Think of the Fame

Writers: Eimi, Paula
Date Posted: 12th June 2006

Characters: Almonteo, Eilomar
Description: Almonteo has an irresistable challenge for his (unfortunately) most qualified voice ensemble teacher
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 12, day 8 of Turn 3

Almonteo

The Hallmaster sighed as he heard the sharp knock on his door. He knew who it would be. "Come in, Master Eilomar."

"Hallmaster," Eilomar greeted and actually smiled. "You called me?"

"Why yes, Master Eilomar, yes I did." Shards, was there really _no_ one else up to the task? Poor dragonriders... it hardly seemed grateful of him to stick them with _Eilomar_... "Won't you have a seat?"

"Thank you," The bass singer said and crammed his large body into a chair that creaked a protest. "What is it? About the Turn over? Am I going to sing the leading bass?" he asked eagerly.

Oh dear. "Well, I had certainly thought that you should take a... leading roll for Turn Over," Almonteo said carefully. "How about...
You're own ensemble? Completely under _your_ careful, and very _capable_ direction?"

"Sounds good. What kind of ensemble?" Eilomar asked, his chest swelling with pride.

"A _new_ ensemble, actually," Almonteo beamed, trying desperately to push its _good_ points for the hidebound master. "You will have a perfectly clean slate. Any style of music you think appropriate for the voices."

Something like a suspicion was wakening inside the master singer's thick skull. "What kind of ensemble?" he pressed on.

"The _first_ truly mixed voice chorus since the craftban," the Hallmaster said with conviction. "Something people in this part of Pern had not had the pleasure hearing in forty turns. For some, they have _never_ heard men's voices blended with women's and I want _you_ to be
the Master who brings it to them."

Eilomar just stared him. "Women's voices? Can they sing?"

"You are almost as old as _I_ am, Eilomar," Almonteo said with the beginnings of a frown. "I'm sure you remember studying in the Hall with other females. If they could sing then, they could sure as Thread falls
downwards sing now."

"Yes, yes, they might have good voices but they untrained! Do you know what kind of work it is to train them? To make them sing in anykind of harmony?"

"They are _not_ untrained! They are _Weyr_ trained. Trained by some of the most beautiful female singers the craftban ever wronged," the Hallmaster replied, straightening his back and raising his voice. He was not going to be talked down to by one of his Masters. "Of course it
will be a challenge. I _assumed_ you were a good enough teacher to handle a challenge. Was I _wrong_ in that assumption, Master Eilomar?"

"Of course I can handle the challenge!" Eilomar replied, not able to resist that bait.

"Because if you can't handle a choir of dragonriders, I could always ask Master Ropean. He's pretty young, but," the Hallmaster shrugged resignedly, "I'm sure he would jump at the chance to be the first conductor of a truly mixed voiced choir since the craftban."

"Dragonriders?! Those rowdy people? Well, I can handle them anyway," Eilomar was bit shaken, but he was not going to let Ropean have this opportunity. He was thinking the fame he would get if he succeeded.

"Those 'rowdy people' are your new students, and despite the fact that they are students, they also deserve respect," Almonteo reminded him sternly. "They risk their lives to protect Pern and when they are not
busily caring for their dragons, drilling, and fighting Thread they have chosen to pursue our craft with the same dedication and hunger for knowledge that has driven you and I to succeed despite the pressure. I want to you to
remember that when you are talking to them, Eilomar."

"Yes, yes, I'll remember that," the master singer said.

"All right, here is the list of riders and their craftranks. I will give you a schedule and a final list when they are finalized."

"Thank you, " Eilomar managed to be civil about it. No leading role for him, just bunch of dragonrider he was supposed to teach to sing as a choir.

Last updated on the June 13th 2006

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Think of the Fame