“Round up the strays for people in Keroon and Telgar,” Peterpar said, nodding sagaciously. “I did hear that animals were let run when folk took sick with no one to care for them.” Then he pointed skyward. “Where’re the queen riders going? Is that S’peren with them?”
“On Search,” Moreta said casually.
298 Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern
“Queens don’t go on Search,” Peterpar said presumptuously.
“They do when a Weyrwoman has been treated as uncivilly as Telgar treated me,” Moreta declared with sufficient severity to quell Peterpar’s curiosity. “Orlith does need to be fed. Do please get a few juicy bucks for her in your hunt.”
Smiling, she left the men. Trust Peterpar to take an interest in everything. He hadn’t mentioned Holth and Leri so perhaps Holth’s shallow-angle approach to between had been justified. K’lon must have left earlier, but he was in and out of the Weyr so frequently on convey that his departure would not cause comment. It amused Moreta that she could turn M’tani’s disaffection to advantage, so he was made useful instead of being merely obstreperous. Now ifSh’gall would just sleep all day… .
She felt inordinately good that morning, aware of the smell of the spring in the air, the warmth of the sun, the laughter of the children playing near the Cavern. Once the dragons had finished feeding, they would return to the lakeside, their favorite spot for games. The atmosphere in the Bowl was returning to a normal buzz of pleasant activity, no longer silent with anxiety. However, an air of anticipation, of suppressed excitement, hung over the infirmary when she visited looking for Jallora, who was vaccinating one of the riders scored the day before.
“Good morning, Moreta,” Jallora said. “A well-timed arrival. Now I can give you the second vaccination which Capiam has ordered for the Weyrs. Dragonriders travel so much,” she said with a mild apologetic smile. Nothing in her expression indicated that the procedure was anything but routine. She administered Moreta’s dose with the deftness of long practice.
“Can I give you a hand?”
“I wouldn’t object. I’ve got the Lower Cavern to do. I vaccinated the queen riders before they left on their errand.”
Did Moreta imagine a twinkle in Jallora’s eyes? At least she could keep busy helping the joumeywoman, and so she passed the morning well occupied. When she saw Peterpar with A’dan and S’gor, she went to tell Orlith that there’d be more choice if she could contain her appetite until later in the afternoon.
Wild wherries are tough, Orlith remarked a trifle petulantly, but generally tasty, she added, sensing Moreta’s concern and nuzzling her rider. Kadith sleeps. Holth says that the errand proceeds well.
Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern 299
Moreta was very grateful that Kadith still slept. Inevitably Sh’gall would discover that Fort Weyr riders had taken part in Capiam’s vaccine distributionpreferably after he had recovered from the wine and when he had calmed down over M’tani’s insult. Moreta could have been mistaken, but she had a fleeting thought that Sh’gall was obscurely pleased by M’tani’s attitude toward her.
Suddenly Orlith reared up, her eyes flashing reddish orange with such alarm that Moreta whirled to the Hatching Ground entrance, alert to danger.
He will not let the bronzes go. Sutanith is worried. He is dangerous. Dalgeth, the senior queen, restrains all. Orlith sounded perplexed as well as defensive.
“Sutanith is speaking to you?” Moreta was amazed. Sutanith was Miridan’s queen and she was a very junior weyrwoman at Telgar. Moreta didn’t know her well at all for Fort did not often combine with Telgar Weyr even when traditional territories were observed.
The Leader has gone between to the Fall, so Sutanith warns you of the troublethat the bronzes cannot help.
“M’tani found out that T’grel was going to distribute the vaccine?”
Sutanith has gone. Orlith relaxed her posture.
“And Dalgeth restrains? How did M’tani find out? I thought Leri and T’grel had worked out every detail. And Keroon must have the vaccine.” Moreta began to pace, scrubbing at her short hair as if she could tease out a plan. “If Keroon doesn’t get the vaccine, the whole plan could fail!” She dashed across the sands to the tier and found Capiam’s notes. Keroon and Telgar had to be covered and there were many halls and holds. Who else among her riders knew Telgar and Keroon well enough to