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.

09-05-01: Washing
Hanneke returns; composed, face without blotchy marks, and generally her cheerful self--as long as hair is not mentioned. With a...

Hanneke returns; composed, face without blotchy marks, and generally her cheerful self--as long as hair is not mentioned. With a skip in her step, the candidate meanders her way towards the serving table, the juice that formerly had her attention cleared up already by some over zealous drudge or candidate.

T'paz enters the room, smelling of ash, firestone, and hours of practice. He slumps briefly into a chair, taking a last glug from a very cold mug of klah. He notices various Candidate types here, and grins. "Ho there, Candidates. How ya doin tonight?"

Dalas looks up from his thoughts,"Hey T'paz, I'm doing good how about you....man you smell."He says then corrects himself." I mean...something smells, have you been playing in the firestone pits? You really reek you know."Smiling all the while as he states the obvious.

T'paz enters the room, smelling of ash, firestone, and hours of practice.

Hanneke, brightly, "Hihi, sir! I'm doing very well, thank you. It's such a lovely evening, even if it is hot. I suppose it's always hot, though, so that's not unusual." Attention rests upon the juice pitcher, a long, careful stare, which eventually has her turning about, and leaving juice behind altogether.

T'paz T'paz enters the room, smelling of ash, firestone, and hours of practice. He slumps briefly into a chair, taking a last glug from a very cold mug of klah. He notices various Candidate types here, and grins. "Ho there, Candidates. How ya doin tonight?" (repose for Jestine's sake)

Dalas looks up from his thoughts,"Hey T'paz, I'm doing good how about you....man you smell."He says then corrects himself." I mean...something smells, have you been playing in the firestone pits? You really reek you know."Smiling all the while as he states the obvious.(repose)

Jestine glances about as she enters the room. Her attention is caught by the man at the far side of the room smelling of sweat and sulfur, indicating that he was probably a dragonrider, other than the knot. "Um..I just finished some mending in the lov (lower) cavern with a bunch of harnesses and wash. Is there something else that needs to be done?"

T'paz grins at the responses, and hands his mug off to a passing drudge. "Dalas, you have a gift for understatement. Hanneke, yer from Fort area, yes? You'll get used to the heat, I'm sure. Jestine...(he has to think a moment here, only having learned her name the other night) no, not really. I just finished a bout of nasty rough practicing, and was wondering if anyone wanted to come down to the beaches with Jaspyth 'n me.....mebbe give me a hand scrubbing him down...

Jestine grins and nods her head. "I wouldn't mind. Do you have sand out there to scrub him with, or would you like me to get some?"

Hanneke responds with her usual charm and winning smile--"I'm a Harper! Although I'm from Lemos, really. At least, that's where I grew up. I was born at the Hall, actually." She'd continue to babble, but a candidate nearby gives her a nudge, and she shuts up, for a moment. "Ooh! Can we? As long as I don't get my hair all knotty. Do you think I will?"

Dalas thinks a minute,"Um...Jestine its a beach, there will be lots of sand I think," He tells her with a smile, then to T'paz."Sure I wouldn't mind giving you a hand with Jaspyth, will give me a chance to see him up close." He says standing up from his bench.

Jestine delivers Dalas a hardy poke in his side for the comment. "I meant like soaping sands!"

T'paz grins. "No, Jestine, regular beach sand is fine for getting the stink off of a dragon's hide, I've found." He rises himself. "Well then, we could get there one of two ways. I could meet you there, or we could all bundle onto the back of a stinky bronze, and fly there. Yer choice.

And T'paz turns to Hanneke and grins. "I'm sure that something can be arranged to deal with knotty hair. Not a problem."

Hanneke smoothes her hair down, unnecessarily, and keeps her mouth shut. Decision making and Hanneke are not on good terms. Brightening, she nods rapidly towards T'paz, "Oh, goodie! Thank you."

Dalas looks impressed,"Jaspyth can fly all of us at once?" Though when he thinks about it it isn't that unlikely,"I don't mind the smell of firestone on a dragon and if any gets on us we will more than likely get it washed off in the salt water."Then looking at the girls and ouching over the poke,"If the girls want to walk though I wouldn't mind walking with them."

Jestine shugs slightly. "I don't mind walking in heat. I was born in the South. On the other hand, though, I don't think anything can surpass a deep-cleaning of a runner stall in the way of stench. Would Jaspyth mind if we rode? Is he tired?" She tries to hide the fact that she secretly wants to feel the wind rush across her body one (once) again."

