All The Weyrs of Pern

by Anne McCaffrey

  Finally, Jaxom desisted and turned to the immediate situation. "Don't the Buenos Aires and Bahrain have similar shields?"

  "They do," Aivas replied.

  "Well, then." Jaxom rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

  "Now wait a moment, Lord Jaxom," Jancis said. "You're not going to have all the fun today. I want my turn at destroying Thread."

  "And I," her grandfather said, a rapturous grin replacing his usual composure.

  "It would be a dangerous task for a young woman, a young mother," Belterac said, glancing anxiously at Fandarel to support him.

  "I will not be done out of my opportunity on those grounds," Jancis said, her stance so belligerent that Belterac nearly recoiled in surprise. "Besides, I fit into a space suit. You're much too big, Belterac."

  "I'm not," Evan said, speaking up for the first time.

  "I thought that life-support systems had been reactivated on both the smaller ships," Fandarel said. "Am I not correct, Aivas?"

  "You are, Master Fandarel."

  "Well, then, space suits are not required."

  "A knowledge of the sequence is, Granddad, and you always leave console work to someone else."

  Fandarel drew himself up to his full height, swelling his massive chest importantly. "It did not seem too difficult. A few pecks and then the enter." He threw a quizzical glance at Jaxom.

  "Cease!" Jaxom said, throwing up his hands and nearly propelling himself out of the pilot's chair by mistake. "As Lord Holder, I outrank everyone else, so I will make the decision. Master Fandarel deserves the chance for many reasons, and Jancis, too. However, Bigath and Beerth brought all you Smithcrafters up here, so they can just haul you across to the other ships, as well. You-" He pointed at Belterac. "-can be trusted with switching the screen from deflect to destroy. And you-" He indicated Fandarel. "-can then engage. Jancis, you reprogram the shield, and Evan, you can hit the ENTER key. So you'll all take part."

  "It must be pointed out," Aivas said, "that the amount of Thread that would be destroyed, even utilizing the destruct mode of the shields on all three ships, is only point-oh-nine percent of an average Fall. Is this trip necessary?"

  "That's point-oh-nine percent the dragonriders don't have to worry about, Aivas," Jaxom said jubilantly.

  "Then let us make this efficient use of the available technology," Fandarel said eagerly.

  "It is apparent that such participation would give immense psychological satisfaction, far outweighing either the risk or the actual destruction ratio," Aivas said.

  "Immense satisfaction," Jaxom agreed.

  "Raising morale to a new height," Jancis put in. "And to think I can have a part in it!"

  "That is," Jaxom said, turning to the green riders, "if you and your dragons are amenable..."

  S'len and L'zan were more than amenable. Jaxom drilled everyone on the steps necessary to alter the shield to destruct mode. Aivas did insist that everyone was to take along emergency oxygen equipment. The atmosphere on the two smaller ships was only minimal, and oxygen deprivation could not be risked.

  When the greens, well laden with riders, departed, Jaxom found the bridge remarkably quiet.

  "Jaxom," Aivas began, "how much weight can the green dragons carry? Their burdens today weigh more than their body weight."

  "A dragon is capable of carrying as much as he thinks he can," Jaxom replied with a shrug.

  "So if the dragon thinks he can carry any object, irrespective of its actual weight, he will?"

  "I don't think anyone's actually tried to overload a dragon. Didn't you tell me that the earliest ones were used to transport loads out of Landing following the eruption'?"

  "That is true. But they were never, as you surmised, permitted to carry great weights. In fact, Sean O'Connell, the leader of those early riders, resented the fact that the dragons were used in such a capacity."

  "Why?"

  "That was never explained."

  Jaxom smiled to himself. "Dragons can do a lot of inexplicable things."

  "For instance," and Aivas's voice altered subtly, "arriving in very timely fashions?"

  Jaxom chuckled. "That's one."

  "How did you contrive such a serendipitous entrance?"

  "Jancis was clever enough to put down the time. When I visualized the bridge for Ruth, I also visualized the bridge clock"-Jaxom pointed to the digital face-"at a minute before the one she gave. So, of course, we arrived-" He chuckled again. "-in time!"

  Tell Aivas that I always know where in time I am, Ruth said, and Jaxom duly repeated the message to Aivas.

  "A most interesting ability."

