uplift4.brightnessreef-第3节

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carpet　of　greenery　that's　supposed　to　hide　our　town　against　being　seen　from　space。
　　I　have　doubts　it'd　really　work；　if　The　Day　ever　es　that　everyone　frets　about。　When　sky…gods　e　to　judge　us；　what　good　will　a　canopy　of　leaves　do？　Will　it　spare　us　punishment？
　　But　I　don't　want　to　be　called　a　heretic。　Anyway；　this　ain't　the　place　to　talk　about　that。
　　So　there　we　were；　high　over　Wuphon；　all　exposed　with　the　bare　sun　glaring　down；　and　Huck　blurts　her　remark　like　a　sudden　burst　of　hollow　hail。
　　〃I　know　where　there's　something　to　read；〃　she　says。
　　I　put　down　the　lath　strips　I　was　carrying；　laying　them　across　a　clump　of　black　iris　vines。　Below；　I　made　out　the　pharmacist's　house；　with　its　chimney　spilling　distinct　traeki　smells。　（Do　you　know　that　different　kinds　of　plants　grow　above　a　traeki's　home？　It　can　be　hard　working　there　if　the　pharmacist　happens　to　be　making　medicine　while　you're　overhead！）
　　〃What're　you　talking　about？〃　I　asked；　fighting　a　wave　of　wooziness。　Huck　wheeled　over　to　pick　up　one　of　the　laths；　nimbly　bending　and　slipping　it　in　where　the　trellis　sagged。
　　〃I'm　talking　about　reading　something　no　one　on　the　Slope　has　ever　seen；〃　she　answered　in　her　crooning　way；　when　she　thinks　an　idea's　gloss。　Two　eyestalks　hovered　over　her　busy　hands；　while　a　third　twisted　to　watch　me　with　a　glint　I　know　too　well。　〃I'm　talking　about　something　so　ancient；　it　makes　the　oldest　scroll　on　Jijo　look　like　Joe　Dolenz　just　printed　it；　with　the　ink　still　wet！〃
　　Huck　spun　along　the　beams　and　joists；　making　me　gulp　when　she　popped　a　wheelie　or　swerved　past　a　gaping　hole；　weaving　flexible　lath　canes　like　reeds　in　a　basket。　We　tend　to　see　g'Keks　as　frail　beings；　because　they　prefer　smooth　paths　and　hate　rocky　ground。　But　those　axles　and　rims　are　nimble；　and　what　a　g'Kek　calls　a　road　can　be　narrow　as　a　plank。
　　〃Don't　give　me　that；〃　I　shot　back。　〃Your　folk　burned　and　sank　their　sneakship；　same　as　every　race　who　skulked　down　to　Jijo。　All　they　had　were　scrolls…till　humans　came。〃
　　Huck　rocked　her　torso；　imitating　a　traeki　gesture　that　means；　Maybe　you're　right；　but　i/we　don't　think　so。
　　〃Oh；　Alvin；　you　know　even　the　first　exiles　found　things　on　Jijo　to　read。〃
　　All　right；　so　I　wasn't　too　swift　on　the　grok。　I'm　plenty　smart　in　my　own　way…steady　and　thorough　is　the　hoonish　style…but　no　one　ever　accused　me　of　being　quick。
　　I　frowned；　mimicking　a　human　〃thoughtful〃　expression　I　once　saw　in　a　book；　even　though　it　makes　my　forehead　hurt。　My　throat　sac　throbbed　as　I　concentrated。
　　〃Hrrrrrm。。。。　Now　wait　just　a　minute。　You　don't　mean　those　wall　markings　sometimes　found…〃
　　〃On　the　walls　of　old　Buyur　buildings；　yes！　The　few　not　smashed　or　eaten　by　mule…spiders　when　the　Buyur　left；　a　million　years　ago。　Those　same　markings。〃
　　〃But　weren't　they　mostly　just　street　signs　and　such？〃
　　〃True；〃　she　agreed　with　one　dipping　eyestalk。　〃But　there　were　really　strange　ones　in　the　ruins　where　I　first　lived。　Uncle　Lorben　was　translating　some　into　GalTwo；　before　the　avalanche　hit。〃
