Chapter 11 - Landing Reborn (Star Port)

Healer-riders from Robinton Cove fanned out across the planet… stopping at every single hold, hall, and weyr… inoculating every citizen of Pern against the coronavirus.

"Pity we didn't have something like this back in Moreta's time," Ryeena sighed as she gently patted the nanite dispenser's surface. "Think of how many lives could've been saved back then."

"No argument there," I just as quietly replied, nodding.

Turning to me, Ryeena smiled, adding, "Sylene wants to be the next to make the trip to Pun Ch'lar. She can't stop talking about it after Glinalth shared images of the journey."

"Time enough for that later," I chuckled, giving my friend's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "We have work to do back at Landing!"

If a fleet of Federation vessels was being reassigned to Pern, they would need a base of operations on the planet's surface, and Landing seemed the ideal choice. It was, after all, where the Ancients had chosen to land!

The admin building quickly became the center of our refurbishment efforts. It would serve as the focal point and control center for all the Landing activities.

Still, one modification was made to the overall plan. After all, if I was to serve as Pern's ambassador to the Kendite people, then they would need an embassy… a Kendite embassy that would serve the needs of Key's people in helping the citizens of Pern in their reintroduction to the Federation and the Central Worlds.

While I was excited about the arrival of ships from across the Federation, I still had a few nagging worries. Admiral Morgan had called them the Pern Defense Force. What… or who… were they defending Pern from? That was one question I would need an answer to.

My other worry centered around the recent, rather volatile reaction by some members of Pern's society to the reintroduction of the Ancients' technology. As I had seen countless times in all the first contact missions Dav, Key, and I had participated in, there would always be those who resisted change… who, when taken to the extreme, were willing to die to preserve their old way of life rather than accept the changes. The simple technological advances we had thus far reintroduced had stirred up a firestorm of resistance, culminating in the recent Exiles incident.

The reaction to AIVAS had been bad enough. What would these same citizens of Pern think… or do… when confronted by something like one of the Courier Services' brainships? Well, no sense throwing fuel on the flame. Barring an unexpected visit by one of them, for now I would keep that knowledge to myself. Still, I was convinced that there were a few more adventurous souls among the Pernese citizenry who would welcome the chance to serve as a brainship's brawn… and explore the wonders of the galaxy! Possibly even a dragonrider! What a pairing that would make!

Wonder what Helva would think of dragonriders? I absently pondered.

I'd had the rare good fortune of actually meeting the first of the brainships. While it took me a moment to adjust my thinking to their existence, Helva proved to be a very congenial individual, in spite of her sleek titanium exterior!

I'm sure she would find us more than fascinating, Tarnaa responded.

I'm sure she would, I chuckled, adding a mental caress to my own dragon lifemate. How's the clutch?

Growing anxious to be united with their soon-to-be lifemates, she replied, a little impatience coming through.

It had been a month since Tarnaa had blooded her kill, the resulting mating flight culminating with Fellth proving the victor in outflying the other bronzes and winning over his lifemate. Now, he was seen constantly hovering around Tarnaa, no doubt just as anxious as she was about the eggs growing inside her. Kind of like new parents when they learn they are expecting.

Mating to clutching - twelve weeks or longer. Gestation on the sands - four to five weeks. Eggs: clutches normally range between 20 and 40 eggs, with larger queens producing larger clutches. We'd have to wait and see what Tarnaa's first mating flight would produce. Would any of her golden children inherit that rare gift of being able to breathe fire like their mother? Only Time would tell.

"Another three months, dear heart," I said aloud and sent at the same time as I gently caressed my own womb. "Soon your children will seek out and Impress their own riders. Me… I've got another eight months before I give birth to my first child!"

Who no doubt will be as beautiful as you, Tarnaa sent back, her thoughts overflowing with love and gratitude for the sacrifice I had made to save her from going between that seemingly ages ago Hatching Day.

"In the meantime," I chuckled, sending one more mental caress even as Goldie backwinged to a landing on my shoulder in search of her own caresses, "I've got work to do!"

