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Hypothetical Needles


Date:  October 11, 2004
Place:  Telgar Weyr's Weyrling 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:  I'sai is a master of all things wicked.  If you ever 
doubted as much before, take assurance from this log, where--having
already discomfited his Weyrlings with the mating flights lecture--
he further pins them squirming against the wall of potential 
embarrassment with his hypothetical questions.  It proves an 
entertaining show for the spectators, up to and perhaps even 
including the point where certain NPC Weyrlings start to get Ideas.

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The Log:

Telgar Weyr> I'sai says, "Weyrling class starting pretty much nowish in the
barracks. Observers are welcome; mentors may talk to their protege(s) and
Yselle about doing a NPC if they like. At the end, once the weyrlings have
had sufficient time for Q&A, observers may tell war stories for any
weyrlings who'd like to stick around."

You walk through the huge entrance into the Weyrling Barracks.

J'len walks in from the bowl.

Sarevith enters from the bowl.

Cantaneth enters from the bowl.

K'ran walks in from the bowl.

Tarien walks in from the bowl.

Telgar Weyr> I'sai says, "The regular 'who gets to come in' rules are
suspended for tonight. And, the observers get the back seats which means,
sorry weyrlings, you'll have someone behind you so you can't squirm in
peace. ;)"

Telgar Weyr> I'sai adds for the observers' sakes - the weyrlings already
know - this will pick up at the end of the lecture that covers the
materials on the web page, so it'll ICly be partly through the lesson.
(Which means that, OOCly, everyone doesn't have to sit through a stream of
emits. ;) )

Telgar Weyr> V'lano says, "Are we... IC at the moment? ;)"

Telgar Weyr> I'sai says, "Will be, yeah. IC stuff first, IC Q&A, then OOC
Q&A."

I'sai enters from the weyrlingmaster's office.

Yselle enters from the weyrlingmaster's office.

"Crowded class session," V'lano murmurs before making efforts at separate
salutes for his own wingleader, the wingleader who's his mentor, the
Weyrlingmaster, the Weyrleader - standing on tiptoe to scan the room, hand
still at attention in salutation, trying to figure out everyone else - the
Weyrwoman, the assistant Weyrlingmaster staff, the Icemelt wingseconds...
what a lot of saluting. Shaking his head in grinning defeat, the bronzer
weyrling finds a seat and slumps.

A'tan walks into the room and gives a half hearted salute before trying to
find a seat in the back. He sits down and rubs his eyes before trying to
focus on everyone else.

Leonneth warbles in low tones as she lumbers around to a couch and still
fits rather comfortably. She croons at all the people as she nudges her
weyrling.

K'ran ducks into the barracks, already aimed toward the proverbial cheap
seats, but answers the inevitable deluge of salutes with grace even as he's
tipping a wry smile back toward Tarien. "Evening," he greets, generally,
and then sits.

J'len doesn't seem so tall anymore. Walking into the barracks he can't seem
to get his back to go fully upright and there are a number of bruises and a
few bumps on his forehead. It's been like this ever since they went between
and he was assigned his own weyr... that would have made his mother feel
tall. He manages to get salutes that aren't lacking in respect but might be
lacking in flexibility and snappyness; first salutes to all the officers
present and finally one to T'bay as Icemelt wingleader. He returns V'lano's
salute and then A'tan's and frowns thoughtfully before sitting down next to
A'tan. "You doing alright?"

Lanisa's done her best to bury herself in the middle of the class as
always. Maybe even more so this time. Lani out of sight, Lani out of mind.
Best way to avoid trouble, right? -- She can hope at least.

A'tan glances over at Leonneth for a moment before finally hearing J'len.
"Oh hi there." The young man shrugs and runs his long fingers through his
unruly hair. His hands are scratched and lip has a small cut on it. He
tries to straighten out his shirt and sits back. "I guess I'm alright."

Breena stops just inside the doorway into the barracks, eyes popping wide
at the number of attendants. After a moment of gaping, she salutes the
leadership, the weyrlingmaster staff, and her own wingleader before she
claims a seat.

Emilly leans against the wall, arms folded, eyeing the group for
expressions on faces.

T'bay also notes the arrival of 'the brass,' then joins the line of
salutes, "That's sure, we must be getting to the important part," then
offering one to one of his acting seconds in return, a grin and a light tap
of his forehead at the notice of J'len's bruises there. "Ouch," he mouths,
quietly, and stepping in a little closer, he murmurs, "No carving tools
available, or no time yet to work at it?" in a tone that is part-concern,
part amusement, part empathy.

[Editor's Note:  And now the time-warp forward, to the end 
of the main lecture:]

S'fin leans against the wall, eyes half-shut and half-asleep as the
weyrlingmaster goes on and on and on, detailing this and that to the point
where even a subject that's salacious for some can seem just like any other
lesson. At least, for the bluerider, who's heard it a thousand times, or
just looks as though he has. Finally, I'sai says as he walks back and forth
in front of the group, "In summary, the female dragon gets proddy; everyone
runs screaming - er, the males blood in the feeding pens; she bloods; she
rises; the males chase; the humans are 'with' their dragons," he makes a
peculiar hand motion there, "and go to the guest weyr - except golds who
generally go to their own weyrs - and eventually a male catches the female;
their riders copy while everyone else goes off complaining. Any questions?"