　　I'll　never　get　used　to　how　matter…of…factly　she　can　speak　about　the　disaster　that　wiped　out　her　family。　If　anything　like　it　happened　to　me；　I　wouldn't　talk　again　for　years。　Maybe　ever。
　　〃Uncle　swapped　letters　with　a　Biblos　scholar　about　the　engravings　he　found。　I　was　too　little　to　understand　much。　But　clearly　there　are　savants　who　want　to　know　about　Buyur　wall　writings。〃
　　And　others　who　wouldn't　like　it；　I　recall　thinking。　Despite　the　Great　Peace；　there　are　still　folk　in　all　six　races　ready　to　cry　heresy　and　warn　of　an　awful　penance；　about　to　fall　from　the　sky。
　　〃Well；　it's　too　bad　all　the　carvings　were　destroyed　when。。。　you　know。〃
　　〃When　the　mountain　killed　my　folks？　Yeah。　Too　bad。　Say；　Alvin；　will　you　pass　a　couple　more　strips　over　to　me？　I　can't　quite　reach…〃
　　Huck　teetered　on　one　wheel；　the　other　spinning　madly。　I　gulped　and　passed　over　the　lengths　of　slivered　boo。　〃Thanks；〃　Huck　said；　landing　back　on　the　beam　with　a　shuddering　bounce；　damped　by　her　shocks。　〃Now　where　was　I？　Oh　yeah。　Buyur　wall　writings。　I　was　going　to　suggest　how　we　can　find　some　engravings　no　one's　ever　seen。　At　least　none　of　us　exile　Sixers。〃
　　〃How　could　that　be？〃　My　throat　sac　must　have　fluttered　in　confusion；　making　burbly　sounds。　〃Your　people　came　to　Jijo　two　thousand　years　ago。　Mine　almost　as　long。　Even　humans　have　been　here　a　few　hundred。　Every　inch　of　the　Slope　is　explored；　and　each　Buyur　site　poked　into；　scores　of　times！〃
　　Huck　stretched　all　four　eyes　toward　me。
　　〃Exactly！〃
　　Floating　from　her　cranial　tympanum；　the　Anglic　word　seemed　stressed　with　soft　accents　of　excitement。　I　stared　for　a　long　time　and　finally　croaked　in　surprise。
　　〃You　mean　to　leave　the　Slope？　To　sneak　beyond　the　Rift？〃
　　I　should　have　known　better　than　to　ask。
　　All　it　would　have　taken　was　a　shift　in　the　roll　of　Ifni's　dice；　and　this　would　be　a　very　different　tale。　Things　came　that　close　to　going　the　way　Huck　wanted。
　　She　kept　badgering　me；　for　one　thing。　Even　after　we　finished　repairing　the　lattice　and　went　back　to　loitering　near　the　ships　moored　under　huge；　overhanging　gingourv　trees；　she　just　kept　at　it　with　her　special　bination　of　g'Kek　wit　and　hoonlike　persistence。
　　〃e　on；　Alvin。　Haven't　we　sailed　to　Terminus　Rock　dozens　of　times　and　dared　each　other　to　keep　on　going？　We　even　did　it；　once；　and　no　harm　ever　came！〃
　　〃Just　to　the　middle　of　the　Rift。　Then　we　scurried　home　again。〃
　　〃So？　Do　you　want　that　shame　sticking　forever？　This　may　be　our　last　chance！〃
　　I　rubbed　my　half…inflated　sac；　making　a　hollow；　rumbling　sound。　〃Aren't　you　forgetting；　we　already　have　a　project？　We're　building　a　bathy；　in　order　to　go　diving…〃
　　She　cut　loose　a　blat　of　disgust。　〃We　talked　it　over　last　week　and　you　agreed。　The　bathy　reeks。〃
　　〃I　agreed　to　think　about　it。　Hrm。　After　all；　Pincer　has　already　built　the　hull。　Chewed　it　himself　from　that　big　garu　log。　And　what　about　the　work　the　rest　of　us　put　in；　looking　up　old　Earthling　designs；　making　that　pressor　pump　and　cable？　Then　there　are　those　wheels　you　salvaged；　and　Ur…ronn's　porthole…〃
