Tara
(Afternoon, Day 2, just after the call for volunteers)

    The dragonriders were silent as they pondered over this idea, but she
could tell by the expressions on their faces that it would not be so after
they were dismissed.
      
 "I have no official standing here.  I cannot order anyone to do this.  But
if anyone wishes to volunteer, remember that you do so as much for Jasra as
for Geode."

     Jerram stepped forward, twirling his mustache as he always did when
excited about something.  "I have already volunteered to lead the
expedition," he said.  "Who will go with me?"

     Riders looked back and forth at each other, then up at Tara, Cygnus, and
Ghost.  Then, one by one, riders began to step forward to volunteer.  Jerram
quickly took charge of the situation.  "We won't leave immediately," he
announced.  "From what the Masterharper has said, we have a *little* time to
prepare.  We'll need to be sure we have an adequate coal reserve before we
leave, for one thing."

     "Won't Geode supply that?" asked one of the riders.

     "As much as possible," said Ghost.  "But if I'm successful, wings from
several warrens will be converging there this evening.  We were caught
unprepared by all this...I frankly don't know how much we have on hand.  Geode
is not that large a warren, after all."

     Tara nodded.  "Then it would be well if our riders brought as much with
them as possible."  She saw two riders she already knew, Peren and Samika,
standing nearby.  She quickly walked over to them.  "You two know this warren
well," she said.  "Can you help see to it that the necessary supplies are
assembled before the wing leaves?  Coal, medical supplies, spare tack, the
works."

     Both riders nodded.  "We'll get on it," Peren assured her.

     Samika seemed hesitant.  "Tara, I'm not sure what to do," the rider
admitted.  "I feel that Fern and I should go to Geode...they need every rider.
But I'm not sure that its the right thing to do.  Jasra may need us as
well...what if something should happen while the wing's gone?"

     "Good point," Jerram said, stepping up next to them.  "Tara, this warren
doesn't even have a full wing available.  I'd recommend that we leave at least
half of Jasra's riders and dragons here."

     "That would be wise," Peren agreed.  "Jasra has had its own share of
problems recently....not all of them from wraiths."

     "And if Geode is threatened, Jasra might be too?" Tara wondered aloud.
It was a possibility that had to be considered.  "All right.  We'll take
volunteers on a first-come-first-accepted basis, up to one-half the available
combat riders.  If fewer than that volunteer, we'll go with whatever we've
got."

     Tara turned to Samika.  "I get the impression you'd like to go," she
remarked with a slight smile.

     Samika shrugged.  "Well...."

     "We'll keep the warren in one piece while the rest of you are gone," she
assured all of them.  "But if you do volunteer, better do it quickly in case
we have a heavy turnout!"

(Tag Christine and Justin)

* * * * * * * *
(Shortly afterwards)

     As soon as Ghost had departed for Telnor Warren, taking the Masterharper
with her, Tara decided to make the rounds of the warren.  Jerram, assisted by
Peren and Samika, would see to all the necessary arrangements for assembling
the relief force for Geode Warren, but there were at the same time other
things that needed looking after.  Normally, such things would have been the
responsibility of the Warrenlady.  But since Jasra didn't have one at the
moment...and might not ever again, if Vignette carried out her intention to
close the warren...these tasks fell into Tara's lap.

     <It isn't fair,> Varaenna commented, looking down on her rider from where
she lay atop a flat rock at the very pinnacle of the warren's bowl.  

     *I know, love, I know,,* Tara told her queen sadly.  *But if that is what
the Dragonlady commands...*

     Varaenna snorted.  <Oh, you humans and your funny ways of thinking!  Why
can you not be like dragons?  *We* don't go flapping madly around just because
someone gives an order...>

     Tara wanted to laugh.  Varaenna might not give orders to other dragons,
but she had been known to get quite upset when other dragons failed to follow
her "suggestions."  *Varaenna, I don't want to see Jasra closed either.  But
what can I do about it, other than what I've just done?*

     <Oh, well, I don't know,> the queen replied evasively.  <You know, I
really like this place.  It would be nice if we could stay here a bit longer.
In fact, this place is so much nicer than dreary old Iseme that....>

     *That you'd like me to volunteer to take Evelle's place, is that what
you're thinking?* Tara asked.  *Love, that's crossed my mind too...but how can
I?  I have responsibilities back at Iseme.*

     <Iseme has two other queens besides me,> Varaenna pointed out reasonably.

