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Game On


Date:  May 3, 2003
Place:  Telgar Weyr's Lake Shore
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:  Telgar's beginning to fill up with Candidates, and 
Kassima has a chance to meet one of them, Gay, one afternoon at the
Lake.  It turns out that each of them has a fondness for games, and 
they agree to an exchange lessons in their favorites.

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The Log:

Gay heads over from the central bowl.

Seated on one of the area's convenient boulders, Kassi has a gitar in her
lap and is attempting--stress that word--to play it. The fact that she
hasn't much lap for it to sit on and thus its angle is awkward probably
isn't helping her any. "For a gold ring he placed on m'finger, saying,
'Love, bear this in your mind: if'n ever I sail from fair Greystones,
you'll mind I'll nay leave you behind," she sings, very slowly, as she
picks out the matching notes on the strings. Also slowly. Lysseth, who's
curled half-in and half-out of the water a short distance away, sighs with
something like disgust. "Oh, knock it off, beast. I'd like t'see *you* do
this."

Gay wanders along from the bowl, eyes on the ground, searching. Every once
in awhile she stops, bending to pick up a likely stone or two. Some are
tossed away, some slipped into a little brown pouch she's carrying. The
notes - then the singing - cause her to look up, head tilted to the side as
she listens, approaches slowly. "Er - does she not like it? If I can ask?"

Kassima stills the strings--she's learned to do *that* much, at least--and
shifts enough on her rock to be able to look over, offering a wry grin.
"She *pretends* t'have musical taste. I'truth, methinks she just enjoys
twitting me; she knows I already know I'm nay very good at it yet, so all
she's doing is rubbing it in." Lysseth lifts her head a bit more, drawing
all her dignity around her. Petty? Her? Never! "And a question for a
question: what's in the pouch?"

"Oh, if it's a question for a question -" Here, Gay squints at the
greenrider's knot, guessing, "Wingleader? - we might be here awhile. I can
annoy people with my questions. And if you're learning, you can't sound
perfect, I'd think. I mean, not that you sounded bad." She takes a breath
here, probably to stop herself from going on. A bright smile, then she
looks down to the pouch in hand. "Oh, rocks. A couple bits of wood. They're
like - toys. I was just looking for new ones."

"Right," Kassi confirms--then adds, after a quick-flicked glance at *her*
knot and grinning, "Candidate. And I'd nigh be willing t'wager I could
annoy you with questions longer than you can ignore me, except at the
moment I'm working at a disadvantage. Sooner or later, I'd have t'flee
t'get food or to the necessary and you'd win without me really being out of
questions. Thankee, though. I've played the pipes for Turns, but the
gitar's new to me." Her fingers caress the neck of the instrument. "'Tis
very different... toys? What d'you play, with rocks and bits of wood?"

Gay grins slightly, glancing at Kassima's belly. "Well, I could wait till
the little's born, and we can give it a go then? I'm Gay." She finds a
flat-topped boulder nearby to perch on, asking, "How it is different? Other
than the stings versus wind thing." Her hands squeeze around the pouch,
then pull at the string to open it, seeminng a little embarrassed. "Oh -
well. It's strategy. I plot things out with them."

Kassima's eyes widen; she starts to say, with bemused amusement, "That's an
interesting annou--oh, wait, wait. Or is it that your name, 'tis? If'n 'tis
the latter, I'm Kassima, or Kassi if'n you'd rather. And I'll look forward
t'that--I'm guessing," she throws in with a quick grin, "that the eggs
won't have Hatched by then, so however it turns out you should still be
here. Unless you leave, which I hope you won't. Part of the difference is
in how y'hold the note, y'know?" She demonstrates a bit, pressing down on
strings with the hand on the neck. "You have t'push bloody hard, and at a
different angle, where with pipes y'just have t'have your finger *there*. I
can't seem t'get used t'pushing down t'get a note. Like chess, then?"
Seeming oblivious to embarrassment, and interested, she leans a little to
get a better look at the pouch. "Or another variety of thing?"

"It's my name - Gaycia's my full name. What, what did you th-" Gay flushes.
Realization. "Oh. Oh. Right, sorry." Quickly; "I heard about the gitar -
you need to build up finger strength. And a little like chess, in a sense.
But on my own." She holds out the bag for Kassi to look at, explaining, "I
play - played a game at home. Sometimes, I need to plot out how things
happen in the game, so I use these." Her words are quiet, and she shrugs.
The little pouch has round stones of several different colours, all about
the same size and a few circles of wood.

