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Pleased To Meet You


Date:  August 5, 2004
Place:  Telgar Weyr 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.

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Kassi's Note:  This scene is one of introductions; Kassima has the 
chance to meet a Candidate she hasn't yet, Velano, and also to get a
bit better acquainted with Amarie.  It also probably led in part to 
the skating party that happened later. :)  Nothing major, but it was
pleasant roleplay and a good close for the evening.

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The Log:

You walk past the lintel and into the wide living cavern.

Pierron humphs thoughtfully as the Wingleader of Thunderbolt arrives.

"By Meara and Isath," Amarie explains. "I live at Beastcraft Hall in a
cothold with my family, but I was actually visiting Ista Weyr when they
came on search. Isath took a shine to me and after my Mum said yes I could
go..which she didn't like, but we can hardly say no to duty when it calls."
Amarie doesn't look nearly as disappointed by that duty calling. "To be
honest, I was terribly glad of it. I was trying to decide whether or not to
enter the craft and this gives me a chance to ahve more time."

"You can't say no? Not even -- well, they say the time's almost come." The
butcher's son shrugs one-shoulderedly, the other hand occupied with
dredging another tuber on fork-tip through sweetened mash, then adding a
strip of meat to the tines. "Not that you'd want to say no. Wait. You
said," he pauses, the tuber momentarily still on his platter, and arches a
brow at the other Candidate, looking more carefully, it might seem. "You're
considering entering the Beastcraft?"

Her hands tucked in the pockets of her elaborately ostentatious jacket, a
mint stick tucked into her cheek, and wisps of hair straggling around her
face where they've escaped from her braid, Kassima enters in a
clack-clack-clack of boot heels on stone and a light thump-thump from the
ice skates slung over her shoulder. "G'rignr lost!" she calls towards her
Wing's table. "You owe me three-eighths, V'dan!" A groan issues from the
greenrider in question; it only broadens Kassi's grin, and there's a
distinct spring in her step as she heads for the food table. "Evening,
evening," she bids those she passes. "Anyone know what's good tonight? I'm
*starved*."

"Well-" Amarie's explanation is interrupted by the timely arrival of the
Wingleader and she smiles over saying, "Good evening ma'am. The tubers and
the meat too," she points to her rootmash soaked meat. She turns back to
Velano and says, "Well it was my fault y'see. I had thought I would do what
Dad would." She mumbles something and then says, "But then they let me
follow this Journeyman around for a few days. I just.. don't think I could
do it." She bites her lip. "Only now I don't know how to tell them I
changed my mind."

"Ah, I'm sorry to hear it," Velano says, after a moment to absorb the
meaning of his companion's words as well as parse out the interruption of
answer to the rider at the serving tables. To that, he adds his own
suggestion, calling past the ranks of tables, "There's a dried green fruit
I don't recognize, has little crunchy seeds. Very nice." His head dips,
then, and he leans into the table to murmur softly to the other Candidate,
"Is that a leader's knot? You know her? How do you keep them all straight
in your head?"

Kassima gives a groan to match her Wingmate's. "You left a'fore I could ask
you t'never, ever call me that again the other night. 'Kassi' is fine,
'Kassima' will do, and 'Wingleader' if'n you Impress and I'sai makes you be
all formal, but I'm never a ma'am. The word gives me hives. See me
scratch?" She does withdraw her hands to scratch lightly at her arms for
effect, but it's doubtful her nails can reach through the leather. "Tubers
are the bane of all that's good in life, but meat I can get behind. And
fruit! Fruit sounds lovely. Goes better with the mint." The stick of which
she crunches, and draws the broken half into her mouth before it can fall.
Munching contentedly, she starts to investigate the offerings. "Mayhaps
'tis kiwi... you haven't changed your mind about Standing, have you, Amarie?"

"No no," Amarie sures. She almost starts to say "Ma--ssima.." She clears
her throat, coughing and then corrects, "Kassima." Like that's what she
said all that time. She flashes her best smile at the Wingleader and says,
"Mints? Where's everyone getting those?" She glances around. "I saw the
Weyrlingmaster with one of those earlier!"

