amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第70部分

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　　〃This　time　we　had　sufficient　warning；〃　K'van　remarked；　〃before　the　winds　made　it　impossible　to　fly。〃
　　〃Back　to　what　you　said；　F'lar；　it　isn't　as　if　dragons　could　flame　rocks　in　space；〃　N'ton　said。　〃Dragons　need　oxygen　to　make　fire。〃
　　〃Meteorites　are　moving　too　fast　to　be　caught　by　dragons；〃　K'van　added；　〃not　to　mention　the　fact　that　they're　so　hot；　mere　dragon　fire　would　have　no　effect　whatsoever　and　be　a　total　waste　of　time　and　effort。〃
　　F'lar　grinned　broadly。　〃Other　facts　Lord　Holders　and　Craftmasters　tend　to　forget。　Still；　I'd　like　to　take　the　initiative。　We've　been　on　the　defensive　since　that　sharding　Fireball　impacted。〃
　　〃You　mean；　there　is　something　we　can　do？〃　G'dened　demanded；　sitting　up　straighter　and　glaring　around　the　table。
　　〃Oh；　indeed；〃　Wansor　said；　smiling　beneficently　around　the　table。　〃My　Craft　hasn't　been　idle　a　single　moment。　We　have　solid　remendations　to　make　to　the　Council。〃
　　〃Remendations？〃　G'dened　snapped；　scowling。　〃They　want　answers！〃　He　thumped　the　table　with　one　fist。　He　had　been　one　of　the　youngest　of　the　bronze　riders　to　e　forward　to　the　Ninth　Pass　and　Lessa　could　see　that　he　was　burned　out　by　giving　answers　to　Lord　Holders　and　Craftmasters。
　　〃They　always　want　answers；〃　G'narish　agreed；　shaking　his　head。　He；　too；　had　reason　to　be　as　tired　as　G'dened。
　　Lessa　wondered　if　there　was　any　way　to　suggest　that　those　two　older　Weyrleaders　should　step　down　and　let　younger；　more　flexible　bronze　and　gold　riders　take　over。　She　was　grateful　enough　that　M'rand　and　R'mart　had　retired。　The　two　new　Weyrleaders　tried　to　appear　at　their　ease　but　it　was　certainly　the　first　time　G'bear　and　Neldama　had　attended　this　sort　of　tactical　meeting。
　　〃Well；　they　deserve　answers；　G'dened；〃　F'lessan　said　at　his　most　cynical。　〃Only　this　time；　they　also　want　us　to　do　something。〃　His　grin　was　positively　challenging。
　　〃What　can　we　do？〃　G'dened　demanded；　eyeing　F'lessan　as　if　the　younger　man　were　challenging　him　as　Weyrleader。
　　As　she　was　about　to　take　exception　to　G'dened's　manner；　Lessa　felt　F'lar　give　her　thigh　a　reassuring　squeeze。　Especially　after　F'lessan　had　laid　claim　on　Honshu；　it　should　have　been　extremely　clear　that　he　had　absolutely　no　desire　to　accept　Weyrleadership　anywhere。
　　〃It　will；　of　course；　require　the　cooperation　of　all　the　other　Crafts　and　Lord　Holders；〃　Wansor　went　on；　smiling　with　benign　encouragement；　〃for　the　marks　and　craftskills　required。　We've　already　made　the　preliminary　surveys　and　preparations　and；　with　the　assistance　of　our　newest　Master；〃　and　the　old　Star　Master　made　a　respectful　bow　to　Erragon；　〃Master　Idarolan；　F'lessan；　and　Tai；〃　and　his　smile　included　the　two　riders　at　the　end　of　the　table；　〃and　three　dedicated　persons　who　are　not　included　in　this　meeting；　we　have　these　ready。〃
　　〃Preliminary　surveys　of　what？〃　G'dened　demanded。
　　〃Preparations　to　do　what？〃　G'narish　asked；　surprised。
　　〃Which　three　dedicated　persons？〃　Mirrirn　asked；　turning　to　look　at　Tai　in　an　almost　accusing　manner。
