A/N: Welcome back. Here is the next installment. This story is going slightly AU. More like PU (Parallel Universe). Here is the next chapter of the story. Thanks to all the reviewers. They really brighten my day.
Disclaimer: The Dragonriders of Pern is copyrighted by Anne McCaffrey. This is fan fiction which garners the Author NO MONEY WHATSOEVER
Negotiations
Brandt sat back and contemplated the meal he had just finished. It was amazing what could be done with low-tech methods. The food had been excellent. And he was going to ask F'lar for a small sample of Klah beans or whatever it was brewed from. He wanted to see what the synthesizer could do with it. It was actually better than coffee.
D'vid had left some time ago, wanting to return to his dragon. It still amazed Brandt that that creature had chosen the young man to be his life partner.
Brandt noticed the others were finished with their meals and stood. The rest followed suit.
When F'lar noticed that the captain had gotten to his feet, he and Lessa made their way over to him.
"Did you enjoy your meal?" F'lar asked pleasantly?
"It was very good. We have food synthesizers and they get the flavors close, but there are some things they can't get just right. Spiced meat, for example. This is the best food we've had since leaving Earth."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Are you ready to resume negotiations?" asked F'lar.
"More than ready," replied the captain.
"Then let us retire to the council chamber," said Lessa. "I've told Ruth we're ready. He will inform Lord Jaxom who will tell the others."
As they were walking to the chamber, Brandt asked "You can really hear and speak to all the dragons?"
"Yes. Not many can. Brekke is another one who can. Good thing too, since her dragon died."
The Exec had missed that part of the records. If it had even been recorded. He winced. "And she lived? The records I read indicated a rider will often suicide if his or her dragon dies."
"We almost lost her," Lessa replied. "But the fact that she can hear all dragons makes up for it just a bit. Not enough of course, but having F'nor and Berd helps a lot and is a great comfort."
They arrived at the council chamber and went inside.
"She has a bird?" asked the Exec. "I didn't see anything in the files that indicate you keep birds for pets."
They sat down and Lessa chuckled. "No, not bird. Berd. Berd is her fire lizard. One moment."
She asked Ruth to have Berd come to the council chamber.
The little bronze fire lizard popped into existence above the table.
Russell had his sidearm out and aimed at the creature at once.
"Stand down, petty officer," Brandt ordered. "I don't think this little one is a threat."
"I see why you chose him as security," said F'lar. "I've never seen anyone move that fast. That weapon appeared to materialize in his hand."
"We do have rigorous training for our security personnel," responded the Exec.
Russell had replaced his weapon but was eyeing the fire lizard with suspicion. Anything that could teleport like that was a potential threat, and while he didn't see any claws, he assumed that they were sheathed. But that row of teeth looked very dangerous.
"That is Berd," said Lessa. "Brekke impressed him some eighteen turns ago or so. It's similar to the impression of a dragon but much less intense. The communication of fire lizard to human is mainly in pictures and feelings, not words as with a dragon. Or so I've been told. Don't have one myself."
"Fascinating," said Albright. "He looks like a miniature dragon."
"Yes," said F'lar. "According to the records we found in the Southern Continent that were left by our ancestors, the dragons were bred from the fire lizards. Something called 'bio-engineering' whatever that is."
Albright nodded. According to the records, this Kitti Ping person had been a genius who had studied with the Eridani. Those people had broken all contact when the civil war had broken out and still were wary of the Confederation. But then that was to be expected. They did, after all, take the long view and the war had only been over for two hundred years; barely a breath when they thought in terms of millennia for their projects.
"Ruth, please tell Berd he can go back to what he was doing," Lessa said aloud.
The little creature disappeared.
"Amazing." said Albright. Continuing he said, "Bio-engineering is the alteration of the DNA, that is the basic building blocks of life, to create a new species. I'm sure they considered the dragons an experiment. And if so it was one of the most successful experiments I've ever seen."
"An experiment!?" That was still a sore point with Lessa, although she had heard of this before.
"It would have had to have been an experiment," Albright replied "On Earth, dragons are mythical fire breathing creatures. From what I've read, Admiral Benden and Governor Boll, were two very pragmatic people. They must have found it very amusing when someone came to them and suggested engaging Kitti Ping on the work of creating dragons from an indigenous species."
"They obviously approved it, no matter how pragmatic they were," countered Lessa.
"Of course they did," replied the Exec. "They were facing failure of the colony by this thread menace. Finding solutions is what they were best at. It wouldn't surprise me if Benden or Boll thought of it themselves."
"The Artificial Intelligence Voice Activation System or Aivas, we found did say that Benden was an intelligent and caring leader," Lessa said. "That he encouraged and cared for his people at every turn."
