amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第6部分

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　　〃Sorry。　Thought　I'd　have　the　place　to　myself；〃　F'lessan　said　genially；　striding　forward；　his　dress　shoes　making　very　little　sound　on　the　stone　floor。
　　Her　startlement　suggested　to　him　that　she；　too；　had　thought　she　could　study　in　solitary　quiet。　She　was　in　the　act　of　pushing　back　her　chair　when　he　held　out　a　hand　to　prevent　her　from　rising。　Most　riders　knew　who　he　was：　he　made　a　habit　of　flying　Thread　with　the　two　southern　Weyrs　and　usually　attended　every　Impression。　The　latter　was　sheer　indulgence　on　his　part；　for　at　each　Impression；　he　and　Golanth　reaffirmed　their　lifelong　mitment　to　each　other。　Now　that　he　could　see　her　full　face；　he　recognized　her。　〃You're　Tai；　aren't　you？　Zaranth's　rider？〃　he　asked；　hoping　he　remembered　rightly。
　　You　always　do；　Golanth　murmured。　She'd　Impressed；　unexpectedly；　nearly　five　Turns　ago　at　Monaco　Bay。　She'd　e　south；　though　he　couldn't　remember　from　where。　There　had　been　so　many　people　flooding　through　Landing　since　Aivas　was　discovered　in　2538。　While　she　couldn't　be　much　older　than　her　mid　twenties；　he　wondered　if　she'd　been　part　of　the　workforce　during　those　astonishing　five　Turns　of　Aivas。　After　all；　Aivas　had　demonstrated　a　distinct　bias　for　green　dragons　and　their　riders。
　　F'lessan　stepped　forward；　extending　his　hand　to　her。　She　looked　embarrassed；　dropping　her　eyes　as　soon　as　their　hands　had　clasped　politely。　Her　handshake　was　firm；　if　brisk　almost　to　the　point　of　rudeness；　and　he　could　feel　some　odd　ridges；　scars；　on　the　back　of　her　hand　and　on　her　forefinger。　She　wasn't　pretty；　she　didn't　act　sensual；　the　way　some　green　riders　did；　and　she　was　only　half　a　head　shorter　than　he　was。　She　wasn't　too　thin；　but　the　lack　of　flesh　on　her　bones　gave　her　a　slightly　boyish　appearance。
　　〃I'm　F'lessan；　Golanth's　rider；　of　Benden。〃
　　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　shooting　him　a　sharp　look。　Her　eyes　were　set　at　an　unusual　upward　slant；　but　she　looked　away　so　quickly　he　couldn't　see　what　color　they　were。　Oddly　enough；　she　flushed。　〃I　know。〃　She　seemed　to　gather　breath　to　continue。　〃Zaranth　just　told　me　that　Golanth　had　apologized　for　disturbing　her　nap　on　the　ledge。〃　She　flicked　him　another　almost　contrite　glance；　awkwardly　clasping　her　left　wrist　with　her　right　hand　so　that　the　knuckles　turned　white。
　　F'lessan　grinned　in　his　most　ingratiating　fashion。　〃By　nature；　Golanth　is　very　considerate。〃　He　gave　a　little　bow　and　gestured　toward　the　volume　open　on　the　reading　desk。　〃Don't　let　me　disturb　your　studies。　I'll　be　over　there。〃　He　pointed　to　the　far　right。
　　He　could　just　as　easily　work　in　the　alcove　as　in　the　main　room　and　not　intrude　on　her　solitude。　In　no　time　at　all　he　had　collected　three　of　the　records　he　thought　most　likely　to　contain　the　information　he　sought；　and　brought　them　to　the　smaller　reading　desk　in　the　alcove。　A　narrow　window　gave　him　a　view　of　the　eastern　hills　and　the　barest　sparkle　of　the　sea。　He　seated　himself；　placed　the　piece　of　paper　that　he　had　brought　with　him　on　the　table；　and　started　riffling　through　the　thinly　coated　plastic　pages　of　the　　Tower　records。　He　was　looking　for　one　name：　Stev　Kimmer；　listed　in　the　colony　records　as　Stakeholder　on　Bitkim　Island；　now　called　Ista　Hold。　He　needed　to　find　any　connection　between　Kimmer　and　Kenjo　Fusaiyuki；　who　had　been　the　original　Honshu　Stakeholder。
