The World of Pern(tm) is copyright to Anne McCaffrey (c) l967.
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.
This log may be distributed freely as long as this header remains intact.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Log Date:
	4/5/98

Log Cast:
	(People) Aladis, Kathall, Mehlani, Kassima, Kindre, Ofira, Phenix,
Sionelle, K'tyn, Asrai

	(Dragons) Herath, Asabeth, Prometh

	(Fire lizards) Brodi, Vachon, Holl, Enri, Kyril, Emmy

Log Intro:
	Leilanth, senior queen of Telgar Weyr, has risen -- and her flight
has proven to be an interesting experience in more ways than one for a
significant portion of the Weyr. K'tyn, bronze Prometh's rider, has once more
incurred Jehrina's wrath by claiming the position so long held by her
weyrmate P'tran, with Leilanth's being caught by K'tyn's bronze. Younger
bronze rider A'lex has found himself confronted with an unexpected visit
from his mother, who has in turn been horrorstruck to discover certain details
about the life her son has been leading -- which has in turn caused A'lex
to enter into a shouting match and then a drinking match with Kassima, the
source of the mother-horrifying rumors. The youngsters of the Weyr have
gleefully speculated as to whether this means that A'lex and Kassima are an
item.
	And the members of Duskfire Wing, having discovered that Leilanth's
flight has ever so conveniently coincided with the sixteenth Turnday of
a lass by the name of Mehlani, used the flight as their opportunity to deliver
her a Turnday present: K'star, drunk, drowsing in her cot, with a sign
proclaiming "Happy Turnday, Mehlani!" affixed to his ever-present battered
brown hat. Mehlani, with the help of her friend Ro, managed after finding
the intoxicated brown rider to get him safely to his weyr, and themselves
safely back to their cots.
	But what Mehlani doesn't know is that rumors about what exactly she
and Ro did while in Indyth's rider's weyr have begun to fly with the coming
of the dawn....

----------
Your location's current time: 15:55 on day 1, month 6, Turn 22, of the Tenth 
  Pass. It is a summer afternoon.

You walk through the large entrance to the Living Cavern.
Telgar Weyr's Living Cavern(#750RJM$)
Contents:
Aladis
Kindre
Kassima
Kathall
Pierron
Obvious exits:
Lower Caverns  Kitchen  Bowl  

Aladis looks at you for a moment.

Kathall shifts again. "That /is/ something," she agrees to Kindre. "I'll have 
  to see it for myself, I suppose."

Mehlani pads silently into the cavern, accompanied at the moment by only her 
  little blue Brodi, who clings anxiously to her shoulder as she traverses the 
  room. The girl is apparently heading for the kitchens, and her features are 
  creased in deep, absentminded thought.

Kathall looks at you for a moment.

Aladis chuckles quietly, expression vague for a moment. The greenrider calls 
  out, "Asabeth sends her greetings, Mehlani."

Kassima winces at being saluted, though she returns the gesture sharply 
  enough. "G'deve, Aladis. D'you *have* t'be doing that? Afternoon t'you, too, 
  Mehlani." Smiling at the message relayed by Kin, she nods. "I recall her 
  passing... and *'tis* sweet. Just the sort of thing that lovey-dovey pairs 
  are given to, Faranth help 'em." She pauses for a moment, brow creased. 
  "Funny. I thought I almost remembered something... but nay."

Aladis grins at Kassima, "I only do it because it makes you wince."
Aladis says "Well. That and years of training."

Kindre waves to Mehlani as the young woman enters the cavern. "I hope you were 
  lucky enough to escape Kes last eve. I saw him at Boll with his friends and 
  he looked...well...on a mission, so-to-speak," she says to her and smiles. 
  Nodding to Kathall in agreement, she remarks, "It truly is. We should take 
  you sometime soon to see it all. Again, even if you don't drink it is still 
  a wonderful place to visit." Chuckling at Aladis' words, she grins. "How is 
  Asabeth? Doing well, I hope?"

Mehlani blinks, then looks up and smiles timidly, pausing briefly in her 
  passage. "Thank you," she tells Aladis earnestly, "and my duties to you and 
  Asabeth." She bobs her head at Kassima too, and then slips off into the 
  kitchens... or starts to. She stops, and peers at Kindre out from under the 
  brim of her hat. "Wh... what?"

Kathall says simply, "I'd like that. And I need to return to the Hold, before 
  Master Mirala gets after me again." She bobs her head mutely to Aladis then 
  Mehlani.

Kassima rolls her still-bloodshot eyes up towards the ceiling. "Sadistic 
  greenrider!" she accuses, but she sounds amused. "Just don't call me ma'am, 
  and I suppose I can live with it... only under duress, though. So soon, 
  Kathall? Well, thankee then for the tuber loaf. I'll see that it goes 
  t'someone who can appreciate it."

Kindre's head tilts slightly as Mehlani stops and addresses her. It is not the 
  amount of words, really...she's heard the young woman say five or six once 
  or twice...but her expression. "I took Herath to Boll last eve when it 
  seemed eminant that Leilanth was to rise. Kes and a few of his friends were 
  in the Lounge, the latter getting the former quite drunk by the time he 
  left." Kathall's exit turns her head, however, and she smiles. "Clear skies, 
  Kathall, and please give our best to Lord Rodin and Headwoman Lara if you 
  would?"

Kathall tells the green rider, "I don't like tubers, either, and I think I'll 
  tell A'wyn about this if you don't first." She settles her jacket around her 
  -- with a few squeaks from her dress's pockets -- and nods back at the 
  weyrwoman, smiling a bit. "If I see them, I surely will. Good afternoon, to 
  you all."

Mehlani flicks a look at Kathall, remembering her, and bobs her head at the 
  woman in distracted greeting; it's clear most of her attention is on Kindre, 
  though. "... oh," she mumbles, round-eyed.

Kathall walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
Kathall has left.

Kindre's gaze goes back to Mehlani once Kathall leaves and she adds, "I just 
  figured he'd be quite something to contend with in that state and hoped you 
  were able to escape that."

Aladis bats her eyelashes at Kassima, "I could salute you in a different way!" 
  She grins, teasing.

"I... um..." Mehlani can be seen to blush, and her gaze drops first to her 
  boots, then to the kitchen, as if she's considering fleeing. "It.. um... 
  I..."

Kassima snaps her fingers, "Ah-hah! So *'twas* Kes that I dimly remember 
  someone dragging past through the Boll! Methinks 'twas a bit busy with... 
  something... else, or I'd surely recall it more clearly." She sighs, 
  propping her chin up on one fist. "Though mayhaps I'm best off nay 
  t'remember yet, I'll swear t'you that 'tis *frustrating.*" The 
  eyelash-batting seems to take her rather aback. "The mind boggles," she 
  replies drolly, but grinning. "Remind me nay t'ask just what you mean by 
  that, would you?"
Kassima leans over a bit, lowering her voice to speak to her friend. She 
  mutters to Kindre, "... me,... t'tell you... V'dan had... that... t'be... 
  few... gossip floating... flight..." 

Aladis laughs, "I wouldn't dream of it, Kassi."

Kindre chuckles and nods her head. "I will do that," she says to Kassima 
  before regarding Mehlani curiously. "Did you run into him," she can't help 
  but wonder while gauging the young woman's expression.

Mehlani begins to _seriously_ considering fleeing. Glancing over her shoulder 
  at the kitchen, she bobs her head nervously to Kindre, not daring to speak.

From the kitchen, Ofira pushes her way past scurrying kitchen girls and into 
  the storeroom passageway.

