Man The Poop-Sluice And Be Quiet

OOC NOTE: shh I couldn't force my brain to make it present-tense it just wasn't happening, my bad.

Western Weyr - Candidate Barracks
Carved from a natural bubble in the volcanic stone, this small dorm room has room enough to hold
around two dozen occupants comfortably. Along the walls are stationed sets of cots and clothes
presses, each made up to the standards of the weyrwoman. Above, the soft white light from electric
lamps cast down during waking hours.


LOG ENTRY DAY 2, 8.5.2710
— Citayzleat

Obtained eggs from large silver-brown fish, have seen smaller of species in the tide pools alongside the sea creatures. Put eggs on shelf out of current, for creatures to eat. Planted one species of kelp in corner next to rock-cave, for creatures to hide behind. Jassaran used thin tubing to clean bottom of tank.

FEED IN MORNING, TRY FRY FROM THE TIDE POOLS, OR WATER INSECTS.

CONSIDER AQUATIC INSECT LARVAE.

No fatalities or injuries to note. Sea plants surviving. Have not yet taken root. Uncertain if will or not. Uncertain if tanking such sensitive creatures is a good idea. Determined to keep tank in best condition.

“I suppose it's a distraction from moping about that firelizard,” Jassaran muttered dispassionately, staring with disdain at the aquariums.

Cita, pointedly ignoring the barb, carefully dosed out a scoop of vividly yellow fish eggs from a smelly jar of the things. “Shut up and finish siphoning the crap, Jass.” She grumbled. Their aquarium was going to be the picture of health.

Jassaran somehow managed to convey 'I am above this', with only the stiff set of his shoulders. With the thin plastic tube weighted down to the bottom of the aquarium, he shifted it around the pebbles at the bottom of the water, picking up the older bits of food and poop. “How do you even know they eat those?” The younger candidate sniffed, crabby.

Cita carefully lowered her bare arm into the aquarium, setting the scoop of eggs onto a shelf of rock outside of the artificial current that ran through the relatively-clear water. “I came here to observe them, in the first place, Jassaran. You know that.” She sighed, trying to remain patient with the arrogant shaff-head. Surely the training she'd been getting in bedside manner had to be good for something, right?

“I know that you said that, but we don't seem to know a lot more about them, do we, Citayzleat.” Jass grumbled, nearly slopping the nasty water onto the clean floor of the barracks. He had the sense to quail a little under her glare. “That idiot Froedrick ate one raw the other day.” He seemed like he couldn't actually help but relay the gossip, for all that it made him vaguely nauseous to participate.

Fastidiously wiping her arm off, Cita snorted, re-capping the eggs. They'd keep 'til the evening feeding, at very least. She'd have to go collect some more tomorrow. Maybe some fry, if she could find any in the pools. “Noodle isn't an idiot.” She defended, staunchly, setting the jar inside the bucket of ice she'd brought up to keep the other food-sources they were trying for the little squids. “And aren't you supposed to be siphoning? Faranth, how are we supposed to beat th— keep the squid healthy, if we can't keep the tank clean?”

Jass shot her a venomous look, but didn't remove the tube, think lips thinning further. “You just want to beat that Heryn.” He shot back, glaring with pale eyes over at her. “And 'Noodle', who calls somebody that? We aren't children.”

Cita gave in to the urge to roll her eyes, finally, going so far as to roll her neck too. Any other day, she might have let the comment pass, but her nerves weren't up to the usual task. “Eat me, Jass.” She snapped, thumping the bucket down with more force than was really needed and glaring at the resultant slosh of fishy ice on the floor.

“I hope you don't expect me to clean that up.” Jassaran sniffed.

“I'm going to kill you in your sleep.” Cita growled.

“Cita, is this one yours?” A fluffy orange head popped up in front of her, managing to distract Cita from deciding to head in early on the strangling.

She blinked, trying to focus on the blur of orange, who stopped moving long enough for her to decide was that kid – Roran? Maybe. He was holding up a very small blue firelizard, who was glaring at her accusingly.

Cita sighed. “Yeah. Thanks, Roranit.” Right. That was his name. She accepted the firelizard, tucking him against her chest.

The orange boy was still staring at her, wide-eyed and envious. “Where'd you find him? He's pretty. He's blue! You're so lucky, you have two of them now, and I don't even have one. If you don't want him, can I have him?” Roranit blurted, without stopping for breath, a few levels too loud for their indoor setting.

“Little quieter, Roran.” Cita chided gently, ire falling a little bit. She didn't really want to strangle Jass. He was just winding her up because he'd got stuck with hunting, and gutting made him sick. “You can't have Aster, because he's Impressed to me.” She added, fishing one of the smaller minnows off of the floor and watching the little blue firelizard gulp it down, avian-style. He was pretty talented, when it came to food.

Roranit made a sad little face, chubby cheeks squishing. “You shouldn't be sad, Cita. You're too pretty.” The boy said earnestly, sweet and bright, flushing vividly red.

Cita's heart did a little flip. The kid was too much like Narilut; in a few years, anyhow. She missed her little brother and sisters, a lot. Without meaning to, Cita reached out and ruffled the kid's hair, ignoring his enraged grumbling. “You're sweet, Roran. Unlike Jass, here. Don't grow up to be like him, you got me?” She encouraged, setting the newly-full firelizard back on the kid's shoulder.

Roran looked like he might explode of happiness, eyes shining. “Yes, Cita. I won't. You want me to watch Aster for you?” He asked, all but levitating with glee. His voice had gone back up, excitement getting the better of him.

It was hard not to laugh. Keeping a straight face was almost impossible. She managed it, somehow, solemn and suddenly not so wistful about the appearance of the little blue firelizard in her life – accident it might have been, but he was kind of cute, in this context. “Would you, please? I've got so much to do today, is all…” She trailed off, trying for hopeful; the kid needed to learn some sort of responsibility, if he had the chance to Impress an actual living dragon. Shells, imagine.

“Please, I can help! I'll take such good care of him.” Roran bounced on his little feet, eyes bright and wide, eager to please.

Cita managed not to smirk. And Heryn said she was bad with bedside manners. She could get the little brat, who ignored most people, to step up, couldn't she? And she hadn't actually strangled Jass yet, today. “I trust you, buddy.” Cita said solemnly.

“You're going to let that kid kill your firelizard.” Jassaran sniffed, as the little boy went bouncing off to brag to his gaggle of tiny-child friends.

How were any of those kids supposed to be dragonriders? Cita shook her head. Even with the archivist's sniping, she didn't feel the need to strangle him, any more, not really. “You're going to make me kill you, if you don't finish sluicing the crap, Jassaran.” She pointed out, serenely.

“Why don't you, if it's so important?” Jass snapped.

“I went and got the food. Everybody else with our tank is working still.” A beat, and Cita leaned closer, narrowing her eyes. “If I did it, I can't promise the dirty water would make it outside.” She pointed out, quiet, serious. Threatening Jass's possessions tended to work just as well as praise did for the littler ones. He just needed a little more of a heavy hand.

Cita was learning all sorts about patient control, being a Candidate. It was good for something except giving her nightmares nightly, hurting friendships, and confusing the shells out of her, at least.

As predicted, Jassaran wilted like old greens. He glared, still, but went back to siphoning hatefully. “You're not in charge of me, Citayzleat.”

Cita rolled her eyes. “Do you know anything about them? Do you want to win?” She asked, archly.

Jass didn't dignify that with a response. He didn't stop, either. If they could both agree on one thing, it was winning.


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