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Baiting the Trap


Date:  December, 1996(?)
Place:  Benden 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:  Another episode in the renegade saga; this time, while
Lal considers transfer to Ista, P'tran considers how to lure the 
renegades out of hiding and makes arrangements with Weyrminer Lily for 
the bait he wants.  Kassima's more of an observer than anything, but I
decided to post the log anyway since it's a meaningful link in the false 
caravan plot series. :)

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The Log:

You walk past the lintel and into the wide living cavern.

Lal shrugs. "People know. I dunna mind sir--oh, 'lo Kassima."

Lal sits next to P'tran.

Kassima nods to everyone and salutes P'tran as she walks in, heading
straight for the food and drink as she usually does. "G'deve Lal,
everyone," she greets with a smile.

P'tran gives a brief nod of greetings to Kassima as he sits down. He turns
to Lal with a somewhat troubled expression on his face. "I read your note.
I want to know if you were serious about it."

M'kla gets up, to take a closer seat near P'tran.

Lal nods solemnly. "Yessir."

Kassima pours a mug of her usual cider and grabs her usual bowl of stew,
setting them down at her usual seat. And, as usual, she immediately tunes
her ears to eavesdrop... discreetly, of course.

M'kla holds up a hand, slowly.

M'kla says "Lassie...I've just got one thing to say, and then I'll take my
nosy old carcass out of it. But if I'd moved out of the Weyr every time I
got my hard old heart broken, I'd have no where left on Pern to go. You're
gonna live a long time, and you're gonna get yourself burned more times
than you're gonna have Turns.""

P'tran considers for a moment and nods. "I understand most of your
reasons," he states carefully. "But you mentioned something about things
being hard here. I want to make sure that you were not having problems with
the other riders ..." He trails off as M'kla starts to speak, not having
seen her raise her hand.

M'kla rises, and gets herself a mug of klah, muttering to herself about
people leaving just as she gets comfortable with them. Of all the nerve.
Have to train a new rider to take her place...hard on the dragons and
morale...grumpgrumpgrump.

Lal clears her throat and sighs. "I need t'be closer t'me daw. An'I want
t'be in weather closer t'mine at home. I think I'll perform better."

Lal answers M'kla quietly, but defensively.

Caitria walks in from the bowl.

P'tran waits for M'kla to finish, then nods to her and watches her go
before turning back to Lal. "I guess I wanted to make sure that you wanted
to leave for the right reason. I won't mince words; I don't like losing a
good Threadfighter like you and Areseth."

Caitria saunters in with a wave and a yawn.

Lal nods "Thankee sir. But I'm sure there'll be a fine replacement.
An'honestly...fer me own sanity, I need a change."

M'kla snorts softly, and goes to sit down, with a list starting to make out
new drill lists and the like, grumbling to herself and the small, cranky
green.

P'tran sighs and folds his arms. He does not look at all happy. "I could
deny the transfer request, but I won't. I'll again be honest and say that
I'm not entirely sure you're doing this for the right reason. By the way,
what Weyr did you have in mind to transfer to?"

Lal swallows. "Ista, sir."

Kassima nods quietly to Caitria in greeting as she silently eats her soup.

P'tran hmms and nods. "Well, that's certainly a good choice. Ista is a very
fine Weyr."

Caitria murmurs a greeting to Kassi as she eases herself to a seat,
mentally noting M'kla's ever-so-chipper mood. At the mention of Ista, her
expression goes half embarrassed, two-thirds amused.

Lal spies Tria in teh corner of her eye. "What's wrong wi'Ista?"

M'kla chuckles, "Ne'er mind that half our people that've transfered there
have come back, owing to the horrid weather at Ista...dragons thrown into
mountains and the like."

Kassima peers at Tria's odd expression. "Something wrong, Tria?"

M'kla bites her lip, and takes another sip of her klah.

Lal blinks at M'kla. "But s'awways warm, like in th'South."

M'kla says "Tain't had enough training in the crosswinds."

