amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第35部分

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ter…colored　beast。　They　did　see　the　white　spume；　outlining　the　leading　edge。　And　they　did　see　the　gigantic　wave…dragon…lengths　of　it…crash　against　the　Jordan　cliff；　and　the　way　the　spray　tried　to　curl　over　the　massive　basaltic　precipice；　the　wind　blowing　back　the　sound　of　that　assault！　They　saw　the　second　wave　lurching　against　the　bulwark。　They　could　see　old　Oslo　Landing　inundated；　see　the　tsunami　streaming　along　the　sloping　coastline　to　attack　the　stones　of　Kahrain　Cape。　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　left　eye；　F'nor　saw　that　part　of　the　tsunami　now　seemed　to　swell　and　race　along　the　basalt　walls　lining　the　Jordan　River；　pushing　it　in　its　wake；　back　up　the　length　of　the　deep　chasm。　At　his　altitude；　he　could　see　the　tsunami　race…it　seemed　to　flow　over　the　natural　seaward　current…splashing　against　the　rocky　sides；　but　powerless　to　rise　to　the　forest　above。
　　The　tightness　in　his　chest　eased　as　he　understood　that；　powerful　though　the　tsunami　was；　the　land　could　survive。
　　The　other　watchers　suddenly　disappeared；　going　between。　F'nor　had　seen　enough。　He　asked　Canth　to　spiral　down　to　Landing。　Hard　work　was　a　good　way　to　blunt　difficult　emotions。
　　
LANDING…LATE　AFTERNOON…1。9。31
　　F'lessan　felt　the　tentative　prod　on　his　shoulder。　Felt　a　second；　harder　one。　Felt　Golanth's　groan　in　the　dragon's　deep　chest。　Smelled　klah　and　an　appetizing　odor　of　something　roasted；　held　under　his　nose。
　　He　opened　one　eye　and　saw　a　figure　hunkered　down　in　front　of　him；　holding　out　a　cup　and　a　small　plate；　heaped　with　bite…sized　food。　He　pushed　himself　against　Golanth　and　straightened。　He　nearly　fell　back　because　his　right　arm　was　half　asleep。
　　〃F'lessan？　Drink！　You　need　the　liquid。〃
　　That　sounded　like　Tai's　voice。　He　opened　both　eyes。　She　didn't　look　any　better　than　he　felt；　her　face　was　dirty　and　haggard。　Oddly；　her　hands　were　clean。　She　sat　down　cross…legged　in　front　of　him；　without　spilling　the　klah　or　scattering　the　food　from　the　plate。
　　〃They　let　us　sleep　longer。　I　don't　know　why；　but　I'm　grateful。〃
　　〃So　am　I！〃　F'lessan　yawned　mightily；　holding　the　klah　out　in　front　lest　it　spill　on　himself　or　Tai。
　　Then　he　realized　that　it　was　cloudy。　Landing's　usually　bright　sun　was　visible　as　a　hazy　yellow　orb　in　the　forbidding　sky。
　　〃Dust　in　the　air；　someone　told　me；〃　Tai　said　with　no　expression　in　her　voice。　She　wasn't　a　volatile　personality；　like　Mirrim　or　Lessa；　F'lessan　thought。　More　like　Brekke；　quiet；　self…contained；　definitely　reserved。
　　〃What's　happening　now？〃　The　bronze　rider　jerked　his　thumb　to　the　three　Benden　queens；　still　on　duty。
　　〃The　tsunami　keeps　going；〃　she　said；　her　head　averted。
　　〃Did　it　destroy　Cove　Hold？〃　F'lessan　blurted　the　question　out。　He　could　endure　almost　any　other　destruction　but　that。
　　〃Oh；　no；〃　she　said　quickly；　with　a　sudden　magically　reassuring　smile。　〃Cove　Hold　has　only　a　little　bit　of　flooding　in　the　gardens。　They　had　nearly　four　hours　to　pack　up　everything　portable；　but　the　water　never　reached　MasterHarper's　porch。〃
　　He　felt　tension　in　his　midriff　snap　with　relief。　He　closed　his　eyes；　thinking　of　Cove　Hold　as　he　had　last　seen　it。　Gardens　could　be　replaced。　Whatever　other　things　had　been　destroyed　by　the　tsunami；　he　was　deeply　grateful　Robinton's　last　home　had　e　through　this　disaster　relatively　unscathed。　But　Tai　did　not　look　happy。　She　paused；　her　eyes　unfocused　and　her　shoulders　sagged　again。　The　smile　disappeared　and　she　seemed　sunk　in　depression。　He　caught　her　hand；　thinking　he　knew　what　would　trouble　her　more　than　Cove　Hold。
　　〃The　observatory？〃
