Adventures in Pern: Firebreath Grill

At the eager "Me!"s of the group, K'pek led us to the middle of the Weyr, where a line of shops and restaurants poked out of the stone walls.  We stopped in front of a luxurious-looking eatery, with a wooden sign that was adorned with the words, "The Firebreath Grill".  A mechanical dragon, belching paper "flames", stood guard next to the door.

"Ah!  Greetings, K'pek!  We have a table reserved for you."  A spindly waiter appeared out of the entrance, sporting a thin mustache.  "Come in, come in!"  He ushered us into the restaurant, mouthwatering smells of roast meat tempting us.

We were seated at a long table, and within seconds, a huge, turkey-like roast was lowered onto the tablecloth.

 The waiter from before set to carving the meat, while words sprang from his mouth.  "This here is a Wherry.  Wherries are ostrich-sized birds, discovered by the first settlers of Pern and named for their resemblance to the boats.  While at first they were one of the only animals available for food, they still remain as a delicious alternative for herdbeasts."

He began doling out the slices of meat, placing them onto each person's plate.  Plates of vegetables arrived, strange and foreign but fragrant nonetheless.  While I waited for the meat to be passed to me, I munched on the aromatic leaves.

Once the succulent flesh reached my mouth, my eyes widened in amazement.  The skin was perfectly roasted to a crisp crunch, the meat under soft and tender.  It was heaven.

Within half an hour, we had polished off all the remains of the Wherry and the exotic vegetables.  Then, plates of pie began to arrive, each slice filled with berries.

As before, each bite was pure bliss.  It was hot, seemingly fresh out of the oven.  The berries--they tasted somewhat like blueberries and blackberries--dissolved in my mouth, followed by the buttery delight of the crust.

"These pies are called 'Bubbly Pies' by the people of Pern."  The waiter was speaking again.  "They're especially loved by the children, but that doesn't mean adults can't enjoy it too!"  The few of us without pie filling our mouths laughed.

After we had finished that, we left the restaurant, assured that our bill was covered by the price for the tour.  We followed K'pek back down to the bottom of the Weyr, slower now that our stomachs were full.   When we reached the bottom, he turned to us.  "Well," he began, "that concludes our tour.  I hoped you enjoyed it."  Sounds of approval rose from our masses.  "Now, it's about 9 pm.  We have a many activities you can partake in down here, and some dragon riders are answering questions that you may have.  Or, you can return to your weyr--after all, it's another big day in Pern tomorrow!"  He smiled.  "I'm sure you have many better things to do than to listen to me ramble.  Goodbye, and we hope you enjoy your stay at Pern!"

We dispersed, travelling to each of our destinations.  I headed straight to my room, popping open my laptop.

And then, I wrote.