amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第35节

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　　〃Tai；　get　aboard　Zaranth　and　I'll　hand　the　babies　up　to　you。　F'lessan；　use　the　safety　straps　to　tie　them　to　her。　Oh；　do　stop　screaming；　Vessa；〃　Mirrim　said　to　the　hysterical　child　behind　her。　〃F'lessan；　get　her　aboard　Golanth。　She　can　hold　another　once　she's　on　his　back。　He　can　follow　Zaranth　to　the　heights　with　this　lot。　Then　e　back　for　another。　It's　too　far　for　them　to　make　it　on　their　own。〃
　　Minim's　bossy　streak　was　in　full　operation；　F'lessan　thought　as　he　hoisted　an　hysterical　mother　up　to　Golanth　and　started　passing　up　sacks　and　bundles。　Tai　placed　the　screaming　toddler　on　Zaranth's　neck；　an　action　that　instantly　silenced　it。　She　leaped　astride　and　took　the　others　Mirrim　lifted　up　to　her。
　　〃I'm　ready；〃　Tai　cried。
　　Follow　Zaranth；　Golly！
　　Of　course！
　　〃I　know　we're　responsible　for　all　of　Monaco　but　I　can　work　better　if　I　know　our　folk　are　safe；〃　Mirrim　said；　excusing　her　actions。　〃While　Golanth's　gone；　you　can　help　me　organize　the　others　inside。　We　have　cradlers　to　take；　too。　Will　Golanth　mind？〃
　　〃Not　likely；〃　F'lessan　said；　even　his　dragon　would　not　thwart　Mirrim　in　this　mood　or　under　these　circumstances。　Fortunately　Mirrim　was　already　on　her　way　back　inside　the　room　and　did　not　see　how　close　to　the　ground　both　green　and　bronze　had　been　when　they　went　between。　Think　of　the　time　they　saved；　he　told　himself。
　　〃You；　you　can　go　on　Path；〃　he　heard　her　saying　and　she　nearly　ran　him　down　on　her　return　with　three　older　women；　barely　able　to　move　for　the　things　they　were　clutching。　〃F'lessan；　we'll　need　rope　to　tie　the　cradles　to　Golanth。　Over　in　that　closet。〃
　　〃We　have　some　time　to　spare；　Mirrim；〃　he　told　her　as　he　plied。　Golanth！　Carry　cradles？　Well；　who　better？
　　〃I'll　send　these　off　on　my　Path。　She　knows　where　to　go。　F'lessan；　when　you've　got　the　ropes；　put　them　on　the　porch。　The　tanner　journeyman　needs　your　help　with　his　materials。　And　we've　rolls　of　fabric　in　the　loft　we　simply　must　save。〃
　　〃There's　Monarth　doing　nothing；〃　F'lessan　muttered　under　his　breath；　but　he　got　the　ropes；　put　them　on　the　porch；　and　went　to　the　assistance　of　the　crafter　who　was　trying　to　carry　too　many　hides　as　well　as　various　tools；　and　dropping　things。　And　where　was　T'gellan　with　his　maps？
　　By　the　time　much　of　the　Weyr's　most　urgent　household　items　had　been　shoved　or　bundled　into　packs；　brown；　blue；　and　green　dragons　had　arrived　to　be　loaded　and　sent　off。　Three　other　blues　took　the　cradled　children。　Browns　were　draped　with　fabric　rolls　and　sleeping　furs；　and　bulky　items　were　tied　to　willing　backs。
　　It　was　as　well　that　dragons　had　an　innate　instinct　for　avoiding　each　other　on　the　ground　as　well　as　in　the　air；　for　the　traffic　in　and　out　of　the　main　Weyr　clearing　was　amazing。　With　Zaranth；　Golanth　had　made　three　more　trips　between　without　his　rider；　conveying　the　healer　and　half　a　dozen　patients。
　　T'gellan　finally　came　to　F'lessan's　end　of　the　porch；　lugging　one　end　of　a　heavy　chest　as　two　brown　riders　held　the　other。　Tucked　under　his　belt　were　maps。　While　the　brown　riders　lifted　the　chest　to　Monarth's　back；　T'gellan　beckoned　to　F'lessan；　who　was　beginning　to　worry　about　how　much　time　this　was　all　taking。
