Xanadu Weyr - Forest's Edge
While the forest is thick for a long while, in time it begins to thin, as the ground becomes rockier to the south western stretches of the Weyr's land. The trees are further apart, and the rocks become larger, before rocky outcroppings seem to be more prevalent than the trees around them. As the hills begin to gain in height, the shruberry upon them become more stunted.
The small cave that was opening up by an Earthquake has been widened, the initially small opening turned into one large enough for whers and humans alike, and the carefully placed support beams can be seen in the opening. Outside, it seems that more construction is due to begin, given the building materials currently being stockpiled.
A series of 'dens' sit into the rocky outcroppings, showing signs of the whers who make their home within them.
The steady sound of dripping from the leaves overhead in a still forest amongst damp-blackened tree trunks seems to have become the norm for Xanadu this season. Whispers of climate change have been bandied about by the elderlies, who recall sunnier, hotter summers than this and the last one have been. Most folks seem to keep indoors or fly off to drier places on Pern if they are free. So what is the Weyrwoman doing way out here, walking east from beyond the Forest's Edge and not in her office? Anyone's guess. But she's dressed head to toe in form-fitting waterproofed leathers and boots, her hair twisted up under a broad-brimmed hat to keep the rain off. Presently she's paused, eyeing a spot in the ground and talking softly. Probably to Seryth, who isn't present.
Sure some people fly off to drier places, but then Kezi isn't known for playing in drier places. After all, once could find her in swamps and such. Still, it'd be a pain in the butt to fly straight to somewhere else as the greenrider, according to rumour is grounded from going between. At least the arm sling she had is gone. With it being her free day from wing duties, she's fled from the paperwork she'd been saddled with and is coming down from the hills, munching on a bit of dried fruit and nuts she pulls out of a pouch in her hands. She's walking carefully though so she doesn't slide or fall. As she comes down the hill and spies Thea, who looks like she's talking to the ground, the greenrider pauses. "So tell me, is it talking back? The ground that is?"
Why would P'rel be out and about, here of all places? It was his backyard, more or less. His weyr wasn't too far from where he stumbles upon Keziah and Thea. He's dressed in clothing more suited to hiking then riding, complete with a walking stick with it's grip wrapped in strips of leather wrapped around towards the top. He'd been around since graduation, but for the most part taking his off time before his wing duties begin officially in a few days to spend time with his weyrmate, as well as getting the things they needed to furnish their weyr. Apparently this was break time, for the bronzerider had tied back his hair with an elastic, and topped his head with a deep red bandana. He was, damp, all things considered. He pauses just on the outskirts of forest, none too far from where the two women have met up, golden eyes flickering over his shoulder, back the way he'd come. Indecisive perhaps, in whether or not he wished to intrude, or simply turn around and head back.
So intent on the spot she's eyeing, Thea actually doesn't seem to notice the greenrider walking down the hill and she twitches, startled. Sheepishly then, with a bit of a grin pulling at her mouth, "Oh hi Keziah. Careful there," she eyes the hillside the greenrider has just come down. "See those slumps? The ground looks loose over there. Like it does here too." She prods with a booted toe at the edge of the depression she's standing beside, the color of mud on it a pale clay grey rather than the rich brown of the earth here. Out of the corner of her eye she spots movement, turns her head, squinting through the drizzle, recognizes the rider and waggles a few leather-clad fingers in P’rel’s direction - both a greeting and a summons.
Keziah glances at spots pointed out and she nods a little "Gotcha. Seen some things here and there too. There's a spot towards the south a ways where one streams goes under ground and with all the rainfalls, the ground washed out some yards away from it goes under due to the water pressure. Was kinda interestin ta look at. Found me a pretty nifty message stick that looks fairly old. Well, at least it's fairly worn out out. Not much of the message left to it." she grins and rubs her arms a little "Found an old knife too. That was painful." She glances towards where Thea's finger waggling too and then raises an arm in greeting to her old weyrling. Almost hard to think of them as full-fledged riders.
