Xanadu Weyr - Caverns
A massive cavern in it's own right, this one has been skillfully adapted for human habitation. The high ceilings have been painted a light, soft ivory, as are the walls where numerous tapestries hang to provide brilliant color and insulation from the stone. The floor has been left in its natural state, pale pink granite speckled through with glittering mica and dark flecks of basalt, leveled carefully but kept sufficiently rough to avoid slips.
The cavern itself is loosely divided into areas, each one set up to be suitable for some segment of the Weyr's population. The most frequently occupied area, however, is the one near the Kitchens where tables of varying sizes provide a place to sit down and eat or chat and a buffet of consumables is almost always kept stocked. Its plain that on most days, this area wouldn't accommodate anywhere near the full population of the Weyr and equally plain that on such occasions when a formal meal is laid out, tables are appropriated from all the other areas.
A big fireplace is set into the wall near the Kitchens as well, several comfortable chairs nearby providing haunts for elderly residents or riders who like a good view of all that happens. Rugs cover the floor in strategic spots, all of them abstract or geometric in design and most in the softly neutral colors of undyed wool.
Exits lead off in all directions, a big archway the largest and that leading outside. Shallow stairs to the west lead to the offices and administration area while tunnels to the east lead to the infirmary, kitchen and resident's quarters. Southwards, a sloping tunnel leads down to the hot springs.
The peak of summer and many people have are inside, seeking a little shade from the oppressive, muggy midday heat. It's a little past time for the midday meal, but that doesn't stop people from lingering in the cooled cavern. At least cooler than being in direct sun with little to no breeze. Kera makes her way to the cavern, her casual top and shorts along with her damp slightly sandy hair gives away that the greenrider is coming from the beach. If those clues are missed, a pinkish tint to her nose, cheek and shoulders is the final tell. Her satchel is clutched inhand, and she's waving off a brown lizard trying to perch. "No treats for a sevenday if you land on me Mini." A frown sent with the treat and Minimur chitters, winging up to mingle with others lizards instead. Her warning delivered, Kera starts towards the back table of pitchers and glasses, offering waves and greetings to those she passes.
Earlier this morning, it looked so nice! A suitable day for getting out of the house. It was only after they'd already gotten to the caverns that it turned hot and humid… but that wasn't immediately a problem, because the AC in the admin hall is working - which kept them nice and comfortable while they visited offices there. Mostly chatty visits, though there was the part involving a nap in the archives and a few strategic consultations for how their weyr-related work is going to get done while they focus on baby-related work. There was also the bit where they deliberately stayed back to miss the press of the crowd around lunchtime. Now, though… things are settling down. Soriana's carrying a baby-sized basket! …and Ka'el is carrying a baby. Together, they emerge from the admin hall. "…something to eat before we go back?" Soriana suggests.
Ka'el is totally rocking the turn's latest fashion accessory: Human child, less than two sevens old. Colors vary, though couple has chosen a pinkish pink variety. At this stage, hair is optional, though it seems the two has opted for a bit of it. Dark brown and thin with the newness of a newborn. Babies are totally the in thing this season! Ka'el is a little more at east now than he was before, if not only because he's gotten things situated on the Weyrleader side of things. Vacation time isn't a thing that's taken often. Someone's gotta run the wings, and that someone has been situated and files shared and notes given. And now he's free! In a sense. Free from work, but not from responsibility. And probably not fully from work either, but he can hope. He moves with Soriana now, child in arms. He's grinning down at the little face that, for now…looks content. Clean diaper. Belly as filled as he wanted it to be. And so much movement! He's going places, he is! Here, there, and everywhere. Ka'el's talking to him because when someone is looking at you, you should talk. And Skyler is definitely looking. "We won't be coming back here for a while. Promise." Because they're on leave! Soriana's question has his eyes turning to her, and he nods. "While he's quiet and we can maybe sit for a while? Definitely," said with a smirk.
Kera gets a glass of water, drains half it quickly and refills it with juice. Taking a test sip of the mixture, she catches Soriana's voice coming from the upper hallway, and spots the new parents with their bundles. Well, Ka'el with a baby-bundle and Sori with a basket-bundle. With drink in hand, she grabs a couple of meatrolls on a small plate and drifts over towards Sori and Ka'el. Wiggling her plate gently and grinning to all three, calling out softly to not disturb the baby. "Good afternoon you two. Or should I say you three?" She gives an amused wink to the young weyrwoman. A quick grin and headnod to Ka'el before she focus's in on the little bundle the Weyrleader carries. "Hello little man." Her gaze slips between to two new parents as her cheeks lift with a little smirk. "See, this is why I don't bet."
