Central Heat and Air, aka the kitchens
Who: Jensen, Miniyal, Neiran, Penny
When: 14:46 on day 14, month 10, turn 1 of the 7th Pass.
Where: Kitchens, HRW
What: It's amazing what you can see. . .
5/17/2006
It is 14:46 on day 14, month 10, turn 1 of the 7th Pass.
Miniyal is comfortably, well, as comfortable as she can be out in the wide world, tucked into a corner. She's got a mug in her hand and a small plate rests on part of an unused table beside her. As an older woman works on the table chopping up vegetables the pair of them talk in quiet tones. It's a Niya Mommy! And the two are ignoring the bustle about them to talk. Luckily this time of day the insanity is not as terrible as it could be. Lunch is over, dinner is still some time off. So people are not likely to be trampled or shooed right back out.
Jensen is on a break. What does he do on his break? He learns to cook. He's over at another table with a small woman with messy hair. Said small woman is rolling dough and Jen is watching, perched on a stool with one elbow on the table's edge. Every now and then he'll mutter things like "Sugar for taste?" and "How many minutes?"
Penny wanders into the kitchen, with a quick wave to those nearest the door; smile twitches a little as she catches sight of Jensen, before broadening a little bit. She says nothing, merely offering a nod in his direction should he see it, before glancing over her shoulder. "We used to do it all the time as children," she calls to Neiran, behind her. "Sometimes one of us would get a little carried away and get in some serious trouble with the workers in the Hall kitchens."
Neiran is, indeed, following his fellow Caucus student into the kitchens at a sedate pace. The expression he bears is a faintly dubious one, thin lips primly pulled down whilst his brows retain their brooding line above his dark eyes. The kitchen is given a slow look over, examining this foreign room that is the purview of bustling cooking women and boiling pots and altogether things he generally stays away from. Finding it calm at this hour, he more confidently follows in Penny's wake into the kitchen. His eyes find Miniyal, and she is offered a dutiful nod; it wouldn't be correct not to acknowledge the presence of the woman whom he relies on to fetch his various reading material and homework aids throughout the months. Jensen is given a brief stare, out of curiosity towards what he's doing, and the odd juxtaposition of such a tall man entertaining such a domestic pursuit. "Ah," Neiran muses noncommittally, drawing his eyes back to Penny. "And you are certain that, in this instance, you will not get 'a little carried away' and get in trouble with the kitchen workers, correct?"
Miniyal's shoulders hunch some as she listens to whatever it is her mother is saying to her as she waves her knife around to make her point. Setting her cup down the younger of the two reaches for a piece of bread on the plate close by and then snatches a slice or two of the vegetables being scrapped into a bowl. As her mother goes off to deliver her work to someone else, Miniyal's eyes track over the room, doing her best to not make eye contact as she does so. Neiran gets a faint nod, but it could have just been her trying to duck imaginary flying things. It's really hard to tell from across the room.
Jensen is a rather odd sight, perhaps. He doesn't seem to know it though. He does see Penny - and Neiran, a moment later - out of the corner of his eye. He returns her nod and her smile, offers a wave, then is told in a small, brisk voice, "Pay attention." He turns back to the small cook and her dough, very attentive. See him paying attention? He's a /good/ student.
"And risk incurring your towering disapproval?" laughs Penny, with a good-natured twist of her lips. "Never fear, my dear healer, I won't." She meanders over to one of the workers, kneading dough by the doorway, and murmurs a couple of things to the woman, who looks at her rather oddly for a moment. Then, with a roll of her shoulders, the worker begins to procure a few things for Penny, a jar and a bottle of something and a bowl. Penny smiles her thanks as she takes the items; she holds out the ingredients for whatever it is she's making toward Neiran. "You get to do it, though."
Neiran detects the playfulness in Penny's chiding characterization, and manages not to frown at the last moment. Nevertheless, his face is in something of a pinched expression for a moment, though one could easily form the opinion that that's his default mode of expression. In reality, that's just his silent way of begrudgingly accepting Penny's caution, the dour look something to the effect of - 'indeed, you'd better not!' As he steps in beside the Smith, his expression eases into neutrality once more, and he might be overhead to murmur with tones of dry humour, "I wasn't previously aware that my disapproval was 'towering'." He falls silent again, watching the prerequisite ingredients accumulate. As the items are offerd to him, he purses his lips a little, but willingly takes them. "All right. Instruct me on the procedure."
