23 November 2021

No longer posting on Blogger

 Hello,

 

I am still writing about Pern's dragonriders. I am, however, no longer going to post here on Google's Blogger.

I keep getting messages from Google saying my posts are too hard to read, have no room between lines, and don't fit on a smartphone screen. Nor do their links work.

Yet they do not provide me any idea in how to actually rectify these issues. I write in Libre Office, with normal spaces between lines, in a certain font and cut and paste into the compose page. Google won't allow the normal spacing. It squishes the lines all together. 

 I do this because my internet connection is abysmal at best and non existent at worse. There are many days I can't get online at all. Yet Google wants me online, all the time, so it can push ads at YOU.

 

In addition, they don't seem to realize that one, I don't compose or work on a smartphone..who in the hell wants to type thousands of words on a smartphone?

And people don't READ them on smart phones.

When I ask and ask and ask Google on how to fix these problems (which are THEIR problems, not mine) I get...crickets. Not a sound. Nichts, nein, nada.

SO. If you have been reading my posts-and I thank you if you do, please surf on over to my wordpress blog:

https://dragonnomads.wordpress.com

If you type it in, there are TWO n's, not one. Someone else has a blog with the same title but with the words dragon and nomads separated. That's not mine!

While I'm not a big fan of wordpress for many reasons, at least they have a customer support that actually responds with good information.

So, again, it's dragonnomads.wordpress.com

 

See you there! And thank you again!

 

 

23 July 2021

Chap. 267 Name Day

Chap. 267 Name Day


Raylan called the room to attention.


I’d like to welcome you all to this, Landings’ first ever...well, first in our lifetimes, at least, conclave of scientists who all had something to do with this very strange and unusual beast before us. I don’t know how the Ancients did such symposiums, nor do I much care. It’s the end result, not the process, that is important, in my opinion. So, in that light, rather than just drop us into the middle of a series of reports, I think I’ll change up the schedule and have K’ndar report first. He’ll be telling us all how the animal came to us. K’ndar?”


K’ndar froze. Without knowing, his eyes darted back and forth, looking for an escape route. Me? First? Just like that?


Lefsa, sitting right next to him, elbowed him back to reality. “Yay, K’ndar!”


Um”, he said as he got to his feet, unsteadily, his heart racing. He resisted the urge to bolt.


Yes, K’ndar. I know, this is probably scary, but trust me, most of us here are scared to tears about speaking in public,” Raylan said, drawing K’ndar’s eyes, “why don’t you just tell me, and everyone here can listen in? And if there are any questions, people, please hold them until after K’ndar’s completed his report.”


I’m with you. Be dragon brave Raventh said, his confidence reassuring.


Siskin appeared and settled on his shoulder. Several people gasped. So many still had no experience with or had ever had any contact with either dragons or fire lizards, he thought. How odd.


Siskin was unusually subdued, perhaps cowed by the many people in the room.


Is it okay, my fire lizard being here?” he said.


Raylan smiled. “I don’t mind, if it helps, by all means, he’s welcome as long as he minds his manners.”


Siskin says he feels your fear. He says he will protect you.


Ask him to be very quiet


He will be. Fafhrd is there.


It took him a moment to remember who Fafhrd was. Ah. Grafton’s bronze fire lizard, so alpha he was the equivalent of a Weyrleader’s bronze dragon. No one misbehaved in the presence of an alpha.


Focusing on Raylan, he stammered out the beginnings, stealing looks at his notes. I’m forgetting things, I’m repeating myself.


Lefsa, sitting next to where he was standing slapped his leg. That broke his concentration and he looked at her. “You’re doing great, K’ndar!” she said, softly.


He backed up, unconsciously, to escape her. Raylan’s expression was one of interest, settling him. He related Rand’s bringing the beast in, the arduous climb through the steam bath lowlands before reaching the rain forest. He described the rain forest’s pristine and primeval beauty, and the amazing athleticism of the beast. He stole a glance at the folks around the table. They are helping me, he thought, they’re looking PAST me, not at me. They’re looking at the beast, not me.


When he told them about his contact with the beast’s tail gland, and Siskin’s reaction to it, their roars of laughter chased off the last of his fears.


The fire lizard cheeped, proud to be the center of attention.That made everyone laugh even harder.


He finished rather abruptly, having run out of notes and words.


Raylan nodded.


Are there any questions?”


There were several. They were intelligent and well thought through. He relaxed, feeling as if he was finally in amongst like thinking people.


Until Fleming waved an imperious hand to be heard. He was at the side of the room, not having had anything to do with the research and thus, not having a seat at the table.


Why did you kill it?”


Whaaaat?”


Wouldn’t it have made more sense to bring it in alive? We could have kept in it a cave, maybe, see if it actually did bear live eggs.”


I didn’t kill it. Rand brought it to me already dead. And, um, eggs? What eggs? I don’t know what you mean by live eggs.”


Come on, lad, you should have pulled the eggs out, maybe set them under a chicken? You mishandled it, maybe? And you didn’t say it was dead,” Fleming accused.


Is this man for real, he wondered? And what is this ‘lad’ shit? I’m not a boy anymore.


Siskin, sensing the man’s disdain, tightened his tail around K’ndar’s neck. He reached up to stroke it into relaxation.


I DID say it was dead. I said at the very beginning that Rand brought it in, dead. He’d killed it.”


No, you didn’t.”


Before he could protest, Raylan waved a hand at him.


Fleming, if you have something scientific to ask, please do. But you are a shipping analyst, not a scientist. And K’ndar DID relate, right at the start, that the animal was brought in dead.”


Several of the group echoed it.

“Well, I didn’t hear it. He didn’t say it was dead.”


He did so,” someone said.


Raylan sighed and pressed his datalink.


Jansen? Jansen, would you please replay the first portion of K’ndar’s report?”


There was a brief wait, then K’ndar’s voice came from all their datalinks:


...on that morning, Leana, the Acquisition officer, called me to her office. Rand, a cotholder from Lord Toric’s Southern Hold, had brought in this dead animal, the one you see before you. He’d killed it the night before when it raided his boma.”


