All references to worlds and characters based on Anne McCaffrey's fiction are copyright © Anne McCaffrey 1967,2000, all rights reserved, and used by permission of the author. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is registered U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, by Anne McCaffrey, used here with permission. Use or reproduction without a license is strictly prohibited. For more information, visit the Worlds of Anne McCaffrey.

09-08-02: Impression is like...
It's an age-old custom for riders to explain to candidates what it's all about.

You stride east to the Living Caverns.
Ezemial gives a wave to Lydiere when he notices her enter. A sip of his juice before his usual amiable smile returns to his face.

Lydiere's boots have their laces tied together, and are being swung about from her fingers, as she meanders bare-footed from the bowl, a mug of what appears to be beer in one hand. Ezemial's greeting draws her attention, and, smiling, she adjusts her path so that she wanders towards him. "G'deve, Ezemial. How're things?"

Ezemial grins up at Lydiere from his rather lounging position in the chairs, "right as rain.. I'm not sure if things could get better right now.." He pauses and cants his head, "well maybe they could.. but right now I'm happy.. how are the little ones?"

"That's wonderful to hear," avers Lydiere, pulling out a chair with her free hand, and sinking in to it once it's far enough away for her to sit comfortably, legs stretched out beneath the table. A sip of her beer is taken, and then the mug is set down upon the table, her head tilted to the side, "What's so wonderful, then? The little ones are doing well. Llysah's getting big, and Keid-- well, he's with his father, still, but I can only assume he's doing well."

Ezemial shrugs and smiles, "oh just a lot of things.. we went out and touched the eggs the other day.. did you know the dragonets seem to be able to tell you are there before they even hatch?" He looks at Lydiere then grins realizing how silly that was to ask, "well you would, but I didn't know.. and well, I found a really good friend among the candidates and the good thing is she lives here too, so if one of us impress or neither of us impresses we'll still stay friends because we live here.." He grins and looks down reminded of another, hand going to stroke the soft blue ball curled up in his lap, "and there's this guy, this rider from Xanadu was here and gave away eggs, noone seemed to want this last little one so I got him.." He grins at her, "this is Sniffles"

Lydiere inclines her head in a short, soft nod as she leans back in her chair, finding a comfortable position. "I remember being surprised by that, too," she agrees, "Even though I was weyrbred, and was assumed to know these things. It's a weird feeling, when they touch your mind like that, isn't it?" Another sip of her beer is taken, the amber liquid peered into as she queries, "Who is this friend, then? I'm glad to hear that you've found someone, though; that's great to hear. And a firelizard, too? Very cute."

A thoughtful nod from Ezemial is followed by a contented smile, "it is, but it's very nice.. at least if I don't impress I'll have that as a wonderful memory. Truly amazing to feel" He grins more, "There's this girl name Jessamy that works in the kitchens here, well.. she worked there right now she's doing chores like the rest of us. Both of us ended up with cleaning out store rooms and such today. She's really a lot of fun, smart too.. quick wit, it's hard to keep up with her sometimes." He grins looking down at Sniffles and nods, "Yeah, he's a cute little guy, specially now that he's slowly acquiring a personality.. at first it was just food and sleep, that's all he cared about.. now he is starting to be a bit more engaging, I swear this little guy is as bad as an Auntie.. he scolds /everyone/ about /everything/"

"Mmm," agrees Lydiere. "And even if you don't Impress this time, there'll be other clutches; you're young enough to stand many times, if that's what you decide you want to do. Jessamy! Ah, I know her well. She was going to write a romance story version of how G'wain and I got together. I'm glad to hear that the two of you are getting along." Her eyes shift to rest upon the firelizard again, her lips twisting into a wry grin. "That's rather amusing, really. My lot are generally fairly well behaved, thankfully. I hardly see them. G'wain's can be real nuisances, though."

