So last time, news of the plague reached Fort Weyr and we saw a number of different reactions. This time, we'll see how things are going in Ruatha.



So we backtrack a bit in this chapter. It starts when Alessan watches Moreta fly away from the Gather. He notes that Orloth is glowing, literally, and wonders if that's because of her pregnancy. It might be rom-com magic, dude. And indeed, Alessan's had a pretty good night.

Smiling, Alessan took a deep breath, well satisfied by the high moments of his first Gather as Lord of Ruatha Hold. As his sire had often repeated, good planning was the essence of success. True enough that good planning had resulted in his sprinter’s win, but he had never counted on Moreta’s company at the races—she had been such a spontaneous companion. Nor had he anticipated her dancing with him. He’d never had such an agile partner in the toss dance. Now, if his mother could find a girl in any way comparable to Moreta . . .

I mean, you could just meet your own girl, dude. You kind of already did? It's not like Pern has any real requirement that an heir be legitimate. Obviously Moreta isn't going to leave the Weyr to marry Alessan, but any kids they have should still work well as heirs (assuming they don't Impress...)

Alessan's good mood is broken though when Dag comes with news: all of Vander's animals are sick. They're coughing out their lungs, feverish and sweating. It's even spreading to animals near Vander's lot. Dag intends to take Alessan's animals away before it spreads.

It's interesting. Dag has appropriate respect and deference, but he's also not asking. He definitely doesn't want to risk Squealer. I feel like it might be too late.

Alessan also has a bit of "new Lord Holder" angst as he thinks about Dag's grandson, a boy whose mischievous antics Alessan admires sneakily, but now can't condone. Apparently the boy had pissed off Lady Oma (Alessan's mother) and he was forbidden from attending the Gather. Instead, he was locked in the Hold's cell.

...that seems a little fucking extreme. Jesus.

Anyway, Dag goes off and Alessan wonders a bit if he gives the guy too much latitude. But he has to admit that animal illness could be a pretty big deal. He doesn't think it's connected to the dead runner, though. Except maybe Vander ignoring signs of illness to push his creatures too far.

We get a nice look at what late night at a gather looks like, with folks sleeping everywhere: on the ground, in the Hall, even in the hallway outside his apartment. He realizes also that Moreta had not retrieved her original gown, but hey, another excuse to talk to her. Score.

Unfortunately, bad news keeps coming. Alessan is woken up from a sound sleep by his mother who informs him that Vander is very sick. The unfortunately named Masterhealer Scand is pretty sure it's NOT overindulgence. Some of Vander's men are ill, and four animals are dead. (Alessan asks whose, but Lady Oma has no idea and does not particularly care.)

There seems to be some hard feelings between Alessan and Lord Tolocamp, as Alessan bristles at his name and is uncharacteristically sharp with him. It's not clear yet if it's just a matter of new Lord Holder vs. established courtier used to Doing Things A Certain Way or if it's more than that.

The update from Norman, who works with Dag, is not great: NINETEEN animals are coughing and sweating. They're isolated from the healthy animals now. And someone named Helly is also complaining of a headache. He's not a drinker, so it's not a hangover.

There's a nice moment when Alessan reassures Norman (who can't remember whether or not Vander had had a headache), acknowledging that the poor guy had a lot to manage and that the races went really well.

Norman though is worried because someone named Kulan is leaving. And it LOOKS like one of his runners is coughing. Eek. And others have been decamping as well. Alessan will speak to him and tells Norman to find out how many folk have left already. He intends that no animal leave the Hold until they know the cause of the cost. People too.

Apparently Kulan is not too happy about sticking around, but Alessan firmly and diplomatically insists. Pointing out that he wouldn't want a sick beast to infect his healthy stock back home. Tolocamp is also anxious and wants to be gone, but Alessan handles him too. He urges Tolocamp to speak to members of his own Hold and kind of gently steamrolls him a little.

I maybe can see a tiny bit of Lessa in her presumed ancestor here. Though Alessan is far sweeter-tempered.

He tells Oklina what's going on, and has her update their mother. Lady Oma's powers of persuasion and hospitality will be required. (Oklina is alarmed but controlled and competent.) Their brother, Makfar, already left. And this is funny:

Alessan rubbed his face. Makfar had had two runners in the racing. “When you’ve spoken to Mother, send a messenger after them. The way Makfar travels, they won’t have gone far. Say, say . . .”

“That you have urgent need of Makfar’s advice.” Oklina grinned.

“Exactly.” He gave her an affectionate pat on the shoulder. “And inform our other brothers that security is required for the Hold proper.”

Hee, siblings.

So things are under control, though Tolocamp is getting restless, and the drum messages soon come in about how bad everything is:

Epidemic disease, the drums rolled, spreading rapidly across continent from Igen, Keroon, Telgar, Ista. Highly infectious. Highly contagious. Two to four days’ incubation. Headache. Fever. Cough. Prevent secondary infection. Fatalities high. Medicate symptoms. Isolate victims. Quarantine effective immediately. Runnerbeasts highly susceptible. Repeat Epidemic warning. No travel permitted. Congregating discouraged. Capiam.

...they must have a more efficient method than Morse Code, because spelling that out would take for fucking ever.