Kindre's lips form a tiny 'O' as she daudles with the remaining part of her 
  redfruit in her hand. "I didn't realize..." is all she can manage for words.

Returning her wide-eyed gaze to the gold rider, Mehlani blurts, "Oh, it was... 
  alright, he didn't do anything, he was just very... confused!"

Aladis offers, mildly, "Asabeth could snap him in two, if you wished, 
  Mehlani." The greenrider couldn't possibly be teasing the young girl. Nope. 
  Not at all."

Kindre blinks a few times. "Good Faranth..." she mumbles quietly before 
  noting, "I wouldn't let Kiat know, he's likely to get very protective..."

"I'll bet," Kassima observes. "Indyth told Lysseth that he woke up with the 
  world's *worst* headache--and that it served him right for denying him a 
  chance at Leilanth, too. I hope he didn't embarrass you terribly." She 
  responds to Kin's words of wisdom with a sighed, "Too late, I suspect--or 
  'twill be soon. Y'know how rumors travel around here, and methinks a few 
  less-than-discreet individuals already know something of the story."

"But... but... Kes didn't do anything, honest!" the behatted young lass wails 
  softly, wringing her hands. She turns pale as Kassima chimes in, and squeaks 
  out, "R-rumors?"

Aladis takes pity on Mehlani and smiles, "I'm just teasing, dear."

Mehlani considers Aladis, then nods nervously to the woman, before adding, 
  "Wh-what... rumors?"

Kassima nods, for once looking fairly near serious. "Aye, rumors. Quite a few 
  sets already. I've heard things ranging from what may be near the truth, 
  that Kes passed out deader'n a headless 'snake once you were all up to the 
  Weyr, to the one about how a score of unclad young women *carried* him up to 
  his weyr. The lad's certes caused a stir, I can tell you."

Aghast, Mehlani blushes a flaming crimson, her hands flying to her mouth. 
  Behind them, she mumbles, "I-I-I had on clothes! So did Ro!"

That always-drunken, leering brownrider in the corner sighs in disappointment. 
  Ignoring him, Kassi just shrugs and offers a ruefully sympathetic smile to 
  the girl. "Aye, I'm certes you did. V'dan said as much. Rumors aren't always 
  known for their accuracy, though--and I'd watch out for some of the Weyr's 
  lechers if'n 'twere you." She shoots a *look* at the brownrider, who just 
  grins in what he probably mistakenly thinks is a suave fashion in return.

Kindre blinks out of whatever trance she was in. Whether speaking with Herath 
  or just plain in shock over the revelations of Mehlani and Ro and clothing 
  and a drunken Kes will likely go unspoken by her. "Golden apple shards and 
  shells," she mutters and shakes her head. "You're alright though, 'Lani? I 
  swear, though, if Kiat finds out I think we'll be short one brownrider for 
  certain."

Phenix has arrived.
Phenix enters from the Bowl.

Remembering what Ro had said about her being a Weyrleader's daughter keeping a 
  lot of the more lecherous riders out of her way, Mehlani begins, "But they 
  wouldn't--" She cuts herself off, though, beginning to tremble, eyes getting 
  a little teary. "But nothing _happened_, nothing like... like that! Ro a-and 
  I, we just, we just didn't want him to fall off his dragon...!" She doesn't 
  dare peek in the direction of that brownrider-occupied corner.

With a bit more seriousness, Aladis states, "If anyone makes you uncomfortably 
  about it, Mehlani, you just let me know, okay?" A stern look is sent in the 
  direction of the brownrider-occupied corner.

Kassima suggests with some real concern, probably over the welfare of her 
  cousin, "You might want t'be telling Kiat that, 'Lani, when you get the 
  chance. I doubt he'll be pleased if'n he hears certain variants of these 
  rumors first."

"Me too," Kindre quickly agrees, "I'll be sure Kiat behaves himself, too." 
  Nodding to Kassima's words, she bobs her head again. "That's likely the best 
  idea."

Phenix has left.

Mehlani flicks a distraught gaze from face to face, finally settling on 
  Kindre, of whom she inquires, "I-is he... is he awake?" A pair of tears has 
  started a trek down each of the girl's cheeks; evidently, the notion of 
  lurid rumors involving her and K'star and Ro circulating the Weyr upsets her 
  greatly.

Kindre's eyes take on that familiar glaze of a rider bespeaking their dragon. 
  After a moment she shakes her head. "Prometh says he's not...all for Prom 
  being awake," she relays and frowns. "Shard, 'Lani, don't cry," she then 
  pleads. "It wil be alright, honest it will. I'll let you know the moment 
  that he is awake," is promised before she frowns a little, "not that -I've- 
  seen him yet today."

"'Lani... shells, if'n I'd known it'd upset you this much, I'd never have 
  brought it up," Kassi says, real concern in her voice. "I just thought 
  'twould be better if'n you knew... really, all will be well. Kiat wouldn't 
  be the only one willing t'crack a few heads if'n anyone starts getting too 
  out of line."

Kindre flexes her muscles in an attempt at humor for the teary Mehlani. "I'm 
  one," she says and displays said arms for inspection. "And Herath would 
  help, I'm certain, considering how fond she is of you."

"I'm... I'm... fine," Mehlani sniffles, struggling to maintain her composure. 
  She starts to turn towards the kitchens, then back again, looking shaken.
On 'Lani's shoulder, little blue Brodi has begun to croon unsurely, his eyes 
  whirling a gentle baffled yellow. Devlin's brown Vachon has shown up 
  evidently out of nowhere, too, hovering about worriedly, coming in for a 
  landing on the lass's other shoulder. "He didn't... he didn't _do_ 
  anything," Mehlani repeats dolefully. But she sounds a little less firm than 
  before, and she's blushing vividly still.

Kassima suggests in a steady, firm, and not unkindly voice, "Just tell that to 
  the people who matter, 'Lani. Don't worry about the others... Kes can look 
  after himself, and there'll be plenty of people willing t'help you look 
  after *you*, too."

"We believe you," Kindre assures the firelizard-bespeckled Mehlani, "honest we 
  do." Looking between Kassima and Aladis a few moments she returns her gaze 
  to the young woman's. Bobbing her head at Kassima's statement, she obviously 
  agrees. "Exactly. Pierron has us all swinging from ledges and trading 
  weyrmates if you listen to him."

"A-alright," Mehlani mumbles, though it's mostly the sound of an upset young 
  girl trying to acknowledge advice that may or may not actually be sinking 
  in. As both Brodi and Vachon nudge at her gently with their snouts, she 
  lifts a hand to the brown head and the blue one, awkwardly attempting to 
  soothe them. There come a couple of *pops*, heralding the arrival of bronze 
  Holl and blue Enri on the scene, closing in on the crying lass.

Aladis watches the firelizard bedecked young woman. "Mehlani, anyone who 
  matters won't believe a word of the rumors. Honestly."

"Why, I only shudder t'think what he might be saying about me these days," 
  Kassi agrees. If only she knew. "All of us have been there, honestly... and 
  anyone who's a true friend t'you will understand. Aye, what Aladis just 
  said."

Dragon> Herath bespoke Mehlani with << My rider says not to cry...and to tell 
  you how asleep *image of Weyrleader* is. He will understand. >>

Holl and Enri's arrival make 'Lani look tearily up, and she awkwardly 
  stretches out an arm to let the bronze and the little dark blue alight on 
  her. She nods timidly to Asabeth's rider, now getting distracted away from 
  crying as much by the four fire lizards as by the advice of the older women. 
  She then blinkblinks a time or two, glancing out into the Bowl.

