uplift4.brightnessreef-第23章

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ing　to　be　dipped　in　that　blazing　heat；　then　poured　into　clay　molds。　Urrish　workers　hauled　pulleys　and　ladles。　Another　twirled　a　big　glob　of　liquid　glass　at　the　end　of　a　tube；　spinning　it　round　and　round　to　form　a　flat　whirling　disk　that　turned　solid　as　it　thinned　and　cooled；　a　window　destined　for　homes　far　away　from　here。
　　They　were　assisted　by　several　gray　qheuens　who；　in　one　of　Jijo's　ironies；　turned　out　to　be　the　other　sept　well　suited　to　these　conditions。　The　grays　may　even　be　happier　than　when　their　queens　used　to　dominate　the　mons。　But　I　never　could　read　much　expression　on　their　stony　cupolas。　I　often　wonder　how　our　wild；　emotional　Pincer　could　be　related　to　them。
　　Farther　from　the　heat；　half　a　dozen　g'Keks　skittered　across　the　smooth　floor；　handling　account　ledgers；　while　a　traeki　specialist　with　throbbing　synthi　rings　tasted　each　mix　to　certify　the　mill's　products　would　rust　or　decay　in　less　than　two　hundred　years；　as　required　by　the　sages。　Some　orthodox　scroll…pounders　say　we　shouldn't　have　smithies　at　all…that　they're　vanities；　distracting　us　from　salvation　through　forgetfulness。　But　I　think　the　place　is　gloss；　even　if　the　smoke　frets　my　throat　sac　and　sets　my　spine…scales　itching。
　　Ur…ronn　led　us　through　more　curtains　into　the　Laboratory　Grotto；　where　Uriel　studies　the　secrets　of　her　art…both　those　hard…won　by　her　ancestors　and　others　delved　from　human　texts。　Clever　breezes　freshened　the　air；　allowing　us　to　loosen　our　protections。　Pincer　gratefully　doffed　his　heavy　mantle　and　doused　his　red　carapace　at　a　shower…alcove。　Huphu　splashed　eagerly　while　I　sponged　my　sac。　Ur…ronn　kept　her　distance　from　the　water；　preferring　a　brief　roll　in　some　clean　dry　sand。
　　Huck　skittered　down　a　hallway　lined　with　many　doors；　peering　into　various　laboratory　chambers。　〃Hsst！　Alvin！〃　she　whispered　urgently；　waving　me　over　with　one　arm　and　two　eyestalks。　〃e　look。　Care　to　guess　who's　here　again？〃
　　〃Who　is　it？〃　Pincer　whistled；　leaving　five　wet　trails　of　prints　behind　him。　Ur…ronn　daintily　avoided　the　moist　tracks　with　her　rattling　hooves。
　　I　already　had　a　pretty　good　idea　who　Huck　was　talking　about；　since　no　ship　passenger　enters　Wuphon　without　being　known　to　the　harbor　master…my　mother。　She　hadn't　announced　anything；　but　I　knew　from　overheard　snatches　that　the　latest　dross　ship　had　brought　an　important　human　visitor；　one　who　debarked　at　night；　heading　straight　to　the　Mount　Guenn　tram。
　　〃Hrrrm。　I'll　bet　you　a　sweetboo　cane　it's　that　sage　again；〃　I　ventured　before　arriving　at　the　door。　〃The　one　from　Biblos。〃
　　Huck's　rear…facing　eye　looked　disappointed；　and　she　groused…〃Lucky　guess〃…while　making　space　for　the　rest　of　us。
　　I　knew　this　room。　Many's　the　previous　visit　I　used　to　stand　at　the　doorway　and　stare　at　the　goings…on　within。　The　huge　chamber　held　Uriel's　mystery　machine…a　gimcrackery　of　gears；　cables；　and　revolving　glass　that　seemed　to　fill　the　vaulted　cavern　with　grinding　motion　like　one　of　those　Victorian　factories　you　read　about　in　books　by　Dickens。　Only　this　device　didn't　make　a　single　blessed　thing；　as　far　as　any　of　us　could　ever　tell。　Only　countless　glitters　of　light　as　whirling　crystal　disks　spun　like　hundreds　of　ghostly　little　g'Keks；　rolling　against　each　other　madly；　futilely；　going　noplace　the　faster　they　spun。
　　I　glimpsed　the　human　visitor；　bent　over　a　trestle　table　with　a　precious…looking　folio　spread　open　before　him；　pointing　at　a　diagram；　while　Uriel　rocked　in　a　circle；　lifting　one　leg　at　a　time；　shaking　her　pelted　head　in　disagreement。　The　smith's　gray…fringed　nostril　blew　exasperation。
　　〃With　all　due　resfect；　Sage　Furofsky；　you　night　have　gone　to　Gathering　instead　of　coning　all　this　way。　I　cannot　see　how　this　vook　is　relevant　to　our　frovlen…to　our　quandary。〃
