Hanging over them

Writers: Eimi, Emma
Date Posted: 30th June 2006

Characters: K'sedel, Zebrekhan
Description: K'sedel and Zeb talk
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 12, day 4 of Turn 3

K'sedel

The Master Geologist couldn't help his wondering eye as they climbed higher over the bluff. He could see the erosion that had taken place over the last million turns or so, telling the story about the battle between rock and water. Rock seemed to be holding its own against the rain, but the ocean would eventually when this battle, he knew.

"So, does your Weyrwoman ever leave her office?" Zeb asked as he turned his eyes towards the back of the man who was serving as his guide that restday.

"That depends on if there is something worth leaving it for," replied K'sedel.

"And what does she consider worth leaving it for?" he asked. The geologist figured if anyone in the Weyr should know it would be her Weyrleader.

K'sedel wondered for a moment if Zeb was going to try and get her out of the office. "Well, good food, good wine, you might try that."

"I already tried wine. She prefers beer," the master chuckled. "Now why is it that didn't surprise me?"

"Maybe you didn't try the right wines?"

"Apparently not. She's had an aversion to them since that carzy Lady Holder slipped poison in the wines at that Conclave." And he seemed to remember that woman had never been caught to pay for her crimes. It was amazing that a woman so infamous could ellude Hold, Hall and Weyr for so long. "You weren't Weyrleader at the time, were you."

"Not here, over at Dream's End Weyr."

"Were you there? I have to admit, I don't know that much about it. I was up North at the time. Of course, we heard about it, but it was more vague when it came to details."

"We had threadfall that day, so my Weyrwoman and I couldn't make it.
Some say that we were lucky." K'sedel shrugged.

"I suppose so," Zeb nodded. "But I certainly can't blame her for not trusting wine after an incident like that. Still, it would do her good to get out more, I should think. Or at least away from her desk. I'm sure you've noticed."

"Work seems to keep her going, but then I can hardly talk, I have enough hides on my desk that need my attention."

"Well, if you love your work..." Zeb frowned slightly. "Does she ever talk about her life as a crafter?"

"Not often, I've only known her as a dragonrider."

"Ah. So you're not bound to each other in anyway other than a professional partnership?"

"Purely professional, she has her life and I have mine" He smiled, "I'd not have met my Ciara otherwise."

"So who she bound to then?" Zeb asked curiously.

"Tsaera? Nobody that I know of. Her weyrmate died some time ago."

"Oh, that's really too bad," the geologist replied. He may not have ever been weyrmated or married, but he sharding well had been in love before. "Thread? Or natural causes?"

"I'm not sure."

They walked on for a few moments in silence. "I knew her when she was at the Hall, you know. We were apprenticed around the same time and rose through the ranks together until she was Searched. It's interesting to see how she's changed."

"I wonder what my friends from the Farmcraft Hall would say about me,"
mused the Weyrleader. "I don't think any of them would have predicted this."

"Have you changed so much?" the master asked curiously.

"Well I was married, and getting ready to have a family and work to Master's knots."

"What made you decide to leave all that behind?"

"The plague came, and that changed everything."

Zeb nodded his understanding. He remembered that time clearly. It had changed everything, for everyone. His life would have been much different if it hadn't been for the Plague. "And here we all are.
Still breathing, but never fully recovered from it. Even those of us who never got sick."

"There's always something to remind you of those days."

"Yes. Thankfully our children will never understand that."

"But they have this pass instead."

"True," Zeb nodded, "but Thread is a predictable killer. You know every time a rider goes out to meet it they may or may not come back. But with the Plague... it was silent and deadly. It cut down young, old, people in their prime, taking this person and missing the next without rhyme or reason. You woke up every morning wondering if this was the day you felt a cough coming on, if this was the last day you would feel healthy before you died. Every sneeze was suspect. I would take Thread over the uncertainty of Plague any day."

"True, but nobody can be sure just how long this pass will last," stated K'sedel. "The old records only say that fifty turns was an approximation, some were more, some less, and that uncertainty is what hangs over them." "And you as well, I should say."

"Over all of us riders."

Last updated on the July 3rd 2006

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Hanging over them