Dragonheart

saying, “You have dragons that you say were injured from Threadfall, and we know that won’t happen for another ten Turns or more, so you must come from at least that far in the future.”

“I think I see how you can trade on that information,” Fiona guessed.

“You can?” Karina raised an eyebrow.

“Of course,” Fiona told her. “You know now that ten Turns in the future the dragons will be so injured that they need to send us back in time, so you know that their need for numbweed will be great and you can trade that knowledge profitably to those who grow and harvest numbweed, helping them make greater profit and helping yourself to your rightful profit in carrying the goods in tithe.”

“You could be a trader,” Karina said. Fiona accepted it for the compliment it was.

“My father raised me well.”

“You mean, your father will  raise you well,” Azeez corrected her, smiling.

“I think I might prefer is  raising me well,” Fiona countered, smiling back.

“You were talking about the Plague?” T’mar said politely to Karina.

“Since the Plague, there are fewer farmers, and many farms lie fallow, untended,” Karina said.

“Might there be any cattle left from abandoned holds?” Fiona asked.

“There could be,” Azeez admitted, “but if there are, they would be mostly in hidden valleys in the low mountains.”

“The sort of terrain that only dragons could traverse,” T’mar said, grinning at Fiona. “I think we could entertain our weyrlings with such a prospect.”

“Do you know of any abandoned fields nearby where we could graze our herds?” Fiona asked.

“There are more fields in Keroon than here in Igen,” Karina told her. “For your dragons it is a short journey.”

Fiona pursed her lips thoughtfully, then turned to T’mar. “Do you know if any of the older weyrlings have experience tending livestock?”

“It would be better to find holders for that,” T’mar replied, holding up a hand to forestall Fiona’s quick retort. “Remember, we will be here only for three Turns, and others will follow after us.”

T’mar’s words reminded Fiona of one of Neesa’s admonishments: Always leave a place better than you found it.

“So,” she summarized, “while it is possible that we might find some cattle in hard-to-reach valleys, we’ll need to trade watch-whers for enough food to feed the dragons in the Turns to come.” She glanced at Mother Karina. “That doesn’t seem enough. Is there anything else we could trade?”

“Gold and precious metals are always in demand,” Karina told her.

T’mar looked thoughtful. After a moment, he looked at Azeez. “In our Weyr, we often knit sweaters to pass the time. They are highly regarded by the holders looking to us.”

“Such gifts would not be best to trade from this location,” Karina responded, “particularly if you wish to remain hidden.”

T’mar pursed his lips in sour acceptance of her point.

“What could we make for trade that might not arouse suspicion?” Fiona asked.

“Nothing too bulky, obviously,” T’mar said.

“Why not?” Fiona countered. “Dragons can carry heavy loads. We could deliver our goods anywhere on Pern.”

“As long as you weren’t seen,” Azeez reminded her.

“Would it not serve you well to have us carry goods for you?” Fiona asked, directing her question to Mother Karina.

The old woman leaned back and roared with laughter. It was several minutes before she recovered enough to speak. “You should  be a trader!”

Fiona glanced at Azeez and the others and perceived a mixture of shock, irritation, astonishment, and admiration.

“We could save you days on your most perilous journeys, and we all know that time is precious to a trader, not to mention saving you wear and provisions,” Fiona persisted, feeling that she had to win their approval in addition to that of Mother Karina. She could see them reflecting thoughtfully on her words. “You could create havens to store goods, and we would move them for you between one store and another in only the time it takes to go between. ”

“You said your dragons were injured,” Azeez said.

“Our older weyrlings are too young to carry all that an adult dragon could carry,” T’mar said slowly, “and many of our older dragons will need half a Turn or more to recover, but there are enough able now to carry everything in this caravan safely anywhere on Pern.”

“Anywhere on Pern,” Azeez repeated, his eyes wide.

“In only the time it takes to cough three times,” Fiona added.

“How would we arrange this with you?” Karina asked, and Fiona realized that she had made the deal.

“Our weyrlings must drill to learn recognition points all over Pern,” T’mar said. “There is no reason we could not arrange for one to be placed at your disposal while the others are drilling.”

“The only thing is that you would need to keep your fire-lizards away from the dragons,” Fiona warned.

“But fire-lizards like dragons!” one of the younger Traders exclaimed in surprise.

“There is a reason,” T’mar told him.

“And you can’t tell us,” Karina guessed. She turned toward the agitated young man. “Tenniz, we shall do as they ask.”

The lad nodded, clearly troubled, and leaned back; his eyes went unfocused, and he looked as if he were lost in thought.

“I think,” Mother Karina pronounced slowly, “that we have a trade.”

“For our services you will provide . . . ?” Fiona prompted.

“We will provide you with a twentieth of the profits we make on all goods carried by your dragons,” Karina said with a smile. “I think, given the time we will save and the extra goods you’ll be able transport anywhere  because of us, that we should at least get the full tithe — a tenth — of all profits,” Fiona responded. She ignored T’mar’s grunt of surprise, keeping her eyes focused on Karina.

“Who bargains for you, wingleader?” Karina asked T’mar.

“The Weyrwoman bargains for the Weyr,” Fiona replied. “The Weyrleader leads against the Fall; the Weyrwoman leads in all else.” Beside her, she could sense T’mar’s reluctant nod.

Karina smiled at Fiona’s boldness, then exchanged a glance with the other traders. Tenniz was still lost in thought, so Karina prompted, “Tenniz?”

“I see a sickness,” Tenniz spoke, his eyes still unfocused, his words brilliant in a way that Fiona could not quite understand — shiny with purpose, almost as though he were in another place. “Thread is falling, yet fire- lizards and dragons are not flying against it, coughing out their life force, dying.”

“You have a sister,” Fiona responded, shivering with insight and urgency. “Her name is Tannaz. She must go to Fort Weyr .”

Tenniz glanced up at her, his reverie broken in astonishment. He searched her face and suddenly, tears fell from his eyes.

“ ‘The gifts of the future can be bitter,’ ” Karina quoted.

“She was my friend,” Fiona admitted, her eyes locked with Tenniz’s.

“We are only given so much time to treasure the gifts in our lives,” T’mar added solemnly.

“If Tannaz was your friend, then I am your friend,” Tenniz declared, reaching out a hand to Fiona. Fiona leaned forward to take it, but Azeez barked, “Stop!”

She turned to him in surprise, her hand outstretched in midair.

“Among traders, the hand of friendship has a special meaning,” Azeez told her. “Once given, it can never be returned.”

“So be it,” Fiona said, clasping Tenniz’s hand tightly. The lad surprised her by rising from his chair, levering her up by her arm, and clasping her tightly to him. Then he pushed himself away, leaned down, and tenderly kissed her on the forehead. Sensing that this was part of some ritual, Fiona stretched up to kiss him the same way.

“The traders of the desert are not like others,” Karina said to T’mar. “While all traders owe allegiance to the