Aboard the Zekiran generation ship are many very odd people. Few are as true to their name sake as Wildstorm, however. Born to Nocturne and Tresis, this is one immortal who continues to love life from the moment she was born.

She is a very tall and slender woman, with the tail of Tani's descent, long sharp nails on toes and fingers, and the long non-tech elf ears that her father has. She has remotely feline features as well, such as slightly furry skin which is striped in browns, over hazel brown. Her hair is wild and most colors of the spectrum, and her eyes are blue though she makes them that way. She is a fan of loose clothing and bright colors.

Wildstorm's senses are very high, including her psionic senses. She can locate almost any living thing, from larger than a mouse on up. Her strong ability with levitation is coupled with an equally raging ability to control the weather! Like her father, she can do so but her range is much more limited (to less than 1 mile). She has many mental and emotional senses as well as the ability to control dreams and emotions.

Originally living in the southern continent of Neres with her father and Victory as her only Zekiran companions, Wildstorm could have gone north into the habited areas of the world and become a dream healer, however her insane father taught her more about being a goddess to the natives below their towering stone home, so she contented herself to remain there.

She was in fact one of the last to leave that place, even after most of Zekira was dying. She is a passionate woman, who loves fast things like wind, driving rain, and flying into the storm front.

Her feet rarely touch the ground, and when they do it is often because she has found a partner to dance with there. She spends more of her time flying about the ship than most, but also tends to the onboard weather regulation with her powers.

Her quarters are close and cozy, unlike her attitude outside them would lead you to believe. They are usually rather dark, but she doesn't care since her night vision is excellent. She likes to have warm, furry creatures around her at any given time.

Wildstorm.... Today

Planet Twenty was good to the weathershapers. There weren't many of them, but boy they had fun. Wildstorm and her father would fly over the fields or peaks, getting a good whiff of the loam below or the heat from the dry sandy dirt. This place was wild, like her. This place was free, and large, and beautiful. It wasn't like Zekira - but then Wildstorm's memories of the home world while fond, were growing dim with the millennia behind her travels on their ship.

It wasn't very long, before Tresis found a nice place to put up his home. Wildstorm was automatically invited to remain there, but she didn't want to feel constrained by her father's typical wishes. So, she set up her own den, several kliks away. It was within view of his dome home, which sat on the rise near a marsh. It all seemed very familiar to Wildstorm. The marsh kind of completed the theme, because someday Tresis would raise the stone below it into his huge towering phallic homestead just like he had on Zekira.

Her home here was rather like her old one in the Ship - cozy and relatively small. She had very few posessions, she chose to fly light. Her bed and some records of the worlds they had visited, a writing desk and a communication unit were some of the only things in the roundish hut. It was backed up against a short cliff wall, surrounded by tall pampas grasses and two slender trunked umbrella trees.

The Prides lived out here, just beyond view. They passed north with the hoofstock Kin and occasionally they would pester the Cheetahs - Twelve and One - but usually it seemed that they loved their own lands enough to remain on them. The Zekiran landing site was over one hundred kliks away from Wildstorm's place, but she could make it there in minutes if she had to.

And one day, she did have to. The comm board lit up, peeping loudly at her as she slept. It was fully day, but it was very warm out here so the best time to be awake was in the cooler night hours. Her mind stung with the number of other people trying to contact her telepathically.

"What, what is it?" She demanded of the air, knowing that now those folks had to tell she was awake. She sat at the comm, and turned on the video. On it, two Kin and a rather irate looking Zekiran glowered at her.

"What, is that your father is at it again," Said Rusty. She had her eyes narrow and her ears were back - she looked remotely like the Kin who also didn't seem to happy. There was rain everywhere in the image, and the voices in Wildstorm's head did not abate when she sighed.

"Great. Just great. What's he got going now?" Wildstorm said, knowing what the response would be.

The Kin, a tall gazelle male, snarled. "That crazy weather shaper has got our crops ruined with all this water!" He tossed his head, horns swooping through the air. "We can't even harvest the latest crop because the ground is so soft. We sink!"

