Chap. 95 Shark bite

Chap. 95 Shark bite

Careth, Rath and Corvuth were 'parked' at Landing when K'ndar arrived. He was grateful that Salish, the dragonhealer, had treated Raventh so quickly. He wanted to see what B'rost had found, and perhaps learn more about the creature that attacked his dragon.

The three others were surprised to see him enter the main lobby of Landing.

"That was quick," D'nis said.

"Well," D'mitran said, "We did spend a lot of time at the coast after K'ndar left,"

"Aye, we did…and K'ndar, we found what looks like may have been a settlement, right on the coast there."

"You're kidding. Really?"

"We didn't take much time to investigate it," B'rost said, "But I want to go back."

"You said you "found something?" 

B'rost nodded. "I just gave it to Raylan, he's coming back out in a few moments. They're analyzing it on some sort of machine. I hope it's an artifact!"

At that moment, Raylan came out with an odd looking thing in his hand.

"Sorry, B'rost. The computer says "unidentified object of local manufacture. Composed of forged iron with oxidation consistent with long term exposure to salt water."

He handed it back to a disappointed B'rost.

"Don't be so glum, B'rost…the fact that it was THERE, in a spot no one had any idea humans had been before, means SOMETHING. What, I don't know."

"But we did see signs of humans. There was a spot that had been carved out of the forest and has been regrown," he protested.

"I understand. Maybe you should go back there to do more investigating."

"Aye," B'rost said, morosely accepting the diagnosis.

Raylan looked up at the others and said, "As for the skull? Again, beats me. We'll have to do a more extensive study of it. It's fairly ''eroded" from exposure to the elements."

"And for the pictures I took of the sea creatures?"

"Now that, sir, is something I can be of more help. While there is very, very little information on what they are in the database, we DO have reports from the dolphins…well, their human counterparts, of these animals. They're carnivorous, are seldom found any further north than where you saw them. They're native, of course. The closest equivalent we could find to anything the ancients had on earth is called a 'shark'. 

He turned to the monitor near his hand and typed quickly. 

"Sharks were carnivorous fish in earth's oceans that went extinct due to overharvesting and pollution of that planets' oceans. The creatures here, on Pern, aren't fish, they're not mammals, and they're not dragons or even saurian. I'm not really sure quite WHAT they are, or what they're related to. They seem to be a mix of many native creatures: the dorsal serrated ridges, that, it says here, are 'retractable', resembling the ridges on a dragon. They  live like fish but aren't fish, are warmblooded like dolphins, but aren't mammals.  From what little is in the database, they were probably, before humans introduced dolphins, the apex predator of the sea. I think the best thing to do is talk to the dolphins at your weyr."

by dottedyeti

Then he turned to K'ndar. "I hear your dragon was bitten by one of these…'sharks'?"

"Yes, sir, but he'll be okay. In fact I would like to meet with Miklos? Salish, our dragonhealer, gave me some swabs taken from the bite, she wants him to do a DNA analysis on the sample."

"Oh, EXCELLENT. DNA would tell us a great deal. She sends him samples all the time, so he shouldn't need too much in the way of explanation. Miklos is in the next building over. I'll take you to him, if you gentlemen are done?"

D'nis nodded. "Yes, we're done, for now. K'ndar, we'll see you back at the weyr?"

"Eventually, sir, I have some ideas I want to discuss with Francie regarding these samples. I'll fill you in on it when I return."

While Raylan put an identification tag on the sample packet, K'ndar looked around the lab. It was filled with all sorts of equipment that made no sense to him whatsoever. 

There were several people in there, all busy. In the corner was a small man, who, it appeared, lived solely in the lab. Bits of food were scattered over his work station, half empty mugs of klah, an apple core at his feet. He had his eyes glued to a microscope.

"Excuse me, Miklos?"

The man said nothing.

