Chap. 216 Opportunity

 

Chap. 216 Opportunity

After a hearty breakfast, K'ndar headed for Landing's Flight Ops to check the weather before heading home to Kahrain.

We're not going back to that place? Raventh said, meaning Shawn's last hideout.

No. I don't really see the need for it. I'm sure M'rvin has everything under control.

The wing is already back at the Weyr, save for Kenth and F'mart. They are still there with his subwing.

I expected that

He stepped into Landing's Flight Ops. It was a smaller office than the one at the weyr, but had datalinks that covered the entire planet's weather.

Still, they used a chalkboard for daily assignments of the relatively few dragons on staff, as well as updated weather.

He was reading the board for Kahrain Steppe Weyr when he heard a familiar voice.

"Hi, K'ndar! Haven't seen you in a while!"

It was Risal, the geologist. Something went ping in his heart.

"Hi! You're right, it's been ages, what? How've you been?"

"Oh, you know how it is. Busy. Just like you, I imagine. So, you brought in dead Shawn!"

"Doesn't take long for word to get out, eh? Yeah," he said.

"He attacked you and you shot him with a crossbow?" she asked.

"What!! Oh, shards, no. Where did THAT come from? No, no, no. I WITNESSED him being shot with a crossbow, through Siskin's eyes. I wasn't even close to him."

Siskin chirped at hearing his name.

He reached up and gave the blue a scritch. "Yes, little lad, it was YOU that saw it all, isn't that right."

Risal said, "Oh. I heard that you'd shot him. But I heard it fifth or tenth hand. Gossip, you know...it gets things all changed round. No matter, you're a hero."

He felt small. "Me? A hero? I did nothing."

"Well, maybe not a hero, but there's plenty of folks here saying Shawn had it coming and they're happy he's dead. Word has it he had a wagon load of artifacts in a private cave."

Dismayed, K'ndar said, "Risal. That's not what I said or witnessed. This is crazy, I did nothing but find his raider's lair and see him get shot. I didn't see anything other than him, no pile of loot, nothing."

He ran his hand irritably down his face to his chin. "How does this stuff get so screwed up?

She waved her hand. "No matter, K'ndar, it's okay. So...you're heading back to your weyr?"

Something in her eye made him wonder if that's what he wanted to do. He'd forgotten how much he'd liked her, right from the start. He'd enjoyed showing her Kahrain.

He sighed. "Yes, for now, I guess. I'm not sure what my weyrleader or Lord Dorn want, I discovered the lair but now I'm ready to...well, go home to my weyr, get a shower and write up my journal. AND I have to make an official report. So, yes, I guess I am heading back."

"I enjoyed meeting your friends at your weyr, well, except for Lindea, I'd like to do that again. she said, "But I have duty every other day for the next week. And tomorrow I've got plans, it being a rest day."

He wondered what sort of plan she might have, then shelved it. "Oh, Lindea's okay now, Risal. I explained to her that we were just friends."

A look flashed in her eye that said something he was unable to fathom.

"And she believed you?"

He looked at her. He nodded.

"Yes, after I told her...well, I don't like to gossip, Risal, see how a little bit of gossip turns me bringing Shawn in dead into me killing him? I will say, though, that Lindea-well, we've been friends from day one at the Weyr. She's a lovely girl, kind and sweet natured, but she wanted us to marry or be weyrmates and have kids. And I told her one, I'm not ready at all to settle down, and two, I don't want children. Ever."

Risal nodded. Her eyes lit up with agreement.

"You're right about gossip. As for not having kids, I don't want 'em, either. I can't see myself being a mum," she said. "Not that I dislike kids, but it seems there's still the cultural expectation that land bound women, non-dragon riders, are supposed to reproduce and just stay home, not be a scientist. There's a lot of resistance against Just Two, even though it makes so much sense to control our population. It's one of the reasons I'm so glad to be here.