Ezemial grins back up at Lydiere, "oh he stays with me, he's kind of shy too, but he'll scold you from behind me and disappear if you get close enough" He nods a little about the rest, "yeah, me too, Jessamy is great. Best friend I've made in the weyr so far.. even if she is exasperating. She's silly..." He drifts off a little before looking back up with that ever present smile, "Yeah, I might stand again, though I'm not sure I'll ever impress, but standing is a lot of fun anyway. It will be exciting to see who impresses"

Lydiere inclines her head forward again, still smiling. "He's still young. You never know what'll happen. I think it's rather a cute. Silly, Jessamy? Interesting, that. I find her generally very amiable, and will probably end up betting on her Impression. Yours, too, I think. That may not be a good thing, of course, since I don't have very good luck in bets. Have you picked a favourite egg, yet?" Again, she nods, another sip of her beer taken, then the mug returned to the table. "It will be, indeed. It's always quite fascinating. Any thoughts on what colour you'd like?"

Ezemial grins down at Sniffles and nods, "yeah, maybe he'll stop hiding then everyone will get scolded whether they are close or not" He hrms and thinks.."there's this one.. Sparkling Chandelier I think.. it's that whitish one that looks like it has prisms all over it.. but I also really like the Erubescent one.. it's hard to decide on a favorite" He looks back down stroking Sniffles and thinks about the last question, "well... browns are nice.. it's true I like the ones I've met.." He looks a little sheepishly at Lydiere, "I guess it's sort of cliche.. but well.. I guess I like the idea of bronze the most.." he hurriedly adds, "not that any dragon in the world wouldn't be just fine.. and well, I'm not quite so sure your bets would hold up with me. Not with the others I've seen so far.. It's just you asked." He pauses and bites his lip a little, "don't tell Jess, ok? She's already calling me Weyrwoman just playing, she'd get worse if she knew what I just said"

"I think I know the one you mean," agrees Lydiere. "Are you candidates giving them little pet names, to try and explain them to each other? I know my group did, when we were candidates. I agree, though. Favourites are difficult. I never had one, when I was a candidate - thankfully, I guess, because it certainly wouldn't have been Llysereth's egg, and I might have been disappointed if my set my heart on one in particular." Her smile widens to a grin, and she chuckles. "I won't tell. Good luck with whatever. If you're meant to Impress, you will, to whatever colour it is that you're going to be best suited for. But don't put yourself down, mm? Personality, or who someone is, has nothing to do with it. If you were Searched, you have a perfectly good chance - just as good as anyone else's."

Ezemial nods and then smiles, "I bet you were surprised to end up with Llysereth, huh?" Then nods abuot the rest, "yeah, I know, and really while I don't expect to impress, I'm not going to pretend I don't want to and really hope for it.." He grins a little, "right now I'm really liking them all.. you know that Starlit egg.. it /laughed/ at me! I mean really laughed. I can tell you I did not expect that. I keep trying to think of what color it would be, but I don't know.. I've seen even silly browns and playful gold dragons.. so I'm not so sure just because it laughed that it would be any certain color, ya know?"

Lydiere's lips twitch with mirth that she does not even try to hold back. "Surprised might not be the word. I was perfectly ready to walk off the sands and go back to my ship, my son, my /life/-- and them it was all over, just like that." Again she nods, fiddling with the edge of her mug with idle movements of her right hand. "Any dragon can have any personality, indeed. Llysereth's nothing like the stereotypical gold, and I certainly prefer it that way, even if she's entirely exasperating. It's pretty muuch impossible to guess about colours in those eggs. I don't even try."

Ezemial grins and nods, "I heard that Ysamalth likes hats.. I've never heard of that before" He nods again though thinking about everything, "Yeah.. I guess it is a good thing that I came here to work though. Even if I never impress more than a blue firelizard, I like it here. And if I don't impress my own dragon I can at least work around others. I just never realized..." He gets a curious expression on his face as he asks, "does Llysereth actually talk or is it like firelizards and shows you pictures? I mean.. I guessed they talk.. the eggs seem to send out impressions of feelings.. but they are eggs, so I thought they'd actually talk.. does she?"

