The Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey [311]
“Fire-lizards with delusions of locating the First Shell?” Jaxom laughed heartily.
“I can’t quite seriously laugh at their memories. They do know the oddest sorts of things. Remember F’nor’s Grall not wanting to go to the Red Star? For that matter all the fire-lizards are terrified of the Red Star.”
“Aren’t we all?”
“They knew, Jaxom, knew before the rest of Pern had any knowledge.”
Instinctively they both turned eastward, toward the malevolent Red Star.
“So?” Menolly asked cryptically.
“So? So what?”
“So fire-lizards have memories.”
“Ah, leave off, Menolly. You can’t ask me to believe that fire-lizards could remember things Man can’t?”
“Got another explanation?” Menolly asked belligerently.
“No, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one,” and Jaxom grinned at her. His smile turned to alarm. “Say, what if some of those fellows up there are from the Southern Hold?”
“I’m not worried. The fire-lizards are outside, for one thing. For another, they can only visualize what they’ve understood.” Menolly chuckled, a habit of hers which Jaxom found a pleasant change from the giggling of Holder girls. “Can you imagine what nonsense someone like T’kul would make of Wansor’s equations? Seen through lizard eyes?”
Jaxom’s personal recollections of the High Reaches Oldtimer Weyrleader were sparse, but he’d heard enough from Lytol and N’ton to realize that man’s mind was closed to anything new. Though nearly six Turns of fending on his own down in the Southern Continent might have broadened his outlook.
“Look, it isn’t me alone who’s worried,” Menolly went on. “Mirim is, too. And if anyone today understands fire-lizards, it’s Mirrim.”
“You don’t do badly yourself—for a mere Harper.”
“Well, thank you, my Lord Holder.” She gave him a facetious salute. “Look, will you find out what the fire-lizards are telling Ruth?”
“Don’t they talk to Mirim’s green dragon?” Jaxom was reluctant to have more to do with fire-lizards at the moment than was absolutely necessary.
“Dragons don’t remember things. You know that. But Ruth’s different, I’ve noticed . . .”
“Very different . . .”
Menolly caught the sour note in his voice. “What’s got your back up today? Or has Lord Groghe been to see Lytol?”
“Lord Groghe? What for?”
Menolly’s eyes glinted with devilment and she beckoned him closer, as if anyone were near enough to hear what they’d been saying. “I think Lord Groghe fancies you for that beast-bosomed third daughter of his.”
Jaxom groaned in horror.
“Don’t worry, Jaxom. Robinton squashed the idea. He wouldn’t do you a disservice there. Of course,” Menolly glanced at him from the corners of her laughing eyes, “if you have anyone else in mind, now’s the time to say so.”
Jaxom was furious, not with Menolly but with her news, and it was hard to dissociate tidings and bearer.
“The one thing I don’t want just now is a wife.”
“Oh? Got yourself taken care of?”
“Menolly!”
“Don’t look so shocked. We Harpers understand the frailties of human flesh. And you’re tall, and nice-looking, Jaxom. Lytol’s supposed to be giving you instruction in all the arts . . .”
“Menolly!”
“Jaxom!” She mimicked his tone perfectly. “Doesn’t Lytol ever let you off to have some fun on your own? Or do you just think about it? Honestly, Jaxom,” her tone became acerbic and her expression registered impatience with him, “between Robinton, though I love the man, and Lytol, F’lar, Lessa and Fandarel, I think they’ve turned you into a pale echo of themselves. Where is Jaxom?”
Before he could sort out a suitable answer for her impertinence, she gave him a piercing look through slightly narrowed eyes. “They do say the dragon is the man. Maybe that’s why Ruth is so different!”
On that cryptic remark she rose and made her way back to the others.
Jaxom had half a mind to call Ruth and leave if all he was going to get were insults and slights.
“Like a sulky boy!” N’ton’s words came back to him. Sighing, he settled back to the grass. No, he would not depart hastily from an awkward scene for the second time that morning. He would not act in an immature fashion. He would not