uplift4.brightnessreef-第48节

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nned　to　the　wall　was　another　sketch　depicting　the　shipboard　concert　on　the　fantail　of　the　Hauph…woa；　capturing　a　gentle　interlude　amid　the　storm　of　crisis。
　　〃Thank　you　for　ing；〃　said　an　elderly；　sallow…faced　woman　seated　by　the　Stranger's　bedside；　looking　surprisingly　like　a　g'Kek；　in　coloration；　her　startling　blue　eyes；　and　also　the　way　a　wheelchair　framed　her　blanket…shrouded　form。　〃We　have　been　making　progress；　but　there　are　some　things　I　wanted　to　try　only　after　you　arrived。〃
　　Sara　still　wondered　why　Ariana　Foo；　of　all　people；　had　taken　an　interest　in　the　wounded　man。　With　Lester　Cambel　and　most　other　sages　away；　she　was　the　highest　ranking　human　savant　left　this　side　of　Biblos。　One　might　expect　her　to　have　more　urgent　things　on　her　mind　right　now；　than　focusing　her　keen　intellect　on　the　problem　of　the　Stranger's　origins。
　　The　g'Kek　doctor　rolled　forward；　his　voice　mellow；　with　a　cultured　accent。
　　〃First；　Sara；　please　tell　us…have　you　recalled　anything　further　about　our　patient's　aspect；　the　day　you　pulled　him　from　the　swamp　all　burned　and　torn？〃
　　She　shook　her　head　silently。
　　〃His　clothing；　none　was　recovered？〃
　　〃There　were　a　few　scraps；　mostly　charred。　We　threw　them　out　while　treating　his　burns。〃
　　〃Did　those　scraps　go　to　dross　barrels？〃　he　asked　eagerly。　〃Those　very　barrels　aboard　the　Hauph…woa　right　now？〃
　　〃There　were　no　ornaments　or　buttons；　if　that's　what　you're　looking　for。　The　scraps　went　to　recycling；　which　in　the　case　of　old　cloth　means　going　straight　to　my　father's　pulping　machine。　Would　they　have　helped？〃
　　〃Perhaps；〃　answered　the　old　woman；　clearly　disappointed。　〃We　try　to　consider　all　possibilities。〃
　　The　Stranger's　hands　lay　folded　on　his　lap；　and　his　eyes　darted　back　and　forth；　focusing　on　faces　as　if　he　were　fascinated　not　by　words　but　the　sounds　themselves。
　　〃Can〃…she　swallowed…〃can　you　do　anything　for　him？〃
　　〃That　depends；〃　the　doctor　replied。　〃All　burns　and　contusions　are　healing　well。　But　our　finest　unguents　are　useless　against　structural　damage。　Our　enigmatic　guest　has　lost　part　of　his　left　temporal　lobe；　as　though　it　had　been　torn　out　by　some　horrid　predator。　I　am　sure　you　know　this　area　is　where　you　humans　process　speech。〃
　　〃Is　there　any　chance…〃
　　〃Of　recovering　what　he　has　lost？〃　A　g'Kek　shrug；　twining　two　eyestalks；　had　never　became　fashionable　among　the　other　races。　〃If　he　were　very　young　or　female；　there　might　be　some　transfer　of　speech　facility　to　the　right　lobe。　A　few　stroke　victims　do　this。　But　the　feat　is　rare　for　adult　males；　whose　brain　structures　are　more　rigid；　alas。〃
　　The　light　in　the　dark　Stranger's　eyes　was　deceptive。　He　smiled　amiably；　as　if　they　were　discussing　the　weather。　His　reliable　cheerfulness　tore　at　Sara's　heart。
　　〃Nothing　can　be　done？〃
　　〃Out　in　the　Galaxy；　perhaps。〃
　　It　was　an　old　expression；　almost　habitual；　whenever　one　hit　the　limits　of　the　crude　arts　available　on　the　Slope。
　　〃But　we　can　do　no　more。　Not　in　this　place。〃