T'paz moves towards the door, a briefly blank look on his face. "He says that humans weigh practically nothing, and that he would be happy to ferry us to his favorite beach." The galant rogue then offers his arms to Hanneke and Jestine, and says. "Lets go, then.

Hanneke's romantic delight at this is sparked, and she takes T'paz's arm with visible delight, near skipping in her exuberance. "How lovely!" is the comment she makes, trilled almost as if in song, although thankfully not.

Dalas suffers greatly fromthat last attack and is called back to his pokeball.

Jestine grins and takes T'paz arm, even though she can tell that he is a knave. Not to be outdone, she loops her other arm around dalas, making sure he isn't left. "THis is going to be nice!"

T'paz heads out of the LC, certain that Dalas will join the group when he can.

T'paz walks out of the Living Caverns into the bowl.

Jestine walks out of the Living Caverns into the bowl.

You walk out of the Living Caverns into the bowl.

Jestine sighs as Dalas rushes back, remembering something. Her vacant arm she swings casually beside her.

Hanneke seemingly has no regrets about Dalas' delay, but that's this particular candidate for you. She skips to keep up, bubbling up with a comment, "Oh, this is fun! Don't you think so? I do, but then, a lot of things are fun, I suppose, don't you all think?"

Jaspyth blinks at the arriving people and whuffs at his rider. He lowers himself to the ground and looks the Candidates over. Opalescent eyes glow green/blue in the night. "Ladies, I present to you Jaspyth." T'paz says as he motions his friend to give them a hand. A giant forelimb bends, to make mount him easier.

Dalas walks out of the Living Caverns.

"Hihi, Jaspyth," Hanneke greets, stepping up towards the bronze. "I'm Hanneke!" Introduction done, she does her valiant best to mount with grace--a particularly hard task, in all reality.

You clamber up Jaspyth's neck and set yourself between two neckridges.

Jaspyth

Smooth, turban-sleek verdigris mottles his posed head light and dark over an intelligent, witty brow and slightly almond-shaped eyes, spills confidently down the reaches of his hulk of a charming long neck, bursting into brassy bronze at formidable warbuck shoulders, brutish bulk of back, and in the hidden delicate sheets of his expansive nurturing wings that catch the sunlight magically at the least expected moment. Burnished bronze darkens his haunches with an easy raw power, gracing his well-defined musculature with precision and speed before rippling to near-black at the tip of an intimidating tail -- black, too, his huge feet, protruding from him in a fesity dexterous bloom of spicular talons. From the crystal clear clarity of his compassionate, loyal gaze and commanding presence to the terrifying glint of his metallic silk sheen, he booms with resounding balance, the ultimate wish-granter in a skin of sun-heated sand and hot metal cinnamon.

Long smooth bands of fresh, well oiled, supple leather encircle Jaspyth's neck. At regular intervals, loops extend to anchor the longer straps that will hold T'paz in place. The suede pad under them is soft and caressing to dragonhide. The entire set of riding straps is undyed, natural leather colour, except for a distictive starburst-within-a-hexagon design that T'paz is adopting for himself, here and there.

Jaspyth blinks at the arriving people and whuffs at his rider. He lowers

T'paz swings up to Jaspyth's neck, settling between two neckridges, and smiles down to his lifemate.

Jestine shakes her head slightly at Hanneke's somewhat vapid manner. Some were convinced that she was a bit touched, but Jestine knew a dragon never makes a mistake. "Yes, it will be a lot of fun. This will only be my second ride on a dragon." Jestine stops before the bronze and extends her hands toward him, hands up, in a symbol of greeting. She climbs up the bronze and mounts with the ease of someone who has lived among runners.

Jestine clambers up Jaspyth's neck and settles in between two neckridges.

T'paz calls down to Dalas. "Come on up, bud. Lots of space here."

Jestine waves down to Dalas. "I think they're room behind me!"

Dalas comes out of the cavern and walks up to the others,"Sorry had to get something just in case," He tells T'paz patting his backpack."Will be right up, if Jaspyth could give me a leg up." He says bowing to the bronze and walking over to the dragon,"Maybe a hand from you as well T'paz."Then looking at the bronze he tells Jestine,"Are you sure I mean you seem to take up quite a bit of room there."Remembering the poke in his side he decides to tease some.

