amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第69章

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t　crushing　them　into　dust　or　pebbles。　They　could　probably　have　thrown　one　all　the　way　to　the　Yokohama；　also　not　the　desired　destination；　but　one　that　was　causing　considerable　speculation　by　Lessa　and　F'lar。　That　had　been　a　significant　forward　step。
　　When　queried　by　Ramoth；　Zaranth　remended　that　dragons　experience　trundlebugs。　If　there　were　many　riders　who　found　that　a　bizarre　way　to　awaken　telekinetic　ability；　it　proved　to　be　the　one　that　worked…on　trundlebugs。　Ramoth　and　Mnementh　earnestly　suggested　that　the　experiment　be　carried　out　in　pairs；　female　and　male　dragons；　and　preferably　a　good　distance　from　any　holdings　and　close　to　a　stream；　lake；　or　ocean。
　　Then；　when　Ramoth　and　Mnementh　worked　together；　one　controlling　the　other；　kinesis　became　more　practical；　less　hazardous　to　what　was　being　moved　without　physical　contact。
　　What　purpose；　other　than　repelling…and　destroying…felines　or　disciplining　trundlebugs　was　not　immediately　apparent　to　many；　though　the　ability　provoked　deep　thought　and　theorizing　in　many　quarters。　Meanwhile；　the　dragons　and　their　riders　continued　to　practice　this　counter…balancing　of　kinetic　energy。
　　Master　Esselin…who　now　plained　bitterly　about　all　the　tasks　set　him…was　supposed　to　see　what　records　were　available　on　early　dragon　training：　going　between　and　using　firestone。　Nothing　legible　remained　from　the　old　Record　Aivas　had　transcribed　and　those　who　owned　fire…lizards　insisted　that　the　dragons　had　learned　from　these　smaller　cousins。
　　No　one　had　ever　observed　fire…lizards　telekinetically　moving　something；　unless　the　speed　with　which　fire…lizards　could　gobble　food　from　a　plate　could　be　considered　a　form　of　telekinesis。
　　Many　other　matters　were　being　set　in　place；　the　most　important　of　which　was　siting　the　Western　Continent　observatory。　This　so…called　continent　was　two　landmasses；　a　wide　inlet　almost　pletely　separating　them　except　for　a　straggle　of　boulders　making　a　bridge　at　the　northern　end。　Erragon　had　the　plans　Aivas　had　printed　out　for　Cove　Hold　and；　apart　from　a　different　telescope　mount　（he　remended　the　fork　type）；　these　would　suffice：　especially　when　those　who　had　worked　on　Cove　Hold　volunteered　their　services　to　erect　the　new　one。　Lord　Ranrel　was　as　good　as　his　promise　and　three　ships　were　loaded　with　material　and　volunteers　to　sail；　with　Master　Idarolan　in　nominal　charge　of　the　expedition；　to　the　southernmost　cape　of　the　larger　landmass。　A　pod　of　dolphins　assigned　by　the　dolphins'　venerable　leader；　the　Tillek　herself；　were　to　acpany　the　small　fleet　to　a　harbor　she　could　remend。
　　Green　and　blue　dragons　were　to　precede　the　ships；　setting　up　a　base　camp。
　　The　same　general　plans；　with　variations　to　the　terrain；　were　to　be　implemented　at　Ice　Lake　and　in　Telgar。　The　most　pressing　need　was　training　apprentices　to　serve　the　new　facilities　or　to　add　to　the　Crafthalls　that　produced　spyglasses　that　used　to　be　called　〃far…seers；〃　binoculars；　and　small　telescopes。
　　Master　Tagetarl's　Print　Hall　was　busy；　first　with　printing　the　requirements　of　craftsmen　and　…women；　lists　of　materials　to　be　supplied…especially　lists　of　people　willing　to　be　transported　to　such　a　distant　location　to　help　in　building　an　observatory　on　the　Western　Continent。
　　That　was　a　simpler　task　than　the　demand　for　printed　instructions　on　how　to　build　smaller　non…metal　telescopes：　thick　wherhide　would　suffice　so　long　as　the　interior　was　painted　black　and　sealed　against　dust。　Manuals　must　be　written　by　the　Star　Hall；　charts　and　diagrams　of　what　objects　were　known　to　be　in　unthreatening　orbits；　instructions　on　how　to　sight；　recognize；　and　make　proper　notations　on　possible　discoveries。　The　GlassCraftHalls　could　supply　mirrors　for　reflective　scopes　from　100…mm　to　400…mm。　Larger　ones；　of　course；　required　time　to　shape　and　build。
