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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?

“To me, Lord Holder, as he reported all those heading toward all the Turnover celebrations,” N’ton replied with a diffident shrug. “He mentioned them wearing Healer green.”

Groghe harrumphed at that detail. Who’d know these were not legitimate folk, braving the discomfort of winter travel for the magnificence of Turnover feasting and dancing? Who’d have thought the Healer Hall would be attacked?

Sharra, standing close to Oldive, could feel the man beginning to shake. The cold was penetrating her boots, and he was only wearing soft leather shoes.

“You must go in, Master. This has been a terrible shock to you,” Sharra murmured and began to withdraw him from the scene.

“No, I must stay. It is my Hall they have defiled.” He hunched into the wrap, pulling it tighter against him.

Sebell stepped close, offering Oldive a small flask.

“It’s some of that fortified wine of yours,” the Masterharper murmured. Oldive gratefully took a hefty swig.

“Father!” Haligon’s cry was triumphant as he held up a thin wallet. He hastened to put it in Groghe’s hands.

As the crowd watched in anticipation, the Lord Holder made an exaggerated inspection of the wallet’s contents.

Groghe held up a piece of paper by an edge. “What? You make use of abominations?” he cried, eyes glinting with malice as he turned to the leader. “No less than a map printed by Master Tagetarl’s abominable press. Useful things, abominations!”

Sharra tried not to grin at Groghe’s style; he’d always appeared so pragmatic. Mockery was unusual for him, but today the gatherers loved it. Dancing and singing was all very well, but this was the most unusual diversion! They must remember every detail to tell missing friends and kin in hold and hall.

“B?’ ” Groghe read by dropping the single sheet to eye level. “That’s you?” He fixed the leader with an inquiring look.

“One of ’em comes from Crom, Lord Groghe,” shouted a holder busy examining a runnerbeast. “Brand on this one’s rump. Under the mud!” He shot a disdainful glare at the prisoners for such shoddy animal care.

“This one’s Crom, too,” a harper reported.

“They could have been stolen,” N’ton remarked. “But even that’s significant enough to start a search there for stolen runnerbeasts.”

“B?”

“Father,” Horon began, “if there’s a B, could there also be an A and C, and Abominators raiding other healer halls today, when they’re apt to be empty?”

The sound of distant drumming echoed down the canyon, startling everyone. As one, heads were turned toward the Harper Hall Drum Heights.

“I’m sorry you’re right, son,” Groghe said with a weary sigh as he, and the others familiar with the drum messages, identified the source—Boll—and the message: vandalism.

Sharra became rigid with renewed anger as the message provided crisp details. “Janissian sending. Healer hall destroyed. Two journeymen and one apprentice injured!”