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"No!" Kleos reiterated firmly, clenching her jaw and glowering at the blue rider. "The only way our dragons can flame anywhere near humans is if we cannot see them. If we cannot see them we cannot be sure of who they are let alone whether we will blind their whers or roast them alive! As for the Thread siren, the whers of the Weyr have heard it many times and I doubt they are stupid enough to be confused by a noise they know. If I am wrong about their mental capacity however please do correct me, weyrling."

Z'fer lifted his an in acceptance. "You're right. I didn't consider our own folk could be free in the tunnels as well." whether or not she was his 'woman' didn't matter. It was more he humored the young rider and she had wher knowledge, something he was sorely lacking. The healer's demands were ignored. She would either be useful here or corralled with the youngsters and those with no skills.

"Noise and light are still something we can supply in amble amounts all on our own. If we have enough people skilled in combat to take out the handlers our dragons can disorient or eliminate the whers. Dragons have no restrictions on that front."

He was startled by the entrance of Aerith and her sudden proclimation.
"Hmmm If only we could have Timed it. We couldn't prevent what's already happened but we could have emptied the firestone storage. It's too late for that now though. I agree with you. The blacks and greens go in first, Aerith you would be a big help there. You're small enough to get right up to the doors. The other's can cover you while you and Mercy pass the bags out." He turned to Mercy, seeing what she thought. "Our larger dragons can provide distractions and noise. We'll get a small handful of riders to light the fireheights. Maybe send messengers to the locals Holds and see where their loyalties rest. If they're with us we could gain more ground fighters. Any agenothree tanks they have could be useful as well."



Cai stared at the blue she'd ridden on. It was highly uncommon for a dragon to address someone other than it's rider. She backed away from his gentle nudge, the affection making her uncomfortable. It was bad enough that she'd had to sit so close to his rider on the way here, she had had more physical contact than she was used to and far more than she ever welcomed. He was right though, she could be useful here as well. But she should be at Benden, her home. Lost or not she should be there fighting to the bitter end!
"Well I should be re-groupnig with them then! Doesn't Malvren have it's own healers?"



Z'fer spared a look for the argumentative girl. "You're not going anywhere. We have our own problems to deal with and we can't afford to spare a rider to ferry an apprentice across the world. If you want to help so bad you will help here or you'll be put with the children and kept out of competent peoples ways." With that he turned his head, ignoring her once again. Calanoth had an eye on her and he could always set Fellis to track her.

"I was thinking not only of handlers of ours that may still be loyal, but also of refugees," Kleos snapped again. "Refugees who the attacking handlers and their sympathizers will be driving out of the tunnels, towards our hypothetical flames! I will feel free to say as I wish or to give you orders with or without your permission weyrling! I cannot guarantee whether or not a dragon would best a wher in a fight girl, but I can guarantee that any rider who flames down our halls will answer for it! As you hear, Z’fer agrees with me, and if you try to raise this matter again or presume to tell me what I may or may not do I shall dismiss you! Do you understand, rider?”

Letting out a steadying breath Kleos turned back to Z’fer and Mercy, glad of people who was thinking sense and not taking a smart attitude. “If we can force handlers away from the whers hand to hand or with the flamethrowers if we can get hold of them our dragons could take on the whers that are outside, especially if we can recover firestone.... Mercy, if you are willing to attempt it along with small agile greens and blacks, I do not think we can afford to refuse you.”

Firith and Ralla, unanswered, sat and observed instead, and had to roll their eyes when C'rci started rambling on with wild plans.

Actually, Firith finally put in, I believe I am the smallest and most agile dragon here. She was, after all, only half-grown.

"Whatever we do, shouldn 't we get a better handle on what's even happening, if we can?"

'We will go' Aerith stated firmly, well aware that her rider's lack of confidence would rear it's ugly head make her rethink herself. 'Aer..' Sure enough Mercy started to argue, it was true she wanted to help the Weyr, had told everyone on numerous occasions that she and Aerith were just as good, just a viable as they were...but when faced with the chance of loosing Aerith well, those words were just that..only words.

