amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第81节

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　　Tagetarl　spoke　up。　〃Let　me　remind　Lord　Kashman　that　the　intruders　refused…in　front　of　witnesses…to　name　either　hold　or　hall　to　which　they　could　be　taken　to　receive　a　hearing　from　another　authority。〃
　　〃It　just　happens。。。〃　and　Kashman　waved　his　arm　in　a　sarcastic　manner；　〃that　Lord　Jaxom　who　resides　in　Ruatha　and　N'ton　whose　Weyr　is　in　Fort　happened　to　be　present　in　Wide　Bay　at　such　an　unlikely　hour？〃
　　〃The　intruders　picked　the　hour；〃　Tagetarl　said。
　　〃The　dragons　responded　to　a　summons　for　support；〃　N'ton　added。
　　〃Who　summoned　them？〃　Kashman　demanded；　his　nostrils　flaring　with　irritation。
　　〃Beauty；　in　my　case；〃　Jaxom　said　and　turned　to　N'ton。
　　〃In　mine　as　well。〃
　　〃Beauty？〃　Kashman　echoed；　confounded　by　that　identification。
　　〃Beauty　is　the　queen　fire…lizard　that　often　conveys　urgent　messages　from　the　Harper　Hall；〃　N'ton　said。
　　〃You　responded　to　a　message　brought　by　a　fire…lizard？〃　Kashman　was　incredulous。　Toric　snorted　at　his　inexperience。
　　〃When　such　a　message　es　from　a　main　CraftHall；〃　Sebell　went　on；　〃it　is　not　wise　to　disregard　its　import；　especially　since　other　CraftHalls　have　bee　targets　for　vandalism。　Twelve　people　do　not　simultaneously　decide　to　sample　CraftHall　wares　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　armed　with　torches；　chisels；　hammers；　and　spikes；　Lord　Kashman。　They　were　discovered　inside　the　main　gates；　which　had　not　been　opened　to　them；　destroying　the　doors　to　the　Print　Hall　itself。　What　conclusion　would　you　have　e　to？〃
　　〃Yes；　Kashman；　what　conclusion　could　you　have　e　to？〃　Lord　Groghe　demanded。
　　〃Something's　got　to　be　done　about　such　impertinent　men　and　women；〃　Bargen　said　with　considerable　exasperation。　〃Wanton　destruction…when　it　takes　time　and　good　materials　to　make　anything　these　days…cannot　be　permitted。　If　we　have　already　decided　that　exile　would　be　a　deterrent；　then　whoever　sits　in　judgment…a　proper　court；　with　three　judges　and　witnesses…has　the　right；　indeed　the　duty　of　sentencing　them　to　exile。　Now；　let's　go　on　to　the　most　important　issue　before　this　Council。〃
　　Beyond　him；　Kashman　was　gaping；　infuriated　that　the　older　Lord　Holders　were　so　blithely　setting　aside　his　issue。
　　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　about　preventing　fireballs　dropping　from　the　sky？〃　Bargen　asked；　surveying　the　Weyrleaders　with　a　critical　sweep。
　　〃We　have　several　remendations。。。　〃　F'lar　said；　rising　to　his　feet。
　　〃Don't　want　remendations；〃　Bargen　retorted。　〃I　want　positive　reassurance　that　such　displays　won't　be　repeated　in　the　near　future。〃
　　〃Nothing　in　the　near　future　has　so　far　been　discerned；〃　F'lar　said　and　found　he　had　everyone's　attention。
　　〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　Groghe　demanded。
　　〃Such　surveys　of　near　Pern　objects　as　Master　Erragon　has　been　able　to　plete　with　a　dedicated　band　of　sky…watchers　suggest　that　nothing　is　close　enough　to　descend　on　Pern's　surface　in　the　near　future。〃
　　〃And？〃　Bargen　prompted；　scowling。　〃In　the　further　future？〃
