On A Hunt

Participants:

Alara.jpg F'min.jpg Jaya.jpg T'ryn.jpg

Date: August 22, 2010
Location: The Bar, Eastern Weyr
Synopsis: Jaya meets F'min (though she doesn't know it's him), and Alara alerts her to an assault by a trader currently on the loose.
Rating: PG-13
Logger: Jaya


It's a late afternoon, rendering the bar decently populated with weyrfolks and dragonriders going in and out at leisure. A few tables are occupied with one having a casual card among old women in progress. There's plenty of stools available at the counter from which Jaya is behind - the bar owner being in the process of exchanging witty banter with her sole barmaid, Suli who was preparing to take up the mugs given to her and go. It's a fairly easy atmosphere, something that has been moreso since the ban lift on the Weyr.

Scrubbing at the back of his head to relieve helmet itch, F'min has left his jacket and other riding paraphenalia with the sunning dragon somewhere outside. His off white shirt shows a little dampness from sweat, and there are red marks under his eyes from the recently removed goggles. Sliding in between a stool and the bar, he hooks a booted foot to pull it up under his rear and has a seat, waiting quietly for Jaya to be free. His dark blue eyes are still a bit squinted from being out in the sun for a long period of time.

"He's young enough to be my son, Dicori," Suli could be heard to say at the bar, the pockmarked-faced woman snorting in amusement at their banter as she moves away ladened with mugs. Once her barmaid is off, Jaya turns toward the new arrival at the counter with one of her lopsided smiles as she approaches him. Taking in his attire with dark eyes, "What will it be, rider?" she asks in greeting to him, settling to stand across from him while she is reaching back to claim an empty mug.

F'min grins a bit at ovehearing the conversation, the potential for deeper dimples showing on his cheeks, his eyes adjusting slowly to the inside light. When he's addressed, he turns his eyes towards the woman, "What d'y'have that's dark an'mellow, with a good, thick, foam?" The seacrafter burr from his days before riding still coloring his voice. He leans on the forarms that rest on the bar, lacing his fingers lightly together as he waits for an answer.

"Got some good ale from Southern," Jaya answers that easily, nodding once to the man as she sets the empty mug right infront of him. "Mellow enough to keep you on your toes, shuga. S'that good with you?" Her gaze looks F'min over at the slight detection of his accent, then she's looking away towards the barmaid once she returns. "And if you keep up with the teasin', I'll tell one of them traders that's been trying to throw you over his shoulder that the drinks will be on you for as long as he stays in this Weyr!" Suli is tossing back the late rejoiner, sending a glance towards F'min before she's getting the next batch of drinks and hauling them away. The bar owner flaps fingers at the older woman's back, letting a low husky chuckle free. "Yeah, yeah, Telgar. Whatever you say."

F'min sighs in mock dejection. "'Spose I'll have t'make do with that," he replies to the offer. The banter between the two women is watched with amusement, and now that he can see the other barmaid, he'll give her a friendly nod of greeting as her eyes turn his way. He's not about to get in the middle of the teasing, though. He simply flutters his two pointer fingers together as he waits for his ale.

There's laugher, the bar owner bending and pulling out the appropriate bottle of chilled ale. "Busy day for you?" Jaya makes light conversation now that Suli moves away pouring the ale into his waiting mug. "This ale's good for a good pick-me-up." Perhaps defending the poor Souther ale in question at the detection mock dejection. Then she passes the filled mug across to him, straightening up.

F'min nods as the ale is pushed over. "Double sweeps today. Maybe not 'busy' as most people think of busy, but definitely long." He unlatches his hands to surround the mug and pull it in closer before actually wrapping his fingers around the handle. "A pick-me-up is appreciated it. Been having t'much klah t'try an' keep goin'. Dries a man's mouth out after a bit." The mug is lifted, a great long swallow slides down his throat before it's reset on the counter. The back of his hand takes care of any foam on the way down, and he nods. "Not a bad flavor y'got here," he decides, giving it his stamp of approval.

