amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第42节

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　　〃I'll　rouse　your　portmaster　myself；〃　Idarolan　volunteered；　〃to　warn　the　ships　at　anchor。　They'll　be　safe　enough　at　sea。　Able　to　ride　the　tsunami　swell；　if　they　notice　it　at　all。　It's　the　land　that's　vulnerable。〃
　　Ramala　came　in　with　a　tray　of　cups　and　food；　followed　by　a　very　sleepy　and　resentful　pair　of　holder　women；　one　bearing　a　big　klah　pot；　the　other　a　wineskin。　〃You　all　need　something　in　your　stomachs　to　organize　the　evacuations！〃　she　said。
　　F'nor　wondered　how　she　knew　what　they　had　e　to　organize。　Ramala　was　a　good　woman　to　have　subtly　on　your　side。
　　〃Then；　leaving　you　in　good　hands；　Lord　Toric；〃　F'nor　said　courteous；　〃I　will　return　to　Landing。〃
　　〃Good　hands？　I'll。。。〃　Toric　lurched　at　F'nor。
　　Instantly；　before　Toric　had　a　chance　to　plete　his　lunge　at　the　brown　rider；　Idarolan　stood　between　then。　With　a　well…calculated　blow　of　his　fist　to　Toric's　shoulder；　he　spun　him　off　balance。
　　〃If　we're　to　save　any　of　your　coastal　holds；　Lord　Toric；　you'd　best　pay　attention　to　me；〃　Master　Idarolan　said　in　a　loud　harsh　voice　that　had　quelled　argument　before　and　made　the　infuriated　Lord　Holder　think。
　　F'nor？　Canth's　mental　tone　was　alarmed。
　　F'nor　saw　Sintary　move　to　Idarolan's　side　as　the　stern　MasterFishman　held　Toric　motionless　with　his　stony　glare。
　　The　Southern　Lord　Holder　seemed　to　shake　himself。　With　teeth　clamped　shut　behind　his　bared　lips；　he　gave　a　long　hiss　of　breath　and　pivoted　back　to　the　table；　spread　with　maps　of　his　holding。
　　He's　under　control　now；　Canth；　F'nor　said；　turning　as　casually　as　he　could；　trying　to　calm　himself　and　his　dragon。　Sharding　idiot！　He　could　feel　the　anger　of　the　other　dragonriders　as　he　left　the　hall　in　measured　strides。　Thank　the　First　Egg　that　Idarolan　had　been　right　that　Toric　respected　him。　Slowly　his　fists　unclenched。　He　took　his　time　walking　back　in　the　night　to　the　old　Southern　Weyr　to　regain　full　control　of　himself。　And　to　face　the　other　disasters　this　day　seemed　to　be　so　full　of。　As　much　as　he　dreaded　what　he　must　see　of　a　flooded　Monaco；　he　was　needed　there；　or　at　Benden。　He　could　get　back　to　his　duties　in　time。　After　all。　at　the　very　beginning　of　this　Pass；　thirty　Turns　ago；　Lessa　had　sent　him　a　full　ten　Turns　back；　to　raise　weyrlings。　Timing　it　was　far　more　wearing　on　the　rider　than　the　dragon。　He　wondered　if　he　could　make　time　to　see　Brekke　at　Benden。　She'd　undoubtedly　be　extremely　busy　organizing　the　mass　evacuations　along　the　Benden　Hold　coast。　She　might　even　be　annoyed　with　him　for　interrupting　her　at　whatever　she　was　doing。　He　knew　that　he　took　strength　from　her　slight　person；　strength　and　fort；　and　he　did　so　need　to　be　forted…however　briefly…for　the　terrible　reality　of　a　drowned　Monaco。
　　She　is　at　Loscar。　The　High　Shoals　should　protect　it；　Canth　told　him；　eyes　a　brilliant　blue　as　he　stepped　from　the　shadows。　Other　bright　eyes　watched　the　brown　rider。
