Disclaimers: The characters of Xena and Gabrielle belong to MCA/Universal and are used without permission. The characters of F’lar, Lessa, Jaxom, and their dragons were created by Anne McCaffrey, and are owned by her and Ballantine books (at least at the time of the printing of my copy of Dragonflight). My sole purpose in creating this story is for the pleasure of the fans of both worlds. If I can make a few Xena fans into Pern fans, all the better. And I promise TPTB of both worlds that I won’t do it again.

There is mild violence contained within

DRAGONSWORD
By Nancy M

Her breath was coming in hot ragged gasps by the time Gabrielle cleared the woodland trail and began to dodge and climb the boulder strewn flanks of the lower hills. Still her pursuers dogged her, their shouts ringing in her ears over the pounding of her heart.

She knew they would kill her. She had seen their hideout, seen the slaves huddled together, seen their brutality. They might capture her and try to break her for the slave trade, but she knew they would fail, and then she knew they would kill her.

She stumbled briefly, and rolled upright again, catching her stride with barely three heartbeats' loss. But they had gained on her in that time. Soon she would have to turn and fight, when her legs refused to carry her further. If only she could reach that narrow gap ahead, she could fight them one or two at a time. She might have a chance.

The rocks under her feet seemed to mock her, turning her feet and rolling with every step. She glanced to make sure both sais still nestled in her boots. Fifty paces to go.

A rock whizzed by her head, then another. They were closing in. With luck their throws would miss her. Twenty paces to go.

How would Xena fight this one? She too would try for the gap. But would she fight defensively, or turn and attack. Xena would attack, but she wasn't Xena. She would settle for holding them off until... Until what? There was no more time for thought.

Three more stumbling steps, then a fake fall as she reached for her sais, turning in one swift move to slash at the leader. He fell away with a scream, and blood running from his cheek.

The next one she rendered unconscious with a blow to the temple. A spin and kick to the stomach sent the third staggering backward. But they were coming faster now.

Two charged her at once. With a spin kick to the jaw she dropped one, and the follow-through with her sai slashed the other. Two more took their place.

She was ragged with exhaustion. The next kick landed a fraction low and the attacker caught her boot, pulling her off balance. She went with the fall, pulling her attacker with her. She recovered upright. He did not.

She backed into the gap again as the last one rushed at her. Several of the others were recovering from their blows and began to close in again. She side-stepped the rusher, pulling him forward and bringing her knee sharply up under his chin as he fell forward.

Suddenly she realized the others had stopped and were staring in fear over her shoulder. She had barely turned to see the huge golden shape above her when talons the size of her leg wrapped around her. She started to slash at them.

Relax little one! You are safe. We are not your enemy. The thoughts, not her own, filled her head. She stopped slashing as a huge downrush of air swooshed past her, and suddenly she was aloft, clasped in the forelegs of an immense golden dragon.

Gabrielle was not given to panic, but her fear nearly overwhelmed her. Again she heard the voice, speaking not so much in words, but in images. We will fly to a safe place and I will put you down. Do not struggle.

She opened her eyes (when had she shut them?) to see the ground falling away and her previous attackers fleeing. Relax, she told herself. Sure.

Soon they were circling a small clearing and the huge beast backwinged and settled to the ground, gently lowering Gabrielle and releasing her. Every instinct in her body told her to run, but good manners and intense curiosity demanded she thank her savior.

Saviors, actually. For the first time Gabrielle realized that a woman rode the neck of the dragon. She was small, made to appear more so by the size of her mount, and was covered head to foot in fine leather.

"Th..thank you for saving me," Gabrielle stammered, trying to settle her still gasping breath, and settle her voice. The woman looked at her quizzically.

"Ramoth, Lessa, I am in your debt." Gabrielle's heart rate was returning to normal. She booted her sais, regretting the ocher tinged blood that stained them from her slashing of the dragon.

The woman seemed startled to hear her name and the dragon's. She stared at Gabrielle, and then got an unfocused look in her eyes.

"Anything." Gabrielle was getting used to hearing the dragon's voice. "My name is Gabrielle."

