Some help at last!

Writers: Devin, Jelena
Date Posted: 24th March 2014

Characters: J'kri, Derwill
Description: Derwill luckily finds someone a little more inclined to help.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 6, day 13 of Turn 7

"J'kri!" Derwill called out across the hallway as he spotted the young
rider in the distance. "J'kri, over here!" Luckily there were some
riders he felt he was on pretty good terms with and hopefully they
wouldn't mind helping him out a little.

He turned at the sound of his name and smiled when he saw who it was.
"Derwill, how are you?"

"Doing quite well, thank you," Derwill nodded as he caught up with the
weyrling rider. "Yourself?"

"Very good. I'm a senior now." J'kri pointed to his shoulder knots.

"So I see, how wonderful!" Derwill was honestly pleased for the lad,
he was a good kid. "Do you have time to help me out by answering some
questions?"

"Sure, what kind of questions?"

"Well, I'm researching dragon communication, so I'm trying to gather
as much information as I can. I'm hoping to be able to develop a
device some day that will make communication possible for us
non-riders. So I was wondering, how would you describe the
communication between you and Rademerth?"

J'kri's eyes went wide. A device to speak to dragons? That would be
amazing! "Hmm... I hear him in my head, but it's more than words. We
can send pictures to each other. I see what he sends me, kind of like
when you're remembering something. The image appears in my mind. And I
can feel his emotions, too."

"And is it instant? The moment he thinks something it's right in your
head?" Derwill asked curiously as he pulled out pencil and paper to
make notes.

"Yes. It was... really strange and awkward at first. I had to learn
how to keep my thoughts separate when I wanted to." Having every
thought open to a curious baby dragon was exhausting.

"But you can do it? Keep them separate I mean? Can Rademerth keep
thoughts from you as well?"

"Yes. Sometimes I even ask him to, like if he's having a conversation
with another dragon." Usually Camilth, or one of the weyrlingstaff.

"Then how do you get his attention when he's shielding his thoughts from
you?"

"I can still talk to him. I just think about sending the words to him.
It's not like closing a door."

"Alright," Derwill nodded, taking a few more notes before looking up
again. "So you think really hard about the words and they appear in
his thoughts?"

J'kri pressed his lips together, wondering how to explain. "I don't
have to think hard, just... at him. I only need to think hard when he
doesn't _want_ to listen." He smiled. "I bet you could get some
interesting information from goldriders. I hear trying to control
their Queen when they rise is intense. A serious battle of wills."

"Oh, now that is a good idea!" Derwill hadn't thought of that. He had
good access to Teseada after all, helping her with her project like he
did. "Can you tell me a bit about one of those occasions where he
didnn't want to listen?"

J'kri tilted his head. "Well, when he was really young I gave him a
bath and afterwards he didn't want to get out of the water. He kept
splashing around. He was already too big for me to pick up so I tried
to drag him out, but he just pushed me over. I got angry, and he could
feel that. Used that anger and shaped it into will. When I told him to
get out again, he listened."

"So it's basically strong emotions like anger that he cannot ignore?"

"Basically. It works the other way around, too. Any strong emotions we
feel from each other can't be blocked completely, and with the very
strongest feelings, like mating, the rider gets carried along."

"Interesting, interesting," Derwill nodded, obviously think hard. "I
think I have all I need for now, do you mind if I come back to you
with new questions when they arise?" J'kri had been most helpful.
"Not at all. I'm happy to help." In the meantime, he might come up
with better ways to describe the aspects of his bond with Rademerth.

"Good, I will catch up with you later then," Derwill smiled, eager to
get back to his office and work on his notes.

Last updated on the April 13th 2014

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Some help at last!