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 Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 2:54 pm
Soot and grit and dirt and rock.
That's what Amelia was covered in this day. It was not, however, an unexpected state of being really, as she was where she belonged - admist the men and women of the excavation teams as they toiled to bring the weyr better passageways. Her training demanded much effort, calling for her to both watch and participate in the daily operations of the teams.
Today was a lesson about explosives. Tricky things they were, mixing the right amount of materials and placing them just where they were needed... And so she leaned over desk covered with pouches and vials to listen as the man explained why they were choosing not to apply charges to this reach of the tunnel. Nodding and asking questions, it wasn't long before Amelia was dismissed for the day.
Rolling her shoulders as he carried her tools and wiped some grit off on her already dirty coveralls, Amelia waved her farewells and started on her way out.
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 3:06 pm
"Well, that was interesting." Camryn's pale green eyes were ablaze as she stood in the much taller girl's path, arms folded across her chest as she looked not at the young woman before her, but rather at the tunnel itself. It was unclear for a moment whom, exactly, she was speaking too, and it was startling, the amount of space she took up for such a small person. Perhaps it was the intensity in her gaze as it snapped to Amelia.
"Of course, I agree. The renovation project on this lower set of tunnels is a bit tricky, I'm told. A combination of less skilled engineering and mining than we have at present." Nodding, Camryn touched the walls, and should have looked out of place in her pristine clothing among the earth, clearly believing she had a reason to speak with Amelia.
Camryn had a love of elegant tunnels, and like many of her odd smithcraft subset, were working hard toward recreating the smooth walls and designs of their ancestors. "Are you going to the new section to be dug?"
It was clear that she thought Amelia to be a Minecrafter, despite the fact that she was not, and had also been at the lecture. Then again, Camryn liked to eavesdrop into anything that caught her fancy. "I'll walk with you." The waif had become a familiar sight in the tunnels, as of late.
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 3:19 pm
Amelia blinked at the other girl's sudden interruption of her thoughts, gazing panning from the inspection of a support column to meet Camryn's with an easy smile, "It was. Don't mind the dust and dirt?" The question was an amicable one as he she continued past the other, "I was actually just dismissed for the day but the new section is readying the support beams for erection and I would like to see that."
Even as Camryn had been a common sight as of late, Amelia did not know her name, "And you are...? I've seen you about, but we haven't crossed paths before this. Name's Amelia." Pausing a moment, she wiped her hand on her coveralls before offering it to Camryn in greeting.
"Why've you been down here so much recently? Most folk aren't too interested in the tunnels 'less they collapse."
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 3:32 pm
Whether Camryn noticed how dirty Amelia's hand was unclear as she took the excavator's hand with a bright, wide grin, squeezing slightly before they began to walk. "... Dust and dirt?" It was also unclear if she was joking about not noticing the messy surroundings.
"Camryn is what my sister shouts at me, so that'll suffice. I was brought in to be stared at by dragonets, however I'm a journeyman engineer and these tunnels are of more interest to me until those eggs decide to hatch." The speed with which she spoke implied it was her general speech pattern at work, rather than nervousness.
"You are an excavator, I know." She furrowed her brow slightly as she looked up to the taller female, calculating eyes taking in her musculature. "What is your experience, being both exceedingly strong and intelligent?" It took a smart person to understand an engineer's vision and be able to go about getting the vision turned into a reality. If it didn't take muscle, Camryn'd be happy to do it herself.
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 3:52 pm
"Aah, a candidate then?" She blinked, patting the other on the shoulder in a gesture of congratulations, "Good luck then! That'll certainly be something if you snagged a dragonet's attention." The brisk way of speech was not off putting for the excavator, rather it amused her. Such a business-like bearing meant this one was probably some sort of official or planner... likely something in the smithcraft if she was to hazard a guess.
