Oribeth comes. This time Orlith jumped in front of her eggs, spreading her wings, arching her neck in instinctive protection other clutch from the proximity of a strange queen.
“Don’t be silly, Orlith. Levalla’s here to see me!”
Astonished that the Benden pair should appear in Fort Weyr, Moreta rushed out to meet Levalla. They had landed in the center of the Bowl, well away from both Hatching Ground and Cavem. As Moreta rushed out to meet her visitors, Levalla sighted the sun’s position in relation to the Star Stones before sliding down her queen’s shoulder to await Moreta.
300 Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern
“I timed that very well indeed. I didn’t want you to worry unnecessarily.”
“You timed it here? Orlithjust relayed Sutanith’s cryptic message. Do you know about it?” Moreta had to bellow over the noise made by the Weyr’s dragons, which were bugling in bewilderment at Or-lith’s alarm and Oribeth’s presence. Moreta sent powerful reassurances to her queen, who stopped bugling.
“Do calm everyone down. I didn’t mean to put the Weyr in a panic. My apologies to Orlith and the watchrider and all that, but I had to see you instantly. I did rather well, you know, timing it across the continent on top of everything else.” Levalla had stripped off one glove and now fingered the worry-wood. “And yes, we know all about it in the east. About midmoming, our time, M’gent thought something was amiss when Lord Shadder said no one from Telgar Weyr had collected any vaccine from him or Master Balforso we were slightly forewarned. Sutanith got her warning through to Oribeth, Wimmia, and Allaneth so I give Miridan full marks for courage. But then, K’dren says she’s mating with T’grel, and he’s determined against M’tani now. So we took a little time”Levalla smiled eloquently at Moreta“and we have assigned two brown riders who know Telgar Plains and the River holds. D’say has agreed to send one of his group on the runs along the Telgar coast to the delta. Dalova says she can expand her responsibility to include the mountains, skipping back pre-Fall because that’s where it would chose to Fall today. But we don’t have anyone who knows the Ker-oon Plains well enough.” She paused then from her swift recital of emergency measures and gave Moreta a long stare. “You do. Could you fly it on that young blue?”
Holth comes. I come, said Orlith and Holth in different tones on the same breath.
“Oho, and here comes trouble without a shirt.” Levalla looked up at the weyr steps and pulled Moreta to one side, to be shielded by Oribeth’s bulk. “Does Sh’gall know, or was it Orlith’s fussing that roused him?”
“He doesn’t know.” Moreta wasn’t sure if she understood what was happening or half of what Levalla had so tersely explained. Then Holth arrived, no more than two wingspans above the Bowl.
“Shells, but she’s flying near the mark!” Levalla instinctively drew back. “Sh’gall thinks you were only on Search yesterday, is that
Moreta. Dragonlady of Pern 301
right?” When Moreta nodded, she went on. “All right then. I’ll delay him. You do Keroon on anything that will fly you. Those runnerholds must get the vaccine. Master Balfor has it all ready, in order, and with handlers to help out at the appropriate holds. Find a dragon to ride. Oribeth and I have done all we have time for in one day!”
Then Levalla shoved the worry-wood back into her belt and strode off to meet Sh’gall, who was bellowing at such rude awakening and strange queens threatening the peace of his Weyr.
Holth had continued her glide to land right at the Hatching Ground entrance, glaring at Oribeth, who was beginning to react to the air of hostility. Moreta rushed to intercept Leri before Sh’gall saw her.
“What has been going on? Orlith called Holth in sheer panic about Sutanith and Oribeth”
Moreta made wild gestures up at the steps, indicating Sh’gall. Holth crouched down on the ground so that Moreta didn’t need to shout up at Leri, and the old queen hissed soothingly in Orlith’s direction.
“M’tani had Dalgeth restraining T’grel and the other bronzes. No vaccine has been conveyed in Dalgeth or Keroon. Sutanith got a warning out to some of the queens but M’gent ofBenden had already suspected something was wrong because no riders from Telgar had collected any vaccine. Levalla has made arrangements for Telgar Plains and River, D’say has taken charge of the coast to the delta, and Dalova is taking the mountains”