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Tai knew that she was gawking idiotically at the superb view of the southern night sky now visible。 She gasped then； when two dark shadows stealthily loomed down into the opening。
Us； said Zaranth and gave an audible chirp； well pleased with herself for scaring her rider。 She had kept her eyes shut and now opened them； happily whirling green。
You meant to scare me； she accused her dragon； hand still at her throat。
Golanth thought it would be all right； Zaranth said in a meek tone； cocking her head slightly at her rider； eliciting pardon。
Golanth made amused sounds of his own； showing his white teeth。
〃They're a right pair of Gather fools；〃 F'lessan said； giving her a reassuring squeeze before he walked over to where Golanth was peering down。 Then； in one of those abrupt changes of his； F'lessan turned almost brusque。 〃Golly； take care not to step on those solar panels when you swing those controls down。 Tai； can you manage the one Zaranth has for you？ I'd like to get this system up and running before dawn。〃
He reached up； tall enough to grasp the boxes that Golanth dutifully lowered one by one to him through the open roof。 Tai shook off the moment of panic…too astonished by the open sky to feel her dragon's presence…and took hold of the well…padded square that Zaranth dangled down to her。
〃We'll unpack up here； Tai。 More space。 The control room's just down that short staircase。〃 He pointed to the far wall where she now saw the well of the other stairs。
Did I really scare you； Tai？ Zaranth asked penitently； drawing one set of her eyelids across in apology。
〃Of course you did；〃 Tai replied and then relented。 Is Golanth teaching you bad habits？
None I don't like； her dragon answered with a flirt of her eyelids。
Tai cleared her throat。 〃What do I have here； F'lessan？〃 she asked； changing the subject。
He spared a look from what he was unpacking。 〃The monitor！〃 he replied and he sprang toward her。 〃I'll just turn the lights up down there；〃 he said and strode to the stairwell； tapping the keypad。 〃Kenjo must have been a security freak the way he designed this observatory。 As if someone could steal this or the stars。〃
With lighting； Tai had no trouble taking the ten straight steps down into the control room。 The worktops had been cleaned recently and the shelving above them fitted with jacks for the controls。 Two wheeled half…chairs had been pushed back under the stairs。 An enclosed panel ran slantwise from the jack in the direction of the base of the telescope on the floor above。 She settled the flat…screened monitor on a mounting that was an exact fit。 Well； no doubt the long…dead Kenjo had used a similar unit to view the images she devoutly hoped the scope would still mirror。
F'lessan clattered down with the keypad； decoder box； and storage disks。 His eyes gleamed with anticipation。 With no wasted effort he arranged his burdens on the worktop and put the storage disks on the shelf where he could read the labels。 He hauled connectors out of his thigh pocket and began plugging them in； murmuring as he did so； reminding himself which went where until he had the system connected。 Standing with his hands on his belt； he let out a long breath。 Then he reached toward the rank of storage disks； found the one he needed for the calibration； and slipped it into the operating slot。
〃Shall we see if it'll light up？ Ooops；〃 and he was halfway up the stairs； 〃got to uncover its eye； first。〃
She heard the thump of his footsteps on the wooden flooring and his admonition to the two dragons to find themselves fortable places to stay and not to step on the solar panels。
He ran back down； rubbing his hands； grabbed both seating units from under the stairs； swinging one over to her while he planted himself on the second and； for one long moment； poised his hands over the controls。
〃Now；〃 he announced； grinning at her； his eyes glittering with high spirits； 〃let there be light！〃 He tapped out several sequences； inhaled deeply when the monitor came to life； entered another series of mands； and then folded his arms on his chest。 〃Remember to breathe； Tai！〃
She did； smiling because she hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath。
The monitor cleared and they had an image of the skyscape of the northern horizon； the direction in which the telescope had pointed； covered； for centuries。 〃So；〃 and F'lessan rubbed his hands together； 〃let's run the pointing calibration。 I'll use Acrux as the first check。〃 His eyes crinkled in a smile as he reminded her of the stars she had pointed out to him the first evening she was at Honshu。
Tai caught her breath； for this was another example of how he endeared himself to her without really trying。
〃I'll allow for the time elapsed since we last checked positions。〃 He went on and she rose to stand behind him as he tapped in the mands； daring to put her hands lightly on his shoulders。 〃Good ones to start with。〃 While waiting for the system to respond； he lifted her right hand to his lips and kissed the palm； his eyes never leaving the screen as the scope began to shift in obedience to the coordinates for Acrux。 〃When we have a chance； we can automate this procedure but I can't resist the temptation to show off a little。 You've had so much more time on a working scope than I have。〃
He put her hand back on his shoulder； giving it a final pat。 〃Ah； here we are！〃 He flourished his hand as the winking pulse of Acrux appeared on the monitor； centered。 He leaned forward as the calibration came up to one side； confirming the focus。 〃And no optical aberrations noticeable。〃
He grinned up at her； his gray eyes sparkling； infecting her with his exuberant enthusiasm。 He was so boyishly pleased with Honshu's performance…as if it were all his doing…that she couldn't resist rumpling his thick hair。 He laughed softly； pleased by her spontaneous caress。
〃Now Becrux；〃 he said； tapping in its position and obediently the focus altered。 〃Sudden idea！〃 And he turned to her； his expression one of recklessness； 〃Once we've done enough calibrations to be sure the focus is accurate； let's dispense with the rest of Honshu's catalogue and focus on whatever strikes our fancy。 Some of those globular clusters I was just studying about。 Or the spiral nebulas。 Or something that isn't anywhere close to Pern！〃
She gawped at him； unaccountably thrilled at such a suggestion。 She'd often wanted to just 〃look〃 beyond this dark corner： to the cloudy canyons with dark holes； the cartwheels in various orientations； ghostly circular shapes of planetary nebulae； wisps of gas lit up by newborn stars。 She did so want to see the eternal and changing magic of the universe。
〃And we'll take some images of the ones we like best； shall we？〃
She grinned back at him。 But； before he did anything else； he kissed the dimples in her cheeks。
NIGHT AT WIDE BAY…2。9。31
Tagetarl spent a terrible day； trying to conduct himself as he would any normal day in front of apprentices and clients alike； all the while wondering what 〃normal〃 should look like。 For instance； on a normal day； he wouldn't have made so many pots of klah before dawn nor washed so many cups。 He did have a fresh pot ready at the usual time that he opened the outer gates for his apprentices and unlocked the double doors of the Hall。 He noticed that there was a slight shine to the wood but； though he sniffed deeply…causing his oldest apprentice； Marley； to regard his Master oddly…the smell was posed more of the prevalent odor of fish and toner than paint。 He regained some of his usual posure by assigning the day's tasks。
He heard the whistle； had to think for a moment； and then saw two grimy fellows rolling in two big barrels。
〃Just as you ordered 'em； Master Tawgurtall；〃 the older man said； chewing his words as he deftly shifted his cask into a corner by the right…hand door。 How like Pinch to mangle his name； so Tagetarl merely nodded at the shabbily dressed drudge。 His equally scruffy associate rolled a second barrel into the opposite side。 〃As required。〃 Then； with that cryptic statement； they both left。
〃As I was saying； Marley；〃 Tagetarl went on； tapping the