"I've got to go, Jaxom," she said, duty warring with fright. "Would Ruth be totally offended if I went with G'lanar on Lamoth?"
"You'll go on?" Jaxom was both amazed by and proud of his wife's courage and resilience.
"It's the best thing I can do, Jax, to get over this shock." She leaned across him to stroke Ruth's nose. "I know it wasn't your fault, dearest Ruth. Please relax! That shade of gray is not becoming!"
I felt the strap go as I leaped, Ruth told Jaxom. I should have asked her which straps she used. I should have.
"It's all right. You saved Sharra," Jaxom repeated, never more grateful to his dragon than at this moment. "She still has to get to the Healer Hall. On Lamoth with G'lanar."
Ruth eyed his rider, the orange of panic beginning to recede. He's all right for an Oldtimer, Ruth allowed grudgingly. I wish that Dunluth and S'gar were back.
"You know that pair can't fly Thread now. G'lanor's failing and Lamoth can barely chew his food anymore, much less firestone." Jaxom didn't think more of Ruth's comment then but tactfully called to the elderly dragon and rider to convey Sharra to the Healer Hall. He stripped off the dangling harness and rolled it up until he could examine it.
He watched the three until Lamoth went between, Meer and Talla following without fuss. Then he retraced his steps to the Great Hall, while Brand and the understewards gestured for those attending the court to settle themselves.
"You never told her?" Brand murmured in Jaxom's ear as they sat down.
"I will now. That was too close." Jaxom saw that his fingers were trembling as he sorted the papers he had scattered in panic.
"Indeed and it was. Does this... obvious attempt on your life have anything to do with all the recent incidents?"
"I wish I knew."
"You will speak to Benden now, won't you?" Brand's look was severe and implacable.
"I will," Jaxom agreed with a faint smile, "because I know that you intend to."
"So long as that's understood." Then in a louder voice, Brand went on. "The first case concerns the alleged misuse of Hold supplies..."
That evening Jaxom told Sharra every detail of the incident at Tillek Hold and the investigations that Brand had set in motion, investigations that had produced no results at all, for Pell professed himself to be quite content working in his father's craft. No one had asked him about his Ruathan Bloodlines, he assured them. And he was only a second cousin at best.
After Sharra had torn strips out of him for "sparing" her anxiety, they went over the entries in the Hold visitors' book and could find no one in the least bit suspicious. Ruth could not even be encouraging, for he was not always in his weyr when Jaxom was at home. He usually joined whichever dragon was on duty on the heights.
Even old Lamoth, he added. I scratch his itches; he scratches mine.
Both Sharra and Jaxom were due at Landing the next day for a meeting concerning the vandalism.
"If you don't come clean about this incident, Jaxom, I will," Sharra said, her expression fierce.
"That was about succession, Sharrie," he objected. "The destruction is a different matter entirely."
"How do you know that?" she demanded, clenching her fists on the armrest and shooting him an angry and reproachful glare. "Especially when you're the leader for all of Aivas's plans."
"Me? The leader?" Jaxom stared at her in complete surprise.
"Well, you are, even if you don't realize it." Then her severe expression softened. "You wouldn't." She gave him a sweetly condescending smile. "You are, though. Take my word for it, and everyone on the planet knows it."
"But I-I-"
"Oh, don't get fussed, Jax. It's one of your most endearing traits that you don't get puffed up with importance and irritate people with an inflated self-consequence."
"Who does that?" Jaxom rapidly thought of all those working so diligently with him.
"No one, but you'd have the right to." She came to sit on his lap, coiling one arm about his neck and stroking his frown smooth. "That's why you might well be a target for the dissidents. You certainly can't hide from the fact that dissatisfaction about Aivas's far too long-term project is increasing."
Jaxom sighed, for it was but one more thing he had tried to play down. "I'm all too aware. In fact, it's almost a relief to know they've come out in the open."
Sharra stiffened in his arms. "You know who they are?"
He shook his head. "Sebell knows who's likely to be involved, but none of his harpers have been able to produce any evidence. And you can't really accuse a Lord Holder without pretty substantial proof."
