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Tagetarl began to recite the text of the message as he eased through the crowded room to hand the packet to Arminet。 The Stationmaster was besieged by those who wanted their own copy。 Tagetarl stopped talking； so as not to interrupt the concentration of those who had difficulty reading the smaller print below the banner headline。
〃Then Aivas prevented disaster？〃 Someone in the crowd said； doubtless Pinch； Tagetarl suspected； though the voice was muffled。
〃And what are the Abominators saying？〃 Tagetarl demanded； hands on his belt； glaring around。
〃That Aivas caused it； with all its meddling with the Red Star。 And dragonriders let it pass。 It was seen from Telgar； y'know；〃 a man shouted。
〃And Benden！〃 a soprano cried。
〃Benden and Landing acted！〃 Tagetarl responded sharply。 〃More than any Abominator did。 I expect I'll have more news later。 I'll publish as I receive。 I stopped here first to start spreading truth。〃
〃I'll see these go out with every packet；〃 Arminet had to raise his voice again above the cries for copies。
Pinch did not follow Tagetarl out but he would probably be one of the first to spread the news where it would do the most good。 Or thwart rumor quickest！
When Tagetarl got back to the Hall； he was surprised to see a crowd of people； all wanting their own copy of the newssheet。 Rosheen and the two apprentices were handing them out as fast as they could。 Tagetarl saw some far too curious folk circling by the shelves where he kept galley pages of work waiting for approval。
〃You； there； wait your turn。 e up front；〃 he called； gesturing authoritatively for them to stop wandering about the print shop。 〃You've no business back there。〃 He went to supervise their departure and decided maybe he could do a second run of the sheet。 Get people to rely on the printed word and he'd get new customers for the books and manuals he kept in stock。
LATER； ON AN UNUSUALLY BRIGHT EVENING AT LANDING； SUNRISE CLIFF； AND HONSHU HOLD…1。9。31
F'lessan and Tai had finished eating when the word passed among the dragonriders that the emergency supplies were ready to be collected。 Riders had been told to return to those holdings they had visited earlier that day。 They were to check on injuries and determine if it was necessary to convey anyone between to Landing's Healer Hall。 Enough healers had been sent by Master Oldive to assist those locally assigned。 There were Healer kits of bandages； numbweed； fellis juice； and fortified wine for riders to bring with them。 The riders were to make their own judgments about staying overnight at holdings if critical situations had developed。
〃What could be critical after this morning？〃 F'lessan remarked facetiously。
Tai gave him a hard stare。 〃I suppose we can bed down here tonight。〃 She gave a shrug。 〃There's nothing left of our Weyr。〃
He knew that she； and a few other riders； had had the courage to overfly the flood that had drowned Monaco Bay Weyr。
〃You can stay at Honshu；〃 and before she could refuse； F'lessan extended the invitation to C'reel and St'ven nearby。 〃Have you been to Honshu？〃 he asked the brown riders。
〃Hunted nearby once or twice；〃 C 'reel said but his grim expression lightened at the invitation。
〃There's plenty of space；〃 F'lessan said expansively。 〃Though I'm not sure about having enough food。 Bring some with you； but there's a whole cliff of space for dragons。〃
〃How many can you acmodate？〃 Tai asked。
F'lessan raised his arms。 〃Well； not all of Monaco Weyr but two； three wings of riders and dragons。 And any weyrfolk attached to them。〃 As Tai turned away to spread his invitation； he added； 〃And tell 'em to bring blankets。 It's cooler up there。〃
He and C'reel fitted Zaranth's load to her back before Tai returned。
〃Everyone's grateful；〃 she said and he knew that she was； too。 〃T'gellan and Mirrim may have to remain here at Landing and there're others promised to help the weyrfolk on the hills。 They thank you； F'lessan。 Landing's facilities are overtaxed。〃
〃There're always the Catherine Caves；〃 F'lessan said； trying for some levity。
〃Too small for our dragons；〃 C'reel said； with good…natured condescension。
〃Move on there； if you're loaded up；〃 someone yelled at them。
They did。 Zaranth following F'lessan； C'reel； and St'ven out of the line。
〃Have you ever been to Honshu？〃 F'lessan asked Tai。
〃Got taken there once。 Oh； Zaranth says Golanth just made sure she knows the landmark。 I'll see you！〃
Zaranth trotted away； sacks bouncing on her back； until she had enough clear space to launch herself。
Tell her good flying； Golanth。 F'lessan experienced an unusual sense of apprehension for the green rider。
She is strong。 Zaranth is strong。 The sooner we go； the quicker we get to Honshu。 Honshu is quiet； his bronze told him and F'lessan couldn't agree more。
St'ven and C'reel mounted over the supplies。 He wondered if they were as unfortable as he felt； perched on sacks with hard things prodding into his legs。 He latched his helmet； made sure his jacket was closed and； raising his arm high； pumped it to direct his panions upward。
Let's not make shallow jumps a habit； brown riders； he said； waiting until they were well above the surface。 Then he extended his arm southward to their destinations。 We all know where we're going？
Riders and dragons acknowledged。
Let's go。
ing out above an almost obscenely quiet sea front where Sunrise Cliff Seahold had been was as much a shock to F'lessan as to the other riders： he could hear their exclamations above the sad noises all three dragons made。
There might never have been human habitation here。 Waves splashed idly against granite cliffs instead of wide white sands in grassy dunes； waters draining muddily back from the break in the cliff face that had been a streambed。 From the flotsam deposited； piled in places； they could see how far inland the tsunami had coursed。 It had not yet pulled back far enough to show what might be left of the cotholds。 Whole tree trunks floated on the waves； idly being pushed in by the high water。 It was logical to assume that these had been swept from the islands just off the coast。 Most were craggy； with no place for a holding of any sort； except near the summits； but they had supported the same variety of fruit and timber trees that grew on this part of the continent。 And the fish would return to an area rich in feed。
Mealth sees smoke； Golanth told his rider and turned his head。
F'lessan let out his breath。 He hadn't known he'd been holding it。 His throat ached。 He hadn't a doubt that Lady Medda had organized everything to her satisfaction。 Odd that there was still light in the sky…a strange sort of luminescence； possibly something to do with that sharding fragment。 After today he was going to review his old astronomy lessons and he doubted he'd be the only one。
Let's see where the fire is。
Someone is waving a banner near the forest； Golanth said； and picked up the beat of his wings； angling slightly over the summit。
Why were his binoculars in Benden when he needed them here？ But he could make out quite a few figures； several waving what were probably the shirts from their backs。 He hoped they'd saved more clothing when he remembered the full nets that had been conveyed to the cliff top。
She is there！ Golanth said and F'lessan looked about for a green dragon and her rider。 The old one。 In her chair。
And so she was； looking dry； her hair carefully plaited； her rocking motion reflective。 It stopped at the sight of the ining trio of dragons。 They were cheered as they landed and would have been weled； but a barked mand from Binness kept all at their chores。 A circle of stones acmodated a brisk hot fire over which two huge kettles had been set on tripods。 One was already steaming。 At the forest edge； two men were skinning a herdbeast； fallen fruit had been gathered and lay in nets to one side； and wood was stacked under an oilskin。
Binness； his arms bandaged where Golanth had seized him； came to meet them； limping a bit。 He was still barefoot； curling his toes up from the coarse ground cover。
〃Didn't expect you back； dragonri