Logs:Ethics of Treasure Hunting
| |
|---|
| |
| RL Date: 23 April, 2013 |
| Who: Telavi, Solith, K'zin, Rasavyth |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Telavi answers Solith's request to come to the Hatching Galleries, but K'zin and Rasavyth are already there on a mission. They discuss morals and ethics as it pertains to all types of buried or carelessly left about treasures. |
| Where: Hatching Sands and Galleries, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 3, Month 8, Turn 31 (Interval 10) |
| Weather: The weather today is very pleasant. A few clouds chase each other across the mostly clear skies, and a soft breeze picks up in the afternoon to make for a fine day. |
| Mentions: Alida/Mentions, Sabella/Mentions, D'kan/Mentions, N'ky/Mentions, Quinlys/Mentions |
| OOC Notes: This occurs before Sabella's fall and before K'zin gets off punishment. |
    |
| Hatching Galleries, High Reaches Weyr Ringing the southwestern side of the hatching sands are ample tiers of carved stoneon the outside helps prevent anyone from falling off; it also extends up the stairs that lead the way higher into the galleries. While most of the area is open seating, ropes section off some of the closer tiers when dignitaries are expected; those areas even feature cushions in the Weyr's blue and black. The higher one climbs, the more apparent the immense scale of the entire cavern becomes. The dragon-sized entrance on the ground is dwarfed by the expansive golden sands that glitter in the light. Everything on them is easily visible from the galleries, whether that's a clutch of eggs and a broody queen, or simply its emptiness and the handful of darker tunnels that lead to more private areas than the bowl. Wherever one sits or looks, however, one thing is constant: the overwhelming, suffocating heat.
Normally, K'zin and Rasavyth wouldn't be on their own somewhere as infrequently frequented as the sands of the hatching cavern by themselves, having been following the letter of his punishment to stay in public areas or get a babysitter since returning from the infirmary nearly two months ago. But here they are, crouched on the sands. Their backs are to the entrance (guess that lesson from Alida didn't stick), so initially it's not possible to see what exactly has them interested on the sand in front of them. Maybe they should have listened to Alida, because as it happens, their backs are being watched by the finely-winged green dragon who's so very quietly infiltrated the galleries. She's all of nine feet long, now, and she's perched atop one of the nicer seats, her head tilting towards the entrance just before Telavi enters. The girl might have been swift outside, and yes, looking more furtive than she'd probably liked, but here she eases up. Her footsteps are still light, but quite audible, her pace still quick, but more relaxed. Her voice is loud. "What?" Also, a little exasperated. That 'what' is enough to startle K'zin. That would be fine, except that at the same moment he's trying to turn to see the source of the voice, which ends with him tripping on his own feet as he twists in the crouch and sends him sprawling to the sand beside where he started, arms out behind him to cushion the short fall. At least this time, he doesn't get a broken nose out of the fall. Rasavyth's turn is much more graceful, since he's just moving his head, then his body follows, tilting his head briefly towards his rider in what surely must be a 'really?' look for his clumsiness. "Tela! Hey!" K'zin greets, expression surprised. What was left on the sands where he was crouched is a sack half-filled with sand and a small trowel. He's a sand stealer! It's then that Rasavyth also notes the green phantom and warbles pleasantly to both dragon and rider. Tela's turn to be startled, and mid-step at that, a twisting hop that has her looking this way and that before realizing, giving her dragon a puzzled look, and stopping to balance her bowl and lean out over the tiered seats that separate them. "What are you doing? It's hot." But yes, she's noted the trowel, and Solith arches her neck and chirrups by way of reply whereas her rider only waves, and belatedly at that. "I know!" K'zin's response is automatic. She is stating the obvious, after all. "Finishing touches for the game in the training cavern," He explains, gesturing to his sand sack. Truly, in the last two months, the game board has become a very good likeness to the terrain of Pern. "Igen doesn't look right without real sand." Even if Igen sand might be a little different than 'Reaches hatching cavern sand. He nimbly pushes himself up back into his crouch, "Just a sec!" He calls before shoveling a few more trowel-fulls into his bag. When he stands, he's got the sack in one hand and his boot toe is used to smooth over the depressions he had made. Then he's heading for the galleries. Rather than taking the stairs like a normal person, "Ras?" is the herald of the bronze providing a boost for K'zin to latch onto the rail and pull himself up and over. "What are you doing?" He then asks; "It's hot." He points out, helpfully. It's hard to say whether Telavi's disbelieving air is more for her fellow weyrling or for her dragon. At least, until Tela cuts another look at Solith, who blinks single lids over eyes for once unshielded due to the hatching cavern's relative dimness. The girl finally crosses to gingerly pat the green's neck, self-conscious even with him audibly busy with other things. "Wouldn't you have to pulverize it to make it fit?" she asks without looking down to see if either of them are looking. "To scale, I mean, because otherwise it's just going to look like boulders." At least, she doesn't look back until he approaches, but then she's got a slight smile, a slight lift of her chin as she gives