A/N I'm sorry I took so long to update this. A combination of the holidays and the fact that I'm juggling other stories on . Feel free to read them as well I have the same pen name there. I'd love a review, but just the fact that people are reading is great. Thanks, DS
"B'son." D'rell greeted the fellow green rider and weyr healer warmly with a hug that B'son returned with equal warmth.
"D'rell, dearest, when did you get back to the Weyr? Should I have an extra place set for dinner, you are going to join us?" He held D'rell by the shoulders. D'rell grimaced and B'son groaned. He could not remember the last time D'rell had taken him and his partner, K'dan, up on their offer of dinner. The lad; he corrected himself; the man didn't eat enough and he worked too hard. He gave D'rell an admonishing look,
"Don't look at me like that, B'son. I have an excuse." He turned to B'son's green dragon and the tiny green firelizard curled up on the top of the Dragon's head and nodded, "Cerith, Roxi." He greeted them affectionately. Cerith ducked her head, crooning fondly at D'rell. Roxi clicked and warbled at him, jumping onto D'rell's shoulder and curling her tail around his neck. B'son clicked his tongue and shook his head,
"Hussy!" he muttered smiling, and D'rell grinned,
"Her or me?" he asked; his smile impish and playful, showing off his dimples as he caressed the firelizard's eye ridges. B'son looked him up and down, pursing his lips,
"I could hardly tar you with that brush, D'rell." He brushed a strand of the taller rider's dark hair from his face with tender affection, "You, my darling, are practically a hermit; a very charming hermit; but a hermit nonetheless." D'rell rolled his eyes as B'son gave him another examining, head to toe look, and frowned, running his fingers through his own blond curls, "And also a surprisingly healthy hermit." He observed, "What's so pressing that you would ask me to make a personal call? You look as healthy as a Wherry buck, except infinitely better looking."
D'rell chuckled, used to B'son's flirting, which was as much a part of the flamboyant weyr healer, as his hair or his eyes, "I'm not the reason you are here, B'son. There's someone inside that needs your healing skills far more than me." B'son's blue eyes widened with interest and curiosity and turned to go through the thick curtain that covered the entrance to D'rell's living quarters. D'rell stopped him with a hand on his arm, "Before you see him though, there are some things you need to know."
"Things?" B'son asked, intrigued, "What things?"
D'rell laughed, a small, nervous laugh and ran his fingers through his hair. He glanced at the curtained opening and then back at B'son. He gently extracted the clinging firelizard from his neck and deposited her back onto Cerith's head, asking Cerith politely to keep Roxi away from the visitor in the living room because he was pretty certain that Tristan was not up to meeting excitable firelizards yet. He turned to face B'son who was regarding him curiously. He didn't have a clue where to start,
"I was on duty at Landing. There were some unusual readings from one of our new satellites so Areth and I went to investigate. I expected to find a meteor strike of some sort. We actually found far more than that."
"What does this have to do with a man in your quarters needing help?" B'son sounded a little exasperated,
"If you'll listen, I'm getting to that part." D'rell continued, with equal exasperation, "The coordinates pointed us towards the side of a mountain in the Southern range. When we got to the location we didn't find a meteor, we found a man."
"What?" B'son spluttered,
"A man," D'rell continued, "on an inaccessible mountainside; in a snowstorm. We couldn't land because of the weather. Areth pulled him off the cliff onto her back and we brought him here." D'rell was beginning to sound a little over excited and B'son wondered if he was delusional, "I'm not delusional, B'son, this is true." He didn't notice the shock on B'son's face that D'rell had apparently heard his thoughts, "This man, B'son, he isn't from here. It wasn't a meteor that the satellites were tracking, it was something else, manmade. He's not from Pern, B'son. He came here in an escape pod and has been in cryogenic sleep for at least fifteen years, er Turns."
B'son was staring at D'rell now, with his mouth open and his blue eyes wide. What D'rell had just told him couldn't be true, could it? Curiosity took over from disbelief though,
"You say he's been in cryogenic sleep?" B'son asked, "For a long time?" D'rell nodded. He frowned, trying to remember what he had read about the cryogenic process, which wasn't much. D'rell probably knew more, "Alright mister photographic memory, what do you know about Cryogenic sleep, because I don't know a half shell about it."
