amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第67部分

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　　He　was　interrupted　by　a　derisive　snort　and　the　ment　from　the　crowd　that　the　net　was　more　fortable　than　where　offenders　of　the　peace　were　held　at　Keroon　Hold。
　　〃As　I　was　saying；〃　Pinch　continued　with　a　faint　grin；　〃if　you　are　of　this　hold；　you　can　be　transferred　to　the　Hold　to　await　Lord　Kashman's　judgment。〃
　　None　of　the　captives　claimed　that　right。
　　〃Name；　hold；　hall；　and　rank；　if　any；〃　N'ton　said；　stepping　with　authority　beside　Pinch。
　　There　was　no　response　and　N'ton　shrugged。
　　〃Then；　since　they　have　been　caught　in　an　illegal　entry　and　in　the　willful　destruction　of　an　authorized　CraftHall；　Master　Tagetarl；　Master　Mekelroy；　how　will　you　deal　with　them？〃
　　Surprised　by　the　anger　and　the　sense　of　violation　that　suddenly　fueled　him；　Tagetarl　surged　to　Pinch's　side；　glaring　at　the　captives。　The　false　wineman　he　had　already　recognized　by　the　ripped　trousers…which　hadn't　fit　properly　even　before　he'd　been　bounced　about　in　a　net…but　he　could　not　find　Scar…face　or　the　woman　sketched　by　Pinch　after　his　first　foray　to　the　suspected　Abominators'　hill　camp。　Their　absence　from　this　line　added　worry　to　Tagetarl's　very　mixed　emotions。
　　〃Why　did　you　wish　to　damage　this　Hall？〃　he　demanded　in　a　harsh　voice；　his　fury　palpable　enough　to　make　those　captives　nearest　him　recoil　uncertainly。　〃WHY？〃　He　jammed　his　fists　against　his　side　to　rein　in　the　urge　to　tear　the　truth　out　of　those　who　would　have　destroyed　what　he　had　so　painstakingly　built。　He　took　one　more　step。
　　〃Lies！〃　Hands　defensively　raised；　the　man　directly　in　front　of　him　ducked　back。　〃We　have　to　destroy　the　lies！〃
　　〃What　lies？〃　Tagetarl　demanded；　having　expected　no　answer；　certainly　not　this　one。
　　〃The　lies　Harpers　are　printing。　Spreading　all　over　Pern！〃　the　man　cried；　gesturing　wildly　toward　the　Hall；　to　the　wall　where　finished　books　were　shelved。
　　〃What's　this　about　lies？〃　demanded　Captain　Venabil；　turning　to　Tagetarl　for　an　answer。
　　〃I　don't　print　lies！〃　Tagetarl　cried；　loudly。
　　〃But　you　print　books。　You　use　the　Abomination's　vile　methods。　You　distribute　abominations！〃
　　Captain　Venabil；　big　fist　raised；　leaped　toward　the　speaker　who　cowered　away。
　　〃Ha！　Abomination；　huh？　These're　Abominators！〃　He　turned；　eyes　flaring　with　disgust；　toward　the　crowd。　〃Nothing　but　a　pack　of　cowardly　Abominators；　sneaking　around　in　the　night　to　destroy　what　they　haven't　the　wit　to　appreciate。〃
　　〃We　must　stop　the　lies。　We　must　keep　Pern　pure！〃　cried　a　woman　farther　down　the　line　of　captives。　〃We　have　to　keep　Pern　free　of　abominations。〃
　　〃Of　all　the　daft　ideas！〃　Captain　Venabil's　contempt　was　echoed　vociferously　by　many　of　the　onlookers。　〃Pern　needs　all　the　help　it　can　get　right　now！〃
　　〃Where　would　we've　been　if　Aivas　hadn't　warned　us　of　the　Fireball　Flood？〃　a　man　in　the　crowd　demanded　loud　enough　to　be　heard；　waving　his　fist　at　the　captives。　〃Captain's　got　the　right　idea。　Drown　'em！〃
　　Shouts　of　〃drown　'em〃　quickly　became　a　chant；　rising　in　ominous　volume！