Oh, shards, he thought, I sound like such a dweeb. Do I really sound so strange?


Fleming was silent for a moment. “Well, I heard a different report, then.”


K’ndar’s is the very first report., Fleming,” someone said.


The crowd muttered, softly.


Fleming, if you have nothing more to ask, please, give someone else a turn.”


I DO have another and it’s relative. Why didn’t he pull the eggs out and let them hatch?”


Eggs?” someone repeated.


There were no eggs, weren’t you listening?”


Leana, who was not only the Acquisition officer, but a green dragon rider as well, said, “Fleming, do you know ANYTHING about saurian or reptilian reproduction?”


Fleming whirled to face her.


No, but I know about chickens and if you take their eggs and keep them warm and turn them over, they can sometimes hatch.”


This beast is nothing like a chicken,” someone else said.


Their support was heartening. What a weird question, he thought.


But it can’t be live bearing if the EGGS AREN’T ALIVE,” Fleming shouted.


His comment was so illogical, every scientist, and even those who weren’t were momentarily stumped.


Someone snickered. It was contagious. Soon everyone was repressing laughs. It was about to erupt in full out laughter when Raylan said, “Thank you, Fleming, perhaps that’s an avenue of research we can pursue in the future. For now, we have a lot of reports to get through, so if you please, K’ndar, if there are no more questions, what would you suggest we name this odd beast?”


Fleming turned on his heel and left the room.


K’ndar paused. Is my choice of name relevant, or should I wait until I have more data?


Maybe I should wait until all the reports are in?”


Raylan shook his head. “That’s not necessary. Nothing says it’s carved in stone, K’ndar. What we’ll do is collect everyone’s suggestions and look at them all, then make a decision based on science and accuracy.”


Yes, sir, that makes sense. Okay, then, I suggest the scientific name be Moschusaur arboreal. Moschus is Latin for ‘musk’, with the suffix of -saur as it appears to be saurian, and finally, arboreal as it appears to be almost completely tree dwelling. The common name could be musk lizard.”


Musk lizard, that was what I came up with!” Nangela, the anatomist, cried.


The crowd laughed. Raylan nodded. Moschusaur arboreal popped up in italics on the datalinks under the topic “Names”.


Thank you, K’ndar. That’s two names, but that’s okay, let’s continue. Nangela, as you were so quick to volunteer to go next, stand up, please, and tell us about this beast’s anatomy.”


Gratefully, he sat down, his shirt damp with sweat. Siskin wheeked, gently.


Thank you, little blue, he pushed to the lizard.


And you he said to Raventh.


Lefsa slapped his thigh. “You did GOOD!” she crowed.


He gave her a look, but she seemingly failed to grasp its significance. Purposefully?


The meeting continued.


He was grateful in retrospect that his trial was over and done with. Now I can listen and learn, he thought. I expected to be bored, but even that DNA report was fascinating..what I understood of it. It WAS its own beast!


But he had a problem. Whenever something the person doing their report said that piqued her interest, Lefsa slapped his thigh and whispered her opinion.


It got to the point where he was waiting for the next slap rather than absorb what had been said. Finally, he had enough. In between reports, he hissed, “Lefsa, please. Be quiet and let me listen.”


She looked surprised. “I was just commenting..”


I know. But you’re interrupting my concentration. And PLEASE stop slapping my leg. Please.”


She flushed red. For an instant he saw anger in her eyes, as if she were about to deny doing it, then, crestfallen, said, “I’m sorry, K’ndar. I don’t even know I’m doing it.”


I know. I don’t like it. Stop.”


He held her eye, trying hard to look determined without being mean. I really am beginning to dislike you, he thought.


Okay. I’m sorry,” she said.


He squashed a twinge of regret. No. I want it to stop.


Raylan thanked the on deck speaker and looked at his list. “Jomoke?”


A man stepped out from the folks standing on the edges, behind those seated.


Raylan looked at him. “You’ve been penciled in. You have a report?


Yes, sir, and no, sir. I’d like to report on my work on creating this replica. But first, I’d like to say something unrelated.”


Question marks on everyone’s faces.


Ah. So that’s the joker, K’ndar thought, disdainfully.


Unrelated?” Raylan said, unsuccessfully hiding the fact that he had a good idea what was about to occur.


Yes, sir. I’d like to get this off my chest before I go into the details.”


By all means, sir.”


Yes, sir.” Jomoke cleared his throat. He shot a quick glance at a spot way up behind the crowd before returning his gaze to eye level.


K’ndar, along with a few others, turned to look. Only because he had experience with fire lizards did he see Fafhrd, Grafton’s bronze. The fire lizard was tucked so deeply into an unseen crevice in what appeared to be an unbroken, curved ceiling that he was virtually invisible.



K’ndar?”


Yes?” he responded, dragging his gaze back to Jomoke.


Jomoke l cleared his throat again. “I owe you an apology, K’ndar. I’m sorry-and I’m ashamed-for tricking you. It was wrong. I will never do it again.”


Caught completely unawares, K’ndar stammered, “Um...um, of course, I um, accept.”


Jomoke flushed. Everyone in the room looked at him, waiting for an explanation of his very public apology.


Thank you.” Jomoke said. Several strained moments of silence ensued. K’ndar was grateful that apparently, no explanation would be forthcoming.


Raylan broke the silence with a cough and then said, “Right, then. Jomoke, please report on this beautifully created replica.”


Jomoke’s voice changed to normal and he began to report. K’ndar heard none of it. What had just happened? Jomoke apologizing? That took balls, he thought. Was it character, this apology, or was it Grafton’s punishment? Was Jomoke being honest in his apology, or was he doing it because he’d been told to?


He looked back up to Fafhrd’s perch.


The fire lizard was gone. That was telling.


Jomoke had been told to apologize. So it may not have been heartfelt. But an apology was an apology, especially one made in front of so many witnesses.


Accept it, K’ndar, and carry on, he thought, his mind whirling with the ramifications.


