[Zera]

The Naomi and Graylocke spoke, and Zera closed her ears as she
prepped the next doses of Tarenal and Goldenrose for the children. 
Both were hoarse from screaming, but were refusing liquids because
their throats were so sore.  When she was done with that, she
prepared the anti-infection creams and infusions that would be used
to hopefully keep Erin and J'tal alive.  It was going to be a long
night for those working that shift.  Zera looked up just as Naomi's
discussion with Graylocke came to a close, and once again he demanded
what he felt to be appropriate justice for his companion.  Naomi
apologized for J'tal once again and turned away.

Naomi left and Zera turned to Graylocke, normally warm eyes cold.

"I have just one thing to tell you.  It seems simple enough, J'tal
attacked you, harmed your companion -- he should die.  But ask
yourself this -- in the event that J'tal dies, should we put your
dragon to death, as the savagery of his attack was unnecessary?  He
is
a sentient being capable of choice."

Graylocke gaped at her.  "He was defending --"

"And if *you* committed an act worthy of your own execution, do you
believe it right and fair that we do so, *knowing* that your dragon
will die, though innocent of it?  You *do* know that will happen upon
your death, do you not?" Zera continued, as though not hearing him.

"He attacked us for no reason!"

"Agreed."  The healer's anger with J'tal was real and ferocious.  
"But then, if he lives, he will not walk again, nor father children.
If he survives, he will live in a constant amount of pain from the
nerves that were damaged.  J'tal will never draw a breath without
knowing the folly of his action, particularly once he is sober enough
to realize that you are not D'gerrit, who murders dragons, eggs, and
humans at will.  I've met J'tal.  Before the attack on us two days
ago -- Gods, has it only been two days? -- he was a kind and gentle
man.  He will be in agonies for his action."  Zera smiled
mirthlessly.  "Isn't your revenge better served by that than by his
death?"

Zera sat on her desk, catching Graylocke's eyes.  "By in large,
dragonriders are gentle, caring people who *do* *not* *kill.* 
Perhaps you don't know this or understand it.  Perhaps you don't
understand what it would take to cause us to hate -- or kill. 
D'gerrit *murdered* Naomi's sister two days ago, incidentally causing
the death of a queen dragon."

Zera stopped, tears filling her eyes.  "Lacey was unarmed and
incapable of defending herself.  Her mate had just died and she had
been sedated because of her hysteria.  D'gerrit cut her throat.  Just
to hurt Naomi, to show her that he was in charge.  His dragon,
Orobos, destroyed all of Amethyst's clutch -- every single egg but
one.  And even then, Naomi would not have D'gerrit or Orobos killed,
because she is like most other riders -- unwilling to cause the death
of any creature except a Wraith."

"We were attacked without cause..."

"Haven't you been listening?" Zera would have stamped her foot in
frustration if she'd been standing.  "That was the extreme reaction
of a man whose entire family was murdered horribly two days ago, who
was drunk and thought he saw the man who was the culprit...  A man
who, if our suspicions are correct, engineered the death of an entire
*town*, who murdered Lacey in cold blood just to hurt Naomi, whose
dragon *willingly* killed more than a dozen unhatched dragons and
would have killed Amethyst as well if he could have.

"What J'tal did was wrong and terrible and, should he survive, he
will pay with each breath and movement and thought because *he,*
unlike D'gerrit, is not a vicious killer.  More than that, his
dragon, who is entirely innocent of the attack on your Erin, would
die.  An intelligent, thinking creature who had nothing to do with it
would die if we executed J'tal.  Which would make us as guilty of
murder as he would be.  Think about that."

Zera took a deep breath, centering herself.  "If you wish, there is a
room next to Erin's in which you could sleep.  Or, if you prefer,
there is a second bed in her room that you could use."

[Tag, David]

<...>

"I'm not leaving, Zera. I promised Lars and Alyne that I'd be here
for them and I will." T'grat's tone was one of conviction dulled with
fatigue.  Zera stood before him, trying to keep her voice as calm as
possible.

"If you don't get some rest then you won't be able to help them at
all!" 

"I'm not leaving them, Zera!"

She smiled slightly and took his hands in hers.  "Weren't you
listening to me?  I'm not asking you to leave, just move so we can
bring in a cot.  You can sleep here, T'grat.  I just need you to move
for a bit."

He blinked up at her, dazed, and she placed a gentle kiss on his
brow.

"I'm sorry for yelling..."

"You're angry, and have every right to be so.  It's okay, T'grat. 
Just don't do it again!" she told him mock-sternly, and he laughed a
little.  "Just let me go get the orderly and we'll get a cot set up
for you."

<...>

"Hello, Galen," Zera bent down and kissed him on the cheek, rousing
him from his thoughts.  "Having a deep think?"

[Tag, Ben]


-----
NRPG -- Okay, so it's short



*hugs*

Jill
             X-FILES                         DRAGONLANDS
 Director, X-Files Division           Rhiannon, WarrenLady  *Xylian*
 Sterling Kincaid, TL, ECHO           Elswyth and Aedra   *Keldarra*
 Damien Cunningham, Forensics         Katla and Satinka *Whiteriver*
 Xan X. Xavier, Trainer               Zera and Mazel       *Norwall*

 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
			      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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