Gold or Green?

Writers: Aaron, Devin, Shawna
Date Posted: 17th June 2024

Characters: Cirina, Tirraze, Saedyna
Description: The candidates discuss their prospects
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 1 of Turn 11
Notes: Mentioned: Cyradis (Panitath), Dessa, Nidre, C'pier

Cirina spotted her fellow candidates in a shady spot and veered
towards them, flopping down onto the ground with an audible oof. “At
least it’s not that hot today,” Cirina said, digging in her bag and
pulling out a few pieces of redfruit she’d stashed and offering them
to the other candidates. “But guess who got to help bathe the new gold
earlier? Maybe if I’m her favorite candidate, I can get her to lay an
egg just for me,” she joked.

"Is that the trick?" Tirraze laughed. "We should ask Dessa just what
she did to endear herself to Panitath, eh? I'm sure she's not
dreadfully tired of people asking her that yet.

"Well, what's she like?" She had not yet properly met the new gold herself

Saedyna bit into her redfruit. No trick was going let her Impress. The
only trick was her being here in the first place.

“She’s nice. Well, the weyrwoman second was nice, and her dragon
didn’t make things difficult- you know how some of them can be- so
she was nice enough too. I don’t know if it’s the trick, but it
certainly can’t hurt, right?”

"Oh, I am well aware of how some of them can be," said Tirraze. "Once
you get to know them, most of them are easy enough to avoid. But it's
good you don't have to worry about that with Jossenth."

"Do either of you want to Impress gold?" Saedyna asked.

"Want to? I guess. I would be content to," said Tirraze. "I don't
really expect I'll Impress at all, but gold would probably best match
what I've trained to do so far. What about you?"

"Well, that's every girl's fantasy isn't it?" Saedyna frowned
thoughtfully. "Well, most girls. Being carried of to the Weyr, being
chosen by a Queen, becoming one of the most important people on Pern."
It had certainly been one of her fantasies.

Cirina laughed, "Me? Impress gold? I think that would be awful. You
get a dragon finally and you're mostly just stuck at the Weyr anyway?
Not for me. I'd love to be a Searchrider. Be the one whisking the
holders off to their exciting new destiny? That would be fun. You two
can have the golds. And I think you'd make a good goldrider. You're
good at the numbers,and there's lots of logistic stuff involved," she
said encouragingly to Tirraze.

"I'd be happy with any dragon. Or no dragon." Tirraze smiled at
Cirina's kind words. "But thank you. Any gold would be lucky to have a
survivor like Saedyna, too."

Saedyna's smile was a little embarrassed. "It's nice to imagine, at
least. Being a goldrider, having the best clothes, the best jewelry.
But then I'd have to deal with bronzeriders hanging all over me." She
wrinkled her nose.

"See?" Cirina teased, "it just sounds awful. I'll take a pretty, fast
little green."

"A green would be nice." The longing Saedyna felt was physically
painful, an ache in her chest. She wondered if she was going to watch
one or both of these girls walk off the Sands with a beautiful green.

"Well, there will be plenty of opportunities for you both!" said
Tirraze. "There are always plenty of greens."

"Yes, but sooner would be nicer than later," Cirina said with a sigh,
"I'm so tired of waiting. I just want to get on with it."

"I'm sure you both have better chances than me," Saedyna said. "You
have dragonriders in your family."

"I'm not sure how much of a difference that makes," said Tirraze. "I'm
no Harper, though. Theirs is not the kind of math I've learned."

"You should know by now, Harpers aren't all good at math. You've seen
me try," Cirina teased lightly. "I don't think the dragons worry about
the mechanic, but I can't imagine a gold picking the girl who runs
from hidework, though. I hope they're more sensible than that."

Saedyna laughed. "Math is hard. And so is hidework." Maybe if she was
better at math, the marks wouldn't slide through her fingers so
quickly.

"Maybe I can help you out sometime if you need it!" Tirraze suggested.
Those things had always come easily to her.

Saedyna certainly didn't want anyone seeing how many marks she had
coming in. Even if everyone knew about C'pier giving her everything he
earned, she had those extra three marks every month and people would
wonder just how rich her family was if she kept up that story. "That's
a generous offer, thanks."

"You know what I want?" Cirina asked seriously, "Just promise me,
whichever of you Impresses, you'll give me rides to all the fun
Gathers until I Impress. Once you graduate of course."

"Sure!" Saedyna said easily, knowing she wouldn't have to follow
through on that.

"Only if you introduce me to everyone." Tirraze winked.

Last updated on the June 23rd 2024

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Gold or Green?