All references to worlds and characters based on Anne McCaffrey's fiction are copyright © Anne McCaffrey 1967,2000, all rights reserved, and used by permission of the author. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is registered U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, by Anne McCaffrey, used here with permission. Use or reproduction without a license is strictly prohibited. For more information, visit the Worlds of Anne McCaffrey.

You walk over to the bustling Weyrhall.

T'las is sitting at a table, leaning back and quietly sipping from his glass of juice, looking up at the ceiling.

Auralia covers her mouth with one hand, hiding a yawn, as she strides in to the 'hall -- no wonder, it being just after midnight -- and seeks out a juice pitcher, pouring a tall glass. She glances about, then ambles towards T'las, "You're up late."

T'las leans forward, his chair dropping to all fours and smiles up at Aura. "So are you," he notes with a smile. "Want to sit? I couldn't sleep, so I'm relaxing." Obviously.

Auralia does exactly that -- she sits, curling her feet about the bottom rung of the chair. "I suppose I am, in that case." She makes no answer to the sitting question, adding, "Just relaxing. Sounds nice."

T'las chuckles and nods. "So what is our weyrsecond up to that is keeping you awake? Hides, drill patterns, errant young weyrlings keeping you up?"

Auralia sticks out her tongue, rather un-elegantly, and responds, having tucked it back in, and swallowed the first mouthful of her plum-based fruit cocktail of a juice, "Nah, just Cloudchase again. Skipping sweeps."

T'las snorts. "I thought they were getting better about that?"

Auralia's comment is quick, "They were."

T'las sighs, shaking his head slowly. "Poor guys, maybe I should give them lessons in how not to screw up being a rider?" he jokes, taking a sip of juice.

Auralia raises her eyebrows with an oh-so-eloquent gesture, "You think you'd be the person to do it, then, mmm?" She's joking. Mostly.

T'las chuckles. "You'd think they would listen to me in the first place?" he retorts. "Nah, I've been in enough trouble without dealing with everyone else's problems, I'm doing fine right now."

Auralia licks the edge of her glass, eyes raising slightly, chin pulling itself downwards in a nod. "No, but it would be very interesting to watch you try." She nods again, adding, "So I've heard."

T'las blinks. "So you've heard? Heard...what? And I think you would have a good laugh at the sight of me teaching other riders."

"Head that you're doing fine, is all. Good on you." Ugh. Is that Aura in her Weyrsecond-type demeaning voice? Does she even have one of those? "Oh, I certainly would have a laugh. You, as an assistant weyrlingmaster would be particularly fascinating."

T'las snorts. "That's one thing I won't be for a while, if ever." He stops to take another drink. "And since you've heard I'm doing good, what about you? How're you doing, besides being tired?"

Auralia's lips pull into a rather cheerful, too cheerful, smile, wrapping about the edge of her glass. She sips, then sets it down, "Not likely to happen, I'd say, T'las." A shrug, "Better off not being, to be sure." She pauses again, adding, "Oh, I'm pretty good. Attempting to drill K'yae into knowing something about being wingsecond. He's a dimwit, I tell you."

T'las grins at her conclusion. "Oh really? How bad is he? Can't be worse then...ummm..." He stops and tries to search for a name, and can't fine one.

Auralia snorts. "Face it, there isn't anyone. He's a great guy, always cheerful, happy, and whatnot, but...He just doesn't have the seriousness. Much as I adore him as a person, he's a hopeless leader."

T'las smiles and nods. "Yeah, that sounds about right. Lots of people like that. Glad I'm not one of them," he says with a wink.

"If we were all like that, how would anything get done?" Aura wiggles her nose, adding, "Of course, if we were all like you, it'd be much the same."

T'las grins. "Well, it depends, if they wre like me now, things would get done. Like me as a weyrling, Faranth help us all."

Auralia smirks, rolling her eyes. "Indeed. If they were all like you, they'd probably get drunk too often, too. And what's this I hear about you and Uinn?"

T'las blinks, and blushes. Right on cue.

Auralia bursts into a fit of giggles. "I knew it! Do tell me more!"

T'las sighs. "What, we have some fun, that's all." Fun, isn't that a C'ley term?

It probably is. And Aura knows it, "Ah-hah. Well, congrats. She's a nice girl." Even if she is some turns older than Aura. In fact, it's probably a lot of turns older than Aura.

T'las shrugs. "It's not anything serious, honest, and do try to keep it quiet, could cause some...talking with in the wing." This is T'las saying this?

Auralia raises her eyebrows, wondering, "Talking with in the wing? What's wrong with it? K'yae sleeps over with me from time to time, and that's not something I keep a huge secret."

T'las ehs and shrugs. "One never knows, now do they? And besides, K'yae was never the brightest one," he teases.

Auralia sticks out her tongue eloquently, and shrugs, "If you're so worried, I won't spread the rumour." Pause. "Not far, anyway."

T'las snorts. "Of course, cause Bertha would do it for you, wouldn't she?" he asks, sending a glance to the sleeping auntie. Or at least she looks like she's sleeping, never know...

"Yeah, exactly. You catch on, quick." Aura grins, considering, "Anyway, I thought you and Kayla were together? I mean, isn't that true? Sure, you and I--but you were drunk."

