uplift4.brightnessreef-第102节

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ent　questions　alternated　with　grunts　of　pure　glaverlike　obstinacy　from　Jass；　sweating　and　contorting　under　jolts　applied　by　Kunn's　robot　partner。
　　When　she　could　take　no　more　without　getting　sick；　Rety　silently　slipped　out　the　hatch。　If　anything　changed；　the　pilot　could　call　her　on　the　tiny　m　button　the　sky…humans　had　installed　under　the　skin　near　her　right　ear。
　　She　set　off　toward　the　campsite；　trying　to　appear　casual　in　case　any　sooners　watched　from　the　shrubby　undergrowth。
　　That　was　how　she　thought　of　them。　Sooners。　Savages。　No　different　in　kind　from　those　puffed…up　barbarians　on　the　Slope；　who　thought　themselves　so　civilized　with　their　fancy　books　but　who　were　still　little　more　than　half…animals；　trapped　on　a　dirty　world　they　could　never　leave。　To　a　sky…being　like　herself；　they　were　all　the　same；　whichever　side　of　the　Rimmers　they　led　their　dirt…scratching　lives。
　　She　smelled　the　camp　before　reaching　it。　A　familiar　musty　blend　of　wood　smoke；　excrement；　and　poorly　tanned　hides；　all　mixed　with　a　sulfury　pungence　rising　from　the　steam　pools　that　always　drew　the　tribe　here　this　time　of　year…a　fact　that　had　made　it　easy　to　guide　Kunn　to　this　pocket　canyon；　high　in　the　Gray　Hills。　Rety　paused　halfway　to　the　campsite；　smoothing　down　the　sleek　jumpsuit　Ling　had　given　her；　soon　after　she　became　the　first　Jijoan　to　enter　the　underground　station；　that　wonderland　of　luxuries　and　bright　marvels。　Ling　had　also　bathed　Rety；　treated　her　scalp；　and　applied　potions　and　rays　to　leave　her　feeling　cleaner；　stronger；　even　taller　than　before。　Only　the　livid　scar　on　one　side　of　her　face　still　marred　the　mirror's　transformed　image；　and　that　would　be　tended；　she　was　assured；　when　they　all　went　〃home。〃
　　My　home　too；　Rety　mused；　resuming　a　brisk　pace　until　all　moaning　traces　of　the　hunter's　torment　faded　behind　her。　She　drove　out　memory　of　Jass's　squirming　agony　by　calling　to　mind　those　images　the　sky…foursome　had　shown　her…of　a　splendid；　jewellike　city；　tucked　inside　a　steep…walled　valley。　A　city　of　fairy　towers　and　floating　castles；　where　one　lucky　branch　of　humanity　lived　with　their　beloved　patrons；　the　wise；　benevolent　Rothen。
　　That　part　didn't　quite　appeal　to　her…this　business　of　having　masters　who　told　you　what　to　do。　Nor　did　the　Rothen　themselves；　when　she　met　the　two　living　aboard　the　station；　who　seemed　too　pretty　and　prim；　too　smugly　happy；　by　far。　But　then；　if　Ling　and　Besh　loved　them；　she　supposed　she　could　get　used　to　that　idea　too。　Anyway；　Rety　was　willing　to　do　or　put　up　with　anything　to　reach　that　city　of　lights。
　　I　always　knew　I　belonged　someplace　else；　she　thought；　rounding　a　bend　in　the　forest。　Not　here。　Not　in　a　place　like　this。
　　Before　her　stretched　a　debris…strewn　clearing　dotted　by　half　a　dozen　ragged　shelters…animal　hides　thrown　over　rows　of　bent　saplings…all　clustered　round　a　cook　fire　where　soot…smudged　figures　hunched　over　a　carcass。　Tonight's　meal。　A　donkey　with　a　neat　hole　burned　through　its　heart。　A　gift；　courtesy　of　Kunn's　handy　hunter…killer　robot。
