Egg Watching

A group of candidates go egg watching for Erith and Zyanth's clutch.

NCpern - Thursday, December 21, 2000, 10:20 AM
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Christania shakes her head, "Nope, but I was searched at the same time Lijan and Talene were, so we all got to hear the schpeel. And nope. Not weyrbred. Both my mom and dad were from Benden." She grins, "Neither one a rider and not a rider in the family that we're aware of."

Aedevan laughs as Jenna continues her search for someone not weyrbred, "Nay, I've never been a candidate before. I just hope I can survive this time..." He turns to Christania, "You're from Benden? How long ago did you leave?" his eyes search her face quickly.

Christania grins at Aedevan, "Only a couple of months ago, actually. I left to go be with H'am at Reaches. I'm still technically a resident of Benden, seeing how I was only visiting Reaches, but you know how it goes. Lived there most of my life as an Animal Herder."

Jenna looks mildly reassured. Finally, another person who isn't weyrbred. She takes a drink from her mug and asks, "What about you T'quinn? Where'd you come from before you impressed?"

Aedevan tilts his head, still scrutinizing her face, "Ya know I think I remember you..." he muses. "I'm from Benden myself."

Christania's brow lifts, "REmember me, eh? You'd probably recognize me better if I were covered in runner muck!" She giggles, "Nice to have someone from home around." She looks at T'quinn when she hears Jenna's question, curious for the answer.

Aedevan smiles at Jenna, "Are you worried, Jenna? I'm sure plenty of people around here are holdbred."

T'quinn lifts an answer, between his sips of klah, "I originated from Bitra, but had moved to Benden shortly before I was searched."

Jenna shrugs slightly, flushing. "Just seems like most of the candidates I've met are already from weyrs. Or at least lived there for a while. Everyone's been super nice and all, but it's just," She pauses and takes a breath, "Everyone already seems to /know/ what to do. I just don't want to do anything wrong, I guess."

Christania grins at Jenna, "Hey. Feel lucky. The dragonets don't ask for resumes." She winks.

T'quinn shakes his head sympathetically at Jenna, "No need to worry yourself, really, we've seen MANY types come through here, often a few with each clutch that spend more time hiding from duties than taking responsibility," he shares in a conspiratorial nature, "and some of those have managed to impress, though, admittedly, their dragons have changed them a bit. You all have been doing marvelously, from what Norri has been saying."

Aedevan smiles, "And really Jenna, I may be weyr bred, but I'm hold raised. And either way, this whole candidacy thing is completely new to me."

Jenna smiles wryly. "It's just going to take getting used to - shells, I'd never even /seen/ firestone before. Sovalin and Milque had to teach me how to sort it."

Christania's nose wrinkles, "Now Firestone. That's some cursed stuff. I've had laundry detail for a good while now, and if anything is harder to get out of whites than firestone, I've yet to see it!" She shakes her head and pulls her hands out of her pockets, resting the baby soft didgets on the table, "All that washing, my hands are softer than they've ever been."

Aedevan grins, "I didn't know anything about firestone either, of course I'm wishing I'd kept it that way. I'm happy just playing with the littles. Too bad that can't be a permanent chore..."

Jenna casts a glance at Christania's hands, and automatically slips hers under the table. She nods to Aedevan, "But firestone is. I'm not sure I'll ever get the hang of sorting it, much less lifting it." She wrinkles her nose, and then asks T'quinn, "One of the weyrwomen said that you riders actually toss sacks? In Fall? From dragon to dragon?"

T'quinn nods affirmatively to Jenna, "Aye...you heard correctly. After working with it as much as you doing both during candidacy, and even more during weyrlinghood...though I don't mean to scare you with this, you get used to it!"

Christania mms, "I think flame throwers are much easier to maneuver. Living at the hold, I worked with the ground crews as soon as I was old enough to carry a flame thrower. A lot of people under 14 don't know how to use them because they're the ones inside with the older women and children who are closing the shutters and the like. We usually don't have much to deal with on the ground, considering how well a job the riders do in the skies, but you never know and it never hurts to be too cautious. But as for firestone, it just seems so... I don't know the term, but I'd imagine that it's harder to use firestone than a flame thrower. I mean, with a flame thrower, you depend on yourself for your equipment's performance. If something goes wrong, chances are, it's because you've erred. But I imagine that iwth a dragon, it's different. Your dragon depends on you for firestone, and you depend on the people sorting it and breaking it to leave out the defunct stuff... just a lot of other parts that could go wrong in the process, I imagine."

