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We're In the Money....


Date:  May 7, 1998
Place:  Telgar Weyr's Living Cavern
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:  Why did the thought of wagering on her own flights never
occur to Kassi before?  It's an interesting evening in the Living 
Cavern when Kassi thoroughly insults a few self-confident riders, the
minds of Candidates turn to flirting, and slips of the tongue reign
supreme.

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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.

J'lyn wanders in and grabs a mug of some truly foul tasting ale before 
settling in with the work he's got to do whilst Kassima is delicate.

M'kla walks in from the bowl.

Pierron glances up as the weyrsecond enters.

Jessalyn is sitting at the Candidates' table, trying to explain to a 
small, dark-haired child why she smells like firestone. And she definitely 
smells like firestone, even though she looks like she's just scrubbed 
herself clean.

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn yerfs. Evil Greenrider Convention in the LC...

Telgar Weyr> M'kla says, "Naw...Kassima's not here."

Telgar Weyr> M'kla says, "She's getting ready for a flight, looks like...
or has just started one."

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn ummms.... Yes she is...

Telgar Weyr> M'kla says, "Nevermind...Kassima was in stealth mode!"

Telgar Weyr> M'kla says, "That, or I'm goin blind."

Telgar Weyr> Ceria chuckles.

"And so she said, 'Son, go, go, go--your father's nay your father, but 
your father don't know!'" Kassi is singing on her way into the room, 
coming at last to the end of yet another of the bawdy ballads she's been 
regaling the Weyr with over the past few days. The usual carry-sack is 
slung over her shoulder, stuffed to the brim with bulky, once-living 
contents. Perhaps the fullness of that sack is why she doesn't seem to be 
in *that* bad of a mood today, though that's as relative as ever. "Jal, 
that ale tastes like effing feline-water. Drink something that's closer to 
decent, why don't you?" Salute, salute; M'kla is favored with the usual 
sharp greeting, right as Her Proddiness heads towards her Holy Grail: the 
waiting stein of Black Ruin that some kind soul has left her.

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn patpats. You're old. We forgive you. ;)

Telgar Weyr> Kassima rectifies the mystery as to her presence, and snugs a 
M'kla. That better? ;)

Ptodek walks in from the bowl.

Ptodek grins. "Hi, Kassima!"

M'kla gives Kassima an amused glance, "Lass..I'm gonna go out there and 
give Lysseth a good /shove/ to see if that works."

J'lyn raises an eyebrow. Brave boy. He turns to his wingleader. "Aye, that 
it does, but it'll keep me from drinking until I get done with this work 
you've left for me."

Ceria walks in from the bowl.

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn says, "Okay, now it's official. The Weyr is gonna 
implode. J'lyn, M'kla, Kassi and K'nan in/near the LC. If Maylia shows up, 
everyone log out so your computers don't fry."

Ceria walks in quietly and moves to an isolated table. She pulls a few 
hides out of her pocket and starts to read them.

M'kla settles into a chair, crossing the cane she's got across her knees...
she's become inamored of the weapon, even if she doesn't need its support 
anymore.

Ptodek taps Kassi on the shoulder to get her attention. "Um, Kassima? Some 
of the candidates said that you eat raw meat when Lysseth gets proddy. Is 
that true?"

Kassima grunts, a sound that could either be interpreted as a greeting to 
Ptodek or a commentary on the cold state of the klah. Nevertheless, she 
adds the customary dollop of rotgut alcohol and taps her foot 
impatiently... waiting for something. Ah, there it is--a bowl of raw meat 
scraps hastily dunked in wine, delivered by an LCG who flees the second 
the thing has left her hands. "Probably wouldn't, M'kla. The bloody 
demon-beast won't go up until she's gotten the maximum amount of annoyance 
from me. I'm *so* sorry about the work, Jal...." Funny; she sounds 
anything but. "Perhaps you'd rather have me go back to doing it?" 
Considering what a disaster her attempts to concentrate on the work were, 
that would probably be bad.

Ptodek stares.

Ceria looks up and her eyes widen at Ptodek's audacity.

Asrai walks in from the bowl.

K'nan walks in from the bowl.

Jessalyn stops, mid-sentence, and just /stares/ at Ptodek. "Brave or 
stupid?" she mutters quietly, under her breath.

J'lyn's eyes about bug from his head, as he fears that Ptodek may just 
pull back a bloody stump.

Kassima favors Ptodek with a glance frosty enough to deep-freeze Thread at 
fifty paces. "Don't do that. Don't ever do that again. Don't even think 
about it," she advises, jerking her shoulder away. "Aye, I eat raw meat 
when I'm proddy. Why the shards shouldn't I?"

Asrai comes in the living cavern, arm in arm with K'nan..although the tiny 
Bluerider seems to be leading the way. Or maybe its her stomach...

M'kla chuckles, "You keep askin that...just wait till you get some of that 
beef in it with the worms that grow in your skin...you'll ne'er do it 
again, lass."

Ptodek scratches his head. "Um.. no reason. I mean, I guess if you want 
to, it's fine..." he backs away carefully.

Richenda walks here from the Inner Cavern.

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

Ptodek drops the last of the mending on the table which holds the rest, 
and scoots out of the cavern.

Ceria wrinkles her nose at M'kla.

Ptodek walks towards the inner cavern.

