Tabo Saito, originally written around 2001 (late?)

Oldest son of the Saito family, with younger sisters Mika and Alera. Tabo is a 20 year old recordskeeper who abandoned the life in Dawnlight for the Eden's Gate freedoms. When he was only 18 years old, he left the guilds of education at the House, which has sealed his fate so far as they are concerned. His parents and sisters have kept in contact with him, however they do so at risk of being sent Outcast from the House.

Tabo is a handsome tall young man, with his stunning green eyes he captivates his friends and often gathers young women around him. His voice is deep and pleasant, and he is usually smiling.

His education strongly veered toward the actual history of Dawnlight and its people, which obviously was of no use to keep him in the House according to the current leadership. Once he sought to speak out against their rather supressive ways, he was sent Outcast. Proudly he wears a black headband (barely visible against his vibrantly black hair), and he still wears it even in Eden's Gate where such things only mark him as a former Dawnlight citizen.

Tabo enjoys teaching young children, he is best at it with groups that have usually escaped the typical teaching formats -- in other words he enjoys teaching hard-to-teach kids.

He teaches about the change from the old world to the new, a facet which disturbs most people because they simply don't remember being anywhere other than where they are now. It is that fact that leads searchers to him, he is adept at knowing where and when he is in relation to his home at all times.

He was searched not long after his 16th birthday, by one of the Blackstone dragons. They had hoped to keep him on their sands, but since the transfer to Alskyr obviously they did not have the chance. They have shunted him to another worthy weyr.

Bonder at Starburst Weyr

The search riders stood around and conferred, while their blue dragons were climbed upon and gawked at by the local Eden's Gate kids. Tabo walked out from the schooling rooms they had built, and looked at them. He recognized A'rd's Trelerth, of course, as he was the blue who had searched him four years before. But the other was a stranger, a bulky dragon of impressive stature and noble bearing.

The dragon took the hands-on approach of the children of Eden's Gate with ease. That was good, because it was likely that the kids weren't going to back off any time soon. Tabo clapped his hands and tried to get their attention, but all he really did was get the two blues to turn their heads in unison.

It is all right, Tabo, they like us. I like children. A'rd's children have grown, did you know that?

"I didn't..." Tabo said, aware that it was very odd that a dragon would speak to someone other than their rider. Trelerth did so without hesitation. "I haven't seen them in ages. How are you doing, Trel?"

I am well. This is Xenith, a search dragon like me. Don't you think he's handsome with the pale blue hide?

"I think so, where is he from?" Tabo asked, looking at the lighter blue. Trelerth was gushing about his new friend. They did not do much combat, these dragons, since they were caught up in searching for candidates. It suited Trel, Tabo wondered about Xenith.

He is from Starburst weyr, it is a fine new place. I think that you should go there.

Startled, Tabo said, "but -- I've just started working with this group of children... Who would teach them?"

At that, A'rd and Xenith's rider Damad turned to look at the tall yellow-skinned man. "He's devoted to the children of this place," A'rd commented. "Has been for quite a while. It's a good trait, I think."

Tabo was slightly distressed. "But... A'rd, I realize that I've been searched and all, but ... the kids..." He waved his hand at the group of young children. Some of them had been orphaned when the Protectorate moved -- their parents were either too far away or too entrenched in their old world to come along. Some were simply problem kids, unable or unwilling to sit still for any length of time. Tabo's easy personality and smooth voice always calmed them down.

A'rd knew the way he did it, for he had a similar power but with animals. The empathic Tabo hardly knew his own strengths. A'rd pulled Tabo toward him, draping his arm over the man's shoulders. "Tabo, the children will be here. You can come back and be here only barely after you leave. If you learn right... And I can make sure that you do."

"You mean travel through time and space? I don't know... Sounds risky."

"Tabo, have you ever wondered how you know your way around the grounds here?" A'rd asked, mysteriously. Tabo shrugged. "Well, Sk'y and T'shen tell me that you're very gifted their way, only you've never sought training. If you want them to help you, I'll send them to Starburst with you."

"They're experienced riders!" Tabo exclaimed. "They hardly have time for me. Do they know you're offering to do this?"

"They offered it," A'rd said. "I don't think you need it, you just need to know what you can and can't do. You're very ..." A'rd tilted his head in thought, "very anchored. You will be able to return to this very place and time, if you want to. Only," he winked, "you'll come back with a dragon, I know it. And wouldn't that be the best thing for the children?"

"But you haven't -- What about T'shen and Sk'y? Why would they be willing to come with me?"

A'rd laughed, "first off, they're bored out of their skulls. Since the Protectorate moved, most fighting riders have had nothing to do but patrol for the Alskyran dragons. T'shen looks through the nexus all the time, and his father aided him learning how to find things through between-spaces. I bet you'd be good at it too."

Tabo shook his head, smiling weakly. "I really don't know what you mean. But I think I should go to this hatching and come back, I'll remember where and when I am. I know that much -- I remember the teachings about how to orient by the stars and everything."

"Then you learned from the same books as I did, and it's a good thing you left Dawnlight. They'd have burned those books if they found them."

Tabo grinned like a cat, and tossed his head at the school building. "Well, it's a good thing I took those books with me when I left, huh? They can't burn what they don't have." He sighed, "it means someone else won't be able to read the histories, but if they're that interested they'll find me, and I'll teach them anyway."

A'rd nodded, and finally pulled the children away from his dragon. "Well, you go with Damad. He'll take you to Starburst and you try to concentrate on impressing a dragon who will do what you need them to do. I hear there's a white in the clutch!"

Damad tisked and waved his hands, "now don't go counting your golds before they've impressed..." He said, "we MIGHT have a white. And besides, you don't think a blue would suit our teacher friend here?"

I think a blue would be a great addition! Trelerth spoke into their minds, excited, and the men all laughed.

The new weyr was bright, filled with young people. Tabo eagerly sought out the teachers and the song writers, feeling at home with them. He also found that the children of the place (few though there were at this point) looked for him and waited, wanting stories and getting an education that they'd never forget.

The soft spoken man smiled at them when the time came to run down to the hatching sands. They would get their chance, he promised them!

The first egg to hatch was a green, a nice fighting dragon! Then a brown, bronze and another green hatched. It was when the first blue of the Gold-White clutch hatched that Tabo perked up. He felt something... Dizzying him.

The blue picked up one foot and then the other, but then he seemed to forget that his hindquarters needed to work at the same time, and he fell to his belly. At last, he found his feet, made them walk, and strode up to the boys. He promptly tripped over Tabo's feet.

Oh! Sorry Tabo! I am Setsanith.

"You know that I'm not angry at you!" Tabo said. Mentally, he felt how truly apologetic the little blue was, and in fact... he could sense the hunger, elation and fear in the candidates as well as the other hatchlings. This was the first time that his empathy truly woke in him. He was almost overwhelmed. But there was a clear voice among the others: Setsanith. He smiled, picked the blue up, and took him to their new den.