　　The　human　wore　the　black　cloak　of　a　lesser　sage；　the　kind　who　dwell　in　the　sacred　halls　of　Biblos　with　half　a　million　printed　tomes　for　pany；　tending　wisdom　handed　down　for　three　hundred　years。　He　was　hoonish…handsome；　which　happens　when　one　of　their　males　gets　gray　head　fleece　and　lets　his　facial　fur　grow　long；　an　effect　enhanced　by　a　noble　long　nose。　This　worthy　jabbed　again　at　the　ancient　page；　so　hard　I　feared　he'd　hurt　the　priceless　text。
　　〃But　I　tell　you　this　algorithm　is　exactly　what　you　need！　It　can　be　executed　in　a　tenth　the　space；　with　far　fewer　parts；　if　you'd　just　consider…〃
　　I　can't　write　what　followed；　because　it　was　in　that　dialect　of　Anglic　called　Engineering；　and　even　my　hoonish　memory　won't　help　me　write　words　I　can't　understand　or　spell。　The　sage　must　have　e　to　help　Uriel　in　her　project。　Anyone　who　knew　her　could　predict　Uriel's　resistance。
　　Beyond　those　two　we　saw　Urdonnol；　a　younger　urrish　techie；　who　the　Master　trusted　with　general　upkeep　of　this　whatever…it…is　machine；　stretching　beyond　the　farthest　reach　of　the　single　overhead　skylight。　Urdonnol　peered　through　the　shuddering；　squeaking　assembly；　reaching　in　to　tighten　an　elastic　belt　or　lubricate　a　bearing。　As　senior　apprentice；　she　was　two　hooves　toward　being　Uriel's　heir。
　　The　sole　other　candidate　was　Ur…ronn；　partly　because　of　our　pal's　school　scores；　and　also　because　she's　the　nearest　of　Uriel's　scent…cousins　to　survive　from　steppe…grub　to　adult。　No　doubt　Urdonnol　worked　here…tending　the　Master's　personal　project…to　improve　her　chances；　though　she　clearly　hated　the　big　machine。
　　Miniature　centaur　figures　moved　amid　the　whirling　disks；　making　delicate　adjustments。　Urrish　males；　normally　rare　to　see　outside　their　wives'　pouches；　tightened　belts　and　gears　under　Urdonnol's　terse　direction。　Striking　a　blow　for　equality；　I　guess。
　　I　bent　and　whispered　to　Huck；　〃So　much　for　all　that　talk　about…hr…hrrm…starships！　If　they　really　saw　one；　they　wouldn't　be　fooling　with　toy　gadgets　right　now！〃
　　Ur…ronn　must've　overheard　me。　She　swung　her　long　muzzle；　wearing　a　wounded　look。　Two　out　of　three　eyes　narrowed。　〃I　heard　Uriel　and　Gyfz；〃　she　hissed。　〃Anyhow；　what　does　a　snarty…fants　like　you　know？〃
　　〃Enough　to　know　all　these　whirling　glass　yo…yos　don't　have　hair　on　a　qheuen's　backside　to　do　with　visiting　spaceships！〃
　　Even　if　we　hadn't　been　snapping　at　each　other；　it　wasn't　easy　for　a　gang　like　ours　to　peer　discreetly　into　a　room；　the　way　you　read　about　humans　doing　in　detective　stories。　Still；　those　inside　mightn't　have　noticed　us；　if　Huphu　the　noor　hadn't　chosen　that　moment　to　go　bounding　in；　yipping　at　those　spinning　pulleys　and　disks。　Before　we　knew　it；　she　leaped　onto　a　leather　belt　and　was　running　in　place　like　mad；　snapping　toward　a　pair　of　cringing　urs　husbands。
　　Urdonnol　noticed；　waving　her　arms；　displaying　the　bright　glands　under　both　brood　pouches。
　　〃This　event　signifies？　It　signifies？〃　the　apprentice　demanded　with　slurred　interrogative　trills。　Her　agitation　grew　as　the　Master　snaked　a　grizzled　snout　around　to　peer　at　the　motion。
　　Despite　stereotypes；　a　hoon　can　act　quickly　if　he　sees　a　clear　need。　I　rushed　over　to　snatch　Huphu；　rumbling　my　very　best　umble；　and　rejoined　the　others；　girding　for　a　group　tongue…lashing。
　　〃Behavior　that　is　（astonishingly；　horrifyingly）　unacceptable；〃　declared　Urdonnol　in　GalTwo。　〃Interruption　of　an　important　congress　by　（knavish；　microcephalic；　unhousebroken）…〃
　　Uriel　cut　in；　breaking　Urdonnol's　insult…stream　before　the　fuming；　stamping　Ur…ronn　could　be　provoked　to　responding　in　kind。
　　〃That　will　do；　Urdonnol；〃　the　Master　manded　in　GalSeven。　〃Kindly　take　the　youngsters　to　Gybz；　who　has　business　of　ers　own　with　them；　then　hurry　back。　We　have　several　more　models　to　run　before　we　are　through　for　the　day。〃
