Free All the Weyrs of Pern by Anne McCaffrey Page B

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, Toronas 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