The other Kin, what looked to be a mouse or some kind of rodent girl, nodded her head. "It is terrible for the underground burrowers, our tribe is almost ready to bear our young this season, and now we have to relocate - and all the ground is sodden!"

"Okay - okay," Wildstorm said.

In her mind she felt another pair of Zekirans insistantly screaming at her about his 'old ways' and why didn't he just leave off with this grandiose crap?

"OKAY!" She yelled, mentally as well as into the comm. Everyone stopped yelling at her, and a smattering of apologies came from several distant Kin or Zekirans. "I'll see what the damage is, and if we can correct it. I want to know just where it all is, and what's going to happen to whom, if they remain living in these areas."

"We'll get on collecting that information," Rusty said. "Thank you," and she disconnected the comm. Wildstorm stared at the black screen as it powered back down, and growled at herself more than her father.

"Tresis can't be allowed to roam free," she muttered. "They told me, and I didn't listen. I thought this once, just this once, that maybe he'd come to his senses. But nooooh, no. He has to go off without me and start flinging rain out again. Why didn't I listen! Why won't I ever learn the man needs to have his hand held the whole way?"

She stomped around, putting on her sparse clothing, and continued to rant while flying out to the site which was indicated on the comm's localized map function. "He's got that blasted dragoness, why can't she keep some sense in his head? Oh, yeah, that's right, she's just as crazy as he is, and she's named after the damn storms anyway."

Fuming, Wildstorm dropped to the ground. It was indeed completely wet, but she held her powers out at a bit of a distance and stopped the local rain from drenching everything in sight any further. She surveyed the damage from here, and it was extensive. There were cultivated areas that were simply covered in half a span of water, the stalks of what should have been tall healthy grains slumping down and their rotting tops touching the water. It smelled horrific, just that huge smell of everything-that-should-be-dry-isn't. The mold and mildew problem here would be even worse, shortly.

"I have to collect some people," Wildstorm said to Rusty, when the cat-like woman arrived. "You keep getting on those reports, and I'll meet up with you at the hoverstation."

"Okay. We've been getting reports from the Plateau too," Rusty said.

"I kind of figured, some of the Kin talking to me were from there too. This is typical, it starts hundreds of kliks away and winds up across the planet soon enough."

"I remember," Rusty said, groaning a bit. She was there the last time Tresis had utterly ruined half a continent worth of land before they stopped him, but even that was long before he had bonded the big Glenn dragon Neres Storm, and before they'd come close to settling here at all.

Wildstorm went around sensing telepathically where her chosen bunch were. Mulaqati was sitting around moping waiting for someone to give him something to do; Nycter and Newt, son and father, were playing a card game they'd discovered on some other planet; and Grace was being Grace. "I've got a job," Wildstorm told them after having inserted in their minds a bit of urgency to come to a specific place.

They arrived, limbs and fur and stripes and all. Wildstorm and Grace were certainly the normal pair. Newt was that long catlike taur, but he had ridiculously heavy glider flaps draped between all his limbs. He was very cute, but his son was almost unnerving in his appearance. Too many arms, with delicate sails between them. But he shifted down into something more managable of four arms and a tail. Mulaqati... defied description, since no one person saw him the same way as any other. Wildstorm knew that some of these people didn't truly have powers appropriate to cleaning up weathershaper's work, but they could access other things, and enhance those people around them that did.

"We're going to have to look over the whole plain, and coastline," Wildstorm said, "because of course, that's where most of the water is going to slide. And, across the sea, we've got to worry about what's happening to the Plateau."

"They're drowning too?" Asked Grace. "I swear, that man has got to stop this."

"Then you want to help out?" Wildstorm said, and they all nodded.

"We'll get right on it. We've got the hoverboat, right?" Nycter said. His father groaned, as did Mulaqati. They were taurs to the bone and neither of them liked watery sports too much.

