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Tapestry of Fate


Date:  August 14, 1997
Places:  Ista Weyr's Southeast Bowl and Hatching Galleries
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:  Though this log's title was inspired by Mart's Turnday
gift at the very end, there's plenty more to it than that.  The Benden
Contingent has invaded Ista to check on their Searched resident Makeda
and get a peek at the eggs.  Kassi joins them, and thus has the 
opportunity to meet several Candidates (some of whom she'd know in
other capacities, later), and also to prove that she really would 
*not* castrate a man if asked to do so.

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The Log:

<*> Lysseth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

The huge looming entrances of the living caverns are easily visible from
here, and you glide downward to land, scattering firelizards as you do so.

<*> Makeda smiles at the Benden dragons. "It's nice to see them all again."

<*> Kindre walks out of the living cavern.

<*> Suzot walks out of the living cavern.

<*> Tairell walks out of the living cavern.

<*> Lysseth rumbles her greetings to the various dragons, landing neatly
near the others of the Benden Contingent and settling herself comfortably.
"Benden's duties to Ista and her queens," Kassi hastens to call while
freeing herself from the straps.

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.

"Kassi," Kindre calls up cheerily to Lysseth and her rider, "Herath said
you both were gracing Ista's skies. Just in time, too. We're about to peek
at the eggs."

Prometh nearly snores in the sun, so relaxed is he--he barely twitches a
tail tip when K'tyn passes him by. "To the right, you said, Makeda?" Kiat
blinks back the tears that have sparked in his eyes from the brilliat light.

Makeda peers intently at the green landing in the bowl. "Is it? Oh, it is!
It's Kassima. Kassi, Kassi. Welcome to Ista!"

R'val walks out of the living cavern.

Tesith watches the Benden dragons with great interest from where she lays
near the bowl entrance.

Makeda nods at K'tyn. "That big entrance over there." She points to the
Hatching Ground entrance.

Suzot blinks as well as her eyes adjust to the bright sunshine gleaming off
Prometh's hide.

Merien walks out of the living cavern.

Kassima laughs, pulling off her helmet and hooking it to Lysseth's straps.
"Fortuitous timing I have then, aye?" She tugs off gloves and jacket,
hanging them beside the helmet, then salutes K'tyn briskly. "Heyla,
Weyrleader. Makeda! Shells, lass, 'tis good t'be seeing you again! How goes
it with you?"

R'val walks out with his hands in his pockets, saying over his shoulder
with a smile, "Merien, your father's ale is superb."

Benden Weyr> Kassima laughs! Oh, I like that image, yes I do.

Benden Weyr> Sionelle peers at the +rwho now. What're you all doing at Ista?

K'tyn shifts his helm from one arm to the other as he moves toward the
indicated entrance. "Kassima! I thought that was Lysseth, there, but this
sun is so bright, I was nnot sure."

Benden Weyr> Kindre says, "invading....moohahahahaha ;)"

Benden Weyr> Suzot says, "Visiting Makeda and the Eggs."

T'rod reaches up to gently caress Beltanth's muzzle. "I don't know," he
replies to the bronze. "I really don't."

Makeda heads towards Kassima and wraps her in a warm hug. "You came. You
came! I've missed you! Had any raw wherry lately?" She pats the greenrider
on the back with affection.

Benden Weyr> Kassima is visiting/invading along with the other lunatics. ;)

Benden Weyr> K'tyn likes the Invading part.:)

Merien grins, pleased, and says, "Thank you. Are you going to peer at the
eggs?" She pats Tesith on the leg as she finishes the orange.

Benden Weyr> Sionelle grins, and should send her candidate alt out to get
y'all.

Benden Weyr> K'tyn oohs! do it.

Benden Weyr> Kindre has one of those, too...hee :) Tho I'd mav for sure :b ;)

R'val smiles, nodding to Merien as he glances towards the grounds tunnel,
"Certainly am."

Benden Weyr> Jazmin should send Yazric out to get his bdw dose. ;)

High above the bowl, Sinteth glides lower into the bowl, her huge size
dwarfed by the immensity of the bowl around her.

Kassima hugs Makeda back with equal warmth, after turning enough to one
side to make sure that Kaylira won't get squished in the process. "Raw
wherry? Shells, nay--entirely the wrong time of Turn for that, m'friend.
What of you--been serving any of it recently?" She winks briefly, then
looks over to the Weyrleader. "Aye, 'tis I. Lysseth blabbed that you lot
were a-visiting, so I thought we might follow suit."

Merien glances to Tesith again and nods, then asks, "Mind if I tag along? I
haven't looked at them in a while."

Benden Weyr> Kelset yawns a bit, waves, and smiles before asking, "What're
you all up to /now/?"

T'rod looks back, watching Kh'gar move up to his weyr, then hugs Beltanth's
muzzle for a moment. "All right. Let's go home."

Prometh yawns and opens his eyes, peering about with an almost physical
distaste at the sight and sound of so many humans clustered in the bowl
before sighing resignedly and resting his head on the warmed surface of the
bowl.

Benden Weyr> T'fian bounces happily, anytime I get the warning of too much
mail, it's a good thing. :)

Yazric walks out of the living cavern.

Benden Weyr> Kindre hee's and hugsa Tifmeister! :)

Benden Weyr> E'ryn chuckles at T'fian.

Benden Weyr> Kindre also snugs her Harperman :)

Benden Weyr> T'fian ACK. Ista's here. Oh, wait. It's just E'ryn. ;)

K'tyn ambles toward the hatching grounds entrance, an almost too eager
expression in his face.

Benden Weyr> K'tyn laughs. :)

Benden Weyr> Kelset grins, snugging Kin back. Hard to remain sleepy after a
snug like that.

Benden Weyr> K'tyn thought--for just a sec--that you'd said K'tyn, Tiffy.

Benden Weyr> Kindre says, "s'okay, we're invading Istaa instead :)"

Benden Weyr> Kassima coffeesnugs a Tiffy, and gets that warning all too
frequently.... :) She also snugs a Kelt. We're invading the foreign soil!

Benden Weyr> E'ryn is the first invasionary force. Didn't you know?

Suzot crosses her arms over her abdomen, showing no eagerness except by
following readily whenever steps are made towards the Hatching Grounds.

Benden Weyr> T'fian acks! K'tyn's here. :) Who's invading Ista? We already
invaded Ista. :) So any invasion they may mount would be like coming back
home for them. :)

Makeda walks into the Hatching Grounds through one of the large entrances.

K'tyn walks into the Hatching Grounds through one of the large entrances.

Suzot walks into the Hatching Grounds through one of the large entrances.

Tairell walks into the Hatching Grounds through one of the large entrances.

Yazric scuffs out into the bowl, absently kicking at a stone as he wanders.
He pauses to look up and his face brightens as he recognizes Benden dragons.

Benden Weyr> Kelset snugs Kassima. Invasion, hmm?

R'val walks into the Hatching Grounds through one of the large entrances.

Merien smiles to Yazric. "Heyla. How are you?"

Kindre walks into the Hatching Grounds through one of the large entrances.

You walk in through one of the large entrances to the hatching grounds,
your eyes adjusting slowly to the dimness within.

You climb some stairs into the galleries.

K'tyn is leaning over the rail, peering down at the eggs. "I never tire of
looking at them! My goodness, what a great lot of them there are," he says
quietly.

Tairell whispers, "The sand in the hatching ground is black, too!"

Benden Weyr> E'ryn is wierd, and wonders what he just said.

Benden Weyr> K'tyn is spammed to death, E'ryn, and missed anything anyone
said. :)

K'tyn grins at at Tairell. "Different than the sands at Benden, aye, lad?"

Kindre's eyes widen as she, too, gazes off towards the gold egg. "She did?
Crackdust...Leilanth never let us near hers. Never took her eyes off of it,
to be true, except to glare at us."

Makeda grins at Tairell and nods. "It's the only hatching ground on Pern
like that." To K'tyn she points out the rainbow egg. "Except for the gold
egg that one is my favorite. I wonder what color it holds?"

Kassima follows shortly after Kindre, settling in beside her friends with
Kaylira on her lap. "Y'know, I don't believe I've been here since the last
Hatching... aye, Kiat-sir! I heard a rumor 'twere thirty and nine in total.
Quite a respectable number, 'tis nay?"

Tairell nods, still staring wide-eyed at the sands.

R'val grins at Tairell, "Land of the Black Sands, that's Ista." He slides
into a seat, grinning at Makeda, "It'l be interesting to find out, eh?"

Makeda sighs. "It feels just like the others, but you /know/ what color
that one holds."

Zorah hisses slightly, wings mantling as she hovers on the banister
protectively. She scolds the humans in a shrieking chittery voice. Seem's
she's being a little protective of the eggs too.

K'tyn shakes his head. "I was here, long ago. Before Vidarth snared me from
Igen Weyr...I was overwhelmed then. And I nearly am, now."

Makeda giggles. "I talked to the dragonette inside. I felt really silly,
but you never know. Maybe they can hear you."

"And you can almost never find anyone willing to bet with you on it,
either," Kassi sighs with mock-regret.

Benden Weyr> T'fian bought a new video card today. :) Just in case you
wanted to know. Which I'm sure you don't. :) But it's nice to have 800 x
600 resolution again. Just my way of adding to the frowned-upon knot spam.
:) I'll shut up now, I promise. :)

Makeda laughs and then puts her hand over her mouth, mindful of Neith.

Benden Weyr> Suzot is thrilled because I sent someone to do something for
me, and he actually did it, and the results are now MINE MINE MINE>

Benden Weyr> Kindre giggles at T'fian :)

Benden Weyr> Sionelle hopes this didn't involve a mafia murder and the
delivery of body parts, Suzot.

Benden Weyr> Suzot says, "Well.. Why do you ask?"

Benden Weyr> T'fian cheats on his ethics tests. :)

Makeda nudges Kassima with her hand. "I think T'rod or T'bin have the
betting going on. You should speak to them while your here."

Benden Weyr> K'tyn grins at t'fian. :)

R'val chortles, "Betting, feh."

Zorah folds her wings in against her sides most majestically, and keeps a
watchful eyes on the mortals.

Kindre sits very quietly for a few moments while she studies the eggs.
Perhaps she's just studying them, or perhaps thinking back to her own days
as a Candidate. Whatever the case, she finally manages to blink her mind
out of *between* "Oh, I know T'bin has a scroll or the like in the living
cavern..."

Suzot prowls around the edge of the room, watching the people in it as much
as she watches the eggs on the Sands, perhaps more.