She murmured agreement and laid her head down on his shoulder. "You are being careful, aren't you, Jax?" she asked in a low and anxious voice.
He hugged her to him. "More than you are. How many times have I told you to check the riding harness before you use it?" he asked. He met her outraged reaction with a grin.
When the meeting convened the next day in Landing, Aivas took charge, first ordering the building cleared of all but those immediately involved.
"While these incidents are clearly directed at the new technology you are developing," Aivas said, "none, so far, threatens the success of the main drive of your efforts."
"Not yet," Robinton said darkly.
"I disagree," Sharra said, and fixed Jaxom with a steady glance. When he hesitated, she added, "Someone's trying to kill Jaxom."
When the commotion subsided, Jaxom gave a full and concise report.
"That is disturbing," Aivas said, raising his voice over the babel of questions. "Is not the white dragon protection against such attempts? Can he not prevent them?"
"Don't get so upset, " Jaxom said, annoyed at the fuss, though he wanted to set his mind at rest over any further threat to Sharra. "Ruth knew the moment the leather went, and he saved Sharra's life. I left those riding straps right out in the open, and hid the set I use. It was only-"
"He was trying to keep me from worrying," Sharra said in an acid tone. "Brand is trying to find out who could have sliced the leathers. It was done very cleverly by someone who knew exactly what stress would be put on riding straps."
"A dragonrider?" Lessa's voice rose to a near shriek, and outside half the dragons on the heights bugled in alarm. "There isn't a dragonrider on Pern who’d endanger Jaxom or Ruth!" And she glared at the young Lord Holder as if he were at fault. He glared right back.
"Nor any way a dragonrider could do so without his dragon's awareness," F'lar said emphatically.
"Nothing would be gained by-" Lessa faltered. "By disposing of Jaxom."
"Could it have been as protest to my involvement with Thread?" Sharra asked.
Jaxom shook his head violently. "How could it? Who would know that you'd want to have Ruth fly you to the Healer Hall?"
"Since it is usually Jaxom who flies Ruth," Aivas's calm voice said, "it is logical to assume that he was the target. No further attempts on his life must be permitted."
"Meer and Talla have their orders," Sharra said resolutely.
"What about Ruth?" Lessa demanded, and was silenced by a cacophony of bugling from the massed dragons at Landing. She blinked in surprise at their belligerence. "And, it would appear, every other dragon on Pern!" Then she leaned across to lay her hand on Sharra's arm. "We're alert to the danger now." She swung her glance to Jaxom and radiated rebuke. "We should have known much earlier, young man!"
"I have not been in danger," Jaxom protested. "I have been very careful."
"You would be wise to increase personal vigilance, Jaxom. Also, proper security measures must be promptly inaugurated to prevent further vandalism in every Crafthall that has undertaken to do specialized work," Aivas said sternly. "The recent destruction certainly delays the completion of useful equipment, but the vandals were, fortunately, not aware of the true significance of other crucial projects: the space helmets, the oxygen tanks, and the additional space suits which are vital to the success of our endeavour."
"All that work is divided am
ong several Halls and different locations," Fandarel said with an air of relief. Then he shook his head, his expression doleful. "I find it very hard to believe that some member of my Crafthall could so wantonly destroy the hard work of his colleagues."
"Your society is a trusting one," Aivas said, "and it is sad to see that trust betrayed."
"It is indeed," Fandarel agreed, his voice heavy with sadness. Then he straightened his shoulders. "We will be vigilant. F'lar, would there be any riders available for extra guard duty?"
"Watch-whers would be more effective," Lytol said, entering the discussion for the first time. He had turned very pale, despite his southern tan, during the disclosure of Jaxom's peril. "They would be most effective, and I am of the opinion that the Weyrs are stretched as far as they should be right now."
"Watch-whers and fire-lizards," Fandarel said. "Many of the Craftmasters involved have fire-lizards, and once they know that they are to be vigilant, they will be."
"My brother Toric had had good luck using some feline cubs," Sharra put in. "Of course, they have to be caged in the daytime, for they are ferocious beasts."
