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Anne　McCaffrey

Introduction
Ours　not　to　ponder　what　were　fair　in　Life；　
But；　finding　what　may　be；
Make　it　fair　up　to　our　means。

　　When　mankind　first　discovered　Pern；　third　planet　of　the　sun　Rukbat；　in　the　Sagittarian　Sector；　they　paid　little　attention　to　the　eccentric　orbit　of　another　satellite　in　the　system。
　　Settling　the　new　planet；　adjusting　to　its　differences；　the　colonists　spread　out　across　the　southern；　most　hospitable　continent。　Then　disaster　struck　in　the　form　of　a　rain　of　mycorrhizoid　organisms；　which　voraciously　devoured　all　but　stone；　metal；　and　water。　The　initial　losses　were　staggering。　But　fortunately　for　the　young　colony；　〃Thread；〃　as　the　settlers　called　the　devastating　showers；　was　not　entirely　invincible：　both　water　and　fire　would　destroy　the　menace　on　contact。
　　Using　their　old…world　ingenuity　and　genetic　engineering；　the　settlers　altered　an　indigenous　life…form　that　resembled　the　dragons　of　legend。　Telepathically　bonded　with　a　human　at　birth；　these　enormous　creatures　became　Pern's　most　effective　weapon　against　Thread。　Able　to　chew　and　digest　a　phosphine…bearing　rock；　the　dragons　could　literally　breathe　fire　and　sear　the　airborne　Thread　before　it　could　reach　the　ground。　Able　not　only　to　fly　but　to　teleport　as　well；　the　dragons　could　maneuver　quickly　to　avoid　injury　during　their　battles　with　Thread。　And　their　telepathic　munication　enabled　them　to　work　with　their　riders　and　with　each　other　to　form　extremely　efficient　fighting　units…wings。
　　Being　a　dragonrider　required　special　talents　and　plete　dedication。　Thus　the　dragonriders　became　a　separate　group；　set　apart　from　those　who　held　land　against　the　depredations　of　Thread；　or　those　whose　craft　skills　produced　other　necessities　of　life　in　their　Crafthalls。
　　Over　the　centuries；　the　settlers　forgot　their　origins　in　their　struggle　to　survive　against　Thread；　which　fell　across　the　land　whenever　the　Red　Star's　eccentric　orbit　coincided　with　Pern's。　There　were　long　Intervals；　too；　when　no　Thread　ravaged　the　land；　when　the　dragonriders　in　their　Weyrs　kept　faith　with　their　mighty　friends　until　they　would　be　needed　once　more　to　protect　the　people　they　were　pledged　to　serve。
　　After　one　such　long　Interval；　when　Thread　renewed　its　violence；　the　dragonriders　were　down　to　one　single　Weyr：　Benden。　Its　courageous　Weyrwoman；　Lessa；　rider　of　the　only　gold　queen；　Ramoth；　discovering　that　dragons　could　move　through　time　as　well　as　space；　took　a　desperate　gamble　and　flew　four　hundred　Turns　into　the　past　to　bring　the　other　five　Weyrs　forward　in　time　to　renew　the　defense　of　Pern。
　　Circumstances　encouraged　exploration　of　the　southern　continent　and　there　Lord　Jaxom；　rider　of　white　Ruth；　his　friend；　F'lessan；　rider　of　bronze　Golanth；　Journeywoman　Jancis　from　the　MasterSmithcrafthall；　and　Piemur；　Harper　at　large；　discovered　the　most　important　artifact　in　the　settlers'　original　Landing：　AIVAS…Artificial　Intelligence　Voice　Address　System。
　　With　the　myriad　files　of　information　that　the　colonists　had　brought　with　them；　Aivas　was　able　to　restore　lost　pieces　of　information　for　all　the　Crafthalls。　He　was　also　able　to　teach　them　how　to　rid　their　world　of　the　cyclical　dangers　of　the　erratic　satellite；　inaccurately　called　the　Red　Star。
　　F'lar　and　Lessa；　Benden's　courageous　and　far…seeing　Weyrleaders；　were　the　first　to　encourage　Lord　Holders　and　Craftmasters　to　end　the　domination　of　Thread　and　start　a　new　era　on　Pern。　Almost　all　Lord　Holders　and　Craftmasters　agreed；　especially　since　Aivas　could　provide　them　with　new　methods　and　technologies　for　improving　health　and　quality　of　life。
　　Those　who　considered　Aivas　an　〃abomination〃　attempted　to　stop　the　splendid　project；　but　were　defeated。　Instructed　and　trained　by　Aivas；　the　young　riders　and　technicians　were　able　to　transport；　by　means　of　the　dragons；　the　antimatter　engines　of　the　three　colony　ships…still　in　orbit　above　Landing…and　place　them　in　a　massive　fault　on　the　Red　Star。　The　subsequent　explosion　was　visible　from　much　of　the　planet；　and　people　rejoiced　to　think　they　would　finally　be　rid　of　Thread。
　　Now；　though；　Thread　continues　to　fall；　because　the　swarm　already　brought　in　by　the　Red　Star　has　not　yet　pletely　passed　by　Pern。　Dragonriders　and　harpers　have　explained　to　those　who　would　listen　that　this　Pass　is　the　last　one　Pern　will　have　to　endure。
　　They　must　now　start　planning　for　a　Threadfree　future；　making　use　of　the　Aivas　files；　full　of　helpful　but　not　overly　sophisticated　technology　that　will　improve　life　for　everyone　on　Pern。　Even　the　dragonriders；　for　centuries　the　defenders　of　Pern；　must　fit　themselves　for　new　occupations。　The　questions　are：　Which　technologies　can　be　adopted　without　disrupting　the　culture　of　the　planet？　And　how　will　the　dragonriders　integrate　themselves　and　their　splendid　friends　into　the　new　Threadfree　society？
