Between (Pern)
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Between in Anne McCaffrey's "Dragonriders of Pern" series, refers to a dimension through which dragons travel during the process of teleportation, i.e. moving instantaneously from one place to another. If the dragon does not have a clear picture of its destination in mind, it is possible for the dragon and its passengers to become permanently lost in this dimension. Deliberately going between without a destination in mind is how dragons suicide, usually occurring when the rider that they are soul-bonded to dies of illness or injury, or if the dragon itself is mortally injured. To date, though many characters, firelizards, and dragons have been lost between (i.e. "Moreta's Ride"), none that have been so lost have yet emerged from it.
"Between" is universally described as a place of nothingness. Usually, for a dragon to teleport using its rider's directions, they stay in "between" for the time that it takes to cough three times. Firelizards take eight seconds to teleport anywhere on the planet. "Between" frequently causes cystitis and child-bearing problems in female dragonriders. Going "between" without proper coordinates is a frequent cause of death for inexperienced weyrlings.
In Todd McCaffrey's Dragonsblood several make it out of between after they are lost.
Between is characterized by extreme cold (far below zero yet not as cold as outer space) and induces near-total sensory deprivation in humans who travel through it on dragonback. This effect on the rider can be nullified, however, through the use of a space suit and oxygen.
Dragons and fire lizards share the ability to teleport between. They deliberately use this ability to destroy any "Thread" organism which they come in contact with, as only fire, water, or the extreme cold of between is capable of killing this parasite.
Dragons are also capable of travelling between times, but this can only be used when they have a point of reference for that time, such as star positions or a vivid memory. The White Dragon, Ruth, could travel between to any time without fail, including to the future. "Timing it" was known to many riders a long time ago, but, since Lessa and Ramoth brought the weyrs forward, it was kept a secret. Riders who "Time" to a very distant era without protective gear, or to a past location in close proximity of their past self can experience fatal fatigue and disorientation. Since its discovery, the knowledge of this ability has been restricted, and only Bronze dragons are permitted to utilise it under directions from the Weyrleaders.
