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Con Maynard's adventures on Pern. Updated Ocy 22nd
http://www.the-cbb.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2657
Author:  Pat [ Fri May 04, 2007 6:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Con Maynard's adventures on Pern. Updated Ocy 22nd
Con Maynard woke slowly, aware that she was in a strange place.. It was pitch dark, so dark that she couldn’t see even the hand in front of her face. She could smell though, and the smells were an odd mixture of familiar and alien. There was a murmur of voices in the distance, too far away for her to hear what was being said. Con fought down panic, trying to figure out where she was and what had happened.. Had she been sleepwalking again? Gradually memory returned. She had been out walking on the Rosleinalp above the Platz, letting the ideas for a new book run through her head. When she found a clearing in the trees she has seated herself on a fallen log, lost in the world of her own imagination.
“Excuse me.” The voice penetrated as much because of the strange accent as the volume, for the words were spoken very quietly and diffidently. She looked up and saw a strange young man dressed in a leather tunic and trousers, with some sort of helmet hanging over his arm. Not a motorbike helmet she decided, and not a riding hat either. There was also some sort of harness that held a couple of large tanks standing on the ground as if he’d just se them down. She had never seen anyone who looked like this man in her life.
“Calenth brought me here,” the man continued. “I’m S’ven by the way. We were ages in Between, far longer than I’ve ever spent there before. But Calenth was sure we were going to the right place, and you have to trust your dragon, don’t you?”
Author:  Vikki [ Fri May 04, 2007 7:04 pm ]
Post subject: 
Pat!!!! You're making me want to do a Pern re-read, and I can't at the moment because I'm in the middle of a CS one!!! :roll:

(looks fab so far though!) :D
*waits for more*
Author:  Pat [ Sat May 05, 2007 8:11 pm ]
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“D-dragon?” Con’s eyes moved beyond s’ven and took in the creature standing beyond him. It was certainly a dragon! It was a beautiful rich blue colour, with enormous faceted eyes that swirled with colour. It had four legs and a long tail, and its wings were folded neatly against its body. Incongruously there was a saddle strapped just forward of the wings, at the base of the neck.
“That’s a d-dragon!” said Con. “A real dragon! Isn’t it beautiful!”
“Calenth is a male,” said S’ven. “And he is beautiful, isn’t he? Anyway, I came because we have a Queen egg hardening on the sands and Calenth says that you are a strong candidate.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Con. “I didn’t know dragons existed outside the pages of a book. Where on earth are you from?”
“Pern of course! Where else? What part of Pern are we on here? The trees look odd, I’ve never seen anything like them before.”
Con looked at him in a funny sort of way, not understanding what he was saying. “Pern?”
“You don’t look stupid! Pern! This planet! What Calenth was thinking about I don’t know!”
“But this is Earth! And there aren’t any planets anywhere else with people on. Not that I know about anyway!”
S’ven’s face cleared. “That accounts for the time we spent Between. We must have gone Between times and to a different planet. I don’t think anyone’s done that before. No wonder Calenth told me to use the Dolphineers tanks. You are coming aren’t you? Back to Pern I mean?”
“Why should I? I don’t know anything about your world or about dragons. Besides, I’d have to leave behind all my family and friends. How can you expect me to do that when I’ve only just met you. How do I know I can trust you?”
Because I say you can, the voice sounded in her head, an odd feeling, since Con knew that the words had not been said aloud, even though that was how her brain had interpreted them. Dragons cannot lie.
Calenth? Con ‘spoke’ in her mind, not wanting to make a prize fool of herself by speaking aloud.
Yes. S’ven is speaking true. And if you do not Impress, you can come back again.
Something in Con’s mind snapped. Her sister Margot was usually the impetuous one, jumping into something without thinking it through properly, but Con was sick to death of her label as the ‘mooney’ one. For once she’d do something on a whim she decided. As the dragon had said, she could always come back.
Author:  Karry [ Sun May 06, 2007 7:09 am ]
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*joins vikki in waiting for more!* Which Weyr is she going to?
Author:  Jennie [ Sun May 06, 2007 1:56 pm ]
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Yay, a Pern story. Lots more, please, Pat.
Author:  Pat [ Mon May 07, 2007 6:48 pm ]
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She buckled a belt around her waist, and allowed S’ven to help her onto the back of the dragon, just behind him, securing the belt to the rider’s with strong leather straps. Almost before she was ready the dragon launched itself into the air in a powerful leap, and then they were flying over the tree tops. Down below she could see the chalets like toys dotting the mountainside. ~The Platz came into view, and she could see Freudesheim, and the school beside it.
“Strap on you mask, whe’re going Between,” called S’ven, and she hurriedly clamped the mask to her face, settling the straps over her head. She was only just on time, for abruptly they was hanging in nothingness. She could see nothing at all, and feel nothing either. Not the dragon beneath her, nor the rider’s body in front of her, even though she reach out convulsively for him. They hung there for what seemed to her like forever, and she had to remind herself to take breaths. She knew she was screaming, but she couldn’t hear it. I~t was the most horrific thing to happen to her in her whole life, and nothing could have prepared her for it.
Her thoughts were interrupted at that moment as a curtain was pulled back from . across the doorway into the room where she was, letting a soft warm light into the room. Con couldn’t really remember her arrival on the dragon, for even with oxygen she was fainting by the time they landed in the bowl of the Weyr. Now she looked around her in interest. The room looked as if it was part of a cave, for the walls were rocky. She was in a bed made of some sort of wood, and she could see a large cupboard and a table on the other side of the room. A smaller table stood beside the bed, and gaily patterned rugs hung from the walls.
“Well young lady, you certainly gave us a fright, arriving as you did.”
Con jumped and realised that there was someone in the room with her. A slight wiry figure, with short grey hair, and a smile on her face. She was wearing similar clothes to the dragon rider only made of some sort of cloth instead of leather; trousers, with a long tunic over the top. She was carrying a tray which she put down on the table beside the bed, and Con could smell something nice in the bowl it contained.
“I'm Gwyntha, the Head Woman of this Weyr. Now, you tuck into that, and when you’re ready you can get up. There’s clothes in the cupboard over there that I think will fit you, and someone will show you where to wash when you’re dressed. I don’t have time to wait, too much to do.” And she swept from the room.
Con giggled to herself. The woman was so like Matey, both in build and in character that it made her feel more relaxed at once. The bowl contained a hot vegetable soup, and there was a generous hunk of fresh bread to go with it. It filled a gap that Con hadn’t realised she had. Then, as she couldn’t put it off any longer, she slipped out of the bed and investigated the cupboard. It held shelves down one side, and a hanging space in the other. There was a couple of dresses, and some trousers and tunics hanging thee, and some lovely soft undies on the shelves. Con dressed quickly and then pulled back the curtain again, wondering what she would see.
Author:  Jennie [ Mon May 07, 2007 8:12 pm ]
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And she saw--------------? Is there any more, please, Pat?
Author:  Pat [ Mon May 07, 2007 8:16 pm ]
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Yes.
Author:  Jennie [ Mon May 07, 2007 8:18 pm ]
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I meant ready to go on the board, and posted.

Starts crying. :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
Author:  dorian [ Mon May 07, 2007 8:47 pm ]
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Ooh, I just found this, and wow! More please! It's lovely!
Author:  Kathy_S [ Tue May 08, 2007 2:32 am ]
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I thought it WAS Matey. :shock: Or at least her long-lost sister.

Fascinating, Pat.
Author:  Miranda [ Tue May 08, 2007 3:13 am ]
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Yay for Pern :lol: This is excellent Pat! I'm glad it's Con getting a chance to have some adventures...

Can we have some more please?
Author:  Pat [ Tue May 08, 2007 7:57 pm ]
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She looked out onto a huge cave from about a third of the way up the walls. A walkway ran round just outside, with a low wall on the outer side, but she could see over thant and into the main part of the cave. It was obviously the hub of the living area, for there were a number of hearths down one wall, all in use. Trestle-tables and chairs were arranged close to the hearths, useful for getting hot food, with a long table at right angles to the rest, as if it was kept for the leaders of the community. There were more comfortable chairs arranged in small groups below her. At the far end of the cave was the entrance, a large opening with a door standing wide to let in the sunlight. Just as she was wondering what to do she heard running footsteps, and turned to see a young woman about the same age as herself.
“Are you ready?” she gasped. “The Weyrleaders want to see you if you are. Have you really come from off-planet?”
“Yes, I’m from Earth,” replied Con, feeling a sinking feeling inside herself. The Weyrleaders sounded as if they had to be in charge here. Was she in trouble?
“Earth?! You mean that? That’s so exciting, you’ve no idea! Look, don’t worry about the Weyrleaders, they won’t bite. They’re really nice, not stuck up and superior like some of the Lord Holders you know. Oh! I’m Mel, by the way”
Con nodded as if she followed this, but it went over her head. Well, she’d find out at some point she supposed. Now she’d better get this interview over with. She followed Mel down some stairs to the floor of the cave and along one side to the door. Con gasped when they stepped outside, for she was in a huge bowl, with mountain all around her. There were black holes in the rock face, all the way up the sides, and no way of getting to most of them that she could see. Then she looked higher and saw the rim of the bowl. It was full of dragons! And more than blue ones too. There were green ones, that were a bit smaller than Calenth, and then browns that were much bigger. Then she saw the bronzes - huge beasts that shone in the sun. But the sight that took her breath away was the gold dragon that swooped down from one side towards a herd of animals at the far end of the bowl. She made her kill neatly, and sat eating the animal rather messily, and leaving Con gasping.
Author:  Lesley [ Tue May 08, 2007 11:48 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh I like this - go Con!


