Meeting K'del.
Who: A'son, K'del
What: A'son finds K'del. They do a meet and greet as well as discuss some things.
When: Afternoon towards Evening of Day 10, month 10, turn 19 of Interval 10
Where: Feeding Grounds. Hmmm. Blood.
Feeding Grounds, High Reaches Weyr
Wedged between the lake and the rest of the vast bowl are the dusty feeding grounds. Here, the well-trampled ground is contained by a sturdy wooden fence, cutting right through one end of the lake to section it off into a muddy watering hole for the animals. Several gates allow people in and out, while at the back, large overhangs of rock provide the herd -- a mixed bag of herdbeasts, wing-clipped wherries, and fat porcines -- shelter from storms or the hot sun. What grass survives is usually bloodstained, but feeding troughs are stationed around the edges of the pen.
A light rainfall patters on and off throughout the day, making everything slick and gray and muddy.
Even dragons not allowed to be on the sands with their queens and who thus spend all their time mooning from the galleries need to eat. And, apparently, some of them - or maybe just Cadejoth - need their rider there with them. To handhold. Or maybe just keep them company. Whatever the reason, K'del lounges against a fencepole in the rain, looking distinctly disgruntled, not to mention bedraggled, while Cadejoth takes down his meal in the pen alongside them. He's staring off into the distance, rather than at the carnage, but still away from the rest of the bowl.
Nikoth comes from the sky overhead, sailing down and into the pen with Cadejoth. The older bronze rumbles something of a pleasent greeting to the younger before taking down a herdbeast. It's several minutes after this that A'son arrives, finding himself near that fencepole of K'del's. A sidelong glance is cast down the teenage weyrleader, his own face distinctly puffy around one of the eyes. There's a shine to it. For now he's silent, not just yet saying anything to him.
Nikoth's arrival catches K'del's attention from whatever far off thing he was staring at instead; he glances at the bronze thoughtfully for a moment, then turns his head about, as if expecting A'son's immediate appearance behind him. With no one in sight, he turns his attention back away, wrapping arms about the fencepost moodily. When the other bronzerider actually arrives, however, it takes K'del a moment or two longer to actually turn his head in that direction. When he does, however, his response is instant: "N'thei thump you a good one?" First words spoken to each other: impressive!
"No, actually it was Tiriana." He tells him with a nod of his head. The answer comes with all the ease of talking to a person he's known a long time. Like this isn't nearly as awkward as it should be. "Again." A'son clicks his tongue, leaning into the fence and kicking at the ground. He looks out across the pens, watching his dragon feed. "We were doing a little play acting in the Snowasis." As if that should explain it all.
That it was Tiriana only gets a slight twist of the lips from K'del, followed more slowly by a tilted nod. Then, after a moment's pause: "Wait. Play acting? The hell were you play acting with Tiriana in the Snowasis?" Pause. "Rather, why, and also, what. Generally try and /avoid/ being hit by her, usually." All interest in that far-off spot is gone, never mind the dragons. He looks at A'son in askance.
"Oh, just a little thing. Where she wants me to talk to you. But I don't want to and she does a bit of convincing." A'son reaches a finger up to touch the tender part of his face. "She hits like a girl." He tells him, glancing over to him with a twist of his lips. "Worse people to get punched by."
"She is a girl," points out K'del, unwrapping his arms from the fencepost so that he can, at least, stand his full height and look tall next to the other bronzerider. If still young. "Why'd you playact that? If you're just going to tell me all this; who else was it for, if not-- or, just to make people think you refused to do it? In general? That's pretty dumb." Then, "She wants you to talk to me about the whole tithes thing, right?"
A'son seems to idly note the standing to full height thing. It's hardly reacted to, he continues his lean into the fence. "Maybe, maybe, maybe." No definitive answer given to K'del or acknowledgement of being dumb. Wouldn't be the first time. "Yeah, she does. Her and I talked about it a little bit." With this there's a little indication he's still surprised by that. "She wants me- us, to do something."
