Stand, Stand, Stand

Writers: Devin, Mirren
Date Posted: 16th September 2015

Characters: J'kri, Elona, Elonus
Description: J'kri and Elona catch up.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 1, day 5 of Turn 8

J'kri was headed back into the Weyr when he spotted Elona and
her little son. "Hi there."

"Hey." She smiled but it faded when she noticed her son was sticking
his tongue out at the rider. "I'm so sorry, he's picked up the worst
manners."

The bluerider laughed, squatting so he was at the boy's level. He
stuck out his own tongue, wiggling his fingers on either side of his
head.

Elona shook her head and laughed softly. "You boys. You're all as bad
as each other, aren't you?"

"I plan to never _completely_ grow up." He gave her a wide grin.

She sniffed. "Of course not. Where's the fun in that?"

He stood back up. "So how have you been?"

"Fine," she replied. "Same old, you know." Stand, stand, stand - "And
you?" she asked quickly. "Life as a rider must be…" Amazing, awesome,
terrific? Not boring anyway.

"Interesting," he said with a smile. "Flying Thread is stressful, and
drills aren't fun, but the rest of life is good."

"Really?" She laughed. "What else is left?"

J'kri glanced at the boy. Elonus was way too young to understand, so
he was safe. "Wonderful sex with wonderful people." J'kri winked.

Elona blushed. "I'm sure…" Her experience was limited to Elonus'
father and that had been turns ago.

He smiled gently. "I've been thoroughly corrupted by the Weyr.
Sometimes I forget not everyone else has been."

"Maybe I'm just too uptight." She sighed. She'd been accused of it
more than once.

"Well, the thing about the Weyr is we have a choice. If you don't want
to have sex, or if you only want to when you're in love, that's fine,
too." He shrugged. "I know people here might think it's weird, but
that's their problem."

"I know. It's just - sometimes it can be hard to fit in, you know? No,
I suppose you don't." At least he had a dragon. No one would doubt
that he belonged.

J'kri tilted his head. "I grew up in a Hold and I'm attracted to men.
I know about not fitting in." His sister had been so right that he'd
be happy here.

She gave him a rueful look. "Sorry. It's true what they say. Once
someone impresses, you can't remember where they came from."

"Why do you feel like you don't fit in? Because you're more reserved about sex?"

"That and I e been standing since forever. Some of the others have
too, but most don't have a kid. I worry what'll happen to him if I
do." She glanced over to where he sat, digging in the dirt, having
gotten bored listening to the grownups.

"He'll be taken care of. That's what foster parents are for." No child
was neglected.

"I know but - it's a big change. What if he thinks I abandoned him? Or
don't love him anymore." Would impressing be worth it?

"You'll still be able to see him, spend time with him. And he'll grow
up around other children of riders, so he'll understand." The weyrbred
people he knew seemed to be happy and well-adjusted for the most part.
"Maybe you should talk to rider parents and their children. See how
they manage their relationship."

"I suppose- I just don't want anyone to think I'm assuming I'll
impress." That was far from assured!

"It's not assuming, it's planning ahead. I think people will respect
you for giving it such serious thought." He couldn't imagine them
thinking less of her for it.

"You really think so?" Of course he knew riders better than she did.

"Yeah." J'kri smiled.

"Do you have anyone in particular in mind?" Elona asked hopefully.

J'kri frowned in thought. "Well, there's K'ale. He's weyrbred and
friendly. Both his parents are riders. And Sh'lua. His father is a
rider and he has kids, and the rest of his family is full of riders
and weyrfolk. And Tavia has a little boy."

Elona laughed softly. "Right, I should ask Sh'lua. He's Elonus' father
after all. Although - " she added thoughtfully "- maybe a woman's
perspective would help."

"Oh, I didn't know that." Curious though he was, J'kri had learned to
wait for people to volunteer information about their family.

"That Sh'lua was his father or that a woman's perspective would help?"
she asked teasingly.

J'kri laughed. "The first one."

"Oh." She smiled. "Well it's not a secret, but I don't talk about it
much. I was young and naive back then."

"Sh'lua's a nice enough guy, but from what I gather he's not big on
responsibility." A young holdbred woman likely had very different
ideas about what their relationship meant.

"He's not big on commitment," Elona replied. "He spends as much time
with Elonus as he can. He's been a good friend to me, but we really
have nothing else in common anyway." She shrugged.

"Some people think weyrlife is more complicated, but I actually think
it's more simple. We can make the relationships we want." No one was
trapped in a loveless marriage. No one felt like they had to have
children, or raise them.

"That's true," she admitted. "I don't think I'd like to be married to
someone as... loving as Sh'lua."

"And when you find someone you really love, they won't be bothered
that you have a child from another man." Women who made a so-called
"mistake" had a difficult time of it in a Hold or Hall.

"I hope they don't, because I'm not choosing a man over my son," she
said fiercely. She wasn't going to be one of those girls who put a man
before _everything_.

"You say something like that and you're worried your son will think
you don't love him?"

"I said man," she replied. "Not dragon." Those were a different story entirely.

"Go talk to some of the people I mentioned. I'm sure they'll be able
to help ease your mind," he said.

"Yes sir." She grinned.

Last updated on the September 27th 2015

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Stand, Stand, Stand