Spring has barely sprung and already it's an improvement! The night skies are clear and the winds aren't too chilling. Va'os is warm enough, dressed in his riding leathers and from having climbed those winding stairs. It's rare that he ever comes here… in fact, it may be his first REAL time up y the start stones. He'd no real intention to head this way originally, but something drew him. There may have been some regret half way up but here's here now and intending to ENJOY the view spreading out below, even if it's nightfall. There's enough light from the moons to see some details and what is hidden can be left to imagination. Not surprisingly, he's alone.

Or Va'os would be alone if it wasn't traditional to have a rider man (or woman, Pern is progressive!) the star stones at all times during a pass. And on this first fine spring evening, Vani has drawn the short straw. In the shadows cast by the erratic moons light it would be very hard to spot the large star-dusted form of Caelisth curled up against the lingering chill, and even harder to spot Vani in her dark maroon leathers settled on a forepaw staring up at the stars. But they are there! Perhaps it is the scrabble of boots against stone, or the clattering of a pebble, but in short order their reverie is interrupted. "Who's there?" Vani's voice carries sharply in the darkness, even as she lurches to her feet, stuffing something into that handy breast pocket, and steps into friendlier light than what she was in just moments before.

Va'os may have forgotten that tradition. It'd be right up his usual behaviour to do so! How he missed even catching a glimpse of Caelisth though? He must be out of it. Tsiroth could be filling his head with some run on commentary or some new tune that has the bronzerider looking the other way and distracted. It's not until Vani calls out sharply that he reacts, turning his head abruptly to the sound of her voice. Squinting in the semi-gloom, he stops where he is and calls right back. "It's just me!" His voice is easy enough to pinpoint, mild northern accent and all. "Vani?"

"No, it's the ghost of Turnover past!" It's totally Vani, even as she steps to the base of those ubiquitous stones and half-opens a glow basket to shed a little light on the entire situation. But not too much light, because that really isn't her way. "Are you relieving me?" She sounds hopeful. "Or did you just feel like climbing a zillion stairs for no good reason?" Both are very valid questions as far as the dark-eyed green rider is concerned. Caelisth is still pretty happy to remain curled up, although she turns her head away from the comparatively brighter light to keep her half-lidded eyes on the skies.

Va'os' scoff can be heard from where he stands, even if the slight roll of his eyes cannot be seen. He IS smirking at least, to her joke and begins to approach after Vani's shed some light from that glow basket. Better! "Nope!" he drags that word out with bemused emphasis and a slight 'pop'. Being an ass, not even a few seconds in to their conversation! "Not here to save you from… this. Literally dragged my sorry ass up here for no reason." Shoulders shrug and his hands spread outwards. Just how it is! His hands fall back to his sides and he peers about the looming stones again and briefly up to the star-studded sky. "Was wandering. Now that it's not pissing rain every few seconds."

Seeing as it isn't official relief, or anyone other than Va'os Vani retrieves her flask from her pocket again. She'd offer the bronzerider a nip, but he's been an ass. NO BOOZE FOR YOU! "Imagine how much more fun all that rain is when you pull this duty." Why there isn't some kind of shack up here Vani does not know. "Well I'm here. I'm supposed to be here." She points out. "If you were looking for somewhere to think deep dark thoughts…" She snorts, Va'os thinking right? ;). "…undisturbed, I'm not sure that's going to happen." He has been warned, she will talk to him while he is up here, cos otherwise it's boring af.

Oh, now Va'os is going to cry! NO BOOZE? No, seriously. He could care less if Vani shares or not, though he'll give her a side look for that flask. Really? She'd not have been the type he'd peg for casual sneaking of a nip or two while on duty! "Wouldn't you just bring some rain cover, then?" So much SASS! He does grin though, to show he's just purposely jabbing her now. "Hey, if you want to finish the rest of your shift up here alone, I'll take my sorry ass back down those stairs… or, maybe I'll stick around and chat." HER CHOICE! Apparently. Her snorting at his 'thinking' brings another smirk. "Ha ha. Very funny! I was thinking about all the shit happening lately." So there~

Clearly Va'os hasn't been paying attention as closely as he thinks. Vani drank when she was a barmaid too, and it's just chilly enough that the illusion of warmth the flask brings is appreciated. "What crawled up your butt?" She asks, cos this is not the laid-back Va'os she knows and gets along with, but she extends her flask companionably. "No backwash." Cos he knows how she feels about boy-cooties right? For a moment or two more she stands in the silence, stamping her feet to try and get feeling back into them. "Nah, I've seen you do PT, you don't want to push it…" He can stay. "What shit?" She asks cautiously, sneaking a look back at her lifemate, cos that's the most shit she's gotten up to lately.

