Chap. 254 Insult upon Injury

 

Chap. 254 Insult on injury

"This be the second time I've ever been on a dragon," Rand, the cotholder said.

"This is Raventh, sir. We've been together, oh, four years now? Funny, it's gone so quickly, from Impression to now," K'ndar said.

He stowed a bundle that Leana had asked him to transport to Southern Weyr. Then he helped Rand mount Raventh and buckled the man in. As he did, Siskin arrived, warbling happily.

"A fire lizard! I've never seen one before," Rand said, surprised. "I thought they'd be much bigger."

"No, sir, he's about the size of a full grown cat. Unlike their big cousins, all fire lizards, no matter their color, run much the same size," K'ndar said.

Siskin swooped around the man's head, regarding him with slight suspicion, then took his position proudly just behind Raventh's head.

"And you've trained him to ride up there?"

K'ndar grinned. "No, sir, it was his idea. Siskin LOVES to go nomading, I call it. He goes off on his own, at times, to hunt, or to chat up the girls, but when it's time for us to go somewhere, he's ready. As for training him, they're awfully smart, sir. One of the staff members here has three of them and she teaches them tricks to do at Gathers. I've trained Siskin to do some things, like take messages to other people, but most of them, he comes up with by himself."

Rand looked at Siskin thoughtfully. "They're good hunters?"

K'ndar mounted Raventh. "Yes, sir. They're like a dog in someways, but they're far smarter. My weyr has an entire wing composed of riders with fire lizards. We've used them to track raiders, for instance, or flush them out of their caves. They're just as loyal to their owners as any dog. They can be dangerous, too, unlike dragons, they have been known to attack humans on command or if they think their owner is in trouble."

"Dragons don't hurt humans?"

"Never. At least, there's no record of any dragon ever hurting a human, unless, I suppose, by accident. They're fairly clumsy when they're young. But as for purposefully hurting a human, it's just not in them."

What is clumsy? Raventh asked.

It..well, remember when you first hatched and your feet and wings would get all tangled? That's 'clumsy'.

Rand regarded Siskin with a discerning eye. "Hmmm. Do you think a fire lizard could live in the jungle?"

"Um...I don't know. It's not their natural environment, at least, I don't believe it is. But...that's a hard one to answer, Rand. I don't know a thing about the jungle."

"Where do you get one?"

"Some folks just happen to find a clutch. They impress like dragons. When they hatch, they impress on the first creature they see. Normally that's another fire lizard, but if there's a human present when they hatch, they'll impress on that person. That's how I impressed Siskin. He was still in the egg when I got him, and when he hatched, Raventh and I were there, so he bonded to both of us. He sends me images and sounds...they don't talk to humans like dragons do. Being able to ''see through his eyes", has been advantageous at times. Normally they don't send images, you have to ask for them. Which makes life a lot easier, I'd probably get sick having more than one visual input at a time. But when I DO, it's fascinating, seeing through a different set of eyes," he said.

"You found a clutch?"

"No, sir, I was given an egg as a gift. The man who gave me the egg makes a life trading things, among them are fire lizard eggs. He sells them, usually. He has a mated pair that produce about twice a year."

Rand nodded, thinking.

"I'd like to have one, I think. How much does an egg cost?"

"That, sir, I have no idea. I'd have to ask my trader friend," K'ndar said.

"His name?"

"He goes by Fire Lizard Man," K'ndar said.

Rand laughed. "Aye, I guess that'd tip me off as to what he sells. Is he here on Southern?"

"Yes, sir. I know he goes up North on occasion, but for them most part he wanders from one edge of Southern to the other. He's even been down to where I grew up, on the steppe."

"Iffen you ever sees him, let him know Rand would like to buy a fire lizard egg."

"I shall. For now, though, let's head to Southern Weyr, I'll get the coordinates to your cothold there."

__________________________________________________________________________

Southern's Weyrleader took the bundle without comment other than, "Thank you."

Resentment welled in K'ndar's mind, but he stuffed it away with a curt, 'shut up'. He was just a dragonrider, after all, and Weyrleaders were busy men. He HAD interrupted the man and several of his riders. Ah, well. He turned to go.

"I'm sorry, K'ndar, didn't mean to be rude. Is there anything more? You have the look of something else," the Weyrleader said.

Something was odd, he thought, it was almost as if he was intruding. Maybe I am, he thought.

"Yes, sir. I'm transporting Rand, one of Southern Hold's cotholders. He told me that he'd put up a sweep flag and a dragonrider stopped to provide transport. The dragonrider charged him three marks, sir."

"AGAIN!" the man shouted, slamming his fist on the wooden table.

