Logs:Of Choices
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| RL Date: 10 April, 2006 |
| Who: Cassie, Harley, Josilina, Maja, R'sel, Rathin |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| When: Day 1, Month 4, Turn 7 (Interval 10) |
| Your location's current time: 18:38 on day 1, month 4, Turn 57, of the Tenth Pass. It is a spring evening. You wander into the infirmary. Infirmary(#855RLhs) This smaller cavern serves as the infirmary at High Reaches Weyr. Immediately upon entering the room, the pervasive smell of numbweed and other medicines nearly overwhelms you. There are a few pristinely made cots lined up along the walls, some occupied, and supply cabinets flank the sides of the doors leading into the medicinal storage room and the Weyrhealer's office. Large vats of various sizes line another wall, containing solutions such as oil, redwort and numbweed, among others. A door to the south leads out to the lower caverns. Views: Storeroom Table Cots Crib Contents: A hidden note Obvious exits: Lower Caverns Harley strolls in from the lower caverns, outside. Harley has arrived. Rathin currently has the unenviable job of scooping dollops of numbweed from one of the large vats into smaller pots, and screwing the lids on. He seems to be doing this with considerably more force than necessary, as small droplets are covering the bench he's working on, and the floor here and there. His body is lined with barely concealed anger, and it seems the numbweed is bearing the brunt of it. Harley walks in carrying a basket full of tightly rolled bandages balanced against one hip and what looks like a pail of numbweed in the other hand. She stops abruptly when she sees Rathin. "Whoops. Hi. I forgot you'd be in here today." she sets the lidded pail down and carries the basket across to one of the cabinets and opens a drawer, carefully picking up the rolls of bandages and placing them in the drawer. Rathin shoots and irritated look over his shoulder, though it fades as he sees the source of the commentary. His right cheek is visibly bruised, starting to go purple. "Yeah, here all this sevenday, thanks to the wise and venerable counsel of the lady of the spires." His tone is deliberately mocking enough that he receives a warning look from one of the Journeyman Healers passing by. The candidate scowls briefly, turning back to his chore with a little less enthusiasm, which thankfully means less numbweed flying about. Harley sees that shiner, which she'd heard about and winces. "Has anyone looked at that?" she asks, nodding towards Rathin as she continues to stack the bandages neatly in the drawer. She doesn't have to ask where it came from. She has a fair idea who delivered that one. A twitch of lips, not that it can be seen, but the faint amusement can probably be detected in Rathin's tone as he responds, "Satiet -looked- at it." Deliberate emphasis gives it a different meaning than Harley intended. "It's nothing, I've taken worse." A pause, where he continues working, then, "I'm surprised you're even talking to me." Harley blinks and her eyes narrow a little. She finishes stacking the bandages and closing the drawer with her hip. She sets the basket down for the moment and perches on a nearby stool. "Um, why would I not be talking to you?" she asks simply. "You were mad at me yesterday. About the picture of Maja." With his back turned, still working at his chore, Rathin misses Harley's reaction. Harley blinks again. "I wasn't mad. I said that picture needed to come down. Period. It was kind of childish to be honest. I was disappointed." and she shrugs. "You got into enough trouble as it was." Rathin glances over his shoulder to get a measure of Harley's mood, then gestures towards the pots. "I'll fill, you cap?" he suggests, with a hopeful raise of brows. "To get to the heart of a matter, sometimes one needs to be a child, to view things from a child's perspective. Children are experts at knocking down walls." A quick exhale, a slight twitch of shoulders in a not-quite-shrug, then, "As for getting into trouble-- that was nothing. She did it to placate that greenrider. I'd've been on some chore or other, regardless." Harley nods. "Let me take this over to the other storeroom." she picks up the pail of numbweed. "Be right back." and she disappears, returning several minutes later. She pulls the stool over to sit next to Rathin, ignoring a glare from one of the assistants. "Shove some of those lids my way. I understand what your saying about a child's perspective, but baiting someone like that can cause more trouble than it's worth on occasion." While the other candidate has gone, Rathin's shrugged his way out of his jacket, depositing