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
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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She paused, one hand raised to point accusingly at her spouse. “When?” she repeated in a very scared, small voice.
“Tonight, if we’re lucky,” Pinch replied.
“That’s lucky?” She blinked. “Is that why Ola hasn’t let me out of her sight all day?”
“Quite likely,” Pinch agreed amiably. “Now, we’ll eat dinner, and drink merrily from whatever you have in the hold that’s safe to drink. Some of your good cider?” he asked ingenuously.
Rosheen took a deep breath, started to say something, changed her mind and pointed down the cellar hallway. “Harper, you know exactly where I store the cider!” She turned and started up the stairs, slamming each foot down hard on the riser to disperse her anger.
“I think she took it rather well,” Pinch said to Tagetarl. He rewrapped his rags. “Now, this drudge will hobble out and disappear in the lanes and byways. And shortly a very respectably dressed gentleman will arrive from the direction of the wharf with a commission for the MasterPrinter that will be discussed while his hosts visibly toast the Lord Holder’s health.”
And that was exactly what happened as dusk settled over Wide Bay. Then, with a great show of having enjoyed the wine, Tagetarl and Pinch went to close the outer gates for the night. The heavy sky-broom wood bar took considerable heaving to get into place. Tagetarl clipped over the unusual fastenings at both ends.
“Now don’t worry, my good friend,” Pinch said as they walked back to the kitchen porch, giving him a reassuring shake on the shoulder. “They may get in, but I assure you, they won’t find it so easy to get out. Nor a chance to do any harm. Now we go inside, like the innocents we are, and lock the door.”
Though Pinch had explained the various precautions he had taken during the day and where his helpers were now hiding, Tagetarl was realist enough to know that Thread could fall in unexpected tangles.
“Try to relax, Tag,” Pinch advised him. “I think every fire-lizard in the town is ready to come when Ola warbles.”
“If they remember,” Tagetarl muttered to himself, shivering a little. The night air was chilly.
Pinch gave a soft, wry chuckle, “Bista’s there, too, you know, and she’ll remember. Now, I’ve one more trick to see to.” He clapped him once more on the shoulder and took the short interior corridor to the Hall.
“Relax?” Tagetarl repeated under his breath.
“How could you leave me in ignorance all day, Tag?” Rosheen demanded, coming out of the kitchen.
“Now you know, would you rather have known earlier?” he replied more bitingly than he meant and put his arms about her in a tight, apologetic embrace. He could feel her trembling.
“No, I guess not, but you’ve been very brave, Tag.”
“I’m scared stiff. If only we could have put in steel doors!”