Dolphins of Pern

by Anne McCaffrey

  Lord Toric was roused from a deep sleep by the chattering of a fire‑lizard and the noise his own were making at the arrival of a newcomer. He wasn't best pleased. He had worked late the previous night, going over the recent maps made by his scouts, checking and rechecking the organization of his next move. He had made contact with all those he had felt would be eager to assist in his dramatic move. He'd also sounded out which of the Lord Holders also felt that Benden Weyr should not have the gift of Southern lands. Even Lord Groghe had wavered slightly from his loyalty to the Weyrleaders. After all, he had ten sons to place to some advantage. At every Fort Gather over the past three Turns, Toric had been planting suggestions in the boys' ears, intimating that they ought to have the same opportunity as Benelek or Horon. He'd put a flea in the ear of young Kern of Crom, Lord Nessel's third son and Nabol's second.

  He'd selected older journeymen, competent and resenting the promotion of others to Mastery above them.

  He cursed as he read Idarolan's message about the storm, it meant he'd have to delay the start. It could also mean more chance of someone ‑ and his ‘someone' translated into ‘dragonrider' ‑ discovering the carefully concealed sites. Or questioning the provision of every one of the hold's small fishing fleet. So far, the young Weyrleader K'van had accepted the off‑handed explanation that Toric was resupplying his southernmost mine sites before the hot season. Those across the river had not been detected. nor the sites, hidden in dense foliage.

  The dragonriders had long since surveyed the coast. All that land and his Hold bursting with eager new, hand‑chosen settlers, determined to secure and improve their own holds. looking favorably on him because he had granted their most earnest desires.

  He had had to swallow a great many slights and insults from the Benden Weyrleaders who thought they were going to carve up all these lands to their own specifications. Well, they would find opinion against them now. Too many people were aware of the extent of the Southern Continent and were discontent over the dragonriders' claim that they had first choice. For Turns they had had the best that Pern had to offer. When the Pass was ended and their services no longer needed, a far different tune would be struck for them to dance. And he would make sure of that!

  He heard the bell that his Fish Craftsmen had insisted be installed in the deep harbor. The shipfish had proved unexpectedly useful in telling fishmen where the schools were running but he was not at all their advocate. He resented talking animals: speech was a human attribute and he hadn't cared being told that dolphins were mammals, not fish, and humans were mammals too. The creatures were not equal to humans and there was no way he would change his mind on that score. Humans planned ahead: dolphins only cooperated with humans because humans amused them, created ‘games' for them to play. Life was not a game! The very notion of providing amusement to an animal irritated Toric to the core.

  But he was a pragmatist and the dolphins could be used to human advantage. He didn't like the notion that the creatures were known to patrol the coast line. He had his own plans for the coastline. He fingered his lips thoughtfully.

  They'd seek safety in the Currents during this storm, then, and that might be the best time for him to make his move: before the storm was quite over and the dolphins had returned to their customary waters.

  He rose then, pulling on his clothes, ignoring his wife's sleepy murmurs. If he was to push this scheme through on the end of the gale, he had work to do and to be done.

  When the storm swept down on the southern peninsulas protruding northward in the Southern Sea, its battering winds were the fiercest experienced. Even long‑time fishmen were amazed.

  Though its eye was well south of Southern Boll and Ista, coastal holds were battered and the seas flooded low‑lying lands, crashing up beaches to inundate seaside cotholds and fields that had always been high above ground. Coming as it did during the equinox, its fury was double that of normal storms, battering the lands right up to the hills.

  Along the southern coast it uprooted the shallower rooted, flexible trees that generally bowed with wind. The storm rolled gigantic combers as high up the Weyr cliff as the Weyrhall, shredding part of the roof and demolishing many of the little buildings that housed riders. Nothing stood in its way. Especially Toric's plans. The deep harbour, usually a safe enough anchorage, was as storm tossed as the outer sea and men struggled to save the ships, many half‑laden for their ‘down river' journey. Some crew, riding out the storm on their craft, took serious injuries and had to remain, tended for three long days and nights as best their mates could manage, until the storm blew itself away from Southern.

