Recruiting
Location: The Guard Quarters at Tillek
Time: Day 25, Month 2, Turn 3
Players: Ashwin, Kallen (NPC), Sedgewick (NPC)
Scene: Ashwin sees about getting a few men to come to the weyr, and he runs across an old 'friend'.
He's very careful not to interrupt a moment of what could be termed their official time. Never near drills, or near a man on duty, is Ashwin. He just has quiet conversations in the corner of the bar, with men and with their wives. Unobtrusive. And now, evening falling, he walks down one of the hallways to where the married men are quartered, in quiet conversation with Kallen, one of the younger recruits, and a friend of Ulric's. Said conversation consists mostly of Kallen talking, and Ashwin listening. Some way ahead lies Kallen's door, and behind it Kallen's wife, but the two are apparently in no hurry to get there, taking their time.
Sedgewick is by no means a married man. But, he does sometimes have a drink or two with a married man if said fellow needs a bit of bolstering or a little talking-to. There have been a few murmurs about things he was also occasionally thought to do with married men's wives, but none of those rumors have born any fruit thus far. Whatever the young captain of Tillek's guard was doing in one of the hallway's rooms, he steps outside now, head down, smiling faintly. When his gaze lifts, it's to find young Kallen in conversation with...hello, who is /that/? Sedgewick's smile changes just a little bit as he begins to sway towards the two men. There is fascination, bemusement, and a unique sort of wonder in that smile. The sort one manifests when watching a man get up from being knocked flat on his back for the fifth time, only to ask for more.
Kallen spots him first, or at least gives away that he does, breaking off mid word to stiffen his posture, as though he's on the verge of saluting. Ashwin is unhurried in his own response, lifting his head, then lifting pale eyes to study Sedgewick with one of his blank gazes, the lack of reaction bordering almost on disdain. His chin dips then, in a fraction of a nod, before he returns his attention to Kallen, for all that young man no longer has anything to say, head down as he continues walking.
For Kallen's stiffening he is offered a small smirk. "Off duty, Kal," Sedgewick reminds the younger man, "you're fine." He matches pace and falls into step with the two of them, and never mind that they head in the opposite direction than he was moving in before. He takes in the pale features, the stony gaze, that hint of civility offered in the form of a nod. "Lieutenant," that lingering smile is turned full-force on Ashwin now. "Rumors had it you weren't coming home, again."
"Yes sir," Kallen mouths, slowing to a halt as Ashwin does. The Lieutenant makes no move to salute, or to return the smile, simply keeping the level stare in place. "Plenty to come home for," he observes evenly, and quietly. "No reason not to."
"No reason at all," Sedgewick agrees companionably. To Kallen he adds, light and lazy, "Pretty early drills tomorrow, you know."
Kallen nods slowly, and for half a moment he moves to take a step forward. He doesn't quite make it though, and his foot drifts back into place as he turns his gaze towards Ashwin instead. The Lieutenant doesn't turn his head, either sure enough of what will happen, or registering the movement via the sounds alone. "Your wife'll be waiting," he observes mildly, to Kallen. "Yes," the young guard agrees quietly.
Sedgewick only saunters along, his attention shifted to the corridor ahead of them, rather than to the men beside him. As he has nothing more to say, at present, he picks up softly whistling a jaunty little song. One of those tunes that's playful and innocent. Unless one knows the lyrics.
Ashwin knows the lyrics, but be does not feel moved to contribute them, it would seem. Several steps in silence from him, Kallen pacing beside him, energy only barely held in. When the Lieutenant finally does speak, his head snaps around to listen. "Why don't you go check she's expecting me?" Kallen doesn't need telling twice, and accelerates rapidly, while Ashwin slows commensurately, silent once more.
Sedgewick's song comes to an end soon after Kallen makes his escape. "Kallen's all right," the captain begins, as if Ashwin asked his opinion. "Nothing too special. A little jittery. You can have him, you want him. Who else you looking at?"
