The World of Pern(tm) copyright (c) 1967 by Anne McCaffrey.
The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.
An online session, recorded by permission of the author for the benefit
of members unable to attend.
=======================================================================

December 5-6, 1997.  PernMUSH.  Kathall's POV.
--
Forgot to check +time:  Day 20, Month 12, Turn 20 of Present Pass.  A
winter evening.
Cast:  Kathall, A'lex, R'val, D'thon, Ceria, N'kshar, Remo, Rideen,
       Kassima, Melina, Caitlyn.

Kathall goes to Telgar to see Ofira about this dinner-for-Igen idea,
and gets LC spam-rp instead, which turns into the long-awaited next
move in her infatuation with A'lex!  Woo!
Action begins outside Telgar Weyr's living caverns in the snow.
=======================================================================

Nraith warbles at Kathall.

Kathall slogs doggedly through the white, wet stuff; the noise pulls
her up short. "...Nraith?" she guesses and tries to make her
cold-stiffened face smile for the bronze.

Nraith's eyes whirl blue as the young woman approaches.

Kathall frees a hand from her riding jacket and extends it to
him. Tentatively. She /has/ met Prefeth, after all.

Like a puppy, Nraith drops his head for a scratch above the eye.

.../Much/ better than Prefeth. Kathall carefully obliges him,
murmuring, "Bet you can't even feel that, in this cold, but there you
go. I'm going inside now, all right?"

Nraith rumbles pleasantly.

Kathall dips her head to him -- that must be a 'yes' -- and suits
action to words.

You walk past the lintel and into the wide living cavern.
--
Telgar Weyr's Living Cavern(#750RJM$)
Contents:
Lanzecki
Ceria
R'val
D'thon
A'lex
Pierron
Ceria's Sewing Basket
--

Ceria glances up at Kathall as she enters.

A'lex scratches out some more lines on the hide he's writing on.

Kathall shivers inside, red-faced, red-handed, dusted with
snow. "Always cold," she mutters and spots a familiar face. "A'lex,
your bronze has to be the nicest dragon on Pern, I swear."

--
Kathall is short but not delicate, being built instead along spare,
blocky lines, with her self-contained reserve grounded in a
nondescript appearance. Straight, medium brown hair, tied at her nape
in a short tail, matches the round eyes too close-set in her plain
face. Fair skin owns freckles across her snub nose and the backs of
her thin, capable hands, whose measured gestures emphasize the economy
of her contralto drawl.
She looks about nineteen Turns old. Bulky winter wear bundles her in
llama wool and wherhide -- respectively, a beige sweater and dark
pants and boots -- with only her face and hands left to be chilled. An
apprentice's knot of baker red and white, threaded through with Benden
Hold's violet, adorns one shoulder.
--

A'lex looks up, "Huh?"

D'thon glances up simultaneously.

Ceria looks curiously at Kathall.

It takes a second, but then he recognises Kathall. He grins, "Hey!
What are you doing way up here?? Over here??"  [A'lex]

R'val looks up and grins, "Kathall, hey." He waves over at her.

--
R'val stands before you, a muscular man of twenty-five Turns or
so. Standing at 5'9, he is an imposing figure with klah-dark skin,
tanned by nature. His dark brown eyes glint in amusement at the world
around him, and his dark black hair is short, cropped close to his
skull, framing a thin, perhaps overly long face. He is a rather
muscular man, slim but wiry and strong. He wears functional clothing:
rider's leather leggings, a thick wherhide tunic, and he holds riding
gloves and usually a riding helmet. Tied to his shoulder is a knot, of
red and black cord braided with a thinner one of blue, denoting his
position as a rider and his dragon's colour, at Telgar Weyr. A patch
on his tunic marks him as a rider in the Dawnslight Wing.
--

Kathall bobs her head civilly around -- smile for the faces she knows
-- and continues to the weyrling, not quite meeting his eyes, "He
... made a nice noise at me. Rumbled? And I scratched him. I just came
to ask Master Ofira something, since it doesn't seem like my messages
are getting through." Fire-lizards. Of course. "--And hello, R'val,
Ceria, D'thon..."

A'lex shakes his head, "Sorry, my eyes are so crossed from staring at
this hide that I didn't even see you come in..."
A'lex says "Klah? Stew? You must be freezing!"

--
A'lex (pronounced ah-LECKS) is a bright young man with silver eyes
hidden beneath a mop of curly, jet black hair. His face is richly
tanned, and his hands show signs of being well used for manual
labor. He wears simple winter trousers, a long white shirt belted at
the waist, and a new russett colored coat. His tattered boots come to
mid calf. A thin smile almost always curves one corner of his
mouth. A'lex is 18 Turns, 7 months, and 14 days old (more or less).
A'lex is proudly wearing his Telgar Knot which indicates that he is
lifemate to Bronze Nraith. On his shoulder is a patch for the
Dawnchaser Wing. More likely than not, there is a trio of firelizards
somewhere about which seem to think A'lex is their permanent perch
(+detail A'lex).
--

D'thon grins quietly. "Evenin'," he replies, then looks into his
half-full klah mug. He heads to the pot for a refill, repositioning
himself by the basket.

--
D'thon is a tall, gaunt young man with a long scar running across his
left eye. His skin seems to be rather tanned, and his hair is a deep
brown bordering on black.He is clean-shaven, but whatever effect this
may have is considerably diminished by the recalcitrant forelock
hanging down the centre of his forehead.Dark circles appear under his
eyes, as if he hasn't slept much {recently, but those same eyes shine
with an inner illumination hitherto unseen. He wears a deep blue tunic
without much adornment, as well as a pair of dark brown trousers which
appear fairly well-used. On his shoulder he wears the black and white
knot of a Weyrling at Telgar Weyr.
Carrying:
Rhodar
Lars
Leather Firelizard Rest(#15926Js$)
--
[Never noticed the scar before.]

Ceria smiles at D'thon and takes a sip of her cooling klah.

--
Ceria returns your glance a bit shyly with clear emerald eyes. She is
a diminutive girl, with fair skin and delicate features. Although she
is timid, once you get to know her, you will find her to be very
friendly. Ceria is not afraid of hard work and can often be found
doing her chores or working at some other task. Ceria is wearing a
long-sleeved dress that reaches to her ankles. The tan dress appears
to be made of a thick woolen material and is obviously made to be worn
in the winter. Along with the dress, Ceria is wearing a pair of worn
shoes. Her dark hair is tied in a runner's tail that hangs down past
her hips. Ceria is wearing the knot of a BakerCraft apprentice at
Telgar Weyr. She appears to be 17 Turns, 11 months, and 5 days
old. Two firelizards, a brown and a green, are often found perched on
Ceria's shoulders or watching her from nearby as she works. A small
blue can often be found in her pocket, with another somewhere
nearby. A young bronze has recently joined Ceria's fair also.
Carrying:
Cloud
Defiant
--
[Practically everyone has fire-lizards, after all.]

Kathall glances after D'thon, then shrugs. "I'll just sit down," she
decides politely, "and see how I feel once I thaw. But thank you." And
she sits, on the group's periphery, hands tucking between her
knees. "Are you busy? I'm sorry--"

D'thon shakes his head at Kathall from a few seats away - "Not at all,
we're just a bunch of idle weyrfolk. Except for the _wingleader_
there..." He winks at A'lex, then turns his attention to Ceria. A
quiet grin. "Err, Ceria, if you don't mind me asking..."

Kathall rounds her eyes at D'thon, then turns the stare on
A'lex. "Wingleader?"

Ceria peers at D'thon. "What is it?" she says.

D'thon leans over. He mutters to Ceria, "What'd Ofira tell you?" 

Ceria blushes. "You mean last night?" she says quietly.

D'thon nods soberly.

A'lex has reconnected.  [Caught him up on missed poses...]

Ceria sighs. She says, "Just that she wanted to talk to me in her
office later." She hesitates.

D'thon wonders - "Alright, so what did she say to you in her office?"

Ceria shrugs. "She didn't have time to talk to me today," she says. "I
think it had something to do with where I was sitting," she adds
hesitantly.

A'lex nods, "Yea, the nutballs nominated me to be their Wingleader..."
A'lex says "I just think they didn't want to do the Hidework..."

