It will quite likely /not/ come out right
Who: Jantha and Imoth, Rhodya and Gedroth, NPC weyrlings
When: Daytime on day 10, month 13, turn 19 of Interval 10.
Where: Sky above and outside Fort Weyr
What: Jantha takes up a group of weyrlings for their first unaided jump between. Rhodya chickens out, and gets sent home.
It's a fine, clear winter's day, if cold, and the visibility is good. Somewhere to the East of Fort Weyr, but not as far away as the hold, a group of five dragons is flying quite slowly away from the Weyr in a staggered line formation. The leader is brown Imoth; the followers are weyrlings about to take their first unaided jump Between. Could they only be seen, there might well be one or two rather nervous expressions.
There's at least one nervous expression. Rhodya has violated nature and the naturally dark tone of her skin to go white as a sheet, clinging to Gedroth with knees and hands and every ounce of willpower, as though she were afraid of falling off. Her brown is not his usual confident self, either; he's too conscientious a flyer to turn his head around while he's in a pack of dragons, but the temptation is clearly there, and he keeps tilting his head to side juuust a little in search of some direct glimpse of his rider. He slows his wingbeats and falls to the back of the pack, making sure he and his rider will be last in line to try Between.
Jantha glances back over her shoulder, checking the formation, and frowns a little as she notices the straggler. Nice try, Gedroth, but it's not going to work.
To Gedroth, Imoth calls briskly, << Gedroth, you are out of line. Get back into position. >> After a brief pause, he adds, << Then, all of you, tell your riders to show you their picture of the Weyr. When you have it, show me. >>
Rhodya doesn't even seem to notice Gedroth's tricks, and it's with a start that she acknowledges the rebuke, being so tightly wound up in her dragon's mind that she overheard. The young brown makes an odd, gurgling noise in his throat, half apology, half protest, and reluctantly gives his wings a sturdy pump that carries him sailing back to his regular place.
He's slow to provide a picture of the Weyr, though, lagging several seconds behind the others and even then unsure. The first picture he provides has the Star Stones on the right, but he quickly fixes that, moves them to the left - or is /that/ wrong? << I'm sorry, >> Gedroth says, unusually meek, and goes to cheat off a classmate. He's not even focused enough to cheat well: the image he comes up with is the exact same as Ollienth's, in its positioning and focus. (Gedroth to Imoth)
Jantha seems inattentive for a while; actually she's staring off into space while reviewing the images that Imoth shows her. At a certain point, she glances back again, and again it's Gedroth that she seeks out. She frowns again, more deeply this time.
To Gedroth, It's a little hard to frown by telepathy, but Imoth definitely conveys that impression of brooding concern. << Gedroth, what is wrong with you? Your image is moving around, and I'm sure the Star Stones don't do that. Is your rider uncertain of what to show you? >>
Rhodya has her eyes trained straight ahead, but she's not looking /at/ anything, and when Jantha turns around to look back at them she doesn't meet the Weyrlingmaster's eye. Maybe she doesn't notice.
To Imoth, Gedroth projects, << She doesn't remember exactly where everything is. >> The usual burbling river noises that accompany Gedroth's speech are gone today, like everything's in hiding. << But I'm sure, >> he adds without conviction, << when we try it, it will come out right. >>
To Gedroth, Imoth responds quite firmly to that. << If she puts the Star Stones on the wrong side of the Rim, it will quite likely /not/ come out right. You might not come /out/ at all. Can you see where she wants you to go? >>
To Imoth, Gedroth winces, physically, over there in the group of weyrlings. << We're going to the bowl, >> he answers, which is not really an answer, since that doesn't mean he can /see/ it. << Which side of the Rim are the Stones again? That's all we need to put us right. >>
Jantha is looking round impatiently again, unwilling to wait longer and risk losing those other four, accurate, images. Her hand lifts, ready to give the traditional signal.
To Gedroth, Imoth sends a crisp, clear picture. << Gedroth, it is like this. When we jump, you go here, to this place, as I am showing it to you. Do you have it? Everyone, tell your riders that when they see my rider's hand-signal, they are to tell you to go to the place they are showing you. >> >>
There's a palpable sense of relief, when he gets that clear image, and Gedroth latches onto it firmly. << I can see that, >> he agrees, and stops there, lest conversation distract him from any part of the image. Well, one more word: << Done, >> he tells Imoth, as in, his rider's been instructed and they'll wait for the signal. (Gedroth to Imoth)
From Imoth's neckridges, Jantha gives a clear signal, and she and Imoth promptly vanish, to reappear a few seconds later above the Weyr. Then she's looking round expectantly - and this time it's the Weyrlingmaster who might appear a little on edge, until the weyrlings arrive safely. One, two, three, four...
