T'rell 
(Morning, day 9) 

/snip from Barb's post/ 
T'rell walked with Leigh and Ja'ks back to the Warren office complex 
discussing plans for who would go with Lord Gossimor to pick up the ransom, 
and on the way they ran into D'Altar who had been on his way to join them. 

Leigh ran her eyes over her lover and was relieved to see him nod as he 
noticed her look. He limped slightly but made no comment as he stepped into 
line with the others until they reached her office. 

"Okay so what are your plans?" she asked T'rell. 
/end snip/ 

     The Gamma Wingleader's look was hard. "To begin with, we don't give them 
any more easy targets to shoot at. We'll use my elite squad to take Lord 
Gossimor in to get the ransom money, just like we said. But we'll have people 
there ahead, armed with crossbows to take out anyone who gets funny ideas 
about having target practice at our expense." 

     "Dragonriders taking up arms against the landbound?" Jayleigh asked, 
looking concerned. 

     "Or for the landbound, depending on how you look at it," T'rell 
answered. "After all, Lord Gossimor IS the legal authority here, and the ones 
we're after are criminals." He stopped himself short of reminding her that 
these were the same criminals who were responsible for Heron's death. She 
knew that only too well and didn't need him to remind her. 

     "Who goes in with the advance group?" D'Altar asked. "And what of their 
dragons?" 

     "Well, we can't flood the area outside the bank with our people," T'rell 
decided. "That would look too suspicious, even if we disguised them. I'd say 
three tops.  As for the dragons, they'd wait outside the city but be ready to 
come up in support if they're needed."  

     "It sounds like you're planning for a war," Jayleigh said.  "Then again, 
I can't fault your logic.  We've had our first casualty already."

     "Then I should be one of those to go in with the advance group," D'Altar 
volunteered. "I am quite good with a variety of weapons, not to mention 
hand-to-hand combat." 

     "Yes, but you're also wounded," T'rell told him. Out of the corner of 
his eye, he saw the almost imperceptible look of relief on Jayleigh's face at 
his decision.  "Whoever goes in there may need to run pretty fast."

     "Do you have anyone in mind for that job, then?" the Warrenlady asked. 
"It would be dangerous, I think." 

     T'rell considered for a moment. "Jason, for one," he said. "He's a local 
and knows his way around, so he could fit in easier than some others. In 
fact, he seems pretty good at just blending in."

     "Then what is your plan?" Jayleigh asked again.

     "We go in as though everything's on the up and up," said T'rell.  "I'll 
be with the 'visible' group, because anyone watching for our arrival would 
expect it.  I'll take D'Altar and Sharees with me.  We land in the square and 
drop off Lord Gossimor.  D'Altar and I will wait outside while Sharees and 
Alexis escort Lord Gossimor inside.  They'll act as his 'bodyguards' in case 
anyone tries to attack him."

     "What if someone has a crossbow targeted on them...as happened to 
Heron?" Ja'ks asked.

     "That's what our 'covert' team is for, to scout out things like that in 
advance," T'rell explained.  "That'll be Jason and...Allora, I think.  Both 
of them have been living at the warren for a short enough time that they 
ought to be able to pass as landbound."

     "Okay," said Jayleigh.  "What else?"

     "We'll keep two teams - Kayla and Jonah on one, Olaf and Puss on the 
other - circling overhead," he concluded.  "They'll provide a dragon's-eye 
view of the situation, plus be in a position to teleport quickly to call for 
additional help if its needed."  Triylar was just far enough from the warren 
to make dragon-to-dragon communication an iffy thing.  "If any kind of big 
trouble does develop, we can have the rest of Gamma Wing standing by to come 
and help."

     "Make it Beta Wing," Jayleigh said.  "With you at Triylar, and most of 
your top riders there as well, I'd feel better with a full wing on standby."

     "We'll be ready," Ja'ks promised.

     T'rell nodded.  "If need be, then, Allesha or Wysteria can pop back into 
range and pass the word to Regenta.  Reggie can pass the word to Troy and 
Sprarroe."

(Okay, that's T'rell's plan...anyone care to add?:)

* * * * * * * *
(Later that morning, T'rell's office)

     T'rell looked up as Jason and Allora entered.  "You called?" Jason asked.