  It made good speed, and gathered more, as it headed obliquely south southeast, blasting toward Paradise River and Cove Hold.

  Although the warning served by the dolphin pods was immediately heeded, for the water mammals had never been wrong, the exact definition of ‘bad bad bad' became all too apparent as the weather worsened and the whistling twisting winds pounded the coast. No‑one had anticipated such a lengthy and ferocious storm.

  Paradise River ran high, flooding the line of cotholds and forcing Jayge and his family to the nearest high ground, which was also threatened. The riverside farmlands were inundated, too. With the season's crops all gathered in, at first everyone felt safe enough. But the storehouses were merely roofs on posts to keep the sun off material and most of those buildings lost their roofs and had contents blown away. It was even too dangerous to try to lash down bales and crates for the wind tossed these indiscriminately as lethal flying objects. Herd and runner beasts who were pasturing in the more open fields were later found lodged in now leafless tree bolls, a strange fruit. It took days to round up those that had fled from the savagery of the storm.

  Some animals had to be destroyed when they were found with broken legs or wounds that had become infected during the three days in which they had been untended.

  At Landing, the storm flag was flown from the mast that had once floated ancient colours of a forgotten homeworld to the breeze. Somewhat protected by the three slumbering volcanoes and the fact that the storm was blowing itself inland, Landing suffered relatively little damage. Monaco Bay took heavy surf and lost the dolphin float but not the Bell that had clanged for hours in the gale. Eastern Weyr got lashing rain and high winds but not the punishing blow that had devastated the coastline.

  As soon as he could, Readis made a wet journey down to the bay, to ask Alta and Dar to find out if his folks at Paradise River were all right. Kami insisted on coming with him because a frantic message from Cove Hold told them that Master Robinton's house had been flooded and many of the things that the Harper had valued had been destroyed. She was terribly afraid that Paradise River might also have been devastated. It took a long time for the dolphins to answer the report' sequence: Readis and Kami ended up taking turns at the Bell rope.

  When Alta finally answered, she told them that, while some of the pod had remained on duty in case a ship had been out in the gales, the others had swum to the northern and quieter seas.

  She said she would sound a message to pass to the Paradise River pod. So Readis and Kami waited until nearly full dark before they received an answer. The blow had been bad bad bad but humans were well, wet and tired.

  "Dolphins hurt. You go help?"

  "Badly?"

  Alta ducked her head under the water and came up. Don't know. You go."

  Further distressed by such unexpected news, Readis thanked Alta and apologized for having no fish to give her.

  "Ah, the fish run well and deep,” she told him and then backflipped away.

  "Who got hurt? How badly?" Readis demanded of Kami who remained silent as they started on the long walk back. "I wish they could be more explicit. Shards! It'll be ages before we find out”.

  "I'm sure Master Alemi is already helping, Readis,” Kami said soothingly.

  They were both startled, and Readis cried out with relief, when they heard a dragon's trumpeting above them, the sound almost los
t in the still brisk after‑storm wind. It was Gadareth and T'lion.

  "Could you take us to Paradise River, T'lion?" Readis begged when rider and dragon landed. "There's been dolphin injuries, only Alta couldn't say who or how badly."

  T'lion didn't bother to dismount, leaning over to give them a hand up to Gadareth's back.

  "That's bad news,” T'lion looked concerned and Gadareth turned his head back to show the orange of concern in his eyes. "I was just at Landing and heard you'd walked down here. Look, I'm supposed to report in at Cove Hold. It was badly flooded but I can certainly get you home first. At that. the wind's only just died down enough for dragons to risk flying. Gaddie couldn't lift far enough off the ground to go between. That storm was incredible!”

  As soon as Gadareth lifted from the roadway, the three were buffeted by the winds: Readis clinging to T'lion who had his safety straps buckled on and Kami clutching Readis so hard she hurt his ribs. Dragon flight was usually smooth but this morning even Gadareth was subjected to unexpected drops in the few moments it took him to reach transfer height.

