Mawgrim

If Hortaimin manages to Impress a dragon it might be the making of him. He's now discovered he can't get his own way at the Weyr like he did at home.

It was late when Kadin got back, but Jevikel was still awake. He couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened earlier and what the consequences might be. Everyone else in the room seemed to be sleeping. Some were snoring. It was almost a relief when Kadin shook him gently. ‘Sorry to wake you, but I’ve got to tell you all about this evening.’ ‘I wasn’t asleep.’ ‘It was so brilliant. They were pounding on the tables for more. Sheltegan even let me play a solo. And sing with him on

I agree with drsawzall that Hortaimin will provide a lot of entertainment. He doesn't have the brains, experience or skills to be another "He Who Will Not Be Named" even at the Jr level. His rhetoric sound very much like that of a deep in the closet gay hiding from his father. I also agree that father should be present...at the hatching when Hortaimin impresses his.... That's a perceptive comment. Many homophobes are deep in the closet. I’m still mulling over what's going to happen to Hortaimin. There are several possibilities at this point.

True, although with Nemorth's small clutches they probably didn't have to Search too many boys as they'd have enough of the right age at the Weyr. It was only when Nemorth laid her last golden egg riders went out to Search for a suitable prospective Weyrwoman.

Either they did, or Herebeth and Rioth alerted them to it. I love the alternative name you've come up with for Hortaimin! They have around forty-five candidates for thirty-one eggs. They could probably lose a couple without worrying too much.

It's got to happen now and then. Regardless of someones ability to Impress a dragon, there must be some nasty types arrive at the Weyr. Possibly this is why they bring them in as soon as possible before the Hatching, to weed out the troublemakers and bullies. The cleverer ones might get through it by hiding their true nature, but Hortaimin isn't very clever.

Exactly. Jevikel hasn't revealed anything about his past because he just doesn't want people to know. Hortaimin is boastful and arrogant and has probably got away with a lot of things at his Hold, particularly as he wasn't expected to take over as Holder one day. Who knows, perhaps his father was happy to see him Searched?

D'gar is a good judge of character. Jevikel hasn't been in any fights prior to Hortaimin's arrival and at least Turmevon found the courage to speak up. D'gar is a lot more thoughtful and reasonable than N'teren, who was Weyrlingmaster when he Impressed Herebeth. He's certainly learned how not to do the job well.

Hortaimin has a lot to learn. He's a spoilt brat who thinks his entitlement carries over to the Weyr. D'gar notices a lot more than the candidates think. After all, he was in their position eight Turns ago. Plus Herebeth keeps an eye on what is going on in the Weyr Bowl, even if he does an excellent impression of a dusty brown lump who sleeps a lot in the sun.

The next story is still in the planning stage. Not sure I'll be able to start posting as soon as this one ends, especially as I am working on my anthology entry and another mystery story as well, but it will be coming. Provisional title is 'Honour Those the Dragons Heed' and moves further into the Turns between the end of 'Dragonflight' and the beginning of 'Dragonquest'.

Kadin is quick to defend himself and others. although unlike S'brin he uses his wits rather than fists. He is much less impulsive than S'brin. As he and Jevikel grow up, there will obviously be some problems along the way. I hope to deal with those in the next story.

Ha! I'm just writing a chapter for the next story in which D'gar recruits H'rek to answer questions about mating flights!

They've already done some butchering, but I expect they'll have more lessons as the time gets closer. It will be an essential skill in order to care for their growing dragons until they are able to feed themselves. Wait to find out what happens to Hortaimin! Some of the candidates are bound to end up with surprise Impressions and some won't Impress at all. Of course, they may want to stay and try again next time Ramoth lays a clutch. D'gar has already tried to prepare them for both eventualities by stressing not everyone Impresses first time and trying to demonstrate the values of different colour dragons. R'feem has a lot of experience in assessing people for his Wing. I'm sure he'll be taking notes on potential recruits, although it'll be a few Turns before they are ready for that. It's great that Kadin is now able to freely express his love of music again. I'm sure he'll end up helping the Harper in classes for the weyrbrats and in entertaining the weyrfolk. The Hatching will be soon, but there are a few more twists and turns in the plot before we get there.

