The World of Pern(tm) is copyright to Anne McCaffrey (c) 1967.
The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

This is a log of roleplay on PernMUSH, available online by permission of
Anne McCaffrey, author of the Pern novels, and recorded by A.S. Korra'ti
(piper@murkworks.net), player of Mehlani of Telgar Weyr on PernMUSH, and
Kassima of PernMUSH. This log may be distributed freely as long as this
header remains intact.
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[OOC Note: I'd originally lost this log out of my archive, but fortunately,
since Kassima was also logging at the time, I was able to recover a copy
and restore it to my web page. I've re-entered an appropriate intro to
fit it into the overall flow of time of my logs. -- Mehlani.]

Log Date:
	12/13/97

Log Cast:
	(People) Mishaelle, K'star (NPC), Mehlani, K'tyn

	(Fire lizards) Kyril, Holl, Mehlani's new green

Log Intro:
	A particularly potent form of klah has made its way into
Telgar Weyr -- a brew created by a semi-legendary figure by the name
of Flirk. The stuff once flattened F'hlan at Benden Weyr... and at
Telgar, now, his daughter has inadvertantly fallen victim to the
stuff. Her own reaction to it hasn't been nearly so... unusual...
as that of many in the Weyr, but still, Mehlani has fallen into the
Weyr's half-frozen lake under the influence of the stuff. Readily
fished out by the Weyrling A'lex and his bronze Nraith, and just as
readily warmed up and bundled off to the Infirmary for rest, Mehlani
is now sleeping quietly under the watchful eye of the Healers. She's
begun getting visitors, however, including the Weyrleader... and
another young Weyrling by the name of K'star....

----------
Mishaelle nods to Kyril, but hold her finger to her lips in a signal 
  for quiet.

Kyril sweeps into the room with a chirp and a flutter, followed only a 
  second later by a young man in a fedora--recognizable, quite 
  probably, as K'star despite his unusually sheepish expression, the 
  healing Threadscore on his chin, and the bouquet of flowers in his 
  hand. As Mishaelle shushes the fire-lizard, he seems to take that as 
  being meant for him and hangs back uncertainly in the Infirmary's 
  entrance.

Mishaelle . o O (Okay, I am trying to keep a firelizard quite. Baaaaa, 
  do I feel sheepish.)
Mishaelle waves her hand as if to say that it is okay to come in. But 
  behind her, one can see that the girl in the cot is asleep.

The girl is, indeed, curled up beneath her furs, but the pair of fire 
  lizards curled up on her chest lift their heads at the sight of the 
  youth. Holl in particular croons gently, and he leans forward to 
  touch his snout to the other hat lying beside the girl, as if by way 
  of recognition.

Mishaelle stands and moves to the weyrleaders side in one smooth 
  motion. She says to him in little more than a whisper "May I help 
  you?"

K'star nods, once, and steps into the room. When he makes out who else 
  is here, he immediately salutes the Weyrleader in best Weyrling 
  fashion. "Sir," he murmurs, before glancing towards the woman who 
  seems to be in charge. As quietly as he can--for he *must* know--he 
  asks, "How is she...?"

K'tyn leans against the wall, watching the small young woman in the bed 
  sleep. "I..." he breaks off, and turns to stare hard at K'star for a 
  long moment. "I'm here for the same reason as that young man," he 
  murmurs.

Mishaelle replies softly "Seems they got her warmed up quick. If she's 
  lucky, she'll be up and about tomorrow, though I'd like keep an eye 
  on her just in care. If she's not she could catch something vile and 
  be here for quite a while."

K'star's hazel eyes brighten with relief at that. Almost self-
  consciously, he pushes the brim of his hat back to peer at Mehlani 
  with a trace of worry. Said hat is a twin to the one resting beside 
  the bronzerider's daughter--save only that his is more battered, and 
  in notably worse condition. "Ma'am, you've my thanks for that news. I 
  don't suppose... there's anything that can be done for her? She's 
  something of a friend of mine, you see," he hastens to explain in his 
  quietest voice.

Mishaelle says "At the moment, her best allies are rest and time. 
  Anything else we shall deal with as we come upon it."