From the kitchen, Berylle scrubs some dishes dilligently.

K'nan makes his way across the floor of the 'cavern with his weyrmate, 
calling a quiet greeting as he walks in, "Heyla all.."

Asrai smiles to the others as she enters, pausing to give M'kla a queeze 
on the shoulder before she drags the extra pair of hands...err, her 
weyrmate, over to the serving table. "Ah, I'm starved." with no further 
preamble she takes up a plate, handing another to K'nan.

Kassima tips the bowl a bit to display the wine it's soaking in. "The 
Bakers refuse t'give it t'me a'fore 'tis sterilized, so I'm supposed t'be 
safe enough. Hasn't bothered me 'tall yet." She shoots another fire-and-
ice *look* after Ptodek, "Shells, shards, and roast tunnelsnake leavings, 
but I wish I knew where some of these fools get their gall." She turns to 
give K'nan a barely civil nod, Asrai one of those now-common incendiery 
glances, and Richenda a slightly warmer nod of welcome. The woman's words 
about whips must really have impressed her.

Richenda, by way of greeting, calls, "Any candidate who wants excused from 
duties tomorrow can fetch me a plate of tubers and gravy...and some juice, 
if you please," while flopping into a seat near the others.

Jessalyn shakes her head as she watches Ptodek leave, sending off another 
waft of eau de firestone. Catching sight of Richenda, she bounces to her 
feet, and begins to fetch the required items, though she looks like she'd 
rather launch herself into the Headwoman's arms.

M'kla chuckles some at Kassima, "Pure and simple, Kassima...yer not 
usually a wher with it's tailfeathers ingrown...usually it wouldn't bother 
ye." Like she's a good one to talk about proddy moods.

Ceria grins at Richenda. "G'deve, ma'am," she calls over to the headwoman.

Richenda, turning so that she can watch Jessalyn, calls back, "And to you, 
Ceria my dear. Kassima, when is your green going to rise? You can read at 
midnight by her hide, by Faranth."

M'kla nods to Richenda, grinning, "I already offered tae get out and push, 
to see if that'd help her get up faster."

K'nan takes the plate into his hands with a chuckle, "Just fill my plate, 
Asrai, you know you'll be eating from it anyhow.."

J'lyn nods to Richenda, and grins at Kassima. "You, m'dear, have the 
strangest tastes when you're proddy. I should know metter than to come 
anywhere near you without getting nauseous."

Ceria stands up and moves toward the serving table. "Can I get you 
anything, ma'am?" she asks Asrai.

Jessalyn fills a plate with tubers and gravy, fills a glass with juice, 
and balances it all carefully as she delivers Richenda her meal. "I'll 
still do my chores, though," she says, setting the plate down.

Ptodek walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Ptodek returns, walking along the edge of the room well away from Kassima.

"Good," Richenda murmurs as she nods to the Candidate in thanks, a twinkle 
of affection in her eyes, "because I didn't say I'd excuse you. Just asked 
who wanted to be excused from them. Do sit, child."

Kassima rolls her bloodshot eyes up towards the ceiling, even as she 
plunks unceremoniously into her chair at the head of Thunderbolt's table. 
"Lysseth isn't usually months off of her usual schedule, either. Shell-
blasted, scrawny Star-spawned creature! She does this *just* to annoy me, 
I would stake m'very life on it! Nay that 'tis worth all that much right 
now. The sooner she rises, the happier *I'll* certes be. One more day of 
this skull-bursting headache, and I think I shall *kill* something." It's 
just coincidence that she glances towards the Candidate table at that, yep 
yep.

Richenda, to Kassima, asserts mildly, "I'd say she does it just to annoy 
the rest of us."

From Ptodek's shoulder, Firestone squawks defiantly.

Jessalyn grins and perches on the edge of a chair, looking ready to be 
off again at anyone's request. "I should've known," she groans good-
naturedly.

J'lyn's eyes widen, his eyes darting to Jessalyn, and the rest of the 
Candidates too of course. "Um, Kassi, settle, lass."

Ceria glances back at Kassima a bit nervously.

Aurian walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Asrai's mouth drops open at K'nan's comment. Not knowing what to say to 
refute the, of course, true statement..she sticks ehr tongue out at him. 
Turning a smile on Ceria, she shakes her head. "No, thank you..and plain 
Asrai is fine. I don't stand on the ma'am unless its Fall." She looks back 
to the serving table, stabbing three thick slices of wherry and depositing 
it onto K'nan's plate, then some roast..a meatroll and fishroll. Onto hers 
goes the mashed tubers, greens, and various other vegatables. the only
thing missing from the entire thing is any type of sauce or gravy..
everything is dry.

Aurian enters with a slight nod to the others, her eyes on the klah 
pitcher as she walks single mindedly.

Neliea walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Kassima spears a scrap of wine-dripping meat on her knife-point, and jams 
it into her mouth before she can snap something back to Riche. "At least 
you don't go for days without sleep, peace, or a clear head," she points 
out sullenly. "Food won't turn t'ash in your mouth, and you don't have 
t'glug down this shards-awful stuff just t'keep from keeling over from 
exhaustion. T'say *naught* of the fact," and here her anger and 
frustration comes out loud and clear, "that I haven't yet so much as 
caught *sight* of that bloody great snake! How'm I supposed t'kill the 
effing bugger if'n I can't even *find* him? Faranth's kidneys on a stick, 
but it makes me mad!" No kidding.

