An Afternoon in the Park -- 11/22/98

[Patrick Littell <pwl206@is9.nyu.edu>]

Valentina comes from the Saudir I Plaza.
Valentina has arrived.

Nils sits on a cast-iron bench across from a man in a fur coat. They both
stare intently at the Cheops board in front of them. It appears to be
Nils' turn. He touches one piece, then the next, weighing his options. In
deep concentration, he does not notice Valentina's entry.

Valentina walks in, carrying a medium sized basket with a few packages in
it. She gazes at the statue some, admiring the work. Her eyes notice the
game, and they linger on the two gentlemen a moment, to see the next
strike.

Nils moves the Queen's cardinal to the third-level terrace. The man
opposite smiles, then quickly strikes with his paladin. He picks up the
white cardinal with two fingers and throws it to the ground
ceremoniously, to join a large pile of white pieces and a handful of
black ones.

Valentina covers her mouth with a hand, and slips around the side of the
statue, circling it slowly. She does her best to suppress a giggle at the
dramatics, and not interrupt the concentration of the two players.

Nils looks up quickly and notices Valentina. "Ahh, Ms. Marcella, what a
pleasure." His attention returns to the game, where he makes another
ill-considered move and loses his king's vizier. "This is Kituk, the
Ukluk Master of Assassins, and a fourth-level Cheops grandmaster. I do
not know if you have met."

Valentina curtseys when she is so addressed, "I do not mean to interrupt
your game, My Lord Viscount....," she apologizes quietly, then nods to
Kituk, "Well met, Master of Assasins," she says equally quietly, and
watches the bad move by Nils silently.

Kituk nods silently, returning to the game. Nils raises his queen to the
fourth terrace, and Kituk counters by moving a squire to within striking
distance.

Valentina lingers a moment longer, to watch the game conclude.

Valentina turns and settles down on a bench not too far from the game.
From her basket she draws a small pad of paper, and a pencil... a moment
later she is quickly sketching the event before her, with a slight grin
upon her face.

Nils touches one piece, then another, stalling. He raises his eyes and
asks, "So, Master Kituk, how goes the war? Any news from the front?"

Kituk shakes his head silently, and gestures impatiently for Nils to
resume. The sketching noise probably isn't heard, as Valentina brings the
figures to life on her blank paper. Occasionally she stops sketching to
blend the work with a finger or two.

Nils' queen retreats to the safety of the third terrace. Kituk's squire
follows suit. Nils seems to be spending an ever-increasing amount of time
on each move, while Kituk's moves follow in quick succession.

Sumter comes from the Saudir I Plaza.
Sumter has arrived.

Nils, deep in concentration at the Cheops board, does not notice the
arrival of his swordmaster. Across the board, Kituk turns his head and
nods to acknowledge Sumter's entrance.

Sumter walks up the palaza, his hands clasped behind him as he walks
along, boot heels clacking on the surface of the marble. Sumter inclines
his torso in return to the nod, waiting to bow when the Viscount seems
more aware.

Valentina sits on a bench not far from the game, a pad of paper in hand,
a pencil sketching what she is watching. She does not notice Sumter's
arrival either.

Nils picks up his king's paladin, pauses for a moment, and puts it back
down in its place. Stalling, he looks around absently and notices Sumter.
He waves him over to the board.

Sumter approaches Nils, then drops into a formal bow, deciding to forgo
weapon salutes, since people are notoriously picky about them. "Viscount
Alvstad." He murmurs.

Nils looks up to Sumter, a concerned look on his face. Sumter indicates
the white queen's bishop and an empty space on the second terrace. Nils
nods and makes the move.

Boris comes from the Saudir I Plaza.
Boris has arrived.

Boris heads down the street in the midst of a knot of Harkonnen guards
and servitors.

Kituk moves his king's cannon to the third level, in pursuit. Nils
counters by moving his queen's elephant in between the queen and her
pursuer.

Valentina flips to the next sheet of paper on her pad, turning at the
noise of the arrival of Boris. She sits on a bench not far from the game,
yet far enough away to keep from interrupting.

Boris bawls out, "Ah, a game of cheops! How splendid!" He roars with
laughter. Valentina visibly jumps slightly from her seat at the loudness
of the Siridar-Baron.

An Alvstad attendant moves up quietly behind Valentina, observing her
silently to assure that she is not spying on the Viscount. Satisfied, he
nods to an Ukluk attendant, who moves away and nods to a Harkonnen one.

The Harkonnen guards form a loose cordon about the square, eyeing the
folk of other Houses with professional disdain.

Boris says, "Viscount Nils! Surely, you're not pitted against this Ukluk
fellow!"

Valentina begins a new sketch, with a devilish grin. She moves her pencil
quickly, and almost giggles to herself.

Nils looks up at the sight of the Baron, visibly relieved at the
interruption.

Kituk, interrupted as he is about to make a kill, scowls, but stands and
bows nonetheless.

Boris nods to Kituk. "Sit, mentat, and resume the game, eh?"

Kituk, returning to his seat, captures Nils' elephant with a lowly pawn.
Nils makes a pained sound in the back of his throat.