Thanks Pat.
Author:  Jennie [ Wed May 09, 2007 12:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks, Pat. i do love your Pern drabbles.
Author:  Pat [ Wed May 09, 2007 6:55 pm ]
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“Come on, this way,” said Mel We can climb up to the Weyrwoman’s weyr, it’s got steps. No need for a dragon.”
She led the way to the steps carved in the side of the rock face and Con had to follow. There was no door to the entrance of the weyr, just the mouth of a cave which was big enough to take even one of the golden dragons - they had to be the queens Con thought. She was right, for as her eyes adjusted to the gloom, she saw another golden dragon in front of her, curled up in a hollow that had been worn in the floor. She was asleep, for which Con was extremely grateful, for up close the dragon was even bigger than she had expected. They passed the sleeping queen and Mel opened a curtain and led the way into a large room that looked as though it was used for meetings. A long table ran down the centre with chairs all round it. At the far end two people, a man and a woman, were sitting side by side. Mel walked forward confidently.
“This is Con,” she said. Gwyntha asked me to bring her.”
“Thank you Mel,” said the woman. “Welcome to Pern, and especially to Benden Weyr Con. Don’t be afraid, we won’t bite you, you know Let me introduce ourselves to you. My name’s Nelva, and you passed my queen Annersleth asleep outside. The Weyrleader is R’sel, and his bronze is Maynarth.”
While she was speaking, Con slid into a chair at the side of the table. She was still shaking, but the woman’s calm friendly voice, and her twinkling grey eyes helped her a bit. R’sel looked a little more serious, and Con couldn’t get over the combination of fair hair and amber coloured eyes.
“Now, S’ven has told us where he went on Search for you. So we thought that we’d better give you some more background than he seems to have given you.”
“Pern was settled by people from Earth and its colonies well over a thousand Turns ago, originally on the Southern continent, which is far warmer than the North. However, eight years after settling the planet was invaded by something form space.” Con gasped and went a little white. “This was an organism that became known as Thread, from the way it fell through the atmosphere, and it devoured everything organic that it touched. It was killed by fire or water, and so the settlers used air sleds and flame throwers to fight it.”
“The trouble was,” continued Nelva, “That the sleds power was giving up, and they knew that they had to find something else. To do this they developed the dragons from much smaller creatures. Please don’t ask how, because we don’t have the knowledge or understanding anymore. All this happened over 1200 Turns ago. The attack lasted for 50 years. Thread didn’t fall continuously all over the planet, so they could protect the land, but everyone moved up to the north as there were cave systems that could be used to live in. The dragons increased in numbers, and there are now six Weyrs, spread over the north. There was an Interval of about 250 years, and then Thread returned, pulled behind one of the planets which has a very erratic orbit. But the settlers were expecting it, and survived. We have now had four Passes, as we call the attacks, and are at the end of an Interval. Thread is due in a couple of years.”
Author:  Lesley [ Wed May 09, 2007 7:00 pm ]
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Pat you are very naughty! :rofl:
Author:  Pat [ Wed May 09, 2007 7:07 pm ]
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Who me? :halo:
Thought you might appreciate that!
Author:  Vikki [ Wed May 09, 2007 7:10 pm ]
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Brilliant! Thanks Pat! :lol:
Author:  Carolyn P [ Wed May 09, 2007 7:29 pm ]
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Paaaaaaaaat...........

What happens next?????
Author:  fio [ Wed May 09, 2007 8:38 pm ]
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Annersleth?! Maynarth?! Oh Boy!!!!!!!! :roll: :lol:
Author:  Kathy_S [ Thu May 10, 2007 3:17 am ]
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:rofl:
love the names!
Author:  Pat [ Thu May 10, 2007 8:28 pm ]
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R’sel took up the tale again. “We have a problem however,” he said. The last Interval has lasted twice the normal length of time. It’s been nearly 450 Turns since Thread fell.”
“And no one believes it will come back!” said Con. “It would be very easy to believe that. You don’t think so though, do you?”
“No” said R’sel. “We won’t have proof until it’s nearly on us, but the Queens have started to produce bigger clutches, and more Queen eggs. The Red Star, which brings the Thread, is coming closer again. Whether or not we believe it will fall, we have to be prepared. But as you say, the rest of the population think it won’t come, and they don’t like Tithing to us. Worse than that, they don’t want to provide candidates for the dragon’s eggs. You see, when a dragon hatches it Impresses on a human, and that Impression lasts for the whole of their lives; a dragon Goes Between forever when its human friend dies. I think that’s why Calenth went so far. We only have a couple of suitable girls, and there’s a Queen egg on the Hatching Grounds.”
“It seems pretty odd to me that someone from so far away from here could Impress a Queen dragon, but that’s why I came I suppose. I’ve never done anything adventurous before, and I just came on the spur of the moment, without even telling my parents. They’ll be so worried when I don’t come home!”
“Don’t worry about that Con. If you don’t Impress you can go back to a few minutes after you left with no one the wiser. If you do, once your Queen can fly, and you’re competent going Between, you can go back and reassure them. They don’t need to spend any time worrying about you either way. Now, I think it’s time you saw the eggs, and we’ll tell you what happens at a Hatching.”
Con followed the two Weyr Leaders down the steps to the floor of the Weyr, and through the enormous opening in the Hatching Grounds. She found herself in a large cave with a sandy floor and rows of seats spread upwards to the roof of the cave. A Queen dragon was brooding over her clutch of eggs, and she raised her head and hissed at the intruders.
“Don’t be silly Mereneth,” said a firm voice. “I told you the Weyr Leaders were bringing a candidate to see your eggs. They don’t want to steal them.”
“Thank you Sybly,” said Nelva. “This is Con, and she’s been Searched from a long way away Mereneth. Let her see your eggs please.”
The golden dragon reluctantly moved away from the eggs, and Con could now see that one of them was gleaming softly golden. Sybly came forward and took her hand.
“Come closer and touch it,” she said. “You can’t hurt it at this stage, so close to Hatching. The other candidates have, so it’s only fair.”
Con reached out and touched the shell, finding it rock hard under her hand. Feeling bolder, she ran her hand over the surface. It was smooth, almost polished, and she could almost sense the life waiting inside for it’s birth.
Author:  Lesley [ Thu May 10, 2007 9:31 pm ]
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****grin****


Thanks Pat.
Author:  Cath V-P [ Thu May 10, 2007 11:48 pm ]
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R'sel?! Nelva?!

I haven't read any Pern, but that's not stopping me..... :D
Author:  Carolyn P [ Fri May 11, 2007 7:38 am ]
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Still grinning at this.
Author:  Miranda [ Fri May 11, 2007 7:44 am ]
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:lol: This is wonderful Pat!
Author:  Pat [ Fri May 11, 2007 7:26 pm ]
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“The dragons hum when the Hatching is due to start,” said R’sel. “You’ll change into the white candidates dress then, and come in with the other girls. The Queen egg will be separate from the rest then, and you’ll stand together round it so that the Queen can choose from you all equally. Don’t take any notice of anything else that’s going on. There’ll be a lot of eggs cracking and boys making Impression, but you must concentrate on this egg, and attracting the new Queen to you. If you are lucky, you’ll find that she’s very hungry, and you’ll have to be firm with her. There’ll be some meat waiting for her outside the Hatching Grounds, but we don’t feed the Hatchlings in front of all the visitors who come to watch. It’s a bit too messy for many people to watch. I hope you aren’t too squeamish!”
“So do I,” said Con. “Is it dangerous?”
“Only if you get between a dragon and the person it wants. Be prepared to move quickly. A dragon won’t deliberately hurt a human, but at Hatching they have a very one-tracked mind - find their mate and find some food!”
“Talking about food, I’m famished,” said Nelva. “It must be nearly dinner time. Let’s go and see what Gwyntha’s got for us.”
Con spent a couple of days in the Lower Caverns, getting to know people and finding her way about. It was very refreshing to be somewhere with no family baggage hanging around her, and no expectations. There was so much to learn, so much that was new a exciting that she had no time to think about her fictional characters. Real Life was far too much like living in the pages of a book for her to think of her own. She became used to the huge, beautiful dragons, with their soft hide, and eyes that changed colour with their emotions. The way of life on Pern was almost Medieval in its simplicity and lack of technology, and she found that she liked it. She also began making friends, firstly with Mel, the girl who had taken her to meet the Weyr Leaders on her first day, but with other folk too. She was aware that the riders of the bronze dragons were looking at her assessingly, and she realised that one day, if she Impressed the queen, they could become rather more than friends. The thought was a bit frightening, especially to someone brought up in the restrictive atmosphere of the Gornetz Platz, but Con had had three years at university, and was no longer quite the innocent who had left for her first term. She had some idea of what would happen then, though she knew that her mother would have been horrified if she ever found out.
Author:  Carolyn P [ Fri May 11, 2007 7:43 pm ]
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*giggles* Joey at a mating!!!
Author:  Lesley [ Fri May 11, 2007 7:55 pm ]
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Yes it does get somewhat intense, doesn't it?


Thanks Pat.
Author:  Pat [ Sat May 12, 2007 10:10 pm ]
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Then one afternoon she was startled by a low humming noise, almost below human hearing. The sound seemed to galvanise the Weyr into action. Riders erupted from their weyrs, pulling on their jackets, and flew off in all directions. Mel came running up and pulled her to her feet, dragging her towards the room that she slept in.
“What’s up?” she asked. “What’s that sound I can hear?”
“The Hatching is about to start,” said Mel. “That’s the dragons humming to welcome the hatchlings. The riders have gone to get the guests who always come to a Hatching - the Hold Lords and Craftmasters, and any family the candidates may have. Come on! You have to change you know.”
Con allowed herself to be dragged back to her room, suddenly very nervous. It was one thing to be told what would happen, but now she was going to have to experience it. She changed into the white candidates long loose dress, followed Mel back out to the floor of the bowl. People were running all over the place, only Gwyntha seeming to stay calm. She was directing the women in the preparation of the Hatching feast that would take place later. She found time to have a few words with Con as she passed.
“Now then young lady, there’s no need to be a spineless jellyfish. Just go in there and be yourself. Welcome the little Queen and she’ll come to you.”
She gave the astonished Con a quick kiss and turned away, leaving her wondering again at the similarities between Gwyntha and Matey. She was getting to be afraid that she’d call the woman Matey before long!
Author:  Lesley [ Sat May 12, 2007 10:31 pm ]
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Making her feel right at home there then! :lol:


Thanks Pat.
Author:  bethany [ Sun May 13, 2007 8:23 am ]
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This is great, I hope that Con impresses a gold dragon, I can just see her as a Werywoman. I love the Pern books - coincidently I just returned Dragon's Blood to the library having read it for the first time, so I was in a Pern kind of mood when this started :)
Author:  Jennie [ Sun May 13, 2007 1:13 pm ]
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Thanks, Pat, this is great.
Author:  Carolyn P [ Tue May 15, 2007 4:08 pm ]
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Con should have a Queen, hope she gets it.
Author:  Pat [ Tue May 15, 2007 7:40 pm ]
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Nelva met her at the entrance to the Hatching Ground, looking flustered and excited.
“Wait here,” she said. “All the candidates enter together. Keep to one side to let the dragons in with their passengers.”
Con obediently stepped to the side of the opening and watched as dragon after dragon flew into the Hatching Ground, each with its passenger, and avoiding collision in an almost miraculous way. The humming was growing louder and deeper, and the sound was setting up vibrations in the ground itself that travelled up Con’s body, adding an electrical thrill to her nervous anticipation. The three other girls joined them; Con had seen them about the Weyr, but hadn’t had a chance to get to know them. None of them came from outside the Weyr, which made it clear why there were so few for the new queen to choose from. There were a lot more teenaged boys gathering at the other side of the entrance, nearly fifty Con counted, about right for the forty-odd eggs.
The stream of dragons slowed and stopped, and the humming became more urgent, as if things were really starting to happen. The Weyr Leaders looked at each other and nodded, and then Nelva led the four girls into the Hatching Grounds, followed by R’sel and the boys. Con saw that the rows of seats were about half full of people, and they were surrounded by the dragons, who had settled sat the back of the tiers. Sybly and Mereneth welcomed the candidates and then moved to one side leaving the eggs free. The Queen egg had been moved to one side, and the four girls gathered round it. The rest of the eggs were grouped a few feet away, and the boys made a ragged circle around them. Con saw that some of the eggs were rocking, as the dragon inside tried to smash its way out of the shell. Suddenly a loud crack interrupted the loud humming, and one of the shells fell apart. Out of it tumbled a small bronze dragon, its wings still wet and transparent. I~t righted itself and looked around at the boys. Then it stumbled across the sand to one of them, making a piteous crying noise. He dropped to his knees, caressing the head of the baby dragon.
“He says his name is Laubeth,” he said in wonder.
Con looked back at the Queen egg with a little more idea of what to expect. It was rocking now, quite violently, and then the shell simply split into two to reveal the new Queen standing upright in the middle of the two pieces, looking around imperiously. She wasn’t as beautiful as the adult queens, but that didn’t matter to any of the girls.
Author:  Lesley [ Tue May 15, 2007 10:06 pm ]
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Go Con!!!!


