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； he was in the habit of scanning the morning skies for weather signs； so he had seen the fireball。 He was also aware of the phenomenon of tsunami and had immediately consulted his charts and logbooks。 As Erragon had done； he had used red for the most vulnerable seacoast； orange for danger； and blue for easily accessible highlands。 Before the Benden Weyrleader appeared to ask for his help； he had a pretty good idea how serious the situation was。
〃Here！〃 With a deft finger Idarolan extracted an open sheet and flicked it toward F'nor。 〃Toric likes charts and maps and details。 This'll give you what he needs to know。 He'd have…let's see。。。〃 Idarolan turned his eyes up； mentally figuring。
〃Eleven hours； minus the time of this meeting；〃 Erragon said with an apologetic nod to the old MasterFishman for giving the answer； 〃before the tsunamis meet the shoreline of his hold。〃
〃At that he'll get off lightly。 And consider himself ill…used to be assaulted from east and west；〃 Lessa said； her expression inscrutable。 F'nor gave her a long wide…eyed look。 She responded with a smirk as Erragon agreed with her。
〃But not entirely。 He has many seaside holdings。〃
〃Southern Boll will be hit harder；〃 Idarolan said； nodding solemnly at Janissian。 〃And Tillek。〃
〃More rock face than shallows along that south…facing coast of ours；〃 Ranrel said； speaking almost for the first time； he'd been taking copious notes。 〃We are very lucky that there has been such advance warning。〃
〃The Yokohama has more than justified her continued existence；〃 Idarolan said with a slightly sanctimonious air； glancing sideways at Kashman of Keroon。
〃I wonder what the Abominators will say about this；〃 Jaxom remarked in a deliberately languid tone。
Into the dismayed silence that greeted that ment； F'nor noisily pushed back his chair； reached across the table for the sheets Idarolan had sent in his direction and finished the last of the klah in his cup。
〃C'mon； then！ We can send a fire…lizard to apprise Sintary of our arrival。〃 He looked to Lessa and F'lar。
〃Might as well；〃 Idarolan said； also rising to his feet。 〃I shan't be long； Lord Ciparis； and then I'm yours to mand。 But I'll point out that the Keys； and Long Beach at the head of Nerat River； will reduce the violence of the tsunami there。 The Tip of Nerat； Bent Ridge； Grethel； Saluda； and Berea will be affected and the river may flood all the way up to Waneta。 I'll be back。〃
〃I'll return Janissian to Southern Boll；〃 Jaxom said； 〃once we've copies of all this for you and Curran； Ranrel； and for us。〃
BACK AT LANDING…LOCAL TIME…3：40
The instinct that saved dragons from colliding during Threadfall kept Golanth and his rider from disaster as they came out of between over a Landing that； at first； seemed covered by dragon wings； like a vast multicolored sunshade。
Ramoth says to land on the square。 We are to rest！ And； without waiting for F'lessan's ment； Golanth pivoted wearily on one wing tip； gliding over to the edge of the wide Gather square。 F'lessan had time enough in that spin to see Ramoth； perched behind and above Admin； wings half open as she constantly swung her head from side to side across the area below her。 Two more queens…the juniors from Benden who were accustomed to working with Ramoth…sat on either side； slightly below her position。 They also were watching and； quite likely； directing dragon traffic in and out of Landing。
Golanth was making his way toward the roasting pits and the nearest open space。
She is here。
Wearily F'lessan blinked his eyes at the several green dragons immediately below him。
Both shes？ F'lessan asked； trying to inject some humor into his voice。 His body felt as battered as if they had been rolled by a tsunami。
Both。 I land。 Should you see a healer？
I'll be fine when I've had some rest。
