"We don't?" T'lion exclaimed, his eyes widening. "But the harpers are forever saying that they've helped keep the language pure, just as it's always been spoken."

Alemi laughed. "Not according to Aivas. He had to make adjustments to allow for " Alemi hesitated briefly, trying to get the next words right, "lingual shifts. But let's not rub harper noses in the fact. I certainly want to keep on the good side of my sister, the Master Harper. I've only to mention her name and here she is! Good day to you, Master Menolly."

"Good day, Master Alemi brother. T'lion. Gadareth. How good you are to fly me so patiently,' Menolly said, putting her arms through the straps of the pack she carried. "D'you mind if we hurry on, Alemi? It's so hot in riding gear. And fish for me? Thank you, "Lemi. I'm being spoiled rotten. Camo?"

The big man came, carrying a chortling Robse pickaback.

"Here, dear, put these in the cooler, will you? What are you to do with the fish, Camo?" she said, tweaking his sleeve arm so that he looked right in her face.

"Fish?" Camo said, his expression blank as his mind tried hard to recall what she had just told him.

"Put the fish,' and she placed the creel firmly in his hand, "the fish in here into the cooler. Now, what are you to do with the fish?"

"Put in cooler.

"That's right,' and she turned him around and gave him a gentle push toward the door. "In the cooler now, Camo.

Then you take Robse to "Mina.

"Fish in cooler. Robse to "Mina,' Camo said under his breath and he could be heard repeating his instructions as he obeyed them, Robse's happy laughter as counterpoint to his litany.

"There, now, thanks again, "Lemi, and have a good day. Let's go, T'lion, before I sweat off my breakfast."

As they walked to the waiting bronze dragon, Menolly asked him what he and Alemi had been talking about so earnestly.

"Oh, this and that,' T'lion said in a noncommittal tone, unwilling to mention what Alemi had said about the "linguistic' shift and harpers.

"You've conveyed Alemi a time or two?" she asked casually.

"That's what I'm good at,' T'lion said and hopped across the last few paces to Gadareth. "You can still get up all right, Master Menolly?"

"Of course I can,' she said with a trilling laugh and proceeded to prove it. Though, in fact, it took an effort to hoist her gravid self into position between Gadareth's firm neck ridges. "Good thing you've a bronze. I'd never fit now on a blue or a brown.

Then, just before T'lion urged his bronze into the sky, she added ruefully, "And very soon I fear I shan't be able to fit on Gadareth. Guess I'll have to get that brother of mine to sail me around to Cove Hold."

"Or I could bring to you the people you need to see, T'lion offered, shouting over his shoulder at her.

"That, too, if push comes to shove, she yelled back and then the difficulty of speaking against the wind of flight kept them both silent.

T'lion was just as glad because he wasn't sure if he should mention all his visits with the dolphins to anyone. Not even Master Menolly who was so nice you never thought of her as one of the most important Masters on Pern.

One of the archivists that thronged Cove Hold these days was on the porch and hurried down to them when they arrived.

"Master Menolly, Master Robinton would like you to go up to Landing today. Aivas has had time to release more music,' and the journeywoman's eyes shone with eagerness. "I hear it's simply splendid."

"Oh, it must be the sonatas we've been after him to copy to us,' Menolly said, shifting herself a bit from the long ride. "Well, let's go, T'lion. I can see how Sharra's doing, too. She came south on the Dawn Sisters with me."

All the way up to Landing, T'lion wondered what he'd do if she started to have the baby while he was conveying her. His mother was always having babies in the night at which times he and his brothers were shoved out of the hold. He'd never be forgiven if anything happened to Master Menolly while she was in his care. He'd ask Mirrim.

That distracted him from the fact that he would have to forego his day's idling with the dolphins. Well, he was lucky to have as much free time as he did, he told himself sternly. And the kitchens up at Landing did produce much better food than he generally got at noontime at Cove Hold where everyone usually grabbed a meat roll or cold food and continued working.

Landing was really less fun than Cove Hold. Gadareth took himself up to the heights and sunbathed, or exchanged draconic comments with whoever else had arrived from the various Weyrs.

