| Characters | Kassala and Saxi |
| Synopsis | Saxi visits Igen and runs into Kassala in the Living Cavern. |
| Out-of-Character Date | August 16, 2017 |
Igen Weyr - Living Caverns
Second only to the Hatching Sands in size -- although its walls are not so nearly circular -- the living cavern is filled with numerous rectangular tables, almost too many to count. The Weyrleaders have the table farthest from the kitchen and hearths at one end of the cavern. The hearths are kept as low-burning as possible during the day when folk come inside to escape the heat outside. They burn brighter at night to keep away the deserts chill. No matter hte level of flame, there is always a stew pot that hangs for nibblers at a good temperature. Favored drinks, particularly iced klah and juice, are kept on ice and interspersed at various food tables scattered about, along with baskets of rolls and fruit. There are, of course, scheduled mealtimes, and at certain points of the day the available fare slides into the menu for the nearest meal, be it breakfast, lunch, dinner, or late-night snackings, but the staff has long since acknowledged that people will sit to talk and nibble here at all hours. In the cooler parts of the evening in particular, the cavern hosts games of chess, checkers, dragonpoker, and others. Several degrees are knocked off thanks to the Technician Craft's cooling system.
It's afternoon, a time when most of the weyr is taking it easy during the siesta time. Here in the living caverns is Kassala, surrounded by her trio of flits who are making it subtly known they are hungry. Dressed in layers, she sits, somewhat tired, at the table with a plate of food, another of some raw meat for the flits, and a large mug of cold juice. And yet it all is ignored in favor of a letter recently opened. While she received it earlier, she was headed out to her duties, and tucked it away to be read later. It's later now!
From the lower caverns walks in a large man, he is talking with some of the weyrs staff in a hushed tone then will smile and wave as he departs to the serving tables. He collects a plate and will turn to scan the room. With a tilt of his head Saxi sees Kassala, remembering the young woman from his time at Half Moon Wyer, he will walk over and clear his throat as to not surprise her as she is deep in reading "Afternoon, Kassala"
Even though he takes pains to keep from startling her, Kassala still jumps a little, her gaze swinging up.. up.. up towards the miner's face. A blink, and a smile appears, "Saxi! Imagine meeting you here!" She gestures towards the other side of the table from where she sits, already folding up the letter to tuck away again, "What brings you here to Igen?"
Saxi laughs his booming laugh and sits down at her table, being mindful of her little flits there begging for food. "Work, come to check the caverns now that there are Eggs on the sands, don't want another collapse like Fort had do we?" taking a drink of his mug his beard twitches as the corners of his mouth turn up in a smile "What brings you here? Dragonhealing? Or is that not what you do?"
The flits take flight for a moment, surprised as well by the man's booming voice. They settle down, back to watching KAssala, silently begging in their way for food. As he sits, the redhead looks to him, ahhing softly, "I should have figured work would bring you here.." She answers, only to blush a little, "I'm a dragonhealer, yes, but.. I'm here to Stand again. They do have me assigned to the dragonhealer here to help with duties while here, which is great…" Means she won't be missing any lessons!
Saxi chuckles at the little fliers take off and come right back, looking up at the young woman saying "Good for you, takes guts to stand again after not impressing. No glitter this time I hope?" He makes a show of looking around as if waiting for the stuff to fall on him, "I heard it took them almost half a turn to get all that stuff out of the baths" he will add teasingly.
"I have a wonderful friend who said I should go for it again, besides… wanting to do it. It was an honor to be asked by the Weyrwoman." And Kassala couldn't tell the woman no! At mention of the glitter, she shudders, reaching up to itch her head a little. "None so far, thankfully. I hope to NEVER see a speck of glitter again in my life!"
Saxi laughs again loudly seems the man has two volumes and quiet isn't on the dial, "I would imagine my soon to be cousin in-law feels the same way." He looks around saying "Did he get searched too?" He starts to eat his food and will watch the young woman for the answer but is also mindfull of the the little fliers that are about.
From afar, Kassala giggles, "He makes me think of a high school friend. Big tall guy, with a voice much the same. His wife now, often has to remind him to use his 'inside voice' when gathered with friends. *giggles* Which we always did in high school.
Kassala tilts her head, brows furrowed a little, "I… don't know who you are speaking about, honestly." That said, she finally gives in to the flits, taking pieces of meat to offer each one in turn. They all take the meat daintily from her fingers, though the brown seems to shield his from the blue and green, as to make sure they make no move to steal it from him.
Saxi ohs and grins saying "sorry He is a tall lad with a scar on his face and blue eyes." He will explain "His cousin T'ana and my cousin Niki are to be weyrmated in some form of ceremony. He stood at Half Moon, so I was hoping he came down here too. If only so we can talk fishing, never met a man so adamant that you can fish better with a bow than a rod and reel." He gives a chuckle and looks at Kassala "His Name is Riohra, though his cousin likes calling him wherry-head when we seem to get together."
Kassala listens, and the more he describes this person, the more the red head is smiling, "I know Riohra very well… " Laughing, she leans in to murmur, "He is very special to me, and one day, we'll marry.. " Or weyrmate. "He's not coming here. Staying at Fort where he's a hunter. Well, he said he's visit on my rest days and all.." She unconsciously touches the necklace, playing with it a moment.
Saxi raises an eyebrow saying "Really? so your the lady he waxes poetic about every other sentence?" he gives her an annoyed look but can't keep it serious. His face breaks in a large grin "Not that he seems to have over exaggerated anything.." there is a wink that says she has been described in a very romantic light. But the large man won't embarrass her too bad, "Well that is good he will visit. But why didn't he just come down here with you? Or did you two have a spat about you standing?"
