Part 10 (2/2)
”G'day, Gellin, Mirm,' Natua said politely while Afo splashed water in their direction.
”G'day, Natua,' Mirrim said and waded out to stand by T'lion. She had a grin on her face. Her fire-lizards swirled above her head protectively. She patted the bottlenose that Natua pushed at her. Tana did a swim-by, observing Mirrim with first one eye and then the other on the return trip. Then she reared up in the water so that she and Mirrim were at eye level. ”G'day, Tana. Water good?”
”Fine. Fish fine, too. Pod eating. Good eating.
Tana wanted to know what game they'd be playing so T'lion hastily intervened. ”Sorry to call you from feeding, Tana.”
”Bell ring. We answer. We promise. We here.”
He was also pleased that their speech was so clear - he'd finally broken their habit of saying ”oo-ee' for ”we'.
”It's very good of you to be so prompt because my pod leaders wanted to meet you.
Natua did a backward flip, showering water on Mirrim and T'lion Mirrim's expression went blank as water dripped from her head and shoulders. Well accustomed to such antics, T'Iion winced that he hadn't thought to warn her. Mirrim flicked water off her arms and gave a deep sigh.
”You didn't need to soak Mirrim,' T'lion said, shaking a finger at Natua. The dolphin squeed and cut a circle about the two humans.
”Water warm. Good,' Natua said, his lower jaw dropping in a smile as he came to a halt by the young rider.
Mirrim began to laugh. ”What's a soaking to sea creatures?
And I did enter his water.” She used both hands to shake water out of her hair. ”You like soaking humans.”
”You woman, not oomans,' Natua said.
Mirrim made an o with her mouth, amazed that he recognized the difference. ”Thank you, Natua! C'mon in, T'gellan, you're missing half the fun and the water's warm!'
Then to everyone's shock, Tana delivered a surprise. ”You have baby inside.”
”WHAT?” Mirrim cried, arching her body toward the dolphin.
”Tana sees baby.
”What did you say? Now, wait a minute, you, you fis.h.!.+' Mirrim said, shock briefly draining color out of her face before indignation brought on a deep flush under her tanned skin.
”What'd that critter just say?” T'gellan demanded, wading into the water to his weyrmate and putting a protective arm about her.
T'lion was aghast. He didn't know what to do. He gulped and stammered, until he caught his brother's smug expression.
”It said I'm pregnant,' Mirrim replied. ”This is not a joking matter, doll fin!'
”Not joking,' Tana said. ”I know. Always we know. Sonar tells truth about woman body.”
”Sonar? What's that?” T'gellan demanded of his young rider. -Just what is going on here?”
”I don't know,' T'lion said in a wail.
”I right. You ask medic. Squeee! Good time is baby time. I have baby, too. Like it.”
”Medic?” T'gellan echoed, ignoring the rest of the comment.
”That's what the Ancients called healers,' Mirrim murmured, her head bent to watch the hand she put on her belly, just below the watery surface.
”I'm sorry, Mirrim. I don't know T'lion said, appalled by the incident and Tana's declaration. How could she queer this meeting? He'd thought they were his friends! He might just as well plead to be transferred to another Weyr before his disgrace became planet-wide . . . and he had no doubt at all that K'din would see that everyone knew! He'd truly shamed his family now. And he'd been so proud to speak to s.h.i.+pfis.h.!.+
To his growing horror, Tana didn't stop chattering and Natua was nodding violently as if he, too, concurred!
”I know. Woman is preg-nant,' Tana repeated, excitedly weaving about in front of the three humans. Then, before anyone guessed her intent, she dropped back into the water, and with the greatest care and lightest touch, put her nose over Mirrim's hand. ”Have baby. Not soon. Small.”
T'gellan exchanged glances with his weyrmate and began to smile tenderly at Mirrim.
”Not that I don't wish you were, Mir, he said so softly that T'lion wasn't sure he'd heard properly.
”But nothing's happened yet . I mean, it's much too soon to be sure,' Mirrim murmured back, looking up at the tall bronze rider, her expression equally tender. Then she gave herself a shake and started to wade to the sh.o.r.e. ”First thing, we find out from Aivas if that silly sea creature could possibly know what it's talking about.” She swivelled back toward T'lion. ”You come, too, T'lion, and we'll just settle the matter for once and all. Can't have a rider your age dealing with erratic creatures like these.”
! love you, T'lion, Gadareth said in such a vehement tone that T'lion was a little comforted. Until he saw the triumphant expression on K'din's face. He closed his eyes, trying to close his ears against the joyous sounds of squeeing and clicking the two dolphins were making as he waded out of the water. I like the dolphins. They have such fun and made things fun for us, too.
Don't talk to me about doll fins right now, Gaddie. You don't know what they've just done.
I know. Path knows. Path is glad if her rider is to have a baby.
T'lion groaned as he obeyed T'gellan's hand signal to mount the young bronze.
”You'll come, too, K'din,' T'gellan said and his expression was suddenly severe. ”I want you where I can see you. We're flying straight.”
Mirrim had mounted Path, the drip from her wet legs and clothing running down the green's sides.
”Keep it a low flight,' she said. ”We'll dry out as we go but I don't want it fast either.” She did not so much as look in T'lion's direction which depressed him even further.
Schools of fish, warnings of shoals and squalls were well within a dolphin's abilities, but this? T'lion allowed his body to move with Gadareth's upward leap but he felt wooden, and scared, and totally miserable. How could Natua and Tana treat him so? Just when he needed them to show at their very best.
He'd never even had a chance to ask them about weather bearing down on them, or schools in the seas off Eastern Weyr The straight flight, though it wasn't actually that far, took ages. His clothes were dry and his nose burned enough to hurt by the time they reached Landing. K'din's smugness became slightly tinged now with awe as he followed his leaders into the Admin and right up to the table where D'ram was currently serving as visit monitor.
”T'gellan, Mirrim, how very good to see you. Monarth and Path are well? And here's T'lion again and this is your older brother, isn't it, T'lion? A noticeable family resemblance.
”Good day, D'ram, Tiroth looks fat and fine up there in the sun,' T'gellan said pleasantly but with an unmistakable urgency in his tone.
”A problem?”
”Yes, and one which only Aivas can solve for us. Is there any free time to query him?”
”Yes, certainly. Try the small conference room. T'lion knows the way.
T'lion would have given anything right now not to be so well known to D'ram. As the ex-Istan Weyrleader gave him a smiling permission to proceed, T'lion shrank in on himself.
”Lead on, T'lion,' T'gellan ordered, an indefinable expression on his face as he followed.
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