Now Lessa smiled. She spoke Gabrielle's name, then some gibberish, and held out her hand. Lessa says she is pleased to meet you. I am too. The dragon's eyes whirled green. Gabrielle clasped the proffered hand and returned the smile. "Tell me how I can help."

The dragon and rider conversed silently, then Ramoth spoke to Gabrielle. We are from a place very far away. A young dragon and rider came here, where they were not supposed to go. They are in trouble here, and we have come, with two other dragons and riders, to help them and take them home. We do not know this place and need help.

The more the dragon and rider spoke, the easier it became for Gabrielle to understand the meaning of the images and ideas that appeared in her head. Ramoth stopped frequently to "confer" with Lessa, but gradually Gabrielle came to understand the dragons and the world they came from. What a story this would make!

Finally she said "We need to get to Xena. She knows these hills, and the crooks who live here."

Show me where. Think an image of where Xena is. Gabrielle obliged.

That’s not far. You’re not dressed for between. We can fly straight. Gabrielle didn’t understand the last comment. Then Lessa reached down to her, and Ramoth extended a foreleg. Mount my neck. Sit behind Lessa. Hold onto her very tightly. Gabrielle obeyed, and no sooner was she snug between the neck ridges than Ramoth leaped into the air, snapping Gabrielle’s head back. Two more strokes and they had cleared the tallest tree and were squaring away on a southerly heading, toward the caverns where Xena and Gabrielle had made their camp.

Xena’s own introduction to a dragon rider was not nearly as cordial. She was sitting peacefully beside her fire, deep within the labyrinthine caverns that riddled the area, when a tall man charged into her firelight making demands of some sort in a language she had never heard. From his tone it was clear he was used to being obeyed.

Xena leveled a gaze at him and said that if he couldn’t ask nicely, and use words she understood, that he could go fornicate with pigs.

The man seemed to grasp the sentiment of her reply, if not the details. He clearly believed Xena had something he wanted. He uttered four short words, meant, she supposed, to intimidate her.

She suggested he didn’t have the equipment to intimidate her.

He drew his sword. She drew her sword. They circled warily. For the first time, Xena noticed the angry bugling of some unknown beast outside the cave.

The man lunged, but then feinted left at the last second, trying to draw her parry off balance. Aha, thought Xena, as she twirled her sword and smiled, this is no amateur. I may enjoy this! She made a broad stroke across his body, which he nimbly skipped back from. Quick on his feet, too, she thought.

They tested each other, each thrusting, feinting, and parrying, getting a feel for the reach and strength of the other. Through it all, the man kept talking at her, not seeming to understand that his words meant nothing to her.

Xena drew first blood, a small cut to his right forearm. She had no desire or intention of killing the man, but he obviously needed a lesson in manners. In response, the man snuck in under her guard and sliced a six-inch opening in her leather tunic. Damn, she thought, this could get embarrassing. Outside, the beast continued to roar.

Suddenly the man stopped. He didn’t lower his guard, but got an unfocused look in his eyes. Just then Gabrielle and a small dark-haired woman rushed in from the passageway.

"Xena! Stop! It’s alright!" Gabrielle shouted.

At the same time the small woman yelled "F’lar!" followed by a string of gibberish.

The two antagonists lowered their weapons and listened for their partners to explain.

When Lessa had rushed into the cavern, Mnementh was already advising F’lar that the dark warrior he fought knew nothing of J’ran. His bronze dragon was silent now, conversing telepathically with the golden queen. F’lar sheathed his sword and straightened his weyrhide clothes.

"So how did you meet this girl, and how do you know they’ll help us? I’ve found our language is utterly incomprehensible to them," he said to Lessa.

"Ramoth rescued the girl – she’s Gabrielle – as she was fighting off seven attackers. Doing a handy job of it, I might add, but she would have lost eventually. Anyway, Ramoth took it into her head that Gabrielle was worth saving. And, it seems my beauty thinks the girl is worthy of speaking to. She’s quite impressed with her courage."

F’lar had looked up at hearing Gabrielle’s name, but now he showed real surprise. "Ramoth is speaking to a non-rider?! That does say something for the girl’s character."

