Roroku and Everyone
The hhejŝṧhyant and portal were in another hangar; Base Camp was all hangars. A half-dozen dragons were there when Roroku arrived: it was rarely fewer and generally more. Roroku approached the elongated and turquoisian Sjojarn, and asked him, “Where is the reach-scale for Kyspert kept?”
“With all the reach-scales, in the heavy cabinet against yonder wall, in the drawer so mysteriously and obscurely marked ‘Kyspert Reach-Scale’,” he answered. As she trotted over to it, he added, “And what do you need it for? Kyspert is a pleasing world, is it not? Do not crush the scale as we do for the Dull Glows and the Coldest Ices!”
“It pleases me well enough! The scale shall remain intact, shall remain with members of the Expedition!” said Roroku, taking the scale from the drawer.
By this time everyone was staring at her. Jaraswat, still furious from her broiling his face, glared at her from freshly-regrown eyes. “And what zenziz passtimes have you been engaging in these last several hours, instead of producing your long-delayed report?” He snapped at her, leaving huge fang-marks in her flank.
“Jaraswat! What are you doing to my wife?” roared Gyovanth as he stormed in the rear door. “Useless she may be, and incompetent, and a terrible lay, but she is still mine! You may not bite her without my consent! Which is not hard to come by today, but must be asked in any case!”
“I am her manager, her chief! I may bite her whenever and wherever I wish!”
Roroku looked at Jaraswat in front of her, Gyovanth behind her, Vaareng and several others standing about staring. She stepped to the side, closer to Vaareng, made sure of her veriception blocks, and lied, “Jaraswat wants to be more than that! But you have forced your attentions on me for the last time, Jaraswat! Now my mighty husband will destroy you and your so-invasive hemipenises!”
Which got everyone’s attention, even if they hadn’t been staring before. Gyovanth, his honor struck like a resounding gong, had no reasonable choice but to leap on Jaraswat most ferociously. Jaraswat was taken by surprise, and defended himself rather clumsily. Priceless magical and scientific equipment crashed to the floor and was trampled underfoot as the mighty beasts lashed out with tails and wings and swift claws, and as others tried to separate them. None of Rhedosaur’s polite forms of duelling here, but a ragesome mélée.
Roroku darted around the battle, brushing flanks with Vaareng. He followed her to the very edge of the portal. At which very edge she turned and shouted, “I depart! Gyovanth, know that my latest and last-ever lover is Vaareng, and that a moment on his smallest hemipenis is more delightful than all the hours and hours I have spent on your disgusting organs!”
And, so saying, she called forth the power of the Mintwall Shield around herself and the portal.
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