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Cl’rek (formerly Clark) Rider of Brown Orrith, Benden Weyr Player's note: I guided Clark/Cl'rek's journey as a PernMUSH character from early June, 1993, until November 1997 when I retired the character.
When Anne McCaffrey's lawyers decided that we could no longer have an on-MUSH Benden Weyr, and that all of Benden would travel to Telgar Weyr, I decided that Benden was and always will be Cl'rek's home. I have since begun a new rider character, bluerider L'mis of Telgar Weyr, a very different person than Cl'rek. Cl'rek and Orrith are now Non-Player Characters, and may eventually reappear, but more likely in conversation than in person. I will miss Cl'rek—bad Superman jokes in all. And although my picture of what he looks like has changed, I decided the image of Clark/Superman/Kal-El as portrayed by Christopher Reeve is the one he will remain. The early turns: Clark was born approximately 16 turns before the Tenth pass started on Pern. Clark and his twin brother Kent grew up as farmer-folk, living with their parents at their farmhold, Small Hold, in the Southern Continent. Clark's first few turns were fairly uneventful, except for the occasional visits to see his Uncle J'rel, a brownrider at Southern Weyr. When Clark was merely 11 turns old, a tragedy rocked his family. A vicious plague swept through the region where Clark, Kent and their parents lived. Although healers eventually found a cure, it was too late for their parents and the two became orphans. Quickly it became apparent that while Kent had more of an aptitude for the business aspects of running a successful farm, his brother Clark was better at doing the heavy work. The two agreed that Kent would stay and mind the farm while his brother went north to find an occupation. Clark hitched a ride on a Seacraft sailing ship bound for the northern continent. This was before Fall started, so he was free upon arriving up north to wander. He traveled around southeastern Pern for some time before ending up at Bitra Hold. These few months are often referred to (illogically) as Cl'rek's lost turns. Meanwhile, Kent found he was quite successful in Holding Small Hold, and in the coming years married and managed the Hold into a very successful venture. The Hold, nestled in a valley divided by a small river, just west of Eastern Weyr, did so well that it drew a journeyman Harper, Machs, to settle. In time, Machs would take Kent's young son (and Cl'rek's nephew) Bartal under his wing and prompt him to apply to the Harper Craft. But this would be a long time in the future. Bitra Hold Upon entering Bitra, Clark soon impressed the local stewards and Lord Holder Malachite with his strength and noble, if naive, views on life. He joined the ranks of the Bitra Guard, and it was there where he established a sort of "heroic" reputation. Thread would fall soon, and the problem of renegade raids had been increasing in the first 15 months of Clark's duty at Bitra. One day, at a gather, Lord Malachite was attacked by an old minecrafter (a former contemporary of Malachite in the craft who was jealous of the Lord Holder's success in life) who was now renegade. The attack was part of a renegade plot to gain supplies to help holdless Pernese survive Threadfall. The Bitra Guard was in full force that day, and the assasination attempt by the renegade Doyle was unsuccessful. Guardsman Laurel pulled Malachite out of the way, Largand subdued the attacker and Clark heroically, and quite foolishly, blocked an arrow flying toward the Lord Holder with his left hand. Although healed now, Cl'rek still has a scar on his palm. This incident spread the word throughout the Benden Coverage Area of the heroism of the Bitran youths. After that, renegade activity died down somewhat at Bitra. Hold Harper Tyroc even wrote a song commemorating the brave Bitra Guard. On a cool winter's day in the last turn before Fall, Clark was running out into the courtyard, late for patrol duty, when he ran into Sorna's Yarenth of Benden Weyr. Almost immediately the green indicated that he should stand at Benden Weyr for bronze Tzornth and Gold Tiamanth's clutch. Thus ended Clark's life at Bitra. Benden Weyr Quickly making friends with many in his candidate class at Benden, Clark cleaned out his share of night hearths. One spring morning, he awoke to loud humming from outside the barracks. The hatching had begun. Impressing acorn brown Orrith, Clark (now known as Cl'rek due to a strange twist of names by his lifemate) began Weyrling training. Cl'rek and Orrith soon were pointed out as good leaders by Weyrlingmaster Shadrina and her assistant T'garrick. Shadrina appointed Cl'rek wingleader of the Weyrling Threadchasers Wing. A bit uneasy at first, Cl'rek soon saw that he indeed had the skill of leadership. The Threadchasers needed a wingsecond, and Cl'rek decided to ask Nicholah, rider of Blue Aelyth, to help him. Together they trained their wing hard - it was to be the first weyrling class at Benden to Impress during the Tenth Pass of the Red Star. During the training, Cl'rek realized that his attention had not only been attracted to his wingsecond Nich because of her riding skill, but also because he found her attractive in a physical and emotional sense. Near the end of training, when the realization that the class would be split up into different weyrs and wings hit, he confided in Nich and asked if she would share a weyr with Orrith and himself. The two agreed on the partership more out of a need for companionship than out of love... or so they thought. Cl'rek soon joined the Thunderbolt Wing under F'hlan and rose to become its wingsecond. He continued this position for many turns, under F'hlan and then Weyrleader P'tran. It was a heavy leg injury that Cl'rek inflicted in the fall that Skyfire Wingleader D'vin and Kedranth died in that served as the impetus of the two confiding their true feelings for each other. Although some flights kept them apart since then, the brownrider and bluerider managed to parent a son in Cl'rek's 21st turn, and named him Nirek. Although others have gone in and out of their lives due to mating flights and the emotions surrounding them, but Cl'rek and Nich's bond seems to be lasting. He used to visit Bitra Hold occasionally, where Lord Malachite still called him 'Clark,' but since Carow took over as Lord Warder of Tenzil, Cl'rek has had less time to visit his old haunting grounds. Still, as he grows older, the scar on his left palm reminds him of his time at Bitra, especially when it prickles with bits of pain on occasions. With his daughter Carah growing quickly, son Nirek helping his brother Kent tend the family farmhold in the southern continent, Cl'rek is settling into middle age. Still, he has not lost his vigor or drive to help the people of Pern. When water stores ran low at Benden, and most of the Weyr traveled to Telgar Weyr to help out there, Cl'rek remained at Benden, as did Nich. Though times are hard, people remained at the Weyr and the outlying areas, people who needed protection of dragonriders. So Cl'rek joined such riders as his former weyrleader F'hlan and weyrmate Nich in the small group of riders still tied to Benden Weyr. Text by Steve Mohundro. Dragonriders of Pern theme and setting used with fond reverence. Pern is Copyright (c) 1997 Anne McCaffrey. Character of Clark/Cl'rek based loosely on the Clark Kent and Superman characters which are registered trademarks and Copyright (c) 1997 DC Comics, Inc.
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![[Picture of Cl'rek]](../../images/play/clark.gif)