Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #139: Suitable for Branding (3/12/01)
Plum kneels on the floor of his cell, praying.
Plum knows that he will need all his faith and fortitude to get through the ordeals to come.
Plum's mind wanders, however, and he berates himself for sounding off to Gideon. Did he really expect to persuade a Demon to obey the law of God? Arrogance, indeed.
Plum resolves to conduct himself with the humility his pathetic circumstances merit.
Plum resolves to stop trying to control his Fate, but put his trust in the Divine plan.
Plum tries to persuade himself, but nevertheless cannot banish his smoldering rage at his confinement and the abuses that are part of it.
Sedel walks three steps ahead of his channel as they enter the cell block. He has allowed Sylma to talk him into this visit but he has no intention of allowing the kind of damage to his channel that Rifan sported.
Sylma follows her brother, eyes bright with curiosity.
Sedel is a solidly built Gen who has spent a lifetime living the Dar tradition of martial arts training. He has also spent what seems to be a lifetime watching out for is little sister Sylma.
Sylma is a channel some five years past changeover (and therefore quite able to look after herself), with brown hair, more muscles than most Simes bother to acquire, and a cheerful outlook on life.
Sedel is in overprotective high gear. He has many reasons not to want to be here but....
Sylma edges past her brother -- the overly large dear does tend to get in the way when interesting things happen -- and zlins the occupied cell curiously.
Sedel: Syl!
Sylma: Oh, don't be such a big brother.
Sylma walks up to the bars.
Sedel cocks his head at her.
Sylma: Good morning. You must be Minister Plum.
Plum: ~~tenuous self-control reining in misery, fear and anger~~
Plum looks up from his devotions to see what new tormenters have come to mock his helplessness.
Sedel stares at the wretch in the cell. He doesn't look at all dangerous.
Sedel has not forgotten his training which does warn that looks can be deceiving.
Sylma has met a lot of unhappy campers --literally-- since she was assigned to the Dam, but Plum is definitely one of the unhappiest.
Plum notes the Tecton uniforms and the tentacled arms. The cheeriness is almost unbearable.
Plum gets slowly to his feet, assessing the newcomers.
Plum: I am Josef Plum.
Sedel smiles warmly a Plum.
Sedel: Pleased to meet you.
Sylma: I'm Sylma ambrov Dar, and this lunk with the overlarge appetite is my brother, Sedel.
Plum: Greetings to you both.
Sedel: Watch it shorty, I'll thump you one. [to Sylma]
Sylma ignores the threat, with the blithe confidence of a pampered little sister.
Plum observes the interplay between the big Gen and the small, athletic sime.
Sedel notes the curious looks from Plum. Maybe this won't be so bad after all.
Plum: Are you a Donor, Mr. Sedel?
Sedel: Yes, her Donor. [nods to Sylma] At least for this month.
Sylma: Not that he minds his own business, even when he's assigned to someone else.
Sylma doesn't look as if she minds all that much, really.
Sedel rolls his eyes heavenward.
Plum nods gravely. Another mutant, brain-washed servitor of demons.
Plum has learned not to expect any help from these tainted Gens; they're as bad or worse than the Simes they serve.
Plum: And to what do I owe the honor of this visit?
Sylma: You gave some colleagues of ours a rough time, last week, I heard.
Sylma: I wanted to get your side of the story.
Sedel smirks. Rough time is an understatement of monumental proportions.
Plum raises his eyebrows.
Plum: Why?
Sedel: Because doing that kind of damage to a channel is a rare thing to see.
Sylma: Well, mostly. But even Rifan's wife doesn't usually go after him that bad.
Sedel: Did he do something to earn that kind of treatment?
Plum: I suppose they will add another assault charge when I come to trial.
Sedel has considered Rif a stand up sort even if a bit hen pecked.
Sylma: You'll have to ask your lawyer about that.
Plum: Are you gathering information for the prosecution?
Sedel can hear the gears turning loudly in his sister's little Sime head. He does not like the direction they are taking.
Sylma: No, they don't pay me enough to hang around with lawyers.
Plum: Are you evaluating me to decide if I am insane enough to need your so-called channel's therapy?
Sylma chuckles warmly.
Sylma: No, our visit here is strictly unofficial.
Plum: Then I don't see any reason to answer your questions.
