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The Long, Dark Festering Cesspool of the Soul


Date:  May 6, 1998
Places:  Telgar Weyr's Living Cavern and Candidate Barracks
Game:  PernMUSH
Copyright Info:  The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey 
l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

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Kassi's Note:  Who but an absolute sadist would subject a group of 
hapless Candidates to a surprise barracks inspection, and then leave a
proddy Kassi in their midst with a minimum of supervision?  No one...
but then, it has never been claimed that Richenda lacks her share of
sadistic tendencies.  Punishments are meted out, marks are won and lost,
and Kassi tries to incinerate Candies through the force of her glare 
alone as the abovementioned festering cesspool is explored in earnest!

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The Log:

You walk through the large entrance to the Living Cavern.

Pierron humphs thoughtfully as the wingleader of Thunderbolt arrives.

Arallia cradles her new brown hatchling and stuffs more food into his maw, 
the brown chirrups happily. She looks up and smiles at the new arrivals, 
saying, "G'evening." Soon the new hatchling's eyes close and he sleeps 
snuggled in the crook of Ara's arm. She grins over to Jayna and Makear, 
"It hatched!"

Krista shrugs, "Pretty good, I scrubbed pots till I could scream. How 
about you?"

Jayna grins, shaking her head in the hatching chaos. "He's beautiful, Ara. 
Absolutely beautiful." She watches for a minute. "Oh, shards," she 
remembers. "What's your da going to say?"

"Go stuff it in your ear," is Kassima's cordial, if snapped, greeting to 
Pierron today. The greenrider slips out of the shadows with large carry-
sack, the contents of which look to be very lumpy indeed, slung over her 
shoulder. Considering the state of her dragon's color lately, she looks 
almost cheerful, and even manages an unintelligible muttering that might 
be a sort of greeting to the room.

Makear Peers at the little brown, now fast asleep and then smiles to 
Arallia, "Aye, he did and isn't he just the cutest thing." Jayna brings 
back the issue of Arallia's dad, "Well are you still going to go with the 
present thing?"

Asrai looks over and spots Kassi, and the sack..and the direction she just 
came from. a low groan can be heard from the Tiny Blue rider. she keeps 
stuffing her newest hatchling into sleep oblivian..easier said then done 
with this one's natural curiosity.

Arallia blinks and then lays the little sleeping brown into the basket, 
"Umm, yes - a present, and anyways I can't get ride of him now!" She grins 
brightly and murmurs to herself, "It hatched."

Kassima eyes Asrai's hatchling a moment, and favors the bluerider with a 
faint snort. "So you wound up with one too, eh?" She jerks a thumb towards 
the tiny green curled blissfully up on the opposite shoulder from blue 
Quixote. Oddly, none of the other members of her bloody huge fair are in 
sight. "If'n you need food for it, let me know. I doubt the dragonhealers 
can use all of these, and they'll like as nay spoil ere I can feed the lot 
of 'em to m'lizards." She pats the sack with something akin to fondness. A 
stray talon pokes through the threadworn material at the gesture.

Jayna glances up at Shadow, on the hearth. "You done now, stupid?" she 
asks affectionately. "Get over here before you set your tailfork on fire." 
She smiles and points to her shoulder.

Jayna smiles as Shadow flies over and lands on her shoulder.

Makear shakes her head at the reptative mutterings of Arallia and then 
fetches herself a mug of juice. While up from the table, a stray glane is 
cast at the bag, but since she probably doesn't want to know, she just 
quietly sits down.

Asrai gives a dismissive gesture with one hand. "Umm, thanks Kassi. but I 
think we still have plenty of scraps from the last one...but with all the 
new little ones." she gives a shrug.

Jayna grins, and relaxes, hatching finished. She finally takes a minute to 
look around and see who arrived while she was absorbed in the little 
brown's arrival.

Arallia pulls the basket closer to her and peers in at the little sleeping 
hatchling, "What should I name it!?"

Meli walks in from the bowl.

Ro walks towards the inner cavern.

Richenda walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Pierron nods with a modicum of respect as the headwoman walks in.

Meli asks Pierron for a few things.

Kassima scowls blackly at the mention of 'the last one.' Dropping her sack 
o' 'snakes, she stalks over to a stray glazed pitcher and pours from it a 
mugful of klah about as black as night. A glass vial is produced from her 
pocket; its red-gold contents are added to the mug, Faranth help her. 
"Don't remind me," she suggests succinctly. "I've nay had any luck 
catching the rest of the spawn, and I'd *really* rather nay think about 
how one slipped through m'fingers, if'n 'tis all the same t'you."

Pierron uses a spatula to pry 5 flakey gold fishrolls from a tray for 
Meli.

Meli heads to a table, picking crust from a fishroll as she goes. 
"Evenin'," she murmurs.

Asrai places the now sleeping ingrate on her shoulder. Is that snoring 
coming from the little body....oh great. She sighs at Kassi's words. "He 
was coming right for me Kassi..did you really expect me to wait for you to 
get out from under the table to do something about it. I took matters into 
my own hands..there /are/ others out there."

Richenda pauses at the exit from the lower caverns, food tapping. Tap tap 
tap tap tap tap tapTAPtappitytap.

Jayna smiles at Richenda. "Evening, ma'am," she says. She looks around 
with smiles for those she missed greeting while the firelizard egg was 
hatching. At the tapping, though, her smile fades.

"Mmmph mmble mmming?" Meli asks around a mouthful of fishroll, cheeks 
puffing out slightly as she tries to cool the hot morsel.

Makear rolls her eyes ever so slightly. But as she regains her compusure 
she thinks for a moment, "Well.. Um.. Sorry, I'm usually not good with the 
name thing, espacially if they aren't mine."

M'kla glances up, taking in the tapping headwoman with something akin to 
bored curiosity. Or so it seems.

Arallia looks over at Richenda and echos Jayna, the basket holding her 
flit still sitting on the table. "Evening, ma'am." She grins over at 
Makear.

"Right." Richenda runs her fingers through her hair and calls out 
snappily, "Barracks inspection in five minutes. And I don't mean a blink 
of an eye later."

M'kla quirks a brow as Richenda announces impending Candidate doom, and 
gets up, moving with her cane to join the headwoman.

If one listens very, very closely, they can hear the sounds of Kassi's 
teeth grinding as she *tries* not to say one of the million and one 
scathing replies that spring to mind. What she mutters under her breath by 
way of reply is probably indecent and not at all civil, but at least she 
doesn't make any *audible* rude response--by way of not saying anything 
else at all. She just grabs a bowl of wine-soaked raw meat left out by the 
Bakers, her spiked Black Ruin klah, and tromps over to her chair.

Kailia walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Richenda pauses, waiting for an explosion of activity. "Well????

Kailia walks in, nodding, "Evening!"

Jayna jumps up, knocking her klah over with her elbow. "Oh, uh... " She's 
not sure where to look--at the klah, or at Richenda. She settles for 
grabbing a rag and mopping up the spill. Shards. She -needed- those five 
minutes!

Makear looks from one candidate to the other that are flanking her, "uh 
oh." she teases, "You people are in for it now." now its her turn to state 
the all to obvious.

Meli pauses in her meal, waiting expectantly for a flurry of activity. 
Shards, who'll bring her some redfruit and juice now?

