Xanadu Weyr - Caverns
A massive cavern in it's own right, this one has been skillfully adapted for human habitation. The high ceilings have been painted a light, soft ivory, as are the walls where numerous tapestries hang to provide brilliant color and insulation from the stone. The floor has been left in its natural state, pale pink granite speckled through with glittering mica and dark flecks of basalt, leveled carefully but kept sufficiently rough to avoid slips.
The cavern itself is loosely divided into areas, each one set up to be suitable for some segment of the Weyr's population. The most frequently occupied area, however, is the one near the Kitchens where tables of varying sizes provide a place to sit down and eat or chat and a buffet of consumables is almost always kept stocked. Its plain that on most days, this area wouldn't accommodate anywhere near the full population of the Weyr and equally plain that on such occasions when a formal meal is laid out, tables are appropriated from all the other areas.
A big fireplace is set into the wall near the Kitchens as well, several comfortable chairs nearby providing haunts for elderly residents or riders who like a good view of all that happens. Rugs cover the floor in strategic spots, all of them abstract or geometric in design and most in the softly neutral colors of undyed wool.
Exits lead off in all directions, a big archway the largest and that leading outside. Shallow stairs to the west lead to the offices and administration area while tunnels to the east lead to the infirmary, kitchen and resident's quarters. Southwards, a sloping tunnel leads down to the hot springs and southwest is a wide tunnel, carefully roped off to avoid accidents.
With the months progressing, summer is certainly upon Xanadu even as the calendar may still proclaim it merely spring. The sky is clear, the air is warm, and the breeze negligible - and while the water may still be cool, one would never know from the number of people flowing to and from the beach in shorts and swimming suits. However, at least one person is making no tracks to the beach, as Niva is making her way through the caverns, riding jacket on her arm and helmet tucked at her side, pausing to talk with a rider as they pass.
Corvi is not a familiar face in the weyr, but she makes her way into the caverns regardless. The brownrider is carrying an empty pack over her shoulder, which she lowers as she enters the caverns, blinking as her eyes adjust to the light. She looks a bit lost, and focuses on the faces of everyone present.
Finishing her conversation, Niva nods a dismissal to the other rider before going on her way, nearly passing Corvi by as she goes. After a few steps, however, the Senior pauses and turns to regard Corvi curiously. "Lost, rider?" She asks, a bit of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
Corvi had glanced at Niva before, but now that the goldrider is standing beside her, Niva is afforded a closer glance. "Yes, actually. Thank you, Weyrwoman" she says, punctuating the sentance with a polite nod of the head, voice soft and light. "I mean, I know where I /am/, but I'm looking for a drink." she nods to herself, "That's what I'm having trouble finding."
"It depends on what sort of drink you had in mind, I suppose, rider." Niva says with a smirk, nodding her head at an out of the way table, completely with cold juice drinks and hot klah, before flicking her fingers. "Of course, if its something -stronger-, that may take a bit of doing." The hand is waved at the pack on Corvi's shoulder, "You can leave it on the table."
Corvi gives Niva a grateful look, depositing the pack on said table. "I had something slightly stronger in mind, but I think fruit juice is better for a summer day." And easier to get. "I'm corvi, rider of brown Ereviuth, by the way."
"Niva, gold Kilaueth's.." Her introduction finally made. "Xanadu's welcome, Corvi of brown Ereviuth." Niva offers in welcome, before she tosses a finger over her shoulder towards the outdoors. "I expect a certain gardener would be able to supply you with something stronger to take with you, should you find her." Cenlia and her famious booze supply. Riding jacket draped over the back of an empty chair, and helmet set on the table, Niva turns to the table.
Corvi nods, "Thank you." Then, taking a few steps towards the table with the fruit drinks, she adds "I may look for that gardener, but for the moment I'll indulge in juice. I can grab you something..?" She offers, partially becuases he's going over there, and also because it's the Polite Thing To Do to the weyrwoman, theoretically. She makes her way over and takes her own pick of the glasses. The heat of summer got to her more then she thought, banishing between's bonechill with record speed.
A small cooler is opened and ice exposed for the visiting brownrider's use before Niva is pouring herself a glass of chilled redfruit juice, the vessel already beginning to sweat as she turns away. "What brings you to Xanadu, rider?" She asks pleasantly, but certainly curious as she sips her drink and watches the younger woman over the rim of her glass.
"An independant delivery in the area." Corvi replies, getting her own drink and taking a sip. "I make ceramics and such" The addition is for clarification, "After dropping it off, I came down here for some refreshment."
Niva returns to her seat to settle down, a gentle nudge shifting her helmet out of the way, before the glass is settled upon the table top and fingers slowly turn it this way and that. "Ceramics, hm?" She asks with a bit of interest, glancing side long at her companion for a moment. "We always welcome a new face, certainly - I'm sure there are at least a handful of potters who'd likely want to pick your brain as well."
