My tribute to Anne McCaffrey

Anne of Dragonhold Author's note: The following is my humble, respectful, effort to pay tribute to Anne McCaffrey. I have imagined her as a citizen of Pern, and have created a scenario of her death on her most beloved planet. Master Harper Pallina awoke from a fitful sleep when Treasure, her elegant gold fire lizard, restlessly nudged her arm. She stroked the little queen's eye ridge, and mumbled a few soothing words. But, something was amiss. Easing Treasure aside, Pallina arose from her narrow bed and padded over to the window. She stood looking out into the Harper Hall courtyard, and tried make sense of the jumbled feelings and images that were popping into her mind. Suddenly, the silence was shattered by the one sound she had never wanted to hear again. Every dragon and fire lizard in the vicinity was loudly keening the death of a loved one. Treasure - usually calm and regal in her bearing - was flitting about the chamber, rattling her pinions, and voicing her grief and confusion. Abruptly, she went Between ... only to reappear seconds later on the Master Harper's shoulder. She chirped apologetically, and began to quiver. Pallina understood what the small gold being was trying to tell her. "It's alright, my darling, go and be with them. I know you'll come back to me soon." Treasure nuzzled her friend's cheek, warbled a grateful farewell, and once again vanished; anxious to join the fairs of fire lizards that were circling the courtyard. Pallina stripped off her nightwear and quickly slipped into daytime clothing. She still didn't know what exactly had happened, but she knew she would be needed, and very soon. She was pulling on her boots when the drums started to beat in the distance. Sitting very still to listen to the incoming message, she was shocked. The news was devastating. The death mourned by the dragons hadn't happened in any of the Weyrs. As awful as that would have been, this was much worse. Anne of Dragonhold, the greatest Harper to have ever lived, was dead. Pallina allowed herself a brief moment to grieve the loss of her grandmother - then she brushed away her tears and left her room. She had duties to perform. The next few days passed in a blur as the Master Harper made arrangements for Anne's funeral. Pallina now stood at the podium, with Treasure in her usual position on her shoulder, ready to deliver the eulogy. Steeling her resolve not to give into the tears that threatened to engulf her, she began. Between the podium and the crowd - which numbered in the thousands - was a raised platform holding the shrouded form of the beloved Anne. The Fort Hold Gather Square was full to overflowing with people and fire lizards - and the surrounding cliffs were adorned with hundreds of dragons. Every Hold, Weyr, and Craft Hall from both continents was represented. Not since the passing of the legendary Robinton over 100 Turns ago had the people of Pern come together like this. Pallina was acutely aware that her every word, her every gesture was being noted. She half expected that by nightfall several of her journeymen would have completed their songs, poems and paintings of this historic event - just as they had already finished their memorials to Anne of Dragonhold. By this time tomorrow, all of Pern would have access to the record of this solemn day. Still, in keeping with Harper Hall philosophy - and Anne's own wishes - Pallina was determined to limit this speech to under an hour. It was not an easy task. Even overlooking her own personal memories of Grandmother Anne and sticking to a summary of her tenure as Master Harper, Pallina found such an abundance of information, anecdotes and testimonies that she could have crafted a eulogy that would have taken a seven-day to deliver in full. As she concluded the speech, she signaled to the senior queen of Bendan Weyr to come down from her perch on the ridge above. Orieth obliged, and dropped down low enough to firmly grasp in her forepaws the knotted ropes that held the shroud in place. She lifted her burden, and with a powerful down-sweep of her wings, rose aloft. She circled the Gather Square three times, gaining altitude, before bugling and disappearing Between. The mourners held their breaths for several seconds before Orieth reappeared with empty paws. At that moment, every dragon, every fire lizard, and every human raised their voices in a final tribute to Anne of Dragonhold. Pam Nymann November 26, 2011