But they did eventually make it across to the Plateau lands. Their hovercraft worked just as well over land as water, so they carried it another two hundred kliks inland where they met up with another couple Zekirans and the Twelve.

There, things got heated, pretty quickly.

***

Wildstorm would have liked to go with Cryten, actually liked to have stayed with him longer than he really knew. He was so young, cute, and full of life. And, he'd defied her father. That stood for volumes of respect in her mind. But he was off to Ryslen. It was only after a few days that Wildstorm realized that she too wanted to go. Only, no one had told her she could. No one on a dragon that is.

She wandered about, moping. The weather had shifted again, and even Tresis was thinking about helping the cleanup now that he'd gotten bored from not manipulating the weather. Naturally no one trusted him to do so, but still...

"What is the problem, little girl?" Asked Vanya, standing quietly near her. She had heard him approach, but didn't do anything to show it.

"Stop calling me that," she grumped. "I'm not little and I'm no girl any more."

"Just as soon as you stop acting like one," Vanya said. He tilted his head, and heard his blue dragon Ruarth bugle at something. "Ruarth says you're acting like this because you miss that Kin boy."

"He's not really Kin," she grunted. "And yes, I am. What's it to you?"

"Don't you want to visit him?" He asked. The tall dark healer knelt down and remembered how Wildstorm smelled so good. It'd been years since they had just talked, alone like this. They had never bothered to pair up, because they both knew they shared altogether too many genes. It was a shame, really, because honestly Vanya thought more of her would be good for any world. Maybe later on. Planet Twenty was big.

"I do want to, and I want you to stop drooling at me," Wildstorm said, sharply. Vanya started back, unaware of his own gaze at her. "I would like to visit this dragon place."

"Ruarth can take us, no problem there. Come on." Vanya said, standing and holding out his long fingered hand.

"You mean, right now?"

"Certainly right now. You can collect another skirt or something more substantial to wear at Ryslen. Can't you?" Vanya said. It was her way to do so, moving from place to place without caring what others really saw - clothing was the least of her worries.

"Will you be staying with us?" She asked, and Vanya shrugged.

"I could. Perhaps I shall. Who knows, perhaps there is a female dragon waiting for this horny little bastard to find her."

"Not like that last one," Wildstorm hissed, knowing full well he'd been at another frenzy with the blue, and they'd been rather successful - he constantly thought on it anyway.

"Well then, shall we go? There are always eggs on their sands, or so I've heard. Kalkin tells me this, I'd believe him." He winked.

They rounded up Ruarth, who wasn't quite so small as some blues could be, and Wildstorm floated up to his back. She was barely hanging on, still floating, when Vanya said, "you're going to want to be sitting tightly, when we pass through the Nexus. You're not a teleporter, are you?"

"Oh - no, no I'm not," she said, embarrassed. She was so used to 'helping' when flying was best. She settled down, nestling her sharp face near his shoulder and burying into his long long black hair. The dragon hefted himself into the air with ease - his wings scooped the air nicely. Aerodynamics came natrually to Wildstorm of course, as did anything 'flight' oriented. A consummate flier, she wondered... What sort of dragons awaited her?

And where was Ryslen? On a world? Past the Nexus? Could they chart their ship to go there, or did the dragons have to do all the work?

She would find out, shortly... At Ryslen!

(( formerly on wildstorm2.htm ))

Wildstorm drifted around the place, wondering at it's size and craftsmanship. Humans - mostly anyway - did this? She was impressed truly, that the space of Ryslen accented its airy quality, while keeping everyone warm and dry. Tresis would hate that - he loved to have the elements right on him.

She did too, but there was a time and place for everything, right?

She met up with Cryten, who had bonded to a simply beautiful tricolor dragon. Wildstorm watched him as he took the multicolored pastel and silver dragon up again in formation with the other young dragons. Kaalerith was gorgeous, that was certain. Almost as pretty as his rider...