　　〃Surveys　to　locate　the　most　advantageous　site　for　another　of　the　telescopes　from　the　Catherine　Caves；　to　give　us　a　twenty…four…hour　coverage　for　that　critically　needed　sky…watch　program！〃　Master　Wansor　beamed　expansively　as　if　this　provided　the　answer。
　　Turns　ago　now；　Lessa　recalled　Wansor's　triumph　at　finding　a　high　resolution　telescope；　a　Cassegrain…according　to　the　metal　plate　on　the　mirror　cell　and　the　thick　manuals　that　had　e　with　it…in　the　Catherine　Caves。　Aivas　had　supervised　its　installation　and　lighting　up　during　his　first　Turn　in　charge　of　the　Red　Star　Project。　F'lessan　had　found　the　one　left　at　Honshu　and　had　just　recently；　after　a　lot　of　hard　work　and　delicate　repair；　got　it　functioning　again。　How　a　third　one　would　possibly　deter　more　ets；　stony　or　metallic　bits　from　pocking　the　surface　of　Pern　she　did　not　know。　Whether　or　not　the　project　would　appease　the　nervous　or　parsimonious　among　the　Council　was；　of　course；　in　doubt。　Was　sky…watching　what　really　kept　F'lessan　down　in　Honshu　and　so　much　in　Tai's　pany？
　　Yes；　was　Ramoth's　smug　reply。
　　〃If　we　hadn't　had　the　Yoko's　telemetry　reporting　the　Fireball　as　early　as　it　did；〃　Wansor　went　on；　〃or　the　unusual　capabilities　and　devotion　of　the　dragonriders；　there　would　have　been　a　plete　catastrophe　instead　of　a　mere　disaster。〃
　　〃Mere？〃　T'gellan　burst　out；　half　rising　from　the　table；　his　outrage　reflected　in　the　stunned　expressions　on　the　faces　of　both　Talina　and　Mirrim。
　　〃I　am　so　sorry；　dear　boy；〃　Wansor　said；　twiddling　his　fingers　in　distress；　blinking　his　clouded　eyes。　Lessa　knew　that　if　Wansor　had　actually　seen　how　Monaco's　land　had　suffered；　he'd　have　been　more　tactful。　His　next　words　tried　to　correct　the　damage。　〃I　don't　mean　to　imply　that　the　incredible　damage　Monaco　sustained　was　'mere；'　just　that　it　wasn't　as　bad　as　it　could　have　been　had　the　Fireball　landed　without　any　warning。　Everyone　tells　me　how　magnificently　you　have　repaired　almost　all　the　damage。〃
　　〃As　much　as　we　can　until　the　land　itself　recovers；〃　T'gellan　murmured；　reseating　himself　but　still　palpably　upset。
　　〃How　will　this　sky　watch　help？〃　F'lar　asked；　trying　to　get　back　to　the　subject。
　　D'ram　cleared　his　throat。　〃In　the　first　instance；　it　will　allay　the　Council's　doubts　to　know　that；　since　dragonriders　are　unaccountably　responsible　for　anything　in　the　sky；　we　are　very　much　aware　of　our　responsibilities；　and　the　scopes　are　essential　to　identifying　what's　up　there。　In　the　second　instance；〃　and　he　paused；　regarding　those　at　the　table　with　an　oddly　self…righteous　smile　on　his　lips；　〃if　we　make　sky…watching　our　craft　when　this　Pass　is　over；　we　will　have　a　profession　that　is　peculiarly　suited　to　dragonriders。〃
　　There　was　a　rather　stunned　silence　as　the　various　Weyrleaders　assimilated　that　suggestion。
　　Beside　D'ram；　Lytol　was　also　broadly　smiling　and　Lessa　thought　that　that　must　be　the　first　real　smile　she'd　seen　on　his　face　in　Turns。　The　Oldtimer　pursued　the　matter。
　　〃By　forming　our　own　Craft；　we　will　be　able　to　significantly　reduce　the　tension　among　holders　and　crafters　who　fear　we　wish　to　dominate　their　traditional　crafts。〃
