And then there were 22

[Akki]

Akki nodded and followed him, grabbing Sargon as he flew past her. "Come on Sargon, we better go see this.". Once they reached the commotion she stood a bit away from everything, careful not to get in the way. She watched as dragons circled, Kaith flew angrily and Christae, Nike and Ruanth flying towards the Queen. "Be careful." Akki whispered under her breath as she watched. She watched as Ebbeth circled underneath the browns with greens and other blues at his side, waiting nervously but patiently.

[Dragon]

He shouted to Hydrath, "Look where Ebbeth is. Join him Hydrath. You want to help your queen, your clutchmother, then go with those other blues". Hydrath heeded and joined next to Ebbeth, easily outsized by all the other blues but he cared not. K'dan wiped his brow and spoke, "Phew, got him to comply". Just then he saw Gerenath soar past them in a fit of rage. "There is Gerenanth, but where is G'han. Just then someone placed a hand on K'dan's shoulder and K'dan had seemed frozen in fear at the wet, cold hand on him. He turned to see G'han glaring up at his dragon, a hand on his and Akki's shoulder. "Sharding dragon. GERENANTH GET BACK HERE", he heard G'han say. "Answers that question", K'dan said.

[Tenma]

It was time. Go! The gold shouted to all of the helping dragons. She too darted into position. She felt her bonded, a small girl compared to her own size, squeezing her sides. Reinath did not mock Miya for being afraid, like they normally did to each other. There truly was a reason to be afraid.

The two then realized something. If they were to catch the queen, Miya would be in the way. I have to let you of Miyamine. Reinath said urgently.

There is no time. Catch her with the front of your body. I will move toward the back. Miya loosened her riding straps as much as she could. The girl then scooted backward on the dragon, but she could get far back enough. Miya unhooked the straps. She tied the edges around her ankles and held on tightly to the edges with her hands. It let her go further away, but she knew she was risking it.

[Torva Anian]

Into the chaos did little Kinest wander. A whole lot of yelling was going on and the dragons were riled as well. While he stuck to a piece of wall people continued to run by and eventually he learned that an egg had been stolen. He shook his head wondering why someone would steal an egg since they were all given the same chance. He sighed and watched everyone dashing around since he knew he couldn't help. He glanced up at the huge queen they were going to make sleep. Nope, no human could catch her he'd just wait for a while.
~~~~~~~~~
Lira made sure that Avith paid attention to all directions and followed all of them to the letter. Not that that was something to worry about. As long as that nosy dragon was in the thick of what was happening she would do anything to keep it that way. Lira nodded as she again checked their position in the net and made sure they were ready in case the golden queen fell through the bronzes.
~~~~~~~
S'dim was doing the same thing from the ground as Sildith had left him once he heard Kaith's bugle. He had glared as he saw his deadglow blue seem to flutter around caught in the queen's rage as if that would help. He sighed with relief as it seemed the junior queen's words got through his confusion and he went to the proper circle. Now all they had to do was wait and hope the bronzes caught the queen without any problems.

[Spirithawk]

Christae waited until they were close to Kaith. She knew that the little white could not get closer to the Queen without fouling both of their wings. Kaith's large wing span made it nearly impossible for any other dragon other than a small dragon like Ruanth. She knew that they would have her head for this but her dragon was in trouble.

"Nike, tell Myranenth that he and Sh'iron are in charge." The Weyrwoman unclipped the riding straps that attached her to the white. If she fell, the other dragons would catch her. She stood as best she could and when one of Ruanth's downstrokes coincided with Kaith' s upthrust, she jumped. She caught hold of one of Kaith's neck ridges, dangling precariously close to the Queen's beating wings. She hauled herself up and settled herself in between the gold's neck ridges. She could feel the anger coursing through the mighty dragon. For a few moments she felt like giving in to the rage that almost consumed her dragon but then she felt the weight of the sedative in her hand.

