Log Incomplete: First part missing.
Fort Weyr - Lower Caverns
This volcanic bubble is smaller than the Living Cavern, but no less well crafted. The walls are smooth, with electric lights placed into niches that used to hold glowbaskets. Another hearth burns here, with a pot on always keeping water hot for making tea or cider. Worn but comfortable couches and chairs are arranged by the hearth around a few tables where game boards and a few packages of dragon poker cards are laying.
From this cavern you can get to many other places - the tunnels of Fort Weyr having been dug far back into the caldera where the Dragons make their home.
"She's smaller than Izelth," Z'ran promises, using the rolled-up picture to scratch at the stubble along his jaw. "And she's green. Only girls ride gold. Elara, Di— Svandis." A jerk of his head indicates the living cavern, and she's favoured with another grin. "Come on, then. I'll have to get back to work soon enough. Got a bit of a backlog at the moment."
Lunetta nods and gets to her feet. Eyeing the firelizards she finishes her stew with a few quick mouthfuls, bringing the dishes with her to leave at the proper table within the living cavern.
Talmar seems to be coming out from … somewhere. On his way to the living caverns. Probably from chores or something. Hooray for chores. He stops then, spotting Lunetta and Z'ran, and moving over. "Hi." he says, cheerfully. Never mind the fact that he's probably interrupting some conversation.
"Ah, it's the potter." Talmar's appearance is acknowledged with a quick grin from Z'ran — moments like these are just the reason the greenrider doesn't wear his knot, despite the continuing debate he's conducting on just that question with the Weyrleader. "Come on, follow me and they'll think I've nabbed you to run an errand," he suggests with a wink. "Much better than whatever job they've got lined up next, trust me. Come along, snake girl. Omisimth awaits."
Fort Weyr - North Bowl
The northern end of the bowl can be an intimidating area, being that Fort is the largest weyr. The far north wall contains the gigantic opening to the hatching caverns, and to the west of that can be seen the sprawling ledges and carved stair cases that mark the way to the weyrleader's complex and junior queens ledges. The west cliff wall towers up, dotted here and there by darker openings that mark individual weyrs before it tapers to a point at Tooth Crag. At ground level on the western wall is the opening to the weyrling barracks, occasional glimpses can be caught of newly paired mates. On the eastern wall of the bowl is the entrance into the living cavern, the heart of the weyr.
Lunetta nods to Talmar as he joins them on their way out. She pauses in the entrance though, her eyes warrily looking for this "smaller then Izelth" Green.
Talmar grins when Z'ran recognises him, or at least his craft, and follows him right out to the bowl. After all, this is the rider who encouraged him to help his little sister make his big brother cry. Although he hasn't had much time to focus on that yet. "Errands are part of candidate stuff." he agrees, still grinning.
Omisimth is busy yawning, rather unfortunately showing off her teeth as they exit. A look from Z'ran has her snapping her jaw shut — probably no more fortunate a choice. The man strides forward to indicate her with a wave of one hand, slapping familiarly at her jaw as she lowers her head. "This is Omisimth. Omi, this is the snake girl the 'leader was telling you about the other day. You remember the potter from yesterday."
Lunetta freezes at the loud snap. How did she miss her!? She blinks then, her left hand flexing as it fights her control in an attempt to grab to colored chalks and capture the tones of the Green's hide. "Um… Hello." She offers, her voice rising just slightly into a squeek at the word.
Talmar nods politely at Omisimth, then turns to see how Lunetta is going to react. He may not notice a lot of things, but he's got some idea of how Lunetta appears to feel about dragons. He knows she's not too fond of firelizards, at least. He beams at her when she doesn't run away, although that may be because she's frozen in fear. "See, dragons aren't so bad." he says, encouragingly.
The green tilts her head, eyes picking up speed a notch as she inspects the girl in front of her. Z'ran simply laughs, leaning against her head and bringing knuckles up to rap firmly on the hide there. "Not that bad at all," he agrees. "And my Omi's particularly sympathetic when it comes to fear. Touch her, she won't mind."
Lunetta's eyes widen. "Touch her?" She replies disbelieving. "But I've not even touched one of the pests yet!" By that she means firelizards of course but she's not thinking strait. That little fleck of gold, the mix of colors. The urge to sketch is strong today. She does take a half-step forward so that's she's officially out of the entrance, a new first for the girl.
Talmar grins at Lunetta, although he doesn't say anything just yet. He seems to realise that now is not the time to talk. He's just there for moral support, or something. Or maybe to get ideas for a future clay sculpture. He does seem very interested in how this all pans out, at least.
