amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第69节

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　beat　〃…perceived　was　his　by　right。　He　has　since；　as　you　should　know；　forfeited　the　loyalty　of　all　his　brothers　and　sisters。　Even　his　sons。　I　thought　when　he　was　brought　up　short　several　Turns　ago　by　the　Lord　Holders　and　Weyrleaders　that　he　might　realize　that　there　are　limitations　to　what　one　man　may　hold。〃
　　Jaxom　could　not　endure　her　anguish　and　took　her　in　his　arms；　his　cheek　against　her　cheek。
　　〃We　do　not　know　that　this　is　another　scheme　of　his；　Sharra。〃
　　She　clung　to　him；　her　fingers　tight　in　his　hair；　pressing　herself　into　the　strength　that　always　emanated　from　him。　〃Even　if　I；　too；　can　see　that　Toric　may　be　setting　himself　against　the　rest　of　Pern；　just　to　prove　he　can？〃
　　forted　now　turned　forter。　〃We　shall　know　soon　enough　who　has　been　giving　orders　for　all　this　wasteful　vandalism　and　unrest。〃
　　〃We　will？　Did　Pinch　say　anything？〃　Sharra　leaned　back；　to　look　deep　into　his　eyes。　〃We　seem　to　recover　from　one　disaster　and　another　threatens。〃
　　〃Sssh；　sssh；　love。〃　He　rocked　her　in　his　arms；　slowly；　lovingly。
　　Sssh；　sssh；　Sharra。　We　are　here！
　　For　just　a　fraction　of　a　second；　though　she　was　accustomed　enough　to　having　Ruth　speak　to　her；　she　thought　his　reassurance　was　oddly　amplified。
　　
CORE　HOLD…TWO　DAYS　BEFORE　COUNCIL　MEETING…2。26。31
　　From　her　seat　in　the　window　at　Cove　Hold；　Lessa　could　watch　those　ing　up　the　newly　graveled　path　from　the　beach。　It　still　amazed　her　that　Robinton's　Hold　had　survived　the　havoc　that　had　spared　few　other　places。　After　the　Winter　Storm；　some　of　his　possessions　had　had　to　be　replaced　with　lovingly　contrived　duplicates　and　these　had　been　removed　in　case　the　Kahrain　Cape　did　not　protect　the　Hold。　So　once　again；　the　Hall　looked　much　as　it　had　before　his　death。　She　could　still　believe　that　he　was　only　out　on　the　porch；　or　fussing　with　his　tunic　in　his　room　before　ing　to　greet　his　guests。　The　essence　of　Robinton；　the　MasterHarper　of　Pern；　subtly　pervaded　the　place　as　if　he　still　lived　here　with　his　friends；　Lytol；　old　Master　Wansor；　and　D'ram。　What　a　quartet　they　had　made！
　　Now　she　watched　as　dragons　arrived　in　pairs；　gliding　down　to　waves　that　lapped　quietly…again…up　the　beach。　It　was　like　a　Gather　dance；　she　thought；　trying　to　think　of　something　pleasant　to　quiet　the　nagging　frustration　that　she　had　been　experiencing　ever　since　the　Fireball　Flood。　From　the　north　and　High　Reaches　came　the　newest　Weyrleaders；　G'bear　on　Winlath　and　Neldama　on　Yasith…their　mating　had　turned　out　felicitously；　one　of　the　few　things　that　had　gone　right　lately。　Slightly　west　of　them；　in　from　Telgar　flew　J'fery　and　Palla　on　Willerth　and　Talmanth。　A　single　dragon　appeared　from　the　west；　with　two　passengers；　Jaxom　and　Sharra　on　Ruth。　She　wanted　a　word　with　Jaxom　and　N'ton　about　the　Printer　Hall　incident。　A　second　Printer　Hall　must　be　established　as　soon　as　possible。　Printed　documents　were　too　important：　human　memories　couldn't　cope　with　all　the　details　and　the　tedious　act　of　handwriting　was　a　process　rife　with　opportunities　for　mistakes。
