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The Facts of Life


Date:  January 14, 2001
Place:  Shipfish Island Fine Sand Beach
Game:  PernMUSH
Copyright Info:  The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey 
l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

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Kassi's Note:  When the world never seems to be living up to your 
dreams... but no, that's not the problem that brings Alessandra and
Kiyoth to Shipfish one evening when Kassi and Kris happen to be there.
The young Weyrling seems more interested in asking about babies and 
risings (and the conjunction of these worries would later prove to be 
apt, as it turns out), so Kassi does her best to offer some advice
and words of dubious wisdom.

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The Log:

Kiyoth descends down from above, and sends up a flurry of sand when she 
touches down.

Dark against the fine, pale sand, Lysseth reclines in somnolescent dusty 
pine glory; a small boy-child sleeps likewise against her side, and then 
there's Kassi, who instead of sleeping is flopped on her stomach drawing 
formations in the sand.

"G'deve," Kassi then calls, looking up with a squint. "Alessi and Kiyoth, aye?"

Alessandra slides contentedly off Kiyoth, snapping a salute off to Kassima. 
"Aye, good evening, Wingleader Kassima. Permission to chuck these heavy 
leathers and change into something more appropriate?"

Kassima lifts the shoulder not attached to the elbow she's propped against 
in an amiable shrug. "Won't bother me if'n it doesn't bother you. Run around 
without aught if'n you'd rather, though you'd be wasting the sight on me."

Alessandra sighs in relief, pulling her clothes off to reveal her favorite 
(green, not purple!) bikini, folding her clothes and pulling on the baggy 
shimmery pants that she usually wears with her bikini. "Oh that's much 
better. How are you, Kassi?"

Kassima's beach clothes are certainly a lot less fancy, but she doesn't seem 
to mind, though those shimmery pants do get a curious look. "Nay too 
bad--'twas bringing Kris here," and here she nods towards the little boy 
curled up against Lysseth, "t'be rewarding him for getting praise from the 
Harper on his lessons, but he's rather tuckered out, poor lad. You and 
Kiyoth are well?"

Alessandra flops down on the ground, watching Kiyoth make her way 
ecstatically towards the ocean. "We are, and thank you for asking." 
/SPLASH/. Kiyoth flounces into the water, spraying droplets everywhere as 
the normally lady-like little green goes gallumphing through that deep blue 
ocean. "Kiy wanted to swim, and demanded to come here, so..."

Kassima sweeps the scratches in the sand clear with her palm, before 
beginning all over again. "'Tisn't really as fine a place as Boll," she 
reflects, etching out a chevron formation. "Nay drinks, nay tidal pools--but 
better privacy; nay Holders wandering around finding you, either."

Alessandra nods slowly, though wandering eyes find those formations and 
affix on them. "It's nice and quiet here, I guess what's why I like it, 
personally. I think I've been to the ... Lava Lounge, is it? Once or twice 
but it's been nearly five Turns since I've been back."

Kassima's carvings aren't very elaborate, done with a fingertip as they are, 
but they're letter-perfect; one does learn things in about ten Turns of 
Wingleading. Chevron done, she moves to the stacked diamond favored by High 
Reaches. "That's the tavern at Boll," she confirms as she draws, "if'n 
that's what y'mean. Just as well that you haven't gone back recently; 
'tisn't a very good place for Weyrlings, truth be told."

Alessandra giggles softly, then rolls onto her back and peers up at the sky. 
"I enjoyed it, personally. Or at least I -think- I did. Took quite a few 
drinks to knock me out but goodness I payed for it the next day..."

"You need t'be making up a stock of hangover remedy and tincture of 
asparagus," Kassi advises with all the wisdom of someone who's hungover 
about forty percent of all mornings. "Pleasant, drinking is, but be 
hungover--or drunk, Faranth forbid--in drills and your rump will get kicked."

Alessandra shakes her head just a bit, long locks bouncing in their casual 
braid. "I don't drink often--I cannae say that I've found much a chance to, 
nor many partners to drink with. Na fun drinking alone." Ack. Her Fortian 
brogue's slipping back into her voice, adding that bit of lilt into the 
Telgarian accent she'd developed.

