One Jump Ahead (Revised)

Kassima: "Some people ask me, 'Why does V'dan keep making bets with you, when he always loses?' I explain that he has some weird, twisted obsession with beating me, and that until he does, he'll probably just keep throwing his marks at me. Occasionally, those same people ask, 'Isn't that rather like the reason you and Kindre keep playing games against M'rgan?' My response: Not at all. Since Kin and I are already weird and twisted, obsessions like that are perfectly normal for us."

One Jump Ahead (Revised)

Kassi:
Gotta keep
One jump ahead of the Harpers,
One swing ahead of the vine--
I ride a green; her color's dusty pine!
(That'd be Lysseth!)
One jump ahead of the rumors--
That's all, and that's no jest!
This sharding Weyr is one big gossip nest!

Crowd:
Nutcase! Holdbrat! Crazed wench--take that!

Kassi:
'Twas just one wisecrack, guys!

Crowd:
Force her to take that one back, guys!

Kassi:
I can take a hint; gotta face the facts--
Lysseth's getting rather bright....

Crowd:
Right!

Weyrfolk:
Oh, it's sad--Kassima's hit the bottom!
She's become a gambler through and through!
With all those marks--and who knows how she got 'em--

Kassi:
Gotta win to spend; gotta bet to win,
And V'dan always loses bets--it's true!

One jump ahead of the sane ones,
One skip ahead of my fate--
Dodging those folks who say I need a mate.
One jump ahead of the Crafters,
One hit ahead of the Weyr--
There could be nowhere else for me but here!

Crowd:
Wher-brain! Crackpot! Insane--that's what!

Kassi:
Hey, be realistic!

Crowd:
Isn't that too hypocritic?

Kassi:
Gotta be to live, gotta do to be--
That's what I've said all along!

Crowd:
Wrong!

Kassi:
One jump ahead of the wingbeats!
(Wher-brain!)
One note ahead of the cry!
(Crackpot!)
One trick ahead of disaster!
(Insane!)
They're quick--but I'm much faster!
(That's what!)
Here goes--better throw my hand in,
Wish me happy landin'--
All I've gotta do is fly!

				---Written by Kassima

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