Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #174: Exposed for Discussion (6/2/01)
Sylma chooses her time carefully, waiting until Arat is alone in his office and not expecting visitors.
Sylma had expected to wait a bit longer, but Nick was once more appropriated by Snake.
Arat makes some notes on a couple of reports, innocently unaware that he is being stalked.
Sylma calls attention to herself with a polite nageric signal.
Sylma: Controller?
Arat looks up and sees Sylma standing before him.
Arat's pen pauses in its scratching.
Arat: Hajene Sylma.
Arat had more or less forgotten she was there, so it's almost as if she's walked in on him.
Arat is therefore somewhat caught by surprise by her approach.
Sylma: Over the past two months, I can't help having noticed some... unexpected irregularities, regarding some of your actions.
Sylma appears much more ~~ concerned for Arat ~~ than anything else.
Arat studies Sylma's face and nager.
Arat thinks it seems promising.
Arat is operating under the misconception that Sylma may have learned something constructive about her place in the Tecton after watching her Controller at work.
Arat: Did you wish to discuss your observations?
Arat assumes so, or Sylma wouldn't be approaching him now.
Sylma: I have noticed that you only interact with the Narosians through Sosu Nick. You have not personally met with any of them, not even socially by using their bath house. Instead, you use the very primitive and unreliable shower in your quarters.
Sylma: I have seen no obvious reason for this avoidance.
Sylma: Second, I have noted that your treatment of Hajene Snake is utterly in contrast with your treatment of any other Tecton employee under your authority.
Sylma: And I haven't gotten the impression that you are happy with that arrangement.
Sylma looks at Arat sincerely.
Sylma: I can't help wondering if there is something rather unpleasant going on -- something with the potential to disrupt the Tecton operations here.
Arat looked genuinely puzzled by the bit about the Narosians.
Arat thinks of his private shower as a luxury, privacy being more important to him than comfort.
Arat cannot deny that there is something unpleasant going on regarding Snake, however.
Arat fingers his pen, then puts it down.
Sylma: I'm not asking for details that you don't want to reveal, but is there anything I can do to help?
Sylma is motivated primarily by genuine concern for Arat and the Tecton, although she's not going to pretend that she's not curious.
Arat continues to look at her for long moments.
Arat finally says, "No."
Sedel rolls his shoulders and neck trying to remove a very persistent kink. Sylma has taken to beating him up on a regular basis... Well, he lets her beat him up. She's so tense these days and after their last conversation he can see why.
Sedel has back burnered his own problems in favor of concentrating on this new one.
Sedel arrives at the bath house with a sigh of relief. A good hot soak will get rid of the kinks.
Sedel does have an ulterior motive as well. He has been hearing that if you want the hottest gossip any Narosian is a great source. He would love to have one of them bend his ear. Now the question is how to get one to.
Sedel pays for his bath and towel and heads off in the direction he is pointed to his private bathroom.
Methylda is in the hallway near Sedel's bathroom's door, just finishing chatting up some other customers.
Methylda and the other Narosians have had to shoulder the burden of chatting up the customers since Riyyh left.
Methylda and the other Narosians were bred to it though, so they do OK at it.
Methylda: Bye now! [waves cheerfully]
Methylda watches them leave.
Sedel makes his way to #4. He notices a classically Narosian looking Sime near the door.
Sedel: Hello. ~~smile~~
Methylda smiles at Sedel.
Methylda: Well hello... Sedel is it?
Methylda like most Narosians has a fetish for names and personal details.
Methylda: Looks like you're all ready for a nice bath!
Sedel: Why, yes! How did you know?
Methylda: I've seen you around, and besides how many Donors are on site?
Methylda grins, pleased to have surprised him by knowing him.
Methylda may be the oldest Narosian now on site, but she has not outgrown her penchant for the gossip points game.
Methylda has had a lot less stress since Riyyh has gone; worrying about him took a lot out of all of them.
Sedel racks his brain trying to remember if he may have been introduced to this person before.
Methylda: I'm Methylda. [smiles] Methylda ambrov Naros.
Methylda gains another point by successfully telling him something he didn't know.
Sedel: Thank you. I'm afraid I'm not very good with names.
Sedel: Please forgive me.
Methylda gains a third point when Sedel confesses his ignorance. Hmm... he is not much of a challenge. A nice seeming guy though.
Methylda pats him on the back.
Methylda: It's OK. I'm not as famous as you.
Methylda implies that she has heard somewhat about him... perhaps something scandalous? But she seems like a nice person too.
Sedel: Famous, am I? Really?
Methylda: Sure you are! How can anyone with a nager like that not be?
Sedel laughs.
Sedel: Do Narosians know everything that goes on around here?
Methylda: It's our specialty, of course.
Methylda: We care. [winks]
Sedel inclines his head in a semi bow.
Sedel: I'm glad to know it.
Sedel: So, gracious lady, would you be willing to fill me in on some of what's going on? I have found out that I am woefully uninformed.
Methylda chuckles.
Methylda: Sure.
Sedel opens the door to #4.
Methylda enters, knowing an invitation when she sees one.
Sedel: After you. [bows her in]
Methylda: A gentleman! How refreshing.
Methylda smiles to Sedel.
