amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第49部分

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　　Roused　from　his　bed　early　that　morning；　Tagetarl　had　gone　to　his　office　to　find　what　reassurance　he　could　from　his　maps。　The　Eastern　Sea　was　a　long　way　from　Keroon。　But　he　was　awake　so　he　went　down　to　the　kitchen　level　to　make　fresh　klah。　He　had　a　hunch　he'd　need　it　before　this　day　was　done。　Several　hours　later；　when　the　shock　wave　rumbled　over　Wide　Bay；　he　blithely　told　everyone　that　this　was　natural　enough。　Most　believed　Harpers；　but　not　all。　His　spouse；　Rosheen；　gave　him　a　skeptical　stare。
　　Drums　rolling　a　message　on　to　Keroon　Hold　informed　him；　and　anyone　else　who　could　interpret　drum　messages；　that　〃everything　was　under　control。〃　A　tag　to　it…that　only　a　harper　would　know…was　an　urgent　invitation　for　Lord　Kashman　to　be　conveyed　to　Landing。
　　Nor　was　what　〃was　now　under　control〃　explained。　Situated　in　an　old　warehouse　that　had　been　converted　to　its　new　purpose；　Tagetarl's　Printing　Hall　was　on　the　north　side　of　Wide　Bay。　He　had　a　good　view　of　ships　entering　and　leaving　the　harbor　but　the　Hall　was　not　conveniently　situated　to　see　if　a　dragon　had　taken　off　from　Keroon　Hold。　With　his　good　long…range　vision；　he　could　make　out　frantic　activity　on　the　wharves　as　goods　waiting　to　be　shipped　were　taken　back　into　warehouses。　He　didn't　need　his　prized　collapsible　far…seer　to　see　colored　sails　being　hoisted　on　the　dozen　or　so　ships；　some　of　which　he　knew　were　waiting　for　cargo。　All　through　the　morning；　a　tension　seemed　to　pulse　in　on　every　wave　that　splashed　the　seawalls。　Gales　whipping　either　east　or　west　of　Nerat's　tip　often　blustered　up　past　Igen's　headland　and　up　wide　Keroon　Bay。　Tagetarl　frequently　found　reasons　to　stop　in　his　office　for　a　few　minutes　and　check　what　was　happening　in　the　bay。　The　ships　were　sailing　south　on　a　wide　port　tack；　evidently　heading　up　Keroon　Bay。　For　safety。
　　A　shuffling　reminded　him　that　he'd　nearly　forgotten　the　messenger。
　　〃Sorry。。。〃　he　caught　back　〃son〃　because　the　person　in　front　of　him　was　a　young　girl。　He　was　still　not　accustomed　to　girls　as　green　riders。　She　looked　very　uncertain　of　herself；　but　somehow　proud；　he'd　seen　that　bination　when　a　young　student　managed　to　play　a　plicated　score　correctly。　She　had　her　riding　helmet　crushed　in　one　hand　and　a　thin　message　packet　in　the　other。　Hesitantly　she　held　it　out　for　him　to　take。　She　wore　Monaco　colors　and　a　green　weyrling's　knot　on　her　flying　jacket。　〃Sorry；　green　rider。　Is　all　well　at　Monaco？〃
　　She　stammered。　〃Very　wet；　Master。　I　am　to　deliver　you　this。〃　His　polite　inquiry　produced　fear　and　anxiety　in　her　face。　〃For　your　urgent　attention；　Masterprinter。　I　must　wait　until　you've　done　it。〃
　　〃You　must；　must　you？〃　Tagetarl　smiled　reassuringly。　She　couldn't　be　more　than　sixteen　Turns　and　he　wondered　if　this　was　her　first　long　journey　as　a　weyrling。　She　also　looked　very　tired。　However；　any　news　from　Monaco　might　clarify　and　enlighten　the　tense　situation…and　explain　why　Lord　Kashman　had　been　called　to　Landing。　Of　course；　the　new　Lord　Holder　may　not　be　quite　sure　of　procedure　in　what　appeared　to　be　a　widespread　emergency。
　　〃Yes；　sir；　and　where　may　I　wait？〃
　　〃Sit；　before　you　fall；　girl；〃　Tagetarl　said；　pointing　to　a　stool　before　he　opened　the　message。　〃From　F'lar？〃　he　exclaimed；　recognizing　the　handwriting…bad　enough　under　any　circumstances；　though　the　bronze　rider　had　obviously　tried　to　be　legible。
　　〃Tag；　urgent　notice　to　publish　facts。　Should　get　inland　where　sweepriders　have　not　already　given　warnings。　Runners　have　been　asked　to　distribute。　Give　the　messenger　a　hundred　to　take　to　Nerat。　Please　ask　Keroon　Stationmaster　to　distribute　another　hundred。　Riders　will　be　sent　for　the　rest。　Rush。〃　This　last　was　underscored　several　times。
　　Any　irritation　Tagetarl　felt　for　the　peremptory　tone　was　discarded　when　he　read　the　copy　for　printing。　The　body　of　the　message　was　in　another　handwriting　altogether；　much　easier　to　read。
　　〃Rosheen！　Turn　on　the　big　press；〃　he　shouted　down　the　hall。　He　heard　her　answering　〃What？〃　and　continued　to　call　orders　at　what　his　spouse　called　his　〃harper　volume；〃　audible　inside　and　outside　the　hall。　〃Apprentices！　I'll　need　the　big　notice　sheets。　Check　the　toner　cartridges。〃　He　turned　back　to　the　green　rider。　〃Where's　your　dragon？〃