Apparently there's a reason why Weyrseconds exist, and it means Weyrleaders are allowed time off. Strange concept. Soriana's barely got her head around it, and she's just a Junior. Replaceable! There's others just like her! …okay, not just like her, and there's plenty of work she had to hand off (including some that's basically just a note of apology that says 'I'll do it in another month'), but… okay, the point is that they've gotten all those things resolved. Or at least, resolved enough that anything left can be funneled through their dragons or done in quick meetings with someone stopping by their house. They're free! …to… spend all their time on Skyler. Yay? Soriana does seem decently okay with it, though. She's smiling and everything. "…maybe," she replies to Ka'el, and laughs. "I wouldn't be too sure of that." She eyes Skyler with mock suspicion, followed by an amused grin. "But we should definitely try." Soriana waves the hand that doesn't have a basket in it to Kera. "Heya!" she says, then glances to her son and grins. "He's not quite up to saying hi back yet." Popular as babies are this turn, they still take some time to customize fully! Maybe somebody should streamline the process. Soriana sets her bundle (of basket, blankets and spare diapers included) on a nearby table, and glances to Ka'el. "I'll grab us some food." Easier to split up than try to navigate a baby and a plate at the same time!
It's warm in here. After having spent time in the coolness of the air conditioned hall, Ka'el can now truly appreciate the hot humidity of the caverns. …Maybe 'appreciate' isn't the best term! In any case, it's not quite as comfortable here, yet he's not yet lingered long enough to feel uncomfortable. As for Skyler? Well … time will tell how long crankiness can be avoided. Soriana's suspicion is met with a laugh, which Skyler finds most fascinating if one judges by the way he stares at the grinning face of his father and gives an arm a random, uncoordinated flail. "Yeah well, I'll keep fingers and toes crossed," he says with a smirk just before looking towards Kera, inclining his head to her greeting. "Afternoon Kera," he greets, the grin left behind by his laughter remaining. It widens a little as she extends her hello to thee baby, and he shifts his arm just a little to give her a better view of the blue-eyed boy. "Not yet," he agrees with Soriana, "but any day now. He'll be speakin' whole sentences in a month. Bet." Ka'el has high expectations for his son! The poor kid. He nods at her master plan of getting food for them both, and he lingers at the table, still standing, meanwhile. "Oh, if there's any tuber mash," he calls in her wake, "I'd like extra!" Please and thank you. To Kera, he smirks smugly. "Good call, not betting. Meet our son, Skyler."
Kera nods with a cheery grin to Sori and Ka'el "Oh I know he can't talk back, but would be rude not to greet the little man. Expecially when he's looking around at everything, and everyone. Hello Skylor." She wiggles a couple of fingers, as best she can holding the glass at least, trying to amuse the baby some. Watching the proud papa showing off his son, a chuckle slips out after the prediction of sentance soon. "You should alert HarperHall. Talent like that shouldn't be missed." A little wink offered to her friends but she gives a slight shake of her head "I'm afraid I won't take that bet though. He just proves I shouldn't waste marks on betting." As Soriana deposits the basket of baby supplies, she gestures towards the table with her glass "Mind if I join you?"
Whole sentences? Soriana grins. "Yeah, but how many of the words will be 'ba'?" Because… babies. (Ba-bies?) They don't exactly speak very coherently. It's probably their big heads full of big thoughts! …or something. Really, Skyler's kind of little all over. He'll be growing! That's his responsibility for the next, oh… twenty turns or so? Until then… little baby who doesn't have a word to his name. Or for his name. Or for anything else. Soriana laughs to Kera. "Maybe he can find some notes to go with them." Harper baby! Or… not. She waves an expansive sort of hand to the table before she abandons it to go scrounge them some food. Leftovers! Not that they couldn't have something made fresh, but that seems pretty risky. Skyler might not last an entire meal-cooking. So… leftovers it is! There's some wherry in green sauce that she's pretty sure is meant to be that color, some beans with bits of pepper, and… yep! Some mashed tubers, which she scrapes the very last of onto a plate. Victory! Spoils (er, not… in the bad way…) in hand, she heads back for the table.