K'tyn smiles at Makeda. "I am sure that the dragonet heard you indeed, " he
murmurs, his attention caught by the red and black egg.

Makeda sighs and leans forward. "I've only been to one hatching. I never
thought I'd be on the Sands at my next one."

R'val smiles, "No hatching will ever be quite like it for you, Makeda.'

Kassima laughs quietly, shaking her head. "Ach, nay--I only bet on the
contents of Benden eggs; saves marks that way when I'm wrong. Though I
might have to see about placing a wager on the first color to hatch. Blue,
'twill be." Her eyes seem fixed on the eggs even as she speaks. "I rather
like the looks of that one," she remarks, nodding towards the cobalt
night-dark egg.

Makeda blinks at K'tyn. "Do you really think so? I just told them we were
anxious to meet them and looking forward to their breaking their shells."

Tairell says decisively, "I like the violet one."

From the Hatching Sands, Habrith lies with his head facing the Mahagony
Creme egg. After a moment of seemingly serene contemplation, he rears up
from his relaxed pose in order to pack a fresh layer of sand around the
egg. Once he's satisfied he lies back down on the dark Istan sands.

Makeda chuckles at Habrith. "He must think that one is a bronze. That's
/his/ favorite egg."

Benden Weyr> E'ryn wonders what everyone's up to?

Benden Weyr> R'val says, "Egg watching at Ista, E'ryn."

Benden Weyr> Kindre noddles...we drag you to Benden and then sneak off to
Ista ;)

Benden Weyr> Alexi says, "Trying to make the damn search table sign up
thingy work..."

K'tyn grins. "Perhaps it is. I am not sure? I know that Prometh
was...enamored more of Daelyth than the eggs on the sands."

"A scroll or the like?" Kassi asks, intrigued, before turning her gaze to
the Mahogany Cream egg. "Green," she decides.

Makeda's gaze rest on the gold egg for a moment before turning to the
Rainbow egg.

Benden Weyr> Kindre says, "Alexi! :) It doesn't quite work yet...the times
aren't up. You can page a Searchrider to see if they are available to do it
:)"

Benden Weyr> Suzot says, "What's not up?"

Benden Weyr> Alexi says, "I don't want to bother anyone..."

Kindre nods her head slowly while her eyes lock on the violet egg.
"Mm-hmm," she notes to Kassima before breaking loose her sights. "Thera, I
believe, made a bet the other eve on it. I never managed to read it over
myself, though."

Benden Weyr> T'fian grins at Alexi and points at Kindre and K'tyn. Hey,
being bothered is what they get paid the big bucks for. :)

Makeda blinks at Kindre. "You think that egg that Habrith likes is green?"
She stares at the egg more intently. "Wouldn't he know?" She gestures at
the big bronze.

Benden Weyr> Kindre looks at an empty marks pouch..."Huh??" ;)

Makeda chuckles at K'tyn. "I've heard from Rivael, he's from Igen, all
about that last hatching cycle. I almost feel like I know the people at
Igen now."

Kassima tears her eyes from the clutch with some difficulty to peer at
Kindre. "Did she, now? I might have to give this scroll the once-over...
hmmm? I think 'tis green, certes. Mayhaps that's why he likes it." She
grins, a trace impishly. "I remember Ularrith thinking that half his clutch
should be brown, like him, and half should be greens to chase."

R'val hrms, "NO, he wouldn't. I don't think anyone does, even the mother."

K'tyn grins at the others as he looks away from his detailed study of the
eggs on the sands below. "A green? Likely. Or, mayhaps a sturdy blue or
brown. I wish I had a way to peer into the shells, to see."

Makeda sighs and leans forward. "I just hope one of them likes me."

K'tyn mutters to Makeda, "If... do not, you... always... a... at..."

Chegaren climbs up some stairs into the seats.

Makeda smiles softly at K'tyn. "Thank you, that means alot."

Kindre chuckles softly and bobs her head to Kassima. "Shards, if I'd've had
a quartermark for each guess on which Ularrith was wrong..." she remarks
with a smirk. Shifting a bit in her seat, her boot heels lift to rest on
the chairs edge. I think that violet one will hatch a bronze...mayhaps brown."

K'tyn nods as Chegaren comes up the stairs, greeting him. "Benden's duty,
he says quietly, looking back at the eggs.

Makeda waves to Chegaren. "Heya, Chegger. These are friends of mine from
Benden."

"I could certes wish the same," Kassi agrees with the Weyrleader, sighing
faintly. "'Twould save me a fair number of marks! I'm wrong more oft than
right, 'twould seem. Order's what I'm better at guessing. Yet, would that
nay take all the fun from it?" The greenrider looks up at the Candidate in
the... apron? Yes, apron. "Benden's duties to Ista and her queens," she
echoes, "and g'deve t'you, Candidate."

R'val smiles at Makeda and pats her shoulder sympathetically, "Of course
you do. And we hope for you. I know it's hard to wait."

Makeda points to each as she names them. "K'tyn, R'val, Kindre, Kassima,
Suzot, and Tairell."

Tairell stirs himself and speaks up. "I think the cobalt one has a brown in
it."

Chegaren clambers up the stairs, heavy shoes making quite a racket on the
stone until he comes to a startled halt in front of the crowd. He's
expecially startled by a weyrleader offering Benden's duty to him, of all
people, an apron clad, flour-spattered, addleheaded ninny of a candidate.
Opening his mouth to say something gracious in reply, he comes up blank,
and ends up gaping like a fish.

Makeda grins at Kassima. "Should be soon so they tell me."

"Well met, Chegaren," Kindre offers and smiles, "Benden's duties to you."

" What makes you think that, hm?" K'tyn asks, not looking away from the eggs.

Suzot keeps staring at the grey-swirled egg whose shell bears what seem to
be faces. "That's the kind that should be Gold," she whispers.

Makeda giggles at Chegaren. "He reminds me of my little brother," she
confides to R'val.

Kindre nods her head slowly, eyes having returned to glance over the ovals
strewn across the black sands. "They look hard enough to shatter now..."
she cautions to guess.

Kassima studies the cobalt egg for a moment, then shakes her head. "I have
to dissent; I think blue--though mayhaps that's altogether too obvious,
eh?" Absently, she reaches up to pull Kaylira's arm down before the baby
can get a death grip on Kindre's knot. "Soon? A matter of sevendays, think
they? 'Tis what I'd hazard, but guessing such things is nay m'forte."

Chegaren bobs once at the knees when Kindre addresses him, the gesture half
a bow and half a curtsey, but completely, one hundred percent harried.
"Thank you, ma'am," he pipes up in a polite, but high-pitched voice.

R'val grins at Makeda, 'He does? WEll, I didn't have a little brother,
m'self. Only older brothers."

Kindre pulls her eyes away from the grounds and grins at Chegaren. "Kindre
will do just fine, honestly," she says before idling to goo-goo at Kaylira.
Turning back, she wonders, "Have you any ideas what may hatch from what?
We're all making guesses."

On Kassi's lap, Kaylira giggles at the silly goldrider; she seems much less
enamoured of the eggs than her mother, who doesn't look away. "What d'you
think will come from that rainbowed-white egg?" she asks of whoever may be
listening.

K'tyn smiles at Chegaren, a warm smile that flares wider as he sees Kaylira
nearby. A wistful look passes across his face, and he turns for just a
moment to look in the direction of Igen Weyr.

Makeda leans towards Kassi. "Oh, that's my favorite. What do you thing?"

Benden Weyr> K'tyn wows. We rule. :) +grwho.

Benden Weyr> R'val snugs a Rosalen!

Tairell says, "Blue," sounding convinced.

Makeda manages a silly face or too at Kaylira. "Heya, you've gotten big
while I've been away."

Benden Weyr> Caitria peers at the +grwho, after a bit of lag, and hms.
We're pretty much whomping butt, too.

Kindre's hand cover and uncover her face as her sights fall again to
Kassima's daughter. "Here I am..." she says before the muffled, "now I'm
gone..." Doing this a couple of moments, she then looks up at Kaylira's
mother. "Hrm. Mayhaps bronze?"

Benden Weyr> E'ryn chuckles.

Chegaren darts a glance at Makeda once the Weyrwoman's back is turned, and
his eyebrow arches up over one of his eyes. Makeda, the candidate who tried
to get him killed, shoed him into the sand, tripped him and shoved him and
probably stole his slippers-- Makeda is friends with the Benden
weyrleaders. Life is just not fair. He decides to make up for it by edging
to the other side of the row she's in, treading on her foot as he goes.

Benden Weyr> E'ryn says, "But Ista Weyr is in close second!"

Benden Weyr> Kindre thinks we should keep adding these Visitor types :)

Kassima replies without hesitation, "Green. *Possibly* bronze, but I would
think green--there's just something about it that makes me think of the
color."

Makeda winces. "I was sorta hoping the rainbow egg would hold a green."

Benden Weyr> Caitria pishes, mumbling something about Sharding Istans (tm) ;)

Benden Weyr> R'val remembers the Good Old Days when Benden had the most
people day in day out ;)

Benden Weyr> K'tyn laughs.:)

R'val smile at Makeda, 'Is green your hope, th en?"

Benden Weyr> Alexi says, "What is that +grwho ? It looks dangerous!!"

Benden Weyr> Rosalen thinks there were only threee or four people on
earlier when she was logged in this afternoon...

Benden Weyr> T'fian says, "+grwho shows how many people each knot has online."

K'tyn blinks at Makeda. "You wish to be a green rider, then? A noble
apsiration."

On Kassi's lap, Kaylira laughs at the antics of the big-people--especially
Kindre. "She loves that game," Kassi informs the goldrider with a grin.
"And I think bronze is possible, but lean much more towards green... aye,
Makeda, she has! Nigh nine months old now, she is. And getting into more
trouble daily."

Makeda yelps as Chegaren passes by. "Hey! Watch where you step, Insect."
She turns to look at R'val. Chegaren meerly a passing iritant. "Actually,
I'll take anything. I'm not proud."

Benden Weyr> Alexi says, "Ahhhh, I see... all these little hidden
commands... someday I'll actually catch up..."

Benden Weyr> Kindre says, "s'okay, Alexi :) I'm still doing that after a
year ;)"

Benden Weyr> Suzot says, "We've still got more than the Candidate-laden
Weyr. :)"

Makeda smile at K'tyn. "But the greenriders I know, well, I like them so
much. I can't think that would be a bad thing, to ride a green."

Benden Weyr> Alexi says, "That's reassuring..."