them a sideways glance. "Oh, we were just about to dig up some buried treasure, don't mind us." "Yeah, but... well, I have to make do. It's not like all the little wire tree-frames I made really look like trees. Have to use your imagination." The bronzer grins at Tela as he leans back against the rail he just climbed over. "I figure if I spread it flat, it'll be alright. It's a big game." It does cover an entire tabletop of about six feet by four and a half feet, off in one corner of the training cavern. "Better some realism than none, I guess I figured." He glances between dragon and rider. "Oh. Well. In that case, I'll--" His eyes slide uncertainly toward Rasavyth. "I'll leave you two to it..." The delivery is awkward, as though he's torn between actually following through with the words or not. The dragon doesn't seem to have this same hesitation as he turns to start making his way toward the cavern exit. K'zin turns, taking a step toward the stairs before asking, "Is there really buried treasure in the hatching cavern?" If there was, wouldn't he as a weyrbrat have heard about it before? Perhaps it's his imagination that makes him willing to believe. Imagination? Telavi puts her hand to her cheek like she's shocked, so shocked, even as she laughs. "It is a big game," she can agree with that much. "Be careful, or someone who isn't used to getting to drink again will fall asleep on it, mountains or no mountains." Solith's watching Rasavyth's retreating back, now, and whether his tail clings to him or sways to one side when he turns, but Tela's stopped paying attention to her to offer, "Fruit?" The piece she's holding up between thumb and forefinger is bright yellow, piquantly sweet, and if he declines she'll pop it into her own mouth. But first, "If there were, I really shouldn't be telling you about it... Should I?" Rasavyth's tail hovers above the ground, swaying gently from side to side as he moves. He stops though, as his rider turns back, blue-green gaze touching with little clouds of red-orange annoyance. They've been doing such a very good job at staying away from the temptation of breaking any rules, now: this. His tail moves to curl about him as he uses the edge of the stone seating to pull his upper body against, so his head can have an easier time snaking over the rails and blowing a hot breath on the back of K'zin's head, forcing his hair to fly. K'zin had just been saying, "Sure, fruit sounds--" Blow. K'zin's lips tighten. "Nice." He turns his head to give a meaningful look to the bronze. It's not quite a glare. But there is the mild pop of eyes and raise of brows to indicate something of significance being said silently. To Tela, as the bronze grumbles a rumble, staring hard at Telavi and then at Solith, K'zin argues, "Shouldn't you? You are supposed to be a leader in training. So you should be leading me to buried treasure. Sounds like fun." As he says this, the young man's long legs are bringing him over to the greenrider, reaching to pluck the fruit from her fingers. When K'zin stops to ask his question, Rasavyth's attention is immediate; his constant oozing presence becomes magnified in K'zin's mind and there's a flash of long, mussy brown hair framing Bone's angry expression, in three dimensions, up close and personal to the man's mind's eye. « My K'zin, we agreed not to tarry near temptation. » (Rasavyth to K'zin) K'zin's instinct is to mentally recoil from the sudden presence of 'Angry Bones' in the forefront of his mind, but it doesn't translate tohis face. « Chiiiiiill. » The teen demands of his lifemate. « I haven't been talking with any of the girls in almost two months. I'm not going to do anything stupid. If I don't learn to be good when there is temptation, then what good will I be? » It's a valid argument, enough to silence the bronze for the moment despite his intense watchfulness. (K'zin to Rasavyth) Shimmering sunlight winks through a leafy canopy as a fresh (if oozy) breeze tickles against the green's mind. « I am curious about your Telavi, Solith. » The words come in a pleasing tenor purr. « What is she like? » (To Solith from Rasavyth) Oh, so Rasavyth's staying after all! "He looks... opinionated," Telavi opines of the increasingly less little bronze, while Solith relaxes her wings there on her perch as though she hasn't an opinion in her own, airy head. Tela lets K'zin have that first taste, but adds lightly, "Why, it's almost as though he'd like a piece of his own. Do you like it? And as for treasure," she feeds herself the next piece, this one a ruddy berry, half-crushed and all the sweeter for it. "Maybe I should lead you to laps, instead. Running laps, that might be good for both of us, at least until we pass out from the heat," this with a wrinkle of her nose for the cavern they have found themselves in. "Especially if it's someone else's treasure... Is your dragon glaring at us, or now that you've reminded me to use my imagination, am I using it a little too much?" Solith's quietness and, moreover, her seeming inattention can often bestow an invisibleness, a lack of mattering. If she'd been about to speak of her own accord, for once, and if that thought's still there in a thicker, swirling eddy... now she yields to that other breeze with transparent curiosity. « What do you mean, what is she like? » Can't everyone see what Solith sees, more or less? (To Rasavyth from Solith) "He..." K'zin begins, expression thoughtful as it goes to the dragon in question, then with a simple shrug finishes just as simply: "is." To the matter of fruit, however, "He wouldn't like his own, but I'll take his share." Seems only fair, a nod confirming that he does like it if his words didn't make that obvious enough. "You could lead me laps if you like." K'zin exercises at least once extra every day on his