　　〃We　must　place　more　telescopes　in　strategic　positions　to　watch　our　skies；　mobilize　a　body　of　dedicated　people　to　support　at　least　five　major　observatories…〃
　　Toric　leaped　to　his　feet。　〃You　want　the　Council　to　support　five！　Tithes　are　already　in　full　use。　Where　would　more　marks　e　from　for　five　observatories？〃
　　Bargen　was　on　his　feet；　so　were　Langrell　and　Toronas；　shouting　against　such　major　projects。　Deckter　asked　for　details。　Even　Lord　Groghe　appeared　concerned。　F'lar　stood　still；　ignoring　the　shouts；　the　arguments　as　Sebell　struck　the　gavel　for　silence。
　　A　burst　of　thunder…dragons　shouting…penetrated　the　Great　Hall　and　deafened　everyone。
　　〃As　I　was　saying；　if　you　wish　to　avoid　more　problems　like　that　Fireball；　you　have　to　be　prepared；〃　F'lar　went　on　in　a　normal　tone　of　voice。　〃We　already　have　Cove　Hold　and　Honshu；〃　and　he　bowed　to　Lord　Lytol　and　the　Star　Master；　〃which　is　generously　maintained　by　Landing。〃
　　〃A　portion　of　our　tithes；〃　Lord　Lytol　said；　〃will　be　distributed　to　the　other　locations　as　well　as　to　pay　teachers。〃
　　〃The　SmithCraftHall　cannot　produce　the　telescopes　required　for　observatories。。。〃　Master　Fandarel　began。
　　〃There　are　four　in　the　Catherine　Caves；〃　Master　Erragon　said；　bowing　respectfully　to　the　Mastersmith　for　his　interruption。
　　〃Ah；　well；　in　that　case；〃　and　Fandarel　raised　a　thick　swollen　hand　in　agreement。
　　〃I　have　undertaken　to　supply　a　Star　Hold；〃　Jaxom　said；　rising　briefly；　〃with　appropriate　tithes；　and　the　cost　of　building　one　at　Ice　Lake　as　remended　by　Master　Erragon。〃
　　Toric's　frown　grew　deeper　when　Lord　Larad　rose　to　his　feet。
　　〃Telgar　does　the　same。　Weyrwoman　Palla　pleted　most　of　her　apprenticeship　with　Master　Wansor。〃
　　〃As　a　twenty…four…hour　coverage　of　our　skies　is　essential　to　its　overall　success；〃　F'lar　said；　but　Lessa　could　see　how　much　he　relished　the　shock　he　was　about　to　give　the　entire　Council；　〃an　observatory　must　be　constructed　as　soon　as　possible　on　a　site；　approved　by　Masters　Wansor；　Erragon；　and　Idarolan；　on　the　Western　Continent。〃
　　The　Council　was　in　an　uproar。　Even　the　usually　placid　MasterCraftsmen　were　excited；　demanding　details　and　plans　while　the　Lord　Holders　were　protesting　such　a　drain　on　tithe…marks　and　labor。　It　took　time　for　Sebell　to　reestablish　order。
　　〃But　it　was　the　Yokohama　that　saw　the　Fireball；〃　Groghe　exclaimed　as　the　din　abated。
　　〃Why　are　so　many　needed？〃　Langrell　asked　plaintively。
　　〃It's　a　big　sky；〃　K'van　remarked。
　　〃You　have　to　find　the　near　object　before　you　can　divert　it；〃　F'lar　put　in　almost　offhandedly。
　　〃Divert　it？〃　Groghe　exclaimed；　the　smile　that　had　been　growing　during　F'lar's　opening　sentences　turning　into　stunned　amazement。　〃But　there　are　no　more　engines　to　divert　anything　since　we　blew　the　Red　Star　up；　are　there？〃
　　〃No　engines；　Lord　Groghe；　but　dragons　and　their　riders！〃　Toric　leaped　to　his　feet；　face　suffused　with　blood；　stabbing　his　finger　at　the　Benden　Weyrleader；　and　shouted；　〃So　you　think　you　can　coerce　the　Holds　to　continue　to　support　you　forever？〃
