amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第58部分

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opes。　All　the　dragons　were　now　deft　at　lifting　such　carriers。　One　trick　was　to　keep　the　ropes　taut　and　lift　vertically　very　slowly　to　keep　the　load　from　swaying；　dragons　were　perfecting　the　maneuver。　The　other　step　was　going　between　very　close　to　the　ground；　again　to　prevent　swaying。　After　being　root…pruned　several　days　before；　the　young　bushes　and　saplings　were　wrapped　in　balls　early　on　the　morning　they　were　to　be　replanted。　Dragon　transport　meant　they　could　be　in　the　ground；　watered；　and　staked　within　hours。
　　It　also　meant　that　the　transplanters　could　finish　before　the　sun　started　baking　gardeners　and　plants。　F'lessan　checked　the　angle　of　the　shadows；　his　watch　was　in　his　jacket。　It　was　just　midmorning　and　they　were　nearly　finished。　He　wasn't　sure　how　much　longer　he　could　keep　up　this　pace；　even　if　they　had　both　stripped　down　to　sleeveless　tops　and　shorts。
　　〃You're　getting　pretty　good　at　this；〃　Tai　said；　pushing　her　hands　up　to　her　knees　until　she　was　upright；　too。　She　removed　the　sweatband　from　her　forehead；　mopped　her　brow；　and　retied　the　kerchief。
　　〃I　like　restoring　things；〃　he　said；　looking　at　the　zigzag　line　they　had　been　working　on；　a　windbreak　on　the　eastern　edge。　The　holding　was　actually　on　a　rise；　which　had　saved　it　from　more　damage。　Redfruit　on　the　inside；　handy　to　the　hold；　a　curving　line　of　fellis；　and　then　the　fronds。　Some　untagged　saplings；　which　didn't　resemble　either　redfruit　or　fellis；　they　decided　to　plant　in　the　rich　loam　here　and　there。　Someone　had　started　a　garden　patch。　Luckily　this　was　midsummer　and　they'd　have　fresh　vegetables　in　a　few　weeks。　With　just　a　little　husbandry；　there'd　be　good　growth　in　the　windbreak　plants　before　winter's　winds。
　　〃Like　Honshu？〃　she　asked；　leaning　down　for　the　canteen。　Benini's　spouse　had　left　cool　juice　to　slake　their　thirst。
　　〃Yes；　like　Honshu。〃　F'lessan　grinned；　sweeping　sweaty　hair　back　from　his　forehead。　He　gave　her　a　quirky　grin。　〃Place　fascinates　me。　There're　still　levels　of　it　I　haven't　had　a　chance　to　show　you。〃
　　They　had　spent　several　evenings　on　the　upper　terrace；　sharing　the　use　of　his　binoculars；　held　steady　on　the　stand。　He'd　let　her　have　more　time　using　them　because　he　liked　watching　the　intent　expression　on　her　face　as　she　observed；　jotting　down　time　and　references。　She　was　quite　circumspect；　taking　down　notes…but　then　she'd　been　training　with　Erragon…marking　degrees　carefully；　asking　him　to　verify　the　objects　she　viewed。　He　even　teased　her…she　had　to　know　that　he　was　teasing　her　or　she　got　quite　upset…about　minutes　and　seconds　in　the　degree　readings　of　the　fifth　planet　out　from　Rukbat；　currently　visible　at　right　ascension　19　hours；　32　minutes；　53。7　seconds；　declination　27　degrees；　16　minutes；　25　seconds；　just　below　Acrux。　She　said　it　was　a　habit　she'd　got　into；　sky…watching　at　Cove　Hold；　to　keep　a　record。　Erragon　was　collecting　such　information　from　other　sky…watchers。　F'lessan　had　wanted　to　take　her　high　on　Honshu's　eastern　face　for　a　panoramic　view　of　the　forest　and　foothills　below　where　sometimes　he'd　used　the　binoculars　to　spot　felines；　hunting　at　dawn；　but　the　long　spiral　staircase　was　not　a　climb　he　could　face　with　equanimity　and　she　was　as　tired　as　he　was。
　　〃I　would　really　like　to　see　this　mysterious　observatory　of　yours；　F'lessan；〃　she　said　shyly　as　she　passed　him　the　canteen。
　　〃Oh；　I'll　take　you；　never　fear…one　night　when　we　aren't　dragging　tired。　It's　a　steep　climb。〃
　　〃Well；　whenever；〃　she　agreed　amiably　as　she　reached　for　the　next　plant　from　the　nearly　empty　flat。　〃We're　about　done　here。　Let's　just　put　these　untagged　ones　near　the　garden；〃　she　added　with　a　sigh　and　glanced　over　at　their　dragons；　lounging　on　the　ridge　behind　the　hold；　in　the　thick　ground　cover　that　not　even　the　tsunami　had　been　able　to　scrape　away。
　　F'lessan　took　note；　but　did　not　mention；　that　the　dragons　were；　unusually　for　dragons；　so　close　they　were　touching。　He'd　had　a　few　ideas　of　his　own　but　with　a　personality　as　reserved　as　Tai's；　he　deliberately　kept　his　manner　as　casual　as　possible。　The　excuse　of　sky…watching　had　reduced　tensions　and　given　both　F'lessan　and　Tai　a　respite。　Not　that　he　had　been　able　to　join　her　every　evening。　F'lessan　was　only　too　willing　to　give　Tai　the　chance　to　replace　the　notes　that　had　been　swept　away。　He　had　several　reasons　for　rediscovering　an　interest　in　astronomy。