Thanks Pat.

(Though I do actually have a radical idea about what will happen...)
Author:  Kathy_S [ Wed May 16, 2007 4:01 am ]
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And???

More, please, Pat.
Author:  Carolyn P [ Wed May 16, 2007 7:48 am ]
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Nice place to end the post!!



Not.
Author:  Jennie [ Wed May 16, 2007 1:11 pm ]
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I really do want Con to impress a queen dragon. Pleeeeaaaaaase. Pat.
Author:  Pat [ Wed May 16, 2007 7:32 pm ]
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“Oh you darling!” Con didn’t realise that she’d spoken aloud until the queens’ head swung round to look at her. Their eyes met, and the queen set off towards Con as if her life depended upon her safe arrival. The other girls sighed and stepped aside, as Con moved to meet her.
“Her name is Bettaneth,” she cried, as tears of joy streamed down her face.
I’m very hungry said Bettaneth plaintively.
“I’m sure you are”, replied Con briskly. “We’ll find something for you in a minute.”
The Weyr Leaders came forward to congratulate her, and lead her and her dragon out of the Hatching Ground. They went across the bowl to an entrance that Con hadn’t explored.
“These are the weyrling barracks,” said Nelva. “Until Bettaneth can fly you both to a Queen’s weyr you’ll live here. There are Queen’s quarters that are separate from the rest of the weylings, and you’ll find some fresh meat ready for Bettaneth. Once she’s fed you’ll find that she’ll sleep and you’ll be able to come to the feast. “
“After tonight you’ll be expected to prepare her meals yourself. She won’t be able to hunt yet, and she’ll need to have her meat cut up too. Rather a messy business I’m afraid!” and R’sel grinned at her. “We’ve all had to go through it. F’lix is the Weyrlingmaster, and he’ll be training you both, along with the rest of the Hatchlings. I’d better warn you now that he’s a hard task master.”
Con was beginning to think she must be in a dream, for so many of the names she was encountering were similar to those she knew on Earth. But if this was a dream, it had been going on for a long while, and there was a great deal of consistency to it. M eanwhile, she found that her things had already been moved to her new quarters, and a new dress had been added to them. She had a large room, with a bed for herself and a hollow for Bettaneth. A large bucket of meat scraps stood by Bettaneth’s hollow, and the dragon made for it like an arrow from a bow. Her head went into the bowl and she seemed to absorb the meat she could reach rather like osmosis, Con thought. She pulled the wedge-shaped head out of the bucket.
“If you eat like that you’ll choke,” she said sternly, ignoring the chuckles from the Weyr Leaders. “Slow down!” she fed the young dragon chunks of meat at a more sedate pace, and the two Leaders left her to it. Almost as soon as the last chunk of meat had disappeared, the little golden dragon burped loudly, and then curled up in the hollow and was asleep. Con gazed at the gently snoring creature in disbelief, and then went to find somewhere to wash. By the time she had changed and made her way to the main cavern the feast was well under way. Gwyntha - who seemed to have eyes in the back of her head - saw her hesitating in the entrance and pointed her towards the top table.
“A Queen’s rider sits there, even when the Queen is only a dragonet,” she said when Con tried to back away. “You take your rightful place young lady, and I’ll have some food sent up to you.”
Author:  Carolyn P [ Wed May 16, 2007 7:38 pm ]
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Interesting that she is realising about the names and parallels.

Looking forward to seeing where this goes.
Author:  Lesley [ Wed May 16, 2007 11:53 pm ]
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Love the dragon being Bettaneth!


Thanks Pat
Author:  Kathy_S [ Thu May 17, 2007 2:25 am ]
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With so many "coincidences," no wonder Con worries that it's all a dream. 8)

Thank you, Pat!
Author:  Cryst [ Thu May 17, 2007 8:28 pm ]
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Ah, Con on Pern, wonderful. Thank you. Particularly like the idea of her going back between to visit her family - now wouldn't that cause a stir!
Author:  Vikki [ Thu May 17, 2007 11:28 pm ]
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Lovely!!!!

Thank you Pat! :D
Author:  Jennie [ Fri May 18, 2007 11:35 am ]
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Thank you, Pat. Evenif she hadn't impressed, I hop Con would have wanted to stay on Pern.
Author:  Pat [ Sat May 19, 2007 8:53 pm ]
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Con approached the top table cautiously. Nelva was just a little too much like her Auntie Nell for her to want to take any liberties, and as for R’sel, it went double for him. However, she was warmly welcomed, and found herself sitting next to Nelva herself. Someone put a plate of meat in front of her, and R’sel pushed over a big bowl of tubers. Someone else passed her another filled with vegetables, and before long she was tucking into her meal with nearly as much appetite as Bettaneth.
That was her last peaceful moment for some time. When she woke in the morning it was to find Bettaneth nudging her gently in the side.
I’m hungry. Is there any food?
“I’ll go and see,” said Con.
When she opened the door to her room she found a full bucket of meat ready for her. As she picked it up F’lix shouted from down the corridor.
“That’s the last pail you’ll have done for you. After this you’ll have to prepare it all yourself. So make the most of it.”
Looking back later, Con saw this period as the most exhausting of her life. If she wasn’t hacking animal carcases into chunks of meat for her dragon, she was bathing her in the Weyr lake and oiling her to stop the skin cracking. And there was more to wash and oil every day! Having started life bigger than all the other Hatchlings, Bettaneth seemed determined that they shouldn’t catch up, and she grew at an astounding pace. Con did have time to talk to some of the other new Riders, and to start to make some friends amongst them. The bronze riders were naturally the most eager to be friends, for it was possible that one of them might have a chance to fly the new Queen one day. One in particular stood out - became a good friend in fact. R’ger flew bronze Briavelth, the largest of the new bronzes. Like so many other people here, he reminded Con of someone in her other life, but she was getting used to this now, and was able to dismiss the likeness as irrelevant.
Author:  Lesley [ Sat May 19, 2007 9:30 pm ]
Post subject: 
R'ger eh? :lol: :lol: :lol:

Glad Con is settling down well.

Thanks Pat.
Author:  Carolyn P [ Sat May 19, 2007 10:05 pm ]
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I presume before he impressed he was Roger? :lol:
Author:  Jennie [ Sun May 20, 2007 1:09 pm ]
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Thanks, Pat, such an alarming number of coincidences.
Author:  Sal [ Sun May 20, 2007 2:09 pm ]
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This is really good, I hadn't heard of the Pern books before but now I really want to read them, whats the first one called and who wrote them?

Thanks Pat :)
Author:  Jennie [ Sun May 20, 2007 2:30 pm ]
Post subject: 
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pern
will tell you all you want to know, Sal.
Author:  Sal [ Sun May 20, 2007 3:37 pm ]
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Thanks Jennie, thats my reading for the summer sorted then!
Author:  Lesley [ Sun May 20, 2007 3:45 pm ]
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Good Luck Sal - wish I was just discovering the Pern books for the first time - truly lovely books.
Author:  Jennie [ Sun May 20, 2007 7:27 pm ]
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I'm waiting until I've forgotten a lot of the details, then they'll be almost new again.
Author:  Pat [ Mon May 21, 2007 7:37 pm ]
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Gradually the weyrling’s appetites slackened off, and F’lix began their training, designed at first to strengthen their wings ready for flight. The day that the dragonets first flew - without their riders! - was a red letter day for all of them, but the day that they made their first independent kill was even bigger! Now the dragonets didn’t need quite so much attention, and the riders could take a little more time for themselves. They were still confined to the weyling barracks, as until the dragonets were able to carry their riders they couldn’t be assigned their own weyrs. The main problem with this was not only lack of privacy, but the dragonets were fast outgrowing the space! Bettaneth was having most trouble with this, being the largest, and was complaining.
“Can’t be helped till they let you fly me, pet,” said Con. “Once that happens, I’m sure they’ll move us out of here pretty quickly. You hardly fit through the doors now!”
When the great day finally arrived, the dragonets flew up to the rim of the crater, and the new riders were ferried up by other dragons. One by one they climbed onto their dragons and fastened their safety harnesses. Looking down into the bowl Con flet a little dizzy from the height; the weyrfolk looked tiny as they went about their business. But the rim was the best place for a first flight, as the dragonets could launch themselves into the air without the strain of leaping up from the ground. F’lix, sitting on his brown Freudeth, looked at Con with lifted eyebrow. As a Queen’s rider, she would be first to fly. Con took a deep breath and nodded slightly. F’lix smiled encouragingly, and pumped his arm in the signal to fly. Bettaneth pushed off slightly from the rim and fell forwards into the bowl, her great wings spreading and starting the first downwards sweep. Con gulped, for the ground seemed to be rushing towards them.
Don’t worry. We won’t crash, said Bettaneth.
The downstroke completed, Con could feel the fall slacken off, and then they were rising up above the bowl, and she could see the countryside around Benden Weyr spread out below her. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world, and she wanted to fly forever, but Bettaneth relayed a message from F’lix.
We must return. Freudeth says we mustn’t fly too much this first time or I will strain myself. I don’t find this tiring. It is right that I should fly you.
“If they say we must return we must. But this is wonderful, isn’t it? Now we have done it, we can fly more and longer.”
Author:  Jennie [ Mon May 21, 2007 7:50 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks, Pat. Great that Con is flying. Please don't l bring Jo to Pern to spoil things for Con.
Author:  Lesley [ Mon May 21, 2007 8:12 pm ]
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Lovely - lucky Con.


Thanks Pat.
Author:  Kathy_S [ Mon May 21, 2007 8:48 pm ]
Post subject: 
Sounds rather scary actually!
Thank goodness for safety harness and a reassuring dragon....