Now that the weyrlings have flown the nest, Yselle has found one of the
empty cots on which to sit, and seems pretty unconcerned about the subject
at hand, although she's casting careful looks around the room as though
making a note of the weyrlings' reactions. Tarien and K'ran's presence are
noted with a nod, and a smile for the weyrleader, although most of her
attention is on the class. She has a pretty good view, having found a place
near I'sai - in the firing line for questions, as it were.

A'tan listens to the lecture and glances over at Leonneth thoughtfully. His
eyes scan the room coming to rest on the many individuals he has gotten to
know so well during his time here. He nods a little bit as he watches I'sai
pace back and forth. He notices that Leonneth keeps moving her head to
follow the Weyrlingmaster.

Kassima found herself a good seat sometime before the lecture began, where
she can lurk behind some particularly nervous Weyrlings and no doubt aid
that nervousness tremendously. If it also happens to have put her in a good
place to not only watch Weyrling reactions but S'fin's sleep so that she
might later be able to tease him if he drools, that's pure serendipity.
"This is me, nay asking what exactly that gesture was supposed
t'represent," she murmurs under her breath.

Claret's first response to the Weyrlingmaster's concluding summary seems to
be no more than a few blinks. Wiggling her fingers experimentally, for no
other reason than distraction, she slants her gaze sideways toward the
other weyrlings, looking no more than faintly curious over the contents of
the lecture. Belatedly, she shakes her head, indicating that she hasn't got
any questions. Yet.

"It sounds so cut and dried when they put it that way," Tarien murmurs in a
quiet aside to K'ran, as I'sai summarizes the lecture so far. "It doesn't
ever -seem- that way, to me." Quick to fall silent again, she observes the
weyrlings, rather than the staff, watching their reactions.

A'tan tries to stand a little bit to make sure he is heard over the crowd
in front of him, "Umm. This may be a stupid question Weyrlingmaster, but
how do we know when our dragons actually get proddy." He glances down at
Leonneth and sighs, "It seems that Leonneth already swings her moods from
one end of Pern to the other already."

T'bay is listening with a blend of uncertainty, nervousness, and mustered
calm, periodically shaking his head to be sure he remains awake through
what is doubtless a very important lecture. His hand digs into his jacket
pocket, stills there, and his brows furrow, trying to wrap his mind around
something beyond a lecture on this subject that still seems so far away. He
tips his head to listen to A'tan, a small smile for Leonneth's interested
movement-tracking of I'sai.

K'ran can't quite supress a chuckle for that, and affords Tarien an
emphatic nod. "Definitely," he can be heard to murmur -- and likewise looks
to the questions that come.

V'lano, by now, has crossed his arms over his chest and leaned as far back
as he can on the bench he chose, counterbalanced by his legs sprawled out
in front. He lifts his chin from its lazy resting spot on his chest just
long enough to add his own question: "Why the guest weyr? Just because it's
accessible to people on foot? Do other Weyrs have other... rules about
where they... go to... wait it out?" With so many opportunities to
hilariously misspeak, the dark-haired young man's focused on taking his
time with his words.

Breena has long since sat on her hands in an effort not to fidget, but even
that can't hide the crimson blush that has stained her cheeks throughout.
At the request for questions, she remains silent, though she does look over
at A'tan, with a quick nod.

Lanisa just sinks all the lower in her seat. Do you get that 'so not
speaking this time' feeling? Maybe she thinks she can just look smaller and
never get called on for -this- class. She spares A'tan a glance an then
turns her gaze back up front as she listens in for the answer and the other
questions.

"-So- glad someone asked a question," I'sai says with a gleam in his eye.
"All right. Main way you know is she starts blooding. Secondary way is that
she starts glowing - but some don't, much, before they get to the pens.
'Nother way is her just seeming different, or your seeming different: maybe
Leonneth's gonna -stop- mood-swinging for the duration. Or not. And the
last way is that some dragons have fairly regular cycles, although that
sort of thing can be offset by Thread - could've, at least - or an injury
or suchlike." - "As for you, V'lano, you saved yourself from being asked a
hypothetical too. One of the first, anyway. Guest weyr, aye, because of
accessibility - don't want anyone to get, ah, stuck there when they don't
belong. Same goes for other Weyrs that I know of. And here's hoping nobody
goes up at a Gather again." - "Claret! Hypothetical number one. If your
weyrmate - we're pretending here - just won a flight and forgot to come
home, do you - a- Get out a hunting knife and go kill the femalerider in
cold blood; b - throw all their stuff off your ledge; c - Go and untie them
from the bedposts; or d - answer of your choice? J'len, you get the next
hypothetical. What do you do if you wake up next to someone you, well,
really, really loathe?"

Emilly hides her face behind one hand for a moment as I'sai tosses that
hypothetical at Claret. The tips of her ears might just be pink.

"I know, I know," Doralle yells, waving her hand in the air with a superior
look towards Claret. "Pick me, weyrlingmaster sir!" she's practically
bouncing on her seat. Meanwhile, it's now Yselle's turn to blink - at I'sai
- at the hypothetical questions. She quickly puts her hand to her mouth,
and no matter how much her eyes twinkle, all that can be heard is a rather
hoarse cough. She clears her throat, and with an /almost/ straight face,
hisses to Doralle, "I heard he had an especially tricky question for you."

K'ran's eyes light with wicked amusement at the tone of the hypothetical
question game. In an aside to Tarien, Kassima, and other observers nearby,
he murmurs, "May never did this. I *like* this."