Caitria shakes her head. "Nothing, Lal. I was just there this aft. Had an
interesting conversation." From the twitch of her lips, the conversation
was an amusing one, too. She shakes her head slightly to Kassi, with a
quiet chuckle.

M'kla shakes her head slowly, "Aie...tis. I spent enough time in the south,
gatherin fruits for the Weyrlady."

M'kla says "But I've never had a wind in the south nearly throw me an mine
to the ground like a spoilt child with a fit..."

Kassima ohs? and quirks a half-smile at Tria. "Interesting, eh? Whom with,
or is that prying?"

Lal sighs, and listens. "I'll learn. S'good experience."

P'tran smirks at M'kla. "Well, Ista's done rather fine this Pass, that's
all I know. I don't think they'd do worse by having Lal." He looks to
Caitria curiously, but turns his attention back to Lal. "Anyway, I will
approve this transfer. Reluctantly, mind you, but I will. I suggest you
talk with the Istan Weyrleaders first, though. Make sure they can place you
in their wings."

Lal nods. "I should travel there, then, an'ask fer an appointment?"

M'kla snorts to herself, and goes on back to her task, smacking the gold
lightly, when she circles down and sticks her nose in M'kla's klahmug.

Caitria shakes her head, lowering her voice to avoid interrupting the
conversation. "Tisn't," she says, with a grin. "T'was with a youngling. Not
sure who it was. She wanted to know how someone could be sterile without
chewing firestone or being...ahem...gelded. She asked this of a former
'friend' of mine."

Kassima chokes on her cider, and coughs for a full two minutes before she
finally regains control of her breathing. "Bright Faranth! You're serious?
Is she related to Bree or something?"

P'tran nods to Lal. "When you're not on duty, that would be sufficient," he
replies softly.

R'val walks in from the bowl.

R'val walks in, removing his gloves and jacket and slinging them into a
chair, which he sits in, "Evenin'."

P'tran peers over at Caitria and her odd conversation with the others with
a peculiar look on his face, then he shakes his head slightly in confusion
and turns back to Lal. He nods a brief greeting to R'val.

Caitria laughs. "I don't know. But I explained it...just as some brownrider
came into the cavern. I hope I didn't offend anyone. Heyla, R"val."

Kassima is still chuckling very quietly to herself as she looks over and
waves to R'val. "Evening," she says by way of greeting. Turning to Tria,
she elucidates, "I ask that last because Bree asks similarly awkward
questions sometimes, or used to... she or Aph ever tell you about the
'little half-men'?"

R'val glances at caitria with a smile, and nods respectfully to the
weyrleader, "Evenin all. Whassup?"

Caitria blinks. "Little half-men?"

Kassima grins and answers, "Ach, Tria 'twas just telling us about an
interesting conversation she had at Ista."

P'tran says to Lal, "Well, again, I hope you reconsider, but speak with the
Istan Weyrleaders, and if they can place you, I will approve it."

Kassima nods, chuckling. "Little half-men!" She doesn't say anything
further until she's taken another bite of stew and a sip from her cider
mug; once she's swallowed that, she explains, "See, there was a lady at
Ruatha who was expecting, and Bree wanted to know where babes come from...."

Lal smiles. "Thank yeh sir. I'm happy about it."

M'kla chuckles quietly at Kassima.

P'tran manages a small smile, and then sighs. "I guess if you'll be happier
over there, Lal, then that's for the best. Again, I hate to lose a good
rider like yourself, but I have to respect your wishes. Forcing you stay
where you would not feel comfortable would not be good for either of us."

R'val glances at Lal puzzledly, 'Over there?" He asks, "Lal, are you
transferring?"

M'kla snorts irritably, and scribbles out whatever it was she just put down.

Benden Weyr> Caitria ohdears. Someone in the lab I'm babysitting is logging
on here. He's never read Pern, and asks, "Are there barbarians?"

Benden Weyr> R'val groans.

Benden Weyr> Kassima ohdears. :)

Benden Weyr> J'cob says, "Yes! Greenriders!"

Benden Weyr> M'kla oh....mys.

Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "Hey! We may be bloodthirsty savages, but we're
*not* barbarians. ;)"

P'tran glances over to M'kla for a moment, mentally noting her disapproval
of the whole thing with some chagrin. He turns away and looks over towards
Caitria. "Caitria, when you have a moment ..."

Benden Weyr> J'cob says, "You've obviously never seen me after a flight! o:)"

Benden Weyr> Caitria grins. When I said no, he said, "So everyone's
civilized?" *giggle* That's when I could bring up greenriders. ;)

Lal turns to R'val, and nods. "As long as th'Istan Weyrleaders agree."

Caitria nods to P'tran. "Aye, I'm free right now. I can find out about the
little half-men later." She chuckles, getting to her feet.

R'val nods to Lal, 'It's a shame. We'll be sorry to lose you."

Kassima grins. "I'll be sure to remind you, Tria. 'Tis nay a tale to be
missing out on." She turns her attention to Lal and nods. "Aye... as I'd
said, 'twill be a shame to see you go, but 'tis a'course your choice. I do
hope you're happy in your new place."

Lal nods. "Thankee. An'me too."

P'tran ums and nods, giving that peculiar look when he hears that term
again. "Well, anyway, I need to talk to you about that thing we're doing to
ferret out those renegades. "I need to send for Lily as well."

M'kla looks up again, a slightly sharp tone, "Renegades?"

Benden Weyr> M'kla says, "Magic word."

Caitria nods. "I talked with Craftmaster Leara about it," she says,
glancing briefly at M'kla. "She has no problems with using craft animals."
She pauses, then adds, "She did ask me to make it clear that any beasts
that were lost because of this were to be removed from tithe." She grimaces
faintly.

Benden Weyr> M'kla grins. Tria didn't have her dragon shot out from under
her by Renegades O:)

Kassima's attention immediately swivels back to the Weyrleader at the mere
mention of renegades. "Has the plan been worked out then, sir? For the
wagon of goodies and all?"

Lily walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Benden Weyr> Caitria's never had a dragon, much less had one shot out from
under her, nope. ;)

Lily wanders sleepily into the cavern, rubbing her eyes. Waving briefly to
the faces she recognizes, she asks Salless for a large mug of klah.

Lal waves tentatively to Lily. "Allo."

Caitria smiles faintly. "Good timing. Heyla, Lily."

P'tran grins slightly at Caitria. "That's perfectly fine," he comments.
"Anyway, I hope that nothing will be lost in this little mission. Also, I
need to ask you about providing some runnerbeasts as well as herdbeasts."
He looks up and gestures to Lily. "Lily, I need to speak with you for a
moment as well."

P'tran ohs as he sees where she's headed. "Um, get your klah first, of
course," he adds.

Caitria nods. "Can do," she murmurs. "Just let me know the riding abilities
of the people. S'good to try to match temperment to rider, if possible."

M'kla frowns quite a bit, but keeps her attention mostly on her writing.
Half an ear as it were.

P'tran hmms and nods. "Would you know if Asrai has any riding ability at all?"

Lal sits back further in her chair.

Lily takes a long gulp of klah, brushing a stray wisp of hair out of her
eyes. She blinks a couple of times, then, after waving to Lal, aproaches
P'tran. "You'd like to speak to me, sir?"

P'tran looks up and nods to Lily, making room for her at the table. "Yes,
I'm going to need a bit of a favor."

Lily arcs a brow. "A favor, Weyrleader?" she asks, slipping to a seat.
"What can the Minecraft do?"

Caitria hmmmms. "Not sure. Easy enough to find out."

R'val looks on interestedly.

Benden Weyr> Caitria ohdears. Now he's asking about face painting and tatoos.

Benden Weyr> Kassima hrms. Still better than the FL-eating one. :)

Benden Weyr> J'cob spits out a Fl, "We can't eat 'em?"

Benden Weyr> M'kla giggles.

P'tran nods to Caitria. "I was thinking of having her go in on runner. It
will look a little more believable than on foot." He turns his head to
Lily. "Well, what I need would be some gemstones," he states. "They would
be returned once this is over. I *hope* to be able to garantee their safety
..."

Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "Not alive, when they belong to someone else and
aren't even in the room, you can't. :)"

Caitria murmurs something about a docile runner, and lessons, nodding.

Kassima hrms, looking dubious. "Living in a cave all that time wouldn't
exactly make it likely she'd know...." She nods agreement with Tria.

P'tran glances out towards the bowl for a moment before returning his
attention to the conversation with Lily

Lilychuckles softly. "Gemstones, Weyrleader? Well, you've certainly asked
the right person. I've just received a number of lovely stones, for an item
commissioned by the Telgar Weyrleader. He wants an egg like the one I made
for Weyrwoman Jehrina. You may of course have loan of them."

P'tran hrms and furrows his brow. "Destined for the Telgar Weyrleader? I'm
not sure I'd want them being upset in case something happened. Maybe I
better explain what its for. We're going to try to fool the renegades into
raiding a contrived trader caravan in order to catch them. I need the
gemstones as part of the 'bait'."

Benden Weyr> K'tyn needs to bamf and eat more than the donut and pepsi I
had for lunch 6 hours ago.:) I'm shaking. :) BBL, weyr.:)

Benden Weyr> Caitria huggleKitten.

Benden Weyr> Kassima snugsaKiat. Later, K-man! :)

Benden Weyr> K'tyn says, "K-man?!"

Benden Weyr> J'cob still prefers J-team :)

Benden Weyr> Kassima shrugs. Felt like calling you something new. :)

Benden Weyr> Kassima pshaws. K-Team rules, K'cob. ;)

Benden Weyr> R'val supports the small, very very small, R-team ;)

Lily nods to P'tran. "I'm sure he'll be understanding, sir. I'd be happy to
talk with him. And more than happy to arrange publicly for another shipment
of, say, sapphires to come to Benden."

Benden Weyr> Caitria rah C-team. And the _very_ small Cait-team. ;)

Benden Weyr> R'val grins. You have Caitlyn. s'all you need ;)

Benden Weyr> Kassima would support the Kass team, but she's the only one of
those. :)

Benden Weyr> R'val says, "You have a much bigger team, Kassi. The Evil
Greenrider Association :)"

Benden Weyr> Kassima rahs, green! :)

P'tran ahs and nods. "Yes, that would be good," he comments. "I don't
really think they're going to target the gemstones, since they've been
going mostly for staple items like food and healer supplies, but they've
been so hard to predict that I don't want to take any chances."

Benden Weyr> Caitria rahs, too. :)

Kassima hrms. "Are you going to be including wine, sir?" she inquires. "I
think nay matter what they're after, they likely wouldn't mind the lure of
wines being added to it."

Lily's smile is one of pure malice. "It so happens that a sapphire mine has
sent word they've things for me to inspect. I'll have a little word with
them about it." She takes a drink of klah and nods to Kassima. "Wine, too,
would be a good thing to include."

Lal nods.

P'tran nods to Kassima. "I'm basically going to be adding a little of
everything," he says with something of a small smirk. He looks back to Lily
and nods, not having noticed her expression. "We can include that on the
caravan as well. *something* in that caravan should lure them ..."

Kassima half-grins. "If'n you put everything on there, sir, there's nay way
that something *couldn't* lure them. Nay unless they were beyond being
lured, and I somehow doubt that's true."

Caitria's eyebrows lift at Lily's expression, but she doesn't ask, nopenope.

P'tran manages a small grin. "Well, hopefully, something will lure them and
then we'll be done with this whole thing." He sighs and shakes his head. "I
still don't like the idea that we're resorting to this, but I'm getting
quite tired of the whole situation."

Lily chuckles, that smile remaining on her face. "Just make it so good they
can't resist, eh? I think it's a good idea, sir, despite the inherent
danger. The wagons will be guarded, will they not?"

Kassima nods, and shrugs. "I think 'tis still better than the infiltration
thing, sir. Will riders be able to have any place in this?"

Caitria says lightly, "If it works..."

