A New Hope (Open! :3)

[phlysolo]

A loud trumpeting filled the skies over Ista Weyr as a great bronze dragon burst from /between/ over the Star Stones. The watch dragon bugled back to him, acknowledging the presence of a new bronze to the Weyr. On the back of Erusth, bronzerider H'zu was elated to finally be amongst the presence of a hopeful Weyr. Benden had been stifling in the fact that not a single rider could even crack a smile. The Benden Weyrwoman, and only goldrider, was infertile. It seemed as though Benden, as a Weyr, might not survive.

But here at Ista, there was a new goldrider! While there were whispers of doubt and concern and discontent about whether or not she too would be as Eggless as the rest of the planet's golds were, H'zu was ever-hopeful that this gold would be more fertile than any other gold Pern has ever seen. Of course, he had requested the transfer so that Erusth could Chase when this young queen rose, but he also had come to get away from the depression of Benden Weyr.

His new home looked slightly...uninhabited. And probably it was. Not many a dragonman was remaining today, although there was still a full healthy Clutch from whence the new gold had come. Now both H'zu and Erusth could enjoy the company of other healthy dragons and their riders. Erusth dipped lower and lower, gliding down in a lazy circle before he solidly touched down on the Rim. As of right now, there were no other off duty riders he could see, but that didn't bother H'zu in the slightest; he was sure he would see someone soon enough to introduce him to Ista Weyr and assign him and his Erusth a weyr.

This is quite nice, H'zu. It's very warm here...very warm. I could get used to this place very quickly... The bronze said, shaking his head, wishing simply to bask in the warm sun over the coastal Weyr.

"Yeah, I like it too, Erusth. We just need to get settled in now, but I'm sure we can hang out here and enjoy the scenery for a little while," The rider replied, loosening his grip on Erusth's riding straps. Yes, it was a very well designed Weyr, H'zu saw, having never been to this Weyr before. There was lots of open area and open sea surrounding the Weyr, perfect conditions for the flight of the golden Lyeth. Hopefully, there would be a good strong breeze aloft that would allow the flight to linger as long as possible.

Whose ever dragon caught the young queen would have to ensure that the conception lasted as long as it could to improve the chances of impregnation.

She will receive an excellent flight, H'zu. -This- bronze will give her a run for her marks. I would imagine that every other living bronze on Pern, too, will give chase. I believe she will have many a good suitor.

"I suspect you're right, Erusth, I suspect your right..." H'zu said quietly, his mind wandering. Yes, his Erusth would undoubtedly have competition in crucial Flight to come. However, neither beast nor rider were worried at all about the outcome. May the best dragon win...

[Cherry]

Shiny! Look, T'nulMine, look how shiny!

A short and stocky blue dragon came bounding awkwardly on foot, stumbling a few times in his excitement. He came to a halt, eyes whirling happily as a short raven-haired man came running to catch up.

T'nul's eyes widened as he saw the "shiny" in question. That bronze certainly was shiny...

But he was a bronze! He looked like the type to sire a good clutch, not that T'nul really knew what he was talking about. He just figured the dragon looked strong, so his children would be strong.

Ashuith continued his little admiring verbal rampage, now speaking to Erusth. Hello friend! You're very shiny. Very shiny. I'm Ashuith, and that's my T'nul. Are you new to Ista, too? We came from Telgar a Turn ago. It's nice to meet you, shiny friend! Do you like shiny things, too? What did you do where you came from? What kind of meat do you like? How did you get so shiny? As he spoke, Ashuith got closer and closer to the bronze, until the distance was no longer respectful - a few more steps, and he would have been able to touch his nose to Erusth's gleaming hide.

"Ashuith!" T'nul said aloud, for the benefit of the bronze's rider. "Mind your manners!"

Ashuith stopped moving and speaking and turned his head to look back at his rider, the whirl of his eyes slowing in bewilderment. Didn't His want him to make friends?

T'nul gathered his nerves. He'd better start speaking before Ashuith started again. "Er...Hello there," T'nul called up to the bronzerider. "Welcome to Ista! ...You'll have to excuse my Ashuith, he's a bit..." he glanced sidelong at the blue. "...eccentric." Ashuith, step back! Give him some space!

Do I have to, Mine? Ashuith whined, sounding exactly like a child tasked with a chore.

Yes. It's rude to stand so close.

