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“S’nan,” and Paulin turned to the Fort Weyrleader, “may we have your progress report?”

S’nan stood, holding up his ubiquitous clipboard. (Rumor had it that that item had been passed down from the Connell himself.) He peered down at it a moment. The old Leader of the premier Weyr on Pern resembled his several times great-grandfather, though his silvery hair was more sandy than red.

Privately, K’vin didn’t think Sean Connell had been such a martinet, even if he had promulgated the rules by which the Weyrs governed themselves. Most of these were common sensible even if S’nan managed to pursue them into the ridiculous.

“The first Fall,” S’nan began, and there was a touch of pride in his voice, “would start over the sea east of Fort Hold and come ashore at the mouth of the river, passing diagonally across the peninsula and out into the sea in the west. The second two Falls, which will occur three days later, will be over the southern tip of Southern Boll.” He used his stylus and, at his most condescending, touched Paulin’s chart.

“This one may go south far enough to miss land entirely, and in any case will be over land for only a short while - and over the western tip of High Reaches, again proceeding out to sea, and 50 over land for only a short time. The third Fall will start on the south coast of the Tillek peninsula, east of the site of the Hold: and proceed out to sea, again over land only for a short time.”

“Thread giving us all a chance to get accustomed to fighting it?” asked B’nurrin of Igen.

“Your levity is ill-placed,” S’nan said, but there were too many grins around the table for his reprimand to affect the irrepressible young Weyrleader. He cleared his throat and launched once more into his discourse. “The next two Falls will be the most dangerous for unseasoned wings,” and he shot a stern glance at B’nurrin as he found the proper Thread path.

“The first will start over the sea in the east and proceed over Benden Weyr and Bitra Hold, ending almost at Igen Weyr. This would normally be flown jointly by Benden and Igen Weyrs.

“The second will start at the northern end of the Nerat peninsula and proceed across it, over the east coast of Keroon and the east tip of Igen, and end just offshore from Igen. This also would normally be a joint Fall, flown by Benden over Nerat, Igen over the northern part of Keroon, and Ista over the southern part of Keroon.

“We really do know what Falls we fly, S’nan,” M’shall said.

“Yes, yes, of course,” and S’nan cleared his throat again.

“However,” and his glance went to the Lord Holders seated around the table, “it was decided at the last meeting of the Weyrleaders that, since any of these would be the first Fall in our experience, every Weyr would supply a double-wing at the initial engagement. Thus each Weyr would have first-hand experience.”

“I still think we could all get that by hitting those first Southern Falls,” B’nurrin began. If the dragons miss, it’s not going to fall on anyone’s head or ruin any farmland.”

“B’nurrin!” M’shall said sternly before the startled S’nan could open his mouth.

K’vin privately thought B’nurrin had a good idea and had backed him, but they had been overruled by the older Weyrleaders. K’vin suspected that if he were to take some wings down South for that first Fall there, he’d be likely to find B’nurrin practicing there, too.

“I still think it’s a good idea,” the Igen leader said, shrugging.

Pretending such an interruption hadn’t even occurred, S’nan went on. “As was customary in the First Pass, Lord Holders will supply adequate ground crews and have them assembled as directed by the Weyrleaders. In this case, Weyrleader M’shall.” He inclined slightly towards the Benden bronze rider.

“Master Kalvi,” and he bowed courteously to the Head Engineer, “has assured me that his foundry has turned out sufficient HNO3 cylinders to equip the ground crews, but the HNO3 must be made up on site. As in the First Pass, the labor and material are supplied by the engineer corps as part of their public duty. You all should have received your full allotment of tanks by Year’s End.” S’nan paused and peered at Kalvi who rose to his feet.

The Fort Weyrleader was precise in his language, scorning to use the term Turn for a year which was coming into use among the younger generation.

“I’ve scheduled every major Hold with three days of training in the maintenance and repair of the flame-throwers and a practice session which, I think,” and Kalvi grinned, “you will find comprehensive as well as interesting.” He shifted his stance and would have gone on, but S’nan held up his hand and gestured Kalvi to sit.

With a bit of a snort and a grin, Kalvi complied.

Now the Fort Weyrleader turned his glance to Corey. “I believe you also plan a three-day seminar to instruct major and minor hold personnel in burn control and Thread -- ah first aid. “

Corey did not rise but nodded.

“Lords Holder must assign suitable medics with every ground control unit, or have one member of each trained in first aid and supplied with kits containing numbweed fellis juice and other first-aid medications,” S’nan continued.

“Now,” and he flipped over the top sheet, “I have done pre-Pass inspections of all Weyrs and find them well up to strength, with sufficient cadet riders to supply the wings with phosphine rock during the Pass. I have discussed all aspects of flight tactics and Weyr maintenance with the respective Weyrleaders.”

K’vin writhed a bit on his chair, remembering the exhaustive inspection carried out by S’nan and Sarai: they’d even inspected the recycling plant! Then he noticed that G’don, the oldest Weyrleader, was also squirming. So, the Fort pair had spared no-one in their officious search for perfection.

Well, they were heading into a Pass and the Fort Weyrleaders were correct to want every aspect of dragon riding at the highest possible standard and readiness. In the propagation of dragons, the pair had found no fault with Telgar Weyr: it had had the largest clutches of all the Weyrs in the last three years as the dragons themselves answered the tide of preparations for the coming struggle.

K’vin was hoping that Charanth’s first clutch would be larger than any that B’ner’s Miginth had sired; maybe then Zulaya would warm to him.

The two junior queens had done well in their latest clutches, producing more of the useful greens and blues. Telgar Weyr would soon be full! They might have to shift out some of the excess population to other Weyrs, but that could wait until the yearly review.

“And, in conclusion, let me state that we are as ready as we can be.” Far more ready than the First Riders were,” G’don remarked in his dry fashion.

“Indeed,” echoed Irene of Benden.

K’vin contented himself with a smile. Unbidden, a little wiggle of fear shot up from his belly to chill him and he gave himself a shake. He came from a Blood that had produced First Riders and contributed many sons and daughters to the Weyrs.

And you ride me, Charanth said firmly. I shall be formidable in the air. Thread will fly in the other direction when it sees my flame.

And that was not all draconic boast, for Charanth had racked up the Weyr Record for the length he achieved in flaming practice. Together we meet Thread, not just you on your own. I shall be with you and we shall overcome.

Thanks, Charrie.

You re welcome, Kev.

“You’ve got that look in your eye, K’vin,” Zulaya murmured for his ear alone. “What’s Charanth’s opinion of all this?”

“He’s raring to go,” K’vin whispered back, and grinned.

Charanth was right to remind him that he did not fly alone: they were together as they had been from the moment the bronze had broken his shell in half and stepped directly towards a fourteen year old Kevin of the Hanrahans waiting on the hot sands of Hatching Ground. And Kevin had realized that that was the moment all his life had been aimed at Impression. He’d seen his older brother Impress, and his second oldest sister, and three of the four cousins currently riders. From the moment he was Searched out, part of him had been sure-sure-sure, with all the fervor of an adolescent that he would Impress favorably.