it safely over on an empty stool. He's pushed the sleeves of his shirt back, and there might be a slight shading of bruising around one wrist, though barely noticeable. His movements are less jerky, the cut of anger fading and giving his movements more grace. With a grateful grin, he nudges a small pile of lids over in Harley's direction, handing her a full pot along with them. "Sure. Sometimes it solves things. You have to admit, she's been looking like she's going to explode for days. I don't know why she's a candidate when she obviously wants to be a guard again so badly." Harley chuckles. "Actually, Maja has looked like that since I first met her months ago." she puts a lid on the pot you hand her and tightens it just so, setting it aside with the others. She catches sight of the bruise and drops her voice. "Come find me before you go to bed. I've got something that will ease those so you can at least sleep well tonight." Putting it back up in the normal range, she continues. "I don't think she's had a good life. I've never seen her smile." Rathin gives Harley a faintly surprised look, the nods imperceptibly to indicate he caught her words. As he hands her another full pot, he says, "I've seen her smile, but somehow I suspect it was more the satisfaction of kicking my ass type of smile, rather than the I love life smile. Still, I suppose it's a start." Lips twist briefly, and he adds, "Everyone's got their sob stories to tell." Harley takes the pot and puts the lid on it. "That also depends on if they want to tell it. Obviously I'm not the right person to tell as Maja has never said much to me. As for the smile today, well" her own smile appears again. "I'm not sure I'd have wanted to see that one." "It was a terrifying smile indeed. I hope you never see it," Rathin says, lowering his voice conspiratorially, clearly laying it on too thickly to be frank. "Anyway, speaking of enemies, was it that greenrider's dragon I saw you on yesterday as I was coming out of the barracks? Are you spying for the opposition?" He pauses in the action of passing over another jar, eyeing Harley critically, a faint twitch of lips destroying the otherwise flawless accusation. Harley nods. "yes I was. She tooks us to the hot springs. She," she hesitates and drops her voice to a whisper. "She spoke to me, while we were in the barracks." She lids another pot of numbweed before she continues "And I'll make my own decisions on who needs to know what. I won't spy for 'them'. Many are my friends. I won't spy for 'us' either." her lips twitch into a wry smile. "I'm one of those uh," she hesitates trying to find the right words "Well, if I see a problem, I won't hesitate to do my best to take care of it. Otherwise" and she shrugs. "At least tell me you're getting decent amounts of marks in payment?" Rathin's voice, likewise, drops, the curve of his lips more visible now, smiling as she does. There's a lengthy pause, before the erstwhile trader passes over another pot. "It's all well and good to pick the neutral path, but sometimes you have to pick a side and make a stand. I'll give you a bit of free advice, too: don't pick my side. Now you can't ever say I didn't warn you." Cassie flitters in from the lower caverns, outside. Cassie has arrived. Harley actually chuckles as she takes the pot and puts the lid on it, "No marks no. And it's not a neutral path. If there is a 'side', it is my own. I know what's right and what's wrong and I'm learning to know what is best for the weyr. That's where my loyalties area. Not with any one person or group of people." she blushes a little. "I know it sounds silly and all but" and she shrugs again, putting the lid on another pot of numbweed. Cassie sweeps into the infirmary, always a good place to find something interesting or people willing to pay attention to her. At first she settles up on a high shelf before spying a friend and landing on Harley's head grasping her hair to steady herself. "You have to hold out for the big marks," Rathin says, chiding. "To make it worth your while. And never put anything in writing." The sage words of advice come from something of experience, by the sounds of things. He's currently transferring numbweed from a large vat into little pots, handing them to Harley to be capped off. "Not silly. It is what it is. Besides, it's always best to be on your own side." The candidate, at least, can agree with -that- particular sentiment. He doesn't notice the firelizard until it comes swooping at Harley, and in alarm, he drops the pot he's filling. "Sharding 'lizard!" Maja meanders in from the lower caverns, outside. Maja has arrived. Harley jumps and squeaks, looking up without tilting her