Kassima lifts her hand from the sand to make a negligent gesture. "Drinking 
alone serves a certain purpose--you'll find it out in time, I assure you. 
But if'n all else fails, there're usually riders about willing t'go off and 
get drunk; K'ran, for example, will nay doubt gladly try t'be drinking you 
under the table if'n you wish."

Alessandra makes a face, then colors and looks away in hopes Kassima didn't 
see that telltale expression. "No. I'd rather not drink with K'ran, thank 
you. I'd... I don't know. Rather drink with Kichevio. Or I'sai. Or K'nan."

"Afraid he'd try t'seduce you?" Kassi wonders, arcing an eyebrow up towards 
the sky. "Or is it something else? I'sai doesn't drink much, I don't 
think... K'nan, now, he does. Nay idea about Kich. But K'nan's rather fun 
t'be drinking with--Ryi, too, and Aisling... oh, and Maylia. You should just 
*see* Maylia."

Alessandra keeps her eyes away as she attempts to answer the first part. "I 
dunno, he seems a little... um... Powerhungry I guess. It makes me nervous." 
That said, she rushes onto the next part. "Whinde, too, she's funny when 
she's drunk. I'd love to see Maylia gone on her drinks some time..."

Kassima snorts faintly at that. "Ah, aye. I'd nay be too worried about that. 
Once he's in a Wing, he'll get his arse kicked t'High Reaches if'n he's 
trying t'usurp anyone's authority. I'm hoping that he's better enlightened 
these days, but if'n nay... then when he gets into a Wing, *then* he'll be 
enlightened. I can be promising." Turning to the second topic: "Whinde's a 
bit odd when she's drunk. And you might well--but 'twould be better if'n you 
saw after you've graduated, most likely."

"Oh, I'm waiting, I'm waiting," Alessi assures Kassima. She's more than a 
little straight-laced, it appears, when it comes to sticking to the rules 
during weyrlinghood. A private snort escapes, and she does allow a bit of 
personal information. "Whinde's more fun when she's drunk in private. I 
cannot wait until after graduation." Which won't come too soon for Alessi.

"'Twouldn't be against any rules t'be *seeing* May drunk," Kassi points out, 
rather amused. "It just might give you an odd view of her as your 
superior... ask me about what Auri, Kharty, and May did once, while the 
former two were still 'Lings." Furrowing her brow a bit, she wonders, "You 
and Whinde... you're close?"

Alessandra nods slowly, looking up towards Kassima with a wary expression. 
"We haven't been alone since candidacy, Kassi, and we've hugged all of once 
the entire time. We haven't /done/ anything. Not since I got searched. She 
gave me this ring the day I got searched, too," she adds, holding up her 
left hand so the older greenrider can see the silver and gold band, sporting 
a small "A" and "W". "But... once I'm in the wings and not a weyrling 
anymore... Kassi, we have a /son/. Well--it's really Whinde's by J'var but 
Jhilin's more my son then he'd ever be J'var's. Do you know what I mean? Son 
of my heart but not of my body..."

Kassima assures, catching that wariness, "I'm nay going t'disapprove, 
Alessi. I don't understand male-male or female-female pairings any more'n I 
ever did, but so long as there's love, what does the gender really matter? 
Greenriding's good for naught if'n nay broadening your mindset." She pushes 
herself up from the beach and into a cross-legged seat, scooting over closer 
to her own son. "I'm believing you. If'n you'd done more, Kiyoth would've 
said something. I can't say I'd agree that he's necessarily more your son 
than he could be J'var's--Mart and Kena raise m'twins like their own, but 
they're still mine *too*--but I do know what y'mean about seeing him as 
yours. Are you going t'weyrmate and raise him together?"

Alessandra nods again, though there's still something that flashes in her 
eyes. "J'var never talks to him, never sees him, Jhilin always comes to -me- 
even when J'var's in the same room..." She pauses, then colors brightly. 
"Sorry, Kassima, I don't mean to dump on you. I really don't. And, besides, 
I like men, I guess, sometimes... It depends on the guy. I mean, they're 
/fun/, and Whinde and I both agree on that--we both like to have fun. It's 
just, I -love- Whinde, and not a man..." She blushes again, a brighter hue 
this time, and ducks her head away.