　　〃Ptath's　in　the　court。　F'lar　told　me　we'd　fit。　That's　why　I　was　chosen　to　bring　the　message。　The　Printer　Hall　wasn't　hard　to　find　once　I　got　to　Wide　Bay。　I'm　Danegga。　No　one　here　seems　to　mind　a　dragon　dropping　in　on　them；〃　she　added　with　a　charming　naivete。
　　〃The　Printer　Hall　is　accustomed　to　visitors；　Danegga；　but　you　look　tired　and　you　may　want　to　get　something　hot　to　eat。　Between　is　cold。〃　He　gave　her　an　encouraging　smile。　〃Your　first　assignment　out　of　Monaco；　Danegga？　Good　ride。　Much　damage　at　Monaco　Weyr？〃
　　Her　face　twisted　and　tears　came　to　her　eyes　but　she　pulled　her　shoulders　up　proudly。　〃They　say　the　water　will　recede。　We'll　rebuild；　Masterprinter。　We　saved　everybody　and　as　much　else　as　the　dragons　could　carry。〃
　　〃Then　you　did　very　well；　Danegga。　Very　well　indeed。　Now；　run　down　to　the　kitchen…just　follow　your　nose。　There's　always　soup　on　the　stove　and　there　was　fresh　bread　this　morning。　Might　just　be　time　for　you　to　get　a　short　nap　while　I　print　these。　Monaco　will　be　proud　of　you。〃
　　〃Thank　you；　sir；　thank　you；〃　and　as　she　turned　to　leave；　she　nearly　ran　Rosheen　down；　bobbing　again　to　excuse　herself。
　　As　Rosheen　reached　Tagetarl；　he　flourished　F'lar's　message　at　her；　not　allowing　her　time　to　read　it。
　　〃We'll　both　need　to　set　copy。　Headline　in　the　boldest　print　face　we　have；　biggest　letters；〃　he　muttered；　pulling　her　down　the　hall　to　the　Print　Hall　proper。
　　〃FIREBALL　WILL　CAUSE　COASTAL　FLOODING！〃　he　said；　making　a　big　bracket　with　his　hands。　Good　time　to　try　that　26…point　they'd　just　added。
　　She　grabbed　the　message　from　his　hand。
　　〃So　this　is　what's　got　the　ships　sailing　away。　A　fireball？　What's　that？　Oh；　the　text　explains。　And　they　got　Master　Esselin　to　sign　this；　too？〃
　　She　nearly　tripped　in　surprise　and　Tagetarl　grinned　at　her。　They'd　both　done　their　stints　of　copying　under　his　critical　eye。
　　〃Makes　it　more　official；　though；　doesn't　it？〃　Tagetarl　grinned。　〃Apprentices；　front　and　center！　We'll　need　to　wrap　in　hundred…copy　packets。〃
　　〃Did　I　see　Monaco　colors　on　the　girl？〃　Rosheen　asked　as　they　took　the　last　few　steps　to　the　Hall　floor。
　　〃You　did　and　you　know　as　much　as　I　do。　Let's　get　this　job　done　as　fast　as　possible。　Rumors　of　course　will　spread　faster；　but　if　the　Runners　distribute　a　written　message；　people　are　more　likely　to　believe　the　printed　word。〃
　　〃Considering　how　scarce　they　are。。。〃　was　Rosheen's　whimsical　remark　as　she　followed　him。
　　The　results　were　not　bad　for　a　rush　job：　the　new　toner　dried　fast　so　the　copies　didn't　smear。　He　gave　Danegga　the　first　packet；　he'd　be　on　up　the　hill　to　deliver　the　second　one　as　soon　as　he　saw　her　off。　Over　his　shoulder；　he　saw　Ptath　lift　from　the　ground；　but　only　high　enough　to　safely　go　between。　It　didn't　take　him　long　to　reach　the　Wide　Bay　Runner　Station；　situated　as　it　was　on　the　wide　main　road。　He　paused　on　the　threshold　since　the　entrance　was　full　of　men　and　women；　a　few　dressed　as　Runners。　When　the　very　air　buzzed　with　excitement；　Stations　were　good　places　to　garner　news。
　　〃Stationmaster；〃　Tagetarl　said；　effortlessly　projecting　his　voice　through　the　babble。　To　his　right；　inside　the　main　room；　Arminet　stood　on　tiptoe　to　see　him。
　　〃Let　the　MasterPrinter　pass。　He's　just　the　man　to　explain　all　this；〃　cried　Arminet　in　his　equally　loud　deep　bass　voice。
　　People　stepped　on　each　other　to　get　out　of　Tagetarl's　way　but　almost　everyone　asked　〃The　fireball？　Do　you　know　about　the　fireball？〃　as　he　passed　them。
　　Tagetarl　held　the　package　over　his　head；　waving　it。　〃It's　all　in　here。〃　He　almost　stumbled　when　he　saw　Pinch　duck　to　one　side。　Trust　that　one　to　be　in　the　thick　of　things。　〃Stationmaster　Arminet；　I've　been　asked　by　the　signatories　of　this　message　to　request　Runners　to　pass　these　along　inland。　Sweepriders　are　warning　coastal　areas。　I'll　pay　any　charges　you　think　fair。〃
　　〃Ha！　You　know　we　carry　munity　messages　free；　Master　Tagetarl；〃　Arminet　said；　his　bass　voice　rumbling　with　sardonic　amusement。　〃What　does　it　say？〃
　　Tagetarl　began　to　recite