"We don't like arsonists in Wide Bay neither," a woman shouted, cupping her hands to her mouth to be sure she was heard. "It's your say, Harpers! It's your Hall they attacked."

"Known Abominators require different handling," Pinch cried and turned to face Jaxom and N'ton. "Or at least being isolated," he added in a low voice.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," Captain Venabil said and then frowned. "What d'you mean, Harper Mekelroy?"

The onlookers hushed to listen for Pinch's answer.

"In offenses caused by those admitting to be Abominators, the Council recommends exile!"

It took another blast from Ruth and Lioth to still the clamor that was raised at that announcement.

"You can't exile us," the wineman cried, stepping out of line and trying to seize Pinch. He was instantly pinned by two of Pinch's assistants who, judging by the roughness with which they held him, had been just waiting for an opportunity.

"Why not?" Jaxom asked.

"All the islands were drowned."

"Oh," N'ton said in a quiet voice, "I think we can find a suitable one."

"We can't be exiled!" "We're saving Pern!" "That's unfair."

The captives broke from their sullen stance, dashing frantically about the court, looking for some way to escape or force their way past those blocking the gateway. The crowd was only too happy to recapture them. There were calls for rope to tie them, cloth to gag the screamers.

"So where're all these established procedures of yours, Lord Jaxom?" Captain Venabil demanded, heaving from his exertions.

"A Lord Holder, a Weyrleader, and a MasterCraftsman may enforce any Council decree," Jaxom said. "It is in the Charter, if anyone cares to check. We must do so before sufficient witnesses."

"WE WITNESS." "WITNESSED!" "WE WERE HERE!" "DROWNING'S EASIER. QUICKER!" "EXILE 'EM!" "AWAY WITH THEM!"

Raising his arms, Jaxom faced the crowd. "Those of you who do not care to be witnesses to the judgment of this incident may step back without prejudice."

Later Tagetarl was to remember that no one stepped away.

"Then the decree of the Council will be enforced. Weyrleader N'ton, you may send for assistance," the Lord Holder of Ruatha said formally.

"D'you just drop 'em off?" Captain Venabil asked, his expression severe as if stunned by the sentence of exile.

"They are not dropped," N'ton said, stressing the last word, his eyes hinting an inner conflict kept under stern control. "Sufficient food, supplies-" he paused briefly, "and water are provided to give them time to become established."

"But-but-"

N'ton stared Venabil quiet. "I," and he jerked a thumb at his chest, "am the only one who will know which island. And there are still many, many islands in both the Eastern and the Ring seas that can isolate those who can be so destructive."

"Better than they deserve, Weyrleader. Better than they deserve!" Captain Venabil stepped back, giving all three men a respectful bow. Decisions involving the lives of others were never easy to make.

The crowd had quieted down from its previous high pitch though some low conversations were begun. Pinch sent two of his men to bring the unconscious man from the cellar, tying his hands behind his back before he was set with the other Abominators, placed in a rough line on the broken Hall doors.

Seeing Rosheen shivering, Tagetarl put an arm around her shoulders and drew her close to him.

"It is legal, you know," he whispered to her.

"I know. I've read the Charter. I just never thought we'd have to invoke it."

"It's perhaps as well to isolate them," Tagetarl murmured to her. Angry as he was, and he had been ready to batter the men, he was not a violent man. "They could escape from the mines and come back and try again. I think that I want to know they can't get to us-even if, at a later date, we decide to retrieve them."

She clung to him, shaking her head. He didn't tell her that two important members of the Abominator group Pinch had been watching out for were not in those captured tonight:

Scar-face and the awkward-looking holdless woman from Tillek. That meant that not all those who held Aivas an Abomination had been removed from hall and hold.

The dragons were seen in the sky, their eyes sparkling in serene whirls as they hovered above the court: a half wing of them. From somewhere, fire-lizards did sky-pirouettes around them, calling in an oddly melodious chorus.

"They'll land on the wharf," N'ton said and pointed in that direction.

It was only the next road over and there were plenty of strong men and women to carry the Abominators despite their writhing and struggling and the gagged pleas to be released. Ruth followed, perching on a bollard while the exiles were hauled up on the dragons, and tied alongside the sacks that were to be left with them.

Then N'ton vaulted to his dragon's back. "Riders, take your destination from Lioth!" he said in a voice loud enough to be heard by all watching. He lifted his arm, visible in the wharf lights, and gave the signal to leap skyward.

Tagetarl thought he had never seen a more impressive sight: twelve dragons leaping into the night, the fairs of fire-lizards escorting them and disappearing at the same moment.

In an unnaturally quiet way, those who had witnessed the night's incredible event left the wharf side or climbed aboard the ships anchored there for the night.

"It was what had to be done, Lord Jaxom, Master Tagetarl," said Captain Venabil in a low but firm voice. He shook their hands and then made his way down the wharf.

"Yes, it was what had to be done," Pinch said as they all turned to go back to the Hall.

Then Pinch dropped back to Jaxom who was walking more slowly, his head bent.

"Dorse was among them, wasn't he, Jaxom?" he asked so softly only Jaxom could hear. Jaxom flashed him the most quelling stare the Harper had received since he'd been an apprentice.

"No hold, no hall," Jaxom finally replied. "Even if he was my milk-brother, what else could I do?"

"I've been trailing him, Jaxom," Pinch murmured, "a long time."

"You have. I haven't."

"I know," and there was great compassion in the Harper's voice.

"Was he in this from the beginning?"

Pinch shrugged. "We don't even know when the Abominators were revived to plague us. Not all of those participating in these-events-are interested in keeping Pern pure or traditional. I've no doubt some of these people were motivated by blind adherence to what their fathers or mothers taught. I recognize some as hill folk who never took kindly to teachering: like the woodsy ones down in Southern Boll, or the mountain holds in upper Telgar and Lemos, or the desert nomads in Igen. Any and all of them simply fear change. They might even resent losing the Red Star as a permanent problem on which to blame 'things that go wrong.' Unfortunately, two of the people that I suspect have been churning up ill feelings against healers, and now the Print Hall's new technology, aren't among those in tonight's catch." He quickened his pace and fell in step with Tagetarl, leaving Jaxom to his own somber stride. "It would be wise, MasterPrinter, to issue a concise statement of what happened here tonight. The Runners can see that the truth is circulated."

A truth that would not name the milk-brother of Lord Jaxom of Ruatha Hold as one of the vandals who had been exiled that night.

A handful of men and women stood by the open outer gates of the Hall. Ruth could be seen quietly awaiting the return of his rider.

"If you need some help tonight, or tomorrow, Master Tagetarl," began one of the men stepping forward, "we'd be willing to do repairs."

Tagetarl thanked them, aware that the doors to the Print Hall would have to be replaced. Steel would have reassured him but he didn't have enough marks and he doubted the Smithcrafthall had the time.