Kindre suddenly stops mid-bite of her fruit. "Sharding meddling..." she 
  grumbles before smiling apologetically at Mehlani. Shaking her head and 
  looking a bit long-suffered a moment, she finally regains her more normal 
  semblance of a smile. "Just as they both said, 'Lani. Your friends and 
  anyone who knows you won't believe a word of those rumors."

Aladis pages: You get a brief mind-touch, btw, from Asabeth. Comforting.

Sionelle walks in from the bowl.
Sionelle has arrived.

Still glancing outside, Mehlani can be seen to blink again, and it's with a 
  slight start that she jerks her gaze back to Kindre, belatedly registering 
  to gold rider's words. "I-I'll be alright," she whispers, partly to the 
  riders around her, and partly to the fire lizards perched upon her person, 
  all regarding her with anxious whirling eyes. With one hand remaining free, 
  she moves it around to pat Holl, Enri, Brodi, and Vachon in turn.

Sionelle walks in from the bowl, damp curls stuck to her forehead. She's 
  wearing a thin, sleeveless, linen top, but her usual wherhide trousers are 
  tucked into heavy boots. Ignoring anyone and everyone in the cavern, she 
  strides to the closest water pitcher, and pours herself a glass.

Kindre is in the midst of washing down that last bite of fruit with wine when 
  the swing of the caverns door calls her attention. The familiar steady, 
  purposeful stride of boots to stone prempt her need to look at the face of 
  the entering rider to recognize who she is. Dabbing her lips with a napkin, 
  she waves and offers, "Eve to you, Sionelle," while lifting her eyes to meet 
  the bluerider's. Mehlani's quiet speaking tugs her glance and she nods to 
  her. "I know you will be. You're a strong lass, 'Lani. But if you do need 
  anything, please come to one of us, alright?"

Aladis turns a smile upon Mehlani, with a slight wink.

Kassima nods a greeting to the entering bluerider, then nods again--this time 
  in agreement with what Kin said. "Right, Mehlani. Kes would never forgive me 
  if'n I didn't help you, after all." She has to grin at that. "Anyway, 
  there're certes more pleasant things we could be talking about. Kin? Have 
  any ideas?"

Sionelle frowns in Kindre's direction, the most cordial greeting that anyone 
  gets from the bluerider. Further proof of her abiding affection for the 
  junior weyrwoman can be seen in her choice to take a seat next to the 
  goldrider. Or perhaps it's not affection. Sionelle is, after all, a 
  vituperative conversationalist, and at the moment she's rather fragrant as 
  well. Not affection. More like punishment.

'Lani smiles wanly to Kassi and Kindre and Aladis, then bobs her head mutely 
  to Sionelle as the blue rider approaches. The young lass then creeps off to 
  a chair, settling down and continuing to try to settle down the four anxious 
  flits perched on her arm and shoulders.

Aladis's expression looks a bit strained as the fragrant bluerider joins the 
  area near to Kindre. "Hello, Sionelle," Aladis manages to say, without 
  choking.

Sionelle
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wearing a new-looking jacket of fawn-colored hide, with a short stand up 
  collar and tightly buckled cuffs, this young woman also wears the habitual 
  short hair of a rider. Her brown curls always manage to look a little 
  tousled, despite her best efforts to hold them in place with a braided band 
  of black and red cord, and the scarf wrapped loosely around her neck always 
  seems to be pulled a bit askew, despite having its ends tucked into the 
  fleece-lined jacket opening and secured in place by her belt.
A large diamond shaped badge is stamped on the back of the jacket, and painted 
  in the same colors as the collar-- the red background and double 'I' marking 
  her as a rider at Benden Weyr. The knot on her shoulder is woven with an 
  extra strand of blue, for her dragon, and a Dawnslight Wing badge is 
  attached to her sleeve.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hrm," Kindre contemplates and taps an index finger against her chin a few 
  moments. "What else did I miss after last eves flight? Or we could start 
  guessing on how many eggs Leilanth will lay," she offers up as potential 
  topics of conversation. The arrival of the rather scenty Sionelle beside her 
  causes her to wrinkle her nose. "Jays, have you been rolling in the bovine 
  fields while Brynarth fed or what," she blurts out in wonder.

Kassima's nose wrinkles only a touch. She's used to having V'dan around, after 
  all, and that man has a way of falling into the muckpile at least twice a 
  sevenday. Doing her best to ignore her olfactory senses, she remarks simply, 
  "'Twasn't the world's longest flight. I'm going t'guess between twenty-eight 
  and thirty-two m'self; haven't quite zeroed in on a number yet, though."

Sionelle turns to face Kindre, an expression somewhere between irritated 
  offense and irritated contempt on her face. The irritation, at any rate, is 
  unmuddled. She sniffs, once, in preparation for a caustic reply. That sniff 
  gives her a whiff of her own aura, though, and after a slight cough, she 
  tones down the response. "Hardly. I've been working, that's all. A little 
  perspiration is good for anyone, and ought to be expected of any rider with 
  any color dragon. And it's certainly not my fault if Telgar summers are 
  closer to Igen than Benden."

Kindre drinks the rest of her glass of wine, now warm from its time sitting in 
  the cavern. She sniffles a bit but dares not to blow her nose in order to 
  breath any better. "I'll guess thirty-four, I think," is remarked after some 
  thought. Sionelle's reply causes her head to bob in what appears to be 
  agreement. "Of course, I'll not disagree with you there. I'm sure I wasn't 
  much more pleasant smelling after oiling Herath earlier," she remarks simply 
  and shrugs. "That is a nice attribute, though, the summers here," she adds.

"They're all right," Sionelle allows. "But thirty-four is madness. Thirty. Not 
  a single egg more."

Mehlani rises, silently, once she's gotten the 'lizards perched on her settled 
  down. It's with some dismay that Enri and Brodi take wing off her, going 
  *between* andleaving her with loyal Holl and Vachon. Unobtrusively 
  retreating from the riders, the girl slips off into the kitchens, rolling up 
  her sleeves, apparently intending to distract herself with work.

You walk off towards the kitchen.
Kitchen
Contents:
The Baker's Guide to Pernese Cuisine
Obvious exits:
Storeroom Passageway  Living Cavern  

From the living cavern, Kassima eyes Kin as though the woman has surely gone 
  faintly mad, but chooses not to ask whether or not this is true. "Better'n 
  constant humidity," she does agree. "Thirty and four? I'll take you up on 
  that one, Kin. Just name the stakes. 'Twill be surprising if'n it gets up 
  t'thirty and two, t'my thinking--nay offense meant t'Prometh or Leilanth, 
  a'course."

From the living cavern, "Call me an optimist," Kindre offers, her shoulders 
  lifting in a tiny shrug as she grins. Pushing the empty wine glass a bit 
  away from her due to its uselessness now, she says, "I can bet a 
  mark...hrm...mayhaps make it two. I always lose when I bet just one. 
  Sionelle? Want to make a wager as well?"

Once in the kitchens, Mehlani gets to work, joining the staff currently on 
  duty in helping wash up the seemingly endless pile of dishes there is to get 
  washed in a Weyr. Holl and Vachon linger near her protectively, and the girl 
  keeps her gaze focused on her work, apparently unaware of several kitchen 
  girls whispering speculatively behind her back.

From the living cavern, Sionelle shrugs, as she finishes the remainder of her 
  water and sets the glass on the table with a thump. "Why not. Two marks is 
  it? I suppose I can spare them. And if I turn out to be correct, I can 
  finally buy myself a new riding jacket. Not that I've even broken in the old 
  one, but Benden colors are Benden colors, and it's high time I switched to 
  white."

From the living cavern, Aladis fixes one of said kitchen girls with a stern 
  look when she steps out of the kitchen to gather dirty dishes.