"Medical stuff is not my strong point, B'son, you know that." D'rell screwed his face up in disgust, "That's always been your area." B'son clicked his tongue,
"Honestly, what's the use of having a photographic memory without using it for something useful?"
"I do use it for something useful." D'rell said indignantly. B'son brushed his cheek with his fingers,
"I know you do. And my brother loved you for it." D'rell smiled sadly at the reference to their connection to the man D'rell had shared this Weyr with for four Turns. B'son had been such a support after D'sar had been killed, even though he was crippled with grief himself at losing his twin brother. D'rell turned his head to glance through the curtain that separated the weyr from his living quarters and abruptly changed the subject before anyone got too emotional,
"Let's get back to the here and now, eh?" he said with a sigh, "I think our visitor has been asleep for about fifteen Turns and he's lying on my couch feeling very weak and nauseous. He almost passed out, but I'm not sure whether this was because of the cold or the transfer between or the stress of everything put together."
"Stress and shock I can treat," B'son said, thoughtfully, suddenly all business like, "Cryogenic withdrawal I will have to look up. Let's see this visitor of yours then." He laid his hand on D'rell's arm and indicated he should precede him.
B'son followed D'rell into the small but cosy living room. As always he felt the familiar wave of sadness that his brother was not there to greet him. The weyr still held poignant memories and did not look very much different to the way it had looked when D'sar had lived there. D'rell had not made any changes when he had moved in with D'sar and hadn't made many changes since his death. Everything was so unchanged that every time he came here B'son half expected to see his twin appear from one of the doorways leading off from the main room.
As he glanced around with a heavy sigh the only difference he noticed was that there was, indeed, a strange man with a shock of blond hair, lying across the cushions of the comfortable sofa. This in itself was a change, since D'rell, as he had pointed out to the young rider, was practically a hermit. Keeping himself to himself and rarely having any guests in his weyr apart from B'son and his partner K'dan.
D'rell knelt down beside the prone figure and laid his hand gently on the man's arm. The man's eyes flickered open and his hand moved to his forehead. He was very pale and swallowed as if trying to keep from throwing up. B'son also watched D'rell closely, there was a look on the young rider's face that B'son had not seen for a long time. There was a light in his eyes and a colour to his cheeks that had been missing for too long. B'son walked around the sofa when he realised that D'rell was beckoning him to join them,
"Tristan, this is B'son, one of our Weyr Healers, he's also a good friend and I would trust him with my life." B'son raised his eyebrows and felt very flattered by such a vote of confidence. He blew air through his pursed lips,
"I would save the praise for after I have treated your guest." He said modestly, but D'rell could see the sparkle in his friend's eyes, "Hello, Tristan, it's nice to meet you. I believe a welcome to Pern is in order." B'son's tone was bright, his manner casual, but D'rell could see the healer's eyes moving over Tristan's face and body giving a good once over; taking in everything. He crouched down to get a better look at Tristan's pale face, placing a hand on his shoulder for reassurance. The stranger had opened his eyes and was regarding B'son with trepidation. When D'rell had spoken he appeared to relax a little, though B'son could see he was in pain. He could feel he was in pain, he could almost feel the nausea wash over him. B'son gasped and stood, taking a step back, breaking the contact. He stared at the stranger and then at D'rell, who was regarding him with a knowing look,
"He's telepathic, did I mention?" he asked seriously, but his eyes and dimples giving away his amusement at B'son's reaction,
I'm sorry. D'rell, tell him I'm sorry. Tristan looked stricken that he had frightened B'son. D'rell stared at him,
"You can't tell him yourself?" he asked out loud,
He doesn't hear me
"Why? How?" D'rell was a little disconcerted,
No physical contact. Tristan explained, No connection
D'rell understood though it was still all very baffling. Not as baffling as it was for B'son however, hearing a one sided conversation. He gave D'rell and Tristan a quizzical look,
"You have to make a connection with him B'son. He can speak out loud but for some reason it's causing him pain. He can speak in your head like our dragons do but you have to touch him to make the connection work. Like completing a circuit." He looked at Tristan who was smiling and nodding slowly, the movement causing him to close his eyes again and swallow against the rising nausea.
