StarCraft Library
Bookshelves line opposite walls, reaching from ceiling to floor. A thick stripe of red runs around the room on the walls where they meet the ceiling, silver eight-pointed stars showing the StarCraft's symbol. A few tables are centered in the room for studying and soft chairs are scattered around for those who aren't at the tables. In one corner, a large chair stands with more chairs in a semi-circle around it, a setup suggesting that classes might be taught there. Another corner boasts a potted plant, bright and green due to the careful work of an apprentice or two.
OOC: Feel free to read any book in here, but don't take them with you for too long, and please put them back when you're done. (put <book> in shelf)
On the perch are Gai, Aray, and Espero.
You see A Bookshelf, Constellation Globe, Model of the Rukbat System, Rolon, Dapple, Hikari, Seily's Painting Book, and Moon Book here.

Rathan walks in from the StarCraft Main Hall.

In the farthest corner of the archives is an open glowbasket, illuminating a tumble of honey blonde hair (for once unrestrained), a huge leather-bound book (open), and an industrious hand, scratching out copious notes in a well-used notebook.

Rathan wanders into the library, looking for a little peace and quiet as well as some relaxation time. Heading over to his usual chair in the corner, he stops, noticing both light and movement coming from his destination. Curiousity getting the better of him, he slowly makes his way over there, intent on finding out who's stolen his corner. Peeking around, he smiles at what, or rather who he finds. "Lin?!? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at reaches?" The suprise in is voice is apparent, though there is something else there as well.

Shava walks in from the StarCraft Main Hall.

Linora blinks and looks up, and a bright smile lights her face as her eyes refocus on a familiar and very welcome face. "Hey," she returns by way of greeting, pushing the notebook aside for the moment and pushing her hair back from her face. "I needed t'see some of the old charts," she explains, "and Keris hadn't brought them. So one of the senior weyrlings brought me out here for the morning." She colors faintly, realizing she hadn't even looked for him... but she /is/ supposed to be working. "How's it going?"

Shava walks into the Library, several books in her arms, which she sets down on a table close to the entrance. She looks around to see who is in the library and notices Linora and Rathan, giving both a wave while she takes a break from carrying the books from upstairs.

With the notebook pushed aside, Rathan moves over and takes a seat on the edge of the table, smiling at her as he sits. "Hey yourself." Leaning over, he takes a look at the book before shaking his head. "I'm sure you're having fun." As if. "I'm doing pretty good, even better now." Smiling again, he looks her over. "So you just here for the morning?" Still not time for her to return permanatly, at least he doesn't think so. Noticing the newest arrival, he watches for a moment before hesitantly returning the wave.

Linora gives Rathan a grin, not even blushing at the once-over. "Well... I dunno if I'd say /fun/ exactly, but it's gotta be done... I got all the charts for the last two seasons already finished, an' we're well enough into summer now that I'm prolly mostly done with that as well. So I prolly /could/ stay a day or two and nobody'd miss me... oh, hey, Shava." And here the Journeywoman gets an equally bright smile. "What's all that?" With a shrug, she slips a bookmark between the pages to mark her place and closes the book. "I got enough copying t'keep me busy if I did stay a couple days," she adds, by way of explanation to Rathan. No, Lin's not back for good yet.

Shava barely recognizes Linora's face, but when she is addressed, the name comes back instantly, "Ahh, Linora, on an errand from Keris?" she asks, leaving the books to the table and heading to the two of them. "Charts? I'm glad I stuck with the Red Star and stayed away from those, never liked them. Oh those?" She turns back to the forgotten pile of books, "Just some research I've been doing for the past month or so, finally got them finished between classes and paperwork. How have you been doing, other than busy?"

Either way, a couple of days is better than just a morning, which is better than nothing at all. "Well then I think you should take advantage of the time and stay a couple of days. Simple copying probably a somewhat relaxing break after the past few months of work up there." Turning back to the journeyman, he slides down the table towards the far side as she approches. Once there, he simply watches the two of them converse, content to sit on his edge of the table and be unnoticed.

