With the establishment of Friendship Weyr on Pun Ch'lar, the Dragonriders of Pern had taken their first steps out into the vastness of the universe. F'lar was keen to begin exploring. Space held a profound fascination for him… almost on a level with Master Fandarel's eternal search for a more efficient solution.
But to do so effectively… and efficiently… those who would venture into space, with dragons providing the 'shifting' power for the long jumps, would need a vessel of some kind in which to reside, protected from the harsh environment of unforgiving space. But where to find such a vessel?
At first, their interest focused on the three colony ships in orbit around Pern. They were certainly roomy enough to accommodate the dragons and their space exploring riders, but the vessels were well over three thousand years old and barely holding together as it was.
"Aah," Berd Sheerbro sighed when the matter was brought up at a meeting of the Weyrs. "Magnificent as those wonders are, Master Fandarel would be the first to agree… they're just too damned old to be useful for what you have in mind."
"But we're using them now!" F'lessan argued, not wanting to admit defeat so early in their plans. "Holders and crafters from all over Pern have been living aboard the vessels for months now!"
"True," Berd agreed, though shaking his head as he did, "but those vessels are in geostationary orbits; not a lot of demand on their structural integrity. But I've been getting increasing reports of minor malfunctions and failures of onboard systems." Sighing, he looked around at those in the meeting, saying, "Eventually, the failures will be too much to keep up with. Those ships were never designed to operate for this long of a time. I checked this with Master Fandarel and we both agree. In less than two Turns, we'll have to abandon the vessels as being too dangerous to be aboard."
That pronouncement caused a serious deflating of the excitement that the planning meeting had started with.
"I'm sorry," Berd apologized, lowering his head. "I wish I had better news."
F'lar reached over, clapping him on the back.
"Just our ever zealous desire to explore space," F'lar jokingly said, smiling as he squeezed the holder's shoulder. "I just want to do some exploring before I'm like those ships… too old to do anything!"
Never too old, Mnementh silently chided his rider, love and adoration in every syllable.
"My friends," the Kendite Matriarch addressed them through an FTL QE2 on the table, "there may be a way."
She was still back on Pun Ch'lar taking care of her queen, Puneth, but had managed to talk the planning team into letting her help.
"How?" Lessa wondered, her curiosity piqued.
"What you need is a new ship," Pumara suggested over the radio.
"Go on," F'lar prodded when she hesitated.
"Orbital construction platforms," Pumara responded. "AIVAS, would you please?"
At her urging, the amazing machine called up a 3-D vid of a typical platform for the planning team to examine.
"Here on Pun Ch'lar, we have these construction platforms," Pumara went on explaining, "where new space-going vessels are constructed. Several are currently under construction. Perhaps as a gesture of goodwill during your world's reintroduction, we could persuade the Federation into releasing one of them to you."
Eyes around the room lit up, the excitement almost palpable.
"Is that possible?" Lessa gasped, almost unable to contain her eagerness.
"If you don't mind enduring the nearly hour long trip to Pun Ch'lar, my friends," Pumara suggested, "you could come examine the construction yourselves."
"And we already know of several riders who've made the jumps," F'lar said, his smile growing, "who can guide us there across space!"
"Then what are we waiting for?" G'dened asked, leaping to his feet.
"I've been dying to check out the new weyr, anyway!" Cosira chimed in, their dragons bugling their own excitement just outside.
Bright and early the next morning, those riders who would be part of the construction investigation team, F'lar and Lessa included, met at Landing. Kara and her weyrmate, B'seer, had arrived the night before so that they would have time to rest and recover before the jumps would be made. They did their best to explain what to expect on the journey; the other eager riders and their dragons hanging on every word. Once final spacesuit checkouts were completed, about a dozen riders who had a strong desire to explore space mounted their dragons.
"WAIT!" an unexpected voice suddenly called out.
Looking down from astride their dragons, surprise registered on every face as Master Fandarel came running up to them, decked out in a slightly oversized spacesuit, the helmet tucked under his arm.
"Let me go with you!" he begged, the plea in his eyes unmistakable.
Chuckling to himself, F'lar told his dragon, "Give him a hand up, Mnementh!"
