Difference between revisions of "Logs:Lacking Education"

With its entrance located between the kitchen and the living cavern, this
  tiny bubble cavern is cozy, always kept warm and is filled with           
  comfortable chairs and a small round table. At the far end, there's a     
  hearth, outlined in ruddy, aging bricks, where a pot of stew simmers in   
  the evening hours. Generally quiet, the nighthearth is the haunt of       
  insomniacs and those seeking quiet from the bustle of daily Weyr life.

The nighthearth is only occupied by a few people this evening - Jo being one of them. She's at the sole table while the others are at the hearth, looking through a stack of drawn maps on the table's surface with a little bronze firelizard curled up on her shoulder. She's decked out in all black leather as if she's just gotten in from a ride, the wingsecond shoulderknot the only accessory openly seen on her frame as she drinks from a flask.

Odrick's arrival is a purposeful one, heading toward the klah like a man on a mission. He even makes a contented sound at the smell of it as he pours it into a mug. Once he's klahed, the harper turns. A glance to the hearth has his attention roaming further and his path eventually leads him to a comfortable chair near where Jo is settled at the small table. He, of course, is curious enough of the maps to let his gaze linger on them without his complete awareness.

Odrick's hurried entrance draws Jo's attention from her study. She pauses on that flask she holds, watching him go for the klah before he chooses a seat near her. By then, her attention returns to the maps, and perhaps it's the noted gaze as she drinks that has her breaking her silence with, "Are ya familiar with the Tillek region?" He dark gaze flicks from the maps to Odrick now, quietly assessing him.

"Not particularly. I was posted to a hold, briefly, but I could only tell you how to get around that. Probably not very useful." Odrick doesn't seem even a little bit concerned that he was caught looking at her documents, but he's not looking now. Now he's taking a sip of his hot drink, then he's setting it aside so he can pull a notebook and pencil out of his always-present messenger bag.

"Which Hold was that?" Jo asks now, watching Odrick for a long moment. "Ya say 'posted'. Yer a crafter, is it?" Her study doesn't abate as she spreads the maps out a bit, side by side before she adds about them, "I'm updatin' the area I had drawn out. Some of the marks I made here have me second-guessin' myself."

"I suppose I should say the hold. I was posted to Tillek Hold for several months. Journeyman Harper Odrick." His introduction is also an answer to her question. He is, indeed, a crafter. He's looking down at his notebook now, though, casually turning pages until he comes to the one he wants and writes something down while he says, "Can you not simply fly over it again?"

"Ahh," and his answer gets Jo to straighten up a little, eyeing him anew. "Journeyman harper." Pause. "Not for awhile," she answers now on the last, shaking her head as she looks over her maps. "I was hopin' to finish this tonight. Serves me well for rushin'. I have some other things to take care of in the opposite direction, besides. What brings ya to the Weyr?"

"Is that not what betweening is for? Being able to travel great distances almost instantaneously?" Odrick glances over at the woman, genuinely curious, but then also uncertain how to answer her. As politely as possible, he offers, "I accepted a posting. I'm a teacher. I suppose it's education, or the lack thereof, that ultimately brings me to High Reaches Weyr."

Snorting softly, "Scoutin' the land takes time, darlin'," Jo answers him, something seeming bring about a lopsided grin from her. "'N I don' got a lot of it these days since becomin' wingsecond. It's a personal project, anyway. It'll get done when it gets done." She drinks from the flask and sets it down as she eyes him for his latter response. "Yer sayin' we all lack learnin' or something'?" she seems to take his wording at face value, a brow lifting at him. "Or is it the kids ya mean?"

The harper murmurs a sound, acknowledging what she's said to him and that it't nothing that requires a response, while he writes something else down. When he's done, "I'm suggesting that you lack education." She's sort of helping his point, judging by the way he looks at her with an undertone of concern. "But, yes. It's generally the children to which I'm referring." Odrick puts his pencil down, reaches for his mug to take another careful sip.

"I've got all the education I need," and Jo lifts one hand, balled into a fist. "My knuckles, my knives'n the wing I help run." Dropping the fist, "Learned my share back in Keogh," she tells Odrick with a knowing look. "The shit I learned beyond that Hold was what kept me alive more than the harperin'." It's matter-of-fact, the bluerider keeping a lingering study on the man. "Teach'em when they're young, though. It's good'ya here, then. How long ya posted here or do ya get to choose how long?"

"Yes, yes. You're a strong woman, perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. That doesn't mean that you're educated, dragonrider. And I never said there was anything problematic with your lack of education. You must get on well enough if they've allowed you to be a wingsecond." Odrick offers the older woman a pacifying smile, the white of his teeth contrasting cheerfully against his dark skin. "I much prefer teaching children, so don't worry about my wanting to further your education or anything." As for his term, "It's not entirely my decision. Things happen. But if all goes well, I'll be here for some time yet."

"Ya backpeddle. I'm not offended," Jo remarks as she matches Odrick's smile with teeth. "In the way ya mean, I'm not educated, but I do get on well enough. I imagine ya will enjoy teachin' the young here. What d'ya like teachin' the most, then?"

"I don't." Odrick eyes the woman, then turns his gaze curiously on the group near the hearth while he takes a deeper drink of his klah. Then, "I most enjoy teaching children how to read and write, I suppose. It's like opening a new door for them to the whole world." So he's kind of passionate about this academic stuff.

Jo meets that gaze steadily, and Odrick's answers seems to resonate well with her since there's a more genuine grin to steal upon her lips. Nodding, "Well, if ya ever need some children stories for them to read out, I have some for ya to borrow. I used to know some folks that would write them'n I'd give them over to the nannies here sometimes. I'm sure ya brought yer own, but, if yer lookin' for different material one day...." It's an offer as the wingseconds starts to stack her maps together.

"Thank you, dragonrider. Very much. I appreciate the offer." Odrick doesn't say whether or not he'll take her up on it, but more than likely he simply doesn't know whether it will be a future necessity at this point. "The children always enjoy having new stories to read. Much like myself." This earns another grin, but since Jo appears to be gathering herself to move along, the harper flips open his notebook, turns back several pages, and begins to read.

"I feel generous, these days, strangely enough," comes from Jo, the woman getting to her feet as she stoppers the flask. " 'N, I have soft spot for kids' rearin'. Good meetin' ya, Odrick. Name's Jo, blue Tacuseth if ya take me up on the offer. Enjoy the rest of yer klah." She's heading out, passing a grin his way in her wake.