The Probability of Death and A Nonrider-Wingleader's Mutiny
caverns.jpg

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.


It's late afternoon in the caverns, and people are just starting to trickle in for supper. Jethaniel sits at an otherwise-empty table, a plate of half-eaten food nearby. In early for the meal? Well, not exactly. There are remnants of the baked tuber and cheese on his plate, which was served at lunch but has /not/ made a reappearance for supper. Therefore, one can deduce that the techcrafter has been here at least since lunch. What could have kept him? Ah, the answer to that is not too difficult, if one simply observes the situation in more detail. It was, perhaps, a slight exaggeration to call the table he's at empty. Empty of other people, certainly, but it's also occupied by a heap of papers that have the journeyman frowning and tapping his pencil against the table in turn, as he has been for quite some time.

Idrissa actually made it /early/ to a meal, though she isn't alone as Asher her ever faithful rather large silver-tanish over grown dog is following at her heels. Once within the caverns she glances around checking for Soriana and Kale, an so far she can't find her friends. She pauses a moment, pondering while scratching at her neck before pressing onwards. Asher takes over a spot near the fire out of the way while his owner goes to finds foodz. An after spending a few moments in line being ever so nice and thanking the cooks she appears carrying a plate with supper stuffs, and a cookie on it along with a mug of cider. Even though there are empty tables all around she heads on towards where Jethaniel is seated and takes over a seat upon the other side, a slight wave offered to him once her hands are free.

Thea trickles in from the administration hall, for once prompt for the evening meal rather than forgetting to eat altogether. She's come straight from her office, smoothing her coiled hair into place while behind her the Weyrsecond - and the reason her hair needs fixing - slips through the door and heads on out to the clearing. He's dressed for evening sweeps, so apparently he's eating later but has prodded her to eat now or something. Her pass through the line is sped up - much to her dismay - by an overly-exuberant cook tut-tutting and ladle-waving in her dedication to feed the Weyrwoman fast-food, as-it-were and get her through the line. "No really, don't-" But in order to save people from being spattered with droplets of gravy, she complies and soon finds herself with a tray and headed for a table. Tender roast, herdbeast, brown gravy, fluffy white tubers, rolls and greens - none of which she chose, mind - are piled on a plate in portions large enough to feed her entire family. It's Jethaniel's table she stops at, sitting beside Idrissa in an almost post-traumatic state before offering the girl a smile and then greeting the crafter with a drawled, "That looks appetizing."

So, using that as the basis for calculating- Jethaniel frowns down at one of the papers before him. "-simply doesn't add up," he mutters to himself. The papers get shuffled around, and he stares at another one as if it deliberately slighted him. "-kind of careless reckoning has-" He scowls, and shakes his head, taking another page and comparing the two. A pair of diagrams, if Idrissa cares to peer that way. He's certainly not peering at her, far too caught up in those diagrams. Those schematized, and rather similar, diagrams. Despite the similarity, Jethaniel is looking from one to the other and shaking his head in dismay. Thea's words make him look up, blinking. Ah. People. Ah. The weyrwoman. Internal monologue, become external! "There is a /discrepancy/." He says it in the tone one might use to report an invasion or epidemic. "The current potentials around the hatching grounds do /not/ add up, neither to the current schematics /nor/ to the archival ones! Which are /different/! With no record of the change!" How terrible! He is indignant!

Idrissa eyes her plate a few moments wondering what to eat first, it looks good, and her stomach clearly grumbles proving someone skipped lunch again. She soon gives in and picks up the cookie which she breaks off a piece and pops it into her mouth. Might as well start with desert frist, right? Her bright gaze flicks up at the person sitting next to her and she blinks while peering at Thea a moment, looking a bit unsure what to say or do. A nervous smile is offered back to Thea and she swallows the bite of cookie she had. "..hi.." Is soon heard escaping the girl, her voice rather soft, or was it a squeak? It is possible with Rissa. She may not have ever met Thea before but she has a good idea whom the 'important' people are around the Weyr, everyone is of course important but some a wee bit more. As Jeth says something her green gaze flicks over to him, eyeing the papers curiously while she eats another bite of cookie, if she is eating she can't talk, right?