Hanneke smoothes her tunic down, then carefully adjusts a piece of hair that has -- horrors! -- escaped from her rather elaborate 'do. "He's bigger than Inigoth--and the others I've ridden," she notes, brimming over with the zest that is inately hers. "Rehi, Dalas!"

Jestine gives him a evil, but teasing glare. "Oh come on now! I'm sorry I bruised your side and your ego. Please for (forgive) me, or we'll be bickering all day!"

Dalas clambers up Jaspyth's neck and settles in between two neckridges.

T'paz grins, hopping down briefly to help the Healer up. "There ya go." and with the ease of much practice, the rider hops up onto an open spot. At Hanneke's comment, T'paz lets a gentle chuckle escape him. "Hanneke, dear. Jaspyth is bigger than most of the dragons in the Weyr, let alone Blue Inigoth. He's offered to carry other dragons about, for fun." Double checking the straps and how everyone is settled, he gives a signal to Jasyth. "Everybody ready?" he inquires.

Hanneke emits a giggle of her own, agreeing, "Big!" Further words are broken off, as a hearty nod adds her affirmative to the 'ready' question. "Let's go!"

Dalas nods then being as how he is in the very back says,"I'm ready when you are."

Jestine nods and clamps her legs on tight to the bronze as she would to a green horse.

Jaspyth nods and rises smoothly to his feet. Then he turns and moves towards the center of the bowl, for a gentle takeoff.

You head west, towards the central bowl.

Jaspyth settles low to the ground, and the muscles beneath his hot cinnamon hide turn to coiled steel. Sheer power, contained. Then, with one swift motion, he pushes off from the ground with his hind legs, and flaps his huge wings once...and is airborne!

You leap into the air.

Hanneke allows a breath of delight to escape; flight, evidently, is delighted in as much as any part of her life. Leaning forward, she peers off across the weyr, eyes wide with childish flights of imagination--"So small from up here!" she marvels, trilling her words.

Jestine closes her eyes and releases her grip on the ridge in front of her and lets her hands rest on her thighs. She closes her eyes and savors the sensation of the cool air around her.

Dalas can't hear much as the wind whips past his ears, he can never get enough of the feeling of being airborne. Dalas looks down and is amazed at how fast Jaspyth gains altitude.

You wing down to the main beach.

Above, Jaspyth wings down to the main beach.

Jaspyth moves down with a gentleness that is at odds with his size. He settles onto a gentle rise in sand, near the water. T'paz hops down first. "There we go, folks. Off we get. Ladies first."

Hanneke's brilliant smile diminishes little upon landing, return to solid ground, as she rests one hand upon Jaspyth's hide, crowing delightedly, "Thank you, that was fun! Even if he does stink awful bad." For emphasis, her nose is wrinkled, although any further comments are staved as she makes to disamount--the distance causing a moment of consternation.

You slide gently down Jaspyth's neck and land with a soft thud.

From Jaspyth's neck, Jestine swings her legs over and slides down in one fluid movement. As she lands, sand gushed into her sandals.

Jestine slides from Jaspyth's neck and lands gently on the ground.

From Jaspyth's neck, Dalas follows behind the women getting down as quick as possible and ready to get to work on the big bronze.

Dalas slides from Jaspyth's neck and lands gently on the ground.

T'paz grins, seeing Dalas slide off. "Okay, folks. Anyone here ever help wash a dragon?"

Jestine kicks off her sandl (sandals) and buries her toes into the sand. She glances up at the question. "Sorry, but I have washed a lot of runners!"

Jaspyth turns towards the warm salty waters, and leaps once. With serpentine grace, he dives into the water and swims about underwater, only his glowing green eyes revealing his position.

Hanneke shakes her head, eyes wide as she notes, "Oh, no. Not me!" Jaspyth is given a long glance -- at least, she attempts to watch him, through the water -- as she pulls her boots and socks off, arranging them neatly upon the beach.

Dalas smiles and says,"Well not one this big, I helped with Brown Veluth over in Fort Weyr and I have helped with Inigoth, and of course I have helped A'ria with Orsylth." He says naming the few dragons that he has actually been in contact with,"But like I said I think Jaspyth is the biggest I have encountered."

T'paz peels out of his outfit, to reveal his swim trunks underneath. The stinky clothes are gathered together into a tight bundle and put aside. "Well, then I hope you don't mind getting wet." He starts into the surf himself, muscles rippling as he walks. "We can meet him out here a wee bit."

