-------------------------------------------------------------------------- To Welcome In the Summertime, Welcome In the May-O Date: September 6(?), 1998 Place: Telgar Weyr Lake Shore Game: PernMUSH Copyright Info: The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kassi's Note: Witness here the penalty of making bargains with Kassi! Well... sort of penalty. Arguably, it's not a penalty at all. In fact, I might say it's a reward beyond the wildest dreamings of most mortal men--but I'm a *little* bit biased. And off the topic. Maylia made a spur-of-the moment agreement with the Wingleader not long ago, to join her in Thunderbolt if she were bought for a certain price (if you've not read the auction log, it's a long story), and now Kassi's come to collect. There's also some more discussion of V'hryn in pink lace for those who enjoy that sort of thing. ;) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Log: You fly downwards and into the waters of the lake. <*> Jayna snorts. "I don't know about miners," she says, sighing. <*> It's with an impressive showering of sand that Lysseth skids to a landing, coming to a halt *just* before the edge of the water. "Show-off," Kassima grumbles from her neck, casting her eyes towards the sky in a plea for patience with the foibles of her dragon. "Evening and greetings, all and sundry! We're nay interrupting aught, are we?" Telgar Weyr> Jayna wings a blob of caviar at Aurian, just because. Telgar Weyr> Maylia pops up out of nowhere, and narrowly misses getting a glob of caviar in her eyes... Telgar Weyr> Aurian kerpounces Maylia trying to evade the Caviar <*> Xylath turns his head to warble a polite, yet subdued greeting to Lysseth as he looks back towards the sky in his own from of stargazing. <*> Tierth flies in from above and lands in the waters of the lake. You slide off of Lysseth's neck to land beside her easily. She rumbles, cocking her head down at you, and you rub her eyeridges gratefully. Aurian waves from where she is plucking lillies, "Evening." She adds another pair to her bundle. Jayna looks up. She's standing in the shallows, pant legs rolled up, but to little avail, as her pants are soaked. There's a streak of mud running down her shoulder, and a matching streak on one cheek. She's holding a big white pond lily, with a streaming wet root. The whole picture's incredibly dignified. "Oh, heya, wingleader," she smiles. "How are you and Lysseth, Kassi?" Neliea looks back at Xylath, then to Kassima smiling from her streched out position on the sand. "Evening Kassi, Maylia," she greets once she sees the other green land nearby. Jayna grins. "And you as well, Maylia, and Tierth?" Tierth wheels in from above, her wings stretched wide and catching the moonlight cascading down from above. Easily, she backwings to a landing, and Maylia calls greetings around as she dismounts. Maylia slides to the ground, giving Tierth a parting caress and a tender smile. Kassima bounces lightly on her feet, giving Lysseth's shoulder a fond slap before she turns to stroll towards the others--which isn't to say that she actually goes *into* the water. She's not a nutcase. "What happened t'what I said about calling me by name?" she asks with a long-suffering sigh. "We're both well, thankee, though methinks I caught a touch of a cold somehow. Maylia, g'deve! Just the greenrider 'twas hoping t'be seeing!" Vidarth flies in from above and lands in the waters of the lake. R'val slides down from Vidarth's back and lands in a crouch. R'val clambers down from Vidarth, "My my. Quite the group.' he tugs at Vidarth's straps, removing them so the blue can go for a swim. Maylia pulls off her riding helmet, and smiles. "We're both fine, thanks. And you?" she asks. To Kassima, she winces. "A cold? oh dear. Just don't share that with me, hmmm?" Aurian gives a bright grin at Maylia and Kassima. She can't help herself as she sniffs the bundle of lillies she holds. Jayna smiles. "Heya, R'val," she says, casually saluting, smacking herself in the forehead with the water lily she's holding. It adds another muddy streak to her face. She's standing in the water, clothed. Kassima watches Vidarth land, and demands rhetorically, "Is there some law saying that nay group of women shall ever gather without R'val dropping in eventually? Oh, don't worry, May. What I mean t'give you isn't a virus... at least, I don't think so." In as low a voice as she can manage and have it still be audible to the brownrider in question, she asks of