The Orbit of a Comet
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Xanadu Weyr - Firelizard Theater
A natural clearing in the forest has grown a different sort of tree. The Courtyard of the Firelizard holds grass trampled into dirt around the wooden play structures.
In the northern part of this field lies a jungle-gym like fort, with two towers that soar to fifteen feet of height. One of them adjoins a large open deck with spiral staircase up and a metal slide down. That aside, the structure's made almost entirely of wood, the boards locked together either by being interlocked or by huge wooden bolts hammered into the boards. The towers are studded with uneven boards and rough spots, various climbing challenges on each of their faces. A swaying rope bridge with wooden slats connects the towers, and beneath it there's a sealed tunnel to run through or play minecraft.
Just past the fort, there are wooden sit-toys carved and painted into the likeness of dragons. They're about two feet high and four feet long, though the green is smaller than the blue. There's a place for a child to sit on the dragon's back, with their feet resting on the dragon's paws and hands on the bars bars attached to the neck of the dragon. Pushing with hands or feet will make the dragon rock and writhe.
In the middle of the field are two sets of swings, suspended by rope from from a wooden beam that's held up by crossbraces on either side. There's a set of monkey bars, made entirely out of wood but carefully polished until the dark bars glow, and a set of seesaws. The sandbox is set back a little from the rest, filled with sand from Xanadu's beach and scattered with buckets and shovels.
Trees border the area, including a massive Lemosian ironwood that has beneath its branches wooden benches with a view of the playground.


The showers of spring has left Xanadu lush and flowery this season. Elsewhere, eggs are on the sands baking, getting closer and closer to a day where dragons will sing. But for now, they rest in heat while the rest of Xanadu enjoys warm spring weather. Ka'el has plenty to do. With the promise of Weyrlings on the unknown horizon, a Weyrleader is left with a lot of preparations for them. But even though his plate is full to overflowing, for a time he's left it behind in favor of a much-needed break away from the office for some time with his son this early afternoon. Skyler is dressed in khaki-colored shorts and a turquoise and brown shirt that will probably need changing after this adventure. He currently digs in the sandbox with a plastic shovel. Ka'el is with him, sitting on the wooden edge of the box and helping to dig. "Where're we digging to? The other side of Pern?" he asks.

Idrissa doesn't have any kids, though this is where she has at the moment. Wandering it seems, a few firelizards follow after her though, well a pair on her shoulders at least. She continues along the little path, pausing at the voice and she peeks over curiously to watch the pair. There is a slight pause before she turns moving on towards the sandbox. "Hey.. Ka'el.." Skyler is given a soft smile and she wiggles a wave at him. "Hello Skyler."

Skyler has no intentions of answering his father. Well, duh dad! Of course they’re going to dig to the other side of the world! Or at least until Skyler’s attention is drawn to something else. Like to Idrissa, who has now joined them. The blue-eyed boy pauses his digging to look up at the woman, beaming his usual happy-go-lucky grin. “Hi!” he echoes back. He know that word very well. He also knows other ones, which Idrissa will soon find out. He stands up, and with sand stuck to his knees and hands…and legs…and shorts, toddles over to the greenrider, extending his shovel. “Di’. Dig!” he says. Ka’el chuckles, looking at her as well. “Congratulations. You’ve been inducted into the Skyler Hole Digging Crew. I hope you have hole-digging experience.”

Idrissa blinks while peeking at Skyler, there is a bit of amusement seen and she chuckles softly. "Well.. Um.." She ponders before nodding a touch. "Alright.." She offers while moving to take hold of the shovel and thus moves on over to the sand to offer help with the digging. "Just so happens I'm an oldtime digging champ so all will be fine."

Hooray! Another recruit! Skyler claps his hands once the shovel is taken and looks adoringly up at Idrissa before he’s off! Gotta find another shovel! Luckily for him, there ae plenty to be found strewn about the sand. Chuckling, Ka’el scoots over a little and makes a little nodding gesture to the spot next to him. “Hello Idrissa and firelizards,” he greets. “I’m glad to know that I won’t have to give any remedial lessons on digging. The bossman here?” a shovel-point to Skyler, “is a bit’ve a hardarse and doesn’t like slacking.” He grins and lightly lifts his brows. “How are you? Enjoying the day before another rainshower blows through?”

Idrissa smiles to Skyler and nods a touch before she goes about starting to dig a bit of a hole. "Oh I bet he is indeed… Kids take after there parents I'm told." This said with an amused tone before she peers over to Ka'el. "I'm alright.. An yeah, enjoying what I can before the rain comes again. What about you all.. Other then busy digging holes of course?"

