I must tell you though, it might have been hard to believe, but it was easier than beliving my zlinning had failed me.  Imagine a Sime who couldn't zlin? Heh Heh Heh. Like a Lion with no teeth, a boat with o oars, a ...yeah well you get the pciture.

Turning to her I asked the woman where she'd come from.[This was my first mistake. Had I known then what I know now, I would have run the other way.] I thought nothing of asking.   It occured to me there were a couple of other possibilites.  She might be a gypsy, for they were rumored to have unusal powers, or... a rathorite... some sort of secret sect that was really close to Zeor. 

Oh, you haven't heard of Zeor.  Well, they're the original founders of the Householdings--Farrises.  And they are also different than other channels.  You'll know them, just look for anyone wearing black... or Blue if they belong to Zeor but aren't a Farris.  Yes, black. Well, a tie, a belt, you get the idea. Oh, and they're jumpy and nervous. But if there's an impossible situation, these are the ones to call. Except they're those types that sorta lean toward the arts. No mind for money. Oh, well yes, Tigues handle money well. I'll tell you about THEM someday. Yes, they're another odd type of channel. But, back to the woman.

She said she wasn't from the part of world where gypsies lived, which confused me because we do have gypsies here.  And considering she was talking to me, I decided she couldn't be a rathorite.  [Did it even occur to me yet to be wary of this pre-puberscent zlinning adult? To run? No.....]

I convinced her to come with me.  The place she was walking around in was full of junct Simes... you know Simes that kill for the selyn Gens carry.  Yes, I know she didn't really zlin right, but you never know.  Just in case, I thought she'd be safer inside V'lar. 

Well, I think we all would have been safer leaving her outside.  The woman went on and on about people she visited in Gen Territory and how strawberries would protect her if anyone bothered her. 

Strawberries!  My Secutuib, the leader of V'lar, almost fainted dead away at that. 

Yes, Sectuib... the leader of the house, that is Sime.  There are one or two houses around that have Gen leaders and they're referred to as Sosectu.  My opinion, either one is fine as long as they know what they are doing. 

Of course, I had to doubt my Sectuib's wisdom when he had me escort this ancient around.  [Yes. You see, by now I knew something was terribly wrong. It's the strawberries that did it. Anyone who would try to feed a Sime strawberries...]

Sure enough, I was right.  She wanted to watch a transfer.  Can you imagine such.  Standing there watching a renSime take selyn from a Channel who was imitating a Gen with his field... You know, projecting Gen to entice the renSime to take his selyn. 

And right in the middle she bursts out asking why they are kissing.  Oh my, the renSime shenned and we had quite a mess as the channel tried to override that abort and give the poor renSime transfer. 

After I patiently explained they weren't kissing but completing the current so selyn could flow, things smoothed out... until the donation. 

I should have realized, if she thought that was odd, she might react oddly to a Gen in a Sime's grip.  Even after explaining that the Gen was only giving a channel his selyn so he could give it to a renSime who was in need, she tried to attack the channel and save the Gen, yelling on and on about strawberries. 

Nerves shot, I thought it might be wise to take her to the cafeteria.  Nooooo... she tried feeding me food that I couldn't eat.  She thought I was being stubborn since others were eating it.  However, I explained those were Gens she saw eating it.  Not Simes. 

After getting some more tea for her I returned to the table, only to end up in the infirmary after she had slipped food in my own meal to show me I was only being stubborn.  Yes, I could have zlinned it... but you tell me, after having an Ancient around like that who was throwing the ambient into a mess of emotions, would you really be zlinning? 

What happened to the woman? 

Ah well...you see, I was so..um...impressed...yes, that's it...impressed with her I told her she just had to visit Zeor. 

Yeah, well, I'm sure we'll be hearing from them soon about the woman...if they um...survive.