Part 46 (1/2)
”A heroic end for such valiant s.h.i.+ps,” Robinton murmured.
”You mentioned nothing of this before,” F'lar said.
”There were more urgent priorities,” Aivas replied. ”It is certainly a task that must be accomplished sooner rather than later when the orbits have decayed, and while the skills your riders have learned for the more essential task are still fresh in their minds.”
”It would certainly ease the tension in the Weyr,” Lessa said. ”We hadn't antic.i.p.ated that.”
”What exactly does this entail, Aivas?” F'lar asked.
”As stated, the dragons are to alter the direction of the two s.h.i.+ps and give a 'push'; that is, transport the s.h.i.+p between, between, all moving at the same cue. There are many handholds on the exterior of the s.h.i.+ps to give dragons a grip. Judging by what you were able to accomplish in transferring the engines, such a maneuver is well within the scope of your smaller creatures.” all moving at the same cue. There are many handholds on the exterior of the s.h.i.+ps to give dragons a grip. Judging by what you were able to accomplish in transferring the engines, such a maneuver is well within the scope of your smaller creatures.”
F'lar grinned. ”You're no longer skeptical about them?”
”In no way, Weyrleader.”
”What is the time frame on this?” Fandarel asked.
”Preferably within the next few weeks. There is no immediate danger, but do not let the dragons and riders lose the edge.”
”I think that will be good news,” F'lar said, nodding acceptance.
”Then you will set a time for this maneuver?”
”As soon as I can discuss it with the other Weyrleaders.” Oddly enough, F'lar's spirits rose with the thought of another project. Flying Threadfall had become less exciting since the removal of the engines to the Red Star.
”It seems ungrateful to condemn those s.h.i.+ps to death,” Lessa murmured.
”It's a crime to waste all the material,” Fandarel added.
”These s.h.i.+ps were never designed for planetary landings, Master Fandarel,” Aivas said.
”In one piece, that is,” Piemur added.
”Yes, Piemur, the pieces could have lethal consequences if they were to enter the atmosphere without disintegrating entirely.”
”I'll let you know,” F'lar said. ”Shall we go, Lessa?”
Watching the fireball soon lost its appeal for many on the Yokohama bridge that day. Shortly thereafter, when D'ram and the Eastern Weyr rider were ready to take the last watchers back to the Landing, Fandarel and Piemur cycled the life-support systems down to the holding mode.
”I'm glad we're able to keep the Yokohama,” Piemur said. ”I've gotten rather fond of this old girl.” He let his fingers trail along the console.
”She has served long and well,” Robinton said, sighing deeply.
”Why don't you write a ballad about her, Piemur?” Jancis suggested.
”You know, I think I will!”
As the last one entering the lift, Piemur palmed off the bridge lights.
Jaxom heard about the second expedition from N'ton, who dropped in to Ruatha Hall two days after the Red Star explosion. N'ton had been on the Buenos Aires Buenos Aires with half a dozen of his wingleaders. with half a dozen of his wingleaders.
”I feel an affinity to that little s.h.i.+p,” N'ton said, with a wry smile. ”I'll be sorry to see her go.”
”I wonder why she needs to,” Jaxom said. ”Surely the solar panels...”
”Aivas said that there have been too many corrections and the panels can't handle them.”
”Hmm, that's quite possible.”
”He also recommended doing it while we're still accustomed to working in weightlessness. There is, I might add,” N'ton said with a broad grin, ”great rejoicing among the riders of browns, blues, and greens. At that, they know that there are only two hundred and some suits available, so they'll have to draw lots. But that's fair enough.”
”Let's hope the helmets are with the right suits this time.”
”Oh, we made sure of that.” N'ton rolled his eyes. ”What a mess that was! I tried on twenty helmets before I found one that would attach snugly to the collar. Then I had to get the wingleaders to check every rider to be sure all the b.l.o.o.d.y things fitted properly. Some riders were just cramming helmets on any old way.”
”The important thing is that everyone did get rigged out and we got where we were supposed to go.”
N'ton regarded him for such a long moment that Jaxom wondered if the Fort Weyrleader had somehow guessed what had happened. Considering his disoriented bronze riders, a man as intelligent as N'ton might extrapolate the truth. As long as Jaxom didn't admit it, N'ton would be kept guessing.
”Maybe that's what happened to those disoriented riders,” Jaxom went on as if the thought had just occurred to him. ”Maybe they had badly fitting helmets and lost air.”
”I hadn't thought of that,” N'ton replied. ”You know, that would certainly explain a lot.”
Jaxom nodded in agreement, saying nothing more.
”F'lar's not best pleased to have to wait, yet again, to be sure the blastings did the trick,” N'ton went on.
”Aivas was evidently satisfied.”
”Yes, but he always sounds certain.”
”Everything he's sounded certain about has worked just as he said. He's never prevaricated. I don't think an AI facility can.”
”You'd know better than I.” N'ton grinned at Jaxom over his winegla.s.s. ”We certainly can't fault Hold and Hall, then, for disbelief if the Benden Weyrleader is still skeptical.”
”Again, Aivas has been right so often we have to trust him this time.” Jaxom had a whimsical desire to confide in N'ton that he knew, incontrovertibly, that Aivas's great Plan had worked, at least as far as the orbit of the Red Star was concerned. That he had seen it with his own eyes-fifty Turns in the future.
”As he trusted our dragons?”
”Well, he did, in the end, didn't he?” Jaxom replied. ”No, N'ton, don't fret. It'll be as Aivas has predicted. You wait, you'll see.”
”Ah, but F'lar might not. And he's the one who wants to know for certain, or he will not have kept that promise!”
Maybe, Jaxom thought, he could just rea.s.sure F'lar.
I wouldn't, wouldn't, Ruth said. You'd Ruth said. You'd have to explain everything to him then. have to explain everything to him then.
Not necessarily, Jaxom replied. Jaxom replied.
Ruth's silence indicated complete disagreement.