Lessa gave a resigned flick of one hand. "It's been found. I don't want to deny it, even if its discovery means some painful reassessments. I found it fascinating to hear how the settlers got here-the pictures they had of Pern in the black heavens are truly awesome. I'd no idea it could look like that! And it was thrilling to hear how bravely our ancestors struggled to destroy Thread. We've been used to it-even if some thought we'd had our last Pass four hundred Turns ago." Her lips curled with remembered malice for those doubters. "But what a terrible shock it must have been for them." With an apologetic expression, she touched Menolly's hand lightly. "You are one of those who truly deserved to hear that history, Menolly, but we'd no idea what had been discovered when we were sent for. Maybe Aivas wouldn't mind repeating it for you, and the other Harper Masters, because that is something the Hall should circulate. It should be compulsory for children to learn our true origins. We'll need new Teaching Ballads. But that is for Sebell to decide, isn't it?" Then her expression altered again, first to a look of awe, and then to a grimace. "I can tell you that I had trouble believing my eyes and ears when Aivas said that the settlers actually created-'bi-o-en-gin-eered' was his word-our dragons." Her grin was tinged with rancor. "I'm almost relieved that there are so few Oldtimers left alive. They'd have found that very hard indeed to accept."
"Do you find it hard to accept that dragons were engineered from fire-lizards?" Menolly asked teasingly. Lessa had made her dislike of the small draconic cousins very plain over the Turns, and Menolly was always careful to keep hers out of the Weyrwoman's way.
Lessa made another face, more reflective than angry. "They are dreadful nuisances at times, Menolly. Did you leave yours behind in the Harper Hall today?"
"No." Menolly's sideways glance challenged Lessa. "Only Beauty, Rocky, and Diver came along this morning. They're keeping Ruth company. They've always adored him."
Lessa looked thoughtful." Aivas commented on Ruth, but he appeared to be quite surprised by Ramoth, Mnementh, and Canth. I must ask him why when I get the chance. Well, at least we have something we can explain to Aivas." She let out a gusty sigh. "And if he can help us end Thread forever... I only hope that he can!"
To Menolly's fine-tuned harper's ear, she thought that there was an undertone of desperation in Lessa's voice. The Weyrwoman caught her expression and nodded slowly, her eyes sad. "At this point in a Pass, Menolly, we do very much need a hope that there could be a way to clear our skies of Thread. And get on with the sort of life the settlers had hoped to lead here."
"Jaxom told us that Aivas had said that there was a possibility."
"At least Jaxom repeats things accurately," Lessa said at her driest. "You should have heard some of the rumors in the Weyr this morning. The Weyr Harper is going to see that those are suppressed, and accurate information circulated. Hope is all very well, but it must be realistic."
"But Aivas did say it was possible?"
Lessa nodded. "Possible! But we'll have to work hard to achieve it. We'll have to learn a lot of new things."
"Even that could improve morale." Then Menolly added more briskly, "The wonder is that our ancestors managed to survive each new Pass losing so little of our culture."
"They had to, as we have had to. But we know that so much of our culture was lost. If that threat were removed, oh, what a wonderful future we could contemplate!"
Menolly caught Lessa's eye in a significant stare." Wonderful for the dragons and the Weyrs, too?"
"Yes!" Lessa's explosive reply surprised the Harper Hall Master. "Yes, it will be even better for dragons and Weyrs." She took a deep breath and exhaled, jabbing her finger at the map. "We'll have a new world to explore again." She leaned forward, peering at the map. "I wonder what 'Honshu' was."
Just then Jancis returned, carrying a basket with a klah pitcher, cups, and food. She was also full of news.
"You should see what they've done while we've been cleaning," she said, a broad smile on her face. "You should also see the mob waiting to gawk at Aivas." When Lessa sprang to her feet, Jancis waved her back down. "F'lar, Sebell, and Master Robinton are in control. We'll be the better for something to eat. Here, Lessa, fresh redfruit and nice hot rolls. If you'd pour the klah, Menolly," she said, passing around the fruit and rolls.
"You're as efficient as your grandsire," Lessa remarked approvingly, settling back into her chair. The smell of warm bread and meat reminded her that it had been a long time since that hurried early-morning porridge at Benden Weyr. "Menolly, as soon as you've eaten, I want you on Aivas's roster." She turned to Jancis. "How long has Aivas been-" She searched for the appropriate word. "Available?"
Jancis grinned over the rim of her cup. "Long enough to approve or discard what Grandfather brought out of the caves for inspection. Masters Wansor and Terry are attempting to follow a diagram on how to assemble the-the components." She hesitated briefly over the unfamiliar word. "They've sent for Masterglassman Norist, because two of the screens were cracked. Aivas wants to discover if we have the skill, only he said 'technology,' to duplicate the material. He's very diplomatic, but he's certainly putting every one on their mettle. He-it-" Jancis shook her head, then appealed to Lessa. "What do we call the thing? Aivas says he/it is a machine, but with that beautiful voice, he sounds very human."
"Beautiful voice? " Menolly asked through a mouthful of redfruit, hastily stemming the juice from dripping down her chin.
Lessa chuckled. "Yes," she said with a grin at Menolly's reaction. "A beautiful voice. Almost as good as Master Robinton's."
"Really?" Menolly's thick eyebrows rose at that comparison to her beloved Master. "How clever of our ancestors," she added, not rising to Lessa's bait.
Lessa grinned more broadly. "Yes, it's only fair to warn you. The thing is rather awesome."
Menolly grinned back. "Too kind of you. I wonder if he knows anything about ancestral music forms?"
Lessa laughed. "I could hear that question coming."
"He said," Jancis put in, keeping her expression bland, "he had the Planetary Engineering and Colonial Kit in his memory banks, as well as what cultural and historical records were deemed relevant by the colonists. Surely music would be considered a cultural necessity?"
Lessa hid a smile, delighted by Jancis's subtle tease.
"If it isn't, it should be. It will be my first question of this Aivas," Menolly replied equably. She took a firm bite out of her meatroll.
"Aivas is a clever enough affair, but it's only got the one voice, however mellifluous," Lessa went on. "Only one voice to sing with, even if it does have ancient music in those formidable memory banks."
F'lar appeared in the doorway, looking harassed as he pushed a wayward lock off his forehead. "There you are, Lessa. Menolly, Robinton wants you and Lessa, and we have got to discuss the length of that sharding roster. Everyone has questions that require answers from Aivas. Piemur has the right of it, though. Most of them don't believe what they've been hearing." He perched on the table and broke off apiece of meatroll. "They probably won't believe even after they've seen Aivas."
"How can we fault them on that score?" Lessa asked. "But it's a waste of Aivas's valuable time to humor skeptics. And ours. We must have a conference."
Jancis jumped up, aware that her presence might be superfluous.
"No, child, don't disappear. A conference is not that imminent." Lessa gave a droll snort. "Not with everyone rushing around every which way this morning. But do get more cups, klah, and food. F'lar, eat something."
F'lar made a dismissive gesture. "I don't have time right now. There's too much to be done." But he crammed another bite of meatroll into his mouth.
"When did you intend to stop for food?" Lessa asked tartly. Rising, she pulled F'lar off the table and pushed him by the shoulders into the nearest chair. She put the rest of the meatroll in front of him and refilled her own cup for him, adding the amount of sweetener he preferred in his klah. "You didn't sleep last night, and if you don't eat, you'll be useless just when you're most needed. Now, who's importuning you? Do we have enough Lord Holders, Craftmasters, and Weyrleaders to constitute a majority?"