The quad jump return trip back to Pern was pretty much uneventful. As we finally emerged over the hubbub that was Landing, I was looking forward to a long rest and some food to eat.
"Gotta get back to the hospital," Ryeena radioed, waving from astride Sylene. "I've got some patients to see to."
"And I need to get back to the weyr," Kara chimed in. "We have a fall over the area tomorrow morning, and I'll catch hell if I miss it."
"Understood," I chuckled, giving my two friends a thumbs up. "Thanks for the assist with Zucanno Om Lis Malu. Get going, you two! We'll talk later!"
Without a second thought, Sylene and Glinalth vanished between, each dragon and rider returning to their briefly interrupted lives.
And I had my own life to get back to, I realized, chuckling as I directed Tarnaa to land next to my Landing Quonset home. The moment we landed, L'trel came running out, little Moreta clutched in his arms.
"'Reta!" I exclaimed, quickly taking our child up in my arms and giving her a warm hug. "I missed you!"
"Everything alright with the Matriarch?" L'trel solicitously inquired, doing me a favor by removing Tarnaa's riding harness.
"Answer him, Liona," a familiar voice spoke up.
Startled to hear my given Kendite name, I spun around, finding Keymon standing there, a host of other Kendites behind him. Dav was there, too, an equal number of Aquilans behind him. And on the other side, Rill with a host of healer-riders ranged behind her.
"The Matriarch called us just after you left Pun Ch'lar," Rill explained, gesturing to the others. "We couldn't be more proud of you, Dana!"
"Do not be," I muttered, giving little 'Reta a quick hug before handing her back to L'trel. "A Kendite died because of me."
"One who would've killed you and Zucanno Om Lis Malu, ch'hin," Key responded, coming forward to kneel before me. "You and your dragon likely saved the Kendite Hegemony."
"And probably prevented a war with the Federation, Skipper," Dav added, dropping to a knee beside Key.
"Thanks to the Matriarch, we know of your new Kendite name," Rill said, joining Dav and Key on a knee, "Liona De'Tenna. A proud name. A name well earned!"
"Aye!" the rest of the group cheered, fists raised to the sky.
Turning, I seized Tarnaa around the muzzle, hugging her tightly, tears pouring down my cheeks.
"Heart of my life," I wept, unable to stop. "I'm sorry!"
"For what?" Tarnaa wondered aloud, drawing startled gasps from everyone.
"If we hadn't gone to Pun Ch'lar…"
"Then our friend, the Matriarch, would be dead," she rumbled, her eyes brilliant amethysts. "Every life is precious. I mourn his loss… and my part in it…"
My answer was another sob.
"But if we hadn't acted," Tarnaa argued, broadcasting only the purest love, "many more would've needlessly died… all because of that one's ambitions."
I pulled back a bit, meeting Tarnaa's gaze.
"We did the right thing, lifemate," she assured me, rubbing her muzzle against my tear-stained cheek. "I know we did."
"Oh, Tarnaa!" I sobbed, leaning into her neck, my tears running unchecked.
It was several long minutes before I got my weeping under control. That's when I realized my visitors were all inexplicably silent. When I glanced their way, everyone was staring at us.
"She can talk?!" Rill gasped, the first to find her voice.
Wiping away my tears, I nodded, a shy smile coming to my lips.
"How?" Key wondered, coming up to us.
"Sharding hell!" Dav exclaimed, joining the other two. "There's only one way!"
For several seconds, the entire group was silent before exploding in a collective gasp.
"The Eridani protocols!" Key whispered, staring at me. "You?!"
Grinning shyly, I nodded, glancing up at my lifemate.
"How?" was all Dav could whisper.
When I finished explaining the extraordinary circumstances of my Eridani inheritance, the others, even L'trel, were shaking their heads in amazement.
"By the First Egg!" Rill whispered, absolutely bug-eyed in amazement. "Why didn't you tell us?"
Chuckling as he came up to me, placing a gentle paw on my shoulder, Key replied, "She's had precious little opportunity to. Between healing the sick or injured, taking care of her daughter, working as Pern's ambassador to the Kendites, or getting directly involved in the restoration efforts here at Landing, it's amazing she doesn't meet herself coming and going!"
"Li'na," a tiny voice called out.
Whirling at the sound, I could see little 'Reta holding out her arms to me, a broad cherubic smile on her tiny face. "Li'na!"
"Shards of my dragon's egg!" L'trel whispered, glancing from me to our daughter.
I took 'Reta from him, hugging her tightly.
"Li'na! Li'na!" 'Reta happily repeated, hugging me around the neck.
"Her first words!" I whispered, happy tears falling.
Everyone gathered around us, L'trel adding a peck on my cheek.
"Your Kendite name suits you, ch'hin," Keymon remarked, adding his own furry kiss on my other cheek, 'Reta smiling up at him. "Only a lioness and the strength of will you've shown could take on so much!"
"You got that right, Key," Dav chimed in, clapping me on the back. "By the Sacred Waters, Skipper!"
"Dana?" It was Rill, the others ranged behind her.
