amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第78部分

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hem　as　clearly　as　ever。　Erragon　stood　behind　Wansor；　wearing　the　diamond　pendant　that　was　the　sign　of　his　new　rank；　and　well　deserved　for　the　way　he　had　managed　information　and　warnings　about　the　Fireball。　He　was　being　introduced　to　those　few　Weyrleaders　he　had　not　previously　met。　Lytol　and　D'ram　were　fussing　with　papers　at　a　table　in　one　corner。　Nine　piles　of　paper：　one　for　each　Weyr　and　who　got　the　last？　She　flicked　her　eyes　back　to　the　door；　to　scrutinize　F'lessan　as　he　reached　the　steps；　one　hand　under　the　elbow　of　the　tall；　dark…haired　woman　acpanying　him。　What　Lessa　noticed　most　were　her　wide　mouth　and　curiously　slanted　green　eyes。
　　Zaranth's　rider；　Ramoth　said；　almost　approvingly。　Lessa　cleared　her　face　of　the　beginnings　of　a　scowl。　F'lessan　was　not　a　child　any　longer。　He　had　e　very　close　to　total　exhaustion　after　the　Impact；　moving　dories　among　other　things；　Ramoth　had　reported　with　critical　asperity。　His　feat　of　saving　the　Seaholder　from　sure　death　in　the　tsunami　wave　had　been　notable　in　a　day　that　the　harpers　said　had　been　full　of　incredible　feats　of　courage。　F'lessan's　timing　had　always　been　exquisite　and　someday　she　must　ask　exactly　how　he'd　achieved　such　an　impossible　rescue。　He　was　at　Benden　only　when　Wingleader　duties　required　him　to　be　present；　for　he　seemed　to　prefer　living　in　Honshu　now。
　　His　choice；　Ramoth　added　ambiguously。
　　F'lessan　caught　sight　of　his　mother　in　the　window　seat；　gave　her　that　engagingly　charming　smile　of　his　and　turned　to　speak　to　Wansor。　The　very　casualness　of　his　greeting　amused　Lessa。　She　was　more　surprised　when；　as　Tai　held　out　her　hand；　the　old　Smith　caught　it　in　his；　his　smile　redoubling；　his　eyebrows　flaring　up　as　if　by　widening　his　opaque　eyes　he　might　somehow　see　her　more　clearly：　obviously　this　green　rider　was　very　wele　in　Cove　Hold。　Erragon's　greeting　was　that　of　pleased　teacher　to　best　student。
　　〃Attractive　but　not　pretty；〃　F'lar　murmured　to　his　weyrmate　after　a　very　brief　glance　at　F'lessan's　panion。　〃No　wonder　he's　so　often　at　Honshu　now。〃
　　He　likes　it　there；　Ramoth　said　in　that　same　cryptic　tone。
　　T'gellan；　with　Mirrim　and　Talina；　came　up　the　steps　now　and　Lessa　thought　Monaco's　Weyrleader　was　much　too　thin；　his　eyes　haunted。　He　had　been　working　all　the　hours　of　the　day　to　rebuild　his　Weyr。　For　that　matter；　neither　Mirrim　nor　Talina　looked　much　better；　but　they　didn't　look　as　gaunt　as　the　bronze　rider：　they　didn't　have　the　full　responsibility　that　a　Weyrleader　shouldered。
　　Lessa　realized　that　all　were　now　assembled　and　F'lar　led　her　to　their　places　on　one　end　of　the　long；　oval…shaped　table。
　　〃We're　all　here；　aren't　we？〃　F'lar　said　with　a　weary　smile。　He　waited　until　the　others　seated　themselves。
　　Twenty…two　riders；　three　men　who　should　have　been　enjoying　their　last　decades　in　leisure；　two　Masters；　and　a　Lord　Holder：　twenty…eight　men　and　women　to　solve　what　she　felt　in　her　bones　was　impossible。　But　then；　killing　Fax　had　been…once。　And　ending　Thread。　Why　should　she　consider　this　crisis　to　be　beyond　their　capabilities？　She　gave　her　shoulders　a　little　shake　and　took　her　place　beside　her　weyrmate。　She　heard　his　sigh。　Then　he；　too；　stood　straighter；　to　address　the　assembled。
　　〃I'm　sure　we've　all　heard　that　dragonriders　should　do　something　about　anything　that　falls　from　the　sky。〃　He　let　the　various　angry　and　resentful　reactions　to　that　peculiar　assumption　fade。　〃Ridiculous　as　that　notion　is；　I　think　we　all　realize　that　that's　the　first　question　the　Council　will　put　to　us　in　two　days'　time。　Somehow　that　Fireball　has　bee　our　fault。〃　He　altered　his　voice；　affecting　a　querulous　tone。　〃　'Dragons　can　fly　between。　Can't　they　just　push　rocks　out　of　the　way？　Can't　they　burn　them　out　of　the　skies？　Can't　they　do　something？'　〃
　　〃Didn't　we　do　enough？〃　F'lessan　said　with　a　brittle　edge　to　his　voice　that　surprised　Lessa。　Then　he　shrugged　and　his　expression　altered　to　one　of　detached　indifference　as　other　bronze　riders　muttered　about　ingratitude　and　impossible　demands。