Landing isn't a dragon weyr, where women ride dragons and can lead weyrs, with someone else fostering their kids. But it's not a Hold or a cothold, either. Here, women can pursue a career. Like me, I'm a geologist as well as working Flight Ops. I like it. If I'd stayed home my father would have had me married off by now to some farmer or crafter, and my mum would be breathing down my neck to start providing her with grandbabies."

He laughed. He liked her a lot more than he expected. He felt relief, and...something else.

"My mum is the same," he said, "She has two grandkids, and both my brothers are fully on board with "Just Two" kids. So at most she'll have four. Last time I was home, she was dropping hints on my head like a quorl dropping redtree nuts. Not coming out and saying it but wanting me to settle down and start a family. I don't know how to break it to her. I feel sorry for girls, sometimes, like my sister. So much of Pern 'tradition' expects things of you girls without asking you if it's what you want! If Glyena wasn't being fostered at my weyr, my mum would already be looking for a nice boy for her to take up with when she's of age," he said.

They both looked at each other for several long moments, then both dropped their gaze, embarrassed.

She broke it first. "Right. So you'll be wanting weather for Kahrain?" she turned and picking up a pointer, tapped the chalk board reporting on the weyr's section on the planet.

"Looks pretty good, K'ndar, but there's a front building that I expect to see turn into rain tonight, and all day tomorrow. Further on out..."

Motanith says don't go. She says Francie is coming to Flight Ops right now. Don't leave, she says, until they talk to you Raventh interrupted.

They?

"...I think the weather will clear enough for flying the day after..." Risal was saying. She turned to face him and saw the glazed look in his eye. She stopped, understanding, now that that glazed look on a dragonrider's face meant he was talking to his dragon.

"K'ndar?"

He returned to her eyes. "Sorry, Raventh just told me Francie is coming here."

Several minutes later, Francie's three fire lizards arrived, with her right behind them.

She was out of breath.

"I swear, they must move Flight Ops further and further when I'm in a hurry, " she gasped.

"What's up? I got your message through Motanith," he said.

"I know, but I still wanted to...um, may I speak with you privately?" Francie said.

"Uh....sure," he said, confused.

"If you'll excuse us, Risal?" Francie said.

"Uh, okay," Risal said, just as confused as K'ndar.

They stepped outside the office.

"Whew. I'm glad I caught you. I'm glad you didn't go home last night," Francie said.

"Is...something wrong?" K'ndar said, suddenly alarmed.

"No, no...honestly, it's something good. For you. If you want it," she said, her face wreathed in a huge smile.

"What?"

"Our biologist, the staff biologist. She's a field biologist, like you, K'ndar. She's pregnant and has decided to return to her husband's home Hold. There's an opening, it means, we...Raylan needs to replace her, it's a permanent position, it's here at Landing. He was just informed this morning when she turned in her resignation. He wants you, K'ndar, we want you to take her position. Raylan wants you to come to his office, right now if you can, so he can 'formally interview' you, but he said ...oh, K'ndar, we all know you're a top notch biologist. She's looked at your data, your reports, and has always been impressed by your work. She's always said you are diligent and careful in your reports. You won't have a bit of trouble with the interview, you'd have a couple weeks with her so she can train you on how everything works. I'd be tickled, I know you'd like it here. You'd have free rein to ...oh, I shouldn't try to talk you into it. I just wanted you to talk to Raylan first before you talk to Lord Dorn," she said, still a bit out of breath.

K'ndar's jaw dropped in utter bewilderment. It was as if a silent explosion had gone off in his mind. Really? Really?

"Wha...."

She took his arm.

"Come on. Listen to me, you don't want to lose this opportunity, K'ndar. I can see you wanting to think it over, that only makes sense, but...oh, shut up Francie!! I should let Raylan do the talking, he's the Science Division Chief, you'd be working directly under him," she said.

He allowed her to lead him back towards Landing's main office buildings.

Here? Me live and work here? NOT at Singing Waters? As staff biologist!!! What a great...what do I say to Lord Dorn? Am I being disloyal to him, going back on a promise? But I haven't talked with him, I haven't promised anyone anything. I don't even know for sure if working for him is what he wanted to discuss!

