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his rider had？
HARPER HALL…1。28。31
〃You wanted to see me？〃
Sebell gave a start。 Pinch closed the door that he had opened so quietly that his Masterharper had not even heard it。 He grinned。
〃Losing the old skills； are you； Sebell？〃
〃So long as you don't；〃 Sebell said and flipped a piece of paper across the table； nodding for Pinch to read it。 〃From Crom's harper。〃
〃Serubil？ Sensible man。 Knows endless verses to that dreadful 'Down the Shafts。' 〃 Pinch gave a revolted shudder as he stepped forward to take the note。 His eyes brightened as he scanned it。 〃So if the body was never found； even if the trackers were delayed looking； Serubil says the man must have escaped。 Possibly taken the river down to the plains。〃
〃Read on。 There's bad news； too。〃
〃Oh。 The prisoner did have a missing finger joint。 No facial scar though。〃 Pinch sighed。 〃Well； he could have got the scar on one of those early forays the Abominators made。 Or even during or after his escape； you know；〃 and Pinch eased his butt to the edge of Sebell's desk； not quite disturbing the piles of papers as he continued to read。 〃Didn't we send every harper a copy of the sketch I made？〃
〃Thought we had。〃
〃Ah！〃 Pinch's somewhat sleepy expression brightened as he read further。 〃The prisoner…did the man have no name at all？…was sentenced for life to the Crom mines with several others for attacking Aivas。〃
〃While I was waiting for you to arrive；〃 and Sebell adroitly teased Pinch though； indeed； Master Mekelroy must have hurried to the Masterharper's door before pausing to slip inside in a stealthy fashion。 That was often how Pinch entered this office； in stealth and at night or other inconvenient hours。 〃I had time to review Master Robinton's report of that incident。〃
Sebell stroked the blue leather cover of the journal and opened it with gentle fingers to the place where he had left a slip of paper。 〃Aivas thwarted the attack with what he called a 'sonic barrage'…a noise so fierce and penetrating that it rendered the intruders unconscious。 Aivas said that some aural damage might be permanent。 When we expressed amazement that he would retaliate； he remarked that； and I quote him； 'These units are programmed with industrially and politically valuable information。 Unauthorized access and/or destructive actions must； therefore； be actively discouraged； and this has always been a minor function of an Aivas facility。' 〃
Sebell looked up from the open pages to regard Pinch。
〃Well； yes。〃 Pinch scratched the back of his head。 〃 'Some aural damage might be permanent。' According to Serubil…〃 and Pinch rattled the message in his hand； 〃…this prisoner was deaf。 Maybe he recovered his hearing？ Convenient and useful to pretend not to hear if someone wanted to escape。〃
〃Yes； in the next paragraph； Serubil says this wasn't the man's first attempt。 However…〃 Sebell held up a finger； 〃neither this one or the others ever gave their names。〃
〃If they were deaf； how would they hear even that question？〃 Pinch asked。
Sebell grimaced。 〃Usually there are ways to get across as simple a question as that。 Me；〃 and he punched his chest with his thumb； 〃Sebell。 You？〃 He widened his eyes； assumed an interrogatory expression； and pointed at Pinch。
〃Having failed to crash or crush Aivas； the last thing I would want to tell was my name。〃
〃Good point； but…〃 And Sebell looked down the closely written； beautifully inscribed handwriting to the paragraph he wanted； planting his finger on the margin。 〃…while the men carried no identification whatever in their clothes； one of them had been a glassblower； judging by the pipe calluses on his hands and burn scars on his arms。〃 He regarded Pinch with an anticipatory expression。
〃And Master Norist was one of the most outspoken adversaries of Aivas and his new techniques。 He was also exiled for his part in the abduction of our Master Robinton。〃 Pinch's face went as bleak as Sebell's at that reminder of the man both had respected； admired； and loved。
