A New Challenge

Writers: AL, Cali
Date Posted: 31st March 2009

Characters: T'kob, Shardon
Description: T'kob gets help packing from his cousin.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 2, day 17 of Turn 5

"So you think you're going to like it there?" Shardon peered into a bag and noticed at how much room there was left. T'kob was only halfway packed and Shardon supposed he should help - though he didn't particularly feel like it.

T'kob looked up from where he was choosing from his favorite books. He had too many to take them all, at least right now, but he had to have a few available to him. "I think so. It'll be a new challenge, and it's not like I don't know people there."

"Are you really going to take _all_ of those with you?" Shardon shifted further into the room and peered at the books, not realizing that T'kob was sorting through them. He knew books were precious and expensive, but still.

"Can I leave some with you? I'll come back for them once I've settled in." he promised. He rarely spent his marks on anything else, but he didn't want to spend all evening hopping back and forth for them either. Not when he wanted to dig in to all the progress reports of the new weyrlings and meet the staff.

"Yeah, I guess so." Shardon didn't really mind, but he was going to have to find a cart or something to roll those books away - either that or make multiple trips, which was even more annoying. "Where's your weyr? Can you see the sea?"

T'kob picked up those from his chosen pile and put them in one of the large bags he would strap to Embereth. He tied it off and started placing the rest in a crate his cousin could take with him. "It's next to the Weyrling barracks, low, so no great ocean view like I have now, but it's best in case the weyrlings need me."

"It's going to be weird, knowing you aren't here anymore." They didn't necessarily see each other every day, but Shardon was used to having his cousin around often. "I'm going to have to find a new drinking buddy."

"And a new sitter." the bronzerider reminded the man. While he'd miss getting to watch the two youngsters every few restdays, he'd have plenty of new youngsters to look after.

"That too." Shardon gave a half grin. "They're going to miss you more than me, I think."

T'kob chuckled as he picked up the crate of books and set them on the table in front of his cousin. "I think they'll miss the sweets I've always got for them more than me personally. I'm sure you'll be able to convince one of the other cousins to look after them, there are about twenty of us."

"Twenty? Are you sure there aren't more?" There were times Shardon wondered if the whole Weyr was run by the family. "I think you're missing some people."

"Ah, fourth cousins don't count!" He waved it off with a laugh. Looking back to his now empty bookcase he said, "Do you want these shelves? The headwoman said she'd send somebody up to move whatever I didn't take into the storage rooms, but they're good and sturdy if you want to claim them first."

"Maybe." Shardon eyed the shelves. Yes, it might be good to have one. After all, they were expecting another baby and they could use the room. "Yeah, I think I will. I'm going to have to get some help."

T'kob looked around the weyr and saw his extra set of straps hanging on the wall. He retrieved them and stuffed them another open bag. "I'm almost done here. I can help you move it down before I go."

"Gonna help me move the books into our quarters too?" Shardon chuckled then straightened. "I should probably go find something to help us transport all this."

"Okay, I'll finish with this and be ready when you get back." He pulled the graphite drawing Shardon's little girl had done of Embereth off this wall and folded it carefully before placing it in the bag between two of his shirts. It was crude, and made the bronze look more like a fat wherry, but it was adorable to him and he treasured it.

"Right." Shardon hovered a moment, watching his cousin. Then, without another word, he left the weyr. They were going to miss him, but it was a good opportunity for T'kob, so they weren't going to resent him for it.

Last updated on the April 1st 2009

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