Tension among the Weyrs is nothing new, especially that growing gap between Ista and Xanadu. While some hoped that the new Istan-bred Weyrleader might have helped start to mend some of the problems among the two Weyrs, word has it that Ysa only refers him as a Xanadu rider— or rather: "Xanadu's new kid Weyrleader."
The Istan Weyrwoman's stubbornness even extends to gossip from Xanadu, which is why her reaction to the rumors coming from there is rather belated. Having been well in the thick of things while at Xanadu concerning the cult leader Kefai and the rogue goldrider Kate and now suddenly cut off, Ysa suspects only the worse from the latest gossip concerning them. Letters to the rest of the Weyr Council have been sent out by Ysa outlining several key problems with Xanadu's current Weyrwoman's irresponsibility in allowing a rogue goldrider loose, her slow response in dealing with Kefai, and the lack of answers they are giving the rest of Pern.
"This no longer endangers just Xanadu but Pern as a whole when there is a wanted man loose somewhere on our planet, a suspect for the many deaths found near Xanadu, and who will stop at nothing to get dragonriders on his side. His own daughter, who looked very loyal to her father when I first met her after being kidnapped by Kefai, had been allowed to stand, Impressed a queen and, unsurprisingly, vanished as soon as she was able to. We could be facing a time when dragonriders will be against dragonriders with a young fertile queen roaming Pern with a dangerous criminal and still Xanadu remains fixed on keeping quiet on important discoveries."
And so on, with a little bit of embellishment from a Weyrwoman's paranoia.
How will the Weyr Council react? Can the Weyr Council do anything? Usually laid back and casual, Ysa's rise to Seniorship has plagued her with stress and a growing grudge against Xanadu's Weyrwoman. Perhaps she is now trying to accomplish what she was actually accused of in doing that got her kicked out in the first place?