Slapping his thigh, Lefsa whispered, “What was that all about? What happened…”


Startled, he almost snarled.


Oops, sorry,” she said, snatching her hand back as if it had a mind of its own. Still, she looked avidly for an explanation.


He glared. “Lefsa. It’s none of your business. If you slap me again, I’ll move to another spot. Now let’s just listen.”






 

17 July 2021

Chap. 266 First Symposium

Chap. 266 First Symposium


K’ndar pulled nervously at the front of his best shirt.


The room was filled with important looking people. He’d first seen some of them at the harvest, grubby and sweating. Today they were almost unrecognizable, having cleaned up. The change from being just another farm hand to a return to being a scientist was jarring. He had to forcibly drag his attention back to the situation at hand.


No one noticed him, giving him the odd sense of both relief at his anonymity, and yet a bit of rejection. He moved further into the room and then stood with his back to the wall to just watch and listen.

Keep your mouth shut and your ears open,” his uncle Fland had told him as he left for weyrling school, “you’ll learn a lot that way.”


In this case, Uncle Fland, there’s so many conversations going on at the same time I can’t hear a thing, he thought.


Lefsa was at the back of the room, next to a table loaded with baked goods and pitchers of what was probably klah. She was chatting with another woman, her hands animatedly describing her actions on an invisible project. A very tall man entered, shouting, “Morning, Raylan!” Lefsa turned, saw K’ndar, and waved.


He waved back. She motioned for him to join her.


The room was dominated by a large table, with bench seats on either side. Raylan, the Science Division chief, was sitting at the head. The tall man bent over to speak with him. The man was very animated, acting as if he was the bearer of incredibly important news. Raylan’s eyes had a look of patient resignation. They said, Oh. You again.


Never do I want to be in that position. I’m happy to be small dragon in a very big weyr, he thought.


Lefsa’s friend ambled off. Lefsa smiled happily as she poured herself a mug of klah and picked up a cookie.


Hi, K’ndar!! Look at this spread! Here, want a cookie?”


Um...is it okay?”


She sputtered, crumbs flying.


Okay? What do you mean? It’s for us here at the symposium. Of course it’s okay, you wherry!! Here! eat it. There’s lots of them.”


He took the cookie. Oh. It was the type with little rocks masquerading as dried grapes. He abhorred them. He pretended to nibble at it. Lefsa turned to pick up another and he hastily stuffed it in his pocket.


Symposium? Wow, it’s not just a meeting with Raylan?” he asked, hoping she hadn’t seen him reject the cookie.


She laughed. “Steppe boy!! It’s An Official Meeting of Scientists, but everyone’s been referring it as ‘naming that weird beast day.’ It’s where everyone who did any research on the animal is to give a report on what they’ve learned about it.”


Report? A report? Um…..” K’ndar began to panic. He hadn’t been told he had to make a report to a large group of people. “I thought I was just inputting data, not..not...”


Yes, your report,” Lefsa said. “You’ve done this before, haven’t you?”


No! I’d just as soon say the name I’ve decided on and leave,” he said, sweating. “This atmosphere is a bit too rarefied for me. I have no idea who most of these people are.”


She shook her head. “I know some of them. I think this sort of thing is new, it’s the first one I’ve been to. Oh, here comes Jansen. Hello, girl!”


The computer tech said, “Hello yourself! Hi, K’ndar!”


Jansen looked over the table of goodies and reached for a small handpie. “Oh, I love these things,” she said. She took a bite, rolling her eyes in appreciation.


Try the raisin cookies,” Lefsa said, “they’re great.”


Jansen shook her head. “Oh, no. I can’t stand those things. They look like crawler turds.”


K’ndar burst out laughing, feeling better that he wasn’t the only one who thought that. And now he knew the name of them. He’d never seen a raisin until he joined the Weyr and after trying one once, had avoided them.


Lefsa grimaced, looking stricken.


Oh, how do I thank you, Jansen. Now I’ll never be able to look at a raisin without thinking of that,” she mourned.


Jansen bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Sorry.”


She turned to K’ndar. “Not eating, K’ndar?”


Um..I’m a bit too nervous right now,” he said, “all these people here! They’re strangers, and that always put me off my feed.”


High strung, what? Like a good racehorse,” Jansen said. “Not that I’ve ever ridden one! But it’s okay. I happen to know them all, but it’s because they usually come to me for my computer skills.”


K’ndar began to relax in his friend’s presence. I AM like a horse, at times. Not that it’s a bad thing, he thought. He resisted the urge to stroke his neck, like he’d do for a nervous horse. The thought made him grin, and he relaxed even more.


Jansen munched on her pie, and between bites, asked,“You’ve figured out what to name the beast, as we’ve been calling it?”


I have, but now that I think I know what’s going on here, I am not so set on it. I hope I’m allowed time to listen to the others. I had no idea I was expected to report anything. I thought it was a quiet little meeting with Raylan, give him my reasons for the name, and then going back to work. I feel like bolting out the door.”


Lefsa grinned. “K’ndar. Don’t worry, okay? I’ll help you, but you don’t really need it. If you’ll excuse me? Nangela just came in, I want to talk to her before the meeting starts.” She left.


K’ndar fished the crumbled remains of the cookie from his pocket. Jansen raised an eyebrow.


He shrugged apologetically. “I can’t stand these things, either. I didn’t want to hurt Lefsa’s feelings, she insisted I’d love it. Thanks for letting me know I’m not alone in loathing raisins.” He put the pieces in a compost bin. Jansen giggled.


I hear you, but K’ndar, Lefsa’s got a tough skin. It wouldn’t have hurt her feelings to say what you think. You should do that with everybody, as long as you do it with empathy,” she said.


Okay. I’m still nervous, though. I don’t know what to say, now, I’m afraid I’ll sound like a moron.”


Jansen touched his arm, gently. “It sounds complex, K’ndar, but like she said, don’t worry. I wrote up the order of who’s reporting, and you’re fairly down the list. Just be yourself. There’s not much you can provide, I don’t think, other than what you found on your extra curricular trip to the jungle.”


