Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #150: No Nikki No Ali (4/7/01)
Nick slogs his way through the mud towards the Narosian encampment, having struck out at the bath house in his search for Riyyh.
Nick squints as a raw gust cooled by melting snow sends rain beating across his face.
Nick can't blame Riyyh for deciding to stay inside today; even his preference for the natural world is being challenged at the moment.
Nick might feel differently if there was still a forest around the camp, but most of the trees have long since been scavenged for firewood.
Nick is at least glad that it is considerably warmer out than it has been for the past few months.
Nick stops by a muddy puddle to rinse as many of the mud clods as possible from his boots, before signaling at Riyyh's tent.
Nick's eye is caught by something, and he reaches out to test the tautness of one of the ropes anchoring Riyyh's pavillion.
Nick bends over to check the firmness of the stake to which it is anchored.
Nick frowns.
Riyyh: Come in, come in! [calls]
Nick steps into the tent, gratefully removing his heavy wet cape, then starts to wipe his boots.
Nick considers the magnitude of the task briefly, then wisely settles for removing them, instead.
Nick pads into the main area of Riyyh's tent on stockinged feet.
Riyyh: Hello, Nick!
Riyyh beams at his favorite son.
Riyyh's favorite son is, of course, whichever of them is speaking to him at the time, or at least so it is rumored.
Nick is at least better equipped for inclement weather than he has ever been, since the start of his wanderings.
Nick: Riyyh! I see you decided avoid the mud this morning.
Riyyh grins weakly; mud and half-melted sludge really isn't his scene.
Nick looks around the comfortable luxury of the tent, and compares it with the allergen-free sterility of his own quarters.
Riyyh: Please, please, sit down. Would you like some tea? A blanket perhaps?
Riyyh guides Nick toward the single chair at the side of Riyyh's bed.
Nick is used to living in Farris-safe conditions, of course, but can't help thinking that if Arat really does insist on moving out, it might be possible to modify the cabin's furnishings a bit.
Nick could go for something, say, approximately 75% as luxurious as Riyyh has managed here.
Nick: Thank you. Is there a towel I might use?
Riyyh bustles about locating a towel (there have been a lot of them around since the bath house received its first shipments in the fall), assembling a tea set and making sure hot water is on.
Nick sits on the chair, thinking that only his father would have such an object packed up the mountain on mule-back for what was intended to be a rather short stay.
Nick reconsiders; his grandfather has been known to do such things, as well.
Nick has to admit, though, that the elaborate, formal tea set is a very nice one, and sets off the Narosian blends much better than the rather crude local stoneware available at the Tecton complex.
Riyyh hands Nick the towel and putters about trying to find something suitably fattening to add to the tea tray as a snack.
Riyyh having been in all day has already snarfed the more obvious choices.
Nick: Thank you.
Nick towels briskly.
Nick is now dry, reasonably warm, and is about to be served tea. There are no more excuses not to get to the point of his visit.
Nick: Riyyh, are you still intending to get back to Naros for planting?
Riyyh turns and looks at Nick in some surprise.
Riyyh: Why, of course!
Riyyh: I have even sent young Leffer to keep an eye on the south pass. [confesses]
Nick: Is he keeping an eye on the trail in between, as well? There have been a number of small mud slides already.
Riyyh: I am certain he is doing his best. [kindly]
Riyyh has discovered that Leffer, like the rest of the Narosians, is not looking forward to Riyyh's absence, and therefore is more likely to declare the roads unsafe when they are perfectly clear.
Riyyh may have to simply choose to leave when people start trickling in from the outside, although that might delay his leaving to an unacceptable degree.
Nick tries to place Leffer, in hopes of remembering his degree of liability, but he has some difficulty keeping the Narosian side of his family straight.
Riyyh has more incentive than the people who will be staying, because the earlier he arrives at Naros the less awful the aftermath of any planting or pre-planting problems will be.
Nick: I can understand your eagerness to return home, and your particular skills will certainly be required there.
Nick has heard about Turros and Vespachio.
Nick: However, there is some unofficial concern about how well your enterprise here will function in your absence.
Riyyh's tentacles wave in a dithering fashion.
Riyyh would dither his hands too, but they are currently full of the hot water kettle.
Riyyh pours water into the tea pot.
Riyyh: Well, the bath house is attended at least in part by outside employees.
Riyyh: And I will do my best to visit briefly in the future.
Nick: Even with your constant supervision, there have been quite a few unfortunate incidents over the winter.
Riyyh winces at the reminder.
Riyyh: They are so enthusiastic about their work...
Nick: I realize that such... enthusiasm... is to be expected with an outreach program, but most of your programs are not being carried out underneath Arat Farris's nose.
Riyyh looks somewhat innocent at that.
Riyyh: Surely there won't be any difficulty?
Riyyh: I mean, there hasn't been so far...?
Nick gently -- but very firmly -- shakes his head.
Nick: I believe Arat considers the incident of the steam whistle as a "difficulty". Likewise the theft of every office plant in Salmonton; apology or not, some of the town officials are inclined to hold the Tecton responsible for keeping order here.
Nick: There there have been several incidents of disruption of the infirmary.
Riyyh sighs.
Riyyh: It is difficult to contain their enthusiasm and creativity at times. [admits]
Riyyh actually finds neither trait particularly difficult in and of itself; it's just in combination that they're dangerous.
Nick: Arat has left it to you, as Sectuib, to discipline your members, but when you are gone he may be inclined to take firmer measures.
Riyyh: Oh, dear.
Nick: The bath house has been a very good thing. Even Arat has to admit that it has been a great help with sanitation.
Nick wonders if Riyyh has any idea how important Arat considers sanitation to be, above and beyond the simple plague-prevention level.