From the living cavern, The hapless lass pinned by Aladis's gaze blinkblinks 
  several times, dewily. Who, her? What did she _do_? Her cute freckled nose 
  crinkles.

From the living cavern, Rylan walks here from the Inner Cavern.
From the living cavern, Rylan bouncies straight over to Kassima, "Heylo"

From the living cavern, Ro walks here from the Inner Cavern.
From the living cavern, Ro walks into the room, silently as ever, to rather 
  blearily get herself some klah.

From the living cavern, Kindre bobs her head a few times. "Two it is, then. 
  Some savings I have, but Dah can wait on those bottles of wine should I 
  lose," she remarks and smiles. Rylan and Ro get a wave of greeting as she 
  says, "Eve you two."

From the living cavern, Rylan waves back to Kindre

From the living cavern, Kassima immediately produces the wager-marking hide 
  and charcoal stick that always reside in her belt pouch. "Thirty and two, I 
  suppose 'twill take. That's as far as m'optimism can extend." Her mouth 
  quirks a bit at the mention of switching to white, but rather than 
  commenting, she looks up to nod to the two new arrivals. "Afternoon, Ro, 
  Rylan."

From the living cavern, Rylan grins at Kassi, "See you /do/ carry that bout 
  all over with ya"

From the living cavern, Ro blinks at Kindre a few moments, getting her 
  bearings, before bestowing a smile upon her and murmuring quietly 
  "Afternoon, ma'am."

Mehlani, elbow-deep in warm dishwater, pauses only long enough to push her hat 
  back slightly on her head; she's not looking out into the cavern, so she 
  misses Rylan and Ro's arrival, as well as Aladis's stern look to the kitchen 
  lass.

From the living cavern, Aladis is completely unmoved by cute freckled noses or 
  dewy blinkblinks.

From the living cavern, The freckled, dewy-eyed kitchen girl quirks her head, 
  and pipes guilelessly, "Get some klah for ye, rider?" Maybe that's it! Maybe 
  that's why the green rider gave her the Look?

From the living cavern, Sionelle notices the quirk of Kassima's lips, and the 
  bluerider's eyes narrow just slightly, probably in thought but possibly in 
  irritation. With Sionelle, one is much the same as the other.

From the living cavern, Ro offers a smile to just about all, then takes her 
  mug of klah with her into the Kitchen.
From the living cavern, Ro walks off towards the kitchen.
Ro enters the kitchen from the living cavern.
Ro has arrived.

From the living cavern, Aladis says, cooly, "Yes, perhaps your should. Keeping 
  busy tends to make for less time to gossip, eh?"

It takes a few moments to Ro to even register Mehlani's presence, but when she 
  does, she just smiles a little and blushes.

Mehlani can be found hunkered over a vat of dishes, bronze Holl and brown 
  Vachon perched right nearby, on the vat's rim. 'Lani's got her lower lip 
  tucked under her teeth, and she's scrubbing determinedly at a pot, but her 
  gaze is distracted, elsewhere. It's Holl who croons first to Ro, and that 
  snaps Mehlani's attention up; she smiles awkwardly back to the other girl.

From the living cavern, Kindre peers over her shoulder to the jacket she's 
  hung on the back of her seat. "I have that new one," she decides to share, 
  "only because it was a gift. I still keep my old one for nostaglic value, 
  same with my Half Circle, candidat, and weyrling knots." Grinning at Aladis' 
  words to the young freckled woman, she calls, "And a glass of wine, if you'd 
  not mind?"

From the living cavern, The kitchen lass apparently just doesn't Quite Get It. 
  She peers at Aladis, bristling a little at the cool tone, and opens her 
  mouth to reply before Kindre jumps in with her own request. "Aye, ma'am," 
  she mutters towards Kindre, and she scurries off to fetch both klah and wine.

Ro surveys the kitchen and murmurs "D'you think I should make s'more of that 
  herb bread that the weyrwoman liked?"

From the living cavern, "I know," Kassima says absently, rolling up the hide 
  and sticking it back in her pouch. "Eh, Ro..." she starts to call, then 
  pauses. "Fardles, 'twill never catch her at this rate. But it can wait." One 
  eyebrow lifts at Aladis's needling of the LCG, and she manages to miss the 
  narrowing of Elle's eyes entirely.

Mehlani considers, then smiles a little and nods slowly. "I... suppose," she 
  murmurs back, "it'd be nice... if she found it waiting... when she gets up, 
  I guess... Ro, I..." 'Lani straightens from the dish vat, then casts an 
  anxious glance around to make sure no one is in obvious listening range 
  before she approaches the other girl.
Mehlani leans in to confide plaintively, She mutters to Ro, "... they... 
  and... talking about... wh-what we... last..." 
Ro senses "Mehlani leans in to confide plaintively, "Ro... they... Kassi and 
  Kindre and Aladis... said they're... talking about... wh-what we did, last 
  night!""

From the living cavern, Kindre, while awaiting her wine to arrive, laces her 
  fingers together and places them on the table before her. "Think there will 
  be a gold egg," is tossed out as another clutch-related topic to mayhaps 
  wager on. Tilting her head a bit as she regards Kassima, she wonders, "What 
  do you need to catch Ro for? More bets to collect?" A small grin curls her 
  lips a moment before she adds, "I really should watch you more 
  often...you're terribly good with these things."

From the living cavern, The kitchen lass brings Kindre her wine first, and 
  then, sullenly, brings Aladis her klah. "Will that be all, riders?" she 
  pipes.

From the living cavern, Sionelle sighs. "As if we need another one," she says, 
  standing up from her place at the table. "I'll save my marks on that bet, 
  and head off to the bathing pool. Good day to you all."

From the living cavern, "That too. Yestereve was her Turnday, though, y'see," 
  Kassi explains. "In the... well, I suppose chaos would be the best word for 
  it, I neglected t'give her the gift she's due. And nay, I doubt there'll be 
  a gold. Five golds is enough for one Weyr."

From the living cavern, Sionelle deposits her glass on the side table as she 
  steps out into the sunlight.
From the living cavern, Sionelle walks down the short tunnel and out into the 
  bowl.

From the living cavern, "We're such trouble, I know," Kindre returns to 
  Sionelle, "especially with 'tween training. Good eve to you, though." The 
  latter is followed by a small smile before her attentions returns to Kassi 
  and she nods.

Ro's eyes widen and she blushes before replying She mutters to Mehlani, 
  "How... they... What... it..." 
You sense Ro's eyes widen and she blushes before replying "How did they find 
  out? What is it they are saying?"

From the living cavern, Kassima then nods to Sionelle, managing to keep from 
  looking relieved... and eyeing, for a moment, the nearest set of flowers 
  nearby. They seem to have wilted; imagine that. "Clear skies, blueri--oh, 
  bugger. Some things never change."

From the living cavern, Aladis smilles brightly to the LCG. "For now."

Mehlani wrings her hands, fidgeting, as she whispers to Ro, She mutters to Ro, 
  "... only... me..... are... that... _twenty_ girls... Kes... they're... 
  about..." 
Ro senses "Mehlani wrings her hands, fidgeting, as she whispers to Ro, 
  "Kassima only told me.. that some are saying that... _twenty_ girls took 
  Kes... K'star to his weyr... and they're talking about... girls with no 
  clothes...""

From the living cavern, The kitchen lass drops a passable enough curtsy and 
  flounces off in a bounce of her curls, but can't disguise the avid curiosity 
  in her voice as she returns to the kitchen. As she passes Mehlani and Ro, 
  she might be heard to mutter, "Hmmph. Why can't _I_ take a brownrider to his 
  weyr?"