Mehlani walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn says, "Run for the hills, 'Lani."

Ptodek whispers to the other Candidates, "What snake is she talking 
about?"

Ceria nods to Asrai with a smile. "Well let me know if there's anything 
you want," she offers.

Telgar Weyr> Mehlani .oO (Faranth, lookit all them green riders.)

K'nan winks down to his weyrmate, chuckling as he just waits for her to 
load up his plate with all that food and such. "Um..any gravy or 
anything?"

Richenda notes as she takes a tenative sip of her juice, "Please hold it 
to a dull roar, Kassima...you know my history of not particularly caring 
for proddy riders fussing in the caverns. If you need something to help 
you perk up, though, I can help."

Glancing about the room, Aurian tries to maintain some decorum as she 
spreads her arms as wide as she can to indicate the size of the, 
"Tunnelsnake, tis supposed to be a monster."

Ptodek blinks in puzzlement. "Tunnelsnakes don't get that big." He glances 
around at the weyrfolk present. "Do they?"

Telgar Weyr> M'kla grins at Mehlani.

Telgar Weyr> M'kla says, "It's dangerous in here."

M'kla chuckles, "According to some, they do. This one's supposed tae be 
the size of a man."

Asrai makes a face. "Oh, no..no extra .../stuff/. Plain and simple foods, 
that's what I want." She then leads the way over to the Firestorm table, 
ploping down with plate in hand. "Oh, juice..I forgot the juice!" she 
looks around and beams at the kitchen helper who quickly supplies her with 
a pitcher of juice and two mugs. "Oh, K'nan...did you want something other 
then juice?"

Telgar Weyr> Mehlani .oO (Could be worse. E'rian or V'dan could be in 
here. ;) )

Telgar Weyr> Kindre stays safely hidden... ;)

Neliea quietly makes her to the serving table, nodding to the other riders 
that are sitting at some of the tables. Finally reaching the table, she 
reaches for a mug and the klah pot, keeping her ears open at the 
conversations around her.

Ceria nods and goes back to her seat, watching Kassima cautiously.

Ptodek beams. "Awesome! I can't wait 'till it's my turn to hunt 
tunnelsnakes!"

K'nan sets the plate down on the Firestorm table, chuckling as he sits. 
"No thanks, Asrai, I'm fine with juice.."

"Not the size of a man, M'kla," calls Richenda as she mashes up the tubers 
quite happily. "Goodness. Where did you hear that? From some male, I 
suppose...they always overstate size."

J'lyn wanders over to the Headwoman, his eyes roaming over the candidates 
slowly. He mutters to Richenda, "... she... Have you... her? Or... 
rather..." 

Aurian nods to Ptodek, "My arms are no where long enough to demonstrate 
fortunately." She grins and returns to snatching a mug and fills it to the 
very rim with the steaming klah.

There is a burst of very raucous laughter from a back table, where some of 
Kassima's would-be betting nemisi sit...because one of them has just bet a 
ten-mark that his blue will get the wingleader's green without being 
scratched.

Kassima's jaw firms as she clenches her teeth, biting nearly through her 
lip in an effort to think before she says anything. "Forgive me, 
Headwoman, for my dragon's idiosynchrases, which I assure you I cannot do 
aught about, since I certainly would if'n I could," she manages at last to 
say in a flat, but not uncivil tone. "As to the last, thank you, but I 
doubt there's aught that could help me unless you could get that lump of 
dragon-shaped goo outside t'get off her skinny rump and put me out of 
m'misery."

Jessalyn clamps down on a giggle at Richenda's last comment, not wanting 
to admit to her knowledge of what would mean.

Asrai starts to hum happily to herself as she takes her knife out and 
begins to cut up the meat. All into neat, small pieces. She doesn't even 
make a move to sniff the air till every last bit of food on both plates is 
neatly cut into the perfect bite size pieces.

Mehlani had come in somewhat behind Aurian and Neliea; now, she lingers 
somewhat on the periphery of the room, studying those here, one hand up on 
green Wili on her shoulder to keep the little creature reasonably quiet. 
'Lani's face holds less exhaustion than it had yesterday, though she still 
looks a bit ragged around the edges, and more than a little bemused.

Richenda gives her head a small shake to J'lyn, murmuring, "Please do. 
Please." Then, at Kassima's burst of verbase she simply comments, "Well, 
there you are, then. Have more wine."

B'rag stands up, protesting, "Egoth will most CERTAINLY catch the little 
wherry-headed green! She's got too much fire to reliably outfly him...it's 
a wonder she's not already threaded herself and that mark-shark to death 
in a panic in Fall!"

K'nan leans one hand on the table, watching Asrai play with the food with 
a soft chuckle, "Enjoying yourself?"

Ptodek's mouth drops open as he goggles at the scene.

The red-headed rider digs into his belt pouch, and produces an honest-to-
goodness ten-mark piece, and waves it in his companion's faces...praps the 
good bluerider is a /bit/ on the tipsy side.

Neliea takes a small sip from her steaming mug and glances around the 
caverns.