"Kassima," Velano echoes, and interjects by way of introduction, "Velano,
son of Alvaro, of Lemos." He puts his fork, tuber and all, down against his
plate and raises both hands, palms forward, in a helpless gesture that
could be mistook for a greeting. Despite his haplessness he grins a bit,
watching Amarie's effort to adapt to the rider's preference of address.
"Nothing we have at Lemos, all I know about that fruit. But fine and
sweet," he asserts.

Kassima helps herself to a vigorous serving of spiderclaws and dipping
sauce, cheesy biscuits, banana bread, and delicately-sauced noodles. The
tubers and split pea soup are avoided like plague. With a glass of wine to
go with, she ambles towards where the Candidates talk rather than sitting
yet. "Don't know about the others, but I steal them from the Healers by the
jarful. Is might be doing the same, or might be making his own--he does
make a good mint stick. Well met." She sets down the glass long enough to
offer her hand, complete the greeting, hapless or no. "Kassima, daughter of
Keyran and Yvani, originally of Greystones and then of Benden and now
riding for Telgar. Lysseth's lifemate. A pleasure and all that. Lemos isn't
exactly rich in orchard-land, is it?"

Telgar Weyr> Amarie mmms.. Kass went to Red Lobster.

Telgar Weyr> Amarie steals the cheese/garlic biscuits.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Alas, Pern doesn't seem to have discovered the
crawfish/crab/lobster fondue. ;)"

Telgar Weyr> Amarie says, "yummy"

Amarie shakes Kassima's hand when offered saying, "Amarie, daughter of
Journeyman Beastcrafter Fergal and Chakalukah is my Mum. If you want a
namelist of my brothers and sisters I'll be happy to tell you but I will
warn it's quite long." She glances at the mint stick looking longingly at
it. "The infirmary? Shards... I don't want to go in there." She sounds
disappointed that's where they've been finding them.

Velano accepts the hand and laughs a little, shaking his head. "No. Not
rich. Some wood, and some hanging fruit, but nothing that puts on heavy
that I know of. But I'm more aware of the Beastcraft, what of it such is,
and the minehold," he confesses, not apologetically. "And I would prefer
not to go there either," he adds, with a wry glance cast at his fellow
Candidate. "I bet we could trade something for Tobay to get them for us,
though. He'll put a hand in someone else's jar for a good treat, little
enough hesitation." A wary glance comes back to the wingleader on this
consideration, and the Lemos butcher laughs again, self-consciously this
time. "If... that's even a good idea."

"Probably as well. If'n you tried filching 'em, you'd get in a wealth of
trouble, Candidate and all. Me... well, 'tis tradition now and almost more
a game. They hide 'em or guard 'em, I find 'em and lift 'em and run for
m'life. Or occasionally just ask nicely. But where's the fun in that?"
Kassima reasons, straightening once she's taken both hands in turn and
adjusting the cord of the ice skates over her shoulder. "Don't worry about
it. Spare me the names of your sibs and 'twill spare you the names of
m'spawn. Nay worries, Velano; I couldn't tell you the ins and outs of
granite quarrying m'self. Afraid you might want t'wait on that until either
you've graduated as full riders or become residents, if'n you plan to--but
shells, if'n you really want them, I have a few on me."

Amarie looks with interest at Kassima's ice skates. "What are those
Ma--amer--Kassima?" She drops her fork into her half eaten plate. So much
for finishing her food.

"Wait on... granite quarrying." Velano flicks his head to the side, picking
up his fork again and nudging a small hunk of meat around on his plate,
eventually sending a small bit of the dried fruit in question off the edge
onto the tabletop. "Wait on... oh, on getting mint sticks. Well, we could
try the asking idea," he muses, then focuses a moment on eating.