　　People　dressed　in　poorly　tanned　skins　moved　about　at　chores　or　simply　slouched　through　the　middle　of　the　day。　Their　plexions　were　filthy。　Most　had　matted　hair；　and　they　stank。　After　meeting　the　Slopies…and　then　Ling　and　Besh…it　was　hard　to　picture　these　savages　as　the　same　race　as　herself；　let　alone　her　own　tribe。
　　Several　male　figures　loafed　near　a　makeshift　pen　where　the　new　prisoners　huddled；　having　barely　moved　since　they　were　herded　into　camp　a　couple　of　nights　back。　Some　of　the　men　chopped　at　tree　stumps　with　machetes　swiped　from　the　newers'　supplies；　marveling　at　the　keen　blades　of　Buyur　metal。　But　the　men　kept　well　away　from　the　pile　of　crates　Kunn　had　forbidden　them　to　touch；　awaiting　his　decision　which　to　destroy。
　　A　handful　of　boys　straddled　a　new　fence　of　laser…split　logs；　passing　the　time　by　spitting；　then　laughing　as　angry　plaints　rose　from　the　captives。
　　Shouldn't　let　'em　do　that；　Rety　thought。　Even　if　the　outlanders　are　nosy　fools　who　oughtn't　have　e。
　　Kunn　had　assigned　her　the　task　of　finding　out　what　brought　the　prisoners　to　these　parts；　violating　their　own　sacred　law。　But　Rety　felt　reluctant；　even　disgusted。
　　Dawdling；　she　turned　to　survey　a　way　of　life　she　once　thought　she'd　never　escape。
　　Despite　the　tumult　of　the　last　few　days；　tribal　life　went　on。　Kallish；　the　old　clubfoot；　still　labored　by　the　stream　bed；　hammering　stone　cores　into　flake　arrowheads　and　other　tools；　convinced　the　recent　influx　of　iron　implements　would　be　a　passing　fad。　He　was　probably　right。
　　Upstream；　women　waded　through　shallows；　seeking　the　trishelled　juice　oysters　that　ripened　in　volcanic　heat　this　time　of　year；　while　farther　upslope；　beyond　the　steamy　pools；　a　cluster　of　girls　used　poles　to　beat　Illoes　trees；　gathering　the　tart　fallen　berries　in　woven　baskets。　As　usual；　females　were　doing　most　of　the　hard　work。　Nowhere　was　this　more　evident　than　near　the　cook　fire；　where　grouchy　old　Binni；　her　arms　bloody　past　the　elbows；　took　charge　of　preparing　the　donkey　for　roasting。　The　headwoman's　hair　was　even　grayer　than　before。　Her　latest　baby　had　died；　leaving　Binni　irritable　with　swollen；　tender　breasts；　hissing　at　her　two　young　helpers　through　wide　gaps　between　yellow…brown　teeth。
　　Despite　such　signs　of　normality；　most　tribe…folk　moved　in　a　state　of　sluggish　distraction。　Whenever　anyone　glanced　Rety's　way；　they　flinched；　as　if　she　were　the　last　thing　on　Jijo　they　ever　expected　to　see。　More　shocking　than　a　glaver　standing　upright。
　　Rety；　the　god。
　　She　held　her　head　high。　Tell　your　stinky　brats　about　it　by　the　campfire；　till　the　end　of　time。　Tell　'em　about　the　girl　who　talked　back　to　big　mean　hunters；　no　matter　what　they　did　to　her。　A　girl　who　wouldn't　take　it　anymore。　Who　dared　to　do　what　you　never　imagined。　Who　found　a　way　to　leave　this　stinking　hell　and　go　live　on　a　star。
　　Rety　felt　a　thrill　each　time　someone　briefly　met　her　gaze　and　quickly　looked　away。
　　I'm　not　one　of　you。　Never　was。　And　now　you　know　it　too。