His mind was floundering. But there was also a blossoming feeling of excitement, of wonder at this amazing opportunity.

I would like it, I would have other dragons here

He felt his mind grasp Raventh's, seeking support.

You...you like the idea?

I do. I am happy at our Weyr but I know you want something different. I think you would be happier here than at Singing Waters. I know I would.

He felt a surge of gratefulness for their long talk the night before.

Landings' Field Biologist?

Yes.

Chap. 215 Coming to an Agreement

 

Chap. 215 Coming to an agreement

Rather than go back to his weyr...it was late, and dragons seldom flew after dark, K'ndar took a bunk in Landing's visitor's dorm.

He was grateful to have the place to himself.

He settled himself on the bunk. Siskin curled up at his feet and promptly went to sleep. Wish I'd thought to bring my toothbrush, he thought. Guess the entire day has been one of me being completely unprepared. Lesson learned, K'ndar!

Okay, he said to Raventh, thank you for your patience. I don't want to keep either of us up too long, but..you wanted to discuss my..our leaving the weyr for Dorn's Hold.

Yes. I wanted to stop you saying it before you said it. I thought you were doing something without thinking about it.

I understand. I'm sorry I didn't take your opinion into consideration. How do you feel about leaving the weyr?

I have been thinking it. I think I would miss being with other dragons.

I've thought of that, too. Living there would probably be much different, especially as there would be no other dragons.

He rumbled it around in his head. Would M'rvin mind if they came to visit other dragons? Even after he'd signed out?

Is there a certain dragon that you'd miss more than others?

It was Raventh's turn to rumble his thoughts.

Yes and no. I wouldn't miss Mirth. All the time, when I'm around a gold or a bronze, I feel small, like I was still a hatchling. I prefer being with other browns and blues. And greens.

I know that feeling well. I felt it today...has it been just one day? Good grief...but I know that when M'rvin was chastising me, I felt like a little boy again, a hatchling.

They were both quiet for a long moment.

I think I'd miss Careth the most. He is a good friend.

K'ndar nodded in the dark.

Yes. And his rider, D'mitran, is my good friend. I respect him. He's always treated me well. So has D'nis, but...he's a bronze rider, and he's not so much a friend as he is a father to me.

You want this, don't you. You want to move to the Hold.

K'ndar sighed.

I think so. Mind you, we might be all wrong, Dorn might merely want us to do something for him, one off.

No. I heard him. He wants us at his Hold. He likes you.

Do you want this?

It was Raventh's turn to mentally sigh.

I am just a dragon. I do as I'm told.

NO THAT'S not fair! K'ndar shouted.

What do you mean? It's true.

Have I ever done this to you, before? Made decisions that you haven't liked?

Not that I can remember. But my remembering is getting more every day. I don't remember having a discussion about it. I've always gone where you tell me to.

The word is 'memory' And it's getting 'better'. Yes, you're right, you've never disobeyed, or told me no. If I did something that you disagreed with, you never said anything. I just assumed you were fine with it. Is that the case now?

I don't remember you ever asking my opinion.

Ouch. I'm sorry.

I don't think ANY dragonrider asks his dragon what they think of a decision. But maybe I think that because we are changing. All of us, now that we no longer are having to eat fire stone, all of us are feeling our brains clear. We do a lot more talking to each other, now.

That's...interesting. I like that you are more aware, I like when you ask me questions. Now I feel bad, because in the past, I've just said, we go here we do that, like I've given orders to a horse or a dog. It never occurred to me that you might want something other than a chance to go hunt or swim. In the past, have you resented when I've given you an order?

Raventh was silent. K'ndar suddenly realized that while Raventh was in HIS head, had been from the moment of Impression, he was not, nor had he ever been in Raventh's. Was this unusual? Had anyone ever noticed it with their dragons? Yes, he knew that dragons were telepathic, and humans were not. But it was the first time he actually understood what that meant.