Jenna gives T'quinn a doubtful look, and then shrugs to Christania. "I've never been on ground crew before either. The cothold I'm from is pretty small. Da' and my uncles were the ones that used to crew it. I'd just check traces with him. And if there were any burrows, they were long gone by the riders checking before we saw them. Just evidence of char."

Aedevan hrms thoughtfully, "You've gotta point, Christania. But if you bagged the firestone yourself, then it wouldn't be too bad, right? You'd still be depending on yourself. Though I would think that flame throwers would be easier to manuever in mid air. I never had a problem with them at ground crew."

T'quinn nods towards Christania, "Threadfall is a very serious event, to be sure, but one part could not function separate from the other, as the groundcrew is VERY important," his tone is serious as he settles his gaze on each of the candidates present, before frowning, "I apologize, speaking of threadfall, I have drills scheduled this afternoon, and I'll be needed out in the Bowl shortly. It has been a pleasure meeting you all, and hearing your stories.

Christania's brow lifts and she waves a little to T'quinn, "Clear skies, rider. It was a pleasure meeting you." She then looks at Aedevan, "Yeah, but as weyrlings, we'll be running sacks of firestone up for the riders to use in fall. We couldn't very well check the tags and see who gets what bag." She winks at him goodnaturedly.

Jenna gives T'quinn a smile. "It was good to see you again. Pass along my thanks again to your wing for clearing those passes? Even if I won't be using them?"

T'quinn winks to Jenna, "It would be my pleasure. I'll most likely see some of you at the evening meal," he politely excuses himself, popping a meatroll in his mouth before disappearing out to the bowl.

T'quinn heads out the cavernous entrance to the bowl.
T'quinn has left.

Aedevan sips his mug, "Oh, guess I forgot about that." He tilts his head, the pale green eyes thoughtful, "Weyrling... I've barely had time to stop and think about what's gonna happen. I've just been running back and forth between chores. We're gonna stand for a hatching. And we might Impress." There is definate bewilderment in his voice.

Christania stands, grabbing a meatroll, "Anyone up for a trip to the galleries?"

Jenna opens her mouth to say something, and then closes it again. She shrugs slightly at the other girl and defers to Aedevan, "What about you?"

Sovalin comes up the steps from the Inner Caverns.
Sovalin has arrived.

Aedevan pauses thoughtfully, "Sure I think I have some time before I need to get back to work. I've only been down there once, when I first arrived."

Jenna nods slightly and offers to Sovalin, "We're headed to the galleries for a quick look at the eggs. Want to come, Sovalin?" She rises and refreshes her cider as she looks at the younger boy.

Christania smiles and waves to Sovalin, "Hey Sovalin. Come with us!" She says, smiling as she steps out from behind the bench that she's sitting in to head towards the door to the bowl.

Sovalin steps in and starts to follow the candidates at the invitation. "DEcline an offer to see the eggs? Never."

Aedevan laughs, rising from his chair, "So you're Sovalin. Nice to put a face with the name. I'm Aedevan."

Sovalin nods. "Well met Aedevan." He looks slightly wary. "Face to a name? People talking all about me allready?"

Jenna grins a bit. "Just me. Telling everyone how you and Milque were teaching me about firestone."

Christania grins at Sovalin, "You're quite the little helper, Sovalin. You help them, and I'll confuse them." She steps out into the bowl.

Christania heads out the cavernous entrance to the bowl.
Christania has left.

Sovalin smirks and follows.

Sovalin heads out the cavernous entrance to the bowl.
Sovalin has left.

You head outside to the bowl.
Center of the Fort Weyr Bowl
The Bowl of Fort Weyr, a large, featureless plain surrounded by steep mountain cliffs, stretches out around you. It is approximately oval in shape, about 2700 meters along the long axis running southwest to northeast, and about half that distance across the short axis. You stand in its approximate center. The soil of the bowl is somewhat sandy.
To the northwest is the large cavern used for the Weyrling barracks. To the west is the fenced off area where the Weyr's herds are kept, and the lake shore is to the southwest. To the northeast can be seen the ledges for the junior queens and the weyrleaders. The large entrance to the Hatching Grounds can also be seen to the northeast and to the east are the Lower Caverns.
Contents:
Sovalin
Christania
Vtanth
Olvanth
A Huge Mud Puddle

Sovalin smirks again. "So, shall we start the plan of helping and confusing?" he follows Chris.

