Can You Blame Me?

Writers: Eimi, Shelly
Date Posted: 11th April 2006

Characters: U'kaiah, Kamira
Description: U'kaiah helps Kamira learn her formations.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 5 of Turn 3

"No, Kamira, you're not seeing it," U'kaiah sighed. "All right, watch." The bronzerider tore nine strips of paper and waded them up into little balls and placed them on the table in the formation they had been practicing. "Now see, this is how the formations starts out, right?"

"Yes." Kamira said with more than a little attitude. Even if she was having trouble with formations she was just a weyrling - not one of U'kaiah's ex-wingriders! He didn't have to treat her like this.

"All right, so if we want to move these riders into the formation on your page," he said tapping the paper she had been studying, "show me how you think they should be moved."

With an unseen roll of her eyes Kamira began making what she believed to be the correct formation with the pieces of paper. She took a few moments to study it and then nodded. "There. Like that." And then prayed to Faranth she was right.

"Yes, but remember, we are assuming the cross-wind. If you move the greens directly like that, there is the danger that they will be blown right into the path of these blues here," he said pointing to the pieces of paper he was referring to.

"But, isn't the leading edge coming from the east so it would be best to have the greens approach from the west?" She was clearly confused, but hopped the question was at least half way intelligent.

"That would be the ideal, yes," U'kaiah nodded. "But you must always beware the crosswinds. Those can catch a dragon's wingsail and send them right into danger. Taking the wind conditions into account, taking a less direct approach to the Fall, in this case, is best."

"All right." The young weyrling gave in, defeated. "I'm never going toget this."

"Sure you will," he said gently, reaching up to rub her tense shoulder muscles gently. "It's a lot to wrap your head around. I know. I had trouble with it at first too. But of course, when I was really learning how to fly Thread, it was in actual Threadfall. I understood the principles pretty quickly then. We had to, or we didn't survive."

Kamira closed her eyes and sighed, making some sort of sound of
sympathetic agreement. Shards that felt good. His rough hands were strong and well practiced. Surely this, if nothing else, was motivation to study her formations.

"Here, you deserve a bit of a break. Turn a bit and I can get both shoulders." He lifted a leg over to straddle the bench and gently nudged her to do the same.

She obeyed without thought and leaned into his touch a little. "Shells you do good work, U'kaiah."

"Turns of practice," he chuckled softly. "Besides, I owe you aback rub."

It had been such a long time since she had felt this aware of a man's presence. She knew exactly where U'kaiah's hands were and could sense his body not far behind her, his thighs on either side of her...

Her eyes snapped open and she got up quickly. "Crackdust! I forgot that I was supposed to meet some of the girls for a little rest and relaxation time." She was pleased with the way the lie came out, it sounded plausible enough and it wasn't at all out of character for Kamira to be late for things. Maybe he wouldn't notice her slight panic...

"But what about your back rub?" he asked with a little chuckle. "Is this some ploy to try to get two from me?" U'kaiah asked giving her suspicious eyes and a smile.

"Can you blame me?" She winked and exited the room as quickly as
possible - there was no way she could resist that man if she stayed there much longer.

Last updated on the April 18th 2006

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Can You Blame Me?