Med Center

>Ghost turned to the man when they were gone and flashed him one of 
>her best smiles.

>"So=85 if you and I are going to be hanging out together for a while," 
>she said. "Why don=92t you tell me something I don=92t already 
>know about you?"

>"Who says you know anything about me at all?" he challenged her.

     "Well I know about the time when you and your dragon flew to the 
edge of the wastes when you were first joined--without the 
Dragonladyâs permission--fell asleep, and had to be rescued by a search 
party.ä  She smiled.

     Sâmil gulped and managed a weak smile back.  That had been a 
rather embarrassing episode and he had asked the Dragonlady to keep it 
as quiet as possible--and she had.  Apparently, this little girl--she
looked 
like a little girl, no matter what Mcâkey said--had better sources than 
most other people in the warren.

     ãOkay, fine, that happened, but Iâd rather not have it be public 
knowledge,ä Sâmil said, trying to appear confident.

     Ghost grinned.  ãDonât worry; I could blackmail anyone in this 
warren for all that theyâre worth, but I donât, do I?ä

     ãWell if you were, neither you nor the person you were blackmailing 
would really want to announce it, would you?ä Sâmil retorted.

     Ghost shrugged.  ãI guess not.ä

     They were both silent for a moment.  ãSo,ä Sâmil began, ãwhat 
about you? I know something about you from the events of the past few 
weeks, but not very much.ä  Sâmil was trying not to push her too far, 
while simultaneously trying to learn about her.

     Ghost bit her lip.  ãOh, itâs not important.ä  It was almost as if a
pail 
of water had been thrown on their conversation.  Sâmil couldnât get 
anything out of Ghost besides some ãOkayäs and some ãI guessäes.

     They finally arrived at the dining hall.  Most of the riders were
either 
at their posts or with the other riders of their wing.  That left only
one 
or two at the far end of the hall.  Over time, even those people left to 
see what was happening.  Sâmil sighed and sat down in a chair.  Ghost 
stayed standing and started to pace.

     Sâmilâs gaze wandered around the hall.  This place, usually full of 
people, seemed rather dead like this.  There was nothing to do; nothing 
interesting to contemplate.  He wished he had brought his flute; at least

he would have had something to concentrate on.

     There was a loud bang and a curse from down the hall.  Ghost 
stopped pacing and looked, concerned, at Sâmil.  Sâmil felt for his 
sword--keeping it in its sheath for now--and stepped closer to the dining

hallâs entrance.

     ãWhoâs there?ä Sâmil called.

     ãUmm...itâs me, Jilâmae.  I just wanted to check on Ghost.ä

     Sâmil relaxed.  A second later, he retensed.  ãShouldnât you be out 
with Beta Wing?ä

     ãI told you; I was concerned about Ghost and I got permission to 
check on her.ä

     Ghost shook her head, obviously frightened though she probably 
would not admit it.  ãThatâs not Jilâmaeâs voice.  It sounds more
like....ä  
She gulped.

     ãThatâs right, little girl,ä he said as he stepped into the dining 
hall--Goâwayn, a few inches taller than Sâmil and over a foot taller than

Ghost.  He had his sword out.  ãAnd now Iâm going to do with you 
what I should have done with you a long time ago.ä

     Sâmil reached for his sword and drew it.  A second ago, he had been 
scared, knowing Goâwaynâs reputation and noticing the difference in 
size.  Now, he was confident; he knew he was a much better 
swordsman than Goâwayn.  ãIf you take one step closer, Goâwayn, Iâll 
have you lain out on the floor in a second.ä

     Goâwayn laughed, an obnoxious, hurtful laugh.  ãAnd whoâs 
this--your little bodyguard?ä

     Sâmil cringed at the word ãlittleä.  ãIâm warning you, Goâwayn.  
Donât get any closer.ä

     Goâwayn laughed again.  ãYou really think that this little girl is
worth 
protecting? Why donât you just hand her over,ä Goâwayn suggested, his 
sword down.

     Sâmil smiled.  ãYou really never understood the concept of a 
warren, did you, Goâwayn? You must really have never figured it out if 
you think I would just hand her over.ä

     Goâwayn shrugged.  ãI guess not.  Well, I suppose Iâll leave now.ä  
He turned to leave.  At the same moment, Sâmil heard a scream behind 
him.  He spun around, but Ghost was looking back towards Goâwayn.  
He heard something moving through the air behind him.  His reflexes 
kicked in and he blocked Goâwaynâs sword.  As he began to thrust his 
sword towards Goâwayn, he saw a second man step past Goâwayn and 
Sâmil with a large knife.  Out of the corner of his eye, Sâmil saw Ghost 
remove her knife--which, unfortunately, was much smaller than her 
attackerâs--from her boot.

     Sâmil continued to parry and attack Goâwayn.  He eventually 
seriously cut Goâwaynâs leg, causing Goâwayn to fall to his knees in 
pain.

     Sâmil turned back to see how Ghost was faring.  The other man had 
knocked her knife out of her hand and was dragging her out of the 
dining hall, his knife at her throat.

     His sword still in his hand, Sâmil ran after Ghost and the unnamed 
man.

>From the land of dragons,
Sâmil and Elsith,
Geode Warren,
aka Max Felsher
--------------------------
Tag, Barbara!