Asrai grins over at Meli with a grin, then looks to see what has caught 
M'kla's attention. She sees Richenda and smiles, standing as well. she 
ignores Kassi's grinding...prolly safer that way. "You /heard/ the 
Headwoman..lets get a move on Candidates!" Whoa, Asrai the voice of 
athority..who'd'of figured.

Arallia blinks as well and follows Jayna's action, scooping up her basket 
and heading for the lower caverns, "Well, I need to hunt more of those 
little beasties down." Meaning tunnelsnakes of course.

Kailia grins, "One of Richenda's inspections?" She quirks an eyebrow, 
"Better move."

Jayna sops up the spill, and takes the empty cup (not chipped, thank all 
that's good) and the rag to the counter, where she puts them on a tray. 
She dashes toward the barracks, double time!

Jayna walks towards the inner cavern.

Arallia walks towards the inner cavern.

Krista looks at the sack Kassi brought in curiously, but then stands up 
and follows Janya's example, to head to the barracks.

M'kla walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Krista walks towards the inner cavern.

"Get your bloody Thread-cursed rumps out of here and into the Barracks," 
Kassi adds ever-so-eloquently as a few Candidates don't move quickly 
enough for her liking. She even makes as though to throw a roll at one 
particularly sluggish lad, but he sees it coming and scampers away.

Asrai smirks, "This lot won't make it to the Sands on time..I can tell 
already...

Richenda snorts. "No kidding."

Asrai adds, "We'll have to hope that a good group can be found in the 
observation ledges..."

Kailia shakes her head, "I'd been flying outta here the moment you 
announced it."

Kassima says flatly through a mouthful of raw wherry, "Then they can just 
bloody well miss out and let the dragonets pick their riders from the 
Stands. Better all around, if they can't hop-to better'n *that.*"

Meli glances at the bowl, then toward the barracks. "Hmm.... " Finally, 
she picks up the last two fishrolls and jogs out to the bowl.

Meli walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

R'val chuckles, "I'd imagine the humming of dragons will spurr this lot 
on..."

"Which reminds me...." The greenrider washes her 'food' down with a swig 
of the acidic hell-brew, setting the stein back down with a satisfying 
*thunk.* "I was wondering, Richenda, what price you'd put on a chance to 
trounce that patronizing wher-son Asher's hide. I'd leave enough of him 
for the dragons, I promise."

Richenda gives Kassima an inquisitive look, mumbles, "Proddy," and heads 
for the barracks. "Any riders want to come help, I...what, Kassima?"

Asrai looks to Richenda, "Been about five minutes?" She looks over at 
R'val, and shrugs. "I'm not sure anything could....perhaps extra latrine 
duty. I'll help Richenda."

Kassima repeats none-too-patiently, "What will it cost me t'have a chance 
at kicking Asher's rump across the Lake with sharp-toed boots on? The 
misbegotten git had the utmost *gall* t'act patronizing t'me, which isn't 
the sort of thing I make a practice of standing for."

Kailia grins, "Mind if I come, I'd love to see this..."

Asrai rolls ehr eyes. "The patronizing is still up for debate Kassi."

Makear just sits back and listens to the conversation being thrown arond 
about the current candidates.

Richenda's eyes narrow. "After the inspection," she murmurs, "I want to 
know all about this. If that's the case, I'll kick his arse myself. Sure, 
Kailia."

Richenda walks towards the inner cavern.

Asrai walks towards the inner cavern.

Kassima snaps back, "Like Faranth's own bloody shards 'tis!" But the 
bluerider is already gone. Swearing up a blue streak, the greenrider 
shoves her chair back and stalks after the departed pair.

You walk towards the inner cavern.

You part the curtain and step into the Candidate Barracks.

"ONE minute," Richenda calls sharply with the briskness of a 
weyrlingmaster and the impatience of a headwoman/ranking dragonhealer/
candidate sitter.

Kailia emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance.

Jayna just stands there, quietly. She's not looking at that stray sleeve 
sticking out from under the cot. Nope.

Arallia's cot is rather neatly made, but like Jayna's is that a shirt 
sleeve sticking out from beneath it? She sweeps a foot to kick it under 
and stands straight, her firelizard in a basket sitting at the end of her 
cot.

R'val emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance.

Richenda's foot begins its previous tapping, each sharp sound like a 
rhythmic knocking of doom on the door.

Asrai comes in, her violet eyes glancing over the cots. An amused smirck 
can be seen on her lips. "This should be interesting." Is the tiny acting 
wingleader's only remark as she goes off slightly to one side.

"Like *fardles* 'tis up for any bloody debate, Asrai," Kassi begins on her 
stormed way into the room, but she cuts off at the sight of all the 
Candidates. Oh, look... new people to glower at. So glower she does, green 
eyes smoldering like banked coals. "Mayhaps you should borrow one of the 
goldriders' whips t'be spurring 'em on with, Riche," she suggests, a touch 
sardonically... and far too sincerely for one's peace of mind.

R'val stands near the door, unobtrusively watching.

Richenda barks out, "STOP," just in case any Candidates are still stuffing 
and neatening and dusting and freaking.

Kailia leans back against a wall, covering a grin.

Krista hurries around her cot and nicks her shin on a corner, "Ouch!" she 
exclaims as she halts on Richenda's command.

Neliea quickly glances at her cot and halts. Slowly, she turns around and 
folds her hands behind her.

Richenda murmurs to Kassima as she takes a clipboard from the wall and 
begins to write, She mutters to Kassima, "... I... on..."  It's hard to 
tell whether she's kidding.

You sense Richenda murmurs to Kassima as she takes a clipboard from the 
wall and begins to write, "Thanks, but I sprained my wrist using the whip 
on Rennick." It's hard to tell whether she's kidding.

Arallia's hands fold behind her back and she glances over at the other 
candidates before she glances back at the riders and headwoman.

Kassima's eyes widen, and she regards the Headwoman with what might be... 
admiration? Respect? Certainly something akin to them. "Good call," she 
grudgingly allows. She folds her arms and lets her eyes sweep the room, 
resting particularly long on any Candidate whose nearby premises show the 
merest hint of outward dirt. It's a darned good thing she can't make 
people spontaneously combust by will alone, or it'd be a hot time in the 
old Barracks tonight.

R'val covers a grin, watching Richenda herd the candidates.

Richenda smiles ferally at Kassima, saying quietly, "Thank you, 
Wingleader," before asking the lined-up Candidates, "All right. Who's 
ready to be first in the line of inspectees? Whose press is..." She pauses 
to smile wryly, doubt underlined the words, "clean enough to show?"

Asrai finally relaxes enough to smile, making a tsk tsk sound as she spots 
a stray stirt sleave here and there tucked under a cot haphazardly.

Jayna winces at the words "clean enough." Oh, this is gonna hurt.

In case she wasn't heard the first time, the Headwoman prompts briskly, 
"I'm _waiting_."

Kassima mutters sotto voce to the Headwoman, "I'll wager you a quarter 
mark that nay a single one here will be passable." She really will bet on 
*anything.*

Biting her lip, Jayna steps forward. "I'll be first, ma'am," she 
volunteers. Maybe her death can help others.

Krista stands up tall and confidently...but not confident enough to offer 
to go first.

Arallia bites her lip and stays quiet, oh no she's not volunteering first.

Neliea blinks, straightening up. She'll offer to go to and get this over 
with. Sooner she can breathe as well.

