"Todd McCaffrey - Pern 19 - Dragonsblood" - читать интересную книгу автора (McCaffrey Todd)

Published by Ballantine Books

DRAGONHOLDER

DRAGONSBLOOD
 By Anne McCaffrey and Todd McCaffrey

DRAGONтАЩSKIN




ONE

Red Star at night:
Firestone, dig,
Harness, rig,
Dragons take flight.

Fort Weyr, at the end of the Second Interval,
After Landing (AL) 507

Four men stood in a knot around the Star Stones of Fort Weyr. The sun was
just above the horizon, casting the harsh shadows of early dawn at winterтАЩs
end. Each man wore the prestigious shoulder knots of Weyrleader. Their warm
wher-hide jackets proclaimed them the leaders of Benden, Fort, Telgar, and
Ista Weyrs.

KтАЩlior, FortтАЩs Weyrleader, was host and the youngest present. He was also the
newest Weyrleader, having gained his position less than a Turn before.

He glanced back to the Star StonesтАФto the Eye Rock, which bracketed the
Finger Rock, which itself was lit by the baleful Red Star. Thread was coming.
Soon.

The air was made more chilly by the steady breeze blowing across the plateau
where FortтАЩs Star Stones were placed. KтАЩlior suppressed a shiver. тАЬFort is
still wing light. WeтАЩve only had the one clutchтАФтАЭ

тАЬThereтАЩs time yet, KтАЩlior,тАЭ CтАЩrion, IstaтАЩs Weyrleader, judged. He pointed at
the Red Star and the Eye Rock. тАЬThread wonтАЩt fall until after the last frost.тАЭ

тАЬThereтАЩs no doubt, then, that Thread is coming,тАЭ KтАЩlior said, wishing the
other Weyrleaders would disagree with him.

For over two hundred Turns, the planet of Pern had been free of the threat of
Thread falling from the sky.

Now that peace would end.