P'tran nods to Lily. "The idea is to catch them as they do it. We'll make
it look like we're leaving part of it unguarded, or if they try some little
diversion like they did with the Lemos train, we'll go along with it."

P'tran leans back in his seat, but does not appear to relax any. To Kassima
he notes, "Yes, as soon as they strike, we'll have riders and dragons all
over them at a moment's noticed."

Lily looks at Kassima, then P'tran. "They'll be escorting the wagons from a
distance, sir?"

P'tran nods. "In a way. We can't have the dragons hovering over it all the
time because that would scare them off. We have to make it look like there
are no dragons around. When they strike, it will not be a complicated
matter to send a firelizard back as a signal. Someone at Benden will have
the visualization and all will reference it."

Portock walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Salless rubs her arthritic fingers and smiles as the weyrhealer enters.

Kassima ahs and nods. "Glad to hear it, sir. If'n you're still needing
volunteers for that, Lyss and I'd be more'n willing, a'course."

R'val waves towards the weyrhealer as he enters, and turns to face P'tran
again, listening.

Caitria says lightly, "There aren't many that aren't willing, I think. Wish
there was more I could do."

Portock strides in and waves back to R'val and makes his way over to a table.

Lily quirks a slight grin. "As long as the firelizard is trained, sir. And
if there's anything else I may do to assist, please let me know."

P'tran grins slightly. "I know, I have a list of all the riders that have
expressed their willingless to help. Good evening, Portock," he comments
after seeing the Weyrhealer walk in.

Caitria glances over at Portock as folks greet him, and lifts a hand.

Caitria puts the hand back down, too. Imagine.

P'tran nods to Lily emphatically. "I appreciate your assistance in this,
Lily, I know it's something of an unusual request."

Portock nods to the Weyrleader and grins, "Evening sir."

Kassima smiles faintly. "Aye, well, just wanted t'make sure, sir." She
looks over and waves to Portock.

Portock takes a seat near Tria and nods to everyone else, "How has it been
going tria?"

Lily waves a hand airily. "It's no problem, sir. I'm glad to help, and the
Minecraft wants to do what it can to see that this thieving stops. The
jadecrafters near Lemos were quite disturbed at the thieving in that area."

Caitria hms. "Pretty well. I've finally adjusted to the extra work, I
think. Habout you?"

P'tran sees he finally has a free moment and uses it to fetch a mug of
klah. He starts back just as Lily is speaking to him again and takes a sip
before responding. "I can understand that," he comments. "This should put
an end to it once and for all."

P'tran returns to his seat.

Kassima sighs. "Thank Faranth for that," she murmurs. "Nay more winters
going by wondering what they're up to 'twill be a blessing in and of itself."

Portock smiles and shrugs, "I have been going to healer hall more often
these days, but all in all things have been well."

P'tran takes a sip of his klah and nods simply in response to Kassima. He
leans back in his seat and tries to relax a bit.

R'val glances at POrtock with a grin, "You should visit again soon. I'm
going there tomorrow morning."

Lily nods to P'tran as she stands, mug i nhand. "As do we all, sir. If
you'll excuse me," she says with a wry smile, "I've got to return to my
fussy daughter and her new tooth."

P'tran nods to Lily. "Of course. Thank you."

Caitria gives Lily a sympathetic smile, calling a farewell.

Kassima chuckles and smiles. "Hope Talia's less fussy soon, Lily. G'night."

Portock smiles at R'val, "I may have to join you then."

R'val grins, "I'm sure Tess'd be glad to see you again."

Caitria mmmms? over at R'val at the mention of her friend. "Wot?"

Lal yawns.

Lily waves and head out.

Lily walks towards the inner cavern.

Lal watches Lily leave. She sighs.

M'kla tacks up her duty list for her usual group, and turns to go.

Portock chuckles, "Possibly, but then she might get me to teach a class."

R'val grimaces, "I never enjoyed doing that."

Portock waves to M'kla as she turns to leave.

Lal rises. "Think I'll take a soak in th'springs."

Kassima grins at R'val. "You, a teacher? Now there's an odd thought." She
nods to M'kla, seeing that the Weyrsecond is leaving.