　　
Prologue
CROM　MINES…5。27。30…PRESENT　PASS　AIVAS　ADJUSTED　RECKONING…2552
　　The　journeyman　on　duty　in　the　prisoners'　quarters　at　Mine　23　in　the　western　foothills　was　the　first　one　to　see　the　bright；　almost　bluish　streak　in　the　sky。　It　was　ing　from　a　southwesterly　direction。　It　also　appeared　to　be　ing　straight　at　him；　so　he　shouted　a　warning　as　he　scrambled　down　the　steps　of　the　guard　tower。
　　His　yells　attracted　the　attention　of　other　miners；　just　ing　up　from　the　shafts；　tired　and　dirty　from　a　long　day　of　digging　iron　ore。　They；　too；　saw　the　light…ing　straight　at　the　hold。　They　scattered；　yelling；　diving　for　the　nearest　shelter　under　ore　carts；　behind　the　raw　mounds　of　the　day's　tips；　the　gantry；　back　into　the　shaft。　There　was　a　rushing　noise　of　thunder　rumbling　from　the　sky…and　not　a　cloud　in　sight。　Some　insisted　that　they　heard　a　high…pitched　shriek。　Everyone　agreed　on　the　direction　from　which　the　object　came：　southwest。
　　Suddenly　the　high　stone　wall　that　surrounded　the　prison　yard　was　breached；　showering　pieces　of　rock　that　rained　down　on　the　other　sections　of　the　minehold　and　causing　miners　to　fall　flat；　covering　their　heads　against　the　fragments。　A　second　explosive　noise　followed　the　first；　punctuated　by　screams　of　terror　from　those　in　the　prison　quarters。　There　was　the　stink　of　very　hot　metal；　a　familiar　enough　smell　in　a　place　where　iron　ore　was　smelted　into　ingots　before　being　shipped　to　Smithcrafthalls…only　this　stink　had　an　unusual　acidity　that　no　one　could　later　accurately　describe。
　　In　fact；　from　the　moment　the　journeyman　shouted　his　warning；　only　one　man　of　the　several　hundred　in　the　minehold　kept　his　head。　Shankolin；　imprisoned　in　the　Crom　mines　for　the　past　thirteen　Turns；　had　waited　for　just　such　an　opportunity：　a　chance　to　escape。　He　heard　the　wall　shatter；　of　course；　and　saw　a　moment's　reflection　of　the　blue…white　light　in　the　small　window　of　the　heavy　door　that　was　the　only　entrance　to　the　building。　He　threw　himself　to　the　left；　diving　under　a　wooden　bunk　just　as　something　large；　hot；　and　reeking　pierced　the　wall　where　his　head　would　have　been。　It　hissed　as　it　plowed　down　the　main　aisle　and　buried　itself　in　the　far　corner；　dropping　through　the　wood　planks；　smashing　a　corner　pillar；　buckling　the　wall；　and　causing　part　of　the　roof　to　collapse。　Someone　was　screaming　in　pain；　pleading　for　help。　Everyone　else　was　howling　with　fear。
　　Wriggling　out　from　under　the　bunk；　Shankolin　took　just　one　look　at　the　opening　made　by　the　meteorite…for　that　was　the　only　thing　that　could　have　caused　the　damage　just　done…and；　realizing　that　he　could　see　straight　across　the　yard　to　the　shattered　wall；　he　reacted　instantly。　He　dove　out　of　his　prison　and　sprinted　to　the　broken　wall。　On　his　way；　he　made　certain　that　there　was　no　one　on　the　guard　walkway　or　in　the　end　turrets。　They　must　all　have　abandoned　their　posts　as　the　meteor　streaked　toward　the　minehold。
　　He　heaved　himself　up　and　over　the　broken　wall　and　ran　down　the　hill　as　fast　as　he　could　to　the　nearest　cover　of　straggly　bushes。　Crouching　behind　them；　he　caught　his　breath　while　he　listened　to　the　continued　sounds　of　confusion　from　the　minehold。　The　injured　man　was　still　howling：　the　guards　would　have　to　tend　to　him　before　they　did　a　head　count。　They'd　probably　want　to　have　as　close　a　look　at　the　meteorite　as　possible。　The　metal　types　were　valuable。　Or　so　he'd　heard；　once　his　deafness　had　lifted。　He　didn't　hear　everything；　but　he　heard　enough。　He　had　never　let　on　that　he　had　recovered　from　the　skull…ripping　sound　that　that　abominable　Aivas　had　emitted　when　Shankolin　had　led　men；　picked　by　his　father；　Master　Norist；　to　destroy　the　〃abomination〃　and　end　its　evil　influence　on　the　people　of　Pern。
　　Having　caught　his　breath；　Shankolin　rolled　down　the　slight　incline　until　he　felt　it　safe　to　rise　to　a　crouch　and　make　his　way　to　the　sparse　forest。　He　kept　turning　his　head　this　way　and　that；　listening　for　any　sound　of　men　ing　after　him。　Crouching；　he　ran　as　fast　as　he　could　down　the　dangerous　inclines。　He　could　hear　the　pebbles　and　stones　rattling　and　bouncing　ahead　of　him。
　　One　thought　dominated：　this　time　he　would　make　good　his　escape。　This　time　he　had　to　be　free…to　halt　the　progress　that　the　Aivas　Abomination　was　inexorably　making；　destroying　the　Pern　that　had　survived　so　long；　as　his　father　had　told　him　in　a　hushed　and　fearful　voice。　Master　Norist　had　been　horrified　to　learn　that　the　Weyrleaders　of　Pern　be