"Never could get my taste for the stuff," Jaya relates on klah, grimacing a bit at it as she sets to collecting up the marks just deposited on the counter next to F'min by passing riders. "Sometimes ale doesn't even do it for me, but, I think that's because I've gotten tired of serving it back in Telgar." The marks vanishing into one of her pockets, "Double sweeps, huh?" she picks that up, seeming interested. "Do they have you doing that often, or was today special? Or does it have anything to do with that ban lifting?" All kinds of questions today. She seems pleased at his assessment on the ale, however, nodding once to him. "Not the best, no," she is easy to agree there, "But I'm biased on locations. Ever had the one from Nabol?"

F'min sighs as he leans back a bit. "Ah, good mug o'ale will cure anythin'," he claims, a twinkle in his eye. "Klah's never really been m'drink, but I guess y'learn t'tolerate it at some point if y'have t'. But a good mug o'ale…" his voice trails off, nodding with satisfaction. "So, y' came here from Telgar? What brought y'down t'th'southern continent? Weather or makin'y'r fortune?"

"I dunno about -anything-," Jaya drawls on ale, chuckling to herself some. "And, there's not much I can tolerate these days. Why tolerate the stuff at all?" There's a shugs to that, the logic easy for her as she whips out her washrag and puts it to the counter. She nods once to her coming from Telgar dark eyes stealing up to regard the rider. "Randi made me an offer I couldn't refuse," she drawls, snorting. "Couldn't exactly turn away from an opportunity like this, right? Sure beats working for someone else at the Blood and Bucket and havin' your ass grabbed every night. Can't complain too much." Straighting up, "Yourself, shuga? Sounds like you come from the north yourself?" she probes casually.

F'min lifts the mug back to his mouth as he listens to Jaya's logic, his grin reappearing when it lowers. He swallows, dipping his head to keep from coughing as she mentions how it was when she was in Telgar. "Aye, I would say this is better. So y'own th'place?" He looks around again. "Not a bad trade at all, I'd say. At least hear, if someone grabs somethin', y'can toss 'em out th'door. I don'think it'd hurt y'r business at all, either." When he turns back, he nods. "Born seacrafter near Th'Reaches, searched and impressed at Th'Reaches. Rode there until recently, when I joined a group who volunteered t'come down an'help build up Eastern Weyr."

"I own it," Jaya makes this statement too proudly, looking around. "Never really -owned- anything before, see. Still kinda shocked by it." There's laughter at his words for tossing a errant patron out, the scarred-faced woman leaning against the counter and adding, "Weeeeellll, I got plenty of experience there, shuga," she drawls with open bravado. "Kicked enough ass from here to Telgar that that won't be no problem for me. Besides, you dragonrider types seem to be tame. So far." She considers his words to the last though, nodding once at them. "There's a lot from the Reaches here," she notes, seeming to file that piece of information away mentally. "Interesting. Do you miss it any?"

F'min lifts one shoulder in a shrugging motion. "A group o'us came down. Th'winters up there don'agree with everyone." He chuckles. "In fact, they agree with vera few. I didn'mind so much, but they seemed t'be especially harsh on our son, so we thought movin' down here would be good for 'im." As to the question of whether he misses anything, his lower lip sticks out thoughtfully as he slowly wags his head back and forth slowly. "Well, havin'grown up in seacraft, I have a preference for their ale. The dark stout was m'favorite. I miss poppin' in there for a pint after sweeps or other chores." At the mention of riders being tame, he raises an eyebrow. "Clearly y'haven'met th'right riders. Or… th'wrong riders, dependin' on y'r point o'view."

A brow lifts. "Gotta son?" Jaya asks, nodding to that piece as well. "Big move, for children. How he's holding with it, or, was he too young when you all did so?" His response to riders being tame gets a simpering little laugh and a shake of her head as she turns back to wiping down the counter. "Clearly I haven't," she agrees on that front, sending him one of her lopsided grins. "This place is about as tame as a country gather. Or well…at least tame for -me-. Perhaps I'm just too corrupted and spoiled for my own good." There's a wink to that, then the bar owner is turning to get the empty mugs now being deposited by Suli.

