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:
	4/8/98

Log Cast:
	(People) Mehlani, Jorenan, Chonny, Ofira, Girad

	(Fire lizards) Arki, Gossip

Log Intro:
	Mehlani has been spending several of the last several days waiting
for the furor of rumors surrounding her and Ro and K'star's activities on
the night of Leilanth's flight to die down. To her dismay, Ro's 
overprotective father R'gan has threatened to ask the Weyrleader to send
his daughter _and_ Mehlani off to the Harper Hall. Fortunately for Mehlani,
that hasn't happened yet, though she's found to her dismay that she's been
much less able than usual to find Ro about the Weyr. She's also noticed
a certain level of discomfort from Baker Apprentice Jorenan about the whole
business -- and to her even deeper dismay, she's noticed a profound lack
of K'star in her general daily vicinity as well.
	But a bright spot reaches her in the middle of all this, in the
guise of a letter from her brother....

----------
Your location's current time: 13:35 on day 16, month 6, Turn 22, of the Tenth 
  Pass. It is a summer afternoon.


	"Dear Mother, Father and Mehlani, 

	This is just a quick note to let you know that I am 
	doing well, as is Siara. And that we now have a beautiful 
	baby daughter we have named Sahra. The circumstances behind 
	her actual birth were a little harrowing, but everyone 
	is doing well. 

	I do hope you can come visit your new granddaughter/niece 
	soon. Love, Fah

        Fahloran, Igen Dragonhealer"

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

It is not surprising that Mehlani appears to have her attention buried in a 
  hide as she pads quietly into the cavern from outside, green Arki curled and 
  lurking around her neck. What is perhaps surprising is that for once, the 
  girl seems in almost sunny spirits, her gaze warm, a smile playing across 
  her mouth as she reads, absently heading towards a table.

From the kitchen, Jorenan is finishing an afternoon baking; he's sliding the 
  last of what looks like hundreds of loaves of bread into the ovens. He gives 
  Mehlani a brief wave and surprised answering grin. His quirked eyebrow 
  probably suggests that this is a mood he's not seen her in very often.

Mehlani does catch Jorenan's wave, and she lifts a hand to wave at him back, 
  as she sits down and keeps reading. She finally finishes, and lowers the 
  hide, looking rather pleasantly bemused.

From the kitchen, Jorenan finishes with the baking, finally, and turns to take 
  a break.
From the kitchen, Jorenan walks into the Living Cavern.
Jorenan walks in from the kitchen.
Jorenan has arrived.

Mehlani looks up, and smiles earnestly. "Hello...!" She's still sitting with 
  the hide clasped gently in her fingers, and behind her neck, Arki eyes it 
  threateningly, as if the thing 'Lani's just read is about to receive a dose 
  of the green's personal wrath.

Jorenan pours himself a mug of klah and takes a seat across from Mehlani. 
  "Hullo," he says with a small smile. "You look downright cheerful."

"I have a letter from my brother," the lass in the hat explains readily, 
  holding up the hide. Her eyes are wide and wonder-filled, as she finishes, 
  "I'm an _aunt_!"

"Congratulations!" says Jorenan. "Is it a boy or a girl? And which brother is 
  this?" He grins a little and adds, "And is this the first one?"

Arki lies her head low on 'Lani's shoulder, and hisses lowly. Evidently, Arki 
  does not approve of babies, but then again, Arki doesn't seem to approve of 
  much. Mehlani giggles a little and lifts a hand to stroke the green's head, 
  which Arki suffers stoically, while 'Lani goes on, "Fahloran is my only 
  brother old enough to _have_ babies... and it is a daughter, and his and his 
  weyrmate's first! Father and Mother are grandparents now!" The thought 
  actually draws a rare giggle out of the girl, as she confides, "I'm just 
  trying to picture Father's face at the news."

Jorenan grins. "I've not met him," he admits. He adds, "I've got so many nieces 
  and nephews that I've kind of lost count. Some of 'em are older than I am by 
  ten Turns."

"Oh, I introduced you to Father when he came and got me for the Hatching at 
  Igen," Mehlani offers, "but I guess you haven't met my brother Fahloran..." 
  She scritches Arki again, which has the result of getting the little green 
  to, if not actually croon, then at least not hiss. "I guess that he has had 
  to be at Igen a lot, while Siara has been pregnant and unable to bring him 
  here on her dragon!" She considers and then adds, "I think I'll have to go 
  visit him and the baby, soon."

Jorenan nods. "Exactly," he says. He gives the green a cautious look, and then 
  directs his attention elsewhere. He remembers about her not liking to be 
  looked at. "D'you know what they named it?"

"Sahra," supplies Mehlani promptly. She's still smiling, blue eyes uncommonly 
  bright.

Jorenan grins. "That's a nice name," he agrees. "Are you going to positively 
  dote on her?" He clearly thinks the answer is going to be yes.