Chegaren stops immediately on the other side of Makeda, and scowls at her.
"As if you have a choice," he says. "It's not like you pick and choose,
wherrybreath."

Makeda leans over and whispers to Chegaren. "Just...wait....on the floor."

Kindre coughcoughs at Makeda before winking. "Ah, well, that's what I had
hoped for," she admits with a smile. Chegaren's words, though, cause her to
wince just a bit, though she recovers quickly. "He is right, despite the
deliverly. Whoever is right for you will find you."

"Or nobody will," Chegaren can't help but point out. "Not everyone's going
to Impress." And surely not Makeda, if there's any justice in the world.

Kassima comments softly, "I'd certes say there's naught wrong with riding
green. A'course, this is coming from someone who dreamed of riding blue
when she stood. If'n your lifemate's out there, I guarentee, color won't
matter a whit t'you once they touch your mind."

Suzot watches people, not eggs, with all her icy reserve. At some unknown
stimulus, she turns and walks outside, arms crossing over her abdoment.

Suzot walks down the stairs towards the entrance.

R'val smiles at Makeda, "Good. Any dragon is a blessing, if you ask me."

Jennae climbs up some stairs into the seats.

Zorah starts scolding for no other reason but to make some noise and
frighten the humans a little.

Makeda smiles back at the Bendenites. "Will any of you try to come for the
hatching?"

K'tyn nods. 'I'll be here. I wouldn't miss it."

R'val spots Jennae and smiles at her.

Makeda glances at the firelizard, wondering what's got into it's hide and
waves to Jennae. "Here's another of my fellow candidates. "Jennae! Come
meet some people."

Jennae comes up the stairs slowly. Hands primly folded before her, she nods
and hellos--as appropriate. She retunrs R'val's smile brightly, and takes a
nearby seat.

Benden Weyr> Suzot says, "The rooms with the +search information are
BDW_BLDR owned, right? Not weyrs and the like?"

Makeda grins at K'tyn. "I only hope I manage to see you. Those candidates
at the Reaches didn't seem to see anything but eggs."

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Correct."

"I certainly will," Kindre assures Makeda and grins wide. "I'd love to see
you find your lifemate, should it happen this time around." She's few
doubts, but tries to sound as neutral as possible. Turning to regard
Jennae, she waves. "Well met, I'm Kindre, Herath's rider. Benden's duties
to you."

Benden Weyr> Suzot goes hunting for a spamless room, then. :)

"Wouldn't miss it for all the marks in V'dan's pocket," Kassi avows.
"'Twould be a crying shame t'miss seeing how you all fare... speaking of
which, how've Feya, Sileena, and Darvyn been doing? Well?" She raises one
hand to wave to Jennae, smiling.

Benden Weyr> Kindre noddles :)

Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "Weyrs who are parented to the Benden Parent
Room have it, though."

Benden Weyr> Suzot knows which one isn't, though. :) Ah well.

Chegaren takes the opportunity presented by Jennae's approach to slide down
to the far end of the galleries, and watch the eggs from there.

Tairell stands up, and, catching a Bendenite's eye, jerks his head toward
the entrance and trots out of the cavern.

Makeda grins. "You too, Kassima? Benden will be well represented then. They
are well. I think they are out cleaning the beach.

Tairell walks down the stairs towards the entrance.

Benden Weyr> Sionelle heys, all of you people visiting Ista? Nice to have
RPed with ya, says Chegaren, and he's leaving now. ;)

Benden Weyr> Caitria grins at Bubba Elle.

Benden Weyr> Suzot knew it.

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Well, the high quality of RP is telling, isn't it?"

Jennae nods to the riders in turn, smiling warmly. "Evening, and well met,
ma'ams." She tucks a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

Benden Weyr> Sionelle foos at Alysa Chegaren was a dolt tonight.

Benden Weyr> J'cob ??

Benden Weyr> Jazmin LOL! Yeah, and Yaz says he's still a sissy. ;)

R'val smiles at jennae, "How's candidacy for you?" He asks.

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Your doltish RP runs rings around most people's
best, Elle."

Benden Weyr> Kassima snorts at Elle. He wasn't that bad, for a guy in an
apron. ;)

Benden Weyr> Kindre says, "like mine ;) I have to bolt too for a bit :)"

Benden Weyr> Kindre cheats :)

Jennae nods at R'val, smiling easily. "It's been well--if a bit too long,
sir."

Benden Weyr> Sionelle laughs, and wishes y'all could really meet him. He's
a riot to play. He -is- a sissy, and a clumsy one, too.

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Glynna adores him."

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "But then...she's demented."

Benden Weyr> Caitria says, "Especially when he dyes her cat, or steals her
intimate apparel..."

Benden Weyr> Jazmin grins, he's great, I love him to pieces.

Benden Weyr> E'ryn has to agree. Glynna's demented.

Benden Weyr> Kassima blinkblinks. Glynna adores him? But then, I've only
seen that cat-dyeing log, which somehow gave me the impression that it was
otherwise. ;)

Benden Weyr> Caitria wuvs Glynna.

R'val smiles, "No need to call me sir, Jennae. And it'll all be over soon,
eh?"

Benden Weyr> Kassima worships Glynna.

Benden Weyr> Alyssa smirks. She's just a ball of anger and doesn't mind
stirring up trouble.

Benden Weyr> Kelset fears Glynna - is he the only one with a normal
reaction? ;)

Jennae bobs her head in a quick nod. "So they say." A light sigh is
followed by, "But, it's been a long while already."

Makeda eyes the little one again. "I can't believe I've been gone that
long. Why she was just born when I left."

R'val smiles at Jennae understandingly, "Oh, I know. It felt the same for me."

Kassima's eyes dart over the 'Sands, fastening first on this egg, then
that. "I think 'twill be a green in that pale egg," she notes to Makeda.
"The one that seems almost to be of glass. What think you?"

Benden Weyr> T'fian would happily feed Glynna to a watchwher.

Benden Weyr> Caitria has seen Glynna's good side, see? And misses Glynna.

Benden Weyr> Caitria <-- not subtle. ;)

Benden Weyr> Suzot says, "Cat-dying? I do /not/ want to know. *+quiets to
check on search help*"

Benden Weyr> Jazmin has never met Glynna.

Maehryn climbs up some stairs into the seats.

Benden Weyr> Alexi says, "Neither have I, and now I'm afraid to!"

Benden Weyr> R'val thinks Glynna is evil. :)

Benden Weyr> Caitria says, "Lots of people are evil, R'val. Look what Kassi
got me for a Turnday gift."

Makeda nods at the Benden greenrider. "I like that one too. Green you
think? Perhaps I'll talk to that one next time we're allowed on the Sands."
She waves to Maehryn. "Heya! Come meet R'val and Kassima. You just missed
K'tyn, Kindre, Suzot and Tairell."

Tanon climbs up some stairs into the seats.

Jennae summons up a bright smile as Maehyrn enters. She waves to him.
"Heyla, Maehryn!"

Benden Weyr> Kassima whistles ever-so-innocently.

Makeda chuckles. "I've had lots of visitors today."

R'val smile sover at Maehryn, nodding politely.

Kassima bobs her head once in affirmation, tilting her head in the egg's
general direction. "What else could it be? I heard you say that you talk to
the eggs... do any of 'em talk back? One of Dyinath's clutch made noises
when you set your ear to the shell." She wiggles her fingers greetingly
towards the latest incoming Candidate. "Heyla, well met, Benden's duties to
Ista and her queens, and all that sort of thing."

Maehryn wanders absently up to the upper tiers, his attention more on the
little firelizard in his breast pocket than with his ultimate destination.
He stumbles once, over a step as Makeda calls to him. "Huh. What? K'tyn?
Who's that?" He looks to see who Makeda is with and vaguely recognizes the
one with the Benden bluerider's knot. "Uhm, Ista's, uh, duty!" he stammers,
drawing himself upright. In his effor to be polite, he inadvertantly stops
feeding his little blue firelizard and is told so in no uncertain chittering.

Tanon walks up the stairs and takes a seat by himself near the top and
uncorks a wineskin, taking a sip of it quietly and looking around at the
people in the seats before looking onto the sands.

Makeda shakes her head at Kassi. "No, I've not heard them do anything. Is
that bad, you think?" She frowns at Maehryn. "You don't know who K'tyn is?
Only the Benden Weyrleader!" She can't help but smirk a bit.

Benden Weyr> Suzot sheepishly returns to look for the command again.

Kassima suppresses a laugh, managing to keep a straight face. "K'tyn is
Benden's Weyrleader, Candidate. The rider of yon reddish bronze beast
outside... nay, Makeda, I doubt 'tis a bad thing. All of Dyinath's eggs
Hatched healthy hatchlings, though only one made noise."

Maehryn blinks at Makeda, looking at the other Candidate curiously. "What?"
he asks, confused. "But I thought... uhm... what is his name? Began with a
P... P'dram --" He doesn't look convinced he has the name right -- "or
something like that... was. At least he was so when I left Bitra."

Dragon> Adonith bespoke Flight with << Well, if that puffed up blue will be
there, so will I. :) >>

Benden Weyr> Sionelle thinks Glynna has had a hard life, and needs someone
to love her unconditionally. Chegaren does, in his own idiotic way.

Jennae grins at Maehryn before clucking her tongue, shaking her head
lightly. She tosses a her braid over her shoulder, upsetting her little
green a bit. "Shush, silly!" she whispers at Skeeter, stroking her lightly.
Having effectively calmed the flit, she re-folds her hands and sits
watching the eggs with an easily assumed intensity.

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Yep. And Glynna loves him back. In her rather
hot-and-cold way."

Makeda says "P'ral? He was Weyrleader before K'tyn.""

"P'tran?" Kassi supplies. "He was, aye, until nay so very long ago when
Kiat's Prometh caught Leilanth in flight... I don't think 'twas quite a
Turn agone." She blinks at Makeda, brow immediately furrowing. "I thought
P'ral was a greenrider here."

Maehryn shakes his head. "No. Not, P'ral. P'ral's here. He's a greenrider."

R'val >smiles, "How's your lovely new green, Jennae?"

Makeda giggles at her own mistake. "Your right, Kassi. But hey, they both
begin with P."

Jennae hmms absently, blinking and shaking her head. "What? Oh, Skeeter?
She's fine, thank you." To emphasize the point, Skeeter croons happily,
regarding the R'val-person with happily whirling eyes.

