Tojan jumped onto the dock first and helped tie up their rowboat. He then steadied the boat as the others climbed out. He and Jrasse had drawn children watching duty. So they would be last out. Of course, they only watched the younger ones. The ten turn olds and younger. He gave Jrasse a hand out and she smiled at him. Young Jrajan - well, not so young - followed her out and then most of the kids. He trusted Kindin would keep the other older kids safe. He realized with a start that he and Jrasse only had to care for five children this time. Last time, Spike - he still chuckled at the memory - had had a good few more. And the time before that, only three had been old enough to go on their own! Strange that we make only one stop a turn... he realized. Not so strange, actually. They stocked up well. The children - Defraf, Fenili, Stinilli, Stina and Wedani - crowded around him and Jrasse. They were eager to see the town but obviously had been terrified with stories. If stories could terrify them. They could scare Defraf but the other four? Two were Spike's offspring. Wedani was just plain strange and Fenili was a dare-devil. Jrasse looked at the children, "Alright, children, let's go find something to eat." she ushered. Good thing we only stop at Holds used to sailors coming in and wanting food. he observed. Tojan took up the rear of the little group and Jrasse led them through the stalls outside the Hold. Seemed a minor Gather was being held here. Would explain the dragons... Then, with a start, he noticed a large dragon colored like the setting sun. No one had mentioned where they were, but now he knew. Falas. *** Spike smirked to himself as everyone walked off in opposite directions. He knew where he was bound. "Rum and ale..." he whispered as he wandered through the stalls. A sign by a stall caught his attention. It was mug. Of ale. He headed over and purchased one such mug, grinning at the thought of finally having good ale. A pirate's life for me... his thoughts hummed. *** Jaiwen found himself a spot to sit - on an empty, over-turned crate - and set to taking notes. He rubbed his nose pensively. "You got a smudge." Frina? - no, Feina! - said pertly. Jaiwen blinked at her but rubbed his nose with a handkercheif, "Better?" he asked. The girl nodded and set to drawing again. Jaiwen smiled and continued his notes. *** Siena followed Fedrin and Hayden to the supplies place. Every sea-side Hold had one. Luckily. She fixed her tunic slightly, fretting under the odd looks some of the people were giving her. She was obviously a foreigner but they didn't have to stare! They reached the door and she zoned out. After all, this was 'men's buisness'. *** Spike leaned against the bar, "So.. What is the news around here?" he slurred. "Not much," another drunk replied, "The Genetic thingy's having its final clutch, though." "Genetic thingy?" yet another drunk asked. There are a lot of drunks here! Spike thought, swaying on his over-turned crate of a seat, Silly people, drinking too much. "Yeah, the dragon thing." a fourth - No, seventh! drunk said, "They get all sortsa wierd dragons from there!" "And wierd people!" was that a new person? He couldn't tell. "Wierd people?" Spike asked, blinking. "Well, yeah!" the stall-tender said, "They've got all kinds of people. Aliens and the like. They had a girl from the future at one point." "At one point? That was last clutch!" another man exclaimed. "Sh'got the pretty gold, remember?" Drunk One replied. "The white speckled 'un." Drunk Two said, not seeming so drunk now. "There were two o' those!" Drunk Three corrected. They keep up with the Weyr, it seems. he mused. Drunk Four - or Five - fell over, asleep, then. The others gave him surprised looks and took sips from their tankards. Spike looked at them blearily, "Has there ever been a pirate dragonrider?" he asked. "Nah!" all of them replied - Seventeen of 'em... he decided as they swam before his eyes. "Dragonriders're good, honorable folk." Stall-Tender said firmly. "Yeah, but wasn' there an escaped convict, a bunch o' fighters, vampires..." Drunk One rattled on. Spike grinned and waved his cup in the air, "I am going to be the first pirate dragonrider." he announced before promptly passing out. *** Kinali looked out at the streets, suddenly noticing how empty they were. A group of dragons flew overhead towards the water. She whirled and went to find Fedrin. We've been discovered! she thought frantically. She found Fedrin, Hayden and Siena rather easily. She grabbed Hayden's sleeve - since Fedrin was bargaining at the moment - and whispered into his ear, "I think they know." she said. Obviously Hayden did not need to ask who 'they' were. It was obvious. *** Setin stared as a group of large dragons flew towards him. A whole wing, if he wasn't mistaken. And the legendary white Zenith leading them. Ooooooooh, shaffit! his mind screamed, They're gonna arrest us! The dragons landed in the water and Setin decide to bluff. He went to the side of the ship, "Hello!" he called. One of the riders - he thought they were a special rider - gave him a surprised look. The Weyrleader - and Wingleader - gave him a cold look, "We've been told that this ship belongs to pirates." he said, "What's your buisness on Falas Island?" "We're simply planning to restock before we plunder some more innocent vessels, sir." Setin said innocently, "We also plan to burn the town to a crisp when we're done with it." A few of the dragonriders laughed at that and turned to their leader. He, however, did not laugh. He fixed Setin with his cold gaze - one he probably only reserved for wrong doers, "You listen here, boy, we have one of your crew." he said calmly, "He claimed he would be 'the first pirate dragonrider' before passing out." "Was he drunk?" Setin asked, leaning on the rampart. "Well, yes." K'man - everyone knew his name - said reluctantly. "There you have it, good Weyrleader." the fifteen turn old said brightly, "The man was drunk and believed he was a pirate!" The man's eyes took on a dazed appearance and then cleared. Setin thought he'd imagined it. He has to believe me... he thought frantically, He has! "Do normal sailors have pirate brands on their arms?" the dragonrider asked. Setin sagged against the side in despair, "No." he replied, trying to keep his face still. "So we have ourselves a pirate." he replied, "And that pirate is from this ship!" "How can you be sure?" Setin asked weakly. That made the dragonrider paused. Sure enough, there were plenty other ships. Who knew who had been on guard duty until today? He could be of any of the half dozen ships. The white dragon fixed him with an eye and Setin returned the look evenly, feeling smart. K'man looked at him, "If he is of your crew, boy, I fear for you." he said, "I fear greatly for you." back .:.:. continue