amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第14部分

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　　〃Master　Sintary　needs　no　introduction；〃　Toric　said；　lifting　a　voice　that　had　once　carried　above　storms。　〃I　see　you　have　a　scroll　to　read　us　today；　Master　Harper。〃
　　Master　Sintary　rose；　giving　Toric　a　bland　stare　for　such　a　terse　introduction。　Toric　enjoyed　giving　subtle　jabs；　especially　to　harpers　and　dragonriders。　And　where　were　the　dragonriders　who　should　be　here？　Toric　glared　out　across　the　tanned　faces；　looking　for　the　Weyrleader。　If　K'van　hadn't　e。。。　Then　Toric　located　him　on　the　left；　where　trees　and　the　ferny　shrubs　of　this　highland　formed　a　bordering　park。　He　counted　at　least　fifteen　dragonriders　and　the　three　queen　riders！　Shards！　He　could　make　no　plaint　that　they　had　been　delinquent　in　performing　this　Weyr　duty。
　　Sintary　had　taken　two　steps　forward；　an　easy　gesture　of　his　hand　waving　Toric　to　the　other　chair　on　the　platform。　Deftly　unrolling　the　traditional　scroll　with　his　right　hand；　he　proceeded　to　read；　winding　it　up　with　the　skill　of　long　practice。
　　Toric　took　the　chair；　crossing　his　arms　on　his　chest。　He　was　almost　as　annoyed　now　as　he　had　been　this　morning　when　he'd　awakened。　The　dragonriders　were　in　attendance。　They…and　far　too　many　other　people…would　eat　of　the　feast　a　Lord　Holder　was　required　to　produce。　And　how　could　Sintary　make　himself　heard　so　effortlessly？　He　hadn't　even　raised　his　voice；　just　intensified　it　with　some　harper　trick。
　　To　occupy　the　time　it　would　take　Sintary　to　get　through　that　thick　scroll；　Toric　surveyed　the　polite　faces　below　him。　Spotting　his　brother；　MasterSmith　Hamian；　Toric　uncrossed　his　arms；　because　Hamian　had　assumed　a　similar　stance。　Hamian　and　his　new　Plastics　Hall。　Plastic　indeed；　when　he　should　be　working　metals：　especially　that　lode　of…what　was　it　called？　box…something…that　produced　very　lightweight　and　malleable　ore。　Toric　hadn't　encouraged　his　young　brother　to　pursue　his　Mastery　in　the　Smithcraft　only　to　have　him　fritter　his　skills　away　on　some　Aivas　nonsense。　The　summarily　exiled　MasterGlasssmith　Norist　had　been　right　to　call　the　artificial　intelligence　an　Abomination。
　　The　sun　was　now　midheaven；　and　even　in　his　loose　clothing；　Toric　was　beginning　to　feel　the　heat。　Packed　rather　tightly　together；　the　crowd　was　being　restless；　fanning　themselves　and　shifting　weight　from　foot　to　foot。　Those　who　had　no　one　to　leave　their　children　with　were　beginning　to　sidle　to　the　edge　of　the　crowd；　taking　the　fretful　whingeing　brats　away。
　　Was　the　Harper　speeding　up　the　tempo　of　his　recital？　Well；　why　not？　The　scroll　would　be　displayed　on　the　notice　board　when　the　reading　was　over。　He　caught　the　change　of　pace　and　heard　Sintary's　concluding　remarks。
　　〃Now；　I　can　start　taking　your　private　petitions；　which；　I　assure　you；　will　be　scrupulously　dealt　with。〃
　　Sharding　Harper　Hall；　meddling　with　what　was　Hold　business。　His　holders　had　no　right　to　plain。　They　worked　hard　and　they　got　what　they　deserved。
　　Toric　quickly　scanned　the　assembled　to　see　if　any　petitions　were　being　removed　from　belt　pouches　or　dress　pockets。