Asrai chuckles, "Ah, the first *victem*"

Richenda nods to Jayna, giving the vic...Candidate a smile that is as 
sweet as B'fus's breath the morning after the Nines. "Let's see your 
press, hmm?"

Jayna sighs, and with all the enthusiasm of the condemned, opens the 
press. She winces. Well, most of the clothes are piled. All in one pile, 
of course, but definitely piled. She looks rather hopefully at Richenda.

Richenda's eyebrow reaches somewhere near Belior, so acutely does it arch. 
"I ask you," she says to the riders behind her and to Kailia, "when last 
did you see so vomitous a pile of clothing before, hmm?"

Kassima starts whistling an old, likely familiar tune about being in the 
money. This is probably not a good sign for poor Jayna.

Asrai just shakes ehr head as she sees the pile. But there is a definite 
sparkle in her eyes. Amusement? Understanding? Both?

Kailia shakes her head, "Some of the youngsters keep their press like 
that." she offers.

Jayna blinks at Richenda's choice of words, since most of the clothes are 
clean.

"'Twas probably the last time I dared to take a look in V'dan's clothes 
press," Kassi says, her voice at its most dry. Those who know V'dan will 
recognize this for the open insult that it is.

As she notes Jayna's reaction, Richenda explains patiently (sort of), 
"Candidate, these things are piled here. As if hurled onto the floor by 
the basket upchucking its contents. Really. Can't we fold them a little, 
hmmm?"

Eyes wide, it takes Jayna a moment or two. "Oh. OH! Yes, ma'am, certainly, 
ma'am," she says, still standing there. Nodding.

Richenda's nod is curt, then, dropping to her knees, she peers underneath 
the cot and sneezes twice, violently. "DEAR Faranth and her bronze's 
testicles!!!"

Asrai chuckles softly. "You might want to dust, also." She supplies.

Arallia blinks and stares at Richenda, then looks away and down at her 
cot. . o 0 ( Uh oh. )

Jayna flinches at the headwoman's less-than-dulcet tones.

Kailia raises and eyebrow at the headwoman's choice od words."

Kassima changes her whistled tune to an old death-march now. Dum, dum, 
da-dum, dum da-dum, da-dum, da-dum. No, the future just isn't looking too 
bright for our Candidates this evening.

Neliea blinks again and glances over at the the headwoman, and back 
towards anything else. Her hands are rather tightly folded behind her back 
too.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima has taken over the job of Phil the Sound Effects Guy 
for tonight, apparently.

"If I had a dragon, I'd swear by her shards I could grow TUBERS down in 
here." Richenda stands, brushes herself off, and looks at the cot. 
"Well. That at least is neat. Excusing the sock near the pillow. Good 
gracious and Aunt Bescie's bunions, Jayna. Can you have this better by 
tomorrow?"

Jayna nods, apologetically. Very, very apologetically. "Oh, yes, ma'am. 
Tonight!" she says. SHe's obviously being extremely optimistic.

Kassima shudders, leaning back in the shadows and almost blending into 
them. Her black clothing is good for that. "If'n she's supporting tuber-
growing conditions," she mutters, obviously referring to Jayna, "she 
should be dragged out into the Bowl and made t'suit a snowman's role." 
Nice and cryptic, that.

Richenda looks like she believes Jayna...

...about as much as she believes Rennick when he says he's stayed out of 
the cookie jar and a smear of frosting's in his beard. "Yes, yes, yes. See 
to it, Candidate, or you'll be scrubbing numbweed pots tomorrow evening 
after regular chores. Nexxxxt?"

Jayna quietly steps back, bending her knees to pick up the sock and stuff 
it in her pocket. Surreptitiously.

Arallia is chewing her bottom lip almost to nothing, well not quite that 
bad, but bad enough and then steps forward, "I'll go next, ma'am."

Neliea quickly steps forward, "May I ma'am?" She an eager one. Maybe not.

Asrai gives a shudder of horror. "Well, that alone should be motivational, 
Jayna." she gives the girl a wink when Richenda is not watching.

Richenda looks between Arallia and Neliea, considers, and shrugs. "Eeenie 
meenie minie mick, catch a bronzeboy by his pr...oh, heavens, never mind. 
Arallia, Candidate, next. Show me. Lickity split not!"

Seeing Asrai's wink, Jayna keeps her face straight, but smiles with her 
eyes. She watches the next victims. At least she'll have company dusting. 
Optimist.

Asrai laughs, I mean coughs...yeah, that's it..coughs.

Krista crosses her fingers behind her back and hopes that her inspection 
goes well too.

Kassima drawls, "Come t'think of it, Riche, I'd be willing t'raise those 
wager stakes to a half-mark... if'n you'd accede to the bet." She probably 
knows full well that Riche wouldn't. The Headwoman's selection-game earns 
her another raised eyebrow of appreciation, and--could it be? Yes! A 
genuinely amused half-smile from the greenrider.

Richenda snorts toward Kassima and explains as she makes frenetic 
notations on her clipboard, "I still have to swipe those marks from 
Rennick for our clutching bet, Kassima. I can't lose any more."

Arallia's expression does not look relieved as she's picked next even if 
she volunteered to be next, but she dutifully shows Riche her press, one 
stack of clothes neatly folded while the other is just..well a lump, much 
like Jayna's lump.

Neliea steps back, releasing a deeply held breath disguised as a cough. 
The hands are folded back behind her back once more as she stays quiet and 
glances over at Arallia. In sympathy?

Richenda kindly - this IS to help the Candidates, after all...right?? - 
dispatches the neat stack to uncover the untidy lump. "That's very nice, 
Candidate, I trust you remember something about how to fold." She picks up 
a dark-colored tunic and offers it to Arallia. "Here, swipe this under 
your cot and let's see what happens, shall we?"

Kailia shakes her head and oys. "This outta be good."

V'dan, who has snuck in while no one was watching, scribbles something 
down on a piece of slate and then holds it up. It appears to be a chalked 
rating of Arallia's press: '4.3.' Ouch. Kassi's snort indicates that she's 
in agreement with V'dan's assessment. "Good thing for them that Kerlyn's 
nay here. They'd be doing push-ups until the Red Star fell."

Jayna stands back against the wall, trying for "unobtrusive" if not 
"invisible."

Arallia grimaces and takes the tunic and drops to her knees to peer 
beneath her cot. Can't you just almost hear the "Do I have to?" whine. She 
covers a sigh by swiping the tunic beneath her cot and comes up with half 
a tunic-full of dustbunnies and a wrinkled shirt. Not that many 
dustbunnies..really.

Asrai sucks in a whistle. "Eww." Well, that about wraps it up...

Richenda smacks her clipboard against her forehead, exclaiming, "Sweet 
Faranth's toeclippings, Candidate, but did that floor LOOK like that when 
I let you all use it? Hmm? Did I? We could have fed Lord Holders off this 
floor when the first of you showed up. Back in place, all right?" Sighing 
she looks hesitantly at Neliea. "WELL? What horrors will you uncover?"

Asrai blinks. "Hey! That's my shirt. I've been looking for that since...oh 
umm, nevermind." She reaches forward and takes the shirt, holding it 
behind ehr back with a blush.

R'val glances at Asrai, eyebrows raised.

Asrai looks at the others, handing back the shirt. "Just kidding."

