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Sober Reflections


Date:  April 25, 2001
Places:  South Boll's Gather Beach and Lava Lounge
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:  Imagine it:  Kassima, Mistress of the Million Mugs, 
invited to the Lava Lounge... but not free to drink.  Whatever shall
she do?  Why, what else but encourage and record for blackmail 
purposes the silliness of others?  Thanks go to L'nan for inviting 
me on this trip, everyone who came along for the RP, and the Telgar
greenriders for not measuring anyone in Kassi's presence. ;)

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The Log:

You wing down onto the gather beach.

You slide off of Lysseth's neck to land beside her easily. She rumbles,
cocking her head down at you, and you rub her eyeridges gratefully.

Oh, two greens! Tavorth again turns his head, to greet the newly arrived
dragon with a friendly chirrup, before he shifts about to settle in the
sand, just so the water can lap up against his hide.

Kassima dismounts her dragon with relative ease, tugging free jacket,
helmet, gloves, and such as soon as she hits the ground. "'Tis always so
bloody wonderfully *hot* here," she sighs, and drops her pile of gear at
Lysseth's side for the green to guard. Of course, she's left on her actual
*clothing*, minus shoes. She's Kassi, after all. Lysseth rumbles amiably to
both dragons, settling herself in for a good basking session.

Alirath backwings to a landing.

Alirath lands with a *whump* and L'nan waves to Kassima. "You came!" he
calls in delight. He unstraps himself and two girls behind him, then slides
down.

L'nan unstraps himself from Alirath's neck and slides down to the ground.

Daschin unstraps herself from Alirath's neck and slides down to the ground.

Jadrie unstraps herself from Alirath's neck and slides down to the ground.

Daschin squirms, still slightly frightened. "That was cold!"

Kassima tilts her head up at that draft of cold air from above, and grins
up at the blue and his passengers. "Who am I t'be refusing such a polite
invitation t'one of m'favorite places? Even if'n I can't drink and debauch
with the rest of you--heyla t'you, too, lasses. Duties t'Fort and her queens."

Tavorth lifts his head to trumpet a greeting to his clutchsib, and then
settles back at the water's edge. Quite the party, it seems.

Jadrie shivers slightly, "Fort's Duties" she calls after touching the ground.

L'nan reaches down to squeeze Daschin's shoulders. "You were real brave
though," he tells her with a smile. "And now you've been Between!" He
glances at Jadrie. "Everything all right? Daschin, Jadrie.. this is
Kassima, green Lysseth's." He motions to the green nearby as well.

L'nan adds to Kassima, "I didn't think you'd turn down a visit here," with
a laugh.

Daschin looks up at Kassima. "Hi!"

Jadrie smiles, "Well met." she says with a friendly voice.

Kassima wiggles her fingers cheerfully. "Well met; a rare pleasure, and all
that. The lump behind me is Lysseth, and she'd say 'Well met' too if'n she
weren't so busy soaking up sun. *Dragons*. Honestly. Either of you been to
the Lounge a'fore?"

Daschin giggles, then shakes her head. "Uh-uh."

Jadrie shakes her head, "No Ma'am.."

L'nan grins, looking around at everyone. "Well, let's get going then, eh?"
he says cheerfully. "Kassi, d'you think they'll have something for Daschin
to drink? I'm watchin' her tonight and.. you know. She shouldn't have
their, uh... regular drinks."

Daschin looks curious. "What's a regular drink?"

"Kassima or Kassi, if'n you please; nay ma'am! I'm nay that old!" Kassi
makes a show of shaking her head sadly. "Whatever's Pern coming to...
they'd best, L'nan, else 'twill be out of luck m'self--but aye, they've
juice and milk and such. The regular drinks are stuff that makes you feel
like you have dead bugs inside you when you drink it."

Daschin laughs. "I like you, you're funny!" she tells Kassima.

Jadrie smiles, "sorry Kassi"

L'nan bites his lips at Kassi's explanation, shaking his head. "I like'r
too, Daschy... she's definitely funny." Before Kassi can swat or glare
though, he starts leading them towards the path. "C'mon, you guys!"

Kassima flashes a quick grin. "Nay apologies needed," she assures. "And
thankee! I like you, too, methinks. You're both entirely too kind." See?
She doesn't swat or glare at him, or even pull out a knife. "All right, all
right, keep your pants on," she chides instead as she follows. "In both the
literal and figurative sense!"

L'nan snorts softly, muttering something about lingerie and poison adn
Kassima, but it fades off as he disappears in the trail.

L'nan wanders down the jungle path to the west.

Daschin wanders down the jungle path to the west.

You wander up the jungle path.

You push aside some creepers and enter a hidden cave.

You climb up the crude ladder and disappear from view.

Daschin climbs up from the caves below.

L'nan clambers up, then grins. "Shells, Aluren... sorry I'm late. Hey,
K'ryn! Look who I brought..." He dusts off his hands as the others come in.

Jadrie climbs up from the caves below.

Daschin looks around, fascinated. "Oooh..."

K'ryn is following after Aluren, to wherever she might be going, just as
the others come in. L'nan's greeting has him turning back, and he does
indeed look a bit surprised, at the crowd. "Wow, we've got the makings for
quite a party." A general wave, and a smile, plus an added, "Fort's
duties," to the familiar Teglari rider.

"You brought Daschin!" Aluren drops to her knees and smiles at the girl
"I'm so happy you came" Kassima gets a fast smile.

Daschin beams. "Hi!"

Kassima finishes her climb a breath or two after L'nan, not really
breathing hard--well, all right, maybe a *little*. But she still fits
through the entrance easily enough, so all is not lost. "Duties t'Fort and
her queens," she greets with a grin in return. "Hey there, K'ryn, Aluren.
I've nay missed aught that'll make for good blackmail later, have I?"

L'nan chuckles, nodding and following the others. He sits at a large round
table, and pats the chair on one side for Daschin. "C'mon.. let's get you
something normal to drink," he tells the girl. Then, "Jadrie, come over and
sit!" He points to the chair on his other side, then waves over a busy
looking girl. "One juice, one blue dragon.. uh.." He glances at the others.

Marcus places his hands on the bar and recites:

K'ryn laughs, and shakes his head. "Nothing so bad, just yet. I haven't
even had anything to drink, just saying hi to Aluren." It seems he'll
remedy the situation, however, calling a quick order to Marcus. "Bronze me,
Marc." And Marcus, all this time, has a sort of 'not again' look plastered
all over his face.

Aluren blushes and looks over at K'ryn, then shakes her head. "And Marcus
over there can get you milk and stuff" she points out to the girl. Standing
up she brushes her knees and starts hunting kahluah cups that are scattered
in the floor.

Daschin runs over and scrambles onto the chair next to L'nan. "A blue
dragon? Where?" she asks innocently.

Kassima gives Marcus--or, more accurately, his drinks--a distinctly longing
look, but sighs, "Juice, it'd better be. I *should* drink milk, but I don't
want to, and what's a trip to the Lounge without at least a little
indulgence?" She finds herself a seat near the others. "Pity. I shouldn't
leave without a story t'be telling the folk back at Telgar, y'know."

Jadrie picks up an ale and kicks back listening to the coversations.

L'nan grins and shakes his head. "No, Daschy, a blue dragons a drink. A..
uh, drink with alcohol in it. You wouldn't like it." Marcus brings over a
tray of drinks, setting them down before each person. Daschin gets a tall
glass of juice with a fruit slice on the rim.

Aluren gathers the three cups in her arms, then frowns over the bar at the
selection of beverages. Setting the empties down in a row she wonders aloud
"That would be a pretty second layer?"

Daschin oohs at her drink. "Pretty!" She settles down to drink
it...effective way of stopping awkward questions!

"The night is young," K'ryn replies, to Kassima, lifting his own drink in a
quick salute, before gulping a bit of it down. Then, suddenly, "How'd you
get here, anyway?" Then a glance to Aluren, "Second layer of? Oh, erm..."
He ponders this.

Aluren studies the fourth wall with interest, reading.

"Alcohol's terrible until you're older. It makes you throw up and go
insane," Kassima confides to Daschin, while taking her own glass of juice
with a smile of thanks for Marcus. "Layer?" she wonders as she returns
K'ryn's toast of sorts. "Are you playing the glass hats now?"

L'nan, too, glances at Aluren. "Second layer of what?" He takes a deep
drink of his own seething mug, blinking a little before giving Kassi a
weary glance. He seems to be taking his drink slowly tonight.

Daschin looks awed at the thought of throwing up *and* going insane.

"Glass what? I wassa buildin' a cup hold with me drinks" Aluren explains.
"How tall can I go without going insane hmm?" She winks.

L'nan raises an eyebrow at Aluren, then leans over to tell Daschin in a
stage whisper, "She might even go permanently insane... which isn't too bad
since she's halfway there normally."

Daschin giggles. "That wasn't nice!" she accuses, but she's still laughing.

"Hats?" Yeah, K'ryn is confused too. Still, he watches Kassima, looking a
little, well, confused. "Mmm, oh yes," he notes, then. "You go crazy, and
do all sorts of... odd things."

"Just following your lead m'dear" Aluren giggles.

Laughing, Kassi says with approval, "Now there's a worthy plan. Just save
the Thread glasses for the top of the tower--and glass hats are something
we used t'be playing when we'd do the Nine. Or the Six, really. You get one
of those little glasses they serve samples in," a shot glass, in other
words, "and, well, you wear it on your head. Then when you get tired of
that, you fill 'em up with different levels of liquid and rap on 'em with
something metal. It makes a lot of sense when you're drunk." She glances
K'ryn-wards and drops one eye in a wink. "By the by, I'd almost forgot t'be
congratulating you on Imanath's flight."

L'nan chuckles at Kassi, shaking his head. "I'm sure it made sense when
/you/ were drunk," he murmurs, a knowing look tossed Daschin's way with a
smile. He nods towards K'ryn. "Oh yeah, forgot about that. Drink up in
celebration!" he grins, demonstrating.

Lysseth> Stith unlids her drowsing eyes enough to glare at Tavorth, then
chuffs disapprovingly

Lysseth> Alirath lifts just /one/ lid... snorts softly at the other two,
then stretches before clambering to stand.

K'ryn laughs in return, and bobs his head swiftly. "A great deal of truly
odd things will make sense, when you're drunk. That'ts part of the fun, I
think. If things were as dull as they usually were, there'd hardly be a
point." Then a quick pause, and he grins all the more widely. "I'll drink
to that. To Tav, since he's the one that did all the work." And drink he does.

Aluren squints at the drink choices and ahhs "That must be the insane part!

L'nan snorts to himself, grinning, and orders up another drink. As he
stands to get it at the bar, however, a lovely young woman catches his
attention and off he goes, using those flirting skills _some_ Telgari
greenies taught him.

Lysseth> Tavorth shifts, a little, to look over at his snorting brother,
then over to his glaring sister. Hmph. He holds his snout up, pridefully,
then settles back in the sand.

Kassima assures without hesitation, "Almost everything makes sense when I'm
drunk. *Almost*." A thought to which, predictably, she drinks. And again:
"To Tavorth, indeed! For winning me a mark piece or two--oh, dear. There
goes L'nan." Watching, she can't help but ask no one in particular, "How
long d'you think 'twill be ere he finds himself a father by one of these
young women that catch his eye?"

