uplift4.brightnessreef-第108节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　Up；　up　rise　the　awful　instrumentalities；　meting　out　slashing　doom。　From　their　bellies　lash　spears　of　cold　flame；　slicing　through　the　stunned　host；　turning　it　into　a　roiling；　screaming　mob。　Four…legged　urs　bound　high　into　the　air；　screeching　panic。　Qheuens　cower　low；　trying　to　burrow　away　from　rays　that　carve　chitin　as　easily　as　flesh。　Humans　and　hoon　throw　themselves　flat　on　the　ground；　while　poor　g'Keks　spin　their　wheels；　trying　to　back　away。
　　We　traeki…those　left　at　Gathering　after　weeks　of　silent　departures…mostly　stand　where　we　were；　venting　multi…fragranced　fumes　of　woe；　erupting　wet　fear…stench　as　cutting　beams　slice　through　popping　toruses；　spilling　rich　liquor；　setting　our　stacks　afire。
　　But　look！　Stroke　the　image　layers　one　more　time；　my　rings。　See　the　darkly　clad　ones？　Those　who　rush　forward　toward　the　terror；　not　away？　Our　vision　spots　scry　little；　even　by　daylight；　for　their　clothing　blurs　them　in　uncanny　ways。　Nonetheless；　we/i　trace　squat　qheuen　shapes；　running　with　humans　crouched　on　their　backs；　and　urrish　troops　sweeping　alongside。　There　es；　as　well；　a　booming　noise；　a　rarely　heard　sound；　that　of　lethal　hoonish　ire。　From　their　midst；　these　dim　shapes　raise　strange　tubes；　even　as　the　soaring　demons　turn　their　killing　rage　upon　the　newers；　slashing　at　them　mercilessly。
　　There　is　a　place。。。
　　It　is　here；　in　our　core；　where　the　wax　depicts　only　a　roar…a　flash…an　overload　of　searing　afterimages…and　then。。。
　　What　followed　now　lies　before　us。
　　Cinders…where　the　robots　fell　to　sully　Jijo's　holy　soil；　shattered　and　reduced　to　dross。
　　Three　sky…lords…stunned　to　find　themselves　held　captive；　taken　prisoner；　stripped　of　their　godlike　tools。
　　A　poignant　field…strewn　with　lamented　dead。　So　many　dead。
　　A　makeshift　infirmary…where　even　more　wounded　writhe　and　grimace；　crying　diverse　plaints　of　pain。
　　Here；　at　last；　is　something　we　can　do　in　real　time。　Perhaps　they　can　use　the　assistance　of　an　old　retired　pharmacist。
　　Is　it　agreed；　my　rings？
　　Wonderful　unanimity。　It　makes　easier　the　unaccustomed　haste　as　i　hurry　forth　to　help。
　　
　　Sara
　　THE　HARD　MARCH　HAD　TAKEN　NOTHING　FROM　the　tension　between　the　two　rebel　groups。　UrKachu's　painted　warriors　and　Dedinger's　dun…clothed　hunters　eyed　each　other　warily　while　eating　separate　meals　under　an　aged　canopy　of　patched　and　weathered　blur…cloth；　never　wandering　far　from　their　weapons。　Members　of　each　group　took　turns　sleeping　after　supper；　no　more　than　six　at　a　time；　while　the　rest　kept　watch。　Sara　found　it　hard　to　imagine　this　alliance　lasting　a　dura　longer　than　it　was　in　both　sides'　perceived　self…interest。
　　What　if　fighting　broke　out？　In　these　close　quarters　it　would　be　no　artful　exercise　in　maneuver　and　strategy　but　a　roiling　tumble　of　slashing；　grappling　forms。