Raventh?

I'm thinking. I can't remember being angry with anything you told me to do. We've always been...together.

That makes me feel better. So from now on, I'll always ask you your opinion, how you feel about things. Remember, sometimes I can't say no, when I'm told to do something. In some ways, I'm 'just a dragon' too. But I'll always think of what you want...and if I don't PLEASE remind me. Please?

Thank you. I will.

So, now, my brother, I ask you, what do you think WE should do. Move to the Hold? Where we might have far more freedom to do what we want when we're not on duty? Or stay in the Weyr?

Raventh was quiet for many long moments. Then he said,

I know you want to go. I hear two thinks..I hear two THOUGHTS in your mind, this one says you want to give it a try and the one you don't hear is saying you are afraid to, maybe it won't be right, maybe people will be angry with you. You care very much what people like D'mitran think of you.

If you don't like it, can we return to the Weyr?

He was amazed at the depths the dragon was in his mind. Something he'd never thought of, again. I DO have undercurrents, two chains of thought. And I AM afraid, a little. Of change, of the new, the not knowing.

Of course. I've never heard of any dragonrider being turned away at Kahrain Steppe. I think the only reason some weyrs do is because they just don't have room for another dragon. Like Ruatha. Or, sometimes, it's when some dragonrider has fought with another human at the weyr, and is forced to leave. This wouldn't be the same situation, Raventh, because I wouldn't be leaving because of something I'd done, something bad or, for instance, the way that M'rvin treated me...

Insight burst into his mind.

OH! NOW I understand, Raventh. NOW I know why you yelled at me to stop before I said I resign. You know me better than I know myself. I am glad you did. Because I was about to 'burn a bridge'. Uncle Fland used to tell me, "never burn your bridges, K'ndar, you may have to run back over them."

What is a bridge?

It's a, um, a wooden path over a river. We humans use bridges to walk or ride over a body of water so that we don't get wet or fall into the water.

Why would you burn it, then? Then you'd get wet.

K'ndar laughed despite himself.

It's hard to explain. We humans are too emotional. Sometimes—like I was this morning. I was so angry, so humiliated at M'rvin's treatment of me that I was about to say "I quit" and leave the weyr. I had no plan, no idea where to go, I just wanted to be away from M'rvin forever.

I know. I felt your anger. I've never seen you so angry. I thought you might attack M'rvin.

I know. I don't like confrontation. I'm not a fighter. So I thought I had no other alternative.

He paused, wondering what sort of trouble he'd have been in had he punched M'rvin out.

When we get angry like that, we do or say things that we shouldn't, and it destroys the relationship we had so much so that there is no returning to it. Then we become prideful, or just plain too stupid to admit we made a mistake. We don't want to say 'I'm sorry' because we're afraid we'll be thought of as weak. So instead of admitting we made a mistake, we take on the path we suddenly have chosen, and usually it turns out worse than if we'd just own our mistakes and apologize. That's what it means to 'burn a bridge". It means we take an action that can't be repaired or undone.

I think that makes sense. For you humans. Not us.

You dragons don't have this tangled mass of emotions that we humans do. It drives us crazy sometimes.

Yes. M'rvin was mad and happy with Siena this morning. First they were fighting and then 'kissing'. Things like that drive us dragons crazy. Which one is it?. Pick one or the other but both at the same time? How do you do that?

K'ndar laughed out loud.

That's what I mean. I don't know how we do it, we just...do. Once we're adults, we're expected to control it. When someone doesn't, though, you lose trust in the other person. I've lost trust in M'rvin. Once that happens, it's almost impossible to regain.

What is trust?

Woof. How to explain something as ephemeral as trust?

Let me try. Um... up until today, I always 'trusted' that M'rvin would act like a weyrleader. He'd treat me with respect, not blame me for his problems with Siena, not accuse me of doing something that I had no power of saying No to. I expected him to act like a mature human, not a love struck teenager. Now I see him in a different light, and I don't trust him to not act like that again.

