amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第15部分

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　　Oldive　permitted　himself　a　chuckle　as　he　carefully　descended　from　the　high　stool。　Had　his　spine　developed　normally；　he　would　have　been　tall；　his　legs　were　long。　They　were　the　same　length；　but　the　malformation　of　his　backbone　had　resulted　in　a　pelvic　slant。　With　a　slight　lift　in　one　shoe；　his　limp　was　barely　noticeable。
　　〃There　are　so　many　calls　on　Master　Morilton's　skills；〃　he　said　ruefully；　and　gestured　to　the　cabinets　filled　with　special　glass　products；　the　myriad　paraphernalia　that　had　been　created　by　the　GlassSmith　for　healer　use。
　　〃A　start；　of　course；　on　the　quantity　needed　to　equip　all　Healer　Halls；〃　Sharra　said　in　an　acid　tone；　〃especially　when　the　Council　unanimously…for　once…agreed　that　the　Healer　Hall　has　priority。　We　are　concerned　with　the　health　and　well…being　of　everybody；　not　just　new　gadgets　that　we've　done　without　for　twenty…five　hundred　Turns。〃
　　Though　Oldive　pletely　agreed　with　her；　he　raised　a　hand　in　gentle　rebuke　as　he　walked　across　the　airy　room　to　the　small　stove　where　the　klah　pot　was　kept　warm。　Someone　had　brought　in　a　tray　of　food。　He　flipped　back　the　napkins　and　saw　the　generous　servings。　When　had　these　been　brought？　The　meatrolls　were　still　warm。　He　oughtn't　to　concentrate　to　the　exclusion　of　everything　else。
　　〃Someone　brought　some　food；〃　he　informed　her。
　　〃Oh；　yes；　I　should　have　told　you；〃　she　said　contritely　as　she　slipped　off　her　stool　and　joined　him。　〃I　just　wanted　to　finish　that　tray　of　slides。〃　She　poured　klah　for　them　both。
　　〃Oh；　we　do　very　well；　my　dear　Sharra；〃　he　said；　talking　around　a　mouthful　of　roll。　〃We　have　achieved　all　this…〃　He　gestured　around　them。　〃…and　Morilton　is　considering　dedicating　one　Hall　to　nothing　but　Healer　requirements。〃　He　glanced　back　at　his　workstation　and　his　unidentifiable　virus　smear。　Then　held　up　his　hand　as　an　odd　sound　impinged　on　the　silence　of　the　laboratory。
　　Sharra　listened　hard。　〃Sounds　like　breaking　glass。　Breaking　glass！〃　She　repeated；　setting　down　the　mug　and　rushing　to　the　door。　As　soon　as　she'd　opened　it；　the　noise　was　far　more　audible；　and　far　too　close。
　　〃Meer；　Talla；〃　she　cried；　calling　for　her　two　fire…lizards。
　　〃What's　the　matter？　What's　going　on？　What　clumsy　apprentice　has　been　let　loose？〃　Oldive　cried。
　　Despite　his　physical　disability；　Oldive　could　move　swiftly；　but　Sharra；　after　one　startled　look　to　her　right；　hauled　him　back　from　the　threshold　and　closed　the　door；　throwing　the　latch。
　　Ruth！
　　The　white　dragon　might　be　asleep　on　Ruatha's　fire…heights；　but　he'd　respond　to　her　mental　call　from　any　place。　Meer　and　Talla　arrived；　midair；　mouths　open　to　shriek　panic；　but　Sharra's　stern　mand　aborted　that　instinct。
　　〃I　don't　know　who；　Oldive；〃　she　said；　dropping　her　voice　to　a　whisper；　〃but　there　are　people　crashing　about　in　the　still…room　as　if　they　thought　no　one　would　hear　them。〃
　　Once　again　the　intrepid　Masterhealer　attempted　to　leave　the　room　and　she　caught　him　by　the　arm。
