Chap. 417 The Cargo Boxes

“Drop the cargo boxes here, please?” Raylan said, “I’ll want to check them to see if they’re really empty.”

The Engineers had loaded the things they’d taken from the bunker-and the Chiefs-onto their horse cart.  

“Would you please drop me off at the Library?” Commo had asked as the cart moved off from the bunker, “I’ll drop this bundle of clothes on Chief Elene, then head for my division.”

“Of course.”

“I think I’ll get off there, too,” Data said, “I don’t need to go down to the dragon meadow.”

“Thanks for the lift, Chief. I really should have walked back, but I need to get back to my paying job. Although now I know all that sitting isn’t doing me any good.” I won’t add that that short run kicked my ass, Commo thought. I never used to be so unfit.

“In my case, it adds weight to my hind quarters,” Engineering said, grimacing.  “We should do this again, you know? I liked getting out, with my team, but also just, well, walking about on semi-official business. I don’t get out often enough,” she said.

“We could call it Chief’s Walkabout?” Raylan said.

Data said, “I remember reading the reports of a Chief around the time of AIVAS who would do that. He’d leave his desk and just go through his division, talking, looking, asking questions of his people. He called it  MBWA-‘Management By Walking Around.’ And in many cases, it helped him see things and situations that his staff was experiencing that he wouldn’t have known otherwise.” I think I’ll start doing that, he thought.

“Let’s all get together later this week, if you want, we’ll bring in Arr and Dee and Logistics, maybe? and discuss doing something like MBWA.”

“Not Logistics, please?” Engineering said. “He can be, um..”

“No gossiping, please. We all know who you mean, and why,” Data said. “We don’t have to do it all together like we did today. Today’s little jaunt was such an unusual and lucky confluence of four of us all having the time. I think I, at least, will start doing a walkabout once or twice a week.”

“Whether it’s official or not, I’m going to do just that,” Commo said. “Thanks again,” and she entered the library, her arms full of clothing. Data got off, too, and patted the horse’s neck before he moved off.

When they got to the dragon meadow, Raylan looked in each box before the engineers tucked them close under the overhanging edge of Motanith’s bay, to keep them out of the expected rain.  Francie’s three fire lizards appeared from somewhere, chittering and swirling around Raylan’s head.

They popped into each one as he opened it. “They’re like my cats,” one of the engineers said, laughing, “We can’t open a cupboard without one of ‘em getting in.”

“No doubt. But fire lizards are worse. I’m afraid of the day when they evolve thumbs, then we’re in REAL trouble,” Raylan said. “Thanks, lads, and Engineering, thank you, too,” Raylan said.

Engineering looked back into the wagon to make sure her team was seated. “Ready, lads? Let’s go back to the shop.” She chirped to the horse and rolled away.

Raylan’s datalink began to call. It was Jansen, finally able to relate to him what she’d done.

“You’ll get no argument from me,” he said, as he saw Topo and his apprentices staggering up the slight rise, each of them carrying two heavy buckets. “You made the absolutely correct decision, Jansen. Well DONE. Topo is on his way up now. I’ll be up there in a little while. Thank you,” and he signed off.

“Got the necropsy?” he said to the anatomist. The fire lizards swirled around the buckets, attracted by the scent.

“It’s not for you,” he said, waving off the bronze, “Go find your mum.”

Coora chittered in chastisement but obeyed by flying away, the two greens behind him.

“Yes, thanks to Jansen,” Topo said. “It was far more informative than I would have guessed. I’m so used to seeing mammalian blood, the green of a dragon was sort of freaky. But still, what data we’ve collected!”

“Now what?” Raylan said. “I don’t envy you carrying those buckets. They look heavy.”

“AND stinky. But Chief Topo wants the organs for further study,” said an apprentice. “And honestly, I do too.”

Raylan nodded. “I think I can identify the heart,” he said, looking at a massive organ sitting atop a pile of intestines.

“Aye,” Topo said, “It’s bigger than I would have ever imagined.”

“What are you going to do with them? The gut buckets, I mean.”

Topo shrugged. “We have two of everything save the heart. The Healer will get one batch and I and my lads will get the rest. Between us two doing research, we’ll get a LOT of good data.” He shook his head. “I miscalculated how much stuff there is inside a dragon, but I can be forgiven, I’ve never opened one before. I didn’t think of it at the time, but I need to get these buckets put in my freezers-NOT the ones for human consumption! We’ll arrange for transport of the specimens the Healer asked for Cove Hold somehow.”

The Healer approached, the three dragon riders with her.

“You’re Chief Raylan?” she asked.

“I am,” he said.

“I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me this opportunity to learn the internal organs of a dragon. Topo and his apprentices did all the hard work, I just took drawings and notes.  They allowed me to concentrate on gathering the data. When I write up my research and finding, I will definitely say that it would NEVER have been done without Landing’s Anatomy team doing the dirty work,” she said. “Never mind that I didn’t get more than a spot on me. Thank you, Topo, and you, both.”

“You’re welcome, ma’am,” one of apprentices said. He looked at his chest. I’m all green and icky, but it IS what I thought I might like as work.

Topo said, “Yes, we’re filthy, but we’ve been given a gift, paid for by a blue dragon.”

They all paused, thinking of Sorath.

“And thank you, Chief Raylan, for the opportunity,” he said.

“You’re welcome, but it was Jansen who made that decision, and I heartily approve of it. I will pass on your thanks to her. She made the decision, it was the right one.” He looked at Topo and said, “Between you, your people and the Healer, you have all contributed valuable knowledge to all dragons. Thank you.”

“My pleasure, Chief.”