Yeah, the shiny knot tends to have that effect, much to Thea's chagrin, even after wearing it for five turns now. Idrissa’s squeak draws a half-grin from the Weyrwoman along with an introduction of sorts, "If I promise not to bite you, will you promise not to squeak? I'm just Thea, really. Unless you're in trouble, then it's The Weyrwoman." What follows is a warmer version of her smile while she picks up her fork and proceeds to prod her pile of mashed tubers. Jethaniel's commentary stops that though as pale eyes track from her food to the young man, mouth opens but no sound comes out while the eyes sort of glaze over with non-comprehension. There's no mistaking the tone though. An expression of semi-dread falls over the Weyrwoman's expression. "Discrep-ancy?" She stumbles over the unfamiliar word, thereafter mouthing 'potentials' silently while remaining riveted on the Journeyman. "Does this mean," she asks plaintively, "that something is going to blow up?" Just because her computer didn't, doesn't mean something else won't!

Blink. Jethaniel pauses at Thea's reply, with the familiar mental ker-chunk as he adjusts to non-techie discourse. Ah. Right. This is a weyrwoman, not a techcrafter. She doesn't know these things, because not everyone thinks in terms of electrical potentials and schematized data. He's still not sure why /not/, it would make everything so much simpler, but some things must simply be accepted. "Ah. Unlikely," he offers in answer. He's hardly going to guarantee it without a great deal more information, mind. "But possible. There is…" Non-techie words. Come on, Jethaniel. Find those non-techie words. You have them somewhere. "…a problem." So imprecise! "The… power system, at the hatching grounds, does not match the design."

Idrissa actually tends to act this away around many of the adults she runs into, though thanks too that shiny knot on Thea it does tend to make her squeak moreso then normal. She looks back to Thea though, did she just say something about biting? Rissa is very sure she heard that, though the rest seems to slow tick into her head. "Um.. yes ma'am.. I mean.. Mrs. Thea. I'm Idrissa, Beastcraft apprentice…" Though she slips quiet after that and figures outa anyone at the Weyr Thea would know that. She got most of a sentence out at least! Her gaze drifts back to Jeth and she munches on another bite of cookie wondering what could blow up. "How do they not match?" Though she pauses after,maybe she shouldn't ask that? Another bite of cookie and then its gone.

It's Thea's turn to blink and she does so when she catches Jethaniel's words, perhaps putting two and two together and getting five. Though reassured that there will be no 'sploding sands - at least nothing immanent, she's still alarmed. "There's a problem with the power system?" She frowns, dark brows knitting. "The sands aren't heating? They were pretty hot when I last made my rounds." Yeah, pretty hot is vague since her finger is not a thermometer, she has nothing precise to offer him. The design he's mentioned draws her eyes to the schematics he's got spread out on the table but looking at that does nothing to enlighten her. While scanning this, she corrects Idrissa absently, "Just Thea is fine and well-met, Idrissa." No, really, she doesn't know every soul in the Weyr and what they do. The Headwoman, now, that's another story. Back to the man presenting her with potential catastrophe, "Hmm. And… this is a problem, I'm guessing." Green eyes lift to his and she asks carefully, "Can you explain why?"

