O to speed where there is space enough and air enough at last! — Walt Whitman, One Hour to Madness and Joy, 1860.

When a childhood accident leaves Tony with a remarkable ability to hear dragons, he finds out that on Pern, the dragon chooses. Whether it comes to being a dragonrider or becoming Weyrwomanleader, he has a bumpy flight ahead.

K'rkat burst into Sievereth's weyr, the bronze stretched out lazy and well-fed, oh Faranth's egg no. "Jade!" he screamed, startling the dragon. "Get out! And you, big lump, get up! Up and flying! Why are you still here?!" Jade came out of her corridor, rubbing her eyes. No doubt she'd spent all night bowed over her work table again and hadn't even eaten. "Oh, why are you yelling," she said around a yawn, "it's... not even mid-day yet!" "Yeah, by minutes!" Argh. No. No time. "Jade -- Bowith is bleeding her prey, and so is Kulirath."