Baalthazar (bahl-te-zarh) and Luena (left and right, obviously)

Baalthazar is a 22 year old guard in Blackstone's service. Luena is 24, and has graduated past her husband's ability and now teaches those techniques they use to younger guard-trainees.

Baalthazar is a tall, skinny young man, with a quick wit and a wry smile. His green metallic BlackBottomed hair matches his eyes somehow, no one asks how it got that way. (Those wacky blackbottom scientists using their Goo - you never know what your hair will do after they put it on you, but it'll last forever... and it passes to your kids...)

Luena has a good strong body and has always prided herself on her looks. She is fierce, but also quite passionate and perhaps a little over-friendly. Her hair is in fact Blackbottomed too, but in a dark graphite shade which she likes to match in her clothing. Her eyes are green, like Baalt's.

Luena and Baalthazar met many years ago, and competed for their guardian spots together, however since Luena was older and stronger, she often won any physical trials before he did. Luena is an expert at tactics, having been taught by Sk'y, and Baalt is learning those ropes quickly. She thinks that some of Baalt's sword techniques are a bit sloppy, and always nudges him or clears her throat when he does something she thinks could have gone better.

They both practice with really sharp swords, but they are also both expert in crossbows, whips, bolos, maces, staves, and short weapons. Baalthazar prefers weapons like a long sword or even the occasional spear, while Luena likes getting up close with a mace or baton - she likes smashing stuff.

The smashing of the weaponry provided a bit of a rhythm, in the big training hall. So into their work, the students didn't notice that they were performing a grand dance. At least, in the eyes of Luena Black, they were. She gazed with those brilliant green eyes over her charges. Two dozen young recruits - most of them would only stay as long as the winter, since they were then needed on their farms and homesteads for the planting and crop collection during spring and summer. Harvest time brought all kinds of late excuses for the classes, but also a lot of strong young men and women into the class.

Luena leaned against a pole axe, one of those things which she could swing around with authority. Only a few other women could really heft the thing, it wasn't for little girls. But Luena didn't judge a woman or a man on their ability to lift big heavy things. That was show-off stuff. She would judge them by their performance with their chosen weapon, and she would be able to tell if they were ready to graduate or be set back another season.

It was good to have so many recruits who had experience on the fields. Even tending crops led to a strong body, big arms, a good grip. Some of the men had a bit of swinging experience, using scythes and such to cut the crops. She exploited their experiences, noticing which man had the better swing, or which woman could dance around spearpoints with a rapier and still get in to do damage.

Not that there was a tremendous amount of fighting going on anywhere, but it was always something good to know. Especially if there came bandits or invasions - the first a bit more likely than the second.

"Okay, okay, break it up!" Luena cried out, watching a pair of guys who had it in for each other since the day they'd met. The big black one was just about ready to chop the taller and leaner burgandy-headed upstart's legs out from under him, and casualties in her class were not tolerated.

The men parted, grudgingly, and went to opposite sides of the big room. Light streamed in from around the top of the west and north walls. There were big horizontal windows set into the carved stone walls, and on their opposite sides were large mirrors which amplified the light which did come in. It tended to get warm in the room, though, and Luena called a time out for everyone to get some water and refresh themselves. The two angry men still glowered at each other from across the room.

"Boys, boys," Luena said, sharply, "go get yourselves cleaned up. If you're too angry to listen to your instructions, you're of no use to anyone. Not even yourselves. Tan -" she addressed the redhead, "you head out the south door. Nimar, you leave east. Do as I say and come back tomorrow without that urge to kill each other, or don't come back at all."

While the other students rubbed their shoulders, or soothed their hands with cold water and splashed their faces to get clean, the pair of angry young men left the room, still growling. While they left, another tall skinny guy came in. Luena grinned.

"Just in time for the talking," she said, "As usual."

"I'm not all talk, dear," Baalthazar smirked. "But a good word can win a fight just as a sword blow can."

"Except that a sword can stop that word before it starts," Luena swung the polearm to just near her husband's throat, he didn't flinch, "and a word can also start more fights than a sword could."