'We go' Aerith repeated privately to her rider, washing her in the confidence she had in them. The white would never have chosen someone who wasn't capable of handling herself, wasn't strong despite her inner doubt - and the white certainly wasn't about to let her rider back down now when Aerith knew that she would regret it so keenly later. Pursing her lips Mercy nodded to Kleos

"We'll go" She agreed with her dragon even as the white accepted Calanoths comments with a feeling of gratitude and reassured Bolth with a gentle croon 'We all must do what we can' She told the blue 'If this is where I can be helpful then this is where I must go'

When green Firith made her remarks Aerith turned to look upon her but as Moriath had already spoke the white felt there was no need to say more.

O'thor watched the discussion with no desire to throw himself in the middle of the arguments. He wasn't the type to take charge, especially when there were already two able leaders-- three with Assistant Weyrlingmaster Mercy-- present to lead them. If C'rci would stop trying to show she could help in the worst way possible, perhaps the discussion would go more smoothly.

She wishes to be more than she is, but does not see it. She will learn to do what is necessary and listen to her elders, or she will perish in Threadfall. I will try to see to it that does not happen, but if she does not see that one must listen to their leaders, then she will die. That is how it is.

O'thor sighed faintly and looked down at Orlina, who was watching the argument with sorrow and concern in her face. He squeezed the shoulder not occupied by Orlina's Gold firelizard, who had shown up shortly after they had landed, and she turned to smile up at him.

---

Orlina knew C'rci was only trying to help. Before she had been sucked into Weyrling training, the two had been great friends, and she still considered them friends, even though both were busy with their own lives lately. She hated seeing her butt heads with a Wingleader just because she didn't know how to socialize with people. Her words sounded combative, but Orlina knew her friend didn't mean them that way.

When O'thor squeezed her shoulder she looked back at him and tried on a smile. "I hope everyone at home is all right."

O'thor looked at her, then he smiled sadly and squeezed her shoulder again. "I'm sure they will be. And we'll be there to save them soon enough. You'll see."

Z'fer frowned, thinking over Ralla's words. "Those who stayed behind and are trapped can act as our eyes and ears on the inside. Every dragon we have on the outside will be needed in our assault. We need to move quickly too. The longer we sit here and debate the longer they have to secure our Weyr against us. Lets get everyone sorted out now. Get the riders in the air and go for our firestone. Once we secure that we can then flush them out. I suggest we go top to bottom, they'll have no where to go but the ocean that way and we can trap them between the cliffs and the water.

The blacks can go in a breath before the greens. They can get right up next to the storeroom and direct the greens and Aerith where to appear. Aerith will be in the middle at first, landing as close as possible while the Blacks and Greens flank her, preventing any Handlers from getting close on the ground. Let the Weyrlings collect the firestone from Mercy and Aerith then deliver it to the rest of the riders. While they're doing that. We can appear in the air about mid-weyr. The cliff's echo and our roars and bugles will double in volume. The Wher's won't be able to tell what direction we're coming from. A soon as they start pouring out of the weyr we attack. When you get stone flame." He gave a nod to Kleos, remembering her warning. "But not at anything unless you're in direct danger. Just to disorient the whers."

Z'fer was distracted by the arrival of another rider, claiming to be from Benden. Once again his eyes narrowed suspiciously. Kleos could decide what to do with her. He was distrustful.

He shrugged accepting Kleos's suggestion. He didn't care anymore, he just wanted to get things moving. "Go ahead. Just keep in touch."



Cai had sat listening to their discussion. She was livid that they ignored her and that Bronzerider had the gall to suggest she be put with the children! Still, their plotting was interesting and she was going over ideas in her own mind, only held back by her lack of knowledge of ther Weyr. Obviously they were all local riders and had no need for maps or diagrams. The lack bothered her.

She was saved from their shunning by the arrival of Dezima. A Benden rider! Her heart lifted at the sight of her own weyr colors. Without a look back she turned and bolted towards the greenrider. "I'm Cai, Apprentice Healer from Benden. I heard the news." The young girl quickly removed her own cowl and threw it around Dezima's head. She cursed the fact that she had no healing supplies but she could at least warm the rider up. "Take a deep breath and calm down. You need to warm up before you get sick. Sit." She glanced at the injured green, she could do nothing for her at the moment except for calm her rider. She stepped back and called out to anyone who'd listen.

"I Need Numbweed and any healing supplies you have! I know some of you riders must carry numbweed jars on you so cough them up! Clean cloth and water skins as well!" She fully expected to have her demands met. Even if they don't care about a lowly healer apprentice, they must care for an injured rider and dragon!