-------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Between* and Beyond Date: October 28, 2008 Places: Igen's Weyrling Training Field and Skyspace; Ista Weyr's Skyspace and Southeastern Bowl Game: PernMUSH Copyright Info: The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kassi's Note: Kassi and Lysseth run Neiravi, Sislyth, and a host of NPCs through another *between* lesson. We meant OOCly to wrap things up with a visit to Ista, but after we got there we realized we'd both have to run within a few minutes--oops! It was a fun make-up nevertheless. :) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Log: Another class, another late morning that sees Kassima and Lysseth in the center of the Training Field, waiting for the Weyrlings called to this lesson to arrive. It's *between*, so turnout is relatively high. M'dras, Dali, D'lgaz, Elvina--most of them have already made that frightful first jump. But this is not a lesson lessened by frequent repetition. Sislyth is outside, prepped and ready to go, and soaking up a few extra rays of sunshine while she's at it. Neiravi, in contrast, is pacing around her nervously, pausing every few steps to tug on a strap, or make sure there are no rough patches on the queen's bright hide, or check her own gloves and sleeves. "I'm *fine*," she tells Sislyth irritably, as the dragon huffs amusement and worry. "I just want to be *sure* of everything. Dali, does this look secure to you?--okay, thanks." She salutes Kassi and Lysseth mid-pace. "G'day, Weyrlings. *Relax*." Kassima returns the salute--for each of the *between* classes she's worn something different, a little bright, a little unusual. Something *not* grave and sober. Today she's tied a rainbow of ribbons to her cuffs and belt, and saluting sets the briefly trailing ends into a flutter. "'Twill nay take anyone *between* who's too nervy for it, so take a few breaths and step back, and *look* at Sislyth's straps. They're fine. You're fine. If'n you weren't ready t'do this as far as knowledge and ability go, you'd nay be out here." None of the other Weyrlings look amused or smug to see Neiravi singled out, for a mercy. Those who've done this before understand... Elvira, who hasn't, is preoccupied with keeping *herself* calm. It's hard to tell when Neiravi blushes, but she's doing it now. "Yes. Right. I'm sorry." Possibly with Sislyth's help and mental nudging, she finishes her circuit around the gold and steps away, eyes briefly vacant as she verifies everything with Sislyth. "Okay, we *are* ready. Secure and safe and ready." As advised, she takes slow, deep breaths while she waits, with Elvina imitating her. Kassima shakes her head. "Nay apologies necessary. Naught wrong with taking this seriously, 'tis better than the alternative. But if'n we get up there and ready to jump and you panic, feel you can't do it--tell me at once, and that goes for all of you. Understood?" She doesn't wait for an answer but moves on, brisk and matter-of-fact. "We'll form up into formation as usual and take off at m'signal. We'll go up high, why? Because you should always have plenty of distance between you and the ground when you jump! And when you arrive! That's the more critical. You can't always help being near something else when you go *between* but you should sharding well never be near it coming out." Beside her rider Lysseth bobs her head once, sharply, in emphasis. "You'll each visualize the Igen Star Stones and you'll have your lifemates pass those coordinates on t'Lysseth for approval, and when she does approve, we'll go. Again on m'signal. Any questions?" Neiravi raises a hand and asks "Should there be any more space between us than usual while in formation?" D'lgaz, whose mouth was open, snaps it shut and looks relieved that someone else asked first. Sislyth cranes her neck up to peer at the Star Stones. After a minute, as though reminded, the other weyrling dragons do so as well. "Nay." Another headshake from Kassima. "The formations are designed with jumps *between* in mind. If'n we were ever t'fight a Fall, we'd go as a Wing in formation, arrive together in formation. When you go *between* in the middle of the fight, you pop back in below and away from your Wingmates and rise back up t'formation, but that has more t'do with nay knowing what's going on in your place right then--you don't want t'come right in to another patch of Thread. Coming in below makes that less likely... it still happens sometimes." Kassi pauses, corrects herself with a flicker of rueful smile. "Happened. Anyway, I know you lot can keep formation backwards and blindfolded and dipped in strawberry jam at this point. Aught else?" Neiravi smiles a bit at the mention of strawberry jam, as perhaps was intended, and shakes her head. Elvina emits a high-pitched nervous giggle and shakes her head as well, and the others offer various negations while stepping close to their dragons. Sislyth already has a foreleg ready for Neiravi to use, and her tail is lashing restlessly. Let's do this thing. Of a similar mind, Kassima claps her hands: "Then mount up!" She pulls herself up onto Lysseth's neck, ribbons a-gleaming all the way. You place one hand on Lysseth's neck and she warbles down at you fondly. You grin and scratch her eyeridges once before climbing up onto her lower neckridges, using the riding straps and Lysseth's thoughtfully offered foreleg. <*> Neiravi mounts Sislyth. <*> Seated high atop Sislyth, Neiravi forces herself not to fiddle with her straps, just buckling in and making sure Sislyth is comfortable. One hand holds on, the other rests flat on the gleaming hide of her neck, trying to absorb some of the queen's unshakeable confidence. <*> Lysseth takes the place at the head of the V despite no longer being the largest dragon--none of the Weyrlings need the worry of leading formation on top of *between*--and remains still and poised until