Boo
Jr. Weyrwoman
booct[M:-425]
Shirath: THOSE aren't spirit fingers... THESE ARE SPIRIT FINGERS!!!
Posts: 1,917
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Post by Boo on May 22, 2011 7:02:56 GMT -5
Yalenia grinned, although she agreed with the statement about not dismissing all things as fanciful thinking Yalenia didn't think there was any truth to what she'd heard about Pet Fish replacing Flitts. Perhaps there was some truth to the rumour but that truth was, unfortunately, buried in the distance and time it had taken to reach her in Telgar Weyr. Some other rumours, however, she considered a little more valid. Like the ones Kalenna had mentioned about the Goldhandler. Sure, she'd heard some vague suggestions but nothing that distinctly stated why the Handler had been demoted.
At the next topic Yalenia laughed once more. Everyone ate so it was one of the easiest conversations to have. She'd not actually eaten much fish herself. Granted, she'd probably had more than Kalenna but it seemed to be something more of a delicacy than a common dish. Usually served after Hatchings but on an irregular basis otherwise. She figured somehow that it would be a more common dish in Dalibor.
"Oh I hope it's not the Flitt kind." She laughed, "No matter whether or not they're real. But given that Dalibor is an island I suspect that it'll be more common than in the desert, definitely."
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Cathaline
Lady Holder
cathct[M:50]
Posts: 3,279
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Post by Cathaline on May 22, 2011 16:43:34 GMT -5
Fish was a huge delicacy at Igen Weyr, and even then it was usually salted and preserved before it reached them; Dalibor could offer the opportunity for fresh fish, which Kalenna had never had. She vaguely wondered if a dragon fed on fish would grow up any different from one that ate wherries and herdbeasts.
"Interesting," she said, finishing off her meatroll. Definitely a regular meatroll there, perhaps seasoned a little differently than she was accustomed to. "Just another one of those things you don't think of as being different until you're there, I suppose - like the air." What other changes did Dalibor have from her old life? And what secrets was it hiding?
Stretching her arms a bit, she said, "We will have Records access, will we not? Since we're hardly normal Candidates." She was used to being allowed in at Igen, so the thought that things might not be the same at Dalibor had only just occurred to her. She was a Candidate and on staff there, in her small way - and here she was only a Candidate, though at the moment a special one.
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Boo
Jr. Weyrwoman
booct[M:-425]
Shirath: THOSE aren't spirit fingers... THESE ARE SPIRIT FINGERS!!!
Posts: 1,917
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Post by Boo on May 23, 2011 19:32:10 GMT -5
Yalenia smiled at the statement from the other candidate. She supposed that she would have never honestly thought there would be that much difference in Weyrlife but she had been mistaken yet again. She hadn't really thought that coming to this Weyr would have meant so many changes. The air, food, temperature. They were all things that seemed relatively simple and yet they were still rather different. Not to mention the cultural differences between the Weyrs.
She figured that they would probably be allowed into the record rooms. It made some sense. Besides, sometimes she'd seen candidates in other Weyrs sorting through the records at the orders and under the supervision of some of the higher ranking members of the Weyr. She supposed that someone had to maintain the record room and guessed that some Headwomen wouldn't want to set too many members of her staff to the job and so would be fairly happy for candidates to sort through them.
And again there was the question of whether or not things at Telgar and Dalibor were run in the same way. "I suppose so." Yalenia replied, "I guess that if we're going to have our interviews we will need to be aware of life around the Weyr. Sometimes some of the candidates were set to sorting through the records at Telgar. It was very rare but I'd heard of it happening once or twice. So it's not all that unlikely..."
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Cathaline
Lady Holder
cathct[M:50]
Posts: 3,279
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Post by Cathaline on May 23, 2011 20:00:30 GMT -5
All Weyrs were different, and different each time they had a new pair of Weyrleaders, too - even if it was in small ways that the majority of the denizens wouldn't even notice. It was bound to be a new experience here, and they didn't have too much time to get used to it before someone - likely someone new - would become Dalibor's next goldhandler.
Kalenna wasn't counting on being assigned chores, though; she was far too dutiful to take time off of work in order to learn the things they needed to know. Hopefully someone in a leadership position would understand that the new transfers needed information...
"Yes, we did that too," she said with a nod. "The more trustworthy Candidates, at least - it certainly wasn't one of the more common chores. But it's quite different, really, doing chores in there and being allowed to browse. I checked the Records at Igen, and they had some information on the other Weyrs, but not up-to-date and not in-depth."
