Chapters (64)
- Other titles by Anne McCaffreyPublished by Ballantine Books:
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Contents
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- INTRODUCTION
- PROLOGUE
- At a Gather—6.15.30
- Part 1
- Turnover at Landing—1.1.31 Present Pass Aivas—Aivas Adjusted Turn 2553
- Benden Weyr—1.1.31
- Southern Hold—1.1.31
- Healer Hall—1.1.31
- Back at Landing—1.2.31
- Fort Hold—late night—1.1.31
- Fort Hold Runner Station—1.2.31
- Keroon Printer Hall—1.3.31
- Benden Weyr—midday—1.3.31
- Monaco Bay Weyr—five days later—1.8.31
- Part 2
- Ruatha Hold—local time 12:04 in the morning—1.9.31
- Telgar Weyr—local time 4:04 in the morning—1.9.31
- Benden Weyr—local time 6:04 in the morning—1.9.31
- Harper Hall—local time 1:00 in the morning—1.9.31
- Landing—local time 10:12 mid-morning—1.9.31
- In the Conference Room at Landing—1.9.31
- Monaco Weyr—10:22 in the morning—Timing it
- In the Conference Room at Landing—local time 1:10–1.9.31
- Sunrise Cliff Seahold—timed-back
- In the Conference Room—local time 2:12 at Landing—1.9.31
- Back at Landing—local time—3:40
- Harper Hall—5:00 in the morning, and Southern Hold—2:00 in the morning–1.9.31
- Landing—late afternoon—1.9.31
- Same time at Keroon Printer Hall—local time 11:15—1.9.31
- Later, on an unusually bright evening at Landing, Sunrise Cliff, and Honshu Hold—1.9.31
- Part 3
- Honshu—1.10.31
- Circle Runner Station—1.18.31
- Harper Hall
- Benden Weyr—
- Benini Hold—east Monaco and Honshu—1.20.31
- Harper Hall—1.28.31
- Honshu Hold—2.1.31
- Fort Hold—2.13.31
- Printer Hall at Wide Bay—same night
- Honshu Hold—2.9.31
- Night at Wide Bay—2.9.31
- Ruatha Hold—late evening—2.9.31
- Core Hold—two days before Council Meeting—2.26.31
- Part 4
- Honshu Weyrhold—2.26–27.31
- Council Meeting at Telgar Hold—3.1.31
- Honshu Weyrhold—3.01.31
- Interim at Benden and elsewhere
- Honshu Weyrhold—time passing slowly
- Landing—3.21.31
- Honshu Weyrhold—3.21.31
- Southern Hold—3.23.31
- Honshu Weyrhold—3.27.31
- Benden Weyr—3.27.31
- Cove Hold—same day, same approximate time
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“Some of your Hold is in the path of the tsunamis—two sets of them, one with three different waves from the east and the other from the west,” Idarolan went on relentlessly. He used the map in front of him to point them out. “Journeyman Erragon and Master Wansor confirmed the phenomenon.” He paused for a moment and then rushed on, as a man who regretted what he had to say. “Even as we speak, Monaco Bay is probably being drowned!”
Adrea gasped, and S’dra and N’bil inhaled sharply.
Toric stared at the retired MasterFishman and then glared at K’van. “Then what are you dragonriders doing here instead of being there to help them?” He waved his arms furiously to indicate the different sites. He dropped his eyes to study the chart, pulling it toward him.
“Every Weyr has sent wings to help,” F’nor said, “We’re here to tell you what to expect in roughly eleven hours from now.”
Toric blinked.
“I will have riders in the sky rousing the coastal holders as soon as Adrea’s queen gives them the orders,” said K’van with a stiff bow to Toric. “We know you prefer to be informed of the Weyr’s movements. I have just returned from the emergency meeting at Landing.”
“I’ll rouse your portmaster myself,” Idarolan volunteered, “to warn the ships at anchor. They’ll be safe enough at sea. Able to ride the tsunami swell, if they notice it at all. It’s the land that’s vulnerable.”
Ramala came in with a tray of cups and food, followed by a very sleepy and resentful pair of holder women, one bearing a big klah pot, the other a wineskin. “You all need something in your stomachs to organize the evacuations!” she said.
F’nor wondered how she knew what they had come to organize. Ramala was a good woman to have subtly on your side.
“Then, leaving you in good hands, Lord Toric,” F’nor said courteous, “I will return to Landing.”
“Good hands? I’ll …” Toric lurched at F’nor.
Instantly, before Toric had a chance to complete his lunge at the brown rider, Idarolan stood between then. With a well-calculated blow of his fist to Toric’s shoulder, he spun him off balance.
“If we’re to save any of your coastal holds, Lord Toric, you’d best pay attention to me,” Master Idarolan said in a loud harsh voice that had quelled argument before and made the infuriated Lord Holder think.
F’nor? Canth’s mental tone was alarmed.
F’nor saw Sintary move to Idarolan’s side as the stern MasterFishman held Toric motionless with his stony glare.
The Southern Lord Holder seemed to shake himself. With teeth clamped shut behind his bared lips, he gave a long hiss of breath and pivoted back to the table, spread with maps of his holding.