A little snort almost passes for a laugh as Linora rolls her eyes expressively. "I'd rather freeze on the Star Stones." Then the little grin returns. "But it's gotta be done, so yeah. Maybe." Not like Keris will miss her much. She hasn't even seen her mentor in days. To Shava she nods. "I'm pretty good. Now it's warmer up at the Weyr and stuff. Nice t'be back at Gar when I can, though.... and sorta. He's doin' his own research or whatever up there... I needed these t'finish the new set of charts I'm working on." The smile spreads a little, a mischievous gleam lighting her pale eyes. "Don't tell me you never have to chart /anything/?" One of those necessary evils, she's learned. Only some people are gluttons for punishment, spending all their time working with them, and putting up with a mentor like Keris.

Shava shrugs, "Some, not much. But I wouldn't want to live up by High Reaches, I had enough of the cold when I lived back home at Ruatha. I prefer the warmth." She looks over at Rathan, "You don't have hide from me you know. I don't bite, like some other Journeymen, and a Master or two."

Rathan grins at the response he gets from Lin, a small laugh even escaping from him. Those things are ones that he definatly doesn't miss. Things like mentors and copying are all in his past. Now his days are filled with digging in the dirt and other such pursuits. The smile quickly disappears as he's addressed, his face taking on his normal people-person expression. That is to say it looks like he might be ready to run. At the woman's words, he simply nods, not saying anything, though never taking his eyes off her.

Linora nods earnestly. "Much nicer warm... but I grew up at Ista." With a rueful halfsmile and a shrug she adds, "I dunno what I was thinking, really. It's even colder up there than I imagined. But hopefully I'll be all through 'fore winter sets in again, and I can come home." Home being Gar now... not Ista... as attested by the way her eyes wander back to Rathan with an almost wistful expression before morphing to something more like concern, although she smiles warmly and when she speaks her tone is lightly teasing. "What's she gonna do, Rathan... eat you?" Really, Lin's the one who ought to be careful, since she's the apprentice (senior or no). Although she certainly hasn't done anything worth bolting over.

Shava shrugs at Rathan's response to her and looks back to Linora. "Anyways, what is Keris up to at High Reaches, other than freezing during the winter? And I wouldn't want to take a position up there, leave it for someone who's use to the cold" She gives a full smile, teeth and everything to Rathan, with the look like it is a possible threat like she will. But she only eats probationary apprentices, never the staff.

Rathan doesn't even respond to Linora's tease. Of course she's not going to eat him. But she is another person and he doesn't know her so that automaticly makes him wary. The smile from the journyman simply gets a nod as he cast furative glances back and forth between the two woman. Slowly though he begins to relax as he realizes that she's not going to come any closer.

Linora spends a quiet moment watching the journeywoman and the groundskeeper interact--of course without speaking--before formulating a response of her own. It's an easy enough question to answer. "I dunno. I been busy enough with my project that we haven't compared notes much... I guess sometimes he visits people, because he doesn't come back to the craft area for days." This probably won't surprise Shava much, unless Linora misses her guess. But it's not really her place to keep track of her mentor... more the other way around, usually. "Anyhow," she continues, "it's kind of a long term thing... but it's not really permanent. Only a turn or so, and it's more than half over already." Time has this way of passing, after all. With a sheepish little grin she adds, "It's prolly the first time in my life I couldn't wait for winter to come." A quick little sidelong glance at Rathan, and she returns her eyes to the tabletop, and the writing utensil still in her hands. She hadn't even noticed she'd been fidgeting. So she stops.

Shava chuckles at Rathan's first reaction, but seeing him relax. "Anyways, if you haven't figured it out, I'm Journeywoman Shava. You seem familiar, but I can't quite remember your name." She looks back to Linora, "At least it isn't permanent. He wanders off?" She shrugs, "As long as you behave until your promoted. What is your project anyways?" Okay she doesn't get to talk much to the apprentice since she's gone, plus this journeywoman is terrible at keeping track of all the aprentices at the Hall.

A soft smile goes out towards Linora as she glances over toward him. His gaze quickly returns to the other as his body goes rigid once more upon being addressed before quickly relaxing again. The uncertain and wary look never completely disappears from his face though. Giving another nod the journyman's way, he finally speaks, "Rathan..."

Linora grins. Of course she'll behave until she's promoted. Why start acting out /now/, when she's so close? "I'm drawing up new charts of the northern skies," she explains. "Nobody's done 'em over in a long time, I guess, so they needed a whole Turn's worth. A set for them... and a set for the archives here." Of course. Because no /way/ is she planning to stay there a moment longer than required. She gives Rathan a quick smile as he sort of gets around to introducing himself, then helpfully elaborates. "He came here to apprentice, but I guess he likes digging in the dirt better." She might be teasing, but there's a note of fondness in her tone that can't completely be overlooked.