"I hate it when they start doing philosophy..." Grumbled one of the students quietly. The gathering settled down, seating themselves into relaxed poses and some continued to rub their weary muscles.

"Now that you're all worn out, it's time for you to sit and listen to the words of wisdom coming from our own tacticians in the weyr..." Baalthazar said. "You all know that your training won't count for much if you aren't aware of your surroundings. You can be the best swordsman or woman," he dutifully nodded to Luena, "but if you don't know who your enemy is, you will be struck down before you have a chance to unsheathe your weapons."

Baalthazar had their attention, except for one or two of the more dull-witted. They wouldn't become guardians anyway, so he didn't much worry. If they started interrupting it would be a different story, but for now he let them sit with that glazed look. Too many syllables could lose those types...

"Many of you have run into bandits stealing your crops, or wares at festivals," Baalthazar stated, and waited for the nodding of agreement. Some were far more enthusiastic about their memories. He singled one out, "Kelma? You're nodding your head off. Did you have a bandit story you'd like to share?"

Surprised, but taking him seriously, Kelma stood and related a tale of her farm being *almost* sacked by a group of angry, hungry bandits. "I was too young to lift a weapon then, but I know now. They run in packs, but they think they're big even when there are only one or two of them."

"That's a good point - And here's how to exploit that." Baalthazar spoke and got the attention of even the dullards in the back. His story explained that distraction is easy when it's your own territory, when you know the lay of the land, or the floor plan of the homestead. Even one person could fend off a group, if properly aware and attuned to their surroundings. "So Kelma, what would you have done, if you had been bigger?"

He hoped her answer was going the way he had instructed. He wasn't disappointed. "I'd have snuck down to the cellar, and come up outside. I could block their exits and even though they'd have the run of the house, I'd be able to choose when they leave. And I could call for help too, then. They'd be too busy looking for loot - and I'd be sending one of the brats out for help."

"I'd'a whacked em!" Someone said, punching his fist into his palm.

"And..." Baalthazar said, unimpressed, "what would have happened when you were set upon by the other three you didn't see coming?"

"I'd take out their leader! Bandits is stupid that way!" He asserted. His friends nodded. They were bound to be trouble - Baalthazar wondered if they weren't already here to *become* bandits...

"Sadly," Baalthazar said, "that's not always true. It can be, but don't count on it. Most bandits will want the power of being the leader - and if they see the opportunity, they'll use your actions against their own friends, to their advantage. Plus -- there's no reason to become a murderer, over a pantry."

"No reason to become a victim either," Luena said, "so be aware of how your homes and farms might be attacked - if there are weak points, or places you can't see directly from your home, remember those places might be used as attack points. Or, hiding places," she nodded to Kelma.

"Making bandits and invaders aware that they're being watched," Baalthazar said, "is pretty important too. If they know that the farm they're trying to raid has a strong, alert guard, then they're more likely to hit a place that doesn't have those things. It's your job to keep your families safe, so pay attention and keep up the good work."

Luena and Baalthazar let the class go, for the day. Both of them had their 'pleased with themselves' look, and laughed at one another for it.

"What kept you? You usually show up earlier than that," Luena asked.

"I was busy getting something out of storage. And then," he grinned widely, "I ran into a search rider. There's a search on for a new weyr - how they find us here is beyond me, but they still do."

"I thought only the records room had information about searches. You mean to say that someone's blundering all the way to Alskyr for an old-world search?"

"Well you don't see too many of our guys on Alskyran dragons, do you? Maybe they know we're happier on those dragons." Baalthazar shrugged, and then put his skinny arm over his wife's shoulders. Hugging her to his side, and tolerating her sharp fingers tickling his ribs, he walked her outside.

On the wide courtyard area that had been constructed especially for such landings, there were two dragons, a blue and a green. They were handsome dragons as well - their riders seemed happy and confident to have come so far to look for their candidates.

But then again, and it seemed to occur to both Luena and Baalthazar at the same time, Blackstone had always been good for candidate potential - any weyr usually had its share of brats being shunted off to other places to come back with a fine dragon.