own; he's a lover of physical exertion, "Sounds like fun." There's no sarcasm when he says it, of course; it's almost sickeningly excited about the idea. "But treasure's fun in a different way. We run every day." It's statement of fact, not complaint. "There's a couple of healers theorizing that exercising in intense heat does better than in regular weather, you know, if you're trying to look all--" He makes a face which may have been his clumsy way of trying for sexy, batting his lashes and pursing his lips and a hand even rises to fluff through his hair, all of which just looks incredibly silly. "He's not glaring. That's staring. Just a little different." Rasavyth's only action through all this chatter: stare, stare, stare. To Solith, Rasavyth is a friendly dragon, not one to be taken in by Solith's general sense of not being, so even in some of her invisible moments, she may have received a gentle touch from him throughout their training times - not overly frequently, but just often enough to give the sensation that he's always available to talk should she wish it, but not with enough force to suggest he's invading her solitude. His touch, now, is gentle, too. There is a thin tendril of an oozy white-barked branch that goes reaching, curiously, after whatever thought she might've first shared with him if he hadn't spoken first; he's interested and welcoming of it. To clarify a spritz of earthen freshness brings his next words, still purring, « I mean, what sort of person is she? Should I worry she will lead my K'zin into temptation? Does she enjoy having a silver thread? What are her intentions towards my dear K'zin? » The sensation is shared that Telvai has made K'zin confused and tempted on more than one occasion. He'll take his dragon's share, and yet Telavi's fingers remain curved about the edge of the bowl, not moving yet. But then, Solith is, her eyes whirling faster, her tail twisting uneasily tighter and looser and tighter again about her stone perch. She's not relaxed, not anymore, but then she also doesn't yet take flight. Telavi, listening, turns her shoulder absently to the watcher, a slight re-angling of shoulder and hip that relaxes into her open laugh. "Like you have firehead? Oh, K'zin. Do you seriously care about looking like... whatever, instead of getting practice in case we have a secret mission out to Igen, or do you think that I do? As to treasure," here she pauses to re-investigate her fruit, nudging a thumb to point out two kinds of grapes: one small and tangy and seedy, the other large and not particularly flavorful but possibly refreshing. Also, large. So many questions! It flusters Solith where his gentleness hadn't, that bit of branch met with a breathy puff of wind that turns into this-way that-way uncertain gusts. She settles for the first, not quite voiced question, « You do not trust him. » That isn't exactly airy, but it's also without greater pressure, without judgment, without implication about him or about her. (To Rasavyth from Solith) "Why does it have to be one or the other?" K'zin answers her question with a question, arms folding across his chest. It's a motion of self-consciousness. Obviously, he does care about looking like whatever. At least to some degree. "Why can't I be strong enough to go on secret missions to Igen and look good doing it?" His expression is playful, so at least he's not taking her verbal scoffing at one of his life's passions to heart. He takes the nudges as invitation and drops his arms to pluck out first one than the other, popping them into his mouth one at a time. To Solith, Rasavyth's mind colors with apology, not having meant to fluster and the very real contact of his mind fades slightly, becoming more ethereal in nature. « I do. » His words come after thoughtful silence. « I just wish to help him navigate temptation successfully. » The words are each carefully chosen and delivered delicately, but genuinely. Telavi gives those crossed arms, and not the chest behind them, a pointed look before lifting her smiling eyes to his. "I wasn't the one who didn't talk about strength, if that's enough double negatives for you. And of course you would take both." Both reasons, both grapes, both kinds. She waits with a different sort of amusement to see whether he'll spit those seeds or swallow, but in the meantime, "Imagine the amount of treasure we could hide under Igen's sands, especially if we didn't worry about finding it again." She doesn't glance at Solith, who lifts each paw in turn, flexing it before setting it more loosely down for the next. She relaxes, he can feel it, even though there's that disturbance in the air that isn't quite breathable. She still doesn't quite understand... but it's Solith's whimsy that links that verb to what she's overheard, that spreads out a map before them with 'Temptation' marked on the edge between blue and brown in a way that has less to do with its unreadable brush-stroke glyphs and far more to do with knowing. This is where it is, whatever it is. Like so? (To Rasavyth from Solith) Seeds? What seeds? Evidently they're swallowed along with the grapes. "Oh, sorry. I thought you were offering both. You moved your fingers and--" K'zin does sound apologetic. With the way he piles food away at dinner, it's easy to believe this isn't the first time he's eaten all of something he was offered part of. "Nevermind. I can get you more, if you want? Before afternoon drills?" Hopefully there still is more to be gotten. He's starts to move, as though to go to the task right away. But there's the matter of treasure which stopped him before and does so again now. "Maybe there've been some who've already done that. We could be the one's to find it. I'd say I'm much more interested in finding treasure than losing it." Well, he did say