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y signaled Tai to join him。
〃Tsunami？〃 Mirrim echoed in a surprise tinged with denial； fear； and resentment。 She lifted her hand to stop Tai but F'lessan scowled at her as he waved the green rider to his side。
〃I thought tsunami occurred with sea or earthquakes；〃 T'gellan said； stunned。
〃Tsunami can also occur when something very hot and heavy falls out of the sky；〃 Erragon said in the tone of someone who wishes he did not have to announce such news。 〃And a et just did！〃 He pointed to the grim Impactor Summary figures。
F'lessan shook his head； unable to deal with such incredible quantities as a mass of 17 million tons and a derived impact energy of 29。7 exajoules。 Now that was a typically esoteric Aivas word。 He was almost relieved to see Erragon and Stinar were also struggling to put such terms into Pernese contexts。
〃What does all that mean？〃 Mirrim asked； her tanned skin pale。 In all the Turns he had known her； F'lessan had never seen this confident woman so scared。
Erragon swiveled on his heel； giving her such a piercing look that she recoiled slightly against T'gellan。 He gave his head a final shake； took a deep breath； and regarded the Monaco Weyrleader。
〃I don't know how big the tsunami will be。 That depends on the shoreline and what might deflect or diffract it； but Monaco…〃 He pointed to the map still up in the right…hand corner of the big screen。 〃…will be inundated； flooded。〃 He gestured with his fingers； west； north； and east。 〃The force of the impact will send the tsunami in every direction。〃 He shook his head again as much in denial as emphasis。 Then he took F'lessan by the sleeve with one hand as he reached out for T'gellan with the other； giving the Weyrleader's shoulder a resolute shake； his expression filled with passion。 〃You must evacuate the coastal holds to the hills； to high ground。 The harbor； too！〃 He put a hand to his forehead； obviously marshalling his thoughts。 〃Stinar； are there maps of the coastlines we can access？〃
〃There are；〃 said a gruff new voice； rising above the stutter of printers and the low anxious murmuring of frightened people in the office； 〃and I have them。〃 Master Idarolan stood in the doorway。
Mirrim wasn't the only one to stare blankly at him。 F'lessan felt a sense of relief。 They'd need the retired MasterFishman more right now than at any time in his resourceful life。 Fleetingly he realized that the captain had probably been taking his usual morning weather scan： the deck of his hold in Nerat was above the sea； facing east； and he might well have seen the et。 If it had been visible at Benden Weyr； it had probably been visible to anyone looking in the right direction。 Master Idarolan could have seen it from Nerat's Ankle。
〃But how。。。〃 F'lessan stammered。
〃The Weyrleaders required my presence；〃 and Idarolan winked at F'lessan before turning to T'gellan。 〃You've a lot to do； Weyrleader； and we won't stand in your way。 You； bronze riders…。〃 He paused significantly。 〃You will need to make good time；〃 and he stressed that word； 〃to get all acplished or so the Benden Weyrleaders inform me and you！〃 He made a sweeping gesture for the dragonriders to make their exits。 As they started to move； he added； 〃Warn Portmaster Zewe to ring the Dolphin Bell and get any ships in harbor out to sea。 It won't be as dangerous offshore。〃
They were out the floor by then； hearing his gruff voice saying； 〃And I need your best mathematician and the use of a puter that isn't talking to the Yokohama！〃
〃Does that mean we're to time it？〃 Mirrim asked T'gellan in a hushed tone as soon as they were past Tunge； who had not recovered from the multiple shocks。
〃What else？〃 F'lessan asked； right behind her； hauling Tai along beside him。
〃How else could we do what is to be done？〃 T'gellan added as he dragged his weyrmate into a near run。 〃Yes； Ramoth just confirmed it to Monarth。〃
〃But what do we do first？〃 Mirrim demanded in a scared voice。
〃Monarth's bespeaking Talina's Arwith。 I've told her to take four wings at once to Monaco Bay； to warn Portmaster Zewe and to start moving people to safety。〃
〃The dolphins will be safe？〃 Tai asked。
Mirrim shot her a furious look。 〃We have to think about the Weyr。 It's spread out all over！〃 Despair made her flush。 〃So many people。〃
〃The dolphins will know what to do；〃 F'lessan said； taking a firmer grip on Tai's arm； hurrying her along。 〃If we can time it；〃 and he couldn't resist grinning at the permission； 〃we will make the time we need。〃
〃But our Weyr's no more than fifty meters from the sea；〃 and Mirrim's voice rose with anxiety； her face pale under her tan。 〃On low…lying ground。〃
〃Weyrfolk are a lot better at taking orders than holders or crafters；〃 Tai said； for once the one to reassure。
〃And all those seaholders？〃 Mirrim gasped at the enormity of the task ahead of them。
〃I've maps in my office of every holding that looks to Monaco；〃 T'gellan said as they strode； ever faster under the impetus of their anxieties； toward the back door。 The guards at the front entrance were now shouting that there was an emergency： specialists to stand right； other volunteers muster to the left。 Landing itself was pletely safe here in the foothills。 Except from the shock wave。 When would that be hitting them？ 〃We'll warn them all。〃
〃How long ago did you leave？〃 F'lessan asked as T'gellan straight…armed the door open； holding it for the others to exit。 〃We can go back as soon as you've left。 Get a bit of a head start。〃
〃I don't know；〃 T'gellan said； startled。 〃When we finally made it into the office； Time Remaining stood at 4870。 I remember that！〃
〃An hour and a half ago？ As well as the time we wasted talking；〃 F'lessan said。 Had so little time elapsed？ And yet it had seemed so long…watching the stunning visuals as mere curiosity in a bright point in Benden's morning sky turned into a planetary disaster at midday in Landing。
Ramoth says only bronze riders are to manage the timings； Golanth said； his tone awed。
T'gellan gave a sharp bark of laughter； glancing over his shoulder at the Benden Wingleader。 〃So which of us has more experience timing？〃
〃Not a point to argue；〃 F'lessan said。 〃Let's do it。 All we need are our dragons。〃
There wasn't enough room for four dragons； even if two were green； to land on the area outside the rear door； and the guard was goggle…eyed at the flurry of so many wings。
Next avenue over； F'lessan told his bronze。 Tell Zaranth。 〃This way； Tai； between the buildings。 Meetcha there！〃 He raised his voice so T'gellan would hear over the noise of Monarth's descent。 Path crammed herself against one wall to drop as close as she could to Mirrim。 He glanced at his watch before he drove his fist into the sleeve of his flying jacket。 〃Golanth！ See the et as we saw it ing in to land。〃
F'lessan and Tai ran through the space between buildings that had bee classrooms for the many youngsters studying at Landing。 Golanth was in the act of putting his feet down when F'lessan leaped to his forearm and vaulted astride。 As the bronze immediately began to ascend； F'lessan caught sight of Tai astride Zaranth's back。
Golanth； tell Za