Va'os' memory is also not that reliable, here! "Nothing crawled up my butt!" he exclaims, sounding almost offended by the mere notion that he would have a stick shoved up there or behave in any way other than his usual self (okay, so she's seen him at his near worst, so… fair). When she extends the flask, he'll reach for it and then tip it in silent thanks before taking a quick pull from it. Barely touches the mouth of it too! No cooties! See? He's not wholly an ass. Handing it back while he swallows whatever alcohol is within, he narrows his eyes in mock annoyance for her jab at his PT. "I'm better at that now!" Geez. Cut him some slack, will ya? "… what shit?" Va'os stares at her. "Oh, I dunno." Sarcasm warning, in the dryness of his tone. "Maybe the refugees for one and all the bullshit surrounding that? Or that disaster of a gala? I mean… next time YOU can find the half-dead guy and follow blood trails 'n all to cap off the whole evening." Smirking, he gives a slight shake of his head and a hand lifts to rub along the back of his neck.

Whiskey, Vani's prefered poison is whiskey. And it is the type that trickles warmly and settles in a person’s tummy like a little kitten. It's the good stuff! "Well good, cos if your course is due…" Nevermind the fact that neither her nor Caelisth are exactly full of sunshine and rainbows (Whiskey-kittens only occasionally count). "Oh." Yeah, Vani might have been trying real hard not to remember that. Especially the stuff that happened at that gala. "Your half-dead guy died under my hands. I was the person who listened for his last words." Vani counters in a dull tone. Apparently you can take the girl out of Igen, but not the Igen out of the girl, because Vani doesn't appear to be the type to be superstitious.

Of course Vani has the good stuff! Might be a small piece of why Va'os likes her. Of course, right now? He's too busy choking on shoving his foot quite far into his mouth. Realizing his mistake in memory recall, it's obvious when it strikes him because his eyes close and he exhales roughly. Fuck. "… right. You were there." Sorry, not sorry? It was chaos and he wasn't exactly taking down names (at that point). He shrugs, hands gesturing emptily again. "Well," Lamely. "That's what's been on my mind a lot of late. Along with everything else." Did he just dart a look to Caelisth? Maybe. But that was a GOOD experience (weirdly or no?) and not to be lumped with the bad.

Vani see's that look at Caelisth and her eyes narrow. "Yeah." It's short, almost sweet. "I guess…" Now Vani struggles. Dead guy? NBD (Or so she appears). The burdens of a greenrider, that has her stammering and perhaps blushing a little. "That wasn't so bad." At least the greenrider is guarenteed a good time? "Different." She nods her head firmly. "Did you hook up with that brownrider?" Cos she knows how Va'os likes the ladies. She's trying to keep the conversation way from the dead guy, and those last words of his. But they've been playing on her mind as well. "He said… He said there was a rider." She admits in a quiet voice. Hey Va'os, Vani has a bite of maggoty redfruit for you!

Va'os looks perplexed at the narrowed look. What? He didn't mean anything BAD by that look! He'll let her struggle through it, before scoffing lightly but his half-grin is a little more genuine this time. "Wasn't so bad," he echoes back. "Good for you." He might mean that too, given he may have had some shred of how she felt (feels?) about Caelisth rising. Now it's his turn to look slightly sheepish and smug in the same instance. He scratches idly beneath his ear in his usual fidgeting habits when he's not entirely comfortable. "Rielle? Yeah. Think she likes me… for whatever reason." A small grin as he pokes fun at himself. "Might try my luck again." Did he just hint at future hook ups? Perhaps. Then Vani is offering that maggoty redfruit of tidbit information and he frowns again. "I know. They were discussing it down that hallway… before I went to guard the exit. Which makes it all the worst, huh? But I guess not even riders are beyond corruption."

