Changeover

Writers: Devin, Ames
Date Posted: 14th February 2011

Characters: Janani, N'vanik
Description: N'vanik tells Janani that she is now acting Weyrwoman.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 7 of Turn 5
Notes: Notes: Follows "Shut Out"

N'vanik

Janani had heard the news just as quickly as everyone else in the
Weyr. She felt her heart pounding in her chest even as she hurried up
to meet N'vanik. She had received the summons through Angdelouth. The
golden beauty was quite upset herself by the happenings of the Weyr.
It seemed they were all shaken up, and with good reason.

"N'vanik?" She called out as she approached.

He looked up from the list he was writing. He had to keep thinking
about the things he needed to do, or his mind would start to wander.
"Janani, have a seat." Meledei was too young and Jyramikah had stepped
down as 'Second so she clearly wouldn't want the responsibility. So
Janani was the best choice.

She did as he asked, swallowing a bit. Dare she ask the question that
weighed heavily on her mind?

"Is it true? The rumors are flying and Angdelouth is rather
disconcerted by the recent happenings. Has the Weyrwoman, Traelyn,
really left?" Janani found it hard to imagine. She had hardly known
Trealyn, even though she'd been acting as second in recent days. The
Weyrwoman had been distant and Janani had not pressed matters, for she
didn't feel it was her place being so newly appointed to the wing and
the position.

"Yeah, she's gone. And she's not coming back." The shock, the sadness,
the anger all tried to come to the surface but he pushed them back.
"Which is what I need to talk to you about."

Janani felt the air rush out of her as for the briefest of moments she
seemed to wilt into the seat. No matter what she knew or didn't know
about a goldrider, they were her sisters in a way that none else could
be. So few of them existed compared to the other riders, that even if
they despised each other, there was still a connection between them.

Pushing aside the thoughts of sadness at knowing one of her sisters
had left and wasn't well, she straightened and looked towards her
Weyrleader. "Whatever I can do to help, you know I will do it."

Best to get this over with. "I hate to dump this on you. You've hardly
moved in. But ... we need a Weyrwoman, and you're the best choice."

Janani sat there, silent and stunned. It seemed almost as though time
had slowed to a halt in that moment.

"You want me to act as Weyrwoman in Traelyn's stead?" Janani hadn't
meant the question to come out the way it had, but she was still
reeling from all that had happened in a short amount of time. "Yes, of
course. Though I will only be acting Weyrwoman until the first gold
rises." She knew she was stating the obvious, but somehow it comforted
her and helped her regain control over her whirling thoughts.

"If I'm acting Weyrwoman, than I want to help. We need to find a way
to quell the unrest that is spreading through the Weyr even as we
speak. The dragons are agitated and so are the riders."

"Let everyone know Trae had to leave ... for personal reasons and that
you're in charge now. That should help, at least a little." The
tension inside him kept building, and right now he wished he could
hand over his responsibility the same way he'd handed over Trae's.
**She's gone ...**

Janani nodded. She would spread that word immediately. That thought
sent a rush of pleasure and adrenaline rushing through her. She was
Weyrwoman, even if it was only temporary. She had finally reached the
pinnacle of being a goldrider.

Looking at N'vanik, she rose, moved over to a corner of the room, and
without asking, picked up a cup, filled it from the bottle that sat
there and returned to thrust it at him.

"Drink this. It will help, at least for the moment," Janani said,
knowing how hard it was to lose anyone, but especially someone you may
have been close to. For the moment, she assumed that the Weyrleader
and the Weyrwoman had been close, at least in some way. Many times,
things like this lead to the resignation of a Weyrleader, or even one
not fighting to keep the position during the next rise. As she eyed
him, she hoped that would not be the case. In her short time at
Dolphin Cove, she found she respected the Weyrleader and knew she
wouldn't mind if he fought to win Angdelouth's next flight.

"Tell me what else I can do to help the Weyr during this difficult
time," she pressed as she sat back in the seat before him. She wasn't
going to leave unless he told her to. The man, though he tried to hide
it, was clearly distressed and needed to talk. Whether he would talk
to her or not remained to be seen, but she damn well wasn't going to
leave him to wallow in solitude.

N'vanik stared at the cup for a long time, then he pushed it to the
far side of the desk. "If I start, I don't think I can stop." He
didn't want a cup, he wanted the whole bottle. "I don't know what else
you can do. _I_ don't know what to do."

Janani reached for the cup herself. "Well, if you're not going to
drink it, I am!" She took a deep drink from the cup, allowing it to
slide down the back of her throat. She'd wanted to be Weyrwoman all
her life, but she surely didn't expect to step into such a difficult
situation.

"Look, N'vanik, I can't say I knew Traelyn all that well, but I want
you to know how truly sorry I am about what happened." Janani drank
the remainder of the cup, feeling the warmth start to spread to her
somewhat numb mind and body. At least they hadn't managed to go
/between/. The loss of the queen in such a manner would have been
devastating, but was the current situation really any better?

"Thanks." It kept building in him, like water coming to a boil, and he
didn't know if he was going to cry or scream. It wasn't a good idea to
do either one in front of his new acting Weyrwoman. He stood up. "If
you really want to help me, I need some time. I'm going to my weyr for
a while to ... I just need to be alone. Stall anyone that wants to
talk to me." He really shouldn't be putting this much burden on her
all at once, but he felt like he was going to snap at the next person
that tried to talk to him. That wasn't going to help the situation at
all.

She stood with him. Something in her made her reach out and catch his
arm as he walked by, "Take all the time you need. I'll keep the
predators at bay until you are ready. She'll never be forgotten. She
led this Weyr when they needed her and now all we can do is be here
for her when and if she needs us." Janani, realizing she was touching
his arm, dropped her hand and stepped back away from him.

N'vanik looked at her, his eyes unreadable. Then he turned and left the office.

Last updated on the January 20th 2012

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Changeover