uplift4.brightnessreef-第30节

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　　…our　human　neighbors　are　not　trustworthy　anymore；　if　they　ever　were。
　　…they　will　sell　us　out　to　their　gene…and…clan　cousins　in　the　foray　party。
　　…they　lied　with　their　colorful　tale　of　being　poor；　patronless　wolflings；　scorned　among　the　Five　Galaxies。
　　…they　only　feigned　exile；　while　spying　on　us　and　this　world。
　　Even　more　bitter　was　this　gossipy　slander
　　…they　will　depart　soon　with　their　cousins；　climbing　to　resume　the　godlike　life　our　ancestors　forsook。　Leaving　us　to　molder　in　this　low　place；　cursed；　forgotten；　while　they　roam　galaxies。
　　That　was　the　foulest　chattering　stench；　so　repugnant　that　i/we　vented　a　noisome；　melancholy　steam。
　　The　humans。。。　might　they　really　do　that？　Might　they　abandon　us？
　　If/when　that　happened；　night　would　grow　as　loathsome　as　day。　For　we　would　ever　after　have　to　look　up　through　our　darkness　and　see　what　they　had　reclaimed。
　　The　stars。
　　
　　Lark
　　THE　FORAYER　BIOLOGIST　MADE　HIM　NERVOUS。　Ling　had　a　way　of　looking　at　Lark…one　that　kept　him　I　befuddled；　feeling　like　a　savage　or　a　child。
　　Which　he　was；　in　parison；　despite　being　older　in　duration…years。　For　one　thing；　all　his　lifetime　of　study　wouldn't　fill　even　one　of　the　crystal　memory　slivers　she　dropped　blithely　into　the　portable　console　slung　over　her　one…piece　green　coverall。
　　The　dark　woman's　exotic；　high　cheekbones　framed　large　eyes；　a　startling　shade　of　creamy　brown。　〃Are　you　ready；　Lark？〃　she　asked。
　　His　own　pack　held　four　days'　rations；　so　there'd　be　no　need　to　hunt　or　forage；　but　this　time　he　would　leave　behind　his　precious　microscope。　That　treasure　of　urrish　artifice　now　seemed　a　blurry　toy　next　to　the　gadgets　Ling　and　her　rades　used　to　inspect　organisms　down　to　the　level　of　their　constituent　molecules。　What　could　we　tell　them　that　they　don't　already　know？　he　pondered。　What　could　they　possibly　want　from　us？
　　It　was　a　popular　question；　debated　by　those　friends　who　would　still　speak　to　him；　and　by　those　who　turned　their　backs　on　any　human；　for　being　related　to　invaders。
　　Yet　the　sages　charged　a　human…and　a　heretic　at　that…to　guide　one　of　these　thieves　through　a　forest　filled　with　treasure。　To　begin　the　dance　of　negotiating　for　our　lives。
　　The　Six　had　one　thing　to　offer。　Something　missing　from　the　official　Galactic　Library　entry　on　Jijo；　collated　by　the　Buyur　before　they　departed。　That　thing　was　recent　data；　about　how　the　planet　had　changed　after　a　million　fallow　years。　On　that；　Lark　was　as　〃expert〃　as　a　local　savage　could　be。
　　〃Yes；　I'm　ready；〃　he　told　the　woman　from　the　starship。
　　〃Good；　then　let's　be　off！〃　She　motioned　for　him　to　lead。
　　Lark　hoisted　his　pack　and　turned　to　show　the　way　out　of　the　valley　of　crushed　trees；　by　a　route　passing　far　from　the　cleft　of　the　Egg。　Not　that　anyone　expected　its　existence　to　stay　secret。　Robot　scouts　had　been　out　for　days；　nosing　through　the　glens；　streams；　and　fumaroles。　Still；　there　was　a　chance　they　might　mistake　the　Egg　for　just　another　rock　formation…that　is；　until　it　next　started　to　sing。
