All The Weyrs Of Pern Part 47

She needed no more urging. They scrambled astride the white dragon.

"We need Oldive for this, Ruth," Jaxom said. "Take us first to the Healer Hall."

They emerged almost immediately in the central court of the Hall, Ruth just barely managing to avoid setting down on anyone. Oldive, jacket flapping from one hand, his medical case in the other, was limping down the stairs.

I told him! Ruth said.

Just then the Fort Hold dragon began to keen, and swirling storms of fire-lizards, ululating in weird descant, flashed in and out of the court.

"What has happened to the Harper?" Oldive demanded, handing his case up to Sharra and struggling into his jacket. "Neither of you has a jacket!"

"Don't worry about us." Jaxom sat, leaning down to grab Oldive's arm and haul him up. Is it Landing? Or Cove Hold? it Landing? Or Cove Hold? he asked Ruth. he asked Ruth.

Landing!

"Take us there! We must be in time!"

Neither Jaxom nor Sharra even noticed the dread chill of between between in that anxious trip. Dragons were arriving from all directions, so Ruth, ducking low, skimmed the tops of the houses and landed in front of the Aivas building, once again missing collisions with those on the ground rus.h.i.+ng in response to the emergency. , in that anxious trip. Dragons were arriving from all directions, so Ruth, ducking low, skimmed the tops of the houses and landed in front of the Aivas building, once again missing collisions with those on the ground rus.h.i.+ng in response to the emergency. , It is too late! Ruth said, and folded his wings over his head. Ruth said, and folded his wings over his head.

"It can't be too late! Move aside, let us through. Let Oldive through!" Jaxom pushed their way through, one hand hauling the Masterhealer along beside him, the limping Oldive somehow keeping up with him. "Make way here. Make way!"

At the doorway, he came to an abrupt stop. Piemur, Jancis, D'ram, and Lytol stood around the chair, the Harper's silverhaired pate visible where it rested against the back. Choking back the sobs that threatened to overwhelm him, Jaxom slowly approached, moving to one side so that he could see. The Harper looked as if he were merely sleeping. Zair, gray with death, curled against his neck.

"He just-went-to-sleep," Piemur said brokenly. "He's not even warm anymore."

"I thought he was just asleep," D'ram said, "the last time I looked in. I never thought..." Hand to his face, he turned away.

"Aivas!" Jaxom roared. "Aivas, why didn't you call someone? You must have been aware-"

"Look," Sharra said, touching his arm and then pointing to the screen and the blinking message there.

" 'And a time for every purpose under heaven'? What is that supposed to mean, Aivas? Aivas!"

Only then did Jaxom realize the difference in the screen, as lifeless as it had been the very first time he had entered the room. "Aivas?"

He pressed a "restore" sequence. Then, cursing at fingers that fumbled, he tried other codes, but got no response.

"Piemur? Jancis? What do we do?"

Sharra grabbed his trembling hands and held them, her tearing eyes bright with the knowledge that he could not accept.

"Aivas has gone, too," she said, her voice rough. "See the smile on Master Robinton's face? Just as you and I have seen him smile so many times. The message was for him as it is there for us."

"We'll go back, we'll go back to when he was still alive-" Jaxom began, reaching for Master Oldive and heading toward the door. If he and Ruth could time it... F'lar and Lessa stood in the doorway. He didn't care if they knew he meant to time it.

Oldive grabbed his arm, shaking his head, his eyes blurred with tears. "We could do nothing for him, Jaxom. 'A time for every purpose under heaven,' Jaxom. And it was time for the Harper."

"He wouldn't let us tell anyone," Sharra said to Jaxom, "how serious his condition was."

"It was only a matter of time," Oldive murmured, peering up at him, his long face grooved with sorrow. "His heart was badly strained by the abduction. This was a kind ending, Jaxom, no matter how abrupt and unexpected."

"I know Robinton wasn't well," Jaxom went on, shaking his head, tears coursing down his cheeks. "But I don't understand about Aivas, too."

"He tells us plainly enough," D'ram said, having recovered his composure. He pointed to the message. "He has served his purpose in helping us destroy Thread. You will come to realize just how wise Aivas was in this. We were beginning to count on him too heavily."

"Machines can't die!" Jaxom chewed the words out resentfully.

"The knowledge he gave us will not," F'lar said, and stood aside to let Menolly and Sebell enter the room. "Now let us all honor Masterharper Robinton."

The day was inappropriately beautiful when the Masterharper, wrapped in a harper-blue shroud, was laid to rest in the beautiful blue-green waters of his beloved Cove Hold. Master Idarolan had dispatched his fastest s.h.i.+p and came a-dragonback to captain it himself. Master Alemi, with his sloop from Paradise River, and the small ketches that fished in Monaco Bay, a.s.sembled to accommodate the many people who would escort Master Robinton to his resting place.

