Meeting the 'Other' Woman

Eastern Weyr - Commons Cavern

A grand stairway leads downward into the cool rock of the commons cavern, a place for socializing and relaxing, as well as an area that provides solid shelter from the seasonal storms of this area. One of the few caverns at Eastern Weyr, the rock here has been worn away by centuries worth of water movement, leaving a nearly glass smooth polish over much of the room. Rocky shelves line the walls on which electric lights covered with paper lanterns rest, providing adequate illumination for the area. High above are further light fixtures, enabling a wide range of lighting options here. A natural pool occupies half of the far end of the cavern and is supplied with heated water piped in by an ingenious techcrafter. All about the room are balconies of rock with stairs leading to them and small dumbwaiters for the purpose of delivering food and drink to their heights.


Eastern's common caverns are unique, to say the least…what with the hot springs right IN the caverns, there's almost always someone loafign in the nice warm waters, no matter what time of day or night. Likewise, there's generally always food and drink available, and at this time of morning…it smells like victory. Er. Breakfast. Lots and lots of breakfast, along with the comings and goings of Eastern's early watch…it's a busy place! Lots of hustle, bustle, chattering, and convivial teasing and carrying on.

It's into this bustle that Ur'con, blinking sleepily, has inserted himself…looking for klah. And food. Mostly klah. He slides into his chair at the head of his wing's table with a thick pile of paperwork…and that klah. And a small plate full of hotcakes with plenty of thick, heated sweetning syrup…just right to get sticky all over the paper!

Fiona moves in from the direction of the sands with a slow shuffle. Her green Phantasm wing uniform looks like she was crawling around /in/ the sand and she takes a moment to blink and process before she shuffles after a meatroll and a cup of klah before finding a chair across from her wingleader, "Told you the paperwork was reproducing." She reaches for one of the folders he's not working on to 'help', "Oh, look, more repair requests. My favorite." Her tone is flat and sardonic as she speaks, but she starts processing the form anyway.

S'dan is already up. In fact, already was "up", as in on sweep. Now he's atking a break, giving his Wing a rest and enjoying a bowl of ceareal. That's his breakfast. He looks up as he sees Fiona pass by "I have matches," he offers.

There is a call to the watchdragon from Sahazyth from Xanadu Weyr. The gold dragon lands in the clearing to allow Briana to disembark before finding a sunny spot to settle. Her form perhaps a bit fuller than last time she was seen. The youngest junior of Xanadu Weyr makes her way through the clearing, asking for directions from various people before finding her way to the main Cavern. Her mocca complexion sorta makes her stand out and its her golden gaze that flickers around the room seeking out someone in particular. Hesitant footsteps make their way to were Ur'con sits.

Ur'con looks up, at the sound of the watchdragon calling out to the new arrival at Eastern. For a moment, his expression flickers, and then he starts eyeballing the main doors…he catches sight of Briana far later than one might have expected, and his blue flit chirrups from the back of his chair, echoing his human's mild surprise. "Briana!" Well, blow him down, that's not who would have expected to see in Eastern's caverns!

Fiona's got her back to the entrance to the caverns through which Briana arrives. S'dan's offer gets a roll of eyes, "Won't change what needs doing. Don't want anyone's weyr burning down from faulty wiring, do we?" She waggles the repair reports, then turns her attention back to them. "Hey, Ur… G'lon's requesting an addition on his weyr. Wonder if he finally managed to get that weyrmate of his pregnant. They've been trying a whi-" She cuts off at the sound of Briana's name, her fingers squeezing the pen in her hand a little too tightly.

As she notes the bronzerider and he recognizes her, relief touches Briana's features and the young rider continues into the Cavern. "Sorry for the unexpected visit, I suppose I should have sent word ahead." She says and looks around to the others before taking a breath, "Xanadu's duties to Eastern and her queens." She gives as her greeting as she glances around the faces, "We thank you again for your gifts, they have helped muchly."

Ur'con gets a funny look, trying to keep a soft beam of welcome for Briana with startlement at Fiona's comment about one of his brownriders… "He's…they what?" Oh. Uh. That's good news. "I'll have to congratulate him…when I see him." He clears his throat a little, and offers a seat at the table for Briana, "Have a seat, my dear…Briana, this is Fiona, my crafting wingsecond. Fiona, this is Sahazyth's rider…at Xanadu…and please, no thanks needed, Briana…I'm sure Xanadu'd do the same for Eastern if we were in that pinch." At least he certainly hopes so! "Have a seat…have you had breakfast?" He gestures towards the tables. Um. Help yourself and all that.

Fiona is still tense as she scribbles the appropriate orders on the bottom of the work request and closes the folder on it. It seems like it takes actual effort for her to put the pen down, but she gives Briana a smile, "Eastern's duty to Xanadu and her queens." She extends her hand to the young goldrider, "A pleasure." Ur'con can likely hear the strain in Fiona's voice for all she's working hard to hide it, "I trust your lifemate is well?"