Aedevan walks across the bowl from the Lower Caverns.
Aedevan has arrived.

Christania shakes her head while she walks, "I don't see why not..." She grins at Sovalin. "Hey, that reminds me. Do you know who's snoring in the candidate barracks? Who'ever's sawing wood kept me up all night."

Christania walks the half mile towards the northeastern end of the bowl.
Christania has left.

You trek the half mile to the northeastern end of the bowl.

Fort Weyr Bowl, northeastern area
The Bowl of Fort Weyr, a large, featureless plain surrounded by steep mountain cliffs, stretches out before you. It is vaguely oval in shape, long from southwest to northeast; you're standing near the wall at its northern end.
Off to the northwest is the long path leading up to the Junior Queens' Weyrs, while steps to the north lead to the Weyrleader Complex. From here you can see in to the Hatching Grounds to the east, and the steps leading up to the gallery stands in the Grounds to the southeast. Stretching off to the southwest is the center of the bowl, where the Lower Caverns, Weyrling Barracks, lake and Feeding Grounds can be seen.
Contents:
Christania
Jinieth

Sovalin walks up from the center of the bowl.
Sovalin has arrived.

Sovalin laughs. "Rimbol, I beleive. Sleeps next to you, Jenna, don't he?"

Jenna says firmly, confirming Sovalin. "Rimbol. He snores worse than a dragon with a cold. The row just above mine. Three beds down." Obviously, she's planning mayhem as soon as she gets a chance.

Aedevan walks up from the center of the bowl.
Aedevan has arrived.

Christania groans,"Someone needs to stuff a sock in his mouth. Shardin' annoying it is. Either that or have him see a healer. I hear they can stick sticks up your nose to stop that." Granted, she has the story wrong, but it sounds interesting enough.

Sovalin says "Sticks up the nose?"

Aedevan walks up the stairs leading into the Hatching Ground galleries.
Aedevan has left.

Christania nods, "Yep. Sticks up the nose. Supposed to open the airways or something or other..."

Christania walks up the stairs leading into the Hatching Ground galleries.
Christania has left.

Britani walks up from the center of the bowl.
Britani has arrived.

You walk up the stairs leading into the Hatching Ground galleries.
Spectators' Gallery in the Hatching Ground
The galleries in the Hatching Grounds stretch the length of the southern wall of the cavern. Broad sweeps of stone benches provide ample seating for spectators. Above and across from here are ledges where the dragons perch to welcome new eggs and hatchlings. From your vantage point, you can see everything that happens on the sands.
Stairs to the northwest, at the end of the galleries, lead back down to the entrance to the hatching grounds. The Hatching Ground sands spread out before you to the northeast, and are accessible by another set of stairs to the north.
Contents:
Christania
Aedevan

Sovalin walks up the stairs from the Bowl.
Sovalin has arrived.

Britani walks up the stairs from the Bowl.
Britani has arrived.

Britani walks into the galleries, her face thoughtful.

Sovalin shrugs, pondering this. "Sticks up the nose, huh? No harm in trying? How about tonight?"

Jenna shrugs. "I was just thinking of moving his cot while he sleeps. Like out into the lake." She grimaces and turns to the other two, including the girl she doesn't know, "You've heard him, haven't you? Snoring? Rimbol?"

Christania scratches her neck, "I'm game..." She looks over at Jenna, "Now -that's- a good idea..."

Britani cocks her head to one side at Sovalin's words, then giggles as the rest of the conversation reaches her ears. "Rimbol? I've heard him snore, but there were worse snorers back in the dorm at Nabol. Doesn't really bother me," she says, fluffing her hair away from her face and taking a seat near the others.

Aedevan shudders, "And I thought my uncle was bad. Maybe that's why the chores are so rough, so we're too tired to be kept awake by snoring..."

Jenna automatically settles in a seat to kick off her boots with a plaintive sigh. "Well, your ears must be tougher than mine. Then again, I usually slept in with my mother's sisters, and none of them snored. This whole thing of being in the same dorm with boys is," she pauses and then smile wryly, "Different." A slight sigh, and she adds to Britani, "I'm Jenna by the way."