Thea had taken the decision out of P'rel's hands altogether with her finger wiggling summon, the boy perhaps sighing softly before he returns Keziah's wave with a lifted hand in greeting. He descends the hill and rough terrain easily in boots designed for such ground, covering it without much effort or time, strolling towards them with a few placed jabs at the forest floor with his walking stick. He wasn't wearing gloves or leathers himself, having chosen hide trousers in klah brown, a tan colored tunic belted at the waist from which his personalized hunter knife hangs. It's warm enough, despite the rain. "Should I ask why all the interest in dirt?" he asks, all those piercings he had before weyrlinghood back in place, eyebrow and bottom lip with the addition of a single red lacquer stud in the center of each ear lobe. Small and unobtrusive, though the thin white scars of his more gaudy of accessories still visible behind them.
Thea nods at Keziah, unsurprised by the comment. "The foresters have mentioned that in one of their reports." A dark brow lifts questioningly, "Was it you who found it and passed in the information?" Her expression changes from idle curiosity to perplexed, "Message stick, hmm? Like the kind my da used on my behind to get his message across when I was a youngun?" She snickers a little at her own quip, but clearly she has no idea what a message stick is. She visibly winces as P'rel makes his way down the same slope she'd just watched Keziah traverse, but rather than mother-hen the young man she holds her breath, only relaxing when he's off the slope. Hard to think of them as full Riders? Oh, most definitely after the stunts pulled during Graduation! But the only comment Thea has in greeting for P'rel is a mildly amused tease, "You do know they won't allow you to wear those do-dads when on wing duty, yes?" Casual, light and brief before she answers more somberly about the dirt, her hand-wave to her right indicating the farther areas she's come from, "I've been out looking at the ground slumps to the west. They're getting bigger. And now it looks like one is starting here. What do you guys think?"
There's a bit of snicker from Keziah for the quip "No, not those kind. Nah, this one is about oh about ten inches in length. Their used for carrying messages and all. Kinda a simple code and all and for some it seems easier than learnin' their letters. Me Da would use them for sending messages out to the outlying cottages and all of his hold. I mean most folk out that way don't have any firelizards and a number don't read and write, but they can carve and notch and such. Da used wood, this one though that I found seems more like an ivory and it ends had an ivy pattern on it. Kind pretty. Much of the message though is worn off. Though my archivist friend figured out some it. Seems like they were workin out some kind of trade of runners and such. Nothing spectacular." She hmms a little though at the other question "It could be, though I know I ain't the only one doing sweeps and such. We've all been keeping a look out. One of our holders lost some ovines to a sinkhole. My thoughts, possibly some caves or aquifers or maybe just underground streams. With all the water we're having, the water table has got to be pretty high."
"I figured." P'rel replies to the Weyrwoman evenly, distinctly lacking any tone, positive or negative before his eyes fall to the ground that Thea had been poking at with the toe of her boot, his pierced brow lifting somewhat before his gaze once more lifts. He seems content to remain quiet for the most part, chin lifting upwards slightly at some point before his attention wanders over the surrounding area, paying particular focus to the ground from the looks of it. "Not surprising, considering all the rain. We weren't dry enough for the ground to drain off naturally, so there was bound to be erosion." he says with a downturn to the corner of his lips, golden hues darting to Keziah as she speaks and agrees, considering the single nod that follows though it also doubles with the jerking motion of it in a particular direction. "Sinkholes and flooding. There's a place down a ways to the southeast that's completely filled in. The soil is so loose that several trees have uprooted and toppled over."
Thea lifts her eyes from the depression she's just asked their opinion on. She's been listening to Keziah's explanation about the message stick, nodding while her mouth forms a silent 'oh'. But she frowns just a tiny bit now as she responds, "No firelizards?" Clearly this bothers the Weyroman. But she has an idea just what to do about that by the looks of the smirk she's suddenly fighting as her eyes slide sidelong in P'rel's direction ever so briefly before returning to the slump she's studying. "I don't like to see these so close to the Weyr," she continues worriedly, eyes flicking back to P'rel at that monotone he's using. Brows twitch fractionally but she doesn't comment even as he gets an approving nod. "I didn't see your father at your Graduation, P'rel," she says a trifle awkwardly into the silence after he's given his opinion regarding the ground. "I did look for him, though."
