A Significant Discussion [S'kef]

It was always a risk walking through the arrangement of dragonrider huts, a risk Arddra was feeling more and more brave about taking these days. Perhaps it was because she was getting closer to V'riy and feeling more confident she could avoid the worse sort of dragonriders there were.

So many were little better than criminals and thugs, a far cry from the noble defenders of Pern from the ravages of Thread the teaching ballads spoke of. Where were the men who held the best interest of Pern in their hearts instead of their own petty ambitions?

She really wasn't sure about the Weyrleader but S'kef at least wanted to return North. Was it safe for dragonkind to return north? That Arddra didn't know. But she had other questions for the Weyrleader, questions she wasn't certain she should ask. There was the whole aspect of what right she had to even question those in charge? The answer was easy, the right of the prisoner, for that was what she was, taken from her home by force and as of this moment, she couldn't return. It didn't matter she had accepted her place was here, to Impress a dragon and do what she could to help dragonkind florish and even if she had the choice she may not want to go North to stay. It was still nice to have the option, as she would like to go home and visit her mother and sister.

Pulling herself from her thoughts, Arddra focused on moving through the many huts built by dragonriders to be their home. Blue and green eyes glanced at her here and there as she passed dragons resting in their hollows. She smiled at each one but it was a particular brown she was looking, next to the hut of the Weyrleader.

Arriving at her destination she inclined her head slightly towards the brown dragon in respect before knocking upon the Weyrleader's door. She just hoped her unexpected arrival wasn't going to interrupt anything really important.

Tyrrisath rolled onto his side and opened one eye, watching with disapproval as Arddra approached. He huffed heavily, his stocky body shifting once more as he sought a more comfortable position. He made a wordless announcement to S'kef and flashed the man an imagine of the young lady as she approached the door. Moments later, the dragon's eyes flashed with amusement at his reaction. S'kef still wasn't used to random house calls, it would seem!

The door flew open almost as soon as Arddra touched it. S'kef was there, looking not angered, but rather bewildered. A turn before, he would have demanded to know what she wanted. Now, with a greater sense of self-control, he only blurted internally while his outward self smiled. "Yes? Can  I help you?"

Rather than letting her inside, he stepped out. He pulled the door closed behind him and stood before her, arms crossed and expression tight. He didn't like visitors unannounced. His office required availability, and while he was prepared to deal with that, he was not prepared to have unexpected guests in his home. Still, he listened attentively and immediately started wondering what exactly might motivate such a random visit. By shards, it better be important!

The brown dragon's huff confused her as Arddra had no idea if her approach woke the creature up or if he was reflecting some mood of his rider. Deciding it was pointless speculating as she doubted the brown would treat her in the same friendly manner as Morith, she left the brown to his rest.

When the door flew open before she could even knock, Arddra was taken by surprise and it was by pure will that kept her from jumping back with a cry of alarm. Instead she sort of gave a startled 'oh' and her body tensed then relaxed.

"I am sorry to disturb you, Weyrleader," Arddra finally found her voice. "I just wanted to talk to you about what you mentioned to me in the dinning hall the other day."

Having him step outside and closing the door behind him was a move she had not expected. Most would invite one inside their home to talk, not stand out in the open. Yet maybe it was best she outside in the open with S'kef, given V'riy's uneasiness about the man. There was also the fact she may be able to get away from S'kef should she manage to anger him in some unexpected way.

"If now isn't a good time it can wait," she added. The Weyrleader was intimidating but she wasn't completely convinced it was just because he was Weyrleader or just the fact he was a dragonrider. A dragonrider who preferred another male dragonrider, she reminded herself. "However, if this time is as good as any, there are some points I would like discuss further with you."

S'kef wasn't quite sure what to make of Arddra's approach. She was seriously returning to him, after being so skittish last time?  Either the girl couldn't make up her mind, or she had something pressing to say. Either way, S'kef could only imagine what it would be.  He was generally quick to dismiss females, especially mousy and quiet ones, but he also knew that the invisible resident of the Weyr sometimes managed to see and hear things that others might not. People were more loose-lipped and less guarded around the small. That was part of what made greenriders so useful, at least the ones that had half a brain in their heads.

There was a chance this girl might have something to offer, even if it was small. He liked to hope so, at least...he was going to be endlessly aggravated if the little brat was wasting his time.  He was aggravated by her choice of words. She  was approaching him like a schoolteacher marking a project, but while that was annoying, it was at least harmless.