The young woman takes the offered seat from the man and shakes her head at the question about breakfast, "No Sir, sorta late night back there though a small meal would not go astray." Briana responds as she rises to her feet to make a plate up of bits and pieces before returning and looking back to the others and nods, "Yes, Sahazyth is well. I thought I would come visit before she got too egg heavy. Seemed the proper thing to do and all."

Ur'con watches the young queenrider move away, and then gives Fiona patient but meaninful LOOK. Stop looking so stressed, you're going to scare her! He waits for Briana to return, though, before he inquires, "Have the dragonhealers had a guess yet, at how many she might carry?"

Fiona retracts her hand and sets it on the table in front of her before meeting Ur's look with on of her own, "It was nice of you to think of us. How fares Xanadu and her weather?" Her tone is soft and it's only a moment before she turns her attention to her papers yet again.

S'dan goes back to his charts and flight plans for his Wing.

"I think bets is more like it. It was a long flight but she is young…and she has no history yet to go on." Briana says as she settles down again. She glances to Fiona and S'dan, looking a bit awkward in the moment, "I hope I did not come around at a bad time. I did warn her to stay away from your sands. We are getting our sands prepared as well, though perhaps got another month yet to go."

Ur'con nods a bit, "We've a bit longer. Arolaeth surprised us all with her dozen. By all means…have her call on Darlth if she needs something. He's splitting his time, trying to dote on her and play fostersire to that batch out there." He chuckles, "Odd looking clutch. I've never seen so many dark eggs in my life in one clutch, but Syra assures me that's normal for her. I do wonder what Sahazyth has in store for us in that month or so."

Fiona shakes her head slightly, "Not a bad time, just sharding early in the morning." She scribbles her signature down on one sheet and moves to the next, her eyes skimming quickly over the paper, "I'm more concerned about the size than the color. The largest is at best half the size of the average." She glances at Briana, then Ur, then back to Briana, "What are the bets implying?"

S'dan looks up to answer Fina, "I haven't heard."

"Of course any who do not impress are welcome to stand at Xanadu. They will be most welcome." Briana responds as she picks at the meal she picked up and glances over to Fiona at the question, "Oh anywhere from one to a dozen. I think most of the bets are around six or so. Alas she has not exactly set still for their examinations." She says with a half smile at that, almost as if she was a little proud of that little defiance.

Ur'con chuckles a little himself, but nods to Fiona at that. "Well…what will be will be, but it was a long flight. I doubt Darlth sired a paltry six!" Oh, don't let that come back to bite the bronzerider in the bum, or he'll never live it down! He grins, more self effacingly… "Maybe nine." But he's still bemused, his natural good humor showing. He shoves his sticky papers aside, then grumbles, "Maybe S'dan still has that match to lend."

S'dan starts reaching into his jacket pocket. He smiles as he looks up at the high cavern's ceiling. "Let's see, I think I had them on me…."

"Just six for a long flight? I'm sure they're underestimating." Fiona flips a page and starts skimming the next form, "It's not like the dragonhealers can really pinpoint a number either way. Dragons were laying clutches for turns upon turns without a lot of our more invasive tactics" She looks across at Ur for a moment, then over at S'dan, "Now, Ur. Some of these might actually be important. Like this one-" She picks up her next, then frowns darkly, lowering the paper to the table, but not letting go, "I am holding our first requisition for kittens."

S'dan can't help it. He cracks up at that! "Oh…oh! No, I got to see that!" He gets up and marches over to Fiona and tries to take the paper from her to read it. "Oh! You have GOT to be KIDDING!"

"Well they could just be estimating low to knock on Sahazyth's pride so she will settle for the exam. She reckons it ain't none of their business, only ones it matters to are the candidates when they come." Briana says with a lilt of humour to her tone. Then there is a curious look to the other riders as they talk of matches and kittens , "Everything alright?"

Ur'con does a genuine doubletake at Fiona…and is with S'dan for a moment, peering at the paper, "Requisition for KITTENS? Seriously? Why on earth would anyone one requisition the dratted…" He rubs his face…nevermind, "Send it on to the beastcraft and let them deal with it." He grins at Briana, with a slight nod, "If they don't have you doing paperwork at Xanadu…count your blessings. I lead the craftwing…so for those things that require a crafter, I wind up with it…we got a formal requisition for kittens…Tequoia didn't sign that, did she?"

Fiona lets S'dan take it. It is, indeed, a request for felines signed by a handful of riders as well as the stablemaster, "Ever since Jeni brought that thrice-seared fuzzball in here people have been clamoring for them. I'll just pass it to her, she's their representative. And she's the one who wants to breed the beasts." At the question about Tequoia, she re-examines the signatures, then shakes her head, "Thankfully, no. Doesn't she already have one, anyway? The stablemaster at least probably wants them to help with pests." She blinks a couple of times, then glances at Briana. Right. Guest. "No reason for her to sit for 'em so long as things are progressing normally. Some healer-types can be so pushy about plying their trade unnecessarily."

S'dan "Well, they'll be handy down at the docks to catch vermin…if the firelizards haven't been them to it." He hands the sheet back to Fiona and goes back over to collect his charts and makes sure they are afixed correctly in the long viewing box. "Well, I need to get my Wing back up aloft." He gives a respectful bow to the young girl. "Good luck to you and your dragon, Miss." To Fiona and Ur'con. "I'll see the both of you later!"