Does that make sense?

Not really...

Okay, let me take it closer.

He thought hard. Ah.

When I ask you to launch, what do you do?

Do? I crouch, set my wings, jump into the sky, and start flying.

Yes, but what about me?

You're on my back, holding on.

To what?

To the harness!

How do you KNOW I'm holding on?

I..can feel it. I can feel your weight and I have to adjust my balance. I can feel the pull on the harness, I can feel that you're buckled in. It feels different than when you just jump on and say let's go.

And if you feel that I'm NOT buckled in, what would you do?

I'd..I'd wait until you were.

Why?

Because I don't want you to fall off!

RIGHT. You worry that I might fall off. So you wait until I am buckled in. I don't have to think, oh, will Raventh launch before I'm ready? Because you never have. You always wait until I'm secure. I TRUST you to wait until you are sure I'm ready for your launch.

Ohhhh. I understand. Is it the same as me trusting you to make sure I'm oiled if I need it? Or like today, you asked me if I was hungry?

Yes. You trust me to make sure you are happy, healthy, well fed.

I understand. I do!

Now, if one day, you said you were hungry, could you go hunt...and I said NO, what would you feel?

I would feel bad. And hungry. I would wonder why.

If I just said, no reason, just NO, would you always wonder why, after that?

After a very VERY long wait, Raventh said, Probably.

Now I remember something. Jiannath, the gold queen who mated with Menkarth. After Elenath, my dam, died.

Yes. She was Jenmay's gold. Jenmay was evil. What about her?

During the hurricane, Jiannath shouted to us. She said that Jenmay had been giving her something to make her come into heat. She gave some food to Danelle to make her die.

Even before then, she was unhappy with Jenmay. Jenmay had been feeding her flowers that made her mind think strange things. She said it made her eyes see strange things and make her hear things that weren't there. She asked Jenmay to stop, she didn't like it. But Jenmay said eat it. You need to come into heat. She told Jenmay she didn't want to mate, she was too old. Jenmay said you WILL mate. When we were all heading inland to get away from the hurricane, Jiannath wanted to come with us. The older dragons had told her the hurricane was too dangerous. Jenmay wouldn't let her. She told her no, stay in the weyr.

She sent us images of the sea, the water was in their weyr! And the sky, black and lightning all around. She was afraid of it, she wanted to leave, even if it meant being struck by lightning.

Then we didn't hear anymore. She died.

K'ndar shuddered, imagining how dying in a hurricane must have felt. Losing the real Weyrwoman, Danelle, in such an ugly way still hurt. Losing Jenmay had been a relief, but they all still missed the gentle Jiannath.

What was the feeling Jiannath sent? About Jenmay?

She...she said Jenmay didn't care about her anymore. Trust! She had no trust in her anymore.

Yes. You understand.

Yes. Now I understand. I trust you.

And I, you. Always.

K'ndar yawned, his mind laboring under the dual actions of discussing with Raventh and pushing sleep back.

I'm getting tired, Raventh, so I will ask you: what do you think of our moving to the Hold?

After several long moments, Raventh said, I hear you wanting to try it. Can you change back if you don't like it? It won't be a burnt bridge, correct?

Correct. No burned bridges. And yes, we could change back. This would be a 'job', not a commitment.

If I asked to be able to go back to the Weyr to see my friends, to talk with dragons, could we do that?

OF COURSE.

Whenever I wanted?

If we're not on duty, I can't think of why not. I'd like it, too. Remember, we can go ANYWHERE. It's not just back to Kahrain. We could go to Landing, to see Francie and Motanith, we could go to see B'rost and Rath at Healer Hall...we could go ...well, we could ASK to see Ruth at Ruatha. We're dragons. Dragons can go anywhere.

Then, I think we should try it. I can see in your mind you want to try it. So let's do it.

Yes. Let's.