Talent! Skyler most definitely has it. He can…stare. And drool. And poop. And spit up. And burp. And sleep. And cry like a pro! What a talented kid! Harper Hall already has a place reserved for the boy. He'll be ready in thirteen turns! For now though, he's showing off his prowess at observation, eyes making their way (in a wayward sort of way) to the new face of Kera. She's not mom. Or dad. His familiar world consists of those two. Today has been a flurry of a lot of new faces. Some that have spoken to him and cooed over him and asked to hold him. And here's yet another. He watches her, watches the motions of her mouth as she speaks. Those wiggling fingers. His body squirms for no apparent reason, and he makes a noise. Not a word. Not even a 'ba'. More of a flattering spit-bubble gurgle sound. "Nice.." smirks Ka'el uses a thumb to wipe his mouth, which has the baby scrunching his face and making another almost-but-not-quite-cry sound. He eyes the basket o' baby stuff, but…phew! It's a false alarm. Skyler settles, and Ka'el exhales a breath of relief. "Don't mind at all, though you might go running sooner rather than later," he warns. "Small as he is…you wouldn't believe the noise he can make." He remains standing only because.. if he stands, he can move, and moving keeps crying at bay. (The things one learns in the span of a few days!) "Settling back in to Asteroid alright with Moncerath?" he asks as Sori scrounges for food.
Kera sets her things on the table, chuckling to Soriana. "Careful what you wish for Sori. Next thing you know, Skylor might be hitting every note that exist at the top of his lungs, one cranky night. When he starts teething." Way to sooth the new parents there little healer. When 'mom' moves to hunt down food for her family, Kera grins and sips her watered juice and turns the chair slightly to stretch her legs. Ka'el's hovering by the table, holding his quiet yet curious little baby, and his sage advice about fleeing is met with a grin and nod "Maybe, but at least /I/ can run away when he starts up." Unlike /you/ is implied with a chuckle. Tearing a meatroll into small bites, she pops one in her mouth. Nodding at the question. "Yea, Moncerath is enjoying the new places and tasks. We're off duty schedule today though. So Mon and I spent the morning excising on the beach. Well, for me it was, she was just out right playing and having fun."
The things one learns, when motivated! Skyler is very good at motivating his parents to do all sorts of things! …mostly… figure out how to stop him from crying. Boy's got lungs. Maybe all babies do? (Probably all babies do.) Soriana's just kind of avoided being around them enough to find that out… until now. Now, there's Skyler! Every note? At the top of his lungs? "At the same time." Because really, how much worse can it get? This, riders and weyrfolk, is sleep-dep talking. It's a common malady for new parents. Sort of a form of temporary insanity to help them through the first turn or two! It's got Soriana smiling as she heads back to the table and sets down the plates, eyeing Skyler with a considering look. "He's still awake." Which means… putting him in the basket would… she glances to it, then back to Ka'el. "I'll eat first?"
"Don't tempt me, Kera. I may chase you down with him just so you can share in the … uh, lyrical music that is his crying," teases Ka'el with another grin. Hey! Babies could possibly be used as weapons! Weapons of torture. Unfortunately for them, it's a weapon that doesn't seem to know which side it's on. Randomly, it'll explode in the middle of the night. Friendly fire! When Soriana returns, he peers at her plate. Mmmm, fooood! But … there's a dilemma, and she spies it. Skyler isn't sleeping! And a wakeful Skyler is a Skyler that doesn't like being put down and ignored for very long. (Attention hog, much? Must get it from his father..) He smirks at her suggestion. "Go ahead. I'll hold down the fort," he says, bouncing his arms just slightly as a fussy-face is starting to form on the child in question. And for what reason? Who knows. Better eat fast! "M'glad you're adjusting well," he says to Kera, starting to walk, though it's just a sort of back and forth motion to mimic the feeling of actually heading somewhere. Skyler won't know the difference, right? "Have you had a chance to speak to Cyrus? He was… You worked under him, didn't you?"
Kera 's gaze flicks to Soriana and she fakes a dramatic cringe at the mention of all notes at once. "If he shows such a cruel streak, you can blame it on him." She thumbs Ka'el's way with a chuckle, then chews a couple more bites as she observes the trio. Little Harper in training. Obviously a future Master of his Hall. Skylor already has a Weyrleader and weyrwoman dancing to a step only he knows. Grinning at the thought, Kera blinks to Ka'el, giving as mock panicked look, but she waves it off chuckling. "Aww, how can you be so mean. He's just trying to serenade you both. And you don't appreciate his efforts." Sighing, she shakes her head "Poor thing." Her amusement is obvious as her gaze drifts between Soriana, trying to eat, and Ka'el, hovering this way and that. Washing down some of her roll, a small shrug lifts her shoulders "He came by the cottage a couple of sevendays ago. But I've not been able to catch up with him since Mon and I joined Asteroid. I think he may be working on a mindhealing project."
