Groundcrewing

Southern Candidates are required to participate as members of the groundcrew, so almost all characters will have a basic familiarity with the use of flamethrowers.

During early weyrlinghood, when dragons are too fragile to be separated and too easily frightened, weyrlings won't be able to participate in groundcrew. Now, however, weyrlings are back in action as part of the groundcrew for any Falls that happen over Southern Weyr.

Typically, one of the weyrlingmasters will serve as a squad chief for the weyrlings on groundcrew.

Flamethrower Construction

While most Pernese have a very basic understanding of the use of flamethrowers, weyrlings at Southern Weyr are given a more detailed break-down.

Constructed of a thin metal and designed to be as lightweight as possible, the flamethrower is actually made of two separate tanks, one pump, one curved tube, and one cylindrical nozzle. Just over twice as tall as it is wide, the tank itself is just under two feet long and nearing ten inches in diameter, a cylinder with a pump from one of the flattened, disc-like ends and a flexible tube near the opposite end.

The pump is used to build of the air pressure within the tank, which is usually done well before Fall to avoid the trouble later on. Brackets are positioned near the opposite end, to hold the flexible tube when it's not in use - during Threadfall or otherwise. From the end of this flexible tube is a short, cylindrical metal nozzle, designed to swivel for better aim at burrows; a valve controls the flow from the nozzle's end, which should be maintained at a steady stream of both agenothree and flammable blackrock oil.

The agenothree, a strong and corrosive acid, is used to dissolve Thread that cannot be reached by the flame alone; it is also a fertilizer in its diluted form, and therefore safe to use on any soil or field. The flammable blackrock is stored in a separate, inner tank and is sprayed simultaneously with the agenothree; this is what actually ignites and creates the Thread-shrivelling flame, shot from the end of the nozzle as the finest powder which must be carefully measured to avoid saturating the ground.

Flamethrower Use

During Threadfall, they are strapped to the user's back and held by a wooden cradle of sorts or a set of wher-hide straps about the waist and shoulders, designed to keep the base near the wearer's waist for easy access to the flexible tube and the nozzle at the end of it. The same tank is used for both goldriders and ground crew, and requires constant upkeeep.

Although not entirely delicate, flamethrowers must still be properly maintained through regular inspections and general upkeep of everything from the nozzle to the two tanks. All tanks are thoroughly inspected before Threadfall and dismantled afterward to dispose of the flammable inner contents; they are then reassembled, tested, and stored safely until they are ready to be used once again.

Partial credit for this goes to Kestrall's Ground Crew Manual from PernMUSH, circa 1999.