A Mark For Your Thoughts

Writers: AL, Jane
Date Posted: 24th June 2008

Characters: Kellin, Vidara
Description: Kellin and Vidara talk aboard the Sungazer a couple of days after arriving.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 10, day 17 of Turn 4

Kellin leaned on the rail that ran the length of the Sungazer's crew deck balcony and watched the water churn along the hull. The same water; a different hull.

The Sungazer's captain had invited both pilots to join him in the pilothouse with their own man, but there wasn't that much room and she had thanked him for the offer and said she would do her time a little later in the voyage. She was glad she had because this was a special moment - the first time in all her forty-something Turns of life that she was setting out upriver on a boat other than the Moonflower.

"A mark for your thoughts." A soft voice greeted Kellin, stirring her from her reverie. Vidara smiled at her and came to stand alongside her, leaning against the rail. "Miss the Moonflower already?"

"I suppose I do," the older woman said thoughtfully, "But I was really thinking about the differences. It's a nice riverboat, similar to the Moonflower, commissioned about the same era, but even blindfolded I would know I wasn't on our boat." She glanced at her younger cousin.
"And that surprises me a bit."

"Why is that so surprising?" Vidara lifted a hand and indicated the boat upon which they were riding. "It sounds different, feels different, acts different. I've been on the boat less time than you, and even I can tell the difference."

"I suppose because they look the same. Not to us, but most people would say one riverboat was much like another."

"Never!" Vidara insisted with the hint of a laugh. "Think we'll survive four months without the Moonflower?"

Kellin chuckled. "Of course we will, and probably be more appreciative of the old girl for the time away. Not that there's anything wrong with the Sungazer that I've noticed." She glanced around, hoping none of the Sungazer's crew had overheard her earlier comments that might have been considered critical.

"No, nothing wrong with it at all." Vidara sighed wistfully, looking about. "It's just not the Moonflower. At least this is only temporary.
Hopefully the time will fly and we'll be back on her before we know it."

"Four months. At least we have work to do. I don;t think I could have stood being at the waypoint for that long."

"Well, staying at the waypoint could have its merits." Vidara leaned against the rail again, resting her arms upon it. "Glafir and I talked about staying behind."

"_Did_ you?" Kellin wondered if she had been so absorbed by her own determination to stay on the river that she hadn't realised that others had even considered not trying to get berths on the Sungazer.

"Well, I told him it would be a good idea to stay aboard a boat, get more experience." Vidara shrugged. "Secretly...I don't know if I could stay on land that long."

"I know I couldn't," Kellin admitted, "Even just at the waypoint with the river running by. Watching it flow past would drive me mad."

"I have a feeling it would be the same with me." Vidara looked back down into the water, a familiar friend to her. "Well, I suppose I'd better get back to my duties."

"I have none - for the moment. Perhaps I should check the room.
Wouldn't want the Sungazer's headwoman to be able to find fault with our tidiness."

"You know I keep our quarters spotless." Vidara grinned. She moved over to give her cousin a hug. "I'll talk to you later."

"It's not how you keep yours, but how I keep mine that worries me," the older woman said with a laugh. "Have a good day, Vidara."

Last updated on the June 28th 2008

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A Mark For Your Thoughts