Not to Blame!
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Xanadu Weyr - Store Rooms
The storerooms here are carved into the stone, stretching back deep underground. There is, after all, little need for natural light here; a series of electric lights are more than sufficient to illuminate smoothly cut walls and the assortment of supplies kept until they are needed once more.
For some of the things here, that time will be long in coming. Broken furniture and torn clothing awaits the opportunity for someone to repair it - or else the kindling and rag piles. Other items are more immediately useful; gently worn clothing and boots are neatly arranged in rows and on racks, especially in the quickly outgrown children's sizes, and an assortment of furniture and small appliances in functional condition await new homes.
A series of side rooms connected to the kitchen are the larder which feeds the Weyr through the winter. Sacks of grain lean against barrels of salted meat and wheels of hard cheeses stacked high. Refrigeration and dragonflight make for a more flexible winter diet, but it still takes a great deal of food to provide for this many people. The food is a tempting target for tunnelsnakes, and the occasional scuttle can be heard in the otherwise quiet depths of these caves.
Much of the stores are easily accessed, requiring only the appropriate permissions to be borrowed from. These supplies are, after all, here for the good of the Weyr and the people living here. A few rooms - those containing particularly valuable or dangerous items - are kept locked.


Mur'dah had wanted to take a nice long soak in the hot springs. But. He can't. So the brownrider went down to the store rooms to search for some more bandages for his still mending ankle. And. He swears he didn't do anything. He swears it wasn't him. But it's a bit suspicious to come upon the brownrider with a towel in his hand, staring in confusion at a spot in the wall - a tiny crack - where water is seeping out. He didn't do it.

Many probably wish to take a nice long soak int he hot springs! Kiena isn't one of them, having resorted to going out to the beach to — well, not bathe but at least rinse off? The Weyrsecond had spent some time at the forges, something she has precious little of these days and promptly forgot there were no baths. She may not be the cleanest, but at least she doesn't reek of metal and ash and chemicals. Now she's down in the storerooms on another task, only to find Mur'dah there ahead of her. Smirking, Kiena begins to approach, attempting to sneak up on the brownrider only to pause. Wait, is that a crack? And water? "What happened here?" she asks, giving Mur'dah a look. What'd you do!

Kera's recent trek to the beach is noted by the damp braid and wet shirt down her back. Having returned a few items that were borrowed, the greenling roams teh aisles before voices draw her attention. Spotting Kiena and Mur'dah staring at the wall, she watches the pair a moment before moving closer, peering at the wall to see what has the rider so fascinated. Water seeping out of the wall to gather into a small puddle. Slipping her gaze from one to the other, "You broke the Weyr?"

It just so happens that Zalulia is not one of those people that wants to have a nice long soak in the hot springs. Yeah, they're nice and all, but she isn't really in a bathing mood right now. And even if she was it isn't like there's anything she can do about it, the hotsprings have been mysteriously drained. But it's not like she has any issues with bathing at the beath! So the harper apprentice doesn't have many issues any way. However, there's still the question of why she is heading down to the store room in a long sleeved shirt and heavy jeaned. Well, why not? Okay, maybe she is looking for something. Not that is matters, no one has proof that she did anything. At the moment. Yet. Besides, it seems like there's someone else to worry about. Zalulia comes to a halt once she reaches the small group and crows, "oh my Faranth, what did you do?"

"I didn't do it!" is Mur'dah's swift answer, turning with a baffled and then relieved look. "Oh, hi, Kiena. Kera." Salute? "Zalulia. I don't know. I just came down here and saw it…" On the floor by his feet are more towels, and he's clearly scooted crates of things away from the growing puddle. "Uh..maybe we need a bucket. I didn't do it though." Promise!

Kiena half salutes, half wriggles her fingers at Mur'dah when he turns with his baffled and relieved look. Hey! "Uh huh. Isn't that the typical excuse? 'It was already there, I swear!' or 'It wasn't me!' … and so on." She teases the brownrider, her gaze drifting then to Kera and Zalulia both. Kera is given a crooked smile and the Harper Apprentice a curious look over. Huh, someone new! "Afternoon, you two." Another quick salute, though she also runs her hand back over her hair which is still damp but rapidly drying into a twisted, chaotic mess of half-tangles and wavy curls. "What's brought you two down here? And I think a bucket is a start, Mur'dah. Though given all that's happened lately… This probably should be reported." In a bit. Kiena is curious and she'll edge a little bit closer to peer at that crack.

