I Read What?!

So last time, Thread was fought, Sh'gall was a dick, and McCaffrey gave us a whole bunch of really stupid dragonrider names.

Seriously, fucking A'murry. I'm sending that woman hate mail into the afterlife for that one.



So we're back with Capiam. He's on his third day of his illness. He finds it hard to believe because apparently his illness makes every twenty-four hours an "eternity of minor miseries". Aw, poor guy.

There's some change in condition: his fever abated, his headache is starting to become more tolerable, and his pulse while still fast, is slowing down a little. The coughing, however, is so bad that he ends up having to lie in a fetal position to relieve muscle spasms that come with it. Ouch.

He starts thinking about how to prescribe a cough remedy and...really? Didn't we meet a student or something a few chapters ago that was supposed to be handling his care? Why is Capiam prescribing anything to himself?

I mean, yes, of course, this is feudal caveman society and it's ridiculous to expect modern ethics, but this just seems like a bad idea. What if he's delirious?

He does note how humiliating the experience is and vows to be more sympathetic to sick people in the future. Well, at least you're getting something out of it.

Meanwhile, he overhears a message of condolence from Tolocamp in Fort Hold, and is aghast as he was supposed to stay at Ruatha. Eh. I find it hard to blame Alessan for not fighting too hard to keep this asshole. I feel sorry for everyone he's likely infected. The message is to Telgar and Igen for their dead riders.

Oh, there's the other person. Desdra shows up to fill him in. Fifteen dead riders in Igen, two in Ista and eight in Telgar. There are recoveries too: nineteen in Telgar, fourteen in Igen, five in Ista. Two in Fort, convalescing.

He asks after Hall and Hold, and Desdra, suspiciously, doesn't give more specific information. She DOES however have cough syrup. And hee, okay:

I know that you have reached the coughing stage and I have prepared a soothing syrup.”

“How do you know what I would prescribe for my condition?”

“The fool who treats himself has only a fool for a patient.”

All right. Well played, McCaffrey.

I like their dynamic:

“Am I such a difficult patient?” Capiam asked plaintively, seeking more consolation than he could find in a mug of an odd-tasting syrup.

“What cannot be cured must be endured,” Desdra replied.

Heh. So the Harpers are looking for records, just like Leri is. No luck so far. Desdra continues to treat Capiam. Capiam's got the "lassitude" that's expected at this stage of the illness, and he should probably start improving soon. Good!

--

We end up changing scenes to a "Butte Meeting" in Keroon. Apparently it's a landmark that was often used in training flights. Now it's the location for an "unprecedented meeting of the Weyrleaders."

Huh. F'lar just uses people's houses, I think. Well. To be fair, that'd probably be bad in terms of breaking quarantine. But I feel like this isn't any better.

Hey, Benden cameo:

The great bronze dragons arrived almost simultaneously at the site, coming out of between full lengths clear of each other’s wing tip,.utilizing their uncanny perceptions of proximity. They settled to the ground in an immense circle at the southern face of the butte. The bronze riders dismounted, closing to a slightly smaller circle, each rider keeping a wary distance from those on either side until K’dren of Benden, who had an active sense of humor under any conditions, chuckled.

He notes that no one would be there if they were sickening (and indeed, S'peren of yet another stupid name is here on Sh'gall's behalf). Yeah, dude, but any of you could be asymptomatic yet.

L'bol of Igen is less amused, noting too many of them have sickened. And indeed, we heard the death toll. Poor dude. M'tani of Telgar...REALLY? just scowls.

The leader of the meeting is S'ligar of High Reaches, as he's the oldest and the biggest. Apparently topping the other bronze riders "by a full head, and the breadth of him through chest and shoulders would have made two of most ordinary men." Okay. Anyway, I'd like to imagine that his real full name is "Subligar" like the panties costumes you find in Final Fantasy XIV.

Subligar tries to tell us how involved Weyrwomen actually are:

“As our Weyrwomen have pointed out, we cannot admit the losses and numbers of the ill that the Weyrs have sustained. There is too much anxiety in the Holds as it is. They are suffering far more than we are.”

