Monday, March 28, 2011

From the diary of Lyta Lassander (1917)

15 Winter, 1917

I wish I had more time for training, but there SO MUCH else to do. Especially when we're moving. Set up the tents, take down the tents. Unpack the bags, pack the bags. Find the food, cook the food, wash up from the food. I never had to do this back in Baja! And after all that, I have to set up the B'ti'atta and it still takes a really long time because it's meant for people who are taller than I am. I'm almost too tired to train when I've got it all set up, but I do it anyway because that'll make me better at the B'ti. But it's hard sometimes.

I like the times that we stay in one place for a few days. Then I can really train and practice a lot. But it seems like we're moving all the time.

Lyta

*****

36 Winter, 1917

Lukas ran away again. He wanted me to come with him, but I said I wouldn't. I don't want to make Bestha and Amaraa sad again, even if they're not my real parents. So he left without me. I can't believe he left me by myself. I don't know what I'm going to do without Luk. Even Torgath is mad that Lukas left.

Amaraa says we're really close to the Karaq wastes, which is near where they found us. I bet Lukas is trying to go home to Baja, but I don't think there's anything there anymore except CEF. Our house probably isn't there any more, and I bet there aren't even any oasis towers left. I wish I could go look for myself, but Amaraa says I shouldn't leave the tribe because it's too dangerous.

I'm angry and sad and I hate that Lukas is gone and no one's going to get him. I think I'll just go train for the B'ti some more, because otherwise I might start screaming.

Lyta

*****

1 Spring, 1917

Lukas is back again. He's tired but he's okay. He came and hugged me and said he was wrong to leave me, and I just cried and cried. I don't want him to leave again ever.

Jonas went to talk to him after he got back, when I was training on the B'ti'atta. They talked for a long time. And then Luk came to watch me train, which is I think the first time he ever did.

Lukas says he won't run away again. I hope he means it for real this time.

Lyta

*****

14 Spring 1917

Lukas and Torgath are in trouble. We're camping with the Primta tribe this week because they were nearby, and Torgath got into a fight with one of their first-born and he hurt Torgath really bad. So Torgath got Luk and they cut the straps on the Primta boy's saddle so he'd fall off the springer when he started riding. But then the springer bucked and the boy fell off and landed on his head and they had to take him to the healers. He was bleeding a lot and his neck looked funny.

Torgath looked horrified, and even Lukas looked like he wasn't happy. I don't think they meant to hurt the Primta boy that much. I think Maraja is going to punish them anyway though. Bestha says I shouldn't follow Lukas' example because he's a bad role model.

Lyta

*****

25 Spring, 1917

Whoo, going back to Junira Loresh! I missed it so much! Jonas says we're definitely going to be there in time for the Imti'qhaan this cycle so that I can compete in the B'ti. There are other people from the Bathani competing too, but not in the B'ti. In other things. I haven't seen the other competitions yet, but maybe I will this cycle.

Grenden says if I want to compete, I need to use a Sand Rider Koreshi name. I don't know about that. I really like just being Lyta. But Grenden says that when they call my name, it should be a Koreshi name. There aren't any Koreshi names that start with L though. So maybe I'll use my full name and turn it into a Koreshi name, like Hippartha. If I say it fast enough, it almost sounds like Hippolyta. Hippartha. It reminds me of the times that I knew I was in trouble when I was little because Mom would use my whole name: "Hippolyta Adrianna Lassander, you get in here RIGHT NOW!" Yeah. Maybe we'll just stick with Hippartha.

I get to run the B'ti again soon! Yay!

Lyta

*****

36 Spring, 1917

I'm in trouble. I'm in so, so, SO much trouble. I'd been practicing pole vaulting with Grenden and he said I was ready to try it for real, which is when you vault over a springer. Except my pole slipped and I landed right on top of it, and it spooked. And then the rest of the herd spooked. And they all ran away.

Grenden and Torgath and Luk and I chased them for almost five hours. Today's lesson: Springers are FAST! You'd think that after training for a half-cycle, I'd be in pretty decent shape to run after them, but I'm not. I'm really not. After we caught the first one it was a little better because we could use it to follow all the rest of them. It was sunset when we finally brought them all back.

Amaraa was really mad. I've never seen him so mad. Bestha too. Amaraa yelled at me for almost an hour. He said that I endangered the whole tribe because we need the springers to travel and if they ran away we'd be stuck. I tried to be strong and not cry, but I did anyway. Bestha just sat in the corner and watched.

Amaraa said that tomorrow the elders want to see me and I think they're going to yell at me too. I hope they don't throw me out of the tribe. I said I was really, really sorry but I don't know if that's good enough. I think Amaraa and Bestha and Grenden are going to get in trouble because of me too, and that's worse.

I hate pole vaulting. I'm never doing it again.

Lyta

*****

37 Spring, 1917

They didn't kick me out of the Bathani. I thought that Amaraa and Bestha would get in trouble, but they didn't. Maraja said that they need to keep a closer eye on me and keep me away from bad influences. I think she meant Lukas. I hate that she thinks Lukas is a bad influence. He's just angry.

Jonas tried to tell Maraja that I was really sorry and I'd learned my lesson, but she didn't care. She said that as a punishment, I need to help take care of the springers all the way until we reach Junira Loresh. But at least I'm still part of the Bathani and I can still run the B'ti for the tribe in the Imti'qhaan. I don't know what I'd do if they said I couldn't. I don't think I could wait all the way until next cycle.

