amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第106部分

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ter。　Seems　to　do　the　job。〃
　　〃I　understand；〃　Lytol　added；　shifting　in　his　chair　after　Wansor's　blunder；　〃that　Master　Ballora　sent　teams　to　investigate　the　habits　and　lairs　of　these　creatures　on　Southern。〃　He　paused。　〃She's　of　the　opinion　that　they　were　originally　developed　to　hunt　the　large　variety　of　tunnel　snakes　that　preyed　on　herdbeasts　in　the　early　colonial　days。　The　experiment　went　wrong；　the　creatures　escaped；　and；　with　no　predators　to　inhibit　their　numbers；　they　proliferated　unchallenged　after　the　Ancients　went　north。　It　would　be　an　impossible；　as　well　as　a　very　dangerous；　task　to　eradicate　them。　Master　Oldive　suggests　that　it　should　be　possible　to　decrease　their　numbers　by　using　bait　tainted　with　an　infertility　substance；　but　first　the　species　must　be　examined。　Master　Ballora　is　not　the　only　Council　member　who　is　adamant　that　we　may　not　do　away　with　any　species　that　inhabits　this　planet。〃
　　〃Except　Thread；〃　F'lessan　murmured；　his　sense　of　mischief　suddenly　dominant。
　　Lytol　gave　him　a　long；　almost　amused　look。　〃That　organism　is　not　indigenous。〃
　　〃No　more　than　the　felines；〃　D'ram　put　in；　〃since　they　were　developed　by　the　Ancients。〃　He　shuddered。
　　〃I　shouldn't　like　to　think　that　there　were　any　lurking　near；〃　Wansor　added；　his　face　furrowed。
　　〃Not　with　Tiroth　on　duty；〃　D'ram　said　stoutly；　patting　Wansor　on　the　hand。
　　Erragon　cleared　his　throat；　taking　charge　of　conversation。　〃Quite　true。　Quite　true。　Now　I　want　to　thank　you；　F'lessan　and　Tai；　for　the　work　you've　already　pleted；　analyzing　the　images　I　sent。　What　I'd　like　to　know　is…〃　and　the　Star　Master　hesitated。
　　〃If　we'd　be　willing　to　undertake　regular　reviews　of　the　southern　starscape；〃　F'lessan　finished。　〃I　think　from　T'gellan's　presence　here　today；〃　he　said；　glancing　at　Tai；　〃that　Tai　must　gradually　return　to　her　duties　with　Monaco　Weyr。　With　their　agility；　speed；　and　control；　greens　are　the　most　useful　dragon　in　any　Fall。〃
　　Lytol　bowed　his　scarred　face　in　acknowledgment　of　F'lessan's　tacit　allusion　to　the　fact　that　he　would　never　again　fly　a　fighting　wing。　
　　〃Perhaps　you　should　consider　spending　the　Nine　Fall　here　at　Cove　Hold　with　us；　bronze　rider；〃　Lytol　said。
　　〃I　shall　hope　to　be　able　to　land　more　gracefully　by　then；〃　F'lessan　replied　with　a　self…deprecating　grin。
　　〃Practice；　I　believe；〃　Lytol　murmured；　his　eyes　alive　with　understanding　and　passion；　〃always　improves　performance。〃
　　〃I　will；　however；〃　and　F'lessan　paused；　〃need　to　pursue　another　future　for　myself　and　my　dragon。〃
　　〃Well；　you've　already　proved　that　you　can　be　useful　as　a　star…watcher；〃　Master　Wansor　blurted　out。　〃You　don't　need　a　dragon　for　that。〃　His　plump　hand　covered　his　mouth　as　he　realized　what　he　had　said。　〃I　mean；　you　still　have　Golanth；　even　if　he。。。〃
　　〃Even　if　he　is　battered；〃　F'lessan　finished　for　him。　〃So；　I　entreat　you；　Master　Wansor；　Master　Erragon；　to　allow　me　to　study　astronomy　so　that　Honshu　can　bee　fully　operational　as　the　second　Pern　observatory。〃
