Day 9 of Month 1 of Turn 2717
Half Moon Bay Weyr - Living Caverns
Here is the center of Weyr life, the living caverns. These two main rooms were man-shaped from smaller caves, and are joined by a carved arch with depictions of dragons in flight and dolphins leaping in swirling waves. One room has many round stone and wooden tables and a stone fire-pit instead of a hearth. Over the round-walled, gas fired pit is a large conical hood made of polished bronze, with reliefs of dragons with their riders flying over ships guided by dolphins. This hood and chimney keeps the room smoke-free. Through the archway is an enormous hall, with long tables and benches, some carved from the rock floor, many crafted of wood. This room is a combination dining and meeting hall, and can seat over 300 comfortably. Above both rooms, angled shafts lined with polished metal bring in sunlight during the day. Electric lights also burn, day and night.
Theodocia wanders into the living caverns from outside with a swagger. It's a girl swagger but what are you going to do? The weather has been a bit improved today, mostly just drizzly rain but Theodocia is still damp, if not actually dripping. "Hello people!" is called out with enthusiasm as she grabs a plate and fills it with various snack type food. "Heard there's a rodent problem, wondered why those little buggers had disappeared off the beaches and such."
Rodent problem? Oh, Valeska has been hearing about the rodent problem all day long, though she's yet to come across any of the little beasties. She usually departs her weyr and goes directly to the sea. If there was anything in between, well, live moved on witout her in any case. The bluerider pushes her chair back just a bit to give her some room. She's wearing her stretchy pants today, because there's sea food fresh in and she's gonna get her fill before duty calls once more. The woman adjusts the handkerchief she uses as a bib, rubs her hands together and begins to wrench free one log blue mottled leg from a random sea crustacean… thing. She pries the meat free with her fingertips and piles it onto her plate. "Oh, they didn't disappear off the beach, they were harvested. Probably be on the menu, tomorrow." All said with a big grin on her face while she slurps the juices rather noisily out of the shell.
Theodocia's attention is drawn to Valeska as she heads in that direction with her plate. "You think? That's awesome! Those things have been getting into my bedroll for sevendays. " she bites into a piece of fruit and chews before continuing "Not that they aren't cute, sorta but those little buggers are thieves of the worst kind." uninvited she plops down in a chair at Valeska's table and grins back. "Are they good eating? Haven't managed to catch one before."
Valeska doesn't mind the company, and in all fairness, she totally raids R'sner's table every chance she gets! He enjoys her company, really! Ok, maybe not, but it doesn't stop the bluerider any! Thieves, though… She better keep her important things under heavy lock and key. "I don't know if they are, but I guess we'll find out tomorrow! If we find any sooner, we can grill 'em on the beach." Mecahisth would love it! He might even have a side and wine suggestion or something.
Theodocia lounges back in her chair as she finishes off the piece of fruit and tosses the core back on her plate. "Maybe like rodent nuggets… " she nods to herself "If I caught one I might try that, most of them being pretty small and all. " she cocks her head at the mention of a grill on the beach. "Great! Maybe you can help me improve my technique." she gestures to one of her many braids, this one rather singed looking. "Things don't work out all the time with fires and cooking and such."
"I'm horrible at grilling, myself," Valeska mutters with cheeks full of sea critter. "There's usually more than enough people out there ready and willing to help so long as they get a couple plates." She shrugs, taking a sip of her drink to wash her food down. She does peer over at the braid, a curious brow raising at the sight of it and she clears her throat before taking a corner of her bib to wipe her mouth. With a quick survey of the plate, she finds a big claw and begins to work on cracking it open, being far from quiet about it. Surrounding folk peer over towards her, but she ignores them. If they want her to stop, they're in for a rude awakening. No one messes with surf on Val's turf! "Maybe, if we get quite enough of the furry little fiends, we can just sew, uh…" She begins lifting fingers one by one as she counts in her head, a little piece of meat hanging from the corner of her mouth and she puts some math together with some confusion. Then she shrugs. "Shards. We'll tie three to a strip of cloth and sell the furry bathing suit to the tourists. They'll fall for anything 'islandy'." Cause it's true.
Theodocia plucks some sort of vegetable off of her plate, please there is totally more than one of those healthy foods. The cracking she eyes for a moment, tilting her head curiously before shrugging and continuing on with the conversation. "Sew… well as long as you don't expect me to do it. I think I stabbed myself fifty times at least the last time I tried it. " there are patches on her clothes I'm sure but really they're more like sadly stuck on things that will fall of soon. "I would totally have bought one last year, it's true and horrible but I'd have done it." for shame! She may be a beach bum now but she was totally a tourist before.
Valeska sifts through the pile of limbs on her plate and those bright eyes light up at the sight of the one thing she was looking forward to on meal times like this! She found the head! The shelled creature, complete with whiskers and eyeballs! She lifts it up, peering into it's face. Alas, poor Yorick! "I'm sure I can bribe a few of my apprentices to do it with duty relief in exchange. You're off the hook." Yorick's carapace is tilted from side to side, then brought up to the woman's face where she begins to slurp at the juices on the inside. You can't just dig a utencil in there, it'll ruin the fun bits! Val grins, quickly cleaning off her mouth before turning a sidelong grin to her guest. "We all have our vices, some things just can't be helped." Some vices, however, are healthier than others. Valeska's collection might end up in the Healer Hall's stores one of these days.