　　〃Back　in　the　net　with　them！　Take　the　school　back　to　the　sea。〃
　　〃That'd　pollute　our　harbor！〃
　　Ruth　bugled　loud　enough　to　deafen　those　in　the　court。　Outside；　Lioth　answered　him　and　a　muttering　silence　returned　to　those　in　the　Hall　court。
　　〃You　are　Abominators？〃　Jaxom　said　in　an　oddly　controlled　voice。　His　eyes　were　on　one　of　the　taller　captives　who　stared　unseeingly　ahead　of　him。
　　〃We　are！〃　the　woman　cried　defiantly；　just　as　the　wineman　shouted；　〃We　admit　nothing！〃
　　〃I　think　in　this　case；〃　Captain　Venabil　said　in　a　wry　tone　that　carried　to　the　edges　of　the　crowd；　〃I'll　believe　the　female。〃
　　〃They're　all　together；　ain't　they？〃　asked　the　fist…waver。　〃All　pulling　the　doors　down；　trying　to　fire　the　sheds。〃
　　〃Yes；　firing　the　sheds。〃　A　thin；　stoop…shouldered　man　pushed　through　the　crowd；　waving　wildly　at　the　sheds　and　the　back　of　the　court。　〃You　could've　burned　my　hold；　too！　I'm　Colmin；　Journeyman　weaver；　and　all　my　winter　work's　in　the　loft　back　there。　I　use　only　traditional　patterns　and　you　could　have　ruined　me！　Ruined　me！〃
　　〃We　don't　like　arsonists　in　Wide　Bay　neither；〃　a　woman　shouted；　cupping　her　hands　to　her　mouth　to　be　sure　she　was　heard。　〃It's　your　say；　Harpers！　It's　your　Hall　they　attacked。〃
　　〃Known　Abominators　require　different　handling；〃　Pinch　cried　and　turned　to　face　Jaxom　and　N'ton。　〃Or　at　least　being　isolated；〃　he　added　in　a　low　voice。
　　〃Well；　I'm　glad　to　hear　that；〃　Captain　Venabil　said　and　then　frowned。　〃What　d'you　mean；　Harper　Mekelroy？〃
　　The　onlookers　hushed　to　listen　for　Pinch's　answer。
　　〃In　offenses　caused　by　those　admitting　to　be　Abominators；　the　Council　remends　exile！〃
　　It　took　another　blast　from　Ruth　and　Lioth　to　still　the　clamor　that　was　raised　at　that　announcement。
　　〃You　can't　exile　us；〃　the　wineman　cried；　stepping　out　of　line　and　trying　to　seize　Pinch。　He　was　instantly　pinned　by　two　of　Pinch's　assistants　who；　judging　by　the　roughness　with　which　they　held　him；　had　been　just　waiting　for　an　opportunity。
　　〃Why　not？〃　Jaxom　asked。
　　〃All　the　islands　were　drowned。〃
　　〃Oh；〃　N'ton　said　in　a　quiet　voice；　〃I　think　we　can　find　a　suitable　one。〃
　　〃We　can't　be　exiled！〃　〃We're　saving　Pern！〃　〃That's　unfair。〃
　　The　captives　broke　from　their　sullen　stance；　dashing　frantically　about　the　court；　looking　for　some　way　to　escape　or　force　their　way　past　those　blocking　the　gateway。　The　crowd　was　only　too　happy　to　recapture　them。　There　were　calls　for　rope　to　tie　them；　cloth　to　gag　the　screamers。
　　〃So　where're　all　these　established　procedures　of　yours；　Lord　Jaxom？〃　Captain　Venabil　demanded；　heaving　from　his　exertions。
　　〃A　Lord　Holder；　a　Weyrleader；　and　a　MasterCraftsman　may　enforce　any　Council　decree；〃　Jaxom　said。　〃It　is　in　the　Charter；　if　anyone　cares　to　check。　We　must　do　so　before　sufficient　witnesses。〃
　　〃WE　WITNESS。〃　〃WITNESSED！〃　〃WE　WERE　HERE！〃　〃DROWNING'S　EASIER。　QUICKER！〃　〃EXILE　'EM！〃　〃AWAY　WITH　THEM！〃
　　Raising　his　arms；　Jaxom　faced　the　crowd。　〃Those　of　you　who　do　not　care　to　be　witnesses　to　the　judgment　of　this　incident　may　step　back　without　prejudice。〃
　　Later　Tagetarl　was　to　remember　that　no　one　stepped　away。
