amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第26章

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t　seem　to　realize　what　could　happen。　The　tension　was　palpable　but　everyone　was　so　focused　on　the　screen；　too　scared　to　ask　questions　or　to　break　into　the　concentration　of　Stinar　or　Erragon。
　　New　figures　at　1200　seconds；　from　the　Yoko's　synchronic　orbit　over　Pern；　gave　coordinates　of　Range　71377km；　Yoko　latitude　45。IN；　Yoko　longitude　118。4m。　The　magnitude　was　…5；　which　was　bright　enough　and　getting　brighter　and　the　fireball　was　suddenly　moving　a　degree　every　minute。　He　stepped　right　beside　Stinar　and　Erragon。
　　〃Where　will　it　impact？〃　F'lessan　murmured　for　their　ears　only。
　　〃We　still　don't　know　that　it　will；〃　Stinar　said　softly；　restlessly　shifting　his　feet；　turning　his　head　sideways　so　that　his　words　just　reached　F'lessan。
　　〃There's　a　three…hundred…kilometer　range　error；〃　Erragon　said　as　if　that　was　significant。
　　〃Where？〃　Stinar　demanded。
　　〃Right　now；　the　range　extends　along　the　farther　Eastern　Island　Ring。〃
　　〃On　the　islands　themselves；　or　in　the　sea？〃
　　Stinar　took　the　hand…control　unit　from　his　pocket　and　punched　in　a　mand。　The　monitor　opened　a　small　window　in　the　right　corner；　while　the　Probability　Impact　percentage　rose　steadily　into　the　50's　and　the　error　ellipse…that　narrow　band　along　the　far　islands　to　which　the　fireball　was　inexorably　aimed…got　smaller。　The　new　window　showed　the　Eastern　Sea　as　it　must　be　seen　from　Yoko；　and　the　scattered　islands　of　both　Eastern　Rings。　A　wide　band　was　superimposed　over　the　upper　islands。
　　〃Looks　more　like　the　islands；〃　Stinar　said　with　a　little　shrug。
　　F'lessan　knew　that　the　islands　were　uninhabited；　too　far　out　in　the　Eastern　Ring　Sea　to　be　attractive　for　anyone；　even　Tone；　to　hold；　except　whichever　island　currently　housed　the　Abominator　exiles…and　no　one　but　N'ton　knew　where　that　was。
　　〃I　don't　like　that；〃　Erragon　said；　stiffening。
　　〃Why？〃
　　〃Those　islands　are　all　volcanic。　An　impact　on　them　might　trigger　eruptions　all　along　that　chain；〃　he　said；　pointing。
　　〃Then　we'll　just　hope　it　falls　in　the　sea；〃　Stinar　said　with　a　slightly　nervous　laugh。
　　〃That　will　produce　other　hazards；〃　Erragon　said　solemnly。
　　F'lessan　caught　his　breath。　He'd　seen　volcanoes　erupt；　the　one　Piemur　had　discovered　off　the　westernmost　tip　of　Southern　Hold　blew　up　periodically；　sending　clouds　of　gray　ash　to　blot　the　sun　and　stifle　even　the　rich　tropical　vegetation。　The　one　in　the　near　Eastern　Ring；　which　the　Ancients　had　called　Young　Mountain；　liked　to　send　immense　boulders　skyward　and　great　lava　flows　down　its　side；　spinning　burning　chunks　onto　its　neighbors。　The　islands　that　the　et　was　heading　for　were　much　larger　and　he　shuddered　at　the　thought　of　all　of　them　being　active。　They　would　cause　tidal　waves；　which　could　have　a　disastrous　effect　on　coastal　areas…like　Monaco。
　　〃It　could　still　just　graze；〃　Erragon　murmured　to　Stinar；　in　a　tone　that　gave　F'lessan　no　confidence　in　that　possibility　at　all。
　　He　glanced　up　at　the　legend；　numbers　whirring　into　new　configurations　all　the　time；　as　Yoko　telemetry　updated　them。
　　〃It's　only　got　a　few　minutes　to　change　course；〃　F'lessan　said。
　　Erragon　glanced　at　him；　blinking；　as　if　he'd　forgotten　the　bronze　rider's　presence。　〃Did　you　know　your　Weyrleaders　are　in　the　conference　room　with　Master　Wansor？〃
　　Lessa　and　F'lar　were　also　here？　When…and　why…had　they　arrived？　Obscurely　he　was　glad　they　had；　especially　the　way　this　event　was　proceeding。
　　〃No；　but　I'd　rather　be　in　here　and　know　the　worst；〃　F'lessan　said；　watching　Erragon's　shoulders　twitch　in　startled　reaction　to　the　last　word。　〃Where　will　it　hit　us？〃
　　〃We　don't　know　yet；〃　but　F'lessan　saw　Erragon's　eye　flick　to　the　Impact　Probability；　which　flickered　onto　60　percent。