Sylma: Do you have something better to do?
Plum: Yes, as a matter of fact. I was praying.
Plum settles himself back on his knees on the cold hard floor.
Sylma watches curiously.
Plum: And you don't have to ask these questions. You're a channel. You can read my mind.
Plum: You're just toying with me... like the others.
Sylma: Why should we do that?
Sedel recognizes Syl's well practiced get um riled up tactics. Poor Plum.
Sedel has been the victim, er, target of these tactics.
Sylma: Rifan is a friend of mine, and he was pretty upset about what happened.
Sylma: We thought we'd see if we could figure out what went wrong.
Plum: Well, I wasn't pleased myself.
Plum: But he left me no choice.
Plum starts mumbling some verses about the "Rock of Ages".
Plum tries his best to ignore the Sime eyes that he can feel staring at him and the imagined magic tentacles stealing into his mind to read his thoughts.
Sylma: What specifically upset you, to the point where Rifan and Berlynna had to use a sedative?
Sylma: That's hardly standard practice, for a simple donation.
Plum sighs.
Sedel thinks that it walks very close to the line of illegal but....
Plum is not succeeding in blocking out the interruptions to his meditations.
Plum meets Sylma's gaze.
Plum: You people just don't listen, do you?
Sedel: What do you have to say?
Plum: I don't give "simple donations".
Sedel: ~~suppressed laughter~~
Sylma: Apparently not.
Sedel: That's obvious from Rif's condition.
Plum: I refuse to donate. I have never wavered from that determination.
Sylma grins, mostly in response to Sedel's humor.
Plum: And if you insist on forcing me to do something that I have sworn to Almighty God never to do, I must oppose it.
Sedel: What's so bad about donating for pity sake? Twelve year old kids do it without any fuss.
Plum's calm breaks and his rage begins to mount, remembering how they subdued and drugged him.
Plum: You wouldn't understand.
Sedel: I want to.
Plum: All you need to know is that I refuse.
Plum: I will always refuse.
Sylma's grin disappears at the zlin of the rising rage. Even though Plum is still fairly lowfield, and she takes a step closer to Sedel for comfort.
Sylma had this habit long before she changed over, of course.
Plum: And the only way you will ever, ever get selyn out of me is to rape me and steal it from me.
Sedel: ~~protection~~
Sylma: Rape you? What does rape have to do with it?
Plum: Forcibly subdue me and use my body for your own purposes without my consent. That is rape. A rape of the soul, worse than any physical violation could be.
Sedel is slowly losing his sense of humor. No one is allowed to harm his channel and no one is allowed to hurt his baby sister.
Plum: But, being demons, you don't understand that. And you will use me as you wish.
Plum: And I will resist.
Sedel: The only reason they sedated you in the first place was to keep you from hurting the channel who was trying to help you.
Plum settles down on the floor and tries to pray once again for calm and fortitude.
Sedel realizes that it was done a bit late judging from Rifan's injuries.
Sylma almost catches a zlin of something interesting, and steps a bit farther from Sedel's protection to get a better take on it.
Plum thinks that Rifan was not in any way trying to help him; he was gathering selyn for the benefit of the Tecton Simes.
Sedel can't understand why any Gen wouldn't want to donate. He always feels better after a good transfer. But then Generals probably don't even notice.
Plum: You channels can help me by simply leaving me alone.
Plum: And if you keep clear of me, you won't get hurt.
Sedel watches Sylma zlinning for something. He wonders what has gotten her so curious.
Plum: I told Gideon that; I told Rifan. I told Arat. It is clear that telling you Simes anything is a waste of both our time.
Sedel: Then tell me. [pushes Sylma behind him a fraction]
Plum: I just did.
Sedel: I heard the words. I don't understand them. Please explain.
Plum eyes the big Gen hovering protectively over the Sime and sighs. How can he begin to explain the principles of Purity to such an aberration?
Plum reminds himself that he came in-Territory with the idea of preaching to Gens exactly like this one.
Plum winces. Elder McDonnegal was right. It was a mad scheme, and it's no wonder it turned out so badly.
Sedel is radiating both an ambient soothing calm and a raging curiosity.
Plum: What didn't you understand?
Plum wonders if he explains the way he would to a 6-year-old, will the big lug get it?
