Sungazer Gossip

Writers: Jane, Kaysea
Date Posted: 8th June 2007

Characters: Lineal, Rahona, Neke
Description: Neke, befriends Lineal's wife Rahona and catches them both up on Sungazer family members
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 4, day 15 of Turn 4

"Well hello!" Neke walked into the Captains office to find Lineal and
Rahona sitting talking, "Not disturbing anything am I? I can leave." She
gave a small laugh.

"Not at all, Neke," Rahona said, glad she was able to put a name to the
face. It was easy to remember this cousin of Lineal's because she was
the foster-mother of Lihona's friend Linli. "I'm trying to convince him
to stop pouring over these books and come and have something to eat with
his family. Which is a bit of a lost cause already because Nalin and
Lihona are _perfectly_ happy eating with their new friends."

"That's easy." Neke moved forward, and simply removed the book he was
reading, from under Lineal's nose. "See." she said and snapped the book
closed. "You won't be any good to the crew, if you don't take care of
yourself, or at least allow your wife to take care of you," she
admonished him.

"We all want to see a little more of you, and yes, we _do_ know how much
you are stressing about the takeover. But Lineal, _we_ are all here to
help." Turning to Rahona she smiled, "I'm sorry I tend to be a little
bossy. It comes from being around the children a lot. I see every
errant man as an errant child. The only one I don't scold is Jesten,
but that's only because Vaheri takes care of him," she laughed.

"Well, it seems to work on him," Rahona said, seeing her husband get to
his feet, apparently prepared to abandon the office. She smiled at
Lineal as he rounded the desk and slipped her arm through his.

"Actually, bossy," he said to his cousin, "I think the books are the
least of my worries. Trading and transporting is much the same at sea
or on the river. As soon as I figure out which bits _are_ the same and
which bits are different I think I'll be able to handle that." To
punctuate his statement he poked out his tongue at Neke, much as he
would have done when they had been children.

"See! I knew I was justified in treating you like a child." she laughed.
"It's good to have you home Lineal, and to bring a new friend for me,
is an added bonus. Just think, when we were kids, the girls were
outnumbered, but now... you've just swelled our ranks, dear cousin."

Lineal patted his flat stomach. "You think I'm fatter than I was when I
left?" he asked with a smile for Rahona as well as his cousin. He had
been a gangly thirteen Turn old when his father had apprenticed him to
the seacrafters and he had certainly filled out as well as grown upward.

"I think Neke's talking about me," Rahona said.

"He knows exactly what I meant, Rahona. This is Lineal at his most
obtuse, and he forgets I am used to him. It may be twenty odd turns, but
I remember." She looked at Rahona, "But you're right, I was talking
about you. I'm look forward to getting to know you better."

"And I to know you," the former lower caverns worker said. "Which I'm
sure will happen since Linli seems to be Lihona's best friend, and
you're looking after her and her sister."

"Yes, well someone had to.." Her voice hardened. "Fog's not fully
capable, though he's getting better, and _her_..." She could barely
contain her temper at the mention of Fog's wife.

"Well, you've gained two daughters by her choices," Lineal said gently.
"And they'd be worth having, wouldn't they?"

"Yes.." she nodded slowly, "yes, I suppose I should be grateful, I doubt
I'll ever have any of my own. But, anyway, enough of that," she replaced
the solemn look with a bright smile, "the girls are getting along
famously, aren't they?" she asked Rahona, "I'm pleased to see how well
Lihona is settling in."

"With Linli's help, though you have to watch Lihona. If there's trouble
and she doesn't seem to be involved then you should always assume she is."

"On this boat, if there's trouble, all the children are usually
involved, except Tahna, she's more reserved. Like an old head on young
shoulders. That girl is too serious." Neke shook her head. She
despaired of Tahna ever behaving like a normal child.

"Fog's eldest?" Lineal confirmed, his curiosity aroused.

"Yes. She's ten, almost eleven, going on twenty something." Neke sighed.

"I've seen her - and Linli's mentioned her," Rahona said, "But I haven't
seen her playing with the others."

"She doesn't." Neke shook her head. "The girls are my responsibility, I
took over their care when Marilea left - Fog just wasn't able to, he was
recovering from the accident. It was a bad time." Neke heaved a heavy
sigh of disappointment, looking from one to the other. "Tahna started
acting like a little mother to Linli, and I guess she got so used to the
position, that it became hard to break. So much that Linli considers
Tahna no more than a minder now."

"And Tahna needs a sister more?" Rahona suggested.

"Tahna is in need of a sister and a _friend_." Neke nodded, "And a
_mother_ would have been nice," she added bitterly.

"She's got that in you, Neke," Lineal said firmly. "Like I had it in
aunt Vaheri after my mother died."

"I know Lineal, but sometimes, I wonder if I am as good as a mother
would be for her. There's still some distance between us, and
sometimes... Let's just say sometimes I don't always go to bed when I
need to."

"It's probably not about you," Rahona suggested, "but about being old
enough to understand that her mother's left her."

"Maybe," she contemplated this for a moment, "I guess you could be
right; and she's only now starting to develop a relationship with Fog,
too. They've never really had a relationship, she's known about it, and
acknowledged it in small ways..."

"That'll help, surely?" Lineal suggested.

"Well I'm hoping since Marilea's gone, Tahna and Fog will start becoming
closer. She's made the first step, by opening up to him about Marilea
leaving. And she's encouraged him to make advances to Linli as well.
I'm hopeful."

"Let me know if there's anything we can do to help," Rahona said,
determined to do what she could for the two girls.

"Thanks Rahona, I will probably take you up on that offer." Neke smiled,
grateful for the offer. "Vaheri and Denna do what they can, but thank you."

"You're welcome," Rahona said with a smile for both the other woman and
Lineal. Even after five days it was starting to feel like she was
settling in.

Last updated on the July 18th 2007

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