amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第51部分

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arefoot；　curling　his　toes　up　from　the　coarse　ground　cover。
　　〃Didn't　expect　you　back；　dragonrider；〃　Lady　Medda　said。
　　〃You　didn't　think　we'd　check　to　be　sure　you'd　survived；　Lady　Medda？〃　F'lessan　asked；　grinning。
　　Binness　shrugged。　〃Mostly　the　only　time　we　see　dragonriders　is　Threadfall　but　you　saved　us　from　far　worse　today。　And　three　boats。〃　He　nodded　solemnly　to　where　the　dories　had　been　propped　up　on　stout　branches　to　provide　shelter　for　sleeping　children。
　　〃Landing　has　sent　water；　bread；　klah；　glowbaskets；　hand　lights；　medical　supplies；　and　canvas　for　tenting；〃　F'lessan　said　cheerfully。
　　〃It's　warm　enough　these　nights；〃　Binness　said；　tilting　his　head　back。
　　〃I　believe　there're　wineskins；　too；　which　we　thought　you　might　be　in　need　of；〃　St'ven　added；　grinning。
　　〃Did　I　hear　him　say　'wine；'　Binness？〃　shouted　Lady　Medda。
　　〃Grand　dam　you　have；　Binness；〃　F'lessan　said。
　　〃Bring　him　and　the　wine　here；　Binness。　We've　only　herbal　leaves　to　serve　but　it's　my　own　recipe。　Puts　heart　in　man　or　beast。　Wine'll　increase　its　medicinal　value。〃
　　〃Anyone　wounded？　Sick？〃　F'lessan　asked　Binness　when　he　had　dismounted　with　one　wineskin　in　his　free　hand。
　　〃More　shocky　than　hurt。　May　I　have　your　name；　dragonrider？〃　Binness　asked　with　a　respectful　bow。　〃I　thought　I　was　dead；　between　that　wave　and　the　cliff。〃
　　〃F'lessan；　Golanth's　rider；　Benden　Wingleader。〃
　　They　had　reached　her　in　her　chair　which；　F'lessan　could　now　see；　rocked　on　a　square　of　worn　rug；　with　a　footstool　to　prop　her　swollen　feet。　The　dragonrider　bowed　respectfully　to　the　indomitable　old　woman。
　　〃Lady　Medda！〃
　　〃I'm　no　lady；〃　she　replied　with　vigor　but　she　smiled　at　him　coquettishly。　〃Not　but　what　I　haven't　had　a　dragonrider　or　two　warm　my　bed　at　night。〃
　　〃Granddam！〃　Binness　was　shocked。　〃That's　no　way　to　speak　to　the　man　who　saved　us。〃
　　〃Did　you　thank　him　for　saving　you？〃　Her　sharp　blue　eyes　pinned　her　son　before　she　turned　on　F'lessan。　〃He　thanked　you　proper？〃
　　〃He　did　and　Golanth　and　I　were　glad　to　be　in　time。〃
　　〃In　time？〃　She　gave　him　a　long　startled　glare。　〃Closest　run　thing　I　ever　saw。　An'　only　a　foolish　dragonrider　would've　risked　his　neck　and　his　dragon's　for　my　son。　Though　I'm　glad　you　did。　He's　my　eldest。〃　Then　she　flicked　her　hand；　dismissing　Binness；　and　peered　shrewdly　up　at　F'lessan。　〃How'd　they　fare　at　Monaco？　I　remember　it's　flattish　there。　Someone　bring　a　cup　for　the　dragonrider。　For　the　others；　too。〃
　　〃Monaco　is　flooded；〃　F'lessan　said；　quickly；　sparing　C'reel　and　St'ven　the　need　to　answer　such　a　painful　query。　He　waved　away　the　cup　that　a　girl　offered。　〃There　is　much　to　do。　We　can't　stay　long。　I'm　to　ask　what　supplies　you'll　need　to　rebuild。〃
　　〃Ach！〃　Lady　Medda　flipped　her　hand。　〃We'll　see　what's　left　us。　There'll　be　stone　enough　to　rebuild。　You　saved　some　of　the　dories。　S'all　we　need。〃
　　F'lessan　gave　her　another　respectful　bow。
　　〃We'll　be　back　in　a　day　or　so；〃　C'reel　said。　St'ven　reinforced　the　promise　with　a　quick　nod。
　　〃And　you；　young　F'lessan？〃　the　old　lady　asked；　pointing　her　stick　at　him　and　rocking　her　chair　forward　so　that　it　nearly　touched　him。
　　〃Would　that　I　could　match　you；　Lady　Medda；〃　he　said　with　his　most　charming　smile　and　backed　away。　As　he　strode　to　Golanth　and　vaulted　astride；　he　could　hear　her　laughter；　a　genuine　rippling　laugh；　not　an　auntie's　cackle。　He　gave　a　final　wave　to　all　before　asking　Golanth　to　launch。　Properly；　not　over　the　cliff　edge；　he　added。
　　They　reported　the　particulars　of　Sunrise　Cliff　Seahold　to　a　harried　archivist　who　had　set　up　a　temporary　office　in　a　tent　on　the　edge　of　Landing's　Gather　square。　When　they　were　done；　the　archivist　waved　them　in　the　direction　of　the　tables　on　the　other　side　where　food　was　being　served　and　remarked　that　they　would　doubtless　hear　from　their　Weyr　queen　when　and　where　they　would　be　needed。
　　〃You　wouldn't　happen　to　know　where　what's　left　of　Monaco　Weyr　is　being　acmodated？〃　C'reel　asked。
　　〃No；　no；　over　there。　She'll　know。〃　The　man　waved　his　pen　vaguely。
