A Request (2)

Writers: AL, Jane, Vix
Date Posted: 16th May 2008

Characters: Lineal, Vaheri, Menore, Mehan
Description: Lineal and Vaheri on the Sungazer are visited by Menore and Mehan from the Moonflower with a request ...
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 9, day 17 of Turn 4

"Well met..." Unfortunately, the firelizard's name was not the only name that Menore couldn't recall. Something with a V? She knew she was headwoman...Venari? Vasti?

"I'm Lineal, and this is our headwoman and my aunt, Vaheri." Lineal nodded over the young woman's head at the Captain walking up the gangway toward them. "You're Mehan."

"And this is our headwoman, and the owner, Menore."

Menore nodded politely to both of them. "Mind if we come aboard? We have some things we'd like to ask and discuss."

"Come aboard and be welcome," Lineal said, standing aside to allow the pair to join Vaheri and him on the main deck. "Would you like to go to the common room - or in my office?"

"Perhaps your office." Menore suggested. The common room might be more comfortable, but they were there to discuss business, in a way, though there was no real need for secrecy. "Hopefully this won't take too long."

Lineal led the others around the landing stage mechanism and up the open flight of steps to the office on the crew deck. Immediately below the pilothouse it was a room with large windows to make the most of its position with an unimpeded view forward. Sitting in dock at the seaport it revealed the electrical lights around the harbour as they twinkled into life as the darkness deepened. He flipped open a couple of glow baskets and indicated that the others should take the armchairs in the office, while he slipped into the chair behind the desk - the chair that still felt like it was his father's.

"Shall I bring klah or juice?" Vaheri asked, pausing in the doorway.

"Not just at the moment," Lineal said, curious as to what the Moonflower people wanted and not inclined to have to make any sort of response without Vaheri's experience at his disposal.

Menore slowly lowered herself into one of the two available chairs. She glanced over at Mehan and waited until he was settled before she began, jumping right into the heart of the matter. "The Moonflower will be undergoing a major overhaul - it's long been due for one. Unfortunately, this means she'll be grounded for a good four months, and my crew will be grounded with her, unless we can find a place for them to work during that time. I was wondering if you would let several come on board and work on the Sungazer until the work on the Moonflower is finished."

Lineal glanced at Vaheri, then shrugged. "I can remember that happening when I was younger. Is it manageable, Vaheri?"

"It's manageable," she replied slowly, "as long as we choose carefully.
A few of our crewmembers have mentioned wanting to return to shore for a short time, whether to learn new skills or to spend time with family members. This would give them a chance to do so, but we need to fill those spots that would be vacated."

"Of course," Mehan agreed. "And we'd understand that you might not want to trust the Sungazer to them, but would you take the pilots? They can't afford to lose four months of river knowledge."

Vaheri pursed her lips as she made mental calculations of rooms on the crew deck. She would need to curtail taking on any "special" passengers for a while due to lack of space and risk of discovery by the new crew members but that would also free a room. "I suppose we could do that, but the final decision rests with Lineal.

The Sungazer's new captain was reassured by Vaheri's tone. His headwoman wasn't indicating that he should be wary of the request, and he certainly remembered something similar happening (though not the with Moonflower, surely?) during his childhood.

"We'll take the pilots - do you have more than two? But they can have room onboard for sure. As for others, we'll take as many as Vaheri thinks prudent."

"Yes, we have more." Menore nodded slowly, her mind whirring with the names and faces. If they took more, who would she send? Perhaps someone with family aboard the Stargazer. "Just let me know how many you can take." She glanced over at Mehan, suggesting that if he had anything to add he should do so then.

"We'll be keeping our senior engineer with us, of course, but if you can see you way clear to taking on some of our younger engineers ...
Wouldn't hurt them to work with another engine, with another set up."

Vaheri calculated what could be realistically done to honor that request. "We currently have forty-nine crew aboard, many of them spread out since we have extra space. We have bed space for sixty-four," she glanced toward Lineal and back again, "if we include the room that Jesten used."

Lineal nodded, thinking he needed to do something about that. It was always known as the captain's room, but there wasn't enough space in it for more than a set of two bunk beds, though it was currently set up with only one bed. "We'll use it for something," he promised. Perhaps Vaheri should have it, since he had no intention of sleeping anywhere other than in the stateroom he shared with Rahona and the children.

She glanced toward the members of the Moonflower's crew. "I assume that some will want to bring their families as well?"

Menore nodded in affirmation. "Depending on how much room you have will depend on who and what families come aboard."

"I think we'll have to wait on Vaheri's decision, then," Lineal said.
"We'll let you know at Emerald Falls." That would be the next time the two riverboats were together at the same place.

"Sounds good." Menore stated with a nod, then turned back to Mehan once more. "Do you have anything else to add?"

"No, though I suppose a few things will have occurred to me by the time we meet up at Emerald Falls."

"You can always leave us a note," Lineal pointed out. The leading boat could leave a note anywhere the trailing boat would stop. The trailing boat had no way of passing messages forward until they caught up.

"I try to restrain myself and wait until we can talk again." The captain of the Moonflower got to his feet.

Menore followed suit and stood up as well. "Thank you both for the help." Hopefully it would make things easier on the crew.

It had been a long day and Vaheri rose more slowly, her body stiffening from the day's exertions. "I'll go over the crew list tonight and find out tomorrow which are awaiting a time ashore. By the time we arrive at Emerald Falls, all will be in order."

Lineal indicated the two visitors should precede him out of his office and onto the landing of the stairs down to the main deck. "Until Emerald Falls, then."

Menore nodded slowly, echoing, "Until Emerald Falls."

Last updated on the May 18th 2008

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A Request (2)