That's enough for V'lano to look very, very glad he's released from
hypothetical question duty, his ears taking on a sudden sunburn that has
little to do with the weather. Suddenly attentive, perhaps mistrustful of
the reprieve he's been granted, he straightens and uncrosses his arms,
rearranging himself into a somewhat acceptably weyrlinglike posture.

A'tan glances over at Emilly as I'sai mentions throwing things out of a
ledge. He thinks for a moment and then chuckes to himself softly before
turning his attention back to I'sai. He nudges J'len sitting next to him to
make sure he has heard the question. He grins and sits back a little bit
with a wince.

T'bay returns his hands to his lap, the telltale streak of blue dye across
them evidence of drill practices past and still to come. Supressing his
desire to scratch his head and block the view of the back-row viewers, the
young man stares in shocked awe at the directness of the questions, his
mouth hanging open for a surprised moment until he slips a mint leaf into
his mouth, then closes it to chew slowly, the subject perhaps raising his
awareness. Quickly, he sputters, aiming to salvage, "Ah, what...how often
does it occur, this mating?"

Kassima's eyes glint with approval of A'tan's question; likewise of
V'lano's, and her nod to her mentee is encouraging. To her second mentee,
though... well, when she's finished biting her lip to prevent any untoward
shows of mirth, she cups her hands and exaggeratedly mouths through them,
'A! A!' At least she follows it with a quick headshake, lest the Weyrling
seriously take this suggestion, and her eyes then flick with J'len with
interest for that answer. Under her breath, she laughs. "Aye. T'fian was
far too clinical with us. Nay happy fun surveys."

Claret blinks again as a question is addressed to her. Looking rather
confused, she fuddles over her answer for a moment as she digests the
question. "You... Just wait for them to come back? And then get angry? No,
not get angry," she corrects, looking a bit desperate over the matter.
Leaving her answer at that, she slouches back, trying to make herself
inconsequential.

Though Tarien might try to keep a straight face, she's not entirely able to
do so -- at the hypothetical question provided to Claret, she grins,
glancing sidelong at the Weyrleader. "Sounds like it's time to go untie
someone," she remarks, under her breath.

Lanisa groans softly at the prospect of answering if she doesn't ask. So
she sits there a minute, warring with the options and finally asks rather
quietly, "How can you stop them from going after? The males I mean. If it's
someone you really don't want to risk them catching?"

Breena blanches at the hypotheticals being asked, shaking her head. She's
still rather bright red, even if the practical lecture's over, but she's
careful to keep her attention on the weyrlingmaster rather than any of her
fellows. Eventually, she, too, raises her hand--which is rather red from
where she's been sitting on it. "Sir? Is it true that the greenriders
should get some...um, some..." She pauses, waves that hand non-committally,
fidgeting again. "Some, you know, *experience* before their dragon rises
the first time?"

A couple of weyrlings are nudging each other in the back and giggling back
and forth. "You ask ... no .. YOU ask ... no ..." Emilly slips thattaway
and stands for a moment, eyeing them. "Ahem," she says to get their
attention. "If you have a question ask it, otherwise, please keep it down,"
she says with a slight frown. The two settle a little, one of them finally
raising a hand to ask a question, then drops his arm as Lanisa beats him to
it. "Heeyy .." he protests under his breath, then shrugs as Emilly leans
against the wall again.

"There's no /way/ Tinarith would catch a green with a rider I didn't like,"
H'nan mutters sepulchrally from a spot extremely close to Kassima. "And if
he did, someone else could do it with her. I'll never be /that/ caught up
in his feelings."

J'len ducks his head to cover a blush at some remark or other from the
hulking bronze head behind him. Whatever it was, it's got his lips shut
tight as he fights down either a strangled choke or inappropriate laughter.
Luckily he manages to bring himself back under control just before he gets
selected for one of the oh-so-fun 'hypotheticals'. He takes a deep breath
and doesn't seem to need much time to think about this one, "Well, it's
only polite to make certain you don't get dressed in their clothes instead
of your own." Not that he'd have much trouble telling them apart. "And,
well, if it had been a goldflight, I guess it would be important to figure
a way to at the very least remain civil to them for the next several
months. Otherwise, I'd personally just make a clean break without being a
pain. After all, flights are more for the dragons than the riders."

"Is that even possible?" V'lano's head whirls, one brow arching at the dark
remark echoing from the rider near his mentor. "That kind of resist - "
Wait a minute, was that Breena's voice? The hue of the butcher's ears
spreads inward, chasing across his cheeks as he dares to lean forward, then
back, staring down the rows to try to find the girl who asked that very
pressing question.

K'ran, while he may be comfortably ensconced next to Tarien, gives J'len an
approving nod from where he sits, but his demeanor is otherwise vaguely
amused -- not so much for the weyrlings discomfort as the levity of the
lesson.

A'tan leans closer to J'len and grins, "Oh good answer my friend. I can't
wait until you get stuck with someone you don't like so I can remind you of
your answer." He sits back again against the wall and listens to the
answers. He flexes his hand a little bit before running his fingers through
his hair once again. He sighs before finally getting quiet again. His neck
turns a little red as he looks over at his green who seems to be enjoying
the conversations around the room. He looks around the room for his mentor,
but lowers his head a little when he realizes she isn't present.

