Red Ink

Writers: Chelle, Yvonne
Date Posted: 13th January 2016

Characters: Asley, Ricker
Description: Ricker runs out of ink.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 13 of Turn 8

Technicians used a lot of ink. For technical plans, mostly, but also for the endless notes on scraps of hide and marking lengths as they ran wire. Ink was a precious resource and it was a tragedy when the inkwell ran dry. Ricker paused briefly outside a door near to his own workshop to reconcile his location with the mental map of the Weyr he'd built since his arrival. This was the Printer's shop, and Printers meant ink. The Journeyman knocked, then entered without waiting to see if anyone would answer. "Hello?"

She was in the back room, stirring the red ink she used for certain things, like illustrations in the margins. Hearing the noise, Asley put the lid back on the tub then walked out into the workshop proper. Moving the cloth mask off her mouth, she saw the technician knots. "Hello-can I help you?"

"I haven't seen you around. You're new?" Ricker blinked, then stuck out his hand. "I'm Journeyman Ricker, here with the power project."

"Actually I was here, then I left for the Hall and now I'm back." She would have put out a hand but hers was in a glove covered with ink. So she dropped the glove into a pail and then came closer. "Asley the journeyman printer. Well met."

"Likewise. Welcome back." Ricker grasped Asley's hand in his own and gave it a shake. "So-- how much has changed?"

"Not much really besides all the disruption from your project, apparently." She had a sardonic tone, but it was clear she didn't mind it personally. "The Hall had electricity but to be honest I don't see much advantage in it for me except not having to worry with glowbaskets. So to each his own. How may I help you though, Technician?"

Ricker let the comment about the usefulness of electricity slide-- for now. "Ink for building plans and work orders. We're running low and I'm hoping you can remedy that for us."

"What sort of ink and what color?" It begged the question if she had what he wanted on hand or if she was going to have to make it.

"True black, primarily. And red. I brought you this." He pulled a slip of hide from his pocket and handed it to her. On it was a diagram of a three-way switch, hastily drawn in bright red ink. "Please match the tone for the red. We use it to go over corrections and when the shades differ it can be confusing for us."

"How much do you need?" She was trying to think of how long it would take to make as well as how long she would have to produce it. Asley had some in storage but it was for her own use as well as a small surplus.

Ricker thought for a moment. "I think our usual casks are five liters of black and three of red."

"I can give you the black but I don't have that much red at the moment. It'll take a few days' time to make." She frowned, knowing this was going to be an additional duty to her task list. Still, she would manage. She didn't need to tend to a family or anything like that so why not work?

For once, Ricker had thought ahead enough to go to the Printmakers before running out of ink completely. "That's fine. I can come back in five days to pick it up. Or send an apprentice."

"Allright, and what do you offer as payment?" The crafter was known to barter and technicians could be useful creatures if the opportunity arose. Then again, marks were just as useful too.

"Need anything fixed?"

"At the moment, no." All of her equipment was in working order. She knew how to fix it herself. The only problem was sometimes she needed parts to do so. That's where the technicians came in. Then again, she could go turns without needing another part sometimes.

"Need anything machined, then?" Ricker asked. It was more of a Smith job, but he could do it in a pinch. Technicians had to learn how to make what they didn't have when the Smiths weren't around.

There were some parts that were more expensive than others. It was a gamble though because if there was never a need to replace it, then what was the point of wasting the barter on a part that would sit for the better part of a few turns? If the press received more use, though... "I need oil for lubricating. And I could use a few spare gears." Those were used more often and were a safer bet.

"I can get you oil, but the gears... depends on the complexity and fungibility of your printing press, but I can likely build you what you need."

"Well have a look if you want," she offered while gesturing toward the now quiet press. She had finished setting type but hadn't managed the ink and paper yet for the next project.

Ricker nodded and wandered over to the press. It was one of the more complex bed-and-plate models, able to print larger quantities of goods much quicker than some of the smaller presses. Since there was no paper in the machine, he spun the fly wheel and watched the gears turn behind it with a critical eye. "Well... looks like your gears are fine, although I can re-machine your small gear so that the teeth fit better which should improve the speed a bit. It doesn't look like the original piece and whoever re-machined it used an alloy that wasn't as hard as it ought to be. You've been taking good care of her overall, though, and the machine's looking great." He stepped back and turned to Asley. "I can trade you a bit of oil and the gear for ink, but I'll need to remove the gear you have to make sure that it's a proper match. Let me know when you can spare your press for a day and I'll take care of it."

"Restdays are the only day I'm not working. Well...except when I make your ink. So the day after tomorrow?" She was trying to calculate it inside her mind.

"That's fine." Ricker usually ended up in his workroom on rest days anyway. "I'll see you then."

Last updated on the January 20th 2016

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Red Ink