　　There　was　something　in　the　doctor's　tone。　All　four　eyes　stared　inward…as　if　a　human　being　were　studying　his　fingernails；　waiting　for　someone　else　to　say　the　unspoken。　Sara　looked　to　Ariana　Foo；　whose　face　was　posed。
　　Too　posed。　Sara　leaped　on　the　doctor's　hanging　implication。
　　〃You　can't　be　serious。〃
　　The　sage　briefly　closed　her　eyes。　When　they　reopened；　there　was　a　daring　glitter。
　　〃Word　es　down　that　our　invaders　are　plying　mass　opinion；　winning　converts　with　drugs；　potions；　and　miracle　cures。　Already；　unsanctioned　caravans　of　the　sick　and　lame　have　set　out　from　Tarek　and　other　sites；　hobbling　up　the　hard　trails　in　desperate　search　of　remedies。　I　admit；　the　thought　even　crossed　my　mind。〃　She　lifted　her　stick…thin　arms　from　her　fragile　body。　〃Many　may　die　on　the　trek；　but　what　matters　such　risk　against　the　lure　of　hope？〃
　　Sara　paused。　〃Do　you　think　the　outsiders　can　help　him？〃
　　Ariana　shrugged　in　the　hoonish　manner；　with　a　puff　of　air　in　her　cheeks。　〃Who　can　say？　Frankly；　I　doubt　even　Galactics　could　repair　such　damage。　But　they　may　have　palliatives　to　improve　his　lot。　Anyway；　all　bets　are　off　if　my　suspicion　is　true。〃
　　〃What　suspicion？〃
　　〃That　our　Stranger　is　no　poor　savage　at　all。〃
　　Sara　stared；　then　blinked。　〃Ifni；〃　she　breathed。
　　〃Indeed。〃　Ariana　Foo　nodded。　〃Shall　we　see　if　our　guest　truly　was　delivered　to　us　by　our　goddess　of　luck　and　change？〃
　　Sara　could　barely　manage　a　nod。　While　the　old　woman　rummaged　in　her　valise；　Sara　pondered。　This　must　be　why　everyone　was　in　awe　of　her；　when　she　was　chief　human　sage　before　Cambel。　They　say　genius　is　a　knack　for　seeing　the　obvious。　Now　I　know　it's　true。
　　How　could　I　have　been　so　blind！
　　Ariana　took　up　several　of　the　sheets　recently　copied　on　Engril's　machine。　〃I　thought　of　asking　a　Sensitive　to　sit　in；　but　if　I　am　right；　we'll　want　this　kept　quiet。　So　we'll　make　do　by　watching　how　he　reacts。　Note　that　he　is　probably　the　only　person　in　Tarek　Town　who　has　not　seen　these　yet。　Everybody　pay　close　attention；　please。〃
　　She　rolled　closer　to　the　patient；　who　watched　attentively　as　Ariana　laid　a　single　sheet　on　the　coverlet。
　　His　smile　gradually　thinned　as　he　picked　up　the　drawing；　touching　the　fine　expert　lines。　Mountains　framed　a　bowllike　vale　littered　with　shattered　trees…nest　lining　for　a　thick　javelin；　adorned　with　jutting　spines；　whose　contours　Sara　had　first　seen　hurtling　above　her　shaken　home。　Fingertips　traced　the　sloping　curves；　trembling。　The　smile　was　gone；　replaced　by　a　look　of　agonized　perplexity。　Sara　sensed　that　he　was　trying　to　remember　something。　Clearly　there　was　familiarity　here；　and　more；　much　more。
　　The　Stranger　looked　up　at　Ariana　Foo；　eyes　filled　with　pain　and　questions　he　could　not　pose。
　　〃What　can　this　prove？〃　Sara　asked；　writhing　inside。
　　〃He　finds　the　image　of　the　ship　troubling；〃　Ariana　answered。
　　〃As　it　would　any　thoughtful　member　of　the　Six；〃　Sara　pointed　out。
　　The　older　woman　nodded。　〃I　had　expected　a　happier　response。〃
　　〃You　think　he's　one　of　them；　don't　you？〃　Sara　asked。　〃You　think　he　crashed　into　the　swamp　east　of　Dolo；　aboard　some　kind　of　flying　machine。　He's　a　Galactic。　A　criminal。〃
