"And you would help us?"
"The end of these incursions remains the first priority of this facility."
"Not half as much as it is of ours!" F'lar replied. F'nor fervently seconded him.
The Lord Holders exchanged quick glances, hope warring with surprise. The destruction of all Thread was what F'lar had promised them nineteen Turns before when he had become leader of Pern's then single Weyr. Benden's wings of brave dragons and riders had been all that stood between the certain reduction of humankind on Pern to hunters and gatherers by the totally unexpected resumption of Threadfall after a lapse of four hundred Turns. In their extremity, the Lord Holders had promised support of all his emergency measures. Struggling with the exigencies of the Pass, they had quite forgotten his vow. But all three were quick to perceive the advantages to them-if they could also see the disadvantages to the Dragonriders-to be quit of their ancient responsibilities. Jaxom, as both rider and Holder, regarded F'lar with consternation. Yet there was no doubt the Benden Weyrleader meant exactly what he said-that he would do all he could to rid Pern of Thread forever.
"Then there is much to be done," Aivas said in a brisk tone. Almost, Master Robinton thought, as if the thing was relieved to have employment after so long a recess. "Your Records, Masters Robinton and Fandarel, would be of immense value in assessing your history and potential, and what knowledge of science you currently possess. Certainly a synopsis of your own history would assist an evaluation of the educational programs required to achieve your goal."
"The Harper Hall has assiduously kept accounts," the Harper said eagerly, "though the oldest of them have become illegible over the hundreds of Turns which have passed. I think the more recent Records of the seventeen Turns of this current Pass would inform you adequately. Jaxom, could you and Ruth possibly go to the Harper Hall and collect them?"
The young Lord Holder immediately rose.
"If you wouldn't mind, bring Sebell and Menolly," Robinton added, glancing at F'lar, who nodded emphatically, "back with you?"
"The records of my crafthall," Fandarel began, inching forward on his stool, wringing his huge hands together in an uncharacteristic gesture of tension, "are missing so many words and explanations -perhaps even one about this Oort Cloud. Generally what's missing is just where we cannot possibly figure out from the context what was meant. If you were able to tell us what words were missing or corrupted, you would be granting the most invaluable assistance to our efforts at self-improvement."
He was about to continue when Robinton's hand on his shoulder stopped him. They all heard Master Esselin come bustling down the corridor, directing those who carried food, cups, and wineskins to hand them over to Jancis and Piemur. He peremptorily gestured those carrying pallets and blankets into the smaller adjacent rooms. At a nod from F'lar, he horned back down the corridor, out of earshot.
"A moment, dear friend," Robinton said when Fandarel was about to continue his request for help. "Aivas, you may have all the information the colonists considered relevant, but I don't really think we should dispense it without due consideration."
"Exactly what I was about to say," F'lar added.
"Discretion is a built-in feature of this Aivas model, Master Harper, Weyrleader. You should discuss among you who is to have access to this facility and in exactly what ways it may be of use to you."
The Masterharper groaned, holding his head in both hands, and was immediately surrounded by Lessa, Piemur, and Jaxom.
"I'm all right, I'm all right," he said testily, waving them off." Have you all realized just what this source of knowledge can mean to us?" His voice was rough with emotion." I've only now begun to absorb how profoundly this discovery could change our lives."
"I've been struggling to absorb that myself," F'lar said with a grim smile." If this Aivas knows something about Thread and the Red Star that would help us ..." F'lar halted, his hope too precious to express aloud. Then he smiled wryly and held up his hand." First, I believe it is extremely important to decide the question of who should be permitted into this room. As you pointed out, Robinton, Aivas cannot be accessible to everyone."
"Definitely," Master Robinton said. He took a long swig of the wine he had poured for himself." Definitely. Considering that crowd in the hall, there's no way we can censor the discovery of Aivas nor, " he added, holding up his hand at the protests, "do I think we should. However..." He grinned." We can't just have anyone who wants to popping up here and monopolizing -this-"
"Facility," Piemur put in, his expression genuinely thoughtful." When word of Aivas gets about, there'll be any number of people who'll want to talk to Aivas just to say that they had, because they don't grasp its significance."
"For once I agree with you, Piemur," Lessa said. She looked around her. "I think there's enough in this room right now with a real need to talk to Aivas and the common sense and courtesy to know when to stop." She paused to cast a stern eye on Master Robinton, who grinned back amiably. "Certainly we are representative of the planet -Weyrleaders, Masters, and Lord Holders-so no one can say Aivas is being monopolized by one group. Or is that too many, Aivas?"
"No." For some reason this easy acceptance made the Masterharper grin. Aivas went on. "The authority may be expanded or contracted as may be deemed necessary. To recapitulate, it is permitted for you..." And all those in the room were named in pleasant baritone tones.
"And Jaxom," Piemur added quickly, since Jaxom had gone on Robinton's errand and someone needed to speak up for the third party to the original discovery of Aivas.
"And Lord Jaxom of Ruatha Hold," Aivas amended, "to command my services. Is that correct? Very good. The necessary voiceprints have been registered, including Lord Jaxom's, whose voice I registered earlier, and this facility will respond to no others, or in the presence of others, until further notice."
"As an added precaution," Master Robinton said, "to change that roster, there must be one of the Weyrleaders, one Master, and one Lord Holder present in this room." He glanced about to see if that precaution was acceptable.
Just then, Esselin bustled down the corridor to ask if there were any further orders for the night.
"Yes; Esselin, assign the most responsible and least curious of your men to guard the building's entrance. Only Lord Jaxom and those who accompany him are to be permitted to enter the building tonight."
By the time Esselin had assured F'lar of his total cooperation, a rather tense discussion had started between Fandarel and Larad as to which crafthalls should have precedence in learning from Aivas.
"If I may interject a suggestion," Aivas said loudly, startling them all, "it is a relatively simple matter to expand this facility to accommodate many requirements." When the silence lengthened, Aivas added in a milder, almost apologetic tone, "That is, if the contents of the Catherine Caves are still intact and undamaged?"
"Do you mean the caves at the southern side of the grid?" Piemur asked.
"Those would be the ones." To the bewilderment of the watchers, images of a variety of items appeared on the screen. "And these are the objects required to supply additional stations."
"Your beaded panels, Piemur," Jancis said, clutching at his sleeve with one hand and pointing excitedly with the other.
"You're right," Piemur said. "What are they, Aivas? We seem to have boxes and boxes of them, all different sorts."
"Those are computer cards." To the listeners, it sounded as if Aivas's measured tone betrayed a discreet excitement. "Were there also any of these objects?" And boxes were displayed with screens that were smaller replicas of the screen facing them, along with rectangles resembling what Aivas had identified as a touch panel.