Ripples from the Past

Writers: Ainsley1, Jane
Date Posted: 14th July 2007

Characters: Lineal, Barli
Description: Lineal catches up with what's happened in Barli's life while he was away.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 5, day 11 of Turn 4

Lineal watched his wife make her way out of the common room, her progress interrupted every couple of steps by crew wanting to see the little gold firelizard. The creature was awake and appreciative of people's interest in her, and Rahona seemed happy enough to stop.

He dragged his glance away from Rahona and grinned at his sister, seated opposite him at the table. "Such an asset to the Sungazer," he murmured.

"Undeniably so," Barli answered with a smile, though she was thinking more of the small family as a whole rather than just the new golden beauty Rahona carried. "This paddleboat will be humming with excitement for sevendays," she observed.

"If we can just get her a name ... Never mind. It gives everybody something to talk about." He eyed his sister and said; "Speaking of something to talk about, or not talking about, nobody's told me when your husband died. I've missed out so many Turns and I think Jesten was censoring the news."

"I'm not surprised you haven't heard the details. It isn't openly discussed much. Wiamer had excellent potential and he was a good man, but didn't settle well on the Sungazer. He was killed a bit more than three turns ago," she explained.

"A riverboat accident?" Lineal guessed. "Jesten said he wasn't from the river."

"Oh, tis far better gossip than that," Barli answered with a sad smile.
"Like I said, the riverboat life didn't suit him, and he had hopes of finding a position and bringing myself and Jezz to shore. He was a technician, and a good one, which is why I thought he'd do well aboard.
He tried hard, I'll give him that. He was rather niave, though, and when we arrived at port, I found that he had been murdered. Fallen in with the wrong types it's suspected. He was so anxious to find the best job so I'd come ashore with him. Wiamer never understood that I could no more adopt a life on land than sprout wings," Barli's voice didn't crack, but it wasn't strong either.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "He was a good man, and I cared for him. He gave me the best gift in Jezz and it was a sad end for him," she stated looking Lineal in the eyes. She was too ashamed to admit she hadn't felt a deep love for her husband or that her love for the river might have been more than her love for the man. Turns ago Lineal would have understood this, and she hoped he at least had some understanding now.

Lineal nodded. "That's sad, Barli. The waste of it is sad." He sighed. "Remember the aunties always telling us to marry our own kind?
Riverboat folk? You didn't, I haven't. We must not be very good at listening."

Barli laughed at this. A good hearty laugh, which she was generally known for. "If you'll remember correctly, I was never accused of being a good listener, Lineal. " In a more serious tone she continued, "You've done better than me, I'd say. Rahona will do well." Here Barli sighed, "My first choice would have done quite nicely too, and fit the mark of being a riverman too, had he not up and disappeared."

"Disappeared? Who was that? I can't remember Jesten saying anything like that."

"Jesten, tends to keep things to himself more than many aboard a riverboat," she observed. "You'll remember the riverboat Moonflower, I'm sure," Barli paused but continued when she thought she saw a spark of remembrance in her brother's eyes. "The captain had four sons and the youngest was a handsome man. Quite skilled in the ways of riverboats, but overshadowed a mite by his older brothers. Cianan was his name and I'll tell you, he was something special. We shared a love and understanding, I know this with everythin' that's in me. Right before we were to stand before the Harper, he up and disappeared. No word to me or his family."

"Why would he?" Lineal said, frowning. There was nothing wrong with Barli or her family - or the Sungazer.

Barli looked off into the distance and sighed. "Many call me niave, but to this day, I believe something or someone detained him. It isn't easy to believe this, mind you, because if that's the case the best odds place him as dead." Her brown eyes studied the floor as she whispered, "I don't know, Lineal, but back then, I was quite sure Cianan and I had something special."

He reached out a hand to pat his sister's. "I'm sure you did. I've heard some unbelievable tales in my time, and just being unbeleivable doesn't always make them lies. Perhaps something _did_ happen to him."

A lift of her shoulders and a small smile was his answer until Barli could compose herself. Who would have guessed that after all these turns this discussion would still render her so emotional. Finally, she felt as if she could offer a response. "Perhaps. It is rather a mystery. Everyone was quite perplexed for a time, but the river flows ahead as does time and the current has a way of moving these things along until there is just a ripple of things past."

"Some of those ripples are snags," Lineal muttered darkly. "But what about things now? Any plans to remarry? Any suitors on other boats?"

"I've a male friend or two, both at port and on other boats," Barli answered with a twinkle in her eye. She was teased about this, but everyone knew that she kept her dalliances appropriate and uncomplicated. "But I've no plans to remarry any time soon."

"Ahh, well I can't tell you different. It took me a long time to marry for the first time, let alone have another go if things had ended in tragdey."

"I would like for Jezz to have a father, but I'll not jump into a marriage just for that. She has plenty of family to fill in here and there. I think you and I managed fairly well."

"We had lots of mothers, not just one," Lineal agreed. "And with your luck so far I'm amazed that you'd even consider trying again."

"There's some that say third times a charm," Barli replied with a wink, "But I'm in no hurry to test that. Right now, I'm comfortable with the way things are, especially with you come home and bringing your family.
Outside of the scares with Jesten, life is good right now."

Lineal nodded in agreement. "It's pretty good for me, too."

Last updated on the July 14th 2007

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Ripples from the Past