-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proddiness and Promotions Date: December 12, 1997 Place: Telgar Weyr's Living Cavern Game: PernMUSH Copyright Info: The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kassi's Note: Once more, the time has come when the Weyrlings of the Weyr are due to be chosen for Wings. Wouldn't you just know that this would occur while Kassi was proddy? But despite the decision that she could be accurately compared to Mothra, or perhaps the main character in 'Firestarter', she did manage to tag a 'Ling for Thunderbolt who survived the whole experience--will wonders never cease! ;) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Log: You walk past the lintel and into the wide living cavern. Pierron sniffs at the klah pot, and throws the old klah out with a look of disgust. K'ti snuffles s'more then sneezes into her kerchief. C'vadan stands and salutes the weyrling. "How is Kyoteth today?" he asks, dark eyes unreadable. Kerlyn walks in from the bowl. Melina salutes Kerlyn and Kassi crisply from her seat, her dark eyes still trained on D'ton. D'ton says "Kyoteth's doing great, sir. Ate like pig...ah, ate very well earlier. Flying and all." C'vadan nods at this information. "Good to hear, lad. And how are you?" he then asks. Kerlyn salutes sharply in return, making her way through to the Dawnslight table, leaning back on the table to talk quietly with one of her former wingmates. "If'n the klah's that bad, let M'kla brew it," Kassi suggests dryly to Pierron, her rather grouchy tone suggesting that she's not in the best of moods today. Brushing past several riders and giving only a grunt in response to all salutes, the begowned greenrider pauses by Cav and D'ton. "Have y'been demoted or something, Wingsecond?" she asks without preamble. K'ti suddenly looks up as she becomes aware of something. "Jaralth!?" she says, "Ya didn't...." D'ton answers evenly, "As well as might be expected, sir." Melina looks over at K'ti, startled, "Ma'am?" Silanda looks over at K'ti. "Uh-oh..." she says to herself. C'vadan waves his hand to the rider he was speaking to earlier and she hands C'vadan a hide. He looks at it critically as D'ton answers. "Excuse me, Kassi?" K'ti puts her forehead into her hand, shaking her head back and forth as she says quietly, "He did it.. dought one o'de weyrling dragons that snow wakes riders." Silanda closes her eyes, and shakes her head, and sighs. "Poor weyrling." D'ton glances at K'ti wide-eyed. From his expression, it's obvious he suspects that he'll be next. Melina's eyes grow distant for a few moments and she shakes her head, "Shards.. Rhonneth, I best not be wakened by a snowball in my furs" Ryddle smiles quietly Kassima folds her arms and drawls, "Well, what with the saluting of *Weyrlings* and all... I thought mayhaps Ursa'd pulled you from the ranks again." She doesn't come out and say so, but her tone implies that this would not surprise her. C'vadan decides to ignore Kassima since Dulath has dutifully informed him that Lysseth is glowing brighter than an over-decorated Christmas tree. "Where were we, D'ton?" D'ton looks at Kassima, taking in her outfit critically. You can tell that he's considering a fight or flight response. D'ton says "We were exchanging queries about health, sir. How are you?" C'vadan isn't going to let D'ton have the flight option, it seems. C'vadan ahs. "Yes. I am fine. Thank you." He glances at Kerlyn. "I have some notes here from the Weyrlingmasters about your progress with your Wing," he says, voice purposefully thick with dread. Kassima scowls, giving the lie to her claim that women--or at least, this woman--adore being ignored. "Healers, the weather, snow, greens, and brownriders. *That's* what's wrong with the world," she decides, eyeing Cav rather as she would something revolting on the underside of her shoe. "Get your eyes back in your sockets, Weyrling," she further suggests drolly to D'ton. K'ti pokes her head from beneath the fur that's enwrapping the little rider. She looks over towards Kassi then shakes her head, "Da explains it. 