A Time for Urgency

Writers: Devin, Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 25th January 2021

Characters: N'vanik, Cyradis, J'ackt
Description: N'vanik and J'ackt inform Cyradis of the latest news
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 8, day 10 of Turn 10
Notes: Occurs after "Ominous Note" and "Guarding the Weyr"
Mentioned: Alina, Alyena

N'vanik

Cyradis

J'ackt

It was just past sunrise when Loseth bespoke Panitath. }:I'm sorry to
disturb you my lovely mate, but mine needs to speak with yours. It's
urgent. Please tell her to meet him in the council room.:{

N'vanik led J'ackt inside and ordered some klah and breakfast to be
brought up. "We'll figure this out, and we'll stop them." He hated
that the kid had to fear for his safety agin.

Cyradis rolled out of the warmth of K'deren's arms and kissed his
temple. She couldn't fathom what could have happened to get her up
this early but she wrapped herself in one of her long robes and pushed
her feet into her slippers. She fiddled her long curls into a knot at
the back of her head and made her way to the council room. "What's
going on," she asked as she came in the door? "J'ackt?" She looked
back and forth between the two of them.

Looking strained, J'ackt sat at the conference table, shoulders
feeling tight from the tension of the enormity of the responsibility
that now lay on his shoulders. He looked up at Cyradis, his face
drawn, then glanced at N'vanik, wondering if he should tell Cyradis or
if N'vanik wanted to tell her the details. "There's a huge problem."

N'vanik nodded at J'ackt. "You can tell her."

Turning back to Cyradis, in simple words, J'ackt told her exactly what
Alyena had told him: to stay away from the Hatching, what she'd heard,
and how he'd seen her fear, everything that he had told N'vanik. He
paused when the klah and food were brought, falling silent until the
drudges left. He just stared at the food, sighed, then took a hunk of
bread, taking a small bite.

As he talked she slowly moved next to N'vanik and slipped her hand
into his. She looked up at him and then back at J'ackt. "So this
confirms that note then."

"It does." N'vanik squeezed her hand. "Two different sources.
Crackdust!" The anger and worry hit him all over again. "We have to
find the woman they planted."

"Might be more than one, according to the note. Makes sense, really."
J'ackt spoke softly. "No one expects a woman or suspects them. It's
smart." He looked up at the two leaders. "How many women come to the
Weyr each month for refuge? And we're don't know when they might have
come. One thing we do know it's they're likely to be from Emerald
Falls, right?" He paused, then shook his head. "Or Holdless with a
grudge. There's lots of them."

"Most likely Emerald Falls, or within the territory at least," N'vanik
said. "_Could_ be Holdless but I think that's doubtful. They'd more
likely take their anger out on the Holds that tossed 'em." He frowned
thoughtfully. "Might do it for payment, though."

"Personally I think they're stupid. They have to be, to try and
sabotage their own protection from Thread." She took a deep breath.
"Blinded by hate they're willing to gnaw off their own hands like wild
animals. That sounds to me like someone with such unreasoned anger,
they destroy the thing that makes them angry. Only people who've
_never_ missed a meal could possibly make such a twisted assumption
that their world would go on, untarnished, without the protection we
provide to defend their crops and beasts." She shook her head with
disgust.

She sat heavily across from J'ackt and reached for the klah. "Oh and
I'm sorry J'ackt, I wouldn't put this on you for the world." She
looked up at N'vanitk. "You both need to know, Master Urlene has
grounded me," she was very sorry hadn't found a moment to tell him
privately but.. "I'm pregnant."

N'vanik blinked in surprise at the sudden announcement, but then
managed a smile. "Oh, congratulations." If she _was_ one of the
targets of this plot. . . His stomach gave a sick clench.

Eyes swung to Cyradis and J'ackt's face paled. Pregnant? Faranth, she
was pregnant? Words immediately erupted out "Then you don't need to
have anything to do with this."

"I have no choice J'ackt," she said in a weary tone. "Panitath needs
me present at the Hatching just as much as she did for her flight and
clutching." She gave N'vanik a bit of a smile. "Could be yours
Weyrleader."