Jensen, after a few more moments, decides he's had enough learning for now and stands. "Thanks, Ciss. 'M sure I'll be more successful with my next batch now I know what all I did wrong." She gives him a stern look and turns back to her work, muttering under her breath about men not knowin' a thing and so on and so forth. He turns from her, looking somewhat harassed and more than a little lost now that he doesn't really have a reason for being in here.
Miniyal chews her bread and vegetables as she watches with longing the pastries cooling a few tables over. If they weren't so far she'd probably take one, but really. Is it worth it to get up? Must not be, because she stays where she is at, much relief by those who work in here over that since her time in the kitchens many turns ago are still discussed with horror in these parts. As she waits for her mother's return she watches carefully the other people. All people should be watched warily.
Penny manages not to laugh at Neiran at the word 'procedure,' though she does smile, no doubt at his expense. "Step one: put the bowl on the counter." She points a somewhat imperious finger at the only free workspace left, a spot across from the entrance. "Step two: pour the stuff into the bowl -- and then boom, simple as that. Just don't pour too much," she says drily. "Or you may be a while cleaning up after yourself." She seems determined not to give him too much information about what appears to be some sort of experimental demonstration. She crosses her arms to wait, eyes flicking back toward Jensen while she waits for Neiran to follow her loose instructions. "You bake?" she asks, a little incredulity creeping into her voice.
Neiran moves to the spot so imperiously indicated, setting the bowl down. He stands there a moment, considering her instructions. Used to much more precise instructions in his Craft, there's a few heartbeats of hesitation when it dawns on him that the woman isn't being very specific. It probably occurs to him to ask for clarification, but unfortunately she's already addressed that other looming male figure here. As a result, he looks up and stares at Miniyal for a moment, clearly considering if he ought to ask her. He pushes that thought out of his mind the next moment, and adds a bit of the powder to the bowl; erring on the side of caution, he deemed it best not to just dump both things in haphazardly. Once there's a good amount there, he adds the liquid in careful drops, and is rewarded by a fizzling, frothing reaction in the bowl. "Ahhh." The soft noise of one elucidated carries over the fizzing, and with more confidence he adds some more vinegar to make the mixture foam even more, ceasing when the foam encroaches on the rim of the bowl.
Jensen would probably be just the person to talk to Miniyal, much to what would probably be her distaste, but is caught before he can do much more than notice her over there by herself. Caught by Penny, that is. "Somethin' wrong with it?" He lifts an eyebrow, his affronted expression ebbing away to be replaced by a smirk. "Seems a good thing to know how t'do, is all. Besides, gives me an excuse to be in here. And I like to find ways o'gettin' pretty much everywhere." He takes in hers and Neiran's task with an eyeflick. "What're you doin'?"
Miniyal is quite indeed most thankful for not being bothered although she doesn't know she was going to be bothered so she's not really thankful, but still. As it is she finishes off her bread as her mother returns and the two continue their whispered conversation.
"Not at all," Penny reassures the guard, eyebrows lifting a little bit at his defensiveness. "It just seems so at odds with your... character." She gives a vague wave of her hand, no doubt indicating his tall build and imposing stature. "I'm showing him something they used to show the apprentices back at the Hall," she explains, glancing back towards Neiran again. "Very basic chemical reaction that's actually visible. It came up this morning and I told him I'd show up." She makes it sound as if it were a favor, and not -- as is more likely the case -- as if she dragged the dour healer out to view this miraculous demonstration. At his reaction, her lips twitch into a faintly disappointed frown. "'Ahhh'? That's it?" But after a moment the frown fades and she smiles nonetheless -- not that finding Penny smiling should be all that surprising.
"That's very interesting," Neiran adds, making an effort to say something more than 'ahh'. "It appears to be releasing quite a lot of gasses," he goes on, holding his hand over the subsiding foam. "If you put it in a sealed container, I imagine it would create a lot of pressure. What kinds of applications can this be put to? Aside from child's play." Of course he's not merely content to look at it and accept that it can make a big mess; he needs to know if it's potentially useful. His fine-boned hand returns to his side, and he turns to face Penny. He looks between his peer and the tall man, and returns to staring expectantly at Penny. He's waiting for an introduction, undoubtedly.
