"How long?" Ryeena asked; the other healer-riders gathering closer.
"Maybe a sevenday," I muttered, clipping the satphone back on my belt.
"Do we know anything about it yet?" someone nervously inquired.
"Approximately 5 kilometers in length, half that in diameter," I reported, pulling up the initial sensor readouts on my wrist computer. "An S-type, or stony asteroid. Projected mass 50.5 billion metric tons."
"By the First Egg!" many of the healer-riders gasped.
"An impact with an object that massive would overwhelm the hospital's deflector shield," I sighed, scanning the worried faces around me. "The resultant impact and energy released would most likely trigger a planetwide life extinction event."
"Isn't there anything we can do?" someone at the back frantically begged.
I nodded. "Our dragons have already demonstrated they can teleport an object as massive as the Buenos Aires and the Bahrain. We may be able to do the same thing with the asteroid, but it's going to take every single dragon and rider on Pern to pull it off."
"You can count on us, Dana," B'gon declared, raising his clenched fist in the air.
"Aye!" the other all chimed in, mirroring the raised fist.
Forty eight hours later, thanks to the inestimable efforts of Rill, Telsa, and Neela aboard the three colony ships, we had a better idea of what we were up against and an urgent meeting of all the Weyrleaders and Weyrwomen was called at Landing.
"The holders aren't going to like it," Lessa muttered when I explained that it would likely take every single dragon and rider on Pern to shift the 50.5 billion metric ton rock to the far side of the planet.
"Fortunately for everyone concerned," Rill reported, having come down from the Yoko to give her report in person, "our window of opportunity coincides with a period where Thread won't fall anywhere on Pern that it could do harm."
"That's a relief," F'lar sighed.
"But our timing has to be absolutely flawless," I cautioned everyone.
"Why?" Weyrleader T'bor wondered.
"First, the asteroid has already been captured by Pern's gravitational pull," I explained, bringing up a holovid projection of the local system and the asteroid. "That means, with each passing second, it's slowly accelerating, gaining speed, drawing closer." Shaking my head, I muttered, "If we had known about Kenjo-san's mural or had been scanning for the asteroid immediately following those earlier meteor strikes, we'd've had a lot more time to prepare. But now, this late in the game, we've lost the advantage the additional time would've given us. Our margin of error is now down to just about zero."
Murmurs of concern swept through the gathering.
"Given the amount of time we'll have to spend in the vacuum of space in order to pull this off," I explained, gesturing at the holoprojection Rill had prepared, "the dragons will be suffering mild to moderate oxygen deprivation by the time it's over. They will need time to recover once the operation is complete if they are to rise the next day to battle Thread."
"We can't afford a single mistake," Rill chimed in, her expression grimly serious. "If we don't get it right on the first try, we won't have time to reset… and Pern will be destroyed."
"It's impossible!" G'dened groaned, his hand slapping the table in frustration.
"We thought moving the colony ships' power cores was impossible," F'lar grimly responded, his gaze meeting mine, "until we did it."
"We thought shifting the colony ships was impossible," Kara spoke up, a slow grin spreading on her face, "until we did it."
"You all thought bringing an end to Threadfall was impossible, too," I spoke, smiling as I glanced about the room, "and yet, every sensor report from AIVAS and the Yokohama point conclusively to the fact that this will be the last Pass ever on Pern!"
That brought a few cheers from those present; smiles from the two Benden leaders who had been instrumental in bringing that about.
"I admit the challenge we face is daunting," I went on, meeting each and every gaze, "but I've also seen our dragons pulling off seemingly impossible feats. That's the key. If we believe we can do this, so will our dragons… and we will save Pern!"
All around me, the room erupted in cheers and applause, several people coming forward to either give me a hug or a thump on the back. They were convinced. Now we just had to fit desire to action!