Shava thinks for a moment, "Oh, yes, the apprentice turned groundskeeper, I remember. Not thank we need any more apprentices anyways, but I'm sure you'll do a wonderful job with the gardens." She looks back to Linora, "Yes, some new charts would be nice to have." She sighs, "Anyways, I should get to putting those books back and getting ready for my next class. Nice seieng you again Linora, and talking to you Rathan," she says before going back to her pile of books and going through the library, putting them back where they belong.

Shava walks to the StarCraft Main Hall.

Rathan returns the smile before he relaxes as the journeyman leaves, so much so he actually throws a wave her way as she goes. Turning back to Linora, he leans back on the table, after moving back towards her. "So how goes the work up at Reaches. You almost done aren't you." The last is more of a statement than a question. "You are returning back here when you're done aren't you? Or do you plan on heading out for a posting somewhere?" The unspoken question that's never quite been broached. After all, that's what journeymen do, they journey.

Linora calls a cheerful farewell after Shava as she leaves them, then turns towards Rathan as he slides closer. "Almost," she agrees, a little smile lighting her pale eyes. "Just a few more months to go now. And... I don't think I wanna get posted just yet," she adds. "Reaches is just too cold, and I dunno where else I'd go. Ista maybe... but I thought it'd be good to stay here at the Hall for a while and teach." Sure, journeymen journey. But that's not /all/ they do. And maybe Lin has other reasons for wanting to be back at the Hall that's been her home for most of the last five Turns.

Rathan lets a small smile creep over his expression as he nods. "I understand completely. I like it just fine where I am now and wouldn't want to be anywhere else." Though it could be even better here. "Especially anywhere like Reaches." Just think of the cold and all those...riders. He even shudders at the thought. Just too busy for him. This place has become his home and it's here that he's content to stay.

"It's nice here." It takes a moment or two for Linora to realize that she's staring at him, and with a little blush she returns her eyes to the now-closed book in front of her. Not much studying going on just now. Ahem. "Reaches is okay... I mean, it /is/ really cold and stuff. And the riders... well..." She shrugs a little. "Some of 'em are nice, but they're pretty different." From people Linora thinks of as 'normal', anyway. "Anyhow, it's only a few more months..."

The staring goes completely unnoticed as Rathan just listens. Giving a small shudder at the mention of the cold, he quickly agrees. "It was /way/ too cold up there for me. I'm content to stay where it's a bit warmer." As for there riders, that's a whole nother subject that he doesn't even want to touch. "Yep, then you'll be all done." The last is said with a smile and more than a little anticipation.

Something in his tone makes Linora look up again, and her eyes light noticeably at the expression on his face. "I'll hardly know what t'do with myself," she says quietly. She might have an idea or two, though. She flips the book back open again, her fingers absently tracing the chart she'd been copying before, but she doesn't resume her work just yet.

Rathan pushes himself off the desk, pulling another chair alongside her's and sitting down. Another smile is given as his face lights up. "Oh! I've got it! I know what you can do with yourself to pass the time!" His face takes on a completely serious expression as he turns to look at her. "What about doing some charting to pass the time?"

Linora blinks and looks at Rathan, taking him quite seriously. "Well," she says at last, "I s'pose..." She must not completely hate it, since she chose it for her specialty. "I'll prolly be teaching and stuff too." She looks at her hand then, the random motions of her fingers stopping at the edge of the page... and then looks up at him again. "Yeah, that'd keep me busy enough." Is she teasing him back? It might be hard to tell, since she looks equally serious.

Rathan nods sagely. "Good. Cause everyone knows that idleness is bad." Now isn't that just a revelation. "I guess teaching would be good too. I was never much interested in that." Then again, he wasn't much interested in classes either, hence his new position. "And if that ever gets boring, I'm sure one of the Masters could suggest something new to keep you busy."

Linora drops her chin into her hand then, tilting her head to focus on Rathan's face just a bit crookedly. Or maybe it's just her smile that's crooked. "Oh, probably," she says lightly, just going along with the conversation, as an unruly length of hair slips down to half-obscure her face. She ignores it. "I could prolly find something to keep me busy," she continues quietly, looking quite intently at him now.

