Difference between revisions of "Logs:Mergers and Acquisitions"

Southern Rim of the Bowl, High Reaches Weyr

Directly opposite the sharp spikes of the Reaches' characteristic spires lies the bowl's south rim, from above seeming pinched like a baker's pie crust to form this distinctive lip: a soft curve, several dragonlengths long but only four lengths wide before narrowing into impassable crags. It would have to be an apprentice effort, however, given how even the flatter area is riddled with cracks and hollows, dusted with glittery silicate quartz that is far more gritty than sweet.

Though the view down into the bowl is commanding, the views beyond it can be absolutely breathtaking on clear days: eternally snow-capped mountains descending to high-altitude meadows and the dark brush of evergreens, and greener valleys beyond even those, with only glimpses here and there of human habitation. But the views come with a risk: the wind can blow hard and strong, and whether looking inward or outward, there is no protection from the precipitous chasms that fall away from these heights.

It's morning when Iesaryth's foamy ocean waves sweep out toward Tacuseth, only faintly darkened by cloudy skies that mirror those above the Weyr. Perhaps it reflects the queen's mood, or her rider's... but are the two all that different? She offers the battered blue the commanding view from the southern rim of the bowl, with the sense of invitation for he and his rider. Surely he likes to see the comings and goings of the dragons as well? Her rider stands tall against the wind, dark curls whipping around her, thermos in hand, expression thoughtful, but... unimpressed.

The blue pair must have still been around in the area, for Tacuseth's return was the muted touch of a warrior's call - and the image sent gets returned with an even brassier call. They were coming! The scratched up blue dragon lands not too long later, and Jo drops down in her heavy boots and her black leathers like a shadow. Her riding gear hanging from Tacuseth's side like they were either about to depart to places unknown or they were just arriving, she takes a long look out at the view afforded from here before she steps towards Aishani and greets with, "A good vantage, to oversee." There's that customary crooked grin as she glances her way and adds, quietly, "Aishani." Just her name and the barest incline of her head.

The gold is pleased with the reply, will pass on the message. Iesaryth is trying not to take up too much room when Tacuseth arrives, but it's difficult for her; she's sort of big. She seems to like observing from this vantage, wings rustling in the high winds. She offers the blue a rumble as he lands. Glancing over to the gear, Aishani arches brows curiously, offers Jo the thermos. "Going or coming back? It's klah, by the way." Because while it might be noon somewhere, the goldrider isn't accustomed to starting her day out drinking. "Jo. And she likes it." There's a flicker of her gaze to the gold, but it's obvious Shani does too, looking down over the Weyr. Smirking faintly, "Did you hear Z'ian's Weyrleader? To a tiny percentage of the Weyr?"

It's a good thing that Tacuseth is blue, for the smaller dragon and his bronze firelizard -riding charge settles neatly on the rim with little room to spare. It's enough room for his rider to dismount properly, at least. Rumbling back in return as he folds in his wings, "Goin'," Jo answers as she rubs absently at the side of her face and gives a little yawn before she nods her thanks and takes up the thermos for a fortifying drink. Afterwards, "Think we like it, too," she says, looking over the rim towards below. "Bet there's plenty of places around this Weyr Tac and I haven' discovered and should have. I have no excuse for it, either." Nor, will she give one. She takes another sip of the klah before passing it back over, and leans her hip against what railing there is when the early news is brought up. There's no shock to her face, indicating she had as she looks at Aishani sidelong. "I wonder if he even knows he's been drafted," she drawls to it now, arms folding across leathered chest. "I can imagine his response to it if he does. Tac was tellin' me Cadejoth was all riled up earlier, so I wonder if there's a connection." Brow lifting at her, "Ya think this is the push ya were waitin' for?" she asks now.

Iesaryth curls her tail around her bulk, like it'll help. The firelizard is spared some attention because - interesting. Not as big as her progeny, but miniaturized! There's a sympathetic smile for the yawn, as Aishani nods. "Early morning either way. And it's a good view. We like to know what's going on. I don't know why, but some people have found that a failing. But information is power, yes?" Giving Jo a sidelong grin herself, "Your excuse, I think, is you have a part time job. Some people are crafters still, others..." She lifts her hands. Do what the bluerider does. Taking the thermos back, wryly, "I don't know, but I don't see it as his style. I think I'll check in with him; I'm sure Taikrin will. Hopefully not with her fist first." Because Z'ian doesn't need to get punched more, no. With a slow sigh, "I think it's a reaction I've been waiting for. I can't do much with the wings, however."

Mime the firelizard ends up landing right on top of Tacuseth's head as was becoming custom, his eyes whirling as they rest on Iesaryth with interest. "It's important, and, it's yer Weyr," Jo agrees on knowing what's going on, "If they were in charge, they'd want the same. Some of them just won' admit it." On excuses, she meets Aishani's look with one of her own before she gives an acknowledging nod to that. "Yeah, I do. Guess in a way, I'm a crafter too, ehh?" Easy humor, and it lingers on in regards to Boreal's wingleader as she grunts her agreement to what the Weyrwoman thinks. "It's not," she says on his style. "As far as I know, he's never been interested. This wouldn' be his move, I can bet my ass on that. I hear rumors that it's more his wing that's makin' the call, and as for Taikrin..." Well. Her lips quirk up in a sardonic line as she says, "I hope she doesn' lead in with a fist, either. He's been in enough fights without me around." She falls silent then when Aishani answers her question, eyes seeking the view once more and those she could see far below them. Then, "Taikrin can," she says on the wings before she turns to her. "But what about you? Boreal gets ballsy like this, someone else is goin' to get some ideas, too. People are worried. Worried about what ya'll do next, darlin'."

