Unexpected - The Search of Talo (Dotta)

[phlysolo]

It was uncommon for R'li to be up so early. Normally, she and her green normally didn't start her day until much later, certainly long after the sun had come up. She had been randomly selected to rider Search the day before, actually, and had been sent to Weyrs far to the North, the west. In those areas it was well past noontime, but barely before the dawn at her home on Ista. She didn't hate Searching persay, she just didn't like the fact that she was sent so far away from home when she could have just as easily gone to Ista Hold, scooped up a few promising punks and come back.

But nooo, their oh-so-honorable Weyrleader H'zu had insisted. And unfortunately, his insistence had turned up nothing. Well, at least nothing for R'li. A couple of blueriders had picked up a boy and a girl, but other than that the measly speck of a Hold they'd practically invaded didn't yield anything more than that.

So here, R'li was, in the early morning light with her green Jrinath at her side, the two taking in the spectacle of the suns rising. She was going to have to report something to H'zu or to her Wingleader about how they hadn't found anything, but that could come later. Distractedly, she could already hear the women of the Lower Caverns heading out to the wherry barns for their eggs. Breakfast would be good this morning.

Are you hungry mine? I am not. I ate well yesterday. Jrinath said, rumbling softly as she settled down on the ground next to Hers.

"Nah, not really. Just enjoying the scenery, I suppose."

[dotta]

Like in any place of business, there is order: One person is appointed to one job, while another does a different task. Safe to say, there isn't much leeway in business's such as this, especially the kitchen. Every worker was essential, from the lowly dish washer to the cook herself. And one person was missing.

"Agatha!"

The pots and pans seemed to quiver in agony from this bellow. Meanwhile, workers sped up with the tasks. When the cook was angry, one didn't want to be caught under her eye. Any fool slacking off at such a dangerous time would be a scapegoat to her wrath.

"Where is Agatha?" Cried the cook.

For a moment, everyone remained silent and dutiful to their work, hoping someone else would speak up. And it seemed no one would until an older kitchen worker spoke up,

"She's sick, ma'am."

The cook grimaced from the knowledge. Sick? That hag was too old to ever be sick. Ah, well. She'd need to find someone else to do Agatha's task for now.

"You, dish washer! Yes, you! Go, get some eggs. Forget about the dishes! Just go!"

With basket in hand, Talo exited the kitchen and made her way to the barns.

[phlysolo]

As she rested against her green beast's leg, R'li was actually very seriously considering going to sleep, snuggled up against her Jrinath like she did when she was a Weyrling. Unfortunately, this was not going to be possible. Jrinath, though her hide was smooth and well oiled, was not as soft as it had been when she was just out of her shell. At that, the little niche R'li had between the green's leg and shoulder had expanded so much that it would be impossible to sleep there anyways.

All she could do now was sit against Jrinath's leg and sigh unhappily, letting her eyes drop.

Look at that poor girl. She's not with the rest of the group. Jrinath said, lowering her head to gently butt Hers on the shoulder. The force was nearly enough to send R'li toppling to the ground.

Steadying herself, she looked from Jrinath to the girl in question, but...There was no girl. Just a boy who looked like he was heading off to the same task some other women from the kitchens were already heading to. Even still more drudges from the kitchens were on their way back, baskets full of goodies. Strange...Perhaps that, by the looks of it, that child wasn't normally on this duty.

Hmm...

"Hm?"

Hm...

"Oh, what is it Jrinath? I hate it when you get all cryptic," R'li burst out, knowing that the back and forth would continue until the green forgot what it was she was even thinking about.

Go see her.

Go see her? There was no her. There was a boy heading off in the direction of the chicken coops like the other female drudges, but she couldn't spot the girl Jrinath was talking about. Perhaps Jrinath was confused and meant to say 'lad.' And anyways, why should R'li give up her slightly comfortable little perch against her Jrinath to go and talk to a drudge? Then again...Jrinath wasn't normally a social green to begin with. Was she...?

