amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第57部分

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tude　correct　to　minutes　and　seconds。　〃That's　why　the　harpers　keep…you'll　excuse　the　pun…harping　on　the　subject　of　reading　and　understanding　the　Charter。〃
　　M'rand　started　to　chuckle；　it　turned　into　a　hard　coughing　spasm。　Anxiously　Pilgra　handed　him　the　rest　of　his　liqueur　and　Lessa　rushed　into　her　room；　ing　back　with　a　dark　brown　bottle　and　a　spoon。
　　〃Here！　Take　a　dose　of　this。　It's　reinforced　with　something　Oldive　found　in　the　Aivas　files　to　reduce　just　the　sort　of　hacking　cough　you　have。〃　She　measured　and　gave　him　the　dose。　〃Not　that　getting　into　the　sun　won't　correct　it　in　short　order。〃
　　F'lar　finished　the　official　Deed；　separated　the　copies；　and　shoved　one　with　M'rand's　original　little　map　into　a　plastic　sleeve。　While　M'rand　was　recovering　his　breath；　the　Benden　Weyrleader　presented　the　Deed　to　Pilgra　with　a　bow。　〃Take　him　there　today。〃
　　〃Today？〃　Pilgra　was　as　breathless　as　M'rand；　Deed　clutched　in　her　hand。
　　〃Certainly。　What　else　were　you　going　to　do　on　such　a　miserable　day？　Get　your　weyrfolk　to　pack　up　what　you　need　for　a　few　days：　plan　there；　'in　the　warm；'　〃　and　Lessa　pointed　southward；　〃what　else　you'll　need。〃
　　〃Go？　Today？〃
　　〃Think　what　a　pleasant　surprise　it'll　be　to　your　Wingleaders　and　the　junior　queens；〃　Lessa　said；　eyes　bright　and　wide　and　far　too　innocent。　When　Pilgra　looked　unhappy；　she　added　more　solicitously；　〃Oh；　they'll　miss　you　because　you're　both　good…hearted　and　fair。　But　who　would　fault　you？〃　She　shook　her　as　Pilgra　took　a　breath。　〃And　don't　say　old　leather…face　G'dened。　Cosira　has　her　work　cut　out　soothing　his　injured　feelings。　D'ram's　not　likely　to　gripe。　Living　in　Cove　Hold　has　put　Turns　on　his　life。　You're　both　popular　leaders　but　I　cannot　imagine　anyone　faulting　you　for　going；　and　making　the　break　quick。〃
　　F'lar　says　if　we　go　with　them；　Mnementh　told　Lessa；　it　will　stifle　any　plaints　G'dened　might　make。　He　adds；　don't　think　you'll　get　him　to　retire　so　easily。
　　Not　when　he's　twenty　Turns　younger　than　M'rand　and　G'dened。　I　expect　your　rider　to　finish　the　Pass　with　me！　Lessa　replied　stoutly。
　　And　me！　Ramoth　said。
　　〃We'll　e　with　you；〃　Lessa　said　out　loud；　brightly；　as　if　she　had　just　thought　of　it。
　　〃That's　a　better　way　to　spend　a　miserable　evening　than　anything　you've　e　up　with；　Lessa；〃　F'lar　remarked；　knowing　perfectly　well　he　would　pay　her　a　forfeit　later　for　such　a　remark。
　　Taking　into　consideration　the　difference　of　time　between　western　High　Reaches　and　eastern　Ruatha；　the　Benden　Weyrleaders　had　plenty　of　time　to　assist　M'rand　and　Pilgra　in　their　hurried　departure　south　and　get　back　to　Benden　for　a　late　supper。　In　the　interval；　they　had　supported　M'rand　and　Pilgra　in　his　explanations　to　their　Wingleaders　and　queen　riders；　organized　the　men　and　women　who　were　to　acpany　them　south；　and　allowed　M'rand　a　hurried　conference　with　his　Wingleaders；　some　of　whom　had　trouble　concealing　relief　and　anticipation。　Pilgra；　too；　spoke　to　her　queen　riders　（the　youngest　one　obviously　upset　and　the　older　three　eyeing　each　other　speculatively；　since　the　first　one　to　fly　to　mate　would　be　the　new　Weyrwoman）。　For　Lessa；　that　was　great　fun　and　for　F'lar　a　chance　to　assess　the　bronze　riders。
　　M'rand　is　right。　F'lar　agrees　that　there　are　four　well…experienced　men　who　can　take　over　immediately；　Mnementh　told　Lessa。
　　Which　queen？　she　asked　the　bronze。
　　Yasith；　Ramoth　said　so　firmly　that　if　Mnementh　had　a　different　candidate；　he　did　not　now　mention　her。
　　Lessa　kept　her　opinion　to　herself。　Yasith's　rider　was　Neldama；　weyrborn　in　High　Reaches　twenty…five　Turns　before；　and　twelve　Turns　younger　than　the　oldest　of　the　queenriders。　So　she　was　of　this　Pass；　which；　in　Lessa's　estimation；　meant　fewer　problems。　Not　exactly　a　pretty　girl…attractive　enough　to　rate　a　long　look　from　F'lar…with　green　eyes　that　looked　right　at　a　speaker　and　a　considerate；　sensible　manner　as　she　set　about　collecting　the　items　that　Pilgra　said　she'd　want　to　pack。
　　M'rand　fretted　over　how　to　inform　three　main　Lord　Holders　and　the　most　prominent　minor　ones　of　his　sudden　departure。