Riyyh brightens at the praise.
Riyyh: And it has done wonders for our funding available for helping the destitute.
Nick: Yes. They would be much worse off if you had not intervened.
Nick: However, there must not any more incidents caused by... enthusiasm and creativity.
Riyyh: Why, we've helped hundreds with their taxes, and when travel is possible again we may be able to assist with clothing, supplies and even.... [face falls at Nick's words]
Nick is ~~ firm ~~ on that point.
Riyyh: Well, Nick, [kindly] it is very difficult to make such a promise given that I will not be here personally.
Riyyh would never be foolish enough to promise such a thing even if he was going to be present, but I digress.
Nick: Who will be in charge when you are gone?
Riyyh: I'm assigning Martena as manager of finances and Ritoo as implementation manager.
Riyyh: Of course, they will all make decisions about the direction and course of their efforts, by vote.
Nick wishes he found that last statement more reassuring.
Nick can not, alas, depend on a majority vote to eliminate unwise ideas, among a group of Narosian misfits.
Nick: I know that Naros's business is not, strictly speaking, my own. However, would it be possible to have Ritoo or Martina notify me of any new projects to be undertaken?
Nick: Just the ones that are likely to involve the rest of the camp?
Nick: Particularly the Tecton complex?
Nick would much prefer to have time to head disasters off before Arat sniffs them out.
Riyyh: Perhaps you should speak to them about that. I am sure they will be pleased to do so.
Riyyh won't promise for them, however.
Riyyh isn't that silly!
Riyyh smiles kindly.
Nick: That leaves unauthorized projects. I don't suppose you'd consider taking Racknie back with you?
Nick dares to look hopeful.
Riyyh thinks he has done as best as he could for the future by choosing as leaders the two people who can be counted upon to 1) not take Racknie seriously and 2) sleep on major ideas for at least a day before moving on to the implementation phase.
Riyyh is also taking Ali with him, which ought to eliminate one of the sources of disasters.
Riyyh has noted that Ali has confined himself to personal disasters to date, but the lad is of an age where one starts to expand one's horizons.
Nick's hopeful look starts to crumble at Riyyh's lack of confirmation.
Nick: And what about Nikki?
Riyyh: But of course I will take her. [smiles]
Nick's feelings are more mixed in Nikki's case. He likes his little sister, and will genuinely miss her, if not the trail of problems she creates.
Nick: It's certainly best if she and Racknie are separated.
Riyyh looks somewhat surprised by Nick's statement. He'd never considered that at all; Nikki's attachment to him as her father was enough.
Nick would, on the whole, prefer to keep Nikki and get rid of Racknie, though.
Nick: They do tend to get into more mischief together than one might reasonably expect.
Nick: Arat has come to view the Dam site as his responsibility, and is not inclined to treat mischief-makers lightly. Even ones which are not, strictly speaking, really his responsibility.
Nick: You will warn everyone to be careful, won't you? I don't think any of them would appreciate a personal interview with Arat.
Riyyh winces.
Riyyh: I will.
Riyyh can be counted upon to do that.
Nick: He's been in a particularly unforgiving frame of mind, since an unfortunate altercation with some local wildlife, a few weeks ago.
Riyyh's eyes widen.
Riyyh hadn't known that was actually a true rumor.
Riyyh: Oh, my. I had no idea that really happened.
Nick frowns at this evidence that the incident has become known, although there was never a real hope of keeping it quiet.
Nick: Just what did you hear?
Nick would like to make sure that any necessary corrections to the rumors are as widely distributed as possible, and Riyyh is an excellent vehicle for this.
Riyyh: Well, I had heard that an elk behaving in a bizarre fashion attacked him, and his body guard were helpless to do anything about it.
Nick: They managed, after a bit. They couldn't shoot the beast when it was standing over Arat, after all.
Riyyh still looks amazed.
Riyyh: It seemed so... wildly improbable.
Riyyh: They aren't really in season at this time, are they? And I've never heard of one coming so close to human habitations.
Riyyh supposes that there are always exceptions where Farrises are concerned, however.
Nick: I think the beast was seriously deranged.
Nick has developed a knack for spotting gross psychological anomalies since he started training as a Donor, although he is best at identifying the Farris variants.
Riyyh: I suppose it must have been.
Nick: I didn't hear what eventually happened to it.
Nick: The last I saw was hoofprints going up the mountain.
Nick had avoided finding out the particulars, actually, as he suspects that they involved a carcass and a windfall profit from the sale of elk meat to the carnivorous out-T Gens.
Nick doesn't particularly care to know any more than that.
Riyyh zlins Nick, then nods understandingly.
Riyyh: Well, I can certainly see why that would have affected Arat's outlook.
Riyyh thinks Arat was paranoid enough as it was.
Nick: You can see why I am particularly concerned that there be no incidents which call your people to his attention?
Riyyh: Well, I will do what I can to warn them.
Riyyh certainly is willing to warn his people as to possible hazards. It is not at all the same thing as attempting to impose upon their freedom to help others.
Nick wonders how many hours the warning will actually delay imprudent actions.
Nick suspects not very many.
Nick: It's not that I don't appreciate Naros's interest in the Dam, and the unfortunates living here.
Nick: Even Arat does, although I doubt he'll ever get around to telling you so.
Riyyh smiles somewhat at the near-praises.
Nick: Their efforts will be critical, if we get a new influx of people when the snows melt..
Nick had hoped that Elte's coverage of conditions at the Dam would act as sufficient warning to curb this, but Elte's writings have tended to make the whole thing sound like an adventure.
Nick: I just wish their activities were a bit more predictable.
Go on to Episode #151: On Vocation
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