Chain Gang

Posted on Thu Feb 16th, 2023 @ 7:09pm by Goldrider Kenna

Mission: CFH
Location: Outside Cay Fjord Hold
Summary: Kenna questions the Lord Holder's methods of obtaining a workforce
Timeline: Current

The warmth of the late spring sun felt glorious on Kenna's face as she and Tith skimmed along the top of the cliff faces. The new road under construction from piers and warves at river leading to the Hold looked like a busy trail of trundlebugs from her current altitude.

**Head down to the main construction tent, Tith, please,** the junior Weyrwoman asked her dragon.

In response the chubby little gold dragon lazily spun on a wingtip to change her direction slight then started to glide down to a large cluster of tents and people.

Shortly, people were scattering as the gold dragon landed in whirlwind of flapping wings and debris stirred up by the errant gusts of wing turbulence. Kenna smirked to herself as she dismounted. She took a slight perverse pleasure at the fear and obedience a gold dragon instilled in people. After Tith removed herself to sunnier part of the cliff face, Kenna was greeted by the construction foreman. He was a big man that wore the knots of a senior journeyman from the Smith craft hall.

"Weyrwoman Kenna," the man said as he smiled at the much shorter woman. "Right on time to see some fireworks!"

"Journeyman Troyan," Kenna smiled in reply. "Fireworks, you say?"

Trojyan led the gold rider to a spot over looking a stretch of road winding up the cliff. Kenna could see the people below scrambling frantically... then an explosion assaulted her ears and the ground shook so hard her legs trembled threatening to put her on her knees. Troyan placed a steadying hand on her shoulder until the moving earth stopped.

"Was that the fireworks you mentioned?" Kenna asked.

Troyan's concerned face told her it wasn't what he expected. Before he could say anything, a blue firelizard appeared with a small tube attached to his leg. Troyan took the tube and sent the firelizard to sit on a rock until the contents of the tube were read.

"Another 30 dead and injured," the foreman growled. "This has to stop."

Grabbing the man's arm, Kenna sought an answer, "Dead? And what do you mean this has has to stop? It's happened before??"

Looking around quickly, Troyan took Kenna's hand and directed her away to place nobody would hear him.

"We are losing 10 to 50 workers a week from the explosive charges being too large. The Lord Holder somehow accessing explosives and having the workers set the charges without permission of the Minecraft Hall. We lose 10 workers one day... the next morning there's double that number to fill the empty spots."

Kenna's mind raced at the news. She had to tell Halinah. Yet she needed more information from Troyan.

"How is he getting the prison conscripts here so quickly?"

The smithcraft journeyman licked his lips as he looked around again before speaking, "They aren't prison conscripted, Weyrwoman. The Lord Holder has set up his own conscription."

"His own conscription?? That is illegal!!
Troyan, halt ALL construction of this road. I'll not have anymore lives lost on a project I am responsible for! Why didn't you say anything sooner??" Kenna growled.

"Lady Kenna..." Troyan started. "The Mine Hall journeyman spoke up to the Lord Holder about this. He's not been seen since. The Hall has reported him missing."

Kenna's eyes flew wide at the words. She now knew things couldn't wait.

"I'm having Tith send out a request of help. A wing of riders will be here soon. In yhe meantime, let's get everyone to safety."

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Jr Weyrwoman Kenna
NPC Smith Hall Journeyman Troyan
Michele ~ [email protected]