Promotion Prospects

Writers: Chelle, Jane
Date Posted: 29th November 2014

Characters: Asley, Azyn
Description: The new Harper Hallsecond interviews Asley.
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 10, day 1 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Thanja

At the knock on the open door Azyn slipped the sheet of card out of the top
drawer of his desk and set it in front of him. "Come in Asley. Shut the door and
have a seat." He recognized the face, but that was possibly from seeing her
around the Hall in the last few sevendays rather than recalling her from the
Hall at Topaz Seahold.

The blond apprentice came in quickly and shut the door behind her. Picking her
seat and pushing her body onto it, her head came up and she regarded the new
Hallsecond. This was not their first meeting and she began to automatically
compare him with Thanja. In her mind, she was wondering. **Will this man be like
the rest and keep me here forever?**

"I have looked over your training record," he said, fingering the corner of the
large, meticulously annotated card, "but would like to hear from you where
you're up to in your training." He studied the senior apprentice, interested in
what she had to say. Some apprentices had very firm ideas, some tended to be a
little incoherent when handed an open question.

"Honestly sir, I believe I have more than earned my right to walk the tables."
Indeed, she was more than old enough and knew more than some of the younger
journeymen she'd met. All of them were male, though. And of course most wanted
to know why she wasn't married. She was waiting to see what this particular male
thought of that declaration.

"You've certainly met any age requirement," he agreed. "And seem to have
acquired all the skills I would expect to find in a journeywoman printer. And
you have done well in your specialization." He dropped the card and leaned back
in his chair. "Promotions may be a little disrupted by all the changes the Hall
has been through since leaving the Seahold but still ... I agree with you. Going
by this -" he indicated the training record, "- I can't see any reason why you
aren't a journeywoman already. Discipline? Attitude? Anything you'd like to tell
me before I start asking around to see what the hold up is?"

"Despite our previous Master being female, I believe that due to there still not
being many of us, especially southern-raised, that I have been overlooked.
Perhaps everyone still thinks I should be marrying and having children instead
of steadily pursuing my craft." She knew many others that never got beyond
apprenticeship and Asley didn't judge them for it. However, she wasn't one of
them. Of course she'd never tell the Master in front of her that she couldn't
marry because she didn't want a man. That would never be okay and she didn't
fool herself into thinking so.

"And now the Hall is a Harper Hall who has not yet faced their own first
promotions from among their female apprentices," he agreed. "I'll look into it,"
he promised. "What are your plans when you do walk tables?"

"Honestly I just want to leave and go wherever I'm assigned to work. The Hold
here is not a very welcoming place for females who are as yet unmarried and have
craft ties." Of course she had thought long and hard about her opportunities for
assignment. Not many Holds and Halls in the South could support a fulltime
printer operation. Even less would take in a female journeywoman. So she was
curious to see where she might end up though her fervent wish was to go back to
a Weyr.

"We're not a craft that has many opportunities outside the Hall; most of our
work comes to us here, where the technology is highest. If you are interested in
printing at a less technological level there are Holds that do have printeries."
Whether she would be welcome at any of them would be another matter. "Have you
considered going North?"

"I was born at Southern Boll Hold but my brother brought me here when I was
young. I don't think I'll be going back. I was thinking, though, since we left
the Weyr ... perhaps they might be wanting a few of us back? Although, I could
work at any Hall or wherever as long as I had a proper press." Supplies wouldn't
be as easy to come by as they were here, but Asley could manage since there
wouldn't be as many jobs to raise the quantity.

"The Weyr?" Azyn leaned back in his chair and considered that. He had had little
or nothing to do with dragonriders but knew that the Printer Hall had been
sheltered at Dolphin Cove Weyr twice since he had left it. In fact, they (as
part of the Harper Hall, he reminded himself) had only just come back to Emerald
Falls from there. "I understand they accept women crafters," he said, more or
less thinking aloud, "but would they generate enough work for a full-time
journeywoman?"

"I think....it would depend on if the work was only coming from Weyrfolk
residing there. They have far less people than a Hold does, but they have a lot
of people coming through like traders, visiting riders, crafters, and other
folk. Plus Dolphin Cove also has the Dolphin Hall who might need work." Asley
had thought about it long and hard. "What if...if it was the only press
around...the Holds nearby who didn't have one also sent their needs there? I
could do well enough that way." It wasn't unheard of since printers were so
rare. "Of course I would defer to your judgment in the end but it was an idea."

"It sounds like an idea you have given some thought to. Journeymen are free to
make contracts with whomever they would like to - but first I have to find out
what the hold up is with your promotion," he said with a smile for the very
senior apprentice. "One step at a time, I think."

"Yes sir. Anything you could do would be very appreciated. I feel at a
standstill and I know to advance I have to keep moving." That was what the point
of being a journeyman though printers weren't quite so mobile due to the machinery.

"Shall we meet again in a sevenday? I should be able to tell you something by then."

"Aye Master. Thank you again." She got up and exited, knowing a dismissal when
she heard one. At least now she had some hope. Maybe she could go somewhere-do
something.

Last updated on the November 30th 2014

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