Jaspyth swims closer, surfacing. He settles into the shallow water, and lies there, a great bronze form in the moonlight, tent sized wings spread out. "Ok, then, everybody move to a section of Jaspyth. I'll take his hindquarters. You guys take either side and his head/neck. When you get there, take a handfull of wet sand and scrub it onto the hide nearest you. There's no real danger of scrubbing too hard, really. Just be careful around his eyes, and he'll let you know if he enjoys it."

Dalas has no qualms about removing his clothes and changes into what he went back into the barracks to get, his own swim trunks. With the skill of a quick change artist he gets into his trunks and sets his backpack safely to the side and makes his way down to the water making for Jaspyths head and shoulders.

Hanneke nods carefully, attending to every word for a rare occurance, and slowly strips herself of outermost clothes, blushing as she makes a dash for the water. "Cold!" is her yelp, wincing, as she shivers at the water's edge, regardless of the Istan warmth.

Jestine trudges out of the part of the water she was in and swims to Jaspyth. Scooping up handfuls of wet sand, She dumps the mass on the nearest shoulder and begins to scrub.

T'paz nods approvingly. "That's it. Don't be shy. He'll positively glow when yer done." he says, scrubbing away on a section of tail. Jaspyth's muscles are all quivery, then they relax all at once. A huge sigh escapes him, and one set of eyelids close in pleasure. "Oh yeah, that's it, Dalas. He's yer friend forever now."

Hanneke takes a deep breath, wavers her toe, and finally allows herself to walk into the water, teeth chattering. "So cold!" she murmurs, eyes dancing, as she belatedly moves to follow directions, scrubbing at Jaspyth's forelimb as best she can.

Dalas scoops more sand onto the dragons neck and scrubs making sure to get the deep down stink of firestone out of Jaspyths hide,"So T'paz do you have oil for him after the scrubbing his hide is going to get?" Smiling at the bronze as he scrubs the neckridges he can reach.

Jestine scoops up another a (handful) of sand and begins to work it in a circular pattern around a new spot. She puts some more strength behind it, hp (hoping) that she's not hurting him.

Jaspyth is obviously enjoying himself. As every part of him is scrubbed at once, he moves ever so gently, to assist the cleaning as needed. It is soooooo good, that Jaspyth's eyes begin to spin a little faster, showing an idea forming. A long, bronze tail moves through the water in gentle udulations, then move silently towards one of the ladies scrubbing his shoulders, which one, which one....

T'paz finishes the tail area, and starts to scrub the rear limbs, not ungently. "Just to let you know, folks. Jas is enjoying this so much, that he's begining to feel playful here. If he does something that you don't like, just tell him so. He'll stop right away."

Hanneke takes a break from her scrubbing to rub at goosebumps upon her legs, a shudder at their presence upon her otherwise, in her own opinion, flawless skin. Intermission is only brief, however; she rapidly moves to attempt to catch up, scrubbing slightly harder, although it remains fairly soft in the scheme of things. As yet, she's remained to keep herself mostly try, except for her legs. She freezes. "Playful?"

Dalas smiles as he can tell the dragons likes the scrubbing its getting. Dalas scrubs up around the headknobs of the dragon and back down his neck, then scoops up another handful of sand and works it into Jaspyths shoulder.

Jestine sees the dragon's positive reaction to the scrubbing, not unlike the reaction to a feline being scratched. THis only encourages her more to continues. "Glances over at the remark. "Just as long as he knows when to stop."

T'paz finishes the bronze dragon's hindquarters, and moves off to see how the others are doing. "That's it, Dal, you know what yer doing. Same thing fer you, Jestine." he says as he joins Hanneke. "And you are doing a fine job, Hanneke. Don't be afraid to get a little dirty here. The water will wash off any remaining sand." He grabs a handful of sand and joins the Harper-girl in working on a section of wingspar. However, Jaspyth seems to have different ideas. With gentle movements, he moves his serpentine tail towards Jestine, and loops it around her waist, gently. Then he hoists her out of the water and sets her on his back.

Dalas chuckles as he sees Jestine lifted up onto Jaspyths back."I guess he wants you to work on that part of him for a bit Jestine,"The chuckles becomming laughter as he finishes scrubbing that portion of Jaspyth he was working on.

Hanneke flushes slightly, nodding her head with rapid movement as she attempts to push herself further, strands of hair escaping under the vigorous effort. "Oh, okay!" she agrees, missing Jestine's surprise thanks to both her concentration, and her inability to see around Jaspyth's large form.