"Just don't be an ass about it." Vani warns, with a mock-scolding finger. "With your mouth you're lucky anyone sleeps with you." It is love that prompts her to make these observations. "And perhaps you'll stop…" Even though she mutters the last, she stops herself from completing that sentence. "You'd hope though right?" For a long long moment she leaves that ambigious question to hang between them. "I mean you'd hope that riders were a little more… like they are in the Harper's Tales." She shrugs, not used to examining her beliefs as hard as she has been lately. "I mean, I might take a tipple or two on duty, pretend I don't care. But, most of that is playing…" She stops herself there. Because that's getting close to those additional duties Lynx engage in.

"Geez, you don't have to be a bitc—-harsh about it either, Vani!" Va'os just about walked right into that one again! She should know by now though that his snark in return is just out of love too. Jab for jab, here! Brows lift, his head tilting just a bit. "Stop what?" he prompts, with a hint of wryness. What was she getting at? He needs to know! He considers the rest of what she says with thoughtful silence before shaking his head. "I don't think anyone is above turning to bad habits. Some riders are good to start but that doesn't mean they can't go bad. Same for us who've… made mistakes in the past. We can be good." But he's hinting there that the temptation is still present. Va'os is well aware of his weaknesses, here. "And that's just it. They write ballads and songs about the great deeds riders do but we're still human, Vani. Everyone has vices. If a rider is involved, there's likely a damned good — but completely fucked up — reason why."

Vani smirks. "Asshole." He knows by now she doesn't really mean it right? As for what he needs to stop, she's just going to pretend ignorance with a flutter of those thick lashes of hers. "I was surprised Caelisth didn't pick Tsiroth…" She observes, before quickly tacking on. "OR Taliveth. Enzoth wasn't particularly forgiving of her when she was young." But Dragons have memories like goldfish, so perhaps it was to be expected. Taking up the second strand of conversation they are exploring she switches gears with grace. "I've seen enough of the crap. Riders for the most part, are good people. They help." This is a belief so firmly entrenched in the usually jaded greenriders psyche. "But people died. Not just that steward, but there are kids that we'll never know what happened to them." And that has been worrying her a lot.

Va'os smirks right back. He knows that already! Sending her a narrowed look for her evasion, he'll sigh and give it up for now. Fine! She wins. Again! "I'd lie if I didn't admit I thought the same but…" He shrugs. "That's how flights go, right? Lots of good competition. Tsiroth chases often but loses almost always. I don't doubt he'll try again." And probably fail, again. Va'os is okay with it! As he explained to Rielle, it's perspective. To him, winning or losing both have their… benefits. Look at them shift through topics so effortlessly! From flights to much darker stuff. "Yeah, for the most part riders ARE good. Just as most folk are good." But? He's already made his point and he can only sigh when she brings up those kids. "Some things are better off not knowing…"

It is perhaps unsurprising given her own non-childhood, that the children have been troubling her perhaps more than anything else discovered so far. "I… I suppose." Her agreement is uncertain and unhappy. "I've been up at the Hold quite a bit since the gala, keeping my ears and eyes open…" For the faintest glimmer of hope or illumination. "Aside from duties like this. And 'Falls." Naturally. And then she's going to flip that switch again, with a shake of her head to dispell the funk of plucked heart strings. "She does like Tsiroth you know?" Of course Vani and Caelisth are similar in how they express affection.

"Has there been anything…?" Va'os will prod at that faint glimmer of hope, before grimacing. "I've not been back since that night." Why does it sound like he's considering it, though? There goes that switch again and he scoffs lightly, but the small smile that does surface is a true one. "I know." How couldn't he? He may play oblivious and stupid half the time, but he's aware of Tsiroth's interest in Caelisth. "He likes her too." But? "I still won't stack the cards in his favour though."

