amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第36节

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inner　Ring　islands。〃　He　put　his　red　marker　on　the　islands　and　made　a　rapid　downward　stroke；　ending　at　the　coastline。　〃I　figure　the　first　wave…〃
　　〃First　wave？〃　Lessa　exclaimed。
　　〃Urn；　yes；　first　wave　of　five；　to　be　accurate。〃　While　Lessa　was　speechless；　he　hurried　on。　〃The　first　will　strike　at　Monaco　Bay　at　four　hours　fifteen　minutes；　local　time…three　hours　and　twenty　five　minutes　after　impact…and　hit　the　Jordan　River　mouth　an　hour　and　a　half　later。　Rather　spectacularly；　in　fact。〃　He　paused。　〃I　can't　help　it；　Lady　Lessa。〃
　　〃That's　just　the　first　wave？〃　she　asked　grimly。
　　〃Stinar's　trying　to　do　a　diagram　so　you…so　we　all…can　see　how　the　waves　will　be　spaced　and　reflect　against　the　shore。　One　es　in　a　straight　line　from　the　impact　site。　The　others　won't　be　as　strong；　of　course；　as　the　unimpeded　tsunami。〃　He　tapped　the　headland　that　jutted　out　into　the　sea　east　of　Monaco　Bay。　〃The　cape　may　provide　some　protection；　but　the　harbor　facility。。。〃　He　shrugged　with　regret。　〃I'm　confident　that　the　dolphins　will　warn　ships　at　sea。　We　know　they　do。　They　will　surely　have　felt　the　impact。　They　are　so　tuned　in　to　their　medium。　Ships　may　not　experience　more　turbulence　or　be　much　the　worse　for　it。　It's　when　a　tsunami　meets　the　shore；　or　shoals　or　shallows；　that　it　crests　and　runs　in。　As　to　Cove　Hold；　Lady　Lessa；　it's　shielded　by　the　point　east　of　the　coast　and　the　islands　between…〃　He　tapped　it　by　way　of　demonstration。　〃…from　some　of　the　waves　that　Monaco　Bay　will　experience。　Additionally；　the　underwater　extension　of　the　eastern　point　at　the　Upwelling　will　break　ining　waves。　Spectacular　breakers　but　much　less　actual　wave　height　until　fairly　far　west　along　the　coast。　Most　of　what　the　Cove　will　see　is　a　splash　wave　as　a　result　of　the　secondary　wave　breaks。〃　He　gave　her　a　swift　ingratiating　smile。
　　Lessa　shifted　restlessly　in　her　chair。　Devastated　by　Erragon's　talk　of　five　tsunamis　striking　Monaco　Bay；　she　felt　perversely　irritated　by　the　fact　that　they　had　only　recently　restored　the　Hold　to　its　pre…hurricane　elegance。
　　〃I　suppose　the　news　about　Cove　Hold　provides　a　little　relief。〃　Instantly　aware　of　how　bitter　she　sounded；　she　held　up　her　hand；　〃Which　is　none　of　your　fault；　to　be　sure。〃　She　nodded　at　him　to　continue。　Better　to　hear　the　worst　and　clear　her　mind　to　plan　how　to　proceed。
　　〃Now；　there　will　be　flooding　west　of　Cove　Hold。〃　His　pen　crossed　the　open　area　to　the　out…jutting　of　Southern。　〃These　two　coastlines　will　also　be　flooded；〃　his　pen　moved　again；　〃possibly　with　less　force。〃
　　〃The　new　Dolphin　Hall？〃　she　asked；　hoping　that　young　Readis's　new　project　would　survive。
　　〃I　believe　it's　on　the　west　side　so　this　headland；〃　and　he　marked　the　spot　to　the　right　of　the　mouth　of　the　Rubicon　river；　〃will　protect　it。　There　might　be　a　very　high　tide　but　the　dolphins　will　surely　have　spread　the　warning。〃
　　〃That's　their　bargain　with　humans；〃　Lessa　said　drolly。　〃However；　to　go　on　west；〃　Erragon　continued；　almost　as　inexorably　as　that　wretched　tsunami；　Lessa　thought　to　herself；　〃Macedonia　will　experience　four　different　waves；　but　I　understand　that　coastline　is　not　well　settled。〃
