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.

29-09-01: So what's it all about?
Lydiere's quiet sands are invaded by another group of candidates, who ask questions of the Junior Weyrwoman.

From a distance, Eleyna sits quietly, knees tucked up close to her chest and her expression is pensive and thoughtful as she gazes unseeingly onto the sands.

Lydiere paces the sands, hopping every so often, as if hitting particularly hot points on the heated, black sand beneath her. Llysereth emits a hiss, high and unlikely, as, stirring, she spies *people* in her galleries, Lydiere's head raising at the noise. "Oh! Hullo," she notes, moving closer, leaning up against the railing. "How're you all?"

From a distance, Orianna looks over at Elenya, then down at Lydiere and Llysereth, "Oh! Lydiere! Hello!" She calls down, "I'm good, I hope those feeet of yours are getting better?" She adds with a wink. She stands up and moves toward the railing, closer to Lydiere.

From a distance, Eleyna startles as she hears a voice and flusters even more at the hiss by the Gold. Glancing across at the dragon, then Weyrwoman, she says quietly but with a tinge of anxiety. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you."

"No disturbance, I assure you," grins Lydiere, leaning forward further, her weight balanced over the edge of the railing. "Llysereth's a sweet thing, really. She puts on an act of being overly protective." The gold huffs loudly, tailing curling about the edge of one of the egg mounds distributed about the sands. "They are, thank you, Eleyna. A bit sore, now and then. Say, are the two of you willing to give your own feet a bit of a burn?"

From a distance, Eleyna quirks an eyebrow at Lydiere, pursing her lips in slight disbelief as Llysereth huffs protectively over the eggs. Looking between her fellow candidate and the Weyrwoman, she shakes her head lightly, "It was Orianna who asked, ma'am but I am glad they are not too badly off. And an egg touching? Would that be proper?" She flushes. "Oh, I didn't mean to sound presumptions."

From a distance, Orianna leans over the gallery rails, grinning down at Lydiere, "Good to hear that!" She smiles at Llysereth with a bit of a nervous look entering her face, "'Ello Llysereth." She laughs and bows to the gold before replying to Lydiere, "A touching? D'ya mean?"

Lydiere dips her head towards Eleyna, responding with a hearty note -- "Me, too. And yes, an egg touching. That wasn't at all presumptuous, Eleyna. Perfectly proper, too!" Llysereth hesitates, as if torn between hissing and crooning, and goes for the middle road, making a peculiar, sweet sound, to which Lydiere laughs. "Come on down, then. And, Eleyna? My name is *Lydiere*, if you please."

From a distance, Eleyna flusters again and rolls her eyes at herself. "I am sorry,never can get it right, who wants to be ma'amed and sired and when it is proper and how to do things. You just can't read about such.." Realizing she is babbling, she quickly rises to her feet to follow down behind Orianna, keeping a sharp eye out for the Gold, obviously not wanting to make another faux pas.

Lydiere shakes her head, winking towards Eleyna; "Don't stress about it. I know what *that's* like. Me, I go for the informal. So do must of us around here, it seems." She trails back towards Llysereth, soothing the queen with a rub to her pale headknobs. "Go ahead and touch as you like. Be prepared to get out quickly, if I tell you, though."

Eleyna gingerly picks her way across the hot sands, mindful of Llysereth and gives a respectable bob and half curtsey for good measure before passing by to the main mound of eggs. The last comment of Lydiere's causes her to pause and stick with the eggs closest the exit, just in case. "Yes, so I noticed, things are much looser here than at Fort for example. They were a bit more set on tradition." The eggs draw her attention and hesitant fingers get down to the business of stroking gently across the first egg of interest to her, the Ham Egg.

Orianna suddenly quivers a little, cool-calm-confident Ria is no more. She tip-toes quickly across the hot sands. Switching feet rapidly to prevent severe burning, "Owwee, ouch!" She makes her way toward one certain egg, stopping just before she reaches it. Dark Egg. Again, she reaches out her hand to touch this one egg. The one that sparked her interest the last time she was here. Hands gently glide across the hardened surface, fingers contacting with the dark ovoid.

Lydiere groans good naturedly; "Fort is the *hidebound* weyr. Awful. Can't stand hides, and don't much like the tradition, either. I suppose it's each to their own. -- Yes, it *is* hot, Orianna." She traipses around Llysereth's side, nestling herself atop the young dragon's forelimb, legs swinging down. "Have a favourite egg yet, either of you?"