Fortunately, with Landing being in the Southern Continent, there was no lack of warm sands for our dragons to curl up on. And, in addition to the vast Catherine Caves that the Ancients had hidden a lot of their invaluable treasures in, we found a secondary cave system that would serve as the Landing Hatching Grounds… once the entrance was widened somewhat by Masterminer Nicat and his team. I hated being away from Robinton Cove and the hospital there, but constant assurances from Master Oldive, Ryeena, and B'gon convinced me that I had indeed kept my promise to Master Robinton… to pass on all my healing knowledge to the people of Pern. And, thanks to the repositioning of the three colony ships, I was no farther away than a satphone call from anywhere on Pern if they felt my skills were needed.

"Better get my sorry ass back to work, Goldie," I chuckled, briefly patting the satphone hanging on my belt before reaching up to give her eye ridges a scratch, "else someone is going to come looking for me!"

Goldie merely snorted, curling her tail about my neck and settling in as I made my way back over to the Admin building.

First to be worked on were the landing strips at Landing. After almost three millennia, they were severely deteriorated. Thankfully, Master Fandarel uncovered excellent tutorials in AIVAS on the making of specific types of concrete and the use of rebar to reinforce the concrete and give it increased strength.

"AIVAS has been a godsend on this part of the project," he admitted, tapping the layout charts on the walls of the meeting room we were using in the Admin building. "I don't understand why I didn't think of the rebar reinforcement before."

Rascal snorted, rubbing his tiny head against the Mastersmith's burly cheek, almost seeming to say, You'd have thought of it sooner or later.

Chuckling, Fandarel hugged the tiny creature's head to his cheek, saying, "Don't know what I'd do without you, Rascal." Turning to me, he added, "Replacement of the landing strips, the landing pads, and the parking areas for the surface craft should be completed in another couple of months."

"That is welcome news, Mastersmith," I responded, giving his shoulder a gentle clout. "The Federation crews are getting antsy to explore Pern. With the airfield completed, they'll be able to bring their heavier surface craft down to explore and assist us with the rebuilding of Landing along with the Kendite embassy complex."

A distant longing came across the burly smith's face. "Oh, all the wonders that await. Think I'll ever get a chance to see them?"

"When your work here is complete, Master Fandarel," I chuckled, clapping him on the back, "I'm sure there are any number of ships in the Pern Defense Force that would be glad to indulge your curiosity!"

There was a major celebration the day the landing pads and runways were deemed ready for use. As if on cue, the heavy landing craft from the Pern Defense Force in orbit above the planet started to arrive, bringing the heavy equipment and personnel we would need to build the Kendite Embassy.

I was at the Admin building, supervising the efforts from my office there when an unexpected call came in on the vidcomm.

"Admiral Morgan!" I cheerily greeted the commander of the Federation vessel, Wolfhound. "You look well. What's up?"

"Just received a call from a Federation vessel," he replied, brows furrowed. "Records show its designation as XH-834 from the Courier Services."

"By the First Egg!" I gasped, eyes bugging out of my head. "You're certain of the designation?!"

"They're requesting permission to enter Pern space," Admiral Morgan added, "and permission to land."

Helva! What was she doing here?

"Well, it's a good thing we just cleared the runways and landing pads for use," I managed to say, gesturing off to one side. "Very well, Admiral. They're cleared to enter Pern space. Relay to the vessel that they'll be using heavy landing pad alpha. Inform the vessel that I'll be there to meet them personally."

"Roger that, Sterling," Admiral Morgan acknowledge. "Wolfhound out!"

"Something wrong, Dana?" Rill asked, noting the curious expression on my face.

"An old acquaintance," I managed to respond, more than a little concerned about this development considering what we had just gone through during the Exiles crisis. Rising from my desk after closing off the vidcomm, I added, "Better not keep them waiting."

Our first stop was the airfield tower, the best place to observe the comings and goings of all the craft at Landing. It was while I was discussing the situation with the air traffic controller that the call came in from the Courier Services vessel.

"Pern tower, this is Courier Services vessel XH-834," we all heard; the voice as feminine as I remembered. "Requesting landing clearance."

I nodded to the controller.

