Change Over

Her saddlebags sat on the bed ready to go, a list of instructions waiting on the desk to be passed off to Lieutenant Commander Snow. Sabine glanced around, raising an eyebrow as Reaper yawned and stretched, grooming himself quietly. "Enjoy the comforts while they last boy" she said with a small smile before turning and grabbing one more item from her wardrobe. A knock and a sharp bark from Reaper alerted her to Snow's presence and a smile pulled her lips upward at the Lieutenant Commander's voice.

"Enter" she spoke plainly but with a smile in her voice. Turning, she continued packing as the Lieutenant entered. "Ready for the big chair?" she asked without turning. This was the first year that Snow would be left in charge. Sabine had gone on several of these recruiting missions, but with the old Lieutenant commander retiring last year, this would be Snow's first year in command while Sabine was away.

Reaper leaped up at the sight of Crystal and with a wag and a happy yip started sniffing her over and wagging like an old friend.

I watched as Crystal dipped her front in an undignified imitation of the dog's play bow, something she'd picked up from him to mean he wanted to play and she understood to be careful. I turned back to Sabine as they began to play. I am ready for the responsibilities of your office until your return. I was as ready as I could be, reassuring myself that it would only be for a few short weeks and all that would be work I'd helped with before. Are there any last orders before you leave? I knew what was expected of me but wanted to be sure there was nothing I'd forgotten.


Crystal made a playful growling noise and I had to force myself not to look. The dog was large but the tiger was larger and watching them play was always humorous, Crystal letting the dog win sometimes. I sent a thought to Solstice to remind me to bring Crystal to her for some play time while I was working, the dragon and tiger were also friends and that's what I normally did while Sabine was away, this would be the first time I wouldn't have my usual duties to look after, I didn't want to forget the tiger's needs.

Sabine smiled as the Lt. Commander responded with her usual seriousness. It had been a constant state of learning throughout their friendship and Sabine had to admit that Snow's consistency was something that she'd come to rely on. It was a steady light to guide the way amongst the turmoil that had often engulfed their lives.

Turning to watch the pets playing, she nodded in response and then strode over to the desk and picked up the piece of paper. "Here are the daily procedures and some notes on the bonding ceremony and dinner. I'm sure you'll do fine" Sabine added with a smile. She knew Tanya had helped with preparations in the past, being in charge of it would come easy to her she was sure.
"Scouts have spotted the buffalo herds far to the east so we should have safe passage through the prairie this year. The weather has been crappy off and on but we'll just have to deal, it'll better weed the women from the boys I suppose." She stopped and considered for a moment, trying to think if there were any other concerns. "Do you have any questions Lt. Commander?" she asked finally, her face serious for once, a prelude to the face she'd wear for the next week while escorting the new recruits to the base and for some time after until she was sure who was staying and who would leave. It was better that way...a sort of distance. Less hurt. The image of recruit Devon flashed momentarily through her mind as she thought of the application she'd received from Devon's niece Emily Lightfoot. She wondered whether Emily would have the same cheerful personality as her aunt had.

Shaking herself from the thoughts, she tilted her head slightly, her face softening. "Wasn't so long ago that was us traveling here for the first time" she mused quietly. "We had no idea what we were in for..."

I found it difficult not to relax around her when we were alone but I maintained my professionalism for as long as Sabine did. I don't believe I have any questions. I breathed a sigh of relief when she said the scouts spotted buffalo well to the west, remembering my own experience and the effect it had on the fleet that year. A record low in recruits that year had meant the next year had a record low in successful bonding, the effects of the stampede that Sabine and I survived had ripped down and could still be seen in today's fleet.


I her face change as she remembered our trip as well and I relaxed some, my stance shifting just slightly as a result. It wasn't that long ago, was it? Our journey to the fleet had been particularly difficult but it had shaped the recruits that stayed and strengthened them. How many more recruits do you think would have finished the journey had that first night not been so difficult? The question popped up suddenly but it was something I'd pondered since that night.

"Feels like it was long ago" Sabine admitted quietly. Turning and walking to her desk, she glanced at the painting of the three of them they'd had done after their bonding ceremony. That had been a happy night, the joy and relief was written on their faces, even Tanya's, if you knew what to look for. Three girls smiled back at her, two large young adult dragons doing their best imitation of a smile, one dark, one light and one newly hatched emerald green hatching staring around in wonder. Happy days...

Tanya's question pulled her from the memories and she shrugged slightly. "Who knows. Even if they had, they probably wouldn't have stayed" she pointed out. There was less bitterness in her voice than had resided there back then, but still a reality hung on her words. If they weren't tough enough for a stampede, they weren't tough enough for the corps. Still there were those four who didn't get a chance.

"What do you think of last years crop? How do you think our second years are doing?" Sabine asked quietly and curiously.

I walked up to the side of her desk and gazed on the portrait behind it, remembering again just how happy I was that day, the first time my emotions had taken over and I hadn't been able to stifle them all. You know, I'd seen her before we left to pick up the new recruits and knew I wanted her. Solstice was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Still is. A smile crossed my face as I remembered the exhilaration of the bonding. I think the artist made me look too happy, if my mother saw it she would disown me all over again Looking at Sabine I smiled again, hoping she would see the joke in my words like she usually did.


I turned to her as she spoke again, nodding. She was right, they wouldn't have made it in the fleet, though I always felt that some of the young people who were too injured to continue would have styed if they could and the lives lost that night were tragic. I pondered her next question, thinking on the batch of young people who would be bonding when they returned from escorting the recruits Most of them are good kids, there are a few that concern me, though not because they are not capable of being here. I thought back to the bully that had been a second year when we were recruits, knowing the trouble she caused made me watch each successive batch, looking out for any future bullies.