The Honeymoon Trips
Chapter 27
Written by rachel76m
Edited by Don Kaufman

The list of characters mentioned in this story belong to the various authors that created them. This is a fan-fiction story.

This story is based upon the works of Anne McCaffrey, notably the incredible Dragonriders of Pern ® series. The legal notice of Anne's copyright is as follows:

The Dragonriders of Pern ® is Reg U.S. Pat & Tm. Office, by Anne McCaffrey, and may not be used or reproduced without permission of the author.

The use of this setting, the world, and their concepts are written in accordance with the guidelines posted by Anne McCaffrey for fan fiction. The specifics of which can be found on her website:

http://www.annemccaffrey.net/fan-fiction-rules.html (March 14th, 2005)

~~~000~~~

We gather around a large table. We put our satchels in one corner of the room. I take the fairies’ satchel and place it on the table.

Jaxom exits through another door. He sees the kitchen help getting ready for the evening meal. The master cook sees Jaxom entering the room. He walks quickly to him.

“Hello, Lord Jaxom. Is there something you need?”

“Yes, some unexpected guests have just arrived. They are in the side dining room.”

“How many came, Lord Jaxom?”

“A husband and a wife came from a far place to be here. They haven’t eaten since this morning.”

“They must be starving. I will make a late lunch for them with some leftover fish and vegetables from our noon meal.”

“I would greatly appreciate that. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, my lord.”

They quickly nod their heads to each other. Jaxom turns around and exits the kitchen.

~~~000~~~

My fairies quickly fly out and land on the table. They open the satchel and retrieve their food bags, the honey container and their cups. Croin gets smaller and returns within me. He settles around the Ethereal Space ore on my belt to get himself charged back up.

Jaxom returns to the dining room. “I’m glad to see you brought some of your own food. I didn’t know what your fairies would eat. Now that I see it, we have some nuts and seeds. However, they are very precious to us for the next planting season.”

“What is going to be brought out for us, Lord Jaxom?”

“My master cook will bring out some leftover fish and vegetables from the noon meal we just had.”

“That is fine for us.”

“Where did your dragon go, Richard?”

“Croin returned within me. He is using the energy from the ores on my belt to get recharged.”

Two kitchen helpers come out with several plates filled with food. They pause when they see the fairies for the first time. “I have never seen such life as yours. What are they?”

A fairy speaks up, “My name is Tiger. We are called fairies.”

“What? You can talk?”

“Mind your manners.”

“Huh . . . yes, Lord Jaxom. I’m sorry. That is the first time for me to see them. Their stories are told to our children. Now we know they really do exist.”

“You’re forgiven. Please bring out two more plates for them. Also, we need to keep their presence hidden as long as possible.”

“Yes, my Lord. Thank you, my Lord. I’ll be back quickly.”

Another kitchen helper comes out with three large cups filled with cold water. The other one returns with two extra plates for the fairies. Then he leaves the dining room. My fairies take the stopper from the water skin and pour out the water into the small cups and put the stopper back on the water skin. Then they carefully pour out some honey into the cups. They stir it up with the toothpicks provided in the bag.

“What is that thick golden liquid they added to the water cups?”

“It is honey, Lord Jaxom. It comes from the pollinating insects.”

“Ah . . we have something similar here. Again, it is a precious food product here.”

~~~000~~~

In Tillek Hold, a dragon rider is seen flying down toward them. The dragon lands and lowers its body down for the rider to disembark. The rider quickly walks toward the castle walls. A guard and a dragon on the parapet see the rider.

“Gwena, it is good to see you again. What is the latest news from Ruatha?”

“I need to let Firelighth tell you.”

The guard and the dragon look at Firelighth. The dragons talk to each other with their minds.

What is the latest news, Firelighth?

We just met some very interesting people who came from the skies. They are here to warn of us an impending doom to our world.

Is it another Thread Fall?

No, it is not. They said it will be a comet that will destroy our world.

Is there hope for our world?

They said there is hope for our world. They met Jaxom and Ruth and talked to them. Ruth told us there is hope for all us. If all goes well, we’ll be back on Earth. They said our presence will help reestablish the dragon presence on one of their continents.

If the message is from Ruth and Jaxom, then I will have the trust that the news is true. Where are we to meet, Firelighth?

At the seaside gathering place. .

That should be enough room for all of us from the northern and southern lands. We’ll send word to the Minor and Cotholds.

The dragons quickly communicate with their dragon riders telepathically. They quickly tell their Lord of the news. He agrees to be there at the appointed time.