〃Three of Master Norist's sons were journeymen in the Glasscrafthall。 All were very much under their father's control。〃
Pinch considered this。 〃Mind you； after thirteen Turns in a mine； pipe calluses might not last but burn scars made by hot glass do not fade。〃 He cocked his head at his Craftmaster。 〃So I should take a sketch of our good friend up to Serubil and maybe question some of the prison guards about those burn scars。 Someone must have noticed them in thirteen Turns。〃
〃And if he regained his hearing。〃
Pinch gave a snort。 〃He'd have to be able to talk if he's been plotting raids and selective booty。〃
〃Find out； too； will you； Pinch； in your delightfully subtle way； how long it was before they went after the escaped prisoner？ I'd heard tell the Smithcraft gave them twenty marks for that meteorite。〃
Pinch gave an appreciative whistle。 〃No wonder the latest ones have made such a stir。〃
Sebell shifted uneasily； his mouth pursed with annoyance。
〃No matter how much they're worth； they're causing more trouble than they could possibly be worth to the Smithcraft。〃
〃Oh？〃
Sebell gave him a sharp look。 〃The one on the Keroon plains has the hillmen certain they'll have a fireball next and aren't the dragonriders going to blast it out of the sky before it falls on them and burns up all the fodder。〃
〃I thought the one in Paradise River Hold only fell through a roof？〃
〃It harmed nothing and Jayge got fifteen Smith marks for it。 He also said；〃 and the expression on Sebell's face suggested to Pinch that the Masterharper wished that Jayge had not been so garrulous； 〃that the dolphins had seen several 'hissy hot' objects sink into the sea and they'd be happy to dive for them。〃
Pinch gave an indifferent shrug。 〃From what I remember； meteorites are more often apt to e down at sea than on land since we have so much more water on Pern。〃
〃That's not the problem。 Even people who should know better are demanding that the Weyrs send out more sweep…riders to prevent more objects falling out of the sky。〃
Pinch gave a bark of laughter。 〃Dragons can move fast but not as fast as a meteorite。 And meteorites are so hot when they hit the atmosphere that however hot dragon flame is； it couldn't stop a meteorite…even if a dragon could match its speed。〃
〃I know； I know。〃 Sebell sighed gustily。
〃Now…〃 Pinch rattled Serubil's message。 〃Why don't I do something useful； like go to Crom Minehold？〃
〃I've asked N'ton to have you conveyed。 You've about time to get your sketch of that Abominator and change into riding gear。〃
〃Good。 Bista loves going a…dragonback。〃 Pinch neatly folded Serubil's message and put it in a thigh pocket。 〃I shan't be long。〃
〃I hope not。〃
He was back by late evening。 This time he knocked discreetly at Sebell's office door and entered； carrying a tray with a klah pot； cups； and a plate of sweet biscuits。
〃1 do not e empty…handed；〃 he said and strode to set the tray down on Sebell's desk。 He gave the piles of papers a quick appraisal： Sebell seemed to have made little headway with the stacks。 〃Did you do nothing today about all those petitions？〃
〃I put them in different piles。 What's your news？〃
Pinch poured klah for them both before he made himself fortable on the edge of the desk again。
〃The prisoner did not have a scar on his face when he left。 He lost the top joint of the first finger on his left hand in a mining accident。 He had tried to escape before but was easily caught。 The trackers were sure he couldn't hear them ing。 That's one reason they delayed going after him。〃
〃When were those attempts made？〃
Pinch consulted notes he had made in the margin of Serubil's message。 〃In the first couple of Turns he was there…〃 His eyes widened and he pointed at the MasterHarper just as Sebell reached the same conclusion。
〃So he got enough hearing back to try again！〃 They spoke in unison and then both grinned。
〃And he waited for the right time…〃 Sebell said。
〃What better time than when a meteorite has knocked out holes to escape through！〃 Pinch jumped to his feet again。 〃Right。 The prison bathroom has partitions in it