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Fun With Fish


Date:  August 25, 1997
Place:  Baker Training Center
Game:  PernMUSH
Copyright Info:  The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey 
l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

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Kassi's Note:  This was fun!  Nobody uses a dead animal as a hand puppet 
this time, it's all business, except for a few roly-poly fish eyes 
wandering around.  Ofira and Lathen demonstrate how to cook a bluefin to
perfection for a set of industrious students.

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The Log:

You stride purposefully into the training center.

Makeda wipes her hands on her aprons and follows after Lathen.

Dovell smiles warmly at Kassima, and points her towards a fish. "Over
there, ma'am."

Ainsira goes to the lecture area takes a seat, staring around at all the
people she doesn't know.

Makeda manages a quick smile for Kassima before she turns her attention to
the craft second.

Ofira waves to Kassima as she takes her seat and then looks to Lathen.

Makeda brightens as she spies Ainsira. "I remember you from Ista. Remember
me?"

Kassima sprints in, not *quite* running and managing somehow not to run
into anyone either. "Oh! Benden's duties, all... sorry I'm late...." She
mutters and mumbles more polite greetings, apologies, and whatnot as she
makes her way over to a fish, with the slightest of groans at being
ma'amed. "M'thanks... um...." Her memory apparently fails her, and she
lamely finishes, "Journeyman."

Ainsira waves eagerly to Makeda!

Lathen looks distracted as another person comes in at the door. He nods
several times, opens his mouth to speak, then looks at teh entry again,
just in case. The pause allows people to take a seat and quiet down.

Dovell grins. "Baker's duties, I'm Dovell," he nods and turns to help an
older man.

Ofira stations herself off to the side, up front, where she can be
available to assist Lathen.

Kassima chuckles and returns in kind with, "Kassima, green Lysseth's rider
of Benden," before obediantly taking a seat and shushing.

Saraken looks up from speaking with one of the apprentices to wave in
Kassi's direction, "Baker's duties!" she calls over in greeting.

Lathen smiles around the cavern. "Welcome, once again, to the Bakercraft's
Cooking Seminar. Tonight we're going to be grilling these bluefins. I
pulled them off the Clear Skies myself, so they're perfect for this dish.
After preparing the fish, we'll marinate them, then grill them over a hot
fire." He pauses, then grins. "You'll love it."

Dovell chuckles quietly.

Makeda smiles as if she believes Lathen.

Ainsira nods in eager agreement with the craftsecond.

Ofira wrinkles her nose ever so slightly, smiling agreement.

The fish in question is a long, tubular fish with firm, white flesh.
They're so fresh that Lathen skipped a handfasting at his own posting to
secure them. They don't stink at all. They have blue fins on a silvery body.

Lathen nods toward the workstations. "So, if you'll take up your places, we
can begin gutting." This reminds him, and he turns to Ofira, "You wanted to
speak about knives?"

Ofira nods to Lathen, "I did...essential to the task, really." she says,
repeating a lesson that he actually taught her, long ago.

Dovell steps over to share a fish with Makeda.

R'val licks his lips, eagerly.

Kassima grins slightly as she, too, bobs her head once in accordance. Her
eyes stray over to the impressive collection of fish. "Gutting," she
murmurs. "Always one of my favorite parts...." She chooses a hapless
ichthyoid to be her victim, and smiles down at the poor thing. One may get
the feeling that it's rather fortunate that the fish is deceased.

Ofira keeps an eye on the Benden contingent while Lathen speaks.

Makeda moves over towards Ainsira to share her test fish. She frowns
slightly at Dovell. She is after all Ofira's special apprentice.

Lathen is also watching the Benden contingent. When the silence lengthens,
he turns to Ofira, saying, "Oh, I thought you were going to talk about
knife safety."

Dovell smiles, and moves away to let Makeda share with someone else. He
finds the last untaken fish.

Ainsira touches her fish with a hesitant finger. She rubs the scales the
wrong way and eeps!

Ofira nods to Lathen, her glance lingering on Kassima and mounts the podium
to the lecturn, taking a rather large knife in hand and holding it aloft
for the class to see. "Anyone know what this is?" she queries.

