Once they’d stopped chewing firestone, the twelve wings of dragonsgreen, blue, brown, and bronze hides glistening with health in the sunlight, the many-faceted eyes taking on the reddish-yellow bat-tle hue, wings restlessly flicking and tails slapping on the rock of the Rimwere a sight that never failed to inspire Moreta.
Orlith shifted her feet, sat back on her haunches. Moreta thumped her shoulder affectionately and told her to settle.
They are ready. Their bellies are full of firestone. Why are we not flying? Kadith?
Moreta was not one of those rare queen riders who could understand any dragon. Kadith turned his molten eyes on Orlith, and she steadied. Orlith was queen of the Weyr, as senior queen, the most powerful dragon in the Weyr, and since Fort was the first and biggest Weyr on the planet, she and her rider were the preeminent partners. But when Thread Fell, the Weyrleader was in command and Orlith had to obey Kadith and Sh’gall. So did Moreta.
Suddenly the farthest wing launched into the sky, high and straight. They would fly the high first westerly stack of the initial three wings. The second level wing moved out, then the third. Once all had achieved their assigned heights, the three wings went between. The north-south wings launched next for a cross-flight of the probable line of Fall. They went between. The diagonal wings, who would start in the northwest, went aloft and disappeared. Sh’gall lifted his arm yet again, and this time Kadith bugled, as impatient to
be gone as Orlith. The Weyrleader would take his three wings east, to the line along Crom’s plateau where the leading edge of Thread was due. The queens’ wing took the final position, sweeping as close to the ground as they safely could. Their slower glide, their more powerful wings gave them more flight stability in erratic wind currents.
Now Kadith leaped from the Rim, Orlith following so quickly that Moreta was jerked back against the fighting straps. Then they were gliding into position. Leri on Holth had joined them, by what feat of acrobatics Moreta had not seen. Haura and Kamiana took their positions, and Lidora joined Moreta on the upper level.
Kadith says we go between.
You have the visual from him?
Very clear.
Take us between, Orlith!
l *
[l “Black, blacker, blackest, coldest beyond living things, I Where is life when there is . . “
The rugged mountains of Nabol were in the far distance, the sun warm on their backs in its cold-season arc. Below lay the bony plains of eastern Crom, glistening in patches and streaks that suggested there had been frost or a heavy dew.
Moreta’s second glance was for Leri and Holth, who were perfectly fine. Haura and Kamiana were aligned behind them to form the V. Above were the fighting wings, the highest stack mere motes on a slow western glide. At the other assigned points of the defense, nine more wings were gliding toward the as-yet-unseen enemy. Now Moreta looked back over her shoulder. Much wind?
Not enough to matter. Orlith veered slightly to the right and left, testing.
Then Thread would make its entry on a slight slant, Moreta thought. There’d be more problems as they neared the mountains of Nabol where drafts would complicate Fall by sudden upward surges or drops. Thread fell at a faster rate during the cold season and, although the temperature was colder than it had been for recent Falls that Turn, the air wasn’t frigid.
It comes!
Moreta looked back again. She saw that silver smudging of a sky, a blurring that crept inexorably groundward. The Fall of Thread!
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120 Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern
Leading edge! And Orlith began to pump her great wings, propelling them forward to meet the devastating rain.
Moreta caught her breath, as always exhilarated and apprehensive. She remembered to exhale as she settled against the fighting straps. Moments would pass before the high wings would close with Thread. It would be minutes before she and the other queens might be needed. She spared another glance for Holth.
She flies well! Orlith confirmed. The sun is warm on their backs, too.
Leading edge was visible and the sky ahead on either side was starred with quick bursts of flame. Moreta could see the stacks of dragons at their various altitudes covering the edge well. Then, from the pattern of dragon flame, she saw that the Fall was uneven. There were gaps where no dragon breathed Thread to char.