Empty, Open, Dusty, Dead - 10. Conclusions

Zalna woke, clutching at the sleeping furs, her heart racing. Then, as she processed where she was, relaxed again. Beside her, T’san slept on.

She had no idea whether it was day or night. All the travelling had scrambled her sense of when exactly she was. Memories of the journey came back in snatches, like dreams. Almost impossible to believe they’d done it and come back safely.

As always when just wakened, she checked on Gemalth. Her dragon was sleeping deeply, too. How much had it sapped even her great strength? Lying back, she gazed around the familiar walls of her weyr, her eyes coming to rest on the Moreta tapestry. Now, she appreciated more than ever what a feat the Weyrwoman had accomplished. Alone, riding a strange dragon, fitting far too many hours into a single day.

T’san rolled over, reaching out for her. ‘Are you awake?’

‘Yes.’

‘I’m hungry.’

At his words, her own stomach rumbled. They’d had a quick snack after returning, but only enough to take the edge off and allow them to sleep. Now she was fully awake, she realised she was starving. ‘I’ll call for some breakfast. Or dinner. Whatever they have ready right now, anyway.’

Slipping her feet into her soft indoor boots and pulling on a loose robe, she went to the service shaft, where she discovered it was almost lunch time. In just a few minutes, klah, fresh crusty bread with cheese and two steaming bowls of wherry and vegetable soup arrived.

T’san had already sat himself at their breakfast table. ‘It’s not just me who’s needing food. Huylonth is awake and says he could eat a couple of herdbeasts. I bet you Gemalth will feel the same.’

‘They did a lot of flying last night.’ Now she was fully alert, she remembered arriving back just after midnight, Benden time.

‘That they did.’ T’san took a gulp of klah.

‘Careful, it’s…’

‘Hot.’ He fanned his mouth. ‘I know.’

Zalna blew on hers before sipping more cautiously. ‘How do you feel?’

‘Not so bad, now. When we got back I felt like I’d ridden a couple of long Falls, one after the other.’

‘I did, too.’ She remembered those last couple of jumps between, shivering as she realised how close she had been…

‘Still cold?’ T’san asked. ‘I thought I’d never be warm again.’

‘I’m fine,’ she assured him. ‘But I almost wasn’t. I almost lost you.’

‘I thought I’d lost you, too. It was only the worry of leaving you alone that kept me together for those last few jumps. Huylonth helped, too.’

‘So did Gemalth. I couldn’t think straight any more. Could hardly hold a visual in my mind’s eye.’

T’san reached out a hand to clasp hers. ‘We were lucky.’

‘I know.’ She fell silent. The warmth of his hand grounded her.

‘All that way,’ he mused. ‘And we still don’t have the answers we set out to find.’

‘No.’ That was the worst of it. They’d pushed themselves and their dragons to the utmost limits and were still none the wiser.

‘Maybe we should try again, after a good rest?’

‘We can’t. Have you forgotten already how exhausted we were at the furthest point? The other Weyrs may have made the same journey, but for them it was one way. And how far into the future would we need to go anyway? Too far to be able to get back.’

T’san sighed. ‘Not knowing, though. Not being able to do anything. It’s frustrating.’

‘Yes,’ she agreed. ‘Both of us are used to planning; trying to make sure this Weyr prospers to insure against the future, when Thread returns. Now we can say for definite it doesn’t return after two hundred-odd Turns…’

‘Thread always returns.’

‘Not always. Cassaru said something about old records telling of an extra long Interval before. If it’s happened once, maybe it could happen again?’ Zalna cast her mind back to the journey. ‘Do you remember when we got to two hundred Turns? The Red Star was in the right position in the sky, but it looked too small. Further away. Perhaps that’s why there was no Thread? It just didn’t get close enough to Pern that time.’

‘Perhaps,’ he agreed, cautiously.

‘Well, we saw for ourselves the Pass hadn’t begun. Those people we talked to confirmed it.’ She helped herself to a thick slice of bread and a piece of cheese. ‘While you have a think about that, I’m going to eat.’