Makeda smiles at Ainsira and turns her attention back to Ofira. "A knife?"

"'Tis a knife," Kassi states at once, eyeing the weapon appreciatively.

Ainsira turns around to look at the knife. "I wonder if it has a special
name" she says to Makeda.

R'val slides his fingers around one another, watching Ofira and Lathen.

Makeda shrugs. "She didn't ask what kind of knife," she mutters.

Ofira shakes her head slowly and dramatically plunges the knife intot the
wood of the lecturn. "It might be.../or/ it might be an instrument of death
and destruction!" she says dramatically. "What makes the difference?"

Makeda says "How you use it?"

Ainsira gulps and jerks her hand away from her fish as if it's the knife.

Lathen had expected this, since he's used this line on apprentices for
fifteen turns. He grins and leaves the lecturn to go deal with the details
of the marinade.

"Whether or not the wielder's proddy!" a wit calls from his chosen place.

Maylia strides purposely in from the kitchen.

Ainsira nudges Makeda and giggles.

The students are gathered in the lecture end of the cavern. Ofira has a
quivering knife stuck in the lectern. There are fish at each work station.

R'val chuckles softly, "How you handle it." he calls out.

Makeda glances over at Kassima and hides a smile at the teasing remark. She
is one notes half a room away fromt he Benden greenrider.

Ofira nods solomnly, "Exactly," she says, her voice dropping to a whisper,
as she ignores the proddy comment. "Have you ever /seen/ the damage that
can be done to an innocent fish or wherry by using the wrong knife in the
wrong way?" She pulls the knife free of the wood easily and waves it
around. "have you?"

Ainsira looks a bit nervous as she sees the sharp blade cutting the air.

Lathen has and speaks up, "Criminal. Just criminal." His voice is muffled
from the fact that he's kneeling and digging in a satchel.

Eyeing the wavering knife, Maylia edges quietly into a seat next to
Bradamante.

Makeda nods solemnly keeping her eyes straight ahead.

Dovell blinks quietly.

Kassima rolls her eyes at the heckler, then nods to Ofira, managing to keep
a straight face. "Aye, I think it could be said that I have." Sniggers
erupt from a few other Benden riders at that one.

Bradamante looks down at the fish she just recently had to herself and
sighs before turning to the strange girl and smiling a welcome.

Maylia, eyes on Ofira, flickers a glance with a smile to the girl.

Ofira taps the blade lightly with a fingertip, and then surreptitiously
puts it to her lips as she nicks it. She can never get that part of the
demonstration right. "Very well, " she says ominously, "Just remember
that." She sets down the knife and takes up a much smaller but equally
sharp one. "This is the knife we'll be using tonight. A standard
boning/paring knife."

Dovell has removed his fish's eyes, and is rolling them back and forth on
his cutting board.

Ainsira winces as Ofira nicks her finger. -She- learned something from that
part of the demonstration.

Lathen doesn't need to see the tiny knife his colleague has held up. He
grins. When he stands up, he sees Dovell and frowns mightily.

Makeda picks up the same knife from the training station. She's done this
many times. She frowns at Dovell. "Ewwww, Dovell that's awful!"

Ainsira watches Makeda intensely.

Ofira clears her throat, watching the students squabble. "Are you quite
finished?"

Kassima picks up the knife with the ease of one who handles similar
implements of death and destruction regularly. She hides a grin at the
rolling eyes, with some difficulty.

Lathen moves swiftly up behind Dovell and hisses in his ear, "Stop acting
like some yeast-puffed dough-head and pay attention to your craftmaster,
Journeyman." The baker's voice quivers with anger.

Makeda turns her attention, good girl that she is, back to Ofira. When no
one is looking she sticks her tongue out at Dovell.

Ofirasighs and returns her attention to the small knife. "Now...let me
demonstrate the proper grip...it can make all the difference..."She holds
the knife up carefully held in her right hand.

Pearl strides purposely in from the kitchen.

Dovell answers Lathen with a solemn nod, quickly moving the eyes to the
side. He avoids meeting anyone's eyes.

R'val duplicates Ofira's grip, holding up the knife at his station.

Perched on Dovell's shoulder, Tarosheg eats the eyeballs happily.

Ainsira holds her hand out for the knife she and Makeda are sharing, to try
the grip.

Kassima watches Ofira carefully, checking to make sure that her own grip is
secure. She adjusts it a bit until she's content with the knife's placement
in her hand.

Maylia waits to see if the girl next to her goes for the knife, and when
she doesn't she reaches for it, mimicking the grip. Satisfied, she hands it
carefully to her station-partner.

Makeda hands the knife carefully to Ainsira, blade down and away from her.
"You try. I've done it before. Careful now. It's sharp!"

Bradamante slips the right knife out of the knife kit at her belt and winks
to her fish-partner.

Ofira looks around the room, checking the grips and nods, satisfied and
then looks to Lathen, stepping down from the lecturn. "I think that does it."

Ainsira works her fingers around to take the knife by its handle, holding
it securely. She imitates the grip.

Dovell grins to himself, lightly tracing the lines where he'll cut out the
fillets.

Makeda nods. "That's exactly right, but for someone from Ista that's what
I'd expect." She smiles at the younger girl.

Ainsira grins from ear to ear and puts the knife down carefully.

Lathen gives Ofira a satisfied nod. He's at a station and holds up his
bluefin. "Now, we aren't going to scrape scales. We'll be gutting and
filleting -against- the skin. It's slightly more wasteful, but it's
quicker. The southern fisherman developed the technique. The heat, you know."

Ainsira furrows her brow at Lathen's explanation.

Makeda takes the knife. "I'll show you."

Makeda hesitates. "Oh! Is that okay, Sira?"

Ainsira puts her hand out for the knife, then draws it back. "I'll never
learn if I don't do it myself, Makeda."

Ofira nods thoughtfully at Lathen's choice of technique, "That's rather
challenging," she comments.

Lathen takes up his knife (just like Ofira showed to hold it) and with an
economy of movements that suggests hundreds of thousands of repitions, he
beheads and details the fish, lays it open, removes its entrails, and looks
out at the students. "Get to this point, and we'll do the fillets together."

Makeda nods and returns the knife to the Istan girl. "Your right and being
from Ista it will come in handy."

Ainsira frowns. "I could use some help. He went so fast!

Bradamante leans her head towards Maylia and whispers in her ear.

Makeda nods. "Take the head of with one clean stroke. Apply some pressure
to the knife."

Lathen nods at Ofira's comment and nods to her with a bit of grimace.
"Yeah, but you remember that thick-fingered Tillek boy we had for a bit?
When he scraped, he usually turned the fillet into a meat ball."

Ainsira cuts the head off with perhaps a little too much pressure. It goes
sliding across the workstation.

Ofira winces, nodding to Lathen and goes down to walk among the students.
surveying their work and offering a hand where needed. "Anyone need help?"

Somebody removes their fish's eyes, just like Dovell, and then toss them
across the room in his direction.

Kassima smiles broadly as she watches, seeming confident in her ability to
behead and gut things. She bends industriously to her work, chopping the
head off with enthusiasm. A bit *too* much enthusiasm, for it flies up to
bean V'dan, her stationmate who is hanging around and trying not to look
queasy at the sight of blood, right in the head. He glares, she apologizes,
and the evisceration continues.

Maylia sits back, watching the certainly more experienced girl beside her
intently.

Ainsira tries to copy Lathen's next moves, looking to Makeda after each cut.

R'val cuts off the head with one easy, quick motion.

Makeda looks at Ainsira with a shockes expression. "Uh, that's good
Ainsira. Now take off the scales. You want me to do it the first time?"

Bradamante deftly slices the head off her fish, leaving a strip of it
attached to use as a handle as she pulls the skin away and starts
seperating skin frommeat, leaning out of the way so her partner can help.

Ainsira blinkd at Makeda. _He_ didn't.

Dovell quickly removes the fillets, making a pile for the parts that they
won't be using.

Makeda nods and blushes. "My mistake. Do what he did."

Ofira ducks the flying fish eyes, peering at the work of one of the holders
and offering a helpful hand.

Ainsira gets the fish laid open and seems to have no trouble getting out
the yucky parts.

Maylia raises her eyebrows, adjusts her hold on the knife so she's holding
it as such, not as a scalpel, and starts to help.