Gadareth told him that most of the dragonriders were in some sort of conference. There were Master Smiths, too, and half the Harper Hall, trying to construct a "printing press'.

When T'lion hopefully sidled into the kitch"n, he was immediately pounced on by the headwoman.

"Another pair of hands. T'lion. isn't it'? Yes, here, make yourself useful. Take this tray - and be careful not to spill it - to the large conference room. I've all that lot to make a nooning for and not enough hands to do it." She added several more sweet rolls to the tray and winked at him. "Something for you, too, lad."

T'lion hurried off before she also thought to order him to come back so he could help her more in the kitchen.

He managed to deliver the tray, remove his rolls and himself from the conference room before anyone questioned his presence.

Hearing voices and the tread of booted feet, he ducked into the small empty room next door so he could eat his rolls in peace.

"Yes? Identify?" said a deep voice.

Struggling not to choke on the generous bite he had just taken out of a sweet roll, T'lion looked guiltily about the room. There was no-one else in it and the door was still shut. He swallowed.

"Who's speaking?"

"Aivas. I did not realize there was a meeting scheduled here."

"Where are you?"

"Please address the screen,' T'lion was told.

"Huh?" But he turned toward the screen and saw the blinking red light in the lower right hand corner.

"Identify, please?"

"You can see me?"

"Identify! Please!'

"Oh, excuse me. I'm T'lion . "The rider of bronze Gadareth?"

T'lion gawped. "Yyyyyyess. How'd you know?"

"A listing of all current riders in the Weyrs, their names and the names and colors of their dragons has been input. You are welcome, T'lion. How may I help you?"

"Oh, I'm not supposed to be here. I mean, I didn't think anyone was in here and I needed a place " T'lion trailed off, shaking his head at his own words and stupidity. He was embarra.s.sed to be caught where he had no business being, and amazed to be known by someone (something?) everyone else in his Weyr respected so highly. He didn't know what to do and felt foolish, standing there with sweet rolls in his hand. "I certainly shouldn't take up your time, Aivas."

"You have nothing of interest to report? All input is valuable.

"You mean about the dolphins?" T'lion could think of nothing else he'd been doing that would be of interest to the Aivas. He didn't think that Master Alemi would have mentioned his efforts but he could have.

"You have been in contact with the dolphins? Your report would be appreciated."

"It would?"

"Yes, it would.

"Well, I haven't done much more than correct them when they use words wrong but Master Alemi told me that it's us who're using the wrong words." T'lion found himself grinning.

It was surely all right to tell Aivas that since Alemi had heard it from Aivas "Yes, that is true. Are the dolphins adapting to the correction?"

"Well, the ones I've been talking have been very quick to correct what they say,' T'lion said with a tinge of pride in his voice. " "Gave" instead of "gayve" and "we" instead of oo-we . They're using more words than they did when we first started talking."

"A fuller account is awaited.

"You really want to know? I haven't told anyone else,' T'lion began, still reluctant to admit to his pastime.

"All input is useful. No-one will be informed of your a.s.sociation if that is your wish but your account will provide further insight into the renewal of contact."

"In that case,' and T'lion settled himself on a chair and related, as concisely as he could since H'mar had always insisted on detailed reports. Aivas did not interrupt him but, when he had finished speaking, he was asked to repeat all the dolphin names he had been told.

Interesting that the names have been handed down.

What?"

The present dolphins seem to have shortened names from those given the original complement of tursiops tursio."

Really?"

Kib is a short form of Kibbe; Afo - possibly derived from Aphrodite, Alta from Atlanta, Dar from Dart. It is gratifying to see that they perpetuated many traditions. Please continue with your independent contact and report further discussions of any significance. Thank you, T'lion of Eastern Weyr, bronze Gadareth's rider." The light on the screen darkened and the pulse of the red corner light became much slower.

"Oh, you're welcome,' T'lion replied somewhat bemused by the interchange.

His stomach put in a strong rumble and he looked down at the sweet rolls he hadn't had a chance to eat. He mulled over the conversation with Aivas as he consumed them.

Menolly is looking for you, T'lion.

Licking his fingers clean, T'lion hurried down the hall and out the door to collect his pa.s.senger.