~~~000~~~

Word quickly spreads to the other Holds on Pern. The dragons with their dragon riders teleport to the southern Holds as well. The Lords and dragons all agree to be there. However, there was one or two Lords that were skeptical of the summons. But they soon relented with pressure from their mates. They want to be seen with the other Holds being present there. This will be an important Gathering of the highest order in social gathering status.

~~~000~~~

“You know you have to go, Darel.”

“I know, Erla. It will be the largest gathering for all of the Holds. I am just nervous about the event. I have a feeling someone will get hurt.”

“There always one or two bad red fruits in the bunch.”

“Well, all we can do is keep a sharp eye out for any sudden movements.”

“That’s right, brother.” Erla smiles, “Now, let’s get packed up for the dragon flight.”

Darel smiles, “That’s very funny, sister. You know our dragons won’t fly there.”

“I know, brother. But I did get a smile on your face!”

“Hah . . . hah!”

The brother and sister giggle and laugh together as they walk to their rooms to get ready for the trip.

~~~000~~~

“You shouldn’t go, Kepiru.”

“Give me one good reason for me not to go.”

“You’re a marked man, Kepiru.”

“So, what?! That means nothing to me. Fax and Gifflen are long dead from now. Besides I just got paid to do my first job.”

“Who are you going to knife?”

Kepiru smiles, “Nice try, but I’m keeping my mouth shut on this one. He’ll never hear or see it coming. Nip taught me well.”