Aww... The blue hung his head, then raised it to look at Erusth again as he took a few steps back. T'nul says I can't stand so close, because it's rude. Was I being rude, shiny friend? I'm sorry if I was. Hey, how come nobody ever told me? Hey, do you like to play? We could play at the beach sometime. The beach is beautiful, and the water gets all sparkly in the sun! ...Yeah! We should play! That would be great!

Ashuith...

Yes, T'nulMine?

Stay quiet for a second. You can't hold a conversation if you don't give them time to respond.

Oh. Then, to Erusth, T'nulMine says I have to let you respond.

[phlysolo]

Erusth hadn't the luxury of truly experiencing Weyrlinghood. He had been sick for months and months while the vaccination for the Plague had been created. He, like his rider, had nearly succumbed to the disease a sevenday before the cure had been administrated to him. Seeing such a rambunctious and rowdy blue shocked the bronze so greatly that he had hopped back several meters away from the blue, his eyes whirling lightly in distress. Had this dragon's brains been addled by the Plague? The bronzes great head turned rapidly from his own 'shiny' hide to the blue, confusion plain on his face.

I, ah, I'm Erusth, that is mine H'zu, ah...We came from-I like all kinds of mea-... The blue rambled so quickly and excessively that the bronze could barely get out more than his name. He had not become annoyed by the blue, but was more distressed than anything else. He could not fathom why this dragon was so...talkative and hyper.

H'zu, who had been watching the spectical of his great bronze backing away timidly from the blue, was laughing quietly to himself. He had never seen the bronze react in such a way meeting another dragon, particularly not a blue. The bronzerider was about to wave to the man to allow their dragons to, ah, get used to each other, but the bluerider spoke first.

"Greetings, bluerider. It's a great relief to be here at Ista and I'm glad I received a welcoming party," H'zu said casually, reaching out to clasp forearms with the bluerider in way of greeting.

Mine! Tell this...this blue to get away from me! What's wrong with him? Is he ill? Erusth asked so commandingly that H'zu broke into quiet snickers, holding his hand up to his mouth to stifle them.

There's nothing wrong with him. He's just being himself, I think, Erusth. Be polite, you're going to have to get used to dealing with blues, greens, and browns much more so than you had to at Benden H'zu said soothingly, stripping off his thick riding jacket.

The bronze gave an unhappy sigh inside of H'zu's head and turned his attention back to the blue who was...still talking. Ashuith had been firing off so many questions that the bronze doubted he would have been able to respond anyhow. Yeesh...

Yes...the beach would be rather nice...And your rider is a wise man, for how could I tell you what I think or what I feel without you sparing me a breath to answer? Erusth said finally to Ashuith. He had kept his tone as neutral as possible, but soft shades of annoyance did color his speech for all he had tried to keep them out.

Seeing that his dragon would at least attempt to be considerate to the blue, H'zu was finally able to focus on the other dragon's rider.

"That big, lugging mass is Erusth and I am his rider, H'zu. A pleasure to meet you-?" H'zu allowed the end of his sentence to be a question, hoping the bluerider would fill the rest in with his name.

[Cherry]

"T'nul," the bluerider finished. "And that is Ashuith... I apologize if he startled you. He, er...tends to do that to most people. And he's rather obsessed with shiny things."

Yes, T'nul is very wise, but timid, said Ashuith, proving that, indeed, it was possible for him to be calm for a second or two. But only for a second. It's hard to make friends when he's so worried about it. He's been worried a lot lately, is something happening? I hope it's not anything bad, because Thread may fall soon and I don't think we'll do very well if we're worried. And-oh, should I let you answer again? T'nul is always telling me to slow down...maybe I should try to remember that...? If he had noticed that the bronze had sounded annoyed, he wasn't showing it. Ashuith shifted nervously, having a million things left to say but not sure when or if he should say them.

T'nul was starting to worry that Ashuith might scare the bronzepair off - it was perfectly possible, and every bronze counted. "So, ah..." Making conversation. Shards, was he terrible at this...

Ashuith, as usual could take up the slack and then some, and he began rattling off a list in T'nul's head. How about where they're from? Favorite color? Siblings? Favorite pastime? Skills? Weyrlinghood? What their Weyrling drills were like? How about bathing and oiling? Can I get my hide oiled that shiny?