　　〃Dragonriders　did　more　than　enough；〃　said　Lytol；　the　former　Lord　Warder　of　Ruatha；　his　craggy　face　fierce。
　　〃Every　Weyr　performed　magnificently；〃　D'ram　added；　prideful。
　　〃In　the　time　allotted；〃　Jaxom　said；　his　expression　very　bland；　turning　his　head　ever　so　slightly　toward　Lessa。　That　sly　remark　subtly　defused　the　unspoken　resentment。　Some　even　chuckled。
　　〃I　never　understood　quite　how　you　acplished　as　much　as　you　did；〃　Wansor　said　in　all　innocence。　But　then　his　expression　turned　to　respectful　awe。　〃The　miracles　you　managed！　In　the　face　of　what　could　have　been　catastrophic。　Why　the　Storm　of　'Twenty…nine　Present　Pass　was　a　shower　in　parison！〃
　　〃Fortunately；　we're　not　considered　responsible　for　the　weather；〃　F'lar　said　satirically。
　　〃Not　yet；〃　G'dened　added　in　a　sour　voice。　Though　Ista　had　been　spared　the　full　impact　of　the　tsunami　waves；　the　island　had　suffered　badly　from　the　hurricane。
　　〃You　know；　there　are　those　who　feel　we　failed　them　in　that　storm；　too；〃　G'narish　said；　shaking　his　head。
　　〃This　time　we　had　sufficient　warning；〃　K'van　remarked；　〃before　the　winds　made　it　impossible　to　fly。〃
　　〃Back　to　what　you　said；　F'lar；　it　isn't　as　if　dragons　could　flame　rocks　in　space；〃　N'ton　said。　〃Dragons　need　oxygen　to　make　fire。〃
　　〃Meteorites　are　moving　too　fast　to　be　caught　by　dragons；〃　K'van　added；　〃not　to　mention　the　fact　that　they're　so　hot；　mere　dragon　fire　would　have　no　effect　whatsoever　and　be　a　total　waste　of　time　and　effort。〃
　　F'lar　grinned　broadly。　〃Other　facts　Lord　Holders　and　Craftmasters　tend　to　forget。　Still；　I'd　like　to　take　the　initiative。　We've　been　on　the　defensive　since　that　sharding　Fireball　impacted。〃
　　〃You　mean；　there　is　something　we　can　do？〃　G'dened　demanded；　sitting　up　straighter　and　glaring　around　the　table。
　　〃Oh；　indeed；〃　Wansor　said；　smiling　beneficently　around　the　table。　〃My　Craft　hasn't　been　idle　a　single　moment。　We　have　solid　remendations　to　make　to　the　Council。〃
　　〃Remendations？〃　G'dened　snapped；　scowling。　〃They　want　answers！〃　He　thumped　the　table　with　one　fist。　He　had　been　one　of　the　youngest　of　the　bronze　riders　to　e　forward　to　the　Ninth　Pass　and　Lessa　could　see　that　he　was　burned　out　by　giving　answers　to　Lord　Holders　and　Craftmasters。
　　〃They　always　want　answers；〃　G'narish　agreed；　shaking　his　head。　He；　too；　had　reason　to　be　as　tired　as　G'dened。
　　Lessa　wondered　if　there　was　any　way　to　suggest　that　those　two　older　Weyrleaders　should　step　down　and　let　younger；　more　flexible　bronze　and　gold　riders　take　over。　She　was　grateful　enough　that　M'rand　and　R'mart　had　retired。　The　two　new　Weyrleaders　tried　to　appear　at　their　ease　but　it　was　certainly　the　first　time　G'bear　and　Neldama　had　attended　this　sort　of　tactical　meeting。
　　〃Well；　they　deserve　answers；　G'dened；〃　F'lessan　said　at　his　most　cynical。　〃Only　this　time；　they　also　want　us　to　do　something。〃　His　grin　was　positively　challenging。
　　〃What　can　we　do？〃　G'dened　demanded；　eyeing　F'lessan　as　if　the　younger　man　were　challenging　him　as　Weyrleader。
　　As　she　was　about　to　take　exception　to　G'dened's　manner；　Lessa　felt　F'lar　give　her　thigh　a　reassuring　squeeze。　Especially　after　F'lessan　had　laid　claim　on　Honshu；　it　should　have　been　extremely　clear　that　he　had　absolutely　no　desire　to　accept　Weyrleadership　anywhere。
　　〃It　will；　of　course；　require　the　cooperation　of　all　the　other　Crafts　and　Lord　Holders；〃　Wansor　went　on；　smiling　with　benign　encouragement；　〃for　the　marks　and　craftskills　required。　We've　already　made　the　preliminary　surveys　and　preparations　and；　with　the　assistance　of　our　newest　Master；〃　and　the　old　Star　Master　made　a　respectful　bow　to　Erragon；　〃Master　Idarolan；　F'lessan；　and　Tai；〃　and　his　smile　included　the　two　riders　at　the　end　of　the　table；　〃and　three　dedicated　persons　who　are　not　included　in　this　meeting；　we　have　these　ready。〃
　　〃Preliminary　surveys　of　what？〃　G'dened　demanded。
　　〃Preparations　to　do　what？〃　G'narish　asked；　surprised。
　　〃Which　three　dedicated　persons？〃　Mirrirn　asked；　turning　to　look　at　Tai　in　an　almost　accusing　manner。
　　〃Surveys　to　locate　the　most　advantageous　site　for　another　of　the　telescopes　from　the　Catherine　Caves；　to　give　us　a　twenty…four…hour　coverage　for　that　critically　needed　sky…watch　program！〃　Master　Wansor　beamed　e