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th a boyish delight； but Kenjo had made sure it was not readily accessible。 The first challenge was the stairs that went up six levels inside Honshu's cliff。
〃Does Golanth watch stars with you； too？〃 she asked。 Zaranth affected to and never objected when Tai spent long hours on her green back； studying the night sky。
〃He pretends to be interested；〃 F'lessan said in a mock…soft voice； turning to grin down the metal spiral at her。
I hope I will not hurt these things when I bring them to you so high up； Golanth said facetiously。
〃Golanth； you will carry them as carefully as fire…lizard eggs；〃 F'lessan said； his voice stern as he winked down at Tai。 〃When I found the place； it was a mess and outside most of the solar panels were fouled or missing。 Worse than the Admin building。〃 He took a deep breath before the next step。 〃Golanth was very good about helping me repair and reinstall them。 He doesn't fit in the observatory； of course； but he's good at encouraging me to work hard。〃 He chuckled as he plodded up several more steps； boots clanking on the metal。 She could feel the climb pulling at her muscles。 He went on。 〃Good thing the cylinder had been vacuum…wrapped…another point in my theory that they intended to e back！〃 She could see that he was using the handrail to pull him upward。 Good idea！ She followed his example。 〃So we cleaned and repaired the vents and solar panels； and let power build up。 I'd the finder scope to use to see if the instrument still worked。 It did。〃 He gave a deep sigh of satisfaction。 〃We'll have to run a pointing recalibration but I've got the files for the stars we use。 Once we've hooked up the puter and are sure it's pointing accurately； we can proceed to search whatever part of the sky Erragon wants us to scan。 The program makes it possible to shift the primary mirror。 We'll get pictures on the monitor and decide what to save。〃
He paused； taking in deep breaths before he started upward again。 She wondered that he didn't save his breath for the climb but F'lessan loved to talk and； since his voice was very pleasant to listen to； she didn't mind。 She didn't usually have much to say。
〃Got the generator working； too； so we don't have to limit solar panel use。〃 He had breath enough for a chuckle。 〃Mighty clever those Ancients were in harnessing renewable energy。 When we told Aivas that we'd found the old machinery； I swear he almost laughed。〃
〃Laughed？〃 It would never have occurred to Tai that Aivas had been endowed with a sense of humor。 She nearly stumbled on the steps but caught herself on the handrail。
〃Oh； Aivas had a powerful sense of humor。 You know the kind of pause that means someone's laughing inside？ Well； Aivas would pause； wait a beat； and go on with what he was saying。 Piemur was sure Aivas laughed to himself in such beats； but Jancis was horrified by the mere suggestion of a machine that could laugh。〃
Tai couldn't see his face but； though sometimes he made jokes about his Turns under Aivas's supervision； his voice was tinged with a respect that he didn't accord even his Weyrleaders。 She'd been so young； fresh from Keroonian hills when her mother and father had e south to work at Landing； and painfully naive。 Told over and over what a splendid chance she was getting in a Landing education； she had concentrated on learning as much as she could to avoid disappointing anyone； including Aivas。 She had never questioned anything then。 Now； and in the presence of F'lessan； she felt able to ask。
〃Why would Aivas be amused that you had discovered this valuable instrument and a power generator？〃
〃I suspect；〃 and F'lessan climbed a few more steps before answering； 〃because Kenjo had been very clever about so many things。 Like saving fuel in sacks each trip down from the Yoko so he could fly the little plane he built。 And using the stone…cutters far more extensively than any other colonist。 Yet what a beautiful place he designed…although； e to think of it； his wife； Ita； was artistic and it's likely she did the murals in the Hall and some of the tapestries。〃
〃Here we are；〃 he said and she could hear the relief in his voice。 Dragonriders were more accustomed to flying heights than climbing them。
She didn't mind showing that the narrow winding stairs had winded her。 Her thighs felt heavy； and she had an ache in the calf of her left leg。 She gave it a quick massage as he fiddled a key into the locked door they had climbed so high to reach。
At first； Tai saw nothing but the smooth sides of the vertical shaft's creamy rock； eerily lit from small guide lights。 She could feel a light breeze sweeping upward； cooling legs； body； and even the sweat on her forehead； and then a door opened just above her eye level。 F'lessan lifted himself through； for a moment blocking her view。 He moved to one side and； in the light from the shaft； she saw more creamy rock。 She clattered up the last few steps and walked into such a splendid space that she just stood； looking around in amazement。 A large dark brooding mass dominated the center of a wooden floor。
F'lessan pressed plates on one side of the door and lights blinked on； one by one； girdling the room about F'lessan's height from the floor。 She could also feel more fresh air circulating。
As the lights came up； she saw the long barrel of Honshu's telescope； thicker in circumference than she could have put her arms about； longer than F'lessan was tall。 A U…shaped fork structure held the barrel and； as she got closer； she could see that the fork was itself supported by a heavy metal plate； attached to a metal turntable。 This tilted arrangement was an equatorial mount entirely different from the up…down； left…right； alt…azimuth mounting that was appropriate for Cove Hold's larger； skeletal type scope and its position near the equator。 Honshu's scope was a dull cream of a posite material； slightly longer at the front； with a blunt rear end that she knew sleekly enclosed the 620…millimeter reflecting mirror。 Unlike the Cove Hold scope； where the mirror was clearly visible inside the supporting skeleton； this mirror was hidden within the opaque cylinder。 Only the services connecting to the telescope revealed what else was inside。 She could see cooling pipes and electrical cables feeding through the cylinder at its midpoint； which she knew led to the camera at the heart of the telescope。 What she could identify as the finder scope was attached to the upper surface beside two other anonymous cylinders。 The Cove's instrument…one of the Ancients' classical Cassegrains…was half again as long as this one； having a one…meter lens； its optics based entirely around mirrors and enclosed in a light gray posite of some ancient material。 Here； too； was a raised wooden floor； to keep vibrations from being transmitted to the telescope and to allow people to walk safely around while observing。 Not that the sheer cliff to which the scope was attached would move： Cove Hold had a cement base on its rocky promontory； high above the sea。
Tentatively； she approached the cylinder； saw the cover at the top and controlled her impatience to see it。 She did； however； appreciate F'lessan's proprietary feeling for the scope。
That he was willing to share it with her was yet one more unexpected boon。
〃Now watch！〃 he said； holding up his left hand； grinning with anticipation。 With the fingers of his right； he pressed more plates； diverting her from a closer inspection of telescope and mounting。
She was startled when a crack appeared in the ceiling。 She stepped back； close to him； as what had seemed to be solid rock shifted。 Gears whirred and the halves dropped and spread slowly apart； continuing to sink down； out of the way； against the observatory dome； stopping just above the girdle of lights。
〃Full range；〃 F'lessan cried in a proud tone； gesturing to the opening created by the sliding roof。 〃Golly found the seam in the rock when we were repairing the solar panels。 No rock has straight seams；〃 he said with a snort。 〃Took Jancis； Piemur； and me days to oil； repair； and get this working again。〃
Tai knew that she was gawking idiotically at the superb view of the southern night sky now visible。 She gasped then； wh