Maehryn looks at the unfamiliar greenrider and nods. "P'tran! That's it! He
was the one my Da--, er, rather my Uncle always said those th--" he stops
suddenly, blushing as he realizes he can't tell Benden riders what his
Bitran uncle thought of their Weyrleader. Or former Weyrleader. Whatever.

Makedachanges the subject, since she was mistaken. "Did you know I have a
gold and a green firelizard now?" She nods to herself. "Beauty and Kajji.
They're asleep in the barracks."

Benden Weyr> Sionelle thinks it's a rather Dickensian relationship, truth
be told. Lots of grovelling and snivelling on the one side, lots of yelling
and name-calling on the other, but sweet affection inbetween.

Benden Weyr> Kassima just shakes her head at Lys. I never would've thought
that the things she said to him when he dyed her feline were expressions of
love, but you never can tell. ;)

Benden Weyr> Sionelle heys... Does anyone know what anniversary gift is for
the 30th anniversary?

Benden Weyr> Caitria says, "Formica? No, wait. That's the 2 1/2 year
anniversary."

Benden Weyr> Caitria doesn't, of course. ;)

Benden Weyr> Kindre uuuhs..and rewaves :)

Benden Weyr> Suzot says, "Not sure, but...The +search-help isn't anywhere,
right? Or am I just missing the command?"

Benden Weyr> Sionelle missed her parents', see, and is afraid to give them
flowers, after the tirade she got last time, for wasting money on things
that die.

Benden Weyr> Jazmin says, "Potted plan?"

Benden Weyr> Jazmin says, "plant even."

Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "It's not accessible to non-Searchfolk, Suzot.
*SnugsaKinbabe.*"

Benden Weyr> Kindre says, "it's +search help in any Benden_bldr owned room
Suzot :)"

Benden Weyr> Kindre dohs...yeah, forgot about that part :b ;) *snugs!*

Benden Weyr> Suzot OHS, and thought there was actually help for those
apping, not for those Searching.

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "No, it's for Searchriders."

R'val smiles, standing and excusing himself, "It's been a pleasure visiting."

R'val walks down the stairs towards the entrance.

Benden Weyr> Caitria says, "How about a puppy, Sionelle?"

Benden Weyr> Kindre says, "there is a search object and information in #399
:)"

Benden Weyr> Caitria saw a really adorable Great Pyrenees.

Makeda waves after R'val. "Thanks for coming!"

Benden Weyr> Suzot ahas and smooches Kindre. Thank you.

Benden Weyr> Kindre says, "or portraits...sis and I did those for my
parents 25th Sionelle :)"

Benden Weyr> J'cob says, "How about a grandchild? *duck*"

Benden Weyr> Sionelle beats J'cob with an IUD.

Kassima hides a grin. "I think I can imagine," she quips. "The opinions of
folk towards riders is nay always positive--of that I'm quite aware."
Waving belatedly after R'val, the greenrider wonders of Makeda, "When did
you Impress them? I suspect Lysseth's finally off her clutch-finding kick;
she breathed nary a word of any hatching here."

Benden Weyr> Caitria snerks.

Benden Weyr> Sionelle says, "And they already have a puppey. ;)"

Benden Weyr> Caitria says, "So get 'em a kitten! Chaos!"

Benden Weyr> Jazmin says, "Puppy toys?"

Benden Weyr> Suzot winces. Squishy girl stuff.

Makeda grins. "About the first sevenday I was here Beauty claimed me and
then just the other night, after Siaroth's flight a bunch of us candidates
got picked by hatchlings.

Benden Weyr> Kindre is serious about a portrait :) Cheap if you go to
Sears, and it provides them with current pics of their kiddo :)

Benden Weyr> Caitria oooh, Sears. They have the computer thing.

Benden Weyr> Sionelle blahs. My brother and his moron wife do that every
year. My parents snigger at it behind their backs. I don't dare.

Benden Weyr> Caitria giggles.

Benden Weyr> Kindre ahs, scratch that, then :)

"Now, why does that name sound familiar?" Kassi mutters. "Siaroth,
Siaroth... don't believe I've ever met her rider, but... oh! Is she
Jh'rin's green? I've heard stories of him." She doesn't specify what kind
of stories; anyone who knows Jh'rin at all would probably be able to guess.
"Congratulations t'you on both accounts, m'friend."

Benden Weyr> J'cob says, "Why not a novelty rubberized object d'art? =)"

Benden Weyr> Caitria says, "Uhh...they're own personal bit on your web
page? Salute to anniversaries? I dunno."

Makeda grins and leans towards Kassi. "I heard something about Siaroth had
a wherry caught in her mouth during most of the flight. That must have been
a sight."

Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "An anniversary clock? The sort that chimes that
song every hour?"

Benden Weyr> Sionelle snickers. That'd be cheap, anyway, Caitria. And lord,
lord, lord. The last thing they need is another knickknack. The house is
about to explode from crap-overload.

Benden Weyr> Sionelle will stop spamming the knot with her parent's
anniversary dilemma, though. :)

Benden Weyr> Kindre says, "My mother always says not to buy her stuff that
she'll have to dust :)"

Benden Weyr> Caitria snugs.

Benden Weyr> Jazmin hmms, I dont have to do anniverseries anymore.. but
Mom's getting a sweater and possibly some doilies for Xmas.

Tanon thinks for a long moment and sits back, sighing to himself. After a
moment, he says quietly, though audibly, "Uhm, Kassima, d'you want to try
some of this wine? S'got bubbles in it..."

Benden Weyr> Jazmin is too broke to buy, so I have to make.

Blink. Blinkblink. "A wherry?" Kassima asks incredulously. "Why did she
have a *wherry* in her mouth?" She is blessedly distracted from this mental
image by Tanon's words. "Hmmm? Oh, g'deve, Tanon--didn't see you there.
Wine with bubbles? I'd like to try some, aye, if'n 'twould nay be depriving
you."

Makeda nods. "So I heard, Kassi. Lysseth ever do anything like that?"

Tanon smiles slightly and walks down the steps slowly, ploping himself down
behind here Kassi sits and hands her the skin of golden-white bubbly wine,
returning simply, "Evening, Kassima." He thinks for another long moment and
opens his mouth as if to speak, but shuts it when MAkeda begins speaking.

Kassima shakes her head in firm denial. "Most assuredly nay. The oddest
thing she's ever done in a flight is act like she's trying to kill herself.
She did that about five times, last time--kept narrowly missing the Bowl
wall, the Star Stones, the ground... but I digress." Shifting Kay in her
lap so that she doesn't need to hold onto her for a moment, Kassi raises
the skin of wine, toasting Tanon with it before she takes a sip. "Hey, 'tis
nay bad," she exclaims. "And you're right--'tis bubbly indeed! Where'd you
find such an extraordinary thing?"

Benden Weyr> Suzot hrms...

Benden Weyr> Suzot notices that the Search Info Object still assumes an
application rather than an interview.

Benden Weyr> Meli can never get the registration one to work.

Benden Weyr> Kassima points to Merla's last sign-on time. She can't fix it
till she gets back. :) Zhai, Tria! *Snugsnugs.*

Benden Weyr> Kassima also snugs the heck out of a Meli. :)

Benden Weyr> Suzot POUNCES Meli.

Tanon smiles slightly and shrugs, "Glad you like it. Uhm, my weyrmate,
Alania--Oerth's rider was at the winecraft and got ten skins of it and I
talked her into letting me have a few skins." Then, after a long moment of
silence he asks, "Uhm, were you serious that time I met you when Lysseth
was proddy...when you said you castrate people?"

Benden Weyr> Meli is kerpounced!

Makeda stands. 'I best get back. I've been gone long enough. Thanks for
coming, Kassi."

Kassima offers the skin back. "If'n you've only a few, I'd nay seek to
deprive you of one...." She can't help but laugh quietly at the last query.
"Ach, nay. I've nay castrated a person yet. Mart--M'rgan, brown Ularrith's
rider; 'Reaches Weyrlingmaster--would have it said that I *try*, but I'm
really just teasing him; he knows I'd never *actually* do such a thing.
Clear skies, Makeda! Give the others my regards and best wishes, will you?
And the same go to yourself, a'course."

Tanon looks over at Makeda and sighs slightly, "G'bye Candidate." He smiles
slightly, hoping Makeda doesn't remember him from anywhere for some reason
or another.

Makeda nods and with a quick hug to Kassi, departs.

Makeda walks down the stairs towards the entrance.

Tanon sighs again but doesn't take the skin back, "Nah, I offered it to you
and I can always get more anyway...I didn't think you'd castrated anybody
anyway..." He sighs again and asks, "D'you know D'ru, the Blue Kyruth's
rider at Fort?"

Kassima shrugs, more than willing to keep the skin if Tanon doesn't want it
back. "My thanks, then... and nay, I've just threatened. D'ru? Name's
familiar." Black eyebrows lower, a crease forming between them as the rider
thinks. "Ah! He came to Benden for our Spring Games, and chose the kilt as
his prize, methinks. I know him, but only vaguely."

Tanon hmmmms for a moment and then asks quietly, so Neith hopefully can't
hear so that Merri won't find out what he's trying to get at, "What did you
think of him? Did you like him?"

Maehryn wanders back to the hatching grounds, having completed the abrupt
errand that had caused him to leave earlier. He plops down in a seat in one
of the higher tiers and gently lifts his tiny blue firelizard from the
pocket of his shirt.

Kassima toys absently with the wine-skin, while keeping it out of Kaylira's
reach. Most of her attention is on Tanon instead of the eggs at this point.
"He seemed... polite, I think, and friendly enough, though I didn't speak
with him for more than a moment. Whyfor d'you ask?" She nods to the
returned Candidate while still speaking.

Maehryn glances towards the Benden greenrider and Tanon, then stands
abruptly and heads out.

Maehryn walks down the stairs towards the entrance.

Tanon watches carefully as Maehryn leaves before asking quietly, "Might I
be able to talk you into castrating someone for me? I'm not sure EXACTLY
where to cut..."

Tanon's face flushes slightly as he expects to be turned down.

Double blink. Triple blink. That's apparently not the sort of statement the
greenrider was expecting. "Castrate someone? Seriously? Certes, you could
nay--especially nay a rider, whose dragon would suffer as much." Kassi
raises one eyebrow, neither looking angered by the request or amused...
just a bit stunned. "Why in Faranth's name would you want someone castrated?"

Tanon shrugs slightly, "Those are very personal reasons, really. But if you
don't want to help...that's fine I guess." He sighs slightly and goes back
into thought.

