Logistics

Writers: Heather, Yvonne
Date Posted: 3rd April 2025
Series: The Perfect Storm

Characters: Oselle, Saibra, Amarella
Description: Saibra informs Oselle of the Holdless situation.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 5, day 5 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: I'serin

Saibra

After relaying back and forth with I'serin, Saibra was on her way to the Headwoman's office. She normally tried to stay out of Oselle's hair unless it was one of their regularly scheduled meetings.

"Headwoman?" She knocked on Oselle's door.

Oselle looked up with a smile. "Weyrwoma Saibra! Please come in. How are you?"

"I've been better," Saibra said bluntly as she walked in. She didn't sit because she knew that she and Oselle would have plenty to do very soon. "I'm going to need your assistance. We have something of an emergency."

"What sort of emergency?"

"A group of holdless flagged down a Searchrider. They're trapped in flooding caves. The Weyrleader has gone to see what he can do. Aluneth has let Chioneth know they'll need dragonrider help. We're going to send coats, blankets, hot klah. Then we'll bring whoever wants to come back here. We'll need to set up some temporary housing for them. We won't be able to absorb them into the empty weyrs so quickly." Saibra stopped, realized she was pacing as she spilled all of this, and turned to see how her Headwoman was taking the information.

Oselle blinked, for once looking a bit shaken. "Goodness. They are-- you are inviting Holdless here?"

Saibra looked at her normally unshakeable Headwoman. The look on Oselle's face drove home the gravity of the decision she and I'serin were making.

"They have called for aid. We have answered. There are women and children drowning in those caves, Oselle. We can't turn them away."

The Headwoman smoothed her hands down her grey dress to steady herself. "No, but... No. I am sure that the safety of the Weyr remains topmost in your mind," she said. As foolish a decision as inviting criminals into their home might be, it was not her decision to make. Her job was to execute that decision as best she could. It didn't stop the whispers of unease that curled down her spine. "How many people do you expect to... accept the offer of aid?"

"We don't have a final number yet and people are still being pulled out of the caves. And we don't know if they will all accept the Weyr's aid. They're just as distrustful of us as we are of them." Saibra wrung her hands together for a moment. "Plan on a minimum of forty. If there's more, we'll just have to wing it."

"Forty! Stars above-- I think I have room for... two families in the Lower Caverns. Maybe three?" Oselle pinched the bridge of her nose as she tried to think beyond 'Holdless' and 'danger'. Saibra was right-- they were people, first. Nobody deserved to drown in a cave. At least, the children didn't. "We can set up tents in the field next to the Dining Hall, I suppose. I will have to find cots..." It wasn't as if any of the Lower Caverns were going to let Holdless sleep on their floors. "They are coming now?"

“We’re going to send supplies to get them dry before they /between/ here. Chioneth is calling a Wingleader meeting now. Why don’t you come with me?” Saibra said this while simultaneously conversing with her gold.

"Now?!" Oselle gaped at the Weyrwoman-- but only for a moment. She grabbed a pen, then strode to the door, yanked it open and shouted for her assistant Amarella. "We're going to need reinforcements," she told Saibra as she returned to her desk and sat, pulling out a piece of paper and starting to scribble furiously. "Now. People will need to be assigned to weyrs, and we need to find those tents. And, oh, before that we need to know who is _here_. We need a list of names-- where will the dragonriders be taking them first?" Oselle glanced up at Saibra, then shook her head. "Take them to the Dining Hall first. We can record names and give them something to eat while we figure everything else out. It will be easier to keep an eye on them all at the same time."

Saibra watched Oselle think out loud with admiration. She had chosen well, and been very lucky, when Oselle had interviewed for the Headwoman's position at Dragonsfall. "We'll need some of your assistants to go through our supplies and start putting together basic necessity packages - underwear, socks, pants, a shirt, and shoes. If we get them organized by types and sizes, we can use the service tables. Have them go down the line and our workers can hand out the bundles."

Oselle thought a moment, then nodded. "If they are arriving now I won't have time to set up something that elaborate, but I do like the idea... I will make that happen later tonight. However I can have socks available on arrival. And blankets. If they're caught in a flood they'll be wet and cold, and nobody likes wet feet."

"Headwoman?" Amarella stood in the doorway, her gaze darting between Oselle and Saibra nervously.

"There you are. Amarella, there's no time for questions but we are going to be receiving forty Holdless who were caught in a flood." Oselle's voice held a note of warning. "They _will_ need blankets and socks. We will be receiving them in the Dining Cavern until we can find housing elsewhere for them. I am putting you in charge while I attend a meeting with the Weyrwoman. Here's what I want." She held out the list to Amarella.

The other woman looked as if she'd frozen at the word 'Holdless'. Her gaze darted between the two women as she grappled with what she'd heard. Then Amarella straightened her shoulders and took the paper that Oselle was holding out. "When are they arriving?"

The tension in the room eased. Perhaps they'd be able to rally the Weyr after all, Oselle thought. "They will be arriving shortly-- any moment, really. This is an emergency. Please prioritize gathering Lower Caverns staff to greet them and escort them into the Dining Cavern. We will need a list of names as well, as they arrive. If there are any-- difficulties, come fetch me at once."

"Yes, Headwoman." Amarella bobbed a quick curtsey that was clearly for Saibra's benefit before she hurried out of the room.

Oselle turned to Saibra. "Well. That is the first challenge dealt with. Amarella and I will make sure that your Holdless are welcomed on arrival. After that..." she shook her head. "Shall we go to the Wingleader meeting?"

"After you, Headwoman," Saibra said, while silently thanking Faranth once again for Oselle.

Last updated on the April 15th 2025

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Logistics