'afternoon Kassi." Kerlyn scowls, on cue. D'ton covers first one eye, then the other with the palm of his hand. "Yes'm." Melina sits up straight at Kassi's word. A word in retort dies on her lips as she faces the greenrider. She clears her throat and goes back to sipping her klah. C'vadan clears his throat. "I would appreciate it if you would look at me when I am speaking to you, Weyrling." Kassima glances at Melina out of the corner of her eye, and does relent a bit. "Well... *male* brownriders, anyway. Whose names start with C." D'ton looks at C'vadan. Telgar Weyr> Jehrina says, "good thing you made that 'male' qualification, kassi. Otherwise, I'd have to tell Rill, and you'd be in for it :)" Melina grins slightly and nods, "Understood, Kassi" She breaths a sigh of relief at not slipping and calling the greenrider 'ma'am' which would be stupid in her current frame of mind. C'vadan has had enough experience to know he doesn't have to worry about Kassima until after he knives appear. He stands expectantly looking at D'ton. K'ti sneezes quite messily into a kerchief, a slorpy sound this time of too much sinus not enough air. Melina looks back at Cav and D'ton, wondering what exactly is going on. She takes a sip of klah. Telgar Weyr> Kassima wouldn't want to risk the Wrath of Godrilla. She's no Dracuelle, Tiffenstein, or other movie monster to put up a fitting fight. ;) D'ton looks at the notes. "Oh," he says. Telgar Weyr> Jehrina says, "hehe" Saruh grabs a simple bowl of stew and tucks herself in a corner to eat and watch. C'vadan asks, "What do you have to say for your performance, Weyrling?" Silanda gets up, tucking her sewing back into her basket, and heads into the lower caverns. Silanda walks towards the inner cavern. Silen heads off towards the inner cavern. Telgar Weyr> M'kla thinks you're KassiRa...like Mothra...bit, scary, and mutates into a weirdly beautiful...thing.... Melina swallows hard, watching D'ton, her squad leader. "Evening, K'ti. Did y'know that you sound like a runner that's trying t'snort its lungs out?" Kassima inquires as genially as she may. This is not, it might be noted, saying much. D'ton puts his hands behind his back and says, "It's been less than ideal, sir. Especially during the last Fall." Ryddle chuckles D'ton says "Most of the deaths were from my squad." Telgar Weyr> Kassima beams. M'kla thinks I'm a thing! Melina also sits up in her chair. She's partially responsable for what happened, because she seconded the bronzerider. Telgar Weyr> M'kla grins. C'vadan nods at the Weyrling's answer and jots something down on the hide. "I am aware of that, Weyrling. How would you change that?" he asks, dark eyes burrowing in on the lad. Telgar Weyr> Melina chooses not to comment on that. K'ti pulls the furs back a little then chuckles, sorta. "Da's really good ta know. An here I dought it sounned like I corked by node. To pant at da bronze an green riders." Telgar Weyr> C'vadan says, "Can I be King Cav? :)" Telgar Weyr> Mehlani imagines Caitria dressed like Faye Wray, being carried up the side of the Weyr by Cav. Oi. Telgar Weyr> M'kla is the Thing from the Klah Lagoon! Telgar Weyr> K'ti is far from the frightening figure she used to be... she kinda misses that, though. I think I need to go get some more green paint. Telgar Weyr> C'vadan beats his chest and starts coughing. Telgar Weyr> Kassima thinks you should be the kid from 'I Was a Teenage Werewolf,' Cav. Or maybe that other kid, who was a teenage werewolf snack. ;) Telgar Weyr> Jehrina says, "Flip ya for the big chunks, cav" Telgar Weyr> C'vadan says, "Sure, Jehrina :)" D'ton's gaze darkens slightly. "We should have kept a better track of each other. That would have saved E'rim and Iayath. The first death came too soon after we came out of between. I don't know how I'd have prevented that, unless we came out of Between a good deal farther from the Fall. And D'mar?" D'ton says "I should just have been there." K'ti frowns a bit, her head swiveling as she catches the end of the conversation. C'vadan says "You feel responsible for someone else's mistake?" Melina murmers to herself, "It wasn't your fault, D'ton.." Kerlyn opens her mouth to cut in, but closes it at the last minute. She fixes a hard gaze on C'vaden. His response had better be good, it appears. Kassima allows ever-so-generously, "That, too. Though why you'd want t'pant at bronzeriders, I can't imagine." Following K'ti's glance, the greenrider frowns and drops down into her chair. Like so many others in the room, she's eyeing the Weyrling and Wingsecond. Ryddle h her face concerned The glance Cav gives Melina indicates he suggests she remain