Anne Mccaffrey
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The Dolphins of Pern by Anne McCaffrey Synopsis: When humans first settled Pern, intelligence-enhanced dolphins came with them--to colonize the planet's ocean. Now, centuries later, as the battle to destroy the deadly Thread nears its end, the colonists renew their bond with the legendary "shipfish. Acknowledgements again I wish to acknowledge the help of Dr Jack Cohen in keeping me on the straight and not so narrow path of Newtonian physics and common Terran biology, plus inventing whatever Pernese biology has been required. I Would also like to thank Rick Hobson of the Whale Conservation Institute in Lincoln, Mass., for his review of the material dealing With dolphins and delphinic behaviour. It Was through Rick Hobson that my daughter and I met and swam with Aphrodite and her son, AJ, at the Dolphin Research Center at Grassy Key, Florida. It was an experience that I shall treasure, as I will the "visit' we made, to sit on the float and watch Dart, Little Bit, and other dolphins playing in Sunset waters and "talking' to us. Those who have had the privilege of Swimming at Dolphin Research Center will recognize many of the names I have used. Well, why not? I met and valued their acknowledgement of me, a human. They meet many of us, and forget. But I do not forget them! Oceanography Information by P. Burr Loomis Ocean Current Maps by Marilyn Aim DOLL FIN PEOPLE Adrea, rider of Queen Beljeth at Southern Weyr Aleki, Alemi's son Alemi, Master Fish man Ademon, Master Farmer Anskono, Readis' baby' brother Aramina, Readis' mother, the girl who Could hear dragons Aranya, Readis' sister Armald, Ii holder at Paradise River Asgenar, Lord Holder of Lemos Bargen, Lord Holder of High Reaches Bendarek, Master Woodsman (paper maker) Begamon, Lord Holder of Nerat Benelek, Master of Computer Hall, a son of Groghe Boskoney, Harper at Paradise River Camo, halfwit kitchen boy at Harper Hall, son of Robin ton and Silvina Corman, Lord Holder of Keroon Curran, Fort Sea Holder Deckter, Lord Holder of Nerat, succeeding Lord Meron deceased Denol, former South Boll Holder, renegade usurper of lerne Island D'ram, former Is tan Weyrleader, retired to Cove Hold, bronze Tiroth Durras, Weyrwoman at Eastern Weyr Xi Edwinrus, sculptor Fandarel, Master Smith at Telgar F'lar, Mnementh's rider, Benden Weyrleader filessan, Golanth's rider Fabry, Journeyman Healer Fair Winds, two master schooner G'dened, Weyrleader at Ista (succeeding his father, D'ram) G'narish, Weyrleader at Igen Groghe, Lord Holder at Fort Hamian, Master Smith at Southern, Toric's brother, plastics maker H'mar, bronze Janeruth's rider, Weyrlingmaster, Eastern Weyr Horon, younger son of Lord Groghe of Fort Hosbon, settler at Southern Weyr Jancis, Master Smith, Fandarel's granddaughter Jarrol, Jaxom/Sharra's eldest son Jaxom, Ruatha Lord Holder, rider of white Ruth Jayge, Holder, Paradise River K'din, brown Buleth's rider (T'lion's nasty older brother) Kami, Alemi's daughter Kern, a younger son at Crom Hold Kitrin, Alemi's wife K'van, rider of Heat Ii, Southern Weyrleader Larad, Lord Holder of Telgar Laudey, Lord Holder of Igen Lemsia, Menolly's daughter Lessa, Ramoth's rider, Benden Weyrwoman Lesselam, apprentice harper soon to walk the tables Lur, landsman at Paradise River, fire-lizard holder Lytol, former4' Lord Holder of Ruatha, retired to Cove Hold M'sur, brown rider, Eastern Weyr Menolly, Master Harper Mirrim, green Path's rider, T'gellan's mate Mislue, patient Nazer, uncle Nessel, Lord Holder of Crom Nicat, Master Miner Nika, Alemi's daughter N'ton, Weyrleader at Fort Weyr Oldive, Master Healer, based at Fort Harper Hall Olos, Menolly's second son Oly, older crewman Oterel, Lord Holder of Tillek Pardure, Parren's son, Readis' classmate Parren, Journeyman weaver at Paradise River Petiron, deceased, harper at Half Circle Sea Hold, Menolly 's mentor, Robin ton's father Persehar, Master Artist with Harper Hall Persellan, Eastern Weyr's healer Piemur, journeyman/Master Harper Pierjan, Jancis/Piemur's son Ramala, Toric's wife Rampesi, Master Fishman Readis, our hero and first Dolphineer R'mart, Weyrleader at Telgar Weyr Robina, Curran "5 wife Robinton, Master Harper of Pern Robse, Menolly's oldest child Samvel, Master Teacher at Landing Sangel, Lord Holder of South Boll Sehell, Master Harper of Pern Men oIly "s mate Sharra, Jaxom "5 wife Shawan, Sharra/Jaxom's second child Swacky, courtesy uncle, old soldier Tagetarl, Master Printer for Harper Hall Talmor, Journeyman Harper assigned to aid Ben den Weyrleaders in land distribution T'hor, Weyrleader at High Reaches