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nd women sawed and cut； and others hunted or flew in enough food to feed the volunteers。 One thing F'lessan made clear： even for his dragon he would not mar the superb facade of Honshu Hold。
More important； F'lessan was immediately involved in the activity； taking time off only to swim； toning the muscles of his bad leg and his shoulder； regaining his tan。 He also insisted on taking over as much of Golanth's treatment as possible and trusted no one else； not even Tai； with lubricating the eyelids。 He seemed to ignore his own injuries： using a slower； more deliberate step to disguise his limp as he moved around with the cane。 He was more his old self； though he didn't smile or laugh quite as easily。 If she caught a darkness in his eye now and then； she knew it was all for his dragon； not himself。 Several times； she saw F'lessan eyeing the drop from the ledge； measuring it； wondering if perhaps Golanth could indeed fall off its edge and manage a strong enough downward stroke with one wing to bee airborne。
Once news of the project spread； Lessa and F'lar came to visit。 While F'lar was looking over the plans with Jubb； the Smiths； and the Woodsmen； Lessa told them what was happening at Western…for lack of a better name that had stuck…and Master Erragon's resurrection of the telescopes from the Catherine Caves。
〃Before he gets too involved with that；〃 F'lessan said firmly； 〃we need him to rig a remote control console for the scope here on the main level。 There's a room on the north face that would suit。〃 He paused briefly； his eyes flickering。 〃There must be a way to trigger the dome mechanism； too。 That spiral stair is ridiculous。 Why did Kenjo hide everything away？〃
〃Who knows why the Ancients did what they did？〃 Lessa said； shrugging。 〃Have you asked Jancis and Piemur to help you？ Didn't you persuade them to do the initial restoration of the observatory？ Erragon's already grateful you're reducing his backlog of prints。 I don't know how he fits everything in。〃
〃He swears he needs only four hours of sleep a night；〃 Tai remarked； incredulous。
〃Neither of you can match him yet；〃 Lessa said at her driest； 〃at your stage of convalescence； but as I understand it； there's more to sky…watching than lying on your back and looking at 'em。 He says he needs references from Honshu。〃
Pausing； she looked out over the valley。 〃It is very pleasant here； you know； but we can't stay long today。〃
She and F'lar left shortly afterward； saying they'd be back when the ramp was finished。
They were。 It was wide enough for Ramoth； the largest dragon on Pern； who demonstrated by walking down and up it without brushing folded wings against the cliff face。 Bravely； Golanth set all four feet on it； F'lessan beside him。
〃Now； put your weight down； Golly；〃 F'lessan said； grinning broadly and cocking his head at the slight sound as the timbers gave a little under him。 〃Don't knock me off。〃
The spectators cheered dragon and rider as they proceeded down。 Ramoth's eyes whirled as she watched from the upper terrace； Zaranth and Mnementh to one side on the cliff face； all three dragons alert。 Gradually Golanth moved with assurance； able to lift his tail slightly； which was another improvement in his mobility。 The first landing was more than wide enough for him to make the turn。 When he and F'lessan reached ground level； he extended his head upward to bugle his pleasure and began to stamp round on the soft dirt。 That was when the bronze dragon saw the door to the beasthold； the landing above and to one side of it。
I could weyr in this place； he told his rider。 It is wide and high enough for me to enter。
F'lessan； who knew every plane and dimension of Honshu； now saw that the doorway was wider than it had been。 Over the general hammering； sawing； and planing； he would not have heard the noise of masons making the enlargement。 He knew…because he had mucked out the dirt that had accumulated over the centuries…that the interior of the beasthold was larger than Golanth's weyr at Benden。 The ramp now gave him access to it and would certainly protect him from the winter rains。
〃Rain；〃 F'lessan thought and had to reach for one of the supports until the dizziness that had abruptly overe him passed。
〃What's wrong； F'lessan？〃 Tai asked； ing to see what had attracted Golanth's interest。 Her expression altered when she realized that he had had some kind of shock。
Rain！ The silver fall of Thread was like rain！ Golanth would never be able to fly Thread again。 In fact； when Thread next fell over Honshu； Golanth would have to be shut into the beasthold； to keep him from trying to fly： the most powerful instinct of dragons was to fly when Thread was in the sky。 Was that why the ramp had been pleted so quickly？ F'lessan tried to remember the sequence of Fall in this part of the south。 He couldn't think。 The realization that his days as Wingleader were over was too much to assimilate。 He must have known it at some level。 And denied it as he denied that Golanth was blind in one eye and too joint…stiff to work the left wing。 As he had diverted such thoughts by plunging into Erragon's backlog of images。 And Tai had encouraged him。 Encouraged him to swim。 To do other things。 He wanted to think that she had been deceiving him but deceit was not a facet of Tai's personality。
Neither Lessa nor F'lar had said anything during their last visit。 He should have noticed the avoidance； the talk about sky…watching and installing remote controls。 Hadn't he mentioned it casually？ Had they thought he was making the adjustment from Wingleader to sky…watcher？ How could he have been so dense？ This ramp allowed Golanth more freedom of movement…on the ground。 But into the air！ Golanth might not have lost his ability to go between but to go between from ground level presented hazards that no sensible rider would ask his dragon to face。 What about an unsensible rider？
He could feel Tai beside him。 He could hear the men and women who had made the ramp still cheering the acplishment and encouraging Golanth to show how easily he could climb back up to the weyrhold。 F'lessan took a deep breath and turned around： in Tai's eyes he could see she knew what he'd been thinking。 Then； the second shock hit him。
A dragon must be in the air to 〃fly〃 his mate。 He could not suppress his anguish at that realization。 Hard enough to lose his right to lead； but to lose the ecstasy； too？
It took him a moment to realize that Tai was shaking him； her green eyes intense with denial。
〃Nonsense；〃 he heard Tai say in a whisper so furious it stung his ears。 〃There'll be a way。 There's been a way for everything else！ e。〃
He grabbed her； pushing her against one of the thick stanchions at the base of the ramp。
〃Did you know？ Do they！〃 He meant his Weyrleaders。 He gave her a shake when she didn't answer。
〃I thought；〃 and her words came out slowly； 〃that you realized someone would have to take over your wing…for a while。〃
〃It's not just the wing。。。〃 He pushed her away from him。 〃I thought Honshu was my refuge。 Now I realize it's Golly's prison！〃 He pointed to the beasthold and its widened doors。 〃He'll have to be put in there whenever there's Thread above。 Not being able to fly drives a dragon crazy。 We always assist an injured dragon to get far away until Thread has passed。 But Golanth can't even do that！〃
〃You don't know that yet！〃 she said； whirling to stand in front of him。 〃We haven't even tried to get him to the sea。〃
〃How in the name of the first Egg can we get him to the beach when he can't even get in the air？〃
〃Because；〃 Lessa replied； walking in under the ramp； F'lar beside her； 〃we know how he can get into the air。 Once he's in the air； he can go between。 Did you think Ramoth and Mnementh…and other dragons…had forgotten what they learned that day at Honshu？〃
F'lessan stared at her。 She was almost reproachful。 To his amazement； his father was more amused than critical。 He couldn't quite grasp what they meant。 His mind was tormented by the crushing revelations he had been too cowardly to admit to himself。
〃The ramp is a good idea；〃 F'lar said。 〃That…〃 and he waved toward the beasthold； 〃makes a f