I

VARTHIKES AWOKE to the roar of waves crashing nearby. Cool water washed up behind him, around him, then retreated. He sank his claws into the soft sand beneath him as he felt himself being pulled back with the water. A cool breeze washed over his damp scales and around his drooping wings. There was something resting on his left arm. He tried to open his eyelids, but they felt heavy. He tried again, prying his eyes open.

He was met by blinding sunlight. Squinting to allow his eyes adjust to the light, he saw a cliff rise a few paces from where he laid. He lifted his head slowly and, each eye working individually, scanned up and down the shoreline and the ocean behind him, trying to orient himself. None of it seemed familiar. He looked down at the weight on his forearm and found that it was his closest friend, Audwin McClance, his pink form covered only from his waist to his knees.

As he studied the Human, he tried to recall what had happened. He and Audwin had been enjoying a refreshing swim in Sunrise Sea, not far from the Human colony of Hatching. They had been near some cliffs where they were swimming, but those were not shaped as these now before him. Then, he remembered Audwin being pulled into…something. He had picked up the mental panic from his friend's mind. He moved as fast as he could to his friend’s aid, only to be pulled in with him. Now he and Audwin were here—wherever here was.

Varthikes felt movement on his arm. He brought his attention back to Audwin, who was beginning to stir. The Human opened his eyes and blinked them a number of time, adjusting to the sunlight. He raised his head and looked about himself, in much the same way Varthikes had a moment ago.

“Varthikes? What happened?” He finally met Varthikes’ golden eye and its slitted pupil. Audwin spoke through his mouth utilizing his species' oral speech, but Varthikes heard and understood the thought behind the words.

Unsure, friend Audwin, Varthikes answered. You were pulled underwater into…something. I followed in an attempt to save you, and this is where we are now—in a place unfamiliar to me.

“Couldn’t we be somewhere else around Sunrise Sea?”

These cliffs are shaped like none of the cliffs which I have seen around Sunrise Sea.

Audwin climbed to his feet. He swayed briefly before finding his balance. He took a few unsteady steps away from the young Draconian, continuing to look about their surroundings as he did. The confusion Varthikes sensed building within Audwin matched his own. He turned back to Varthikes. “If this isn’t Sunrise Sea, then where else could we be?”

And, how is it that we have come to be here? Varthikes added, tilting his head in equal puzzlement. He re-straightened his head and shook it. I do not know. I am sure, however, that we are no where around Sunrise Sea any longer. Silence passed between them for a moment until Varthikes finally broke it. We should try to locate the nearest Range. The local Sages there would be able to assist us.

“Are you well enough to fly?” Audwin asked.

Before answering, Varthikes rose slowly to his feet, preparing himself for whatever shocks of pain that might shoot through his body. But none ever came. Next, he extended his wings and executed careful flapping motions. No pain there, either. After stretching his muscles, Varthikes turned back to Audwin, who was studying his progress. I feel well enough, he told his friend and positioned his left forearm to help Audwin to his shoulder. Audwin took a step forward, then stopped and looked down at his attire of shorts and bare torso.

What is wrong? Varthikes asked.

“I'm not exactly prepared for an extended flight, Varth,” Audwin answered, indicating his appearance.

Varthikes nodded his understanding and withdrew his forearm. I understand. I would wish you not to be uncomfortable. You will be well here while I attempt to locate the nearest Range, and contact the local Sages?

“I'll wait for you on this warm beach,” Audwin replied with a smile and a nod.

You have my promise to return as soon as I am able, Varthikes assured him. Then, moving to a safe distance from Audwin, he leaped skyward and opened his great wings in the initial powerful downstrokes.

Varthikes beat his wings and was soon above the sea-lining cliffs and flying westward. He turned an eye toward the sea. If this had been Sunrise Sea, he would have been able to see the other side. He could not. So, they were indeed no longer on the coast of the sea. In the other direction, however, he caught sight of a mountain range a good flight away stretching across the horizon. The nearest Range, at least, seems to be not very far, he thought to himself and flapped his wings to increase his altitude and speed.

It was not until he had reached the slopes of the range that Varthikes noticed the absence of a border patrol. But, he did recall his virsem once saying that minor Ranges might not have patrols. Perhaps this was one of those minor Ranges.

The young Draconian, deciding to continue searching, turned northward and followed the mountains. He issued a greeting bellow that, other than the echoes that bounced off the mountain peaks, went unanswered.

Varthikes bugled again, then listened for a response after the last echoes died away. He continued doing that until, as the altitude of the mountain peaks dropped a bit, he caught sight of a pair of beating wings. Joyful greetings! he cried, releasing his bugle once more.

Identify, came an unfamiliar, cautious thought-voice that seemed to echo in his brain. The speaker sounded male.

