[handset | audio] private to Brigid

[edgeoftheknife]

[Sometime during the afternoon roundabout the 6th]

Ms. Finn, do you have a minute?

Comments

[bostonhowler]

I do, yes. What can I do for you?

[edgeoftheknife]

Did you get set up at the Hotel? I haven't been around much myself lately, I was hoping you'd made it.

[bostonhowler]

I have, yes. Thank you very much.

[edgeoftheknife]

Right. So about that trade I mentioned--if you've got a couple of spare afternoons to help me out?

[bostonhowler]

I have not acquired employment yet, unfortunately. So all of my afternoons are free.

[edgeoftheknife]

Well, I've just opened a homeless shelter in the Earth Sector and I was hoping you might be willing to teach a couple of self-defense lessons. You said you're proficient in Krav Maga?

[bostonhowler]

I am, yes. I'm a bit rusty, having been away from the discipline for almost two years, but I can pick it up again. It would be nice to do some charity work. Though, I will still be looking for work, so that might be cutting into lesson times.

[edgeoftheknife]

I'm afraid I don't have anything at the shelter dealing with history or translation, but I am hiring. I could keep you on for further lessons part-time if it goes well?

Otherwise I'm looking for someone else to help me run the place, since even I can't be everywhere at once. I don't know if that sort of thing would be your speed.... The rest of the positions I have are a little more mundane, unfortunately. Laundry, cleaning. Cooking. Volunteer, mostly.

[bostonhowler]

I was an office manager for a pediatrician, if that's something you're looking for? I worked there during my high school and early college years. I can run the office without too much trouble, if that's the help you need.

[edgeoftheknife]

I don't have an actual office, per se, but I do have a small mountain of paperwork that's been piling up. Orders and deliveries and inventory and whatnot. If you can keep that all organized it would be a life-saver, honestly. I... don't have the best memory these days, and I don't want anything slipping because of it.

I'll be around most of the time, but you'd be on-hand to answer questions and keep things running smoothly if I have to step out for a bit. That sort of thing.

Would that work for you?

[bostonhowler]

That would be exactly what I'm used to doing. I wouldn't mind taking over all that work, at all.

[edgeoftheknife]

Fantastic. You're hired.

[bostonhowler]

[ She laughs. ]

I'll report for work tomorrow morning, shall I?

[edgeoftheknife]

Yes, tomorrow. Perfect.

Oh, and first order of business: we're going to need more volunteers. I've got a couple of kedan working in the kitchen and a couple of the residents helping with the laundry and such, but I'd like to get some dedicated volunteers on the books. I just don't want to be the one asking around. You don't have to go trumpeting it on the network or anything, but keep an eye out for any likely candidates, will you?

[bostonhowler]

I can help in the kitchen, I've volunteered in homeless shelters since I was thirteen.

[ Mostly. ]

Is there anything specific you're looking for in volunteers?

[edgeoftheknife]

Good God, you're more qualified to run this place than I am. I might as well just hand over the keys now.

[He's laughing now too]

Other than the housekeeping and cooking, I thought we might look into some kind of employment training. I'll be doing a bit of that myself, but the more the merrier, you know? I'm going to poke around the rest of the Earth Sector a bit, see if I can't set something up with some of the merchants around here.

And medical and self-defense, of course. Unless you're determined to do everything yourself.

[bostonhowler]

Oh no, you're not slipping out of responsibility so easily. I'm a good second in command, not the commanding officer.

[ But she's giggling pretty hard. ]

No, I think I'll leave some of the things for other people. Though, I will be rolling up my sleeves and helping when I can. As are you, I assume?

[edgeoftheknife]

Well, I was Grand Mage of Ireland back home. I suppose if I can manage to wrangle all the mages in Ireland I can handle one little shelter. Probably a lot less whinging and general idiocy involved as well.

Certain things, yeah. Believe me, nobody wants me in the kitchen.

[bostonhowler]

Grand Mage of Ireland?

[ That sounds important. ]

I'll cover the kitchen, you handle the laundry?

[ It's teasing, but cautious. ]

[edgeoftheknife]

Up until about a year ago, yes. It's much less fun than it sounds, don't let the name fool you.

Deal.

[bostonhowler]

It sounds boringly important. And full of politics. there's a reason I'm a good second in command.

[edgeoftheknife]

And there's a reason I didn't jump to volunteer for the job in the first place, believe me. The maturity level required far exceeded the one I was willing to put forth.

[bostonhowler]

Well, I will be your second in command. Maturity is all on you though.

[edgeoftheknife]

Good God, if that's the case then we're all doomed.

[laughing]

I'll see you in the morning. Can you find the place, do you think?

[bostonhowler]

I'll be fine. I'm a master of asking for directions.