New Acquaintance

Writers: Eimi, Dana
Date Posted: 6th October 2005

Characters: Ar'lis, M'galec
Description: M'galec meets his new neighbor, Ar'lis
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 8, day 6 of Turn 3

M'galec nearly ran into his neighbor as he stepped out his door. They both mumbled apologies and started off on their way. It just happened that they both seemed to be heading in the same direction. The bronzerider decided that he might as well exchange a few pleasantries to it didn't look as if he was following the man. "I guess everyone will be heading down to the dining hall this time of day, huh? The food here is rather good I have to say."

Ar'lis looked at him and smoothed his gait into a more easy walk. "It's very good! I take it you just transferred in?"

"Yes, that's right. I am M'galec, rider of bronze Dwarkanath, journeyman healer and new Weyrlingmaster Second," he said formally. "And on top of that it seems I am your new neighbor as well."

"And I'm Ar'lis, rider of bronze Zylarth. I'm glad that you're filling in that position here. J'an's been getting by, but it'll be a bit easier on him now that he'll have help."

M'galec nodded. "Well, I intend to do my best. I think I have a lot to teach the weyrlings about being a dragonrider."

"Where did you tranfer in from?"

"Rising Moons Weyr," the bronzerider replied as they turned a corner. Luckily he had an excellent sense of direction and once he found his way somewhere once, it was rare that he could get turned around again.

"What made you decide to come to River Bluff?"

"The Weyrlingmaster Second position, actually. I didn't want to fly in a fighting wing if I could help it." He quickly added so as not to make himself look cowardly, "I am a specialized surgeon. My talents are more useful on the ground during a Fall."

"A Weyr can _never_ have enough healers of any speciality. Especially surgeons."

"Yes, unfortunately. I had not expected to be called on so much when I first chose surgery as my specialty. But it seems I have a cool head under pressure, which makes me ideal for Thread Fall injuries."

Ar'lis schooled his expression to one of polite interest. The man certainly didn't have much humbleness in him, did he? His tone certainly suggested it... "Yes," he said as they rounded the corner, "having a cool head under pressure is needed for healers, and for those who are in the Wings as well." He cleared his throat. "And I'm assuming you've met our Weyrhealer?"

"Yes," M'galec smile. "She's an amazing woman, isn't she. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. And talented. Truly amazing."

"That she is, M'galec." Ar'lis wondered what Abrei thought of him.

"And what is your craft, Ar'lis?"

"I never really specialized in one. Though I suppose if I did take one up, I would've chosen dragonhealing."

"Ah," he replied with a little disappointment. "Well, I suppose we need bronzeriders dedicated to their job. Do you have plans on leadership any time soon?"

He couldn't help but grin at the thought. "No, not any time soon." _He_?
In any kind of leadership position? It was almost laughable! Although Ar'lis took his duty as a bronzerider very seriously, he couldn't even imagine being any kind of wingleader. He was content enough now, and he assumed he always would be.

"I see." **Ah, one of _those_ bronzeriders,** M'galec thought to himself.
He couldn't understand how someone with no ambition and little desire to _know_ anything ever impressed a bronze, and yet it seems to happen fairly often. Perhaps it was just the fact there were not enough educated men with a will to lead willing to leave their crafts and stand on the sands.

One of Ar'lis's brows rose just slightly at the tone in M'galec's voice.
"And do you see that as some sort of...flaw?"

"Certainly not." M'galec gave him a friendly smile. "And were you raised here in the Weyr, or did you come from elsewhere?"

**Oh, wonderful.** "I was raised here. Did you grow up at Rising Moons?"

M'galec could have guessed as much. Sometimes it seemed the Weyrs had bred all the ambition and brains out of it's offspring. "No, I was holdbred. I was searched directly from the Healer Hall."

Well, that explained some things. "Was it a hard decision for you to leave for the Weyr?"

"Not at all," M'galec replied with conviction. "I had a duty to the Weyr to stand when called upon."

"Glad to hear it," Ar'lis smiled. He wasn't quite sure what to make of this new rider yet.

"Ah, something smells delicious," the older man said as they reached the dinning cavern entrance. "One thing I can say for River Bluff - the food is excellent!"

"That it is! Among other, finer...things." Ar'lis could see one or two of them right now, walking to a corner table.

"Yes," M'galec smiled as he saw _excatly_ what Ar'lis meant. He sighed inwardly, knowing that the womanizing bronzerider image came from men such as these. "Well, I better leave you to the finer pleasures of the Weyr. I have to eat fast and report to the infirmary."

"It was good to meet you, M'galec," the younger man said, tearing his eyes away from the greenriders to give him a friendly smile.

He gave the greenriders a brief appreicative look before smiling at the younger bronzerider. "And you, Ar'lis." With a sigh he turned away. After all, he had _real_ concerns to attend to.

Last updated on the October 7th 2005

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