"If it's dangerous, should we be doing it?" the Harper asked.
"Danger can be quite educational," Aivas replied. "It is unlikely, for instance, that Caselon will forget to tap his mix no matter how many glass inserts he blows from now on."
It was an hour before Robinton and Lytol, whom the Master harper had interested in the liquid-gas experiments, returned to their usual duties.
More and more of the dwellings at Landing became occupied. Many of the artifacts so long stored in the Catherine Caves had been put to use, though the custodians had decreed that samples of each be retained to exhibit in Master Esselin's Archive building. Abandoned Landing once again became a bustling community. Where the walks and small yards had been cleared, there were even signs of renewed grass and weed growth.
"Are we a bit mad to reestablish this settlement?" Lessa asked one evening when she and F'lar had taken an evening meal in the Aivas building with Jaxom, Robinton, D'ram, Lytol, Piemur, and Jancis. "Those volcanoes could erupt again."
"I did mention that to Aivas," Lytol said, "and he replied that he is naturally monitoring seismic activity. Some of the instruments which the settlers' vulcanist installed are still functioning. He also assured me that there is little activity in the chain."
"And that is a positive thing?" Lessa asked, still skeptical.
"So Aivas assured me," Lytol replied.
"I 'd hate to lose all we've rebuilt here," F'lar said.
"Unfortunately," Lytol commented, with an ironic half smile, "Aivas can't be moved."
"Then let's not worry about something that may not develop into a problem," Robinton said firmly. "We have sufficient immediate ones. Such as how we're going to handle Master Norist. As you know, he had threatened to disavow Master Morilton's Mastery and to disown all journeymen and apprentices who have produced glass according to the, ahem, spurious methods and techniques of Aivas."
"He calls Aivas 'the Abomination'!" Piemur said with a malicious chuckle. "Aivas said-"
"You didn't tell Aivas that?" Jancis was aghast at Piemur's tactlessness.
"He didn't mind. I got the feeling it amused him."
Master Robinton gave Piemur a long look. "Do you-any of you-ever get the feeling that Aivas is amused by us?"
"Sure," Piemur replied blithely. "He may be a machine and all that, and while I know a great deal more about machinery than I used to, certainly, he's a Master machine that interacts with humans, so he must have criteria by which he recognizes levity. He may not guffaw as some do at my jokes and anecdotes, but he certainly enjoys listening to them."
"Hmmm" was the Harper's noncommittal response. "About Norist... As the duly elected Mastercraftsman, guiding his Halls, he can be replaced only at a convocation of all Masters. Unfortunately, the Glass-smithcraft is not a large one, and most of the Crafthallmasters are as dogmatic as Norist. On the other hand, I won't sit by and see Master Morilton disavowed or harassed or humiliated because he has learned something Norist didn't teach him. He's certainly proved adept at the new skills."
"Norist has also been leaning heavily on poor old Wansor," Lytol said. "Fortunately, Wansor appears oblivious both to the criticism and the fact that he might suffer the same discipline as Morilton. In spite of Norist's declaration, Morilton has managed to recruit quite a few journeymen and apprentices who have felt restricted by Norist's rigid adherence to Recorded techniques."
"If Norist is leaning on Wansor, why don't we lean on him?" Jaxom asked.
"I will," Lytol replied with a ghost of a smile. "And I would be happy to. A man who will not see beyond his nose has no right to be Craftmaster!" His smile was replaced by censure.
"Hear! Hear!" the Harper cheered.
"I also heard that Norist is denying Morilton the use of the best sandpits," Lytol went on, frowning.
"That's no problem at all. We've sand aplenty on this coastline," Piemur responded.
"Dimwit. Beach sand isn't what's used for glass," Jaxom said with some disdain. "It's the pits at Igen and Ista that have fine stuff."
"And those are the ones that Norist has denied Morilton," Lytol explained.
"He hasn't denied Lord Jaxom of Ruatha Hold!"
"Nor D'ram," the aged bronze rider said as firmly as the young Lord Holder.
Even Lytol grinned at that solution to Norist's intransigence. "Microscopes require a very high quality glass, you know."
"In any case, I don't see that as a major difficulty," D'ram said, glancing over to Jaxom. "Ruth and Tiroth won't mind a little excursion, I'm sure." Jaxom nodded obligingly. "You take Ista, and I'll get some from Igen."
"There's nothing on the settlers' map to indicate closer deposits, to reduce transportation time?" F'lar asked.
Robinton held up one finger. "We'll ask." And he pecked out the query with considerable speed on the keyboard of the unit in the room.
Immediately a list of locations scrolled out, with the type of sand to be found at each. Those sands that could be used for medical glass were starred, but Aivas recommended in particular the sands found at Paradise River and in an inland sandpit near the site of old Cardiff.
D'ram said he would go to the Cardiff site, as he knew that Jaxom would prefer a chance to see Jayge and Aramina, who were holding at Paradise River.
"Hmmm," the Harper said, studying his screen. "Aivas reminds me that he wants more green and bronze riders for training,"
"Would he take a big brown or two?" F'lar asked. "I've several riders who've offered. Seems like Aivas is biased against the medium sizes."
"I asked him about that," D'ram said, "for I thought it odd that he'd want only the largest and the smallest. He says the operation requires them, but he won't elaborate beyond stating that he must have enough candidates to allow him to pick the most likely to succeed in the venture and to have sufficient trained backup personnel." D'ram shrugged at his inability to explain further.
"I wish," Lessa said, "that occasionally he would be specific. Then we would have something to tell those we must disappoint. I don't want any resentful dragonriders. Though, in general, I'd say that morale has improved in all the Weyrs. And," she added, making a face, "all the Weyrs want to participate."
"Aivas did remark that it was easier to teach the younger dragonriders," D'ram went on, "since there were fewer set mental patterns. Of course, there are naturally some few exceptions," he added smugly, rather pleased that he was one of them.
"Is that all right now?" Jaxom asked. "I'd better get back to Ruatha." His grin was abashed. "I'll bring in Paradise River sands tomorrow, but I'd better spend some time at home."
"In danger of being disowned?" Piemur asked with an impudent grin.
Jaxom disdained to reply, while Jancis elbowed the young journeyman harper in the ribs.
"Go on, then," F'lar said, with a bland sideways glance at Lessa.
"I'll just ask Aivas to print out the location of the sandpit," D'ram said, rising to leave with the young Lord Holder.
There was a slight frown on Lytol's face as the two left.
"Don't fret, Lytol," Lessa said reassuringly. "Sharra's got every right to be annoyed at the amount of time Jaxom's spending here."
"Especially when I'm sure she's dying to take the healer lessons," Jancis said. "But Piemur, have you noticed it, too? That whenever Jaxom misses a day, Aivas particularly asks why?"
"Hmm, yes, I had at that," Piemur replied, momentarily thoughtful. Then he assumed a careless pose. "But Aivas sure works Jaxom harder than any of the rest of us, bar Mirrim and S'len."