Kaneya stretched out on the grass, looking up at the evening sky as it darkened from the red-orange of sunset to the deep midnight-blue of night. Dayiath lay beside her, his glistening eyes rivaling the sunset and his midnight-blue hide rivaling the night.

It was a rare thing to spend a quiet moment together, just her and her dragon. Kaneya sighed peacefully as her eyes slowly scanned the sky.

What are you looking for? Dayiath asked.

“Nothing really,” she answered softly, “Just the stars.”

One of the old Masters at the Harper Hall had been a lifelong stargazer, making maps and drawings of the stars and constellations. He had taught the young Kaneya to appreciate the stars and their positions in the sky. And he even shared his theories with her.

That each star was a sun. And each of these suns had their own worlds, like Pern. And there were so many of them.

The idea of it had always fascinated Kaneya. So many worlds! Worlds where people like her would look up at the sky at night, and wonder if they were alone.

“Dayiath,” Kaneya whispered, “Could you imagine us going to the stars someday? Once we’ve learned to fly?”

I want to know what’s out there too, Dayiath said eagerly. If there are dragons on other worlds, I want to meet them!

Kaneya reached out a hand to the darkening sky, toward the stars that were slowly appearing. So close, yet so far away.

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