uplift4.brightnessreef-第38章

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h　forehooves　on　the　chair　in　order　to　rise　up　and　peer　through　the　eyepiece。
　　For　a　few　moments；　our　urrish　pal　was　silent；　then　she　trilled　frustration。　〃They　really　are　all　just　stars；　far　as　I　can　tell。　Anyway；　I　forgot…a　starshif　in　orvit　would　drift　out　of　view　in　just　a　few　duras；　even　with　the　tracking　engine　turned　on。〃
　　〃Well；　I　guess　that's　it；〃　I　said；　only　half　disappointed。　〃We'd　better　head　on　back　now…〃
　　That's　when　I　saw　that　Huck　was　gone。　Whirling；　I　finally　spied　her；　heading　straight　for　the　doorway　I　had　seen　earlier！
　　〃Remember　what　we　discussed？〃　she　called　rearward　at　us；　speeding　toward　the　back…lit　rectangle。　〃The　real　evidence　will　be　on　those　photographic　plates　you　say　Gybz　spoke　of。　That's　what　we　came　up　here　to　look　at　in　the　first　place。　e　on！〃
　　I　admit　staring　like　a　stranded　fish；　my　throat　sac　blatting　uselessly　while　Huphu　gouged　my　scalp；　gathering　purchase　for　a　spring。　Ur…ronn　took　off　in　a　mad　scramble　after　Huck；　trying　desperately　to　tackle　her　by　the　spokes　before　she　reached　the　door…
　　…which　swung　open；　I　swear；　at　that　very　instant；　casting　a　painful　brightness　that　outlined　a　human　silhouette。　A　short；　narrow…shouldered　male　whose　fringe　of　head　hair　seemed　aflame　in　the　glare　of　several　lanterns　behind　him。　Blinking；　raising　a　hand　to　shade　my　eyes；　I　could　dimly　make　out　several　easels　in　the　room　beyond；　bearing　charts；　measuring　rules；　and　slick　glass　plates。　More　square　plates　lay　racked　on　shelf　after　shelf；　crowding　the　walls　of　the　little　room。
　　Huck　squealed　to　a　stop　so　suddenly　her　axles　glowed。　Ur…ronn　nearly　rammed　her；　halting　in　frantic　haste。　We　all　froze；　caught　in　the　act。
　　The　human's　identity　wasn't　hard　to　guess；　since　only　one　of　his　race　lived　on　the　mountain　at　the　time。　He　was　only　known　far　and　wide　as　the　most　brilliant　of　his　kind；　a　sage　whose　mind　reached　far；　even　for　an　Earthling；　to　grasp　many　of　the　arcane　secrets　that　our　ancestors　once　knew。　One　whose　intellect　even　the　mighty　self…assured　Uriel　bowed　before。
　　The　Smith　of　Mount　Guenn　was　not　going　to　be　pleased　with　us　for　intruding　on　her　guest。
　　Sage　Purofsky　stared　for　a　long　moment；　blinking　into　the　darkness　beyond　the　doorway；　then　he　raised　a　hand　straight　toward　us；　pointing。
　　〃You！〃　he　snapped　in　a　strangely　distracted　tone　of　voice。　〃You　surprised　me。〃
　　Huck　was　the　first　of　us　to　recover。
　　〃Um；　sorry。。。　uh；　master。　We　were　just；　er。。。〃
　　Cutting　her　off；　but　without　any　trace　of　rancor；　the　human　went　on。
　　〃It's　just　as　well；　then。　I　was　about　to　ring　for　somebody。　Would　you　kindly　take　these　notes　to　Uriel　for　me？〃
　　He　held　out　a　folded　sheaf　of　papers；　which　Huck　accepted　in　the　grasp　of　one　quivering　tentacle…arm。　Her　half…retracted　eyestalks　blinked　in　surprise。
　　〃That's　a　good　lad；〃　the　savant　went　on　absentmindedly；　and　turned　to　go　back　into　the　little　room。　Then　Sage　Purofsky　stopped　and　swiveled　to　face　us　once　more。
　　〃Oh；　please　also　tell　Uriel　that　I'm　now　sure　of　it。　Both　ships　are　gone。　I　don't　know　what　happened　to　the　bigger　one；　the　first　one；　since　it　appeared　only　by　lucky　accident　on　one　early　set　of　plates；　before　anyone　knew　to　look　for　it。　That　orbit　can't　be　solved　except　to　say　I　think　it　may　have　landed。　But　even　a　rough　calculation　based　on　the　last　series　shows　the　second　ship　de…orbiting；　heading　into　an　entry　spiral　down　to　Jijo。　Assuming　no　later　deviations　or　corrections；　its　course　would　have　made　landfall　some　days　ago；　north　of　here；　smack　dab　in　the　Rimmers。〃
　　His　smile　was　rueful；　ironic。
　　〃In　other　words；　the　warning　we　sent　up　to　the　Glade　may　be　somewhat　superfluous。〃　Purofsky　rubbed　his　eyes　tiredly　and　sighed。　〃By　now　our　colleagues　at　Gathering　probably　know　a　lot　more　about　what's　going　on　than　we　do。〃
