amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第95节

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Honshu　to　go　safely　between；　which　he　can　still　do　for　himself。〃　F'lessan　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　watching　the　reactions　to　his　explanation：　Lytol　nodding；　Wansor　agape；　Erragon　frowning；　and　D'ram　smiling　in　approval。　〃Today　was　the　first　attempt　at　a　controlled　lift　of　another　dragon。　It'll　take　more　practice　to　perfect　the　skill。　Especially　landing。　I'm　sure；　Lord　Lytol；　that　we'll　improve　with　practice。〃
　　Today　was　my　first　try；　after　all；　Golanth　remarked；　somewhat　irked。
　　Of　course　it　was；　Golly；　Tai　assured　him；　pinching　F'lessan's　bare　arm。
　　〃Just　as　he　did　with　trundlebugs。〃　F'lessan　shot　Tai　a　sly　glance。
　　〃Why　can't　Golanth　'lift'　himself？〃　Erragon　asked。　F'lessan　shrugged。　〃Perhaps　because　he's　too　accustomed　to　doing　it　the　usual　way。　It　is；　as　Lord　Lytol　knows；　very　dangerous　to　go　between　at　ground　level。　Golly　may　just　have　to　change　the　way　he　thinks。〃　He　paused；　a　thoughtful　expression　on　his　face。　〃There's　going　to　be　a　lot　of　that　soon…a　lot　of　traditional　thinking　altered　to　deal　with　our　imminent　future　as　aerial　defenders　of　a　planet　no　longer　requiring　protection　against　Thread。〃
　　〃Hmm；　yes。〃　Lytol　rubbed　his　chin　thoughtfully；　but　his　gaze　gleamed　with　anticipation　as　he　regarded　the　bronze　rider。　〃So；　today；　to　get　Golanth　aloft；　the　others　supplied　the　initial　lift　and　controlled　the　descent。〃
　　〃To　some　degree；〃　F'lessan　said　with　a　grin。　〃Have　you　any　idea；　bronze　rider；　what　use　Aivas　would　have　made　of　draconic　telekinesis？〃　Lytol　asked。　Had　the　shrewd　man　already　jumped　to　the　same　conclusion　F'lessan　had？
　　〃Surely　you　don't　mean　he　expected　the　dragons　to　alter　the　Red　Star's　orbit？〃　Erragon　demanded；　astounded。
　　F'lessan　chuckled。　〃I　don't　know　what　he　had　in　mind。　Dragonriders　did　get　the　antimatter　engines　onto　the　planet。　And　the　blast　achieved　an　orbital　shift。　I　have　another；　not　pletely　dissimilar　idea。〃
　　Erragon　slapped　both　hands　onto　the　table；　his　face　mirroring　plete　skepticism。　〃And　you　are　suggesting。。。　that　dragons　will　be　able　to　deflect　etary　fragments　or　asteroids？〃
　　F'lessan　gave　the　Star　Master　a　long　speculative　look；　amusement　sparkling　in　his　gray　eyes。　He　caught　a　similar　twinkle　in　Lytol's　hooded　gaze。　If　he　had　Lytol　on　his　side；　his　preposterous　notion　might　just　have　a　chance。
　　〃Togo's　records　showed　the　Fireball　on　an　approach　orbit　months　ago。　If　it　had　been　moved　then；　by　just　a　slight　tap；　if　I　can　put　it　that　way；〃　and　F'lessan　could　no　longer　suppress　a　broad　grin；　〃the　Fireball　would　not　have　impacted。　Maybe　it　might　not　even　have　grazed　the　surface　but　trundled…〃
　　He　chuckled　as　he　rotated　his　hand；　index　finger　circling　expressively。　〃…back　out　into　space。〃
　　D'ram；　Erragon；　and　Wansor　gawked　at　him。　Lytol's　lips　formed　a　smile　of　approval；　and　Tai　stifled　laughter　at　his　description。
　　F'lessan　went　on。　〃I'm　not　saying　that　we　can　perfect　this　ability　to　have　a　significant　effect　on　what's　in　our　skies。　But　that　doesn't　mean　we　shouldn't　try。〃
