Chap. 286 Air Ambulance

Chap. 286 Air Ambulance

A bronze fire lizard appeared before his eyes.

Whose fire lizard is this?

I don’t know. I’ve seen him before, but I don’t know who he looks to.

Siskin chittered at the bronze from his perch on Raventh’s head.

The bronze seemed distracted, more interested in attracting K’ndar’s attention then in disputing Siskin’s challenge.

Siskin says he looks to your clutch mate.

Clutch mate? He was the only one in his class to have a fire lizard, as far as he knew, but then, most of the people he’d gone through Weyrlingschool were no longer at Kahrain. But my brother? Ah.

Sandriss? My brother?

I think so.

The visitor flew around him several times, then perched on the nearest surface he could find: on Raventh’s saddled back. They’d just returned from exercise.

Siskin hissed from his spot on Raventh’s head. “Siskin, it’s okay, relax,” he said.

The bronze bore a tiny, threaded harness with a small ceramic capsule on his back. I’ve never seen such a thing before, he thought, but it was obviously a message capsule.

“Here, laddie, let me take the capsule.” The bronze lowered his wings to allow him to reach the capsule. He chittered in a tone K’ndar had heard only once or twice before. The bronze was clearly upset about SOMETHING.

It wasn’t easy to handle someone else’s fire lizard. Sometimes they reacted with claws. But the bronze looked at him with yellow eyes, denoting stress, or worry. The fact that he knew to find K’ndar was just another amazing ability of the small saurians.

Your brother told him to find me, not you.

Smart man.

Opening the capsule revealed a tightly rolled wooden strip. In years past, before paper became readily available, one of the ways people communicated was by writing their messages on a small, narrow but long strip of lightwood.

He turned his back to the sun to allow him to read it. It struck cold in his heart.

K’ndar. I need your help. Nattana has been hit with some virus, I’ve never seen it before. She’s sick as a dying dog and nothing we’ve done has helped. We’ve had a sweep flag up without seeing a dragon in two days, so Singing Water’s Healer hasn’t seen her. PLEASE, can you come and transport her to Healer Hall? Can your dragon take Liana, too? Please, K’ndar.

Sandriss

His heart began to pound. Nattana. Nattana, oh, yes, Sand’s young daughter. What to do, of course I’m going, but I have to ask Raylan, and where the shaff is Healer Hall? Not the one built for Master Robinton on Southern’s coast, the original Hall up north.

“Wait, bronze? Wait? I’ll send a message back,” he said, and he ran to his quarters. It took forever for the dragon bay door open, he felt.

I have to tell Raylan. What should I bring? He stopped and took a deep breath.

Calm down, K’ndar. Prioritize. Sandriss first. Then Raylan. A Healer? B’rost!

Raventh, please call Rath, ask him to tell B’rost I need his help, my niece is sick and needs to go to Healer Hall. I’ve never been there.

Yes. What is a niece?

My brother’s egg. His baby.

He grabbed up his pack, as always, packed and ready to go at a moment’s notice. He’d learned the hard way to never go out somewhere without at least a change of clothes and something to brush his teeth with. He dug out a pen.

I don’t even have permission yet but I don’t care, he thought. He unrolled the slim strip and wrote “I’ll be there soon. Have L..” what was his wife’s name? What? Oh, shabash, I can’t remember, only met her twice and she was very quiet and unassuming. L something. Leana. No, not Leana, with an e, I think it’s Li, it’s pronounced the same oh why am I dithering? I’ll write L, he’ll know who I mean. “Have L take a pack with clothes.”

He rolled the strip up and went back into the bay. The bronze was waiting, almost pacing in the air. When he saw K’ndar with the strip he landed on Raventh’s couch.

“Here, lad, there’s a good bronze,” and he tucked the strip into the tube.

“On your way, little one, I’ll be there soon.”

The bronze chittered, launched, and vanished.

What a wonderful way to communicate, he thought. How do they KNOW? That bronze was worried. That had to be coming directly from Sandriss.

B’rost is coming. He says the Hall is south of Fort Hold. We’ve never been there, I don’t know the coordinates. Rath will show me.

Raylan. I have to tell Raylan.

He grabbed his datalink, grateful for once for its instant communication.

—————————————————————————————————–

“Of course, K’ndar, don’t worry. I hope for the best for your family,” Raylan said. “I’ll call Risal and tell her where you’ve gone, to sign you out. Any idea when you will be coming back?”

“I have no idea, sir, none. I’ll let you know, though, I’ll contact you with the details when I know more,” he said.

“Aye. Don’t worry about the job, just take care of the little girl,” he said.

He shut off the datalink and shoved it into his pack. Yes, the datalink is a pain in the arse at times, but now? It’s invaluable.

Rath is landing now.

B’rost jumped off his blue’s back and came running into the bay.

“What! I got your message, where is your niece, what’s going on?”

“She’s at my family cothold,” K’ndar said, “I just got a fire lizard message that she’s sick with some virus they’ve never seen before.”