Sooty and cheerful, bluerider Ontali bounces into the caverns. She's wearing a grin that would be sinister if not for the fact that she bounces along like a happy puppy, eyes bright. The girl's pale leather jacket is singed a little along one sleeve, and she smells a little like firestone, but it doesn't seem to phase her in the least. The bluerider grabs a mug of Klah, and a pair of pastries, meat-filled and custard-filled, then strolls back out. "Weyrwoman!" A cheerful wave for said goldrider, and a grin for the brownrider. "Hi!" As if to underline her infernal cheeriness, she bounces on the balls of her feet, eliciting a plaintive chirp from underneath her jacket. "Mind if I join you?"
"Pick my brain?" Corv asks, "That doesn't sound very pleasant at all. though I'm always glad to share information." She smiles now, "I'm fond of summer and swimming, i may be a frequent visitor." Attention is directed at the entrance of the bluerider. Corvi blinks in surprise, not used to such bounciness. "No objection here."
"Bluerider.." Niva says, wincing a little bit at the enthusiastic entrance of the young rider and the smell of firestone, shaking her head. "Your training was…. successful, I assume?" She asks, even as she pushes a chair out for Ontali to join them, taking another sip of her juice before sliding teh base of the glass through the forming puddle on the table. "From what I've been told, further insight is always welcome."
Ontali's grin for Corvi is almost a smirk. "No better swimming anywhere." She says with a graveness that doesn't reach her eyes. "No better anything, really." She's not biased at all, though! Tali takes the offered chair with a grin, sprawling happily and immediately taking a long sip of her klah. "Yes m'am!" As if she needs the klah, she takes another drink. "How're you?" The question is extended to Corvi with a little smile, as she sets to the task of devouring the rolls.
Corvi nods, "Well, if any of them find me, I'll be sure to give them any useful information." Returning the bluerider's smile, she nods. "I believe it. Is hte ocean usually nice temperature, or is it frigid?" She shivers. "Hate it when it's frigid. I'm fine. Also, Corvi, rider of brown Ereviuth." because she hadn't introduced herself to the bluerider yet.
"I'd certainly have to agree, 'tali, though I'm likely as biased as they come, when it comes to Xanadu." The Senior Weyrwoman comments with a wink to Ontali as the girl tucks into her meal, glancing sidelong at Corvi. "While the crowd at the beach would likely tell you its fine, its still far too cold for my tastes." And her aging joints. "Though, the lake is certainly better than the Sea of Azov itself."
Ontali continues to stuff her face, only stopping when a tiny copper-struck head emerges from her jacket, cheeping hopefully. The girl grunts and shares a bite of the meatroll, useless might it be to a young firelizard — it seems to satisfy her though, and she peers curiously around. "Biased? Naaah." The bluerider grins at Niva. "Certainly not, m'am. You have just the right appreciation for it, I'm sure." She snickers cheerily, then laughs. "It's positively balmy, compared to Azov, aye. Feels plenty warm to me!" But then, she grew *up* on said Azov. "Ontali, Cidheoth's. Nice to meet you!"
Corvi laughs. "Well, in that case, I'll have to go for a swim back to the weyrhold." She smiles a bit, "Not that I'm in a particular rush; I've got no duties till the evening." She hasn't got the bais for her home that the Xanadu weyrriders do, but she hasn't grown up there.
"Appreciation enough that its neither the heat of Igen nor the snows of Telgar or High Reaches. And appreciation that Kilaueth was shelled -here-." Niva counters Ontali's cheekiness with a certain seriousness, the older woman's tone more sober, even as a smile lingers on her face. "I expect it will be a fine dinner, if the kitchen is to be any sign - another mouth is no issue." Consider that an invitation!
Ontali nods cheerfully to Corvi, lips quirking again around a large bite of meatroll. That finished, the girl takes a long swallow of her klah and peers between her companions, still grinning. "Or the wind in the 'reaches!" The girl adds with a nosewrinkle. "I think Xanadu-born dragons are just naturally the best." She's halfway between serious and playful, though, grinning between them. "Should stay and swim, aye! And well, dinner's always good, so."
Corvi makes a face. "Ereviuth was born in Telgar, and /I/ come from Igen. I like heat, not cold." she smirks, "Though Ereviuth would rival a Xanadu-born dragon. He's the best." Coming from his rider, this isn't a baised statement at all. "I'll stay for dinner and a swim." She's clearly feeling welcome, if her grin is any indication
"Igen's all well and gold, in short amounts, Telgar too, but I prefer not worrying over being buried in by snowstorms - or sandstorms for that matter!" Niva says, becoming a little more animated with her explanation. "I suppose, though, there can be an except for your Ereviuth, rider." And smirking, she hides behind her glass, though she takes a moment to recover enough to be able to drink.