  The winds were not much calmer at Paradise River and as Gadareth re‑entered, all three could see how badly the Hold had fared. Whole swathes of trees were down, the broad‑leafed vegetation in shreds, river banks deep in mud and roofs lying everywhere but where they had been built. Readis groaned.

  Everywhere people were working to clear the storm debris.

  Grabbing T'lion's shoulder, Readis shouted in his ear. "Take us to the harbour. The dolphins'll need my help more."

  "Oh, Readis, I must get home. Just look!" Kami was in tears as she pointed to their once neat hold. The porch roof was awry, mud and storm wrack covered the place and the chimney had fallen down. The net racks were splinters on the ground and they could see several nets festooned in high limbs of trees.

  "The dolphins first. You won't be far from your home there.”

  Readis also fretted about the fishing ships. Maybe, and surely Alemi would have gone to inspect them as soon as he could, the dolphin injuries had been attended to. That way he could go home to help. His mother might not even realize that he'd gone to the dolphins first.

  Gadareth had trouble finding enough clear space to land in, for the pier had been demolished to a few lengths, the dolphin float and the Bell gone. With a sinking heart, Readis saw that the two smaller ships had been beached and lay on their sides, masts and rigging gone, hulls broached. The Fair Winds was not in much better case, but he could see figures working on her deck. cutting away the sheets and the splintered main mast: the second one was still upright even if the rigging had been torn away. The schooner also looked low in the water. Had she sprung a leak or merely taken on a lot of water?

  There were no dorsals visible and that worried Readis even more. He'd been thinking ‘one' injury. How many had there been? And with no bell to summon the dolphins, how was he to call them?

  As Gadareth gingerly settled on the beach, pushing dislodged, splintered tree trunks out of his way to do so, T'lion turned to Readis.

  "No Bell. Gaddie can call them underwater. He's done it before. Haven't you, my fine fellow?" And T'lion affectionately slapped Gadareth's neck.

  “I call. They come. My buggle is as good as their bell.”

  When his passengers had dismounted, Readis looked around him, shaking his head at the devastation. So much to do.

  Kami was sniffling, knowing that Readis disliked her showing indecision or emotions but she wanted to cry on seeing the destruction of the smaller boats. Father would be so upset!

  Gadareth walked into the water, holding his wings up high at first until he was buoyant. Then he lowered his head in the water. Those watching heard nothing but they could see the bubbles of his call boiling to the surface. He raised his head, looking out to sea to wait for results. Then T'lion and Readis saw someone on the Fair Winds waving vigorously. The ship was too far out for voices to be heard. Gadareth was about to repeat his summons when a single dorsal appeared in the water, speeding towards them. Gadareth extended his head toward the incoming dolphin but it continued in toward the shore as far as it could before it raised its head. It was Kib, bearing fresh marks on his melon.

  "Bad bad bad bad blow. Worse! Two calves hurt. Can you fix?"

  "We'll try,” Readis replied. "How's the ship?"

  "Hole full of water. We help "Lemi."

  "That's good of you with injured calves."

  Kib blew water out of his hole. "We help. Our duty."

  "Then we'll help. Our duty,” T'lion added. "Bring in the injured. Gaddie's very good at holding."

  When the two battered calves were brought it, Readis and T'lion exchanged despairing glances. Both needed stitching to close the gaping wounds. A healer was needed.

  "Would your Aunt Temma be willing?" T'lion asked Readis. "I think T'gellan will understand me coming here instead of Cove Hold. They'll have lots of help."

  From his tone of voice, Readis gathered that T'lion wasn't all that certain of Weyrleader approval of his delay.

  But they'd need Gadareth to hold the dolphin calves while the surgery was in progress. The dams were alternately squeeing to the humans to help and trying to soothe their offspring. Both dams bore superficial cuts but nothing as bad as the lighter and less experienced younglings.