Portock nods with a grin, "Most of the time I really don't like to either,
unless I can talk the apprentices to coming up here and then I can show
them what goes on in a Weyr."

M'kla stumps out, shooking her bothersome firelizards away.

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

Caitria calls a, "Clear skies," after M'kla. To her back, actually.

R'val sighs, "I've never felt comfortable teaching at healer hall. Or
rather, I never did. I spent so little time there, the apprentices were all
strangers. Hence I tended to avoid doing it."

P'tran gives a slight nod to those that are leaving.

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

Kassima raises an eyebrow. "I'd think 'twould be easier to teach strangers
than friends... easier to be strict with 'em if need be, that sort of
thing." She shrugs and grins. "Nay that I'd know, a'course. You're probably
right."

Portock chuckles, " I was in the same boat when I fist came here, but now
the hall is calling us all back from time to time to try and pass on what
we know."

R'val nods, "Friends, yes, Kassi. But strangers? No, they're no good. You
want a class you're familiar with, but not friendly with."

R'val nods to Portock, "That's true. They want weyrhealers to shed their
perspective on a class. Give 'em some outside knowledge, as it were."

Kassima hrms, then shrugs again. "I'll take your word on it, methinks." She
polishes off her bowl of stew and pushes it aside, sighing with apparent
contentment with the world.

R'val appraises Kassima's apparent bliss. "Good stew?" He inquires.

Kassima chuckles. "Ach, good enough. 'Twas more that nay seems to be going
catastrophically wrong this evening... nay that that happens often, mind,
but 'tis nice to have had an off-day of peace and quiet, y'know?"

R'val chuckles softly under his breath, "Pessimist," He accuses teasingly,
"Must something go wrong every night, or else it's unusual?"

Portock laughs, "I don't know how outstanding it is, but I teach what i can.

Kassima laughs. "Nay, nay! Naught goes wrong most nights... 'tis just for
once 'tis a fairly pleasant evening, aside from the rain, and I'm nay
tired, and got all the food I wanted today. Those little things that make
the day a pleasant one, all things considered. Lyss didn't even drag me off
Faranth-knows-where after a hatching."

R'val grins at Kassima at that, "Truly, a satisfying evening, hmmm? I'm
just glad Vidarth missed Juliath's flight last night, though he isn't."

Caitria drowses in her seat, oblivious to the conversations. Zzzz.

Kassima grins. "Aye, well, 'twas nay too bad before the flight. Meli was
being much closer to her normal self than she was the first time, and aside
from a roomful of proddy fire-lizards and their poor pet, all was well
enough. 'Twas quiet during, but then, it tends to be."

R'val nods, "Ah. A routine flight."

P'tran finishes off his klah and stands, handing off his empty mug to a
(you guessed it) passing drudge. He stretches a bit and yawns. "I'm going
to retire for the evening. Good night all."

Benden Weyr> Caitria grins at P'te.

Benden Weyr> Kassima giggles at the FL. :)

Benden Weyr> P'tran looks innocent :)

R'val nods, "Evening, sir."

Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "'Sbetter than putting them wherever they go. :)"

P'tran nods and heads out.

P'tran walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Kassima salutes P'tran, though a bit too late. "Night, sir! Sleep well!"
she calls after him.

Benden Weyr> Kassima always puts her dirty mugs wherever dirty mugs go. I
figure that gets them there, wherever there is. :)

Caitria, being still asleep, doesn't say goodbye to P'tran.

Caitria wakes with a start. "Mph," she observes brightly.

R'val glances over at the weyrheader and stifles a snicker.

Kassima grins at Tria. "Don't you just love those Living Cavern naps?" she
asks, standing up. She puts her dirty mug wherever dirty mugs go (big
surprise, eh?) and stretches, yawning. "Been a good day, but a tiring one.
'Tis sleeping time for me, methinks."

R'val glances towards Kassi and smiles, "Night, then."

Caitria yawns, and waves to Kassi, mumbling something that might be, "Good
night."

Kassima smiles and waves, heading outside.

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