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〃I'll second that！〃 Jaxom replied fervently。
FORT HOLD RUNNER STATION…1。2。31
〃We've no word from Crom yet；〃 Torlo said the moment Haligon walked into the Runner Station。 Torlo had just finished dispatching the day's runners； laden with Crafthall messages； resulting from a very busy Turnover。 〃Hard frost makes a hard trace。〃
〃Weyr； Hold； and Hall are indebted to you； Torlo；〃 Haligon said courteously； wondering now why he had proffered services last night that he might not be able to secure。 Runners had unassailable ethics。
〃No more than our duty to trace letters；〃 the old man replied with a careless flick of his hand； 〃especially after all that dirty business at the Healer Hall。〃 Then he cast a shrewd look at his early morning guest。 〃Too early； too； for you to be looking for Tenna； bearing in mind you should know by now how long it takes her to make a run back。 You got to spend most of Turnover with her。〃
Haligon cleared his throat； not sure how to state his real business of the morning。
〃Oh？ Something else； is it？〃 Torlo； who was a perceptive man under a brusque manner； pointed to the corner of the empty hall of the Runner Station。 〃Fresh klah； Lord Haligon？〃
Maybe this should have been done more informally； but Torlo had called the tone by using his title。 Hiding his chagrin； Haligon accepted the hospitality and slid onto a settle seat at the end table while Torlo filled cups and brought a breadboard with some of the morning's bake on it。 Everyone would have known about the meeting in the Hold's private dining room。 That Batim had been questioned。 Certainly the fire…lizard traffic out of the Harper Hall last night would have been noticed。 The Runners had never objected…in so many words…to fire…lizards carrying messages。 They appreciated that speed could be a critical factor that had not； yet； interfered with their craft。 In the very early days； while clutches were still being found on the beaches of Boll； Ista； and Keroon； Runners had used fire…lizards； too。
The young Lord sipped the klah…it was always excellent here…and deliberated exactly how to approach Torlo。 He had several very good reasons for not antagonizing either the man or the Runners and for carrying out last night's request； not the least of which was his firm regard； although his brother called it an obsession； for Tenna。
〃The Abominator who led the vandals let drop some information；〃 he began； choosing his words carefully。
〃He's one of them？〃 Torlo's contempt was deep。 〃Same as who abused Master Robinton？〃
〃Similar but this time turning their spite on the Healer and Glass Halls。〃
〃Glass Halls； too？〃 Torlo's spiky brows shot up on his lined forehead； his deep…set eyes fast on Haligon's face。 He leaned forward slightly across the tables。 〃What about SmithCraftHalls？〃
Something in Torlo's manner suggested to Haligon that they would have been legitimate targets。 Haligon wondered why。
〃SmithCraftHalls set up tighter safeguards after the first raids on their Halls ten or more Turns ago；〃 he said。
〃Hmm。 Yes。 Recollect now。〃 Torlo rubbed his chin thoughtfully。 〃That Aivas guarded itself； didn't it？〃
〃A Hall shouldn't have to protect itself；〃 Haligon said。
〃True。〃
〃Especially Healers； the one Craft that's benefited most from the knowledge Aivas left behind。〃
〃Agreed。〃 Torlo motioned for Haligon to help himself to the sweet rolls on the board。 He broke a piece off himself； pushing the crumbs into his mouth。
Delaying； Haligon thought； so he continued。
〃Stationmaster； didn't Master Oldive remove that growth from Grolly's leg？ Couldn't have been able to do that before。 I believe Grolly's running again。 And the cataract film from Tuvor's eyes？ He's got clear sight now。 I heard they can keep guts from popping out of a man's belly。 And they're not niggardly with their help。 Didn't they show Beastmaster Frawly how to reduce the wobbles in that fine colt？〃
〃Aye？ So what're you driving at； Lord Haligon？〃
〃Some are spreading evil untruths about the Healers； with vile pamphlets。。。〃
〃Runners burn the ones they're given。〃
〃They've seen some？〃 Haligon was jolted so badly he spilled klah on his hand。
〃Runners won't spread filth like that。〃
〃But where？ When？ Does it happen often？〃 So Crivellan was right to fret over the matter。
Torlo gave him a long stare。 〃Runner business。 We take care of it。〃
〃But where？ We must stop it。 Do Runners know where it es from？〃
Torlo shrugged。 〃Runners stop it going further。〃
〃Yes； but not all of it；〃 Haligon said； being more agitated。 〃The vandals had a particularly grisly copy。 Master Crivellan was distraught。〃
〃He's not the only one。〃
Haligon stiffened at the satiric tone of Torlo's voice。 〃What quarrel do Runners have with the Healer Hall？〃 he asked in a low voice though there was no one else in the dining room just then。
〃None。〃 Torlo was surprised by Haligon's query。
〃With whom then？〃
Torlo paused； then a slight grin lifted the corner of his mouth and his eyes met Haligon's squarely。 〃You're not what you seem； Lord Haligon。〃
〃Runners are as essential to us all as Healers； Stationmaster。 What's the problem？〃
Torlo considered that and then； making his decision； leaned forward。
〃We've no objection to Healer Hall improvements： they benefit all。 When 'improvements' threaten an entire Craft； now that's a different track altogether。〃
〃Who would threaten Runners？ Weyrwoman Lessa said last night that Runners would always be needed。〃
Torlo gave an ironic bark。 〃Did she？ And who'll be needing the dragons if the truth is told about the Red Star？〃
Haligon reassembled his thoughts。 He'd never thought to step among so many verbal snakes。
〃Red Star？ You don't believe the Red Star was moved？ But surely you saw it happen； here in the North？〃
〃Saw the light in the sky； but what did that mean to someone ground…tied？〃
Haligon tried another tack。
〃All right； usually a Pass is fifty years。 This time Aivas definitely said it would be less。 We know from our own Records that that has happened several times before。 So there're sixteen more Turns to go till the end of this Pass。 If it ends in sixteen Turns； then grant that Aivas knew more than we ever could： that when he gave a definite answer； it'll be proved truth。 He said the dragonriders acplished what he set them out to do…alter the Red Star's orbit so it can never e close enough to Pern to drop Thread on us again。〃
Haligon was rather surprised by his own intensity。 He'd only been on the fringes of the massive effort that had occupied the planet for nearly five Turns。 But； in his own heart； he'd believed in Aivas's solution to Pern's cyclical problem。 He'd wanted…needed…to believe in it。
〃I may live another sixteen Turns to the end of this Pass；〃 Torlo replied。 〃So will you； but it'll take another two hundred to be sure that Aivas was right。〃
〃The point is； Stationmaster； there are so many smaller miracles available to us right now to give Aivas credibility。〃
Torlo's cynical smile was lopsided。 〃Like making dragons…and Runners…unnecessary？ If dragons won't be needed against T