Logs:The Dragons Know
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| RL Date: 20 March, 2010 |
| Who: Ivana, K'del, P'ax, Shad, Silarra, Teris |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Riders and candidates pass time watching eggs. |
| Where: Hatching Galleries, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 13, Month 4, Turn 22 (Interval 10) |
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| Hatching Galleries, High Reaches Weyr Ringing the southwestern side of the hatching sands are ample tiers of carved stone benches, the lowest of which is some six feet off the ground -- just high enough to separate wayward hatchlings from unwary viewers, and vice versa. A metal railing on 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. Mid-afternoon, and clearly, the anticipation must be getting even to K'del, because there he is, standing in the galleries, staring out over the eggs. It's clearly not even the best place to be, because candidates and lower caverns staff are actually /working/, here, sweeping and cleaning, and laying down cushions for important guests; the Weyrleader keeps having to move out of their way, full of apology, but for now, he doesn't seem inclined to head anywhere else. Silarra strides into the galleries, hands down in the pockets of her jacket. This particular candidate doesn't seem to be all that hard at work, though the faint smell of runner clings to her. Instead she stares out over the eggs, ignoring those actually working, and bites at her lip. It's on Silarra's heels that Teris comes up the stairs to the gallery. Although she notably doesn't say anything to her previous teammate despite having a good opportunity to do so here. She does look at her briefly and then wrinkles her nose at that faint scent. But as soon as she's able to get a decent view of them, Teris pauses to look out toward the eggs. P'ax is not egg-gazing so much as egg-glaring. Stoutly refusing to get out of anyone's way, the various workers are forced to climb over his long legs or go around entirely. What a jerk. Perhaps K'del has a sixth sense, or perhaps he's heard the sound of footsteps that aren't in cleaning mode; whichever it is, he turns slightly not long after the arrival of Teris and Silarra, catching sight of them both. And P'ax, though perhaps he knew the greenrider was there already, and has just been too deep in his own thoughts to say anything. "Always forget what a weird day it is, waiting," he remarks, in lieu of greeting to the trio. Silarra doesn't take her eyes off the eggs, or even acknowledge her former teammate. "So weird. I can't believe that in a matter of hours, those things will be cracking open. That we'll be done being candidates, one way or the other." Silarra states, with a tone that's actually serious, for once. "They're not things," Teris says in a distracted sort of manner, vaguely scolding without her more typical acidity. "Done being candidates," she repeats that in particular, clearly more to herself than to the younger girl that she's not really paying much attention to. Finally she turns her head away from the eggs and notes K'del. If she sees P'ax, she's probably pretending that she didn't. P'ax has been determined to leave everyone -- worker, weyrleader, candidate -- unacknowledged. K'del ruins that with his mundane little greeting. Still, the normally verbose greenrider manages nothing greater than a contemptuous snort. The girls manage even less at first. Even on this day, so close to doom though, it's hard to pass up one more chance to get Silarra's goat. "Hope you've got your running shoes ready, girls." "/P'ax/," says K'del, though it's with more long-suffering ruefulness than any actual quelling. It is enough that he wanders a few steps closer, though, putting him in a better position to speak to the three of them; his gaze slides from greenrider to Silarra to Teris, lingering there before it wanders inexorably back to the eggs. Out on the sands, one of the eggs gives a little quiver-- much as any of them having been doing, all day. Cadejoth's tail goes /thump/ in response: eager, excited. Silarra turns to stick her tongue out at P'ax. "I'm speedy. And small enough to duck well." She says lightly before adding. "What? Are you the one who told Cori they shave everyone's heads bald?" Silarra turns back to watch that quiver. "How do they know when they're done doing that moving thing and ready to have us down there?" Teris's scolding is apparently totally and completely ignored. "I'm not scared of them," Teris says in some response to P'ax's goading but not exactly to him. She's looking back out toward the eggs, something she's done often enough in the past but not with that knot on her shoulder. "How long?" she asks, glancing briefly toward K'del and then clarifying somewhat, "How long between when they start humming and when the eggs start hatching?" P'ax offers K'del a lazy, barely there smile. He's innocent, really. "I said no such thing to warucori," he says loftily. "You've been there the last two times we've spoken, anyway." In response to her question, before K'del can answer, he says shortly,"The dragons know. They hum." He at least lets the bronzerider handle Teris'. Perhaps he is equally avoiding her. K'del's expression, after P'ax's lazy smile, is a bland one, neither amused or irritated-- just there. "Humming, right," he agrees, echoing the greenrider as he answers Silarra's question. To Teris, "Not too long. Soon as you hear it, you make for the barracks, get on out there soon as Milani tells you to." On the sands, Cadejoth looks as though he's leaning in to listen to one of the eggs, which