navigate. He should be less surprised, but it peeks through the connection anyway as the map is laid out between them. « Similar to. This would be one way to look at it. » Use what you've got tho', right? A figurine of K'zin (dopey grin, muscles and everything!) is superimposed onto the map in the middle of what appears to be land, far from temptation. « If this is my K'zin, where is your Telavi in relation to him? » (To Solith from Rasavyth) Solith had been figurative before, but now is she too literal? She doesn't mess with the dopey nature of that grin, or even his hair, but rather plonks Telavi down right next to him. Surely there could be no other reason than that they are standing right next to each other, in this dry warm place, where there is no lake? And there should be a lake, or ocean, or whatever this is, and so she inhales and a puddle forms right by their feet. As it happens, Telavi is less a picture than an image writ in air, not transparent like Solith but free-flowingly translucent in a way that mostly obscures the more irregularly moving turbulence within. But that's not the important part, is it? She moves the coastline nearer, instead. That would be an even more clever trick. (To Rasavyth from Solith) At first it's how Telavi tilts her head, those blue-green eyes brimming brighter at the maybe-not-misunderstanding, and then it's how her great big smile begins to dawn. "So I just moved my fingers," and she illustrates, less come-hither than spooky-spooky with a side of going-to-tickle, "and you were compelled to take it all?" It's only the berries that are in danger at the moment, though, and she steals another from her very own bowl before tilting it in his direction: now he can choose from what's left. "We should get back. I'll just stash the bowl on my cot, though, deal with it later." Also, it's hot. But first, "Would it matter to you if it were someone else's treasure? Someone else's... stash, you could say." There's a funny niggling sensation that can be glimpsed, focused on the bridge of Rasavyth's nose; if he were human, it would be two fingers pinching it. It's not that he's exasperated, it's just that he's terribly amused by this back and forthing that isn't getting him closer to his goal (and underneath, mildly frustrated by that). The figurine that is K'zin looks suspiciously like a dragonchess piece, though edged in multicolored marble rather than simple white or black. His oozy attention drifts over the map, like a little fluffy cloud, blotting the cheery sun here and there as he moves. « Why did you move that closer? » He remembers this time to ask only one question and keep it simple. (To Solith from Rasavyth) "Look. Finger movements can be very misleading." K'zin insists, expression turning momentarily dramatic. "That one, for instance, looked like you might be trying to catch airfish. Wiggling them like worms." He notes of the wiggling digits. He waits patiently for the bowl to be directed back his way and plucks up a single piece of fruit, this one white and a little mushy. "I suppose it would depend on what variety of treasure it was. If it was something someone buried, then no. Obviously it's buried to be found, either by them or appropriately savvy treasure hunters, like us. If you're talking about taking treasure that belonged to someone and was stored somewhere that belonged to them, then I'd say that might be crossing a line." Treasure hunting good, stealing bad. Savvy? "Hee-ere airfish! Fishy fishy fishy!" Not that Tela goes for either volume or shrillness, though she could, instead more of an easy singsong to see if fish will show up and eat her once-again-wiggling fingers. No? It doesn't last long, not when she's got fruit to eat before it goes bad in the heat, two pieces this time with one of the yellow kind K'zin had tried first. She glances at Solith, who herself is staring for once, and at Rasavyth or at least the top of his muzzle. Or possibly between his headknobs, it's hard to tell, though she doesn't spend much time with it unless that's what's making her start to look bemused. "Do you really think that people bury treasure to be just, oh, found by just anyone? Not only them, or their heirs, or their best friend's sister's dragon's cousin's rider? And don't you think those sands belong to someone? It's not very often that someone finds treasure conveniently sitting around on a rock or something." Or a cot. Or knocked onto the rock floor... just as an example. Funny thing is, not only is Solith's interest piqued by that feeling, not necessarily a difficult thing to do, there's also that cloud. Seemingly from it, a raindrop falls, just because. Or possibly because, « I like water. I asked her to come here and tell me about the sand and the water again, and then you were here, » but before or after, that's ambiguous. Since he's asked his question, she asks, « You find out things about him, don't you? You plan him. » And the underlying question, the one that she might not even know to voice but yearns for all the same: How? (To Rasavyth from Solith) The antics with the air fish earn an amused grin (though those aren't hard to come by from K'zin). Rasavyth's attention is slowly shifting to the green as their conversation shifts from him asking the questions to her. His head tilts slightly as he regards the smaller dragon, considering her. How much to say? How much to share? What's the next move? K'zin glances briefly back towards the bronze, but then looks to Tela, "Well, no." He admits of the treasure, "But I do think that if someone's going to carelessly leave such things about, they're fair game. If someone's taken the time to secure something they own, then it's a little more... purposefully crossing the line than because the person invited the misfortune?" He tries to explain, and