DCW: A Little More Than Expected

Writers: Jane, Kaysea
Date Posted: 26th May 2007

Characters: Ylisahn, Dargan
Description: Ylisahn gives Dargan cleaning instructions after the Hurricane
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 19 of Turn 4
Notes: Ylisahn's Storm 12 - Storm eases, water starts to recede

Ylisahn felt like a Weyrlingmaster, or perhaps a Wingleader, walking up
and down the row of waiting workers, checking that they all had their
instructions; asking questions to check.

Though perhaps the Weyrlingmaster wouldn't be dressed in borrowed
clothes that were nearly large enough to go around her twice. The
turned up cuffs at the bottom of the trousers flapped around her now
booted ankles and were probably the reason for some of the smiles she
met. Her attire, and the fact that finally there was something people
could _do._

Her volunteers were the most active of the lower caverns staff, and she
thought she could have written a list of who would volunteer and been
almost completely right. Those men and women to whom waiting was a
trial were now, after half a day of being trapped by storm-driven flood
waters, more than ready to _do_ something.

One she might not have had on her list was a familiar face from the day
before, though the day before was becoming something that seemed to come
from a lifetime ago. Before the flood. When she had an office, when
the Weyr had a kitchen and a Hatching Ground full of newly-clutched
eggs. Yesterday, before the flood, Candidate Dargan had visited her and
she had interviewed him to make sure that her records of his Candidacy
were accurate.

"Is this a little more than you expected, Dargan?" she asked, pausing by
the young man.

"Well I was prepared for just about anything, but this? Beyond
expectations..." He gave a lopsided grin. "But nothing we can't
handle." His grin widened, "We'll have it looking more like home soon,
I'm sure, Headwoman. Besides, I needed something to keep me occupied."

"This should do that," she murmured drily. She eyed the shovel in his
hand. "So you'll be breaking down the sandbagging to let the water back
out?"

"Yep! Something totally different for me, hard labourious work. I
might build up some muscles with this work." He had to keep his
enthusiasm up, when he thought of how close he'd come to never Standing
again, it literally scared the life out of him. So much had happened
since he had arrived a few short days ago.

"Or strain something." Ylisahn said. "Be careful of yourself and
remember than nothing's going to be fixed in one evening." She had
little experience in the results of such a flood, but those she had
talked to had suggested it would be months before everything was back to
normal.

"I'll be fine." he reassured her. He wasn't joking about building some
muscles. His legs had always been strong, from turns of running back and
forth delivering messages - even when he was younger his family had used
him to run errands from their hold to others surrounding. But his upper
body? His arms were puny, as was his chest. When he looked around at
the Riders of the Weyr, he realised just how little body strength he
had. Maybe this would help him develop, just a little, so he would look
more a man than boy. "Once I get into my stride, I'll work well, Headwoman."

"I'm sure you will, Dargan. But you will remember what the healers have
told us? About getting cuts and scratches treated right away? And
washing thoroughly before coming back into the living areas of the Weyr.
That means up here now," she added, still finding that strange.

"I will Headwoman, we don't want the pla -"

Ylisahn frowned. "It wouldn't be that. Just the overcrowding
sicknesses, but they can be deadly enough. You be careful or I'll send
the healer's down to check on you," she said, smiling at her scolding tone.

"I will. I will." He didn't want to take any chances; after all he'd
still be Standing, and he didn't want to have his last chance taken away
by ill health at the last minute. "Believe me, if I so much as get a
nick, I'll be seeing the healers immediately. Promise!"

Ylisahn smiled at his fervent words. This was one she wouldn't have to
worry about.

Last updated on the May 27th 2007

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DCW: A Little More Than Expected