uplift4.brightnessreef-第47节

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　　The　sigil　of　the　Great　Library　was　missing　from　the　bow　of　the　great　vessel　that　left　their　station　here。　We　thought　its　absence　a　mere　emblem　of　criminality。　A　negative　symbol；　denoting　a　kind　of　skulking　shame。
　　Can　it　mean　more　than　that？　Much　more？
　　
　　Sara
　　OROM　ENGRIL'S　SHOP　ON　PIMMIN　CANAL；　IT　WAS　but　a　short　walk　to　the　clinic　where　Pzora　had　taken　the　Stranger　yesterday。　Engril　agreed　to　meet　Sara　there　with　Bloor　the　Portraitist。　Time　was　short。　Perhaps　Sara's　idea　was　foolish　or　impractical；　but　there　would　be　no　better　moment　to　broach　it；　and　no　better　person　to　present　it　to　than　Ariana　Foo。
　　A　decision　had　to　be　made。　So　far；　the　omens　weren't　good。
　　The　emissaries　from　Dolo　Village　had　gathered　last　night；　in　a　tavern　near　the　Urrish　Quarter；　to　discuss　what　each　of　them　had　learned　since　the　Hauph…woa　docked。　Sara　showed　a　copy　of　the　sages'　report；　fresh　from　Engril's　copy　shop；　expecting　it　to　shock　the　others。　But　by　that　evening　even　Pzora　knew　most　of　the　story。
　　〃I　see　three　possibilities；〃　the　stern…browed　farmer　Jop　had　said；　nursing　a　mug　of　sour　buttermilk。　〃First…the　story's　an　Egg…cursed　lie。　The　ship　really　is　from　the　great　Institutes；　we're　about　to　be　judged　as　the　Scrolls　say；　but　the　sages　are　spreading　a　pebble…in…my…hoof　fable　about　bandits　to　justify　musterin'　the　militia；　preparin'　for　a　fight。〃
　　〃That's　absurd！〃　Sara　had　plained。
　　〃Oh　yeah？　Then　why've　all　the　units　been　called　up？　Humans　drilling　in　every　village。　Urrish　cavalry　wheelin'　in　all　directions；　and　the　hoons　oilin'　their　old　catapults；　as　if　they　could　shoot　down。a　starship　by　hurlin'　rocks。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃What　if　the　sages've　got　some　fantasy　about　resisting？　It　wouldn't　be　the　first　time　leaders　were　driven　mad　by　an　approaching　end　to　their　days　of　petty　power。〃
　　〃But　what　of　these　sketches？〃　asked　the　scriven…dancer；　Fakoon。　The　g'Kek　touched　one　of　Engril's　reproductions；　portraying　a　pair　of　humans　dressed　in　one…piece　suits；　staring　brazenly　at　sights　both　new　to　them　and　yet　somehow　pathetic　in　their　eyes。
　　Jop　shrugged。　〃Ridiculous　on　the　face　of　it。　What　would　humans　be　doin'　out　here？　When　our　ancestors　left　Earth　on　an　aged　thirdhand　tub；　not　a　single　human　scientist　understood　its　workings。　The　folks　back　home　couldn't　have　caught　up　with　galactic　standard　tech　for　another　ten　thousand　years。〃
　　Sara　watched　Blade　and　the　hoon　captain　react　with　surprise。　It　was　no　secret；　what　Jop　had　said　about　human　technology　at　the　time　of　exile；　but　they　must　find　it　hard　to　picture。　On　Jijo；　Earthlings　were　the　engineers；　the　ones　most　often　with　answers。
　　〃And　who　would　want　to　ferfetrate　such　a　hoax？〃　Ulgor　asked；　lowering　her　conical　head。　Sara　read　tension　in　the　urs's　body　stance。　Uh…oh；　she　thought。
　　Jop　smiled。　〃Why；　maybe　some　bunch　that　sees　opportunity；　amid　the　chaos；　to　besmirch　our　honor　and　have　one　last　chance　at　revenge　before　Judgment　Day。〃