　　〃There　shouldn't　be　anyone　else　here　but　us；〃　he　said　grimly。　He　had　given　leave　to　even　the　lowliest　apprentice　to　enjoy　this　last　day　of　Turn's　End。
　　〃But　there　are；〃　she　said；　her　eyes　sparkling　with　anger　as　she　opened　the　door　to　the　noise　of　considerable　destruction。　A　shadow　fell　across　the　long　window　of　the　laboratory　and　she　grinned；　pointing。　〃However；　we　shall　deal　with　it。〃
　　Oldive　gasped　at　the　sight　of　a　white　body；　wings　outstretched；　all　but　plastered　against　the　glass；　his　eyes　flashing　the　red　and　orange　of　alarm。
　　Ruth！　Sharra　said；　relieved　that　he　had　responded　so　quickly。　Tell　the　Hold's　fire…lizards　to　attack　the　intruders。　Fire…lizards　held　Ruth；　the　white　dragon；　in　awed　respect　and　would　obey　him　without　question。　She　gave　him　a　very　clear　mental　image　of　what　she　had　seen　in　her　brief　glimpse　down　the　hall。　Meer　and　Talla　cheeped　once　and　disappeared。　Scant　seconds　later；　both　she　and　Oldive　heard　loud　cries；　angry　fire…lizard　bugles；　shouts　of　pain；　and　more　banging　and　crashing。
　　Sharra　opened　the　door　wide　enough　to　see　down　the　hall。　A　mass　of　fire…lizards　was　trying　to　enter　the　stillroom。　Then　the　mass　split　into　several　groups；　which　zipped　off；　screeching　challenge；　swooping　down　the　stairwells　at　each　end　to　the　other　levels　of　the　hall。
　　There　are　several　groups　throwing　things　about　in　the　Hall；　Ruth　told　her。　That　is　wrong。　Fort　dragons　e。
　　She　and　Oldive　watched　as　the　fire…lizards　drove　four　people　out　of　the　stillroom。　They　could　hear　human　cries　echoing　from　other　points。　Oldive　groaned　in　dismay。
　　〃They'll　be　damned　sorry　they　ever　thought　of　this；〃　she　told　him　angrily　as　she　started　purposefully　down　the　hall。　〃Damned　sorry。〃
　　〃I　never　thought　of…intrusions…when　we　built　here；〃　Oldive　murmured；　shaking　his　head　in　bitter　denial　of　the　event　as　he　followed。　He'd　been　so　proud　of　this　new　Hall；　with　its　marvelous　equipment；　its　spacious　and　well…organized　facilities。　The　previous　quarters　had　been　better　protected　in　the　angle　between　the　Harper　Hall　and　Fort　Hold。　But　the　Healer　Hall　was　usually　so　busy　that；　on　a　normal　day；　no　unauthorized　persons　would　have　been　on　this　floor。
　　Sharra　reached　the　stillroom　first。　The　reek　of　spilled　liquids　and　wet　herbs　was　nothing　to　her　appalled　survey　of　empty　shelves；　cabinets　with　broken　doors；　glass　shards　everywhere。　Even　the　marble　worktops　had　been　cracked。　She　slammed　the　door　shut　to　spare　Oldive　the　sight。
　　〃Everything's　ruined；〃　she　said　tersely　and　pulled　him　toward　the　stairs；　dreadfully　certain　now　by　the　sounds　of　screams　and　shouts　from　the　lower　floors　that　there　would　be　more　damage　elsewhere。
　　Fire…lizards　drove　the　intruders　out　of　the　Hall　where　the　humans　were　halted　by　the　sight　of　a　dozen　dragons；　their　wings　spread　to　form　an　impregnable　wall；　their　eyes　whirling　red　with　anger。　More　dragons　hovered　overhead；　their　wings　casting　dark　shadows　on　the　scene　below。　Shouts　and　drumbeats　echoed　down　Fort's　rocky　canyon；　confirming　that　reinforcements　were　on　their　way。　The　cowering　vandals　were　herded　into　a　knot；　clothes　rent　by　fire…lizard　beaks　and　talons；　bloodied　hands　raised　to　protect　their　faces。　While　no　dragon　would　hurt　a　human；　the　fire…lizards　were　under　no　such　restraint　and　darted　in　to　peck　or　claw　when　anyone　in　that　huddle　moved。
