Connections.

Writers: Leigh M-F., Paula
Date Posted: 26th April 2016

Characters: Jessmyr, A'kua
Description: Sharing news and making plans.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 5, day 1 of Turn 8

"Damn it, I know they were in this section," A'kua muttered to himself as he stalked the aisles of one of the storage caverns. "Didn't think my evenin' free time would get eaten up this badly."

}:Why are linens so important?:{ Zeiranth asked from where he was waiting in the Bowl. }:I thought you said too many of them were a hassle.:{

**A few extra means more laundry, aye, but it also means havin' extra to put on the bed while other stuff's bein' washed,** A'kua answered as he went down another aisle. **It's also best if I get these things now while I have time and no laundry to do. It wasn't as if I could take any from the barracks.**

Jessmyr entered the storage, carrying a pile of freshly laundered and ironed linens. He was whistling, so badly out of tune that the melody was unrecognizable.

A'kua cringed on hearing the noise. Ancients, that person probably couldn't carry a tune if it was strapped to their back. He tried to tune it out, but it was too distracting, so he stepped out of the aisle into sight. "Hey, could you keep- Jess!" he exclaimed, delighted to see his friend.

"A'kua! Stop startling me, I could get a heart attack!", Jessmyr complained but his grin was delighted. "I haven't seen you a while, busy being weyrling?"

"Aye," the redhead said sheepishly. He hadn't been able to visit with Jess as often as he might like while he lived in the barracks. "Still a weyrlin', but now I have my own weyr. Don't suppose you'd know where more of those are?" he asked, motioning to the linens Jess held.

"Well, there are these if you want to take them off from my hands. At least they've guaranteed to be clean. Rest are on the self on your left," Jess replied.

"I knew those things were around here somewhere," A'kua triumphantly stated, but he looked over the cloth Jess held. It was a nice, neutral shade of gray, and the pillowcase and sheet looked almost new. "Those seem like a good option, actually. If no one else has dibs, I can take 'em now."

"Go ahead, you spare me from putting them to the shelves," Jess said and lowered his load to nearby free surface so A'kua could rummage it better.
"So, what are you and Zeiranth learning now?"

"Well, Zei's figurin' out how to hunt on his own, and I'm tryin' to figure out how to dye our straps to the color he wants. My first attempt didn't go well at all. Next month, we learn how to go between." A'kua didn't look at his friend, since he was checking the sizes of the linens to make sure they'd fit on the mattress, but his tone indicated he was nervous about that development.

"Why don't you go to ask tanner to help with the dying?" Jess asked. "Could save you from lot of hassle." He hadn't missed A'kua's nervousness about /betweening/, so he was distracting him from that subject. A'kua would soo be senior weyrling and he was stuck to same old job, he thought bit enviously.

"That costs Marks I don't have, though," A'kua pointed out, very glad for the subject change. "I only have a fourth-Mark. How do weyrlin's earn money, anyway? Aside from fleecin' folks in poker games, I mean." That didn't sound like a bad idea. He'd done it so often back at the hold. But then, cheating too often meant people would eventually catch on and stop dealing him in.

"Well, after you learn to /between/, you can do transports. I might know someone who may be willing to help you, free. He's dragonrider but trained in tannercraft Hall. I've been helping out his... nephew?" Jess had to pause to figure out their relations, weyrfolk had the most complicated families. "We ran into each others few time while I was reading or assisting his nephew."

"Could you get me in touch with him?" A'kua asked hopefully, beginning to refold the linens for easier carrying. "I'd owe you one. How's a ride on Zei sound for a trade?"

"Only if it doesn't involve /betweening/," Jess replied with expression that was half-grin and half-grimace. His hearth wouldn't be able to handle /between/, a reason why he wasn't allowed to Stand. "And yes, I can get you in touch with M'shan. You know, I've been here long enought to get to know who is who and form all kind of connections," he mused.

"No betweenin', got it. Anyway, you could use that to your advantage," his friend said. "Anyone who needs anythin' could come to you, thus gettin' you a lot of favors. Maybe it could even make you Headman after Lady Yanley steps down."

"Male headwoman? Has anybody ever heard of such thing?" Jessmyr snorted. He was secretly flattered though.

A'kua laughed. "Hey, there's a first time for everythin', right? If you're that connected, you'd be a great Headman. I wouldn't mind bein' one of your connections if there's somethin' useful I could do." He folded the last sheet and stacked it all into a compact pile. "Perfect."

"I'll remember that," Jess promised.

The redhead picked up the linens, tucking them against his chest. "Don't suppose you'd want to come to my weyr tomorrow night?" he offered. "We could borrow some games and catch up more. I swear I won't cheat." And because Jess was his friend, he would honor that vow.

"I would love to see you new weyr," Jessmyr replied. "I can bring something to eat or drink."

"Could you use your connections to get some of the cinnamon-spiced tea that went around the dining cavern two nights ago?" A'kua asked hopefully. "That stuff was unbelievably good."

"I'll see what I can do. It was very popular and we only got small shipment of it in last tithe train," Jess replied.

"See, you're already actin' like a Headman," A'kua said. "Whatever works out will be fine, then. Send me a message when you're free, and Zei and I will come down to get you."

"Alright, I'll see you then," Jess nodded and grinned.

Last updated on the April 27th 2016

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Connections.