K'tyn glances at the Healer and nods, silently; his eyes flash 
  brightly, narrowing to slits as he peers at the young brownrider. 'A 
  friend of his?' Kiat looks back at Mehlani, then at K'star and 
  snorts. "Excuse me," he says to the healer, slipping closer to the 
  man with the flowers. "May I have a moment of your time?" Kiat asks 
  politely.

A smile crinkles the healer's eyes "Why don't you come by and visit in 
  the morning. It should lift her spirits."

It's a pale shade of blue in which Holl's eyes are whirling, and it's 
  interspersed with recurrent dots of yellow, but there's blue in the 
  fire lizard's eyes nevertheless. He croons gently to the young rider, 
  and Rianet, peeking up to consider K'star as well, peeps curiously.

Mishaelle nods, resuming her place in the chair by the cot.

K'star nods in thanks to the Healer, one corner of his mouth quirking 
  upwards in a rather familiar half-smile. "Should duty permit, ma'am, 
  I'd like nothing better." Setting the flowers down on a convenient 
  surface, he turns to the Weyrleader. And gulps. The Weyrleader was 
  squinting at him, and that can't be a good sign. Still, he's nothing 
  if not well-mannered when need be. "Of course, sir."

K'tyn smiles warmly at Mishaellle. "Thank you. You keep my little one 
  healthy, and I'll be indebted to you," he says as he waits for K'star 
  to answer. "Over here, hm?" The older man gestures to a curtained off 
  alcove nearby. "I don't want to disturb her," he says as he nods at 
  the sleeping Mehlani.

K'star glances towards the alcov, and nods. "Nay, sir, that wouldn't do 
  at all--disturbing her, I mean." With a last look back at the 
  sleeping girl and her bronze fire-lizard, the lanky young Weyrling 
  heads towards the indicated alcove.

After allowing the heavy curtain to fall back to the floor, K'tyn turns 
  to regard K'star intently. "I've been hearing rumors," he says 
  without preamble. "I want to know just who you think you are, and 
  what your intentions are regarding..." he looks over his shoulder. 
  "Mehlani." A black brow rises interrogatively.

Mishaelle's ears catch the girls name for the first time. She muses, 
  wondering why it is that name sounds familiar.

If Kes is taken aback by the sudden line of questioning, he doesn't 
  show it--though his brown brows do rise just a bit. "I'm brown 
  Indyth's weyrling, sir, previously of Greystones Hold." That takes 
  care of the 'Who do you think you are' part. Now, the tougher 
  question of the two. "As to my... intentions, sir? I'm not quite 
  certain what you're asking. I wish to be a friend of hers--she's a 
  sweet person, sir... but everyone knows that."

K'tyn crosses his arms, his eyes more intent than ever as he looks over 
  Brown Indyth's rider. "-Just- friends, is it?"

K'star pushes back the brim of his fedora, hooking his thumbs into his 
  jacket pockets and peering up at the Weyrleader with thoughtful eyes. 
  "If that's what she wants, sir," he replies. He does have something 
  of an honest streak.

Mishaelle settles in a bit, then she looks over in the direction the 
  weyrleader disappeared with an odd, puzzled look on her face.

"What she wants is not at issue, here, my young man." Kiat leans close. 
  "What IS at issue is what you will do."
"Isn't it?"

Now, K'star is a bright young man. His family may be comprised of 
  lunatics, but some of them are at least reasonably *intelligent* 
  lunatics, and he managed to inherit his share of that intelligence. 
  So, it isn't that hard for him to get an idea of what the Weyrleader 
  is concerned about here. "With due respect, sir... I would say that 
  what she wants is a part of the second issue. What I intend to do is 
  treat her honorably--like the sweet person she is. Whether she wants 
  to stay friends or nay will influence what that entails." Flushing a 
  bit--after all, this is the Weyrleader he's being so forthright to--
  he adds quietly, "I like to think that I'm an honorable person, sir. 
  And I'd never want to hurt Mehlani or do anything to make her 
  uncomfortable."

