Outsourcing
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Halyonix, Sia
Date Posted: 1st July 2025
Characters: Q'vettan, H'stre
Description: Q'vettan outsources for his Weyrsecond
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 6, day 26 of Turn 12
With some alcoholic fruity drink in hand, H’stre began weaving his slow way through the crowd, smiling widely. Every so often, he would dance in passing with a lovely woman. Or boisterously greet a familiar face. The mood of the Hatching was far too infectious to avoid it!
He was snapping his fingers to the rhythm of the latest song when he spotted another familiar face. “Well, aren’t _you_ a welcomed surprise to see,” he said warmly as he approached Q’vettan, opening his arms to give the other bronzerider a hug.
Barely a sevenday back into the role, and already a Hatching Feast to attend. The new knots still looked a little unfamiliar in the mirror, but not out of place. The job itself wasn't new, and little visits like this were easy. He'd done his rounds and was talking easily with a couple wingriders when he heard the familiar voice call him. He grinned as he turned, sizing the man up before stepping into the solid embrace. "Who let you in here, old man?"
“Old man?” H’stre echoed as he pounded Q’vettan on the back fraternally. “You’ve still got a decade on me, remember?” He pointed towards the silver appearing in the other bronzerider’s hair. “Still wearing it handsomely though. Better than I can. Congratulations, by the way! Where is it this time? Barrier Bay?”
"Silver looks good on any man. It makes us look like we know more than we do." Q'vettan answered, "And thank you. Barrier Lake. It's the old River Bluff protectorate. Further south, so it's _cold_ now, but it's not as bad as Dragonsfall. How is Igen holding up in my absence?"
H’stre made a wobbling motion with his hand. “T’doral isn’t so bad on the leadership front but Cr’len stepped up as Wingleader and boy has that been interesting. If you thought he was insufferable as a wingrider.” H’stre puffed up his chest like a prancing wherry and deepened his tone. “Left side! Left side trio two! Bank left! Left I said!” he mimicked.
Q'vettan made a sour face; he'd had it out for Cr'len since the man had Impressed and decided to elide his name into that monstrosity. "I knew I had a reason to not promote him. Can't handle his rum nor his wingriders. T'doral will learn that eventually, I suppose."
“Or won’t. Either way, not your problem anymore, right? You’ve got your own new caravan and wherries to corral. How is that going?”
Q'vettan snorted, "Not my problem. It certainly isn't." He shook his head. "The caravan is running smoothly so far. I've only been in the position a sevenday or so. We're still in the midst of moving the old leadership. Rotating most of the riders D'hol and K'ran put in those positions back when the Weyrhold was first established. Let other riders take a turn. It's difficult, but it's necessary. A Weyr cannot prosper if the leadership stagnates."
H’stre nodded knowingly. “But also, from what I heard, that leadership has been through a lot. Especially lately. Sometimes you gotta let old canines take a rest.” His eyes caught a passing lovely greenrider that he took a moment to appreciate. “Picked out your Weyrsecond yet?” he asked once the woman disappeared from view.
Q'vettan's eyes lingered on the greenrider too, eyebrow quirked as he glanced back at H'stre. "Not yet. Why, are you interested?"
The other bronzerider burst into bright, distracting laughter. Eyes turned to see what was so funny. As they turned away again, H’stre, still chuckling, said, “You know, it would be an instant ‘no’ to anyone else that would ask. I’m only sparing your ego here because I like you.”
"Why not? The amenities are much better than the desert. Remember the hoops the technicians had to jump through to get electricity into that old Weyr?"
H’stre shot Q’vettan a curious expression. “You’re serious, aren’t you? Inviting me to uproot my life to come help you run this place?” His tone, however, was playful, negating the seriousness of his words.
"You can say no, if you'd rather remain at Igen, but may I remind you that you have a dragon you can use to revisit whenever you so choose?" Q'vettan drawled though he himself had only made a handful of appearances at his old home since he'd left. "D'hol's weyrsecond is very well-loved by the Weyr, and I expect I'll have a hard time replacing him internally. And if you hate it, you can always return once my term is up."
The long-haired bronzerider gave Q’vettan a critical, yet amused look. “Look at those harper roots showing,” he remarked with a grin spreading on his face. He looked out over the gathered people. “So, you want me to show up, help you out with some shenanigans, make sure the place doesn’t burn down in the process,” he stated. He took a sip of his drink. Paused. Then shrugged his shoulders. “Sure,” he answered as he clapped Q’vettan on the shoulder. “Sounds like fun.”
"Can't take the harper out of the dragonrider." Q'vettan said. "Welcome aboard. I'll have Tzenketh alert T'doral in the morning. In the meantime, can I offer you another drink?"
“May as well celebrate something else,” H’stre agreed as they wandered off.
Last updated on the July 7th 2025