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ter。 Seems to do the job。〃
〃I understand；〃 Lytol added； shifting in his chair after Wansor's blunder； 〃that Master Ballora sent teams to investigate the habits and lairs of these creatures on Southern。〃 He paused。 〃She's of the opinion that they were originally developed to hunt the large variety of tunnel snakes that preyed on herdbeasts in the early colonial days。 The experiment went wrong； the creatures escaped； and； with no predators to inhibit their numbers； they proliferated unchallenged after the Ancients went north。 It would be an impossible； as well as a very dangerous； task to eradicate them。 Master Oldive suggests that it should be possible to decrease their numbers by using bait tainted with an infertility substance； but first the species must be examined。 Master Ballora is not the only Council member who is adamant that we may not do away with any species that inhabits this planet。〃
〃Except Thread；〃 F'lessan murmured； his sense of mischief suddenly dominant。
Lytol gave him a long； almost amused look。 〃That organism is not indigenous。〃
〃No more than the felines；〃 D'ram put in； 〃since they were developed by the Ancients。〃 He shuddered。
〃I shouldn't like to think that there were any lurking near；〃 Wansor added； his face furrowed。
〃Not with Tiroth on duty；〃 D'ram said stoutly； patting Wansor on the hand。
Erragon cleared his throat； taking charge of conversation。 〃Quite true。 Quite true。 Now I want to thank you； F'lessan and Tai； for the work you've already pleted； analyzing the images I sent。 What I'd like to know is…〃 and the Star Master hesitated。
〃If we'd be willing to undertake regular reviews of the southern starscape；〃 F'lessan finished。 〃I think from T'gellan's presence here today；〃 he said； glancing at Tai； 〃that Tai must gradually return to her duties with Monaco Weyr。 With their agility； speed； and control； greens are the most useful dragon in any Fall。〃
Lytol bowed his scarred face in acknowledgment of F'lessan's tacit allusion to the fact that he would never again fly a fighting wing。
〃Perhaps you should consider spending the Nine Fall here at Cove Hold with us； bronze rider；〃 Lytol said。
〃I shall hope to be able to land more gracefully by then；〃 F'lessan replied with a self…deprecating grin。
〃Practice； I believe；〃 Lytol murmured； his eyes alive with understanding and passion； 〃always improves performance。〃
〃I will； however；〃 and F'lessan paused； 〃need to pursue another future for myself and my dragon。〃
〃Well； you've already proved that you can be useful as a star…watcher；〃 Master Wansor blurted out。 〃You don't need a dragon for that。〃 His plump hand covered his mouth as he realized what he had said。 〃I mean； you still have Golanth； even if he。。。〃
〃Even if he is battered；〃 F'lessan finished for him。 〃So； I entreat you； Master Wansor； Master Erragon； to allow me to study astronomy so that Honshu can bee fully operational as the second Pern observatory。〃
〃Oh； dear； there never has been a dragonrider astronomer；〃 Wansor said； and then beamed in F'lessan's direction。 〃But then there wasn't even a StarSmith until very recently。〃
〃Tai's already trained to near journeywoman status；〃 F'lessan said； laying his hand on hers。 〃Isn't she； Erragon？〃
〃She is； indeed；〃 Erragon agreed with hearty approval。
〃We work well as a team；〃 F'lessan hurried on； 〃and she'll need a profession； too； when Threadfall stops。〃
〃True； very true；〃 Erragon said enthusiastically； slapping his hands on his knees in emphasis。 〃Hope you'll be the first of many。〃 Then； in an abrupt change of mood； he said； 〃Do tell us； F'lessan； how did you and Golanth get here today？〃
〃I was wondering when someone would ask；〃 F'lessan replied。
〃This new ability that the Weyrleaders mentioned in Council？ Something。。。〃 Erragon clicked his fingers； impatient with his memory lapse。 〃。。。 about the ability Aivas perceived in dragons that has some bearing on averting future dangers？〃