Food had never tasted quite so good, except maybe at the end of Fall. Then, too, it wasn’t just because the physical exertion had made you hungry, but because you’d come back in one piece and were still able to enjoy eating. Between mouthfuls of soup, Zalna glanced at T’san and knew he had to be feeling the same way. At the back of her mind, she was aware of Gemalth stirring from sleep and the sharp pangs of her dragon’s hunger, even though her own stomach was now content and full.

I am starving, Gemalth said, in a plaintive tone which all of a sudden took her back to the Hatching Sands at Fort, just after they’d Impressed.

Huylonth is, too. Keep him company at the feeding grounds. Much as she usually enjoyed watching Gemalth catch her prey, right now she just couldn’t summon the energy to accompany her. Besides, it was cold outside and the weyr snug.

‘They’re off to deplete the stock,’ T’san commented, mopping up the last of the soup with some bread.

‘Can’t blame them for that.’ She stretched. ‘I feel so much better now.’

‘I did what you said. Had a think, while we were eating. Maybe we should check those records you were talking about.’

‘That’s not a bad idea. Not right now, though.’

‘No,’ he agreed. ‘So, if it’s one of those long Intervals ahead of us, what can we do about it?’

‘Not much. Just stick to our original plan of trying to re-populate Ista and maybe High Reaches too. It gives us a lot more time.’

‘True. But remember those folk on the beach? They thought Thread had gone for good, just because it hadn’t returned when predicted. They won’t be the only ones. Maybe even our descendants, here at Benden, will assume the same?’

‘They’ll have access to the same records as we do.’ Zalna was glad they had someone like Cassaru, tending the archives and keeping everything in good order.

‘But will they be able to convince Holders of that? You know how difficult they can be. Each Turn since the Pass ended the tithes arrive later, no matter we remind them. Rather than giving gratefully, as they once did, it’s seen as a duty; a chore even. When, as we know happens, Thread fails to return, they’ll become even more reluctant.’

That was easy to imagine. ‘It’ll be hard to persuade them otherwise.’

‘Nigh on impossible. I don’t envy the Weyrleader of the future, trying to persuade anyone to keep their Holds clear of greenery. You know, maybe that’s why things get so desperate someone has to go back in time.’ His face suddenly lit up. ‘I can even picture how it might happen. The Red Star’s drawing closer in the sky, but no one wants to believe the Pass will begin soon. Imagine the Weyrwoman and Weyrleader trying to convince the Lord Holders. “It didn’t happen last time,” they’ll say. “Why should we listen to you now.” If they can remember so far back, they might presume the reason the other five Weyrs disappeared was for that very reason. Because dragons and their riders were no longer needed.’

Zalna saw it all too well. ‘That’s why Creline wrote the Question Song. So they wouldn’t forget.’

‘And to provide a clue. Maybe it’s the Weyrleader himself who figures it out and takes that leap back in time.’

‘It could be.’ Zalna cast her own mind back twenty five Turns. Her last visit to Fort, when Mardra had been so prickly. ‘The last time I was at Fort, just a sevenday before the Disappearance, there was a gold dragon on the heights. She wasn’t from Fort and I didn’t recognise her as being from any of the other Weyrs either.’ There had been something else strange, too. She struggled to bring it back. ‘She was a very large dragon. And she said something to Gemalth; something that struck me as odd at the time.’

‘Was that just before we were told about the non-existent sickness?’

‘Yes. It was the day the Weyrleaders all met. I came back with N’rax and he told us we had to isolate. That was to give them time to prepare, of course and to keep it secret.’ What was it the other dragon had said? There was no point in asking Gemalth. She’d have forgotten it long ago.

‘It can’t be that important.’

‘I’m just annoyed I can’t remember.’ Other details of that day were sharp; D’gar and J’rud joking around as they cleaned D’gar’s weyr. The plan to meet up for a day on the beach. ‘She asked Gemalth where we were from…’

‘Dragons like to know that sort of thing.’

‘And Gemalth told her Benden, of course.’ That was it. She recalled Gemalth’s concern. ‘Then she said she was the only queen dragon at Benden. Gemalth worried she was going to come here and steal her bronzes. I didn’t think much about it at the time. There was too much else going on. But dragons don’t lie, so maybe she really was from Benden. Just not in our here and now.’