"Yes, it does. Anyway, Ramoth explained to her about that fool J’ran and Corinth. F’lar, I still don’t know how any dragon rider, never mind a bronze, could pull this stunt. The arrogance, to go between 5000 years, and to another planet."

F’lar gave a wry grin. "I seem to remember a certain queen rider who took it into her head to jump hundreds of years into our own past to save a whole planet. Very arrogant indeed, I would say."

Lessa fixed him with a steely glare. "Sarcasm doesn’t solve our problem. J’ran is here – we know that. He has probably been kidnapped – though why anyone would want to capture a hard-headed fourteen year old boy is beyond me. Ramoth can hear Corinth, but the dragon is so distraught with fear for his rider that she can’t get a good picture from him. Let’s just hope Jaxom and Ruth are having better luck."

F’lar was thoughtful. "Yes, and now with our new allies, maybe we can gat a feel for the countryside and what kind of brigands we’re up against."

"Yes, let’s hope."

"What do you know about the dark haired woman? She’s quite skilled with a blade. Is she…?

Now Lessa grinned. "That’s Xena!"

"THE Xena? The one in the scrolls?" F’lar was incredulous.

"The very same. It makes sense when you think about it. The images J’ran got from the scrolls were all involving Xena and Gabrielle. So he ended up where they were. Are."

"And that’s the Gabrielle who wrote those blasted stories, which is what got us into this in the first place!"

"Easy, dear heart," Lessa soothed. "It’s not her fault the transcripts of the scrolls were included in the cultural files in AIVAS. I’m sure she never meant to have them read 5000 years in her future, and 30,000 light years from home."

"Yes, well. If she hadn’t been so blasted vivid in her descriptions, J’ran never could have gotten a fix."

"It’s a good thing she WAS so vivid, or we could never have followed here. And if the bronze weyrlings were more closely supervised, he wouldn’t have had a chance to try, now would he? Now let’s just try to solve the problem, not analyze it."

F’lar had bristled at the implied criticism of his leadership, but had to acknowledge that his weyrmate was right. He looked at her with affection. "You’re right, love. Let’s get our heads together."

Gabrielle was not having quite as easy a time explaining things to Xena.

"I still don’t get it. You say they can talk in their heads to their dragons. All dragons talk to each other, but each dragon will only speak to his human partner, except for Lessa who can talk to them all, and sometimes a dragon will speak to a human who is not their rider, but only rarely. How do the riders pair up with their dragon? Is it like a local pound? What?"

Gabrielle sighed and started again, this time from the beginning. She was sewing Xena’s leather tunic, which the warrior had chosen to keep wearing, making Gabrielle’s job a bit challenging.

"Human explorers left earth two thousand years ago. I mean three thousand years from now in the future – I mean – Xena, dammit, just go with it. I don’t understand either. Anyway, they settled, will settle, on a planet named Pern. They left their space ships and started farming. Everything was dandy until this stuff started falling out of the sky, which is like acid and kills everything. They needed to burn it in the air before it could get to earth, or Pern, or whatever. Xena, hold still! So there were these little miniature dragons who could flame the stuff, but they weren’t big enough so the explorers bio-engineered them – don’t ask – and made them big."

"And here’s the neat part. When their eggs hatch, the baby dragons look around the Hatching Grounds until they find their human soulmate. That’s not the word Ramoth used, but it’s close enough. And they bond and can talk to each other in their heads for the rest of their lives. Ramoth, how am I doing?"

You tell the story very well, little one. I am enjoying it. Gabrielle smiled.

"Gabrielle, you really freak me out when you do that, you know."

"Yeah, well, get over it. Anyway, there are five levels of dragons. The female queens are golden, and they’re the biggest. Ramoth is the biggest dragon ever." She felt Ramoth warm at the compliment. "Then there are bronze and brown, which are male, and green females, and small blue males. And there’s one little white dragon whom we are going to meet when he gets back from reconnaissance."

"Not everyone on Pern is a dragon rider. Only the best – the dragons choose on the Hatching Grounds. The rider of the bronze who mates with the senior queen is the leader of the dragon riders. Okay, okay. I’ll skip the details. But F’lar rides Mnementh, who is mated to Ramoth. And the kid who started all this is named J’ran. His dragon, Corinth, is only a few years old. Xena, of course I’m going to stab you with the needle if you keep squirming. Why not just take the cussed thing off for me to work on?"