Kaith did not even realize that it was her rider on her back. She was too far gone in fury. She snaked her head around, intending to dislodge the rider from her back. Christae took that opportunity to inject the sedative into the hollow under the Queen's jaw. ~I am sorry Kaith~ The Queen roared and twisted to try to get the rider from her back. Christae barely held on, praying that the sedative would take effect quickly. She slipped on the dragon's freshly oiled hide and held on to the neck ridges, perilously close to falling.

[Akki]

She too felt the cold and wet hand on her shoulder, however she didn't know it was a hand. Oh no, she thought it was Sargon being annoying. She lifted her hand and smacked what ever laid on her shoulder. She turned her head to scold the flitt only to See G'han. "Oh. Shards. Sorry about the G'han." She said, apologizing before turning her attention to what was happening.

Akki watched in horror as Christae jumped off the white. When she dangled through the air time seemed to go past slowly, even though Akki knew a dragon would catch her quickly if she didn't make it, her breath still got caught in her throat. When the Weyrwoman grabbed on to the large Queen, hanging for a moment before pulling herself up. Akki breathed out slowly and watched as Christae was nearly thrown off Kaith, it seemed.

She wanted to shout at Ebbeth, tell him to go up there, but (Amazingly) common sense prevailed and pointed out that Ebbeth going up there would cause more disaster than there already was. Do not worry, if she falls she will be caught swiftly. We will not let harm come to her. Or Kaith, for that matter Ebbeth said quickly to his mine before shifting all his attention back on to the large Queen.

[Tenma]

Catch the queen! She shouted to the bronzes. She even told this to the other dragons so that they were prepared if anything were to go wrong.

Miya watched as Christae did similar to herself. The Sr. Queen undid the riding straps, but she left the white and jumped onto her queen. She knew that that was dangerous. As the sedative quickly took effect, Miya knew that Christae was in danger. There were enough dragons to catch the great queen without Reinath's help. Instead, she ordered Reinath to fly beside the falling Kaith.

Reinath did not argue, for she understood. With a few flaps of her wings the two flew close to the larger queen. Satisfied that the straps tied around her ankles were tight enough, Miya let go of the unhooked riding straps in her hand and reached out toward the Weyrwoman. "Take my hand." She instructed to her tutor.

***************

Siarath joined the net as the young queen barked out orders. Nira watched from below, where a slight smile spread across her face. Miya was growing into a fine Queen-rider. Her smile quickly disappeared as she watched in horror as Miya left the range of her riding straps, and Kaith leaped onto Kaith. The queen-riders were going to get themselves killed! Nira began to chew on her fingernails as she hoped for the best for the two daredevils.

[Dragon]

He raised an eyebrow when Akki slapped his hand. "It's ok Akki", he said to her. He started hobbling toward the direction that his dragon took off in. "Gerenanth you dimglow I will massacre you", He said angrily. Yeah he really didn't appreciate that little drop Gerenanth did to him. He regained his composure and started to walk straighter. Azure flew from K'dan's shoulder onto G'han as the two went on their way. G'han glared as he walked in the general direction of his dragon who just seemed to keep flying off. He finally drew up enough anger as he shouted at Gerenanth one last time that the dragon stopped. Gerenanth really had his rider mad now. He hadn't been this angry at him. "Land now you impudent bronze. How dare you block me out and not listen to me. Your help is sorely needed", G'han said with the same amount of anger. The bronze landed with a huff and G'han mounted again and took off and headed towards the other bronzes. With enough luck he could still make it in time to help. "Oh we will talk about this later. Right now you help out your queen", G'han said spitefully as they joined the other bronzes to help the queen. Gerenanth knew he was in trouble now but put the thought away to focus on helping now.

[nike]

Nike leaned down close to Ruanth as Christae undid the straps, and jumped onto Kaith.
Get us out of here! Nike told Ruanth. The white darted up, and took a thermal. Soon, the little white was the highest dragon in the air. Nike leaned down, watching the events going on. The Healer had told Myranenth that he and Sh'iron were in charge, and hoped that everything would turn out alright. Zim and Crystal hovered beside her shoulders. A gasp came out of her mouth as she say Miya reach out to Christae. Didn't she know how dangerous that was? But yet, it was an act of bravery. Nike did now have respect for the young queen rider. If only Miya could keep that respect.