head. Seeing a flash of gold wing, she chuckles again. "hello there gorgeous." She grins. "You looking for me for a reason?" Turning her eyes back to Rathin, and the dropped jar of numbweed. "Not specifically just for me. Like I said, I'm learning what's best for the weyr. That's what helps me decide." Cassie warbles a happy tone, no message or anything. Just a flit on the prowl for attention and perhaps a snack. Sne pokes her nose into the jar that Harley is holding before quickly withdrawing, shaking her head side to side and sneezing. Rathin's looking a bit put out, mostly because some of the numbweed's splattered on his shirt. Grabbing a rag from nearby, he futilely wipes at the dollops. "The Weyr?" he echoes, eventually, glancing from Harley to the firelizard - the latter warily as if expecting it to fly up again at any moment - and back. "That's a fairly lofty goal for a candidate." It's an observation, nothing more, and it's accompanied by a faint twitch of lips to take any sting out of the words. He's currently standing by the vat of numbweed with Harley, a nice bruise purpling his right cheek. "Uh.." he mutters, as the firelizard sticks her head in the numbweed jar. "I thought golds were meant to be -smart-?" Maja appears in the doorway to the infirmary, a klah mug in one hand that's been stolen from the living caverns. She tilts her head to one side and her gaze quickly falls on Rathin and Harley. She's not hurt at all, just visiting. She heads toward the two of them. Because of the strong smell of numbweed, Maja keeps the klah mug close, masking the scent. Harley is looking at the gold with a wry smile. "That wasn't such a good idea. Can you even feel your nose now?" she asks as she puts a lid on the jar of numbweed with the firelizard nose imprint in it. "This is no good for the infirmary here." she sets it off to the side, in the empty basket she'd set down earlier. "Not such a lofty goal" she adds to Rathin, pointing to the second knot she has on her shoulder, "I have to think in large terms even though I'm doing small tasks right now but I'm still helping Thiana." Cassie is rubbing her nose against Harley's cheek, obviously she doesn't like not being able to feel her nose... she sneezes again. After cleaning up most of the stray numbweed, Rathin reaches for another empty pot to fill, eyeing the firelizard warily. A quick smile answers Harley's words. "A woman with a plan. I imagine that's admirable." The way he phrases it is odd, and probably deliberately so. As he passes the full pot to Harley, he catches sight of movement, and probably thinking it's another firelizard, turns to wave arms in a shooing motion. He's caught halfway in the gesture as he realises it's Maja. "Ah! It's the stately vixen, refreshed from a nap no doubt." "Trying to shoo me away? It's not quite that easy to get me to run off." Maja reacts to Rathin's seemingly strange reaction to her appearance, though accompanies the comment with a brief smile. She's in a good mood, today. "Naps do refresh the senses, though I haven't had one today. No, the klah is to keep away the smell of this room." She turns towards Harley, drawing her hand a in a small arc as a simple wave. Harley feels her cheek going numb and she gives the firelizard a look that's about a quarter 'the look'. "Making my face go numb is not going to help." She turns her head and smiles. "Hi Maja. Good luck with the smell if you plan to stay in here any length of time." and she eyes Rathin. "Not a plan specifically. Just something to keep me busy." Cassie cheeples sounding kind of pitiful. "It was worth a try." Rathin takes Maja's assumption in his stride, "Perhaps if I clap my hands and think of home..." he closes his eyes, bringing his hands together three times, the noise loud enough that the group as a whole gets a hissed 'Quiet!' from the Journeyman Healer. Opening his eyes and letting out a sigh, the candidate declares, "Still here. It was worth a shot. Here to help, or just to admire your handiwork?" He turns deliberately back towards the vat, filling another empty pot. "Busy is good. Better than boredom. Still, it's hard to be on your own side -and- the Weyr's side, when those two things don't always coincide." "I'm admiring the cheek, actually. And I have no intention of helping, but I can watch." Maja purposefully watches as Rathin turns his head, smiling to herself at the color of the purple splotch. "Always be on your own side," Maja advises, though to no one in particular. "Are you picking sides, Harley?" Cassie with no one paying attention to her, flits away in search of her pet. Cassie soars back out to the lower caverns. Cassie has left. Harley heaves a sigh and shakes