　　〃Not　as　badly　damaged　as　it　could　have　been。　That　dome　is　watertight。　Kahrain　Cape　above　it　caught　the　brunt。　There　was　a　spectacularly　high　crest　at　Jordan　Cliffs。〃　F'lessan　shuddered；　remembering　the　one　he　had　so　narrowly　escaped。　〃I'm　told　a　lot　of　people　watched。〃
　　The　brief　animation　in　her　face　faded　quickly。
　　〃I'm　sorry；　Tai。　Not　much　of　Monaco　would　have　survived；〃　he　murmured；　squeezing　her　hand　hard　in　sympathy。
　　〃There　were　five　waves；　you　know；〃　she　said　flatly。　〃One　after　another。　They　sort　of　bounced　off　the　nearer　Ring　island　and　then　plowed　into　Monaco。〃　She　raised　one　hand　and　smacked　it　slowly；　five　times；　into　the　palm　of　the　other；　then　her　shoulders　sagged　and　her　hands　dropped。　〃Pier　went　in　the　first　one　and　all　the　cotholds　on　the　beach。　People　saved　a　lot　of　the　tools　and　supplies　from　the　boatyard。　The　careening　cradles　are　just　splinters　after　the　seiche　waves。　T'lion　said　those　are　the　perpendicular　waves；　when　the　main　ones　subside。　I　don't　know　how　he　could　go　and　look　except　that　he　was　trying　to　find　the　dolphin　bell　pylon。　He　said　it's　made　of　an　indestructible　material。〃　She　gave　a　heavy　sigh　as　if　she　doubted　anything　could　have　survived　the　surge　of　five　tsunami　waves。　〃Portmaster　Zewe　took　down　the　dolphin　bell；　you　know。　T'lion　said　he'd　been　out　far　enough　to　sea　for　Gadareth　to　land　on　the　water　and　call　Report。　It　was　pretty　choppy　and　cloudy　but　the　dolphins　reported。〃　That　seemed　to　cheer　her　a　bit。　〃No　pods　suffered　casualties　and　they　warned　all　the　land　people。〃
　　F'lessan　stroked　her　hand　soothingly。　〃I　know。　They　warned　Sunrise　cliff。〃　He　hesitated。　〃Is　Readis　all　right？　At　his　Dolphin　Hall？〃
　　〃Yes。〃　She　managed　a　weak　grin。　〃T'lion　checked。　Readis　was　high　on　Rubicon　Cliff。〃
　　He　didn't　know　what　else　to　say。　He　knew　that　Monaco　Weyr　Center　was　probably　bobbing　with　the　splinters　of　the　pier　and　the　vegetation。　Wherever　she　and　Zaranth　had　weyred　was　deep　under　water。
　　〃Eat；〃　F'lessan　said　gently　and　held　a　bit　to　her　lips　because　he　hadn't　seen　her　take　any　of　the　roasted　meat。
　　She　put　a　piece　in　her　mouth；　chewing　it　slowly；　automatically；　not　tasting　anything；　and　not　looking　at　him；　distraught。　Why　wouldn't　she　be？　he　thought。
　　〃What　news　of　other　shoreline　holds？　Was　everyone　lifted　to　safety？〃　Would　he　always　see　the　panic　on　Binness's　face　when　he　realized　he　was　trapped　between　a　wave　and　a　rock？
　　Irritation　made　her　flush。　She　stopped　her　chewing　and　looked　up　at　him；　a　small　outraged　frown　knotting　her　eyebrows。　〃I　heard　there　were　some　who　didn't　believe　the　dragonriders　and。。。〃
　　〃Crept　back　to　get　something　they　couldn't　live　without　and　drowned；〃　he　finished　for　her。　〃The　Weyrs　are　not　responsible　for　arrant　stupidity！〃
　　〃But　they'd　been　brought　to　where　it　was　safe！〃　She　gripped　her　fingers　so　hard　her　knuckles　were　white。
　　〃Like　the　dolphins；　we　can't　help　it　if　people　don't　listen　to　our　warnings。〃　F'lessan　caught　both　her　hands　in　his　and　tugged　them　to　get　her　to　look　at　him。　〃Tai；　how　much　time　did　you　spend　today　warning；　rescuing？〃
　　She　blinked　furiously；　tears　spattering　onto　his　hand。　〃I。。。　I　can't　remember。　The　fireball　was　always　there；〃　and　she　cast　a　frantic　glance　to　her　right；　to　the　north。
　　He　massaged　her　taut　hands　and　fingers；　doing　his　best　to　soothe　her；　to　relieve　her　inexpressible　grief。
　　〃Every　dragon　here　did　what　he　or　she　could　do。　I'll　wager　there're　hundreds　of　exhausted　dragons　here。　We　did　all　we　could！〃　He　thought　of　his　son；　barely　fifteen　Turns；　taking　his　dragon　on　the　longest　trip　between　they'd　yet　made；　to　serve　food　and　drink。　〃We　didn't　lose　a　dragon；　did　we？〃　No；　he　would　have　known。　Dragons　made　a　terrible　noise　when　one　of　them　died。
　　She　shook　her　head。　He　continued　to　stroke　her　hands　as　he　looked　out　over　the　resting　dragons；　most　of　them　Monacan；　though　he　recognized　a　few　from　Telgar　and　High　Reaches　Weyrs。