Kathall looks more carefully at D'thon the nutball. Looks back. Leans
forward to whisper, "He /looks/ normal enough, and he talks all
right. Even if he is lazy, I guess."

D'thon raises one eyebrow. "Where you were sitting?"

Kassima walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Ceria blushes. "Well...next to you," she says softly.

Lanzecki crooons to Emmy, oblivious to the humans' comments.

A'lex chuckles, then looks up to see Kassima, he salutes, "Heyla
Greenrider!"

The corner of D'thon's mouth twitches. "Oh.

D'thon quickly scrambles to his feet to salute.

Kathall remains sitting, somewhere between A'lex and where D'thon used
to be before the latter rambled over to Ceria (and her basket), but
does bob a polite greeting to Kassima.

A'lex carefully pushes the Hide he's scrawling on away from him as he
sips his klah... wouldn't do to spill on the hidework now...

Ceria shrugs. "I don't know why she said that," she mumbles.

Lanzecki carefully picks his way down the side of the basket, curling
around Emmy protectively.

D'thon sighs. "I'd like to know for sure myself."

A'lex says "So how've you been? How's Benden?"

Kassima is humming to herself as she meanders into the Cavern... or
perhaps to the sleeping toddler she carries. Both she and Kaylira have
undoubtedly been to the 'Springs yet again, based on the fact that
their hair is absolutely soaked. And dripping, it might be added, on
the LC floor. "Hope you'll nay take offense if'n I don't return
those," she remarks, wrinkling her nose a bit, "but I'm low on free
hands, I fear. Gah, D'thon, isn't standing *and* saluting a touch
much? Kathall, duties to Benden Hold! Good t'see you here again."

--
        Kassima is a slender woman standing about 5'10" in height,
whom you'd guess to be around 24 Turns, 8 months, and 5 days of
age. Her midnight-black hair is pulled back in a very long braid, with
a thick forelock trimmed just above arching eyebrows; beneath these,
canted emerald green eyes glint with occasional shrewdness and
facetious good humor more often than not. Kassi seems to be in
relatively good health and physical condition; she is strong and fit,
though remarkably slim, and her skin is winter-pale. Currently, she is
dressed in a flame gold blouse and plain black slacks. A knife, a
wherry skewer, and two pouches hang from her belt. She's often wearing
or carrying an odd riding jacket that has been splattered liberally
with rainbow-colored streaks and splotches of paint.
        Kassi almost seems to radiate energy, and flashes you a wry
smile when she notices your gaze. It would seem that she is fond of
jewelry, for she tends to wear plenty of it; adorning her neck is a
charm necklace, from which hang five pendants: three are of
crimson-streaked eggshell, amber, and jade respectively, another is a
silver dagger, and the fifth has the shape of a silver-and-malachite
dragon. Her earrings are loops of braided silver, with a round diamond
bead hanging from the bottom of each. Rings sparkle from her ring and
index fingers (+detail available). Several fire-lizards can be seen
flying around her at almost any time. She generally seems
hale... maybe even beyond hale. There's a faint 'glow' to her these
days, the sort that's normally attributed to pregnancy.
        Pinned on one shoulder of her jacket is a most peculiar
Wingsecond's knot, with no less than four colors: white and black for
Telgar Weyr, a thin cord of red to honor her Benden origins, and a
strand of grey-green to show the color of her lifemate, Lysseth. On
the other shoulder is sewn a careworn Moonrise patch; beside it is the
patch that identifies her as a rider in Thunderbolt Wing.
--

Kathall moves her shoulders in a shrug. "I'm always here," she
responds first to Kassima, half-heartedly wry. "Aphrael wants me to
come here and make baklava for you all, can you imagine? I've been
fine, A'lex, thank you, and so has Benden." Pause, for breath. "I hope
the same's true of ... all of you."

Pierron grumbles about over-clever Bakers invading his precious
kitchen.

--
Pierron is a massive man, both in height and in girth, the broad
expanse of his front covered in a full-length apron of purest
white. He has closely cropped rusty brown hair, which he usually keeps
hidden beneath a white cap, and a twitching handlebar mustache of
legendary porportions.
        He carries himself proudly, part innkeeper and part vain
artist, and works very hard to keep the living cavern in line with his
very high expectations. However, after an ale or two, he is warm,
jovial, and good natured, rising to any occasion with grace and good
humor.
        Pierron is always up on the latest 'rumors', and is happy to
get you anything you 'order' from the 'menu'. Despite any grumbling,
he'll give you all the 'Pierronhelp' you need.
--
[Pierron rocks!]

Ceria glances at D'thon. "I'm sure it wasn't your fault," she says
hastily. "I must have done something to upset her."
        
A'lex sighs, "Baklava? Really?" You'd swear his eyes are getting misty.

D'thon shrugs. "Maybe not. I've got a rough idea of what she has in
mind... doesn't mean I hafta like it, though."

Kathall nods, shoulders lifting again. "I have the recipe down now,"
she says a bit doubtfully. "It isn't too difficult, really. I'd be
happy to have some sent here?"

Ceria peers curiously at D'thon. "What do you mean?" she wonders.

A'lex bites his lip, still not to keen on this whole
People-doing-things-for-Dragonriders thing, "Well, I wouldn't want to
trouble you..."

R'val glances from person to person.

You say "So--" darts a look at R'val, gauging, and back "--so come get
it yourself, if you can /between/ now, A'lex."

Kassima settles into a chair, adjusting her child so that the girl is
sitting in her lap. Though one small finger does creep into Kay's
mouth, the baby doesn't stir any further. "Baklava? Gah... never liked
the stuff a'fore, but y'know, that sounds *delectable* right now. I'm
quite all right, Kathall, all things considered." She grins
wryly. "What ailments I have can't really be helped, I fear."

R'val blinkblinks at Kathall.

A'lex shifts a bit, "I'm not sure if we're allowed to go anywhere
unaccompanied yet..."

D'thon explains in an undertone. "Firstly, I've noticed that certain
Craftmasters do tend to have mother-wherry tendencies..."

R'val frowns, "They aren't..quite betweening without supervision yet,
Kathall..."

Kathall pounces on a wholly altruistic idea: "Well, you should find
someone to accompany you, then. You can bring back baklava for
Kassima, too. Wouldn't that be a proper thing to do?"

Ceria blinks at D'thon, uncomprehending.

A'lex ponders, then ponders some more, "Well, yea..."

Kathall turns to R'val. "Wouldn't it? If he went with someone?"

R'val hrms at Kathall, "If a weyrlingmaster permitted him, and went
with him..."

A'lex gives R'val that, "I'll polish your boots" look.

Kassima blinks at Kathall, then at A'lex, and looks just delighted by
the very prospect. "Baklava, here? What I wouldn't give! 'Twas even
thinking of making some m'self, but i'truth, I've nay tried for Turns
now and methinks m'skills are just a *twinge* rusty."

D'thon carries on relentlessly. "Ofira's not weyrbred, far's I can
tell, and she seems rather... protective..."

Kathall helps out, but her look has more of the "I'll bake nice
baklava" quality -- not as effective.

R'val regards A'lex sternly. Nope. Not budging.

Ceria nods to D'thon, but it's clear that she still doesn't
understand.

A'lex turn on the "Begging puppydog look." Then he gets an idea, "And
Ofira is always talking about how she doesn't have time to make
any... and how much she loves it."

N'kshar walks in from the bowl.

Kathall's attention twitches away from the ocular begging -- what's
this talk of Ofira, her master, too? -- then refocusses. "I'd
appreciate it, R'val," she says softly. "For Kassima, Aphrael
... everyone." And, primarly, for herself.

[I was trying to include the other two, Ceria and D'thon, but I've yet
 to be able to rp with Ceria, anywhere, in any circumstance.  I don't
 know why.]

A'lex glances quickly at-- "NIKH! Wouldn't you just LOVE some Baklava??"

Remo walks here from the Inner Cavern.

A glow seems to flash over Kassi's head, and she turns to R'val with a
puppy-dog look much like A'lex's. "*You* could go get baklava, R'val!
Enough for us, and for Ofi--aye, what 'Lex said! Why, 'twould surely
nay take more than half a moment. And I'm certain Ofira'd be *ever* so
grateful."

A'lex stops short at Kassi's comment, that wasn't exactly what he had
in mind, I mean, baklava's nice and all but....

[...But not all that's on his mind.  Or Kathall's.]