Attention summoned by the magical sounds of betting, Kassi whirls around 
in her chair, whipping her Emasculator from its place at her side and 
pointing it at B'rag. "I'll take your bloody bet, you bovine rump-kissing 
son of a wher! And when I've your ten-marker in hand, I'll spend it all on 
such a Harper ballad about you that the raunchiest taverns on Pern will be 
bringing their houses down with mocking laughter in the singing!"

Ceria stares at the scene unfolding before her. She shakes her head 
slightly. She's learned not to bet on anything involving Kassima.

Ptodek titters, hunching down behind one of the other candidates.

Mehlani, who knows better than to stare at anything involving a proddy 
rider, glances left, glances right, then quietly makes her way over to 
Richenda.

Asrai looks up, "Hmm? Oh." She looks back at the plate, all nice and 
neatly cut like that. "Well..now its in nice bite sized pieces." she then 
takes a bite, chewing with a rather silly expression on her face. By the 
steady pace, K'nan better grab his share while he still can...

B'rag wheels, much as Kassima does, and laughs, "Eh...sure you will lass! 
I'll be getting the /better/ part of this bet when Egoth wins!" He leers 
with wine-sodden blue eyes at Kassima's outline, emasculator or no.

Aurian tries to hide behind a mug of klah. This is definitly not what she 
was expecting this evening.

K'nan just chuckles, quickly moving to eat some himself before his 
weyrmate eats both of their dinners.

Kassima spins the nefarious device about in her fingers and barks, ice 
cracking off of every word, "The day your blue comes near t'catching my 
Lysseth, caprine-leaving, is the day I'll slit m'wrists with m'own knives 
a'fore having t'face the flight's consequence!" Suddenly, she's all 
smiles, though her eyes remain full of venom. "A'course," she purrs, 
"if'n you did want t'make any *wagers* about that...." Some things never 
change.

Ptodek gasps.

Richenda clears her thorat meaningfully in Kassima's direction, then lets 
her brown gaze lie lightly on Mehlani's visage.

B'rag's eyes roll a bit, as he glances back at his tablemates, as if 
pointing out just how amusing the greenriding wingleader is. He turns 
back, still leering, "Of course I would, /wingleader/...what would you 
have in mind?"

Mehlani slips up beside Richenda, very quietly. She mutters to Richenda, 
"... excuse me,... the daily and the... I was... alright... to go to... 
Records..." 

Ceria grips her klah mug, her eyes looking everywhere but the greenrider.

Jessalyn waits for a minute or two, making sure Richenda is happy with her 
plateful of food, then skips back to the Candidates' table. Trying to be 
inconspicuous, which ought to be easy considering how many people are in 
the cavern, she sits next to one Candidate in particular -- a young man 
just arrived from Ista.

Asrai grins up at K'nan, leaving him some of the meat to start on the 
vegatables. she sections everything as before...but is left in a quandry 
about the mashed tubers. she settles for drawing lines through the white 
fluffy vegatable, making neat squares.

Kassima looks the bluerider up and down, a single dark eyebrow arching 
upwards. "I don't know, rider," she drawls. "How much've you got?"

Ptodek gets up from the table and wanders toward Richenda, pausing at a 
polite distance and waiting for her to finish conversing with Mehlani.

K'nan just shakes his head at his weyrmate's antics, chuckling, and 
digging into the food that she's left him. He has to stop as she reaches 
those tubers, though, as he laughs.

Neliea holds her mug closer to her, and slips over to the candidates' 
table as well. Quietly slipping into a chair, peering around at anything 
in cavern/

Aurian carefully steps towards the candidate's table. Her feet moving as 
if treading on eggshells, the table never looked so far before.

B'rag's lips curl up in mocking, "How about blade fer blade, /wingleader/? 
I've a pretty too." He reaches into his beltline, to produce a dagger of 
the throwing sort that all but calls down choruses of praise and ringing 
balads by Harpers of old. Where he got the beautiful piece of weaponswork 
may be a mystery, but the value of the thing is undoubtable.

Richenda shrugs. "Of course," she answers to Mehlani, rubbing her temples, 
"if all's finished. And you've socialized sufficiently with the other 
Candidates."

Mehlani chews her lip. She doesn't say anything, but one might easily 
interpret the look that flashes across her face as meaning '_socialize_?!' 
Hesitantly, she nods, and murmurs, "Thank you, ma'am..."

J'lyn watches the room in general, but the Candidate's table in 
particular, eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

Asrai looks up as she hears the laughter, her fork halfway to her mouth 
with one sections worth of tubers. "What?" She inquires of K'nan. Isn't 
sectioning your food perfectly sensible?

Ceria drinks her klah quietly, continuing to glance around the cavern.

M'kla keeps her quiet, watching the entire exchange with a bored 
expression.

Jessalyn blushes rather prettily as Rohan, the young Istan, brings juice 
to the table, and the two continue their rather animated conversation in 
very quiet tones.

Kassima regards B'rag's knife with a lot more admiration than she showed 
for the rider himself, which just figures. "You're on," she replies 
sweetly. "I never could resist a blade-wager, after all... especially nay 
one where *I'm* betting on a sure thing. A fool and his knives are soon 
parted." Gazing past the bluerider to his tablemates, she wonders in a 
lilting, if slightly harsh drawl, "Anyone else?"

