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"Yes, yes," Master Wansor said. "Thank you, Lord Jaxom, Weyrleader J'fery,
Lady Palla. You will have to refresh and augment your original training. While
I may not be able to see anymore, my memory is excellent. Master Samvel at the
Landing school has a whole class of young people to whom I already teach basic
astronomy. I suspect," and his opaque eyes appeared to twinkle, "that there
may be many older people, aunties and uncles, retired from physically
demanding work, like Master Idarolan, who would be delighted to have
responsible work to do, even if it is at night. Frankly, I only need a few
hours' sleep," he added with an ingenuous smile.
"It would be no problem for me and Tiroth," D'ram said, "to bring students to
Master Wansor. It will take considerable time, especially with the workload
that is currently carried by our best people, to build an observatory, so we
must make strong representations to the Council to start as soon as possible.
In the meantime, the production of binoculars from the Smithcrafthall has been
increased-"
"By over half again as many," Wansor interrupted with one hand upraised in
apology, "since the Fireball."
"Has been increased considerably," D'ram went on gently. "Master Jancis and
Piemur assure us of a supply and Master Morilton has professed himself and his
Hall willing to experiment with reflecting mirrors for small telescopes."
"And, when the dangerous objects are discovered, will dragons be required to
push them out of the sky?" G'dened demanded sarcastically.
Lessa noticed that F'lessan exchanged a quick look with Tai. F'lessan also had
a gleam in his eye that had always preceded some mad start of his as a boy.
"One never knows, G'dened," Jaxom said, "considering what strange things
dragons have done in the past eleven Turns. I repeat, I'm quite willing to
site and provide for an observatory in the Ruathan hills."
"I'll undertake to set another at Telgar. Master Fandarel will certainly
approve of an efficient watch on the sky," and J'fery grinned, "and Lord Larad
is more open to such projects than other Holders."
"It would be wise," Jaxom said, stressing the last word, "to include as many
holders and crafters in this sky watch as possible."
"I thought it was to be a dragonrider responsibility," G'dened said.
Really, thought Lessa with a disgust she did not express, G'dened must step
down. He was so hidebound.
"We will need everyone who's willing! Why, we'll need to train two or more
Halls full of people," and Wansor held out both arms in an expansive gesture.
"As Weyrleader K'van remarked, it's a big sky. And we must discover as many
objects as possible. Most will prove harmless when their orbits are charted,
like our Turnover Ghost cometary trails. Many may come close but proceed on
their ways."
"That's all very well, Master Wansor," G'dened said, still unconvinced, "but
that doesn't answer the important question: what could we do if another comet
or meteor or whatever is close enough to impact Pern again?"
The silence in the hall was so complete that the incoming waves could be heard
rippling up the beach, and the occasional splash of dolphins playing one of
their evening games.
"We'll think of something," F'lar said into that silence.
"What's the matter with all of you ... " F'lessan cried, jumping to his feet.
Lessa could almost hear the words he had been about to utter: old
dragonriders.
He recovered quickly, almost stumbling over the next words. "We've only
started exploring the masses of information Aivas left us and somewhere in all
that information there will be a way of dealing with them. When Thread first
starting falling, our ancestors made do with what they had, and developed what
they needed to survive-the dragons. They found ways to adapt that have
sheltered and expanded a population that, had they been less resourceful and
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optimistic, would have perished without a trace in that first Pass. All due
respects to you, Erragon, but Aivas had a habit of hiding information so we
have to work to find it. Let us make the best of what we have-those telescopes
and the brains we were born with."
Lessa regarded her son with considerable, if pessimistic, respect. And yet,
what he said might well be true. Aivas had talked about weapons of mass
destruction and she earnestly hoped that nowhere in those records were such
particulars. But if there was hope ...
"We had to learn a great many things to blow the Red Star off course. We still
don't know the half of what there is in Aivas's records," F'lessan went on.
"There's more than half of that we don't need to know, F'lessan," G'dened
said, scowling.
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