out of this. Melina almost melts into her chair under Cav's gaze. She burries her nose in her klah. D'ton says "We were all responsible for each other. And I was more so, because it was my squad." K'ti tries to keep up part of the conversation with Kassi, though her attention is that direction, "How'boutin iffin I jus pant at ye? Ye'll be amused fer hours." C'vadan nods at this answer. "Understanding one's role within a Wing is a very important step in fulfilling one's duty to dragon, Wing and Weyr." His expression and voice is very grave. Kassima's reply is a grumped, "Wouldn't bet on that. Try going for days without more'n a few hours sleep, with nay caffeine and nay *decent* food, plus a headache and backache each the size of Prometh's tail end, and we'll see how easy you are t'amuse." K'ti snuffles again, "I dunno. I dink I godd dat wit dis cold. Jaralth dropped snow on by bed." Kerlyn's arms cross over her chest, a small frown on her face as she continues to blatently eavesdrop on C'vaden and D'ton. Saruh finishes her stew and wanders off yawning. Saruh walks towards the inner cavern. D'ton just nods in agreement, not saying anything. Suddenly, a little bronze firelizard pops in from between and flies over to Melina. Meticulously, Melina removes the message from it's leg and nods. She gets up and salutes, muttering a promise to return shortly. Melina walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. C'vadan seems disappointed in D'ton's response. "Perhaps we have misjudged your committment to your duty," he says drolly, turning away. K'ti sneezes again into that poor kerchief, then hides it and herself beneath the furs once more. Coughs muffle slightly in the warmth. Telgar Weyr> C'vadan now understands why Ursa likes playing the bad cop :) Telgar Weyr> M'kla grings. C'vadan looks ready to cross something off the hide he is holding. K'ti falls asleep amid those furs, finally warm and saited after a long night of sneezing and coughing and snuffling and achy so you can't sleep cold. D'ton shrugs, slightly, "I've been misjudged before, sir," he says, then adds more significantly, "But not by myself." Kerlyn's frown deepens, and she straightens up. "D'ton, hold a moment. C'vadan, I don't know what sort of game you're playing, but if you have a problem with one of our weyrlings, I suggest you go through T'saren, or myself." "Oh, for Faranth's sake, C'vadan," Kassi grumbles, looking disgusted. "He agreed, didn't he? Does he have t'sing the praises of duty from the weyrtops a'fore you'll be happy? Faranth's golden gall bladder, man." C'vadan looks up and at D'ton. He then looks at Kerlyn. "D'ton may not be your problem anymore, Weyrlingmaster. But that depends on whether I feel he truely understands his duty." He turns back to the weyrling. "Do you?" Telgar Weyr> D'ton says, "Golden GALL BLADDER?" Telgar Weyr> Melina blinks?? Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "At least I didn't say 'Great golden Faranth's egg-infested arse,' D'ton, as someone I know of likely would. ;)" Kerlyn waves D'ton to silence with one hand, voice getting somewhat harder, "Whether D'ton understands his duty or not is the judgement call of the weyrlingmaster and weyrleader, and I'll not stand by and watch you pick one of my charges to pieces in public." Telgar Weyr> M'kla gets the numbweed for Kassima's filthy mouth! Normally a calm and unperturbable man, Cav suddenly slaps the hide on the table with a loud *crack*. "Kassi, leave off. I don't need your officious assistance." He then turns to Kerlyn. "The speak to Ursa. I am doing my duty here." Telgar Weyr> M'kla grins. Telgar Weyr> M'kla says, "Who taught you to talk like Sionelle and Saer combined!" Telgar Weyr> Melina giggles and has heard something like that from Kerlyn, I think Telgar Weyr> Kassima read logs that had Glynna in them. Answer enough? ;) C'vadan instantly calms and turns his attention to D'ton, awaiting his answer. D'ton seems about to answer, checks himself briefly when Kerlyn waves him to silence. After a moment, he says to Kerlyn, "I reckon I can handle a little picking at after the rigours of my training ma'am, but thank you." Telgar Weyr> M'kla laughs. I see. Kerlyn's arms cross over her chest again, "Then do it and stop playing word games, wingsecond." She nods and takes a step back when D'ton seems not to require her defense. D'ton says