　　She　recalled　the　frontispiece　illustration　in　volume　one　of　The　Urrish…Earthling　Wars；　by　Hauph…hutau；　one　of　the　most　popular　titles　published　since　the　Great　Printing。　In　small　type；　the　great　historian　acknowledged　copying　the　scene　from　a　Tabernacle…era　art　book；　showing　the　sculpture　frieze　that　once　surrounded　the　Parthenon；　in　ancient　Greece。　That　famous　relief　depicted　a　long　row　of　mighty　figures；　clenched　in　mortal　bat…naked　men　brawling　with　furious　monsters；　half　human　and　half　horse；　who　reared；　kicked；　and　slashed　at　their　foes　in　a　bitter　fight　to　the　death。　According　to　myth；　the　feud　broke'　out　during　a　festival　of　peace　and　concluded　with　extinction　for　the　centaur　race。
　　Of　course；　an　urs　had　almost　nothing　in　mon　with　a　centaur；　beyond　having　four　legs　and　two　arms。　Yet　the　symbolism　of　the　frieze　was　so　eerie；　so　unnerving；　that　it　became　notorious　during　the　age　of　struggle；　helping　steel　the　resolve　of　both　sides。　Sara　had　no　wish　to　see　such　a　bloody　scene　enacted　in　front　of　her。
　　Of　the　others　taken　captive　at　Uryutta's　Oasis；　young　Jomah　was　already　out　like　a　snuffed　candle；　curled　in　his　bedroll；　fast　asleep。　The　Stranger　picked　away　at　his　meal　of　corn　mush；　frequently　putting　down　his　spoon　to　pluck　a　series　of　soft　notes　from　his　dulcimer；　or　else　performing　the　ritual　of　counting　its　strings。　Numbers；　it　seemed；　were　like　music　to　him…a　window　to　what　he　once　had　been；　more　faithful　than　the　knack　at　sentences；　that　he　had　lost。
　　Kurt；　the　exploser；　doodled　on　his　notepad；　occasionally　picking　up　one　of　the　little　books　he　kept　so　secretively；　either　in　his　valise　or　the　inner　pocket　of　his　gown。　He　covered　his　work　whenever　any　human　or　urs　passed　close　but　seemed　not　to　mind　that　Prity　lingered　nearby；　after　bringing　his　meal。　Putting　on　her　best　I'm…just…a…dumb…critter　act；　Prity　spent　some　time　pretending　to　inspect　her　leg　for　lice。　But　soon　the　little　chimp　was　peering　over　the　exploser's　shoulder；　rubbing　her　chin；　drawing　her　lips　past　her　gums；　exposing　a　grin　of　silent；　delighted　interest。
　　Sara　had　to　squelch　an　urge　to　laugh　out　loud。　At　the　same　time；　she　worried。
　　The　Urunthai　and　desert…men　are　politely　leaving　Kurt　alone；　for　now。　The　habit　of　deference　to　explosers　runs　deep　and　is　hard　to　break。　But　they　also　promised　〃persuasion〃　when　we　reach　our　destination。　Does　Kurt　really　imagine　he　can　keep　his　work　secret　then？
　　He'd　be　better　off　throwing　his　notebooks　into　the　fire；
　　Sara　restrained　her　own　curiosity。　Explosers　were　a　mysterious；　formidable　sect。　Frankly；　she　doubted　the　wisdom　of　the　Urunthai　in　messing　with　them。
　　〃We　won't　wait　till　nightfall；　vefore　setting　forth；〃　Ulgor　told　Sara；　passing　near　her　bedroll。　〃I'd　catch　uf　on　sleef；　if　I　were　you。〃
　　The　urrish　tinker's　unpainted　pelt；　well…kept　mane；　and　piercing　black　true…eyes　set　her　apart　from　her　wild　cousins。　There　was　no　air　of　antagonism；　no　anti…human　hostility。　After　all；　Ulgor　had　visited　Dolo　Village　dozens　of　times；　always　on　friendly　terms。
　　Sara　shook　her　head。　〃I　can　see　what　drives　the　others。　Religion　can　be　a　strong　motive　when　you　think　your　descendants'　salvation　is　at　stake。　But　what　do　you　get　out　of　all　this；　Ulgor？　I　know　it　can't　be　profit。〃
　　The　narrow；　conical　head　split　in　a　triangular　grin。
