Read Online Without Rhythm (The Lament) by P.S. Power - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: P.S. Power
Tags: Fantasy
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small jar of toothpaste and a brush, obviously having seen that she had nothing. A comb too. She nearly hugged him, but decided to save that for later, because he finished writing and literally ran from the room without calling for her to follow.
"Now, the showers... I don't have time to show you how to use them personally, but there are rules here, since we can only carry so much water. You get about ten gallons worth per day, and need some of that for other washing and so on. Um... Turn the water on, get yourself wet, then scrub everything really well and rinse. If you resist the temptation to stand under the water and really just knock the soap off then stop... that takes about four gallons. You might need another shower later, so you'll want to be really good about it. No one actually monitors that, but if you go over too often the Captain will yell at everyone and being the new person you'll be the one stared at while she does." Grinning happily he slapped her on the shoulder.
"On the good side that won't be me anymore! Think you have it?"
"I think so. No clue what to do after that, but I guess that's up to me anyway, right?"
"Sounds about correct. Just go outside and talk to whichever Guardian is there. They'll know what you need to do. When in doubt ask someone. It's what I always do at least."
Then he left, jogging away himself. Hopefully she hadn't made him too late, since she really wanted him to like her and getting into trouble for helping her on the first day wouldn't promote that at all.
The shower was a small thing, barely big enough for her to stand in, but it worked the same as every shower did. You turned a spigot on and warm water came out. She tried to just get herself damp enough under the spray for the soap to work, remembering what Roy had told her. It still felt good to get clean. She really was tempted to stay in and just let the water wash away the last couple of days, but that wasn't going to work and she had a feeling that being self-disciplined all the time was something she'd have to work on now. She'd been pretty driven before, practicing daily, pushing to do more, but it wasn't a constant thing at all. She'd had some time to play and relax, she realized. That probably wasn't going to happen anymore.
After she dressed and put her new gear in her room, inside the little chest bolted down to the foot of her cot, the towel hanging up on a wall mounted bar to dry like Roy's was, she jogged outside, trying not to seem too lazy. It was hard, since her head still felt full of wool, but she did it. There was no one in the front of the ship, but she could see the twenty or so lines that tied the thing down now, the daylight being just enough for her to make them out.
She looked around hard, but there didn't seem to be anyone around at all yet. Except that when she turned Mara was there, smiling at her as if she'd won a prize.
"Brilliant. Definitely the best new apprentice ever. I figured you'd sleep for most of the day, and here you are, ready to stand watch and everything. You've eaten and all that, right? Don't need to use the facilities or anything?"
Pran nodded, which was apparently enough for the woman, who suddenly gave her a very intense look.
"Good. Look, I don't really know what the others expect from you. Honestly I don't care. I already know that you're tough enough for this job and that you have the brains for it. What I don't know is how total your commitment is. That's the key here Pran. Guardian Pran. Can you give everything you are, all the time, to the task at hand? I'll warn you, most can't. That's the special skill of the Guardians, if we have one. Not strength or fighting prowess or even our tools. Just a willingness to do what's needed all the time. That you got yourself up and going is... really about the best sign of that I can imagine right now, but you have to keep doing it. Think you can?"
The look was expectant, but not judging. She watched closely though, waiting
"Now, the showers... I don't have time to show you how to use them personally, but there are rules here, since we can only carry so much water. You get about ten gallons worth per day, and need some of that for other washing and so on. Um... Turn the water on, get yourself wet, then scrub everything really well and rinse. If you resist the temptation to stand under the water and really just knock the soap off then stop... that takes about four gallons. You might need another shower later, so you'll want to be really good about it. No one actually monitors that, but if you go over too often the Captain will yell at everyone and being the new person you'll be the one stared at while she does." Grinning happily he slapped her on the shoulder.
"On the good side that won't be me anymore! Think you have it?"
"I think so. No clue what to do after that, but I guess that's up to me anyway, right?"
"Sounds about correct. Just go outside and talk to whichever Guardian is there. They'll know what you need to do. When in doubt ask someone. It's what I always do at least."
Then he left, jogging away himself. Hopefully she hadn't made him too late, since she really wanted him to like her and getting into trouble for helping her on the first day wouldn't promote that at all.
The shower was a small thing, barely big enough for her to stand in, but it worked the same as every shower did. You turned a spigot on and warm water came out. She tried to just get herself damp enough under the spray for the soap to work, remembering what Roy had told her. It still felt good to get clean. She really was tempted to stay in and just let the water wash away the last couple of days, but that wasn't going to work and she had a feeling that being self-disciplined all the time was something she'd have to work on now. She'd been pretty driven before, practicing daily, pushing to do more, but it wasn't a constant thing at all. She'd had some time to play and relax, she realized. That probably wasn't going to happen anymore.
After she dressed and put her new gear in her room, inside the little chest bolted down to the foot of her cot, the towel hanging up on a wall mounted bar to dry like Roy's was, she jogged outside, trying not to seem too lazy. It was hard, since her head still felt full of wool, but she did it. There was no one in the front of the ship, but she could see the twenty or so lines that tied the thing down now, the daylight being just enough for her to make them out.
She looked around hard, but there didn't seem to be anyone around at all yet. Except that when she turned Mara was there, smiling at her as if she'd won a prize.
"Brilliant. Definitely the best new apprentice ever. I figured you'd sleep for most of the day, and here you are, ready to stand watch and everything. You've eaten and all that, right? Don't need to use the facilities or anything?"
Pran nodded, which was apparently enough for the woman, who suddenly gave her a very intense look.
"Good. Look, I don't really know what the others expect from you. Honestly I don't care. I already know that you're tough enough for this job and that you have the brains for it. What I don't know is how total your commitment is. That's the key here Pran. Guardian Pran. Can you give everything you are, all the time, to the task at hand? I'll warn you, most can't. That's the special skill of the Guardians, if we have one. Not strength or fighting prowess or even our tools. Just a willingness to do what's needed all the time. That you got yourself up and going is... really about the best sign of that I can imagine right now, but you have to keep doing it. Think you can?"
The look was expectant, but not judging. She watched closely though, waiting
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