Telgar Weyr> Jayna LOL!

Kassima holds out her hand to collect a pair of small-denomination mark 
pieces from the grumbling V'dan, with an insufferable and half-growled, 
"Told you so. If'n any of *this* lot wind up with a dragon, the poor 
creature'll probably have cracking hide, filthy wings, and Faranth's arse 
only knows what sorts of disreputable insects making a home in the 
cobwebs 'tween the headknobs. Remind me t'pity the dragonets when the time 
comes."

Telgar Weyr> Richenda says, "Gah, Kassi. :)"

Arallia winces at Riche and rises to her feet, accepting her bunnied shirt 
and lumping it with her 'bunnied tunic. A few dustbunnies float off of her 
clothes froom all the movement.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima is picturing Miss Havisham's dragon, here. ;)

Neliea wrinkles her nose and hopes that she doesn't sneeze. A quick blink 
and she holding her breath and wills the dust away from her. Quickly 
looking up at the headwoman as she appraches, she steps aside and reveals 
her sparsly covered cot and press. Um, there's a wrinkle and nothing else 
she hopes. "Um, I don't know ma'am?", she answers, hoping that is was 
enough.

Saskia rushes in and stands quickly to attention.

Kassima draws a knife from the top of one boot and begins to clean her 
fingernails with it. Absently, she slashes through the few dust-bunnies 
unfortunate enough to float within her vicinity.

Jayna eyes Kassi with nearly the same degree of wariness as she's 
currently applying to Richenda.

Asrai chuckles softly as she returns to her place off to one side, having 
seen the candidate sneak in. She winks at the girl, jerking her head 
towards Richenda who is giving the inspection.

Richenda evaluates the wrinkle, the cot, the press. "So far, so good." Her 
writing stick pokes at the clothing in the press as she mutters, "This all 
you got? No wonder your clothes are not what they should be. Huh. Well. 
I'll find something suitable tomorrow, all right? Oh, DO me the favor of 
swiping a hand under your cot, hmm?"

Neliea blanches and looks at her hand, the cot and back at the headwoman. 
"Um, my hand under the cot?", she stammers. Who knows what might be under 
there. Not another tunnelsnake she hopes. One in the living caverns was 
just enough, thank you.

Telgar Weyr> Ceria grins. Anyone get in trouble yet?

Telgar Weyr> R'val says, "Everyone, pretty much. Richenda's being evil ;)"

Telgar Weyr> Ceria giggles.

Telgar Weyr> Arallia shows off her report card. 'E'. "I really tried my 
best, honest, honest!" :>

Telgar Weyr> R'val says, "She's crunching candidates beneath the heels of 
her jackboots, and all that ;)"

Telgar Weyr> Saskia ahhs, and hides behind R'val then.

Asrai shakes her head, "Least you all don't have to bounce a mark off your 
blankets." she offers helpfully.

Richenda smiles kindly at Neliea, puts her arm around her, and remarks in 
dulcet tones, "No, Candidate, That's all right. You don't have to peek 
under the cot if you don't want to." As she steps toward Krista, already 
writing, she adds, "I'll be happy to substitute a good cleaning of our 
storerooms tomorrow afternoon instead."

"Why further the humiliation any further than 'tis already?" Kassi asks 
rhetorically, and perhaps a bit ruefully. After all, she might just enjoy 
seeing a little more humiliation.

Asrai shakes ehr head at Kassi, then winces as Neliea gets Storeroom duty.

Neliea shakes her head slowly, and considers this. "Um, I can't change my 
mind can I?" Storeroom duty? There are tunnelsnakes there, right?

Richenda taps her writing stick against the clipboard and ponders for at 
least a half-second. "All right, get to it while Krista here shows me what 
things dropped out of /between/ to sully her living area."

Krista opens her press, at least the top layer of clothes is orderly, and 
neatly folded.

Arallia fidgets a little with the dusty clothes in her hand and glances 
sympathetically at Krista and Neliea.

"Let's see the rest of it, child," says Richenda with a sigh, expecting 
something horrific. "Let's not take all night."

Neliea nods quickly and takes one more look at her currently clean hand 
before placing it under her cot. Closing her hand, she brings it back and 
opens her eyes. There's a little dust, but does that spare her from a fate 
of meeting and tunnelsnakes?

Asrai looks on with interest, smiling as Neliea pulls out her still intact 
hand.

Richenda shoots a look over her shoulder in Neliea's direction and, with a 
gander at the mussed hand, mumbles, "Good. Then you'll do well in the 
stores tomorrow. Krista, are we ready yet?"

Mehlani emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance.

Kassima starts to sing softly under her breath, "Mine eyes have seen the 
roasting of the dead-meat Candidates...." She tries to suppress a smile as 
more and more Candidates fail at areas of the inspection. Those marks 
*will* be hers. Oh, yes. They *will* be hers.

Saskia gives Kassima a look.

Asrai shrugs, giving Neliea a sympathetic look. Seeing Lani enter she 
shoos her over to her cot. "Inspection." She says shortly.

Kailia shakes her head, "Kassi, I pity the candidate that does pass, if 
one does. You may never forgive him or her."

Neliea pales and quickly wipes her hand clean on her trous. Oh, just let 
there be no tunnelsnakes in there.

Mehlani comes darting in, bleary-eyed, clearly having just emerged from 
the steam baths. She's hastily donned her clothing and is clinging to her 
bathing shift and towels rolled into a bundle in her arms; her hat rides, 
as per usual, on her head, but she's got her boots in one hand and is 
walking barefoot. Several of her fire lizards are flittering around 
here -- what of their number, that is, aren't already huddled under her 
cot and peering out at the proceedings with wary eyes, which is doubtless 
what drew 'Lani in here in the first place. Mehlani takes one look at 
everyone and everything, and then shoots her gaze back to Asrai and bobs 
her head mutely.

Krista pulls out the drawers of her press that have a neat top layer but 
the clothes under neath arn't quite folded, "I did my best for a five 
minute warning."

Kailia snorts, "Should be clean all of the time, Candidate."

Richenda's gaze narrows....just _narrows_ at the arrival of the collection
of firelizards and bellows, "RED STAR!!!!" before nudging Krista's press 
with her toe. "I can see. Practice folding in the laundry tomorrow 
afternoon...AFTER regular chores. Saskia, I dread this immensely, but what 
have you done with your things, hmm? Ready for inspection, are we?"

Krista says "That was my best excuse too."

Saskia nods to Richenda, "Yes ma'am. Indeed, ma'am." and gulps softly.

Mehlani, for a few moments, just stands there dumbly, frozen in apparent 
nervousness; she swallows as Richenda's bellow promptly disperses each and 
every single fire lizard that looks to her, leaving her entirely alone. 
She swallows hard and then inches to her cot.

Kassima mutters sardonically to Kailia, "Fat chance of any of these 
passing. The day any group of Candidates comes close to being acceptable 
in their first inspection, I'll eat B'fus's kilt. Without ketchup, nay 
less." Ewwww. Quixote shrieks and launches himself from her shoulder, 
disappearing *between* at once; the tiny hatchling green follows suit 
within a few seconds. Kassi turns her highly annoyed look on the 
Candidates, indubitably blaming *them* for this somehow.

Telgar Weyr> Richenda likes Richenda just for her tendency to scream "RED 
STAR" to get rid of firelizards.

