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"A copy?" Bereck looked incredulous. "Well if there's so little there that you have time to sit down and copy out the entire thing it can't be worth reading. Or you've already made copies? For what purpose?" He should just have stayed inside, oppressive heat be sharded. Bereck pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Patience.

"It will be useful, sooner or later especially with the world in the state it is now," he continued seriously, lowering his hand and placing it behind his back. He doubted there would be anything approaching peace again soon. Would Euclid even be an escape? It was an uncertain future he had turned towards and he couldn't turn back now even if he decided he wanted to, even though he was... afraid. He wished he wasn't afraid.

Though Bereck's thoughts spun away in an unhappy whirl his expression remained steady and stern, though he did look unfocused for a moment. When the moment passed however he focused sharply on Nash again. "You won't be of any practical use around the infirmary, well other than providing cleaning services. As I say however it may prepare you better for the future."

Oh, really now? Bereck's nostrils flared. "Don't give me that flat look boy, I can feel your impertinence from here. You said you would get me a copy. That's not the same thing as saying 'I will lend you my journal'. Healers need to be precise, in word as well as in action. If the journal covers seven turns however I doubt I have time to read all of it in any case, not in any timely manner at least. You might be as well to verbally familiarise me with what you've covered... no, I think I will give you a syllabus and you can indicate how much you know about each subject. That would be a lot faster, so in turn I can work out where to put you faster." This had obviously been a mistake but he wasn't going to just go back on his word without giving the child a chance. He'd probably be out of here soon enough anyway and then Nash would no longer be his problem, nobody here would be.... How many apprentices would come with him? Becka would, not that she was really an apprentice anymore having Impressed but he wasn't sure where the loyalties of any of the others lay.

Bereck sighed, rubbed his foredhead, looked back at Nash and then raised one impressive red eyebrow. Just one of them. The left one. "I would say, boy, that the best way to explain it would be the way you just did. And I am not going to 'go off' on you for not having knots." That meant shout at or something, right? Something of that ilk, he was pretty sure. "I am however going to do everything in my power to make sure that anyone within their Weyr who claims to be a healer of any kind has the skills to back that up, and a rounded education." How few people had their caravan possessed to entrust a mere boy with midwifery? Thoroughly worrying. Nash was here now though, not there, and perhaps some proper education could be instilled into him. Perhaps.

"Yes well-" Bereck paused for a moment, expression tightening as a sharp stab of pain flashed through his side. "-I have decided to give you the benefit of the doubt," he continued, choosing to pretend nothing had happened in the hope that the boy would follow suit. "If I find out you lied, believe me I can make you regret it. If not, and if you follow the rules, then we won't have a problem. Mmh, and just try to communicate clearly in future. Cut to the chase, focus on the facts, and don't concern yourself with what I will think." There was a bench against the wall, perhaps he should go and sit there... after he had finished this conversation, unless he could think of a legitimate reason for both of them to go over and sit.

Damn. Not subtle then... but they could both pretend it hadn't happened and save a little of his pride. Bereck shrugged. "Very well, if you prefer. It's still in the shade which is what matters to me." With this said he turned and moved towards the bench taking slow careful steps which he hoped would just look unhurried to a casual observer. Once there he eased himself down onto the bench gratefully and had another sip of water.

"So, seven turns? Who taught you?" he asked, mainly to get Nash to talk for a while, thus giving him time to compose himself a little more and hopefully for the pain to fade back to background levels.

"Hum." Bereck removed hos glasses and cleaned them with a cloth produced from one pocket of his vest. "A lot then... well, we'll see what we can do to fill in some of the theoretical gaps you have. While you're working, of course." Frankly he found it rather silly that candidates were most often dedicated to simple chores regardless of their skills. Teach them humility and discipline? Ridiculous, any good master could do that!... But that was another rant for another day.

"Do you want to be a rider?" Bereck asked abruptly to Nash. "You realise it means that you wouldn't be able to follow a craft, or do anything but fight Thread... unless of course you get a crimson or a white."

"Really?" Both of Bereck's eyebrows went up this time. "Well you should consider it like that, consider your options. Your brother may have other career options should his Lanterneth go down the route of breeding but only crimsons get to make that choice, and besides them the only dragon you could Impress that would be exempt from full time fighting duties would be a white. Given we currently have but one of those on Pern I think you can appreciate how low your chances of being chosen by one are."

Bereck gave a short sharp exhale and sipped his water again, gesturing vaguely with his free hand as he began to really get into the topic.

"That's the thing in a Weyr see, you have no choice when you Impress and your options are limited by the hue of your dragon. One of my apprentices Impressed in the last clutch you know, she wasn't even a candidate. She was there in her capacity as a healer, all she ever wanted to do, but Trine will not permit her. No. She was chosen by a blue dragon and so all her turns of training are for nothing, she will fight the Thread regardless of whether or not she is personally suited for it, regardless of the fact that she could be of more use on the ground. If you prefer the thought of being on the ground I suggest you withdraw from candidacy and seek an official apprenticeship, while you're still... how old are you anyway?"