  "Mind you, Aivas, that is for your ears only."

  "This facility has no ears, Jaxom."

  The discussion was interrupted by the jubilant return of the teams, the green dragons looking as gratified as their passengers.

  "When Thread has passed by," Aivas said, "someone must return to the other ships and reset the shield to deflect. The solar panels do not supply unlimited power and will need to be fully recharged."

  There was a unanimous agreement to that suggestion. By then, Aivas had accessed all the data he required, the Thread flow had diminished to a few stray globules, and the green dragons returned the teams to reset the shields.

  "Aivas," Fandarel began when they were once again assembled on the Yokohama's bridge, "has the matter of our excursions to the other ships been mentioned on the surface?"

  "Master Robinton was on duty and approved," Aivas replied.

  Fandarel cleared his throat. "No students listening to the exchange?"

  "Only Master Robinton was in the chamber at that time. Why?"

  "We can count on his discretion, then. This interesting facet of the Yokohama should be discussed before it is made public," Fandarel said. "I found it most exhilarating to initiate the destruction."

  "Wouldn't it serve to convince the doubtful that these projects are useful?" Jancis asked.

  "That is the question that must be discussed," Fandarel told her.

  Jaxom and Ruth made their farewells and left the bridge. As Jancis and the other smiths returned to the engine room and their disrupted tasks, she fleetingly wondered if he had timed it back to Ruatha...

  Jaxom did not return immediately to Ruatha. He felt obliged to inform the Benden Weyrleaders of the incident. Ruth was thoroughly in favor of a Benden destination, as he always enjoyed visiting his native Weyr.

  Ramoth and Mnementh are happy to see me, he told his rider as they circled in to land at the queen's weyr. Lessa and F'lar are within. Then he turned his head up to Mnementh, and the two dragons touched noses. Mnementh says that F'lar will be very pleased to hear what we did on the Yokohama. He and Ramoth are.

  As Jaxom entered the queen's weyr, Ramoth was watching for his appearance and rumbled a greeting.

  She greets you as the bearer of very good tidings, Ruth told him.

  "How about letting me deliver my own surprise?" Jaxom muttered with mock irritation.

  "And what surprise is that?" Lessa asked, looking up from reinforcing a join on a long strap. F'lar had his harness stretched from a peg set high on the wall and was rubbing oil into the thick neck strap.

  These reminders of his near escape from cold-damaged leather sobered Jaxom. He had seen no further indication that the conspirators at Tillek were carrying out their threat against him. But then, he had been careful not to provide opportunities.

  "Oh," he began casually, "just that the Fall over Nerat won't be as heavy as usual day after tomorrow."

  "How's that?" F'lar swiveled about, giving Jaxom his complete attention. Lessa's stare suggested that the young Holder had better be quick with his explanation.

  Grinning because it wasn't often that he could astound this pair, he related what had happened. When he had finished, and the two Weyrleaders had questioned him closely on details, Lessa looked less than pleased.

  "I'd say we were very lucky not to have last two green dragons. And don't tell me you di
dn't time it, Jaxom."

  ''Then I won't," Jaxom replied. "Bloody lucky Ruth's so clever at it."

  Lessa opened her mouth to remonstrate with him, but F'lar held up a hand. "And there can be a reduction in the density of Fall, using the destruct mode of the shields?" the Weyrleader asked.

  "It certainly looked that way to us out the back window... as it were." Then Jaxom halted in dismay. "You know, if I'd had the sense of a fire-lizard, I'd've reprogrammed the telescope and gotten a good look."

  "It takes time to become accustomed to using all this new technology. Anyway, we'll confirm it at Nerat," F'lar said, smiling as he pushed back his errant forelock. "This'll be heartening news, Jaxom. Fall's right now at its densest, and unless Thread can re-form-which I doubt-during its descent through the upper strata, the wings will have a brief breather. And that'll cut down on our casualties."

  "It may increase them," Lessa said with a scowl. "If we decide to take advantage of this capability. Riders'll become inattentive, expecting a lull."

  "Oh, come now, love." F'lar gave Lessa's long, thick plait an affectionate tug. "You can be downright ungrateful for a favor."

  She paused, reconsidered, then gave a grudging smile. "Sorry. I do tend to be gloomy just before a Fall."