Ah! An interested student! Jethaniel displays a page of near-incomprehensible diagram to Idrissa, clearly about to launch into a lecture on electropotentials and circuitry and types of power generation (as well as the tradeoffs involved in local, inefficient generators versus remote but efficient sourcing). "Well, you see -" Ah. Right. She's a beastcraft apprentice, not a techcraft one. Non-techie words, still needed. How does he even begin to explain this in non-techie words? Better think fast, because Thea also wants an explanation that, if not the same, is at least related. "Ah, they are quite functional at present," he says at her mention of the sands being hot, though that doesn't seem to change his opinion that there's A Problem. Better get to explaining, but… where to begin? Well, perhaps at the beginning. "According to the old schematics -" Techieword! Oops. "- er, records… the sands originally drew their power from -" Hold yourself back from that lecture, Jethaniel. "- a different source. The reason for the change is not documented. The change itself does not necessarily present a problem. However! The lack of documentation, combined with some irregularities I've found, seem to indicate the change was done poorly. If so, there's a potential for catastrophic system overload or failure." …and he was doing so well with avoiding the techie talk.

Idrissa ohs softly and nods to Thea, though she doesn't comment anymore on it. Her gaze lingers on Jeth and she just blinks as he goes about showing off the diagram. A soft ah escapes her and she holds a hand up before just lowering it back to her lap and bites her lip as she chooses to being quiet an listen. Listening is good! Her gaze flicks from the diagram to Jeth and back an forth a few times as she attempts to follow. Which she has a slight problem doing so, its not anything about runners after all. Instead of quesitoning what he just said a soft ah is heard, bright gaze peering up at the techie. "Well…can you fix it to make sure it doesn't do that?" Whatever /that/ is, she knows that failure is at least a bad thing.

Thea is following… more or less. Functional. That sounds better than 'explode' or 'problem' to her and she relaxes just a little. Her dinner is forgotten as a tiny frown of concentration presses her mouth and she is silent while absorbing the words, sorting them out as best she can. Several moments of silence reigns at the table then finally she drawls, "I'm guessing that catastrophic and failure in the same sentence is… a bad thing. Like when lightning strikes or something." It's not really a question and here she flickers a glance sidelong as the girl beside her questions him. Yes, fixing would be a good thing. She, however, has one of her own for the Journeyman, "What source is it using now? I know the generator is… part of it. The noisy thing!"

"Ah, yes," says Jethaniel with a slight smile to Thea. Catastrophic failure is, in fact, a bad thing. "Fire, arcing electricity, shutdown of other areas…" Or, in other words, "Quite comparable to a lightning storm, but avoidable." After all… Failure bad! Fix good. Jethaniel gives a cautious sort of nod to Idrissa, then continues. "It appears to be using the generator, yes. There's some ambiguity in that regard - the old system appears to have been connected beneath the sands, and I'm not certain it's been properly or wholly /dis/connected…" He shakes his head, frowning.

Darsce waltzes into the Caverns like she owns them, feet not quite fleeing, but the young woman is not dawdling as she exits the administration hallway, expertly sashaying through the early dinner crowd to snag a plate of dessert and winds up at the table the Weyrwoman is sitting at. It certainly doesn't hurt that the cute tech nerd is there, either. "Hi everyone," she says breezily to the table in general as she takes a seat right beside Thea. Mind not the fact that she's just a little breathless or the fact she's wearing the Wingleader's knot for Galaxy on her right shoulder. She has pie!

Idrissa picks up her fork and goes about poking at the veggies on her plate which she figures she should eat, she can't live on cookies after all. She chews on a bite while peering from Thea then back to Jeth and nods a moment. Well it is fixable so that is good! "Well.. is there a way for you to find out if it is connect or not connected right?" Sounds like a good idea to her. She looks up to catch sight of Darsce, at least it isn't an adult.. Well, she is but not really. A wave is offered to her. "Hello.." An for a moment Rissa thinks she catches sight of something on Darsce's shoulder that looked sorta framiler but she doesn't give it to much thought as the girl sits on the other side of Thea.