　　Human　and　urs　faced　each　other；　each　grinning　a　bright　display　of　teeth…which　could　be　taken　equivocally　as　either　friendly　or　threatening。　For　once；　Sara　blessed　the　sickness　that　had　caused　nearly　everyone's　rewq　to　curl　up　and　hibernate。　There　would　have　been　no　ambiguity　with　symbionts　to　translate　the　meaning　in　Jop's　and　Ulgor's　hearts。
　　At　that　moment；　a　squirt　of　pinkish　steam　jetted　between　the　two…a　swirling　fume　of　cloying　sweetness。　Jop　and　Ulgor　retreated　from　the　cloud　in　opposite　directions；　covering　their　noses。
　　〃Oops；　i　express　repentance　on　our/my　behalf。　This　pile's　digestive　torus　still　retains；　processes；　deletes　the　richness　of　esteemed　hoonish　shipboard　fare。〃
　　Unperturbed；　the　captain　of　the　Hauph…woa　said…〃How　fortunate　for　you；　Pzora。　As　to　the　subject　at　hand；　we　must　still　decide　what　advice　to　send　back　to　Dolo　Village　and　the　settlements　of　the　Upper　Roney。　So　let　me　ask　Jop。。。。　Hrrrm…what　if　we　consider　a　simpler　theory…there　is　no　hoax　by　the　honored　sages；　brr？〃
　　Jop　still　waved　the　air　in　front　of　his　face；　coughing。　〃That　brings　us　to　possibility　number　two…that　we　are　being　tested。　The　Day　has　e　at　last；　but　the　noble　Galactics　are　undecided　what　to　do　with　us。　Maybe　the　great　Institutes　hired　human　actors　to　play　this　role；　offering　us　a　chance　to　tip　the　scales　one　way　through　right　action；　or　the　other　by　choosing　incorrectly。　As　for　what　advice　we　send　upriver；　I　say　we　counsel　that　demolition　should　proceed　according　to　the　ancient　plan！〃
　　Blade；　the　young　qheuen　delegate；　reared　back　on　three　legs；　lifting　his　blue　carapace；　stammering　and　hissing　so　that　his　initial　attempts　at　Anglic　came　out　garbled。　He　switched　to　Galactic　Two。
　　〃Madness　you　betray！　This　（lunatic）　thing；　how　can　you　say？　Our　mighty　dam　（glorious　to　see　and　smell）　must　fall？　For　what　reason；　if　our　（illicit）　existence　on　Jijo　he　already　known？〃
　　Jop　explained；　〃True；　we　can't　hide　our　crime　of　colonization。　But　we　can　start　the　process　of　removing　our　works　from　this　scarred　world。　By　showing　our　good　intentions；　we'll　prove　we　merit　leniency。
　　〃What　we　must　not　do…and　I　fear　our　sages　may　be　fooled…is　offer　any　cooperation　to　these　humans　who　pretend　to　be　gene　raiders。　No　bribes　or　service；　since　that；　too；　must　be　part　of　the　test。〃
　　Ulgor　snorted　doubt。　〃And　fossivility　three？　What　if　they　turn　out　to　ve　felons；　after　all？〃
　　Jop　had　shrugged。　〃Then　the　same　answer　holds。　Passive　resistance。　Fade　into　the　countryside。　Tear　down　our　cities…〃
　　〃Burn　the　libraries；〃　Sara　cut　in；　and　Jop　glanced　her　way；　then　nodded；　curtly。
　　〃Above　all　else。　They　are　the　roots　of　conceit。　Our　outrageous　pretense　at　remaining　civilized。〃　He　waved　around　him　at　the　old　Buyur　chamber　that　had　been　converted　to　a　tavern；　the　soot…stained　walls　adorned　with　spears；　shields；　and　other　souvenirs　of　the　bloody　siege　of　Tarek　Town。　〃Civilized！〃　Jop　laughed　again。　〃We're　like　parrot…ticks；　reciting　verses　we　do　not　understand；　pathetically　miming　the　ways　of　the　mighty。　If　pirates　have　indeed　e；　such　vanities　can　only　lessen　our　skill　at　burrowing　down。　Our　only　chance　of　survival　will　be　to　blend　in　with　Jijo's　animals。　To　bee　the　innocents　that　glavers　are；　in　their　blessed　salvation。　A　salvation　we　might　have　achieved　by　now；　had　humans　not　foiled　nature　with　our　so…called　Great　Printing。
