Checking Things Over
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Emma, Rochelle
Date Posted: 31st October 2007
Characters: Teseada, Tatitem
Description: Teseada has the Headwoman check over her figures again.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 6, day 7 of Turn 4
"Do you have a minute?" asked the young goldrider of the Headwoman as she poked her head around Tatitem's office door.
Tatitem blinked as her attention was distracted, saw who it was, and set the hide aside. "Of course. Please, come in." She said politely.
"I was wondering if you could check my figures on these hides before I put this in the records room," explained Teseada. She felt sure that they were right, but a second opinion never hurt.
"Of course." Tatitem said briskly, holding her hand out for the hides and quashing a faint surge of annoyance at the distraction. Far better to make sure the numbers were correct now, than to have a mistake cause problems later.
"I did the figures first on a slate to check my calculations, and I think they're all correct," Teseada said as she handed over the hide. "I don't want to make any more silly mistakes."
"It's always good to have a fresh pair of eyes check your work." The Headwoman agreed. "Especially when you are still getting used to the process required." She added absently as she started reviewing the numbers, tapping a stylus beside each column as she worked to keep her place.
"I do appreciate this ma'am."
Tatitem waved the comment away distractedly, and paused, looking up at the goldrider. "Is this here a seven or a nine?" She asked, tapping the digit with the stylus.
"Seven ma'am," replied the youngster.
"Mmm." Tatitem nodded, and retraced the outline of the number, making it a little clearer before resuming the calculations where she had left off.
She finished the first column and found no mistakes, so she gave the girl an encouraging nod before moving onto the next one... ah. "Here. it looks like a copying error. Where you should have put the total from the other column, you've put the subtotal instead." She tapped the offending numbers with the stylus.
"Oh," a faint blush of embarrassment coloured Teseada's cheeks. "Can it be fixed?"
Tatitem did a quick mental tally, and nodded. "Easily. You've copied the correct total from your slate, just in the wrong area. You should be able to just scrape it off and rewrite the correct totals." She handed the offending hide back to the young goldrider with a rueful half smile.
"Don't feel bad. I made the same type of error earlier today. It's a hazard of copying, and one more reason to have someone else go over your work."
"But it is better to check it out first? Right?"
"Right." Tatitem said firmly, somewhat pleased that Teseada was starting to get the hang of things. "It saves everyone grief that way. Think. How many times did you almost make an error while you were calculating? It's better to avoid it if at all possible, and save some poor future weyrwoman or headwoman a lot of grief trying to find where you went wrong."
"I wouldn't want that," a mental picture of facing someone in the future and having to explain a simple mistake.
"Of course not." Tatitem stated. "No one should. But all humans make errors, so when keeping records it is important to minimize them as much as possible. We have to be held accountable for every item delivered to us on tithe and every item bought or consumed. There is certainly no room for secrecy in running a weyr." The Headwoman stated with a sniff. One of the new girls on her staff had been horrified that the weyr's records were not kept secret. It had irked her no end to discover that some holds kept their production and consumption records secret to baffle the competition.
"No, not when there are people coming and going all the time here. We need to know that we can feed, clothe and shelter them."
"Precisely." Tatitem affirmed, pleased that the girl was obviously learning -and apparently of like mind. "And we have to know exactly what we have at all times in order to do so." She gave Teseada an approving smile. "You have certainly been doing better, Teseada. Just be certain to always have someone check your work if it is at all possible -just in case!"
"Thanks for this," Teseada smiled back at the Headwoman. "I just want to get it right." "And so do I." Tatitem agreed turning back to her hides. "Finish recopying that one figure, and I think it you are done. You did well, Teseada."
"Thank you again," repeated Teseada as she took the hides and left.
Last updated on the November 3rd 2007