Rikka, the Technician

Writers: Jane
Date Posted: 29th April 2009

Characters: Zandreu, Rikka
Description: Zandreu meets journeywoman technician Rikka.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 2, day 23 of Turn 5

"Rikka, the technician," the tall, slim man said when the young woman
appeared out of the cool room at the back of the tavern. The woman wore
the knots of her craft but Zandreu hadn't needed those to tell him who
she was; the posting of a female technician to the Vintner Hall had been
commented on by almost everybody.

Although he had seen her around the main Hall buildings in the sevendays
since her arrival, this was the first time the cider-maker had been
within speaking distance and he was surprised to find her very ordinary.
Had she not been sporting craft knots - journeyman's knots, or would
that be journeywoman's knots? - she could have passed as any young woman
in the Hold or Hall. Certainly her modest, rather ordinary skirt, shirt
and tunic were unremarkable and he wondered how she managed some of the
more physically demanding work he had seen technicians undertake.

"Master Zandreu, the Tavern Master."

There was amusement in her reply. Not too obvious, but lurking in the
tone and in her expression. She clearly wasn't sure of _his_ reaction
to _her_, but she wasn't about to be cowed by a master from another
craft, either. He had to admire that.

"Indeed. Is my cool room going to survive?"

"I think so," she said as solemnly as he had asked the question. "It
was just the routine check of the refrigeration unit." She wondered if
he was interested in the details; many weren't and some were even less
interested when they had to hear the specifics from a woman crafter.
"You've probably seen it done a hundred times." But it had most likely
been less noticeable when a male technician had popped in and done the
quarter-candlemark check.

"Oh, I know it's checked," he agreed. "But not usually by -"

"A woman?"

"Mmm," he agreed. "Is the Hall treating you well?" he asked, scurrying
past the embarrassment he felt at admitting to his bias. He was old
enough to remember the Craft Ban being enacted, the reasons for it, and
the change in the craft that it caused. There had certainly been talk
at the time that the craft would be the ultimate loser in such a Ban -
as the women who apprenticed to vintnercraft were seldom just drifting
into the work as they might in other crafts. Vintner apprentices -
females, anyway - were almost always there by deliberate choice and
mostly did very well.

"Fairly well." Rikka's response was guarded. "I'm an oddity, after
all, and I make people think about things closer to home. Neither of
which endears me to some."

"But you must be used to that?" he guessed. He knew she had worked at
the Hold before her posting into the Hall and he liked to think that the
Hall was a more enlightened place for a young woman crafter than the Hold.

"Being used to it and accepting it are two different things, don't you
think?"

"In the young, perhaps." He thought he probably did the opposite,
himself; worked hard for acceptance for things he had to get used to, so
that there was no conflict in his life. For his own sake he needed to
keep his life as smooth and even as possible. "Well, perhaps in some
people, no matter their age, but I think it fades in many as they grow
older." That passion; that feeling that they could make a difference.
"Never mind. You _are_ a young journeywoman. You're right to see the
difference. I'd appreciate it if you would tell me if you're ever
treated poorly by any of my staff." They had enough women working at
the tavern for it likely to be an issue - if it occurred - that affected
more than one visiting journeywoman technician.

"Of course," she said, pleased that the Tavern Master made the offer.

There was no particular tone or expression that indicated that she might
not do as he asked, but he had the feeling that she would fight some of
her own battles - which was probably right. As long as she knew when to
fight and when to get help. Judgement. Another thing that usually
developed with age.

"Don't forget," he cautioned, all the same. "It's been a pleasure
meeting you, Rikka."

"And you, sir," the technician said with a nod and smile.

Last updated on the May 10th 2009

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Rikka, the Technician