Landing - Docks
The dock at Landing is meant more for riverboats than ocean going vessels and serves as a port of call for the supply ships that wend their way up the river from the southern seas beyond. The lake waters here are brackish enough for an occasion dolphin to travel, but seldom are the graceful creatures seen here. Usually, small skiffs that belong to the apprentices of Landing Craft Hall are all the vessels that are moored here.
Neamon has been sitting on the end of the dock, dunking his feet in the water and idly watching as a dolphin seems to have traveled upriver for a while and is seen wandering amongst the skiffs.
M'lak makes his way toward the docks from the direction of the bonfire square, flipping through what appears to be some sort of manual. Yet another thing for him to be learning, no doubt. Pausing as he glances up and espies the dolphin, his mouth curves vaguely upward. "Graceful, " he murmurs, half to himself, half to those present at large.
Neamon half turns his head at the sound of footsteps on wood, glancing back to see who is disturbing the peace. "It is rather. They don't often come this far down the river." He watches the dolphin for a minute longer or so, before turning his back on the river and lifting his feet out of the water.
"No, " the bluerider agrees, watching the animal a moment longer. "They don't." He moves his gaze away from it after a bit toward Neamon, giving the other a friendly sort of smile. "You come to Landing often? I'm usually around a bit now and then at the Crafthall; keeping in practice with my craft keeps me on my toes." He offers the young man a hand. "I'm M'lak, by the way, Adenylath's rider."
Neamon shrugs his shoulders a bit before answering. "Nah, I just got assigned here, as part of my posting with the techcraft." He glances around. "I'm Neamon, by way of Ierne Weyrhold."
M'lak's eyebrows raise a little in understanding. "I see. Well met, Neamon of Ierne." He hesitates a moment, eyes unfocusing briefly. "I'm supposed to unload something for the Crafthall from Xanadu; mind giving me a hand?" He tucks his manual under his arm, gesturing toward the square. "Adenylath's in the clearing. Won't take but a few moments of your time, and I'd rather have a techcrafter help getting it down than anyone else. Computers are - delicate."
Neamon seems vaguely amused to himself as he gets clumsily to his feet, but he nods. "I suppose I should be getting back to work, rather than taking the afternoon off. And since you did find my hiding spot. No sore feelings about that though, so long as you don't tell the apprentice master here." He's a bit more excited though, once he finds out what it is, he's helping with. "Oh, we're not allowed to touch those much, yet. Even though I'm learning. It's always under supervision. It's like the expect we're playing ball with them or something."
M'lak grins, beginning to head toward the square. "Don't worry. Secret's safe with me and Adenylath." It widens at the lad's excitement. "Well, then. You'll get a chance to touch this one while you're helping me unload the main components."
Landing - Dragon Clearing
You are in a large grassy clearing not far from the domes of the Hold along the southwestern edge of Landing's plateau. There is enough room here for a large dragon to glide in or to take off into the sky. All around the clearing are tropical trees and you hear the high pitched calls of wild avians or the scurrying of small animals. In the clearing is a rockface with a small stream cascading over it into a circular pool of clear water. The pool is large enough for a single dragon to wallow in, but mainly serves as a drinking trough since the lake is close by for bathing.
Neamon is making short work of following after, with the promise of touching a computer still hovering. "You know, even the first six months you're an apprentice. You barely get near one. It's not like I didn't take Mom's apart every chance I got. But it's always. They're too precious for you kids to be breaking now. You have to learn about them first."
"Ah, yeah." And M'lak can sort of understand that, seeing as he ran into similar situations when he tagged along with starcrafters as a kid. "Most apprentices, no matter what craft they're in, get similar experiences, I think." Adenylath rises to all four feet as his rider moves into the clearing, giving the lad behind him a cheery warble. "Here we are. Neamon, this is Adenylath." Moving around to one side of the blue, he gestures toward the fastenings holding a couple of boxes still. "I'll unfasten each box and just pass it down to you." Hopefully they won't have to carry them all the way into the square.
Neamon nods briefly toward the blue dragon, even as his attention drifts once more on the elusive looking electrical components that M'lak is pulling off the dragon. "Oh, that's fine. I can do that. They're packed well, since they went between I'm thinking? You didn't fly here straight from Xanadu did you?"
Adenylath remains still as his rider unfastens each box and passes them over to Neamon. Thankfully, there aren't very many. "They are, and did go between, " M'lak confirms with a nod. "How long have you been with the techcraft, Neamon?"
Neamon moves to take the first box, oofing slightly as it's a bit heavier than he expected. "Just a few months now. Mom got a bit upset once I turned seventeen and still wasn't in a craft or doing much for my keep. So she suggested this one." He shrugs. "Just really hadn't found what I wanted to do. I thought the techcraft would be more about fixing the computers and things, but all we're learning is lessons and stuff."
"I see." And to his credit, M'lak watches the lad carefully as he hands each box down, one at a time. "So you could, in fact, use some hands-on experience. Or the opportunity for some." Adenylath, meanwhile, turns his head slightly as though evaluating how Neamon's handling the boxes, too. Then again, he could just be staring at the lad. Or something over his shoulder.