He flushed. He’d almost forgotten it!


You know about that? You know about Raylan calling me, wondering where I was? He was mad. He thought I’d just taken off like a weyrling sliding out of a task so he could go flying.”


Jansen nodded, chewing thoughtfully.


Yes. And it’s not that bad. I’m one of only a few people who knows. Raylan, Jomoke, and Grafton, of course Grafton should know! Believe me, no one else knows, or, honestly, cares. I only know because, well, K’ndar, I’m on the computer all day. Raylan had me track down your little ‘chat’ with Jomoke that night. I’m sorry, K’ndar, I’m not usually the type to listen to what people say on their datalinks. I usually just link it to Raylan and then go about my business. I have to hear the first words just to know I’ve got the right call, and it’s almost always someone’s whinging. If I had to listen to every call I’d go insane! But Raylan was pissed, I seldom have seen him that way. And when he said that it had something to do with you and Jomoke, I...well, I heard what was said. And it pissed ME off.”


K’ndar gulped.


“I thought he would fire me.”


No, no, K’ndar. By the time you’d explained yourself, it was obvious you’d been sent on a wild wherry chase. Now, mind you, Raylan doesn’t share things like that with others. He’s the boss, he doesn’t have to explain his actions to us, his subordinates. But this time, I couldn’t help it. I know you well enough. You’re not the type to just go off like that on some whim, out of the clear night sky. You even signed out on Flight Ops board! That’s not the action of someone who’s sliding out of work. K’ndar, you were tricked into leaving. I don’t know why, although I have a suspicion. No matter, Jomoke was wrong. And everyone involved knows it.”


Has anything been done to him? I wanted to hammer him.”


I doubt you’ll need to do a thing. Raylan referred the matter to Grafton. That’s one of Grafton’s jobs, you know. He’s a good man, quiet, fair. But he’s not a man to cross, believe me. I’d rather take a beating than face up to Grafton as a judge.”


K’ndar remembered his talk with Grafton. He could easily see that being on Grafton’s shit list was NOT something anyone in their right mind would want.


She took a sip of klah and searched the crowd for Jomoke. She didn’t see him.


I’m not seeing Jomoke, yet,” she said, “but he’ll be here, I’m sure, he did the reproductions of the beast, and I admit they look great. But I don’t believe he’ll be allowed any input anything other than technical.”


K’ndar sighed. “Thanks. That makes me feel better. I have never been one for confrontation, but I was ready.”


I don’t like them, either, K’ndar. But here at Landing, if you’re a scientist, you have to be prepared to defend your conclusions. And, human nature being what it is, that seems to always bleed over into every day social interactions. There’s always going to be someone who takes the opposite tack and challenges you to defend it, usually just on account of because. Sometimes I think we’re like dogs, always jockeying for alpha.”


She brushed her hands clean of a few clinging crumbs. “If I ate those every day…” she shook her head.


Most of the data today will be considered ‘preliminary’, except for the DNA. Miklos- well, I shouldn’t steal any of his thunder, but I doubt he will actually show up. He’s got a journeyman, now. She’s quite young but she’s good, she understands DNA and that whole sphere. How she can tolerate working next to Miklos I have no idea. Those who understand DNA will probably be fascinated, the rest of us will go to sleep. It’s extraordinary, K’ndar, this beast, from what Miklos says, it’s completely new to science! It’s its own beast! Lefsa insists it should be put in a whole new genus, and she’s the taxonomist.”


It’s not anything?”


Well, of course it’s something. It’s obviously native to Pern. It’s a saurian. But it’s not related to anything we know of, so far. There is NOTHING in the database of any creature like it. The mammals brought here from Earth and Vulcan are all live bearing. There were a few snakes, which of course are reptiles, on Earth that were live bearing. But there’s never been a live bearing Pernese saurian that bears live young.”


Am I right in guessing it was live bearing? I’m not so sure, now, I sorta regret jumping to that conclusion. I think it is, but I’m not up on anatomy or physiology. So it’s conjecture, Jansen.”


YES, K’ndar! Spoken like a skeptical scientist! Which is precisely the reason for this symposium. What is this critter? I don’t know. Miklos says the DNA indicates it’s extremely old, not this specific specimen, obviously, but the genus itself has existed for millions of years longer than fire lizards. It may even, I know this is bizarre, but it may be a relic of live bearing creatures that later went extinct. Meaning, egg laying came AFTER. We just don’t have enough fossils!”


A friend of mine, B’rost, says we don’t have many because Pern is so volcanic.”


I believe him.” She shook her head. “Ah, well. As for the beast, I intend on adding it to the museum. You are almost singlehandedly creating my exhibits for me, the big ones, at least. My museum! It’s actually coming to fruition, and thanks to you, it’s already got some big draws. You have to come see it, K’ndar, I’ve been going at it hammer and tongs to get it going, working on it after work, even on rest days. It’s been a headache and a labor of love at the same time.”


I didn’t mean to interfere with your free time,” K’ndar said.


No, no. It’s not like that at all. I WANT to be the curator of the very first museum on Pern! No one else wants to do it, and keep this secret, but I am enjoying it. This beast will be yet another addition. Oh, look, here it comes, now.”


Two teenaged boys made their way through the crowd, carrying a wooden platform with the animal Rand had turned in. It was standing on the hind four legs, its forefeet extended, the claws looking even more wicked than when he’d first examined them. The creature’s jaws were open, showing the fangs. It looked alive, he thought, which is impossible. He subconsciously wiped his hand on his shirt. The smell that had contaminated his other shirt, and the room he’d examined it had dissipated, but he’d never forget it. He imagined he could still smell it.


How did it get to look like that?”


That’s not the real beast, K’ndar. It’s a replica, a ‘model’. While most of Landing was out harvesting, Jomoke took the beast apart layer by layer and the tissues are in cold storage, for now. The skeleton-that will be coming in shortly, I think, is made of remolded cow bone. The real skeleton is gently being cleaned by the fabulous little crawlers and bugs that can get into every nook and cranny. Given enough time and warm weather, and they’ll have it completely defleshed. But it takes time. And stinks in the meantime.”


