amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第90部分

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　　Once　news　of　the　project　spread；　Lessa　and　F'lar　came　to　visit。　While　F'lar　was　looking　over　the　plans　with　Jubb；　the　Smiths；　and　the　Woodsmen；　Lessa　told　them　what　was　happening　at　Western…for　lack　of　a　better　name　that　had　stuck…and　Master　Erragon's　resurrection　of　the　telescopes　from　the　Catherine　Caves。
　　〃Before　he　gets　too　involved　with　that；〃　F'lessan　said　firmly；　〃we　need　him　to　rig　a　remote　control　console　for　the　scope　here　on　the　main　level。　There's　a　room　on　the　north　face　that　would　suit。〃　He　paused　briefly；　his　eyes　flickering。　〃There　must　be　a　way　to　trigger　the　dome　mechanism；　too。　That　spiral　stair　is　ridiculous。　Why　did　Kenjo　hide　everything　away？〃
　　〃Who　knows　why　the　Ancients　did　what　they　did？〃　Lessa　said；　shrugging。　〃Have　you　asked　Jancis　and　Piemur　to　help　you？　Didn't　you　persuade　them　to　do　the　initial　restoration　of　the　observatory？　Erragon's　already　grateful　you're　reducing　his　backlog　of　prints。　I　don't　know　how　he　fits　everything　in。〃
　　〃He　swears　he　needs　only　four　hours　of　sleep　a　night；〃　Tai　remarked；　incredulous。
　　〃Neither　of　you　can　match　him　yet；〃　Lessa　said　at　her　driest；　〃at　your　stage　of　convalescence；　but　as　I　understand　it；　there's　more　to　sky…watching　than　lying　on　your　back　and　looking　at　'em。　He　says　he　needs　references　from　Honshu。〃
　　Pausing；　she　looked　out　over　the　valley。　〃It　is　very　pleasant　here；　you　know；　but　we　can't　stay　long　today。〃
　　She　and　F'lar　left　shortly　afterward；　saying　they'd　be　back　when　the　ramp　was　finished。
　　They　were。　It　was　wide　enough　for　Ramoth；　the　largest　dragon　on　Pern；　who　demonstrated　by　walking　down　and　up　it　without　brushing　folded　wings　against　the　cliff　face。　Bravely；　Golanth　set　all　four　feet　on　it；　F'lessan　beside　him。
　　〃Now；　put　your　weight　down；　Golly；〃　F'lessan　said；　grinning　broadly　and　cocking　his　head　at　the　slight　sound　as　the　timbers　gave　a　little　under　him。　〃Don't　knock　me　off。〃
　　The　spectators　cheered　dragon　and　rider　as　they　proceeded　down。　Ramoth's　eyes　whirled　as　she　watched　from　the　upper　terrace；　Zaranth　and　Mnementh　to　one　side　on　the　cliff　face；　all　three　dragons　alert。　Gradually　Golanth　moved　with　assurance；　able　to　lift　his　tail　slightly；　which　was　another　improvement　in　his　mobility。　The　first　landing　was　more　than　wide　enough　for　him　to　make　the　turn。　When　he　and　F'lessan　reached　ground　level；　he　extended　his　head　upward　to　bugle　his　pleasure　and　began　to　stamp　round　on　the　soft　dirt。　That　was　when　the　bronze　dragon　saw　the　door　to　the　beasthold；　the　landing　above　and　to　one　side　of　it。
　　I　could　weyr　in　this　place；　he　told　his　rider。　It　is　wide　and　high　enough　for　me　to　enter。
　　F'lessan；　who　knew　every　plane　and　dimension　of　Honshu；　now　saw　that　the　doorway　was　wider　than　it　had　been。　Over　the　general　hammering；　sawing；　and　planing；　he　would　not　have　heard　the　noise　of　masons　making　the　enlargement。　He　knew…because　he　had　mucked　out　the　dirt　that　had　accumulated　over　the　centuries…that　the　interior　of　the　beasthold　was　larger　than　Golanth's　weyr　at　Benden。　The　ramp　now　gave　him　access　to　it　and　would　certainly　protect　him　from　the　winter　rains。
