Chap. 55 The Revolt

The Revolution

A week later, the weyrfolk were still unable to accept that Jenmay, an Oldtimer, was Weyrwoman.

The loss of their Weyrwoman, Danelle and her gold, Elanath was still raw.

N'orald, the titular Weyrleader, was useless. Blind, worn out, and showing signs of dementia, he declined to take any leadership responsibilities. He slept most of the day. No one had the heart to require anything of him but to live out the rest of his days in peace.

D'nis, the former Weyrleader, had yielded his leadership without argument, as had been done for at least two thousand years. It was how dragonrider society worked. The mating pair assumed the mantle of leadership and authority over the weyr.

But he wasn't happy, nor was anyone else. Save Jenmay.

It was telling, too, that despite the mating, Jianath showed no sign that she was fertile or was about to lay eggs. Either she was sterile, or Menkarth was, or maybe both.

Jenmay had rampaged throughout the weyr, rooting out and destroying anything 'modern', like the microscope the Master Healer had purchased with his own money. People rapidly learned to hide anything that Aivas technology had introduced. The harpers hid the few books in the library.

Most galling was her banishing the female green dragon riders, and farming out the junior gold dragons, due to become sexually mature in a few months, to other weyrs.  Insuring that her gold Jianath was the only female dragon in the weyr automatically meant that Jenmay would be Weyrwoman for the rest of her life.

To say that the weyr was roiling with resentment and dismay would be an understatement.

D'nis, relegated to Wingleader status, entered  the Weyrwoman's office. He couldn't bring himself to refer to it as Jenmay's.

"A  hurricane is building southeast of Southern Continent. Right now it's a tropical storm, but  um…air pressure indicates it's building strength. Classic signs of a hurricane. " He had to bite his tongue to keep from saying "barometric pressure". The  weyrs barometer was safely hidden from her.

Jenmay looked up from her very comfortable chair, a cup of Benden wine in her hand. "Why are you bothering me with this?"

"A HURRICANE, Jenmay. A hurricane! It will hit us in the nose in five days," D'nis said, loathing the woman, her obstinacy, her narrow, tradition shackled mind.

"So? It's a big wind. You're afraid of wind? You should step down as wingleader."

I wish I could scream Done at you, you loathsome bitch, he thought, but he knew he was the only thing keeping the entire weyr from collapsing into chaos.

Why not let it go, D'nis? Gather the dragonriders and leave her to herself. But no. There were too many families, too many people to whom this was their only home, their only place to live, their only job. Where would they go? How would they survive without all the things that made life possible? Buildings could be rebuilt. Lives could not.

"If you wish to demote me, it is your right, and I would appreciate it if you would do so NOW,   Ma'am," he said, knowing she would retreat, knowing that she had him in her grasp and intended to keep him there. She knew who was really the leader. Her dreams had been answered. She had the title and the privilege without having to do a lick of work.

"That attitude is unbecoming of you, D'nis," Jenmay retreated. "Why are you so worried about wind?"

He sighed, hating her with an intensity that would undoubtedly rouse his dragon into anger.

"This is the Southern continent, ma'am. Unlike the Northern continent, which is upwind of hurricanes, Southern is always their target. I'm sure you remember weather forecasting  from when you flew Thread," he said, unable to resist the dig.

"Mind your tone, wingleader, I've many more years of flying than you ever will have."

Aye,I'm sure of it, but I would bet my boots you managed to look busy without actually being so. Just as you are, now.

"So you are aware of how destructive they are to us here in the South."

"I am aware, wingleader," she snapped, covering up the fact that she had no idea. She'd only lived in Southern for two years. The experience she had with hurricanes was that of an uninterested observer who had lived in the far North, where hurricanes were impossible.  "I  think you are over reacting. What do you propose to do, evacuate?"

By the egg, maybe she did have a scrap of common sense.

"Exactly! Starting NOW."

"That's nonsense. Why are so afraid? This is a weyr, carved out of ROCK. The wind hasn't blown it down yet. You propose to evacuate because of a little wind?"

D'nis wanted to scream. But he knew it was as useful as screaming at the rock wall behind her rock head.

"Jenmay," he said, dispensing with the honorific ma'am, "When the weyr was excavated, the colonists engineered it so that air currents moved efficiently throughout the cliff. But they had never had any experience with hurricanes, and so the way it's situated, the cliff weyr takes the full brunt of the wind and the storm surge. That's why we need to evacuate. The cliff itself will stand. It's the PEOPLE who will be harmed. The animals. Food stores, kitchenware, furniture, hay, coal, everything else that isn't rock will be destroyed."

"So you expect everyone to just up and leave?"

"Taking only what can support us for three or four days. Food for everything that eats. Tents for cover, we head inland, or even take cover behind the southern mountains. Possessions..only a few, per person…clothing, baby supplies,  medical supplies, tools for rebuilding, for digging out, etc.  Everyone moves by dragon or wagon. If we start evacuating NOW we will have plenty of time to get everything moved to safety."

She sneered. "You surely are mad. I have never lived in a tent and have no intentions of starting now. I forbid it."

Jianath is getting upset  Corvuth, his bronze said.

You know what, I don't care. This woman has driven me over the edge. I am ready to …to

Careful. I don't want Jianath to start on me or the rest. We are already her target when she's upset with her rider. The greens and the golds are already angry, they want to come home.

I know. I'm this close to just saying shards and do what I want.

What can she do to prevent you?

D'nis mentally slapped his forehead. Duh. DUH. He suddenly realized that he had allowed grief and respect for the traditions of Pern to override common sense.  Even as modern as he considered himself, he'd still subconsciously made decisions..or failed to, based on two thousand years of tradition.   

We dragons are all behind you. We miss the greens and are afraid there are no golds. We are ready to start transporting. Even Menkarth wants to help.

You are the wisest dragon I've ever had the privilege of knowing. You are right. She can do nothing. Thank you, my brother.

Of course. May I call the females home?

DO IT NOW. Tell them to tell their riders to come home immediately. Tell them why.

We are in charge, yes?

YES.

Corvuth laughed.

D'nis looked around the room. For a traditionalist, Jenmay had still, surreptitiously, taken full advantage of Aivas's introductions. The fan. The cushions on the wooden chair instead of a stone bench. The eyeglasses.  If she believed that no one had noticed, she was only fooling herself, he reflected. Yet another reason the vast majority of weyrfolk despised her.

"You needn't live in a tent, ma'am," he said, "you can stay right here, you and that dried out husk of a gold who has failed to produce an egg.  I am going to begin the evacuation at this moment. Should you choose to join us in the work, you are welcome, but once we evacuate, you'll be on your own. Suit yourself, Oldtimer."

"HOW DARE YOU," she shrieked, "I am weyrwoman. You do what I say!"

"I do what the weyrLEADER says, and right now, N'orald is incapacitated,  as he has been for YEARS. Thus, according to the laws from YOUR time, ma'am, I am expected to take command, just as if we'd lost a weyrLEADER, instead of my Danelle, who was a better Weyrwoman than you EVER will be."

He turned on his heel and left, feeling empowered, relieved, and…ready to begin evacuating.

Jenmay was shrieking behind him.

It sounded wonderful.