RCW: The Banned Ruins (1/2)

Posted on Sun Nov 24th, 2024 @ 11:26am by Gold Rider Lana & Gold Rider Jena & Bronze Rider A'ren & Bronze Rider K'ron & Brown Rider K’yar & Brown Rider T'tarel
Edited on on Sun Nov 24th, 2024 @ 11:27am

Mission: 3531 AL
Location: Several
Timeline: M2 D16

Jena was confused as she looked up and down the corridor. She had been at the Weyr for nearly 7 turns and could not admit that she was nearly lost. She turned left again and sighed as she came to the same office that she had been to what felt like a candlemark or so ago. Stomping her foot she turned back and went left, left and then right and smiled with relief as she came out nearly the weyrling barracks like she had wanted to in the beginning. She had no idea where she had gone wrong in coming from the records room but she would not be doing that again any time soon. She glanced around where her buddy was for the sweep and waved.

“I am so sorry Brown Rider. I got lost coming from the records room.” She quickly explained as she jogged over to T'tarel. She would have to admit it without hesitation as there was no excuse for lateness from a Queen Rider.

T'tarel smiled and returned Jena's wave. He raised a brow. “Really? I thought you knew all the passage ways,” he teased. Although he had no doubt he would get lost himself so he really didn't have a reason to tease.

“I have been here seven turns and one wrong turn and I ended up in F’cone’s office… twice.” The woman said in despair. “At least he was not there to see my mistake and I eventually worked out where I was.”Jena did not have much like for the Bronze Rider at all. She had not liked him as Weyrleader when she had been a weyrling let alone now knowing how terrible he had been to Lana and A’ren who had been closer to her than her parents over the last couple of turns.

The brown rider tried not to laugh. “Yeah probably not the best place to keep ending up,” he grinned. He had always kind of avoided F'cond. no real reason to talk to him. “Well, you found your way here so that's what matters.”

Jena laughed at the older rider's opinion of F’cone and winked as she headed towards Zalyith who was patiently waiting for her. They both knew a few more sevendays and she would be too egg heavy to be much use but until they Jena wanted to savour her duties as a junior queen rider which meant sweeps over the large holds to remind them that dragon riders were in the sky. “So Far Site?” She sighed thinking that she would have rather had Kymos at that time of day as it would be reaching dusk soon but Far Site was where they were scheduled.

Riyth was waiting patiently by Zalyith. The brown was ready to stretch his wings. “That was the schedule,” T'tarel answered. It would be nice to get up in the air without the threat of Thread. “How is Zalyith doing?” he asked, knowing the queen would be clutching soon.

She knew it was the schedule but she would much rather be going to Kymos. “Good. She’s growing more and more which requires more and more work from me so that is positive in my opinion.” Jena said grinning as she shoved on her helmet and narrowly missed walking into the queen as she turned her neck to greet the woman. “How about Riyth?” She wondered back.

T'tarel nodded as he slipped his own helmet on. “She looks lovely. You are doing a wonderful job.” The queen was nearly glowing. He patted Riyth's shoulder. “He's doing well. No complaints.”

}: Riyth yours is very kind. I am lovely aren’t I? :{ The queen glowed and preened as her rider pulled herself up.

“And she knows that she looks lovely.” Jena commented with a roll of her eyes. “Stop flirting and ask Tailinth for the correct images.” She requested patting her next as she started the process and checks of her straps.

}:You are very lovely,:{ The brown crooned.

T'tarel chuckled a bit. “Gotta love them,” he grinned as he did his own check of his straps. “And I'm sure Riyth will gladly keep telling her she's lovely.”

“All this flirting.” She laughed as Tailinth gave the visualisation which made Jena frown a little. “It’s raining at Far Site, be prepared.” She called over the distance as Zalyith stopped flirting and leapt into the air and started to lazily gain height until they were above the weyrbowl.