The two men then walk back out from the alley to join the crowd in High Reaches Hold.

~~~000~~~

My fairies take out several nuts and small fruits for each one from the bags and place them on the plates.

We eat the late afternoon meal that is provided for us. Jaxom asks us some more questions on what our Earth is like.

“So, where is the continent located on your world?”

“Hmm . . . I better show you.” I put the fork down and put my right palm outward. I quickly think about Earth and give a quick movement of my hand. A small globe of Earth appears in my hand.

“How did you do that?”

“Well, first of all it is done with magic. Second I am recalling it from images I have seen in books and other technology that we have. This armor is equipped to do magic. The source of the magic comes from the Ethereal Space ore.”

“I don’t think we have that ore here on Pern. If we did, it would probably be abused.”

“Well, we had it on my Earth a long time ago. Then it was removed from us through some major tectonic events. It was removed because it was abused as well. It was used to control people.”

“That’s good to know. So, where are these mountains?”

I concentrate on the globe and highlight the country of Peru’s borders. I turn the globe around so he can see the location.

“Hmm . . . are there any volcanoes there?”

“There are, Jaxom. They are along the Andes Mountains.” I highlight the volcanoes in the Andes Mountains.

“That is a long string of volcanoes. What about the people who live there? Will they accept us?”

“Right now, I would say ‘no’. I have been given several tasks from the Creator to do on Earth.” I close my hand to make the image disappear. I eat several more bites from the plate and take a quick sip of water.

“What are they?”

“The first one is to prepare our world when it gets visited by an outside alien group. That will be fifty years from now. They will be given a test period of having no wars for one hundred years. If they do, they get invited to join the Local Group”

“That will be tough to do. All it takes is someone with a greedy heart to disturb the peace. I know that from personal experience.”

“Yes, I read your story about Fax.”

“Well, at least I don’t have to tell you about it. What is the Local Group?”

“It is a ring of worlds that are like a federation.”

“Ah . . . . that is where we come from. Some of our ancestors are from Ireland, Eridanni, Alpha Centauri and a moon base near Earth. Is there a moon base on your moon?”

“There is Jaxom. However, it is in the early stages of development. We haven’t sent humans beyond our Solar System yet.”

“I am just guessing here. It is possible that our ancestors came from your world instead of the Magic Verse. We are aware of the time and distant problem with transportation.”

“You could be right, Jaxom. Your ancestors haven’t been born yet, but you are here.”

“Our ancestors left Earth because of the wars that were being fought. We never knew what happened after that. We hope peace would finally reign on Earth. So, getting back to the people on your world. How will you resolve that?”

“I know it is a step by step process. I know one major conflict was resolved before I was born. I also know there is still a border problem between the USA and Mexico. I do know that about eight hundred years from now, there will be the Ultimate Last Battle. So, I have to get Earth ready for that invasion from King Azazel.”

“Who is King Azazel?”

“He was an Arch-Angel in the Heavens. He was the one who rebelled against the Creator. We have written records about that encounter. They were passed down from generation to generation among a certain group of people.”

“Again, you mentioned the Creator. I guess I have no reference into what you are talking about.”

“Don’t worry about it, Jaxom. Perhaps during the meeting, maybe something special will happen.”

“That’s a big maybe, Richard.”

“Jaxom, there is something I must tell you. It concerns Ruth.”

“Don’t tell me he will die. If he did, I would probably have to commit suicide to avoid the anguish in my mind.”

“No, it is not that. I was told Ruth will come back again. He is a very special dragon.”

“I know he is very special. He helped bring peace to our world. In what way will he come back?”

“He will retain his memories when he comes back. I don’t know how many times he will live and die. But I think he will be here to help all of Pern again to flee to my world for safety.”

Jaxom smiles, “Then that is a good thing. I’ll be sure to tell him that. It will provide hope for him and for all of Pern. Now for my own curiosity. You mentioned two dragons, a silver dragon and a gold dragon. Are they male and female? The reason I ask is that our gold dragons are the queens of their brood. They give birth to new generations of dragons.”

“From what I know, the Silver Dragon and the Gold Dragon refers to their metal domain. They are male dragons. The Silver Dragon lives in a silver mountain and the Gold Dragon lives in a gold mountain. They guard these two precious metals. Right now, the silver mountain is used by the people in South America. They mine the silver for their own greed. However, the people can not enter the dragon’s lair to kill it. The Silver Dragon is protecting it. I think the Silver Dragon can collect all of the silver in the world if he wants to and add it to his body armor.”

“That’s incredible. Has the gold mountain been found yet? I hope not.”

“No, it is not been found yet, Jaxom.”