"And be naked in front of the great F’lar and Lessa? I don’t think so. So how come they all ended up here?"

"There’s something else about dragons, Xena, and I don’t understand it either, so don’t ask. Dragons can move between places, and even times, instantaneously. Well, almost instantaneously. All they need is a really good visual image of where or when they’re going."

"So, uhm, how did they end up here, in Greece, during the third year of the hundredth Olympiad, some – what did you say – five thousand years in their past?"

Gabrielle looked uncomfortable, and at the same time rather proud. "It seems J’ran got to reading some ancient cultural texts and translations of my stories were there, and he got really fascinated by them – obsessed is more like it – and decided to pay us a visit. He’s a...ah…real fan."

"Oh." Xena said no more. She didn’t need to.

"I’m finished with your tunic. Come on outside. I want you to meet Ramoth."

When Mnementh announced to F’lar that Jaxom and Ruth were approaching, he and Lessa walked outside to meet them. The white dragon was just settling down when they emerged. Jaxom vaulted off the small dragon’s neck and saluted the Weyrleaders before pulling off his gloves and leather helmet. F’lar returned the young Lord’s gesture, then followed his gaze to Xena and Gabrielle. The blonde was rubbing Ramoth’s eye ridge affectionately, while the tall dark woman stood warily at a distance.

"They’re friends, Jaxom. I’ll explain and introduce you in a moment. First, what did you find out?"

Jaxom gestured toward two boulders. F’lar nodded and they both sat.

"I found Corinth. It was as you suspected, F’lar. J’ran is being held deep in some caverns by a group of crooks who I think are slave traders. Corinth was pretty sketchy with Ruth, but the gist of it is that they came out of between right over the traders and their captives. J’ran wanted to be a hero but it didn’t work out and he got captured. Corinth tried to frighten the men, but he hadn’t chewed any firestone, and the men just took J’ran and ran into the cave. And now he’s blindfolded, deep in the cave. Corinth can’t get any image from him since he can’t see."

"Could you see the entrance from where you were?"

"Yeas, and it’s well guarded."

"Any other way in?"

"No way to tell."

Ruth had been busy telling Ramoth and Mnementh the situation, and now Lessa spoke up. "Ramoth says that Gabrielle says that Xena knows that cave system well. She used to hide her army there."

Jaxom looked at the golden queen and the small blonde woman with surprise. "You mean Ramoth is speaking to a non-rider? Who did you say that was?"

F’lar took Jaxom by the arm and led him over to the two strangers.

"Lord Jaxom, meet Xena and Gabrielle. Xena, Gabrielle, this is Jaxom, Lord of Ruatha and rider of white Ruth," he said formally.

Jaxom nodded. "Pleased to meet you," he said, and extended his arm. The blonde nudged the dark woman, who clasped his forearm and said something meaningless. Then the blonde did the same, with a broad smile.

Lessa stepped up again. "Xena can show us another entrance. She says it leads to a spot that overlooks the main cavern."

"I’ll go," Jaxom said immediately. "I think crawling around in dark corridors is more my specialty than yours, Weyrleader."

"Agreed," laughed F’lar. Perhaps you’d best take Gabrielle too, to have a translator, if Ruth doesn’t mind carrying three of you."

Jaxom slapped the white shoulder. "Not at all. He’d be honored to carry the subjects of the ‘Xena scrolls.’"

Jaxom was anxious to leave immediately, but F’lar thought it best the three spend some time getting used to communicating with one another. Corinth, despite his panic, could sense there was no immediate danger to J’ran. But the young bronze had remained circling high above the slaver’s hideout.

So Xena, Gabrielle, Jaxom, Ruth, and Ramoth practiced telling each other stories and passing instructions. It was most convoluted. Xena would describe the entrance to Gabrielle, who would imagine it for Ramoth, who would pass the image to Ruth, who would tell Jaxom. It reminded Gabrielle of a children’s game of gossip. Lessa eavesdropped on the dragon’s portions, and nodded her approval, as their conversations got sharper and more detailed.