"Roger, XH-834," he responded, pressing a few buttons on his control console. "We've activated homing beacon. You're clear to heavy landing pad alpha, southwest corner of the landing field. Ambassador Sterling will be there to meet you."

"Copy all, Tower," the vessel responded. "Can't wait to meet her. Over and out!"

Moments later, the air was split by a sonic boom as the vessel descended into our atmosphere. The intense roar of its mighty engines rattled the windows of every building in Landing as XH-834 gently settled to the ground on heavy landing pad alpha. A host of gawking figures along with an abundance of 'Oohs!' and 'Wows!' filled the air as I made my way across the field to where the vessel waited. Once the fumes from the rocket's exhaust had dissipated, I made my way over to the craft; a host of the curious right behind me.

As I reached the foot of the landing fins of the sleek and beautiful craft… just as I remembered… a female shimmered into existence directly in front of me; the others backing away in surprise.

"Welcome to Pern, Courier Services vessel XH-834," I said in greeting, bowing to her. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Helva."

"Star Service P.I.C.?" she responded.

"One alpha niner two bravo zulu," I replied, grinning from ear to ear. "At least, while I was still in the Star Service."

"The entire Federation is buzzing with excitement," Helva responded, chuckling good naturedly. "First, when they learned that the Pern Colony had actually survived… and second, when they realized you were the one behind that incredible plan to save your world during the Exiles crisis."

"Thankfully, the Kendite Matriarch has agreed to be our sponsor with the Federation," I replied, nodding, "serving as our go-between as we slowly ease the people of Pern back into Federation society."

"I heard about that incredible transformation you underwent," Helva said, smiling and nodding. "I had to come see for myself."

"And?"

"It looks good on you! I approve!"

Glancing up at the vessel's access hatch, I asked, "Your brawn won't be joining us?"

A hurt look crossed Helva's face. "I lost my brawn several cycles ago to a heretofore unknown virus on one of the worlds we stopped at." Straightening as she looked at me, she added, "I have several important dispatches for the Kendite Matriarch. Is she still on-planet?"

"Right here, ch'lia," Zucanno Om Lis Malu replied, stepping up beside me.

"Eh pa namee ya ekar nu batas, zu ch'nev," Helva responded in perfect unbroken Kenditese. (It is good to see you again, my friend.)

"Hardly the place I was expecting to see you, ch'lia," the Matriarch chuckled, holding up her wrist-comm. "You have dispatches for me?"

Helva nodded. Moments later, the Matriarch's wrist-comm beeped, informing her that the dispatches had been downloaded.

"Thank you, my dear," the Matriarch responded. Then, a sorrowful expression on her face, she added, "Sorry to hear about the loss of your brawn."

"You lost a member of the crew?" one of the gawkers behind me asked. "You're the captain, then?"

"Much more than that," I responded, my gaze squarely on Helva. "What you see before you is known as a brainship."

"What's a brainship?" someone else asked.

"As a child, Helva was born severely deformed," I explained, tears beginning to fill my eyes. "Quite possibly would've died had the Federation and the Courier Services not offered her a chance to become a brainship."

"Wait! What does that mean?" yet another wondered.

"Become a brainship?!" someone else gasped, clearly disturbed by where their thoughts were going. "Are you telling me…"

I nodded. "The vessel you see before you is Helva's body."

Many gasped, several backing away at this revelation.

"How is that even possible?" another gawker whispered.

"Those parts of her body that were deformed were removed," the Matriarch explained. "Her vital organs were then placed within a stainless steel cylinder and implants were grafted to her remaining body, allowing her to interface directly with the ship. XH-834 essentially became Helva's body, allowing her far more freedom to move around than she would've enjoyed as a deformed cripple."

Briefly, I glanced behind me, taking in the expressions of the crowd that was there. I saw fear, uncertainty, even loathing.

Turning to the crowd, I asked them, "If your body was deformed or injured beyond use and you were offered a chance to experience the universe through another body… a mechanical body… would you take it?"

Uncertainty registered on many of the faces I saw in the crowd.

"The only life Helva would've had," I softly spoke, tears falling unashamedly from my face, "if she had not accepted the brainship offer would've been one of loneliness and misery." Glancing her way, I told the crowd, "She has been a good friend of mine all these many cycles. It just takes someone with an open mind, who can suspend their gut reactions, to accept Helva for what she is… a human… who just happens to have a spaceship for a body."

