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〃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 its stalls so no one there remembers any scars on his arms。〃
〃And no name？〃
〃They called him Glass because of the pipe calluses。〃
〃So he could be Norist's journeyman？〃 Sebell asked。
〃That's likely。〃
〃So he'd have plenty of reason to hate Aivas。 Norist thought of Aivas as the Abomination。 There's enough circumstantial evidence to believe that the escaped prisoner is the new leader。〃
〃My man； Fifth；〃 Pinch put in。 With a sigh； he sat back down on the edge of the desk。 〃Now all we have to do is find him and see if he can hear our questions clearly enough to answer them。〃
〃I suggest we set our minds first to finding out what he and his fellow Abominators plan to do next；〃 Sebell said gloomily。
Pinch watched his Master for a long thoughtful moment。 Then； with an artificially bright expression； he asked； 〃Did you hear that M'rand and Pilgra are retiring to Cathay？〃
〃Yes；〃 Sebell said。 〃And I'm glad。 For their sakes…they've fought Thread long enough…and because the new Weyrleaders are young and will balance old G'dened who's so conservative you wonder where he got the courage to make the trip Forward thirty…odd Turns ago。〃
HONSHU HOLD…2。1。31
F'lessan and Tai still reported to their respective Weyrs for Threadfall but F'lessan was in Benden as infrequently as possible； returning to Honshu and his continued maintenance of the weyrhold。 Though he knew that most of the Monaco riders were now settled in new quarters； Tai kept returning to Honshu…and him。 He also got her to talk to him； about her childhood in Keroon； her schooling with Master Samvel； her work at Landing； and her apprenticeship with Master Wansor and Erragon。 In the bright evenings； they would take turns identifying more and more of the stars in the southern skies。
〃You know； I've often wondered why there are four more telescopes in the Catherine Caves；〃 F'lessan said one night on the terrace as they lay fortably beside each other on a wide mattress。
〃I didn't know you knew that；〃 she exclaimed； lowering the binoculars to her chest and looking at him。
He chuckled。 〃You forget； I was in Landing almost from the beginning and I certainly took every opportunity I could to poke about in those Caves。 I even made up outrageous treasures for the sealed cartons…that is； before I learned to read the bar codes and ancient invoice words。 Speaking of outrageous； how does Zaranth move trundlebugs？ And for that matter； how did she rescue those hides of yours？ The ones Mirrim got so upset about the day after the Fireball。〃
F'lessan silently berated himself for startling her with those questions。 Hurriedly he went on； 〃I mean； I don't doubt it was Zaranth who saved them； but how？ All the while I was there helping clear Monaco Weyr； you were too busy loading Zaranth with personal things； you couldn't even have timed it to your place。〃 He rose to one elbow； turning his body against hers； and running a caressing finger down her face； which had turned all stiff and unmunicative。 〃Zaranth told me she got them。 I know her。 I know you。〃
Tai's taut body relaxed and she turned her face； inviting his touch。
〃All I know is she got them。 Sometime before we had to leave Monaco ahead of the first tsunami wave and before we got to Landing。〃 She shook her head back and forth on the mattress； vaguely waving one hand。 〃I was so tired by then。 I don't know how long T'lion kept us timing it； back and forth…〃 Her voice trailed off。
He kissed the side of her mouth and nibbled at her lips。 〃Did you ever ask her？ I mean； later； when all the furor had died down and we could start thinking again？〃
〃No。〃
〃Could we ask her now？〃
〃I don't think she knows。 But I'll ask her。〃 Her eyes took on the unfocused look of a rider speaking to a dragon。 She blinked and gave a little laugh。 〃She says she knew I'd want them before they floated away so she just brought them to me。〃
F'lessan thought that over； not much the wiser。
〃Well； does she know how she moves the trundlebugs？ The ones at Benini Hold？〃
〃Oh；〃 Tai said； her voice less taut； 〃she does that with any that get close to her。 She just points them in another direction。〃
〃How？〃
This time Tai closed her eyes to speak to Zaranth。 〃She says she used to do it to tunnel snakes who got close to my weyr； too。〃
〃What could she do it to here？ Now！ Tonight！〃
〃There aren't that many trundlebugs around here and snakes would all be holed up。〃
F'lessan sat up and looked around the terrace。 〃Ask her to move that bench；〃 and he pointed to one against the wall； 〃here。〃 He patted the ground beside him。
〃The bench is not threatening you and it won't climb into your nose or your bed。〃
〃So； something has to be harmful for her to shift it？〃 F'lessan asked； a little vexed with Zaranth's lack of prehension。 Then he remembered how patient Aivas had been when trying to get the fire…lizard； Farli； to go to the Yoko's bridge； so far above Landing。
〃No； just aggravating。 The bench is not aggravating her。〃
Swiftly； F'lessan took a bowl from the tray of refreshments they had brought out to eat while stargazing。 He aimed it at Zaranth； lounging beside Golanth on the upper terrace。
〃What…〃 was all Tai had time to say before the bowl reappeared on the tray。
Glaring at him； her fists clenched； Tai turned on her lover with more anger than he had ever seen her display。
〃You may not throw things at my dragon！〃
〃It was aggravating of me but look how she reacted！〃
It took him time and much coaxing to calm Tai down； a pleasurable enough activity since her body responded to his deft caresses even if she did not wish it to。 When she did see what he had been trying to prove； she herself made a suggestion： a cover from their bed since the night wind was proving chill。
〃Maybe Golanth could bring us some wine？〃 she proposed。
Golanth peered down from the terrace above； his eyes whirling with some anxiety。 I don't know how Zaranth brings things you want。
〃Maybe we should try him with trundlebugs in his way；〃 Tai said； giving her lover a sly grin。 〃If he does it Zaranth's way； they don't get upset and spread that stink of theirs。〃
We don't have trundlebugs in Benden； Golanth told his rider but he was plainly curious about how Zaranth had managed to move things around。 Dragons moved themselves and their riders across great distances all the time； and recently Golanth had moved between times； but this moving something else was another matter altogether…one he had never attempted and could not do。
〃We'll find some then；〃 F'lessan said aloud as well as mentally to his bemused bronze。 Some stray memory…associated with the time Farli and Ruth had gone to the Yoko…hovered at the back of his mind。 〃Will you have time tomorrow to help us locate some？〃 he asked Tai。
〃In the afternoon； perhaps； but I did volunteer to help Erragon calculate orbits。〃
〃Well； if you should see any trundlebugs at Cove Hold； give us a shout。〃
〃Why not e help me calculate orbits？〃
〃A splendid notion since you know very well that I need the practice。 Speaking of practice…〃 Carefully he lifted the thong of the binoculars from her neck and put them to one side and practiced making love to her。 That was the most important reason he had brought the mattress out to the terrace and suggested they lie down and challenge each other at identifying stars。
When they met the next afternoon on the west side of Cove Hold where Tai had already spotted trundlebugs； they landed。 Golanth was still dubious about arranging himself in the direct path of a mother trundlebug and two offspring； and Zaranth crouched behind a nearby thicket to encourage him。 F'lessan and Tai stood in the shadow of a large frond tree as spectators。
Sublimely unaware of the obstacle set in its path； the trundlebug continued。
〃Zaranth is telling Golanth that it's just a matter of turning it。〃
With a wide and mischievous grin； F'lessan closed his fingers around Tai's hand。
〃My very dear green；