K'del seems, belatedly, to realise that calling something 'dumb' like that might not be the best tack. He takes a breath, swallows it back, and looks awkward, before, finally: "Told her it would be awkward. You and me. Because we don't know each other, and because--" the unspoken. The obvious. "But. If you're willing? Don't know a great deal about all of this, and... it'd be better, if we could fix it. Plus, Tiriana's a bitch, and maybe if you and I did really well, she might hate me less. Or maybe I could just hate her more."
"Yeah, yeah. There's ancient history and all sorts of unpleasent things that I don't ever want to talk to you about. If we can agree that none of that ever gets brought up?" A'son gives him more than just a glance, he gets a full turn of his head now. "I honestly don't know a lot /either/." He admits, turning around and leaning his back into the fence now instead. "But I might have some ideas."
"Fine." It's more than fine: K'del sounds genuinely relieved with that idea. "Never. No mention, nothing. Might as well have never happened, as far as we're concerned." He rests one hand atop the fence post, considering A'son openly. "Ideas are good. I was thinking... Well, riders shadowing all of the tithe trains, from above. Plus all the extra sweeps. So that maybe we'll catch them in the act. Though, of course, not many tithes left to come in. Thinking the replacement stuff from Tillek and High Reaches should get brought in by riders, anyway. Not ideal, but safer, maybe."
"Nope, not a thing. In fact, we just heard about each other today for the first time." A'son too, seems more than glad to accept this. "I was thinking of something sort of similar. But with a difference. No visible weyr involvement. Make it look like we pulled out support. Encourage them to hit us again." He purses his lips together, mulling it over before he starts. "Put some riders undercover to infiltrate the tithe trains. Just as regular workers, you know, with the holders permission. Or whatever." A hand is waved. "Let the dragons stay behind someplace nearby during the day. At night, they catch up and fly overhead."
"Right!" K'del almost actually beams at this. "It's a pleasure to meet you, A'son. So glad that Tiriana--" that might be taking it too far, because he trails off, though at least he still looks vaguely amused by it. More seriously, he considers the suggestion with a thoughtful tip of the head. "Lull them into a false sense of security," he muses, chewing on his bottom lip as he finishes talking. "Make them believe we really are that crap. That's - actually, that's really good, I like it."
A'son pushes off the fence, putting his hand out to him. "Pleasure to meet you too. Seem like a very pleasent guy." He smirks when K'del cuts off at that, shaking his head. "Make them think we're really total idiots, exactly. But Tiriana pointed out it would look strange if we cut off support just like that so... We need a distraction. Something fabricated to make us look even more confused and headless than we are. Could give us a break." A pause with some consideration. "Or backfire horribly."
K'del accepts the hand, and shakes it firmly - more firmly than the rest of his body language would suggest he ought to: he doesn't look nearly that confident, at the moment. "And likewise. Mm, suppose she might be right." And the fact that he's agreeing with /Tiriana/ - well! "Anything could backfire horribly. At least we'd've tried, if we do this. Better than just sitting back and being lame. Any ideas, about this distraction?"
"You have a good handshake for a pretty boy. I'm impressed." Despite the descriptive statement, he does seem surprised. "She said something else interesting. That people would never believe /she'd/ pull out completely like that." He lifts his shoulders, leveling K'del with a look. "What if we... pretended something happened to her. She got sick. She's under the weather. You're completely in charge. You make the decision because you want to focus on some other thing." Then he's chewing on his lip. "Maybe. I don't know."
K'del looks pleased, despite what he says: "Why do you people always keep calling me a pretty boy?" For once, however, personal ego is less important than the issue at hand; he lifts his hand, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Because I'm getting pushed and pulled all kinds of ways, because clearly I'm not actually the one running things. So it gets abandoned for-- um, because I'm making a stand, even. This is my decision, and I'm sticking with it, kind of thing. That could work, maybe?"
"You'll grow into something better than pretty. Probably. Maybe." If that makes him feel better. A'son begins rubbing his jaw, for the hundred thousandth time in his life. "Exactly. But we need a good stand. Because we want you to seem sort of dumb? Reckless, careless. But not a total and complete moron."
