RCW: Shattered p1

Posted on Mon Aug 4th, 2025 @ 7:50pm by Gold Rider Lana & Sr Journeyman Nikolai & Bronze Rider A'ren & Jr Journeyman Marika
Edited on on Mon Aug 4th, 2025 @ 7:51pm

Mission: 3531 AL
Location: River Cove Weyr
Timeline: M3 D7

One moment Lana had been flying thread and the next her vision had shattered around her as her Googles shattered as a piece of firestone from above caught her. She glanced up thankful that only one shard had caught her but it was enough that blood was blinding her and she could not let go of the flame thrower.

*** Home Kalaith*** Lana cried. ***Tell Zalyith her rider is now wingleader and to do the final checks with the ground party.**

}: Are you okay? You are hurt? There was no thread. We got it all?:{ Kalaith asked bellowing as she felt the pain her rider was feeling. Lana hushed the queen knowing her distress would already alert the fighting wings to a problem below which would distract them.

*** Home. Now.*** Lana said firmly as Kalaith bellowed but went between with the order to Zalyith. Lana could only see a vague sense of the Weyr thanks to the blood that was in her eyes. She felt Kalaith swoop towards the ground as the watch pair boogled a confused greeting at the queen pair returning alone. “We cannot go down yet,” Lana said blinking hard to try and clear her vision but it was impossible. Lana felt scared for a moment as she could not see enough to reach around to turn the flamethrower off until she reached the switch and the clasps disconnected and she felt the heat dissipate. “We can land,” Lana said allowed already feeling Kalaith’s urgent

Marika had been helping the Healers with minor injuries when she caught sight of Kaliath returning. The gold seemed agitated and she knew Lana wouldn't leave her wing unless she had to. The young woman quickly grabbed up a bag of supplies and raced over to where Kaliath was landing.

“Lana?” She called up.

}: We are home:{ Kalaith assured as she felt the pain and confusion from Lana.

“Marika?” Lana asked, turning towards the voice as she Kalaith twisted her neck around to see Lana bloodied and not able to do much because she was sure if she ripped her goggles off she would damage more. “I need help but I do not believe you can do it alone.” The Weyrwoman explained trying to work out how she was going to do this.

That sounded bad. “You stay still. I saw Niko just a few moments ago.” once she was sure Lana was staying put she ran over to where she saw her husband. “Niko!” She called.

Kalaith’s eyes whirled in worry as she let out a soft bellow as the woman left. “Stop it Kal. I do not need you scaring anyone.” Lana said shaking as she gripped the flame thrower harder as she heard Marika’s words. And heard the man being called as well as the sound of several wings returning about be her.

Nikolai looked up in alarm as he finally noticed the Queen Dragon from where he was setting a shoulder. “The Weyrwoman?” He questioned confused as he indicated to his apprentice to carry on applying numbweed. “By the first egg what happened?” He demanded.

Marika nodded. “I don’t know what happened. She wouldn't say. Just said I would need more help then myself,” she answered as they hurried back to Kaliath.

Nikolai held out an arm stopping Marika approaching anymore as Kalaith bellowed again.

“Weyrwoman?” Nikolai called across the space.

“Will you stop Kalaith.” Lana said weakly. “Let them approach. They are here to help me” Lana said sharply. The queen glared around but shifted low so that her rider could be helped.

“I think I might need a rider. Going to need gloves.” Nikolai muttered as he slowly approached and saw that Lana could not see but was holding on to the flame thrower by sheer will despite the pain she must have been in. He slowly grabbed the rider straps and hauled himself up. “Weyrwoman it’s Nikolai.” He said using the voice he used when healing to be no nonsense.

“I know.” Lana answered, shaking. Nikolai took in the injury and slowly moved so he was in front of the Queen rider to look at it properly. “Something hit my goggles and shattered them. I… I don’t think it caught my eyes but…”

Marika slid to a stop as Nikolai held up his arm. Kaliath was definitely upset. And Lana looked like she had to be in pain. “What can I do?” She called up to her husband. “Or who should i find?” Whatever she could do she would.

“G’van, Shards any of the Wingleaders, to be fair anyone sensible as they can unloop the flame thrower.” Nikolai commented.

Marika nodded. “be right back.” She spun in her heel to go find whatever rider she could find fastest. In her haste she nearly plowed over one of the riders.

“whoa easy there. Where's the fire?” the brown rider asked.

“G’van!” She exclaimed. “hurry. Niko and Lana need you.

She didn't give him a chance to argue as she rushed back to the gold dragon. G’van wad right on her heels. It didn't take him long to see the issue.

“easy Kaliath,” he crooned as he climbed up her side. “Weyrwoman,” he said when he saw her still clutching the flamethrower.

Kalaith gave the brown rider a withering look but stayed perfectly still as she knew Dystath’s would help Lana. She had seen him do it before. “I am very relieved to hear you G’van.” Lana said, loosening her grip. “Have you got it?” She demanded refusing to let Nikolai touch her until someone had retrieved the flame thrower from the pair to avoid more injury.

“What have you done to yourself?” G'van asked gently as he carefully took the flame thrower. “I have it. You can let go,” he answered as he carefully unclipped everything.

Lana took a deep breath and let the flame thrower go with a moan of pain as she was relieved of her duty. “I don’t know … something hit my goggles. Kalaith is okay?”

“Of course she is Weyrwoman.” A dragonhealer assured having already been inspecting the queen from below.

