J'yce's First Post

I discovered Anne McCaffrey and her Dragonriders of Pern novels in late 2000 or early 2001 via the novel Dragons Dawn, and I was instantly hooked. When I went online to see if there were more of these stories, I not only found a score of them but I also discovered that there were scores of writing clubs dedicated to this fandom. I didn't know much about such writing groups, or even all that much about Anne's world, but that didn't stop me from joining a club. I'm not sure what attracted me to Seaside Weyr, but I joined it in March of 2001, and on March 30, 2001, I posted my very first "posting" to a fandom club. The following is that first post - typos, weird capitalization, and all...

Who: J'yce
Author: AJ
When: 8th Interval - 410.05.13 to 410.05.14
Where: Somewhere on Pern's Southern Continent.
What: Intro post for J'yce and green Zanath

410.05.13 to 410.05.14 - J'yce and Zanath

AJ Kleipass
Mar 30, 2001
OOC: Hi All, a new PC (J'yce, a gay, male Dragonrider), new Dragon (Green Zanath), a new player (AJ Kleipass), and a mating flight. Following the lead of Skeebath's first flight, this flight is open to all male Dragons. If you need any details not mentioned below you can e-mail me off-list (cisl@... ).

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IC:

410.05.13 - 19th candlemark:

It had been an intentionally long day for J'yce and Zanath, he was in no rush to get to the Seaside Weyr. There was nothing stopping them from finding their own Weyr-Hold on the southern continent... nothing other than the pledge he had made to his Weyrleaders, and again to the family of his dead weyrmate, that he would go there and start over. Even if he could bring himself to go back on his word, he'd __never__ hear the end of it from Zanath!

[[How's the fishing?]] J'yce asked Zanath as he finished clearing a camp site for their last night of freedom.

{{Strange fish!??}} replied Zanath.

[[Strange how?]] asked J'yce as he approached Zanath. Zanath was sprawled out on the river bank, looking intently into the water. [[I don't see any fish...]] J'yce said, following his Dragon's gaze... without warning Zanath wrapped her tail around J'yce and flung him into the river!

{{Of course you don't see any fish, your splashing frightened them away!}}She said, as a broad draconic smile began to cover her face.

>After 9 and half turns you would think I'd have learned by now not to trust her near water!<

J'yce climbed out of the river, with help from Zanath's tail again, and started a campfire. The day had been a warm one, and although it was shaping up to be a warm and humid night, J'yce was chilled to the bone. Sleep came quickly enough, and with pleasant dreams. As the night rolled on J'yce relived every intimate moment he ever had with his dead weyrmate. Once again B'ron was alive and in his arms... he could see him, smell him, feel him... then PAIN! a dagger entered J'yce's shoulder... he was falling... B'ron was on the ground too, a sword through his back... flashes of blue and green... Dragons, dozens of them, screaming in his head... Jaleth, B'ron's Blue, grabbing something ...no... someone, and going *between*... blackness...

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410.05.14 - 6th candlemark:

J'yce bolted wide awake, at first not knowing where he was. His left-hand feeling the spot on his right shoulder, where the dagger entered 2 years earlier, and slowly tracing the scars down his right arm where somebody - the same Bitran Gamester? - had slashed him in the fight. The fear and panic of the nightmare passing, he remembered why he had bolted awake... [[Oh shards! Why now, Zanath!?? Why now!]] J'yce questioned his Dragon, tears filling his eyes.

{{Because it's time to start over.}} was Zanath's matter-of-fact answer.

[[But, P'tel and Nyeth can't come...]] J'yce start to say, but Zanath cut him off, {{They are old, this is new. It is time to start new.}}

In his heart he knew that Zanath was right - since B'ron's death she usually knew what he needed better than he did. [[Then I guess we better get to the Weyr. The only thing around here to bloody is those bloody fish of yours!]] J'yce said, grabbing his still damp clothing from the branches where he hung them to dry last night.

It was just past midday when J'yce and Zanath approached Seaside Weyr. The only activity he noticed were three Dragons - a brown and two greens - doing what look like Weyrling exercises. He really didn't care what they were doing, he was too busy trying to keep Zanath under control. The last thing he wanted was a front row seat to a mating flight! What he was about to go through would be bad enou...

[[SHARDS!! Zanath, announce us!]] J'yce bellowed, nearly forgetting Weyr etiquette.

>Think JC, think!<

{{Done. He says *Hello*.}} Zanath replied, in a voice too calm for J'yce's mood.

[[Ask him if the Weyrleaders are available.]] J'yce said, a bit more calmly.

{{Where do you want him to meet you?}} Asked Zanath.

[[The feeding grounds.]] J'yce responded, his tone finally matching hers.

The pair touched down in the bowl, each trying to calm the other before the mating flight started. Zanath was close, very close.

AJ Kleipass ... cisl@...
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Q: Then why choose fear?
A: Because I'm a New Yorker! Fear's my life!
(from Rent - the musical)