"No sir, I mean…Yes, I do paperwork. I guess I don't mind it too much. Thea has me learning a bit more about the surrounds and holds beholding to Xanadu. I ain't really from around here…" Briana says with a shrug of her shoulders, "I have seen some of the requests our headwoman gets and yeah…well they are pretty amazing." She says with sympathetic humour to her voice. As S'dan makes to leave she gives a wave to the man before looking back to Fiona, "Yeah, thats what I reckon, but don't know much about whats normal and they got that…special testing center there and all. Reckon Sahazyth will know if something is wrong."

Ur'con snorts a bit, and nods, "Aye, give it to Jeni…just not me." Apparently, Ur'con doesn't care for kittens! He settles back into his seat, and grins…at no one, really. Just at the world in general…it's somewhere between goofy and charming on him, that expression.

Fiona rolls her eyes slightly, "That's the problem with healers, they want to do things just because they /can/." She snorts again and shoots Ur a look, "I'm the one who's allergic to the things. Spent three days sneezing after Jeni's got up in my face." She's glowering now. Sharding felines and their fur and dander and Faranth knows what else.

"Yeah, I suppose they mean well and all, but sometimes I reckon…well sometimes well enough should be left alone." Briana says with a little shrug before picking at her plate, "Kittens aren't so bad. Surely provide a little warmth in winter sleeping with ya and stuff. I had to give away mine when I impressed, but well…she is happy with the kids."

Ur'con glances back to Briana, and unfortunately, his eyes tell the tale. He doesn't find young Briana too much more than 'one of the kids' herself! But he's kind, not judgemental on it. "Well, she's still at Xanadu, eh? It's not like she won't come look for you when and if she gets a mind. Unles Sahazyth's like that behemoth over at Ista…the one that eats chickens." Why a grown dragon would want to bother with a tiny thing like a chicken is anyone's guess!

Fiona snorts darkly, "They're sort of cute, sure, but you spend a day and a half with itchy eyeballs and you'll learn to hate the cause, too." Her eyes go a little wide as Ista's senior queen is described, "Chickens? /Really/?" She shakes her head and mutters something about crazy dragons and crazier riders and focuses on skimming the next request form.

"Well we weren't allowed to have pets in the dorms and well…by time I was allowed to again, the kitten was all grown up and I didn't have the heart to take it away. Suppose I might get another one one day." Briana does seem to be a mix of youth and one who has been through life. "No, Sahazyth does not like chickens. She don't mind fish, but her favourite meals are ones caught for her, no matter what it is. One of our bronzes accidently set that into her mind before she could hunt for herself."

Ur'con oh-hohs a bit, and then laughs. "I see. I'll try and keep that to myself, then. Darlth's got a swollen head over providing for Arolaeth when she was done clutching…and now he fancies himself the mighty hunter." Yeah. Good luck with that. "Mind you, it was old Fenrith that caught her, but he was sound asleep when she clutched, and Darlth's damn fool enough to let her boss him around. It's been a bit funny around here, Briana…with him trying to dote on both at once. I'm hoping he'll come to his senses. Though at the moment, he's snoring in our clearing, the oversized lump." He chuckles, "He's mostly Telgari with a strong strain of Benden in him. And that's about as cold blooded as you can get. I hope that balances well with Sahazyth, personally."

Fiona snorts and rolls her eyes again as the words on the page in front of her start to blend together, "Tell Darlth he can catch me dinner sometime, Ur. I think I'm going to crash for a few hours before drills. I've been up since… dusk? Yeah… naptime. Don't let Loki steal any of your papers."

Ur'con notes, "Loki can have them if he gets them, my dear…and I'll let Darlth know you want dinner." Um. Someone may wake up with a fresh dead sheep on the doorstep. Careful what you ask for!

As Fiona makes to leave, Briana rises from her seat, "It was nice to meet you Ma'am, sorry to interupt the wing meeting." She says with a dip of her head before settling down at her seat before looking to Ur'con, "I know you got obligations here, like I said before, you can help as little or as much as you are able. Thea is happy to help me over at Xanadu and stuff."

Ur'con smiles a bit, though, as he waves Fiona off to her nap, "Sleep well, Fi…I'll see you at drills…" But he turns back to Briana, and is more candid…and more serious, "My dear, that's entirely up to you. I'm needed here, but I hate to think of you shouldering a broody queen alone. I trust my wingseconds implicity…but I don't want to dump them with all the work, either. So we will be there as much as we can be. And if you need /anything/…have her call on Darlth. If we're able, we /will/ be there. This is no small moment in your life. I might be craftbred, but I'm no fool." He grins, that fleeting but good humored flash!

Fiona snorts slightly, "I'm sure G'lon would love that pesky brown to steal his reasonable workorder." She gives Ur a wink, then chuckles, "No wingmeeting, just the usual dung that goes with keeping one running. Safe skies to you, Weyrwoman Briana." She gives Ur a little warning look, then shuffles out, the tired getting to her now that she's acknowledged it.

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