No, you're not metallic. That's enough, thank you, Ashuith, T'nul told his dragon. He decided on his blue's first suggestion. "Might I ask where you hail from?" he concluded his sentence, trying to be as polite as possible while trying to hide the fact that the question had been his dragon's suggestion.

((ooc: Okay, I am convinced Ashuith has some sort of draconic Asperger's or something. XD))

[phlysolo]

The bronzerider shook his head amiably, smiling cheerfully at the bluerider. Unlike his dragon, H'zu was perfectly content to sit and chat with a lower ranking rider. Right now, his slight rank disregard had been heightened by the fact that he had come across an Istan dragonrider rather than, say, some harper or someone from the Lower Caverns. Although, why a harper or a drudge would be up on the rim of the Star Stones was beyond H'zu....

"A pleasure to meet you, T'nul and your Asuith. I, unlike my bronze, am not easily startled. Erusth just isn't used to, ah, happy dragons, if you will," H'zu replied calmly, no hint of the terror of nearly dying he'd experienced almost a year ago in his voice. "I do suppose Erusth would be deemed as 'shiny' indeed. I rarely have to oil that hulk."

Erusth was still perplexed by the blue before him and was becoming increasingly annoyed by his jabbering on and on about everything and nothing. However his H'zu had told him very specifically that he was to be nice to this azure nuisance. Ugh. H'zu could be far too diplomatic for the likes of the bronze. Still, though, this blue seemed to have an interesting sense of connecting two and two together. Unlike the blue, Erusth had a guess of what could be worrying the blue's rider; H'zu thought about it daily and spoke to the bronze about it every time it came up: The bronzerider was extremely concerned that this young gold might not be fertile, despite how hopeful he was that she would be.

Mine is worried, but not about Threads, for we are well trained for that. He is scared that gold Lyeth will not bear Clutch, no matter what bronze catches her Erusth replied, not responding to the myriad of other statements Ashuith had said to him. He had taken the trouble to emphasize the word 'bronze' in his speech for he, like any other bronze on Pern, did not believe that mere browns had the capability of staying a whole Flight with proddy gold and then catch her.

Where T'nul lacked the words, H'zu had the tact and looked politely at the bluerider. His head tilted ever so slightly to the side, as though he would be engrossed in whatever T'nul would have to say.

He's a quite one...unlike Ashuith... The bronze said to his rider, rumbling softly in both annoyance and restlessness. While his rider might be content to speak so easily with a bluerider, Erusth certainly was not.

H'zu's face stretched into another handsome smile, amused with his beast once more. Erusth was just going to have to deal with it. H'zu hadn't mentioned it to the bronze before, but he suspected that they might be the only bronze pair at Ista for sometime until the Weyr became more populated....Finally, T'nul spoke, breaking the bronzeWerider from his thoughts.

"Where we hailed from? I myself..." H'zu paused, wondering how in depth he should be about his past with a complete stranger, fellow rider or not...A brief over view would do fine. "I was born at Benden Hold. My family sent me off to be fostered at Half Circle. then at Fort Hold. I was sent back to Benden when I was about sixteen, then got Searched to Benden Weyr and Impressed Erusth there within the Turn..."

He trailed off at the end, deciding their was no need to go into any great detail about the time he'd spent at the Weyr during the Plague.

[Cherry]

((I spy a "year" up there.))

Within the Turn. Lucky him. T'nul smiled, almost bitterly, as he remembered standing his first Turn as Candidate and leaving without a dragon. "Ashuith didn't come along until the third Turn after I was first Searched," he said. "Life has never been dull since." He tried to make it clear in his tone that this was not always a good thing. "We came from Telgar a Turn ago. All that stress was wearing on us, and a friend of mine suggested this place. I think it was a good idea."

Ashuith was a little confused. Why wouldn't she clutch? he asked Erusth. She is gold, and golds bear clutch, that is the way of things. Something nagged at the fringes of his draconic memory, something T'nul had mentioned what seemed like a long time ago. What was it? He did what he always did, and talked about it. I remember but don't something a long time ago. ...Wait, what? I think I just confused myself. ...I remember...but I don't... I know it's important, but I don't know what it is. Something about golds and clutches... Never did the qualifier "lack of" enter the befuddled blue's brain. T'nul was very worried, and that's all I remember - he was worried.

"I should try to figure out who's where so we can get things in order for you," said T'nul tentatively. "Things are so hectic lately, with Lyeth...well, you know already; I'll spare you the obvious. We will all hear it more than enough times."