Lyta

*****

17 Summer, 1917

Junira Loresh! Yay! We're here and we're cleansed and I was super-excited to try the B'ti again, but Grenden says I can't yet. He says that because I'm a B'timasti for the Bathani this cycle I can't compete until the official start of the Imti'qhaan. He says it's so that no one has an unfair advantage.

There are SO many Sand Riders Koreshi here. Hundreds and hundreds. Maybe more. I didn't even know there were so many. Jonas laughed when I told him that. He said of course there are thousands of Koreshi, it's just that people outside the desert don't know about them.

I can't wait to show Lukas everything, but he's sleeping now. I can't sleep. I'm too excited. I bet Torgoth is too excited to sleep too. He said that Paresh was telling him about all sorts of things in Junira Loresh to see, not just the B'ti. I bet if I asked him he'd show me.

Lyta

*****

21 Summer, 1917

First day of the Imti'qhaan, which means I'm up. It's been so long since I had to compete at the first level of something, I almost forgot how nervous it makes me. I want to make everyone in the Bathani proud.

Bestha says I'm going to be great. I think she has to say that, though, because she's my adopted mom. Grenden says I've got pretty good chances. That made me feel better. Wish me luck!

Lyta

*****

25 Summer, 1917

Finished four levels in the end. I almost finished the fifth except I lost my hold on the vine and had to run along the floor, which was way longer. Still, Grenden says that four levels in one meet is really, really good. Even Amaraa only did three levels. And next time we come back I can start right at level five. I don't need to do the first four again.

There are lookout points so that you can see into the B'ti courses when you're not competing. Now that I'm not competing anymore I can watch everybody else at the higher levels. I bet they're awesome.

Torgath took me to watch some of the other competitions. I think he likes the fighting ones best. I think he wants to compete next cycle. Actually, I think he wanted to compete this cycle but Paresh told him he should wait a little longer until he's more prepared. If you complete all seven competitions you can become an Askar, that's like the Koreshi army. I don't want to be in the army, though. I just want to keep running the B'ti.

Lyta

*****

34 Summer, 1917

Jireni from the Tergami tribe is SO GOOD! Oh, my God! I've never seen anybody move like that! It looks like she's flying! She's competing on the nineteenth level of the B'ti. She's the only one. Nobody else is even past the sixteenth. Grenden says Jireni has been trying to do the nineteenth level for at least five cycles and still can't get down below 7:50, but I still can't believe how good she is. I mean, I've seen really good gymnasts. I have. I went to the Polar Olympics once and watched the gold medal routines. But I bet Jireni would win gold in the Olympics if she competed. She's better than anybody I've ever seen. Ever.

I don't think I could ever complete the nineteenth level. I can't even think about what the twentieth and twenty-first look like. Amaraa says no one's been able to do those in generations. If there's only one person like Jireni and even she can't do it, I don't understand how anyone could.

Lyta

*****

35 Summer, 1917

Leaving Junira Loresh. I don't want to go. Bestha says there are people who live in Junira Loresh all the time. They're called Ferah. I wish I could stay in Junira Loresh forever and run the B'ti every day. But then I wouldn't be with Luk or Torgath, which would suck. So maybe I don't want to stay. But I don't want to go either. I hate leaving.

Lyta

*****

13 Autumn, 1917

The strangest thing happened today. I was training on the B'ti'atta but my heart wasn't really in it. I was kind of sad that we're not in Junira Loresh anymore and no one else in the Bathani tribe is training for the B'ti. I forgot how lonely it is training by myself. I looked down, and there was Kitesh with her parents. She was looking at me with eyes as big as tent rings.

I don't know why, but I swung down and asked her if she wanted to try. She can't, not really. I mean, she's only seven, and you're not allowed to run the B'ti until you're thirteen. Even then, I don't think too many people try until they're at least fifteen or sixteen and sure they can complete at least the first course. Kitesh can't even reach the first rung of the B'ti'atta. Even I have trouble on the B'ti'atta sometimes, and Kitesh is only half my height.

But I was about seven when I started gymnastics, and she seemed so excited and her parents were okay with it. So I showed her how to do a somersault. She was so excited. She just kept doing somersaults in the sand. I can't imagine what the inside of her clothes looked like after. But she's so cute and giggly, you can't help but laugh when you watch her. I told her if she came back tomorrow I'd show her how to do a somersault backwards.

So it looks like I've got a student. I hope Grenden isn't mad at me.

Lyta

*****

26 Autumn, 1917

Kitesh's parents invited me to have dinner in their tent tonight. They said they wanted to thank me for teaching her. I said they didn't have to, because I like her and it isn't any trouble, but they insisted. Amaraa and Bestha say it's a big honour for them to invite me while I'm still Bachanned. So I guess I'm honoured, but I'm also confused. I mean, Kitesh is so cute! I'd teach her anyway just to hear her giggle when I lift her up onto the bars. She reminds me of all the little kids who used to train at the gym, but then there were dozens and now there's just Kitesh. Hamma -- that's Kitesh's mom -- says I'm a good role model, which is really weird. I don't want to be anybody's role model. I'm just me. But maybe if I'm Kitesh's role model then she'll compete in the B'ti one day and win honour for the Bathani too.

Lyta







Heavy Gear Roleplaying Game

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