　　〃Oh；　dear；　there　never　has　been　a　dragonrider　astronomer；〃　Wansor　said；　and　then　beamed　in　F'lessan's　direction。　〃But　then　there　wasn't　even　a　StarSmith　until　very　recently。〃
　　〃Tai's　already　trained　to　near　journeywoman　status；〃　F'lessan　said；　laying　his　hand　on　hers。　〃Isn't　she；　Erragon？〃
　　〃She　is；　indeed；〃　Erragon　agreed　with　hearty　approval。
　　〃We　work　well　as　a　team；〃　F'lessan　hurried　on；　〃and　she'll　need　a　profession；　too；　when　Threadfall　stops。〃
　　〃True；　very　true；〃　Erragon　said　enthusiastically；　slapping　his　hands　on　his　knees　in　emphasis。　〃Hope　you'll　be　the　first　of　many。〃　Then；　in　an　abrupt　change　of　mood；　he　said；　〃Do　tell　us；　F'lessan；　how　did　you　and　Golanth　get　here　today？〃
　　〃I　was　wondering　when　someone　would　ask；〃　F'lessan　replied。
　　〃This　new　ability　that　the　Weyrleaders　mentioned　in　Council？　Something。。。〃　Erragon　clicked　his　fingers；　impatient　with　his　memory　lapse。　〃。。。　about　the　ability　Aivas　perceived　in　dragons　that　has　some　bearing　on　averting　future　dangers？〃
　　〃Given　that　dragonriders　are　apparently　responsible　for　what　falls　out　of　the　sky；〃　F'lessan　said　with　a　touch　of　irony；　〃yes；　it　bears　directly　on　that；　and　on　my　very　keen　interest　in　astronomy。〃
　　〃What？　What　is　it？〃　Erragon　prompted。
　　〃Actually　you　all　witnessed　a　demonstration　of　that　ability　on　my　arrival。〃
　　Erragon；　Wansor；　and　D'ram　regarded　him　without　prehension；　but　a　smile　eased　across　Lytol's　seamed　face　and　he　nodded。
　　〃I　thought　so。〃　When　the　grinning　F'lessan　gestured　for　him　to　continue；　he　did。　〃Consider；　my　friends；　that　Golanth　sustained　terrible　injuries　to　eye　and　wing。　I　do　not　think　Golanth　could　have　launched　himself　from　even　the　topmost　terrace　of　Honshu　to　gain　sufficient　height　to　go　between。　Also；　he　arrives　in　the　pany　of　five　other　dragons。　He　falters　in　landing　and　is　righted…without　any　use　of　that　damaged　wing。　The　other　dragons　assisted　him。　Correct？〃
　　F'lessan　nodded。　〃While　it　doesn't　require　five　dragons　to　lift　Golanth；　it　does　require　a　good　deal　of　control　to　lift　and　land。　From　what　the　Monaco　riders　told　us；　it　appears　that　female　and　male　dragons　work　best　as　partners　in　such　telekinesis。〃
　　〃I　still　don't　understand；〃　Erragon　murmured；　shaking　his　head。　〃How　did　a　wing…injured　dragon　fly？〃
　　Beside　him；　D'ram　was　gaping　open…mouthed　at　F'lessan　and　Lytol。
　　〃Master　Wansor；　I　know　that　you；〃　and　F'lessan　nodded　toward　him；　〃remember　that　Aivas　was　fascinated　by　dragons；　by　a　species　that　municates　mentally　and　moves　freely　between　one　place　and　another。　He　called　these　abilities　telepathy　and　teleportation。　He　thought　they　should　have　a　third：　telekinesis。　He　very　much　wanted　dragons　to　have　that　facet。　They've　evidently　had　it　all　along　but…〃　F'lessan　paused　to　grin　at　a　speechless　D'ram。　〃…until　the　feline　attack　on　Golanth　and　Zaranth；　had　never　needed　to　use　it。〃
　　Turning　to　Erragon　then；　he　went　on。　〃What　you　saw　today　is　a　refinement　of　telekinesis。　Controlled！〃　He　paused　to　stress　that。　〃Golanth　can't…yet…use　the　damaged　wing　effectively。　So　the　dragons　lifted　him　vertically；　high　enough　above　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；