“Of course it is,” T'tarel groaned. Right into a rain storm. That was about right. He tugged his jacket around himself better and tugged his helmet down. “And away to get wet,” he grinned as Riyth pushed off the ground.

Jena nodded and counted to five and they appeared above Far Site indeed in a rain storm which instantly made the queen rider squirm but the greeting from several dragons below made her smile. She allowed them to catch up for a few moments before she indicated they should sweep inland.

The brown rider shivered a bit as they were instantly hit with rain. Riyth bugled a greeting back to the dragons as he moved up alongside Zalyith.

For nearly a candle mark Jena kept her head on a pivot looking left and right and up and down in the familiar motions of sweep. It was relaxing despite the rain that was belting down and meant she had given up on her goggles as they did not help and just made her viability low.

T'tarel was tired of the rain but at least it seemed like everything was in order. He shivered just a bit as he looked around. Everything seemed good despite the chilly rain.

The woman glanced down as she noticed something shining and flashing in the distance. “Do you see the flashing?” She yelled across the distance pointing to where something shimmered below again.

The brown rider followed her finger. “What is that?” he shouted, seeing the shine. it was definitely out of place where it was coming from.

“Not sure there is anything out here other than grubs and ruins.” The woman commented as they got closer and closer to where something was shining calling them in. This part of Far Site had been abandoned many turns ago.

}: We are not meant to land :{ The queen commented.

*** We won’t.*** Jena assured. She had no intention of landing,

T'tarel didn't like it and Riyth grumbled. The brown didn't like it at all. “This doesn't seem good at all!” He called to Jena. “Be careful.”

Something about the shine felt wrong like it was designed to get them to land. They were no where near anything so it made no sense but neither dragon was impressed by it all “No. We head back to the Weyr and get more riders. There is nothing but grubs and ruins up here but I want to check it out just encase.” Jena said
trusting her instincts and that of the older rider as Zalyith started to turn so they would not go over where it was coming from.

The brown rider nodded. “Smart choice.” Turning back was definitely a better idea. There was something about that shine that just didn't sit well with him. Riyth spun on a wing to get away from that shine.

Zalyith crooned to the brown before giving him the visualisation from River Cove Weyr‘a watch rider and she blinked between relieved to appear in the heat and dry again as they came out. She was sure she was going to catch a chill with betweeining whilst wet but she could bother about that later.

Riyth quickly followed,wanting to be home. T'tarel shivered a bit in shock as they went from cold to hot so quickly. the brown slowly spiralled down to land in the Bowl.

As soon as they touched ground Lana was rushing over having heard from Kalaith what had happened. She looked at the pair and shook her head. “Into the cavern and Klah come on.” She instructed seeing several wing leaders coming over seeing Weyrwoman rushing across the bowl.

T'tarel glanced at Jena. That was quick. He motioned the gold riders ahead of himself before following. Riyth happily lounged in the sun.

Jena smiled as she touched her head to remind him she was constantly in contact with the other queen rider thanks to it just being them at the moment. It meant they were a lot closer than some female riders. “Both of you sit.” Lana instructed going off to find Klah for them both.

That made sense. T'tarel should have realized that. He sank into a chair still shivering a bit. K'ron came into the cavern a few moments later. Something seemed to be going on. Before he could really ask A'ren walked in.

Lana smiled at the Weyrleader as she brought over several mugs of klah and went back to get more mugs. “Hello K’ron.” Lana said in passing as she set about doing what she could to set the brown and queen rider back to normal.

A'ren returned his mate's smile. He didn't really know all that was going on but it was definitely important.

T'tarel wrapped his shaking hands around one of the mugs. “Thank you, Weyrwoman,” he managed to say as he was slowly warming up. K'ron inclined his head to Lana as K'yar came bouncing in. It was hard to keep the brown rider down.