her head. "Nope. I didn't explain it well and I can't think of a way to get it through so, whatever." She puts the lid on another jar and sets it with the main group. "When I figure out how to say it I'll let you know." "She's not," Rathin interjects, "Though I'm unashamedly trying to win her to my side." Harley, of course, would see the lie in that, since he was saying anything but earlier, though you wouldn't be able to tell to hear his tone. A grin is thrown over his shoulder at Maja. "I think Satiet actually felt sorry for me for oh, about half a second. I'm not sure she believed that a rock jumped out at me, but it's my story, and I'm sticking to it." He seems, all in all, in an oddly cheerful mood. Another jar is handed smoothly to Harley. Maja raises her eyebrows at Harley's sigh, apparently surprised at the sudden frustration. She shrugs, shakes her head, and turns back to Rathin. "And I think only you know what the morals are of -your- side. I wouldn't join Rathin's side either, Harley." She smiles wide at the mention of Satiet, noting, "She felt sorry? I'd have liked to see that." Harley takes the jar and puts the lid on it. She keeps quiet when Rathin mentions his rock story. She does smile though. "No worries. I'm not on his side. Or his spy." hearing her name, she turns her head to see one of the nannies standing in the doorway. A hopeful grin fills her face "Need help with the babies?" The nanny just grins and crooks a finger at Harley. She sets the freshly lidded pot with the rest. "Time for me to go." she says to Rathin and Maja. Picking up the empty basket with the fire lizard contaminated numbweed, she heads towards the door. "See you both later." Harley wanders back out to the lower caverns. Harley has left. "There goes my devious plan to woo you to my side, vixen." Rathin glances over his shoulder at Maja, lips twisting in more of a grimace than anything at the mention of the weyrwoman. "It was very brief, and she'll deny it all the way to her grave. I saw the lust in her eyes." The next pot of numbweed is filled with a tad more force than is necessary, and a few drops go flying. With a low exhale, he casts a sympathetic look after Harley. "Thanks for the help!" he calls after her, earning another 'look' from the Journeyman. "Looks like you're up next," he directs to Maja, pointing at the stool with a twitch of brows. Josilina walks in from the lower caverns, outside. Josilina has arrived. R'sel strides in from the lower caverns, outside. R'sel has arrived. "That's right." R'sel's saying in reply to Josilina as he follows her in, "Just like us Trader types." He shoots the Weyrwoman a sidelong grin and adds in a lower, not quite confiding, tone "It's cute though. But if you'd rather I didn't, you could just ask yourself, rather than having -them- rely, M'lady." Rathin is working over to one side of the infirmary, filling small pots of numbweed from the large vat. His jacket's slung over the stool nearby, sleeves of his shirt rolled up, looking like he's been here for some time. A bruise purples his right cheek, though given he's facing the wall as he works, it's only visible since he's eyeing Maja expectantly. Josilina comes in with R'sel, a mug in one hand and a small jar in the other. "I was trying not to be rude in public." She retorts in a not-very-low undertone. "You shouldn't have been gossiping about me anyway. It's not nice." She adds that more primly as she steps towards where Rathin's working and Maja's being eyed. "Hi Maja! Hi... " She blinks at Rathin, failing to come up with a name, for all that they've likely met in passing at least. "you," she settles for rather lamely. "Shells, that's a nasty looking one," she raises the jar-holding hand towards her own cheek. "You know you're not supposed to be fighting, right?" "Perhaps if you quit calling me vixen, I would be more sympathetic to your side," Maja advises, though smiles even wider as Satiet's expression is described. "She's apologized to me before, actually. But I won't tell you about it." The stool is given a disgusted look and Maja finishes her klah, putting the mug down. "Didn't I tell you I'm not here to help?" She turns around towards Josilina. "He slipped on a rock." "You know, you're leaving me with very few things to call you. I don't think you'll like what's on my short list." Rathin answers Maja, pointed grin following as he gestures to the empty lids on the bench. "You can help me, or I can just go with the assumption that you're here to admire my rear view. Either scenario's more than fine with me." At the new voices, the scruffy-haired candidate turns, looking surprised. He doesn't offer a name, and in fact seems happier than