amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第6部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


masters。
　　Honshu　had　bee　another　passion。　The　Ancient　holding；　with　the　splendid　murals　in　its　main　hall；　had　exerted　a　strange　pulsion　on　him　from　the　start：　to　preserve　the　ancient　treasures　found　there　and　to　discover　as　much　as　possible　about　its　founders　and　residents。　With　the　boyish　impudence　that　was　his　most　ingenuous　characteristic；　he　had　appointed　himself　Honshu's　guardian　and　caretaker。　He　had　worked　harder　than　anyone　else　in　clearing　out　the　muck　and　mold　and　restoring　the　fabric　of　the　place。　Tonight　he　had　a　puzzle　he　wanted　to　solve。　He　had　specifically　chosen　this　time　to　e　to　the　Aivas　facility；　hoping　to　be　its　sole　visitor。　He　preferred　not　to　share　his　research…his　fascination　with　Honshu　was　at　odds　with　his　reputation。
　　You　protect　Honshu。　I　like　being　there　very　much；　said　his　dragon；　Golanth；　from　where　he　had　settled　himself　in　the　hot　noontime　sun　among　the　dragons　who　had　brought　their　riders　to　Landing's　Turnover　festivities。　Good　sunning　places；　clear　water；　and　many　fat　herdbeasts。
　　Still　paused　quietly　on　the　threshold　of　the　reading　room；　F'lessan　grinned。　You　found　it。　We'll　keep　it。
　　Yes；　Golanth　agreed　amiably。
　　F'lessan　stuffed　his　riding　gloves　into　the　Turnover　gift　of　a　fine　carisak；　giving　the　wide　cuffs　a　good　push；　the　new　wherhide　leather　was　stiff；　despite　the　good　oiling　he　had　given　it　yesterday　evening。　The　carisak　had　been　presented　to　him　by　Lessa　and　F'lar。　He　rarely　thought　of　them　as　〃mother〃　or　〃father〃：　they　were　his　Weyrleaders；　and　that　was　more　relevant。　His　birthing　day；　his　Impression　Day…the　day　marking　the　advent　of　Golanth　into　his　life…and　Turnover　were；　however；　always　recognized　by　some　gift　from　them。　F'lessan　didn't　know　if　this　was　occasioned　by　their　need　to　remind　him　of　his　parents；　or　themselves　of　their　son。　Fostering　was　the　rule　in　a　weyr；　so　no　child　was　without　several　people；　not　necessarily　the　birth　parents；　who　took　special　interest　in　him　or　her。　As　F'lessan　grew　up　and　saw　how　easygoing　life　was　in　a　weyr；　and　the　conformity　required　of　children　in　the　holds；　he　was　as　glad　he'd　been　weyrbred。
　　He　gave　the　gloves　one　more　shove　to　store　them　pletely；　but　still　he　hesitated　to　enter　the　room。　He　didn't　want　to　disturb　the　single　reader　who　was　so　engrossed　in　her　study　that　she　was　unaware　of　him　standing　there。
　　No　one　has　ever　disliked　your　pany；　said　his　dragon。
　　I　don't　like　to　break　into　such　concentration；　F'lessan　replied。　How　do　we　know　she　isn't　studying　an　alternative　occupation　for　After？
　　Dragons　will　always　be　needed　on　Pern；　Golanth　said　stoutly。
　　Golanth　was　fond　of　making　that　observation。　Almost　as　if　Golanth；　too；　needed　to　reassure　himself。　Maybe　it　was　just　the　mindset　of　a　bronze　dragon…or　more　likely　Mnementh's　in　particular；　since　F'lar's　great　bronze　took　a　keen　interest　in　the　subtle　tuition　of　any　bronzes　hatched　on　Benden's　sands。　However；　succeeding　F'lar　as　Weyrleader　of　Benden　was　most　certainly　not　in　F'lessan's　future　plans。　F'lessan　earnestly　hoped　that　F'lar　would　lead　the　Weyr　out　of　this　Pass：　a　triumph　in　itself；　over　and　above　what　F'lar　had　done　at　its　beginning　with　the　slender　force　he'd　had　available　then。　Being　Wingleader　suited　F'lessan's　blithe　personality；　especially　now　that　he　had　claimed　Honshu　as　his　special　domain。　Now；　if　the　Weyrleaders…or　rather　F'lar…would　just　e　out　and　say　that　he　and　Lessa　would　retire　there；　no　one　would　dare　contest　his　claim。
　　Unlike　the　position　of　Lord　Holders；　the　Weyrleadership　was　not　hereditary。　A　good　example　was　the　recent　stepping　down　of　R'mart　and　Bedella　of　Telgar。　To　establish　the　new　leadership；　the　challenge　had　been　for　the　best　bronze　in　the　Weyr　to　fly　the　first　junior　queen　ready　to　mate。　J'fery；　rider　of　bronze　Willerth；　was　now　Telgar's　Weyrleader；　and　Palla；　golden　Talmanth's　rider；　was　Weyrwoman。　F'lessan　knew　them　both　well；　and　knew　they　would　lead　Telgar　Weyr　well　under　Threadfree　skies。
　　If　we　don't　make　the　arrogant　mistakes　that　the　Oldtimers　did；　F'lessan　added　to　himself；　and　expect　to　continue　receiving　the　perquisites　due　the　Weyrs　during　a　Pass；　once　there　is　no　more　Thread。
