I had told her she should not go there without an adult in attendance, but I had not expected Racknie to become involved.
Nick: If his involvement had stayed limited to putting plants in the coal room, it would not have been such a problem.
Riyyh had not explained to Nikki that most people would not consider Racknie quite adult "enough" to serve as supervision in a Tecton setting.
Riyyh: Oh...?
Riyyh looks rather concerned, but not terribly alarmed, as if it had been a truly typical Racknie escapade Nick would have sounded a lot more than just disapproving.
Nick: Unfortunately, when Hajene Rifan mistook him for the absent coal boy, Racknie volunteered to help out.
Nick: And, um, Hajene Rifan was unwise enough to agree.
Riyyh's eyes widen again. Racknie and coal are not two things he prefers to think of in the same thought.
Ali has seen Nikki and hopes that his own Companion's duties will save him from babysitting assignments.
Riyyh: Is everybody all right?
Nick: It could have been much worse.
Nick: He filled the coal pails, and then for good measure he delivered an extra bucket of coal to each stove.
Nick: Unfortunately, the containers he chose to use to hold the extra coal were bedpans. Used ones.
Nick's nose twitches at the memory.
Nick: By the time the source of the odor was determined, two wards had to be evacuated.
Nick: When he was finished with the coal, he tried to help deliver the breakfast trays.
Riyyh winces.
Nick: I'm sure he only meant to cheer the patients when he started folding the napkins into fancy shapes, but it would have gone much better if he'd washed the coal dust off his hands, first.
Riyyh: I will ask Racknie to avoid the infirmary in the future. [apologetically]
Nick knows that snow geese are supposed to have black wing tips, but napkin-origami is best when a less literal approach is used.
Riyyh: Truly, I did not know he had gone there, or I would have warned against it.
Ali frowns.
Ali: He does seem to lack a real sense of aesthetics.
Ali: Though he is very clever at some things.
Nick thinks that their mutual sibling lacks sense of any sort.
Riyyh: I apologize.
Ali thinks that harmonious surroundings are so important to healing.
Nick: Thank you, Riyyh. I admit that I didn't bother to warn the Tecton staff about Racknie; I didn't know there were any plants at the infirmary to tempt him.
Riyyh: Oh, I'm afraid these were not there to begin with.
Riyyh fingers the tip of a leaf sadly.
Riyyh: They belong to the Salmonton Chamber of Commerce.
Riyyh: Or rather, to the secretary there.
Nick will admit to some ~~ curiosity ~~ as to how the plants ended up in the coal room.
Riyyh: They are cuttings from her plant.
Nick: He got them in Salmonton?
Riyyh thinks it is putting too fine a point on it to say that the plant was actually here in the bath house when Racknie made the cuttings.
Riyyh: Yes. [admits]
Ali perks up his ears; he's heard the rumors about the unauthorized trip over the border, but details are always valuable.
Nick: If he went to all that trouble to get them, why didn't he keep them here, where he wouldn't have to sneak around in the snow to look at them?
Riyyh tries to decide whether he can spare a few days to make the long journey to Salmonton, cajole the woman into forgiving the theft, and return.
Riyyh thinks maybe a letter will have to do.
Riyyh wishes his heir were here to write the letter for him, as he tends to be far too open and... inviting... if he writes them himself.
Riyyh: Well, I am afraid that is my fault.
Riyyh: You see, I... [hesitates as it sounds odd to say it] Well, to be honest I forbid him to keep them.
Riyyh: He must have chosen that location because he thought they would remain undiscovered.
Riyyh spreads his hands in a repeat display of apology. Some people can't seem to get enough of Riyyh appearing apologetic, and this seems to be one of those situations.
Nick sighs.
Ali thinks the spider plants look pretty worthless to go through all that trouble.
Nick: Well, I don't suppose you blame Racknie for being Racknie.
Ali wonders what Racknie's (of course) grandiose plan is for them.
Nick: However, the infirmary will run much more smoothly without his assistance, as I'm sure you'll agree.
Riyyh: I will ask him to refrain in the future.
Ali thinks this is rather like asking the Snake River not to flow.
Ali has seen that in the matter of damming rivers dynamite is more effective.
Riyyh: Although it may also be necessary to educate your staff as to his status with regards to the Tecton.
Riyyh means that Racknie does not work there.
Nick: I have done so. With any luck, no one will accept any further offers of "assistance" where he is concerned.
Nick: While we are on the subject of presence and absence of people at the Tecton facility....
Nick looks a bit uncomfortable.
Nick: I've been told that you have turned a room here into a Collectorium/Dispensary.
Riyyh: Why, yes.
Riyyh smiles, relieved by the switch to a less troublesome topic.
Ali frowns. Does this signal another Tecton intrusion into Householding business?
Riyyh: It's so much more convenient then going all the way to the Tecton compound.
Riyyh thinks it is also cleaner and has better refreshments.
Nick: I know that it's much more convenient for you, but it has been generating some unfortunate comments in some quarters that reflect poorly on Naros.
Ali wonders if Nick means in Arat's personal quarters.
Riyyh: It has?
Riyyh had known it increased the travel time for some donors and recipients. Perhaps that is what the complaints were about.
Riyyh had done his best to make it up to them in good service, sometimes going well above and beyond the call of duty in doing so.
Nick: I gather that there have been rumors among some straightlaced individuals that your clients are receiving a bit more than just transfers or donations, when they come here.
Riyyh: Some of them do stay on afterward, if that is what you mean. It is only natural.
Nick: Some out-Territory groups have rather stringent, limiting codes of behavior.