Master Idarolan did inform many members of his Craft of dolphin intelligence and his personal experience of it. He did not inform all his Craft since he knew some of the hide-bound ones, like Ya.n.u.s of Half Circle Sea Hold, would deny the fact of shipfish intelligence. The replies he got indicated that many of his Masters and journeymen had had experiences, or knew of them from reliable sources. Some mentioned relief at vindication of what they thought they had just imagined shipfish talking to them. Idarolan had supplied the report peal sequence, annotated by his Hall Harper, so that even the most non-musical could ring a proper summons. He recommended that requests for a.s.sistance be rendered in simple language: he suggested asking about local fish runs, weather, or depth reports in dangerous waters.

Perusing records kept of ship sin kings, most of them occurred either during storms or by sailing too close to suspected reefs, shoals and sandbanks. On some occasions the captains reported seeing dolphins veering suddenly to port or starboard.

Now it was obvious to Master Idarolan that the dolphins had been trying to urge the helmsman to change course. Invariably the presence of shipfish was reported when a ship was storm tossed. Not all gave credit to the saving of life by the shipfish but it was often implied that help had been received from an external agency: most seamen being honest in what they logged.

Two incidents had been faithfully reported of small vessels which had been caught in one of the Great Currents, being pushed vigorously out of the current by the efforts of shipfish.

Idarolan asked for, and received, an interview with Aivas to report his findings and to ask for additional advice on how to promote the a.s.sociation to the benefit of both parties.

He learned that pods were autonomous, following their chosen leader - usually an older female. Young males and old ones were apt to go off on their own for most of the year. He was also given a copy of the same instructions which Aivas had printed out for Alemi: the basic vocabulary of words that the dolphins had been trained to understand and the hand signals that were used underwater.

Both men were somewhat disappointed, though, to find that the news of intelligent shipfish was overshadowed by the growing industry aimed at a final battle with Thread. That was the top priority and everything else subject to that goal.

Even Idarolan, after his initial fierce interest, found little time to pursue a meaningful relationship with the dolphins. He did, however, keep available on deck a pail of the small fish which Aivas said the creatures preferred. Whenever the Dawn Sisters had an escort, he himself offered them the reward. He also ordered his helmsmen to watch the directions the dolphins were taking and to follow their lead to the fishing grounds. In that way his hauls improved and twice Dawn Sisters avoided unexpected reefs by following dolphin directions.

It was Kitrin who alerted Menolly to her brother's evening time occupation. When the sea winds began to cool the day, Menolly gave herself such exercise as her condition permitted.

Mostly she swam, delighted to have the weight of her unborn child buoyed by the sea. Aramina often joined her, with Aranya in tow. Readis needed careful observation for he was utterly at home in the water, or under it, and had a tendency to swim farther out than his mother liked. Menolly also used these evening swims as an opportunity to get to know her brother's wife better. She couldn't get Kitrin to join Aramina and herself in doing laps but at least the woman would sit in waist high water and benefit from the cooling circulation of water about her gravid body. Alemi had taught his older daughters how to swim and they were quite adept, though they obeyed their mother the instant she called them to stay closer to the beach. Camo would come, too, wading out to no more than knee depth and following the fearless toddling Robse about in the shallows.

Once Menolly had done what she considered sufficient laps, she joined Kitrin to dote over the antics of their children. On one evening, Menolly asked if they could inveigle Alemi to join them. She hadn't actually had as much of Alemi's company as she had hoped but certainly more than in previous Turns. They were very comfortable with each other in a way that would never have been possible at Half Circle Sea Hold.

Oh, he's off on some Craft project most evenings, Kitrin said with a dismissive wave of her hand and a grin for male enthusiasms. "I never interfere with Hall matters and whatever it is, he comes back well pleased from the time spent on it."

Menolly frowned, having explored most of the area in her daily walks, with and without her pupils. She couldn't remember seeing any evidences of a project. "Building a new skiff, is he?"

Now it was Kitrin's turn to frown in concentration. "I don't think so because I believe he sent an order to the crafters at Ista. About the one Hall that isn't overinvolved with Aivas commissions." She straightened abruptly, one hand going to her belly. "Oh, I do so hope this one's a boy. They say that if you've morning sickness, you're carrying a boy?" She c.o.c.ked her head at Menolly for confirmation.

