Planet Zar: Nexus

⦿ Mauryath is ecstatic. The battle was exhilarating. She clambers over Dietlinde, her chest puffed out and trilling comments about how brave she was and what a fantastically strong dragon she's going to grow up to be. Her confidence is tangible. Dietlinde is enamored with the exuberant little hatchling and encourages her outrages tales of the Death Court battle.

⦿ "And you were the bravest!" Mauryath chirps, planting her head on Dietlinde's knees. "Apart from me, of course."

⦿ Dietlinde colors. "I didn't do very much." She'd tracked down Dr. Krum and got the three of them to safety, but there had been so much chaos. Blasts of magic everywhere. Aliens and dragons appearing from the sky. At one point she was certain Janardan kaiju'd himself and fought a dragon alongside a giant robot. Things straight out of fantasy. Dietlinde was just a little human with a tiny gun. Not much use against the Death Court. She says as much.

⦿ "But that's why you're so brave!" Mauryath flips her head back and lets out a little spark of flame. "Just a little pew-pew machine against grown up courts."

⦿ Dietlinde is touched. She pulls Mauryath into her arms for a tight hug. Mauryath accepts it for a few seconds then struggles to get free- "You're squishing my wings!"

⦿ Dr. Krum has been quiet on the return trip and appears contemplative. She sustained minor injuries which are quickly patched up in medbay, but Dietlinde feels as if something more is wrong with her. She's terrified to ask. If Dr. Krum was badly injured or compromised in some way, it's on her shoulders. It was her job to protect the doctor. ⦿ When Dietlinde tries to meet Krum's gaze she receives a smile - stretched and slick. Something is afoot.

⦿ Dietlinde, Dr Krum, and Mauryath return to the Heimdall post-haste. The General is waiting to greet them, along with all of Dietlinde's siblings. Everyone is in dress uniform and the atmosphere is thick with formality.

⦿ Mauryath breaks the tension, strutting away from her bond with head high and chest puffed. She figures (correctly) that the welcoming party is there for her and she's eager to be preened over.

⦿ Dr. Krum has a quiet aside with The General, then takes her leave without another word.

⦿ Mauryath is fawned over by the Rosenheim siblings. Dietlinde feels a real sense of pride and confidence for the first time.

⦿ The General: Train your bond up good, Dietlinde. Once she's a yearling we'll be sending you both on her first field mission.

⦿ A REAL field mission! Dietlinde is ecstatic.

⦿ Brienne asks what color Mauryath is meant to be. A copper? or a green?

⦿ Dietlinde sinks down to a knee next to her dragon and buffs away some of the coppery patina, revealing shimmering green.

⦿ Brienne laughs. "Now you've gotta spit shine your boots and your dragon!"

⦿ Mauryath takes offense and scrambles after Brienne, teeth bared.

⦿ Dietlinde calls her back.

⦿ Brienne laughs more. "No offense meant, little one. You're gonna be a fun little spitfire!" She elbows Alice. "Can't wait until we get our own, huh?"

⦿ Aurich wonders why he wasn't the first of the siblings to be sent to bond a dragon. He's the oldest, the highest ranked. He's expected to take up the mantle of General at some point.

⦿ Considering Shy's letter asked for people of royal lineage, Aurich is worried about why he was looked over. He has no ill feelings toward Dietlinde but he doesn't understand. He feels trepidation more than envy. A dragon is a huge responsibility and Aurich has plenty of that on his shoulders already.

⦿ Is he even ready for a dragon? Could he handle one at all? Does his mother have a better grasp of his limitations than he does himself?

⦿ Perhaps he should talk to Alice. It's rare she's ever on the Heimdall for more than a few hours. She's always off in her warships, completing missions. Stir crazy if she's forced to stay put with no action.

⦿ Alice has her own feelings regarding the choice of sending Dietlinde before anyone else. She doesn't have the same compunction that bonding a dragon was some sort of "first born right." She understands that standing for a clutch tends to be done by younger people and Alice might have aged out of the regular criteria. She's busy. She has squadrons to command. So, it could be her age. It could be her schedule - when does she have time to raise a dragon?

⦿ But none of this changes the fact that she wants a dragon. The prestige of it. The eternal mind link with someone helping her grasp power. Maybe raising a dragon would help The General drop her blinders and realize Alice is the obvious better choice to take over command when she retires.

⦿ These are the things Alice is contemplating when Aurich finds her in the training room.

⦿ "Always busy with something," said Aurich, smiling warmly.

⦿ Alice finishes her reps and joins him.

⦿ Aurich: I've been thinking about finding a clutch to stand at.

⦿ Alice: You too, huh?

⦿ Aurich: Do you think mum thinks I'm not cut out for it? I know she's careful with me, but-

⦿ Alice: She coddles you. I think she was trying to give Diet a push out the door. And maybe a confidence boost. Lord knows she needs it. The kid tries to hide her worries, but she's not good at it.

⦿ Aurich: I think she's going to do great things with that little dragon.

⦿ Alice: Won't be little for long. Do you think we could handle raising a dragon on top of all the other shit we've got?

