amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第5部分

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as　insinuated　into　our　way　of　life；　corrupting　the　traditions　by　which　we　have　survived　so　long。〃　Fifth　had　no　trouble　dominating　the　conversation　again。　〃I　do　not…〃　He　paused。　〃…approve　of　harming　a　living　thing。〃　Again；　he　left　a　significant　pause　before　he　continued。　〃But　permanently　removing　items　that　can　have　dangerous　effects　on　innocent　people　is　another　thing。　It　would　be　wise　to　make　certain　that　such　new　materials　and　objects　should　never　see　the　light　of　day。〃
　　〃Much　less　glowbaskets　or　electricity；〃　Third　said　in　a　facetious　tone　that　was　not　well　received　even　by　Second。　Fifth　and　Fourth　glowered　so　repressively　that　he　recoiled。
　　〃I　go　along　with　removing　some　of　those　gadgets　and　new　junk；〃　Second　murmured；　but　he　didn't　sound　entirely　convinced。　〃It's　more　that　some　of　us；〃　he　added；　glancing　from　one　face　to　another；　〃never　seem　to　get　our　fair　share。〃
　　〃I　agree　wholeheartedly。　Like　dragonriders　getting　what　they　want　first；〃　Third　said。　〃Get　our　share。〃
　　〃There　are　more　folk　than　you　might　think；〃　Fifth　said　in　his　pelling　voice；　〃who　have　genuine　doubts　about　improvements　from　all　this　Aivas　stuff。　Machine　oughtn't　to　know　more　than　a　human　being　does。〃
　　First　gave　another　emphatic　nod　of　his　head　and　rose。　〃Be　right　back　with　some　other　right…thinking　human　beings。〃
　　By　the　end　of　the　evening；　there　were　over　twenty　〃right…thinking〃　men　and　women；　discussing　in　low　voices　the　possibility　that　the　Aivas　machine…the　〃Abomination〃　seemed　as　appropriate　a　name　as　it　had　been　for　the　original　protestors…might　not　have　the　good　of　real　people　at　heart；　it　being　a　machine　and　all。
　　No　one　exchanged　names　and　hold　or　hall　affiliations；　but　they　all　agreed　to　meet　at　the　next　Gather；　if　they　could。　They　agreed　to　find　out　who　else　might　wish　to　organize　a　protest　about　undesirable　and　possibly　detrimental　changes　that　were　introduced　as　〃progress。〃
　　It　surprised　First　and　Second；　but　not　Third；　Fourth；　Sixth；　and　Seventh…and　especially　not　Fifth…who　continued　to　use　those　numbers　as　their　Gather　identities；　that　many　people　had　grievances；　small　and　large；　real　or　fancied；　that　needed　to　be　aired　and　perhaps　addressed。　Fifth　never　again　spoke　about　the　synchronicity　of　the　death　of　the　Masterharper　and　the　Abomination；　but　that　little　rumor　bound　many　to　the　cause　who　might　not　have　given　it　much　credence。　Master　Robinton　had　been　very　popular；　and　if…if…that　Abomination　had　been　responsible　in　any　way　for　the　Masterharper's　death；　then　that　was　cause　enough　to　ally　against　it。　If　devices　or　procedures　they　couldn't　understand　were　sponsored　or　suggested　by　the　Abomination；　distrust　or　fear…along　with　that　damaging　rumor　of　which　death　had　been　first…supplied　an　impetus　that　could　be　successfully　channeled　into　action。
　　There　were　those　who　found　fulfillment　within　the　group　and　in　the　planning；　and　with　a　certain　perverse　joy　in　subtly　thwarting　〃progress〃　with　minor　deeds　of　damage。　But　for　others；　such　〃minor〃　deeds…which　did　not　cause　real　alarm　in　Hold　and　Hall；　or　have　deeper　consequences　in　preventing　the　making　and　distribution　of　more　and　more　abominable　devices…were　not　enough。
　　Though　it　caused　some　distress　to　healers　to　find　the　latest　shipments　of　new　preparations　from　the　Healer　Hall　missing　from　their　shelves；　it　did　not　immediately　occur　to　them　that　none　of　the　older　remedies　were　ever　stolen。
　　If　a　Crafthall；　manufacturing　parts　for　new　devices；　found　work　damaged　by　〃accidents〃　or　acids　spilled　on　packing　crates；　they　put　stronger　locks　on　their　hall　doors　and　kept　eyes　open　for　strangers　visiting　in　the　area。
　　If　the　Printer　Hall　found　discarded　sheets　missing　from　the　bin　in　which　the　ruined　paper　had　been　placed　for　recycling；　none　of　the　apprentices　thought　to　report　the　matter。