He responded with a nod. "I can spare a few minutes," he said, watching her reaction closely as he waited to hear what she had to say. If this brat is wasting my time...

Tyrrisath shrugged. Sometimes, the small details are what matter he replied, though he didn't sound any more certain than S'kef was. The dragon had a point, though. One never knew where useful information might appear, but it didn't change S'kef's attitude much. He had a million more important things to be doing. He just needed to remind himself to maintain appearances.

He had to restrain himself from smirking, too. He hadn't missed that moment of tension when he opened the door. Times changed, but S'kef still got that same little tingle of delight when he saw fear wash over someone's face. Fear let him know that he was still in control, and that was a lovely, lovely place to be.

Arddra considered suggesting they talk inside his hut but decided not to. Weyrleader S'kef looked like the sort who would be quite open on where he wanted to discuss things and he had made it clear he wanted it here outside of his personal space. Perhaps it had been a bad idea for her to come to his hut instead of catching him at a meal or did he have an office? She found she realy had no idea, most of her time here had been avoiding being anywhere near dragonriders much less the leadership.

"Given how many of us were taken from the North without being asked, I think many would want to go back North." Arddra began. "I can't speak for all who were taken and, like me, haven't Impressed yet I do understand why we were taken. I definitely don't want to lose the chance to stand at all future clutches till I Impress a gold. That said, I think people should have the option to go North, if they so choose."

"Yet, I have to wonder..." Here Arddra faulted, biting her lip. She didn't know S'kef all that well, other than reputation and her own personal experiences. He was an intimidating man but he didn't seem to be the sort to penalize her just for being open. Yet his firelizard did freak and attack her and V'riy did wonder about that too when she told him of the encounter. "Why do you want to know who wants to go North? Others in the past who expressed any wish to go North were punished...some very severely. I feel past reactions to the desire to go home is not going to have people raising their hands to indicate their wish to go North. I don't want to be punished and I am certainly don't feel it's wise to defy our Weyrwoman's orders, something I expect others feel too."

She wanted to say more but decided it may be best to see how he reacts before saying too much. Besides, Arddra didn't want to anger the Weyrleader by not giving him a chance to respond to her question.

S'kef was unimpressed by the girl's know it all tone. He honestly couldn't figure this little girl out; one moment she seemed timid, while the next she appeared self-important and frustratingly sure of herself. Confidence was often a merit, but S'kef didn't like mixed signals. He eyed her with modest suspicion and a hint of impatience as she spoke, aggravated by her inelegant suggestion. Wouldn't that be dandy, to just let everyone go and do as they pleased? If only sending those who wanted to go home back north were so easy!

He was ready to open his mouth and say as much, but something else the girl asked caught his attention. His immediate inclination was to huff in dismissal, but it struck a nerve that he was entirely sick of people striking.

The brownrider took an abrupt step forward and leaned closer to her, not so much to crowd her, but enough to show just how serious he was. "Why do I want to know, when people in the past have bee punished, you ask?" he repeated, expression stony and grim. He scowled.

"Keep in mind, young lady, who those people were punished by," he said curtly. His predecessors, Tsuen and D'ren...What a pair of staggering, drooling idiots. The disdain was plainly visible on S'kef's face, a far cry from the calm respect he'd always shown to the pair back in the old days. There had been a time when he bent loyally to their wishes, especially D'ren's, and put a smile on his face whenever their idiotic decrees called for it. In those days, he was the arm of the law...but now, he nwas the law, and to have this girl compare him to D'ren, even indirectly, was an insult.

He could feel tension building in his chest, but he maintained his calm. Lashing out at the brat wouldn't do him any good...she had no way of knowing, and he had appearances to maintain. There was one thing he wanted to make frightfully clear, however. His lip twitched a time or two before he smoothed it over with a deceptively, unpleasantly warm smile.

"My dear...I am not D'ren," he crooned. He reached out to pat her shoulder. "Please take care to remember that." He didn't comment on Tsuen. She was dead in the water for all he cared, but best not to speak of that just yet, especially not to the Weyr at large.

When S'kef took a step forward and leaned closer to her, Arddra stiffened completely, her heart racing in her chest. For a moment she couldn't look away from his eyes, expecting him to yell at her or speak in some harsh manner. Everything about his posture weighed down on her the seriousness of what he was about to say. Every instinct in Arddra told her to stand and listen to everything and not speak till he was done.

Her mind went spinning as S'kef reminded her who was in charge during those punishments. She only knew of the rumors and the public lashing but that was enough to warn her against out right disobedience. But since S'kef was made Weyrleader, she didn't remember hearing about any such punishments. There was always the chance it was kept ultra quiet and only witnessed by a few people. Yet she didn't recall any incidents lately.