Wildstorm had already been chastised by Cryten, because of course they couldn't get as close as she'd like (or he'd like to) until their dragons were adults or at least past their youngest stages. It would be too confusing to the dragonets if they were inundated with the telepathic overload of love or sex.

The Zekiran actually knew just exactly what that meant. It somewhat surprised Cryten when Wildstorm's immediate change in 'pace' toward him took hold. When she was a young child? Tresis was all over any woman he could find, and he never quite realized how much emotional overspill he gave - especially to his own offspring. Her mother Nocturne knew, but wasn't nearly strong enough mentally to prevent it.

That was so long ago, though. And to Wildstorm there were so many new feelings and people - Ryslen was busy with folks who had powers far beyond Human. She listened in to dragon speaking, to the private thoughts of vampires, and to Cryten, who didn't realize that she could. She hadn't before, but their connection was plain as day now.

What was also plain as day, was that today, one or more of the nests was going to hatch! The crooning that filled the halls of Ryslen followed a brief blast of telepathic communication among the dragons, so intense and so subtle at the same time. Even the dragons didn't seem to know they did it.

The eggs were rolling a bit, and the big batch of candidates were brought in. It was a small nest, only seven eggs. So only about a third of the folks here might pair off. Wildstorm examined the eggs, but then her gaze was brought back to the parents. They were so pretty - brilliantly swirled colors, and so handsome!

The first of the eggs broke, loudly, and with grace the male inside bonded to a hesitant and sad looking feline type. Another male hatched and then shortly, for some reason, it began to storm outside.

Not just like, a little rain. But lightning, 'effect' rain. Someone was doing this on purpose. For that reason, because she was distracted, Wildstorm didn't see the vampire Hotohori bond to his lovely dark dragon. Nor, in fact, did she see the elfin Azalia bond to her silver shaded female.

But she did definitely see a large female hatch - she'd long since known which parts of a mental command led to what in the sky- Tresis always loved to dance and swirl with his storms, but all it took was a mere flick of the mind to cause the giant bolts of lightning that came down now. The coppery colored Choshanya did not bond, she chose to be solo.

In the meantime, though, Wildstorm sought out the weathershaper. He was up there somewhere, watching - but he was just as amazed at the hatchlings as everyone else, and patently refused to let Wildstorm catch his eye.

In a moment, however, a breeze brushed her hair across her vision, and Wildstorm followed the long strands back to the sands, where she saw another egg hatch. There was but one left after that. But she wasn't interested in that one. Not at all. For this one shook and showed off a rainbow-winged stormy colored female, and one which sprang out as graceful as a grown cat.

She strode up to Wildstorm, choosing her among all the rest of the gathered people. Wildstorm, I have chosen you above all others. Though you can fly, together we will soar.

Wildstorm heard the colorful storm-rainbow voice in her mind like it was the only voice she'd ever heard before. Grinning widely, she realized she'd bonded a beautiful and unique dragon - like her father's, but so unlike any other dragon in any world!

"Her name is Keluanya!" Wildstorm stated to the group. She showed Keluanya where the bonded were meant to go for their meal - Kelu was hungry and didn't even know it.

Up in the stands, Cryten also beamed with happiness. This would be very interesting indeed...

***

"Oh, what a beautiful little dragon!"

Wildstorm was getting kind of tired of hearing that, and Keluanya was also a bit sick of it. She knew she was a perfectly beautiful dragon. And she was not little! Not any more, of course! She'd grown into a fledge of medium size, though she would not really be huge by any means.

She didn't need to be. She was a prism storm. And Wildstorm flew beside her as she learned to master the winds. Ryslen was an exceptionally good place to learn to fly, with the bowl safe and secure.

Cryten's dragon was slowing in his growth as well, not quite an adult, yet far more than a fledge at this stage. The cheetah-kin-type watched Wildstorm with interest now. Her dragon would be interested in mating, soon. And of course, that would mean that they could ... well, in private anyway...