only seems to manage to confuse himself. He turns his eyes back toward the fruit bowl hopefully. Fruit: much easier to figure out than morals and ethics. To Solith, Rasavyth observes as the droplets of water begin to expel from the fluffiness of his cloud and he allows bits of his ooze to fall, shimmering to the ground of the map where the little transparent machinations that comprise the ooze begin moving about, replicating the ooze bits and forming constructs around the water: an umbrella, a ball, a boulder, other things that might be pleasant to enjoy at a lake shore. There is interest expressed for the reason of the green pair's coming to this place, but he's decided he can only broach one topic at a time with Solith, at least at this moment, lest she get distracted, and her question is more interesting still. « I know more than he knows about himself. » He confirms quietly. « I plan with him. » He clarifies. « We are partners in this life. » There's a moment's pause as the cloud wrings itself out and comes apart into smaller bits of fluff, floating lazily. « But I know how to persuade him, if that is what you mean... » The how is considered but not yet addressed. It's not that he seems unwilling, but a gentle tendril of ooze extends toward her to probe what she might already know so he doesn't cover old ground. Oh, now, these constructs she delights in, perhaps the more so for how they're still shimmering instead of taking on chameleon-colors. The umbrella... what might she do with that? The ball? When he speaks she's caught drawing her attention back, perhaps a touch guiltily because yes, distracted, but enjoying it. But this next, this Solith marvels in. « You do? How? » This time the question does become words, and just how heady is that genuine admiration? As for his searching further, it's not that she takes or doesn't take to being probed, however gently, it's just that it moves right through her without a real sense of touch. No awareness of knowledge manifests, in any case, but she does willingly if somewhat wistfully offer the admission, « I can only ask her, and wait. » (To Rasavyth from Solith) It's not that Tela can't take a cue when she wants to, at least when she actually sees it, and so with both dragons distracted she leans in enough to share what's left of the fruit without the other weyrling's having to ask. For now. Once she's finished her latest bite she can reply warmly, "It sounds like we're agreeing on that part of it," and if that's not quite the phrasing she might have used before sitting in on some of those wingleader meetings and other lessons, so be it. Of course, now she has to check, "Do you still think that if we found treasure we'd get to keep it? Because they left it out, even if they weren't careless about it? Or only if the sands didn't belong to other people? And who owns the sands between Igen Hold and Weyr, anyway? I should ask where Weyr territory becomes Holder, I never thought about things like that before..." but she's going off on a tangent, and her sideways smile not only recognizes that but is a little rueful, besides. "I'm sorry. I don't want to bore you." Or rub it in? "We haven't even gotten to what happens if someone else, I don't know, raids the buried treasure and runs away with part of the loot but leaves the rest scattered across the desert." The movement of the machinations halts, sinking into the items they've created, to be less distracting, but the items themselves remain for her to do as she likes with. Rasavyth's focus is now fully on the topic at hand. « It is, I imagine, different for each pair. » His tenor is thoughtful, less purr and more substance to the words. « Share with me what it feels like when you ask a question and she does not wish to answer, and what it feels like if you try anyway, and I will share with you what I know about slipping in through the chinks. Distraction is one tool that might be used. It is easier it they are not aware of your trespass. » At least he's aware that it is a trespass. (To Solith from Rasavyth) The fruit is gladly plucked up. It seems like K'zin has never and will never actually know the feeling of satiation with the way he puts away food. "I think it depends on what the item is. If it's been left carelessly but is of some personal value, like a necklace or say Sabs' hair cutting tools or something, then it ought to be returned. If it's something meaningless, like a pencil or a-- um, well, something else that there's lots of about, like a shoehorn or something, then it'd be fine to keep it. That's the sort of thing someone can always get another of." He swallows another piece of fruit before he shakes his head. "No. That's a good question. Not boring. Ras and I read a book about boundaries. It was pretty old though, so I'm not sure the same rules apply. I think generally it's been said that the boundaries were marked down by map makers, but over time the lines have gotten pretty blurry. I can get the book for you from the Records Room, if you like." Someone has been busy busy with the learning and reading. "Sounds like that someone was a pretty careless treasure hunter. Their either unprepared and leaving too much behind, or leaving too much trace that they've even been there." How does leaving trace play into the good or bad of the act? He doesn't say, but certainly somehow since he's brought it up. They went away. Sigh. At least there are their artifacts, and they haven't escaped Solith's interest entirely, especially that ball that's still moving about by itself every now and again if on no purposeful path. Quite clearly she's responsive to the substantive nature of Rasavyth's reply, though it's not as though she'd been bothered by the purr in the least, only that this draws her in even more than the other. « Hmm! » She