　　〃Then　the　decree　of　the　Council　will　be　enforced。　Weyrleader　N'ton；　you　may　send　for　assistance；〃　the　Lord　Holder　of　Ruatha　said　formally。
　　〃D'you　just　drop　'em　off？〃　Captain　Venabil　asked；　his　expression　severe　as　if　stunned　by　the　sentence　of　exile。
　　〃They　are　not　dropped；〃　N'ton　said；　stressing　the　last　word；　his　eyes　hinting　an　inner　conflict　kept　under　stern　control。　〃Sufficient　food；　supplies…〃　he　paused　briefly；　〃and　water　are　provided　to　give　them　time　to　bee　established。〃
　　〃But…but…〃
　　N'ton　stared　Venabil　quiet。　〃I；〃　and　he　jerked　a　thumb　at　his　chest；　〃am　the　only　one　who　will　know　which　island。　And　there　are　still　many；　many　islands　in　both　the　Eastern　and　the　Ring　seas　that　can　isolate　those　who　can　be　so　destructive。〃
　　〃Better　than　they　deserve；　Weyrleader。　Better　than　they　deserve！〃　Captain　Venabil　stepped　back；　giving　all　three　men　a　respectful　bow。　Decisions　involving　the　lives　of　others　were　never　easy　to　make。
　　The　crowd　had　quieted　down　from　its　previous　high　pitch　though　some　low　conversations　were　begun。　Pinch　sent　two　of　his　men　to　bring　the　unconscious　man　from　the　cellar；　tying　his　hands　behind　his　back　before　he　was　set　with　the　other　Abominators；　placed　in　a　rough　line　on　the　broken　Hall　doors。
　　Seeing　Rosheen　shivering；　Tagetarl　put　an　arm　around　her　shoulders　and　drew　her　close　to　him。
　　〃It　is　legal；　you　know；〃　he　whispered　to　her。
　　〃I　know。　I've　read　the　Charter。　I　just　never　thought　we'd　have　to　invoke　it。〃
　　〃It's　perhaps　as　well　to　isolate　them；〃　Tagetarl　murmured　to　her。　Angry　as　he　was；　and　he　had　been　ready　to　batter　the　men；　he　was　not　a　violent　man。　〃They　could　escape　from　the　mines　and　e　back　and　try　again。　I　think　that　I　want　to　know　they　can't　get　to　us…even　if；　at　a　later　date；　we　decide　to　retrieve　them。〃
　　She　clung　to　him；　shaking　her　head。　He　didn't　tell　her　that　two　important　members　of　the　Abominator　group　Pinch　had　been　watching　out　for　were　not　in　those　captured　tonight：　Scar…face　and　the　awkward…looking　holdless　woman　from　Tillek。　That　meant　that　not　all　those　who　held　Aivas　an　Abomination　had　been　removed　from　hall　and　hold。
　　The　dragons　were　seen　in　the　sky；　their　eyes　sparkling　in　serene　whirls　as　they　hovered　above　the　court：　a　half　wing　of　them。　From　somewhere；　fire…lizards　did　sky…pirouettes　around　them；　calling　in　an　oddly　melodious　chorus。
　　〃They'll　land　on　the　wharf；〃　N'ton　said　and　pointed　in　that　direction。
　　It　was　only　the　next　road　over　and　there　were　plenty　of　strong　men　and　women　to　carry　the　Abominators　despite　their　writhing　and　struggling　and　the　gagged　pleas　to　be　released。　Ruth　followed；　perching　on　a　bollard　while　the　exiles　were　hauled　up　on　the　dragons；　and　tied　alongside　the　sacks　that　were　to　be　left　with　them。
　　Then　N'ton　vaulted　to　his　dragon's　back。　〃Riders；　take　your　destination　from　Lioth！〃　he　said　in　a　voice　loud　enough　to　be　heard　by　all　watching。　He　lifted　his　arm；　visible　in　the　wharf　lights；　and　gave　the　signal　to　leap　skyward。
　　Tagetarl　thought　he　had　never　seen　a　more　impressive　sight：　twelve　dragons　leaping　into　the　night；　the　fairs　of　fire