　　The　visibly　larger　Fort　dragons；　Lioth　and　Ludeth；　with　N'ton　and　Margatta；　followed　Ruth　immediately。　Igen's　Gyarmath　and　Baylith　with　G'narish　and　Nadira　entered　facing　north。　Lessa　could　hear　dragons　bugling　over　the　building　announcing　the　arrival　of　K'van　and　Adrea　on　Heth　and　Beljeth。　Then　three　from　the　east；　T'gellan；　Talina；　and　Mirrim。　Well；　Mirrim　was　to　be　expected　and；　while　Lessa　knew　the　girl　could　be　domineering　and　arrogant；　she　had　great　sympathy　toward　a　fosterling　she　had　trained。
　　The　newly　made　Master　Erragon　had　particularly　invited　F'lessan　and　a　Monacan　green　rider；　named　Tai；　who　was　one　of　Erragon's　apprentices。　Her　name　was　familiar　to　the　Benden　Weyrleaders　for　her　part　in　thwarting　the　vandals　at　Landing　and　being　indefatigable　during　the　evacuation　of　Monaco。
　　As　the　Weyrleaders　filed　in；　Master　Wansor；　their　official　host　for　the　night；　greeted　them。　He　stood　on　the　threshold；　a　serene　personality　in　a　room　that　held　memories　for　all　of　them。　He　lifted　a　smiling　face　to　each　new　arrival　as　if　he　saw　them　as　clearly　as　ever。　Erragon　stood　behind　Wansor；　wearing　the　diamond　pendant　that　was　the　sign　of　his　new　rank；　and　well　deserved　for　the　way　he　had　managed　information　and　warnings　about　the　Fireball。　He　was　being　introduced　to　those　few　Weyrleaders　he　had　not　previously　met。　Lytol　and　D'ram　were　fussing　with　papers　at　a　table　in　one　corner。　Nine　piles　of　paper：　one　for　each　Weyr　and　who　got　the　last？　She　flicked　her　eyes　back　to　the　door；　to　scrutinize　F'lessan　as　he　reached　the　steps；　one　hand　under　the　elbow　of　the　tall；　dark…haired　woman　acpanying　him。　What　Lessa　noticed　most　were　her　wide　mouth　and　curiously　slanted　green　eyes。
　　Zaranth's　rider；　Ramoth　said；　almost　approvingly。　Lessa　cleared　her　face　of　the　beginnings　of　a　scowl。　F'lessan　was　not　a　child　any　longer。　He　had　e　very　close　to　total　exhaustion　after　the　Impact；　moving　dories　among　other　things；　Ramoth　had　reported　with　critical　asperity。　His　feat　of　saving　the　Seaholder　from　sure　death　in　the　tsunami　wave　had　been　notable　in　a　day　that　the　harpers　said　had　been　full　of　incredible　feats　of　courage。　F'lessan's　timing　had　always　been　exquisite　and　someday　she　must　ask　exactly　how　he'd　achieved　such　an　impossible　rescue。　He　was　at　Benden　only　when　Wingleader　duties　required　him　to　be　present；　for　he　seemed　to　prefer　living　in　Honshu　now。
　　His　choice；　Ramoth　added　ambiguously。
　　F'lessan　caught　sight　of　his　mother　in　the　window　seat；　gave　her　that　engagingly　charming　smile　of　his　and　turned　to　speak　to　Wansor。　The　very　casualness　of　his　greeting　amused　Lessa。　She　was　more　surprised　when；　as　Tai　held　out　her　hand；　the　old　Smith　caught　it　in　his；　his　smile　redoubling；　his　eyebrows　flaring　up　as　if　by　widening　his　opaque　eyes　he　might　somehow　see　her　more　clearly：　obviously　this　green　rider　was　very　wele　in　Cove　Hold。　Erragon's　greeting　was　that　of　pleased　teacher　to　best　student。
　　〃Attractive　but　not　pretty；〃　F'lar　murmured　to　his　weyrmate　after　a　very　brief　glance　at　F'lessan's　panion。　〃No　wonder　he's　so　often　at　Honshu　now。〃