Five! He's here, he's here! Gedroth emerges without a htich, still clinging hard to Imoth's image of the bowl, and Rhodya on his back looks relieved: somebody bailed her out. Her shoulders start to slump as she relaxes, but a mental nudge from her brown wakes her back up, and she sucks her lower lip in under her teeth with a nervous look around. The lesson, and her torment, hasn't been declared over yet.
Imoth tells the weyrlings cheerfully, << Well done! Round we go again - right wheel. >> He leads them round in a slow turn, and then they're heading towards the Hold again, flying straight for several minutes. There's an extra word for Gedroth, though. << So. We're going to do exactly the same thing again. Mine tells yours that she should prepare carefully while we're on the way, so that she'll be ready. >>
<< We are rehearsing with the image you gave me, >> Gedroth answers dutifully, sending Imoth a little sample of Rhodya's current efforts. The Star Stones are correctly placed, now, and rendered in good detail; the rest of the bowl is still being filled in. << We'll be ready, >> he promises. Only, his rider doesn't look so confident: she's still got that white-as-a-sheet thing going on, and her jaw is clenched. (Gedroth to Imoth)
It's a few minutes until they're far enough from the Weyr to satisfy Jantha. This time, she leads the weyrlings into a circle, and circle is what they're all expected to do while Imoth speaks to the dragons.
To Gedroth, Imoth begins to give instructions in a calm patient voice. << Tell your riders that they are to show you exactly the same place. When you have it, you show me. This time, though, you can each go there as soon as I tell you that you may go, and circle like this over the Weyr until we are all there. >> He waits a few moments, then begins to address them individually. << Ollienth, you show me first... good. Go now. >> >>
Gedroth wings around in tight little circles, honing his own concentration while Rhodya focuses on the image. And the bowl like this... Ollienth yawns a bit when her image is declared good - like, duh, wasn't that obvious - and pops through without a pause. The others, bolstered by their first success, are similarly confident, if not quite as insouciant. So then there's Rhodya and Gedroth, waiting for their command to go.
And here it comes. Jantha brings Imoth alongside the younger brown, not close enough to crowd him but as they might fly in a loose Wing formation.
To Gedroth, Imoth enquires gently, << Do you have the image from her? Show it to me. You must tell me if you don't have it right. >>
Rhodya's taking deep breaths, a last minute effort to relax herself that doesn't entirely seem to be working. When Jantha and Imoth pull up alongside, she gives them a nod, but it's stiff, and the tension's not subtle. Gedroth does seem to be more sure, his tail flicking with an eagerness to go, to give this another try.
To Imoth, Gedroth proudly presents an image so crystal clear and so details you could practically walk right into it and wander around. << I have the image, >> he says. << Is that good? >>
Dragon> To Gedroth, Imoth radiates approval in the warmth of his mind-voice - and the hint of suspicion is kept well to the rear. << It is. A fine image. Go safely, then. >>
As Imoth passes on his approval, Jantha turns a wry smile on Rhodya, and gives the hand-signal. Time to go.
Gedroth bobs his head in acknowledgement, and Rhodya robotically recognizes the signal with a short hand-lift of her own. Her brown wings forward; though Imoth left him plenty of room, he'd rather have more of it, for safety's sake. Gedroth inhales, getting ready for the jump, and Rhodya on his back only stiffens herself further. They sweep forward - then veer sharply aside, like some invisible obstacle jumped out and bit them. Gedroth bleats, like a frightened sheep; Rhodya throws herself flat on his neck and hangs on, giving him the biggest, scardest hug she can manage.
<< GEDROTH!>> Imoth veers sharply to avoid the younger brown, then slips in beside him again. << What happened? Why did you not go? Yours looks afraid. >> As his wing beats drop into a steady rhythm, he continues, << Mine says you are to fly back to the Weyr now, flying straight, and land. She will talk to yours in her office after the lesson is finished. >> He waits to see the weyrling pair comply. (Imoth to Gedroth)
To Imoth, Gedroth is shivering, while he flies, and takes himself in a very broad circle around Imoth. He keeps looking at the place where he almost went between, as if expecting he could really find something there, something that physically prevented him from following his orders. But, << We couldn't hold the image, >> he admits, ashamed and unable to look Imoth in the eye. << When we were about to go between, we couldn't remember where anything was. >> He drops out of his circle, aiming himself obediently back towards the weyr. That order, at least, he can follow. << Yes, sir. After the lesson. >> And if he sounds a bit dejected, well, he has the rest of the lesson to get over it.
Imoth pops Between to rejoin the rest of the class: they're going to be popping between Fort Hold and the Weyr for an hour or so before Jantha finally lets them land. Plenty of time for Rhodya and Gedroth to think over what's happened.
