Xanadu Weyr -Weyrleaders' Office
Office and retreat, this is the domain of Xanadu's Weyrleaders. The door is in the southern wall, quite close to the western end while the northern wall is dominated by big, expansive windows, framed by sumptuous deep blue drapes edged with a brilliant gold braid and tied back with a thick rope of braided gold and blue cord. In between, the western wall is covered floor to ceiling with shelves that house all sorts of records, manuals and supplies that are used on a day-to-day basis.
The southern wall has the Weyrleader's desk — plain fellis wood, well polished and masculine. From behind his desk, the Weyrleader can look straight through the windows and out onto the main airspace of Xanadu. The eastern wall is where the Weyrwoman's desk resides: a lovely piece of furniture made of warm cherry wood. From her seat, a glance sideways gives her an equally good prospect out the window. There are a few other seats, some comfortably arranged around a low round table for small, informal meetings while there also some that can be drawn up to one of the desks.
On the west side of the door, the space is occupied by a low oblong table where refreshments can be set without someone needing to intrude. There is also an 'incoming' tray where incoming correspondence or similar items can be left.
Soriana sits at her desk. The Weyrwoman's desk, which is also her desk, and she's sitting at it. She's got her elbows on it, which is totally not proper manners, but it's not like there's anyone here to see it, and she's too busy staring at a document to care. …well… more like frowning at it. Outside, gathering clouds are making it darker than it should be for the time of day it is, and in here, Soriana has elbows on desk, chin on hands. "Suppose we don't need one…"
Kanekith is back! He is the type of dragon to let the whole Weyr know of his presence, especially after a long absence. And by long we mean a couple of days in which he, Ka'el, and the handful of others that went with them on their tour of the Beholden found themselves at Rubicon for an extended stay. But now, a mighty trumpet across the cloudy sky announces the return of the resident bronze and his Weyrleader companion! All Hail Ka'el and Kanekith! … Ka'el has learned to go with the flow of his partner's theatrics, only smirking in earnest as they make their way downward. It's a while after that trumpting that Ka'el himself actually makes it into the cavern and through the administration building though, but eventually the door to the office is opened without the prelude of a knock. A windswept Ka'el emerges through, stripped of his riding gear already though the slight indents left by the press of goggles to his face are still visible. "I never thought I'd be happy to get back in my own office!" he exhales, looking immediately towards the Weyrwoman's desk, grinning upon spying her there regardless of the expression she may be holding.
The watch dragon, at least, is glad to see them. Or at least welcomes Kanekith and Ka'el in proper fashion… which is probably because it's his job to do that, but hey, at least he's doing his job! That's more than can be said for some. There are probably others who notice. Luraoth among them, because even if she's not actually a watch dragon she does like saying hello! And so there are celebrations of great joy (or not) and jubilation (or at least friendly acknowledgement) and Soriana… remains in the office, because while she's not oblivious to the fact that Things Are Happening, they don't really need her personal touch. She can delegate! She can… glare at this paper, which she does up until the door opens. Is this someone who needs… oh, wait. It's Ka'el, and Soriana's expression flicks to a grin that quickly tugs wryly to the side. "Amazing how you can forget about things when you're gone. Don't worry, it's all still there." She tilts her head to his desk where the inbox shows a stack of paperwork just waiting for his attention, and pushes back from her desk to lean back in her chair and ignore her own paperwork for a moment. "So… how was Rubicon?"
Ka'el glances to his desk and eyes that paperwork. "You know .. I may still be holding on to that feeling of elation because seeing that doesn't make me outright cringe. …. Don't worry though. Give it a candlemark and I'll be back to avoiding this place for as long as I can. As usual." He meanders toward her desk, ignoring his after that initial glance to the papers that quietly demand his attention, and moves around it so that he can reach her without an obstacle in the way. He leans down to kiss her cheek and lips fondly. "But I am disappointed that you've been here all this time and didn't do any of the work for me. M'sure at least one, if not all've the papers there could've been approved by you and you alone." He grins, stepping back to claim one of the chairs in front of her desk to sit…or rather, lounge in. Slouch time! "Rubicon was tiring," he reports with a grand exhale. "I've never met a person more … eh, we'll say "strong-willed" than their Lord Holder. But in the end, everyone was happy, if not just appeased, and so I'm deeming it a successful visit. And an added bonus: No trace of illness at Rubicon."