Eh, I'll believe it when you show me. Sure, Lessa was involved in leadership. But Brekke, Kylara, and Moreta don't seem to be. To be fair, Leri actually does seem to have a leadership role, which is interesting considering she's basically the dowager at this point.

K'dren, who actually has a pronounceable name, seems to be a bit of a shit-stirrer:

“That’s no consolation!” F’gal snapped. “I don’t know how many times I warned Lord Fitatric that overcrowding hold and cot would have dire consequences.”

“None of us had this in mind,” K’dren said. “However, none of us had to run to see the curious new beastie from the sea. Or attend two Gathers in one day—”

“Enough, K’dren,” S’ligar said. “Cause and effect are now irrelevant. Our purpose here is to discuss how best to insure that the dragonriders of Pern fulfill their purpose.”

I mean, it's worth noting in case there's another cat?

But at least K'dren is more useful than L'bol:

“That purpose is dying out, S’ligar,” L’bol cried. “What’s the purpose of flying Thread to protect empty holds? Why preserve nothing at the risk of our skins and our dragons? We can’t even defend ourselves from this plague!” L’bol’s dragon crooned and extended his head toward his distressed rider. The other bronzes rumbled comfortingly and moved restlessly on the warm sand. L’bol scrubbed at his face, leaving white runnels where tears had wet his cheeks.

I mean, dude, you're not EXTINCT. There are still a lot of people alive? I shouldn't be too harsh though. And he's not terribly happy when folks remind them that K'lon and Master Capiam are recovering.

Subligar gives a pretty good speech though:

“We will fly Thread because that is the one service we can provide the sick in the Holds. They must not fear the incursions of Thread from without!” S’ligar said in his deep gentle unhurried voice. “We have labored too long as a Craft to surrender Pern now to the ravages of Thread because of a menace we can’t see. Nor do I believe that this disease, however fiercely it spreads, however ruthless it appears, can overcome us who have for hundreds of Turns defended ourselves from Thread. A disease can be cured by medicines, defeated. And one day we will fly Thread to its source and defeat it.”

Damn, I can HEAR that deep voice, can't you?

Anyway, Subligar is very happy to hear that Capiam's getting better. He notes that others must survive too: Keroon's Beasthold is still drumming and they were hit hardest. There's no sickness in Tillek, High Reaches (Hold, not Weyr), Nabol and Crom.

Subligar continues his speech:

S’ligar tried to catch L’bol’s despairing gaze. “We have only seven Turns to go before this Pass is over. I have lived under the scourge of Thread all my life.” Suddenly he straightened his shoulders, his face severe. “I haven’t fought Thread as a dragonrider for nearly fifty Turns to quit now over some fever and aches!”

“Nor I,” K’dren added quickly, taking a step toward the High Reacher. “I made a vow, you know”—he gave a short laugh—“to Kuzuth, that we would see this Pass through.” K’dren’s tone turned brisk. “There’s Fall tomorrow at Keroon, and it has become the responsibility of all the Weyrs of Pern. Benden has twelve full wings to fly.”

“Igen has eight!” Anger brought L’bol out of his despondency to glare fiercely at K’dren. Timenth, his dragon, bugled defiance, rearing back onto his haunches and spreading his wings. The other bronzes reacted in surprise, sounding off. Two extended their wings and gazed skyward in alarm. “Igen will rise to Fall!”

Just for that, S'ligar, I'll call you by your actual name. Even if I think it's a little dumb (but honestly, one of the more tolerable ones in this book).

So anyway, S'ligar orders that the Weyrs will consolidate. And even better, he brought paperwork!

“Here are the names of my wingleaders and seconds, since naming people seems to be a deficiency in our queens. I’ve listed my riders in order of their competence for assuming command of either wing or Weyr. B’lerion is my choice of a personal successor.” Then a rare and brilliant smile crossed the High Reacher’s face. “With Falga’s complete accord.”

K’dren roared with laughter. “Didn’t she suggest him?”

S’ligar regarded K’dren with mild reproof. “It is the wise Leader who anticipates his Weyrwoman’s mind.”

...okay, S'ligar is my new favorite and everyone else can fuck off home. A Weyrleader actually thinking about his Weyrwoman's preference, and who she might prefer to bang, when it comes to potential successors?!