　　〃Not　at　all；　Lord　Toric；〃　F'lar　replied　with　calm　pride。　〃You　cannot　perceive　how　deeply　every　Weyr…〃　He　paused　and　the　other　dragonriders　nodded　or　murmured　emphatic　agreement　with　that　statement。　〃…wishes　to　be　as　independent　as　any　other　person　on　this　planet。　Necessity　has　required　our　dependence　on　the　holds　we　protect；　but；　by　the　end　of　this　Pass；　we　shall　all　have　holdings　or　crafts　with　which　to　support　ourselves。　We　shall　be　journeymen　and　…women；　attracting　apprentices　to　Star　Holds　and　learning　to　be　Masters　of　the　Star　Hall。　We　will　study　the　stars　and　watch　until　we　know　exactly　what　might　threaten　this　planet　again。〃
　　〃And　what　will　you　do　then？〃　Toric　bawled　the　question。
　　F'lar　regarded　Toric　with　a　smile　on　his　face。　〃We　will　divert　it。〃
　　〃How？　How？〃　Toric　pounded　the　table。　〃You　weren't　able　to　divert　the　Fireball。〃
　　〃Now　that；〃　and　F'lar　paused　significantly；　without　a　trace　of　apology；　〃won't　happen　again。〃　His　tone　was　so　confident；　his　manner　so　assured　that　the　other　dragonriders　proudly　straightened；　so　obviously　in　agreement　with　his　statement；　that　the　Southern　Holder　was　perplexed。
　　〃It　is　an　ability　that　Aivas　perceived　in　dragonkind；〃　Jaxom　remarked　as　one　chiding　his　audience　to　remember　something　they　had　not　previously　considered。
　　〃Indeed；　Lord　Jaxom；〃　F'lar　said　amiably。　〃The　dragons　have　always　had　the　ability。　We　have　been　busy　refining　it。〃
　　〃It　takes　time　and　practice；〃　N'ton　said。
　　〃The　older　the　dragon；　the　more　adept；　you　know；〃　K'van　put　in。
　　〃bined　with　observatories　and　a　sound　knowledge　of　the　Rukbat　system　and　our　skies；〃　F'lar　continued；　〃we'll　know　exactly　what's　around　us　and　what　else　the　Oort　Cloud　spawns。〃
　　〃As　you　all　have　reminded　us；〃　Lessa　added；　〃dragonriders　are　the　caretakers　of　Pern's　skies。　So　let　us　continue　to　undertake　that　responsibility。〃
　　〃Practicing　and　preparing　for　when　the　need　for　this　potent　ability　presents　itself；〃　F'lar　finished。
　　As　draconic　bellow　had　silenced　argument；　now　everyone　heard　the　carol　that　trilled　the　affirmative　response　of　the　dragons　gathered　on　the　cliffs　of　Telgar！
　　〃Well；　I　for　one；〃　Groghe　said；　beaming　at　F'lar　and　the　other　Weyrleaders；　〃am　deeply　relieved　to　hear　all　this。　Though　I　can't　remember　Aivas。。。〃
　　〃Naturally　Aivas　only　discussed　the　subject　with　dragonriders；〃　Jaxom　said　in　a　grave　manner。
　　〃Thank　you；　Weyrleaders；〃　Sebell　said。　〃You　have　relieved　our　fears　considerably　and　I　think　I　can　speak　for　all　the　Craftmasters　that　there　will　be　generous　Hall　support　to　match　that　already　guaranteed　new　observatories　by　Lord　Holders。〃　He　bowed　to　Jaxom　and　Larad。
　　〃Tillek　is　the　nearest　port；〃　Ranrel　said　to　Erragon　across　the　table；　〃we　will　donate　shipping。〃
　　〃Services　in　place　of　tithes？〃　Toric　cried；　infuriated。
　　〃Oh；　do　sit　down；　Toric；〃　Groghe　said。
　　〃There　hasn't　been　a　vote　about　approving　more　observatories；〃　Toric　plained。
　　〃I　can　take　a　vote　now；〃　Sebell　put　in　hopefully。
　　〃The　necessity　for　three　new　observatories　hasn't　been　properly　discussed；〃　Toric　shouted。
　　〃I　want　to　know　more　about　the　Western　Continent；〃　Master　Ballora　said　in　a　loud　voice。　〃We　don't　know　what　life…forms　are　there。　What　effect　contact　with　new　ones