Aluren stares after L'nan, blinking in stupified shock as he suavely picksa
the girls up. Turning to K'ryn she mocks wiping up tears witgh her sleeve
and sniffles "They grow up so fast! I need a drink to consoe me!"

Marcus smiles and pours a drink.

Marcus hands Aluren a glass of Green Dragon.

Daschin watches L'nan wander off and grins. Now no one's officially
watching her!

Marcus nods and pours Daschin the drink.

Marcus sets down a glass of juice for Daschin.

Jadrie sits down by Aluren watching and listening in taking very small sips/.

Lysseth> Stith rumbles disapprovingly at the proudly streaching blue,
settling her wings back with a gesture not unlike an auntie clutching a
shawl closer to her shoulders.

"Kids? From L'nan?" K'ryn sounds a trifle dubious, of this. "Think he's
still getting his bearings," even as he watches, and smirks. His wingmate
is learning, however. Good to see him doing so well. "Don't ya worry about
it, Aluren. He won't run off on you. No matter where you land up spending
the occasional random night, there's always home." That last bit was a
little more serious, as if he's quite settled upon the statement.

"Oh, since he got his hair fair butchered there is something appealing
about my boy. I'd say within two turns but no less than two?" Aluren
guesses, watching L'nan's butt as he swaggers for the girls with a
decidedly UNmatronly unterest.

Telgar Weyr> K'ran says, "Remind me how to get to the Lounge, someone? :)"

Lysseth> Lysseth pays no heed to rumbles and stretchings, instead
stretching out *herself* in order to better catch what light and warmth
remains. Her sprawl may make her look like a demented fire-lizard, but she
doesn't seem to mind.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Boll, Beach, Jungle, Cave, Ladder. :)"

Telgar Weyr> E'vrin says, "Too debauched last time you were there? ;)"

Lysseth> Indrath backwings to a landing.

"Within two Turns," Kassi mulls, tapping the rim of her glass against her
chin. "That's a fair guess... but I'd take less than two, methinks. If'n he
keeps up like this--it doesn't take much experience t'be siring kidlets,
after all! What d'you think, Jadrie? Or d'you nay know him well enough t'be
guessing?"

Lysseth> Spiralling course carries Indrath down, down from the night sky
above Boll, down towards where beach meets water; and when his talons sink
into the sand he eases back into an elegant crouch, offers a
pleasant-enough baritone rumble for the other dragons hereabouts.

Lysseth> K'ran eases down from Indrath's back.

Jadrie grins, "I really don't know him well..."

Lysseth> Stith almost croaks back with her usual cranky tempered grace,
muscles bulging as she turns to catch some of the fading sun.

Lysseth> K'ran, as he dismounts, shucks out of heavy riding gear with
practiced efficiency -- unfastens jacket, jerks off gloves, and yanks
helmet from head. "Be good," he bids Indrath, and then disappears down
along the jungle path.

Lysseth> K'ran wanders down the jungle path to the west.

Lysseth> The tent of green hide that is Lysseth--a Lysseth with her wings
stretched out against the sand, her neck and tail likewise at full
extension, and positioned generally in a most undignified sprawl suitable
to little else but basking--rumbles back to Indrath with sleepy amiability.

K'ran climbs up from the caves below.

K'ryn chuckles, at the guessing, and the subject of it all. "If L'nan knew
we were talking about him, like this, he'd look like a redfruit in
seconds." The young rider stands, near the bar, holding a drink in one
hand, held up a little, as he speaks with the assembled group. "You never
know. S'why I keep rider company, more, I think. You don't have to worry
about that sort of thing, for the most part."

Kassima asks hopefully, "But could you make a rough guess? I'm trying t'get
enough information t'know where t'lay m'wagers, see. Just in case that man
makes me lose the wager on him in pink lace, I need a back-up plan." She
would. "Although, if'n any of you would care t'be helping with the lace as
an alternative...." She casts a look over her shoulder, and raises her
mostly-drained glass of juice in greeting. "Heyla, K'ran. Getting something
for Tarlo, or has she better sense than t'be craving Bollian rareties?"

Daschin curls up in her chair, looky sleepy. Gradually her eyelids droop,
until she is sound asleep in her chair.

"Marcus," K'ran croaks as he crests the last step of the ladder. "Something
for this poor parched throat, hm? The more lethal, the better..." And he
trails off there, though only for a moment, as he permits his gaze to fall
upon the gathering by the bar. "-Much- better sense, I should hope.
G'd'eve, all."

Aluren glances over in time to see the girl's eyes droop shut. With a
tender smile she shucks the jacket she forgot to leave with Stith and
covers the sweet. "It isn't that he would blush, it is how fast he is
changing. Umm Two turns, absolutely no more than three. L'nan is very
different than the little Lunan that used to talk to me curled up in my lap
in the hayloft."

Kassima then slants K'ryn a wry look. She's seated in a chair herself,
barefoot and free of riding leathers but otherwise fully clothed. Of
course. "Talk t'I'sai sometime," she bids. "Or F'hlan, or D'ru, or--trust
me, rider women get pregnant too. In fact, this is something you can very
much trust me on at the moment. D'you want t'be placing marks on this,
Aluren? On between two Turns and three? It sounds as though you know him
fairly well." The word 'lethal' causes her to quip, "Don't tempt me t'be
offering t'see if'n I can't brew something worse than what he serves, now."

"I still say he'd turn red," K'ryn states, waving his mug about in the air,
lightly, as he speaks. "But you're probably right, on the timeframe." And
what does that mean for the other poor bluerider? "I know," he answers
Kassima, giving a quick nod, "But still, less than if you spend all your
time with holder girls, and the like, I'd imagine. I was just wondering,
how it is you're down here, in your current condition?"

Aluren grabs another green fizzy after setting the empty on the pile.
Watching as the foam spills over and starts eating the finish off the table
she hmmm "That is my guess, what is your counter?"

K'ran breezes over towards the bar with a wry look to match Kassima's own.
"I have it on good authority," he muses, "that Talisha and Alessandra have
turned that boy several interesting shades of scarlet, over the last month
or so." Then, supplied with a glass of -something- suspicious looking by
the erstwhile barkeep, he slouches one hip, blithe repose, against a spot
along the counter's length. "Counter? We're gambling?"

"I'll say within those first two Turns," Kassi offers. "How much are you
willing t'place? I can likely meet whatever you put up, though I'll admit
'twould balk at *too* many marks on a single stake." Abandoning her chair
to wheedle a fresh glass from Marcus, she tips back a grin. "'Tis the
beauty of pregnancy: in the second three months, a woman can travel
*between* if'n she likes. And I like, so here I am. Still can't *drink*,
alas." Back to the seat. She agrees once settled there, "That's what I
heard, though I don't know that they've done as much t'him as they have
t'K'ryn here. When aren't I gambling, K'ran? Want t'be getting in on the
wager? 'Tis set on when L'nan sires his first child."

"So I'm after 24 months from now, and you are afore?" Aluren tries to
clarify, sketching designs on the table top with the etching drink. She has
imbibed one of those but seems heedless that the wax disolving liquid is
also in her tummy. "Are we talking the making or the birthing?"

"Before he breaks out of his teens, at the outside," K'ran drawls easily,
his lips curved in a pleasant smile. "Though that's hardly a daring wager,
at the rate he's going." And between aggressive sips -- and grimaces
against the burn -- of whatever toxic stew Marcus has served him, adds,
"I'd give it a Turn, maybe two. Alirath's fast and agile."

T'rel climbs up from the caves below.

T'rel scrambles up the ladder...with no small amount of effort, really, but
he's only wheezing slightly once he makes it up. "Didn't miss anything, did
I?"

"had enough of jungle watchuning?" Aluren smiles at T'rel. Leaaving her
drink bubbling a hole in the table she skips over to hug the newest rider.

Kassima nods her approval to K'ran, grinning broadly. "See, that's how I
figure it--the first sired, within two Turns. Let's say conceived rather
than born, since the span isn't *that* wide. A'fore or exactly, Aluren;
if'n he sires one two Turns from now to the day, methinks 'twould still
count for me." She aims an amiable nod to T'rel, adding in, "Duties t'Fort
and her queens," before continuing, "Even if'n Alirath doesn't win a
fertile greenrider's flight, there's still all these young women he keeps
disappearing with."

"Him and Alessandra," K'ryn confirms, with a nod. "Dunno if he's been
spending as much time with Tali." And, no, he's not going to deny Kassima's
charge, of them doing interesting things to him, collectively. But he's not
going to add any fuel to the fire, either. "K'ran, that's a pretty safe
bet. He's only, what, 16 turns and a bit? So that'd give you almost 4 more.
I'd probably go with Kassima's bet, though." Then, idly, with a little
pride, "So far, Tavorth's been faster."

Aluren ah ah ahs in disapproval, shaking her head as she wraps a
companionable arm around T'rel to steady herself "That is too long. I was
thinking the end product, or else it wouldn't have been two whole turns."

T'rel oofs, tottering a bit with the pouncing, murmuring, "Sorry I took so
long...er, Fort's duties to Telgar and her queens," he offers to the
greenrider that greets him." He stabilizes himself a bit, getting his
bearings.

And here K'ran's nose wrinkles with mirth, and he returns, amicably enough,
"Speed isn't always the thing that wins a green." But he nonetheless tips
the edge of his glass towards K'ryn -- while tapping on the countertop for
another -- and goes on, "But I hear Tavorth won Imanath? Indrath was
furious that we drew sweeps that evening."

Kassima makes a face at the other greenrider. "Trying t'fleece *me* out of
decent odds--now that's just nay right. Fleecing people is my job!" Oh, the
righteous ire of the grifter-born. Said grifter also agrees, "Depends
entirely on the green. Which isn't t'say speed hurts aught." She's sitting
at a table near the others, sleeves rolled up, feet bare, and her second
glass of juice in hand.

"Oh, I know, it's not all speed." K'ryn leaves it at that, and grins a
little, bobbing a quick nod to K'ran. "That he did. And I've never seen him
anymore smug about something! Silly oaf." Then, catching sight of the
darting greenrider, and her target, he breaks out in a very wide grin, and
sets down his glass rather swiftly. "T'rel! Hey there!"

Aluren hmms, nibbling on her lower lip. Breaking into a grin she offers
"I'll give your two turns made... but only if twins in that time don't count."

Double-fisting for just the moment it takes him to empty his first glass,
K'ran tips the edge of the second towards T'rel, and half-turns against the
bar to face the exit. "Speaking of greens," he ventures, mildly, to K'ryn.
"I know Aluren's Stith and Dastra's Cheylth from a distance. Stith seemed
pale enough, on the way down... but any sign of Cheylth glowing? Shall I be
prepared to have Indrath conspiring to keep me near Fort, for the next few
sevendays?"

Kassima rubs thoughtfully at her nose. "That sounds ominously as though you
know something I don't, but 'twill still take it so long as the stake isn't
too high. Did you say how much you're willing t'place?" Shifting her focus
for a moment, she listens to K'ran's question for K'ryn. "That fond of
Fortian greens, is he?"

T'rel makes his way over toward the table with the others sitting about it.
He's not said much, really, but then... he's never been very talkative.
Gee, a quiet, subdued bluerider...will wonders never cease.

"Or else that fond of first risings, since there is a green in the air
glowing nearly every other day but not always just graduated to adult
tasks" Aluren winks at Kassima "So Indrath only likes then young and umm ,
forgive me Stith, stupid enough for him to catch?"

