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then made much of fastening his riding jacket to indicate his willingness to depart on the inspection tour. 'Do you agree, Jamson?' Jamson harumphed, but the fact that he did not have questions Paulin took as a good sign. When they left the house, men and women were busy putting on the flame-thrower tanks. 'I've scheduled a drill. Have to make up for lost time, you know,' Vergerin said by way of explanation. Jamson and S'nan exchanged such fatuous glances that Paulin did his best not to laugh out loud. Vergerin caught his eye and winked, then Page 214 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html 315 bade a polite farewell to his guests before he returned to the ground crew. 'Well, he obviously learned a thing or two,' Jamson said in a sanctimonious tone as they went down the steps to the waiting bronze dragon. 'Yes, it would seem he has,' S'nan said, and then frowned slightly. 'Although I cannot like him turning loose Chalkin's gamesmen. They'll cause trouble at Gathers, mark my words.' 'No more than they've always done,' Paulin said, giving Jamson a discreet helping hand up Magrith's tall shoulder. 'Probably less without Chalkin exhorting them to squeeze more out of innocent and guileless holders.' 'No gambling should be allowed for any reason in a Weyr,' said S'nan, as portentous as ever. Paulin mounted silently, hoping that these two would see sufficient in a quick swoop to reassure them about Vergerin's worth - and the wisdom of Chalkin's impeachment. The brief visit had satisfied him . . . especially the sight of Chalkin's much improved portrait. He must send a message to Iantine at Telgar Weyr; Bridgely had said the artist had returned there as soon as he was finished at Benden Hold and enquired when he and his spouse could hope to have a sitting. During the rest of the inspection circuit, Paulin addressed the more important problem of subtly reinstating Gallian in his father's favour. Paulin didn't know if it was working, and probably wouldn't until Jamson died and the succession was in question. There were so many instances of visible repairs and clearings that Jamson could certainly see how poor a Holder Chalkin had been. For once, S'nan's critical com- ments were a positive encomium of Vergerin's effort at taking Hold. Paulin was well pleased he had taken the trouble to accompany Jamson. He hoped Lady Thea would be able to tell him that Gallian was off the hot seat. 'You are not saving the entire world from Threadfall by yourself, P'tero,' said K'vin, glaring up at the young blue rider. 316 He was nearly beside himself with rage at P'tero's utter disregard of common sense. 'You are not going to impress M'leng. If this is how you see your role in Threadfall, I think you'll be a long time on messenger duty.' 'But, but...' 'Furthermore,' and K'vin pointed a finger fiercely under the boy's nose, 'Maranis tells me that your wounds are not well enough healed for you to be back on duty.' 'But... but...' and P'tero, eyes wide with fright, recoiled from his Weyrleader's fury, clutching the neck ridge before he over-balanced. The pad which T'sen had given him now slipped, the ties torn loose some time during the exercises. Blood spotted it. 'Get down here,' K'vin roared, pointing to where he wanted P'tero: on the ground. 'Right now.' P'tero obeyed as promptly as he could, but he was stiff from sitting so long during the day's manoeuvres and from the Page 215 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html barely healed flesh of his buttocks. K'vin caught him by the shoulder and whirled him around. 'Not only new blood, but old stains,' he said, his voice trenchant with scorn and fury. 'You're off duty...' 'But . . . but . . . Thread's nearly here!' P'tero cried in anguish, almost in tears with frustration and the fear of being unable to show M'leng just how brave he really was. Not mock-brave, like the lion attack, but brave in the air. ~And Thread'11 be here for fifty years, young man. That's plenty long enough for it to fear you and Ormonth in the air! Report to Maranis immediately. You're grounded!' 'But I have to be in the first Fall wings,' P'tero cried, anguished. 'That wasn't the way to get there. Go to Maranis!' K'vin didn't wait to see if P'tero obeyed. He stormed across the Bowl, the temptation to shake sense into the blue rider so intense that he had to put distance between them. Ormonth tried to keep him from flying today, Charanth informed his rider. K'vin halted, now glaring up at his bronze dragon who was settling himself on his weyr ledge to get what sun remained. 317 Then you're as bad as the pair of them/ K'vin had the satisfaction of seeing Charanth quail at his fury. From now on, you are to report to me - instantly - when any rider, or his dragon, is not one hundred per cent fit for duty. Do you understand me? Charanth's eyes whirled, the yellow of anxiety colouring the blue. His tone was remorseful. I will not fail you again. If they had been in real danger, I would have warned them off, Meranath said, entering the conversation. I didn't ask you/K'vin was so irate he didn't really care if he offended Meranath, or her rider. But he was not going to lose riders from foolish and vainglorious actions. There were fifty years of Thread fighting ahead of them, and he was not going to lose partners - or risk their injuries due to some cockamamie notion of what comprises courageous actions. If you think that I would jeopardize a single rider... K'vin took the stairs up to the queen's weyr three at a time, trying to work out his rage before he had to confront Zulaya and explain why he thought he could speak to her queen in such a peremptory fashion. I should be informed of ANY unfit rider or dragon, at any [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |