Work

Writers: Jane, Vix
Date Posted: 3rd June 2007

Characters: Rahona, Vaheri
Description: Rahona asked Vaheri what work she should do on the riverboat.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 4, day 13 of Turn 4

Rahona had done all the unpacking there was to do. With baskets under
the beds providing the main storage for everything it had less unpacking
as getting the baskets organised so that when she wanted something she
would know where to find it. Some of the other riverboat women had
helped, explaining that most of them organised things in the same way so
that anybody could pop along to the right rooms and pick up another set
of clothing for a child who had got wet or dirty without having to
search through an entire basket. It had seemed sensible and she had
taken their advice, sure that they were pleased when she did.

And her childcare duties had all but vanished. Lihona was the better
part of over her homesickness with her little friend Linli taking her in
hand - literally - and teaching her everything a child of the river
should know. Nalin was already ranging from one end of the riverboat to
the other, committing everything to memory. Lineal spending his days
with his father and his night tucked up beside her, the latter being
something she was enjoying very much.

Rahona did help when she saw everybody pitching in; when the tables were
being cleared after meals, when the children were all being showered
together at the end of the day. She always did her part, but she didn't
have any special duties; not kitchen work, not the incessant cleaning
needed to keep the woodwork gleaming and the passenger areas serviced.
It was time she did have a job and this morning, her third on the
Sungazer, she sought out Vaheri in the dining room.

"Do you have a moment, Vaheri?"

The older woman was sitting at one of the long tables, adding a few
items to her list. Though they had left the way point only two days
before, she was already planning for docking at Emerald Falls Hold only
three days hence. When she arrived she would need to know what goods to
purchase, both for use on the riverboat and to transport to family back
at the way point. The purchases required careful planning, utilizing
every available finger's breadth of storage space. She finished writing
the notes currently on her mind before looking up at Lineal's wife. "Of
course, Rahona."

"Thanks." Rahona pulled out one of the woven reed chairs opposite the
headwoman and sat down. "Its about what work I should be doing. What I
_can_ do here, because I do realise that almost everything's different.
Work isn't, though," she finished, smiling. "That always still needs
doing."

"Much of the work is the same," agreed Vaheri, as she set aside her
pencil. "We all eat, sleep, wear clothing, and there are preparations
that need to be made for all basic needs. We may do things a little
differently on the water, but there are similarities. Of course, we
have other tasks as well, those which relate to the boat itself. What
you should be doing depends on what you feel you do best."

"Like, kitchen duties or cleaning?" Rahona guessed. "Laundry. I did
that for a while."

"Yes, those are open to you," the other woman told her. "Of course, our
women aren't restricted to what are usually considered to be 'women's
duties' if they don't want to be. You could learn to work on the
engines or to navigate if you wanted as well. Any task you see the men
doing is also open to the women, and when needed all hands pitch in."

For a moment Rahona was silent, then she laughed. "No wonder Lineal
thought I was mad worrying about leaving the Weyr for 'hold life'. He
tried to reassure me but I wasn't convinced. Not for me, so much,
because I've always worked in the traditional roles for women - but for
Lihona's choices."

Vaheri chuckled. "We don't flaunt it. When we dock, the women usually
step back and let the men talk. It's just good business to appear to
live as everyone else does. However, we can quietly live however we
want. Lihona will be encouraged to explore the options available to her
before she makes any final choice."

"Let this be a lesson to me to believe Lineal more often. But I don't
think it's time for me to learn a whole new field of work. At the Weyr
-" She tried not to start sentences with that, and had cautioned the
children about annoying their new family with such statements. "Well,
I've moved around most work in my time. Kitchens most recently. Food
preparation and washing up, mostly, because it was only a few
candlemarks while the children were at lessons. Here I don't seem to
need to look after them at all."

"They still need you but there are more eyes in less space to watch over
them," reassured the other woman. "As to what task would be best for
you. . ." She looked down at her list thoughtfully, then nodded in
decision. "You'll continue to help with cooking and laundry since
everyone does pitch in for it. However, I'll need you to help me with
organization, inventory, and other little tasks. That's probably the
best way for you to see how and why we do as we do."

"Oh. Well, it would help, but -" It sounded like an assistant headwoman
role to Rahona and she was sure there would be somebody who was already
doing that job - or wanting to. "I won't be putting anybody out, will I?"

Vaheri shook her head. "Denna helps me as needed, but prefers to be
elsewhere. For now, this will do quite nicely."

"All right. It sounds interesting - Everything about being here is
interesting," she corrected with a grin. "And I'm ready to start right
away. What would you like me to do?"

"Unless you've something else to do, you'll have your first lesson in
how we supply our own needs onboard." Vaheri rose from her chair, list
still in hand. "We'll go to our supply area and you can see exactly how
much space we have to hold what we need."

"Do you carry much? The Weyr gets tithes, these days, and lots of
things arrive at once. But is it different here because you have Holds
all along the river?"

"We need to monitor how much we're carrying. The Sungazer - like other
riverboats - needs a shallow draft to pass obstacles." The boat's
headwoman waved her list. "We plan carefully so that our supplies take
as little space and weight as possible and more paid cargo can be taken on."

Rahona nodded. "That makes sense. Do you ever get it wrong?" she
asked, teasing the older woman. "You know, run out of flour or klah?"

"I run close on some supplies," admitted Vaheri. "But I keep plenty of
klah on hand. The crew and passengers might do without other items
without noticing or complaining overmuch, but not klah."

"I'm afraid I'm another who looks forward to the first klah of the day.
A _lot_."

"As do I. And it doesn't take up much space, so we keep plenty aboard.
The problem is more to be sure that we save the freshest and use what
is already on hand - as with all our supplies."

"Do you have tunnel snakes?" Rahona asked, remembering the concerns of
the Weyr's Headwoman.

Vaheri shook her head. "Not unless they are brought aboard in the
supplies, and since we check over everything carefully, that's not
likely. There _are_ tunnel snakes that live near the water and swim in
it and we watch out for those, but that's more for their venom than for
the damage they might cause our stores."

"Well, that's one less thing to worry about." But it had reminded her of
something else. "Would anybody mind me having a firelizard? My brother
said he would find an egg for me." Rahona remembered how appreciative
she had been of R'harne's promise to keep in contact with her and the
children and make sure they always had a way to leave, if they ever felt
the need to. It seemed almost funny now, even after only a few days,
that they had both worried about what sort of life she was going to find
for women and children on the riverboats.

"I see no problem with that," the older woman replied. "It's come up
now and then and we're always on the look-out for a clutch, but those
who find them tend to mete out the eggs personally and don't think to
mention them to riverboat traders."

"Well I'm sure my brother will come through, though it might take time."
Rahona smiled. "What was it you said we were going to start with?"

"Supply room." Vaheri motioned toward the doors nearest the galley. We
need to see what's there and compare it to what we need over the next
few sevendays, keeping in mind what we can purchase most easily at the
seaport, which at the Hold, and which are best found at the smaller
stops between. I hope you have a few candlemarks available, because
that's how long it will take us."

"Unless the children get into trouble I've got all day."
____________________

Last updated on the July 18th 2007

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