“You callin’ me a hardarse, rider?” says Ka’el with a glare to Idrissa. A mock-glare apparently, as he’s not able to hold it long before a grin ruins it. Skyler is back now with a brand new shovel in his hand. Back to work you lazy lot! He plops down in the sand to dig. Dig a hole! Digga hole! “Da! May ma ma. Dig!” He has a lot to say, even if he’s not really saying much of anything. “I’ve been…” Ka’el answers, “..busy,” he admits. “Candidates won’t stay that way forever, and with Weyrlings comes…a lot of new things that need to be done on top of the old things that need to be done.” A smirk. “But I’ve been alright, otherwise. Keeping my head above water, for the most part. Prioritizing,” a look to Skyler at that. “Or..trying to. Everything good with you and Tahryth? .. And Kera?”

Idrissa grins a bit and winks at Ka'el. "Don't know wha you mean." This said with a soft laugh escapes her. Though onwards they go digging that hole in the sand. "Yeah I imagen that you have been busy with all hat." She hasn't don't much, though she doesn't need to after all. "Yeah.. We're all fine, and everything is fine with Kera and I as well." Seems the two made up.

“Good,” says Ka’el upon hearing that the two greenriders have no bad blood between them. Not that he particularly expected that they would but….you never know! “I had hoped that nothing would become of that night. I’m glad it didn’t.” He smiles and takes a breath to say something else but is oh so rudely interrupted by Skyler. First, it’s random almost-words. But then, more clearly, “Rock!” Yup, they’ve hid the mother load! There’s a good-sized rock down there, one that can easily be picked up by a toddler’s hands. Which Skyler does. “’ock!” he says this time, holding it up for both father and rider to behold. .. Behold!

Idrissa smiles and nods. "Yeah.. I figured that it wouldn't be a real problem you know.." Flight issues and so forth, it does happen after all. She peeks at Skyler and laughs a touch. "Yes it is a rock! What a good rock for you to find.." This said with an amused tone. "If you find enough maybe you can make a fort.. or a castle.." Well that is an idea!

“Wow, look at that!” says Ka’el who reaches out to take and examine the magnificent rock, turning it round and round for both himself and Idrissa to marvel over. And yes Skyler is watching to make sure that they in fact marvel at his incredible fine! “Best rock we’ve ever seen isn’t it Idrissa?” He smirks at her before handing the treasure back to the boy. “A rock fort? Hmm..sounds sturdier than the snow fort we made last seasons. It was pitiful, to be honest,” he chuckles to his companion, watching her while Skyler goes off to look for a good spot to set his rock down. “Are you ready for what could sound like an incredibly random question?”

Idrissa waves a hand slightly. "You know how to ask the best random questions.. So ask away." This said before she nods and grins at Skyler. "Yep.. Rock fort, sort of like a snow fort.. just it won't melt!" Well unless some dragon burns it afer eatting firestone perhaps. She points to another rock that is sticking out of the sand a bit. "Look.. there's another one I think." Sorry Ka'el but she is pushing the kidlet to find a new hoby it seems.

Skyler finally does find a perfect spot for his rock, which is exactly three feet away from where the rock was originally found. He places it down very carefully, then oooos! at the new rock that Idrissa has found for him. He has hired the best rock gathering crew ever! He heads over to unearth it. Ka'el chuckles fondly, shaking his head. "When he start piling rocks on the porch, I'm going to throw them at your weyr," he warns the greenrider playfully. Now! Random question time. "Are you at all interested in becoming an assistant weyrlingmaster?"

"Please.. Tahryth would have a fit." Idrissa starts before pausing a moment. "Well… Or help him." She is never that sure what her dragon might do! At the questions there is a pause and she glances over to him curiously a few moments. "Me?.."

"Yup," says Ka'el with a crooked smirk. "You." He lifts a hand as if to stall the protests he fears are coming. "Now, hear me out. It isn't as…random of a question as it may seem, I promise. This is actually one of those things that took a great deal of thought and consideration and number crunching," he says with a grin. "The number of Comet riders is greater than the number of AWLMs. Which is reasonable and how it should be. But, with this new crop of Weyrlings on the horizon and…V'dim not getting any younger," he isn't sure why he whispers that part, but he does, "My mind is telling me he may need a little more help this go around. We've been riding for seven turns. You have the experience. You have the same training as the other AWLMs do. And, being a Comet rider, you have insight to how other Weyrs run, which is valuable to a new rider who'll eventually represent us…and specifically me when they pop off to other places."