}: You take such good care of me!:{ Kalaith commented stretching around to see what they were doing as Nikolai undid the goggles pocketing them to inspect them later.

G'van cringed. “Well, that explains it.” She looked awful but he wasn't going to say that. Instead, he just made sure to keep hold of the flame thrower. “We'll get you all fixed up,” he promised as he glanced up at Nikolai.

Nikolai looked back at G’van and offered a nod. Fixing up was his speciality.“Of course, we will. It looks like it missed your eyes for the most part.” He said the relief evident on his face as he looked at the Weyrwoman carefully as she kept her eyes firmly closed and he pressed a cloth to the biggest cut trying to stem the blood enough to see what was going on. “Love pass me up a jug of water.” He asked down to Marika calmly trying to keep his voice professional.

G'van would take care of the flame thrower and be close if Nikolai needed anything. Marika nodded and went to retrieve the jug.

“Here you go,” she said, passing it up to him.

Lana held onto the riding strap hard feeing her nails digging into her palms as she tried to hide still knowing that Nikolai was going to try and wash some of the blood away before getting her down. “Ready.”

“Ready,” Lana assured biting her lip hard to stop any cries but it was impossible as the water mixed with redwort hit her skin.

G'van stayed behind her to help steady her. He had a feeling it was going to hurt when Nikolai tried to wash the blood off. Her face looked awful.

“Shards!” Lana grunted keeping her head still even as Kalaith bellowed and she wanted to get away from the pain. Nikolai winced at the noise reverberating around the bowl and the fact he was hurting the small woman especially as it did not overly clean much but did make it easier to see what was happening.

“Shard’s indeed,” Nikolai muttered placing a cloth back over the worst cuts. “Keep your eyes closed Weyrwoman. It’s not got your eyes but you are covered in blood which I won’t be able to do anything about here.” He said awkwardly wondering how he was going to get Lana down without making the scene more worrying for the wings appearing and for Lana herself.

G'van cringed. Shards he couldn't blame her for those words. “Can I help get her down?” He offered, having a feeling it was going to take both of them.

“I…”

“G’van or Niko put me over your shoulder now and get me down. Before Kalaith makes this whole situation worse.” Lana muttered as the Queen bellowed again despite Lana telling her it was fine. She needed Zalyith or the Weyrleader back to control this situation very quickly if they did not get her down now.

“Lana…” Nikolai started but nodded seeing how determined the Weyrwoman looked.

That was not what G'van had expected to hear. He handed the flame thrower to Nikolai before moving in front of Lana. “here we go,” he said, being careful as he lifted Lana into his arms and slid down Kaliath's side.

The Weyrwoman gripped the brown rider as he got her down. Nikolai grimaced as he froze holding the flame thrower and looked at the Marika a little helpless but thankfully several Weyrlings came running over to take the machine. It made it possible for Nikolai to get down as Lana was set on her feet and promptly fell to her knees.

*** Stop Kalaith. I am fine. *** Lana assured the Queen as she swung around nearly knocking the Weyrlings who were carrying the flamethrower away.

Marika cringed but also tried not to smile as she realized how nervous and uncertain her husband looked with the flamethrower.

Before they could get too far A'ren’s wing returned. Zarminath landed next to Kaliath, crooning at his mate. A'ren was instantly off his bronze. “What happened?” He asked.

“We are returning this to storage, Sir. The Weyrwoman was injured.” A blue Weyrling explained trying not to be too awkward addressing the Weyrleader.

“Thank you,” A'ren told the weyrlings. He was worried about Lana but Kaliath wasn't freaking out so that was a plus.

Nikolai crouched on the floor at least hoping if he was there Lana would not get injured by Kalaith moving around as the dragon lay her head next to Lana crooning to her softly. The man set about washing some more of the blood away but it was hard to get it out of her hair and the staining of her flight uniform and neck.

“I am fine,” Lana assured trying to calm everyone down as she heard A’ren’s voice in the distance. Nikolai held out the googles to the Weyrleader as he rose from the floor.

A’ren quickly moved around to where Lana and Nikolai were. He accepted the glasses with a frown. “Shards,” the Weyrleader commented.

“An inch to the left and she would have lost an eye. She thinks some fire stone was dropped,” Nikolai hissed before turning back to Lana. “You are not fine.” Nikolai finally admitted as Thalia came over, as she saw the scene and the queen dragon on the ground crooning. Lana leant out to Kalaith wanting the connection to the dragon as she could only imagine the looks going through the men in the moments before Nikolai returned to trying to stem the blood from multiple cuts.

Zarminath stayed close to his mate to help comfort her. A'ren cringed. Seriously? That close? “What do we need to do?” He asked, wanting to make sure he did everything they were supposed to.

“Well I need to stop bleeding everywhere.” Lana hissed in pain as Thalia grabbed up some cloths to help Nikolai.

“She needs the infirmary. We can treat thread threadscore out here but this is going to need proper irrigation and cleaning as well as stitches.” Thalia stated as Lana’s head lolled to the side a little

A'ren nodded. That made sense. he moved around to be near Lana. “Alright, love, let's get you to the infirmary. Hold on.”
The Weyrleader bent and slid his arms under her legs. Once he was sure she was prepared, he lifted her into his arms and headed for the infirmary. Kalaith watched the Weyrleader pick up her rider and swooped up to her ledge and sat there watching as her rider fell unconscious, knowing that the Weyrleader was now there.