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Boo
Jr. Weyrwoman
booct[M:-425]
Shirath: THOSE aren't spirit fingers... THESE ARE SPIRIT FINGERS!!!
Posts: 1,917
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Post by Boo on May 24, 2011 7:59:31 GMT -5
Yalenia laughed a little. "No, of course not. I only mean that it's not inconceivable that we should be allowed to check some of the records." Yalenia replied cheerfully, "I can't imagine many people would be too pleased if we treated the chores like our free time, no matter how much fun we can make them."
Personally, she tried to make each and every chore fun. Some were tougher than others but she figured that sorting through the Records could be one of the more... Tedious ones so there would be more temptation to take a look at some of the writings. Yalenia had only been in the Telgar Record room once and that was to replace one of the door hinges. So, suffice to say, she was as keen as Kalenna was to take a look at the Records. She had, unfortunately, not been a candidate around the time that the records were sorted and had not had the opportunity to assist in that area.
"I checked some of the more public records actually... Before I transferred but I only ever had verbal accounts of some of the records."
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Cathaline
Lady Holder
cathct[M:50]
Posts: 3,279
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Post by Cathaline on May 24, 2011 15:56:42 GMT -5
Chores were chores, and Kalenna had never seen the point in making them fun; you did your duty, then you relaxed, and the free time meant more because it felt earned. Maybe she was just not a fun person, though. "I'll ask one of the Candidatemasters, when I see them next," Kalenna decided. It shouldn't take long, all things considered. "Hopefully exceptions will be made, given the circumstances."
Tedious or not, it was a chore Kalenna favored. She didn't exactly sneak peeks at the records deliberately, but she couldn't help seeing some things. It was nice, quiet work that wasn't backbreaking.
Kalenna nodded. "Verbal accounts are helpful, but there's nothing like getting it in writing," she agreed.
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Boo
Jr. Weyrwoman
booct[M:-425]
Shirath: THOSE aren't spirit fingers... THESE ARE SPIRIT FINGERS!!!
Posts: 1,917
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Post by Boo on May 24, 2011 18:05:56 GMT -5
Yalenia nodded in agreement. Yes, she really did think that at least with the writings it was more likely to be accurate. After all, they had just been speaking of the dangers of rumors so it wasn't entirely inconceivable that some accounts of the records that she had heard verbally were not entirely reliable. In fact, she'd be willing to bet her life's savings on that fact.
"Yes, I would very much like to check the records room actually." She agreed. She continued eating her food for a moment, considering whether or not she thought they would be permitted in the rooms. She'd heard of some non-ranking riders being allowed into rooms also... So they were not completely closed off to the Weyr. Kalenna asking the candidatemaster was probably the best option. It would not be a good idea to presume anything about their rights to access the records.
"Some of the things that could be there would be rather fascinating... I hear Weyrwoman Fajra keeps very up-to-date records. But she seems to be a very dedicated woman." She grinned again.
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Cathaline
Lady Holder
cathct[M:50]
Posts: 3,279
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Post by Cathaline on May 24, 2011 18:39:37 GMT -5
No doubt even the Teaching Songs weren't entirely accurate. It had to sound good, and if it basically adhered to true history, that was probably good enough for some Harpers, right?
It was possible that the Weyr leadership hadn't considered it yet, that they were aiming for a goldhandler who more than likely would be new. Hopefully they'd be sensible, and realize that now was the best time for their future goldhandler, whoever he or she might be, to learn about the Weyr - rather than later, when they'd have a newborn wher to care for as well. But presumption might guarantee not even being allowed to Stand.
"I've heard the same," Kalenna agreed. "You can learn a lot about a place from the condition of its records, not just what they contain. Of course, we'll be meeting the Weyrwoman soon enough, I expect. For interviews."
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Boo
Jr. Weyrwoman
booct[M:-425]
Shirath: THOSE aren't spirit fingers... THESE ARE SPIRIT FINGERS!!!
Posts: 1,917
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Post by Boo on May 25, 2011 5:49:29 GMT -5
Yalenia ate some more of her food while Kalenna offered her opinion. She listened carefully and nodded. She felt mixed emotions about the upcoming interview but was certain she would overcome these once she was seated before her. After all, everything she'd heard of Weyrwoman Fajra suggested she was not about to let just anyone stand for the Gold. She would probably want to ensure they would be suitable and dedicated to their duties. If they had indeed had difficulties with the former Alpha they were not about to simply allow any person to impress. They would probably want to check each one of them.