K'del only quirks his gaze for that, giving A'son a peculiar glance that isn't entirely a 'are you nuts'. But mostly. Probably. "Not a moron. Right. Can't believe I'm willing to look reckless, dumb and careless to begin with, but it's a good cause, right? And if - /when/ - it works, I won't look so bad." He shifts, uncomfortable, and shakes his head. "So. A stand. Um."
"What else is going on?" A'son asks, hand gesturing around. "There has to be some other weyr business that can suddenly distract you and cause you to say 'Oh well, they probably don't do it again. Good luck holders, increase your guards!'. And focus yoursef there instead." He taps his chin. "You know what, that's something you sleep on. Figure out. I don't know what else is going on around here."
K'del bites at his lip again, clearly thinking this through even while he's listening to the other bronzerider. "Right," he says, elongating the word by quite some distance. "Right." The second one is shorter, sharper. "I'll give it some thought. Look. I need to get back to some things." And Cadejoth has finished eating. And, also, it's really starting to rain. "Can we meet tomorrow, work it out a bit further? Once I have a better idea. Then, I'll take it to Tiriana, and the wingleaders, see where we go from there."
A'son holds his finger up, "I don't think telling your wingleaders would be a good idea. You need to keep it quiet, sneaky. Look genuine." He looks up at the rain falling down from the sky overhead. His eyelids flutter when droplets fall onto his face. "But yeah, we can. I'll catch up with you in the evening." Dropping his gaze from the clouds to K'del, "Enjoy your day. Or something."
There's a pause, as K'del digests this, and then he nods: "Right. That makes sense. They can all think I'm a completely and utter tool, too. Thanks." He's drawing himself away from the post again, but comes to a halt, turns, and bobs his head again. "Thanks a lot, A'son. I'll - good. That sounds good. And you, too." He ducks his head against the rain as he leaves, though he'll be well and truly wet through by the time he gets back inside. Stupid rain. Stupid tithe thieves. And definitely, stupid Tiriana. Just because.
What: A'son finds K'del. They do a meet and greet as well as discuss some things.
When: Afternoon towards Evening of Day 10, month 10, turn 19 of Interval 10
Where: Feeding Grounds. Hmmm. Blood.
Feeding Grounds, High Reaches Weyr
Wedged between the lake and the rest of the vast bowl are the dusty feeding grounds. Here, the well-trampled ground is contained by a sturdy wooden fence, cutting right through one end of the lake to section it off into a muddy watering hole for the animals. Several gates allow people in and out, while at the back, large overhangs of rock provide the herd -- a mixed bag of herdbeasts, wing-clipped wherries, and fat porcines -- shelter from storms or the hot sun. What grass survives is usually bloodstained, but feeding troughs are stationed around the edges of the pen.
A light rainfall patters on and off throughout the day, making everything slick and gray and muddy.
Even dragons not allowed to be on the sands with their queens and who thus spend all their time mooning from the galleries need to eat. And, apparently, some of them - or maybe just Cadejoth - need their rider there with them. To handhold. Or maybe just keep them company. Whatever the reason, K'del lounges against a fencepole in the rain, looking distinctly disgruntled, not to mention bedraggled, while Cadejoth takes down his meal in the pen alongside them. He's staring off into the distance, rather than at the carnage, but still away from the rest of the bowl.
Nikoth comes from the sky overhead, sailing down and into the pen with Cadejoth. The older bronze rumbles something of a pleasent greeting to the younger before taking down a herdbeast. It's several minutes after this that A'son arrives, finding himself near that fencepole of K'del's. A sidelong glance is cast down the teenage weyrleader, his own face distinctly puffy around one of the eyes. There's a shine to it. For now he's silent, not just yet saying anything to him.
Nikoth's arrival catches K'del's attention from whatever far off thing he was staring at instead; he glances at the bronze thoughtfully for a moment, then turns his head about, as if expecting A'son's immediate appearance behind him. With no one in sight, he turns his attention back away, wrapping arms about the fencepost moodily. When the other bronzerider actually arrives, however, it takes K'del a moment or two longer to actually turn his head in that direction. When he does, however, his response is instant: "N'thei thump you a good one?" First words spoken to each other: impressive!