This gets a round of head shaking, hand raising, and nervous coughing from 
the riders circled around behind B'rag.

J'lyn downright frowns at the Candidate's table, and looks down to 
Richenda.

Ceria notes J'lyn's disapproval and glances toward the candidates.

From the kitchen, Berylle rinses and dries some plates.

Ptodek looks at himself and the other candidates, wondering what's wrong.

With a slight stumble, Aurian finally makes it over to the Candidate's 
table. She sits quickly taking slow swallows of her klah.

K'nan bites back the laugh, and blinks innocently down to his sectioning 
weyrmate. "Nothing at all, dear, I was just remembering something that 
happened the other night, is all."

Richenda peers upward at those wanting her attention, asking, "Hmm?"

Neliea pauses in sipping her klah, and looks around her table, worried.

Kassima grins a grin of pure malice, and points the device that was her 
gift from Tria so long ago towards the table as a whole. "I'll take 'em 
*all*, and laugh uproariously when your marks are all jangling in m'belt 
pouch, you may be sure."

Mehlani slips off away from the Headwoman, looking slightly at a loss, as 
the green on her shoulder considers this and promptly trills into 'Lani's 
ear.

J'lyn jerks his head towards the Candidate's table.

Asrai hmms, thinking about this. "Really? What was that?" She stabs a few 
greens, munchng on them as she awaits the answer.

Richenda, too, glances at the Candidate table. "What?"

Telgar Weyr> D'thon peers at Kassi's comment. No, a fool is soon parted... 
with someone else's knives.

Ptodek wanders slowly back to the table and slides into a seat, looking a 
question at the others.

Jessalyn muffles a giggle with one hand, the other resting ever so lightly 
on Justin's forearm just for the briefest of moments. She leans over to 
whisper something to him, and sits back again, blushing brightly.

Neliea lowers her mug into her lap and resists glancing at the other 
candidates. Straightening up in her chairs, she listens to what might be 
wrong.

Ptodek mutters to Neliea, "What's... Did... something?"

J'lyn stands, face emotionless, against a wall. However, you can see his 
face redden slightly.

M'kla glances up at J'lyn curiously...Kassima has ceased to amuse her for 
the moment.

Aurian glances over at the gestureing riders, her eyes wide over the rim 
of her klah.

K'nan shrugs, "Oh, nothing important." He quickly starts to eat again.

Kassima falls back into her chair, still laughing... laughing almost 
maniacally, in fact. With many a cackle and chortle at the thought of just 
how wealthy she'll soon become, she sets to her delicious dinner of raw 
meat and doctored death-klah.

Richenda groans, gets to her feet, and mutters, "All right. I have had 
enough. My headache and I are going to bed."

Jessalyn doesn't notice J'lyn, or much of anything else, for that matter, 
she's too busy having the tmie of her life as she converses quietly. Or so 
it would seem, anyway. Her companions are blushing every bit as much as 
she is.

Neliea nods minutely to Ptodek and keeps her hands behind her mug.

Asrai regards K'nan over the rim of her juice, used to wash down the 
greens. "Come on, K'nan..what happened that was so amusing last night?" 
Setting down the mug she continues to eat her nice neat little squares of 
dry mashed tubers. "Oh, oh well." She comments as she goes back to eating. 
"K'nan, eat some greens..you don't eat enough vegatables."

J'lyn nods to Richenda, helping her up, his eyes still glued to the 
Candidates.

Ptodek smiles at Neliea. "So how are you getting along with your chores?" 
he asks politely.

Richenda walks towards the inner cavern.

Gingerly, Mehlani sinks down into a chair at the corner of the Candidates' 
table, silently listening to the others.

Kassima looks up at that, and swallows a mouthful of what may be called 
'food' by the imaginative. "G'bye, Rich--oh, bugger it all anyway."

Jehrina walks in from the bowl.

Pierron gives a small bow to the Weyrwoman.

Aurian shakes her head utterly confused. She licks her bottom lip and 
takes another sip of her klah.

Jehrina wanders in, peering about.

Ceria stands up respectfully as the Weyrwoman enters. "Can I get you 
anything, ma'am?" she offers quickly.

K'nan spears a few greens on his fork to it, still chuckling, "You sound 
like my mother."

Jehrina shakes her head, then moves over to her table. "No thank you."

M'kla glances up and nods to Jehrina from where she sits. "Evenin."

Asrai sits at the Firestorn table with M'kla and K'nan. Two plates before 
her..well, one is mostly before K'nan. What is left of their meal gives 
evidence that the food had been neatly sectioned into bite sized squares. 
she waves to the Weyrwoman as she comments to K'nan, "Well, someone needs 
to look after you."

Jehrina grins over at M'kla, "Hi there. Torinth still picking out wet 
socks?"

Neliea looks over at Ptodek and smiles, "I'm getting through them. That'd 
about all I can say. You?" A polite nod goes to Weyrwoman as she enters.

Ceria nods to Jehrina and sits down again.

Jehrina sits down at the Weyrleaders' table.

Kassima casts a look over at J'lyn, from where she sits at the Thunderbolt 
table, alternatively eating and cackling at some joke known only to her. 
"What's got you in such a tizzy, man?" she demands. Hypocritically as 
heck, of course, but hey.

