Genny trudged back inside to the Records room Moura had so impressed upon her to study. There, she sequestered herself for the better part of the next month. Much of Moura's final observations and notations about the Weyr's affairs echoed the sentiments she had expressed before her departure. She seemed to be morbidly obsessed with her time coming and the great hope she had in G'ny, who she always referred to as the uncontracted Genny or Gendine, as fit a Weyrwoman.

Beyond these parting sentiments, Genny found the woman's style to be curt and focused, if not prone to some periods of frustrating brevity. The irregularity of Azirith's mating flights troubled her, but without any explanation given, Genny could hardly dwell on this fact. Genny smiled when she read about her own Hatching, at first entitled 'Last Clutch,' only for a line to have been drawn through 'Last' and replaced with 'Fourth,' noticing a note scribbled about a 'holder casualty while attempting to dissuade daughter from being newest female dragonrider – patched up without complication.' Genny read with rapt concentration through Moura's chronicle of her quarter of a century as Weyrwoman. At last, she set Moura's account aside, having read it over twice, and picked up that of the Weyrwoman before her.

Lawana had taken to bringing her meals and klah after her multiple reminders to come down to eat remained unheeded. Genny was only vaguely aware that Mirith had risen only three sevendays after Saleneth and their time on the Sands would likely overlap. M'tou too came to check in on her well-being. It was on one of these such visits by her Weyrleader that Genny was musing over a puzzling inscription by the Weyrwoman Sonia. 'Tullea arrived this morning with forebodings of what is to come. A dragon plague from which High Reaches must isolate ourselves and foster the hope her clutch brings.'

"M'tou, what do you think about this? I've read and cross checked this Tullea woman with the other records. It seems like she was the Weyrwoman of Benden because look here at the attendance ledgers for Weyrleader meetings. But how could she have known 'what is to come?' See, if you look here, Sonia's entry about the 'dragon plague' comes a full Turn before the first incident of the disease was discovered in an Istan dragonrider. Then, Sonia celebrates High Reaches opening about three Turns later with a big celebratory feast." G'ny ruminated. M'tou's face turned pale.

"Genny," M'tou began uncertainly. "I don't know how else to explain it, but something has bothered me too. I know it's not a polite subject to speak of, but when Calleth flew Azirith... that was not a woman of, um, over forty Turns."

"You think Moura came forward? Come to think of it, there were certain things that seemed off about her..." Genny trailed off.

"I thought perhaps it was her age catching up to her, which made that flight particularly confusing." M'tou agreed.

"Right, the Moura before Saleneth clutched was hardly ever around. Afterwards, she was energetic, setting things right, fully present... But how would she have known how, when, and why to come here?"

"Someone would have had to tell her," M'tou replied seriously, looking carefully at Genny.

"Me? I go? But I don't even know how. Until a moment ago, I didn't even know it was possible!" Genny exclaimed.

"Then you will have to learn, perhaps that is what Moura wanted you to find in these Records."

Genny continued scouring the Records. Although Tullea seemed to have made the jump, she did not detail the process and Genny decided the technique must have been discovered by another. Despite her stay at High Reaches, Tullea was a Benden Weyrwoman, so Genny decided she would have to travel there for further answers. Fortunately, Moura's assignments meant that Genny was familiar with Benden and on cordial terms with its Weyrwoman, whose permission she would require to peruse the Records. Indeed, Wela and Soriyen were elated to see her, even if her presence did not usually portend good news.

Wela was quite obliging as always and directed Genny to the proper section of the Archives room. Genny was not entirely sure what she was looking for. Tullea's journal chronicled terrible heartache in the Weyr, terrible plague and a woman who lost her dragon, Lorana. "Dragonkiller," Tullea sometimes referred to her as, since in a desperate attempt to save her ill dragon, she injected her with a substance that killed her. Despite no longer being a dragonrider, this woman recurred in Tullea's account. By the time she got to the Turn that she knew Tullea arrived at High Reaches, Genny was afraid she must have missed something. No mention was made of her leaving or how she got there. She read on, a pit of disappointment growing in her stomach. There! A reference to High Reaches! And perhaps the answer to Genny's predicament.

Lorana came to me and I had to accept her reasoning. A cure finally viable, it could reach a new generation if passed on to Minith's clutch. We shall go back to the closed off High Reaches to give us time to raise this clutch until it is strong enough to fight Thread. Perhaps we can save High Reaches from falling victim to this plague as well. As Lorana has shown me, the key is in the stars. Now I understand why I haven't felt like myself in so long.