N'kshar brushes off a fairly thick layer of snow from his
shoulders. "Heya a-- Um? What?" He blinks a few times, his greeting
cut short.

Kathall interposes, "A'lex should learn how to get to Benden,
though. He's from there; suppose he wants to visit his family? So he
should come with you, R'val."

Remo walks into the living cavern, walking almost directly to the
hearth and pulling up a chair near it. He walks to the serving table,
with a bit of a limp, and pours a mug of klah, hobbling back over to
the chair in front of the hearth and sitting down with a soft sigh.

Mildly deflated, A'lex says, "Uhhh, well, yea. . ." but that Glow is
contageous, "And I could go along for visualization practice!"

R'val crosses his arms over his chest and eyes the group of would-be
travellers, "Oh, fine." He concludes, "But I'm going with you."

A'lex senses "Kathall's eyes slide your way, hang a cryptic moment,
and then swiftly pass on. Is she blushing?"

A'lex's grin almost splits his head in half.

Kathall sits back, head hanging over the hands warming between her
knees. "We could," she dares, "do it tonight, couldn't we? When I
leave?"

A'lex chews on his lip and looks at R'val, "That way a watchrider
wouldn't have to take her home..."

Rideen walks in from the bowl.

Kassima's doesn't go quite that far, but she does look quite
grateful. "Oh, good! 'Twas afraid for a moment that I'd have t'be
sending H'tor, and that man...." She rolls her eyes, gratitude
replaced by disgust. "I'm thankful for Kiat's decree and all, but his
attitude is positively odious."

Rideen wanders in, shaking snow from her boots and cloak with an
expression of disgust.

R'val nods slowly, "Allright, it sounds ok to me. But I'm sticking to
you two!"

D'thon finishes - "And so, she'll want to keep her apprentices safely
away from All Those Dangerous Riders."

N'kshar blinks a few more times, before swiping a mug of klah on his
way to the "Dawnchaser" table. "Umm... Could..." Nikh seems to ponder
something for a moment, before raising a hand to rub at his forehead
as he takes a seat. "Nevermind." He says, more to himself than anybody
else.

Ceria opens her green eyes wide, a strange expression on her
face. "Oh," she says simply.

A'lex glances at Nikh, "You okay?"

Ceria is distracted by A'lex's comment and she glances over at
N'kshar.

Rideen drapes cloak over a chair near the fire and sits down,
slouching deeply in the chair.

--
A tall, slender young woman meets your eyes. Perhaps lean would be a
better work for her smoothly muscled body, tough and brown from a
lifetime spent outside. Eyes so dark brown they're almost black meet
yours with confidence, and an appealing trace of shyness as well. Her
long, red-brown hair is tied in a neat braid, with a few wisps
straying loose to curl around her face.
Well-cared for leather trousers encase her long legs, and tuck into
tall boots. She is wearing a deep green tunic under a leather vest
engraved with a fellis design.
She is about 17 Turns, 4 months, and 12 days old.
--

Kathall swivels between the nexi of interest -- H'tor who? N'kshar's
sick? Who's a dangerous rider? -- and finally settles on R'val. "That
should be fine," she says gravely and supplies a bit of a
smile. "Thank you."

D'thon follows Ceria's gaze. "Nikh...?"

R'val flashes a grin at Kathall, "No problem."

Kassima nods to Rideen in salutation, before peering over at
Nikh. "Nevermind what?" she wants to know.

Remo glances at Rideen and smiles to her as she sits near the hearth,
near to where he is also enjoying the warmth of the fire. "Hi," he
says, perhaps a bit timidly.

--
     Soft brown eyes look back at you, almost a mahogany color, which
catch and reflect the light, seeming to shine. His thick, dark brown
hair is cut short, looking as if someone had taken a somewhat dull
knife to it, the ends uneven and looking a bit ragged. His face is
strangely drawing, with a square jaw, high, almost oriental-seeming
cheekbones, and a sculpted, prominent nose over thin lips. He has a
habit of looking at everything as if appraising its value or worth,
but this seems as if it may be a function of training, rather than
inclination.
     He's dressed in a plain, homespun tunic of rough wool, which is a
deep brown color. It's not decorative, but it looks comfortable and
very warm. The sleeves come down to about his elbows, leaving bare his
developed forearms and curiously thick wrists. His pants are also
rather plain, made of a sturdy, thick brown wherhide, tucked into
tall, thick brown leather boots, slightly cracked and slashed, but
still looking quite servicable and sturdy.
     He seems older than his years, a combination of his mature manner
and his adult-seeming features.
--

A'lex glances at the two newcomers to the cavern smiling faintly, not
really recognising them.

[Ditto.  I realized that I just couldn't rp with everyone, and started
 to engineer our escape.]

N'kshar shakes his head back and forth slowly. "No, I'm fine." His
eyes flash around the room quickly, aware of all the eyes that have
suddenly turned on him. "I was just going to ask what you were all
talking about. Tis all."

A'lex grins again, "Going to get baklava!"

D'thon greets the two newcomers with a faint smile, then returns his
attention quietly to Ceria.

Kathall supplies diffidently, "We're all going to get baklava from my
Hold, N'kshar. Well, A'lex, R'val, and I are. If you want to come,
maybe?" She looks to the assistant weyrlingmaster for confirmation.

Ceria turns back to D'thon, but she remains silent.

A brief flicker of, "What?" passes over A'lex's face at Kathall's
comment to Nikh.

"Baklava," Kassi promptly supplies, leaning back in her chair and
absently twining one of Kaylira's black curls around her
finger. "They're going t'get some, and bring it here for us all t'be
having. Generous, 'tis nay?"

A'lex says "Uh yea Nikh... visualization practice and what not."

R'val leaps to his feet, smiling, "Baklava. A worthy mission!"

Kathall adds hastily, if and while she can, "But not now! I--I just
got here, and I'm still frozen. If that's all right."

A'lex jumps up and fills another klah mug, bringing it quickly back to
Kathall. "Klah?"

Ceria speaks up finally. "I don't think Ofira meant..." she trails
off.

N'kshar takes a prolonged sip of klah, probably draining at least half
of the klah from it. "Aye... Um, what Hold would that be?" He sets his
mug down on the table again. "Uh, aye." He says with a nod at Kassi's
remark.

Kathall says, "Benden," and then beams after A'lex. Gratefully, of
course. Yes. Gratitude, that's all.

D'thon nods. "I /hope/ she didn't mean that, at least. Can't be sure..."

Rideen nods at Remo. "Hi," she says quietly.

Ceria blinks at D'thon. She looks disturbed.

Remo smiles at Rideen. "You look almost as lost as I am."

[See?  They can handle themselves.]

Kassima grins at N'kshar. "Where else can you get decent baklava, but
Benden? They've the best of that just as Boll has the best
lemon-chicken or cheese noodles, and oh, what I'd do for some true
Bollian cheese-noodles right now. I'll have t'wheedle some out of
V'dan on the morrow."

A'lex coughs, startled at something, but then takes another sip of
klah.

D'thon shrugs. "Eh, well, let's hope it's not... and we can pretend
she didn't mean that until further notice..."

Rideen blinks, then chuckles a little. "Lost? I be of trader stock. I
never get lost. Just been thinkin' about stuff an' not payin' much
attention. "I'm 'Deen."

Ceria sighs. "I don't know," she murmers.

N'kshar nods slowly. "I see..." He looks over his shoulder towards the
bowl for a quick moment, a somewhat blank look crossing his face.

Remo chuckles. "Trader stock? What Clan?" he asks.

Kathall nurses her own hot drink, not without curious looks at the
young riders. "Nothing's wrong, I hope?" she murmurs to A'lex.

A'lex shakes his head, "Oh no, dust in the throat..." Yea, that's it...

Rideen shrugs. "Not a clue. Fostered out, I was, from train to
train. Struck off on my own when I was twelve."

Remo nods, some sadness creeping into his liquid brown eyes. "I'm
Clanless, now," he says.

Kassima snorts at A'lex. It's one of those distinct 'A likely story'
snorts. Rather than following up on it, though, she changes the
subject. "Been enjoying that hidework, Wingleader?" she inquires with
a downright wicked grin.

Ceria nods and she offers a slight smile to D'thon.