Kera returns all the salutes with a little smile before glancing back towards the leaking wall. "I'm glad I've been surrounded by people all day, outside." Meaning a full list of witnesses that she was no where near the caverns til just now. The other apprentice's questions get's a little chuckle "Hi Zalulia, not me, just got here." Lifting her hands up almost innocently, her attention peers along the nearest shelves for a mentioned bucket. Kiena's question get's a little shrug "I was gonna see if there were any needles. Both the ones I have sorta broke."

Zalulia audiably snickers when Mur'dah claims that is wasn't him. There is a pause in her speaking as she gives Kiena a salute before trilling after the Weyrsecond speaks, "she's right! That's almost exactly what I would say if I had done it. Only, you know, I'd probably try and get away from the scene of the crime first." This is followed by a look at the brownrider. He is being judged for what she perceives as completely failing to break the rules. To Kiena she responds, "good afternoon! I'm here for… stuff. I was looking for a metal rod actually." No comment as to why she would need a metal rod. "Anyway, something to patch up the hole might be good as well… assuming it can be patched. The whole wall might be starting to break after all, just a big flood of water." She follows this with a grin to Kera and a remark of, "I hope you like getting wet."

Mur'dah rolls his eyes at Kiena. "Right," he drawls back dryly, "you caught me. I was in here practicing my pick axe swing and caught the wall by mistake. Take me away." Holding out his wrists dramatically, he smirks and then drops the towel onto a spot that's wanting to seep off. "How does a needle 'sort of break'?" he asks Kera curiously as he limps gingerly off to start looking for a bucket. "A metal rod? Are you beating someone later? Faranth, I hope it doesn't just…all crash down on us! Can it do that? It's solid stone…" Isn't it?

"What were you doing that you broke your needles?" Kiena asks curiously to Kera, only to snort at Mur'dah as he holds out his wrists and grin crookedly, "You make it too easy!" Her good humour slips a bit though to a slight frown when the brownrider limps gingerly in search of a bucket and her eyes narrow at him in a silent question. Still? "Needles break all the time! They bend or whatever…" she adds, only to stare at Zalulia and sneak another quick look at the knot she wears. A Harper needing a… metal rod? "You'd be better off checking the forges for a rod… Dunno if they store spare metal work down here. If there IS such a thing as spare metal work that ain't set aside for Apprentice work." Now there's the doom-talk and Kiena exhales gustily, frowning as she studies the crack in the wall. "I ain't no stone mason or mine crafter so I've no idea. But with what happened on the day of the Gather and the hot springs and now a crack here? I don't like it. Even if it's "normal"! So I say we put a bucket under it, leave it alone," Though now it looks as though the Weyrsecond DOES want to poke at the crack. You know… For further study! She'll have to give a detail report, right? "And report it. Doubt it's going to cave in this very second and if it starts goin' that way? We're high tailing it out of here. We'll be more than wet," Another look to Zalulia then and a smirk.

Kera chuckles to Zalulia "There are worse things I suppose. At least it isn't freezing." A grin is flashed at Mur'dah antics before she's stepping out of the way when the brownrider limps by. A slightly perplexed look crosses her face briefly when she glances from the wall to Kiena "The crack has obviously come to the Weyrsecond's attention, so who else does it need to be reported too?…Steward maybe?" Both riders asking nearly the same question brings a chuckle and a embarrassed shrug of her shoulders "I was tryin to stitch together a a tiny little harness for Minimur, to hold small light weight things. And well, I ended up snapping the points of both my needles." Looking to the appentice, canting her head at the other girl "Have things gotten so bad in the appentice dorm that ya need metals rods to keep things calm?" The greenling is joking of coarse, maybe.