Thank you, Pat!
Author:  Jennie [ Wed May 23, 2007 11:19 am ]
Post subject: 
I want some more of this, please, Pat.
Author:  Pat [ Wed May 23, 2007 8:17 pm ]
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To Con’s delight Nelva was waiting for them when they landed.
“Now you can fly we can assign you quarters,” she said. “We’ve been aware that the pair of you have outgrown the barracks, but we couldn’t do anything about it. There’s a Queen’s weyr free, but no ramp to it. You go and pack up your things while Bettaneth here has the rest she doesn’t believe she needs.” Nelva grinned at Con in a ‘I’ve been there too’ sort of way, and Con smiled back. She was beginning to relax a little around Nelva, just as she had around the two Heads of the chalet School.
Her new quarters were a big improvement. There was a wide ledge where Bettaneth could sit in the sun. A long passage widened out into a cave with a good sandy hollow for the dragon to curl up in. A heavy curtain covered a doorway on one side, which led into a large room with a couch on one side. Cupboards lined one wall to take her things, and another curtained doorway led into the bathing room. Long ago, when Benden Weyr was being created, the original settlers had used their knowledge and skills to tap down to the thermal layers of the planet. The heat gave unlimited hot water for bathing, and was also used to heat the sands in the Hatching Grounds. The coach had fresh bedding piled on it, and the room was lit by the basket of fresh glows. The walls were bare of hangings, but Con had been informed that she could choose anything from stores that caught her fancy. She could also commission something for herself if she wanted to, or select something from the supply trains that called at the Weyr at regular intervals.
The next excitement was learning to fly Between. Once the dragonets were passed as strong enough, they were taken for their first lessons. These involved memorising points all over Pern so that they could go there easily and safely. It was vital for a dragon rider to clearly visualise where they were going so that the dragon could see it. Poor visualisation could be - and on occasion was - fatal. During all this time Con’s friendships strengthened and deepened, especially with R’ger. Impressing Bettaneth, and the training that she was being given, as well as her position in the Weyr as a Queens Rider had given Con the confidence that she had never had before, and had finished once and for all the mooneyness that had been her tag all through her life. She was blossoming into a strong woman, and a potential Weyrwoman.
Author:  Lesley [ Wed May 23, 2007 9:10 pm ]
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Awww, how lovely - will she be able to talk to all dragons. Pat? Like Moreta and Lessa?

Oh and thanks. :lol:
Author:  Carolyn P [ Thu May 24, 2007 3:15 pm ]
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I am looking forward to seeing how this nis all explained back on the platz, but loving seeing Con grow and blossom like this.
Author:  Kathy_S [ Thu May 24, 2007 3:33 pm ]
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Coming along nicely. :D Thank you, Pat.

But why do I get the feeling that this idyll won't last?
(Who, me? Not trust Pat?)
Author:  Jennie [ Fri May 25, 2007 10:51 am ]
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Well, so far, so good, but....... ( this IS a Pat drabble.)
Author:  Jennie [ Thu May 31, 2007 2:00 pm ]
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And as a week has passed, just a weensy reminder to Pat that we'd like some more.
Author:  PaulineS [ Thu May 31, 2007 3:17 pm ]
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Yes Please. :(
Author:  Pat [ Thu May 31, 2007 8:33 pm ]
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Sorry - I've been going out for the day all week and not written anything. It's taken time to catch up each evening
Author:  Jennie [ Thu May 31, 2007 9:41 pm ]
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Well, that's a bitter disappointment, but I suppose we'll just have to wait.
Author:  Pat [ Fri Jun 01, 2007 8:50 pm ]
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One morning, as the young riders were busy oiling their dragons after the morning’s bath, they heard the unmistakeable sounds of a train of wagons coming through the long road tunnel into the Weyr. At first Con assumed that it was a normal tithe train, and hardly looked up. But R’ger soon disabused her of this notion.
“Oh good! It’s the Lilcamp train. It’s about time they got here.”
“The Lilcamp train? What on earth is that?”
Everyone had got used to Con’s peculiar expressions by this time, so R’ger continued as if she’d said nothing out of the ordinary.
“The Lilcamps are traders,” he explained. “They bring us all sorts of things that aren’t part of the tithe. They don’t get here very often though, so it’s a real treat when they do. Hurry up with Bettaneth and we can go and look.”
It was the spur they both needed to finish a chore that took longer every day as their friends grew. Befroe long the young dragons were sunning themselves on the rim of the Weyr, and they were able to make their way to where the long line of wagons had pulled up outside the main cavern. The huge animals (looking something like extra-large oxen) had already been unhitched and were being fed and watered down by the lake. The wagons displayed a treasure trove of articles, most of which seemed to Con to have come out of the Middle Ages (as did most of the way of life in the Weyr). There was cauldrons and stewpots of various sizes and shapes, cutlery and plates, hangings for the walls, cloths and towels, ribbons for the hair, and all sorts of other things. Con wished that she could have brought a camera with her to record everything, but knew that she would have already run out of film, even if she’s been able to stock up. She wandered around, taking in the scene, listening to the haggling and bargaining going on around her. She hadn’t been taking a lot of notice of the faces of the Lilcamp men, for they would all be strangers to her. But then she happened to glance up and looked straight across the pile of goods into a face that she knew/ The man was older, but then so was she. She remembered him from her childhood holidays to the Tiernsee, and the shock held her rigid for a moment.
Author:  Carolyn P [ Fri Jun 01, 2007 9:54 pm ]
Post subject: 
Ooooh!
Author:  Lesley [ Fri Jun 01, 2007 10:41 pm ]
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Wonder who it is? :shock:


Thanks Pat.
Author:  Kathy_S [ Fri Jun 01, 2007 11:07 pm ]
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Who??
And is it the same person, or a Pern-morph?
Author:  Sal [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 1:50 pm ]
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:shock: *waiting eagerly to find out who it is*

Thanks Pat
Author:  Carolyn P [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 7:39 pm ]
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:D :D :D

Tis obvious really...I guessed from the clues! :twisted:

Brilliant idea Pat...now let's see it written and posted...you don't have anything better to do, do you!!
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:30 am ]
Post subject: 
Well, Carolyn, you could share it with us.

Lovely, thanks, Pat.
Author:  PaulineS [ Mon Jun 04, 2007 1:25 pm ]
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I think I know as well. :)
Who disappeared during a childhood holiday and was never seen again? :evil:
Author:  Pat [ Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:08 pm ]
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He looked at her intently, as if he knew her, but then someone called and he turned away and vanished into the crowd. Con was sure she had identified him though, and began to wander with more purpose. It took some time, but eventually she found him making a bargain with F’lex. When they had finished, she stepped forward.
“Professor,” she said quietly.
The man jumped. “Why do you call me that? I’m called Richson I’ll have you know young lady. Whoever you are.”
“Here I ride Bettaneth, but my true name is Con Maynard, and I come from Earth.” She spoke very quietly, so that people around them couldn’t hear her words, but it was clear that Richson had, and that he’d understood too.
“Maynard. That’s the name of the family I left …” He stopped talking suddenly.
“Yes. You arranged for my parents to look after Roger, Roddy and Ruey - your children,” she said quietly. “While you went off into space. How did you get here?”
The professor looked thunderous for a moment, but then he sighed.
“You’re right to say that,” he said. “All I wanted to do was go into space, and they were in the way. Well I got my wish didn’t I? And nearly died. Stuart did die - the man I went off with. But I have no idea how I got here, none at all. Something went wrong you see, and we went off course, heading out into outer space. The food and water ran low, and so did the air, and we both knew that we’d had it. It was then that I realised what I’d done, leaving the children as I did, but it was too late. I knew when Stuart left me, and then I passed out myself. The next thing I knew I was waking up in one of the Weyrs. Not this one, the one at Fort. They didn’t know what to do with me, as I was too old to Impress, and I didn’t have any skills that were of any use to them. So they found me a place with the Lilcamps, and I’ve been here ever since. Now tell me, how are the children? Though I suppose they’ll be as grown up as you are.”
Con had always been angry at the way the professor had just left his family, going off into space as he had with no thought for any of them. But now she began to feel some sympathy for the man. He was so obviously regretting his actions that she relented and told him what had been happening since he’d left.
“It might be possible for you to go back,” she said at the end. “I got here on a dragon, so I’m sure we could manage it if you wanted to.”
Professor Richardson hesitated, then he shook his head slowly. “Thank you young lady, but no. I have no place there any more, and they have accepted my death. It would cause too many problems if I went back. I’m content enough here, and have made a place for myself where I’m useful. Besides, I’m not going to make the same mistake twice. I’ve a family here now, and I want to be here for them, as I never was for the others. Thank you for offering.” And he turned away and the crowd closed up around him.
Author:  Lesley [ Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:12 pm ]
Post subject: 
Never thought about it being the Professor - but it makes sense.


Thanks Pat - very interesting.
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:18 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks, Pat. Very, very interesting. I wonder what will come of that?
Author:  Carolyn P [ Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:19 pm ]
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Lovely.
Author:  Sal [ Tue Jun 05, 2007 6:19 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Pat
Author:  Pat [ Fri Jun 08, 2007 6:22 pm ]
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Con stared after him for a moment and then shrugged. If she ever went back for a visit she might tell the others that she’d met him, but he’d made his choice, as was his prerogative.
Soon after the Lilcamp train had left, Nelva called Con into her weyr.
“Bettaneth is growing well Con,” she said. I would say that she’s nearly fully grown, and that means that she may rise to mate at any time. You need to be prepared, to know what to do and what will happen. How much do you understand at the moment?”
“I saw Oliath rise last year, so I know that I must make sure that she only bloods her kill or she won’t have a good flight.”
“Good as far as it goes. You know that the bronzes will rise too, and one of them will catch her?”
“Yes. And I realise the implications of that.” Con had a cold feeling inside her at the thought that she would be so caught up in the flight that she and whichever bronze rider it was would share everything that their dragons did.
“You can have some say in which bronze wins Bettaneth,” continued Nelva. “You have a good relationship with R’ger. What does Bettaneth think of Briavelth? An existing relationship gives R’ger a very strong chance in a mating flight.”
“They are fond of each other I think,” replied Con. “But to be honest, the subject hasn’t come up.”
“Bring it up! If you and your dragon are of one mind it is a tremendous help. Nevertheless, you cannot take anything for granted. A Queen on a mating flight isn’t ruled by anything but her lust. It is you who must do the thinking. Talk it over with her soon, so that you both understand, and don’t be afraid to come to me if you have any questions.”
Con left the weyr feeling a little happier. If she had some choice, some influence over her dragon, it was much better. However, they were far too busy over the next few days for her to find the time, and they were both too tired when evening came to do anything but fall into an exhausted sleep. Then one morning, as Con was finishing her lunch, Bettaneth woke from a doze I a state that Con had never encountered before. The dragon had been sunbathing on the rim of the Weyr, and she rose to her feet, looking around herself, then launched from the rim straight for the herdbeasts gathered at the far side of the lake. Con gasped as she struck at one of them, brining it to the ground.
“Stop her from eating. “said Nelva’s voice in her ear. “She is rising to mate. Remember, she must blood the kill only. I’m taking Annersleth and the other queens away. We can’t stay in the Weyr during a mating flight.”
“But I haven’t talked to her yet,” moaned Con in her head. She ran towards the lake, all the same, controlling her dragon as she had been told. Bettaneth snarled at the order to blood, but gave in. By the third kill she didn’t need any orders, her skin glowing more golden than ever, shining in the sun. Con was aware of the bronze riders gathering about her, that R’ger was close beside her, but of little else. Then with a roar, Bettaneth took off from her last kill and shot into the air, the bronze dragons behind her.
Author:  Lesley [ Fri Jun 08, 2007 6:27 pm ]
Post subject: 
Glad the other Queens were taken away. Poor Con - not able to talk to Bettanth - hope thinks don't go wrong. :shock:


Thanks Pat.
Author:  Vikki [ Fri Jun 08, 2007 9:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
*crosses fingers for R'ger and Brivialth*
*hopes Con enjoys her first mating flight*
Thanks Pat.
Author:  Carolyn P [ Fri Jun 08, 2007 9:58 pm ]
Post subject: 
Ohhhhh, what a place to stop!
Author:  Jennie [ Sun Jun 10, 2007 12:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yes, Pat would do that to us. By the way, couldn't Prof Richardson have become a Starsmith?
Author:  Sal [ Sun Jun 10, 2007 2:00 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Pat please don't leave us dangling too long :)
Author:  Rob [ Sun Jun 10, 2007 5:22 pm ]
Post subject: 
More please Pat! This is excellent!