A bit like the arrogant bronze rider who thought he knew best and ended up falling into the shit pit! We don't know if 'he who won't be named' sired any children. He may very well have done. But arrogant idiots like Hortaimin turn up everywhere. I expect he's been indulged in every whim and believes he's the best and no one else matters. He also needs to taunt and belittle others to make him feel like he's the top of the tree. Kadin is like S'brin in a lot of ways. Jevikel is more thoughtful, like D'gar. D'gar probably recognises this.

The scare tactics happen in all kinds of settings; when new people start a job (the guy before you got his hand crushed in that machine) or kids move to another school (if you get on the wrong side of a certain teacher, he'll throw you through the window). I've heard from a friend that first time pregnant women are told all sorts of horrific stuff by mothers who have done it before. I think it's to try and establish a pecking order and also as a sort of boasting - 'I know more about what can happen than you do.' People will always try and guess what colour dragon is inside an egg, even though it's been proven time and time again you just can't tell. And yes, despite all the warnings, some will try to force a hatchling to Impress and get knocked over and/or trampled because of it.

I read another fic where the temperature of the Sands is controlled by the queen dragon, which makes sense as she is going to know what her hatchlings need due to her ability to communicate with them even inside the egg. Benden needed a new Harper, having lost C'gan in the first Threadfall. I'm sure Sheltegan has been fully briefed by Robinton and is probably one of his well trusted Journeymen.

I'm trying to convey here all of the small changes to 'traditional' ways that F'lar and Lessa come up with - such as sharing information and trying to educate people about the Weyr. in a few Turns, these changes will become noticeable all over Pern, thus leading to the rift between Benden and the other Weyrs.

All the candidates had arrived, making a total of forty one. They tended to stay in their Hold groups, or banded together by region. Benden’s area was both wide at the northern end and long on a north-south axis. Most of the lads who came from Seaholds, or those close to the coast, were used to a milder climate than at the Weyr and complained how chilly it was in the tunnels and sleeping room. Jevikel enjoyed the cool, especially after a day working in the laundry. He supposed the others would g

It's all down to the dragons. Jevikel is more prepared for the eventuality of not Impressing than Kadin, who is more of an optimist.

Bavi - the human version of Ramoth. Fiercely protective of her young ones.

Ramoth will be guarding her eggs as fervently as ever! But then, she'll also be there on Hatching Day, so as well for them to experience her intimidating presence before that.

He's looking back at the training he received and working out new ways, with a strong reliance on practical skills. He doesn't want the next wheeling to be unprepared for Threadfall.

It's a new idea. D'gar has noticed the bronze bias at Benden and is trying to show the boys all dragons have different fighting abilities, all useful in their own way. Also, Benden's leaders are encouraging him to try new things.

I freely admit I had to look it up, but I have all the books handy, so that's no problem! Arthur C Clarke was one of the writers whose works I devoured as a science fiction mad teen. I never knew he was gay.

I don't think Anne would have even known what a bathhouse was! But I have to admit I've always envisioned the communal baths as having a strong resemblance to a bathhouse. Lots of riders would want to enjoy themselves after the relief of surviving another Fall, and D'gar and S'brin, as weyrlings, go there to eye up the men. In the early stories there were female green riders, but even in 'Red Star Rising', set just before the start of the Second Pass, the Weyrleader is bemoaning that they get fewer female candidates at each Hatching. In that book there is a same sex couple, P'tero and M'leng. Also in 'Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern' we have K'lon, who is attached to a rider from another Weyr and is caught timing it so he can spend more time with his lover and Berchar the Weyrhealer who is weyrmates with a green rider. So even from the early books, she introduced a few same sex couples, which was quite innovative for a science fiction/fantasy writer in the 1970s.