A New Technician

Writers: Avery, Paula
Date Posted: 22nd May 2017

Characters: Solai, Corowal
Description: A new technician arrives at EFH.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 12, day 8 of Turn 8

The nice thing about a dragonrider in the family was getting immediate
travel to her new assignment, rather than having to make the laborious
long boat passage. She was leaving the Technicians Hall and then
appearing at Emerald Falls during the same candlemark. Dragon transfer
was an incredible thing.

Solai slid down off of Lakiath, and took her bags from her brother.
Z'kai offered to walk her into the Hold and to meet with the Lord, but
she waved him off.

"They won't take me seriously if I show up with you to guide me," she
protested. "I'll do fine. I promise. Go back to Dream's End."

"I'm checking on you this evening," he warned. "Just to make sure it
all went well."

That, she was okay with. So the Technician thanked her brother, took
her things, and marched off to check out her new assignment. First
stop: meet the Lord, and then the Steward. Making a good impression on
the people who would oversee her was important.

Solai walked through the halls of Emerald Falls with her usual brisk
efficiency. She'd prepared herself for the stares at her knots that
she was sure had been cast her direction by everyone she past, or so
she'd been told would happen once she arrived at a Hold. Zakis had
warned her that, while Emerald Falls had the Harper and Printer Halls
and allowed women, it still wasn't entirely comfortable with the new
order.

She squared her shoulders as she arrived in front of the Lord's
office, ready to deal with whatever he threw at her.

The guard let her in.
Corowal stood up to greet her. "You must be Journeywoman Solai,
welcome to Emerald Falls Hold."
It had take time but they had finally managed to find a female crafter
who was brave enough to accept a contract to Emerald Falls Hold. The
only way to get peoples opinions to change was to get the accostumed
to see women with craft knots around the Hold.

Solai studied his face curiously. He must be a very progressive Lord,
to take women crafters when so many did not. She liked that about him
already.

"Yes, my Lord. I heard you had an opening for a senior Technician and
my brother Zakis speaks very highly of you."

"Yes. we have a hydropower plant that needs constant maintenance. It's
getting bit old," Corowal replied.

"I have experience with the Hall's and knowledge of the design
techniques, my Lord," she said. Hoping to Impressing him with her
credentials.

"That's what we are needing," Corowal replied. "Have you any questions

about the contract?"

She'd had a chance to look it over and the terms had seemed pretty
standard. But she did have a few questions about how it would work in
practice. She knew how Weyr assignments worked, but at the Holds...
There were going to be some additional considerations.

"Two of them," she said. "I understand that there is board provided as
part of it. I know from my brother that typically male Journeymen who
are unwed may share quarters. What arrangements for board will I be
receiving?"

"Since we don't have a dorm for female crafters yet, you'll be giving
a room of your own. It's on the third floor of the main building,
usually reserved for visiting Holders. Bit nicer that usually assigned
to crafter of your rank," Corowal grinned a bit. "I'm sure you value
the privacy it offers."

"I am more than pleased, my Lord. I was afraid I'd get a tiny one room
cot in the middle of nowhere," she admitted.

It could have been that, or a converted broom closet, or just a
partition in the male crafter quarters. It's not that that even might
have been so bad -but if crafters here weren't used to women ones, her
safety was a concern. She'd give Zakis that much. You never knew. But
Lord Corowal's suggestion was impressive.

"I'm glad to hear that," Corowal replied. It was her safety which had
led to this solution. Those quest rooms had locks on the door and
private bathrooms.

"The other question I had was term length. The contract from the Hall
says that this is a half-Turn position at first, with option to renew.
Is that correct?"

"Yes. If you find out you don't like it here, you can leave after six
months without penalty or extra hassle with the hidework. This isn't
the most welcoming place for a journeywoman."

"Smart planning," Solai said approvingly. She hoped she would like it
at Emerald Falls and want to stay, but it was always good to have an
escape valve in place if the steam got to be too much. Any Technician
worth her knots knew that.

"Anything else you think I should know at the start?"

"You won't have it easy here," Corowal warned him. Better if she had
good idea what to expect right from the start. "The silent majority
will come to accept your presence here in due time. It's the loud
minority that will object and give you grief. The same people who
complain against Weyrfolk and causes incidents during Gathers. They
will probably pick you out as a target."

Z'kai had been so worried for her safety, she remembered. He knew
about Holder prejudices against certain kind of riders, and he'd
warned her. The Hall talked about it too, and of course Jade Harbour
didn't take women Crafters even though their Hall produced some. But
hearing it from the Lord himself was a sobering reminder.

"Have there been many incidents against weyrfolk or at Gathers
lately?" she asked.

"Not since that incident with the Goldrider from Dragonsfall Weyr. I
think the public outrage it created scared them off. At least for a
time being. If someone does cross the line, give the guards a holler.
They been instructed to accept no harassment," Corowal replied. Of
course, there was no way to ensure that there weren't rotten redfruits
among the guards, so some of them might turn a blind eye if she was in
blight. But Zandan was working to weed them out.

"I understand. I'll endeavour to win people over by working hard and
being respectable. They can't get used to female crafters if they
don't see us here," she said.

"Precisely," Corowal said.

It sounded like she had all the information she needed to start.
"Anything else, my Lord?" she asked.

"Not, if you don't have anything. I'll get someone to show you your
room. I'm sure the Headwoman will also like to meet you," Corowal replied.

"I look forward to meeting her and the rest of the staff. Thank you for
taking the time and courtesy to meet with me, my Lord," Solai said,
bowing to him again.

Last updated on the June 8th 2017

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

A New Technician