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 Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 1:12 pm
"By the First Egg!" Jali frowned darkly, muttering under her breath as she hiked her skirt up in preparation for bending down. Before she could even begin to hunch herself over one of the younger bakers had scuttled over to retrieve the bowl she'd dropped on the floor. Luckily for all involved, the bowl was wooden, and had thusly survived the fall. The old woman smiled at the girl as she handed her the bowl, before fixing the wobbly shelf with another dark look.
"That shelf is a menace. I thought someone put in a request to get it fixed?" She cast a look around the kitchens as she shuffled back over to her workstation. One of the girls in the back piped up, "The carpenter promised to be by this afternoon." Jali nodded absently, reaching for her dough and transferring it into the bowl. There were extra mouths to feed, what with the arrival of dragonriders from High Reaches, which meant she and the rest of the kitchen staff needed to make sure they were on time. They certainly couldn't afford to be cleaning up after spilt jams and broken bowls because of a bad shelf.
The old baker set the bowl aside and started to work on the next batch of dough, rolling it out with a rolling pin along her board. "The sooner they get here the better," she muttered, before glancing towards the door. "Jalisk! Keep an eye out for a carpenter, would you?"
Jalisk opened a single eye sleepily and gave a soft huff of affirmation. Carpenter. Right.
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Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 1:22 pm
Going was rather slow for Ranaru as she woke that morning, her leg giving her a bit of trouble as the cold weather decided to play a hand against it. It wasn't as though she couldn't move it, it was just rather stiff, and from where Ranask lay near her bed he wondered if today she would be riding him instead of walking. They had to go and fix something in the kitchens, her skill being called on for this task, which both Ranaru and her partner knew meant no one else would accept it. Whatever it was she was doing probably wasn't of that much value to the Weyr and its inhabitants, but the woman liked doing things regardless of whatever it was. She almost thrived on it, having her hands always working and the ability to lay claim to many things as her own work.
"I'll be able to walk there, we'll just be going slow. I'm sure whatever it is we're repairing won't be in danger of running someone's life right away, so a little bit of time can be taken until then."
That was what she had said earlier that morning, the hours of the afternoon slowly leaking their way over and the pair now making their way towards the kitchen, and when a green wher came into view Ranaru knew she must have either been expected earlier or was simply being greeted and watched out for.
"Hello there Jalisk, I assume Jali is inside and waiting on me to come in and fix a problem? Then I shouldn't drag my leg any longer and will get started on it right away."
Even if the other whers around the Wyer never spoke back to her Ranaru liked talked to them, treating them as her equal if not her better since many of them could do twice as much as she could...without trying. She entered into the kitchens only seconds after her greeting, calling out for the woman inside.
"Jali? Are you in?"
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Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 1:41 pm
Jalisk opened the other eye to peer at Ranaru when she was greeted, making a soft huffing noise through her nose. Talking wasn't her thing, but she certainly didn't seem to mind being spoken to. The woman seemed to know what she was here for, and she spoke of Jali, so the green wher assumed that this was the person Hers was waiting for.
'Tool person,' Jalisk told the old baker, before putting her head back down on her outstretched forelimbs and closing her eyes once again. Jali would deal with this tool person now. She would just go back to sleep.
"Aah Ranaru! I wondered who they were going to send!" The old woman smiled up at the carpenter as several other bakers called greetings as well. "We appear to be having a problem with that shelf." She paused her rolling to jerk a thumb in the direction of the shelf in question. "Let me just get you a hand... Fenta! Fenta come over here and get all the stuff off the shelf!"
A girl about twelve came trotting over, wide eyed and seemingly eager to help. Jali gently nudged her in the direction of the shelf and she gave a soft squeak. "Here now girl, get the stuff off the shelf so Ranaru can fix it. Don't dawdle!"
Fenta disappeared into the depths of the kitchens and returned with a stool, before trying to remove everything from the shelf as quickly as possible.
Though her attention was on the dough in her hands, Jali continued to talk to Ranaru. "It's all... wobbly. I'm sorry, that's probably not the best description but it's the best I've got. I suppose you'll see for yourself when you take a look at it."
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Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 2:26 pm
"I'm sorry you just got me, but I'll do what I can for you to make things easier here in the kitchen for all you fine people. With all these new people coming in I know you must certainly be busy."
With a motion of her head to stay outside Ranask trotted back out and away, his eyes having started to grow troubled from the presence of all those around his handler. He knew everyone in there from how much he and Ranar got around, but that still didn't stop him from feeling so unsettled. He almost glad to be dismissed outside, though he didn't entirely go without making a remark that if he was needed, he would come back in. Ranaru loved that thought.