     *And there's my family to think about!*

     Varaenna emitted the dragon equivalent of a laugh.  <If you thought of
them what they thought of *you,* you wouldn't give them a second thought!>

     *Varaenna!* she scolded.

     <Well, its true,> the queen replied.  <As I have told you on many
occasions, you would be happier without them.>  The queen didn't add the rest
of what she was thinking, that Tara's family would likely be happier without
her as well.

     Tara, too, held back the reply she'd been thinking of making.  *Varaenna,
dear, why don't you see if you can do something *useful* around here,* Tara
suggested.  Maybe if the queen was kept busy enough, she wouldn't have time to
ask her rider these uncomfortable questions.

     She reached the med center and went inside.  She'd never been here
before, but the layout was very similar to that of Iseme's med center, and she
had no trouble finding her way around.  When she saw the injured man lying in
bed, she knew that it could only be Jasra's new arrival from last night.  She
saw that he was awake, but he looked feverish.

     "You are Devinicus?" she asked, sitting down in a chair next to the bed.

     "I am," he said hoarsely.  "You are the Warrenlady?"

     She smiled.  "I might be a nurse just starting my shift," she pointed
out.  "Why would you think I'm the Warrenlady?"

     Devinicus coughed.  "Nurses generally wear white," he said, forcing a
slight smile of his own.  "Not dragonrider leathers.  Plus, I've been
expecting a visit from the Warrenlady since last night."

     Tara nodded.  "Yes, I heard about your attempt to leave here," she said.
"I trust that the healers and riders were able to convince you that that was a
bad idea?"

     Devinicus nodded but said nothing.

     She laid a hand on his arm, and noticed that it was uncomfortably warm.
"I'm not the Warrenlady," she told him.  "You may or may not have heard that
Jasra has been without one since yesterday.  I'm Tara, Varaenna's rider, from
Iseme Warren.  What warren do you come from?"

     "Keldarra," he replied.  He seemed surprised by her look of
incomprehension.  "You've never heard of Keldarra?"

     "Well, I know that there's another group of warrens that was lost until
just recently," she said, trying to recall the name he'd mentioned.  Then she
remembered...Keldarra was the chief warren of that other group, the
counterpart of Iseme and the home of the other Dragonlady, Christalla.

     Devinicus laughed softly.  "Depends on your point of view," he said.  "We
all thought that *you* were the ones who were lost."

     "Point taken," Tara replied.  "So tell me, Devinicus, what brings you
here to Jasra?"

(Tag Anthony)

* * * * * * * *
(Med center, a short time later)

     "Well, we've stitched and bandaged him as well as we can," said the
healer, Balagon.  "But the wounds are still infected.  From what he was able
to tell us, he was attacked by a kullthakt.  Have you ever heard of those?"

     Tara shook her head.  "No.  What is it?"

     "A dangerous predator, native to the wastes," Balagon explained.  "Their
claws leave venom in the wounds of their victims.  I know how to deal with the
venom, but I don't have the raw materials here to make the serum I need.  He
might recover without it, mind you, but it will take longer...and the claw-
marks will end up scarring badly if the infection isn't treated soon."

     "What do you need, then?" Tara asked.

     "It's called kasama root," the healer replied.  "Grows south of here,
near the borders of the wastes.  Not a particularly safe place to go."

     "Excuse me, but I know where it grows," said a voice from behind her.
Tara turned and saw a dark-haired girl standing there, of about Tara's own
height but clearly a few years younger.  "If you wish, I could go out and
bring some back."

     Tara nodded.  "And you are?"

     "Katya del Verra," the girl replied.  "My friends call me Kit, though."

     "Very well, Kit," Tara said, taking the girl's mention of her nickname as
an offer to call her by it.  "How soon can you and your dragon leave?"

     Kit's eyes widened just briefly, and then her whole expression fell.
Tara realized at once that she'd put her foot in it royally here.  Kit must
have been one of those who'd failed to join yesterday.

      "Kit, I'm sorry," she said, laying a hand on the girl's shoulder.  "I
shouldn't have assumed that.  I do appreciate your offer.  If you're willing,
I'm sure I can get a rider to take you.  It would help Devinicus very much if
you would."