　　Lark's　chosen　path　also　led　away　from　the　canyon　where　the　innocents　had　been　sent…the　children；　chimpanzees；　lorniks；　zookirs；　and　glavers。　Perhaps　the　plunderers'　eyes　weren't　omniscient；　after　all。　Maybe　precious　things　could　be　hidden。
　　Lark　agreed　with　the　sages'　plan。　Thus　far。
　　Clots　of　spectators　normally　gathered　at　the　valley　rim　to　watch　the　black　cube　drink　sunlight　without　reflections　or　highlights。　When　the　two　humans　reached　those　heights；　one　group　of　urrish　onlookers　backed　away　nervously；　hooves　clattering　like　pebbles　on　hard　stone。　They　were　all　young　unbrooded　females　with　empty　mate　pouches。　Just　the　sort　to　have　an　itch　for　trouble。
　　Conical　heads　bobbed　and　hissed；　lowering　toward　the　humans；　displaying　triangles　of　serrated　teeth。　Lark's　shoulders　tensed。　The　rewq　in　his　belt　pocket　squirmed　as　it　sensed　rancor　in　the　air。
　　〃Stop　that！〃　he　warned；　when　Ling　started　pointing　an　instrument　toward　the　milling　urs。　〃Just　keep　walking。〃
　　〃Why？　I　only　want　to　take…〃
　　〃Of　that　I'm　sure。　But　now's　not　a　good　time。〃
　　Lark　held　her　elbow；　urging　her　along。　From　first　contact　he　could　tell　she　was　quite　strong。
　　A　rock　shot　past　them　from　behind　and　struck　the　ground　ahead。　An　aspirated　shout　followed。
　　〃Skirlssss！〃
　　Ling　started　to　turn　in　curiosity；　but　Lark　kept　her　moving。　Added　voices　joined　in。
　　〃Skirls！〃
　　〃Jeekee　skirlsss！〃
　　More　stones　pelted　around　them。　Ling's　eyes　showed　dawning　concern。　So　Lark　reassured　her；　dryly；　〃Urs　don't　throw　very　well。　Lousy　aim；　even　after　they　learned　about　bows　and　arrows。〃
　　〃They　are　your　enemies；〃　she　observed；　quickening　the　pace　on　her　own　accord。
　　〃That's　putting　it　too　strong。　Let's　just　say　that　humans　had　to　fight　a　bit　for　our　place　here　on　Jijo；　early　on。〃
　　The　urrish　rabble　followed；　easily　keeping　up；　shouting　and　stoking　their　nerve…until　one　of　their　own　kind　galloped　in　from　the　east；　swerving　suddenly　in　front　of　the　throng。　Wearing　the　brassard　of　a　Proctor　of　Gathering；　she　spread　her　arms　wide；　displaying　two　full　mating　pouches　and　active　scent　glands。　The　mob　stumbled　to　a　halt　as　her　head　bobbed　bold；　aggressive　circles；　snapping　and　shooing　them　away　from　the　two　humans。
　　Law　and　order　still　function；　Lark　thought；　with　relief。　Though　for　how　much　longer？
　　〃What　were　they　shouting　at　us？〃　Ling　asked　after　marching　farther　under　a　canopy　of　fine…needled　vor　trees。　〃It　wasn't　in　GalSix　or　GalTwo。〃
　　〃Local　dialect。〃　Lark　chuckled。　〃Jeekeewas　originally　a　hoonish　curseword；　now　in　mon　use。　It　means　smelly…as　if　those　randy　little　unwed　urs　should　talk！〃
　　〃And　the　other　word？〃
　　Lark　glanced　at　her。　〃Insults　are　important　to　urs。　Back　in　pioneer　days；　they　wanted　something　to　call　us。　Something　humans　would　find　both　offensive　and　apropos。　So；　during　an　early　truce；　they　very　nicely　asked　our　founders　to　tell　'em　the　name　of　an　animal　familiar　to　us。　One　that　lived　in　trees　and　was　known　for　being　silly。〃
　　Her　eyes；　taken　straight　on；　were　large　and　exquisite。　Hardly　the　sort　you'd　expect　on　a　pirate。
