All The Weyrs of Pern

"Then he'll be for Ranrel," Asgenar said smoothly. "We think Bargen of High Reaches is with us, too."

"Really? I'd've thought he'd go with the other, ah, older Lord Holders."

"He was impressed with Aivas, remember. He's got an odd twist of mind and wouldn't hold with Blesserel's profligacy or Terentel's apathy."

"That gives Ranrel eight votes on the first ballot. Not bad. Maybe it won't take too long after all."

"How did yesterday go for you?"

"Easy enough," Jaxom replied diffidently. "Just had to close the cargo-bay doors."

"Doors, huh?" Then Asgenar leaned closer and spoke for Jaxom's ears alone. "What was it like, Jaxom, bringing Sallah Telgar back?"

Jaxom felt himself go rigid in surprise. He hadn't thought Asgenar had a penchant for the macabre. "I've been sent on some odd errands now and then, Asgenar," he replied, "but that was the most unusual."

"Aivas said she'd've been frozen as she died. Could you see her face? What did she look like?"

"We could see nothing," Jaxom lied. Even from Larad, Sallah's descendant, such morbid curiosity would have been unacceptable to him. "The faceplate of the helmet was clouded."

Asgenar seemed disappointed. "I just wondered if she looked anything like we do."

Jaxom gave a snort. "Of course she did. All the settlers were humans, just like us. What were you expecting her to be?"

"I don't know-but I-" Asgenar faltered.

Jaxom was exceedingly glad that Lytol took that moment to call the meeting to order. In his position as the retired Lord Warder of Ruatha, Lytol had been chosen as the meeting's arbiter. He was also still entitled to vote, as a mark of respect for his probity and integrity in raising Ruatha's heir to his majority.

"We know why we're here and that the accession to this Hold has been challenged by the legitimate sons of the late Oterel. Proposing themselves, as is their right, are Blesserel, the eldest, Terentel, and Ranrel."

"Get on with it, Lytol," Groghe said, testily flapping his fingers at the man. "Put it to a vote and let's see where we stand."

Lytol regarded Groghe a moment. "There are procedures, and we will adhere to them."

"Thought you'd plunged headlong into all the new ways," Sangel said sarcastically.

Lytol regarded the Boll Holder with narrowed eyes and expressionless face until Sangel stirred restlessly and glanced at Nessel for support. With a. slight smile, Nessel turned to his right-hand neighbor, Laudey, and murmured something.

Imperturbably, Lytol continued. "You might be interested to note that the ma

Warbret of Ista looked surprised and leaned to Laudey to snake a comment. Laudey's disapproving expression did not alter.

"If there are no further comments," Lytol said, having sca

When he resumed his seat, he picked up the ink pen and, shielding the pad with one hand, made a brief inscription. Folding the sheet, he tore it from its glued backing.

Jaxom noted that everyone at the table was similarly employed and wondered if any of them realized that they were using new products to exercise their traditional franchise.

The votes were passed around to Lytol, who shuffled them as he received them so that the order in which he finally opened them would not indicate the origin. As he read them, he sorted them in three neat piles, one much thicker than the others. Meticulously he counted each pile before a

"For Blesserel, five votes; for Terentel, three; for Ranrel, seven. No clear majority."

Jaxom inhaled a long breath. The voting had gone as he had expected, but even so, seven on the first ballot was a minor triumph for Ranrel. Lytol made a wad of the voting papers and, putting them in the brazier, watched them burn before he again rose to his feet.

"Who will speak for Blesserel, the eldest?" Lytol asked as required.

Jaxom slumped down into the heavy chair, glad of the cushions that gave him a small measure of comfort. He hated this tedious part of the proceedings. The older lords would go on and on, given an opportunity. Then he remembered his covert role.

Ruth, please tell Master Robinton that the vote went seven to Ranrel, five to Blesserel, and three to Terentel, and I'm reasonably sure Toric voted for Terentel. He can't be serious, but he can be a nuisance, Jaxom told his weyrmate.

I told the Harper. He expected this outcome.

We both did, but it's going to be a long day. Are you comfortable in the sun?

I am! It is a fine dory.

For you!

There will be time for feasting and dancing later. Now you must be Lord Holder.

Hastily Jaxom turned his inadvertent chuckle into a cough and reached for his cup, displaying an i

With the second vote, Terentel lost two supporters to Blesserel. The eldest son acquired seven votes, while Ranrel received eight. As before, Lytol burned the papers. Too close, and Jaxom tried to control the nervous jiggling of his leg.

Groghe signaled that he wished to speak, and Lytol consented.

"I'm not the oldest of you, but I have held Fort for longer than any of you others, bar Sangel." Groghe accorded the Boll Holder a bow and a smile. "Tillek was the third Hold to be established-"

"Word of the Abomination?" Sangel asked slyly.

"Aivas has now seen, and restored, the Records of every Hold, which can scarcely be called an abominable duty-boring, probably, if your ancestors inscribed as much trivia as mine did-"

"What's your point, Groghe?" Laudey asked testily.

"My point is that James Tillek, who founded this Hold, was a forward-looking man who charted the coastline and started the first Fishercrafthall. Tillek has always been the safest harbor on the western coast, with the biggest fleet and more Masters sailing 'em; its Lord Holders have always encouraged and assisted our fishermen. Ranrel thought enough of his heritage to take a Master's knot from the Fishercrafthall-"

"He did that because Oterel threw him out of Hold," Sangel retaliated.

"Order!" Lytol's voice boomed out with unaccustomed force, and Sangel subsided.

"Be that as it may," Lord Groghe continued, "he's certainly the only one of Oterel's sons who's ever done a day's hard work. I think he deserves to Hold now. Fort'll support him as Tillek's Holder in every way it can, so we will!"

Murmurs of "well said" caused Groghe to flush with pleasure as he seated himself.

Larad then asked to speak and did so concisely, adding that in his last months Oterel had been too ill to attend to many matters, and that the only one of his sons to take an interest in Hold management had been Ranrel. If Blesserel, however, or Terentel had done anything to take Hold in their father's name, he would like to hear of it.

"Clever point," Jaxom murmured to Asgenar.

Sigomal asked to be recognized.

"Blesserel had the onerous task of caring for his ailing father," he said, "and was scrupulous in all duties to ease Oterel in his last illness. He is a man of integrity..."

"He paid his gambling debts," Asgenar whispered to Jaxom, "when he could squeeze the marks out of Oterel's purse."