Christania mms, "I'm used to sleeping with H'am. He doesn't snore... I say we go with Jenna's idea with the cot by the lake. No harm in it. He sleeps, we sleep, and we're no worse the wear."

Aedevan adds, "And I'm Aedevan," he flashes a friendly smile to Britani.

Jenna clears her throat and points out to Christania, "I meant *in* the lake, personally, but-" she trails off and draws her feet up, wrapping arms about her knees and putting her chin on them. "Did you all see any of the clutching?"

Britani grins at the others. "I was in the women's dorm at Nabol, and most of the aunties in there snored," she says, then nods at the introductions. "I'm Britani, just recently Searched by Lapeth." At the question about the clutching, she shakes her head. "I've never been outside of Nabol before the other day."

Christania shakes her head, "I was searched after the clutch was lain. Hadn't had a chance to come visit Fort and see the eggs before P'ya picked me up." She chuckles.

Aedevan grins, "See Jenna, more holdbred. I wasn't here for the clutching either. Though I saw part of one at Ista once... It takes a long time I think."

Christania nods, "I saw one at Reaches one time. Only part of it though. Took two and a half days!"

Jenna's expression brightens and she gives Britani and Aedevan a grin. "Thank Faranth - someone else who isn't weyrbred or lived in a weyr. I swear, I was beginning to think I was one of the only ones." Then she goes on, a trifle more quietly, "I saw most of it. It was... kinda yucky, but interesting. She laid the gold last - Ariandra's daughter is my age, and was /so/ happy to see it. Some people had said that Erith was too old to have another clutch, and that she'd never lay a gold."

Christania ohs, "Do you think Ariandra's daughter will be searched?"

Britani smiles uncertainly, not sure if 'holdbred' is a compliment or not until Jenna's remark on it. "I don't even really know what goes on in a Weyr," she confides softly. "I've not seen much while I've been here that's all that different from the Hold. At least not yet. Are the weyrbred," and her voice drops conspiratorially, "all that different from us?"

Aedevan smiles quitely to Britani, "Not really, they just tend to be a little less... reserved. Jenna doesn't know quite what to think of me yet as I was born in a weyr yet raised in a hold," he remarks with a wink.

Christania mms softly, "Though it's no surprise when someone who has riders for parents impresses. I mean, I think it's kind of expected of children of weyrleaders to impress... What do you think, Jenna?"

Jenna smiles wryly at Britani, "Only in that they know all the chores better than we do. I still feel like a wherry in a sitting room - all flying feathers and no idea of what to do." She wrinkles her nose and sticks her tongue out at Aedevan and tells him lightly with a hint of humor, "No, you're just odd." Then her expression clouds slightly and she says to Christania, "I don't know. It's... complicated. I think Alanna'd like to be searched and stand, but-" She trails off, frowning. "I don't know. *I'd* think that the children of riders would impress - they're bred for it. Like my family bred for runners."

Aedevan laughs, "Hey, you're the one who's afraid of firestone," he teases. Turning to Christania he tilts his head thoughtfully, "Well, I remembering hearing somewhere that golds seem to like holdbred girls, but that could just be an old aunties' tale...."

Britani smiles and nods slowly. "So, less reserved is the difference. I can deal with that. I'm a little less reserved than my family. They think it's because I brew ale." A giggle escapes her parted lips and she shakes her head. "It's not like I drink all that I brew..."

Jenna says firmly, "If anyone should get to stand it's Alanna. She's terribly nice. And her da's a brownrider up at the Reaches. I forget his name though." She pauses and then asks the group at large, "If you did impress, what color of dragon would you want?"

Sovalin comments dryly. "Just becouse your parents are riders, or were a weyrleader or something doesn't mean you have to Impress."

Christania hmms and shakes her head, "I just don't know. It seems so...complicated, and yet, we know so little about all of this."

Christania grins at Sovalin, "Aren't you the one who's a kid of a bronzerider and bluerider? Didn't your brother impress?"

Aedevan laughs to Britani, "Well, not -all- of it. I bet you sneak a bit now and then," he grins. At Jenna's question he lets out a sigh, "Oh I don't know. Are we all sure we want to Impress? I mean, it's a hard life..."

Sovalin corrects. "Fosterbrother, and yes. My dad used to be Weyrleader untill another dragon caught the Sr.Queen."