It shouldn't be noteworthy, but it really fucking is. S'ligar/Falga 4ever.

The others all contribute their suggestions. And we see one of McCaffrey's strengths as a craftsman, because in a sparse few lines, we get a pretty good idea of everyone's personalities:

“Enough!” M’tani called irritably. His dark eyes were angry under heavy black brows. He threw his lists down to join S’ligar’s. “T’grel has always fancied himself a Leader. He reminded me that he hadn’t been to either of the Gathers so I’ll reward his virtue.”

“You’re fortunate,” K’dren said with no humor in his voice. He added his lists to the others. “L’vin, W’ter, and H’grave attended both Gathers. I’ve recommended M’gent. He may be young but he’s got a natural flair for leadership that one doesn’t often see. He wasn’t at the Gathers.”

F’gal seemed unwilling to lose the sheets he unwound. “It’s all on these,” he said wearily, letting them flutter to the sand.

“Leri suggested me,” S’peren said with a self-deprecating shrug, “though it’s likely Sh’gall will make a change when he recovers. He was too fevered to be told of this meeting so Leri drew up the lists.”

(Sh'gall's a dick, but I'd like to think Leri was thinking of Moreta when she drafted her lists.)

K'dren wins back a bit of my approval by noting that Leri would know. He finds it comforting to have made contingency plans. And between that and the insensitivity earlier, I'm thinking this dude is an ancestor of F'lar.

L'bol notes the real issue: lack of ground crews. But the queens have apparently made the decision there, per K'dren, and informed the men about what they were doing. I kind of love that. You men can boss yourselves around, but the queens are doing what they want. (What does the biggest dragon on Pern do in a crisis? Anything she fucking wants.)

They also discuss the suggestion of having weyrlings be ground crews. There's a mixed response to that (mostly doubt about their good sense, rather than concern for age), but the queens can keep them in line.

We get more update from Fort: both Sh'gall and Moreta are ill, but Moreta, at least is doing well. Orlith doesn't seem worried and is near clutching. (The fear of losing an egg-heavy queen brings M'tani to tears), but S'ligar reminds them that Orlith won't go anywhere until the eggs hatch.

Leri's actually leading in Moreta's place. Which surprises everyone. S'peren is a bit defensive, saying that if any of their Weyrwomen can talk her out of it, "we'd" be very relieved. But on the other hand, Leri knows HOW to lead, and the Weyr trusts her.

I like Leri. She and S'ligar are my favorites.

Downside of course, they haven't had a Search yet. So there aren't really a lot of candidates at Fort Weyr. That could be a problem. But S'ligar is happy to offer a "few promising youngsters", as are the other Weyrs.

I'm not sure how that's better than getting Hold born candidates. We JUST HEARD that a lot of Weyr folk are dying.

Oh hey, I wasn't expecting this, but here's some new context as to why the Southern Continent wasn't explored:

Not quite. One more point while we are convened.” S’ligar hitched up his belt. “I know that some of us have thought of exploring the Southern Continent once this Pass is over—”

“After this?” L’bol stared at S’ligar in total disbelief.

“My point. In spite of the Instructions left to us, we cannot risk further contagions. Southern must be left alone!” S’ligar made a cutting gesture with the flat of his huge hand. He looked to the Benden Weyrleader for comment.

“An eminently sensible prohibition,” K’dren said.

The other Weyrs all agree. (S'peren notes that he can't speak for Sh'gall, but he can't imagine why they'd disagree.)

So they're leaving it up to the queens to handle the logistics of the consolidation (isn't that just like men?) and they're going back to handle things in their own Weyrs.

I rather liked this bit actually. We haven't really gotten to see scenes like this before, except in Dragonquest, where the entire thing was a mess and a half. None of the subsequent books really focused on any of the Weyr leadership (can't take focus away from Jaxom shirking his kingdom and raping girls, I guess), so this is the first time we've gotten to see how a properly functioning multi-Weyr set up should work.

--

We go back to Capiam. He's busy mentally monologuing about everything. He's having a rough time, emotionally speaking, with feeling powerless and frustrated. I sympathize, but I'm not recapping full pages to that effect. We are informed that K'lon made a full recovery. And they're pretty sure that it's plague rather than cold, because of his friend in Igen.

