Flashback: Taking Personal Days (S'lyn)

[Slim]

"You're from a small hold, right?" S'lyn asked, frowning as he tried to recall. G'tet had been a weyrling not so long ago; he always paid attention to the weyrlings' origins, but the memory of who was who could start to blend together after so many clutches. "Small holders and cotholders tend to adjust well. Used to the work, although the... atmosphere, can be a change." He picked atmosphere because it covered so many things: the morality, the number of people. Things he still remembered after so long since coming here himself.

Cheating was another skill Chadath had picked up from mating flights. He was starting to catch up to Kalpeth, so when some of her speed went into gaining elevation, he made a big push and got above her, blocking the space she wanted. The draft she was riding on caused some problems for him, since it pushed him up as well, but he angled his body to one side so the rising air couldn't catch as much of his wingsails. Meanwhile, he kept speeding forward: soon enough he would be out of Kalpeth's way, but he could make himself frustrating in the meantime.

[Invisible]

“Yes, sir. It was not so big, but we weren’t too small.” G’tet was happy to talk about his former life since it was former. Had he still been in it there would have been nothing appealing about talking about it. “She’s a good worker and-“ He wasn’t sure of the best way to put it. How Genet was. She was not the sort of girl one found raised in a Weyr, but he knew she wasn’t the sort to freak if a man hit on her. “She’s a good girl, sir. Won’t make trouble no matter what and is happy to be here.”

If Kalpeth was taken aback by the cheating there was no indication. He was blocking her going up and that could be dealt with. Bigger than most greens she was able to get a few good beats of her wings and nearly get past the bronze. Not all past, sadly, but she definitely gained some ground. The green was not going to give up without a fight. So she veered to the left suddenly and made a play for height around the bronze. He was bigger and stronger, but she was faster and used to getting away from chasing dragons. Some things she couldn’t forget because it was ingrained in her very being.

[Slim]

S'lyn's eyebrows went up, but he started to chuckle. The greenrider kept repeating those assurances about Genet's character, as though they were necessary. "You don't need to convince me," he pointed out. "If she's a good fit, I'm sure she'll be welcome at the Weyr." After a beat, his chuckle having faded to a subdued smile, he added, "And I'm sure she'll be fine while you're away."

Chadath was too busy feeling smug about the success of his cheating to notice Kalpeth angling for a ploy of her own. Before he knew it, the green had whipped around him, and if he wasn't mistaken her neck was a little bit in front. Trumpeting again, he straightened out his body and bucked for speed, leaving aside any further tricks in favor of reminding the green just who's the bigger dragon here, with the most raw power.

[Invisible]

At the reassurances from his wingleader G’tet grinned rather sheepishly. “Ah, sorry, sir. And, I am sure she’ll be fine too. I just worry that’s all. I feel bad going away when she’s been here such a short while. Like I am abandoning her.” Mostly he worried about the trouble she might get into while he was away, but he couldn’t tell the truth about that. Not when wanted to make a good impression for his sister to everyone she might not meet. "Still, I think I might ask someone to keep an eye on her. In case she needs someone who knows their way around."

There was too much energy going into the flying for Kalpeth to trumpet her own joy. What she did do was send a little mental jolt towards the bronze in the way of letting her feel her own smugness. He might be bigger and stronger, but she was still faster. Or would be if he’d just show any sign of being tired. Although she knew she was likely to lose still she tried to gain a little speed. There was an updraft towards the end of the race and if she could catch it for just a second she might still dive down into victory. If she could make it before him.

[Slim]

S'lyn considered quickly. With his wing, he didn't have time to look after G'tet's sister himself, but a little show of hospitality might go a long way towards making sure the greenrider retained this present, relaxed attitude in his presence, rather than the stiff one he'd come in with. "You may introduce her to Masha, if you like," he offered, struck by an inspiration. His mate had been lonely to mother someone since Emeni had moved out of the apartments last turn. "Have you met my mate? She grew up here in the Lower Caverns. And very much a mother hen type." He smiled dryly, but there was affection in it.