Ro nearly chokes at that. She manages to sputter out "What?!", her normally 
  second soprano voice jumping an octave.

Mehlani somehow manages to miss the girl flouncing past as she bobs her head 
  anxiously to Ro.

From the living cavern, "I should be off as well," Kindre says suddenly and 
  sighs. "See if Kiat is back and awake yet," is added as she shrugs. Pushing 
  herself up from the table and pulling her jacket from the seats back, she 
  smiles. "I'll likely be back down in a bit. I think, too, that my eve at 
  Boll wore me out more than I realized." Waving, she heads for the bowl.
From the living cavern, Kindre walks down the short tunnel and out into the 
  bowl.

Ro protests, cheeks flaming "But, but, nothin' of the sort happened!" she 
  squeaks out.

From the living cavern, Aladis shakes her head a bit and sighs, "Asabeth's 
  demanding an oiling. If you'll excuse me?"

Mehlani bobs her head quickly, anxiously. "B-but they're saying it," she 
  whispers lowly, blushing just as bright as her friend.

From the living cavern, Kassima nods sympathetically to Kin, though she does 
  manage not to yell anything after the already-departed rider. "A'course, 
  Aladis," she says instead. "I've some work t'be attending to now that I've 
  caught a bit of a rest anyway. Clear skies t'you and your green."

From the living cavern, Aladis smiles at Kassima, casts a look towards the 
  kitchen, then heads out to the bowl.
From the living cavern, Aladis walks down the short tunnel and out into the 
  bowl.

From the living cavern, Kassima walks down the short tunnel and out into the 
  bowl.

Ro puts the back of her hand to her mouth, saying near frantically "What're we 
  gonna do? My Da will -kill- me if'n he hears that."

Not entirely certain she -- and at least to her, more importantly, K'star -- 
  will escape murder either, Mehlani breathes out mournfully, "Kassima a-and 
  Kindre a-and Aladis thought I... I should tell what happened, truly, t-to 
  those who... matter... w-would your Da... maybe you should tell him, 
  quickly?"

Ro says in more hushed tones "Lani, I may -look- as old as you, but I'm only 
  just turned 14. Da'll be -livid-!"

"I-I'll help," Mehlani immediately, if awkwardly offers. "You, you and I, we 
  know what happened, I'll help you tell him...?"

Ro nods slowly "But we better tell some others first, so they kin restrain him 
  while we're tellin' him."

"K-Kindre... thinks I should talk to K'tyn... as soon as he wakes up," Mehlani 
  agrees anxiously. Across the kitchen, no less than three of the kitchen 
  girls are doing their best to pretend they aren't listening in, while 
  eavesdropping avidly; it takes a whack from the matron overseeing them, a 
  spoon to each of their shoulders, to get them going about their business.

Ro nods "That doesn't sound -too- bad. At least we'll be able t' tell our side 
  first, b'fore he hears anythin' else. Mmm, y'better make some of that 
  hangover stuff for 'im. He's gonna need it. Better take 'im somethin' t' 
  eat, too. Get him in a good mood first, too."

"Yes... yes..." Mehlani flails about for a moment, looking for a towel to dry 
  her hands. She finds one, and hastens over to the matron watching over the 
  kitchen at the moment; a murmured anxious query gets her permission to leave 
  her dishwashing duty for the moment, and 'Lani hastily begins to assemble a 
  quantity of her hangover remedy for the Weyrleader.

Ro doesn't bother asking....today is not even her day to be working in the 
  kitchen. She just follows close in the wake of the other girl.

Mehlani manages to find the ingredients she needs in fairly short order -- 
  after all, she'd just gone looking for them last night, and they haven't 
  gotten far. "Wh-where do you think he'll be?" she whispers to Ro as she 
  gathers.

Ro shakes her head "I don't know. But if it's anythin' like I heard of last 
  flight, I'd better get some arnica for his eye. That might make 'im a little 
  easier to talk to."
Ro dashes off, saying over her shoulder "I'll be right back."
Ro walks into the Living Cavern.
Ro has left.
From the living cavern, Ro walks in from the kitchen.
From the living cavern, Ro walks towards the inner cavern.
From the living cavern, Ro walks here from the Inner Cavern.
From the living cavern, Ro walks off towards the kitchen.
Ro enters the kitchen from the living cavern.
Ro has arrived.

Mehlani has assembled a small tray by the time Ro returns, with a steaming mug 
  of water in which her remedy is steeping, along with a quantity of meat and 
  cheese and bread. "Let's go find him," she whispers to her friend as she 
  returns.

Ro runs in, out of breath "I got it. I think he might be in the baths, or at 
  least that's what I gathered from the murmurs of some of those gossipin' 
  girls afore they saw me comin'."

Mehlani blinkblinks, then nods, and lifts up the tray. "Let's go look..."

Holl and Vachon watch all of this, and the bronze chirrups irritably as one of 
  the other kitchen girls gets too near to 'Lani for his liking. The bronze 
  and the brown watchfully lift off as 'Lani treks out of the kitchen.

You walk into the Living Cavern.
Telgar Weyr's Living Cavern(#750RJM$)
Contents:
Pierron
Obvious exits:
Lower Caverns  Kitchen  Bowl  

From the kitchen, Ro on a thought, Ro fills a bowl with berries, pours a 
  little cold cream over, and adds that to the tray. It couldn't hurt.
From the kitchen, Ro walks into the Living Cavern.
Ro walks in from the kitchen.
Ro has arrived.

Mehlani smiles anxiously to Ro's addition to their offerings, and pads as 
  hastily as she can with a laden tray into the inner caverns.

You walk towards the inner cavern.
Inner Cavern(#1272RJL$)
Obvious exits:
Steam Baths  INFirmary  Candidate Barracks  Corridor  Weyrfolk Quarters  
  Living Cavern  

Ro walks in from the living caverns.
Ro has arrived.
Ro walks off towards the Telgar Hot Springs.
Ro has left.

You enter the tunnel leading out to the steamy springs.
Telgar Hot Springs
Contents:
Ro
K'tyn(#7313PAJOc$)
Prometh(#3353JOaeps$)
Obvious exits:
Inner Cavern  Bowl  

Ro peeks her head in and looks around, concern furrowing her brow.

Kyril flies into the room.
Kyril has arrived.

With a laden tray in her slender hands, Mehlani is a beat behind Ro, peeking 
  anxiously around the other girl. She immediately spies the bronze bulk of 
  Prometh, and, swallowing, she calls out softly, "K-K'tyn? Are you here?"

Faint humming is heard from behind the huge wall of bronze dragon that sits in 
  the dragon pool. Prometh arches his neck, lifting his head to peer at those 
  who've entered his domain. He rumbles, gently, at Mehlani and Ro, then a 
  little more sternly at the Firelizard. "Huh? What? Oh, They are, hm?" K'tyn 
  pats Prometh's nose, and peers around the dragon to take a look as well. 
  "Heya, Ro, 'Lani," he says quietly.

Kyril chirps a greeting, arrogantly assuming that everyone has nothing better 
  to do than notice his arrival. That's the way he is. With utmost poise, he 
  enthrones himself on a rock near the edge of the dragon pool.

Ro manages a weak smile "Hello, sir."

Mehlani steels herself and approaches K'tyn, murmuring a timid greeting to 
  Prometh as she draws near. "We... we brought you some things," she begins 
  shyly, holding out the tray. There's meat and cheese and bread upon it, as 
  well as a bowl of berries topped with cold cream, and a mug of something hot 
  and steaming and herbal.