　　〃It　would　be　courteous；　but　it's　only　a　formality。　'Due　to　continued　ill　health；　in　the　best　interests　of　the　Weyr　and　the　Holds　that　look　to　High　Reaches　for　protection　from　Thread…fall　during　a　Pass。'　〃　F'lar　rattled　off　the　phrases。　〃A　change　of　Weyrleadership　is　our…〃　he　rocked　his　hand　to　indicate　the　four　of　them；〃…business。〃
　　〃It's　not　as　if　the　whole　Weyr　is　retiring；〃　Lessa　said　just　as　Neldama　and　Curella；　the　oldest　queen　rider；　brought　in　mulled　wine　and　small　hot　savories　to　be　served　in　the　Weyrwoman's　quarters。　〃And　it's　not　as　if　you　haven't　traveled　between　both　continents　before。　Be　easy；　Pilgra；　M'rand。　This　time　you're　doing　what's　best　for　you！〃
　　Of　the　other　two　Oldtimer　Weyrleaders　remaining　in　control；　G'narish　of　Igen　was　flexible　enough　in　his　mind　to　accept　suggestions　while　G'dened　of　Ista　was　nearly　as　contrary　as　R'gul　had　been。　All　the　Weyrs　needed　to　look　ahead　to　After。　G'dened　gave　her　the　impression　that　he　didn't　even　consider　After。　He　certainly　wasn't　suggesting　to　any　of　his　riders　that　they　would　have　to　look　to　their　own　support　once　this　Threadfall　was　over　and　the　traditional　tithing　of　Hold　and　Hall　no　longer　appeared　on　a　regular　basis。
　　
BENINI　HOLD…EAST　MONACO　AND　HONSHU…1。20。31
　　〃If　one　more　person　asks　me　'what　are　dragonriders　going　to　do　about　things　that　fall　out　of　the　sky　on　us'　or　'how　we're　going　to　keep　the　sky　from　falling　on　them；'　〃　F'lessan　said　with　a　great　deal　of　bitterness　to　Tai；　〃I'll…I'll　tell　Golanth　to　drop　him；　or　her；　between。〃
　　He　stood　up；　stretching　to　ease　his　back　muscles　from　bending　over　to　plant　saplings　around　Benini's　cothold。　The　dwelling；　a　sprawling　extended　family　site；　had　lost　its　roofs　from　the　tsunami　winds。　Mud；　sand；　and　debris　had　been　dug　out　of　hold　and　beasthold；　the　structures　had　been　soundly　built　twelve　Turns　before　and　could　be　repaired。　The　large　family…by　craft；　herders；　Benini　himself　a　Journeyman…were　out　early　and　late；　hunting　strays　that　had　been　scattered　inland　ahead　of　the　wave。　Redfruit　trees　and　the　giant　fronds；　which　had　amazing　vitality　and　could　be　trimmed　to　provide　windbreak；　had　once　shaded　the　hold。　Paradise　River　had　offered　new　starts　of　both；　as　well　as　young　fellis　saplings。
　　Planting　was　not　work　most　riders　would　volunteer　to　do　but；　when　F'lessan　saw　Tai's　was　the　only　name　on　that　list；　he　added　his。　He　had　done　very　well　getting　on　work　teams　with　Tai；　mostly　jobs　as　backbreaking　and　thankless　as　this；　waiting　until　he　saw　where　she　was　going　to　spend　her　spare　hours　before　he　signed　up。　She　was　willing　enough…even　eager…to　discuss　their　mutual　interest　in　astronomy。　They　were　sometimes　the　only　dragonriders　on　such　sites。　She　seemed　to　know　many　of　the　more　isolated　cotholders　and　was　weled　warmly。　The　two　dragonriders　had　been　shown　where　to　find　tools；　where　fresh　water　could　now　be　obtained；　and　what　was　available　for　their　lunch。　All　the　Benini　holders　had　ridden　out　on　their　runnerbeasts　for　another　long　hot　search。
　　When　the　two　dragonriders　had　collected　the　plants　at　sunrise；　rootballs　wrapped　and　secured　on　wooden　flats；　Jayge　had　greeted　F'lessan　with　surprise　and　gravely　shook　hands　with　Tai；　remarking　on　what　a　fine　green　she　rode。
　　〃Didn't　think　to　see　you　again　so　soon；　F'lessan；〃　the　Paradise　River　Holder　said；　grinning　at　the　bronze　rider。
　　〃And　will　do　as　long　as　Paradise　River　is　intent　on　reforesting　Monaco；〃　F'lessan　responded。　He　waggled　his　finger　at　Jayge。　〃You　and　Aramina　have　been　exceedingly　generous。　T'gellan　told　me。〃
　　〃The　least　we　can　be；〃　Jayge　said。　〃We　were　very　lucky　here；　protected　from　the　tsunami　by　the　Kahrain　cape。〃　He　gestured　first　over　his　shoulder　and　then　down　the　river。　〃We　can　find　as　many　young　trees　and　bushes　as　are　needed。　You　two　look　tired。　Have　you　eaten？〃
　　F'lessan　dismissed　that　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。　〃Yes；　yes；　thank　you。　We　can　get　untired　when　things　are　more　or　less　back　in　order。〃　He　examined　the　thick　lift　knot　on　the　flat；　the　net　that　secured　the　young　saplings　to　it；　and　the　corner　ropes。　All　the　dragons　were　now　deft　at　lifting　such　carriers。　One　trick　was　to　keep　the　ropes　taut　a