"We've got to find that bastard, sir. This is wrong, it's giving us a bad name," said a woman.

"That's for certain, just the other day, someone took a shot at me. Arrow went way off, but still...this yob is turning the people against us," a man said.

"You...you've had this problem before?" K'ndar said.

"Aye. Would your client want to tell us in his own words?"

"I'm certain he would, sir, he's right outside. He didn't feel he needed to bother you."

The Weyrleader tugged his hair in frustration.

"He's not bothering me, K'ndar, it's this rogue who's been roaming my weyr's area for weeks now, harassing cotholders, stealing food, fleecing them when they ask for transport, as happened to your client."

The green rider got up, saying, "I'll fetch him. I saw him outside when you came up."

Rand came in, blinking from the bright sunshine. He tugged his forelock and said, "Begging your pardon, my lord, but I'm Rand. I'm a cotholder of Toric's."

"Sorry to hear that," said someone, sotto voce. The Weyrleader shot him a glance that said, yes, we all know.

He pushed a mug of klah towards Rand. "Klah?"

"No sir, thank you, I'd like to tell you my story, if I may?

"Carry on," the Weyrleader said. As Rand related it, K'ndar could see the riders growing angry. This rogue was a menace, every dragonrider could see it.

Rand had finished his tale. The Weyrleader looked through him for several minutes, tapping his fingers on the table as he thought.

"Do you remember the color of the dragon, sir?"

Rand said, "It's fairly dark in the jungle sir, but I'd say it were a brown, like K'ndar's, only bigger."

"If I were to let you meet my riders, would you be able to identify the one who overcharged you?

As one, his riders jumped to their feet, roaring in protest. "WE DON"T DO THAT," they shouted as one.

The Weyrleader raised his hands to quiet them.

"I don't believe for a single moment that any of my weyrfolk would do such a thing. But, this is serious, this rogue has been a thorn in my side for weeks, now. I HAVE to be able to say to Toric-and the Council-that Rand met all my male riders and didn't see the man who did this," he said, mollifying them.

He turned to one of the riders.

"Would you please summon all my male riders? Luckily, everyone is in the weyr at the moment."

_____________________________________________________________________

Discipline is good here, K'ndar thought. Southern Weyr's male riders, blue, brown and even two weyrlings who'd impressed bronzes, stood in quiet formation, wondering what this was all about.

Rand, nervously plucking at his own sleeves, was led past every one of them with their Weyrleader. He looked hard at each one, and the riders looked past him, as if in inspection. The Weyrleader, however, looked at each man or boy's face as Rand inspected them, watching for a reaction from the rider. In his heart, he begged them, no, don't you be the one. I know you people. I KNOW you're all innocent. Please don't prove me wrong.

He saw nothing but indifference, or boredom.

Finally, Rand turned and shook his head.

"No, sir. None of your men are the one."

"Thank you, Rand. Gentlemen, you are dismissed. I'll explain it later," the Weyrleader said, his relief plain.

The male riders left in small groups. K'ndar heard snatches of their conversation as they entered the sunshine..'What was that all about?" "Don't know, mate, but we'll know, soon enough."

"Thank you, Rand, if for no other reason than to set my mind at rest. This rogue has been doing this sort of thing for a month or more, and it is making for bad feeling amongst the holders we're supposed to be assisting. Thank you, too, K'ndar, for bringing Rand to me. You've been enormously helpful. I think I'll be heading for Landing, to talk to the Council. We have to catch this fellow. Have you said anything to your Lord Holder, Rand?" the Weyrleaders said.

Rand ducked his head.

"No, sir, I tries to steer clear of my Lord Holder iffen at all possible," the cotholder said.

K'ndar caught the Weyrleader's eye. He rolled his eyes. The Weyrleader allowed himself a quick grin. Everyone on Pern 'steered clear" of the cantankerousToric.

"I understand,sir. No matter. Again, thank you, gentlemen. If you would excuse me, I was in the midst of a planning session with my wingleaders," he said.

K'ndar took Rand's arm and led him out, down to the dragon bowl. Raventh was waiting, patiently. He pushed the cothold's coordinates to the brown dragon.

Lightning struck tree, that should be easy Raventh said.

They can fall down, remember. We'll find a more permanent one when we get there. I think I'll want to come back, to see what sort of place that animal calls home.

He patted Raventh's thigh as he helped Rand up the dragon's side.

"You did well in there, sir. I wouldn't have thought to have you check his riders," K'ndar said.

"Thank you, K'ndar. I get nervous when talking to higher ups, you know? It's why I don't want to talk to Toric," he said.

