Ista Weyr - Living Caverns
Large enough to house the entirity of the weyr's population at one time, the cavern set aside to house the very heart of the weyr's life is a grandoise, somewhat circular affair, filled with rows of long tables. Bustling and busy, it is a rare moment indeed when there is not someone at work or leisure in here; the long trestle table by the kitchens is perpetually filled with plates and trays of food, a pot of something always bubbling upon the mahogany hearth, ready to fill the belly of any hungry resident or rider. Although a high table is set aside for seating respected dignitaries on formal occasions, most of the tables here are not designated to any particular group— rather, all levels of Ista's population eat together, intermingled across the broad cavern.
Great tapestries have been flung down the walls, orange and black borders remarking upon Ista's heritage, the age-faded hangings depicting scenes of importance to the Weyr— the erruption of the volcano; the first clutch; the view from the star stones, over forest, dark beach, and glistening waves of blue. Propellor-like fans have been affixed to the ceiling in more modern times, cooling the cavern on the hottest of days. Passageways lead up the stairs to the kitchens, down a second flight of stairs to the lower caverns, and out into the expanse of the broad weyr bowl.
It had been a long day, a long few days really, for Shorynia, but she was managing, both literally and figuratively, directing helpers and drudges alike to re-locate and stack boxes one way or another. This place had to be clean and organized in just a few hours and faranth forbid if she'd let them fall down on the task.
If the young woman is busy, then the Weyrwoman is definitely having an aneurysm with the tasks. "No and no, again. If they want breakfast, they can go to the Sands where I told to the cooks to take their food. I know it doesn't house the entire Weyr but— Careful with that!" Ysa shouts as two men carry in a large crate between themselves, something that tinks and clinks with fragile items. The goldrider sighs as they set it down (carefully) and then move away, turning back to Channa with a pale face. She gives the woman's shoulder a supporting squeeze and then moves away, heading towards Shorynia actually. "Everything going well over on this end?"
Shorynia nods, "Outside of the fact that I question whether or not some of these people understand the words 'fragile' and 'expensive', yes." She nearly shrieks as a young boy no older than 6 comes wandering right up to a glass vase and rushes over, chasing him back to the nannies huddling on the far side of the room with a stern word for both children and caretakers. When she returns, she rolls her eyes, "I thought kids were bad enough when I wasn't guarding precious items." She sighs, "I know we're busy, but can I ask you for something?"
Ysa chuckles at the comment, bobbing her head in agreement. While amused, there's definitely an added twitch in the eyes about it. "Tell me about it. I have a feeling that none of 'em had any proper Harper lessons. But if they break any of it…" she trails off with a silent threat, her eyes narrowing on the little boy and then she waves a hand to the nannies to shoo them off. "Go make 'em run around in the bowl or the beach, but not here!" Seeing that some assistants were trying to set up her other areas, she sighs as well and turns her green eyes back to Shorynia. "Sure ya can. It won't really distract us from doing what we're suppose to if we pretend we're keeping an eye open." Key word: pretend.
Shorynia nods, chuckling as well. Before she can speak, she ends up having to direct the people carrying cases of excess medical supplies… again. Sigh. She turns back to Ysa, looking 100% serious, "I don't know how many other healers are stationed here, but if possible I'd like it if you would cut Chaton's hours, he's been running himself ragged. I actually had to send for T'burk yesterday morning because he was catatonic."
Ysa's face shifts into serious mode as well faster than anyone can say 'fragile' at Shorynia's look. She almost expects the worse from the young woman, shoulders stiffening and then… her eyes widen in surprise. "Catatonic?! I… shells, doesn't he listen to his own medication sometimes? Telling me to take a break…" She rubs a hand through her face, into her hair, and gives the area a good sweep around. "Of course, of course. Less hours. The Healers are always short, in need of staff, but— well, aren't we all? I've got one infertile junior who's just getting used to it myself, and Channa about a handful of assistants. But we can't all go killing each other. That, and I need Mindhealer Chaton and the rest of the Healers at their very best. Just means the infirmary will have to figure new schedules." She's starting to ramble.
Shorynia smiles, letting the woman go on for a while before interrupting, "The sharding moron tried to study sleep deprivation by depriving himself of sleep and taking notes." She shakes her head, "He's promised me not to ever do it again without warning and a spotter, but… yeah…" Her eyes cast down towards the ground for a moment. She swipes at them with her hand and it comes away a little damp. Then her head snaps up, barely managing to stop one helper from bowling the person on the other side of his crate over. She glares at them both, eyes still glistening, "Slow and steady. You break it, you bought it." They both give her a glare, but their further progress is more careful.
Ysa stares for a little while at Shorynia, letting that information sink in. "What good would learning about sleep deprivation be used for? We're all under lack of a good night's rest, but not many to the point of being sick." She's one to talk, having already ended in the infirmary not too long ago. She shifts, for a moment uncomfortable, before reaching out to rest a hand on Shorynia's shoulder if she'll let her. "He's fine now, right? And he's an eager smart young man. Can't help but want to know things… first hand, I suppose. But ya got to learn from your mistakes, and 'm sure he's learned not to make ya upset. Am I right?" She tries for a crooked smile but then she's dropping her hand and wincing to the others with the crate, glaring right back at them. "Ya listen to my assistant here or it'll be a day's cut from both of ya."