Golanth's thought rumbled with disbelief but he landed； flicking his wings up so that the tips and claws touched over his head and he didn't touch the greens on either side of his chosen landing site。 Zaranth was on his right； several shades lighter than she had been that morning。 The other green had curled her head under one wing and was asleep； her rider's head pillowed on her wrist。 With narrowed； blurry eyes； Zaranth watched Golanth settle。 When the green extended her head to nuzzle the bronze's shoulder； F'lessan； tired as he was； felt a spurt of surprise。 The touch was more caress than acknowledgment。
She likes me； Golanth said。
F'lessan saw that the green cradled Tai on her forelegs； the girl's sprawled figure covered by two beautifully marked feline pelts。
So； F'lessan thought； she did save them。
〃F'lessan？〃 Someone pulled at his leg。 He looked down at S'lan； amazed to see his son in the south。 The boy and his brown Norenth were only just out of the weyrling barracks。
〃What are you doing here？〃
Grinning proudly； S'lan held up a small cup。
〃All of us were brought down to help。 Healer says to drink this down and then dismount and eat。〃
He climbed onto Golanth's foreleg to hand the cup to the bronze rider and F'lessan tossed back the liquid。 Just as well； he never would have sipped the beverage if he had sampled the taste of it。 What a taste！ Worse than the seaholder's wine！ It did revive him enough to dismount； if only to eat something to get rid of the taste of it in his mouth。 Golanth groaned as he sank to his belly； stretching out as much as he could without interfering with the tired dragons on either side of him。 Using Golanth's shoulder as a prop； F'lessan slid down to a sitting position against his dragon。
〃Help me out of my jacket； Sellie。〃 I must remember to call him S'lan now； F'lessan thought。 〃Hang it on Golanth to dry； will you？〃
That done； he took the breadroll the boy offered。
〃You have to rest；〃 S'lan said； scowling at his father and looking； at that moment； like his grandmother。 He unslung the two canteens looped over his shoulder。 〃One's water。 Don't drink the klah in the other one yet。 It'll keep warm。 Ramoth says every dragon and rider has time to rest。〃
〃Ramoth says we have time？ Good。 Do I get back what time I lost？〃 F'lessan murmured facetiously； more to himself than for his son's ears。 〃Thanks； S'lan；〃 he added。
F'lessan glanced slowly across the panorama of so many dragons sprawled in or near the square。 Sticking the breadroll between his teeth； he put the canteens on the ground beside him。 Was Lessa aware of how much his son looked like her？ Dark haired； dark eyed； with a certain familiar tilt to the chin？ Scamp！
〃No one argues with Ramoth； you know；〃 the boy said。 〃Gotta go！ I'll be back。〃
It seemed to F'lessan more like a threat but he chewed a huge bite of the roll…the bread was crusty and still slightly warm。 With his free hand； he slipped the sweat…soaked helmet off his head and spread it where it could dry。 Shards！ That tsunami shed a lot of water！ Wearily； he looked over at Tai but she was sound asleep。 She was lucky。 Would he see that damned wave hovering over him if he slept？ Or himself； Golanth； and Binness plastered like insects on the cliff？ A vision out of a nightmare sure to bee one！ Golanth really was the best dragon on all Pern。
Of course I am； murmured the bronze immodestly。
F'lessan chuckled around the last piece of the breadroll that he barely tasted； he was so tired。 He swallowed the last of it with a sip from the water canteen。 He could hardly keep his eyes open。 Had there been a dash of fellis in that healer's cup？ He took a long swallow of water。
Golanth groaned and dropped his muzzle to one foreleg。 F'lessan reached up to pat the right eye ridge； nuzzled himself into a fortable spot against Golanth's shoulder； and immediately fell asleep。
HARPER HALL…5：00 IN THE MORNING；
AND SOUTHERN HOLD…2：00 IN THE MORNING…1。9。31
At wintry Fort； F'nor and Idarolan informed Sebell of the dangers and the details。 Idarolan had acquired sufficient extra copies of the projected tsunami path through the Southern and Western Seas to give a set to the MasterHarper。 The Interface office had the only automatic copier； another of the many technological wonders that were ing in s