You Bear Watching

Writers: Estelle, Miriah
Date Posted: 7th September 2020

Characters: R'fal, J'ackt, Terren
Description: Terren meets J'ackt and it doesn't go well.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 5, day 25 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: N'vanik, Cyradis

J'ackt

R'fal watched as his father worked his way through a second helping of
bacon, eggs and toast, thinking how strange it still seemed that they
were both together, here at the Weyr. Much to his relief, Terren had
settled in well. He'd even found work with the herders, and he was
growing stronger and filling out, losing the haunted pallor of the
months spent imprisoned underground. They talked a lot about old times,
memories of games and hunting trips and scrapes they'd got into,
studiously avoiding any mention of the last six months.

"I'd better go soon, Da, Marlath and I have wing drill." He poured the
last of the klah into his mug. "I'll see you at suppertime?"

"Yes, of course. I hope the drill goes well." Terren swallowed a
mouthful of toast. "Oh - actually, before you go, there was something I
meant to ask." He paused. "Do you know a dragonrider called J'ackt,
rider of Zith?"

"What?" R'fal nearly choked on his klah. "Why do you want to know about
him?"

"Just curious." Terren replied, blinking. He'd not expected that
reaction. "I heard some talk...uh, in the stables, that's all."

"Yes, well, he's a bronzerider. That's him, over there." R'fal frowned
as his father turned in his chair to look. "You want to stay away from
him, Da. He's bad news. I heard he used to be a thief, and he killed
someone in a fight, right here at the Weyr."

"He did? Who?" Terren hastily turned back to his son before he could be
caught staring.

"A guard, I think." R'fal felt a moment's guilt for spreading rumours,
but he still resented how the bronzerider had told on him to the
Weyrleader, and besides, he didn't want his father's reputation being
tarnished any more than it already was by associating with a former
holdless man. "If it wasn't for him, I might have been able to do more
to help you at the mine."

"What do you mean?"

"He can't be trusted. Da, I've really got to go." R'fal drained the klah
and stood. "We'll talk later, all right?"

Terren nodded and watched as his son walked away, leaving the dining
hall to meet up with the rest of his Wing. Perhaps it would be prudent
to follow his son's advice and leave for his duties with the
herders...but instead, he picked up his tray with the remains of his
breakfast and walked over to where the young man was sitting.

"Good morning," he said, genially. "Mind if I sit?"

J'ackt tensed and looked up at the unexpected arrival. He didn't
recognize the man, but that wasn't too uncommon. Unless forced to
socialize by Cyradis or N'vanik, he preferred to keep to himself. But
he did take in the knots, just in case. New. So he was new to the
weyr. Tension built in his shoulders, but he slowly finished chewing
his slice of meat and shrugged. "Suit yourself." Keeping his hand near
his eating knife, he sipped the fruit juice in front of him.

"Thanks, Bronzerider." The man slid onto the bench opposite,
apparently undeterred by the less than warm welcome, and continued
tucking in to his breakfast. "Ah, the food here just keeps getting
better. I've never eaten so well as I have since I got here. I'm
Terren, by the way. Herder. Visiting my son..." Not getting any
response, he went on to ask. "Aren't you J'ackt? Zith's rider?"

J'ackt felt his back stiffen at the question, quickly took in his
surroundings, studied the other man's posture, and slowly picked up
the eating knife, keeping it at the ready. Just in case. He took
another sip of juice and leaned back slightly. "Yes. Why?"

"Heard a lot about you. From my boy and - elsewhere. Maybe you know
him?" He looked up from his plate, his manner still easy and pleasant.
"R'fal, rider of brown Marlath."

His eyelids twitched in recognition. So _this_ was the man that R'fal
had been wanting to save. He'd not heard that he'd transferred to the
Weyr, but it made sense. "Aye, I know him a bit. Mostly just in
passing."

"He's a good lad. Stood by me, when I got no justice at Emerald
Falls." Terren cut off a piece of bacon and slowly chewed it before he
went on. "I also heard that's something you'd be familiar with. The
Lord Holder's justice."

