Disclaimer: I don't own anything/anyone from the Pern world books. I do own most of the characters in this story and anything else not from the original series.

Chapter Four: The Crossing

That evening, Star decided to go for a walk on the beach. Somehow, though the summer camp had been mostly about swimming at the beach, she wanted to go right now. She glanced suspiciously up at the ceiling, where her little dragons still perched on the roof, enjoying the last of the afternoon sun.

They wanted to go.

She sighed and shook her head, an indulgent smile on her face. "Mom?" she called.

"We're in the kitchen!" her father called back. Michael Jefferson had returned home a few hours ago, said hello to his daughter and taken his wife downstairs. Probably to talk about some random, boring facet of his work day, Star thought.

She pulled on her mid-shin high boots and grabbed her windbreaker, already wearing a light sweater. It wasn't all that cold, but she knew that down on the beach it would be, with the winds. "I'm going down to the beach for a while," she called as she opened the door.

Before they could answer she was outside. Shadows all but covered the ground as clouds obscured the sunset. She cautioned her dragons again to stay hidden, but she needn't have worried. Some blocks farther on she came to the beach. But it wasn't right. It was sandy. She –well, the little dragons, for she hadn't wanted to come down here in the first place– wanted a rocky one.

That was as easily said as done. She simply headed down the beach.

Some short walk later she came to the rocky section and half-leapt, half-climbed down the boulders to the partially rock-covered low-tide beach. Star checked for people carefully, and found no one. She hadn't expected to. Glad she had anticipated the icy winds off the water, she huddled into her coat and sat down on a rock, then called her dragons.

Nivi appeared first, his bronzy wings fanning extraordinarily cold air down on her and eyes whirling and glowing. Elzin's blue tail touched her ear, making her jump, but he and green Vanya cheeped apologetically. They darted around, seemingly licking deep into the holes in the rather porous rocks and barnacles.

Vaguely she sat and let her mind wander, watching them. Suddenly she pulled up her sleeve and checked her watch. 9:00. "Uh-oh," she whispered. Come here! She called her friends. We have to go right now!

They came streaking up to her and she gave them the impression of flying high above her. She dashed up the rocks, stiffer because of her long vigil on the rock and rushed towards home as fast as she could. Far up in the sky she could sense her dragons effortlessly keeping pace.

It was when she rounded a corner to turn down into the alley shortcut she knew that she also sensed the people. There was one ahead and one behind. The alley had no doors, just the fences and the backs of houses. She slowed, hearing her followers slow as well, but not soon enough. A large form blocked the alley behind her, and another blocked it before her.

Both advanced.

Never had she felt so stupid for not listening to her mother and taking a dark shortcut! The gap between the dark people and herself closed steadily, until she could dimly see in the dark that only their eyes showed. The rest was covered in dark clothing.

She clenched her fists. "What do you want?" she demanded, more bravely than she felt when, they were ten feet away. "They'll all hear if I scream," she told the dark people. They stalked towards her. Before she could gather breath they were on her. One clapped a hand over her mouth, and grabbed her back, holding her, as the other took a knife out and laid it against her throat.

"Don't scream," he said. She did, but not so they would hear. Star screamed for her dragons for all she was worth. At the same time as they came shrieking down to rake and rend her attackers, she lashed out with both legs, hitting the man with a knife in the crotch and leg. Her sudden change of weight forced the one holding her to drop her on the ground.

"What are those things? They're all over the place!"

"What'd she do to us?"

Her little dragons shrieked as they chased her assailants away. When they were gone, the teenager relaxed and felt tears run down her cheeks as she slumped, quivering, on the rough, cold cement. She heard the little dragons return and thanked them whole-heartedly.

They crooned from her shoulders in her ear. They had only been doing their duty to her, as they saw it. She got up, feeling the need to run. Suddenly she was barreling down the alley, away from everything hurtful and nasty, feeling as though she could leave the horrors of her world behind.

Suddenly, recklessly, she laughed and called to the dragons, daring them to out-fly her. They exploded out above her, chirping, though softly, as they raced alongside her. Star just barely remembered to be quiet as she dashed past the buildings and into a playfield and baseball diamond.

The wind streamed past her, and she laughed as the dragons cried out their joy. She called them again, teasing them, and pushed herself to even greater speeds, which they matched. Nearing the end of the field, she turned slightly, and when she straightened out ran along the other way, at right angles to her first dash.

Never had she felt so alive! The world was gone, leaving her and her dragons flying alone above everything.

Star opened her mind and called once more, her mental voice thundering in her blood, heart, ears and mind. A shadow overtook her and she slowed, nearly tripping. She stumbled to a halt, just keeping on her feet.

A voice intruded in her mind, not that of her little dragons, but ageless and greater, far greater. And, she would remember later, seemingly amused.

There's no need to shout, the voice told her gently. I'm here. You called; I answered, said the green dragon as she settled herself on the field.

I am Joozith.

Those great blue-and-yellow-splashed eyes blinked as Joozith picked up her little cousins' distress. They say you are frightened. Of me? The eyes became more yellow and orange than blue or green now. You have been attacked! You must come. She raised her head to look at the sky and rumbled, then keened shortly.

Pralosa needs me! Come! I must go to her, and you should come until the danger has passed; it is not over! See!

There was no disputing her words, especially when shouts of fear and anger followed her across the field. Without thinking of the consequences, acting on the impulse of the green dragon's words, Star raced over to her shoulders. She clumsily swung up and clung to one of the neck 'spines', seated between two of them-

And then they were airborne.

Seattle glittered with lights as she and her wonderful new friend soared higher and higher in the sky, feeling the chill of the wind as she clung to the dragon.

All light suddenly went out. Cold more intense than she had ever felt sapped her strength. Star cried out, reaching with her mind, for her body was gone. She strained for anything to hold on to, and pulled herself and the dragon forward.

Pern

There was light, suddenly, all around her, light… and heat.

A clear blue-green ocean spread around them. Her fire lizards chattered and dove down to keep up with Joozith and their human. Confused, she looked around, still clinging to the dragon's neck ridge. Now the great dragon slowed, gliding in on something Star couldn't see from behind her neck.

Joozith banked and wafted her wings. Now Star could see they were approaching land. As they sped closer she could see five people on the heat-pounded shore, and an enormous silver dragon beside them. Once they were near enough, Star could see the confusion – and fear? Was it fear there? – in their eyes as they stared at her.

"Uh-oh," she whispered.