"Sorry about that." Kassi has the grace to be sheepish, if still a little
amused despite herself. "The other wouldn't be entirely beyond the pale for
someone t'decide t'tell you first about themselves, but I should've caught
on faster. Certes nay apologies needed from your end. Gaycia's a pretty
name, for one that doesn't start with a K." Her quick wink suggests this
last is meant as a tease; carefully, she detunes the gitar and swings it
out of her lap, setting it to rest by a boulder so she can better accept
that bag and peek through the contents. "What sort of game is it?" she
wants to know. "I like the stones--d'you ever paint 'em, or dye 'em? What
are they for?"

Gay shakes her head at the apology, waving it off. "No, honestly. I didn't
think - though maybe I should have - that there'd be question. I'm still
getting used to all - this. And thank you." She smiles, glancing up again,
colour still high in her cheeks. "Oh - it's a game where you've two teams
and you sort of pretend you're armies. And you have to get something from
the other team. So, you need to figure out how the team'll move, so..." A
gesture to the bag; "I use these. It's kind of silly."

Her smile quick and wry, Kassi assures, "'Tisn't so much that there's
question as that I misunderstood for a moment. How long have you been here?
It can't be too long, I'm guessing, since the clutching wasn't so long
agone--and when I brought Yselle in last night, there were plenty of cots
left. Nay that 'twill stay *that* way for long, though the clutch is small
enough that I doubt you'll have seventy or eighty bunkmates at least." She
pokes a long finger gently through the stones. "Armies... oh--like Fax's,
in the Ballads? Hmm-mmm. Sounds a bit like dragon-tag, without dragons. And
probably wanting something more serious than a flag. Why silly? It sounds
much like chess t'me, and Faranth knows there're stranger hobbies t'have
than liking strategy games. Are you also one for logic puzzles and the like?"

"I've been here since the spring, actually. I was visiting my second cousin
- she's in the caverns." Gay taps her boots against the ground, leaning
foward to cross her forearms, rest them on her knees. "I think I was one of
the first in the barracks, though there still is an awful lot of bunks
empty." She nods to Kassima's questions, then breathes; "Dragon-tag? No, it
-is- a flag, actually. D'you think they're the same sort of thing? Wouldn't
that be something." She attempts to make her tone casual as she says, "Oh,
my parents just thought it was a little silly when I got older. But yes, I
do like those, when I can find them. I play a decent game of chess, but I'm
still learning."

"Since spring? Better than since winter--was it still colder than what
'twere used to? The Icy Wastes aren't the best place weather-wise for an
extended visit." Glancing towards the meadow near the Lake, with its
wildflowers, she appends, "Though in summer, it can be lovely. If'n 'tis a
flag, it might be similar--I played dragon-tag at High Reaches once, during
a Gather. There were six dragons, two per team, and each team had a flag,
right? And we carried streamers--we had t'run around trying t'keep our flag
safe, and keep others from grabbing our streamers, while trying t'get the
others' streamers and flags and 'twas all a horrid mess. Fun, though. I'd
play it again if'n I had the chance--and if'n Her Ladyship were amenable,
but she probably would be." Lysseth rumbles a nonchalant sort of comment.
"Is that aught like your game?" Tipping the stones and circles carefully
back into the bag, she offers it back to Gay. "I really don't know why. At
least 'tis a game that involves your brain; there are worse. Don't suppose
you play dice or poker too?"

Gay takes her bag back with an appreciative smile, winding the string
around the top. "Only a little colder. I'm from The-Middle-Of-Nowhere
Lemos. So, I didn't have to adjust. To the weather, anyway. And that does
sound very much like the same game - I'm kind of excited, actually. I
didn't know anyone else played. And dragons no less." A glance to Lysseth,
then back as she asks, eyes widening just slightly, "Dice? Poker? No, I've
only heard a little about them - is that like at Bitra?"

Kassima's head tilts to one side. "Lemos? Huh--Yselle's from Lemos
Minehold; I wonder if'n any other Candidates yet are from around that area?
And neither of you Searched *at* Lemos, I'm guessing." Her teeth flash in a
grin. "Apparently so. Y'know, if'n this is a game played with teams too,
you might see if'n any of the other Candidates want t'play it, if'n you're
of a mind t'do so yourself--or have you already thought of that, and that's
what the tokens are for? Normally I'd ask if'n I could play too, but...
Bitra certes specializes in those games. Among others." Kassi fishes for a
moment in a pocket of her jacket before coming up with a small, narrow box,
which she opens to slide out a deck of wooden cards. "Plenty of us play
dragonpoker hereabouts too. Dice, nay quite so much, but there's a
dartboard in the workroom at least--I'm a sucker for the gambling games, I
admit."