He looked around for someone to ask - here was where a chain of orders had to be put into effect. But with any luck, things would get sorted out on their own.

((Sorry for the short post. I'm busy working on my bronzepair.))

[phlysolo]

H'zu nodded almost sympatheticly. How horrible it must have been for T'nul to see over and over again the joyous new Weyrlings walk off the Sand together as a pair when he himself had been left Standing all alone. Had that been H'zu's case, he would have never had Impressed at all-for another Benden queen never gave another Clutch. It seemed however, that T'nul had been spared the real horrors of the Plague. The bluerider had never come close to experiencing the loss of his dragon, had never come close to death's embrace...

"At least your waiting paid off and you were able to Impress your Ashuith. Several friends I had as Candidates never got the chance to Impress after Erusth's Clutch was off the Sands..." He said, almost regretfully. Yes, and by now they were far too old to Stand again. "And Ista, so far, as been far more than I expected. It's nicer here..more peaceful than I thought it would have been with everyone worrying so much."

Erusth, for it had been drilled into his mind by his rider, understood the grave situation far better than a mere blue and felt that it was his obligation to remind him of what was going on. Mine says that because everyone got treated for the sickness that it might have made the Queens...unable to Clutch Erusth said with some finality, once more over looking some of the more meaningless details of Ashuith's speech. And so your T'nul should be. According to Mine, if Lyeth doesn't bear Clutch...we will...be the last dragons...ever.

"Indeed, I think we both should, T'nul," H'zu agreed, looking towards the Weyr proper. "It wouldn't do me well to settle into a weyr already occupied," He continued with good humor.

"I'm sure once this whole scare about Lyeth is over things will settle themselves quite nicely. I hope with a fervor that she...is an answer to our problems..."

[Cherry]

"I suppose it goes without saying that I hope she is, too." T'nul was going to think of something else to say, but his entire thinking process was arrested when Ashuith made his worst suggestion he'd heard in the ten Turns they'd been together.

Mine, we could just tell Lyeth there is a new bronze here.

T'nul's body went rigid, and he glanced worriedly at his dragon. Ashuith...you're not just going to speak to...

Too late. I beg your pardon, Lyeth, but I am blue Ashuith and if the watchdragon hasn't told you already, there is a new bronze here on the Rim, Erusth and his H'zu from Benden. They will be needing weyrs. Then, to his shocked rider, See, I can be polite. Was I polite?

Yes, but...was it even polite to speak directly to her in the first place? T'nul knew etiquette well enough, but for inter-dragon communication, he wasn't that well-versed because his dragon wasn't...well...the norm for his color. He realized H'zu must be wondering what had caused him to react, and promptly returned his attention to the bronzerider. "I...my dragon just spoke to Lyeth," he explained, "without consulting me. That's why I...am currently a little nervous." Poor wording, but it sould have to do - his brain wasn't quite caught up yet. All he could do was await Ashuith's relay of Lyeth's response, if any, and hope the blue had indeed handled himself well. Ashuith wasn't exactly the best dragon to trust socially.

[phlysolo]

Absentmindedly, H'zu nodded, looking down at the Weyr proper once more. It was certainly larger than he expected. He knew his history, but Benden had always seemed like the biggest and brightest Weyr on Pern. He had loved his old home, reveling in the fact that centuries ago two great Weyrleaders had given Pern the chance it needed to survive Threadfall after the unusually long Interval. Now, he realized, he too had a chance to change the fate of the world he loved so dearly. He had nearly lost his dragon once and now that he was secure in his position as dragonrider once more, felt it his duty to preserve this rite for the generations to come. Even if Lyeth did not Clutch, at least H'zu and Erusth would have given it their best.

"Mm, indeed," He mumbled finally, not really noticing that T'nul had become rigid and stiff. Erusth, too, had decided that he'd had enough of such company and had stepped even further away from both blue dragon and rider. True, the bronze hadn't seen much of any other dragon their last sevendays at Benden, but a blue was still a blue, no matter how one wanted to slice it...

Either way, H'zu nor Erusth at first noticed how nervous and, frankly, distraught the other man looked. However, it was the big, shiny bronze beast that sensed the discontent in T'nul and rumbled, drawing H'zu's gaze towards him, and thus, past T'nul. His eyes widened slightly at the bluerider's state and he moved forward, concern in his eyes.