　　He　looked　around；　satisfied　by　the　thoughtful　expressions。　Lytol　was　nodding　with　prehension。　F'lessan　leaned　urgently　forward　across　the　table；　the　look　in　his　eyes　challenging　them　all。
　　〃We　already　know　that　dragons　can　go　into　space　without　harm。　They　can　manage　a　journey　of　fifteen　minutes'　duration　before　they　incur　oxygen　debt。　We　lifted　massive　engines　from　three　spaceships。　We　planted　them　on　a　dead　world。　The　Red　Star　was　much　farther　away　from　Pern　than　anything　in　the　asteroid　belt；　or　among　the　minor　planets。　What's　to　say　we　can't　do　more　in　our　own　space？　We　still　have　the　helmets；　suits；　and　the　oxygen　equipment。　I　think　we　should　keep　them　in　good　condition。　I　think　dragons　should　practice　telekinesis　and　control　their　use　of　it。
　　〃And　another　thing；〃　he　said；　still　noting　that　both　D'ram　and　Erragon　were　having　some　difficulty　in　absorbing　his　remarks；　〃the　Ancients　may　have　had　sleds。　We　have　dragons。　We　don't　have　to　waste　time；　or　reinvent　a　fuel；　to　lift　dragons　from　the　surface　of　this　planet。　If　a　dragon　knows　where　he's　to　go。。。〃　He　waved　his　hand　to　let　imagination　finish　the　sentence。
　　〃Just　a　minute；　F'lessan；〃　Erragon　began；　his　eyes　wide　with　confusion；　〃we　can't　afford　to　risk　dragons。。。〃
　　〃They're　risked　every　time　they　go　into　a　Fall；〃　Lytol　said；　having　no　difficulty　with　F'lessan's　suggestion。
　　F'lessan　nodded；　his　smile　still　in　place。　〃We　have　the　Yoko　in　its　permanent　orbit。　It　has　the　southern　array　of　weather　stations　reporting　to　it。　I　often　wondered　why　there　wasn't　a　northern　one。〃
　　〃Perhaps　because　the　southern　continent　was　chosen；　having　the　larger　landmass　and　more　temperate　weather；〃　Lytol　suggested。
　　Erragon　held　up　one　hand。　〃Now　don't　tell　me　there　are　plans　in　Aivas　records　for　weather　satellites。〃
　　〃There　are；〃　Lytol　said。
　　〃I　was　thinking　of　them　more　as　links　between　the　observatories；〃　F'lessan　put　in；　〃which　you　know　we'll　need　if　we're　to　do　a　proper　job　of　sky…watching。〃
　　With　an　exclamation　of　confused　aggravation；　Erragon　rocked　back　on　his　chair；　looking　from　Lytol　to　F'lessan　to　Tai；　hoping　for　more　explanation。
　　〃Doesn't　young　Jaxom　boast　that　his　Ruth　always　knows　where　and　when　he　is？〃　Wansor　asked；　twiddling　his　fingers　as　the　tension　in　the　room　increased。
　　〃Even　in　space？〃　Erragon's　baritone　voice　rose　to　tenor　levels　in　surprise。
　　〃Well；　not　today；　or　even　by　the　time　the　Western　Telescope　is　lit；〃　F'lessan　said；　〃but　we　evidently　have　a　way　of　putting　objects　up！〃　He　pointed　skyward。　〃Of　course；　it　will　take　practice。　Maybe；〃　and　he　threw　this　out　with　a　gleam　of　mischief　in　his　eyes；　〃there　is　a　prosaic　use　for　this　draconic　ability…apart　from　defending　themselves　against　felines。〃
　　〃May　we　never　have　to　do　that　again！〃　Tai　said　fervently。　Outside；　in　the　cove；　three　dragons　echoed　the　sentiment。
　　〃Meanwhile；〃　F'lessan　said　briskly；　gathering　up　the　reports　and　prints　that　Erragon　wanted　them　to　study；　〃we　have　much　to　occupy　us。　Studying　for　our　Mastery；〃　and　he　gave　Tai　a　sly　glance；　〃and　altering　our　ways。　We　must　do　as　much　as　we　can　to　make　Pern　fair　up　to　our　means；　to　make　it　the　world　our　Ancestors　hoped　to　create。〃
