uplift4.brightnessreef-第69章

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　　At　eleven　and　a　half　cables；　a　sudden　chill　swept　the　cabin；　causing　fog　briefly　to　form。　Every　hard　surface　abruptly　went　damp　and　Huck　cranked　up　the　dehumidifier。　I　reached　out　to　touch　the　garuwood　hull；　which　seemed　markedly　cooler。　Wuphon's　Dream　turned　and　tilted　slightly；　facing　a　new　tug；　no　longer　the　same　languid　downward　drift。　From　soundings；　we　had　known　to　expect　a　transition　to　a　deep　frigid　current。　Still；　it　was　unnerving。
　　〃Adjusting　ballast　for　trim；〃　Huck　announced。　Closest　to　dead　center；　she　used　Uriel's　clever　pumps　to　shift　water　among　three　tanks　till　the　spirit　levels　showed　an　even　keel。　That　would　be　vital　on　reaching　bottom；　lest　we　topple　over　at　the　very　moment　of　making　history。
　　I　thought　about　what　we　were　doing。　In　Galactic　terms；　it　was　consummately　primitive；　of　course。　Earth　history　makes　for　much　more　flattering　parisons…which　may　be　one　reason　we　four　find　it　so　attractive。　For　instance；　when　Jules　Verne　was　writing　Twenty　Thousand　Leagues　Under　the　Sea；　no　human　had　ever　gone　as　far　down　into　the　oceans　of　Terra　as　we　were　heading　today。　We　savages　of　Jijo。
　　Huck　shouted…〃Look！　Is　that　something　down　below？〃
　　Those　eyes　of　hers。　Even　peering　past　Pincer　and　Ur…ronn；　she　had　glimpsed　bottom　first。　Ur…ronn　turned　the　eik　beams　and　soon　the　three　of　them　were　back　at　it　again；　driving　me　crazy　with　oohs；　ahs；　and　k…k…k…k　wonderment　clicks。　In　frustration　I　turned　the　crank；　making　the　rear　wheels　thrash　till　they　yelled　at　me　to　quit；　and　agreed　to　describe　what　they　saw。
　　〃There's　a　wavy　kind　of　plant；〃　Pincer　said；　his　voice　no　longer　stuttering。　〃And　another　kind　that's　all　thin　and　skinny。　Don't　know　how　they　live；　with　no　light　getting　down　here。　There's　lots　of　that　kind；　sort　of　waving　about。　And　there　are　snaky　trails　in　the　mud；　and　some　kind　of　weird　fishes　dodging　in　and　out　of　the　skinny　plants。。。。〃
　　After　a　bit　more　of　that；　I　would've　gladly　gone　back　to　wonderment　clicks。　But　I　kept　quiet。
　　〃。。。　And　there　are　some　kurtle　crabs…bright　red　and　bigger　than　any　I　ever　seen　before！　And　what's　that；　Ur…ronn；　a　mudworm？　You　think　so？　What　a　mud…worm！。。。　Hey；　what's　that　thing？　Is　that　a　dro…〃
　　Ur…ronn　interrupted；　〃Half　a　cavle　to　bottom。　Signaling　the　surface　crew　to　slow　descent。〃
　　Sharp　electric　sparks　broke　the　cabin's　darkness　as　she　touched　a　contact　key；　sending　coded　impulses　from　our　battery　up　an　insulated　strand；　woven　through　the　hawser。　It　took　a　few　duras　for　the　rumbling　grumble　of　the　deploying　drums　to　change　pitch　as　the　brakes　dug　in。　Wuphon's　Dream　jerked；　giving　us　all　a　start。　Huphu's　claws　raked　my　shoulder。
　　The　descent　slowed。　It　was　specially　agonizing　for　me；　not　knowing　how　much　farther　bottom　lay；　when　we'd　make　contact；　or　with　how　much　force。　Naturally；　nobody　was　confiding　in　good　old　Alvin！
　　〃Hey；　fellas；〃　Pincer　resumed；　〃I　think　I　just　saw…〃
　　〃Adjusting　trim！〃　Huck　announced；　peering　with　one　eye　at　each　of　the　spirit　levels。
　　〃Refocusing　the　lights；〃　Ur…ronn　added。　〃Ziz　shows　one　yellow　tentacle　to　starvoard。　Current　flowing　that　direction；　five　knots。〃
　　Pincer　murmured…〃Fellas？　I　thought　I　just　saw。。。　oh；　never　mind。　Bottom　appears　to　slope　left；　maybe　twenty　degrees。〃
　　〃Turning　forward　wheels　to　pensate；〃　Huck　responded。　〃Alvin；　we　may　want　a　slow　rearward　crank　on　the　driver　wheels。〃
　　That　jerked　me　out　of　any　resentful　mood。　〃Aye…aye；〃　I　said；　turning　the　zigzag　bar　in　front　of　me；　causing　the　rear　set　of　wheels　to　rotate。　At　least　I　hoped　they　were　responding。　We　wouldn't　know　for　sure　till　we　hit　the　ground。
　　〃Here　it　es；〃　Huck　announced。　And　then；　apparently　recollecting　her　missed　estimates　during　the　trial　run；　she　added…〃This　time　for　sure。　Brace　yourselves！〃
