The Inquisition

Writers: Heather, Sia
Date Posted: 16th March 2025

Characters: Q'vettan, Zaverin
Description: Q'vettan questions Zaverin
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 2, day 11 of Turn 12

Q'vettan

It had been a long time since Q'vettan was actively involved in a case like this. Violent cases were rare enough in the Weyrs, with dragons able to keep such a natural hold on their riders' well-being. Usually _someone_ was able to intervene before anyone reached that point. This was …unusual, and partially why K'ran had asked him to be the one to investigate.

Of course, Kapera was well loved. The Barrier Lake leadership would be in charge of the trial and judgement. If there was anyone that could possibly get the true, real story, it wouldn't be them.

Anxiety loomed over the Infirmary, and the appearance of the Weyrharper didn't do anything to allay that. A young, nervous apprentice lead him down the unfamiliar hallways until he caught sight of a familiar man sitting alone, next to a door.

"D'kere." Q'vettan said with a nod. "The healers say Zaverin is well enough to talk. I have a few questions, if this is a good time."

D’kere looked up at the Weyrharper from his chair by Zaverin’s door.

“Of course.” The bronzerider stood, retrieving the key from his belt and unlocked the portal. “If it’s fine with you, Q’vettan, I’ll sit in. Won’t say a word or get in your way, but a witness to what he says might not be a bad thing.”

"I was hoping you would." Q'vettan said with a nod, "A witness covers us both."

The small recovery room hardly had enough space for the three of them, but Q'vettan maneuvered himself in easily to sit in the chair nearest to the bed. "How are you feeling, Zaverin? I'm Weyrharper Q'vettan."

Zaverin was semi-propped on a couple of pillows, enough so that he could actually look around the room a bit. His jaw still hurt whenever he opened his mouth, so he kept his teeth gritted when he talked.

“It’s not my best day. What do you need, Weyrharper?”

"I'd like to hear your story about what happened at the Weyr Completion Ceremony." Q'vettan said. "The Weyr wants to move quickly on a trial, but we need to collect as much information as we can before we present to the Weyrleader."

Zaverin arched an eyebrow. “I tried to kill Kapera. That’s the story.”

In his chair, in the corner, D’kere’s fists clenched. How could Zaverin talk so callously, without the hint of emotion?

"Yes, we saw that." Q'vettan said. "But you don't have a history of violence. You aren't known to have a temper. Your colleagues described you as quiet and solitary, but not someone that would attempt an assassination. I can't find any instance of you and Kapera crossing paths, so it wasn't a personal grievance."

“If you didn’t find an instance of me and Kapera crossing paths then you’re not very good at your job, harper. She and I were at Windswept at the same time,” Zaverin answered.

"Ah, yes. Windswept Islands. Do you blame her for Euvimeth?" Q'vettan asked.

Zaverin’s eyes left the Weyrharper’s face. They became distant as his fingers toyed with the edge of his blanket as if he were watching a memory. “They caught us when Euvimeth was scored. We were falling through the sky. It was her gold’s job to catch us but she barely could.” He thought back to the moment they’d crashed onto Riyanth’s back. He could hear Euvimeth’s roar of pain before he’d been knocked unconscious. “Her catch knocked me out. When I lost consciousness he panicked, or so I’m told…. He was gone when I woke up.”

"And that's what happened when Kapera lost consciousness." Q'vettan said, "Riyanth was gone when she woke up. A harper couldn't make it more poetic." He leaned back in the chair, considering the healer. "How long had you been planning it?"

“The moment I woke up without my lifemate. Kapera transferred from Windswept before I could work out a plan for her there. Then she was at Dolphin Cove…. But when I heard Barrier Lake was opening, that her dragon had risen first, and that they were _asking_ for healers to fill their state-of-the-art infirmary, I knew it was the best time to transfer. No one would be paying attention to a healer.”

Q’vettan shifted in his chair, his expression neutral but interested, "No one needed to pay attention," He said. "From your records, there was no reason to think you were a danger. It had been turns since then. Accidents happen in Threadfall, and none of us are innocent. Did you wait specifically for the Completion Ceremony, or did you just see an opportunity and take it?"

“I waited and I watched and I studied. I watched her at the last Hatching to see her routines. To see what the Weyrleader did. To see where her weyrmate would be. I thought I would wait for her next Hatching but then,” the faintest curve of his lips into a smile. “Then the Completion Ceremony was announced. It wasn’t exactly as I had planned, but I knew the opportunity that I was waiting for might present itself.”

At the smile, D’kere lunged from his chair and grabbed Zaverin up by the shirt. “Wipe that smile off your face you piece of shit,” he said between clenched teeth.

Q'vettan did not move. His gaze was sharp as he looked between the two. He exhaled a quiet breath through his nose, neither approving nor disapproving. Just watching. Perhaps D'kere was also too close to this. "Decorum, D'kere." His voice was smooth, even. "We are dragonmen. _Bronze_ dragonmen, at that, the three of us."

The shaggy-haired bronzerider exhaled slowly through his nose. Q’vettan’s words cut through his rage with an icy stab. “You’re right,” he said, releasing Zaverin with a little shove. “My apologies, Weyrharper,” the normally docile D’kere said, returning to his chair.

Zaverin hissed at the movement that jostled his broken ribs. His tongue darted out, swiping across his chapped and split lip. “Don’t worry about it, D’kere, I noticed you were like a pup on Kapera’s tit the moment I arrived. This must be terribly difficult for you.”
Fury flashed in D’kere’s eyes but he remained seated this time.
"Another outburst like that and I'll hit you myself." Q'vettan said mildly, "Why don't we go back to the nice conversation we were having before. Do you have any accomplices we should know about? Aside from Jeyme, of course. She admitted to her relationship with you rather quickly."

“We didn’t hide that we were sharing a bed,” Zaverin said. “She was never an accomplice, she’s good on the inside. Not like me.” His head sank back against his pillow a bit. The conversation was exhausting him. “Jeyme I didn’t plan for… couldn’t have foreseen that she would happen to me.”

"Unintended consequences come for us all, eventually." Q'vettan glanced over to D'kere, considering for a moment whether the other bronzerider should stick around before continuing. "We will follow due process. There will be a trial, but I'm sure you realize that the Weyrleader will not be impartial, and has a vested interest in the harshest judgement. I can plead your case and recommend exile, should you desire it."

Zaverin contemplated the offer before saying, “I’ll take whatever judgement the Weyrleader deems appropriate.” He had done what he’d set out to do and now he would let fate take its course.

Q'vettan studied Zaverin in silence. He could craft this. The hands in his lap could has lost their fight. After all those Turns waiting, planning, orchestrating the moment, and now that it had passed, there was nothing left to hold onto. He could make it poetic. Tragic. He exhaled quietly and stood. "Very well. The Weyr will hold its trial. You'll get your moment before D'hol. If there's anything else _revelant_ you want to tell us before then, you better say it soon."

“There is nothing left to say,” Zaverin said, which would be the last words the man spoke for several days.

Last updated on the March 20th 2025

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The Inquisition