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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?

“We’ll keep him informed,” Groghe promised with a curt nod of his head. He had his own quarrel with the testy man. “Landing, Benden, Boll, Southern? How, ah, many targets could there be?”

“I wonder did they count on blizzards at High Reaches?” Lessa asked drolly and followed Keita out of the dining hall.

F’lar paused briefly. “F’lessan, are you coming with us?”

“No, sir, though I’m tempted. I want to see if that green rider’s all right. They messed her about before her dragon arrived.”

As the meeting broke up, no one was tactless enough to voice the customary Turnover good wishes.

Before Groghe, Sebell, and N’ton reached the Gather Square, more drum messages came rolling in.

“Alert,” Sebell said, translating the initial beat and setting himself to hear more bad news, “from the Smithcrafthall.”

“Not Fandarel, too? He’s been extraordinarily conscientious in locking his Halls and stores against incursions. Ah, yes, I see …” Groghe’s face relaxed into a pleased expression as the drumrolls ended. “They tried! I wonder what he’ll find out from them. Oh, shards, everyone’s waiting!”

They could all hear the harpers playing a sprightly tune to a sparsely populated dance square. Around all four sides, knots of people were warming their hands at the braziers, murmuring among themselves, and anxiously watching the progress of their Lord Holder on his big mount.

“Father!” Horon’s shout reached their ears as he came down the wide hold steps at an almost dangerous clip. He rushed over, waiting till he was close before he gasped out his message. “Father, we’ve found something you have to see!”

“Later, Horon, later.”

“It’s extremely important.”

“Sharding Abominators! Thought we’d seen the last of their kind,” Groghe said impatiently. “Sebell, go see what’s so bloody important. I’d better deal with them.” His gesture indicated the waiting Gatherers. “Damnable way to start Turnover.” With that he kneed his mount to a trot all the way to the harpers’ platform. The tune was brought to a conclusion with a flourish that Sebell wryly approved, and the crowd flowed forward to hear what the Lord Holder had to say.

Sebell caught the eye of the nearest person in harper blue, an apprentice girl who rushed up to him.

“Worla, I’ll be at the Hold with Lord Horon. Bring me the text of all the messages coming in. I’ll send any replies directly to the Drummaster.” He summoned his gold fire-lizard, Kimi. Holding her to his shoulder, he and Horon jogged up the wide staircase to the freezing expanse of Fort’s upper court. He heard the cheers as Lord Groghe stepped up on the harpers’ platform.

“So what is so important, Horon?” Sebell asked once they were out of the wind.

Horon gulped. “The most—ghastly …” His face contorted with revulsion.

“Abominator cant?” Sebell was surprised.