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He understands. He says he can easily do that.
"Ruth has now briefed Trig thoroughly," Jaxom told Jancis.
"You're sure you can do this, Trig? You don't have to, you know," she said, but Trigs eyes were orange-red with challenge and confidence. With a sigh, she bounced him off her arm. He disappeared. A moment later they all saw him through the bridge window, catching an ovoid nearly as large as himself. Briefly, the force of the capture sent him spi
"His hide is so cold," Jancis said as she stroked him. "He's got stuff on his talons! Freezing! Ugh!" But, for all of that, she didn't dislodge him from her shoulder.
Everyone made much of him, including Ruth, with the notable exception of the two greens, who were sullenly rumbling their discontent at being kept inside the Yokohama.
"Apparently the extravehicular activity was successful?" Aivas asked.
Jaxom activated the optics in Airlock A and saw the ovoid floating gently above the lock floor.
Eyes widening in surprise, Jancis jiggled her finger at the screen showing the airlock. "Look!" she exclaimed. It took a moment for the others to realize that the ovoid was gliding across the lock. It hovered briefly by the wall and returned to approximately the same position in the center of the facility.
"Excellent demonstration of an incident of magnetic levitation," Aivas remarked.
"And congratulations from Master Robinton and D'ram. Warder Lytol is already mobilizing a team to examine the specimen."
"Is he indeed?" Jaxom asked flippantly, wondering who Lytol would tag with the unenviable task.
"The extent and density of this stream would be useful knowledge," Aivas went on. "Jancis, such readings can be taken from the navigator's console by activating the exterior optics, using title EXAM.EXE code."
"It occurs to me, Aivas," Jaxom began, winking at Jancis, "that this phenomenon was not on your agenda for today in space?" He was amused to see Fandarel regard him with astonishment for such an impudent question.
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 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.
"No," Aivas replied. "The shield's main function is to defect ordinary space debris. Considering the width, breadth, and depth of the stream, it would be analogous 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 orbit."
"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 blustering could move Aivas to elaborate. "You ca
Finally, Jaxom desisted and turned to the immediate situation. "Don't the Buenos Aires and Bahrain have similar shields?"
"They do," Aivas replied.
"Well, then." Jaxom rubbed his hands together in anticipation.
"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 space 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, space 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 massive 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 participation would give immense psychological satisfaction, far outweighing either the risk or the actual destruction ratio," Aivas said.