“They may be as empty …”
“You said the firelizards imaged the landing? People emerging? Those cylinders could be as empty as grudging forgiveness but they’d still be worth seeing. The actual ships which brought our ancestors from the Dawn Sisters to Pern!” The Harper expelled his breath slowly, his eyes brilliant with excitement.
“You’re not too stimulated, are you, Master Robinton?” Jaxom asked, looking about for Sharra. “Where is Sharra?” He saw Menolly and Piemur running on their errands. Surely Sharra wasn’t still asleep. He glanced among the firelizards for Meer and Talla.
“A dragonrider came for Sharra last evening. There’s some illness at Southern and she was urgently needed. I’ve been selfish, I suppose, keeping you all about me when the real need is over. In fact,” the Harper said, “I’m surprised to find you here and not at Ruatha still.” Robinton’s eyebrows arched as an invitation to explain.
“I should have been back in my Hold some time ago, Master Robinton,” Jaxom admitted in a contrite tone, then he shrugged at his reluctance to leave the Cove. “Furthermore, it was snowing when I got there. Lord Lytol and I had a long talk …”
“There’d be no opposition to you taking Hold now,” the Harper said with a laugh, “and no more hedging and hawing about lands and you being a dragon’s rider.” The Harper’s eyes twinkled as he mimicked Lord Sangel’s pinched tones. Then his face altered and he put his hand on Jaxom’s shoulder. “How did Lytol react?”
“He wasn’t surprised,” Jaxom said, allowing his relief and wonder to color his voice. “And I’ve been thinking, sir, that if Nicat continues to excavate the Plateau buildings, someone with Lytol’s gift for organizing …”
“My own thinking exactly, Jaxom,” the Harper said, giving Jaxom another clout on the shoulder in his enthusiasm. “The past is a fit occupation for two old men…”
“Sir,” Jaxom cried in outraged tones, “you’ll never be old. Nor will Lytol!”
“Kind of you to think so, young Jaxom, but I’ve had warning. Ah, here comes a dragon-Canth, if I don’t mistake in the sun’s glare!” Robinton shielded his eyes with his hand.
The glare might also account for the frown on F’nor’s face as he strode up the beach toward them. Zair had given him the most confused images, which had excited Berd, Grail and every firelizard in Benden Weyr to the point where Lessa had told Ramoth to banish the whole lot. In proof of which, the air above the Cove was filled with fair upon fair of firelizards, making a tremendous clamor.
“Ruth, settle them down,” Jaxom asked his dragon. “We’ll not be able to see or hear for firelizards.”
Ruth gave such a bellow he startled himself and drew an awed whirl of Canth’s eyes. The ensuing silence was broken by a frightened lone chirp. And the sky emptied of firelizards as they rapidly found perches on the tree-ringed beach.
They obeyed me. Ruth sounded amazed, and smug. The display of control put F’nor in a considerably better frame of mind.
“Now, tell me what you’ve been up to so early in the morning, Jaxom?” F’nor asked, loosening his flying belt and helmet. “It’s getting so Benden can’t turn around without Ruatha’s assistance.”
Jaxom peered intently at F’nor in surprise, but the brown rider gave him such a look that Jaxom realized F’nor was being exceptionally cryptic. Could he be referring to that damned egg? Had Brekke mentioned something to him?
“Why not?” he said in answer. “Benden and Ruatha have the strongest ties, F’nor. Blood, as well as mutual interest.”
F’nor’s expression turned from daunting to amused. He clipped Jaxom hard enough on the shoulder to make him lose balance.
“Well said, Ruatha, well said! So, what did you discover today?”
With no little satisfaction, Jaxom recounted his morning’s labor, and F’nor’s eyes widened with excitement.
“The ships they landed in? Let’s go!” He tightened his belt, fastened his helmet and gestured for Jaxom to speed up his dressing. “We’ve Thread tomorrow at Benden, but, if this is as you say …”
“I’m coming, too,” the Harper announced.
Not even the boldest firelizard chirped in the silence that followed that remark.