Thankfully, Asrai's newest hatching is basically in the coma of a stuffed 
newborn. Asrai shakes her head as the little brown lets out a *belch* in 
Reply to Richenda's bellow and resettles himself.

Telgar Weyr> R'val misses the good old days, when "RED STAR" actually 
worked ;)

Telgar Weyr> Mehlani .oO (Chendie even got Arki. Whoa.)

Richenda snaps her fingers at Saskia, indicating that her patience is 
ebbing. Rennick must be waiting with a bottle of wine somewhere.

Saskia runs over to Richenda,"Here ma'am."

Arallia's newest hatchling is also in a stuffed newborn coma, thankfully 
and Ara just clutches at her dustbunnied clothing.

Jayna eyes her fellow vi--Candidates with sympathetic trepidation.

Neliea stiffens and is grateful that her flit didn't wake up. Two squaks 
in one day would leave her deaf.

"Open your press right now, Candidate," says Richenda with the sort of 
love a firelizard holds for a tunnelsnake, "so I can put Mehlani out of 
her misery and get my mortified self away from this blackened pottydump 
that you've made of my Barracks."

Saskia nods quickly and opens her press slowly.

Asrai chuckles softly at Richenda's wording.

Saskias press is empty save for a pair of threadbare trous and tunic.

Mehlani stands there by her cot, clinging to her bundled shift and towels 
and boots, and swallows again. Inspection. Um. Well, she'd better put her 
things down if she's going to be asked to open her cot, shouldn't she? Her 
eyes quite huge under her hat brim, she leans down to place her boots 
where they need to be; her movements are stiff, as if her limbs are 
feeling heavier than usual.

Kassima remarks idly, "Would've called it a moldering cesspit, m'self, but 
beggars can't be aught but compost."

Richenda lets out a long, long, long, long, exasperated breath and again 
addresses the non-Candidates accompanying her. "We have clothing and food 
and furs for all, and yet this young lady is wearing these things. Can you 
all believe it??? Saskia, for shame. When you're helping out Neliea in the 
stores tomorrow, get a few items of clothing for yourself. And Kassima, 
while I'm writing up these orders, can you all have a look at Mehlani's 
press for me?"

Saskia blushes bright red, "Yes ma'am" and ducks her head.

Hearing the sentence, Jayna looks sympathetically at Saskia.

Asrai looks over at Lani, following Kassi to make sure the greenrider 
doesn't eat the poor girl.

Arallia also throws a sympathetic look over at Saskia.

Saskia mumbles something about Jorenan buying her some clothes, but she 
got Searched.

Kassima's fierce smile bares a number of teeth. "Gladly, Richenda." 
Pushing herself away from the wall, the black-clad rider steps over to 
where 'Lani stands, her wherry-skewer slapping against her leg. "Open the 
press," she commands in a voice that brooks no argument. Her expression 
bespeaks volumes: this had just *better* not be an overly-clean press.

Neliea lowers her eyes and rapidly glances in sympathy over at Saskia. At 
least she won't be alone tomorrow.

Richenda's glare at Saskia indicates that further comment is about as 
welcome as a cold necessary seat in the middle of winter.

Saskia swallows and falls silent.

Mehlani straightens back up again as Richenda utters her name. And she's 
lived first at Benden Weyr, then at Telgar, long enough to know exactly 
what kind of frame of mind Kassima is in. Not even daring to breathe, 
'Lani opens up her press as bidden. Revealed within are a small stack of 
articles of clothing: a few blouses and breeches. Something in five, count 
'em, five different colors that might be a skirt. Two books of some kind, 
resting atop a box at the very bottom. And, nestled atop everything else, 
the battered old form of a stuffed toy wher.

Asrai smiles, peering inside the press. "Looks pretty good to me, Kassi."

Kassima pokes idly through the stuff, not really enough to disturb 
anything--just enough to get a good look. "Could be piled more neatly," 
she says brusquely, "and you're going t'bloody well have t'clean out some 
room in here if'n you hope t'stash a robe. Is that a stain on your 
clothing that I see, or is it a shadow?"

Asrai peer at the shirt in question, trying to make out the stain. Seeing 
the spot Kassi ment she looks up to Lani for an explaination. At least she 
looks like /she/ hopes its a shadow.

Not entirely certain whether Kassima means the clothes she's wearing, the 
clothes in the press, or the bundle she's still bearing in her arms, 
Mehlani nods uneasily at the advice given, then murmurs, "I..." She 
swallows. "I mean... what's in there is clean, though I probably missed 
some of the firestone d-dust on what I've got on..."

Kassima, by contrast, looks decidedly disapproving--yes, disapproving--of 
the relatively neat state of things so far. "See that you keep it that 
way, then," she snaps, "and keep yourself in better state. The Candidates 
represent the Weyr just as much as any rider, Crafter, or resident, and a 
may a messy and difficult-to-explain to one's mate disease strike anyone 
who dares think otherwise. Now. Get down and sweep this cloth under your 
cot, Candidate." She tosses Mehlani a handkerchief from one of her 
shirt-pockets. It is, of course, black.

"And if everything's not clean, Mehlani, I reckon you'll have to rewash 
them all to be sure," Richenda notes to Mehlani, "along with the rest of 
the laundry you'll be doing tomorrow afternoon. Asher, is your press ready 
for inspection? Well, never mind...it will be instpected."

Jayna shakes her head sadly. The black handkerchief test. She sighs 
sympathetically.

"Yes ma'am," murmurs Mehlani tinily, though still quite audibly. She 
accepts the kerchief, hunkers stiffly down to her knees and then crouches 
down low enough to run the cloth beneath her cot. To Richenda, too, she 
adds a tiny "Yes'm."

There is a hint of sympathy in Asrai's eyes, but she knows the reasons 
behind these inspections as well as any other rider.

Kailia leans against the wall, a wide grin on her face. She's not even 
trying to cover it now.

Asher summons the usual vacant smile for anyone who addresses him--this 
time Richenda--and gives his dark head a shallow bob. "Of course." A smile 
curves his mouth, even though it isn't funny in the least. He extends his 
hand, showing the contents of his press with casual indifference. Old 
clothing, one pair, has been tucked here without care, and a pot of oil 
for his firelizards. And a comb.

Saskia gives Mehlani a sympathetic look, but for once the sound of her 
voice is not heard.

Before she has even begun her defamation dissertation on the press 
Richenda pokes Asher with her writing implement. "Excuse me, Candidate, 
but you said Of course...did you mean, 'Of course, ma'am'? I hope you did. 
I'd hate to think you treated me with the casual disregard that you have 
with this disaster you call a press."

Kassima's booted foot taps the tempo of impatience against the floor. 
"Well?" she demands, evidently irated by how long this is taking. "Out 
with it. Is the cloth dirty, or isn't it?"

Asrai looks with mild reproff upon Kassima. By her look she obviously 
doesn't think Kassi should be doing this inspection..not in the mind state 
Lysseth has her in.

Another vacant half-smile. "Of course, ma'am, I don't." Asher expels a 
gentle breath, and tries to summon up a more true-style of smile. "It is a 
horrid mess, isn't it, ma'am?"

Kassima shoots Richenda a glance that says, clearer than words, 'I told 
you so.' Asher gets a glare fit to boil the blood to the point where even 
*between* couldn't cool it. It is a good thing for this one that 
pyrokinesis is indeed impossible.

