.
Her long red nailed fingers ticked over the wooden surface of her desk as the two women gazed at each other. The air was thick and tense, a bizarre repercussion of having two physically imposing women in the same room; unexplainable without Auristics. They both possessed powerful presences, imbued with a history of angst. However, while Kystrel sat so upright it looked as if she had the power to leap across the table and wrap her wraith-like claws around anyone’s neck that crossed her; Ayszel lay back in the concave back of the chair her legs crossed over one another and her hand drawing little lines along the length of the wooden arm; Their approaches to power distinctly different.
Ayszel wasn’t particularly sure she wanted the job and so she felt little anxiety, even under the intense eyes that bore into her. She had vowed not to serve another city with her reimancy, to serve only Caiyha, Siku and Semele. Just because I had to flee the cold, doesn’t mean I plan on going back on my promise. she had already decided. If this job was a way to serve the goddesses she’d be willing to take it. Otherwise, she figured she’d move onto something that would allow her to. However, her pride wouldn’t allow her to become a simple gardener. She had been raised in Zinrah, the house of hubris. Every action, even in the service of their goddesses was done to further them as well. It was inherent, to evaluate everything in terms of prestige.
“I am looking for a research assistant. It pays little and it is arduous work over incredibly long days. You will be expected to keep the lab tidy, prepare my experiments, take dictation, mark my classes assignments, conduct your own research and complete it within two years. You will be expected to pay for and take at least one class each season on research techniques and one class each season on some form of ecology.
However, with this work comes many great gifts. You will learn the scientific method and discover truths, not simply old wives tales to explain why things work the way they work. As you mentioned earlier your Common is weak, that is something you will have to develop fairly quickly. Does this sound like something you would be interested in?” She queried, placing her chin upon her propped up hands. The clicking had ceased as she spoke and she stared at Ayszel waiting intently.
Pays little and is arduous work…way to sell the job… Ayszel mocked silently, It doesn’t sound like a way to serve the city OR Caiyha. So, why does she do it? “What kind of research do you do?”
“I study the wild goats and deer in the mountains; their population dynamics, movement, feeding patterns, the like. My other assistant studies the fish populations in Lhavit. We both work on large scale projects, mostly categorizing individuals and studying behavior. However, we also work with the Catholican to solve wildlife disease issues and the Shinya when there are infestations, from time to time. Our main job however is the science, our service to Lhavit provides us with funding. If you are looking for a wildlife management job however, this is not the right place for you.” She added sternly, her fingers resuming their tapping.
It certainly sounds like a way to learn about Caiyha’s presence here...so long as I don’t allow it to impede upon my wildlife management in the wild. She appears to have as much interest in serving Lhavit as I do, which is appealing.
“What must I provide to get the job?” Ayszel finally asked, onceshe had considered the specifics.
“Well, seeing as you have no experience, you will not be paid until you have proven you are more use than hindrance. You will spend the rest of the day with Hinlitt, my assistant, working on the fishing boats and collecting data. If you have an eye for detail, can work in…less than ideal weather…” She said slowly, each syllable drunk with judgement as her eyes roamed the delightfully colorful and light fabrics Ayszel had adorned herself with. “…and prove to be of any help, you may come back again tomorrow. I’ll have you do some cleaning, grade some assignments and read some preliminary material to begin working on my project. If you prove your worth in the next five days; you’re hired.”
Ayszel bowed her head slightly, though carefully without lowering her eyes; A gesture of acceptance without concession of inferiority. That sounds fair, I certainly wouldn’t want to pay someone without assurances they were useful and accreditations aren’t as valuable as displays of skill… “That sounds perfectly agreeable,” Ayszel nodded as a man emerged from another room. He wore crookedly placed spectacles atop a long narrow nose hooked over thin lips like a beak. His wobbly kneed and curved shoulders made the moderately beautiful woman interviewing her all the more impressive. Her long dark locks were carefully controlled and she wore a constant expression of superiority that made Ayszel regard her with inherent respect.
As she rose from her chair she smoothed her skirt, “I have another interview.” It was a dismissal. Ayszel rose and followed Hinlitt out of the large windowed office. “Have you done research before?” Hinlitt asked, glancing over his shoulder.
“…Not…officially,” Ayszel eventually replied, after thinking through the common. “I have worked with animals muchly,” She added, “Although, I have only ever eaten fish, never worked with them.” She added, chuckling lightly. “I only arrived yesterday. I was shown the ocean for the first time yesterday, I am very excited to be on one of your beautiful boats.” She grinned, complimenting him shamelessly by appealing to his presumed love of the city. She had loved Zinrah, and assumed anyone would be as patriotic. So far, everyone she had meet in Lhavit was as patriotic and passionate as she had been and she presumed it was not a far off cry to assume that this man was too.
