A/N: Hello my faithful readers. Ok. Here is where it gets interesting. The chapter title doesn't just apply to the Earthmen.

Disclaimer: The Dragonriders of Pern belong to Anne McCaffree. This is fan fiction which garners NO MONEY WHATSOEVER for the author.

Enigma

Onboard CSS Bonaventure in the Rukbat system

"Scanning System," reported Albright. "No hostile activity detected. Showing two objects which appear to be ships on collision course with the star. Reading 6 planets, two asteroid belts and an oort cloud closer in than is ordinary. Stellar Cartography reports they have begun mapping operations."

"Are those two objects on collision course with Rukbat in immediate jeopardy?" asked the Captain.

"No sir. They are traveling very slowly. Estimate they will enter the photosphere in 18 months and 2 days."

No immediate danger then the captain mused. Still fleet policy required him to investigate and offer assistance if necessary. "Time to intercept?"

The navigator ran calculations. "At full wave speed, just over 3 minutes."

The captain saw no need to tax the engines unless necessary. The non-immediacy of these objects jeopardy clearly made full speed unjustified.

"Lay in intercept course and execute at half wave speed."

"Course laid in and on the board," responded the navigator.

"Executing course, half wave. Estimate time to arrival: Six minutes twenty seconds," reported the helmsman.

"Thank you gentlemen."

Two minutes later, the intercom sounded. "Bridge, this is Stell Car. We have an anomaly."

The captain looked up. An anomaly by Stellar Cartography? This had to be a first. Brandt had never heard of such an occurance.

"Report, mister," ordered the captain.

"Yes, Sir," came the voice over the intraship. "The sixth planet, the one the reports identified as a rogue, is four degrees off its reported path."

The captain's mouth dropped open in astonishment. Four degrees didn't sound like much. In planetary ballistics, it was a huge amount.

"I assume you have plotted the orbit with this altered data." Brandt stated. "Is is likely to strike any of the other planets?"

"No sir. That's just it. We show it will miss the all of the other planets except the fifth by a wide margin. Wiider than the report shows."

The captain thought about this but something didn't seem right. "Could there have been a massive object that was a near miss that altered the orbit?" The captain asked already knowing the answer.

"Impossible, sir. All the other planets except the fifth are on their reported paths down to the microdegree. The fifth planet is slightly off it's reported path. The variation is less than twenty microdegrees. That wouldn't be the case if an object massive enough to affect this rogue by four degrees entered the system."

"What could alter a planet's orbit by four degrees?" the captain wanted to know.

"That's what I'd like to know, sir. There is no force known that could have done this. We could detonate antimatter on the surface of a planet, but to have this effect, the explosion would have to be so large that the planet could not remain intact. It would shatter the planet. You wouldn't have a planet. You'd have a debris field."

"So you're saying you don't know, is that correct?" asked Brandt.

"That's it in a nutshell. This shouldn't be possible."

"Thank you. Bridge out." Brandt closed the line and leaned back in his chair. "Anyone have any ideas how this might have happened," invited Brandt.

The science officer, Mr. Albright spoke up. "I have a theory but it's only been tested by computer modeling. And it's pretty wild."

"Well, let's hear it, Mr. Albright." The Exec wanted to hear this himself.

"In my last year at the academy, we were given a project to figure out how to alter a planetary orbit. I think the instructor just wanted to make us think. We found that a series of antimatter explosions would do the trick. Or so the computer model said. Unfortunately it was just a theoretical exercise, because the explosions must be spread hundreds of years apart."

The captain's eyes widened. "You're right, that's out there. Talk about taking the long view. Still, it doesn't make sense. These colonists had enough fuel to get them down to the planet. According to the report, they didn't have much left. Of course that Japanese pilot the report mentioned, can't remember his name, had hoarded some. Still, we're missing something."

"I agree sir," replied Albright. "The only way something like that would be feasible is if temporal transport had been developed. And that's thought to be impossible. We've been working on that for centuries and appear no closer to success than when we started."

Time travel. That didn't make since. They would have been too busy trying to survive this Thread menace. And astrophysicists of the grade required to understand the mathematics of such were not the hardy colonial type.

"Sir, We are approaching the two objects," reported the Helm.

"Bring us to within five kilometers of the nearest and match course and speed."

"Yes, Sir."