　　I　swear；　he　sounded　more　disappointed　than　worried　over　the　arrival　of　something　the　exiles　of　Jijo　had　feared　for　two　thousand　years。
　　We　all；　even　Huphu；　stared　for　a　long　time…even　after　the　man　thanked　us　again；　turned　around；　and　closed　the　door　behind　him；　leaving　us　alone　with　our　only　pany　millions　of　stars；　like　pollen　grains　scattered　on　a　shimmering　ocean；　stretching　over　our　heads。　A　sea　of　darkness　that　suddenly　felt　frighteningly　near。
　　
　　XII。　THE　BOOK　OF　THE　SLOPE
　　
　　Legends
　　There　is　a　word　we　are　asked　not　to　say　too　often。　And　to　whisper；　when　we　do。
　　The　traeki　ask　this　of　us；　out　of　courtesy；　respect；　and　superstition。
　　The　word　is　a　name…with　just　two　syllables…one　they　fear　ever　to　hear　again。
　　A　name　they　once　called　themselves。
　　A　name　presumably　still　used　by　their　cousins；　out　on　the　star…lanes　or　the　Five　Galaxies。
　　Cousins　who　are　mighty；　terrifying；　resolute；　pitiless；　and　single…minded。
　　How　different　that　description　seems　to　make　our　own　sept　of　ringed　ones；　from　those　who　still　roam　the　cosmos；　like　gods。　Those　Jophur。
　　Of　all　the　races　who　came　to　Jijo　in　sneakships；　some；　like　qheuens　and　humans；　were　obscure　and　almost　unknown　in　the　Five　Galaxies。　Others；　like　g'Keks　and　glavers；　had　reputations　of　modest　extant；　among　those　needing　their　specialised　skills。　Hoon　and　urs　had　made　a　moderate　impression；　so　much　that　Earthlings　knew　of　them　before　landing；　and　worried。
　　But　it　is　said　that　every　oxygen…breathing；　starfaring　clan　is　familiar　with　the　shape　of　stacked　rings；　piled　high；　ominous　and　powerful。
　　When　the　traeki　sneakship　came；　the　g'Kek　took　one　look　at　the　newers　and　went　into　hiding　for　several　generations；　cowering　in　fright　until；　at　last；　they　realised…these　were　different　rings。
　　When　qheuen　settlers　saw　them　already　here；　they　very　nearly　left　again；　without　unloading　or　even　landing　their　sneakship。
　　How　came　our　beloved　friends　to　have　such　a　reputation　to　live　down？　How　came　they　to　be　so　different　from　those　who　still　fly　in　space；　using　that　awful　name？
　　Reflections　on　the　Six；
　　Ovoom　Press；
　　Year…of…Exile　1915
　　
　　Asx
　　EITHER　THE　INVADERS　ARE　TRYING　TO　CONFUSE　us；　or　else　there　is　something　strange　about　them。　At　first；　their　powers　and　knowledge　appeared　as　one　might　expect…so　far　above　us　that　we　seem　as　brutish　beasts。　Dared　we　contrast　our　own　meager　wisdom；　our　simple　ways；　against　their　magnificent；　unstoppable　machines；　their　healing　arts；　and　especially　the　erudition　of　their　piercing　questions　about　Jijoan　life？　Erudition　showing　the　vast　sweep　and　depth　of　records　at　their　mand；　surely　copied　from　the　final　survey　of　this　world；　a　million　years　ago。　Yet。。。
　　They　seem　to　know　nothing　about　lorniks　or　zookirs。
　　They　cannot　hide　their　excitement；　upon　measuring　specimen　glavers；　as　if　they　have　made　a　great　discovery。
　　They　make　puzzling；　nonsensical　remarks　concerning　chimpanzees。
　　And　now　they　want　to　know　everything　about　mule…spiders；　asking　naive　questions　that　even　this　inexpert　stack　of　manicolored　rings　could　answer。　Even　if　all　of　our/my　toruses　of　sapiency　were　vlenned　away；　leaving　nothing　but　instinct；　memory；　and　momentum。
　　The　sigil　of　the　Great　Library　was　missing　from　the　bow　of　the　great　vessel　that　left　their　station　here。　We　thought　its　absence　a　mere　emblem　of　criminality。　A　negative　symbol；　denoting　a　kind　of　skulking　shame。
　　Can　it　mean　more　than　that？　Much　more？
　　
　　Sara
　　OROM　ENGRIL'S　SHOP　ON　PIMMIN　CANAL；　IT　WAS　but　a　short　walk　to　the　clinic　where　Pzora　had　taken　the　Stranger　yesterday。　Engril　agreed　to　meet　Sara　there　with　Bloor　the　Portraitist。　Time　was　short。　Perhaps　Sara's　idea　was　foolish　or　impractical；　but　there　would　be　no　better　moment　to　broach　it；　and　no　better　person　to　present　it　to　than　Ariana　Foo。