<< In Orianna's Mind, Technicolour Ripples knows you, remembers you, waits, expectantly, for you. Is this the real life, is this just fantasy? It doesn't know, doesn't care... >>

Eleyna sniffs. "I -happen- to enjoy reading hides and learning things as long as I am left alone to do so." Haughtily she sniffs yet again, miffed, but the egg at her fingertips dissolves some of her pique. "This one sort of reminds me of me, a bit testy, perhaps."

Orianna brings her head closer to the egg, gently stroking it with her lightly tanned hands. Soothing carresses of light fingertips over the surface suddenly cease as she feels the emotions flow through her mind. Eyes of dusky blue widen with uncertainty, and silence follows for a few minutes. Orianna turns to Lydiere, "Definately this one..."

"Oh!" Lydiere is almost repentant, almost jealous. "I'm sorry. It's just not something I much enjoy, I admit. Each to their own, I suppose." She smiles brightly, swinging legs, to Llysereth's huff -- "Sorry, dearling," she groans, good naturedly. "Really? Hmm. -- That one, Orianna? Seems a bit...dark, for me."

Seran walks out of Weyrling barracks.

Orianna bobs her head up and down, "Yes, what attracts me ... is the deep feelings... The general feelings /I/ get when I'm near it... It is very different to the other ones I have touched." She looks up at the gold and rider, "I must sound ridiculous!" She grins, reluctantly letting her hands stray from the egg.

Eleyna nods back. "No offense taken ma, err Lydiere, I am just used to much ribbing because of my tendency to enjoy books and hides more than company at times." A soft smile curls her lips up as she continues to slowly stroke the Ham Egg. "Not ridiculous, Orianna, or if so, so am I."

"Yes," agrees Lydiere sagely, in response to Orianna. "But I'll forgive you it. I don't think I felt any particular attraction to any egg, although, mind you, I never touched Llysereth's." She leans back against her lifemate, stroking golden hide thoughtfully. "Come on in, Seran. We're just getting started." She nods rapidly in response to Eleyna, "I apologise, nonetheless. I can imagine that that would be frustrating. You said you were from Fort. Were you born there?"

Eleyna moves on to Sing Egg after a lingering and tender touch to Ham Egg in farewell. "Me? No, I was born near Telgar Hold and spent about five turns at Xanadu, then I was at Fort, but only briefly, before searched to Ista."

Orianna laughs loudly, "I guess it must look strange. People will soon be whispering 'Orianna has gone quite mad!'" She stands up straight and looks at Dark Egg, "I wonder what color?" She brushes herself off, wandering in search of another, "Xanadu really? Elenya? I've heard t'is lovely there." Her eyes stop scouring the group of eggs as she looks at Ring Egg. Hurriedly she paces across the sands to stand before it. An excited gleam in her eye as she soothingly carresses the egg with her hand.

Lydiere shakes her head ruefully, "Well travelled, then. Fort's nice, isn't it? I don't remember *much*; I was just a toddler, when we moved, but..." She gives a wry smile. "Fond memories, on the whole. -- Oh, Orianna, you haven't had much contact with Lymera, have you? Let alone Ysmalath."

Seran walks onto the sands, a bit later thn the others. He gives a bow to the queen, before he starts toward the eggs.

Eleyna shrugs lightly as she awkwardly places a gentle palm against the Sing Egg. "I really noticed, Xanadu, that is. I was in the records rooms mostly, didn't get out much to look around. They left me along there, didn't care if I ever did much as long as my work got done. Fort was another story." She wrinkles her nose, frowning at the memory. "They forced me to socialize, most awkward." As Seran walks onto the sands, she nods in his direction, "Evening.." Then her attention returns to the egg, tilting her head as if puzzling something through.

Orianna shakes her head, "No, I have not. We've spoken briefly a few times.." Hands remain in contact with the hard surface, "You lived at Fort, Lydiere?" She queries of the gold rider, hands lingering over the egg, tracing light patterns with her fingertips. "Seran! Hullo!" The young candidate recieves a wink, before she focuses once more on the Ring Egg.

Lydiere rubs at her leg thoughtfully, listening to Eleyna. "Well, that bites," she announces, most casually. "I mean, it would, for you. Seems to me people should be able to do what they want." A twist of her lips is made, in response to Orianna's comment: "You just wait, and try and get to know her. Yes, I was born at Fort. Lived at Telgar for a few turns, then I was fostered to Tillek."