Sedel: My mother would skin me alive if I wasn't. [chuckles]
Methylda seats herself on a bench, out of the way and yet close at hand in case any er, need arises.
Methylda: So what's been on your mind?
Sedel disrobes quickly and settles himself into the inviting warmth of the tub.
Sedel: I hope you don't mind if I soak while we chat. [very belatedly]
Methylda: Not at all. See it all the time around here, actually.
Methylda grins
Sedel grins back. It's been a while since he met such a charming renSime. Almost like being at home.
Sedel: I miss this.
Methylda: Being clean? [teases]
Sedel laughs.
Sedel: Yes, and being treated civilly. The people up here are so -- rough.
Methylda wrinkles her nose.
Sedel doesn't mention that some of the roughest work for the Tecton.
Methylda: Yes.
Methylda would agree with anything Sedel says even if she weren't a good part Riyyh; his high field nager is enough to mesmerize any renSime.
Sedel: Bathing certainly seems to be the last thing on their minds. Even Hajene Wise Snake doesn't do it often.
Methylda: Hmmmm... well from what I've heard, she didn't do it much before coming here, either.
Sedel: Oh, really?
Sedel: And no one complained?
Sedel finds that bit of news at odds with what Nick told him about Snake's Zeor affiliation.
Methylda: Would you?
Methylda doesn't think Sedel would dare, despite his reputation for taking Farrises by the tail.
Sedel: Wouldn't be an issue for me. She outranks me so I wouldn't have to work closely with her.
Sedel: I find it hard to believe that her Donor allows it though.
Methylda grins.
Methylda doesn't think Sedel would dare to ask him either.
Methylda being Narosian will tell all of her fellow Narosians that Sedel thinks Wise Snake stinks, and they will soon spread it all over the camps.
Sedel: Ah, well not my problem to deal with. But, while we're on the subject of Hajene Snake, heard anything juicy about her?
Methylda laughs.
Sedel has no idea that he may have made himself the target of the gossip mill.
Methylda: Sure, always.
Sedel: Well, don't just sit there, tell!
Methylda: I heard that she skimmed the top off Sgt. Edka's profits before she sent him home.
Sedel slides lower in the tub to get his shoulders under the nice hot water.
Methylda: Only the way I heard it, the top was more like, the top two thirds.
Methylda is mildly disappointed as the top two thirds of Sedel disappear from sight, but then she can still zlin.
Sedel: Wow!
Sedel: I had heard something about the Gen army waylaying people but not that Snake knew about it.
Methylda: Honey, where is your head? [exclaims]
Methylda: She was the one who put him up to it in the first place.
Sedel thinks how could a Tecton official not report something like that if they knew and why wasn't she taken to task over participating in it?
Sedel: Well, er, I was a bit busy at the time, working and that sort of thing.
Sedel had never even considered that any of his co-workers could be involved in anything of that type. Arat has opened his eyes however.
Methylda: Well, and then there's her Damopolis project, but I for one think that is just rumors, pure and simple.
Methylda overlooks the fact that pretty much all rumors are rumors.
Sedel: Damopolis?
Methylda: You haven't heard any of this? [disbelieving]
Methylda: They say she wants to found a city here, and beat everybody else to the punch.
Methylda: That's why she's interfering with IDAS' attempts to resettle the homeless Gens.
Methylda: Of course, some of the rumors call this supposed city "Walltop" and others call it "Snake City".
Sedel: Sorry, just got introduced to the world of gossip. Can she do that?
Methylda: Do what? Found a city?
Methylda: Can't anybody?
Sedel: No I mean interfere with the IDAS. That's got to be illegal.
Methylda: Oh, well the way I understand it, she didn't actually do anything, just you know, dropped hints in the right places.
Methylda: A little cat and mouse if you know what I mean.
Sedel considers what he just heard about Snake and the waylayers. There can't be any real truth to this stuff.
Sedel: Oh, I see. Shouldn't that be Snake and mouse? [grins]
Methylda chuckles.
Methylda: So why all the interest in Snake?
Sedel rolls his shoulders trying to get that shenned kink to let go.
Methylda obligingly goes over and kneels by the tub to rub Sedel's shoulders.
Sedel: I was talking to Nick he mentioned that Snake was ambrov Zeor. It sort of fired my interest since she doesn't really strike me as the Householding type. You know what I mean.
Sedel: Thanks Methylda. That feels good.
Sedel relaxes into the message.
Methylda: I'm a professional. [grins]
Sedel: I can tell!
Methylda: Well she is ambrov Zeor. But she was born elsewhere. Didn't see Zeor until she was twelve years old, and left two months after she changed over and pledged.
Methylda: So she only had about two years for it to rub off. [grins]
Sedel feels much better and far more relaxed than he has in weeks. This could get to be addictive.
Methylda: Still, stereotypical or not, she is a member and that is a lot more than anyone else here can say.
Sedel: Ah, yes. Well having a choice would you give up Naros to pledge Zeor?
Methylda giggles.
Methylda: Like I'd ever have that choice!
Methylda: It's a moot question I think.
Sedel: Well, I can tell you without a doubt I wouldn't give up Dar to pledge Zeor.
Sedel: Even if they asked. Which, like you said, isn't likely.
see note 1
Notes:
1) This scene is continued in the next episode. [return]
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