Gabrielle found she was beginning to understand some of the words Jaxom used when he spoke to F’lar and Lessa. Not enough for conversation, but enough to follow simple directions. She assumed her knowledge was coming from Ramoth, who "spoke" Pernese while using universal images. She didn’t mention this to the dragon riders however, because she didn’t want them to count on her sketchy linguistic skills in a pinch.

Finally Lessa deemed them ready. She asked, through Ramoth, if they had any warmer clothes.

"Why do we need warmer clothes?" Gabrielle asked.

Between is colder than the coldest night came the cryptic reply.

"Alright, we’ll change for the trip," she replied, trying to think the reply, rather than speak it. Ramoth rumbled an acknowledgement as they donned cloaks.

Jaxom mounted Ruth’s neck, then indicated for Gabrielle to mount behind him, then Xena. F’lar tightened leather belts around them.

"Ramoth says even with these harnesses we have to hold on tight," Gabrielle told Xena.

"Fine with me," grinned the warrior, and wrapped her arms tightly around Gabrielle’s waist. Gabrielle did the same around Jaxom. Ruth’s neck was about the same size as Argo’s back, and Gabrielle felt Xena’s thighs gripping behind her.

"Ready?" Jaxom asked, and Ramoth translated.

Gabrielle nodded, and the white dragon launched himself almost straight up. She quickly realized that what Ruth gave up in size, he more than made up for in agility. She had to hang onto the young dragon rider for all she was worth, and she felt Xena’s grasp tighten.

Imagine the cave Ramoth said, and I will send the image to Ruth. Gabrielle closed her eyes and pictured the unique out cropping over the dark mouth of the vent. Ruth has it. You will go between now. Do not be afraid.

Suddenly Gabrielle was suspended in the coldest, emptiest, blackest place possible. She no longer felt Ruth’s neck, Jaxom’s back, or even Xena’s arms. She was utterly alone, and cold to the core of her being.

Then just as suddenly they burst into daylight a few hundred feet above the cave entrance. Gabrielle’s heart pounded as she forced herself to exhale.

Ruth says you must relax. Jaxom can’t breathe. She immediately eased her grip and watched the ground rush at them as Ruth descended in a tight spiral.

Xena vaulted off almost before Ruth touched the ground. She was wide eyed, but as always, under control. Gabrielle slid down, followed quickly by Jaxom. The Ruth leaped upwards and after two strong downstrokes, blinked into nothingness.

Gabrielle heard Xena gasp, and reached for her friend. "I could never get used to that," the warrior said.

Jaxom looked at them expectantly and Xena turned to lead the way into the cavern vent.

F’lar and Lessa watched the white dragon circle and land near Ramoth and Mnementh. Lessa heard Ruth speak to Ramoth, and relayed the information to F’lar. Her ability to hear any dragon was certainly a convenience, and sometimes a lifesaver.

"Ruth delivered them safely. He says that Gabrielle’s image was very good, and that neither woman panicked between," she told her weyrmate.

"They are remarkable, aren’t they?" he replied. "How many Pernese keep their heads the first time they go between, and we grow up around dragons."

"What a queen rider Gabrielle would have made," Lessa replied. "I still can’t get over how Ramoth speaks so easily with her."

"Jealous, dear heart?"

Lessa smiled. "Never. I like it when Ramoth makes new friends. So many people are completely intimidated by her."

"You have to admit she cultivates that fear a little bit," F’lar noted.

"Of course she does. She’s the senior queen of Benden Weyr. She has an image to maintain!"

"As does the Weyrleader and his bronze! Shards, but Xena has composure. Or maybe I’ve just gotten used to people jumping when I speak. She didn’t bat an eye when I drew on her. I almost think she enjoyed our little bout. When Mnementh calmed down afterwards, he reached out to her mind, just a little. He says she has some of the finest fighting instincts he’s ever seen, not to mention she’s a born leader. Now she could have Impressed a bronze on the Hatching Grounds!"

"Why F’lar, I do believe you are taken with the woman!"