Not long behind Darsce, perhaps a little less hurried, as if turning cautious or careful about his choice of steps, comes the long time acting Wingleader of Galaxy, his regular duties of a wingsecond pinned to his shoulder all the same. Ers'lan doesn't seem himself as he peers into the cavern from the administration hallway, double checking that he took the right direction and the person he was following didn't duck in some room or another along the way. He notes her taking a seat beside the Weyrwomand and at her table. Well, that gets him to pause, for a minute. Then he tracks over across the caverns to the table, his eyes turning down to Darsce, uncertain what to call her in earshot of the Weyrwoman, even if the knot is brazen enough on her shoulder. "Can… I have a moment?" asked to Darsce, timidly, with respect too? Something like that, something awkward and at the same time demanding some privacy.

Thea is intent on Jethaniel's answer and so Darsce's arrival is barely registered. "Hi again," she says briefly, not even looking towards the Weyrsecond's daughter. 'Fire', the Journeyman says and the Weyrwoman shudders violently. Yeah, that would DEFINITELY qualify as catastrophic, especially if the observation level and sands were full of onlookers and Candidates. "Beneath the- oh waaaait!" Thea brightens, "There was an old service tunnel under the hatching sands we found, by accident, oh… about sixteen turns ago or so. Niva was Weyrwoman then." Thea's fork taps her lips thoughtfully. "She had us look at it to make sure it didn't lead anywhere else, then just made it off limits. It was kept hush-hush." So no one knows about it - or they didn't until tonight. She's mid-sigh about the beans having been spilled about that when Ers'lan walks up and queries Darsce. Her eyes drift to his shoulder, notes the wingsecond's knot there with a vague, unnamed perplexity.

Darsce gets both a nod and a smile from Jethaniel; most likely because his social behavior is running on automatic while he's busy engaging with the technical problem. (Some might wonder if he's ever not engaged with a technical problem. Both sides of this debate can be coherently argued; however, it is certainly true that sometimes, the technical problems are the thing on automatic, and other issues can take the forefront of his attention. Be that as it may, now is not one of those times.) Ers'lan is acknowledged with a slight nod, but Jethaniel is blithely oblivious to the social tension. Thea's revelation about the sands, on the other hand, makes his eyes brighten. He leans forward, eager. "Ah! That could well be the key. With your permission, weyrwoman, I should like to go down and investigate. I can, at the very least, inspect for safety hazards, and I may also be able to increase the efficiency. Perhaps even re-establish the old system, if that proves more advantageous." No more loud generators! Better efficiency! Well-documented repairs! His enthusiasm for the prospect is quite obvious.

"Sure, anything for my wingsecond!" Says Darsce when Ers'lan appears at the table, patpatting the empty seat beside her. She winks at Idrissa, iceblue eyes glittering mischief. Whatever she's been up to, she doesn't say. Instead, "It's Idrissa, right? You work in the stables? I've been meaning to go riding, just have been so damn busy." Lesigh. Eyes are then rolled in long-suffering appeal towards Jethaniel then, noting the smile and she’ll take it as-is, giving him a melting smile in return. If anyone wonders whether he's ever not engaged in a technical problem, Darsce would be the one!

Idrissa glances up as someone else comes over to the table, she happened to sit at the busy one tonight it seems! She peers up at Ers'lan curiously which she actually waves to in greeting once he has also joined in with the company at the table. As her name is brought up she glances to Darsce and blinks, wait.. DON'T pull her into this! She was already squeaking when attemping to talk to Thea. "Ya, that's right.." A soft oh escapes her and she nods a slight smile seen at the riding part. "Well, I hope your able to go riding soon."

It doesn't seem as if Ers'lan has much attention for anyone at the table other than Darsce, who has so neatly pinned that wingleader's knot on her shoulder. Lan never actually -had- it to begin with, but he had borrowed it while the Weyr was deciding -who- was going to take Keziah's place. When Darsce seems to refuse to take a conversation elsewhere, it forces the brownrider to mutter, "In private?" away from the eyes and ears of those in the cavern! Please! Yet, she's already having a conversation so easily with Idrissa, who he does notice at that point. He remembers to nod to her, at least, because he knows the lass and still has his manners despite his discomfort. Maybe he even notes Jethaniel, someone he doesn't recall prior to this moment, and well, Thea, he tries to avert his gaze and prod a little more at Darsce, "Iffin ya would? Ya cannarh do whar ya did 'n jus' sit 'ere." Oh she would, he knew, and he grouses a bit, hesitating and not yet taking a seat, as if trying to persuade her further by just standing there. Feel his shadow and his hovering presence!