Rill and her team were a big help with that. Using the high-rez long-range cameras attached to the ships' telescopes, we were able to identify several very prominent features on the surface of Shi No Hakobi-te, aided by the asteroid's own tumbling motion. Four days out from impact, armed with this info, Tarnaa and I made the first leap across the vastness of space to the surface of the asteroid. Once oriented, we made a second shorter jump away from the asteroid to give us a better overall closeup view of our quarry. Once Tarnaa relayed her position to the others, the space around Kenjo's 'Bringer Of Death' was quickly filled with every single dragon and rider from Pern; each one determined to put an end to the threat the asteroid posed.
"Pick your spot carefully!" I instructed over the suit radio. "Jump between down to the asteroid's surface, then use your wrist computers to mark your spot. Be quick! We can't stay here too long!"
Groups of dragons vanished from sight. Within seconds, Tarnaa and I were alone in our observation position. Checking my wrist computer, I saw green dots lighting up the surface model Rill and her team were able to provide us. In moments, a uniform spread of dots had completely lit up the model.
"That's got it!" I radioed. "Fix your individual locations in your mind. Make certain you know exactly where you will be returning to. Be sure you take into account that the asteroid will be tumbling. Once you're sure you have it, return to Landing!"
There were plenty of 'got it' and 'roger that' and 'aye aye' before the dots on my wrist computer vanished.
Time for us to get back, my heart, I soundly spoke, slapping her on the neck.
With that, the two of us rejoined everyone else back at Landing.
"So, what's the plan, Dana?" N'ton asked as all the riders reconvened in the restored Admin building back at Landing.
"The asteroid will be in a different position than today," I explained, pointing to the holovid simulation of the massive space rock and its projected track. "We'll do like we did today. Tarnaa and I will go ahead to get into the observation position then signal for all of you. Once you reach our location, sight your designated grappling point and get in position. Don't wait for my orders. When you're locked down, press the ready button on your wrist computer. I'll be monitoring from the observation point. When everyone's ready, I'll give you a five-second countdown before we make the jump between. If all goes according to plan, we should emerge on the far side of Pern. Once I've confirmed that everyone is accounted for, I'll give you the signal to jump clear of the asteroid…"
"And then our dragons can give that damned rock a good, swift goodbye kick in the ass with their TK!" D'ren growled, banging his fist emphatically on the table in front of him.
"Aye!" many of the other riders cheered, raising their fists in the air.
The dragons even got into the act, bugling their challenge to the asteroid from just outside.
"For now, get some rest," I instructed everyone. "We make the jump at dawn!"
"Worried?" Darla asked, coming up beside me as the meeting let out, the chatter between all the other riders heartening as they filed out.
"There's a lot of unknown here, Darla," I sighed, turning to her. "But I have to stay positive, to believe that we can pull this off."
"We will, Masterhealer," she assured me, giving my shoulder a companionable squeeze. "I can feel it!"
That night, my sleep was filled with a most curious dream. Bright balls and beams of light flashing past me, striking the asteroid, reducing it to so much cosmic dust. Was it just a manifestation of my overwhelming desire to help save Pern from certain destruction… or could there be something more significant behind it?
A premonition?
Bright and early the next day, nearly an hour before dawn, I put in a brief appearance back at Robinton Cove. Master Oldive and many of his journeymen and women had come down from the Northern Continent to relieve the healer-riders of the Cove so that they could participate in this monumental undertaking.
"Take care of the asteroid, Dana," Oldive assured me. "Rest assured, we'll see to things here."
"Count on it!" Audiva chimed in, thumping me on the shoulder.
I made it back to Landing just as the sun was coming up. As Tarnaa and I winged in to a landing near the Admin building, the entire plateau was covered with dragons as far as the eye could see. Every rider was suiting up, donning the refurbished spacesuits we had discovered in storage aboard the three colony ships. The dragonthought that swirled through the air was greatly heartening.
Ducking into the Admin building, I emerged moments later wearing my own spacesuit. With deliberate care and extraordinary scrutiny, I went up and down the lines of riders, making absolutely certain every single spacesuit was properly fitted and functioning before I climbed aboard Tarnaa, fastening myself into her safety harness.