Iesaryth will just watch Mime right back, even if he's not doing all that much... as long as the traffic in the skies doesn't distract her too much. Looking over her Weyr, whether people like it or not, accept it or not, Aishani murmurs, "This place has been part of me for a long time. I didn't want that, but we don't get what we want. I keep telling the weyrlings maybe we get what we need. I meant with dragons, but maybe..." Her dark gaze is far off, as darker hair blows out behind her like a banner. After a sip from the thermos, she has a little laugh for Jo's humor, but it fades as the bluerider continues, words making her sober and thoughtful. "Taikrin's... been good with reason so far. But this is something... it's personal." That might explain a lot about her mood, the queen's stormy ocean skies. With a purse of lips, "Maybe I'll have to do something, just to stop people from worrying," she notes sharply, though none of it for Jo. "Though... that's part of what I wanted to talk to you about. I have a proposal. For your... superiors, let's say."

With the staring match going on, and Tacuseth content to watch the sky traffic, Jo is silent when Aishani speaks about the Weyr. She nods for its sentiments, the convict rider stating in the end, "It's hard, isn' it. This place...seeps into ya," and she looks out, lips pressed together. "Been here a little over eight turns, Aishani, and before that I've had no real love for Weyrs and their meddlin'. Comes with the territory of what I do, but... Bein' here. Guess ya can' but help to love this place. Maybe a little." Her throat clears and she glances at the Weyrwoman, a more genuine smile bleeding out when there's a little laugh given for her humor. It's fades just a tad for the next, and she says evenly, even a little darkly, "This Weyr's no worse off today than it was sevens ago, but it seems to not be good enough for some. I think it is personal. Those that worry seem to give no reason as to what they're worryin' about other than yer next move." She seems to understand the sharp tone and as is normal for her, casual amusement lingers, mixed in with concern. The last gets some of that amusement to fade at least, and there's more alertness in her gaze as she looks the goldrider over. Brows lightly furrowing now in bemusement, there's a long silence before she drops, "Which ones?" perhaps alluding to there being more than one that she's working for.

emit Just loud enough to be heard above the wind, "I dreamed of this place before I came here. Nightmares, really. The first few days were terrifying. I thought every one would know. It's been part of me since the day it took my father. I suppose it makes sense that it would take me too." There's no bitterness in Aishani's tone, just reflection, a weight beyond her turns. "It's come to be home. Mine... I gave it up. But..." She turns away from the view, to Jo. "Maybe you can help with that." Mirroring the bluerider's smile, she takes another slug from the thermos before offering it back. "Thank you. Never mind them, though. I was thinking about the ones... that keep you so busy, running around the continent. Not the ones that you win a little coin fighting for or with. I'm not really sure." By the wrinkle of her nose, she doesn't really want to know.

"They do say home is where the heart is," Jo drawls to that first, nodding with a toss of her wild dark hair. "I can get how a place ya come to hate becomes the one place ya grown to love. This is Ieasaryth's home, just like it's Tacuseth's, and I can' deny him that. For all that I am, and all that he accepts of me, I can' deny him that." She grins again and takes up the thermos for a drink before she states on her help, "I'd like to. There's not much I can do here, for I don' ride those dragons of potential power, but, in any way I can..." But then, business. That's a whole different demeanor, and so she's a little straighter and there's a lingering, speculating silence before she speaks at the end. "There is one that is good at trackin' someone down," she slowly offers on one boss. "But. I think yer referrin' to the other. The ones that keep me runnin', when the other one doesn'. The ones that were...pleased, by the hatchin' results." There's a curious little smile for Aishani, lighting on the party and her little celebration before the announcement. "What do ya have in mind?" she now asks.

"I think, sometimes, that Iesaryth could find anywhere agreeable enough." Aishani has a warm, fond smile for her lifemate's nature, visible even now in her relaxed lean against the rock of the rim. "But she knows I have my ties, and she has hers." Her attention shifts to the blue for a moment or two, contemplative, before, "You can do more than you think." Looking back to Jo, she listens, considering the information before, as she flicks curls from her eyes, "Mm. Yes. I think those would be the ones. I am not necessarily displeased with the results myself; Iesaryth's are all bright enough, and the weyrlings that you... know have their talents. What I have in mind though, is what concerns my family." A pause. "As you might guess, business has not gone well for them over the turns, but they are still not without their skills and talents, without... experience." As everyone's gossiping about these days. "I'd like to see if I can help them. To see if your people can help mine. And if they did, surely the gratitude of High Reaches' Weyrwoman must be worth something to them?" An arch of fine brows, curious.

