[After the return on Ga'brin's body]

> [Ophelia]
> 
> She settled back into her office chair when she suddenly felt the pain
> shoot through her.  It took her a moment to realise it was Beryth in pain.
> 
> <Dear?> she asked, rising, then doubling over as the pain hit her again.
> 
> Beryth's thoughts were confused and full of pain and fear.  Ophelia
> stumbled toward the door and out into the hallway.  She managed to make it
> as far as the next office door down before she was curled on the floor
> writhing in the agony of her dragon.
> 
> "Ophelia?"
> 
> She looked up into the red-rimmed eyes of her most-junior queenrider.
> "It's... ungh... Beryth...  Call Ab... Abby..."

Kattibrie's eyes went distant, then she said.  "She's already on the way
to the hatching cavern.  Come on, let me help you."

The younger queenrider helped Ophelia up and led her, slowly and
painfully, to the opening onto the green where Calishandra was waiting.
She managed to get Ophelia onto the back of the dragon and then joined her
and flew up to the skyward hatching cavern.

They landed just as Abby was sliding off her mate's dragon, Vartex.  The
healer ducked as sand sprayed them and Ophelia curled up in pain.  When
the pain stopped, the warrenlady slid off Calishandra and made her way to
where Abby was trying to administer a shot to the huge writhing queen. 
The healer finally got clear of the spasming claws and quickly climbed up
on the queen's heaving flank, where the took advantage of her slightly-
more-stable vantage point to administer the drug. 

Before the drug took effect, Beryth was writhing so badly the healer was
thrown off and nearly crushed as the dragon rolled.  Even through her pain
as she herself collapsed to the sand, Ophelia could see the momentary
regret as the glass syringe shattered.  Glass was hand-blown, and such
careful craftsmanship was expensive. 

Then the dragon slowly relaxed and Ophelia felt the drowsiness overtake
her queen.  She stood from where she had been curled on the sand, shakily
brushing sand from her clothes.  "What's wrong with her?" she asked the
dragon healer.

"I'm trying to find that out," Abby answered.

Ophelia watched as the healer examined the dragon.  Behind her, she could
hear Kattibrie make a small noise, whether from disgust, surprise or
concern she didn't know, as Abby's arm plunged inside the queen.  There
were several minutes of silence as the healer did her work.  As she
withdrew and stood biting her lip, Ophelia could stand it no longer.  She
stepped forward to face the healer.

"What is it?"

Abby turned to her, the concern obvious on her face.  "For some reason,
the eggs have hardened within her.  She's got one halfway down the canal
that's broken and is tearing her up inside."

"Hardened within her?" Ophelia asked, her hand stroking the soft opal hide
of her dragon.

Abby nodded.  "It's a rare condition.  The last reported case of T'nral's
Condition was... seventy-odd years ago.  We don't know what causes it,
but the eggs can't be laid." 

"What do we do, then?" Ophelia asked in concern.

Abby sighed.  "We'll have to surgically remove them."

"And will the dragonets live?"

"A few of them may not.  And most of them are going to have a time getting
out of their shells.  They're going to need lots of help.  Everyone's
going to have to be on extra-special guard at the hatching that if
someone's being called from the stands or outside the cavern that they be
gotten to their hatchling's egg quickly."

"I understand," Ophelia said.  "And Beryth?"

"Unless we have really major complications, she should live... but..."

"But?"

"T'nral's is chronic.  All her layings would be like this in the future.
It's my suggestion that she be sterilised to avoid that pain.  I'm sorry,
Ophelia."

Ophelia stood in shock.  Sterilised?  No more mating flights?  No more
little Beryth hatchlings?...  Then she stiffened as she realised the most
major implication-- if Beryth no longer flew, then she, Ophelia, would
have to retire as Warrenlady.  The job would fall to Laria.

"Ophelia?"

"When would you need to do this?"

"Well, it would be easiest to do while we were in there removing the eggs
anyway..."

Ophelia nodded.  "I can't let her suffer through this again.  And I can't
make the warren live through hatchings like you've described."  She paused
and took a breath.  "I'll... I'll approve the sterilisation."  Her fingers
traced along Beryth's side as tears sprang to her eyes.  How would Beryth
accept such a fate?  She turned away then and met the eyes of her most
junior queenrider.  "Oh, Kitty..." she said, and could say no more.

Respectfully submitted,
 Lynette R. F. Cowper
  Ophelia and Beryth

---

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