"Ysmalath's awful about hats. Llysereth, when she's on the sands, hates boots. Istan queens tend to share a certain oddity, even if they're otherwise completely different." Grinning, Lydiere sinks back into her seat, remarking, "I'm glad to hear that. We like having you here, too! Oh, yes, Llysereth talks. She's... well, very soft, and sweet, and gentle. All pale silvery moonlight, like her hide, and lavendar, and ice. It's a bit like the eggs, only there's far more - words, and thoughts, and feelings, as well as colours, textures and sounds. Hard to describe, I'm afraid."

A pleased look comes into Ezemial's eyes as he hears all this, "I /thought/ so! There was so much from these dragons /in/ eggs.. I /knew/ there had to be more outside the egg." He sips his juice and smiles a little, "I bet Jess impresses.. I surely bet she does." He grins over at Lydiere, "what's wrong with boots that makes Llysereth hate them? does she not let candidates wear them out there in all that heat?"

Lydiere's grin broadens, as she tilts her head to the side, listening. "Exactly. Dragons are very complex. They've as much personality, if not more, as you or I, and they can often be very vocal. Llysereth has plenty of conversations that don't involve me - she's also got a best friend or two." She pushes her mostly empty mug away from her on the table, querying, "What do you see Jess on, then? I'm not sure, myself. Maybe a brown. Llysereth... I'm not sure. I think she worries that they could hurt the eggs, so she's even refused to let me wear them, once or twice. Thankfully, I can sit on the platform there and not get them burnt too badly."

Ezemial laughs then quickly tries to quell his reaction, "I'm sorry to laugh, but the eggs are so big I can't imagine them being hurt unless it was on purpose.. and I can't imagine someone who would try to hurt dragon eggs on purpose" He hrms and grins at Lydiere, "Jess... I think she'll impress the gold.. she just seems like it." Pure admiration in his voice, just a touch stronger than one would expect to hear from a 'friend', "She's such a strong person, very intense, very... purposeful..." He looks down petting Sniffles, "I don't know.. I know that it doesn't always mean that a girl will get gold but she just seems that way, you know. And even if it's not.. I can't imagine her on anything that isn't female"

"Doesn't stop Llysereth - and Ysmalath - from being protective," says Lydiere, though she agrees with a bob of her head. "I know what you mean, though." Pausing, she wrinkles her nose. "Gold? I hope not. I wouldn't wish this life upon anyone, especially someone I like. I don't doubt that she might be good at it, but... Faranth, I couldn't wish for anyone to Impress gold." Her expression turns dark, broodingly so. "Green, then, perhaps. I guess we'll see."

"What makes you wish for her not to impress a gold?" Ezemial asks curiously, "I mean, you seem to do rather well.. and I know that you care for Llysereth, you can hear it when you talk about her" He shrugs a little, "and I don't know.. I just think she'd do well.. either way.. she'll impress a girl, she's just deeply feminine for all she tries to convince others that she's tough"

"Goldriders have a restricted life. They're stuck either slaving over hides and records, and dealing with people, or on the sands for several months out of the turn. I hate it. I wouldn't wish it on anyone." Lydiere's voice goes quiet, but serious, her head shaking. "Of course I love Llysereth, but that's not the same as loving what comes with gold. I'd've much rathered Llysereth be /anything/ but gold." She shrugs, nodding. "I guess we'll just see what happens."

For once Ezemial is quite for some time after he gets the answer to his question. Mulling over what he's heard he smiles over at Lydiere, "there's no way you can leave? I mean other riders leave.. and I know bronzes do... do they force you to stay?" curious, but his tone is gentle.

Lydiere shakes her head. "Not while Llysereth's still breeding. She needs a hatching grounds, so we need to be in a weyr. Because I Impressed gold, I have no choice. And /that/ is why I hope Jessamy doesn't Impress the gold. The weyr needs us, no matter what we want. To that end, the weyr comes before our own desires." She picks up her mug, finishing its contents with a half smile. "It's not that I'm desperately unhappy, mind. I just don't like my job."

