There was more color in Master Oldive's cheeks as he made inroads on his generous serving. Benelek ate with single-minded intensity, his eyes focused on some obscure distance, and occasionally he nodded his head as if approving his ruminations. Jaxom decided he hadn't the energy for thinking right then. He would think again the next morning. Sharra would understand. He hoped Brand would, since he would once again have to leave the Steward to cope with the details of running Ruatha Hold. Brand never seemed to mind. On the other hand, Lytol might, but surely Master Robinton would explain the importance of Aivas to Jaxom's old guardian.
"I must send a message to that young journeyman of Wansor's," Oldive told Lessa, his enthusiasm vivid on his long face. "I must have an apparatus similar to the one that was found in Benden Weyr. It will magnify blood and tissue so that we can identify disease and infection." He reached for the neat pile Jancis had made of his papers and started leafing through them. "Aivas states that the use of a microscope is essential to improve medical diagnosis and even treatment. He has given me the details of how to run other necessary diagnostic tests."
"A microscope?" Lessa asked indulgently. She thought highly of the Masterhealer, who had recently sent her a woman possessed of a miraculous talent for repairing even the most damaged wings or hideous Thread scores.
"That's the word." Oldive put a hand to his forehead. "Aivas crammed so much into my poor head today that I wonder I can remember my name."
"It's Oldive," Piemur said, putting on an innocently helpful expression. He rolled his eyes at the quelling glance Lessa threw him. Jancis poked him in the ribs, and he subsided meekly enough.
When they had finished their meal, Jaxom presented himself ready to convey Master Oldive back to the Harper Hall.
"Ah, no, Jaxom, I would like to go directly to Ruatha. I have advice for Sharra." There was a radiant smile of erect satisfaction on the healer's face.
"Aivas knows a cure?" Jaxom asked.
Master Oldive nodded toward his stack. "Cure? Perhaps. Certainly several avenues of investigation that may provide relief." Then he sighed. "There was so very much medical acumen lost over the centuries. He didn't say so, of course, but Aivas was clearly taken aback by our lack of remedial surgery. He was, however, most commendatory about our preventive measures and non-surgical techniques. Ah..." He made a weary gesture with one hand. "I could go on and on." He smiled with self-deprecation. "With whom should I arrange additional time with Aivas? There are both Masters and journeymen who would benefit immensely by consultations with him."
Lessa looked up to see a weary-looking F'lar standing in the doorway. He shrugged.
"I hadn't thought about apportioning Aivas's time," the Weyrleader said.
"As soon as we manage to set up these individual stations," Piemur said, "there'll be four more links to Aivas."
"The Healer Hall should have priority," Lessa added with a frown, scrubbing at her face in fatigue.
"Those are to be teaching consoles," Benelek said, scowling.
"For us, maybe," Piemur said. "But if they access Aivas, then they can be used for other purposes. At least that's what I figure."
"You're a harper, not a journeyman mechanic."
"I'm a Mastersmith," Jancis put in, her tone edged, "and let me remind you that Piemur got his unit up and running before either of us did."
"Enough!" Lessa brought her hand down on the table with a slap of authority. "We're all tired." She rose abruptly. "Ramoth!" Outside, the golden queen dragon bugled a response. "You're all to leave this building now!" She leveled a stern look first at Benelek and then the others. "Including us." Her gaze settled on F'lar, who grinned and held up both hands as if to fend her off. "The two buildings to the left of this one have been set up as dormitories. Go!" She shooed them off with her hands, then glared at them until they started to move.
Master Oldive chuckled softly as he accompanied Jaxom out of the building. "Not that I think I will sleep tonight at all with so much to absorb and review. Why, Jaxom, even what I learned today is only the veriest crumb of the medical knowledge which Aivas had stored! He clarified my understanding of several perplexing conditions. I must have Master Ampris, our herbalist, bring him our pharmacopoeia." A weary smile lit Master Oldive's face. "He said we have made very good use of indigenous plants, and he recognized many as those brought by our ancestors from Earth. Earth!" And Oldive looked up at the star-spangled sky, turning his twisted body to scan the dark heavens above them. "Do we know where Earth is in relation to Pern?"
"I don't think so," Jaxom replied in mild surprise. "I don't remember that Aivas gave the direction. Maybe he didn't want to. Our ancestors came here to escape a war, a conflict of such scope and dimensions, waged against an evil far more destructive than Thread, that they wanted to forget Earth."
"Really? Could anything be more destructive than Thread?" The healer was both astonished and appalled.
"I find it hard to believe, too," Jaxom agreed.
Ruth glided in from his sunning spot to the cleared area in front of the Aivas building. He ducked his head to receive his weyrmate's affectionate slap.
"You must have baked yourself," Jaxom said, shaking his hand as if to cool it.
Yes. It was good. Ramoth and Mnementh are waiting for us to leave this space, Ruth said. There's really enough room, but you know Ramoth. She likes to boss me.
Jaxom chuckled as he mounted, aware that fatigue was making him clumsy. With no prompting needed, the white dragon crouched down to accommodate Master Oldive.
Hauling the healer up only emphasized Jaxom's weariness. But they would be home soon. Inwardly he groaned: They would have to make yet another run later, to take Oldive back to his Hall.
Sharra will make him stay the night. He'll want to talk, so she won't let him go, Ruth said.
As Ruth rose from the ground, Jaxom and Oldive were able to appreciate just how busy Landing had become. Paths lit by glowbaskets spread like the spokes of a wheel radiating out from the Aivas building. Carpenters and joiners were working by glowlight to finish roofing the substantial annex. All of the housing immediately adjacent was lit, and the warm evening air was redolent with the aromas of roasting meats. On the mounds beyond, large, vivid, blue-faceted dragon eyes punctuated the darkness like immense jewels on a deep blue background. Two rose and glided beneath Ruth as he continued to rise.
All right, Ruth, let's go home to Ruatha. Jaxom gratefully focused his thoughts on the Hold, the big courtyard in front of the wide steps, and the smaller court that had been their quarters during their youth. The cold of between held a wicked bite on tired minds and bodies. It did not help to emerge into the weak afternoon sunlight and the chill of winter. Jaxom could feel Oldive shivering behind him. But Ruth had emerged only a few wing strokes above the Hold and glided effortlessly into the main courtyard, the Hold's fair of fire-lizards wheeling in raptures at his return.
Sharra, a thick furry cloak thrown over her shoulders, came running down the steps to them, effusive in her welcome, helping Master Oldive dismount, securing his satchel as it swung off his shoulder, smiling her delight up at Jaxom, and with her free hand giving Ruth an affectionate slap. Though she asked nothing, Jaxom knew his wife well enough to know that she was bursting with questions. He threw one arm across her shoulders and kissed her cheek; her smooth skin and the scent of her revived him as he guided Oldive up the steps and into the warmth of the Hold.
I'm going inside immediately, Ruth told his rider, or I'll lose all the benefit of my sunning. And he took himself off to his weyr in the old kitchen where, Jaxom knew, a fire would be waiting in the hearth.