The whole cothold was out, waiting. K’ndar waited, as was protocol, for Rath to land first, then landed behind and upwind of him.

“K’ndar, thank the stars! Thank you!! “Sandriss called. Liana, his wife , was beside him, a large pack on her back.

Everyone but uncle Fland crowded behind him. Fland suddenly turned, and left.

Sandriss had the little girl in his arms. She looked dreadful, he thought.

“Your bronze fire lizard, Sandriss, he deserves a treat, he did a great job.”

“He’s a good ‘un, K’ndar, he didn’t beat you by much. Thank you for responding so quickly. And you, B’rost, is it? I remember you, good to see you,” Sandriss said, but his face wondered why the blue rider was there.

B’rost could see it. “Thank you, sir, I’m a healer, now.”

“Thank the egg!” Liana cried, “Where have you been? Finally! What’s going on at Singing Waters?”

“I’m still a journeyman, ma’am, I’m not of any particular Hold.”

Her face fell even further.

“Good on you, B’rost. But, do you mind if my little girl is seen at Healer Hall?” Sandriss asked. He wondered if he was insulting the young man. Did he have the experience with this?

B’rost shook his head. “I don’t mind at all. If it’s something new, they’re better equipped to deal with it.” He climbed down from Rath.

“May I examine her, just briefly?”

Sandriss nodded and held the little girl. She lolled in his arms, listless and uninterested in the activity. Her forehead shone with perspiration. B’rost, suddenly in his element, gave her a quick check, mostly to see if she’d be able to manage the trip between. “Fever. Aye. Sweating, red, has she vomited at all? Cough?”

“No, but she’s been off her feed for two days, won’t take much of anything. Sleeping only fitfully, she seems delirious at times. We’ve been trying to get liquids down her, but she resists.”

“Vaccinated for firehead?”

“Of course. When she was just a tot,” Liana said.

“Hmm,” B’rost said. The more he looked at her, the more concerned he grew. He began running a list of symptoms in his head, but it would be best to get her to the Healer Hall where they could do a complete check up.

“Bundle her up, it’s cold in between and she’s damp.” He looked at Liana. “Have you ever been dragonback before?”

“No,” Liana said, “But Fland has told us what to expect, and K’ndar of course, so I know about riding dragons.”

B’rost peppered her with questions, all the time gently examining the girl.

K’ndar was amazed at the many facets of B’rost. They’d been barracks mates in Weyrlingschool, and teammates on expeditions. He had always been a bit of a puzzle, often a reckless dragonrider, courageous against Thread and yet sometimes taking unnecessary risks.

As a geologist, B’rost was painstaking and careful in his data collection but still was more than willing to hammer a rock into bits to force it to release its secrets. Now here he is, handling the child as if she were an egg and probing an anxious mother with questions with courtesy and kindness, wanting to help.

It’s like you’re four different people, B’rost, and depending on the circumstances, you shape yourself to fit. I am so grateful you’re my friend. As many times as I’ve pulled my hair out because of your antics, still, in this situation, I am very glad you have taken over, he thought.

K’ndar noticed his mother, clutching her hands and tears rolling down her cheeks. He walked over to her and hugged her.

“Hurry, K’ndar, she’s so ill,” Daryat snuffled. “Natty went down just like that,” she snapped her fingers, “we put up a sweep flag but haven’t seen a wing. And poor Liana, oh, dear, she had a miscarriage late term, and now this.”

“Mum, I’ll get her to the Hall as fast as Raventh can go. And I’ll talk with the Weyr about the lack of sweeps, but not right now,” he said.

“I know. Just get her to the Hall.” She kissed him on the cheek.

“K’ndar, let’s go,” B’rost said, “She needs to be seen as soon as possible.”

“Aye. Liana, I’ll help you up on Raventh, and then, Sand, hand Nattana up to her. Liana. I’m going to buckle you in, but you have to hold the little one instead of the harness. Raventh will try his best to not jostle you but you have to stay still and in the middle of him, like on a horse. B’rost, can you take Nattana’s pack?”

“I can. Liana, they may keep you there for a few days,” B’rost said.

“I don’t care how long it takes, Sand can take care of things here, I want my baby well,” the woman said.

“We have two dragons, ma’am. Maybe Sandriss wants to go, too? There’s plenty of room for families there. He can ride behind me on Rath,” B’rost said.

Sandriss paused. Liana looked at him, beseeching.

Mardriss, their eldest brother and Cotholder, came up. “Sand, go. We can do without you for as long as it takes.”

“Um, that didn’t sound right, but thanks, Mard. I know what you meant,” Sandriss said. “I need my pack. Give me five minutes, B’rost?”

He turned to see their uncle Fland, standing a ways back from the dragons, with a large pack in his hands. “Not to worry,” Fland said. He handed the pack to Sandriss. “I saw K’ndar and B’rost, landing and decided to pack one for you, I hope you don’t mind my going through your quarters?”

“Fland! Of course not. I just hope you packed a pair of fresh socks for me.”