the woman doesn't seem to know it. "I haven't been fighting," he responds, believably incredulous, before his eyes fall on the knot. "Ma'am." He tips his head towards Maja, in wordless agreement with her story. "We weren't gossiping about you." R'sel answers with an amused chuckle, "If anything I was trying I get her to stop talking about her far too personal matters in public. Your name came up, but that's hardly gossip." The comment Josilina makes about fighting is what draws his attention elsewhere and a shaggy brow is lifted, "Shells, don't tell me you're the one Shalyn hit and she did that? I wouldn't have thought she had the reach much less..." The browneider trails off and pauses and inclines his head as he admits the possible mistake, "Sorry, and there I go, jumping to conclusions... my apologies. A rock of course." Josilina's head tilts slightly to one side as she eyes Rathin's bruise, "A rock? Ouch. - Maybe he won't grow out of it." That's over her shoulder to R'sel. "Mm, that one should be around here too though, somewhere." She gives the infirmary a half-hearted once-over, "Satiet gave him extra chores in here." She pauses and looks back towards Rathin. "Numbweed duty, actually, I think." She raises her eyebrows at him and Maja both. Maja very deliberately neglects to introduce Rathin as well, though only because she picks up on the signs of a need for anonymity. Still, the woman doesn't elaborate more on her lie-- though it's a wonder she lied in the first place. A strange mood has hit her. If Rathin wants to squirm his way out of Josilina's corner, he can. "And all I'd do is screw on the cap?" She settles down with little argument onto the stool. "It was a particularly vicious rock." Rathin adds, possibly not helping his story any, but he's making a point. "I think it had it in for me from day one." He's deliberately not looking at Maja now, as his brows furrow at the mention of Shalyn. "Oh. Yeah -she- did slap me, on the other cheek. That's why I'm doing this--" his hand gestures towards the large vat behind him, and the pots already filled and capped, confirming Josilina's query. "If she'd started off the conversation saying she was pregnant, I'd've wisely run the other way." A hint of asperity is audible in his tone, before he nods towards Maja. "Uh-huh." He passes her a full pot, just like they were a well-oiled machine. "He'll grow out of it." R'sel reassures casually, to that over the shoulder comment. His attention already wondering some, almost as he gives Maja a grin and with no indication of picking up on the lie, smoothly nods and replies as if to both candidates, "Rocks can be like that. One attacked a friend of mine once, course it was helped by a playful dragon." His gaze settles fully on Rathin a moment and gives a conspiring grin, "I wouldn't have blamed you if you had run the other way. She's enough to try the patience of anyone when it comes to certain matters. Course. I never said that of a wingmate." Maja thoroughly screws the top on, ready for the next pot. "I haven't spoken to Shalyn much, really," she admits, top in her hand. "But she did seem... energetic." Happy at least that her lie was not noticed, she relaxes on her seat and impatiently waits for the next jar. "Rocks can also be useful allies, sometimes." Conspiring encouragement is all Rathin needs - although, let's face it, he doesn't even really need that - to agree with R'sel's statement. "Personally, I think she's overly sensitive, even for a pregnant woman, -or- for a greenrider. Maybe she wasn't hugged enough as a child," he speculates, eyes flickering thoughtfully towards the ceiling. The next jar he passes to Maja is deliberately overfull, flowing over on one side - the side he offers to her with a bland smile. At the comment from the tall candidate, his expression is sly, thoughtful, and he hesitates - though she may have already taken the jar by then. R'sel chuckles as he claims a seat on a nearby stool, some small part of his attention noting when Josilina drifts off to find the right size jar of numbweed she was looking for, "They can be. And she's energetic alright. Not really a bad sort when push comes to shove, but I sometimes wonder if a part of her has ever grown past the age she was when she found her lifemate. She tends to focus on things a lot of the rest of us don't feel the need to discuss and thus, not leave the best impression of herself." Reaching out to grab the incoming jar, Maja snatches it up without noticing the overflow. When her hand touches the wet, she nearly drops the whole thing, though catches it with her other hand and places it on the table next to her. "You ... " Maja begins a threat, though