*offers bunny treats and chocolate as bribery*
Author:  Jennie [ Tue Jun 12, 2007 4:22 pm ]
Post subject: 
Cooeee! Pat!!!!!!!!
Author:  Jennie [ Wed Jun 20, 2007 12:20 pm ]
Post subject: 
Dear Pat, if RL isn't being too much of a problem, may we have some more of this, please?
Author:  PaulineS [ Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:52 pm ]
Post subject: 
Supporting Jennie's call for another installment.

Hope RL is getting better and you can post some more soon
Author:  Pat [ Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:59 pm ]
Post subject: 
Sorry - I've been doing stuff for the Gather. Also not been well for a couple of days. Hopefully I can write a bit more tomorrow.
Author:  Jennie [ Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:15 am ]
Post subject: 
Sending restorative tea, tissues, and a cuple of ready cooked meals to ease the pressure on Pat.
Author:  Pat [ Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:23 pm ]
Post subject: 
Sorry. Had unexpected visitors tonight & didn't get online till 9.00!
Author:  Pat [ Fri Jun 22, 2007 7:53 pm ]
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Con went with her dragon, who was flying higher than she’d ever been before, daring the bronzes to come after her and catch her. Presently the dragon looked back to find that there were only four bronzes left in the pursuit. One was an older dragon that she hated, one was Briavelth, and the other two she was indifferent to. She had a preference for Briavelth, but was in no mood to make life easy for him, though she swooped downwards to tease them all before gaining height again. The older dragon dropped out, unable to take the swift changes that the younger ones took with ease. Bettaneth swooped again, but as she tried to gain height she found Briavelth just above her. Suddenly Con exploded back into her own body, stunned at the ecstasy experienced by the mating dragons. She was briefly aware that she was in a weyr with R’ger and then the dragons’ emotions swept back over her like a tidal wave, swamping all thought and reason.
Much later she came back to herself, entangled with R’ger, and aware of the two dragons asleep just outside. She opened her eyes and looked straight into R’ger’s.
“There’s nothing anyone can say that’ll prepare you for that, is there?” he said with a grin.
Con could only shake her head emphatically, but a part of her mind wondered what on earth her parents - her mother in particular - would say if they knew.
Author:  Lesley [ Fri Jun 22, 2007 9:18 pm ]
Post subject: 
She doesn't sound as though she disliked the experience at all, did she? :lol:


Thanks Pat.






(Edited because I can't spell! :roll: )
Author:  Jennie [ Sat Jun 23, 2007 6:21 pm ]
Post subject: 
Who cares what they think? Lovely, thanks, Pat.
Author:  Sal [ Sun Jun 24, 2007 12:17 am ]
Post subject: 
Lesley wrote:
She doesn't sound as though she disliked the eceprience at all, did she? :lol:

:lol:

Thanks Pat
Author:  Carolyn P [ Mon Jun 25, 2007 5:44 pm ]
Post subject: 
So the right dragon caught her. :D
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:52 pm ]
Post subject: 
Was there really any doubt?

ETA: I'd like some more of this, please, Pat.
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Jul 02, 2007 7:50 pm ]
Post subject: 
Pat, it's been a whole week! I need more drabble to keep me entertained during the bad weather.
Author:  Pat [ Mon Jul 02, 2007 7:51 pm ]
Post subject: 
Sorry. I was hoping to write over the weekend, but things cropped up. Hopefully tomorrow.
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Jul 02, 2007 7:52 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thank you, Pat.
Author:  Pat [ Tue Jul 03, 2007 7:20 pm ]
Post subject: 
Con’s training continued, with familiarisation flights around Pern, identifying the Holds that looked to the Weyr, the other Weyrs and various other landmarks that would be vital to know once Thread started to fall again. When Bettaneth became too egg-heavy to fly, Con’s training became focused on learning how to care for injured dragons, which of necessity included a good deal of dragon anatomy. She found that they had icor instead of blood, and that it could be spread over wounds to help healing. The more intricate work was done by specialists, but every rider needed to know enough to give first aid to an injured dragon.
One morning, as she was helping Nelva in the medical stores, she caught an odd smug thought from her dragon. With a word of excuse to the Weyrwoman, she left the room to look for her dragon. She found her in the Hatching Grounds, guarding a clutch of five eggs. Con approached carefully, and with the permission of her dragon gently touched one of them. It felt leathery, and much softer than the eggs had done when she’d Impressed Bettaneth.
They will harden with time, said the dragon serenely. Then she raised her body slightly before laying another egg. It took a couple of days for her to complete the clutch, which consisted of 60 mottled eggs, already starting to harden in the heated sand of the Hatching Ground. There was no Queen egg, but the Weyr had enough Queens for the Queens’ wing, and there was no need for another.
“I suspect that there’ll be a good number of bronzes though,” said R’ger. “That’s normal for a clutch without a Queen. And it’s a big one for a first flight,” he added with no modesty.
Author:  Cryst [ Tue Jul 03, 2007 8:39 pm ]
Post subject: 
Ah ... you should have her boiling numbweed.

Love the serenity of the dragon despite being in the middle of laying her eggs!
Author:  Lesley [ Tue Jul 03, 2007 10:20 pm ]
Post subject: 
60 eggs - she'll rival Ramoth!


Thanks Pat. :lol:
Author:  Cath V-P [ Tue Jul 03, 2007 11:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Pat.

Ok, I can see I'm going to have to give in and read a couple of these books.....where would be the best place to start?
Author:  Lesley [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 7:10 am ]
Post subject: 
Cath V-P wrote:
Thanks Pat.

Ok, I can see I'm going to have to give in and read a couple of these books.....where would be the best place to start?


Best one to start with would be Dragonflight - books are by Anne McCaffrey - happy reading!
Author:  Cath V-P [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 7:34 am ]
Post subject: 
Thank you Lesley; I shall seek it out!
Author:  Jennie [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 11:20 am ]
Post subject: 
Cath, this is her own website, you might like to consult it.


www.annemccaffrey.net/

Thanks, Pat. That was great.
Author:  Kathy_S [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 3:28 pm ]
Post subject: 
I'd say there are two good ways to start: either with the Dragonflight/Dragonquest/White Dragon trilogy (published first), or with Dragonsong and Dragonsinger. I only read the rest of Pern after discovering these two via the young adult section, and they're still my favorites, though I'm especially fond of The Masterharper of Pern.

Oh, and thank you, Pat!
Author:  Vikki [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 5:56 pm ]
Post subject: 
Huzzah!!
Well done Bettaneth.

Thank you Pat, more soon please!
Author:  Carolyn P [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 8:32 pm ]
Post subject: 
60 eggs, wow.
Author:  Cath V-P [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 11:53 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thank you for the assistance with these; I am off book-hunting...
Author:  Jennie [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 10:34 am ]
Post subject: 
Even the Holders will have to take notice of that. Queens lay so many eggs only in preparation for Thread, so they'll have to see that danger is coming.
Author:  Sal [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 5:21 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Pat
Author:  Pat [ Tue Jul 10, 2007 7:41 pm ]
Post subject: 
Bettaneth spent most of her time in the Hatching Grounds, watching over her eggs, turning them regularly, and protecting them from whatever dangers she thought existed. Con’s training continued, including now some Weyr management. All weyrwomen had a certain amount of management as there was no telling when any of them might be called on to take charge, especially with the expected return of Thread.
One evening R’sel called a meeting of all weyrwomen and wing leaders in the Weyr. He was looking rather grim as they all took their places, and they wondered what the problem was now.
“As you may know,” he began, “There has been a meeting of all the Weyr Leaders and Lord holders today, and the result is not very reassuring. We all tried to warn them about Thread, but they are all living with a false sense of security. Someone even pointed out that the Weyrs got everyone all keyed up for Thread to return 200 years ago, and nothing happened. We did manage to get them to agree to make sure that their flamethrowers were in working order, but of course most of them are pretty old and won’t last long. But none of them are prepared to order new ones. The Smith Craftmaster is even querying the need for the orders we’ve given him.”
“What about the Masterharper?” asked M’nsh, one of the wing leaders. “Surely he understands the need?”
“He was the one who recalled the last time we tried to rally them! He has agreed to attend at solstice to see the Red Star bracketed in the Eye Rock, but I had the distinct impression that it was only to record an interesting phenomenon, and that it won’t make any difference to his belief. He even dismissed the information that the Red Star was not bracketing 200 years ago, and the Weyrs stood everyone down form full laert.”
“What can we do then?” asked M’nsh anxiously, voicing the concern of everyone there. “Without ground crews to mop up there’s no way we can ensure that Thread doesn’t get through to burrow.”
“We have discussed this - the Weyrleaders had their own meeting afterwards. All we can do is be as ready as possible ourselves, and hope that when Thread does fall again we can manage until the Lord Holders get organised. I foresee some frantic activity at some point after Turns End.”
Author:  Jennie [ Tue Jul 10, 2007 7:49 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh dear, poor Con is really going to find this a challenge, isn't she?

Thanks, Pat.
Author:  Carolyn P [ Tue Jul 10, 2007 7:49 pm ]
Post subject: 
Will they ever learn and actually listen to the Werys?
Author:  Lesley [ Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:22 pm ]
Post subject: 
Silly people - and the MasterHarper should be shot - it's his job to make sure everyone else remembers!