　　〃It　shall　be　done；〃　Urdonnol　replied　in　the　same　tongue。　Turning　to　us　with　an　aggressive　neck…stretch；　the　older　prentice　said…〃e　along；　you　gaggle　of　jeekee　adventurers。〃
　　She　said　it　with　dripping　scorn；　which　is　possible　in　GalSeven；　though　not　as　harsh　as　Anglic。
　　〃e　swiftly。　It's　been　decided　to　take　you　up　on　your　offer。
　　〃Your　grand　plan。
　　〃Your　one…way　expedition　to　Hell。〃
　　　
　　VIII。　THE　BOOK　OF　THE　SLOPE
　　Legends
　　It　is　said　that　glavers　are　an　example　to　us　all。　Of　the　seven　races　to　plant　exile　colonies　on　the　slope；　they　alone　have　escaped　this　prison　where　their　ancestors　consigned　them。　They　did　this　by　finding；　and　traveling；　the　Path　of　Redemption。
　　Now　they　are　innocent；　no　longer　criminals；　having　bee　one　with　Jijo。　In　time；　they　may　even　be　renewed；　winning　that　blessed　rarity…a　second　chance　at　the　stars。
　　It　is　a　source　of　some　frustration　to　Earthlings…the　youngest　sept　to　e　here…that　humans　never　got　to　meet　glavers　as　thinking；　speaking　beings。　Even　the　hoon　and　urs　arrived　too　late　to　know　them　at　their　prime；　when　glavers　were　said　to　have　been　mighty　intellects；　with　a　talent　for　deep　race　memory。　Watching　their　descendants　root　through　our　garbage　middens；　it　is　hard　to　picture　the　race　as　great　starfarers　and　the　patrons　of　three　noble　client…lines。
　　What　desperation　brought　them　here；　to　seek　safety　in　oblivion？
　　The　g'Keks　tell　us；　by　oral　tradition；　that　it　was　the　result　of　financial　setbacks。
　　Once　（according　to　g'Kek　lore）；　glavers　were　said　to　be　among　those　rare　breeds　with　a　knack　for　conversing　with　Zang…the　hydrogen…breathing　civilization　existing　aloofly　in　parallel　to　the　society　of　races　that　use　oxygen。　This　aptitude　enabled　glavers　to　act　as　intermediaries；　bringing　them　great　wealth　and　prestige；　until　a　single　contractual　mistake　reversed　their　fortunes；　landing　them　in　terrible　debt。
　　It　is　said　that　the　great　Zang　are　patient。　The　debt　falls　due　in　several　hundred　thousand　years；　yet　so　deep　is　the　usury　that　the　glaver　race；　and　all　its　beloved　clients；　were　hopelessly　forfeit。
　　Glavers　had　but　one　thing　left　to　trade；　a　precious　thing　they　might　yet　sell；　providing　they　could　find　the　right　path。
　　That　thing　was　themselves。
　　…Collected　Fables　of　Jijo's　Seven；　Third　Edition。
　　Department　of　Folklore　and　Language；　Biblos。
　　Year　1867　of　Exile。
　　　
　　Asx
　　THE　PLUNDER　SHIP　SOON　DEPARTED　AS　IT　CAME；　amid　a　storm　of　whirling　fragments　of　our　poor；　shattered　forest。　A　tornado　leaned　in　its　wake；　as　if　Jijo's　own　ghostly　hand　were　reaching；　clasping；　trying　to　restrain　it。
　　Alas；　this　departure　was　no　cause　for　joy；　for　the　crew　vowed　an　early　return。　Surety　of　this　promise　squatted　near　the　steaming　scar　where　the　ship　had　lain…a　black　cube；　half　an　arrowflight　wide；　featureless　save　where　a　ramp　led　to　a　gaping　hatch。
　　Nearby；　two　frail　cloth　pavilions　had　been　transplanted　from　Gathering；　at　the　request　of　star…gods　who　had　stayed　behind　when　their　ship　departed。　One　to　serve　as　a　place　of　liaison；　and　a　large　tent　for　〃examining　specimens。〃　Already　a　small　foray　party　of　star…humans　worked　under　that　canopy；　feeding　dark　mysterious　machines　with　samples　of　Jijoan　life。
　　Shock　still　throbbed　throughout　the　mons。　Despite　unity…entreaties　by　their　sages；　the　many　septs　and　clans　cleaved；　each　seeking　shelter　among　its　own　kind。　Emissaries　darted　among　these　cloistered　groups；　parleying　in　hushed　secrecy。　All　save　the　youngest　of　the　Six；　whose　envoys　were　rebuffed。
　　For　the　moment　no　one；　not　even　the　traeki；　wants　to　speak　to　humans。
　　
　　Sara
　　AROUND　MIDAFTERNOON；　THE　RIVER　SPILLED　into　canyon　country。　As　if　remembering　some