　　When　I　write　about　all　this　someday　from　these　notes；　perhaps　I'll　describe　sudden　billows　of　mud　as　we　plowed　into　the　ocean　floor；　gouging　a　long　furrow；　sending　vegetation　tumbling　and　blind　subsea　creatures　fleeing　in　panic。　Maybe　I'll　throw　in　fierce　saltwater　spray　from　a　blown　seal　or　two；　tightened　frantically　by　the　heroic　crew；　in　the　nick　of　time。
　　What　I　probably　won't　admit　in　print　is　that　I　couldn't　even　tell　the　exact　moment　when　our　wheels　touched　down。　The　event　was；　well；　more　than　a　bit　murky。　Like　sinking　a　probe　fork　into　the　rind　of　a　shuro　fruit　and　not　being　quite　sure　whether　you've　speared　the　core　nut　yet。
　　〃Murky〃　also　described　the　scene　around　us　as　slime…swirls　spiraled；　slowly　settling　to　reveal　a　dead…black　world；　except　down　twin　corridors　of　dazzling　blue　cast　by　the　eiks。　What　I　could　see　of　those　narrow　tunnels　snowed　a　slanting　plain　of　mud；　broken　here　and　there　by　pale　slim…stemmed　〃plants〃　that　needed　no　sunlight　to　thrive；　though　I　couldn't　begin　to　guess　what　else　they　lived　on。　Their　leaves　or　fronds　seemed　to　wave　back　and　forth；　as　if　in　a　breeze。　No　animal　life　moved　in　our　beams；　which　wasn't　that　surprising。　Wouldn't　we　top…dwellers　hide　if　some　weird　vessel　plunged　into　our　midst　from　above；　casting　forth　both　noise　and　a　searing　gaze？
　　Forcing　the　parison；　I　wondered　if　any　suboceanic　locals　thought　their　judgment　day　had　just　e。
　　With　her　telegraph　key；　Ur…ronn　pulsed　the　message　everyone　above　waited　to　hear。　We　are　down；　she　sent。　All　is　well。
　　Yes；　it　lacks　the　poetic　imagery　of　flags　planted；　eagles　landed；　or　infinitives　boldly　split。　I　shouldn't　plain。　Not　all　urs　are　born　to　recite　epic　sagas　on　demand。　Still；　I　think　I'll　change　it　in　rewrite…if　I　ever　get　the　chance；　which　right　now　seems　pretty　unlikely。
　　Again；　sparks　jumped　the　tiny　gap；　this　time　without　Ur…ronn　touching　it。　A　reply　from　above。
　　Wele　news。　Proceed。
　　〃Ready；　Alvin？〃　Pincer　called　back。　〃All　ahead；　one　quarter。〃
　　I　responded…〃Ahead　one　quarter；　aye；　Captain。〃
　　My　back　and　arm　muscles　flexed。　The　crank　seemed　reluctant　at　first。　Then　I　felt　the　magnetic　clutch　take　hold…a　strange　sense　of　attachment　to　once…living　g'Kek　parts　that　I　tried　not　thinking　about。　The　special　mud　treads　worked　as　I　felt　resistance。　Wuphon's　Dream　shuddered　forward。
　　I　concentrated　on　maintaining　a　steady　pace。　Pincer　shouted　steering　instructions　at　Huck　while　holding　Uriel's　map　for　reference。　Ur…ronn　correlated　our　bearing　with　her　pass。　The　hawser　and　air　hose　resumed　transmitting　the　distant　rumble　of　deployer　drums；　unreeling　more　tether　so　we　might　wander　ever　farther　from　safety。　The　confined　space　resonated　with　my　deep　work　umble；　but　no　one　plained。　The　sound　wrapped　itself　around　me　till　I　felt　encircled　by　hoonish　shipmates；　making　the　cramped　confinement　more　bearable。　Like　a　ship　far　at　sea；　we　were　all　alone；　dependent　on　Ifni's　luck　and　our　own　resourcefulness　to　make　it　home　again。
　　Time　passed。　We　fell　into　a　rhythmic　routine。　I　pushed；　Huck　steered；　Ur…ronn　aimed　the　headlights；　and　Pincer　was　pilot。　Pretty　soon；　it　began　to　feel　like　we　were　old　hands　at　this。
　　Huck　asked…〃What　were　you　saying；　Pincer；　just　before　we　landed？　Something　you　saw？〃
　　〃Sonething　with　lots　of　teeth；　I　vet！〃　Ur…ronn　teased。　〃Isn't　this　just　avout　when　we're　suffosed　to　see　nonsters？〃
　　Monsters；　I　thought。　My　umble　annexed　a　laugh…quaver。
　　Pincer　took　the　teasing　well。　〃Give　it　time；　chums。　You　never　can　tell　when。。。　there！　Over　to　the　left；　that's　what　I　saw　before！〃
　　The　Dream　listed　a　bit　as　Huck　and　Ur…ronn　leaned　forward　to　look；　causing　the　rear　wheels　to　lose　half　their　traction。　〃Hey！〃　I　plained。