Mehlani giggles again, and blushes, just a little, a soft passing hint of 
  pink. "I _like_ babies," she ventures. "It's when they get bigger and turn 
  into children that I don't know what to do with them!"

Jorenan grins slowly. "I've been around babies and children my whole life. 
  Some of 'em I like, some I don't. It's like asking whether I know how to 
  breathe, almost. Except that mum and my sisters did a lot of the work."

To that, 'Lani bobs her head. Positively chatty today -- the news from Igen 
  Weyr must have been a badly needed balm to her spirits -- she offers in 
  reply, "Our family is very big, but we're so _scattered_. Mother got nannies 
  for Fahloran and Anra and me, mostly, at least when I was smaller. And all 
  the rest of my brothers and sisters are rider children, so they've had to be 
  fostered."

Chonny walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Chonny has arrived.
Chonny bounces her way in then slows to a more somber walk. She lends a wave 
  towards Pierron and sits herself at a table.

Mehlani and Jorenan are sitting near one another, apparently in the middle of 
  conversation; 'Lani's smiling earnestly at the young Baker, and she's got 
  her green fire lizard Arki curled grudgingly around the back of her neck.

Chonny leans across the table and picks up one of the rolls that're in the 
  basket there. She quietly peels the outside crust from it and nibbles at the 
  crust.

Jorenan nods. "That must be a bit of a diffference, truly. I'm the furthest 
  away from my family. The rest are all within a day's wagon ride of home. 
  Well, except for my Uncle, but even he winters over there."
Jorenan nods to Chonny when she comes in.

Chonny offers up a little bit of a smile to the bakerperson. Small and shy, it 
  seems.

"Well, it helps that Father and Brigid and Ryialla and Katrina and Faarla 
  _are_ all dragonriders," Mehlani muses softly, "and many of us are getting 
  fire lizards so it's easier to send news back and forth..." She trails off 
  at the diversion of Jorenan's attention, and her voice drops down a little 
  in volume before she realizes that the individual whom Jorenan's nodding is 
  young Chonny. 'Lani smiles earnestly to the younger girl.

Chonny puts her elbows up on the table as she's peeling the roll. Her smile 
  spreads a bit more at Mehlani's, but it's still a bit quite and kinda shy.

Jorenan nods and grins. "Good point. My whole family's bound to the earth, 
  rather than the sky." He pauses, as if a new thought has just ocurred to 
  him. Which one are you going to be, Mehlani?"

Mehlani blinkblinks, quirking her head. "Which one...?" she echoes.

"Are you going," Jorenan clarifies, "to be tied to the earth or the sky?"

Ofira walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Ofira has arrived.

Girad walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Girad has arrived.

Ofira comes in holding Girad by the hand, "'Afternoon," she smiles to Jorenan 
  and Mehlani.

Chonny asks, on overhearing that, "why b'b'be tied to anythin. Ofthie!"

Girad nevertheless carries the bag around with him. "I can wait." He waves to 
  Jorenan and Mehlani with a grin.

Jorenan's attention is drawn away by a younger apprentice who seems to have a 
  number of questions about preparation of roast wherry. He gives Ofira a 
  cheerful wave and then goes back to his work.

'Lani's smile dims down a little, but this is hardly bad for her expression; 
  it seems to mean only that her gaze turns more thoughtful and earnest, a 
  trifle wistful. "I... well, I've thought about that for months now," she 
  begins. At Ofira's call she blinks and looks up, and smiles rather more 
  shyly to the Bakermaster, her expression shuttering off more as Jorenan is 
  abruptly called off.

Ofira sighs a little and then nods, "Alright. Set them down and we'll get them 
  later. Now, are you hungry?"

Chonny puts her roll down and looks over towards the bakerlady earnestly.

Ofira smiles at Chonny, seeing her there, "Oh, hello Chonny."

Girad pushes his lower lip forward stubbornly and shakes his head. "I keep the 
  bag. Hungry, yes?" He sniffs tentatively. "But no tubers!"

Ofira nods agreeably, "No tubers. Some meat, and some greens, and some 
  rivergrains," she checks off as she fills a plate with the simplest fare on 
  the table."

Chonny says "Ofthie, haf you theen Rhylan?"

Ofira shakes her head, "Not since after lunch. He went off to play wihth some 
  of the other boys."

Chonny nods her head a little then asks, "hath he athked you yet?" in a 
  smaller voice.

Ofira raises an eyebrow, "Asked me? Asked me what?"

Chonny's eyes widen a little then she flushes, "Uh... uh... nothin!" she 
  stammers out then finds that her roll is incredibly fascinating.

Girad pouts some more. "Rivergrains?" He presses his bag close but does not 
  object further, patiently waiting for his mother to fill a plate for him.