Why wouldn't she need a metal rod? It's a rod… and made of metal! All sorts of uses! Zalulia lets out a snort of amusement at Mur'dah's 'confession' regarding his secret love of pick axes and kitting walls. At his question to her she shrugs before answering, "I don't plan on beating anyone up, I was just thinking that there are plenty of things to do with it. Like… using it to improve jumping, you could put the tip over a fire and use it for art or something, I might be able to figure out how to use it in my harpering, and… and… poking things!" Alright, maybe she doesn't completely know why she wants one, but she does. Kiena's suggestion gets a grin and a nod. As the Weyrsecond talks about reporting it and high-tailing it Zalulia crouches down, peering as close to the crack as she dares. Poking at the crack sounds very tempting right about now. "Wet and gunky," she confirms. "We'd be wet and all covered in wall-stuff." To Kera she looks over her shoulder at her before sticking out her tongue and joking, "as a matter of fact they're calmer than they've ever been right now. Downright boring as a matter of fact!"

Mur'dah meets Kiena's frown with a sheepish nod. Yeah. Still. He just can't stay off of it! He grins at Kera's answer, nodding. "Bet he's thrilled to be helping out?" Finding a bucket, he limps back to set it down and stand back to admire his handiwork There. His work here is done, right?

Kiena looks away from the seeping crack to give Kera a look and a slightly perplexed one of her own. "Yeah, I'm aware of it but what good can I do? I'm a Weyrsecond, second in charge to the Weyrleader. My duties usually lie with riders and the Wings, not… this! It need to be brought to the Steward and Headwoman's attention, likely the Weyrwoman and the rest of her staff too. Could just be all coincidence or it's related. Not a clue but I ain't just going to throw a bucket under it and that's that." she drawls, glancing over her shoulder. Now here IS Mur'dah with that bucket? She nudges some of the towels he'd thrown down to keep the water pooling on the floor from spreading further. "If you get him to actually wear the harness, let me know?" Kiena muses to the green weyrling, only to chuckle dryly for the teasing sent Zalulia's way. "You are one peculiar girl, you know that?" she states bluntly but with good humour. Her eyes roll a bit and she shakes her head, "Just for those reasons… I don't think you need a metal rod! And… no. Don't stick the tip of it in a fire!" At last, Mur'dah has returned with the bucket! That part is over and done with and Kiena seems satisfied the crack isn't showing worrisome signs. Like expanding. Stepping closer to the brownrider, she whispers something low to his ear.

Kiena whispers "So how long has it been now that your ankle is bothering you? Is it not improving? I thought you went to the Healers…" to Mur'dah.

Kera smirks with an amused shake of her head to Zalulia "How do you use a little metal rod to help you jump higher?" Not sure how that works, she rolls her eyes back to the dripping wall "Oh, it can't be /that/ boring Zalulia." Listening to Kiena, Kera waves her hand a bit and shake sher head "No, I didn't mean that /you/ could fix it ma'am." No, just hoping the Weyrsecond would know what to do about the leak. Glancing off a second in the direction Mur'dah went "I could go get more towels, looks like something more might be needed to mop up." Kera winces nearly as soon as the words leave her mouth, maybe no one will think to make the weyrling start mopping up. Mur'dah's return gets a chuckle. "He's not sure what to make of the little harness. But we'll see how it works out when I get it finished." An greeable nod to Kiena. "Will do."

Zalulia frowns at the mention of just throwing a bucket under it and leaving it at that before pointing out, "you know, it would probably just overflow if we did that. Then we'd just have a bunch of water, a bucket, and no needles /or/ metal rods." Kiena's remark makes her grin. "Thanks," she trills, "I like being peculiar. I like to think it makes me stand out and means I'm unique." The talk of her not needing a metal rod for those reasons makes for frown before murmuring, "but fire is wonderful, metal is useful, surely they would be fantastic together." Or, you know, incredibly dangerous. Kera's question gets a grin from the harper as she exclaims, "stick it in the ground, use it to help support your body weight, and hurl yourself forward! And yes, yes it is. You took all the chaos when you left." For shame, Kera, for shame.

Mur'dah stands back, his part of this little adventure done. Tilting his head to listen to Kiena, he just shrugs and murmurs softly back. "I'll bet you could train him though, to like it and to carry things around. Seems like the hardest part will be making it." He just…looks at Zalulia. Uh. What?