Lana glanced to A’ren and frowned that despite it having been weeks, K’ron had not forgiven her for what had happened with Nerlyn. Jena offered a smile to Lana as she accepted the mug and took several big gulps to stop her teeth chattering as she took off her soaked jacket.

“We were on sweep inland from Far Site and something was down there creating a mirror effect that kept catching our attention but the whole area felt strange,” Jena explained to the older riders.

T'tarel nodded as he sipped his klah. “It was very strange. It was like it was calling to us. It was very strange,” he agreed with Jena.

“Mirror effect?” K'ron repeated. “That doesn't make much sense. What could possibly cause that?”

Jena searched in her pockets and pulled out her emergency signaller to show exactly what she meant to the assembled group. “Anything shiny but it was raining hard so it was hard to make out and we listened to Kalaith’s order about landing over that area,” Jena explained.

“Over the ruins area?” Lana questioned glancing to A’ren and K’ron.

“Exactly there.” Jena slowly worked off her jacket tossing it to the floor leaving her a little less damp.

T'tarel reluctantly let go of his mug to shrug out of his own jacket. It helped a bit as he picked up his mug again. “Yeah it was odd,” he said.

A'ren frowned. “The ruins? What could possibly be there still? Thought it was all destroyed.”

“Guess we were wrong,” K'ron answered.

“Looks like we need to go and have a proper look,” Lana said darkly as she picked up her mug and took a long sip.

“Have you all been investigating there already?” Jena asked picking up the strange vibe between the Weyrleaders and K’ron. Something had happened that she had missed but she was asking now to get it out there.

K'ron nodded. “To be safe,” he agreed.

A'ren tapped his fingers on the table. “We want to be smart about it though,” he commented. They didn't really know what was out there and he didn't want to see any of the riders hurt. “A bit,” he answered Jena.

Lana sat next to A’ren and decided what they could tell Jena, K’yar and T'tarel. “Nerlyn had some sketches in old books from where she used to do sweeps when she was younger and it’s interested us but we were waiting for a better time.” Lana admitted in a gentle tone as she looked into her mug. Jena raised an eyebrow glancing to K’ron they had not spoken outside of the flight or wing meetings but it was hard to miss he was wound up.

“Sketches?” K'yar asked. “Leave it to Ner,” he smiled. Although when he looked over at K'ron his friend did not seem happy.

“What can we do to help?” T'tarel offered, his shaking finally starting to ease up. Although he was a little pale still.

“I'll go back,” K'ron answered. “See what is still there.”

“I can go with you.” Jena offered not missing the tensions that bringing up the Dophineer had caused. “Several of us can go making a proper search on the ruins.” She quickly glanced at A’ren as Weyrleader.

A'ren glanced at Lana. “A group would probably be smart. That way no one is there alone.” He didn't want anyone near those ruins by themselves.

K'ron bit back a retort. “Why don’t Nerlyn and I go? She knows those ruins and Tyreth will keep an eye on us as will Koda.”

Lana was not sure about Nerlyn going at all but she was not going to all out say no when K’ron was holding a grudge. “If she wants to go with the group of course but there is more than just yourself and Nerlyn.” Lana said backing A’ren and Jena up.

K'ron narrowed his eyes and just folded his arms over his chest. He was not at all acting himself.

K'yar cringed a bit. He had never seen his friend like that. “I'll go,” the brown rider offered. Maybe he could keep some peace.

A'ren sighed in frustration. Was this never going to end?

Jena said nothing. She was going to grab K’ron to work out what was going on but she had thrown out her want to go back and investigate. “Take F’cone, Calarya and Ni’hau as well. I am sure the Weyrleader will want to go as well as Jena and T'tarel.” Lana advised.

K'ron just nodded mutely. Not like anyone would listen to him anyhow.

“I would like to go back,” T'tarel agreed, still sipping on his klah. He really wanted to know what that reflection had been. He had never seen anything quite like it.

“Then it's settled. Once we talk to everyone we’ll plan to leave,” A'ren said.