It’s incredible, how lifelike it looks. I’ve never seen anything like it.”


Nor have I. But Jomoke, apparently, has been doing stuff like this since he was a kid. He said he’s prepared little things, like crawlers, avians, even a quorl. This is the biggest he had ever done, he said.”


Is there a name for this craft? Skill?”


The ancients called it ‘taxidermy’, K’ndar. They would use the real animal, I guess, take the skin off, tan it, I think, or preserve it somehow, and put it on a wooden frame shaped like the real animal.”


It looks alive, almost,” K’ndar marveled, “It must have taken hours to just draw the bones, the muscles, and I bet there were measurements? How did he do this is such a short amount of time?”


We scanned it. There’s a big scanner in one of the storage buildings that we’ve never used since Landing opened up. We didn’t even know what it was until just recently. It had centuries of dust on it. It took a day to clean it up, then another to dig in the database to learn how to activate it, then an all nighter for the computer to gently coax it into working. It’s not like the smaller scanners, this thing was built for BIG things.

Manhandling that stinky carcass onto the scanner was a job all on its own. Your experience with it was ample warning. The two men who came to your bay to pick it up? One said he felt so sorry for the way you smelled, but he wasn’t going to let it happen to him. He said to tell you ‘thank you for the warning’ she said, laughing.


You’re welcome, I think,” K’ndar said, grimacing. “It wasn’t purposeful, believe me. I had to get rid of the shirt, I washed and washed my hand with hydrogen peroxide and still smelled. I was smart enough to work in your cold room, otherwise I would probably have had to sleep outside for a week. My fire lizard though, he went crazy over it.”


She giggled.”Well, you saved the staff of Landing a stinky fate. But anyway, the scanner generated a three dimensional record of everything inside the beast, all the organs, the skeleton, even the nervous system. Jomoke was able to read it and created the replica from claws to jaws.”


I hate to give the yob any credit, but he certainly did a good job.”


It probably would have taken him weeks the old fashioned way. He’s good with a computer, not as good as me, though!


And the scanner itself, K’ndar, it’s like an artifact all on it’s own. First off, it said the beast is nowhere in its memory. Nor is it in the database. No one has ever seen it before. Best of all, K’ndar, the scanner itself is a treasure trove of data. Someone, thousands of years ago did a lot of scanning and then just stopped entering it. Probably when they had to evacuate when Mt. Garben burped? I don’t know. Once the database and the scanner started to talk, the scanner almost begged to download. It took an entire day for it to finally empty its memory! There’s reams of data, it will take months to get through it all. That’s my next project, digging through it. It’s a lot of work, because of the changes in our world, but it’s just the sort of thing I love to do. Now I know how you felt when you discovered the artifacts that we’re all using now., and now, an artifact from the Ancients right here at Landing!”


A second pair of teens entered, carrying a platform with a mounted skeleton.


Whoa. Look at that spine…” he said.


Funny, that’s exactly what Nangela said. She’s over there with Lefsa. She’s an anatomist, well that’s one of her talents. They worked together on the beast. You’ll hear from her, too. Better go find your seat, K’ndar, I think they’re getting ready to start the symposium.”


I think I’ll stay here at the back of the room,” K’ndar said, “I don’t think I’ll have much to report.”


K’ndar. No. There’s a space set for you at the table. See the name slates? There’s Lefsa’s. Yours is probably closer to the front. Just look for the slate with “K’ndar” on it.”


But..”

She took his arm. “K’ndar. This is one of the things scientists do, okay? You have some experience with this beast. Just relax, look at Raylan if you must, because he’s the one you are reporting to, not everyone else. Just say what you found, what happened, that sort of thing. After you’re done, people will ask you questions. Most of them will be intelligent ones, and so just pause, think, and answer. If you don’t know, say so. There is absolutely no shame in saying, “I don’t know”.


Doubt filled him. “Just..talk?”


Just talk. If you think too much, you’ll get lost, so just talk to Raylan. If you’re like me, you get a little nervous talking in front of people. Don’t even ask me to sing solo!! I can’t get the words out of my throat, never mind sing! But if I’m in a crowd that’s singing...it’s easy.”


Are all these people here because they had something to do to the beast?”


Oh, my, no. Most of them are just curious. They saw on the schedule that a symposium is being held and are taking it as excuse to leave their work. So they might not hang around for the minutia, I guarantee you, once the discussion of the skeleton or the nervous system begins, never mind the DNA, they’ll leave.

Oh, there are a few who will hang on, hoping to be able to take some bit of credit for your find, no matter how tiny or insignificant it may be. Sort of “I remember my great great grandmother seeing one of these beasts” sort of thing.


Sometimes it might even be true, but like my mom used to say, “don’t boast about the fish you haven’t caught yet.”


If you want, K’ndar, you can always leave after your report. Just finish it up with “Are there any questions? and if not, politely depart. In this case, though, most of them will likely just eat these fabulous cookies and stand around attempting to sound as if they know what they’re talking about. Which they don’t, because frankly, there’s more we DON’T know about this animal that what we do.


I do have to warn you, that there will be someone who either tries to make you look stupid, or will ask you something so incredibly stupid you will probably think he’s taunting you. For instance, see that tall bloke, bending Raylan’s ear?”


Even from across the room, K’ndar could see the man was wearing on Raylan’s patience.


That’s Fleming. He may try to spook you, he’s very impressed with himself but he has NOTHING to do with biology, not a bit. He’s the one who tells Council how many ships are in various ports. But he’ll probably interrupt you when you’re reporting, just to rattle you. It’s his way of attracting attention to himself, but everyone here knows he’s just a bag of wind. If he does come after you, just think of him as an annoying bug that you are too polite in public to give him the swatting he deserves.”


She let go of his arm and motioned for him to sit. His name was on both sides of a small bit of slate. Along side it was a datalink, the screen blinking to show it was live. There was a small notebook with a pencil alongside. There was also a mug, turned upside down.


Where are you sitting?”