     "I did," the Wingleader replied.  "Sit down, both of you.  I have a job 
for you."

     Quickly, T'rell outlined his plan for the following day.  "You'll be 
posing as landbound, just two more of the good residents of Triylar...who'll 
just happen to be hanging around in the vicinity of the bank tomorrow morning 
when the rest of the squad arrives carrying Lord Gossimor."

     "Weapons?" Allora asked.

     "Crossbows and knives," T'rell replied.  "Unless you know of a way to 
haul around a longsword under a cloak so it doesn't show.  You need to 
look...um, shabby...enough that you won't have any run-ins with robbers or 
pickpockets looking for easy marks, but at the same time just respectable 
enough to keep from being hauled into jail as vagrants."

     "When should we go?" Jason asked.  

     "Preferably tonight," said T'rell.  "Or in the early morning hours.  
I'll leave those details to you.  But you need to be there early enough to 
scout the situation before the rest of us get there.  Communicate through 
your dragons to let us know of any possible trouble, but don't take any overt 
action...like killing someone...without letting me know first.  Remember, our 
ultimate goal is to find Lord Gossimor's daughter, and we wouldn't want to 
inadvertently kill someone who might lead us to her."

     "Perhaps we could snoop around the bars, ask some questions?" Allora 
asked.

     "Only if you can do so without revealing yourselves as dragonriders, or 
as anyone having *any* connection with this operation."  He chuckled as a 
funny thought struck him.  "Unless, of course, you could get yourself 
accepted as members of the gang..." 

(Tag Michael or Joan...where do they go from here?)

* * * * * * * * 
(Morning, day 10) 

     Early the next morning, T'rell began making the rounds to assemble his 
group.  The first one he found was Sharees.

      "Sharees, I need you to come with me... I'm taking Lord Gossimor to 
town to
get the ransom money that has been demanded for his daughter... and I may
have a little surprise planned for those who come to collect that ransom...
but I think it will succeed better if they see Lord Gossimor accompanied by
a female dragonrider -- no insult intended of course, but you know ..."

     Sharees nodded, cutting him off, "Oh, yes... I'm rather familiar with 
those
attitudes, T'rell... you don't need to enlighten me.  I'll be glad to help
in any way I can... " Yes, she thought, especially to punish those that
caused the death of such a wonderful man as Heron.

     It wasn't long before the assault team was assembled and T'rell gave out 
his
detailed instructions.  Sharees stood off to the side waiting with the
rather distraught Lord Gossimor.

     "I want us to be in and out of there *quick!*" T'rell told them, 
motioning for all of them to gather around the plotting table he'd set up.  
"Here's a sketch of the central square in Triylar, where we'll be landing."  
He stabbed a finger at one corner of the square.  "And this is the bank."

     Lexi peered over T'rell's shoulder, his eyes alight with interest.  "A 
lot of planning for a simple withdrawal," he observed.  

     "After what happened to Heron, we can't be too careful," Marialla said, 
then quickly amended her statement.  "Well, *you* all can't be too careful, I 
should say." She wouldn't be going with them, of course...queenriders didn't 
take that kind of risk.  But she and her queen still had a role to play.

     "Kayla, Jonah, Olaf, Puss...you'll be flying top cover," T'rell 
continued.  "There's a whole wing waiting here to support us in case things 
go sour...and you and your dragons are in charge of communicating with the 
warren if that's needed.  Regenta will be listening for your dragons until we 
all return."

     "Yeee-hah!" said Olaf, slapping clapping his hands together with an 
excited grin.  "Ah ain't never robbed no bank before!  Mah cousin did once, 
but ah never..."

     T'rell rolled his eyes.  "Um, no, Olaf, you see, it's Lord Gossimor's 
money...ah, Puss, you can explain it to him en route, okay?"  

     With that, the Wingleader stepped back and regarded his team members.  
"Okay, folks, listen up!  This is where we find out whether the idea of 
having an Elite Squad justifies the time and trouble we've all invested in 
creating it!  Remember, you're all here because each and every one of you has 
shown the ability to think under pressure and use good judgment when needed.  
Let's make Daere proud of us today!  Let's do it!!"