F'lar's dragon lowered his foreleg within reach. Quickly donning his helmet and locking it in place, Fandarel climbed up Mnementh's leg. As the mighty bronze lifted his leg higher, the Mastersmith of Pern was able to grasp F'lar's outstretched hand, and, with a grunt, was pulled all the way up, taking a seat on Mnementh's neck ridge behind the Weyrleader. Once he was certain his passenger was securely fastened into his dragon's riding straps, F'lar gave Kara a thumbs up.
Give them the first fix, love, Kara told her dragon.
Next, she pressed the transmit button on her spacesuit's radio, calling, "Radio check! Can everyone hear me?"
Nothing but thumbs-up from the riders.
"Everyone has the first fix?" she asked.
Once again, thumbs-up from everyone.
"Then let's do this!" Kara called, Glinalth taking wing, the others following right behind.
Higher and higher they climbed into Pern's greenish sky before vanishing between. About an hour later, after four jumps between, the space explorers appeared in the weyr on Pun Ch'lar; the Matriarch there to greet them.
"Good to see all of you again, my friends," Pumara spoke, paws wide in greeting. "Welcome to Friendship Weyr!"
That's when she spotted the unmistakable outline of the burly Mastersmith of Pern.
"Oh ho! What's this?" she teased him, grinning as he slowly removed his helmet. "Couldn't keep away, eh?"
"Your Eminence," he greeted her, bowing deeply.
"Truth be told, Mastersmith," Pumara confessed, laying a paw on his shoulder, "I'd've been disappointed if you hadn't come with them."
Suddenly, a lump underneath Fandarel's spacesuit began to squirm, making its way up his chest. With an indignant squawk, Rascal pushed his head out through the Smith's spacesuit neck ring and, with one final wriggle, squirted free out into the air of Pun Ch'lar.
"Your companion is well named," Pumara chuckled as the little blue settled to the Smith's shoulder. "He really is a rascal!"
"Coo!" the little blue responded, settling his wings to his back.
"We have set aside two weyrs for all of you to change in," Pumara said, gesturing to Ryeena and B'gon. "We've also provided changes of clothing in case you wanted to refresh yourselves. Once you've had a chance to doff your gear, we'll have a light meal before boarding the shuttle for the trip up to the space docks."
"Gentlemen, if you'll follow me," B'gon spoke, gesturing off to one side.
"Ladies, this way!" Ryeena addressed them, heading off in a different direction.
While a few of the visitors chose to remain in the clothes they had worn under their spacesuits, several chose to change into the filmy garments the Kendites had provided for them; tailored specifically to meet the needs of the humans. Once this was done, Pumara, with no small amount of pride, took her visitors on a tour of the weyr the build teams had put together so far from Pern.
"It is a beautiful place, Zucanno Om Lis Malu," Lessa commented, gesturing about her as they were eating the light meal that had been prepared for them.
"Pumara, please," the Matriarch insisted, nodding to the Benden Weyrleaders.
"How's it going with Puneth?" Cosira wondered, glancing about.
"Growing rapidly," Pumara replied, her eyes glistening as she recalled. "Just in the six months it took to get here, she nearly doubled in size! And her desire to take to the skies… I've already caught her gliding down to the bowl from our weyr ledge."
"It will be hard to keep her on the ground once she's strong enough to fly," Lessa chuckled, finishing her food. "Have the others shown you how to make her riding harness yet?"
"Hanging proudly on the pegs in our weyr," Pumara replied, nodding and grinning. Then, leaning forward, she whispered, "I almost can't wait for the first time we're awing together."
"The other riders will be sure to let you know when she's ready," F'lar remarked, nodding to Ryeena and B'gon nearby. "And you have well-trained healers just in case anything untoward should happen."
"And for that I am eternally grateful," Pumara responded, bowing slightly to them. "When you see my daughter, be sure to let her know of my gratitude."
"Of course," Lessa replied, reaching out to give the Matriarch's paw a gentle squeeze.
Once the meal was concluded, the Matriarch led her dragon and her Pern visitors onboard the heavy lift shuttle that would take them up to the orbital shipyards. Everyone, with the exception of the pilot and the Matriarch, were glued to the portals during ascent and approach to the orbital shipyards, especially Master Fandarel.
"By the First Egg!" he whispered, absolutely goggle-eyed as they slowly circled one of the orbital ship docks where a medium-sized colony ship was under construction. "And they do it all in zero-G!"
"Makes sense," F'lar concluded, giving the Smith's shoulder a gentle thump. "Moving the various sections around would be a lot easier."