I’m going back to my office, I’m running the datalinks from my desk. They’ll be recording everything that’s said or reported. You’ll be able to replay it later, it’s automatically going to your datalink, which, I see, you didn’t bring. K’ndar!”


I know, I know. It’s in my quarters. I keep forgetting to bring or use all these...these toys. I really AM a provincial yokel, I guess.”


She gave him a light punch. “No, you’re not, you’re a good scientist and a nice bloke, all round. Raylan’s pushed Fleming off and is about to start the meeting. Remember, just report, relax, don’t let anyone haze you. I can’t wait to hear what you plan to name it, and I hope they take your suggestion.”













 

09 July 2021

Chap. 265 After the Harvest

Chap. 265 After the Harvest


After checking the sleeping tents, he decided against staying the night.


The bunks are just too close, he thought, and Siskin won’t be able to tolerate all the noise and strange people. I’ll get something to eat, but I’m still going to go back to Landing, he thought.


He headed for the series of large tents. Even from this distance, he could hear people laughing and talking. It’s like a Gather, he thought, but without the vendors trying to separate you from your money.


While he was in the ‘clean up tent’ to scrub face and hands, he noticed a weyrling boy of about 16 being very careful to be unnoticeable. There was something about his body language that made K’ndar suspicious. As he watched out the corner of his eye, the boy surreptitiously removed his weyrling braid and stuffed it into a pocket. Hmmmm.


He entered a smaller tent that was a bit separated from the main one full of revelers. Ah. It was the ale and wine tent. A table filled with sturdy ceramic mugs, adorned with Singing Water’s badge, was just inside the entrance. A sign on a large slate stated “D’mitran’s Ale and Kahrain Wine. No ale or wine drinking outside of the tent. Please leave your used mugs at the exit, far side of this tent.”


Inside, tables and benches were crowded with men and women, drinking, laughing, talking. At one side was a bench loaded with several large casks of ale, a few smaller casks of wine. Several men and women were serving ale. One of them was D’mitran, his former wingleader.


K’ndar!” the brown rider called.


D’mitran!” He eased his way through the crowd in front of the table.


Ay, mate, no cutting the queue, eh?” one man grumbled.

“Sorry, I’m not in line for ale, I’m just here to talk to D’mitran.”


He’s good, sir. He’s a weyrmate,” D’mitran said.


They bumped fists across the table. “Good to see you!” he said. It really was, he thought. He’d missed D’mitran, his wisdom and camaraderie.


And you, K’ndar! Here, wait til I serve this man, and I’ll come out to talk.”


D’mitran took the grumbler’s mug, filled it with ale, and handed it back. Then he removed his apron. “I’ll be back in a few,” he said to his staff. He led K’ndar outside the tent. He pulled him aside to keep from impeding the traffic.


A lot less noise out here, K’ndar. How’ve you been?”


A man, one who’d already had quite a bit of ale, came out and pounded D’mitran on the back. “Wrong way”, K’ndar said under his breath. He recognized him from haying. The man was oblivious.


Wunnerful ale, sir, simply wunnerful!” He hiccuped. “K’ndar! Wasn’t that a day, what? Here, K’ndar, no drinking outside the tent and I’m going to get something to eat.” He shoved his half full mug into K’ndar’s hand, then watched expectantly.


Before K’ndar could react, D’mitran took the mug from K’ndar’s hand. He said, “Pardon me, but the exit is the other side of the tent. I’ll take the mug, sir, used ones are collected at the exit.” The man said, “Oh, aye, exit at t’other end. Sorry.” He d weaved his way back through the throng.


D’mitran sighed. “I’ve learned very quickly the hardest part of this part of my job is keeping people from nicking the mugs or creating a backup at the entrance.

I’ll have to snag someone to direct traffic,” he said. He gave K’ndar a hopeful look. K’ndar shook his head, gently.


Thanks for the rescue,” K’ndar said, relieved. It was always a pain to try and explain his allergy to alcohol. “I never know what to do in situations like that. People just can’t believe that I’m allergic. Sometimes they take my refusal to drink as an insult.”


I know you’re allergic. But even if you weren’t, there’s no law saying you must drink. I don’t drink when I’m working something like this. In fact, the more I work with ale, the less I’m drinking it. Drinker’s, K’ndar, they like to have everyone around them drinking, too. So I always have a mug at hand, filled with water. The trick to being accepted in situations like this is to keep a mug in your hand. No one needs to know it’s just water.”


That’s..that’s a great idea. Thanks. Um….how is it you’re here as alemaster? I heard that yesterday.”


D’mitran nodded. “Yes. After you left for Landing, Lord Dorn approached me to be his contracted dragon transport. I was his second choice, K’ndar. He wanted you badly, but, eh, machts nichts, as my great great used to say.

Things got ugly after you left, what with M’rvin and Siena openly feuding. I truly believe Mirth didn’t come into heat due to their fighting. When D’nis left I became M’rvin’s favorite screaming tree. After a long day of him, I’d come home all knotted up, couldn’t eat, Careth upset because my mind was in turmoil, me wanting to shout at the kids, and it taking all my self control to keep it from coming out on my family. The kids tiptoeing past me like they were walking on coals, and my wife afraid to make a sound. One night I decided, what was more important to me: peace and family happiness, or the status of being a wing leader? Still, I wasn’t sure, til I asked my wife how she felt about moving to Singing Waters, permanently. She said, “I thought you’d never ask.”


Great ale, sir!” said a man as he exited.


Excuse me, sir, but the exit is the other end of the tent. Please deposit your mug there. Just trying to keep traffic flowing.”


Oh, right. Right! Sorry!” The man turned around and went back into the tent.


Thank you,” D’mitran said. “Now where was I? Oh, yes, I asked Lord Dorn if he’d give me six months to see how I liked it.”


And?”