F'min looks down at his mug of ale, giving it a spin around. "He isn'here, yet. He was in th'infirmary, couldn'be moved. I came on ahead an'Moh stayed with him. He should've gotten better long before this." The last is muttered with worry, and he quickly raises the ale, to wash the sadness that seems to threaten surfacing is washed down. A good half of the remaining ale is chugged, before he sets it down. Then he manages a grin, despite a cloud still left over in his eyes. "Well, if y'get bored, I can fly up t'th'North and bring down some o'those rowdier types fer y'."

Jaya and F'min are situated at the bar counter, the former in the process of collecting up deposited mugs from her barmaid while listening to the dragonrider talk. "Sounds pretty bad," she's saying, watching his face carefully before the ale in his mug. "Well, you would?" she actually seems to consider that offer, eyes rolling up to the ceiling as she gives it mock thought. "Hmmm…I dunno… I don't want them crashing over my bar, but…I -could- use some debauchery around here." Then she laughs, shaking her head at it as she drops the act. "Maybe I'll just convince you to fly me to my own tavern, sometime soon," she offers good-naturedly at him. "Kinda starting to miss the Blood and Bucket, see. Need to make sure Keane's golden without me keeping the peace."

Stealing an opportune moment, while one of the guards gives Rauzath a steady stream of gossip, Alara heads to the baths to quickly attempt to get herself free of sand. However, on the way back, she decides to stop into the bar to talk to one of the people on her List of people to talk to. She steps in, seeing the slow business, and sighs, finds herself a chair, and looks up to Jaya. "May I have a mild drink, please?" Polite as you please. "And if you have a moment, I need to ask you something. I don't want to interrupt anything, however." She gives a small smile to F'min.

Work's been busy-or rather duties have been busy and he's been kept in the North on duty, and grounded for a bit of time. A roll of his shoulders as he finally comes in, a growth of beard upon his face, his own hair a bit longer than usual. Not the usually-somewhat tidy version of T'ryn that the brownrider's been at least trying to handle since coming to Eastern. One hand comes up to pull the flightcap from his head, and run gloved fingers through his hair-then he's yanking those off as well. His brown already off to either sleep, or sun..or something. The message though from the 'Older Brother' was simple. Get a drink and a bath. So we'll go for the one he can do whilst sitting the best.

A grunt as he pulls up shortly after Alara, finding a seat close to the goldrider. "Make it two, if'n ya can." No mistaking who that gruff voice belongs to. "Though make mine a bit stronger. Long as it's cool- I'll be happy."

F'min raises a hand to Jaya. "Done. I could use a taste o'Northern Ale on occasion. Just let me know when." At Alara's question, he waves that hand. "N'worries, Weyrwoman. Not interruptin'. Just takin'a break between Sweeps." There's a bit of wry humor at his explanation for being there, and he nods, turning a bit to give them some measure of privacy, if they desire.

Being the barkeep, Jaya seems to notice the arrival of Alara and T'ryn, initially giving them both an incline of her head in silent greeting as she responds to F'min and his words. She sends him a lopsided grin in her thanks, nodding to it. "Then it'll be my pleasure to buy your drinks in exchange for the ride," she agrees to that easily, then Alara and T'ryn's there and she turns to them. Dark eyes fall on the shoulder knots immediately, then the thick black lines tattooed under T'ryn's eyes. "Weyrwoman," she addresses Alara first, her husky alto a bit more even despite the previous talking with F'min. "Brownrider. Mild drink, of course, shuga. Spiced apple juice good for you?" Eyes shift to T'ryn as she deposits two mugs before them now, "I can lace it with something that gives a good kick," she adds to him then with a firm nod. "Not a problem. What's the question?" Not one for pleasantries, the scarred-faced bar owner's wastes no time in it as she bends to get the proper decanters.

Sweeps well-earned if Alara's second-hand information is correct. She gives F'min a nod, and then turns to the familiar voice, having to do a doubletake before vacating her seat, and stepping the two steps over to wrap her arms around her weyrmate. "Theron Klananpan. You could have told me you were coming home, you daft brown! When did you get in?" She pecks the man on the cheek, and then resumes her seat, looking a little embarrassed at her own behavior. However, she leaves her arm around T'ryn, or at least their hands entwined, should he let her.

