For generations the dragonriders had dedicated their lives to fighting Thread, the dreaded spores that periodically rained from the sky to ravage the land. On the backs of their telepathic dragons they flew to flame the deadly stuff out of the air before it could reach the planet's surface. When The people of Pern, led by Masterharper Robinton and F'Lar and Lessa, Weyrleader and Weyrwoman of Benden Weyr, excavated the ancient remains of the planet's original settlement, they uncovered the colonist's voice-activated artificial intelligence system. Now they have a chance to eradicate Thread completely! -- adapted from back cover