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"You want to what?" Sovek, the burly head of the ground crews bellowed. "Telatl, I know you want to feel useful, but putting your life in danger by being on a ground crew is not the best way!"
"It's the way I can feel I can be of the best use to my hold," Telatl replied stonily. "I can move as well as anyone else, I know how to use my crutches. Sirin can help too, she'll keep an eye out for me."
Sovek smiled but shook his head. "I'm sorry Telatl, I can't let you do it. I know you want to, but perfectly healthy men loose their first limb on ground crew. You've already lost a leg, do you want to be missing an arm too?"
"I'm not afraid of losing another limb, Sovek," Telatl explained quietly. "My arms are as strong as the next man's, probably stronger than most. I'd like to see anyone else get around using their arms for a day. A missing leg hasn't done anything to my reflexes, and I'm old enough. Don't I meet the requirements?"
"Except that you're missing a leg," Sovek reminded him sadly. "I'm sorry Telatl, I can't allow you to risk your life for something your condition excuses you from anyway! Everyone knows you'd be the first to jump to the hold's defense, were you able to. Isn't that what you want?"
"See, that's why I want to be on ground crew," Telatl gritted his teeth in frustration. "You, and almost everyone else, think that because of my 'condition' I'm not of any use as far as strength is concerned. Well, you're wrong. I'm perfectly capable of being on ground crew, or doing most whatever else I choose. I don't want people to just know I would defend my hold, I want people to watch me do it."
Sirin trilled her agreement. Sovek glanced at the flit nervously but chuckled anyway. "Y'know, I think you're half brave and half out of your mind, Telatl. You don't need to prove yourself, everyone knows your circumstances, your reputation is fine. Why not take up a craft? You'd be a good harper, I bet. Maybe even a smith."
"Shaffit Sovek, my reputation is the last thing I'm worried about!" Telatl exploded. Just how thick skulled was he?
Very, was Sirin's answer. Would you like me to bite him? I bet it'd help him think.
Don't.
"I don't want people to excuse me because of my circumstances," Telatl continued, "they don't need to! I can be on ground crew like any other person my age, no matter if I am missing one leg. If I loose another limb or am to injured to continue on ground crew, that's life. But that could happen to anyone."
Sovek shook his head sadly."I'm sorry Telatl, I can't, in light of your condition, allow you onto a ground crew. I could never live with myself if something happened to you that wouldn't have happened to a two-legged person. Ground crew just isn't the place for someone who's already lost a leg."
Telatl gave a short, harsh laugh. "Do you really think I care about your concience? If something happens to me, it's my own fault for being there. And I will be there, whether you let me on the crew willingly or not."
"All right then, Telatl, if you really want this..." Sovek caved in and sat down behind his desk. "Now, do you have any particular crew you'd like to be on? I might as well schedule you in, there's no stopping you anway."
"With Arisun and Ortol, if possible," Telatl replied excitedly, struggling to keep his happiness out of his voice.
Sovek pulled out a chart and eyed it for a moment before, with a great sigh, picking up a quill and writing something. "Alright, your right in there with Arisun and Ortol. We're drilling tommorow morning, a tailor will be up to fit you for your gear later today."
"Thank you, sir," Telatl nodded graciously and left. He closed the door behind him and strutted away as best as he could do with his crutches.
Tommorow Sirin, we're going to be part of the ground crew, Telatl told his flit excitedly.
Lamira's reaction to the news was no better than Sovek's. "Are you crazy, you dimglow? You can't be on ground crew!"
"Why not?" Telatl challenged, "because I'm missing a leg? What difference does that make? I can still defend my hold."
"You're missing a brain as well if you think you're going to be on ground crew," Lamira scoffed. "It's dangerous for people with all four limbs, let alone someone missing one!"
"So not having a leg makes me less of a person? I can't fight as well as anyone else?" Telatl sneered. "There're some people in this hold, whole people - not cripples like me, who can't even lift a flamethrower. It's no more dangerous for me than it would be for them."
"Of course you can, but you don't need to get yourself killed proving yourself!" Lamira all but screamed. "No one thinks you're less of anything because you lost a leg, you don't need to prove anything to anyone."
"Why does everyone think that's all I care about?" Telatl demanded. "I don't give a wherry's hind end about what the hold thinks of me just as long as they don't pity me and let me get on with my life."
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