Neamon shrugs. "Or just something besides taking notes in class, would be nice." Then he heaves a sigh as he works carefully to put the box he does have down, next to the others. "Did you like the Starcraft? Maybe I should have picked that one. It's not like there was a family legacy to follow into any one craft that I had."
Adenylath rumbles a little, shifting slightly as M'lak unfastens the final box. "I did. Still enjoy working with it when I get the chance, even though I primarily ride in Xanadu's technology wing, these days." Looping the loose fastenings back through their buckles, the rider's quiet for a bit. "Well, " he says at last, "you could come back with me to Xanadu and get a chance to experience one of the most technologically advanced places on Pern. We do have quite a few techcrafters around, and nearly everyone has a computer. And — " Here he pauses, surprise briefly entering his tone, " — and you could easily work with them on your craft-duty days as a candidate." Wait, what? "Neamon, Adenylath thinks you'd make a good candidate for Mellonath and Quiath's clutch. How about it?"
Neamon blinks slightly, almost stumbling before he carefully puts down the box he was holding on the ground and he turns back to look at the rider. "You're serious?" He's quiet for a very long moment. "I've lived in a weyr most of my life and wasn't ever searched before now. That's why I took up with a craft." He shakes his head for a moment again, stunned. "I'd love to go, actually. If you're not just having me on."
M'lak must indeed be serious, for he's tugging a white-looped knot out of his pocket and offering it to him. "I'm in earnest, " he assures him, "and so is Adenylath. Let your superiors know that you've just been Searched and gather your belongings. We'll wait here for you."
Neamon nods his head, glancing first at the equipment on the ground, before he's tearing off into the techcraft buildings in search of the apprentice master. "I'll be right back." Indeed, it doesn't take him all that long to find someone to report too, and gather up the slight amount of belongs that he brought with him, running back with a pack before he stops into a walk so he doesn't careen headlong into either rider or his dragon.
Adenylath drops to a crouch as Neamon returns to the clearing, giving his rider an easy climb up to his neck. "Ah, there you are." The boxes have already been carted off in the direction of the crafthall, probably by other apprentices just as eager to cart those boxes in. "Come on up, Neamon, and we'll head to Xanadu."
Neamon isn't quite fidgety after he's buckled in, looking around and then settling down. "Didn't think I'd almost be leaving just as soon as I got here. Didn't even spend a full turn."
M'lak doesn't have a response to give to that, not right away. Is life ever what we think it to be? "Hang on, " is what he says instead with a sharp nod. The blue beneath them shifts to his haunches, launching upward with a powerful spring.
You take a few steps backward, then launch off the side of the ridge, wings outstretched to support your weight in flight.
Away from Adenylath, Adenylath suddenly disappears -=* BETWEEN *=-
Xanadu Weyr - Clearing
A wide clearing stretches from east to west, the ground packed hard although grass grows across most of it. Trees are strictly forbidden in this space, their danger to the constant draconic traffic reason enough to banish them to the forest that creates a this and sharp border to the north. Where the ground is less trampled, tiny flowers poke their delicate heads out from their shaded hiding places with upturned petals to wave to whoever may be looking.
The cliff looms imposingly on three sides, stretching upwards all the way up the side of the mountain where, high above, Xanadu's Star Stones and the ever present watchdragon sit on a lonely peak. Directly south is a massive tunnel, fully wide enough for even the largest dragon to fly down. Southeast are wide steps leading up to the Caverns and eastwards is the large entrance to the Infirmary. Somewhat north of the Infirmary is a human sized archway that has a frequent quantity of traffic — it leads to the Tavern. Southwest lies the low ledges currently belonging to Xanadu's queens while north and west a broad path cut by the side of the cliff leads to the Feeding Grounds and due north is the spacious trail that leads to the rest of the Weyr.
M'lak directs Adenylath toward the clearing, glancing back behind him at his passenger every now and then. "Well, here we are, " he announces cheerfully as the blue comes to a landing. "Welcome to Xanadu Weyr, Neamon." As the blue crouches, he dismounts, waving for the lad to follow him. "The candidate barracks are right this way."
Neamon looks around, willing to follow but still seeming rather dazed as he does. "Right, sir. Which way was that?"
M'lak gestures toward the hatching arena, even as he's striding in that direction. "This one."
Xanadu Weyr - Candidate Barracks
A long, low ceiling room opens off the entrance hall to the arena, one wall slightly curved as it is set against the outer wall of the arena itself. Cots are set evenly the length of the room, in two rows, each with its own small press at the foot, for personal belongings. Wide windows are spaced along the outside wall, letting sunlight in, while other lights are available for the night time hours.
"Your new home, " M'lak says as he shows Neamon into the barracks. "Grab a cot on the guys' side. You're probably already familiar with the uh - restrictions? Alcohol in moderation, sex is frowned upon … " He lets his voice trail off, crossing his arms. "The weyrlingmaster staff will be able to help you with anything that you need. Got any questions?"
Neamon shakes his head slowly. "No. I don't think so. He looks still a bit dazed. Never thought I'd be a candidate, honestly. But thank you, and thank Adenylath, too."
M'lak grins. "You're welcome, lad. We'll be watching for you when they hatch, eh?" And with a salute, he heads back outside.