††††††††††

Sh'iron nodded as he got the orders from Nike, and told the other bronzes the movements that would be needed. Myranenth flew upwards just as Kaith started to sleep. The Bronze was the first one to touch the queen, then a few of the other bronzes came around to help. Two other bronzes flew ontop of the queen to hold her shoulders, making sure that she wouldn't roll. The Weyrleader's heart was racing as he watched Christae risk her life by jumping to Kaith, and then sedating her queen.
The Bronze rider closed her eyes, and calmed himself down.

[Kandarra]

Amparath was one of the first bronzes to fly under the queen to support her. T'rin had scooted back in his straps, loosening them much as other riders had done, so that he wouldn't be crushed. The great bronze huffed with effort, but he said nothing. Determination emanated from his mental self, and T'rin knew better than to distract him.

Instead, which he soon realized was a mistake, he watched the great queen as she fell through the air, senseless and unable to support herself. That was when it really hit him just how dangerous this was. His hands shook so much that it was difficult to maintain a grip on the riding straps; his fingers didn't want to close for longer than three seconds. However, he took several deep breaths, and as he was looking down, he saw the safety nets of the other dragons, and felt a bit better. He let the final deep breath whoosh out, and steeled himself against the knot that had settled in his chest.

[Spirithawk]

((umm i should have told you guys this but technically if you scoot back on your dragons, you will be crushed. You are supposed to be as far up on their necks as you can and lean down flat....the rescued dragon should be resting on the back of the dragon behind the wings))

Kaith let out a sleepy bugle as her wings refused to work. Her inner lids closed over her whirling eyes as they slowed in intensity. Her outer lid closed and the Queen was asleep. She dropped only a few feet before the other dragons caught her.

Christae wanted to shout at Miya for risking her Queen like that but she knew that what the pair had done took courage and she felt pride swell in her heart for her pupils. She pulled her knees up and braced them against the side of Kaith's neck as she felt the Queen's muscles go slack. She freed one hand and reached out to the younger goldrider. Then she pushed off and caught her arm in a vise-like grip as her momentum carried her closer to the smaller gold.

"Tell Reinath to move now! Kaith is about to drop." No sooner had she spoken then the Queen's wings folded up. Christae reached up and grabbed one of Reinath's neck ridges to take her full weight off of Miya. After both Queenriders were safely on Reinath's back, Christae squeezed Miya's shoulder. "That was stupid of you, stupid, but brave and I thank you. Kaith could have dropped before I jumped clear and there was no way the bronzes could catch her with me still on her back. I couldn't get to her from Ruanth. I had to jump. You did well. You took the initiative to take that risk with no orders from anyone else. Miya, there, you truly acted like a weyrwoman. You are almost ready to take your place as Jr. WW and I couldn't be prouder."

"Reinath, thank you for keeping the other dragons from panicking when Kaith went under but do not be any less firm now. We need to lower her, all of the dragons need to lower themselves as one. The browns need to lower their circle until they are near the blues and greens and then transfer *between*. Tell them to use the Star Stones as their focal point. After the bronzes are close to the blues and greens, they are to do the same as the browns."

"Then I will need the bronzes to carefully transfer *between* with Kaith. They have to go to the Hatching Cavern. There I a wide space of sand that no eggs are on. They have to transfer there and then lay her gently down. Do not place her near enough to the eggs that she will thrash and break them but she needs to wake near them in case we cannot return her missing egg before she wakes up."

[Tenma]

((Oh.))

Miya quickly took hold of Kaith's hand and squeezed tightly, for she didn't want to lose the Weyrwoman. She pulled as the Weyrwoman jumped, to help get her on to Reinath's neck. She waited a few moments before letting go of the Weyrwoman's hand and when she did so, Miya quickly turned around to face forward.

