Chap. 333 The Clumsy Weyrling

Chap. 333 The Clumsy Weyrling

The heat slammed him with the solidity of a wooden door. The shock of change from the icy cold of between to an inferno sent his mind into a vortex.

“Whoa!” he shouted, surprised. Even the air itself felt hard to breathe.

Yes, but it is easy flying here,Raventh said, there are thermals throughout the sky.

Behind him, Rahman, the astronomer, chuckled.

“Let me guess, you’re shocked at the heat?”

“Yes, and we’re high up! Does it get worse the lower we get?”

“Oh, yes. And this is early morning, K’ndar. Just wait until the sun hits his stride.”

Below them, a long line of sandstone mountains stretched from the northern to southern horizons. He knew from maps that both Igen Weyr and Hold were ensconced in the eastern side of the mountains, with the Igen River about thirty kilometers east.

The western side was full on desert. Immense dunes rolled beneath them like solid waves, shoved by the relentless western winds into the mountains, where they piled up like lithic surf. Gaps in the mountains allowed some of the sand to pour through. All along the western side were oddly shaped pillars of sandstone, and the mountains themselves were heavily honeycombed.

They soared over the top of the mountains to reveal a startling change.

The ground at the base of the eastern side was almost blindingly green. Irrigation channels stretched to the Igen River. Neat rectangular plots, all planted, stretched for several kilometers. Some of them were being plowed. Others sparkled with water at the base of verdant vegetation. Pathways appeared to be wagon wide. The main road to the Weyr was lined with young saplings. He saw a person bent over what must have been a hand pump, pumping water from a channel into a bucket. One could see where the bases of the saplings had been watered.

This Weyr is almost self sufficient, he thought. Somehow they’ve turned this vicious sunshine into an ally.

What a change, he thought, having spent most of his life keeping living areas free of vegetation as a deterrent to Thread. Now Pernese can plant food crops, fruit and nut trees, even forests, without fear of losing them all to Thread.

Solar panels arranged along the ridge line reflected the sunlight into his eyes, momentarily blinding him as they approached the Weyr.

K’ndar heard the weyr’s watch dragon bugle a hello.

“Those solar panels look new, sir,” he called back to Rahman.

“They are. And they’re planning on installing turbines, too, mostly to pump water from the channels,” the elderly astronomer said. “The problem, I believe, is that the mountains do a great job of breaking the prevailing wind. They’d like to put turbines atop the ridges, but as you can see, the ridges have few flat spots large enough for a turbine tower. And then one must pipe it down. For now, they’re still pumping water the old way, the aquifer isn’t that far down. Or so I’m told.”

Further east, he could see swamp land, thick with vegetation, bordering the river. Even from here, he could see wherries and birds swirling in great clouds over the swamp, foraging. I will have to have Risal explain this to me, he thought, but it looks as if the river isn’t so much a river as just a flat area with water. But no, there were boats plying the water. Was it deeper in the middle?

The closer to the ground they got, the more the heat enveloped him, like some smothering cloak. I remember feeling heat like this at the metalsmiths forge, he thought, but here it’s everywhere?

“How do people LIVE in this heat? We’re not even on the ground and already it’s too hot!

The astronomer laughed, reassured.

“You’ve no idea, K’ndar, this is mild compared to what awaits on the ground. You should have left your flight jacket at home. Soon you’ll appreciate the heat pack you received at Ops.”

______________________________________________________

The heat pack. Now he understood.

“Have you ever been to Igen Weyr, sir?” the young Ops apprentice had asked. Behind him, Howel, the manager of Flight Ops, scowled.

“No, I’ve never been there,” K’ndar said. He could feel Howel’s disapproval at his invasion of Flight Ops, no matter that it was the only reason Howel had a job. The Flight Operations chief liked no one and made it painfully obvious. He also made it easy to dislike him in return.

How is it you’re still working here? I’d have fired you a year ago, he thought.

The apprentice nodded. “Me neither, sir, but anytime a dragonrider is slated for Igen, I’m to give them this pack if they don’t have the equipment already. You’ll be transporting Rahman, the Staff Astronomer.”

“That’s great, I like Rahman. What’s in it?” K’ndar said, taking the package from the lad.