Chap. 214 Dinner at Francie's

 

Chap. 214 Dinner at Francie's

"Well, K'ndar, I must say that this has to be the most...unusual...artifact you've ever turned in,"

Raylan, Landing's Science Division Chief.

Several staff members of Landing's stood around Shawn's body, dumbfounded.

He pointed to one.

"Please, go to the Maintenance section, tell them we have a...um, a human body to um..put in.."

He was stuck.

"We've never had a body turned in. I'm not sure what to do with it," he said.

The one he'd pointed at said, sotto voce, 'feed it to the wherries'. Someone else poked her, saying, 'that's not nice.'

"Neither was he. Quite honestly, I'm glad he's dead," the first one said, 'he was a sod of the first order."

"How about we have him put in the refrigerator, where we hang carcasses to age," another said.

Raylan grasped at it.

"Good idea. It gets it off my hands," he said.

Two of them hurried off.

Raylan turned to K'ndar.

"I'm betting my boots there's a story behind this. I can assure you, there's one from Landing's side," Raylan said.

"Yes, sir, there is...and something tells me I should make an official report. But by the egg, Raylan, I'm famished. I've been at it all day and need to get something to eat before I tell you the whole story," K'ndar said.

The Science chief laughed.

"Would you like to have dinner with Francie and me? We can get your fire lizard something to eat, and..Raventh? How's he doing for dinner?"

Are you hungry? K'ndar asked.

I am. It's been three days since that last buck.

"Raventh is a little hungry," K'ndar said, his stomach asking him if his throat had been cut?

"I'll have Francie ask Motanith to take him hunting," Raylan said, "Landing has an entire herd set aside just for dragons."

They'd finished a sumptuous dinner.

K'ndar felt nervous. This is the second time I've been in someone's home that makes mine feel as if it's not more than a..a cocoon, he thought.

The inhabitants at Landing had spent years uncovering and renovating the many buildings the Ancients had constructed before they'd abandoned Landing. Virtually the entire staff now had a building to themselves, although some still insisted on living in one of relatively few caves available. This one was 'small', Francie apologized, but it was far larger than his cramped little weyr at home.

It was nice, he thought. A bookshelf was gradually being filled. Francie's artwork was on the walls. Her artwork was on paper, something that, until paper was re-invented, had been unheard of.

They'd built four shelves for her three fire lizards. "Keeps them from monopolizing all of them" Francie said. Siskin took the fourth one. He was making eyes at her two green fire lizards.

There was something else, something invisible about the home. It took several moments for it reveal itself. Their quarters were heated by some invisible process. No fire pit. So many things at Landing were 'different' than anywhere else on Pern. He'd have to ask them about it, later.

"Are you expected back at your weyr tonight?" Francie asked.

"I don't think so. And at the moment, I don't really care," he said, with a little more heat than he'd planned.

Francie and Raylan both heard it.

"Trouble in Paradise, K'ndar?" Raylan asked.

He told them about M'rvin's castigation.

"I didn't have that coming," he said, heatedly, "I'd obeyed my Weyrwoman's orders. D'nis said M'rvin's been slashing people regularly, I was just 'next'."

"What is going on, I wonder," Raylan said.

"Sounds to me like M'rvin's not too happy being Weyrleader," Francie said, "I'm so glad I ride a green. They're horny little things but I don't have to worry about being Weyrwoman," she said.

"Me too. I'm happy riding a brown," K'ndar said. "I'm not interested in being a leader of anything."

"If you don't mind me asking, I can see there is something on your mind. It has to do with this stuff from M'rvin, but..there's something else, isn't there?" Francie said.

K'ndar sighed.

"Francie, I was his target. M'rvin was pissed at Siena, but didn't want to go for her, so he took out his anger on me. I almost resigned right then and there, Francie. I'd had enough. Good weyrleaders don't reprimand riders in public. If I'd had it coming, I would have taken it like a man, but I didn't. I resented it, I still do. My father used to treat me like M'rvin did. I thought that now that I am on my own, and my father is dead, that I'd left that feeling behind...but no, it was like I was a kid all over again, just like that," he said, snapping his fingers.