Oh, Chadath's muscles were aching all right, but in the thrill of competition it didn't matter to him. It was the ache of a good workout: a pain that satisfied and fulfilled, even encouraged him to greater heights to see just how much he could stretch out his endurance. Another trumpet, careless of the breath it wastes, answered her mental jolt. Pure speed was all Chadath cared about now, leaving Kalpeth free to claim as many updrafts as she wanted while he hurtled relentlessly forward to claim his rightful lead.

[Invisible]

If he had thought the wingleader thought he was trying to get him to look after his sister G’tet would have been mortified. He has been thinking of just one of his wingmates he’d known for awhile. When S’lyn offered his mate to watch his sister the grin that spread on the greenrider’s face was less than entirely brotherly. “That’s so kind of you, sir,” he said thinking Genet would have a fit about someone trying to mother her. But it wasn’t a bad idea. She would need someone to keep an eye on her even for a few days. “I will bring her around to meet her before I leave. Thank you, sir.”

That was, Kalpeth thought with the small part of her mind given to thinking, the problem with bronzes. They rushed forward thinking it was all strength. Chadath would just keep going and even though he had to know she was making use of those drafts to gain elevation he would just keep going forward. Still, she remembered him being tricky before and so watched him carefully as her own wings began to protest at their use. The green wondered if the race length was designed just for a bronze. Just a little more altitude and a sweep downwards right ahead and she could win. Victory was so close she could taste it in the air beaten by both sets of wings.

[Slim]

S'lyn nodded, deciding to disregard that odd grin G'tet put on when he suggested Masha. Whatever mischief he planned, S'lyn doubted it was directed at his mate, so he had no interest in blocking it. The greenrider's sister could handle herself with her own sibling, surely. "I'll let her know you're coming by. I'm sure she'll be happy to do it."

Had he been racing a brown, or even another one of those blues, Chadath might have been more wary of Kalpeth's success in the claiming of that updraft. But he was not. Not until a glance back showed him just how high she'd gotten did he realize how much speed she had at her wingtips - and the end of the race approaching. With a grunt, Chadath tipped his wings sideways and again made an effort to block. Kalpeth would have to come off that updraft for her dive to be fast enough, but now there was a bronze in the way of the closest "empty" air. Sure, she could swing a little wider and claim the space outside him, but her initial plan would be frustrated, and the correction would take up precious moments. If you can't defeat your foe, try to demoralize them.

Would it work? He didn't have time to check. As the ledge approached, Chadath made what he could of the (lesser) altitude he'd gained at the start of the race, plunging towards the ledge with talons outstretched to catch his weight. It would certainly be close.

[Invisible]

As they spoke G’tet couldn’t help but compare this conversation with the one the weyrleader had with him and the others not so long ago. The two men were definitely different in their dealings, but there was something similar as well although he couldn’t put his finger on it. Maybe he would talk it over with Genet and see if together they couldn’t sort it out. If only for his own curiosity’s sake. “Thank you, sir. I appreciate the thought. While I’m sure candidacy will keep her busy if anyone can find spare time it’ll be Genet. I’ll make sure she knows not to be a pest anyway.” Well, brothers always thought their sisters were pests.

Out in the bowl the race was nearly over and Kalpeth worried about the end. The only thing on the line was her pride and the pride of the wingleader’s dragon. She wondered if she ought to lose. Only, she decided, if she could do it in a way he would never know. Chadath would not appreciate the race being thrown, but she was pretty sure he would not appreciate being beaten by a green either. Even if she was faster and more superior in the air in all ways but stamina. He was under her, she knew what he was trying to do. He would get in her way she had expected that after last time.

Muscles complained as she saw the end in sight. She would sleep well tonight after this race. But it wasn’t over yet. He was closer and didn’t have as far down to go and she couldn’t think what to do. There was no stopping for Kalpeth however with the win so close she could feel it in the air. With no other recourse she did what her smaller size would allow. Veering off just a fraction she came back trying to get partially under him, rocking back and forth to see if he had that last burst of strength to land without crushing her. It was risky, but she couldn’t think of the risk. He would push forward, veer off himself and let her win, or she would have to give in the game of chicken and lose herself.