Ezemial has to chuckle a little with that response, "I don't mean to make light.. but I guess I do understand that feeling. Only noone is forcing me to be a stablehand." He nods though and thinks about that before finishing his thought, "will you get to retire wherever you want though? I mean.. you guys do get to retire eventually don't you?"

"Oh, I don't mind," says Lydiere, cheerful enough. "I'm glad you can understand, though, certainly. It's nice to hear it from someone who does. W'yn, my best friend, is usually good to talk to it about, but he's off working with the Holds for a while. Miss him." Again, she nods her head, stretching out her arms behind her, shoulders rolling. "Aye. G'wain and I already know what we want to do with ourselves, once Llysereth stops rising and I can retire. Turns away, of course, but we have plans."

Ezemial is cheered to hear this and cants his head curiously, "gonna go exploring?" he asks curiously. He smiles, "Do the riders here often take off to work other places and come back? Is it something they are assigned to or something they get to decide?... ... turns?.." the last part just getting through to him, "how long do golds rise?"

Lydiere grins winningly. "We've found a lovely little spot where we'd like to take long holidays to. I expect we'll continue to live at the weyr, but disappear every so often to enjoy the serenity." She inclines her head forward again. "Some do. Some prefer life outside of weyrs. Most, though, prefer it within. The dragons prefer to be around other dragons. W'yn's doing Weyr business - he's the Weyrsecond, so he's doing what R'yn can't." Lifting her mug again, she fiddles with the handle, agreeing, "Turns. Llysereth's about six, and she'll probably stop rising when she's in her thirties or forties. Twenty-five turns away, at least, I think."

"That sounds lovely!" he says with a grin in response to the first. He's quiet listening to the rest and nods every now and then. At the last, eyebrows rise in surprise, "That's quite a while to spend being a mother... does she mind it? I mean Llysereth.. it seems like she must spend a lot of time hovering over a clutch in her life"

"I think so!" remarks Lydiere, still grinning. "I'm trying not to look forward to it too much, since it is so long away. Just imagine - Llysah'll be within a few turns of my age, before that happens. An awful thought, really." Nodding, she adds, "It is a long time. She's not a fan. She hates flights, hates being pregnant and, to her mind, ugly even more. Once she's clutched, she's still not happy, but she tries to be, because she believes that that is what she is supposed to be. Llysereth is very caught up on such things."

Ezemial grins, "well I think everyone looks forawrd to a time when they can just take a break. I wouldn't feel too bad about lookign forward to it" He nods about the rest, "why does she hate flights so much? I woudl think that would be one of the few enjoyable parts to all of that... I certainly don't envy her the constant pregnancy part.. I don't think they look ugly when pregnant, but they look... uncomfortable"

Lydiere smiles ruefully, pointing out, "I don't think it gives people much confidence in their leadership, though, if all their leadership can do is dream about retirement. At least I'm not Senior Weyrwoman, though, and not likely to be - Lymera's close enough to my age that it's unlikely she'll retire long before I do." Setting her mug down upon the table again, she explains, "She's a prude. She's horribly offended by the idea, and considers it downright crude. I don't think they look ugly, either, but she's insistant about it. And it /is/ awfully uncomfortable. We end up spending most of our time down by the beach, so that she can float on the water and pretend she's weightless."

"I'd never really thought about a dragon being prudish.." He looks bemused, "seems a strange idea, but I guess the more I learn about them the more I realize there's much more to them than most people think..." He cants his head a little, "Jess and I were talking about whether or not there are shy dragons or dragons that weren't very confident.. but I guess there would be some.. of pretty much most kinds of personalities..." He nods again about the last, "I'm glad there's something they can do about the discomfort... everyone glamorizes the clutching and hatching.. I think sometimes they forget about how the dragons feel about all of it"

"Neither had I, until I met Llysereth." Lydiere grins, running the fingers of one hand through her hair lightly. "There are, absolutely, dragons that are shy, or not very confident. Ahreluth's uncomfortable with himself, for example, and Zymanth's not very confident at all. Very sweet - that's why he's Llysereth's favourite, I think, but still not very confident. There are dragons of every kind of personality," she agrees. "They do, yes. Honestly, it's not all that great for the clutchparents, either. Imagine sitting on the sands - which get awfully hot - for up to two months! It's /awful/."

