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and years of practice resulting in a perfect manoeuvre. His
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heart was like to burst in his chest with pride. Below and
above him, other wings were turning, all now flaming to
catch the next band of falling Thread. And the next. And
the next.
Meranath and the others are here, Charanth announced,
dropping his head to peer far below.
They are? Turn. K'vin looked below and saw the unmistak-
able arrow of golden bodies in their low-level position, the
flame-throwers which the queen riders used spouting here and
there as they disintegrated stray strands escaping the higher
ranks.
Does Meranath fly well?
Meranath flies very well, Charanth said proudly.
Tell the wings it is time to execute the first change-over, K'vin
said. He swivelled his body around to watch that manoeuvre,
holding his right arm up high, sweeping his eyes across
Telgar's wings. He dropped his arm and counted nine or ten
dragons still flaming. Then they, too, went off. He counted to
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five and suddenly full wings flew behind him. He raised his
arm high in recognition of their arrival, which was all he had
time for because the wall of Thread advanced to flaming
distance and Charanth was ready with his fire. So far he could
find no fault with the performance of Telgar's wings.
It seemed no time after that when he realized his sacks of
firestone were empty, and he had Charanth call for more. It
surprised K'vin to notice that they had flown from night into
day, for the sun slanted right into the eyes as they flew east
again. There was good reason to use tinted glass in the
goggles.
Z'gal and blue Tracath made the drop, swooping in neatly
just above his head and depositing the new sacks across
Charanth's neck. K'vin pulled the release knot of the empty
sacks and saw Tracath swivel and dive beneath Charanth,
Z'gal deftly catching the limp ones and disappearing instantly
between.
Tell Tracath that was well done, K'vin said.
They were over the northern-most edge of Benden now,
above pasture lands, forests and small farming holds. The
need for accuracy and complete destruction of Thread was
more crucial now. The queens' wing was more visible, gold
against the dark green or brown of fields not yet verdant with
spring growth.
Sacks had to be replenished again. He called in the
second change-over of wings, only then realizing that he was
beginning to tire.
Are you all right, Charanth?
I flame well. My wings beat strongly. We are together. There
is no problem.
The calm, strong tone of his bronze was like a tonic. Yes,
they were together, doing what they had been bred and
maintained to do.
Meranath says we are over Bitra Hold now. They were
turning west again, back for another run. K'vin did notice that
there seemed to be less Thread falling now, even gaps
between the sheets of it. This Fall is nearly over?
K'vin wasn't sure if Charanth was pleased, surprised or
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disappointed. He, for one, was enormously relieved! He had
survived the ultimate test of the Weyrleader.
They did one more pass eastward and then there was no
more Thread visible above. A cheer echoed from rider to
rider, and all those within K'vin's range pumped both arms
in jubilation.
We should land at Bitra Hold, in case we are needed for
burrows that might have escaped us, K'vin told Charanth. Tell
the wings well-done, and all but J'dar's may return. He will
wait with us for the all-clear. It is M'shall's pleasure to tell us
that.t Any casualties?
That was the traditional Weyrleader's query, though reports
would also be made to him during the Fall so that he could
assess what replacements might be needed.
Today only some minor burns from char. Nothing bad
enough that anyone cared to report to you.
K'vin wasn't that pleased that news had been withheld, but
he could understand the reluctance of any rider in today's Fall
retiring for a mere char burn. Now he noticed that he had
quite a few black spots on his own riding leathers, but nothing
had penetrated through to his flesh. Would that every Fall
would be so trouble-free! And the next one which Telgar
flew would show up the foolhardy. He'd have to give the
entire Weyr a hard bollocking to prevent the cocksure from
disaster.
Today the queens' wing would join the wingleaders at Bitra
Hold, though traditionally they stayed aloft to assist ground
crews.
Zulaya sought K'vin immediately she was on the ground
and embraced him, seeking his mouth to kiss him with
enthusiasm.
'We did it! We did it!'
'This time,' K'vin said, hugging her tightly to him. He could
almost have thanked P'tero for getting him so angry. It had
done the world of good for his relations with Zulaya. The way
she looked at him now, the way she had to touch him . . .
well, they were truly weyrmates.
M'shall was moving among the riders, slapping one on the
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shoulder, thanking each Weyrleader for participating in this
almost scatheless Fall, a wide smile plastered on his face.
'I'd say that this was a normal Fall,' S'nan was saying rather
portentiously.
'How can we possibly tell?' G'don asked.
'The records, man, the records,' said S'nan, glaring. 'It's
exactly as Sean described Fall #325, in his records of 11 AL.
Exactly.'
'Oh, Fall #325?' asked B'nurrin, his eyes dancing. 'Myself,
I felt it was more like #499 in 12 AL.'
'B'nurrin?' M'shall's raised eyebrows suggested that the
irrepressible young Igen Weyrleader should stop baiting
S'nan.
'We got off much too easily,' said D'miel of Ista, shaking
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his head. 'I mean, we were all on a high. I for one was
expecting far worse...'
'Isn't it nice to be disappointed?' K'vin said, but he agreed [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]