     Tara thought a moment, and then got an idea.  *Varaenna, contact
Yulkarith and have her send her rider over here.  I need her to do something
for me.*

(Tag Helena and Sabrina - have fun with this one...and feel free to get in
trouble while you're away from the warren. :)

* * * * * * * *

     Tara's next stop was the hatchling barracks.  She found Shalyn, Corin,
and the others outside with their new dragons, attempting to give them an
oiling.  They seemed to be getting as much on themselves as they did on the
dragons.  She wondered where their trainer was, and only then remembered
someone telling her that Wynn had been earmarked as the trainer for this
group.

     "How are you getting along?" Tara asked, kneeling down to give Cassiopeia
a pat on the head.  The little dragon nuzzled her affectionately.

     "Well, we were talking about going down to the beach after we're done,"
said a grinning Corin.  "With all this oil on us, we wouldn't have to worry
about getting sunburned."

     Shalyn moved her hands in an intricate pattern of sign-language, and
Corin's grin broadened even further.  "She says I should pipe down," he said,
not at all contrite.

     <Cassiopeia says that her rider would like you to show them the proper
way to do this,> Varaenna chuckled.  <I'm not sure you're the best one to do
that, but you're the only one around right now.>

     *Thanks loads,* Tara responded.  *I don't seem to recall you complaining
much when I oil you.*

     <Well, there again, you're the only one who's usually around when it
needs doing,> the queen answered.  <So I take what I can get.>

     Tara knelt down and took the pot of oil from Corin's hand.  "There's a
rather simple technique, really," she told them.  Shalyn beckoned Cassiopeia
forward, and the little dragon offered herself for the demonstration.

     Tara had a little time at her disposal right now, and so decided to try
and give Jasra's newest riders some basics in dragon care.  She would,
however, need to find someone to take this job full time.

(Tag Isabella - Tara's not a professional trainer, but she does know how to
take care of dragons:)

* * * * * * * *
(Early evening)

     The turnout had been better than Tara had expected.  Quite a number of
riders had had to be turned down for the trip to Geode, some of whom had
personally appealed to her to overrule Jerram and allow them to go.  She had
firmly refused, however.  It would do little good to save Geode if Jasra
itself were lost to some unforseen danger because too many of its riders had
been allowed to leave.

     Even so, the green was full  of dragons.  She accompanied Jerram as he
made his final rounds to ensure that Jasra's contingent was ready to go.

     "Take care of yourself," she told him, as they reached the waiting Seydor
and Jerram swung himself up into the saddle.  "I'm going to be very unhappy if
you get yourself killed."

     Jerram laughed.  "My lady, I wouldn't dream of getting killed.  Why, if I
did, I would never have the pleasure of accompanying you on one of your
delightful family visits!"

     "Smartass," she said, grimacing a bit at the jibe as she backed away from
Seydor to give him wingroom.

     "And remember," he told her, "if anything happens here, you know where to
find us!"

     Tara turned around, looking over the assembled dragons and riders.  "Good
luck!" she called out to them.  "Remember, you do this for Jasra!  And
perhaps...from somewhere...Evelle will be looking down on all of you.  Make
her proud of Jasra!"

     The riders shouted their assent.  Jerram raised his fist, and Seydor
leaped skyward.  Almost as one, the rest of the contingent followed.  Once
aloft, they circled the warren once and then teleported.

     From up on the heights of the bowl, Varaenna began to croon a slow, sad
tune that Tara had taught her, its soft strains echoing through the half-empty
warren and drifting out over the calm waters.

NRPG:

Sorry for the delay on this one....I'm usually a bit more prompt! :)

I'm still not sure just who's going to Geode, other than Jerram, Piper, and
Devon, so I had to make a few assumptions.  The way is still clear for both
Peren and Samika to go, if they wish.  However, from the ending of Justin's
last post, I suspect that Jasra may be about to have some unwelcome visitors
of its own...so perhaps not *all* the action will be at Geode...

Speaking of which, it appears that the Geode battle is getting underway, so I
plan on doing a battle post by mid-week that will involve both Jasra and
Daere.

Should be fun all around! :)

Submitted by:

John Pepper

Tara & Varaenna
Jerram & Seydor
Jasra Warren