Keziah shakes her head a little "No, definantly not a good thing. Especially with kidlets who like to explore." She murmurs as she things of Mirai and her friends. Then there's a thought "What about the mines? Has there been any word about those? Or has any of their tunnels collapsed maybe?" she frowns a little at those thoughts. And then she glances over at Thea a moment at her question for P'rel. She hmms a little and then murmurs in a soft sigh "He wasn't the only parent absent."
P'rel can only nod in agreement about not liking such things so close to the weyr, "I don't like these things so close to my personal weyr." he mutters, lashes lowering as he frowns at the ground that Thea had poked at. "Perhaps I'srie and I should move to higher ground. The last thing we need is the dragons to get hurt by falling in or tripping over one of these sinkholes. What do you think?" he asks, of them both, a flicker of concern passing of his features. He falls silent again, as Keziah asks about the mines, glancing over in their general direction before nodding to the greenrider, "That's a good question." he agrees, looking then to Thea. "If that turns out to be true, we could see a great deal more degradation and quickly. All there would need to be is one good downpour." There is a sort of twitch then, as the Weyrwoman brings up a, touchy subject. There is a soft snort from the bronzerider, throat flashing in agitation. "That's because I told him not to bother showing up. Him or that…irritation he'd weyrmated to." he growls, gripping that walking stick the with enough strength to wash out what little color there was to his knuckles. Frown now deeply in place, Py tosses his head, glaring off at some unknown point in the distance. "My mother and brothers came. They…didn't stay long." Cough.
"With genuine regret the Weyrwoman's sigh echoes Keziah's, "Yes, I know. A few of our local holders were conspicuously absent and I know it wouldn't have been wise to have Briana's mother here. Perhaps it's for the best. There were no upheavals." Other than the pair running off the platform, but she tactfully mentions nothing about that. "There's been some flooding in the lower levels, but no cave-ins yet, thank Faranth," Thea replies to Keziah. There's a note of concern in her tone, her lips move in a silent note to self sort of way before she draws a deep breath before shaking her head at P'rel. "I’m more worried about these wher dens here. Most of the forest weyrs are on the highest ground in all of Xanadu. You guys are pretty far out, aren't you? Those ones are even higher yet as they're uphill. The meadow cottages are more in danger from the river and the ones on the coastal road from the lake, if they rise." She tilts her head back to eye the skies which turns out to be a bad move as that tips the brim where the water trickles right down the back of her neck inside her jacket. Her frown of distaste must surely be from that rather than P'rel's comment about his father, right? "Nice of him to oblige you then," she tells P'rel dryly. Though he's given an understanding look, her own terse comment is, "He reminds me of my own father."
Keziah frowns a little as she hears about the flooding. "Shards. That's not good." There's a glance towards P'rel and then she glances back at Thea. "High ground maybe, but I know the little creek that runs through my area as become pretty full, and the pool itself as taken up more of the clearing, I've had to shore up one side to make sure that it didn't flood my cottage." she frowns a little "And those that are downstream are likely to see more water from it as well." She glances back at P'rel "What about yours? Any water features and all? I know my spring seems a bit more sluggish than normal, but the water is still clear. So maybe it'll be okay."
"Have there been any predictions as to what we might expect should we have heavy rains again, this turn?" P'rel asks, distinctly avoiding the topic of missing holders and absent parents, at least for the moment. The topic of erosion seems to be the more comfortable of subject matters. He considers what Thea has said about the relative safety of his weyr and the dragons within it. "Yes, we're just over that ridge the way I came, beyond the clearing." There is some shifting from one foot to the other before the bronzerider settles again, looking over his shoulder again the way he'd come. He misses Thea's head tipping upwards and the dribble of cold rainwater, returning his attention to her only when she makes her dry comment about his father. "Indeed." he replies much in the same way, his pierced brow lifting as she tells him how much his father reminds her of her own. "I'm sorry to hear that. I wouldn't wish that man on my worse enemy." he grumbles, sharply inhaling through his nose and letting it out through his mouth slowly before sliding golden hues to Keziah. "None, other than our personal bathing room. I'srie insisted. He doesn't like communal bathing." he supplies, shoulders drifting upwards and then down again. "Haven't had any issues yet, but we haven't been there all that long."