“That’s good. I would shudder to think if that gold mountain would be found. It could cause another round of wars that everyone will regret. Usually our female gold dragons mate with the male bronze dragons. If they saw that gold dragon on your world, they might be inclined to mate with it instead. What do they look like?”

“I believe they are serpentine dragons that can fly through the air.”

“Hmm . . . our dragons have four feet to walk on. That will be an interesting meeting when they see them.”

“Yes, it will.”

We smile, giggle and laugh at each other as we recognize the irony of the situation.

We get done eating the late lunch. We give thanks to the Creator in our minds. Then we get up and walk out with Jaxom back to the main assembly hall. As soon as we enter the hall, we see Ruth flying back in. He lands on the floor and walks up to Jaxom. Jaxom hugs his neck when Ruth lowers his down to him. Then Jaxom lets go to let Ruth raise his head.

“How did it go, Ruth?”

“It went well, Jaxom. However, I did feel an uneasy emotion in High Reaches Hold.”

“Hmm . . . it seems events haven’t been resolved there. From what I feel from you, there might be an attempt on my life.”

“You’re probably right, Jaxom.”

“Ruth, I need a private talk with you. Richard and I discussed some things.”

“Okay, Jaxom. I’m ready for it.”

They talk with each other with their minds. They go over it several times to make sure it is understood. Then Ruth speaks up.

“If I had my way, I’d transport us to Twainor.”

“I know, Ruth. But, I don’t know where it is. We don’t have a star map to get there. We don’t know which direction for you to fly to.”

“Hmm . . . I have an idea, Jaxom and Ruth. I know some objects among the stars.” I bring out my medallion and show it to them. “This is really a star map. These two center crystals represent Twainor and Earth. The other crystals represent the worlds in the Local Group.” Then a new thought jumps to my mind. “Didn’t you say some of your group came from Eridanni?”

“That’s right, Richard. Why do you ask?”

“One of the Outside Helpers to Twainor comes from the Eridanni star system. His name is Geve. His specialty is in power generation. If I remember right, his world is highly mechanized with incredible machinery.”

“Our ancestors wanted to leave that type of world to avoid machinery of any kind. They wanted an agricultural society. Is Peru an agriculture country?”

“It is for the most part, Jaxom. However, in the bigger cities, the population will be using machinery to make life easier. Water is a premium value in the arid areas. As you might suspect, their cities and towns are located near the ocean, rivers and large lakes. I would need to see your star charts that you have here.”

“Our Star Smiths would have those. They are located near the telescopes in the Southern Region. I can take you there tomorrow morning. While we are there, we can visit the AIVAS building. It is the computer from the First Landing.”

“That will be an interesting visit for me. I am an expert in security software for computers.”

Jaxom smiles, “That’s great, Richard. Perhaps you can help us determine what is inside some of the locked entries in its memory core.”

“I’ll be glad to help you there.”

` “Well, let me show you to your rooms. Follow me please.”

“I’ll stay here until you come back, Jaxom.”

“That’s fine, Ruth. When we have our evening meal, you can eat yours outside.”

“Jaxom, what do the the dragons eat here?”

“We tithe a number of cattle for them to eat. Why do you ask?”

“Most of the dragons that I have encountered so far, eat fish for their meals. I think that will be a problem to contend with on Earth. But, our dragons learned to eat fish because there are not enough land animals to feed themselves.”

We look at Ruth for a response, “We sometimes fly out to the oceans to eat fish. When we do that, the dolphins immediately leave the area until we are done fishing for our meal. Eating cattle, is easy for us. They are gathered up for us so we don’t have to go searching for food.”

“Here is another thought for you and Ruth. Since you solved the Thread problem, you should be experiencing a huge increase in human population. It will put a strain on the food supplies for the people and your dragons.”

Ruth and Jaxom look at each other quickly. “He’s right, Jaxom. You must find a way to increase your food products to feed your people and us. There might be some terrible choices to make as the Turns go on.”

“I agree, Ruth. We must find a solution to that problem. But, it might be solved when Pern gets destroyed by a comet.”

“Then we better find that bluestone pillar.”

“We’ll do that right after I show them to their rooms.”

“Yes, it shouldn’t be too hard to find them.”

“Richard what does the bluestone pillar look like?”

I wave my hand again. An image of a bluestone pillar appears.

“Hmm. . . It is slightly less than two arm lengths and about span and a half with the hand. Thank you very much, Richard.”

“You’re welcome, Jaxom.” I close my hand and the image disappears.

We are shown to our room to stay for the night. We decide to stay there and relax as much as possible. In the room are several clothes cabinets. We open one up for the fairies to use as their bed. We put the towels in first to make it soft for them. Then they set out their bed covers and pillows. Brianna and I do the same thing in putting our clothes into the other drawers. I take off the armor and set it near a cabinet. Brianna and I put on some warm clothes, then the robes given to us from our time with Wizard Richard and Sorceress Brianna.

