Difference between revisions of "Logs:Whatever Works"

Riders' Lounge, High Reaches Weyr

About as high up the bowl wall as it is possible to get before hitting clear sky, right up against the rim, this ledge is tiny, narrow and not terribly inviting. Though angled towards the sun, there's not enough room to properly stretch out, and that same angle ensures it receives the worst of bad weather, with no shelter whatsoever. From above, there's not even an obvious passage inside, as if this particular ledge is, in the end, nothing more than a natural outcropping. It's only from atop the ledge itself that the cleverly concealed entrance becomes clear, angled into the stone as it is.

Inside, there's a cavernous space, more than making up for the stinginess of the ledge. There's one large main room, and a much smaller back room that could probably be used as a bedroom - if this weyr were in traditional usage. Instead, the main cavern is largely filled with a collection of mismatched tables and chairs, with a trolley at the far end that contains a prodigious amount of liquor. Old, but still impressive, hangings cover the walls, all depicting scenes of High Reaches in glory. The back room has been turned into a storage area, with several cases of whisky and a variety of other spirits ready and waiting.

A strange pipe contraption comes through the ceiling and towards the stone floor, where a large bucket sits beneath it. A lever turns on water from the pipe: fresh rain or snow, ready for drinking.

Thunder and snow is always entertaining. Or terrible. Either way, it is High Reaches in winter, so they're stuck with it. The weather makes the ledge even less of an hangout than usual, though inside the space, there's riders that have braved the cold to sit and play cards, talk quietly over drinks - this early in the afternoon, at least. Aishani isn't commonly found in here, in such modest circumstances, but for the time being, she's done a good job of making herself unobtrusive in her corner, with a low table before her, a cap on her head and a book in front of her face; a screen from behind which to observe.

Thunder and snow is particularly entertaining when one is flying morning sweeps through it. By the time H'vier shows up in the lounge, he doesn't look very thrilled about the world at large. Then again, that's just kind of been his expression of late. He pauses to drop his share into the lockbox and helps himself to a bottle of whisky. He doesn't need a glass, so he only bothers opening the bottle to take a drink right there. Sitting down can wait, evidently.

It would be difficult to say such drinking would be unusual at that time of day at any Weyr, let alone this one, so no one takes too much notice except maybe to give H'vier a wide berth. Who wants to get punched? Aishani's been watching over her book, sharp dark gaze curious, but she says nothing until he's near enough, taking that drink. "The fact that you paid for alcohol on the honor system is astounding to me. It's astounding to me that this place isn't cleaned out nightly," she notes, tones low, eyes on the book. "You look terrible." And hello to you too, weyrwoman!

That familiar voice turns H'vier's head toward Aishani. There's his typical once over, as much as he can manage, before he takes another drink. He probably needs it to deal with talking to anyone right now, let alone this particular someone. "You don't pay, it stops showing up. I'm not stupid." That's probably debatable. "And you look just as fuckable as always, my dear weyrwoman." H'vier turns to study his options before, reluctantly, gravitating to a chair near Aishani, flipping it around to sink into, bottle set on the table but not released. "Don't see you here often."

"Mm," Aishani says, flickering a look around over her book. "I don't know. They all look like fine upstanding sorts. You could probably short it a little now and then." The glance she gives H'vier on 'stupid' says she might debate that, but his next has all that dissolving into mild disgust. Over a sigh, "Must you? Can you not even find a less disgusting way to say it? You're not stupid," she echoes now. Now, that's a point. She doesn't have a bottle, just a mug, practically untouched. "Ah, well. This was our esteemed Weyrleader's venture. We have a tacit agreement of avoidance."

"Oh, I do." He might have even just now, but he doesn't say and he doesn't glance at the poor, shorted lockbox. "But I always put something in there. Looks wrong when you don't." Because H'vier has an unblemished history of doing right and only right. "How would you prefer I say it? How about: You look lovely today. But that just seems... boring." And people might get suspicious if he starts saying anything nice like that. "Always figured you two would kiss and make up."

Even Aishani has to admit, "That is true. Perhaps it's less people's better nature and more people's need to drink that keeps things on the up and up. Mostly." That view of the world and the lounge suit her won the best, so that's what she'll go with. And she does also have to admit, if grudgingly, "It is a bit boring. I always do. I make an effort." A pause, then reluctantly, "Thank you for noticing that, in your way." With a caveat is about the best H'vier can do. But the last makes her put her book down, as if he's lost his mind temporarily. "No. I don't think so. I've stopped actively making him suffer for the moment, but that's about as good as it gets."

"People don't have a better nature. They're just people. But they do have a need to drink," is an agreement. H'vier lifts his bottle in a silent toast to her reluctant thanks before taking an impressively thorough drink. The look she gives him earns a grin, "You know, it's easier to make a man suffer when you're fucking them." A friendly tip from your neighborhood H'vier. "But I wouldn't want him to have the pleasure of the fucking first." He frowns, thinking. Then, "Why stop?"

"Some would argue they do. People who do nice things without expecting anything out of it in return." Suckers. By Aishani's tone anyway. Now that H'vier's sitting there, she gives up the ruse entirely, tossing her book on the table and the wool cap atop it, fingers combing her dark curls as she picks up her mug. Rolling her eyes, "If you were me, would you go there? Honestly. And yes, exactly. I wouldn't want him to enjoy it." Because clearly, he would. She's awesome. After a sip from her mug, "We have a deal. I do my work and I'm left alone. It gives me time to do things like find paying work for crude bronzeriders."