restrains herself in R'sel's presence. She does attempt to very thoroughly rub the numbweed off on Rathin's pant leg, though. Rathin can't help but grin at Maja's curbed threat. Murmured: "Four. Or would that be three-and-a-half? -Hey-," he protests as she rubs the numbweed onto his pants. "-Vixen-," he says pointedly, before R'sel's comment garners his attention. "She Impressed young?" he asks with a curious look at the rider, as if that explains something. "I think the word you're looking for is 'oversharing'. I think she was more upset that I didn't want to listen than from any perceived disrespect." R'sel watches the exchange between the two, and while there is a glint of amusement in his gaze he again refrains from any real comment on the interaction, "She hasn't told you yet? You've been fortunate. It's a favorite story of hers, but aye." R'sel nods his head with the admission, "She did. Oversharing is probably a better word for it. I can't even say I'd be shocked if you were right about her true upset. She rather likes the attention, and the reactions she might get from hearing the various bits of of her life story she relates." With her hand numb, Maja finds it difficult to do her job. She flicks her hand in the air a couple times, futiley attempting to bring the feeling back. "I'm not counting," she notes in the same soft tone, though her eyes narrow at his use of 'vixen' again. "If you'll excuse me," she begins, rubbing her hand on her own pant leg, again trying to get the feeling back, "I can't particularly help any more, now that my hand is numb, and I should be getting back to the barracks. R'sel, Rathin," Maja nods to each, standing up from the stool and heading out of the infirmary. Maja strides back out to the lower caverns. Maja has left. "I think I forestalled any pleasant stories by having my cheek get in the way of her hand." Rathin explains to R'sel, wry smirk twisting his lips, though his eyes are following Maja as the tall candidate departs. "Women," he murmurs, amused, dutifully taking up the double duty of filling the pots and capping them off as well. R'sel inclines his head as he extends the courtesy of a half bow Maja's way when she departs. "Good eve, Maja." For once leaving off at least his usual 'm'lady'. His gaze shifts back to Rathin again and he grins far more openly, "I might have to try that next time. It actually sounds less painful than trying to get her not to talk about various things." That shaggy brow of his lifts and he can't help but mention with a chuckle, "Just remember, if you two do impress, you'll be stuck in the same barracks together a couple of turns. Not that it isn't fun to have someone to banter with, I know." "Less time consuming, too," Rathin agrees readily, chuckling as he adds another full jar to the group on the bench. "Well, if you don't count the punishment, but this is a vast improvement on the alternative, in my book." The scruffy-haired candidate glances over his shoulder at R'sel for a moment, thoughtful. "Don't think it's too likely," he concludes, with a shift of shoulders, a faint jerk of head in the direction of Maja's departure. "She's got her heart set on being a guard again, and I've a trading family to torment with my undoubtedly much-missed presence." A laugh slips forth from the brownrider and R'sel nods, "I've always believed that sometimes there are worse things than punishments. I never minded serving the time for the things I've pulled. It's just that delicate balance of knowing how much you can do without crossing a line, aye?" He gives a wink and then shrugs, "You never know, you might be right. But then, the Weyrleader was a guard once... And by the way, only M'rek seems to enjoy getting hit by him. And I'm not the only trader to give up the roads for the skies. A lot of candidates that are searched walk off the sands alone, but your odds of impression went up dramatically from the moment you said yes to standing." Rathin gets a kind of schooled expression on his face, like he's trying not to let anything show, turning back towards the vat to scoop another lot of numbweed over - a suitable excuse that gives him time to nod easily, but not respond to R'sel's first statement. "I've always been told that dragons can sense your thoughts... if you wanted to do something else -that badly- I'd always thought the dragon would know. Don't you think?" "They might." R'sel replies after a stretch of thoughtful silence, "The thing is, no one really knows what it is the dragons do look for when they search. No doubt, some are better than it than others. My Svar's track record isn't that great for example. But it's not impossible that they will select someone who