　　When　Thread；　inevitably；　fell　near　Honshu；　the　healers　made　sure　the　two　injured　dragons　were　so　deeply　sedated　that　they　were　unaware…except　at　some　very　primal　level…that　the　ancient　enemy　was　being　met。　Zaranth　was　recovering　well　but　Golanth's　injuries　still　concerned　every　Weyrhealer　and　Beastmaster。
　　
HONSHU　WEYRHOLD…TIME　PASSING　SLOWLY
　　〃There's　considerably　more　available　about　every　other　animal　on　this　planet；〃　Wyzall　said　after　a　long　afternoon's　study　with　Beastmaster　Ballora；　his　best　animal　healer；　Persellan；　and　Tai；　〃than　about　the　ones　we're　most　dependent　on。〃　He　pushed　back　from　the　table；　rubbing　his　face　to　ease　fatigue。
　　〃That's　because　we　have　had　bodies　of　every　other　animal　to　dissect　for　study；〃　Ballora　remarked。　She　was　a　big；　athletic　woman。　She　had　started　healer　training　with　Master　Oldive　but　found　a　real　empathy　and　skill　with　animals　so　she　had　changed　to　the　BeastCraftHall。　Her　manner　was　in　general　as　reassuring　to　humans　as　it　was　to　the　animals　she　tended　and　bred。　Now　she　sighed　with　deep　regret。　〃But　then　the　only　anatomical　studies　ever　available　were　those　done　on　dead　fire…lizard　hatchlings　that　Ancient　zoologists　happened　to　find。　And　those　most　inplete　notes　that　Wind　Blossom　left　that　concerned　unhatched　watchwhers　which；　as　we　all　know；　were　not　our　dragons。〃
　　〃Records　state　that　there　were　unhatched　dragon　eggs。。。〃　Tai　began　tentatively。
　　Wyzall　dismissed　that。　〃There　was　a　prejudice　against　such　study；〃　he　continued。　〃Not　that　I　disagree；　since　any　eggs　that　didn't　hatch　failed　because　of　some　defect。〃　He　gave　a　sigh。　〃Live　dragons　can　at　least　tell　their　riders　where　they　hurt；　if　it　isn't　visible。　Unlike　us　humans　who　do　not　seem　to　be　sufficiently　in　tune　with　our　bodies　because　we…〃　He　broke　off；　clearing　his　throat　and　riffling　the　pages　he　had　been　reading。
　　〃Because　we　die　when　we　wear　out；〃　Ballora　said　with　detachment。　〃Did　you　ever　discover　which　is　the　oldest　living　fire…lizard；　Wyzall？〃　she　asked　with　a　grin。
　　Wyzall　tut…tutted　and　shook　his　head。　〃It's　an　impossibility。　They　may　tell　dragons　what　they　'remember'　seeing　but　I　think　it's　analogous　to　the　Tillek's　knowledge　of　delphinic　history。　The　fire…lizards　weren't　there　to　see　it　happen　but　they　have　passed　the　tale　of　it　down　so　that　it〃…and　he　waved　to　the　fairs　that　were　either　sleeping　or　lazily　flying　on　the　light　breeze…〃bees　a　personal　memory。〃
　　〃Not　all　the　fire…lizards　remember　seeing　the　spaceships　in　the　ship　meadow；〃　Tai　reminded　him。
　　〃Ah；〃　and　Wyzall　wiggled　a　finger　at　her；　〃but　which　do？　Back　to　the　present；〃　he　said　then；　growing　solemn；　〃I　do　think　that　gentle　massage　with　the　unguent　will　help　circulation　to　Golanth's　damaged　wing　joint。　At　least　it　no　longer　causes　him　great　pain。〃
　　〃How　could　it　with　five　jars　of　numbweed　soaked　in！〃　Tai　asked；　since　she　had　undertaken　a　lot　of　that　massage。
　　〃Well；　no　harm　in　trying　this　unguent；〃　Ballora　said；　taking　it　from　her　pouch　and　placing　it　on　the　table　with　the　air　of　exhibiting　an　item　of　rare　value。　〃Helps　with　joint…ail　on　runnerbeasts　but　it's　worse　to　produce　than　numbweed。〃
　　〃Nothing　can　be　worse；〃　said　Persellan；　who　was　usually　in　charge　of　collecting；　boiling；　and　rendering　the　weed　at　Monaco　Weyr。
　　〃It's　a　big　joint；〃　Tai　said；　dubiously。
　　〃Rub　it　in　well　and　we　must　be　sure　to　wash　our　hands　thoroughly。　We　don't　want　to　absorb　too　much　of　it　through　the　skin　of　our　hands。〃
　　She　removed　the　stopper　to　the　pot　and　had　been　about　to　sniff　but　set　it　down　quickly。
　　〃The　smell　won't　kill　you；〃　Ballora　said。　So　willing　hands　massaged　the　substance　into　the　dragon's　wing　joint。