“Hm, well it is wet and cold and unpleasant this time of year. But the fish are interesting,” He added, seemingly unaffected by her compliments. Perhaps she only hires people who show as much passion for science and as little passion for Lhavit as she… she decided.
“Here,” He extended a long pair of overalls toward her from a hallway closet. “Here,” he said again, extending a second pair. Ayszel followed the arm to the petite rosy cheeked blond that had appeared at her side. “This is Litka. Litka, Merril.” He introduced, “One of you will meet the other applicants who passed the first day tomorrow,” He added, a competitive cock of his lips making Ayszel frown.
“Hi, Merril.” Ayszel covered up with the frown with a similarly rosy smile and a small bow she had learned was the traditional Lhavitian way of saying hello. Merril returned the smile and bow and lead her toward one of the bathrooms to change.
“I’ve been studying here for a year now. I haven’t had a research job yet, but Kystrel is the ecologist to work with if you can. Have you read her findings? They’re amazing! She must never leave the lab! I want to work with the Okomo just like her. I don’t want to spend time out in the wilderness where it’s dangerous, besides studying the Okomo is like studying the gods and I love my theology classes. I-“ she continued, answering unasked questions through the narrow wall between the stalls as Ayszel shed her many layers and pulled the rough overalls over her legs and buttoned them over her tunic. Fortunately, Hinlitt had sent them with a bag in which to place their original clothes or Ayszels arms would have been overflowing with fabric.
Ayszel allowed her to continue talking without interruption. Though she wasn’t particularly interested in the woman, she was interested in the competition. If the competition was willing to spill their hopes, weaknesses and capabilities Ayszel wasn’t about to deny her. While she hadn’t been particularly interested in the job at first the more she learned about it the more fascinated she was. It was a way in which she could learn about Caiyha’s presence in Kalea, and still manage to feed her endless appetite. While in her snake forms a single large meal could last her half a moon, in her human form she felt endlessly hungry. Her metabolism was much faster and she was used to an intolerably full stomach, and ate to that effect. I can’t very well allow such a nitwit to be hired though…she wouldn’t do Caiyha justive. a hint of her hubris revealing itself.
They both handed their clothes to Hinlitt for storage for the day and descended the mountains toward the docks under the background drone of Merril’s monologue.
43rd Fall, 515 AV
Her long red nailed fingers ticked over the wooden surface of her desk as the two women gazed at each other. The air was thick and tense, a bizarre repercussion of having two physically imposing women in the same room; unexplainable without Auristics. They both possessed powerful presences, imbued with a history of angst. However, while Kystrel sat so upright it looked as if she had the power to leap across the table and wrap her wraith-like claws around anyone’s neck that crossed her; Ayszel lay back in the concave back of the chair her legs crossed over one another and her hand drawing little lines along the length of the wooden arm; Their approaches to power distinctly different.
Ayszel wasn’t particularly sure she wanted the job and so she felt little anxiety, even under the intense eyes that bore into her. She had vowed not to serve another city with her reimancy, to serve only Caiyha, Siku and Semele. Just because I had to flee the cold, doesn’t mean I plan on going back on my promise. she had already decided. If this job was a way to serve the goddesses she’d be willing to take it. Otherwise, she figured she’d move onto something that would allow her to. However, her pride wouldn’t allow her to become a simple gardener. She had been raised in Zinrah, the house of hubris. Every action, even in the service of their goddesses was done to further them as well. It was inherent, to evaluate everything in terms of prestige.
“I am looking for a research assistant. It pays little and it is arduous work over incredibly long days. You will be expected to keep the lab tidy, prepare my experiments, take dictation, mark my classes assignments, conduct your own research and complete it within two years. You will be expected to pay for and take at least one class each season on research techniques and one class each season on some form of ecology.
However, with this work comes many great gifts. You will learn the scientific method and discover truths, not simply old wives tales to explain why things work the way they work. As you mentioned earlier your Common is weak, that is something you will have to develop fairly quickly. Does this sound like something you would be interested in?” She queried, placing her chin upon her propped up hands. The clicking had ceased as she spoke and she stared at Ayszel waiting intently.
Pays little and is arduous work…way to sell the job… Ayszel mocked silently, It doesn’t sound like a way to serve the city OR Caiyha. So, why does she do it? “What kind of research do you do?”
“I study the wild goats and deer in the mountains; their population dynamics, movement, feeding patterns, the like. My other assistant studies the fish populations in Lhavit. We both work on large scale projects, mostly categorizing individuals and studying behavior. However, we also work with the Catholican to solve wildlife disease issues and the Shinya when there are infestations, from time to time. Our main job however is the science, our service to Lhavit provides us with funding. If you are looking for a wildlife management job however, this is not the right place for you.” She added sternly, her fingers resuming their tapping.