"Ah yes. That makes sense." She replied, nodding, "They wouldn't want to risk the future of their Wher population. It will be an interesting time. I'm guessing they'll probably ask us a little about why we have transferred." She thought about some of the questions they might be asked. They would probably have a little to do with their past, why they were interested and, perhaps, what characteristics might make them desirable.
She'd thought about the interviews before she'd transferred and figured she wouldn't feel too anxious about them. Now she was here she felt no anxiety more curiosity really. What would they be asked and how would the Weyrwoman and Alphahandler make a choice as to which of them would be appropriate to stand.
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Cathaline
Lady Holder
cathct[M:50]
Posts: 3,279
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Post by Cathaline on May 25, 2011 13:26:00 GMT -5
Regardless of previous difficulties, Kalenna could easily see where it might come across badly for people like the two of them to journey so far for a chance at a gold. Rank-seekers and power-grubbers...the Weyr didn't need any of those, so they'd make sure they didn't put them on the sands. That, and they must be screening for whatever flaws in their other goldhandler had led to this necessity, demotion or not. Kalenna wasn't nervous; she was convinced she was here for the right reasons, and that she would make a good Candidate.
Kalenna nodded to that. "The wrong sort of ambition could end in disaster," she noted. Clashes between the new goldhandler and the old leadership...they needed someone to work with them. "And whatever led to them needing a new gold so urgently, they'll certainly want to make sure the same did not happen again." Those questions would likely be somewhat veiled, and she wasn't going to stress out about it. She would answer honestly, and if she was wrong for the position, she was wrong.
The choice might also depend on how many Candidates came forward. There might be several, under the circumstances, but there also might be only a few, and the most important thing was to guarantee Impression. The obviously-unsuitable would be cut, Kalenna had no doubt, but if they didn't have enough Candidates, they might be forced to put one or two that they disliked on the sands in desperation. But she doubted that would happen. Already there were two of them who had come for this chance from far away; there would be more, plus whichever girls Dalibor already had who expressed interest.
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Boo
Jr. Weyrwoman
booct[M:-425]
Shirath: THOSE aren't spirit fingers... THESE ARE SPIRIT FINGERS!!!
Posts: 1,917
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Post by Boo on May 25, 2011 23:37:43 GMT -5
Yalenia finished her meal and sat back in the chair a little. She nodded in agreement to Kalenna's statements. Yes, they weren't likely to invite someone to stand if they were rather similar to their former Alpha. Perhaps the Alpha would eventually be able to regain his position. Either way, it was apparent that they did need another Gold. If something like this happened again and they still only had one... Well, it made sense to try to have some different leaderships happening with different Whers.
She smiled again. "Yes. I'm supposing that, after so many turns of hatchings, they'll be able to tell all of our personalities. I really hope that everything goes well. I have to get started on some chores but I wish you luck in the coming interviews. I think we've been roomed together, so no doubt I'll see you around." She got to her feet with a cheery farewell. "I hope to see you at the hatching too!"
Yalenia had officially decided that she would rather follow Kalenna than any other person she had metduring her time as a Wher candidate. She truly did think Kalenna one of the better potential leaders she had ever met. She definitely had the knowledge required for being a Goldhandler.
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Cathaline
Lady Holder
cathct[M:50]
Posts: 3,279
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Post by Cathaline on May 25, 2011 23:48:36 GMT -5
There would certainly be time while the new gold aged for the former handler to regain the leaders' trust, although whatever had led to this act of desperation must be pretty bad. With only rumor to go on, Kalenna mostly reserved judgment, however. She wasn't angling for alphahandler, not really; betahandler would do just as well. She only wanted to be able to guide the Weyr during the Pass, in some way. Any wher would serve that purpose, though a gold best of all - or perhaps, during a long Candidacy, she could work toward Headwoman here. There was an idea.
Standing for the gold came first, however. Pointless to think of anything else until it was all over, one way or the other.
Kalenna nodded to that. "I hope it goes well for you," she returned. The idea of rooming together pleased her; much better Yalenia, who she liked a great deal, than a younger girl she didn't know. "I will see you soon."
And in her turn, Kalenna had decided she would like to follow Yalenia, if it worked out that way. No doubt their leadership styles were very different, but she could be comfortable under the woman, when she Impressed.
Leaning back in her seat, she continued to eat, feeling a great deal better about things after that conversation.
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