Ro nods, following close behind Mehlani "And I brought you somethin' in case 
  Jehrina blackened you're eye again."

K'tyn
Tall, dark, and surprisingly urbane-looking, this Telgar rider's broad 
  muscular frame lends him presence and solidity; a strength echoed in the 
  raptor's gleam of his amber-gold eyes below thick raven-wing black brows. 
  Something tenuously controlled lurks beneath his calm, cultureed manner; 
  hints of it percolate through the strands of curly black hair that's clubbed 
  ruthlessly back from his forehead in a black-ribboned queue. Sun and wind 
  and weather have roughened and tanned his skin to an even bronze tone. 
  Punctuating his features, two gristled scars twist about his face like his 
  dragon's tail, flaring whitely around his mouth when he dares a grin. On his 
  hand glimmers a bright band of gold. K'tyn is 27 Turns, 1 months, and 22 
  days old. (+detail)
 K'tyn, smiling a little sheepishly, looks at you steadily--his face marred by 
  the swelling and blue demarcation of a blackened eye.
K'tyn is clad in an undyed linen shirt, leather vest with matching trousers 
  and black wher-hide boots. His riding jacket hangs open loosely, and upon 
  his shoulder is a black and white Telgar Weyr WeyrLeader's knot, intertwined 
  with a bright bronze strand. A patch, SkyFire's emblem, blazes on his jacket.
K'tyn catches and holds your gaze for a moment, his golden eyes crinkling a 
  little as he smiles and then looks away.

K'tyn nods, "How's things?" he asks, turning to go back to scrubbing Prometh. 
  "And d'you want to help a bit, here? I'm rather... HM?" He looks at the 
  bronze, and then the tray of food. "You two just read my mind. I am 
  -starving!-" So saying, he sloshes over to the side of the pool and reaches 
  for it, despite Prometh's annoyed rumble at being abandoned. "Don't worry, 
  you great lump. I'm not finished with you! And aye, Ro, she did blacken it. 
  And well, too." He turns to show the pair of young women.

Mehlani smiles weakly, pleased as their tray seems well-received. "The, uh... 
  tea, it's for headaches," she murmurs. Evidently, the lass is quite nervous 
  for some reason, though she goes on readily, "I-if Prometh wants a wash, 
  we'll be happy to help, w-won't we, Ro?"
Mehlani winces at the bruise across the bronze rider's eye.

Ro peers over Mehlani's shoulder, affirming that yes, he does have a black eye 
  again. "That looks painful sir." She turns at Mehlani's voice, and quickly 
  agrees "Sure we will!"

Mehlani sets the tray down within K'tyn's easy reach, kneeling there on the 
  stone by the pool.

Prometh rumbles warmly at the girls, sidling up, slowly, to the shallows. More 
  scrubbers! 

Kiat grins, "I can't blame her too much, but--She wishes for P'tran." He eats 
  heartily. "This tastes," he slurps the tea, "SO good! I was in great pain, 
  but moving about seems to have helped. And this tea, is too--" Suddenly, he 
  stops blathering on and just peers at the pair. "Is there something wrong?"

Ro says "We can wash 'im while you eat." she suggests, her words just a touch 
  more clipped than usual. She sets a tiny vial and a wad of cotton on the 
  tray, adding "This is what the healers use on bruises t'make 'em go away 
  faster."

Mehlani, like her father before her, has an easily readable face, and 'Lani's 
  face is full of fretful dismay. "W-we need to talk to you," she blurts to 
  the Weyrleader, at his query.

Ro looks at Mehlani, then back to the weyrleader, nodding.

K'tyn nods, his mouth full as he starts to wave Ro on to Prometh. "Wh--" He 
  swallows rapidly, brows pulling together in concern. "What is it? 
  You've--you're not hurt, either of you?"

Ro shakes her head perhaps a little too vehemently "Oh no, it's nothin' like 
  that."

"No, no," Mehlani blurts quickly. She pulls off her boots, ready to wade in to 
  help wash the bronze, though she's still mostly concerned with speaking to 
  his rider. "We're _both_ alright, we just... we just wanted to make sure you 
  heard about this from _us_ first..." 'Lani's fidgeting restlessly now, 
  dainty hands wringing.

If anything, K'tyn looks more grim, his mouth firming into a thin line as he 
  directs his gaze onto Ro and the Mehlani. "Then what is it that I'm needin' 
  to hear?"

'Lani pulls in a breath, and begins hesitantly, "It's about... K'star."

Ro follows the other girl's example and slips out of her boots and clothing, 
  heading for the bronze. It is a good way to have something to do so she 
  doesn't figet so much.

Reversing their motion, Kiat's brows rise into his hairline it seems. "Oh? Do 
  tell?" He continues to eat, but keeps his watchful gaze on the young women. 
  "What has K'star done, now?"

Ro blinks "Um, nothin' sir. Nothin' that's any o' his fault, anyhow!"

'Lani's a little more body-shy than Ro, and thus, she remains at the pool's 
  edge, daring only for now to dip her bare toes into the heated water. 
  Plaintively, she considers K'tyn, and blurts, "He... well... Kindre said... 
  his wingmates were getting him... a-a little drunk, during the flight... 
  they were at Boll, you see... and... well, I didn't know a thing about it 
  until we found him in my... in my..." She turns quite, quite pink, and 
  manages to finish, "I-in my cot..."

Ro nods in affirmation, that is where she first saw him. She slips over toward 
  Prometh, and watches him to see if he will allow her to start scrubbing.

K'tyn absorbs this for a full twenty seconds. "K'star," he says slowly, 
  parsing the sentence and repeating it back for clarity, "K'star was in your 
  cot. Drunk, and in your cot....Ah. I see." He pulls himself out of the pool 
  and methodically gets into his clothing. "I have one question--" Kiat turns 
  back to the pool. "Where is K'star, now?"

"Wait...! Wait, please!" Mehlani begs, surging to her now bare feet. "He 
  didn't _do_ anything, I promise! H-he was just a little confused, is all!"

Ro nods "Nothin' at all!"

Prometh rumbles, half charging out of the water himself as his rider and the 
  two girls move away.

"Nothing at all? Ah. I see. Well, Mehlani, Ro--I must speak with him 
  regardless." Kiat smiles, just a little, his swollen eye puckering even 
  further.

Ro adds in "I was there, I saw it." even as she is washed to the side with a 
  yelp from Prometh's sudden movement.

'Lani's eloquent features now relay the very picture of fervent, honest 
  anxiety. "I-I don't think he knew where he was, he thought it was his weyr, 
  and, and you see, well, I _told_ him he couldn't sleep there, and, and Ro 
  helped me get him out to his dragon," she veritably babbles. "And, and we 
  didn't have shoes on, but we did have robes, but, but that was only because 
  we'd just come out of the baths, you see?" And, her eyes threatening tears, 
  she concludes, "Please don't punish him -- please? It's not his fault!"

Ro climbs up onto the edge of the pool, out of the water, rubbing her shoulder.

K'tyn glances at Prometh, a contest of wills occuring before the bronze 
  settles back into the water, a faintly whistled apology coming from his nose 
  to Ro and Mehlani.
"Lani, I'll not kill him, and I'll not punish him too severely. But I will 
  talk to him," He says with quiet authority. "I want to know who those 
  'friends' of his are--and all of them will have dawn sweeps for the next 10 
  falls, I think."

Ro exchanges glances with Mehlani before even considering saying anything else.

K'tyn sniffs quietly, musing a bit out loud. "Tis not too onerous a 
  punishment, but Kes should never have allowed himself to get that drunk--and 
  his friends should not have allowed him either, since we've fall in less 
  that four hours. Tis no way to keep a wing or a weyr in fighting shape."

