Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #137: Porta-Doilies (3/10/01)
Riyyh picks his way down a narrow rut between a thick cluster of cobbled-together shanties.
Riyyh is on his way back from the Tecton compound, where he has been performing his channel's schedule in order to appease certain extremists who felt serving transfers at the bath house encouraged poor behavior.
Riyyh thinks that these people would really enjoy Sime Territory a lot more if they took the time to learn its ways and customs, rather than simply agitating against them.
Riyyh however, being Riyyh, has a certain amount of sympathy for them.
Riyyh feels a certain amount of sympathy for everybody.
Borgmann: Sectuib Riyyh!
Borgmann scuttles down the path, looking like someone who could use a bit of sympathy.
Riyyh turns to find Borgmann coming up behind him.
Riyyh wonders what Borgmann was doing in the Tecton area. He doesn't zlin as if he was having much fun.
Riyyh: Why hello, Glif. [smiles kindly]
Borgmann has, to be exact, black circles under his eyes, and zlins just a bit ~~ nervous ~~
Borgmann looks, in fact, as if he were still in need, although he is a full week past transfer.
Riyyh waits for Borgmann to catch up to him.
Borgmann: Sectuib Riyyh, I'm glad I zlinned you. I've been hoping to solicit your advice on a few matters.
Riyyh: But of course. I'd be pleased to be of assistance.
Borgmann: I won't keep you long. I know you're a busy man.
Borgmann: ~~ deference ~~
Borgmann has, like many renSime immigrants, an exaggerated respect for all channels.
Riyyh nods in acknowledgement of the courtesy, although anyone who knows him well would know he'd drop anything of any importance to talk to someone who had a problem and needed help.
Riyyh knows this about himself too, but he always likes it when people are nice.
Borgmann: I wanted first to commend the work your people have been doing in the Gen interment camp. Overall, it has run more smoothly than we had any reason to hope for.
Riyyh beams at the praise.
Borgmann is aware that this is quite different from running smoothly, but beggars can't be choosers.
Riyyh: Thank you. And we do enjoy the work.
Riyyh zlins the qualification of the praise but his beam only flickers a little.
Riyyh likes qualified praise too, not just unqualified praise.
Riyyh: Why, helping others is all we live for.
Borgmann: Then I'm sure you share my concerns about what might happen to our charges when the snow thaws.
Borgmann: On the positive side, it will be possible to import the necessary supplies once more.
Borgmann: However, the increased ease of movement has its own potential problems.
Riyyh: Well, I did originally propose a closed camp. [gently]
Borgmann is aware of that, and that the weather has done a great deal to impose one naturally.
Borgmann: I won't run a Pen, Sectuib Riyyh. No matter how much the current camp resembles one.
Borgmann: ~~ guilt ~~
Riyyh looks at Borgmann in some concern.
Riyyh: Glif, are you finding your personal feelings are interfering with your abilities to run your prison?
Riyyh is as full of compassion and caring as anyone could possibly be, but he is aware that they are dealing primarily with law breakers who are not citizens, and who in an ordinary city would have been held in jail.
Riyyh thinks that Borgmann set himself up for real problems when he insisted upon running the camp without barriers so that the prisoners could come and go as they pleased.
Riyyh had protested the decision at the time, but he is, after all, no true relation to IDAS.
Borgmann: Not the camp as a whole, no. Although parts of the job haven't been pleasant.
Borgmann: We have managed to identify some Gens who wish to return to their own Territory, some who wish to stay, and others who wish to remain in Sime Territory, but not at the Dam site. It's the latter two groups I'm concerned about.
Borgmann means by this, most of them.
Borgmann: The ones who stay here will require supplies, and preferably some source of income beyond their donation payments.
Borgmann: Some of them have spent the winter perfecting their talents at certain crafts, but there is little market for such things here.
Borgmann: There might be, in more civilized surroundings, however. I admit, though, that I know nothing about spotting likely commerce items.
Riyyh's eyebrows crinkle up as he tries to figure out what Borgmann is asking him for.
Riyyh is well aware that unskilled people of any larity have been having trouble finding work, hence the massive gravitation to the Dam site.
Riyyh does not think it is something IDAS was either created to fix, or equipped to fix.
Borgmann: Naros does sell its products, though. Perhaps you would venture an opinion on some of the items?
Borgmann pulls a small bag out of the inner pocket of his cape, and reaches into it.
Borgmann pulls out two small wooden carvings, one of a boy aiming a gun, and the other of a cat sleeping.
Riyyh: Well, we really don't sell anything of this type. [explains]
Riyyh: We sell agricultural products. Roses, tea, gourmet vegetables, that sort of thing.
Riyyh: Although I do have the impression that these sorts of small crafts rarely lead to a luxurious living.
Borgmann: I was afraid of that.
Borgmann: What about this sort of thing? Might it be different enough to catch the eye of people back in Capitol?
Borgmann extracts several examples of embroidery, and a rather nice crocheted doily.
Riyyh: Well, they're very nice. [kindly]
Borgmann: But you don't think they'd be worth the price of transporting for sale?
Riyyh: Are you certain you should be worrying so about their occupations after attaining citizenship, though?
Riyyh: You have so many other important issues to deal with, and it is true that they can live on donating selyn while they decide what to do.
Riyyh is somewhat concerned because he knows Borgmann and his men have been swamped with much more relevant IDAS work such as collecting the illegals and trying to get them all processed.