So timing it was possible, and the key was in the stars. Although she wasn't sure that she completely understood the mechanics completely, Genny decided to turn her attention to something she could track down. Genny tried to use the Records of Azirith's unusual clutching patterns to determine when she might have jumped back. Four Turns had passed between her first and second flight. It was on her second flight that Moura became Weyrwoman, as the previous Weyrwoman and her gold had recently gone between together. It was another six Turns until her third, another seven and a half until her fourth and G'ny's clutch, the clutch many thought would be her final. G'ny wondered if there might be something going on with the above average gaps between mating flights, and decided to time it back to three turns after Azirith's second mating flight – a span at which most queens would have already risen again. A queen's existence certainly seemed to be punctuated by these periods of happy fulfilment. Mirith's eagerness to assist Saleneth only affirmed this point.

To fully hatch her plan, Genny pulled out the Records room star and weather charts in conjunction with those of the Hatching records. It was Saleneth who recognized what to do first. Oh, since the skies change over time, we just imagine the location with the star pattern in the sky we want. I can do that. Here, like this! Saleneth sent Genny an image of the Seven Spindles with the stars moving behind them. Although the Records of the High Reaches were quite thorough, G'ny wanted to be as prepared as she could be, and she knew exactly where to turn. A trip back to Radharc was certainly in order. There, she knew, was one person she knew who could give her a rundown of the astronomical movements she would need to know for her trip.


"Ma!" Genny exclaimed as she dismounted Saleneth and raced up the Hold steps where her mother had emerged to greet her. "You're not going to believe this, but I'm the High Reaches Weyrwoman! And it is in this capacity, and as your daughter, that I need your help."

By now, Saleneth's unique hide was recognizable to most inhabitants of the Hold and their duty to inform Genny's mother and the Lady Holder were just as well known. Therefore, it was no surprise that her mother was among the small crowd that had gathered at the main entryway by the time she was padding up the steps. Genny courteously shook hands with the stewards and drudges alike who remembered her as the Hold's child and had also come to greet her and congratulate her when they heard the news and saw the new rank upon her shoulder knots. Ultimately, however, Genny looked forward to an audience with her mother.

"Well, never did I think I would be counseling a Weyrwoman, let alone be she my daughter. Come in, have some klah, and we'll catch up." Genny followed her mother into the Hold proper. Small children peeked around corners to catch a glimpse of the jerkin and trouser clad Weyrwoman.

"Although I had always hoped you would come back here, even after you Impressed Saleneth, I am proud of what you have achieved. And it brings me great comfort to know that you have Saleneth throughout it all, even if that little dragon and I did not start out on the best of terms." Genny's mother acknowledged. Outside, they could hear Saleneth's trill of agreement. Despite her mother's encouragement, Genny knew she could not let her in on all of the details of her plans.

"Ma, I actually wanted to talk to you about star charts. As Weyrwoman, one of my duties is to keep all the Records, including of the star charts. The transition was rather abrupt, so I didn't receive the proper instruction at the Weyr. Thought maybe you could give me a crash course from where we left off." This explanation was largely true, even if it failed to mention the true objective of her quest for knowledge, about which she did not wish to worry her mother. Many an evening in Genny's childhood, she and her mother had sat together pouring over the hides. On occasion, her father would have to come by and insist that it was time to retire to bed as Genny's eyes drooped as she tried to stay awake to indulge her mother's passion. All it took was this small invitation for Diedra's eyes to light up.

"Yes, of course, let's go over to the tower with my materials right away. You know, I actually noticed something really interesting the other day that I would love to show you, come, come!" Through hypothetical questions that did not reveal her true motive, Genny assembled the information she needed from the fountain of knowledge that was her mother. What a shame it was that Diedra had never become a Master. Instead, her talents remained hidden in this lesser Hold, occasionally lecturing children who had little attention for the subject.

Genny reflected on the somewhat tragic story she had pieced together about her mother's path to settling in Radharc. Diedra had been a most promising archival student in Harper Hall. She had been sent back to her home in the High Reaches Hold for her journeyman rotation. It was then that she met a man, not Genny's father, with whom she fell madly in love. He discouraged her from further studies after his constant reminders of where he thought a woman's place ought to be. He ended up being a cruel man who the Lord Holder banished after leaving Diedra with a blackened eye that her mother reported.

Although her eye long since healed, her aspirations for Harper Hall had not, and her heart was still on the mend when she met Jongen. Jongen had been passing through High Reaches at a Gather, looking for new parts and designs for the smithcrafting he conducted out in Radharc. He was everything the brute was not – gentle, patient, and encouraging of Diedra's skills. He made many trips back to High Reaches on the pretext of smithcraft parts, but his true intentions were quite transparent and Diedra followed him to Radharc, where they had Gendine and Jerson.

Radharc had not had a Master or even journeyman Harper with archivist knowledge for a long time, having made do with the Lady Holders' and Stewards' records of events and journeyman Harpers who could teach the basic Teaching Ballads to the children. As it was, few people had practical use for the complicated star charts Diedra to which devoted herself. Hence, she was ecstatic when her children came of age and she had a captive audience with which to share her expertise. For her now grown child to return willingly for another lesson was the greatest validation for which she could hope.