Mehlani visibly wilts. Several of her fire lizards -- Holl, Enri, Brodi, along 
  with Devlin's Vachon -- have glided into the place and are lingering nearby, 
  warbling in soft concern. "B-but he didn't _do_ anything," she whispers, her 
  eyes tearing over after she looks back from Ro. "H-he was... sweet, even if 
  he _was_ drunk..."

K'tyn grins at Mehlani, and winks at Ro. "I think that if he hadn't been, I 
  would have killed him--or made him wish he'd been killed. Dinna worry 'Lani. 
  I won't kill him, regardless."

Ro nods hesitantly, pulling her clothes back on, even if the dampness of her 
  skin does cause them to cling. She glances at Mehlani again, "Um, sir, 
  there's more.... there's rumors..."

"Rumors? Of what?" Kiat chuckles dismissively, looking at Prometh first and 
  then the young women. "I'll be back, later, though, so you need not finish 
  Prometh. He can wait. Now--I need to speak with Kes and his friends."

'Lani risks looking up at the bronze rider, but she's clearly crying now. "He 
  didn't _do_ anything, h-he went right to sleep when we w-w-we got him safe 
  to his weyr," she maintains. And then, perhaps surprisingly, she clenches 
  her slender hands and stomps a bare foot. "And anybody who says otherwise 
  is... is... slinging wherry dung!"

Emmy flies into the room.
Emmy has arrived.

K'tyn blinks. Wherry dung? Hm. "'Lani, I'll take that into account--and you 
  know I dinna listen to rumors too much. If I need to, I know where to get 
  the real story, hm?" He nods at the pair of them, and turns for the exit 
  again.

Ro blinks at the other girl in amazement.

In response to 'Lani's agitation, Holl and the two blues and Vachon creel, and 
  Holl immediately takes wing to alight on the girl's shoulder. Defeatedly, 
  she lowers her eyes and whispers to K'tyn's departing form, "Ria and Elsi 
  and Wili, they're... guarding him, in his weyr..."

Once K'tyn is gone, 'Lani stands there gazing dolefully down at the stone 
  beneath her feet, her eyes quite wet.

Ro nods "I'll send Thunder, too. It'll be okay, 'lani."

"He didn't _do_ anything," 'Lani whispers sadly. "N-nothing bad..."

Ro nods and dares to put a comforting arm around the girl's shoulders "I know 
  he didn't."

Holl flutters, maintaining his perch and stretching out his wings for a moment 
  as Ro slips her arm around his human; 'Lani, tearily, looks up at Ro and 
  whispers, "You, you saw, d-do you think I told him wrong?"

Ro shakes her head. "Not at all. I just hope it goes as well tellin' my Da."

Asrai walks in from outside the room.
Asrai has arrived.
Asrai makes her way out from the inner cavern, smiling brightly as she finds 
  the subject of her search. "Ah, so /this/ is where everyone is hiding."

Surrounded by four anxious fire lizards and under the watchful eye of the 
  silent Prometh, Mehlani is sitting with her arms around her knees at the 
  edge of one of the pools. Ro had been with her, but the other girl had 
  gotten unwillingly hauled off on an errand, and now, alone, Mehlani is 
  waiting for her friend to come back. At Asrai's call, though, 'Lani snaps 
  her head up, startled, and it can be seen that the girl's been crying.

The smile falls imediately from Asrai's face, replaced with a deep look of 
  concern. She moves quickly to the edge of the pool next to Lani, placing an 
  hand on the girl's shoulder. "Lani, what's wrong?"

Holl and Vachon both creel; the bronze is perched on 'Lani's other shoulder, 
  and he eyes Asrai warily before seeming to allow her to touch his human. 
  Devlin's brown and 'Lani's two blues are all more or less huddled up against 
  her side. And Mehlani sniffles a little, blinking a few times, managing to 
  say only, "I... I... it's..."

Asrai's head falls to the side, not giving the firelizards any mind at all. 
  "Ah Lany sweety. Its alright, relax." She settles down next to the girl, 
  smoothing back the hair from her face wih her other hand. "Take a deep 
  breath, that's it. Now tell me what happened." Once again, the mothering 
  instinct comes out in Asrai, as well as the fierce determination to set 
  things right in her friend's life.

Disgruntled, Holl flutters out of the way, but not far, only far enough to 
  join Vachon and the blues on the stone floor beside Mehlani. The girl, her 
  blue eyes welling over damply, plaintively declares, "K-K'tyn... is going to 
  _punish_ him... and it's not his fault, it's _NOT_!" This brings on a fresh 
  rush of tears.

Asrai makes comforting noises, trying to settle Lani. Her voice takes on a 
  firm note as she starts to rub Lani's back in soothing circles. "Easy now. 
  Who is K'tyn going to punish and why?"

"K-Kes," Mehlani wails, huddling against the blue rider, while the fire 
  lizards warble their own attempts at comfort. "He d-didn't _do_ anything, he 
  was just a little drunk, a-and confused...!"

Asrai nods in understanding as Lani starts to tell the story, letting the girl 
  rest against her as she continues to sooth and comfort. "OK, so K'star went 
  and got himself in the skins..not unusual for the flight and all. Why would 
  that have K'tyn punishing him? He'd have to punish the entire weyr in that 
  case." She giggles softly, rocking Lani gently.

"H-h-he was in my cot," Mehlani mumbles, her soft voice ragged, her tears 
  getting Asrai damp.

Asrai ahhs, "Well now. Did he get there on his own?" she obviously has lived 
  at the weyr for some years now. She doesn't seem to mind at all that Lani is 
  using her shirt as a tear soaker.

"I-I-I don't _know_," is Mehlani's mournful reply, "a-and Kes, he was... he 
  was confused, he thought it was his weyr, and... and..." She trails off, 
  shaking in Asrai's gentle grasp.

Asrai nods, "Well now. I don't see that anything is wrong there...Lani, did 
  anything happen. something you haven't told me yet?" She must still be 
  trying to find out what got K'tyn's panties in a knot.

Mehlani looks up, and although she's crying, her face is insistent. "He didn't 
  do anything bad!" she cries huskily.

Ro walks quietly back into the room, noting Asrai's presence with surprise, 
  but not distress.

Asrai nods, rocking Lani a bit more. "There now, easy." She gives Ro a 
  welcoming smile. "I'll talk with K'tyn, Lani. But he looks upon you as a 
  daughter..and a friend. Of course he'd be concerned. But if you say K'star 
  didn't do anything, I believe you."

Mehlani sniffles and whispers, "You do?"

Ro asks earnestly, gambling that they are talking about what she thinks they 
  are talking about "Would y' help me talk to my Da, too? Who knows if'n he's 
  heard any of the nasty things those drudges have been sayin'"

Asrai grins down at Lani. Lifting ehr chin gently with one finger she replies, 
  "Oh course I do, sweety. And I'm certain if you asked him, K'tyn would say 
  that it wasn't you he didn't trust, it was K'star. All men acting the father 
  seem to take that line of reasoning." She smirks at Ro, "The drudes are 
  always talking, sometimes it seems they've nothing better to do. But most 
  times it just runs aground."

"But now they're saying that... that... we didn't have any clothes on, and 
  that there were _twenty_ girls, a-and that's not what happened at all!" 
  'Lani cries, meeting Asrai's gaze, though largely only because the bluerider 
  has taken her chin and lifted it up.

Asrai giggles softly. "Come now Lani, dear. No one in their right mind would 
  believe that crackdust. Twenty girls, what fur bed is big enough for that, 
  let alone dormatory cot. Besides, when they are that drunk, men can't...oh, 
  nevermind." The Bluerider cuts off imediately, realising what she was about 
  to say.

