Gone Away, Gone Ahead - 14. Going South

Moving in to the new weyr had gone very smoothly, not least because most of the Wing were keen to see it for themselves once rumour had got around of D’gar’s good fortune. With thirty or so people inside, it seemed far less roomy, although several of them had decided to try out the bathing pool which freed up space in the main living area.

‘More wine, anyone?’ H’rek was carrying a skin around and topping up everyone’s cups. G’reden and T’rai carried more food over from the service shaft.

‘You’d best get over there,’ G’reden said, putting a tray of meat rolls down on the desk. ’T’garrin is taking bets as to whether someone can get inside and ride down to the kitchen.’

‘Thanks.’ D’gar pushed his way through to find one of H’rek’s clutchmates trying to fit himself in. He was fairly compact, but even so, it was clear that anyone the wrong side of ten Turns just wasn’t going to make it.

‘Best get out of there before you break something,’ he suggested. The mechanism or yourself, he thought, gory visions of limbs being pulled off going through his mind.

‘Oh, come on. I’ll bet this isn’t the first time someone’s tried it.’ T’garrin sounded slightly drunk.

‘Probably not,’ he agreed. ‘But I’ve had this weyr less than a day and I’d rather not have to call the maintenance crew just yet.’ He helped the youngster climb out. ‘Go and get something to eat, or join the rest in the pool. Just do something slightly less dangerous, please.’

T’garrin sighed. ‘Thought I was going to win some marks then.’

‘You still can. I’m sure you’ve brought your cards along.’ He chivvied T’garrin away and pulled the heavy curtain back across the opening. Putting that up had been one of the first things they’d done. It stopped any draughts and would also hopefully stop anyone eavesdropping. As he turned away, he caught R’feem’s eye. The Wingleader had stationed himself at the end the stone bench that curved around the wall of the weyr. Despite having had a few drinks, he still appeared fairly sober.

‘I was going to step in myself if it looked like they were about to start it moving,’ he said. ‘But it’s probably just as well to put a stop to it. Fingers crossed we might have the whole Wing fit and present for next Threadfall.’

‘Let’s hope so. I’m going to try flying tomorrow. I reckon the healers here are being a bit over-cautious.’

R’feem nodded. ‘They’re still acting as though it’s an Interval. All the time in the world.’

‘My thoughts too. I’d rather not sit out another Fall. And it’s a short one again, isn’t it?’

‘That’s right. West of Bitra and Lemos, then passing over to Telgar Weyr for the last couple of hours. It’s a mix of terrain. Lots of forestry in Lemos these days, so I’m told.’

‘Great. Let’s hope nothing much gets through.’ Finding Thread burrows on cultivated land was bad enough, but among a tightly packed plantation of trees, it would be a nightmare.

‘They’ll have to fire the sharding lot if it comes to it. I appreciate having decent wooden furniture as much as anyone, but there comes a point in a Pass where it’s just not practical. I don’t think the Holders have realised that yet.’

‘Or the Weyr, for that matter. Don’t you think…’ he paused for a quick check around to see if any Benden folk were nearby before carrying on. ‘They’re a bit too ready to give in to Holders demands.’

‘My impression too. Again, that’ll change, given time. Once the Weyrleader realises he can’t please everyone…’ R’feem peered into his cup. ‘Hmm, seems to be empty.’

‘I’ll fetch some more. I noticed H’rek had a skin of Benden white tucked away under the bed. Not sure how he got his hands on that, but we might as well drink it before anyone else finds it.’

When he got back, he found R’feem chatting to a couple of the youngsters. ‘We’ll have to see what your Weyrleader thinks to that,’ he was saying. ‘I’m not opposed to the idea myself, although we need more blues and greens at the moment rather than bronzes.’

They moved off. D’gar poured refills for himself and R’feem. ‘What did they want?’

‘Trying to see if they can get a place in our Wing. I’ve no objection, but I’m not sure how Benden would feel about it. They’re thinking of forming a new Wing soon, you know.’

‘Ah.’

‘Yes, with one of their younger bronzes in charge. Personally, I think they’d do better to mix ‘em in with the existing Wings rather than have a whole load of youngsters all together.’

‘There’d be no harm in us taking a few up to gain experience, surely? Even on a temporary basis.’ H’rek would be keen, he knew.