　　〃How　much　more　do　they　expect　of　us？〃
　　〃The　fireball　fell。　And　made　tsunami；〃　she　said；　her　tone　utterly　bereft。　Zaranth　crooned　sympathetically；　encouragingly。
　　F'lessan　reached　out　and　pulled　the　dejected　green　rider　into　his　arms。　Her　skin　was　cold　beneath　his　hands。　He　snagged　one　of　the　feline　pelts　from　the　ground　by　Zaranth。
　　〃How　in　the　name　of　the　First　Egg　could　dragons　have　stopped　the　fireball　dropping　or　the　tsunami　from　starting？〃　he　demanded　bitterly。　〃We　did　what　we　could！〃　Once　again　he　used　Golanth's　shoulder　as　a　backrest　and　made　Tai　as　fortable　against　him　as　he　could。　He　felt　Golanth's　sympathetic　rumbling　and　Zaranth　shoved　her　nose　over　to　give　Tai's　arm　a　brief　lick。　F'lessan　felt　the　reassurances　of　both　dragons　humming　through　him。　Tai　lay　motionless；　her　breathing　gradually　easing　from　despairingly　ragged　to　a　calmer　rhythm。
　　〃You'll　see；　Tai。　We'll　be　more　famous　than　Moreta　and　her　ride。　There　were　thousands　of　us　doing　it。〃
　　We　mustn't　say　that　we　timed　it；　F'lessan；　Golanth　whispered。
　　〃We're　not　to　say　we　timed　it；　F'lessan；〃　murmured　Tai　in　the　same　breath。
　　〃Another　little　miracle　of　the　day　covered　up；　huh？〃　F'lessan　felt　rancor　building　in　him。　What　did　it　matter　if　half　the　population　of　Pern　knew　dragons　could　go　between　time　as　well　as　place？　It's　not　as　if　people　could　learn　how。　On　the　other　hand；　he'd　had　enough　timing　it　these　last　few　hours…felt　more　like　days…with　that　damned　fireball　hanging　over　his　shoulder。
　　Tai；　who　had　begun　to　relax　against　him；　now　tensed　again　and　struggled　to　sit　upright。
　　〃Did　you　save　these？〃　She　held　up　one　leg　of　spotted　pelt。
　　〃Me？　No。　Are　these　the　ones　you　skinned　in　Cardiff？　Beauties。〃
　　〃How　did　they　get　here？〃
　　Tai's　eyes　widened；　her　mouth　dropped　open　and　she　stared　at　Zaranth　who　now　looked　very　unfortable　and　dropped　her　head　from　her　rider's　arm；　hiding　her　eyes。
　　Zaranth　said　to　Tai　that　she　wanted　them　so　much　and　there　was　no　time　to　go　get　them；　Golanth　said　very　softly　to　F'lessan。
　　〃What　does　she　mean　by　that？〃　F'lessan　asked；　seeing　an　unreadable　expression　on　Tai's　face。
　　
SAME　TIME　AT　KEROON　PRINTER　HALL…LOCAL　TIME　11：15…1。9。31
　　〃Sir；　MasterPrinter；　sir；〃　an　uncertain　young　voice　said　at　Tagetarl's　elbow。
　　〃Just　a　minute。〃　Annoyed；　Tagetarl　held　up　his　hand　so　he　could　listen　to　the　last　of　the　drum　message　being　passed。　He　didn't　want　to　miss　a　vital　one；　most　had　been　seeking　information。　Telgar　and　Lemos　had　confirmed　a　fireball　visible　in　their　sky。　Benden　drums　confirmed　that　it　had　fallen　into　the　Eastern　Sea。
　　Roused　from　his　bed　early　that　morning；　Tagetarl　had　gone　to　his　office　to　find　what　reassurance　he　could　from　his　maps。　The　Eastern　Sea　was　a　long　way　from　Keroon。　But　he　was　awake　so　he　went　down　to　the　kitchen　level　to　make　fresh　klah。　He　had　a　hunch　he'd　need　it　before　this　day　was　done。　Several　hours　later；　when　the　shock　wave　rumbled　over　Wide　Bay；　he　blithely　told　everyone　that　this　was　natural　enough。　Most　believed　Harpers；　but　not　all。　His　spouse；　Rosheen；　gave　him　a　skeptical　stare。
　　Drums　rolling　a　message　on　to　Keroon　Hold　informed　him；　and　anyone　else　who　could　interpret　drum　messages；　that　〃everything　was　under　control。〃　A　tag　to　it…that　only　a　harper　would　know…was　an　urgent　invitation　for　Lord　Kashman　to　be　conveyed　to　Landing。
　　Nor　was　what　〃was　now　under　control〃　explained。　Situated　in　an　old　warehouse　that　had　been　converted　to　its　new　purpose；　Tagetarl's　Printing　Hall　was　on　the　north　side　of　Wide　Bay。　He　had　a　good　view　of　ships　entering　and　leaving　the　harbor　but　the　Hall　was　not　conveniently　situated　to　see　if　a　dragon　had　taken　off　from　Keroon　Hold。　With　his　good　long…range　vision；　he　could　make　out　frantic　activity　on　the　wharves　as　goods　wait