　　〃So　you　see　it　does　not　matter；〃　he　concluded　with　a　shrug　of　finality。　〃Whether　the　visitors　from　space　are　noble　chancellors　from　the　Institute　of　Migration　or　the　foulest　criminals　to　prowl　space。　Either　way；　they　are　our　judgment；　e　at　last。　Our　sole　option　remains　the　same。〃
　　Shaking　her　head　in　bemusement；　Sara　had　mented；　〃You're　starting　to　sound　like　Lark。〃
　　But　Jop　saw　nothing　ironic　in　that。　His　radicalization　had　intensified　each　day　since　the　deafening；　terrifying　specter　shook　the　tree　farms；　leaving　trails　of　noise　and　heat　that　seared　the　sky。
　　〃This　is　a　bad　thing；〃　Blade　had　said　to　Sara；　later　that　evening；　after　Jop　left　to　meet　friends　and　fellow　believers。　〃He　seems　sure　of　his　reasoning　and　virtue…like　a　gray　queen；　unshakably　convinced　of　her　righteousness。〃
　　〃Self…righteousness　is　a　plague　that　afflicts　all　races；　except　the　traeki；〃　answered　Fakoon；　bowing　two　stalks　toward　Pzora。　〃Your　folk　are　lucky　to　be　spared　the　curse　of　egotism。〃
　　The　Dolo　Village　pharmacist　had　vented　a　soft　sigh。　〃i/we　urge　you　to　make　no　simple　assumptions；　dear　rades。　It　is　said　that　we；　too；　once　possessed　that　talent；　whose　partner　is　the　gift/curse　of　ambition。　To　excise　it　from　our　natures　meant　leaving　behind　some　of　our　greatest　treasures；　our　finest　rings。　It　must　not　have　been　an　easy　thing　to　do。
　　〃One　of　the　things　we/i　fear　most　about　restored　contact　with　Galactics　is　something　you　other　species　and　beings　may　not　understand…we　fear　temptation　by　an　enticing　offer。
　　〃We　fear　an　offer　to　be　made　whole。〃
　　The　clinic　was　a　place　of　wheels…of　g'Kek　surgeons　and　patients　on　push…chairs。　Many　of　the　traeki　pharmacists　used　skooter…wagons；　pushing　along　faster　than　most　could　walk　alone。　No　wonder　the　smooth　planarity　of　city　life　appealed　to　two　of　the　Six。
　　The　Stranger's　room　was　on　the　fifth　floor；　looking　out　across　the　confluence　of　the　rivers　Roney　and　Bibur。　Both　steam　ferries　could　be　seen　moored　under　screening　arbors；　now　operating　only　at　night；　since　vigilante　groups　had　threatened　to　burn　them　if　they　budged　by　day。　And　this　morning　confirming　word　came　down　from　the　Glade。　The　High　Sages；　too；　wanted　no　unnecessary　signs　of　technology　revealed　by　the　Six。　Destroy　nothing。　Conceal　everything。
　　It　only　added　to　a　growing　sense　of　confusion　among　mon　folk。　Was　this　Judgment　Day　or　not？　Sounds　of　raucous　argument　were　heard　in　all　parts　of　town。　We　need　some　goal　to　unite　us；　Sara　thought；　or　we'll　start　ing　apart；　skin　and　pelt；　shell　and　spokes。
　　A　traeki　attendant　motioned　Sara　through　to　the　private　chamber　that　had　been　given　the　Stranger。　The　dark　man　looked　up　when　she　entered；　and　smiled　with　clear　delight　to　see　her。　He　laid　aside　a　pencil　and　pad　of　pale　paper；　on　which　Sara　glimpsed　the　scene　outside　the　window…one　of　the　steam　ferries；　outlined　with　subtle　countershading。　Pinned　to　the　wall　was　another　sketch　depic