Kathall just sinks back in her seat with the klah mug. Rider
business. Time to make herself look little and unimportant (not a
difficult task, granted). And glance again, puzzled, towards Ceria and
D'thon.

A'lex says "Uhhh, not to bad Kassima, although my eyes are starting to
ache!"

Melina walks in from the bowl.
Melina wanders into the cavern and takes a seat. She waves to some
people as she walks through.
Melina peeks into the basket and Emmy chitters anxiously.

[Ceria's Sewing Basket(tm), holding green Emmy and eggs.]

A'lex grins at Melina, "Heyla Brownrider!"

Melina smiles slightly, "Hi A'lex." A slight shudder passes though her
body and she remarks, "Cold out there again"

--
Strands of dark hair partially obscure the small, rounded face of
Melina. She seems constantly preoccupied with something, black eyes
darting around the cavern to find something to busy herself with. Her
dark eyes glint slightly with carefully bridled curiousity as they
light fleetingly on you. Often, a nervous smile can be seen pulling at
ther thin lips, soon accompanied by a soft blush. She seems to be
about 17 Turns, 1 months, and 22 days. Melina wears a tunic of deep
dark green cloth. She also wears a pair of brown pants. Occasionally,
she carries around a battered jacket, either pulled over her slender
shoulders or tucked under an arm. On her shoulder, is a knot of black
and white, identifying her as a Weyrling at Telgar Weyr, and a
brownriding one at that. Faded wherhide boots pull mid-ankle on her
slender calfs as well, sheilding her feet from ice or muck.
Carrying:
Zyma
Bastilla
Aphrodite
Aria
--

A grin crosses Nikh's face, and he turns his head away from the
bowl. "Oh, I think I'll stay this time. Far too cold out there if ya
ask me." He says with another grin. "Be to hard to warm up after that,
I'd think." He gives a wave and a, "Heya." to Melina as she enters.

"Nay surprising," Kassima admits, bouncing Kay a bit as the child
fidgets in her sleep. "I certes recall the phenomenon--nay from being
a Weyrling Wingleader, but from when P'tran first made me his
'second. I couldn't fly then, a'course, so I'd mostly hidework
t'do--and would you believe, 'twas grateful for it? Months of being
grounded have a way of making one grateful for *aught* t'be
doing. Evening, Melina!" Nodding to the brown Weyrling, she peers at
Kathall again for a moment. "Kathall, can you brew a decent mug of
klah?"

Rideen gives Remo a sympathetic look. "At least ye HAD a clan,
lad. That's something to remember. Ye can't hang on t'th' past, else
it'll drag you down an' keep ye from doing things NOW."

A'lex nods at Melina, "Aye, 'tis." Then he glances about the cavern
again, finally noticing the two newcomers are actually NEWCOMERS,
"Telgar's duties to you both," he says.

Kathall mutters vague agreement to N'kshar's words and then
reorients. "Klah, Kassima? Well--" time to hedge, or just lie "--I
haven't put anyone in Benden's infirmary yet, but I'm a baker, not a
brewer, I'm afraid."

Remo nods to Rideen. "I know, but it just happened a few nights ago,"
he says.

Melina glances at Remo a bit sympathetically. She turns away and
smiles to Kassi and then Nikh, "Hi to you both"

Kassima clicks her tongue, looking rather disappointed. "The klah
around here's been terrible for months now, or so I've heard it
said. I'd dearly love t'see someone brew a decent pot, if'n only
t'stop the grousing... eh, she's right, y'know," she calls over to
Rideen and Remo out of the blue.

Rideen looks surprised and a little embarassed. "I'm sorry, I didn't
realize. That's hard, lad."

Kathall blinks at Kassima. "But ... you've the masterbaker here. And
all the journeymen and apprentices and cooks. I'm sure you have
/some/one."

Remo nods over to Rideen, and looks up tp Kassima, hopping up out of
his seat as if used to instant obedience, and strides to the klah
pot. "I could make some," he says to Kassima. "There's a recipe my ma
used to use. Strong, but very palatable."

A'lex glances at Remo hopefully, "STRONG klah? REALLY STRONG??"

Melina sits up and grins, "Su used to make really strong Klah"

Kassima shrugs her free shoulder. "Nay certain whether Ofira brews
klah, and Pierron won't let most of Benden's old klah brewers anywhere
near the pot." Casting the man a dirty look, she adds in a lowered
voice, "I think he's suffering delusions of grandeur, thinking that
*his* might be better. M'kla seems almost apt t'spit nails at him
sometimes, I swear it." Raising her head, she turns her head to face
the Trader lad and flashes him a bright, if slightly weary grin. "Oh,
could you? I assure you, most of the 'Cavern would likely be eternally
grateful after the dishwater they keep saying they've been drinking of
late."

R'val shakes his head at Kassima, lifting his mug of klah to his lips,
"Nope, Ofira's not a klah sort of baker, she tells me."

Remo looks over at A'lex, and grins almost slyly. "I overheard a rider
asking my ma about that once...she told him that if he bathed his
dragon with it, it'd strip his hide right off him." He nods to
Kassima. "Of course, ma'am. Where are your kitchens?"

Kassima gestures with one hand towards the kitchens. "Thataway, they
are--and please, nay ma'aming! The name's Kassima, green Lysseth's
rider--or Kassi, if'n you prefer."

Ceria sighs and looks into the basket to watch Emmy.

Melina winces, "Now /that's/ stronger the Suzot would make" She hums,
getting up to get herself some of the nasty weak klah in the pot and
remarks, "This stuff isn't /that/ bad.. if you close your eyes and
don't smell.."

N'kshar nods quite enthusiastically at the mention of strong
klah. "Aye, would be good ta have some good klah here for once." He
says, casting a cautious glance towards Pierron.

Remo nods, starting to hurry towards the kitchen, when he stops and
looks at Rideen. "I could use a hand," he says, gesturing to her. "If
you're willing."

Rideen nods and gets up. "Don't mind. I know a thing or two 'bout klah
m'self."

Remo grins, with a nod. "We'll show these weyrfolk what /real/ klah is like."
Remo walks off towards the kitchen.

Kathall buries her nose in her klah, which isn't so bad, really; after
a swallow, she eyes A'lex again sidelong. "Dust?" she asks dubiously.

A'lex sputters, "Uhhh... yea.... you know, from the bowl... and the
firestone... we... uhhh... we were tossing firestone
sack... they--they get dusty."

Halam walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Melina returns to her seat with her mug and mutters, "Well.. least
he's not frozen anymore" She doesn't specify who's she's talking
about.

"Rhonneth?" Kassi surmises, peering at Melina over the head of her
sleeping daughter.

Halam heads over to the hearth, pours himself a cup of klah and turns
to survey the room.

R'val grins at Melina knowingly.

Rideen walks off towards the kitchen.

Melina blinks up at Kassi, suprised and grins, shaking her head,
"No.. he's fine" She chuckles, "Sorry.. that man. Umm, Remo, isn't
it?"

N'kshar turns his head to regard Melina. "How are you and Rhonneth?"
He inquires, taking another sip of klah.

Jayna walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Kassima blinks, and cranes her head to peer towards the kitchen. "Nay
certain," she admits. "If'n he gave his name, methinks 'twas nay
listening to catch it. G'deve t'you, Jayna."

Kathall gives A'lex the benefit of her suspicious glance and then of a
doubt: she shrugs and puts down her empty mug. "I suppose," she
murmurs to the weyrling, "that I'm thawed out. And it's just getting
so crowded in here..."

Ceria glances at D'thon who seems lost in thought. She stands up and
walks over to N'kshar and Melina. "Hi," she says quietly.

From the kitchen, Remo steps in, looking around. "Well, this is
certainly better stocked than pa's cook wagon was."

Turning her attention to Nikh, Melina smiles, "We're both fine. And
Azeth and yourself?" She looks up to hear Ceria and smiles, "Hi"

A'lex nods, "Are you ready to go R'val?"

R'val hrms, "Sure."

Halam smiles at those he knows and heads back out the door.

Jayna grins at all the assembled and moves toward the klah pot.

Halam walks towards the inner cavern.

A'lex stands, offering Kathall a hand up.

Kathall, after a hesitant instant, clasps that hand and lets him
assist her, while color patches her cheeks.

Ceria smiles. "Mind if I join you?" she asks.

[Wasn't sure if that was to us escapees...]