Mur'dah whispers "Uh, a few sevendays now? But I can't keep off of it. Had to be on it at the gather explosion, and before that (or was it after?) I had to help birth some cria babies and then climb away from wild felines after the mother. I just can't keep off of it so it's not healing. Haven't been to the Healers except for the first time…"

Kiena grins rather toothily to Kera. Mop up, eh? "Good idea. Should be some mops about, but we can leave that to the lower cavern workers. I'd rather not have V'dim or Anoryn or even Mur'dah here breathing down my neck if I decide to haul a bunch of Weyrlings down here to clean up." Can she even do that? Not really. "It's not peeking that fast, uh…" Too late, the Weyrsecond realizes she doesn't have or know Zalulia's name and can only awkwardly clear her throat. "So, if we stop lingering here and actually go 'n report it… should be plenty of time. So I say go and grab what you need out of here if you can find it and that way it'll get sorted out." And they'll all be each others witnesses! None of them did it! Honest. Kiena has to refrain from slapping the palm of her hand to her face when the Harper Apprentice is delighted by her remark. "Unique doesn't mean completely nuts, you do know this right?" Right? Tilting her head to Mur'dah again, she'll attempt to clasp her hand to his shoulder if he doesn't try to evade her as she mutters a few concerned sounding words and noticeably looks down at his still mending ankle.

Kiena whispers "Shards and shells, no wonder! Flitting off to adventure and rough, dangerous work and then a Gather? You've probably aggravated it. Am I going to have to //order you to the Healers? I can take you there right now, you know. May as well, since it looks like I've more trouble to drop on Jethaniel and Darsce's shoulders along the way…" to Mur'dah.//

Kera flashes a worried grin to Kiena, but relaxes when it becomes apprent that 'she' doesn't have to do extra chores this time. Her attention slips around the group, resting on Zalulia a moment longer as she chuckles. "That doesn't really sound jumping though. More like how far you can push yourself with a heavy stick." Kera shrugs "Maybe you should demonstrate. " Gesturing towards the open end of the aisle of Zalulia wishes to jump. Not even a chance for a bit of chaos in that idea. Shame? No, no shame at all. Smiling with a little nod to Mur'dah. "My main problem will be making sure it doesn't irritate his hide. And still make it lighter." Kiena's suggestion to gather what brought everyone into the cavern to begin with then clear out is met with a murmured assent "Won't take me but a moment." then she's scurrying off, looking for sewing supplies. It only takes her a few minutes of searching and s couple of needles are woven through the collar hem of her shirt.

Zalulia doesn't seem to mind Kiena's slip-up regarding her name, filling in the blank by simply saying, "Zalulia. And I know there's a difference between unique and nuts, I'm not insane though. Just… well, maybe not quite normal. Eccentric." She finishes with a shrug and at Kera's words opens her mouth to say something to her, only for her bronze firelizard, Aang, to pop out from /between/ and land on her shoulder, extending his leg holding the note to her. The harper frowns and quickly reads it, only to sigh before stating, "I have to go. See you guys around." With that she nods to Kera, suspiciously eyes Mur'gah, and salutes Kiena before bounding down the hall.

Mur'dah glances at Kiena, a brow lifting before he sighs. "Yeah, I'll go," he murmurs, shifting his weight. One guess as to where. "Later, ladies," he adds with a wave to Kera and Zalulia before he's hobbling off to the infirmary.

"Eccentric is a far better word to describe…" What you are? Kiena grimaces a bit and then sighs. "Eccentric suits you, Zalulia." she agrees in the end and just before the Harper Apprentice is summoned off. Now she'll never know what the metal rod was for! Giving a brisk wave and dip of her head in farewell, her gaze then turns to Kera. "Found them? Good. Hopefully they'll survive your little project. Come on, we better get moving. You head on back to the 'barracks… I'll have to catch up with you another time for an actual conversation that isn't all business and gloom. Take it easy, Kera and clear skies to you." Kiena murmurs, gesturing for the weyrling to either step ahead or follow her out. The Weyrsecond is on a mission now and she'll holler after Mur'dah, not caring who hears her or not. "Hey, wait up!" Grumbling under her breath, she mutters. "… better go make sure he shardin' goes this time too…" And away she goes! Whatever brought her to the store rooms to begin with is… never known either. Now her plate is full with other things and there are only so many hours to a day!

Kera sees Zalulia and Mur'dah heading off, sending them a wave, and a chuckle to Kiena "I think Xanadu has reached it's shot of doom and gloom. At least for the coming Turn." Wagging her fingers to the Weyrsecond as well "G'evenin everyone. " is called out before turning to continue back towards the cavern for her next task on her todo list. Food!


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