uplift4.brightnessreef-第44章

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stories　gave　in　her　last　hours；　then　chiding　himself　for　having　such　unworthy　thoughts。
　　That　memory　swept　over　him　starkly；　apparently　triggered　by　the　stabbing　colors。
　　Some　credulous　folk　among　the　Six　said　these　layers　of　poison　stone　had　magical　properties；　poured　into　them　by　aeons　of　overlapping　volcanic　effusions。　〃Mother　Jijo's　blood；〃　they　called　it。　At　that　moment；　Lark　could　almost　credit　the　superstition；　so　struck　was　he　by　uncanny　waves　of　familiarity。　As　if　he　had　been　here　before；　sometime　long　ago。
　　With　that　thought；　his　eyes　seemed　to　adjust…to　open　up；　letting　the　muddle　of　swirling　hues　blossom　into　mirage　canyons；　figment　valleys；　ghost　cities；　and　even　whole　phantom　civilizations；　vaster　than　the　greatest　Buyur　sites。。。。
　　Then；　just　as　he　was　starting　to　enter　fully　into　the　experience；　the　blur　of　illusion　suddenly　ended；　cut　off　as　the　Spectral　Flow　plunged　into　the　sea。　Besh　banked　the　craft　again；　and　soon　the　sweeping　domain　of　color　vanished　like　a　dream；　replaced　on　the　left　by　a　more　normal　desert　of　windswept　igneous　rock。
　　The　line　of　crashing　surf　became　like　a　fabled　highway；　pointing　toward　lands　unknown。　Lark　fumbled　to　unfasten　his　seat　belt；　moving　across　the　aisle　to　stare　over　the　great　ocean。　So　vast；　he　thought。　Yet　this　was　nothing　pared　to　the　immensities　Ling　and　her　rades　spanned　with　hardly　a　thought。　His　eyes　peered　in　hopes　of　spotting　a　camouflaged　dross…hauler；　its　gray…green　sails　slicing　the　wind；　bearing　sacred　caskets　to　their　final　rest。　From　this　height；　he　might　even　glimpse　the　Midden　itself；　dark　blue　waters…of…forgetfulness　covering　a　plunge　so　deep　that　its　trench　could　take　all　the　arrogant　excesses　of　a　dozen　mighty　civilizations　and　still　bless　them　with　a　kind　of　absolution…oblivion。
　　They　had　already　dashed　beyond　the　farthest　of　Lark's　lifetime　travels；　seeking　data　for　his　ever…hungry　charts。　Even　looking　with　a　practiced　eye；　he　found　few　scattered　traces　of　sapient　habitation…a　hoonish　fishing　hamlet；　a　red　qheuen　rookery…tucked　under　rocky　clefts　or　bayou…root　canopies。　Of　course；　at　this　speed　something　important　might　sweep　by　in　the　time　it　took　to　switch　windows；　which　he　did　frequently　as　Besh　rolled　the　craft；　playing　instruments　across　both　shore　and　sea。
　　Even　those　few　signs　of　settlement　ceased　when　they　reached　the　Rift；　crossing　a　few　hundred　arrowflights　west　of　the　distant；　hatchet…shape　of　Terminus　Rock。
　　A　series　of　towering　cliffs　and　deep　subsea　canyons　split　the　land　here。　Jagged　promontories　alternated　with　seemingly　bottomless　fingers　of　dark　sea；　as　if　some　great　claw　had　gouged　parallel　grooves　almost　due　east；　to　form　a　daunting　natural　barrier。　Dwelling　beyond　this　border　labeled　you　an　outlaw；　cursed　by　the　sages　and　by　the　Holy　Egg。　But　the　alien　flier　made　quick　work　of　the　realm　of　serrated　clefts　and　chasms；　dismissing　them　like　minor　ruts　across　a　well…traveled　road。
　　League　after　league　of　sandy　scrublands　soon　passed　by；　punctuated　at　long　intervals　by　stark　fragments　of　ancient　cities；　eroded　by　wind；　salt；　and　rain。　Explosions　and　pulverizing　rays　must　have　shattered　the　mighty　towers；　just　after　the　last　Buyur　tenant　turned　off　the　lights。　In　time；　the　ceaseless　churning　of　the　Midden　and　its　daughter　volcanoes　would　grind　even　these　sky…stabbing　stumps　to　nothing。
　　Soon　the　sky…boat　left　the　continent　altogether；　streaking　over　chains　of　mist…shrouded　isles。
　　Even　Dwer　never　dreamed　of　going　this　far。
　　Lark　decided　not　to　mention　this　trip　to　the　lad　without　discussing　it　first　with　Sara；　who　understood　tact　and　hurt　feelings　better　than　either　brother。
