Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #172: Losing Battle (5/29/01)
L. Battel stands in front of the locked ward door eyeing the Sime standing guard. His spit-shined boots are now covered with mud. At least the snow would have been easier to clean off.
L. Battel steps quickly into the ward when another Sime -- can't tell if it's a channel or not -- opens the door to let him in to see his "client".
Plum sits in a chair, watching the patches of sunlight playing over the rough weave of the window curtain.
Plum's eyes are unfocused and beyond the image of the light and shadow in the folds of cloth he remembers the glory of an infinite universe filled with light and a cloud drifting through it.
L. Battel did give the meddlesome Ms. Afred what-for after his first interview with his "client". Old broad gave as good as she got though. Otherwise he wouldn't be back here now. Missed her calling she should have been a lawyer.
Plum's eyes fill with tears of joy at the memory.
Plum can't remember how long he has been in this locked room, but he is comfortable and time has ceased to matter to him any more.
L. Battel spies his "client" sitting in a pool of sunlight staring into space with tears running down his cheeks.
L. Battel sighs for what has become of the man and loses some of his pique.
L. Battel walks quietly over to Plum.
L. Battel: Good day, Minister Plum.
Plum blinks. A shadow has fallen across the brightest patch of sunshine.
Plum wipes his cheeks with the back of his hand.
Plum looks around to see who has disturbed his meditation.
Plum: Josef. Call me Josef.
Plum tries to focus on the man's face; it looks vaguely familiar.
L. Battel pulls up a chair beside the minister, er Josef.
L. Battel: Very well, call me Lewis.
Plum pulls a bit distractedly at his beard; for some odd reason the people here refuse to let him have a razor to shave with.
Plum: Lewis.
Plum knows he has met this man before, but everything from his former life seems quite far away.
L. Battel: How are you these days, Josef?
Plum: Ah, very well. Very well indeed.
L. Battel has a quite different opinion about that but...
Plum doesn't get many visitors; usually only nurses and janitors.
Plum has gotten used to the bodyguards and the channels.
L. Battel: Are they treating you kindly?
Plum: Oh, yes. Everything is fine.
L. Battel looks very closely at the Minister for a moment.
L. Battel: You don't remember me do you?
Plum: Well....
Plum is embarrassed.
Plum: You surely look familiar, but I don't recall exactly where we met.
L. Battel watches the color rise on Josef's face above the beard.
Plum's fingers twist the end of a curl.
L. Battel: Understandable from what I've heard of your previous treatment here.
Plum: Things are a little hazy, I'm afraid.
Plum: Of course, I'm not complaining.
Plum thinks, how can you complain about a miracle?
L. Battel: Yes, yes. Well, that's not your job, it's mine. I'm your lawyer, Josef. My name is Lewis Battel.
L. Battel: The Synod has retained me for your defense.
Plum: Lewis... Battel. Ah, yes.
Plum: You wanted me to go home and promise not to come back.
Plum thanks God that he didn't take this advice, or he would have missed his enlightenment.
L. Battel: Yes. I tried to get them to let you go. I hadn't thought it would work but I had to try, don't you know.
Plum: Well, that's all right. Everything has worked out for the best.
L. Battel looks around at what amounts to a mental ward and wonders how Plum could possibly believe that.
L. Battel: Well, it is certainly cleaner and sunnier here.
Plum smiles.
Plum: Yes, the sunlight is marvelous, isn't it?
Plum: So are the shadows.
L. Battel: Yes, yes indeed. What do you mean things worked out for the best?
Plum: I mean that everything is going in accordance with God's plan.
L. Battel is trying to fathom his client's state of mind to plumb its depths as it were. (Battel has no sense of irony so puns escape him.)
L. Battel: And just what would that plan be?
Plum smiles gently.
Plum: It's beyond my comprehension, of course, but it is glorious.
L. Battel: I see.
Plum: But I have been given a vision of my own place in it, and for that I give thanks.
L. Battel is glad that he will not have to listen to his client hold forth at length about said divine plan but he had been hoping for a bit more information.
L. Battel decides to try a different approach.
L. Battel: Do you remember why you were arrested?
Plum: Some nonsense with the visa. Does it matter?
Plum: The important thing is that I stayed here.
L. Battel: Why is that so important? What happened to change your attitude so drastically?
Plum: Because I stayed here, I fell so deeply into error that the angels intervened.
Plum: It was a miracle.
L. Battel: Miracle? Please explain what you mean by "miracle".
Plum: In a vision, I saw the error of my ways.
Plum: The angels showed me the true path.
Plum smiles gently.
Plum: You can tell the Synod I don't require any defense.
Plum: We were wrong.
Plum: I will gladly admit it.
Go on to Episode #173: Unreliable
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