eyes on Chalkin for a while longer.
Three independent calculations were made and there’s no doubt that the
Red Planet is getting closer spatially speaking.”
Is there any chance of a collision?” asked Jamson of High Reaches.
Fraggit, Jamson,’ Paulin said, let’s not bring that up.
Why not?” said Chalkin, brightening.
Because that . . . improbability has already been discussed to the
point of nausea,’ Paulin replied. There isn’t a hint in any of the
information collected by our forefathers to indicate there is any chance
of a collision between the two planets. Or that they considered the ..
. improbability for any reason.
Yes, but does it say anywhere that there can’t be?” Chalkin was
obviously delighted with this possibility.
Absolutely not,’ Paulin said simultaneously with Clisser who was not
only the College Head but the senior of the trained astronomers.
Paulin gestured for Clisser to continue.
Captains Keroon and Tillek,’ and he paused in reverence, both
annotated the AI VAS report which included data from the Yokohama’s
records. I have repeatedly reworked the relevant equations and the
rogue planet will Pass Pern on an elliptical orbit that canNOT alter to
a collision course with us.
A matter of celestial mechanics and Rukbat’s gravitational pull.
I’d’ve brought the diagram of the orbits involved if I’d had
forewarning.” Clisser gave Chalkin a disgusted glare.
Bad enough it brings in the Thread. Do you want to be blown to
smithereens, Chalkin?” asked Kalvi, chief of the mechanical engineers.
And I checked the maths, too, so I concur with Clisser and everyone
else who’s done the equations. Why don’t you, if you’re so worried?”
Chalkin ignored the jibe since he had never been noted for scholarship
in any field. He was also well pleased with the reaction to his remark.
No matter what they said, there was no proof that they were really that
safe.
Now, calculations indicate early spring will bring the first Threadfall
of this Pass. There are several Falls which could be live, depending on
the weather conditions, mainly the ambient temperature, at the time of
Fall.” Paulin reached under his table then and hauled up a board on
which Threadfall areas had been meticulously delineated.
S’nan cleared his throat, moving restlessly, as if he felt Paulin should
not have usurped a Fort prerogative. The first two will be in Fort
Weyr’s patrol area, the second two in High Reaches’ and the third two in
Benden’s. These are due to occur in the first two weeks, about three
days apart. The second Fall in Fort territory and the first one in High
Reaches happen on the same day – different flows of the same Fall. Also,
we know from the records that there will be live Falls over the Southern
Continent for about a week before the Falls commence here in the North.
S’nan,’ and Paulin turned to the Fort Weyrleader, may we have your
progress report?” S’nan stood, holding up his ubiquitous clipboard.
(Rumour had it that that item had been passed down from the Connell
himself.) He peered down at it a moment. The old Leader of the premier
Weyr on Pern resembled his several times great-grandfather, though his
silvery hair was more sandy than red.
Privately, K’vin didn’t think Sean Connell had been such a martinet,
even if he had promulgated the rules by which the Weyrs governed
themselves. Most of these were common sensible even if S’nan managed to
pursue them into the ridiculous.
The first Fall,’ S’nan began, and there was a touch of pride in his
voice, would start over the sea east of Fort Hold and come ashore at
the mouth of the river, passing diagonally across the peninsula and out
into the sea in the west. The second two Falls, which will occur three
days later, will be over the southern tip of Southern Boll.” He used his
stylus and, at his most condescending, touched Paulin’s chart.
This one may go south far enough to miss land entirely, and in any case
will be over land for only a short while – and over the western tip of
High Reaches, again proceeding out to sea, and 50 over land for only a