Sadly, Berchar and his green rider weyrmate are both grievously ill. (I briefly went on a tangent to see if nerdier people than I am have a definition for weyrmate, because I'm nosy and want to know if Berchar and S'gor are banging. Consensus seems to believe it can be a lover or roommate or a reference to one's own dragon.

Fuck it. I wanna believe they're banging. One consensual gay relationship amidst all the mating flight bullshit.

Capiam really doesn't like the thought of Dragonriders dying as easily as holders. On one hand, fuck you. On the other, I guess that is realistic given that the Pass is still going. But even so, fuck you.

Capiam is still ranting in narrative monologue. He takes no pleasure that his "frequent harangues" about "indiscriminate breeding" should prove accurate. I mean, okay, but I don't see what that has to do with the plague. Unless it's the idea that it spreads more due to overcrowding...

He also seems to be feeling bad for co-opting Sh'gall for transportation. At the time, he'd had no idea how quickly the disease would incubate and spread, but he notes that the man is young and healthy. The unpleasant Lord Ratoshigan is also sick.

There's a new concern too: medical supplies. Capiam kind of freaks out about that, but Desdra notes "[a]s if we had only one febrifuge in our pharmacopia"

...I have no idea what any of those words mean. But I'll take her word for it. Desdra fills him in on things the others are doing. Her mention of Tolocamp is interesting:

“All here, yes. Even the officious Tolocamp, immured in his quarters. He’s more likely to catch pneumonia while standing at unshuttered windows to check up on the guards.” Desdra chuckled maliciously. “He’s got messengers stationed on the forecourt. He sails notes down to them to take to offenders. Not even a tunnel snake could slip past his notice!” A tiny smirk curved Desdra’s lips. “Master Tirone had to talk long and hard to get him to set up that internment camp in the hollow. Tolocamp was certain that offering shelter would be an invitation to undesirables to lodge and feed at his expense. Tirone is furious with Tolocamp because he wants to send his harpers out with the assurance that they can return, but Tolocamp refuses to believe that harpers can avoid infection. Tolocamp sees the disease as a visible mist or fog that oozes out of meadows and streams and mountain crevices.”

...I mean, Tolocamp seems like a dick, yes. But Harpers don't have some kind of magical immunity to disease?

Anyway, we hear how he managed to break quarantine to begin with. Alessan had fallen ill (Oh no!) and overruled Alessan's brother. Though now he is said to moan for abandoning his wife and daughters to the plague in Ruatha.

...wow. Okay, McCaffrey, it doesn't work to give these characters nuance in one chapter, if you turn around and make them horrifyingly terrible later.

Moreta is doing well. Berchar has pneumonia, and nineteen riders are now "weyred", which I presume means they're recovering at home.

There's more bickering, and we shift scenes to Leri and S'peren.

Leri is pretty great. They're talking about the physiological changes in old dragons, which I'll share because I know someone would be interested:

“I didn’t say I liked it either,” Leri told S’peren. “But old dragons can glide. That’s why Holth and I can still fly Thread in the queens’ wing.” Leri gave Holth an affectionate clout on the shoulder, beaming up at her lifelong friend. “It’s the tip, the finger, and elbow joints that harden so the finer points of maneuverability go. Gliding’s from the shoulder. Doesn’t take much effort, either, with the sort of wind we’re likely to get now. Why did it have to get so bloody cold on top of everything else? Rain’d be more bearable as well as more seasonable.” Leri adjusted the furs across her shoulders. “I wouldn’t trust the weyrlings to such dull work. They’d do something fancy, like the stunt young T’ragel tried on the ridge with Moreta.

S'peren gives us some insight into why L'bol was such a wreck: he'd lost both sons. S'peren is very comfortable reporting to Leri and almost expects to see the "chunky figure" of L'mal. Aw. I wonder what happened to the dude. I suspect not retirement. S'peren thinks that L'mal was a great leader. But at least Leri is as brisk and quick as ever.

Leri's a bit tart at S'ligar's offer of candidates. Apparently Orlith is the ONLY queen at the moment, currently bearing eggs. So that puts another light on S'ligar's concern for Moreta. But she's doing well.

