All The Weyrs of Pern

Curiously, time seemed to go more slowly on the return. Yet Jaxom reached his thirtieth exhalation gust as they emerged in the cargo bay of the Yokohama. The first dragon he saw was Ramoth, Lessa beside her, and to one side, F'lar appeared. Jaxom glanced down at his wristwatch: F'lar's trip had lasted the full fifteen minutes that dragons could endure without oxygen. The cargo bay was lit, but not well enough for Jaxom to tell if Mnementh was off color. Looking down at Ruth, he saw no alteration in the lustrous coat.

We've done it, he said. Everyone safely back below?

Monarth tells me so. Heth... Ruth hesitated, and Jaxom felt part of him shrivel in fear. Heth says they are all back, but several dragons are in bad color.

If that's all, it's nothing a good meal won't cure. And you?

I'm fine. We have done very well. So far.

Now if I can only think of some pretext for the Buenos Aires, Jaxom said as he removed his helmet.

You will.

"Yeeeeow!"

Jaxom was so startled by the loud cheer from F'lar that he nearly lifted himself from Ruth's back. The white dragon, eyes whirling in amazement, also turned his head to see F'lar propel himself off Mnementh and go shooting toward the equally surprised Lessa. When he grabbed her, his momentum spun them off in a lazy twirl until they careened into Ramoth. The great gold dragon arched her neck to look down at the extraordinary behavior of the Benden Weyrleaders.

"We did it! The dragons of Pern did it! Aivas'll have to eat sand on this one! He never thought we could do it!" F'lar was yelling at the top of his voice and laughing when echoes bounced back at him.

"Really, F'lar..." Lessa struggled to regain her balance, but Jaxom could see that she was smiling. "Yes, it is a splendid moment for the Weyrs! A splendid one! You've kept your promise. Indeed you have. That'll show the Holds and Halls!"

Still gri

"In point of fact, Lessa," he said then, his expression turned wry, "we haven't quite done it. There's N'ton's wings to lift the third engine, and then we have to wait. First for the explosion, and then to see if it had the proper effect."

Jaxom rubbed his hand across his lips. Knowledge of the fixture was a parlous asset. But it was enough that Jaxom knew this great enterprise would work.

"All safely down with your wings, Jaxom?" F'lar inquired as Jaxom floated to the deck.

"A few dragons off color..."

"Ruth's not," Lessa said, scrutinizing the white dragon and smiling approval at Jaxom.

"He says I've been stuffing him. Which of us gets to tell Aivas?" Jaxom asked, smiling broadly. ,

"We both do," F'lar said. He clapped an arm across Jaxom's shoulders, and together they bounced across the deck to the cargo-bay console. "You know, I didn't see your wing."

"Nor I yours," Jaxom said, chuckling. "We poor soil-bound Pernese have no appreciation of real size..." He spread his arms wide. "That Rift is mammoth. We planted our engine really well down in the Rift on a wide stone ledge."

"Aivas already knows," Lessa said. "I told him you'd all gone and that Ramoth was in touch with Mnementh. Oddly enough," she added, peering at Jaxom, "she couldn't hear Ruth."

"That is odd," Jaxom said, pretending to be puzzled. "Ramoth hears him quite well. But you both forget how far that Rift stretches, and we were at the far northern tip of it."

They reached the console.

"Aivas?" F'lar said.

"You have succeeded. Are all safely returned?"

"Yes. Now do you doubt draconic abilities?" F'lar asked, vindication mixed with the triumph in his laugh. He pulled Jaxom over in a comradely fashion. "You didn't want to believe that dragons could do what we said they could."

"We were right on schedule, too," Jaxom said, allowing himself to chuckle. "My team set that engine down right where you wanted it. No problem!"

"You are both to be complimented on your courage and daring."

"Don't lay it on too thick, Aivas," F'lar said.

"You deserve every credit that will accrue to your valorous deed. You have performed an incredible feat, Weyrleader F'lar. There is no doubt of that. Or that you will have achieved your personal goal-the end of Thread on this planet."

Jaxom gri

"Your achievement is historically equivalent to that of the first dragonriders to fight Thread. Your name will be remembered with Sean O'Co

"That is laying it on too thick," Jaxom said. "You're the only one who remembered who were first to fight."

"Actually, Jaxom," F'lar said, gri

"It is wise to prepare for unusual contingencies," Aivas said.

"Well, we've done it."

"And you deserve this," Lessa said, joining them with a wineskin in her hands. "Best Benden."

"The 'sixteen?" Jaxom asked, craning his head for a look at the label.

"What else?" Lessa replied with a coquettish smile before she put the wineskin to her lips.

Jaxom blinked and, recovering, gri

"To us for this triumphant day!"

Jaxom took a long swig, then passed the wineskin to F'lar, who drank, then passed it to Lessa. As she sipped, F'lar turned to Jaxom. "You did tell 'em all to shuck those suits for the next round?"

"As pla

"Did your team scatter those treated ovoids as Aivas wanted?"

Jaxom winked at Lessa. "Mirrim wanted to bring back some examples of empty ones she found lying about." Lessa looked outraged, but he waved a reassurance. "I recommended that she didn't."

"How long before the explosion, Aivas?" F'lar asked.

"The HN03 gauge readings reassure that there is no stoppage. The corrosion continues."

"That's no answer," F'lar said, frowning.

Jaxom gri

So now he looked around him. "Are you the only ones up here, Lessa?"

"Oh, no." She gri

"How long has it been since we got back?" F'lar asked Jaxom.

"About twenty minutes," Jaxom replied. "N'ton's wings won't be ready yet, F'lar. Does anyone need your suit?"

"I shouldn't think so, but to be on the safe side, I'll shuck out of it. Could you bring it over to the Buenos Aires if it is needed?" F'lar handed Jaxom the helmet and, with Lessa's help, started removing the bulky suit. As he laid it over Jaxom's arm, he added, "I think we'll join those on the bridge, and the telescope, and watch N'ton work."