Chap. 212 Recognition

Chap. 212 Recognition

For one long, agonized, shocked into silence moment, every man in the cavern froze.

Then, from every throat burst a loud roar.

Alph's crossbow dropped from his nerveless hand.

The cavern's host scrambled for their weapons, shrieking curses.

One man's voice rose above the rest.

"HOLD!!!" screamed the man on the floor. His fire lizards flew into the air, and only then seemed to see Siskin, who was sending the entire scene.

The men stopped, then a few continued to make a grab their weapons.

The enforcers, swords drawn, were flabbergasted. They had unconsciously moved to surround Karloch.

I SAID HOLD! Not a man move!" cried the fire lizard's man.

He began to get up off the floor. He failed in his first attempt.

"Eh, who are you to tell me what..."

"I SAID HOLD," he said. His fire lizards hissed.

Look up Raventh said.

K'ndar dragged his mind from Siskin's astounding images to see:

A silent explosion of dragons bloomed in the sky.

By the egg, it's the Weyr. The whole bloody weyr.

He felt chills run up his spine and cluster in his scalp. Oh, all the dragons, of every color. It is so beautiful. So awesome. So orgasmic...

The wing was in traditional formation, filling the sky. He shivered, loving the sight. Is there anything better than being a dragonrider?

"Flights, in order! Left fore, land!" he heard an oh-so familiar voice call from the sky. It was B'rant, the Weyrlingmaster.

The left fore wing, composed of the current weyrling class as well as their mentors, landed. The next three were full fledged dragon riders, many of them last year's class, complete with fire lizards, others from the weyr's compliment of adult, veteran dragonriders. Behind them rode armed men. Dorn's men.

Amazing. Dorn must have made the decision to get them all here NOW, rather than wait for wagons.

Dorn's men unbuckled, dismounted as each dragon landed, then formed into squads in front of the caverns. The dragons then flew a short distance away to allow the rest of the wing to land. Their riders hurried back to where Dorn's men were and formed a formation of their own. They bristled with weapons.

He could see B'rant, smiling and slapping his thigh. K'ndar had learned long ago it was the Weyrlingmaster's unconscious move when he was immensely pleased with his class. He treasured the opportunities to involve his class of weyrlings in real world situations.

Ah, there was F'mart. Just by his body language, he could tell the bronze rider was, as always, itching for a fight. He'd probably want to tackle one of the enforcers, but obediently stood in formation as a wingsecond. Quite the promotion, F'mart, and you fit like a glove to it.

A group of eight weyrlings, with crossbows, did not dismount. They formed a squad on their own.

This was new, he thought, I wonder what they're waiting for.

Within moments, sixty men, all armed, stood in formation in front of the cavern. Their master- at-arms stood in front.

Lord Dorn dismounted from behind D'nis on Corvuth.

K'ndar called Siskin to him. I have to get down there. Now.

He hurried back to where Raventh was waiting, jumped aboard without buckling in, and they made the short flight down to the base of the hill.

Within moments, they were joined by Siena and M'rvin on Mirth and Arcturuth. Careth swooped in, with D'mitran in front of the hand tied sentry. D'mitran helped the sentry off of Careth's back.

"Kneel. I will untie your hands, but if you try to escape, you will die. Understand?"

The man nodded, more than happy to obey.

The whole weyr. Oh, it was beautiful.

B'rant and D'mitran joined M'rvin and began to report.

"Sirs, there's three outriders out by the herds," D'mitran said.

B'rant immediately turned and shouted, "Reaction Force! Three outriders by the herd. Bring 'em in. If they shoot at you, or if they try to run off, kill them."

The squad of eight Weyrlings, three of them girls on greens, launched and flew towards the herd. He heard one girl singing lustily. He caught her words, "I am a raider's nightmare, as terrifying as can be...."

He laughed.

Lord Dorn shouted, "You. In the caves. Hear me! I am Lord Dorn, Lord of Singing Waters Hold. You are trespassing on my lands. ALL of you, come out with your hands up. No weapons. If one of us sees you even think of drawing a weapon you will be shot down without mercy. "

On cue, his armed men fell into an open formation to allow them all clear fields of fire, and raised their crossbows.