As she thought back on her mother's own love story, she thought ruefully towards Igen. Between her preoccupation with this latest mystery and the delicate situation with B'ran, Genny felt like she was abandoning Vowna in a time of need. Ganebeth had reached out to Saleneth to indicate that she would be rising soon. Genny wished she could support Vowna in person, sitting in the Archive room, sipping redfruit juice, and engaging in deep conversation and an occasional comforting embrace when the conversation warranted it. Both the women and their dragons had grown quite close during Genny's time in exile. The Weyrwomen also shared an anxiety about dragon fertility rate on Pern. Genny decided to go on a night flight with Saleneth to mull over the predicament. The night air was cold, biting where she was not protected by her fur-lined jacket, but it was bright from the luminescence of Belior and Timor.

B'don was getting up their in his years and Vowna had her doubts that he would be the best performer anticipated flight. If he was not the victor, it would not be a terribly heartwrenching for Vowna. The pair were respectful and affectionate, but Vowna was highly pragmatic and took a business-minded approach to her personal life, including her Weyrmate. There was a lot riding on this flight. Vowna was not as young as she used to be though she was still strong in body, mind and spirit, and Ganebeth's mating flights seemed numbered, yet a new gold had not yet been born to succeed her. As it was, Ganebeth had been the product of the very last of her mother's clutches. Perhaps she would follow in her dam's footsteps and do the same, but it was nerve-wracking to wait. Thinking this way, Genny questioned whether B'ran had been right after all - that her place was in Igen. That it was Igen that needed a Weyrwoman in the wings. It was a torturous thought, given her present duties as the Weyrwoman of High Reaches.

As she alighted from her jaunt with Saleneth, she noticed that her father was up late, tinkering as he usually was. When he saw the troubled expression on her face as she walked in, he gestured for her to pull over a stool and poured her a mug from the spiced liquor the he insisted helped him think.

"Mulled mead for mulling, which is what you seem to be doing," he commented as she approached. He sat in pensive, attentive silence as she took a gulp and opened up. The night was far from young by the time he took a deep breath to bestow his wisdom.

"These relationship things are more your mother's strong suit and I'm no dragonrider or expert on Weyr politics, but I suppose there's more at stake than that, so to the extent it is helpful, I will say this. Your mother and I are incredibly proud of you, for everything you've done, and I believe that the choices you have and will make will be ones of which you can be proud as well. Saleneth chose you. By hanging onto her eggs and rising when she did, she has placed great responsibilities on you. Responsibilities, now those are something I know about. Those responsibilities, opportunities, are likely greater than you would have had at Igen. The High Reaches are significantly more thriving than Igen. And when it came to B'ran, as I've warned before, B'ran never chose you, or I should say, he only chose you when it was convenient for him. He seems like a nice enough dragonrider, but there is leadership that you need to accept that he was never ready for. Accept it. Once you let him go and make your decisions for you, Saleneth, High Reaches, and Pern, perhaps it will be easier."

As her mind wandered before bed one night at her mentor-turned-peer's situation, an idea struck her. With High Reaches' Weyrleader for the foreseeable term solidly established, Genny considered that sparing a bronzerider might be for the best of Pern. After all, High Reaches' six seemed hearty compared to Igen's paltry two. An apprehensive thought lingered at the back of her mind about what B'ran might think of it all. He always had high aspirations within Igen and the addition of bronzeriders would certainly hurt Saneth's chances, if he chose to enter this contest. Genny assured herself that her motives were pure - for the best of Pern, not to be punitive against her once-lover. Besides, her father's advice remained firmly in her mind.

She approached the relevant stakeholders over their dragon's telepathic connection. Through Ormath, C'lin sent his regrets given the busy upcoming schedule of his wing and the lack of a bronze Wingsecond to fill the void if he left, but expressed his appreciation for not being left out this time; the note came with a tone of puzzlement, as humor and old grudges were difficult for dragons to comprehend. T'mosen also made a case for his indispensability. All parties in agreement, Genny arranged for L'can, T'ten, and V'rilat to be dispatched to Igen to be available contestants in the flight. Genny had her hopes for L'can; he was an incredible leader and bronzerider, and Genny wondered if the change of scenery might do him good.

Her mind now at ease about Vowna, Genny could return to the puzzle at hand with renewed clarity and focus. As such, she was up early the next morning, so that she and her mother could spend the whole next day immersed in the star charts. It was not so hard to clarify the adjustments that would need to be made to account for the differing geography of High Reaches, but Genny could only get so close to her desired dates without drawing suspicion that this was more than just a casual inquiry. At last, when Genny had absorbed as much as she thought she could, she bade her mother farewell with great gratitude. Genny just hoped that this newly acquired knowledge would be enough to guide her safely through her trip between. What do you think, Saleneth, will we make it? Genny queried her partner as the two began their departure back to High Reaches where they would make the jump. I am good at navigating between. Besides, we already have, was the confident retort.