will impress, who's not the best suited to the lifestyle. They manage, somehow it works out, but sometimes it's a rough road to travel from what I've seen." "So dragons can get it wrong, just like we can." At least, that's what Rathin reads out of R'sel's words. He runs out of pots, and sets about putting the lid back on the big vat, before cleaning up the random splatters of numbweed that seem to have resulted out of his brand of work. "That's somewhat of a comfort, all things considered. Also, a bit frightening, when you think about it." "I don't know if I'd say wrong, exactly. Because I've never seen a bonding that, well for lack of a better way to put it, didn't take." R'sel replies with a slight crease forming in his brow as he explains his thoughts, "The search dragons only find likely people, where as the dragons on the sands find matches among those present. The best match for them. I couldn't agree more, that it's both. It's also one of those things most people don't think about when they face the sands on hatching day. That they might find a lifemate that they are there find, and not be ready for what goes along with it. I'd say that is one reason someone like Shalyn did manage, even with standing and impressing so young. She was weyrbred and ready for the life waiting for her. But older candidates? They already a few more turns worth of a different lifestyle. And they have more to give up, as it were." Rathin uses a rag to try and get the excess numbweed off his pants, but Maja rubbed most of it in with enough force that it's a losing battle. With a sigh, he leans back against the bench, folding arms as he listens to R'sel, brow furrowed, head tipped to one side. Slowly: "So... what you're basically saying is that you shouldn't be here at all if you're not willing to Impress and be tied down to the Weyr?" "Aye, well that, my friend." R'sel answers with a hint of a grin returning, "Is what you have to decide for yourself. Are you a gambling man, or the practical sort? Do you think you should stand out there and let Lady Luck decide your future? Or do you know in your heart that it's not right for you? Do you think you'll always regret it, if you don't stand now that you know you can? Or are you so certain, that you can walk away and never look back?" He shrugs then, "I had some dreams I gave up, some things I hung onto, but the transition wasn't so bad for me, other than being cooped up in the weyr for a good turn before we had enough training to go out again. That," his expression slips wry, "...was a little rough." Rathin's jaw clenches abruptly at something R'sel says, though not directed at the rider himself: the candidate's expression a mixture of vexation and... something else. Sadness, maybe, discontent? His arms unfold and he turns, deliberately, to conceal any further reaction, voice quiet enough to mask further emotional response, "Unfortunately for all concerned, I'm a gambling man. Lady luck's never been kind to me, however." A brief pause, as he begins to stack the numbweed pots up neatly. "How would I go about withdrawing from candidacy, if I wanted to?" R'sel might note the expressions he's allowed to glimpse, but he doesn't comment on them, at least directly. Instead he nods slowly and says, "Most traders I know are, at least on some level. But it's still worth considering the pros and cons. You have time before those eggs are hard enough to hatch to decide in, before doing the irrevocable. So give it some thought. After all, the search dragons found you for a reason. And if you decide withdrawing is what you want to do, I'd say talk to one of the weyrleaders or the coordinators. You might even want to ask around, talk to some of the other riders an see if they might have a different perspective." "I'll bear that in mind," is all Rathin says, though which part of R'sel's words he's responding to isn't exactly clear - deliberate, it seems. His expression is closed as he finishes cleaning up, turning. "I'd best go clean up and grab some food. Thanks for talking to me, sir." The latter rolls smoothly off the tongue, and it's accompanied by a nod as the erstwhile trader heads for the exit. "R'sel is fine. You can save the Sir-ing with me for if you stick around and Impress." The brownrider answers with a casual grin, "And hey, anytime." He pauses a beat, then offers earnestly enough, "If you do stay, it'll be nice seeing you around. I expect I'd better go find where Jos has gotten herself off to, for that matter." "R'sel," Rathin corrects, a faint smile offered over his shoulder as he disappears out the door. You wander back out to the lower caverns. |
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