gives a little shake. He seems positively delighted. "It all happens pretty fast after that. Though I guess you'd know that, already, Teris. Seen more hatchings than i have." Silarra nods her head. "Humming. Go right to the barracks. Right. Gabe's dad, my uncle, is going to go fetch my family. Before that happens, I bet. I, um, wasn't going to go ask my aunt." It's a random piece of information, but hey, it's about the hatching, right? "But you surely talked to Cori before that." Silarra adds in P'ax's direction with a smirk. The last comment from K'del makes Teris turn her head back toward him to look at him for a moment longer. "It's fast," she agrees, gaze turning back out to the sands. "I don't really remember any details from when I stood before. Everything else I've seen from up here. Haven't paid attention to the humming," her voice trails off, distracted. "How long between." P'ax wrinkles his nose. "From what I've heard of your aunt, Silarra, she'd lock you up to keep you from getting here in time." He hoists himself to his feet, ambles over towards K'del, reaching to attempt to clap him on the shoulder with false levity. "Brings back memories, don't it?" and then he continues on towards the railing. Sympathetically, K'del asks, "Gabe's mother still--" He doesn't finish the sentence, but it's probably pretty obvious what he means: still pissed. "Good, though, that your family can come. Mine couldn't, in the end. Mmm," he continues, turning his gaze towards Teris. "It's different, from the sands, that's for sure." P'ax's clap to his shoulder - which connects; he makes no move to draw away - draws a smirking expression from the bronzerider, who watches after the other man, calling after him, "Sure does. Seem to remember you being /convinced/ Cadejoth was yours. Good times." Beat. And then; "And three turns ago, today..." He's more solemn for that one; thoughtful. Silarra looks over to K'del and shrugs. "Being her crazy self? Yes." She pauses before nodding. "Probably. Or hunt Gabe down and lock /him/ up. I swear she thinks he's going to trip and die." Her gaze doesn't leave the sands for long though. "I'm not sure how many of them will come. Definitely my dad and my brother. I'm glad." K'del gets a quick look. "Interesting day of the turn for them to hatch. Right on that anniversery." Of family, Teris says nothing. She doesn't look away from the sands this time before she does speak, either, "It seems fitting, somehow." Or maybe it just does to Teris. She doesn't really ask for anyone else's opinion on the matter. "I wish they'd just get on with it," she adds more quietly. "I don't like waiting." "My family didn't come...and they were in the Weyr," comments P'ax conversationally as he lounges against the rail, folding one leg behind the other. "Hey, Cadejoth was all mine. Yyth just got there first. You're just jealous because I'm awesome and you were second choice." Smirking, he rolls so that his back is on the railing and his elbows hooked over it, giving K'del the smuggest look he can fit on his face. "Better you than me though. I'd have to dip my dick in sodium hydroxide after sleeping with Tiriana." An eyebrow lifts. "Three turns ago what? It's been over four turns since they hatched, boy-o, better check your brain. Unless you mean since the last clutch." Silarra? Snorted at. "She'll have to fight me for him, I'd have locked him up myself." But probably not for the same reasons. "Nobody likes waiting, Teris... but once it's over...there's really no going back. Enjoy the moment, it might be the last one like this you ever get." K'del wrinkles his nose in sympathy for Gabrion and his mother, but it's of the date that he speaks next: "Interesting-- /random/. But... appropriate, right." That bit to Teris. "Since /Satiet/, P'ax. Not us. I-- Never mind. Impressing a new queen three turns to the day after a previous one died; it's the kind of thing a harper'd come up with. In a good way, though. New life, new beginnings... spring." Seemingly aware of how philosophical and soft he's sounding, he adds, "Won't be too much longer. Dinnertime, maybe." Perhaps he's ignoring the rest of what P'ax says; perhaps he's just got too much else on his mind. Except; "Pretty sure /I/ Impressed first." Silarra wrinkles her nose over to P'ax making an 'icky' face. "I don't even want to think about the reasons you would want to lock up Gabe. Not for my cousin. Ew." And then Silarra finally looks over to Teris. "I hate the waiting, too. I want to /know/ what will happen. Not to sit and wait and wonder." The scowling sort of look that Teris turns in the Weyrleader's direction suggests she can hear his fluffy philosophy perfectly well. But, hey. Teris likes harpers. "Maybe they'll write a song about it." Never mind the sarcastic way that she says it. "Anyway. What will happen will happen. I'd just like to move on. Get back to work." Work that she's good at, not this firestone nonsense. "Do you think it's better to wait to eat until after it's all over?" she wonders, off on another tangent entirely. P'ax's eyes shift away and his smile fades. "I try not to think about that." Thanks for bringing it up, jerk. He rebuttles K'del half-heartedly, "Yeah, well, it all happened so fast, right?" He sticks his tongue out at Silarra. "Pervert. That isn't even how I meant it." A heavy sigh, all morose. "Eat before, definitely before." There's an apology in K'del's gaze, for P'ax, though he doesn't make any further mention of it. Instead - and firmly - "P'ax is right. Eat /before/. Unless you think you're going to throw up out of nervousness or something... heard about a girl who threw up when she