Was this a conversation that he needed to be involved in? J'ackt's
eyes flicked between the Weyrleader and Weyrwoman. He went back to his
previous thoughts and looked at N'vanik. "I'm going to be sitting
right behind her the entire time." His voice was firm. "She's not
going to be left alone for a single minute."

N'vanik nodded absently at J'ackt's words, his eyes focused on
Cyradis. "Mine? Oh, the Flight." Emotions clashed inside him and he
managed a smile. "I'm happy, I really am, but I can't help thinking of
the danger if the holders plan to come after you." Even if they tried
and failed, stress wasn't good for a pregnancy.

"I trust J'ackt to guard me," she said. "Besides, You'll be there as
well as our lifemates. I really doubt they'd get through them. No,"
she shook her head. "Men kill with swords and knives. Women kill with
poison."

J'ackt fell silent for a moment, the hunk of bread still in his hand
as his mind began the chewing his teeth had started. The weight of
guarding a pregnant woman, especially Cyradis, weighed heavily on his
shoulders, knotting them with worry. "They're not stupid." He spoke
slowly, then looked up at them both. "Grevan blamed Corowal right?
Holdless would too. Shards, I did. Before Thread fell, didn't the
Holds have more power to do things? Corowal favors the Weyr, right?
What if..."J'ackt paused, eyes going distant, "What if someone wants
that power back? What if they think Corowal favors the Weyr too much?"
He frowned. "What if they _want_ the Hold and Weyr fighting? When you
fight someone strong, find their weaknesses and when two people are
fighting, they're distracted and you can go for your target." Tension
set his jaw. "I'm not risking anything or you." He set down the chunk
of bread, no longer feeling hungry.

"Wouldn't surprise me if someone was stoking all this dissent for
their own aims," the Weyrleader said. "And you're right about the
poison," he told Cyradis. "So we need more watchful eyes in the
kitchens. And you shouldn't be drinking anything you haven't brought
yourself."

"Yes," she nodded her agreement. "I'll be safe enough on the sands
with Panitath. She won't let anyone in reach of her eggs without
coaxing so when I'm there, I'll stay within her reach. Loseth guards
the entrance except for drill's and 'fall. We'll make sure the
headwoman knows and sends only Weyrborn to prepare our food and serve
us. I can arrange all that."

J'ackt nodded in agreement. "Good idea." A bit of relief lifted some
of the weight from his shoulders. "So who do I need to check that's
come recently? And how far back?"

"Cyradis is working with one of the Headwoman's assistants to get the
names of anyone who arrived recently," N'vanik said. "Within the last
few months for sure. Should we go back as far as a Turn?"

"I'll have a list for you of all new residents for the last six months
to begin with. You can start with the newest first and move further
back," she looked at J'ackt. "You may need help. If these people are
doing this because of you, then they aren't going to tell you
anything."

Looking back up at Cyradis, he nodded. "I have someone in mind that
could help." His lips lifted slightly. "Someone who listens carefully
to rumors and who doesn't get a lot of attention. I'll have help."

"Keep this quiet as you can. I don't want them knowing we have
suspicions," N'vanik said. "Easier to catch 'em if they don't know
we're looking."

"Of course." J'ackt nodded firmly. "I'll keep it quiet." His lips
quirked. "If I go to Cyradis' office for that list, people will just
think I'm being scolded or lectured again, or I'm in trouble. That's
nothing new. I'll see what I can find out after that."

Cyradis laughed. "That'll work," she said. Then she turned to N'vanik.
"We need to talk."

He nodded to her and then looked down at the tray on the table.
"J'ackt, take some food with you. Try to eat something if you can."

Easily recognizing that the pair of them needed to talk about the
situation between the two of them, J'ackt scooped up another hunk of
bread, some cheese and a bit of meat. "Yeah." He nodded to both
Weyrleader and Weyrwoman, then left, his mind full of what he needed
to do.

Last updated on the February 19th 2021

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

A Time for Urgency