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"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'Co
"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.
"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 passengers.
"When Thread has passed 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 assembled on the Yokohama's 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 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. Lessa and F'lar are within. 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 Yokohama. 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.
"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.
Gri
"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. "Bloody 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 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 gri
Lessa shuddered in revulsion. "Get rid of it!" she said with a dramatic gesture of her hand. "Get rid of it!"
"Lytol's already assembling 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.