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Back The Skies of Pern
Chapters (64)
  1. Other titles by Anne McCaffreyPublished by Ballantine Books:
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  7. INTRODUCTION
  8. PROLOGUE
  9. At a Gather—6.15.30
  10. Part 1
  11. Turnover at Landing—1.1.31 Present Pass Aivas—Aivas Adjusted Turn 2553
  12. Benden Weyr—1.1.31
  13. Southern Hold—1.1.31
  14. Healer Hall—1.1.31
  15. Back at Landing—1.2.31
  16. Fort Hold—late night—1.1.31
  17. Fort Hold Runner Station—1.2.31
  18. Keroon Printer Hall—1.3.31
  19. Benden Weyr—midday—1.3.31
  20. Monaco Bay Weyr—five days later—1.8.31
  21. Part 2
  22. Ruatha Hold—local time 12:04 in the morning—1.9.31
  23. Telgar Weyr—local time 4:04 in the morning—1.9.31
  24. Benden Weyr—local time 6:04 in the morning—1.9.31
  25. Harper Hall—local time 1:00 in the morning—1.9.31
  26. Landing—local time 10:12 mid-morning—1.9.31
  27. In the Conference Room at Landing—1.9.31
  28. Monaco Weyr—10:22 in the morning—Timing it
  29. In the Conference Room at Landing—local time 1:10–1.9.31
  30. Sunrise Cliff Seahold—timed-back
  31. In the Conference Room—local time 2:12 at Landing—1.9.31
  32. Back at Landing—local time—3:40
  33. Harper Hall—5:00 in the morning, and Southern Hold—2:00 in the morning–1.9.31
  34. Landing—late afternoon—1.9.31
  35. Same time at Keroon Printer Hall—local time 11:15—1.9.31
  36. Later, on an unusually bright evening at Landing, Sunrise Cliff, and Honshu Hold—1.9.31
  37. Part 3
  38. Honshu—1.10.31
  39. Circle Runner Station—1.18.31
  40. Harper Hall
  41. Benden Weyr—
  42. Benini Hold—east Monaco and Honshu—1.20.31
  43. Harper Hall—1.28.31
  44. Honshu Hold—2.1.31
  45. Fort Hold—2.13.31
  46. Printer Hall at Wide Bay—same night
  47. Honshu Hold—2.9.31
  48. Night at Wide Bay—2.9.31
  49. Ruatha Hold—late evening—2.9.31
  50. Core Hold—two days before Council Meeting—2.26.31
  51. Part 4
  52. Honshu Weyrhold—2.26–27.31
  53. Council Meeting at Telgar Hold—3.1.31
  54. Honshu Weyrhold—3.01.31
  55. Interim at Benden and elsewhere
  56. Honshu Weyrhold—time passing slowly
  57. Landing—3.21.31
  58. Honshu Weyrhold—3.21.31
  59. Southern Hold—3.23.31
  60. Honshu Weyrhold—3.27.31
  61. Benden Weyr—3.27.31
  62. Cove Hold—same day, same approximate time
  63. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  64. What’s next onyour reading list?

Another drum message rolled in and with a backward wave, Sebell trotted up the steps to deal with it. Once sure that Idarolan was seated comfortably again behind him, F’nor gave Canth a vivid view of Southern Hold’s rocky cliffs—at night.

Ruth is not the only dragon who knows when he is, was Canth’s exit remark.

F’nor experienced an odd dislocation as they arrived over Southern Hold; the peaceful sight of the riding lights of four coastal ships anchored in the harbor and night glows up the harbor steps: all serene here. Landing had been chaotic! Fort Hold had been alive with activity and tension. Silently and, F’nor hoped, unseen by anyone watching below, Canth glided through the warm air over the sleeping Hold and on to the original Southern Weyr site. He was painfully aware that right now, on the other side of the planet, Monaco Bay Weyr would be experiencing the tsunami. There had been enough dragons to rescue every man, woman, and child, hadn’t there?

The news he brought Toric was not as dire, though the Southern Holder might not agree. Idarolan was reasonably sure that Southern Hold’s cliffs were high enough to withstand the diffraction effect of the tsunami, compressed between Ista Island and the Southern headland. Unfortunately, Toric would be experiencing the event on both sides of his Holding. Idarolan’s chart, and Erragon’s calculations, indicated a direct line of westbound tsunami, which might—just—lose significant energy. Either way, there were coastal holds that must be evacuated and herdbeasts moved inland from the low-lying pastures. However, during the bad, bad, bad blow of which the dolphins had warned Toric, he had not moved quickly enough to reduce the devastation of the horrific gale winds of that hurricane.

K’van, with his Weyrwoman, Adrea; Master Sintary; and four of the Southern Wingleaders, moved out of the shadows as Canth landed in the flower-scented night. Five pairs of blue-green eyes shone as the brown dragon crooned a greeting and went to join them. K’van distributed hand lights.

“Neither moon’s out tonight,” the young Weyrleader said, his white grin visible in the reflection of the light he carried. “R’mart wanted to come but we convinced him that retired means no more responsibility.”

F’nor bowed to Adrea, nodded to the other bronze riders, and finished stripping off his flying gear. He was grateful for the fresh breeze on the plateau.

“I have my own light,” Sintary said, turning his beam on the well-worn track from the old open Weyr to the Hold.

“Of course, Toric could just ignore all this,” F’nor remarked in a low tone as the eight of them carefully proceeded to the Hold.

Before they reached the first bend, a fierce challenge stopped them.

“Who’s out there?”

“F’nor, Canth’s rider,” and F’nor tilted the light to his face.