I shook my head. "No need to worry, Rill," I assured her, glancing at the healer-riders behind her. "Their dragons are already spreading the word. I'm okay with performing the necessary procedure to give dragons the gift of speech, but it has to be agreed to by both rider and dragon. Is that understood?"
The healer-riders all nodded, many grinning from ear-to-ear.
"Rill, can I count on you?" I asked, laying a hand on her shoulder.
"For what?" she wondered, glancing around.
"I want you as the primary contact for this," I explained, gesturing at the riders present. "I trust your judgment to approve or deny the procedure. Once you have a dragon pair approved, contact Ryeena. She'll arrange a medical suite to do the procedure in. Can you handle it?"
"You got it, Skipper!" she chuckled, thumping me on the shoulder.
All well and good, but shuttling back and forth from Landing to Robinton Cove would definitely strain my efforts overseeing the rebuilding of Landing and the Kendite embassy. I was certain that Master Fandarel would find it… "a very inefficient arrangement." Oddly enough, it was Key who came up with the answer… convert one of the abandoned Quonset huts on the outskirts of the settlement into a miniature clinic. The structure was roomy enough to accommodate even the largest of dragons yet still leave enough room for a full medical suite if one was needed. He and his team even brought in updated med scanners and other tools instead of having to depend on the three millennia old equipment aboard the Ancients' vessels. It was the sign the residents of Landing decided to put on the outside of the new medical facility that he wasn't so sure about.
"Are you serious?!" he muttered, gesturing at the sign.
"Wasn't my idea," I chuckled, clapping him on the back. "But it does make a certain sense."
"But 'Key Clinic'?" he complained, shaking his head.
"And why not?" I argued, laying my hand on his shoulder. "After all, this whole thing was your idea. Only fair you get credit for the work!"
With the refurbishment of Landing and the construction of the Kendite Embassy, there were bound to be accidents. Sure enough, within hours of the clinic's opening, we had our first patient. One of the embassy workers slipped and fell off the scaffolding on the outside of the structure. Fortunately, the fall wasn't lethal and only resulted in a greenstick fracture of the right arm.
As it worked out, I spent only a minimal amount of time at the clinic. Healer-riders from Robinton Cove worked out a shift schedule to cover the staffing of the facility. Rill kept a tight rein on all the activity there, scheduling in those dragons and riders seeking the Eridani gift of speech treatment. She always checked with me to be sure my own schedule would allow it.
Eventually, Helva had to take her leave of us… other duties still waiting to be fulfilled. A host of dragons and riders came to see Loreena and Ceruleth off.
"Don't be strangers, you lot," Lessa said as she shook Loreena's hand. "We'll want to hear all the details of your journeys!"
"No worries, Weyrwoman," Ceruleth assured her, one of the first to receive the Eridani treatment granting dragons the gift of speech.
"We'll keep a log of the places we visit," Loreena promised, turning to shake F'lar's hand. "I know how much you want to explore space, Weyrleader. We'll do our best to help with that endeavor."
"We'd appreciate it!" F'lar replied, shaking her hand, then, unexpectedly, giving her a hug. "Take care, you two."
"We will," Loreena assured him, a tear coming to her eye as she turned and headed up the boarding ramp of XH-834.
Helva opened her cargo bay, giving Ceruleth access to the vessel. Once he was safely aboard, she closed the hatch, and the launch pad was evacuated; those in attendance retreating a safe distance to watch. The vessel's mighty engines roared to life and XH-834 lifted off, rising quickly through Pern's sky, vanishing swiftly from sight.
"Safe journey, Helva," I radioed, a tear sliding down my own cheek. "Hurry back!"
"We will, Dana," she replied. "Take care. We'll see you soon!"
Refurbishing the Landing settlement didn't take too long… a couple of months. In almost no time at all, a healthy population of holders, crafters, and more had taken up residence. I did insist on one thing… no pulling rank. I didn't care where you came from, your societal position, or how much money you had. In all ways, Landing had to remain neutral in order to best serve Pern's interests as we attempted to reintegrate with the Federation. I placed numerous calls to the Harper Hall to help mediate any disputes that arose. Sadly, a few holders were still set on the old feudal system they were accustomed to and refused to change. With some regret, these individuals were escorted back to their former holds. They would be allowed to visit, but that was all.
Construction for the Kendite embassy was quickly approaching completion… if you could count eight months as quickly. It was while I was checking on the status of the embassy construction one evening that I noticed something had changed in the skies above us.
"That's odd," I remarked, glancing skyward.
"What is?" L'trel wondered as he fed little 'Reta.
"The Yoko," I replied, pointing. "There's something else in geosynch not far from it."
"One of the vessels from the defense force?"
I shook my head. "It's smaller than the Yoko, but still bigger than any of the fleet vessels."
I placed a quick call to AIVAS.
"You were not informed?" it asked, genuinely surprised.
"What is it?" I wondered.
"The Federation dispatched a Von Braun class orbital gateway," AIVAS instantly replied, "to better serve all the different races it expects will want to visit Pern. Word of the dragons has spread like wildfire throughout the Federation."