"That wording on the side of the… " Lessa commented, pausing as she recalled the unfamiliar word, "dock… Con'jimmi Orbital Construction. What does that mean?"
"It is the name of the business that owns these construction platforms," Pumara replied. "Suleikh P'lit'ar is the owner and director of Con'jimmi Construction. I can arrange a meeting planetside so you can have a chance to speak with him."
"That would be greatly appreciated… Pumara," F'lar replied, recalling the Matriarch's insistence on casual names.
The other members of the construction evaluation team all agreed.
Two hours later, back at Friendship Weyr, a surface skimmer arrived, bearing the Suleikh and his party.
"Suleikh P'lit'ar," Pumara greeted the new arrival, clasping her paws in front and bowing slightly to him as was the customary greeting on his planet. "It has been a while since we last spoke."
"You mentioned someone was interested in one of my craft?" he responded, stiff as a board, ignoring protocol by failing to return the greeting gesture.
"My companions from the world of Pern," Pumara quietly spoke, her eyes narrowing slightly at the unspoken insult, gesturing to the dragonriders. "As part of their reintroduction to the Federation, some of the citizens of their world are keen to explore space, but they need a vessel in order to do so."
P'lit'ar's eyes lit up as Puneth joined her lifemate. At the same time, Rascal crouched down on Fandarel's shoulder, his eyes whirling bright red, an almost inaudible hiss coming from his throat. Clearly, the diminutive dragon didn't like this Suleikh.
Meanwhile, back on Pern, Goldie was having a fit, screeching at an ear-splitting level as she careened about my Landing office, her eyes blazing crimson.
"What's up with her?" Rill wondered, covering her ears as she came into my office to check on the racket.
"No idea," I responded, one free hand covering an ear while I held up my arm for Goldie to land on.
Still crying out almost plaintively, my little golden friend finally landed on my upheld arm. It took several minutes of stroking her eye ridges before she gradually calmed down, though it was clear she was still agitated about something.
"What is it, pet, eh?" I asked, continuing to stroke her neck ridge. "What's wrong?"
The image Goldie broadcast in response was so vivid that I staggered backwards, my head ringing with the distress she sent.
"Dana, what is it?" Rill asked, catching me as I stumbled and nearly fell. "What's wrong?"
There was no question about the image Goldie had broadcast. "Someone is trying to take Puneth!"
"What?!" Rill gasped, her own eyes reflecting her fear. "Why?"
"That's what I intend to find out," I growled, dashing down to the spacesuit changing room.
Unaware that I was following an unexpected precedent, I picked out a slightly oversized suit, one that would allow Goldie room enough to be protected and allow her to survive the long jumps between she, Tarnaa, and I would have to make to reach Pun Ch'lar. As I hurried outside and boarded my lifemate, I prayed we would not be too late.
Back at Friendship Weyr, the talks were not going very well. The owner of Con'jimmi Construction was being what could only be deemed obstructional. Whenever the negotiators thought they were making inroads, he would veer off of the subject.
P'lit'ar turned to those in his party. Speaking in his native language, in a scoffing tone of voice, he whispered, "Insufferable boorish savages. Why did we even bother coming here?"
By using his native tongue, he was assuming no one else would understand the insolence or insult of his words. But, unknown to him, someone in the crowd besides his party did, someone recently arrived on Pun Ch'lar.
As I stepped up beside Pumara, my dragonish eyes shading to a brilliant red, Tarnaa watching from one of the visitors weyrs above, I said in his native language, "The only one acting like a boor around here is you, P'lit'ar."
Goldie, perched on my shoulder, her talons bared, hissed at the Suleikh. It didn't take much to guess that this being was the one after Puneth. But how had she known? One day, I would have to figure that puzzle out but not right now.
"How do I know your language?" I asked, responding to the startled glance that was quickly replaced by a furious expression on his face. "Unlike the rest of my companions, I wasn't born on Pern."
"What?!" he exclaimed, backing up a step as Tarnaa glided down from her perch to take up a position on my left, Puneth and Pumara on my right.
"I served as a first contactor in the Federation Star Service until recently," I explained, meeting his gaze. "As such, I was required to be fluent in numerous interstellar languages… including yours. I'm also aware of your interest in all the exotic creatures across the galaxy… some of whom are now on display in your personal, private zoo. It doesn't take much imagination to figure out what you intend to do with Puneth."