Soriana smirks. "Yeah, well… treasure it." That feeling of elation and glorious freedom, like he can soar high above the paperwork instead of… having to grind laboriously through it. Somehow, that 'as long as possible' never seems to actually be all that long, at least not when someone's actually being responsible. Soriana turns in her chair and reaches up an arm to drape it around Ka'el's shoulders as she kisses him back. "Ha. Of course there are, that's because I hid them there when they tried to come across my desk." Not being here means… volunteering for all the work! …or maybe there's just plenty of work to go around. Maybe. That's why delegation is supposed to be a thing, right? Soriana's taking this excuse to stop doing her own work, at least. The budget will still be there to stare at once she's done. Maybe it will even be nicer. Probably not, but… maybe. She snorts, impolite but amused, at the description of Rubicon's holder, and nods. "Well, good." In the end, at least. "We've not had anything major here. The healers are still writing extra thick reports, but… hey, at least they have the time to write that much." She half-grins. If only the reports came with extra time to read them!
"What are you working on there?" he asks, nodding to the paper she was mulling over before. "Something you couldn't sneak onto my desk in time?" He smirks. "At least it isn't a health report … I hope. I've looked at enough of those in the past seven to last me a lifetime. Every infirmary visit with every case of cough, sneeze, sniffle, or upset stomach has been shown to me. I think I've at least glanced at the medical history've every resident in our areas. Now, I don't know about you, but my medical expertise wouldn't be the one I'd look to if I was hoping to find any hints of plague. I brought a healer with me for that very reason, but do you think he was the one anyone turned to without prompt?" He smirks and shakes his head. "Nope. Healer Ka'el, at your service." He chuckles, shaking his head. "But in all seriousness, there hasn't been a case of outbreak in any of our areas. None that have been reported anyway. And to hear that everything is alright here as well makes me optimistic that the 'plague' has passed. Or at least, bypassed us." Fingers drum gently against the arm of the chair. "Nothing major with the wings either. N'varre was good at giving detailed reports the days that I came home. He's … an able interim. He's been Weyrsecond before, so I had confidence in leaving him in charge in my absence. I'd thought of offering him the knot, but I don't think he'd take it."
Soriana makes a wry face about that paper she's working on, then laughs. "I can tell you for a fact that none of them have greyscale or thicktail." Not that humans are even capable of getting those, but that just means it'd be all the worse if they managed, right? It's be a plague of epic proportions. Dragon flu! …is not a real thing and also nobody has caught it. More seriously… "I've heard a few things from some of the smaller cotholds. Things that have taken them in from the fields for a few days. We helped with some, there might be others we didn't hear from." N'varre probably gave those updates already, weyrfolk dropped off from dragons to do things in the fields so the cotholds didn't lose their crops. "I've heard some other areas had it worse, but…" She shrugs, smiles. "We've been lucky, in that." In other things… well, maybe not entirely. Soriana frowns a little even as she nods about the lack of permanent Weyrsecond, and sighs. "And it's not like there's a green that rises to make Weyrsecond." People have a chance to say no! …and do. "We can manage without for now." She gives his desk (and paperwork) a sideways glance. "Maybe see if we can spread some of it out onto the Juniors." Because they don't have enough of their own work to do, right? Good thing they're not here to argue. But… speaking of paperwork… Soriana glances back down to the one she's got. "…been trying to figure out what we can do for Turnover this year. Things may be okay, but we've still used a lot of supplies… and the trade routes got a bit… tangled."
