“No, no, my dear Capiam, we cannot lose heart now,” Master Fortine added from his comer.
Tirone rose, his manner suddenly brisk. “Look, Capiam, I’ll drum for a convey. You can go to Fort Weyr, see what Moreta can tell you. Then on to that new manwhat’s his name, Bessel?at Beastmas-terhold. Meanwhile, since I take it that this vaccination program of yours is more urgent than ever, I’ll sweeten hall and hold. I’ll start with Tolocamp.” Tirone jerked his thumb toward Fort Hold. “If he agrees, we’ll have no trouble with the other Lords Holder, even that crevice snake Ratoshigan.”
“Considering Tolocamp’s mental state, however will you accomplish his cooperation?” Capiam asked, jarred from his depression by Tirone’s obvious confidence.
“If you recall, my fellow Master, Lord Tolocamp has been deprived of our services for the past few days. As he has never encouraged any of his children or his holders to have ideas, he is going to need ours. He’s had long enough to reconsider his intransigence,” Tirone replied with a deceptively bland smile. “You take care of the vaccine; I’ll organize the rest.”
The Masterharper was careful to retrieve the log of the Windtoss from Capiam before he left with an energetic stride and a brisk slam of the door.
The elation that Alessan had experienced after his visit to Fort Weyr was compounded of renewed hope and the unexpected sympathy of Moreta. He would have liked to savor that incident but the most urgent problem, producing a usable vaccine for runnerbeasts, especially those he devoutly hoped that Dag had saved, took precedence over any personal consideration.
M’barak returned Alessan and Tuero to Ruatha Hold, landing in the forecourt. The speed with which Oklina emerged from the Hold suggested she had been anxiously awaiting her brother’s return. She paused on the top steps, her face turned up to him. As he slid down the blue dragon’s side, Alessan let out a joyful whoop and her expression turned to relief as she rushed to meet him. Exuberantly Alessan swooped her up in his arms, achingly aware of the difference between
his sister’s slight body and Moreta’s. He gave Oklina a gentle kiss on her cheek. There had been scant time for affection between brother and sister lately, and, during her illness, Alessan had come to know how much he valued Oklina. A kiss, he had good reason to know, was a kind gesture!
“Moreta said the serum idea is valid. We’re going to try it! Now!” Alessan told her. “If it does work, then Ruatha is open again and my holders cannot deny me their labor. If it doesn’t work, we’re no worse off than we have been.”
“It has to work!” Oklina cried fervently.
Alessan shouted for Follen. “We’ll need his help, his implements, and that old brood mare. I know she caught the plague and I can’t risk any of the team animals.”
“Arith! Behave yourself. That’s Lady Oklina!” M’barak called. The blue dragon had turned his head round toward brother and sister, and was now wiffling closer and closer to Oklina, his eyes whirling. By no means afraid of such attentions, Oklina didn’t know what to do and clung to Alessan.
At his rider’s reprimand, Arith made a tiny little noise, a disappointed snort, and turned his head away while M’barak apologized profusely.
“I really don’t know what came over him. Arith is usually very well behaved. But it is late, he is tired, and we’d better get back to the Weyr.” Arith snorted audibly and M’barak looked startled. “I’d best be back at the Weyr.”
Thanking M’barak and Arith for their convey, Alessan guided Oklina out of the way, a bemused Tuero following.
“Blue dragons are not usually fascinated by the opposite sex,” the harper remarked dryly to Alessan.
“Really?” Alessan’s reply was polite for his mind was on the me-chanics of turning runner blood into serum vaccine.
“There is a queen egg on the Port Weyr Hatching Ground.”
“And?” Alessan’s courtesy turned crisp. He had a lot to do before he could see what Dag had salvaged of the Ruathan herds.
Tuero’s grin broadened. “As I recall it, Ruatha has quite a few bloodties with dragonriders.”