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"Southern Weyr had less than this originally," Jaxom reminded him.
"True. But it's arranged as a hold. I just don't want anyone lording it in here," F'lessan said with unexpected fervor. "People know they can come and go freely in a Weyr. C'mon, you'll want to see the stuff I found. And now that I've got you here at last, you're going to see the whole place. It is remarkably well preserved and full of the most fascinating tools and equipment. All the smiths are drooling over them."
"I've had the complete inventory from Jancis," Jaxom said with a wry grin.
F'lessan's find was most unusual: liquid carefully stored in plastic bags. Each had been tied shut around the neck by rigid strips that ended in wide tabs, which were inscribed with strokes in odd patterns, the like of which neither Robinton nor Lytol had seen in all of Aivas's records.
"I opened one," F'lessan said, pointing to the sack sitting in the bowl, its mouth carefully peeled back so that its contents were accessible. "I thought at first it had to be water, but it's not. It's got an odd sheen to it, and anyway, water would long since have evaporated, I think. It smells fu
Lytol and Fandarel nearly bumped heads as both leaned over to sniff the liquid. Fandarel dipped in a finger and smelled it, grimacing.
"Definitely not drinkable."
"We should take this sack to Aivas for examination," Lytol said. "Is this all there were?"
"No," F'lessan replied blithely. "Thirty-four more, plus the six here. They don't all contain the same amount of whatever it is. There were a few empty sacks in the attic so some leakage occurred. Or maybe tu
"You said something about a stairway?" Lessa asked.
"Well, the steps weren't completely cut. Just a toehold up the final curve. We didn't bother to explore that level-until Benmeth crashed through."
"You didn't say whether she hurt herself or not," Lessa said almost accusingly.
F'lessan gri
"Show me where the stairs are, F'lessan," F'lar said, and when the young bronze rider had indicated the doorway, the Benden Weyrleader led the way, followed closely by Fandarel, Lytol, K'van, and T'gellan.
"Oh, no, you don't," Lessa said, grabbing Robinton by the arm. "Free-fall's all right but stairs are not, Robinton. And you won't have eaten yet if I know you."
Not fancying a long hike, Jaxom added his persuasions to Lessa's, and F'lessan insisted that Robinton would insult the weyrfolk if he didn't sit down right that moment and enjoy Honshu's hospitality.
"It is fuel," Aivas said, and Robinton could have sworn he heard jubilation in his voice. "Fuel!"
"Yes, but is it any good after so many centuries?" Fandarel asked.
Jaxom had a brilliant vision of the three shuttles lifting off the ship meadow, but canceled it almost immediately as a total impossibility. Those ships would never fly again. Pern hadn't the technology necessary to repair them properly.
"The fuel does not deteriorate with age, nor does the sample you brought appear to have suffered any contamination. Since this discovery is in Honshu, Kenjo Fusaiyuki's Stakehold, it is logical to assume that this is part of the fuel he had diverted for his personal use. Mention was made of this cache in Captain C. Keroon's records; a search for the fuel cache was conducted at Honshu, but it was never found."
"But the sled was so well preserved, couldn't we-" Fandarel began excitedly.
"The sled used power packs, not fuel. The forty sacks that have been recovered will be put to excellent use," Aivas said.
"Where? Why? In what?" Jaxom demanded. "I thought you said the Yokohama used matter/antimatter engines."
"For interstellar travel only," Aivas explained. "This fuel was used for propulsion in-system."
"The shuttles in the field?", Piemur asked, his face flushed with anticipation. And Jaxom realized that he was not the only one who had had dazzling visions.
"Even were you technologically more advanced, they have deteriorated past repair," Aivas said. "This unexpected dividend will be put to very good use when the alternatives have been thoroughly reviewed."
Jaxom and Piemur exchanged expressions of disgust.
"Let me guess, Aivas," Jaxom said. "We could put all the fuel in the Yokohama's tanks, or split it up between all three ships. There'd be enough to give us half-grav, some maneuverability-that is, if we wanted to go anywhere in those ships..." He finished on a querying note.
"There is insufficient fuel to reach the Oort Cloud," Aivas said. "Or to follow the direction of the Thread stream and use the destruct capability of the shields to reduce the density of the ovoids."
Trying not to let his frustration show, Jaxom made himself grin at Piemur. "Well, he thought of one course that I didn't."
"Who are we to outguess Aivas?" Piemur asked, but Jaxom noted the suppressed anger in the harper's eyes.
"One of these days..." Jaxom said just loud enough for Piemur to hear, and Piemur nodded.
"But, Aivas, since there is this sample," Fandarel said urgently, "can you not analyze its composition so that we can duplicate it? Surely we can make enough fuel to take at least one ship to the Oort Cloud."
"For what reason?"
"Why, to blow up the Oort Cloud! Destroy the Thread organism that is generated there!"
Another of Aivas's curious silences ensued, and then suddenly the Rukbat system came up on the screen, the sun dwarfing its satellites. Abruptly the picture altered, the brilliant sun diminishing to a pinpoint of light, the planets reducing out of visibility on the new scale, and the swirling nebulosity of the Oort Cloud appearing to flow across the screen, blotting out even the distant Rukbat. As in so many previous demonstrations, a red line began to describe the orbit of the Red Star, moving through the Oort Cloud and back into the system, swinging around the primary, inside Pern's conventional path.
"Aivas certainly knows how to cut us down to size," Piemur murmured.
"Oh!" Fandarel said, resigned. "It is indeed difficult to appreciate the massive scale of the Cloud and the insignificance of our tiny world."
"So what do we destroy to be rid of Thread?" F'lar asked.
"The best way to reduce the threat of Thread is to alter the orbit of the eccentric planet that brings it into Pern's system."
"And when will you tell us how we accomplish that?"
"The research and technology required will shortly be completed."
"Then finding the fuel makes no difference?" F'lessan slumped in disappointment, his usually merry expression glum.
"It may make a difference in another area, F'lessan. It is always good to have alternatives. You have all done exceedingly well." That, from Aivas, was praise indeed. "Do not succumb to apathy."
"What should I do with all these fuel sacks then?" F'lessan asked dispiritedly.
"They should be transferred to a safe storage facility in Landing.
"I shouldn't put them into anything else? Those sacks are old."
"If they have lasted 2,528 years, they will suffice for another." A chart appeared on the screen. "Now, here is the schedule for bronze and brown dragons to jump to the cargo bays of all three ships. The latest readings indicate sufficient oxygen levels to allow every dragon and rider some experience in free-fall."
"Why?" F'lar asked.
"It is essential for the success of the Plan that all the dragons of Pern learn to handle weightlessness."
The schedules were forwarded to the Weyrleaders of all eight Weyrs, and there was a good deal of jubilation from all but a few-and those were mainly riders of elderly dragons for whom even hunting was becoming difficult. The weyrlings were ecstatic, and Weyrlingmasters hard put to maintain discipline.