Margatta of Fort Weyr

[pernever]

I have been recently rereading my Pern books and have been wondering how the situation unfolded for Margatta becoming Weyrwoman after the exile to the south of Marda and T'ron did she come forward in time with them or did she impress during the ninth pass?

Also I have wondered how her relationship unfolded with N'ton and Ludeth's with Lioth was it more like Moreta and Sh'gall's or more of a romance?

[Hans]

I don't think it is mentioned that Margatta came forward with the oldtimers. So, if it is not mentioned we should assume she was not an oldtimer?
Her dragon Ludeth is called Luduth in the UK and US editions of The Whiet Dragon. She is mentioned in Dragonquest, The White Dragond, Dragondrums and Skies of Pern.

[Kimi]

I find the minor characters among the Oldtimers difficult to track.

First, supposedly, the entire Weyrs, with all their inhabitants, came forward. That's thousands of people, some of whom may have NOT gone forward (who knows, a kitchen drudge has a romantic attachment in a near Hold, why would they go forward -,- and who would notice, either way?). Second, couldn't a rider or inhabitant have left the Old Weyrs after coming forward, or joined one upon their reappearance?

Aside from the conflicts that arise, there's so little information about those Weyrs. Certainly not information about relationships and mobility between Weyrs, especially Benden. My biggest question has been how much inter-Weyr activity and movement there was before the exile. How about Searches? Inter-Weyr mating flights? It's a point of conflict that certain Oldtimer Weyrleaders won't allow open flights with Benden, but what about with each other? Or junior Oldtimer queens with Benden? Hard to imagine in the early, happy days, with their newfound knowledge of genetics, that would NOT have been encouraged.

And why is Orlith so much larger? We know larger is built into each successive generation until design completion, but isn't it odd that the largest dragons would clutch in the generation the Red Star is defeated? And why the heck wasn't the draconic ability to lift 'any' weight noted during Crossing? In fact, dragon fatigue is used as an excuse for some nasty hunting of domestic animals in the middle of that resource crisis. But I digress....

Anyway, since Orlith has several clutches hatch before all the conflict, and the Weyrs interact so much (and across times), it's hard to imagine there was no human movement or inter-breeding, human or dragon.

None of which answers your question! I'm just imagining the possibilities, amplified by the unusual cultural-political circumstances and draconic abilities.