Thea's eyes linger but a few beats on Ers'lan's knot - she's got her attention fixed on more absorbing things like potential explosions, fire and… death. Jethaniel's given the green light with an, "Of course you may! Please!" She's all for non-doom here. Then a fore-finger is raised in stipulation, "The doors to the Sands will be kept locked while you investigate - I'll give you the key. I don't want curious folk down there, though if you need an assistant or two, that is fine. Those pipes are scalding hot. And it's pretty dusty, I'll warn you." Blink. Her head turns to stare at Darsce. "YOUR Wingsec-?" she spies the knot and her mouth drops open. Eyes lift to Ers'lan and she's speechless. That's what she is.

One of these days, Darsce will surely find Jethaniel in between technical problems. On that day… ah, but today is not that day. Today is the day he gets permission to work on an interesting technical problem! Ah, that grin. What else, one might wonder, could spark that earnest, open grin of his? What else, beyond technology? Whatever else, technology is certainly what has him on this day. "Of course," he agrees to Thea's stipulation, his head bobbing. "I shall get right on it." He pushes his scattered papers into a single stack and sweeps them up off the table as he rises. He gives a series of brisk nods; Thea, Idrissa (now what was her name?), Darsce with that smile again, Ers'lan (whoever he is). "If you'll excuse me. I have preparations to make!" With that, and without waiting for answers, he heads out from the caverns.

Dinnertime! /Finally!/ ka-el's stomach has been grumbling since lunch, which ended up being a meager meal. It's been a busy day for the hammering apprentice who lost himself in projects and tasks, all of which he found rather enjoyable. But at the end of the day, he looks…well, rather like a young teen whose spent most of his day in the forges. Granted, he /did/ take the time to wash his hands, arms, and face before venturing out to seek food, though soot smudges are seen on his trousers and here and there on his tunic, and the smell of fire lingers on him as a whole. No matter. He slips into the caverns, half grinning at a guard near the entrance as he moves on by. "Oh, hello..an' goodybe!" is said to a familiar looking Jethaniel, who likely doesn't even notice him as he moves past, which wouldn't be unlikely. Smirking to himself, he continues on to where he can get food, fingers lightly drumming on the woden handle of a hammer that's seen hanging from his belt.

Darsce has just taken a huge bite of pie when the Weyrwoman looks her way. What?! She's innocent! Her mouth is full and thus Ers'lan is answered with a tiny headshake and her fork, the tines of which point to the empty seat beside her. Down boy! She smirks just a little around that mouthful, swallows and adds, "After I finish my pie!" On the day that Jethaniel decides to give technology a break, Darsce will be more than happy to show him just what that something else might be that will spark his grin. Alas! Even she can see he's too far gone to attempt flirtation tonight. Besides… she's being… all wingleader-y right now. "Maybe you can recommend a mount and someone to saddle it for me," she says serenely to Idrissa. "And come riding with me!" The teen gets a bright smile before she peers up at Ers'lan. Pie. Eating, here. She's only into it one bite's worth, but takes another forkful, this time offering him some with a flutter of lashes and a husky-voiced, "Want a bite?"

Idrissa glances to the fleeing Jeth, a slight wave after him. Though she is a bit curious about everything he was talking about, maybe she could ask him about needing some help or something. Though her attention turns back to the three that are left, a soft ah is all that escapes her before she is munching on a bite of food from her plate. Yet with Darsce seeming to be talking to her she peers over. "Well, sure I can pick one out for you and get it saddled up without a problem." There's a pause. "You'd want me to go riding with you?" Its more of a curious question, perhaps a bit surprized at being asked, she smiles a moment and nods. "Sure.." Though she can pick up the tension in the air that is a bit over her head and thus slips quiet while watching the three, an thus misses Kale's entrance at the moment.