　　There　were　other　worries　about　Golanth　that　must　soon　be　addressed。　A　dragon　injured　in　a　Fall　usually　went　between…first　to　shake　off　Thread　in　the　cold　and　second　to　emerge　in　his　or　her　Weyr。　Every　Weyr；　including　Monaco；　had　an　infirmary；　which　could　acmodate　a　wounded；　or　sick；　dragon。　Honshu　had　only　the　broad　terrace　on　which　the　queens　had　tenderly　deposited　the　desperately　wounded　bronze　after　the　attack。　But　Golanth　could　not　be　moved　through　between　until　his　injuries　were　healed。
　　Another　five　days　stuck　in　Honshu；　with　so　many　people　around；　was　Tai's　limit。　She　had　to　get　away　by　herself；　away　from　all　the　pressures　there。　She　spent　as　much　time　with　F'lessan　as　she　could…when　not　dismissed　by　healers…because　he　really　did　seem　less　restless　when　she　was　nearby。
　　She　could　tell　when　he　was　speaking　with　Golanth；　which　was　often；　and　also　when　his　wounds　were　being　dressed　and　he　needed　distraction　from　the　pain；　because　his　eyes　went　unfocused。　Sometimes　she　worried　that　he　was　retreating　too　much　into　Golanth。　Oddly　enough；　the　healers　could　keep　the　dragon　far　more　fortable　by　use　of　numbweed　than　they　could　the　rider。
　　There　was；　indeed；　little　she　could　do　for　F'lessan…which　distressed　her…and　not　all　that　much　for　Zaranth　who；　like　most　injured　dragons；　slept　a　lot。　By　the　eighth　day；　she　realized　that　the　healing　process　was　plete　enough…no　more　grainy　feel　except　to　the　deepest　claw　marks；　though　the　new　skin　was　very　tender…and　Zaranth　could　safely　go　between。　Tai's　leg　wounds　were　red　scars　and　peeling　flesh。　The　sea　would　plete　her　healing；　too。
　　We　will　go　when　they　sleep；　Zaranth　informed　her　rider。　They　will　not　then　miss　us。
　　Sea　will　be　good　for　you；　too。　Tai　assuaged　her　conscience　by　saying；　repeatedly。
　　Having　made　the　decision；　it　was　hard　to　get　through　the　day。　She　worried　about　leaving　F'lessan；　Golanth　wouldn't　be　aware。　She　felt　as　if　she　was　deceitful　and　devious　but　she　needed　a　respite。　The　sight　of　F'lessan　crumpling　in　on　himself　when　allowed　to　take　a　few　steps　from　his　bed　had　almost　made　her　retch。　He'd　had　to　lean　heavily　on　the　crutch；　for　his　left　leg　could　still　handle　no　weight　and　the　abdominal　wound　kept　him　from　straightening。　Hair　was　beginning　to　grow　over　the　head　wound；　but　he　was　a　far　cry　from　the　dashing；　blithe；　youthful　Benden　Wingleader。
　　So　Tai　and　Zaranth　made　their　plans　and　waited　until　the　subdued；　quiet；　but　constant　activity　of　the　carers　and　healers　went　into　nighttime　mode。　At　last　Tai　slipped　out；　wincing　a　bit　as　she　jarred　her　leg　on　the　stone　floors：　she　had　left　her　cane　behind；　for　it　had　a　metal　tip　and　its　click　would　be　audible。　Someone　might　hear　her　moving　and　investigate；　very　quick　to　investigate；　they　were。
　　She　slipped　onto　Zaranth's　back。　The　green　padded　carefully　to　the　edge；　slowly　extending　her　wings　above　her　head；　and　then；　in　a　maneuver　that　they　both　knew　was　reckless；　tipped　over　the　edge。　Wind　caught　under　her　wings　and　she　glided　silently　a　moment；　just　above　the　treetops；　before　going　between。
　　They　chose　a　little　cove　off　the　coast　of　Cathay；　Zaranth　expertly　ing　in　over　the　placid　waves　to　a　white　sand　beach。　They　landed　there　long　enough　for　Tai　to　strip　off　her　clothing；　leave　her　towel；　and　remount　Zaranth。　The　green　then　walked　slowly　into　the　tranquil　sea；　chirping　happily　as　the　warm　water　caressed　her；　until　she　floated。　Tai　just　fell　off　her　dragon's　neck　into　the　sea；　elated　with　the　success　of　their　escape　and　the　caress　of　the　warm　water。
　　〃We　needed　this；　dear　heart；〃　she　said；　slapping　Zaranth's　wet　wither。
　　The　dragon　let　herself　sink　until　only　her　eyes　remained　above　the　water；　brilliant　green　and　blue…and　that　unhappily　reminded　Tai　of　Golanth's　eye。　But　suddenly　dolphins　arrived；　squeeing　and　clicking　in　great　s