　　All　three　men　caught　their　breath　as　the　percentage　jumped　in　a　matter　of　seconds　to　100　percent。
　　〃That's　still　a　consequence　of　the　grazing　impact；〃　Erragon　said　but　F'lessan　didn't　think　he　believed　that。　〃The　ellipse　is　shrinking。　Can　you　adjust　Yoko's　visuals？〃
　　On　the　map　in　the　right…hand　corner；　the　figures　flickered　in　latitude　and　longitude；　following　the　last　downward　plunge　of　the　et。　Filling　that　screen　at　maximum　magnification；　the　tuberlike　shape　of　the　et　nucleus　showed　geysers　and　jets　blowing　into　space；　chunks　breaking　off；　floating　slowly　away。　F'lessan　was　amazed　since　he　knew　the　speed　at　which　the　et　was　traveling　and　that　eerie；　almost　dignified；　breakup　of　its　parts　was　like　a　Gather　dance。
　　〃It's　going　to　miss。。。　〃　Stinar　whispered；　unconsciously　pushing　both　hands　in　a　deflecting　motion。
　　〃Just　a　few　more　degrees。。。　〃　Erragon；　too；　was　taut　as　if；　by　exerting　sufficient　willpower；　he　could　shift　the　plummeting　fireball　south　and　east。
　　〃It's　got　to　be　far　enough　away。。。　〃　F'lessan　was　adding　his　tension　in　an　unconscious　effort　to　affect　a　descent　that　no　effort　could　now　alter。
　　F'lessan　found　himself　squinting　at　the　sudden　brightness　of　the　picture…the　brightness　of　sunlit　sea　or　the　et。　The　magnitude　of　its　dust　trail　now　registered　an　eye…blinding　intensity　of　…9！
　　A　new　message　imposed　itself　prominently：　120　seconds　to　perigee…705　seconds　to　impact。
　　The　monitor　altered　abruptly；　darkening；　and　F'lessan　saw　the　line　on　the　sidebar　that　indicated　Yoko　was　displaying　a　constructed　image；　made　up　of　the　optical；　infrared；　microwave；　and　other　print　capabilities　that　Erragon　had　once　tried　to　describe　to　F'lessan。　The　nucleus　of　the　et　looked　suddenly　darker　but　the　reduction　of　the　glare　relieved　his　eyes。　Ominously　the　message　now　read　60　seconds　to　atmosphere。
　　Another　read　20　seconds　to　impact；　Angle　12°：　magnitude　of　dust　trail　…9。
　　People　splayed　fingers　in　front　of　their　eyes。　The　glare…reduced　optical　version　saved　them　from　the　splintering　whiteness　that　erupted；　which　the　monitor　hastily　continued　to　reduce。　A　screen　flicked　to　a　new　image…identified　as　〃synthetic　radar〃…as　Yoko　attempted　to　see　through　the　clouds。
　　Twenty　seconds　couldn't　have　elapsed；　F'lessan　thought　and　then　realized　that　Yoko　was　slightly　behind　in　its　reporting。　Where　had　it　impacted？　The　island　chain　or　the　sea？
　　No　one　spoke。　All　seemed　to　be　holding　their　breath。　The　silence　was　broken　by　printers　churning　out　reams　of　hard　copy　that　fell　unnoticed　into　baskets　or　spilled　to　the　floor。　As　the　et　was　spilling　its　substance　onto　the　sea？　Flaming　molten　debris　down　on　the　nearest　Ring　islands？
　　Even　the　image　on　the　screen　seemed　to　recoil　from　the　incredible　brightness。　Squinting　through　his　fingers；　F'lessan　saw　the　radar　image　showing　the　surface　topography…and　a　series　of　rings　on　the　ocean。　Waves　traveled　outward　from　the　impact　point；　immediately　followed　by　a　much　higher　fountain　of　water　as　the　sea　fell　back　into　the　impact　crater。　Then　he　had　the　distinct　impression　of　a　wall　moving　out　with　astonishing　speed　and　saw　a　column　of　red…brown　steam　spreading　down　to　the　sea；　with　black　bits　whirling　up　and　out；　and　then　vast　billows　rushing　out　from　it　across　the　sea。
　　Still　the　silence　in　the　Interface　office　was　broken　only　by　machines　doing　what　they　were　programmed　to　do：　disgorge　columns　of　figures。　The　human　observers　struggled　to　absorb　what　they　had　just　seen；　were　still　witnessing　as　retinal　afterimages：　the　creation　of　a　storm　of　staggering　proportions；　blossoming　up　and　outward。　Steam；　gas　vapor；　and　whatever　the　head　of　the　fireball　had　been　posed　of　were　part　of　the　storm。　The　fireball　had　extinguished　itself　and　then　hit　the　sea；　F'lessan　repeated；　making　his　mind　believe　what　his　eyes　had　seen：　it　made　a　hole　that　made　a　wave；　which　fell　back；　and　sent　up　a　fountain　of　water。　Abruptly　the　data　on　the　screen　changed。