(OOC: I totally leave it to you what Chadath does. Haha! It matters not to me if Kal wins or loses since she'll forget it about it the next day. Let's see what the bronze is really like!)

[Slim]

"She won't have much time to get into too much trouble, I assume," S'lyn responded easily, though he was beginning to wonder about this Genet, whose capacity for getting into trouble G'tet apparently estimated so highly. "Especially with I'dalyn doing his best to keep the candidates busy and out of trouble." He didn't have time to say more, because at that moment, the dragons finished their race, and the sound on the ledge made even the controlled ex-Weyrleader startle and look outside.

It would have been gentlemanly, even wise, of Chadath to yield to Kalpeth's determination to seize the win. Better than risk an injury to either of them, right? But the bronze didn't concern himself with such things. What was the point of a race, if somebody yielded when they could have won? He stayed right where he was, leaving it to the green's sharper turning to keep her from flying into him as he bolted straight for the ledge, landing so hard he knocked the breath out of himself and couldn't let out a victory-trumpet. Nor, caught up in the rush, did he even notice that the force and speed of his landing had cracked three of his talons. A hard-won victory, indeed, but one to be proud of.

[Invisible]

For G’tet his sister’s abilities to get in and out of trouble were well known. When thinking of her he still thought of her in terms of their time at the hold where they were both known for that. It had been easy to slip back into that mindset once she arrived at Telgar. He would just have to be more careful to slip back out of it. He nodded his agreement with the wingleader, but before he could form words he heard the end of the race as well. Not as composed as S’lyn to begin with he jumped from his chair to run and see what exactly had happened.

Kalpeth, busy keeping herself from smashing into either bronze dragon or side of cliff, couldn’t speak much to her worried rider. That Chadath did not move was no surprise. It had been an option she had considered. Twisting in the air and throwing her wings out to break she managed to come to a stop before hitting anything. When the bronze was done landing she came in for her own. It was surprisingly graceful but she likely tried hard to make it so. Once down she crooned once to the bronze as she told him We must race again. You should work on your landings before then. They were words she heard often. Work on her landings and take offs was something that she did every day. There was a private glee in telling another to do the same thing.

[Slim]

With G'tet fleeing out to the ledge, there was no point in S'lyn's remaining here at the table. Such a fuss, Chadath, he said reproachfully. He walked onto the ledge, finding his bronze in the act of nipping at his nails, which he had finally noticed were broken, but without a care in the world. Chadath's eyes whirled faster when his rider arrived, a mixture of greeting and unperturbed acknowledgement of the scolding, but he was busy talking to Kalpeth.

It was a good race, he agreed, sticking out a cracked talon as evidence. Then he bit off the broken part. That was a bad landing, yes. It was necessary. Spitting out a talon-chip, he whuffed a contented sigh. Much better competition than the blues. Yes, we should do it again.

[Invisible]

On the ledge G’tet hurried to Kalpeth to give her a pat to her side as she breathed hard from the final push to win. He looked over at S’lyn and shrugged. What could you do? Dragons were dragons. “I had best be going it looks like, sir. Thank you for your time.”

Kalpeth noticed the talons on the bronze and sent a moment’s commiseration over it. She hated broken talons. A good sport she accepted her loss with a little nudge to the bronze. I fly better than any blue she informs him with pride. We will race again. Next time I will know some of your tricks. Except next time she will have completely forgotten race. Ah, well.

She settled down so that G'tet might climb up and they might leave. Before doing so he said, "Good evening, sir." No salute upon his departure, but he might be forgiven since before he could Kalpeth took off while she still had the energy to get them up to their own weyr.

[Slim]

Chadath picked himself up to send a farewell rumble to the green as she and her rider swept back out into the Bowl. S'lyn came up next to him, resting a hand on the bronze's sweaty shoulder and glancing up at him. From the fact that he'd only rumbled after his defeated foe, rather than a louder send-off, he knew Chadath's breath had not yet entirely returned after that effort (and that landing). Ready to rest this time, Chadath? he inquired.

Maybe a little.