The three nodded.

 Now, if you don’t mind, we three need to head home to get cleaned up.”

“Do you want to clean up here?” Raylan asked, wondering what Francie would say-she was almost fanatical about keeping their quarters and Motanith’s bay spotlessly clean.  Three men dripping bits of flesh and ichor was NOT what she wanted to behold when she opened Motanith’s bay door.

“And risk her beheading me? Not on your life, Chief.  After work like this, I strip at my door. Makes for some snickering from the kids, but isn’t it strange, they don’t pester me. Not after they see my knives and saws.”

They all laughed.

“My roommate won’t let me near my own room,” said one of the apprentices, “until I’ve jumped into the dragon lake.”

Topo straightened up. “I’d shake your hand, Healer, but I know why you wouldn’t. Alright, lads, let’s get these gut buckets to the shop. Good day, ma’am, dragonriders, Chief.”

They lifted their buckets and walked off, slowly.

I wish I’d kept Engineers horse cart here, Raylan thought, but she’s probably unhitched the horse by now. And I really don’t want to give them a hand, they’re all balanced, two buckets each.

The Healer said, “If you don’t mind, Chief, I’m going to ask for dragon transport home, please?”

“K’ndar’s on dragon standby this afternoon, I’ll ping him.”

“Thank you.”

“Chief?” the Weyrlingmaster said, “My business here at Landing is done. We are about to head home for Telgar Weyr. Let me take the Healer to Cove Hold.”

“That will be perfect, I’m sure K’ndar won’t mind,” Raylan said. He was hit by a flash of brilliance.

“Um, if you don’t mind? Could you take the samples from the necropsy to Cove Hold?”

The Healer’s face bloomed with hope.

“Uh, I would, but we didn’t bring cargo boxes,” the Master said. The green rider felt relief. No cargo boxes, no carrying a distressingly bloody and beginning to smell intestine near me. OR my dragon, she thought.  

“Ah, but I have extras! There’s six of them, take your pick! Topo! Topo! Come back, please! Bring the samples!” he yelled.

The three turned as one, the apprentices a bit resentful at being stopped.

They hadn’t gone far. They returned and gratefully dropped the buckets, carefully.

“See those cargo boxes? They’re L’ichen’s. He has no use for them anymore, I’m so sorry to say,” Raylan said the Master.

“Did you find him?” the Master said. If I find him, he won’t be happy.

“No, but we did find where he’s been hiding out and storing things. He’s been time jumping for a long time. He’s been stealing artifacts, ones belonging to us all. I really don’t want to find him, I hope he wanders out into the wilderness and dies.”

“Me too,” said the girl, “After the way he treated poor Sorath?”

The Master looked at the girl.

“I’m sure this entire situation has impressed on you the importance of NOT time jumping.”

“I won’t, that’s for sure,” the boy said.

The Master looked at the boxes, calculating the weight and distribution. “You’re sure we can have them? They look like good ones,” he said.

“I’m sure they are, and I’m also sure they’ll fit your weyrling’s dragons. They look to have been made for a blue.”

The girl grimaced. No, no, I’ll take the Healer, not the guts. Oh, ick, my stomach is turning at the smell..

Why? It’s not bad smell, it’s what I smell every time I make a kill her dragon said.

I’m not even going to ask if you eat the guts, she thought.

It depends on how hungry I am, they’re chewy when…

STOP the girl shouted in her mind, unconsciously covering her ears.

The Weyrlingmaster, though, was happy with the whole situation.

“We’ll do it,” he said, smiling. “We’ll lighten your load, Chief Topo, AND take the samples to Cove Hold.” And get some dandy cargo boxes in the bargain.

“That would be nice, Weyrlingmaster, are you sure you don’t mind?” the Healer asked.

“Not at all, ma’am.”

“That will make ME happy, sure as sunrise,” Topo said, “Those buckets are heavy and my people here are probably worn out.”

The apprentices nodded.

“Then let’s get the boxes lashed and loaded and we’ll head for Cove Hold. The sooner we leave, Weyrlings, the sooner we’ll be home for dinner.”

And we’ll beat the rain.

“We’ll load them for you, Master, we’re already filthy. No use you’re getting that way, too,” Topo said. “This way we’ll have half the weight and maybe our arms won’t be stretched too long.”

The apprentices sighed. Half of a blue dragon’s organs was still a hefty lift. Thank the stars Sorath wasn’t a bronze, one thought.

“These loads won’t be too heavy for your dragons?” the Healer asked, knowing better.

“Nay, ma’am, those boxes were made for smaller dragons than my brown. My weyrlings will carry them, you’ll be riding behind me on my trusty Craneth,” he said.

“Thank you, all of you, for this incredible opportunity, although I will always feel badly for the poor dragon.”

“Yeah,” they all said.

And I think I’ll name my clinic something to memorialize him, she thought. Yes. I’ll have a placard made up. “Sorath Clinic” and a drawing of a blue dragon. Yes.

The Weyrlingmaster said, “And you, my weyrlings, as a reward, you will be allowed to keep the cargo boxes. Once you’ve cleaned them out, of course, this is what cargo boxes are for in the first place. Chief Raylan’s generous donation of the boxes will save you from making your own.”

“We have to make our own?” the boy said, dismayed.

“THANK you, Chief! Can I put my dragon’s name on it?” the girl asked, feeling better.

“Of course,” the Master said

The two of them smiled.

They heard a horse whinny and the clipclop of hooves.

Engineering was returning, having dropped off her team.

“I thought I’d return and give you butchers a lift home”, she said, reining up.

The apprentices cheered.