"The question. Right." She turns a little to include T'ryn in her view. "Well, we've got a man on the loose who's been assaulting some of my candidates. One of them was nearly … " Her lips purse tightly, and she inhales, trying to explain this without exploding. "Well, Indira's son Lomaxin prevented him from doing what he was intending to do. Now… this isn't common knowledge, so don't go spreading it around." This is spoken gently, not necessarily to either of them specifically as much as to Rauzath, as well. "The reason I ask, is because he is a Trader and I want to know if he's affiliated with either of your families. I believe they said his name was …" She pauses, closing her eyes, trying to recall the exact name. "Phineus. That's it. Kind of an odd name, don't you think?" And it would stand out. "He claims Southern for his home, but if he's got some connection to either of your families, maybe you can help us figure out how to get him." She doesn't explain that Max is headed out on his own to catch the scoundrel. She grabs the drink, and takes a sip. "Oh, this is lovely." Bright smile. "Thank you."

"A fuckin' kick would be quite pleasant. Thanks." A toothy grin is passed to the bartender, before one hand is coming up now to rub a funger under his eye, as gloves are slapped down hard on the bartop. A grin then is next given over to the Head Weyrwoman, before he is lunging in for a kiss back. Ain't no cheek kissin either. Unlike the Weyrwoman, the brown is not bashful. He remains close, and in her touch. "Well, I wanted it to be a surprise, La. Figgered I would see ya after my drink an bath.." a pause as he rubs his chin. "And a shave.." T'ryn adds on before he's looking down the bar to nod towards F'min.

Apparently he and Ockath have been out of the news loop, at least as far as the Trader assault. A glance is given back towards Alara, and he's grumping there. "Might have t' get some of the Candidates to start pullin guard duties. Never hurts t' have more watchmen.." Something or other, as for the name 'Phineus' it does not seem to ring a bell to the brownrider. So T'ryn falls silent as he listens for a bit. "Well..I'd have to figure if he has a mark or something. Might figger-something out.." Of what he remembers.

F'min smirks at T'ryn's request for a kick, and returns the nod. Although the greeting between the two leaves his grin a bit forced. As to the weyrwoman's opinion of the extra sweeps, it is second hand, so any read he gets from her on his mention of sweeps is blithely ignored. The news of the assault does have his jaw tightening a little, but as he hasn't been asked into the conversation, he doesn't comment. He merely applies himself to his ale and sits at the bar.

With Max mentioned, that brings Jaya up short. Brows furrowing once the drink is poured and passed over, "This…candidate didn't happen to be Ahnika, is it?" she asks then, her voice lowering as she steals a look around at those close enough to hear. Perhaps the connection is made since she knows the relationship between the two. "Max is okay?" T'ryn's drink gets laced properly before the bar owner slides his over with a wry, "Knock yourself out, shuga." Back to Alara, "He's not a Dicori," she says that with certainly. "The many times he's been here during the lockdown, this Phineus would have said something to me. I usually make it a note of mine to know a little about each that walk in and out of here." Her lips do thin into a straight line at it though, considering the attack.

"Mmmph." It's a sound that's a mix of surprise and pleasure. Alara leans into the kiss, and then pulls back to smile up at him. "I missed you so much." She whispers to him as she tries to recompose herself. "Mmm. I can see how that might have been a good decision, but I'm glad I ran into you." She smiles, and then turns to F'min. "F'min, you wouldn't know of a Trader named Phineus, would you?" She's not excluding anyone from this search.

Jaya's ccomments get a snort and a smile. "I should have remembered that those who tend bar have as much esoteric infomration and often as much deductive reasoning as your local Harper." She grins up at the woman. It's her way of saying, yes, you were right, without actually voicing the thought. "Hmmm. I don't think they mentioned marks like yours, Ther, so I'll assume that he's an independent for now, until he says otherwise." She sighs. "That makes it a bit harder." However, she does trust that Max will get the guy. "Lomaxin is fine, Jaya. He was ready to tear out of here to chase after the man." Luckily, he is taking the time to find supplies, etc. "On that same subject, do any of you know someone who sketches well? My harper candidates don't, either of them, and I haven't been able to track Kestian down yet to ask him." She frowns. "I want a picture of this man." Several, if she can help it.