"That's... odd," Kassi murmurs, a bit perplexed. "I'd speak now and then 
with Jav while he was still m'Wingman, and he was excited t'be a father, 
looking forward t'spending time with the kidlet... proud as punch when the 
lad was born. I wonder what changed... well, anyway, there's a point t'that. 
I suspect the twins would go t'Mart or Kena a'fore Jal, even if'n they'd 
come t'me with equal priority." A chuckle escapes from under her breath. 
"'Tisn't a problem, Alessi. Normal for people t'get vehement about their 
children--imply sometime that mine aren't really mine because I don't raise 
'em, and you'll see vehement right there." She reaches out a hand to smooth 
Kris's silky black hair, touch his sleeping brow. "Understandable enough. 
Methinks I'sai might be understanding that. Me, I have nay men I love at the 
moment nor any I sleep with, and never had women of either capacity outside 
of friendship and flights, so I'm nay the best person t'talk to--methinks I 
can comprehend, though."

Alessandra takes a slow, deep breath, closing her eyes as well. "I've just 
had people... challenge... my right to Jhilin. So... I get a little defensive."

Kassima lifts her shoulders in another shrug. "If'n Whinde gives you the 
right... as young as he is, then I'd say you have it. Mind--if'n I weyrmated 
t'someone, m'children would still be *mine*. I'd nay be wanting t'give 
anyone authority over m'children just because I happened t'love him. Some 
authority over *our* children, he might have. But Jhilin's young, and 
Whinde's choice 'tis t'be making; if'n he loves you, and you him, then why 
should it be wrong for you t'be a family if'n that's how Whinde wants it?"

Alessandra smiles softly, some of the tension lifting from her shoulders. 
"Thank you for seeing it that way, Kassima. It may not seem like much to 
you, but it means quite a bit to me to hear it."

"'Tisn't a problem. Doesn't cost me aught t'say it," Kassi points out, 
flashing a grin, "since I'm believing it." A pause. "D'you think you'll ever 
want children of your own blood?"

Alessandra looks down at the sand, one long finger drawing stars and 
circles. "I... really don't know. Most of the time I say no, but... every 
time I see a friend with their newborn babe, I realize that part of me 
really... really wants one."

Kassima doesn't laugh, or smirk, or look smug; she just gathers the sleeping 
Keveris into her lap and gives a single nod. "That's nay surprising me 
t'hear. Me, now--I didn't want 'em, really. Nay initially. But then there 
was a flight... well, and I realized when I was given the chance, I wanted 
t'be taking it. It could've been the only child I'd ever have a chance 
t'have, for all I knew then. And you should have your chances, 
Alessi--that's one thing Wingleaders are always griping about: greenriders 
usually end up pregnant sometime or another."

Alessandra stays silent for a long moment, eyes resting rather fondly on the 
green still out splashing in the deeper part of the water still within view. 
"Is there... ever... the possibility of me getting put in a wing that won't 
let me have children?"

"Let you? Alessi, lass--a Wing can't *stop* you," Kassi promises, shaking 
her head emphatically enough to make her braid sway and twitch in the sand. 
"A Wingleader can't force you t'be aborting if'n you end up pregnant, they 
can't force you t'take timonflower. There are some Wingleaders who'll be 
*unhappy* if'n you have children, mayhaps. Mart's never fond of finding out 
he's going t'have another grounded greenrider. But even he doesn't try 
t'stop women from having children--nay Wingleader really would. We all know 
flights, at least, are a part of things and you just have t'be expecting it 
and making do. Even if'n you got pregnant for some other reason, they'd 
understand. Mayhaps even be happy for you."

Alessandra bites her lower lip, worrying at it with her teeth. "What happens 
when you're pregnant? I remember you saying something about doing groundcrew 
after Fall one time..."