"Why didn't you resign?"

K'ndar shook his head. "Raventh. He shouted at me to stop, to shut up. He's never done that before. I don't know why he said it, and I've not had a chance to ask him why."

"So ask him now," she said, gently.

I have been listening Raventh said.

Why did you stop me in mid sentence? Why did you tell me to stop before I said I resign?

Because...there are two of us. You and me. Don't I get a say in what WE do?

K'ndar felt the words stab his heart. Shame washed it. Tears started in his eyes. His Raventh. His brother. I didn't think of him.

Of anyone on this planet, the last one I want to hurt is you. You are right. I am sorry.

It is okay. I know how you felt. I think we should think about this when you are not busy with these humans.

Francie and Raylan saw the expression on his face.

His eyes returned to theirs. Their were questions in their eyes, but there was also a look of understanding in Francie's.

His throat was so tight with emotion he had to cough it clear.

"Um..."

"You don't have to explain, K'ndar," she said. "I can see it in your eyes. There's two of you in each other's mind. It's like with me and Motanith. When I left your weyr to live here with Raylan, it was her understanding that we would not be living like most other dragons, in a weyr. We have a few other dragons here, now, but at first it was just me. She missed other dragons. They're an awful lot like us, K'ndar, they love us and are our mates, but sometimes, dragons just want to be with other dragons."

K'ndar nodded, thinking of N'orald, the old timer at his weyr who'd said the same thing, what seemed ages ago.

"What, by the way, made him say that?" she asked.

"What, stop me from resigning?"

"Yes."

"I had so much on my mind at the moment. Lord Dorn had 'invited me to dine with him, as he has something to discuss with me." That line was running around underneath everything else, I really didn't think it through. I just snapped when M'rvin was shaming me. I thought, shaff this, I don't need this abuse. There must be an alternative to living at the weyr, I know other people are doing it. THAT's when Raventh told me to stop. He had something on his mind, too."

Something that looked like excitement bloomed in Francie's eyes.

"Have you noticed a change in Raventh?"

K'ndar looked at her for a long moment.

"Meaning, how?"

Francie said, "Since she's no longer required to eat fire stone, I've found Motanith mental acuity has jumped. She's smarter. She asks better questions. She comes up with answers I'd never thought of. She thinks more clearly now, and has definite opinions. Her memory has expanded, so much so that I think the old canard of dragons only having short term memories of less than three days was wrong. It was the fire stone that crippled dragons brains, not their brains themselves."

"YES! I've seen it in Raventh, the same thing! He remembers everything. He's thinks things through. He's smarter than he was when we flew Thread," K'ndar said, excited. "Thank you, I thought it was just my imagination."

"It's not, K'ndar. It's real. And I love it," she said.

"K'ndar," Raylan said, "I think I know what Dorn has in mind. It sounds to me as if he's going to contract with you to work for him permanently, to live at his Hold as his personal transport," he said.

Yes. And I want to discuss it with you before you make a decision

Unbidden, his jaw dropped. Raventh was right. Again.

"Target", Francie said softly to Raylan.

K'ndar gathered his wits.

"I think you're right. Raventh KNOWS you're right," he said. His mind began to race with questions. The idea of living on his own, really on his own, was both exhilarating...and daunting.

"Before you ask, K'ndar, the problems of being weyrless aren't insurmountable. It's not like being holdless. I am kept up to date on new coordinates, new holds, that sort of thing, as I'm here at Landing. I think, though, that being at Singing Waters, the problems would lie in information, or lack thereof. Weather comes to mind immediately, you'd have to be able to um, be able to forecast weather at wherever Lord Dorn would want to go. Not having access to Ops makes that difficult."

K'ndar groaned. "I've always had problems with weather," he said.

"And it can be scary," Francie continued, "There's a lot of things a dragonrider in a weyr takes for granted. There's always someone, some ground dweller, as Raylan says, who forecasts weather, or keeps coordinates and dragon stones updated, or knows what dragon is where, that's information that you won't have at Singing Waters."