Aurian, "Did you get away without catching chill, and if'n so, may I ask you what your secret is?" Neliea just happened to glance at Jayna in time to catch the lily smering as she stands and moves towards the farviewer. It's not good to give Xylath ideas as she giggles over her shoulder. "Pretty Jayna," she teases and waves to R'val. "Evening." Maylia's hand raises in a quick wave, if a little absent minded to Vidarth's rider. She doesn't catch much of what the Wingleader calls to Aurian, and with a shrug dismisses it. Jayna sighs, helplessly. "I just don't have any fashion sense," she confesses. "I don't have any...well, clean sense, I guess," she adds, looking down at her mud-bespattered shirt. Kassima chuckles pitilessly. "I suppose 'twould be surprising if'n Vah didn't catch chill, though... poor man. As if'n he hadn't suffered enough." Raising her voice again, she turns to call over, "May, seriously, have you a moment?" Maylia nods, chuckling. "Of course I do." Tierth's last buckle of her straps is ondone, and the leather slithers to the ground. Kassima, thumbs hooked through her belt, ambles over to Maylia, giving the greenrider a speculative look. "As you recall, rider," she begins, "we made a bit of a bargain a time back...." Maylia suppresses a groan. "We did, didn't we?" A grin is also suppressed. "So, is it that time? The replacement Kerlyn's found for me is finally getting the hang of it." Aurian goes over to Kvasith and pulls off his straps, "Ok you may swim." Jayna eyes Maylia and Kassi curiosly, still futzing with the muddy root of her lily. She's fairly hopelessly wet at this point. Aurian places her bouquet of lillies amongst Kvasith straps. She heads over to the rock. Kvasith toddles into the water. Kassima does grin for a moment, before once again assuming a serious mein. "Indeed. Wingrider Maylia, Thunderbolt Wing would consider it an honor if you would fly with us. Will you accept this patch and knot in honor of your new status?" She produces the two indicated items seemingly from thin air, with a flourish; P'tran's special trick was actually *finding* the knots after several minutes of searching, and Kassi's is sleight-of-hand. Maylia offers Kassi a salute, mischevous grin. She knows well that the wingleader hates that gesture, but as AWLM for so long, it's habit. A wink, and she nods. "I'd be honoured, wingleader, to fly and fight with Thunderbolt." From atop the boulder, Aurian grins down at Maylia and Kassima, "Thunderbolt hmmmm..." R'val leans against the boulder, peering amiably at the others. Once he's got his wineskin in hand, that is. Jayna blinks, smiles slowly, and straightens, tossing the flower into the water. She salutes Maylia, with extreme and deliberate crispness, despite the fact that a salute from a muddy, sloppy, dirt-streaked rider standing up to her knees in a lake, wearing wet pants, -might- be construed as disrespectful. Heck. You do what you can, not what you want. "Welcome to the best wing on Pern," she grins. "And I'm not even prejudiced. Nope." R'val grins at Jayna, "Uh-huh." Kassima groans at the salute, but nevertheless returns it before handing over the patch and knot. "In that case, greenrider, be welcomed to the ranks--and don't forget t'be attending drills at the crack of dawn! 'Twill be a change for you t'be working with experienced riders again, and we want to get you settled in as soon as possible." Maylia's chuckle rings out across the lake. "And yes, that'll be the last salute, if you wish. Tierth's just itching to get out there and show her stuff, rather than flying resupply, but we've both got the sense to be there for drills, first." A smile is directed towards her new wingmate, standing drenched in water. "My thanks!" Neliea blinks out of her talk with Xylath as she leans against the blue hide. It seems that she finished just in time as she calls over to Maylia, "Congratulations, Maylia!" "Believe me," Kassima assures her new Wingrider briskly, but with a grin, "we'll keep you quite busy. Just see if'n 'twill nay! And aye, I do wish. Any Wingmember who gets caught saluting me gets his or her rump kicked across the Lake; you *have* been warned." Jayna chuckles. "And it's true. I've seen it happen. Kassi walked on water all the way across, just to get a better angle at the rump," she jokes. While being inducted into a wing is usually a serious occasion, Maylia's expression turns to a grin, her eyebrows flicking. "Could be fun, Kassi." She's obviously joking. "Alright, that