"Recruit whatever guardians are necessary, but do not permit the essential manufacturing to be damaged," Aivas ordered. "Tomorrow the dragons assigned to exercises in the Yokohama are to transport the fuel sacks. Master Fandarel, you will see that the sacks are emptied into the main tank. That will eliminate one security problem."
"Would that we could remove all the vulnerable materials to the Yokohama!" F'lar said. "Could we?" he asked Aivas.
"Unfortunately that is impossible, for a variety of reasons.
However, as soon as certain items have been completed, they should indeed be transported to the safety of the Yokohama."
"Is there any guarantee that they'd be safe there'?" Lytol wanted to know. He ignored those who regarded him with anger, dismay, disbelief, or anxiety as he waited for Aivas's reassurance.
"This facility can efficiently and easily monitor the Yokohama as you cannot your individual Holds, Halls, and Weyrs," Aivas replied.
"And the guardian guards himself!" Lytol added in a low voice.
"Q.E.D.," Aivas said.
"Cue ee dee?" Piemur asked.
"That has been demonstrated."
14
ON THE BRIDGE of the Yokohama the next afternoon, Jaxom and Piemur leaned over the engineering console.
"I know we emptied all those sacks in," Piemur said in an aggrieved tone, "but you wouldn't know it from the gauge."
"Big tank," Jaxom said, giving the dial a tap. "Drop in the bloody bucket."
"All that work for nothing," Piemur added, disgusted. They had had to suit up, because the fuel auxiliary intake pipe had been in a low-pressure section. The harper did not like the restrictions of a suit and the smell of tanked air. Despite weightlessness, the sacks had been awkward to manage: they could only take two at a time to the engineering level from the cargo bay where the dragons had transported them. And they were even more awkward to empty into the intake, following Aivas's instructions on the procedure for handling fluids in free-fall.
"Not for nothing," Aivas replied. "It is now safe from any tampering."
"Then it was dangerous?" Piemur asked, shooting Jaxom an I-told-you-so look.
"The fuel was not flammable, but if it were spilled, there would be toxic effects. Also, soil impregnated with the fuel becomes sterile. It is wise to avoid any unnecessary problems."
Jaxom rotated his shoulders, easing tense muscles. Sometimes working in these free-fall conditions was harder than performing a similar task on Pern.
"We have quite enough trouble as it is," Piemur said, and then turned to Jaxom. "Klah?" He lifted the hot bottle, one of Hamian's new contraptions: a large, thick, glass bottle, insulated by teased fibers of the same plant Bendarek was using to make paper and set inside a casing of Hamian's new hard plastic. It kept liquid warm or cold, though some people could not understand how the bottle knew the difference. "Meatroll?" He held out several wrapped rounds.
Jaxom grinned as he sipped from the bottle, taking care not to let any droplets escape into the air. "How is it that you always seem to have the very latest thingummies?"
Piemur rolled his eyes expressively. "Aivas said it was a thermos, and harpers traditionally try new things out! And besides, I'm resident at Landing, where Hamian has his manufactory, and you're just a runner-in, always missing the fun."
Jaxom refused to rise to the jibe. "Thanks for the food, Piemur. I'd worked up quite an appetite."
They had taken off their helmets and gloves upon entering the bridge and now made themselves comfortable in the console chairs. After the first edge of their hunger was allayed, Piemur gestured to Ruth, Farli, and Meer, who were plastered across the window, staring out.
"Do they see something we don't?" he asked.
"I asked Ruth," Jaxom said. "He says he just likes to look at Pern, all pretty laid out like that. With the clouds and the differences in light, it never looks the same twice."
"While you are eating," Aivas said, "this is an opportunity to explain another very important step in the training process."
"Is that why we got the sack duty?" Piemur asked with a wink and a grin at Jaxom.
"You are as perceptive as ever, Piemur. We have a secure channel here."
"We're all ears," Piemur said, then added hastily, "figuratively speaking, naturally."
"Accurate. It is essential to team how much time dragons can spend in space unprotected by such suits as you are now wearing."
"I thought you'd figured that out, Aivas," Jaxom said. "Ruth and Farli suffered no harm at all during the time they were on this bridge. They didn't seem to notice the cold and certainly weren't in oxygen debt."