B'son watched them both. They had obviously just had a conversation, but he had only heard D'rell's side since he had spoken out loud. It was indeed as if someone was talking to a dragon. What had he said about a connection? He reached out his hand and gingerly laid it onto the man's arm. Tristan's green eyes widened and met B'son's blue ones, equally as wide,
I'm very pleased to meet you, B'son. Thank you for your welcome.
B'son's mouth fell open. D'rell had described it accurately, it was like hearing a dragon, except it was a man, how very strange,
"Well I never," B'son stated, in an understated way, "Men who can talk like dragons. Where exactly are you from, Tristan?"
Earth. The reply caused the same reaction in B'son as it had in D'rell. Their ancestors had come from Earth, this man was their kin,
"You're a long way from home, Tristan. Let's see if we can do something about this nausea and pain." B'son hesitated, "Do you mind if I take your pulse? Do you have any injuries Tristan? Are you in pain?" B'son continued to ask questions and Tristan answered them, mostly with nods or shakes but also telepathically.
The examination went on, with B'son being as thorough and professional as always in situations like this. Throughout, D'rell hovered at one end of the sofa. Concern etched on his handsome face, and without knowing it, projecting calming thoughts towards Tristan,
You're safe here, don't worry, we won't hurt you.
Tristan heard these thoughts and they calmed him, helped him to control the waves of fear and uncertainty before they were projected towards B'son as he had projected them onto D'rell when they had first met. He felt very fortunate indeed that he had been stranded on this particular planet, and had been rescued by this particular person and his dragon.
As B'son finished his examination and shared his conclusions,
"You need to rest, Tristan. Rest and eat, because the faintness is most likely due to hunger. That is the best advice I can give you." B'son chuckled ironically, "I doubt that conclusion comes as any surprise to you. I'm going to read up on Cryogenic withdrawal. But I would expect it to give the same advice. Your muscles are probably going to be pretty sore over the next few weeks. They've been inactive for a long time. There are geo thermally heated pools throughout the Weyr. You are very fortunate that D'rell just happens to have one along the corridor. I suggest you make use of it when the nausea has passed. Which I am certain it will once you've eaten. And I suggest, for the next few days at least, that you don't venture very far from here." With this last statement he glanced over at D'rell, a mixture of apology and anxiety on his face.
D'rell's eyes widened as he recognised B'son's concern. He quickly nodded though,
"Of course he can stay here." He turned to Tristan, "You are welcome to stay here, for as long as you need."
B'son stepped closer to D'rell and placed a hand gently on the young man's arm,
"Are you sure, D'rell?" he asked softly, "I can call for my team to come and we can transfer him to the Healer wing."
A jolt of fear knotted his stomach and D'rell glanced quickly at Tristan who he was certain the fear had come from.
You are safe with us Tristan Areth's voice assured him, suddenly from her perch on the fire heights and he appeared to visibly relax,
"He'll be fine here, really, I'm fine with it." D'rell stated, shaking his head at B'son's offer. B'son regarded his friend, giving Tristan a suspicious sideways glance.
Tristan was shocked to feel distrust directed at him and a strong sense of protectiveness towards D'rell. Seeing the way the two interacted made him think that they were more than just friends. Now, after feeling the strong emotions from B'son, he was certain of it. He watched as B'son moved D'rell away from the sofa, a hand placed intimately on the small of his back, and began speaking to him in a hushed whisper,
"You might be alright with this but I don't want you here on your own with him. We have to tell the Weyrleaders about him anyway, and the Master Harper, shells the whole of Pern needs to be told about him. I think someone else should be here with you though."