"Sure, touch her." Z'ran is almost brusque, gesturing with a wave of one hand for the girl to move forward. "Come on, hurry up. I've got a stack of paperwork I need on the Weyrleader's desk by morning, and I've got a date tonight. Get up here and clap a hand on her, will you?"
Lunetta shakes her head, but her feet are in league with her left hand it would seem and inch her forward. If nothing else, she'll get a better look. "I'd rather not, thank you." She offers, just fix feet from the Rider and Dragon pair.
Talmar giggles softly at Z'ran, especially at the 'clap a hand on her' comment. The date comment makes him wrinkle up his nose, but he doesn't say much. "Come on!" he calls to Lunetta, encouraging with a little hint of whining.
Perhaps the knowledge that Z'ran's date isn't with a girl would offer Talmar something by way of comfort — then again, perhaps not. "Oh, in the name of…" Z'ran cuts himself off abruptly, reaching up to slap at Omisimth's nose as the green makes to slither her head forward. "Stop it, love, she'll run away." Dark eyes fix on Talmar, and one finger comes up to point first at the boy, and then to a spot on Omisimth's muzzle. "Front and centre, show her you're not going to get eaten."
Lunetta frowns at Talmar. "That's the second time I've heard you whine, Talmar. I didn't think you were the sort when we first met." As the Rider calls the boy forward she frowns. "It's not fright, Sir. Not of her." Her frown deepens. "I was told that I'm not properly respectful of Dragons and Rider and just about everything apparently." Her tone might be someonewhat bitter but she can't help it at the moment. "And I don't go about pawing random people when I meet them and Dragons are apparently as intelligent if not moreso from what I've been told."
Talmar is quick to move, yep. "Sir, yes sir!" he says quickly, then blushes. "Um, I mean, Z'ran." remembering the previous conversation about 'sir' and names. He comes right up to Omisimth, and gently touches the green right where Z'ran indicates. "Softer than I expected." he says, grinning. He frowns at Lunetta then, and whines a little more, "I'm not whining!" Riiiiight.
"The potter," — looks like Z'ran is dispensing with names where possible — "is doing a better job of showing respect at the moment. True, he whines a little, but he's quite young yet. He's got some time to improve on it." Omisimth rumbles, a surprisingly deep sound for a female creature — then again, she's got the lungs to prove it. "In this case, you can consider it a polite request from a dragon, and a slightly pained request from her rider, who would very much like you to oblige so he can go and chase up the last of his work for the day."
Lunetta snorts. "I have six younger siblings. I'm an expert on the subject. You're whining." She frowns at the Rider. "Your sort sure like to force people into things, don't you." She mutters. "No wonder the Dragons drag you into lifelong contracts without debate or even a polite request." She moves forward then, places a hand upon the Green's neck, takes a step back, bows and turns, returning to the living cavern. "And well met, too."
Talmar pouts at Lunetta. "I am not whining!" Oh, he so is. "I have a younger sibling too, you know. And an older one. I know all about bossy older siblings." he says, and sticks his tongue out at Lunetta. Ooh, real mature there. But, he is still young, and could well grow out of this whining of his.
"Will you stop whining for a moment, clay boy?" This, right here, is why Z'ran doesn't have offspring. His usual grin suits his features far better, and the greenrider is unable to summon a stern expression for more than a moment. Then his brows draw together in a faint frown, attention leaving the teenagers to transfer to Omisimth for a moment. "Omi, will you? What? Don't be ridiculous, she's clearly not…" Almost a scowl then, frustration evident. Biting down on his lower lip, the man waits until his expression clears, before turning dark eyes on Lunetta once more. "Are you planning on staying at the weyr?"
Lunetta snorts again as she continues to walk. "I'm the twelfth child in my family. I know about elder siblings as well." She assures the boy. She's half-way into the entrance once more to the living cavern when she hears the Rider's voice. She stops and spins at his odd question. "At least until the tunnel snakes are taken care off and those 'trained canines' the rude BronzeRider who takes care of transport mentioned arrive." She offers. Safely from the Dragon's reach she allows her left hand to go wild and pull out a sheet of paper, a quick sketch is made in charcoal before it's digging deeper for the colored chalks.
Talmar blinks at Z'ran. Clay boy? He's a /real/ boy. Who, well, plays with clay… Point. He pouts, but he doesn't say anything just now. Well, okay, he does say something. "My name is Talmar … sir." he says, hesitantly, to Z'ran. He looks to Lunetta then, frowning. He wants to see what she's drawing, but that might mean he'd have to admit he was whining, so he stays where he is for the moment.
