It was a painful time for Akadeanna and her family… for all the inhabitants of Lua dos Dragões. A hunger for power had nearly destroyed their innocent acquaintance… the sentience that called itself Elara. Now they had to work even harder to rebuild the trust that had been lost.
Phon Tho Anaciliact, normally pacific in nature, was quite ruthless when dealing with the betrayal committed by the very ones who had been designated to enforce the laws that protect the legal rights of every sentient being in the galaxy… Collective Interplanetary Societies. It was a quick but thorough review, more than expected abruptly terminated from their jobs.
"I still cannot believe this could happen," Phon Tho sighed over the FTL comm link, tears visibly trickling down his cheeks.
"We prevented the worst possible outcome, my friend," Akadeanna radioed back, trying hard to be cheerful. "That's worth something on the scales of justice."
"Indeed," Phon agreed, wiping some of his tears away. "How goes the construction?"
Once word had gotten back to Pern about what had nearly happened, weyrfolk, holders, and crafters alike began to inquire about coming to Dragons Moon. Threadfall had mercifully and finally come to an end on Pern, and those with an interest in exploring space had sent word through their FSP liaison expressing an interest in setting up a new colony on Dragons Moon.
Admiral Sharpton, the new Fleet Admiral of the FSP, made one simple stipulation… those applying would be welcome on Dragons Moon… as long as Elara allowed it. Every last colonist from Pern who had applied was screened by the sentience. A few found that prospect deterring and withdrew their applications. Those who remained submitted to the evaluation. With much joy and relief, all were welcomed warmly by Elara… especially the dragons and their riders who had chosen to make a new home for themselves on Dragons Moon. It took the new colonists a while to grow accustomed to the looming presence of the gas giant, Sadr 6, but to a one they all expressed how grateful they were for the opportunity to explore new horizons and occupations that living on Dragons Moon would present.
"Moving along swimmingly," Akadeanna chuckled, recalling how some of the dolphins from Pern had also sought permission to come to Dragons Moon. "The seafaring holders and crafters from Pern are working to bring fish stocks up to viable levels. Hell, even the dolphins are getting into the act, reporting the shoal sizes they discover to the fishing captains."
"Glad to know," Phon Tho sighed, his expression softening at the news. "And your family, my dear? How fare they?"
"Luna was proud to teach Vance and Benth what they needed to know," Akadeanna replied, grinning broadly. "She nearly burst with pride the day Vance and Benth finally took to the skies."
"Planning to establish a weyr on Dragons Moon?"
"Actually, Elara broached that subject with F'lar and Lessa… wanted to know if they needed a volcanic crater for their home."
"Yes, as Petaybee showed us," Phon chuckled, "that would be within Elara's abilities to create! Any takers?"
"Surprisingly, none!" Akadeanna told him. "Guess the dragons are enjoying the vast open spaces too much… and they don't have to worry about the dangers of Thread anymore, either. Quite a few have actually started farms of their own, determined to never be dependent on tithing ever again."
"Good for them! And the tower?"
Akadeanna nodded. "Quite a few riders and dragons have expressed an interest in working in the Tower. Earth Prime is sending Talent testers to evaluate the applicants."
Just remember the final say so belongs with you, Sadr Prime!
Noting the momentary far-away look in her eyes, Phon asked, "Reidinger?"
Chuckling, Akadeanna nodded. "Personally, I think he's considering moving to Dragons Moon."
Not on your bloody life! Reidinger instantly retorted. Why do you think my office is so tightly closed up? I wouldn't be able to deal with the wide-open spaces of that place. As far as I'm concerned, you can have it!
Akadeanna burst out laughing, Phon Tho grinning in response.
When the Talent testers arrived on Dragons Moon, many of the Pern colonists felt more than a little trepidation. Quite a few of the dragons and riders wanted to assist with the Tower operations, but they'd never been tested before and were more than a little nervous about what they would discover.