"Oh. Well I'll add baking and any other sort of kitchen-work to the list of things people have told me men normally wouldn't do." Jensen knows he's rather, yes, tall and muscley, but rarely does he ever indicate such in conversation. He certainly isn't about to go referring to himself as big and manly /now/. "Oh," is his only response to Penny's explanation, his brow furrowing. He leans slightly to catch a peek at Neiran's work, blinks when the fizzling happens. "Huh. That's somethin'. How'd you do that?" Jen isn't dumb, but his smarts do tend to lie in things other than chemical reactions and the like. The healer's expectant look is lost on the captain as he steps closer to the fizzy stuff and peers at it. One forefinger tentatively moves in for a poke.
Although she was only trying to stand, Miniyal manages to nearly collide into a man passing by with a tray loaded down with bowls. An apology is mumbled under the sound of his rather loud cursing. Sighing, the recordskeeper turns bright red and then mumbles something else to her mother. It would seem now is the time for her to retreat and so she carefully makes her way towards the exit, stopping repeatedly to be sure she's getting out of someone's way in time.
Penny laughs, clasping her hands behind her back as she steps out of the way of a bustling worker. She turns, pressing her back against the wall in an effort to remain inobtrusive, as she returns her gaze toward Jensen, her healer companion momentarily forgotten. "I seem to remember a certain amount surprise coming from -you- when I said I was a smith," she reminds him, eyes twinkling merrily. "There are quite a few things on the list of what women 'don't do'." When Neiran turns to face her she glances aside toward him and then straightens a little, still backed up against the wall; she looks blank as she tries to remember what he'd been saying while she was talking to the guard, and then nods her agreement, "If you combine those things in a pig's bladder, for example, it will create enough gases to explode it. You'd need a -lot- of the raw ingredients to do much more with it, though. Anything larger, I mean." It seems Penny has somewhat belatedly put the idea of 'pig's bladder' with Neiran's occupation, and she grimaces at the idea of exploding organs.
Neiran proves himself once more to be a perpetual stick in the mud, frowning when his purposeful stare at Penny is not merely misinterpreted, but overlooked entirely. He steps aside to allow Jensen to poke at the mixture all he wants, keeping his own hands clean. Miniyal's departure isn't missed, though it is met with silence. He's a man of brevity in all circumstances, and has nothing particular to say to the records keeper at this moment. Certain she'll not care to look his way before leaving, not so much as the tiniest fraction of a nod is offered. After tactfully remaining out of the exchange about men and womens roles, he focuses more on Penny than the bowl when she explains the potential applications of it. Neiran stares at the girl, deadpan, as she suggests it be used to blow up a pig's bladder. Not only does that have grotesque ramifications considering his Craft, but it's also pointless. "I see." He tucks a bit of stray hair behind his ear, and straightens. "Well, thank you for showing me this reaction, nevertheless. Perhaps it will be useful in the future." After a beat, he adds, with no attempt at being subtle, "I imagine now might be an opportune time for you to practice what manners Caucus has instructed you in by introducing me to your acquaintance?"
Jensen flicks a little look to first Penny, then Neiran, wary. At any moment they might slap his hand away. So, without further ado, he very abruptly lets that finger complete its mission. He draws his hand back, inspects his finger. It's all very involved. "I wasn't surprised because o'your... womanly... tendencies," he tells Penny. "You impressed me with your knowing things is all. Never had it said 'bout me that I was sexist. You're sorta prim, ain't ya?" That last was to Neiran, a completely innocent observation that he seems not at all abashed about making. As for introductions and acquanitances, he just blinks at the both of them. "Uh... /oh/. He meant me?" He checks Penny for affirmation and, sensing he guessed right, just grins at the healer, reaches over to grab one of the other man's hands and, should he succeed, shakes it exuberantly. "She's likely busy plannin' up a contraption that'll take over the world for 'er. Name's Jensen."
Miniyal's glance slides towards the trio as she passes, simply because she's passing by. But no words are said and she makes it out without having to engage in any conversation. Success!