Chuckling quietly, "Dragons have a nature I sometimes envy," Jo relates, dark eyes turning on the large queen. "That they can forget a memory easily is somethin' even I could have used a time or two. But then, we wouldn' be who we are today, would we? Or all the more stronger for what we've been through." Her gaze then turns on Aishani for the next, about what she can do, and there's the glimmers of a genuine smile for that. On the weyrlings, "Talent is good," she agrees, her tone breezy. "Even the ones not from Crom...I was hopin' to seek out a new business contact in N'hax. He would have been useful in leadin' me to havin' more knives made. Perhaps he still will be, one day." Eyes regard Aishani when she speaks on family, her interest laid bare. "They would have heard of the Vijays," she says, mulling the words over in her head as she takes another drink and passes the thermos back. "I think somethin' mutual, beneficial, would be useful to them. And," and there's the glint of mischief in her gaze now, "I don' see how anyone would turn down a Reachian Weyrwoman's gratitude. I'll need to run this by them, of course," she says quickly. "Confidences and all. If ya wanna meet them and state yer case yerself. They're always lookin' for new...talent." After a moment's silence, though, "Does...yer family know about what happened here?" she asks now.

Wryly, "Oh, if she forgets, she just takes what she needs. She's good enough at that. But I suppose that's true. We wouldn't be the people we are, nor would we ever learn." Aishani has an equally wry smile for that. As for the weyrlings, "Jhorinth is one of Iesaryth's. I didn't meet him till the other day. Interesting." Dragon or rider or both, hard to say. When she takes the klah back from Jo, she drains the rest of it, finding the cap in her pocket, putting it back on. Her short laugh humorless, "As a cautionary tales at least, no doubt. And of course. I'd expect no less." But still, she has a slow grin for the bluerider, telling her, "You have the discussions you need to have, and we'll see about any meetings a little later." The question about her family causes a brief flicker in her expression, in dark eyes, but it passes. "I don't know. But I'd imagine everyone has. Even so, I'd like to go back with something more than a handout if I have to go back with a dragon." There's some little pride there, in tone and lift of her chin. They won't just take anything, even from her. (They'll just steal it. It's a code!)

"As opposed to Tac's way of bargin' into my head and riflin' through until he finds what he wants to know," Jo quips with a look towards the seemingly oblivious blue. On cautionary tales, "Hard to say," she drawls wryly on that matter. "They took me in when I was nothin' more than -" she pauses, snorting before she tacks on "-well. I had came from the mines. They took in a fucked up crook that had nothin' and nobody and we came to an understandin' like ya and I did. I owe them my life. Perhaps yer family will be afforded the same." A nod of a deal made is given in returning to her bosses, stating, "I'll get it done. Keep ya posted. Even should they decline, We'll find another way to help yer family." She moves to the last, speaking of family, those words seeming to make sense to this convict rider as she says in response, "I'd expect no better, darlin'. It'd be nice, to reunite. My own-" and she pauses, briefly shaking her head. "Not yet. Maybe not ever."

"Perhaps it's the same thing, just different methods." Aishani has a bit of a smirk for the thought, though she doesn't seem overly bothered by Iesaryth's habits. She ought to be used to them by now. Canting her head to the side as she listens to Jo, tucking the thermos under her arm, she notes lightly, "Some would say that would be the best way to gain loyalty, to give someone who has nothing a place to be, something to believe in. I can't say that I'd disagree. And thank you." Her tone betrays a bit of surprise in her gratitude, perhaps taken aback that the bluerider is so committed to helping her people at all. And for the last, she's silent for a time, letting the wind blow around them before, "Maybe someday. But in some ways, I think we fill in those blanks on our own." Her free hand strays to the gold's side absently. "I should let you get to your business."

"Let's hope that Tacuseth and Iesaryth don' ever conspire together against us, then," Jo notes wryly, chin dropping a look onto the Weyrwoman. "Already he's made quite a friend in Tsanth." She turns pensive on the words about loyalty - the gaining of loyalty - and the bluerider remarks back, "They're well-versed in it, then, and it's somethin' I would have done were the roles reversed. If not for them, darlin'..." She lets it trail, though she turns to grin at the surprise heard in Aishani's tone before she adds, "Hey, family's family. I can' do anythin' for mine, and I'm not completely as heartless as I like people to believe," and there's laughter, cavalier and easy. The last though, those words she lets linger between them, no words needed to be said in that companionable agreement between the Weyrwoman and a convict rider. There's seems to be something thankful in her gaze for it for Aishani, for saying what she does before she finally steps away towards her blue and says, "Yeah. I better get. Duties beyond and all. Thanks for the klah, and the company, Aishani."

With a faint smile, amused, "Let's hope not." Aishani nods slowly, in understanding for what Jo both says and doesn't say, her own dark eyes serious and sympathetic. They've had different lives, but a rough go of it; it's easy to understand. With a little salute, "Clear skies to you both. And anytime, Jo." For her part, for Iesaryth, they'll stay for awhile, sentinels above the Weyr, daring anyone to come up there and challenge them. Not today, not yet.