Z'ran is, unfortunately, not paying attention to Talmar's faint protests. Instead, he's tilting his head sideways to rest it against Omisimth's looking slightly pained. "I'm quite aware this probably isn't the sort of offer that'll send you wild with joy," he observes wryly, lips twisting to a hint of a smile. "Omisimth asks me to extend an offer to stand for Izelth and Wiyaneth's clutch. You can, you know." A brief pause, as he searches for some attractive aspect of this. "Use the time to knock the potter here into line."
Lunetta blinks and her gaze moves from the Green to the Rider and back again. "Sir?" She asks, looking at the Green. She shakes her head and focuses her gaze upon the Rider. "But the deal struck to stay at the Weyr states that I hunt tunnelsnakes for my meals and pay a half-mark for that little room I never use once a moon. I can't afford to give more marks for my meals, I don't have that many contracts for my sketches!" She's completely ignoring the point, apparently. "Does this have to be decided right now? This moment?"
Talmar blinks, and frowns at Z'ran. The 'knock the potter into line' comment gets an indignant "HEY!" from the boy, who appears to be rethinking the whole Z'ran as a role model thing. He looks at Lunetta then, and probably misunderstands her words entirely. "You /eat/ tunnelsnakes?" Sounds like a misunderstanding, for sure.
Z'ran does pause long enough to shoot Talmar a wink — after all, giving up a minion is never a good idea if you can help it. After that man-to-man moment, he returns his attention to Lunetta. "The weyr provides everything our candidates need. There wouldn't be any costs for you to meet, if that question's affecting your decision. You're also free to withdraw at any time if you wish." A pause, and he adds, in the manner of one being helpful: "You can say no, if you like."
Lunetta frowns at Talmar. "Well I would if it wasn't frowned upon here, we did back home. Tastes better than the fish I've tried." She looks at the Rider and frowns. "I don't pull from contracts once I've made them, but I like to think them through, could you perhaps give he the shoulder strings and I'll return them or wear them within a sevenday? Meanwhile I'll try to speak to WeyrWoman Elara or WeyrLeader X'an to ammend our present contract and I won't let my duties slip." She nods to Talmar. "I've notice those that accept to Stand are kept busy."
Talmar catches Z'ran winking at him and seems mildly confused, but he does manage a smile back. He's rather shocked when Lunetta appears willing to give candidacy some actual thought, and has to respect her views on contracts, if not her views on diet. He makes a face, "Eww, tunnelsnakes are awful. My big brother dared me to eat some once." And he did it, of course.
"Most people consider it something of an honour," Z'ran points out blandly, bemusement obvious. "If it's your contract that concerns you, I can give you notice that amending it won't be a problem. I'm the Weyrsecond, so the question will be referred down to me anyway, as soon as it reaches one of the 'leaders. You can come and see me tomorrow afternoon and we'll hammer out new details." What he makes of Talmar's dietary history, nobody knows.
Lunetta waves her right hand dismissively as her left hand pauses its work, irritated at the shaking. "You just need to know how to cook them properly." She counters. Z'ran is given a nod. "Yes, Sir. I expect it would be. But also a great change and responsibility if one of the young Dragons does decide to close the contract. I know I don't have a choice in the matter, WeyrLeader X'an explained how the younger Dragons will actually kill themselve if their choice is not present, but I would like a little time for it to sink in." She meets his eyes and her jade eyes shimmer with tears she's fighting not to shed. "Please. I'm just asking for a few days to make the change."
Talmar grimaces. "Tunnelsnakes are bad AND icky." he says, simply. He frowns at Lunetta, then shrugs. "I'd take the knot." Uh, yeah, he kind of /already did/. "There are some nice eggs out there." he says, as if this would be encouragement enough. Well, it probably was enough for him, because he's making clay versions of them.
"The ones that are real are nice," Z'ran observes to Talmar with a grin. Omisimth's rumbling again, but drops to a soft sound as her rider slaps at her muzzle affectionately once more. "Then you should seek me out, or find one of the Weyrleaders when you're sure," he tells Lunetta, one hand rubbing at the greens's hide until she's entirely silent. "If you'll excuse me, I'm afraid my duty calls." And with a jaunty salute — less theatrical than that proffered to Alisar earlier — he's gone.
Lunetta nods. "Yes, Sir." She offers with a relieved sigh.