"Well, not me, no. I was about to go back, though. Glad I didn't have to,
just yet. And I was thinking just that," Gay admits, grinning widely. "But
I wasn't sure how much time we'll have to be playing games. Be interesting
to play without as much cover as usual." She leans forward to look at the
cards, curious. "Is it fun? To play? Don't know if we had poker at home.
Likely did, but no one thought to teach me that." Her nose wrinkles.

"I'll be glad too, then, for your sake, and especially if'n you *do*
organize a game and I can at least watch," Kassi suggests, matching that
grin with one of her own. "Admittedly, I doubt you'll have *that* much
time. Y'know all about the chores and what all at this point. But 'tisn't
all work either--one Turn, a Candidate put together contests in archery and
footracing for the Weyr t'play in, and Riane in her turn taught some of us
t'play herdball; 'twas on the winning team, too. And I don't doubt your
Coordinators will put together a dinner for you at some point, so if'n
naught else there'll be one evening t'relax from chores." Turning the cards
so their faces can be seen, she fans them out, the better to display the
colored patterns and, on some, painted people. "I certes think so! But
then, 'tis where part of m'money comes from, poker. M'Wing can out-gamble
Skyfire any day of the seven. Would you want t'be learning?"

Gay nods quickly as she's listening, brown eyes bright and serious. "Well,
maybe I'll try, then, if people're interested. And if people have arranged
things before - well, I'll ask them and see." Her gaze fixes on the cards
now, brow furrowed as she examines them. "Dinner sounds nice," she says,
distractedly, then at the last, fairly beams. "Oh, I would! If you don't
mind. Well, as long as the betting comes -after- learning."

Taylin heads over from the central bowl.

"Awww, does it have to?" Kassi pulls an exaggeratedly disappointed face,
where she sits on a rock near the Lake Shore; she's holding a deck of
cards, fanned out so Gay can see them. "But that means 'twill have a harder
time fleecing you, and what fun is that? Ach, a'course 'twill--I'm nay
being serious there; 'twouldn't be *fair* t'expect you t'bet a'fore you
knew what was what, and 'twouldn't be fun for you t'lose that way either, I
should imagine. D'you want t'look through 'em?" she offers, gesturing with
the deck. "Some of the riders here are on the face cards. Though you might
nay recognize all of 'em. 'Tis an ancient set; you can tell by me being the
Wingsecond. I'd certes love t'see it--I'd like t'learn the game, too,
either way; I'll teach you mine if'n you teach me yours?"

Taylin hosp out on to the beach, as if trying to dislodge something from
her boot. Once done though she's peering around to see if anyone has
spotted her funny antics, it seems for once she might have gotten away with
it.

Gay looks at the greenrider with a good deal of suspicion - all of it
feigned. "But I've heard about you riders, fleecing young girls," she
teases, then smiles, nodding emphatically. As she takes the cards and looks
through them. "That sounds like a good deal. A fair trade. All right." She
glances up briefly from her persual of the cards to spy Taylin, and flashes
the girl a smile.

"Oh, I fleece young women--young men, too--when I can," Kassi breezily
assures without an ounce of shame, but at least with a grin to suggest that
maybe she's not entirely serious. Maybe. "Crafters, gamers, bettors,
whoever gives me a chance. 'Tis half a game in itself. And now if'n you
should end up back at Lemos--or are you thinking, whatever happens, you'd
rather stay on here? Candidates are welcome to, y'know--you can fleece the
people *there* if'n they don't know poker already." Following Gay's glance,
she espies Taylin too, and lifts one hand to wiggle its fingers in amiable
greeting. "G'day! Y'might just try taking that boot off and shaking it out?"

Taylin looks up and flushes a remarkable shade of red "Uh Thank You."
plopping her rump right down where she sits the boot in quiestion is taken
off and the rock diloged from it place in the crossings of the laces "Silly
thing how did you get there."

Gay lets out an amused laugh, noting, "Looks like I'm going to learn from
the right person, then. And if it's half the game, I think I'd like it. I
guess there's strategy to that." She sobers a little, concentrating on the
cards. "Well - it depends. I think my family would like me to come home if
I don't Impress," she says carefully. "Oh, Taylin - that looks as if it
might've hurt."