She finally made her way to the shelf just as the young Fenta came over and cleared it all away, Ranaru lending a warm smile as thanks. She would have made small talk and asked the girl if she would be ready to have her touching soon, she was getting of age, but her work came first. Chatter later.
"So let me see, this shelf here is the one giving you issues? It looks like the wood is sound though a little warped. Have you been keeping anything wet on here that could have possibly soaked in, or have you noticed a change in temperature? It's also possible the boards could have just warped over time, but they're not bad enough to the point where I need to replace them. A simple repair job should work and I've got the tools to do that."
Around Ranaru's waist was her carpenter belt, a proud object that showed many turns of wear and tear. It had been her first gift from her father when she was finally old enough to really take into the craft, and now it looked as though it could stand to be repaired just as much as the cabinet. Slowly she pulled different tools from the pouches that she would be needing, a little vial of water that had a bubble in it to measure level, several nails and her hammer.
"Has there been anything else in here giving you trouble, or just this? I wasn't given too much detail over what I'd be doing today."
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Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 2:48 pm
Jali tutted softly, giving the dough a good smack with her rolling pin. "Sometimes the smallest jobs are the most important ones. They wouldn't have sent you if you weren't good at what you do."
The moment Fenta was finished with the shelf she gave Ranaru the smallest bow of her head before skittering off. It was only after she'd made her break for it that she realized she'd forgotten her stool. Face red in embarrassment she came trotting back, retrieved it, and then ran off again to the depths of the kitchen.
The old baker couldn't help but chuckle softly. Ah youth. Looking up from her dough every so often to acknowledge that she was listening to the carpenter's diagnostic. "I suppose there might be a leak in one of the jars up there. I'll have a look before I put everything back. Might just be where the shelf it put in, since it wasn't put in more than a few turns ago, I don't think." She cast an eye around the kitchen and got a few nods from some of her staff. "Whatever the problem, I leave it in your most capable hands."
At the mention of things that required more help she paused thoughtfully. "Mmm... well, if you wouldn't mind checking the door to the cellar, I would be grateful. I asked one of the wrighters to look at the hinges, but he says you might as well just replace the whole door."
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Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 11:54 pm
"I've got no problems taking a look at your door, I'd be more than glad too. It'll save you from having to call someone else out here to glance over it if I inspect while I'm here, not to mention I'll probably charge you a deal less for a deal more. Or something of that sort."
Ranaru had never been in it for the money that came with her craft, someone of her skill being able to take in way more than she often asked for, instead her happiness lied with the pride she could take in having something with her brand on it. It was always more fun to have people talk and mention that she did her job well over having marks in her pocket, though eventually she'd have to start charging more if she wanted to keep using the same level of materials like always. It wasn't cheap and she was never sure just how much more she could get from her father. But anyway, back to the shelf.
"Are the dishes you put on here fully dry too when they're set down? That could explain some of these water stains I'm seeing along the bottom here, and if I were you I'd try to look into putting a kind of liner between the wood and whatever you're putting on here, that may help with catching moisture."
She was mostly talking to herself now that she knew the old woman had gone back to working her dough, though it never hurt for Ranaru to say things out loud. It helped him to memorize what she needed to know, and in case anyone else was paying attention it would give them ideas too. She slowly pulled several nails from the boards as she decided a plan of action, her mind debating on adding a metal splint to stabilize it entirely or try switching the boards around to see the extent of the warping.
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 7:20 pm
Jali bobbed her head and gave Ranaru a pleased smile. "That would be awfully kind of you. I don't mind replacing the door, but I'd rather get two different people's opinion on the same problem, if you know what I mean. But don't hesitate to say if the door needs fixing or removing. I'll send the bill down to the carpenters, and then the wrighters can come in and fix the hinges. Keep everyone busy, at the very least. I don't suppose we had any carpenters come in with that group from High Reaches?"
It had surprised the old woman to hear that several candidates were willing to leave their home in High Reaches to come all the way to Ghenza, a place that they'd probably only heard rumours about up until recently. Perhaps they did things differently over there, such that moving around like that wasn't such a big stretch. Regardless, they were getting put to work like any other person here at Ghenza. Hopefully they could handle it.
She looked up again at the mention of dry dishes and frowned slightly. Were they put up there completely dry? She thought so. Either way, it was something to look into. "I'll have a talk with the kitchen staff and see what I can do. Maybe I'll put a towel down or something to stop the water if that's the cause. Fenta! Fenta! Here girl, come on!"
The girl came scuttling back, apparently in the middle of drying dishes if the towel hanging over her arm was any indication.
