Difference between revisions of "Logs:Guidance"

Despite its subterranean locale, the creamy wall paint, pale woods, and
  frosted glass give the cavern a light, airy feel. Oil lamps reflect softly
  in the polished wood of high-backed booths, glimmering through the opaque 
  glass dividers that help lend intimacy to the seating arrangements;       
  round-backed booths carved from stone, lined with deep, terra-cotta       
  colored padding and the addition of strategic, lyric shapes painted in a  
  subtle red shade. The sweeping, half-circle shaped bar with its top of    
  smooth stone, backed by cut-glass-fronted cabinetry flows gracefully into 
  the soft lines and mellow colors that dominate the Glass Fountain.        
                                                                            
  All the atmosphere aside, the main attractions of the room are clearly the
  massive, multi-pronged chandelier that hangs from multiple chains from the
  ceiling and the re-worked leak - which no longer resembles a leak at all, 
  having been channeled through glass to become a beautiful piece of art. A 
  curving wave and a series of glass bubbles guide the water past a bank of 
  glows, allowing the light to shine through the water and turn it into a   
  sparkling fountain. From its dark, dim, shabby history, the Glass Fountain
  has become an elegant place with lattice-stands to hold the menus with    
  their selection ranging from typical 'bar food' to high-end dishes and    
  fancy desserts.

It's late, near last call, and the Fountain is still as packed as it was shortly after the dinner rush. There's a celebration of some kind going on in the far corner, a wing promotion? A birthday? E'dre hasn't bothered to find out as he watches in a casual way and sips from his whiskey glass. There's a stack of hides closed and pushed to the side of him at the table, long since finished.

It is only a quick drink that Lilah slips into the Fountain for, likely simply because it is closer than Dice. There is some amount of surprise that flickers across the Weyrwoman's features at the cavern being still so full, but she doesn't turn back or away, instead moving to the half-circle bar with a focus on that rather than anyone who notices her. She is clad, at least, in a professional way; her dark riding leathers and her Weyrwoman's knot on her shoulder.

E'dre notices Lilah as she heads into the Fountain though he makes no move to catch her attention. He seems to have taken two bigger sips of his whiskey in an attempt to finish it off faster. He shudders after his last larger sip and sets the remaining down. He flips open his records and browses them idly as he lifts his eyes now and then to note Lilah's progress through the Fountain.

E'dre is certainly not the only one who has noticed Lilah; the first to approach her, though, is a bronzerider who has always had ambitions to Weyrleader, but he is mostly ignored for the moment except for a polite greeting and an equally polite smile before the Weyrwoman turns away to place her order.

That signals something in E'dre that draws forth a mix of irritation and amusement. He watches for a moment until it becomes apparent the bronzerider may push his agenda in a less than gentleman-style. Rising, the brownrider heads to the bar with his now empty glass and slides between the bronzerider and Lilah. He pushes his empty glass forward. "Just a bit more," he tells the 'keep before he looks to Lilah. "Weyrlings' seem to be settling in," he jumps right into a conversation, "and the wings are doing well. Even Flint, with their new wingleader." Beat. He glances to the left at the bronzerider and lifts a brow. Time to go, buddy!

Even if the bronzerider would see it differently, right this moment, E'dre outranks him and he takes his cue from the Weyrsecond and leaves. And as the bartender fills up the brownrider's whiskey, he fills another glass for the goldrider as well. "The way you say that, it makes it seem as if you did not think they would," Lilah remarks lightly, a brow drawing upwards as she reaches for her glass.

"I was aiming to make my approach about business," E'dre replies drily, reaching for that whiskey to twist back and forth on the table. He keeps his eyes on the amber liquid as it is disturbed by his actions. "I imagine enough of the Southerners and some of our own are eying you and looking at N'muir and..," he lifts his shoulder in a shrug and splays out his hands on the table. "Opportunists." He takes a sip of the whiskey to temper his reply on that other subject. "I've said that to Hattie many times. I live with Ebeny. I hear how well they do, I pass it on. Impartially."

"Are they opportunists for seeing the opportunity there? Eliyaveith will rise, and she likely won't be caught by Bijedth. Or Taeliyth will rise, and likely won't be caught by Bijedth," answers Lilah simply, shrugging her shoulder upwards as she lifts her glass in a mock toast to the Weyrsecond before putting it to her lips. "I meant for Flint's new wingleader. The weyrlings-- Well, they will learn eventually, won't they?" A pause, before she says in warning to E'dre, "X'vin was the correct appointment to take over T'rev's wing."

"I'm not prepared to see this Weyr run without N'muir," E'dre answers lowly, looking at his whiskey as he states that fact. "He made me a better man." Which some may not see at all. He takes a hearty gulp of that whiskey and the grimace that follows is not all from the burn of the liquid as it goes down his throat. "X'vin? I'll see how he does," he allows, not prepared to give a clear agreement on that, "but the wing did need a new 'leader."

Lilah doesn't press her point on X'vin, but on the subject of N'muir? She murmurs a low, pointed warning towards E'dre as she leans in towards the brownrider, "You better start preparing yourself." But then she'll lean away again, punctuating her statement with a sip of her whiskey.

E'dre's lips thin and tighten at her warning. He can't comment on that, not until that glass of whiskey is slowly sipped more than once. "You'd be so quick to lose his guidance?" he queries, shakes his head, takes a breath and another sip of whiskey. "The Weyr respects him," he grumbles. "I've lived in a Weyr with--, nevermind." He scrubs his hand across his face. "Change'll happen whether I whine about it or not."

"And you think I need his guidance, don't you? That he's the only one who has the answers for me or for this Weyr?" challenges Lilah lightly, no real pressure to her words as she levels a look on E'dre.

"No, I fucking need him," E'dre returns, the flush across his cheeks alcohol inspired and enhanced by his emotion. "So does the bulk of the wings. He's a damn good leader." He tips his head back as he downs the rest of that whiskey. "You'll handle your knot fine," he mutters, slamming that glass down unintentionally and grimacing for the loudness.

"He's biased, entrenched in his ways, and blind to other ways. He plays favorites and alienates wingriders that aren't in his wing," Lilah counters without any heat, her brow curving upwards as she studies E'dre. She doesn't even flinch at the slammed glass, though she gestures to the bartender for a refill for him.

E'dre intends to wave the refill off, whether or not he is successful he doesn't seem as focused on as he glances at Lilah. "And you're young. You don't play nice with politics. You see something that needs to be done and you /do/ it." None of this seems to be meant as a deragatory statement. Not tonight. "Everyone has things that work and that don't."

The bartender hesitates, but Lilah tips a nod of agreement and he leaves. It's only after that, and after she's drained her own glass that she continues carefully, "And yet you seem so sure that no one can step into N'muir's shoes. That the wings need him." A pause, before she adds pointedly, "Or are you just worried for your knot?"

E'dre can't help it, he outright laughs at that question. "Truly? Do you even know? I stepped in and helped Hattie--," he shakes his head, looking at that now empty glass and tips it forward to look into. "No, Lilah. If you would rather another have my knot, let them. I've kept it all these turns out of respect for N'muir and because I thought I had something to give." There's bitterness in his tone as he adds, "Replace us all, huh? New blood. It'll help."

"As you said, E'dre," Lilah replies on a murmur, humor dry in her words, "I see something that needs to be done and I do it." Yet, for all that her gaze slides briefly to his knot, she only sets her glass down on the bar before moving to turn away.

Lilah needn't go that far. There's a tightness to E'dre's lips and a tension that draws his shoulders back. He lets that glass tip forward and clatter on the table to roll away. He's out of his chair and out the door without another word.