Ka'el laughs. With the probability of a human developing thicktail being … zero, it's an easy thing to laugh at. A funnier thought too, a human with any sort of tail. Less funny is the thought of a few sick humans, but … even the phrase 'a few' makes the fact not a dire one. There are not masses of people in their beds, coughing and with terrible fevers! The crops will not be lost due to few hands to harvest. Things are good! For now. For the most part. Weyrsecond. He smirks a little at her comment of a green rising. "And thank Faranth for that," he remarks. "Could you imagine the number of Weyrseconds we'd go through if that were the custom? I'd have the mind to toss the position from existance if that were the case! Wouldn't seem worth the trouble to train someone up half-knowin' they'll be gone in a few months. I've managed without before.. Managing without again," he says with a small, yet thoughtful shrug. "Unless I'm gone, it isn't too terrible a thing to not have one. And when I am gone…N'varre can handle it. He's yet to say not to that. And if ever he does? .. Heh, yes, I'm sure Innes wouldn't mind a few more things to keep an eye on in my absence." He smirks deviously at that, but then fixes her with a curious look. "Turnover? … Shards, that'll be here before we know it, eh? What did we do last year? A gather and firework bit?"
No, no Soriana can't. She doesn't know numbers that high, and so she laughs and shakes her head. "Still. We've things to do outside the office, we can't solve everything just by doing it ourselves." Her expression turns to a thoughtful one, considering it, and then she shrugs. "…we'll manage." Somehow. "I suppose you've already checked if any of the other wingleaders are up for taking a turn at it? Or the seconds, if one of them's looking for more responsibility…" Because the more eyes to keep on things, the better! Especially if those things start turning dire, which they fortunately haven't… yet… that they know about. Well, except for the trade routes, but that's less dire and more… snarly. A Turnover snag! Soriana nods. "Less than a month away." And their plans are… uh… well, they had some last year. "Yeah. That's what we usually do, except I don't know if any of the usual traders will be by." Plague! Not so much the 'dead of it' part as the 'quarantined here, avoided there' sort of problems that have them off-schedule and short on goods. "We can probably still do the fireworks… I mean, it's not like we used any of those." Not even for Skyler's party. "But it might seem… sort of empty?"
"You've supposed incorrectly," answers Ka'el, rising from his seat, stretching his back once he's up. "I haven't even asked N'varre, and he'd be my top choice. I requested he keep watch on the wings while I was gone, though it wasn't an official promotion, or re-promotion in his case. But, having dealt with what I dealt with with my former Weyrsecond, I feel … hesitant at appointing a new one straight off." He moves now, heading to the table that is always in supply of a pitcher of water, pouring himself a cup and pausing with brows raised, gesturing to her in silent question while reaching for a second cup. "Kiena … was a friend, and somehow that turned into the demise, though I'm not sure if it was hers, mine, or a combination of both. I don't know that if it was because she was a friend that things ended the way they did, or if it would've happened regardless. In any case, my former apparent second-in-command believes I'm untrustworthy and lack respect, among a great many other things. So, my next Wingsecond? Will be chosen more carefully." And apparently in due time! Which .. isn't now? "I know that will mean a greater workload for me. Less time with Skyler.." His nose wrinkles at that. "But I'm in no rush to go through all of that again. It'll only be temporary. And as for Turnover… You're right about the traders. Though Xanadu has its own sources of entertainment. We have our harpers that we could use for music and maybe even comedy. Perhaps even a themed thing. Like the masquerade you, Idrissa, and I went to turns ago." You know! When Zi'on got stabbed? The highlight of the evening!
Soriana tilts her head as Ka'el corrects. A commander with no second, just… all the wingleaders. Thirds? "Hrm," Soriana says, and nods slowly. The one for his hesitation is a slow nod, thoughtful. The one for having some water is much simpler and comes more quickly. Water is an easy decision. A Weyrsecond… isn't, and Soriana nips at her lower lip as Ka'el continues about Kiena, then exhales. Trust, respect… Soriana's head thunks back against her chair and she stares up at where the wall meets the ceiling. "Apparently there aren't enough salutes to go around. Except…" She trails off, shakes her head as she lowers it to look at Ka'el again and nod somberly. "It will. And you'd best at least give some of it off to the leaders of the individual wings." Because he's required to spend some time at home with Skyler. Or else. "The Weyrsecond…" She sighs, shakes her head. "I don't know." Not her department, and Soriana frowns for a moment before she shrugs. "Kiena seems happy enough back in Asteroid, though." It's said off-handedly, but… regardless of rank, Kiena is here in Xanadu. She's just gone from… being one of the people worrying about the Weyr to part of the Weyr to be worried about by those whose job it is to do so. "For Turnover… heh. We could make everyone entertain each other." Soriana grins crookedly. "A talent show." Stabbing techniques! Knife throwing! "Add in a baking contest, and they might not even notice if the feast is a bit light in places."