…aaaand then there's the other kind of baby explosions, but let's not tempt fate (uh, Skyler), okay? Soriana nods to Ka'el, and… sits down for lunchtime! Omnomquicklynom. A home cooked meal! Well, caverns-cooked meal, which beats out home cooked meals made in between Skyler's fussing. He's not always crying, honest! "S'been a busy day for him," Soriana manages in between bites, then returns her attention to finishing up a decent spot of grub. As… so! Fed and ready to face the rest of her day, she slides out from the table again and grins crookedly to Ka'el as she extends her arms for Skyler. Her turn! Time for a change of scenery. "Know anyone good for pediatrics?" she asks Kera. Ask a healer, right?
"Serenading…plus an encore most times. And then a second and third act to follow," Ka'el snickers as he walks and bounces Skyler, which settles him again. It's like handling a bomb! What will make it go off? How can he delay what is likely the inevitable? … At least he seems to enjoy doing it, which he wouldn't a real bomb. Keeping Skyler happy and occupied is a full-time job that can be enjoyable at certain times. Other times…not so much, but this? Piece of cake in comparison to some of the things they've dealt with in the past days. Explosions indeed… -.-; Soriana inhales her food. Just in time too, as Skyler is getting fussy again. Despite the walking. Despite the talking. Maybe it's the summer heat and stuffiness of the Caverns? His face is on the slight pinkish side. Nothing major. Just a little warm. "Hey…hey what's that face for?" he murmurs to the squirmy boy, lifting him up a little higher on his chest, moving a hand to stroke his cheek. He looks at Soriana with a smirk. "I didn't do it…" he says as he heads towards her, planting a kiss to his son's head before iiinching him towards her. "You suuure?" He's about to cry! At the mentioning of pediatrics though, he glances from Weyrwoman to healer. "..He doesn't need ot go to one, does he? He just came from the infirmary!"
Kera nods agreeably to Soriana as she takes a short break from enhaling her food quickly speak up on her son's behalf. "He's got an excuse to be grumpy. All sorts of strange people staring at him. It's alot of pressure." Kera turns her attention to Ka'el and the pink faced boy. "You tell'm little man." The inquiry about a pediatric is considered and she nods after a moment "Journeyman A'ven specializes in little ones." A thoughtful little frown as she glances to her plate and tears the roll into the last couple of bits "I think he splits his time between the Hall and here." A quick nod to Ka'el. "Frequently, but I don't see why he needs to go now." Watching as they trade baby for food and so forth, Kera cracks a little smile. "You'll both be panicky over every little cough, gurgle or cry he makes for a while. But you'll start to recognize his little tells. When he's being cranky, or when he genuinely feels bad." Or so she's been hearing new parents being told repeatedly over the turns.
Maybe Skyler's realized that this walking and talking is stuff he can't do! (Yet.) That would explain it. Baby tantrums over the fact he's still a baby. …hey, it makes as much sense as anything else for some of the times when he fusses. Sometimes it's easy to tell! Sometimes… "Sure you didn't," Soriana says. But oh, if he could tell the tale! Then all this would be so very much easier, because Skyler could say something like "I'm hooooot" or "I'm huuuungry" or "the sociopolitical situation in Crom displeases meeeee" or any of the other things that could be happening to make fussy baby fuss. Is Soriana sure? "No. Not in the slightest." Has she ever been sure about any of this baby stuff? But she takes Skyler anyway, easing an arm under him and picking him up. It's motion! Moving from one person to the other. Skyler … apparently doesn't like this motion. He makes a grumbly whiny crying sort of noise. Not quite a wail - yet - but clearly warming up to one if the situation (whatever it is) isn't corrected promptly. "Skyler, Skyler…" Soriana says. She's repeating herself! Maybe it's so she learns her own baby's name… or maybe it's so he does. After all, tunnelcats and firelizards can, so why not babies? "What are we going to do with you, huh?" Stop him from crying? Maybe? She hopes? She nods to Kera's mention of A'ven, then says to Ka'el, "Well, eventually." Not anytime soon. She's certainly not running for the infirmary right now, even as Skyler makes… crys, mostly. A bit of gurgle. The cough will probably be along in a minute, unless he goes full wail instead. (Please don't go full wail.) Soriana leans him in against her chest, patting lightly at his back with her fingertips.