It was F’lar’s turn to smile. "Lessa, dear, I don’t particularly LIKE the woman, but I do respect her. Now how are the explorers doing?"

Lessa paused to query Ramoth. "They have gone into the vent. The passage is narrow and dark, but Jaxom’s glow is bright enough." She paused again. "Now they have come out on a ledge high up in the main cavern. They can see the slavers and the captives. Jaxom sees J’ran!" F’lar guessed that Lessa was listening directly to Ruth now, who listened to Jaxom. "J’ran appears to be unhurt."

"He won’t be when I’m finished with him," F’lar growled.

"They are listening to the slavers now. Jaxom doesn’t understand them."

Gabrielle understood them quite clearly however. The leader, the one with the ugly sai slash across his face, wanted a dragon. He had seen two now, the bronze Corinth, and golden Ramoth, and he just had to have one. He seemed to believe that if he harangued the boy enough he would simply produce one. Surely the man realized the language problem by now, Gabrielle thought. Or perhaps not. He seemed to think that by saying the same words more loudly, it somehow made them more comprehensible.

To his credit, J’ran showed defiance. Perhaps it wasn’t wise to antagonize the slaver, but it did show the boy didn’t lack for courage.

How big is the cavern? Asked Ramoth. Gabrielle took a good look around, then closed her eyes and imagined what she had seen. Ramoth acknowledged.

It’s not big enough for Mnementh or me, but Ruth could fit. Gabrielle wondered how a dragon could fly in there, and suddenly realized they meant to go between, emerging in the cavern from nothingness. She got a sick rush in the pit of her stomach.

Gabrielle looked at Jaxom and realized the young man was carefully studying the cavern’s shape and the location of all the guards. He must agree with this insanity, she thought.

Xena nudged her. "So what are you and all your telepathic buddies chatting about?" She softened the sarcasm with a half grin.

"I think they’re going to have Ruth pop in here to rescue the kid," she whispered back.

"They’ll need more than Ruth. Not all of those slavers will be scared shitless by a dragon now that they’ve seen a few. We’ll need a good blade or two."

Gabrielle nodded, knowing exactly what and whom she meant. Four warriors and a dragon against at least ten slavers. Not bad odds, actually. And maybe some of the captives would prove to have spines. J’ran certainly looked like he did, despite his youth. Gabrielle guessed he wouldn’t be the rider of a bronze dragon if he lacked intestinal fortitude. A bronze only chose a brave partner.

Jaxom was backing away from the ledge now and motioned for Xena and Gabrielle to follow. Carefully the three sneaked back up the vent to the open air, where Ruth dutifully popped in to meet them.

"Damn, I wish they’d stop doing that," Xena muttered. Gabrielle just grinned at her.

They all agreed it would be best to wait until dark, when at least some of the slavers would be asleep. The five humans used the time to eat, sharpen their weapons, and rest. The three dragons preened themselves in the setting sun, as if oblivious to the danger one of them would face that evening. Ramoth and Gabroelle spoke frequently. The dragon seemd to enjoy the bard’s stories and the practice sharpened both their skills. Gabrielle asked Ramoth to repeat short portions in Pernese to expand her vocabulary.

When it had been dark for several hours, F’lar announced it was time to go. If Xena bristled at his presumption of leadership, she didn’t show it.

While Ruth chewed some odd rocks F’lar reviewed the plan one more time. Ramoth translated for Gabrielle even though she found she was able to follow much of the instruction directly.

"We go between into the cavern. Hopefully Ruth’s presence will terrify at least some of the guards. I think we can count on some of the captives panicking, so that will add to the enemy’s confusion."

"Xena and I will attack the guards directly, while Jaxom and Gabrielle go to the captives, cut them free, and tell them to run like hell. Then the five of us, including J’ran will mount Ruth and blink out of there. Jaxom, you’re sure Ruth can carry five?"

"All he has to do in become airborn. Then we go between. You know how well he can launch."

F’lar nodded. "I wouldn’t trust any dragon but Ruth to go between so quickly."

Jaxom smiled with pride. Ruth was the size of a small elephant, and while all other dragons dwarfed him, none had his uncanny ability to blink into the most awkward of places.