K'ryn watches T'rel, almost worriedly, for a moment, then turns back to
answer the bronzerider. "Doesn't he have any Golds to chase?" It's said
jokingly, however, and he lets out a louder laugh, at Aluren's comment. "I
haven't seen Cheylth glowing, no. And I won't have Tavorth forwarding any
messages if she starts, either." It's still all good-natured, though, and
he reaches to reclaim his mug, for a long pull.

A helpless shrug for Kassima, and K'ran reveals, "It's only the Istans he
can't really abide, and shards if I fathom why -- he likes the beaches well
enough, and went after Ysyth, but I even asked if he was interested in
Qirith, and instead we spent the afternoon in the mountains--" Aluren's
question cuts him off, and he flashes her a brilliant smile. "Young, old.
Smart, foolish. If they're women, he likes them. Takes after his rider that
way, I suppose."

"Though," K'ran adds, after another moment, "he seems to have higher
standards for me than for himself."

Kassima tucks a thumb in the hollow just behind her chin. "Huh. Given that
the Istans are Benden-blooded, by and large, and dragons *are* a bit
inclined towards incest--or so it seems--'tis a bit odd. And what's wrong
with greens?" she asks K'ryn in mock-indignation.

T'rel eases himself into a seat, offering what's no doubt intended as a
reassuring sort of smile to the people peering worriedly at him.

Aluren lounges into a seat and tries to pull T'rel into her lap as she
chuckles at the bronzerider "I have yet to see if Stith is pickier for her
or me, but considering what little use she has for males already I am not
looking forward to even more contempt when she gets around to glowing."
Aside to Kassima she offers "@ marks first turn, on mark second, one mark
third, two marks forth - then you have to haggle with good K'ran who thinks
L'nan will escape his teens."

"Oh, absolutely nothing," K'ryn half-purrs, looking back at Kassi with a
grin. "Tav and I, we both adore them, and their riders." Hrm, respectively,
or inclusively? Who knows. Dragons have their tastes in people, too. "Just
wonderin', if he ever gets frustrated, with the smaller dragons winning."
That fall, at the last flight they had in common, must still be fresh in
his mind. The Istan comment, that draws a little pause as well, seemingly
unsettling the young rider, although he composes himself easily enough.

"At any rate," K'ran allows, at length. "I ought to be getting back, before
M'teh decides to inspect my weyr and decides I need to sleep under a tarp
in the bowl. He tosses back his second drink, then, and adds, "And before I
have another one of these, and end up too soused to stand. Marcus, you're
an evil, evil man." He begins refastening his jacket as he crosses the room
to the ladder. "Kassima, K'ryn, Aluren, T'rel -- clear skies, all. We'll
see you about, I hope."

Kassima just shakes her head at this lap-pulling, settling back more
comfortably in her own seat. "Lysseth," she quips, "isn't particularly
picky, period. Though she's always had a male or two--changing over
time--whom she seems t'favor... nay, nay, Aluren, six marks in total with
one person on one wager on someone I don't know that well? That's nay how
profits are made! Look you, 'twill lay two marks on the first being
conceived in the next two Turns. After that, we can renegotiate if'n I
lose, or if'n I win and you want a chance t'win it back on another stake;
does that suit?" Dark eyes roll skywards, ending on K'ryn, where they dance
with amusement. "Blueriders. Incorrigible creatures--g'deve, K'ran!" she
calls too late.

T'rel is rather too big to sit in Aluren's lap, and isn't exactly
comfortable doing so in any case. Still, he does hug her, perhaps as a sort
of compensatory gesture. To Kassima, he protests, "I am -not-
incorrigeable..."

"But I -am-," K'ryn freely admits, again glancing at T'rel, a little
worriedly. "How've you been, T'rel? I've not seen you around much, the last
few sevendays." Then back to Kassima, he adds, "Hey, he knows what he
likes, and I think I'm starting to figure it out myself, so what's the
matter with that, hmm?"

T'rel mphs. "I'm back in training again, now that the healers have given me
the go-ahead. So... I'm pretty busy, is all. How is everyone, then? I miss
you guys."

"Once, I'd have turned red at this conversation," Kassi reminisces, almost
more to herself. "Now? I don't suppose there's aught wrong with it, so long
as everyone's happy, nay anyone gets hurt, nay anyone breaks promises, and
all that sort of thing. So which greens *does* he like, and which riders
d'you? Or is that too personal a question?" To T'rel, she replies simply,
"Yet. Give yourself time. A'course, nay anyone has t'be incorrigible if'n
they don't want t'be, though most men seem unable t'be helping it."

"Right. S'long as it's enjoyable for all, and that sort of thing," K'ryn
agrees first, before pausing a moment to consider the questions posed. "He
hasn't talked all that much, on the subject. Although lately, seems he's
watchin' em all a little more closely. And me? Well, I said, I'm just
figurin' it out. Tali's a nice girl. Alessi, though, I don't think she
really likes me much. After that one time, eh, she's been sorta edgy any
time I see her." And there's even a sidelong glance at Aluren, one
hopefully timed so that she won't catch him in it, but he doesn't say much
more. Change of subject, "Miss you too, T'rel. Hope you'll catch up
quickly. And... I think people are all doing pretty well, as far as I know."

Aluren is oblivious, happyily observing T'rel as she chatters drunkely
about him looking better and actually breathing well,

T'rel rubs his cheek absently with a thumb, looking kind of grumpy. Bah,
he's pure as the driven snows of High Reaches, he is. Aluren's fussing does
seem to be making him slightly embarassed...after a while, it starts to
outweigh the sulk about the doubt cast on his moral turpitude. He nods to
her a lot, yes, he's feeling better, yes, he's been doing the healers'
exercises, yes....

Kassima hides a grin behind her juice glass. "I'm sure they're flattered.
Nay certain what would be up with Alessi, although I'd doubt she dislikes
you--she's had more of a checkered past romance-wise than Tali; mayhaps
she's less easy about things for that reason, or something else could be
bothering her. Shards if'n I know. I've never understood casual
relationships very well, truth be told." If one brow twitches at that
glance, at least she doesn't look at Aluren herself to increase the
likelihood of notice.

K'ryn shakes his head. "I couldn't wager a guess, really." About
Alessandra, that is. "Don't mind her company in the least, though, when
she's not so nervous. Although I think it's her that L'nan's been sneakin'
around with, if any of the Telgari women. Remember them leaving together,
that one time, when we were all chatting in the living cavern." He'll leave
it at that, adding a quick, "Then there's Miren." Who? The comment comes
with a frown, however.

Aluren perks up at the name Miren "Has she gotten off her high runner yet?"
Aluren asks, half turning from T'rel to join the conversation. As her body
turns away she reaches out to touch the cheek stroking thumb lightly.

T'rel snufs quietly, "I don't think she's aware there is an 'off',
Aluren..." he murmurs with dry wit. The brush against his hand causes him
to glance down inquisitively at her. He remains mostly on the perimeter of
the conversation, though.

Kassima grants with a bob of her head, "Wouldn't really surprise me. Kich
wouldn't either, really--she has a tendency t'draw men into her bed.
Talisha... Talisha I couldn't really see, but I've been handicapped in
m'ability t'keep track of such things, with nay being able t'travel." She
sighs. "Good t'have that over with, at least for awhile. Who's this Miren?"
She gives T'rel a curious glance at his comment.

Aluren traces each of T'rel's fingers, then drops her hand to cup his knee
for a moent before turning entirely away. "What wouldn't suprise you?" she
muzzily asks, the 5 cups stacked in front of her a very small monument to
her short attention span and slightly slurred speech.

K'ryn chuckles, getting all boastful again. "Kich, I bet she'd give me a
shot. Suppose I didn't make the best impression, that first time, being
drunk and all, but after that, she seemed pretty friendly." And, yeah, he's
heard some of the general 'buzz' about these various people. "Miren is, ah,
the girl I was spendin' most of my free time with, back at Fort, up until
recently. She'd gotten all scarce, on me, missed the -graduation-." How
dare she? "Then there was the thing with Tali and Alessandra, I figured I
should tell her about it. Haven't seen much of her since."

T'rel rubs the back of his hand and looks pointedly self-conscious. Ah, the
curse of the sober man at a tipsy party... he blushes, but smiles
uncertainly at Aluren nonetheless. He looks back over to K'ryn after a bit
and ohs. "How -was- the graduation?" He looks vaguely distressed, "I forgot
and took my medicine that afternoon, and like an idiot, slept through the
whole thing. And no one even thought to wake me!"

"If'n L'nan's been spending time with Alessandra," Kassi clarifies, eyeing
those cups. "Mayhaps I'll have a story t'tell the folk back at Telgar after
all... if'n you wooed her, she might. I really don't know, but 'tis worth
trying if'n you want t'bed her, I suppose... ah. Was she upset, this Miren?"

Aluren snickers as Kassima asks if Miren was upset, then hiccups. Holding
her head for a moment she sways slightly.

T'rel reaches over to prop Aluren helpfully up with one oversized hand. "I
think it's about time you went home," he suggests gently. "Otherwise I'll
get to find out if drool freezes on your face if you go /between/ while
unconscious." A quirked smile... teasing.

"Ack, I'm sorry T'rel," K'ryn quickly notes. "If I'd realized, that you'd
need someone to wake you, be sure I would have managed a trip by, even with
us preparing for the ceremony and all of that." Then vaguely, back to
Kassima, "I think so. Dunno -how- upset, exactly. But I'm beginning to get
tired of trying to work it out with her."

Aluren argues "S'm not drunk!", leaning against T'rel with complete
disregard to his medical status. That pretty much proves her wrong, even if
she didn't open her mouth to say "Stupid Miren. If you were anywhere near
as mine as you were hers I wouldn't treat you like a firelizard egg to
hoard on the hearth carefully." Another hiccup.

Kassima clicks her tongue in quiet distress. "A shame, that... but if'n
'tis so, better you find out now than later, I suppose." She shouldn't ask.
She knows she shouldn't ask. She asks anyway: "...How would you treat him?"

T'rel seems to be in good enough condition to be a greenrider-prop. He
looks down at her, completely blank. er... do -what-? Evidently his ability
to parse her conversation has just been summarily drowned.

"That's how I see it, anyway. Better than us doing something silly like
Weyrmating over nothing more than a little crush, as it seems to be turning
out, and landing up very unhappy later." K'ryn then pauses, at Aluren's
ramblings, and glances toward her, to hear, should she answer Kassima's
inquiry.

"I dunno what promises were tween 'em, so I can't say" Aluren protests,
snuggling her back against T'rel's side. "Any binding words K'ryn so I can
answer da queshion?"

Kassima's attention flicks to Aluren, then back to K'ryn. This is better
than watching Pern's nearest equivalent of a tennis match. "I'd agree with
that," she volunteers as an aside. "It always seems painful when
weyrmatings break up, and if'n 'tis nay a lasting affection...."

"She's a nice girl," K'ryn clarifies, just to make it clear he doesn't hold
any real anger toward her. Just frustration, for a relationship going
nowhere fast. "But, yeah, dunno about anything lasting. Binding words? No,
I hardly think so."

Aluren wriggles her shoulders back and pulls T'rel's arms over them like a
blanket, hugging them to her chest. Playing idly with the pointy bits of
the bones of his wrists she guesses "Maybe she is mad you put them ahead of
her? If my man, once I get one, slept with someone before I got a taste.
I'd be right put out!"