Ontali chuckles softly, sharing some of her custard with the little firelizard, who all but sticks her fact in it, coming out with a faceful of the sweet filling and wiping it off on her girl's shirt. "Gets pretty hot here in the summer," Tali says with a little bit of a rueful grin. "Not too bad though. I'm sure he would, though — I think my Cid's the best, but…" She smirks. "Sandstorms? Shells, I can't even imagine!"
"I'll take sandstorms over snowstorms. Those I grew up with and know how to handle." Corvi replies seriously, passing them off as not a big deal. Generally, they weren't for her. "I appreciate the exception- he's one of the best dragons on pern." she's quite aware that this is the statement all riders make. "Tropical heat is different from IGen's heat. It's humid and muggy, though it's not always a bad thing."
Ontali wrinkles her nose faintly, nibbling at her custard. "I've seen snowstorms, not often, but I've…never seen a sandstorm." The girl's eyebrows contract just slightly. "Would be kinda cool to fly over, though. Can you fly over 'em?" Then she grins, a bright, happy grin, nodding cheerfully. "Bet he is. Hmm…well. It's not often too muggy around here. The lake keeps it pretty breezy, a lot of the time, and all. So it gets kinda muggy, but the breeze makes it feel better."
Corvi thinks about this question for a moment. "hm. I suppose you could /try./ I never have, but if you got high enough you could possibly escape the worst of it." She tilted her head the other way, sounding distracted. "Though Ereviuth says the thermals might be harder to ride." She finishes her drink and gets to her feet, stretching slightly. "If we're staying for a swim and dinner, I suppose I should go get the straps off of Ere so he can enjoy the water, too. IT was nice to meet you, bluerider." Corv offers Ontali a small smile, before putting her cup amongst other empty ones to be washed, and heading out to her waiting dragon.
Ontali's grin is decidedly lacking in any sense at all. "Cid can take just about anything. He's smarter than me when it comes to wind direction and stuff; comes naturally to him. We'll have to go up to Igen some day…" Her eyes go distant for a moment, then she laughs. "Perhaps I'll see you down there! Still got some practicing to do, but we might have an easy day today. Nice to meet you!" The girl waves Corvi off with a smile, which is quickly turned to Niva. "She was nice." The girl says cheerfully, tucking into the rest of her custard-pastry with a happy sigh. "Do you get to practice with the flamethrowers, too, m'am?" Get to. Because…it's…fun? To play with flamethrowers? Of course it is.
While Ontali and Corvi talk about the antics of dragons and the perils and possibilities of flying in - or over - a sand storm, Niva is engaged in a conversation of her own. However, its only as Corvi is excusing herself that Niva shakes her head, pulling herself away from her talk with Kilaueth to offer a fairwell, her attention then turning to Ontali. "I think that Thea has enough enthusiasm for the flamethrowers to account for the whole wing." Is that a no, then?
Ontali smiles at the Weyrwoman, finishing her klah and leaning back in her chair with a contented smile. "I haven't seen Thea much, but she does seem to be!" She agrees with a nod. "The flamethrowers look kinda bulky anyways. Hard to work with!" Her grin is slightly rueful, as she absently strokes the tiny, sticky head of the baby firelizard, peering into the hazy area between here and not for a moment. "D'you reckon we'll have to use it this summer, the fire-training? What with it not raining and all…"
"I think Thea and the others focusing on it will be enough golds to participate, at least for the time being. Certainly no need to risk all the golds." And the ideas of old verses new roles for goldriders is offered by the Senior again, gaze flicking to the little firelizard, and then back to the bluerider. "I hope that we don't, though if we do, at least we'll be prepared."
Ontali's nod is quick and her wince sincere. "I sure hope nothing happens to any of them. They'll be a help, at least, even if it is kinda dangerous." Her tone is more sincere, now, as she continues to stroke the firelizard absently, frowning a little. "Definitely prepared." The girl grins, pride apparent. "I think we're doing pretty good, at least."
"I'm sure that K'ael would tell you if you were do anything less than good, or cease the exercise all together." Perhaps the young wingleader bothers the Senior, but there's no denying that he has experience. A slow nod, and Niva gets to her feet, reaching for her helmet. "Stay safe, rider. I need to be getting to the Tanners before the sun's gone."
Ontali is quick to grin, again. "I'm sure he would, m'am. He seems pretty smart." She agrees with a great deal more cheer, before she's standing as well, nodding ruefully. "Guess I should get back to Cid. You too, m'am! I hope everything goes well with them." Tali smiles sincerely, pushing back in her chair and gathering up the mug. "You have a good evening."
"Clear skies, bluerider.." Niva offers with a smile and a nod, before she's turning to go meet Kilaueth, shrugging riding jacket on despite the heat of the afternoon, the pair disappearing between.
Ontali puts her mug away and grabs another meatroll on the way out, whistling cheerily to herself. Unheeding of the fact that she smells like firestone and soot, the girl heads back out to where it's — hopefully! — not as noticable.