　　Sara　did　not　need　a　rewq　to　know　the　expression　was　sardonic。
　　〃Why　exclude　the　overt　reason？　Earnings。　Personal　gain。〃
　　Sara　quoted　scripture：　〃　'What　use　will　be　all　your　wealth　and　goods；　two　leagues　down　Redemption's　Road？'　〃
　　Ulgor　breathed　a　soft　whistle　of　laughter。　〃Little　good　at　all。　On　the　other　hoof；　hero　status　can　ve　useful　in　a　clan　of　savages。　Ferhafs　I　will　ve　one　of　the　great　chiefs　of　the　plains；　higher　in　renown　than　Ur…Chown！〃
　　Ulgor's　self…mocking　tone　dismissed　that　idea；　while　encouraging　Sara　to　keep　guessing。
　　Sara　suddenly　felt　tired。　〃You're　right；　Ulgor。〃
　　〃You　think　so？〃
　　〃Indeed　I　do。　It　would　be　a　good　idea　to　catch　up　on　sleep；　while　I　can。〃
　　The　tinker　stared；　twisting　her　neck　a　half　spiral。　〃I　thought　you　wanted　to　know…〃
　　Sara　covered　a　yawn。　〃Please　be　assured；　Ulgor；　that　I　am　very　sorry　I　asked。〃
　　With　that　she　turned　away　to　lie　down　on　her　bedroll。　Prity　hurried　over　to　tuck　the　blanket　around　Sara；　then　chuffed　at　Ulgor；　shooing　her　away。　Sara　listened　to　the　urbane　traitor's　hooves　pound　a　nervous　retreat；　as　if　burdened　by　Sara's　contempt。
　　She　really　was　exhausted。　Her　muscles　throbbed　from　several　days'　unaccustomed　exertion；　and　her　tailbone　from　jarring　contact　with　the　hard　leather　saddle。　And　there　was　an　emotional　element。
　　I　was　given　a　job　to　do。　Several　of　them。　Now　it　looks　like　I　won't　plete　even　one。
　　A　low；　repetitive　thrum　pervaded　the　pavilion；　like　the　synchronous；　pulselike　snoring　of　the　urs。　It　was　the　Stranger；　plucking　his　dulcimer's　lowest　string；　so　softly　and　regularly　that　no　one；　not　even　UrKachu；　might　find　any　cause　for　plaint；　creating　a　lulling　rhythm；　resembling　less　a　heartbeat　than　the　rise…and…fall　cadence　of　ribcages…both　urrish　and　human…as　members　of　both　parties　slept。
　　Ariana　figured　he'd　develop　new　skills；　to　pensate　for　those　he　lost；　she　thought。　I　guess　this　musical　sensitivity　is　part　of　that。
　　Just　after　dawn；　while　the　two　radical　groups　worked　to　set　up　camp；　the　spaceman　had　played　for　the　urrish　males；　briefly　released　from　the　close　confines　of　their　wives'　pouches；　taking　advantage　of　the　break　to　stretch　their　legs　in　the　fresh　air。　A　few　males　kept　close　watch　on　maturing　larvae；　with　six　short　legs　and　no　arms；　almost　ready　to　be　spilled　onto　the　plains　and　fend　for　themselves。
　　Using　two　curved　mallets　to　strike　the　dulcimer　strings；　the　Stranger　had　acpanied　himself　as　he　sang　a　chain　of　children's　melodies；　familiar　enough　to　flow　smoothly　from　undamaged　memory。　Sara　even　recognized　a　few。　Among　the　rest；　one　seemed　especially　apropos。
　　〃I　had　a　little　husband；　no　bigger　than　my　thumb；
　　I　put　him　in　a　pint　pot；　and　there　I　bid　him　drum；
　　I　bought　a　little　handkerchief；　to　wipe　his　little　nose；
　　And　a　pair　of　little　garters；　to　tie　his　little　hose。〃
　　He　repeated　the　verse　several　times；　and　soon；　under　his　encouragement；　the　males　were　beating　time　to　the　song；　crooning　along。　Sara　recalled　thinking；　if　he　wound　up　stranded　on　Jijo　and　had　no　future　in　any　other　profession；　the　fellow　could　certainly　find　emplo