　　The　Weyrcook；　arms　full　of　bundles；　nearly　fell　down　the　steps；　followed　by　weyrfolk　struggling　with　sacksful　of　clicking　pots　and　leaking　supplies　just　as　Golanth　touched　down　again。　T'gellan　rolled　his　eyes　significantly　at　the　younger　rider　and　F'lessan　offered　Golanth's　services。　The　cook　mounted　first；　securing　as　many　things　as　she　could　to　Golanth's　ridges。　When　no　more　could　fit　on　his　back；　he　raised　just　high　enough　above　the　ground　to　go　between　yet　again。
　　Then　T'gellan　was　at　F'lessan's　side；　unrolling　one　of　the　maps　just　as　three　bronze　dragons　deposited　their　riders　on　the　recently　cleared　space。　Two　riderless　brown　dragons　hovered　above　the　trees；　waiting　to　land。
　　〃I　suspect　you're　more　adept　at　timing　than　that　trio；　my　friend；〃　T'gellan　said；　admirably　cool　in　manner；　〃so　you　get　to　go　the　farthest。　Take　St'ven　on　Mealth　and　C'reel　and　Galuth　to　help。〃　The　Weyrleader　gestured　to　the　browns。　He　unrolled　the　map　to　F'lessan　who　took　one　edge　as　he　recognized　a　copy　of　the　aerial　maps　that　Aivas　had　supplied　to　all　the　Weyrs。　〃We　were　out　over　this　area　last　time　you　flew　with　us。　You'll　remember　this　orange　cliff！〃　T'gellan　tapped　at　the　recognizable　landmark。　〃Long　wide　bay；　long；　sloping　sands　to　the　sea。〃　He　grimaced　at　the　thought　of　the　clear　path　that　would　give　the　ining　tsunami。　〃Granite　cliff。　White　sands　stand　out　against　it。　Bay　looks　like　the　sea　took　a　toothless　bite　out　of　the　coastline。〃　He　gave　the　younger　rider　a　reassuring　grin。　〃Don't　let　them　talk　you　into　conveying　their　boats。　Those　are　replaceable。　Lives　are　not！〃
　　With　that　philosophy　F'lessan　agreed；　but　he　also　knew　how　difficult　it　was　to　make　holders　abandon　whatever　treasures　they　might　own。
　　〃Holds're　mostly　near　this　stream；　but　that　would　provide　the　tsunami　with　a　channel　to　flood　badly　way　inland。　Be　sure　everyone　is　well　back　on　the　summit。　We　can't　estimate　how　high　the　tsunami　crest　will　be。　Reaching　the　heights　will　be　a　climb　for　some　but　there're　switchback　steps　cut　in　the　lower　levels。　But　among　the　three　of　you；　you　ought　to　be　able　to　evacuate　them　all。　Somehow　or　other。〃　T'gellan's　expression　was　grim　again　as　he　thrust　the　map　at　F'lessan。　〃You're　a　good　rider。〃　He　gave　F'lessan　a　supportive　clout　on　the　shoulder。　〃Secure　that　chest　on　Monarth；　will　you；　C'reel；　St'ven？　Then　F'lessan's　your　Wingleader。〃
　　〃I've　called　in　as　many　riders　as　can　be　spared　to　clear　Monaco　Harbor　and　Cove　Hold；〃　T'gellan　said；　his　forehead　furrowed　with　worry。　〃Sweep　riders　are　warning　inland　holders　but　we　can't　take　time　to　figure　out　how　far　above　sea　level　they　are。　They'll　just　have　to　get　as　high　as　they　can。　But　all　have　got　to　be　warned。〃　In　a　final　aside；　before　the　Weyrleader　mounted；　he　leaned　into　F'lessan。　〃Don't　shave　time　too　close！　Lessa　would　kill　me　if　you　got　time…lost。〃
　　Then　he　was　astride　his　dragon　and　Monarth　leaped　skyward　and　was　gone　between　before　the　upper　sail　of　his　wings　cleared　the　rooftree　on　the　Weyr　building。