Rathan nods solemnly. "That's good. My new job keeps me busy enough. But it's not a bad busy, I really love what I'm doing." He spends practically all his time including freetime out in the gardens, tending and planting and whatever. "Just gotta find something that you love. And when you do, you begin to wonder where the time actually goes."

A slow smile spreads across Linora's face. "That's great," she says quietly. "Course, any kind of busy does that," she adds, a little tease lighting her pale eyes. "Any kind of love, too." As soon as the words are out of her mouth, though, she colors deeply, quickly turning her eyes back to her book and letting a bit more of her hair tumble down to obscure her face. Of all the things to say out loud--and of all places!

Rathan turns slowly to face her as she hides her face. Gently a hand moves to push back her hair, making her face visable once more. "Aye..." he says slowly and softly, "That is true." He falls silent, unsure of what to say. Watching her, he tries to get her to look at him once more.

Linora does look up at the gentle touch, pink still coloring her cheeks. "I-it is?" Well, of course she'd thought it was, or she wouldn't have blurted it out like that, but she wasn't sure he'd agree with her somehow. In any case, she's completely forgotten about her book again.

Rathan nods once more, slowly tucking a few more stray strands behind her ear before letting his hand gently touch her cheek as if trying to brush the redness away. "Of course it is," he says just as soft, his face coming down to her level as he smiles at her. He's definatly in agreement with her on that point.

Linora's eyes close at the light caress on her cheek, and her smile returns, much softer now, as the blush finally begins to subside. "I love you," she whispers, for his ears alone, pale eyes opening again to fix on his face... so close now.

Rathan's caress stops momentarily as she looks at him and utters those words. Slowly getting his composure back, a smile returns to his face, this time wider than before. "I love you too," he returns, his voice barely a whisper, his face even coloring a bit in the process.

Linora all but beams, oddly surprised by the way it feels to hear those words. She reaches up to catch his hand where it touches her cheek, her fingers closing around it with a firm but gentle squeeze. "Winter'll be here soon," she says softly, with the unspoken promise that she will be as well. It only /feels/ like time just stopped.

Rathan nods slowly again as his eyes meet her's. "Aye..." is his echoing of her statement. Winter's just around the corner and he'll make due in the meantime. Eventually the smile returns and his eyes light up. "Just make sure you're not /too/ busy." He says in a teasing tone. "Don't want to get too caught up in work."

Linora lets out a small giggle at the tease. "Don't worry," she whispers. "I could never work hard enough to forget you." And she's hoping she'll never have to. "I could do with a break... wanna get lunch or something? And I'll walk you back to work?" Since his work involves fresh air, and sunshine, and all the things Lin loves.

Rathan doesn't say anything in response to her 'confession,' but his face shows his feeling all too clearly, he feels the exact same way. "I think a break would be nice. I'm up for wherever you want to go." Smiling, he pushes his chair back out from the table and rises, offering his hand to help her up. "Lead the way?"

Linora takes the offered hand and gets to her feet, all too willing to abandon her notes until later... whenever 'later' might be. "I'm starving," she admits, leading him toward the door. "How's the food at the dining hall these days?"

Rathan quite happily allows himself to be led, giving a shrug in the process. "Dunno, guess the same as it's always been." He's not one to frequent such a place very often, or at least when the kitchen's are open. "I know their stew and porridge is about the same, other than that..." Stew and porridge are usually the only things on the hearth at the times he's there.

Dining Hall
Coming from the other rooms, the Dining Hall seems a little dimmer, Which it is. Positioned throughout the room are about a dozen tables suited for up to eight people each. It is far more than the Hall needs, but it is always nice to be safe than sorry. A table is set up off to the side. On it is a collection of cooled juices and fruits which are kept fresh from the nearby Orchards. With the constant state of furor created by recent events there few drudges not busy elsewhere, So please serve and clean up after yourself. A fire burns merrily along the west wall, and overstuffed, cushioned couches and chairs have been placed in front of it.

Rathan walks in from the Gar Hold Entry Hall.

Some of today's lunch is still left, it was: Roast wherry legs with hot buttered rolls. There's also: Fresh redfruits, crispy vegetable rolls, and the inevitable meatrolls.

Rathan glances at the chalkboard to see what the menu is for today.

