[Zera]

"Listen to me, Zera.  You ... you give people another chance.  This
time it wasn't enough, but .... it doesn't always end this way."  And
suddenly every doubt and every fear he had ever had came to a head. 
"Think of it this way.  You create life.  I .... well, all I have ever
created is death."

Zera blinked as he walked off, startled out of her own grief.

"Galen?"

He didn't seem to hear her and she frowned.

She went in for her shift, working through it thoughtfully.  Lilliana was
still devastated and the rumors had begun rippling through the Warren. 
After the seventh or eighth person came by to have their blood tested or to
ask wild-eyed questions, Zera had had enough.

< Mazel, will you *please* tell everyone that it isn't likely that everyone
has been poisoned?  This stuff is very rare and hideously expensive.  I
doubt there's anyone who could have bought enough to poison everyone in the
Warren.  This is getting ridiculous! >

There were, however, two people she really did want to see -- three in
fact...  Lars, Alyne... and Demee.

T'grat hadn't yet brought the children in and it was getting close to the
end of her official shift -- she still had afternoons free to study, before
being on call in the evenings.

She hesitated on calling T'grat...  His grief was deep and shattering,
but...

< Mazel, could you ask Vonn to tell Meena that we need to do some tests on
Demee, Lars, and Alyne? >  Zera bit her lip, not wanting to generate any
fear, but...  < ...Demee spends a lot of time with those two and if it was
in something that they might have shared... >

Zera chose not to mention the first motive for poisoning Greta that had
come to mind.


[Tag Kris.  Les, if you want... :)]

<...>

[Afternoon]

"Wake up, Galen.  We're going on a picnic."

Zera had walked in without knocking, which was unusual for her, but it
seemed like a good idea at the time.

"What?"

She forced a smile, her depression of the morning returning with force. 
"Picnic.  Remember.  You promised to go on a picnic with me, and I'm
holding you to it."

"Zera..."

"No excuses.  I need to do something fun and mindless... and you're coming
with me.  So get up, already!"

[Tag, Ben!]

-----
NRPG -- Sorry I didn't reply earlier Ben, but yes, I got it :)


*hugs*

Respectfully Submitted,
Jill E. Flansburg
Zera and Mazel
Norwall Warren
DragonLands

                 X-FILES                         DRAGONLANDS

  Assistant Director                     Rhiannon, WarrenLady  *Xylian*
  Sterling Kincaid, Team Leader, ECHO    Elswyth and Aedra   *Keldarra*
  Damien Cunningham, UD DELTA            Katla and Satinka *Whiteriver*
  Xan X. Xavier, Trainer, Classroom A    Zera and Mazel       *Norwall*

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			      Vasaris, the Fuzzy Dragon
       Jill E. Flansburg	    |		            vasaris@az.com
       CS HMC 1994	          |		jflansbu@muddcs.cs.hmc.edu
       History, WWU 199?          |		vasaris@divcom.umop-ap.com
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