Kassima shakes her head in negation. "I will nay. I'm sorry, but despite
all the rumors to the contrary, I'm nay usually a cruel or bloodthirsty
person. And if'n 'twere you, 'twould nay attempt it; attacking someone in
such a fashion would have a dire punishment, I think, if'n Ista's aught
like Benden."

Tanon shrugs again and sighs, "You're probably right, you know. Heh, of
course you are...but I never once said or thought or even heard you were
bloodthirsty or cruel. I was just asking a question..." He sighs again and
leans back for a moment. Then he stands, "If you'll excuse me..."

Kassima nods, smiling faintly. "A'course 'twill. And I know... 'twas being
facetious, mostly, though I have heard rumors to that effect brought back
t'me by other sources. Clear skies t'you, Tanon."

Tanon smiles slightly in thanks and walks down the stairs.

Tanon walks down the stairs towards the entrance.

Benden Weyr> Emlyn waves hello. Hey, bison are -big-.

Benden Weyr> R'val says, "Yes Emlyn dear, they are. :)"

Benden Weyr> Emlyn met seven bison this evening. Don't let them step on
your feet. The females weigh 1700 pounds each.

Benden Weyr> R'val nodnods. Huge!

Benden Weyr> Suzot says, "Seven? Huh!"

Benden Weyr> M'kla has to do a doubletake, thinking you were talking of her
RL relatives.

Benden Weyr> Emlyn was hoping Caitria would be here. -She'd- be interested
in the size of bison.

Benden Weyr> Suzot is very interested. :)

Benden Weyr> Suzot snuggaKin.

Benden Weyr> Emlyn spams you then with the information that bison are
-huge-, Kindre. And the females have horns, just like the males, only the
females max out at 1700 pounds. The males get up to 2200 pounds.

Kassima is sitting quietly in the same place she was before, scribbling on
a piece of hide and occasionally pausing to look up at the eggs. Only
someone close would be able to see what it is she writes. On her lap,
Kaylira would appear to be sleeping.

Benden Weyr> Emlyn says, "The male I met was named Elvis. He had six
females in his little harem."

Benden Weyr> R'val says, "What were you doing meeting bison?"

Benden Weyr> Kindre wows...and, Faranth help her, knew they were about 2 tons.

Benden Weyr> Emlyn was frankly envious of the spread, R'val. This friend of
mine has about 70 acres and a lovely farm house.

Jennae scuttles back in, nodding with a small smiles. She takes the same
seat she'd previously vacated, folding her hands in her lap again.
"Evening, ma'am. Good to see you again."


Benden Weyr> R'val has to say, an animal that size would feed a lot of
people for a long, long time!

Benden Weyr> Emlyn says, "Oh, I also touched the electric fence. -That- was
fun."

Benden Weyr> Suzot ughs.

Benden Weyr> Emlyn had been drinking, yuou see.

Kassima starts a bit as the silence is broken, and glances over at Jennae
with a decidedly rueful smile. "M'name's Kassima, green Lysseth's rider...
nay ma'am, if'n you please! If people call me that, those who heard might
get the illusion that I'm *respectable.* And then where would we be?"

Laurene climbs up some stairs into the seats.

Benden Weyr> Kindre thinks Emlyn must come to Florida and visit :) We've
got, uh, flamingos...and tons of cows!

Laurene climbs the stairs, carrying a bowl of stew, a mug of juice and some
bread. She finds herself a somewhat deserted section of the seating,
sitting down on a bench and concentrating for a few moments on her food.

Benden Weyr> R'val has never seen a flamingo live, and would like to :)

Benden Weyr> Emlyn is an avid bird-watcher, Kindre, and would love to see
your flamimgoes.

Benden Weyr> R'val drags Emlyn to southern New Brunswick to see the
migrating hordes of sandpipers.

Benden Weyr> Kassima wanted to be an ornithologist when she was younger.
*Grin.* I think I've seen flamingoes in a zoo, but I'd like to see one
wild. :)

Benden Weyr> Asrai KER-POUNCES!

Benden Weyr> Emlyn has seen them in the Houston Zoo, Kassima. They're neat.

Benden Weyr> Kindre is, too, Emlyn! Double-crested cormorants, bufflehead
ducks, I even saw a Caveswallow once :)

Benden Weyr> M'kla offers for anyone to come up to SEattle and observe her
parrot in his semi-natural habitat. Her room.

Jennae chuckles faintly at Kassima, eyes smiling as she scritches her
little green. "Nice to see you again, /Kassima,/"

Benden Weyr> Suzot, the opportunist, takes her up on it. :)

Benden Weyr> Emlyn says, "Say, is there any Rp to be had at Benden? I see
all our blueriders are at Igen."

Benden Weyr> <R'val> Vidarth> << Must. Catch. Jyrith. >>

"Evening, Candidate." Kassima greets the newly-arrived Laurene quietly,
respectful of her apparent wish to eat. She can't help but laugh at
Jennae's enunciation of her name. "Good t'see you again too... um... I
don't think I got your name, did I? My apologies. And you can call me
Kassi, if you prefer. Kassima, Kassi, or 'That greenriding psycho over
there' will all suit."

Benden Weyr> Asrai KEr-POUNCES a K'nan!1

Benden Weyr> R'val foofs K'nanabana.

Benden Weyr> K'nan looks up..and is splattered everywhere by the pounce. ;)

Benden Weyr> Asrai says, "Hey now, I'm not /that/ big yet. :P"

Benden Weyr> Kassima snugsnugsnugsnugs the K'nanaman! :)

Benden Weyr> Suzot'll go out in public if anyone's to be found there.

Benden Weyr> Suzot says, "OR I could be paged by my Istan friends and
begged to come play. ;)"

Jennae sighs heavily, glancing about the Cavern quickly. "Excuse me,
Kassima. I've got to run..." And, with that, she half-bolts for the door,
waving over her shoulder.

Jennae walks down the stairs towards the entrance.

Kassima shakes her head in mild bemusement as the Candidate whose name she
doesn't even know flees. "Odd how often that happens," she mutters under
her breath, returning to her scripting.

Laurene looks up, after a moment of concentration on her stew. She nods,
"Good evening, Greenrider." She watches Jennae go. "She's always
remembering something suddenly."

Kassima laughs quietly, looking up from her hide. "Better than nay
remembering 'tall, nay?" After a moment, she recalls her manners and
introduces herself. "I'm Kassima, by the by--the rider of this green thing
that *some* claim is a dragon, which calls itself Lysseth. Well met, and
whatnay."

Laurene inclines her head, "Laurene.... somewhat uncertain Candidate at
Ista Weyr." She gazes out briefly at the eggs, "Do you think pissing off
the Weyrwoman could make a dragon decide not to choose you?"

Kassima quirks one dark eyebrow upwards at the choice of prhasing. "Nay,
the dragons choose whom they will regardless of human opinion. There have
certes been pairings which shocked many in the past."

Laurene gives a faint, wry, smile. "I suppose. Maybe there is a bright side
to my run away mouth."

"If'n 'twould keep you from Impressing a dragon," Kassi points out,
smiling, "I doubt you'd have been Searched--the Searchdragons know who has
a good chance."

Laurene tilts her head back, thoughtfully looking up at the ceiling high
above. "I suppose there is that." She shakes her head a bit, looking back
to the greenrider. "There's just tims when I feel that I /have/ to ask
something or say something and I just know it'll be the wrong thing." A
rueful chuckles is given, "No self control."

Kassima actually sounds serious for once as she advises, "You'll need to
develop it, if'n you Impress. Self-control can be important--to riders of
female dragons especially, but to all other colors as well. If'n you cannot
control yourself, how could you control your lifemate's urge to blood, or
keep from doing things that might harm your lifemate?"

Benden Weyr> Emlyn waves goodnight to the weyr. See y'all later. If any
questions about bisons come to you, make a note to ask me later.

Benden Weyr> Sionelle un_quiets, and peers at Emlyn. Bisons?

Benden Weyr> Suzot snugs Emlyn.

Expression wry, bordering on pained, Laurene nods, "Yeah. I've plenty of
self control in other ways. Just my mouth gets away with me sometimes. I'd
like to be able to detatch it and put it in my pocket sometimes."

Benden Weyr> Sionelle waves and is headed out, too. Night, Benden!

Benden Weyr> <Suzot> Benden waves.

Benden Weyr> Kassima fires a carbon blaster at Elle in parting.

Benden Weyr> R'val waves. Congrats, Elle, well flown.

Benden Weyr> Sionelle eeeks, and is singed, having gotten undressed down at
Igen. Rrrrrowr!

Benden Weyr> Sionelle says, "And thanks, R'val. It was a tough competition
down there."

Kassima's grin sends all sobriety fleeing from her features, as it always
does. "Nay so much of a problem, then. You'll like as nay learn diplomacy
eventually--and mayhaps, if'n you Impress, your lifemate can teach it to
you. Being bonded to a dragon can change a person, sometimes for the
better--rarely for the worse, but that may just be my opinion."

Benden Weyr> R'val chuckles. Not really Elle, you were the best there.

Benden Weyr> S'riv winks, "Elle's is /always/ the best.

Humor improving somewhat, Laurene chuckles. "So I've noticed. It all didn't
seem very real until the egg touching sessions started up."

Benden Weyr> Suzot woohoos, Go Elle.

Benden Weyr> Sionelle salutes S'riv. "You know it, baby."

Benden Weyr> S'riv salutes back, "I try to:)"

Benden Weyr> Kindre faints and salutes in a crisp movement. "Sir!" :)

Benden Weyr> Kassima salutes Saer muchly.

Benden Weyr> S'riv grumbles, realizing he gave away his presense, "Yes I am
here, deal with it,:

Benden Weyr> Sionelle sidles up to the crichety old coot, and rubs a
shoulder against him. "Hey there, bug guy. How's about you paint that
bronze of yours green, and Brynarth and I show you what keeps the ladies
happy all over Pern?"

Benden Weyr> Sionelle meant big guy, by the way, not bug guy. Unless Saer
works for Orkin.

Kassima points towards the clutch with her charcoal stick. "'Twill seem
much realer soon enough, if'n those eggs hatch as soon as I think they
will. 'Tis why I'm writing down m'guesses for colors now--I may nay make
wagers, but the guessing game can still be amusing."

Benden Weyr> Sionelle was also leaving, wasn't she? ;) Night, Benden!
Really, this time.

"Guessing what color from what egg?" comes Laurene's question. "I've placed
bets on how many of each color I think there'll be. I'm staying far away
from the pools on who will Impress."

