The Red Orb of Pern
M.C. Gordon
Disclaimer is attached to the beginning of this series. This is fan fiction written for a friend who enjoys Anne McCaffrey's Pern as much as I do. Comments welcome to quasito_cat@hotmail.com or quasito_cat@yahoo.com
Chapter 17:
Thread, already falling erratically, became more of a menace than ever to Pern. The dragons and their riders were hard pressed to defend the planet from its ancient nemesis. Benden, along with Fort, High Reaches, Igen, Ista, and Telgar Weyrs began to see an increase in the number of scored dragons and riders.
Fenely, overwhelmed by human and dragon injuries, sent an urgent message to Healer Hall for assistance. Masterhealer Benaren sent his journeymen and most promising apprentices to aid the weyrs.
"I'm sending you to Benden Weyr," he said to Andren. "You're familiar with the place and won't have to learn your way around. Mind you, you're to follow Fenely's directions. You can't help with the dragons until you become a journeyman and specialize in dragonkind. But you know how to deal with minor scoring of the riders and any other general task Fenely may set for you."
Andren, both pleased and proud that Masterhealer Benaren was sending him to Benden, promised to do his best. "I won't let you down, Master Benaren," he said.
"I know you won't," replied the Masterhealer. "I'm giving you the extra task of keeping a good account of healing procedures for the archives. Each weyrhealer develops different solutions to the situations they face. It's important this information be centralized here and then distributed to the other healers."
"I'll do a good job," Andren promised.
Two days later L'nereth arrived on blue Wilaren. Andren was strapped to the dragon's back, sandwiched between L'nereth and journeyman Sensat. He wrapped his arms around L'nereth's waist and prepared for the mind-numbing cold of between.
Chapter 18
Lurah greeted them as Wilaren made a hurried landing at the entrance to the weyr. "We're so please that Masterhealer Benaren could send you," she said. "Fenely and her journeymen can certainly use your help. And you," she said as she looked at Andren, "you are most welcome. Your friends are busy right now but you can see them at the evening meal. Mitchell and Lydel are looking forward to seeing you."
She continued talking as she led them across the open area and into the weyr. "You'll both be sharing sleeping quarters with Journeyman Jemison." Noticing the disappointed look on Andren's face she added, "your old cubicle is full now and one of the younger boys was badly hurt not long ago."
"Maybe I could help take care of him," Andren offered.
"That's for Fenely to decide," Lurah said. "She'll set you tasks that will most benefit the weyr. Besides, that young rascal has the entire weyr waiting on him hand and foot. Here we are," she said as they reached the entrance to the Healer section of the weyr.
Healer Fenely, more care-worn and haggard than Andren had ever seen her, was sipping a cup of hot klah. She set it down and stood as Andren and Sensat approached. "Welcome home, Andren," she said. "I can use a bright young apprentice right now. You can have today to settle in. Tomorrow you're to take an inventory of our supplies. I know we're running short on fellis juice but I need to know exactly what else we need before I send a message to Healer Hall. Oh," she added, "I know Lurah wanted to put you in with Jemison but I think you'd better stay with Mitchell and Lydel instead. You'll be a bit crowded, I'm afraid, since they've got a pair of twins to keep an eye on and the oldest managed to fall near the Star Stone three seven-days ago. Tomin's just beginning to heal enough to be irritating. Even Lydel's well-known patience is wearing thin. Helping to care for the boy will ease some of their responsibility."
Andren was overjoyed. He was terribly upset that the number of injuries in the weyrs required journeymen and apprentices to assist, but the thought of being with his friends again and putting some of his training to use filled him with a sense of purpose.
"You know the way," Fenely told him. "Tell whoever is with Tomin now to return to regular duties." Turning from Andren she addressed Sensat. "I'm glad the masterhealer sent you," she said, "I know you've been studying dragonkind and I wanted to ask your opinion about..."
Chapter 19
Andren began to understand Fenely's remarks about Lydel's patience when he'd spent three hours with Tomin. The boy wanted his pillow fluffed; he was either too hot or too cold; his leg hurt or his arm itched; he wanted a bubbly pie; he needed to pee.
"I'm not your drudge," Andren finally said in exasperation. "And don't stick your bottom lip out at me. I don't care very much for little boys who pout and sulk."
"You sound just like Mitchell," Tomin said.
"That's because we grew up together," Mitchell chuckled from the door. "See what they did to us when you left?" he asked Andren. "Lydel and I got stuck with this little twit and his brother. You'll meet Davis later. He's in Harper class right now."
Mitchell crossed the small room and greeted his old friend with a warm hug. "It's good to see you again," he said.
"I wish it was under better circumstances," Andren replied. "Is he like this all the time?" he asked, indicating Tomin.