"It can be that way, Rand. Don't worry, even I felt nervous. One doesn't just go barging into a Weyrleader's staff meeting, but I felt he needed to know," K'ndar said. "I don't envy those riders, sitting around making decisions with the weyrleader. I don't want to ever be in that sort of position. I'm just happy being a plain dragonrider, no high positions for me!"

"I dunno 'bout that, K'ndar, seems you's pretty high up yourself, being a staff member at Landing? People asking YOU what you think that creature is?"

K'ndar was flabbergasted. "Me? No, sir, I'm just a...a..well,"

"You're not a drudge, you ride a dragon independently, you're a scientist at Landing. That's pretty high up iffen you ask me! But you treat me as an equal."

"What? Of course I do, I'm not important, you're...oh, get on with you, Rand!! Not only are dragonriders required to treat everyone with respect, it was how I was raised. Even being two heads taller than my mum, she'd whip my arse if she caught me treating anyone badly. And my brothers and uncle would hold me down to let her," he said.

Rand laughed. "Thank you anyway, K'ndar. I am just very happy that I don't need to talk to Toric."

_________________________________________________________________________

They appeared out of between high up above Rand's cothold. Below them, the jungle canopy was a solid mat of immense tree tops, spread out like a living carpet. He could see animals and avians moving through the canopy. The jungle was raucous with the sound of avians, wherries, and millions of insects. So different from the steppe, he thought, where the silence was so immense you could virtually hear your own heart beat.

A scent hit him immediately, one so very familiar and yet one he'd not smelled in a long time.

Firestone. Someone has been flaming here Raventh said.

Yes. add to that the scent of burnt vegetation.

The coordinates were right. The view was wrong. Below them, a black circle had been burnt into the solid green canopy, right to the ground.

"What the bloody shaff..." Rand began, looking down from Raventh's back.

Raventh circled, looking for the landing spot he'd been shown by a Southern Weyr dragon.

It's been flamed. A dragon did this he said.

"Um...."

"Shaff it, that dragonman, he torched my place! He torched it!!" Rand shouted.

Can you land?

I think so. I'm sending Siskin down to see if it's still hot, but I do see the outlines of the original clearing, made for dragons.

Siskin launched. Only later did K'ndar reflect that Raventh had had the initiative to use the blue fire lizard as a scout before he'd thought of it.

The blue swooped down, tentatively touched the bare ground, and warbled an okay.

It's safe. Landing now.

The clearing was definitely a clearing, now, the vegetation having been burned to a crisp. Tendrils of smoke rose from wood that'd been green that morning. He saw a dead bird on the ground, its feathers burnt off. His heart twisted. I hope it didn't suffer, he thought.

K'ndar felt responsible, despite common sense saying he was blameless. embarrassment...and shame.

"Rand, this isn't what we dragonriders do."

The cotholder stood, hands on hips, surveying the damage.

"I knows that, K'ndar, you 'n the Southern Weyr dragonriders, they're all decent folks. No, this was that bastard's doing. The Wanderers warned me, they did, said he'd be back to exact revenge if he didn't get payment immediately. Guess they were right," Rand said, reassuringly.

Feeling responsible, even though he wasn't, K'ndar wondered what to say. The man was suddenly homeless.

"Do..um, do you need a place to stay? I can put you up in my quarters," he said, wondering if he really could.

Rand laughed. It was a decidedly odd thing to do for someone who'd just had his home burnt to the ground.

"No, thank you, K'ndar. Don't you worry. I've lived in t'jungle long enough, dealt with lowlifes often enough, to have more than just one place to lay me head. Nay, K'ndar, this was just my 'office', my reception area, like you have at Landing? I kept a small hut here, to make it easier to find, you know? But it weren't home. To be honest, the bastard did me a favor, opening up the clearing. I would have had to cut it again, like I do every six weeks. Iffen I don't, it gets swallowed up like that!

He laughed, struck by a sudden thought. "Guess this makes us even, that bastard and me? He did me a favor and now I don't feel the need to pay him the mark and a half I owed him. He thought he'd hurt me? Ha! K'ndar, my home, my REAL cothold, where I sleep? It's hidden away in the jungle, safe from any rogue dragonrider's revenge. If you don't mind, I won't even show YOU where it is. What you don't know, you can't spill."

K'ndar felt a surge of relief...and fury. This arson had been done out of pure spite. That's shameful. Now it's become personal, he thought, this harmless old man, cheated and burnt out of his home? The rogue needs to be brought to heel and tried.

"I'm sorry, Rand," K'ndar said.

Rand patted his arm. "I'll be fine, K'ndar. Don't you worry none 'bout old Rand, what? You come on back iffen you want, I'm betting you'll want to see how that beast lived, eh?"

"Yes, I do. But for now, I'll have to go back to Southern, to report this," he said.