McCaffrey, Anne - Pern 10 by McCaffrey Anne

Author:McCaffrey, Anne
Language: eng
Format: epub

Her hands tended to sweat inside the nonporous material, but that damp discomfort was better than acid burns. She made sure her goggles were clear, too. Sometimes a fine spray was blown back before the HNO3 ignited, and she needed clear, not clouded, plasglas.

She was just about finished when F'mar--Fulmar Stone Junior--bronze Tallith's rider, swung into the queen's ready room, helmet and gloves in hand, riding jacket open.

'Hey, gal, we're back!' F'mar was grinning from ear to ear. 'And boy, did we bring home the bacon!'

'Real bacon? Is Longwood curing pig so early?'

'You can be so literal sometimes, 'Rene.'

She hadn't told Sorka that was how her name had been compressed, since it was humans and not dragons who had given her that nickname.

Slapping his gloves on his leg with some irritation, F'mar went on. 'No, actually, we brought back steaks and a lot of stew meat. They're culling herds for the winter down there. Or don't you remember how seasons switch?'

'I remember that much,' she replied evenly. Eight years older than Torene, Fulmar Stone had been five when he and his family had Landed; he had Impressed a bronze of a Weyrleaders' clutch at nineteen. Half-trained to follow in his father's mechanical engineering specialty, F'mar had salved Fulmar Senior's shock at the idea of his son's pursuing an entirely different life's work by taking charge of all the Weyr's mechanicals. These were, however, so well designed or redesigned that they rarely needed more than a drop of oil--or so F'mar insisted.

'You should've come.' Then F'mar, as tall as she was but rangier in frame and bony shoulders, leaned toward her with a friendly leer. 'It was more fun than climbing about rock faces and peering in holes.'

Torene grinned placidly at him. 'But I like cliff climbing, and Alaranth hunted yesterday with the other queens. I'd better go help with dinner if there're steaks.'

'I have to, too,' F'mar said, grimacing. He didn't enjoy that segment of the additional duties that the riders assumed inside the Weyr. 'In fact, Tarrie sent me to find you.'

'For steak, I'm findable,' she said. 'Just let me wash my hands first.'

'Can I help?' he asked with a second amicable leer.

Torene laughed at him, evading his half-serious interference with a direct path to the sinks.

F'mar was nothing if not persistent in his efforts to attach her. He pressed his luck whenever he had the chance, like now, trying to persuade her that he was her best possible weyrmate, just as his Tallith would be the perfect bronze to twine necks with her queen. F'mar was looking for any opportunity to prove his worth--in advance. He was also a Wingleader, which he thought gave him an advantage over others of their group.

For her part, she treated them all alike, and no one knew if she'd any experience at all. She didn't because she was romantic enough, though she knew that would surprise many, to want her first time to be very special. She wanted to really like the man.

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