Dragonsblood

FIFTEEN

I wouldn’t quite call Tillek warm this time of year,” M’hall shouted over his shoulder to Wind Blossom as they spiraled down toward the northern Hold.

“It will do for my purposes,” she replied calmly, although she was enjoying her ride on dragonback too much to let anything like a mere chill in the air, or a foggy day, disturb her.

M’hall’s Brianth was wise and experienced-as was Benden’s Weyrleader himself. All the same, the descent through the foggy air was unnerving for both of them. M’hall was just about to give up and order Brianth between to safety when they broke through the cloud cover and saw land beneath-far too close for M’hall’s comfort.

Brianth immediately shifted from a spiral to a hover, allowing his rider to direct him toward a safe landing spot.

The fog was so dense that it wasn’t until M’hall and Wind Blossom were through the gates of Tillek Hold that anyone noticed them.

“At least it’s not cold,” M’hall admitted as they waved at the startled guards. “Da said old Ireland-on Earth where he lived as a boy-could get like this, in the summer, with a fog coming in off the shore.”

He craned his neck up behind him and let out a whistle as a gap in the fog showed the mountains in the distance.

“It is a beautiful view, isn’t it?” a voice called cheerfully to them.

A shadow in the fog resolved into a figure, which grew clearer as they approached. It was a man. He was bearded and wore a heavy-knit sweater. He had seaman’s hands and the swaggering walk that came from months spent at sea.

“Malon of Tillek at your service,” he said, extending a hand first to Wind Blossom and then to M’hall. “Your fire-lizard messenger told me you were coming, but I wasn’t sure in this fog.”

M’hall recalled from L’can that Malon had taken over the running of Tillek Hold just recently, after Jim Tillek’s successor had passed on. The man was about M’hall’s own height, big-boned, brown-haired and brown-eyed, with a pleasant gentleness in his eyes.

“Pleased to meet you,” M’hall said.

“I think the pleasure is ours,” Malon responded, gesturing toward the Great Hall. “We’ve got a hearty fish stew waiting and a warm spot for Wind Blossom for her stay.” He peered down at the diminutive old lady, his curiosity obvious. “Although why you would prefer our shores to the warmer ones of Southern Boll…”

“You have a spot picked out for me on the beach?” Wind Blossom asked. “No prying eyes?”

Malon nodded, his expression perplexed. “We do, and a shelter for all occasions.”

“I asked for some other things-were you able to provide them?” Wind Blossom continued.

“With pleasure,” Malon said, white teeth flashing bright against the brown beard. “Although I will confess that you’ve got many people scratching their heads in wonder.”

“An old lady’s folly,” Wind Blossom said. She jerked her hand at the Benden Weyrleader. “M’hall said I needed a rest.” She gestured around at the fog. “This will be restful, I think.”

“You are welcome to whatever we can provide you, Wind Blossom,” Malon told her. He shook his head, adding, “Although I don’t quite know what you’ll want with a bell, a coil of rope, and some planking.”

“It is a science experiment,” Wind Blossom told him. M’hall shot her a penetrating look but she waved it aside. “I wish to see how far sound will travel over foggy water.”

A clattering sound behind them caused Wind Blossom to turn around. A watch-wher approached eagerly, only to be hauled short with a hiss of pain by a stout chain attached to its neck with a collar.

“What is this?” Wind Blossom asked, her voice going dangerously soft.

“One of yours, I think,” Malon said, waving a hand affectionately toward the watch-wher.

Wind Blossom turned to Tillek’s leader and looked up at him with a dangerous intensity. “Why is it chained?”

“Oh, Tilsk here was always getting into mischief,” Malon said dismissively. “It’s for its own good.”

“Watch-whers are ‘he’ or ‘she,’ ” Wind Blossom corrected sternly. “This one is a green; that makes her a ‘she.’ ”

“I’m sorry, she was getting into trouble,” Malon said. “I apologize if chaining her up distresses you.”

“More than distress,” Wind Blossom said. She glanced up at M’hall. “This is bad.”

“The Pass is over,” M’hall protested. “There is no danger. And, you must admit, an uncontrolled watch-wher can be a menace.”

“A watch-wher needs training, just like a fire-lizard,” Wind Blossom corrected. “Or a dragon,” she said with added emphasis, glaring up at M’hall until the Weyrleader nodded in agreement.

“What if we start chaining up dragons?” she asked, nodding in satisfaction when both Malon and M’hall recoiled in horror. She looked back up at Malon. “It is the same thing, to chain a watch-wher.”

She glanced again at M’hall. “And when Thread comes again, what if the watch-whers are still chained? You know their purpose.”

“Lady Wind Blossom, I meant no disrespect,” Malon told her emphatically. “I know you are attached to your creation-”

“It’s not that, Malon,” M’hall interrupted. “Wind Blossom is right. The watch-whers serve a greater purpose.”

“They fly at night,” Wind Blossom explained, “when the dragons sleep.”

A look of dawning comprehension flowed across Malon’s face. “That was why we chained her in the first place,” he said with a groan. “She went missing one night!”