When: Daytime on day 10, month 13, turn 19 of Interval 10.
Where: Sky above and outside Fort Weyr
What: Jantha takes up a group of weyrlings for their first unaided jump between. Rhodya chickens out, and gets sent home.
It's a fine, clear winter's day, if cold, and the visibility is good. Somewhere to the East of Fort Weyr, but not as far away as the hold, a group of five dragons is flying quite slowly away from the Weyr in a staggered line formation. The leader is brown Imoth; the followers are weyrlings about to take their first unaided jump Between. Could they only be seen, there might well be one or two rather nervous expressions.
There's at least one nervous expression. Rhodya has violated nature and the naturally dark tone of her skin to go white as a sheet, clinging to Gedroth with knees and hands and every ounce of willpower, as though she were afraid of falling off. Her brown is not his usual confident self, either; he's too conscientious a flyer to turn his head around while he's in a pack of dragons, but the temptation is clearly there, and he keeps tilting his head to side juuust a little in search of some direct glimpse of his rider. He slows his wingbeats and falls to the back of the pack, making sure he and his rider will be last in line to try Between.
Jantha glances back over her shoulder, checking the formation, and frowns a little as she notices the straggler. Nice try, Gedroth, but it's not going to work.
To Gedroth, Imoth calls briskly, << Gedroth, you are out of line. Get back into position. >> After a brief pause, he adds, << Then, all of you, tell your riders to show you their picture of the Weyr. When you have it, show me. >>
Rhodya doesn't even seem to notice Gedroth's tricks, and it's with a start that she acknowledges the rebuke, being so tightly wound up in her dragon's mind that she overheard. The young brown makes an odd, gurgling noise in his throat, half apology, half protest, and reluctantly gives his wings a sturdy pump that carries him sailing back to his regular place.
He's slow to provide a picture of the Weyr, though, lagging several seconds behind the others and even then unsure. The first picture he provides has the Star Stones on the right, but he quickly fixes that, moves them to the left - or is /that/ wrong? << I'm sorry, >> Gedroth says, unusually meek, and goes to cheat off a classmate. He's not even focused enough to cheat well: the image he comes up with is the exact same as Ollienth's, in its positioning and focus. (Gedroth to Imoth)
Jantha seems inattentive for a while; actually she's staring off into space while reviewing the images that Imoth shows her. At a certain point, she glances back again, and again it's Gedroth that she seeks out. She frowns again, more deeply this time.
To Gedroth, It's a little hard to frown by telepathy, but Imoth definitely conveys that impression of brooding concern. << Gedroth, what is wrong with you? Your image is moving around, and I'm sure the Star Stones don't do that. Is your rider uncertain of what to show you? >>
Rhodya has her eyes trained straight ahead, but she's not looking /at/ anything, and when Jantha turns around to look back at them she doesn't meet the Weyrlingmaster's eye. Maybe she doesn't notice.
To Imoth, Gedroth projects, << She doesn't remember exactly where everything is. >> The usual burbling river noises that accompany Gedroth's speech are gone today, like everything's in hiding. << But I'm sure, >> he adds without conviction, << when we try it, it will come out right. >>
To Gedroth, Imoth responds quite firmly to that. << If she puts the Star Stones on the wrong side of the Rim, it will quite likely /not/ come out right. You might not come /out/ at all. Can you see where she wants you to go? >>
To Imoth, Gedroth winces, physically, over there in the group of weyrlings. << We're going to the bowl, >> he answers, which is not really an answer, since that doesn't mean he can /see/ it. << Which side of the Rim are the Stones again? That's all we need to put us right. >>
Jantha is looking round impatiently again, unwilling to wait longer and risk losing those other four, accurate, images. Her hand lifts, ready to give the traditional signal.
To Gedroth, Imoth sends a crisp, clear picture. << Gedroth, it is like this. When we jump, you go here, to this place, as I am showing it to you. Do you have it? Everyone, tell your riders that when they see my rider's hand-signal, they are to tell you to go to the place they are showing you. >> >>
There's a palpable sense of relief, when he gets that clear image, and Gedroth latches onto it firmly. << I can see that, >> he agrees, and stops there, lest conversation distract him from any part of the image. Well, one more word: << Done, >> he tells Imoth, as in, his rider's been instructed and they'll wait for the signal. (Gedroth to Imoth)
From Imoth's neckridges, Jantha gives a clear signal, and she and Imoth promptly vanish, to reappear a few seconds later above the Weyr. Then she's looking round expectantly - and this time it's the Weyrlingmaster who might appear a little on edge, until the weyrlings arrive safely. One, two, three, four...