Thanks Pat.
Author:  Pat [ Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:25 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yes of course it is. But this one isn't Robinton!!!!
Author:  Lesley [ Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:30 pm ]
Post subject: 
Well I gathered that, Pat - but regardless, it's still his job. :roll:
Author:  Cryst [ Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:34 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thank you, Pat. Enjoying this. When is it set, though, in the series? I can't work it out without geting all the books out.
Author:  Pat [ Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
It's at the end of the first Long Interval. Which is why ther's so much resistance to the notion of Thread returning.
Author:  Kathy_S [ Tue Jul 10, 2007 10:18 pm ]
Post subject: 
Wow, at least F'lar had support from Harperhall!
Con & Bettaneth are going to have quite a job here.
(the other dragonriders too, of course....)
Author:  Pat [ Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:41 pm ]
Post subject: 
The meeting broke up with everyone worried and talking in undertones, trying to think of something that would persuade the Lords Holder, but no one could think of anything different to the decision already taken. Con had no background to assess the situation properly though she could understand how serious it was.
For the next few days everyone went about looking glum. It was hard to find enough candidates for Bettaneth’s eggs, as the Weyr was no longer seen as a desirable place to live. There were not enough boys of the right age to stand for all the eggs, and very few of those searched agreed to come to the Weyr. Finally they managed to scrape together exactly 60 candidates, and some were only just old enough.
Con and R’ger were just getting up one morning, sipping the first mug of klah, when a low humming started. R’ger slammed his mug onto the table and jumped to his feet, pulling Con up with him.
“That’s the eggs,” he said. “They’re hatching. Come on, we need to be there.”
They raced out of the weyr, and Briavelth dropped them both down to the Hatching Ground, flying right in through the wide opening and depositing them at the side of the Grounds. Bettaneth was crooning over the eggs, which still looked exactly the same to Con. When she had Impressed Bettaneth they had all been rocking.
“Don’t worry, there’s a bit of time to go yet,” said R’ger. “Wait till the humming gets louder, then you’ll see the eggs rocking. We need time to get everyone here anyway.
Gradually the huge cave began to fill up. Mostly with weyrfolk, but also with the families of some of the outside candidates. Some had come from other weyrs, and there were riders there that Con didn’t know. The humming grew louder, and then the first of the eggs began to rock gently. Late comers hurried to their seats, afraid to miss the cracking of the first egg. The candidates filed onto the Sands, smart in their white tunics, looking a little scared and very determined. The formed a ring round the eggs, and Bettaneth moved reluctantly to one side, aware that her responsibility was about to pass to others.
A gasp went round the stands as a chunk of shell fell from one of the eggs and the snout of the hatchling inside pushed into the gap. It was too small to see what colour it was, but then it gave another hard tap at the shell, and it split enough for it to push its way out. It was a bronze, small, but perfectly formed. He swung his head around, looking for the right lad, and stumbled from the shell. The boys near him hesitated, and he tripped, banging his snout on the sands. The piteous cry he gave brought the nervous boys to their senses, and two of them stepped forward to help. One, craftbred, got there first and helped to right the little dragon. Their eyes met, and Impression was made.
Author:  Lesley [ Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:32 pm ]
Post subject: 
Awww, and it was a bronze so great luck too!


Thanks Pat.
Author:  Jennie [ Thu Jul 19, 2007 10:33 am ]
Post subject: 
Thanks, Pat, I was hoping for more of this.
Author:  Vikki [ Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:33 pm ]
Post subject: 
Lovely, thanks Pat! Any chance of some more soon?
Author:  Pat [ Tue Jul 24, 2007 9:00 pm ]
Post subject: 
When i write it! Must get some more done - I go on holiday next week!
Author:  Cath V-P [ Wed Jul 25, 2007 1:18 am ]
Post subject: 
Just wanted to say - I found three of the books (Dragonflight, Dragonsinger and Dragonsong) at the university book sale and have just started the first...Am two chapters in.....

Btw, thank you Pat.
Author:  Pat [ Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:45 pm ]
Post subject: 
The Turn seemed to run away downhill towards Turn’s End very quickly after the Hatching, and everyone in the Weyr was very aware that the return of Thread would occur at some point after solstice. Con began to feel that she had to take this time to go home to see her mother, or events would catch up with her and prevent her ever going back. She talked to the rider who had Searched her and got all the information she could about the way he had travelled through space and time to find her. Then she went to R’ger.
“I’m going back to say goodbye to my family and try to explain what’s happened,” she said. “If I don’t go now, I won’t go at all, and that’s not fair to any of them. They will be so worried if I don’t return from that walk, but I should be able to time it so that I can be home at a reasonable time. I’ll use the oxygen as I did when I came here, and I’ll be quite safe.”
“You’re not going alone,” said R’ger. “I’m coming with you. I don’t want you risking this alone, and anyway it will be interesting to see where you came from. What about telling the Weyleaders? Have you mentioned this to them?”
“Nelva knows; she’s not happy about it, but she understands that I have to try. What they’ll think about a bronze rider gong as well, this close to Threadfall I don’t know. “
“I’ll go and see them tonight after the meal. But I’m not taking ‘No’ for an answer.”
R’ger returned to their weyr after the meal with compressed lips and a steely look to his eyes.
“They took some persuading,” he said grimly. “But I have their grudging permission to go. Are you up for it tomorrow? I really don’t want to risk them changing their minds.”
“Tomorrow is fine with me. Now come to bed; we need all the rest we can get.”
The next morning they strapped the cylinders safely onto their dragons, checking to make sure that there was enough air for the return journey. They settled themselves between the neck ridges and fastened the riding straps carefully. Then R’ger pumped his arm in the age-old gesture for flight, and the two dragons leapt from the floor of the Weyr together. Once they were air-born, Con gave her dragon a careful visualisation of where she wanted to go.
“Are you clear about that?” she asked Bettaneth.
It is very clear in my mind. Shall I pass it to Briavelth?
“Please do.” Con glanced over at R’ger, and saw him receive the directions from his dragon.
Author:  Lesley [ Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:52 pm ]
Post subject: 
Good to see more of this - seeing Joey's reaction to the dragons is going to be interesting!

Thanks Pat.
Author:  Kathy_S [ Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:52 pm ]
Post subject: 
Interesting is putting it mildly!

Thank you, Pat.
Author:  Jennie [ Thu Jul 26, 2007 12:38 pm ]
Post subject: 
Perhaps they'll eat her!

Thanks, Pat.
Author:  Vikki [ Fri Jul 27, 2007 5:57 pm ]
Post subject: 
*looking forward lots to the next post*
Thanks Pat!
Author:  Pat [ Fri Jul 27, 2007 6:10 pm ]
Post subject: 
“Let’s go,” she said, keeping the picture of the pinewoods she had been walking in clear in her mind. The landscape of Pern vanished, and she was hanging in Between, consciously trying to remember to breathe. She had forgotten the awful nothingness of the trip, the lack of feeling, sight, sound and touch. Only the mind of her dragon was real. She could not sense R’ger or Briavelth, though Bettaneth reassured her that they were there. Just as she was beginning to worry that they were all lost Between they burst out into the sunshine again, and there, rising in front of her, was the familiar shape of the Jungfrau. She pulled the mask fro her face and breathed in the fresh alpine air. Below her she could see the school buildings and next to them was her home – Freudesheim. She grinned across as R’ger and pointed downwards to a clearing in the pines where they could land and the dragons could be concealed. They were likely to cause something of a sensation on the Platz if anyone saw them. Once they had landed they stripped the harness from their dragons, and told them to go and hunt. Con carefully pictured the ibex that roamed the upper slopes of the mountains as acceptable prey, and also made sure that the dragons knew to leave alone the belled cattle that also roamed the alpine meadows. Then the two humans turned and walked down the path that led from the clearing towards the buildings. As they came out from under the trees, R’ger stopped in shock.
“They’re made of wood!” he said. “That’s ridiculous! Thread devours wood like any other living thing.”
“There’s no Thread here, silly,” said Con. “Most of the buildings here are made of wood. You’ll find that we go in for large windows too, and plenty of greenery around the houses too.”
R’ger shuddered. “That would take a lot of getting used to,” he said. “Stone buildings and no greenery around them are ingrained in us.”
Author:  Vikki [ Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oooh! Lovely!

Thank you Pat. :D
Author:  Jennie [ Sun Jul 29, 2007 1:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thank you Pat. Now for the next ancient relic - Jo!
Author:  Lyanne [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 2:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
They've definately gone to the right place but what about time? Has Con allowed for a time lapse so the Maynards will know she's been gone - or is this just after she left?
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 7:58 pm ]
Post subject: 
I can't see Jo being happy about any of it. More, please, Pat.
Author:  Pat [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:13 pm ]
Post subject: 
Con found herself almost shaking with nerves as she opened the gate leading to her old home. For her it had been two years since she had been here, for her mother a few hours. Much had changed in that time. She opened the door and walked into the hall.
“Is that you Con?” came her mother’s voice. “I’m in the Saal.”
Con took a deep breath and led the way down the corridor to the large room that ran across the back of the house. Her mother was sitting down to afternoon tea – English tea – and she was not alone. Hilda Annersley, Nell Wilson and Matey were with her, and Con nearly turned and ran. She did hesitate enough for her mother to tease her gently.
“No need to be shy, my dear. You know everyone here I think.”
Con came all the way into the room, followed by R’ger, and Jo took in her daughter’s appearance, and her companion, for the first time.
“You’ve changed your clothes Con. I’m not sure that I like them; too masculine with all that leather. Where on earth did you get them? And who is this young man?”
“Hello everyone,” Con replied with far more assurance than she actually felt. “This is R’ger, and he’s come a very long way to visit us.”
Jo stood up and came towards R’ger with her hand out. “Welcome to Freudesheim Roger,” she said. “I like to think that it lives up to the meaning of its name, which is ‘happy home’”
R’ger took the proffered hand gingerly, with little idea of what to do with it. “Thank you,” he said, feeling a trifle overwhelmed and not sure how to correct Jo’s pronunciation of his name.
“His name is R’ger, mother, not Roger,” said Con, trying not to let exasperation show in her voice. “It’s not an English name. R'ger, let me introduce you to Hilda Annersley, Nell Wilson, and Gwynneth Lloyd, who are old family friends.”
Once they were all seated and supplied with tea and cakes, Hilda turned to Con.
“Something important has happened to you since I last saw you hasn’t it?” she asked. “Why don’t you tell us all about it?”
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:16 pm ]
Post subject: 
Well, at least Hilda is as perceptive as ever, and with those three being there, it will take the edge off Jo's dramatics when she has a fit of histrionics.

Thanks, Pat.
Author:  Carolyn P [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:54 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh, come on Pat, lets see their reaction!

(now wondering if you have gone with my suggestion...and also wondering if it was you I made it to!!)
Author:  Lesley [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:06 pm ]
Post subject: 
Must be confusing for Con - after all, for her it's two years - but glad Hilda and the others are there. Looking forward to Hilda's reaction on finding she's a golden dragon on Pern! :lol:

Thanks Pat
Author:  Kathy_S [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:56 pm ]
Post subject: 
Well spotted, Hilda.

