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"Miss Ashlyn?" Ionan wrinkled his nose, appalled at Astri's use of titles. "She's a Weyrling, and ranks don't really matter much here. T'rel won't mind if you call him by his name, but K'rit might. K'rit would probably get mad if you tried talking to him at all, though. He's not very friendly. But Tic doesn't mind me not calling her Weyrwoman. I don't even call her by her full name. Just by her nickname." The boy beamed, rolling up his trousers and removing his boots. He stepped into the surf, playfully splashing at the bronze. "C'mon, Zellie! Let's show Astri how to wash a dragon," he said with a laugh. He picked up a scrub brush, and began to scrub at the bronze's soft hide.

"You'll know when he's really clean," he said, glancing towards Astri, "They smell nice and spicy when they are."

T'rel nodded in approval. He rewarded Ashlyn with a smile. "Also to keep our traditions alive," he said.

Ionan shook his head, glancing at Astri. "Anyone can get a title," he said, musingly. Were they earned, or were they just provided, to people in certain circumstance? Huh. "Some people are born into them, like lords. And some people get them by chance, like dragonriders. Or sometimes, the dragons decide what you should be, and they rise at the right time, or chase the right dragon for you to become that. Tic and R'yn are good Weyrleaders, but they didn't earn that title. They just got it. Gereth chased Calith and he caught her. T'rel told me R'yn was only seventeen when he became Weyrleader. The only people who really earn titles around here are the wingleaders and the wingseconds. Oh, and the weyrlingmaster and the candidatemaster. They're chosen by talent. Sometimes I think everything should be that way."

The eight turn old paused, and grinned, "You can call me Captain Ionan, though, if you like!" He handed her the brush he'd been using. "He likes his back scrubbed."

T'rel reached out a hand and playfully ruffled Ashlyn's hair. "Do you have any goals?"

"Why?" Ionan's response was one worded, as he glanced up from scrubbing at Zelith's hide. Why did those with titles deserve respect, if they didn't earn those titles? "Why are titles so important to you, anyway? Should I call you Candidate Ashlyn? That's your title. I think," he added, "That everyone deserves respect. Sometimes people act like having a gold or bronze makes you better than everyone." The eight turn old paused--really, she asked that? "I'm Captain of all Pern!" he announced.

T'rel rose an eyebrow. A leader? Did Ashlyn know the amount of work being a leader was? "I see," he said. "Blueriders have a limited range of options, unfortunately. Candidatemaster, perhaps. Maybe Lavi's looking for some help. Weyrlingmaster, maybe. You'd need more experience. You'd have to be able to handle weyrlings dying. They go between, they never come back."