Logs:Taking a Few Minutes
| |
|---|
| |
| RL Date: 17 April, 2013 |
| Who: Aishani, Z'ian |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Aishani and Z'ian discuss Tillek, Taikrin and proper holding temperatures for food. |
| Where: Kitchens, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 16, Month 7, Turn 31 (Interval 10) |
| Weather: Sunny |
| Mentions: Taikrin/Mentions, Jo/Mentions |
  |
| Kitchen, High Reaches Weyr(#267RJs) Polished marble and granite surfaces, gleaming metalwork and pale woods characterize the vaulted fastness of the kitchen. Several large hearths gape red-mouthed against the outer wall of the cavern, their fires almost always stoked for the constant cooking the Weyr requires to feed its denizens. Sinks line the wall to one side of the hearths, providing ample space to wash large quantities of dishes, while to the other, cabinetry and a deep pantry provide storage space for items commonly needed on a day-to-day basis. The remaining wall space is taken up by passageways and extra seating: swinging doors that lead variously to the main living cavern, the inner caverns and the storage rooms, a counter-height pass-through for food service to the Snowasis, and a series of nooks equipped with tables and benches for quick, out-of-the-way meals any time of day. It is a summer afternoon, 17:51 of day 16, month 7, turn 31 of Interval 10.
Late afternoon, gearing into dinner time finds the kitchen somewhat busy. Most of the preparations for the next meal have been finished before, however now comes the time to get everything in and then out into the living cavern. As it is there aren't a lot of people in there grabbing food but there's a few scattered here and there at the tables and the nooks. Z'ian pushes his way through the swinging doors, his jacket slung over one shoulder as he steps inside and gives the room a cursory glance. It might be obvious that he's looking for someone as his gaze bounces from one diner to the next until he hopefully finds who he's looking for. It's usually one or the other of the weyrwomen's jobs to supervise the beginnings of the meal, at least - so it's a pretty fair guess that you'll find one or the other in the kitchen as the food is brought out. Today, it's Aishani - though there's not much she's really doing than stopping the odd worker to look over what they're taking out in a sort of quality control effort; one woman who's pulled aside is sent back with a brisk, "It's cold." She doesn't add 'idiot', but there's an edge of it in her tone. Z'ian's entrance is enough of a difference from the usual staff that it's noted with raised brows and she lifts a hand in greeting. Z'ian moves out of the way of a woman carrying a particularly large platter of food past him, but not before he reaches out and snatches a biscuit off of it. She gives him a dirty look and he does his best to smile disarmingly at her (and also move away quickly). He lifts his hand to give Aishani a quick wave as he works his way towards her. "Hey, do you have a minute?" He asks, glancing around at the people trying to get to work on moving things out of the kitchen at a decent clip. "Unless you're busy temperature checking?" Even if the server has a dirty look for the bronzerider, Aishani merely looks faintly amused. "They're better warm," she notes, as if in agreement with the the whole idea of absconding with biscuits. Though the question of whether she has a minute or not has her only faintly wary - but wary nonetheless. Even so, she just rolls her eyes at Z'ian, waving an older woman over to take her place. "You wouldn't think it necessary, but some people don't care. And... I don't blame them, but honestly - just tell someone it's cold and get a new tray, yes?" She tilts her head towards the little tables off to the side, asking, "What can I do for you?" "I'm not challenging the need of proper food temperatures. I've even heard from the healers that food that's served incorrectly can cause food poisoning." Z'ian cants his head to the side and lifts his shoulders saying with a wry smile, "I prefer to not be poisoned by dinner, so." If she needs to check some more of them, he'll wait. But since that doesn't seem to be a thing he'll have to do, he'll move over to the tables she's indicated. For the real conversation he keeps his voice casual but pitched low. "I would have come to you sooner but my wing needed the attention. The situation with Tillek came up around the same that Taikrin started having the wings drilling for threadfall. It's sucking up my time unfortunately." "Mostly, it's just gone cold, if you're concerned about being poisoned. Not actually undercooked all that often. The cooks usually manage to do their jobs. There's a fair bit of professionalism there." One would hope. Aishani waves off Z'ian's concern as the kitchen worker, who perhaps exudes a bit more of an air of authority than the Weyrwoman can yet manage at her work. As they walk over to sit, she tilts her head to listen, though Tillek brings an immediate glance and a somewhat sour purse of lips, but; "I can see that. It does take time, I've certainly noticed. It's one thing I didn't think to be thankful for in an interval - more free time." Sliding into a seat, fine brows arched again, "What is it?" "I'll sleep easier at night knowing that." Z'ian shoots back with a flash of smile. Poisoning is probably not one of his top-most concerns. He drops down into the chair across from her, leaning his forearm onto the table. "It's taking too much time. I wish that there was a date for mock threadfall so we could get all of this posturing over with, but." He waves his one hand almost dismissively. That's neither here nor there right now. "Boreal picked up some whispers of the recently completed nuptials before they happened." The hand that was waving is now holding up a finger. "My apologies for not getting it to you sooner. I went to Tillek myself to listen around and I heard some things, but I never got