Pulling the curtain back a little after K'star has his speech, The 
  Telgar Weyrleader looks at the (to him) tiny form in the bed for a 
  long moment, his expression concerned. He lets the heavy drape fall 
  closed, and turns back to look to K'star. "You'd never want to hurt 
  her, but you would," His words are quiet. "You're a rider, and though 
  she knows that and understands the reality, -I- know that marriage, 
  nay, even fidelity are not in your future job description." K'tyn 
  stares at K'star. "I'd not have anyone promise her anything that he 
  could not provide. In fact, I'd rather her not be involved with a 
  rider at all."

K'star bows his fedora-adorned head to the logic of that, scrutinizing 
  his boots for a moment before taking a deep breath. "I admit your 
  point, sir... on both counts. I've heard that 'tis impossible to keep 
  from hurting people--especially those you care for, as friends or... 
  otherwise." If the tips of his ears turn red at that, well, they're 
  fortunately hidden by the fedora brim. "But, sir...." Squaring his 
  shoulders, he tilts his chin up to meet the Weyrleader's gaze. 
  "Shouldn't it be left up to *her* to decide what she wants?"

K'tyn accedes the young man's point. "It is her decision. Aye. I would 
  ask you the question that if such a situation arises with you and my 
  foster-daughter, would you do the honorable thing and refuse her? Or 
  would you give into her and allow her to--" His voice breaks a 
  little. "Love you?"

Kes bites his lip at that, quite soberly considering the question. 
  Finally, he shrugs. "How'm I to answer that, sir? It's too dependant 
  on the future. Right now, we're just friends--or I hope she considers 
  me a friend. Maybe that's all we'll be. And that'll be fine." Okay, 
  so maybe--just possibly--he's *hoping* not, but hey. "Turns from now, 
  though... things could be different, or not, and she might know what 
  she wants in life. As might I. For now, I wouldn't do anything to 
  dishonor her, sir... if that's what you're worried about."

K'tyn nods, slowly, a faint glint of his irrepressible humor reflected 
  in his pale eyes. "I can accept that. I hope, though, that if..." 
  Kiat pauses, considering his words before continuing. A smile graces 
  his face with warmth as he speaks. "If you need to speak of anything 
  regarding Mehlani, that you will come to me. I care for her deeply, 
  as I am sure you can tell. I would not have her harmed, not for 
  anything."

Mishaelle glances over toward the alcove, though still preoccupied with 
  her musings.

"It does show a bit, sir," K'star admits with a lopsided smile. "I 
  think a lot of people feel that way about her--even the dragons. I'll 
  be sure to do that, sir."

"Dismissed, then," K'tyn says quietly. "Oh--wait, lad. One more thing."

K'star tilts his head, pausing in the middle of the salute he was about 
  to make. "Aye, sir?"

K'tyn says "I'd have you tell all those other lads who are interested 
  in 'being friends' with Mehlani what I told you, hm?""

K'star pauses, giving that request more thought than you'd think it 
  would need. He knows his brother well, you see. But orders are 
  orders, and maybe he can kick some sense into Eyr's head before Mr. 
  Contrary goes off the deep end or something. "If'n you'd have it so, 
  sir," he agrees.

K'tyn notices the young man's hesitation. "Of course, if you think that 
  might be baiting the bull, do not tell anyone," He smiles thinly. 
  "Just tell me if Mehlani is being harrassed. I'll deal with it."

K'star grins with real relief, which suggests that the Weyrleader was 
  right on target in pinpointing the cause of his unease. "She isn't, 
  sir--nay by anyone that I know, anyway. I don't think that'll change, 
  but I'll tell you if it does." Assuming that Kes and Kassi, who 
  wouldn't want to see her family develop a reputation for lechery, 
  wouldn't just skin Eyr alive first.

K'tyn smiles. "Good then." He pulls the curtain back, and slips out 
  into the room to head for Mishaelle's chair. "Let me know if you need 
  anything," he mutters quietly. "Anything at all."

K'star sighs under his breath before leaving the alcove. He survived 
  the Weyrleader's inqusition, and he's quite grateful for the fact. 
  With a salute to K'tyn, and a respectful nod to the Master, he slips 
  back out the entrance from whence he came.

[End log.]