Xanadu Weyr - Weyrleaders' Office
Office and retreat, this is the domain of Xanadu's Weyrleaders. The door is in the eastern wall, quite close to the southern 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 eastern 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 western 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 south 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.
Afternoons are often when D'son can be found in the office working through papers and looking things up on the computer and that's exactly what he's doing at the moment. He's come a long way from two finger typing since Vivian first set that workstation up for him and Dels is now thoroughly comfortable with the computer and even often enough comes up with new, interesting ways to use it. Just now though he's whistling chipperly while he works
There's a knock on the office door before it opens a crack and Thea pokes her head in, an impish gleam in the pale green of her eyes, "D'son?" She waits for him to finish typing before continuing, "Baker sent up fresh rolls for everyone with me." She's wavering a cloth-covered basket at him and it might be possible the scent of nuts, sugar and spices drift his way. "I think he's trying to fatten us all up. For his own nefarious purposes."
Up comes D'son's head, whistle trailing off as Thea pokes her head in. "Heya, rolls? Shells, those smell good, yeah, share away!" The Weyrleader favors the goldrider with a boyish grin, which isn't hard given he's pretty much still more boy than man. "And hey, can't blame a baker for trying, right? How're you doing? You look happy today."
Thea slips into the room and crosses the office to place the basket near him, "Klah to go with?" Since she's already standing. She laughs lightly, "He drags the fat ones to the storeroom never to be seen again, so," She lowers her voice to whisper, "You've been warned." She tilts her head towards the klah pot. Yes? No? Then she's nodding agreement to his observation, "I am." Smirk, "I now own a sailing skiff."
Reaching over for a roll, D'son breathes in deep and nods. "Thanks Thea, yeah that'd be good. I was out and about this morning. You know, small holds along the sea and up the river, just checking in after all the stuff with the storm," the Weyrleader explains. "So now it's time to catch up on paperwork!" More laughter about the baker. "Yeah? Well remind me to keep running then. I don't want to vanish into the kitchens." That last hikes Dels' brows up and keen interest sparks in his eyes. "Don't suppose you need a second mate or a fisherman?"
Thea flickers a look that says 'oh fun' about the paperwork as she's filling a mug for him, "Less paperwork using that contraption, though, right?" Meaning the one-eyed monster on his work station. She offers that mug to him handle-first, then sinks into a chair with a long blown out breath. "Storms have been worse lately, or is it my imagination?" She's grinning at his enthusiasm, "Do you know how to sail, then? Could make you the captain then, because I can't." A slight grimace, "I'll have to have it repaired first, though."
"Mm, tons less. The databases are really useful, I've been using those a lot so all I have to do is fill out a few fields and bam bam bam it's done. Print it out, sign it … ta da!" Beaming the smile of a technology enthusiast, D'son looks very proud of what he's picked up so far. Both of his hands reach for that mug, one curling around the handle, the other steadying it. "Seems like it, yeah. What, thinking that Kefai is right and doom doom, Thread is coming back?" Her next though sees his smile widening further. "I do, actually. Istan you know. Raised around boats," Dels explains. "I can teach you if you like? And I can help fix her up too. You know, when we have a minute around other stuff."
Thea shudders, "Looks tedious to me, learning how to do all that." She slides a skeptical look at the machine. Kefai. Now there's a name she hasn't heard in a long time. She looks troubled, "Hmm, No, was the storm yesterday that wrecked the skiff. Although I was thinking of him and Kate the other day when I stopped to have a peek in the incubator. Lusiath's close to Seryth's cycle." She laughs lightly, "Miss boating, then?" Her face sobers just a bit, "The mast is broken and the keel is cracked. Can ya fix that?" Because she has no clue, says her face.
"Oh no, it's a lot of fun," D'son claims about the computer. Yeah someone's a geek. Breath out. "Is it? Hey that's good to know actually, because we can keep an eye out for her," Dels says earnestly about Lusiath. "But these storms are pretty bad, sorry it got the skiff." He laughs, ducks his head, nods. "Yeah, I do. I uh — well I used to go out with Ais. Aisling I mean. It's part of how we got together. Fishing. Making out while we were fishing and um - you know that was probably more than you wanted to know!" He furrows his brows at mention of the damage. "Oof. I can help with the mast, but that keel crack might need a seacrafter."