Kassima narrowly avoids choking on her juice at Aluren's terminology. "She
does have a point," the Wingleader manages to cough. "If'n a colorfully put
one."

This might be the place for him to comment on her being rather prudish for
a Weyrbred girl, but K'ryn doesn't, keeping a bit of civility. "S'not like
I didn't put any effort into it," he clarifies, before shrugging, lightly.
"After a while, do you keep on putting energy into something, that isn't
going anywhere?"

T'rel suddenly finds himself enblanketed. He looks moderately confused and
slightly more embarassed, which is likely why he doesn't comment. Instead,
he just hugs Aluren gently and props his chin on top of her head.

Aluren beams as the weight of T'rel's head settles on her own. She pets his
arms and ponders "Oh! if she was reluctant to play, maybe she thought you
were trying to make her jealous and didn't like the game?"

"I'm nay the one t'be answering that question," Kassi mutters, slouching a
bit in her seat and mulling over the glass. "Some people do, but it usually
isn't with results."

T'rel remains mum. Stoic, even. Brownriders would be positively jealous. Of
course, on the other hand, he's got snugglability at the moment, and no
doubt, that's worth a fair bit even if his snuggler is completely potted.
He looks comparatively content.

"Anyway, it's a simple enough thing. Sometimes a guy just needs company,
and if she wasn't all that interested in being around for me, even on
occasion..." K'ryn waves a hand, and seems eager to dismiss the matter
entirely. "And I won't hold it against her, either, if after what's
happened, she wants to move on too."

Aluren shakes her head, sighing sadly "Doesn't sound like a love match."
Her eyes fill with tears and she starts sniffling "That is so sad, I'm so
sorry!"

Kassima does bite her lip at that. "'Twould nay blame her for nay being
interested in being only that t'you," she hazards, a bit hesitantly. "I
mean, if'n what irritates you is that she wasn't sexually at your beck and
call--well, were you at hers? Anyway. Mayhaps 'tis for the best, in the end."

K'ryn's eyes widen. "Beck and call?" He looks a trifle indignant. Heck,
more than a trifle. "That's not it -at- -all-. Most of the time, shards,
I'd have been happy if she'd even been around to talk to more. After
graduation, everyone seemed to have family, and friends, all sorts of
people, to come see them, to enjoy the party with afterward. But she didn't
even show up for that."

Kassima sets her glass down to spread her hands in apology.
"M'misunderstanding, then--that's making more sense, if'n she wasn't about
for any sort of interaction. Nay offense meant, K'ryn, 'twas just what it
sounded like for a moment. You're sure she didn't have some good reason?
Sickness, death in the family, whatever?"

Aluren peers through tear dotted lashes at her classmate sniffling "Is that
all you want from a girl, to be there to talk to and to watch while
important things are going on so you have someone ta share dem wid?" Her
hands are loosely laid on top of T'rel's.

T'rel ain't commenting. Not that he knows what he'd say anyhow. Frankly,
he's looking kind of drowsy, overall, and probably isn't even paying
attention. He does, however, manage to twine his fingers with
Alurens...well, as best he can. S'not like they match up or anything.

"Asked her afterward, said she just forgot." K'ryn snorts, and shrugs.
"It's lots of things, really. Sure, Kassi, sex is important, too." Hmph,
there, he said it. Everyone happy? A look is cast about, to make sure they
are. "But, well, I'd just like to have someone there, that I can fall back
on if I'm in a bad mood. And for a while, it was like that, but everything
got all jumbled up." Now, determined to change the subject, "But what's
done is done. No point talking around in circles about it."

Aluren tucks her fingers in the spaces tween T'rel, snuffles in her tears
and brightly asks "What should we talk about instead? L'nan and sex? never
did set that wager. Or how hard it is to get new clothes from the weavers
iffen you ain't a handsome male riders of what?

Kassima holds up her hands to protest, "I'm nay going t'argue that sex
*should* be the most important thing, or more important, or what have you.
I'd agree that companionship's more critical with aught more'n a casual
fling. How many other people would agree, I haven't a clue." She rolls her
shoulders upwards in a shrug. "Anyway, if'n you want t'change the subject,
that works. 'Tisn't that hard t'get clothes from Weavers; you just have
t'either pay 'em the earth or be related to 'em."

K'ryn's lips settle into a little grin. "Though she's right, being a good
looking rider helps quite a bit, if I don't say so myself. Next time you
plan on going, Aluren, maybe I could come along? There's a master I know
there, pretty well..."

Aluren ooohs happily, cooing "Would you? Nothing fits right since I got "
and her voiice drops lower shamefully, her tone filled with loathing and
disgust "muscles. My shoulders are a full 3 inches wider. It isn't fair!
Why am I related to work haulers and not pretty clothing makers?"

T'rel drawls muzzily, "I rather like muscles." It's mostly apropo of
nothing...he's all but fallen asleep draped over Aluren like a shawl. "An'
I think your clothing fits fine." Of course... the bluerider's wardrobe has
gotten pronouncedly tentlike with his months of bedrest and associated
inactivity. Hell, Aluren probably outmuscles him at the moment!

Kassima's drawl is as dry as Igen: "'Twouldn't know, I'm supposing; nay
Weavers have ever exclaimed over m'looks and decided t'give me a discount,
for some odd reason. Mayhaps they only do that with men. Do either of you
know how t'bargain? You should--those Weavers will take all your marks if'n
you let 'em."

"I'm learning, slowly. But it helps if you're of the right gender and
persuassion to, ah, charm your way a better price as well." Well, K'ryn
obviously has no trouble with using his 'talents' to save a few marks, here
or there.

Aluren shakes her head from side to side, as much to feel T'rel's chin
brushing her heair as to emphasize the negative guessing "So if you show up
with a female in tow, and a rider at that AND a rider of a dragon of the
opposite gender, won't that hurt your bargaining position." Oh, look who
sobered up a little.

"Ah, now, I've used that technique with the help of others," Kassi agrees.
"Getting buxom young things t'bend over at convenient intervals in the
bargaining and taking advantage of distraction, that sort of thing. But you
can't always carry a troupe of buxom women or charming men with you
wherever you go." Inclining her head slightly, she admits, "That does sound
like a point...."

Aluren frowns downs at her figure framed between T'rel's arms and clears
her throat "I'd have to lean too far over. I'm not all that buxom."

"Hmm, well, I know a couple of guys there too. We can sick you on them,
Aluren, and I'll handle the lady." K'ryn chuckles a little, and shakes his
head. "I'm kidding, mostly. She knows me, so I go along with you, I can
probably bargain for a slightly better deal, at least."

Kassima supposes, "You wouldn't, strictly speaking, have t'be buxom; it
just seems t'be the fastest and most convenient method. I've heard that
fluttering eyelashes and speaking in a husky voice and all that can also be
helpful, though I've never tried. In seriousness, this sounds like an offer
you should take--aught t'be saving marks!"

"Maybe I'll flash some muscle" Aluren grins "I don't have much up top, but
I got a seriously flat tummy. Husky voice hmm?"

T'rel snurts. "Not at the expense of one's dignity," he rumbles. Not that
he's being at all dignified at the moment.

Kassima takes a mournful peek down at herself. "I *used* t'have one of
those... well, so I've heard. I'm nay man t'be saying how well it affects
'em! And pshaw, dignity's cheap stuff. What good does it really do anyone,
I'd like t'be knowing?"

K'ryn laughs, and nods along with Kassima. "I'd say the weavers would be
the ones giving up their dignity, if anything. Selling their wares for
lesser prices, just because some girl comes and talks to 'em differently."
And a quick smile, to Aluren. "Don't worry about it. We'll go, and it'll be
just fine, I'm sure. Husky voices optional."

T'rel snufts again, but has no apparent further comment, really.

Aluren giggles softly "Good, because I think if I tried husky I've just
sounds congested. And I don't feel like ordering a dozen pocket clothes."

"And their eyes pop out," Kassi throws in, "or at least Grego's did when Ro
helped me in getting a better price from him. Always priceless t'see. But
you can get similar effects other ways, y'know. Wheedle, plead, look
pathetic, threaten t'make them babysit your children. Stuff like that. Less
hard on the throat, most of it--I'm sure you'll get a good deal one way or
another, Aluren."

"I wonder if wearing something hideous in and threatening to brag to the
weyr that they made it is an effective threat?" Aluren ponders aloud.

T'rel can't help it. He sniggers audibly.

K'ryn lets out a fairly loud laugh, and shakes his head. "The ruse wouldn't
last long, what with the tags, and hall markings they put on anything they
make. But it might manage to confuse an apprentice, if you could catch a
gullible one."

Kassima encourages with entirely too much brightness, "'Tis well worth a
try! Only, be sure t'be telling me about it, if'n you do that? I'd love
t'hear the story if'n it did work."

Aluren reveals her sheltered and naive upbringing "Tags? hall marks? ohh,
that makes sense. Shardit"

S'phan climbs up from the caves below.

S'phan strides in, waving to everyone.

Aluren untangles her hand from T'rel's long enough to wave from where the
bluerider is drapped over her like a cloak.

S'phan takes in the scene, and grins amiably. "What's going on?"

T'rel does indeed look like a rider-skin cloak, his arms draped around
Aluren's shoulders, and his chin propped on top of her head. He also looks
to be well nigh asleep, although he does manage to raise a hand to wave.

Kassima hides another grin, nodding with slightly exaggerated mournfulness.
"Probably so. More's the pity--though the expression might *still* be worth
it... oh, g'deve there. Duties t'Fort and her queens." The greenrider sits
at a table with or near the others, an empty glass in hand. She frowns at
it and stands to pad barefoot to the bar for another.

"I was drunk, and we were talking about sex and you missed it! now we are
just discussing fashion, nyah!" So maybe she isn't sober yet.

"Just sittin' and talkin'," K'ryn replies, to S'phan, before holding up an
empty mug. "And a little bit of drinking too." Yeah, and the sex talk,
ahem. The young bluerider shifts about, then, and yawns. "'Though, it's
getting late."

S'phan finds himself a drink and sits down by the other Fort riders,
nodding pleasantly to the others present. "I miss all the fun, it seems."

Kassima mutters, "Nay as much drinking as there *should* have been," as she
eyes her juice--well, not quite balefully; mournfully, more like. "Nay that
Marcus doesn't serve the best fruit juices this side of Nabol, but still.
Is it? Shards, 'tis. And only Aluren's drunk. That's nay right."

S'phan leans towards Kassima. "Perhaps I can catch up," he suggests, and
knocks back half of his drink.

"Kassima, when you -can- drink, you're going to meet me back here, hmm?
It's settled now, we have to sit and have a good and proper set of drinks
together." K'ryn grins a little, and stretches out. "But, yeah. I think I'm
gonna make my way back to the weyr."

T'rel mphs. "I don't really drink. It gives me a headache and I fall down
all the time." He reaches up to rub sleepily at an eye. "Aluren... I think
it's time we head back."

S'phan wilts a bit. "Oh, well...I guess I should have come by earlier." He
drinks the last of what's in the glass, and sets it on the table.

