There's talk

Writers: Emma, Jane
Date Posted: 12th March 2008

Characters: K'deren, K'hetah
Description: K'deren tells K'hetah that there has been talk about his visitor
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 9, day 8 of Turn 4

K'deren

Late meals were a mixed blessing. Cyclone Wing fanned out once they had their food, not all gathering at the same table and the Wingleader thought that a bit of study of where they went and with whom might reveal a lot about the personal relationships within the Wing. What settling into a spot opposite his Wingsecond signified, K'hetah didn't want to think.

"Good drills - glad they're over," K'hetah murmured.

"You were certainly thorough out there, not that they didn't need it,"
commented K'deren.

"Mmm. Thank you, I think. Oh well. Work hard, get the afternoon off.
I doubt anybody will really complain."

"No they won't. I can already see some of them going to find some company." There was a slight stress on the word company. K'hetah had been seen with a greenrider from a northern Weyr last time he'd done this. "Are you expecting anyone to join you this time?"

"Well it would be nice if Loeth could drag his sorry tail out of the bay for a while, but I doubt that's going to happen."

"Maybe company will come to you again?" suggested K'deren.

"Zelle, you mean? This afternoon? I doubt it. She'll be -" he calculated the time difference between the two Weyrs, "- mid morning and she'd better be working."

"You could go see her," not that a girl as pretty as she seemed to be would be without company. "I'm sure she'd welcome the attention.

"Going back is not in my plans for this afternoon, or ever," K'hetah said firmly. "And Zelle's nothing more than a friend. She was one of my wingriders and Loeth had a bit of a preference for her green.
Nothing more."

"Just a friend?" An eyebrow was raised. "She looked very friendly from what I heard."

"She's an affectionate, tactile sort of person," the bronzerider said, realising as he did so that the people of his new Weyr would probably not describe him that way, though there had been a time when that would have been among the first things people said about him. "Are you interested in Zelle, or in my social life?"

That was a difficult question to answer. Women were not really a priority now for K'deren since Vonalie's death, but the new Wingleader was a figure of mystery to most of his wing, and there had been talk.
"It's just that there has been talk," he explained.

"Talk about what?" K'hetah frowned. "I'm fairly sure I haven't done anything worth talking about."

"You're a Wingleader, if you're seen with someone it's worth comment here."

"But I haven't been," the bronzerider pointed out. "Just talking to people; men and women. Wingriders, lower caverns workers. Just conversations. If people - if my wingriders - have nothing better to do than speculate about the people I'm seen speaking to, then I'll find more to keep them busy."

"But you had dinner with this one, and since you said she was a tactile affectionate person, people jumped to what seemed to be the obvious conclusion, although in this case it does seem that two and two made five."

"Or fifteen. The Headwoman spoils me, but that doesn't set tongues wagging."

"Everyone here has known her for turns, but you're still a relative newcomer."

"Well only time can take care of that," K'hetah pointed out. "In the meantime I'd appreciate it if you _discouraged_ people from speculating about my social life." He glanced around the dining cavern, eyeing his wingriders with some disapproval.

"I'll do my best."

Last updated on the March 19th 2008

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There's talk