I'sai grins. "All -right-. T'bay. Good try. They go up - well, it depends
some, seasonally, just as we covered earlier in the lesson; but as to your
brown catching, it could be Turns, it could be tomorrow." What a thought.
"And as to you and the other rider, well, there's time with the dragons,
but it's up to you both whether to run out afterwards or stay the night, so
yeah - up to you." Skipping over Doralle, and the gigglers in the back,
"Breena. Wise idea. That goes for everyone, actually; flights're sometimes
rough, and better it be someone you like when your wits are about you.
Doesn't mean you have to weyrmate 'em, mind, but after graduation - do what
you feel you want to do. Some people like to 'let their dragons decide' but
y'know, flights just aren't about true love." - "Claret. Good show. That's
the idea: -try- to avoid being angry, since it isn't exactly his or her
fault, but either way work through it - we're not supposed to mind, but
people are human. Just... try. When the dragon wakes up, you can do a
little bespeaking, too." - "Lanisa. Best way? Get outta there. That's hard
to do when you both live in the same place, mind, but for particular
reasons some wingleaders are more sympathetic than others. Second-best,
just -tell- him to go, same as females' riders tell 'em just to blood.
Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't." He shrugs, one-shouldered, and
looks to the group. "Good start, J'len - no, not their clothes, assuming
you'd even fit - clean break's good too, just try not to be -obvious- about
running for the hills. Hurts your own reputation too."

"You might be surprised," Kassi mutters right back to H'nan, very droll.
"'Tis possible if'n you really, *really* hated them, your dragon might nay
chase as well as he would another's green, but that's more theoretical than
proven fact... and as for being caught up, just wait." My, she's a
reassuring soul.

Dragon> Lysseth senses that Leonneth croons softly in a melodious tone.
<<Flying fast and chasing. Is it fun?>> The green asks curiously knowing
that she has spoken to Lysseth before and that she is the same color.

T'bay's cheeks take on a shade of ripe rosy apples, though he mutters,
"I'll bet you know," in response to Doralle's eagerness to answer, though
he makes no other comment on that topic. His eyes dart back to the
Weyrleaders, but as they are not laughing, he takes cue from their tone
that the subject is still sincere. "You could offer breakfast to her? If it
is a her, I mean. Or him.--" Gurk. Swallow, gulp, choke, Tomorrow? That's
enough to quiet him for sure, but he ventures anyway, "Or is that
presumptuous, if you don't want to weyrmate 'em or anything?"

Lanisa nods as her question is answered and does her best not to look at
any of the others as she goes back to trying to become invisible again. Not
something one with strawberry blonde hair can do so well in a crowd, but
hey. A, for effort?

Claret looks quite relieved to have answered satisfactorily, though the
answer to Breena's question shakes that relieve. Scooting back to get a bit
closer to Avrieth, for comfort, Claret sneaks surreptitious looks at the
other weyrlings, pink starting to tinge her cheeks for the first time as
she realizes the implications. "Then if..." she pipes up, clearing her
throat before starting again. "Then if you do get a..a bit of experience,
if it's with somebody who has a male dragon that might be in the flight,
does that affect what'll happen? And if it does, is that bad?"

J'len mimes a smack towards A'tan, "Unless you find that situation first. I
doubt you'll look very handsome all mussed post-flight." His grin is
lopsided as he comfortably teases his fellow weyrbred. That grin, less
teasing and more sympathetic this time, shifts to V'lano as he spots the
blush. The reason for it isn't difficult to figure, either. He nods along
with I'sai's answer for Breena's question as well. Other pernese might
consider riders to be overly hedonistic when it came to bed partners, but
there's a degree of sanity preservation involved sometimes.

"Thanks," says Breena, sitting back on her hands again. She's still not
looking anywhere else--nope, nothing of interest here, except for the
weyrlingmaster, but her forehead knits in thought this time.

Brows lifting, Tarien's gaze likewise rests on Breena for a long while at
her question, but it's one of thoughtful speculation than anything. A brief
nod of agreement's offered for I'sai's response, then another's given
Kassima at her comment to H'nan. "It really is quite beyond description,
the extent to which you're caught up -- it turns out to be less about you
and more about your lifemate."

Yselle tries to paste a more serious expression on her face, and almost
succeeds. She nods for I'sai's answer to Breena, smiling to herself. "Not
that you notice they're rough at the time," she notes, "But then, you don't
notice much at all," she eyes Doralle who is waving her hand around, trying
to get I'sai's attention, meanwhile, at the very front, Roberta slowly
closes her eyes, she's managed to paint "Love" on one lid and "You" on the
other and she's facing I'sai very directly. "Who should we ask?" she asks,
smiling her sweetest smile.

Lysseth> Leonneth senses that Lysseth answers in muted chimes, pale
sapphire shimmers, << I would not know whether the chasing is fun; the
males would seem to find it so, >> and that's said with a gleam of sudden,
wicked humor. << The flying is... beyond description. As is being caught,
if you have flown well enough that only a worthy male can catch you. >>

A'tan chuckles at J'len and nods. "Oh we will see." He looks down at his
sleeve and pulls at the frayed ends. He seems to have fallen into deep
thought, not really hearing the talking about him. He frowns slightly and
then glances over at Leonneth before returning to the fraying. He finally
looks up and clears his throat, "Umm, what should we do if there is another
proddy green here at the weyr? Are there times when two females are proddy
at the same time?" He looks at the other greenriders in the room before
lowering his eyes again.

Under the gaze of two femaleriders, H'nan mutters, "Well just as long as
they're not /ugly/," /so/ diplomatic.

