uplift4.brightnessreef-第94部分

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　　〃We　arrived；　disgracefully；　to　set　uf　a　colony；　freserving　our　kind　in　a　secret　sanctuary。〃
　　Rety　grunted。　〃That　much　is　obvious。　But　why　here？　Why　now？〃
　　〃It　is　a　site　already　ascertained　to　ve　ha　vita　vie。。。　suitavle　for　sustaining　Earthlings；　and　therefore　the　donkeys　we　rely　on。　You　yourself　testified　to　that　fact。〃
　　〃Ah。〃　Ul…Tahni　must　have　been　one　of　the　junior　sages　in　the　pavilion　when　Rety　told　her　story　to　the　High　Council。　〃Go　on。〃
　　〃As　to　our　haste…we　sought　to　elude　the　fate　soon　to　fall　on　the　Slofe；　annihilation　at　the　hands　of　star…felons。〃
　　Rety　reacted　angrily。　〃I've　heard　that　damned　lie　before。　They'd　never　do　a　thing　like　that！〃
　　Ul…Tahni　rocked　her　head。　〃I　stand　corrected。　Clearly　such　fine　entities　would　not　slay　folk　who　had　done　them　no　hurt；　nor　cast　death　without　warning　from　a　cloudy　sky。〃
　　This　time　the　sarcasm　was　thick。　Rety　glanced　at　a　young　middling　urs　with　a　nasty　burn　along　one　flank；　from　the　flying　robot's　heat　beam。
　　〃Well；　I　guess　it's　just　your　tough　luck　we　had　reason　to　e　visit；　asking　directions；　and　found　you　already　at　war　with　my　old　family。〃
　　〃Not　war。　A　transient　discord。　One　we　did　not　initiate。　Naturally；　your　cousins　were　shocked　to　see　us。　Our　idea　was　to　vanquish　their　reflex　hostility　with　resolute　friendliness。　To　induce　cordiality　with　gifts　and　offers　of　assistance。〃
　　〃Yeah；　right。〃　Rety　knew　how　early　human　settlers　had　been　treated　by　urrish　clans　of　yore。　〃I　bet　you　also　counted　on　having　better　weapons　than　any　they　had　here。〃
　　Again；　a　snorted　sigh。　〃As　your　associates　crushed　us；　using　fower　far　greater　than　our　own？　It　kindles　wonder…could　this　chain　of　uneven　strength　ve　extrafolated？〃
　　Rety　didn't　like　the　bemused　look　in　those　beady　urrish　eyes。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　〃A　conjecture。　Could　there　exist　forces　as　far　suferior　to　your　new　lords　as　they　are　over　us？　In　all　the　wide　galaxies；　can　one　ever　be　sure　one　has　chosen　the　right　side？〃
　　The　words　sent　twinges　up　Rety's　spine；　reminding　her　of　recent　disturbing　dreams。
　　〃You　don't　know　nothin'　about　galaxies　an'　such；　so　don't　you　pretend…〃
　　At　that　moment　a　sudden　yelp　cut　her　short；　as　yee　popped　his　head　out　of　the　pouch；　mewling　with　unease。　A　ripple　of　reaction　spread　among　the　prisoners'　husbands；　who　emerged　howling；　swinging　their　heads　to　face　south。　Soon　the　larger　females　followed　suit；　clambering　to　their　feet。
　　Rety　worried…was　it　a　revolt？　But　no；　clearly　something　was　unnerving　them。
　　〃What　d'you　hear？〃　she　demanded　of　yee。
　　〃engine！〃　the　little　urs　answered；　corkscrewing　his　agile　neck。
　　A　moment　later　Rety　sensed　it　too。　A　distant　whine。　She　brought　a　hand　to　the　bump　near　her　ear　and　pressed。
　　〃Hey；　Kunn！　What's　going　on？〃
　　There　followed　a　long　pause；　during　which　the　open　line　relayed　cabin　sounds…switches　being　thrown；　motors　revving。　Finally；　the　pilot's　voice　buzzed　near　her　skull。
　　〃Jass　chose　to　cooperate；　so　we're　off　now　in　search　of　the　source　of　your　metal　bird。〃
　　〃But　I　want　to　go　too！〃
　　Kunn's　reply　was　cool。
　　〃Jass　told　me　everything；　including　the　reason　he　resisted　so　hard。　It　seems　you　convinced　him　I'd　finish　him　off　the　moment　he　told　what　he　knew。　That　he　would　live　only　until　then。　Now　why　did　you　tell　the　poor　bastard　such　a　thing；　Rety？　It　caused　inconvenience　and　unnecessary　pain。〃