Vani shakes her head sadly. "That doesn't work out so well." Vani admits, without admitting how she learned that lesson. "Stacking the favor." There is a hard-luck smile for the bronzerider, even as she sips from her flask and offers it over again. "Lots of gossip. You know, so and so is sleeping with such and such. They may pretend to be proper, but those miners are horny bastards." There is a grin for what she has uncovered. "Oddly, however I've not heard many say much ill of the deceased." The identified one at least. "But that could just mean he was pretty good at keeping shit seperate." While she has not found anything conclusive, she is finding hints. "I'm making friends with the barmaids down there at the moment. You'd be surprised at what men say to impress a pretty girl." Or perhaps Va'os wouldn't be surprised at all.

Va'os grimaces as he agrees with her, "It never does. I'll just stick to my plan to roll with the punches." Easier to cope, that way! Right? He does take that offered flask again, a smile returning to his features as he tips it towards her in some vague toast-like gesture before helping himself. Again, mindful not to actually touch the flask with his mouth. No cooties for you, Vani! Handing it back, he'll laugh. "Why am I not surprised by that gossip? Or that your best source are the barmaids." Damn, why does she get the 'fun' part in all of this?

Vani covers that inappropriate chuckle behind her hand as she watches Va'os very carefully avoid giving her cooties. When she reaches to take the flask back however her face is composed. She was totally laughing with him okay? "Gotta play to your strengths. I'm not really made for confrontation." There is a quick glance down at her slender leather-clad form. "Even if I was, I think I'd prefer NOT to." For reasons. "You know me, I never approach things directly if I can help it." A'hali is about the only exception she makes to that. "Hanging out in a bar is kind of a default for me anyways." She admits to mixing business with pleasure with a certain fillip.

Oh sure she was laughing with him! Va'os might've suggested otherwise. "What?" he scoffs and uses that as an excuse to give her a once-over look. "I dunno, Vani. I think if you had to, you'd put up a damn good fight. Size," Oh, now his grin turns a touch wicked. "Isn't everything." She's welcome to punch him in the arm or something for that. Really! "Mhm. Well, I don't like to fight either if I can help it. Got in enough skirmishes in my lifetime to know I'm better off picking fights in other ways." Mostly by avoiding them! "Nothing wrong with covert information gathering, right?"

"No size isn't everything, but it's nice." Vani counters with a touch of her own wickedness, Va'os has seen A'hali right? She likes 'em big. Okay she only likes that one big guy. And she really really likes him. And she really only has N'tash for comparison. "You have no idea." She admits, the arrival of her former instructor forcing a little bit of acknowledgement for skills learned a lifetime ago. "Fighting is a waste of time and energy. My time is much better spent doing what I do best." Which is confusing the fuck outta everyone until eventually someone trips up.

Ouch! Was that a slight against poor N'tash? Now Va'os really laughs when Vani so cleverly counters him and on the same level to boot! "Knew you had a good sense of humour!" he teases, his grin a little more carefree than before. Maybe it was worthwhile to climb all those stairs after all? "Couldn't have said that better myself! So," His hands clap together, but it may also be him trying to chafe them to bring back some warmth. Even he's not invincible against it… and it's starting to seep through now that he's been 'idle' during their little chit chat. "When's your shift up here supposed to end? If you think you can tolerate my company a little longer… Want to grab something to eat?" Drinks may or may not be included too.

It's almost as if Va'os' words summon forth another dragon from the starry skies, this one a blue-rider also of Lynx. "I knew it wasn't that much longer!" She's been up here forever, as evidenced by the fact her stomach answers Va'os' question in a most unlady-like manner. "I suppose I could keep you company for a bit. Just a little bit mind. All this talk of size has reminded me I haven't seen my weyrmate in far too long." But his shift isn't over for a while yet. "We can give you a lift down if you're not up for those stairs?" She indicates the slowly rousing Caelisth with a jerk of her head. She has a dragon, they can travel!

"Don't rub it in there, Vani." Va'os won't say no to a lift down, if Caelisth and Vani are both offering! It'd just be rude, right? Not to mention delay getting to somewhere warm and some hot food! Gesturing for her to lead on, he'll follow her and maybe the rest of the evening won't end so bad. Va'os is good for idle conversation, at least and he'll steer clear of any of the darker topics. Even if they continue to linger in the back of his mind.

The sooner they get down, the sooner they can get warm! It is with a lazy glide that Caelisth takes them to the Weyr Entrance and the familiar warmth of the 'Kitten. Where else where they going to go? Seriously? THE END