It certainly sounds like a way to learn about Caiyha’s presence here...so long as I don’t allow it to impede upon my wildlife management in the wild. She appears to have as much interest in serving Lhavit as I do, which is appealing.
“What must I provide to get the job?” Ayszel finally asked, onceshe had considered the specifics.
“Well, seeing as you have no experience, you will not be paid until you have proven you are more use than hindrance. You will spend the rest of the day with Hinlitt, my assistant, working on the fishing boats and collecting data. If you have an eye for detail, can work in…less than ideal weather…” She said slowly, each syllable drunk with judgement as her eyes roamed the delightfully colorful and light fabrics Ayszel had adorned herself with. “…and prove to be of any help, you may come back again tomorrow. I’ll have you do some cleaning, grade some assignments and read some preliminary material to begin working on my project. If you prove your worth in the next five days; you’re hired.”
Ayszel bowed her head slightly, though carefully without lowering her eyes; A gesture of acceptance without concession of inferiority. That sounds fair, I certainly wouldn’t want to pay someone without assurances they were useful and accreditations aren’t as valuable as displays of skill… “That sounds perfectly agreeable,” Ayszel nodded as a man emerged from another room. He wore crookedly placed spectacles atop a long narrow nose hooked over thin lips like a beak. His wobbly kneed and curved shoulders made the moderately beautiful woman interviewing her all the more impressive. Her long dark locks were carefully controlled and she wore a constant expression of superiority that made Ayszel regard her with inherent respect.
As she rose from her chair she smoothed her skirt, “I have another interview.” It was a dismissal. Ayszel rose and followed Hinlitt out of the large windowed office. “Have you done research before?” Hinlitt asked, glancing over his shoulder.
“…Not…officially,” Ayszel eventually replied, after thinking through the common. “I have worked with animals muchly,” She added, “Although, I have only ever eaten fish, never worked with them.” She added, chuckling lightly. “I only arrived yesterday. I was shown the ocean for the first time yesterday, I am very excited to be on one of your beautiful boats.” She grinned, complimenting him shamelessly by appealing to his presumed love of the city. She had loved Zinrah, and assumed anyone would be as patriotic. So far, everyone she had meet in Lhavit was as patriotic and passionate as she had been and she presumed it was not a far off cry to assume that this man was too.
“Hm, well it is wet and cold and unpleasant this time of year. But the fish are interesting,” He added, seemingly unaffected by her compliments. Perhaps she only hires people who show as much passion for science and as little passion for Lhavit as she… she decided.
“Here,” He extended a long pair of overalls toward her from a hallway closet. “Here,” he said again, extending a second pair. Ayszel followed the arm to the petite rosy cheeked blond that had appeared at her side. “This is Litka. Litka, Merril.” He introduced, “One of you will meet the other applicants who passed the first day tomorrow,” He added, a competitive cock of his lips making Ayszel frown.
“Hi, Merril.” Ayszel covered up with the frown with a similarly rosy smile and a small bow she had learned was the traditional Lhavitian way of saying hello. Merril returned the smile and bow and lead her toward one of the bathrooms to change.
“I’ve been studying here for a year now. I haven’t had a research job yet, but Kystrel is the ecologist to work with if you can. Have you read her findings? They’re amazing! She must never leave the lab! I want to work with the Okomo just like her. I don’t want to spend time out in the wilderness where it’s dangerous, besides studying the Okomo is like studying the gods and I love my theology classes. I-“ she continued, answering unasked questions through the narrow wall between the stalls as Ayszel shed her many layers and pulled the rough overalls over her legs and buttoned them over her tunic. Fortunately, Hinlitt had sent them with a bag in which to place their original clothes or Ayszels arms would have been overflowing with fabric.
Ayszel allowed her to continue talking without interruption. Though she wasn’t particularly interested in the woman, she was interested in the competition. If the competition was willing to spill their hopes, weaknesses and capabilities Ayszel wasn’t about to deny her. While she hadn’t been particularly interested in the job at first the more she learned about it the more fascinated she was. It was a way in which she could learn about Caiyha’s presence in Kalea, and still manage to feed her endless appetite. While in her snake forms a single large meal could last her half a moon, in her human form she felt endlessly hungry. Her metabolism was much faster and she was used to an intolerably full stomach, and ate to that effect. I can’t very well allow such a nitwit to be hired though…she wouldn’t do Caiyha justive. a hint of her hubris revealing itself.
They both handed their clothes to Hinlitt for storage for the day and descended the mountains toward the docks under the background drone of Merril’s monologue.