Jestine proceeds to do something that is not often heard, she gives a high-pitched comp (combination) of a shriek and a squeal. Just for a second, though. After she is set down on his back, Jestine gives hsi shoulder a poke. "I bet you thought that that was really funny, Mister! You're just lucky I was wearing underclothes! Otherwise I would've been very that. " She proceeds to rub her hands, covered in grit, acroo (across) his back in a dragon-massage of types. "You are so lucky I'm in a good mood!" She still can't help but crack a smile, exposing how unpeeved she really is.

Jaspyth whuffles in the equivalent of draconic laughter, and his upper shoulder muscles ripple pleasurably at the massage from Jestine. His tail, however, is not finished. It moves over to the other side, where T'paz and Hanneke are. It loops around Hanneke's waist, and hoists her up gently as well, since she was so concerned about being wet. He sets her down between his wings, and lifts his head to look back at his two new friends, eyes glowing happily greens and blues.

Jestine's response has Hanneke's notice caught; she peers, attempting to see around Jaspyth to get a glimpse of the girl, but fails, her face caught into an expression of intense concentration. "What happened?" she calls out, then emits a yelp as Jaspyth performs a similar action with her--yelp turning into uncontrolable giggles. "Oh!"

Jestine continues her scrubbing and massaging efforts and looks up to see the pair of green-blue eyes twinkling back at her. "You ser, are totally incorrigible! Which is why people can't help but love you, probably." She glances down at T'paz. "Is he almost clean, or how much more do we have to scrub?"

T'paz watches both girls get airlifted by the bronze, and blinks. "Hey you." he directs to the Bronze. "Warn yer playmates next time. Humans gets startled by your version of play." He turns to Jestine and Hanneke and says, "I hope you two are all right up there. When Jaspyth is feeling playful, he is inclined to haul people about. Usually, it's when he's playing with the Weyr's children. He loves it when they climb all over him. For the really little ones, he even offers his wings as slides. And if you think he's almost done, then he's done. You don't need to scrub yer hands to the bone up there."

Dalas walks out of the water having finished his section of dragon and not really wanting to be hoisted as it were,"Sorry Jaspyth but I have some other errands to do, but you go right on ahead and play with Hanneke and Jestine, I'm sure they don't mind keeping you busy." He tells the dragon, then calls over to T'paz."Sorry to scrub and run but I need to go check on B'roughs and Adria's twins, just to make sure they are doing ok, which I'm sure they are, then I have to check up on the elderly of the weyr make sure they are drinking their citron and behaving themeselves."

Hanneke's scrubbing, now that she's not even standing in the water, is far more enthusiastic--"He's awful fun! So cute!" She, evidently, doesn't mind a bit, although her hair is given a touch with one hand, and a disparaging sigh follows. The perils of long hair. "Oh, bye, Dalas!"

Jestine checks the area around her and leans down and gives his hide an experimental whif to make sure it was totally clean. She also runs her hands over the hide, smooth and soft after a good scrub. "He's clean in this spot!" she calls down. "Bye, Dalas!" she calls to him as he departs.

Dalas waves as he makes his way to and over the plateau.

Dalas climbs up the trail to the plateau and shortly disappears out of sight over the edge.

T'paz waves to the departing Healer. "Thanks for the help, Dalas." He hops up onto the bronzes neck too. "Ladies, officially, he's done. As for oiling, I usually let my firelizards do that, since they like the oiling too. Both he and I thank you, from the bottom of our hearts. I was not relishing the 2 hours it was going to take me, alone. I hope you enjoyed yerselves..."

Hanneke beams brilliantly, agreeing, "It was a lot of fun, thank you for letting us help!" Doing it on one's own might be a less enjoyable task, certainly.

Jestine swings a leg over Jaspyth's back and Proceeds to dive off into deeper water. When she surfaces, she's all smiles. "Thanks, T'paz!"

Hanneke eyes Jestine's movement down, peers towards the water below, and hesitates. "Er--" she trails off, and then makes an effort to dive like the other candidate. She bellyflops. At least she got wet. As she surfaces, the candidate notes, "Owwie."

Jestine winces at Hanneke's impact. "Ouch. Sorry. I should've warned you that it wasn't the best of diving conditions. But the water isn't bad!"