With eyes closed and the fingers of one gloved hand lifted to massage her temples, the Weyrwoman's expression is hidden, but quiet voice tells plainly of her fatigue, she answers Keziah, "Shards. There are creeks running through there, aren't there." Thea has forgotten all about them in the myriad of other concerns plaguing her these days. She remains that way while waiting for P'rel's answer, almost braced for further complications. She laughs with a faint bitterness, "Maybe we should wish them on each other then." She shakes her own issues off, returning to the current situation, "Other than a few empty weyrs in the forest - which I'll have to put families in if we evacuate the cots along the river and lake - the only places I have are the Caverns, the Observation Level, the Candidate Barracks and the Weyrling Barracks." She drops her hand after the young bronzerider has answered, but rather than seem relieved, she divides her gaze between the two of them. "The foresters aren't going weyr to weyr in there, so I'd appreciate it if you keep me updated on your places and those of your neighbors." The greenrider gets a concerned look then, "You're doing alright?" Her pale gaze flickers from the rider's arm to her abdomen, but she mentions neither condition nor injury in public.
There's a sideglance up towards the sky, Kezi ain't willin' to get it in her eyes like Thea did. "Yeah, no problem. I'll keep an eye on things. I tend ta anyways, force of habit really. And tis easy enough to relay things to Alosynth who'll relay it back the wingleader." she notes thoughfully. At Thea's question she gives a little nod "Doin' well enough." she notes after a moment. There's a thoughful look for P'rel and Thea and then she just shakes her head a little "Be your lucks they'd like ta be together and plot or something."
Ers'lan is dressed in a work set of leathers, obvious by the worn nicks in the leather and the lines where the leather has folded several times over. A riding helmet is still on his head along with a set of goggles dangling around his neck, bouncing against chest with each swift step taken. He's nearly jogging at the rate of his pace, with a grimace of bound determination on his face. After graduation, he didn't take the time to rest up and reward himself with time. Nope, that's why he's wearing the Galaxy knot now, havin went straight to work with the wing. It could be something associated with the knot, that's got him rushing over, carrying something of importance. A folder of some weather proof leather like material; all the same, it's tucked under his arm. Mud has splattered up both sides of his pant legs and dotted up his jacket, making it appear like he's been out in the elements for some time now. Upon reaching the edge of the forest, after the last set of cottages, the scowl that had started to wear on his scruffy featers wanes as he spots the group. Squinted eyes relax with a sense of relief at spotting the woman he was searching for. Pace quickens just a little more, aimed toward Thea.
P'rel snorts again, lighter than before in regards to Thea. "If only." he mutters, about facing off his father against hers. Lips are pursed together though at having to relocate families, his face taking on a look of concentration, as if considering all the options. "That might cause some issues for us later on, putting families in the candidate and weyrling barracks. That is, when ever we next have a clutch on the sands. We simply won't have the room for all those people." he says, that frown from earlier still very present. "There is the observatory and the ridge, we could construct some temporary shelters up there. If we had the materials." A pause and Py looks at a loss, "But you would know our situation better than I." This directed to Thea, to whom he also nods about keeping an eye on the situation. "I'll let I'srie and Qe'pol know." Eyes divert to Keziah, but he says nothing about holders and plotting. Lips, sealed.