I like it. My family is much happier, the kids especially. It’s different, I admit, there were adjustments, mental and physical that me and Careth had to make. I’m weyrbred, so I wasn’t sure how I’d manage in a big Hold. Careth...he misses the dragons at the weyr, but we do make it back there fairly often. There were times when I questioned my decision. Lord Dorn doesn’t go out of the Hold every single day. I’d find myself sitting around, trying to find something to keep me out of my wife’s hair. She finally had it out, said, “for Pern’s sakes, get out, find a hobby. Like ale making.” Well, duh??? Sometimes I’m not the brightest spark. And so, here I am, not only dragon transport for Lord Dorn but his official alemaster. It pays, it’s interesting, and peaceful. How’s life at Landing?”


Like yours, in a way. I like it, but I miss the weyr culture. No one seems to know protocol, or care. I’m the staff biologist, not K’ndar, rider of brown Raventh. Mind you, I’m fine with it, but it bothers me sometimes. There’s a lot more posturing, jockeying for position, like I care? I’m there because I was born a biologist, not because I have an apple to polish. As for Raventh, there’s five other dragons at Landing, so he’s not completely alone, but sometimes he says he misses the weyr. He’s been pretty happy the last two days, getting with everyone he grew up with.”


D’mitran nodded. “Things are improving at the weyr, from what I understand. M’rvin resigned and left. I have no idea where he went. K’ndar, I truly believe the man had deep shadows in his mind, not evil, just darkness. Depression, they call it. You’d think we’d have some medication for it, and I’ve read on my datalink that the ancients had one, but that was 2500 years ago. It’s long gone, if it ever existed.”


K’ndar remembered M’rvin’s verbal abuse. It was what drove him to Landing.


What astounded me was F’mart. F’mart, Kenth flying Mirth? That was astounding.”


He saw the weyrling he’d seen in the wash up tent approaching. The boy was sticking close behind a group of farmers heading for the ale tent.


Aye. I had left by then, but, K’ndar, he’d done a LOT of growing up from the time he was a weyrling. He’s proving to be a capable Weyrleader, if a VERY young one. In addition, he and Siena get on very well, very professional. It’s a relief to not hear shouting and invective. All in all, I think F’mart’s become a leader.”


I saw that. You know he was jumped by Morgan, a true arsehole. He was managing us haymakers. The guy rode F’mart hard all day, and F’mart never turned a hair. It took me a while to realize F’mart was encouraging it. He was diverting the man, keeping him from attacking everyone else. He was thinking three steps ahead of Morgan, he knew exactly what Morgan was going to do, even before Morgan knew himself. That’s strategy!!”


That’s chess! although I don’t know if he plays. As for Morgan? the man was an obnoxious bastard if I ever met one. He tangled with the wrong man, though.”


He shook his head. and whistled. “I wished I’d seen it. From what I understand, it didn’t last long. Apparently he managed to knock F’mart down and drew first blood, slashed him with his dagger. K’ndar, I’ve been in some fights, but as long as I live, I’ll never try F’mart. What a fighter! Morgan made the mistake of letting him get back up. Somehow, even with a slashed left wing, F’mart broke Morgan’s ribs, wrested the man’s own dagger from him and stabbed him behind a knee, cutting the hamstring. Morgan’s lucky.. F’mart could have cut the artery and left him to bleed out in a dark corner. I think the only reason he’s still alive is F’mart didn’t feel it necessary to kill him. Leaving him alive was more insult than just killing the lout.”


Excuse me, but the exit is at the other end of the tent,” he said to someone trying to exit.


Lord Dorn tossed Morgan in a cell while he thinks of what to do with a lout who attacks Weyrleaders. I suspect he’ll be banished, and good riddance. He’ll never run again, though. He can barely walk.”


K’ndar laughed at the bully’s downfall. “He had it coming, D’mitran.”


The group of men were about to enter the tent. The boy was still behind them.


He turned his back to the group. “Sir, heads up, check my 180. There’s a boy behind this group of farmers.”


D’mitran bent his head to scratch behind his ear. He got a good look at the boy as the group passed him into the tent. The group picked up mugs and made its way immediately to the ale bench.


K’ndar motioned with a head nod to follow them. They stopped not far behind the boy, who was oblivious to anyone behind him.


The boy seemed to stretch himself to his full height. Keeping the men between him and the staff, he shoved his mug between two men. One of the ale servers filled it and the boy carefully withdrew it and snuck off into the crowd.


That was a practiced move,” D’mitran said. “Kid’s obviously done this before.”


What do we do? He’s not old enough.”


Do? Nothing. Farmer’s kids are allowed to drink. Well, some are, some aren’t. Some of adults say if he’s doing a man’s job, he deserves to drink like a man.”


He’s not a farmer’s kid. He’s a Weyrling. I saw him pull his braid off in the wash up tent.”


Oh ho!!” D’mitran said, his eyebrows rocketing skyward, “this puts a different set on one’s wings, what? He looks like a farmer’s kid, but nevertheless, he’s now a Weyrling on probation. Good catch, K’ndar. Remember F’mart doing almost the same thing?”


K’ndar grinned. “Oh, I do. Yes, I appreciated him taking over the latrines for a month.”


It was two months, ultimately! Ordinarily, I’d let the kid drink til he’s sick, despite it being a waste of good ale. But drunk children aren’t known for making good decisions, this one already being a case in point. I’d hate to see himself get killed doing something stupid. I’ll let B’rant know. I have to get back to work, K’ndar, but it was so good to see you. Next time you’re here at Singing Waters, stop by. My wife will feed you up. For now, you go get something to eat. The dining tent is that big one on the far side of this one.”


Thanks. I will,” K’ndar said. His stomach agreed, loudly.

________________________________________________________________


He felt strange, entering the large tent. It was already full of revelers, most of them cotholders but with folks from Landing or Kahrain Steppe Weyr. in small bunches. He recognized a face here and there. There was B’rant, the Weyrlingmaster. He was moving towards the exit. As K’ndar watched, he gathered two dragonriders, and together, the three left the tent.


Any idea where they’re going? he asked Raventh.


After a moment, Raventh laughed. Banarth says they’re going weyrling hunting.


Banarth was B’rant’s bronze dragon.


Should I go watch the denouement? he wondered. No. I’m starving. I can easily imagine what’s about to happen to the weyrling.