"He'd like to be, wouldn't you, Tomin?" Mitchell asked as he ruffled the red hair. "He'll wear you down if you let him. Only I won't let him do it to me, will I you little watch-wher? He hurts and itches; he's uncomfortable and demanding. And it's his own fault. But he's going to be a great bronze rider, maybe even Weyrleader some day. At least that what he says."
Andren watched as Mitchell pulled a hidebound package from his pocket, unwrapped it, and handed Tomin a bubbly pie.
"I could only snitch one for you," the older boy said. "Breathe a word of this to anyone and I'll see that you get sent to Crom Hold myself."
Andren watched the interplay between the two and it was obvious that child adored Mitchell and looked up to him. It wasn't the kind of role Andren had ever thought to see his friend fill, but Mitchell seemed to have the youngster well in hand.
Chapter 20
The days passed quickly for everyone at Benden Weyr. Dragons and their riders returned from fighting thread tired and disheartened. L'noth finally had no recourse but to add younger dragons to the flying wings to keep their numbers up to strength. M'sel had disagreed with the decision, feeling that the young riders would put themselves and their dragons in danger. L'noth and Adelmisa agreed with M'sel but knew they could follow no other course if Pern were to survive with as little damage as possible.
Fenely gave Andren the responsibility of tending the least severely scored riders. His hands were gentle as they applied numbweed and the riders knew him as one of Benden's own and trusted him. His soft voice lavishly praised each rider and his dragon as his nimble fingers worked. He was beginning to practice his craft and looked forward to the day when he would walk the tables from apprentice to journeyman, eventually to Healer -- unaware that Fenely watched him with a critical eye and sent glowing reports back to Masterhealer Benaren.
At the same time, M'sel decided to set those boys most likely to Impress into weryling training. They couldn't actually train with the young dragons, but they could learn the fundamentals of being a dragon rider. Mitchell and Lydel, along with twenty other young hopefuls, were sent between with veteran riders to learn the landmarks that were used as guides for a rider to tell his dragon where to go. They were taken out of Harper class, for they could already recite the ballads in their sleep, and taught the various wing formations used for the different patterns of Threadfall.
N'tan, a blue rider confined to the weyr until his Horathan mended from a badly scored wing tip, assumed the responsibility for Tomin and Davis. He and his weyr-mate, S'vern, green Isinger's rider, loved children and his patience surpassed even that of Lydel. He cozened the boy a bit more than was necessary, but he also made Tomin work at learning his ballads until the child could return to Harper class.
Mitchell, Lydel, and Andren were bone tired each evening when they returned to their cubicle. Davis, absent from Tomin's influence during the day, was beginning to show some self-control. He was so impressed with the role Andren filled that he announced he'd like to be a healer when he grew up -- which greatly pleased Andren and filled Fenely's mind with dread.
Tomin, firmly believing N'tan's threat to never again tell him about battling Thread with Horathan, resigned himself to watching Mitchell and Lydel draw wing formations on the floor of their cubicle while Andren wrote in his journal.
One evening the conversation turned to the Hanmath's clutch, hardening as the days passed and the sands of the Hatching Ground grew hotter. It was a bitter conversation for Mitchell because Lydel had already been selected as a candidate and he was not.
"I thought Sonath told you that you'd Impress," Andren remarked.
"That was a long time ago," Mitchell replied. "He hasn't spoken to me since the day we found that old cavern."
"I won't stand if you can't," Lydel said. "Maybe we'll both be selected for the next clutch."
"Nah," Mitchell replied. "You go ahead. Adelmisa and L'noth wouldn't have selected you unless you were ready. I guess I'm just not ready yet." Disappointed that he wasn't going to be a candidate he suddenly announced, "I'm going to see if I can get us all some bubbly pies."
He wasn't really in the mood for bubbly pies or any other kind of food but he didn't want his friends to see that he was on the verge of crying. Mumbling to himself, he kicked small pebbles out of his path as he made his way toward the kitchen. Cook, for some reason, kept plenty of the delicious pastries available since the day Tomin had taken a nose dive from the Star Stone and Mitchell knew where she kept them.
He was about to take five of the now cool pies when a voice boomed out in his head.
"You will Impress," Sonath told him.
"I wasn't chosen as a candidate," Mitchell replied.
"How am I supposed to Impress?"
"Hanmath told the Weyrwoman that you would Impress but were not to be selected," the brown dragon responded.
Mitchell puzzled over Sonath's remark as he carried a tray heaped with bubbly pies and five cups of herdbeast milk back to his cubicle. He still didn't understand how he was going to Impress a dragonet if he wasn't going to stand on the Hatching Ground. But he trusted Sonath for dragons didn't know how to tell a lie.
"Bubbly pies," he announced when he returned to his friends. "I got two apiece for everyone."