"Ah..." He said, inwardly wincing. Yeah, T'nul was right to be more than a little anxious. Most blues and greens stayed well away from the queens at Benden and they only associated with each other, as far as he himself had ever seen, on the Hatching Sands, feeding grounds, or when they so happened to find each other sunning at the Weyr's lake. Still, what had been done was done and H'zu saw no point in troubling any further.

"Well, if it's any consultation to you, I honestly don't think Lyeth, queen dragon or not, will mind all too much," The bronzerider said patiently and kindly, hoping to ease T'nul's state of apprehension. "After all, there aren't a whole lot of...young riders around Ista, are there? I'm sure she's going to have to get off her high runner until she finds more suitable company."

His tone was definitive, trying to impress upon T'nul that worrying now would do either man little good, for it wasn't going to solve the problem of what would happen if Lyeth responded, if she even responded at all.

"Surely it would be rude of her to ignore what little man power she has here," And he added inwardly, the few of the remaining bronzeriders left on the planet Pern. To reiterate his point, he cheerfully clapped the man on the shoulder, smiling as reassuringly as he could.

[ShadowReine]

Turns out, I don't need to. Ashuith says they are on the rim.

Yselka stepped out of the hatching grounds. In that case, dearest...

The gold had been sunning outside their Weyr. Being a queenrider, Yselka had a ground level Weyr...being the Weyrwoman, the complex she shared with B'toc (although, not in the same bed...he had not asked, and she did not see it happening without the dragons being involved) was sizable. Now, her great wings spread and she lifted upwards to glide across the bowl to her rider, landing neatly for such a large dragon.

Yselka was wearing work trousers, not leathers, which was good enough for a brief flight up to the rim, and the gold made it with as few wingstrokes as she could get away with. Yes, there was the bronze and his rider.

He looks healthy.

[phlysolo]

Erusth, being the bronze that he was, of course noticed the golden shimmer in the skies, so perfectly catching sunlight and reflecting it off of herself. As if wishing to prove his metallicism to the queen, he raised himself briefly to his haunches, spread his wings wide, and trumpeted so loudly it was certain that he nearly deafened the humans. Of course that was of little concern to him, H'zu could handle some noise and as for the bluerider...what about him? Erusth needed to show proper respected to the gold dragon he would Chase....

"Arrgg! Erusth! By the First Egg, what's your problem? You know that all of us are here!" H'zu reprimanded him, striding up to his beast and staring up the great lengths to his head. The bronze, seeing His so close to him, lowered himself down slowly and carefully closed his wings to his back.

But, sh- Erusth began, only to be cut off by his dragon.

"Gold dragon or not! You don't disrespect the company your with now by trying to knock us out from the noise you make," H'zu snapped and the dragon lowered his head to the ground in embarassmenet.

"If you see us humans here, Erusth, don't be so loud. You can greet Lyeth just as easily without shaking the earth with your thunder," He finished with such finality that the bronze dragon's eyes were whirling with apology.

Just as he finished his scolding, it seemed, the gold had landed upon the ridge. H'zu stood straightly and formally while Erusth had picked himself off of the ground and attempted to make himself look formidable and strong. However attractive they appeared, H'zu found himself nervous and uncharacteristically timid. This Weyrwoman didn't seem tired or weary, stressed out or defeated. No, there was a...strength to her that he sensed even though they weren't in any close distance and he felt himself grateful that Lyeth had chosen Yselka for her rider. Perhaps the pair could restore Pern to its full dragonstrength...that was of course, if Lyeth could bear Clutch....

Taking a deep breath, H'zu strode forward, smiling with slight uncertainty, though he stood tall as he approached the Weyrwoman. As he passed T'nul, he turned and gave another reassuring grin to the man.

"Weyrwoman Yselka and gold Lyeth," He said, saluting as he would to any Weyrleader he'd never met before. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance so early in the day and in such a timely fashion to our arrival."

H'zu paused suddenly and felt mildly awkward knowing that she might not even have come over here had it not been for Ashuith...

"Erusth is my bronze and I am H'zu," He said and Erusth rumbled at the mention of his name, lowering his neck in respect for the gold pair.

Greetings, Lyeth. I am honored to meet the youngest gold dragon on Pern. He said, moving subtly so that hopefully the pleasing color of his hide would shimmer in the light of the sun. Anything to score points....