Ptodek grins. "Well, I just got here yesterday, so I didn't have any 
today. But from what I hear, tomorrow..." He pounds a fist into his palm.

Ptodek adds, "I hope I get to wash the dragons."

M'kla snorts at Jehrina, "My searchwing's brought in over twenty...I think 
we'll stay in the Weyr till the hatching."

Jessalyn, now as dark as a redfruit, and probably bright enough to light 
the cavern by virtue of her blush alone, drops her eyes demurely as Rohan 
scoots his chair just a bit closer to hers.

Jessalyn's interaction with Rohan isn't lost on Mehlani. 'Lani smiles a 
bit, then quietly averts her gaze, her face turning thoughtful as she 
settles down to give Wili a proper scritching all over, one ear on the 
conversation around her.

Asrai tosses a grin over her shoulder at M'kla. "We didn't due too badly, 
I think. "

J'lyn looks down to Kassi, then pointedly back to a certain couple of 
Candidates. "That."

Neliea takes another sip of her klah and grins over the rim of her mug at 
Ptodek, "Looking forward to it?"

Ptodek frowns, and hisses, "Why do they keep looking at us that way?"

Ceria gives Jessalyn and Rohan a concerned glance as J'lyn draws attention 
to them.

Aurian tilts her head towards Mehlani. She whispers lighty.

Ptodek nods at Neliea. "And hunting that huge tunnel snake, too!"

Kassima glances towards the couple in question. "Aside from their nausea 
factor, which I'll admit is overwhelming, what of it?" She waggles a 
forkful of meat towards the two. "Look perfectly sickening t'me, just like 
every other lovesick pair in the world."

Aurian mutters to Mehlani, "... feeling... were on... edge... cliff and... 
snap?"

Mehlani glances around to Aurian, considers the other girl's murmur, and 
then bobs her head in solemn, wordless agreement. Now perched on her 
forearm, Wili trills prettily, absolutely delighted to be receiving the 
attentions of Mehlani's industrious fingers.

Berylle walks in from the kitchen.

Asrai doesn't even bother rolling her eyes at Kassi's comment. As a matter 
of fact, she is looking completely sated having almost cleaned both 
plates. In her defense, she did leave some for K'nan.

Ptodek relaxes, realizing that the look wasn't for him.

Jehrina laughs at M'kla's comment, "Tell me she didn't really try to get 
socks."

J'lyn glares at the young pair, and mutters to Kassima, He mutters to 
Kassima, "... she's... daughter... I... anyone pawing... over..." 

You sense J'lyn glares at the young pair, and mutters to Kassima, "Because 
she's me daughter and I don't want anyone pawing all over her."

Berylle comes in, drying her hands on a towel. "Well, that was ... 
something. I don't think my hands will unwrinkle for years." She smiles 
and looks around. "Hi."

Neliea nods to Ptodek and glances at the other candidates, still trying to 
figure out what's going on. She turns back to him and smiles.

K'nan quickly finishes off the last bits that Asrai's left him, washing it 
down with his juice. He grins down to his weyrmate, "Full?"

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn says, "Well that posed badly."

Telgar Weyr> Ceria grins.

Asrai nods,patting ehr full, and only slightly plump belly. "Aye, that was 
just enough."

Berylle looks at the riders finishing their meals. "Oh no! More dishes. 
Thankfully I'm done for the night."

Ptodek flashes a grin at Neliea. "Have you gotten to look at the eggs?"

Jessalyn isn't lovesick, she's just...blushing. What's wrong with that? 
She and her companion are completely oblivious to the looks they're 
receiving, though, they're a bit involved in conversation. And holding 
hands now, as Rohan tentatively links his fingers with Jessie's.

K'nan smiles, reaching down to pat her belly as well. "Good."

Ptodek leans over to nudge Rohan, whispers something in his ear and nods 
toward the watching riders.

Kassima rolls her eyes again, dropping her fork back into the bowl. She 
mutters to J'lyn, "... the name... hopping into... with... next... a... 
waggles its eyebrows... you... let... have the... enough... her... now,... 
they... She... discontented... Captain... there--better'n some... her... 
nil-she.... a... man!" 

J'lyn senses Kassima rolls her eyes again, dropping her fork back into 
the bowl. "In the name of Faranth's fardling feces, Jal, what're you 
trying t'do, drive her into hopping into bed with the next thing with a 
pulse and legs that waggles its eyebrows at her since you won't let her 
have the one she wants? She's old enough t'make her own decisions by now, 
bad though they indubitably are. She doesn't look so discontented with 
Captain Suavo over there--better'n some bronzerider drooling over her 
will-she nil-she. Get a grip, man!"

Ceria raises an eyebrow at the two candidates as she notices their 
interlocked hands.

Jehrina peers around, "THere['s more whispering in here than a group of 
aunties!"

Asrai grins, doing that happy glowing thing. Her face then shows her 
concern. "K'nan, you did get enough to eat, didn't you?"

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn says, "Ack! GREAT timing, Maylia!"

M'kla grins at Jehrina, "Two bored."

Telgar Weyr> Ceria dies laughing!

Mehlani flicks a look at Jessalyn and Rohan, a discreet blue peek out from 
under her hat. 'Lani's expression is rather peaceful for once. Perhaps 
even relieved.

J'lyn's eyes nearly fall on the floor from the two holding hands, but he 
restrains himelf.