I turned to the Kendite Matriarch. "I had hoped to postpone this introduction until the rest of Pern had assimilated all that the Federation was offering."

"The Exiles crisis was a good measure of your people's fear of change, ch'lia," the Matriarch responded, coming to lay a paw on my shoulder. "But do not blame them for a lack of understanding. Many things are changing on your world. It will take time for them to grow accustomed to what's happening to their world."

"Ambassador, Matriarch, please forgive me," Helva apologized, bowing to us. "Had I been aware of the situation, I could've completed my mission while remaining in orbit."

"Do not apologize for your curiosity, ch'lia," the Matriarch chided her, smiling as she did. "It's one of your more endearing qualities!"

Just then, the air around Landing filled with hundreds of the winged protectors of Pern and their riders, and it was Helva's turn to gasp.

"Dragons?!" she squeaked, hardly believing as many of them came to ground within easy distance of the landing pad.

"I don't believe it!" one blue rider exclaimed as she hastily dismounted before running up to us. "A brainship!"

"How did…" Helva began, turning my way.

"Loreena is one of our more rabid AIVAS students," I chuckled, giving the blue rider a gentle hug. "She probably has the most open and unassuming temperament of any of the citizens of Pern. Loreena, say hello to Courier Services vessel, XH-834, also known as Helva!"

"Hi!" Loreena responded, reaching out her hand to shake Helva's then realized the image was only a projection.

"I remember the video," Helva said, meeting Loreena's gaze, "that Davar and Keymon made of you dragonriders fighting… what do you call it…"

"Thread!" Loreena easily replied.

"Yes," Helva spoke. "A truly amazing and inspiring thing to watch." Then, a glint in her eye, she asked, "Want to come aboard?"

Loreena gasped, turning my way. Smiling, I nodded permission.

"I'd love to!" she gushed, trying hard not to jump up and down in her excitement. "Can some of the others come, too?"

"The space inside is somewhat tight," Helva chuckled, gauging the size of the crowd of dragonriders. "Better keep it to a half dozen or less."

"K'ran, Leeta!" Loreena called out, waving to the other riders. "B'dar, Seenara! Let's go!"

The riders Loreena called out to came forward and, together, they followed Helva and Loreena to the descending boarding ramp of XH-834.

"I'm curious about something," Helva began. "I noticed how some of the riders have had their names shortened while you and the female riders have not. Why is that?"

The explanation faded to garbled whispers as those Helva invited aboard headed up the vessel's boarding ramp.

"It seems your worries were unfounded, ch'lia," the Matriarch chuckled as she laid her arm across my shoulders.

"I am still fearful, Mother Of Us All," I muttered, watching as the last of Helva's visitors disappeared through the hatch in the side of the craft. "The dragonriders are far more flexible and open-minded than some of Pern's more staunch followers of the old ways. Only Time will tell if this was a wise decision or not."

For several hours, Helva entertained her visitors aboard her vessel. She seemed to take a particular shine to Loreena. When she asked the blue rider if she'd like to see more of the universe, Loreena was reluctant to do so without her dragon.

"Then bring him along!" Helva suggested. "Between my onboard food replicators and stops at numerous worlds across the galaxy, we should be able to keep him fed!"

"I'd be your new brawn!" Loreena exclaimed, grinning at the possibilities. "What do you think, Ceruleth?"

We are one, lifemate, her dragon instantly replied. I go wherever you go!

Then you are more than welcome aboard! Helva responded telepathically, drawing startled gasps from both dragon and rider.

To Loreena, she added, "Having a far more mobile brawn could actually make my job that much easier. Sure you want to go?"

Vigorously, Loreena nodded.

"Then… welcome aboard, you two!"

The landing fields had been modernized and upgraded. The Kendite embassy was well on its way to completion. Landing was being reborn, turning into Pern's first ever star port. The future looked bright for the citizens of Pern, but I couldn't quite dislodge a nagging worry that the Abominators would once more surface, causing problems for the citizens of Pern.