Seemingly from nowhere, Kindre appears in your presence.

Kindre slips back in. "Sorry about that," she explains to Kassima and
notices most of who she arrived with are gone. Grinning, she shrugs and
slips back into a seat. "Herath was just too fussy."

Lysseth> High above the bowl, Ularrith trails after Maraseth with the rest
of the weyrlings following in the V formation.

Lysseth> High above the bowl, Maraseth glides lower into the bowl, her huge
size dwarfed by the immensity of the bowl around her.

Kassima nods in affirmation, tapping her hide. "I do this with every
clutch, but only bet on Benden's. What I wager on with all hatchlings is
what color will come out of the first egg! I won a mark and a quarter on
that bet alone, once... wasn't a big pool, though." She flicks a smile in
Kindre's direction. "Aye, methinks I can imagine--and sympathize. Lysseth
is sometimes much the same."

Laurene nods politely to the Benden Weyrwoman, "Nice to see you again,
ma'am. My duty to you and yours."

Lysseth> Above you, Maraseth's rider cranes around slightly, looking for
the Weyrlingmaster as the green spreads her wings to catch the air.
Maraseth banks a little and heads toward the bowl's center.

Kindre nods slowly as the seat grows more comfortable. "How's Kaylira
holding up? Tired yet?" Offering the babe a few goo-goo-gah faces, she
grins. "Oh, Benden's duties, Laurene. Indeed, it is good to see how. How
fares?"

Laurene nods her chin out towards the eggs, "I've been utterly fascinated
by that cracked inidgo one. D'zel's had me using the egg touching sessions
as kind of study sessions, since you don't get to go out and touch dragon
eggs all the time."

Adding to the Weyrwoman, Laurene says, "Oh, I've been... fine, when my
mouth wasn't digging me holes I could see out of."

Lysseth> Above you, Ularrith bugles a bright greeting from his place in the
weyrling formation as he sees Herath's golden form. He rumbles to Maraseth,
as if urging her to give chase. A thump from his rider corrects that bit of
impatience and the rumbling ceases.

"I was speaking of that one earlier myself," Kindre remarks of the violet
egg. Nodding, she smiles. "Study sessions? Ah, feh, I'd not worry about
what you say too much. They," her eyes flick towards the sands, "don't seem
to mind, I don't believe."

In Kassi's lap, Kaylira smiles drowsily at the goldrider. "Tired, aye,"
Kassi agrees. "She's nay used t'such heat as this, either, which makes her
sleepy... a shame she'll nay remember seeing these eggs." Jiggling the babe
lightly on her knee, she nods to Laurene. "I like the cobalt-colored one,
m'self, and that which looks enwrapped by darkness--but they're all lovely.
And thirty and nine is a *most* respectable number."

Laurene casts a smile at the Weyrwoman. "I certainly hope so." Then she
adds, "I'm taking dragonhealing lessons with D'zel."

Kindre nods slowly as she regards Kaylira. "Ah, true, I hadn't even thought
of the heat. Hotter than a Benden summer, for certain. Can't say it doesn't
make me a smidge drowsy either." Auburn brows arch as she regards Laurene.
"Truly? I'm studying that myself, though with Jerissa at the Weyr. How do
you like it?"

Kassima shakes her head, then brushes bangs that were dislodged by the
motian back out of her eyes. "I agree, Kin. After all, Thera once compared
dragons to intelligent canines--and Lilith didn't hold it against her. A
dragonhealer, you wish to be?" A smile reveals teeth, white against
sun-bronzed skin. "Kindre's a dragonhealer trainee too--aye, as she just
said."

Laurene grins, "Yeah, I'm enjoying it a lot, even though D'zel is so gruff.
It's utterly intriguing." Her eyes light up as she talks about the subject
which interestes her, "I haven't taken any of the tests yet, I'm still
working over the basics. I want to be /very/ sure of them first."

Lysseth> M'rgan arrives from the center of the bowl.

Lysseth> Herath whuffles the Reaches brownrider before peering acorss the
bowl to his lifemate.

"I don't know a D'zel," Kassi confesses. "The name's unfamiliar to me...
oh, the basics. Memorizing herb names? As I recall," she says, to explain
her guess, "that's what m'friend Aph did when she was first learning. She's
a capable Dragonhealer now."

Lysseth> Lysseth snorts amiably to the familiar brownrider, raising her
head from its deceptive 'dozing' position against her forelegs.

Lysseth> M'rgan greets all the dragons as he wanders towards the hatching
cavern. His smile grows broader as recognizes Lysseth and Herath. "Of
course they'd be here," he mumbles to himself before ducking into the cavern.

Kindre nods her head slowly, "I can understand that. I'm only to the secon
level," she admits with a tiny sigh, "But, as you, I want to be sure before
I go farther." Pulling her boots up to rest on the seats edge, she
continues. "It won't do me or the dragons I may treat any good if I brush
through it." Concurring with Kassima, she notes, "I don't believe I know
him, either..."

M'rgan climbs up some stairs into the seats.

Laurene says "D'zel is brown Seranth's rider. Senior Dragonhealer here are
Ista. Nice guy, if you get past the prickly exterior. He knows seemingly
/everything/."

R'val climbs up some stairs into the seats.

Seaylin climbs up some stairs into the seats.

R'val strides up the steps and towards the nearest convenient seat,
grunting a lazy greeeting to the others present, a mug of ale in one hand,
and his hip-flask full of wine sloshing at his side.

Laurene says "And yes, it's the herb stuff. Memorizing what they all do and
are for and all that. I'd fling myself from the starstones if I messed up
when actually trying to help."

"'Twould more likely do harm, *I'd* think. But then, I'm hardly a
dragonhealer!" Kassi points out with a laugh. "A good thing for the
dragons, that. And nay anyone knows anything, nay matter how much some
might assume so... ooh, and speak of the wherry! Heya, Mart!" She turns in
her chair, waving to him with her charcoal-wielding hand; the other is
holding onto a very drowsy baby girl. "Benden's duties to the 'Reaches and
her queens, brownie. Heyla t'you all."

Seaylin follows M'rgan in silently. She salutes the other riders.

Laurene says "He's had me doing a bit of go-ferring in the infirmary after
falls and stuff, too."

Kindre's eyes pull from the black sands and eggs held within and bobs her
head again to Laurene. "I'll have to ask Jerissa and Alyssa about him. I'm
sure they know him." Turning as boots begin to scuffle the floor, she grins
wide. "Benden's duty to the Reaches and all that," she calls. "It's good to
see you, M'rgan...how fares? Kena and Kegan are well I hope?" She nods to
Seaylin and smiles.

M'rgan wanders into the galleries in the midst of a pack of weyrlings. He's
only slightly more noticeable as he's one of the oldest people and also
he's not gawking at everything in sight. A hand whips around in the air as
he responds to Kassima's greeting. A few taps on weyrling shoulders and
he's through the mass of them, greeting the others. "High Reaches' duties
to Ista...And Benden. I just brought them for a visit. First day
*betweening*."

R'val smiles towards Kindre as he seats himself near her, and Kassi, "lo,
fellow Bendenites."

Laurene falls a bit more quiet as a lot more unfamiliar riders show up. She
nods politely to them all, however, murmurring a greeting with muffled
'sirs' or 'ma'ams' at the ends.

Kassima wrinkles her nose. "I'd hope you're facetious with that Star Stones
bit," she quips to Laurene. "That'd be a mess. But methinks your mentor
will make sure you know it too *well* to screw up... and will watch you
while you work, if'n he's aught like Jerissa." Turning back to Mart, she
grins broadly. "Is it, now? Congratulations t'you!" This is, of course,
directed to the Weyrlings. "And how fortuitous that you're here. 'Twas
planning on coming up to the 'Reaches to see you this eve, but now there'll
be nay need."

Laurene grins at Kassima, "Well, if I was Impressed, I couldn't do that.
And if I wasn't, I couldn't /get/ to the Star Stones. No worries."

"That's good," Kindre's words go back to Laurene. "It helps you become
familiar with the Infirmary early on, and where things are." Chuckling as
Kassima speaks, she again nods. "Jerissa never takes her eyes off me...even
when I'm practicing on tunnelsnakes." A tiny shudder takes her shoulders
before she grins. "Ah, well, my congratulations to you all as well. And,
for true, we were planning to ambush the Reaches after here."

Seaylin folds her arms around her stomach, jacket still tucked over one
arm. Her eyes move from one face to another obtaining a bewildered look as
she tries to follow all the conversations. Giving up on that, she smiles
politely and edges away toward the railing to take a look at the hardening
eggs.

Kassima laughs, conceeding the point. "And the watchrider would like as nay
stop you, aye. I suspect 'twere both being facetious... Mart, Kin, can one
of you do me a favor?" She stands, setting her scribbled list and charcoal
aside, though not doing the same with the baby of course. "Could you hold
Kaylira for just an instant? There's something I need to fetch from
outside--I promise 'twill be brief."

M'rgan quickly introduces himself to Laurene before going through the list
of weyrlings. "And over there..." He points to where Seaylin is by the
railing. "...is the weyrling wingleader. Seaylin." Niceties over with, he
holds his arms out to Kassima while his eyes focus on the infant in her
arms. "Let me have a look at her. It looks like she's getting big...Why
were you going to the Reaches?"

M'rgan laughs as he and Kassima have exactly the same idea. His eyebrows
waggle and waggle at her, in accompanient to the flexing of his fingers.

Laurene nods politely to those who are introduced. At M'gran's
introduction, she says, "Laurene, Candidate here are Ista."

Kindre nods, smiles, and utters several "Well mets," as M'rgan dizzies them
a bit with all of the names. "Ah,the wingleader. Congratulations, then,
Seaylin." Watching Kassima's movements, a small grin curls her lips. "I can
take Kaylira when you return, Kassi...Mart, you'll have your hands full,
I'd gather."

Kassima smiles and nods to Seaylin in friendly greeting. "A pleasure to
make your acquaintance, Weyrling Wingleader Seaylin. I'm Thunderbolt
Wingsecond Kassima...." She has to laugh at how odd that *still* sounds.
"Green Lysseth's rider. Benden's duties, and all of that." Focusing her
attention back on Mart, she proffers the infant, laughing. "Get *out* of
m'head, brownrider! As to why we were going to the 'Reaches... you'll see."
She intones this like some sort of dark promise, only made more fearful by
her impish wink.

You set Kaylira down with utmost care.

M'rgan carefully gathers Kaylira up into his arms.