  "I'll understand if you don't feel you can stay.”

  "Don't worry about me and T'gellan,” T'lion added, coming to a sudden decision. "There're plenty of humans to help other humans but very few to help dolphins."

  "I thought the dolphins just rode out storms, Kami said timorously, her pretty face twisted with conflicting worries.

  "They usually can,” Readis said.

  T'lion shook his head. "That was not any usual sort of storm!”

  “Shall I take you to the Hold?"

  "You go to the Hold, T'lion, and ask Temma to come. She's good at suturing. Had enough practice, Uncle Nazer says. And you go with him, Kami,” Readis said, deciding that the girl would fret too much over the conditions of her home to be useful here. "I'll stay with the patients."

  "Can you manage?" Kami asked, vacillating again between showing Readis how helpful she could be and worried about not being with her mother in this emergency.

  "Sure,” Readis said blithely, standing waist deep in water, a wounded dolphin floating on either side of him and he surrounded by the dams and the nurse dolphins.

  Temma was too busy with human injuries to leave off her duties for dolphins. She said she'd come when she could.

  T'lion thanked her and asked Gadareth to take him back to Eastern Weyr. They had weathered the three days of storm much better than anywhere else. He'd get Persellan to come.

  Persellan had been collected and taken to Cove Hold.

  "Does he need more supplies? How bad was it there?" Mirrim asked, her brows knotted with concern.

  "It's bad all along the coast, Mirrim,” T'lion said. "I'll just bring what's needed with me,” he added and, since Mirrim didn't challenge him further, he entered the healer's hold and helped himself to the items he knew he and Readis would need.

  There was more than enough and he'd tell Persellan later. He also took the book which was Persellan's treasured compilation from Aivas' medical files. T'lion had watched Persellan work on dolphins often enough to have a good idea of how to proceed but it would be reassuring to have printed words to refer to.

  He didn't think he'd been very long but it was Readis who had had to wait and the waiting must have seemed like Turns to the hold boy who called out frantically as Gadareth landed.

  "What took you so long? I've had all sorts of trouble keeping the bloodsuckers from attaching themselves to the calves.”

  “ Temma isn't with you?" Readis' face turned whiter and his expression bordered panic.

  "I took what we need from Persellan's hold, and his book,” T'lion explained as he stripped off his riding gear and clothes down to his clout. Shivering a bit for the wind still had traces of storm chill, he
waded out, book and sack of supplies held above the rippling surface of the water. "C'mon, Gaddie, we'll need you, too." Gadareth followed him, moving very carefully with one eye on the dorsal fins and heads protruding above the surface.

  "What about Temma? I've never sewn up anything. Have you? And I had to stuff Angie's guts back in."

  Angie was the older of the two injured calves ‑ Cori's daughter, born that spring.

  "Ooooo. Wonder if you should've”

  "I had to, T'lion,” Readis said, his tone a bit strident with anxiety. "Couldn't let any bloodsuckers get attached to her guts. They'd eat her inside out.”

  "Wait a minute. I'm looking .” T'lion said, riffling through pages of the book which he kept well above the water and any splashes. "Oooo! Ugh!" He paused, lowering the book slightly to peer at something. "Ah, here. Human intestines." He bent to peer down at the injured Angie. "Gaddie, hold her for me, will you? C'mon now, Angie, Gaddie won't hurt you.

  The calf's squeeing was agonized but, with her mother and Afo pushing her with their noses, she had no option. Gaddie's talons cradled her.

  "Tip her slightly, huh, Gaddie?" And the bronze dragon, head cocked to see for himself, tilted the little body sideways.

  "Oooo." T'lion shuddered at the raw sight of the cords of visible intestines poking out of the wound.

  T'lion tucked the sack on the dragon's upper arm where the angle was just enough to keep it secure but to hand, then tentatively fingered the extruding loops. Referred to the book again, read with his lips moving as he did the more technical words by the syllables. Then he shrugged at the anxious Readis.