Landing School

Ninth Pass 32.10.20

D'ram was on duty in the interface office reading about the first hatching. They had always assumed that Faranth had been the first dragon to hatch. In fact it had been bronze Polenth who had chosen David Caterel as his rider. Faranth had actually been the last dragon to hatch in the first clutch. No matter, she had still become the Senior Queen of the first Weyr. Solely because the first riders had chosen Sean Connell to be their leader and Faranth's rider had been his wife.

D'ram never tired of reading the histories. He was caught up in reading about the untimely death of Marco Galliani and his brown Duluth the first time they went between when an alarm sounded.

D'ram closed the file and examined the interface board. The Yokohama had picked up a burst of X-rays.

He queried the mainframe asking for possible causes for the burst. The computer's answer had disturbing implications.

The burst was estimated to have originated eighty million miles out in space. The computer was unable to find a correlation of any natural phenomenon in a planetary system that would cause such a burst. Therefore the computer surmised it was very possible there was a ship with a star drive in the system. It could be that this burst was the result of entry from a realm of higher physics.

D'ram shook his head in wonder. Higher physics? Well their ancestors had had such technology. They themselves had exploded engines capable of such on the Red Star.

Tiroth, I need you to bespeak, Mnementh and Ruth. Tell them their riders are needed at Landing. Also tell Ruth that he should bring the Masterharper as well.

There was silence in D'ram's mind for a moment then Tiroth answered his rider.

I have told them. They say they will tell their riders and will come.

Thank you old friend.


Starship Bonaventure

"Course and speed matched with the two objects. Now holding station keeping five kilometers from the nearest," reported the helmsman.

The science officer was already scanning. "No life signs detected. That's odd. It appears the main engines have been removed."

"Removed?" asked the captain, "or sheared off in an attack?"

"Detecting no traces of weapons signatures," replied Albright. "Looks like they were removed. No jagged edges, no burn marks. They're just gone."

"Helm, can you get us an angle so we can identify these ships?" This was damned peculiar. Captain Brandt didn't like such mysteries 200 light years from home.

"Yes, Sir," responded the helm. The main viewer showed them maneuvering and then a clear shot at one of the ships. FSS Bahrain. Then the helmsman performed more maneuvering and a second name was visible on a metal hull. FSS Buenos Aires. FSS, Federated Space Ship. According to the report these had been two of the colonizer ships on the Pern Expidition. Looked like these had been set to collide with the sun either by the owners or some other agency.

Well, they would go to Pern and if there was anyone left they would ask if they had deliberately set their own property on a destruction course. If not Bonaventure could come back and retrieve them for the inhabitants. If they had, well, they were their property to do with as they wished.

"Plot a course to the third planet and execute at half wave."

"Aye, Sir." The navigator had kept that course updated and ready to send to the helm at all times.

"Now on course for Pern, half wave," reported the helm.

So word was getting around. It had been Rukbat three. Now it was Pern. The captain wasn't too sure if this was a good thing. If it turned out that there was no one on that planet, morale was sure to suffer a bit.

When they arrived, the science officer reported, "Ship in orbit. Appears to be another colonizer. Main engine gone from this one too, same pattern.


Landing School

D'ram waited patiently running the mainframe through diagnostics to be sure that there was no system fault causing erroneous readings.

He heard the door open and turned to see F'lar.

"What's going on D'ram? Mnementh said Tiroth bespoke him saying you needed me at Landing."

"It would be better to wait for Jaxom and the Masterharper. That way I'll only have to explain once. I've had Tiroth tell Ruth that Jaxom and Masterharper Sebell were needed here too," D'ram told the weyrleader. "Ruth should be here shortly. He did have to go to the Harper hall and pick up Sebell. You just had to come straight here."

Ruth arrives with his rider and the Harper Tiroth reported to D'ram.

Sending his dragon a mental thank you, he said, "Tiroth informs me Ruth is here with the Masterharper."

"So Mnementh just told me."

Jaxom and the Masterharper arrived in the room shortly.

D'ram began to speak. "A little while ago the Yokohama detected a burst of X-rays. It appears they originated some eighty million miles out in space. The onboard mainframe has no correlation of any natural event in a solar system that could cause this. The mainframe therefore surmises it might have been the entry of a ship from a realm of higher physics. In other words a ship traveling faster than light."

F'lar's eyes were wide. The Masterharper looked a bit alarmed, but Jaxom was grinning from ear to ear.

"What are you so happy about young man?" asked Sebell.

"If that is an ship from our ancestors planet of origin, Earth, I think the Aivas records said, it would be great to show them that their colony survived."

