uplift4.brightnessreef-第103节

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ouches　as　the　ground　around　them　exploded。　He　could　almost　hear　their　screams　as　they　fled　the　burning　encampment；　down　a　steep　trail　leading　into　a　narrow　defile…where　human　footprints　swarmed　in　abruptly　from　both　sides；　tracked　by　crude　moccasins；　mingling　with　urrish　hooves　chaotically。
　　He　picked　up　shreds　of　home…twisted　twine　and　leather　cord。　From　countless　signs；　Dwer　pictured　ropes　and　nets　falling　to　trap　the　urs；　taking　them　prisoner。
　　Couldn't　they　tell　they　were　being　herded？　The　aircraft　aimed　off　to　the　sides　and　all　around；　to　drive　them。　So　why　didn't　the　urs　scatter　instead　of　clumping　in　a　mass　to　be　caught？
　　Several　patches　of　sticky　sand　gave　him　an　answer。　The　overall　intent　might　have　been　capture；　but　the　flying　gunner　had　few　qualms　about　enforcing　the　round…up　with　a　corpse　or　two。
　　Don't　judge　the　urs　too　harshly。　Do　you　know　how　you'll　react　when　lightning　bolts　start　falling　all　around？　War　is　messy；　and　we're　all　out　of　practice。　Even　Drake　never　had　to　cope　with　anything　like　this。
　　〃So；　we're　facing　an　alliance　between　the　human　sooners　and　the　aliens；〃　Lena　concluded。　〃Kind　of　changes　things；　don't　it？〃
　　Danel　Ozawa　wore　a　bleak　expression。　〃This　entire　region　is　promised。　Whatever　fate　befalls　the　Slope　will　now　surely　happen　here；　as　well。　Whether　by　plague；　or　by　fire；　or　hunting　their　victims　one　at　a　time　with　machines…they'll　scourge　the　area　as　thoroughly　as　back　home。〃
　　Danel's　task　had　been　to　carry　a　legacy　into　the　wilderness…both　knowledge　and　fresh　genes　to　invigorate　the　human　tribe　already　living　here…to　preserve　something　of　Earthling　life　in　case　the　worst　came　to　pass。　It　was　never　a　joyous　enterprise；　more　like　the　mission　of　a　lifeboat　captain　in　some　ancient　tale　about　a　shipwreck。　But　at　least　that　endeavor　had　been　based　on　a　slim　hope。　Now　his　eyes　lacked　all　trace　of　that　emotion。
　　Jenin　protested；　〃Well；　didn't　you　just　say　the　sooners　and　aliens　were　allies　against　the　urs？　The　star…gods　wouldn't　turn　on　the　tribe　now；　would　they？〃
　　She　stopped　as　the　others　looked　at　her；　their　expressions　answering　better　than　words。
　　Jenin　paled。　〃Oh。〃
　　Moments　later；　she　lifted　her　chin　once　more。
　　〃Well；　they　still　don't　know　we　exist；　right？　So　why　don't　we　just　leave；　right　now？　The　four　of　us。　What　about　north；　Dwer？　You've　been　up　that　way　before。　Let's　go！〃
　　Danel　kicked　some　debris　left　by　the　urs'　riotous　flight　and　the　looting　that　followed。　He　pointed　to　a　narrow　cleft　in　the　rocks。　〃We　can　build　a　pyre　over　there。〃
　　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Jenin　asked；　as　Dwer　led　the　donkeys　where　the　sage　indicated　and　began　unloading　their　packs。
　　〃I'll　set　the　grenades；〃　Lena　said；　prying　open　a　container。　〃We'd　best　add　some　wood。　I'll　gather　these　broken　crates。〃
　　〃Hey！　I　asked　you　guys…what's　going　on？〃
　　Danel　took　Jenin's　arm　while　Dwer　hauled　a　portion　of　their　supplies　to　one　side…food　and　clothing　plus　a　few　basic　implements；　none　containing　any　metal。　Left　behind　in　a　stack　were　all　the　books　and　sophisticated　tools　they　had　taken　from　the　Slope。
　　The　sage　explained。
　　〃We　brought　this　legacy　in　order　to　maintain　some　minimal　semblance　of　human　culture　in　exile。　But　four　people　can't　establish　a　civilization；　no　matter　how　many　books　they　have。　We　must　prepare　for　the　likelihood　that　all　of　this　must　be　destroyed。〃
　　Clearly　the　prospect　gnawed　at　Ozawa。　His　face；　already　haggard；　now　seemed　sliced　by　pain。　Dwer　averted　his　gaze；　concentrating　on　the　work　at　hand；　separating　only　supplies　helpful　to　a　small　party　of　fugitives　on　the　run。
　　Jenin　chewed　on　the　news　and　nodded。　〃Well；　if　we　must　live　and　raise　families　without　books；　I　guess　that　just　puts　us　ahead　of　schedule；　no？　A　bit　farther　along　the　Path　of…〃
　　She　stopped。　Danel　was　shaking　his　head。
　　〃No；　Jenin。　That　is　not　the　way　things　will　be。
　　〃Oh；　we　four　might　as　well　try　to　survive。　But　even　if　we　did　make　it　to　some　far…off　valley；　beyond　reach　of　whatever　demise　the　aliens　have　planned；　it's　unlikely　we'd　adapt　to　a　strange　ecosystem　in　time。　Rety　told　us　that　her　band　lost　half　its　first　generation　to　accidents　and　allergic　reactions。　That's　typical　for　sooner　groups；　till　they　learn　what's　safe　to　eat　or　touch。　It's　a　deadly；　trial…and…error　process。　Four　just　isn't　enough。〃
