amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第29节

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n　uneasy　feeling。
　　H'nor　rose　from　his　fortable　position　on　the　upper　arm　of　his　brown　Ranneth；　eyeglass　still　focused　on　the　brilliant　showers。　There　was　another　long　one。　Definitely　not　Ghosts。　Burned　too　long。
　　What　is　it？　Ranneth　demanded；　ing　out　of　his　doze。　A　brown　of　many　Turns；　he　slept　when　and　where　he　could；　but　his　rider's　alarm　was　palpable。　He　turned　his　head　in　the　direction　H'nor　faced　and　was　equally　startled；　rearing　back　on　his　haunches。　It　is　fire　but　what　could　stay　alight　so　high　above　Pern？
　　H'nor　gulped。　I　don't　know。
　　Sometimes　metal　fell　from　the　sky；　large　enough　to　cause　damage。　Like　the　big　hole　at　Circle　Runner　Station。
　　Knowing　that　the　Dawn　Sisters　had　been　the　ships　that　had　brought　the　Ancients　to　Pern　had　not　been　easy　for　H'nor　to　assimilate。　Learning　about　Aivas　had　also　been　unsettling。　He　was　too　old　for　such　plications。　He　wanted　no　flaming　things　falling　down　before　he　and　Ranneth　could　retire　to　a　warm　and　fortable　weyr　on　the　Southern　continent。
　　As　watchrider；　he　did　have　a　duty　to　sound　an　alarm　for　any　unusual　occurrence　and　this　ranked　in　that　category。
　　Tell　Willerth；　H'nor　told　Ranneth。　The　old　brown　rider　was　glad　that　the　Weyrleadership　of　Telgar　had　changed　recently；　to　a　younger　bronze　rider；　J'fery。　Old　R'mart　had　bee　quite　difficult　before　he'd　gone　to　the　Southern　Weyr　for　less　onerous　duties。　Bedella　and　her　queen；　who　hadn't　risen　to　mate　in　three　Turns；　had　gone　with　him。　Tell　Ramoth　while　you're　at　it。　Benden's　supposed　to　know。
　　I　will　also　tell　Tiroth　at　Cove　Hold。
　　Yes；　yes；　tell　them；　too。　They　should　know　all　about　such　things。
　　
BENDEN　WEYR…LOCAL　TIME　6：04　IN　THE　MORNING…1。9。31
　　The　watchdragon　reared　back　on　his　haunches　and　bugled　a　warning；　as　bright　sparks　appeared　almost　directly　overhead　in　the　sky。
　　Since　it　was　nearly　dawn　in　Benden；　a　good　number　of　weyrfolk　already　breakfasting　in　the　Lower　Cavern　were　startled　by　the　bugled　alert。　It　coincided　with　Ramoth　giving　Lessa　Willerth's　message　from　Telgar；　so　Lessa　was　on　her　feet；　grabbing　at　F'lar's　tunic　to　drag　him　with　her。　Everyone　else　present　scrambled　to　the　Bowl　after　the　Weyrleaders　to　see　what　was　happening。
　　〃Those　aren't　Ghosts；〃　Lessa　cried；　ing　to　a　stop　so　abruptly　that　F'lar　had　to　sidestep。　She　could　see　what　had　alarmed　the　watchdragon：　long　flaring　ribbons　in　the　sky；　almost　directly　above　Benden。　One　large　burst　startled　everyone；　as　if　some　smaller　piece　had　broken　off　the　bigger　ball。
　　〃No；　they　aren't！〃　F'lar　agreed；　gazing　up；　his　hands　on　his　weyrmate's　arms；　rubbing　them　to　warm　her。
　　Willerth　didn't　say　they　were；　Ramoth　reminded　her　rider。
　　Then　she　added；　surprised；　Ruth　says　there　is　something　above　Ruatha　that　Jaxom　doesn't　think　are　Ghosts　either。
　　By　now　every　dragon　in　the　Weyr　was　peering　up　at　the　manifestation；　their　eyes　beginning　to　whirl　with　agitation；　creating　the　effect　of　rings　of　vivid　color　around　Benden's　inner　walls。　F'nor　and　F'lessan　joined　their　Weyrleaders；　peering　up　at　the　phenomenon　just　as　more　flares　burst　from　it。
