There was so profound a silence from Aivas that everyone on the bridge exchanged amused glances. Twice in one day they had confounded Aivas? Fandarel began to chuckle, a deep rolling sound, when an answer finally came.
"Regrettably, this facility did not compute that possibility, though calculations now indicate that the Yokohama Yokohama and her sister ships have been in the line of Thread showers every fourth Fall." and her sister ships have been in the line of Thread showers every fourth Fall."
"Well, imagine that!" Jaxom remarked, his eyes glinting with mischief. He had never thought to catch Aivas unprepared.
With what Jaxom decided was considerable aplomb, Aivas asked, "Is the shield destroying the ovoids, or is it deflecting them?"
"Deflecting," Jaxom replied. Then he absorbed the nub of that remark. "The shield has a destructive mode? We could destroy what"s raining down on us? What an ingenious concept! There"d be just that much fewer to fall on Nerat. And that might persuade old Begamon that all this"-he gestured about the bridge-"is worth the effort."
"Jaxom, the destruct capability can be activated from either the captain"s chair or the pilot"s console. Call up the shield function program and alter DEFL to DEST."
"I hear and obey," Jaxom said eagerly, his breath quickening as he slid into the pilot"s seat and activated the console. "Program altered." For a moment, he let his finger hover above the ENTER tab. "Engaged!"
In the next instant, the pellets streaking toward them dissolved in puffs, clearing a path so that the width and depth of the stream became all too visible.
"If you will activate the rearview screen, Jaxom, " Aivas went on, "you will see how effective the destruct mode is."
Plainly a wide swath of Thread had been eliminated.
"That"s beautiful! Just beautiful! Charring Thread in the air is one thing! This is much better. Much better!" Jaxom muttered. He turned the forward view back on and continued to watch the visible destruction of Thread with intense satisfaction. The green dragons had stopped spitting and were rumbling in delight.
"Is there any way to extend this destruction beyond the Yokohama?" Master Fandarel asked. Master Fandarel asked.
"No," Aivas replied. "The shield"s main function is to defect ordinary s.p.a.ce debris. Considering the width, breadth, and depth of the stream, it would be a.n.a.logous to trying to destroy a snow shower with a candle."
"Then how, Aivas, do you propose that we shall destroy this menace-as you promised we would?" Jaxom demanded.
"By removing the vector that brings Thread to Pern. That should have been obvious to you all by now," Aivas chided them. "The path of the eccentric planet must be altered sufficiently so that it does not come close enough to spin Thread into Pern"s...o...b..t."
"And how can we possibly do that?" Master Fandarel demanded.
"That will become apparent as you continue with the Plan. Everything you have learned, every seemingly simple exercise either here or on the ground is directed toward preparing you for that end."
No amount of wheedling or bl.u.s.tering could move Aivas to elaborate. "You cannot run before you walk," he repeated to almost every rephrasing of that question from Fandarel, Jaxom, Jancis, and Belterac.
Finally, Jaxom desisted and turned to the immediate situation. "Don"t the Buenos Aires Buenos Aires and and Bahrain Bahrain have similar shields?" have similar shields?"
"They do," Aivas replied.
"Well, then." Jaxom rubbed his hands together in antic.i.p.ation.
"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 s.p.a.ce 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, s.p.a.ce 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 ma.s.sive 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 partic.i.p.ation 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. 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 pa.s.sengers.
"When Thread has pa.s.sed 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 a.s.sembled on the Yokohama"s Yokohama"s bridge, "has the matter of our excursions to the other ships been mentioned on the surface?" 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 Yokohama should be discussed before it is made public," Fandarel said. "I found it most exhilarating to initiate the destruction." 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. he told his rider as they circled in to land at the queen"s weyr. Lessa and F"lar are within. Lessa and F"lar are within. Then he turned his head up to Mnementh, and the two dragons touched noses. 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 Mnementh says that F"lar will be very pleased to hear what we did on the Yokohama. Yokohama. He and Ramoth are. 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. 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 didn"t time it, Jaxom."
""Then I won"t," Jaxom replied. "b.l.o.o.d.y 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 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." 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 a.s.sured 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 a.s.sembling 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. Yokohama. Suppose-" 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."