    "Here's to the Black Coffee Squadron!!" several of the riders shouted in 
unison.

     T'rell rolled his eyes.  "And can someone *please* tell me where that 
name came from??"

* * * * * * * * *
(Shortly afterward, over Triylar)

     As soon as the dragons teleported in over Triylar, T'rell began issuing 
orders. *Wysteria,Allesha, Bootsie, Byorn...Take up your covering positions.  
The rest of you...let's go down.*

     The four dragons and their riders escorting Lord Gossimor dropped 
lightly to the ground in the large open square near the bank where the lord 
kept a large part of his ready cash.  Raven and Samson , at the outer edges 
of the four-dragon line, landed first to help shield Lord Gossimor in case of 
any unexpected trouble.  Chamelle, carrying the Lord himself, and Flerrion 
landed seconds later between them.

     "Go!" T'rell said.  Alexi quickly dismounted and ran over to help 
Sharees and Lord Gossimor down off of Chamelle, and then the two riders 
quickly hustled the Lord into the bank.  T'rell had suggested that Lexi hang 
back near the door while Sharees accompanied Lord Gossimor to the counter, 
but he'd also told both of them to use their judgment based on what they saw 
when they went in.  

     *Move up closer to the door,* T'rell told Flerrion. *I want to be able 
to block anyone who tries to run out of there in a hurry.* Looking behind 
him, T'rell saw Raven move in just behind Flerrion and a bit to the left.  
That way, if a robber managed to dart underneath the crimson dragon in an 
attempt to escape, he'd simply find a second dragon waiting.

     The Gamma Wingleader surreptitiously scanned the square, looking for 
signs of either Jason or Allora.  He didn't see either of them, which he 
supposed he should take as a good sign.

     Just then, a message came in from Jonah's dragon Wysteria...and echoed a 
moment later by Kayla's Allesha, both inquiring if any additional dragons 
were expected from Daere. 

     *Of course not,* T'rell told them. *Why?*

     [There are several dragons approaching from the south,] said Wysteria.

     [I do not know if they are from the warren,] Allesha added. [I've asked 
them to identify themselves, but they haven't answered yet.]

     [And they're too far away for me to recognize them,] Wysteria added.

    [We see them too!] Bootsie chimed in.  She and Byorn were a bit closer 
than the others, but also couldn't yet identify the newcomers.

     [Well, *I* think we should go and ask them why they're here!] Byorn 
sniffed.

     *How many are there?* T'rell asked, and promptly got four different 
answers from four different dragons.  The differences were, he figured, due 
to distance and to the fleecy clouds that partially obscured the sky in that 
direction, but it sounded like the number was somewhere between eight and 
twelve.  Could they be from Daere?  Were they wilders?  For the moment they 
didn't seem to be doing anything hostile, so he decided not to take any 
direct action.

     [Keep a *sharp* eye on them!] he ordered. [If they start coming in this 
direction, I want to know at once!]

     *Warn Fluffy and Starfire about this,* he told Flerrion. *And see if you 
can get hold of Reggie or Sprarroe, see if they've sent any dragons and 
riders out this way to help out.* Flerrion's range was greater than his, so 
the dragon had a better chance to get through to Daere than he himself did.  
Ordinarily, he might have sent back one of the dragons circling overhead, but 
didn't want to reduce the number of patrolling dragons in case of sudden 
trouble.

     *Chamelle, Samson...tell your riders to be ready to get out here quick!* 
he told the other two waiting dragons.

     "Would the warren have sent reinforcements without us asking?" D'Altar 
asked, his expression showing that he already had his doubts.

       "Probably not," T'rell admitted.  He was about to say more when both 
he and D'Altar were distracted by the sound of a commotion coming from inside 
the bank.

(Tag...everyone!! :)

NRPG:  Okay, all sorts of things going on here:
     - Where are Jason and Allora, and what have they found?
     - Who *are* those dragons, and what are the doing here?
     - What's going on inside the bank?  T'rell would likely stay in the 
center of things where he can continue to issue orders, but D'Altar might go 
into the bank or up overhead to help the air patrols. 

Submitted by:

John

Wingleader T'rell & Flerrion
Big Olaf & Byorn
Daere Warren