Lathen pauses to help a lad from Crom. When he turns his attention to the
other students, he's got a green bit of goo stuck to his cheek. "Now,
everybody got the fish laid open? Good. Dovell, excellent work. Can you go
around and help with removing the spine?"

Ofira looks over Kassima's shoulder and tsks gently, "it's a bit
mangled...here..." she reaches over to straighten the poor fish.

Makeda puts her hands behind her back to keep from grabbing the knife from
Ainsira and doing it herself. "Go on, your doing great."

Some of the apprentices stationed at the training center are already
building a fire under the grill.

Ainsira sets the knife aside carefully when she's done. "Now what could I
have done better. You were nervous."

Kassima absently reaches over to pick a fish eye out of V'dan's hair, where
it somehow got lodged. The greenrider turns a faint shade of chartreuse.
"Really, V'dan, you'd think you'd have more stomach after all these
turns...!" She dangles a bit of entrail at him, but stops when he suddenly
flees for the nearest necessary. "Wonder what got into him? Oh, thankee,
Ofira--it looks much better now."

Makeda chuckles. "Naw, I just want to do it myself. Go ahead."

R'val regards his fish critically, wiping the knife off.

Ainsira grins. "You'll do a lot of 'em in your line of work."

Dovell smiles. "Yes sir." He aids the elderly man who he had met on the way
in, helping him cut a little deeper.

Ainsira frowns at the spine, and cranes to see what Dovell and the elderly
man are doing.

Makeda nods at Sira. "I already have. Really. It's fine."

Ainsira says "What do I do with this spine, Makeda?"

Dovell has a little trouble, but manages to help the man get the spine out
without hurting the fish.

Ofira peers over R'val's shoulder and nods, "You can tell you've had healer
training," she remarks.

Lathen feels compelled to say, "And the entrails make the best feast your
firelizard will ever enjoy." He continues walking around. Eventually, he's
satisfied with the students' work. "Excellent. Now, starting at the head
end, you'll work the knife along the skin, freeing the meat. Don't worry
about trying to get all the meat off the skin. If you do that, you'll tear
the skin, and that'll be hard to deat with."

R'val grins at Ofira, 'Why, because I cut the head off?" he winks,' I
wasn't that sort of healer."

Maylia carefully imitates her fish-partner, working along one side of the
fish, occasionally exchanging smiles.

Makeda nods after Lathen finishes. "It's better to leave a little meat then
cut into the skin."

Ofira laughs, "No, you've cut it so neatly..."

Makeda lifts the spine out of the fish and sets it aside. "Now just cut the
meat off the skin."

Ainsira starts carefully cutting the meat from the skin. "Why is that,
Makeda? Does the skin taste bad?"

Ofira strolls over to Maylia, 'How're you doing here?" she asks.

Lathen leaves finishing up this part to Ofira and Dovell's tutelage. He
goes to clean his hands, then brings a whiteroot and a handfull of dill to
each workstation. The baker murmurs encouragement as he does so.

Kassima nods, eyeing a few of her blues as they squabble over the innards.
"So mine have discovered...." Sliding her knife along the dead fish's skin,
she efficiently and economically slices free the meat--one might get the
idea that she's done something of this nature before. At this part, at
least, she manages not to be too gory.

Ainsira smiles at Lathen's kind words.

Maylia carefully adjusts her hold on the knife and grins at Bradamante, "So
long as I follow, I'm OK... " She looks at the somewhat messy job she's
done with a wry smile.

Dovell nods to Lathen as he brings the herbs. "Maybe we should have
everyone wash their hands?"

Lathen agrees with the Journeyman. "Good idea. They won't end up with guts
on their clothes that way." The bit of goo on his own face is unnoticed.

Makeda says "It's tough and doesn't taste good."

Ofira looks up, fishy stuff all over her hands and apron, "I brought some
extra soapsand."

Pearl quickly flits *between*

Ainsira finishes her task and looks carefully for any skin still stuck to
the meat.

Makeda giggles at the Craftsecond. She of course is clean of all goo.

Makeda nods. "Good job."

Lathen speaks up, "After washing your hands, we'll prepare the marinade."