When: 14:46 on day 14, month 10, turn 1 of the 7th Pass.
Where: Kitchens, HRW
What: It's amazing what you can see. . .
5/17/2006
It is 14:46 on day 14, month 10, turn 1 of the 7th Pass.
Miniyal is comfortably, well, as comfortable as she can be out in the wide world, tucked into a corner. She's got a mug in her hand and a small plate rests on part of an unused table beside her. As an older woman works on the table chopping up vegetables the pair of them talk in quiet tones. It's a Niya Mommy! And the two are ignoring the bustle about them to talk. Luckily this time of day the insanity is not as terrible as it could be. Lunch is over, dinner is still some time off. So people are not likely to be trampled or shooed right back out.
Jensen is on a break. What does he do on his break? He learns to cook. He's over at another table with a small woman with messy hair. Said small woman is rolling dough and Jen is watching, perched on a stool with one elbow on the table's edge. Every now and then he'll mutter things like "Sugar for taste?" and "How many minutes?"
Penny wanders into the kitchen, with a quick wave to those nearest the door; smile twitches a little as she catches sight of Jensen, before broadening a little bit. She says nothing, merely offering a nod in his direction should he see it, before glancing over her shoulder. "We used to do it all the time as children," she calls to Neiran, behind her. "Sometimes one of us would get a little carried away and get in some serious trouble with the workers in the Hall kitchens."
Neiran is, indeed, following his fellow Caucus student into the kitchens at a sedate pace. The expression he bears is a faintly dubious one, thin lips primly pulled down whilst his brows retain their brooding line above his dark eyes. The kitchen is given a slow look over, examining this foreign room that is the purview of bustling cooking women and boiling pots and altogether things he generally stays away from. Finding it calm at this hour, he more confidently follows in Penny's wake into the kitchen. His eyes find Miniyal, and she is offered a dutiful nod; it wouldn't be correct not to acknowledge the presence of the woman whom he relies on to fetch his various reading material and homework aids throughout the months. Jensen is given a brief stare, out of curiosity towards what he's doing, and the odd juxtaposition of such a tall man entertaining such a domestic pursuit. "Ah," Neiran muses noncommittally, drawing his eyes back to Penny. "And you are certain that, in this instance, you will not get 'a little carried away' and get in trouble with the kitchen workers, correct?"
Miniyal's shoulders hunch some as she listens to whatever it is her mother is saying to her as she waves her knife around to make her point. Setting her cup down the younger of the two reaches for a piece of bread on the plate close by and then snatches a slice or two of the vegetables being scrapped into a bowl. As her mother goes off to deliver her work to someone else, Miniyal's eyes track over the room, doing her best to not make eye contact as she does so. Neiran gets a faint nod, but it could have just been her trying to duck imaginary flying things. It's really hard to tell from across the room.
Jensen is a rather odd sight, perhaps. He doesn't seem to know it though. He does see Penny - and Neiran, a moment later - out of the corner of his eye. He returns her nod and her smile, offers a wave, then is told in a small, brisk voice, "Pay attention." He turns back to the small cook and her dough, very attentive. See him paying attention? He's a /good/ student.
"And risk incurring your towering disapproval?" laughs Penny, with a good-natured twist of her lips. "Never fear, my dear healer, I won't." She meanders over to one of the workers, kneading dough by the doorway, and murmurs a couple of things to the woman, who looks at her rather oddly for a moment. Then, with a roll of her shoulders, the worker begins to procure a few things for Penny, a jar and a bottle of something and a bowl. Penny smiles her thanks as she takes the items; she holds out the ingredients for whatever it is she's making toward Neiran. "You get to do it, though."
Neiran detects the playfulness in Penny's chiding characterization, and manages not to frown at the last moment. Nevertheless, his face is in something of a pinched expression for a moment, though one could easily form the opinion that that's his default mode of expression. In reality, that's just his silent way of begrudgingly accepting Penny's caution, the dour look something to the effect of - 'indeed, you'd better not!' As he steps in beside the Smith, his expression eases into neutrality once more, and he might be overhead to murmur with tones of dry humour, "I wasn't previously aware that my disapproval was 'towering'." He falls silent again, watching the prerequisite ingredients accumulate. As the items are offerd to him, he purses his lips a little, but willingly takes them. "All right. Instruct me on the procedure."
