Working On Changes (1)
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, Jane
Date Posted: 4th March 2009
Characters: Kellin, Menore
Description: Kellin tells Menore about a change in crew.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 1, day 6 of Turn 5
"She's looking better than last time I saw her," Kellin commented when she stopped beside the Moonflower's owner and surveyed the riverboat in the dry dock. "They look pretty naked without the hull on."
"Yes, they do." Menore agreed. Her eyes darted about the ship's form, searching for anything that seemed out of place. "Not much longer now, I hope. It would be good to be back on the river on my boat sooner rather than later."
"Mmm. I'm sure." Kellin cleared her throat, uncharacteristically hesitant. What she had decided to do was unusual, at least, and could reasonably be regarded as disloyal to her entire family and to this young woman especially. "Wanted to speak to you about that."
"Oh? About what?" Menore cast a sidelong glance at her cousin. There was something in her tone of voice that suggested all was not right.
Kellin shuffled her sandalled feet and stared down at the toes that peeked out from under her skirt. "Did you know the Sungazer only has one pilot?"
"Yes, I believe I learned that during my time onboard." Menore turned to fully face her cousin, arms crossed over her chest. "What are you getting at?"
"Well, the Moonflower has two and young Taleb has been angling to become a third. Just thought I might ask Lineal if he'd take me on on the Sungazer." She wouldn't leave the Moonflower short-handed, not after all the time their young cousin had been spending in the pilot house. If Taleb didn't know as much as Kellin herself had when she had started out, then she didn't know who did.
"You'd leave...you'd leave the Moonflower?" Menore's hands dropped to her sides as she stared at Kellin. "I don't understand. _Why_? You're not related to any of them!"
"Well, I could be, if I do a bit of research." The riverboat families intermarried and there was sure to be common blood somewhere if she delved far enough back in the records each riverboat's headwoman kept. "It's just that they really _need_ a second pilot and I'm too young to die off and give Taleb a chance at the job on the Moonflower. Either he'll move away or I can go." She shrugged. It seemed like an opportunity that would work out for both boats.
"But _we_ are your family." Taleb wouldn't leave, how could Kellin say that? "You can't leave. You belong on the Moonflower!" It wouldn't be the same without her. Kellin had always been there, she was supposed to always _be_ there!
"Would you be saying this if I were getting married?" Kellin asked. "Because I'd leave then, wouldn't I?" Because of the close familial relationships between crewmembers on riverboat it was by far the normal thing to marry somebody outside one's own riverboat - and one or the other of the partners had to relocate.
"But you're _not_ getting married - you're just leaving!" Menore turned away, more to hide the wetness in her eyes than in anger. Kellin was the one she went to for advice, Menore looked up to her. Who could she do that with if she were gone? "I just don't understand why. Surely there's more of a reason than just they need a pilot."
"That's a big part of the reason - and to give Taleb his chance. Menore, I'm not running out on the Moonflower - on the family - I'm just stepping aside. Onto another riverboat. It's not often we get the chance to know what their real character is like before we do something like this, but after these last few months I _do_ know what the Sungazer's like. That's a huge advantage in making up my mind."
"So you like it better than on the Moonflower?" Menore just couldn't imagine going anywhere else, being on any other boat. It just didn't make any sense to her why Kellin would want to leave.
"Did you like it when you came with us?"
"It wasn't bad." Menore managed to compose herself a bit better and look at her cousin once more. "But it wasn't the Moonflower. It wasn't the same."
Kellin patted her young cousin's shoulder. "Now, Menore, you know the Moonflower is my home as much as it is yours. But if Dimaya had lived you might well have married off the boat yourself. Of course, you can't very well do that now, not as the owner."
Last updated on the March 14th 2009