amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第25部分

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nd　rarely　sang。　What　Nip's　real　name　was；　no　one　remembered　now。　Nip　had　trained　Tuck；　another　nonconformist；　and　had　taken　Sebell　along　for　some　projects　as　Sebell；　in　turn；　had　made　use　of　Piemur's　unusually　quick　mind　and　abilities。　Now　Pinch　had　been　added　to　the　roster；　along　with　two　others　Tagetarl　knew　about　but　was　not　sure　that　he　had　met。
　　Tagetarl　concentrated　on　mitting　the　first　face　to　memory。　Rather　pugnacious　all　totaled；　the　Printer　thought：　the　sort　that　would　worry　a　crack　in　a　cliff　until　it　became　a　cave。
　　The　next　one　Pinch　finished　was　of　a　man　who　looked　vaguely　familiar。　Younger　than　the　first　man；　he　was　taller　and　well…fleshed；　with　a　darker　but　not　weathered　skin　and　short　fair　hair。　A　pinched　mouth　suggested　selfishness　and　obstinacy；　and　the　eyes　had　a　sly　cast　to　them。　His　expression　was　both　amused　and　supercilious。
　　A　woman　was　the　third：　her　stance…her　left　hand　holding　her　right　elbow…was　awkward；　her　eyes　wide　and　avid　as　if　listening　to　instructions　that　she　would　strive　to　carry　out。　She；　too；　was　clad　as　a　hill　woman；　but　the　clothes　did　not　fit　either　her　body　or　her　manner。
　　〃These　three　were　visitors；　received　with　much　fuss　and　fawned　over。　Stayed　several　days　and　talked　most　earnestly　in　low　voices。　Plotting　probably。　What；　I　couldn't　hear；　though　I　tried。　I'd　like　these　to　get　to　Sebell　as　soon　as　possible。　D'you　think　Ola　would　oblige？　Bista's　exhausted。〃
　　〃Of　course；〃　Tagetarl　said　with　gratification。　Menolly　had　helped　Rosheen　train　her　queen。　This　wouldn't　be　the　first　time　Ola　had　flown　discreet　errands。
　　〃I'll　do　the　others　when　I've　had　a　rest；〃　Pinch　said。　He　popped　more　bread　and　cheese　into　his　mouth　as　he　rose　to　his　feet。　His　abrupt　movement　startled　a　chirp　out　of　sleeping　Bista。　Absently；　his　left　hand　stroked　her。　〃Can　I　indulge　in　a　bath？　I　have　to　keep　to　these　clothes。〃　He　held　a　fold　away　from　his　body　with　repugnance。　〃But　I'd　enjoy　sleeping　one　night…or　rather　a　full　day…smelling　clean。〃
　　〃Yes；　of　course。　I'll　see　no　one　goes　banging　about　under　you；〃　Tagetarl　said　with　a　reassuring　grin。
　　Pinch　often　made　use　of　the　loft　above　the　outbuildings　where　paper　and　other　supplies　were　stored。　When　the　Print　Hall　expanded；　as　Tagetarl　earnestly　hoped　it　would；　apprentices　would　sleep　up　there；　but　right　now；　it　made　a　handy　lair　when　Pinch　wished　to　make　inconspicuous　visits。
　　〃That　would　be　appreciated。〃　Pinch　took　another　wedge　of　cheese　and　the　last　of　the　bread　and　left。
　　Tagetarl　prepared　a　message　cylinder　for　Ola；　saw　her　off；　and　went　to　his　own　room。　Rosheen　sighed　when　he　lay　down　beside　her　and；　sleepily；　she　turned　toward　him　for　fort。
　　
BENDEN　WEYR…MIDDAY…1。3。31
　　With　the　other　Wingleaders；　F'lessan　attended　a　pre…Fall　meeting　in　one　corner　of　the　Lower　Caverns。
　　〃It's　the　Ten　pattern；　so　we　meet　it　over　the　Eastern　Sea　and　Igen　joins　us　for　the　last　hour　over　south　Lemos；〃　F'lar　said；　his　eyes　making　a　quick　keen　appraisal　of　each　of　the　eighteen　Wingleaders　sitting　around　him。　〃Weather's　cold　and　dull；　but　the　visibility　is　good。〃