Jensen, after a few more moments, decides he's had enough learning for now and stands. "Thanks, Ciss. 'M sure I'll be more successful with my next batch now I know what all I did wrong." She gives him a stern look and turns back to her work, muttering under her breath about men not knowin' a thing and so on and so forth. He turns from her, looking somewhat harassed and more than a little lost now that he doesn't really have a reason for being in here.
Miniyal chews her bread and vegetables as she watches with longing the pastries cooling a few tables over. If they weren't so far she'd probably take one, but really. Is it worth it to get up? Must not be, because she stays where she is at, much relief by those who work in here over that since her time in the kitchens many turns ago are still discussed with horror in these parts. As she waits for her mother's return she watches carefully the other people. All people should be watched warily.
Penny manages not to laugh at Neiran at the word 'procedure,' though she does smile, no doubt at his expense. "Step one: put the bowl on the counter." She points a somewhat imperious finger at the only free workspace left, a spot across from the entrance. "Step two: pour the stuff into the bowl -- and then boom, simple as that. Just don't pour too much," she says drily. "Or you may be a while cleaning up after yourself." She seems determined not to give him too much information about what appears to be some sort of experimental demonstration. She crosses her arms to wait, eyes flicking back toward Jensen while she waits for Neiran to follow her loose instructions. "You bake?" she asks, a little incredulity creeping into her voice.
Neiran moves to the spot so imperiously indicated, setting the bowl down. He stands there a moment, considering her instructions. Used to much more precise instructions in his Craft, there's a few heartbeats of hesitation when it dawns on him that the woman isn't being very specific. It probably occurs to him to ask for clarification, but unfortunately she's already addressed that other looming male figure here. As a result, he looks up and stares at Miniyal for a moment, clearly considering if he ought to ask her. He pushes that thought out of his mind the next moment, and adds a bit of the powder to the bowl; erring on the side of caution, he deemed it best not to just dump both things in haphazardly. Once there's a good amount there, he adds the liquid in careful drops, and is rewarded by a fizzling, frothing reaction in the bowl. "Ahhh." The soft noise of one elucidated carries over the fizzing, and with more confidence he adds some more vinegar to make the mixture foam even more, ceasing when the foam encroaches on the rim of the bowl.
Jensen would probably be just the person to talk to Miniyal, much to what would probably be her distaste, but is caught before he can do much more than notice her over there by herself. Caught by Penny, that is. "Somethin' wrong with it?" He lifts an eyebrow, his affronted expression ebbing away to be replaced by a smirk. "Seems a good thing to know how t'do, is all. Besides, gives me an excuse to be in here. And I like to find ways o'gettin' pretty much everywhere." He takes in hers and Neiran's task with an eyeflick. "What're you doin'?"
Miniyal is quite indeed most thankful for not being bothered although she doesn't know she was going to be bothered so she's not really thankful, but still. As it is she finishes off her bread as her mother returns and the two continue their whispered conversation.
"Not at all," Penny reassures the guard, eyebrows lifting a little bit at his defensiveness. "It just seems so at odds with your... character." She gives a vague wave of her hand, no doubt indicating his tall build and imposing stature. "I'm showing him something they used to show the apprentices back at the Hall," she explains, glancing back towards Neiran again. "Very basic chemical reaction that's actually visible. It came up this morning and I told him I'd show up." She makes it sound as if it were a favor, and not -- as is more likely the case -- as if she dragged the dour healer out to view this miraculous demonstration. At his reaction, her lips twitch into a faintly disappointed frown. "'Ahhh'? That's it?" But after a moment the frown fades and she smiles nonetheless -- not that finding Penny smiling should be all that surprising.
"That's very interesting," Neiran adds, making an effort to say something more than 'ahh'. "It appears to be releasing quite a lot of gasses," he goes on, holding his hand over the subsiding foam. "If you put it in a sealed container, I imagine it would create a lot of pressure. What kinds of applications can this be put to? Aside from child's play." Of course he's not merely content to look at it and accept that it can make a big mess; he needs to know if it's potentially useful. His fine-boned hand returns to his side, and he turns to face Penny. He looks between his peer and the tall man, and returns to staring expectantly at Penny. He's waiting for an introduction, undoubtedly.