Theodocia is good with cracking and legs and noise and what not. Alas the head, the head is not her strong point, she flinches slightly, poor desert born gal who has only been introduced to the loveliness of sucking the awesome, we're going to stop there. "You've apprentices? That's great, they can sew. I can surf, I mean… maybe something will swim in to shore while I'm doing that." because now we're apparently talking about something other than rodents, or maybe she's only good at surfing.
Well, no worries because the head is short lived. Once she gets the good parts out, Valeska places it onto her tray, with the face looking in Theo's direction. Don't worry, it's just staring off into the void. "Yup, I've got three now. One just walked the tables and got reassigned. Been with us Dolphineers too long, time for bigger and better assignments." And more choice waves! Well, the Dolphins liked Liram, because he was easy to anger and made a fun target! If they don't encourage people to move up or move out, no one will!
Theodocia squints her yes at the freshly degoodparted head and makes a slight face. But then Valeska is talking about her minions and she manages to tear her attention away. "Oh yeah? I tried the whole craft thing once, bakers I think. The head cook decided it wasn't for me, there might have been a minor loss of kitchen facilities in the process." she offers a bit of a shrug and a chuckle "I'll try anything once, doesn't mean it will go well or anything."
Minor loss of kitchen facilities. Valeska is trying so hard to hide her smile, so, SO HARD. Aw, who is she kidding. She's snorting and snickering while covering her mouth with a meat stick wielding hand. Her blue eyes might even be a tad glittery about it but she settles down and sits up tall before shredding the meat stick into a neat little pile on her plate. "That's the best way to look at things, and don't look at the bad stuff as failures. Look at it as quality control testing, and you'll never be wrong!"
Theodocia doesn't react so much to the smile and the snorting and the snickering, well save for a knowing grin. Apparently she's used to such reactions. "Exactly! I've found my place to live, surfing is great, food, folks and a place to sleep. It's a great time, though the rain is a bit of a downer, I like the beaches better dry."
From the kitchen Ashwini walks out carrying a bowl of cut up scraps in one hand and a sandwich in the other. A hungry green fire lizard clings to the front of her shirt trying in vain to reach the bowl of food. "Patience." murmurs the candidate as she settles into a random seat to try to feed herself and Hashna.
"That's the spirit! And hey, if anything, you could always try to get a job being a lifeguard during the summer months. Get paid to surf. Otherwise the Dolphins could always use another person to swim with. You're in a good place." Maybe she's a little biased but Half Moon Bay Weyr IS best weyr, afterall. Valeska takes her roll, carefully cutting a hole into it before she takes up that neat little crustacean shred pile and she shoves it into the bread. Once thoroughly stuffed, the woman dips it into the juices on her plate and takes a big bite. She may or may not be making hungry kitten noises while she omnoms. Good food makes Valeska a happy Dolphineer! If Hashna isn't making the noises, the bluerider certainly is! Val spots the candidate and she tilts her head towards Ashwini in greeting.
Theodocia says, "That's a job?" is asked of Valeska as she plucks another piece of random food off of her own plate. "Mostly I just surf, and sometimes they let me sort things in the laundry cavern. I tried sewing, there was blood and some tears." she pauses a moment before adding "Some of it was even mine." food is chewed, a drink is drunk as she follows Valeska's greeting head tilt to Ashwini. The candidate looks familiar enough so she nods in her direction as well. "Better be quick, that one looks likely to take a finger off."
Hashna is uttering small little creels of hungry. So hungry! It's been like hours or something since her last meal. Ashwini casts an amused look towards the vaguely familiar beach bum. "She's only nibbled on the fingers so far." not lost one yet! One hand offers a chunk of food to the fire lizard and then the human takes a bite of human food.
"Yup. We get a lot of tourists here in Half Moon Bay. More often than not, we have the Dolphin pairs out there but if we're tasked with something, sometimes things like lifeguard during certain points of the turn become available for anyone. That way we're free for big emergencies." Valeska finishes up her plate and she begins to build a little house looking structure with the shells on her plate. Gotta let the food settle somehow! "I'm not much for sewing, either. I can do enough to get by, otherwise I pay a Weaver." She peers over at the hungry little stomach with wings and she grins. "Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll get a taste for the furry things. Might keep them busy for a while. Except you're a tiny little thing and might be a while. Could still get a taste. We'll save ya some!" Then they wouldn't crowd around the living caverns so much. Never really on the inside but best believe they camp out for tidbits right outdoors!
Theodocia waves a hand at the mention of tourists. "I get that, used to be one. Great place here, don't think I'll leave anytime soon, maybe never." Hashna is chuckled at as well as Ashwini's comment. "Better a taste for those little balls of fur than those fingers." she lifts a hand of her own and peers at the well chewed and calloused hand. "Need my fingers, have to keep my board nice and slick with wax." she glances back at Valeska "I am good at the surfing and the swimming, well mostly. Camping… I haven't died yet so I must be okay."