‘You think she was the one who came back from however many hundred Turns in the future?’ T’san sipped his klah, a thoughtful expression on his face.

‘I reckon she must have been.’

‘They were a brave pair, then.’

‘Not were,’ Zalna corrected him. ‘Will be.’

A visit to the archives later that afternoon confirmed there had been a previous long Interval, over a thousand Turns ago.

‘These aren’t the original records, of course,’ Cassaru said. ‘They were copied at a later date, when the hides were in a poor condition. That’s why some of the text is missing. But you can read here…’ she pointed, ‘and here of the Weyrleader’s struggles to convince Hold and Craft they needed to prepare. I expect you’d find a similar story in the archives at the other Weyrs. Of course, when the Pass began, they were full of gratitude.’

Zalna traced the faded writing. “We must never forget again how much we owe to dragon kind,” said Degroval, Lord Holder of Benden. And we mustn’t forget, either. Should these be copied again?’

‘We have a system in place,’ she said. ‘Although it’s hard finding enough folk with decent writing and who want to give their time to the task. I love these archives; all their history and information. But I won’t be around forever and sometimes I worry how well they’ll be kept when I’m gone.’

‘We’ll make sure of it,’ T’san said. ‘Even if we have to bring in someone from outside the Weyr who realises their value.’

‘Thank you.’ Cassaru smiled, her face lighting up. ‘It would be a great help. Er, have you finished with F’mon’s charts? Because if you have, can you bring them back next time you’re passing.’

‘Of course,’ Zalna promised. ‘They were extremely useful.’

‘But that project is now complete,’ T’san said. ‘We won’t be needing them again.’

Zalna wasn’t sure how much she should tell Morna. She and T’san had more or less figured out the details of what was to come, despite not having been privy to the original meetings before the Weyrs had gone forward. They’d agreed they should keep it to themselves. Therefore, all she said on her next visit to Ista was that their investigations had confirmed the Weyrs had been skipping ahead in twenty-five Turn jumps. Morna would be discreet. By the time another twenty-five Turns went by, the excitement would have been mostly forgotten. Maybe, by then, no one would connect the appearance of a Weyr’s worth of dragons with the Disappearance at all?

With what they now knew, they agreed it was even more important to keep a presence at Ista and High Reaches. They couldn’t be certain how many of the riders and dragons would make it to the end of that long, long journey. Their extra pairs might yet be needed.

Zalna often wondered how the rider of that queen dragon had felt, about to launch herself into the distant past. If she’d done it all in one leap, it was a miracle she’d survived. That feat definitely deserved to be put into a ballad. Maybe, at the other end of time, it would be? Assuming, of course, she returned safely to tell the tale.

Gemalth ate voraciously following her return. So did Huylonth. Both seemed to crave sunshine even more than they had before; as if the cold of between had seeped into their bones. Zalna often felt it had insinuated itself into her own. She suffered from aches and pains she’d never had before. Although T’san wouldn’t admit it, she reckoned he did too.

Late in the spring, something unexpected happened. It had only been two and a half Turns since Gemalth last rose to mate, but Zalna began to get the feeling she was close to rising again. Comparisons with other queens made it seem unlikely; Terirth’s last mating flight had been almost four Turns ago and she was of similar age to Gemalth. Romello’s Jalnith seemed to rise around every three Turns, but she was at a much earlier stage in her reproductive life. Maybe it was as a result of all the extra sunshine, or the long ride between?

She spoke to T’san. ‘Has Huylonth said anything about Gemalth to you?’

‘Why?’

‘I think she’s going to rise sometime in the next couple of sevendays.’

His smile told her what he thought of that. Mating flights were special for them both, particularly now they had reached an age where they stayed far more in control of their emotions. ‘Really?’

‘I know it’s unusual for her and unusual for an Interval, too. Just thought I’d let you know in plenty of time. Huylonth might have a few younger rivals.’

‘Younger, yes, but experience always counts. And Huylonth seems to like her as much as I do you.’

‘You always know the right things to say to a woman.’ Zalna linked arms with him and snuggled close.