was the last salute from me." Jayna glances up, rather muddily, from her spot in the shallows of the lake. She's fully dressed. Aurian slides off the rock to watch Kvasith at a better angle. Kassima replies with honest relief, "Good thing. That walking on water business is such a bother. As t'rumps, I want t'be careful nay t'appear as rump-obsessed as A'lex or Kiat, don't I?" Maylia can't suppress a chuckle at that one. "I don't think Kiat's that rump-obsessed, at least not as much as A'lex." she states, daring to teeter along that line of acceptable references. Jayna laughs, unabashedly. Telgar Weyr> Maylia ickickicks. Fruitflies in my wine. ickickick. Telgar Weyr> Aurian says, "Ewwwww" Telgar Weyr> Jayna shudders, and once accidentally drank a glass of fruitflies. Picked up the wrong glass. Took a swallow. Felt the tickle. Let the horror seep up kind of slowly. <shuddershudder> Kassima wrinkles her nose at Maylia, pointing out, "At least A'lex has never shouted, 'I like butt-wiggling. Let's have *more*!' This is one of the few good things I can say about the man." Jayna laughs. "This is truly a good thing," she confesses, leaning down to absently run her fingers through the water. Telgar Weyr> Maylia shudders with sympathy. Though I'd really like to know why there was one glass, the 'wrong' glass, with the things in it? Did you know that there was a right glass and a wrong one? ;) Telgar Weyr> Jayna knew. "I was reading. I had my head buried in a book. I'd noted the one had fruitflies in it, and was gonna clean it away after I read a page or two....I reached for my coke...took a swallow...boom." She grins. "Karma got me." Kassima bobs her head enthusiastically. "Indeed 'tis. A'course, on the other hand, Kiat didn't try t'jump any blueriders and go after their rumps, so... mayhaps they evened out." Maylia can't contain her laughter at all by now. "I'm just not going to comment, hmmm?" She suggests. "And besides, who knows what A'lex has said to Channie, or to anyone else for that matter on the topic of but wiggling." Aurian rakes her hands through her hair. Kassima shudders, grimaces, and on the whole looks disgusted. "May, I don't *want* t'think about 'Lex, Nie, and rump-wiggling...." Jayna sighs, shaking her head. "Butt wiggling.....rump jumping. What kind of a Weyr have I fallen into?" she grins. Aurian tilts her head, "I thought Maylia did more of an undulation..." Maylia grins, as she considers something. "I was about to say, perhaps we should warn new candidates about the usage of such terms, and the frequency with which they are applied to certain bronzers. But then..." Whatever she's about to say is broken off by a choking, spluttering sound. "Wha? I didn't do anything of the sort. You must've dreamt it." Kassima mutters, "Just so long as we don't introduce them to a few of R'ehn's terms. Yeesh." Laughing at May's reaction, she asks, "Surely we can drop the dream guise by now? At least amongst ourselves?" Jayna splashes her way out of the lake, eyeing her drenched clothing with a grimace. She quickly recovers, though, and looking up, forgets all about it and smiles. "Undulation, eh? And what'd I miss, here, hmmmmm?" She makes her way toward a drock and drops down, dripping a bit in the chill spring air. Jayna snorts. "Oh...the dream thing." She laughs. Neliea starts to listen once more and simply blinks. This is what she gets for explaining stars to Xylath? While trying to figure out what the current topic is, she listens in between chuckles as she settles cross-legged against her lifemate's hide. Maylia grins, and makes a dramatic sort of check as to who's around. "Weeeeelllll, alright." A waggle of her shoulders, and she demonstrates the undulation move. Jayna laughs, and applauds from her rock. "That's great, Maylia." Aurian laughs a bit. Telgar Weyr> Maylia eeeks! And hast to scoot! I'll be back! R'val shakes his head with a grin at Maylia's undulation. Kassima shakes her head, looking mildly horrified still. "Why is it that all m'mentees save one took up bartop dancing?" she demands of no one in particular. Neliea giggles at Maylia's um, demonstration and shakes her head to Kassima. "If I knew, would I have a lot of marks to my name?" Jayna blinks. "Who was the one who -didn't-," she asks curiously. "Karise," is Kassi's answer. "I've never *heard* of her dancing on bar-tops, at least." Jayna chuckles. "Well, what're you doing to your mentees, Kassi, that's turning them all into dancers?" she asks, leaning back on