Neliea shakes her head, "I haven't because I've been doing my chores. Have 
you?" She sips her klah and looks over at Ptodek and nods.

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn says, "Every Evil Greenrider in the Weyr in the LC at 
once... Run for the hills!"

Aurian goes back to using her mug of klah as a kind of screen. She inches 
a little bit away from Jessalyn and Rohan.

K'nan chuckles, and nods, "Of course I did." And he won't tell her when he 
sneaks down to get more after she falls asleep later.

Ptodek nods emphatically. "Some of us went earlier. It's funny.. they all 
remind you of food!"

Pierron puffs with pride as Ptodek gives him the chance to demonstrate his 
skill.

Pierron wraps a napkin around a piping hot blueberry bubbly pie and passes 
it to Ptodek with a humph.

Maylia heads into the living cavern, slapping her riding gloves against 
her thigh as she walks.

Reminded of food, Ptodek takes a huge bite of his bubbly pie, grinning 
thanks to Pierron.

Jehrina glances around at the various groups of candidates.

Asrai grins, blissfully at K'nan's answer. All is happy and right in her 
world. "Good, I wouldn't want people to think I was starving you."

Ptodek glances down at his quickly disappearing pie. "There's one that 
looks *just* like a bubbly."

Neliea smiles, looking into her mug and over at the new bubblie. 
Chuckling, she slowly stands and makes her way towards the serving table 
and the klah pot.

K'nan leans down and kisses Asrai's cheek lightly. "You're not."

Berylle goes over and sits down by Ptodek, and by where Neliea has been 
sitting. She says to the pie-inhaler, "Hi, I'm Berylle, you're a candidate 
too, aren't you? I don't think we've formally introduced ourselves."

Jessalyn, finally noticing the look on J'lyn's face as she just happens to 
glance that way, gives the greenrider a curious look, but dosen't say 
anything.

Maylia lifts her nose just slightly into the air, detecting... ah, yes. 
Bubbly pies. With a grin, the young greenrider heads to the serving table, 
snitches herself a pie and a wineskin, and heads for a nearby table. 
"Evening, all." She says, juggling the pie from hand to hand as it's hot.

Ptodek nods, swallowing the last of the bubbly. "I'm Ptodek from Benden 
Hold."

J'lyn waves absently to Maylia.

Berylle grins, "It's a pleasure. I'm from the Minecraft Hall."

Asrai chuckles softly, raising a hand to wave greeting at Maylia.

Rohan, on the other hand, has eyes only for Jessalyn. Since she hasn't 
pulled her hand away from hers, he spares the cavern a fast glance to make 
sure no one's looking (sure, like that will happen), and leans over to 
peck Jessie's blushing cheek quickly.

Berylle says "Well, originally from here, but not for long, and then from 
Far Cry...oh, I should just write this on a hide and hand it to people, I 
say it so often!"

Ptodek smiles, and gives Berylle a long look. "You look like.. a friend of 
mine, back at home," he remarks.

A hand rises from the group of Canidates to wave at Maylia, it would 
appear to be attached to Aurian.

Mehlani peeks up at Maylia's arrival, while Wili croons happily on her 
arm. 'Lani scritches away on the little lady's iridescent back.

Ptodek grins. "Kinda complicated, huh?"

Berylle shakes her head. "Not really, just a lot to say."

J'lyn can't take it anymore, and darn near stomps over to Jessalyn and 
Rohan, separating them almost forcibly. "That, young man, will be just 
about enough." He turns to Jessalyn and says, "Were you going to stop him 
at all?"

Jehrina grins over at Jessalyn, but, mercifully spares the girl any good-
natured teasing.

"Eh, go stuff it in your--oh, 'tis you, Maylia." Kassi nods a curt 
greeting, wiping the last of the wine from her chin; her dish of the day 
doesn't exactly make for neat eating. "I wonder," she muses to herself, 
frowning thoughtfully, "how many other maleriders I might be able t'fleece 
royally... nay too many more, I should think. The Weyr can't be that rife 
with fools."

Ceria watches J'lyn unobtrusively.

Mehlani swallows, peeking over at J'lyn. Oh dear.

Jehrina raises an eyebrow at J'lyn.

Ptodek nods in understanding. "'Snice that you've gotten to live different 
places though."

Jessalyn blinks up at J'lyn, blushing now to the roots of her hair. "Why? 
He was only being sweet," she retorts, though not /too/ loudly. Almost too 
quiet to be heard, she adds, "Why does it matter to you so much? 
Richenda's the one who'd probably be the most upset."

No sooner is Maylia settled in a seat then Keller, that candidate who just 
can't seem to figure out the serving thing, deposites a plate full of 
wherry, tubers, and greens in front of her. She quirks an eye at him, then 
at Kassi. "Mmmm, Kassi, your usual, 'tis it?" She asks, indicating the 
dish before her mentor.

Neliea reaches for the pot and refills her mug. Glancing back at the 
candidates' table, she slowly makes her way back to her chair. Rather a 
chair quite a distance away from Jessalyn and Rohan, but close enough to 
Ptodek and Berylle so that she can listen in on the conversation.

Kassima asks Maylia sarcastically, "You were expecting mayhaps tubers and 
spinach?"