Jaspyth's eyes whirl the colour of mischief one last time, and moves out into slightly deeper water, T'paz still aboard. "G'night ladies. See you all later." T'paz says as the dragon dives beneath the waves, rider clinging to riding straps. After a moment, the bronze erupts from the water, like a rocket, powerful wings beating in the air. T'paz looks a little wet, but seems to be enjoying his friend's performance too. "Neat trick..." you can hear him saying as they fly off into the night sky.

T'paz swings up to Jaspyth's neck, settling between two neckridges, and smiles down to his lifemate.

Jaspyth wings upwards, scattering sand about.

Above, Jaspyth has arrived.

Most of Hanneke's hair drapes about her back now, in tangled tendrils of ringlet-shaped locks. Shivering, a smile is attempted, made brilliant by her usual affable ability, and she nods. "It's--cold. But good!" She pauses, then watches after Jaspyth and T'paz. "Wow. He's lovely!"

Jestine stares agape as the dragon disappears mid-air. "Well...as much as I'd love to stay in here all day, I'd better go do the wash. Especially since my best outfit is now sea-water soaked!"

Hanneke nods ruefully, walking onto the sand with wet feet, puddles forming behind her. She rubs at her back, agreeing, "Suppose. There's always stuff to do."

[Later; Hanneke's had a bath, and returned to the barracks]

Dominic is standing on his toes on the edge of his cot, reaching up as high as he possibly can -- which is reasonably high with those long arms and legs -- but it's still not quite high enough to reach the top of the tapestry above his cot. Grumbling sounds come from his direction, something about "...stupid crooked tapestry..."

Helter skelter is Hanneke's entrance: wet towel rubbing through her hair, while the rest of her is fully dressed, but skipping, towards her own cot. Dominic's actions are noted, the apprentice on hold peering towards him with her inerasable smile as bright as ever. "What're you doing?"

With arms still stretching upwards, Dominic peeks underneath his elbow at the sound of the girl's voice, "What's it look like I'm doing? I'm straightening the tapestry. It's crooked. And I got tired of looking up at a crooked tapestry when I'm trying to sleep." Yes, it's neurotic. Everyone's entitled to a few quirks. "What're /you/ doing?"

"Drying my hair, of course!" Unspoken, the word lingers: dumby. What else would she be doing. Hanneke resumes her skip, resting against the edge of her cot with a chirp of laughter apparently triggered by nothing at all. "Oh! Crooked things are horrible. Like mussed clothing." For emphasis, her own outfit is given a careful pressing with one hand.

Hanneke snugs Allowy! Allowy enjoys that most precious of hugs, the super hug (snug). In thanks for such a joyous event, she returns the favor with a swirl of arms and squeezing embrace. Mmmmm.

Dominic frowns up at the tapestry, shrugging his shoulders as he gives up, lowering himself to the floor, "Yeah, it's horrible, and there's not a whole lot I can do about it right now. Too high up." With a glance down at his own mussed clothes, he smirks at the Harper, "Yeah, I know what you mean."

Hanneke drapes her towel about the edge of her cot, using a small comb to run the knots from her lengthy set of ringlet-formed locks. "Oh, that's horrible! Such a shame! You need someone big and tall to help, I guess." Her expression, entirely vacuous in nature, allows no room for visible comprehension of his words, although mussed clothes are given a wrinkle of her nose.

Dominic raises his eyebrows with a smile, "Big and tall? Taller than me?" He holds a hand flat over his head a few inches, "I thought I was kinda tall. Sure, there's people taller, but not too many, and not by enough to make up the difference." He casts a glance up at the tapestry, before his eyes drift back over to Hanneke, "What I need to do is go get a ladder. That'll solve my problem." That one problem, at any rate. "Then I could straighten out the rest of the tapestries while I'm at it." Simple, huh? Efficient. Boring, too.

Hanneke flushes somewhat, admitting, "Oh, you are! I guess you'd need someone *really* *really* tall. Or," she trails off, agreeing somewhat undelightedly. "A ladder." Boring, indeed. "Or you could jump up and try and do it that way? I think that'd work, don't you? And it'd be more fun!" She babbles, combing through her hair with diligence.

A ladder would really be the best option. But, there's no ladders in the room, and Dominic's feeling unusually lazy about laving the Barracks. Rubbing at his chin, inspecting the craftsmanship of his cot, "Hmmm, I dunno if the cot would stand up too well to me jumping on it. I wonder if...." Gaze moves back over to Hanneke, slow smile crossing his lips, "You feeling limber today?"