At least Ers'lan isn't going to make a scene, not that Thea is helping avoid it with her mouth agape and ready to catch flies. His eyes flash toward Darsce when she smirks up at him and points again to the empty seat. That makes him bristle, his chin lifting up and his eyes sliding away from the table, searching for something or maybe steadying himself. A hand lifts up to scrub his chin, his thoughts contemplative and full of annoyance even when he tries his best not to show it. By the time that she's looking at him again and offering him that pie, his gaze suggests a lack of patience and some inner wish of seeing that pie smeared on her face. Alas, all he does is give her a sickly sweet smile in between - not nearly as nice as her own, taut with strain of keeping it in place. "No," he answers with a wave of his hand, giving her one last look, torn between regret and annoyance of being played, before he's shifting away from the table - likely going to go back to the administration hallway by the looks of him.

Thea's mouth doesn't stay open for long, but rather shuts into a firm line. She hears Jethaniel say he'll get right on it and although she'll be sure to check on his progress daily - perhaps more than daily, the matter is delegated to capable hands in her mind and thus her attention centers more firmly on the pair to her right as the Journeyman gathers his papers and takes his leave. Not receiving an answer from Darsce, the Weyrwoman leans to peer around her and in doing do, spots the wingleader's knot the young woman is wearing. "What are you doing with that?!" Really, she's not ignoring Idrissa and the arriving Kale, but at the moment the Storm Clouds of Doom are gathering in her eyes. Silently her hand extends palm up for it. "Ers'lan." Her voice is crackles, to keep him there as the young man shifts to go. She rises with it in hand, "This was on my desk to be presented to you formally." Darsce gets pinned with a quelling stare. "I see Darsce has been playing with it. My apologies. As a token of our confidence in a job well-done, will you please accept Xanadu's request to permanently lead Galaxy Wing?"

Darsce pouts. And she was enjoying this wingleader thing so much, too. Unpinning the knot as slowly as possible, she hands it over to the Weyrwoman, placing the shiny, new-ordered-from Ierne wingleader's knot over. Her pie is left on the table and she's slipping away into the crowd as soon as Thea stands and presents the knot to its rightful owner. By passing Kale, the teen is given a saucy wink and she's out of here! Probably trying to avoid repercussions of her thievery, most definitely going to hunt down a Journeyman techcrafter and offer her services. Really now - just to check out the heating system of course!!!

Kale seems to have teleported from the entryway to the buffet of food. Or perhaps he's merely a fast walker on a mission to quell the monster in his stomach. Whatever the case, he's reached his destination quickly and now is in the process of filling a bowl with steaming hearty herdbeast stew. A few rolls are placed on the side, and then a variety o vegetables on a smaller plate. And with all this in tow (and a drink balanced too!) he carries his tray of food off to find a place to sit. Full table. Full table. Old folk. Eh, he's learned his lesson about staying away from the elderly, less be stuck here for hours listening to stories of their youth. Blue eyes continue to scan til they land on a few familiar faces. Ers'lan, the burly man, is noted first, and the wingleader is given a light grin of recognition. But wait, there's more! Idrissa next, and he begins to move towards her table, as her presence there seems to be an immediate invitation for him to be able to join too. But oh, there are others. Important folk like the Senior Weyrwoman, who he knows by face though never has had much reason to bother, and Darsce, who notices him! As he's winked at, he nearly stumbles in his walk though catches himself, luckily, and pauses to watch her. Er. "B-bye," he offers in her wake.

Idrissa doesn't see it as being ignored in the least, there is something going on involving knots an so forth.. Which Rissa still finds herself confused over at times. An she knows it needs to be taken care of now with how cetain looks have been flung around. Her gaze slowly follows after Ers'lan as she watches him leave and she catches sight of Kale and waves over at him. There is a seat next to her, at the other side is Thea. Hearing the conversation go back to the knot she ohs softly, she wonders if Ers'lan will expect it..