Mehlani rolls awkwardly to a crouch, then rises up again, peering 
anxiously at the cloth. She then holds it forth, trying not to shake it or 
disturb anything that might have come up clinging to it, and murmurs to 
Kassima, "There isn't any light-colored dust on it..."

Kailia shakes her head at the young man.

Asrai smiles, "Not a wonder what with all your firelizards helping to keep 
it clean with their bodies, Candidate 'Lani."

Ursa emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance.

Richenda smirks Kassima's way as she pokes and prods at the press. "Oh, 
no, oh no, it's not a mess. If you want to see a mess, go see the latrines 
nearest the children's rooms and nursery tomorrow afternoon, my DEAR 
Candidate and you will see mess. But then, that's why I want you cleaning 
them. Understood?"

Telgar Weyr> Asher is sorry for the impudence, but it's very hard to RP 
when you've a devil of an urge to waltz.....

Kassima scowls blackly at this. She's out to find dirt, and by Faranth, 
she *will* find it. "Sweep the cloth over the press, under the press, over 
the bottom of the press and cot both, and around the floor immediately 
surrounding your cot," she commands. "Then show me that cloth again. And, 
pull the coverlet down on your cot so that I can see whether you've made 
it in any remote facsimile of the proper fashion."

Kailia grins, "I'd like to verify the mess there, if I may."

Saskia gulps. She had latrine duty today.

Telgar Weyr> Richenda just pictures what toddlers and adolescents do to 
bathrooms and shudders. :)

Arallia winces when she hears Asher's punish..duty, latrine duty that is.
"Thank you, Kailia." The headwoman greets Ursa with a thin-lipped nod that 
seems at home with her dangerously glittering eyes.

Asher seems instantly delighted with Richenda in an bizzare way. His smile 
grows--no, he beams-- and he lifts his fingers in a sort of salute. "Of 
course ma'am. Oh, oh. Of course."

Ursa steps in, lingering near the door. She leans against the wall, eyes 
slowly taking in the sight and the inspection. Though she won't have any 
of them in her wing for some turns yet, it's already her business to keep 
an eye on them.

Asrai's lips purses slightly at Kassi's attitude.

Seeing the inspection nearing its conclusion, Jayna straightens up and 
looks straight ahead.

Richenda's forefinger shoots out toward Asher for another poke. "Something 
amusing you, Candidate? You find this fun? You think this is a laughing 
matter?"

Hey, at least Kassi hasn't threatened to disembowel 'Lani if the Candidate 
doesn't comply. Yet. This is an improvement over previous Turns.

Mehlani flicks a brief wisp of a glance at Asrai, not daring anything even 
remotely related to a smile, not with Kassima's attention focused upon 
her. She bobs her head to Lysseth's rider, and moves as quickly as she can 
manage to obey her. The black cloth follows the dictated course, over and 
under, over and around. 'Lani has to crouch again, and her movements 
remain ever so slightly awkward for some reason, but after a few moments, 
she straightens up to display the cloth for the green rider's inspection. 
Distinct nervousness might be spotted along with weariness in her delicate 
features.

Asher tips his head at Richenda, going slightly vacant-eyed again; 
unfocused. "Oh, no ma'am." He might have a bruise from those pokings in 
the morning hours. "I am most certainly not laughing, ma'am."

"Good," Richenda counters in a snarl, "because I've noticed a day of 
stirring numbweed will puncture most people's sense of humor. You'll see 
about that tomorrow at dawn, won't you?"

Kailia shakes her head, "I might have to agree with you a bit, Kassi. He 
is on the disrespectful side."

Jayna winces at Asher's sentence.

Kassima asks Richenda in a low tone, "Mayhaps the stakes of the bet could 
be changed t'that chance t'kick a certain insolent rump into a manure 
pile, as I mentioned a'fore?" Turning back to Mehlani, she regards the 
cloth with narrowed eyes... and, at last, a smile of wicked triumph; a 
faint line of dust does mar it, probably from way, way back in the back 
where no sane person would think of cleaning. "I see," she says simply. 
"Go show that to Richenda, Candidate."

Asher ahs slightly, tipping his head the other way. "See about which, 
ma'am? The latrines, or the numbweed, in the morning?" Oh, how tiring, how 
confusing. He looks just a little disassembled in the head at the moment. 
Maybe he's tired.

Asrai rolls ehr eyes, but reinforces Kassi's command with a jerk of her 
head towards Richenda.

Ursa taps her toe impatiently while she nods her head approvingly. From 
the expression on her face, she expected about what she sees.

Richenda breathes in deeply. "Numbweed morning, latrines afternoon. And 
dishes tomorrow night. Have you any more questions, Candidate?"

Mehlani bobs her head again, to Kassima and Asrai, and there's only one 
word for her expression now: stricken. She then turns and steps to 
Richenda, stumbling once, pausing uncertainly and holding up the cloth, 
waiting for the Headwoman's attention to shift to her.

Asher ohs softly as this is clarified. "No thank you, ma'am." He tries his 
very hardest not to be pleasent, not to smile, as this seems to offend. He 
doesn't enjoy making people offended. He's got his eyes on that writing 
stick, ready for another lighting jab.

"Commands shouldn't require reinforcement," Kassima notes to Asrai in a 
flat voice; it's nearly the mildest tone she's used today. "Kailia, I 
couldn't agree more. Which is why I want t'kick him into a muck-pile first 
chance I get." And oh, but her smile is venomous.

Richenda becomes cognizant of Mehlani's nearness and snares the cloth from 
her fingertips for an examination. "Not the worst I've seen, but I expect 
that, after you and the others have swept this place clean, you'll be sure 
nothing comes up on the cloth, won't you?" Just for good measure, as she 
speaks, she pokes Asher again.

Asrai doesn't answer Kassi, what's the use at this juncture.

Mehlani murmurs tinily, "Yes ma'am." That seems to be about all she's 
capable of saying, at the moment.

Asher suddenly seems to notice that he's being spoken about. His head 
turns and his back ceases to slouch, the barest of frowns marring his pale 
face as he searches through faces. Oh, yes. The flashy one with the 
knives. "Ouch," he mutters distractedly as he's jabbed. Than he looks to 
see what that was. Oh, Richenda. "I meant, 'Ouch, ma'am.'" The last thing 
he needs is to be scolded again.

Sandar emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance.

Jayna sighs, fingering the sock on her pocket. She eyes a stray dustbunny 
that floats from beneath her cot. She stompts it, efficiently but gently.

Kassima smiles the smile of the feline who has gotten the cream. Those 
marks are in her sights even now. Her gaze wanders again towards Asher; 
her smile turns positively poisonous for the brief moment before she turns 
her attention elsewhere. "Looks like a complete series of failures, eh 
Riche?"

Richenda looks weary as she addresses the riders and Kailia, her face 
mottled by temper or by embarassment at the barracks' state. "I'm sorry 
for you all having to see the people for whom I am responsible in the 
barracks for which I am responsible being so slovenly. I know that the 
Beastcraft's coops are better-maintained than this sty. If you have advice 
to give me on how to make certain these .... people know they're supposed 
to keep this place clean, do tell me."

Kailia points to Sandar, "Ahhh, forgot one."

"I've had enough." And Richenda sounds as though she means it.

Sandar gulps audibly.