to C'vadan, "Sir, I think I know my duty as well as the next rider. That's why I'm here, doing what I have to, instead of hiding in the barracks living off my guilt and shame. That's about all I have to say on the subject of duty, sir." C'vadan holds his hand back towards the bluerider standing behind him and she puts something into his hand. "Fair enough, D'ton. I would like to offer you a position in the Dawnslight Wing to serve under Ursa. Are you prepared to do your duty under her?" Kassima slams her own mug down on the table and snaps back, "Y'need *someone's* assistance, brownrider, unless you start getting to the *point*!" Taking a deep breath, she sits back in her chair and just glowers. Glower, glower, glower. D'ton nods, "I think I am," he says. M'kla walks in from the bowl. Pierron glances up as the weyrsecond enters. M'kla saunters in, taking stock of the cavern as she does so. Telgar Weyr> C'vadan says, "M'kla!!! Kassi's glowering at me! Make her stop!!!" Kassima is sitting in her chair at the Thunderbolt table, wearing a *dress*, of all things, and a glower that could curdle milk from twenty yards away. Her salute to M'kla is crisp and the epitome of formality. "Weyrsecond," she hails simply before returning to her favorite pastime: trying to will Cav to spontaneously combust. Kerlyn is busily frowning at C'vadan.. or was. She schools her expression into something more congratulatory. "Dawnslight is an excellent wing, D'ton, and I can't think of a better wingleader for a newly graduated rider than Ursa. Congratulations." For a brief moment, it appears she's actually saluted the former weyrling, though that gesture was directed at M'kla. M'kla doubletakes at Kassima....and finds her way to the klahpot without her eyes actually leaving the greenrider. Good thing Cav is wearing his abestos scivvies. He can't help but grin at Kerlyn's change of expression. M'kla pours a mug that winds up mostly on the floor, "What happened ta YE?" Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Oh, quit your whining, Cav. You'd think she were actually able to set your hair on fire with a thought or something. ;)" Kerlyn's sideways glance at Cav is a cue that the pleased look was for D'ton's benefit alone. Telgar Weyr> D'ton has this fear of fire, Kas... :) Telgar Weyr> M'kla shudders. Kassi stars in 'Firestarter' Telgar Weyr> C'vadan says, "Forget that last pose I did... hold on..." Telgar Weyr> D'ton says, "What, you don't need asbestos?" Kassima watches M'kla spill the klah over the floor, but doesn't say anything; after all, it's no big loss. "Y'mean beside a general lack of peace, quiet, caffeine, alcohol, sleep, decent food, a clear head, or an argument-free moment from that green demon outside?" she inquires drolly. M'kla says quietly, "An I thought Jh'rin looked bad in a dress." Melina walks in from the bowl. Mehlani walks in from the bowl. C'vadan arches a brow. "You think so?" he asks. "I would hope you would be more, ah, excited." He dangles the knot and Dawnslight patch before the Weyrling. Melina walks into the cavern and finds her way back to her chair and her klah with a crisp salute to everyone. She seems pleased that Rhonneth made the trip to the hall and back. Mehlani, still silently, pads into the cavern in Melina's wake. Holl and Vachon trail after the girl, and a green head with alertly whirling eyes peeks out of the pouch hanging at the young girl's neck. Kassima bristles, and visibly bites her lip to keep from snapping back a reply that would get her sent back to the Weyrling Barracks post-haste. "Perhaps he and I have more in common than I thought, ma'am," she says flatly before whirling to see the Weyrling and Mehlani enter. "Melina!" she calls, beckoning to the girl. "Come here, if'n you would." She shoots Cav an unreadable glare, for no real reason that one can see. D'ton regards C'vadan and the dangling knot thoughtfully before answering, "Sir, if I got too excited, furniture'd get broken, an' I'd best not do that just now," he says deadpan. Melina gets up from her seat and obediently makes her way over to Kassima. Her cheeks are still flushed red with cold as she smiles quietly, "Yes, Kassi? What can I do for you?" C'vadan smiles at this response. "Welcome to Dawnslight, D'ton. I think you will fit in quite well." He leans in to hand D'ton the knot and patch and whispers, "And we