On reaching the edge of the town their group met two others coming in from the same general jobs. The three groups were stopped at the intersection and gestured to the side by a tall, thin gentleman with gray in his black hair.
“My name’s Phil Sevetson. You didn’t meet me before you set out on the first phase of your familiarization, but I’m in charge of the program. You’ve completed your first week successfully and the day after tomorrow you will start on the next phase. What that is depends upon which group you are in and the names and designations of the groups were not communicated before you set out,” he added with a frown.
“Who is Herzer Herrick?”
“I am, sir,” Herzer said raising his hand.
“The group that you are with is group A-5. Who is in the group with Herzer, that was just cutting in the west wood with Jody? Please raise a hand.” He nodded as they raised their hands. “You are all group A-5, that is A for Anthony, Five. Any orders or information will be addressed to the group in that manner. That is, if there is a call for all groups to form in a certain area, you will gather with group A-5. Is that clear?” He waited until he got a nod from each then went on.
“Monique McBride? The group with Monique McBride, that was cutting in the west wood under the direction of Mislav Crnkovic, is group A-4. That is A as in Anthony, Four. All the members of A-4 please raise your hands.”
He continued the process with group A-6 and ensured that, yes, they all knew that they were A-6 and would appropriately respond.
“Very well, now that you all know who you are. Much to everyone’s surprise and massive damage to my training schedule, tomorrow has been designated as a day of rest. That means that you do not have to start your next phase tomorrow. Tomorrow you can rest. Just down the street from the town hall is the apprentice building,” he said, pointing. “After we are done here, go there to draw your meal chits. Your overseers are there now making a report. You will be given sufficient meal chits for this evening, tomorrow and Sunday morning. After the morning meal on Sunday and before noon, report to the apprentice hall again for your next assignment. Is this all clear? Are there any questions?”
“They said we’d get money for doing this shit,” Earnon said. “When do we get it?”
“Your supervisors are currently making their preliminary report to the apprentice hall,” Sevetson replied, pursing his lips. “Additional funds above basic subsistence up to a certain maximum are their determination. The maximum is one additional meal chit per week and a bonus for quality and quantity of work of one chit.”
“What?” Earnon growled. “That’s it? A couple of meals?”
“Meal chits are now the de facto currency of Raven’s Mill,” Phil replied with a sniff. “They can, for example, be used to purchase a bath at the new bathhouse,” he again gestured at the new buildings along the base of the hill. “They do not cost a full chit and there you can get change for whatever funds you are given.”
“Change?” someone at the back of the crowd asked.
“Funds that do not equal a full meal chit,” Sevetson replied. “You’ll get used to the system after a bit; it is, after all, ancient and venerable. Questions?”
“Where do we sleep?”
“Many of the temporary shelters are still available. Be warned that there has been some robbery of materials and money. It is wise to remain at least in pairs.”
“Can men and women sleep together now?” Earnon asked, sniggering.
“Not in the communal shelters,” the supervisor replied, wrinkling his nose and sniffing again. “There are other places that can be rented and you can walk a short distance out of town and sleep in relative comfort in the woods.”
“Great, we’re right back where we started,” Earnon grumbled.
“You are now familiarized with the tasks of woodcutting,” Sevetson corrected. “This is one of the basic tasks of this level of technology. It is a skill that can earn you money, more if you parlay it into skill in charcoal making. Next week you will be familiarized with other skills. Eventually you will be complete and if you have performed well enough at one of the skills, the supervisors may consider taking you on as an apprentice. You are not ‘right back where you started.’ ”
Earnon’s only answer was a glare, so the supervisor shrugged.
“If there are no more questions, go down to the apprentice hall, draw your chits and then you are free to spend your time as you wish.”
With that he strode off in the general direction of the apprentice hall and the rest followed.
In front of the hall under a wooden awning tables had been set up. Inside the hall, which was more of an elaborate log cabin, Herzer could see Jody, bandage on one hand, doggedly arguing with someone.
Earnon, Nergui and a few others from the other groups had pushed their way to the front so Herzer, Mike and Courtney hung back. When Earnon got his chits and counted them he let out a howl.
“I only got one chit for my work! I worked my tail off!”
The young woman parceling out the pay referred to her list again and shrugged.
“That’s what it says,” she replied.
“How much did Herzer get?” Nergui asked, nastily.
“I can’t tell you how much others get. Next.”
“Wait! I demand to see—”
“Me,” Sevetson said, walking over to the argument. “You demand to see me.” The man picked up the list then motioned Earnon to wait and walked into the room. He returned with a sheaf of paper bound together with string and opened it up.
“It says here, Earnon, that on the first day you caused an altercation, is that true?”
“No, it was Herzer that caused it, lying about me slacking off!”
“According to Mr. Dorsett, you were slacking off. Furthermore, you continued to contribute less than your fair share the entire week. As I said, you get, at most, one additional chit unless you get a bonus. Mr. Dorsett’s recommendation was that you be given no additional chits because ‘He’s a loud-mouthed slacker who thinks the world owes him a living.’ I can neither confirm nor deny the slacker portion but I did override his recommendation and ensure that you had at least some spending money. He further reports that you encouraged others in sloth. There is no place in this program for a person unwilling to work, Earnon. If you wish to earn more than this I would suggest that you apply yourself in the next phase of your training. Good day, Earnon. That is all.”
Sevetson continued to stand by as others came up to receive their pay. On two more occasions there were disputes, one from Nergui who felt that she should have gotten a “bonus” and one from another camp who, like Earnon, had earned only a single additional chit. In both cases, Sevetson returned with their respective files and gave them a precise and unpleasant dressing down.
Herzer wasn’t sure what he would get when it was his turn and when the girl handed him the chits, small pieces of a reddish metal stamped on one side with a raven and the other with a sheaf of grain, he just nodded his thanks and stepped away to wait for Mike and Courtney.
“How much did you get?” Courtney asked, counting hers. “I got five. Full pay anyway.”
“Four, five… six,” Herzer said, frowning.
“Me, too,” Mike said, counting his. “I think we got a bonus.”
“Why?” Herzer said, counting them again. “I got in a fight that first day.”