Kassima flashes the brownrider a grin. "Feel free; the more drunken
exploits I can witness, the more tales I'll have t'tell back at Telgar.
Name's Kassi, by the by. Green Lysseth's. Well met and all." Turning her
head, she chortles in response to K'ryn. "But a'course! When would I ever
turn down an invitation like that? Still several months t'wait, though,
sadly... g'night t'you, then; fair winds, and the same to anyone else who's
leaving."

Aluren wavers to her feet "Okay T'rel, just don't sic the healers on me.
Kassima, a pleasure to meet you when I am not debating the merits of
putting holes in L'nan's body. See the rest of you tommorrow!"

S'phan brightens a bit as he realizes the greenrider isn't leaving, and
moves closer. "I'm S'phan, brown Toranth's rider." He winces at Aluren.
"What did L'nan do now?"

Kassima then suggests, amused, "I could be seeing if'n there are any hard
drinkers at Telgar who'd like t'come by and match you glass for glass?
Likewise, Aluren! A pleasure for me, and a pleasure for L'nan too, I'm sure."

Aluren hiccups as she streaches, then yawns "L'nan's gunna be a daddy and
earn me marks, thats what he's done... but not just yet. Hopefully?"

S'phan's jaw falls open. "Er..what?"

K'ryn yawns, and nods his head quickly, still grinning a bit. "I've had my
share of drinks with Telgar women, but more are always good. And, I'll look
forward t' my chance to drink with the master herself, hmm? Clear skies,
for when you do head back, Kassi. Saph." He wave, laughs as they get into
the story, and heads for the ladder.

S'phan waves to K'ryn absently as he listens.

T'rel leans back, stretching a bit himself. "I won't," he murmurs to Aluren.

Aluren climbs down the crude ladder.

Kassima snaps K'ryn an exaggerated salute. "You flatter me--as a result,
mayhaps 'twill nay drink you so far under the table that you don't wake up
until the next sevenday when the time comes! G'deve, g'deve--" Oh, but now
she gets to offer her unhelpful explanation: "Aluren's bet, or is going
t'bet, on L'nan spawning. I wonder if'n she'll spawn with him, t'make sure
she wins?"

K'ryn climbs down the crude ladder.

T'rel bids goodnight to the remaining riders and totters off after his ride.

T'rel climbs down the crude ladder.

Alessandra climbs up from the caves below.

S'phan shrugs and gets himself another drink. "Dunno what that was about."

Alessandra wanders in, looking a little confused. "I come in just as
everyone's leaving. What did you do to them, Kassima?"

S'phan laughs. "It wasn't her, it was me. I showed up and cleared the place."

Kassima admits, "A long story, 'tis. As t'what K'ryn said about Telgarian
riders--he and L'nan have been getting up to exploits with some of our
local green pairs... and here's one now. Heyla, Alessi; what did *I* do? I
didn't do aught! I can't even drink, remember?" Indeed, the glass in front
of the barefoot, leather-free (but still, notably, *clothed*) rider
contains nothing less innocuous than fruit juice. Oh, woe.

Alessandra snickers slightly, tossing her head and sending her curls
bouncing. Dratted things, they won't loosen back into her normal straight
locks. "Yeah, sure, your very presence scares people, oh fearless
wingleader o' mine. And just -what- have you been telling people about me?
I swear I'm as innocent as unmarked, pure snow."

S'phan grins at Alessandra, then looks quizzically at Kassi. "Why aren't
you drinking, by the way? Are you ill?"

Kassima grins broadly at the question. "Well, that people still have t'ask
is a good sign--nay ill, quite; pregnant. Which does terrible things t'my
ability t'have fun, let me tell you." She pauses here to give her Wingrider
a raspberry. "Tell that to *K'ryn*. Or better yet, tell S'phan here--oh,
S'phan, this is Alessi; Alessi, S'phan--what you did with those two young
bluerider clutchmates of his!"

Alessandra turns pink and tosses her head again, sidling easily into a seat
at the bar and giving Marcus one of those sweet smiles that always earns
her a free green dragon drink. "I did nothing. I swear I'm innocent. And
well met, S'phan, well met indeed."

Marcus smiles and pours a drink.

Marcus hands Alessandra a glass of Green Dragon.

S'phan nods, smiling. "Well met." He sips his drink. "Pregnant, eh?" He
looks a bit confused, but shrugs. "Well then, Kassima, congratulations are
in order."

"Innocent," Kassi mutters. "Tell him about the *measuring* and then try
t'say that with a straight face." She flashes an abrupt smile then.
"Thankee most kindly--methinks that's the first time anyone's offered
congratulations at first hearing, rather than shrieking or screaming or
fleeing or finding it terribly amusing."

S'phan tips his head to one side. "Amusing? Why would they find it
amusing?" Then, turning to Alessandra, he adds, "Why were you measuring
blueriders?"

Alessandra promptly sticks her tongue out, though she does turn noticably
red at S'phan's comment. "Ahem. That depends. What have you heard?"

S'phan shrugs. "I haven't heard a thing. This must have been that night
that..." he pinks, then coughs. "Er, never mind."

Kassima crinkles her nose. "Well, people *always* seem t'find it amusing
when I'm t'have a child for one reason or another--in this case mostly
because 'tis I'sai's, and by pure coincidence it lets me win a bet I've had
on him, but that still doesn't explain the screaming... the night that? Do
tell?" Oh, great. He's woken the greenrider's curiousity.

S'phan hunches his shoulders slightly. "Um...the night we graduated from
being weyrlings."

Kassima's brows dart upwards. "I don't *think* 'twas that night, though I
can't be sure. Wasn't here m'self. Was it, Alessi? Or were there *two*
nights of great debauchery, and we're just missing the story behind one?"

Alessandra listens silently, an amused smile flickering 'bout her lips.
"Mmm.. Aye, two, but the latter one ended up with us all four passed out
before much happened."

S'phan raises his eyebrows. "Oh? And...which blueriders might these have
been?"

"K'ryn and L'nan," Kassi murmurs over the rim of her glass. "Unless Alessi
and Tali have corrupted another brace of blueriders without telling me."

Alessandra promptly sticks her tongue out, then suddenly giggles. "L'nan is
/funny/ when he's drunk." At least what she can remember of him drunk. She
was rather soused herself that night.

S'phan nods. "He can be, yes." He then mutters, "So that's what they..." to
himself.

Kassima lifts an eyebrow again. "What they...?" she prompts, with
considerable interest.

Alessandra continues to listen, utterly amused.

S'phan blushes again. "Nothin'. You didn't see a bronze rider from Fort
there that night, did you?"

Kassima mourns, "I saw naught and nay anyone; I only heard about this
second hand. But, Alessi, *you'd* know. Did you measure a bronzer too?"

Alessandra looks innocent. Honestly innocent, for once. "Sorry, no, I've
been sticking to blueriders." Ahem. "Anyway, no, t'is only K'ryn and L'nan
that Talisha and I've been busy corrupting." Miraculously, Kichevio hadn't
been involved.

S'phan asks, "Why did Aluren say something about L'nan being a ... daddy?"

Alessandra blinks. "I haven't the faintest idea. T'was -- oh, but that's
not important. Neither Tali nor I ended up with L'nan."

S'phan sighs. "I guess I'll ask the others, later.

"It defies explanation on some levels," Kassi admits wryly, shaking her
head. "Nay surprise there. We were betting on when he'd sire his first
child, y'see, only she got drunk a'fore we could finalize the stakes--but
anyway, the idea is that if'n he sires a child within the next two Turns, I
win, and otherwise she does."

S'phan chuckles at that. "A bet, eh? I wouldn't take that bet."

Kassima exhales a somewhat exaggerated sigh. "Why people won't bet with me,
I *swear* I don't know. Though in this case, K'ran said he'd lay the stakes
the same way, too."

S'phan nods. "I see."

Alessandra giggles softly before knocking back the rest of her green
dragon. She twines one curl 'round her index finger, making that same face
at Marcus before he caves in and hands her another, admonishing her that
it's the last time he'll do that. "Anyway, most people learn not to bet
against Kassi."

S'phan beams. "I imagine. You sound like you've got good instincts, Kassi."

"Nay better than anyone else's," Kassi demurs. All right, downright lies.
"Or at least, nay much better than anyone else's. 'Tis mostly luck, really."

Alessandra laughs, a quick staccato sound before she levels a gaze at
Kassima. "I'd almost say you've a dragon's luck. And you can nae deny the
sacks of marks in your weyr."

S'phan finishes his drink and stands up. "I should be going. I'm glad to
have met you both. You're from Telgar, you said?"

Alessandra nods and waggles her fingers. "We're part of the infamous
Telgari Greenie Brigade."

S'phan grins. "I'll be sure to look you up, then."

Kassima makes a face at her Wingmate. "Alessi, Alessi. I don't have *sacks*
in the *weyr*. I have sacks in a *chest* in the weyr, which is firmly
locked." Turning back to S'phan, she offers a grin. "Currently affiliated
with Telgar at the moment, aye. 'Twas a pleasure, likewise. Clear skies
t'you and your lifemate on your way home."

S'phan nods to the others and leaves.

S'phan climbs down the crude ladder.

Alessandra blinks, then turns and eyes Kassima sharply. "Currently?
Hopefully permanently -- I'd hate to see you leave us."

Surprised, Kassi answers, "I thought everyone knew I plan t'go back
t'Benden when the Wing nay longer needs me. I came t'Telgar t'be serving
Thunderbolt, and so I shall as long as I'm useful, but once m'usefulness is
ended then I'm going home. I rather hope 'twill nay be soon, mind--I'd
rather nay be at the point of needing t'retire a'fore I'm much older than
this."

Alessandra's brows furrow slightly. "I just can't imagine Thunderbolt
flying with anyone else as wingleader, to be perfectly honest, Kassima. I
really can't. Let's hope it will be a long time indeed before you retire."

"I won't retire voluntarily unless I can't lead any longer," Kassima
assures, with a quick half-grin. "You won't get rid of me as easily as all
that; I've been Wingleader for over twelve Turns now, y'know, and I've
rather gotten used to it. If'n a Weyrleader down the line decides I need
replacing, or if'n I become too damaged t'serve, that's when I leave. Nay
until. But I do wish you could've seen Thunderbolt when P'tran was its
Wingleader, or F'hlan--they're legendary figures, y'know, and both led
Thunderbolt before I did."

Alessandra nods slightly, sipping at her green dragon, all pretenses
dropped now that there's no one to toy with. "Mmm. T'would have been nice,
I guess, but I can appreciate them through you."

Kassima smiles wryly and peers into the depths of her glass. "Well, P'tran,
at any rate. I'm nay quite so old that I recall what F'hlan was like as
Wingleader. I do appreciate your praise--it wouldn't really matter, I
suppose, what you thought of me as Wingleader so long as you flew well in
the Wing and I did m'job properly and all that, but 'tis still good t'know
that your Wingmates don't think you should be replaced right this moment."

Alessandra giggles softly, and offers Kassi an impish wink. "No, Kassima,
we like you quite solidly as you are -- our wingleader. Though -- do hurry
and be not-pregnant soon, the idea of a Kassi who can't drink is both scary
and fascinating at the same time." Just don't ask.

Wrinkling her nose good-naturedly, Kassi protests, "What, and a Kassi who
*can* drink isn't scary and fascinating? Well--isn't scary? I don't know
about fascinating; you'd have t'be explaining *that* one t'me." She always
asks. Even when she shouldn't, she always asks. "Five months and a sevenday
or so a'fore I can oblige you. You'll just have t'be patient until then."