‘I’ll bring it up at the next Wingleaders’ meeting.’ He sipped the wine and gave a smile. ‘It’s been a while since I had stuff this good.’

‘At least four hundred Turns,’ D’gar joked. ‘Cheers.’

Much later, when everyone had flown off to their own weyrs, he surveyed the mess left behind. ‘Probably a good job we didn’t clean beforehand,’ he commented. The floor was sticky from spilled wine (fortunately not the Benden white) and a few meat rolls had been trodden underfoot. Cups floated on the surface of the pool - there’d been some kind of mini boat race going on towards the end of the party - and a variety of dirty eating and drinking vessels had been abandoned on any horizontal surface available.

‘Bit of a mess, isn’t it?’ H’rek started to gather up the empty cups.

‘Yes, but I think everyone enjoyed it. And there was actually some mixing going on. Didn’t I see V’chal trying to chat up one of your clutchmates?’

H’rek grinned. ‘Several of them, I think. Although not all at once.’

‘Keeping his options open for the next time Lilith rises, I expect.’ He loaded a stack of dishes into the service shaft.

‘Did you speak to M’rell much this evening?’ H’rek asked, as they carried on clearing up.

‘I think I had a few words with everyone at some point. Why?’

‘He seemed a bit off, that’s all.’

‘He gets like that sometimes. He’s probably been unlucky in love again.’

H’rek poured the dregs from several cups down the necessary. ‘I think it’s a bit more than that. I couldn’t help overhearing when he was chatting with a couple of the lads from Igen.’

‘Oh yes?’

‘He resents your promotion.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, he was saying that he thought he could have done as good a job and that R’feem only gave it to you because he felt sorry for you. Then he spotted me and changed the subject. Just thought you should know, that’s all.’

‘I appreciate that. But don’t worry. He’ll be fine.’ D’gar gathered up some empty trays and pushed them into the service shaft. ‘If he could see the amount of admin R’feem’s piled on to me, he’d not be so keen. Still, I’ll be back to full duty soon.’

‘Oh? Did you get cleared by the healers, then?’

‘Not exactly. But I’m going up for a spin on Herebeth tomorrow morning to see how I feel.’ He noticed the look on H’rek’s face. ‘I’m not being reckless or anything. They’re erring on the side of caution. I know when I’m all right to fly.’

‘Fly, maybe. What about catching full sacks of firestone? What about going between?’

‘There’s a lot of misinformation on the dangers of going between with injuries, you know. If it’s not an open wound or too deep, it’s fine. What I had was no worse than a minor Thread score and I’ve been sent straight back up for the next Fall after those in the past.’

H’rek still looked dubious.

‘Tell you what, if you’ve nowhere else you need to be, why don’t you come too? I’ve never been flying with you and Rioth and you can keep an eye on me that way.’

‘Well, if you’re sure…’

He cast an eye around the weyr. ‘I think we’ve cleared the worst of it away now. I reckon it’s about time we tried out that nice, big, comfortable bed, don’t you?’

The following morning, they made their way to the dining hall. H’rek had wanted to have breakfast in their weyr, but D’gar had imagined what his mother would have said if the occupants of a weyr left her all that clearing up late at night and then demanded breakfast the next day. And at least she would only have grumbled about it. Some of the Lower Caverns workers had other, less savoury ways of showing their annoyance.

Evidently, M’rell had thought along the same lines. ‘Gracing us with your presence this morning, D’gar? Thought you’d have eaten your breakfast in private, not mucked in with the rest of us.’

Although it was said lightly enough, D’gar sensed an undertone there. ‘All because I can doesn’t mean I have to,’ he retorted. There was so much more he wanted to say; that he’d ended up with a nice weyr through luck rather than design and that if M’rell had stood up to F’drun that morning and been the one to get half-drowned, then he might have had the same good fortune. However, this wasn’t the time or place.

‘I see what you mean about M’rell,’ he said quietly when H’rek joined him in line for the cooked breakfasts. ‘I’ll try to have a word with him later, in private.’ He decided it would be a good idea to sit with M’rell, just to show he wasn’t getting above himself but R’feem beckoned him over so he ended up next to B’lin as they ate. H’rek had spotted Bavi and had gone over to chat with her by the night hearth.