With a shudder on the heels of Keziah's comment, Thea mutters, "Perish the thought! The man has already tried to marry me off to the next holder across the valley thinking Seryth would be a prize for him to bargain with." Clearly her holder father has no respect for Weyr-ties. "I know," she breathes out after P'rel has spoken. "But I'll want those people in where it's dry, not in temporary shelters getting sick from the damp and cold. It's good to think ahead, though." Her brows pucker. "If one of the golds rises and those areas are occupied, we'll find a solution somehow." Footfalls alert her to the approach of another and her head turns to see the be-spattered and determined Ers'lan. She says nothing, but her expression is clearly asking, 'Now what?'
Keziah hmms a little as she looks thoughful "Well, I could likely house an extra guest, Mirai can sleep with me." she notes after a moment "It's not much, but perhaps if more people share space it'll help some. I do have room for another dragon too, provided they're not too large." she adds and then there's a look at Thea. One of just sheer shock at such thinking "A gold as a baragining chip in a marriage? What is he? Daft?" she snorts a little and just rolls her eyes "Honestly, doesn't the man think?" Well, obviously not in the right way. Then there's a glance at Ers'lan and a frown. "Is everything okay? PLease don't tell me that the ground didn't just collapse somewhere closer in."
Ers'lan looks vaguely toward Keziah, sharing a moment where he headbobs, more so catching her out of the corner of his eye as he approaches with an intent gaze for Thea. There's even less acknowledgement for the bronzerider. Instead, there's a quick head bob in place of a salute for the Weyrwoman, since he's already turning the folder over and unbuckling the contents. Yanking the sheafs of paper out, he side steps up to Thea, noting just as briefly her expression of disdain for his appearance, but even that doesn't stop him. "The reports for the day…" the words seem a struggle to pronounce correctly, he even looks for a moment to get stumped by his own concentration on saying them right, slipping back into his sea-farring accent, "Tis reportin on the western most sighting of whar reckon ta be more ground givin way… n' here," he rolls the paperwork to show the images some of the more skillful search and rescue wing members drew while in the air, along with the nagivation points to go along with, "tis a whirl pool. Be the ships in harbor be already knowin, as we be passin it along quick. Tis also bein' passed ta the Seacraft so they can alert those usin the waterways." He shuffles the papers back into the briefcase folder, handing it to her if she would want it, "Galaxy be spending a few riders ta keep an eye out fer ships near thar…" A nod, as if passing along the news. He regards the others, with eyes finally curious upon them, as if wondering what he interrupted. There's a shake of his head for Keziah at her question, eyes peeking back to Thea for her words in response to his initial summary.
P'rel blinks at Thea's statement, opening his mouth perhaps to add his own outrage, but Keziah steps in and covers all that rather well. He looks to the greenrider, shaking his head the only comment he manages to get in there other than his perplexed expression. "Holders have a rather unique take on weyrlife, to frustration…at times." he sighs heavily, sounding as if he was speaking from experience. "I'd offer space myself, but I think my weyrmate would do very unpleasant things to me." he tells Thea, with a sort of helpless look to him. He does seem to look approvingly upon Keziah however, as if her offer of space, was a generous one indeed. At the approaching footfalls and everyone turning their attention to the arriving brownrider, Py takes several measured steps backwards. He cants his head to one side as he listens, a brow even arching at something that is said before he startles and his gaze goes distant. There is soon an exasperated sigh, "Tell him I'll be there shortly." That frown couldn't possibly get any deeper. "This appears to be urgent," he says, looking between them all, already turning to head back up the hill he'd traversed to get down here in the first place. "If you will excuse me, seems I'srie is looking for me." He bobs his head to each in turn, and departs.
Thea nods appreciation to Keziah's offer, "If it comes to that we may have to have riders take in riders." She adds reluctantly, "Or seek shelter at other Weyrs altogether." Clearly she doesn't like the last option, for she shakes her head wearily. The greenrider's tart comment draws a sharp bark of laughter from the Weyrwoman. "Probably," she returns at the mention of being daft. "Oh he thinks alright. Of marks, expanding his holding, the heirs he now lacks-" She breaks off with a sharp intake of breath, one gloved hand lifts to her throat, but further thoughts on that subject remain unvoiced. Ers'lan approaches and the expression on her face is one of dismay rather than disdain. People only come looking for her with bad news these days… Keziah's question draws a swift, sidelong look before she gives the brownrider her full attention. When he pulls that report out, she removes her broad-brimmed hat to shield it from the drizzle, studying the diagram intently. P'rel's comment has her pale green eyes lifting in concern. "Let me know if there's anything I can do," she calls to his retreating form. Back to the report, she reaches a gloved hand to accept the folder, replacing her hat on her now very damp head. "Please relay the wing to cordon off the newest sinkhole, Rider. Report received." Then striving for upbeat but succeeding in barely keeping her voice level, she adds, "Well done."