　　Impactor　Summary
　　Probable　etary　origin
　　Impact　velocity　58。51　km/sec
　　Dimensions　597　times　361　times　452　meter　ellipsoid
　　Volume　51　million　cubic　meters
　　Average　Density　0。33　（＋…0。11）
　　Total　Mass　17　million　tons
　　Derived　Impact　Energy　29。7　Exajoules
　　Explosive　Equivalent　7。4　gigatons
　　8°　northern　latitude；　12°　east　longitude。
　　〃It　came　down　in　the　sea！〃　Stinar's　sigh　of　relief　held　a　triumphant　note。
　　Ramoth　saw　this；　too；　Golanth　told　his　rider　in　a　muted　tone。　That's　when　F'lessan　recalled　that　Erragon　had　said　that　the　Benden　Weyrleaders　and　Wansor　had　been　watching　this　on　the　conference　room　screen。
　　They　weren't　all　that　lucky；　after　all；　that　the　et　had　missed　the　volcanic　islands。　A　huge　mass　like　that　hitting　open　sea　would　cause　a　great　deal　of　trouble。　There'd　be　a　shock　wave；　wouldn't　there？　In　how　many　more　minutes？　How　much　damage　would　that　cause？　Was　Landing　far　enough　away？　Monaco　Bay　was　at　sea　level。　It'd　be　flooded　to　the　hills　and　they　were　a　long　way　up　the　sloping　beachfront。
　　He　tried　to　calm　these　thoughts；　to　resurrect　the　necessary　information　from　lessons　long　past。　He　started　to　recall　sentences；　paragraphs；　and　irrelevant　details。
　　A　cold　fear　in　his　guts　increasing　with　every　second；　F'lessan　peered　at　the　screen　as　the　cloud　boiled；　red…brown；　to　occlude　what　was　actually　happening。　They　ought　to　know　what　was　happening　at　sea　level；　the　bronze　rider　thought；　there　was　something…。　Everyone　in　the　office　had　now　recovered　their　wits　and　their　tongues。　If　everyone　around　him　would　only　stop　babbling　excitedly　about　this　spectacular　event；　he　could　think。　Where　was　Tai？　She　might　know。　She　should　be　here。　So　should　T'gellan。　The　coast　of　the　southern　continent　was　not　going　to　escape　the　effects　of　something　so　big　dropping　at　that　speed！
　　Suddenly　the　view　on　the　screen　altered；　not　only　dropping　the　infrared　screen　but　also　presenting　a　new　perspective；　well　back　from　the　impact　site。　A　discernible　wave；　a　darkness　of　water；　was　moving　outward；　just　faster　than　the　flat…topped　clouds　boiling　up　and　out。　More　data　was　being　presented　in　margins。　F'lessan　blinked；　unable　to　decipher　the　critical　messages　given。
　　F'lessan　kept　his　eyes　on　the　screen。　The　Yoko　adjusted　its　viewpoint　by　pulling　back　at　speed；　back　beyond　the　hump　of　one　of　the　big　rainforest　islands　just　north　of　the　impact　point。　It　was　burning！　Burning？　Oh；　yes；　memory　informed　F'lessan；　the　thermal　flare　of　the　et　would　cause　flash　fires　with　the　heat　of　its　passing。
　　〃We're　very；　very　lucky；〃　someone　muttered。　〃It　didn't　hit　any　landmass。〃
　　〃No；　we're　not　lucky；〃　F'lessan　said　savagely；　watching　the　dark　watery　circle　expand。　〃That　island's　on　fire！〃　Then　he　pointed　to　the　map　in　the　right…hand　corner。　〃The　one　due　south　will　be　burning；　too。　And　look　at　that　gap　between　them！　There'll　be　sea　pouring　through　that　gap；　circling　out；　spreading；　and　ing　straight　down　to　the　southern　coastline　in　a　wall　of　water。。。　〃　He　paused；　uncertainly；　trying　to　recall　the　specific　term。
　　〃Tsunami！〃
　　Tai's　soft　shocked　voice　behind　him　in　the　silence　of　the　Interface　office　gave　F'lessan　the　word　he　had　been　trying　to　remember。　She　stood　with　T'gellan　and　Mirrim　against　the　wall。　He　hadn't　even　seen　them　arrive。　She　stared　with　awed　fear　and　fascination　at　what　the　monitor　depicted。
　　The　distant　cloud　expanded　sideways　and　skyward；　and　the　surface　of　sea　was　reacting　in　its　depths　and　sending　ominous　black　undulations　out　in　all　directions。　And　something　swirled　up　and　over　the　rainforest　island。　Then　the　view　retreated　to