Weyr, once Weyrleader at Southern T'gellan, bronze Monarth "5 rider, Weyrleader, Eastern Weyr T'lion, bronze Gadareth's rider Tomol, apprentice harper, soon to walk the tables Temma, aunt Texur, Curran's first mate Thella, self-styled Lady Holdless, enemy of Jayge and Aramina Xii Xiii Tikini, T'lion "5 younger brother, favourite sibling Toric, Lord Holder of Southern, brother to Sharra and Ha in ian Toronas, Lord Holder of Ben den, successor to Lord Raid V'line, dragonrider Wansor, near-sighted Master of Smith Craft Hall, specializing in glass products Warbret, Lord Holder of Ista Worlain, Journeyman healer AT EASTERN WEYR Gar Tom Dik Boojie, who gets sewn up Natua Tana Ala DOLPHINS FIRE-LIZARDS AT MONACO Alta Dar Bitty, Kitrin's Tork, Alemi's Zair, Master Robin ton's AT PARADISE RIVER HOLD BEAST Kib, healed slash on lower jaw Delky, Readis' runner Afo, smallest Mel Jim, most acrobatic Mul, blotchy Temp, fattest Biz Rom Angie, calf daughter of Mell Cori, calf daughter of Fessi Vina, calf of Afo Teres AT FORT HOLD Inka, pod leader Flip Bit, healer, scarred jaw Ayjay Dart Nat AT SEA CAVES - KAHRAIN Cal, pod leader Tursi Loki Sandi, Tini, Rena, Leta, Josi The Tillek (aka Theresa) AT COVE HOLD Ron Alta (another one) Fessi Xiv Xv PROLOGUE 102 Years After Landing ibbe gave the bell rope one last pull. He and Corey had been taking turns all morning but now the sun was descending over the high ground and still no-one answered them. Usually someone came out of Man's place on the dock: even if only one of the boat people. But the boats rocked at anchor under the high wharf and it was obvious that no-one had gone out in them, even to bring in fish, for some time. Corey clicked at him in disgust. The others of their pod had long gone fishing on their own, too bored to see if there might just be humans to feed them when there were plenty small fish to be gleaned at this time of year from the rich northern waters. She "blew' her hunger at him, so annoyed with the lack of human attention that she refused to speak. "There has been illness. Ben told us that,' Kibbe reminded her. He was not well,' Corey replied, reluctantly employing Speech to impart the concept. "Humans can die." "They do. It is true." For Kibbe was one of the oldest in their pod and had had two dolphineers as partners. He still fondly remembered Amy, his first one. She had been as much fish as he, even if she had to wear the long-feet and had no fins. She had given the best chin scratches and knew exactly where she had to slough off old skin. When he had been injured, she had stayed in the water by his cradle through the days and nights until she knew that he would recover. He would never have survived that long gash if she hadn't sewn it up and given him the human medicines that prevented infection. Corey had had only one person and she hadn't seen him in a long time. It accounted for why she was so sceptical. She hadn't had the long association with humans that Kibbe had enjoyed. And now missed. They had worked well together, for there were still many long stretches of coastline to be mapped, and the locations of fishing schools determined. The work had seemed more like fun and there had been time for games. Lately all he had been able to do to keep the Dolphin Contract with men was to follow the ships, to be sure no-one fell overboard without a dolphin to assist his rescue. His warnings about imminent storms might have been heeded but humans sometimes disregarded advice, especially if the fish were running well. Kibbe was one of those who had been chosen to serve time up near the north-western subsidence where lived The Tillek, chosen of all the pods for her wisdom. The name given the Pod Leader was also traditional. He had been taught, as had other dolphin instructors, why dolphins had followed humans to this world, far from the waters of Earth on which they had evolved: the chance to inhabit the clean waters of an unpolluted world and live as dolphins had before tech-nol-ogy (he had learned to pronounce that word very carefully) had spoiled the Old Oceans of Humankind. He knew, and taught this despite the astonishment it caused, that dolphins had once walked on land. That is why they were air breathers and were required by Nature to surface to inhale oxygen. He listened to tales so old not even those who had taught The Tillek knew their origins: that dolphins had been special messengers of the gods, escorting those buried at sea to their special underworld' place. As dolphins considered the seas to be underworld', this caused some confusion. The humankind underworld' was where souls' went: whatever souls' were.