Ka'el pours that drink for her and sets the cold pitcher down gently on the table top. Both glasses are lifted and brought towards her, and both are placed on her desk, strategically away from most of where her papers are stacked or scattered. /He's/ not going to be blamed for ruined paperwork that will need to be rewritten or typed! "Don't worry," he says to her with a crooked smirk. "I won't work myself to death. I do delegate, and some of it is actually easy to do so. In fact," he says, leaning on the edge of her desk now, facing her, "Sometimes I've wondered why the position even exists. I think of the wings, and … each has a Wingleader for a reason. They run their wings under me, and I oversee all of them. A Wingsecond seems more like a .. 'just in case' position. Just in case I take ill, or just in case I'm off Weyr for an extended time. But really, why couldn't the Wingleaders just continue to do their expected duties and report to a Junior Weyrwoman if needed? It isn't all that often that situations come up that the Weyrsecond does much with the wings other than oversee them, and…again, they've their Wingleaders for that." He pauses for a drink of water, thoughtful. "Somewhere in the books I'm sure the reason's been written. If not only because've tradition." His brows raise a little, thinking of Turnover. "Ha! A talent show wouldn't be a bad idea. I'm sure Xanadu's full of hidden talents! And.. maybe some that should stay hidden. And why not a baking contest? Too many boast of being 'better bakers than the kitchenstaff' anyway, so why not have them put to the test? Perhaps for a prize. The dunking booth that was at our graduation needs to make another appearance, definitely."
"See that you don't," Soriana says with mock sternness and a bit of actual concern behind it. She also takes the glass of water with a nod of gratitude, taking a slow sip of it as she listens, thoughtful, to what he says. Why a Weyrsecond? Other than tradition, that is. "Probably made more sense when there was thread. More chance of a Weyrleader… being gone." Threadscored, dead, and with a crisis happening at regular intervals. Now, though? Soriana considers it. "To go between you and the wings, maybe? But… better that all the wingleaders know you. I don't like… layers." Her nose wrinkles slightly. "Not when there's not a reason for them." So… why a Weyrsecond? She thinks about it a moment more, then hehs. "Maybe you'll find that something special. The thing only a Weyrsecond can do." …or maybe he won't, and those duties will be split between Weyrleader, Wingleaders, and… occasionally Juniors. Soriana lowers her glass (once more, away from the paperwork). "I want to give the Juniors wing rotations. Regular ones, not just the training exercises. If they're going to be the backup for you… they need to know the wings. Give them… oh, maybe half their time on that? Or…" She frowns. The problem with this plan is that the Juniors are already doing their existing work, and there are only so many hours in the day and days in the year - and they're running out, which is why Turnover is approaching and needing plans… by which they apparently mean providing a blank stage and some bare tables and making everyone else do the work for them. "Hah, yes. Let them put their biscuits where their mouths are. Or, uh, where other people's mouths are." Soriana reaches for the glass again, curling her fingers around it. "We can manage a prize. Maybe a fancy apron or something?" She shrugs. "And… well, we'll get one of the harpers to decide which talents are… allowed on the main stage and which are sent to the back closet with the glows turned off." Soriana grins. "And then they can all demonstrate how good they are at getting soaked."