Alessandra sticks out her tongue, but lets herself collapse into a giggle
fit -- the drinks must be kicking in finally. "Mmm. You're just a legend of
sorts, Kassi. T'is all. Anyway."

Kassima mirrors tongue for tongue, and how mature is that? "Legend! Silly
Alessi; legends are for dead people!" And Trix are for kids! "But you're
kind, quite kind t'say so. Particularly if'n you don't mean for that
fardling wherry head."

Alessandra chokes on her drink, the liquid landing on a sailor that's been
giving her trouble the past couple of visits. "Ahem. No. Actually I'd
forgotten about that."

Talisha climbs up from the caves below.

Alessandra looks up, positively beaming as Talisha enters. Nevermind the
sailor currently cussing horribly and wiping green-dragon off himself. "Tali!"

Kassima watches the liquid splash the sailor with vague interest. "Sorry,"
she calls to him in Alessi's stead. "Had you? Oh, bless you. Most people
have, methinks, which is rather to the good... heya, Tali! You're late; the
corruptable blueriders have all gone home."

Talisha -dra-a-ags- herself up the ladder, finally flomping herself on the
ground. "Hi!" She calls happily, head turning toward the green-dragon
splashed sailor. "You started without me!" Whining, she weaves through the
tables and up to the bar, ordering herself a gold dragon to start the
catch-up a little faster. "How are you both...?"

Kassima watches this draaaging with some concern. "Are you sure you haven't
started without *us*? Nay worries on my count, though. I'm drinking *fruit
juice*." Just hear the suppressed wail. "Beyond that, though, well enough.
'Tis a pleasure t'get out of the Weyr again--and you?"

Alessandra just grins, setting chin atop her hand from where she sits.
Nevermind the oh-so-casual way she slides out of her coat. "I'm just fine,
though if that guy in the back doesn't stop eyeing me I may drop him down
the hole into the cave. You?"

"I haven't had a single /drop/ t'drink since well.. since this morning. So
there." Talisha sips delicately at her drink--yes delicately--and eyes
Kassima a little strangely. "Just fruit juice? Whatever for. Your in the
lounge afterall.." And then a glance to the woman's abdomen, and she
"Ohhh.."'s. Her gaze is of course, inevitably drawn towards Alessi as she
slips out of the jacket, and Tali offers: "I'll drop him down there for you."

"Right," Kassi confirms, ostensibly in response to that ohhh. "Nay drinking
for me for months and months; I'm terribly sad. Are you going t'be beating
up some man? You really shouldn't, y'know. Marcus wouldn't like it. Nor,
come t'think of it, would the man."

Alessandra just beams. "Oh, if he makes another move, I'd gladly use your
help doing the dropping." Alessandra, shoulders bare, settles with her back
against the back and continues to drink her green dragon -- at a much less
accelerated pace than Marcus is used to. "I am -not- sick," she hisses back
at the bartender. "I just don't really feel like getting -drunk- tonight."

Talisha continues to sip at her own drink, much to Marcus and a few of the
'regular's' surprise. "You can make interesting drinks with fruit though,
Kassi. I still can't believe that your having an /I'sai/ spawn." She mocks
a shudder, grinning. "But men are fun to beat up if they deserve it."

Kassima points out glumly, "But they still aren't alcoholic. You can't get
drunk with people whatever you do with fruit, short of fermenting it, and
then you still can't drink it... why can't you believe it?" She's curious,
though she matches the grin. "And aye, they are, but on foreign soil? Risky
business, that."

"Back off, deadglow," Alessandra mutters, shifting on her barstool so that
the knives at her hips are more prominently displayed. The man who had been
approaching her backs off swiftly. "Anyway." Is that her favorite word for
the day? Most likely. "And Kassima and I'sai spawn? That's as scary an idea
as Kichevio and J'lyn spawn."

Kassima shakes her head in a combination of wonder and amusement as Alessi
attracts men like a flame attracts vtols; switching topics, "Kich and
*Jal*? That's hard t'picture, though if'n they were both drunk--well, trust
me, stranger things have happened. Why is it so frightening, though? I
understood people's fear when 'twas Jh'rin, or when 'twas Jal, but I didn't
think people found Is as disturbing as that."

Well, when one has a habit of wearing strapless corsets and
off-the-shoulder chemises, drunken men seem to flock to one. You'd think
Alessandra had figured that out by now. "I'sai is ... unique, Kassima."
Ignore the faint flush on her cheeks -- she's gotten over it mostly by now.

"/Kich/ and /J'lyn/?" Talisha eyes widen until they couldn't possibly get
any wider at that thought. "/Scarey/." She shifts her weight, crossing legs
together at both ankle and knee--the better to show off tight-leather
covered curves. "I'sai..and you though Kassi, I mean..." And she trails
off. Better to keep her mouth shut.

Kassima allows without qualm, "Unique, granted." Does that flush get a
vaguely concerned look? Perhaps. "Still, isn't everyone unique? And is he
unique in such a very frightening way as that? I can't say he frightens
me." She stifles a snicker, watching Tali's eyes enlarge. "*That* is
terrifying, I'd quite agree." Please note that she doesn't eye any
leather-covered curves. Just not her style. "I'sai and me, though?" she
prompts instead. She just won't stop until she gets answers, will she?

Alessandra eyes those curves however, enjoying them before offering, "I
think it's just we fear what the child will be like. And just who's
tendencies said child shall have. And may Kich and J'lyn never spawn." Yes,
she flushed at I'sai's name. Exactly why, though, she won't say.

Talisha fingers the midriffed hemline of her blouse a moment, picking at
imaginary fluff-balls of lint. "Well, it's just--/right/ Alessi--it's
just..the child might be weird like I'sai.." Pause, "Not that Is I'sai is
weird in a bad way. He's just 'different'. And it might carry knives." Yes,
babies with knives would be a rather scarey thought. She eyes Alessi a
moment--that blush at least, then goes back to her drinking.

"Tendencies?" Kassi queries, still quite patient; she'll get to the bottom
of this if it takes forty glasses of juice and forty matching trips to the
necessary to do so. "In what sense? I'sai isn't so strange as that--" Not
quite defensive; more defending. "Different, aye, but 'tis surely a good
difference. Or at least a harmless difference... oh, but knives, now, I
don't train m'children with knives until they're *eight*. You've a few
Turns t'be worrying about that." If she notices the greenriders eyeing each
other, she says not one word. Instead, she watches Alessi a bit curiously.
And a bit suspiciously.

Telgar Weyr> Talisha can see Kassi's kids being /born/ with knives...

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "...Ow."

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "...*Serious* ow."

Telgar Weyr> A'ser says, "...don't talk about my woman or our children that
way."

Alessandra looks from one to the other, eyes wide and confused. "Why are
you both looking at me like that?..."

Telgar Weyr> Talisha whomps A'ser.

Telgar Weyr> A'ser sniffles and goes back to site updates.

"Well I didn't say it was a /bad/ difference. But I'sai already has so many
kids.." Talisha shrugs one slender shoulder up casually, very casually, and
takes a long swig of her drink before adressing Alessi with a grin. "I'm
just looking at you like that 'cause your so good looking." She winks
slyly, then laughs as she turns back to the bar. "Eight years old? They're
still children then!"

Alessandra turns pink and offers a bit of a grin towards Talisha, then
smiles brightly. "M'kon made Ilessa a cradle!"

Kassima reasons, "You're blushing, Alessi, out of the blue; that's nay a
good reason t'be curious? M'reason isn't as good as Tali's, mayhaps, but I
hope you'll forgive." Switching topics: "Aye, he does. Nay that *I'm*
complaining; that's how I've won this bet, after all! And that's the idea.
Children learn faster and better than adults. So the kidlets start learning
knife-fighting at eight, knife-throwing at eleven, the same way I did. If'n
they weren't interested, I'd probably stick t'teaching 'em the very basics
and nay go beyond that, but so far they've all taken to one side of knives
or the other... oh, did he? That's terribly sweet of him."

"How old /is/ Ilessa now?" Talisha asks, swirling the remaining contents of
her drink with a pinky finger. "Is it th'one that I saw when I came to
visit that time? I can't remember what it was like though. It's been a
while since I saw her." With a nod to Kassima, "I guess it's better to
teach when they're young then. Kids are like sponges. At least that's what
my mother used to tell me."

Alessandra sniffles slightly. "She's almost five months old. Will be in a
few days." Sniff. She carefully sidesteps the question about blushing. "I
learned knives when I was twelve -- I don't regret it, really, though I
can't say as I practice much with them now. I don't know if I'sai will like
the idea of Ilessa learning them, herself -- I think he fully intends to
watch over her with a stolen guard-sword."

"And how is she?" Kassi wants to know. "I recall hearing that she's
terribly pretty, though most babes are t'my way of thinking--aye, Tali.
Now, if'n only I could figure out the right age t'be teaching 'em poker."
She's serious. Oh, dear. "Knives are a good thing t'learn. I'm nay as good
fighting with 'em, mind... a bit of a pity, but the throwing, now, I've won
useful items in throwing competitions. And you can use it for wagering.
Very useful. I can point these things out to Is, if'n he argues the point
when Ilessa's old enough?"

"/I/ wouldn't have the faintest clue at how to throw a knife." Talisha
says. Though the night of her flight--she did pretty well. "And I only own
a single one. /One/ that was given to me as a turnday present once." She
flicks a look at Alessi for a moment, "I didn't know she was that old
already. What's she doing now? Crawling yet?" She might not like babies,
but at least she's interested in them.

Kassima quips wryly, "I'd offer t'be teaching you, only I already owe Is
lessons, and I shouldn't owe too many people lessons at once... only one.
That's a terrible shame." Looking towards Alessi herself, she wonders,
"Does she have a stuffed dragon?"

"Oh, do, please," Alessi asks of Kassima before going on, pleased as any
mother to talk about her child. "She's turning over, and making all the
most wonderful sounds, and her eyes are this pale lavender with these dark
purple circles on the outside of the iris... Curly hair like mine is now
but naturally, sort of like her aunt Eka. And no, she doesn't, not yet, why?"

Lysseth> Even with night about him, Indrath's descent towards the beach is
no less hell-bent-for-leather; and he backwings to an efficient landing
nonetheless, where sea meets land, and settles back into his customary
elegant crouch as his rider dismounts.

Lysseth> K'ran eases down from Indrath's back.

Lysseth> Kiyoth offers a croon to her clutchsib from where she sits, eyes
glittering, half in the water.

Lysseth> Lysseth seems to retain the same sprawl from earlier;
unsurprising, since she's fallen asleep in it. Her breaths cause the water
near her muzzle to ripple, and occasionally her wing will flutter, as
though to fly in some unknown dream.

Lysseth> Imanath sprawls out on the sand as Indrath arrives, dragging her
talons through the sand to make little ditches. She warbles softly toward
Indrath, head swinging 'round to regard him for a half moment.

"She sounds absolutely gorgeous, Alessi." Talisha's lips pull into a smile
as she listens to the list of things the baby can do. "Before you know it
she'll be up and walking and getting into all sorts of mischeif." To Kassi,
with a grin: "I don't think I'd want to learn knives. The guys are scared
enough what with you and Alessi carrying them 'round all the time."