There's a muttering from the greenrider in a low undertone "He's no better than that bastard…" she trails off without saying anynames outloud and the Keziah clears her throat. "Heck, I'll house them on my floors. We don't need to be sending out to the other Weyrs." There's a pause and then a thoughtful look "Don't we have higher up caves? Are they too unstable?" she hmms a little "Or perhaps not here proper, but, we've some others in the territory, don't we?" she mutters a little "Shards, too many more of these sinkholes and we'll be living in the grounds ourselves." She frowns at the news from Ers'la "A whirpool? Shards, grounds givin way beneath the lake too?" she's quiet a moment and then her eyes widen "Where's all /that/ water going to?" A glance at Thea "Think that may have somethin' to do with the other holes?"
The prior conversations that he catches snippets of, have the brownrider staring off into space, clearly not interested in one thing or another, preoccupied with the next. A visible snap of his eyes does shake off the 'spaced out' look, dawn blue eyes switching between Thea and Keziah. "Aye, t'will report as requested," the man half looks over his shoulder as if he was going to do that instantly, save for the comments from Keziah. It makes him stall, for a while longer. He bobs his head at her question, "Aye. Tis a whirlpool…" nose wrinkles at the woman's eye widening, "Down beneath I reckon. Be land shifting some… pockets openin, aye. Whirl pools are normal. Some stay fer Turns others disappear after shorter lengths of time…" He looks between them, waiting for further information on what's happening in the region.
"Indeed," is Thea's brief response to Keziah's observation. She too foregoes names, choosing instead to nod appreciatively to her offer to house people on her floors. "Hopefully it won't come to that." As for caves, she blinks at the greenrider, "Do we? Niva's never mentioned them to me. I'll have to study the maps." Tucking the folder underneath one arm, she reaches a hand to stay Ers'lan from running off. "Just bespeak Zhaoth and have him relay the message to your wingleader. It'll save your legs." She smirks devilishly as that's said. Notice him running daily? Likely. She focuses on Ers'lan's elaboration of whirlpools, though she asides in response to Keziah's question where the water's going, guessing, "Into the sea of Azov, maybe." As for if it's related to the rain and present sinkholes she gives a damned-if-I-know sort of shrug. And since the brownrider looks curious, she tells him, "The creeks in the forest are running full, the mine is showing signs of flooding and I'm concerned that the river may rise if the rain picks up. We may have to evacuate the low-lying areas such as the meadow and coastal road."
Ers'lan does notice that hand staying him, it having touched him just as he decided to linger. He remains, no matter who triggered it. There is a bit of a smirk flashed at Thea for her devilish smirk, one eyebrow lifting in a cocky sort of manner, playful to the core, "Reckon I be right fine. I be used ta it." Legs are like machines now, all the effort paid off, clearly. Though as the conversation drifts back into the realm of seriousness, he nods thoughtfully at the situation, listening to the status of the creeks, mines and other low lying areas. For her last mention of evacuation, he murmurs, "Reckon we try sand baggin first, n' making levies… iffin that will delay the evacuation…" His tone is a little tense, considering he just got his fancy new weyr in that direction, a gritty look on his face, "T'will recommend we be sand bagging first… get some levies built up eventually. Sand bagging be quicker, I reckon, fer us people. Reckon the dragons can be doin the digging fer levies."