Thread days. That'd make sense. Ka'el nods in agreement. Being a dragonrider was such an occupational hazard back in those days, wasn't it? But these post-thread modern times … while still with its everyday dangers, doesn't boast such a high mortality rate! Ka'el likes layers…in his cake. The more layers, the better! In politics though? He's never really thought of it until now. Now that it's become relevant to him and his work and those that work under him…and the many that he works for. "Maybe.." he says to that 'something special' comment. "I've only had the one. Barely knew the last with N'shen … if there was one." He's almost sure there was, though the name escapes him. "I remember a time where we were to rotate, as riders, acting as Wingleader and Wingsecond. It was an idea, I guess by N'shen, but it never came about. It isn't something I'd want to do with the riders now even though I guess I see the reasoning behind it at the time. I do like the idea of the Juniors rotating within the Wings, though I wouldn't want to overload them with too much. Schedules would have to be redone to keep them from burning out and doing too much." He lightly clinks around the ice in his glass before taking another swallow of water, setting the drink down after. "I was thinking more of a monetary prize," he admits with a smirk. "People may be more willing to participate for marks, if we can budget it. Not a huge amount, but enough to get their attention. And everyone loved the dunk tank! It'd be a hit. It, with music, and contests, and fireworks, and maybe a performance would make for a Turnover celebration."
These days, being Weyrleader's no more dangerous than any other role. Okay, no, that's not quite true. It's more dangerous than some, less dangerous than others… but it's still nothing compared to how it was back when thread still fell. Now is different in a lot of ways, but things linger. Sometimes they're still important, still matter to the world today. Sometimes they don't work right anymore. Tradition isn't necessarily bad, but… it isn't necessarily good either. Which kind of tradition are Weyrseconds? …well, that's what they're trying to figure out. Before… "There was one," Soriana says with the certainty of someone who was in and out of the admin hall, then stops. "Well… at least, there used to be." Maybe not so much directly before, as… "D-something." It's in the records if they care to look. "We could ask other Weyrs," Soriana begins, but she's frowning at the idea even before she finishes it, and gives her head a bit of a shake. "But I'd rather find what our way is." By… trial and error? Maybe. A tradition (of change) that began before they did, and so Soriana nods about N'shen. "I could see doing Wingseconds, maybe." Though even that is more a vague thought than an actual proposal. "Not Wingleaders. If people have ideas… there are better ways to get them tried." And these two (think they) have some of those ideas. She nods again about the Juniors. "I'd have to redo their schedules to work that in, assign someone else to what they're not doing… but I like it." Soriana reaches for her desk notepad and writes a few brief words that'll remind her of this later to actually pull up those schedules. She hehs at Ka'el's revised prize, then considers. "We can put some marks to it. Not many, but… well, if we see what we'll save from telling the cooks-" the actual Weyr ones that they pay salaries "-to keep things on the simple side… yeah, I think we can do prizes." Plural? She grins. "Likely better to do a small set of them, so we've some variety in what people make."
Ideas are what keeps the world moving forward, aren't they? Both the good ideas and ideas that don't turn out as good as one had hoped. But having the idea is the important part. Implementing it. Seeing what works and what doesn't. Traditions are fine. Traditions are … traditional! But even those traditions started out as ideas by someone, perhaps replacing a tradition before it. Xanadu's leadership is young, but not quite as inexperienced as they once were. Still, there is and probably will always be learning to do, others to look to for guidance or inspiration, but every now and then, they'll step out and forge their own new path. Is this one of those times? A time where Wings and positions are looked at…considered…shuffled…reassigned…dismissed? Ka'el watches her jot down her notes, considering the movements of her pen as she commits these thoughts to her memory to be pondered more on. "I'll help with the scheduling," he says. "Although I know the Weyrwomen aren't technically 'my area', if they're being reassigned to work with wings and doing so leaves things messy with picking up the slack, I'll help clean it up." He leans away from her desk now, removing his weight from the edge of it. "You think they'll take to it? The Juniors, I mean?" He pauses, then chuckles. "I can think of one who may. Innes. Deskwork isn't her best, but I could imagine her taking to riding with Comet, or planning sweeps with Galaxy pretty well. And…how long until Turnover, did you say? A few sevens? That'll be enough time to get everything organized, prizes and everything else. It won't be as much've a hassle with it being kept mostly among the Weyr."