can try this! Only, suddenly concerned, Solith stops short in a way that's all but a flinch. « Trespass. I shouldn't trespass, should I? That's not a good word, she tells me and tells me but I keep forgetting so she has to tell me again. » That last is quite nearly whispered, though it's not as though anyone else would overhear. (To Rasavyth from Solith) "But what if the shoehorn belonged to a boy's father before he passed away?" Telavi teases, and yet she isn't quite teasing, not wholly. She'll get back to boundaries, but for now, "Or what if he really needed the shoehorn and then he was late for drills because he couldn't get his boots on in a hurry and then he was yelled at and then he didn't buckle his straps because he was in more of a hurry and he messed up during the drill and he fell off his dragon and died? ...Not that that would happen." It better not. She picks up the rest, "And how does leaving things behind make it all right or not all right to keep what's left? But anyway, I'd like that book. The way you talk about it, now I'm curious about who the makers were, and if they used markers, and if they agreed on things or what." She rocks on the balls of her feet, energy barely contained. « Well, that depends upon your intentions. » Rasavyth replies matter-of-factly, and suddenly the conversation of the dragons parallels all too well that of their riders. « My intentions were always in his best interests. » It is the attitude of a parent who knows best, and briefly, an intense flash of the love he has for K'zin is shared. He would never ever do anything that wasn't in K'zin's best interests. « If you do not wish to, you do not have to. » He won't pressure her to do it, « But I confess I don't see the harm if you love her and want what is best for her. How can knowing her mind better be a bad thing? And if you are clever and she never knows you were there, who is hurt? » So victimless crimes for the greater good are fine by him, it seems. (Truthfully, more than just victimless crimes, but he's not about to share that opinion. He's a sweet, loveable dragon; nothing to see here.) (To Solith from Rasavyth) In contrast to the draconic opinion of right and wrong just expressed, K'zin's face screws up in dramatic annoyance at her example. "Fine, fine, you win. Then you shouldn't take anything ever, not even treasure that's been abandoned and would otherwise be perfectly delightful for a day's treasure hunting. Wouldn't want the world to collapse because you took a poor boy's shoehorn." He throws his hands up in a gesture of defeat. She certainly raises valid points and questions. "Leaving things behind... well, I guess I just thought if they never knew to miss the thing, it couldn't be wrong, really, if you've better uses for it." So there is at least a little overlap in dragon and human outlook on victimless crimes. Then a little nod and he adds, "I'll get you the book next time I'm in the Records Room." Solith is taking all this in, and if she isn't precisely an acolyte as she can be with Olveraeth, there's certainly a tinge of that there. That flash of intimacy especially speaks to her, the more so with instinct telling her that it's rarely shown by her sibling. And that lack of overt pressure... only, « I would like to be clever, » she admits uncertainly. « I do think she knows what's best, though. » So much to learn! If not about Rasavyth's other vices, not yet. « What do you think I should ask her? Something little, something she wouldn't mind my sharing, even if I do it wrong. But something she wouldn't tell me, else we wouldn't figure it out, either. » Such difficulties! Even the ball is stationary now. (To Rasavyth from Solith) His concession, the drama of his concession, meets with Tela's delighted grin. "Never ever." Does he sense, by now, that there's a 'but' coming up? First, for the book, "Thank you." Second, "So if they don't notice, it's all right." It's not a statement she's wholly buying into, so much as one that she's paraphrasing for him to listen to. And then, shifting the bowl to her other hand so she can seek to catch at his wrist, the better not to send anything else flying if he throws up his hands again... "But," there it goes, and there's her brilliant smile too before she makes it instead so very somber, because this is serious business here, "What if the treasure belonged to some awful dreadful Lord who whipped it from the backs of his starving holders? Or your Craftmaster, if she had sold off your Hall's reserves and posted all the apprentices to real drudgery and minimal learning instead of the possibilities of knowledge and advancement they were offered the chance to work so hard for? Or," but her pause invites his own choice of possibility. « Very clever. » The purr makes another appearance, this time approving. « Something little that she wouldn't mind you knowing even if you do it wrong. » Rasavyth confirms. « We are at an advantage here, my dear Solith. We are young. » And that youth can be used to obfuscate their mission. « It is only natural that you would be curious about a great many things. Which little things she wouldn't mind you knowing is up to you. Perhaps her relationships with the other weyrlings. You could ask her if she fancies my K'zin for example, » Furthering both their agendas at once! Clever boy. « Or you could ask her about if she is ever jealous of Ghislaith's Sabella with all the boys so interested in kissing her and offering to take her to Ista for graduation celebrations? Do be sure, » He interrupts his suggestions to advise, « That you ask a good many other questions that she will readily tell you the answers to so she won't be suspicious when you ask those you intend to seek your own answers for. Once she is distracted, then think of yourself as an invisible