Not this time

Writers: Cali, Rebecca
Date Posted: 5th December 2006

Characters: O'ran, G'len, Larent
Description: Orlan fails to impress.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 14 of Turn 3

"Are you the latecomer? The one B'vin brought?" G'len asked gently of Orlan. The boy had been one of many left on the sands after the hatching, but unlike the others, this one didn't seem to know what to do next.

"Yeah, I don't know who brought me but he was a greenrider." Orlan looked up to see the rider more clearly, not easy through his tears.

G'len placed his hand on the boy's shoulder and squatted down beside him. "Hey now little one... now's not the time for tears. Your dragonet will come one day, it just hasn't been hatched yet." he repeated the consilitory phrase.

It wasn't something Orlan had heard before and he tried to smile, "You think so?" He'd been so sure he'd impress, after all he'd been searched.

He'd seen that look on so many young faces before. "The dragons wouldn't have searched you if they didn't think you'd make a fine rider. Now you've just got to wait for your lifemate to be hatched.
There'll be other hatchings."

"I can stand agian?" he asked.

G'len smiled and stood back up. "Of course you can. It's not a one time deal, and maybe this time you can take some candidate classes so you know what you're up for." he added, remembering that since he arrived right before the hatching he might not know much about the weyr customs.

"Really?" He had thought this would be his only chance. "What do I do?"

"Well first," he said, glad that the boy appeared to be doing better, "we'll go to the hatching feast where you will dine with the other candidates. After you've gotten your fill, we'll go and see about getting you a cot in the candidate barracks."

"Thank you sir." he said politly.

As he started to escort the boy off the hot sands G'len looked around the stands to the dwindling crowd. "B'vin said he picked you up from the Dolphin Hall... is your family coming up for the feast with your belongings?"

"Uh no, my father had a heart attack a few days ago and couldn't come."

No wonder the boy wasn't able to come to the Weyr sooner, "Oh, I'm sorry. Is he going to be alright?"

"The healer's say he will." **But that was before I came here.** he thought with a stab of gulit.

G'len nodded as he signaled down another boy in candidate robes who had just separated from a group of miners. "Larent! Can you do me a favor and escort this young man to the feast? I've got to go check on the dragonets for a moment." He gave the boy a squeeze on his shoulder for reassurance.

"Sure." Larent said with a shrug as he looked Orlan over. "This way."

Unsure, Orlan followed the older boy. "Where are we going?"

G'len gave the two unsucessful candidates a wave and headed after the new weyrlings, sure that after a good meal and some company his own age, young Orlan would start to feel better.

Last updated on the December 7th 2006

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Not this time