　　Sintary　finished　reading。　Cheers；　loud　calls；　whistles；　and　other　raucous　noise　welled　up；　and　that　bined　with　the　heat　brought　back　Toric's　headache。　While　the　bloody　Harper　descended　the　steps；　Toric　went　down　the　back　way；　into　the　cool　shade。　He　needed　to　find　Dorse。　The　man　had　said　he　would　be　back　by　now　from　his　latest　trip　north。
　　His　public　duty　pleted；　Sintary　stepped　off　the　platform；　aware　that　Toric　had　scooted　off　as　soon　as　he　could。　Just　as　well。　The　Harper　could　collect　petitions　without　Toric's　interference。　He　whipped　open　the　sack　he'd　brought　for　the　purpose　and；　securing　the　scroll　of　the　Report　under　his　belt；　took　the　petitions　shoved　at　him　as　soon　as　he　reached　the　bottom　of　the　steps。
　　〃They'll　be　read；　I　assure　you。　Harper's　word　on　it。　Thank　you。　Yes；　the　Council　will　see　this。　Thank　you。　It　will　take　time　but　this　will　be　read。〃　He　repeated　these　phrases　as　he　made　his　way　through　the　crowd　to　post　the　Report。　〃Yes；　yes；　this　will　be　read。〃　It　became　a　litany。　〃They'll　be　read's〃　to　the　left；　a　〃harper's　word　on　it〃　to　the　right；　and　〃let　me　through；　thank　you〃　as　he　made　his　way　forward　until　he　reached　the　notice　board。　He　handed　the　scroll　to　the　apprentice　in　harper　blue　and　held　it　flat　to　be　tacked　up。
　　The　days　of　laborious　copying　by　cramp…fingered　apprentices　were　now　well　gone。　Council　reports　were　printed　by　Masterprinter　Tagetarl's　speedy　presses　on　some　of　the　new　heavy　paper；　made　in　rolls　and　then　plastic…coated　so　the　notice　could　not　be　easily　defaced。　Copies　had　been　sent　to　every　major　and　minor　hold　to　be　read　on　this　day　of　Turnover。　Even　Toric　would　have　to　let　it　remain　displayed；　at　least　until　the　Turnover　crowd　had　all　departed　to　their　holds。
　　Which；　knowing　Toric's　ways；　would　be　as　soon　as　possible。　However；　judging　by　the　number　of　small　craft；　it　would　be　the　work　of　two　days；　at　least；　to　clear　the　harbor。
　　Not　that　Toric　was　a　bad　Holder。　Quite　rightly；　he　insisted　that　everyone　earn　his　or　her　right　to　hold　on　his　land。　The　man　had　had　to　put　up　with　the　vagaries　of　the　Oldtimers　as　well　as　incursions　by　thousands　of　folk　streaming　south；　hoping　for　easier　living。　For　all　the　tribulations　the　immigrants　left　behind；　they　acquired　as　many　new　ones　here…but　many　of　their　supposed　grievances　would　be　minor。
　　Sintary　left　most　of　the　eager　petitioners　behind　as　they　began　to　read　through　the　Report　or　went　to　look　for　shade；　food；　and　drink。　He　was　given　two　more　crumpled　sheets　on　his　way　down　to　the　Harper's　hall　and　slipped　into　a　small　entrance　when　he　spotted　Dorse　and　one　of　the　hard…faced　men　Toric　used　as　guards　hurrying　up　the　stairs。　They　were　busy　watching　their　feet；　but　he　particularly　didn't　like　the　obstinate　and　sly　expression　on　Dorse's　features。　Sintary　knew　that　Dorse　often　did　〃errands〃　for　his　Lord　Holder。
　　When　the　two　men　had　passed　around　the　bend　out　of　sight；　Sintary　continued　on　his　way。　That's　when　he　heard　the　crash　of　glassware　and　the　dull　sound　of　an　axe　hitting　wood。　But　Dorse　and　the　other　man　were　on　their　way　up。　So　who　was　throwing　things　about？