　　〃All　the　shooting　arrows〃…Lessa　gestured　with　her　hands…〃seem　to　e　from　the　same　source。〃
　　〃I'd　like　to　know　what　source；〃　F'lessan　said；　scrubbing　at　his　thick　hair；　an　uncharacteristic　frown　on　his　face。
　　〃You're　the　one　who　studied　astronomy；〃　F'lar　remarked；　turning　his　head　slightly　toward　his　son　but　not　taking　his　eyes　off　the　sprays　of　brilliant　lights。
　　〃Not　something　like　that；〃　F'lessan　said。　〃Though　it　could　be　a　meteor　ing　through　the　atmosphere。　We　do　get　them。〃
　　〃Yes；　Circle　Runner　Station　never　lets　us　forget！〃　F'nor　murmured　wryly。
　　〃Do　we　have　to　worry　about　it　falling　on　us？〃　Brekke　asked；　curling　her　hand　over　F'nor's　arm。
　　〃Shouldn't　it　be　moving？〃　Lessa　said；　being　a　little　nervous。　〃It　seems　to　be　hanging　right　over　us。〃
　　〃I'd　say　that's　an　illusion；〃　F'lessan　replied；　trying　to　sound　reassuring。　He　caught　F'lar's　cocked　eyebrow　and　shrugged。　〃It'll　probably　disappear　in　a　few　moments。　Though　the　Ghosts　usually　travel　from　west　to　east。　Noticeably。〃
　　〃They're　also　paler；〃　Lessa　said。　〃This　one　is　getting　brighter！〃　She　shivered。
　　F'lar　dropped　his　arms　across　her　to　provide　more　warmth　in　the　wintry　early　morning　light。
　　It　is　very　high　above　us；　Ramoth　said；　and　it　is　getting　brighter。　She　blinked　the　first　protective　lid　across　her　eyes。
　　I　agree。　The　winter　Ghosts　are　higher　still；　bronze　Mnementh　added。
　　〃Would　the　Yoko　see　it；　do　you　think？〃　Lessa　asked。　〃Or　is　it　too　far　north　for　the　sensors？〃
　　Tiroth　says　that　he　takes　four　to　Landing　to　see；　Ramoth　said；　sounding　surprised。
　　Lessa　echoed　that　surprise　when　she　repeated　the　message　to　the　other　riders　grouped　around　her。　〃Well；　Master　Wansor　certainly　should　be　there；　and　that　journeyman　of　his…what's　his　name？〃
　　〃Erragon；〃　F'lessan　said。
　　〃Erragon；　to　see　what　the　Yoko　reports；〃　Lessa　finished。
　　〃I'll　go；　too；　for　Benden's　sake；〃　F'lessan　offered　gallantly。　〃Sellie…〃　He　caught　the　arm　of　his　second　son；　Sellessan…technically　he　should　call　him　S'lan；　as　the　boy'd　Impressed　a　brown　two　Turns　ago…who　had　sneaked　out　to　see　what　was　causing　the　motion。　The　boy　was　as　curious　as　F'lessan　had　been　as　a　youngster。　〃Run　get　my　flying　gear。　First　table　on　the　left。〃　The　boy　raced　to　obey。
　　〃Erragon　has　that　big　telescope；〃　F'nor　said。
　　〃He'd've　been　off　watch　at　dawn；〃　F'lessan　said　with　a　grimace。　〃Two　hours　ago　at　least。〃
　　〃Wouldn't　he　have　seen　such　a　phenomenon？〃　Lessa　asked；　gesturing　overhead。　Just　as　it　seemed　the　splashings　were　gone；　a　fresh　burst　exploded　into　the　predawn　sky。　〃It　just　couldn't　appear　out　of　nowhere；　could　it？〃
　　〃There　have　been　reports　of　other　such　things；〃　F'nor　said；　dismissively　enough　to　reassure　Brekke；　who　was　shivering　beside　him。　〃Let's　go　back　inside。〃
　　〃It'll　go　away　because　it　isn't　being　watched？〃　Brekke　asked；　regarding　him　with　an　affectionate　smile；　but　she　went　with　him。