"Here now, write on the chalkboard for me darling. Just put 'towel for shelf' with a few stars. That's a good girl."
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Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 6:28 pm
"Towel for shelf is a good start. If I think of anything else while I'm working I'll make sure to let you know Fenta, since I know I can count on you to get it taken care of."
Ranaru smiled over at the little girl, impressed with how much she'd grown. Why, didn't she just go to her Touching a short while ago? Ranaru could barely remember hers, it was over seventeen turns ago, but she wasn't here to make such idle chat about common place events. Everyone knew what everyone else was doing, even to the idle gossip about all these new people, and Ranaru inwardly wondered how long it would be before her family got someone staying with them. As much as she disliked the idea of an outsider in her home, it could be fun.
"I don't know if any of them do Woodcraft, but I have heard gossip of a few Smiths and an older boy who does work on Ships. It seems that boy is about to Turn out, hence why he came here, or so I've heard. Ruskie doesn't really let me hang around people long enough to get in good amounts of information, but that works for me. A carpenter is only wanted for her hands, not her mouth."
At the mention of his name the blue Wher lifted his head slightly and blinked, his stance motionless the whole time he stood outside waiting. Occasionally he'd snarled at a few people who passed by when they came in groups of more than one or two, but it was nothing that merited Ranaru away from her task.
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Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:07 pm
Fenta was so surprised that she was being addressed directly that she fumbled and dropped the chalk midway through the word 'shelf.' Murmuring a soft "sorry" she bent down to pick it up, blushing furiously.
Jali had to resist the urge to tut softly, knowing it would only make the girl worse, and settled for a subtle shake of her head. Oh what were they going to do with that girl? Dropping chalk like that it would be a miracle she didn't somehow trip and knock one of the eggs over at the Touching. It was a pity they couldn't send her brother in with her to ensure her safety (and the safety of those poor eggs!).
The girl in question, luckily, didn't seem to notice her grandmother, and finished what she was writing. Then, turning to the carpenter, she gave a small curtsy. "Whatever you need, Ranaru." It was a wonder the woman could hear Fenta's quiet voice over the bustle of the kitchen, but hopefully she had made her point with the curtsy. Either way, there was no time for talking, as Jali was already continuing their conversation about the newest residents.
"Ships? My my that boy's a long way away from the coasts! Maybe he'll try his hand at Woodcraft once he realizes we've got no ships to build. Not like the ones he's used to, I'd imagine. Who knows. We haven't had any bakers yet, but I suppose it's only a matter of time before the farmers kick some of the riders out and send them here. Not that we need more help, but a few more tuber peelers would be welcome. Fenta, the cookie cutter please, thank you." Jali began neatly cutting circles out of her dough, passing them to another baker who was making meat rolls for dinner. The old woman paused only long enough to peek out at her wher, before she asked, "How is Ranask, by the way? Doing well?"
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 2:39 pm
Ranaru did her best not to laugh at FEnt'a actions, knowining the girl to be as nerovos as ever, instead focusing on finishing the shelf. the wood was good despite her initial thoughts, and with some shifting around she managed to the general shape of the shelf back with no problems. Next would be the easy task of nailing the boards back in, but she paused to have a little more conversation once the topic turned to her beloved Ranask.
"He's been a bit on the edge, what with all these new people poking around. He's always the nervous type even with people he's known since the day he came from his shell, so to have all these strangers here in Ghenza is driving him up a well, so to say. I've done what I can to keep him calm in spite of it all, since we've yet to actually meet a person or a beast from that other Weyr."
Not interested in meeting them, prefer to stay with you. We're good that way.
Ranaru smiled at the childish protest of her companion, though she continued to speak on about the topic, ignoring all future and continued protests. She loved whers as much as the rest of Ghenza.
"I've heard some uneasy rumors though about how they treat whers at their Weyrs and Holds. They chain them up and clip their wings, so so they say. I'd like to believe it all to be idle gossip since they even talk about having some being unblood-bonded, but it's almost too unsettling to ignore."
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 8:21 pm
Jali made a sympathetic noise. "It's a pity he doesn't sleep. Jalisk will just lie out there all day, basking in the warmth of the sun. Mind you, I don’t think very much bothers her. You could probably drop one of Pern's moons right by her while she was napping and she wouldn't even wake up. Perhaps you should ask about in the Union. Maybe they've got some better tactics for keeping whers quiet." The Wher's Union was probably the best place to start for anything wher related, but it was always a toss up. Would they think you were just handling your wher unkindly or that the problem was in the wher itself? It was a tough call. Jali was glad her green was so mellow. It made life so much easier.