It happened on a sunny morning half way through fifth month. Zalna woke early, while Gemalth still slept. Having experienced her dragon’s mating urges many times now, she knew that when Gemalth awakened, she would be ready to blood her kill and test her bronzes.

All her aches had vanished. She felt twenty Turns younger as she gently shook T’san. He wasn’t a morning person. ‘It’s happening,’ she said, probably unnecessarily, as Huylonth had evidently just given him the same message.

They both dressed hastily. Zalna put on a simple shift dress for practical reasons; it came off easily. As always, she smiled as she remembered a piece of advice given to her by S’brin, many Turns ago. ‘Wear something you don’t mind having ripped off,’ he’d said.

Gemalth’s tail twitched as she dreamed. Huylonth had already left to join the other bronzes down on the feeding grounds. Several of them were blooding already, giving themselves energy for the flight without becoming meat-heavy.

T’san took her hand. ‘Looks like it’s starting. Now all we need is a queen to chase.’

‘She won’t keep them waiting long.’ Zalna felt the stirring of dragonlust. So evidently, did many of the other occupants of the Weyr. Riders were standing on their weyr ledges. Dragons of all colours peered out. Some of the greens would be prompted to rise early themselves by Gemalth’s urge to mate, although they would have to wait until after she was caught. In the Bowl, Lower Cavern workers had gathered, too.

She knew the exact moment Gemalth awoke, even before the queen appeared. Just moments after, Cassaru and Terirth took off from their own weyr, getting themselves well out of the way for the duration of the flight.

Gemalth paused on her own ledge, her hide already glowing. She cast an eye over her Weyr, her bronzes and all the spectators, before spreading her wings and gliding with an effortless grace to feed.

The first few times Gemalth had mated, it had been a real struggle for Zalna to make sure she only blooded her kill. Now, although she still wanted to gorge, she was far less resistant to Zalna’s suggestion it might not be a good idea. As she sucked the blood from the herdbeast’s throat, she began to shine as golden as the sun.

Zalna felt as if she was as bright and desirable as her dragon, their minds becoming totally as one; their desire to mate with the strongest and cleverest bronze the whole purpose of their existence.

Flexing her powerful wings, Gemalth launched herself skywards and the chase was on.

No matter how many times this happened, Zalna always felt a wrench as Gemalth climbed higher into the open skies, while she retreated in her weyr; into the darkness. Gemalth had total freedom to fly, leading her suitors where she wanted, while Zalna became surrounded, very quickly, by the riders of all those bronzes. She retreated from her own body, surrendering herself wholly, so that, for the duration of the flight, she was one with her dragon. It was the best way to cope, rather than trying to keep at least a small portion of your mind aware of your separate existence.

Gemalth flew stronger and further than she had during her last couple of flights. Some of the younger bronzes gave up fairly soon; that was normal. Only three remained as she flew high above the mountains, testing their mettle with dives, turns and feints. Huylonth, of course, plus W’sir’s Greth and Gr’cha’s Banuth. Gemalth liked Banuth. He’d even flown her a few times, when she was young and relatively inexperienced. Huylonth was her favourite, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to have to work for the prize. She drew closer to Banuth, teasing him, then swooped away again. Not today, Banuth. Then to Huylonth. Catch me if you can.

Once again, she led him over the barren mountaintops, catching a thermal to rise higher, then quickly dropping down out of it. She skimmed one of the slopes, turning sideways to dodge through a gap, her wingtips almost touching the sides. Huylonth still followed, Banuth further behind him. Greth was nowhere to be seen. He must have dropped out, too.

Gemalth slowed slightly, giving Huylonth a chance to get catch up. Then, as he was so close she could feel his breath on the tip of her tail, she swerved away, catching him by surprise. Several times, she changed direction and height; but he clung on stubbornly. Banuth was over to her left, still waiting for his chance should Huylonth fail, or tire. But Gemalth had grown tired of teasing; she wanted to mate with her chosen bronze and she wanted it now. Dipping slightly, to put herself into the best position, she slowed again and let him catch her. We are one was her final thought before the bliss of union overwhelmed her, his strong wings keeping them both aloft as the long glide commenced.