"You have a working Aivas!?" Albright almost shouted.
"No longer. The machine terminated the AI routines shortly after the project to divert the Red star," said Lessa.
"Why wasn't this in the download?"
Lessa looked at F'lar then back at Albright and shrugged. "I have no idea. Maybe he erased the records of himself before he self terminated."
"I think maybe I can revive him," stated Albright.
"Not so sure that would be a good idea," riposted F'lar. "He terminated for a reason. I would say that his central directive had been fulfilled so he wanted to let us proceed on our own."
"I would still like to revive him. Just to talk to him. I can always terminate the AI routines again afterwards." Albright looked at his captain.
"We'll see, Mr. Albright," responded the captain.
The door opened and Jaxom, Groghe, Larad, and Ranrel walked in, followed by Sebell.
F'lar, Lessa and the landing party all stood.
"My Lords, Masterharper, thank you for coming," F'lar said formally.
"Of course we would come," replied Groghe. When you said there were spacemen here who wanted to negotiate for something we have that they need, I don't know anything that could keep us away."
F'lar introduced the Lords and Sebell to the landing party and indicated everyone should sit.
"The good captain has been sent here to procure Numbweed seeds." He told them what Brandt had told him about the cause for the need.
"Why now?" asked Groghe. "Why wait so long? Earth thinks it can abandon us and then come begging when it needs something?"
"We are hardly begging, Lord Groghe," responded the captain. "We are here to negotiate in good faith for the seeds.
"As for why we waited so long, it was thought that everyone had died and the colony here had failed. I personally think the former government, The Federation of Sentient Planets was guilty of criminal negligence, but they were known for abandoning colonies. And when they did send help the cost was extreme."
"So maybe our ancestors were lucky they didn't send help," reasoned Sebell.
"I would say so. Although if they had, they would have found that help wasn't required. And that could have brought unwanted attention to the colony."
The old lord, Larad, was nodding. "I quite agree. It's hardly fair for you to blame the captain for something a government did twenty five hundred turns ago, Groghe. I'd like to hear what you are offering in return for the seeds."
"I don't know what we can offer, my Lord," replied the captain. "I assume your Charter has the force of law."
"It does, Captain," Sebell said.
"Then I really don't know. I've read the Charter and it states you are not to have any technology your ancestors didn't have unless you develop it yourselves."
"How about medical knowledge," suggested Sebell. "I'm sure the Charter wasn't meant to be a hindrance."
"I would be more than willing to let our Chief Medical Officer talk to your healers, but much of our medical science is based on instrumentation. That falls under technology your ancestors didn't have."
They sat in silence for a moment.
Then Jaxom heard Ruth. Why do humans have to make everything so complicated? Can't they destroy the thread eggs that are still in orbit?
Jaxom's eyes were wide. Thank you, dear heart. I'll ask.
"I have a suggestion," Jaxom said. "Or actually Ruth, my dragon does."
Lessa had heard what Ruth said and was chuckling. Oh that little white dragon was clever.
"Well, let's hear it, Jaxom," stated Ranrel.
"Your ship does have weapons, doesn't it captain?"
"Of course," responded the captain. "We are a peaceful confederation, but we are always prepared to defend ourselves."
"Can't you destroy the thread ovoids that remain in orbit?"
All the Pernese present with the exception of Lessa stared in open mouthed astonishment at Jaxom. This was something they had totally missed. They all looked to the captain.
"I don't know about all, but we could most likely get a good portion. But before I even consider this, I have to ask; What about the dragons?"
F'lar, Lessa, and Jaxom were staring at Brandt with wide eyes. F'lar's respect for the captain was growing by leaps and bounds. He would think of their dragons before he thought of his mission? What kind of people were these anyway?
The three lords were looking askance at the captain. Sebell was frowning, but in thought, not disapproval.
Groghe gave voice to his disapproval. "What do you care so long as you get your seeds?"
"I care, my Lord," replied Brandt, "because in the second place, one of my security crewmen impressed a dragon. I have never seen such joy as I saw on the face of that young man when he looked into that little dragon's eyes.
"But in the first place, it is obvious that dragons are sentient beings and as such..."
"We don't understand sentient, Captain," Sebell interrupted.
"It means they are people. With the same rights as you and me," said Brandt.
F'lar's mouth dropped open. This man was so insightful. How could he come to this conclusion? F'lar agreed with him, of course, but to have a person who was not born on Pern and unfamiliar with their culture realize that dragons were people was staggering. Not even the Lords considered them people; except Jaxom of course, but then he rode a dragon.
Groghe laughed out loud. "People!?" he scoffed. "Are you sure you didn't have too much wine at the post hatching feast, sir? Any one with eyes can see they are not human."