Kassima grins at the other woman. "Gladly, Alessi. Though it may nay be a
problem--depending on what age you want t'teach her in, I might've already
had t'reassure him about ours learning the lethal arts." With a smile: "You
sound quite as enamored as nigh any new mother I've heard, Alessi. Why? Oh,
just curious--with m'eldest two, the colors of their stuffed dragons
matched the colors of dragons they've always liked best, and I'm wondering
whether 'tis coincidence or nay." She makes a face at the youngest
greenrider. "Suit yourself, but you don't know what you're missing. Causing
fear is great fun!"

Lysseth> Soft-rumbled reply to Kiyoth and Imanath -- appreciative, even
affectionate for all its quiet humor -- from the bronze as he relaxes in
his crouch, as he lets his tail coil into the water. K'ran, covering a
yawn, scarce hits the ground before he's headed off along the jungle path.

Lysseth> K'ran wanders down the jungle path to the west.

Alessandra nods quietly, content to sit and listen in silence for a while.
That flush covers her cheeks again, but swiftly fades away. The greenrider
continues to sip at her drink, still earning odd glances from Marcus.

K'ran climbs up from the caves below.

Talisha lifts her glass to parted lips this time, and drains the remainly
gold liquid with a single sip. "Marcus.." she smiles at said bartender, who
is, strangely enough, giving her the exact same looks he's bestowing upon
Alessi. "Another of the same, if you would." Still she shrugs to Kassima,
slender shoulders lifting casually. "I've no interest in learning how
t'throw knives. I can make any man fear if I really /wanted/ to."

Kassima slants another odd look Alessi's way. It's becoming Pavlovian:
Alessi flushes, and Kassi gives her a weird look. "You're quite certain,"
she asks, "that you're all right?" Not surprisingly, she's still slouched
comfortably in that chair with the same sort of juice as before. "I suppose
you're right. I can't say I understand it, but we've all got our own
methods and such, after all... g'deve again, K'ran." She has to turn her
head to see who it is before she can greet him thus, with Lysseth asleep
and unhelpful.

K'ran crests the ladder with weariness edging into his usual roguish humor,
and when -that- remark reaches his ears... well, it's just too good to pass
up, isn't it? "-Really-," he says, wryly, while signalling Marcus for a drink.

Alessandra waggles fingers K'ran's way cheerily enough before eyeing
Kassima. "Gut reaction," she offers in oblique explanation.

"Really what?" Talisha's gaze is drawn towards K'ran a moment--and she
offers a wiggling of her fingers in greeting to the bronzerider. "How
goes?" Then, she accepts her second drink from Marcus with a brilliant
little grin. "Blushing is a gut reaction?" That to Alessandra.

Blithe explanation from K'ran as he fashions a course for the bar, to claim
the drink Marcus has fixed for him: "Couldn't sleep, and figured we'd head
back out this way to see if any of the Fort kids needed a hand to bed."
Likely story, as his eyes linger overlong on his clutchmates. "They're to
bed, I take it? Goes fine, with me -- and really, you can make any man fear
you, if you want?"

"To discussion of your daughter?" Kassi mutters back to Alessi, a bit
bemused. "You're in luck, K'ran--they all made it out on their own, for all
that more showed up after 'twere gone. So you'll get the pleasure of
drinking with Alessi and Tali instead. Do you doubt that she could?"

"I'm smelling a wager, sure," K'ran returns with a game chuckle. "And
pleasure it is, all around. Did L'nan put in an appearance?"

"No," Alessi continues, looking a little flustered. "It's a gut reaction to
a train of my own thought." So there. Nyah. "And Tali, honey, you can scare
the men and woo the women. Myself included. Though, K'ran, if you're
looking to get drunk methinks you're out of luck -- Tali and I are both
taking it slow today."

Talisha gives a little sniff as she looks K'ran over. "I could make -you-
fear if I really wanted to. Or any man for that matter." She uncrosses her
legs, then slides them together again, crossing at the knee. "And.." she
slips a sly wink to Alessandra, lips curved in a grin, "If your going to be
drinking with /us/, then you should fear. Just like Marcus does." Okay, so
maybe Marcus doesn't 'fear', but he is looking at the younger greenriders
strangely.

Kassima volunteers, "I'll bet that she could, if'n she got truly creative
about it. L'nan was here earlier--went off with a few women, flirting,
which is how the subject of him spawning came up. Is Marcus afraid again?
You didn't burn off his eyebrows, did you?"

K'ran's shoulders lift and fall in a mild shrug. "I'm not trying to find
the underside of any tables, tonight," he allows. "I've to be up in the
morning to help M'teh mastermind drills anyway." A sip of that drink, and
he turns a guileless look upon Talisha. "Go ahead," he challenges, with
light smile on his lips and glint in his eyes.

Alessandra leans back on the barstool against the bar itself -- though not
back far -- and hooks a chair with her foot, setting her feet in it. "One
more -- a brown, Marcus, if you would." The inevitable brown dragon; t'is a
miracle she'd held off from it for so long. "I'd like to see you make K'ran
scared of you, Tali. And Marcus isn't afraid of us, are you, Marcus?" The
bartender just shoots her a look that's half amusement and half exhasperation.

Talisha's expression turns from smug to a little startled--she didn't
expect K'ran to challenge her to /do/ it afterall. "Another one of those
golds, if you would.." she mutters to Marcus, downing the last of her
second glass before accepting the third. She swallows all of this too in
one gulp, then slams the glass upon the counter. "Fine. I will make him
fear." So she slips off her stool, and heads for one of the tables--but to
do /what/, she likely doesn't even know.

Kassima quietly gags. "*Alessi*," she complains, patting her pockets to
find the now-necessary mint-stick, "I've finally gotten over the daily
nausea; you have t'bring it back by drinking one of *those*? Anyway. This I
do have t'see. Go for it, Tali. Make him quiver like a malerider should."

Marcus pours Alessandra a mug of Brown Dragon.

Marcus hands Alessandra the drink.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima decides to add 'Make him quiver like a malerider
should' to her list of things a character has said that should not be taken
out of context.

Telgar Weyr> Alessandra dies.

Telgar Weyr> Talisha rolls. Kassi../bad/.

K'ran keeps that hopeful smile, those dancing eyes, aimed at Talisha even
as he continues to nurse his drink. "Quiver like a malerider should?" he
wonders, though. "Depends on the particular kind of quivering, I'd expect.
Quivering with passion -- now that shouldn't be too hard at all, not for
Talisha."

Telgar Weyr> I'sai groans. Sleepily.

Telgar Weyr> K'ran goes from accidentally getting high on toluene fumes to
nearly snorting green putty.

Telgar Weyr> Talisha eyes K'ran. /How/ do you nearly snort green putty?

Telgar Weyr> K'ran is trying to MUSH and drink soda and fill veeeery tiny
gaps in pewter miniature bases all at the same time. Recipe for disaster.

"That isn't the sort of quivering I meant," Kassi hastens to assure, droll.
"Since she'll be doing it where we can *see*. I meant frightened quivering,
as you full well know."

Lysseth> Lorieth backwings to a landing.

Lysseth> J'lyn slides down Lorieth's shoulder to her forelimb, then jumps
to the ground.

Lysseth> Eyes glinting aqua in the pale moonlight, Indrath bids Lorieth
soft-rumbling welcome from where he crouches, just at the water's edge.

Lysseth> Kiyoth croons sleepily to Lorieth; the younger green is floating
half in, half out of the water.

Alessandra silently nurses her drink, sipping at it occasionally as she
watches the others with amused grins.

Lysseth> Lysseth does not croon, but only because she sleeps, melted into a
comfortable sprawl not far from where the ocean begins. At least she isn't
snoring.

Lysseth> Imanath warbles softly to Lorieth from her sprawled position on
the sand, talons stretched right out

Lysseth> J'lyn dismounts and unbuckles a small package off the back of
Lorieth's straps as the big green settles in.

Lysseth> J'lyn wanders down the jungle path to the west.

"I am /not/ going to make K'ran quiver in pleasure." Talisha states
plainly, primly, as she turns upon one heel to face the others. "At least
not in front of you all." Here she grins, sending a sly wink to the
bronzerider before she attempts to hop up onto the table backwards.
"Well.." Her nose wrinkles, as she attempts to think up some way to make
the rider quake in his boots. Quaking in fear. "Shards. How do you two do it?"

Alessandra raises an eyebrow Kassima's way before eyeing Talisha, a bemused
smile hovering about her lips. "I'm just myself, Tali."

<Weavers> Eoin says, "No way! You'd have to come to the hall and RP to find
out about this mysterious baby that Eoin seems to have "aquired.""

<Weavers> Katlynn chokes.

<Weavers> I'sai swears he had nothing to do with it.

<Weavers> Eoin starts the Pern blackmarket for babies, using the weaverhall
as his front.

<Weavers> Katlynn chokes. /Again/. I'sai, you are bad.

<Weavers> I'sai says, "...On the other hand... depending on the cut of the
profits... *grins at Kat*"

<Weavers> Eoin says, "I'll give you 40% of my profits if you steal all the
rider babies for me. Simple folk will pay a good price for the babies of
riders. They think they're special for some reason."

J'lyn climbs up from the caves below.

"Thankee," is Kassi's heartfelt reply to Tali. "You're entirely too kind,
and I'm sure Tarlo will also thank you. How do I? Knives, Emasculators,
blackmail, tent peg-shaped pastries, and telling the Weyrlings they're
training that they wear underpants with little red hearts. Among other
things. Depends on the man."

<Weavers> I'sai says, "Strange. Well! What kind of profits would this be
40% of? ;)"

J'lyn pulls himself through the trapdoor, and waves. "Sooooo. This is where
I was dragged off to, on the whim of a dragon."

<Weavers> Eoin says, "I think a healthy baby is worth at least a quarter
mark. At the very least."

<Weavers> I'sai eyes Kassima thoughtfully. I'd give you a full third. ;)

<Weavers> I'sai says, "(Of mine.)"

<Weavers> Eoin chuckles

<Weavers> Katlynn will pay to own the I'sai/Kassima baby. >;)

<Weavers> Kassima says, "I'sai, no selling our unborn child on the black
market! Bad bronzerider. Very bad. ;)"

K'ran might seem disappointed but for that wink of Talisha's, and drawls,
"Knives, I've got my own. Emasculators... I've years experience dodging
pots thrown by angry Holder mothers. Blackmail? What's to blackmail me
about? And tent peg-shaped pastries... I've -no- idea what that's all about."

<Weavers> Eoin laughs

J'lyn wanders over to the bar and orders himself a Sea Spike. Oooh,
startin' off early, old man. Accepting the glass from Marcus, he walks over
to Talisha and hands her the brown paper-wrapped package he brought with
him. "These, I believe, belong to you."

Alessandra waves cheerily enough to J'lyn; the greenrider is settled with
her feet on a chair, sitting backwards on a barstool with her back against
the bar.

<Weavers> I'sai cozens, "I'm sure it's only gray... or, or, what are the
weaver colors again, lavender or purple or whatever..."

<Weavers> I'sai says, "How much would you pay, Katlynn? O:)"

Kassima admits, "Neither do I, actually, but they certainly disturbed
R'ehn. Although R'ehn, I seem t'scare just by breathing. Poor man. For
*you*, I don't have blackmail--remember, it depends on the man. I'm nay
certain what I'd do with you. At least, without playing dirty, which I
don't really like t'do. Hey, Jal--what's in the package?"