Riyyh thinks that the average Dam site Sime is repulsed by the condition of their body when they come out of the dulled-senses state of Need and become fully aware of how long it's been since they paid for a nice hot bath.
Nick: They are starting to talk about the bath house as if it were, well, a bordello.
Riyyh looks somewhat confused for a moment.
Riyyh's expression becomes one of comprehension.
Riyyh: Oh.
Nick understands the confusion: after all, what Narosian would dream of charging money for sex?
Riyyh: Well, it is true that the bath house environment does tend to inspire such things, as does post syndrome.
Riyyh: However, we have the private baths, and there has been very little of that in the public areas.
Riyyh means, nothing beyond kissing and hugging, although quite a bit of that at times.
Nick: You have done a very good job of keeping things tasteful.
Nick means the compliment sincerely: he's stayed at Naros, after all, and understands how much of an effort is being made to accommodate the wishes of those who are more inhibited in some areas.
Nick: At the moment, no one has complained officially, and therefore no official notice has been taken. Still, I thought that I should warn you... unofficially, of course.
Riyyh: Thank you. [smiles warmly at Nick]
Ali smiles at the memories of some of his evenings at the speakeasies; does the Tecton actually think that Simes who are post are not going to indulge their appetites?
Riyyh: I shall take it into consideration of course.
Ali thinks better in a private bath than out under a bush by the camp ground.
Nick: It might help to move your Tecton work back to the official compound, at least until the talk dies down.
Ali absent-mindedly rubs his ass where he is still recovering from a touch of frostbite incurred during a recent adventure.
Nick: Your own people, of course, can be served as you wish.
Nick: Frankly, I suspect that if the busybodies believe they have "won" on this issue, they will move on to something else, and you can go back to working here in a few weeks.
Ali thinks that for a guy who used to do manual labor, Nick is starting to sound more and more like Controller Arat, but he guesses that is natural for a Companion.
Riyyh bites his lip. He really doesn't want to trudge all that way every day, through the mud and snow.
Ali wonders why the busybodies don't have something more important to do, like giving baths and backrubs and cookies to all the homeless people.
Riyyh: I will consider it. [promises]
Ali smiles; he knows that when Riyyh "considers" something it means he will table it indefinitely.
Nick is also wise to such non-answers.
Nick: Riyyh, Sayward has told me that in Gen Territory, such busybodies have been known to vandalize institutions which they believe to be responsible for the spread of "immorality".
Nick: Particularly if those institutions have not been responsive to their concerns.
Ali would regret another incursion by Gens armed with rifles; it took days to calm down Riyyh after the steampipe fiasco.
Nick: If you don't want to work from the Tecton facilities, perhaps you would be willing to meet with some of the leaders of these... moral watchdogs?
Nick: Discuss their concerns, and let them know that they are not being summarily dismissed?
Riyyh: Very well. I will discuss it with them.
Riyyh smiles, hoping this will satisfy Nick.
Ali wrings his hands; such a meeting is likely to end with Riyyh seducing the crusaders.
Nick is indeed satisfied: the crusaders are not likely to keep complaining about immorality that they have personally participated in, and enjoyed.
Nick: That would do a great deal to smooth things over.
Riyyh of course has no idea who it is he is supposed to be speaking to, yet.
Nick: When so many people are living in such close quarters, small matters can be blown out of proportion.
Riyyh continues to nod, since it seems to make Nick happy.
Nick: The most outspoken critic at the moment appears to be a Miz Goody Zweischue, and a gentleman by the name of Holbert Thennau. He has been quite insistent that he will never set foot inside the bath house, which might explain why his wife has left him.
Riyyh: Oh, my.
Nick: Yes. One can hardly blame the woman: he won't make use of the bath house's laundry service, either.
Ali is concerned. He has done his best to protect the Sectuib from being distressed by people like Meana and Prunida; a Gen on the rampage could be even more difficult to control.
Ali: Have you met them yourself, Sosu Nick?
Ali stills feels guilty that he was out carousing when Sgt. Edka and his troops came bursting in.
Nick: I've met Zweischue; she seem a sad individual, really. Lonely, and trying to find something useful with which to fill her days.
Ali: Well, I would think a pleasant love affair would offer a perfect remedy, then?
Riyyh looks at Ali in somewhat pleased surprise.
Riyyh: Are you volunteering?
Riyyh thinks that's sweet.
Ali would be happy to offer his own services, if it would cheer the poor woman up.
Ali knows that out-T Gens are funny about having sex with Simes.
Riyyh: I had better handle Holbert Thennau myself. He sounds as if he may be tricky.
Ali wonders why Nick didn't take care of the lady himself?
Nick nods.
Ali thinks that the the Narosian virtue of caring does not apply only from Companion to Channel, even for a Donor.
Nick suspects that Riyyh will prefer to handle Thennau from a distance where possible, at least until he's been coaxed into a nice tub of hot water and deloused.
Ali reminds himself that Nick is Tecton, not really Narosian.
Riyyh: Well, that's that then.
Riyyh: It was lovely seeing you again, Nick. [smiles]
Riyyh: Ali dear, do come with me back to the office. I have something I wish to show you.
Ali smiles and bows politely at Nick.
Riyyh wishes to show Ali the half-pound bar of Maple Leaf chocolate he's been hoarding.
Ali: Nice to see you.
Ali thinks it will also be nice not to see Nick any more today.
Ali steps closer to his channel and follows eagerly. He loves Riyyh's surprises.
Nick looks after them, then finishes his tea, and starts bundling up for the walk back to the Sime Shack.
Go on to Episode #131: Bite Me
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