　　Most　of　the　weyrfolk　had　left　whatever　temporary　acmodations　they'd　been　in；　riders　had　cleared　space　for　their　dragons　and　built　personal　shelters。　A　new　Monaco　Center　was　being　constructed　on　a　height；　well　back　from　the　shoreline。　Today；　certainly　tomorrow；　the　very　last　displaced　riders　would　be　gone　to　new　quarters。　As　far　as　he　knew；　Tai　had　not　found　any。　She　might　have；　when　he　was　at　Benden；　he　hadn't　wanted　to　appear　to　be　keeping　a　watch　on　her。　And　Zaranth。
　　He　watched　now　as　Tai　gravely　considered　where　to　dig　holes　for　the　unidentifiable　plants。　He　picked　up　an　armload　and　carried　them　over　to　her。　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　right　eye；　he　caught　movement　in　the　thick　grass　cover　just　beyond　Zaranth。　He　looked　more　closely　and　muttered　in　surprise。
　　〃Trundlebugs；〃　he　said。　He　deposited　the　plants　within　her　reach。　〃I'd　thought　most　of　them　got　swept　out　to　sea。〃
　　〃They　can；　and　have；　tread　water；〃　Tai　said；　grinning　at　him　as　she　pushed　the　spade　into　the　ground。
　　〃Really？〃　F'lessan　regarded　their　relentless　progress。　〃How　long？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　But　I　have　watched　them　cross　streams。〃　She　dug　deeper。
　　〃Hmmm。〃
　　She　handed　him　the　spade　and　knelt　to　take　the　wrapping　off　the　balled　plant；　deftly　spreading　its　roots　before　she　put　it　in　the　prepared　hole。
　　〃Big　mother；〃　F'lessan　said；　menting　on　the　size　of　the　lead　bug。　〃Four　offspring。　If　she's　not　careful；　she'll　lose　the　biggest。〃
　　Tai　shot　a　glance　at　the　trundlebugs；　then　quickly　knuckled　loam　around　the　plant；　tamping　it　down　well。　For　some　reason；　she　was　smiling。
　　〃ing　right　at　Zaranth。　Shall　I。。。〃　He　hefted　the　spade　and　took　a　step　forward　to　intercept　the　trundlers。　One　had　to　swat　the　wretched　mother　bug　out　of　her　line　of　march　but；　at　the　same　time；　be　careful　not　to　break　off　her　largest　offspring　at　the　end　of　the　reproductive　line；　lest　she　retaliate　with　some　of　the　stink…spray　to　defend　her　offspring。
　　〃No；　no！　Wait。〃
　　〃They're　heading　right　for　her。　I　don't　know　about　Zaranth　but　Golanth　hates　'em　crawling　on　him。　If　he　wakes；　he'll　squash　them。〃　F'lessan　did　not　add　that　Golanth　was　showing　more　and　more　of　a　proprietary　interest　in　the　green's　well…being；　one　of　the　subtler　reasons　why　he　was　glad　Tai　preferred　to　work　away　from　projects　with　other　dragonriders。　He　wasn't　ready　for　others　to　notice　the　growing　relationship　between　Golanth　and　Zaranth。
　　〃Watch；〃　she　said；　her　eyes　sparkling　green　as　she　rose　from　her　knees。
　　F'lessan　dropped　to　the　ground；　narrowing　his　eyes　in　the　bright　sun　to　check　the　angle　of　the　trundlebug　approach。
　　Tai　held　up　her　hand；　grinning。　〃Just　a　moment！〃
　　〃They're　heading　right　for　her　nose。　Doesn't　she　sense　them？　Golanth　usually　does。〃
　　〃Wait！〃　Putting　up　her　hand　to　stay　his　attack；　Tai　grinned　widely；　her　look　almost　mischievous。
　　The　trundlebug　parade　marched　relentlessly　in　its　unswerving　path；　oblivious　to　what　was　in　its　way。　Zaranth's　nose　twitched　but　she　didn't　open　so　much　as　a　slit　of　one　eye。　The　parade　was　abruptly　at　right　angles　to　its　original　path；　heading　back　into　the　scrubland。
　　〃There！〃　Tai　beamed　at　her　dragon。
　　〃She　blew　them　away？〃　F'lessan　exclaimed。
　　〃No。　She　didn't。　They　can　only　get　so　close　to　her　and　they　go　off　in　another　direction；　any　direction　so　long　as　it　is　away　from　her。〃
　　She　reclaimed　her　spade　from　him　and　began　to　dig　another　hole。　〃There're　two　spades；　you　know。〃
　　〃Yes；　yes；　of　course；　my　dear　green；〃　he　said；　making　a　play　of　diligence；　going　for　the　second　one。　Anything　to　keep　her　from　noticing　the　brilliant　green　of　the　sleeping　Zaranth；　lounging　so　gracefully　in　the　sun　by　the　sleeping　bronze。　How　long　would　Golanth　continue　to　fake　sleep？　F'lessan　wondered。
　　〃Tai；　a　question；〃　he　began；　digging　busily。　〃I　was　watching　and　Zaranth　didn't　move。　She　only　twitched　her　nose。　How　could　she　make　a　tru