all the younger dragons have arranged themselves, and stilled themselves, likewise. At last Kassi lifts her hand and lets it fall. <*> Lysseth spreads her wings to their full extent, bringing them down with a rush of wind as she leaps nimbly into the air. You wing cautiously up into the Bowl. You leap into the sky. <*> Sislyth leaps into the sky. Dragon> Igen Weyrling Wing sense that Lysseth's voice shines brightly, all its crystalline facets gleaming cool blues, steady greens. << You are to visualize the Star Stones, >> she reminds them. << When you have that image firmly in mind, share it with me. >> Dragon> Lysseth senses that Sislyth refracts crystal back to crystal, blue and green mingled with sunny yellow. << The Star Stones. >> The image is bathed in clear light, the stones themselves, the walkway up to them, the nearby Finger Rocks, everything. Dragon> Igen Weyrling Wing sense that Lysseth subsumes the images she's given one by one into that crystalline matrix. It takes on hints of the red of Igen's walls, the gold of sand, the brilliant light of sun.... << Yes, >> she says at last. << All of you are ready. >> <*> The news that everyone's coordinates are sound passes swiftly from dragon to rider. Kassima cranes her neck for a last look back--just a brief look this time; they *will* come out whole, every class has so far. She's determined to believe it no less than they, and she gives them their signal with no further delays. <*> Lysseth disappears into Between. Between You gasp as the icy black nothingness of Between surrounds you! You hear nothing, see nothing, and feel nothing. The trip takes five heartbeats... Black... Blacker... Blackest! You suddenly emerge... <*> Lysseth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Sislyth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Sislyth reappears, with a brown and a handful of greens behind her, exactly as they went in. Her clarion bugle of triumph (so maybe it was a small jump, they still did it!) echoes in the high, chill air. Neiravi's choked whoop of elation and relief is all but drowned out. <*> Five other voices join it! Alavarth trumpets her own relief and that might be expected--Lysseth bugles in triumph and pride, her Wing again victorious against danger. Ubevanth, Soledyth, and Salvadath sing out, too, and as they've gone through this before, it may be in tribute to the two who had not. Whatever the reason, such a chorus has Kassima beaming from ear to ear. Dragon> Igen Weyrling Wing sense that Lysseth isn't cool and calm anymore, but brilliant in pride. << You've done it! Now you know you *can*, and we will do it again--this time we'll go to *Ista Weyr*. Memorize these coordinates and repeat them to me when you have them. >> The image she provides is a familiar one, for they've practiced the various Weyrs' Star Stones these long weeks. Dragon> Lysseth senses that Sislyth is radiating a yellow-white blaze of pride and delight that's almost blinding. But the brightness dies down by degrees until the image of the Istan Star Stones is clearly visible, framed by green jungle and blue sea instead of the golds and browns of desert sand. Lysseth> Sislyth senses that Lysseth, this time, assures each Weyrling privately, << That will do, >> and for Sislyth's blinding light she returns a crystalline flash in visual echo. Amusement there. Pleasure too, and fierce joy in *her* Weyrlings' survival. <*> Lysseth waits only until Kassima gives the Wing that signal again, and then she's gone, to reappear and bugle over some other Weyr's skyspace--the inhabitants up here probably appreciate that. <*> Lysseth disappears into Between. Between You gasp as the icy black nothingness of Between surrounds you! You hear nothing, see nothing, and feel nothing. The trip takes five heartbeats... Black... Blacker... Blackest! You suddenly emerge... <*> Lysseth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Sislyth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Sislyth is already looking around as she pops out of *between*, fascinated curiosity taking over. Neiravi will be fascinated later. Right now she's mainly hanging on, and convincing her heart to come down out of her throat. Her stomach, too. <*> Lysseth does bugle, but mercifully she keeps it... okay, not quiet. She's a dragon. She doesn't do quiet bugling. It's no worse than the usual greetings to watchdragons, though. After it's given she leads the small Wing of Igen Weyrlings down towards the Bowl ground below. <*> Sislyth flies from the upper sky. You land in the southeast bowl. <*> Sislyth lands down from the sky. You slide off of Lysseth's neck to land beside her easily. She rumbles, cocking her head down at you, and you rub her eyeridges gratefully. Neiravi slides down Sislyth's side to the ground. Kassima doesn't waste any time shucking her riding helmet, gloves, and jacket. "I'm *very* proud of you," she tells the Weyrlings. Her grin hasn't faded an iota. "Two fine, clean jumps, and here we are at Ista. We can spare the time t'stay a little while." Neiravi takes a bit more time than usual to dismount, maybe because she has to pry her fingers off the straps. She's shivering as she hits the ground, not dramatically, but more than the cool spring breeze might warrant. She just waits, leaning on Sislyth, and lets Elvina's hyperactive relieved chatter about how she wasn't scared at *all* really wash over her. "Oh, we can stay?" Maybe she can even thaw. "Can I go in and have something to drink?" From beside Soledyth, D'lgaz mutters what sounds like "And I need the necessary..." "We can," Kassima confirms. She glances about the Bowl, and the sky, as though checking for... whatever it is, she doesn't find it. "Aye, there's nay harm. You certes deserve a bit of a break and look around. So: go ahead and wander, you lot, and Lysseth will let you know when we want you back here and ready t'go home."