　　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　F'lessan　noticed　that　everyone　was　trying　to　look　as　alert　as　possible。　The　entire　Weyr　had　been　turned　out　to　search　for　the　four　men　involved　in　wrecking　Benden's　Healer　Hall。　The　details　the　injured　journeyman　recalled　about　his　attackers　would　have　described　half　the　male　population　of　any　hold；　the　only　thing　he　was　certain　about　was　that　they　were　not　from　Benden。　Runners　had　agreed　to　spread　word　of　the　attack　and　ask　isolated　holds　to　report　strangers。　G'bol　had　scrupulously　followed　up　one　report；　but　the　men　had　been　honest　traders。
　　Two　of　the　oldest　Wingleaders　had　not　been　called　to　fly　this　Fall；　and　F'lessan　wished　that　F'lar　would　take　a　Fall　or　two　off　now　and　then。　While　he　was　more　apt　to　listen　to　G'bol　than　anyone　else；　F'lar　ignored　the　merest　hint　of　letting　anyone　else　lead　his　Weyr。　No　one　would　fault　him；　but　the　Weyrleader　made　no　exceptions　for　himself；　bar　the　very　few　occasions　each　Turn　when　Mnementh　had　taken　a　score　or　strained　a　wing。
　　F'lar　assigned　the　levels　and　F'lessan　jerked　his　attention　back　to　the　business　at　hand。　His　wing　was　high　again：　a　measure　of　F'lar's　trust　in　his　leadership。
　　〃Warn　your　younger　riders　that　dull　conditions　can　blur　Thread　in　the　higher　reaches；〃　F'lar　continued。　〃Measure　the　wind　as　soon　as　you　can。　We'll　know　how　the　Thread　falls；　when　it　falls。　We　gather　on　the　Rim　in　ten　minutes。　Good　flying！〃
　　As　they　filed　out；　closing　their　jackets；　settling　their　helmets；　and　pulling　on　their　gloves；　F'lessan　felt　the　air　of　anticipation　that　always　gripped　him；　speeding　his　pulse；　deepening　his　breath。
　　On　the　ledges　of　their　weyrs；　green　and　blue　riders　were　already　mounted；　firestone　sacks　on　either　side　of　dragon　necks；　some　brown　and　bronze　riders　were　still　collecting　sacks；　launching　from　the　Bowl　to　the　Weyr　Rim。　Wingleader　bronzes　were　drifting　down　to　meet　their　riders　in　an　orderly　confusion。　Golanth　hovered　above　the　ground　to　his　left。　F'lessan；　judging　the　distance　neatly；　ran　and　vaulted　to　his　back。
　　Golanth　pumped　his　wings　skillfully　and　circled；　dropping　down　to　his　position　on　the　Rim；　between　the　wingseconds　and　in　front　of　the　twenty…two　strong　wing。
　　The　green　reserves　are　ready　and　will　bring　us　sacks　when　you　call　them；　Golanth　reported。
　　As　he　fastened　his　safety　straps　and　pulled　up　the　fur…lined　tops　of　his　boots…his　knees　were　always　cold　by　the　end　of　a　Fall…F'lessan　thought　of　Tai；　wondering　what　it　would　be　like　to　have　her　in　his　wing。
　　Zaranth　is　bigger　than　any　of　the　others；　his　dragon　remarked；　turning　his　head　slightly　so　that　the　left　many…faceted　eye　reflected　a　view　of　his　rider　in　the　mid…planes。　Firestone；　please！　He　twisted　his　head　to　his　rider's　leg　and　dutifully　F'lessan　supplied　him　from　the　bulging　sack。
　　Deftly　Golanth　tipped　his　head　back；　positioning　the　rock　on　his　thick　grinders。　Then；　exercising　great　care　not　to　bite　the　edge　of　his　tongue；　he　began　to　chew…as　did　every　other　dragon　on　the　Rim。　Five　pieces　F'lessan　fed　his　bronze；　sufficient　for　Golanth　to　work　up　a　proper　flame。