Hanneke? She pauses for the briefest of moments before a wide grin -- wider even than the one she usually carries -- enchants her features, stopping even her combing as she considers. "Oh! I...suppose so. I mean, it can't be too--er, what *exactly* have you got in mind?" Shallow mind, shallower intellect, but she volunteers without hesitation, moving towards the cot, her hair pulled over one shoulder.

"Well, if we both stand on the cot..." Dominic demonstrates by hopping back up onto the cot, "And then I lock my fingers together like this..." Again, he demonstrates by creating the ol' finger-footstool, "I could give you a boost, and then you could reach up and straighten out the tapestry." Seeing as how she's wearing breeches, no one can accuse Dom of suggesting it just so he can look up her skirt.

Perfectly decent. She watches as he demonstrates, head tilted to the side, face expressionless with the necessity for deep thought. At length, she nods an affirmative, clambering atop the cot, which jiggles as her weight is added. Wobbling slightly, she makes another nod, draping her hair as out of the way as she can. Wrinkling her nose with thought, she rests one hand upon the wall, then nods. "We can try now, then!" Her enthusiasm is remarkable.

Dominic bends at the knees, lowering his laced fingers to line up with Hanneke's knees, "Go ahead and step up with one foot, then..." No, he won't fling her up into the air like a cheerleader. Promise.

Although, with all the hair, it would certainly make an interesting sight. Once more, Hanneke nods, raising her foot as high as she can, then bringing it down to rest upon Dominic's hands. "Up, then?" she trills, glancing back with obvious pleasure at this exercise of teamwork.

Dominic shakes his head, grinning, "No, wait a minute. We're facing the wrong way." He's facing the wall, she's got her back to the tapestry. "Unless you want to reach over your shoulder to do this." He sidesteps ninety degrees on the cot, hands still locked in position. Which pretty much gives Hanneke the choice of pivoting on her other heel, or falling over.

Hanneke hangs in suspension for a moment, then drops, like a stone, her legs flying after her. A rather big stone, with rather too much hair, but a stone, all the same. "Oops!" At least she can keep her humor about it, and lands rather in tact rather than in pieces.

At least she was on the cot when she fell. Dominic bursts into laughter, unlocking his fingers to hold out his hands to the fallen girl, "Careful there, I don't want to get in trouble for you falling off and breaking your head open." She might not be coordinated enough for this type of high-wire work.

Hanneke probably isn't, but there's no use telling her that, nor her relating it. Straightening, brushing herself off, a wide grin is given towards Dominic, giggles escaping through her lips with some delight. "Eek! That'd be horrible, wouldn't it? No, I won't hurt myself. See, it's soft on the cot! Although--" she pauses, glancing about the covers, "It's kinda messed up, now."

Dominic shrugs his shoulders with a grin, eyes glancing down at the cot, "Ehh. Everyone knows I can't make a cot neatly to save my life. It looks slept in, that's all." He raises his eyebrows, "Wanna try it again? We'll try to keep you from spilling this time."

Hanneke giggles again, smoothing her tunic down with a practiced hand. "That's okay then," she declares, her head moving into a nodding motion as she agrees. "We can try again. I'll try and hold on better." Missing the point of her fall, altogether.

Dominic bends at the knees again, fingers going back into position, "Alright then.. this time, if you feel like you're going to fall, just grab hold of my shoulders to steady yourself. Or my head. Or whatever, so long as it's staying still when you're not."

Hanneke again giggles, evidently a common trait of hers, and rehoists her foot into position upon Dominic's hands. "I will!" she promises, faithfully, steadying herself as best she can, before adding. "I'm ready!"

Dominic nods once, keeping a watchful eye on Hanneke's foot as he lifts, "And up you go!" There, that wasn't so hard, was it? "Steady... steady... careful, don't wobble... wait till you've got your balance..."

And up she goes! Hanneke, giggling as much as ever, attempts to hold her mirth in while she wobbles, gaining her balance as she clasps for the wall, holding there a moment, before she nods, "I think I got it!" she calls down, not that she's so very high all the same. Meaning balance, that is.

Dominic sucks in his breath through his teeth, "Watch it... don't tug on the tapestry for balance, you'll tear it down..." Y'know, it's not like his footing is particularly steady, now that he thinks about it. He is, after all, holding her up while he's standing on the cot. "Just edge it up a bit on the right side..."