Fland grinned despite his concern. “Two.”

_________________________________________________________

The warmth of the northern sun made him remove his jacket.

I won’t ever forget how hot Nattana was, he thought, as he stood waiting outside with the dragons. Even during between, with her pressed against my back,all bundled up and me in my jacket, she felt like a blast furnace. How can a child withstand a fever like that?

He heard a baby wailing in the building ahead of him. Was it Nattana?

I’m glad they wouldn’t let me go in with the rest, K’ndar thought. Crying babies had always made him irritable. Just another reason I’ll never have kids, he thought. That, and seeing his brother and sister in law almost helpless with fear and worry was another.

Sandriss’s two fire lizards, perched on Rath’s neck, warbled in relief when they saw Sandriss exit the building. B’rost was right behind him. The two headed for the dragons.

Sandriss looked exhausted. His fire lizards left their roost on Rath and landed on his shoulders. He absently stroked them, one with each hand.

“How’d it go? Is she going to be okay?”

B’rost, behind Sandriss, caught his eye and quickly shook his head.

“They don’t know, K’n,” Sandriss said. “They want to keep her, they want to run some tests on her. We’re going to have to stay, I..I don’t want to leave her and Liana here by themselves.”

“I’ve already arranged for you to be put up at the Fisher Home for as long as needed. It’s a place for people to stay when one of their family is here,” B’rost said.

Sandriss looked through him. “I don’t know how to thank you, B’rost, I …I just can’t think right now. Are you going to leave?” K’ndar heard the fear in the man’s voice. Sandriss? His brother who, as a just barely 16 year old, knocked their father cold after he beat their mother and then left, with just the clothes on his back; a man who took on two armed brigands and bested them both, afraid?

“”There’s not much more I can do for you, Sandriss. I’d just be underfoot. Don’t worry, the staff here are all professionals, they will take care of your every want and need.” B’rost said, turning away from Sandriss.

He could see deep misgivings in B’rost’s eyes. “Thank you, B’rost, for responding to my yell for help.”

“Of course, K’ndar. It’s what friends do.”

“And you, too, K’ndar, for reacting so fast,” Sandriss said. “B’rost, I don’t want to tie you up here. I don’t want to interfere anymore than I already have.” He shook his head, his hands working at nothing. “K’ndar, I don’t know what to say or do. I hope you don’t mind me telling you to go back, after not seeing you in months, but I can’t focus on anything but my little Natty and Liana.”

“So you’re telling me to shove off?” K’ndar said, trying to break the somber air.

Sandriss looked stricken. “No!”

“Sand. I was teasing. I don’t mind,” he said, shocked and dismayed at hurting his brother. “In fact I’m glad you’re okay with my leaving, I’d just be in the way, and I haven’t a clue what to do, other than what I did, bring her here.”

“Thanks,” Sandriss said. He looked helplessly at B’rost. “Now that we’re out here, I didn’t understand half of what they were saying. Can you tell me what’s going on?”

“I can’t,” B’rost said, hearing the desperation in the man’s voice. “I’m sorry, it’s something I’ve never seen. They’ll do what they can, Sandriss,” B’rost said. “They know what they’re doing. You’re, she’s better off here than if you’d gone to the Hold, or just stayed home.”

Sandriss nodded, wordlessly.

K’ndar felt relieved at being released, and yet he was frightened. There was something deeply wrong, he knew. He’d never seen his brother so depressed. And he knew B’rost wasn’t telling Sandriss the truth.

“It’s okay, Sand. It’s okay. You have your fire lizards, I have mine, let me know if there’s something I can do, or bring? I will take you home whenever you all are ready.”

“I will.” He looked at K’ndar as if seeing him for the first time as a dragonrider, not a kid brother. He gave him a hug.

“Go on, kid. I’ll contact you.”

“Kid, my arse,” K’ndar responded, hoping he sounded fierce. He failed.

“Journeyman B’rost? Sandriss? Come back, please?” a voice called from the building.

Ten minutes later, B’rost came back, alone. He had a huge pack almost as big as he was, in addition with his personal one on his back. K’ndar felt ice run down his spine at his expression. He was about to pepper him with questions. B’rost put up his hand.

“Before you ask? I don’t know what it is. The staff doesn’t, either. It’s bad. They’ve only seen this a few times, she’s the first patient who came in alive and from Southern. So far, every patient has been a child. K’ndar, she’s going to get a lot worse before she gets better. I don’t know if Liana or Sandriss will come down with it, they’re being quarantined as we speak.”

He shook his head, grief in his eyes. “Poor little poppet. I’m sorry, but I don’t think she’s going to make it. And we have to quarantine, too, we’ve been exposed, along with everyone who’s come in contact with them. Admin has a datalink, I told them you’re from Landing and they should notify your boss that you’re being quarantined at your cothold. The fewer exposures, the better chance they have of managing it. They want me there at your cothold, because that’s where Nattana caught whatever it is. I’ll be collecting data, provide medical care, and do contact tracing. Can your family put me up for ten days?”