Kassima considers, leaning back against Lysseth and gathering Kris in close. 
"Welladay... some of it's individual, y'know--if'n the Healers think you'll 
have trouble, you might be more restricted, say. Or if'n you carry more than 
one, because that's always risky. What's usually happened for me is that 
after Lyss has let me know and a Healer's confirmed it, I can't go *between* 
until--or after--the second trimester, and I can't fly in Fall anymore. I 
*can* serve in ground crew for a few months. Nay all the 
months--flamethrowers are heavy, and once you really start showing, you 
don't have any business carting one over the countryside. Once you get that 
far along, you can't fight Thread 'tall 'til the pregnancy's done."

Alessandra plucks her braid off the sand and starts nibbling on the tip, 
making a face as she realizes it's full of--what else--sand. "I see. So 
you're not exactly useless, which is what I'm afraid of being while pregnant."

Kassima gives another of those emphatic headshakes. "Oh, nay. Nay *usually*. 
Now, Jal and M'hryn both tried t'make me that way--M'hryn wouldn't let me do 
*any* work, even hidework; Jal grounded me entirely unless I had," and this 
word she spits out, "an *escort*. But there are still things you can do t'be 
helping out. I sometimes repair straps for a small fee, or work on 
m'personal projects, or plot new formations. You can run errands and such. 
Near the very end, you might nay be able t'do so much, but by then you 
generally won't *want* to."

Alessandra makes a small "oh" sound, looking decidedly less worried about 
the entire thing. Kiyoth is eyed, again, and those shoulders tense right 
back up. "Do you think she'll go up soon, Kassima?" Three guesses what she 
means, and the first two don't count.

Kassima doesn't answer this right away. First, she peers out towards the 
sporting young green, eyes narrowing as she studies her. "She's, what, a few 
months short of two Turns? She could. She might. Some greens rise on the 
mark; some wait and dawdle about. If'n she doesn't rise until she's three or 
four, 'tisn't aught t'worry about, but I don't see why she'd wait that long."

"I'm almost afraid she won't decide to wait until graduation," Alessandra 
confesses, a bit of a twist to her mouth that could possibly pass for a 
grin. "Knowing her... personality." She sighs softly, settling her chin atop 
the heel of her hand. "I just hope she and Saulith don't go up at the same 
time."

"Why would they?" Kassi wonders, curious. "Two greens rise at the same time 
sometimes, but it doesn't happen oft; usually, if'n two greens are proddy 
and one shows signs of going up, the other rider takes her dragon out of the 
Weyr and someplace secluded. I've had t'do that with Lyss a couple of times. 
And she'd nay be the first green nay t'wait until graduation either, if'n 
that happened... but really, 'tisn't that likely."

Alessandra nods again, then starts chuckling to herself. "They don't call us 
the terrible two for nothing. Let's just hope that Kich's Saulith decides to 
be good and wait, herself. But will they go, if they're close to rising, and 
another green rises above their heads?"

Kassima chuckles under her breath; shakes her head, again. Her neck's 
getting exercise tonight. "I doubt it matters in something like this. 
Juliath and Lysseth are clutchsisters and rivals of a sort, and they've 
risen *close*, but never together. 'Twas just coincidence when they came 
near each other, too. Methinks whether they will just depends on them--if'n 
you've any doubt, you should take 'em away. Greens don't generally fight, 
but who wants t'take chances? Several Turns ago, Ista got in horrid trouble 
with the Beastcraft when a proddy green flying overhead set off *two* greens 
on the ground and the herds were decimated; that just proves it can happen."

Alessandra winces, though she does crack an honest smile. "Oh dear. I'm 
grateful I wasn't around to see -that- debacle. But I think what you said 
about Juliath and Lysseth--them being rivals--is what's going on with 
Saulith and Kiyoth. They're just fine when there's no bronze around to show 
off for, they handle sharing blues and browns just fine, but get the pair of 
them around a bronze and it's a flirt war. Kiyoth won't share 'her' 
companions with any other green, though, so maybe it isn't exactly rivalry. 
Maybe it's just... Kiyoth being Kiyoth." Goodness but she's rambling tonight.