"Lessa remains here of course. We can’t risk Ramoth." Gabrielle knew Ramoth would commit suicide if Lessa were killed. It was their way. And on Pern a human might be expendable, but a dragon was not. But Gabrielle sensed that F’lar was just as worried about Lessa as he was about Ramoth, but couldn’t admit it. Besides, as iron-willed as Lessa appeared to be, she was no warrior.

"Well then. Let’s do it. Ruth?" The little dragon gave a sulphurous burp.

They mounted without harnesses so they could dismount quickly. "Be ready," said F’lar, sitting last behind Xena. "We will go between as soon as Ruth is off the ground.

Gabrielle felt Ruth’s strong legs tense, then her head snapped back, and suddenly they were between. Two heartbeats, then three, and they were in the cavern. Xena and F’lar launched themselves, one from each side of Ruth’s neck a moment later as the white dragon touched down.

Gabrielle was halfway off when the dragon extended his neck and belched a huge gout of flame at the nearest guard. The man screamed and ran, his shirt and hair in flames. She had forgotten that dragons could flame. Suddenly their odds seemed quite good. Gabrielle dashed for the nearest group of captives, pulling her dagger out as she ran. Jaxom had already slit J’ran’s bonds. The boy accepted the white rider’s second belt dagger and immediately began freeing his fellow captives.

"Run! Get out of here! Go! Now!" Gabrielle screamed. A few captives cowered, but most fled the cave and the fire-breathing dragon as fast as their legs could carry them.

In the meantime Xena and F’lar slashed their way through the remaining slavers. Some had already run, leaving their weapons behind, but a few stood fast. Gabrielle pulled her sais and rushed the nearest guard, using the hilt in a backslash to break the man’s jaw. He went down. A spin kick dropped another. It turned into a rout, with the slavers scrambling for their lives.

"Let’s get out of here," shouted F’lar. Jaxom and J’ran immediately ran to Ruth, and Gabrielle shouted a translation to Xena who did likewise. But as Gabrielle took a step toward Ruth, an arm clamped around her neck and she felt a dagger at her throat.

Jaxom, F’lar, and J’ran had already mounted but Xena was still five paces from the dragon. Instead of mounting she turned and ducked behind a boulder. Gabrielle’s captor hadn’t seen her.

"Jaxom! Go now!" Gabrielle shouted in stilted Pernese. "Man not know I talk to dragons." She sent the same message mentally to Ramoth.

Jaxom understood instantly. Ruth leaped upwards and winked out.

The man roared his frustration. "Bring him back! I want that dragon!"

"That particular dragon answers to only one man. He’s not mine to command."

"Well YOU are MINE to command. Move!"

The man shoved Gabrielle roughly toward the passageway to the entrance. As she turned, Gabrielle saw the ragged sai slash on his face. She stumbled toward the entrance, knowing Xena would be following silently behind.

Back at the camp the dragon riders hastily dismounted Ruth and ran to their own dragons. Corinth appeared in the darkness as Ruth circled down, and J’ran ran to his beast, tears of relief and love streaming down his face. The bronze’s agitation eased when he saw J’ran was whole.

"No time now," shouted Lessa. "Ruth, I know you’re ready. Mnementh, Corinth, chew some firestone quickly. Gabrielle has a plan." The two bronze dragons complied immediately. "Ramoth says Gabrielle is unhurt. She is being taken through the woods and Xena follows."

J’ran’s head snapped up "Xena and Gabrielle?"

"Who do you think that was that saved your ass in the cave, boy?" F’lar snapped.

"I didn’t take time to think…"

"That seems to be your problem lately. We will talk later." J’ran blanched at the look on F’lar’s face.

Gabrielle knew she and Xena could easily defeat the man who prodded her roughly through the woods. But she wanted to make a lasting impression on the man. Ramoth had chuckled at the idea.

When the dragon told her they were ready Gabrielle pretended to gasp for breath. "Okay. You win. I’ll bring the white dragon. In that clearing. Up ahead."

The man smiled evilly. "You have some sense after all."

The wooded canopy gave way to the stars and Gabrielle looked carefully around her at the placement of the trees. Ramoth acknowledged.

