I Can Do It

Writers: AL, Emma
Date Posted: 17th May 2008

Characters: Thanja, Quistador
Description: Quistador works on a printer press problem and Thanja asks him about the issue.
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 9, day 14 of Turn 4

"Shaffit!" Quistador was about to give up on the blasted thing. It wouldn't budget, no matter how much he fudged and fiddled. It was very likely he was going to have to take off the cylinders, a task he didn't well look forward to as it meant a lot of time and trouble. He sighed and stared at the press, ready to just throw it out to thread, but knowing that doing so would never do any good.

"Is there a problem?" Thanja had heard the muffled exclamation as she walked past the door of the print room and thought that she should check on it at least.

Quis jerked up at the sound of another person in the room and he bumped his head on the frame of the press. Stifling a curse, eh climbed own from where he had been digging on the underside of the cylinders and gave the Hallsecond a rather sheepish smile. "We've got a jam and I've been trying to undo it, that's all." Woman she may be, but Quis held great respect for her.

"Have you tried a little bit of oil on it?" suggested Thanja. "Sometimes that will ease it round into position."

"Yeah, that was the first thing I tried." Quis heaved a heavy sigh. "I think I'm just going to have to take off the cylinders and clean them."

"I see," she nodded. "Is the release clamp stuck down as well?" She pointed to a switch designed to make it easy to get at the workings of the machine.

"Yes, unfortunately." Quistador shook his head. "Some juniour apprentices were using it earlier and I think they weren't paying good attention. What I'd like to know is who the journeyman was who was supposed to be with them while they used it and where was he _while_
they used it."

Thanja nodded, agreeing with the journeyman's assessment of the situation. "Can you manage this, or will I need to ask a technician to come and help you?"

"I can do it." Quistador sighed, then gave Thanja a rueful grin. "I just won't like it very much."

"Okay, but if you feel you need some help, don't be afraid to go and get the Technician. He's got some tools designed for this kind of thing."

"I will, thanks." Quistador turned back to the pressed. "I just wish the apprentices be more careful. I'm going to give that journeyman an earful when I find out who was on duty."

"Send him to me after, I'll put this on his record."

"Don't worry, I will." Quis nodded solemnly. "I hope you'll excuse me, Hallsecond. I should get started so I can get it done before something _else_ goes wrong."

"Of course," she understood exactly where he was coming from. "Let me know how you get on."

"Will do, thanks." With that, Quis turned back to the printing press, rubbing his hands together as his mind churned with how best to go about the process.

Last updated on the May 1st 2008

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I Can Do It