"Lyss and Juliath just snipe at each other always. Good-naturedly," Kassi's 
quick to add, "but Jul always calls Lyss 'skinny-butt,' and Lyss calls Jul 
'lard-legs,' things like that... they can be nasty to each other when 
they're both proddy, so thank Faranth they're nay oft that way. Lysseth, 
now, she's a possessive sort when it comes t'*some* males. So even if'n she 
doesn't usually get into flirt wars, I can see what you're meaning. And I'd 
never want her t'fly at the same time as another green." That's said with 
absolute seriousness. "Lyss would fight. I'm certain of it. If'n you think 
there's any chance of Kiyoth being so possessive that she fights, you'd 
*better* be careful when other greens are rising."

Alessandra shakes her head just a bit, slowly, as she watches Kiyoth emerge 
from the ocean, streaming water everywhere. "I'll be careful. I suspect 
we'll be finding out just how wretched she is once she rises. Then we'll 
find out what she does." From the tone of it, Alessi's not exactly looking 
forward to the whole thing.

Kassima's smile turns at once wry and sympathetic. She tips her head back to 
look at her own mount, still asleep and contentedly so. "Every female's 
different, and you just can't tell how she'll be until the time. But 'tisn't 
really aught t'be afraid of, if'n you are. Nervous is one thing; aught new 
is nervous-making, but you needn't be afraid."

Alessandra slowly turns her gaze over towards Kassima, eyes searching. "Are 
you sure? Of course you're sure, you should know, what am I saying. It's 
just that... I dunno."

Kassima frees one hand from holding her son in order to raise it in that 
universal 'solemn promise' gesture. "Certain as I can be. What is it that's 
worrying you, precisely?"

Alessandra bites her lip again, watching as Kiyoth settles herself, 
eternally cat-like, in a dainty little pile on the sand, where the water can 
still lap at her tail and legs. "I'm afraid of losing control of myself, and 
control of Kiyoth. I'm almost more scared of this than I was of going 
between the first time."

"That's... nay without reason. You *will* lose control of yourself, to an 
extent; that's t'be expected, part and parcel of it. But everyone else in 
the flight's lost most of their control too--so at least," Kassi quips, 
quirking a grin, "you'll be in good company. Nay, now, in seriousness. 
Control of Kiyoth when she needs t'blood is the important thing. I'm nay 
going t'lie and say 'twill be *easy*. 'Twill be bloody sharding difficult 
t'control her. One of the hardest things you've ever done, mayhaps. But 
consider this--every greenrider in Telgar, and almost every rider through 
history as best I know, has managed it. So it can hardly be impossible. And 
some of those greens are a lot more vicious, I'm going t'dare t'be saying, 
than your Kiyoth."

Alessandra shifts, drawing her knees up and wrapping her arms around her 
thighs, chin resting atop her knees. "I would certainly hope so. She's 
usually really good about doing what I tell her, at least. There is that." 
At least Alessi's relaxing, and Kiyoth seems to be dropping off to sleep. 
"So if I get embarressed the day after, there wouldn't really be a point to 
it, right?"

Kassima cautions, her brows drawing together, "You shouldn't expect her t'be 
biddable when she rises, Alessi. She'll be different than you've ever known 
her, if'n she's like most. I could give you m'infamous 'how bad you should 
be expecting it t'be' lecture, but it probably wouldn't reassure you. The 
thing t'keep in mind, though, is that you *can* do this. If'n you weren't 
capable of it, you'd nay have Impressed." She tucks that arm back around 
Kris, and wriggles further down in the sand. "Nay real point, but don't feel 
bad about it if'n you do anyway. I still get embarrassed most of the time. 
At least you're nay a virgin; the embarrassment's much worse for them, 
methinks. One lad whose brown flew Lysseth woke up and *screamed*--did 
wonders for m'ego, let me tell you."

Alessandra bursts out laughing--that little tidbit seems to be relaxing her 
more than anything else put together. "He _screamed_? I can only hope that 
Kiy's first flight doesn't go along those lines!" Oh dear. Alessandra 
continues to practically hoot with laughter, releasing her legs and laying 
back in the sand, giggling.

"Well, he *was* a virgin, and Auri and I *had* decided t'traumatize him with 
a prank nay long a'fore the flight, and he *did* know me mostly from that 
and by reputation... but still!" Kassi affects indignance, though her eyes 
gleam with amusement in the situation. "Screamed and tried t'run away. 
Really, *terribly* inconsiderate of him."