"Kallen, Geran, Nestor, Ulric," Ashwin murmurs, tilting his head to one side slightly, as though considering the question for the first time. He watches Kallen's departure with faint interest, impassive.
There are small nods for each name. Kallen, check. Geran, check. Nestor, Check. Ulric. Sedgewick winces and shakes his head, his expression almost pained. "Mmm. Nah. Not Ulric. He stays."
"Man's own choice, he want to hand in his knot, take another one," Ashwin observes evenly. "Not forcing any man's hand." He sucks a slow breath in through his nose, but his posture is relaxed, hands wound around his knives easily.
"Well, suppose that's so," Sedgewick agrees on a sigh, "Still, can't say as it's the wisest thing. Encouraging a man to put down his knot when you know his captain wants him. A mite disrespectful, I'd think."
"No encouraging in it," Ashwin replies mildly. "Tell him what is, he knows his own mind." Another step, another step. "That all?"
"Tell him what is with the hope he'll join, can't help but encourage." Sedgewick nods. "That's all. Oh...wait..." His teeth flash brightly. "How's the weyrwoman?"
"His place is good enough, he'll keep to it," Ashwin murmurs, and although the words are softly spoken, they're pronounced clearly, as though to be clearly understood. He has not a twitch for the other man's question. "Very well," is all.
"Funny," Sedgewick chuckles, "Ul and knowing his place in the same sentence. Like they go together. But," the captain shrugs, "glad to hear our Weyrwoman's healthy. Nice change over the last one. Can't say I would have pegged you falling in with a dragonrider, but I suppose one woman who shares is a lot like another." He dips his head into a nod, backing up with another one of those cheerful smiles. "You take care, Lieutenant. Don't be such a stranger." Then he turns and moves away, whistling again.
Perhaps he was ready for it, for Ashwin doesn't offer the satisfaction of a tightening of his jaw, or one of his quiet blank-outs. Simply a nod, as civilised as ever. "Sir," he murmurs in farewell, voice as deferential as Harley ever earned for himself. He doesn't watch Tillek's Captain depart, but turns back to follow in Kallen's footsteps.
Time: Day 25, Month 2, Turn 3
Players: Ashwin, Kallen (NPC), Sedgewick (NPC)
Scene: Ashwin sees about getting a few men to come to the weyr, and he runs across an old 'friend'.
He's very careful not to interrupt a moment of what could be termed their official time. Never near drills, or near a man on duty, is Ashwin. He just has quiet conversations in the corner of the bar, with men and with their wives. Unobtrusive. And now, evening falling, he walks down one of the hallways to where the married men are quartered, in quiet conversation with Kallen, one of the younger recruits, and a friend of Ulric's. Said conversation consists mostly of Kallen talking, and Ashwin listening. Some way ahead lies Kallen's door, and behind it Kallen's wife, but the two are apparently in no hurry to get there, taking their time.
Sedgewick is by no means a married man. But, he does sometimes have a drink or two with a married man if said fellow needs a bit of bolstering or a little talking-to. There have been a few murmurs about things he was also occasionally thought to do with married men's wives, but none of those rumors have born any fruit thus far. Whatever the young captain of Tillek's guard was doing in one of the hallway's rooms, he steps outside now, head down, smiling faintly. When his gaze lifts, it's to find young Kallen in conversation with...hello, who is /that/? Sedgewick's smile changes just a little bit as he begins to sway towards the two men. There is fascination, bemusement, and a unique sort of wonder in that smile. The sort one manifests when watching a man get up from being knocked flat on his back for the fifth time, only to ask for more.
Kallen spots him first, or at least gives away that he does, breaking off mid word to stiffen his posture, as though he's on the verge of saluting. Ashwin is unhurried in his own response, lifting his head, then lifting pale eyes to study Sedgewick with one of his blank gazes, the lack of reaction bordering almost on disdain. His chin dips then, in a fraction of a nod, before he returns his attention to Kallen, for all that young man no longer has anything to say, head down as he continues walking.