〃Given that dragonriders are apparently responsible for what falls out of the sky；〃 F'lessan said with a touch of irony； 〃yes； it bears directly on that； and on my very keen interest in astronomy。〃
〃What？ What is it？〃 Erragon prompted。
〃Actually you all witnessed a demonstration of that ability on my arrival。〃
Erragon； Wansor； and D'ram regarded him without prehension； but a smile eased across Lytol's seamed face and he nodded。
〃I thought so。〃 When the grinning F'lessan gestured for him to continue； he did。 〃Consider； my friends； that Golanth sustained terrible injuries to eye and wing。 I do not think Golanth could have launched himself from even the topmost terrace of Honshu to gain sufficient height to go between。 Also； he arrives in the pany of five other dragons。 He falters in landing and is righted…without any use of that damaged wing。 The other dragons assisted him。 Correct？〃
F'lessan nodded。 〃While it doesn't require five dragons to lift Golanth； it does require a good deal of control to lift and land。 From what the Monaco riders told us； it appears that female and male dragons work best as partners in such telekinesis。〃
〃I still don't understand；〃 Erragon murmured； shaking his head。 〃How did a wing…injured dragon fly？〃
Beside him； D'ram was gaping open…mouthed at F'lessan and Lytol。
〃Master Wansor； I know that you；〃 and F'lessan nodded toward him； 〃remember that Aivas was fascinated by dragons； by a species that municates mentally and moves freely between one place and another。 He called these abilities telepathy and teleportation。 He thought they should have a third： telekinesis。 He very much wanted dragons to have that facet。 They've evidently had it all along but…〃 F'lessan paused to grin at a speechless D'ram。 〃…until the feline attack on Golanth and Zaranth； had never needed to use it。〃
Turning to Erragon then； he went on。 〃What you saw today is a refinement of telekinesis。 Controlled！〃 He paused to stress that。 〃Golanth can't…yet…use the damaged wing effectively。 So the dragons lifted him vertically； high enough above Honshu to go safely between； which he can still do for himself。〃 F'lessan leaned back in his chair； watching the reactions to his explanation： Lytol nodding； Wansor agape； Erragon frowning； and D'ram smiling in approval。 〃Today was the first attempt at a controlled lift of another dragon。 It'll take more practice to perfect the skill。 Especially landing。 I'm sure； Lord Lytol； that we'll improve with practice。〃
Today was my first try； after all； Golanth remarked； somewhat irked。
Of course it was； Golly； Tai assured him； pinching F'lessan's bare arm。
〃Just as he did with trundlebugs。〃 F'lessan shot Tai a sly glance。
〃Why can't Golanth 'lift' himself？〃 Erragon asked。 F'lessan shrugged。 〃Perhaps because he's too accustomed to doing it the usual way。 It is； as Lord Lytol knows； very dangerous to go between at ground level。 Golly may just have to change the way he thinks。〃 He paused； a thoughtful expression on his face。 〃There's going to be a lot of that soon…a lot of traditional thinking altered to deal with our imminent future as aerial defenders of a planet no longer requiring protection against Thread。〃
〃Hmm； yes。〃 Lytol rubbed his chin thoughtfully； but his gaze gleamed with anticipation as he regarded the bronze rider。 〃So； today； to get Golanth aloft； the others supplied the initial lift and controlled the descent。〃
〃To some degree；〃 F'lessan said with a grin。 〃Have you any idea； bronze rider； what use Aivas would have made of draconic telekinesis？〃 Lytol asked。 Had the shrewd man already jumped to the same conclusion F'lessan had？
〃Surely you don't mean he expected the dragons to alter the Red Star's orbit？〃 Erragon demanded； astounded。
F'lessan chuckled。 〃I don't know what he had in mind。 Dragonriders did get the antimatter engines onto the planet。 And the blast achieved an orbital shift。 I have another； not pletely dissimilar idea。〃
Erragon slapped both hands onto the table； his face mirroring plete skepticism。 〃And you are suggesting。。。 that dragons will be able to deflect etary fragments or asteroids？〃
F'lessan gave the Star Master a long speculative look；