J'lyn frowns that nasty frown that only a crusty old greenrider can do 
(you know, the one he learned from M'kla a thousand Turns ago). "No, as a 
matter of fact, young lady, I'm more prone to be more upset. No daughter 
of mine is going to end up a lower cavern girl with more children than 
brains."

Aurian rests her head against the table and starts laughing. She glances 
up at Jessalyn and starts laughing again.

Jehrina leans forward, peering at J'lyn again. "Your what, J'lyn?"

Ptodek glances over at Rohan with a bemused expression. Well, he *tried* 
to warn him.

Berylle blinks at J'lyn, and self-consciously scoots a bit, makin sure 
she's not too close to Ptodek. Er, not that she was. Er, not that there's 
anything wrong with that.

J'lyn blinks, realizing what had just come out of his mouth without his 
conscious thought. He turns to the Weyrwoman. "M-my ... daughter."

Ceria starts to smile, but she hides it behind her hand. She quickly ducks 
her head and pretends to be reading the hides in front of her.

M'kla mutters something that sounds /suspiciously/ like "Unlike M'larr's 
weyrmate..."

Berylle calls over, "Neliea, c'mon over and sit closer with us."

Jehrina's eyebrow goes up. Just a fraction, but it's definitely there. She 
turns to look at Jessalyn. "Really."

Ptodek turns back to Berylle. "I lived at Benden Weyr for a Turn or so, 
but other than that I've always lived at the Hold."

Devon enters from the Bowl.

Maylia holds up the platefull Keller deposited infront of her, shaking her 
head. "Anybodies dinner here? Perhaps someone who asked for stew?" Her 
eyes roll at Kassi's dish. "No, Kassi, I'd certainly not expect you to be 
eating tubers, no matter what condition Lysseth's in."

J'lyn nods to Jehrina. "She didn't know. Jessa and Richenda kept it from 
her. All she knew was that her father was a greenrider."

Neliea moves over a couple of chairs and smiles, "Okay."

Jessalyn blinks in an unconscious mimicry of J'lyn, and looks up at the 
greenrider, stunned. "You... I... Uh, daughter?" Releasing Rohan's hand, 
she stands up, and falls right back down in her chair again at J'lyn's 
latest comment.

Jehrina nods a fraction. "I see. Well, congratulations on having a 
daughter."

Jehrina stands and leaves the Weyrleaders' table.

Jehrina smiles, and wanders back outside.

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

J'lyn nods down to Jessalyn. "Yes. Demarth won a flight of Lorieth's while 
I was still here, and you were the result. I'm sorry we kept it from you, 
but we thought it was best. I just couldn't any longer, not when I saw 
what was going on."

Howls of hooting laughter can be heard, slowly diminishing.

Aurian shushes herself up. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn says, "Welcome to the soap opera, As My Stomach 
Turns. ;)"

Telgar Weyr> Jorenan tries to decide whether he wants to stay, having 
logged in to a comment lik ethat.

Eventually the plate finds its way to the original rider who requested it, 
apparently though he did indeed request stew. Wherry stew, so at least the 
poor confused lad got the right kind of meat, but wrong form.

Kassima starts to sardonically applaud. "All hail slips of the tongue! 
Congratulations, though, Jessalyn...." She seems about to add some other 
biting remark to that, but holds off for a moment, then shakes her head. 
"You've a fine father who's an excellent greenrider and Wingsecond both, 
even if'n he's nearly as overprotective as m'thrice-cursed stuffed up 
wherry hen outside." Grudging though the admission is, it must be sincere; 
Kassi wouldn't be able to work up enough good cheer to falsely flatter 
anyone right now. "Feh. All this is turning m'stomach; I'm out of here for 
the evening."

Ceria stands up and puts her hides back into her apron pocket. She quickly 
heads outside.

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

Ptodek grins at Berylle, leaning over to whisper something in her ear.

Maylia catches a bit of the nearby conversation, and looks between J'lyn 
and Jessalyn, eyebrows raised.

Jessalyn launches herself back out of her chair again, just staring. "You 
were here. You /knew/ and you didn't tell me? Richenda, too, she knew you 
were here. How come no one ever told me?" Becoming the petulant child, 
just for a moment, she stomps her foot in irritation. She looks 
immediately apologetic and takes a step closer to J'lyn, almost grinning. 
"Does..um..does this mean I can call you Papa now?"

J'lyn lets out a nervous chuckle. "No, lass, you don't. J'lyn will do."

J'lyn says "I don't expect you to change your entire life because of me." 
Casting a glance at the thoroughly sheet-white, petrified Rohan, he adds, 
"Well, not -most- of it anyway.""

Berylle laughs at Ptodek's whispered comment! "Oh shards no. My father's 
well known to half the weyr, after storming into here a last month."

Jessalyn sniffles a bit in disappointment. "Can't blame me for trying, I 
guess."

Asrai gives her head a shake, looking rather embaressed. "Sorry bout that 
K'nan, I got lost in conversation with Cygnith. He'd like a soak if you 
are interested."

Kassima watches the drama in the making for a couple of seconds more 
before giving a final snort of disgust. "Thank Faranth m'children will 
know bloody well who their parents are. 'Twill save a lot of this fardling 
melodrama crud." Those cheerful sentiments shared with the Cavern at 
large, she whirls about and sweeps out of the Cavern.

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