"Radio check!" I called out over my suit's radio.
Every rider mounted up, clipping themselves into their own dragon's safety harness before giving me a thumbs up.
"Let's do this!" I shouted, pumping my fist in the air.
Tarnaa took off first, followed closely by all the other dragons and riders. Once everyone was safely airborne, Tarnaa and I vanished between, emerging seconds later a short distance away from Shi No Hakobi-te. A quick check of my wrist computer showed our positional coordinates were well within tolerance.
Now, my heart.
A silent call later and the space around the two of us was fairly bursting with dragons and riders. As ordered, they didn't linger; each dragon and rider pair jumping between almost immediately to take up their assigned position on the tumbling asteroid. As I watched my wrist computer, the model of 'Bringer Of Death' lit up with little green dots until the entire surface of the asteroid was covered with them.
I could tell Tarnaa wanted to join the others, but we had to be the eyes for all the others in order to pull this off successfully. We would need a long-distance unobstructed view of Pern and the approaching asteroid, and that meant…
Take us to the Yoko, my heart.
The two of us vanished between, emerging seconds later right next to the Yokohama, close enough that Tarnaa was able to reach out and secure a grip to the Yoko's superstructure so we wouldn't drift away.
"Masterhealer," AIVAS unexpectedly radioed from Landing, his tone urgent, "sensors have detected a vessel entering the Pern system, approaching fast."
"Identity?" I inquired.
"Too far away yet to determine," came the reply.
"We'll deal with that later," I decided, double-checking my wrist computer. "We can't wait on this. Shifting team! Make the jump on my mark! Five… four… three… two… one… MARK!"
For what seemed like several heartbeats… but was probably just one… nothing changed. Then, abruptly, the 'Bringer Of Death' vanished from sight. With a whooshing gush, I let out the breath I'd been holding as Shi No Hakobi-te, escorted by the dragons and riders of Pern, emerged seconds later on the far side of the planet!
"Whoo hoo!" I bellowed, thoroughly delighted, pumping my fist in the air. "We did it! BY THE FIRST EGG, WE DID IT!"
Tarnaa!
My dragon didn't need any further urging. We jumped between, emerging seconds later at the agreed to checkpoint near the repositioned asteroid.
"Shifting team, report!" I radioed.
For several seconds, nothing but silence. Then…
"Looks like we're all in one piece, Dana!" Rill reported, the excitement and relief plain in her voice. "Sharding hell, we actually did it!"
"Masterhealer," AIVAS interrupted, "approaching vessel positively identified as a Federation dreadnought, closing fast."
"What?!"
Ancestors, what was a Federation vessel doing here?
"Dragonriders, this is the Federation vessel Wolfhound!" I suddenly heard over my radio. "Move clear! We're preparing to fire!"
Captain Morgan's ship?! Glancing frantically about, I finally spotted the massive form of the Federation vessel above and behind us, the light from nearby Rukbat reflecting off its hull as the protective covers over the weapons ports retracted!
Tarnaa!
In a single heartbeat, every dragon positioned around the asteroid vanished from sight. Seconds later, the space around Tarnaa and I became filled with every single dragon and rider; clinging to each other in order to keep from drifting away. With a shock as keen as pain, I suddenly realized I had been forewarned about what was going to happen… thanks to my prescient gift!
"Wolfhound!" I radioed, quickly checking my wrist computer. "We're clear! Bring it!"
Plasma torpedoes roared out of the Wolfhound's launch tubes, nearly a dozen in all. Close on their heels, the Wolfhound also let loose with its blasters, infinitely larger and more powerful than my simple sidearm, the beams reaching the asteroid at the same moment as the torpedoes!