　　〃C'reel；　St'ven；　mount　up！　Golanth？　Golanth？〃　He　felt　the　sudden　air　pressure　on　his　body　and　didn't　need　to　look　to　know　that　his　bronze　had　landed　on　the　ground　beside　him。　He　couldn't　resist　a　proud　grin　at　such　accuracy。　〃We're　going　to　the　Sunrise　Cliff　Seahold。　Take　your　directions　from　me；〃　he　added；　stuffing　the　aerial　map　into　a　thigh　pocket。　Remember　where　the　fireball　was　when　we　got　here　first；　Golanth？
　　Of　course。
　　Put　it　in　the　same　place　above　Sunrise　Cliff　Seahold　and　let's　go　then！　F'lessan　vividly　imagined　the　grass…topped　rock　face　with　white　sands　for　contrast。
　　Golanth　sprang　upward；　once　again　going　between　a　leg…length　above　the　ground。　In　the　cold　between；　F'lessan　had　just　time　enough　to　wonder　if　the　dragons　were　all　embarked　on　something　like　Moreta's　Ride。　What　had　she　used　for　a　time…mark？　Or　had　its　absence　caused　her　death？
　　
IN　THE　CONFERENCE　ROOM　AT　LANDING…LOCAL　TIME　1：10…1。9。31
　　After　seeing　Master　Wansor　leave　with　D'ram　and　Lytol　to　return　to　Cove　Hold　to　organize　its　evacuation；　Lessa's　mind　raced　with　all　the　details　that　had　already　been　sorted　out。　She'd　need　time；　of　another　sort；　to　organize　her　thoughts。　How　F'lessan　must　be　loving　this　license；　she　thought　sardonically。　Erragon　or　Idarolan　would　be　here　soon　enough　to　explain　how　bad　this　tsunami…tidal　wave…wall　of　water　phenomenon　might　be。　She　turned　off　the　monitor。　She'd　had　enough　of　its　depressing　show　of　figures　for　the　time　being。　She　felt　the　klah　pot　and　decided　its　contents　were　still　warm　enough　to　be　drinkable。　Who　knew　when　she　might　have　time　to　eat　or　drink　in　the　time…tossed　turmoil　that　had　just　been　set　into　motion？　She　sipped　as　she　reviewed　the　last　hectic　half　hour。　She　thought　they'd　done　rather　well；　leaping　into　action　after　the　initial　shock。
　　F'lar　had　gone　to　muster　Benden　Weyr；　sending　sweep…riders　to　warn　the　most　obviously　vulnerable　holdings　along　the　Nerat　and　Benden　coastline。　Few　on　the　rest　of　the　planet　would　have　any　idea　what　had　just　happened　in　the　Eastern　Sea。　It　was　Monaco　that　would　suffer　the　first　huge　wave。　T'gellan　had　thirty…four　experienced　older　bronze　riders　to　manage　evacuations。　F'lar　would　ask　J'fery　at　Telgar　and　G'dened　at　Ista　to　send　more　bronzes　to　assist。　Manora　and　Brekke　would　organize　supplies；　food；　medicines；　and　healers。　She　would　organize　Landing。　She　had　before。　Ramoth　had　called　Benden's　junior　queens　to　help　with　dragons　ing　and　going。　Jaxom　and　Sharra　would　bring　Sebell。　They'd　have　to　call　a　conference　with　Lord　Holders　and　Craftmasters…that　is；　as　soon　as　she　had　enough　details。
　　She　finished　the　last　of　her　klah　and　turned　as　she　heard　the　door　click　open。　Erragon　stood　there；　his　face　expressively　conveying　that　his　〃details〃　were　not　going　to　be　good　news。　Resolutely；　he　closed　the　door　and　strode　over　to　the　Mercator　projection；　fumbling　to　extract　a　red　marker　from　his　pocket。
　　〃I'm　afraid；〃　he　said；　〃that　while　Monaco　Bay　is　in　the　direct　line　of　only　one　main　wave；　it　will　also　be　inundated　by　several　waves；　diffracted　by　the　inner　Ring　is