　　〃Then　Monaco　has　not　been　singled　out？〃　Lessa　asked　caustically。　She　had　to　find　some　balance　in　this　calamity；　her　mind　roiled　with　all　they　would　have　to　do。　At　least　this　time　they　would　be　able　to　rescue　those　most　vulnerable；　unlike　the　hurricane　that　had　taken　them　by　surprise。　She　had　to　keep　that　thought　foremost　in　her　mind。
　　〃Oh；　no；〃　Erragon　assured　her。　〃The　most　direct　wave　will　arrive　in　Macedonia　about　nine　hours　after　impact；　about　four　in　the　afternoon　local　time。　Then　a　direct　tsunami　will　strike　Southern　Hold　about　eleven　hours　after　impact…four　in　the　afternoon　local　time。　The　second　will　arrive　about　fifteen　minutes　later　and　the　third　at　about　four　fifty；　local　time。〃
　　〃Toric　is　going　to　be　furious；〃　Lessa　mented；　but　that　caused　her　none　of　the　heartache　that　she　had　felt　on　hearing　about　Monaco　Bay。
　　〃On　the　Northern　continent；〃　Erragon　went　on　as　he　shifted　his　all　too　busy　red　marker　upward；　〃a　tsunami　will　strike　the　Foot　of　Nerat；　and　all　the　way　up　the　shore。〃　Lessa　sat　straight　up　as　she　saw　him　reddening　the　entire　eastern　coastline。
　　〃But　there's　time；〃　Erragon　assured　her。　〃Three　to　four　hours　after　impacting　on　the　southern　shores；　the　other　section　of　the　waves　will　reach　High　Shoal　in　front　of　Loscar　and　demolish　it…which；　I　understand　from　seamen；　might　reduce　the　dangerous　currents　the　Shoal　produces。　Loscar　will　definitely　need　to　be　evacuated　but　there's　time　enough　to　get　people　to　foothills。　Even　a　good　portion　of　their　belongings　and　herdbeasts。　You　see；　there's　not　much　to　stop　the　straight　line　of　the　tsunami　as　it　radiates　due　west　from　the　impact　site。〃
　　Lessa　stared；　disbelieving　the　extent　of　a　〃wave。〃
　　〃Ista；〃　Erragon　continued；　producing　a　tentative　smile；　〃will　only　get　ripples　produced　by　reflection　off　Nerat's　Toe。　They　did　suffer　far　more　damage　during　the　hurricane。〃　He　paused　briefly；　and　turned　to　the　other　side　of　the　Mercator　projection。　Lessa　gasped。
　　〃The　Western　Ring　of　islands　will　absorb　much　of　the　tsunami's　force；　though；　from　the　tip　of　Tillek　and　south　to　the　end　of　Southern　Boll；　they　can　expect　to　experience　tsunami　about　sixteen　hours　after　impact；　or　four…thirty　in　the　morning　their　local　time。　It　will　reach　the　west　coast　of　Fort；　much　of　which　is　rocky；　about　twenty…one　hours　after　impact；　seven　in　the　morning　their　time。　Tomorrow。〃
　　〃Tomorrow？〃　Lessa　echoed。
　　〃Yes；　it　takes　time　even　for　something　as　violent　as　a　tsunami　to　cross　that　much　sea。　The　farther　away　from　the　impact　point　or　the　secondary　points；　the　less　the　expected　effect　of　the　ining　wave。　It　will　spread　out　and　reduce　amplitude　until　it　encounters　an　obstacle。〃
　　〃Like　Monaco　Bay；〃　Lessa　murmured　bitterly。
　　〃For　instance；〃　Erragon　said；　trying　to　interject　a　positive　note；　〃the　west　coast　of　Southern；　from　lerne　Island　to　the　tip　on　the　east　side　of　Great　Bay；　will　feel　only　a　small　effect　from　the　eastward　wave。〃　Now　he　looked　closely　at　the　map　and；　checking　longitude　and　latitude；　made　a　little　X。　〃The　two　waves；　what's　left　of　them　after　losing　much　of　their　energy；　will　intersect　in　the　open　sea　at　about　Longitude　two　degrees　at　Latitude　fifteen　degrees；　but　I　don't　think　that'll　be　notable。〃
