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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?

“What a sorry bunch!” Captain Venabil said, fists thrust against his hips, shaking his head. “It’s plain as the nose on my face this lot were up to no good sneaking into the Print Hall, faces blackened and all. Not to mention pulling the doors down and heaving torches about. Wide Bay’s not a wild hold and we don’t want such louts hanging about. What’s this established procedure of yours, Lord Jaxom? I’d like to get back to my ship before dawn.”

Jaxom accorded him a little bow.

“Shouldn’t we send for Lord Kashman?” someone shouted from the crowd. “He’s our Holder and he’s supposed to deal with peace-breakers, thieves, burglars, and such.”

“For general Hold matters,” Pinch said quickly. “This is a Harper Hall matter. However, if any of you …” and he addressed the captives, “is from this Hold you may step forward and I’m sure Lord Kashman will keep you comfortably enough.”

He was interrupted by a derisive snort and the comment from the crowd that the net was more comfortable than where offenders of the peace were held at Keroon Hold.

“As I was saying,” Pinch continued with a faint grin, “if you are of this hold, you can be transferred to the Hold to await Lord Kashman’s judgment.”

None of the captives claimed that right.

“Name, hold, hall, and rank, if any,” N’ton said, stepping with authority beside Pinch.

There was no response and N’ton shrugged.

“Then, since they have been caught in an illegal entry and in the willful destruction of an authorized Crafthall, Master Tagetarl, Master Mekelroy, how will you deal with them?”

Surprised by the anger and the sense of violation that suddenly fueled him, Tagetarl surged to Pinch’s side, glaring at the captives. The false wineman he had already recognized by the ripped trousers—which hadn’t fit properly even before he’d been bounced about in a net—but he could not find Scar-face or the woman sketched by Pinch after his first foray to the suspected Abominators’ hill camp. Their absence from this line added worry to Tagetarl’s very mixed emotions.

“Why did you wish to damage this Hall?” he demanded in a harsh voice, his fury palpable enough to make those captives nearest him recoil uncertainly. “WHY?” He jammed his fists against his side to rein in the urge to tear the truth out of those who would have destroyed what he had so painstakingly built. He took one more step.

“Lies!” Hands defensively raised, the man directly in front of him ducked back. “We have to destroy the lies!”

“What lies?” Tagetarl demanded, having expected no answer, certainly not this one.

“The lies Harpers are printing. Spreading all over Pern!” the man cried, gesturing wildly toward the Hall, to the wall where finished books were shelved.

“What’s this about lies?” demanded Captain Venabil, turning to Tagetarl for an answer.