　　〃Rain；〃　F'lessan　thought　and　had　to　reach　for　one　of　the　supports　until　the　dizziness　that　had　abruptly　overe　him　passed。
　　〃What's　wrong；　F'lessan？〃　Tai　asked；　ing　to　see　what　had　attracted　Golanth's　interest。　Her　expression　altered　when　she　realized　that　he　had　had　some　kind　of　shock。
　　Rain！　The　silver　fall　of　Thread　was　like　rain！　Golanth　would　never　be　able　to　fly　Thread　again。　In　fact；　when　Thread　next　fell　over　Honshu；　Golanth　would　have　to　be　shut　into　the　beasthold；　to　keep　him　from　trying　to　fly：　the　most　powerful　instinct　of　dragons　was　to　fly　when　Thread　was　in　the　sky。　Was　that　why　the　ramp　had　been　pleted　so　quickly？　F'lessan　tried　to　remember　the　sequence　of　Fall　in　this　part　of　the　south。　He　couldn't　think。　The　realization　that　his　days　as　Wingleader　were　over　was　too　much　to　assimilate。　He　must　have　known　it　at　some　level。　And　denied　it　as　he　denied　that　Golanth　was　blind　in　one　eye　and　too　joint…stiff　to　work　the　left　wing。　As　he　had　diverted　such　thoughts　by　plunging　into　Erragon's　backlog　of　images。　And　Tai　had　encouraged　him。　Encouraged　him　to　swim。　To　do　other　things。　He　wanted　to　think　that　she　had　been　deceiving　him　but　deceit　was　not　a　facet　of　Tai's　personality。
　　Neither　Lessa　nor　F'lar　had　said　anything　during　their　last　visit。　He　should　have　noticed　the　avoidance；　the　talk　about　sky…watching　and　installing　remote　controls。　Hadn't　he　mentioned　it　casually？　Had　they　thought　he　was　making　the　adjustment　from　Wingleader　to　sky…watcher？　How　could　he　have　been　so　dense？　This　ramp　allowed　Golanth　more　freedom　of　movement…on　the　ground。　But　into　the　air！　Golanth　might　not　have　lost　his　ability　to　go　between　but　to　go　between　from　ground　level　presented　hazards　that　no　sensible　rider　would　ask　his　dragon　to　face。　What　about　an　unsensible　rider？
　　He　could　feel　Tai　beside　him。　He　could　hear　the　men　and　women　who　had　made　the　ramp　still　cheering　the　acplishment　and　encouraging　Golanth　to　show　how　easily　he　could　climb　back　up　to　the　weyrhold。　F'lessan　took　a　deep　breath　and　turned　around：　in　Tai's　eyes　he　could　see　she　knew　what　he'd　been　thinking。　Then；　the　second　shock　hit　him。
　　A　dragon　must　be　in　the　air　to　〃fly〃　his　mate。　He　could　not　suppress　his　anguish　at　that　realization。　Hard　enough　to　lose　his　right　to　lead；　but　to　lose　the　ecstasy；　too？
　　It　took　him　a　moment　to　realize　that　Tai　was　shaking　him；　her　green　eyes　intense　with　denial。
　　〃Nonsense；〃　he　heard　Tai　say　in　a　whisper　so　furious　it　stung　his　ears。　〃There'll　be　a　way。　There's　been　a　way　for　everything　else！　e。〃
　　He　grabbed　her；　pushing　her　against　one　of　the　thick　stanchions　at　the　base　of　the　ramp。
　　〃Did　you　know？　Do　they！〃　He　meant　his　Weyrleaders。　He　gave　her　a　shake　when　she　didn't　answer。
　　〃I　thought；〃　and　her　words　came　out　slowly；　〃that　you　realized　someone　would　have　to　take　over　your　wing…for　a　while。〃