Melina grins and shakes her head, pulling a chair out for her friend,
"Not at all. You're always welcome.." she trails off, looking at Nikh,
"that is, if you don't mind?"

From the kitchen, Rideen chuckles. "Haven't seen a trader wagon yet
whose kitchen was well-stocked, and I've seen a few." She searches a
bit and finds a clean kettle to brew the klah in.

"Oh, we're doing quite alright. I think it's colder than the frozen
wastes here, but she doesn't seem to mind." Nikhshar says to Melina
with a smile. "Hey, Ceria. Go right ahead." He says to Ceria, pulling
out a chair for her.

Jayna smiles at Kassima. "And g'deve to you, too, Kasima!" She
stumbled a bit over the name, but managed to avoid both a 'ma-am'
/and/ a curtsey.

From the kitchen, Remo surveys his surroundings with a critical eye,
and gestures to a pot, and nods when he sees that you've already
gotten it. Efficient, good. "Fill that with some water and set it to
boil, would you? I want to see what sort of seasonings and such they
ahve here.'

A'lex heads towards the door, stoping to pull down his, Kathall's and
R'val's coats.

Ceria sits down next to N'kshar but she glances around the cavern and
scoots her chair away from him slightly.

Melina smiles at Nikh and chuckles at an unheard comment, "Rhonneth
certainly thinks she looks well." She shakes her head, "Sharding
brown.."

Kassima shakes her head and assures Nikh, "Nay, 'tis nay colder than
High Reaches--I'm certain of it. Colder'n back home--those're the
Snowy Wastes, y'know--well, that's as it may be." Grinning up at
Jayna, she gives her a thumb's-up sign. "Good! Now we've just got
t'work on getting you t'shorten that to 'Kassi.' Even m'full name
feels too sharding formal if'n 'tis used *all* the time, though
a'course it depends in part on the context... g'luck, you lot! I hope
you find a goodly amount of baklava for us... and yourselves,
a'course."

Kathall slips after A'lex, gets her jacket, pulls it on -- "Ready?"
she asks, glancing back with a wave for Kassima and the others.

Almost as an afterthought, A'lex hops back to the table, grabs the
hide he was working on, rolls it up and stuffs it in his jacket.

A'lex says "Yup, I'm ready. R'val?"

R'val grins, "Ready when you are."

From the kitchen, Rideen nods and pumps the kettle full of water,
hanging it on a hook over a hearth. "One o'my foster-mums swore by
cloves with the klahbark. She made a tasty klah, I must say."

N'kshar gives Kathall a quick nod as she begins to depart.

Kathall assures the cavern, still shy, "Plenty of baklava, and
whatever else you want from my little stock of recipes."

From the kitchen, Remo glances over his shoulder from rotting about in
a cabinet. "Cloves? That's something nwe on me."

Jayna has disconnected.

N'kshar gives a sigh and shakes his head. "Aye, much the same from her
as well." He says with a somewhat exhausted smile.

A'lex grins, "Let's go then! See you all later!

You walk down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

A'lex comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern.

Nraith warbles to Kathall and A'lex.

R'val comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern.

Vidarth lumbers into the room.

A'lex says "Should Kathall ride with you or me R'val?"

R'val uses Vidarth's side straps to mount up agilely, settling onto
the little blue's back and straightening. He pets his lifemate's head
once as Vidarth rumbles excitedly, ready to fly.

--
        Vidarth is a powerfully built, compact, and lithe dragon, on a
miniature scale. In relation to most blues, Vidarth is of a fairly
average length, with lithe, sleekly strong muscles and
well-proportioned bones and wings. His colour, with age, has deepened
from the shade it was when he emerged from his egg. His once
in-between shade of blue has become a darker and more vibrant shade,
with the red undertones running down his side standing out more
clearly against his hide, making it seem almost violet in spots. The
colour lightens towards his eyeridges, legs, and the tip of his
relatively long tail. His body is a little more sleek than that of
most blue dragons.
--

Kathall is already by Nraith. Fancy that. "Well, since I'm right here,
A'lex..."

--
A dark storm appears to loom on the horizon, gleaming an eerie shade
of molten orange, bronzed by fading light as the last beams of the
setting sun illuminate the bottom of the roiling vapor. Nraith's hide
is the perfect backdrop for the delicate traceries of gold-wrought
lightning radiating over his skin, within the shadow of the squall
threatening to come. Those subtle markings reveal the faint
impressions of pale midnight and shadowy forest-green which flicker
amongst the billows of heat-warmed copper. The thin membranes of his
wings are like a thinning of clouds, their color silvered with the
shine of twilight stars gleaming through. His eyes, more like the
flash of electricity bursting from the sky to strike the ground in
fiery fury, gleam with promise of like temperament. He is built lithe
and lank, yet strong, like a thing unstoppable as it coalesces into
full force and vigor, forming into an ominous onslaught of power.
 Nraith is 1 Turns, 8 months, and 20 days old (more or less), and is
roughly 38 meters long with a wingspan of 51 meters.
--

From Vidarth's back, R'val chortles, "You can carry her, A'lex."

A'lex steps up on a forelimb and climbs up between two of Nraith's neckridges.

From betwixt Nraith's neck ridges, A'lex hooks the riding straps up to
both himself and Kathall.

[Well ... after she mounts, of course.]

Kathall moves to the bronze's foreleg and peers /all/ the way
up. "Don't let me fall, Nraith," she manages and then starts
clambering.

From betwixt Nraith's neck ridges, A'lex holds a hand down to Kathall.

--
Nraith
As you settle in between two of Nraith's neck ridges, you can feel his
muscles ripple beneath your legs. After you mount, he carefully raises
his head, lifting you high above those on the ground. You feel the
brief, reassuring, touch on your mind of Nraith letting you know that
he will not let you fall.
--
Using his forelimb as a step, you pull yourself up onto Nraith's neck.

NOW A'lex hooks the riding straps up to Kathall...
A'lex looks to R'val, "You lead, I'll let Nraith take his
visualization from Vidarth."

||| From Vidarth's back, R'val nods, "Good plan."

||| Vidarth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to
carry him aloft.

A'lex whispers to Kathall, "You're his first passenger."

You spring into the air and catch the thermals rising from the bowl
floor to carry you aloft.

Kathall crouches down on the neck, clinging with every limb she has at
her disposal. Her eyes screw tightly closed.
You whisper "Tell him ... it's a very smooth ride. Really." to A'lex.

A'lex says "He says thank you."

[Go up another level...]

A'lex says "Ready?"

Kathall clings more tightly. "I -- think so. Yes."

A'lex gives thumbs up to R'val.

||| Vidarth disappears into Between.
||| Nraith disappears into Between.

--
Between
Black...
Blacker...
Blackest!
--

||| Nraith emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

A'lex says "Not too bad, eh?"

Kathall's breath whooshes out, lost in the rush of air. "Good!" she
manages to outshout the wind. It's all she can manage, after that
transport.

||| Nraith circles and follows Vidarth down.

||| Vidarth spirals down to land in the courtyard.

You spiral down to land in the courtyard.
Courtyard, Benden Hold(#555RJM)
Contents:
Vidarth(#353JMOQaest$)
Dominac
Tepp
--

A'lex unhooks Kathall's straps after they land.
A'lex says "There you go ma'am, home in one piece!"

Kathall, accordingly, slides down.

You slide down from Nraith's back.

R'val slides down from Vidarth's back and lands in a crouch.

A'lex slides down from Nraith's back, landing lithely.

You say "--And my thanks, Nraith, Vidarth, R'val. Come inside,
please!"

The metal doors slide open at your touch, and you step into the Great Hall.
--
Great Hall, Benden Hold(#366RJM)
Contents:
Loaf platter(#15302)
Dessert tray(#15107)
Auntie Zinna
Klah Pitcher(#8235V$)
Bubbly Pie Plate
--

R'val steps in from the courtyard, the metal doors sliding shut behind
him.
A'lex steps in from the courtyard, the metal doors sliding shut behind
him.

A'lex grins at the warmth of the room. "I've not been here in quite
some time."

Kathall waves at the platters on a hearthside table. "Desserts over
there, if you see something you'd like. --How long ago was that,
A'lex?"

R'val licks his lips, "Dessert!"

A'lex thinks for a moment, "Made a trip here with my da probably 4
turns ago."
A'lex says "Ohhhhh, bublies..."