"Oh yes, very inconsiderate, very rude," Alessandra agrees, eyes still 
dancing as she tries hard to fight the laughter ready to bubble over again. 
"What'd you do, dress him in leather underwear?"

Kassima coughs and looks down, trying to at least look sheepish. Not 
terribly successfully. "A pink lace robe, actually. That wouldn't close in 
the front. And this was after he'd lost a flight and fallen asleep in a 
drunken stupor in the Lounge... we dragged him back t'Auri's weyr and put 
him in her bed, then climbed in with him. 'Twas wearing red sisal and lace, 
m'self. Auri had black lace. He was rather nonplussed upon awakening, for 
some odd reason."

Alessandra nearly chokes, tears starting to make their way down her cheeks 
from laughing entirely too hard. "I can just picture you in red sisal and 
lace, Kassima. And I don't quite understand why he wasn't all 
happy-go-lucky, waking up in perfectly normal clothing with two perfectly 
normal women on either side of him..."

"You *can*? Most people couldn't," Kassi marvels. "And he's certes the only 
one t'ever see me in aught remotely like it, I can assure you... well, 'twas 
my thought! I mean, I know most men don't consider me a raving beauty, but 
Auri's nay hard t'look at or aught. And he just *panicked*. Strangest thing 
you've ever seen." She's all innocence and wide eyes, pretending not to 
notice that laughter at all.

Alessandra covers her mouth, trying to stop laughing so hard. "Oh Kassi. 
Whatever are we going to do with you?" Wide eyed innocence in*deed*. "So was 
he traumatized for life?"

Kassima glances down modestly, while buffing the nails of one hand against 
her shirt front. Well, what shirt front exists. It's not an extensive shirt. 
"Between that and the flight, methinks you could safely say so. I even heard 
a rumor that Auri told him 'twas pregnant, after--little wonder I've nay 
seen much of him since. He's probably terrified of me. Poor man."

Alessandra bursts out laughing again, tears streaming down her cheeks freely 
as she cackles. "Oh Kassima, I have so much to learn from you."

Kassima gives Alessandra a very wide-eyed look indeed. "Oh, but he deserved 
it! He asked Mart in the middle of a fancy dinner at High Reaches with the 
Lady Holder in attendance whether I'd castrated him, y'know. And whether he 
was having a threesome with Jh'rin and me. So I just had t'repay him 
*somehow*...." Never mind that Kassi's probably thrilled that he was evil to 
Mart. Justification's a fickle thing.

Alessandra affixes the Look on Kassima, but it's thoroughly spoiled as she 
wipes the tears sliding down her cheeks. "Oh and I'm sure M'rgan didn't 
deserve it."

"Well... apart from just being *Mart*, he really didn't," Kassi reluctantly 
admits. "But being Mart's enough! I mean, shells, you should have heard what 
that man told I'sai I do in bed. Actually, I wish you had heard. Then 
mayhaps you could tell me. All I know is that it involved barking like a 
canine and pillows, and I've never done *aught* improper with pillows. *Or* 
barked."

Alessandra raises an index finger, grinning slightly. "M'rgan told me, too, 
that you barked like canines." But that was before the table incident. "But 
I don't remember the impropriety with pillows bit."

Kassima sticks out her tongue. Pthbt. Maturity, thy name be hers. "I do 
*nay*. Anyway, *he's* the one who makes most of the silly sounds, *honestly*."

Alessandra sticks her tongue right back out at Kassima, eyes twinkling 
merrily. "Methinks," she comments airily. "That I shall keep from finding 
out exactly what noises M'rgan makes." With that, she rises, pulling on her 
Telgar clothes. "I have to get back, Kassi, I think I've been here too long 
already."

"Kiyoth is green," Kassi points out slyly. "And Ularrith is brown. How'd you 
think *I* found out? Wait... don't answer that. I'm nay wanting t'know." 
With a wink, she lifts one hand in a wave. "Good call--go back; get some 
sleep, be well-rested for drills. May you dream nay of brownriders in pink 
lace who bark."

Alessandra mock-glares at Kassima as she scrambles up Kiyoth. "Great, now 
I'll have nightmares all night."

Kiyoth wings and ascends up into the sea air, and soars high above the island.