When he clearly stated in a croon he wasn't D'ren did cause Arddra to once again remind herself how things were different since the change of leadership. Yet D'ren had stopped the kidnapping but he didn't let any of them go home. He did insist all weyrborn women had to have children before standing for a dragon. Then he tapped her shoulder and she froze once more but then surprisingly she relaxed. Something in his tone or expression or maybe it was just the gentleness of the touch caused Arddra to realized he wasn't intending to harm her. Exhaling slowly she nodded.

"You are right, Weyrleader, you are definitely not D'ren or his predecessors. Since you were made Weyrleader things have been calmer. I...I wish there was something I could do to help you in finding a way to return North but I don't have anything to offer. I am just a candidate and still haven't Impressed."

"I know many people who were kidnapped like I was are happy here, but some would be just as glad to go north. Others just want the chance to become dragonriders, but in the long run I don't think they care if the Impress here in the South or up North, as long as they become dragonriders." An idea suddenly entered Arddra's mind and she paused to run it through before speaking it impulsively. Deciding it couldn't hurt she looked back up at S'ekf.

"I think many people just don't know how different you are from past leadership, maybe you should have a special Gather Day. All non essential chores suspended and a day or rest and celebration. A chance for weyrfolk and others to get to know you, see you in a casual setting with dance and music to ease tensions." Arddra didn't know if such an event would even be possible or if it would be simpler to just couple it with the next hatching feast. But she felt it would be better to make it a special day, outside of the usual celebrations. "You could address those gathered with a short speech about who you are, things that people may not see just watching your from a distance. Nothing insensitive or personal of course, but more, what you can do for Katila as a whole, how approachable you can be and the like."

"You certainly can help," S'kef replied, keeping his tone even and pleasant. Granted, the girl was right. Women were scarcely useful, and right now one particular woman was proving to be a massive thorn in his side. There was little than a single candidate could do, male or female, but S'kef valued the favor of the masses. Even those who weren't important themselves knew someone important or could be put to work in a productive way, so rather than dismiss the girl, he just kept smiling.

"All I need from you is your support," he assured her. "We're all in the same position here, and some of our companions don't understand that the future is more important than the past." Shards, was he sick of all the paranoid wherries picking away at him, citing past cruelty and misconduct as an excuse to sew mistrust and dissent! Katila was fragile under it's enduring surface, and S'kef was absolutely convinced that a few more turns of flailing in the jungle would see the whole thing go down in flames. His own grasp for power had come close enough to tearing the weyr into two factions, but at the end of the day, he rested the blame on those fools who were too afraid of his reputation to see that he was saving them. Idiots!


I love it when you sound so sure of yourself his dragon said with grim approval. The brown dragon had long grown weary of politics, but he remained quietly loyal all the same, his unblinking gaze never leaving his rider's back. This one sees the strength in you

Good

The brownrider looked back to Arddra, his gaze having shifted momentarily in the general direction of his dragon. "We certainly have no shortage of celebrations," he said, giving her a non-committal answer. A well-wishing celebration would only annoy his supporters and leave his accusers with something to pick apart, he was sure of it. "I find that actions speak louder than words."

Arddra wasn't completely sure if she should give her full support to S'kef. V'riy didn't trust him and she trusted V'riy. Yet, for the moment anyway, S'kef was the appointed Weyrleader. She couldn't go against his orders, that simply would be wrong.

"You are my Weyrleader, I will support you as all the ways I can," Arddra agreed, feeling she wasn't doing anything wrong. In truth there was so little she could do other than give encouragement and support.

When he pointed out they had plenty of celebrations and he felt actions spoke louder than words she nodded. Though she had not attended the execution of the rider who attacked D'ren she heard enough about it upon her return to Katila. Murder wasn't something she approved of and was glad she took no part in it, even watching. Yet she couldn't help but feel all the other crimes left unpunished.

"I do hope things continue to improve under your leadership, S'kef." Arddra gave a slight curtsy towards him in a respectful way. "I also look forward to the day we can return North."

"I best go, I have used up enough of your time, Weyrleader. Thank you for giving me this time." Arddra felt she had said enough, in truth she probably wasted the man's time more than anything but she felt she understood him a little better. He really does seem intent to do whatever he can for the best of the Weyr. Perhaps another time she will bring up the topic of riders being more select in who they pick during flights their dragon's don't succeed in catching.