T'las ehs, setting his glance down slowly. "We broke up, about a sevenday ago. And besides, I don't have to be drunk to be with other women, well, at least not now anyways."

Auralia's ignoring her drink, or, at least, she's not drinking it. "Oh? I am sorry. I didn't know." She adds, quietly, "No, I guess not, now. But did you start with Uinn, when you were drunk?" Mischief, in her eyes.

T'las ummms, thinking about that. "No, well, yes, I think. Actually, it was the night after we broke up, and I got plastered. She and Jaly threw me in the lake, then she took me back to my weyr, and, well you know how things happen, you were there once."

Auralia waggles her eyebrows, chuckling. "Ah-hah. So the drink really does bring people together." Although Aura doesn't drink, and she's found at least a temporary relationship.

T'las snorts. "Hardly, that was...well I don't know what that night was cause I don't remember it all too well. And we didn't sleep with eachother until several days after that." Which was last night.

"Slow moving, then." No, Aura doesn't seem to have much regard for the privacy, and seriousness of relationships. All fun and games. "And it was good, I'm sure?" Aura!

T'las blushes. "She sad she liked it, and who am I to argue?" He picks up his glass and takes another drink, setting it back down. "Of course you should know, or do I need to refresh your memory?"

Auralia can't help but waggle her eyebrows, nice and cute. "A refresher course. Well, that's mighty tempting---but no. I don't think it'd do much to help with Uinn." She adds, nodding, "Never argue with a satisfied woman. It's bad for your health."

T'las grins. "I told you it was nothing serious. Far from it, since she's seeing N'tor." Gee, isn't he starting to sound like a certain blood relative.

Auralia giggles. "In that case--but no."

T'las chuckles. "Oh well, I must be more attractive drunk," he teases again, picking up his glass and taking another sip.

Auralia sips at her own juice, savoring it within her mouth for a moment or two, "I think it's the mystique. The whole--he's drunk, and that's why it happened. I have to keep up some apperances, you know."

T'las grins. "A greenrider keeping up appearances....I'll have to remember that one. And if you -really- just want me drunk we can fix that too," he says with a wink.

"Hey! We're not -all- like your sister." Not that Aura can talk. She did sort of prompt it on, last time. "I suppose we could. But that would take a lot of time. And I'd have to put up with waiting, while you got less and less coherant."

T'las hmmms, thinking about that. "Well, I actually can get drunk pretty fast, as I've proven time and again. Of course if you can't wait ten minutes..." Well, that just says something about Aura, now doesn't it?

Auralia waggles her eyebrows. "Ten minutes, huh? If you can do it in ten minutes, I'll consider dragging you up to your weyr. Or to mine, since it might be slightly quicker." She's watching him.

T'las laughs quietly and gets up, heading over and snagging two wineskins...just in case. "Ok, ten minutes," he confirms, opening the skin and tilting his head back, starting to funnel for thirty seconds at a time.

Auralia sits back in her chair, raising her eyebrows as she watches, interest patterned upon her face. "You're quick. But how will I know when you're drunk, rather than tipsy?"

T'las takes his time and doesn't answer her until after a minute, when he brings the wineskin down. "Guess I'll just have to drain both skins then?" Yup, back we go, guzzle guzzle. Yup, he's definitely a guy.

Oh, definately. And Auralia's just bemused. "I think so. I'm certainly not going to dispose of the other."

T'las finishes with the first wineskin, giving his head a shake at the end, which makes his whole body sway. "Whoa...breathing is good," he notes, blinking himself while he regains his balance. Kind of. Time for skin number two.

Auralia does laugh. Enjoying this? Oh, you can bet on it. "Breathing helps. Sort of necessary, at times."

T'las gets about halfway through the second skin when he stops, sucking in a breath. "Never thought I'd be getting drunk to sleep with you," he mumbles, then goes back to the wine.

"I have to have my standards, thank you very much." Some standards, but Aura seems to be perfectly happy with this idea. Her juice is sipped at tentatively, then set down again.

T'las finishes with the second skin and throws it on the table, then waits a few seconds for his eyes to focus. "Ohhh I can just imagine the headache I'll have tommorow." See what he's doin' for ya Aura?

Auralia should feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Wanted; he wants her! "Poor thing. The things you do for little ol' me." Pause. "You -did- offer."

T'las grins. "You offered too," he reminds her, giving a tilted grin.

Auralia pauses. "Did I? Oh, so I did. Are you drunk yet?"

T'las nods. "Oh yes, wait another few minutes and you might have to carry me back..." he says, standing up, swaying ever so slightly.

Auralia eyes him a moment, and as he stands, nod. "I believe you might be right. Okay, let's go then." So business like about it. It could actually be considered quite amusing. "You first, so I can catch you, if you fall."

T'las chuckles and makes his way out, swaying with his steps.

T'las walks toward the Courtyard.

You walk toward the Courtyard.

Auralia follows, light on the step. "My weyr or yours?"

T'las hmms. "Yours, otherwise we'll have to get a dragon to take us up..."

Auralia nods. "That's true. Come on, then."

You walk toward the Southern Weyrs.