Jenna nods to Aedevan's point, her expression unusually somber.

Christania scratches the back of her head, "Aedevan's right. It is hard work. You don't have any secrets after you impress... And you might as well forget about total fidelity with someone. You're going to wake up with strangers after flights more often than not."

Britani smiles at Jenna. "I don't really know. I've not thought about it," she says in answer to the color question, then winks at Aedevan. "I have to taste it now and again to be sure it's up to standard," she agrees noncomittally. "My specialty is an apple ale."

Aedevan grins, attempting to lighten Jenna's response, "But that wouldn't be for a while and some might say it's an even trade off. I life of danger, but you'd never be alone again." Britani gets a laughing smile, "You didn't bring any apple ale along, did you? It might help relax a person after a long day..."

Jenna frowns at Christania. "What do you mean?" Her tone starts to darken, "The weyr's really not like that - everybody hopping in and out of beds. Is it? I mean, there's more important things to do than /that/ surely."

Aedevan's eyes move sympathetically toward Jenna, "Well, that is a part of weyr life. That sort of what I mean about people being less reserved. After all, those green dragons mate pretty frequently and dragons have a way of stirring people, even those withouth dragons..."

Christania shrugs, "Well, look at the greenriders and how often they have to between. Every six months or so, their dragons rise. When you take into consideration how many male dragons chase, and how many female dragons rise in a day, you're looking at sexual frustration pretty often, every day if not every other day... G'rad says that after a flight, riders grab the nearest person and do their stuff just to get rid of the frustration... I mean, think about it. How many greens are at this weyr? And how often do they rise?"

Britani shakes her head regretfully to Aedevan. "But I can always brew some up if they'll let me..." She trails off as the rest of the conversation filters through to her. "Oh! I guess that could be difficult for a person," she offers, although the idea doesn't seem to horrify her.

Christania says "It doesn't matter who impresses what. If one of us impresses a male dragon, we're going to probably be so busy, we'll not be able to maintain a solid relationship with someone who's -not- a rider, and if one of us impresses a female dragon, we're not going to know who will catch us. And even more so, if one of us impresses gold, Sovalin and Aedevan excluded of course, we won't be able to between to abort the child that we may be carrying because our gold will be carrying eggs. Think about it. We're signing up for a big deal here when we said we'd stand on the sands. Sure, we'll risk life and limb during thread, but that's momentary. You either live or you don't, and then you don't have to worry about it until later. Flights are an every day thing. Children are an every day thing. They'll be constant reminders of what happened and of someone you don't even know. And for those of you who are attracted to the opposite sex, think about what will happen if you end up bedding down another boy... or another girl! How will you handle that?""

Jenna gives Christania and Aedevan a skeptical look. "Well, I doubt any riders will be coming grabbing after me." Her tone seems to indicate that that subject is closed - and likely under lock and key as well. She turns instead to Britani and asks, "Ale hm? Just on your own, or did you apprentice with the vintners?"

Britani adds, as an afterthought, and with her voice very low, "I've heard that...there are actually men who prefer to bed with...other men?" At Chrissy's mention of aborting a child, she stiffens a bit, then slowly nods to Jenna. "I was sort of apprenticed with the Hold brewers. A Hold craft," she clarifies. "Not affiliated with the Vintners."

Christania nods at Britani, "I heard that if a man impresses a green, it's almost automatic that he becomes that way."

Jenna seems determined to get the subject off s-e-x. "So were you going to apprentice with them, Britani? And were searched instead? or just keep working in the hold? How long have you been brewing?"

Right about that time, Magreta, one of the candidates brought in from Tillek, comes looking, "Jenna! You're late! I've been churning for /ages/ and it's your turn now." This elicits a yelp from the former runner girl, and she rises hurriedly, not even bothering to put on her shoes, but instead grabbing them by the laces. "Well met everyone - I'll see you all at dinner!" And she's off like an arrow, rapidly outpacing Magreta, who looks ready to pounce on her.

Britani raises a brow to Chrissy and nods slowly, then casts a glance towards Sovalin and Aedevan before answering Jenna. "I was one of the Hold brewers, and was doing well, Jenna. I wasn't going to apprentice to the Vintners, because I was learning all I needed to know at home." She smiles and shrugs. "It was what I knew and what I intended to keep doing. I've been brewing for the last couple of Turns now."