T'ryn frowns for a small moment, before he is looking back to Alara. "He have on any coloured armband-face marks?" Face marks might make him kin to him, but he can't really recall any traders that tattoo beyond the Klanapans. A look over to Jaya, and there's a faint nod. "Well could be two family's out of the running." Still he is mulling over the details he doesn't know, beyond the Headwoman's son stopping the assault. "Had something like this happen in the caravan once." T'ryn pipes up before he is taking a long swig of the laced drink. Which of course has his face screwing up with the hard swallow down. "Shit." and he is sighing before he is looking back to the Headwoman and bartender. "Fellow never had a deep voice, again." Of course that said fellow was lucky to survive the implied punishment as well. "I can get Ockath to circulate word, if you want La."

And then T'ryn softens for a moment, the brownrider "Missed you too, honey s-err La." a chuckle there. "Next time I will try t' be lest sneaky."

The bartender's response to a name earns a raised head and consideration from the brownrider, but he shakes his head mutely to the question. "This is th'first I've heard. I can be on th'lookout, though. Any sort o'description other than name? That does stand out, but people don'always go around volunteerin' their names."

Jaya is not ashamed in watching the Weyrwoman and brownrider kiss right infront of her. In fact, she's bold-faced staring at them, seeming to find it more amusing than awkward. "A useful trait," she notes on her information resources, the smile slow coming. All the same, she nods to what's not said, seeming to pick up on it and is filing that away for the future. She nods a bit mechanically at hearing Max was not hurt. "Um, good," she answers a bit lamely, blinking once before she recomposing her relief at hearing it. "I bet he was. You might want to look out for the candidate Nenienne," she switches subjects, nodding to match T'ryn's on the trader subject but saying no more on it. Eyes falling on Alara, "She can sketch, though, I've only seen her with drawings of jewelry. She might be able to give it a shot, if you ask her." She raises her brow back on T'ryn then when he mentions his caravan, trader stories seeming to peek the bar owner's interest, before she looks to F'min and his own response on such serious matters. "Suli and I will keep our ears open here, too," she puts in behind F'min, nodding to all three of them. "You could be surprised what we hear down here. If someone knows something, someone is bound to talk with good brandy in their system."

T'ryn gets a smile, but Alara saves her comments on his sneakiness — or lack thereof — for later. She takes another long sip of her apple juice, and then considers. "Well, I can ask, I suppose. I imagine she has done some facial work, at least for certain types of jewelry." She remembers the tiara that Isilna wore at her wedding. "It would be worth a look, I suppose." She nods to Jaya, acknowledging both the idea of Nenienne sketching and the extra help. "Thank you. It is much appreciated." She turns toward F'min. "That's what I want the sketch for. I didn't see the man, and the one who did doesn't want to tell more than one person…" And she can really understand that. She winces and snorts as Rauzath makes her opinion known. "Rauzath wanted me to tell you that it's not the content of the conversation that angered her, as much as the manner in which he was behaving." That's as close as he'll get to Rauzath's real statement, which was much more colorful.

T'ryn for the most part does not add more to the conversation. Not right here at least. Instead he is watching F'min for a moment before he's taking another pull from his drink. Which, to Jaya's credit, is quite strong. "Fuckin' good potable here.." muttered before he is looking back over. "Maybe we need t' make sure our female candidates need to have another with em, when out. At least till we find this bugger and pin him down."

F'min nods to T'ryn. "Buddy system's a good deterrent, not just fo'candidates," he suggests. At Alara's comment, F'min chokes on his ale. An arm reaches out with a sleeve to scrub at the bar where a fine spray landed. After a couple of coughs, he manages a nod. "Tact is not his strong suit. 'Specially when he perceives a danger, imagined or real, t'his lifemate." He looks the Weyrwoman in the eye, his eyes serious, with a lurking resigned or fond humor. "I am workin't'convince him that he doesn't need t'worry in this case, an't'calm him down. Even though he acts without tact, 'm lucky t'have such a fierce protector lookin' over me."