　　With　the　petitions　weighing　him　down；　he　decided　to　get　them　safely　to　his　hold　before　he　returned　to　investigate　the　noise。
　　
HEALER　HALL…1。1。31
　　Masterhealer　Oldive　eased　back　from　the　worktop；　closed　eyes　bleary　from　peering　so　long　into　the　microscope；　and　sighed　deeply。　So　similar　and　yet　the　samples　did　not　match　anything　from　Aivas's　pathology　files　sufficiently　to　call　them　the　same　virus。　Ah；　what　splendid；　and　frightening；　new　dimensions　for　learning…and　Healing。
　　Slowly；　aware　that　his　body　was　cramped　from　inactivity；　he　extended　one　leg　as　far　as　he　could　from　the　rung　of　his　stool。　Letting　it　hang　down；　and　gripping　the　seat　of　his　perch；　he　stretched　the　other　leg。　Then　he　raised　his　arms　as　far　as　his　deformity　allowed　before　rotating　his　neck　to　ease　those　aching　muscles。
　　〃Oldive？〃
　　〃Oh；　my　word；　Sharra！〃　He　swiveled　the　stool　so　that　he　could　face　her　in　the　corner　where　she；　too；　had　been　single…mindedly　peering　into　her　microscope。　〃I　didn't　realize　you　were　still　here。〃
　　This　laboratory　was　such　a　pleasure　to　work　in　and　today　he　and　Sharra　had　it　to　themselves；　since　anyone　with　any　sense　was　up　at　Fort　Hold's　Gather　Square　enjoying　themselves。　Through　the　wide　expanse　of　special　triple…plated　glass；　he　could　see　the　banners　displayed　from　the　windows　of　the　Hold　and　yet　not　feel　the　cold　that　was　gripping　the　northern　continent。　While　he　wished　he　could　be　in　two　places　at　once…and　right　now；　one　of　them　would　by　preference　be　the　large　sunlit　Landing　Healer　facility…he　was　still　luxuriating　in　the　new　headquarters　at　Fort。　〃Head　quarters〃…such　a　lovely　concept　and　such　splendid　〃quarters；〃…with　sufficient　teaching　rooms　and　airy　dormitories；　as　well　as　more　aspiring　healers　than　ever　before。　More　need　of　them；　too；　he　admitted。
　　〃We　do　get　involved；　don't　we？〃　Sharra　mented　with　a　tired　smile。　〃Have　you　been　able　to　identify　that　virus？〃
　　He　shook　his　tired　head。
　　〃Could　it　be　one　of　those　mutations　that　are　mentioned　in　Pathology　Records？〃　she　asked。　〃Considering　what　we've　learned　about　such　things；　there's　been　plenty　of　time　for　them　to　alter　from　the　specimens　Aivas　had。〃
　　〃And　that　would　account　for　the　fact　that　the　plague　can　decimate　otherwise　healthy　holds；〃　Oldive　said　sadly。　He　gave　himself　a　little　shake。　No　sense　being　morbid。　〃But　such　things　have　been　with　us　a　long　time　and　are；　fortunately；　not　upon　us　right　now。　While　this　is　the　last　day　of　Turnover；　and　you　should　be　with　Jaxom　and　your　children。〃
　　〃They　are　all　very　well　occupied　with　Ruatha's　festivities；〃　she　said　fondly。　〃Jaxom　had　to　read　the　Report　and　accept　petitions。　I　could　do　much　more　here　than　sit　there　and　be　bored；　you　know。〃　She　indicated　the　slides　that　she　had　been　studying。　She　kneaded　the　nape　of　her　neck；　arching　her　back　against　having　hunched　so　long　over　her　instrument。　〃Will　we　ever　have　one　of　those　electron　microscopes　that　Aivas　mentioned？〃
　　Oldive　permitted　himself　a　chuckle　as　he　carefully　descended　from　the　high　stool。　Had　his　spine　developed　normally；　he　would　have　been　tall；　his　legs　were　long。　The