Ka'el passes Skyler off to his mother, very gently grazing his palm over his head (which seems incredibly large in comparison) once he's secure in her arms. Secure, but still grumpy for some mysterious reason. This is when they play detective! What is upsetting their child? Which one of the many things that it could be needs to be fixed or altered to please him? … Geeze. They're like servants, aren't they? A slave to their child's wants and needs! And he's such a demanding little boss. But at least he's not crying-crying…yet. His fusses are just the prelude. The 'you'd better fix what's wrong or else!' warning that he's so kind to give them sometimes. While Soriana soothes, he moves to the baby basket to rummage. "Did we bring anything…" he murmurs, searching for a distracting something or another to wave. A rattle. A toy. … It was his job to pack the basket, wasn't it? Extra diapers, check! Another set of baby clothes, check! Toys?…Uh…not so checked off the list. Oops. "How do you know so much about babies and their habits?" he asks Kera as he makes another check of the basket, just in case he missed something. "Did you have to study them as an apprentice?" He's glad to know that Skyler isn't needed in the infirmary. He just busted out of that place not long ago! A'ven's name is stored away though in a pocket of his memory for future reference. "Do you know this Aven fellow well?" he asks, glancing at his food for a moment. Those mashed tubers are calling his name! .. But so is Skyler, in a way. .Did he pack that rattle?
Kera finishes the meatroll and brushes crumbs from her fingers as Soriana's murmuring to the little one draws a smile. While the young weyrwoman works her mojo, trying to stave off a sonic wail, the greenhealer looks to see Ka'el searching through the basket for something…anything to sooth Skylar's squalls. With a grin, she reaches for her satchel and spends a little time fumbling around for something. Not bothering to hide the little smirk at Ka'el's question. "Some. We're taught the basics of pregnancy, childbirth, healthy rates of growth. Illness little ones are more prone to." She waves off the bookish stuff and offers over a strip of dried meat. Not missing the irony of the situation, she chuckles "It may distract him for a couple of minutes." And if Skylar doesn't want it, no doubt several lizards focus on it from their perches, Minimur among them. "And then you pick up things on duty shifts. Listening to the advice given to patients. Eventually assisting in birthings. Follow up visits. New parents frequently insisting 'something' is wrong. My baby doesn't normally make /that/ sound…" Kera gives a quick shrug "You pick up a thing or two along the way." Looking between Soriana and Ka'el, she recalls facts about the Journeyman "Well, he's a middled-aged fellow. Has a good, calm bedside manner. I worked some duty shifts with him before Moncerath found me." A small shrug lifts her shoulders "Sorry, I don't have much more to offer than that."
It would be reaaaally nice if Skyler would tell them the what's wrong. Soriana's all about fixing it! Okay, maybe not the sociopolitical situation one, because that's complicated, but any of the others? She'd love to help, if only she knew… "…what?" she asks Ka'el. It's another good question! What… does Skyler want? What… did they bring? What… are they going to try next? Soriana eyeflicks to Ka'el for half a moment, then back to Skyler. She's trying the 'sway' technique, combined with the 'pat' one. The Bitran judge gives it a nine! …the Xanadu Skyler is not impressed. His little face scrunches up with disapproval. Uh oh, here comes the wail! "Shhh now…" goes Soriana, bouncing him with her last desperate hope for peace. If this doesn't work, she… uh… wait. She stares for a moment at the bit of meat Kera's offering. She blinks at it, and then she looks past the healer apprentice to Ka'el. "Wheeen's the last time he ate?" They remembered the food for them, but two has become three and the grownups aren't the only ones who get hungry! In fact, if you count it by 'times hungry' instead of 'amount eaten', Skyler eats more than any of them! Possibly - and this is quite the feat - even including the firelizards!