Idrissa just peers at Ka'el for a few long moment as he goes through the explaining of why.. why her.. why now.. and well the rest. She lowers her gae to the sand while she goes about digging up a bit of sand which hey there is another rock found. The rock is tugged free and she settles it down on the sand so a certain little sand digger can find it perhaps. There is no protests coming from her either while is very clearly thinking it over and she brushes her hands off after setting the shovel down. "Alright.. Sure." Is said while she glances back to him, a soft smile seen and she nods. "I do it.. I'm sure Tahryth will get a kick out of this. Have to make sure to hide the oil barrels incase she feels the need to taste them again."

Ka'el doesn't rush her. It's something worth thinking about! And instead of staring at her, he looks at Skyler, who has squatted down to inspect the sand as he slaps the flat end of the shovel upon it. Slap, slap! He giggles in amusement, then stands back up to toddle back towards his father and Idrissa. "Moh?" he says, opening up his hand. There is no rock in it, but it seems as if he's expecting one of them to give one to him. More! More! More rock treasures! Ka'el smirks and traces a design in the sand with his own plastic kiddie shovel, eyes looking back to Idrissa when she..agrees? He perks, grinning. "Yeah?" he says with lifted brows. "You're sure? No pressure or anything, but I do feel that the Weyrlings would do well with you. And there's still time for you to get acquainted with the AWLM schedule and all. The eggs haven't hatched yet, besides." He laughs a little, then continues to do so at the memory of Tahryth and the oil. "Ha! I think the one time was all she needed to spark a memory that oil tastes like yuck. I think even a dragon could remember that, turns later!"

Idrissa glances over to Skyler and smiles a touch before picking up the rock and offers it to him with a wink. "I'll find you more." Best believe there will be plenty of rocks getting dropped off at a certain weyr now thanks to a green rider. She glances back to Ka'el, a smile seen and she nods. "Yeah I'm sure.. Why not? I don't have a problem giving people lessons." She's helped out plenty of times at the stables with the runners after all. This is /different/ but she still doesn't have a thought against it. Her weyrlinghood has issues, she doesn't have a problem trying to help new ones not have the same issues she did after all. She nods to the bit on the AWLM schedule. "Yeah, I don't think that'll be a problem." A soft laugh escapes her and she just grins. "Have you not met Tahryth…? She remembers certain things, not all of them what she should or shouldn't lick!" Heck she licked well.. a lot of people and things by now.

"You're up for working with V'dim, eh?" teases Ka'el. "Though…it may be just me, but I think he's gettin' a little…softer. His usual grunts an' growls weren't quite as fierce with our last Weyrling group.." He strokes his chin in thought. "Or, it may just be the fact that I'm not on the receiving end of his grunts and growls anymore." He chuckles. "If you need any help with anything, please .. don't hesitate to come to me, okay? Or to the other AWLMs, of course," he smirks, "but don't forget about me. Kanekith and I can be good guinea pigs for lessons. And Skyler, if you need a real life model of what Weyrlings shouldn't create during their Weyrlinghood," he snickers. Skyler looks over, hearing his name, then makes a gleeful sound when he takes the rock from Idrissa. He makes a sound that almost sounds like a 'thank you' buuut…not really! Maybe in a few more months he'll be a bit clearer with that one.

"I never had a problem with V'dim." Idrissa points out with an amused tone. No.. she only had issues with one person during that time honestly. Which is why she isn't thinking about that at the moment. "V'dim is.. V'dim, his hat way for the simple reason that he needs to be. Keep everyone alive." She pauses. "Though maybe age is starting to catch up with him?" That is possible! She smiles and soon nods. "Yeah.. I will keep that in mind for sure. Maybe get you all to jump through some hoops for the weyrlings." This said with an amused tone. She glances to Skyler and chuckles softly. "Welcome!" She caught enought o know what he said it seems.

"Maybe," says Ka'el. "Or maybe he's only lulling us into a false sense of security before he spring some 'Eight Turn Refresher Course' on us all and make us go through it all over again." … Gasp! He makes a mock-look of horror, then laughs while shaking his head. "Wouldn't that be awful? The rules and restrictions all over again. Back to sleeping in the Weyrling barracks… Back to mucking stalls?" He gives a shudder at the thought. Full grown dragon poop is no joke! "Heh. In all seriousness though, thank you," he says with a genuinely grateful smile. "Whenever you have a moment, you can stop by the office and get your AWLM knot. Or I can bring it by your weyr at your convenience." They are neighbors, after all!

Idrissa chuckles softly. "I think it would be a bit cramped in there with everyone's /adult/ dragons plus the ne ones." She points out with an amused tone at the idea. "You and Soriana would have a heck of a mess to clean up!" She would get off easy! Ther are other things she would rather skip thank you. "Your welcome to come by, or I can come visit you all and grab it too." No they don't live that far from one another now do they? She grins a bit. "Anyway, I need to being Skyler more rocks I think.." Though here is a pause and she nods, a soft smile seen. "Welcome.. Thanks for asking me Ka'el."