"I run the finest orbital construction systems in the galaxy!" he raged, pointing skyward. "You want my vessel? I want that!"
He was pointing right at Puneth.
"Then ask her if she wants to go with you," Pumara matter-of-factly spoke, gesturing at her dragon.
"I don't have to ask it a damned thing," P'lit'ar cursed, pulling a small device out of his robes. "It will do as I say!"
Before he could push the button that activated the device, it unexpectedly sparked and smoked, rapidly shrinking to a glowing, smoldering sphere; so hot that P'lit'ar was forced to drop it!
"Oh, did I forget to mention?" Pumara chuckled, enjoying the being's discomfort. "Not only are dragons telepathic, they are also telekinetics. That was only a small example of their abilities."
Fuming at this latest disruption of his plans, his face turning crimson with rage, P'lit'ar stepped up to Puneth, shouting, "Stupid beast, you will be mine!"
Huffing and puffing with barely contained rage, P'lit'ar did the unexpected and unthinkable… punching Puneth right in the nose. In the next instant, he went sailing through the air, heading straight for the walls of the weyr. Abruptly, his flight stopped, his limp body hanging in midair.
Why did you stop him? Puneth rumbled, seeing me with my hand raised in the air. He is a fool!
Maybe he is, my friend, I silently responded, patting her on the neck with my other hand, but dragons were created to save lives. Killing him would turn the Federation against us.
Concentrating on my own TK, I brought P'lit'ar back to the spot he had launched from, setting him gently on the ground near his people. They immediately rushed to his aid, checking to make sure he wasn't hurt. A few moments of attention and he returned to consciousness. The moment he did, all the puffed up, self-centered energy and anger that seemed to lie at the center of his being returned with a vengeance. He leaped to his feet, turning to face us.
"I will have that creature… NOW!" he bellowed.
"The only way you get her, P'lit'ar," I warned him, assuming a fighting stance, "is to go through me."
"Bah!" he scoffed, waving me aside as though at a biting insect. "I will not sully my hands engaging in fisticuffs with an insignificant lifeform as yourself. Rutann!"
A tall, muscular Denebian stepped through the crowd, bearing a sizeable shield and sword.
"Remove this insect!" P'lit'ar ordered, pointing at me.
"You don't have to do this, Rutann," I softly spoke, sizing up my odds of defeating him… which didn't look good.
"He will do as I command!" P'lit'ar growled, sneering at me. Looking at Rutann, he added, "Unless he wants any harm to come to his family."
"Forgive me, gentle being," Rutann apologized, raising his sword arm. "I have no choice."
Goldie hissed with rage, Tarnaa making ready to take on the Denebian. However, before either could act…
"Yes, you do, brother," another voice spoke, the owner stepping through the Kendites.
"Temerk?!" Rutann gasped, slowly lowering his weapon. "Is it really you, brother? I thought…"
"We've been searching for you ever since you disappeared all those cycles ago," Temerk explained. "I joined the Star Service hoping one day I would find you. What happened to you?"
Rutann shook his head, sheathing his weapon. "I don't remember. One minute I'm home on Deneb 5 partying with some friends. The next thing I know I wake up in shackles and chains in his palace."
"Lies!" P'lit'ar shouted. "I rescued him from a band of smugglers."
"He said he had my family prisoner," Rutann whispered, tears falling from his eyes. "He said if I didn't do what he commanded, he would kill them!"
"More lies!" P'lit'ar raged.
Temerk walked up to his long-lost brother, laying a massive hand gently on his trembling shoulder. "Our family is well and free, brother. I visited them a few months ago at our home on Deneb 5. This… demon… has been deceiving you, lying to you!"
Pumara stepped up to the two before turning my way. I was holding a med scanner, focused on Rutann. "Liona?"
"All scans indicate he's telling the truth, Zucanno," I reported, fine-tuning the results; Goldie and Tarnaa slowly relaxing after hearing my words. "Psych scans clearly show images of Rutann in chains. Auditory memories verify the threats P'lit'ar made."
"Kidnapping and false imprisonment," Pumara spoke, ticking the points off on her fingers, Puneth's eyes whirling faster and shading to red. "Extortion. Conspiracy to commit murder. Those are all serious Federation crimes!"
"You can't touch me!" P'lit'ar sneered, puffing out his chest. "I have diplomatic immunity. There isn't a damned thing you can do to me."
His own anger rising, Rutann took a step toward P'lit'ar, but Temerk's restraining hand stopped him.