"I'm not so sure that would be a good idea," mused Sebell. "From what I've read of the records, Pern isn't rich enough to be of any interest. So if there is an Earth ship out there, it begs the question why did they come here after 2500 turns of leaving us alone. They have to want something."

"Couldn't they just be explorers?" Jaxom wanted to know.

"If they are, they are not human," F'lar put in. "Humans haven't explored this system in 2500 turns. Why should they start now? No, I feel Sebell is correct. If they are from Earth, they want something. Assuming it is a ship and not something stranger."

A series of three beeps sounded from the console speaker. D'ram examined the interface and pushed a series of buttons. The main viewing screen lit up with a view of space.

"Yokohama is reporting spatial distortion waves. It seems like space itself is being distorted."

"Is Pern in any danger?" F'lar was becoming very concerned for his beloved Pern.

"Doesn't seem so," replied D'ram.

On the screen which didn't show anything out of the ordinary, a point of light began growing larger. It soon was obvious that whatever it was was not a star. It was growing larger or getting closer. When the object was close enough to resolve details, the three men gasped as one.

On the screen was a thick metal triangle, with what looked like a strut rising from the center of it onto which was attached a long tube. D'ram was working the interface controls.

"890 feet from point to base. 475 feet wide, 167 feet thick. Riser strut is 325 feet long. Tube is 420 feet long by 30 in diameter. Looks like there are windows. I would say that this is the cause. Reading antimatter emissions."


CSS Bonaventure

"Are there any life signs?" Brandt asked his science officer?

"No life signs."

"Can we download the database?" Brandt wanted to know what was going on and this seemed like the best way. A planetary orbit impossibly altered. Three missing Antimatter engines. This was getting stranger and stranger.

"That should be no problem, Captain," replied Albright.

"Then do it."

"Yes Sir. Beginning interface." The science officer's hands were playing over the controls in a lightening blur. "We're in. Download commencing."


Landing

D'ram was staring at the interface board in shock. Then he started pushing buttons. "Shells! They're downloading theYoko's database. I can't stop it!"

"Is there any way that this could go two ways?" asked the Masterharper. "If they can download ours, can't we download theirs?"

"Maybe, if I knew what I was doing," muttered D'ram. He worked more controls, "No. I get a passcode request. It was a good thought, Masterharper, but it won't work."

"This has to be a prelude to invasion." F'lar stated. "Gather all the facts you can before initiating hostilities. I've got to get back the the Weyr and prepare."

"Not necessarily, Weyrleader," the Masterharper said. "They could just want to know what they are going to face here. And of course they would want all information they can get before opening any negotiations."

"Do you honestly believe that?" It was clear F'lar didn't put much credence in that possibility.

"I don't know Lord F'lar. It could be as you say, but it would be short sighted of us to automatically assume they are hostile. You should return to the Weyr to prepare, but I strongly suggest you take no preemptive action."

"So long as they don't threaten the people of this planet I won't. But if they are here to negotiate, we will do so from a position of strength. If they are hostile, they will regret it. One conqueror was enough." F'lar was, of course referring to Fax. "I won't see my beautiful Pern subjugated by invaders from the stars."

The other three men nodded in agreement.

"Just don't attack unless they attack or an ultimatum is delivered, that's all I ask," Sebell requested. "We have a possible opportunity here. Let's not spoil it by being rash."

"Have you ever known me to be rash?" F'lar inquired.

"Never."

"That's right. But I am the chief protector of this planet and I will prepare for the worst. I fervently hope you are correct, Harper. But I can't afford to sit back and count on it." With that F'lar strode from the room to mount his dragon.

"He may well be right," D'ram stated.

"If he is, Faranth help us all," breathed Sebell.

"Well, I think maybe I should go to the Yoko, suit up and have a look up close at this ship. Let them see us too," suggested Jaxom.

"If they downloaded the ship's database, they know we have dragons. And dragons cannot fight in space. No air for flame." The Masterharper was not in favor of this idea.

"Maybe I could take Master Benelek of the Technicians Hall. He might be able to download their database." Jaxom wanted to do something.

"That might be helpful, but I'm not sure F'lar would authorize it."

"I don't need his authorization. I am a Lord Holder. I answer only to the Conclave."

"You also ride a dragon, which is under F'lar's auspices," reminded D'ram.

"I wouldn't be going as a dragonrider, but as a Lord Holder."

"He is correct, though," Sebell noted thoughtfully. "I would want to go along myself, if Ruth could carry three. F'lar isn't rash, but you can be at times, young man."

"I would be honored by your counsel, Masterharper." And so it was decided.