"So strong and intelligent?" Amelia chuckled at that and shrugged, "My experience... hmn... well, I just enjoy what I do. We're the ones that make the pathways and rooms everyone uses so it'd be silly if I didn't understand the plans, right? I'm only a journeyman so I generally just compare things now but eventually I might be the one to fit plans to rock." She wondered why her question wasn't answered but didn't mention it, figuring the other would speak of it sooner or later.
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 4:04 pm
Camryn had indeed mentioned her rank, however, with her rapid-fire manner of speaking, it was often that someone missed out on some information, unless they'd been listening closely. It also interested her that Amelia wasn't yet doing the work herself, as Camryn, as a journeyman, was allowed to travel and practice on her own. Of course, engineers rarely worked alone, so it was probably less disastrous than a excavating-engineer placing explosives in the wrong place and---
Pulling away from that long train of thought, the brunette nodded, not seeming to mind the physical contact in the slightest. "Yes, a dragon would certainly make traveling from site to site a breeze, and the drills must be interesting." That would be an adventure. Camryn was the type to enjoy learning of all sorts. "It would also make it quite easy to confer last minute with other engineers..."
Now she was thinking of life with a dragon, and all the negative and positive possibilities that could entail. "That would indeed be silly if you didn't understand, however, that rarely stops people from going ahead with their actions."
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Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 1:00 pm
Amelia nodded, though her lips curved ever so slightly downward as she responded the other's thoughts on dragons, "I rather thought the dragons would be more of a... family sort of thing then a beast of burden. At least that's the impression I've gotten from riders and the like - tales of them going to pieces over their dragonet and twittering like children. Seems to me the connection's stronger then a mere comradeship."
Shrugging as she moved along, ducking into an easily missed side tunnel with confidence born of a childhood spent among such winding passages, "This way... it's faster." Winking, the teen talked back over her shoulder as they walked - the passage was barely wide enough for two people abreast and she didn't want to block the way for any oncoming miners.
"I figure as long as the right people are thinking and the people who don't aren't leading then we're good. You simply have to have a good head on your shoulders if you intend to follow through on the more complicated crafts... things with numbers and where lives are at stake. Engineers, healers... all those people have some semblance of wisdom I think." She chuckled, "Or at least I like to believe they do - who else am I going to trust when I've given myself a concussion eh?"
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Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 9:26 am
"Yes, I am also aware of the bond that forms, however, any partnership that works is born of teamwork and mutual desires, so I theorize that any dragon who would choose an individual such as myself would be equally interested in travel and efficiancy. Or, rather, I suppose I would hope so."
Camry seemed unabashed in her opinions, and apparantly also had no qualms following Amelia through an alternate path. After all, the girl spent a lot more time down here than the engineer did, so it made sense.
"That is true, though I believe it takes a good head and steady hands to do, for instance, your craft as well. I'd rather not receive a concussion at all, and have to find a competent healer, because the tunnels I'm walking in have been properly shored up and constructed."
One of her small hands fluttered, as if she was going to continue, when her bright eyes caught sight of something up ahead. "Ah, here we are."
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Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 10:11 am
"Mn... what would you do, then, shoulder your duties as a rider clash with that of being an engineer?" Spoken softly, it was obvious she was rather curious about a predicament like that and sent her train of thought spiralling into her own suppositions of what she might do if faced with the same choices.
Another easy laugh escaped Amelia then, as she moved out into the new area. This sector was busier then the last and twin pillars of hewn and fitted bedrock were aligned on each side along with the majority of an arch that was to help support the ceiling. With the myriad of supports and poles that braced the intrados arch still in place, Amelia sighed with relief, "They haven't put the keystone in yet. That's what I wanted to see -" moving through the worksite, she settled on a spot that ought to be out of the way, "After the keystone's been fit, the scaffolding comes down and we see if the arch stands. It's my favourite part, very tense and a culmination of a lot of work - load-bearing constructions like this have to be done right the first time."
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Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 8:45 pm
"I do suppose that an emotional bond like that would make my dragon the priority in that situation, so the dilema wouldn't be as strong as it is now. If Thread was falling, my first duty would be as a rider, though I have found it is useful to many riders to have a secondary skill to fall back on once their dragon matures."