Kassima suggests, falling back to pragmatism, "Well, wait t'say that until
we see whether I can teach you well. But I hope I can. And there can be a
strategy; it depends on how you go about it... ah, now." Her eyes rest on
Gay for a moment, contemplative and perhaps sympathetic. "Probably 'twould
indeed. The question's whether 'tis what *you'd* like. Pull up a boulder,
if'n you like?" she offers over to Taylin. "The first queen knows, this is
a good place for picking up odd bits of stone. They're all over the place."

"I have faith," assures Gay cheerily. "That you'll do a good job of the
teaching. As for the rest - well. That's what people keep telling me. That
what I want is important, but I find it's a bit more difficult than all of
that." She finishes shuffling through the cards, then hands them back to
the greenrider. "That's maybe just me, though."

Kassima slips the cards back into her box, then slips the box back into her
pocket. "I'd nay say so. Oh, in a sense, 'tis you--you care what other
people want, too; nay everyone does, or thinks much about it. But you're
far from alone. If'n you want t'talk about it, I'm all ears, hey? But if'n
you'd rather keep it t'yourself, I'll nay press. It sounds like an
important matter." Switching back to the first subject: "You have faith. In
*me*. Somewhere, dozens of maleriders are shaking their head in either
sadness or amusement at such folly. Nevertheless, 'twill do m'level best
t'live up to it."

Taylin stands only to plop back down on a nearby boulder, "Aye I should
know better but I was in such a hurry that I must have picked up." sighing
softly as she reties the offensive boot "Learning how to play cards Gay?"

"I will be, thanks to the Wingleader here." Gay grins over at Taylin as
she's fussing with her boot. "Do you know how to play? And is it folly?"
Her attention shifts back to Kassima, arching her brows curiously. "What'd
you do to them?" A flash of a grin, then; "Oh - I may take you up on
that... Might be good for me to think out what I'll do after the hatching."

Taylin shrugs "I've played very little actually, though mybrothers do very
well at it." crossing her legs to sit and watch and listen before turning
back to Gay "Have you gone up to look at the eggs yet? I've heard its a
good looking clutch to be sure."

"Dress them up as women," Kassi promptly answers. "Tell scurrilous and
completely untrue rumors. Wave an Emasculator about, proddy. I'm awful. But
it makes life interesting, I can be assuring, and there's plenty of fun in
it--by all means, feel free. And if'n you don't want t'talk with me, well,
quite a few riders about will be sympathetic, if'n y'ken? We've nigh all
been through Candidacy a'fore, so we know what 'tis like, at least in some
respects." Turning her head towards Taylin, she asks, "Ever win any marks
at it? Poker, I mean, unless you play another game. And the clutch is
certes quite vivid."

Gay nods to Taylin, eyes lighting up as she smiles. "Oh, it is pretty, yes.
I can't believe I'll touch them. Seems not right, somehow." Kassi's
comments warrant a blink or two from the girl, eyes rounding. "My. Well,
that certainly does sound interesting... And I just - Well. If Taylin
doesn't mind being bored by the details?" Her gaze shifts back to the other
girl, questioning.

Taylin shrugs "I don't mind at all." msiling brightly from one woman to the
other.

Kassima has to grin, nose crinkling in good humor. "You won't for awhile,
a'course, they're too soft now. I'd be surprised if'n Daelyth let anyone
besides mayhaps Nimiriel touch 'em... but they'll be hard enough by the
time you do. They feel a bit like giant wherry eggs, t'tell you the truth.
Mostly smooth, warm a'course, a little soapy almost...." Taylin is flashed
a grin in response to that smile. "If'n you don't, then," back to Gay, "go
ahead and tell all you like."

[Editor's Note:  At this point, I realized just how late 
it was and that I had to run.  Whups!  I paged Gay and 
Taylin to explain, then posed out:]

Kassima abruptly sits up on her boulder, though, looking discomfited.
"Actually--shells, as awful as this sounds, I'm going t'have t'take a rain
check; remember what I said a'fore about having t'run for the necessaries?
Well--" She gives a sheepish grin, but doesn't waste any more time
explaining, hastily snatching up her gitar and sliding from the boulder and
starting for said necessaries as fast as she can. "Hope t'talk t'you later,
though!" she calls back over her shoulder. "G'deve t'you both!"