"No, actually it was Tiriana." He tells him with a nod of his head. The answer comes with all the ease of talking to a person he's known a long time. Like this isn't nearly as awkward as it should be. "Again." A'son clicks his tongue, leaning into the fence and kicking at the ground. He looks out across the pens, watching his dragon feed. "We were doing a little play acting in the Snowasis." As if that should explain it all.
That it was Tiriana only gets a slight twist of the lips from K'del, followed more slowly by a tilted nod. Then, after a moment's pause: "Wait. Play acting? The hell were you play acting with Tiriana in the Snowasis?" Pause. "Rather, why, and also, what. Generally try and /avoid/ being hit by her, usually." All interest in that far-off spot is gone, never mind the dragons. He looks at A'son in askance.
"Oh, just a little thing. Where she wants me to talk to you. But I don't want to and she does a bit of convincing." A'son reaches a finger up to touch the tender part of his face. "She hits like a girl." He tells him, glancing over to him with a twist of his lips. "Worse people to get punched by."
"She is a girl," points out K'del, unwrapping his arms from the fencepost so that he can, at least, stand his full height and look tall next to the other bronzerider. If still young. "Why'd you playact that? If you're just going to tell me all this; who else was it for, if not-- or, just to make people think you refused to do it? In general? That's pretty dumb." Then, "She wants you to talk to me about the whole tithes thing, right?"
A'son seems to idly note the standing to full height thing. It's hardly reacted to, he continues his lean into the fence. "Maybe, maybe, maybe." No definitive answer given to K'del or acknowledgement of being dumb. Wouldn't be the first time. "Yeah, she does. Her and I talked about it a little bit." With this there's a little indication he's still surprised by that. "She wants me- us, to do something."
K'del seems, belatedly, to realise that calling something 'dumb' like that might not be the best tack. He takes a breath, swallows it back, and looks awkward, before, finally: "Told her it would be awkward. You and me. Because we don't know each other, and because--" the unspoken. The obvious. "But. If you're willing? Don't know a great deal about all of this, and... it'd be better, if we could fix it. Plus, Tiriana's a bitch, and maybe if you and I did really well, she might hate me less. Or maybe I could just hate her more."
"Yeah, yeah. There's ancient history and all sorts of unpleasent things that I don't ever want to talk to you about. If we can agree that none of that ever gets brought up?" A'son gives him more than just a glance, he gets a full turn of his head now. "I honestly don't know a lot /either/." He admits, turning around and leaning his back into the fence now instead. "But I might have some ideas."
"Fine." It's more than fine: K'del sounds genuinely relieved with that idea. "Never. No mention, nothing. Might as well have never happened, as far as we're concerned." He rests one hand atop the fence post, considering A'son openly. "Ideas are good. I was thinking... Well, riders shadowing all of the tithe trains, from above. Plus all the extra sweeps. So that maybe we'll catch them in the act. Though, of course, not many tithes left to come in. Thinking the replacement stuff from Tillek and High Reaches should get brought in by riders, anyway. Not ideal, but safer, maybe."
"Nope, not a thing. In fact, we just heard about each other today for the first time." A'son too, seems more than glad to accept this. "I was thinking of something sort of similar. But with a difference. No visible weyr involvement. Make it look like we pulled out support. Encourage them to hit us again." He purses his lips together, mulling it over before he starts. "Put some riders undercover to infiltrate the tithe trains. Just as regular workers, you know, with the holders permission. Or whatever." A hand is waved. "Let the dragons stay behind someplace nearby during the day. At night, they catch up and fly overhead."
"Right!" K'del almost actually beams at this. "It's a pleasure to meet you, A'son. So glad that Tiriana--" that might be taking it too far, because he trails off, though at least he still looks vaguely amused by it. More seriously, he considers the suggestion with a thoughtful tip of the head. "Lull them into a false sense of security," he muses, chewing on his bottom lip as he finishes talking. "Make them believe we really are that crap. That's - actually, that's really good, I like it."