~~~000~~~

Jaxom mounts Ruth. Ruth then flaps his wings and takes off through the large window. He searches for the miner enclaves in their Hold. It doesn’t take long to find one. He lands on the ground. Jaxom slides off his back and onto the ground. Serveral miners quickly walk up to greet Jaxom.

“Lord Jaxom, what brings this honor to our enclave?”

“Have you found any new ores lately? I am just curious about your latest efforts.”

They look at each other. “We must tell him, Greglar.”

“I agree.”

They both look at Jaxom.

“During a recent dig in one of our caves, we came across an unusual ore. What is odd about, there is no vein associated with it. It seems as if it was placed there, waiting to be found.”

“Can I take a look at it?”

“By all means, Lord Jaxom. We would greatly appreciate it.”

Ruth stays outside to keep a sharp out for any movement out of the ordinary. Lord Jaxom follows the miners into their cave system. After walking for about a quarter-mark, they stop. The shaft is well lighted. The floor is even and well worn in some areas. The miner opens a door and they all walk inside. Against the wall, they see a bluestone pillar. It matches the description that Richard just shown to Jaxom.

“That is unusual, Greglar. It appears to be very unique. How much are you willing to sell it to me for?”

“Where you will store it, Lord Jaxom?”

“In the treasure vault.”

“That’s a good location. The locks are in good working order. No one should be able to break into it.”

“We’ll wrap up for your flight back to the Hold. How much should we charge him, Greglar?”

“Let’s charge him thirty marks for it. We have to cover our time of digging it up at least.”

“Do you agree to that, Lord Jaxom?”

“I agree to it, Greglar.” He opens his money pouch hanging on his belt. He takes out three ten marks to pay for it. He hands the wooden tiles to the miners.

“Thank you, Lord Jaxom. We’ll get it wrapped up for your flight back to the Hold.”

“I would greatly appreciate that.”

The two miners place the bluestone pillar on a table. They take several sheets of cloth and wrap it around the pillar. Then they attach a rope to both ends of the pillar. They carry it outside the cave system. Ruth lowers himself down. They attach the pillar around his neck.

“It is a very strong stone, Ruth. It shouldn’t break while in flight.”

“That’s good.”

Jaxom climbs up and gets on Ruth’s back. The miners quickly step back to give Ruth room to take off in the air. Ruth flaps his wings and takes off into the air. He quickly flies back to the Hold. He flies through the large window opening that leads to the assembly hall. Several men come into the assembly room and take off the package around Ruth’s neck.

“Where should we store this, Lord Jaxom?”

“Put it in the treasury room for safe keeping.”

“We’ll do that, Lord Jaxom.”

The men carry the package to the treasury room. They use the keys to unlock the heavy wooden door. They carry it in and place it on the floor near a wooden chest. They exit the treasury room and lock the door.

They go about their daily tasks in taking care of the Hold. At about the fourth mark in the afternoon. We gather together in the main dining hall for the evening me

We see a large gathering of about twenty men and women besides us sitting with them. They get a big surprise when they see the fairies. They giggle and laugh as they see them for the first time. They agree to keep quiet about them as long as possible.

We have another fish meal and vegetables for the evening meal. It takes about forty-five minutes to eat the evening meal. Afterwards, we step outside to watch the sunset and see the stars come out.

“I do know that Earth lies in that direction toward those two stars in that constellation.”

“I know of two nebulae along the way. There is the Horse Head Nebulae and the Crab Nebulae. They are very far from us, but they are closer to Twainor.”

“We’ll have to ask the Star Smiths if they have seen them and it is mapped out on the star charts.”

We then go to bed. The air is a bit more colder as we go to bed. We recite warming spells on the blankets and the fairies’ bed covers. Everyone has a great night of sleep. During the night I get another meeting in Heaven. This time Brianna and my fairies are with us this time. We find ourselves in the flower field that we have been to before. It is explained to White Acacia and White Rose where we are at.

“So, who are we going to meet, father, mother, Omega?”

“I don’t know, Tiger. They will soon appear here and explain the reason for the meeting.”

Then we see eight people walking toward us. When they get near to us they stop.

“Greetings, Richard. You don’t know who we are. We are here to explain to you the connection with Pern and Earth.”

“You are probably wondering why Pern is found in the Magic Verse and not in your own Multi-verse.”

“That’s right sir. What are your names?”

“We are the first explorers of the Rukbat Star System. There is a time, space and distance problem. We encountered a stable worm hole tube between the two multi-verses.”

“I thought there is no connection between the multi-verses.”

“We thought so too, Richard.”