Sedel: Why you promised not to donate. I didn't think there was a Sime Center in your town.
Plum: There isn't.
Sedel: Then why would you promise not to donate? Is it something that you did after you came across the lake?
Plum: We promised not to let Simes use us -- in any way.
Sedel: But... that is terribly selfish.
Plum: Indeed? How so?
Sedel: You don't need the selyn to live. Simes do need it. Don't they teach kindness and charity where you come from?
Plum: Simes shouldn't live. They are a mistake. God has instructed us to correct that mistake made by the evil scientists of old, and return the world to the way he created it.
Sedel feels a sudden surge of protectiveness overtake his control.
Sedel: Sounds like your god has a pretty short reach. If it wants the "mistake" corrected it ought to do it itself. It's had two thousand years to do it.
Plum: Men made the mistake and men must undo it.
Plum: God's creation was perfect.
Sedel: Really? Wars, famine, crime? That's perfection?
Sylma: The Ancients weren't exactly a peaceful people, you know.
Sedel: Those things existed before the mutations.
Plum: More crimes of the Ancients.
Plum: God expects more of us.
Plum: It can be hard to follow his laws, but we must do our best.
Sedel: Ever stop the think that the mutations might have been it's way of making things better?
Plum winces.
Plum: Don't say it.
Sedel: Say what?
Plum: You are talking about the power that guides the universe.
Plum: And it was men, not God, who created the mutation through their sin and recklessness.
Sedel: Sounds like it was asleep at its post.
Plum: You blaspheme.
Sylma: Or that it had some other purpose, in allowing such a drastic change.
Plum: I know better than to argue spiritual truth with demons and their spawn.
Plum: There is no truth in you.
Sedel: For what it is worth I do believe in a Higher Power. But any thing that would encourage selfish callousness isn't something I care to espouse.
Plum smiles faintly.
Sylma: If you two can refrain from name calling for a moment....
Sylma glares impartially at Sedel and Plum.
Sedel chuckles.
Plum wonders what the Demon will care to contribute to this theological disputation.
Sylma ignores the chuckle, and turns back to Plum.
Sylma: So that's why you fought Rifan? Because you want to reverse the mutation?
Plum: Well, obviously that is not within my power.
Sylma: Well, then, what is the connection with donating? Or refusing to do so?
Plum: I am sure you will find my opinions offensive.
Sylma: We already do, so what do you have to lose?
Sylma: ~~ cheerful ~~
Sedel rolls his eyes again. This is Sylma at her conniving worst. Or best, depending on your point of view.
Sedel has spent a life time indulging his little sister. What the hey.
Plum: You could testify at my trial and persuade the others to add to my torment.
Sylma: The only torment you seem to be complaining about is donating -- and no testimony of ours will make your selyn production increase to the point where you field has to be lowered more often than once a month.
Sylma: So what do you have to lose?
Plum thinks about the statement.
Plum: Is there anything that would decrease it?
Sylma looks at Plum with the sort of cheerfully innocent expression that little girls in Salmonton lose, about the time they learn the definition of the word "changeover".
Sylma: Decrease your selyn production?
Plum is a man who once enjoyed a warm, conventional marriage and is not really tempted by cute teenagers.
Plum: Yes.
Plum thinks that topic wasn't covered in the Sime Center handouts Gideon gave him.
Plum does remember some mention of it in the childbirth handout, but getting pregnant might be even more difficult for him than getting out of jail.
Sylma: Well, there are some drugs that lower selyn production a bit, as a side effect.
Plum: Drugs....
Plum thinks the Simes are altogether too handy with chemicals.
Sedel can think of several things that would lower production, blood loss being the top of the list. Not an option.
Sylma: And certain diseases, as well. But that's a temporary effect.
Plum: Diseases.
Plum thinks this has significant possibilities, but only if he can get out of solitary.
Plum: Anything that makes a man unhealthy, then, lowers the selyn production?
Sedel: You are a Gen and short of death you generate selyn. That's what we Gen types do.
Plum grins wryly.
Plum: There's always that, of course.
Sylma: I couldn't help noticing, though, that you were more upset at the idea of drugs, than disease. Why is that?
Plum: Because during my stay here I have been repeatedly drugged into helplessness.