Sumter turns and bows towards Boris, seeing the Baron. He remains silent,
his hands tucked into his swordbelt still.

Valentina quickly flips to the next page in her sketchpad, and continues
to sketch her observations.

Nils, still stalling, turns in his seat to face the Baron. "Boris, what
an unparalleled delight," he says flatly. "Out for a stroll in the park
this noon?"

Boris ventures to Nils, indicating his position on the board, "Get your
Bashar in play, eh, Nils?"

Nils starts, realizing he has left his king's bashar unused on the first
terrace. He raises it onto the second, ready for a strike on the black
paladin. Kituk moves his paladin back onto the first terrace.

Boris scowls at Kituk, darkly.

Nils' bashar ascends one more level. Kituk castles his king in response.

Nils, deep in thought, moves the bashar in pursuit of the king, leaving
an opening for Kituk's queen to continue her ascent to the top level.
Kituk's queen ascends triumphantly, now only two levels to the top space.

Boris says conversationally, "I'm on my way to Saudir Plaza, myself. I
saw the crowd forming and thought I'd drop by, eh?"

Nils does not hear the Baron's remark. He does not appear to hear
anything. He stares at the board, motionless. His eyes to not move; they
display none of the quick darting common to Cheops players.

Kituk taps his fingers upon the marble board, impatiently. He waves a
hand in front of Nils, but does not elicit a response.

Valentina puts down her pencil, watching, instantly alert. Her eyes watch
only the Viscount...

Boris leans over and shouts in Nils' ear, "Ho! Nils! The whale fur
market's crashed and your stock is worthless, eh!"

Sumter's eyebrow raises as Boris shouts in his ear, a vaguely worried
look crossing his face. "Milord?" He asks quietly towards Nils. "Sir? Are
you quite all right? Sir?"

Nils makes no sign that he has heard Boris.

Valentina remains where she is sitting, she does not rush to Nils to see
if she can be of assistance, since one of his own stands right there
beside him. She frowns a bit at the distaste of the Baron Harkonnen, but
what else would ever be expected of him?

Kituk stands up quickly. His scowl leaves his face as he moves around the
marble table. He grabs a hold of Nils' shoulder and shakes it. "Viscount?
Viscount!?!"

Boris bellows impatiently to the diamond-marked Suk, "On your feet,
Doctor! The Viscount's in distress, eh? Are you blind?"

Nils, in response to Kituk's shaking, falls off the bench and collapses
on the pavement. He knocks his head again the marble slab that supports
the board.

Valentina looks to Boris a moment, as though she is not going to move.
She glances quickly around, perhaps to see if another Moritani is nearby.
Finding none, she moves quickly to Nils’ side, looking from Kituk to
Sumter, "Can I be of assistance?" she asks, purely out of formality. Her
hand already moves to check the Viscount's vital signs.

Sumter calls loudly, "Medic!" As he Nils falls, his hand flipping to his
sword and flashing it outwards. "Poison!" Eyes flash around almost
frantically.

Boris frowns at Sumter, "Don't go all to pieces, fellow." he says, with a
frown.

Valentina reaches into a pocket in her dress as she kneels down aside the
Viscount. She removes two small scanning devices, and begins to examine
the Viscount, first and foremost of course, to see if he is still
breathing, the cause of his duress, second.

Sumter's sword wavers about in his hand, making small circles. "What
treachery is this?" He asks, his eyes darting from side to side. "What
poison, what hidden needle..." Unconsciously, he's fallen into a fighting
stance, watching the crowds as though expecting another attack, or some
sort of answer to materialize.

Alvstad guards form a tight circle around the scene. Two sneak up behind
the Ulkuk mentat, and immobilize him with only a short struggle. They
look to Sumter for further instruction.

The Harkonnen guards move to close off the area, with disdainful looks at
the frantic Sumter. One speaks quietly to the Baron, who looks at Sumter
with a shake of his head and then dismisses the guard.

Valentina speaks towards Sumter, "Oh do quiet yourself," in a very
condescending tone. A scanner bleeps a green color as she runs it over
the Viscount, "There is no poison here," she says. A hand moves to his
throat, feeling a pulse, the temperature of his skin, "It is a stroke. It
happens with age," she says quietly.

Valentina then gives an order to Sumter, "Water... bring him water."

Sumter's arm falls slowly. "A stroke." He says quietly to himself, the
sword going back into his belt with a single, practiced motion. "Water!"
Comes the cry to one of the guards. He doesn't appear willing to leave
the prone body.

The Alvstad guards release Kituk, but keep a sharp eye on him
nonetheless. Boris says, "Stroke! He must have burst a vessel outthinking
that Ukluk chap."

Valentina moves the second scanner over the Viscount's heart, monitoring
the beating patterns. Her hand moves over his heart a moment later,
almost willing it to return to normal behavior. She takes the water, and
quickly dunks a small kerchief she has into it. She wrings it out, and
runs it over the Viscounts forehead gently. At Boris' outburst she turns
to him and completely snaps, "Would you kindly SHUT UP Baron? At least
show SOME respect for a suffering man!"

Valentina then returns her attention to the Viscount.