Eleyna regards Lydiere evenly, reading her face before answering carefully, pondering every word she speaks in response.. "It was awkward. Perhaps good for me but awkward. I found it difficult there, outside of the challenging work."

Orianna looks down at the egg, "I haven't really spent much time reading. Let alone studying." A chuckle escapes from her lips as she suddenly turns and heads towards another cluster of eggs. Hands stretch out before her as she settles them on Goo Egg, "Oh look at this one!" She whirls around and grins at Lydiere, "If you did have a favourite, which one do you think it'd be...?" Directing the comment towards Lydiere and Eleyna.

Lydiere tilts her head into a nod, fingers still tracing along her lifemate's side. "I suppose it would be. You enjoy that kind of work? Want to do mine?" She leans forward at this prospect, adding, "I wish." She hesitates at Orianna's question, shifting her shoulders. "I don't know. Maybe--" another hesitation, as she points her hand towards the Egg Egg "that one. They're all nice, though."

Eleyna wrinkles her nose. "Well, if it's research, I enjoy it, other types of hidework, inventory and the like, I leave that to others." Lifting her gaze from the Sing egg, she scans the rest of the eggs. "I can't say that I have a favorite egg, they all are interesting." As she shifts yet again to a new egg, Spot Egg, she chuckles. "Why have a favorite when there is something to learn from them all."

Seran quietly stops before the cat egg, before he reaches out to touch the shell.

Orianna nods her head in agreement, "Of course. I still am leaning towards the one though." Pointing towards Dark Egg, "Quite right Eleyna, though I'm fussy like that." She looks over at Egg Egg, "Hmn, that one is quite nice also..." Hands linger on the Ring Egg a few seconds before she, too, moves on to another egg. Daisy Egg!

"That was my attitude, when I was a candidate, Eleyna," notes Lydiere with approval, wiggling to settle herself, to Llysereth's minor protest. "Although, not the learning bit. Can we learn from them? I'm not sure."

<< In Orianna's Mind, Summer Sun's Scent tickles at the edge of your mind, wiggling and waning as it moves about. >>

<< In Seran's Mind, Curious Tabby Kitten remembers -- or does it? It smoothes against your mind, straining deeper through sensuous thoughts. >>

Eleyna hmms as again she gently palms the egg in front of her. "I believe you can learn something from just about anything. I am not saying that I sense anything deep from the eggs, no, there were some I stood with at Eastern Weyr, four turns ago, who seemed to feel all sorts of deep emotions. I never did. BUt then again, I didn't impress."

Orianna bobs her head as the emotion sweeps through her like a wave, "Do you think they learn from us... when we touch them? Do you think they know that we have?" She turns thoughtful, pondering this question. Azure eyes turn to Eleyna and Lydiere, feet shift awkwardly, "It wont be long now, will it?" She asks in a quiet voice, knowing that she also had been in this situation before.

Llysereth rumbles something low, which has Lydiere's lips twitching into a smile. "Llysereth says her eggs are *very* deep, and of course you can learn something from them, Eleyna." She winks, nodding again. "I don't know, Orianna. Nobody knows." She hesitating, eyes trailing about the sands, "Not too long, now. Thank shards."

Seran smiles. "So, you remember me huh?" He asks the being in the cat egg. "It's nice to see you too."

Eleyna darts a quick glance Lylsereth's way "Oh I am sure they are, they are babes, though, within? More intelligent perhaps than a newborn human babe, but still." She says softly. "I am late in learning of such things as accessing deep emotions. How long would you say, Lydiere?"

Orianna wanders over to Sky Egg, tenderly touching it with fingertips before resting her palm on it, "Eggs are deep, I guess. You could say. At Western, they were like these, all different. Different emotions." Uh-oh. Orianna has gone serious! "The little ones just leran very quickly, from their rider."

Lydiere considers, her head tilted to the side. "They're a lot more than babies. They're like young children, in some ways, but more vocal, I suppose. It would be another...couple of sevendays, I expect. This is my first time doing this, mind you, so I'm not entirely sure." She glances up at Seran; "You think it recognises you?"

Eleyna flusters yet again. "Yes, I'm afraid I am not good at saying what I mean, too many turns not forming my words outside of research leaves me rusty in such things. I would never dream to demean the young dragons." Again, she rolls her eyes with impatience at herself and lack of tact. "Now this egg, I like it, it's almost begging for attentive care, in a way."

