Who

Tyzana, G'tan

What

Weyrsecond and Candidate discuss babies, bond basics, and what the future might hold.

When

It is midmorning of the thirteenth day of the sixth month of the seventh turn of the 12th pass

Where

Galleries, Igen Weyr

OOC Date 23 Mar 2016 06:00

 

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"Babies don't make too much sense, do they?"


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Galleries

Though occasionally cleaned by ambitious (or neurotic) drudges or weyrbrats being disciplined, the lack of Eggs over the last several Turns has led to the Galleries falling into a state of disrepair. Sand can be found…well, everywhere. On the benches, under the benches, on the railings and walkways. There is also the random tidbit leftover from people who've wandered into the gathering place since the last cleaning. A random bit of cloth here, a bit of something that might have been a carving-in-progress once there.


Midmorning, and already Tyzana has had a full day; breakfast PT, a lesson on compass use, and assisting with lunch preparations by peeling about a zillion tubers. Now that she's got some free time, she's taken an early lunch (sans tubers) and the opportunity to find some peace and quiet, which seems to be of short shrift around the candidate 'barracks' these days. She's dressed simply in work-type clothes, because she's got another lesson in the afternoon, and her hair's drawn back in a runner tail to keep it out of her face. She's cleared a spot to sit on of the sand that seems to coat everything and, as she eats, she looks at the eggs with a dreamy expression on her face - it could be the eggs, it could be the cold herdbeast sandwich she's eating, or it could be about something else entirely.

Ironically, one of the few places in the Weyr that seems to be less coated with sand after storms is…above the Sands. Of course, the drudges likely made their way through the Galleries at some point this morning, but another thin layer is already insinuating its way onto the benches. Still better than what's to be found within a ten-foot radius of the living cavern entrance - a place the Weyrsecond is avoiding for whatever reason or other. G'tan, clad in blue board shorts and a sleeveless white tunic that still allows his knot to hang appropriately. His own lunch in hand, he wanders in looking for his own seat and spot a familiar face bearing a white knot. "Candidate," he greets Tyzana with a little smile and nod as he sidles up to the rail nearby. "Gettin' a break from the group out there?"

She's slow to come out of her revery, blinking a bit as she realizes that someone's speaking to her. When she sees who it is, she smiles widely "G'tan, Sir! Yes…just a little one. Those tents are kind of crowded." She admits, having roused herself enough to be aware of both rider and question posed. "It'll be good to get back in the barracks again." Not that those afford any more privacy, but there's more room. Her eyes go to his lunch, then her own. "I like to sit in here at lunchtime anyway. It gives me time to think. And look at the eggs, of course." So much better from up here, too, where they aren't creeping her the heck out. "How are rider Erissa and the baby?" She laughs, "Likely not a baby anymore, I imagine." Because time has flown! She takes a bit of her sandwich, chews and swallows, and then adds shyly, "I still remember the day I came to the Weyr, Sir. You were so very kind to me."

"Hey, you guys can make more room; you've got the space and the supplies for it," G'tan points out. "Just comes down to how much extra work you wanna put in." A little half-shrug twitches broad shoulders upward, aiding in getting a meatroll to his mouth. He's chewing even as he smiles. "Erissa's doin' well, and Seskan. He's…gotten a habit of climbin' all over everything lately. One of these days I'm just gonna rig Zinakoth up in his straps and have 'im sit there so the kid can have a go. 'Cept I don't think Erissa'd be too happy about that." The memory of Tyzana's arrival widens his smile. "Glad we didn't scare you off. Now look where you are," he says, jerking his chin at her shoulder. Not that being a Candidate is glamorous by any stretch, but the potential end result? Worth it. "You get to touch 'em yet?" he asks, tilting his head toward the eggs.

"We could, but I think we all have hopes of being back in the barracks sooner than later." Tyzana says with a wistful smile. "Sand storms aren't much fun in a tent." But then, he might already know this? "It matters not how thick the canvas, the sand still seems to get in everything." And if you've evern slept in a bedroll full of sand, you likely understand it's not comfy! "And we've plenty to be going on with, work wise, between all the things we've been doing as candidates." And G'tan shouldn't take that as bitching - no, Tyzana seems pretty content with all the go, go, go of candidacy. She laughs again at his comments on Seskan and his weyrmate, another bite taken as she listens, grey eyes sparkling with amusement. "He's adorable, you know. I've had occasion to help in the creche a few times, though, so I understand. He does like to run, doesn't he?" And jump, and climb. Her gaze shifts to the eggs, and she takes another bite. "I have had a chance. I think I like them from up here, better."