　　〃Well；　well；　sky…watching　wouldn't　take　all　of　us；〃　G'dened　began；　fuming　with　indignation。
　　F'lessan　laughed　out　loud。　〃And　a　good　many　more；　G'dened；　if　we're　to　make　a　proper　job　of　it。〃　His　eyes　sparkled。　〃In　fact；　Honshu　already　has　images　of　the　asteroid　belt　from　its　initial　search　patterns。〃
　　〃Search　patterns？〃　G'dened　asked；　scowling。
　　With　a　glance　at　Erragon；　F'lessan　went　on；　〃We　know　which　stars　are　constant　in　our　skies。　What　we　search　for　is　something　moving　between　those　stars　and　us！　Look！〃　He　flipped　several　prints　to　the　table。　〃See　this　one？〃
　　〃I　see　a　streak　on　black　and　a　blur；〃　G'dened　replied；　dismissing　the　image。
　　〃We've　identified　the　streak　as　an　asteroid。　We're　calling　it　Aliana。〃　He　ducked　his　head　and　gave　the　almost　cheeky　smile　he　had　used　as　a　small　boy　when　he　was　hiding　deeper　feelings。　〃Tai　thought　we　should　give　them　names；　instead　of　numbers；　and　I　thought　that　perhaps　we'd　name　it　after　one　of　the　first　dragonriders。　We've　got　a　lot　of　those。〃
　　〃Which；　asteroids　or　dragonriders？〃　Lessa　asked；　smiling　to　show　that　she　liked　the　idea。　She　could　see　that　both　Wansor　and　Erragon　obviously　approved。
　　〃Both。〃
　　〃How'd　you　know　it's　an　asteroid？〃　G'dened　demanded　impatiently；　his　scowl　deepening。
　　〃F'lessan　cross…checked　it　with　Cove　Hold　and　Yoko。〃　Erragon　said。
　　〃This　blur；　as　you　call　it；　is　a　star　named　Acrux。　Acrux　is　fixed。。。　at　least　in　a　forty…minute　exposure。。。　while　the　asteroid　is　moving　fast　enough　to　create　the　blur。　By　considering　its　position　in　the　sky；　we　know　that　it　is　in　the　asteroid　belt。　By　getting　to　know　our　night　skies　and　taking　images…〃　F'lessan　tapped　the　print。　〃…we　will　find　ones　that　might　be　moving　dangerously　close　to　Pern。〃
　　〃One　just　did！〃　G'dened　objected；　feeling　insulted；　and　pushed　the　print　away。
　　F'lessan　laughed。　〃We've　had　more　than　one　near　miss。〃
　　〃Oh；　not　that　Runner　site　again！〃　And　the　Istan　Weyrleader　swiped　his　hand　in　dismissal。
　　〃If　I　may；〃　Tai　said　in　such　a　firm　voice　that　everyone　regarded　her　in　surprise；　〃the　Fireball　was　the　first　really　hazardous　impact　noted　in　the　Yoko's　records　as　far　back　as　it　kept　them。〃
　　〃Quite　right；　Tai。　And；　until　the　last　ten　minutes　of　its　descent；〃　Erragon　said；　〃we　weren't　even　certain　that　it　would　impact　on　Pern。　And　it　is　by　no　means　the　only　one　in　a　possibly　hazardous　orbit。〃
　　That　was　news　to　the　inland　Weyrleaders；　G'dened's　scowl　deepened。
　　Lessa　wondered　if　they　oughtn't　to　have　asked　M'rand　to　e　to　this　meeting。　Usually　he　had　balanced　G'dened's　pessimistic；　biased　attitudes。
　　〃We　have　now　had　a　chance　to　thoroughly　examine　the　Yoko's　records；〃　Lord　Lytol　said；　his　expression　doleful；　〃and　the　Fireball　was　a　visible　light　against　the　asteroid　belt　as　far　back　as　Turn's　End。〃
　　〃When　we　were　occupied　with　other　matters　entirely；〃　G'dened　said　wearily。
　　Lytol　gave　him　a　repressive　glare　and　continued。　〃The　Yoko　has　traced　its　inclination　and　now　suggests　that　it　was　probably　even　then　a　possibly　hazardous　object；　not　merely　one　near　Pern。〃
　　〃What's　the　difference；　Lytol？〃