"Alright, alright..." And with that, R'li got up and began making him way to the kitchens, hoping she could think of something to distract the boy with and get him away from the chore he was doing.

"Hey, boy. You there. I need some help w-w-w-with my dragon," R'li said, coming up along side the young man. She was stuttering slightly, a tell-tale sign that she was lying. Of course, this kid wouldn't know that...

[dotta]

Talo trudged along quickly and quietly among the other drudges. This being a task she had never tackled before, she was weary of rushing to get lost. However, had she known the whereabouts of the barn, she would have made greater strides to retrieve the eggs. An angry cook was a scary one and Talo didn't wish to fuel the woman's fury.

Her ears had then picked up the faint sound of a calling voice. Curious, the girl halted and looked around until she saw a woman approaching her. Talo took one looked back at the departing group. Oh! What a dilemma! She had a task to perform yet she was being addressed by a green dragon rider. If she dawdled, the cook would be angry. But a dragon rider was a hirer rank then a cook. Talo returned her gaze to this dragon rider. That was the only reason this woman had retained the girl's attention. Had she been someone beneath the cook, Talo would have continued her task.

She had to fight back a snicker when the female dragon rider stuttered. Would it have been bad to mimic the woman of her defect?

"Of course, Dragon rider. But isn't it a custom to state your name before asking a favor?"

[phlysolo]

Oh, ho. So this one had a personality, huh? Silly little boy! He was going to have to learn some respect if he was going to stay with the drudges. Old cookie didn't like them saucy from what R'li remembered. Anyone who back talked or sassed that old cow was sure to get a smack with her good spoon.

"Isn't it customary for you to do as your told, young man?" R'li asked, quirking an eyebrow at the boy and placing fists sharply on her hips. "I'm R'li of green Jrinath and I require assistance. Are you going to help me, whatever your name is?"

Though she spoke a question it was absolutely clear that the boy was to do what he was told without a thought about it.

[dotta]

Talo bowed her head slightly in apology even as a small smile tugged at her lips. Did the green rider remind her of their rank difference because of offense? Or did the woman only want Talo to do her little task. However, the green rider was still polite enough to have disclosed her name and Talo took a moment to get a feel of the name.

That short lived kindness was gone almost immediately when inquired Talo's allegiance to her.

Placing her right hand over her left breast, she bowed towoard the oh, so noble green rider.

"Tairik is the name and only because you asked so nicely."

[phlysolo]

Mine, bring the girl here. Over here! I need to see her!

Just as R'li opened her mouth to respond to the young man, her green interrupted her and her eyes took on the distant, unfocused gaze of one who was communicating privately with the beast they were Impressed to.

What, by the First Egg, are you talking about, Jrinath? There is no girl here. I'm talking to a boy? See? A boy! R'li moved slightly to the side so that the green could get a good view of the young man standing in front of her. Glancing back, R'li could see that Jrinath's head was cocked to the side in confusion.

Boy...That's not...It doesn't smell like... She replied, her eyes whirling lightly in distress.

Now, R'li was confused. How could Jrinath mistake one gender for the other? Dragons could sense and feel, to what R'li understood, the gender of every human being on Pern. They had to; if Jrinath didn't have the ability to tell male from female empathatically, or however it was they did it, then they would Impress themselves off to genders that were not suitable for themselves. Perhaps Jrinath was sick? But no, that couldn't be it. During the plague, R'li could acutely sense how horrible and ill her green felt and the feelings became so intense that R'li herself became sick as well...

Are you absolutely sure it's a lass? R'li asked finally, turning her attention momentarily back to the youth. Her eyes flickered sharply over Talo's features, unable to spot certain body parts that would prove she was female, or see the subtle rise at the child's crotch that would suggest he was indeed male.

Yes...Why would you think she was a boy? The dragon's tone was filled with such puzzlement that R'li no longer could deny that the dragon could accurately judge the child's sex.