Two of the dragon pairs quickly came to the fore during testing… F'lessan with his bronze, Golanth, and F'lessan's weyrmate, Tai, with her green Zaranth. Both humans measured to a T2 level in telepathy. Tai measured a surprising T3 for empathy, though this didn't surprise F'lessan. What surprised both was that they also tested high T3s for telekinesis, F'lessan when moving large objects and Tai when manipulating very small ones requiring precision of placement. Their dragons, Golanth and Zaranth, placed surprisingly high as T2s in both telepathy and telekinesis, the dragons complementing their riders' abilities… Golanth able to manipulate down to a very precise level and Zaranth easily able to move sizeable loads.
"Congratulations, you two," Akadeanna declared once their abilities had been determined, "you and your dragons! I think you'll make fine additions to the tower staff!"
"Shards, I was so nervous!" Tai confessed, wringing her hands.
I knew you would do well, lifemate, Zaranth rumbled, rubbing her muzzle against Tai's broadly grinning face.
Akadeanna walked over to Golanth, examining the scars he still had from the feline attack.
"Whoever performed the surgeries on your dragon, F'lessan," she sighed, gently patting Golanth's neck, "did a masterful job." Turning to face the bronze rider, she added, "Did I hear the story right?"
"What story?" F'lessan absently wondered.
"The one about Golanth's post-surgery care," Akadeanna explained, smiling as she did. "His physical therapy… performed on him by another dragon using her TK ability? I'd heard the inspiration came to the healers… in a dream!"
"Crazy, right?" Tai laughed, giving F'lessan's arm a hug.
"Not as far fetched as you might think," Akadeanna replied.
F'lessan and Tai both gasped, not expecting that answer.
"You're serious?!" F'lessan whispered, bug-eyed by the possibility.
Akadeanna nodded. "The scientific community calls it quantum jumping… connecting to a duplicate of yourself from an alternate dimension in the quantum multiverse, gaining knowledge in the process."
"You're not kidding, are you?" Tai gasped, her own eyes matching her weyrmate's.
Smiling, Akadeanna shook her head. "There are documented cases of such occurrences. As vast as the quantum multiverse potentially is, why not a world where dragons were performing physical therapy on their own kind? Having read some of those studies in my doctoral work, I'm willing to bet that's what happened with the healers in this reality, and they used that newfound knowledge to help Golanth recover and return to the skies!"
"Well, however it happened," F'lessan sighed, wrapping his arms around his dragon's muzzle in a heartfelt hug, "I'm glad it did."
"That whole feline incident may have also served as the catalyst for the development of Golanth's Talent."
"That's right around the time we first discovered the dragons' TK ability!" Tai chimed in, clearly excited. "When they started pushing trundlebugs around!"
"Dragons may have actually been using the ability long before then," Akadeanna added, patting her own Vornath on the neck, "instinctively giving themselves a boost with the TK…"
"Every time they took to the skies!" Vance remarked as he and his dragon, Benth, along with Luna and her dragon, Artimeth, joined the group. "I was wondering about that possibility until Benth and I took off the first time. There was no mistaking the TK thrust. Completely instinctive but definitely there. Certainly explains a dragon's ability to get off the ground so quickly."
Akadeanna chuckled to herself, giving her husband a hug. As a sensitive T4 telekinetic, he would've recognized its use right off the bat.
And they've been quietly doing it for thousands of Turns, Luna quietly chimed in, giving her adopted father a hug of her own.
"How soon before we have a chance to help out, Prime?" F'lessan nervously asked.
"Right now," Akadeanna replied with a smile. "This way!"
"Now?!" Tai gasped, running to keep up with the Sadr Prime.
Akadeanna boarded her dragon, the others doing the same. They all took wing, spiraling up the Tower to a new addition, passing through a hatchway large enough to admit the Pern dragons.
"When did they finish this?" Vance exclaimed, sliding down Benth's side.