OH. Hey, this is interesting:

The other Weyrs could learn a thing or two from our senior queen dragon. Wouldn’t surprise me if there were some pretty crucial changes made when Moreta’s well. And when Orlith rises to mate again!” Leri winked broadly at S’peren. “That girl has got to show her true preference to her queen.”

Okay. So there's at least the implication here that IF a Weyrwoman had a preference and made it clear to her dragon, then that would be the dragon that won. That does help make some of this marginally more consensual (even if it doesn't help if the Weyrwoman has no preference.)

S'peren's kind of adorable. He seems mostly oblivious to Leri's attempt at matchmaking. He does like Moreta a lot, but he was "perversely relieved" to fail the flight. It sounds like he doesn't particularly want the Leadership position. (Though we do get to hear what Sh'gall's strengths actually are: he has an instinct for when dragons are failing strength, losing flame, or which rider might not be as courageous as he ought.)

K'lon apparently has been acting as messenger. That makes some sense, they're probably assuming that he's immune now that he's recovered. Leri thinks he's running himself ragged (though he's probably also exploiting the chance to get in and out of Igen to see his lover. Aw.)

By the way, K'lon's lover? A'murry. I hate you, McCaffrey.

Anyway, K'lon's exhausted but has good news: Capiam IS recovering. And apparently he's realized that the disease itself isn't killing people, but related respiratory ailments like pneumonia and bronchitis are the real problem. (A'murry, by the way, has a chest infection. But K'lon can't see him and he's devastated by that. Aw.)

Leri pretty blatantly drugs the kid to sleep mid freak out, and I really do love her so much. Leri gets the idea to use weyrlings as messengers, assuming all they're doing is conveying supplies or healers.

...I think contagion would still be a problem?

--

Back to Capiam, again. Tirone, the Harper, is visiting. We get more news, poor Talpan the off-mentioned herder, is dead. So is the Master Herdsman. Apparently in Keroon, nine out of ten sick people died. So S'ligar's reassurance was maybe off the mark.

Apparently a lot of members of Capiam's hall died too. It sounds like a mess. (And interesting note for size, apparently Igen Sea Hold has nearly a thousand people.)

This part is actually pretty repetitive, as Capiam tells Tirone how the cat was found, how everything spread, and so on. Capiam, interestingly, is NOT happy with the Weyr interdiction against travel to the Southern Continent, noting that everything including their animals, and the dragons, came from there to begin with.

This gets Capiam to think about how much knowledge is being lost as they speak. Which is true. Pen and paper really isn't a thing on Pern. Hides are tricky and they fade. Common knowledge is often not written down.

And indeed, if we look at the Ninth Pass books, it's clear that a LOT of knowledge is gone.

Even so, I'm finding this segment boring. It's basically Capiam reacting to things that we already know. The Weyrs consolidated yay!

But then something interesting happens. Capiam suddenly seems to remember the idea of vaccinations. Apparently, someone named Master Gallardy had given lectures on "unusual techniques" and Capiam finds his notes:

“It is in my blood. That’s what it says here,” Capiam cried in triumph. “The clear serum which rises to the top of the vessel after the blood has clotted produces the essential globulins which will inhibit the disease. Injected intravenously, the blood serum gives protection for at least fourteen days, which is ordinarily sufficient time for an epidemic disease to run its course.” Capiam read on avidly. He could separate the blood components by centrifugal force. Master Gallardy had said that the Ancients had special apparatus to achieve separation, but he could suggest a homely expedient. “The serum introduces the disease into the body in such a weakened state as to awaken the body’s own defenses and thus prevent such a disease in its more virulent form.”

Desdra thinks that's homeopathic, which is an interesting complaint. But Capiam is enthusiastic. They NEED a cure/vaccine.

And some rambling paragraphs later, Desdra is able to extract some of Capiam's blood. And on his instruction, puts it in a jar that she swings over her head. I feel like that wouldn't be enough, but I'm neither a physicist or a doctor.

Anyway, it seems to work. And now needs to be injected into a vein. Now they need a test subject, and Capiam sends Desdra down to the oft-mentioned Fortine, who is just coming down with the plague.

The chapter ends here.