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〃Meer； Talla；〃 she cried； calling for her two fire…lizards。
〃What's the matter？ What's going on？ What clumsy apprentice has been let loose？〃 Oldive cried。
Despite his physical disability； Oldive could move swiftly； but Sharra； after one startled look to her right； hauled him back from the threshold and closed the door； throwing the latch。
Ruth！
The white dragon might be asleep on Ruatha's fire…heights； but he'd respond to her mental call from any place。 Meer and Talla arrived； midair； mouths open to shriek panic； but Sharra's stern mand aborted that instinct。
〃I don't know who； Oldive；〃 she said； dropping her voice to a whisper； 〃but there are people crashing about in the still…room as if they thought no one would hear them。〃
Once again the intrepid Masterhealer attempted to leave the room and she caught him by the arm。
〃There shouldn't be anyone else here but us；〃 he said grimly。 He had given leave to even the lowliest apprentice to enjoy this last day of Turn's End。
〃But there are；〃 she said； her eyes sparkling with anger as she opened the door to the noise of considerable destruction。 A shadow fell across the long window of the laboratory and she grinned； pointing。 〃However； we shall deal with it。〃
Oldive gasped at the sight of a white body； wings outstretched； all but plastered against the glass； his eyes flashing the red and orange of alarm。
Ruth！ Sharra said； relieved that he had responded so quickly。 Tell the Hold's fire…lizards to attack the intruders。 Fire…lizards held Ruth； the white dragon； in awed respect and would obey him without question。 She gave him a very clear mental image of what she had seen in her brief glimpse down the hall。 Meer and Talla cheeped once and disappeared。 Scant seconds later； both she and Oldive heard loud cries； angry fire…lizard bugles； shouts of pain； and more banging and crashing。
Sharra opened the door wide enough to see down the hall。 A mass of fire…lizards was trying to enter the stillroom。 Then the mass split into several groups； which zipped off； screeching challenge； swooping down the stairwells at each end to the other levels of the hall。
There are several groups throwing things about in the Hall； Ruth told her。 That is wrong。 Fort dragons e。
She and Oldive watched as the fire…lizards drove four people out of the stillroom。 They could hear human cries echoing from other points。 Oldive groaned in dismay。
〃They'll be damned sorry they ever thought of this；〃 she told him angrily as she started purposefully down the hall。 〃Damned sorry。〃
〃I never thought of…intrusions…when we built here；〃 Oldive murmured； shaking his head in bitter denial of the event as he followed。 He'd been so proud of this new Hall； with its marvelous equipment； its spacious and well…organized facilities。 The previous quarters had been better protected in the angle between the Harper Hall and Fort Hold。 But the Healer Hall was usually so busy that； on a normal day； no unauthorized persons would have been on this floor。
Sharra reached the stillroom first。 The reek of spilled liquids and wet herbs was nothing to her appalled survey of empty shelves； cabinets with broken doors； glass shards everywhere。 Even the marble worktops had been cracked。 She slammed the door shut to spare Oldive the sight。
〃Everything's ruined；〃 she said tersely and pulled him toward the stairs； dreadfully certain now by the sounds of screams and shouts from the lower floors that there would be more damage elsewhere。
Fire…lizards drove the intruders out of the Hall where the humans were halted by the sight of a dozen dragons； their wings spread to form an impregnable wall； their eyes whirling red with anger。 More dragons hovered overhead； their wings casting dark shadows on the scene below。 Shouts and drumbeats echoed down Fort's rocky canyon； confirming that reinforcements were on their way。 The cowering vandals were herded into a knot； clothes rent by fire…lizard beaks and talons； bloodied hands raised to protect their faces。 While no dragon would hurt a human； the fire…lizards were under no such restraint and darted in to peck or claw when anyone in that huddle moved。
Call them off now； Ruth； Sharra said； pausing to catch her breath on the broad top step； and thank them for ing so quickly。 We need the wretches alive and able to tell us why they despoiled a Healer Hall。
Though some of the wild fire…lizards looked as if they would disobey； a second rumbling bark from Ruth caused them to disappear； leaving the dragons to stand guard。 When the dragons did not advance； one of the men uncoiled and stood up； glowering at Sharra and Oldive。
〃Why are you here？〃 the MasterHealer asked at his sternest。 He counted fifteen men and women in front of him； a sufficient number to trash more than his fine stillroom。 His heart sank at the destruction they must have done。 〃Why have you destroyed the very materials and medicines…〃
〃The Abomination must be halted！〃 a man shouted； his body taut with his fanaticism。 〃Its taint removed forever from Pern。〃
〃Abomination？〃 The word made Sharra shudder。 That's what some people called Aivas。 And those Abominators had kidnapped Master Robinton to force the Council to shut Aivas down because of the technology he represented。 They'd tried to prevent the restoration of the technology that their ancestors had used and that many； many people wished to revive。 Oldive caught her eye and his expression turned bleaker still。
The others began to chant； shaking their fists in the air； undeterred； as if they now realized that the dragons would not harm them。
〃Vileness must be expunged！〃 the leader went on； louder； more daring。 〃Erase abominations。〃
Sharra began to shiver in the cold。 Oldive's face looked pinched。 Though she could see nothing beyond the high interlaced wings of the dragons； she could hear the pounding of hooves on the hard…packed road； the rumble of a cart； and shouts of many voices。 Lioth； bronze dragon of N'ton； the Fort Weyrleader； cocked his head as if he had understood the taunts； his eyes beginning to whirl with orange spurts。
They're ing； Sharra； Ruth said and craned his head ominously toward the protestors。 Their chanting noticeably faltered as the sound of hoofbeats and shouts penetrated to the dragon circle。 Their leader rallied them to greater efforts。
〃Tradition must be upheld！〃 He glared around him； his angular face and burning eyes inciting his followers。 〃Halt abominations。〃
〃Turn back to tradition at Turnover！〃 screeched one of the three women； waving a bloody hand at Ruth； who frowned down at her。
〃Our petitions have been ignored！〃
〃We protest the Abomination！〃
〃And all its works！〃
〃Abomination！ Abomination！〃
Stoically； Sharra and Oldive endured the chanting。
Smoothly； as humans neared； the dragons began to close their wings and give way； to allow the reinforcements a clear path to the despoilers。 Lioth stepped closer to Ruth； Sharra knew that his rider； N'ton； would be in the vanguard。 But it was two of Lord Groghe's sons who arrived first； riding bareback on a gray runnerbeast that wore no more than a head…collar。 Haligon hauled it to a stop just short of the captives； doing a flying dismount to confront them。 Such was the fury in his face and manner that the group backed away from him。
In one of those irrelevant observations that can occur even in moments of crisis； Sharra noted that gray hairs marred the brown of Haligon's fine Gather clothes。 Horon； taking a belligerent stance next to his brother； was equally untidy。
A group of blue…clad Harpers； led by Masterharper Sebell； arrived on foot； to increase the force。 The cart； driven by N'ton and crammed with holders； some clutching clubs； nearly rammed into them。 With an enlarged audience； the prisoners renewed the volume of their defiant messages。
〃Destroy all the Abomination's devices。〃
〃Purity for Pern！〃
〃Turn to Tradition。〃
〃Avoid abominations！〃
The holders began booing from the cart as they jumped down； clubs raised threateningly。 Those in Healer green continued to where Sharra and Oldive stood on the top step。
〃See what damage has bee