Shorynia shrugs, "*He* claims it's some sort of essential to understanding mental illness. I think he was acting a right moron." She sighs, then smiles and nods, "He seems to be doing fine, slept a good portion of yesterday away all together and slept through the night. I can't know what he's learned, but he seems to have figured that out, yeah." Her eyes widen, staring at something over Ysa's shoulder, then, yelling trying not to do so right into the Weyrwoman's ear, "Don't put that crate of plushies there! It belongs with the kids toys, not the gauze!" She watches until the workers oblige, then sighs, "Do these people even know how to read labels and sorting charts? I set it up just like the stall charts back home but some people just don't seem to get it."
"Why not look for a patient that is actually sleep deprived? Should be plenty here at Ista," Ysa says with a waving motion of her hand out towards the surrounding area. "Glad to hear that he's sleeping, though. Hopefully as good as new in no time so long as he doesn't pull that stunt anymore. Ya know what? As soon as this is done, go find him… Go have a drink at the Sands, on me, and just enjoy yourselves for the day. Once people are finding things, buying things, then it won't be so much work." She can't help but wince at the sudden yelling though, turning with her hands on her hips to said workers. "Faranth… Maybe to them plushies are some kind of medication. Idiots…"
Shorynia shrugs again, "Swhat I would've done. Apparently he thought he could only get accurate observations while doing it himself." She sighs, "Sharding moron…" She's been saying that a lot lately. Then she nods, "I was planning on it. Not necessarily the drink on you, but the relaxing part definitely. Though we'll be back for the sale… I was hoping some runners might've been brought in… and it's possible some of my family might be brought in if they're still alive." She chuckles, shaking her head, "In some ways plushies are medicine, but not the kind the healer hall delivers."
Ysa can't help but quirk her lips up at the upset young woman. "Well, ya only care about him so ya probably can't understand what good that'd do him… Not that I can, but I imagine there was /something/ learned from it that would help him, or else he wouldn't have gone through that. He doesn't seem to be /that/ stupid." Then again, the Weyrwoman has been wrong before. She looks around the living caverns, her smile suddenly sad and wistful. "I really hope that ya will find family and friends here. We're bringing /everyone/ we can find. Most from the Healer Hall have recuperated, thankfully. And… Are ya looking for a specific runner or just a runner to buy? I know some Herders are bringing those they were able to round up." She actually doesn't have any clipboards on her, but she moves her hands as if expecting she did only to realize they were empty. "Ah, well, it's pretty much getting organized here. Maybe we're both in need of some relaxing."
Shorynia smiles back, "He claims he learned something important. 'Sall I know. Well, that and that it was his second anxiety attack according to T'burk… which means he may be de-knotted if he has a third. So no more stupidity for him." When asked about the runners, she shrugs, "A bit of both. As much as I wouldn't mind having one of the runners from my family's hold, any runner would be nice. It would give me something to do just for me." She glances around the rapidly ordering room, "I think this whole Weyr's in need of some relaxing."
"Healers do that?" Ysa asks, surprised by that rule. "I mean… it ain't like people can control anxiety attacks. We're only human." She presses her lips tightly together before shaking her head. "No, no more stupidity. I wouldn't want him to lose his knot like that eihter." She nods about the runners, waving absently towards the bowl. "You're free to go take a look at them at any point. Some might be for sale, though not too sure how many or what. While I worked in the stables back in Fort, I really don't know much about them." A sad smile crosses her face again and she steps foward towards the glass vase that the weyrbrat nearly knocked into, tracing a finger over it. "Somehow I don't think the Weyr will be able to do that much relaxing for awhile yet. But any suggestions are better than none. Maybe a few more parties here or there." And then she turns towards the teen, smirking. "Thank you, a lot, for your help Shorynia. 'm going to make one last round before heading for a little break myself. Feel free to take yours now if you want?"
Shorynia nods, "They do if it's self-inflicted." She grins about the runners, "I may definitely do that." She nods, smiling, "No problem. It was a fun challenge. I hope the whole sale thing goes well and you can just let me know if you need help with anymore paperwork." She stretches, causing her back to pop loudly, "I probably will take a nap before the sale gets into full swing. Wouldn't want to fall asleep mid-haggle."
"Shells," is all Ysa says about the Healer knots being removed, shaking her head again with a deep frown. But then she straightens up, grins back to Shorynia and bobs her head once sharply. "Oh, I'll definitely keep ya in mind. And don't think that this will help reduce the paperwork. Then it's all paperwork 'bout those leaving or entering the Weyr, deliveries to be made and of course supplies still somehow seem to make its way 'round in and out." But not to let that get them down! She straightens her shoulders and starts to turn back towards Headwoman Channa, pausing briefly again at Shorynia. "A nap sounds like the perfect idea. Have a fresh mind! And do tell Chaton I'd like to have a word with him, just to see for myself that he's alright." And then she's starting to head back for last minute details.
Shorynia nods and waves to Ysa, "I will. Hopefully the wherry brained lout will listen to both of us. And transfer papers always get backed up." She yawns again, turning towards the tunnel back to the residents' quarters and a good solid nap.
