[Day 6 - Morning]

Cynthia left the hatching caverns and the blaster to his work.  She had
enough experience with blasters to know that they spent a great deal of
time planning an event that would be over in seconds.  She was by no
means complaining that they approached their work with such care,
however, she could see no reason to look over Nikol's shoulder while he
measured and re-measured.

She thought for a moment about going back to her apartment and returning
to bed.  While a tempting thought, she reasoned that Trevor would
already be awake.  Instead she decided to find some breakfast, and
tackle the problems of the day.  Foremost on her list was the rogues and
finding Ankara.

She had just put her mug of coffee and breakfast rolls down on her desk
when she heard Syren, <This is taking forever.  What is he waiting for?>

*He's being careful, dear.  If he hurries, the results will be sloppy. 
You wouldn't want that, would you?*

She felt Syren's mental sigh, <No, I wouldn't.>

*Then just relax while he works and make sure you leave when he tells
you to.*

<Why would I do that?>

*Because, he'll leave too when he actually sets off the charges,*
Cynthia pointed out.

<You have a point.>

*Thank you.  It's good to see I can win once in a while.*

A few minutes later Trevor knocked on her door frame.  "You were up
early," he said as he walked in.

Cynthia explained about grumpy queens and the rocks they want removed. 
Trevor simply laughed.  "Thanks," Cynthia said, "Remind me to laugh at
you some time."

"I'm sorry, but I find it funny that Syren could be so upset over a
rock."

"Actually, so do I.  Anyway, do you have any ideas for narrowing our
search for these rogues?"

He laid a small version of his nomad lands map out on the table, "I've
marked the places that have been patroled so far on this map.  I'll
continue to mark as the patrols report in where they've been."

Cynthia pointed at the mountain range to the north, "If they've found a
cave up here to hide in, they will be very hard to find."

"I agree, but if we're vigilant and lucky we'll see a dragon leaving or
returning."

"If we're not lucky, we'll be looking for a while."

***
>      Slowly it all cleared and he was gratefull to find that he had done it
> just right.  The face had been cut a smoothly as though with a knife.  He
> set a couple of secondaries to break the outcrop into managable fragments
> and blew them in place.  As he was finishing the five and wagon arrived and
> he helped lift and load the wagon for removal of the rubble.  She arrived
> after the wagon had left for the third time to find him raking the sands and
> picking up each small pebble that had come down from the face.  His focus
> was such that he did not hear her come in nor note her presence until she
> was right behind him.
> 
>      He hoped the jump of surprise was not too obvious but he kept picking
> up for another ten minutes before stepping to the side and gesturing at the
> new wall.  "Well?"  In his minds eye he could see his sister-in-law and
> remembered how many times he had moved the room.  He hoped it was good
> enough but he was ready for the worst.
 
"She likes it," a woman said from near the entrance to the cave.

Nikol looked over and saw Cynthia striding actross the warm sands toward
him.  "Syren says you did a good job."

"Thank you ma'am," Nikol replied as he returned to raking the sands.

Cynthia ran her hand over the smooth rock, "Does it always come out this
smooth?"

"Not always.  Sometimes there are flaws in the rock and it breaks off
unevenly at the flaws.  This was good uniform rock, so it broke off
smooth."

There was an audible thump from across the cavern and Nikol turned
quickly, suddenly concerned that the force of the blast had shaken loose
small pieces of rock around the cavern.  Instead he saw a slightly
oblong egg laying on the warm sands, and another emerging from Syren.

Nikol's head began to spin slightly.

Cynthia put her hand on his arm, "Are you ok?"

{Mike...}

***
A short while later, Syren lay on the sand, curled in a protective arc
around her eggs.  There were 10 of varying size and color.  One was
large and brown, the third she had laid.  However, at the center of the
cluster of eggs, was an even larger egg.  It's shell was pure white
laced with golden flecks.

Cynthia walked between the eggs, looking at each.  After a few minutes
she stood in front of her queen, *A good clutch, dearest.*

<They are all good clutches.>

*Point taken.*

NRPG:
A short post before I go on vacation next week.  I'm hoping to bring the
laptop with me and check my mail while there, maybe even write, too.  It
will depend on how busy Beth keeps us all.

A bunch of us are working on the story line with Jhezrael.  Things are
beginning to come together, and large scale uglyness should begin within
a couple of weeks.

Lyn: I'll tackle Cynthia talking to H'riol in my next post unless you
beat me to it.

Egg admirers are welcome.

Respectfully submitted,
Warrenlady Cynthia - Cleft Warren
Alton Reich
-- 
			Alton & Elizabeth Reich
			  alton.reich@snet.net
"Dreams are sometimes catching / Desire goes to my head /
 Love responds to your invitation / Love responds to imagination /
 Respond, Vibrate, Feed Back, Resonate" -- Rush, Chain Lightning