her palms. Kassima exhales in a long-suffering sigh, leaning back against her dragon's side. "I devoutly wish I knew. Ironic, isn't it, that 'twould be m'mentees who do such a thing? After all...." Her eyes travel towards Aurian, and she winks at the brownrider before saying, "Everyone knows that 'twould *never* do something as indecent as bar-top dancing, nay even for an evil cause." Aurian runs her hands through her hair and laughs. Jayna shakes her head. "I can't imagine, personally. I mean, how much alcohol do you have to...." Noting Aurian's hands in her hair, she suddenly flushes. "Well, maybe I take that back," she mumbles. Neliea listens and slowly stands, "I think that I must be slightly lost or tired." Streching, she waves to the group and chuckles as she reaches up for Xy's riding straps, "Nite everyone." Aurian waves. "Night Neliea." She settles down on the sand. Jayna grins and waves to Neliea. "Take care, Nel, Xylath," she says. Kassima grins at Jayna, eyes sparkling with mirth. "Depends on your tolerance, I'd say! But I doubt anyone would do it *sober*. Clear skies t'you, Neliea, and t'Xylath also." Neliea easily climbs up Xylath's back with the help of a forearm as she takes hold of the straps, settling down between his neckridges. Dragon> Telgar Thunderbolt Wing sense that Sioneth wonders...do we have a Tierth? Dragon> Lysseth bespoke Telgar Thunderbolt Wing with << On the channel? Not yet. I'll tell her when she gets back. :) And hand her the standard Ray-Bans. ;) >> Astride Xylath, Neliea waves and returns, "Clear skies." Xylath takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry him aloft. Dragon> Telgar Thunderbolt Wing sense that Sioneth laughs, and just feels obligated to give the official 'hubbahubba', since Virroth's not online. Dragon> Telgar Thunderbolt Wing sense that Lysseth laughs! He isn't? :) Kassima folds her arms to peer about her, considering. "So, brownriders," she addresses Jayna and Aurian, "what shall we do tonight?" Jayna chuckles, gazing down at her muddy clothes. "Well, I probably ought to change. Since I'm disgracing the wing," she says, looking up to wink at Kassi. "After that?" She considers. "I don't know...do I have Lemos again tomorrow?" she wonders, trying to remember what the duty roster said. Kassima shakes her head. "Nay, fortunately for you. You've duty at Far Cry. That Hold's Lord is *much* less testy than Lord Lemos, if'n you've nay run into him yet." Aurian chuckles at Jayna, "I think they still have snow on the ground at Far Cry.." Dragon> Telgar Thunderbolt Wing sense that Virroth rumbles quietly, giving Sioneth an odd look. << I'm not here? Oh. Back to sleep then. >> *faint snores here* Dragon> Telgar Thunderbolt Wing sense that Sioneth laughs, and didn't see you there, Virroth. My biorhythm is set to Idiot. Jayna sighs contentedly. "Far Cry? Thanks, Kassi...it's a relief to get out of Lemos," she confesses. She grins. "I don't care if there's ice hanging from the Thread shutters....I'm so sick of trees. Those people at Lemos really -worry- about 'em. Not that I blame 'em, of course!" Kassima agrees with some ruefulness, "Probably so. But the weather shouldn't be *quite* as bitterly cold as it has been recently. You'll be paired with V'dan for that one, just so you're warned... well, that makes *sense*. They have t'be. Doesn't mean we want t'hear about it nineteen hours of the twenty and four, though. But with Fall due over Far Cry in a pair of days, and the Wing flying, be certain t'pay close attention to the weather conditions!" Jayna nods somberly. "Aye," she agrees crisply. "I'll watch the wind and the weather, and report," she says, standing. "And, in fact, I suppose I'd better be up to the weyr and resting. Long day tomorrow." Kassima nods, agreeing simply, "It could be, though nay so badly as if'n 'twere over Lemos. Clear skies, Jayna... and don't forget t'beware of the rump-fetish people!" Jayna laughs at that parting line, and waves. "I'll see you all later. Tomorrow, that is," she says, wandering her muddy way toward Sioneth. She doesn't even put her boots on, just grabs them and wanders out into the bowl. Jayna heads in the direction of the central bowl, leaving the shimmering lake. Aurian rakes a hand through her hair at the mention of fall, that's a bit of a sore subject at the moment. Kassima steals a glance towards Aurian. "Any word on how C'vadan and the others are healing up?" she questions quietly. Aurian sighs, "Healing is about all I can say. I wish I hadn't been a healer before... I can see what they don't say.. can't take comfort in the white lies they tell. It will be a long while before C'vadan is back in the wing." She runs her hands through her hair. Telgar Weyr> Jayna snugs the weyr. "Night, Telgar!" Telgar Weyr> Kharty says, "Gnite, Jayna :)" Telgar Weyr> Aurian waves! Telgar Weyr> Neliea snugs Jayna! Kassima opines with a sigh, "When it comes to 'Fall, Aurian, it's better nay t'be able t'believe those comforting lies. Harsh though it may be. Aught that brings the danger home is a benefit, if a cruel one. 