Mehlani straightens where she sits, tilting her head slightly at Chonny's 
  mention of her little brother. On her shoulder, Arki hisses slightly, 
  apparently not liking the increasing number of people present in the room, 
  and 'Lani turns about to keep the little green quiet.

Ofira looks a bit concerned now, wondering what Rylan has been up to this 
  time. "Its' alright Chonny, you can ask me."

Chonny says "Ith o-k'k'k'.. k'kay. Ith nothing b'b'bad." She sinks into her 
  seat a little farther. That poor roll gets more attention. "Ith thilly."

Ofira nods slowly, "Well, I'l talk to Rylan when I see him, if you don't feel 
  comfortable talking to me."

Girad tugs at his mother's sleeve. "Hungry, mommy!"

Ofira nods and places theplate she's filled with smallish portions in front of 
  her son. "Here's your napkin," she reminds him.

Chonny shakes her head a bit more enthusiastically, "oh n'n'n'... no. D'don' 
  thay th'th.." her speech is more broken now as she tries harder, "that I 
  told you, pleath?"

Ofira looks a bit perplexed and turns to Mehlani, "do you have any idea what 
  this is about?"

It is evident that Mehlani is just as perplexed, for, as she soothes her 
  temperamental fire lizard, the girl shakes her head gravely.

Girad sighs and pulls at his napkin. "Don't need..." he mutters, then picks up 
  the spoon he always uses for his food and pushes the smallish portions into 
  his mouth, of course staining his shirt and the napkin in the act.

Chonny slinks down into the seat a bit further and tries munching her roll.

Ofira sighs and retucks the napkin around Girad, trying to clean up the 
  stains, "Well, we'll see if he says anything..."

Girad studies Chonny curiously, the while not concentrating on his spoon, so 
  he stains the shirt some more. He seems oblivious to his mother's doings.

Chonny peels at that roll s'more and eats the crust. Soon there's no crust on 
  the roll at all.

Ofira sighs again, still working at the napkin, "Eat like a big boy girad," 
  she says encouragingly.

Girad soon finds that someone eating a roll is not that interesting. He looks 
  at his mother. "Big boy? Girad is big boy! When do we go?" He seems to 
  concentrate a little bit more on his food now.

Gossip, that green firelizard pain, decides that her Pet's not interesting 
  either. She does find that food over there getting to be more interesting... 
  so she goes to beg food at the boy's plate.

Ofira says mildly, "Later on. When someone is free to take us." She smiles at 
  Mehlani a, "Interested in some time at the beach at Boll? I have to head 
  over there to meet with Lady Dyane and thought to have some fun as well."

'Lani had risen to her feet, steadying Arki on her shoulder; that pale, 
  baleful-eyed green hisses lowly as she spies the other green visible in the 
  cavern, but 'Lani herself turns and blinks at Ofira. "Excuse me?" she 
  murmurs politely.

Girad whees and uses his spoon to push rivergrains off his plate. "Here, you 
  can have dose, little one." He chuckles, thinking he is a very clever boy. 
  As Ofira tells Mehlani about the trip he calls out "I will go too!"

Ofira sighs, gathering up the rivergrains again automatically, "I asked if you 
  wanted to go to the beach at b Boll with us. I just thought you might enjoy 
  a trip."

Gossip doesn't seem to hear the other lizard, but spies the food there. Se 
  snuffles at the rivergrains and then looks right at the meat with an 
  encouraging chirr.

Girad aws and frowns. With his fingers, he flicks one of the chunks of meat 
  off his plate and then attempts to make the rivergrain disappear off his 
  plate again.

"Thank you, but... I'd probably better not," Mehlani murmurs earnestly. "I 
  still have to dust the dorms today, Master."

Ofira nods to Mehlani, "Well, I understand dutyof course, but I'm sure they'll 
  give you some time off sometime, if you ask for it. At least, I hope they 
  will," she smiles, as she gathers up the meat and deposits it back on 
  Girad's plate.

Girad sighs. "No food, little one." He decides to finish off his plate now and 
  digs into the food seriously.

Gossip trills happily then stops to look at the lady who took the meat. For 
  that..she chooses to sit closer to the boy and the plate and creel like she 
  were a lizardling.

Chonny starts munching on the softer part of her roll, watching out the 
  doorway for now.

Ofira tsks and goes to the kitchen quickly for some scraps that she puts next 
  to Girad, "You can give him these. Then you'll be eating together."

Girad smiles at his mother. "Dank you!" He starts spreading the scraps on the 
  table. "We eat togeder!"

Green Gossip waves her head back and forth at the Foooooood on the table and 
  immediately scoops up one and flips it back into her lizardmaw. Twitters and 
  trills accompany the gift as she sits near Girad.

Mehlani bobs her head earnestly to Ofira, and takes a moment to quietly slip 
  outside into the Bowl.

[End log.]