Let the charts, with the waves and times of the Thread attacks clearly visible, reassure the Lords.

In the weeks following the first Thread attack, the colonists debated sending a homing capsule to Earth, asking for help.

"As you said, the greater evil is the sickness in our own . . ." A dragon's brassy scream, the klaxon of Thread attack, stopped F'nor mid-sentence.

It took a strong man to hold frantic terrified people in control during Thread attacks; it took wise administration to conserve victuals when nothing could safely be grown, and extraordinary measures to control population and keep it useful and healthy until such time as the menace had passed.

She told them of the situation in which dragonmen now found themselves, with an insufficient force to meet the Thread attacks.

Firestone sacks had to be filled against Thread attack, and black rock brought to the kitchen hearths.

When Thread attack was closer, their talk would change to a discussion of tactics of evasion, of going between, how long to suspend there until the burning but fragile Thread would freeze and crack and fall harmlessly off dragon and man.

Mind you, the Thread attacks had just lifted and the Masterharper was called one late evening to Fort Weyr.

It took a strong man to keep frantic, terrified people in control in the Holds during Thread attacks: it took wise administration to conserve food supplies for times when nothing could be safely grown.