‘I had a good time yesterday evening,’ B’lin said. ‘Nice to see everyone socialising together, too.’

He had been deep in conversation with one of the Benden green riders for most of it. Although he might have been motivated by more than just fostering good relations between Weyrs there, D’gar thought.

R’feem leaned across. ’We’ll be overflying the area for tomorrow’s Fall this afternoon. Think you’ll be up to joining us?’

‘I’ll let you know later. But I’m fairly sure I’ll be all right.’

R’feem’s gaze swept around the hall. ‘Still no sign of F’drun. I’ll get Piroth to bespeak Ryth and find out where he is.’

How could he not be aware of the latest rumours concerning F’drun and Kylara? D’gar glanced quickly at B’lin and from the look he returned, he knew exactly where F’drun was likely to be.

R’feem caught on too. ‘Yes, I’ve heard the gossip. I know who he’s been seen with. It’s not entirely surprising. Piroth’s been unsettled these past few days. He can sense when a queen dragon’s going to rise as well as any.’

‘Think she’ll go before or after Fall?’ B’lin asked.

‘After, I reckon. Two, maybe three days at most. Still, at least none of our greens are glowing yet.’

D’gar knew what he was getting at. The intensity of a gold dragon’s mating urges often made greens who were coming close to that point in their cycle rise early. It wasn’t uncommon for the queen's mating flight to be followed shortly after by several greens taking to the skies. They’d be chased by a whole host of frustrated males, including some of the losing bronzes. Although dragons’ instincts prevented them rising during Threadfall, if a gold flight happened too close beforehand, a considerable number of dragons could end up out of action due to exhaustion and injury. Not to mention the state of their riders.

‘How long’s it been since Ondiath chased a green?’ he asked B’lin.

‘Too long. Don’t think I’ll be able to persuade him to give it a miss, especially under circumstances like these.’

R’feem sighed. ‘Piroth’s not going too be pleased either. We’ll have to leave the Weyr before Prideth rises so I’d best let him go after a green to keep him happy.’

Great. That meant there was a distinct possibility both of them would get caught up in the crazy aftermath of the main mating flight. ‘Better hope I’m all right to fly then, as Herebeth’s probably the only dragon out of our three who won’t get involved. He’s still besotted with Rioth.’

‘Like dragon, like rider.’ B’lin said, with a smirk. ‘Do you think Ondiath might be able to catch himself a Benden green? Seems to have worked out well for you.’

‘You won’t know unless you try.’

Back in his weyr, he took Herebeth’s fighting straps off the pegs and checked them over. The dragon looked at him quizzically. Are we flying this morning?

If that’s all right with you. Now could you just lower your head while I get this on?

Herebeth obliged and a ripple of excitement transmitted through their bond. He was obviously keen to get airborne again.

The day had started overcast and the weather looked to be steadily deteriorating. It would probably be raining by lunchtime.

I do not mind rain.

No, it just runs off your hide. It’s not so good for me. Oiled wherhide was all right for a shower, but if you were out in it for any length of time, water inevitably found its way through. He’d had his fair share of miserable patrols in bad weather. This afternoon might be another one. Still, at least they’d be flying with the Wing again, so he couldn’t really complain.

Rioth shook herself and flapped her wings as H’rek got his own straps down. D’gar was pleased to note that he took good care to check and adjust them correctly. At least that part of his training seemed to have been thorough, even if there had been shortcomings elsewhere.

‘Right. We’ll take it easy at first, then try out some Thread fighting moves once I’m happy. If you stay a good two dragon lengths to my right, we should have plenty of room for manoeuvre. Just try to keep up, all right?’

He climbed on board, noting that it was much easier today. He was definitely on the mend.

Herebeth set off in a low glide, then a few easy wingbeats brought him up to the rim of the Bowl. Rioth followed close behind.

Be interesting to see how Rioth flies, he sent to Herebeth.

I already know exactly how Rioth flies, the dragon replied with a smug tone. She’s as quick as any green I’ve chased before.

It was good to be flying properly again, rather than just those short hops to and from his weyr. Herebeth enjoyed stretching his wings too and found an updraft that took them high above the Weyr and its surrounding mountains in just a few minutes. Before reaching the cloud base, he levelled off, giving Rioth time to come up alongside. D’gar tightened the straps a hole, just as he would before Fall, then shouted across to H’rek. ‘You ready for some real flying?’