"You're wrong, P'lit'ar," I countered, closing the scanner. "Pun Ch'lar is a member of the Federation. Just to be certain, I double-checked their records database. The Kendites do not have diplomatic relations with your homeworld… and this is not your embassy."
"As such," a new voice spoke, the owner stepping through the crowd, "you are subject to Federation law." Jolara, sporting the insignia of the Star Service military police. "Given the charges raised just now against you, I'm placing you under arrest."
"What?!" he spluttered, backing up a step as Jolara seized his arm. "I am Suleikh P'lit'ar Con'jimmi, head of Con'jimmi Orbital Construction! You can't do this to me!"
"You have the right to remain silent," Jolara informed him, slapping the first cuff over his wrist. "Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?"
Several more Star Service military police joined Jolara, placing the struggling P'lit'ar fully in handcuffs and leading him away.
"Jolara!" I called, waving.
She turned, looking my way. I tossed a small wafer to her that I'd removed from the med scanner.
"You might want the scan results as evidence," I informed her, holding up the med scanner. "You might also want to look into how he obtained all those rare and exotic creatures in his personal zoo."
"Illegal trade in flora and fauna," Jolara concluded, smiling and nodding to me. "Another Federation crime. We'll check it out."
With a jaunty salute, she pocketed the med scanner data wafer then turned and hurried to catch up with the rest of her party.
"They are truly safe?" Rutann whispered, hopeful eyes on his Denebian older brother.
Temerk nodded.
Rutann dropped the enormous shield then undid the belt holding the sheathed sword to his waist, dropping that on the ground as well.
"I am in your debt, gentle beings," he softly spoke, dropping to a knee and lowering his head. "Please forgive me. I didn't know of his treachery."
"There is nothing to forgive, Rutann," Pumara assured him, laying her paw gently on his massive shoulder. "You were being deceived. You are free now. Return to your family. I'm sure they will be delighted to see you again."
Smiling, nodding, Rutann rose, following his brother off through the crowd.
"We must be ever vigilant, Zucanno," I said, coming up beside her. "Freedom is never free. It must be constantly watched over and defended."
"From those within and without our races," she agreed, giving me a hug, "who would try to deny us that freedom."
Turning to her queen dragon, Pumara added, "I don't blame you for striking back at that deceiver." Patting her dragon on the neck, she added, "You are young and still maturing. Nor are you properly schooled in the use of your esper talents, a shortcoming we shall have to work to correct."
I'm sorry, lifemate, Puneth apologized, her eyes shading to an uncertain orange.
"You had every right to strike back against the one who struck you," Pumara chided her dragon, a gentle smile on her face. "But next time you TK, try to exercise a little restraint."
Puneth's eyes shaded to a more relaxed blue-green, Goldie calling out encouragement from above even as Tarnaa and the Matriarch's dragon rubbed muzzles in friendship.
"Guess we'll have to look elsewhere for our new ship," F'lar sighed, shielding his eyes from the sun as the Star Service shuttle took off.
"Not necessarily, my son," Pumara remarked, following his gaze. "It is within our legal rights to seize P'lit'ar's assets as part of the criminal prosecution of his crimes. Once the trial is over and he is found guilty…"
"As the party that seized his assets," Lessa remarked, recalling some of her recent legal lessons that she had sought from AIVAS, "you would be within your rights to release that vessel we were looking at… to us!"
"As a gesture of good will between the Federation and your people," Pumara replied, grinning from ear-to-ear.
Once the wheels of justice started turning, it didn't take long to prosecute the case against the Suleikh. As it soon became clear, there were plenty of shenanigans going on behind the scenes of the Suleikh. Numerous worlds with their own cases against him joined the trial, bringing P'lit'ar swiftly to an ignominious and embarrassing end. He actually wept as he was convicted and led off to a remote planetary penal colony to serve out his sentence.
As to the colony ship the Kendites had seized, it was released to the people of Pern with the full blessings of the Federation. When it finally arrived in orbit above Pern, there were celebrations across the planet. Pumara and Puneth even got into the act, arriving aboard the new ship christened "Faranth's Legacy". Having finally reached a level of maturity that the Matriarch's dragon could finally take to the skies, the pair gleefully joined the celebratory air shows, showing off everything they had learned from her friends and associates at Friendship Weyr. The future for the people of Pern never looked brighter!