　　〃It's　not　just　the　wing。。。〃　He　pushed　her　away　from　him。　〃I　thought　Honshu　was　my　refuge。　Now　I　realize　it's　Golly's　prison！〃　He　pointed　to　the　beasthold　and　its　widened　doors。　〃He'll　have　to　be　put　in　there　whenever　there's　Thread　above。　Not　being　able　to　fly　drives　a　dragon　crazy。　We　always　assist　an　injured　dragon　to　get　far　away　until　Thread　has　passed。　But　Golanth　can't　even　do　that！〃
　　〃You　don't　know　that　yet！〃　she　said；　whirling　to　stand　in　front　of　him。　〃We　haven't　even　tried　to　get　him　to　the　sea。〃
　　〃How　in　the　name　of　the　first　Egg　can　we　get　him　to　the　beach　when　he　can't　even　get　in　the　air？〃
　　〃Because；〃　Lessa　replied；　walking　in　under　the　ramp；　F'lar　beside　her；　〃we　know　how　he　can　get　into　the　air。　Once　he's　in　the　air；　he　can　go　between。　Did　you　think　Ramoth　and　Mnementh…and　other　dragons…had　forgotten　what　they　learned　that　day　at　Honshu？〃
　　F'lessan　stared　at　her。　She　was　almost　reproachful。　To　his　amazement；　his　father　was　more　amused　than　critical。　He　couldn't　quite　grasp　what　they　meant。　His　mind　was　tormented　by　the　crushing　revelations　he　had　been　too　cowardly　to　admit　to　himself。
　　〃The　ramp　is　a　good　idea；〃　F'lar　said。　〃That…〃　and　he　waved　toward　the　beasthold；　〃makes　a　fine　weyr。　Nothing　else。〃　His　amber　eyes　held　F'lessan's。　〃Certainly　not　a　prison　in　time　of　Thread。　By　the　time　the　Nine　Fall　is　over　Honshu；　we'll　have　mastered　lifting　that　bronze　dragon　of　yours。〃
　　〃But　how？〃
　　〃It　takes　control；　you　know；〃　Lessa　said；　walking　up　to　her　son　and　slipping　her　arm　in　his。　〃Which；　I　believe；　your　dragon　was　practicing　the　other　morning。〃
　　〃How　did　you　know　that？〃　F'lessan　asked；　startled　out　of　his　morbid　thoughts。
　　〃There's　not　much　Ramoth　doesn't　know　if　she　wants　to　find　out；〃　Lessa　said；　looking　up　at　him　and　giving　him　an　encouraging　little　smile。　〃Now；　there　is　a　celebration　going　on　around　us。　I　think　we've　inspected　Golanth's　weyr　sufficiently　to　know　it　will　suit　and　I　think　you'd　better　calm　him　down。〃
　　Golanth　was　bugling　and　his　happy　voice　did　not　mirror　the　anguish　of　F'lessan's　recent　numbing　thoughts。　None　had　leaked　to　his　dragon；　for　which　he　was　intensely　grateful。　Now　Golanth　was　happily　prancing　up　the　ramp。　His　mind　was　all　about　being　free　of　the　terrace。　F'lessan　concentrated　on　that　positive　thought；　reinforced　it　by　what　F'lar　had　just　said。　Practice？　Yes；　practice。　Zaranth　and　Golanth　hadn't　done　so　badly　in　the　two　movings　they'd　attempted　so　far。　They　could　practice。　He　could　feel　the　thud　of　Golanth's　feet　in　the　ground　under　his。
　　Lessa　gave　him　a　little　shake。　〃e；　F'lessan；　you've　other　things　to　do　now；〃　she　said　softly　and　then　pulled　his　arm。
　　In　the　few　steps　back　into　the　sunlight；　he　quenched　that　black　moment　of　anger　and　mind…numbing　despair；　forced　himself　through　them　to　grasp　what　hope　allowed。　He　joined　the　applause　as　Golanth　came　charging　back　to　the　foot　of　the　ramp；　limping　only　slight　on　his　left　hind　leg。　His　right　wing　was　fully　extended　and；　if　the　left　was　canted　downward；　it　was　straighter　than　it　had　been　now　the　dragon　didn't　have　to　worry　about　banging　into　Honshu's　wall。
　　Maybe　swimming　and　dolphin　massage　would　loosen　that　joint　just　enough…
　　〃Don't　consider　anything　else；　rider；〃　said　hi