Miya urged Reinath onward and Reinath swooped away as the large gold dragon fell.

She listened quietly to the lecture and gratitude, without seeming to care. “I had to do, what I had to do." She said simply, feeling tired just watching the queen fall asleep. It was a good thing Reinath had woken her, even though she continually ignored and replied angrily to the gold.

It is okay, Mine. You were tired. You can call it payback for those cranky mornings when I was a hatchling. Reinath commented. She gave a brief dragon-like smile before she heard Christae's orders. The smile went away as her brain concentrated on her job and what she had to tell the others.

We now must move our sleeping Sr. Queen. All dragons much lower. Each circle must move as one so that Kaith may remain safe. The browns must lower until the near the blues and greens. They will then go between to the Star stones. When the bronzes near the blues and greens, the blues and greens must then go between, using the same focal point as the browns. Then the bronzes must carefully go between while holding Kaith. They are to come out in the Hatching Cavern on a wide space of sand away from the eggs. She needs to be lowered far enough from the eggs that she won't accidentally break them. Reinath ordered as Christae had told her to. Miya once again helped Reinath to be strong.

"Where would you like Reinath to take you?" Miya asked in an empty voice. The urge to sleep was crawling upon her now that most of the excitement and danger was over.

[Spirithawk]

((hold of Kaith's hand? i think you guys are mixing up Christae and Kaith...a few of you put Kaith instead of Christae))

Christae watched with bated breath as the dragons began to descend. She heard Miya's question with only half a mind. She felt cut off, oddly alone. Kaith's mental presence had been a strong influence in her life since she had hatched about three Turns ago. Now she felt empty. The Queen's imposing presence was no longer in her mind. She felt strange.

"I want to make sure that she is safe. I need to go to the Hatching Grounds after the blues and greens leave. You can have Reinath transfer to the Queens and bronze teirs and land me. Then you and Reinath can rest, you did well."

Christae wanted to touch her Queen, to make sure that she was well. She hated not being able to sense her dragon in her mind and she wanted that reassurance. She knew that it was childish but she wanted to. She also wanted Sh'iron. She knew that he had probably been scared and would probably be mad at her for her daredevil stunt but she didn't care. She wanted to run to his arms after she checked her Queen and just cry. She wanted to cry out of fury and anguish. Fury because her beloved dragon's child had been stolen and anguish because she had had to sedate her dragon. She didn't want anyone else to see her weakness though.

[Tenma]

((Sedation just puts a dragon to sleep. So wouldn't she still sense her dragon's presence? She just couldn't talk with the queen.))

[Spirithawk]

((as deep a sleep as it is she woudn't feel her presence..its not a real sleep so there is no consciousness...its like she would be blacked out...technically she is...i read about it in one of the books...i think the Skies of Pern))

[Dragon]

G'han leaned as far forward as he could as the queen dropped. Gerenanth was right after Amaparath in going under the queen to support her.~Hold steady Gerenanth~, G'han said to his dragon in a now less harsher tone. ~Wait for the orders and do exactly what you are told to do~, G'han said, now a bit more sternly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

K'dan watched wide eyed at the actions of the two queen riders. All of it was very risky and yet they pulled it off. Perhaps he could say Miya earned a little respect from him but then again he knew she despised him and belittled him so he wouldn't say that for sure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

R'dal watched the two as well. "Bold and brave, they can be the makings of a fine Weyrwoman", he said to himself, impressed by what they had done. Though it wasn't completely over yet, just the worst part it seemed.

[Tenma]

As the bronzes lowered to reach the green and blues Siarath went between. She appeared above the star stones along with many other who had been helping.

*********************

Once the greens and blues had gone between Miya sent mental images to Reinath. The two concentrated greatly, for they were both still pretty new to going between. Then, in a split moment, they disappeared into the freezing nothing of between. It was only a short moment before they arrived above the hatching stands. It was still dark out, but Reinath could see just fine.