　　Lessa　regarded　him　blankly。　Erragon　continued。
　　〃The　worst　of　all　this　should　be　over　in　about　sixteen　to　seventeen　hours；〃　he　said　in　an　attitude　of　encouragement。
　　〃I　hope　you'll　be　able　to　repeat　this；　Erragon；〃　she　said　wearily。　〃We　are　obliged　to　inform　those　Lord　Holders　most　affected。　Now　that　we　know　who　they　are。〃
　　He　bowed　his　willingness。　She　closed　her　eyes　briefly　while　she　contacted　Ramoth　to　bespeak　the　dragons　at　the　various　Holds。　It　saved　some　time；　at　least；　that　Benden　had　the　right　to　convene　an　emergency　meeting　and　expect　those　invited　to　respond　speedily。　Even　as　speedily　as　that　sharding　wave　was　going　to　smash　along　both　coasts。
　　When　she　opened　her　eyes；　Erragon's　expression　showed　deep　concern。　He　was　rather　a　good　man；　she　thought；　and　not　like　some　who　could　thoroughly　enjoy　spreading　bad　news。
　　〃Sit　down；　man；　and　I'll　get　us　something　more　to　eat。　We'll　need　to　fortify　ourselves。〃　She　left　the　room；　giving　him　a　few　moments　alone。
　　Twenty　minutes　later；　Master　Idarolan　and　Erragon　had　contrived　to　red　mark　the　vulnerable　portions　of　coastline　along　both　continents；　including　some　quick　estimates　of　how　deep　inland　the　flood　would　surge。　To　Lessa's　intense　sorrow；　they　had　intricately　marked　the　projected　paths　of　the　five　different　assaults　on　Monaco。　F'lar　had　returned　with　F'nor。　No　sooner　had　the　two　Benden　riders　started　to　eat　a　hasty　luncheon　from　the　food　Lessa　had　found　than　Lords　Ciparis　and　Toronas　arrived。　Close　behind　them　came　Haligon；　representing　Lord　Groghe；　Jaxom；　and　Sharra；　Lord　Ranrel　of　Tillek　with　the　new　MasterFishman　Curran；　Fortine　of　Ista；　Langrell　of　Igen；　Kashman　of　Keroon；　Janissian　from　Southern　Boll　as　Lord　Sangel　was　too　old　to　travel　anywhere；　even　a…dragonback；　and　the　other　six　Weyrleaders。
　　〃What's　this　about　some　sharding　wave　going　to　destroy　the　coast？〃　demanded　Fortine。　〃Surely　it　can't　reach　from　the　Ring　Sea　all　the　way　to　my　coast？〃
　　〃e；　e；〃　Master　Idarolan　said；　gesturing　impatiently　to　the　newers。　〃All　of　you　be　seated。〃　He　waved　at　Haligon　to　distribute　chairs　from　those　stacked　in　one　corner。
　　〃It　had　better　be　good；〃　Toronas　of　Benden　said；　〃getting　us　up　and　down　here　so　precipitously。〃
　　〃Oh；　it　is；　I　assure　you；〃　Lessa　said　in　such　a　caustic　tone　that　no　one　else　spoke　as　they　hurried　to　get　settled　around　the　table。
　　〃At　least　it　was　already　morning　for　you；　Toronas；〃　Jaxom　said；　seating　Sharra；　who　was　blinking　to　clear　her　eyes　from　what　little　sleep　she　had　had。　〃Not　the　middle　of　the　night　and　yet　you　see　Ranrel；　Haligon；　and　Janissian　wide　awake　and　with　us。〃
　　Lord　Toronas　clearly　wanted　to　object　to　the　presence　of　Janissian；　who　looked　younger　than　she　was；　even　if　she　had　been　sent　to　represent　her　grandfather；　Lord　Sangel。
　　〃Sit　by　me；　Toronas；〃　Lessa　said；　smiling　encouragingly　at　Janissian　who　remained　close　to　Sharra　and　Jaxo