"They were on the bridge for precisely three and a half minutes. It is required that dragons function normally for a minimum of twelve minutes. Fifteen would be the upper time required."
"For what?" Jaxom asked, leaning forward, elbows on his knees. Piemur's eyes were bright with excitement.
"The exercise is to accustom them to being in space-"
"Having already become accustomed to weightlessness?" Jaxom asked.
"Exactly."
"So we're at the walking stage?" Piemur asked.
"So to speak. The level of adaptability of your dragons is commendable. There have been no unfavorable reactions to the experience of free-fall."
"Why would there be?" Jaxom asked. "It's on a level with hovering, or being between, and dragons have no problem with that. So now, they're to go extra vehicular."
"Wouldn't they float away?" Piemur asked, casting an anxious look at Jaxom. "I mean, like the Thread eggs do?"
"Unless a violent movement was made, they would remain stationary," Aivas said. "As they will exit from the Yokohama, they are moving at the same speed, not at a different velocity as the incoming Thread spheres are. However, to prevent any panic-"
"Dragons don't panic," Jaxom said in flat contradiction, speaking before Piemur could utter a similar rebuke.
"Their riders might," Aivas replied.
"I doubt it," Jaxom said.
"Perhaps dragonriders are a breed apart, Lord Jaxom," Aivas said at his most formal, "but records of many generations indicate that some humans, despite training and reassurance, can find themselves overwhelmed by agoraphobia. Therefore, to prevent panic, the dragon should anchor itself-"
"Himself," Jaxom automatically corrected.
"Or herself," Piemur added, waggling a finger at the white rider.
"For the dragon to be anchored securely to the Yokohama," Aivas finished.
"Lines? We can get rope or some of that strong fine cable Fandarel's been extruding," Piemur suggested.
"That will not be necessary, as something suitable is already available."
"What?" Jaxom asked contritely, realizing that their banter was delaying details that they had wanted to hear for Turns.
The screen in front of them lit up, showing a gra
phic of the Yokohama profile. The display altered to a close-up of the long shaft on which the engines were fitted-and the framework of spars that had once held the extra fuel tanks in place.
"Dragons can hang on the frames!" Jaxom cried. "That would definitely offer a secure grip. And, unless I've misread the dimensions, those rails are as long as a Weyr Rim. Imagine, all the Weyrs of Pern, Piemur, out in space, along those girders! What a sight!"
"The only drawback to that," Piemur said pragmatically, "is that there aren't enough space suits for all the riders of Pern."
"There will be sufficient space suits available when required," Aivas informed them calmly, "though not quite all the dragons in the Weyrs of Pern will be needed. Since you are still suited, Lord Jaxom, and have taken nourishment, perhaps you and Ruth would attempt an extra vehicular activity today?"
Piemur's eyes grew wide and round as he assimilated Aivas's astounding suggestion. "By the first Egg, it's not the humans you've got to be wary of, Jaxom. It's Aivas who's trying to kill you!"
"Nonsense!" Jaxom replied hotly. But he had felt his stomach leap almost in time to the accelerated beat of his heart at the notion of an EVA. "Ruth?"
I'll see a lot more from there than I can from the window was the white dragon's thoughtful response.
With a laugh that was only a trifle shaky, Jaxom told Piemur what Ruth had said.
The harper gave him a long incredulous look and sighed. "I don't know which of you two is more outrageous. You'd dare anything, the pair of you would." Then in a wry tone, he added, "And I'm supposed to be the reckless one."
"But you aren't a dragonrider," Jaxom said gently.
"The dragon makes the man?" Piemur shot back.
Jaxom smiled, sending a loving look at Ruth, who was watching the two humans. "With a dragon to guide and guard you, you tend to feel secure."
"So long as your riding straps hold" was Piemur's quick retort. Then he shook his head. "Come to think on it, with Aivas as your mentor, you don't need to worry about what mere men could do to you."
"Lord Jaxom will not be in any jeopardy, Harper Piemur," Aivas said with customary composure.
All The Weyrs of Pern Page 34