"What if they're men, H'nan?" K'ran prompts, light-toned and pleasant,
before falling silent again.

"Could do that," I'sai says matter-of-factly to T'bay. "Either way.
Breakfast, maybe even clean up. None of it's weyrmating unless you -say-
so. Although, if they've maybe got a crush on you - well, you tell the
crowd: what's the smart thing to do?" He scans the crowd. "All right,
V'lano. Your dragon's just caught a green and you can't find your clothes.
Drills are in a candlemark and your wingleader fancies you -enough- without
you appearing half-dressed. What do you do?" - "Claret. Could affect, yeah.
Some say their females choose, or at least can be persuaded to some degree;
some say otherwise. Chance can spoil it for anyone, though - the winds just
going wrong, the female wanting to go against type or going with whim,
males bumping into other males or just plain straining a wing. There aren't
-any- guarantees. And for those maleriders thinking to seduce a femalerider
and get ahead that way - keep in mind that if you do it badly? She won't
want to be anywhere near you." He blinks once at Roberta, then those pale
eyes shift to something rather cooler. "I -would- however recommend that
you not get your, ah, experience with anyone who might wind up your
wingleader. Or even wingsecond. Lanisa, tell the group why." - "Plenty of
greens get proddy at the same time, A'tan. Three of 'em have gone up at the
same time, even, and that's just one example I can remember. Good thing
they aren't apt to fight the way queens are. Just a matter of self-control
- and proddiness isn't an excuse to lose _that_ altogether."

"It won't harm your dragon or aught," Kassi offers from the peanut gallery,
folding her arms and shifting on her chosen seat. "If'n you don't get
experience a'fore, I mean. 'Tis a fine thing if'n you can, but some
people--nay that I speak from experience here or aught," said in a very
deadpan tone indeed, "may nay know someone they'd be comfortable asking
that sort of favor from; and if'n you don't, if'n you aren't, don't worry
that going into things virgin will spoil it for either of you. Flights
are... an epiphany, one way or another."

"I know who I'm going to ask," Roberta says, edging closer. "And I don't
think he'll be my wingleader either."

I'sai tells Roberta, "Find someone -willing-."

Emilly is staying rather ... quiet as most of the questions come flooding
out, though when Roberta starts blinking her eyelids that way, her
shoulders start to shake and she tries so hard not to laugh. It takes some
effort but at last she's still again and clears her throat and nods at
Kassi's words. "It's ... nice if it's someone you know or are at least
passingly fond of ... but in the end it's usually at least ...
interesting." She grins across at Kassima then.

"Oh he won't catch a /malers/ dragon," H'nan boasts, grinning at K'ran. "He
and I've talked about it."

"Some times more interesting than others," Kassi agrees with Emilly, all
innocence and sunny cheer and utter lack of guile.

A'tan looks up at the brashness of Roberta's words and frowns. He looks
around him and picks up a ball of soft leather. He glances around him and
then at I'sai and waits for him to continue. He narrows his eyes at Roberta
and then throws the ball at the back of Roberta's head.

"Gak," T'bay mutters, Sarevith's vantage revealing something of Roberta's
actions, "Thought the patch'd cure her, but guess I was wrong. She's still
acting like a lovesick watchwher." Though the same kind of behavior from
Vel doesn't seem to bother T'bay, who gives him a brow waggle of
encouragement before rolling his eyes at H'nan. "I doubt that is what's on
your mind. Your idea of pretty might suddenly have lots of hide--er. Do?
Sir? Maybe remind that your union came from a--quit laughing, you--flight,
and that you hope you can still be friends or enemies or whatever you were
before, and uh, you gotta go?" This is all he gets out before the opinions
about experience, then he's quick to fetch, uh, something he dropped on the
floor.

"I thought I was free of hypotheticals," V'lano moans very quietly, but
slaps a smile on and tries to look good-natured while buying time to think.
"Beg Volath to go borrow something from T'bay? Ask whomever I've woken up
with if they have something in stores or in my size? Walk my tracks back to
where-ever I was when I last remembered being me and look for my clothes
along the way?" Okay, maybe the last one's a little too grinny for his own
good.

"Maybe we ought to set up some kind of board," Tarien comments, amused.
"Anyone who's looking for experience on one hand, anyone who's willing to
provide on the other. Participation optional, of course."

Yselle actually pales a bit, and looks a bit uncertain, curling up in a
ball on that couch. She /heard/ that ugly comment. After a while, she says,
her voice breaking a little, "Well just that it can be uncomfortable
later," for Kassima's comment.

K'ran nods, dubiously, back at H'nan with an if-you-say-so shrug of both
lean shoulders, but directs the young man's attention back to the
Weyrlingmaster with a gesture. Aside, again, to Tarien, Kassima, and the
rest of the peanut gallery: "Suppose they'll learn eventually -- hm? Huh.
Not a bad idea. Either that or we could make Pierron Telgar's Honorary
Matchmaker."

"Hey T'bay," hisses Doralle, "How about it? You and me, get some
/experience/ later?" She glances at I'sai and quickly amends, "Graduation."

Emilly just shakes her head at H'nan's words. Someone will be getting an
ugly wakeup call at some point. She blinks Tarien's way at the board
suggestion and chuckles softly. "Practical that ..." she murmurs then.

A'tan looks around the room at his fellow weyrlings and studies them with
his eyes low. Hmmm, if he were to ask for experience, who would it be? His
eyes go from one to another. They rest of Lanisa for a moment, but he sighs
and moves on down the row to others. He shakes his head slowly and then
rests his head in his arms as he tries to stifle a yawn.