"Hello, sir, my dragonhealer, Salish, sent this sample. My dragon was bitten by a 'shark'? and she'd appreciate it if you could find anything in these samples that might cause an infection. That, and if possible, see if there's DNA from it."

Miklos, without taking his eyes from his work, thrust out a hand. Raylan placed the packet in it. Miklos, still without even glancing at them, placed it next to the 'scope. 

He seemed more bothered than enthused by K'ndar's lab sample. "Thanks," he mumbled.

K'ndar was a bit confused until he caught Raylan's rolling eye. His expression said, "This is what he is."

"Do you have any idea when you can give me, I mean Salish, a report on what's in this sample."

"Um..no."

Raylan put his hand on K'ndar's shoulder and gently pushed him to the exit.

Once outside, he said, "Don't worry. That's how he is. He's very strange, I'll admit, but if anyone can extract DNA from a muddled sample, it's him. I'll get the report to her very shortly."

"Can I get you something to eat? I was about to head to the dining hall."

"I'd like that…it's been a long day, and I've not eaten a thing. It looks like Miklos eats there."

Raylan grimaced. "Yes, he doesn't leave the lab for much else than a shower…and even then, that's not as often as we'd like. We clean up after him every day, I doubt he even notices. But…as I said, he's a master at his job."

As they ate, K'ndar outlined what his and Salish's idea of using fire lizards as couriers.

"I think Francie would jump at that. It would make things go far easier and faster, I'll admit. 

She made quite a bit of money at the Gather, by the way." Raylan said.

"Did she do her lizard show?"

"Yes. It drew HUNDREDS of kids…and grownups! She's pretty savvy, she managed to wrangle a fee out of Lord Toric for the privilege of 'attracting paying customers' to his Gather."

"Wow. That IS savvy. I haven't heard too many people being able to get anything out of Toric." 

"But," Raylan said, a bit unhappily, "It seems you dragonriders are refusing to go to his hold anymore. She'll abide by that, but…"

K'ndar shook his head. "Lord Toric had it coming. I'm sorry, but Francie doesn't HAVE to ride a dragon there. She doesn't have to abide by this, it's not a law..it's just an understanding amongst us all.  And, if I may speak my mind, he had a dozen thugs there, all hunting ME."

Raylan nodded. "I know. Trust me, I'm …we're on your side. We've heard a lot about Toric, even before we moved down to Southern.

"Where IS Francie, by the way? I'd like to discuss this in more detail."

Raylan looked at his watch. "At this time? She's probably down at the barn."

"That's down on the other side of Landing?"

"Come on, it's easier to just take you there. I've got some time left before I have to get back to work."

K'ndar could smell the familiar aromas of horses, manure, fresh hay. He'd grown up with it. I could have just followed my nose, he thought.

Raylan said, "The barns are fairly new and nicely designed. They're far nicer than the barns we kept our horses in when we were up North. Lord Lytol and the other managers realized that, as more people move down to Southern, we were going to need more facilities, like hay barns!

 Last week I was involved in building a harness storage building. I've never hammered a thing in my life, K'ndar, but I found it…well, fun.  Relaxing, in a hard physical labor sort of way. Even," he glanced at his hands, "found out that if you don't do it right, hammering gives you blisters," he said, ruefully.

K'ndar laughed. "Aye, I know the feeling. I’m just the opposite, did mostly physical labor all my life, and now I'm finding I have to force myself to manage my time and focus on reading, studying, researching, and writing my notebooks for you NEATLY."

They turned the corner of the barn and before them was a large open arena. 

I'll have to ask them how they manage to have time for a dragon, three fire lizards, horses, married life,  AND a job, K'ndar thought.

Francie's fire lizards flew to them, chirping a hello. "You go back, okay, my friends?" Raylan said, shooing them away gently, then said, "Francie's out there, at the other end. See her?"

K'ndar froze, in total shock. He could indeed see Francie-riding the beautiful black bay horse he'd fallen for at the Gather.