He signalled back with a grin.

Right. Let’s fly.

Herebeth could be a real show off when he wanted to and today was one of those days. D’gar was reminded of their first wildly aerobatic flights when they’d been cleared to fly alone and had revelled in the sheer joy of it. The earth and clouds rapidly changed places as Herebeth plunged in a spiralling dive, the wind howling past his ears. He was aware of Rioth’s green hide, out on the edge of his peripheral vision, as she matched Herebeth’s every move. He watched her falling below them as Herebeth powered out of the manoeuvre as only a brown or a bronze could do without strain. Rioth soon caught them up again, using the speed and agility of her own colour to its best advantage. She followed them through a series of banking turns and quick changes of direction. It was clear that she had the edge on them there. She might not be able to spin on a wingtip like some of the smaller greens, but there wasn’t much in it. Just as he registered the thought, she cut ahead of them, H’rek whooping as they overtook.

Rioth wants to show us what she can do. She thinks we can’t keep up.

Let’s show her, then.

Herebeth followed her instinctively, using his experience to stay right on her tail. They played in the air currents, changing places several more times. D’gar had to hang on and lean close to his neck to stop himself being thrown around. He was out of breath when they finally flew level again and although his shoulders ached, it was no more than he’d expect any time he’d pull moves like that.

‘That was wild!’ H’rek called over. ‘And fun!’

It was just beginning to rain. He felt dampness against his face as the low cloud swirled and darkened. ‘Let’s get out of this weather, eh?’ He sent an image to Herebeth with the instruction to share it with Rioth. H’rek signalled back he’d understood. D’gar gave a countdown, then went between, counting slowly through the freezing nothingness until they emerged in brilliant sunshine over Keroon’s Red Butte. The air felt instantly warmer, despite their height above the rocky terrain. Rioth winked in just a breath later, still in formation and the two dragons descended to land on one of the flatter parts of the famous landmark.

‘Where next?’ H’rek asked.

‘Your call. This is one of the few places I feel confident enough about on my four hundred Turn old visuals. It’s probably best for Rioth to send Herebeth coordinates for anywhere else.’

‘How are you feeling?’

‘Exhilarated. Alive.’

‘I meant your injuries.’

‘No aches or pains.’

‘Good.’ H’rek seemed to be thinking. ‘We’ve a couple of hours before we need to get back, haven’t we?’

‘Sure.’

‘Then I know the perfect place. Somewhere I’ve wanted to show you.’

Herebeth gave him the image; a long stretch of golden sand with a distinctively shaped rocky outcrop at one end. ‘Looks good.’

‘Shall we go, then?’ Rioth leaped into the air, quickly followed by Herebeth. H’rek glanced back and once they were in clear air, gave the signal to go between. They emerged into heavy heat and humidity, which almost instantly made him start sweating under the heavy wherhide jacket. The beach below was totally deserted, the sea calm and inviting, with sunshine sparkling off the turquoise-blue waters.

Almost as soon as they’d landed and the straps were off, the two dragons dived in and began splashing around happily. D’gar thought he might even be tempted to join them. Normally, he’d not think twice about it, but since his experience in the lake, he felt slightly reluctant to immerse himself again. It was silly, really. He was a good swimmer, when he wasn’t being deliberately pushed under. Plus, the salt water would be good for healing and he’d have Herebeth to cling on to.

‘Where is this place, exactly?’ D’gar realised that he didn’t recognise a lot of the tree species. Where the sand ended, thick tropical undergrowth began. Mingled with the sound of the surf, he could also hear the buzz and chirrup of unfamiliar insects. There was an eerie stillness, as if they were the only people for miles around.

‘This is the south. But it’s… changed.’ H’rek was looking all about him as if expecting to see something that wasn’t there.

‘The southern continent, you mean?’ It looked as if no one had set foot here for a very long time. But then, H’rek had suspected as much, hadn’t he?

‘The Weyrhall should be just over there.’ He pointed in the direction of a particularly thick growth of foliage.

D’gar looked carefully. He supposed that the mass of purple flowered creepers might just have grown up in a vaguely rectangular shape. But how long would it have taken for a building to become obliterated so totally? He followed H’rek across the sands, shedding outer clothing as he went. ‘How long ago did you say you left here?’