Five! He's here, he's here! Gedroth emerges without a htich, still clinging hard to Imoth's image of the bowl, and Rhodya on his back looks relieved: somebody bailed her out. Her shoulders start to slump as she relaxes, but a mental nudge from her brown wakes her back up, and she sucks her lower lip in under her teeth with a nervous look around. The lesson, and her torment, hasn't been declared over yet.
Imoth tells the weyrlings cheerfully, << Well done! Round we go again - right wheel. >> He leads them round in a slow turn, and then they're heading towards the Hold again, flying straight for several minutes. There's an extra word for Gedroth, though. << So. We're going to do exactly the same thing again. Mine tells yours that she should prepare carefully while we're on the way, so that she'll be ready. >>
<< We are rehearsing with the image you gave me, >> Gedroth answers dutifully, sending Imoth a little sample of Rhodya's current efforts. The Star Stones are correctly placed, now, and rendered in good detail; the rest of the bowl is still being filled in. << We'll be ready, >> he promises. Only, his rider doesn't look so confident: she's still got that white-as-a-sheet thing going on, and her jaw is clenched. (Gedroth to Imoth)
It's a few minutes until they're far enough from the Weyr to satisfy Jantha. This time, she leads the weyrlings into a circle, and circle is what they're all expected to do while Imoth speaks to the dragons.
To Gedroth, Imoth begins to give instructions in a calm patient voice. << Tell your riders that they are to show you exactly the same place. When you have it, you show me. This time, though, you can each go there as soon as I tell you that you may go, and circle like this over the Weyr until we are all there. >> He waits a few moments, then begins to address them individually. << Ollienth, you show me first... good. Go now. >> >>
Gedroth wings around in tight little circles, honing his own concentration while Rhodya focuses on the image. And the bowl like this... Ollienth yawns a bit when her image is declared good - like, duh, wasn't that obvious - and pops through without a pause. The others, bolstered by their first success, are similarly confident, if not quite as insouciant. So then there's Rhodya and Gedroth, waiting for their command to go.
And here it comes. Jantha brings Imoth alongside the younger brown, not close enough to crowd him but as they might fly in a loose Wing formation.
To Gedroth, Imoth enquires gently, << Do you have the image from her? Show it to me. You must tell me if you don't have it right. >>
Rhodya's taking deep breaths, a last minute effort to relax herself that doesn't entirely seem to be working. When Jantha and Imoth pull up alongside, she gives them a nod, but it's stiff, and the tension's not subtle. Gedroth does seem to be more sure, his tail flicking with an eagerness to go, to give this another try.
To Imoth, Gedroth proudly presents an image so crystal clear and so details you could practically walk right into it and wander around. << I have the image, >> he says. << Is that good? >>
Dragon> To Gedroth, Imoth radiates approval in the warmth of his mind-voice - and the hint of suspicion is kept well to the rear. << It is. A fine image. Go safely, then. >>
As Imoth passes on his approval, Jantha turns a wry smile on Rhodya, and gives the hand-signal. Time to go.
Gedroth bobs his head in acknowledgement, and Rhodya robotically recognizes the signal with a short hand-lift of her own. Her brown wings forward; though Imoth left him plenty of room, he'd rather have more of it, for safety's sake. Gedroth inhales, getting ready for the jump, and Rhodya on his back only stiffens herself further. They sweep forward - then veer sharply aside, like some invisible obstacle jumped out and bit them. Gedroth bleats, like a frightened sheep; Rhodya throws herself flat on his neck and hangs on, giving him the biggest, scardest hug she can manage.
<< GEDROTH!>> Imoth veers sharply to avoid the younger brown, then slips in beside him again. << What happened? Why did you not go? Yours looks afraid. >> As his wing beats drop into a steady rhythm, he continues, << Mine says you are to fly back to the Weyr now, flying straight, and land. She will talk to yours in her office after the lesson is finished. >> He waits to see the weyrling pair comply. (Imoth to Gedroth)
To Imoth, Gedroth is shivering, while he flies, and takes himself in a very broad circle around Imoth. He keeps looking at the place where he almost went between, as if expecting he could really find something there, something that physically prevented him from following his orders. But, << We couldn't hold the image, >> he admits, ashamed and unable to look Imoth in the eye. << When we were about to go between, we couldn't remember where anything was. >> He drops out of his circle, aiming himself obediently back towards the weyr. That order, at least, he can follow. << Yes, sir. After the lesson. >> And if he sounds a bit dejected, well, he has the rest of the lesson to get over it.
Imoth pops Between to rejoin the rest of the class: they're going to be popping between Fort Hold and the Weyr for an hour or so before Jantha finally lets them land. Plenty of time for Rhodya and Gedroth to think over what's happened.