Ka'el coughs. "Soriana and me? Oh ho, no no Miss Assistant Weyrlingmaster. I believe that'd be your job to do," he says with a devious grin, pausing as Skyler hands him yet another rock. Who's been burying all these rocks in the sandbox? "And ha. If Skyler picks up the habit of tossing rocks around? I'm going to tell Soriana it's all your fault. Every broken window that needs to be fixed will come out of your salary." He grins, then scoops up the squirmy toddler to settle him on his lap.. But, well that doesn't last for very long. Skyler has holes to dig! It's not cuddletime, dad! He squirm squirm squiiirms til he's let go. "Geeze. See how he treats me?" he says with a shake of his head. "My own son.." He smirks to Idrissa and gives her a little salute in answer to her thanks.

Idrissa shakes a finger slightly. "Not if we all had to park it back in the barracks." She points out with a grin. As for the rocks, people are strange, canines like to burry things and some of the rocks have little teeth scrapes on them! "Please.. As if I would do such a thing.. I'm innocent of course." She says with a soft huff. She glances to Skyler and chuckles softly. "Yeah well.. I bet you gave your father /just/ as much problem at that age." DOn't kids do that? So she's been told at least.

"Oh yeah, so innocent," snickers Ka'el, arching a brow at her. "Uh huh…" He grins at her an then tosses down his shovel, apparently done with digging even though Skyler looks like he could do it for hours more. The mentioning of his own father has his smiling a sad sort of smile, and for a while he doesn't say anything and merely watches the little boy have fun in the sand. "…Heh, maybe," he finally answers. "Though I'm pretty sure I was a perfect child. You know? Never in any trouble. Always saying 'please' and 'thank you'. The sort of kid every parent wishes to have?" He laughs a little, his tone teasing. He really isn't so self-absorbed! "I believe I've already asked you this but..how've you been, Idrissa? Has everything been alright with you?"

Idrissa chuckles softly and peeks at Skyler once the shovel is tossed she sets hers down and brushes her hands off again. "Oh sure… I bet you was the perfect picture of a child. They talk about how great you were for turns and put it in a book even." This said while she winks at him and is left grinning. There is a slight pause at the quesiton and she lifts a hand to scratch at her neck a bit and eyes the bits of sand she found, how did they get there? Sand gets everywhere! "I'm fine.. Busy with sweeps, working on some stuff at home." All good! She keeps herself plenty busy anymore with hobbies, sweeps and now lessons it seems will get added in.

"It'll be the greatest book ever written," says Ka'el with a mild smirk. He quiets to listen to her though, nodding, glancing from her to Skyler frequently, as it's always good practice to know just exactly what your near two turn old is doing at all times. Thank goodness he's grown out of the 'eat sand' phase! "I'm glad to hear you're doing well. You'll have to come over sometime. Have dinner with us or something. It'll be good to have you over. Bring your canines," he invites, chuckling, "as long as they're tunnelcat and firelizard friendly." Not to mention toddler friendly as well! "We've plenty of room for them to run around in and around the barn. We'll make a day of it! .. Before the eggs hatch and all of our days are occupied with Weyrlings and new dragons." He grins then stands, brushing off sand that indeed gets everywhere! "I should get him back to the nursery. I believe I'm already late in getting back."

Idrissa is as well as she can be honestly, some day better then others with how her mind wanders on things. She smiles a bit and nods. "Maybe.. Sure.. Talk to Soriana and let me know?" Well she just doesn't want to show up at some point without making sure. "I bet there still working on how to write the name of the book.. The life of Ka'el.. The great corn in the sky.." Oh she could go on but she doesn't and nods a touch. "Sure, I'll see you guys later then?" This said while she is standing up brushing some sand off as she goes, it is very clinging to clothes and the like. A wiggle of a wave is sent to Skyler. "I'll see you later Skyler." With a smile seen she is off, wandering on along the path with her pair of firelizard soon following after her.

"I will," Ka'el assures Idrissa. "It will be fun." In an adult sort of grown up version of fun. The type of fun that friends with kids have! Which, admittedly, can indeed be just as much fun as youthful shenanigans. Ka'el moves across the sandbox to collect his son, brushing off sand and convincing him that getting out of the box is better than staying in the box. "Time to go," he says, hoisting him up and settling him on his shoulders. "Hold on.. Say bye to Idrissa," he coaches, to which Skyler beams. "Bye bye bye!" He clutches at his father's hair. Ouch! Giddyup, pops! Carefully keeping a hold of the boy, Ka'el heads off with a faint grin on his face. "The Great Corn in the Sky… Catchy title.." He winks, then heads down an opposite path that'll lead back to the forest and meadow beyond.


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