There was unbelieving silence in the cave. It was all to quick, too amazing. They all looked at each other, wondering, do I go out? Me?

The green fire lizard's master said, "Well, louts, go on, don't you hear him? GO. And if you want to live, enforcers, you'll drop your swords right there."

He again tried to get to his feet. His greens swirled around him, daring anyone to touch him.

The enforcers lay down their swords.

Alph was still stunned of what he'd done, and even more, that he was still alive.

The men began shuffling their way out of the cave in twos and threes, blinking in the bright afternoon sun, hands in the air.

One of the enforcers put his hand on Alph's shoulder.

Alph, startled, turned and fell into a defensive stance.

"No worries, mate. I just want to say, thank you," the man said, then cut in front of Alph and almost joyously hurried out, his massive arms high in the air.

M'rvin had joined the dragonriders formation. He said something to B'rant.

"Fire lizards-- search the caves. Anyone still inside, run them out." B'rant called.

The dragonriders teamed with fire lizards launched their pets.

By the egg, B'rant's trained them all so well, K'ndar thought. I've been so busy, I'd never had a chance to watch their training.

A group of fire lizards spread out and entered all five caves. K'ndar laughed, knowing what was about to occur.

Siskin chittered. Could he join them?

"Stay with me, lad. You've done such a good job, I am so proud of you," he said, scritching the lizards head.

Shrieking and shouting erupted from the caves. Several men were flushed out by a blizzard of exultant fire lizards. The pack horses, too, rushed out en masse, and seeing the dragons, bolted for the herds.

Then, a sight he'd never forget. Women, some with children, emerged from one of the caves. Many wore aprons. Ah. They were the cooks and bakers.

He would have thought they'd be afraid of the armed men and the dragonriders, but no. Without exception, the women were smiling, laughing, hugging their children. Having immediately grasped the situation, they'd needed no herding by the fire lizards.

The women minced as they walked, with an unusual sound. K'ndar immediately recognized it, even before he saw the source.

The adult women were all in leg chains.

K'ndar felt himself grow cold. That bastard. Karloch, you bastard.

Karloch. Let's find out who he is, he of the familiar voice.

The man with the green fire lizards shuffled out last, in extreme pain. He'd been badly beaten.

The men clustered together. They were all quiet, some looking truculent, some looking afraid, and more than one looking relieved. Lord Dorn looked them over, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

"Karloch. Which one of you is Karloch?"

The raiders muttered amongst themselves. Those who'd not been in that particular cavern looked around, seeking the man.

"WHICH ONE OF YOU IS KARLOCH?" he repeated.

Finally, one of them said, "He's inside. I fink he's dead."

One of the enforcers seconded it. "Aye, my lord, he's dead."

K'ndar went up to Lord Dorn.

"Sir, if I may go into the cavern? Siskin sent me images of Karloch being shot dead. I want to see who he is. Was. I recognized his voice."

Dorn looked at him.

"By all means, K'ndar. Do you need an armed escort?"

"After seeing those women in chains, my lord, I could probably kill someone with my bare hands," he said, "although I think, what with your men here, and the fire lizards, there's no one left in there. Even so, my lord, I'd be happy to have one of your men at my side."

Dorn smiled. He turned and met his master-at-arms eye. His master-at-arms responded on the double.

"My Lord?"

"Lief, please accompany dragonrider K'ndar into the cave. Show no mercy to anyone who even thinks of attacking either of you."

Lief grinned. "My pleasure, my Lord. Dragonrider K'ndar, lead on."

Lord Dorn stopped K'ndar for a moment. "K'ndar. I'll be holding trials right here. After this is all over, I would like to invite you to dine with me at Singing Waters, to discuss something with you," he said, with an odd look in his eye.

K'ndar, his mind focused on the dead man in the cave, only half heard him. "I'd be delighted, my lord. Thank you."

They walked into the cavern.

Near the back, he could see the outstretched body of Karloch.

Ah, you bastard, now I'll know who the shaff you are, K'ndar thought.

Karloch's face was already wearing the unmistakable pallor of death.

K'ndar stood in utter shock.

Karloch was Shawn.