the time to actually talk to you. Like I said." Dryly, "I do." But then, Aishani does actually have to worry about getting poisoned; there's Iolene, and there's... well. Her being her. Considering Z'ian across the table for a moment, she nods once before, "I'll mention that, the next time I see Taikrin, that she might not want to let it... drag out, given the summer is so short. Maybe have a party or something to wrap it up so at least people feel like they got something out of it? It's not much, but..." She shrugs, has gone a bit thoughtful before his words have sunk in - and her mouth tightens as her cheeks seem to flush, expression... displeased. "That... would have been helpful, yes." But she can't blame him, even if: "I went to meet Lady Tillek the day before. What did you hear?" His smile is rueful, "I think that conversation will go better for you than it would be for me. I already talked to her about something the other day." Z'ian clearly hasn't recovered from that encounter yet, even if he did come out of it more alive than some others would. On the more important matter of Tillek he shakes his head, looking genuinely regretful. "Again, I apologize for that. I didn't want this to be like the S'varis and N'mos situation." The bronzerider shrugs helplessly before continuing, "I also heard it would be later in the summer, but apparently not so much. That's past though. However, the locals seem to think Tomaeran is angling to be named the heir of Tillek, in light of there being none other currently. Except maybe, the young daughter. But also, Devaki spent some turns visiting with Edeline after the murder. So maybe the marriage isn't quite the surprise it would seem." "Did you?" Not Aishani's usual question-not-question, not said with her usual amusement that says she's already decided what's happening. Actually curious, she asks Z'ian carefully, watching his expression with her sharp dark gaze, "How did that go?" There's some discomfort there, the flush still on her cheeks, as she glances down and notes stiffly, "I don't like... not knowing things. I appreciate you coming to me when you could. Should I make a habit of seeing if you've information on a place before I go there?" It probably comes out with an edge of sharpness that's unintended, one she tries to huff out with a sigh, lifting hands to cover her face briefly. Moving on... "I wonder who caused things to... speed up. I have some people I've yet to check in with. And... to be named heir or to have his wife named such. Amounts to the same thing, I suppose." "I did, about Iceberg. Who would replace D'nis in the long run." Z'ian rubs his hand along his jaw and lifts his 'brows, a quick roll of his eyes initiated for that question. "I'm still Boreal's Wingleader. So it probably could have gone better, but it didn't go so awfully either." He nods to her question, the sharpness detected. "It was my intention to come to you. With this, with anything else that we might hear that would be important. Now and in the future. The wing serves the Weyr. Serves her Weyrwoman." The bronzerider says quietly before he exhales, maybe hoping the difficult part of this is passing. "I wonder that too. I can't imagine what the true urgency would be. But you're right that it would amount to about the same thing, depending on the woman." Propping his chin up, "What did you hear when you were there?" With a quirk of her lips, "Ah. Well. 'Could have gone better' is not all that bad, really. Or so I tell myself." Aishani sighs, leaning forward on the table with her arms crossed loosely. Looking across the table at Z'ian, "She's probably a bit on edge because she's taking on too much. I doubt she trusts anyone enough to name a Weyrsecond - and I do understand that - but she could use the help." As the bronzerider explains, she considers the words, then just nods - she understands - before getting to the true issue: the stupid Holds and their Holders. "Edeline seems - formal. Maybe she's pregnant. Maybe someone realized we'd figure it out eventually; that you can't limit gossip forever. It's hard to say." "Yeah, me too." Z'ian grins wryly for the idea of it at least. Knuckling his fingers up under his chin. "She doesn't look good. She looks... tired and run ragged. You're right that she could use the help, but I don't know who's going to convince her of it. Or steer her towards the concept so she can think the idea is her own." The bronzerider shakes his head, exhaling quickly. "Maybe. She already has the one young one, maybe they're hoping this next would be a boy. But maybe they're trying to cement a better relationship with Devaki and his wife. Braeden doesn't produce an heir himself, well." Tipping his head to the side. "I'd like to see if I could pick up something at the Hold," Unnamed because Z'ian is from the 'Reaches and well, that's the one he's talking about, "And maybe Tillek. But I can't keep anyone out of the weyr long enough to do me much good. But you're already in the one place, so." Maybe he could just skip that whole place. Lightly, "Or who'd be willing to? Do you think someone would? Would you be?" Aishani lifts brows a touch, something in her gaze unspoken - instead of taking other measures? "Maybe... she honestly just thinks no one would. It's not like Taikrin's ever had anything but opposition from the Weyr, from being here, to standing, to impression. I know it sounds like I make excuses for her, Z'ian, but I understand her. Perhaps too much to be unbiased, but are any of us?" She's strangely protective, because of all people, does the brownrider need protection? But still. With an unladylike snort, "Braeden's not going to produce anything, so you might have a point. But you didn't hear that from me. As for Tillek... let me see what everyone's found out first. But it wouldn't hurt to go to any of the Holds, really. I ought to start making visits." By her tone, she's not real excited by the idea. "Maybe you could-" Z'ian cuts himself off