  "In that case, Lessa, you'd best come up to the Yokohama the next time this happens. I found it tremendously satisfying to be able to destroy so much Thread without endangering Ruth or myself!" Jaxom paused, then added, "We also have a specimen of Thread on the floor of Airlock A."

  "What?"

  Jaxom grinned at her startled, horrified expression. "Oh, it's safe enough. Airlock's got no oxygen, and it's the same temperature as outside. Aivas assured us that it's impotent in this form, can't alter. At that, we managed what the settlers never could-we captured Thread in its dormant stage."

  Lessa shuddered in revulsion. "Get rid of it!" she said with a dramatic gesture of her hand. "Get rid of it!"

  "Lytol's already assembling a team to dissect it."

  "Why?" Lessa flinched again.

  "Curiosity, I suppose. Though Aivas could merely be responding to another of those earlier imperatives of his he's so determined to implement."

  F'lar gave Jaxom a long hard look. Then he held up the klah pitcher, gesturing for the younger man to join him at the table for refreshment. Jaxom nodded gratefully and took the chair F'lar indicated while the steaming klah was poured.

  "I don't care what Aivas is implementing," Lessa said. "I I don't like the idea of Thread on the Yokohama. Suppose-"

  "Aivas would not expose us to danger," F'lar said, giving her a soothing smile. "I find Jaxom's comments on Aivas's mandates extremely perceptive." He settled in a chair and, cradling his klah cup, leaned across the table. "I'm curious, Jaxom, and you're more in Aivas's company these days than we are: This dissection business makes me wonder if Aivas's basic imperatives conflict with ours."

  "Not where the annihilation of Thread is concerned. Though sometimes I don't understand at all why he has us doing some of those endless drills and exercises. Especially now that he has been revealed as fallible."

  F'lar grinned. "Did Aivas ever say he was not?"

  "He likes to give the impression that he's never wrong," Lessa said in a sharp tone, looking alarmed.

  Jaxom grinned. "Good teacher image, and that's necessary when he has to pound all these radical ideas into our parochial heads."

  "Is his fallibility a danger to us?" F'lar asked.

  "I don't really think so. I'm just commenting on it since we are private today," Jaxom went on, "and because I was so surprised when Aivas did not know that Thread's descent passed so close to the Yokohama."

  F'lar blinked, absorbing that information, and Lessa's frown deepened. "Surprised? Or worried?" she asked.

  "Well, it's not his fault. The ancients didn't know it, either," Jaxom said with some satisfaction.

  F'lar grinned back at him. "I see what you mean, Jaxom. Makes them more human."

  "And Aivas not so inhumanly perfect."

  "Well, it doesn't please me," Lessa snapped. "We've believed everything Aivas has told us!"

  "Don't fret, Lessa. So far Aivas has not lied to us," F'lar said.

  "But if he doesn't know everything, how can we now be sure he's guiding us in the right direction with this great plan of his that's supposed to destroy Thread forever?" she demanded.

  "I'm beginning to figure out what that's going to be," Jaxom said so confidently that Lessa gave him a long look. "Aivas is obviously teaching us at the rate at which he feels we'll be able to absorb the revolutionary ideas; these exercises are what we have to perfect before we can achieve his goals, which are ours, and were our ancestors'."

  "And will you let us in on your conclusions?" Lessa's tone was as caustic as Jaxom had ever heard it.

  "It has to do with having a Thread in the airlock and being able to analyze it unemotionally, the way Sharra, Oldive, and the others can identify bacteria and develop ways of combatting infection. It has to do with becoming accustomed to moving in free-fall or in airless space, in using sophisticated equipment as if it were a third arm or an extra set of brains. That's all Aivas is, you know. An extra set of brains with a phenomenal, and infallible, memory." As Jaxom spoke, F'lar regarded him with growing respect. "And possessing a knowledge of the advanced technology we have lacked, so we couldn't do more than hold Thread at bay. But it's the dragons, and their riders, that Aivas needs to demolish Thread."

  "That's obvious, considering the questions Aivas keeps asking us," Lessa put in sharply. "I'd feel happier if we knew what he wants our dragons to do." Ramoth gave a crisp bark of agreement. "I'd also like to know when he'll let the larger dragons up on the Yokohama." Both Ramoth and Mnementh bugled.