bit of air and slip in through some thought she's having that you can see. Then try to avoid whatever thoughts she's having. Sometimes, » He adds this last after a brief pause, « it is easier to do when they are asleep, though there are side effects. » (To Solith from Rasavyth) "Or if a Weyrwoman went crazy and hoarded all the sweet buns the bakers ever made." K'zin chooses the most unthinkable of terrible scenarios, and he looks for a moment like he actually believes this sort of thing might suddenly start happening. Brown eyes glance down to the fingers curled around his wrist. "Well, if it was something awful like that, then I suppose there'd be nothing wrong with doing the right thing. Rob from the rich and give to the poor still ends up in the overall good column to me. "But with the if they don't notice thing," He returns to the first item she presented him with, "It's sort of like with rules... if it doesn't hurt anyone for them to be broken, and it doesn't turn out that you're actually disrespecting everyone you ever knew by breaking them, and no one ever finds out, how can it still be wrong to do?" It's the disrespecting part that made him turn himself in, not the "wrongness" of breaking the rules, and so when he uses this example it sounds as though he has personal experience (because he does). "No. Not the sweet buns." For all the mock anxiety in Tela's widened eyes, in her gasp, she doesn't clutch onto K'zin's arm for that much more verisimilitude or anything; it's relaxed, comfortable even, as long as he doesn't make with the flailing. Or the clobbering, but then she hasn't 'fessed up about the second notebook, yet. "So you'd have us rob from the Weyrwoman... but then the sweet buns would probably be stale, so we'd hack them up and make them into crumbs for... something that requires crumbs? There's got to be some recipe that does," but if she's ever been good in the kitchen, it certainly hasn't shown to date, nor has she seemed concerned about the fact. For the rest, "You sound like you're talking from experience," Telavi says in so many words, even if they are in a low whisper that would probably draw more attention than it might truly conceal. "Shh, don't tell," because those other riders following him around haven't been noticed by anyone, ever. But, "If we're going to break rules, and there's someone like Sabs," only then she adds as afterthought, "or D'kan, who'd get into trouble because we got into trouble, it definitely makes sense to make sure nobody else finds out." Her glance checks with him: agreed? "And it should be worth it." There's a subtle wiggle to Solith's spine, a wriggle to her tail, that's just so pleased to be praised. Youthful curiosity, natural, she likes that too for all that that wistfulness returns, « I would like to grow up. » They're soft interjections as he speaks, not meant to interrupt. « 'Fancies'? Oh yes, of course. » She's a touch unsure, but brings back a transparent version of that dragonchess piece so that Rasavyth might see the very fancy wreath now placed atop its head. Like so? « I will ask. I do not know why she would be, I like Ghislaith and she likes Ghislaith's, but I will ask. I will try to remember. I will ask a lot of questions, I will ask them gently so she does not mind, I will try to slip in... as air... avoid thoughts... » The deep breath she takes is visible as well as mental. « Side effects, Rasavyth? » That isn't so soft, that's part eager and part concerned and part... something less explicable. (To Rasavyth from Solith) "Yes." K'zin's answering comes with perfect timing after her own first words, "The sweet buns!" Then he's laughing to spoil the dramatics, and a wide grin is given to the greenrider. No flailing or clobbering... yet. "You know, Vi," He uses the last syllable of her name as a test-moniker. "You have a talent for sorting out the worst outcome for every situation. Stale sweet buns. What's next? Fruit that goes rotten because of the infernal heat of this place?" Actually, on that score he's probably not too far off and he leans a little closer to the older girl, his purpose to peek into the bowl in her opposite hand to see if there's any food left. He stops mid-lean though because her other words have caught his interest. "Yeah. Turns out I disrespected everyone I know by breaking the rules. That's why I'm being so good. To make up for it. I won't be doing that again." Whether he means breaking the rules or turning himself in for breaking the rules, it's not clear, though his next words might hint at which he means: "I certainly don't think it'd do for someone else to get in trouble for us breaking the rules, and if you're going to break the rules, it should be worth it." He's certainly taken his punishment without complaint, so it must have been to him. Then something catches up to him and he's looking a touch confused, "But this is all... hypothetical, right? About us breaking the rules?" To Solith, Rasavyth takes a few moments to consider his response carefully, though the general feeling in his touch is mild amusement and pleasure at sharing these moments and this conversation with her. « You surely will grow up. » He seems... already quite grown. « Or at least you will become more accustomed to grown up things. » He sends a breeze to tickle across her headknobs in an affectionate manner. « Not quite like that. » He gently manipulates 'Telavi's likeness to be closer to K'zin and blushing, there's even an echo of a giggle. « To say one fancies another means that they like them for more than just friendship. To kiss. And so on. » He doesn't offer images of these things but he does allow a light sensation of the pleasurableness of those activities. « I like Cailluneth and she, me, sometimes, and ours like one another, but it does not change