What We're Looking For
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: AL, Kastaka
Date Posted: 16th April 2009
Characters: Meledei, K'sen
Description: Meledei and K'sen work on sorting firestone.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 10 of Turn 5
"Oof!" Meledei let the sack of firestone fall to the ground with a thump, then ran her arm across her brow. The sun was warm, and the day promised to get even hotter as it grew later. It was time for sorting firestone, to pick through that which was good and that which would not do. Decent quality firestone was needed to flame properly and the weyrlings were given the task of sorting to learn how to pick out good from bad. "Sometimes, I think these bags are getting heavier and heavier."
"They'll do that, if you're not used to it," sympathised K'sen, dumping two sacks on the pile. "Right, I think that'll be enough to be getting on with."
"I'm used to work, but some days it still gets to me." Meledei gave K'sen a half grin, then nodded. "Yeah, let's start going through this stuff." She reached down and opened the topmost sack.
Visions of diagrams floated, jumbled across K'sen's mind's eye as he gazed helplessly at the contents of the sack. None of the lumps of irregular rock looked like anything he could remember from the lesson, and the diagrams he'd studied were all flowing together in his mind as he thought about them too much.
}: Just watch what Meledei does, :{ Sarath advised him. }: It'll be easier once you've had your hands on them. :{
"Is something wrong?" Meledei raised her eyebrows at the fellow weyrling when she saw him simply staring at her. She took a rock from the sack and inspected it. She decided it was good and opened up an empty sack and placed the rock inside.
"Just trying to remember the lessons," replied K'sen ruefully, picking up a rock. It looked like a rock. It was very rock-like. To K'sen's eyes, it had no apparent distinguishing features from the hundreds of other rocks in the sack. He made a small despairing noise.
"Would you like a refresher?" Meledei had sorted firestone with her father before. He'd helped her with many things, quite confident that she would some day be a dragonrider. "I can help you as we work."
"Please," replied K'sen apologetically, proferring the rock to the other rider. "I know we're meant to have gone over all of this in class, but I can hardly remember a word of it."
"Let me see." Meledei took the offered rock and turned it over in her hands. "Ah, here we go. Hold it up to the light, see the two different hues of black?"
K'sen took the chunk of rock back and held it up to the light. Maybe one seam was slightly shiner than the rest?
}: There, what did I tell you? :{ chimed in Sarath.
"I guess," replied K'sen doubtfully.
"Hold it up to the light and look for the glitter." Meledei motioned toward the sun above them. "It will be more obvious."
Waving the rock about dutifully, K'sen guessed he could see a bit of glitter among the rough black of the rock. "Okay," he said, figuring that he'd never get any further if he didn't claim to be able to see it, even if he still wasn't entirely sure. "Now what?"
"The glittering rock is firestone, the other is another type of stone that isn't going to work. A couple of slivers of that stone is okay, but you see how the rock is made of over a quarter of that darker stone?" Meledei ran a finger along the line where the two stones were melded. "That's too much. You want the stones to be mostly
firestone, not that other rock."
"Uh-huh," replied K'sen. It sounded so easy when she explained it like that. Maybe if the next rock was mostly firestone, it'd be easier to spot. He dumped the rock into the rejects bag and dug out another one, holding it straight up to the light to look for sparkles.
}: Sparkles are pretty, :{ contributed Sarath soothingly. }: I like sparkles. :{
"That' what we're looking for." Meledei examined the rock as K'sen did. The rock was pure firestone, just what they wanted. "That would go into the good pile."
The rock was kind of glittery, he guessed. K'sen dutifully put it in the sack they were collecting good firestone in, and dug out another rock, hoping that Meledei wouldn't jump in before he'd had a chance to look at it himself.
}: Um, Elleth, :{ called Sarath hopefully, }: Mine would like yours to let him try to work out the next one, if you wouldn't mind awfully passing that on? :{
Elleth passed the message along and Meledei kept quiet and began to sort through some of the rocks for herself.
K'sen turned the rock around in the light for a bit. There were definitely some sparkles, but were there enough? He put it down for a moment and dug another rock out. Now this one was definitely the right stuff. He tucked it away in the 'good' sack and picked up the other one again. Probably not good enough. He stowed it in the unsuccessful sack.
Meledei gave K'sen an encouraging smile. Really, all he needed was some confidence. "Good job." She offered while continuing to look through her own pile.
}: See? You're great. Even the gold's one thinks so, :{ boasted Sarath triumphantly. But K'sen was too busy staring at rocks to pay her complement much attention.
Last updated on the April 27th 2009