　　〃Yeah；　yeah。〃　She　renounced　all　our　labors　with　a　dismissive　twirl　of　two　stalks。　〃Sure；　it　was　fun　working　on　that　stuff　during　winter；　when　we　had　to　sit　indoors　anyway。　Especially　when　it　looked　like　it'd　never　actually　happen。　We　had　a　great　game　of　pretend。
　　〃But　things　are　getting　serious！　Pincer　talks　about　actually　making　a　deep　dive　in　a　month　or　two。　Didn't　we　agree　that's　crazy？　Didn't　we；　Alvin？〃　Huck　rolled　closer　and　did　something　I've　never　heard　another　g'Kek　do。　She　rumbled　an　umble　at　me；　mimicking　the　undertone　a　young　hoon　female　might　use　if　her　big；　handsome　male　was　having　trouble　seeing　things　her　way。
　　〃Now　wouldn't　you　rather　e　with　me　to　see　some　uttergloss　writings；　so　burnish　and　ancient　they　were　written　with　puters　and　lasers　and　such？　Hr…rm？　Doesn't　that　beat　drowning　in　a　stinky　dross　coffin；　halfway　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea？〃
　　Time　to　switch　languages。　While　I　normally　find　Anglic　more　buff　than　smug　old　star…god　tongues；　even　Mister　Heinz　agrees　that　its　〃human　tempos　and　loose　logical　structure　tend　to　favor　impetuous　enthusiasms。〃
　　Right　then；　I　needed　the　opposite；　so　I　shifted　to　the　whistles　and　pops　of　Galactic　Two。
　　〃Consideration　of　（punishable）　criminality…this　has　not　occurred　to　thee？〃
　　Unfazed；　she　countered　in　GalSeven；　the　formal　tongue　most　favored　by　humans。
　　〃We　are　minors；　friend。　Besides；　the　border　law　is　meant　to　thwart　illicit　breeding　beyond　the　permitted　zone。　Our　gang　has　no　such　intent！〃
　　Then；　in　a　quick　flip　to　Galactic　Two…
　　〃…Or　hast　thee　（perverted）　designs　to　attempt　（strange；　hybrid）　procreation　experiments　with　this　（virginal　female）　self？〃
　　What　a　thought！　Plainly　she　was　trying　to　keep　me　off　balance。　I　could　feel　control　slip　away。　Soon　I'd　find　myself　vowing　to　set　sail　for　those　dark　ruins　you　can　dimly　see　from　Terminus　Rock；　if　you　aim　an　urrish　telescope　across　the　Rift's　deep　waters。
　　Just　then；　my　eye　caught　a　familiar　disturbance　under　the　placid　bay。　A　ruddy　shape　swarmed　up　the　sandy　bank　until　a　dappled　crimson　carapace　burst　forth；　spraying　saltwater。　From　that　pact　pentagonal　shell；　a　fleshy　dome　raised；　girdled　by　a　glossy　black　ring。
　　〃Pincer！〃　I　cried；　glad　of　a　distraction　from　Huck's　hot　enthusiasm。　〃e　over　and　help　me　talk　to　this　silly…〃
　　But　the　young　qheuen　burst　ahead；　cutting　me　off　even　before　water　stopped　burbling　from　his　speech　vents。
　　〃M…m…mo…mo…mon…〃
　　Pincer's　not　as　good　at　Anglic　as　Huck　and　me；　especially　when　excited。　But　he　uses　it　to　prove　he's　as
　　humicking　modern　as　anyone。　I　held　up　my　hands。　〃Easy；　pal！　Take　a　breath。　Take　five！〃
　　He　exhaled　a　deep　sigh；　which　emerged　as　a　pair　of　bubble　streams　where　two　spiky　legs　were　still　submerged。　〃I　s…s…seen　'em！　This　time　I　really　s…seen　'em！〃
　　〃Seen　what？〃　Huck　asked；　rolling　across　squishy　sand。
　　The　vision　band　rimming　Pincer's　dome　looked　in　all　directions　at　once。　Still；　we　could　feel　our　friend's　intense　regard　as　he　took　another　deep　breath；　then　sighed　a　single　word。
　　〃Monsters！〃
　　
　　II。　THE　BOOK　OF　THE　SLOPE
　　Legends
　　The　better　part　of　a　million　years　has