Suddenly a gray shape eclipsed the starry sky. A downrush of icy wind swept over them, then the white dragon settled on the grass, his eyes glowing in the darkness. He was riderless.

Ruth lowered his neck and extended a foreleg. The man greedily rushed forward, forgetting Gabrielle in his excitement. He climbed up and sat as he had seen J’ran and Lessa and Jaxom do, nestled between the neck ridges.

Gabrielle could have sworn she saw a smug look on Ruth’s face just before he leaped upwards and disappeared into nothingness.

"Ramoth, where is he taking him?" she said aloud for Xena’s benefit.

Xena came up beside Gabrielle, putting an arm on her shoulder. "How’s the trip going?"

As always, Gabrielle was amazed at Xena’s powers of deduction. She asked how the warrior had figured it out. "It’s what I would have done," she replied.

"We do have sick minds, you know that?"

Now Ramoth transmitted Ruth’s images directly to Gabrielle. He was swooping and diving, turning on a wingtip, and inverting in tight loops. Gabrielle was suddenly queasy, even standing on the firm ground.

Sorry, little one. I forget you are not a rider. Gabrielle realized she had just received an incredible compliment from the golden queen.

"How much longer, Ramoth?"

Ruth thinks the man is almost convinced. We have one more surprise. Ruth burst into the air overhead and backwinged so abruptly that the slaver pitched over the dragon’s head. He landed in a heap at Gabrielle’s feet, breathing in terrified ragged gasps.

Xena kicked the man onto his back and put a boot on his neck "Don’t EVER take slaves again, or you will answer to me. And my friends."

Back away, little one. Gabrielle complied, pulling Xena with her, and Ruth sprang into the air again. Suddenly there were four dragons above them.

As Ruth took the first flaming pass the ex-slaver scrambled to his feet and started for the woods, screaming as Ruth’s flame ignited his trousers. He dropped and rolled, putting out the fire, and started to rise again.

It was Mnementh’s turn, and this time his jacket caught fire. He ripped off the charred remains. Corinth took his turn, and the bronze dragon’s anger was evident. His flame ignited what was left of the man’s pants and his shirt. As the man tried to roll, Corinth sent gouts of flame to either side, with another blast searing the last stitch of clothing from his body. With one final blast he torched the hair on his head.

Terrified, naked and bald, the converted slaver ran screaming into the woods.

Ramoth was the first to settle to the ground, followed by the two bronzes, and lastly Ruth. All looked insufferably pleased with themselves.

The Weyrleader says it is time for us to go home, Ramoth said. Gabrielle walked to the queen, who lowered her head and allowed Gabrielle to scratch her eye ridges. The dragon rumbled her contentment. You would have ridden a queen if you had stood on the Hatching Ground, little one.

Gabrielle gazed back into the queen’s gold eyes. "I have a question for J’ran. Would you ask him why he ever read my stories in the first place?"

She watched a moment while Ramoth queried Lessa, who passed the question to J’ran, then passed the answer back again.

Gabrielle didn’t understand the last statement but let it pass.

"Oh that’s easy! This is the Xenaverse. Time and history have no meaning here."

Oh. Lessa looked unconvinced, but let it go.

"We will miss you as well." Gabrielle sent a mental image of affection and respect to Ramoth. The dragon rumbled acknowledgement.

Xena and Gabrielle stepped back as the dragons launched, one at a time. Mnementh was the last and as he leaped to join his circling friends, Gabrielle heard Xena gasp. Just then the four dragons vanished into the black night and the stars once again reclaimed the velvet sky.

Gabrielle looked at Xena, who had stumbled backwards against a tree and now stood braced, her mouth open in shock.

"Xena?" the bard asked.

"He, he SPOKE to me! The big bronze one – his voice was in my HEAD! It was, I mean I could hear…or feel…or see…I can’t explain it!"

Gabrielle was almost smirking. "What did he say?"

"He said…he said I was a worthy adversary and friend, and I would have been chosen by a bronze if I had stood on the Hatching Grounds. Gods, Gabrielle, that was incredible!"

Gabrielle grinned back at her soul mate. "Cool, huh!"

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