Soriana smirks. "If they're with the wings, they're in your area, aren't they?" Even if the official and traditional channels don't say so. "I'd expect them to respect the wingleaders while they're working with them." This is the version of 'expect' that means 'decree', only said more nicely. She leans back a bit, expression softening and turning more thoughtful. "Some of that work will likely want to go to Quasar, though." Which is traditionally his area. "And to some of the Steward and Headwoman's people, too." And maybe, if they're very lucky, some of the work will actually vanish because they discover that actually nobody needs to be doing it anymore. …or maybe they'll find out that they've just made more work with no benefit, and this particular idea will be reversed and abandoned. They won't know until they try! And so - bit by bit - they gain experience. The getting less young, well, that's just happening day to week to month as they try things for the good of the Weyr. Are they also to the good of the Juniors? "Heh. I would've liked this," she says with a rueful grin. "Course, too late for that now. The Juniors… mmh. Yeah, I can see Innes enjoying it. Sorrin…" it still feels weird to use the name, even when it's official discussion. That's her moooom she's talking about! "…will like it when it's Asteroid." If it's Asteroid. That's a wing, sure, but does it count as a wing like the others? They're so… decentralized and spread around various crafts and… weird. Soriana makes a bit of a face. "This is going to take figuring out." Fortunately, they can take their time with it. The only urgent planning is that for Turnover, and Soriana nods to Ka'el's timing. "I don't think most people will want to travel anyway, not with the sickness recent in their minds. But we'll get people looking to each other." Community building! Or at least letting people know whose door to knock on when they're hungry and what strange skills their neighbors are far too proud of having.
Touche, Sori! Ka'el chuckles and bobs his head once in agreement that a point has been made. All the Wings are his area! "Meaning I can boss you around as well, right?" he says as a tease. "And the Wingleaders .. depending on the Wingleader, might feel .. eh, awkward or hesitant I guess are the best words havin' a Junior with them. Only because they haven't had one before. But after that first awkward stage of feeling each other out comes an' goes, I think it'll be alright." This definitely is not a small task they have ahead of them! Change … can come with a bit of resistance from those who are set in their ways! But they'll cross those bridges if and when they come to them. For now, they're still planning. Planning can take a while, especially when one is planning more than one thing. Like…a change in structure and a Turnover party. But even that is coming along! "So, recapping Turnover. We have our harpers for music entertainment. A dunking booth. Fireworks from the stores. We could also get the smaller sparklers that people could ignite. Have a few small fires going on the beach, maybe. We'll get with the kitchens about food. A small variety of fingerthings? And the residents can participate in a baking contest and maybe a cooking contest as well. A main dish. Give…first, second, and third place prizes? We'll need judges … and if it's food tasting, m'sure that won't be hard to do." He raises a hand. "I volunteer myself to be one. See? Easy.."
"You boss me around in the air, I boss you on the ground?" Soriana suggests with a grin. "And we'll paint a line across the middle of this office and yell if the other one sets a toe over." It'll be great. And… "Heh. Yeah. I'll… want to talk to the Juniors about it. Make sure they know that… well, that they're there to learn the wings and liase with them, not tell them their jobs. It might have… a few bumps." It's like golds select for people with self-confidence and the urge to give directions! Soriana's mouth twists for a moment, thinking about it, and then she smiles. "We'll figure it out, give it a try." What's the worst that could happen? … okay, so, now that we've all pictured that terrible fate, let's try and avoid it, okay? Good. As will be the non-disastrous Turnover that they're planning, and Soriana nods along, then hmms. "Do we want a talent contest as well as the cooking one? We could give them the stage for the afternoon, then send the harpers to take it over once evening comes but it's not dark enough for fireworks." She grins. "Or did we decide that we'd really rather not see what they're capable of getting up to? The food's safer, after all." Unless it's poisoned, but… nah, surely none of Xanadu's residents are that bad at cooking. If so, Ka'el the first judge will find out! Soriana hmms. "First to third and people's choice. We'll have a vote box. That way they're likely to make enough to share."