“Sunshades for your eyes. An ointment for your skin and lips. There’s virtually no humidity there, the wind is almost constant, and the air is so dry it sucks the moisture right out of you. You have to be careful when touching metal things, I’ve heard you literally can get a burn.”

“Shut up, boy, you don’t give a dragonrider advice. They know everything, just ask him, right, Crandall?”

K’ndar looked at the man in the far end of room. Crandall, eh? I know he knows my name. “Haven’t learned a bit of courtesy, have you, Hoolie? Maybe I should contact your wife, she’s a far more competent meteorologist.”A hoolie was said to be an extremely stupid Vulcan animal.

“Hoolie my arse! It’s Howel, and you keep your nose out o’ my business! She’s not my wife, not now,” Howel shouted, K’ndar’s shot telling.

“For which I’m certain she’s happy,” he said.

“Oh, an’ there’s a bandanna, in case of a habub. They’ve had one already, this early, they were caught unawares. Usually they get plenty of warning,” the boy said, as if he’d not heard a word of the exchange.

“A habub?”

“It’s from an ancient Terran language, Arabic for dust storm,” a voice said behind him. He turned to see Rahman, the staff astronomer. The elderly man wore a conical hat woven from lightwood leaves. A pair of sunglasses dangled from a cord around his neck.

“Dust storm?”

“Yes, a dust storm. A fast moving, high pressure front, usually from the collapse of a thunderstorm. It’s characterized by clouds of dust that can rise up to at least thirty five hundred meters with zero visibility,” the boy recited.

Other than the visibility, it doesn’t sound too dangerous, he thought. I’ve been through tornadoes and a hurricane, a dust storm doesn’t sound too bad.

K’ndar noted the lad seemed far more confident than the first time he’d met him, under Risal’s tutelage. Either he’d discovered that Howel was a miserable mutt of a human who lacked the courage to actually carry out his threats, or-there was something familiar about the boy’s self assurance.

He’s suitable Raventh said, I don’t even have to meet him. I can feel it.

“Have you been Searched?”

The boy visibly grew taller, his eyes dancing. “Yes, sir. How can you tell?”

K’ndar grinned. “My dragon picked up on you right away. He’s very quick to find talented candidates. And I have to say, it’s pretty obvious. When do you leave for the Weyr?”

“Soon as I turn sixteen, sir, that will be three months from now. So for now I’m learning a trade. Risal has taught me so much, sir, she says I’m a natural. So I think I’ll be both a dragonrider as well as a meteorologist. We have to have a trade now, sir, because Thread’s gone forever.”

The boy had emphasized Risal’s name. K’ndar knew immediately that any training Howel may have provided was worthless.

How cute, he thought, that the boy said ‘we’, as if he’d already become a full fledged dragon rider. I hope he Impresses. Kahrain needs riders. So many have left. Do I warn him that Pattis, Kahrain’s meteorologist, is just as evil tempered as her ex husband, Howel? But she IS a far better meteorologist than Howel.

“And good riddance to him, I say,” Howel said.

Rahman cleared his throat. “Howel, you reek of hatred. It has aged you, and it will kill you, far earlier than you planned. You have no right to be rude. What I detect in your tone is resentment and stupidity. So, I’ll take a brief moment to remind you what your mother used to say-you DID have a human mother, didn’t you? Remember what she said-if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything.”

Howel’s mouth worked in astonishment at the elderly man’s riposte, but he shut up. Rahman turned to K’ndar. “I’d don that gear, were I you, K’ndar. Now, shall we depart for Igen?”

“Lead on, MacDuff!” K’ndar said, laughing. He turned to the boy. “You’ll like Kahrain, lad. Pattis is an excellent meteorologist, and Kahrain’s a very good weyr.”

“No, she’s a b…” Howel stopped at Rahman’s laser glare.

“Oh, I’m not going THERE,” the boy frowned, “No one wants to go to Kahrain. I’m hoping to Impress at Benden. Everyone knows it’s the best Weyr on Pern!”

K’ndar’s laugh died in his throat. Howel cackled.

______________________________________________________________

The heat clung to him like a living thing, seeking out every bit of moisture in his body.

He dismounted and turned to unbuckle Rahman. The astronomer had brought a large bundle as well as his personal backpack.

