A Tale of Two Halls

Writers: Vix, Jane
Date Posted: 4th June 2007

Characters: Swift, Mahantan
Description: Mahantan and Swift catch up on how the storms have affected both Dolphin Halls and how they have recovered.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 4, day 16 of Turn 4

"Master Mahantan," Swift said, surprised to catch sight of the Hall's new
Master of Apprentices sitting alone in an otherwise empty dining room. It
was early in the morning; too early for even the dolphineers with dawn
duties to be in for something to eat. "I'm sorry, nobody realised you were
here. Did you get klah?"

"I haven't made it that far yet, Swift," admitted Mahantan. "I'm still
feeling half-asleep yet couldn't stay abed any longer."

"Bed not comfortable? I'm sure the Headwoman ... Well, I'm sure you know.
I'll get klah."

"The bed's fine," the dolphineer told him wearily. "It's the room, the
entire place. . . It's all rock and I feel as if I'll be swallowed within
it. Yes, parts of the old Hall were natural formations, but not like this."

"There are cots outside ..." Swift suggested as he returned with a pitcher
of klah and a mug. "Damaged now, since the storm. But perhaps they would
suit you better." The kitchen hand tried to remember if he had felt worried
by the rocky nature of the old SeaHold that was now the Hall's home.

Mahantan shook his head and reached for the mug. "I'll adjust. Most nights I'm
fine, but I woke during the night and in the dark I was much more aware of
the structure of this place. Once the thought had crossed my mind, I couldn't
shove it away."

"It's not earthquakes that worry you, then?"

"That may be a part of it, but it's more the sense of being surrounded."

"Hmm. I can't say I've felt that way but perhaps breakfast will help. Can I
get you anything?"

"I usually go for a swim before breakfast, but since it's still too early to
swim safely, I may as well eat." He indicated the chair across from him.
"Will you join me?"

"I could use a break with some klah," Swift admitted with a nod. "I'll just
get you - Do you normally have a hot breakfast?"

"Normally, yes. However, since I haven't been out for that swim yet, I'll
have something light and eat more later."

"Back in a moment." Swift rummaged around in the kitchen, laughing with the
other workers as they got in each other's way, and then re-entered the
dining room with a tray which he balanced as he set the collection of plates
in front of the Master of Apprentices. "And klah," he added, setting a
small pitcher down in the middle of the table with a mug in front of the
dolphineer and settling into a chair with the other.

"This is what a really need," Mahantan told him, drawing the mug and pitcher
toward himself and pouring the steaming liquid. As he placed the pitcher
back within Swift's reach, the dolphineer glanced toward the plate
containing slices of bread and then to a small bowl. "Is that the jam that I
remember from the old Dolphin Hall? The kind that I liked so much?"

"We still make it," Swift said, pouring his own klah. "Did you miss it?"

The dolphineer nodded. "We ate well enough back at Topaz, but it wasn't the
same as having a full kitchen staff and all that they do. It certainly makes
me appreciate what we have here."

"How ... How is it at Topaz?" It had been their home for Turns, but he
hadn't though much about it since the Hall had relocated. Not until the
recent storm, at least, because that had brought the other Hold back to
mind.

Mahantan shook his head and reached for a slice of bread. He stared
studiously at his own hands, spreading jam on the bread, as he spoke. "It's
not the same, never will be. We'd clear an area of debris, burn the clutter,
pat ourselves on the back for what we'd accomplished - then turn and see
what remained, broken and lifeless."

Swift sighed. "I'm sort of glad I didn't see it. Like that."

"I wish I hadn't." The dolphineer looked up, forcing a smile. "But all that
is in the past and now here we are. Was much lost by the Hall during this
recent storm? All seems to be going well."

"There was damage to the docks, and the external cots, as I mentioned. Some
flooding in the main hold here, on the very lower levels. We mainly lost
food, there. We weren't as badly affected as the Weyr was - and compared
with what happened at Topaz -" He shrugged. "Hardly comparable."

"That was as I had heard elsewhere," admitted Mahantan, "but I thought that
perhaps reports were being softened after so much loss in the past. My
daughter, Tala, waved it off as nothing much, but that could have been to
ease her sister's mind."

"'Nothing much' might have been a small exaggeration," Swift said with a
smile, "though I admit to playing it down in my letters to my family."

"However those who were here viewed it, all seems to be functioning fairly
well now and that can't be said of Topaz, even after all this time." The new
Master of Apprentices shook his head and smiled sadly. "Even though I know
that apprentices can get into trouble unimagined by the adults surrounding
them, this assignment still seems easy compared to what I faced before. I
think that I'll enjoy it."

"I'm sure you will," Swift said, lifting his mug in a silent toast to that
sentiment.

Last updated on the June 29th 2007

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

A Tale of Two Halls