Dovell dabs off the pale chunk of flesh on Lathen's face, and nods. He
helps everyone take turns at the washbasins.

Ofira nods to Makeda. "YOu can fill the basins for washing, " she comments
as the apprentice laughs at the CraftSecond.

Makeda ducks her head down and hurries off to fill washing basins. "But
Ofira..." she points to the Craftsecond.

Ainsira lines up at the washbasins, careful not to touch anything. A few
times she moves to wipe her hands on her clothes, then stops herself.

Ofira nods to Makeda, looking at Lathen. "Yes...?"

Maylia offers her gooey hand to Snarl on her shoulder, who eagerly licks up
all he can.

Makeda faces the Craftsecond and swallows hard. "Sir, You have something
hanging on your face. Sir."

Bradamante umms "SO does that mean I can let Zoe eat half of thesee
entrails /here/?" as she points to her workstation?

Lathen wipes at his face. Since Dovell already picked off the goo, he finds
nothing there, so dismisses the comment. Once hands are clean and people
are, for the most part, back at their stations, Lathen speaks up, "Now, the
chopping part. Chop that white root and chop the herbs. If you've never
chopped herbs, get one of the bakers to show you the technique."

Ainsira looks pointedly at Makeda.

Ofira sighs and says quietly, "Makeda, none of us can help our physical
appearance...some of us are born attractive, others ...well...it just cant'
be helped.." she blinks as she realizes Makeda meant the fish goo.

Kassima wriggles her fish-gooed fingers, taking a place by the washbasins
herself. When it's her turn, she diligently scrubs off scales, flecks of
meat, and things best left unidentified. "Chopping. Chopping," she repeats
to herself, eyeing the herbs. "I remember how to do this...." Not that
*well*, since she's a bit awkward at first, but she seems to get the hang
of it after awhile.

Lathen looks at Bradamante and nods, "She can, yes, but remember in future
that bakers' firelizards do not normally ... " He pauses as he overhears
Ofira. The man frowns, and totally distracted, turns back to Bradamante. He
has no idea what he was going to say, so, nods at her.

Maylia chuckles indicating her sleeping pets... except Snarl who's staying
put wheter he likes it or not, "Sure, the guts are all yours!"

Bradamante winces as Zoe sinuously slithers down from her hair, delicate
green claws biting into her ears for balance as Zoe pitons her way to
freedom, whipthin tail strangling Bradamante's neck for secure purchase.

Zoe lifts her sculpted nose in the air and decides she wants to be
somewhere else right now!

R'val grimaces as he cleans his hands, commenting, "I'd never realized what
messy work this stuff was."

Makeda sighs. Another glare is gifted to Dovell. "I can help anyone that
needs it," she offers, subdued.

Zoe gulps entrails faster than you would have believe possible.

Bradamante winces as Zoe snuggles on her head, setting dainty green claws
in tightly and snugly wrapping her tail down Bradamante's braided hair.

Ofira nods, walking through the rows of student, stopping to help one chop
some whiteroot, as she is overcome by the odor.

Ainsira takes up the paring knife, and coping those she sees around her,
awkwardly chops the whiteroot and herbs.

Dovell smiles smugly at Makeda, then bends to recover a lost fish head, and
return it to its station.

Maylia sees something familiar about that green gulping entrails, but she
turns away to clean up.

Ainsira scrapes the chopped herbs into a neat pile, still blinking rapidly.

Bradamante takes the softer herbs and rolls them up like a bedroll, end on
end til she has a thick spiral, then she neatly cuts across the roll so the
herbs fall away in tiny slivers.

Makeda accidently steps on Dovells' hand as he retrieves the fish head.
"Oh, sorry," she mutters.

Kassima wipes at her eyes, which are tearing from the fumes of the
whiteroot. "'Tis nay so bad," she opines. "Nay feathers, and there're nay
any of the creatures being used as hand-puppets this time."

Ainsira sends a startled glance to Kassima.

Ofira goes to Kassima, "Don't rub your eyes until you wipe your
hands...you'll make it worse," she says, handing over a towel.

Dovell chuckles, but keeps his comments to himself. He lets a latecomer
take over his fish, going quickly but well over the knife safety, then
showing her how to chop the herbs.