Or, as Wildstorm liked, up in the air on strong gusts of air. Which was pretty cool. Cryten thought that riding Kaalerith was great, but equally great was this experience of being lifted by telekinetic energy. Wildstorm obliged him every time they could be given a moment's rest from their studies or training.

"Some day," Wildstorm said with a grin and a purr in her voice, as they watched Kaal and Kelu down below playing in the river, "we'll get to say 'oh what beautiful little dragons they have', you know?"

"I do know," Cryten said. They snuggled up, a hundred feet above the treetops...

***

Keluanya had grown tremendously in the year that they spent at Ryslen. She was bigger than a green, but not much more than a blue's typcial size. That didn't matter to anyone really, she was a magnificent dragoness, and was fierce. She was also really - really - annoyed with the fledge trainer at Ryslen at the moment.

"I'm telling you you're going to wear the harness and you'll learn to like it! Shiny hide or no, you're going to ride with a safety on." He gruffly announced. The rest of the group with their multicolored dragons mulled around and wondered if they maybe could slip out - because he wasn't done ranting, and Wildstorm and Kelu were hardly done complaining.

"Keluanya does not need a harness. I do not need a harness to remain on my dragon's back!" Wildstorm protested. They had flown for weeks, and even started to anticipate nexus travel, before the class officially began.

"Everyone needs to know their training, how to make and fix a harness, and how to use it properly!"

"Hello! I can fly!" Wildstorm said, lifting herself up into the air. It was hardly a big deal for her, but it still took some people by surprise.

"It doesn't matter! What if you're rendered unconscious?"

Wildstorm's eyes nearly bugged out of her skull. "Hel-looo! Immortal! I've been known to fall off of skyscrapers or space ships, and be okay - I'm okay now! Kelu does not want to wear a harness and she will not be forced to. We do not need that kind of thing."

The weyrling trainer grumbled some more, and then waved his big hand at her, "fine. Whatever. But if you don't pass all the rest of the exams you're going to have to do it my way."

Wildstorm grinned widely, because there was hardly a way she could fail. Hello - telepath...

***

It wasn't much longer, though, before everyone was ready to go. The big party announcing that everyone was an adult - go your own way - was on, people were milling about and chatting and trading information for where their homes were. Among them, dragons stood or flew above.

Keluanya and the big pastel morning Kaalerith remained near each other on the ground at their favorite streamside play place. Wildstorm and Cryten said their farewells and then walked away from the party sure they would be back some day.

"I've got something for you, I saw them and I thought you should have them. Here," Cryten said, unabashedly grinning, "happy graduation."

Wildstorm took the wrapped packages and opened the small one first. She was happy - it was a little leather shirt.

"It's so cute!" She said. Then she noticed how small it really was - it would fit, but it was covering nearly nothing. "And I see why you want me to wear it..."

"Open the other one, then," Cryten said. His anticipation of this moment grew.

Wildstorm dropped the paper wrapping on the ground, letting it flutter into the grasses. A beautiful shimmering silk and satin dress unfolded from the packaging, first a sky blue portion, then a slate, then green and vibrant yellow.

"It made me think of Kelu," Crtyten said. "And it's a nice long dress so you won't have to worry about your tail being uncomfortable in it."

He needn't have said anything - Wildstorm actually had tears in her eyes for the first time in centuries.

"It's so pretty -- I can't - we're going to have to show off some time, you know, to your mother. I can wear this. It'll impress her."

"I think you're right," Cryten said. "But for now? Let's go - Planet Twenty and a load of dust awaits us. You might want to put that in a sack - or maybe I'll carry it, since Kaalerith has a harness on and I can strap it down."

He grinned madly, as they walked to their dragons and left Ryslen - they would indeed, be back.

** Keluanya participated in flights, including the Glitter Frenzy at Dragonwillow

Partner: Black Pointed Brown Partial Glitz Nahigicu, offspring includes Neoprism Brown Keligicu

Partner: Lightning Strike Black / Green Zxion, offspring includes Zxeionya (who needs a tail but whatever...)