Ursa drawls dryly. "Kerlyn once had me do ten pushups for every stain and 
mark she found. It took me several days to finish my total."

Asrai nods, stepping forward. "Perhaps you'll let me take over from here, 
Richenda. A little talking to might put things in perspective for them.. 
If that doesn't work..then more drastic measures might be taken."

Mehlani stands there near Richenda, not having dared to move from the 
spot, and her face falls visibly at the Headwoman's words. She mutely 
curls the cloth into her hands, and although she doesn't actually cringe, 
her face does a grand job of relaying the impression that she's just been 
punched in the gut.

Jayna shuffles her feet and looks humiliated. Not to mention really, 
really worried.

Ursa snorts. "They need far more than a talking to," she says. "But if 
you'll excuse me." She turns and leaves, her boot heels clicking on the 
stone floor.

Ursa heads through the entrance to the inner cavern.

Sandar glances back at his cot, now wishing he hadn't decided to take a 
nap after bagging firestone this afternoon, thenturns and looks around 
shifty eyed at the angry inspectors.

Kassima smiles again. She's good at drastic measures. "Oh, do let me talk 
t'them if'n Asrai's spiel doesn't do any good, Headwoman. Perhaps I can 
inspire a sense of duty in the buggers."

Richenda offers Asrai her clipboard and stick with tha air of a person 
who's anxious to leave. To Ursa's suggestion she simply says, "Done deal. 
Please count every stain and mark on these clothes before you let them go 
and mark them down. I want them to know I will not be embarassed before 
all of Pern by having ragamuffin Candidates on the sands. Excuse me, 
everyone. Kailia, Asrai, Kassima...they're all yours. R'val, I'll trust 
you to keep them all in line. Right? Right."

Asher folds his hands in his pockets, black head, complete with red 
streaks, bowed slightly. But he's looking down because he doesn't want to 
smile. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he feels slight sympathy for 
Sandar.

R'val smiles at Richenda faintly, "Do my best, ma'am."

Richenda does a stage whisper to R'val, hand on his shoulder as she passes 
him. "Don't let any of them escape."

Neliea shifts from foot to foot and stops before any one sees her. 
Unfolding her hands, she wipes them on her trous and blinks in worry. A 
brief glance to Sandar and then back to the floor.

Kassima rests her hands casually on the hilt of her wherry skewer and the 
handle of her Emasculator, relaxing a touch as she gets in contact with 
her weapons. "Thankee, Riche. I'm certain we can... handle them."

Kailia grins, "Not a chance."

Aurian shifts nervously from foot to foot as she waits.

Asrai takes the clipboard. She turns to the others. "I think I can handle 
this alone. I get a chance to talk to them, alone.../if/ that doesn't 
work..then you all can have them."

"Who died and put you in charge of us, Asrai?" Kassima asks sharply. "Or 
of whether or nay we may address the Candidates?"

Jayna remains at attention, but her eyes follow Richenda as she leaves. 
She watches Asrai, warily, but ready to take the punishment she deserves. 
Her cot was, truly told, sloppy, after all.

Richenda heads through the entrance to the inner cavern.

Asrai sighs, not having wanted to do this. "Wingleader, you are not really 
in the right mind to have any sort of conversation with the candidates..
lest it be one on what proddiness can do to one's temperment. May I 
/please/ talk with them alone?"

Kailia looks up, "I am one of her assistants, I should be here."

Asher quirks a dark brow. He rather wishes they'd decide whether or not 
they would be lectured by one, two, or all of the riders present. All, he 
hopes. The riders are more diverting than sleep, in any case.

Sandar's cot was quite nicely made, in order, and all of his clothes were 
folded - well, there were folds in them, anyways - and stashed under his 
bed. Now, if only there weren't that big black Sandy-sized smear on the 
pillow, and trailing underneath the covers, from this afternoon's nap. 
Sandar closes his eyes and wishes the smear *between*, but when he opens 
his eyes, the smear's still there... and there's a bronze firelizard 
tugging at the sheets, rumping them up further. Sandar acks. "Jubei!" he 
hisses when he hopes nobody's watching. "Cut that out!"

Kassima drawls out, "Methinks I can judge whether or nay I'm in m'right 
mind better than you can. I'm certes in enough possession of m'senses 
t'know when a group of slovenly slime-spawned 'snakes have turned the 
Barracks into a festering cesspool. Go ahead and talk to them, but if'n 
you think you can order me out... you'd best have a second think coming, 
Wingleader."

Asrai sighs, looking to Kalia. "Can you tell them exactly /why/ they need 
to be so neat? How it ties in with being a dragon rider? I have complete 
respect for your position Kailia, I just wanted to chat with them about 
the aspects of this inspection that deal with being a rider." She looks to 
Kassi, clearly not happy with where her simple suggestion has lead this. 
"Kassima, might I please have a private conversation with the 
candidates?"

Asher looks positively delighted, and closes his dark green eyes and tries 
not to listen. Someone save him from his own terrible sense of humour and 
curiousity. He's going to stand here, oh yes, and behave, because if he 
doesn't than they'll reward him by letting him go back home. And we all 
know how droll that can be. He rather misses being poked at, though. At 
least while he was being jabbed, he knew that something constructive was 
being done.

Aurian glances to her own cot, its only a little bit messy really. That is 
if you never mind the various containers of firelizard oil, numbweed, and 
creams. The bits of green leaves, drying leaves, and crushed leaves in 
small piles.

Kassima folds her arms, leans back against a wall, tilts her head to 
consider for a moment, and then says, "Nay. If'n you like, though, I'll 
save m'interruptions up until the end... since I would like t'speak with 
them also, Asrai. I believe I have that right."

Kailia shrugs. "Well, at least let me spit this out. Candidates, what if 
there's an emergency. Unsusal threadfall or the like. If your things are a 
mess, how will you know where to find it? Humm? Knowing where your things 
are and being able to find them could make a big difference."

Sandar groans quietly as Jubei starts rumpling with the sheets, perhaps 
building a comfortable nest-like bed for himself, then snags some of 
Sandy's shirts from below the cot, and builds a little pile. Sandar waves 
his hands frantically at the bronze, who chirps happily at his sillypet's 
recognition of his wise bedmaking.

Asrai shakes her head at Kassi. "I don't agree with this, Kassi. I'll find 
some other time to talk with them." She shoves the clipboard at Kassi and 
walks out. She doesn't look back as she leaves.

Asrai heads through the entrance to the inner cavern.

R'val slips out wordlessly.

R'val heads through the entrance to the inner cavern.

Kailia shakes her head, "Well, Kassi. And that is that."

Mehlani's fair is still nowhere to be seen. She only stands there, the 
black cloth being twisted slightly in her dainty fingers, doing her best 
to pay attention.

Ptodek emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance.

Ptodek bursts into the room, stopping to look around at the people.

M'kla emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance.

Ptodek says "Kassima!!!"

Aurian sidles a bit closer to her cot, trying to keep the water damaged 
jacket out of view.

Asher lifts his red-streakd head and blinks at the noisy entrance. Oh, of 
course, /they/ get to run about......