　　〃Your　riders　will　be　here　shortly；〃　F'nor　told　the　other　dragons；　trying　to　strike　a　cheerful　note。　〃Lord　Toric　had　no　immediate　argument　with　the　news　we　brought　him。〃　He　shrugged　into　his　jacket；　secured　his　helmet；　and　climbed　to　Canth's　back；　affectionately　slapping　him　on　the　shoulder。
　　Where　do　we　go　now？
　　Where　else；　good　friend？　Landing。
　　Sometimes　it　was　as　well　to　do　the　hardest　thing　first；　F'nor　thought　as　they　went　between　to　Landing。
　　And　some　hard　things；　F'nor　realized；　tears　blurring　his　eyes；　his　chest　painful；　were　harder　than　others。　Canth　had　e　out　above　Landing；　facing　north；　so　he　had　too　good　a　view　of　the　watery　plain　that　had　been　forested　Monaco；　sparkling　in　the　afternoon　sun。　He　had　given　Canth　a　time　after　the　waves　hit　Monaco；　but　before　they　pounded　the　Jordan　River　mouth。　Involuntarily　F'nor　covered　his　face；　but　he　could　block　out　neither　the　gleaming　expanse　of　water　that　had　boiled　inland　on　the　crest　of　the　tsunami　nor　the　smaller　seiche　waves　that　were　sloshing　back　and　forth　in　perpendicular　movement　across　what　had　been　Monaco's　crescent　bay。
　　The　water　will　not　stay。　It　will　drain　back。　His　dragon's　voice　was　so　full　of　sympathy　and　understanding　of　the　pain　in　his　rider's　heart　that　F'nor　dropped　his　hands；　the　wind　in　his　face　drying　the　tears　on　his　cheeks。　He　forced　himself　to　think　of　the　red　indentations　on　Idarolan's　chart　and　hoped　that　the　tsunami　had　not　penetrated　as　far　as　initial　estimates。　For　partial　reassurance；　he　could　see　blobs　of　green　on　the　western　side　of　Monaco　Cape　where　stands　of　the　big　trees　had　survived　the　assault。　And　more；　farther　inland；　on　other　hills。
　　A　rumble　penetrated　his　grief　for　the　stricken　coast　and　he　felt　Canth　tilt　and　turn。　There　were　other　dragons　in　the　sky；　all　facing　west；　all　carrying　at　least　two　passengers：　he　easily　recognized　Ramoth；　Mnementh；　and　the　other　Benden　queens　with　nine　more　bronzes；　ten　browns；　and　some　greens　in　attendance。　They　hovered　above　the　Jordan　River　inlet。
　　Join　them！　Might　as　well　twist　the　knife　a　little；　F'nor　thought　with　rare　masochism。
　　They　were　not　in　time　to　witness　the　initial　heaving　of　the　sea；　like　the　shoulders　of　a　great；　headless；　pewter…colored　beast。　They　did　see　the　white　spume；　outlining　the　leading　edge。　And　they　did　see　the　gigantic　wave…dragon…lengths　of　it…crash　against　the　Jordan　cliff；　and　the　way　the　spray　tried　to　curl　over　the　massive　basaltic　precipice；　the　wind　blowing　back　the　sound　of　that　assault！　They　saw　the　second　wave　lurching　against　the　bulwark。　They　could　see　old　Oslo　Landing　inundated；　see　the　tsunami　streaming　along　the　sloping　coastline　to　attack　the　stones　of　Kahrain　Cape。　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　left　eye；　F'nor　saw　that　part　of　the　tsunami　now　seemed　to　swell　and　race　along　the　basalt　walls　lining　the　Jordan　River；　pushing　it　in　its　wake；　back　up　the　length　of　the　deep　chasm。　At　his　altitude；　he　could　see　the　tsunami　race…it　seemed　to　flow　over　the　natural　seaward　current…splashing　against　the　rocky　sides；　but　powerless　to　rise　to　the　forest　above。
　　The　tightness　in　his　chest　eased　as　he　understood　that；　powerful　though　the　tsunami　was；　the　land　could　survive。