"Tairik, is it?" She said, unsure if she should burst the bo-ah, girl's bubble and say that she knew she was faking her sex. No, that wouldn't be right. If the girl was so determined to be a lad, then who was R'li to say otherwise?

"Well, come with me, then. That green over there is...needs...oh, just come on!" She said finally, unable to think up a good lie on the fly and instead shove her hands into her wherhide pants and marched off towards her dragon, expecting the lass to follow.

[dotta]

Talo watched R'li lips opened only to close shut again. The girl found this curious, but said nothing. She only waited until the green rider found her tongue. A few moments passed, however, and still no response from the woman.

She stood on her toes to get a closer look of the woman's eyes. They had a distant look, as if the green rider was off in her own world. This time Talo did snicker as she waved a hand in front of R'li's face. What a silly woman! Was she always this absent minded?

Her gaze then shifted to R'li's dragon. Its yellow-green eyes whirled in confusion. Her mouth formed an 'O' as her eyes continue to alternate between the two figures. Ah, so this green rider wasn't absentminded after all.

Talo gave a nod to her name. So, R'li was finally ready to command her? And paying no mind for R'li's horrible lying skills, Talo followed at the heels of the dragon rider.

[phlysolo]

R'li had only been vaguely aware of the hand waving before her face and somewhere, distantly in the back of her mind, she had almost robotically wanted to slap the child across the mouth. No matter, no matter, though, as she now had incredible insight to whom this...girl really was. She had heard about females who weren't, ah, satisfied with what they'd been born with under the covers, but had never actually seen one whom had been trying to pass off her existance as a male. Interesting, but not concerning.

"So, Tairik," R'li began, noting the girl's lack of speech. "How long have you been at Ista? This obviously isn't your first home, since you didn't come trotting at my heels like another Weyrbrat might have."

The conversation was superficial and R'li really had absolutely no interest in the child other than what she was feeling from Jrinath. That was what was really curious. Jrinath never had outwardly shown the ability to perform Search, though she knew the green was capable. Indeed, very interesting.

Hurry, hurry, I want to get a good look at her to be... The green trailed off, something also quite uncharacteristic for the green. R'li had never heard her be so pensive and thoughtful. It was starting to become alarming.

"Have you ever been this close to a green dragon before? They're not that large, but impressive nonetheless," R'li continued a moment later, giving the girl a moment or so to respond to the first inquiry before they came to a halt in front of the green dragoness.

[dotta]

Talo whirled the basket within her grasp as she tread lightly beside the dragon rider. At her side, Talo could truly see the difference in their height. R'li was like a mighty giant to her height of 5'4". However, Talo didn't mind too much. After all, Talo was still young in comparison of R'li. Once she had reached her spurt, she would well exceed the green rider.

On a different note, R'li had began light conversation by asking of her origins. Talo didn't quite understand how trailing after the rider would signify her birth though. Holding up one hand she spread her fingers out to begin her caculations.With year year, a finger descend, but having only being her for a short time, she didn't have much counting to do.

"I've only been hear Two turns. Not that long really," Was the girl's reply.

Now the two of them were approaching the mighty green beast. It wasn't the largest one she encountered; that one was the blue dragon, but the green was still beautiful. However, Talo shook her head when asked of pasted encounters with dragons.

"No, this is my first time before a green and a very pretty green at that." She said with a small grin.

[phlysolo]

Two Turns? Was that so? She didn't seem Weyrbred, not even for the amount of time she said she'd been here. Shards, during two Turns R'li had learned all kinds of things and one of them was to do whatever a dragonrider said, whenever they said it. Then, of course, she Impressed, but still for another Turn and a half, she had to dote after the Weyrlingmaster and...everyone else. Then she was assigned to a Wing, moved up in the ranks and, as it was a green and blue wing, had actually made Wingsecond. Now...well, she was here at Ista...