　　〃Well；　I　be　despoked…〃　Huck　murmured。
　　〃And　I　vee　drenched；〃　Ur…ronn　added。
　　All　right；　so　I　whined　a　bit…〃e　on；　you　grass…fed　bunch　of　sour…mulching…〃
　　Just　then　the　ground　slanted　a　bit　more；　and　my　narrow　tunnel　view　finally　swept　across　the　scene　they'd　all　been　staring　at。
　　〃Hr…rm…rm！〃　I　exclaimed。　〃So　that's　what　got　you　all　stirred　up？　A　bunch　of　dross　coffins？〃
　　They　lay　scattered　across　the　ocean　floor；　canted　at　all　angles；　many　half　buried　in　the　mud。　Scores　of　them。　Mostly　oblong　and　rectangular；　though　a　few　were　barrel…shaped。　Naturally；　all　traces　had　vanished　of　the　ribbons　that　once　bedecked　them；　honoring　the　bones　or　spindles　or　worn…out　tools　cast　off　by　some　earlier　generation　of　sooners。
　　〃But　dross　ships　never　e　into　the　Rift；〃　Huck　plained；　pushing　two　stalks　toward　my　face。　〃Ain't　that　right；　Alvin？〃
　　I　twisted　to　peer　past　her　damn　floating　eyes。
　　〃They　don't。　Still；　the　Rift　is　officially　part　of　the　Midden。　Another　section　of　the　same　down…sucking　whatsit。〃
　　〃A　tectonic　suvduction　zone；〃　Ur…ronn　put　in。
　　〃Yeah；　thanks。　So　it's　a　perfectly　legal　place　to　dump　dross。〃
　　〃But　if　no　ships　e；　how　did　it　get　here？〃
　　I　was　trying　to　make　out　which　kinds　of　coffins　were　present　and　which　were　missing。　That　could　help　pin　down　when　the　spill　had　been　made。　There　were　no　human…style　chests　or　urrish　reed　baskets；　which　wasn't　surprising。　So　far　I'd　only　seen　g'Kek　and　qheuenish　work；　which　could　make　the　site　pretty　darn　old。
　　〃The　cartons　arrived　the　same　way　we　did；　Huck；〃　I　explained。　〃Somebody　dumped　them　off　the　cliff　at　Terminus　Rock。〃
　　Huck　gasped。　She　started　to　speak；　then　paused；　and　I　could　almost　hear　wheels　turning　in　her　head。　Dumping　from　land　just　isn't　done。　But　she　must　have　already　reasoned　that　this　place　was　an　acceptable　exception。　If　a　portion　of　the　Midden　really　did　pass　right　underneath　Terminus　Rock；　and　assuming　there　must　have　once　been　settlements　nearby；　this　would　have　been　a　cheaper　way　of　burying　Grandpa　than　sending　his　coffin　out　to　sea　by　boat。
　　〃But　then　how　did　the　boxes　get　so　far　from　land？　We've　e　cables　and　cables　by　now。〃
　　〃Tides；　mudslides；〃　Pincer　answered。　But　I　rumbled　I　negation。
　　〃You　forget　how　the　Midden's　supposed　to　work。　It　sucks　stuff　in；　isn't　that　right；　Ur…ronn？〃
　　Ur…ronn　whistled　despair　over　my　insistent　oversimplifying。　She　motioned　with　two　hands。　〃One　tectonic　flate　slides　under　the　other；　you　see；　creating　a　trench　and　drawing　old　sea　floor　along　with　it。〃
　　〃To　be　dragged　underground；　melted；　and　renewed；　pushing　underneath　the　Slope　and　making　volcanoes。　Yeah；　I　get　it。〃　Huck　turned　all　four　stalks　forward；　pensively。　〃Hundreds　of　years　since　these　were　dumped；　and　the　dross　has　only　e　this　far　from　where　it　fell？〃
　　Only　few　seconds　ago；　she　had　been　amazed　by　how　great　a　distance　the　crates　had　e　from　the　cliff！　I　guess　it　goes　to　show　how　different　time　can　seem；　when　you　shift　from　the　perspective　of　a　person's　lifetime　to　the　life　cycles　of　a　world。　In　parison；　I　don't　suppose　humans　have　much　to　brag　about；　living　twice　as　long　as　urs。　We're　all　bound　for　Jijo's　slow　digestion　soon　enough；　whether　or　not　alien　invaders　leave　us　alone。
　　Pincer　and　Ur…ronn　consulted　their　maps；　and　shortly　we　were　under　way　again；　leaving　that　boneyard　where　another　generation　of　sinners　made　their　slow　way　toward　pardon　in　melted　stone。
　　About　half　a　midura　later；　with　a　sense　of　great　relief；　we　found　Uriel's　〃jack。〃
　　By　that　time　my　arms　and　legs　ached　from　row…boating　the　crank　handle　at　least　a　couple　of　thousand　times；　responding　to　Pincer's　insistent　mands　of　〃speed　up！〃　or　〃slow　down！〃　or　〃can't　you　go　any　faster？〃　Of　the　four　of　us；　he　alone　seemed　to　be　enjoying　himself；　without　any　qu