Menolly shrugged, grinning in Robse's direction. He was having an argument with the little ripples that flowed in as he tried to dig something out of the sand at his feet. Imperiously he held up one hand to the next wave and shrieked with indignation when it, too, splashed him. Camo came bounding over to see if the toddler was in any danger.

"I'm not the one to ask. I didn't have morning sickness with Robse and certainly none with this one. What about Aramina?"

Kitrin sighed. "She never has problems."

"Don't fret, Kitrin,' Menolly said gently, laying a soothing hand on her forearm. Kitrin was a dainty person, with fine features, long black hair now braided and coiled about her well-shaped head. Her brown eyes were clouded with anxiety right now. "Alemi adores you and will continue to do so whether you ever give him a son or not." Then she wrinkled her face. "I remember that most Seahold women wanted daughters so they wouldn't have to face losing them to storms at sea.

"Oh?" Then Kitrin looked about, although they were alone in the water. Touching Menolly's arm to indicate a confidence, she leaned closer. "Have you heard that shipfish - Alemi insists on calling them doll fins now - are intelligent? And speak?"

"Yes, I have heard that rumor. From Readis,' and she smiled, "who told me in great detail the first day I held cla.s.s that he had been rescued by "mammls". Quite a harper tale it was, too."

Kitrin heaved another of her sighs. "Well, it was true. Alemi says so. He was even sent for by Aivas to come to Landing and give a report on the incident." She leaned ever closer. "I think that it's the doll fins he talks to in the evenings. If the wind is right I can hear a bell. He put in an order, I know, to the Smith Craft Hall for a big bell but, with all they're doing for Aivas and the Benden Weyrleaders, it'll be ages before they get around to casting it. So he got a small one from Master Robinton. I think he uses it to summon the doll fins. He's got it on the pier around on the headland so he won't upset Aramina, or let Readis know what he's doing."

Readis?" and Menolly's gaze went to the intrepid boy who was diving in and out of the water, in much the same way she had observed shipfish disporting themselves.

"Yes, well, she does not want Readis getting keen to talk to shipfish. Just see hov he's swimming right now. Readis!' she called, swim back into sh.o.r.e now. That's what I mean and what worries her. Why, he'd swim right out to sea to meet a dolphin. No fear on him."

Well, I can help distract him from that,' Menolly said. At his age, they don't have a long concentration span." Now she gave a sigh. "You have to keep one step ahead of them, with something new to do, a game or a challenge. Your girls are a great help with him, by the way. Such biddable children."

Kitrin sat a bit straighter, hearing praise of her Kitral, Nika and Kami, neatly diverted away from the previous topic.

Curious, Menolly took the next opportunity she had to follow the well-used lane through the trees and shrubs that flourished on the headland to the pier. The three fishing ships were at anchor on the quiet evening in the small bay on the eastern side of the Head, their skiffs tied to the rings on the pier. At first she didn't see Alemi, though she could hear voices some of them pitched at a very odd level and emitting some very odd sounds. She saw the splashings first, and realized that half a dozen shipfish heads were protruding from the water. And it was they which were making the odd sounds - squees and clicks and watery noises. Only when she had walked to the end of the pier, did she see her brother, below the pier deck, sitting cross-legged on a fragile raft that was nearly flooded by the vigorous wavelets splashed on it by the shipfish.

She nearly fell off the side of the pier when a shipfish suddenly jumped into the air, one black eye fixed on her before it fell back intQ the water, squeeing.

"Squeee! New game coming, Lemi?" it asked plainly.

Alemi's head appeared above the deck of the pier. "Menolly?"

"None other, brother,' she said at her drollest, peering down at his surprised face. "Is this a secret?" she asked, gesturing at the attentive faces, now turned in her direction.

"This is Menolly, my pod sister,' Alemi said to the dolphins.

Menolly suppressed a burst of laughter as he went on. "Menolly, starting on the portside, here are Kib, Afo, Mel, Temp, Biz and Rom. Jim and Mul are missing this evening."