　　Rety　thought…Unnecessary　for　you；　but　darn　important　to　me！　Revenge　was　only　half　of　her　rationale　for　manipulating　Jass。　But　it　would　have　been　enough　all　by　itself。
　　〃Kunn；　don't　leave　me。　I'm　one　of　you　now。　Rann　an'　Besh；　an'　even　Ro…pol　said　so！〃
　　Suddenly　she　felt　small　and　very　vulnerable；　with　urs　in　front　of　her　and　Bom　behind　at　the　gate；　surrounded　by　others　who　would　surely　love　to　bring　her　down。　She　covered　her　mouth　and　lowered　her　voice；　whispering　urgently　for　the　little　transmitter；　〃The　sooners'll　turn　on　me；　Kunn。　I　know　it！〃
　　〃Perhaps　you　should　have　thought　of　that　before。〃　Another　long　pause　followed。　Then…〃If　Rann　hadn't　insisted　on　long…range　radio　silence；　I　could　talk　it　over　with　the　others　before　deciding。〃
　　〃Deciding　what？〃
　　〃Whether　to　bring　you　back；　or　to　leave　you　where　you　began。〃
　　Rety　fought　down　a　trembling　that　coursed　her　body；　in　response　to　Kunn's　harsh　words。　Her　hopes　were　a　bright　tower　that　seemed　about　to　crash。
　　〃I'll　tell　you　what；　I'll　leave　the　robot　to　protect　you；　Rety。　It　will　do　what　you　say　till　I　get　back。　Do　not　abuse　the　privilege。〃
　　Her　heart　leaped　at　the　phrase…till　I　get　back。
　　〃I　promise！〃　she　whispered　urgently。
　　〃Treat　this　as　a　second　chance。　Question　the　urs。　Destroy　their　weapons。　Don't　let　anyone　leave　the　valley。　Do　a　good　job　and　we　may　wipe　the　slate　clean　when　I　return…providing　my　hunt　flushes　out　the　prey　at　last。
　　〃Kunn　out。〃
　　The　line　clicked；　cutting　off　the　cabin　sounds。　Rety　quelled　an　urge　to　press　the　button　and　choke　out　another　plea　to　be　taken　along。　Instead　she　set　her　teeth　grimly　and　climbed　the　fence　rails　to　stare　as　a　silvery　dart　lifted　out　of　the　narrow　canyon；　turned　in　the　morning　light；　then　streaked　southward；　leaving　her　with　a　heart　as　cold　and　barren　as　a　glacier。
　　
　　Dwer
　　THE　SOONER　VILLAGE　WAS　A　SIMMERING　PLACE　that　squatted　at　the　base　of　a　canyon　filled　with　dense；　sulfurous；　listless　air。
　　A　hellish　place；　from　an　urrish　point　of　view。　Dwer's　high　vantage　point　looked　down　at　the　captives；　in　their　cramped　pen。　Long　necks　drooped；　and　they　lay　like　the　atmosphere；　barely　moving。
　　〃I　count　about　a　dozen；　not　including　dead　ones；　just　as　you　said；〃　Lena　noted；　peering　through　her　pact　telescope。　〃I　guess　you'll　do　as　a　tracker；　fella…me…boy。〃
　　〃Thanks；　Oh　Mistress　of　Forbidden　Devices；〃　Dwer　answered。　He　was　getting　used　to　Lena's　ways。　She　always　had　to　get　a　little　bite　in；　even　when　making　a　pliment。　It　was　like　a　noor；　purring　on　your　lap；　who　repays　your　petting　by　dipping　its　claws　briefly　into　your　thigh。　The　funny　thing　was…he'd　actually　been　getting　used　to　the　idea　of　making　a　life　with　this　woman；　along　with　Jenin；　Danel；　and　the　lost　tribe　of　human　exiles。　Even　discovering　the　urrish　invasion　hadn't　made　the　notion　absurd。　Danel　had　been　right。　There　might　have　been　room　for　mon　cause。
　　But　now　all　such　ideas　were　obsolete。　Over　to　the　left　lay　the　reason　why…a　silver…gray　machine；　shaped　like　a　hoonish　cigar　with　stubby　wings。　It　was　the　first　alien　thing　Dwer　had　seen；　since　almost　being　killed　with　Rety　by　a　floating　robot　that　evening　in　a　mule…spider's　lair。
　　The　sky…car　should　not　be　here　in　the　badlands。
　　It　meant　the　demolishment　of　all　their　plans。
　　It　also　had　no　business　being　so　beautiful。