Luena gazed at the green, smiling to herself. It would be so much cooler to ride and be able to scare the crap out of bandits on a dragon... Baalthazar caught her grin, and nudged her. "You want to ask if they'll sniff us over?" He asked, and tossed his green hair from his eyes. "I mean, it's worth a try."

"I'm too old for bonding," Luena said, slightly guarded. Her heart pounded though - what if she could stand? Having been at a weyr all her life was one thing, and being exposed to the dragons every day... But she had never strayed onto the sands. She'd attended hatchings, sure. But ... Not one of her own.

"Yeah, maybe. Maybe not. I think you're just right. And what would happen if we both got --"

One of the riders, the woman on the green, was staring at them both. In fact, so was her dragon. She approached, and noticed the way that both "blackbottoms" carried themselves, with an air of confidence and surety. Poise and strength showed from Luena, while intelligence and canniness came from Baalthazar. They both watched the woman approach.

"I couldn't help but notice you two. I'm Danelle, and this is Moranth. We're from Draco's Inferno. I guess you heard there's a clutch and we're on search." Baalthazar nodded happily. "Well, yes..." She turned her eyes back to her dragon, Moranth. The green gave a little bugle and nudged her blue partner in Searching.

"It seems that you two could go to stand on our sands." She hesitated while looking at Luena, "I don't know if you're still ..."

"Of an appropriate age?" Luena said, nodding, "I know... But... Well, if they're saying I'm going, I'm going all right!"

"There is a gold on the sands," Danelle stated, and Luena's heart nearly stopped.

"I don't know if I could even try for that..." Luena said, and Baalthazar furrowed his narrow black eyebrows.

"Lu, you're surely gold rider material. I mean, you're a take-charge type."

"That is not always everything that is needed," Danelle warned carefully, "but any strong woman on the sands might attract just the right dragon. Who knows? Maybe it would be gold, but who but the dragons can say? I'm perfectly happy with Moranth, and she with me. So..."

"I could hope for a female," Luena said, grinning. "Or maybe you could, Baalt," she nudged him, "go for one to match your hair..." She laughed, trying to throw off the nervous excitement.

"We've got to tell the weyrleader. They'll be needing to get substitutes for the guardian classes." Baalthazar said, "but when should we be ready to go?"

"Any time," the green rider stated, "we're going to be needing a couple more candidates and the eggs are relatively soft still."

"Good," Luena said, "that will give me some time to work up a list of troublemakers in that blasted class..." They left the ledges, and went off to do just those very things. It half surprised Luena that Baalthazar hadn't said something snide about her green riding comment - and she wondered...

If not a gold - what about brown? What about a blue? If her husband rode green that would still keep them a proper pair! She laughed to herself while writing out a list of who-hates-whom and which persons needed a bit more work here and there.

Baalthazar wandered to the weyrleader's offices, where he unsurprisingly ran into both Sk'y and H'lis. He wheedled Sk'y back into his teaching mode, and got H'lis to agree to let them go for up to the two years it would take their dragons - if they bonded - to grow. But H'lis also hinted that they might come back 'just in time...'

***

"I can't believe it, we're actually here..." Luena said, girlish excitement running over her otherwise womanly demeanor.

Baalthazar grinned, and hugged his wife, "At least they're allowing us to room together for the time being..."

"For now," she said, rolling her eyes. "But what about when the dragons come to us?"

"If -" he started to say, but Luena stopped him.

"Of course they will. H'lis wouldn't have sent us if he didn't think we'd bond. Would he?"

"I suppose not..."

When the call went out that the hatchlings were breaking shell, it was late at night and the great crooning of the queen and the other adult dragons could be felt more than heard.

They arrived with the rest of the white-robed candidates - most much younger than they were. But both watched in awe and were pleased to see a brown and a blue hatch first. Then the pair of them began digging out the other eggs - there had only been five visible, after all, but now there seemed to be enough to go around.

The blue bonded quickly, after that, and then the brown wandered around until he looked upon Baalthazar.

What's a sword? My name's Zallath by the way.