The walk from the archives is mostly silent, Linora not really feeling the need to chatter much all of a sudden. But when she gets a look at the menu board, she smiles brightly. "Looks like you can try something else today," she teases, slipping her hand from Rathan's and heading over to fill a plate with whatever looks good. That and a large mug of juice -- really, there's nothing like the juices from Gar's orchards! -- and she secures an empty table for them.

Rathan follows slowly behind her in getting his plate. Looking over everything, he settles on a couple of rolls and a redfruit before heading over and pouring himself a cup of klah. Smiling, he sets his plate and mug down on the table before sliding into a chair. "You keep getting distracted and you'll never get back up to Reaches." he says with a grin, the tease apparent.

Linora flushes deeply at the tease, looking sheepishly up at Rathan over the rim of her mug. "I wish," she teases right back, the blush beginning to fade. "But if I don't, I'll /never/ finish. And if I never finish, I'll never get promoted." The rest of the argument is left unsaid, but she's beginning to see the wisdom behind those restrictive apprentice rules. "Anyhow, I gotta /eat/," she continues, quite contentedly proceeding to do so.

Rathan grins. Ah that sticky thing called promotion. Of course some would say that he just took the easy way out, but that's not really true. "Well then don't you think you should be working?" But at the next comment, he smiles. "Ah yes, eating is probably a good idea. Hunger pains would probably distract you from your work and besides, they wouldn't be very pleasant." His attention returns to his plate as he slowly begins to pick apart a roll.

Linora stops eating to grin up at Rathan. "I'll work right after lunch," she assures him. Nevermind that she promised to walk him to work afterwards... which carries all sorts of additional distractions with it. "Anyhow... I should go back tonight." She rolls a shoulder, dropping her eyes to her lunch. It's really the best way to avoid distraction, after all. Distance.

Rathan just smiles and nods. Who is he to disagree with her? "Aye, you don't want to stay away too long, might miss something important." The thought of her having to be up there for /another/ turn is worse than the thought of her leaving tonight. Besides, it's only lunchtime now, so he's got a while.

Linora manages a little giggle. "It's all the same stars... you know they don't look the same up there," she adds, probably unnecessarily, but she has no idea how many classes Rathan actually took before he decided he didn't want to apprentice anymore. "But this season's charts aren't quite done yet, and the change is real soon." An Event Not To Be Missed.

Rathan pauses in tearing up his roll just long enough to stick his tongue out at her. "Of course I know. That's why I was saying you don't want to miss anything with the change coming up." He took enough clases to know the basics. Actually he attended all his classes during his time as an apprentice, it just that he usually went unnoticed.

Hiding in corners, no doubt. Linora flashes an unapologetic grin. "I s'pose I'll hafta learn something about plants and dirt, then?" Just to be completely fair. And maybe because she'll want to spend at least some of her time where he is... when she gets back.

Rathan smiles again as he finally takes a bite of the roll, or what's left of it. "Oh, it's not that hard. Insert shovel, remove dirt, place plant, and replace dirt. That's how it's done, now whether or not it grows is another matter. Some people follow those directions and get wonderful results, others kill everything they touch." It's just like anything else, you've got to have some kind of aptitude to be good at it. "But we'll just have to wait and see which catagory you fall in." when she gets back.

Linora's giggle at the simplistic Intro to Gardening is abruptly cut short when Rathan hits the subject of which category /she/ will fall in. "Me?" she all but squeaks, coughing rather a lot until a long sip of juice quiets it. "You want me to plant stuff?" Now there are things Lin is good at. And things Lin enjoys. 'Growing things' has never fallen in either of these categories.

Well then there's no time like the present to learn, or at least in this case, the near future. Grining, Rathan sips at his now cold klah. "Yep, you. We'll see just how well you do." See, he learned about stars and stuff, now she can try her hand at planting. "I'll show you what to do and we'll just hope that you don't end up killing the whole gardens or something like that."

Linora grins at that, a little flush coming to her cheeks. "Sure I wouldn't be better off in the archives?" she returns quickly. "I don't think the masters'd be too happy to have an apprentice--or even a journeyman!--" Her voice trails off, the sentence left uncompleted. Well, she's been working towards this for Turns... but somehow she's never really used the word in reference to herself. Even her future self. And the future isn't looking all that far away. "I guess I could try it," she finishes softly, thinking that maybe there aren't many things she /wouldn't/ try if Rathan asked her to.

... At some point right around here, both decided they were better off returning to their respective duties than tempting fate... or each other... any more than they already had!