Oh, G'tan has it figured, all right. All the more reason he's anxious to see the barracks finally cleared. He doesn't take Tyzana's next words as complaint in the least; indeed, he's glad to hear that they're constantly working. It's as it should be. A fond snort is given for the observation about his son's running. "Yeah. We've had to put a gate across the damn doorway to make sure he doesn't run himself right out to learn the hard way just how high up we live." Which is certainly putting a lighter spin on their fears. Surveying the eggs again, he chuckles. "You'd better get out there and do it again, then. Might make you uncomfortable, but all that's nothin' compared to what happens if you Impress. May as well get used to it." Probably not helping, G'tan.

A wince for the thought of poor Seskan splatting on the rocks - bad vivid imagination! Tyzana shakes her head "It seems a precarious thing, raising a child in a weyr." She agrees. "But I'm sure you and Erissa are up to it." She finishes off her sandwich (the first one at least), and reaches for a skin of water to take a drink. She also offers it shyly to the rider, to help wash down his own lunch. "Oh, I'm sure I'll get out there again before they hatch." She says, falsely merry tones in total contrast to her apprehensive expression. "Is that what it's like, then, to have a dragon in your head?" Surely not. PLEASE not. "How do you stand it? And how do the dragonets inside the egg do that? Send those…images…" She shudders, remembering a few of the less enjoyable ones. "And why?"

"Yeah…" G'tan rubs his neck, looking a bit abashed. "It is, though…it's odd, what we're doin'. Most parents in the Weyr give their kids up to fosterin' soon as they can, so that sort of thing doesn't get worried about. Not supposed to get attached and all." And yet he and Erissa have, to one another and their son. Really, the Machiavellian sorts could have a field day with them. The offered skin is accepted since he smartly forgot his own, and he makes a bit of a face in initial response to Tyzana's question as he swallows. "Sort of. Dunno how they do it, but what happens when you touch the eggs… They're babies in there, and babies, the way the think is simple - just tryin' to make sense of everything and figure it out, y'know? What you sense when you touch 'em is just a taste of what they could be, not necessarily what they are. It's…hard to explain." His gaze drifts toward the entrance, where Zinakoth sits just beyond, watching over the Candidates' campground. "Havin' a dragon in your head takes some gettin' used to, but you learn to manage the bond, keepin' whatever you need to from one another. If we couldn't, we'd probably go insane, hearin' what they think and feelin' what they feel without a filter all the time. The first month or so can be kinda rough, but they don't choose people who can't handle it."

"That's such a nice way to think of it…" Tyzana says, and her gaze on the eggs is not so wary now. "I suppose I hadn't thought about it, really, that they are just babies. And babies don't make too much sense, do they?" She smiles, shaking her head "Especially ones who don't know much except the insides of an egg. I imagine it could get boring in there too, for a sentint…sentient creature." Ahh, someone learned some new word recently! And only stumbles a little over saying it. She picks up her second sandwich, as thick and yummy looking as the first, and takes a huge bite, chewing thoughtfully as she listens with slight wonder and trepidation on her face "I think it would be strange, to have another …being? Inside your head at any time. But to have that bond.." She sighs. "I wish they'd harden faster. The waiting is nervewracking."

G'tan smirks deeply as Tyzana finds the word, nodding and popping a bit of fruit into his mouth. "Probably does get boring," he agrees. "Good thing they don't remember. Good thing we don't remember; we don't get to just hatch like they do." He shakes his head, his imagination starting to veer off in directions he'd rather it didn't. "It can be weird sometimes, aye. But once they're with you… It's a sort of love and care you just can't find in anything or with anyone else. Not somethin' anyone can really understand unless it actually happens to them. Not always easy though; there're a few dragons here that…just make me wonder." Such as the Weyrleader's dragon. Chuckling, he gives a little shake of his head again. "They'll get there. Then they will hatch you're left askin' what the shell happened." Hatchings. Crazy things, they are.

Wistful is Tyzana's expression as G'tan speaks of the dragon-human bond. "It sounds wonderful." she agrees…then blinks, tilting her head "What do you mean? Which dragons make you wonder?" curiosity, right here and now! Sandwich continues to disappear, since Tyzana never lets anything stand between her and food, not even conversation about dragon bonding. There is as light moue, however, at having to wait for the eggs to hatch - she even sends them a little 'hurry up' glare. "I suppose they can stay in their eggs a little longer.." she says with a little laugh "At least while they're in there, I'm learning all sorts of new things. I can use a compass now. And this afternoon, I'm going to get to have another lesson with the dragonhealers." She looks suddenly pensive "G'tan, Sir….if I don't impress…d'you think I could still train as a dragonhealer? Or do you have to join healer hall for that, first?"

