Nice People

Writers: Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 16th June 2014

Characters: J'ackt, Alina
Description: Jenackt and Alina have a pleasant conversation
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 6 of Turn 7

J'ackt

Alina

It didn't take long or everyone to notice that Jenackt wasn't in Candidate class that morning, and it took even less time for the whispers to start. He'd gotten into another fight, he'd been caught stealing from the storerooms, he'd broken 'something' with all the sex he'd been having lately, he'd run away to go live in the wilds again, he'd punched Sh'del. It was a delicious way to distract one's self from what they were supposed to be learning.

Alina was coming back from class when she decided to take a quick detour through the gardens on her way back to the Candidate barracks. Most of the others headed toward the beach to dip their toes in the water, but swimming would eventually come up and she didn't want to admit that she couldn't swim. The others might try to force her into one of those horrid bathing suits to teach her. She shuddered.

Lost in thought, she almost didn't notice Jenackt. The other Candidate was lurking beneath a tree, trying to look inconspicuous. Alina blinked, startled out of her reverie into an automatic, "Hello!" when he moved.

Jenackt looked at her from his leaned position and uncrossed his arms as he stood straight. "Oh, it's you. Hey."

Alina pursed her lips. "You weren't in class today. Are you sick?"

That brought an immediate scowl. "Do I look sick to you?" He snorted and shook his head.

"Then why weren't you in class?"

Jenackt glowered, but it wasn't directed at her. He jaw tightened slightly and he leaned back against the tree. "That's really none of your business. But won't be in any classes for a while, okay? So you lot can relax. The evil holdless person isn't going to be a threat to delicate holder sensibilities."

"You know what I heard..." Alina wandered a little closer and plucked at a leaf on the tree, pulling it down to eye level. The tracery in the veins was really pretty. "I heard that you were caught stealing." She cast a sideways glance his way, and smiled at the black look on his face. "I don't believe it. I don't think you're that dumb, not after that business with the knife. But that's what people are saying in class. Among other things."

He immediately rolled his eyes. "That's stupid. Why would I steal anything? Shards, they give us everything we need. Only time I've ever stole is to feed or clothe myself and that's all taken care of now." He eyed her. "You lot need better hobbies."

"Then why weren't you in class?" Alina asked. "What's the big deal?"

He stared at her and arched his brow. "Not that its any business of you or
your friends, but I'm on probation." He looked away and scowled as he stared
at the rest of the garden. "Our Weyrlingmaster likes me just as much as
Holders do."

"Do you think you'll Impress at the next Hatching?" Alina was suddenly curious. Sh'del didn't have much to do with them at this point, but he would if Jenackt Impressed. What _would_ Jenackt be like as a dragonrider? **Probably bronze,** she thought. **He certainly sleeps around enough.**

He shrugged. "Dunno. Probably not. I'm not going to hold my breath for it." He remembered the last one clearly. He had gotten excited and hopeful, but it had been nothing but a let down. And, he knew better than to try to run off again. N'vanik would come after him....again. "Why?"

"No reason. Just wondering." She shrugged. "Do you think you'd be good at it?"

He turned his head to look at her and frowned. "Don't know until it happens. What about you? Do you think _you'd_ be good at it?"

She rolled her eyes. "There's no chance of me Impressing. My twin isn't here. Remember?"

He stared at her for a moment. "What does your twin have anything to do with Impressing? She's not here because she wasn't Searched..so...obviously you have something she doesn't. Right?"

"We're the same. We were born on the same day." She let go of the branch and watched it spring toward the sky. The sunlight filtering through the leaves was a pleasant, cool green, and she wished that it felt as cool as it looked. And that Elana was standing there with her. Her absence was almost a presence in and of itself. "What did you do to get Sh'del so mad?"

"So? If you were the same, she'd be here. And you'd probably be doing her work for her." He watched the branch fling back upwards and brushed of a speck of bark that fell on his shoulders. "I told him that I didn't want to be Sagan's watchwher."

Alina's lips thinned in annoyance at his jab at Elana, but she let it pass. "I don't blame you." Nobody wanted to get saddled with a charity case.

"Well, you try telling Sh'del no and see what happens." He shook his head. "Oh, and I have a problem because I'm not sympathetic to a kid that needs to grow a set of balls."

Alina winced. "Did you use language like that with the Weyrlingmaster? Because if you did no wonder he's banned you from class."

"I'm not stupid, Alina. No, I didn't. The man already didn't like me. I just said no. And that he needed to be paired with someone who has the same tastes as him who he can do his things with." He glanced at her and a smirk finally lifted his face. "And trust me, Sh'del said worse than 'balls' to me."

"Yeah right." Alina threw him a dirty look.

"He did." Jenackt suddenly grinned. "Words like 'shit' and 'fuck'. Definitely not words to say in front of delicate girls."

He was baiting her, and she knew it. And she hated that he was actually getting to her. "Don't you have chores to do, some animals to butcher or something?"

"They're only words, you know. Can your sweet little holder tongue not dare to even attempt to say them?" He turned to watch her, leaning his shoulder against the tree comfortably. "And no. I'm not in the kitchens now."

"What, slept with all of the kitchen help and it's time to move on?" Alina asked sweetly.

He returned her gaze with a wider grin and for an instant, his eyes sparked with mirth. "Only two of them... at the same time. Why? Jealous?"

She smirked. "No. I just feel sorry for them. And unlike you, _I_ actually have a class to go to."

"Oh don't feel sorry for them. They really enjoyed themselves..." He glanced around and arched a brow. "No you don't. Everyone else is down by the lake."

"So?"

"So, you're not going to class right now." He pointed out. "And what's with the fascination about who I happen to be bedding?"

"You don't know anything about what I do," she said with a sniff. The second question wasn't worth bothering to answer. "Enjoy your probation."

"Not really." He admitted. "Enjoy it?" His frown returned. "Would you enjoy being purposefully allowed to get so behind that you'll never be able to catch up?" He turned away and shrugged. "He's trying to get rid of me."

"And I'm sure you did nothing to it easy for him," she shot back.

"By doing what? Keeping to myself? Working hard at everything I've been asked to do? Yeah...that's a reason to be gotten rid of." He turned his head towards her. "If he expects me to immediately be a biddable young boy who follows him around with moon eyes like he's the greatest thing on Pern, he's got a long time to wait."

"And its clearly going so well for you so far." She smiled and held her hides a little closer to her chest. "But as pleasant as this has been, I really do have to go. Bye."

"You know...I wonder if you're always this bitchy or if its just for me." There was a smirk. " Well, go on. Have fun."

Her hands tightened into fists around her hides at the insult. Alina threw him a black look, and was suddenly very glad of Sh'del's mandate. The less she had to do with Jenackt, the happier she'd be. "Go jump off a cliff," she told him, then turned and marched down the path the way she'd been going.

There was a chuckle as she walked away.

Last updated on the June 28th 2014

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Nice People