　　In　his　careful　clearing　of　debris　in　the　ancient　dwelling　place；　he　had　found　the　initials　SK　carved　or　etched　on　several　surfaces：　on　the　metal　worktop　in　the　garage　of　the　ancient　sled　and　on　several　drawers。　No　other　inhabitant　had　defaced　or　initialed　anything。　The　only　SK　not　listed　as　going　north　in　the　Second　Crossing…when　the　Thread…beleaguered　colonists　had　resettled　at　Fort…was　Stev　Kimmer。　Previous　research　revealed　that　the　man　had　disappeared　with　a　sled　after　Ted　Tubberman's　illegal　launch　of　an　appeal　for　help　from　old　Earth。　Kimmer　had　not　been　seen　again。　The　loss　of　a　functional　sled　had　been　officially　regretted；　Kimmer's　absence　had　not。
　　The　interesting　point　in　F'lessan's　earlier　search　was　that　Ita　Fusaiyuki　had　continued　to　hold　at　Honshu　and　resisted　every　invitation　to　move　north　with　her　children。　Other　colonists；　like　those　at　Terne　Island　and　some　of　the　smaller　holds　in　Dorado；　had　hung　on　in　the　south　as　long　as　they　could。　Eventually　all；　save　perhaps　those　at　Honshu；　had　immigrated。　There　had　been　no　reference　to　Honshu　or　the　Fusaiyukis　in　the　early　records　at　Fort　Hold。
　　The　initials；　S　and　K；　were　distinctively　carved。　F'lessan　needed　to　find　any　other　samples　of　Stev　Kimmer's　handwriting　to　be　sure　of　his　identification。　Not　that　it　mattered；　except　to　him。　With　atypical　zeal；　F'lessan　yearned　to　plete　the　history　of　Honshu　itself　as　accurately　as　possible：　who　had　lived　there；　when　they　had　left；　where　they　had　gone；　and　why。
　　Honshu　was　also　an　excellent　example　of　colonial　self…sufficiency。　Clearly　it　had　been　occupied　by　quite　a　few　people　and　designed　for　many　more：　a　whole　floor　of　bedrooms　had　never　been　furnished。　Then；　all　at　once　and　in　some　hurry；　considering　details　like　drawers　left　pulled　out　in　a　workshop　that　had　otherwise　been　meticulously　kept；　everyone　had　left。　Twelve　of　them　at　least。　To　judge　by　strands　of　moldering　material；　even　garments　had　been　left　behind；　folded　on　the　shelves；　in　drawers；　or　hanging　in　closets。　The　fact　that　all　the　utensils　were　still　stored　and　hung　about　the　capacious　kitchen　argued　that；　wherever　the　inhabitants　had　gone；　they　hadn't　needed　to　bring　along　household　equipment。　Storage　canisters　filled　with　desiccated　remnants　indicated　that　few；　if　any；　staples　had　been　taken。　There　were　homely　artifacts　like　rusted　needles；　pins；　and　scissors。　There　had　been　no　human　bones　to　suggest　a　sudden　annihilation　from　attack　or　disease。
　　Although　all　the　other　entrances　to　the　interior　of　Honshu　had　been　shut；　the　heavy　doors　to　the　beasthold　had　been　propped　open；　suggesting　that　the　Ancients　had　released　their　livestock　but　had　left　the　creatures　access　to　a　refuge。
　　He　turned　page　after　page　of　the　daily　ings　and　goings　from　Landing；　neatly　recorded　by　the　Tower　duty　officers。　He　saw　again　the　reference　to　Kimmer's　defection　with　a　much…needed　operational　sled。