Tolocamp, of course, is in denial. He thinks the sick men just had too much to drink. And protests that while it's spreading, Capiam didn't say it was in Ruatha.

Because Capiam isn't IN Ruatha, you fucking moron.

But fortunately, Alessan is pro-lockdown. When the Masterhealer calls a quarantine, you fucking quarantine. (Apparently, unbeknownst to Alessan, his soft angry voice sounds a LOT like his dad's.) Tolocamp backs down.

And to his credit, when OTHER people start bitching, Tolocamp rallies and backs Alessan up.

The contrast between Alessan and Sh'gall is probably intentional. Alessan is feeling panic too, but he's letting it roll over him. He's focusing on the steps he can take. (And notes that he and Tolocamp do their best to quiet apprehension.) He starts calculating food storage and where best to house sick people. It's going to be a big job.

Credit where it's due, McCaffrey still has her scapegoats, but she's done a good job with giving us characters who are annoyances to the lead characters but not completely incompetent. Nesso last chapter and Tolocamp here may have balked at first, but they seem to be competent and capable once brought in line.

So now, here comes the Masterhealer Scand. He heard the drums and the healer code, but apparently isn't able to understand on the fly. So he doesn't yet know about the plague. He explains what's going on with Vander and his men. Symptoms and the fact that yes, they're all legitimately ill.

(Hee, we see a bit of family resemblance as we're told that Scand's pompous speech has always irritated Alessan.) Scand is then informed of the quarantine and is taken away to get full details.

There's a nice bit where Oma and some other ladies enter. She hears the drum and gives Alessan a steady look and goes to join the dithering healer. Another irritating person who holds up well in a crisis. Nice.

Alessan is suddenly appreciating his very supportive family and even Lord Tolocamp, for the first time in his life. Aw.

Alessan and Norman discuss treating the animals. And we get a bit that reminds me of Moreta last chapter. Alessan clearly has a lot of knowledge of animal husbandry and gives instructions on their care. Alessan asks about the herdbeasts, which Norman hadn't thought about. But it's kind of important: they're going to need to slaughter some to feed their guests. There's not enough fresh meat after the Gather.

Oof, yeah, that would mean fewer food and drink supplies, wouldn't it. Bad timing.

There's more instruction on what to do with the dead animals, and to keep track so reparations can be made.

Alessan finds himself worried about Moreta, as she touched the dead runner. But then Fort Weyr would have gotten the message first. We drift a little into some romantic reminiscence:

As did everyone of Ruatha Hold, he knew the Fort Weyrwoman by sight, but Alessan had always been on the fringes of such Hold gatherings as she had attended since achieving her senior position in the Weyr. So he had thought her a distant, self-contained person, totally immersed in Weyr culture. The discovery that her fascination with racing was as keen as his own had been an unexpected delight. Lady Oma had rebuked him firmly at one point in the early evening for taking so much of Moreta’s time. Alessan knew perfectly well that she meant that he was not making the most of the chance to meet eligible girls. He knew, too, that he must soon secure his bloodline and so he had tried to be properly receptive until he saw Moreta slip behind the harpers’ dais. By then he had had enough of stammering insipidity and timorousness. He had acquitted his duty as Lord Holder but he was also going to enjoy himself at his first Gather. In Moreta’s company. And he had. Alessan had been raised to anticipate both just reward and just punishment. Momentarily the thought that today’s trials balanced yesterday’s pleasures sprang to his mind but was quickly rejected as juvenile.

Aw.

But back to practicalities: messages to the folks who would be expecting the return of the Gatherers. Figuring out who else brought in new stock from Keroon, like Vander had. He needs to determine what to do with dissidents. Ruatha only has one cell, and it might work for a little boy (...fucking seriously?) but it won't work for an aggressive holder.

Tolocamp really really wants to return to Fort Hold though. And he's not as put off by flattery this time. His sons are indeed superbly trained to take over Hold duties flawlessly, but this emergency is outside their experience. Admittedly true.

But Alessan reminds him that the message had used a double-urgent code from a Mastercraftsman, and asks if Tolocamp would permit anyone to disobey that. (Hm. Can other Crafts call a quarantine like that? I'd imagine not. But are there other urgent instructions they can give? I'm curious.)

Anyway, Alessan wins Tolocamp over by suggesting he be an example. If he hasn't shown symptoms in another day, he can probably discreetly return. Tolocamp agrees.

...I'm calling Tolocamp as one of the next victims. If only because he's so confident he won't be (he doesn't like racing.)

Alessan gets to be more forceful with other Holders. They're to stay. And again, Tolocamp backs him up. The issue of reliable messengers is a problem though (since many of the Holders' homes are outside of the drum network), but the Harpers are actually useful for once and have an idea.

Don't worry, I haven't softened on the Harpers. Robinton's had six books and hasn't been as useful as these guys have in one. They have a plan for a relay system between the Holds. I'm not sure how that would avoid spreading the plague, to be honest, but maybe they can do it without making physical contact. Alessan goes for it.

So progress is being made. Alessan even manages to distract Tolocamp with a task. But the chapter ends with some upsetting news: Vander is dead.