A Family Resemblence

Writers: Bree, Eimi
Date Posted: 4th October 2005

Characters: U'kaiah, Talryne
Description: U'kaiah meets with his newest wingrider
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 8, day 12 of Turn 3

Talryne

"Good morning, wingleader!" Talyrne stepped into U'kaiah's office and closed the door behind her, hoping to get this official meeting over with. She'd been flying with U'kaiah's wing for a sevenday now, but the wingleader himself had been absent for all that time. "I'm glad to hear you're feeling better. I'm Talryn, partner to Ysanth. Kenza told me you were back in your office this morning and that I should introduce myself."

U'kaiah heard her words but they only made it half-way into his consciousness. This girl looked unnervingly familiar. Who did she look like? Where did he know her from? "Won't you please sit down?"

Talyrne dropped into the chair with little gracefullness, stretching her legs out in front of her. "Have the healers told you when you'll be back to leading drills? I'm looking forward to working with you."

"In the next couple days, actually," U'kaiah said, his eyes narrowing as he studied the woman more closely. "Where did you transfer in from again?"

"I Impressed at River Bluff Weyr," Talryne replied, one eyebrow going up as the wingleader continued to study her. "But I grew up in the Healer Hall." U'kaiah slapped one hand to his head. "Of course! Abrei!"

Talryne couldn't quite keep herself from groaning, knowing what was coming. "She's my father's cousin. I suppose I might look like her, a little... But I didn't realize you knew her." "Well, we grew up together here. If Abrei ever _had_ to grow up," the bronzerider laughed. "You sure do look alike. You're sure you're not sisters?"

"Fairly sure," Talryne replied dryly. "For one thing, I don't frown _nearly_ so much." "Good to know. Do you hit as hard, though. That's the real question." U'kaiah had been on the receiving end of more punches and thrown objects at Abrei's hand than he cared to admit.

Talryne laughed, giving U'kaiah one of her most mischevious smiles.
"That really depends on what you're going to do to provoke it, now doesn't it? Maybe finding out will give you a little excitement in life." U'kaiah's eyebrows raised slightly. Flirtation was defenitely not an Abrei-like quality. "Unfortunately the healers have put restrictions on the level of excitement in my life recently." Although, the bronzerider had to admit to himself that finding out was a tempting prospect.

"Aren't healers aggravating?" Talryne asked with a great deal little sympathy. "Everyone in my family does _something_ with healing, and they're all impossible to deal with. And the worst part is that they're all terrible hypocrites." The bronzerider threw his head back and roared. "Oh shards, I would love to see you say that to Abrei!"

Talryne grinned and shook her head. "Oh no, I'm smarter than that. I used to think pa was exagerating about how crabby she was... then I got Searched and ended up at River Bluff Weyr and found out for myself." U'kaiah shook his head, still chuckling. "I had no idea such sensible women could be bred in your family."

"Oh, you might want to wait a _few_ days before declaring me sensible,"
she replied lightly. "After all, I haven't shown you what kind of mischief _I_ can get up to yet." Shards the greenrider was tempting. Looks like Abrei and can flirt? That was practically the perfect woman in U'kaiah's book. Practically... "Well, just don't find yourself in _too_ much trouble. Now, how I can I help you settle in?"

Talryne considred suggesting a few highly inappropriate things, but figured she'd save that for somewhere other than his office. "I think I'm settling in all right so far. People have been friendly."

"Glad to hear it. We pride ourselves in making newcomers feel at home. And how about the wing? I have to warn you, things will be different after I come back full time." And U'kaiah couldn't wait for that day to come!

"So far so good... Ysanth and I have only been in the fighting wings for about four months, so I don't have a lot of basis for comparison." "Only four months?" The wingleader obviously hadn't gotten to her transfer documents yet... "My I ask what prompted you to ask for a transfer?"

Talryne's easy charm faltered for a moment, and the smile she summoned for him lacked something. "I had a few rough months adjusting... I thought it might be easier to move on if I got a fresh start." "May I ask what you were having trouble adjusting to?" U'kaiah hated to pry, but as her wingleader it sounded like soemthing he should be aware of. "I assure you, what is said in this office stays in this office. And I am not quick to judge others."

She hated telling the sharding story, but if there was one person who had a right to know, it was him. "My mother died," she replied quietly.
"Not even a month after I Impressed. I'd only been at the Weyr for two months... it was not an easy time. I got a little... wild. But it's in the past, and obviously not something that can happen again." She met his eyes squarely. "I had a reputation that I didn't much like, and was having a hard time escaping from." "I'm sorry to hear about your mother." But if there was one thing U'kaiah knew about, it was reputations. "You are craftbred, so I'm sure your reputation means a lot to you. But I can assure you, there are ways around such things. You can... enjoy your life and still not gain a reputation that you do not want. I would recommend finding a woman in the Weyr you can talk to and ask for advice about the men you would like to spend time with. They can be a great help to you until you get to know the men of the Weyr a bit better."

Talryne nodded, deciding to keep to herself just how bad a reputation she'd built for herself. After all, that was the entire point of getting a fresh start. "I appreciate the advice. I think I'd rather take my time and get to know people." She gave him a grin, her good humour returned.
"Figure out which ones deserve to be hit, and how hard..."

"May I remind you that I am your wingleader and you should think twice before hitting me," he chuckled, "_especially_ when I deserve it! And I have to warn you, I usually do."

"Oh, I would _never_ hit my wingleader," Talryne replied earnestly. "I'd just wait for Abrei to visit."

"She already has, my dear greenrider." U'kaiah lifted he tunic slightly and turned so his side was towards her. "See that bruise? That was her last visit."

Talryne couldn't help but laugh. "See? I won't have to worry about you... It wouldn't be fair to have two of us trying to beat you up all the time."

"I like your way of thinking. Abrei would just tell me it serves me right and smack me just for good measure. I don't know why I let her abuse me so." Actually he did. She sure was sexy when she was riled up!

"I think I can guess," Talryne replied dryly. She was finally growing into the exotic looks she shared with her cousin, and had noticed how much more abuse men seemed willing to take from her now. It seemed almost unfair--but not quite unfair enough that she wasn't perfectly willing to use it to her advantage.

U'kaiah also noticed her exotic features. He tried his best not to notice too carefully. Her personality, however, was even more appealing that her looks, though. Talryne might have Abrei's looks in common, but her manner certainly set her apart. He reached out a hand to the young woman. "Well, Talryne, I must say welcome to you and Ysanth."

Last updated on the October 4th 2005

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A Family Resemblence