　　〃Well；　I'll　find　out　what　Yoko　thinks　it　is；〃　F'lessan　said。　Summoning　Golanth　from　his　ledge；　he　didn't　take　his　eyes　off　the　long　ribbons　in　the　sky　as　he　shrugged　into　the　riding　gear　S'lan　had　brought　him　and　crammed　on　his　helmet。　〃Thanks；　son。〃
　　〃It's　not　going　to　fall　on　the　Weyr；〃　S'lan　asked；　gulping　nervously；　〃is　it？〃
　　〃Mnementh　says　not。〃　F'lar　gave　his　grandson　a　reassuring　look。　〃Go　finish　your　breakfast；　young　S'lan。〃
　　Obediently　the　brown　rider　moved　away。
　　〃I'd　like　to　see　what　Yoko　reports；　F'lar；〃　F'lessan　murmured。　〃It　may　just　be　skimming　the　atmosphere；　which　is　what's　causing　all　the　bright　trails。〃
　　〃But　you're　not　sure；〃　Lessa　said；　craning　her　head　around　to　look　at　her　tall　son's　face。
　　〃No；　but　there's　a　great　deal　about　that　I　don't　know；〃　he　admitted　with　one　of　his　ingenuous　smiles。
　　〃I　thought　you　were　using　those　fancy　new　binoculars　you　got　from　Jancis；〃　she　said。
　　〃So　I　am；　Lessa；　so　I　am；〃　he　agreed　as　Golanth　dropped　elegantly　to　the　floor　of　the　Bowl　just　beyond　the　riders；　〃but　they're　at　Honshu！　So　we'll　go　to　Landing；　where　I　can　learn　what　this　is　all　about。〃　With　an　agile　leap；　he　vaulted　to　the　back　of　his　bronze。
　　Lessa　blinked。　〃Oh！　Talina's　Arwith　says　that　T'gellan　is　going　to　Landing；　too。〃
　　〃I'm　away。　Golanth　will　inform　Ramoth！〃　He　raised　his　hand　in　farewell　and　the　big　bronze　ran　a　few　steps　to　launch　himself　and　abruptly　disappeared。
　　〃You　must　have　a　word　with　him；〃　Lessa　said　under　her　breath　to　her　weyrmate；　scowling。
　　〃Why？〃
　　〃He　shouldn't　take　off　that　quickly　and　scarcely　a　wing's　span　above　the　ground。　He's　setting　a　bad　example　for　young　riders。〃
　　F'lar　grinned；　surreptitiously　looking　around。　〃No　young　riders　nearby　and　it's　still　too　dark　for　him　to　have　been　seen。〃
　　Lessa　glared　up　at　him。　〃I　doubt　he　checked。　For　all　we　know；　S'lan　may　have　seen。　You　know　how　he　tries　to　be　like　his　father。〃
　　〃Let's　finish　our　breakfast。　Now；　while　we've　a　chance。〃
　　〃With　that　thing　still　glowering　overhead？〃
　　〃Why　not？　We've　seen　the　displays。　If　it　starts　to　drop　on　us；　we're　safer　in　the　Lower　Cavern　than　out　here。　And　it's　cold。〃
　　With　that；　Lessa　agreed　and；　with　one　last　look　at　yet　another　trio　of　bright　flarings；　she　huddled　close　against　his　warmth　on　their　way　back　inside。
　　　
HARPER　HALL…LOCAL　TIME　1：00　IN　THE　MORNING…1。9。31
　　Drum　messages　from　Telgar　Hold　had　roused　Sebell。　Beside　him；　Menolly　groaned。
　　〃Now　what？〃
　　〃　'Shooting　stars；　unexpected；　confirm。'　Confirm　what？〃　Sebell　said；　hauling　his　heavy　robe　from　the　chair。
　　〃At　this　hour？　Couldn't　it　wait　until　morning？〃　Menolly　plained　sleepily。
　　〃Probably；〃　Sebell　replied；　tying　the　belt　tightly　to　keep　out　the　cold。　〃But　Larad's　not　generally　nervous。〃　He　went　to　the　window　of　their　bedroom。　He　couldn't　see　anything　in　the　east；　as　the　cliffs　around　Fort　Hold　occluded　his　view。　He　did　see　a　light　e　on　up　at　the　Hold。
　　Groghe！　He　said　the　name　to　himself。　The　old　Lord　did　not　sleep　well　at　night；　so　he'd　hear　any　drum　message　and　want　a　full　report。　Sebell　sighed。
　　〃Go　back　to　sleep；　Menolly；〃　he　said　softly　and　watched　her；　with　the　deep　and　abiding　affection　he　had　for　his　extraordin