Sedel: Well if you would cooperate they wouldn't drug you.
Sylma: You've made it plain that donating is abhorrent to you. Would you really prefer to face that without sedation?
Plum: Sedation makes absolutely no difference.
Plum: It is still a sin.
Plum: Whether I am conscious or not.
Plum: It is still a betrayal of my oaths to my fellow man and my God, whether I am conscious or not.
Plum: And still a violation of my integrity, whether I am conscious or not.
Sylma: Yet you prefer to be conscious, anyway?
Sedel shakes his head. It must be awful to serve such an unreasonable god.
Plum: Certainly.
Plum: I will have to atone for these sins eternally.
Plum: I at least want to know what they are.
Sylma looks thoughtful.
Sylma: I can understand why you would.
Plum: Do you think a few minutes unpleasantness distresses me, when I contemplate the eternity in the fires of Hell to which you people have condemned me?
Sylma zlins, in order to provide an objective answer to the question.
Plum: Do you think I fear the displeasure of you Demons when I contemplate the wrath of God whose commandments I have allowed to be broken?
Sedel: Just how much help is your god giving you at the moment?
Plum shrugs.
Plum: I have failed to keep my oaths and I am numbered with the damned.
Sedel: Your god doesn't seem to care much for you.
Plum: He is merciful and overflows with kindness to those who remain pure.
Plum: The others are condemned to the outer darkness.
Sedel: How can you worship a god that won't help you but demands perfection of an imperfect being?
Sylma: Sedel, it's his religion. It doesn't have to be logical.
Sedel: I know Syl. But I want to understand. I intend to work out-T someday.
Plum: Who am I to question his Creation? He made us, and in his Perfection is our only hope.
Sedel: Okay, I can understand that. But would you punish a child for falling when it is learning to walk?
Plum: You compare humanity to a child. And yet a child may grow up to be either a human or a monster.
Plum: You do not punish a rabid dog for its disease, and yet you destroy it, because it would sicken others.
Plum: You do not allow a deformed calf to live and breed, lest it pollute the bloodlines of the herd.
Sylma was raised on stories of pre-Unity junct society, as a Householder, but she's never heard mass murder advocated quite so cold-bloodedly.
Plum: And thus among men, there are some who must be put down for the good of all humanity.
Sylma: You sound like a junct Penkeeper, selecting culls for the week's kills.
Plum: If these were my decisions, yes, you might say so.
Sedel: It is all the same mind set. One can always kill "THEM" because "THEY" are not "US".
Sedel: I think we have a junct Gen on our hands sis.
Plum: But they are Divine Law and He is the shepherd of us all and may cull as He wishes.
Plum: I am but an instrument.
Sylma: If the culling is to be done by your God, why was it your responsibility to attack Rifan? Shouldn't you leave it to God to act?
Sedel is not refering to the type of junct Gen that he could very easily be.
Plum: As I said, I am pledged to give to no aid to Demons.
Plum: Certainly, no selyn.
Plum: He tried to force it from me, and I defended myself.
Plum: That is all.
Sylma thinks this over, trying to follow the logic.
Sylma is handicapped by her perception of donating as a public health measure, along the lines of bathing, properly managed latrines, and delousing.
Sedel increases his support as he can see Sylma's eyes crossing with an oncoming headache.
Sylma: So donating is less wrong, according to your theology, if you resist it?
Plum doesn't understand why this is so difficult to understand. If they would keep their tentacles off him, he would stay quietly in his cell.
Plum: Donating is wrong. And my oath requires I resist it. Period.
Sedel: Then if you are already forsworn why do you resist now?
Plum: Do you think a sin ceases to be a sin when you repeat it over and over?
Sedel: Does this Hell of yours have worse places in it than other places?
Plum: There have been varying accounts.
Sedel: Well if you are going there anyway why not make your current situation easier on yourself?
Plum: You would like that, wouldn't you?
Sedel: Not me personally. I'm on this side of the bars after all.
Plum: For me to give up. Give myself over to evil of my own free will.
Plum: You won't have that satisfaction.
Plum: I may have failed, but I will fight to the last drop of my blood and the last gasp of breath.
Sylma is starting to get an idea.
Plum has read a few romance novels of his own, but those tended to be the shoot-em-up variety featuring noble Gen warriors rescuing their women from captivity.