that sometimes Cailluneth's N'ky thinks my K'zin gets all the attention from girls. » Rasavyth seems to find this thought flawed but amusing. « Sometimes ours are strange creatures. » Then there's the more serious matter of side effects. « My K'zin has dreams. When I look at night. Some good, others not. Depends on what I am finding when I look. Nothing that harms him. » In the long term, anyway. « Olveraeth says so also, » so if both of them say so, they must be extra, extra right. It is known. And in the meantime, Solith's easily humored by that tickling, tossing her head in a way that gets even her rider's attention, however briefly. The dream-explanation seems to be sufficient to relax her, no harm must be good. The kissing thing, though, that the young green's dubious about, because licking faces? Really? When she has licked Telavi's, it has not gone over well, not since she can remember. But the slide of hide to hide, that Solith understands and welcomes, even if she is still so very far from heat. After a moment, « I do not see why she would not. Him and Khadreonth's and who else, do you think? Perhaps Nhidanth's. Kazavoth's? But he is not happy, and I do not care for being told I must listen to Kazavoth, when I would much rather listen to Olveraeth. What do you think, Rasavyth? » Solith could have gotten sidetracked for even longer, but she does get reminded of his wanting more answers. « I like Cailluneth. She likes Cailluneth, » she offers hopefully. « He worries too much, though. » And in the end, « I will ask her these things, and I will be sure to tell you. » Especially if he reminds her. (To Rasavyth from Solith) 'Vi'. Telavi does lift her eyebrows at K'zin for the presumption and look very, very stern for a long moment before her smile breaks free into mischief again. "Be careful, or you'll wind up as 'Zin.' No, 'Zinnie.'" He also might wind up with a face full of fruit if he keeps leaning like that, so it might be just as well that he stops when she's only tilted it enough for him to see a little better, and not actually lifted. "How could you possibly disrespect everyone? Everyone that you know, even? I really think you'd have to work at it harder than whatever you did. I'm pretty sure that if you got drunk and thought it was a good idea to pull a 'prank,'" air quotes! "and tromp muck all over the living cavern tables when 'good and decent folk' were supposed to be sleeping, I'd have heard. Also," and here she's distracted by Solith but afterward smiles up at him that much more warmly for the interruption, "I'm pretty sure we aren't breaking any rules right now. I think I'd know. I think you'd know too. At least... If we're not late for drills, which probably means we should get a move on. Yes, you too," this last for Solith, who doesn't so much hop down as hop up and flutter skyward with a last chirrup at her and at Rasavyth, because somebody likes taking shortcuts. Does Tela need to tug, to get K'zin too on his way? But before they can quite rejoin the outer world and the summer that's now so airy and fresh in comparison to the hatching grounds, she glances at him with a tilt of her head. "By the way, it is nice to see you off your leash." To Solith, Rasavyth's amusement is warm, cozy, and endearing. If it weren't for that something that niggles at the back of the mind and can't be pinpointed as anything other than a bothersome something, he'd be coming off as the perfect conversation partner. « I do not see why she would not either, » Hence his concern, « But as I said, ours are sometimes strange. She may have found reasons. You never know until you ask. » He gives thought to her question about the leadership of the wing, and eventually settles on the following carefully chosen and sweetly delivered words, « It is a luxury we do not have to only follow those we would like to follow. Sometimes we must follow those we might rather not. It is a skill we must develop so now is as good a time as any. » His response doesn't clearly define how he feels about Kazavoth's leadership in particular, just the broader topic of leadership. « In this case, my K'zin tells me they are only leaders for the month. That is not so long. Perhaps next it will be you that we are all listening to, my clever Solith. » The last comes as a complimentary purr. One she mightn't be deserving of, but is delivered with such obvious sincerity, who would think to question it? That's the thought he leaves her with as he, too, takes wing to follow her back toward the barracks and the drills to come. "You don't like it?" K'zin queries, "You know there are only so many ways to shorten Telavi. Pretty soon I'll have to start choosing random nicknames instead to see if I can find one you fancy." He seems unbothered by her suggested nicknames for him. He waves a hand on the subject of what he did, "Suffices to say that I did it, I'm being punished for it, and I'm not going to do it again. I'm just that skilled. That's how." The grin he gives her then is impish. "I'd hope I'd know if we were breaking the rules now." Even though he technically is, but it was for a good cause! The sand sack he set upon the bench some time ago. He reaches for it now. Pulling his wrist from her grasp gently, he makes a flourish with his hand, giving a silly little half bow, "After you, silver-threader. Wouldn't want you to be late and tarnish that pretty thread." The jest is playful, no malice or jealousy behind it. With Rasavyth moving away from the rail to leap upward to follow Solith, the bronzer stands ready to follow the greenrider back toward the barracks. The comment of the leash isn't answered in words, though she does receive a slightly confused look. He probably doesn't ask because they are now short on time. But perhaps later he'll question it. |
Leave A Comment