A'son pushes off the fence, putting his hand out to him. "Pleasure to meet you too. Seem like a very pleasent guy." He smirks when K'del cuts off at that, shaking his head. "Make them think we're really total idiots, exactly. But Tiriana pointed out it would look strange if we cut off support just like that so... We need a distraction. Something fabricated to make us look even more confused and headless than we are. Could give us a break." A pause with some consideration. "Or backfire horribly."
K'del accepts the hand, and shakes it firmly - more firmly than the rest of his body language would suggest he ought to: he doesn't look nearly that confident, at the moment. "And likewise. Mm, suppose she might be right." And the fact that he's agreeing with /Tiriana/ - well! "Anything could backfire horribly. At least we'd've tried, if we do this. Better than just sitting back and being lame. Any ideas, about this distraction?"
"You have a good handshake for a pretty boy. I'm impressed." Despite the descriptive statement, he does seem surprised. "She said something else interesting. That people would never believe /she'd/ pull out completely like that." He lifts his shoulders, leveling K'del with a look. "What if we... pretended something happened to her. She got sick. She's under the weather. You're completely in charge. You make the decision because you want to focus on some other thing." Then he's chewing on his lip. "Maybe. I don't know."
K'del looks pleased, despite what he says: "Why do you people always keep calling me a pretty boy?" For once, however, personal ego is less important than the issue at hand; he lifts his hand, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Because I'm getting pushed and pulled all kinds of ways, because clearly I'm not actually the one running things. So it gets abandoned for-- um, because I'm making a stand, even. This is my decision, and I'm sticking with it, kind of thing. That could work, maybe?"
"You'll grow into something better than pretty. Probably. Maybe." If that makes him feel better. A'son begins rubbing his jaw, for the hundred thousandth time in his life. "Exactly. But we need a good stand. Because we want you to seem sort of dumb? Reckless, careless. But not a total and complete moron."
K'del only quirks his gaze for that, giving A'son a peculiar glance that isn't entirely a 'are you nuts'. But mostly. Probably. "Not a moron. Right. Can't believe I'm willing to look reckless, dumb and careless to begin with, but it's a good cause, right? And if - /when/ - it works, I won't look so bad." He shifts, uncomfortable, and shakes his head. "So. A stand. Um."
"What else is going on?" A'son asks, hand gesturing around. "There has to be some other weyr business that can suddenly distract you and cause you to say 'Oh well, they probably don't do it again. Good luck holders, increase your guards!'. And focus yoursef there instead." He taps his chin. "You know what, that's something you sleep on. Figure out. I don't know what else is going on around here."
K'del bites at his lip again, clearly thinking this through even while he's listening to the other bronzerider. "Right," he says, elongating the word by quite some distance. "Right." The second one is shorter, sharper. "I'll give it some thought. Look. I need to get back to some things." And Cadejoth has finished eating. And, also, it's really starting to rain. "Can we meet tomorrow, work it out a bit further? Once I have a better idea. Then, I'll take it to Tiriana, and the wingleaders, see where we go from there."
A'son holds his finger up, "I don't think telling your wingleaders would be a good idea. You need to keep it quiet, sneaky. Look genuine." He looks up at the rain falling down from the sky overhead. His eyelids flutter when droplets fall onto his face. "But yeah, we can. I'll catch up with you in the evening." Dropping his gaze from the clouds to K'del, "Enjoy your day. Or something."
There's a pause, as K'del digests this, and then he nods: "Right. That makes sense. They can all think I'm a completely and utter tool, too. Thanks." He's drawing himself away from the post again, but comes to a halt, turns, and bobs his head again. "Thanks a lot, A'son. I'll - good. That sounds good. And you, too." He ducks his head against the rain as he leaves, though he'll be well and truly wet through by the time he gets back inside. Stupid rain. Stupid tithe thieves. And definitely, stupid Tiriana. Just because.