"Todd McCaffrey - Pern 19 - Dragonsblood" - читать интересную книгу автора (McCaffrey Todd)

The Red Star’s return would bring the Thread that would try, once more, to
devour all life on Pern.

For the next fifty Turns, the dragons would rise to the skies, flame Thread
into lifeless char, or, failing, watch in horror as it burrowed into the rich
soil of Pern to destroy all organic material with mindless voracity.

“Telgar’s ready, K’lior,” D’gan declared. He turned back from the Star Stones
and the dawning light to gaze at the others, who were obscured by the sharp
shadows of the early morning light. His words were firmly emphasized by the
distant rumbling of his bronze, Kaloth. “My wings are at full strength and
I’ve two clutches on the Hatching Grounds—”
 One of the other Weyrleaders cleared his throat loudly, but D’gan’s fierce
glare could not pierce the shadows to identify the culprit.

“Yes, we were lucky,” he continued in answer to the unknown heckler, “but the
fact remains that Telgar will be wing heavy when Thread falls. And our holders
have tithed fully so we’ve no lack of equipment or firestone.”

K’lior shifted uneasily, for he had been frank in relaying his difficulties
in getting Fort’s full tithe. “But you don’t agree to pooling resources?” he
asked again.

He had called this meeting of the Weyrleaders to propose just that. As none
of them had ever fought Thread, K’lior felt that his notion of “fly together,
learn together” had merit, and would promote communication among the Weyrs. He
was shocked when D’vin of High Reaches had refused the invitation and was even
further shocked by D’gan’s attitude. Telgar’s Weyrleader was Igen-bred, after
all. K’lior had hoped that D’gan’s experience would have made him more
amenable to working together, not less.

D’gan favored the wiry Fort Weyrleader with a superior look. “If you’re still
wing light when Thread falls, K’lior, I’m sure I could spare some of my own.”

“I’ll bet they’re all bronzes,” a voice muttered dryly. It came from the
direction of the Benden and Istan Weyrleaders.

The implication that D’gan might want to reduce the competition for Telgar’s
next mating flight was obvious. Not that D’gan’s Kaloth had to flyall Telgar’s
queen dragons to remain Weyrleader—just the senior queen.

D’gan stiffened angrily at the remark, turned to K’lior, and said, “I’ve a
Weyr to attend, Fort. I must return.”

“Let me call someone to guide your way, D’gan,” K’lior offered pleasantly,
worried about slippery walkways under unfamiliar feet.

The offer annoyed D’gan, who snapped, “I can find my own dragon well enough,
Fort.”