Ashwini wrinkles her nose a bit. "Those little balls of fur ate holes in nearly all my socks!" it's a complaint. For sure a complaint. More food gets offered to the hungry stomach of Hashna who makes happy nomming noises.
"Look on the brightside, camping is easy here. Just find a firepit, pick a spot a safe distance back, toss your blanket down and you're good to go!" Especially in the warmer months when eat rises. Sometimes the sky weyrs aren't exactly the coolest, depending on what side you're on. No cross breeze to call your own. "Are those things seriously all over the place?" Valeska asks. Chewing holes in socks? That's not good. She scratches at the edge of her mouth in thought, "I better catch one of these things. Maybe my fare will like the way they taste and will hunt the little monsters around. Last thing I need is to have one hitchhike into my weyr on Mecahisth's straps or something."
Theodocia says, "Pretty sure I'd have thrown in the towel by now if camping wasn't. Been here at Half Moon for about 11 months or so, my family went home months ago themselves." as she nibbles on the edge of one of her nails. "They think I've taken a fever or something wanting to stay where it's warm /and/ wet." she gestures at herself with a snort "Born and bred at Igen Hold and all. They like that dry heat." and while she might not have responded to Ashwini just yet she was paying attention. "Socks even? Wonder if they're stealing the pieces or actually eating them… Some days I'm glad I don't own any socks." Theodocia wiggles her bare toes for emphasis, who knows where her sandals went this time.
"I think they are just chewing through the socks." Ashwini says. "Or maybe they are making nests out of the material." that's a thought. "Camping? Like not sleeping in a bed in a room?" clearly not something Ashwini seems to think is a good idea. The bowl of scraps is gone with Hashna's trill of contentment before sprawling over Ashwni's shoulders. This leaves the candidate to finish her own food.
Aw! Look at the cute toesies. Make sure those don't get eaten by tiny furry critter, too. You never know, they might get a taste for blood one day and all the dangly bits might be in danger! Valeska glances over to Theodocia, nodding silently while she pulls her makeshift bib free of her collar, using the material to clean under her fingernails. Though, the thought did cross her mind on whether or not there could be some good little tidbits in her own. Maybe not, she's pretty thorough when it comes to her food. "It's their loss. There's plenty of dry heat here, too. We just have a little bit of variety for everyone! Except these furry things. Whatever they are. They're new to me. Don't know if they've been here this whole time or someone screwed up and brought over some invasive species. These things? These were a tasty invasive species at least." Darn spiderclaw wannabe thingies. Ashwini is given a quick glance, and the frown comes home to Val's face. "Nesting? That can't be good." Those things might breed faster than Ila'den!
Theodocia's toesies are as gnarly as some storm waves, but who's judging. "Eh, they just like their routine is what I'm guessing. That's where they've always been that's where they'll stay" ah furry things, she peers towards the corners of the cavern as if they might be lurking "Does anyone know what they are or… did they just show up? Some weird crossbreed of something." a nose wrinkle at Ashwini "Better here than on the beaches, well at least for me."
Ashwini starts rummaging through a small pouch at her waist. "Fardles." mutters the candidate. "I heard all the rain drove them indoors. Maybe the cats in the barracks can catch 'em. Between them and the fire lizards." speaking of which the now full green climbs up to perch on Ashwini's head. "Missing her oil. If you'll excuse me…" she stands and heads out with a 'goodnight!' tossed to Theodocia and Valeska.
Valeska leans back in her seat, greatful for the stretchy pants and she sighs, weaving her fingers together before resting her hands behind her head. She begins to pick between her teeth with her tongue as the gears begin to turn upstairs. "I wonder if we have enough tunnelsnakes left around the weyr to help get rid of them. If they breed too fast, they'll be everywhere it something isn't eating them to keep the population down." Where did all the predators go? I mean, Ila is probably at home not making babies with the general populace so the weyr is safe for now from that angle. "If not, I'm serious about eating one. Maybe we can cook them on a skewer with some lime." As Ashwini takes her leave, Valeska waves goodbye with a grin on her face. She'd say the words but they might be accompanied by a burp.
Theodocia says, "I think I'm going to go and find the laundry I dropped off earlier. If they're eating socks, the last thing I need them nibbling on is my only other outfit." for shame, she might end up with less clothing on. "Skewer sounds great though, we'll roast them on the beach and have a grand ole time. See you around!"
Now that Valeska's meal is done and her guests have departed to parts unknown, she rotates her plate just a bit. Picking up a rogue sprig of green, she places it at the top of her creation and crosses her arms over her chest, appeased. There's a flash of something small and bright zooming by, and it catches the woman's attention for a moment. Just as quickly as it came, it vanished. Too bright to be a firelizard… maybe? Valeska quirks a brow and then shrugs, rising from her seat to drop her plate carefully off to the kitchens, then off to known parts.