⦿ Aurich: Most of my work happens behind a desk. You're busier than me. Would you take a year off to start a hatchling?

⦿ Alice's face twists, souring. She hates the idea of taking any time off. Who would lead her troops? She has excellent second in command, but she's not suited for an idle lifestyle. She doesn't want to take a year off from battling. She's already done that - twice - to have children. Fortunately the raising of her kids was done in the Heimdall, between her siblings and her parents.

⦿ Alice: Most of my work is in the captain's chair of a warship. I don't see why a dragon couldn't accompany me there.

⦿ Aurich: It's like raising a kid, isn't it?

⦿ Alice frowns. Aurich has a kid, a child, with someone their mother didn't approve of being used as a surrogate - just for the sake of having his own child. And Aurich is active in the kid's life, unlike how Alice was with hers.

⦿ Alice realizes Aurich is serious. He's going to find a clutch and he's going to bond a dragon. Somewhere, somehow. The Refugium offers plenty of clutches that allow mature candidates to stand. Those imperial luungs are due to hatch any day now.

⦿ If Aurich is going to get a dragon, so is Alice.

⦿ Alice shrugs.

⦿ Alice: Might be good for both of us. And it's only raising a kid for the first year or so, then it's having a partner. I'll look into it. There's gotta be something out there that suits us.

⦿ Alice looks into upcoming clutches. There are plenty of options across the Nexus, many are promising. But Alice is called out into the field and misses the clutches she's been most interested in: the Vella crean sword and shield, clan Akelara's court clutches. She realizes she's focusing on court dragons.

⦿ There are other options. Lantessama always has clutches. The Refugium is close and its dragons are varied. But Alice wants a court.

⦿ In the aftermath of a star fight Alice hears of a young private, Kalev Engelheim, being chosen to stand at an Imperial Court clutch at Dawn Watch Weyr. It's unusual for any of the heimdall staff to be sent to Pern, alternate universe or no.

⦿ Urgency grips Alice. She won't even be the second officer to get a court dragon. Her desperation grates at her and affects her command. She takes unnecessary risks and is unusually brusque with her squadron.

⦿ She stays in touch with Aurich, who is doing research of his own with less urgency. He wants a dragon the same way he wanted a child. A companion, someone to raise and care for, something that wasn't directly influenced by The Heimdall and Dr. Krum. Alice knows he has fewer preferences regarding a clutch. She knows time is her enemy.

⦿ She wishes she didn't feel such a strong need to compete with her siblings. She loves them and wants them to succeed, but she needs to be who The General chooses as successor.

⦿ Aurich watched clutches come and go with a faint sense of melancholic anxiety. He's not getting any younger and it's hard to say if any dragon - barring the odd Imperial Luung - would be willing to bond with someone just shy of forty. He knows its additional responsibilities and he's already trying to be active in his son's life.

⦿ He doesn't feel the same incessant urge to bond as Alice does. There's no pressure for him, but he can't deny how much he wants to bond a dragon. Or at least have the opportunity to stand at a clutch. He knows Alice is anxious that Aurich might stand before her, but he won't. He's tried to reassure her that he'll wait until she's picked the right parents and come along with her. It's not a race, not for him.

⦿ It's a busy day on the Heimdall in between missions, and Aurich is helping Operations by inspecting new recruits. He's been a decent judge of character and has a good sense of what groups fit well together.

⦿ Sirino rushes into the training room, looking smart in his cadet uniform. A grin is plastered on his face and he rushes up to Aurich. Aurich should reprimand him. He's acting out of line on the training field. But he enjoys Sirino's joy and enthusiasm, so he doesn't.

⦿ "Aunty Alice is here!" Sirino exclaims, beaming. "She's-"

⦿ "Sirino," Alice's voice snaps whiplash cold.

⦿ Sirino jumps into parade rest, but his mouth is wide with a grin.

⦿ "At ease," said Aurich, ushering the boy away with a wave. Sirino quickly engrosses himself with some of the younger recruits. They're still much older than he is, but he's always been a gregarious boy. Aurich leaves him to it.

⦿ "You're so soft with him," says Alice, frowning.

⦿ "Mom was soft with me."

⦿ Alice snorts and rolls her eyes.

⦿ "What's he so excited about?" asks Aurich.

⦿ "It's not enough that his favorite aunt has come to visit?"

⦿ It's Aurich's turn to smother a chuckle. Alice is no one's favorite aunt and she knows it.

⦿ Alice and Aurich move to a quiet corner of the room where they can talk in relative privacy.

⦿ "I've found us a clutch," said Alice. "A court clutch and my schedule is open, so I'd like to leave as soon as we can."

⦿ Aurich had some hand in keeping her schedule relaxed. He'd read the mission reports of her increasingly agitated behavior, messier work in the field than her normal perfect precision.

⦿ "I'll pack my bags," says Aurich. "Where are we going?"

⦿ "The Empyrean Stair." Alice pauses, her expression serious (as always) but someone strained. "I've heard it's... a strange planet."

⦿ Aurich laughs, mirthful. "Everything out here is strange."