Thanks to the automatic light dampening protective feature of my spacesuit's face shield, I was spared the worst of the brilliant flash of light that resulted. Slowly, the opacity of my visor returned to normal, revealing that Shi No Hakobi-te had been replaced by a rapidly expanding ball of plasma that quickly dispersed; scattered to the heavens by the solar wind.
There is no sound in the vacuum of space, but I saw every single dragonrider vigorously pumping their fists over their heads or pounding the necks of their dragons in a clear display of celebration and triumph.
"Nice shootin', Tex!" I called over the radio.
"Did you have any doubt?" a familiar voice answered back.
"Dav?!" I gasped, hardly believing. "By the sacred waters!"
"And who do you think was working the targeting computer, ch'hin?" another equally familiar voice chimed in.
"Key!" I sobbed, droplets of tears floating around inside my helmet.
"We spotted the asteroid as we were approaching the Rukbat system," Captain Morgan chimed in. "Our science team determined it was on a direct collision course with your world. We were afraid we wouldn't get there in time to help."
"And then we saw the whole damned thing suddenly jump across space like a Meldrovian flea!" Dav chuckled. "It was your dragons, wasn't it?"
It was all I could do to keep from bursting out laughing over the sudden sense of relief I felt.
"Ancestors, it's great to hear your voices again," I wept, amazed at how steady my voice sounded considering the sudden flood of emotions I felt. "But we'll talk later! All riders, mission accomplished! Return to Landing! Wolfhound, we'll meet you there!"
"Copy that, Angel Zero One," Captain Morgan acknowledged. "Well done, dragonriders! We'll see you soon!"
Dragons and riders vanished en masse, materializing seconds later in the skies above the Ancients' first home, Landing! As the great beasts slowly settled to ground, even with our helmets in place, you could still hear the crowd of people there cheering like mad!
"We did it!" I whispered, tears pouring down my face. "We actually did it!"
I wasn't worried, Tarnaa calmly responded, reaching back to gently nuzzle my leg.
As helmets came off, the cheering only got louder. Everyone was celebrating our success. I was nearly unseated when Tarnaa reared back, joining her voice to the other dragons as they all bugled their own cheer of success! I was torn between laughing and sobbing out loud as I tenderly pounded my lifemate on the neck.
Soon, the air above us was alive with thousands of fire lizards, our own and plenty of their wild cousins. Goldie landed on my shoulder, chittering like mad, broadcasting her love and pride in what we had accomplished. As I glanced about, seeing the jubilation mirrored on all the faces around me, I felt certain Kenjo Fusaiyuki would've been proud!
Then came the twin sonic booms, announcing the arrival of our friends from the Federation; their actions in eliminating the 'Bringer Of Death' sparing Pern from ever having to deal with it again. A pity we couldn't do the same to the Red Star, but the difference in scale between a good-sized planetoid and a mere asteroid rendered that possibility unfeasible.
Those assembled at Landing erupted into boisterous cheers and thunderous applause as the Federation shuttle made a pinpoint hover landing in what used to be one of the parking stubs for the Ancients' own vessels. The crowd swarmed the vessel, the cheers and applause continuing as the side hatch slid open; Captain Morgan and my two companions, Dav and Key, disembarking.
"Couldn't stay away, eh?" I asked, giving my two Star Service friends each a hug.
"Wait a sec," I spoke, noting a change in the Wolfhound commander's uniform. "Those aren't captain's epaulettes."
"It's Admiral now!" Dav responded, grinning broadly. "When the PTBs back at headquarters finally heard about the Exiles incident, they practically fell all over themselves in their rush to promote him!"
And he wasn't the only one sporting new rank insignias.
"You two?!" I gasped, pointing at Dav and Key. "Commanders now?!"
Grinning broadly, my two friends nodded.
"For our work assisting the Pernese citizens during the Exiles crisis, ch'hin," Keymon quietly admitted.
"You should've seen their reaction, Skipper," Dav chuckled, pounding me on the back. "They were absolutely flummoxed when they learned that the colony had actually survived!"