　　A　decision　had　to　be　made。　So　far；　the　omens　weren't　good。
　　The　emissaries　from　Dolo　Village　had　gathered　last　night；　in　a　tavern　near　the　Urrish　Quarter；　to　discuss　what　each　of　them　had　learned　since　the　Hauph…woa　docked。　Sara　showed　a　copy　of　the　sages'　report；　fresh　from　Engril's　copy　shop；　expecting　it　to　shock　the　others。　But　by　that　evening　even　Pzora　knew　most　of　the　story。
　　〃I　see　three　possibilities；〃　the　stern…browed　farmer　Jop　had　said；　nursing　a　mug　of　sour　buttermilk。　〃First…the　story's　an　Egg…cursed　lie。　The　ship　really　is　from　the　great　Institutes；　we're　about　to　be　judged　as　the　Scrolls　say；　but　the　sages　are　spreading　a　pebble…in…my…hoof　fable　about　bandits　to　justify　musterin'　the　militia；　preparin'　for　a　fight。〃
　　〃That's　absurd！〃　Sara　had　plained。
　　〃Oh　yeah？　Then　why've　all　the　units　been　called　up？　Humans　drilling　in　every　village。　Urrish　cavalry　wheelin'　in　all　directions；　and　the　hoons　oilin'　their　old　catapults；　as　if　they　could　shoot　down。a　starship　by　hurlin'　rocks。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃What　if　the　sages've　got　some　fantasy　about　resisting？　It　wouldn't　be　the　first　time　leaders　were　driven　mad　by　an　approaching　end　to　their　days　of　petty　power。〃
　　〃But　what　of　these　sketches？〃　asked　the　scriven…dancer；　Fakoon。　The　g'Kek　touched　one　of　Engril's　reproductions；　portraying　a　pair　of　humans　dressed　in　one…piece　suits；　staring　brazenly　at　sights　both　new　to　them　and　yet　somehow　pathetic　in　their　eyes。
　　Jop　shrugged。　〃Ridiculous　on　the　face　of　it。　What　would　humans　be　doin'　out　here？　When　our　ancestors　left　Earth　on　an　aged　thirdhand　tub；　not　a　single　human　scientist　understood　its　workings。　The　folks　back　home　couldn't　have　caught　up　with　galactic　standard　tech　for　another　ten　thousand　years。〃
　　Sara　watched　Blade　and　the　hoon　captain　react　with　surprise。　It　was　no　secret；　what　Jop　had　said　about　human　technology　at　the　time　of　exile；　but　they　must　find　it　hard　to　picture。　On　Jijo；　Earthlings　were　the　engineers；　the　ones　most　often　with　answers。
　　〃And　who　would　want　to　ferfetrate　such　a　hoax？〃　Ulgor　asked；　lowering　her　conical　head。　Sara　read　tension　in　the　urs's　body　stance。　Uh…oh；　she　thought。
　　Jop　smiled。　〃Why；　maybe　some　bunch　that　sees　opportunity；　amid　the　chaos；　to　besmirch　our　honor　and　have　one　last　chance　at　revenge　before　Judgment　Day。〃
　　Human　and　urs　faced　each　other；　each　grinning　a　bright　display　of　teeth…which　could　be　taken　equivocally　as　either　friendly　or　threatening。　For　once；　Sara　blessed　the　sickness　that　had　caused　nearly　everyone's　rewq　to　curl　up　and　hibernate。　There　would　have　been　no　ambiguity　with　symbionts　to　translate　the　meaning　in　Jop's　and　Ulgor's　hearts。
　　At　that　moment；　a　squirt　of　pinkish　steam　jetted　between　the　two…a　swirling　fume　of　cloying　sweetness。　Jop　and　Ulgor　retreated　from　the　cloud　in　opposite　directions；　covering　their　noses。
　　〃Oops；　i　express　repentance　on　our/my　behalf。　This　pile's　digestive　torus　still　retains；　processes；　deletes　the　richness　of　esteemed　hoonish　shipboard　fare。〃
　　Unperturbed；　the　captain　of　the　Hauph…woa　said…〃How　fortunate　for　you；　Pzora。　As　to　the　subject　at　hand；　we　must　still　decide　what　advice　to　send　back　to　Dolo　Village　and　the　settlements　of　the　Upper　Roney。　So　let　me　ask　Jop。。。。　Hrrrm…what　if　we　consider　a　simpler　theory…there　is　no　hoax　by　the　honored　sages；　brr？〃
　　Jop　still　waved　the　air　in　front　of　his　face；　coughing。　〃That　brings　us　to　possibility　number　two…that　we　are　being　tested。　The　Day　has　e　at　last；　but　the　noble　Galactics　are　undecided　what　to　do　with　us。　Maybe　the　great　Institutes　hired　human