Oh -that- voice he is quite used to hearing, in -that- tone. There's a reason why Thea is a superb Weyrwoman, she's able to get anyone to come to a screeching halt - including Ers'lan. It was more than apparent he was a slightly annoyed by Darsce, for one reason or another, but when Thea gives that crackling tone, his displeasure is clear. He only has to briefly watch the interplay between Thea and her step-daughter to grimace for the young woman's foolery, "Whar, ya dun narh wan it fer real?" he chides after Darsce, when she gathers he pie and runs. To Thea, with a bit of his lips smacking together, his gaze lingers a little less intensely now upon her than what withering stare he turned upon Darsce. Letting a breath go that he didn't realize he was holding, he doesn't look all that happy as he should be for the knot extend out toward him. It's been a while since Keziah stepped down for health reasons, like three babies, and then took upon the role of weyrlingmaster. It's been too long and it's not hard to see why he stalls. Surreal probably. Then, without further fuss, he steps over to Thea and takes it shortly, nodding to the Weyrwoman as if this were some formal occassion. "Reckon I do be needin ta talk to ya bout the warning we should be makin Weyr-wide," he is on to bigger things than a knot, leaving it at that, because it was better left for the council chambers or the admin hall.

Once Ers'lan has taken the knot, there's displeasure in the brief glare the Weyrwoman sends 'round the caverns in search of Darsce. When she finds the girl has slipped out, the ire fades. As for Ers'lan, she nods back just as formally. In her eyes there is a shine of pride for his accomplishment whether he's feeling it or not after Darsce's stunt - which she will hear all about if she has her way when she catches up with the young woman! Leaving her still uneaten dinner there, she murmurs an apology to the table in general - though sadly it seems Idrissa's been left all alone! - and steps away, asking the newly-knotted wingleader, "Do you have time to give me report, Wingleader?" If he does, she'll lead him back into the administration hall to the office - or the ready room.

Ers'lan definitely seems deflated after having dealt with Darsce and should Thea learn why, she might smack him for it later or worse! Being as it is, the fact of the matter is that there -is- business to attend it, important in the extreme. He does show some sympathy for her uneatten meal, but puffs out his chest in pride that she would take the time to hear him out. Imediately he nods, "Aye. I do, tis very important that I do…" and his hand is waving forward, so that she takes the lead and takes them to which ever office or room she deems fit to hear him out in.

Kale claims the empty seat next to Idrissa (thus, leaving her not so alone!), setting his tray down carefully first before plopping himself down to sit next to her. He glances to the cavern's exit once more, eyes lingering. Maybe. Maybe …. ok no, so she's not coming back. But she /did/ acknowledge him, so that means that she /does/ know that he exists! Baby steps. He'll take it! "Good eve," he says to Idrissa, accompanying his reeting with a grin to her, though it's a subdued look as he glances to Thea and Ers'lan. "Good evenin'," he offers to them as well, politely, though the greeting is said in a quieter way, seeing on how they're conversing. He does his best not to stare, though he does note the exchange of the knot between the two of them with a hint of curiosity. His spoon is dipped into the meaty stew and stirred a bit before he lifts it up, lightly blowing on the chunky morsel. "..Feels like I missed somethin'," he remarks to Idrissa lowly as the two adults head off.

Idrissa watches the exchange between Thea and Ers'lan though she stays quiet, her normal routine when she watches and listens about such tense situations. She glances over to Kale an ohs, a smile seen an she nods to him. "Hey Kale. Um.. Ya somethin' happened." An well she is rather confused on the whole lot to some degree. "I'll have to ask Soriana to explain it I guess." She catches sight of the hammer Kale has and smirks a moment. "Took his advice huh? It was a good idea."


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