Holth says Orlith sleeps. It was Tamianth who spoke.
Startled, Moreta glanced at Falga, who was equally surprised but smiled warmly at her.
“You’ve come on Search,” Falga began. “Surely it’s early, and even a shade unwise to assemble candidates.” Falga indicated that Moreta should sit on one end of the couch, B’lerion on the other.
Moreta hesitated, glancing at Pressen, but he was busy in the far end of the large room.
“I’ve two reasons for coming.”
“But there’s only one queen egg.” Then Falga slumped back against her pillows, resigned. “What else has gone wrong then?”
“No, I think you could say that something has come right,” Moreta said in a positive manner, “but Master Capiam needs our cooperation.” Quickly Moreta once more explained, irritated by the sincere way in which B’lerion expressed astonishment. “Parts of Nabol, Crom, and the High Reaches are totally isolated. Master Capiam feels that they could wait so your involvement won’t be as large”
“Moreta, after saving Tamianth you can have anything in this
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Weyr … except S’ligar and Gianarth. Fortunately”Falga’s delightful laugh pealed out“he’s feeling his age. B’lerion, I know you time it as a matter of everyday convenience. This is the sort of thing you’re good at organizing. Besides, I doubt if there’s a cot you don’t know in any western hold.”
“Falga!” B’lerion affected indignation and hurt, laying his right hand on his heart. “May I see this plan of Master Capiam’s?”
The bronze rider was a very shrewd dissembler for he examined the plan as if that were his first viewing. Moreta wished that B’lerion were not so comprehensively charming.
“Moreta,” Falga said, eyeing her thoughtfully, “if Tamianth says Holth says Oriith’s asleep. High Reaches has not been your first stop.”
“No, I kept the best for the last.”
“Could that be why Tamianth tells me Holth now informs her that Raylinth and his rider have arrived, in great agitation, at Fort?” When Moreta nodded grimly, she added, “M’tani would have none of it?”
“The watchrider made Arith land on the Rim.”
B’lerion cursed with real fervor, all languor gone.
“If I’d been on Orlith, that squatty mildewed brown of C’ver’s would”
“Consider the source,” Falga said earnestly. “A mere brown rider! Really, Moreta, save your wrath for something worth the energy to spit at. I don’t know what has got into M’tani over the last Turn. Maybe he’s battle-weary from fighting Thread for so many years. He’s gone sour totally, and it’s affecting his whole Weyr. That would be disastrous enough in ordinary times, but this plague has only shown up his deficiencies. Do we have to force a change there? We’ll take up that matter later. Meanwhile, High Reaches will take up distribution on the eastern side of Telgar’s region. Bessera can time it, and has, which accounts for that smug look so often on her face. B’lerion, which of the bronzes?”
“Sharth, Melath, Odioth,” B’lerion closed a finger into his palm with each name. “Nabeth, as you suspected, Ponteth and Bidorth. That makes seven, and if my memory serves me, N’mool, Bidorth’s nder, comes from Telgar Upper Plains. Of course, T’grel’s not the only rider who’s dissatisfied with M’tani’s leadership. I told you, didn’t I, Falga, that once those Telgar riders had had a taste of real
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leadership, there’d be trouble.” He smiled winningly at Moreta. “I actually do defer to Sh’gall’s abilities. He may be a dull stick in other mattersoh, no, you can’t fool your old friend B’lerionbut he is a bloody fine Leader! Don’t waggle your finger at me, Falga.”
“Do stop your chatter, B’lerion. Holth has told Tamianth that Moreta had better get back to her Weyr. And we’ll send you over a few weyrlings from our cavern. You can take your pick. If we discover any more likely lads and girls while we’re delivering Master Capiam’s brew, we’ll bring them in.”
“I’ll just give Moreta a leg up,” B’lerion called back over his shoulder as he hurried out with her.
“It’s a good thing you’ve only the one arm, B’lerion,” Falga called after them goodhumoredly.
“I was going back by way of Ruatha,” Moreta said anxiously.