Talisha, perched upon a table with her legs swinging over the edge, simply
blinks as the package is set in her lap. "Oh. Hm. Thanks." And yes, she
does look scared. But she unrolls and unravels, whipping out the pants
quickly. "Oh, they're lovely J'lyn! But what for..." And it's then that she
turns them around--and spots the buttless section. "Oh." She grins then,
jumping down from the table. "I think maybe I should model them all for you
right now." A glance goes to K'ran, and she offers: "I'll make you quiver
later." But /which/ type of quivering she doesn't say.

J'lyn grins -ever- so evilly. "Why, Kassi, I come in here dressed like
this, with a package, given freely to a young greenrider, and you have to
ask what's in there?"

<Weavers> Katlynn ponders that. It /would/ be pretty scarey spawn. Be
usefull around the hall.. Hmm..

<Weavers> Kassima sniffles. "But, Is, the kidlet might grow up to make
buttless leather pants if we sell him or her to a Weaver. That would just
be wrong!"

<Weavers> Eoin laughs

Alessandra notes, calmly, quietly enough from her seat -- "Don't forget
about Tarlo, now." J'lyn gets eyed, again, as if really seeing his outfit
for the first time, and emits a low whistle. "Niiiice, J'lyn, I approve."
Not like it matters, /but/.

<Weavers> Katlynn says, "Yay! Sell the kid to me so I can teach it to make
BLP's and put J'lyn out of business!"

<Weavers> I'sai hmms. Very, -very- wrong. ...I'll have to think about this
one overnight. Let me know what happens. ;)

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn bum-bum-BUMS! Another BLP clad greenrider. :)

Telgar Weyr> I'sai congratulates J'lyn ;) ...waves to Terryll! and wishes
you all (at long last) a good night. :)

Telgar Weyr> Terryll is -so- glad she rides blue.. :P *snug Is!*

Telgar Weyr> Talisha snugsa I'sai ni-night.

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn grins. Terryll and K'ran are the only two riders on the
knot right now without BLPs. :)

Telgar Weyr> Kassima waffles good night to Is. :) Dream sweet!

Telgar Weyr> I'sai says somberly, "Doesn't mean you're safe, Terryll,
doesn't mean... exactly." ;)

That assurance tugs one corner of K'ran's mouth upwards into an
anticipatory smile, and he leans back in his chair to favor J'lyn with a
pleasant-enough wave. "G'd'eve, sir -- hm? How could I forget Tarlo?"

J'lyn grins and raises his Sea Spike in K'ran's general direction. "You
drink enough of these and you'll forget everything."

Kassima explains a bit morosely, "'Twas *hoping* the guess might be wrong,
Jal." It's good-natured moroseness, though. "And if'n we're getting into
the modelling of buttless pants, methinks 'tis definitely time for me t'get
back to the Weyr."

J'lyn smirks at Kassi. "And this is how the most Feared greenrider at
Telgar reacts? I'm disappointed..."

Alessandra cackles, then grins at Kassima. "G'night, then, Kassi. G'luck
rousing Lysseth."

"K'ran would look nice in buttless leather pants." Talisha comments lightly
as she strolls up to the bar, orderning only her fourth drink of the night.
This she sips at slowly, very slowly compared to how Marcus is used to
seeing the greenrider drink. "Night Kassi?" The pants are just in her lap
afterall.

Kassima rolls her eyes at the older greenrider. "Jal, Jal, what does fear
have t'do with nay having a yen t'see other women wear buttless pants?
Besides, I've disappointment to contend with. Tali said she could make
K'ran quiver with fear, but now she's nay going to, and 'tis terribly
depressing." She attempts to look terribly depressed, fittingly.

K'ran's smile widens at J'lyn's suggestion, and he lifts his own glass --
containing some adventurous concoction not found on the menu -- in a vague
toast towards the weyrsecond. "You think so?" he prompts Talisha, then,
head tilted in feigned pensiveness. "You don't think they'd -- clear skies,
Kassima -- make me look fat?"

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn models his pants. "Do these make my ass look big?"

Alessandra picks up and quite firmly launches a cracker at K'ran.

Telgar Weyr> K'ran says, "I have my mother's thighs. I've just got to
accept it."

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn agrees, K'ran. Childbirthing hips. :)

Telgar Weyr> Terryll no comments. To any of you. Yeesh!

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn is kidding, of course. :)

"Well why don't you try them on so we can find out?" Talisha suggests to
K'ran, holding up her new pants and shaking them about. "You can try this
on if'n you'd like. I wouldn't protest to the view."

J'lyn raises an eyebrow, and as he takes a sip of his drink, mutters into
the glass, "Me either."

Pelted with a cracker, K'ran's thoughtful mein breaks into a chuckle; and
after a moment's study of Talisha's pants, shakes his head ruefully. "You
could cover me in butter from the waist down and -still- not squeeze me
into those things, Tali, they're so small. No, I'm afraid I'd need a custom
fit."

Alessandra just, sedately, lounges. Nothing more, nothing less. Marcus
continues to eye her as if she's ill.

Telgar Weyr> K'ran says, "That's an image people probably didn't need."

Kassima does pick up her juice glasses to take them to wherever dirty
glasses go, but she pauses before actually leaving. "I don't suppose you're
terrified by the idea of wearing those pants?" she asks K'ran rather
hopefully. "Nay even quivering a little bit? Shardit. Life just is nay fair
sometimes."

Telgar Weyr> Talisha cackles. Now that gives me an idea..

Telgar Weyr> Kassima should sleep, needs to sleep, should've gone to sleep
hours ago, and yet I just have to see what this idea is first. ;)

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn says, "Cover you in butter??"

Telgar Weyr> Terryll takes one look at where you all are hiding, and does
-not- want to know...

Telgar Weyr> K'ran says, "Telgar: PernMUSH's train wreck."

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "So horrifying that you just can't look away!"

Telgar Weyr> Alessandra says, "I reiterate. It's like the Cheshire Cat
said. "We're all mad here.""

Talisha leans right across the counter. /Right/ meaning that her entire
upper torso is stretched across the surface, and she threatens to fall
head-first over the other side. She makes a grab for a little dish filled
with some oily subtance, then climbs back onto her stool and holds it up,
"This do? It's not butter.. but we could cover you, K'ran, in it.." And
please ignore sly curving of her lips. It's the drink. Really.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Well, of course, Alessi. A'lex has secretly
infected our water with his cocaine supply."

Telgar Weyr> Alessandra chokes.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Meaning that we now drink the same kind of
water that Anne McCaffrey must. ;)"

Telgar Weyr> Talisha dies laughing.

Telgar Weyr> K'ran suddenly gets this image of A'lex as Sherlock Holmes,
madly shooting up with cocaine to relieve the boredom of his existence.

J'lyn grins at K'ran. "Boyo, you could borrow mine, if you want. I'm sure
they'd fit you."

Telgar Weyr> Alessandra falls out of her chair giggling.

Telgar Weyr> Terryll oh dears...

Telgar Weyr> <Kassima> "That's not tobacco in your pipe, is it, sir?"
"Brilliant deduction, Watson."

"Maybe sometime, sir," K'ran allows to J'lyn, with another chuckle, even as
he inspects the contents of that dish. "What -is- it? Tell me L'nan didn't
sneeze into there..."

Alessandra nose-crinkles over at J'lyn, amusedly. "You just want to get him
out of his pants, sweets."

J'lyn scowls at K'ran. "You have been warned. You are NOT to call me sir.
You're no longer a weyrling."

"Hoo, boy," mutters Kassi, dropping back into a seat quite against her own
will. "You're kidding. Right, Tali? You're kidding? You're nay really going
t'strip K'ran's pants off and cover him in whatever that is and try
t'squeeze him into those pants while everyone watches? Because if'n you
are--if'n you *are*--then that is going t'have t'break whatever record
there is for 'Most Disturbing Action Performed Here,' and, why, everyone
will be witnessing history."

J'lyn says "More disturbing that conceiving our children here, Kassi?"

Kassima affirms, if not without a blush, "Much. M'memory isn't very good,
but I don't recall butter being involved, after all."

Marcus coughs loudly and mutters, "Then you probably don't remember the
redfruit paste, either."

"Oh go /on/ K'ran!" Talisha whines, lips curling into one of those pretty
pouts she's gone down perfectly lately. "You'll slip-slide right into the
pants and--Kassi, you concieved in here?--and then we can all check you
out." Yes, Tali does run her gaze over the bronzerider, and cough
oh-so-delicately. "L'nan /didn't/ sneeze in here. It's like an oil I
think." She sniffs at it, then offers it out. It smells a little spicey,
like a rub used on meat, only oily.

J'lyn blushes hard at that, suddenly finding his drink -very- interesting.

Alessandra eyes first J'lyn, then Kassima, then takes a pointed interest in
K'ran and Talisha. T'is safer that way.

Chastened by J'lyn's rebuke -- though just for a moment -- K'ran resumes
his study of the contents of Talisha's dish, going so far as to sniff
gingerly at it. "You're wanting me to marinate my wedding tackle," he
decides, but gamely begins kicking off his boots.

Thunk. That would be the sound of Kassi's forehead hitting the table. "Nay
anyone heard that," she informs the room at large--and in response to
Talisha, "'Tis a very long, very strange, very insane story, and really,
you're welcome t'ask Jal about it, because I remember naught and that's
m'story and I'm sticking to it--your *what*, K'ran?"

"Wedding tackle?" K'ran repeats, innocently, for Kassima's benefit. "Riding
gear? Wife's best friend? Give me a moment; I can come up with a few
more..." And now, boots off, he's unbuckling his belt.

Alessandra begins methodically launching crackers at K'ran, aiming for the
spot t'wixt his eyebrows.

It's with saucer-eyes that Talisha watches K'ran stepping out of his boots,
and she reaches back with her free hand to snatch up one of the strange
concoctions Marcus has set upon the bar. She drinks that down hastily, then
offers, "Go on, make up some more." Eyes widen yet further as K'ran goes to
unbuckle that belt, and she sneaks a look to Alessi. "It's too bad we never
showed him the 'K'ryn handful test'."

Alessandra pauses in her launching of crackers to point an accusatory
finger Tali's way. "I am not going to have K'ran do the handful test on
either of us. Tarlo'd kill us."

J'lyn, for all of his bluster and flirting, blushes even deeper, completely
downing the Sea Spike completely. Bolting for the bar, a Green Dragon is
soon in his hands.

Kassima manages, somehow, to summon enough composure to repeat wisely and
with a straight face, "Oh. The wild tunnelsnake. Why didn't you just *say*
so?" She will not, will *not* ask about the handful test; will instead
suggest to Alessi, "Aim the crackers lower."

Talisha, after a moment's thought, says, "Oh yeah. Tarlo. No handful tests."

K'ran lifts a forearm to fend off the barrage of crackers, and this makes
it that much more difficult to step out of trous. But eventually, clad in
his shirt and a pair of undershorts, he sweeps a finger through the
contents of Talisha's dish. "This isn't going to make me break out in a
rash, is it?"

Alessandra continues lobbing crackers at K'ran, then gives up and starts
having fun lobbing them around the bronzerider at various sailors, nailing
several of them right between the eyes.

[Editor's Note:  And lo, at this point it occured to everyone that it was
insanely late, and we all cheated and went home.  I am assured that it 
can safely be assumed that K'ran was indeed marinated, however.]