"Oh. Well I'll add baking and any other sort of kitchen-work to the list of things people have told me men normally wouldn't do." Jensen knows he's rather, yes, tall and muscley, but rarely does he ever indicate such in conversation. He certainly isn't about to go referring to himself as big and manly /now/. "Oh," is his only response to Penny's explanation, his brow furrowing. He leans slightly to catch a peek at Neiran's work, blinks when the fizzling happens. "Huh. That's somethin'. How'd you do that?" Jen isn't dumb, but his smarts do tend to lie in things other than chemical reactions and the like. The healer's expectant look is lost on the captain as he steps closer to the fizzy stuff and peers at it. One forefinger tentatively moves in for a poke.
Although she was only trying to stand, Miniyal manages to nearly collide into a man passing by with a tray loaded down with bowls. An apology is mumbled under the sound of his rather loud cursing. Sighing, the recordskeeper turns bright red and then mumbles something else to her mother. It would seem now is the time for her to retreat and so she carefully makes her way towards the exit, stopping repeatedly to be sure she's getting out of someone's way in time.
Penny laughs, clasping her hands behind her back as she steps out of the way of a bustling worker. She turns, pressing her back against the wall in an effort to remain inobtrusive, as she returns her gaze toward Jensen, her healer companion momentarily forgotten. "I seem to remember a certain amount surprise coming from -you- when I said I was a smith," she reminds him, eyes twinkling merrily. "There are quite a few things on the list of what women 'don't do'." When Neiran turns to face her she glances aside toward him and then straightens a little, still backed up against the wall; she looks blank as she tries to remember what he'd been saying while she was talking to the guard, and then nods her agreement, "If you combine those things in a pig's bladder, for example, it will create enough gases to explode it. You'd need a -lot- of the raw ingredients to do much more with it, though. Anything larger, I mean." It seems Penny has somewhat belatedly put the idea of 'pig's bladder' with Neiran's occupation, and she grimaces at the idea of exploding organs.
Neiran proves himself once more to be a perpetual stick in the mud, frowning when his purposeful stare at Penny is not merely misinterpreted, but overlooked entirely. He steps aside to allow Jensen to poke at the mixture all he wants, keeping his own hands clean. Miniyal's departure isn't missed, though it is met with silence. He's a man of brevity in all circumstances, and has nothing particular to say to the records keeper at this moment. Certain she'll not care to look his way before leaving, not so much as the tiniest fraction of a nod is offered. After tactfully remaining out of the exchange about men and womens roles, he focuses more on Penny than the bowl when she explains the potential applications of it. Neiran stares at the girl, deadpan, as she suggests it be used to blow up a pig's bladder. Not only does that have grotesque ramifications considering his Craft, but it's also pointless. "I see." He tucks a bit of stray hair behind his ear, and straightens. "Well, thank you for showing me this reaction, nevertheless. Perhaps it will be useful in the future." After a beat, he adds, with no attempt at being subtle, "I imagine now might be an opportune time for you to practice what manners Caucus has instructed you in by introducing me to your acquaintance?"
Jensen flicks a little look to first Penny, then Neiran, wary. At any moment they might slap his hand away. So, without further ado, he very abruptly lets that finger complete its mission. He draws his hand back, inspects his finger. It's all very involved. "I wasn't surprised because o'your... womanly... tendencies," he tells Penny. "You impressed me with your knowing things is all. Never had it said 'bout me that I was sexist. You're sorta prim, ain't ya?" That last was to Neiran, a completely innocent observation that he seems not at all abashed about making. As for introductions and acquanitances, he just blinks at the both of them. "Uh... /oh/. He meant me?" He checks Penny for affirmation and, sensing he guessed right, just grins at the healer, reaches over to grab one of the other man's hands and, should he succeed, shakes it exuberantly. "She's likely busy plannin' up a contraption that'll take over the world for 'er. Name's Jensen."
Miniyal's glance slides towards the trio as she passes, simply because she's passing by. But no words are said and she makes it out without having to engage in any conversation. Success!