"Glad you fuckin' like it," Jaya returns on T'ryn's compliment to the laced spiced apple, letting her amusement lace into the play of words. "And I think that would be a good idea - getting the candidates some protection." To the Weyrwoman, she gives a firm nod on the sketches. "Be worth to see what she can do," she agrees on Nenienne's account, having at least seen some of her sketches in the past. She has said her peace and then Suli's there, dropping off a few mugs in exchange of drink orders to be fulfilled. While getting to it, she lapses into a watchful silence when talk turns to their dragons - particularly letting her gaze settle from F'min to Alara and back again when danger is mentioned.

Alara snorts at the conversation between T'ryn and the bartender, amused by it. Almost everything her 'mate does at this point is endearing, especially since he's been away for so long. She thinks about his idea for a moment, and nods. "I will get it implemented right away. There may be a couple who are exempt. For instance, I don't imagine Iardani needs an escort." That woman can take care of herself. "And those who have had training in…" She falls silent, taking another sip to cover her musings. F'min's comments get a chuckle. "We have become a refuge of sorts, for many, and I believe that the person in question is taking advantage of that." She leans into her lover more, and continues. "I don't know the full situation, of course, but I am sure that there is more to the story than we know. There always is. An d as to your safety, if you are worried, you can use the buddy system yourself." She snorts, realizing the implications that engenders, but not really caring at this point.

T'ryn takes this as a cue. Leaning in he passes a kiss over to Alara's cheek, and he does take time to rise up and head on up. "I've a bath callin me.." It seems the cup is coming with him, as the brown rider does look voer to Jaya. "I'll return it…an bring th' marks." Don't worry he is good on his word. Where booze and other things are involved.

"There's really only one who knows th'full situation, Weyrwoman. However, if /I/ was worried about m'own safety," F'min stresses the pronoun significantly, "I would've come t'y'personally with m'concerns. What I do know is not somethin' that cen be put in terms that Voldrath can understand. He's a very black an' white, cut an'dry fellow, m'brown." He empties his own mug, putting it on the bar, and leans up on one hip to fish marks out of his pouch. "I'll keep'n ear out for th'name Phinneus, an' I'll keep'n eye out once I have th'sketch." He lifts his chin to the other brown rider. "Catcha later, T'ryn."

With T'ryn getting up and not letting go of the mug, "I'll hold you to that, shuga," Jaya drawls, nodding her farewell to him before she turns to face the Weyrwoman. "Good thinking," she says on escorts, though she seems confident in her and Suli not needing one themselves. Eyes fall on F'min then as the two continue to talk, seeming not willing to pry - but she'll listen! Or well, mostly. "Someone causing you trouble?" she breaks into the conversation, eyes going from the Weyrwoman to F'min with a raise of her brows. She reaches forward to collect up F'min's mug, her lips parting to ask if he wanted a refill but the words die when she spies him fishing out his marks.

Alara is tempted to follow her man, but then, her gold calls. "Come find me on the sands when you're all cleaned up, Ther…" She lets the sentence dangle somewhat, not wanting to say more in public. "Thank you all." She gives a bright smile, and fishes out her own payment. "There you go. I do hope that covers it." She sighs. "I must return to Rauzath. She doesn't let me away from her for long at all these days." It could be a sign that the Hatching is soon, or it could just be the gold being protective.

The marks are plunked on the surface of the bar, and he slides from his stool. "No trouble. Nothin't'worry about." He rises completely from his stool, and nods to both the women. "I'll be around again, soon. Good ale, good 'tender. Not many o'those around these parts, yet." He winks, and turns on his heel, heading towards the exit.

When the marks are dropped by both, Jaya takes them up with a grin as she, for now, allows F'min's response to slide. "Very well, Weyrwoman," she sends Alara's way with an incline of her head. "This covers it. Let me know if you need anything else, hm? You know where to find me or Suli." And to F'min, there's a return to that wink for his compliment to the service, the bar owner showing her pride as she answers him, "You bet, shuga. You all come on by more often, hear? Enjoy the rest of your day." With that, the bar owner pockets the marks and is onto the next patron that deposits himself at the counter.



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