"I won't be alone, Areth will be here." D'rell protested, "And don't you think we should let him recover from this Cryo thing before we put him on show to the rest of the planet? Tell the Weyr Leaders and The Master Harper yes, but let's keep his arrival here quiet until he is strong enough to cope with the curiosity he will attract."
"You've only just met the man yet you are willing to play his protector?"
"I saved his life, B'son, a person feels a little responsibility towards someone in that situation. Don't forget, he's only just met us too. I can't pass him from pillar to post. He's scared enough as it is."
"You can't blame me for feeling just a little trepidation, D'rell. We know nothing about him."
"And he knows nothing about us. Is this your feelings about him, or is it your feelings about me?"
"Do you blame me for wanting to protect you, D'rell, really?"
D'rell sighed. B'son was always there for him, always ready to offer a helping hand, good advice and a shoulder to cry on, sometimes at the expense of his own grief and pain. He placed his hands on the older man's shoulders and looked into his blue eyes. The man's features were so different from his twin brother's but sometimes, when D'rell looked really closely he could see something of D'sar in B'son's eyes,
"I don't say this often enough, B'son, but I am grateful, for everything you do for me. You're always there for me, thank you." His eyes burned with tears as he saw B'son's fill too, "This time though, you have to trust my judgement. There's something about him that makes me want to trust him. Areth feels it too and you know how dragons are. When you go I'll ask her to come back here and we'll watch over him together. If it makes you feel better I'll sleep with her tonight."
B'son sighed and nodded his head, resigned to letting D'rell have his own way,
"I'm going straight to F'lar, though, to tell him what has happened." D'rell nodded in acknowledgement, "You'll probably get a visit from him and Lessa. Perhaps Tristan should move to your spare room; it might be a bit quieter for him."
D'rell nodded and glanced back at Tristan who had his eyes closed. He had a feeling, however, that he had heard every word of his and B'son's conversation. As he looked, Tristan's mouth turned up in a small, half smile,
I didn't mean to eaves drop, D'rell, I'm sorry
Don't worry about it. D'rell told him. Tristan opened his eyes wide and D'rell regarded him curiously. He did not realise that he hadn't said the phrase out loud.
B'son bid good bye to Tristan and promised he would return the next day. D'rell walked him back to where Cerith was curled waiting patiently for him.
The green dragon had done as D'rell had asked and kept Roxi away from the newcomer. When the two riders returned she flitted about them both excitedly. B'son batted his hands to ward her off,
"Roxi, calm down, you overexcited little whelp." He said in frustration. She was an invaluable asset when executing his weyr healing duties but any other times she was a complete nuisance,
"B'son, do you think Roxi will take a message to Landing for me?" D'rell asked thoughtfully,
"I'm sure she would, why?" B'son replied, happy to get her out of his hair while he went to talk to F'lar,
"I just realised I'm still supposed to be on duty. I think I might be in a bit of trouble if I don't get word to someone to take over from me."
"Shards, D'rell, the entire planet might have imploded without you there to watch those infernal computer screens and interpret the gibberish that they spout day and night." B'son slapped his hand to his forehead sarcastically. D'rell punched him playfully,
"Shut up." he laughed. He knew full well that B'son had a very healthy respect for what he did. He also knew he had a better reason than many to want to monitor the skies for meteors and other possible objects entering Pern's atmosphere.
Roxi was persuaded to go to Landing, D'rell giving her a perfect visualisation of the monitoring room and of the cots where his colleagues would still be sleeping, an advantage of having a photographic memory. His colleagues probably didn't even know he wasn't there. He felt guilty that he had left his post, but he knew they would forgive him when they heard what he had found.
B'son and Cerith left to go speak to the Weyr Leaders and D'rell was left on his own. Areth agreed to come back, if a little reluctantly because the sun was warm. D'rell promised her trips to their little secret Southern cove in the near future and she was content. D'rell turned to walk back into the living quarters of his weyr and to his new roommate.
He sighed, he didn't have any problem at all about Tristan staying with him. He was a little excited about it. There was one problem though, he would have to give Tristan something to eat before the inevitable visit from the Weyr Leaders and Master Harper; but just what the shells did he give a visitor from another planet to eat?