The first few times Gemalth had mated, it had been a shock for Zalna to find herself once more earthbound, coming down from the aftermath. Nowadays, it was less so. She was sweaty, breathless and clinging to T’san on the bed inside her weyr. Although still linked with Gemalth, now the dragons were apart, her sense of self returned. Gemalth’s feelings of satisfaction and joy merged with her own.

‘That was a memorable flight.’ T’san echoed her own thoughts. ‘One of the longest they’ve managed, I reckon.’

‘I’d agree with that.’ Zalna lay back again, brushing hair away from her eyes. ‘Let’s just enjoy the time we have alone, before we have to face the Weyr, shall we?’

‘Definitely.’

A good mating flight made everyone happy. Zalna was pleased to discover none of the other colours caught up in the green flurry that had followed Gemalth’s flight had been injured. It was always a risk. Greth had apparently caught one of the greens on his way back to the Weyr.

Celebrations went on late in the dining hall. Even Zalna allowed herself to drink a few cups more than she would normally. No one wanted to see a drunk Weyrwoman, but today was one of the exceptions.

Spring turned to summer. Gemalth quickly became egg heavy and spent much of her time sleeping in her favourite sunny spot on the heights. Three sevendays into eight month, she made her way to the Sands, summoning Zalna, as she always did.

My eggs are on their way.

Zalna ran across to the lower entrance. It was a warm day for Benden, but the Sands were already far hotter. Gemalth padded around, searching for the spot that was just right. Zalna stayed close, feeling her own belly twinge in sympathy as her dragon finally squatted to deposit an egg.

Well done, Zalna told her. She inspected the egg from a distance. It looked to be of normal dimensions.

I have more. Gemalth moved carefully away, making sure to keep her tail well clear of the soft shell, which would harden over the next few sevendays from the heat.

I know. Laying eggs took time. The full clutch might take a day or two. It would be a long wait.

Over the course of the day, Gemalth laid five more eggs. T’san came to keep Zalna company for a while and Kedirne, Benden’s current headwoman, brought snacks and refreshments for them both.

Zalna had a couple of hours in bed while Gemalth rested. She was woken when it was still dark.

Come quickly.

Gemalth sounded excited rather than worried, but Zalna still felt apprehensive as she made her way to the Hatching Ground. Glows lit the way and had been placed around the perimeter. She picked up one of the baskets and walked across the hot Sands, wishing at once she’d put on proper footwear rather than her soft indoor boots. What is it? she asked.

Gemalth turned to look at her, then moved aside to reveal her latest egg; an egg with a golden gleam to its shell.

Oh! How wonderful. Zalna hugged her dragon.

She finished laying by the following evening; a total of fourteen eggs, which was very respectable for an Interval. Once it was known there was a gold egg, many weyrfolk came to pay their respects and to see for themselves. Gemalth sat smugly next to them, preening. She allowed Huylonth in briefly, then shooed him away as she settled to her diligent task of examining and turning the eggs.

Zalna spent much of her time at the Hatching Grounds and some of it with Talanza, who was, of course, going to stand. Riders went out on search for candidates. It was always good practice to give the hatchlings plenty of choice. For a queen egg that usually meant at least five girls.

Talanza, normally very level-headed, worried as the day came closer. Having grown up at the Weyr, she’d seen a few Hatchings, although she had only been six when Romello Impressed Jalnith.

‘Maybe she’ll not choose me because I’m weyrbred?’

‘There’s a chance, although the reason many weyrwomen come from Hold or Craft is more to do with having enough suitable candidates of the right age. No one knows for certain why a dragon chooses a particular person. Just be confident and be yourself.’

‘How did you feel the day you Impressed Gemalth?’

Zalna cast her mind back. ‘Scared, mostly, although not for the reasons some might have been. I was worried that if I failed, I’d be sent back to my father’s Hold and have to marry someone I didn’t like much. Whether you Impress or not, there’ll always a home for you at the Weyr. And remember, you’ve still another three Turns before you become too old to try again. Terirth or Jalnith might lay another gold egg by then.’

‘I’d rather it be Gemalth’s.’