Thea's eyes on that computer remain doubtful, but the mention of Lusiath has her full attention and her gaze slides up to him. "Did we hear of any bronze who flew a distant queen? Might should ask around to the Weyrs. Seryth rose-" She closes her eyes, calculating, her lips move soundlessly for a moment and her eyes open, "Twenty-two sevendays ago. And Lusiath rose the first time a sevenday before her." She nods gravely about the storm noting quietly, "I was fortunate that D'had was there. He pulled me from the lines when it capsized." There's a grin as he goes on about Aisling. The keel crack has her wincing, "Shells. This is costing more and more. Wasn't mine when I took it out." There's irony in her tone as she says that last.
"I haven't heard anything but you know, sometimes it's hard to keep tabs on those kinds of things unless there's a lot of dragon gossip." D'son lets out a breath. "Good thing he got to you then, that's a fast drown getting tangled," Dels says seriously, his former experience with both boats and S&R showing itself. "Depends on how bad it is, I can take a look and it's possible a seal might take care of it, but if it's too big, might need a real repair, part of the keel replaced.”
Thea hrms, lifting on finger to tap at her lips as she thinks. "X'hil's Kinseth flew her last. I wonder if he'd know to *Between* to where they were last time." Her grin is just a wee bit malicious as she adds, "He was chagrined to be separated from the Rider when Kinseth caught." Something like that might cause gossip? She nods soberly about drowning, "He did well." That is all she says about it, but there is firm approval in the tone. "It's on the beach right now. Washed ashore after the storm. I'd appreciate it if you did. I have absolutely no idea. Machines. Boats. We had neither of those in my home hold."
"I did talk to him about it once and he said Kinseth would keep an eye out, but I don't think Lusiath's exactly reaching out to anyone," D'son says seriously. "Not consciously anyway." He chuckles softly though for that little jibe. "Given how it goes … I think anyone would be uh — pretty put out not to be near the gold's rider in the flight aftermath. Can't imagine how that went for Kate either. I mean, kind of seems like both riders /need/ it to help get back to themselves after." The Weyrleader nods about the boat. "Well, let me finish this stuff up and I can come take a look? If you have time."
Thea nods, "You're right, she isn't answering either. I have Seryth try from time to time." Her smirk about X'hil fades to a faint gape of surprise as D'son launches into Flight Philosophy 101. She coughs suddenly, eyes dancing, "Hmm, see that's the sort of thing the bronzers might complain about if it happened again. Could have the queens ask if they overheard?" His offer to look at the skiff has her rising smoothly. "Thanks, I do. I'll be out there." If only to keep the dock hands from trashing the thing.
"Yeah, I know people try over and over and nothing. You'd think there'd at least be a sense of her out there, you know?" D'son's brows lift at that look of surprise on Thea's face. "Any rider whose dragon chased," D'son says with a little nod and duck of his head, a sheepish look. "I mean .. um — what's it like for you? When she goes up. When he catches …" the Weyrleader waves vaguely, "we're completely combined, you know? I have to do what he does or it actually you know … hurts. And not — not —" more hand-waving. "Anyway. It helps me to come down. Separate again to you know, go the ah, distance." *cough* And nodding. "Sure, I'm pretty sure some of the others do anyway." Dels nods a couple of times. "Okay, won't be but a few minutes."
Now here's a conversation with one's Weyrleader this junior never thought she'd be having. He goes on and her amazement grows as his words tumble out in a way that would make mother's everywhere cringe and say, 'not is public, Johnny'. She just stands there trying not to gawp and snicker. Finally there is a shout of laughter from her and she's clapping a hand over her mouth, dissolving in a fit of mirth. What's it like for her?? Did he really ask her that? Still smirking, she answers dryly, "I'll tell you what. If Inimeth ever catches Seryth, you'll be the first to know the answer to that one." With that she's heading out with a breezy, "See you." She steps out and although the door is pulled closed behind her, snickering can be heard fading away as the junior walks down the hall.
That leaves D'son gaping and he clears his throat, ducks behind his monitor. "That uh — won't be happening unless he um … loses Kilaueth," is what the Weyrleader has to say about that and then the tapping of keys picks up, hard and fast while D'son certainly blushes red to the roots of his hair.