don't have any homicidal greenriders, either." M'kla sits down, and looks befuddled for a moment, before scanning the cavern for other Weyrlings... Telgar Weyr> C'vadan welcomes D'ton to the Dawnslight Wing :) Telgar Weyr> M'kla applauds D'ton! Telgar Weyr> Kindre woo's! Grats D'ton! Telgar Weyr> Melina smoocehs D'ton, "Congratulations!" "Sit down, for starters," Kassi states, with a terse nod of greeting. She kicks out a nearby chair for the Weyrling to sit in if she's so minded. "I have a question for you." Telgar Weyr> Kassima woo-hoos! Felicitations, Trout-Boy! :) Telgar Weyr> K'tyn congrats, D'ton! Telgar Weyr> Kindre says, "psst! D'ton...demand a weyr! ;)" Melina nods and takes the seat. As soon as she sits down, she looks up and asks, "Yes?" Mehlani blinks at the tone of the voices in the room, apparently baffled, at least until she catches C'vadan's words to D'ton and seems to realize what's going on. The lass pauses to tug off her mittens and unlace her jacket, revealing her blue shirt and black vest beneath. Telgar Weyr> Ryddle says, "Congrats!"" D'ton takes the patch, and says, "Thank you. I'm honoured." Then after a moment he says in a low tone, "But they sure add spice to life." Telgar Weyr> D'ton beams. Thanks! Telgar Weyr> Mehlani looks congratulatorily at a bronze rider. C'vadan chuckles. "Yeah, I guess they do." Kassima folds her arms again, looking Melina up and down rather critically. "Hrmph," she hrmphs, before beginning without preamble, "You said earlier that what happened in that Fall nay long agone was nay D'ton's fault. I happen to agree with you. My query for you is, whose fault d'you think *'twas*?" She watches Melina carefully, perfectly expressionless. Kerlyn's head shakes just slightly. "Life doesn't need to be spicey." Kindre walks in from the bowl. Pierron nods thoughtfully as he eyes the junior Queenrider. D'ton says "Yair, well, you take what you get, I think." C'vadan turns back to Kerlyn. "I hope you understand my grilling of your former charge was necessary. Ursa demands the best from her Wing." Melina clears her throat uncomfortably. She thinks a bit for this and states as bravely as she can, "Well.. everyone is responsable for everyone else. I guess you're responsable mostly for yourself. It was a bad Fall with tricky winds." Her face is almost completely white as she realizes, she's rambling. Kindre regards Pierron thoughtfully, mayhaps with a smidge of wariness tossed in with her look. Pausing on her way to the klah to dust some dewy flecks of snow from her shoulders, she smile and calls a cheery, "Good eve all. How fares?" Kassima lifts her eyebrows fractionally, dubiousness creeping into those cold green eyes of hers. "Ah, so. 'Twas everyone's fault? And d'you think, then, that everyone should be blaming themselves for it? Or is it nay anyone's fault, and none of us should worry 'tall about what can be done t'prevent another such in the future?" Kin gets a glance and an almost imperceptible nod of salutation. Mehlani does not seem particularly bothered that Melina leaves her as soon as they arrive; rider business gets the lass to nod solemnly to herself, and she flicks Rhonneth's rider a brief understanding glance before she sneaks off silently to get a seat and to get her jacket off. The bronze and the brown in her company promptly alight on her jacket as she lays it down, helpfully guarding it, and after a moment, Mehlani turns with the green still riding in her neck pouch to approach the klah pot as well. She waits silently as Kindre gets there first. D'ton looks up and beams at Kindre. He salutes her. In front of Kerlyn? You bet he's going to salute. Melina shakes her head, "No ma'am. No one should blame themselves for what happened, but all measures should be taken to learn how to prevent such a thing happening again and drill to make such precautions second nature" "Would you like me to pour you some," Kindre wonders to the firelizard- bespeckled Mehlani before catching Kassima's odd glance. Realization slowly crosses her features as she takes in her friends attire. "Ah," is the only other utterance from her at this point. Kerlyn returns to looking displeased, this time with a sideways glance at Kassima. "I would expect nothing less than the highest standards. I don't know that I agree with what you seem to think is the way to achieve that, however." "Yes, please," murmurs