All the Weyrs of Pern hovered in the sky, and while fire-lizards made sad swirls around them the s.h.i.+p sailed out of Cove Hold. Lord Holders and Craftmasters lined the decks amid harpers of every degree.

Sebell and Menolly sang all the songs that had made the Masterharper so beloved by everyone, Menolly remembering the day that she had sung farewell to his father, Petiron, the day that had begun the major change in her own life.

And as the s.h.i.+p moved into the Current, scores of s.h.i.+pfish led the way, slipping, diving, gliding, and weaving among the s.h.i.+ps' bow waves.

When his body was consigned to the sea, the dragons bugled one last note for Masterharper Robinton.

Jaxom, aloft on Ruth, watched the ripples spread and then meld into the waves. After a bitter night, he had come to terms with his grief for Master Robinton and his wild notion that he and Ruth could or should have forestalled that peaceful death.

But he could find no surcease yet for the bitter blow of losing Aivas. He felt that he had been abandoned just when he had the most grievous need of Aivas's wisdom and support. Had he not done everything Aivas wished? Put himself and Ruth in danger to fulfill those bleeding priorities of the ungrateful machine?

I understand your grief, Jaxom, I understand your grief, Jaxom, Ruth said quietly, his head, like that of every other dragon, watching the scene below as the s.h.i.+ps tacked about for their return to Cove Hold. Why Ruth said quietly, his head, like that of every other dragon, watching the scene below as the s.h.i.+ps tacked about for their return to Cove Hold. Why do you harbor such anger and resentment? do you harbor such anger and resentment?

"He left us, and with Master Robinton gone, we need him now more than ever." "He left us, and with Master Robinton gone, we need him now more than ever."

Not we you. But that is the wrong way to think about this. Not we you. But that is the wrong way to think about this.

Aivas left behind all the information you need and you have only to access it to solve problems now.

For the first time in their long a.s.sociation, Jaxom resented Ruth's words. For the first time in their long a.s.sociation, Jaxom resented Ruth's words.

Probably, Probably, Ruth said at his drollest, you Ruth said at his drollest, you know I'm right. I think that Aivas was as tired as the Harper, having waited all those long Turns to complete his tasks and keep faith with his makers. know I'm right. I think that Aivas was as tired as the Harper, having waited all those long Turns to complete his tasks and keep faith with his makers.

Though Jaxom resisted the thought, the words of Aivas's last message reverberated in his head. How much Robinton had enjoyed Aivas! Had Aivas ended his existence before, or after, Master Robinton had fallen into his last sleep? Surely if Aivas had been aware of Robinton's condition, he would have summoned help. Those options had exercised everyone yesterday. Though Jaxom resisted the thought, the words of Aivas's last message reverberated in his head. How much Robinton had enjoyed Aivas! Had Aivas ended his existence before, or after, Master Robinton had fallen into his last sleep? Surely if Aivas had been aware of Robinton's condition, he would have summoned help. Those options had exercised everyone yesterday.

But everyone had agreed with D'ram that Aivas had achieved those ancient priorities-with great honor.

Then give Aivas the honor that is due him, Jaxom. Anger and resentment cloud your mind and heart. Then give Aivas the honor that is due him, Jaxom. Anger and resentment cloud your mind and heart.

Jaxom sighed, accepting the gentle reproach of his white dragon. "I haven't been thinking straight, have I?" Jaxom sighed, accepting the gentle reproach of his white dragon. "I haven't been thinking straight, have I?"

Think of what we have done together, you and I, to show Aivas that we could. We did the impossible because I knew where and when to do it. It's as well you cracked my sh.e.l.l that Hatching Day, Jaxom, or where would Perri be now? Think of what we have done together, you and I, to show Aivas that we could. We did the impossible because I knew where and when to do it. It's as well you cracked my sh.e.l.l that Hatching Day, Jaxom, or where would Perri be now?

Laughter burst from Jaxom, provoked by the dragon's sly cajolery. But draconic logic had lifted him out of his depression. Laughter burst from Jaxom, provoked by the dragon's sly cajolery. But draconic logic had lifted him out of his depression.

" 'And a time for every purpose under heaven'!" he cried into the air about them. What Ruth said was true: Only he, Jaxom, Lord of Ruatha Hold, and Ruth, the white dragon, could have done what had to be done to free Pern forever from Thread, serving their world as only dragon and rider could, united in mind and heart to their purpose.

And so Jaxom and Ruth turned back to Cove Hold, ready to delve into the legacy of knowledge that Aivas had left for them.