　　Only　Binni　showed　no　trace　of　being　overwhelmed　by　the　deity　Rety　had　bee。　The　same　old　disdain　and　disappointment　lay　in　those　metal…gray　eyes。　At　age　twenty…eight；　Binni　was　younger　than　any　of　the　forayers；　even　Ling。　Still；　it　seemed　nothing　on　Jijo；　or　in　heaven；　would　ever　surprise　her。
　　It　had　been　years　since　Rety　last　called　the　old　woman　〃Mama。〃　She　wasn't　tempted　to　resume　now。
　　With　her　back　straight；　she　walked　past　the　chefs　and　their　grisly　work。　Inside；　though；　she　wavered。
　　Maybe　it　wasn't　such　a　good　idea　to　e　back　here。　Why　mix　with　these　ghosts　when　she　could　be　in　the　aircraft；　relishing　victory　over　her　lifelong　enemy？　The　punishment　being　executed　on　Jass　seemed　rightful　and　good；　now　that　she　didn't　have　to　face　his　agony　up　close。　That　contradiction　made　Rety　nervous；　as　if　something　were　missing。　Like　trying　to　use　moccasins　without　laces。
　　〃wife！　there　you　are；　wife！　bad　wife；　to　leave　yee　alone　so　long！〃
　　Several　clansmen　scurried　out　of　the　way；　making　room　for　a　four…legged　creature；　galloping　past　their　ankles　like　some　untouchable；　all…powerful　being。　Which　the　little　urrish　male　was；　in　a　sense；　since　Rety　had　loudly　promised　horrors　to　anyone　laying　a　hand　on　her　〃husband。〃
　　yee　leaped　into　her　arms；　squirming　with　pleasure　even　as　he　scolded。
　　〃wife　leave　yee　alone　too　long　with　female　foes！　they　offer　yee　soft；　warm　pouch；　temptresses！〃
　　Rety　flared　jealousy。　〃Who　offered　you　a　pouch！　If　any　of　those　hussies…〃
　　Then　she　saw　he　was　teasing。　Some　of　the　tension　in　her　shoulders　let　go　as　she　laughed。　The　little　critter　was　definitely　good　for　her。
　　〃relax；　wife；〃　he　assured　her。　〃just　one　pouch　for　yee。　go　in　now？〃
　　〃In　now；〃　she　replied；　unzipping　the　plush　hip　bag　Ling　had　provided；　yee　dove　inside；　wriggled　around；　then　stuck　out　his　head　and　long　neck　to　peer　at　her。
　　〃e　now；　wife；　visit　Ul…Tahni。　that　sage　ready　talk　now。〃
　　〃Ah；　is　she？　Well　now；　isn't　that　awfully　nice　of　her。〃
　　Rety　didn't　relish　going　to　see　the　leader　of　the　outlanders。　But　Kunn　had　given　her　a　job；　and　now　was　as　good　a　time　as　any。
　　〃All　right；〃　she　said。　〃Let's　hear　what　the　hinney　has　to　say。〃
　　
　　Dwer
　　THE　URS；　IT　APPEARED；　HAD　DONE　THE　SMALL　human　expedition　a　favor。　In　receiving　death　and　devastation；　they　had　left　a　warning。
　　A　tale　of　callous　murder　was　clear　to　read　through　the　dawn　light…in　seared　and　shattered　trees；　blackened　craters；　and　scattered　debris；　pushed　by　a　gusty；　dry　wind。　The　violence　that　took　place　here…just　a　few　days　ago　by　Dwer's　estimate…must　have　been　brief　but　horrible。
　　The　plateau's　terraced　outlines　were　still　visible　after　ages　of　softening　by　erosion　and　vegetation。　It　was　a　former　Buyur　site；　going　back　to　the　last　race　licensed　to　use　this　world…legal　residents　dwelling　in　heavenlike　towers；　who　went　through　their　daily　lives　unafraid　of　the　open　sky。
　　Dwer　traced　the　terror　that　recently　fell　upon　this　place。　All　too　vividly　he　pictured　the　panicked　urrish　settlers；　rearing　and　coughing　with　dread；　coiling　their　long　necks；　with　slim　arms　crossed　to　shield　their　precious　pouches　as　the　ground　around　them　exploded。　He　could　almost　hear　their　screams　as　they　fled　the　burni