DCW: A Necessary Precaution

Writers: Jane, Vix
Date Posted: 25th May 2007

Characters: Ylisahn, Tian
Description: Ylisahn checks with technician Tian about the cooler unit.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 19 of Turn 4
Notes: Ylisahn's Storm 04 - Storm arrives

"Has the technician workshop ever been flooded before?" Ylisahn asked
when she found herself standing beside the young man who had repaired
the cooler in the kitchens less than a sevenday before. Crafters were
usually left to their own devices, though they nominally came under the
authority of the Headwoman. "Are you moving essentials upstairs or are
you busy with something else?"

Tian shook his head. "We've moved any portable or personal tools from
the workshop, mostly into personal quarters. Schematics and plans have
been moved as well, and larger items are on palettes, not resting upon
the ground." He gave the Headwoman a slight smile. "It's all
precautionary - we don't expect more than a little dampness, but want to
be sure that we don't have to deal with mold or disintegration of ink
from the moisture. At any rate, if you need me for something, I'm at
your disposal."

"What about the cooler? Not the room itself," she added hurriedly.
"Because I think the door seals would work. But the machine." She
waved a hand to indicate that she didn't really understand the working
of the unit.

"The compressor," corrected the technician. "I can take a look at it and
see what we should do to prepare. We might need to shut it down for the
duration of the storm, though if the door to the cooling room is kept
closed, everything in there will maintain temperature for a while."

"Will shutting it down help protect it if there is flooding?" She
didn't want to lose refrigeration if they could avoid it, no matter how
well the cool room would stay cool. Food poisoning was only a careless
decision away in a tropical climate. Ylisahn didn't want to kill off
half the Weyr unnecessarily.

"It wouldn't hurt. The motor wasn't designed to operate underwater, so
it would probably be best not to have it drawing in water. Besides that,
if we close it down and have enough people to help, we can boost the
unit up off the floor and place some bricks or boards beneath it to keep
it out of the puddles."

People - she could organise those without knowing exactly how the
machine worked. "All right. I'll organise some people, some strong
people. Four? Six? And send them along. But could you not turn it off
until they get there? You know, the longer it runs, the better."

"I may be needed elsewhere. . ." Tian halted in his comment. "Of course,
this is probably one of the more important areas to secure, isn't it? I
can stick with this task as long as needed, I suppose. You get the
people, I'll look at the unit and plan exactly what we'll need to do."

"Thank you. I might not be right here if you find you need more people,
or bricks - and I think In know who I can get to deliver you something
that will work for that - but just let people know you've my authority
on this job." Everybody was willing to help, the problem was more
likely to be that anybody he approached had more than one task already.

"The compressor is bulky, but we should be able to lift it enough to
place supports with four people," the technician told her. "After all,
there's only the possibility of a little bit of water in the area, right?"

"I think so. Though apparently the dolphins say this storm will be
worse than most." In her time at Dolphin Cove Weyr she had seen water
in the Bowl more than once, but nothing more than a little dampness in
the lowest lying corridors and the front of the dining cavern.

"Then this job is simply a precaution - though a necessary one. We'll
finish it quickly and move on to something else." Already the technician
was cataloging other tasks that needed to be done or at least checked.

Last updated on the May 27th 2007

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DCW: A Necessary Precaution