Todd J. McCaffrey - Dragonheart

Dragonheart

Todd McCaffrey

FOR READERS NEW TO PERN

Thousands of years after man first developed interstellar travel, colonists from Earth, Tau Ceti III, and many other worlds settled upon Pern, the third planet of the star Rukbat in the Sagittarius sector.

They found Pern idyllic for their purposes: a pastoral world far off the standard trade routes and perfect for those recovering from the horrors of the Nathi Wars.

Led by hero Admiral Paul Benden and Governor Emily Boll of war-torn Tau Ceti, the colonists quickly abandoned their advanced technology in favor of a simpler life. For eight yearsTurns as they called them on Pernthe settlers spread and multiplied on Perns lush Southern Continent, unaware that a menace was fast approaching: the Red Star.

The Red Star was actually a wandering planetoid that had been captured by Rukbat millennia before. It had a highly elliptical, cometary orbit, passing through the fringes of the systems Oort Cloud before hurtling back inward toward the warmth of the sun, a cycle that took two hundred and fifty Turns.

For fifty of those Turns, the Red Star was visible in the night sky of Pern. Visible and deadly, for when the Red Star was close enough, as it was for those fifty long Turns, a space-traveling spore could cross the void from it to Pern. Once the spore entered the thin, tenuous upper atmosphere, it would thin out into a long, thin, streamer shape and float down to the ground below, as seemingly harmless Threads.

Like all living things, however, Thread needed sustenance, and it ate anything organic: wood or flesh, it was all the same to Thread. The first deadly Fall of Thread caught the colonists completely unawares. They barely survived. In the aftermath they came up with a desperate plan: having abandoned their high technology, they turned to their knowledge of genetic engineering to modify fire-lizardssix-limbed, winged life-forms indigenous to Perninto huge, rideable, fire-breathing dragons. These dragons, telepathically linked at birth to their riders, formed the mainstay of the protection of Pern. Other solutions were tried, as well, but none proved to be as effective as dragons.

The approach of the Red Star caused further difficulties in the form of violent tectonic activity throughout the Southern Continent. Overwhelmed by the sudden proliferation of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, the colonists abandoned their original settlements in favor of the smaller, stabler, northern continent. In their haste, much was lost and much was forgotten.

Huddled in one settlement, called Fort Hold, the colonists soon found themselves overcrowded, particularly with the growing dragon population. The dragonswith their ridersmoved into their own high mountain space, called Fort Weyr. As time progressed and the population spread across Pern, more Holds were formed and more Weyrs were created by the dragonriders.

Given their great losses, particularly in able-bodied older folk, the people of Fort and the other Holds soon found themselves resorting to an authoritarian system where one Lord Holder became the ultimate authority of each Hold. The Weyrs developed differently. Unable to both provide for themselves and protect the planet, the dragonriders relied upon a tithe from the Holds for their maintenance. Instead of a Lord Holder, they had a Weyrleaderthe rider of whichever dragon flew the Weyrs senior queen dragon.

And so the two populations grew separate, distant, and too often intolerant of each other.

A s the Red Star moved away again, Thread stopped falling. Then, after a two-hundred-Turn Interval, it returned to rain death and destruction from the skies for another fifty-Turn Pass. Again, Pern relied on the dragons and their riders to keep it Thread free. And, again, the Pass ended, and a second Interval began.

Twelve Turns before the start of the Third Pass, a strange plague spread across Pern, decimating the holder population.

Even now, as the Red Star heralds the return of Thread and the beginning of the Third Pass, some smaller holds still lie fallow and deserted. The farmers of Pern struggle to provide enough food for the holders and weyrfolk. Miners work long hours to make up for fewer bodies, and few young holders are sent to the Harper Hall or Healer Hall to learn the ancient crafts.

ONE

Heart, give voice to sing
Of life on dragonwings!

Fort Weyr, AL 507.11.17, Second Interval

... and you wouldnt believe how many holders theyve saved over the last ten Turns, Benden Weyrleader Mtal said, continuing to press his case for the watch-whers.

The three remaining Weyrleaders had adjourned to Fort Weyrs Council Room to await the Hatching and confer.

Crion of Ista Weyr snorted and shook his head. Im sorry, Mtal, but the times all wrong, he said. Threads will be falling all too soon and here you are with this radical notion of training dragons and watch-whers to fly Threads together at night.

Mtal took a slow, calming breath to stifle the hot retort he wanted to make. He looked expectantly to Klior.

The youngest Weyrleader of Pern shifted uneasily under the gray-haired mans gaze. Well aware that Mtal had been a Weyrleader since before Klior was born, he found it hard to refute such a length of experience. Of course, Crion was even older still and had made his feelings well-known.

Look, Mtal began again, his hands outstretched in a placating gesture, just think

He broke off as his ears detected the unmistakable hum of dragons at Hatching. He smiled and gestured at Klior. Weyrleader?

Klior was already on his feet and heading for the doorway that led to the Hatching Grounds.

K indan and Kentai, Fort Weyrs harper, were waiting on the stairs to the viewing stands in the Hatching Grounds, ready to escort the more feeble or overly-excited holders up to a good perch. Kindan nodded to Mtal as the Weyrleader passed by, still engrossed in fervent conversation with the Istan and Fort Weyrleaders.

I see Dgan has departed, Kentai murmured to Kindan as the Weyrleaders climbed out of earshot.

Kindan shrugged. He knew that Mtal had not been counting on Dgans support anyway. He was less pleased at the looks hed seen on Crions and Kliors facesneither looked very thrilled with what Mtal was saying to them. Kindan, who was familiar with Mtals plan, shook his head. Couldnt the other Weyrleaders see that watch-whers, with their night-seeing eyes, were supposed to fly the night Threadfalls?

Lord Itaral, Lady Nelyssa, Kentai called as he spotted the Lord and Lady Holders of Ruatha Hold. He smiled as he spotted the third person in their party. I see that youve convinced Lady Ilyssa to join you this time. He nodded to their young daughter and raised an elbow invitingly. May I escort you to your seats?

Ilyssa blushed, but, overcoming her embarrassed smile, curtsied most elegantly and took his arm.

This is Kindan, Kentai said with a nod toward the other harper. Hes come with Lord Mtal from Benden Weyr.

Lady Nelyssa started at his name and peered at him more closely. Arent you the one She caught herself and rapidly switched her comment. I mean, arent you the young man who gave up his watch-wher to Nuella, the WherMaster?

Among other things, I am known for that, Kindan agreed, inclining his head politely and giving her a slight smile. He knew what shed started to say, and wondered if he would ever live down the stigma of the fire in the Harper Halls Archive rooms. He hadnt been solely responsible, after all, and hed fought the hardest to put the blaze out, preserving countless other Records...

Kindan!

Before he could even react to the sound of his name, the speaker pummeled into him, clutching him tightly about the waist and trying her best to squeeze the breath out of him. Brilliant sea-blue eyes looked out from behind a lock of rebellious honey-blond hair as the youngster turned her head and called back accusingly to the well-dressed Lord Holder behind her, You didnt tell me hed be here!