That confuses Mehlani, who sniffles a little as she peers tearily at Asrai. 
  "Wh-what?"

Ro looks at Asrai, a little less upset than Mehlani "Can't what?"

Asrai clears her throat a little. "Well, hmm..its about time you girls knew 
  some things. You see, when a man is with a woman..as those fools are 
  implying happened..he needs to be more in control of his body parts. In 
  other words, if he's too drunk to know that a dormatory is not his weyr, 
  K'star's , umm, parts, prolly weren't working well enough to do anything." 
  Faranth she hopes that made sense..

Ro listens closely, eyes wide, head tilted just so as she contemplates what is 
  said.

Mehlani blinkblinks, wiping a hand across her eyes, and peering bemusedly from 
  Asrai to Ro and back again. "Well... Kes... he wouldn't have... anyway," she 
  blurts.

Asrai nods, "I'm sure he wouldn't Lani. Especially if you weren't ready. He's 
  a good lad."

"He's... _always_ very sweet to me.." Mehlani whispers. The notion seems to 
  give her pause somehow, and her brow crinkles ponderingly as she trails off.

Asrai smiles. "Yes, I've noticed. Now, do you feel better? Ignore the 
  talk..laugh at it if someone brings it up. I'll talk with K'tyn and calm him 
  down..hopefully before he takes K'star's head off." She adds with a giggle.

"He went to go _find_ him," Mehlani tells Asrai anxiously, her voice still 
  soft and ragged.

Asrai nods, "Well, K'star's a big boy...he'll be alright. Plus, knowing 
  K'tyn..we'll be able to hear if he finds K'star. Things will be alright, 
  Lani."

Ro looks nervous "I don't think I'm going to be able to laugh when Da finds 
  out. He's not likely to be in too much a mood to listen."

Asrai looks to Ro inquireingly.

Mehlani swallows hard, glancing to Ro as she speaks.

Ro says nervously "Da's kinda, well, extremely protective and all. He'll have 
  kittens the moment he catches wind of this for sure."

Asrai smiles, "Ah, seems that more then one rider in this weyr looks on you as 
  a surrogate daughter, Lani. Well, it will settle down, I promise. Perhaps 
  having it all out in the open would be the best thing." She ponders this, 
  "Men get awfully touchy on this subject though."

Mehlani protests, "W-well, Ro is R'gan's daughter, and..." She trails off 
  unsurely. "Kindre a-and Kassima and Aladis, they said I should tell K'tyn, 
  but... but..." Her face falls. "It didn't go right...!"

Asrai frowns a bit, "They wanted you to tell K'tyn, because of the rumors 
  going around? They thought he would stop them..but it backfired and now he's 
  believing them. Men! Although I'm suprised Kin and the others didn't expect 
  that in the first place."

"I don't... I don't _know_," Mehlani wails, leaning her face down into her 
  hands. "He s-said he'd keep w-what we said in mind... but... but... he's 
  gonna give Kes dawn sweeps for ten Falls, he said...!"

Ro says significantly to Mehlani "You'd best tell her how Kes got back to his 
  weyr....'

Asrai giggles, give Lani a half hug. "Ah, Lani, sweety. K'tyn will calm down. 
  And like I said, no one would believe those rumors. One, you are not the 
  type to go running around unclad. Two, there is no way twenty women could 
  make it up to K'star's weyr. Three, I doubt K'star has a weyr big enough 
  weyr for that many people to fit in to begin with. More then likely, his 
  buddies thought it'd be a great joke to dump him in your cot." She looks to 
  Ro, "What's this?"

Ro blushes "Um, well, I helped 'lani take Kes to his weyr."

Mehlani blows out a ragged breath, sniffles again, and babbles, "Ro and I, 
  w-we got Kes back to his w-weyr, and we didn't have shoes on, but we did 
  have robes, but that's because w-we'd just come out of the baths... y-you 
  see?" Her gaze fixes on Asrai, pleading with the older woman to Understand.

Asrai nods, "Well, that was very kind of you both." As Lani further explains 
  she nods, no judgement in her eyes. "Of course, I understand. I don't see 
  anything wrong with that."
Asrai smirks, "Would they have had you strip in front of him to put something 
  more substantial on? Some people."

Ro says "Well, some of the riders and drudges saw us goin' through the livin' 
  cavern, and, well, it didn't _look_ like such a good thing to be doin'."

Mehlani's voice is almost a whimper as she mumbles, "I put on some pants!"

Ro looks at Mehlani "I wasnae about to take m'robe of an' get dressed with a 
  -boy- in the dorm."

Asrai smirks again, "And if they hadn't been nose deep in the wineskins 
  themselves they would have known beter then to think anything bad of you 
  two." she starts rocking Lani once more. "Its alright, hon, its alright. You 
  were more then proper, and very kind to boot. Rumors would have been worse 
  had you left him in your cot. Plus, I'm sure no one else was steady enough 
  to have helped you, anyway."

Mehlani hugs Asrai awkwardly, agreeing in a soft, plaintive tone, "I-I just 
  _knew_, I knew Kes would be so embarrassed, i-if I didn't move him....!"

Asrai nods, looking to Ro for support. "Exactly, you acted like a good friend, 
  Lani. But tell me. How long did you stay up in his weyr after getting him to 
  bed? did both of you come right back down?"

Ro replies "Just until we could convince Indyth to call someone to give us a 
  ride down, that's all.."

"R-right back!" Mehlani breathes earnestly. "W-we put him to bed, a-and then I 
  asked Indyth if he'd call a dragon for us, a-and V'dan a-and Chymeth came 
  and got us...!"

Asrai nods, "Alright, and did the same people that saw you leave with K'star, 
  see you come back soon after without him?"

Emmy soars through the air and suddenly pops *between*.
Emmy has left.

Mehlani's brow crinkles. "I-I don't know," she whispers, and she glances to Ro 
  for support.

Ro shakes her head "I don't know either. I was too tired to think about it."

Asrai nods. "Well girls, I'm going to tell you something...something that took 
  me some time to figure out. as long as /you/ know the truth, and those you 
  care about know the truth...no one else really matters. It will be the hot 
  topic for a day, maybe two...then it will be forgotten."

Ro nods, still looking worried, but not as much so now.

Mehlani relaxes, a little. She's stopped crying, although the tracks of her 
  tears still mark her face.

Asrai nods decisively. "Besides, if I know this weyr..what happened between 
  you and K'star was not the only thing worth rumors."
Asrai looks to Ro and Lani both. "Now, do you both feel a bit better?"

Ro nods and says "I still have t' tell Da, though."

Asrai nods in understanding. "Do you want me there, Ro?"

Ro nods "It might help."

"I'll come," Mehlani promises anxiously.

Asrai smiles, "Then we'll all go together."

Ro turns and points over her shoulder "Well, I'd better go get the bread 
  made....gotta keep 'Rina happy."

Mehlani nodnods, and glances at the abandoned tray they'd brought K'tyn, 
  earlier. "Let me... take this back," she whispers.
Mehlani hugs Asrai for a moment, then pulls away from the blue rider and 
  scurries over to get the tray.

Ro waits for Mehlani to catch up with her.

Asrai nods, "Certainly Ro. Lani, why don't we go get some juice or something? 
  But first.." She takes a small cloth out of her pocket, dipping it in the 
  water and washing the tear stains from Lani's face with a gentle touch. "

Mehlani blinkblinks, then murmurs, "Thank you..."

Asrai smiles warmly at the girl. "What are friends for?"

[End log.]