Maylia nods approval at the herbs, and seeing as Bradamante is chopping
them, she grabs a whiteroot to chop.

Ainsira looks longingly toward the washbasins.

Over the rhythmic thumping of the numerous knives, Lathen speaks in a voice
used to such exertions, "Just put the choped vegetables and chopped herbs
in those medium bowls. Once you've finished, pour in that small bowl of
liquid. It's mostly yellow citron juice, but there's a bit of oil, too."

Makeda steps towards toward Ainsira again, "Need any help?"

R'val piles the herbs on his desk and begins methodically chopping, though
none too neatly.

Kassima nods gratefully, taking the towel and murmuring thanks for the
advice. "Thankee, Master Ofira. 'Twould explain why whiteroot and I have
never got along that well...." She grins ruefully, then sets to mixing up
veggies, herbs and juice in the bowls.

Ainsira gestures to the herbs and whiteroot, all chopped, before she
gathers them up and puts them in the bowl.

Ainsira hastily adds the citron juice to the bowl, hoping that will stop
her from smelling the whiteroot so much.

Makeda nods and steps aside, moving to assist a less talented older woman
from the Reaches.

Unthinkingly, Ainsira wipes her hands on her tunic. She notices what she
has done and wrinkles her nose in disgust.

Dovell hums a little tune, stepping in to flip someone's fish over a couple
of times, letting it soak better.

Lathen stops and watches R'val for a moment, then nods approvingly before
moving on. "That's excellent. Now, once you've done that, we'll pour the
marinade over the fillets, then we're through with everything except the
grilling." He adds, "That marinade will cook the fish a little, so we won't
leave it on too long. This isn't like wherry."

Ofira sniffs the contents of various bowls of herbs, sticking in a finger
to taste occasionally. "You want them to whisk these all together, don't
you Lathen? Before they pour."

Ainsira sounds out the strange word. "Mar-a-nade"

Lathen nods to Ofira. "Good point, yes. Thanks for the reminder."

Lathen nods to Dovell, murmuring, "Yes, good idea. That'll mix it up a bit
more, too."

Makeda helps the older women marinate her fish properly.

Ofira points out the whisks at the work stations. "Just mix the marinade
lightly before you pour it onto the fish..."

Dovell grins and nods.

Kassima picks up a whisk, peering at it and then down at the Bowl. She
shrugs, and starts to whisk. Whistling while she whisks, no less. "For
about how long should we whisk?"

Maylia expectantly looks at her fish-partner, then when she sees they're
ready, starts to whisk the mixture.

Ainsira takes her whisk and swishes it through the marinade. She's having
fun, stirring in rhythm to Kassima's whistle. Some marinade slops over the
edge, and she slows down some.

Lathen returns to lecturing, "Now, we've got a very hot grill ready. The
bluefin is a nice firm fish, so we're going to cook it fast. The herbs
might char a bit on the flesh, but that's a good thing."

Ofira cautions, "Just a few moments...not too hard! Lightly!"

Ainsira finishes and hesitantly pours the marinade over the fish.

Makeda helps her 'student' to follow the Craftseconds instructions.

R'val hrms and mixes quietly, then begins to pour it carefully over the fish.

Dovell continues helping people, generally knowing what he's doing.

Maylia taps the whisk on the side of the bowl to shake off the last drops,
then carefully pours the solution over the fillets.

Kassima raises her whisk, tapping it to free some of the liquid from it
before pouring the whole over her fillet o' fish.

Lathen moves over to the grill. "Just bring your fillets over here. We'll
put them on the fire once they begin to turn opaque." He shows his own
fillets. The meat has turned a little white from the citron.

Ofira goes over to the grill and flicks a drop of water onto it to test the
heat, just to be certain.

R'val stands and obediently brings over his fillet to Lathen.

Ainsira watches her bluefin turn whitish, then takes it over to the fire.

Bradamante smiles and pushes the fish toward Maylia.

Maylia peers into the bowl, and sure enough, the fish's turning white. She
brings it to the fire.

The drop of water Ofira flings turns to sizzling steam instantaneously.

Ofira nods to Lathen, "Looks ready to go, I'd say."