Mehlani to Kindre, out from under the hat perched at a slightly rakish angle on her head. C'vadan nods to Kerlyn, accepting her criticism. "I had to be sure that he would not let what happened in the past adversely affect his performance of his duty." Kassima scowls a bit at the ma'am, but it clears as she nods at the Weyrling's answer. "Well, now. An interesting view of things... and one I that I think will serve you well," she adds, with a brief but genuine smile. From out of one of her amazingly wide sleeves, she pulls forth a brownrider's knot and a Thunderbolt Wing patch with a flourish. "Thunderbolt Wing recognizes your readiness for the job of a full rider, Melina. Will you fly with us?" Mehlani's gaze shoots back to Melina, and for a brief moment, the girl lights up. Kindre smiles and fills two mugs nearly to the brim with klah. She, too, turns to catch what reaction Melina may have for Kassima. Melina's eyes grow wider, watching the patch and knot as if they were made of gold. She nods unbelieving, "I'd be honored to" Telgar Weyr> Melina does the dance of joy! :) Telgar Weyr> Kindre says, "'grats Melina! :)" Telgar Weyr> Kassima rather likes the current system, herself, and offers congrats and condolences to Melina, the newest member of Thunderbolt Wing. :) D'ton bounces to his feet, and says, "Yes!" He seems even more enthusiastic on Melina's behalf than he did on his own. Or perhaps it's a delayed reaction. That Melina has been asked to fly with the Wing once led by her father appears to please Mehlani; the girl doesn't exactly _smile_, but her eyes are decidedly brighter all of a sudden, and she bobs her head a bit more readily than she might otherwise have done to Kindre as the gold rider hands her her klah. "Thank you," she murmurs solemnly. D'ton slips out, probably heading for the barracks. D'ton walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. "Your certainly welcome, Mehlani," the goldrider says as she returns her gaze to the young lady. Lifting her mug and striding closer to the collection of her friends, she beams at Melina. "Congratulations, rider." Kassima holds them out to Melina, then, with a simple nod. "These would be yours, then, Melina... on a sole condition: never call me ma'am again!" Once more, she cracks that quick smile before once more returning to the serious side of the matter. "Report first thing in the morn for drills with the rest of your wingmates, rider. 'Twill be best if'n you accustomize yourself to Thunderbolt's patterns as soon as possible." With that, she hands over the patch and knot and snaps Melina her most formal salute. Melina grins and nods to the greenrider, saluting back to her in a crisp fashion after taking her knot and patch. She looks at the two object in her hand again and smiles wider. Kerlyn considers that, "How do you feel you accomplished that? I've always assumed that the only judge of future performance was past performance." The question isn't argumentative, or critical. Mehlani slips noiselessly back to where she'd left her jacket, but her baby green is wide awake now, and peeps and cheeps curiously at the interesting noises going on around her. C'vadan considers Kerlyn's question for a long moment. "I had to see it in his eyes, Kerlyn," is his only response. Kindre takes a seat, finally, and seems content to listen in and watch the goings-on of the cavern. Kassima adds drolly, "And nay saluting, either. Nay when off-duty--and I'll be off-duty for a good, long time yet. Welcome to the ranks, brownrider." That done, she turns to quirk her eyebrows at Cav. "How... esoteric," is all she says. Kerlyn considers that for a while, then nods. "Huh. Well, I don't think you'll be disappointed. And you needn't pass that on." She smiles wryly, "No point in destryong a perfectly good reputation, after all." C'vadan grins at the Weyrlingmaster and nods. << Cheep! >> announces the green in Mehlani's neck pouch. Holl and Vachon seem delighted to see her awake, and they both croon at her, but the dainty creature peeps back in what sounds like disdain and looks somewhere else instead, her whirling gaze drawn by the sable-clad figure of Kassima. Melina smiles and looks up suddenly. Nodding, she says, "Yes.. I know you're hungry" With that, she waves and trots outside. Melina walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.