Zalna was surprised when her daughter hugged her. Talanza had always gone to her foster mother for reassurance while growing up and it was touching to find herself needed now.

The Hatching began on a windy afternoon late in ninth month. Gemalth warned her of its imminence just before all of the dragons in the Weyr began to hum. By the time she got to the Hatching Ground on foot, dragons and their riders were already swooping in through the upper entrance, while Gemalth hovered protectively over her clutch. Boys wearing the traditional white robes were already being dropped off on the hot Sands. Zalna winced in sympathy as they hopped from foot to foot. It was just the same for the group of six young women, although they tried to be slightly more dignified about it.

Gemalth had separated the gold egg from the others a few sevendays ago so that it was well apart. Two of the other eggs had already begun to move as the dragonets inside began the struggle to free themselves. No matter how many times Zalna had attended Hatchings, they never lost their power to move her. Both she and Gemalth remembered the instant their minds had first touched and melded. The memory always brought tears to her eyes.

It is time, Gemalth said solemnly. My little ones have to find their people.

Indeed. Zalna nodded to R’chon, who had taken over as Weyrlingmaster after L’brec retired to Ista. It was only his second Hatching at Benden and he looked almost as nervous as the candidates, although his boots at least meant he didn’t have to perform the Hatching Ground dance.

She saw Huylonth glide in with T’san on board. He’d been out with his Wing on a routine patrol, so Gemalth must have alerted him to return. He joined her shortly, taking off his thick wherhide jacket. He certainly wouldn’t need it in here. ‘Have I missed anything?’

‘Not yet.’

The dragons hummed louder and weyrfolk craned closer as one of the eggs cracked. Boys soon surrounded it, although at least they were leaving space for the dragon to move once it freed itself. Himself, Zalna corrected as a bronze foot emerged, shortly followed by a foreleg and the dragon’s head. He spat out a piece of shell as he shook away the remains of his egg, then set off on a mission to find his rider. The boys moved away, as they’d been instructed. Zalna heard R’chon give a sigh of relief. At least they’d listened to that instruction.

Her attention was drawn away from the eggs as she watched a tall, dark haired lad claimed by the bronze. ‘His name is Tolmeth!’ he shouted joyously.

‘First to Impress and a bronze,’ Zalna commented to R’chon. ‘He’s a lucky one.’ She looked back to see one egg rocking furiously and another with a large split from top to tail. There were oohs from the crowd as the golden egg also began to move and the dragons’ humming intensified still more. A few small children put their hands over their ears. Not that it would help much. The noise seemed to resonate within her skull, impossible to block out.

Gemalth watched as intently as anyone as her egg swayed from side to side from the efforts of the little queen to break out of the confining shell. Two of the Holdbred girls hugged each other, clearly fearful. The other candidates must have been frightening them with horror stories. It happened every time. Hatchings were potentially risky, but so long as candidates paid attention and didn’t panic, no one would be injured.

Talanza stood tall. Zalna felt a flush of pride for her daughter. Surely she was worthy of Impressing? But there was nothing she could do to help. It was all down to whether the new queen’s mind and her daughter’s meshed well.

‘Why is it more nerve wracking waiting to see if someone you care about Impresses than when you’re out there yourself?’ T’san took her hand.

‘I couldn’t have put it better myself.’

Other eggs were hatching. Zalna heard names being called out, but they seemed distant. All of her focus was on the golden egg and Talanza’s white-clad form. It rocked for what seemed like an eternity before the first crack appeared. Then there was another wait before the dragon’s hind leg kicked her way through the hard shell. Gemalth’s eyes whirled and she hummed approvingly as her daughter fought her way out. Pieces of shell flew this way and that, then finally, the dragon’s head could be seen.

She was a reddish gold, very like Suderoth, Gemalth’s own mother. Stepping away from the shattered egg, she looked straight at Talanza. Zalna saw her daughters face suffuse with joy as she and the queen made straight for each other. Uncaring of the egg fluids and sand adhering to them, Talanza flung her arms around Benden’s newest gold dragon. ‘Ralelth,’ she called. ‘Her name is Ralelth.’