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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?

“Agreed.” Torlo motioned for Haligon to help himself to the sweet rolls on the board. He broke a piece off himself, pushing the crumbs into his mouth.

Delaying, Haligon thought, so he continued.

“Stationmaster, didn’t Master Oldive remove that growth from Grolly’s leg? Couldn’t have been able to do that before. I believe Grolly’s running again. And the cataract film from Tuvor’s eyes? He’s got clear sight now. I heard they can keep guts from popping out of a man’s belly. And they’re not niggardly with their help. Didn’t they show Beastmaster Frawly how to reduce the wobbles in that fine colt?”

“Aye? So what’re you driving at, Lord Haligon?”

“Some are spreading evil untruths about the Healers, with vile pamphlets …”

“Runners burn the ones they’re given.”

“They’ve seen some?” Haligon was jolted so badly he spilled klah on his hand.

“Runners won’t spread filth like that.”

“But where? When? Does it happen often?” So Crivellan was right to fret over the matter.

Torlo gave him a long stare. “Runner business. We take care of it.”

“But where? We must stop it. Do Runners know where it comes from?”

Torlo shrugged. “Runners stop it going further.”

“Yes, but not all of it,” Haligon said, becoming more agitated. “The vandals had a particularly grisly copy. Master Crivellan was distraught.”

“He’s not the only one.”

Haligon stiffened at the satiric tone of Torlo’s voice. “What quarrel do Runners have with the Healer Hall?” he asked in a low voice though there was no one else in the dining room just then.

“None.” Torlo was surprised by Haligon’s query.

“With whom then?”

Torlo paused, then a slight grin lifted the corner of his mouth and his eyes met Haligon’s squarely. “You’re not what you seem, Lord Haligon.”

“Runners are as essential to us all as Healers, Stationmaster. What’s the problem?”

Torlo considered that and then, making his decision, leaned forward.

“We’ve no objection to Healer Hall improvements: they benefit all. When ‘improvements’ threaten an entire Craft, now that’s a different track altogether.”

“Who would threaten Runners? Weyrwoman Lessa said last night that Runners would always be needed.”

Torlo gave an ironic bark. “Did she? And who’ll be needing the dragons if the truth is told about the Red Star?”

Haligon reassembled his thoughts. He’d never thought to step among so many verbal snakes.

“Red Star? You don’t believe the Red Star was moved? But surely you saw it happen, here in the North?”

“Saw the light in the sky, but what did that mean to someone ground-tied?”

Haligon tried another tack.