　　Then　reality　hit　home。　Sara's　back　in　Dolo。　Dwer　may　be　sent　off　east；　hunting　glavers　and　sooners。　And　when　the　aliens　finish　their　survey；　we　all　may　meet　our　end；　far　from　those　we　love。
　　Lark　sank　into　his　seat　with　a　sigh。　For　a　while　there；　he　had　actually　been　enjoying　himself。　Damn　memory；　for　reminding　him　the　way　things　were！
　　For　the　rest　of　the　trip　he　kept　low…key　and　businesslike；　even　when　they　finally　landed　near　forests　eerily　different　from　those　he　knew；　or　while　helping　Ling　haul　aboard　cages　filled　with　strange；　marvelous　creatures。　Professionalism　was　one　pleasure　Lark　still　allowed　himself…a　relish　for　studying　nature's　ways。　But　there　remained　little　zest　or　wonder　in　the　thought　of　flying。
　　It　was　after　nightfall　when　Lark　finally　shuffled　back　to　his　own　shabby　tent　near　the　Glade…only　to　find　Harullen　waiting　there　with　news。
　　The　low　massive　figure　took　up　fully　half　the　shelter。　At　first；　standing　in　the　entry　with　only　dim　moonlight　behind　him；　Lark　thought　it　was　Uthen；　his　friend　and　fellow　naturalist。　But　this　qheuen's　ash…colored　carapace　wasn't　scarred　from　a　lifetime　digging　into　Jijo's　past。　Harullen　was　a　bookworm；　a　mystic　who　spoke　with　aristocratic　tones　reminiscent　of　Gray　Queens　of　old。
　　〃The　zealots　sent　a　message；〃　the　heretic　leader　announced　portentously；　without　even　asking　Lark　about　his　day。
　　〃Oh？　Finally？　And　what　do　they　say？〃　Lark　dropped　his　daypack　by　the　entrance　and　sagged　onto　his　cot。
　　〃As　you　predicted；　they　desire　a　meeting。　It　is　arranged　for　tonight　at　midnight。〃
　　Echo…whispers　of　the　final　word　escaped　speaking　vents　in　back；　as　the　qheuen　shifted　his　weight。　Lark　suppressed　a　groan。　He　still　had　a　report　to　prepare　for　the　sages；　summarizing　everything　he'd　learned　today。　Moreover；　Ling　wanted　him　bright　and　early　the　next　morning；　to　help　evaluate　the　new　specimens。
　　And　now　this？
　　Well；　what　can　you　expect　when　you　play　games　of　multiple　loyalty？　Old…time　novels　warn　how　hard　things　can　get　when　you　serve　more　than　one　master。
　　Events　were　accelerating。　Now　the　rumored；　secretive　rebel　organization　had　finally　offered　to　talk。　What　choice　had　he　but　to　go？
　　〃All　right；〃　he　told　Harullen。　〃e　get　me　when　it's　time。　Meanwhile；　I　have　work　to　do。〃
　　The　gray　qheuen　departed　silently；　except　for　a　faint　clicking　of　claws　on　the　rocky　trail。　Lark　struck　a　match　that　sputtered　rank　fumes　before　settling　enough　to　light　his　tiny　oil　lamp。　He　unfolded　the　portable　writing　table　Sara　had　given　him　when　he　graduated　from　the　Roney　School；　what　seemed　a　geologic　age　ago。　Pulling　out　a　sheet　of　his　father's　best　writing　paper；　he　then　shaved　black　powder　from　a　half…used　ink　stick　into　a　clay　mortar；　mixed　the　dust　with　fluid　from　a　small　bottle；　and　ground　the　mixture　with　a　pestle　till　all　the　lumps　were　gone。　Lark　used　his　pocket　knife　to　sharpen　his　tree…staller　quill　pen。　At　last　he　dipped　the　tip　into　the　ink；　paused　for　a　moment；　and　began　to　write　his　report。
　　It　was　true；　Lark　realized　later；　during　a　tense　conclave　by　the　wan　opal　glow　of　Torgen；　the　second　moon。　Tentatively；　suspiciously；　the　zealots　were　indeed　offering　alliance　with　Harullen's　loose…knit　society　of　heretics。
　　Why？　The　two　groups　have　different　aims。　We　seek　to　reduce；　then　end；　our　illegal　presence　on　this　fragile　world。　The　zealots　only　want　the　old　status　quo　back；　our　hidden　secrecy　restored；　as　it　was　before　the　raider　ship　came…and　perhaps　a　few　old　scores　settled　along　the　way。
　　Still；　envoys　of　the　two　groups　gathered　in　the　dead　of　night；　near　a　steaming　fumarole；　by　the　winding　path　leading　to　the　silent　nest　of　the　Egg。　Most　of　those　in　the　conspiracy　wore　heavy　cloaks　to　hide　their　identities。　Harullen；　who　was　among　the　few　still　to　possess　a　functioning　rewq；　was　asked　to　remove　the　squirming　symbiont　from　his　sensory　cupola；　lest　the　delicate　creature　burn　itself　out　in　the　atmosphere　of　strained　intrigue。　Creatures　of　the　Great　Peace；　rewq　were　not　suited　for　times　of　war。
