Last Request

Writers: Jane, Kaysea
Date Posted: 5th September 2007

Characters: Fog, Jesten
Description: Fog visits Jesten as the captain's illness worsens.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 5, day 26 of Turn 4

"Hello Fog," the captain of the Sungazer said as the other man came into the office. He was swaddled like a baby, in his opinion, but at least they had agreed that he could sit up in the office and watch out the windows. "Shut the door. They tell me a draft will carry me off." He almost wondered if that wasn't such a bad thing, but knew Lineal felt differently. His son was doing all he could but still felt keenly the lost Turns when he wasn't living on the riverboat and learning from his father the way a son who was to inherit ought to have been. For Lineal's sake every day counted and every draft needed to be avoided.

"You're awake?" Fog smiled, and entered the room quickly, fearing the worst he closed the door almost before he was fully inside the room. "I wasn't sure, but I wanted to check on you." He shuffled closer to the desk, and dragged out the chair opposite Jesten.

"I doze a lot, but I'm not really sleeping any more," Jesten explained.
"Don't worry if I fall asleep, Fog, just either wait until I wake up or sneak out."

He nodded, taking in his uncle's tired appearance. "I won't stay long, I just wanted to make sure you were alright. Do you need anything?" he asked. His hands fidgeted uneasily, as he took in Jesten's aged appearance; he had been warned, but still, his uncle looked many turns older than he ever had before.

"No, nothing right now. Stay and talk, though, if you have time."

"I have time." Fog answered slowly, "As much time as you want." His uncle's physical appearance had unnerved him, this wasn't the Jesten he was used to. "Umm, Lin-" his voice became hoarse and cracked, " -
Lineal's doing a good job," he said, searching for something that was neutral.

"I'm glad you think so, Fog. It didn't have to be my son who inherited
-" Jesten paused to gather his breath and his thoughts. Sometimes he could feel his concentration wandering mid sentence. "But I'm glad it is. It means something."

"Well he hasn't run us aground yet." Fog said, half in jest. "He's done better than I would, and better than Tyno, I reckon." he nodded, mentioning his younger cousin. "And he's always got his head in those books of yours - always."

"He's trying hard. I hear that your youngest has made friends with Lihona. That sort of thing helps. Makes the family settle in." More than worrying about Lineal's performance was the one that his family wouldn't take to riverboat life and in the end Lineal would have to leave with them.

"Linli's become good friends with the little girl and I think Dar has taken Lineal's son under his guidance."

"Nalin. Yes, he said he was in trouble with Barr, which can only mean he's hanging around the engines." Jesten nodded then his thoughts wandered around to Fog's girls. "Are your daughters all right? Neke taking care of them?"

Fog nodded, "Yes, Neke's taking good care 'o them." What he would've done if Neke hadn't been still on the Sungazer he was loathe to think.
"The girls look to her more than me, which is only right."

"Is it? You're their father."

"Yep I am, and not much of one, as we all know. Besides, they need a woman to talk to, more so than me. Woman talk - you know." he twitched his head uncomfortably. "Stuff I can't and _won't_ talk about."

"You're still their father, Fog. Remember Lineal and Barli never had a mother and your aunt Vaheri had to raise them, mostly, but I did what I could." The old man smiled. "Must have been enough, since Lineal's come home to us."

"You were a good father to them, and to me.." he said more quietly.
"Dar was good with me, but you..." he shrugged, "You encouraged me more'n he did. Lineal was Dar's shining light. The 'future' Cap'n - as he never let me forget."

Fog stopped talking, feeling guilty for running his father down, but knowing it to be the truth. Even before his accident Barr had always fawned over Lineal when they were younger. "My girls, well Tahna at least, knows I'm here if she needs to talk." He still yearned for a closeness with Linli but found it awkward, especially since she had started classes with the Harper, it wouldn't be long before she would feel more superior to her father in knowledge.

"Sometimes it's like that, Fog, between father and son. Even Lineal knows you've played a son's part to me while he's been away. And your father ..." The old man smiled tiredly, thinking how foolish they had all been as young men. "Barr wanted the Sungazer; and I wanted to go to sea. Our father wasn't encouraging, so I stayed, and inherited. I should have gone and left it to Barr, I suppose."

"I don't think it would have mattered much, Dar never did think I was good enough to ... ah, what does it matter, tis in the past now anyway."
Fog shook his head, "and don't get me wrong Jesten, I love my girls.
Both of 'em." He nodded his head slowly, "if'n Linli could get past looking at me as if I were a stranger..." he didn't see a need to finish, but met Jesten's eyes.

"You're the only one who can change the way she looks at you, Fog.
Rebuild ... I've had to with Lineal. A _new_ relationship."

"You're right, and I know it. I mean to, but I never seem to get the gumption up." He shook his head. "And she misses out on so much not having her mother around..." The guilt he still felt over Marilea's defection still lived in his thoughts and his heart.

"Try. For me." Jesten managed a smile. "Dying man's last request."

"Don't say that!" Fog said huskily. "I will, but none of this 'dying man's last request' business."

"You're right," Jesten said tiredly. "I'll probably think up a handful more requests before you actually have to bury me."

Last updated on the September 8th 2007

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Last Request