Mission Find Baby Toy is a fail. Ka'el stops looking the third time he's shifted aside the same stack of diapers that he did remember to pack and sees no toy underneath them for the third time in a row. Sigh! He nods to Kera as he answers his question, zeroing in on the 'illnesses' part. He'll need to know those. What signs to look for. Kera will likely be an asset when it comes to those types of questions. But, the only question he has now is 'Why is Skyler crying?!' Because now the boy is crying. Patting hasn't worked. Rocking didn't work. Patting and swaying combination is a fail. And so Skyler cries because he hasn't gotten what he's wanted and…geeze, what's the hold up, parents? "Is his diaper.." he begins at the same time that Soriana asks her question. Uuuh…ate? His eyes drift to his food, still thus far untouched but at least there and ready for him to consume at his earliest convenience. Skyler's food? Well … There was food in his belly! But that was…how long ago? "Uh…before we came here. A little before we left.." he says, making a scrunched up face of thought. "Yeah, then." And that was a bit ago. Maybe the boy is hungry! "S'been a while… That's probably it, you think?" Hopefully. At least he's not calling for healers. Yet. That strip of meat that's been offered as a surrogate toy is waved off. "Thanks Kera," he says, speaking over the baby's sounds. "We'll keep an eye out for this A'ven fellow. No need to apologize. You gave names, which is a huge help."
Kera offers the make-shift baby toy to the shushing mom, then the frantic father before grinning "I just thought the oddity of it might confuse him speechless for a short time." And probably make a soggy mess of it in the process. Her gaze drifts between Sori and Ka'el as they try to slow the coming battle. Man against baby. Battle of the Turn! Who will win? The baby of coarse! At the top of his lungs! Gathering up her things, Kera can't help but grin since she knows she's about to escape the next serenade. Pushing up from the table "Glad I could point you in the right direction. I'm gonna go wash this sand out of my hair before Skylor gets his second wind." A smile offered to Soriana "Congratulations Soriana, he's adorable." A mock snort of annoyance slips out "Even if he was supposed to be a daughter to torture Ka'el into his greying turns." Winking goodnaturedly to her friends "Enjoy the rest of your day." Wiggling her fingers, Kera smiles and deposits dirty dishes in the little tub, whistles for Minimur and heads off for a bath.
If Skyler is covered in funny colored bumps, it's probably a bad sign! …then again, it might be diaper rash. There's so many things that can happen with babies. Good things! Bad things! …thing… things! Babies are complicated… sorta. They're also simple, in that most of the time, they want simple things. To be warm. To be dry…is he? Soriana nosewrinkles as she pats down over that part of the baby. "I think… so." She'd have to check. Which she's not exactly going to do right here. There are people trying to eat! Like… Ka'el, say! Or… "Huh." That long ago? Soriana looks back to Skyler. "Is that it? Are you hungry?" Waaaah! That sounds like… a yes. Or maybe a no. Or possibly a maybe. Babies are not good at saying what they want. More with the… saying when there's something they do and/or don't want. "Seems like it could be it," she says to Ka'el, because apparently another of the skills of parenting is learning to speak over crying babies. "I'd better go, uh… feed him." She gives a shifty look around. Back to the admin hall and stealing a conference room? Daring the path back home? "…maybe check that diaper, too." Not that she thinks it is, exactly, but she's… not sure it isn't. She glances to the basket. They'll need it for diaper-time! …and she's out of hands. So. "Bring lunch?" she suggests to Ka'el with a wry grin, then glances to Kera and smiles. "See you around!" Because if feeding and changing don't work to calm Skyler, she'll be walking around and around in circles to see if that helps. Babies. Seriously. What's up with them?
See, he knew Kera would run when things got loud. Skyler knows how to go from quiet to raving in the span of minutes! Not that he's .. raving now. But he is quite upset, and thus, quite loud. And could probably get even louder and more obnoxious if he goes on too long, which isn't going to make for a pleasant eating experience for anyone. He chuckles at Kera. "You don't know how long his first wind can go on. He hardly ever needs the second!" he jokes, because he can still joke even when his baby is crying. One joke, then Skyler gets the rest of his efforts. But maybe the cause has been pinpointed. He's hungry! "Probably… He didn't eat much the last time, did he?" At least, he doesn't recall him being latched on for too long, though Ka'el himself might've dozed off at that time. Sleep has to come strategically now! But now it's not sleep time. It's feeding time for both his son and himself, and he looks at his uneaten food forlornly. Lunch…on the go! Smirking, he lifts his plate and carefully sets it atop the contents of the basket. Look, now it's a picnic! Sort of. "Where's my congratulations? I…helped," he protests to the greenrider, though it's done with a light smirk. As for his alleged daughter…nope! He'll keep his son, who still may give him just as many gray hairs in the end. "Good day to you, Kera!" he calls over Skyler's wails, packing and picking up the basket. Time to eat! But if hunger isn't what's upsetting Skyler, Ka'el's food will have to wait while they continue to investigate the endless possibilities of 'why'. But at least they have one another. Between the two of them, someone will figure it out …. right?