A flicker of discomfort passes over G'tan's features as he considers just how much he ought to reveal. "Let's just say there are some dragons who turn out to have…more aggressive personalities. Darker, even what you might call violent. You get a glimpse of what's in their heads from your own lifemate, and you wonder just how their riders are managing. Gotta hand it to those ones; they've got steel to 'em. Not all of 'em are unscathed by what they deal with, though." Moving on, he nods to what Tyzana is learning, and then she's asking him a question and sandy brows hike a bit in consideration. "Don't see why not, though yeah, I think it'd be best to actually be wearin' the purple to do it. Get an apprenticeship, get a strong foundation, then come back and keep trainin' as a dragonhealer. Mind, if you don't Impress, you'd be working with a bonded dragonhealer all the time since you won't have a dragon of your own to help you figure what's wrong, but still. Every hand to help heal 'em, we need." Smiling, he adds, "If that happens and you need an advocate, I wouldn't mind puttin' in a good word for you."

There's disappointment, because Tyzana so doesn't want to be an apprentice. "I'm too old for that." She grouses - even if she isn't really, in her mind she is. "Well, it was just an idea." But the fact that G'tan would vouch for her, this brings a smile. "Thank you, Sir. I s'pose, if nothing else, I could just be a helper of some sort. They always need extra hands, right? I just thought…I'm handy with a needle, and seems it isn't much different sewing skin or hide than cloth.." Except perhaps for the person or dragon to whom skin or hide belongs! "Anyway. It was just a thought. I have other plans if I don't impress." Her smile turns a little dreamy then, and she sighs, polishing off her sandwich. Then blinks "Wait. You mean not all dragon pairings are…loving?" Oh dear. That's got her right back to nervous.

"Like I said, it's not somethin' that's easy to describe. Even those more difficult pairings…what a non-rider knows as love can't really come close. A dragon can be a complete ass, but their rider belongs to them, and they to their rider. It's not warm fuzzies all the time, but there's a devotion there. I will say those darker personalities don't seem all that common, so don't worry. I only know about three directly right now at Igen, and one of 'em's just more rough than he is dark." A thoughtful gaze is turned on Tyzana as he finishes off his meatroll. "I know you know it isn't all sewin'. You could learn a lot by bein' 'just' a helper, but you'd get farther to take an apprenticeship, Tyzana. If it's somethin' you find satisfaction doin', I'd say it'd be worth it to swallow your pride and do it; you're not too old. No one's too old to make a start."

"Well…I suppose not all relationships are without their trials, even amongst humans. Seems silly to think dragons and humans would be no less varied." Tyzana agrees, pulling a piece of fruit out of her lunch sack to nibble, a little grimace for his words on dragonhealing "I know it's not all sewing. And I know it's silly to think I'm too old to apprentice. It's just…." She looks around. "I've been independent for an entire two Turns, Sir. Even candidacy is seeming restrictive to me. Apprenticeship…" She shakes her head. "No. I'd love to assist, and perhaps if I impress it would be different," as in, she could train without the restrictions…"but if I don't impress, I've other options open to me." A suddenly bright smile appears. "One that appeals very much, at that." So she's not going to be a tragic figure, if she's left standing on those sands, nope. This girl has a future, regardless!

Another nod from G'tan for Tyzana's initial words. Just so! Then it's back on to the apprenticeship-or-not matter, and he has to restrain himself from shaking his head again. Kids these days. Not that he can talk, looking back on his own weyrbrat childhood. "Glad to hear you've been planning ahead," he says, meaning it. "Some never give thought to what they'll do if they don't Impress. And if you don't, you've got time to Stand again, if you want." A bit more fruit is finished off before he pushes away from the rail with a soft huff. "I'd best get back to it. More drills to go observe, a waterskin to go find." Since he's apparently misplaced his. "See ya later, Candidate." And then he's meandering back off the way he came, tugging his lifemate away from guard duty in the process.

"I like to be prepared," Tyzana agrees, then looks astonished and horrifed all at once. "Stand again?" Head shakes, as she pauses in taking a bit of her fruit. "It's hard enough the first time. I'd imagine a second time would make it even more so." Second chance at rejection, after all. She can't imagine doing it again! But she can't help the grateful smile that appears "Thank you for all your help and advice, Sir." She even gives him the salute that she forgot to give him when he arrived, though it's possibly ruined a bit by the piece of fruit in her hand. "Have a good afternoon!" she calls to the retreating rider, then looks back at the eggs again, more contemplative than dreamy now.

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