　　〃I　don't　get　it；〃　Ling　said。
　　〃To　them　we're　tree…climbers。　Just　as　they　must　have　reminded　our　ancestors　of　horses；　hinneys；　grass…browsers。〃
　　〃So？　I　still　don't…〃
　　〃So　we　make　an　effort　to　act　really　insulted；　when　an　angry　urs　calls　one　of　us　a　squirrel。　It　makes　them　so　happy；　you　see。〃
　　She　looked　puzzled；　as　if　many　parts　of　his　explanation　confused　her。　〃You　want　to　please　your　enemies？〃　she　asked。
　　Lark　sighed。　〃No　one　on　the　Slope　has　enemies　anymore。　Not　on　that　kind　of　scale。〃
　　That　is；　not　until　lately；　he　added　silently。　〃Why？〃　he　continued；　trying　to　turn　the　interrogation　around。　〃Are　enemies　mon　where　you're　from？〃
　　It　was　her　turn　to　sigh。　〃The　galaxies　are　dangerous。　Humans　aren't　well…liked　by　many。〃
　　〃So　said　our　ancestors。　It's　because　humans　are　wolflings；　right？　Because　we　uplifted　ourselves；　without　the　help　of　a　patron？〃
　　Ling　laughed。　〃Oh；　that　old　myth！〃　Lark　stared。　〃Do　you。。。　You　can't　mean。。。　？〃　〃That　we　know　the　truth？　Our　origin　and　destiny？〃　She　smiled；　an　expression　of　serene　knowing。　〃Goodness；　lost　child　of　the　past；　you　people　have　been　away　a　long　time。　Do　you　mean　that　you　have　never　heard　of　our　gracious　lords；　the　Rothen？　The　beloved　patrons　of　all　humankind？〃
　　His　foot　caught　a　stone；　and　Ling　grabbed　his　arm　to　steady　him。　〃But　we　can　discuss　that　later。　First　I　want　to　talk　about　these…what　did　you　call　them…skirrils？〃
　　She　held　out　a　finger　adorned　with　a　bulbous　ring　Lark　guessed　must　be　a　recording　device。　It　took　an　effort　of　will　to　switch　mental　tracks；　suppressing　his　flare　of　curiosity　about　galactic　issues。　〃What？　Oh；　that's　squirrels。〃
　　〃You　imply　they　are　arboreal　and　humanlike。　Will　we　get　to　see　any　along　the　way？〃
　　He　blinked　at　her；　then　shook　his　head。　〃Um；　I　don't　think　so。　Not　this　trip。〃
　　〃Well；　what　can　you　tell　me　about　them？　For　instance；　do　they　show　any　aptitude　for　tool　use？〃
　　Lark　needed　neither　psi　nor　rewq　to　read　the　mind　of　his　lovely　guest。　He　carried　her　question　toward　its　unmistakable　aim。
　　Do　they　show　a　talent　for　machinery？　For　war　and　merce？　For　philosophy　and　an？
　　Do　they　have　Potential？　The　magic　essence　that　it　takes　to　profit　from　the　right　kind　of　help？
　　Do　they　have　the　rare　tincture；　the　promise；　that　makes　a　patron's　push　worthwhile？　The　stuff　to　bee　starfarers　someday？
　　Are　they　prospects　for　uplift？
　　Lark　concealed　his　surprise　over　her　ignorance。　〃Not　to　the　best　of　my　knowledge；〃　he　answered　honestly；　since　the　only　squirrels　he'd　seen　were　in　ancient；　faded　pictures　from　old　Earth。　〃If　we　pass　near　any；　you　can　see　for　yourself。〃
　　Clearly；　the　star…forayers　were　here　seeking　bio…treasure。　What　else　might　poor　Jijo　offer　that　was　worth　sneaking　past　the　sentries　of　the　Migration　Institute；　slipping　through　star…lanes　long　ceded　to　the　strange；　menacing　civilization　of　the　Zang；　then　braving　Izmunuti's　deadly　carbon　wind？
　　What　else？　Lark　pondered。　Except　refuge？　Ask　your　own　ancestors；　boy。
　　The　newers　made　no　pretense；　as　Lark　might　have　expected；　of　representing　a　galactic　agency　or　feigning　a　le