Boris asks Sumter, "Eh? Did she say what I think she just said? 'Shut
up'?"

Valentina loosens some of the Viscount's clothing, watching, waiting for
him to come to.

A Harkonnen guard captain sets a hand on his truncheon and glares at the
Suk meaningfully.

Nils stirs gently as the wet kerchief is applied. His eyelids begin to
flicker, but do not yet open; his lips move, but emit no sound.

Valentina smiles a little at the motion, "Ah... that is good," she turns
to Sumter, "He should be alright... Can we get a stretcher here to
transport him back to his home on, please?"

Nils opens his eyes, and looks into Valentina's face. "Cec...Cecilia?"

Valentina smiles, her cheeks color some, "My Lord Viscount... I am not
she... sadly. Rest... your body needs it," she says quietly to the
Viscount.

Sumter inclines his head. "She did indeed, milord." He's still standing
ready, though, the hand resting near his sword belt. Gaze flickers evenly
between the others, then turns, as Nils comes back to. "I shall call a
stretcher and transport." Lifting a hand, he orders a limousine...

Boris throws back his head and laughs, "He's in love with you, Doctor."

Nils shakes his head at Cecilia, and smiles warmly. He closes his eyes
and falls into a deep sleep.

After a few moments, a team of stretcher-bearers comes running up from
the west, carrying a stretcher. Kneeling by the fallen man, they quickly
set up the stretcher, then ready themselves to transfer him.

Valentina smiles as Nils rests. She turns as the stretchers arrive. She
supervises the careful moving of the Viscount to a stretcher, then to the
man who seems to lead the team, she says, "I trust your medics can handle
this further, but should my assistance be needed feel free to summon me
from the Moritani Embassy. I would be more than glad to help in any way I
can."

Sumter nods once, bowing deeply to Valentina. "We are in your debt." He
says gravel, signalling the guards to form up and around the stretcher.

Valentina shakes her head to Sumter, "Think nothing of it," she says, "It
is in my training."

The bearers lift the Viscount into an Alvstad transport, and pile in as
the van speeds off.

The Harkonnen guard captain stands attentively behind Valentina, and
clears his throat.

Valentina smoothes her skirts as she rises, turning to Kituk, she says,
"I suggest you continue your game another day, Sir."

Kituk grunts, bows to the assembled dignitaries, and leaves. Four Ukluk
attendants follow him, two stay behind.

Valentina then turns, to fetch her belongings from the bench at where she
was sitting. She nods to the Harkonnen guard, "Excuse me, sir," she says
quietly to him.

The guard doesn't budge, indicating the baron with a slight motion of his
head. His hand thumbs the on switch of his prod, but he doesn't switch it
yet. Boris smiles benevolently at Valentina.

Boris says, "A word, Doctor. Now."

Valentina half turns towards the Baron. She curtseys properly, "I
apologize for my... insolence," she says... though her tone does not
indicate she necessarily believes she has been insolent. She then rises
again, and turns to gather her belongings. Or at least, she tries to.

Sumter gives a quiet smile. "If I might suggest, milord, that any words
spoken by the Suk were in the heat of the moment, provoked by concern for
her patient?" He asks slowly, hands folding neatly in front of him.

The guard picks up her belongings for her and tucks them under his arm.
He gestures for a Harkonnen staffcar.

Valentina looks clearly puzzled by this ... behavior.

Valentina frowns slightly at the guard, "If you wish to keep the herbs,
that is fine, but I would appreciate the return of my sketchpad to my
person, Sir," she says to him in a slightly icy tone.

Boris ignores Sumter, addressing only Valentina. His tone is quiet. "On
Giedi, these men would knock your teeth out for your words, eh? To start
with," he says to Valentina. "Out of my love for Nils and concern for his
good health, I'll accept your...apology. However, I'll remember your
pretty face and form, and I'll not be so generous a second time. Perhaps
I'll let these fine fellows of mine have a few rounds with you, eh?"

The guard captain upends package he's holding and dumps the contents into
the road.

Valentina just looks back at the Baron. She does not even try to hide her
contempt, "Perhaps you should pray I would come to your rescue, should
you collapse like the Viscount, Baron," she says.

Then he drops the container and crushes it under his boot.

The scent of rosemary fills the air around him.

Boris laughs. "Pray? Pray to God? Oh, Doctor, don't try to be amusing."
He gestures to his men and they fall into file around him. Still
laughing, he heads off down the street.

Boris passes the Mall.
Boris has left.

Valentina spits on the ground after the Baron and his entourage pass. She
mutters something.

Elrood comes from the Saudir I Plaza.
Elrood has arrived.

Valentina goes, to collect the remaining package and her sketchbook, from
the ground. The basket has been crushed as is now useless.

Using Highspeak, Valentina says, "... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ..."

Valentina then crosses herself, and utters a quick phrase

Using Highspeak, Valentina says, "... ... ... ... ... ... ..."

Sumter stands solemnly looking after the entourage, allowing himself the
slightest shaking of the head before he's once more the impassive
swordsperson. Pivoting on one heel, he motions for the other guards, the
ones who couldn't fit in the ambulance, to move off.