Orianna waddles from this egg, shuffling over the hot sands with ease, "Ah, this one!" She looks down at Voom Egg, hands repeating the same ritual of caressing with fingertips, "Well, they are very intelligent children, perhaps they learn while they are in the egg?"

"Chill, Eleyna." Lydiere rolls her own eyes, noting, "You should relax, a little. No one's going to bite you. So you've stood before, as has Orianna? Seran, have you?" She nods her head rapidly towards Orianna. "Maybe they do."

Seran nods to Lydiere. "It seems to remember me, but maybe it's just me." He shrugs, then nods again. "Yes, once before."

Eleyna flushes again at Lydiere's rebuke and bites her lower lip, although Orianna's comment does give her pause."You think so? Maybe we do give something to them, then, as we touch them." She blinks rapidly, trying to digest that possibility. She looks Seran's way with a sympathetic and emphatic nod.

Spot Egg has been seen, Orianna leaves the other egg to practically sneak up on this one, "Yes, I've stood. With Seran, actually. At Western." She lays a hand on the shell, "Maybe they learn from us, and their surroundings. Or from other dragons while they are still in their eggs... Who knows?" She grins while caressing the egg, "Anything is possible."

"You're all one up on me, then." Lydiere considers this idea, digesting it thoughtfully. "It's said that we touch them, because it makes us more understanding and used to them, and gets them used to our presence, too. Saves maulings. At Western, ah-hah. What colours are you all hoping for, if I might ask?"

Eleyna chuckles. "Interesting way of looking at it, one up on you, I would say the opposite, as you have the dragon and we do not and are candidates yet again" As she walks over to Goo Egg, she impatiently pushes damp hair off her forehead. "As far as colour goes? I don't really know, never given it much thought, Why get your expectations too high?"

Orianna leaves this egg also, returning to a certain egg she adores, "This one is just ... different. I admire that." She grins, resting her hand on Dark Egg /again/! She caresses it happily, "Oh, I've always been orientated towards green, though I haven't really thought about it to be truthful Green just sticks in my mind, because both times I've been searched... It was a green rider. The first rider who searched me at Western, she was lovely as was her dragon.." Dark Egg catches her sights again, as she tenderly strokes the smooth surface.

Lydiere rolls her eyes, head shaking, "Ah, but you've more experience at it. I enjoyed candidacy, on the whole. It was weyrlinghood I hated. Although, I admit, I was probably old enough when I Impressed." She gives a rueful smile, nodding her head; "I didn't really know what I wanted. Maybe a blue, or brown. Good luck with your green, Orianna -- and with whatever, for you, Eleyna."

Eleyna purses her lips, looking askance at the Weyrwoman yet again. "Well, candidacy has been a challenge in itself, not as terrible as I remembered last time however. Weyrlinghood?" She shakes her head just thinking about it, looking at Goo Egg as if to get the egg to agree with her. "Now that is beyond my ability to project as to how I would cope with such a period of my life."

Orianna suddenly quirks a brow and only replies, "Ly'ette..." Then begins to giggle helplessly, tears of laughter streaming down her face, "Ly'ette. Hmmn. That would be a /very/ big change... I daresey." She stops laughing as she touches the egg though, lips pursing thoughtfully, "Thankyou Lydiere, good luck with... the eggs."

"It was the same, for me. Didn't have a clue -- and then Llysereth got me, and I was stuck." She's cheerful about it, these days, Lydiere, but it was a problem -- way back then. "Ly'ette? Oh, yes. Ly'ette." She's still confused, head shifting to watch Orianna. "Oh, Faranth, Llysereth--" Anything further is interrupted; "You better go, she's getting annoyed. You're welcome, Orianna, Eleyna, Seran. See you soon!"

Seran nods to Lydiere as he heads off the sands.

Orianna looks up worriedly, "See you later, Lydiere!" She nods as she heads off the sands. Reluctantly she moves from Dark Egg. She frowns, though gives the egg one last look with a final wave to Lydiere.

Eleyna nods quickly to the gold, her next thought quickly erased by the mention of annoyance. "Thank you for allowing us in here." In a rare moment of self-honesty, she smiles openly at the Weyrwoman. "And please, if I take myself too seriously, just tell me to lighten up, I need to hear it."