"Perfect," Lathen says of the water and accepts R'val's fillet. "Now,
Class, watch how I flop the fillet. You need to do this carefully, or the
fish will fold up while you're trying to put it on." The baker makes a
quick flip and the fish ends up perfectly flat. "If you just lay it out,
well... I don't like that."

Lathen shrugs apologetically without looking up. The sizzling from the
first fillet is loud, and the scent is mouth-watering.

Ofira nods, remembering being scolded for laying the fish out, many a time.
"Flopping is better," she agrees automatically.

Ainsira pulls her head back and frowns, then tries to imitate Lathen's neat
flop. The fish lands open, but almost off the edge of the grill.

Kassima picks up her fillet, peering with interest down at the meat. "I
wonder what makes it do that," she muses, then snaps to attention to watch
Lathen's fillet-flip-flopping technique. A bit hesitantly, she tries her
best to mimic the motion.

Maylia practices the motion required without the fish first, to avoid
possible mishaps. Satisfied, she attempts it and grins as the flat fillet
sizzles loudly.

Ofira nods to Maylia, "Not bad," she smiles.

Lathen uses a spatula to pick up Ainsira's fillet. He grins at her. "Not
bad for a first attempt." With a flick of the wrist, he flops the fillet out.

Ainsira watches again and looks at her own wrist, puzzled.

Ofira smiles, "I almost want to try one for old time's sake,"

Lathen laughs and moves so Ofira can flip out a few fillets. He turns
R'val's fillet, then hands his colleague the spatula.

R'val flicks his fish with a flick of his wrist and flops it, smiling at
his own effort, "How's that, hm?"

Lathen flipped the first fillet R'val handed him. The rider just put out
one of his own.

Ainsira steps back out of the way and watches the fish cook. She begins to
blink again and steps further back.

Ofira takes a fillet and with an expert twist of the wrist gets it laid out
nicely on the grill. "I've still got it," she grins.

R'val waggles his eyebrows at Ofira, grinning, "You certainly do."

Ofira blushes and kicks R'val lightly, so no one notices.

R'val oofs, and grins at Ofira naughtily.

Kassima rolls her eyes good-naturedly at the by-play, attention primarily
split between her fillet and the continuous attempt not to drool in public
over the succulent aroma of grilling fish.

There comes a point when several of the fillets are ready at once. Lathen
begins removing them from the grill to a serving platter held by one of the
apprentices. There is, in fact, a little char on the fillets, and they
smell terrific.

Ofira sniffs. "I think that one's getting done," she points.

Lathen gets the one Ofira points out. "You're right, indeed."

R'val's eyes widen as he licks his lips, watching the food hungrily.

Lathen grins and says, "These aren't like the wherries. We've got to eat
them now." He nods for the others to serve themselves off the platter held
by the apprentice. He, meanwhile, finishes the fillets on the grill.

Ofira shakes her head and steps back, letting the others enjoy.

Ainsira grins as she watches Lathen get the most fist. She lines up for her
share.

Ofira mutters, "I /still/ can't look at fish."

R'val blinks at Ofira, "Why not?"

Maylia waits until Bradamante's and her fish is ready and lands on the
serving plate, then carries it back to her fish-partner. She beams with
success, assuming the wonderful aroma has anything to do with its flavour.

Ofira laughs, "Too many during my SeaCraft days. I was never very fond of
them to begin with. Though this marinade does make them palatable."

Kassima helps herself readily enough to a serving of the fish, pausing only
long enough to wonder curiously, "Why must they be eaten right now?"

Bradamante can smell the fish over her firelizard entrail breath.

Lathen takes the last of the fish off the grill and takes a seat near
Kassima. "Because it tastes best when still hot. You're welcome to take it
with you and re-heat it in an oven, but it'll be dry."

Ofira replies to Kassima, "Fish is much more delicate...once cooked, if it
sits, it will toughen. The heat continues to cook it you see, even off of
the fire."

Ainsira gets her fish and eats it slowly, careful not to burn her mouth.
"This is good! Maybe I can cook after all."

Lathen grins over at Ofira.

R'val licks his lips and begins to eat, sighing with pleasure," Oh, it
/melts/ in the mouth."