This should be interesting. :mrgreen:
Author:  Pat [ Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:57 pm ]
Post subject: 
This is the last post for at least a week. I'm off the Austria first thing tomorrow morning. :lol: :lol:


“It’s not very easy Miss Annersley – Hilda,” she said, altering the name as her old Head raised an eyebrow. She had been invited to use her Christian name before, but always found it difficult. “You see it sounds like something out of a novel, but it actually happened.” She paused, trying to find the words, and nearly choked as R’ger cautiously took a sip of his tea, put the cup carefully back in its saucer, and placed both on the small table beside him. The expression on his face was unreadable by anyone who didn’t know him extremely well.
“Perhaps I’d better try and tell you exactly what happened from the beginning.”
“That’s usually the best way,” agreed Nell Wilson solemnly.
Con grinned briefly, and then started her story. The expressions on her listeners faces was interesting, she thought as she spoke. She could see that the three from the school were at least trying to be impartial, and were reserving judgement until the end of her story. On the other hand, her mother was clearly refusing to believe a word.
“So I decided that I should come home to see you all, and say goodbye before it became impossible,” she finished.
“Now tell me the truth,” said Jo. “That sounded more like one of your stories.”
“That is the truth,” said R’ger gently.
“Then where are your wonderful dragons?” demanded Jo triumphantly. “Tell me that!”
“We left them up in the clearing with the big rock in it,” said Con. “They will probably have gone hunting though. The long journey Between will have made them hungry.”
“I believe that Con is telling the truth,” said Hilda. “I can usually tell when people are lying, and Con believes that what she told us is the truth.”
“But it can’t be!” cried Jo. “It’s impossible, and you know that as well as I do Hilda Annersley! Now Con, tell the truth and shame the devil. What have you really been doing, and where did you meet this young man.”
Con sighed. “I have told you the truth,” she said patiently. “And I can prove it to you.” She contacted Bettaneth, who had eaten and was quite willing to come to the house. “Come out into the garden and I’ll show you.”
She rose to her feet and went to the French doors that opened out above the rose garden. As she steeped outside there was a blast of cold air and her dragon settled gently onto the lawn, closely followed by Briavelth. Jo gave a funny little gasp and sank to the floor, cold, grey and to all appearances dead. R’ger carefully lifted her up and took her back into the saal, laying her down on one of the sofas there. Con would have followed, but Hilda stopped her.
“Your mother will be fine in a moment,” she said. “Leave her to recover herself, and introduce me to that beautiful creature.”
“This is Bettaneth. She likes to have her eye ridges rubbed,” said Con. “All the dragons like that. The bronze one is Briavelth.”
R’ger joined them at that moment.
“I think your mother is coming round Con,” he said. “She was stirring, so I thought it was better to leave her. She’s had a nasty shock.” And he grinned at Con.
Hilda, Nell and Matey were enthralled with the two dragons, and fascinated to find that they had soft hide rather than the scales that they had unconsciously expected. They were also intrigued with the names of people and dragons that Con had given them. Hilda could see Nell’s eyes twinkling at her and knew that she would say something about the senior queens name at some point, and she could only hope that it would be when they were alone. She was doomed to disappointment.
“Annersleth?” murmured Nell very quietly. “A queen dragon?”
"Senior Queen, if you please Nell.”
“Granted. But look who her rider is!”
Author:  Vikki [ Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:00 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh Pat! That was wonderful!!!!!!

Thank you, and have a fab time in Austria.
Author:  Lesley [ Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:08 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh they are going to rib each other about that for years!!!! :lol: Love their reactions - and so like the three of them to calmly accept everything while Joey has her whole drama queen bit!


Thanks Pat - enjoy Austria. :lol:
Author:  Kathy_S [ Wed Aug 01, 2007 2:09 am ]
Post subject: 
:lol: :lol: Annersleth & Nelva revealed :lol: :lol:

Poor old Joey. Hope she recovers enough to meet the dragons properly.

Have a wonderful expedition, Pat!
Author:  Cath V-P [ Wed Aug 01, 2007 5:47 am ]
Post subject: 
That was fun - I loved the way Hilda, Nell and Matey took the whole thing so calmly while Joey performed!
Senior Queen.... :lol: :lol:

Btw, have finished Dragonflight and found copies of Dragonquest and White Dragon.. I am having a lovely time.
Author:  Jennie [ Wed Aug 01, 2007 2:59 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks, Pat. Have a lovely holiday.
Author:  Jennie [ Sun Aug 12, 2007 12:44 pm ]
Post subject: 
Perhaps Pat is too busy to give us more of this yet.
Author:  jacey [ Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:32 pm ]
Post subject: 
AArgh! Another drabble to become addicted to!! :lol:
This is great Pat. Must get out my Pern books again.
Author:  JackieP [ Fri Aug 17, 2007 1:12 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oooh - lovely - I come back to the board and find a wonderful new Pern Crossover... I Can't wait to read more of Con's adventures.

More please Pat.

JackieP
Author:  fio [ Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
Jennie wrote:
Perhaps Pat is too busy to give us more of this yet.


or she might not be back off holiday yet. After all she did say she was going to Austria didn't she...................?! :wink:
Author:  Pat [ Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:24 pm ]
Post subject: 
I did say that, and had a wonderful time, including a trip on the Achensee in the oldest boat there - over 100 years old, so EBD almost certainly went on it.
I haven't got around to writing anything since I came back though.
Author:  Jennie [ Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:06 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh Pat, when I saw your name as the last poster, my heart leapt with joy at the thought of more of this drabble.

Now I'm in the pits again.
Author:  Pat [ Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:18 pm ]
Post subject: 
Con giggled at this exchange, seeing a whole new side to the friends. Even Matey seemed softer somehow as she smiled back at her.
“Briavelth seems extremely pleased with himself,” Matey commented. “Is that a general characteristic of male dragons?”
“I’m afraid so,” said Con. “They get it from their riders, you see. It’s forever being drummed into us ‘Like rider, like dragon’.”
“How am I supposed to take that?” asked R’ger with a grin.
“Any way you like!” Con replied, though her loving smile showed her true feelings.
When Jo came to herself she found that she was quite alone, lying on a sofa in the Saal. She sat up slowly as she tried to make sense of the last few minutes. Something about dragons, she remembered. Wondering where everyone was, she stood up and walked over to the windows and looked out. There were dragons she saw. Two of them, and her friends and her daughter were clustered round them.
“Con! Come away from those creatures! You don’t know what they might do!” she said in alarm.
Con just laughed. “They aren’t dangerous Mamma,” she said. “Come and say Hallo.”
Jo acknowledged to herself that they didn’t look dangerous, just very big and very strange. Very beautiful too, she thought. She walked across to the lawn and stopped beside Con.
“Are you sure they won’t bite?” she asked.
“Absolutely certain.”
:Why is she so worried?: asked Bettaneth. :She’s too skinny to make a good meal:Con burst out laughing, much to the others consternation.
“Bettaneth just told me that Mamma wouldn’t make a good meal,” she explained.
“She spoke to you?” asked Jo. “How?”
“Into my mind. I think that it’s called telepathy. Anyway, I can hear her and she can hear me. I can sometimes hear Briavelth, but only when he wants me to.”
“And all this happened in an afternoon?” asked Jo doubtfully.
“No Mamma. I’ve been away for two years, but it’s so difficult to explain. Dragons can travel almost instantly from one place to another, and from one time to another. When it’s a very long way, like it was for us to come here, riders need to carry air with them, because that does take longer. Usually it’s only a few seconds.”
“But what are they for? What do you do?”
“We protect Pern from Thread,” said R’ger. “Thread will devour anything that lives, and the only protection we have are our dragons. They can burn Thread from the sky before it reaches the ground. Dragons were bred for Pern’s defence, and we train for the time that it will return. This will be soon now, which is why Con came back now.”
Jo went white. “You will be fighting?” she asked.
“Oh yes. I will be part of the Queen’s wing.”
“But isn’t it dangerous?”
“Yes Mamma, but I am proud to do it. It’s part of being a rider to risk yourself and your dragon, but it’s worth it. The dragonriders of Pern have a duty of protection, and none of them has ever failed in that.”
Author:  Jennie [ Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:27 pm ]
Post subject: 
I bet Jo tries all sorts of emotional blackmail. I'd like to see her being taken to Pern, I'm sure they could use another drudge in the weyr kitchens, and she might treat Anna better if she'd had to work all day.

Thanks, Pat.
Author:  Lesley [ Fri Aug 17, 2007 9:14 pm ]
Post subject: 
Glad Joey has been able to see the dragons.


Thanks Pat.
Author:  Vikki [ Fri Aug 17, 2007 10:37 pm ]
Post subject: 
LOLOLOL!

Thank you Pat! Love Bettaneth's comment about Jo being too skinny to make a good meal. (Am I the only imagining how funny Jo's reaction would be if one of the dragons spoke directly to her? :wink: )
Author:  Jennie [ Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:46 am ]
Post subject: 
I'm definitely feeling deprived by the lack of more of this.
Author:  Pat [ Wed Sep 05, 2007 6:38 pm ]
Post subject: 
I've been tied up with Gather prep, plus suffering from a very shy & reluctant bunny!!!!
Author:  Cryst [ Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:01 pm ]
Post subject: 
Maybe Jo should go for a little ride and accidentally end up on Pern? She could become a harper maybe?

*offers dandelion leaf to the plot bunny, and respectfully requests an update*
Author:  Pat [ Fri Sep 07, 2007 7:17 pm ]
Post subject: 
Jo looked at her daughter as if she was a stranger. She had changed, she realised, grown up and away from her family in a way that was hard to take in, especially as so little time had passed - just an afternoon. But so much longer for her daughter. This was going to be hard, she realised. Con would be leaving soon, and with no guarantee that she would ever be able to return for another visit. She had come to say ‘goodbye’ and she would have to accept that and put a brave face on it. ‘Have some backbone’ she thought to herself. ‘This is Con’s life now, she has chosen it and has a nice young man too, though a bit strange.’ She looked again at the two dragons, and this time was able to take in their beauty, the softly gleaming colour of their hides, and the gently whirling eyes. She reached out and tentatively touched the golden dragon, surprised at the softness and the warmth of the skin.
“They won’t hurt you Jo,” said Hilda. “Though I’m not sure that I would like to ride one. There doesn’t seem to be much to hold you in place.”
“Scared Hilda?” asked Nell, giving her friend a wicked grin. “I would love to fly.”
“We can manage that,” said Con. “What about you Mamma? Would you like to see Freudesheim from the air? It looks so different from up there.”
Author:  Kathy_S [ Sat Sep 08, 2007 3:12 am ]
Post subject: 
Oooh, dragon rides!
*hopes there are plenty of flying straps*