Looking thoughtful, the small young woman was clearly weighing the tasks associated with a dragonet and those with a fully mature dragon in her mind, until she was interupted by Amelia's pleasant laughter.
Camryn was, of course, aware of the purpose and importance of a keystone, however she loved hearing another's passion for their work and was therefore an attentive listener, her gaze equally excited as they watched the workers prepare for their test.
"Ah, I enjoy it when my timing is fortunate." A sweet smile and she was struggling a bit to see around the much larger workers. Ah, well.
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 7:09 pm
Amelia nodded, approving of the other's thought, "That's what I think too. You can't do much if Thread's in the ground. I don't know if a dragon would care too much to be down here in the dirt and dust..." She murmured thoughtfully, "But still, it'd be something to be a rider, eh?"
When she noticed the other struggling to see, she tapped her shoulder and leaned over, "I can let you sit on my shoulders if you like - just be careful of your head. S'not fair you're the odd one out Camryn." Chuckling she offered her hand with a smile.
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 7:36 pm
"Indeed, though one is not always with their dragon!"
Blinking in surprise at the offer [it had, of course, occured to her as a possibilty, as most things did, and been rejected] it took only a moment for a grin to appear on her small face. The waif-like young woman weighed a pittance compared to some of the loads Amelia was probably used to, and on top of that, she was far from a dead weight.
"That would be quite helpful of you, Amelia!" Shards, Camryn would hardly have to duck to avoid the top of the tunnel at all! It had been ages since she'd been carried about like that, when Cannan used to play with her.
"Thank you very much!" It took them only a moment or two to work out the physical rearrangement and soon Camryn was resisting her body's urge to have her hold Amelia's head loosely for support. Instead she rested them palm down on her thighs, gaze locked on the work before her, which was now clearly in view.
"Marvelous!"
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Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 10:05 am
With hands hooked over Camryn's feet to keep her from falling back, Amelia looked on as the hoists were readied and the first pulls began to lift the heavy keystone into place. Beside her, a family friend laughed softly at the spectacle of the engineer upon the excavator's shoulders, "Careful you don't forget she's up there. Don't want to knock a guest out cold right?"
Amelia laughed in kind and nodded, "I hardly think I'll forget she's there. Even if she's as light as a feather." Glancing up, the journeyman shrugged, "Just don't knock yourself out regardless hey? I'm no healer."
Returning her gaze to the task at hand it was but a few short minutes before the keystone was set in place and the supports taken away in a specific order. Dust and grit sifted down as the supports were moved by there was no ominous cracking, no shifting of stone and the gathered tension that had become thick enough to cut with a knife quickly dissipated. Workers clapped each other on the shoulder for a job well done and began to disperse to other jobs - there was always something to do.
Amelia sighed, "I wish I had a project to work on, you know? I'm mostly just help here right now - at least until I become a master. Something to show off.... don't have to explode anything or whatnot," she laughed, "Though I wouldn't mind that either."
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Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 10:13 am
Cam's sense of humor came out as she grinned down at the minecrafters, shrugging slim shoulders and communicating her lack of fear. "I'm not worried. All great Engineers know that there's a strong Excavator holding them up, this is nothing new." She fell silent as the supports were removed, pale eyes blazing at the sight.
Success. It was for that moment, all of their combined hard work, that moment when it fit into place and everyone could breath. "... Oh, really?" Amelia didn't know what kind of fire she was fueling and the waif-like brunette seemed to almost tremble with energy as she was set back onto the floor.
"I'm working on a drafting project, myself. Having a minecrafter like yourself onboard with the project would be of great value to me."
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Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 10:20 am
"Oh? What're you planning? Something practical I can only assume." Amelia grinned, already having surmised that her new friend was the sort to put function before fashion - a trait she was more then happy with. Those more concerned with appearance often lacked appreciation for the true quality of something.
"I just might help you." She murmured thoughtfully, "Where do you keep your workspace?"
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