Wind Blossom nodded. “Eating Thread,” she said, her eyes showing delight. “Good.”

“If I had known… I’ll release her at once!”

“No,” Wind Blossom raised a hand. “Pick someone to work with her, like a fire-lizard. Train her, earn her respect, then let her free.”

“They are like fire-lizards then?” Malon asked, brows raised. “If so, she’s too old to bond…”

“Apparently they are not quite like fire-lizards or dragons,” M’hall told him.

“More independent,” Wind Blossom agreed. “Able to take care of themselves, if they must.”

“Fortunately, Thread usually freezes at night so their skills are rarely needed,” M’hall added. Wind Blossom nodded approvingly.

“I see,” Malon said. “So I should probably keep this news to myself and not alarm the Hold.”

“That has been our consensus so far, yes,” Wind Blossom agreed.

M’hall raised an eyebrow questioningly, but Wind Blossom gave him a nearly imperceptible shake of her head and he changed the topic.

“I’m glad we could clear that up,” he said. Then he shivered theatrically. “Did you say something about a stew?”

Malon was only too happy to follow the change of topic and lead them into his Hold.

Over the next several days the weather cleared and the sun came out-and then for the rest of the week the weather turned foul. Either way, it did not alter Wind Blossom’s routine. She was up with first light and out at her shelter.

She spent her evenings with Malon and the other fishermen, happily relating what little she knew of marine biology and gladly hearing what they had been taught through the cruel lessons of the sea. The oldsters were content to gather around her; many remembered her from the Fever Year, and some even from the Crossing.

Malon soon guessed Wind Blossom’s reason for coming to Tillek Hold.

“I don’t think they’ll come,” he told her after she returned to the Hold on the third evening. He sounded wistful. “I’ve seen them in the warmer waters, but I think it’s too cold up here for them.”

Wind Blossom smiled at him. “Could you give me a supply of fish? Or fish leavings?”

Malon shook his head admiringly. “You don’t give up, do you?”

“I have had years to learn patience,” she replied.

“You would do better in a boat, you know,” Malon said after a moment’s reflection.

“I am not a sailor,” Wind Blossom confessed.

“I could get someone to take you,” he offered.

Wind Blossom shook her head. “Thank you, but that would be… unwise.”

“I see you have a secret you are reluctant to share,” Malon observed.

Wind Blossom shook her head. “I have a secret I am sworn to keep,” she corrected.

Malon nodded slowly, taking no offense. “Well, do please let me know if you think of anything else I can do to help.”

“And the fish?” Wind Blossom reminded him.

“Of course.”

The eerie light of glows in one of the classrooms caught Emorra’s attention as she made her way to the kitchen late one night. She paused outside the room. She heard voices. Cautiously she opened the door and peered inside.

Inside, Tieran was standing at the blackboard, which was covered in various block diagrams and chemical formulas. She recognized the one he was working on as a decision tree. “What are you doing?” she asked.

“What are you doing?” he responded.

She raised the tray she was carrying. “I’m returning my dishes.”

“I’m working late,” he told her.

She walked into the room and put her tray down on one of the student desks. She came up to the blackboard and examined Tieran’s work.

“Is this a diagnostic flowchart?” she asked.

Tieran nodded.

“For what purpose?”

“I’m trying to figure out what could have made the fire-lizards sick,” he told her.

She looked at his chart. “I see you’ve got bacterial and viral, but why the Terran and Pernese? And why not dietary?”

“If it’s a disease caused by poor nutrition, then it’s self-limiting, isn’t it?” Tieran said.

“It is if the missing nutrient can be found,” she agreed. “Like vitamin C to prevent scurvy.” She narrowed her eyes as she followed the flowchart to the next branch. “What’s this about a microscope?”

“If it’s bacterial, you could see the bacteria with a microscope,” Tieran explained. “If you can’t, then it’s viral.”

“But that’s ignoring the fact that secondary infections could be either bacterial or viral,” Emorra observed.

“I’m not trying to make this harder,” Tieran protested, “I’m trying to make it easier.”

Emorra’s lips quirked upward. “If it was easy,” she began, and Tieran joined her in the finish, “then anyone could do it.”

They exchanged grins. Then Emorra shook her head. “I don’t know why you’re bothering,” she told him. “I mean it’s obvious that Mother’s given up.”

Tieran cocked his head at her.

“She’s on a vacation, isn’t she?” Emorra asked.

“Is she?” Tieran asked.

Emorra dismissed the issue with a shake of her head. She looked back at the flowchart, intending to leave Tieran to his own devices, when a sudden thought struck her.

“You know,” she said musingly, “you’re going about this all wrong.”

“I’ll take any help I can get,” Tieran responded feelingly.

“The question isn’t what initial vector started the illness,” she said slowly, testing out the idea as she said it, “but what was the cause of death.”

“It seemed to be some sort of extreme upper respiratory infection or complications therefrom,” Tieran said.

Emorra nodded in agreement. “So, what would be required to survive a severe upper respiratory infection?”

