L’mis (formerly Loomis) Rider of Blue Golrath, Telgar Weyr With a cold, tough exterior, L’mis is a bit of a mystery to both his new colleagues—late of Benden—and his longtime fellow Telgari riders. Click for 90k GIF image. Sketch of L’mis and Golrath by Steve Mohundro, based loosely on art by Stuart Immonen Only his cloudy-blue dragon Golrath, his lifemate for 30 turns and counting, knows the real L’mis.     Ever since the bulk of the riders of Benden Weyr moved to Telgar to assist the riders and weyrfolk of that Weyr, L’mis has largely maintained a cynical, off-putting attitude toward what he occasionally refers to in private as the “interlopers.” He has since softened his stance slightly toward the new Telgari as the turns pass, although he rarely speaks more than a cursory set of words to anyone except the native Telgari.     He does, however, admire dedicated riders of any Weyr, and will often allow a begrudging friendship with a few choice riders. Among weyrfolk, he has a few friends among the kitchen staff, and has formed an unusual bond with Mehlani—daughter of current Benden Weyrleader F’hlan, and a contemporary of L’mis in terms of age. His few, brief public smiles are often reserved for this young woman.     Older than many of the riders of the Weyr, in his early 50s, L’mis flies Thread still—though he often volunteers for the solitary and less strenuous duty of watchrider. A few chance snippets of information about his younger days begins to paint a picture of a very different bluerider in his youth. What people have heard: An old Auntie at the Weyr remembers L’mis as a child: the son of a brownrider and one of the cooking staff. “I recall the wee Loomis—that’s what he was before his Impressed—I remember how Loomis enjoyed exploring the caverns, helping with the cooking with his father ... One day his mother was named a wingleader, and a lot of the other weyrbrats gave Loomis a hard time about that—Telgar wasn’t known for too many women leaders, outside its weyrwomen.”     “But Loomis defended his mother’s skills. I recall being mighty impressed by the lad.”     ...     R’okk, a bronzerider who was a candidate when L’mis Impressed Golrath all those turns ago doesn’t really talk to the bluerider very often. But at the time the two were pretty good friends. “Yeah, we were both incredibly nervous. I kept making excuses why I couldn’t go out to the sands—had to go to the bathroom, robe was too loose, felt sick—but in the end it was old Loo ... er ... L’mis who pulled me through the entrance to the sands.”     “Of course then it was time for him to be nervous, as he had to hold on to me to keep from shaking. And my Jyddath and Golrath both Impressed the two of us almost the same time. They may have been the first and second egg to crack—I remember thinking these two knew who they wanted before they even hatched.”     “L’mis was a hard-working weyrling, I remember that. But I started spending more time with the other bronze and brownriders and we never kept in touch.”     “I see him on occasion,” R’okk says. “But he barely nods in passing. I doubt it’s anything I did; it’s probably just the number of years that have passed.”     ...     From whispers about the Weyr, it seems L’mis was once a close acquaintance of now former Weyrleader G’mort. The same whispers note the two didn’t seem to talk much in the five turns or so before the Benden move. No one has any idea if the two had a falling out, or if something else happened.     ...     L’mis’s younger brother Vaalor Sketch of L’mis’ brother V’lor by Steve Mohundro, with help by a sketch by Terry Shoemaker was Searched once on a visit to Benden Weyr, and stood on Benden’s sands. Upon Impression of green Glorith, the now V’lor became a permanent Benden resident.     “Can’t tell you much about my brother, I’m afraid,” V’lor said on a recent visit to Telgar. The greenrider has chosen to stay at Benden to assist those who chose to remain.     “We were pretty close before he Impressed, and in the turns before I Impressed, I guess. But something must have changed, because he usually gives me the cold shoulder. And when our mother and father had both passed away, I figured we’d be closer.”     “But we’re just polite to each other. I’m not sure what happened—especially since we were best friends as little kids.”     ...     L’mis’ right arm is gone, and has been gone for some time. A journeyrank healer recently said of L’mis’ injury, “I was posted here (Telgar) about four turns ago, and he was missing the arm even then. I can’t tell you much, to maintain his privacy, but I can tell you the obvious: he was severely scored sometime early into the Pass, and the healer on duty recommended amputation.”     “He (L’mis) seems to have adjusted to working with one arm quite some time ago. I’ve never heard of anyone complaining he doesn’t pull his own weight around here.”     “The only time L’mis ever comes to me or one of the healers is when the stump of his right arm aches, and even then only in the colder months. When he visits, he isn’t too talkative. But he’s cooperative, sure. I see him as a quiet, yet friendly enough patient. He may not be as cheery as some of the younger riders, but look at what he’s lived with.” PernMUSH’s unofficial home page Telgar Weyr (PernMUSH) home page Text by Steve Mohundro. Dragonriders of Pern theme and setting used with fond reverence. Pern is Copyright © 1998 Anne McCaffrey    Loomis/L’mis’ look inspired by and homage to the character of Loomis which appeared in the Volume 4 era of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Likewise, names of V’lor (Vaalor/Valor/now M’onel/Lar Gand/Mon-El), Glorith, R’okk (Rokk Krinn, Cosmic Boy), Lyddath (Lydda Jath Krinn, Night Girl) all Copyright © 1997 D.C. Comics, Inc. Someone else made up G’mort, and I don’t think it’s a homage to former Green Lantern G’nort. But who knows? To Steve's home page.