“Forgive me if I caution you to be gentle with that bundle, K’ndar. It holds my calibration equipment and they don’t take kindly to rough handling.”

“Worry not, sir,” K’ndar said, and very gently placed the bundle next to Raventh.

Siskin launched from his perch behind Raventh’s head, soaring up to catch a large insect.

“Beware those sand flies, K’ndar, they’ll go for your eyes, your nose, they’ll go for any bit of moisture they can find. They adore us mammals, we’re far leakier than any saurian. Keep your mouth shut if you can,” Rahman said.

Siskin caught the large insect in midair. K’ndar heard the crunch.

“That might be difficult, I feel my nostrils drying up right now,” he said.

He dug the sunglasses out of the pack and donned them. The relief from the glare was immediate.

“People LIKE it here?” he said, astounded. The sun was already merciless in the cloudless sky.

The old man chuckled. “It is amazing, I suppose, but K’ndar, there is no better spot for star gazing than Igen’s desert. Do you remember Gary’k, a dragonrider whose wife, Leana, was Landing’s Acquisition officer?”

“I do. They resigned, and moved here?”

K’ndar saw two people, a man and a teen, approaching them. Behind them, a small blue dragon waited in the shadows of a cavern. K’ndar could see other dragons in the cavern, most of them recumbent.

The man’s gait was rapid, the boy dawdled. The heat makes me feel as I’m loaded down with weights, K’ndar thought, and the man seems unfazed.

“They did. Gary’k’s been tasked to bring a new mirror from the Glasscraft Hall at Telgar Hold. Igen Weyr’s telescope was damaged by a careless Weyrling.”

“Whoa. I bet that’s going to cost him,” K’ndar said.

He looked up and up to the top of the mountain. “I thought Kahrain Weyr had caves,” he said, “This weyr is more cave opening than mountain!”

“The insides are labyrinthine, K’ndar. You’ll have to be careful, it’s easy to get lost inside. The entire Weyr is mostly holes. Some of the caves go right through the mountain. Ah, here come our hosts,” he said.

The man stopped and nodded in respect. Behind him, the teenaged boy wearing a Weyrling braid stared at K’ndar.

“A fire lizard!” he said, admiring Siskin on his shoulder.

The man glared at the boy, his eyes expectant.

“Oh, sorry, sir,” the boy stammered, and saluted K’ndar. “Weyrling V’lorn, rider of blue Honith.”

Bloody dumskull, Tomas thought, you clumsy oaf, you’ve cost the Weyr a lot of money, horsing around the telescope? And I have to remind you of your manners? Twit.

Whoa, K’ndar thought, the boy needed reminding of courtesy? And he’s a Weyrling? What is going on with the Weyrlingmaster? He held the kid’s eye for a stern moment, then acknowledged the salute.

“Hello, sir, I am Rahman, and this is K’ndar, rider of brown Raventh, from Landing. I’m here to oversee the installation of the telescope’s new mirror.”

“Aye, sir,” the man said, “I’ve seen you here before,” he said. He wore a hat very similar to Rahman’s and a loose fitting burnoose. Beneath the brim of the hat, his eyes were deeply sunk in his tanned skin.

“I’m Tomas. Our Weyrleader told me to meet you and arrange for your stay. You’ll probably be staying in your regular quarters. K’ndar, if you are staying, we have large caverns for dragons to get out of the sun. And my compliments, sir, on your brown Raventh. He’s very refined and in beautiful condition.”

Raventh arched his neck in pride. Siskin chittered, jealous. K’ndar reached up to stroke him.

“And your fire lizard,” Tomas added, grinning, “You’re a handsome one, little blue.” Siskin cheeped, mollified.

“Thank you, Tomas, he’s a wonderful dragon. As for staying, I’ve not made that decision yet, ” K’ndar said.

Tomas turned to Rahman. “Sir, dragonrider Gary’k has already delivered the mirror. It’s being uncrated as we speak by the special team the Glasscraftmaster sent with it. I hope you don’t mind. I’m certain you’ve met at least some of them. I’m very grateful the team is doing the handling. We have people around here who can’t imagine why they shouldn’t do gymnastics around a delicate and expensive telescope.”

V’lorn seemed to shrink.

“V’lorn, here, will be providing you transport to the telescope heights. I’m sorry, you’ll have to walk around this dune. It moved in this morning and is blocking the pathway.” He indicated a large, head high pile of sand that covered the rocky pathway.

“Thank you, Tomas, and yes, I do know most of the assembly crew. They are probably the same team who I worked with on Western Continent’s new telescope,” Rahman said.

“Will you want to relax for awhile before flying up to the telescope heights?”

“No, thank you,” said Rahman, “If you don’t mind, I’d like to get up there before it gets too hot. I have my calibration instruments in this bundle, they need to be handled carefully. I’ll be staying for a few days. I know your headwoman well and I’m sure she has my quarters ready?”

Gets too hot? K’ndar thought, it’s roasting now. And it’s only early morning. What will the rest of the day be like if this is ‘mild’?

Tomas nodded. “Yes, sir, she does. V’lorn, (he bit off saying ‘dolt’), load Rahman’s bundle on your Honith and do it carefully. Don’t dawdle! Rahman wants to be at the telescope as soon as possible. Then you wait. You’ll be doing whatever he asks, you understand? Your sole purpose in life, until your wingleader releases you from extra duty, is to stay out of the team’s way and to provide Rahman with whatever he chooses.”

“Yes, sir,” V’lorn said.

The blue dragon left the cavern at V’lorn’s mental request. K’ndar noted the blue’s harness needed cleaning. What is going on with the Weyrlingmaster? I can’t imagine things are this slipshod here, it’s one of the original Weyrs!

V’lorn lifted the handles on the bundle. “Woof, it’s heavy!”

“You’ve not even lifted it off the ground and you’re whinging that it’s heavy? A bundle this elderly man packed and a young buck is finding it ‘heavy’?”

V’lorn dropped his gaze. “Sorry, sir. It’s the heat, sir,” he offered as a lame explanation.

Ah, K’ndar thought, marveling at how things had changed so quickly in Pern culture. I would never have dreamed of whinging about something being ‘heavy’, even if it was, and certainly not in front of men! But at least it’s not just me feeling the heat.

Tomas shook his head. “Stop whinging. Had you not messed around with the telescope rather than just standing dragon watch, you’d not be doing extra duty. Transport duty, in my opinion, is letting you off lightly. Be glad the Weyrleader didn’t dock your pay. Now, go and do as you’re told.”

Rahman froze. He damaged the scope? He pinned the boy’s eyes.

“Did you touch the telescope? Without being trained?” he said, his voice icy.

“Um,” V’lorn said, his eyes darting for a way to escape. There was none.

Tomas snarled, “Own up, boy. If I hear a lie, it won’t go easy on you. Even if the Weyrlingmaster is ill, I’m sure he can find plenty more rest day tasks for you.”

The boy’s face worked. “Yes,” V’lorn finally said, in a tiny voice, “I wanted to see the starship.”

Rahman mastered his unexpected fury, an emotion he thought he’d conquered long ago. Did the kid understand how delicate a telescope was? And how important they were for scanning the skies? I wish these dragonfolk wouldn’t treat a telescope like it was an indestructible, easily replaced hand pump. Children should only be allowed near a scope with close adult supervision. But here’s a boy who wants to look through the scope. That’s unusual, seldom do boys, especially Weyrlings, have any desire to look at anything other than dragons and girls. Boys this age can’t be trusted around the telescope. They have no better judgment than a yearling wher. Do I want him handling my instruments? When he’s already proven to be clumsy? No. I may be judgmental, but I can’t risk him breaking them.

The three men were silent, their eyes on the wilting V’lorn’s head. The air grew even heavier, and not from the oppressive heat. Finally it occurred to the Weyrling that something was expected of him.

“I won’t do it again, sir, Rahman, sir, I promise.”

He bent to pick up the calibration instruments bundle.

“Stop. Don’t touch the bundle,” Rahman snapped.

He turned to K’ndar, beseeching. I trust you and Raventh, his eyes pled, it never occurred to me to worry about it. Until now.

He didn’t need to ask. K’ndar read it in his eyes. He gently picked up the bundle. He resisted saying how light it was just to sting the boy, but it WAS heavy.

“Sir, Raventh and I will take the instruments up to the telescope for you,” he said.

Rahman sighed in relief.