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there； or at Benden。 He could get back to his duties in time。 After all。 at the very beginning of this Pass； thirty Turns ago； Lessa had sent him a full ten Turns back； to raise weyrlings。 Timing it was far more wearing on the rider than the dragon。 He wondered if he could make time to see Brekke at Benden。 She'd undoubtedly be extremely busy organizing the mass evacuations along the Benden Hold coast。 She might even be annoyed with him for interrupting her at whatever she was doing。 He knew that he took strength from her slight person； strength and fort； and he did so need to be forted…however briefly…for the terrible reality of a drowned Monaco。
She is at Loscar。 The High Shoals should protect it； Canth told him； eyes a brilliant blue as he stepped from the shadows。 Other bright eyes watched the brown rider。
〃Your riders will be here shortly；〃 F'nor told the other dragons； trying to strike a cheerful note。 〃Lord Toric had no immediate argument with the news we brought him。〃 He shrugged into his jacket； secured his helmet； and climbed to Canth's back； affectionately slapping him on the shoulder。
Where do we go now？
Where else； good friend？ Landing。
Sometimes it was as well to do the hardest thing first； F'nor thought as they went between to Landing。
And some hard things； F'nor realized； tears blurring his eyes； his chest painful； were harder than others。 Canth had e out above Landing； facing north； so he had too good a view of the watery plain that had been forested Monaco； sparkling in the afternoon sun。 He had given Canth a time after the waves hit Monaco； but before they pounded the Jordan River mouth。 Involuntarily F'nor covered his face； but he could block out neither the gleaming expanse of water that had boiled inland on the crest of the tsunami nor the smaller seiche waves that were sloshing back and forth in perpendicular movement across what had been Monaco's crescent bay。
The water will not stay。 It will drain back。 His dragon's voice was so full of sympathy and understanding of the pain in his rider's heart that F'nor dropped his hands； the wind in his face drying the tears on his cheeks。 He forced himself to think of the red indentations on Idarolan's chart and hoped that the tsunami had not penetrated as far as initial estimates。 For partial reassurance； he could see blobs of green on the western side of Monaco Cape where stands of the big trees had survived the assault。 And more； farther inland； on other hills。
A rumble penetrated his grief for the stricken coast and he felt Canth tilt and turn。 There were other dragons in the sky； all facing west； all carrying at least two passengers： he easily recognized Ramoth； Mnementh； and the other Benden queens with nine more bronzes； ten browns； and some greens in attendance。 They hovered above the Jordan River inlet。
Join them！ Might as well twist the knife a little； F'nor thought with rare masochism。
They were not in time to witness the initial heaving of the sea； like the shoulders of a great； headless； pewter…colored beast。 They did see the white spume； outlining the leading edge。 And they did see the gigantic wave…dragon…lengths of it…crash against the Jordan cliff； and the way the spray tried to curl over the massive basaltic precipice； the wind blowing back the sound of that assault！ They saw the second wave lurching against the bulwark。 They could see old Oslo Landing inundated； see the tsunami streaming along the sloping coastline to attack the stones of Kahrain Cape。 Out of the corner of his left eye； F'nor saw that part of the tsunami now seemed to swell and race along the basalt walls lining the Jordan River； pushing it in its wake； back up the length of the deep chasm。 At his altitude； he could see the tsunami race…it seemed to flow over the natural seaward current…splashing against the rocky sides； but powerless to rise to the forest above。
The tightness in his chest eased as he understood that； powerful though the tsunami was； the land could survive。
The other watchers suddenly disappeared； going between。 F'nor had seen enough。 He asked Canth to spiral down to Landing。 Hard work was a good way to blunt difficult emotions。
LANDING…LATE AFTERNOON…1。9。31
F'lessan felt the tentative prod on his shoulder。 Felt a second； harder one。 Felt Golanth's groan in the dragon's deep chest。 Smelled klah and an appetizing odor of something roasted； held under his nose。
He opened one eye and saw a figure hunkered down in front of him； holding out a cup and a small plate； heaped with bite…sized food。 He pushed himself against Golanth and straightened。 He nearly fell back because his right arm was half asleep。
〃F'lessan？ Drink！ You need the liquid。〃
That sounded like Tai's voice。 He opened both eyes。 She didn't look any better than he felt； her face was dirty and haggard。 Oddly； her hands were clean。 She sat down cross…legged in front of him； without spilling the klah or scattering the food from the plate。
〃They let us sleep longer。 I don't know why； but I'm grateful。〃
〃So am I！〃 F'lessan yawned mightily； holding the klah out in front lest it spill on himself or Tai。
Then he realized that it was cloudy。 Landing's usually bright sun was visible as a hazy yellow orb in the forbidding sky。
〃Dust in the air； someone told me；〃 Tai said with no expression in her voice。 She wasn't a volatile personality； like Mirrim or Lessa； F'lessan thought。 More like Brekke； quiet； self…contained； definitely reserved。
〃What's happening now？〃 The bronze rider jerked his thumb to the three Benden queens； still on duty。
〃The tsunami keeps going；〃 she said； her head averted。
〃Did it destroy Cove Hold？〃 F'lessan blurted the question out。 He could endure almost any other destruction but that。
〃Oh； no；〃 she said quickly； with a sudden magically reassuring smile。 〃Cove Hold has only a little bit of flooding in the gardens。 They had nearly four hours to pack up everything portable； but the water never reached MasterHarper's porch。〃
He felt tension in his midriff snap with relief。 He closed his eyes； thinking of Cove Hold as he had last seen it。 Gardens could be replaced。 Whatever other things had been destroyed by the tsunami； he was deeply grateful Robinton's last home had e through this disaster relatively unscathed。 But Tai did not look happy。 She paused； her eyes unfocused and her shoulders sagged again。 The smile disappeared and she seemed sunk in depression。 He caught her hand； thinking he knew what would trouble her more than Cove Hold。
〃The observatory？〃
〃Not as badly damaged as it could have been。 That dome is watertight。 Kahrain Cape above it caught the brunt。 There was a spectacularly high crest at Jordan Cliffs。〃 F'lessan shuddered； remembering the one he had so narrowly escaped。 〃I'm told a lot of people watched。〃
The brief animation in her face faded quickly。
〃I'm sorry； Tai。 Not much of Monaco would have survived；〃 he murmured； squeezing her hand hard in sympathy。
〃There were five waves； you know；〃 she said flatly。 〃One after another。 They sort of bounced off the nearer Ring island and then plowed into Monaco。〃 She raised one hand and sma