　　He　felt　his　chest　fill　with　determination　to　succeed　in　his　new　tasks。　He　could　feel　fears　ing　to　his　eyes　as　he　held　out　his　hand　to　Tai。　She　rose；　inclining　her　body　toward　him；　her　eyes　shining；　too。　He　saw　Lytol's　face　light　up　so　that　he　seemed　younger　and　more　vital　than　ever。　D'ram　and　Erragon　got　to　their　feet；　while　Master　Wansor　beamed　benignly　around　the　table。
　　The　dragons　continued　to　bugle　and；　m　his　head；　F'lessan　was　certain　that　their　call　reverberated　through　every　Weyr　on　the　planet。　He　had　the　dragons'　support。
　　〃Whatever　we　have　to　do；　we　shall；〃　he　said　in　a　choked　voice　〃There　will　always　be　dragons　in　the　skies　of　Pern！〃
　　
　　
THE　PHYSICS　OF　PERN
Anne　McCaffrey
　　Did　Anne　McCaffrey　plan　the　physics　of　Pern　or　did　it　develop　along　the　way？　Here's　her　response：
　　The　Physics　of　Pern…ah；　yes；　well；　they　have　been　developed　by　Dr。　Jack　Cohen　of　Warwick　University　in　Dragonsdawn　and　All　the　Weyrs　of　Pern。　They　are　basically　Newtonian　physics　and/or　biology　in　which　Jack　holds　both　a　Ph。D　and　a　D。Sc。　He　is　also　a　generalist；　and　was　able　to　correct　some　of　my　basic　errors；　which　were　legion。　I　satisfied　the　science　requirement　at　Radcliffe　by　taking　cartography。　Although　I　did　not　know　at　that　point　in　my　life　that　it　would　be　a　valuable　asset　in　my　life's　work；　being　able　to　develop　a　map　of　new　worlds　has　been　extremely　valuable。　Even　expert　Karen　Wynn　Fonstad；　whom　I　helped　with　details　in　the　Atlas　of　Pern；　remarked　that　most　of　my　suppositions　about　Pernese　terrain　jibed　well　with　what　was　geologically　possible。　It　was　a　case　of　the　subconscious　running　with　an　idea　in　the　best　of　possible　directions。
　　To　Jack　Cohen；　I　owe　the　biology　of　Pern；　especially　of　the　dragons　and　the　fire…lizards　who　supplied　the　genetic　material　used　to　create…by　a　special　and　now…unknown　process　of　the　alien　race…the　Eridani；　the　dragons　of　Pern。　（You　can't　just　breed　large　examples　of　a　species　to　other　large　examples　and　keep　increasing　the　size　in　a　few　generations。）　He　also　figured　out　how　to　decimate　the　malignant　and　possibly　dangerous　life…forms　that　inhabited　the　Oort　Cloud　with　the　zebedees　（his　name　and　creation；　a　creature　that　replicates　itself　despite　its　environment）。
　　I　had；　you　see；　backed　myself　into　a　corner　in　The　White　Dragon；　because　there　was　no　way　the　present　day　population　of　Pern　could　eradicate　the　mycorrhizoid　Thread　life　form　without　the　help　of　the　original　colonists。　It　was　my　notion　to　have　a　voice　address　artificial　intelligence　unit…AIVAS…as　part　of　the　settlers'　equipment；　and　for　the　present　day　Pernese　to　discover　this　device　and　learn　from　it。　I　might　have　been　ahead　of　the　game　in　suggesting　such　a　puter　in　1970；　but　current　puter　techniques　indicate　that　such　a　device　is　within　the　realm　of　possibility。　What　I　desperately　needed　was　a　system　by　which　the　Pernese　generation　could　access　the　technology　left　by　their　progenitors　so　that　they　could　actively　fight　Thread　and　honor　the　Weyrleader's　vow　to　end　the　Threat　of　the　Red　Star　forever。　Jack　was