The baker frowned a little at the mention of the rumours, not entirely sure what to think of that. "Well, we all know that those who live outside Ghenza do all sorts of strange things. I wouldn't put it past them to be chaining up their beasts. I heard one of the dragons came in with a metal muzzle. Did you hear about that? I haven't had the chance to check if it was true or just an exaggeration."
At the mention of dragons, Fenta seemed to stand a little taller, clearly interested. Whenever there was talk of dragons she always had to have a listen. The more she heard, the more material she had for her stories later.
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Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2010 9:54 pm
Ranaru blanched at the idea of speaking to the Union, not really being a fan of them despite how much they did for Wherkind. They had never looked at her the same after the accident she had with Ranask, the one that left her with a limp, though thankfully both she and the blue had gotten out of that scrape without too many problems. She tucked the idea of speaking with them into the back of her mind (the very back) and went on with the conversation.
"A metal muzzle, really? I hadn't heard that, but then again I've only heard talks mostly about how small their gold is despite her age and how pushy one of their bronzes seems to be. As you say I wouldn't put it past any of these outsiders to muzzle one of their dragons, but it just seems like such an odd thing to do. Wouldn't the rider step in and refuse such a thing, or do you think the rider itself is the one who placed the device on?"
She couldn't imagine doing something like that, not even to the meanest of whers and certainly not to a dragon. Dragons were not cruel and could never harm humans, as it was always known, so why then the muzzle? A prevention against other dragons perhaps? That seemed silly!
"I couldn't imagine doing something like that. People might suggest I try something of that manner to Ranask were it to catch on and become popular, but I don't see me doing anything that would harm my partner. We've got a link and I know his pain, so whose to say I wouldn't feel the anguish from a muzzle as well?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 2:08 pm
Fenta seemed quite distressed by all the talk of muzzles, fidgeting and tugging on her apron. As much as she wanted to return to her duties, she didn't want to miss any potential conversations about dragons, even if they were about treating them poorly. She'd have to see if she could find this rider with a metal-muzzled dragon, if it was true. If it was just her brother making up stories, well… she would see that it stopped. Spreading horrible stories like that just wasn't nice.
"I suppose it's what they think is necessity," Jali replied with an offhanded shrug. The thought of muzzles, for any creature, seemed a little foolish, especially when the creature could communicate. But perhaps it was like dealing with rowdy runnerbeasts. "I haven't the foggiest. None of the dragonriders from that group are bakers, and I can't imagine them getting sent to help in the kitchens unless they were absolutely terrible at farming. You'd have to ask around and see what's what. I only know what filters through the cracks and makes its way to the tuber peeling corner."
"But that's all gossip, and I didn't call you hear to listen to that." The baker gave a soft chuckle as she finished with her meat roll dough. "Can I get you anything to eat or drink before you go?"
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Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 10:09 am
Ranaru nearly jumped up into the air at the chance to eat Jali's bread, something she considered a rare treat whenever it was offered. The woman was almost infamous for her skills at baking and to be allowed something from her kitchen even if it hadn't be directly made by her was good indeed. Instead of acting overexcited like she wanted to however she took her time in responding as she finished up nailing the shelf and gave it a solid hit with her hammer, pleased to see it not move. She had done her job well and made a solid place for them to hold their items, but it would be in her best interest to come back and check on it once in a while to ensure nothing fell off or it didn't start to warp again. It always looked bad on a carpenter to have their work falter so early on in.
"Ah if it's no trouble at all to provide something for me, I'll take you up on your offer. I missed lunch working through on another project today, sad to say. I need to pay more attention to the time of day I suppose, though Ruskie should be helping me along with staying on a cycle. We're still working on it."
There was a bitter chuckle about that, but not in regards to her partner in the least. They were good together.
"After the snack I'll get on that door. How's that sound?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 11:15 am
"Well then, if you missed lunch we had better get you something to eat!" Missing lunch was always a Big Deal to kitchen workers, and Jali was no exception. With clear intent, the old woman began bustling about the kitchen, both checking on various stations and collecting some fresh food onto a plate for the hard-working carpenter. By the time she returned, the plate was full with a variety of different foods, and she set it up on one of the kitchen tables. A nearby stool was pulled up and Jali beckoned Ranaru over.
Fenta graciously provided the carpenter with a napkin and some utensils before skittering off back to the dishwashing station. No doubt Belhec was there unattended and she had to get back to him. Dishwashing wasn't something to be left in the hands of her older brother.
"Food first, and then we'll talk about the door. Whatever you need just let me know. Rasken agreed to do the hinges if a carpenter dealt with the wood, so I'll just let him know what the diagnosis was." Jali resumed her work, rolling out some fresh dough.
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