Here flies Varthikes from Bare Peak Range in East Sun Region, he replied without hesitation.

Silence, save for the wind roaring past him, now dominated between Varthikes and the other king. As the distance between the two closed, he began noticing something odd about this individual. Where Draconians varied between gold, golden-tan, golden-brown, or a yellowish-white in the elders, this one appeared blue. And, was that really a Human that he carried upon his shoulders?

Blue? Carrying a Human?

Who is your rider? asked the thought-voice again, this time puzzled.

Rider? Varthikes replied. I have not a rider—

No rider?! Anxiety poured from the other’s thought-voice.

Drawing closer, Varthikes now saw that there was a lot more that separated this individual from other Draconians. But, what Varthikes noticed first was the multifaceted yellow eye. The last time he had seen an eye like that… He also noted that the forearms were shorter than normal for Draconians.

Lessa and F’lar must meet with you, came the thought-voice again, startling Varthikes for a moment with the names that were mentioned. Lessa? F’lar? He immediately recalled those names from that fictional world of Pern, about which he had listened to Audwin read for the past cycle since they met. Follow.

The blue dragon turned about and proceeded in the direction from which he came. Varthikes accompanied him along the chain of mountains until they came to an enormous crater. While the blue dragon exchanged bugles with another dragon at the opposite end of the crater from where they flew, Varthikes’ eyes took in the view. The lake that they now passed over, the many dark pockets in the crater’s walls, the hundreds of bronze, brown, blue, and green bodies that rested upon the ledges in front of those pockets, dotted the sand-covered crater floor around the lake, or wallowing in the lake. All of them had their heads turned up to him, their eyes all green-blue and some with a tinge of yellow. From all of them emanated the same puzzlement as he felt from the blue dragon.

Varthikes was overcome with mixed feelings as the blue dragon led him to a pocket—weyr, he remembered they were called here—on the opposite side of the crater floor from the lake. Under one wing, he was excited to be here in the setting that he had enjoyed listening to Audwin read about; under the other wing, he felt very alien.

A great gold dragon now emerged from the cavern below their destined weyr and flew up to join the great bronze that was stationed upon the ledge there with two Humans.

The blue broke off, allowing Varthikes to set down on the ledge before those whom he knew to be the Sages of this Weyr—both, to the Humans and to the dragons. Meekful greetings, most honorable Ramoth, Mnementh, Weyrleader F’lar, Weyrwoman Lessa, he said, recalling their names and appropriate titles as he bowed his head and spread his wings in respect. When he raised his eyes again, he found that both Humans and dragons had their eyes on him. From both species, he sensed intense curiosity mixed with equally intense confusion.

You are Varthikes? asked a deep, female-sounding echoing thought-voice.

I am, he answered, including all four in the focus of his thought-voice. His tail twitched and wings rustled in his nervousness.

Why is it that you are different?

“And, you don’t have a rider?!” Lessa added incredulously.

Varthikes glanced between gold Ramoth and Lessa, who, herself, exchanged looks with F’lar. I am not of Pern, Varthikes answered, not knowing how else to start explaining.

That is obvious, a deep, male-sounding thought-voice commented.

Varthikes acknowledged bronze Mnementh before continuing, I am of another world where Humans and my kind have only just begun to coexist a cycle—a Turn—ago. Though I have not a rider, I do have a Human friend whom I frequently carry upon my shoulders. He and I have, by some unknown means, come to be here. Unaware is he at the moment, though, that he is on Pern rather than the world from which we have come.

“Your rider—er, friend—is here with you?” asked F’lar. “Where is he?”

On the shore southeast of here he remained. Without warning were we pulled into something underwater while we were swimming on my world before we found ourselves here. He was, therefore, not adorned properly for flight. I told him that I would return for him once I had established our current location. I must return to him now to inform him.

Do not leave yet, said a deep thought-voice, just as Varthikes was about to execute a parting bow. Varthikes looked back up at Mnementh, then over at the two Humans, who were exchanging the sounds of Human oral speech. He should start learning the meaning of those different sounds, Varthikes thought in an aside. Then, as Lessa moved off, F’lar turned to him.

“Mnementh and I will accompany you, Varthikes,” he said. “Lessa is getting appropriate flight gear from the stores for your friend.”

I greatly thank you, honorable Weyrleader F’lar, Varthikes said with a respectful bow of his head.

“We will discuss your situation further when your friend is here.”

F’lar and Mnementh were soon ready and, with Lessa and Ramoth seeing them off, followed Varthikes skyward. I will need directions for between, Varthikes heard Mnementh’s thought-voice say.

Between? Varthikes searched his memory, remembering that “between” was how these dragons of Pern traveled long distances. Somewhat like the teleporting ability that the Humans of his world employ. My kind possesses not the ability to go between. The flight to the shore, however, is not long.