You say "There's -- oh, citron-raisin bread, fingerroot loaf with klah
spicing, and all the pudding and bubblies next to it. And the baklava,
of course. I'll get more of that for you, before you go." She pauses
in the center of the hall. "Do you want to rest a moment, or just head
back now?"

R'val helps himself to a large hunk of citron-raisin bread, licking
his lips, "Yum!" He declares.

A'lex says "Oh, well, rest of course, we wouldn't want to offend
anyone's hospitality..."

Kathall nods quickly, and her smile tears off A'lex to nudge at R'val,
too (must be polite, after all). "Then, please, have a seat, and I'll
be right back with your baklava and some fresh klah."

R'val Returns to sit near the others, munching happily on raisin
bread, smiling, "Too kind, Kathall, too kind. "He winks at A'lex,
"Should visit this place more often."

A'lex nods and sits, smiling at R'val, "Yea..."

Kathall returns to catch that affirmation. Setting down the
towel-wrapped platter and new klah pot, she asks, "'Yeah' what?"

A'lex turns, "We should visit here more often...."
Then he hastily adds, "Great deserts..." and more quietly, "Good
company..."

Kathall's face flushes. "Please do," she says as quietly and focuses
on pouring out the klah into two mugs. "I mean, even if you're at a
new Weyr, we were once yours. There's still reason to come back. I
guess?"

R'val grins at Kathall, "All /very/ good reasons to visit." He remarks
to A'lex, beaming, "Thank you, Kathall, klah's lovely."

A'lex agrees. "Oh, truely, and my parents aren't too far...." Any port
in a storm...

Kathall composes herself into a seat, her jacket sliding down off her
shoulders to pool at her elbows and waist. "So ... when can the
weyrlings visit freely, R'val?"

A'lex looks to R'val with that, "Yea, R'val?" look.

R'val taps his lip gently and smiles, "I don't know. I'm only an
assistant, that sort of thing is up to Sionelle."

You say "The Weyrlingmaster?" She considers the wrapped baklava. "I
don't suppose she likes pastry, too?"

A'lex says "Does Sionelle bribe easily, R'val?"
A'lex grins and winks.

R'val snorts, "C'mon, A'lex." he grins.

A'lex says "Well, can't blame me for tryin... ya know, with my
connections I could even lug some Benden Red back with me from my
da... that's gotta be worth SOMETHING."

Kathall says directly to R'val, "The Hold needs visitors to enliven
its days, especially during winter, and who better than the young
riders who once might've flown over us, instead of Igen's?" She
shrugs, trying to look calculated and cool. "I'm sure we'd all
appreciate visits."

A'lex just nods in agreement.
A'lex says "This klah is GREAT!"
A'lex says "Can't we send Pierron her for training?"

Kathall makes a noise. "I'll tell Marra -- that's the cook who brews
it -- you said so."

A'lex says "And the bubblies... I can't wait until Ofira's not afraid
of that storeroom anymore and starts making LOTS of bubblies again..."

Kathall switches mild bewilderment between the riders. "What's wrong
with the storeroom?"

A'lex says "Tunnelsnakes."

R'val blinks, 'I dunno. What /is/ wrong with the storeroom?"

A'lex says "Or are they all dead now?"

Kathall shivers.

A'lex says "But on to another topic... How many bakers are there
here?"

You say "Well ... Master Mirala, Journeymen Grannat and Isida, a
half-dozen apprentices or so..." Trailing off, she shrugs. "Maybe ten?
A dozen? Plenty of cooks, though, not with the craft; we do all
right. Why?"

[Making all that up, of course.  Kath's the only active PC there.]

A'lex says "The cooking is excellent, well, from what I can see-- it
all looks very good. Not that Weyr food is bad, but we tend to have
more things that can sit on the stove all day and not go bad... never
a standard meal time around the Weyr..."

Kathall frowns, glancing at silent R'val and back. "But -- well, I say
and say this, I know. Still, you do have the Masterbaker of Pern with
you. Surely she'd have the best bakers and cooks under her."

R'val grins, "She's the best cook. DUnno about her staff. Well, most
of 'em are good.'

A'lex says "Oh, they're excellent, but there's really no chance to use
ALL her recipies excpet for things like Hatchings... on a daily basis,
gotta keep it simple."

Kathall nods. See? She knows what she's talking about, this time. "So,
you don't need to steal me away, as Aphrael--" and anyone else? Hmm?
"--wants." She puts a forced levity into her words. "Wouldn't know
what I'd do at a Weyr anyway. It's so /big./"

A'lex's silver eyes shine like sunlight on water, "You're thinking
about coming to Telgar? Why, there's lots you can do! Ofira's only one
person... she could use help, even if she is the best." He obviously
added that last bit for R'val benefit.

Kathall shakes her head, although not without being able to slide her
eyes so easily from A'lex's face. Ahem. "Oh, Aphrael -- Wingsecond
Aphrael, I should probably say -- wanted me to come, for my baklava,
but she wasn't serious, I think." Pensive silence. "Her dragon
... well, I don't think she was. And this /is/ my home, you know."

R'val cocks his head at Kathall.

You say "--What, R'val? More klah?"

A'lex is stretching at this point, "Well, maybe studying directly
under Ofira you could become a MasterDesertBaker or something??"

Caitlyn walks down the steps from the upper levels of the Hold.

R'val spots someone coming in and beams broadly, "Caity!"

A'lex glances up at Caitlyn and smiles.

Kathall glances back from the trio's casual conversation circle by the
dessert platters, then returns thoughfully to A'lex. "I suppose, but
I'm already old, and I'm just an apprentice. Masterbaker ... I'd be
past thirty. Forty. That's a long time at Telgar, don't you think?"

A'lex shrugs, "Not really..."

Caitlyn walks into the hall, carrying a gitar. Upon hearing her name,
her eyes alight on R'val, and she breaks into a broad, welcoming
smile. "R'val. This certainly is a surprise." Her gray eyes shift to
A'lex then back to R'val. "Out on a jaunt?"

--
This woman has a simple, round face which harbors deep-set grey eyes
and pleasant features. The soft shape of her face belies her age,
making her seem just younger than her 30 turns. Muted-brown hair rests
in a careless plait, bound at its ends by a thong of blue and white
beads. She wears a lightweight, white blouse with billowing sleeves
cinched at the wrist beneath a bodiced dress of harper blue. The dress
fits her well from its scoop neckline to its ankle-length hem. About
both neck and hem are embroiderings of silver thread -- a pattern of
spring flowers and leaves. One shoulder bears the intricate blue and
white knot of Harper Craftsecond.
--

R'val jumps to his feet and hugs Caitlyn suddenly, squeezing her to
him, grinning, "Oh, just accompanying A'lex here on a betweening here
to spend time with Kathall." He grins, "And how are you, Caitlyn dear?
It's been so long!"

A'lex grins at Caitlyn, "Baklava raid."

Kathall drops her gaze. "No, I suppose not, not really." Up her
attention returns, to the harper. "Want some before these two take it
all back to their Weyr?"

A'lex blushes furiously at R'val's description of their visit in
comparison to his own.

Kathall was already reddish in the face. From the /betweening/ she's
done tonight, of course.

Caitlyn, though seemingly pleased by the bluerider's impulsive
welcome, pushes him away, holding her gitar carefully out of harms
way. "R'val, please, my gitar," she complains, teasingly. Turning her
gaze back to A'lex, she merely smirks, "Baklava's a good motivation
for *between*ing if you ask me, especially Benden Baklava."

A'lex says "Oh, Aye, it is..."
A'lex glance about the room, searching for another conversation
topic. Maybe there's one hiding here somewhere...

Kathall explains, "They're going to take this--" gesture at the
towel-wrapped plate near her on the table "--back to Telgar, for
everyone to enjoy." Pause. "I'm sorry, though -- Craftsecond? -- but I
don't think we've met. I'm Kathall, of Greycliff Hold up in the
hills."

Caitlyn's smile returns to R'val. "Oh, I'm fine. Busy with the Hall,
as usual. Masterharper Rathenna's been causing quite a stir around
Fort recently," she says, her tone confidential. "There's no truth to
many of the rumors, mind you, but it's got us on our toes."