*still giggling at Bettaneth*

Thank you, Pat.
Author:  Jennie [ Sun Sep 09, 2007 12:19 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks, Pat. I wonder how Jo will respond to being on a dragon.
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Sep 17, 2007 11:20 am ]
Post subject: 
Pat, I do hope RL isn't being wicked and stopping you writing more of this.
Author:  Pat [ Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:26 pm ]
Post subject: 
RL is being extremely wicked at the moment (See St Hilds), but I will try and update.
Author:  Pat [ Tue Sep 18, 2007 8:27 pm ]
Post subject: 
Jo looked a bit alarmed at that suggestion.
“Are you sure it’s safe?” she asked.
“You can use my harness. I’m used to flying now and can manage without it.”
“Chalet girls aren’t spineless jellyfish, and I’m not about to start being one at my age. Let’s go,” said Jo, looking more than a little pale, but very determined.
Con helped her onto Bettaneth’s back and strapped her into the harness that all riders used. Then she swung herself up behind Jo and wrapped her arms round her mother’s waist.
“We’ll take off with a bit of a jerk Mamma, as Bettaneth has to get us all airborne. Once we’re up it’s wonderfully smooth. Are you ready?”
Jo nodded and Con passed the word to her dragon. Bettaneth launched herself upwards in an enormous jump, bringing her wings down in the first great beat at the same time. Jo jerked backwards into Con, and then grabbed for the neck ridge immediately in front of her, keeping her eyes tightly shut. Then the movement eased and she tentatively opened her eyes. Right in front of her was the Jungfrau, gleaming in the sunshine, and she gasped in delight. Gingerly looking down she could see Freudesheim and the school below her, looking smaller than she’d expected. She heard a faint shout and looked around. Flying alongside was the bronze dragon, and riding with R’ger were Hilda and Nell, one looking faintly apprehensive and the other with a huge delighted grin on her face.
“Do you fancy seeing the Tiernsee?” asked Con.
“That would be wonderful,” shouted Jo.
“OK, I’ll give R’ger the coordinates and he can take the others there too.” She was silent for a few moments. “That’s settled. Are you ready? It will go very black and you won’t be able to see or feel anything, but don’t let it frighten you. We’ll be there in the time it takes to cough three times.”
Between was just as bad as Con had warned thought Jo as she seemed to lose contact with everything around her. Then suddenly they burst into the sky above Briesau, with the lake gleaming blue below her and the buildings of the first Chalet School nestling behind the fence that surrounded them. One of the new bigger steamers was just pulling away from the landing stage and heading up the lake towards Gaisalm, and the whistle of the little train pulling into the station at Buchau drifted up to her. A blast of freezing cold air signalled the arrival of the other dragon, and she waved at her friends as they looked around. they were high enough for her to see the San buildings up on the Sonnalpe, and even follow the track of the path that led upwards from there to the cave where they had intended to hide the Peace League document.
Author:  Lesley [ Tue Sep 18, 2007 8:38 pm ]
Post subject: 
Can't anyone else see these dragons? Only I'm sure someone would have mentioned seeing two dragons in broad daylight over the Platz and then the Tiernsee? :lol:

And why is Nell faintly apprehensive? :wink:


Thanks Pat.
Author:  Kathy_S [ Wed Sep 19, 2007 2:46 am ]
Post subject: 
Lesley wrote:
And why is Nell faintly apprehensive? :wink:

Nell? :roll: :lol:

Great idea, popping over to the Tiernsee.

*imports a few Memory Charms from Harry Potter, just in case anyone's worried by dragon sightings*

Thank you, Pat.
Author:  Jennie [ Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:16 am ]
Post subject: 
Thanks, Pat.
Author:  Pat [ Wed Sep 19, 2007 6:42 pm ]
Post subject: 
Kathy_S wrote:
Lesley wrote:
And why is Nell faintly apprehensive? :wink:

Nell? :roll: :lol:


She couldn't possibly admit that it was Hilda, could she?!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
Author:  Lesley [ Wed Sep 19, 2007 8:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
Hilda would love it. :lol:
Author:  Vikki [ Sun Sep 23, 2007 4:28 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thank you for more of this Pat! :D

(I'm definitely going to have to start that Pern read-thru soon...)
Author:  Jennie [ Sun Sep 23, 2007 4:43 pm ]
Post subject: 
I'm up to 'The Skies of Pern' now.
Author:  Pat [ Fri Sep 28, 2007 7:35 pm ]
Post subject: 
“We can’t stay long,” shouted Con n her mother’s ear. “Think what people would say if they saw us!”
Jo nodded. “It would give them a bit of a shock,” she replied. “We’d better get back I suppose.”
Con asked Bettaneth to relay to R’ger that they were returning, and then gave the coordinates for the Gornetz Platz. As they burst out of Between Con saw that her father’s car was parked outside the house. So far R’ger had taken Earth’s technology in his stride, but a car was something completely different.She had tried to prepare him, but she had a shrewd idea that he hadn’t believed her when it came to the various means of transport she had described. After all, Pern had either dragons or four-legged animals to miove people around.
They left the dragons safely hidden and walked back to the house. Jack was sprawled in a chair with a hot cup of coffee beside him nearly asleep. The arrival of so many people jerked him awake, and as a result he was a little irritable.
“Been out for a walk have you?” he asked, trying to keep his irritation out of his voice. Then he saw the clothes that Con was wearing and he frowned.
“Where on earth did you get those things Con? They aren’t exactly what a young woman should be wearing, are they?”
Con flushed with annoyance at the comment.
“Nowhere on Earth Papa,” she said. “They are perfectly decent and very practical for my life. May I introduce you to R’ger? R’ger, this is my father.”
The unexpected introduction to a complete stranger who not only had a very odd name, but wore the same sort of clothes as his daughter, took the wind out of Jack’s sails.
“Oh... er... pleased to meet you.” he said, holding out his hand. R’ger took it with a firm shake that made Jack metaphorically raise his eyebrows at the strength. Then he turned back to Con. “Suppose you tell me what you meant by your reply Con. Nowhere on Earth?”
“Just that. You’ll have trouble believing it - Mamma did!” And she proceeded to tell him what had happened to her.
“You’re right young lady! I don’t believe it - or I wouldn’t if I didn’t know that you aren’t given to lying. “
“It’s true enough Jack,” said Jo with a grin. “I’ve just been riding on her dragon. Hilda and Nell went on R’ger’s. we’ve been to the Tiernsee and back.”
“I wonder if you would show me your machine?” said R’ger, forgetting the name Con had told him to use. “We don’t have anything like that on Pern.”
Lookiing and feeling completely stunned, Jack led the way outside to the car.
Author:  Lesley [ Fri Sep 28, 2007 8:49 pm ]
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Love that R'ger is just as interested in cars as we'd be in dragons. :lol:


Thanks Pat.
Author:  Jennie [ Sat Sep 29, 2007 1:10 pm ]
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Perhaps a new era for Pern, the automobile! They do have oil, because they used it when preparing to move the Red Star, though I have to admit that I've forgotten what era this is set in.
Author:  Pat [ Sat Sep 29, 2007 6:27 pm ]
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End of the first Long Interval Jennie.
Author:  Kathy_S [ Sun Sep 30, 2007 1:24 am ]
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Fun scene. :)
Thank you, Pat.

*likes dragons better than cars*
(at least in the abstract)
Author:  Jennie [ Sun Sep 30, 2007 1:07 pm ]
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Ah, thanks, Pat. Oh well, perhaps Jack will take to dragon riding too.
Author:  Miss Di [ Tue Oct 02, 2007 3:15 am ]
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Having spent the morning reading this I'm now inspired to dig out my McCaffery novels.

Thanks Pat, this is most enjoyable!
Author:  Pat [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:01 am ]
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“You do not believe the dragons, sir?” asked R’ger as they walked outside.
“I don’t know what to believe, young man! You must admit that the story is a little far fetched! On the other hand, none of those women are given to lying.” He looked at R’ger sternly. “Do I understand that you and Con are not married, but living as if you were?”
“In a way. We haven’t made any formal promises if that is what you mean, it’s not our way. But on the other hand, we are recognised as an established couple and intend to stay that way. There are different pressures on our life on Pern and we have to take them into account. I may say that Con would have preferred something more formal, but it really isn’t possible.”
Jack just grunted, and as they’d reached the car by this time, he concentrated on giving R’ger a quick run down of the mechanism. R’ger was fascinated, though most of it was beyond his experience. He thought privately that although it was a good way to carry people about who had no access to a dragon, it was noisy, dirty, and needed far too much maintenance for his taste. Also the roads needed for the things to move spoilt the countryside.
“Now, let’s see these dragons of yours,” said Jack. He’d begun to see a little of what his daughter saw in the man beside him, and was a little more ready to believe what he was being told. They made their way to the copse in the trees which hid the dragons, and like his wife before him, he stopped dead in shock. The sun was shi9ning down through the trees, and the dragons were very clearly enjoying the warmth, lying close together with their necks spread out along the ground.
“They are magnificent!” said Jack slowly. “So big! And you speak to their minds? I’m not sure that I’d like that sort of intimacy with any other creature.”
“I think Con found it a bit of a shock, but I grew up with it of course. My father rides a bronze, and my mother is weyrbred, but that doesn’t mean that the Impression was any less wonderful. It’s something that you can never really understand until it happens to you.”
Con and R’ger stayed only a few days on the Gornetz Platz, mainly for fear of the dragon’s discovery. One evening they said goodbye and took off into the darkening sky. Con had a bag with some of her favourite items from home, and was more than a little upset at having to leave her family and probably never see them again. But she wiped her eyes, settled her oxygen mask, and the two riders gave their dragons the image of the Weyr. As the family below watched, the dragons winked out of sight.
Author:  PaulineS [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:34 am ]
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Good to see this back. Glad Con can take some reminders of home with her.
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:12 am ]
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Thank you, Pat, you are spoiling us.

I'm glad that Con had this last chance to see her family again.
Author:  Lesley [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:35 pm ]
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Poor Con. :cry: Love Jack's query about no 'formal' arrangement - the one thing Anne McCaffrey always says is there is no formal religion on Pern, therefore no priests.


Thanks Pat.
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:34 pm ]
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I'm sure they could go through a formal civil ceremony, though. Mind you, I'm not nit-picking at what Pat has written, just glad that we've had some more of it.
Author:  Kathy_S [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 2:08 am ]
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There certainly are weddings on Pern. For example, in The White Dragon, Robinton says about Jaxom & Sharra:
Quote:
Brekke feels, and so does Menolly, that the attachment is sincere on both sides. I'm delighted you agree. I've been daily hoping he would ask me to officiate.

However, I think this may be one of the cultural differences between holders and dragonriders, given the whole mating flight scenario.

Anyhow, thank you, Pat. I wouldn't mind a few more flying visits someday. :D
Author:  Miss Di [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 2:31 am ]
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I guess it would be impossible for a queen dragon rider and a bronze dragon rider to have a formal arrangement - what happens if a different dragon mates with the queen on her next mating flight?

Lovely to see an update Pat!
Author:  JackieP [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 12:52 pm ]
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That's always the problem, Miss Di - although you do get situations such as F'lar and Lessa where the Queen Dragon will not accept another Bronze.

Great to see more of this, Pat.

JackieP
Author:  Pat [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 1:50 pm ]
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I always thought that the more formal arrangements weren't possible in the Weyrs because of the mating problem. Though maybe a partnership would carry on past the flight if the tie was strong enough. Of course there were what amounted to a permanent relationship, like F'lar and Lessa - but it wasn't actually formalised was it?
Author:  Jennie [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 2:07 pm ]
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Marriage seemed to be a holder/crafthall arrangement, but there were many acknowledged couples within the weyrs, so it seems as if it was enough to be known to be part of a couple.
Author:  PaulineS [ Fri May 02, 2008 3:22 pm ]
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Is there any more of this? Or was Con's return the end of the drabble?
I would like more if there is some.
Author:  Pat [ Fri May 02, 2008 6:57 pm ]
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It's complete.
Author:  PaulineS [ Fri May 02, 2008 8:27 pm ]
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thanks for the quick response, sorry it has ended.
Author:  Rachel [ Sun Jul 13, 2008 4:17 pm ]
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Pat wrote:
It's complete.


Well, YOU might think it's complete, but could I disagree (most politely of course) and ask you to go get your bunny out of it's hutch please?
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Jul 14, 2008 1:26 pm ]
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I want more of this, and second Rachel's request.
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