　　He　likes　it　there；　Ramoth　said　in　that　same　cryptic　tone。
　　T'gellan；　with　Mirrim　and　Talina；　came　up　the　steps　now　and　Lessa　thought　Monaco's　Weyrleader　was　much　too　thin；　his　eyes　haunted。　He　had　been　working　all　the　hours　of　the　day　to　rebuild　his　Weyr。　For　that　matter；　neither　Mirrim　nor　Talina　looked　much　better；　but　they　didn't　look　as　gaunt　as　the　bronze　rider：　they　didn't　have　the　full　responsibility　that　a　Weyrleader　shouldered。
　　Lessa　realized　that　all　were　now　assembled　and　F'lar　led　her　to　their　places　on　one　end　of　the　long；　oval…shaped　table。
　　〃We're　all　here；　aren't　we？〃　F'lar　said　with　a　weary　smile。　He　waited　until　the　others　seated　themselves。
　　Twenty…two　riders；　three　men　who　should　have　been　enjoying　their　last　decades　in　leisure；　two　Masters；　and　a　Lord　Holder：　twenty…eight　men　and　women　to　solve　what　she　felt　in　her　bones　was　impossible。　But　then；　killing　Fax　had　been…once。　And　ending　Thread。　Why　should　she　consider　this　crisis　to　be　beyond　their　capabilities？　She　gave　her　shoulders　a　little　shake　and　took　her　place　beside　her　weyrmate。　She　heard　his　sigh。　Then　he；　too；　stood　straighter；　to　address　the　assembled。
　　〃I'm　sure　we've　all　heard　that　dragonriders　should　do　something　about　anything　that　falls　from　the　sky。〃　He　let　the　various　angry　and　resentful　reactions　to　that　peculiar　assumption　fade。　〃Ridiculous　as　that　notion　is；　I　think　we　all　realize　that　that's　the　first　question　the　Council　will　put　to　us　in　two　days'　time。　Somehow　that　Fireball　has　bee　our　fault。〃　He　altered　his　voice；　affecting　a　querulous　tone。　〃　'Dragons　can　fly　between。　Can't　they　just　push　rocks　out　of　the　way？　Can't　they　burn　them　out　of　the　skies？　Can't　they　do　something？'　〃
　　〃Didn't　we　do　enough？〃　F'lessan　said　with　a　brittle　edge　to　his　voice　that　surprised　Lessa。　Then　he　shrugged　and　his　expression　altered　to　one　of　detached　indifference　as　other　bronze　riders　muttered　about　ingratitude　and　impossible　demands。
　　〃Dragonriders　did　more　than　enough；〃　said　Lytol；　the　former　Lord　Warder　of　Ruatha；　his　craggy　face　fierce。
　　〃Every　Weyr　performed　magnificently；〃　D'ram　added；　prideful。
　　〃In　the　time　allotted；〃　Jaxom　said；　his　expression　very　bland；　turning　his　head　ever　so　slightly　toward　Lessa。　That　sly　remark　subtly　defused　the　unspoken　resentment。　Some　even　chuckled。
　　〃I　never　understood　quite　how　you　acplished　as　much　as　you　did；〃　Wansor　said　in　all　innocence。　But　then　his　expression　turned　to　respectful　awe。　〃The　miracles　you　managed！　In　the　face　of　what　could　have　been　catastrophic。　Why　the　Storm　of　'Twenty…nine　Present　Pass　was　a　shower　in　parison！〃
　　〃Fortunately；　we're　not　considered　responsible　for　the　weather；〃　F'lar　said　satirically。
　　〃Not　yet；〃　G'dened　added　in　a　sour　voice。　Though　Ista　had　been　spared　the　full　impact　of　the　tsunami　waves；　the　island　had　suffered　badly　from　the　hurricane。
　　〃You　know；　there　are　those　who　feel　we　failed　them　in　that　storm；　too；〃　G'narish　said；　shaking　his　head。
　　〃This　time　we　had　sufficient　warning；〃　K'van　remarked；　〃before　the　winds　made　it　impossible　to　fly。〃
　　〃Back　to　what　you　said；　F'lar；　it　isn't　as　if　dragons　could