"No, not too long, not too long," She mumbled and trailed off, staring at her green. The rider didn't even bother to respond to the girl's second statement, her eyes still lingering on Jrinath.

How old are you, child? The green asked, speaking directly to the girl, repressing a shudder, distasteful to the feel of Talo's mind.

[dotta]

Talo only nodded her head in agreement to Rli's words. It seemed her words were more for herself than the girl standing beside her though. R'li's eyes no longer lingered on Talo, but something or someone else. She looked in the direction of those eyes to see her gaze on her dragon. But her green dragon's head was directed at Talo.

So, when she heard a voice, it didn't take Talo long to realize it belonged to the green dragon. However, upon hearing it initially, her head snapped to R'li. Since her attention still wasn't on her and their were no people around, the only option was the green dragon.

She had heard stories of these giant creatures speaking to others beside their riders, but why her? Talo wasn't special. It would be rude not to answer the dragon though, so she replied quietly,

"I'm 15 Turns, ma'am."

[phlysolo]

As soon as Jrinath choose to speak, R'li turned her attention back to her young charge. If Jrinath was doing what she thought she was doing, then R'li had a job of her own to do. The green could choose any Candidate all willy nilly, but that didn't always mean they had the right temperments for it. She remembered a boy in her Candidate group when she Stood for the first time. He was such a bully that he got into such a bad fight with another boy who, as it turned out, Impressed a bronze at the Hatching that he was taking off the Standing list. He had been furious and had tried to get his father, a Lord Holder, to intervene, but the Headwoman and the Weyrlingmaster had held their ground. From what she remembered, the lad went home and became some bad Lord Holder. Ah well.

Anyways, back to the present, she reminded herself, sizing up Talo. Just so long as this girl didn't seem like some conniving, evil Holdbrat, she was fine. So far, despite the cool attitude she seemed to possess (and the fact that she was trying to pull off being a man), this Tairik didn't seem too bad. She just needed to learn more about the Weyr...

Fifteen Turns. You are old enough. I just needed to make sure. You seem right to be a Candidate. Jrinath said simply and broke the connection, shaking her head and feeling slightly fatigued. She'd never spoken so long to a person who wasn't her rider and the strain had given her a headache.

"Hear that, girl? A Candidate. You interested? Lyeth is looking egg heavy..."

[dotta]

'Old enough?' Old enough for what Talo questioned, but then it was answered: to be a candidate. Her brows furrowed at this before smiling politely.

"This must be a mistake. I can't be a candidate, I'm just...just a kitchen worker." Talo explained to the dragon.

The green wasn't giving her any answers though. It only shook its head. Maybe it was realizing its mistake? Talo wouldn't take it too hard; everyone made mistakes.

Her head snapped to R'li. Girl? Immediately her hands flew up to her chest, but stopped halfway. No, that would give her away. Besides, what did she have to hide? She was no girl! Even if she had breasts and...

Talo chuckled.

"You're mistaken. I'm no girl. How'd you figure that?"

[phlysolo]

A small smile flirted across R'li's lips as she unceremoniously stuffed her hands into her pockets. Shaking her head to fluff wisps of hair from her face, the dragonrider gave an elegant shrug. A memory flashed through her mind of her own Search, and the denials she sputtered at the kind bluerider. Perhaps all Candidates went through this stage of humility and humbleness right at the moment of truth. Well, some perhaps did not, the arrogant ones who expected it, or those who had been prepared for the possibility and then saw it come to reality. Those who were not ready, who were not prepared...ended up looking just like young Tairik here.

"A'course you can be girl. If Jrinath here says you are, then, girl, you are. The dragon is always right, as they say and Jrinath probably won't be wrong about you," R'li gave another small shrug. "You must be bursting with empathy if even Jrinath was able to feel it in you."

As soon as the flit was out of the basket, the girl's hands flew expectantly up to her chest and the greenrider cackled, scratching her cheek.

"Let's just say that dragons have a...sixth sense about those types of things."