Ezemial nods thinking about all that, "I guess a lot of people just don't realize what they expect of dragons.. makes you appreciate what they do for others at their rider's request" He snorts a little, "I'm sure not every dragon is keen on being a transport for humans... or moving their stuff... or saving them after they've done something stupid.." He chews his lip a little bit then smiles again, "Makes you really think about it more.. but still.. even then... I have to say I'm not put off by the thought"

Lydiere nods again, slowly. "I guess so," she agrees. "Dragons don't have to like what they have to do any more than we riders do. Llysereth, for example, hates that I have to do more hide work than practical things; she'd like to be able to go flying far more often." Again, she nods. "Boring work, transport, although at least it's out and about. -- You're not? Good."

Ezemial laughs again, "it's not as if me wanting it will mean I'll impress... but anyway.. I'll be happy to stay here and help others care for the dragons in indirect ways." He shrugs and smiles reaching to softly stroke Sniffles, "I just think that if I stay.. I will look for something outside of the stables to do. I like working with the animals, but... it's time to get on with things and find my real place, ya know?"

"True," agrees Lydiere. "I didn't want to, really, and I still did. Perhaps you'll consider apprenticing to the Healer Craft, and taking up dragonhealing," she suggests, thoughtfully, "If you don't Impress, that is." Nodding again, she smiles. "I know."

Ezemial hrms and cants his head, "I'd never really thought about that.. I mean I knew there were healers for aniamls but never thought of dragon healers in particular, do you have many here?" He asks, sitting up a little and pausing to take a drink of his juice as he waits for his answer.

Lydiere's smile is broad, if relaxed. "We've got Alexana. She's apparently one of the best around. Thankfully, I've never had to use her services - Llysereth's been nothing but healthy. It's not a craft I think I would be interested in, but I've heard that it's both interesting and useful, so perhaps it is an idea. Indeed, even if you Impress, you could still give it a try."

"And I can do it whether I impress or not.." his tone thoughtful before the smile returns, "and it means I have a better reason to be here than taking care of dragon food" A soft chuckle at his own words, "and yes I know it's all important.. but it would be something more useful in general.. anyone can throw feed after all"

Lydiere points out, with a smile, "You can pick up just about any craft, post-Impression. Seacrafting, obviously, is out, but most other things can be done on a part-time basis. Dragonhealing, though-- Yes, that's true. A very useful thing. It would also help you get experience with dragons, and let you understand them better. By the way you're talking, that's something that would be interesting to you, wouldn't it?"

Ezemial nods in response to the question, "yeah.. I had just never thought about it before" He chuckles, "I guess it never really hit me that non-riders would be allowed to do something like that. And it would mean that I'd get out a bit and I'd see different people.. and get to help in a unique way in the weyr..." He pauses mulling this over a little and hrms, "I wonder how hard it is to learn.. it's not exactly something you'd want to take a chance on making mistakes with.."

"I honestly don't know," Aura admits, somewhat ruefully. "I've never really looked into it before. I don't even know many people who do do it - but I expect you do a lot of theory, and then you watch trained dragonhealers at work, long before you're allowed to get near a dragon for yourself." Nearly knocking her mug over with a stray hand, she winces. "Whoops! Anyway, I ought to get back to Llysah before she demands feeding again. It's been a pleasure, as always, Ezemial."

"I hope I didn't keep you away too long" He nods and grins, "and you too Lydiere, I really like talking to you.. thanks for letting me tug your ear for so long with all this nonsense.

Lydiere shakes her head rapidly, as she rises from her seat. "Not at all. I needed what break I could get - and If I'd needed to go, I would've gone sooner. I'm glad you enjoy it; I always do. It's not nonsense at all. I understand completely how useful it can be, to talk to someone about things." She turns, waving as she leaves, though her steps are slightly hurried.

You exit the caverns, heading out into the bowl.