Reinath soared over to the Queens' and bronzes' tiers, just as Christae had asked. She landed steadily and crouch down, extending her foreleg so that the Weyrwoman could get off.

[Dragon]

Hydrath went between and appeared with Siarath and the other blues and greens. Hydrath grumbled in frustration. First an egg had been stolen and now his clutchmother had been sedated, out cold. His grumbling became louder and louder. Hydrath wasn't pleased at all. K'dan watched as his blue and other blues and greens went between. He could feel his dragon's frustration about all this. ~I know Hydrath. I feel the same, don't worry though. This will all clear up soon....I know it~, he tried to comfort his dragon, though it did little. K'dan sighed as he realized he wasn't going to get through to him so easily.

[nike]

Myranenth closely listened to the young queen which he sired, and then told his rider.
Well go on and do it! The Weyrleader urged his dragon on.
As one, all the bronzes slowly lowered Kaith, carefuly not to jar her. Sh'iron's eyes were darting back between Kaith's bulk above him, the dragons around him, and Christae riding apon Reinath. He swallowed, making sure that she was alright. If not, he didn't know whta to think.

Then all the bronzes were ready to take Kaith /between./ Sh'iron nodded, and gave the order for the dragons to go to the Hatching Grounds. Now, he longed for Nike's ability to hear all the dragons, and whers. Then he could command the dragons without replying through Myranenth.
Alright! We are going /between/ in three, two, NOW! Sh'iron told the bronzes, and then the mass of dragons, five bronzes could hold Kaith up safely, went /between./

They all appeared above the Hatching Grounds, and from the order of Sh'iron through Myranenth, lowered the queen to the grounds. The bronzes on the bottom landed, and the top two bronzes helped Kaith roll off the top of the lower ones. Myranenth crouched down quickly to let his rider off, and then started to move his mate. The other bronzes left the grounds, and then their riders peeked into the sands.

Sh'iron took off his riding gear, and deposited them on the stands, then looked for Christae. His face showed anger, worry, hate, fear, and much more. Blue eyes spotted his gold rider mate on Reinath as the young queen landed. The Weyrleader stalked over to the queen, and seeing Christae's face made his heart jump. He wanted to comfort his mate.

††††††††††††††

Nevvanikea sighed, and watched the bronzes take Kaith down, and then /between,/
The tension in her shoulders relaxed, and she relaxed.
Let's go down and see what happened. The healer told her dragon.
The white nodded. Should we go to K'dan and Hydrath?
Yes, I think I could use a good cup of klah with K'dan. Go on!
Ruanth banked down, and glided to the group of blues and greens by the starstones.
Hydrath! Tell K'dan that I would like to have a cup of klah with him. Met us in the Weyr Bowl.

Ruanth landed down on the ground. I want you to keep trying to contact the firelizards about the theif.
Yes, the firelizards will stay with me, they fear Kaith and Reinath at the moment. the white launched herself back to the rim, and the firelizards of the Weyr huddled around her. Zim, wanted soothing from her bonded, landed on Nike's shoulder. The Healer waited for K'dan.

[Dragon]

K'dan is already in the weyrbowl. I will tell him and go there. Hydrath didn't think about further orders but left for the weyrbowl. The dragon did have the tendency to be absent minded alot, even more so than his rider sometimes. Hydrath relayed the message to K'dan who nodded in agreement and waited for his mate and his dragon to come to him. With all that was going on and the big part Nike took in it he would be sure to give her the loving comfort she needed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gerenanth went between with the other dragons and landed Kaith onto the sands and got out from under the queen and flew off to the side. G'han got off Gerenanth and the dragon winked between and would end up in their weyr on the ledge. G'han gave a long glance to the two gold's, the bronze of the Weyrleader, and the Weyrleaders and Miya. He nodded to them and headed off, out of the sands. He walked slowly to his weyr. His anger with Gerenanth had settled now but he still wanted to straighten him out.