　　A　movement　brought　him　back　to　the　present。　The　girl's　boots　scraped　over　the　stone　floor　as　she　recrossed　her　ankles。　She　was　hunched　forward　over　the　reading　desk　and　now　leaned　her　elbows　on　the　table。　Her　profile　was　well　lit　by　the　softly　disseminated　light；　and　she　had　thinned　her　lips　over　whatever　it　was　she　was　reading。　She　frowned；　then　sighed　over　the　wide　page。　F'lessan　saw　the　well…defined　arch　of　a　black　eyebrow　as　her　frown　relaxed。　She　had　a　long　and　very　delicately　formed　nose；　he　observed　with　mild　approval。　Her　hair；　a　midbrown　sparking　with　red　as　she　moved；　was　clipped　short　on　top　to　reduce　sweating　under　her　helmet。　Left　long　at　the　nape　of　her　neck；　the　wavy　mass　reached　halfway　down　her　back；　where　it　was　neatly　cut　off　in　a　straight　line。
　　She　turned　her　head　abruptly；　suddenly　aware　of　his　scrutiny。
　　〃Sorry。　Thought　I'd　have　the　place　to　myself；〃　F'lessan　said　genially；　striding　forward；　his　dress　shoes　making　very　little　sound　on　the　stone　floor。
　　Her　startlement　suggested　to　him　that　she；　too；　had　thought　she　could　study　in　solitary　quiet。　She　was　in　the　act　of　pushing　back　her　chair　when　he　held　out　a　hand　to　prevent　her　from　rising。　Most　riders　knew　who　he　was：　he　made　a　habit　of　flying　Thread　with　the　two　southern　Weyrs　and　usually　attended　every　Impression。　The　latter　was　sheer　indulgence　on　his　part；　for　at　each　Impression；　he　and　Golanth　reaffirmed　their　lifelong　mitment　to　each　other。　Now　that　he　could　see　her　full　face；　he　recognized　her。　〃You're　Tai；　aren't　you？　Zaranth's　rider？〃　he　asked；　hoping　he　remembered　rightly。
　　You　always　do；　Golanth　murmured。　She'd　Impressed；　unexpectedly；　nearly　five　Turns　ago　at　Monaco　Bay。　She'd　e　south；　though　he　couldn't　remember　from　where。　There　had　been　so　many　people　flooding　through　Landing　since　Aivas　was　discovered　in　2538。　While　she　couldn't　be　much　older　than　her　mid　twenties；　he　wondered　if　she'd　been　part　of　the　workforce　during　those　astonishing　five　Turns　of　Aivas。　After　all；　Aivas　had　demonstrated　a　distinct　bias　for　green　dragons　and　their　riders。
　　F'lessan　stepped　forward；　extending　his　hand　to　her。　She　looked　embarrassed；　dropping　her　eyes　as　soon　as　their　hands　had　clasped　politely。　Her　handshake　was　firm；　if　brisk　almost　to　the　point　of　rudeness；　and　he　could　feel　some　odd　ridges；　scars；　on　the　back　of　her　hand　and　on　her　forefinger。　She　wasn't　pretty；　she　didn't　act　sensual；　the　way　some　green　riders　did；　and　she　was　only　half　a　head　shorter　than　he　was。　She　wasn't　too　thin；　but　the　lack　of　flesh　on　her　bones　gave　her　a　slightly　boyish　appearance。
　　〃I'm　F'lessan；　Golanth's　rider；　of　Benden。〃
　　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　shooting　him　a　sharp　look。　Her　eyes　were　set　at　an　unusual　upward　slant；　but　she　looked　away　so　quickly　he　couldn't　see　what　color　they　were。　Oddly　enough；　she　flushed。　〃I　know。〃　She　seemed　to　gather　breath　to　continue。　〃Zaranth　just　told　me　that　Golanth　had　apologized　for　disturbing　her　nap　on　the　ledge。〃　She　flicked　him　another　almost　contrite　glance；　awkwardly　clasping　her　left　wrist　with　her　right　hand　so　that　the　knuckles　turned　white。
　　F'lessan　grinned　in　his　most　ingratiating　fashion。　〃By　nature；　Golanth　is　very　considerate。〃　He　gave　a　little　bow　and　gestured　toward　the　volume　open　on　the　reading　desk。　〃Don't　let　me　disturb　your　studies。　I'll　be　over　there。〃　He　pointed　to　the　far　right。
　　He　could　just　as　easily　work　in　the　alcove　as　in　the　main　room　and　not　intrude　on　her　solitude。　In　no　time　at　all　he　had　collected　three　of　the　records　he　thought　most　likely　to　contain　the　information　he　sought；　and　brought　them　to　the　smaller　reading　desk　in　the　alcove。　A　narrow　window　gave　him　a　view　of　the　eastern　hills　and　the　barest　sparkle　of　the　sea。　He　seated　himself；　placed　the　piece　of　paper　that　he　had　brought　with　him　on　the　table；　and　started　riffling　through　the　thinly　coated　plastic　pages　of　the　　Tower　records。　He　was　looking　for　one　name：　Stev　Kimmer；　listed　in　the　colony　records　as　Stakeholder　on　Bitkim　Island；　now　called　Ista　Hold。　He　needed　to　find　any　connection　between　Kimmer　an