R'val grins crookedly at Caitlyn and laughs softly, "Quite a stir?" he
cocks his head, "No truth to the rumors? "He teases< "As a harper, you
should know all about those rumors."

Caitlyn pauses long enough to turn to Kathall. "Oh, of course. I'm
sorry. I'm Caitlyn. Well met, I'm sure." Repeating Kathall's name to
herself, her gray eyes sudden light with recognition. "You must be the
one responsible for those ... interesting ... dishes at Hold dinners
we've been having recently. I've heard quite a lot about them. Fish
salad, wasn't it?"

Kathall shrugs self-deprecatingly, but there's some pleasure lighting
her face, nevertheless. "Well, grilled fish on greens, yes. The
headwoman didn't care for it; everyone else seemed to like it
fine. Lately it's desserts, although if you have any suggestions,
Craftsecond, I'd be happy to try my best with them."

A'lex says "You know, Kassima has been moaning for Kiwi bread..."

You say "Would she like this citron-raisin?"

A'lex blinks, "She might... it's just that since she... uh... is now
with child, she's been craving kiwi in EVERYTHING."

Caitlyn's nose wrinkles distastefully at the mention of kiwi
bread. "No, really, I'm not much for sweets," she tells Kathall, "But
thank you, of course."

Kathall points a thoughtful frown towards the kitchens, as if
inventorying through stone walls. "I could check, but I'm not sure we
have any of that. I can imagine she's bothering /your/ cooks for it!
--You're welcome, Harper; anything I can do for you, besides that..."

A'lex says "Every time she brings it up Ofira suddenly smells
something burning..."

Kathall snorts, glancing at Ofira's weyrmate for his reaction.

R'val blinks at A'lex at that.

A'lex says "What? Ok, maybe not EVERY time, but I've yet to see a
loaf..."

Caitlyn looks expectantly at R'val. "That's right. You've taken up
with Ofira, haven't you? How's that been getting along? I haven't had
a chance to speak with you since before the transfer."

R'val smiles, "Ofira and I are doing marvellously!" He replies,
looking content, "The transfer to Telgar...was rough. But we're
adjusting, now." He sighs, "There is so much work to do there,
Caity..."

A'lex sips his klah, grinning idly at nothing in particular.

Caitlyn's lips purse together, and she nods slowly. "So we've heard at
the Hall. We were glad to hear of Master Kelset's desire to service
Telgar, though," she admits truthfully, "It sounds as if you can use
all the help you can get at the moment."

A'lex looks at Kathall, "So how long have you been here at the Hold?"

Kathall skates a frown between harper and assistant weyrlingmaster,
but answers weyrling. "--Here? About nine months since I came down out
of the hills." She twists her mouth: yep, a hick holdgirl, right
here. "But if things are dire enough at Telgar, A'lex, R'val ... do
you really need someone to make sure your daily meals are ready and
good? I suppose I could ask for a transfer, just--"

A'lex says "Uhhh, well, I think if you phrase the request that way,
Ofira may balk a bit..."

Kathall flushes.

A'lex says "But personally, I'd love to see you at the Weyr. Not that
what *I* want really should change anything... but... Well you
know... I'll just shut up now."

Kathall, already flushed, flushes some more. She'll just look at R'val
for /his/ input.

Caitlyn chuckles at Kathall and A'lex, the corner of her mouth
quirking slightly.

R'val watches Kathall and A'lex, chuckling softly to himself. He turns
back to Caitlyn with a grin," You should visit Telgar. Just to catch
up on gossip."

A'lex just sits there shuttin up...

Caitlyn waves R'val's suggestion off with a careless hand. "I've had
enough of weyr life. Besides, I spend all my free time travelling back
to the Hall these days." Her gray eyes take in both Kathall and A'lex
once more before she adds, "You aren't the only one having to babysit
these days."

R'val grins at Caitlyn, "Babysitting. You still doing lessons for the
kids, then?"

A'lex stops shuttin up for a moment to ponder that last statement.

Kathall lifts her chin and didn't hear it. "Would you like to be left
alone, Craftsecond, R'val? A'lex and I can go elsewhere...."

R'val shakes his head at Kathall, "I have to stick around A'lex,
Kathall."

You say "Why?"
Kathall says deliberately, "He isn't going to ravish me when you
aren't looking."

A'lex continues to ponder, is it a compliment when a Harper takes
enough notice of you to rib you?

R'val smiles at Kathall, "Because, trustworthy or not, I have to stay
here and watch him."

A'lex is finally catches up with the conversation and just sits there
gaping like a beached packtail.

Kathall keeps that stubborn chin up. "What if we went outside with the
dragons? Your blue is there."

R'val considers, stroking his chin.

Caitlyn watches the exchange with a lifted brow.

R'val frowns, "Allright. But Vidarth will be watching!"

Caitlyn just shakes her head, tsking R'val. "You've gone soft in your
old age."

R'val makes a face at Caitlyn, "Aww, hush. I'm just being nice.'

Kathall is on her feet and dragging at A'lex almost before R'val's
finished. She'll show /them./ "Thank you," she says with much
dignity. "A pleasure to meet you, Harper. C'mon, A'lex."

Caitlyn nods to the two, chuckling softly.

A'lex is completely horrified at the turn in conversation, the
insinuation, the.. the... hey, where are we going... oh, yea! "Uhhh,
I'll be outside."

Kathall already is.

Leaving the congenial atmosphere of the Hall behind, you open the
doors and walk out into the courtyard.

A'lex opens the doors and walks out of the Great Hall.

Kathall mutters as she stalks towards Nraith, "You're not a /baby,/
A'lex -- can you believe that? You're a /wingleader/!"

Benden Great Hall> R'val eyes you, "Now don't give me that look,
you. I was a weyrling once, and I missed my freedom terribly. Just
tryin' to be nice.'

A'lex's face is so red he's almost glowing. "Weyrling wing... I still
have to obey the Weyrlingmaster and her staff."

Benden Great Hall> Caitlyn settles herself down onto a seat at a
table, laying her gitar across her lap. "Nice?" she
asks. "Pshaw. You'll have them both walking all over you the next time
they want to do anything."

Benden Great Hall> R'val slides into a seat with a sigh, "Maybe. But
it's so hard to know when you've crossed the line between being stern,
and being too stern."

Morin has left.

Tepp emits an eager chirrup, and blinks away into *between*.

Kathall turns and catches her first real look at his color, which
brings her up short. "I'm -- I'm sorry, A'lex. Did I get you in
trouble? I just couldn't sit there like that anymore!" Her hands dive
into her pants pockets, and her prideful chin's back to half-mast. She
mutters, "None of their business -- shards. I feel stupid. I'm sorry."

Celetia has arrived.
Dominac shrugs as Celetia takes flight from his shoulder.

A'lex takes a deep breath. "No, you stood up for what you wanted. I've
just got the 'chain of command' so ingraned in my head that I
immediately bow out. You're outside that chain, so you can... play
with it, bend it a bit. You're braver than I, and I'm sure I won't be
in trouble. R'val will embarrass me at some point sure, but that would
have happened anyway, even if I'd *NOT* made the trip tonight."

Benden Great Hall> Caitlyn covers the fretboard of her gitar with a
protective hand. "I suppose you're right," she says, softening
slowly. "If you're not stern enough, though, sometimes you regret
it. We just had to send a girl home from the Hall for getting
pregnant."

--
Celetia(#12806Vp)
This green looks full of spark, her eyes are usually whirling with
excitment. Her hide is a rich green of a summer forest. She looks to
Dominac, a resident of the Starcraft Hall.
Celetia is 0 Turns, 0 months, and 17 days old and is 9 centimeters in
length with a wingspan of 15 cm.
--

Benden Great Hall> R'val frowns at Caitlyn, "It'd be much more serious
if A'lex and she had sex. It could damage Nraith. It's unlikely when
he's as old as he is, Nraith that is, but it's still the rule."

[I protested in page that it might hurt Kathall, too.  A'lex and I 
 thought it pretty funny (well, it /was/ late).  Log stopped +watching.]

Kathall eyes the green, then ignores her, to fold her arms over her
chilling belly and stare at the weyrling. "I suppose ... You're sure?
I -- would like you to come back. If you could."

Vidarth whirls his eyes, regarding Kathall and A'lex.

A'lex says quietly, "I'll be back."
A'lex adds, "Whether I can or not... once I graduate, they really
CAN'T keep me away."