He nodded, feeling a cold pit in his stomach. The idea of being a true freelancer was growing on him quickly, but...the obstacles were mounting.

Raylan raised his hand. "It might be easier now, Francie, my dear, from when you first cut loose from your natal weyr. Remember, K'ndar discovered the artifacts and gave them to us...the datalink, the camera, the first real artifacts of value. We're sending those things out to anyone on Pern who wants one. He could easily access OUR Flight Ops, Landing's computers, the Yokohama's cameras, with a datalink."

Francie slapped her forehead in mock dismay.

"Duh. You're right, Raylan. Thank the egg ONE of us has brains in this family," she said, laughing.

Raylan's thoughts were light years ahead.

"K'ndar. When you found Shawn's body, did you, by any chance, find items like a datalink?"

"No, I didn't, Raylan, but things were moving fast. I heard one of the men say that "Karloch's" data link couldn't get a signal there". Duh!! Shawn had a datalink!"

Raylan nodded. "Of that I have no doubt. One of the reasons Shawn was, um, 'relieved of his duties" here at Landing was because too many things like datalinks were missing. We had no proof it was him doing the thefts, but still, very few people had access to artifacts other than him.

Once we started making them, though, we made them available to anyone, for a price, of course.

We fumbled around for a while, then someone came up with the idea of giving every item a serial number. It's a brand, if you will, every item had a different, sequential number.

The number was registered in database as to who made it when. We didn't think of tracking where it went or to whom it went to. We were starting from zero, you know?

These things aren't books, but the loaning out of these things was. So...for lack of any better idea, we dumped the entire concept in Elene's lap. She's Chief Librarian, after all, used to loaning out and tracking valuable things. She started the entire concept of tracking things like datalinks and cameras. "If you're going to use my library as a source to lend out these toys, then you need to give me a database that tracks them," she said, and she was right.

Elene made a borrower sign for every item, she knew where they all were and made sure they were returned on time...but if Shawn snagged a datalink before it was registered in the library's database to begin with, we'd never have known.

When you told me that Shawn had tried to bribe you into working for him, that alerted us to the fact that things were, in fact, unaccounted for. That was pretty much the end of Shawn, soon after he was demoted, he vanished. And, I'm certain, he took all those toys with him."

His face screwed up in dismay. "K'ndar, do you know if the things he had are still in his hideout?"

K'ndar nodded. "Don't worry. Lief and Lord Dorn told me they'd secure anything they'd find in the cave. I trust them both to honor their word. I'll figure out how to return them to Landing," he said, wondering if it meant another trip to the hideout.

Francie said, "Raylan, if K'ndar had a datalink with him at Singing Waters, he'd have no problem using our Flight Ops, correct?"

Raylan nodded. "That's not really my department, but yes, of course. Anyone can tap into Landing as long as he or she has a datalink."

"And records are kept of when and who accesses the databases?"

"NOW, yes, of course. They started that, oh, about the same time as Library had enough toys, as Elene calls them, to lend out. Whenever someone accesses the database, or links to the Yokohama, for instance, it takes up a little bit of the computer's time and memory, and that data is automatically calculated and recorded. We even can tell WHAT data the person is accessing."

"Did Shawn ever access it after he left?"

Raylan looked at the ceiling for answers. He shook his head.

"Again, that isn't my division, so I don't know for sure. I'm guessing, but I'm going to say no. If he had, we probably would have known immediately that he had an unregistered datalink," he said.

"Raylan," Francie said, her eyes gleaming, " now we know Shawn went by the name Karloch. I bet there's records of a "Karloch" accessing the database."

His jaw dropping, Raylan stared at her. It was his turn, then, to slap his forehead.

"Duh. DUH! Yes! Yes! It's all there, I promise!"

He looked at his wife with what could only be amazement and admiration.

"Who has the brains in this family? YOU, my love."