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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?

“You will not touch her with your abominated hands,” the leader said, shaking himself loose of his searchers.

“You had no problem with my abominated hands when you wanted something to stop the itching,” Keita said as she pulled the woman out of the group. “And from the look of it now I’d say you didn’t even use the salve. Well, I hope you itch forever!” She released her and the woman sidled hastily back to her companions.

“Keita,” Oldive asked, “can you remember exactly when she was here? If she gave a name or any details?”

Keita nodded and dashed up the stairs to the Hall.

“No doubt she had a good look round the Hall, as well,” Sebell said.

Nothing more significant was discovered on the vandals’ persons. Groghe ended the search and the prisoners adjusted their rumpled clothing.

Sebell spoke up. “The clothes and boots they’re wearing will tell us where they were made, and we’ve weavers and tanners enough at the Gather to make such identification.”

Then Sharra gave a bark of laughter, pointing to travel stains and scurf on the worn boots. “They’re not dressed for the Gather, are they? In fact, they’ve done some hard riding. Could they possibly have stabled their runners in the Hall’s beasthold for a quick escape? And left interesting items in their saddlebags?”

She saw several of the vandals flinch and laughed again as Groghe roared for Haligon to check. The Hall’s stabling was to the west of the main entrance. A half-dozen holders accompanied Haligon on the search.

“Stuffed in here, Father!” Haligon shouted back. “Still saddled. Eating their heads off.”

“A gallop to the harbor and a ship to sail away in?” N’ton asked.

“It’s been done before,” Sebell said, his eyes narrowing with anger, his expression grimmer than ever.

“Would you be kind enough to check Fort Harbor, Weyr-leader?” Groghe asked N’ton.

“My pleasure, Lord Holder.” Pivoting, N’ton singled out four riders, standing by their dragons. As soon as the dragons were aloft, fire-lizards appeared, shrieking glad cries and following them in graceful fairs.

“Rather stupid, really,” Groghe said, easing himself in his saddle and staring down at his prisoners. “Never considered the possibility of discovery, did you? Thought you’d do the dirty and get away without being seen?”

The leader looked arrogantly in another direction, but the rough body searches had considerably subdued the others; most of the bluster was drained out of them. Two looked dismayed as Haligon and the others led the mounts out for inspection. Willing hands emptied the saddlebags onto the ground, spilling out the usual camping gear.

“Fifteen of them, aren’t there?” N’ton said, rubbing his jaw. “One of my sweepriders saw such a group camping in the Trader clearing by Ruatha River a few days back.”

“He didn’t report it?” Groghe demanded, offended.