The Second Weyr

“If we do our job properly, we’ll get supplied by the holders we protect,” David Caterel said. N’klas was not the only one whose mouth dropped open in surprise. “That’s the plan which has just now been accepted by all holders.” David grinned. “That’s what allows us to decentralize the fighting force. The Holds we protect will tithe to support the local Weyr. That way Fort won’t be overburdened. We won’t always be able to sneak south for food, especially after Ierne is abandoned. Their fire-lizards have done a great job to help the wings we’ve sent there. But they’ll be leaving, too. We’ve got to let the grubs dig in and spread. A good start’s been made at Key Largo, Seminole, and Ierne, but it’s a long-term process.”

There were a few wry smiles at the understatement. Everyone knew that it would take several hundred years for grubs-the anti-Thread organism that Ted Tubberman had bioengineered-to spread across the Southern Continent in sufficient density to make ordinary vegetation less vulnerable to destruction by those deadly spores. And only once the new life-form was well-enough established in the south could colonies of it be transferred north.

“So that’s what all this coming and going’s been about,” Uloa said, propping her fists on her hips and glaring at David. “And you never gave us so much as a hint.”

David recoiled slightly. “I never had so much as a hint myself until this evening. You know how closemouthed Sean can be.”

“That’s true enough,” Jean said with a wry laugh.

“What he dislikes is that the dragons’ll have to do a lot of hauling.”

Jean made a real grimace this time and sighed deeply. “Then it’s only fair that the holders help us dig!”

“That was Sean’s point.”

Jean couldn’t see the diagram, so she pulled it down. “So this is how we’ll be spending our free time?”

“What free time?” half a dozen voices chorused around her.

“The free time tomorrow when we’ll all go over and formally take possession of our Weyr,” David said firmly. He glanced around, looking for acknowledgment. “Go easy on the beer. We’ll make a daylight start.”

“Our daylight, of course!” said an anonymous voice from the back.

“He’s got more sense than to interfere with your beering by making us start at daylight on the east coast,” Jean said tartly.

From the middle of the room a roar went up: “Telgar! Telgar Weyr!”

“As if they had any choice,” Jean said at her drollest, “though I’d like to suggest a name now for ours and let you think about it.”

“What name?”

“Benden!” she said in a proud quiet tone, lifting her chin. There was a long moment of respectful silence.

“What’s to think about?” asked a firm baritone voice from the rear.

“Could there be any other name that would be more fitting?” David Caterel asked, and Torene could see that his eyes had filled.

The murmur grew quickly as the name was repeated throughout their small gathering. Jean touched her glass to David’s, and suddenly the others all got to their feet, glasses raised.

“To Benden Weyr!” David Caterel said, though “Weyr” came out raggedly.

“To Benden Weyr!” And mugs, cups, and glasses were raised high and then drained.

Torene had to sniff and dash the tears from her eyes, but she felt uplifted by that little ceremony. Hers had been the last Hatching that the ailing admiral had attended. She remembered that he had sought her out and wished her and her new queen the very best. Though he still walked with an erect back, his step was short and jerky. One of his sons and Mihall had escorted him.

Many riders began to circulate then, some to get more beer, some to drift off, but Torene was more or less hemmed in by the other queen riders and Wingleaders.

“You got this copy from your mother?” David asked, spreading it carefully out on the table. When she nodded, he asked, “Any chance we can get more? And at least one set of enlargements for each elevation?” Torene nodded again. Her parents would be extremely proud of her assignment and willing to cooperate in any way they could. “And you’ve been there recently?” His manner was kindly, as if she were much younger than she actually was and needed to be led. She was twenty-two, but she didn’t resent that from David as much as she would have from one of her peers.

“A whole bunch of us went the day you and Sean went down to Ierne to eat,” Uloa said, with a put-you-in-your-place tone.

Grinning back at her, David said, “If I’d known Sean was going to pull it off, I’d’ve come with you. What I need to establish is how recent your visit was.”

“Very.”

“And where is this access tunnel you found, Torene?”

N’klas was closer and jammed his index finger down on the spot. “Here.”

David kept looking at Torene for his answer.