Kassima flashes a sudden grin. "Well, wait on both, really--nay any granite
quarries around here that I *know* of. Pity for anyone who's in an all-fire
hurry t'have their backs broken, I should say. Either of you mind if'n I
filch a chair? This isn't properly m'table, I know, but I get tired of
calling halfway across the Cavern." Then, "That could work, too. I'd
especially recommend it if'n your chore for the day's been cleaning the
Infirmary or whatnay; take advantage of the gratitude, all that. These?
They're ice skates," she explains to Amarie. "You strap 'em on t'boots or
shoes and then take 'em to the Lake. You've nay seen 'em a'fore?"

Amarie shakes her head. "Can I see them?" she asks plainly and then
switches to her manners, "May I see them?" She holds out a hand to get the
skates. "I've never seen it done. I've heard of it..but never seen it."

The butcher gives up trying to respond in time with the wingleader's
frenetic pace of discussion, sparing laughter for blinking in bemused,
almost awestruck pleasure. "Oh," he startles, dropping his fork onto his
plate again before rising to his feet, throwing a hand out to the side to
shove a chair away from the table, its emptiness and availability becoming
quite plain. "Please, sit. I should have invited you. I know what you
mean," he half-babbles. "Calling across, I mean." Such said, he stands
there, the chair's back under his hand, while the skates are inspected.

Kassima shakes her head, too, in quick demurral: "Don't worry about it; I
don't mind--but thankee," with another quick smile as she takes the chair
so offered. "A bit of a pain t'eat standing up when there's an alternative
handy--I mean, y'end up getting dipping sauce in someone's hair, and they
yell, and half the time they throw *cheese* at you... but that's a story
for another time. How about you? Is there a good place for skating in
Lemos?" She unslings the skates as she speaks, having set her plate down at
her new place, and offers them to Amarie with a caution of, "Careful--the
blades are sharp. 'Tis a popular enough winter pastime around here. You
could borrow a set from Stores if'n you ever had time and energy, and try
it for yourself, but I recall that those are things Candidates generally
have only in short supply."

Amarie takes the skates carefully from Kassima. She errs on the side of
caution, being careful with those blades. "Is it hard to do?" She turns the
skates over, examining the small blade skated on. "Oh my goodness." She
stares. "I can't imagine standing on those! Let alone staying upright!"

"In the winter, there is. Well, good is a matter of opinion," Velano
admits. "When I was quite small, we were somewhere else. Alvaro still
claims it had better water for skating." The butcher's son shrugs amiably
enough and notes, bemusedly, "I stink at it."

Telgar Weyr> Amarie says, "let's have a skating party on the night of the
dinner!"

Telgar Weyr> Metri snorts. Yeah, Amarie. I'd pay to watch you fall on your
butt skating. Metri wouldn't do better, but it'd still be funny.
Anyways...I'm off to bed. G'night Telgar!

"It takes practice," Kassima admits, while capturing stray noodles with her
fork. "Particularly if'n you didn't grow up doing it. Some of m'children
whiz around on the things like nay anyone's business, when it took me Turns
of winters t'get the hang of it enough t'be even a little fancy. Somewhere
else?" she inquires of Velano, with interest. "Someplace northern still,
I'm guessing, if'n it had skating? Nay a particularly bad thing t'stink at
if'n you have t'stink at something. When push comes t'shove, 'tisn't the
most *useful* skill."

Telgar Weyr> Amarie says, "That's what I'm thinking we could have a fun
night of dragging each other down and playing crack the whip"

"I'd still like to try it." Amarie's fascination with the skates *at least
just holding them* fades and she lays them aside for Kassima to collect
whenever the Wingleader wants to. "Oh! I'd be able to write home and tell
them all about how I skated for the first time ever! Aud would be so jealous."

"No? My father suggested I try to learn it here. Like I could learn it
better somewhere else than anywhere he'd tried to teach me." As for why it
might be important to learn, Velano only provides a shrug and an odd sort
of self-depricating grin. "If you've never tried, though, Amarie -- I could
go with you. It's good to have novice company at anything you're not
skilled at." Having done a little damage, though not enough, to the food on
his plate, he rises and takes up the dish. "I hate to do this, but I can't
even think of eating all of this. I don't know what got into me." A wry
look at his fellow on that, a wink twitching at one eye unfulfilled. "Will
you both excuse me?"