　　From　the　bowl　rose　the　four　Benden　queens。　As　they　circled　up；　all　eyes　on　the　Rim　turned　to　the　Weyrleader　and　Mnementh。　F'lar's　arm　was　raised；　F'lessan　held　his　high。　The　queens　pleted　their　last　circle　up；　above　the　Rim；　heading　north…northeast。
　　You　know　where　to　go？　F'lessan　formally　asked　his　dragon。
　　We　all　know！　Golanth　answered。
　　Mnementh　roared　and　sprang　forward　just　as　F'lar's　arm　came　down　in　the　mand　to　take　wing。　As　one；　dragons　leaped　upward。　Then；　as　every　one　of　the　four　hundred　and　eighty…four　Benden　dragons　was　a…wing；　they　went　between。
　　They　came　out　again　in　an　air　almost　as　cold　as　between。　It　hadn't　been　bright　at　Benden；　but　here；　above　the　Eastern　Sea；　the　sky　was　grayer：　a　shade　that　would　make　the　silvery　strands　of　falling　Thread　more　difficult　to　see。　Benden　Weyr　faced　the　probable　entry　of　Thread；　glad　to　have　the　wind　behind　them　as　the　wings　sorted　themselves　to　their　assigned　levels。　Far　below；　F'lessan　could　make　out　the　queens'　wings；　small　dots　against　the　gray　of　snowy　land　and　pewter　sea。　Ahead　of　him；　almost　motionless；　was　F'lar；　he　and　Mnementh　as　ever　leading　them　by　several　dragon…lengths。
　　This　was　the　worst　part　of　a　Fall；　F'lessan　felt；　and；　with　a　glove…thickened　finger；　he　pushed　the　thick　new　scarf　against　his　goggles。　He　tucked　his　left　boot　top　against　his　inner　leg；　and　then　checked　the　firestone　sacks　dangling　down　Golanth's　withers　before　peering　at　the　sky　for　any　trace　of　Thread。　Sometimes　blinking　helped。
　　It　es！　Golanth　told　him　and　stroked　his　wings　forward。
　　Mnementh's　flame　spouted　brilliant　orange　and　accurately　seared　the　first　Thread　to　fall。
　　There　was　nothing　wrong　with　the　Weyrleader's　eyesight；　F'lessan　thought　as　he　squinted　to　see　the　first　Threads　slanting　down。　He　felt　a　primitive　surge　of　elation　as　he　and　his　dragon　once　more　attacked　their　ancient　adversary。
　　
MONACO　BAY　WEYR…FIVE　DAYS　LATER…1。8。31
　　Sunlight　woke　Tai…hot　sunlight。　She　kept　her　eyes　closed　as　her　mind　roused　to　awareness。　If　the　sun　was　on　her　face；　it　was　almost　noon。　She　was　in　her　hammock　between　two　big　frond　trees　whose　great　draping　leaves　usually　shielded　her　very　well。　The　sun　must　now　be　close　to　its　zenith。　As　usual；　her　face　was　turned　toward　the　wallow　that　Zaranth　used　as　a　weyr。　The　green　dragon　was　in　full　sun…just　as　she　liked　it；　head　between　her　forelegs；　wings　slightly　drooping　from　her　backbone　so　that　their　folds　would　absorb　the　heat。　Many　dragonriders　had　pondered　the　question：　did　dragons　store　heat　in　their　bodies　for　their　forays　into　between？　Zaranth　had　one　eyelid　open。　By　the　gleam　of　the　slit；　she　was　watching　something　very　carefully。
　　One　of　the　disadvantages　of　living　in　the　open　was　the　insect　population；　in　myriad　forms：　some　scratched；　even　burrowed　in　flesh　if　possible；　some　merely　moved　in　straight　lines；　like　the　trundlebugs　that　were　the　object　of　Zaranth's　current　inspection。　A　straight　line　for　a　trundlebug　could　also　be　perpendicular　to　the　ground。　They　had　been　observed　maneuvering　up　to　t