"Pardon me," Robinton said, and soothed Zair to silence. Then he explained to Lytol his theory that fire-lizards shared a vast pool of common knowledge which would explain their fear of-he cleared his throat and pointed east to spare them all his bronze's antics. Fire-lizards were able to communicate strong emotions as evidenced by Brekke's call to Canth that fateful night. They had had this fright about the queen's egg and all had been in a high state of turmoil until the egg had Hatched properly. They seemed to remember seeing it near a black nothingness, and they seemed to remember being flamed. Jaxom had told him on several occasions that the fire-lizards regaled Ruth with incredible things they said they'd remembered seeing. If this curious talent of theirs was not the sun-dreams of silly creatures-he had to placate an outraged Zair-then here was a case in which it could be proved, with Ruth's cooperation. D'ram had apparently gone off on his own, to a time when Ramoth could not reach the mind of his dragon. It was upsetting Ramoth and Lessa, who were worried that D'ram might be in physical distress. Despite his resignation as Weyrleader, Pern still had a need of and a place for D'ram and certainly did not wish to lose contact with him.
"Now," Robinton went on, "there have been occasions in recent Turns…" He cleared his throat, glanced toward F'lar for permission and received the nod. "…occasions when I have ventured South. On one such instance, Menolly and I were blown off course, far to the east where we came to rest in a beautiful cove, white-sanded, with red fruit trees abounding; the waters of the cove teemed with yellowtail and white fingerfish. The sun was warm and the waters of a stream just inland was sweet as wine." He looked into his cup wistfully. With a laugh, Jaxom refilled it. "I told D'ram of it, I've forgotten why now. I'm reasonably certain I described it well enough for a dragon of Tiroth's abilities to find his way there."
"D'ram would not wish to cause complications here," Lytol said slowly. "He'd have gone to a time when the Oldtimers were not in the South. A jump back of ten-twelve Turns wouldn't overtax Tiroth."
"A point, Robinton, that might complicate matters," F'lar said. "If these creatures can remember significant events that happened to their predecessors"-and F'lar was patently skeptical-"then none of the fire-lizards here could possibly have any recollections for our purpose. No ancestors from the area." He indicated Zair. "He's from that clutch Menolly brought up from below Half-Circle Sea Hold, isn't he?"
"Fire-lizards from all over converge on Ruth," Robinton said, looking to the young Lord for corroboration.
"F'lar has made a good point," Jaxom said.
"Not if you go to that cove, Jaxom. I'm sure the fatal fascination fire-lizards all have for Ruth will operate even there."
"You want me to go to the Southern Continent?"
Robinton noted the incredulity and sudden start of intense interest in Jaxom's eyes. So, the boy had discovered that flying a fire-breathing dragon was not enough to keep him content with his life.
"I don't want anyone to go South," F'lar replied, "since that… is a breach of our agreement, but I can't see any other way of locating D'ram."
"The cove is a long way from the Southern Weyr," Robinton said gently, "and we know the Oldtimers don't venture far from it."
"They ventured far enough from it a little while ago, didn't they?" F'lar asked with considerable heat in his voice and an angry shine in his amber eyes.
Wearily Robinton saw that the breach between Harper Hall and Benden Weyr was only thinly healed.
"Lord Lytol," the Benden Weyrleader continued, "I am remiss. May we have your permission to recruit Jaxom to this search?"
Lytol shook his head and gestured toward Jaxom. "It is entirely up to Lord Jaxom."
Robinton could see F'lar digesting the implications of that referral, and he gave Jaxom a long keen look. Then he smiled. "And your answer. Lord Jaxom?"
With commendable poise, Robinton thought, the young man inclined his head. "I'm flattered to be asked to assist, Weyrleader."
"You don't happen to have any maps of the Southern Continent in this Hold, do you?" asked F'lar.
"As a matter of fact, I do." Then Jaxom added a hasty explanation. "Fandarel gave us several sessions of chartmaking at his Hall."
The charts were, however, incomplete. F'lar recognized them as copies of F'nor's original explorations of the Southern Continent when the Benden wingsecond had taken Ramoth's first clutch back ten Turns to mature before Thread would fall again-an undertaking marked by partial success.
"I have more comprehensive maps of the coastline," Robinton said casually and scribbled a note to Menolly which he attached to the clasp on Zair's collar. He sent the little bronze back to the Harper Hold with an entreaty not to forget his errand.
"And he'll bring the charts back directly?" F'lar asked, skeptical and somewhat contemptuous. "Brekke and F'nor keep trying to convince me of their usefulness, too."
"I suspect with something as important as the charts, Menolly will wheedle the watchdragon into bringing her." Robinton sighed, wishing he'd thought to insist she return the charts by fire-lizard. No opportunity should be wasted.
"How much timing it have you done, Jaxom?" F'lar asked suddenly.
A flush suffused Jaxom's face. With a start, Robinton saw the thin line of scar white against the reddened cheek. Luckily that side of Jaxom's face was turned away from the Weyrleader.
"Well, sir…"
"Come, lad, I don't know any young dragonrider who hasn't used the trick to be on time. What I want to establish is how accurate Ruth's time sense is. Some dragons don't have any at all."
"Ruth always knows when he is," Jaxom replied with quick pride. "I'd say he has the best time memory on Pern."
F'lar considered that for a long moment. "Have you ever tried any long jumps?"
Jaxom nodded slowly, his eyes flicking to Lytol whose face remained impassive.
"No wavering of the leap? No unduly long stay between?"
"No, sir. It's easy to be accurate anyhow if you jump at night."
"I'm not sure I follow that reasoning."
"Those star equations that Wansor worked out. I think you were at that session in the Smithcrafthall…" The young man's voice trailed off uncertainly until F'lar caught his drift and looked his surprise. "If you work out the position of the dominant stars in the skies, you can position yourself most accurately."
"If you jump at night," the Masterharper added, never having thought to put that use to Wansor's equations.
"Never occurred to me to do that," F'lar said.
"There is a precedent," Robinton remarked, grinning, "in your own Weyr, F'lar."
"Lessa used the stars from the tapestry to go back for the Oldtimers, didn't she?" Jaxom had clearly forgotten that, and also, to judge by the sudden comic dismay on his face, forgotten that his reference to the Oldtimers was not adroit.
"We can't ignore them, can we?" the Weyrleader said with more tolerance than Robinton had anticipated. "Well, they exist and can't be ignored. To the present problem, Robinton. How long is it likely to take your fire-lizard?"
Just outside the Hold window a multivoiced squabbling arose, so obviously that of fire-lizards that they all hurried to the window.
"Menolly did it," Robinton said in an undertone to Jaxom. "They're here, F'lar."
"Who? Menolly with the watchdragon?"
"No, sir," Jaxom said, his voice triumphant, "Zair, and Menolly's queen and her three bronzes. They've all got charts strapped to their backs."
Zair flew in, cluttering in a combination of anger concern and confusion. Menolly's four followed. The little queen. Beauty, started scolding all of them as she circled about the room. Robinton easily lured Zair to his arm. But Beauty kept her bronzes in circulation, out of reach, while F'lar, grinning sardonically, and Lytol, expressionless, watched the attempts of Robinton and Jaxom to land the other four fire-lizards.