The Test

Writers: KC Free, Len
Date Posted: 1st March 2012

Characters: Sh'del, T'aesh
Description: Sh'del tests T'aesh on recognition points
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 6, day 6 of Turn 6

T'aesh stood beside Raisheth in the Weyrbowl, trying not to
let his nerves get the best of him. Today was an important day, and a
milestone in his training as a weyrling. This was the day that Sh'del
would test is recognition and visualization skills, before approving
the young rider and his brown to go /between/ unsupervised. T'aesh
had never had any problem going /between/ before but the fact that
after this day he and Raisheth would be able to go almost anywhere on
Pern was a little daunting.

}: We will do fine T'aesh. We always do fine. :{ Raisheth said, not
boastfully but simply stating a fact.

T'aesh took comfort in the solid support from his dragon partner, and
thumped him affectionately. **Thank you dear-heart.**

Loranth landed beside the slightly smaller and lighter coloured brown.
He furled wings that could challenge smaller bronzes in size and eyed
the weyrling. On his neck Sh'del sighed, hoping to get through this
one in fine shape. He had just had to hold back a little green rider
when her airheaded rider couldn't remember what the coordinates looked
like in her mind's eye. Hopefully T'aesh would do better.

"Ready lad?" he called out.

T'aesh quickly climbed up on the crouching Raisheth and strapped
himself in. He was still slightly nervous, but being up on his
beloved brown dragon seemed to drain much of the nerves away. They
had drilled on going /between/ for a while now, and this would be no
different.

**Please let Loranth know we are ready** the young rider asked his brown.

Sh'del nodded. "Okay, I want you to visualise the landing at the
Dolphin Hall." Loranth 'leaned' into Raisheth to see what they came
up with.

T'aesh took a deep, calming breath and did as he had been taught in
weyrling class. He envisioned the requested spot in his minds eye,
concentrating on the landing at Dolphin Hall and nothing else. Once
he felt he had a firm vision of the area, down to the most minute
detail, he shared it with the young brown Raisheth.

}: I can see it :{ Raisheth informed his rider and Loranth.

Loranth projected the image to his rider, who nodded. "Good...very
good T'aesh. Now I want you to go there." The older brown opened his
wings and left into the air, before blinking /between/.

**Ready love?** T'aesh asked his brown.

}: Yes :{ was the reply Raisheth before he pushed up from the Bowl of
the Weyr with his powerful hind legs and leapt into the air. Once
they were a good distance above the ground Raisheth did that thing
that was exclusive to dragons and their kin, he used the mental image
of his rider to take them /between/ to that place. The intense cold
of /between/ hit T'aesh, and he counted his heart beats, the only
noise /between/ before the burst from that sensory deprived place unto
the air above the landing space at Dolphin Hall.

**Great job Raisheth** T'aesh sent to his young brown dragon, quite
proud of their joint effort.

}:He's going to make a fine fighter soon,:{ Loranth informed his rider
as he glided up to the young pair.

Sh'del couldn't help but agree. Of all the weyrlings, he had feared
T'aesh of being the most trouble. But quite the opposite had
happened. Maybe all he_had_needed was a lifemate of his most. He
nodded at the weyrling before telling Loranth to tell them to land.

Raisheth alighted in the landing area, and T'aesh quickly unstrapped
himself a climbed down. Once he had reached the ground, he gave his
brown dragon a thump full of pride and affection before turning and
waiting for Sh'del, to hear his assessment.

"Great job!" He patted the young man on the shoulder. "How do you feel?"

T'aesh grinned, happy that the Weyrlingmaster Second was pleased with
his performance. "I feel like...Raisheth and I are one stop closer to
being able to do what we are meant to do, fight Thread!" the young
brownrider said, with just a bit of enthusiasm coloring his tone.

"Ha! One step at a time, young man." None the less, he clapped the
brown weyrling on the back once more, secretly pleased with how well
he had taken to his weyrling training. This definitely was one to
watch out for in the future. "Can you give Loranth the coordinates to
get yourself to River's Buff Weyr, please?"

T'aesh nodded, before once again concentrating on the mental image of
River Bluff Weyr. /Betweening/ to another Weyr somewhat daunting.
T'aesh knew that somehow dragons always knew where the where, even in
/between/ and never collided with each other when the came out of that
black place, but still it was a little scary. T'aesh shook his head,
focus on the task at hand and making sure the image of River Bluff
Weyr was clear and precise in his mind before he passed the image to
Raisheth ever present mind, who would then share it with the older
Loranth.

}:Looks good, we'll see you there.:{ Loranth nodded to the younger
brown before leaping into the sky.

T'aesh grinned while he climbed back onto Raisheth and strapped himself in.

**Ready big guy?** He asked jovially, his mood now more relaxed.

}: Always :{ Raisheth replied to his rider, sending the mental image
once again for T'aesh to reaffirm before leaping into the sky moments
after Loranth, and once again going /between/ and coming out of that
dark place into the air above River Bluff Weyr.

Sh'del breathed out when they appeared above them. Not that he had
any fears that T'aesh wouldn't have done well. }:They've done
brilliant,:{ Loranth mused as he titled his wings so that the clear
water below shown on his near black hide.

**Once you're done showing off to those greens on the beach, let
Raisheth know they can visualise home, let us see it and get there.**
He slapped his lifemate on the neck affectionately.

T'aesh visualized the one spot he knew he had down packed. Not only
was it home, it was one of the most points Raisheth and he would ever
learn. This was the point that was drilled into him, because when
they actually began to fight Thread, this would be the place they
would return to if the brown or his rider were ever hurt. Faster than
the other points, the image of Dolphin Cove Weyr was sharp and clear,
and he gave it to Raisheth, who shared it with Loranth.

}:See you there!:{ At that, the older brown winked /between/.

Last updated on the March 9th 2012

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

The Test