The Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey [431]
“All I have is a message which Kimi has just brought from Sebell,” she said, handing him the small tube.
“Oh!”
“As to your resting, I’ve only to watch Zair to know when that’s necessary!” Her glance, as she turned to leave the study, fell on Jaxom and Piemur. There was no doubt in Jaxom’s mind that he and Piemur were under tacit orders not to overstrain the Harper’s strength.
Master Robinton raised his eyebrows in surprise as he read the message. “Oh, dear. Toric was invaded by a shipload of holders’ sons last evening. Sebell feels he should wait till they’ve settled into temporary quarters.” He chuckled and, when he saw the expressions of Jaxom and Piemur, then added, “I infer that all did not progress as smoothly as the holder boys could wish!”
Piemur snorted, with the contempt born of his Turns’ exploring and his knowledge of Toric and his Hold’s accommodations.
“Once you can go between, Jaxom,” Robinton continued, “our investigation can proceed more rapidly. I’ve in mind to set you and the girls out as teams.”
“Harper and Holder?” Jaxom asked, seizing the opportunity he’d been waiting for.
“Harper and Holder? Oh, yes, of course. Piemur, you and Menolly have worked well together, I know. So Sharra can go with Jaxom. Now . . .” Oblivious to the sharp look Piemur gave Jaxom, the man went on. “One sees things from the air in a perspective not always possible at ground level. The reverse, of course, applies. So any exploration should involve both methods. Jaxom, Piemur knows what I’m looking for . . .”
“Sir?”
“Traces of the original habitation of this continent. I can’t for the life of me imagine why our long-dead ancestors left this fruitful and beautiful continent for the colder, duller North, but I assume that they had good reasons. The oldest of our Records states: When man came to Pern, he established a good Hold in the South. We used to think,” the Harper smiled apologetically for that error, “that Fort Hold was meant, since it is south in the Northern Continent. But that particular document goes on to state ambiguously: but found it necessary to move north to shield. That never made any sense, but so many of the old Records have deteriorated past deciphering, much less coherence.
“Well, then Toric discovered an iron mine, worked in the open fashion. And N’ton and I sighted unnatural formations set in a mountainside which, when we had finally reached the spot on foot, were clearly mine shafts.
“If the ancients had been long enough in the Southern Continent to discover ore and mine it, there must be other traces of their habitation somewhere here in the South.”
“In hot weather and rainy forest, nothing survives very long,” Jaxom said. “D’ram built a shelter here a scant twenty-five Turns back and not much remains of it. And what F’lessan and I stumbled on in Benden Weyr had been sealed up, protected from weather.”
“Nothing,” Piemur said emphatically, “could dent, scratch or mar the pit supports we found in that mine. And not even the best stoneman can carve through solid rock like cheese. Yet the ancients did.”
“We have found some traces. There must be more.”
Jaxom had never heard the Harper so adamant, but he couldn’t suppress a sigh as he glanced at the size of the map before him.
“I know, Jaxom, the scope is daunting, but what a triumph when we find the place. Or places!” Master Robinton’s eyes shone with anticipation. “Now,” he went on briskly, “once Jaxom is pronounced fit enough to fly between, we will progress southward, using that symmetrical mountain as our guide. Any objections?” The man barely waited for an answer. “Piemur will start out on the ground with Stupid. Menolly can accompany him, if she wishes, or can wait for Jaxom to take her and Sharra on Ruth to the secondary camp. While the girls survey the immediate vicinity, which I understand has not been done, you, Jaxom, can fly ahead with Ruth to set up another camp to which