Impressed, once. Anyway, even if it's just something plain, better to have something in your stomach. If you Impress, things'll be busy for a while." "Food. Hadn't thought of that." Silarra states. "What if they start humming before we've eaten anything? Grab a roll and shove it down as we change?" Her tone is slightly dry there before she shakes her head to P'ax. "I do /not/ think I'm more of a pervert than you." That's a joke though, from her tone of voice. "Yeah. I miss the stables. I'd be happy to be back to my life." Ivana comes up the steps to the galleries, taking things slow and making the most of the view onto the sands. Eventually her gaze turns to the people in the galleries, and after a few moments she finds the person she was looking for. Running up the stands, she leans over to whisper in Shad's ear. Shad had been ... hovering ... most of the day, since word got out the eggs were twitching. And ironically enough, it had little to do with the fact he was a Candidate. Because really, how often does a Holdborn kid get a chance to watch something like this? When Ivana ran over, he blinked at her. Teris makes a small face at this talk of throwing up. And then it's an expression more along the lines of Teris not being the sort of person that would do anything like that. Ever. "I think, perhaps, I'll go help. And find something to nibble on." Yes, nibble. The blonde offers a smile all around to them, then turns back toward the stairs after one last look out toward the eggs. P'ax waves a hand casually at K'del to shrug off the silent apology. "Truthfully after you've finished jamming raw meat down their throats, you may not feel very hungry. Their emotions bleed." Silarra earns herself a small smile. "No, likely not. Bye Teris," he tacks on at the end. "Good luck tonight." If K'del casts a glance in the direction of silent Shad and arriving Ivana, it's only a brief one: his attention otherwise stays on those with whom he's already talking, for now. "See you later, Teris," he says. "Good luck." To Silarra: "Better that than going hungry. I'd eat something sooner rather than later, I guess. Give you more time to digest beforehand, too." Beat. "You make it sound like you don't /want/ to Impress." Silarra looks after Teris. "Maybe I should go do that soon, too. And see if Dad and Casir are here." That's more mumbled to herself than anything before she looks over to K'del and shrugs. "It's not that I don't want to impress. I do. I wouldn't have done all these chores and put up with living with some of the id, er, people that I did if I didn't want to impress. I just don't think I will. Figured I'd see. Get the experience. Then probably go back to working in the stables. I like the runners better than most people." Ivana and Shad are pretty well ignored in all of this, her eyes going back out to the eggs. Ivana turns and starts moving away from the group in the stands to find a spot just far away enough not to disturb. Once she finds a seat she does send a smile down that way before making sure Shad is following along, one hand digging in a deep pocket. Shad, more than a bit curious, follows behind Ivana. Once they're off to the side more, he cocks his head at her. "What's up?" He wants to know. Ivana holds out one hand, palm up. Several snake teeth are on it of different sizes and stages of decay. "Ah'm Ivana, ah've seen ya in th'barracks. Y'r Shad, right? People tell me y'r a Smith's apprentice, an' ah need a favor." Her expression is hesitant but pleading. "Will ya drill holes in these f'r me? It doesn't have t'be now," and she looks down at the eggs again, "but ah know ah won't be able t'remember t'ask ya after, an' it's really important t'me." P'ax exhales slowly and lifts a hand to wave to silarra. "Good luck, kid. Looking forward to shaving your head for you." smirk. K'del's expression turns faintly smirky at what Silarra doesn't quite say, but he otherwise just gives a firm, sharp nod of understanding. "Makes sense," he tells her. "Never quite go the runner thing, but... yeah. Not many people'd give up the chance to Stand, I reckon." Beat. "Anyway, yeah, go get yourself something to eat, see if your family is around. Good idea." He glances back at P'ax, looks amused for a moment, but goes silent. Shad grins. "Oh, hey, no problem." He takes the teeth, then grimaces at one of them. "This one might not be useable. It's in awfully bad shape." He pokes at one of the teeth. "The rest are ok ... and if ya come with me, I can get 'em done in about ten minutes." Ivana blinks in disbelief. "Now?" She glances down to where the Weyrleader is still sitting, takes a deep breath, and then stands up. "Ten minutes? Done. Let's go," she says, smiling at Shad with a lift of the eyebrows.. and the shoulders. Silarra sticks her tongue out at P'ax. "Yeah. You'd have to catch me first." She taunts before nodding to K'del. "It'll be a story for my children and grandchildren someday at least." She states dryly before waving. "I'll go do that. See you two around." And with that, she's turning to saunter out. Shad nods and heads for the door. "It's not really that hard." He says. "And I even have the tool for it, because I work with jewelry a lot." Not every Smith would HAVE the tools to bore a hole in a tooth. "How big are you wanting the holes to be?" A few minutes more, then K'del excuses himself, giving one final glance to the sands, then heading off towards the bowl. "Enough t'thread somethin' through 'em," Ivana says, following Shad back down the stands. On the way, she takes a moment to bow in the Weyrleader's direction - whether he sees her or not. |
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