"No one does something without expecting something." Aishani might think they're suckers. H'vier thinks they're mythical beasts. They just don't exist. "If I were you, I definitely would've fucked me by now." Surprise, surprise. "But the only way I'd fuck him would be to strangle him in his sleep afterwards." It's a pleasant enough end that it trumps even his distaste for the theoretically means of sleeping with K'del in Aishani's body. "And the crude bronzeriders are ever so grateful to play delivery boy for the high and mighty goldrider." There's sarcasm there.

Considering that for a moment, Aishani nods eventually, mug held in both hands as she leans back in her seat. "Gratitude. Friendship. Yes." Arching fine brows H'vier's way, with a flicker of his up-and-down look from before, "My guess is, if you were me, there'd be a lot of people that you'd have fucked by now. Thankfully, you are not. And be very certain that, if by some evil, Cadejoth were ever to catch Iesaryth, only one of us would walk out of that weyr." She means herself, obviously. Smirking a touch for his sarcasm, "It's not just me. It's a number of people, if it makes you feel better." Delivery buy duty doesn't come all too often either - once a month or so, there's a note on his ledge regarding a message or a package. Not too tough a job. "I might need something more involved in the future though. Family business."

"It's bad enough that he's catching Hraedhyth. I'd rather not think about him catching Iesaryth, too. Though, I suppose, there's no competition from me there." Which is, clearly, all that's important to H'vier. As for how he feels about more people? "Not really. I generally like to know who I'm working for." But he no doubt does appreciate that it doesn't take much of his time. That leaves more for his own pursuits. "More involved? Sounds promising."

"Oh? Ah, yes." Aishani smirks again, a bit more coldly. "Why bother." At least she doesn't take it so personally that she walks away or throws her drink on him or anything. Not while it's still warm, anyway. "Do you know Jo? Tacuseth's rider?" It'd be a social inquiry, but she doesn't tend to do those, not with him anyway. "And does it? If so, it could be arranged. I just like to make sure I can trust people to do what they're supposed to before getting into anything serious. Anyway, a few of my cousins need to speak to a debtor. And my uncle, who would usually be the real heavy in that situation, is quite ill. That cough, from the mines."

That change in her tone makes H'vier grin. "Really, I thought you'd be pleased, weyrwoman." Mention of the bluerider does, indeed, earn recognition which has the bronzerider nodding as he says, "We've met. I wouldn't say I know her." But he doesn't really know a lot of people. Not in any meaningful way. "Are you telling me that I've got a bunch of women bossing me around?" That's just fantastic. Fortunately he doesn't sound too bent about the idea. Maybe he's had enough to drink to help. "Your uncle just for show or is he more a... negotiator?"

With a wrinkle of her nose, "No matter how I might feel personally, it is an insult to Iesaryth. And I'm sure it's not a shock that I'm not thrilled about how things shook out, though it might be preferable in some ways." Aishani quirks a bit of a smile, surprisingly. "I have to ask... Jo knows a lot of people. And hm. Not a bunch of women, and only on this end, and do we really boss you around?" She widens dark eyes, all wounded innocence for a moment. How could he! Shifting back to normal with a shrug, "It depends on how far the discussion has to go. Hopefully, not too far."

"You can assure Iesaryth that it's no personal slight against her. Reisoth would very much like to fuck her." He's probably paraphrasing. And he sounds almost wistful as he adds, "But I promised someone important that we'd only chase the senior." Lucky Hraedhyth. H'vier takes another drink, so his completely unconvinced-of-her-innocence look is cut rather short. "Fortunately for you, I have experience with both standing around," looking menacing, "and negotiating," with his fists.

Those brows arch high again, but this time in sincere surprise. "That doesn't seem fair," Aishani says, over her mug. "Not that I am encouraging you to do otherwise, but it doesn't seem fair to him." Perhaps it's a dragonrider thing, but something about that seems to not quite sit right with the goldrider. Shrugging it off, she salutes him with her mug. "This is rather what I thought. And experience with remaining circumspect about these errands, which has been both noted and appreciated. I'll set something up with my cousins."

"Don't talk to me about fair. He can chase as many greens as he wants." H'vier isn't a monster. Mostly. "Just the one queen. It's not as though he has a history of catching them, so he's not missing out on much, anyway." Much to the bronze pair's frustration, admittedly. "But maybe you'll get lucky and Tayte won't take me back. Suppose that deal'd be off, then." Something for Aishani to cheer for, clearly. "And, as always, I'm glad to be of service to you, weyrwoman." So very glad.

"Ah. I wasn't aware of the entirety of the... deal." Aishani gives a wave of her hand - agreement, whatever it is. "Whatever works for you, then. Perhaps the next time. It can't possibly be worse than K'del. Though I'm not sure why you hate him." It's diffident; she's not sure it matters either, just a thought. Though the topic of relationship problems has her faintly bemused as she finishes off her mug as sets it down. "Good luck with that, if that's what works for you as well. I would offer advice, but I doubt anything I could provide would be useful." Flashing a smile as she sweeps up her book and hat, "Oh, H'vier. You do sometimes say things I like to hear. Imagine that."

Even H'vier might not be sure why he hates K'del so much. Certainly, to an extent, he has his reasons. It would be pointless to attack the Weyrleader for less than Reasons, after all. But, all the same, he doesn't respond, only watches her set down her mug and pick up her things. The last earns a grin. He has to ruin it with, "I'm not so bad with my tongue."

Aishani just puts on her cap and laughs. Maybe the mug was spiked, maybe it's because he's drinking, or maybe she's just not as totally disgusted by him as she pretends to be. She's still laughing when she pushes out of her chair and saunters out to the ledge, calling over her shoulder, "I'll talk to you later." Or send a note. Or something. At least she's entertained.