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They sat there, gazes locked, the trainee archivist and the – well, and the woman with horns who had been here quite a while, as awkward a descriptor as that was.

The moment held for a heartbeat, another, another.  Then Amanana chuckled and the mood broke, and Veronika allowed herself to look away.

“I believe – I believe of everyone who has come through here, perhaps you do actually see.  Very good.”  Amanana took an item from the case behind her, wrapped it up in a handkerchief, and slipped the package in a little box. She signed the outside of the box with her loopy signature.  “There.  That’s your item from here handled, and now let’s get you to the skeleton room.  I do believe that one is required on the first day.  Even coming from the Fillion as you do, they like to know that new people can handle the basics, like skeletons.”

At this point, Veronika couldn’t do anything but laugh a little helplessly. “The basics, yes.”  She considered matters. “Yes, those really would be some of the basics, wouldn’t they? Archaeology, paleontology – and those are only the ones that obviously hinge on skeletons, much less – oh dear.”  She put a hand to her mouth.  “I have really got to consider my habit of speaking before I think a little bit more, before it gets me in trouble.” Continue reading →