For Kallen's stiffening he is offered a small smirk. "Off duty, Kal," Sedgewick reminds the younger man, "you're fine." He matches pace and falls into step with the two of them, and never mind that they head in the opposite direction than he was moving in before. He takes in the pale features, the stony gaze, that hint of civility offered in the form of a nod. "Lieutenant," that lingering smile is turned full-force on Ashwin now. "Rumors had it you weren't coming home, again."
"Yes sir," Kallen mouths, slowing to a halt as Ashwin does. The Lieutenant makes no move to salute, or to return the smile, simply keeping the level stare in place. "Plenty to come home for," he observes evenly, and quietly. "No reason not to."
"No reason at all," Sedgewick agrees companionably. To Kallen he adds, light and lazy, "Pretty early drills tomorrow, you know."
Kallen nods slowly, and for half a moment he moves to take a step forward. He doesn't quite make it though, and his foot drifts back into place as he turns his gaze towards Ashwin instead. The Lieutenant doesn't turn his head, either sure enough of what will happen, or registering the movement via the sounds alone. "Your wife'll be waiting," he observes mildly, to Kallen. "Yes," the young guard agrees quietly.
Sedgewick only saunters along, his attention shifted to the corridor ahead of them, rather than to the men beside him. As he has nothing more to say, at present, he picks up softly whistling a jaunty little song. One of those tunes that's playful and innocent. Unless one knows the lyrics.
Ashwin knows the lyrics, but be does not feel moved to contribute them, it would seem. Several steps in silence from him, Kallen pacing beside him, energy only barely held in. When the Lieutenant finally does speak, his head snaps around to listen. "Why don't you go check she's expecting me?" Kallen doesn't need telling twice, and accelerates rapidly, while Ashwin slows commensurately, silent once more.
Sedgewick's song comes to an end soon after Kallen makes his escape. "Kallen's all right," the captain begins, as if Ashwin asked his opinion. "Nothing too special. A little jittery. You can have him, you want him. Who else you looking at?"
"Kallen, Geran, Nestor, Ulric," Ashwin murmurs, tilting his head to one side slightly, as though considering the question for the first time. He watches Kallen's departure with faint interest, impassive.
There are small nods for each name. Kallen, check. Geran, check. Nestor, Check. Ulric. Sedgewick winces and shakes his head, his expression almost pained. "Mmm. Nah. Not Ulric. He stays."
"Man's own choice, he want to hand in his knot, take another one," Ashwin observes evenly. "Not forcing any man's hand." He sucks a slow breath in through his nose, but his posture is relaxed, hands wound around his knives easily.
"Well, suppose that's so," Sedgewick agrees on a sigh, "Still, can't say as it's the wisest thing. Encouraging a man to put down his knot when you know his captain wants him. A mite disrespectful, I'd think."
"No encouraging in it," Ashwin replies mildly. "Tell him what is, he knows his own mind." Another step, another step. "That all?"
"Tell him what is with the hope he'll join, can't help but encourage." Sedgewick nods. "That's all. Oh...wait..." His teeth flash brightly. "How's the weyrwoman?"
"His place is good enough, he'll keep to it," Ashwin murmurs, and although the words are softly spoken, they're pronounced clearly, as though to be clearly understood. He has not a twitch for the other man's question. "Very well," is all.
"Funny," Sedgewick chuckles, "Ul and knowing his place in the same sentence. Like they go together. But," the captain shrugs, "glad to hear our Weyrwoman's healthy. Nice change over the last one. Can't say I would have pegged you falling in with a dragonrider, but I suppose one woman who shares is a lot like another." He dips his head into a nod, backing up with another one of those cheerful smiles. "You take care, Lieutenant. Don't be such a stranger." Then he turns and moves away, whistling again.
Perhaps he was ready for it, for Ashwin doesn't offer the satisfaction of a tightening of his jaw, or one of his quiet blank-outs. Simply a nod, as civilised as ever. "Sir," he murmurs in farewell, voice as deferential as Harley ever earned for himself. He doesn't watch Tillek's Captain depart, but turns back to follow in Kallen's footsteps.