You hear that?
(beat)
Nothing. Birds are gone, river’s quiet. I think it’s going to snow tonight. I can’t wait.
(beat)
You know how the first snow feels every year? You wake up a little too early, and it’s quiet in that particular way, and you just know. And then you walk out and the edge of the forest is sparkling and it’s -- I mean, there’s icicles as thick as my fist holding on above the porch and I’m just, every time! Every time, it’s like it was just spring, just now, I don’t know how time passes so fast, right?
(beat)
Anyway, the Soldier’s been saying this is going to be the longest, coldest winter in years. That’s
what her joints say, and her joints are surprisingly accurate a lot of the time. So I suppose I should enjoy the kind of, um, the early glow as long as I can.
(beat)
What else happened this week. Ummmm, um-um-umm. Oh! The hens are better. The Scientist worked his
magic and one of the sick ones is back to giving eggs again. So the Kid’s obviously ecstatic about that. It’s lucky, actually, ‘cause the Scientist is also starting the Kid on trigonometry and she hates it, reeeally hates it. So she needed a win this week to -- you know, to counterbalance all the theorems. As for the Cook, she always seems a little down and out at the start of winter, but of course it’s tough to tell with her. So that’s where everybody is right--

(WHACK! The Archivist releases a startled noise, then laughs.)

Annnd that’ll be the Soldier fixing the henhouse, which she’s been working on for ... two weeks now, I guess? Three? Hold on, let me check.

(This side takes place after a heated argument. The Archivist desperately needs
medicine -- the Axathin -- for a friend. You don't need to record anything for Atta's lines -- just pause between yours.)

(The crowd simmers back to a disgruntled mutter.)

ATTA:  If you have so many problems with the way we run this place, then you’re no longer welcome here.

ARCHIVIST: Wait! No, please. Let me get Javier.

ATTA: Did you two work something out?

ARCHIVIST: No. I mean, maybe. I mean, we talked about -- I can give you this recorder for the Axathin.

ATTA: I can’t make that deal.

ARCHIVIST: I’ve got more equipment back at our farm. I have a second recorder. We have logs of -- remember, the logs I told you about? Even just some of the tablets --

ATTA: (sighs) I’m sorry. I like your gadgets, I do. I like your project. But I’ve got a responsibility to everybody
here, and their safety. That has to be my priority.
(beat)
Travel safe.

(Her footsteps crunch away.)

ARCHIVIST: Wait. We -- we can give you food.

(Atta’s footsteps stop.)

ARCHIVIST: We had a bumper crop this autumn. We’ve got more than we need for five people. Give us the medicine
and we can bring you a loaded cart in another couple weeks.

(beat)
Please.

ATTA: I can spare enough for three days' treatment.

ARCHIVIST: Great. Perfect.