Happy, stunned, and suddenly filled with the curiosity and wonder of the hatchling brown, Baal said, "You'll know what a sword is soon enough, Zallath!" Then he led the large brown away to the headwoman's table where there was plenty of meat to feed the hungry hatchling.

Her heart pounding, Luena watched, enthralled, as the other dragons came from their shells and bonded. There was a bronze next, then the queen egg. She bonded, and the other candidates who would stand for that egg alone almost left, but for two others which broke open after it - yeilding a black and a white each! Luena gasped in awe, they were amazing.

A green bonded to one other girl nearby, and then several eggs broke open at once. The blue bonded to a boy, and then a small green snuck out of a crack in her shell. She tried to see where her bond was, but couldn't. Her mind entered Luena's, firm but worried.

Luena! Where are you? I can't see you!

"Here I am, Chrysanth," Luena said and soothed the fretful green as she came around the other candidates. Satisfied with her bond, and suddenly wondering at the level of hunger coming from the hatchling, Luena also headed to the meat table.

Now I can help you scare those bandits stupid!

Laughing, Luena assured Chrysanth that they'd be able to use totally new tactics against any opponent!

The feast that was held in honor of the bonders later on kept both dragons vaguely awake, but they remained quiet in the barracks with their clutchmates. Luena and Baalthazar saluted one another, their companions, and the riders of the sire and dam of the clutch, and dug in. Their dragons hunger was sated, and now the humans had good reason to celebrate!

***

"Do you think we'll be able to fly tonight?" Baalthazar asked the weyrling master, who shook his head.

"No, and don't get it into your head that you can, either. Tonight's a dangerous windy night to be trying out wings on a weyrling. Even though your forms are great on the ground," he looked at the class filled with eager young riders but disappointed expressions, "Not one of you is experienced enough to get on and stay on in this weather."

That was that. Or... was it? Luena twiddled with her riding tack, tapping her foot on the stone floor in their shared den. They were allowed to keep it when it looked as though their rather physical attraction to one another wasn't distracting their dragonets at all. It seemed like exactly the right thing for them, in fact, to remain together. The dragons assumed their riders would be distressed if they were parted.

"I can't believe that guy. But I don't know whether to prove him wrong or prove him right." She snarled. Obviously unhappy as her husband was, Luena had the temper to keep herself under control.

Chrysanth wanted to fly, though. The green trilled and cooed at her rider, until her brown clutch mate gave off an angry snort.

They will not fly - we will not fly. It is dangerous and you heard the weyrling master man.

But he does not know how hard it is to remain on the ground, when we have wings!

Surprised, Zallath gazed at his rider. She speaks the truth, you well know.

"So he knows too, because he's a rider, Zall. We can't assume that he's never wanted to do something stupid like... What are you doing, Lu?"

"What's it look like I'm doing, Baal? I'm suiting up and getting the leathers snug. They'll be getting wet out there. I think I hear someone calling for their son - he must have wandered out into the storm."

The males looked at one another, unsure if she was lying or really had heard such a thing. But they didn't question it, and they didn't ask for confirmation from Chrysanth - they got ready to fly!

***

The strong brown and green dragons arrived chilled to the bone but rather pleased to see the landscape below them after they exited the Nexus. Their new home, Kshau Isle near Paniya, on the world of Alskyr.

Their riders had done nothing but talk about this place, from the moment the dragons were allowed to begin teleporting. It was always "we'll see this place here," and "you won't believe the diving from this cliff there."

If anything, Zallath and Chrysanth took them to Alskyr just to get Baal and Lu to shut up.

Do not get us wrong,Zallath announced as they found a nice warm beach to lay upon, but we want a little peace and quiet too.

Just a little. Go ... go train someone to sword fight. We will come back later. Shoo.

The pair of riders just watched their dragons float away on the air. Zallath dove into the warm waters, then shortly his green companion did the same.

"Well, I guess they like it here," Luena said with a grin.

"They hardly have a choice," Baalthazar laughed. "I suppose that taking them up on that offer is right, too."

"We've got bandits to chase and kids to instruct," Luena cheered.

"Let's get to it!"