Kassala blushes quite a bit at that, ducking her head, "Yess.. likely so." She's come to realize that there are people otu there that she doesn't know at all, who knows her because of Riohra. It's sometimes embarrassing, but at the same time, the knowledge that he loves her so that he talks about her to everyone, is sweet as well. Looking back, she catches the wink,t he smile on the big man's lips and she smiles as well, "Oh, no spat at all. He.. thought I should come down and try without him on the sands. Didn't want to be in my way, even though I think he isn't ever in my way. Fort… Fort is home though. For both of us. Or will be again once the clutching happens." She speaks as if she is certain she will be left behind on the sands again.
Saxi nods as he eats and listens, he is silent a moment before speaking "Well Home is where ever your passion is. And if you get a lifemate here, then this will be home for a while." He smiles at her with a knowing look "Sounds like your boy there has more conviction about you getting a dragon than you do. Or is it he just wants to get free air travel?"
Kassala considers, then shakes her head, "If it is meant to be, then it will happen? Igen.. is a temporary home." She admits quietly. She's come to truly love Fort in the few months she's lived there. And maybe that has to do with Riohra. "If I impress here, it might become home. We shall see."
Saxi grins and nods "Well you two have a plan at least so that is something." He takes a sip and then asks "Have you been out on the sands yet? Or is it to early for them to be letting out touch them?" he looks at her intently now, a look she probably has gotten alot from people who wish they could do what she gets too.
Kassala nods once, reaching for her juice, "That we do." A plan. A sip taken of the cold juice, and then comes the quick smile as he asks about the eggs, "We did an egg touching just the other day.. they are…" Really, there are no words to adequately describe the eggs, or the minds within. "I spent time with two of the eggs. Can't wait to get an impression of the others."
Saxi chuckles and nods "so they can talk to you through the shells then? Guess I loose that bet." he leans back and says "has one gained your fancy or are you wrapped up in all of them?" If the large man is uncomfortable in the heat with all that hair he doesn't look it.
"They don't necessarily talk in words, but in… sensations.. images… emotions?" Kassala tries to explain after giving a brief shake of her head, "I don't think they actually speak words until after they hatch and seek out their lifemate." Another sip is taken before she smiles, "I've only touched two, and there's several more to touch and get a sense of bfeore I can say which one I really like."
"You sure your not a miner? You have the temperament for it, calm and patient." Saxi teases but still acknowledges her talents. With a tilt of his head and just has to laugh "how is such a cautious woman, with such a reckless lad? or is that the point you two find the balance?" although he looks skeptical about that seeing as he knows how her young beau acts when she is not around.
"You learn patience in dealing with dragons, especially when they're not yours and you have to take care of them." Kassala answers, laughing softly, "Some don't want to deal with anyone but their lifemates, others don't care." She says by way of explanation. When asked about how she and Riohra got together, the redhead cannot help but smile, "I think it's as they say - opposites attract? But we've been friends for years.."
Saxi nods and grins "you two sound like those old romance novels Niki loves to studdy from earth" he shakes his head but will raise his mug to her saying "I salute you both I really do. And may you find everything you are looking for one day too."
"Oh?" Kassala asks, then smiles, "I like Niki. I went shopping with her an T'ana for dresses.." That said, with the toast offered, she rises her own and chuckles, "Thanks. I hope we do as well. All in good time though, this I know.
Saxi nods looking around saying "is it just me or is it very empty around here?" In most weyrs this cavern would still be full of people in the afternoon meal, but the sparceness of people is a little unnerving to the tall man. "Or is there a party invite we missed?" he teases looking back at the red head.
Kassala picks up a bit of fruit, nibbling on it once she nods to the flits and they take another piece of meat from the plate. His question draws a smile, "It's siesta time. During the heat of the afternoon, the weyr sort of… closes down.. in many ways. They nap or take quiet time. The heat is too much to work in, so everything but the most needed positions, take a break." She informs with a smile, "I thought it odd as well when I first came here. But they do a lot of their work when it's cooler - mornings and evenings, and even the night."
Saxi ahhs and nods saying "to bad that, I thought if this place was that laid back I would stay here more. Nothing beats a working vacation" he wings at her and sips his drink. "You got a good little brood going there. Or are you one of those that just collects them like people collect clothes?"
"They are in their own way.." Kassala answers, chuckling as she eats some more, smiling a little at the big miner. She glances to the flits, then to him again, "The green and blue were discovered while I was at Half Moon Bay, honestly. I… I couldn't just leave the eggs." OF course not! "The brown, I discovered at Fort.." And once more, the egg couldn't be left alone. It's a wonder that she hadn't collected a huge flock of them before now. "I'd always wanted one, but while I was at the school, never did get the chance.."
Saxi gives her a questioning look "and where you around Riohra when all these little mouths came to find you?" He seems to want to ask a question but will wait on her response.
Kassala blushes, "Well, the green's egg, I found and brought over to him. He was there when she was hatched. The others.. I didn't make it to where he was before they hatched." Truth told to the miner.
Saxi grins "but he was around when they showed up? because if that is the case I may go drag him about down at Southern abit to find a few eggs." He gives her a wink "people love to trade things for flit eggs"
"He's got one too." Kassala informs before laughing, "True that. Ask him. Maybe he'll help you out." There arrives a flit, one she recognizes, "Oh.. I have to go. Taking care of a brown in the infirmary and that's my signal that it's time to see to his wound dressing. No doubt if you're around for a while, I'll see you again." With that, she takes dishes and mug off to drop off then hurries off to attend her duties, the trio of flits following her.
