BooksBarbecue
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?

“Let me point out, Lord Kashman, a fact that you may not be acquainted with yet,” he said, “but MasterCraftHalls enjoy autonomy within their halls and may set punishment or fines, depending on the nature of any offense committed within their confines.”

“But—but the Printer Hall’s new …” Kashman began.

“That does not,” Sebell said, “interfere with its autonomy or internal discipline.”

Tagetarl spoke up. “Let me remind Lord Kashman that the intruders refused—in front of witnesses—to name either hold or hall to which they could be taken to receive a hearing from another authority.”

“It just happens …” and Kashman waved his arm in a sarcastic manner, “that Lord Jaxom who resides in Ruatha and N’ton whose Weyr is in Fort happened to be present in Wide Bay at such an unlikely hour?”

“The intruders picked the hour,” Tagetarl said.

“The dragons responded to a summons for support,” N’ton added.

“Who summoned them?” Kashman demanded, his nostrils flaring with irritation.

“Beauty, in my case,” Jaxom said and turned to N’ton.

“In mine as well.”

“Beauty?” Kashman echoed, confounded by that identification.

“Beauty is the queen fire-lizard that often conveys urgent messages from the Harper Hall,” N’ton said.

“You responded to a message brought by a fire-lizard?” Kashman was incredulous. Toric snorted at his inexperience.

“When such a message comes from a main CraftHall,” Sebell went on, “it is not wise to disregard its import, especially since other Crafthalls have become targets for vandalism. Twelve people do not simultaneously decide to sample Crafthall wares in the middle of the night, armed with torches, chisels, hammers, and spikes, Lord Kashman. They were discovered inside the main gates, which had not been opened to them, destroying the doors to the Print Hall itself. What conclusion would you have come to?”

“Yes, Kashman, what conclusion could you have come to?” Lord Groghe demanded.

“Something’s got to be done about such impertinent men and women,” Bargen said with considerable exasperation. “Wanton destruction—when it takes time and good materials to make anything these days—cannot be permitted. If we have already decided that exile would be a deterrent, then whoever sits in judgment—a proper court, with three judges and witnesses—has the right, indeed the duty of sentencing them to exile. Now, let’s go on to the most important issue before this Council.”

Beyond him, Kashman was gaping, infuriated that the older Lord Holders were so blithely setting aside his issue.

“What are you going to do about preventing fireballs dropping from the sky?” Bargen asked, surveying the Weyrleaders with a critical sweep.

“We have several recommendations …” F’lar said, rising to his feet.

“Don’t want recommendations,” Bargen retorted. “I want positive reassurance that such displays won’t be repeated in the near future.”

“Nothing in the near future has so far been discerned,” F’lar said and found he had everyone’s attention.

“What do you mean by that?” Groghe demanded.