We Need Supplies

Writers: Avery, Jenah
Date Posted: 16th June 2017

Characters: Jadirah, N'tur, R'kehr
Description: The Healers need supplies and N'tur and R'kehr can go get them.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 12, day 21 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Y'gel

Jadirah paced back and forth in front of the supplies area. The hadn't
gotten as much as anyone would have wanted to safety before the
earthquake had been hit. They'd moved some of it to higher levels
inside the Infirmary to protect it from the water, but who could have
expected the earth to move as well? Coming down half the Weyr and
breaking stores and wounding and killing so many. She'd seen over a
dozen injured in major ways - broken bones, concussions, severe
bleeding - and she knew the other Healers had been just as busy.

Now she was looking at their stocks and trying to figure out how on
Pern they were supposed to treat their wounded. They needed medicine
like numbweed and fellis and redwort, they needed bandages and splints
and needles, they needed - well, everything!

N'tur was relieved to see the Master Healer already at the building
that had designated for the healing supplies. He had been given a duel
mission today: determine whether the Dragonhealer and human healers
would benefit from exchanging some supplies; and see if Jadirah could
spare an apprentice for a scavenging mission. The Weyr had already
received some donations from their neighbors; but healer supplies were
hard to come by in the best of times, and with the onslaught of
injuries-- not to mention Threadfall on the morrow-- what they had was
insufficient.

"Good day, Master Jadirah," he said politely, not wishing to interrupt
her intense concentration but knowing that time was of essence. "My
Master sends his regards."

Jadirah smiled over at the young dragonrider. "N'tur, how are you and
your dragon? I didn't see you so you must not be doing too bad. I hope
Y'gel is fine as well," she said. "Does he need some supplies?"

"Numbweed," he admitted. "We lost most of our stores when the
dragonhealing cavern collapsed." He peered around critically. "I've
also come to offer you thread and needles. It is about the only thing
we have in excess right now."

"Those, we need desperately," the Healer said. They'd done a lot of
wound stitching and they could use replacements. The ones that hadn't
dulled too much she had soaking in a redwort bath.

"We have nine jugs of redwort for sterilization and four large
containers of numbweed. I can spare you two of them." They'd treated
the worst cases from yesterday - but with Fall coming, they'd need
more. But the dragons had so much more body area, they'd need more.

"We received some additional supplies from Dolphin Cove when their
relief team arrived yesterday. I'd like someone to go appeal to the
Healer Hall for what they can spare, and possibly hitting some of the
Major Holds as well," she said.

N'tur nodded. "Do you have anyone you can spare? If not, I will
attempt to find another rider and we will leave right away."

Jadirah ticked through available apprentices. "None I want to spare,"
she said after a moment. Kadera would have been a good choice, but she
was female.

"For Holds and Halls I'd only want to send males. See if
you can find another brown or bronzerider just to skip any of their
prejudices."

N'tur agreed that was wise, though as a weyrbred boy he couldn't
imagine why in Faranth someone would be prejudiced against the blues
and greens that comprised so much of Pern' s draconic population.
Holder attitudes were a mystery he preferred not to explore.

After arranging for someone to exchange the agreed-upon numbweed and
needles, N'tur began his recruitment attempts. Many of the bronzes and
browns he came across were either too busy or too tired to pay his
request any attention. He began to feel discouraged and was
contemplating just going himself when Graileth called his attention to
a familiar figure on the edge of the grassy knoll.

"Greetings, R'kehr!" He smiled brightly and acknowledged the young
bronze dragon respectfully. "And you, Thadath."

R'kehr waved at N'tur when he saw him. They'd met before and Stood at
the same time, though N'tur had Impressed much earlier. "What are you
assigned to?" he asked.

"Dragonhealers. I resumed my apprenticeship under Y'gel after Graileth
and I graduated weyrlinghood." N'tur knew the young bronzerider, whose
Thadath had hatched from Orlaith's clutch after his own Graileth's, to
be a personable and engaging fellow. He would certainly be an asset in
dealing with the Holders. Hopefully he was available. "How about
yourself?"

"Thadath and I brought back some stray herdbeasts from cots destroyed
to help feed the Weyr, but we're free now. Do you need something?"
R'kehr asked.

"The Healers, both dragon and human, are running low on supplies.
Jadirah has tasked Graileth and I with retrieving replacement from
the Healer Hall and the Holds." N'tur flashed another charming smile.
"We could use some help. Interested?"

"Absolutely. I can't _stand_ being here, watching this and feeling
useless," R'kehr confessed. He started re-attaching the straps to
Thadath so they could head out.

"Where's your first choice? Healer Hall, or one of the Holds?"

N'tur contemplated a minute, then decided. "Let's try the Hall. We
should have good luck, since we ride under the authority of one of
their Masters." Quickly attaching his own riding straps, he settled
comfortably in his familiar seat between Graileth's neck ridges. Then
he nodded at the bronzerider. "Lead the way."

R'kehr and Thadath took off and achieved height, picturing the Hall,
sharing it with N'tur and his dragon, and then going /between/ on
their quest.

Last updated on the July 4th 2017

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