　　Or　is　it　because　the　zealots　don't　want　us　to　see　too　much；　Lark　pondered。　Not　for　nothing　were　rewq　called　the　〃mask　that　reveals。〃　Their　near…universal　hibernation　was　as　troubling　as　the　heavy　silence　of　the　Egg　itself。
　　Before　starting；　the　zealots　first　cracked　open　several　jars；　releasing　swarms　of　privacy　wasps　around　the　periphery…an　ancient　ritual　whose　origins　had　been　lost　but　that　now　made　earnest　sense；　after　discoveries　of　the　last　few　days。　Then　the　urrish　spokesman　for　the　cabal　stepped　forward；　speaking　in　Galactic　Two。
　　〃Your　association　sees　opportunity　in　the　（greatly　lamented）　ing　of　these　felons；〃　she　accused。　The　whistles　and　clicks　were　muffled　by　a　cowl；　obscuring　all　but　the　tip　of　her　muzzle。　Still；　Lark　could　tell　she　wasn't　many　seasons　past　a　middling；　with　at　most　one　husband　pouched　under　an　arm。　Her　diction　implied　education；　possibly　at　one　of　the　plains　academies　where　young　urs；　fresh　from　the　herd；　gathered　within　sight　of　some　steaming　volcano；　to　apprentice　in　their　finest　arts。　An　intellectual；　then。　All　full　of　book　learning　and　the　importance　of　her　own　ideas。
　　Yeah；　a　part　of　him　answered　honestly。　In　other　words；　not　too　different　from　yourself。
　　Harullen　answered　the　rebel's　challenge；　making　a　political　point　by　speaking　Anglic。
　　〃What　do　you　mean　by　that　strange　proposition？〃
　　〃We　mean　that　you　perceive；　in　these　（disliked/unwele）　aliens；　a　chance　to　see　your　ultimate　goals　fulfilled！〃
　　The　urs　stamped　a　foreleg。　Her　insinuation　sent　angry　murmurs　through　the　heretic　delegation。　Yet　Lark　had　seen　it　ing。
　　Harullen's　gray　carapace　rocked　an　undulating　circle。　A　traeki　gesture；　which　the　ringed　ones　called　Objection　to　Unjust　Impeachment。
　　〃You　imply　that　we　condone　our　own　murder。　And　that　of　every　sapient　on　Jijo。〃
　　The　urrish　conspirator　imitated　the　same　motion；　but　in　reverse…Reiteration　of　Indictment。
　　〃I　do　so　（emphatically）　imply。　I　do　so　（in　brutal　frankness）　mean。　All　know　this　is　what　you　heretics　（misguidedly）　desire。〃
　　Lark　stepped　forward。　If　the　zealots'　murmur　included　any　anti…human　slurs；　he　ignored　them。
　　〃That　is　not　（negation　reiterated）　what　we　desire！〃　Lark　plained；　garbling　the　qualifier　trill…phrase　in　his　haste　to　speak　up。
　　〃There　are　two　reasons　for　this；〃　he　continued；　still　struggling　in　GalTwo。
　　〃First　among　our　grounds　（for　rebuttal）　is　this…the　aliens　（greedy　to　extreme　fault）　must　not　only　eliminate　all　sapient　witnesses　（to　crime/to　theft）　who　might　testify　in　a　Galactic　court。　They　must　also　wipe　out　the　native　stock　of　any　（unlucky）　species　they　steal　from　Jijo！　Otherwise；　how　embarrassing　would　it　be　someday；　when　the　（foolish）　thieves　announce　their　adoption　of　a　new　client　race；　only　to　be　confronted　with　proof　that　it　was　stolen　from　this　world？　For　this　reason　they　must　exterminate　the　original　population；　when　they　depart。
　　〃This　we　（in　righteousness）　cannot　allow！　Genocide　of　innocent　life　is　the　very　crime　our　group　was　（in　selfless　righteousness）　formed　to　fight！〃
　　Harullen　and　the　other　heretics　shouted　approval。
　　Lark　found　his　throat　too　dry　to　continue　in　Galactic　Two。　He　had　made　the　gesture。　Now　he　switched　to　Anglic。
　　〃But　there　is　another　reason　to　resist　being　slaughtered　by　the　aliens。
　　〃There　is　no　honor　in　simply　being　killed。　Our　group's　goal　is　to　seek　agreement；　consensus；　so　that　the　Six　shall　do　the　right　thing　slowly；　painlessly；　voluntarily；　by　means　of　birth　control；　as　an　act　of　nobility　and　devotion　to　this　world　we　love。〃
　　〃The　effect；　in　the　end；　would　ve　ide