Chuckling, I replied, "Wish I'd been there to see that!"
Turning to Admiral Morgan, I told him, "Everyone on Pern is deeply indebted to you, sir, for what you and your crew did just now. Still, I can't help wondering what brought you all back to Pern so soon!"
"We're here at the behest of an old friend of yours, Sterling," the Admiral replied, grinning broadly.
"The Matriarch, ch'hin," Key responded, laying his furry paw gently on my shoulder. "She has offered to sponsor Pern and to serve as your intermediary and mentor as your people reconnect with the Federation!"
"By the Fire Falls of Firlea!" I gasped, backing up a step.
The crowd's reaction was far more energetic… cheers, applause, shouts, and whistling all signified how excited they all were at the possibility this presented.
"And the Wolfhound?"
"It's been recommissioned as the flagship of a fleet of vessels being dispatched as the first Pern Defense Force," Admiral Morgan proudly declared.
"A fleet?!" I gasped, staggering back several more steps. "How many?"
"Nearly a dozen in all, Skipper!" Dav responded, laying his hand on my other shoulder. "Federation, Aquilan, and Kendite!"
"Ancestors!" I whispered, glancing up at the beaming faces of my two Star Service friends. "You're serious?!"
"Now would we lie to you, my friend?" Keymon asked, glancing first at Dav then at me.
"Not in a million lifetimes!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms around their necks, hugging them tightly.
"There's more, Sterling," Admiral Morgan injected, holding up a holoprojector.
As the recording it contained began to play, the face of the Kendite Matriarch appeared, saying, "My precious child, you continue to amaze me. When first I saw the recording your two friends made of that… Threadfall thing, I nearly lost my lunch… even after they warned me how graphic it was! But when I heard you were the one behind the effort to save your people from destruction, I knew precisely where you could best serve your people during its reintroduction to the Federation. To that end, I am asking you to serve as the ambassador of your people in its dealings with the Kendites… and the Federation. When you have made your decision, please let Admiral Morgan know and he will forward it directly to me. Please take care of yourself, my precious ch'hin. I look forward to the day we see each other again!"
The holoprojection faded out, leaving the crowd around us silent with expectation.
"There's one more thing," Admiral Morgan announced.
Mutely, I turned his way, my stunned speechless voice too overwhelmed to respond.
"The Matriarch has put her own personal cruiser," Key explained, grinning from ear-to-ear, "'Firlea's Fury', at your disposal, Ambassador!"
"Am… am… amba… ambassador?!" I barely managed to squeak, my knees threatening to give way.
"And why not?" Lessa remarked, coming up to us. "Who else on Pern has more knowledge of the workings of this Federation of yours than you do?"
"Lessa's right, Dana," Ryeena added, giving my arm a hug. "There's no one else on Pern who is qualified… except for you!"
"But the hospital!" I wept, glancing off in the direction of Robinton Cove.
"Will continue," B'gon declared, clapping me on the back. "You kept your promise to Master Robinton… passing on all your healing knowledge and more! You did one hell of a job training us. Don't worry, Boss. We'll be fine!"
"You!"
Whirling at the sound of that all-too-familiar voice, I couldn't help gasping as Jolara stepped out of the shuttle, charging straight at me!
Fists and feet began to fly, the two of us doing an intricate martial arts combat dance. My opponent had a significant advantage, encumbered as I was by the spacesuit I still wore. When we paused a moment to catch our breaths, some of the dragonriders rushed forward to restrain my antagonist, but…
"No!" I ordered, waving them back. "It's alright."
"At first, I didn't believe the story," Jolara chuckled, planting one of her fists on her hip, "about your change. But there's no denying that's you in there, Sterling."
"What's this all about?" Lessa demanded, coming up beside me.
"Jolara and I didn't exactly…" I mumbled, shaking my head, "get along."
"Friend of yours?" Jolara wondered, sizing Lessa up.
I nodded.