So much for hiding. Of course, Lani's too busy glaring at Roberta that
she's caught off guard and blinks a few times at the mention of her name.
"Tell why.. Oh. Well. Because for one it's all kinds of awkward. And then
it'd also make it harder to keep the proper respect with someone that ranks
you. That sort of thing." She wouldn't be looking at Roberta again as she
says the bit about 'rank and respect', would she?

Kassima rolls her shoulders at Yselle in a helpless shrug. "Can be
uncomfortable hitting up someone you don't really want t'sleep with for
sex, too, if'n you just don't have anyone. Won't deny 'tis probably nice
if'n you do. A'course, if'n you don't and go the first-flight-first-all
way--well, if'n whomever you wake up with seems sufficiently friendly, you
might ask 'em t'help, ah, complete your education." Cough. She doesn't have
to affect a shudder for the Weyrleader: "But K'ran, he'd match 'em all with
*tubers*."

Breena's ears turn that much redder, if possible, as it seems she's asked
the question that will not die. Still not looking anywhere else but
I'sai--and definitely not at V'lano, really!--but the expression on her
face is carefully blank, if attentive.

I'sai considers the group a little longer; his brief grin just possibly
could be attributed to Tarien. "Breena. You're on sweep with an older
wingmate, and his green looks a little edgier than usual. She might be
proddy, or he may just have a hangover. He's acting up some with the
holders, but then he's usually ornery, and you're learning some really fine
turns of phrase, if you get my meaning. You ask if she's proddy, and he
says no, and it doesn't seem as if he thinks long about it. What do you
do?" - "A'tan. Your green rises off-cycle, and you're not in the Weyr. What
do you do?" - "Lanisa. Right. -Also-, you wouldn't want anyone saying you
got your job because of that. Along those lines: you're the most junior of
junior riders, and your dragon's sniffing around the green of a Weyrsecond,
the sort of person you'd ordinarily be saluting to the Red Star and back.
And, ah, let's say that it's a Weyrsecond who's not at Telgar, just so
nobody's embarrassed here." Which doesn't mean he can't grin at Yselle any,
maybe a little reassuringly, before asking Lani what she'd do. "Good job,
T'bay. If worst comes to worst, say you've got to use the necessary for
something stinky. It'll be a rare flight partner who really wants to stay
around for that." V'lano gets a smirk. "Ploys only work so long. Take some
furs with you if you do that last, at least, so you don't freeze anything
off. Another possibility is to -try- to wake up your dragon and ask him to
do a little bespeaking so you don't have to be there for drills; a
wingleader's usually decently sympathetic, so long as you don't abuse the
privilege. Fall days - well, you likely won't have any of those."

Claret doesn't look much comforted by either of the Weyrleader's
suggestions that she overhears, and busies herself scuffing her boots along
the floor, though her gaze travels from her feet to another weyrling
whenever they happen to answer a question. Gradually, however, her
discomfort surceases, and she returns to more open interest.

Yselle glances quickly at I'sai, and opens her mouth to say something,
glancing at Lanisa, when her expression softens, and she shoots him a grin
instead. "Thank you," she says.

Poleaxed, Breena stares for a moment, then snaps her mouth closed. "Um.
Well, I wouldn't want to ask again, just in case--I wouldn't want to make
it worse. I'd have Sonaith bespeak the wingleader's dragon, just with a
brief description, and maybe he or she could find out more. I don't think
it'd be up to me to ask anyone to go back to the Weyr or anything."

Tatiana murmurs, right near Breena's ear, "You can be proddy around me
/any/ time, I wouldn't mind if Ginneth caught Sonaith. Not one bit. You
could stay as long as you wanted. Got someone to ask about experience yet?"

A'tan wets his lips a little not expecting a question considering he was
hiding so well. He watches Roberta for a moment to see if she turns around
after the ball hits her in the head. "Umm, well I guess that could happen
definately with Neth. I'm sure you wouldn't want to be somewhere like a
hold." He shakes his head a little, "They don't seem to understand much
about flights. I would try to excuse myself away from any others and try to
get Leonneth back to the weyr as quick as I could." He frowns knowing his
greens stubborn nature as he turns his eyes back on I'sai, "What if she
doesn't want to come back?"

"That's easy." Lani says. "I'd go home... Well I'd go home if I can get
Tisiath to go. But get out of there as quick and polite like as I could."
And she so pointedly doesn't look at Yselle just then either, nope.

T'bay is shaking his head meaningfully, nope nope nope, don't need to be
set up, then Doralle's words reach his ears. Rather than respond, he just
pretends really hard that he didn't hear her. Yeah, that's it. When that
fails, he murmurs, "How about you get some more experience with flaming
first? Then we'll talk social hour. Or maybe after drills," he smiles
smoothly, "I might have to use the necessary for something stinky and just
won't have time." See! He learns!

One of the younger weyrlings squeaks in dismay at the question that comes
A'tan's way. "That could happen? Outside the Weyr? Oh no!" The young lady
looks rather pale and nervouse at the very thought.

"Aw, come /on/ T'bay," Doralle hisses, "it's not like we don't know
eachother, and I've been practicing kissing my teddy wher."

There's more coughing from Kassi's direction, this time in a rather poor
attempt to hide the snickers that the Smoothness of T'bay has engendered.
She manages some more approving nods at other answers, but they might be
more effective if she could shake the grin.

