A Dwarf, a Gremlin, and a Boiler

In the workshops at Bellcross I observed a dispute which would have been described by most Human supervisors as insubordination and by everyone actually involved as maintenance. A Dwarven foreman named Harrek had instructed a Gremlin machinist to stop dismantling a steam regulator which, according to Harrek, was functioning perfectly well. The Gremlin replied that it was not. Harrek repeated that it was, at which point the Gremlin struck the regulator with a wrench. It made a noise, and Harrek immediately stopped arguing.

This impressed me. A Human foreman would likely have regarded the blow as proof of misconduct. Harrek instead leaned closer, listened, and said, “Bearing.”

The Gremlin said, “Yes.”

Harrek said, “Left side.”

The Gremlin said, “Obviously.”

They then spent the next forty minutes repairing the machine while continuing an argument about whether the Gremlin had possessed permission to identify the fault in the first place. A Human apprentice standing nearby asked whether they were angry with one another, and they both said no. They were, and it did not prevent cooperation. The distinction is worth recording.