[Tair'n]

"Come on, Garrin.  You and I have some getting acquainted to do..."

He didn't even have a knife.  Not that he would have known how to use it
had he had it...

He had lived that horror.  He had put his own son through it.  It had to
stop somewhere and he would stop it, even if it meant facing trial and
certain banishment.

"Please, Amadith, hurry up," he whispered.

He sat waiting.  They were taking a damnable amount of time.  What had
they done, sent a whole wing?

The boy's cry of outrage brought him to his feet and running toward the
cavern the drug dealer had taken his new slave to.  He slid to a halt as
he took in the sight of the boy, Garrin forced to his knees in front of
the drug dealer, who was sliding his breeches down over his hips.

"Damn you to hell!" Tair'n yelled, feeling his temper rise.  "Stop it now
or I'll kill you where you stand."

The drug dealer turned and took in his form.  Short, slender, bedraggled,
wearing clothes much too big for him.  He must have looked like a deranged
hermit.

"Ah.  My slave and I didn't realise these caverns were occupied," the drug
dealer said, pulling his trousers back up.  "We were just enjoying a
change in scenery, right, Garrin?"

The boy looked up, the debate raging in his eyes.  If he didn't cooperate,
his mother wouldn't get any more drugs from this man.  And she needed
them, even if it meant...  He fought back the tears.  "Right."

"I know damned well he doesn't want to be here with you."

"No!" the boy yelled, standing.  "I want to be here... with him.  Leave us
be."

Tair'n stepped back, surprised at the vehemence in the boy's voice.  The
drug dealer took advantage of his discombobulation, by grabbing the boy.
"Let's go, Garrin."

They headed out another cavern entrance which headed to the surface,
Tair'n knew.  He recovered and dashed after them, emerging into the
sunlight.  "Stop!" he yelled.  "Let him go."

The drug dealer turned, his hand possessively on the boy's arm.  "Didn't
you hear the boy, idiot?  Leave us be."

With a frustrated scream, Tair'n dove for the man.

He was not a fighter.  At least, not on the ground.  The drug dealer soon
had him pinned underneath.  "You're a dead man," the dealer spat.

Tair'n smiled, he could feel Amadith passing along the image of The
Stands to the other dragons.  "So are you.  Twenty years ago, you raped
me.  In just a couple of minutes, the dragonriders of my warren will be
here to take you to face justice."  The blood drained from the drug
dealer's face, but Tair'n continued to smile.  "You are so d--"

His voice was cut off by the sudden, intense pain in his chest.  He looked
down in shock to see a red-slicked blade being pulled out of his chest,
then being thrust in again.  The world turned grey as his entire focus
shrank to the fire in his chest.  There was a burst of heat as his body
absorbed another shock, then, distantly, he heard, "Come on, Garrin.
Quickly now."

<My rider!  We're here.  Hold on.  Random, I need your rider...>  Tair'n's
'hearing' faded.  Breathe....  Breathe...  His chest felt heavy, like he
couldn't get enough air...  Drowning...

Cal'an's face, smiling.

R'ven, hair plastered to his head after lovemaking.  "I love you."

'Lara, gesturing him to her, a wicked smile of welcome on her face.

Leigh, holding their daughter...

Gerald.

Gerald?

"I'm here, Tair'n.  Hold on."

Hold on.

Amadith.

T'van...  "Son, welcome home.  Rest."

Miren...  "I love you.  Only me.  Come here..."

Lara...  "Tai, come to me.  I'm waiting."

R'ven...  "I love you, Tai.  I love you..."

"Gerald," Tair'n gasped, "tell... 'Ven..."  His voice died as darkness
descended.

******

[R'ven]

He paced the Green, frustrated that he hadn't gone.  His breath caught as
the colourful group of dragons appeared, his eyes searching for the cadet
blue of Amadith.

He gasped in horror as he caught sight of his quarry breaking off and
heading toward the Med Center, accompanied by Random.  He broke into a
run, fear knotting in his belly.

When he arrived, both dragons were riderless.  He ran in and grabbed the
first person he saw.  "Tair'n.  How is he?"

The woman looked at him and smiled reassuringly.  "He's fine now."

"Now?  What the hell is going on?!"

Respectfully submitted,
 Lynette R. F. Cowper,
  Tair'n and Amadith

---

 Lynette R. F. Cowper <lcowper@indy.net>, INWO Line Editor