"T'bay," hssts V'lano, flicking a glance at Doralle and then one off toward
Roberta. Oh, right, there's a pairing made in heaven! Past his holdmate,
the butcher's son sneaks a glance at Breena, only to find Tatiana murmuring
in her lovely ear. That sends the dark-curled lad's gaze off in another
direction pat, his face blanching as his ears heat.

"Aye," I'sai says to Breena. "You may have to make a decision if the
wingleader or wingsecond for some reason can't be reached - but in the
meantime, that's the first step. Your fellow wingrider might find it
tattling, but that's the way it goes." - "As for you, A'tan, aye, try to
get back. -Order- her to. If you can't get back, the best you can do is try
to minimize the damage." - "What do you do if you live at the same Weyr,
Lani, so you can't exactly go home?" He glances through the crowd; this
time, M'tri's the lucky one. "You've just lost a flight and, lucky you,
you've graduated already. Do you drink: a, white wine; b, red wine; c, your
wingleader's Benden Red; d, lakewater from an impromptu swim; or e, a
choice you specify?" - "J'len, a variation. You've lost a flight too, and
the next day you realize that the person who looked so great the night
before isn't the same sex as the one you prefer. How do you deal with it?"
- "Claret, you just found out you're flight-pregnant by someone who likes
you but who is weyrmated to someone else. Breena, you're the someone else,
and you're jealous. Hard to say what the right answer is, here, but it's
something to keep in mind, the what-ifs."

Tatiana grins over at V'lano and blows him a kiss, "Or if he missed the
catch, I wouldn't mind if you were there," she hisses over to him.

Emilly bites on her lip as the latest batch of questions flies out,
scanning the crowd for any further miscreants.

"It's good," K'ran observes, mildly, to his fellow peanut-gallery denizens,
even as he eyes Tatiana, "that this group is so, ah, close."

Kassima mutters not quite sotto voce, "We have t'drag the proddy rider
home, we don't get t'get hit on by Weyrlings... shells, I'sai, you don't
let the Wingleaders have *any* fun." She manages to keep a straight face
for a good three seconds before adding, "Kidding, a'course. Could nay be
more kidding if'n I tried." Nor any more amused by the new bunch of
hypotheticals, clearly shown by her expression as she leans back to listen.

Just when she'd regained her calm, the next question throws Claret off.
"Flight pregnant?" For whatever reason, that hadn't occurred to her just
yet. Fidgeting all the while, she answers in a pragmatic tone, "Well, I
don't suppose there's much to be done about it. Just tell him and try not
to do or say anything else that'll make his weyrmate more upset?"

V'lano gulps, but steals a look at Tatiana anyway, some level of
consideration in his dark eyes, as if he's only just now thought to measure
up the ladies and... gentlemen who ride his lifemate's clutchsibs. "Wait,"
he murmurs lowly, turning his attention back to I'sai. "You said Breena's
the someone else, not the father, right?" Good one.

M'triis very effectively staying inconspicuous; save for a couple snickers
with the two boys he's taken up position near, he draws as little attention
to himself as humanly possible. Which is likely why he looks so dismayed
when he's pinpointed. His friends' giggles proceed, even if his own fade
into seriousness at the question. "Well...I'd imagine I'd avoid my
wingleader's anything, sir. -Especially- spirits. But..." he pauses and
scratches the side of his nose as he ponders. "Water might be the safest,
even if it is lakewater. The last thing anyone needs is my drunken wrath."
Because M'tri has a drunken wrath, apparently.

H'nan edges up to Kassima and says "You're really pretty, wingleader, are
/you/ going to put your name on the list?"

"Time for a out Weyr vacation." Lani says quickly and then she's glancing
quick to M'tri before she's forcing her eyes back up front and very
pointedly is not looking at anyone. Oh no. Time to be invisible again?

Breena's face flames at Tatiana's suggestion, but she's saved from having
to stammer a response by being fired yet another question. "Well, um. I'm
not sure if I could really do anything about that. Flights happen, that's
just...the way it is. It'd be hard, I think, but what could I do about it?
I'm not involved. It'd be up to them, my weyrmate and the other person,
what they wanted to do."

A'tan coughs adn then chuckles at J'len as he waits to hear his answer. He
sits back yet again trying to blend into the wall. He notices that Leonneth
still watches the Weyrlingmaster intently, now not just her head moving,
but her tail swishing back and forth as well.

"Interesting questions, these," Tarien comments dryly, then chuckles at
K'ran's remark, with an eye for Tatiana. Amused once more, she adds,
"Close... I suppose you could call it that."

T'bay's lone effort at a straightfaced answer is entirely disrupted as
Doralle has the nerve to answer back, and he sputters until his eyes catch
the implication from V'lano. "Wait? We have Benden Red? I thought it was a
myth." After this quiet quip, he wisely closes his mouth to listen to the
complex answers to the complex situations, though a grin sneaks out at
M'tri's reply.

Roberta, rebuffed, looks around the room, and finally settles her gaze on
K'ran. "Pity he's weyrmated," she mutters. "I wonder if his weyrmate would
mind." She eyes Tarien, assessingly.

"I'd consider it," Kassi says to H'nan, regretful as regretful can be, "but
you'd never consider *me*, I fear. Y'see, I'm a man under these clothes."

"Yes," M'tri pipes to H'nan. "My man."