It'll be fine! Or .. disastrous. Or fine! Ka'el's hoping for 'fine', but he has a while to wait on that. So! Time to solely focus on Turnover and the activities that will happen. Like the contest of the talent variety! He snaps his fingers, nodding. "I do think that should happen, yes. Maybe the prizes for this should be … honorary knots? Grand prize knot, second place, and third? Or maybe just a grand prize for this contest. .. Or we could have coin prizes as well." So many options! Maybe they should form a Party Planning wing and leave all of this planning stuff up to them. It'd be .. one less them for them to worry about! They could call it … the Big Bang Wing! "I for one would be front and center at the talent portion. I've seen the talents of men and women at the Tavern. I'm curious to know what they can do without ale in their stomachs," he laughs. "It'd be fun. Entertaining, at the very least. And I like the idea of a voting box for the food competition. People like having a say, and that'll make the spread of food bigger." He nods in agreement. "I think we've a Turnover plan. Ending with fireworks at the turn, and whatever people chose to do after is, as always, their business." As long as nothing catches fire or goes kaboom!
There will be no kaboom! Well… except the things that are supposed to go kaboom, aka the fireworks. See, things like that are why they really should have that Party Planning Wing. They could fill it with harpers, vintners, papercrafters (gotta have confetti, right?) and all other sorts of party-oriented people. Soriana nods to the talent contest, then laughs. "Hah! I like it. Though… should probably see if the harpers would, uh, get the joke." Since they're kind of the 'entertaining-people' profession, they might be insulted by fake knots for entertainment. Then again, who's really going to confuse the two? "We could put bells on them. On the honorary knots." And glitter! And macaroni! …okay, maybe that's only for the ten-and-under division of the talent show. "Besides, I want to talk to the harpers anyway, since they'll be managing the stage… and weeding out anything too inappropriate." There will be no strippers, even if it does take talent. Or at least, if there are strippers, they'll be dishonest ones who lied in order to get themselves onto the stage. "It'll be a good show." Soriana grins. "Well. Probably somewhere between great and utterly terrible, depending on who's up there, but it should still be amusing." Which is the point. Soriana takes a few more notes, nodding. "Yeah, I think we do." Yay! Plans! Relatively cheap ones, even, which… some turns, is a good thing. "And we'll give a mug of ale to everyone who performs. Their choice if it's before or after." A prize, or… a bribe to get on stage!
What, no strippers?! … Okay, Ka'el would agree to this. For Skyler's sake, see. He doesn't need to see stripping! "The honorary knots wouldn't be complete without bells. They'll be what everyone wants, once they get a look at them." And then everyone would want to participate .. which could make for an interesting list of performances! Ka'el laughs again, shaking his head as thoughts of the possible acts they'll see manifest in his mind. "Ah, so everyone's a winner," he says in answer to her suggestion of ale. "That'd definitely get interest going. And for any small performers.." Butterbeer! "A glass of special-made bubbly juice?" Giving ale to a nine-turn-old might not go over well with all parents. With some parents and fosters, sure! But others…not so much. "We're good at this planning thing." Not as good as the imagined Big Bang Wing, but eh, they've managed to hash out a plan! "We'll make contact with those who need contacting today, to get things moving." They are on a time limit, afterall! "Skyler's in the nursery, or with your ma?" he asks with faintly lifted brows. "I want to visit with him. He's probably forgotten my face in the time I've been away. He's always been asleep the nights I've come home." He misses the little guy!
Besides, there's always the tavern after midnight for things that aren't part of the family-friendly part of the entertainment. Those rules about not exploding things or burning them down shouldn't prevent table-dancing, right? Not that Soriana intends to be there! She's got other plans, ones which… "Ooh, right, the kids." You'd think she'd remember that they exist, what with having one of her own. "Bubbly juice sounds good. We can have the vintners make some up." The bubbles make it fancy instead of just everyday ordinary juice. This is a true fact, and one of the many secrets that would be maintained by the Party Wing if it existed. Since it doesn't, well… that duty just falls to Weyrleaders instead. The next best thing! "Yep. I'l catch Cook before…" A glance to the clock. Ooh, no, how about… "After dinner." But before she goes home. "That, harpers, vintners…" Not that big a list at all. Good! Because they don't have time for a complicated plan. …really, time is one of those things there just isn't enough of, whether it's for work or family. "He'll remember real fast." Soriana grins. "He's in the nursery. They're fingerpainting today." Fingers… hands… entire forearms… and then they dunk the kids in solvent to get them mostly clean in time to send home to their parents.