Ofira looks at Lathen, "Well, that too," she nods. "Or so I'm told."

Ofira mutters to R'val, "... so... way... when... together,... if... a...
instead..."

R'val winks slowly at Ofira, eyes gleaming, He mutters to Ofira, "It's a...
of... my... rest assured,... taste... fish." 

Lathen has about three bites of his fish. He says to the crowd, "Well, it's
perfect. My compliments to each of you. If you end up stranded on an
island, you'll be able to eat like a Lord Holder."

Ofira laughs and looks to the students. "well, what do you say? Best fish
you've ever had?"

Kassima nods, wrinkling her nose at the very thought. "I've had drier fish,
aye, but 'twas nay truly aware of what made the difference." Sliding a
knife out of her belt, and managing to filch a fork from the unsuspecting
and less nauseous-looking V'dan, she cuts herself a piece and blows on it
lightly. "Provided that the island in question has the right herbs and
vegetables, Craftsecond," she can't help but quip with a grin.

R'val bobs his head with a grin, "Aye, delightful fish."

Mouth too full with fish to answer, Maylia looks over Bradamante's head and
nods to Ofira.

Ainsira chuckles at Lathen's comment. "If there's oil, whiteroot and herbs
on the island, and a grill, and a knife, and..."

Ofiranods to Ainsira, "Surely you'd not travel without those things...?"

Lathen smiles easily, saying to Kassima, "The only thing you might not find
would be the citron. Wild whiteroot is more pungent, so you'd use less. The
herbs I had the watchrider get from just such an island..." He nods toward
Ofira as she speaks up.

Ainsira looks surprised. "Well, Craftmaster, I guess I wouldn't if I was a
Baker."

Ofira looks at Lathen, "Well...I always do.." she laughs.

Lathen grins back at Ofira. "I always do, too."

Ofira blushes, "I suppose that's where Iearned it," she smiles, as the
students eat their fish.

"Certainly nay without the knife," Kassi murmurs after swallowing a bite of
fish. "'Tis a far sight better this way than raw, Ofira, in very truth."

Ofira smiles at kassima. "I don't suppose you'll remember that next time
Lysseth is proddy?"

Lathen gets to his feet. "Well, I've enjoyed seeing all of you. I must get
back to my 'hall, though." He grabs up his gear, pauses to look at the
kitchen. Seeing several of the apprentices already at work cleaning, he
smiles approvingly.

Ofira nods to Lathen, "See you next sevenday, if not before." She says,
going over to embrace him.

Ainsira gives respectful nods to both instructors. "Thank you very much for
the class, Craftsecond, Craftmaster."

R'val smiles and wipes his lips, turning to Ofira with a grin, "Ready when
you are, love."

Lathen gives Ofira a hug and, as usual, gives her a fond kiss on the side
of the head somewhere. As he leaves he gives R'val a thump on the shoulder.
"It was our pleasure, Ainsira."

Lathen returns to the main kitchen.

Ofira nods to R'val, taking his arm. "yes, it's late..."

Maylia, finishing a mouthfull considers the green firelizard atop
Bradamante's head. Finally placing it, she drops her fork with a startled
"Oh!"

Kassima grins with no trace of sheepishness or repentance at the
Craftmaster. "Nay, I think 'tis safe t'say 'twill nay be so--all cooked
meat tastes off t'me then. Clear skies, Craftse--shells and shards!" She
sighs, once, but then smiles wryly and continues polishing off her fish.

Ofira turns to Maylia, "It was good to see you her again," she smiles. "And
nice work apprentice Bradamante."

Ainsira finishes her fish and slips out quietly.

Ainsira returns to the main kitchen.

Bradamante glows at the praise.

R'val smiles and meanders outside with Ofira.

R'val returns to the main kitchen.

Ofira returns to the main kitchen.

Maylia waggles her fork at Zoe, asking Bradamante "Is she yours, or does
she do that to others, too?"

Bradamante pauses with a bite of fish halfway to her mouth and answers "Is
who mine?"

Maylia chuckles, "Ah, the green firelizard atop your head?"

Kassima cleans her plate, and sets it wherever it is that such things go
before taking her exit without fanfare.

You leave the training center for the relative calmness of the main kitchen.