　　Dwer　was　proud　of　this　overlook；　high　on　the　canyon　wall；　which　surveyed　from　the　village；　past　the　steam　pools；　all　the　way　to　the　flying　machine；　sitting　in　a　nest　of　crushed　vegetation。
　　〃I　wish　the　yokels　would　stop　movin'　around。　It's　hard　gettin'　a　good　count；〃　Lena　plained。　〃At　least　the　kid　said　the　local　bully…boys　won't　let　women　use　weapons；　so　they　aren't　batants　to　worry　about。〃
　　She　sniffed　disdain　over　such　a　stupid　waste　of　resources。
　　Dwer　would　prefer　not　to　fight　Jijoan　humans；　as　well　as　the　alien　kind。　Anyway；　their　only　real　chance　lay　in　achieving　plete　surprise。
　　Sharing　the　cramped　ledge；　Dwer　felt　Lena's　breast　pressing　against　his　arm；　yet　it　provoked　no　arousal。　Their　bodies　seemed　to　grasp　that　a　change　had　occurred。　There　would　be　no　more　passionate　episodes。　No　life…affirming　gestures。　Sex　and　gender　were　important　to　colonists　planning　to　raise　families；　not　to　a　raiding　party　bent　on　destruction。　All　that　mattered　now　were　skills。　And　an　ability　to　count　on　one　another。
　　〃It　looks　like　a　standard　atmospheric　scout；〃　Danel　Ozawa　said。　〃Definitely　a　fighter。　I　wish　we　brought　along　just　one　text　on　Galactic　technology。　Give　me　the　glass；　will　you？〃
　　Like　Dwer's　and　Lena's；　Danel's　face　now　bore　jagged；　charcoal　slashes　that　were　supposed　to　muddle　the　pattern…recognizing　optics　of　alien　killer　machines。　Dwer　preferred　thinking　of　it　as　war　paint。
　　〃Well；　I'll　be…〃　Danel　muttered。　〃Here；　take　a　look。　I　guess　now　we　know　how　the　star…gods　found　this　place。〃
　　When　Dwer　got　the　telescope；　the　first　thing　he　noticed　was　that　the　flyer's　hatch　now　lay　ajar；　revealing　part　of　the　interior；　including　banks　of　control　panels。　If　only　we　were　close　right　now；　he　thought。　With　the　door　open　and　no　guard　robot　in　sight。。。
　　〃Look　to　the　right；　up　the。　trail　a　ways；〃　Danel　urged。
　　Dwer　shifted　the　spyglass；　sweeping　till　he　glimpsed　a　small　figure　dressed　in　one　of　the　aliens'　one…piece　garments；　moving　toward　the　sooner　encampment。
　　〃Great　Ifni's　Egg！〃　he　yelped。
　　〃What　is　it？〃　Lena　demanded；　grabbing　the　scope　as　Dwer　rolled　on　his　back；　staring　past　tangled　branches　at　a　murky　sky。
　　〃Well；　well；〃　Lena　muttered。　〃Looks　like　she　caught　up　with　us；　after　all。〃
　　〃I　should've　strangled　her　when　she　stole　my　bow。　I　should've　left　her　to　the　damn　spider。〃
　　〃You　don't　mean　that；　son；〃　Danel　chided。
　　Dwer　knew　the　sage　was　right。　Still；　he　grumbled。　〃Oh；　don't　I？　She　was　a　pain　from　the　start。　Now　she's　ruined　everything。〃
　　〃Perhaps　Rety　was　coerced。〃　But　the　sage　sounded　unconvinced　as　they　took　turns　with　the　telescope。　Each　of　them　had　seen　the　girl's　clothes；　her　freshly　coifed　hair；　and　her　confident　stride；　swaggering　into　camp　like　she　owned　the　place。
　　〃She's　gone　to　see　the　prisoners；〃　Lena　reported；　a　little　later。　〃Talking　to　one　of　'em　now。。。。　Those　urs　sure　look　ragged；　poor　things。〃　Lena　tsked；　and　her　sympathy　was　clearly　more　than　sarcastic。　〃I　wish　I　could　make　out…〃
　　She　stopped　as　Dwer　suddenly　gripped　her　arm；　reacting　to　a　faint；　high　keening　that　seemed　to　scrape　the　inside　of　his　skull。　The　noor　beast　chuttered　irritably；　shaking　its　head　and　sneezing。　Soon　the　noise　deepened　and　grew　loud　enough　for　the　rest　of　them　to　hear。　Even　Jenin；　who　was　on　lookout　duty　upslope；　hissed　a　worried　query。
　　The　clamor　came　from　the　aircraft。　It　made　Dwer's　teeth　feel　as　if　they　were　loosening　in　their　moorings。
　　〃Something's　ing　out！〃　Lena　exclaimed；　turning　the　telescope。　〃It's　the　robot