  Jaxom grinned at Lessa. "Now, Lessa, don't be mean. It's not often that the greens get the jump on their bigger clutch mates. Allow them their moment of glory. At any rate, your chance comes soon. Sharra and Mirrim are monitoring the oxygen levels in the cargo bay, and as soon as the atmosphere's at the proper consistency, you'll be very welcome. Of course, you can always ask a green to fly you up there."

  Emitting an angry rumble, Ramoth turned to fix Jaxom with eyes that whirled with occasional flickers of red.

  "There! You know what Ramoth thinks of that idea," Lessa replied with a glint of amusement. "As if I'd consider for one moment being conveyed by a green," she added to soothe her weyrmate.

  "A white?" Jaxom offered slyly.

  Ramoth rumbled again, but not quite so angrily, and sneezed.

  I'll be exceedingly careful carrying Lessa, Ramoth, Ruth said. I fit on the bridge, which is warmer than the cargo bay, and Lessa would see much more on the bridge than in that dark cavern.

  "I heard," Lessa said when Jaxom opened his mouth to relay the message.

  "I know that Aivas wants all the bronze and brown dragons to get used to free-fall conditions. The bay's the only large open area that they'll fit in. The algae farm is developing beautifully, so it shouldn't be long now."

  Lessa cocked her head at Jaxom, her expression thoughtful. "Does Aivas plan for the dragons to move those ships?"

  "Move the ships?" Jaxom asked, surprised.

  "Why? How?" F'lar asked.

  "Remember, F'lar, when Aivas insisted that the dragons should be able to move things telekinetically?"

  "Dragons can only move themselves, their riders, and what they carry," F'lar said categorically. "They cannot move things they're not holding. And what good would come of moving the ships? If his plan is somehow to use the ships to blow up the Red Star, I don't see what good that would accomplish. Not as I understand his lessons in spatial mechanics."

  "No more do I" Jaxom took the last gulp of his klah and rose. "Well, I've delivered my report of today's surprise."

  "For which you have our gratitude," F'lar said.

  "If that kind of predestruction turns out to be beneficial, we can set up a regular schedule to switch the shields," Jaxom said. "Y
ou can even have a chance at programming the mode yourselves."

  "I'm sure it will be feasible, Jaxom. Anything that destroys Thread is helpful," F'lar said, rising to accompany the young Holder to the ledge.

  "You won't worry about Aivas's fallibility, will you, F'lar?" Jaxom asked in a lowered voice when they were in the short corridor beyond the weyr.

  "Me? No, certainly not," the Weyrleader assured him. "We've learned so much already from Aivas that, even if his vaunted Plan fails, we'll surely find our own ways of ridding Pern of Thread by the next Pass. But, somehow, Jaxom," F'lar said, gripping Jaxom's arm hard to show his implacable resolve, "I know we'll manage to do it in this Pass! Make no mistake about that! We'll do it in my lifetime!"

  When the Smithcrafters returned to Landing, thoroughly elated by their time aboard the Yokohama, there was some contention over who should be allowed the opportunity to initiate the destruct mode. And of a more immediate nature, who would have the opportunity to dissect the Thread specimen.

  "You'd have to choose carefully," Lytol said, "for too many folk believe that just being in the presence of Thread is followed by a terrible death. I've sent quite a few messages off to find qualified persons to perform the task, and so far, there's been no response."

  "You might not get one," Piemur said. He had been waiting for Jancis's return, a sleeping Pierjan limp in his backpack. "I suppose the knowledge would be useful even if it'll become academic by the end of this Pass."

  Master Robinton held up his hand. "I'll go, if no one else will."

  He was so besieged with protests that he grinned. "So long as I can visit the Yokohama at some point in the very near future. And don't"-he glared about him-"tell me that my health won't permit it. I found data in the medical files on how heart patients were frequently sent to free-fall wards on satellites to recuperate. A visit to the Yokohama would, therefore, be beneficial for my health, and it could do my heart good to stab a sequence that destroyed Thread! Did one of your messages go to Oldive or Sharra, Lytol? Well, then, they're both busy folk, but they'll get back to you in time. And if one of them goes, why, I'd have my healer at hand."

  Considerable consternation was roused when it became more widely known that a Thread ovoid had been procured. Aivas obliged with scenes of it reposing in Airlock A. It remained there unchanging for several days, proving that in its present state it posed no danger to anyone.