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ore for the medical information he had left。 She had been able to repair the tendon in Fossil's hand…something she could not have done five Turns earlier…and to stitch shut the jagged wound。 She could honestly tell him that he would have the use of his hand and be as skillful as ever in two months' time。
A light caught her eye。 To the east！ Startled； because it was automatic to be fearful of anything ing from the east； she saw shooting stars； long straight slashes in the dark sky。 She stopped in her tracks。 These were not like the Ghosts of Turnover； for all they'd been bright this year。 Ghosts lasted a second or two。 These were visibly longer； almost ribbons in the night sky。 One bright spot seemed to linger； then exploded。
She blinked。 This could not be the result of fatigue after a delicate surgery。 Certainly not Thread！ She told herself firmly。 Thread isn't due to fall anywhere tomorrow； and Thread came down silver…gray； like rain； in daylight； not like a streak of fire at midnight。
She didn't realize she was running until she was halfway up Ruatha's broad causeway and could hear the fretful whine of the watchwher。
〃Mickulin！〃 she called； remembering from the duty roster who was on guard that night。
〃I'm not seeing things； am I； Lady Sharra？〃 Mickulin's hoarse whisper sounded scared as he leaned over the top of the smaller tower。
〃If you're seeing long white streamers； you're seeing the same thing I am！〃 She raced up the stairs。 〃I'm calling Jaxom。 Go rouse Brand。 But it's not Thread； Mickulin； and it's not Turnover Ghosts either。〃 Ruth！ Ruth！ Wake up。 She felt the very reassuring presence of the white dragon…a sleepy one…in her mind。 Wake Jaxom。 Tell him to bring his binoculars。 There's something he must see。 Hurry！ And it's cold。
Mickulin rushed past her to open the great Hold door just wide enough to slip through it on his way to wake Steward Brand。 Sharra stood with her back to the door； facing east； hoping that this amazing display would continue long enough for Jaxom to see it。
There！ Another long streamer； shading to a yellow tinge in the trail…the Ghosts never had colors…and another！ A long drop and then nothing。
〃What's the matter？〃 Jaxom hauled the door open； the sound echoed by the opening of a second door in the lower； inner courtyard as Ruth poked his head out of his quarters in the old kitchen。 The white dragon's eyes began to whirl as he stared at the splashings in the sky。 〃Shards！〃 his rider cried； and lifted his binoculars to focus on the display。 〃What are they？ What are they？〃
〃That isn't Thread；〃 Jaxom said decisively； 〃and they're too bright for Ghosts…besides which； according to Wansor and Erragon； that etary shower is long past us。 And they seem to be ing from one place in the sky。 I think。 Hard to focus。〃 He propped himself against the door frame and held his breath。 〃A little better。 Here！ Brace yourself before you look！〃 He handed the binoculars to her。
It took her a moment to alter the focus of double…eye； they were a relatively new acquisition； an instrument that Jancis had recently developed。
〃Oh； they are beautiful！ And they are radiating from one spot。〃 She said the last in a fearful tone。
Jaxom pulled her toward him； moving oddly from one foot to another until she saw his feet were bare。 〃I said it was cold！〃 she exclaimed。 〃If you're not going to look； I will；〃 he said； taking the binoculars she had lowered from her face。 〃Oh； Wansor and Erragon are going to want to know about this。 How many sparks did you see？〃
〃I wasn't counting；〃 she said tersely。 She undid her scarf and put it down。 〃Stand on this。 I'm not nursing you again。〃
Without looking down； Jaxom stepped onto the scarf。 〃Eight； nine； ten。〃 He counted off another five rapidly； swinging round as he followed the path of whatever was burning so bright。 〃Possibly just another etary tail。〃
〃Has Thread ever fallen at night？〃 Sharra asked in a whisper。
Jaxom shrugged。 〃Too bad there's no way I can reach Tippel at Crom。 He's nearly as dedicated a sky…watcher as Master Idarolan； and he's got binoculars； too。 Maybe he did see it。〃 Jaxom took another long look。 〃Think I'd better have Ruth bespeak D'ram's Tiroth。 Cove Hold should be informed。 It's early morning dawn there。〃
He was talking to Ruth when the door behind them opened and Brand came out。 The steward saw the long streaks in the sky and stood as transfixed by the sight as everyone else。 〃How beautiful！〃 he said。
〃Is； isn't it？〃 Mickulin said； looking up as five separate glowing spikes flared out at once。 With a jaunty set to his shoulders； he moved past the three in the doorway and returned to his post。
〃Yes； it is；〃 Sharra agreed； by now overing her initial concern。 She eased against Jaxom； who tightened his affectionate hold as he offered the binoculars to Brand。
〃Did you note the time； Brand？〃
〃In passing； Jaxom；〃 the steward said； his attention on the sky。 〃Whatever it is。。。 〃
〃Meteors； I suspect； if I remember my astronomy lessons from Aivas；〃 Jaxom said。
〃They seem to be flying from east to west but…〃 Brand swiveled to follow another shower。 〃…are they likely to strike the ground？〃
〃Probably burn up in the atmosphere；〃 Jaxom said； almost regretfully。
Pretty； Ruth said from the courtyard。 I have told Tiroth。 He will tell D'ram； who is running around and very excited。
〃Could be this is more widespread than it would seem；〃 Jaxom said。 〃Brand； keep an eye on it； will you？ I think I'll get dressed。〃
〃You can't have been undressed；〃 Sharra said somewhat caustically； because she could see his legs encased in the same trousers that he had worn all day。
〃Not pletely。〃 He flicked his tunic away so she could see his bare chest。 〃I was waiting for you to get back。 Were you able to repair Fossil's hand？〃
〃Thanks to Aivas； I was。〃
〃I may go on to Landing； love；〃 Jaxom said； 〃but you'd better get some sleep。〃
〃And you can do without？〃 she asked reproachfully as he guided her into the main Hall。
〃You know me。 I'll rest when I find out what this is all about。 If D'ram is running around at Cove Hold； then what we're seeing is more than pretty shooting stars。〃
TELGAR WEYR…LOCAL TIME 4：04 IN THE MORNING…1。9。31
H'nor and old brown Ranneth were on night duty on Telgar's Rim when the rider saw the tiny sparkles of light low on the horizon in the southeast。 He blinked and turned away。 Couldn't be the Red Star； he knew too well how that looked。 Besides which； it couldn't be in the east： it had been nor…nor…west when it had been skewed out of its old orbit。 It wouldn't be in a position to drop sharding Thread on Pern ever again。 No way that sharding thing could bounce back east。
He took up the binoculars…now required watchrider equipment…and focused carefully on the sparkles。 They were like a shower； could they be ing from one place before disappearing？ That wasn't what the Turn's End Ghosts looked like： they were pale and strung out across the sky。 Furthermore； the Ghosts were much farther north； nearer the ice regions。 He had an uneasy feeling。
H'nor rose from his fortable position on the upper arm of his brown Ranneth；