Riyyh hopes that Borgmann isn't becoming simply overwhelmed by what was surely an assignment well beyond his previous experience.
Borgmann: Perhaps. I was hoping to salve my conscience, perhaps. Controller Arat has kindly provided me with a list of selyn-poor areas where extra Gens would be particularly welcome.
Borgmann: I had intended to publicize the information widely, so that people would know their options, but there have been unanticipated... complications.
Borgmann's worry acquires a touch of real ~ fear ~
Riyyh: Oh? [zlins the fear]
Riyyh: What is wrong?
Borgmann: Hajene Wise Snake Farris has forbidden me to actively publicize the information.
Borgmann: And yet Controller Arat expects me to do so.
Borgmann is definitely feeling sandwiched between attrition and a Giant Killer Gen.
Riyyh can see where this would make a person a bit nervous.
Riyyh: Well, of course you are not strictly speaking obligated to please either of them.
Riyyh knows how it works, even if he fails to take it into consideration himself.
Borgmann: I don't think either of them sees it that way.
Riyyh: Have you tried explaining to each of them that they have made opposing requests?
Riyyh: Perhaps it is simply a miscommunication?
Borgmann: Frankly, I haven't had the nerve to approach either of them on the issue. They can both be rather formidable, from a renSime's perspective.
Borgmann: ~~ apologetic ~~
Borgmann is quite sure that as a channel, Riyyh would never feel intimidated by another channel's nager.
Riyyh zlins quite sympathetic actually.
Riyyh: Well, it sounds a difficult situation. [admits]
Riyyh: But I do not see how you can resolve it without speaking to either of them.
Riyyh: Unless, of course, you simply allow the Gens to choose their own paths.
Riyyh: They are people with their own hopes and dreams, as you well know, and they will not be looking to you for direction.
Riyyh: Their selyn is enough proof of their ability to help themselves to assist in their citizenship applications, isn't it?
Borgmann: Yes, at least officially. They don't look to my people for direction, but they do ask us for information.
Borgmann: And as public servants, we have some obligation to provide assistance when we can.
Borgmann: That is why I asked Controller Arat where extra Gens would be particularly welcome.
Borgmann has spent a fair amount of time wishing that he hadn't.
Riyyh: But if you approached him, surely he wouldn't consider you obligated...?
Riyyh isn't so sure about this at all, since he wasn't there.
Borgmann: I don't think he expected me to keep the information to myself.
Borgmann: And having gone to the trouble of providing the information, he might feel slighted if I failed to distribute it.
Borgmann does not want to face an Arat whose aid has been solicited and then ignored.
Borgmann: And yet, I really don't think it would be advisable to openly defy Hajene Wise Snake, either. One gets the impression that she might do just about anything, if she was angry.
Riyyh: Oh, yes.
Borgmann shivers.
Riyyh has no doubt about that.
Borgmann: It's ridiculous, of course. She is a channel, after all.
Borgmann looks at Riyyh hopefully.
Riyyh looks pleasantly blank.
Riyyh is fortunate that he has no idea what the questioning look means, as it might well ruin his nerves for the rest of the day if he did.
Riyyh: Well, perhaps some compromise then. Make the information available, but not openly distribute it, perhaps?
Riyyh: Put it on display in your office or some other area where the Gens must visit?
Borgmann considers the suggestion for a moment.
Borgmann: Of course! The latrines!
Borgmann: Everybody reads what's written on the doors to the stalls.
Riyyh hadn't meant to remind Borgmann of the latrines when he suggested his office.
Riyyh: Oh, dear.
Borgmann: Surely that would be a compromise acceptable to both Controller Farris and his daughter?
Riyyh: I don't think.... [hesitantly]
Borgmann slumps.
Borgmann: ...That either one of them would approve?
Riyyh: Well, I don't think either of them would appreciate the use of the latrine. [admits]
Borgmann has to admit that he himself is rather less appreciative of the latrines than he might be, considering their necessity.
Riyyh: And I do think that Arat, at least, would rather you are open with him.
Riyyh seems to recall Arat becoming rather agitated upon learning of lack of complete truthfulness on the part of, er, well Riyyh actually.
Borgmann looks at Riyyh in appeal.
Riyyh smiles reassuringly.
Borgmann: He has taken so much time to offer me advice, beyond any reasonable obligation. I do hate to disappoint him.
Riyyh: Well then, I am certain you will think of something. [smiles]
Riyyh combines a reassuring and kind nager with a pat on Borgmann's back.
Borgmann has been doing so, and none of his ideas have any particular chance of not getting at least one very powerful channel angry at him.
Riyyh really does want Borgmann to feel better, despite the fact that he would seem to not have the answer Borgmann is so desperately searching for.
Borgmann has spend enough time dealing with fellow bureaucrats to know a "That's your problem, not mine" when he gets one, even though they don't usually come with a pat on the back.
Borgmann: I suppose so. Thank you for giving me your opinion.
Riyyh hopes Borgmann will get a chance to put his duties and his wishes in perspective; maybe that will help.
Borgmann: If you do happen to think of any small industries that would be worthwhile for the Gens to take up, while they await processing, you will let me know?
Riyyh: Certainly. [smiles]
Riyyh will stay on the problem for at least as long as it takes for someone else to buttonhole him with their problems.
Go on to Episode #138: Pulp Scripture
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