　　〃It　seemed　the　simplest　hypothesis；　given　the　coincidence　in　timing…a　total　stranger；　burned　amid　a　humid　swamp；　appearing　with　injuries　unlike　anything　our　doctors　have　seen。　Let's　try　another　one。〃
　　The　next　sketch　showed　the　same　little　valley；　but　with　the　starship　replaced　by　what　the　sages　called　a　〃research　station；〃　assigned　the　task　of　analyzing　Jijoan　life。　The　Stranger　peered　at　the　black　cube；　intrigued　and　perhaps　a　little　frightened。
　　Finally；　Ariana　presented　a　drawing　showing　two　figures　with　strong；　confident　faces。　A　pair　who　had　e　a　hundred　thousand　light…years　to　plunder。
　　This　time　a　sharp　gasp　escaped　him。　The　Stranger　stared　at　the　human　forms；　touching　the　symbol…patches　on　their　one…piece　exploration　suits。　It　did　not　require　fey　sensitivity　to　read　despair　in　his　eyes。　With　an　incoherent　cry；　he　crumpled　the　sketch　and　flung　it　across　the　room；　then　covered　his　eyes　with　an　arm。
　　〃Interesting。　Very　interesting；〃　Ariana　murmured。
　　〃I　fail　to　understand；〃　the　doctor　sighed。　〃Does　this　mean　he　is　from　off…Jijo　or　not？〃
　　〃It　is　too　soon　to　tell；　I　fear。〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃But　let's　say　it　turns　out　he　is　from　the　Five　Galaxies？　If　the　forayers　are　seeking　a　mislaid　confederate；　and　we　have　him　in　hand　to　offer　in　trade；　it　might　work　to　our　advantage。〃
　　〃Now　just　a　darn…〃　Sara　began；　but　the　older　human　only　continued；　thinking　aloud。
　　〃Alas；　his　reaction　isn't　one　I'd　call　eager　to　be　reunited　with　lost　rades。　Do　you　think　he　might　be　an　escaped　foe？　That　somehow　he　survived　imprisonment；　even　attempted　murder；　just　a　day　or　so　before　the　foray　ship　came　down　to　land？　If　so；　how　ironic　his　particular　injury；　which　prevents　him　from　telling　so　much！　I　wonder　if　they　did　it　to　him。。。　the　way　barbaric　kings　of　old　Earth　used　to　rip　out　an　enemy's　tongue。　How　horrible；　if　true！〃
　　The　range　of　possibilities　rattled　off　by　the　sage　left　Sara　momentarily　stunned。　There　was　a　long　stretch　of　silence；　until　the　doctor　spoke　once　more。
　　〃Your　speculations　intrigue　and　terrify　me；　old　friend。　Yet　now　I　must　ask　that　you　not　agitate　my　patient　further。〃
　　But　Ariana　Foo　only　shook　her　head　in　somber　pondering。　〃I　had　thought　to　send　him　up　to　the　Glade　right　away。　Let　Vubben　and　the　others　decide　for　themselves　what　to　do　next。〃
　　〃Indeed？　I　could　never　allow　you　to　move　one　so　seriously…〃
　　〃Of　course　an　opportunity　to　offer　him　Galactic…level　treatment　of　his　injuries　would　make　a　fine　synergy；　bining　pragmatism　with　kindness。〃
　　The　g'Kek　medic's　oral　flap　opened　and　shut　soundlessly；　as　he　worked　to　find　a　way　past　Ariana's　logic。　Finally；　his　stalks　contracted　unhappily。
　　The　retired　sage　sighed。　〃Alas；　the　point　seems　moot。　From　what　we've　seen；　I　doubt　very　much　that　our　guest　here　will　be　willing　to　go。〃
　　Sara　was　about　to　tell　the　old　woman　where　she　could　go；　with　her　intent　to　meddle　in　a　man's　life。　But　just　then　the　subject　of　their　deliberations　lowered　his　arm。　He　looked　at　Ariana　and　Sara。　Then　he　picked　up　one　of　the　sketches。
　　〃G…guh。。。　？〃　He　swallowed；