　　〃Well；　I　could　use　clean　clothes；〃　C'reel　said；　noticing　that　clothing　was　being　stacked　at　the　north　side　of　the　square。
　　〃Me；　too；〃　St'ven　said。　Although　F'lessan　kept　extra　clothing　at　Honshu；　he　wouldn't　be　able　to　supply　more　than　a　few。
　　All　at　once；　the　heat　of　the　square；　the　noise　of　those　thronging　about；　the　day's　exigencies　seemed　too　much　to　endure　a　moment　longer。
　　〃You　get　clothing；　C'reel；　St'ven；〃　he　said。　〃Find　out　where　the　rest　of　your　Weyr　is　quartered。　I'll　get　to　Honshu　and　make　ready　for　you。〃
　　To　F'lessan's　dismay；　Mirrim　was　already　there；　and　had　organized　the　couples　who　were　holding　a　little　north　of　the　Weyrhold。　He　had　thought　her　safely　stuck　at　Landing。　He　should　have　known　better。　He　should　also　be　grateful　to　her…or　try　to　act　as　if　he　were…though　she　still　tended　to　give　orders　to　him。　Very　soon　after　his　arrival；　he　was　genuinely　glad　she　had　e。　She　was　the　one　who　had　organized　food　and　there　was　succulent　meat　grilling　on　the　main　terrace　for　the　many　Monaco　Weyr　riders　who　had　taken　up　his　invitation。　Tai　was　one　of　them。　He　would　have　liked　to　be　able　to　show　her　around　Honshu；　especially　the　observatory　and　the　telescope。。。　one　of　his　most　treasured　possessions。
　　He　had　found　it　when　he　and　Golanth　had　been　repairing　solar　panels　on　the　Cliffside　and　discovered　the　thin；　straight　seams　on　what　appeared　to　be　solid　rock；　but　were　instead　halves　of　an　observatory　dome。　Getting　in　had　been　another　problem；　but　the　telescope；　covered　in　that　thin　film　that　the　Ancients　had　used…vacuum　packing；　Aivas　had　called　it…was　still　on　its　U…shaped　mounting。　Wansor　and　Erragon　had　been　excited　about　its　existence　but　warned　F'lessan　that　awakening　the　scope　would　require　a　great　deal　of　preparation：　it　required　a　puter　to　direct　and　focus　it；　and　a　screen　to　show　what　it　observed。
　　Tonight　he　didn't　have　the　energy　to　climb　that　long　spiral　staircase　and　he　was　reasonably　certain　Tai　didn't　either。
　　Honshu's　sprawling　precipice；　its　two　terraces　and　ledges；　were　so　covered　with　dragons　that　soon　others　had　to　find　space　on　the　rocky　terraces　down　by　the　river。　Their　numbers　would　be　sufficient　to　keep　away　the　herdbeasts　who　often　came　for　shelter　in　the　lower　cave　as　well　as　the　felines　who　hunted　them。　Even　in　the　early　days　of　its　discovery；　Honshu　had　never　had　so　many　human　guests。
　　Sitting　on　one　of　the　few　chairs　on　the　main　terrace；　F'lessan　airily　advised　each　new　arrival　to　dump　his　or　her　flying　gear　on　any　unoccupied　space　and　e　back　for　food。　T'gellan　had　brought　four　wineskins　and　St'ven　and　C'reel　added　two　kegs　of　the　light　beer　Landing　brewed。　From　Honshu's　deep　cellars；　F'lessan　sacrificed　some　of　the　good　Benden　he　had　put　aside　for　a　special　occasion；　surviving　this　day　could　be　considered　in　that　category。　There　was　enough　for　everyone　to　have　at　least　a　cup　of　beer　or　wine。　That　would　be　sufficient　for　men　and　women　who　had　served　double　the　hours　a　day　usually　spanned。
　　Unaccustomed　to　having　〃his〃　space　at　Honshu　so　overly　populated；　F'lessan　took　his　wine　up　to　the　second　terrace　and　was　delighted　to　find　Tai　there。
　　〃I　suppose　we'll　need　time　to　wind　down；〃　he　said；　ing　up　behind　her。　〃Sorry；〃　he　added　as　she　whirled　around；　spilling　some　of　her　wine。　〃Don't　waste　it。〃
　　〃You　startled　me。〃
　　〃So　I　see。　Again；　my　apologies。〃
　　She　flicked　her　hand　in　dismissal　and　seemed　hesitant。
　　〃So　you　noticed　it；　too；〃　he　said；　gesturing　to　the　northeast　where　a　silvery　glow　arched　in　the　general　direction　of　Monaco。
　　She　sighed　and　then　looked　up；　where　the　light　from　other　stars　was　undiminished。
　　〃Yes；　but　Rigel's　still　there。〃　She　pointed　at　the　first　magnitude　star　above　them。
　　〃Hard　to　miss；〃　he　said；　laughing　softly。　〃And　Betelgeuse；〃　he　said；　subtly　testing　her　knowledge　of　the　southern　night　sky。　She　looked　in　the　appropriate　direction　and　he　chuckled。
　　〃Also　Acrux；　and　Becrux；〃　she　quickly　added；　taking　up　his　challenge。　〃The　one　forty　degrees　away　is　Gacrux。　Erragon　said　there　was　a　fourth　star　in　what　the　Ancients　called　the　Southern　Cross　but　you　can't　find　it　with　the　naked　eye。〃
　　〃I'll　match　those　with　Shaula　and　Antares；〃