“Lots of antibiotics,” Tieran replied instantly.

“That’s a short-term solution,” Emorra observed.

“Well…” Tieran paused, pursing his lips in thought. “The long-term solution is the antibodies built by the immune system.” He frowned. “But, obviously, the immune system didn’t recognize the infection quickly enough and was overwhelmed.”

“So we need to keep the immune system from being overwhelmed,” Emorra said.

“How?” Tieran asked miserably.

“The sea giveth, and the sea taketh away,” Wind Blossom thought wryly. She bundled up her collection from the shore, checking each item carefully as she placed it in her carisak.

In the distance, out on the ocean, she could just make out the group of fins heading away from her. In her mind, she ticked off each of the missing items from her inventory. Some things “lost” in the Crossing were now returned.

Her gait as she negotiated her way back to the Hold was steady, purposeful.

When M’hall came to collect her, he insisted upon helping her with her carisak. After she was firmly mounted on Brianth’s neck, he handed the carisak to her before hoisting himself up.

“Your sak is heavier, I noticed,” he commented as he found his seat. “The Eridani like doing things in threes, don’t they?”

Wind Blossom chuckled. “Yes, they do.”

“I believe that Admiral Benden would have praised their dedication to backup systems and redundancy.”

“If he had known,” Wind Blossom told him, “I’m sure he would have agreed.”

At M’hall’s command, Brianth leapt lightly into the air and, with strong beats, soared high up into the sky before going between.

Bursting once more into existence over the College, M’hall had Brianth commence a lazy spiral toward the landing site.

“So, I take it your vacation was fruitful?” he inquired pleasantly.

“I have found some answers to some of my questions,” Wind Blossom agreed. “I must go back there sometime.”

M’hall raised his eyebrows in surprise. “To get more buried treasure?”

“No,” Wind Blossom responded, shaking her head. “To return it.”

They were met by Emorra and Tieran.

“Hello, Mother,” Emorra said to her. “Did you have a good vacation?”

“Yes, thank you,” Wind Blossom replied, wincing inwardly at the formality of her own tone. Emorra’s face took on a strained look. Trying to smooth things over, Wind Blossom added, “But I missed you.”

“We’ve been busy while you were away,” Tieran told her. Emorra glowered at him.

“I shall be delighted to hear about it,” Wind Blossom replied.

“What are all these things?” Tieran exclaimed in awe when Wind Blossom met him and Emorra in one of the laboratories the next day.

Janir poked his head in curiously. His eyes widened in amazement and he crowded up behind Tieran to get a better view.

“Where did you get these?” he asked excitedly as he started visually cataloging the items. “Are the power packs full?”

He reached forward, longing to touch one of the precious instruments, only to have Wind Blossom bat his hand away. He withdrew with all the alacrity of her onetime student and exchanged rueful looks with Tieran.

“She’s fast,” Tieran muttered to Pern’s head physician.

“She always was,” Janir returned. He looked down at the elderly woman. “Wind Blossom, these are invaluable to us. Where did you get them?”

Wind Blossom shook her head. “I cannot say.” She looked up, shaking a finger at him. “And don’t you think to borrow them, Janir.” As Janir raised his arms in protest, she added, “Remember what happened the last time.”

Janir opened his mouth to object, but Wind Blossom just shook her finger at him again, and with a sigh, he dropped his head resignedly.

Wind Blossom pointed to one of the instruments. “This is a code viewer and sequencer.”

“What’s it tuned to?” Janir asked.

“Pernese genetic code,” Wind Blossom told him. “It was one of the first units we adjusted.”

“What’s it do?” Tieran asked.

“It can read genetic material and sequence it,” Wind Blossom explained. “It can also produce new genetic sequences or alter existing ones.”

“But reading genetic material isn’t good enough, is it?” Emorra asked. “I mean, you have to know what you’re reading, what it means.”

“You need a map,” Janir added in agreement.

Wind Blossom pointed to another, smaller device. “This is a mapper,” she said. “When we built the dragons, we had a fully integrated unit, which in turn was integrated with AIVAS and the Yokohama.”

Tieran looked confused.

“AIVAS-Artificial Intelligence Visual Audio System,” Emorra translated. “A smart computer.”

“Much more,” Janir corrected. “And the Yokohama was the largest of the ships that brought our ancestors to Pern.”

“I’ve seen them,” Tieran said excitedly. “The astronomy students brought a telescope up to the Drum Tower just before dawn one morning.” He shivered at the memory of the three huge starships hovering in orbit above the planet. “The students call them the Dawn Sisters.”

Janir turned back to Wind Blossom. “What are you hoping to do with this equipment?” When she didn’t answer, he persisted, “I thought you’d said that if the fire-lizards came from the future, then obviously your solution had failed?”

Wind Blossom nodded. “I am thinking,” she told him. “There must be a solution that works.”

“Wouldn’t it just make more sense to leave the equipment for those that need it?” Tieran wondered.

“It would,” Wind Blossom agreed, “if they could learn how to use the equipment in time.”