'Twill have t'be seeking out Cav... I imagine he could use company, or mayhaps someone t'run errands. From what I've heard, I doubt he'll be able t'use that arm for a time." Aurian nods slowly, "It was my first real fall out there. Still have aches from the way the winds were tossing us." She watches Kvasith swim obvious content with his lot. Kassima nods slowly. "The heavier colors are actually at a disadvantage in winds that bad, or so runs m'theory. Aye, they can remain more stable through most winds--but when they're tossing even the bronzes and browns about, then they'll suffer, because they can't correct as easily as the greens and blues who are used t'having t'do so. We don't see very much of that kind of weather, so the bigger dragons get less practice. I could be wrong, though." Aurian nods as she listens, "Well I don't know about that... but not one of us came out of that with out nearly cracking some ribs," she grins a touch, "It could have been much worse than it was I suppose." Kassima agrees soberly, "It can always be worse. If'n ever you doubt that, talk to M'kla. Go up t'Benden and talk t'T'fian. They saw the first Falls of the Pass, which had enormous amounts of casualties. M'kla can also tell you of that spate of unpredictable Falls that took out so many." Aurian glances to Kassima, "It must have been really bad then." Kassima shrugs. "Wasn't flying then m'self, but I recall the tales. As T'fian once told me... once that first Turn in the Pass was over, 'twas almost as though his entire group of Weyrling-mates had never existed at all." Aurian clenches her jaw a bit, "That must have been hard." R'val heads in the direction of the central bowl, leaving the shimmering lake. Vidarth lumbers in the direction of the central bowl, leaving the shimmering lake. Rather drolly comes Kassi's reply. "I should imagine so. Time and practice have eliminated losses like *that*, at least. But remember, every time you come back from Fall alive, that there's a reason why riders sometimes behave wildly and seem moralless. We *have* t'value the time we have. All too oft, 'tis short." Aurian nods, "I know...." Kassima relaxes, then, and grins. "Ah, but 'tis doing nay good t'sit about in gloom and doom, is it, now? I don't know about you, but I for one could use m'rest. I still haven't caught up on all the sleep lost over that brownrider." She winks, rather impishly. Aurian laughs, "I wonder how V'hryn is doing?" "He's probably *still* freaked out," Kassima postulates whimsically. Aurian grins a touch, "He was rather cute." Kassima chuckles and says honestly, "I've never seen a man who looked better in pink lace. I wonder whether he'll run screaming, the next time he sees either of us?" Aurian laughs, "I think we need to furnish him with another one for a gift." "Oh, aye!" the greenrider agrees enthusiastically. "We'll give it to him in front of a whole bunch of people. He'll just *love* that." Aurian laughs delightedly, "Aye. Something made even more outlandish than the other one." Kassima suggests, waggling her eyebrows, "With ribbons and bows and lots of frills?" Aurian laughs, "That sounds perfect." Kassima grins, sighs, and looks up towards her dragon. "For the nonce, though, I should be away. 'Twill speak to Maevia of this frilled bow thing when I return the strange underwear t'her; I promise it!" Aurian applauds lightly, "This should be fun!" Kassima laughs her agreement, even as she swings up onto her dragon. You place one hand on Lysseth's neck and she warbles down at you fondly. You grin and scratch her eyeridges once before climbing up onto her lower neckridges, using the riding straps and Lysseth's thoughtfully offered foreleg. <*> Aurian waves, "Clear skies." <*> Lysseth springs from the ground, the air from her wings churning up dust as she takes to the skies. You spring into the air and catch the thermals rising from the bowl floor to carry you aloft.