R'val smiles at Seaylin, "R'val, blue Vidarth's rider. PLeasure to meet you."

Kassima hands her child over to the brownrider, looking a bit dubious for
the moment... who's to say that he won't turn her to the Dark Side while
she's gone? But she dismisses the thought and heads out towards the Bowl.

You walk down the stone stairs towards the entrance.

You walk out into the Bowl.

Kassima skips out of the entranceway and over to her lifemate, thumping the
green on the shoulder. "C'mon, lump. Lower your great bloody neck and let
me get at your straps." The grumbling green does so, allowing Kassi to
climb up and start untying a large, rather bulky, and quite heavy-looking
parcel.

Kassima finally manages to lug the thing down to the ground, with a minimum
of effort; hauling sacks of firestone as part of one's living does have
some benefits, after all. Whistling cheerfully, she totes the
whatever-it-is back towards the Grounds.

You walk in through one of the large entrances to the hatching grounds,
your eyes adjusting slowly to the dimness within.

You climb some stairs into the galleries.

M'rgan cradles the small girl carefully in his arms, bouncing her slightly
to keep her calm. "Yes, you've certainly put some weight on you, haven't
you, little lady. Just like your mommy did." He smiles at Laurene before
briefly glancing at the eggs himself. "What are the riders saying about the
hatching day?"

Seaylin nods, her shy stance loosening up. A dimple in her cheek begins to
show as she smiles at Kindre, "Yes ma'am. They do." Seay's head tilts
slightly and she grins at Laurene, "You said you were a Candidate?"

Laurene nods to the Weyrling. "Candidate, floor sweeper, dish washer,
stable mucker, tunnel snake catcher, rug beater, dirty job of the moment
doer." She grins, "Dragonhealer trainee in my spare time."

Kassima eventually returns, arms occupied now by a large, bulky
*something*. Something that's wrapped in cloth that's been dyed with
splashes of black, brown, and blue, and tied closed with ribbons of gold,
green, black, and red. "I should hit you with this for that, but I wouldn't
risk hitting Kaylira," Kassi informs the Weyrlingmaster. "This is the
gratitude I get for hauling this Turnday gift all over creation? Hrmph!"

Benden Weyr> M'rgan laughs. Only Kassi would remember I just had my
turnday. I certainly didn't.

Benden Weyr> Suzot grins.

Kindre wrinkles her lips up a bit in thought. "About a sevenday, I believe,
are where the heaviest bets are Mart..." Kassima's arrival prompts the
rider to get up even while she chuckles. "That was why we were going to
visit. Bestowing gifts, for a change!" A crooked, impish grin curls her mouth.

Benden Weyr> M'kla laughs a bit.

Benden Weyr> Kassima happened to do a +watchlook a few days ago and saw it
was close, else I prolly would've missed again too. :)

Seaylin laughs softly and nods. "They do keep one busy don't they." Seay
oomphs a bit as one of the other weyrling's digs into her ribs, drawing her
attention to the something carried in by Kassima.

Kassima manages to manuever her way around Weyrlings, riders, residents,
fire-lizards, and anything else that might be blocking her path to her
original seat. Setting the *thing* in her lap, she grins far-too-sweetly at
the brownrider. He should've known he wouldn't escape a gift two turns in a
row. "Happy Turnday, Mart, belated though 'tis. This is your gift from Kin
and me."

M'rgan winces as he sees what Kassima is hauling. "Do I even want to know?"
he murmurs to the little girl he holds so carefully.

In Mart's arms, Kaylira simply yawns by way of reply. She's too drowsy to
be very informative.

Kindre simply grins as she leans against a seat. "M'rgan," her wide eyes
blink in mock-innocence, "I, for one, am hurt, that you'd question a gift.
Shards, you'd think you had a reason to worry..."

With a laugh at the yawn, M'rgan cradles the child more tightly against his
chest. Slowly he shakes his head as he stares at that *thing*, a goofy,
unbelieving grin on his face. "I'm not sure if I should thank you now or
wait until I see what it is...If it's from you two, Kindre, I /always/ have
a reason to worry." He peers back over his shoulder at Seaylin and the
weyrlings. "Remind me to tell you all the story about the time that they
tried to turn me into a target board at a knife contest."

Laurene leans back, quiet during the gift giving.

Kassima can't help but laugh, shaking her head at the scene. "You expect
her to tell her aught after you inform her she's been putting on weight?"
she asks, eyes showing her amusement clearly. "Please. Just be glad she's
nay old enough to hold a knife yet." Glancing at the girl, then at the very
bulky package, she hrms. "Don't know that you can open this and hold her at
the same time... we can swap, or you can pass her to Kin, whichever's
easiest. And I concur, Kin! Why, you'd think he were expecting an *evil*
gift. Would we do that?" Innocent as newly-fallen snow is she. Newly-fallen
snow that covers a giant muck pile.

Kassima snorts. "Only after *you* refused to stand still and let me knife
you for those weyrmating comments," she retorts.

Seaylin blinks several times, eyes going back and forth between the
bantering riders.

Reluctantly, M'rgan hands Kaylira back to her mother. But although he
reaches for the package, his fingers refuse to hold it and he gives Kassima
and Kindre a measuring glance.

M'rgan sets Kaylira down carefully.

You gather Kaylira up into your arms.

Kindre ticks things off her fingers, "Nevermind that pin the tail contest,
or when you nearly refused to wear that kilt..." Realizing she's most
likely rambling, she stops the spiel. "Oh, Faranth's ghost, for your
turnday? You'd truly worry?" The grin she holds, though, would make even
Herath question it.

Kassima accepts the baby, settling her carefully back into her sling before
hefting the package and offering it to Mart. "Go on and take it. What d'you
think, 'twill leap from the air and rip your throat out?" She looks utterly
and totally innocent... which may make one wonder whether the parcel really
*could* kill him.

M'rgan sighs. They'd have to make him look like a fool in front of his
weyrlings, wouldn't they. Setting his jaw, he scoops up the package and
wrestles it into a halfway-balanced hold in his arms. A litte more shifting
and two of the ribbons are undone.

"Nay to mention," Kassi can't resist adding sweetly, "the time we dressed
him up in a Gather gown, ribbons, and jewelry... remember that, Martina?"
She waggles her eyebrows, but most of her attention is on the unwrapping of
yon package.


---

        This bundle is rather heavy, and upon unwrapping the black-and-blue
swirled cloth from it, you can easily see why: it appears to be a rolled-up
tapestry. Upon rolling it, a scene meets your eyes---a scene rich with dark
shades and light, with bright colors and dim, but each detail vividly and
meticulously depicted. The full picture seems to be of the Hatching Grounds
of Benden Weyr, distinguishable from any other in part because you would be
apt to recognize them... and in part because of the dragons and eggs that
sit there. In the background of the scene are a snow-touched oak brown
recognizable as your own Ularrith, and the misty sunrise golden Herath who
was once his mate. Dragon eyes shine with iridescent hues of blue and
green, pride evident in the way the pair holds their heads and regards what
stands in front of them with protectiveness and affection.
        What they regard with such devotion is not a what at all, but a
whom: M'rgan and Kindre, their lifemates. Each stand to either side of a
single egg, smiling with a pride and joy of their own. Each are also, it
might be noted, dressed in the kilt they wore when the pictured clutch
Hatched: Kindre's of black and gold, M'rgan's of red, black, and blue.
Flawless attention has been paid to every small detail--the rusty hue of
Kindre's hair, the pure blue of M'rgan's eyes--until it seems that the duo
have been somehow captured within the artwork, frozen in a moment of time
and so lifelike that they might step out of the tapestry to greet you.
        Between them is, as has been stated, an egg. An egg which is easy
to place, matching an image in your memory: Asrai's Cygnith eventually came
from this maze-like, oblong, puzzling shell. Grey and brown with black
lines that dazzle the eyes with twists and turns of utmost perplexity, it
looks to be feeling... lonely out there on the Sands, set aside from its
brethren. Yet somehow, watched over by its parents and their respective
lifemates, it is more an egg like any other: accepted for its own uniquely
aesthetic qualities. It completes the scene, making it whole.
        However, it is not the last thing to catch your eye. There is a
glint of color off to the side, a bright green that draws your attention
briefly to a figure sitting in the Galleries. While small, she too has been
depicted well enough to be recognizable: Kassima sits there, the flash of
emerald her blouse, which is partially obscured by the black rope of braid
slung over one shoulder. Her dread stick of charcoal is in hand, and she's
gazing out towards the eggs rather thoughtfully--probably trying to guess
the colors they contain, knowing her.
        Found amidst the folds of the tapestry is a note: 'To the brownie,
our 'skilled' friend: 'twould seem 'tis your Turnday again. Therefore, we
present this gift that is meant for someone who's the absolute end! (Well,
*you* try and think of a better rhyme!) With best wishes and hopes for good
luck in the future Turns, even if you don't think you need it, Kassima and
Kindre of Benden.'

---


Seaylin's eyebrows shoot up into her hair and her jaw drops. She stares
first at Kassima, then at M'rgan.

Kindre can't hold back her laughter. A hand quickly goes to cover her mouth
as her eyes flick over the collective group of weyrlings assembled behind
M'rgan. "I never did get my choker back, y'know..." Smirking like a dragon
with a bloody maw in a nearly empty bovine field, she watches the
Weyrlingmaster untie his gift.

Laurene, for her part, doesn't stare. One might almost think she was /used/
to the idea of male riders running around in women's clothing.

Bradamante climbs up some stairs into the seats.

"Nor I *half* those blue ribbons," Kassi sighs morosely. "I had to explain
that to Ryi! And I don't even want t'know why he kept the dress,
either...." She meets Seaylin's stare with an expression that's amused, but
all too sincere.

Bradamante saunters in with an "Ooooh eggs!"

Feeling weyrling eyes upon him, M'rgan states firmly, extremely, extremely
firmly, "That *never* happened." With a thoughtful rise of his eyebrows, he
calls Seaylin over. "Could you help me open this, please?" A slight wince
crosses his face as Kindre and Kassima continue that story.

A helpful weyrling puts a hand under Seay's chin and closes her mouth for
her, leaning over to whisper something. Seay's eyes widen even further,
then she quickly drops her gaze suddenly finding her boots very
interesting. At M'rgan's call, she looks back up and stares doubtfully at
the package. One toe scuffs across the ground in front of her and she
finally manages a few small steps forward, obviously taken with great
reluctance.