‘We got back to Benden the day before Telgar. Two days before I met you for the first time.’

‘Even in a tropical climate, nothing grows that fast.’

‘No, I guess not.’ He sounded unsure.

The sharp smell of crushed leaves and bleeding sap filled his nostrils as H’rek trampled down the undergrowth and slashed at the vines with a dead branch he’d picked up. At last he managed to clear enough to reveal wooden framework beneath. Even that showed signs of decay; boring insects had chewed holes and there was a bright green fungus growing on it.

H’rek threw the branch away. It disappeared into the jungle instantly. ‘It can’t be. It just can’t.’ He shook his head as if trying to deny the proof he’d just found.

D’gar imagined H’rek was feeling the same sense of dislocation in time as he often did. ’It looks as if you were right. You came back to Benden just a couple of sevendays ago, but it’s obvious this place has been abandoned for Turns. You said you thought they must have sent you all back in time. This proves it.’

‘It’s one thing saying it, quite another seeing for yourself.’

‘That’s pretty much how I felt when we landed at Fort and saw the sorry state it was in. Let’s go back to the beach, eh?’ Who knows what creatures might be lurking in the undergrowth here. It felt far wilder than anywhere he’d ever been on Pern. There was something else unsettling about this place, too, which he couldn’t quite put a finger on. Something not quite… right.

H’rek led the way back to the shore and sat down on a smooth rock, still looking slightly dismayed. ‘It feels really strange. Like part of my life has vanished utterly.’

‘It’s not vanished. Just buried under foliage.’ Foliage. That was it. There was just too much of the stuff. Surely Thread must have fallen in this part of the world, as it did in the north? Yet everything was so lush. It was decidedly odd.

‘They’re going to start this place up again, you know. Southern Weyr. Bavi was telling me this morning.’

‘Really. What’s the point, now?’

‘Mainly as a way to get rid of Kylara. Lessa doesn’t get on with her. It’s one of the reasons she was sent here before. That and to raise more dragons, of course.’

It still seemed strange to D’gar, only having one queen dragon in a Weyr. Of course, Lessa could always ask for a junior queen to be transferred from another Weyr to bring up the numbers. He wondered what had caused the rift between the two women. Oh well, another one of those things he’d find out in good time. ’They’ll have to be quick, then. Before Prideth’s too egg-heavy. R’feem reckons she’s only got a few days before she rises and he should know.’

‘Eh? How?’

‘Piroth’s interested. All the bronzes will be. They can tell.’

‘So, will they all chase her?’

‘Any bronze in the vicinity will, yes. But ours will have left before it starts.’ He noted H’rek’s puzzled expression. ‘They obviously don’t want dragons from other Weyrs chasing her, or they’d have announced an open flight. But there are plenty of Benden bronzes to keep Prideth happy. I expect some of your clutchmates will be in it as well.’

H’rek grimaced. ‘I wouldn’t wish Kylara on any of them.’

‘Not up to them is it? If their dragons want to fly, that’s it. And if it’s any consolation, they probably don’t have enough experience to catch her this time around. It should be quite a sight, anyway.’

‘I’ve never seen a gold flight before.’

D’gar smiled, remembering Loranth’s last flight. ‘Even the non-riders get swept up in it. Imagine everyone in the Weyr getting into a state like you did when Rioth rose and you won’t be far out. No work gets done, that’s for sure.’

‘Is that where the Holder rumours of wild orgies comes from?’

‘Probably. My mother found herself pregnant after one memorable queen flight. Apparently my father’s one of the three men she had that day.’ He noticed that H’rek seemed concerned. ‘Don’t worry. You won’t totally lose your mind like when your own dragon rises.’

‘I hope not. I don’t enjoy not being able to remember what’s happened.’

‘It’s not like that. You’ll see.’ It was probably a good thing Rioth had only just risen, so there was no chance of him getting caught up in the aftermath. ‘You might want to warn your clutchmates, though. It can set the greens off early, if their cycle’s close.’ He’d probably said enough. He could see that worried expression on H’rek’s face again. ‘Anyway, let’s have a swim while we’re here and get some sun. I’ve a feeling it’ll be the last we see of it today, once we’re back at Benden.’