　　The　other　watchers　suddenly　disappeared；　going　between。　F'nor　had　seen　enough。　He　asked　Canth　to　spiral　down　to　Landing。　Hard　work　was　a　good　way　to　blunt　difficult　emotions。
　　
LANDING…LATE　AFTERNOON…1。9。31
　　F'lessan　felt　the　tentative　prod　on　his　shoulder。　Felt　a　second；　harder　one。　Felt　Golanth's　groan　in　the　dragon's　deep　chest。　Smelled　klah　and　an　appetizing　odor　of　something　roasted；　held　under　his　nose。
　　He　opened　one　eye　and　saw　a　figure　hunkered　down　in　front　of　him；　holding　out　a　cup　and　a　small　plate；　heaped　with　bite…sized　food。　He　pushed　himself　against　Golanth　and　straightened。　He　nearly　fell　back　because　his　right　arm　was　half　asleep。
　　〃F'lessan？　Drink！　You　need　the　liquid。〃
　　That　sounded　like　Tai's　voice。　He　opened　both　eyes。　She　didn't　look　any　better　than　he　felt；　her　face　was　dirty　and　haggard。　Oddly；　her　hands　were　clean。　She　sat　down　cross…legged　in　front　of　him；　without　spilling　the　klah　or　scattering　the　food　from　the　plate。
　　〃They　let　us　sleep　longer。　I　don't　know　why；　but　I'm　grateful。〃
　　〃So　am　I！〃　F'lessan　yawned　mightily；　holding　the　klah　out　in　front　lest　it　spill　on　himself　or　Tai。
　　Then　he　realized　that　it　was　cloudy。　Landing's　usually　bright　sun　was　visible　as　a　hazy　yellow　orb　in　the　forbidding　sky。
　　〃Dust　in　the　air；　someone　told　me；〃　Tai　said　with　no　expression　in　her　voice。　She　wasn't　a　volatile　personality；　like　Mirrim　or　Lessa；　F'lessan　thought。　More　like　Brekke；　quiet；　self…contained；　definitely　reserved。
　　〃What's　happening　now？〃　The　bronze　rider　jerked　his　thumb　to　the　three　Benden　queens；　still　on　duty。
　　〃The　tsunami　keeps　going；〃　she　said；　her　head　averted。
　　〃Did　it　destroy　Cove　Hold？〃　F'lessan　blurted　the　question　out。　He　could　endure　almost　any　other　destruction　but　that。
　　〃Oh；　no；〃　she　said　quickly；　with　a　sudden　magically　reassuring　smile。　〃Cove　Hold　has　only　a　little　bit　of　flooding　in　the　gardens。　They　had　nearly　four　hours　to　pack　up　everything　portable；　but　the　water　never　reached　MasterHarper's　porch。〃
　　He　felt　tension　in　his　midriff　snap　with　relief。　He　closed　his　eyes；　thinking　of　Cove　Hold　as　he　had　last　seen　it。　Gardens　could　be　replaced。　Whatever　other　things　had　been　destroyed　by　the　tsunami；　he　was　deeply　grateful　Robinton's　last　home　had　e　through　this　disaster　relatively　unscathed。　But　Tai　did　not　look　happy。　She　paused；　her　eyes　unfocused　and　her　shoulders　sagged　again。　The　smile　disappeared　and　she　seemed　sunk　in　depression。　He　caught　her　hand；　thinking　he　knew　what　would　trouble　her　more　than　Cove　Hold。
　　〃The　observatory？〃
　　〃Not　as　badly　damaged　as　it　could　have　been。　That　dome　is　watertight。　Kahrain　Cape　above　it　caught　the　brunt。　There　was　a　spectacularly　high　crest　at　Jordan　Cliffs。〃　F'lessan　shuddered；　remembering　the　one　he　had　so　narrowly　escaped。　〃I'm　told　a　lot　of　people　watched。〃
　　The　brief　animation　in　her　face　faded　quickly。
　　〃I'm　sorry；　Tai。　Not　much　of　Monaco　would　have　survived；〃　he　murmured；　squeezing　her　hand　hard　in　sympathy。
　　〃There　were　five　waves；　you　know；〃　she　said　flatly。　〃One　after　another。　They　sort　of　bounced　off　the　nearer　Ring　island　and　then　plowed　into　Monaco。〃　She　ra