Sedel recognizes that look in his sister's eyes. Oh brother! And he means that literally.
Sedel is giving her their secret don't-you-even-think-about-it signal.
Sedel has come to realize that it never has worked before but he can hope.
Sylma pats Sedel reassuringly on the arm.
Sedel is now worrying in earnest.
Sylma: So, Minister Plum, your preference, since you must donate, would be to do so undrugged and fighting?
Plum: My preference would be not to donate.
Sylma: But if that preference is not possible?
Sedel: ~~support~~
Plum: You can be sure that I will resist donation every way I can, whether I am drugged or undrugged.
Plum will certainly not restrict his means of resistance to physical combat, which he has found to be just as useless as the old stories said it was.
Plum: But certainly I would prefer to know what is being done to me.
Sedel: ~~suppressed worry~~ ~~Support~~ [at the strange glint in Plum's eyes]
Sylma is also studying Plum, very thoughtfully.
Plum has found his "preferences" don't carry much weight with the channels.
Sylma is paying particular attention to Plum's degree of physical condition (or lack thereof), coordination, and nageric control.
Sedel is not worried about Plum attacking Sylma so much as what kind of trouble she is planning to get them into.
Plum: ~~healthy body somewhat weakened from weeks in confinement and an untrained nager with some natural vigor~~
Sylma drifts a bit farther away, as she zlins for physical problems that would make physical exertion and stress particular problems.
Sylma appears to reach a satisfactory decision.
Plum: ~~not as young as he used to be and under terrific emotional stress~~
Sedel is still keeping a careful eye on his channel. And an even more careful eye on his sister.
Sylma: Mind you, I can't promise anything, at least right now, but I may have a way to make your next donation at least a bit more palatable.
Plum narrows his eyes suspiciously. This sounds like the kind of comment Wise Snake might make before starting in with hot branding irons.
Sylma: You do understand that Controller Arat will not permit you to injure a channel again?
Plum: As I have said, if no channel comes near me, none will be injured.
Plum: That would seem the simplest solution to the problem.
Plum: And if my high field is a bother to you, all you have to do is allow me to be incarcerated over the Border.
Plum: Another simple solution.
Sedel has figured out his sister's strategy. He shrugs internally and continues to support and protect her.
Plum knows of course the channels won't take either of these simple, sensible actions because they enjoy degrading him and forcing him deeper into sin.
Sylma: Perhaps your lawyer can work something out along those lines, after your trial, but at the moment, we're still snowed in. And likely to remain so, for a while longer.
Plum: Oh, there is still traffic over the Lake.
Sylma: Not much, apart from the smugglers.
Plum grins sardonically.
Plum: Excuses, excuses.
Plum waits to see what ploy the channel will take next in the never-ending attempt to manipulate him into acquiescence.
Sylma: Neither the Tecton, nor the IDAS, nor the court, are required to adjust the conditions of your imprisonment to conform to your beliefs.
Plum: So I see. But you are the one who was distressed by your channel getting injured. You could save yourselves a good deal of trouble.
Sylma gives a secretive smile.
Sylma: Oh, one way or the other, that can be prevented.
Sylma: But some ways are likely to be more palatable to you than others.
Plum: Yes, certainly, you can drug me into mindlessness, or subdue me with brute force, like your Raider ancestors.
Plum: That is only what I would expect of Demons.
Plum: I understand my position, you see.
Sedel closes his eyes and sighs. It must be awful to live without joy.
Sylma wonders if Plum's understanding bears any resemblance to the reality the rest of the world understands.
Sedel: Your pain is of your own making.
Plum stares at Sedel without comprehension.
Plum would be perfectly happy if he weren't being held captive by Simes.
Plum thinks, well, maybe not perfectly happy, but the smiling faces of his own congregation doting on his every word like gold would be very nice compared to the disgust of the pair facing him.
Sedel is reminded of a child with a splinter having a fit while his mother is trying to remove it. It wouldn't be bad if he would just stay still and calm down.
Plum: It is said that suffering ennobles.
Plum: Keep your distance, unless you want to share in it.
Sylma reflects that Plum seems determined to strive for nobility with every dynopter of selyn in his nager.
Go on to Episode #140: Over the Top
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