The bubbly makes it totally fancy! And what kid wouldn't want a consolation prize of fancy juice? … Hell, Ka'el would take the fancy juice if ale wasn't an option! Cuz, it's bubbly. His eyes follow hers to the clock. Yikes! When did it get so late? "How about I catch Cook?" he suggests with a mild smirk her way. "That'll be one less thing for you to do, and I'll be in the Caverns a while anyway to watch…or…help Ky fingerpaint." Because a one turn old probably needs all the help he can get when it comes to painting, even of the finger variety! "…I can already imagine the mess…" he snickers. "Those nannies…do they get paid enough?" Probably not! "I'll get with Cook," he says again, "and then afterwards, see to the smiths about the sparklers. They probably have some on reserve, but not enough for a celebration. Luckily, they're not very difficult to make, and they make pretty quickly. I'll have them make batches to hold for Turnover." The palms of his hands are rubbed together briefly. "Skyler, Cook, Smiths. I'll rendezvous back with you here at some point this evening?" A pause. "Or, if there's the time…" a glance to the clock again, "we can catch dinner together, then continue with The Plan."
Soriana laughs. "Okay then, you catch Cook." Just don't get any paint in the sauce… even if they are both red. "He was looking forward to it." That'd be Skyler and the fingerpainting. Maybe he'll be an artist when he grows up! Or maybe he just likes any excuse to make brightly colored messes, because he's one turn old and … yeah! Messes! "I'm pretty sure you have to love little kids to be a nanny. Like… really love them… a lot… with all your heart… and… yeah maybe they could use a raise." Because love may do many things, but marks will buy drinks… and Soriana needs those after some days just spent with Skyler, never mind five other babies that aren't even hers. He's a good kid! Really he is! (Definitely better than some, and that she's seen proof of when she goes to pick him up.) But sometimes… "You're probably underestimating it." Oh, the mess. Ka'el will see it firsthand! Also Skyler, Cook, the Smiths… "Say hi to Tej for me." Soriana doesn't actually ask whether Skyler will be coming along for the part where Ka'el goes to the forge. This is intentional. "I'll finish this-" she pokes at a paper "-then talk to the harpers. We'll probably have a chance for dinner." Maybe. Hopefully. "There's nothing on your desk that can't wait for morning." Because, yeah, she did look. "So if I get mine handled…" Dinner! Together! As a complete little family. Soriana rises from her desk, because… that's how she does paperwork?… and comes over to lean in for a kiss. "…welcome back." Sometimes, paperwork gets to wait. At least for a moment.
Look, they have so many plans in the works now! Plans about the wings and placements. Plans about Turnover. Plans about meeting with people and delivering messages of greeting. Plans about dinner! Phew! Being a leader really is a lot of work. But at least there's the payoff of happy people, full bellies, and hopefully what ends up being a more efficient wing structure in the long-term. Ka'el is mentally preparing himself for paint-messes. But at least it'll be fun messes with his son, which he'll happily partake in and hopefully still look presentable for the rest of his plans…which may or may not consist of a tag-along Skyler. That will all depend on how big of a mess he is and how long it'll take for him to get cleaned up. Again, these plans are time-sensitive! "Fingers-crossed," he says, lifting a hand and indeed showing crossed fingers that'll hopefully bring luck to her to get her things done in time for dinner. He lowers his hand down as she stands and makes her way towards him. And .. woo! He smiles at the received kiss and hugs his arms around her fondly. "Good to be back," he answers. "…Really back." Because arriving home late at night and plopping in to bed next to her only to rise early and leave once more doesn't really count as being home! That's like…a sleepover. Sans all the fun. And so he happily hugs her close and kisses her afterwards, lips lingering a tender while before he pulls back. "See you at dinner. Or back here. Or at home," he says with a crooked smirk because even with their plans in place, Faranth knows that not everything always goes according to those plans!