Planning Ahead

Writers: Emma, Jane
Date Posted: 26th September 2009

Characters: K'sedel, Zharesti
Description: Zharesti has an idea for a long holiday for the Weyr in month 6.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 5, day 7 of Turn 5

K'sedel

"Have you seen the Threadfall schedule for month six?" Zharesti asked
her Weyrleader as she sailed into his office without knocking. Veyeth
and Nikornath had kindly confirmed that the man was there on his restday
and Zharesti took that as invitation enough to bother him with her
latest idea.

"You mean that behind me?" K'sedel had a blackboard on the wall of his
office with the dates and predicted times and durations of threadfall
marked on it.

The Weyrwoman peered across the room. "Yes that." She rounded the desk
and put a finger on each of the last two Threadfalls in month six.
"Hatching's likely to be in between these two, I think."

"You and Veyeth will have a better idea of the exact date than I would."

"Well, let's say it is in there. And they're abnormally close together,
the Threadfalls ... So, what say we have a Weyr holiday afterwards? The
two or three days after this second Threadfall. We'll have just have
fought two 'Falls and had a Hatching in four days; we'll have earned a
rest."

"An extra rest day or two, with perhaps a special feast you mean?"

Zharesti beamed, pleased that he had understood so quickly. He really
was a useful bronzerider. "Exactly. Though perhaps something simple
for the meal - cooked on the beach or something? Wouldn't want the
lower caverns people to be working _harder_ than ever."

"A Barbeque pit maybe?"

She nodded. "Something the riders could do most the work for themselves
to reduce the burden on the kitchen staff. And for the other meals I'll
tell them to serve things that take little preparation so that the whole
weyr can have as much of a break as possible." She was, after all, the
woman in charge of all the Weyr's people and had to be their advocate
when necessary.

"Well once a pit is set up it takes little to manage it, just time to
cook the herdbeast or whatever is roasting in there. and if we ask for
cold meats, breads and fruits to be prepared beforehand and that just
would just have to be put out," suggested K'sedel.

"That sounds good." She nodded. "So, this second Threadfall -" she
tapped the schedule on the wall again, "- is on the rest day, so the
restday would have been day twenty-two anyway. How many extra days?
Two? Going back to normal duties on day twenty-five? Giving us five
clear days before the next 'Fall."

"I think you are probably right. We can't go too long, but three days in
total would give a nice break," K'sedel said after a moment. "Give the
riders time to spend with their families, some may even choose to go
back to their birth places for a day or so."

"Which would further reduce the work for the lower caverns people. An
excellent idea. So, shall we consider that settled? I can draw up an
announcement and we can go over it to see if there are any obvious
flaws." She smiled, the expression emphasising the broad high
cheekbones and the amusement in her dark eyes. "Sometimes I rush along
and miss things," she admitted.

"Just so long as Veyeth doesn't rush too much when it comes to her
clutching," said K'sedel with a grin. "Let me know when you've drafted
something and I'll make sure the Wingleaders know."

"I will." Zharesti retreated from behind the desk before she added
loftily: "And Veyeth never rushes. She is a flawless example of gold
dragon. Naturally."

"Aren't they all?"

"Indeed they are."

Last updated on the September 27th 2009

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