And Kathall relaxes, just like that, with a perfectly small, still
smile. "I'm glad," she says simply. "Please come back, A'lex."

A'lex smiles and nods, "I will. Especially if you keep cooking the way
you do!"
A'lex looks about for a bench or something to sit on.

Kathall nods towards the winecraft's space in the courtyard: a bench
stands by their doors, and she moves for it. On the way, she glances
back at Nraith. "He's almost full-grown, though, right? Should be
... um, in mating flights. And stuff."

A'lex shakes his head, "He won't get any longer, he'll just fill out
now. And yes, we've had 'The Talk,' and actually, he's cleared to fly
any Telgar Flights... I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to that or
not."

Kathall sits, looks up with innocent but shadowed curiosity. "Why not?
All the riders I've seen think it's just another part of life."

A'lex sits beside Kathall, closely (must conserve warmth, yea), "I
don't know, I guess it's not a part of my life I thought I'd
experience so... Publicly."

Kathall conserves warmth by not blushing this time. About
anything. "Is that what happens?" All right, maybe a little red in her
chapped cheeks. "It's all outside for everyone to see?"

A'lex furrows his brow, "Well, not all of it, but it's not... one on
one... most everything takes place in a private Weyr somewhere. I
guess I'm just afraid to no be in control of myself when it comes
to... that..."

"'That,'" Kathall repeats, muted, and finds great fascination in
studying one of her knees. "I hope ... it goes well for you. Both of
you. What does Nraith think about it, anyway?"

A'lex snorts, "He's just a raging ball of hormones..."

Kathall glances nervously at the bronze, tries a little laugh. "Well,
good thing there's no female dragon around?"

A'lex says "Yea, at least not a proddy one at any rate. And well, it's
not too likey he'll catch anyone his first few times out anyway..."

You say "He needs practice."

Celetia goes into *between* in the air above your head.

A'lex laughs, "It'll be good exercise for him, chasing greens all over
Pern."

Kathall dares a long look askance. "What about you? Practice, too?"

A'lex smiles, actaully relaxing, "I don't get any practice until he
wins..." He chuckles. "Till then, it's sweat alot, pace around the
weyr, go hop in the cold lake."

Celetia pops out of *between* inthe air above your head.
Celetia swoops down towards Dominac.

You say "And ... visit Benden Hold."

Dominac smiles as Celetia flies over and lands on his shoulder.

[Paged with Dominac, eventually got him to /leave./]

A'lex looks down, "Well, yes." Is that his arm around her shoulder?
Well, could be...

Probably is, since she looks warmer and not from blushing, either. "I
/am/ glad you came," Kathall reiterates, in case he forgot in the last
five minutes. "It gets ... lonely here. Oh, there're the cooks, and
they're good people to work with, but not a lot of people like me,
y'know?" She's studying her knees again. "You're like me, more. Except
for Nraith and wingleader -- can we still be friends, A'lex?"

A'lex says "Definately, and I'm glad I came too, and NOT just because
I'm getting baklava out of the deal."

Kathall's little smile returns, even if her knees are the sole
beneficiaries. "Really?"

A'lex grins, "Yea. Definately."

[She's built this elaborate fantasy of their infrequent meetings, even
 though she recognizes how silly and stupid it is; but now he's playing
 into it -- or is he just being nice?  /He/ is a romantic sap; he means
 all this.  It was giving me sugar-shock, really. ;)]

You say "I ... didn't mean what I said about -- ravishing -- back in
the Hall." /Now/ there's that blush. "R'val was just being so -- adult
about it all. I wanted to get him to leave you be; he's been friendly
to /me,/ so why not you?"

A'lex says "He's not unfriendly to me, and I do understand why he does
what he does. Anything overly... romantic... before Nraith is ready
can be traumatic for him. He's my friend, but he's my Weyrlingmaster
first, and I *DO* have to respect that. And as for the Ravishing
comment, well, it was worth the embarassment to see the look on his
face when you said it.""

Kathall makes a soft noise. "I embarrassed you? Oh, I'm sorry, A'lex."

Dominac has disconnected.

A'lex laughs, "Oh, don't be. I'm a big baby when it comes to -- well--
sex, there, I said it. I blush, I fret, and having to bury all *MY*
feelings for the last year and a half because the big Bronze lump
couldn't deal with it has just made it a... tender spot. Not sore, not
painful, just overly tender..."

Kathall twiddles the fingers she's intertwined in her lap, studies the
movements. "And now? You're so close to graduation, I hear, and then
you can do what you want...."

A'lex gets introspective for a moment before responding. "Well, I'm
still a Weyrling until I get tapped out for a Fighting Wing, but I'm
BASICALLY free to do as I please. And once Nraith takes part in his
first flight, I know it's okay to think about girls again..."

Dominac has connected.

Twiddle. Twiddle-twiddle. "And it isn't right now." Kathall ponders
and then says quietly, "That must be hard. I've never had that problem
-- well, obviously, with no dragon to bind me -- but I'm the plain
girl in the family, y'know? It's my sisters who are pretty, like
Mother and Grandmother. I've never ... never even kissed a boy."

Dominac has left.  [See?  Gone.]

A'lex smiles, "Don't feel bad, I've not kissed a boy either. An no,
it's not that I *CAN'T* think of girls right now, I just can't act on
my thoughts... much. And I know what you mean bout being the one on
the outside-- I'm the youngest of four boys. Easy target for older
brothers to pick on. I got to watch two of them get married and have
kids of their own..."

You say "Do you want children?"

A'lex is surprised by THAT one, "Ya know, I've never really considered
it. I think I would, though, yes. If you'd asked me that two years ago
I probably would have answered no, but seeing the children at the
Weyr-- I kinda like them!"

[Player had to think about it, since char hadn't ever.]

You say "Me, too, but not right now. I have a hard enough time in the
craft; I'd have t leave that behind, at least for a while, for a
child. But someday..."

A'lex chuckles, "Ya just have to come to the Weyr, then you can foster
them out for the rought spots, all the benefits, half the pain..."

Kathall leans into him with a mirthful nudge. "/Every/one wants me at
Telgar! I thought you're all settling in with the original
inhabitants. Why drag up even newer people like me?"

A'lex says "Keeps the old grumps on their toes."

You say "And you weyrlings don't?"

A'lex shakes his head negatively, "Our job is to keep Sionelle and
R'val and Emlyn, T'saren and Kerlyn on THEIR toes..."

You say "But not everyone else."

A'lex says "Not yet..."

You say "And then you'll come back and keep /me/ on my toes?"

A'lex says "Sure, I can keep you on your toes if you want me to."

Kathall climbs to her feet. "I do," she returns, looking back down, at
her toes, then at him. Helplessly. Smiling helplessly and
stupidly. "But I should let you go, and be off to bed. Sorry."

A'lex stands as well, "Oh, don't apologise. Thank you for the company,
and the baklava."

You say "Oh, right! C'mon, we'd better go get that, in case R'val
forgets."

A'lex looks right at Vidarth for a moment, then leans in and kisses
Kathall briefly on the lips. "There." He's smiling mischeviously.

Vidarth rumblerumbles.

Nraith rumblechuckles.

"I..." Oh, shut /up,/ Vidarth. Kathall stares fiercely at the
flagstones. "Yeah. There. C'mon, for the baklava."

The metal doors slide open at your touch, and you step into the Great
Hall.

A'lex steps in from the courtyard, the metal doors sliding shut behind
him.

Caitlyn grins at R'val, standing. "Then take me up on it sometime."
She reaches for her gitar, cradling it close to her. "Unfortunately,
I've an early morning class, and as much as I'd like to swap news
... excuse me?"

R'val rises to his feet, smiling, 'I'll visit again soon, Caity. Good
to see you again." he hugs her briefly and turns to A'lex, expectant,
"Ready?"

Kathall swoops, a little unsteadily, towards the towel-wrapped
baklava. "So you don't forget it," she tells the Telgarites. "Anything
else you need--" and how her gaze slides past A'lex "--just let me
know? I need to get sleep for the morning's baking."

A'lex nods to R'val. "I'll send Pan with a message," he says to
Kathall. "Thanks again."

Kathall inclines her head to the dignitaries and then ... flees.

[Upstairs.  Everyone to bed!  Log ends.]