"Relax, sweets, I had to be sure," she said to Benden's Weyrwoman.
"What do you mean?" F'lar demanded, joining his weyrmate. "Explain yourself!"
"Through all the grueling martial arts and hand-to-hand combat training we went through at the Academy," Jolara sighed, nodding in my direction, "there was only one person I could never best." Chuckling, with a gentle thump to my shoulder, she added, "I'm glad that hasn't changed."
"Jolara, about that day…"
Her hand on my mouth cut me off.
"The only one who should be apologizing is me," she muttered, genuine contrition in her voice, making me gasp. "If not for you, I'd've never learned that my ancestor had actually survived."
"Your ancestor?" Ryeena wondered aloud. "Who?"
Looking straight at me, Jolara replied, "Emily Boll."
"By the First Egg!" I hissed.
"My great great two-thousand years removed grandma," Jolara admitted, grinning shyly. "There were always stories about her among our family, but we all believed she had mysteriously died somewhere out in space all those years ago! Thanks to you and your two friends, we now have something we can truly be proud of!" Gently, even tenderly, she planted a kiss on my blushing cheek. "Thank you!"
"You're welcome!" I whispered; fresh tears falling from my eyes.
Overwhelmed by everything that was happening, my knees gave way. Thankfully, the reflexes of my two friends were more than up to the task.
"I think the new Pern ambassador has had a little too much excitement for one day!" Dav laughed, giving my arm a hug.
"Perhaps we should find her somewhere to rest and recover!" Key chuckled, grinning down at me.
"I know just the place," Lessa chimed in, smiling as she pointed off to the Quonset hut that had briefly been my home following the reading of Master Robinton's will.
"Then allow me," another familiar voice spoke up.
Before I knew what was happening, strong, incredibly muscular arms swept me up off my feet. When I turned to see who it was, the face I beheld belonged to none other than…
"Temerk?!" I gasped, staring in wonder at my gargantuan Denebian friend from the Star Service. "What are you… how did you… why are you here? What's going on?"
That's when I noticed the Med Corps logo on his uniform. "You?! A med tech?!"
"Yes," he chuckled, following Lessa over to the Quonset hut. "Why does that surprise you?"
"Well, I don't know," I was forced to admit, ducking as Lessa led us into the Quonset hut through the larger access door. "I just thought… that is, I…" Looking up into his kindly smiling face, I whispered, "You're just so damned big!"
"With a surprisingly gentle touch, according to his instructors," Admiral Morgan said as Temerk aptly demonstrated by ever so gently setting me down on the bed before pulling the blanket up over me.
"So, then," Temerk remarked, kneeling beside the bed so he could check my pulse, "to use an old Earth expression… 'Physician, heal thyself!'" Chuckling softly, he added, "Never pictured you for the medical type."
"Life, at times, my gentle Denebian friend," I sighed, smiling warmly up at him, "can be filled with unseen paths that we occasionally stumble across."
"Thankfully," Darla chimed in, coming up beside Temerk, "Dana answered that call when it came to her. Many of us here on Pern are alive and whole once more because of her."
"Indeed," Lessa added. "And her star travelling knowledge and experience definitely played a role in saving the people of Pern from the Exiles crisis."
Gently, Tarnaa pushed her way through the crowd, getting comfortable beside the bed, her head resting on my lap.
"We're not going anywhere for a while," Temerk commented, rising to his feet. "Time enough later for you to fill us in on all the details. Now get some rest. That's an order!"
"Aye, sir!" I laughed, settling back against the pillow as everyone else filed out.
The danger is past, lifemate, Tarnaa softly hummed, the warmth of her touch soothing. Sleep. You've earned it.
The hospital at Robinton Cove was safe. And the people of Pern had survived yet another disaster, thanks not only to all the dragons and riders, but also due in no small measure to the unexpected aide provided by my friends from the Federation. Comfortable and comforted, I surrendered to the exhaustion I had felt, and drifted easily off to sleep.