Kassima calls after Asrai without so much as a hint of repentance, "Your 
decision, a'course. Everyone has a right t'be unreasonable." With a nod to 
Kailia, she turns to the Candidates and eyes them somewhat coldly. 
"Candidates. I'll make this as short as I can. While you are here, 
Standing, wearing a Telgar Weyr knot, you represent the Weyr. To the 
Holds, to the Crafts, to *everyone who comes t'see you*. *Is* that clear? 
The Weyr did nay Search you because 'twas looking t'bloody well humiliate 
itself, if'n you've somehow gotten that idea stuck rattling around in your 
heads and dying of loneliness up there. We expect you t'be presentable at 
all times. We expect you t'keep things neat and tidied, for precisely the 
reasons that Kailia mentioned. And we *expect* that you will nay try and 
act with insolence towards those of higher rank. That is one of many 
reasons why 'tis important for you t'shape up, and shape up *now.*"

M'kla comes in, with Ptodek, and two others in tow. A sniffling girl who 
will answer to Markie, and a wideeyed boy named Stamson.

M'kla's brows quirk at Kassima, and she snorts, but says nothing for now.

Ptodek blinks at the harangue, and tries again. "Kassima! It's me Ptodek! 
Remember?"

Mehlani, like just about every other young person in view in the Barracks, 
seems to manage only a fraction of attention for M'kla's entrance and that 
of those with her. 'Lani's gaze remains riveted on Kassima; the girl in 
the hat is still silent, stricken, and seemingly rooted to the spot in 
which she stands.

Kailia pokes the young man, "Not now."

Sandar hangs his head low at the chewing out, wincing slightly at certain 
words.

M'kla makes sure the other two are settled....and then sneaks back out 
while Kassima has delusions of T'garrick.

Ptodek bites his lip and falls silent.

Kassima casts a disapproving look over her shoulder as her name is called. 
One eyebrow arches upwards. "Ptodek," she says simply, the greeting not 
precisely warm. M'kla, of course, gets a salute sharp enough to shave 
with. "I believe that's everything. Richenda will gladly elucidate for you 
just what will happen if'n you don't. Chores are a first-time offender's 
punishment. You don't want t'know about the second time. D'you all 
understand me?"

Aurian glances straight towards her toes. Toes are such wonderful things. 
Tips of boots even better. Her hair falls over her face as she nods, "aye 
ma'am."

Neliea blinks and remains at attention, it's useless to do anything else 
right now. Nodding minutely, she mumurs, "Yes ma'am."

Kailia speaks up, "And it's much worse if you muss up another so they get 
in trouble on purpose. Don't even think about it."

Ptodek swallows and nods carefully.

Asher blinks at Kassima's lecturing, the sentences parting and flowing 
past him without actually breaking agianst him. A sieve, he is, lately. He 
heard though. He heard. Oh sharding curiosity. He stops himself from 
injecting and asking what the second offense would bring. He really 
struggles.

Sandar nods quickly to Kassima. "Yes, ma'am," he agrees, then grimaces, 
hoping she doesn't notice he just ma'amed her. Hearing others do the same 
relieves him only slightly.

Kassima snaps in a less clipped, more heated tone, "And *don't* fardling 
well call me ma'am. The name's Kassima. K-A-S-S-I-M-A. Kah-SEE-muh. Can we 
say it? I think we can."

Ptodek smothers a grin.

Asher echoes instantly, "Kassima!" Isn't he a clever parrot?

Telgar Weyr> Kailia busrsts out laughing at Kassi

Sandar can say it, but he wisely remains silent like he should have done 
in the first place. A 'Lani-like grave nod is all she gets this time.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima just laughs as Kassi turns into Mr. Rogers on some 
kind of bad drugs.

Aurian jumps a bit. Her eyes wide with startlement. She does manage not to 
yelp however.

Telgar Weyr> Aurian says, "PCP that's what it is"

M'kla leans against the doorway, and watches the greenrider.

Neliea quickly looks up and nods, "Yes Kassima." She quiets and hopes that 
it'll be safe soon, if such a thing exists.

Kassima nods curtly, and takes a deep, deeeeep breath. It's been a long 
and pretty thoroughly horrid day, but she can still realize when even 
she's being just a *touch* unreasonable. "Thank you," she manages, with a 
touch of sincerity, though Asher gets a sharp look. "'Tis a personal 
preference of mine, this nay-ma'aming thing. Anyway. Kailia, did I miss 
aught that I should've said?"

Kailia shakes her head, "You know, I do believe I'm rather glad I'm not in 
you all's shoes."

Sandar wishes he was in his shoes. They're currently tossed carelessly at 
the foot of his bed.

Asher looks a little flustered. Oh well give him a funny look. He can say 
it, can't he? He tosses his head to clear the hair from his eyes and folds 
his hands behind his back.

Kailia looks thoughtful, "Just don't forget the extra duties tomorrow. 
They ought to be perfect, ot Richenda may have your heads."

Ptodek gulps. Extra duties? He missed that part.

Sigourney emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance.

Sandar mumbles something about the inevitability of that anyways, but soon 
clamps his mouth shut and hangs his head, perhaps because he's feeling 
ashamed, and perhaps because he doesn't want to get any more attention 
than he's already brought upon himself.

"Or something other than their heads," Kassi agrees, tapping the handle of 
her Emasculator meaningfully. "I'm certain that everything will be done 
without flaw. And *without* resorting t'cutenesses like the dyed soap I've 
heard rumors of, unless you want t'see what Riche's like when she's 
annoyed. I wouldn't, if'n 'twere you. All clear?"

Sigourney flitters in with a cheep, perching on the lintel.

Mehlani, once more, nods mutely to Lysseth's rider.

Sandar nods solemnly.

Aurian chews on a fingernail as she listens to the continued beratement. 
She looks whistfully towards the cutain out.

Asher nearly passes out at the dyed-soap's mention. He's the victim, not 
the criminal here. This time. But a saucy grin and nodding bob of the head 
to the instructions.

Neliea nods slowly, still stainding too straight, but better than 
slouching. Dyed-soap? She wasn't part of that, but she's a candidate. 
Maybe she is.

Kassima frowns at Asher as she sees him grin. That lad is just racking up 
more and more points on Kassi's deep-defecation-list. "Fine, then. 
M'thanks t'you and Riche, Kailia, for letting me talk to them." She even 
manages a nod, to try and add sincerity to the words.

Kailia nods, "Our pleasure."

Sandar grimaces at the word pleasure, as though it shouldn't be said in 
this room at this moment. However, he's looking a tad less white now that 
the schooling is over.

Kassima whirls smartly on her heel to head out the door, with another one 
of those crisp-as-frozen-lettuce salutes for M'kla, the lucky woman.

Ptodek blinks and looks around at the others.

Kailia nods, "Well, you all have a lovely evening cleaning up in here."

You head through the entrance to the inner cavern.

You walk through the large entrance to the Living Cavern.

Pierron humphs thoughtfully as the wingleader of Thunderbolt arrives.

Kailia walks here from the Inner Cavern.

D'thon glances to the lower entrance. "The alternative might be worse, 
mightn't it?" He swallows and goes quiet.

A drudge shoos the layabouts out of the Living Cavern, getting them out of 
her way.

Kailia wanders back in, "They may be up all night cleaning."

Kassima storms through the LC in a flurry of black, pausing only long 
enough to snatch up her klah and bowl of raw meat--probably slightly 
rancid now, but oh well--from her table. "Oh, go bite a bovine's rump," 
she invites Pierron right before she disappears back into the night. Exit, 
stage left!

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