　　Call　them　off　now；　Ruth；　Sharra　said；　pausing　to　catch　her　breath　on　the　broad　top　step；　and　thank　them　for　ing　so　quickly。　We　need　the　wretches　alive　and　able　to　tell　us　why　they　despoiled　a　Healer　Hall。
　　Though　some　of　the　wild　fire…lizards　looked　as　if　they　would　disobey；　a　second　rumbling　bark　from　Ruth　caused　them　to　disappear；　leaving　the　dragons　to　stand　guard。　When　the　dragons　did　not　advance；　one　of　the　men　uncoiled　and　stood　up；　glowering　at　Sharra　and　Oldive。
　　〃Why　are　you　here？〃　the　MasterHealer　asked　at　his　sternest。　He　counted　fifteen　men　and　women　in　front　of　him；　a　sufficient　number　to　trash　more　than　his　fine　stillroom。　His　heart　sank　at　the　destruction　they　must　have　done。　〃Why　have　you　destroyed　the　very　materials　and　medicines…〃
　　〃The　Abomination　must　be　halted！〃　a　man　shouted；　his　body　taut　with　his　fanaticism。　〃Its　taint　removed　forever　from　Pern。〃
　　〃Abomination？〃　The　word　made　Sharra　shudder。　That's　what　some　people　called　Aivas。　And　those　Abominators　had　kidnapped　Master　Robinton　to　force　the　Council　to　shut　Aivas　down　because　of　the　technology　he　represented。　They'd　tried　to　prevent　the　restoration　of　the　technology　that　their　ancestors　had　used　and　that　many；　many　people　wished　to　revive。　Oldive　caught　her　eye　and　his　expression　turned　bleaker　still。
　　The　others　began　to　chant；　shaking　their　fists　in　the　air；　undeterred；　as　if　they　now　realized　that　the　dragons　would　not　harm　them。
　　〃Vileness　must　be　expunged！〃　the　leader　went　on；　louder；　more　daring。　〃Erase　abominations。〃
　　Sharra　began　to　shiver　in　the　cold。　Oldive's　face　looked　pinched。　Though　she　could　see　nothing　beyond　the　high　interlaced　wings　of　the　dragons；　she　could　hear　the　pounding　of　hooves　on　the　hard…packed　road；　the　rumble　of　a　cart；　and　shouts　of　many　voices。　Lioth；　bronze　dragon　of　N'ton；　the　Fort　Weyrleader；　cocked　his　head　as　if　he　had　understood　the　taunts；　his　eyes　beginning　to　whirl　with　orange　spurts。
　　They're　ing；　Sharra；　Ruth　said　and　craned　his　head　ominously　toward　the　protestors。　Their　chanting　noticeably　faltered　as　the　sound　of　hoofbeats　and　shouts　penetrated　to　the　dragon　circle。　Their　leader　rallied　them　to　greater　efforts。
　　〃Tradition　must　be　upheld！〃　He　glared　around　him；　his　angular　face　and　burning　eyes　inciting　his　followers。　〃Halt　abominations。〃
　　〃Turn　back　to　tradition　at　Turnover！〃　screeched　one　of　the　three　women；　waving　a　bloody　hand　at　Ruth；　who　frowned　down　at　her。
　　〃Our　petitions　have　been　ignored！〃
　　〃We　protest　the　Abomination！〃
　　〃And　all　its　works！〃
　　〃Abomination！　Abomination！〃
　　Stoically；　Sharra　and　Oldive　endured　the　chanting。
　　Smoothly；　as　humans　neared；　the　dragons　began　to　close　their　wings　and　give　way；　to　allow　the　reinforcements　a　clear　path　to　the　despoilers。　Lioth　stepped　closer　to　Ruth；　Sharra　knew　that　his　rider；　N'ton；　would　be　in　the　vanguard。　But　it　was　two　of　Lord　Groghe's　sons　who　arrived　first；　riding　bareback　on　a　gray　runnerbe