"You are correct, my Lord," Brandt allowed. "They are not human. The woman who engineered them studied with and acquired the skills to do so from the inhabitants of Epsilon Eridani. They are not human. But they are people. What we would call aliens, but then they would consider us aliens. The Confederation of Sentient States does not consider physical form in determining whether a creature is an animal or a person.
"The Confederation categorizes animate life forms in two classifications. Animals and People. Animals cannot communicate abstract ideas. Animals cannot converse with others not of their species and only in a limited way with those of their species.
"Let's first take the example of your peer. Lord Jaxom proposed an action we could take to pay for the seeds. He credited it to his dragon, Ruth. Will you call him a liar?"
All Pernese shook their heads.
"So we conclude that Ruth actually came up with this plan. This is an abstract idea. He communicated this idea to Lord Jaxom. An animal could not have done that.
"Second, my crewman David Carstairs, who has taken the name D'vid told us his dragon told him he would follow him anywhere. Even beyond Between. I assume this means the dragon would follow him into death. The records we downloaded so indicate. This is an abstract concept that was communicated to D'vid. If his dragon, Sulanth, had been merely an animal, he could not have done this.
"Mr. Robbins, Record the following and send to the shuttle for transmission to the Boneventure.
"This is Captain Jackson R. Brandt, Identification number 325-4723-327SL recording. I hereby officially recognize and declare in the name of The Confederation of Sentient States that the Dragons of Pern, third planet of the star designated Rukbat are Sentient beings with all the rights there pertaining. End recording."
"Your statement has been recorded and sent to the computer on the shuttle," Robbins informed him.
"Now, my hands are tied. I cannot do anything that would endanger the dragons as a race."
F'lar stared at Brandt in awe. He had just endangered his mission for a principle. It was obvious that this was a man of character and convictions. And to think he had once thought these people were invaders. He shook his head.
Jaxom was just as impressed as was Lessa and Sebell. The other Lords had scowls on their faces.
"Will your Confederation consider this binding?" F'lar asked. "I mean, you said it but you are only one man."
The Exec answered this for the captain. "The Confederation does not give command of starships to people it doesn't trust. A starship captain has the authority to negotiate treaties. If a captain declares a race is sentient, the Confederation is bound by that declaration."
F'lar shook his head again. "You are a good man, Captain," he said, "but I cannot allow your declaration to influence me, even though you have no idea how much it means to me. Ending thread has been the Weyr objective since before there were Weyrs. And all this does is speed things up just a bit. There will not be another pass. Once the ovoids in orbit are exhausted, the Red Star won't pass close enough to drop thread when it comes around again."
"Then what will the dragons do?" asked Robbins.
"There is work for dragons that doesn't entail them risking themselves fighting thread. We can transport passengers, parcels and freight for fees."
"Now wait just a minute," Larad interjected. "The next thing you'll be doing is carrying letters. I cannot approve that as the Master Runner Hall is in Telgar."
"Sure, we'll carry letters; for a mark apiece," F'lar informed him. "For that price you can send thirty two by runner. No dragon rider is going to carry anything for less than a mark."
Larad was nodding. "I have your word on this?"
"You do sir," F'lar replied. "You have three Lords and the Masterharper as witnesses."
"I have no objections then," said Larad.
"Will you give the Fishercraft the same consideration when it comes to passengers, freight and parcels?" Ranrel wanted to know.
"Of course, my Lord. It will always cost more to go by dragon than by ship. And it should. A ship can take three sevendays or more. A dragon will take less than ten minutes," F'lar assured him. "You have my word just as Larad has my word."
"That is acceptable then," Ranrel allowed.
"What about conveying Lords to Conclave?" Groghe wanted to know. "Will we be charged the same rate as other passengers?"
"No, I think we can give the Lords a discount for conveyance to Council. Say two marks each way per passenger? Four marks per passenger total?"
"Four marks!?" Groghe, Ranrel and Larad chorused. "That's outrageous," said Groghe.
"Hardly, my Lord," replied F'lar. "You pay much, much more than that now in tithes. Would you leave us with nothing?"
"Four marks for a round trip on council business seems very reasonable, seeing as there will be no more tithes." stated Sebell. He fixed each one with a stare. The lords found themselves squirming under such scrutiny.
"Very well," said Groghe. "Just surprised us is all."
"So you see, Captain," said F'lar. "You don't need to worry about the dragons."
"Well, in that case, I need to go back to the shuttle and contact my ship," Brandt told them. "If we can destroy most of them, would this be adequate payment for the seeds?"
"I think it would, sir," responded F'lar. He looked at the other lords who were nodding.
"Very well, I think we can adjourn for now. I'll show you the way back to your shuttle," said F'lar.