Author: ueoai

Chap. 49  The bookstore and the shock Elene, the head librarian, had taught K’ndar the basics of accessing a computer. He was glacially slow, typing out each word letter by letter. The computer proved more stupid than Elene had said, forcing him to constantly re-spell or ‘backspace’. “You’ll pick it up with practice,” she comforted…

Chap. 48  The computer K’ndar was overwhelmed. He was in Landing’s library. Elene, the head librarian, knowing  a bibliophile the moment he walked in, latched onto him. “We’ve so many more books, now. The printers have been working hammer and tongs to fill the shelves. Whenever they print a book, they print several copies, two…

Chap. 47  Place of Marvels K’ndar was spellbound. Landing wasn’t just not quite what he had imagined, it was more than he could ever have imagined. Rahman had introduced him to Shawn, a ‘techician’ who worked in ‘administration.’ “I’ll leave you in Shawn’s capable hands, K’ndar, and Shawn, let me know if there’s something he…

Chap. 46  The Winged Taxi “Before I forget, sir, ” K’ndar said to Rahman, the astronomer, “I’d like to thank you for sending the books to me. I’ve just finished them and by the egg, I’ve learned so much. I would like more, please, if that’s possible.” The old man smiled. “Oh, it’s possible, my…

Chap. 45 Siskin’s first ride Siskin, his young blue fire lizard, suddenly appeared, chittering in agitation. His eyes rolled an aggravated orange. He flew right in Raventh’s face, for all the world sounding as if he were scolding. Then he settled between Raventh’s wings, muttering.  What’s wrong with him? I was ‘gone’. He was afraid. …

Chap. 44  After Action conference “I know it’s not our normal meeting spot, but it’s a lovely day and we can let our dragons play in the lake while we talk,” D’nis said. The weyr had flown against Thread earlier that day. His wingleaders, wingseconds and B’rant, the Weyrlingmaster, were lounging on the grass, as…

Chap. 43  The egg hatches The egg is rocking and making noise K’ndar was jolted out his concentration on the book he’d been reading. The fire lizard egg, settled on a bed of heated sand, was rocking. He could hear the lizard inside cheeping. Shards!! He had nothing for it to eat! Do I have…

Chap. 42 Second Thoughts It was time. His family met in the dining hall, early in the morning. They wanted to get an early start on their trip back to the cothold. K’ndar was going to take Daryat back to the cothold on Raventh. Glyena looked glum. She’d hardly touched her breakfast. Unusually quiet, she…

Chap. 41  The Gather and the Horse Race The day after the Weyr flew against thread, the Turnover (year’s end and beginning) Gather took place. K’ndar had never seen so many people. There were vendors of all sorts, selling everything from laying hens to playing cards. Jugglers and puppetmasters put on shows for the children.…

Chap. 40  Family decisions “If I hadn’t lived through it, I wouldn’t have believed so many things could happen in one short week,” Daryat said. The family was sitting around a small fire on the beach in front of K’ndar’s weyr. Raventh’s eyes reflected the flames, making them appear to glow like hot coals. Sandriss’s…