The tide of voices was a little too loud for his liking. As he moved on the edge of the crowd, he heard snatches of conversation. The talk was of the harvest, of the weather, of deals made, of family.

He felt as if he were two people and yet none. Was he dragonrider from the Weyr? Or was he a staff member from Landing?


He saw motion at one end of the tent. Lord Dorn was mounting a dais, his Hold’s Harper next to him. Behind them, a small group of harper journeymen, male and female, were preparing their musical instruments. Their braids indicated they were ‘walking the tables”, a phrase he knew was applied to journeyfolk, people learning to be harpers, and thus, the equivalent of a weyrling.


How interesting, he thought...since books were becoming more available, and as more Holds, Halls and Weyr’s were acquiring datalinks, fewer children were learning history and protocol via song. What that might mean for Pern’s future, he had no idea. Harpers would have to become ‘relevant’, he recalled Hazel’s warning, just as much as dragonriders.


May I have your attention, please?” Lord Dorn called, but the noise continued unabated. He just couldn’t break the din. He tried again, and some of the noise abated, then swelled again. He looked at his masterharper, who made a quick signal to his band.


The drummers beat out a loud
thunder that brought everyone to silence.


Lord Dorn smiled. “Thank you, Harper! May I have your attention please? Once I finished talking, you may all continue drinking and eating, and in a little while, we’ll clear the central area for dancing. I promise I won’t be long winded...I’m hungry, too!


I’d like to thank you all for all your help with the harvest. My cotholders, my own staff, Kahrain Steppe Weyr, and Landing...because of your efforts yesterday and today, I can say that for all intents and purposes, harvest is done! Because of your hard work, it’s been done in record time. Thank you!”


Does that mean I can go home now?” called a disgruntled voice.


Everyone craned their head to look. K’ndar couldn’t see who said it.


You always could. I don’t put shackles on the people who come to help bring in the harvest,” Dorn said.


Aye,” someone else said, “judging from the hang of his belly, my lord, that man could stand a little more work and a lot less dinner.”


The crowd laughed. The whinger hung his head. “I didn’t mean it that way,” he grumbled.


Lord Dorn nodded his head. There was always one, he thought. No matter.


I hope you all enjoy the food, the drinks, and the music and dancing we have planned for tonight. I’ll be moving through the crowd, and I’d be very happy to have your opinion about this year’s work and perhaps an idea of how to make it even better next year. Thank you again!”


He stepped off the dais and was immediately besieged by several people, most of them with bones to pick.

That is my lot as Lord Holder, he thought.


The Masterharper turned to his crew and had them begin playing, very softly. It served as a backdrop to the resurgence of conversation.


K’ndar cruised the food tables and picked out a slice of roast beast, a hunk of freshly baked bread, roasted carrots and a berry pie. He wondered it it had been made with the berries Raylan had picked. He turned to look for an empty spot at a table when Raventh pinged him.


Francie says look west.


West. West. His internal compass spun. Then he saw Francie in the middle, waving. His hands were full.


Tell her I see her, I’m coming.


She says Raylan is off talking “shop”. Her fire lizards are here with me, I’m with Motanith. Siskin is flirting with her greens but they’re ignoring him. Who are all these people?


Most of them I don’t know. I do recognize many of the Weyr folk, but the Landers, not so much.


After several minutes of pardon me-ing he made it to the table where Francie had saved him a spot.


Hello, K’ndar!! I’m so glad you stayed!” she said.


He didn’t know if Raylan had confessed, so he let it go.


“Thank you. Is that klah in that pitcher?”


No, it’s just water., I bet you’re thirsty. Here, sit down, excuse me, ma’am, would you pass that pitcher of water this way?”


An older woman sitting next to Francie passed the pitcher without missing a word to her friends on her side. “Thank you!” Francie said, and poured it into a goblet for K’ndar. He sat down and began to attack his dinner. He was far hungrier than he thought.


I’d love to discuss things, but I can see you’ve had nothing all day, so…”


He chewed and swallowed. “Um, you’re right, if you want to just chat, while I eat? After my stomach shuts up, I can interact.”


Oh, good, because I have the funniest story to tell about my fire lizards.”


Lord Dorn was slowly wending his way in their direction. I really have nothing to say, he thought, so it surprised him when Lord Dorn stopped next to him and put a hand on his shoulder.


K’ndar, I’d like to thank you for your work today,” he said.


Sir? You mean..driving? That was easy, sir, your Herdmaster is a good one. Or is this about Kitten, the horse?”


Kitten? Kitten?”


Yes, sir, the bay draft mare on the team I drove this morning. We bred her, I mean, my cothold bred her. AND the roans.” he said.


Oh, that bay mare? Oh, NOW I know what you mean. Her name is Cat Face, I thought. K’ndar, I’ve a lot of horses and don’t drive them. But I must say your father and uncle, and now your brothers are doing a great job carrying on the family tradition.”


Thank you, sir. But that’s all I did today, it was easy. I’ve been driving a team since I was old enough to hold the reins,” he said.


Here, my lord, please, sit here,” said the woman next to Francie, who’d passed the water jug. She shifted aside and patted the bench. Lord Dorn sat down in the space she’d made. It was ample room.


Thank you, ma’am. No, K’ndar, that’s not the work I’m referring to. Your assistant, Hazel? She told me about the horse’s name. She was quite taken with you. You listened to her, and that’s what made her happy. She tends to go on and on, and it takes patience when she repeats herself. She called you K’nmar, by the way.”


I know. I didn’t care that she bungled my name, my Lord, it was harmless. I know my name. Honestly, sir, she made the day fly by. I was interested in her stories about her life in the early days of the hold. She has so much history behind her!! Everyone seems to love her, even the horses...and her cat! She’s very sweet and kind.”


Lord Dorn smiled. “She is. She’s lamb gentle, but there’s always been steel in her makeup. She was always the bulwark, always the lodestone when things got hairy in the first days of the Hold. She taught me a lot when I was growing up.”


She was a teacher?”


No. She’s my grandmother.”