"I see," I said, nodding. "Alright. Thanks, AIVAS!"
I broke the connection.
"Orbital gateway?" L'trel wondered, handing 'Reta to me.
Goldie showed up right then, backwinging to my shoulder before peering intently at little 'Reta. "Coo!"
Chuckling, I gave my fire lizard friend a quick eye ridge scratch.
To L'trel, I said, "It makes sense. Some of the more exotic races of the galaxy may want to visit Pern. The environmental systems aboard the gateway can be individually configured by section to best fit the dignitaries' home worlds."
"In what way?" L'trel wondered even as 'Reta let out a massive yawn.
"Different breathing atmospheres," I explained, glancing skyward, "different gravity levels, whatever is unique to a particular dignitary's home world."
Chuckling as he laid a hand on my other shoulder, L'trel told me, "I can't wait to hear Mastersmith Fandarel's response to that. Once aboard that thing, he might not want to come home!"
"And it would be cruel not to give him a chance to visit," I giggled, knowing full well what the Mastersmith's reaction would be once aboard.
'Reta gave one final yawn before closing her eyes, blissfully asleep. Goldie settled to my shoulder, her eyes lidding as she, too, seemed ready for sleep. Grinning between us, L'trel and I returned to our Landing home and put our child to bed. We weren't far behind her, Goldie finding an empty spot on my pillow to curl up on before drifting off to sleep. It had been an exhausting day for everyone, it seemed.
A grand party was planned for the opening of the Kendite embassy. Zucanno Om Lis Malu was right on time, arriving as she promised on a "slow" fast cruiser rather than enduring the sensory deprivation a dragon trip would've subjected her to. Her first stop? The new orbital gateway! After all, she had just spent six months getting to Pern. She chose to spend the night on the gateway, making use of the onboard quarters reserved for dignitaries.
I decided to take a shuttle up to the station to greet the Matriarch in person. And I invited one other special guest along for the ride.
"By the First Egg!" Fandarel whispered as we made our final approach to the station. "Dana, thank you for inviting me along!"
Rascal, his tail twined around the Mastersmith's neck to keep from drifting away in the zero gravity, could only coo at the site.
Chuckling as I gave his shoulder a gentle thump, I told him, "My pleasure, Mastersmith. My only worry is you won't want to return to Pern once you're aboard."
"Pern is my home," Fandarel quietly spoke, giving Rascal's eye ridge a scratch. When the little dragon snorted, he chuckled, "Our home. I hope to learn what I can so I can improve the lives of everyone on Pern."
A silent tear slid down my cheek as I gave his burly shoulder a squeeze.
The first thing Fandarel noticed as we approached the gateway was the spin.
"First, it provides stability for the structure," I explained.
"Like a gyroscope!" he responded, nodding.
"Second, it reduces the need for a lot of arti-grav generators," I went on. "With the resulting centrifugal force the spin generates, it simulates gravity. Then, as you move further away from the center of rotation, you can use smaller arti-grav generators to augment the individual visitor quarters onboard."
"Customizing it to the needs of our visitors," Fandarel concluded, Rascal trilling agreement. "Very efficient."
The approach to the gateway and docking went without incident. Given all his zero-G practice during the repairs of the Yoko, the Bahrain, and the Buenos Aires, the Mastersmith, given his massive frame, was surprisingly nimble as we made our way into the station, eventually reaching the outer ring where the station's spin rate mimicked Pern normal gravity. The station master himself escorted us to the Matriarch's quarters.
"Ch'lia!" she exclaimed, rushing out of her quarters as soon as the door opened, wrapping me up in a bear hug. "It is so good to see you again!"
"No problems on the journey, Zucanno?" I asked, smiling as I pulled back to look at her.
"Not a one, ch'lia," she replied, grinning broadly.
That's when she noticed my companion.
"And who is this?" she asked, glancing up at the burly Smith.
"I am Fandarel, your Eminence," he replied, bowing from the waist. "Mastersmith of Pern. It is an honor and a privilege to make your acquaintance."
"Your reputation precedes you, Mastersmith," the Matriarch replied, shaking the hand he offered. "Ever in search of a way to do things better, to improve a process or object for the benefit of the people of Pern. It is a true pleasure to meet you!"
Rascal peered from around the Smith's massive head, his head turning one way then another as he examined the Matriarch.
"A fire lizard, Zucanno," I explained, noting the keen look on her face. "It was the human Kitty Ping Yung, student of the Eridani, who biogenetically engineered the Pern dragons from their smaller cousins."
"Quite a feat, ch'lia," the Matriarch replied, reaching up to gently scratch Rascal's eye ridge. "And this one is so precious!"
Rascal trilled softly, submitting completely to the Matriarch's ministrations.
For Fandarel, with the station master's help, we teamed him up with one of the gateway engineers for a guided tour of the facility. I gave only one warning before they headed off… don't touch anything unless cleared to do so! Grinning from ear-to-ear, Fandarel hurried off with the engineer.