there, because that sounded like the makings of joke. And they are having a serious conversation. He clears his throat with a lift of his eyebrows. "I'm certain there are plenty of riders in this weyr that would take the opportunity to be Weyrsecond, even if it meant working with someone they didn't even like. And there are people who do like her, so." As for himself, "I know that I would be. I do what I need to for my Weyr." The bronzerider seems self-assured on that part. "No one is unbiased. You know how I feel about her, but I'm not out to make life here worse by presenting opposition at the wrong time. Shit like that doesn't do anyone a damn bit of good." He nods his head on the matter of the Holds. "I'll try and put my feelers out into the other Holds. Maybe find out some groundwork where I can so you don't have to go in potentially blind. If I can't find you myself, Tsanth can relay the highlights." Even if it's a serious conversation, Aishani has a curious arch of brow, amused quirk of lips. But she'll move on if he does, shrugging. "Maybe I'll see how that conversation goes. Someone would be better than no one, but I don't think anyone can argue that someone experienced might go a long way to making people feel a bit more secure for the time we have left. Which is likely not all that long." She sounds a little conflicted about that for all that she's certain, but that fades into something closer to gratitude. "It doesn't, no. And I would appreciate that, very much. I'd like to rely on Jo more, but she's her own work to do. Understandable, but unfortunate for me." A pause. "I've neglected the Holds in favor of being concerned about external and internal issues. I'd like to correct that." She's not saying she's made a mistake. But that's about as close as it gets. "It's true. Everyone was more or less alright when B'sil was Acting. Someone like him again would probably do the Weyr some good, even if that person was working as Weyrsecond. Making sure the fires didn't get out of control." Z'ian's manages to keep his own particular sense of humor under wraps, somehow. For the time being. "No, it's not all that long. I'm amazed by how fast its gone by." He purses his lips before continuing on. "Jo's out a lot. But I understand that she might work more locally than not, you could probably speak to her on that." The bronzerider nods in understanding of her last, he gets it. Really. "It's been difficult. And the Weyr hasn't had enough eyes in the right places recently. Hopefully we can begin to correct that and get back onto the top of our game again." Wryly, "I seem to recall a number of people having issues with a lack of Weyrwoman, but perhaps that's me." That tone of Aishani's doesn't go away as she slouches over the table, resting chin in hand. "Survived a convict and a Vijay without too many issue, so far. And it has gone quickly, hasn't it? I can't say I'm glad of that or looking forward to it. Though I'm given to understand the uncertainty that sort of... lingers will pass after that. That will be good for the Weyr, I imagine." Not that she sounds sure. "And I wouldn't want to ask that of her necessarily. We'll see if... well. We'll see how things go over the next few months." With a nod, Z'ian's last seems to make her feel a bit better. "Hopefully. I'm not sure if they would have been so successful hiding all of it if we had been paying attention, but who knows." "There was significantly less complaining. But then you can't please every group of people. So sometimes you just settle for the majority and fuck everyone else." Z'ian lifts his shoulders before dropping his arm and pushing off of the table, getting to his feet. Dinner is nearly completely taken out of the kitchen by now. "I agree. It's gone better than I could have hoped for personally. Even with the Vijay Weyrwoman." There's a wryness to his smile when he says that, straightening up. "It's just something to keep in mind. Even if she can't help you, maybe she'll know someone that will." His hands hook into the front of his pockets, "Well. They've had more practice than most of us in being secretive. It's sort of a learned art with the Holds." Aishani's years of deception perhaps not being considered quite the same thing as the tangled world of Holder politics. "I'll keep you informed. I'm going to step out and I imagine that you have a dinner line to inspect." With a faint smile, "Or you decide to be stubborn and fuck everyone else anyway. Either way... if I have to leave it all, I'd rather it was better than I found it." Aishani sharpens into a smirk for the 'Vijay Weyrwoman', noting, "After the exile one, yes? Such an excellent track record." Amused, she just shakes her head as she straightens and agrees about Jo, "I have to talk to her anyway, so I'll see if she's the time. And I suppose the drills can't last forever." Flickering a look over to the woman who took over, "I appreciate that, Z'ian - again. And actually, I think I might sneak out for a drink and leave her to it. I'm allowed that, I think. It's my turnday." "And the emotionally disturbed one. And then there was the alcoholic. High Reaches, we know how to have a good time when it comes to our Weyrwomen." Z'ian replies, half-joking and half-for-serious-what-is-with-this-place lached through his tone. "You're not leaving it worse off. And that's more than some of our past leaders could ever say." He nods on the matter of consulting Jo, unhooking one hand so that he can take up his flight jacket again. He slings it over his shoulder again. "In theory they won't last forever. Yes, you're allowed to take some time off to have a drink for your turnday. Happy one to you too, by the way. Maybe you should get out of here for the night. Visit your friend." Just a suggestion, as registered by the smile he shoots her. The two fingered salute is lazy as always. "I'll see you around." He's not long for the kitchens, disappearing out into the living cavern. |
Leave A Comment