F'lar stood up to take charge, though everyone could see that Master Robinton would have been happy to officiate. There were those who thought the Harper had not looked so animated and vigorous in many a Turn, and assumed that the rumors of his decline must have been vastly exaggerated. Note was also taken that the Weyrleaders looked less haggard, almost cheerful-even optimistic.
"I believe you've all been introduced to Aivas," F'lar began.
Lord Corman of Igen snorted."Introduced? To a talking wall?"
"It is much more than a talking wall," Robinton said tartly, glaring at Corman, who rolled his eyes at the Harper's unexpected vehemence and nudged Lord Bargen of High Reaches Hold beside him.
"Considerably more than just a wall," F'lar said. "Aivas is an intelligent entity, constructed by our ancestors who first settled this planet. It contains the information which our ancestors needed and used. Valuable knowledge which can teach us how to improve Hold, Hall, and Weyr." He took a deep breath. "And destroy Thread completely."
"That I'll believe when I see it," Corman replied with a disbelieving snort.
"I promised you that, Lord Corman, at the beginning of this Pass, and now I can fulfill that promise!"
"With a wall's help?"
"Yes, with this wall's help," Robinton replied, his voice intense with conviction as he glared angrily at the Holder.
"You wouldn't be so skeptical if you'd been here yesterday and heard Aivas!" Larad said, jumping to his feet, his tone trembling with controlled anger. Corman recoiled in surprise.
"With all due respect, F'lar, Robinton, Larad," Warbret said appeasingly, "we've been called down here so frequently to see useless hulks, empty buildings, and caves bulging with shards and artifacts that I personally didn't think anything could be that urgent this time. I do find it very odd in you, Weyrleader, to be taken in by talking walls spouting archaic legends."
Robinton rose up out of his seat, bellowing such a protest that Warbret regarded him with amazement. "Gullible? Warbret, I, Robinton of Cove Hold, may be old but I cannot be considered gullible..."
"Nor I," Fandarel added, also on his feet and looming over the incredulous Holders. "This is not a wall, Lord Corman." The scorn in the usually equable Mastersmith's manner made everyone stare at him. "This machine, this Aivas, was so efficiently and beautifully crafted by our ancestors that it has survived centuries and still functions. That is more than the best any present crafthall can do!" He jerked his big head to emphasize his respect. "Make no further insult on our intelligence or integrity, Lord Corman. You may not choose to believe in Aivas but most assuredly, I"-and he thumped his chest with his massive thumb– "Fandarel, Mastercraftsman, do!"
Corman subsided in bewilderment.
"So why have you called this session, then?" Warbret asked.
"Out of courtesy. So you'd all be made aware of the importance of this find as soon as possible," Lessa snapped. "I'm not letting the Weyrs open to any charge of duplicity or hiding away valuable artifacts."
"My dear Weyrwoman," Warbret began placatingly.
"Well, maybe not you, Warbret," Lord Groghe intervened, "but I could name some..." He left his words hanging. "You weren't here, so you didn't listen, as I did, and I'm no more gullible than Robinton, F'lar, or Fandarel. But if this Aivas thing really can rid us of Thread, I'm all for giving it every assistance."
"If it can do that," Corman challenged, "then why didn't it do it for our ancestors?"
"Yes, why didn't it?" Toronas of Benden asked.
"Because two erupting volcanoes altered their plans," F'lar replied with great patience. "Landing-which is what our ancestors called this place-had to be evacuated. No one returned from the North to find out what Aivas might have learned."
"Oh." With that, Tbronas subsided.
"I didn't mean offense, F'lar," Warbret said reasonably. "I just think you're all jumping to conclusions on very flimsy evidence that this Aivas apparatus can do the half of what you think it can."
"Aivas has already proved to me," Fandarel said, his rumbling voice overpowering the others, "that it can restore information that has been lost to my Craft over the last millennium: information that will improve not just my Craft but conditions throughout Pern. You know very well, Lord Warbret, that the depredations of time have rendered many Records illegible. And that many of the conveniences which were our heritage from our ancestors have begun to fail. Further, Aivas has given me plans for a far more efficient power system. One so efficient," the Mastersmith added, pointing a thick forefinger at the Igen Lord Holder, "that your Hold could be kept cool even at high noon at the height of the summer by the current of your river."
"Really? I can't say I'd mind that," Corman admitted, but his skepticism remained. "And just supposing," he added in a sly voice, glancing sideways at F'lar, "this Aivas does help you get rid of Thread, what will dragonriders do for occupation?"
"We'll worry about that when we have destroyed Thread."
"So you have some doubts yourself, Weyrleader?" Corman asked quickly.
"I said when, Lord Corman," F'lar said in a grating tone. "Are you arguing with our eagerness to dispense with accepting your tithes?" The Weyrleader's expression was sardonic.
"No, I mean, we've willingly tithed this Fall..." Corman floundered briefly and threw up his hands, recalling the time when he had not willingly supported Benden Weyr.
"And just how will this talking wall of yours destroy Thread, Weyrleader?" Masterglass-smith Norist demanded, his cheeks red with more than the broken capillaries from facing his hearths. "By blowing up the Red Star?"
Larad leaned across the table toward Norist, his eyes narrowed in anger. "Does it matter how it is achieved if it is, Master Norist, so long as there is never another Pass?"
"May I live to see that day," Corman said in a facetious tone.
"I intend to." F'lar's voice and expression were steely with determination. "Now, if we have settled the question as to why at least the dragonriders feel Aivas is important..."
"Dragonriders are not the only ones, F'lar," Fandarel said, bringing his heavy fist firmly down on the table, rattling everything on it.
"Nor Mastercraftsmen," Lord Asgenar added staunchly.
"I, too," Groghe said when Corman snorted. "Sometimes you can be sharding hard to convince, Corman. You'll change your mind when you've heard Aivas. You're not that much of a fool."
"Enough!" F'lar took charge again. "The purpose of this meeting is to apprise you of the discovery of Aivas and its inescapable value to Pern as a whole. Which we have done to those of you who bothered to come. Further, I trust you other Weyrleaders" -F'lar scanned the seven present. "-will join Benden in making full use of the Aivas."
"Now listen here, F'lar. You can't arbitrarily decide something that's going to effect Hold, Hall, and Weyr until everyone's had a chance to see for themselves," Corman began, glancing at Warbret and Bargen to support him. "I think this ought to be taken up at the Holders' quarterly meeting-which isn't that far off now."
"Holders may decide for themselves," F'lar said.
"And Craftmasters," Norist put in, his expression forbidding. His glare rested longest on Fandarel.
"Decisions on who uses the Aivas ought not to be delayed," F'lar said.
"C'mon, F'lar," Groghe said. "You haven't waited on anything. Scrambling about caves in the dark, hauling in apprentices and journeymen from all over the continent to resurrect bits and bobs of strange gear." He held up a hand when he saw F'lar's concerned expression. "Not that I, personally, don't agree with you, Weyrleader. Deciding anything at the Holders' Quarterlies can try the patience of a dragon. However, I did see and hear Aivas." He turned slightly in his seat toward the other Lord Holders. "The device is amazing, and I am convinced of its value!"