"Earlier today," Akadeanna replied, leading the group up to an enormous bay window, information monitors of all sorts mounted just above it.
In addition to all the monitoring equipment, the room was also equipped with six control couches for the human Talents, corresponding dragon-sized padded pedestals positioned directly behind each couch.
Akadeanna settled into the Prime's couch, Vornath taking up her position. Vance, Luna, F'lessan, and Tai quickly got the idea… each choosing their own control couch, their dragons arranging themselves behind their lifemates.
"We're expecting a shipment of boron from Pern along with additional seed stock for the herdbeast compounds," Akadeanna explained, settling in and feeling the surge of the generators as they began to wind up. "F'lessan, you and Vance handle the boron container. Luna, you and Tai will 'port the seed stock pod."
"Us?!" Vance and Tai gasped as one.
"But you're the Prime!" F'lessan pointed out. "Shouldn't you…"
Akadeanna began to form the gestalt, bringing the humans and their dragons in gently. Vornath made the connection without so much as a hiccup.
I'll be monitoring your 'ports, Akadeanna quietly spoke to their minds, and will assist you if needed. Focus, everyone. Here we go!
Ready, Sadr Prime?
Akadeanna had only heard stories about the Pern Prime… the same one who had coordinated that effort to repulse the Kleevi attack… a marauding race of cockroach-like aliens that decimated the homeworld of the Linyaari and very nearly did the same to narhii-Vhiliinyar before the FSP strike teams stopped them, ultimately eradicating their home world. It wasn't until visual records of the Kleevi attack were compared to those of the Pern repulsion that everyone realized the Kleevi and the Hivers were the same species! At least now the FSP had a name for those relentless marauders.
Almost, Akadeanna softly responded. She opened the gestalt to one more entity. Ready, Elara?
Ready, friend!
There was such power in Elara's Talent that the generators actually wound down a bit… though not entirely.
Alright, everyone, Akadeanna directed, grinning from ear-to-ear. Relax. Breathe. Just like we rehearsed. Let's do this!
In addition to monitoring the 'porting effort, Akadeanna also monitored the humans' vitals. Pulse rates were a little elevated, but that was to be expected on their first 'port.
Almost before the new 'porters all realized it, the transport pods were safely berthed in their docks in the main landing dome below them, the docking superintendent giving them an all-clear!
"Well done, everyone!" Akadeanna cheered. To the dragons, she added, All of you, too!
Then, in one tight-beam send, she added, Well done, Elara!
That was fun! the sentience exclaimed, clearly excited. When can we do it again?
"That was it?!" Vance sputtered, clearly not believing.
"It was so quick!" Tai whispered, glancing about her.
"And you all handled it perfectly!" Akadeanna responded, checking the transport schedule. "I'm proud of all of you!"
We had a good teacher… Mom! Luna sent, smiling back at her adopted mother.
That was just the beginning of their Tower day. Thanks to the location of the new Tower, Deneb was more easily able to shunt transports and messages to the other Towers through Sadr 6. Akadeanna and Elara hoisted the heaviest loads through, Vance and Luna relaying messages all over the Nine Star League, the Central Worlds, and the FSP, with F'lessan and Tai handling the supply transports needed for the burgeoning Pern colony. Food was brought in for the midday meal, but all the Talents kept working, eating while reclined in the control couches. Before most of them realized how much time had passed, Dragons Moon was entering its twilight period.
"Shards, I never realized just how much work there is to being a Talent!" Vance sighed, shaking his head as he rolled out of the couch.
"There's more tomorrow to see to," Akadeanna chuckled, clapping him on the back as the tower generators finally wound down. "I promise it's a lighter schedule than today!"
And you all handled it with surprising grace and precision, Prime Reidinger chimed in. Including you, Elara. Well done, everyone!
Our pleasure… sir! Elara responded.
Now go get some dinner! Reidinger chuckled. That's an order, Talents!
"Aye, aye, sir!" everyone spoke in unison.