What We Don't Know
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Bree, Emma, Yvonne
Date Posted: 7th November 2005
Characters: Tsaera, K'sedel, Abrei
Description: Tulyav's death raises questions
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 8, day 20 of Turn 3
Tulyav died a few candlemarks before dawn. Tsaera was still awake when she got the message from the Infirmary, and she stared blankly at it for a long time before crumpling it in her fist. Grief hit her like an angry fist - why Tulyav? An old friend, a good Beastcrafter -
why _him_ and not an apprentice or journeyman she didn't know? Her eyes felt hot with unshed tears as she put the message carefully down on her desk and went to meet with Abrei and K'sedel - and the specialist from the Healer Hall. Fatigue made the room spin around her for a moment, but only a moment - she was getting used to working on no sleep.
The Weyrwoman was the last to arrive at the Infirmary, and she summoned up the ghost of a smile out of politeness. It probably looked as forced as it felt. "How did he die?"
Abrei frowned slightly as she closed the door to her office, keeping their conversation private from any overly curious journeymen who were lingering. Torian's abrupt arrival had started rumors that none of her healers dared voice in front of her, but she _knew_ they were talking among themselves. "Torian?"
The man seated at Abrei's desk looked every one of his sixty-four turns. "There were a few... anomalies in Master Tulyav's case which makes it hard for me to be certain. There is no question that he had the symptoms that would indicate the plague among your beasts had transitioned to humans. But..."
Abrei perched on the edge of the desk, looking tired. "It wasn't severe enough to kill him, Tsaera. Torian had remedies I didn't...
and for a few candlemarks it looked like it was working. Which means that something else killed him--"
"--or this illness has symptoms we've never seen before," Torian finished tiredly. "Ones that we may not be able to treat with any effectiveness."
"It wasn't lack of supplies was it?" asked K'sedel, hating the thought of a man dying because he needed some remedy the healers hadn't got access too.
"Not at all," Torian said quickly, giving Abrei a weary smile. "Your infirmary is well stocked. I had everything I needed."
"How will you find out which it is, then?" Tsaera asked. The knowledge that Tulyav (probably) hadn't died of the beast's disease didn't comfort her as much as it should. He was still lost to her.
Torian glanced at Abrei, who sighed. She knew the Weyrwoman had been fond of Tulyav, and imagined she would be better off not knowing the details. "We have ways to find out. You don't need to know the technical details, but by the end of the day, we should be able to give you an answer one way or another. There's another problem that you two need to know about for now."
"I'm afraid my arrival might have caused a little... excitement,"
Torian said in an apologetic tone. "Some of the healers who studied at the Healer Hall know that my concentration has been almost entirely in plagues. I know how quickly rumors fly at the Hall, and Abrei assures me that the Weyr is even worse..."
"It is worse, and we have a lot more to lose by it than the Healer Hall ever would. Tabanirth has eggs on the Sands and if I'm going to get candidates I need to know that Tulyav wasn't killed by the beast's disease." The Weyrwoman had known that rumors would fly as soon as Abrei suggested sending for Torian. "The sooner that you can confirm that he wasn't, the better. And as much as I appreciate and thank you for coming here on such short notice, the sooner we can get you home, Master Torian, the faster we'll be able to kill rumors of plague."
"I'll take you myself," offered K'sedel. At least that way the man would not be exposed to many others to cause gossip among the Weyr residents.
"But we're getting ahead of ourselves." K'sedel's words reminded Tsaera that they didn't want to be seen chasing a Healer out of the Weyr, either. Tulyav's death wasn't helping her diplomacy. "Do what you need to find out why Tulyav died. We'll go from there."
Abrei nodded and rose from her perch on the side of the desk, rubbing at her neck tiredly. "We'll start now. When I know what happened..."
Torian rose as well. "Then we'll let you know."
"Good," said the Weyrleader.
Last updated on the November 7th 2005