Zureile rolls over in her cot grumpily. What time was it? The sun wasn't even up... she was certain of that. Turning over to face Dominic and Hanneke, her face puffy and eyes squinty, she makes a disgruntled noise. "Cudgagyskpbltiqut?" Of course, what she meant to say was "Couldn't you guys keep it quiet?", but she's not really awake yet.

And a cot is liable to squeeking, and dipping entirely. Nonetheless, this is all beyond Hanneke's scheme of things, and she again nods, nudging the tapestry with her hand in an attempt to get it up on the right side as direction. "Is that it?" she asks, voice wavering slightly, her hair dripping down her back with large rivulets.

Dominic cranes his neck, trying to get the same effect as a step backwards, without actually taking a step backwards. Cause that'd send them both tumbling. "Umm, a little bit less...just a touch to the left..."

Tumbling would, quite probably, be less than good. Hanneke frowns in concentration, reaching again to nudge at the tapestry, attempting to pull it slightly, without pulling too much. Such a precise art is not perhaps easy with her particular gifts. "Better?"

Dominic grins up at the Harper, "Yeah, that's it! Right there! Don't move it another inch!" Oh, was Zureile trying to sleep? So sorry. We'll try to keep it down to a dull roar.

Zureile, slightly miffed at being ignored and more than grumpy at having to wake up so early, tries again. "Couldn't you guys do this at a later date? It's not even dawn yet. I'm exauhsted. What are you even doing here anyways?" If Zureile were fully awake, her voice would be cold, and slightly angry. But she's very sleepy, so it all comes out in a mumbled monotone. She snuggles deeper under the covers, and yawns loudly. Get the hint?

Hanneke and 'quiet' possibly don't go together so well. "Hihi, Zureile!" she calls, wobbling slightly as she turns to beam towards her friend. The hint is missed. Her hands, at least, are pulled away from the tapestry, and she beams with satisfaction. "So, er, how do I get down?"

There's a very simple way to get her down. And Dominic takes the simple way. Just unlock the fingers, and let her foot drop. "And down you go!" He does give her the benefit of moving his hands quickly to lightly grasp her hips, controlling her descent. "Okay?"

Zureile eyes them both grumpily. It's obvious they're not going to go to sleep, or even make a minimal effort to keep their voices down. Slowly easing herself into a sitting position, she pulls and stretches at her arms and neck, working out the kinks. "Are you finished?" she asks acidly.

Dominic grins, dusting off his hands as he lets Hanneke go -- he was holding her boot, after all. "Yeah, it sure does. Now I'll be able to sleep under it." Zureile's whining is noticed, but goes unacknowledged. "Think we should straighten out any of the others in the barracks?"

Zureile eases herself up slowly into a sitting position, rubbing her eyes sleepily before raising them to the ceiling in a full stretch, even giving a satisfied little grunt at the end of it. Twisting on the cot, she drops her legs off the side of the bed, toes scritching at the surface of the floor. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. "Why are you messing with the tapestries?"

Dominic stifles a yawn, "Ehh. I think I'm gonna take a nap, now that my tapestry is straight." He gives Hanneke a nudge to get off his cot as he hops to the floor, "Maybe Zureile wants hers straightened, and you could help her with that?"

Hanneke pauses, then nods, nudge having the desired effect as she slips her feet upon the floor, and ducks back to her own cot, wet hair streaming about her face. "Sleep well, in that case!" she notes, cheerfully. "Oh Zureeeilllle?"

Bill exits the barracks, feeling round, square, spiky, smooth, or bristled -- or everything all at once. Or nothing at all. How would I know? I am only a door. Go ask /them/.

[Monitor] Disconnected: Madden (#19236) at Wed May 9 06:35:43 2001 - 6 on.

Zureile glares at Dominic as he settles back into his cot to drift off to sleep. Typical. He would wake her up then enjoy his own rest. Rising slowly while massaging the small of her back, Zureile decides to greet the new day in her own, very un-unique way; she's going to get a mug of klah. Turning to Hanneke she says, "I like my tapestry like it is. I'm going to the LC, want to come?"

Hanneke pauses, a yawn splitting her face in two. "I think I'll stay here," she announces, with a nod of her head. "And sleep, too." And comb her hair, and get it entirely out of the way.

Zureile shrugs, slightly annoyed. "Suit yourself."

Zureile exits the barracks, feeling round, square, spiky, smooth, or bristled -- or everything all at once. Or nothing at all. How would I know? I am only a door. Go ask /them/.