Stretched Too Thin (6): Do Something For Him

Writers: Eimi, Nici
Date Posted: 3rd September 2005

Characters: U'kaiah, Jaela
Description: U'kaiah cannot escape the effects of the last couple days
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 7, day 17 of Turn 3

U'kaiah could feel when Kalamath's feet touched the ground. The great bronze wings folded slowly beside the wingleader. Wearily he reached for the riding straps. He cursed at the fact that his fingers were having trouble getting a good grip on them.

"Shard it!" U'kaiah growled in frustration as he tried to pull his riding gloves off using his teeth. They tasted like leather mixed with oil and firestone. As much as he pulled they just didn't seem to want to slide from his sweaty hands.

}: Calm down, U'kaiah. The fight is over now, :{ his bronze crooned.

The bronzerider closed his eyes and took a couple deep breaths, trying to calm himself. As he started into the dark behind his lids he could hear his heart beating. It sounded like it was pounding inside his head, and he had the distinct feeling that he was spinning. He grabbed for the bronze neck in front of him as his eyes flew open.

}: U'kaiah? :{ he bronze asked questioningly.

**I'm alright. I just need some sleep,** his rider reassured him. But first, he had to get down off of his dragon.

"Wingleader, are you all right?" a voice called from the ground.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just..." Having trouble getting off a dragon didn't sound like being fine... "Going over some things in my head."

"Yes sir." Thankfully the weyrling moved on.

Letting out his breath he took a hold of his glove and slowly pulled his hand out. One down. One more to go. The second one went a bit easier, though for some reason the simple task seemed to have drained some of his energy. Taking another deep breath he reached for the fastening of the riding strap again.

}: U'kaiah, why is it taking so long?:{ The bronze was beginning to be concerned.

**My hands are shaking. Don't worry, I think I almost have them.**
U'kaiah cursed everytime the strap slipped out from his fingers. Not only was his hands shaking, they seemed to have no strength in them.
Finally he was able to work himself free of the straps. **Ok, I'm coming down.**

It was not his most graceful dismount. As he slid down his bronze's hide he could not focus on the ground clearly and was surprised at how close it had actually been. His knees shook slightly as they absorbed the impact of the landing and he had to fall against Kalamath so that he would not sprawl across the ground.

He made his way towards the great bronze head, and looked into his lifemates eyes, swirling yellow and orange in their concern. }:You look terrible, U'kaiah.:{
**You look pretty bad yourself,** his rider answered. In fact, U'kaiah was shocked at the color of Kalamath's hide. It was not the lusty, healthy bronze that he was accustomed to seeing. The beautiful metalic hide looked dull, pale. **You need to eat. And to rest.**

}:So do you. Let's go back to our weyr. You must rest. _We_ must rest.:{ U'kaiah laid his head against Kalamath's. It felt so comfortable.
Almost like a pillow. Rest sounded so good. His eyes began to roll a bit as his eyes flittered closed. There was the sound of his heart beating again. The ground was swirling beneath him... His eyes flew open. He shook his head, trying to clear it. **Not yet, I must check the infirmary and report to Jaela.**

}:But you have barely slept in days. We have fought Thread three times on top of drills. You must _rest_ now.:{ Kalamath's tone was pleading.

**And I will. As soon as I do those two things we can rest all the rest of the day. Go on ahead to the weyr. I will be there soon.** He gave his bronze a soothing caress before taking his first few shaky steps towards the infirmary, willing himself to stand up straight.

~~~~*~~~~

By the time the bronzerider reached the Weyrwoman and her office, his colouring hadn't improved. She frowned at him, but hesitated to ask him anything--he'd probably mixed a lot of work with bedding all the women in the Weyr besides _her_, after all. In other words, not her concern.

"U'kaiah, sit down."

The bronzerider looked at the chair she offered. It was not the type of chair one would just sink into and drift off to sleep in, but at that moment it looked as warm and inviting as his own bed. "Thank you, Jaela, but I think I'll just stand if that's all right."

"Naturally," Her voice was laced with sarcasm. Skies above forbid he spend more time in her company than necessary! "In that case, report.
Yours is late." It was unfair, considering his current workload, but if he wanted to be an ass, she could outdo him in that regard.

"I'm sorry I'm late. I went to the... to the..." What was that word again? "To the... infirmary." His hands were starting to shake again too. He interlaced his fingers behind his back and hoped they would stop soon. "There were no burrows that I am aware of. We suffered...
there were a couple... um... injuries."

She frowned. If her eyes weren't fooling her, he was getting paler by the moment...and she'd never heard him sound that...unsure regarding a Fall. "U'kaiah, sit down. That, bronzerider, was an order."

"Yes, ma'am." He fixed his stare at the chair. It was only a couple steps away, but his eyes were having trouble focusing. But he could tell Jaela was in one of her moods. All he had to do was make it to the chair. He put one foot in front of the other, and then again.

The bronzerider reached out a hand to place it on the back of the chair to catch himself just as his knees began to give way. Unfortunatly he misjudged and missed the back of the chair entirely. He was quite surprised when he realized he was no longer standing, and he wasn't sitting either. In fact, he wasn't sure what was happening, but his forehead was quite happily resting on the floor, and for all that his arm was bent under him in an awkward position, he had never felt more comfortable in his life.

"U'kaiah!" Jaela was at his side instantly. She wasn't a healer by nature, but the first thing she did was check for a pulse, before rushing out into the hallway and ordering the nearest drudge to get a healer immediately.

Slipping to her knees, she cradled U'kaiah's head in her lap. "You ass...you'd better not die on me. Who else am I going to trade quips with..." Shard it all, was that a tear? She never cried if she could help it.

}: U'kaiah? :{ a worried voice sounded in his head.

He knew it was from Kalamath. And he was pretty sure the other voice was Jaela. Who else would be calling him an ass, afterall. He felt so so relaxed... but he _had_ to give his report before he could sleep.
Maybe he could just close his eyes for just a moment. That would be alright. Just for a moment. He opened his mouth to tell Jaela that, but no coherent sounds came out.

Jaela's fingers were cool but gentle as she stroked his brow.
"Shhh....don't say anything, U'kaiah...for once!" She leaned over, her lips brushing his ear. "I'm getting you help and you're going to be all right...." She hoped! She felt horrible. She should have _seen_ how sick he looked, and she wondered if it was the constant timing or the overwork--or both. They'd pushed many of their ranking members recently and none of them were willing to back down--and U'kaiah often pushed himself anyway.

With what strength U'kaiah had left he reached up towards the hand she had placed on his brow. "I'm... so sorry... sorry... I... I failed you... dear Jaela..."

Well, that tore it. She could put up with a lot of things, but U'kaiah passing out on her and then calling her 'dear', was simply too much. The diminutive Weyrwoman fought back a sob. "Stop it....you haven't _failed_
anyone...you're going to be all right...you have to be because I've lost enough people I care about lately!."

She looked up to see a healer entering her office. "Do something for him. _Now_."

}:U'kaiah? U'kaiah?!:{ U'kaiah could not hear either of their pleas. His mind had already closed to consciousness.

Last updated on the September 4th 2005

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Stretched Too Thin (6): Do Something For Him