　　Then　the　Lilcamp　traders；　who　were　transporting　some　valuable　ponents　from　one　Smith　Hall　to　another；　found　the　carefully　packed　crates　missing　one　morning　and　reported　it　to　Master　Fandarel　at　Telgar　Smithcrafthall。　Fandarel　sent　an　indignant　message　to　Masterharper　Sebell；　reminding　him　that　this　was　by　no　means　the　first　time　delicate　items　had　mysteriously　disappeared　on　the　way　to　Smith　Halls。　One　of　the　healer　journeymen　had　casually　plained　about　having　to　resupply　new　medications　to　a　rather　large　number　of　healers；　working　in　isolated　areas。　Fandarel；　Sebell；　and　Masterhealer　Oldive　began　to　notice　such　depredations。
　　It　was　Master　Harper　Mekelroy；　better　known　to　the　Masterharper　as　Pinch；　who　sifted　through　such　incidents　and　found　a　pattern　to　the　thefts　and　pillaging。
　　
PART　I…Turnover
TURNOVER　AT　LANDING…1。1。31　PRESENT　PASS　AIVAS…AIVAS　ADJUSTED　TURN　2553
　　Since　it　was　not　at　all　unusual　for　dragonriders　to　be　found　poring　over　the　volumes　in　the　extensive　Aivas　archives；　F'lessan；　rider　of　bronze　Golanth；　was　not　surprised　to　see　a　girl　wearing　the　shoulder　knots　of　a　green　rider　from　Monaco　Bay　deeply　engrossed　in　study。　What　did　strike　him　as　odd　was　that　anyone　at　all　was　here　in　the　main　archive　reading　room　during　Turnover。　Tonight　the　planet；　north　and　south　continents；　would　officially　celebrate　the　beginning　of　the　thirty…second　Turn　of　the　present　and；　hopefully；　final　Pass　of　Threadfall。　Even　through　the　thick　walls　of　the　building；　he　could　hear　drums　and　occasionally　the　sound　of　the　brass　instruments　from　Landing's　Gather　Square。
　　Why　wasn't　the　girl；　especially　a　green　rider；　out　dancing？　Why　wasn't　he？　He　grimaced。　He　was　still　trying　to　overe　the　carelessly　lustful　reputation　that　he　had　earned　early　in　this　Pass。　Not　that　he　was　any　different　from　many　bronze　and　brown　riders。　〃Just　more　noticeable；〃　Mirrim　had　told　him　in　her　candid　fashion。　Mirrim　had　astonished　everyone；　including　herself；　when　she　had　Impressed　green　Path　at　a　Benden　Weyr　Hatching。　Being　T'gellan's　weyrmate　had　mellowed　her　natural　assertiveness；　but　she　never　spared　him　her　blunt　opinions。
　　The　girl　was　engrossed　in　her　study　of　a　foldout　page　depicting　Rukbat's　planetary　system；　spread　across　the　tilted　reading　desk。　Not　everyone's　reading　choice　certainly；　F'lessan　thought。
　　Many　of　the　younger　riders；　who　would　see　the　end　of　this　Pass　in　sixteen　Turns；　were　studying　to　bee　proficient　in　another　craft。　In　that　way　they　would　be　able　to　support　themselves　once　the　traditional　tithe　to　the　Weyrs　ceased。　While　Thread　still　fell；　Hold　and　Hall　would　continue　to　support　the　dragonriders；　in　exchange　for　aerial　protection　against　the　voracious　organism　that　could　destroy　anything　but　metal　and　stone。　But　when　Thread　ceased；　so　would　that　support。　Those　riders　whose　families　owned　holds　or　halls　might　simply　be　reabsorbed；　but　weyrbred　dragonriders　like　F'lessan　had　to　find　another　way。　Fortunately　for　F'lessan；　he　had　discovered　Honshu；　in　the　foothills　of　the　great　Southern　mountain　range；　and　since　the　Weyrs　had　wrung　out　of　the　council　that　loosely　governed　the　planet　the　concession　that　dragonriders　might　claim　holdings　on　the　Southern　continent；　F'lessan　had　claimed　Honshu　as　his。　He　had　based　most　of　his　argument　on　the　fact　that　he　intended　to　restore　and　preserve　the　Ancient　habitation　and　its　splendors　for　everyone　to　enjoy。　He　had　used　every　ounce　of　his　considerable　charm　and　every　jot　of　guile　with　other　Weyrleaders；　Craftmasters；　and　Lord　Holders　in　order　to　secure　that　title　to　himself。　And　once　the　formidable　intelligence　of　the　Artificial　Intelligence　Voice　Address　System…Aivas…and　the　bined　might　of　all　the　Weyrs　of　Pern　had　diverted　the　orbit　of　the　menacing　Red　Star；　he　had　begun　to　spend　all　the　time　he　could　spare　from　his　duties　as　a　Benden　Wingleader　in　refurbishing　Honshu。
　　F'lessan　had　never　been　a　studious　youngster…his　interests　as　well　as　his　concentration　span　had　been　limited　to　escaping　lessons　whenever　he　could　and　having　the　greatest　amount　of　fun。　Impressing　bronze　Golanth　had　imposed　discipline　at　last；　because　there　was　no　way　he　would　neglect　his　dragon。　He　had　learned　a　determination　and　focus　that　had　resulted　in　his　being　one　of　the　most　adept　riders；　held　up　as　a　fine　example…at　least　of　riding…by　weyrlingmasters。
　　Honshu　had　bee　another　passion。　The　Ancient　holding；　with　the　splendid　murals　in　its　m