Kassima's head tilts slightly to one side. "Nay reason you couldn't," she
suggests to Amarie, "so long as your chores were done for the day
first--there are nay rules against it that I know of, and 'twould be a
strange thing indeed t'forbid. Good exercise besides, and Faranth knows
you'll need *that* if'n you end up a Weyrling." In response to Velano, she
hazards, "Mayhaps the size of the Lake would help? Who knows. This sounds
like a plan, though, making a bit of an excursion out of it. 'Twill have
t'stop by if'n I have the time, t'cheer from the shore and bean you with
snowballs as you go past." That last is mercifully deadpan and lightened
quickly by the grin that follows. "Oh, a'course. G'deve and all that--been
a pleasure making your acquaintance, and I wish you luck on the ice, one
way or another."

"You'd really help me?" Amarie looks at Velano and smiles. "I'd like that."
She stands, her half eaten plate taken up and she looks at it saying,
"Perhaps I should give this to the canines." She takes it away from the
table saying, "I should get to bed so I'll finish my chores early tomorrow
and maybe we can start skating then!" She's awfully optimistic about that,
nevermind that the chores have been making most candidates fall asleep early.

"Well met, Kassima," Velano replies. "And thanks for the luck. You'll have
to come with us, if you can get the time -- and if we can." He casts an
apologetic look at Amarie, though a good-humoured one, and adds, "I doubt
I'd make a worthwhile teacher, being as I can barely stay upright on the
ice." He moves toward the bussing tables, making the best he can of his
plate, much of the food going onto a square, flat slab of stone for
carrying to his cot, a little more set aside for slop for beasts. "We can
hope as much," he tells his fellow on the way out, passing her as she, too,
rises. "Good evening," he tells Kassima as final farewell, then heads for
the barracks.

Velano walks towards the inner cavern.

"Give it to the weyrbrats instead," Kassi suggests, a bit dryly. "They're
*very* good at eating food that doesn't rightly belong to them. Trust me.
G'deve t'you too, Amarie--" She pauses to wave a cheesy biscuit after
Velano as he goes. "Methinks you'll like skating. Best of luck in getting
the time, whether it be tomorrow or another day."

"I hope so.. I hope I don't fall down and bust my butt the first time
though either." Amarie smiles at Kassima. "Thank you for showing me your
skates mmmmmm--" she almost gets caught with that 'forbidden' word again.
"Kassima." She grins cheekily and then gives a tiny wave. "And best of luck
finding the mints the next time the healer's change their hiding place. If
you run fast enough I bet they won't even suspect it was you who took them."

Kassima grins outright. "Falling down the first time is almost guaranteed,
I fear. But your rear end might nay *break*--just be bruised a bit." Ah,
such a glorious pastime she makes this out to be. "And mayhaps you should
practice m'name, hey?" A wink after that, and she wiggles her fingers in a
wave, agreeing, "Y'never know--they might always blame T'van!"

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "When all else fails: blame T'van. ;)"

Telgar Weyr> <Yselle>  T'van: I heard that.

Telgar Weyr> Yselle says, "Besides, T'van's a great skater."

Telgar Weyr> Jaleran says, "But is he good at swiping mints?"

Amarie nods. "Yes Kassima.. Kassima.. nice to meet you Kassima ma'am." The
ma'am slips in there before she can stop it. "I mean Kassima.. Kassima..
Kassima." Amarie actually wanders out, muttering the name over and over.
She'll be teased later for sure.

Telgar Weyr> Yselle says, "Yep"

Telgar Weyr> Yselle says, "He taught Ys to pick locks."

Telgar Weyr> Jaleran harshly beats down the urge to turn that simple
affirmative response into something... nay, MANY things salacious.

And lest anyone think Kassi's lying about the hives thing--imagine
that--she sets down her fork to engage in vigorous arm-scratching as Amarie
goes.

Amarie walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.