J'ackt leveled a soft snort and tapped his fingers idly on the eating
knife, drumming pointedly over the handle. "People hear a lot of
things." He leaned forward, meeting the other man's gaze evenly and
without humor. "What do you want?"

"Nothing. Just curious." Terren managed to remain still, though all his
instincts, learned in his youth and honed by six months in the mines
trapped with the guards and the more brutal of the Hold's criminals,
screamed at him to run. His son wasn't wrong, he thought. Bad news. "The
Weyrleader told me you can make a new start here. I wanted to know if
it's true."

N'vanik would have said something like that. Hadn't he said the same to
him? One brow arched and the tension in J'ackt's shoulders eased just a
little. He exhaled slowly through his nose, then tucked his knife near
his plate. If the man was trying to start over, he couldn't fault him,
especially when he'd been able to do the same. "Yes. If you stay out of
trouble and work to benefit the Weyr. "

Terren relaxed a fraction, in his turn. "I can do that. Not that I don't
trust the Weyrleader, or anyone else here, but my own family turned
their backs on me after I was released. It's hard to believe that the
people here won't do the same."

J'ackt shrugged. "Depends on how you treat 'em here. Some won't trust
you, but most'll give you the chance. Screw 'em over, no one will
trust you. Word spreads fast here." He leveled an even gaze at Terren.
"Convince your son to screw people over or himself over for you,
they'll not be so forgiving." His lips thinned. "R'fal seems a good
sort. Naive, but a good sort. You ruin him or get him into trouble,
I'll not hesitate to throw you /between/."

The man froze, staring back at him like prey caught in the sight of a
predator. When he spoke, his voice was a fraction higher, taut with fear
and guilt. "I'd never...not to my own son!"

A consummate hunter, J'ackt recognized the look in Terren's eyes, as
well as easily hearing the fear and guilt then leaned forward,
speaking softly. "Then let me let you in on something you might not
understand. It took me a long time to understand it myself, coming
from where I did. R'fal's got a new family here. One that'll work
shaffing hard to protect him and make sure he does his best. You can
either follow in his updraft where he leads or get caught in the
downburst and come crashing down. That's up to you. Either way..." He
leaned back, pushing his plate aside. "Just remember what I said."

Terren nodded hastily, terror in his glazed eyes concealing a core of
resentment. Who was he, to tell a man that his son had any other family
than the one he'd been born to? He was starting to get an idea of what
might have happened about the failed rescue from the mine. Shards, he'd
have to make sure R'fal stayed away from this bronzerider, or at least
kept his mouth shut. "Don't worry. I'll remember!"

J'ackt was well aware of his reputation and wasn't above using it when
it suited him, especially at a time like this when it served him.
The smile that he gave Terren was wide and toothy,
holding more than a little maliciousness. "Good. Make sure you do." He
tilted his head slightly. "Because, I think you bear watching. You
make my skin itch."

In a panic, Terren pushed back his chair and stood, hastily backing away
a few paces. He knew that look. He'd seen it on of some of the men in
the mine, the ones you didn't cross. "You stay away from me. And my son!"

J'ackt didn't move, just arched his brow. Out of the corner of his
eye, he noted some of the looks they were getting from other riders,
but kept his focus on the man in front of him. "You can't decide for
R'fal any more. As for you, do what you're supposed to and you won't
need to worry."

Terren's eyes narrowed. **We'll see about that.** He remembered R'fal's
words about not trusting this rider. Perhaps the Weyr didn't have as
much of a hold on him as they thought... His face cleared and the
ingratiating smile returned, as if the past few moments were forgotten.
"Of course, Bronzerider."

The man was a tunnelsnake, one of the venomous types that came in at
night when you slept. J'ackt resolved to watch this man and R'fal
closely. "Get lost."

"All right." Terren held up his hands in a placating gesture and backed
away, then turned and walked towards the exit as fast as he could
without breaking into a run. Inwardly, he seethed, but once outside, he
began to consider. **Perhaps some of my friends would like to know about
your movements, bronzerider,** he thought, remembering what he'd heard
in the mines. The information might be worth something. He'd have to
mention it, next time he saw them...

Last updated on the September 19th 2020

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You Bear Watching