Ill have the bronze! Of course. The bronzell do fine, she exclaimed. There was something so repellent about the glitter in her eyes and the nasty edge to her laugh that Fnor felt the hair rise on the back of his neck.
A bronze dragon on my shoulder will be most effective I think, Kylara went on, reaching for Gsels bronze lizard.
Gsel put up a warning hand.
I said they were Impressed, Kylara, Fnor warned her, quickly signaling the rider to refuse. Gsel was only a green rider and new to this Weyr at that; he was no match for Kylara, particularly not in this mood. Touch him at your own risk.
Impressed, you say? Kylara hesitated, turning to sneer at Fnor. Why, theyre nothing but fire lizards.
And from what creature on Pern do you think dragons were bred?
Not that old nursery nonsense. How could you possibly make a fighting dragon from a fire lizard? She reached again for the little bronze. It spread its wings, flapping them agitatedly.
If it bites you, dont blame Gsel, Fnor told her in a pleasant drawl though it cost him much to keep his temper. It was too bad you couldnt beat a Weyrwoman with impunity. Her dragon wouldnt permit it but a sound thrashing was what Kylara badly needed.
You cant be certain theyre that much like dragons, Kylara protested, glancing suspiciously around at the others. No ones ever caught one and you just found them.
Were not certain of anything about them, Fnor replied, beginning to enjoy himself. It was a pleasure to see Kylara frustrated by a lizard. However, look at the similarities. My little queen …
You? Impressed a queen? Kylaras face turned livid as Fnor casually drew aside a fold of his sling to expose the sleeping gold lizard.
She went between when she was frightened. She communicated that fright, plus curiosity, and she evidently received our reassurances. At least she came back. Canth said shed just hatched. I fed her and shes still with me. We managed to save only these seven because they got Impressed. The others turned cannibal. Now, how long these will be dependent on us for food and companionship is pure conjecture. But the dragons admit a blood relationship and they have ways of knowing beyond ours.
Just how did you Impress them? Kylara demanded, her intentions transparent. No ones ever caught one before.
If it got her out of the Weyr and kept her on sandy beaches and off Brekkes back, Fnor was quite agreeable to telling her.
You Impress them by being there when they hatch, same as with dragons. After that, I assume the ones which survive stay wild. As to why no one ever caught any before, thats simple; the fire lizards hear them coming and disappear between. And, my dear, may it be a warm night between before you catch one.
Kylara stared hard at Mirrim and so resentfully at Gsel that the young rider began to fidget and the little bronze rustled his wings nervously.
Well, I want it clearly understood that this is a working Weyr. Weve no time for pets who serve no purpose. Ill deal severely with anyone shirking their duties or She broke off.
No shirking or tramping the beaches until youve had a chance to get one first, huh, Kylara? asked Fnor, still grinning pleasantly.
Ive better things to do, She spat the words at him and then, skirts kicking out before her, swept out of the room.
Maybe we ought to warn the lizards, Fnor said in a facetious way, trying to dispel the tension in the Infirmary.
Theres no protection against someone like Kylara, Brekke said, motioning the rider to take his bandaged blue. One learns to live with her.
Gsel gave an odd gargle and rose, almost unsettling his lizard.
How can you say that, Brekke, when shes so mean and nasty to you? Mirrim cried, and subsided at a stern look from her foster mother.
Make no judgments where you have no compassion, Brekke replied. And I, too, will not tolerate any shirking of duties to care for these pretties. I dont know why we saved them!