Keziah thinks hard for a few moments "Well, out where do much of the training, down from the plateau with the bridge? There's a cave there. There's gotta be more." She seems almost hopeful, but not too sure. Then at Ers'lan suggestion she gives a nod "Shorin' up the place would likely be worth a try." she says almost fiercly "Ain't no one or no thing, not even weather gonna run us outta our Weyr." she states and eyes the ground "Not even that." she hmmphs a little. Then there's a blink and her eyes widen "Thea, what kind of firestone do we have here in the mines?" she asks after a moment. She'd never really thought to think about it, even when Mirai's friend joined that craft. "Please say we don't have the unstable kind. Please say we have the stable kind." she murmurs as she thinks about the water hitting the mines.
Sharply, "No levies!" Then with an apologetic and quieter tone Thea repeats, "No levies. I've read reports of them breaking suddenly and the resulting floods are more forceful and catastrophic than slowly rising waters can be. Sorry. And the weyrfolk want to keep their view of the river. We had flooding several turns ago and the levy idea was rejected firmly." She shakes her head as she adds, "I don't want the dragons used in digging, either. The soil is stony here and I don't want claws split. We need them in flying condition and they cannot land with passengers or cargo with injured claws, much less fly *Between*. Sandbags though. That we can do. Those are good ideas, Ers'lan. Keep thinking." She tilts her head, listening intently to Keziah. "I'll speak to the Search and Rescue wingleader and see if we can get some riders out there to have a look around. Anything is wo-" Blink. There are types of firestone? Who knew? The Weyrwoman stalls for time. "Ah, you know," she says slowly, "since we've only had the dragons chewing it for-" her words stop as her mind does the math, "-roughly six turns after stopping for nearly a hundred, and I use a flamethrower, I never thought to ask. Though, I remember when we first had our meeting about resuming training with it Niva said V'dim knows all about it. Why?"
Keziah blinks a moment at Thea and then nods "Yes, with a flamethrower. But there are two types of firestone. One type reacts harshly with water, it can explode. Since I've not heard anything on explosions and figured we have the more stable kind. It does take dragons just a little longer to digest it. I dunno enough though if the two intermingle though." she says after a moment "I mean well, I'm sure the miners are well aware of the danger and such."
Ers'lan regards Thea with a look of surprise touching the corners of his eyes, for the sharp retort to the levies has him mystified. It is only until her explanation that he reconsiders, although by his expression, he is not totally convinced that they shouldn't try it. His lips purse and thin at her compliment to the sand bagging idea, which essentially makes him logically retort, "Reckon sandbags and levies do be the same thing. Tis one with bags and the other with the materials round ya." Granted levies are more or less permanent, but they function the same - redirect water, keep water back from one foundation or the next. He does roll his shoulders afterward, nodding at the mention that he should keep thinking. He does blip in, "Reckon we ought ta keep some dingys, paddles, and life preservers with folks be living on the lower lying areas. Could flash flood iffin we dun be careful…" He takes a look toward the wet forest with searching eyes, squinting hard, then back at them, "Excuse me. Reckon the wingleader do be wantin me back." The firestone concern, that is left in the hands of the women. He's already moving to leave with a respectful tilt of his head to both.
Oh, the Weyrwoman's plate is already quite full, but this news is the cake that she doesn't need for the dessert. "Ex…plodes?" Both dark brows lift then settle low. Greaaaaaat. "I think I'd better go have a word with the masterminer…and S&R wingleader and the Weyrleader and… " A million other people as well. She takes a silent note of Ers'lan's displeasure, her own expression growing stern. As he turns to go, she murmurs a quiet, "Thanks Kezi, I'll see you later. Hold up a moment, Ers'lan." She falls into step with him, earnestly commenting, "I'll allow sandbagging five feet and no higher. Built around structures not the river itself. If the water begins to rise we'll evacuate immediately. Before it can top them. You need to understand I am thinking of more than just losing some structures we can rebuild…" As they walk she is honest in her praise for his other ideas, explaining that people know the risks where high levies are concerned and aware that they are on low ground and that most of the coastal road is high on cliffs above the lake's waterline. Her voice trails off as they draw away.