Read All the Weyrs of Pern for Free Online Page B

there were many others who, like Jaxom, had slept little that night, restless with all the history and incredible moving images churning in their minds.
    And what of Aivas’s promise of help? It? He? Referring to this—this entity—as an ‘it’ seemed impolite. The masculine voice was so rich and lively. Yet Aivas called it/himself a machine, the product of an advanced technological culture and, for all its knowledge, an inanimate device. Jaxom felt more comfortable thinking of Aivas as real, as real as his own flesh-and-blood self.
    It was then that Jaxom realized that he was going to have to revise many previously accepted concepts. That could be hard to do. The familiar was so comfortable. But the thought of the challenge brought a thrill to Jaxom—the incredible excitement of a future he could not have imagined just two days before, when he and Ruth had helped Piemur and Jancis excavate this one building out of the hundreds here. He didn’t feel tired—he felt exhilarated.
    “It’s going to be exciting, Ruth. Think of it that way, as an exciting challenge.” He rubbed Ruth’s eyeridge with his knuckles. “We could both use a challenge, something new. Life’s been getting dull.”
    You’d better not say that to Sharra,
Ruth advised.
    Jaxom grinned. “She’ll be challenged, too, if I know my mate.”
    Ramoth, Mnementh, Canth, Lioth, Golanth, and Monarth are coming,
Ruth said, his tone brightening.
    “Reinforcements, huh?” Jaxom gave the eyeridge one more stiff drubbing. “Company for you certainly.”
    Ramoth is grumpy,
Ruth said, his tone suddenly wary.
Canth said that lights were burning all night in Lessa’s weyr, and Ramoth had long conversations with all the other queens.
He sounded anxious.
    “Don’t worry, Ruth, please. It’s going to work out. This is just a new beginning, just as our Impression was! Though nothing could ever be better than
that
day was for me!”
    Ruth raised his head, his eyes altering from a murky shade to a happier blue-green.
    The incoming dragons were circling, their faceted eyes vivid green and blue points against the dawn-gray light. As they back-winged, their hind legs poised to take the impact of landing, Jaxom was just able to discern that each dragon carried extra passengers. Some of the dragons waited only long enough to let their passengers dismount before they launched themselves again, disappearing
between
when they had gained sufficient height. The others settled down to wait while their riders and passengers headed for the administration building.
    Jaxom sighed and gave Ruth an affectionate farewell slap before slipping back down the dusty slope to greet the new arrivals. When F’lar, Lessa, and Master Fandarel reached him in the doorway, Jaxom informed them that Aivas was resting.
    “Resting?” Lessa demanded, halting so abruptly in midstride that F’lar had to sidestep to avoid barging into his slender weyrmate.
    “The solar panels run out of power,” Jaxom replied.
    Master Fandarel looked both aggrieved and incredulous. “But—but Aivas said that he could provide twelve different stations.”
    “Lower your voice, please, Master Fandarel. Master Robinton’s still asleep.” Jaxom kept his own voice low as a hint to the others. “I brought Sebell and Menolly and the Records Master Robinton wanted Aivas to see. Jancis and I got as far as the sixth Turn before Aivas turned off. He says he’ll be all right again after a few hours of sunlight.”
    “So we get here in the middle of the night and it isn’t working?” Lessa said, disgusted.
    “Now, there is much we can do while we await his revival,” Fandarel said soothingly.
    “What?” Lessa demanded. “I don’t want people bungling about in the dark caves, you know. And it’s scarcely the time to start reassembling this facility. F’lar and I have questions for Aivas. It’s one thing to be
promised
a miracle, quite another to produce it. In courtesy, we should allow the other Weyrleaders