Kassima sings out, "Did so, did so! Just because you were asleep at the
time doesn't mean it never occured! You should've known better than to fall
asleep in the 'Springs, anyway. I confess, I never looked *half* so good in
that blue gown as you did, Martina." Just because it's his Turnday, or
close enough, doesn't mean her inclination to have mercy on him is any
stronger than usual.

Laurene gives a chuckle, "My cousin, Jh'rin, looks better in his skirts and
blouses than I do in mine. It's downright depressing."

Kassima blinks at Laurene, attention drawn momentarily away from the
gift-opening. "Jh'rin's your cousin? I've heard of him. Word has it that
he's leagues ahead of me in the quest to be named the weirdest greenrider
on Pern."

With a laugh, Laurene nods. "Yeah. He's my cousin. His ma and my ma are
sisters. And I'd say he's pretty weird at times, yeah."

Kindre continues to laugh, albeit more quietly than before. As Laurene
speaks, she nods. "I've heard that! Oh, not of him looking better, but
about the dressing up..." she's sure to clarify. "Oh, I don't know, Kassi.
I doubt he's ever drug a wherry's head through the living cavern here."

M'rgan shakes the package as Seaylin nears. "If you'd just untie those and
help me take this cloth off..." As Laurene joins the conversation and the
titterings of weyrlings can be heard, the weyrlingmaster shoots a glare at
the Benden greenrider. "It ****never**** happened," he hisses at her.

Laurene says, solemnly, "I'd be more than willing to believe that under any
normal circumstances, sir, you'd /never/ be caught in a dress." Not caught.
Wearing one in the first place? Now, she's not qualified to comment.

Kassima shakes her head. "Nay, but neither have I wandered about dressed in
drag, convinced 'twas pregnant." Never mind that she dresses in slacks all
the time, and *has* been pregnant. There's no connection. The glare,
however, seems to get through to her, and she has the grace to look faintly
abashed. "Whatever you say, Marti--Mart," she amends quickly.

Bradamante coos "Oh the 9th one is pretty" as she leans over looking at the
eggs.

Seaylin draws a just a tad bit closer, stretching her arms out as far as
she can while trying to keep as much of her body away from the gift as
possible. She begins to untie the ribbons, flinching as each one drops. Two
fingers move to snatch the cover off the gift, which she does with a quick
motion, stepping back simulateneously in case the present does something
strange.

But the present doesn't do anything strange. Except lie there if you think
that's strange. Once the protective cloth is off, a rolled up tapestry is
revealed. M'rgan carefully places the tapestry on a bench and starts to
roll it open. But Kassima's and Kindre's conversation makes him hesitate.
It would be just like them to order a picture of him in a dress. Even
though, of course, that never happened. With a popping from his spine, he
shifts the tapestry to another bench where it can't be seen as he unrolls
it. For a long while he stares down at his gift, hands on his hips, his
body blocking it from the view of the others.

Laurene wrinkles her nose a bit, "The pregnancy thing was a bit hard to
deal with. I admit that watching how Siaroth's cycles affect Jh'rin has me
awfully wary."

Kindre, watching Seaylin, believes the young woman has heard some stories
as well. M'rgan's glare does, indeed, stop her laughing. While he looks
over the tapestry, however, she can't help but smile.

One of the more adventurous weyrlings tries sneaking a peek at the hidden
tapestry.

Kassima bites her bottom lip, watching Mart stare at his gift with the
faintly worried expression that usually crosses her face right when someone
opens a gift. Of course, it's usually a lot more fleeting than this. Only
Mart is evil enough to draw the moment out.

Seaylin begins twisting the innocent cover between her hands, rolling and
unrolling it and twining the ribbons around it.

A disbelieving, "I can't believe you did this," is M'rgan's first words. A
low, appreciative whistle escapes M'rgan's lips as he stares at the
tapestry. "I don't believe it." Hearing movement near him, he glances over
his shoulder at the weyrling. Grinning, he takes a few steps back, inviting
the weyrling to have a look at the tapestry displaying Herath's and
Ularrith's Hatching.

R'val watches the scene, and the tapestry, and everything going on, and
seems somewhat interested, if drunk.

Kassima asks somewhat hesitantly, "Is that a good 'I can't believe you did
this,' or a bad 'I can't believe you did this'?" His grin reassures her
somewhat, though, and she matches it with one of her own. "Well, we *did*
owe you a few. Happy belated Turnday, brownie."

Laurene stands and stretches, gathering up her bowl and mug. "If you'll all
excuse me, it's early morning firestone bagging for me, so it's past my
bedtime."

The curious weyrling steps forward and inspects the tapestry. A quick smile
and he steps back, making room for the other weyrlings. "'S'nice M'rgan."

Adding her own to Kassi's, Kindre smiles wide and offers, "And many more to
come, we hope. Pern'd be terribly boring without you." A small, nearly
unheard sigh of relief escapes her lips as it seems M'rgan likes his gift.
"Was Kassi's doing, really, the commission. I added my marks. So, you, uh,
like it?"

Laurene nods to the Benden riders and the others as she turns and makes her
way past the Weyrlings.

Kindre smiles, lifting a hand to wave to Laurene. "Good eve to you."

Kassima diverts her attention to Laurene for a moment, nodding to her with
a rueful smile. "Well do I recall that dawn chore. Clear skies t'you,
Candidate--and best of luck at the Hatching." She nudges Kindre discreetly.
"As if'n you didn't do your part, too?" If Mart *doesn't* like it, she's
not going to take the blame all alone.

M'rgan arches his eyebrow at the two women. "You owed me more than a few.
But this will /mostly/ make up for it." His gaze continues to wander back
towards the tapestry as if he can't stop admiring it. As Laurene rises he
pulls his gaze away, smiling at her. "Good evening." To Kindre, "Of course
I like it. Why wouldn't I? I'm not being humiliated in it."

Benden Weyr> Kindre thinks her rp has taken the offramp from conherency :b

Laurene casts a smile over her shoulder at Kindre, Kassima and M'rgan, then
starts down the stairs.

Seaylin waves a quick goodnight at Laurene.

Benden Weyr> M'rgan was already there. ;)

Kindre can't help but giggle.

Laurene walks down the stairs towards the entrance.

Benden Weyr> Suzot grins. "This is new, Kassi?"

Kassima beams at Mart, obviously pleased--though her impishness does show
through nonetheless. "Ah, good! If'n the slate's clean, that means we can
start to chalk up more black marks against us without worrying about the
past. In all seriousness though, Mart... glad indeed I am that you like it."

Kindre bobs her head in agreement and smiles. "I'm glad, too, truly I am."
At Kassima's remark, she nearly equals the Wingsecond's wicked grin.

M'rgan softly snorts. It's just a slight expelling of a breath as he looks
back at the tapestry. "Of course, now I'm going to have to come up with
something for you two." But then that's why he got weyrmated right? So that
Kena could provide the marks while Kena takes care of the gift-selecting
and purchasing.

"Whyfor," Kindre inquires and chuckles. "No reason to get anything for us
because we got you a turnday gift, Mart!" Besides, she'd rather plot some
new evil anyhow.

Seaylin admires the tapestry for several long moments. A yawn starts,
quickly followed by several others which she tries to hide behind a quickly
uplifted hand.

Kassima laughs, shaking her head. "You don't have to, Mart. 'Twould nay be
a gift if'n you felt obligated to give one in return in payment or some
such thing."

Benden Weyr> Kindre ah mah gahs as she is now reading Kassi's poses as her
own...thougth I mav'd big time or just didn't see what I typed. Yeah. Time
for bed methings.

M'rgan steps back over to the tapestry and begins to roll it up as he sees
Seaylin's yawn. "Weyrlings, it's time to head back to the Weyr." A few more
turns and it's slung over his shoulder. "Ah, but you see, I don't want you
even, Kassi."

Benden Weyr> Suzot tucks in Kindre with her little stuffed dragon.

"Kaylira looks tuckered herself," Kindre notes with a smile at the babe. "I
think perhaps we should head home as well..?"

Benden Weyr> Kindre snugs Suzot :) Aw :}

Kassima simply grins. Grins evilly, all attempt at innocence gone. "I've
eight months to be even yet, Mart, ere my Turnday's nigh--and Kin has yet
more! Aye, Kindre... she should get some sleep, even if'n I don't. I made
all my guesses for the eggs, so there's nay reason nay t'go home."

Benden Weyr> Kassima snugs Kin muchly, and laughs. Bad enough that people
mistake us for each other; now we're mistaking us for each other? ;)

Seaylin nods at her Weyrlingmaster and shoots a quick look at one
protesting weyrling. She salutes the other riders, dropping it quickly and
smiles. "It was nice meeting you." With that, she turns on her heel not
quite falling over in the process and strides out.

Benden Weyr> Suzot is a good tucker. :)

Seaylin walks down the stairs towards the entrance.

Benden Weyr> Kindre laughs!

Weyrlings start tricking out to the bowl as their weyrlingmaster says his
goodbye's while he slowly, reluctantly starts backing away. "Then I guess
I'll have to see you all another time. Thank you for this. Really. Thank
you." He pats the tapestry firmly.

Benden Weyr> Suzot ahems. Tucker-inner.

Benden Weyr> S'riv finds this all just scary

Benden Weyr> J'lyn says, "And you've been at Benden /how/ long, S'riv?"

Benden Weyr> Kindre hehs, O He Who Recluses On The Star Stones? Find
tucking in scary? ;)

Kassima smiles, and nods to Mart. "You bet you will." Threat, or promise?
Hard to say.... "We'll have to drop by the 'Reaches more often, i'truth.
Fair be the wind beneath Ularrith's wings in the meanwhile--and clear skies
t'you both."

M'rgan walks down the stairs towards the entrance.

Benden Weyr> Kindre yups. She's beyond making sense. Bed it is.

Benden Weyr> S'riv says, "yes, in fact, I do."

Benden Weyr> Thera snugga Kin, and goes back to watching her houseguests
play Busta Move, which is video game crack.

Benden Weyr> Suzot says, "What the heck is that?"

Benden Weyr> Kindre sorries for cheating....see ya all tomorrow night!

Benden Weyr> Kethran waves to Kindre!

Benden Weyr> Thera says, "it's this painfully addictive short game that has
a song that sticks in your head like "it's a smalle world""

Benden Weyr> Suzot says, "Sounds kind of inane.."

Kassima yawns, standing and gathering her things. "Evening, Guest," she
greets, upon turning and seeing someone there. "Benden's duties t'you and
yours. I was just on my way out; my apologies for nay staying to chat."

You walk down the stone stairs towards the entrance.