　　S。K。　involved　in　the　Tubberman　launching。　Observed　on　a　northwestern　course。　Suspect　that's　the　last　we'll　see　of　him　and　the　sled。　ZO。
　　F'lessan　had　already　tried　to　find　any　notes　in　Kimmer's　handwriting　from　his　time　as　Stakeholder　at　Bitkim。　There　had　been　none　from　either　him　or　Avril　Bitra　about　their　mining　operations；　though　the　Minercrafthall　still　excavated　the　occasional　fine　gemstones　from　the　clay　at　their　original　site。
　　He　closed　the　final　volume　with　a　frustrated　soft　whoosh；　and　then　glanced　apologetically　over　his　shoulder　for　disturbing　the　quiet。　He　noticed　that　the　surface　of　Tai's　worktable　was　covered　with　bound　volumes。　Idly　he　wondered　if　she　was　having　any　more　luck　with　her　research　than　he　was。　Craning　his　neck　he　could　read　the　spine　on　the　book　facing　in　his　direction：　Volume　35…YOKO　13。20…28/。　The　last　four　digits；　which　would　be　the　relevant　Turn；　had　been　overwritten　in　red　marker　to　read　2520。　The　correction　had　been　made　in　the　precise　numerals　only　Master　Esselin　could　produce。
　　Stuffing　the　note　with　the　replica　of　the　initials　back　into　his　belt　pocket；　he　rose　with　quiet　agility；　trying　not　to　scrape　the　chair　on　the　stone　floor。　Collecting　the　volumes　he　had　been　consulting；　he　returned　them　to　the　proper　shelf。　He　stood　for　a　moment；　fists　jammed　into　his　belt；　glaring　at　the　rows　of　records　that　would　not　produce　the　answer　to　his　puzzle。　Was　there　a　reason　why　he　had　to　identify　SK？　Who　would　care？　He　did；　for　some　obscure　reason　he　didn't　understand。　He　made　sure　the　books　were　properly　aligned　on　the　shelf。　Master　Esselin　was　very　particular　about　how　his　precious　volumes　were　returned。
　　Hearing　Tai　get　to　her　feet　and　push　back　her　chair；　F'lessan　swiveled　around　to　see　her　picking　up　the　outsized　book　she　had　been　studying。　She　hefted　it　up；　pirouetting　gracefully　on　tiptoe　to　return　it　to　the　special　shelf　in　the　case　behind　her。
　　〃I　hope　you　had　better　luck；〃　he　said　with　a　rueful　grin。
　　Startled；　she　lost　her　grip　on　the　awkward；　heavy　tome。　One　edge　was　wedged　against　the　lower　shelf。　She　struggled　to　get　it　up　again　and　into　its　assigned　place；　but　her　hand　slipped。　Knowing　how　difficult　Master　Esselin　could　be　about　damage　to　any　artifact　in　his　custody；　F'lessan　leaped　across　to　catch　the　volume；　just　managing　to　keep　one　corner　from　impacting　on　the　stone　floor。
　　〃Not　a　bad　save；　if　I　say　so　myself；〃　he　said；　grinning　up　at　her。　Why　was　she　regarding　him　as　if　he　were　dangerous？　Or　shifty？　〃I've　got　it。　Allow　me？〃　With　what　he　sincerely　hoped　was　a　cheerful　smile；　he　took　the　volume　from　her　nerveless　fingers　and　shoved　it　safely　into　place。
　　That　was　when　he　saw　the　raw　scrapes　on　the　back　of　her　left　hand。
　　〃That　looks　nasty。　Seen　a　healer？〃　he　asked。　He　reached　out　to　examine　the　injury；　at　the　same　time　fumbling　in　his　belt　pouch　for　numbweed。
　　She　tried　to　pull　free　of　his　grasp。
　　〃Tai；　did　I　hurt　you？〃　he　asked；　instantly　releasing　her　fingers。　He　quickly　displayed　the　distinctive　green　glass　jar　used　for　numbweed。
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