A quiet voice can be heard humming 'Moreta's Ride.'

"Aye, Claret," I'sai says, "And remember, you're the one who decides what
to do with the baby. If you keep it - there're aunties in the caverns whose
job that is, and who don't have a dragon to deal with. So you've choices."
- "Not the father, Vel." A slight cough. "Not the father at all. Although
-they- could be weyrmated, I suppose, to vary the hypothetical." - "Smart
man, M'tri. Drinking your wingleader's booze is a way to get yourself on
dawn sweeps, quick as anything. - M'tri, you -have- a drunken wrath? I
suppose we'll haver to see. Just don't drown. Drowning'd get you...
pre-dawn sweeps." A quick grin to Lani; then, "Aye to you too, Breena.
Doesn't mean it couldn't be difficult - because you are involved, if only
directly - but you've got to try." He glances up, looks cross-eyed at
Leonneth, and then shakes his head - probably more at T'bay. "Shells, man!
Don't get drunk on Benden Red! It's a waste." - "Any other questions for
tonight?" He grins at them, showing sharp white teeth. Just try it. "You
can always consult your staff at any time. Even after graduation, if you've
got questions." - "Counting down: one - two - " three?

J'len shrugs at the question, "I have no idea, sir." Blunt and quick
honesty from the former giant whose been scrunched down to
compact-bronzerider size by living in his new weyr. "Obviously,
male-to-male or female-to-female flight pairing happens often enough around
a weyr. And it all comes to the same end. But before the Great Bulk spoke
for me, it's not something I'd ever thought about being involved in."

"Eeeeeeeeeew," H'nan says, choking. "If it's all the same to you, Kassima,
uh, I'll just be over here," he edges away. "A /man/ with that /hair/..."
he mutters, disgusted.

A'tan snickers softly as he hears Kassi's comment to H'nan before covering
his mouth. He grins at the greenrider before looking over at J'len.

"A'tan... would you - you know?" mutters a quiet girl by his side. "I
mean... I was thinking, if you didn't have anyone to ask, maybe we could...
well, just for the experience you know. Uh... only if you w-wanted to."

M'tri looks innocent as a babe as he nods to I'sai. "Yessir, I've got a
drunken wrath. I'd rather not have to show it, though." He bats his lashes
at H'nan in passing, and then breaks into restrained giggles for the hum
that reaches his ears. There's even a wolf-whistle for his "man" mid-way.

A'tan looks over at the girl sitting next to him as his face blazes up
suddenly, "Umm. Well Umm. Maybe we could talk about it." He clears his
throat as his shy side comes out. His dark eyes blink several times, not
expecting anyone to even consider him.

Yselle clears her throat. "/After/ graduation," she says, meaningfully. She
curls up again on that couch, muttering something about weyrseconds, and
how /next/ time the lecture will go a little differently, again with the
look to I'sai, although she's been known to show more irritation with the man.

I'sai adds before that countdown finalizes, "Think about it on your own
time, J'len. It happens." He shrugs, distantly, focusing back only at M'tri
and his drunken wrath. He adds to everyone, "And if and when it comes to
weyrmating - give yourself a chance to figure out who you are as riders
first, would be my suggestion. Some people leap into that sort of thing.
Sometimes it even works out. But you've changed a lot over these past
several Turns." - "Anyway, all teasing aside, flights are fun, or can be.
Enjoy them. When they don't work out - or maybe if they do, better than you
want them to - hey, at least dragons'll forget even if it's harder for you
to. Try to remember the parts you want to, can afford to, and go on with
your lives. Basically, all this boils down to common sense. Use it." And,
although he'll leave room for any last stragglers' requests, "Three."

Still amused, Tarien returns Roberta's look, brows arched, but makes no
response aside from a murmured comment the Weyrleader's way. Another look's
directed to I'sai -- apology, this time -- then the Weyrwoman's slipping
out quietly.

Tarien moves through the opening to the west, heading toward the bowl.

Kassima makes a show of tossing her long braid over her shoulder and
batting her eyes at H'nan, before she's distracted by the hum too; she
grins, grins more at the whistle, and lets the grin soften to a sympathetic
smile for A'tan and his would-be lady.

Just as shy as A'tan, the quiet girl murmurs, "Uh, well, if you want to,
that'd be nice. Uh, I'll understand if you don't, though."

V'lano, still flaming in the face from Tatiana's efforts, Breena's
flusteredness, and anything else directed his way, just runs his tongue
over his lips, stretches his jaw long, and closes his mouth in a
final-looking, tight smile. Safer that way; harder to talk.

Claret holds her peace as far as last questions are concerned, instead
reserving her attention for intent looks at all those who seem to be making
and receiving offers. Crossing her legs underneath her, she refrains from
making comments about, either, apparently conflicted between amusement and
thoughtfulness.

Emilly chuckles over M'tri's comment, then she's nodding and clearing her
throat. "Take your time about weyrmatings - I'd definitely echo that. Too
much too soon is as hard to deal with as waiting through weyrlinghood to be
with someone ..." she puts in, then quiets down again and reaches over to
snag a note that's passing along the ranks. She pockets it without reading
it much to the dismay of the perpetrators.

A'tan looks at the girl and smiles a little bit. "We'll see. Thanks for the
offer." He glances around a little to see if anyone has heard his
conversation before trying to make himself about two feet shorter.

[Editor's Note:  At this point the lecture moved on to
OOC things, so the log ends. ;) ]