　　〃I　thought…〃
　　〃And　that　leaves　out　the　problem　of　inbreeding…〃
　　〃You　can't　mean…〃
　　〃But　even　if　we　could　solve　all　of　those　dilemmas；　it　still　wouldn't　work；　because　we　aren't　going　to　start　a　band　of　fallen　savages；　spiraling　into　ignorance；　even　if　the　scrolls　give　that　fate　all　sorts　of　fancy　names。　Human　beings　never　came　to　Jijo　for　the　Path　of　Redemption。〃
　　Dwer　looked　up　from　his　work。　Lena　halted　as　well；　holding　a　thick　tube　with　a　clockwork　fuse　at　one　end。　Up　to　that　point；　Ozawa　had　been　explaining　what　Dwer　already　knew。　But　now　silence　reigned。　No　one　was　going　to　move　or　speak　until　the　sage　explained。
　　For　a　second　time；　Danel　Ozawa　sighed　deeply。
　　〃The　secret　is　passed　on　to　a　few；　each　generation。　But　I　see　no　point　in　concealing　it　from　you　three；　whom　I　now　think　of　as　kin；　as　family。
　　〃Some　of　the　other　five　races　were　appalled　when　we　built　Biblos。　The　Great　Printing　seemed　to　imply　we　had　no　intention　of　ever　forgetting。　Our　founders　did　some　smooth　talking　to　explain　the　flood　of　books。　A　temporary　measure；　they　called　it。　A　way　to　help　all　races　live　in　enough　fort　to　concentrate　on　developing　their　souls；　till　we're　spiritually　ready　to　move　on　down　the　Path。
　　〃Officially；　it's　the　long…term　goal　of　each　of　the　Six。　But　the　Tabernacle　founders　never　meant　their　descendants　to　devolve　down　to　speechless　proto…humans；　ready　for　some　race　of　star…gods　to　adopt　and　uplift。〃
　　The　sage　paused　until　Dwer　finally　broke　in。　〃Then　why　are　we　here？〃
　　Danel　shrugged。　〃Everyone　knows　that　each　race　had　ulterior　motives。　Those　forbidden　to　breed　at　home　sought　a　place　where　they　can　have　offspring　as　they　please。　Or　take　the　g'Keks；　who　tell　of　persecutors；　hounding　them　throughout　the　star　lanes。〃
　　〃So　humans　came　to　Jijo　because　folks　on　Earth　weren't　sure　they'd　survive？〃
　　Ozawa　nodded。　〃Oh；　we'd　made　a　few　friends；　who　helped　Earth　get　a　Library　branch。　And　having　uplifted　two　client　races；　we　won　low…level　patron　status。　Still；　Galactic　history　doesn't　offer　much　hope　for　a　wolfling　race　like　ours。　We　already　had　enemies。　The　Terragens　Council　knew　Earth　would　be　vulnerable　for　a　long　time　to　e。〃
　　〃So　the　Tabernacle　crew　weren't　outcasts？〃
　　Danel　ticked　a　thin　smile。　〃A　cover　story；　in　case　the　colonists　were　caught；　so　the　Council　could　disavow　them　as　renegades。　In　fact；　our　ancestors　were　sent　to　find　a　hidden　refuge　for　humankind。〃　The　sage　raised　his　hands。　〃But　where？　Despite　rumors；　no　route　is　known　beyond　the　Five　Galaxies。　Within　them；　every　star　is　catalogued；　many　with　lease…holders　to　watch　over　'em。　So　the　Terragens　searched　the　Great　Library　to　see　what　other　races　did　in　our　position。
　　〃Despite　flaws；　the　'sooner'　phenomenon　showed　promise。〃
　　Lena　shook　her　head。　'〃There's　a　lot　you're　leavin'　out。　Like　what　we're　supposed　to　be　doing　here；　while　hiding；　if　our　mission　isn't　to　go　down　the　Path。〃
　　〃If　Lester　or　the　others　know；　they　haven't　told　me；〃　Danel　answered。　〃Maybe　we're　to　sit　tight　and　wait　for　the　universe　to　change。　Anyway；　that　hardly　matters　now。　If　our　culture's　finished；　I　won't　have　any　part　in　going　on　as　wretched　fragments；　whelping　kids　who　will　be　no　more　than　savage　brutes。〃
　　Jenin　started　to　speak；　but　then　pressed　her　lips。
　　〃At　least　we　know　Earth　has　survived　a　few　hundred　years；〃　Dwer　said。
　　〃Though　the　forayers　say　there's　a　crisis；〃　Lena　noted。　〃With　Earth　in　the　middle　of　it。〃
　　Danel　looked　away；　his　jaw　set。
　　〃Hey；〃　Dwer　said；　〃aren't　the　sky…humans　exactly　what　that　Terra　Council　wanted？　To　have　a　branch　of　humans　off　somewhere　safe　from　whatever　happens　to　Earth？　Those　guys　you　met　back　at　the　Glade　have　these　Rothen　characters　to　protect　them。〃
　　Danel　exhaled。　〃Perhaps；　though　who　knows　if　they'll　remain　human　under　that　influence？　The　irony　of　being　murdered　by　cousins　seems　too　much　to　bear。〃
　　The　sage　shook　himself；　as　if　shedding　cobwebs。
　　〃Let's　prepare　that　pyre。　If　these　items　cannot　serve　a　civilized　tribe　of　exiled　Earthlings；　then　we　can　at　least　do　our　duty　by　this　world　and　leave　no　dross。　Lena；　set　the　timer　to　go　off　one　day　from　now；　if　we　don't　return。〃
　　〃Return？〃　Lena　looked　up　from　her　preparations。　〃I　thought　we　were　giving　up…〃
　　She　rocked　back　as　the　sage　whirled；　with　some　of　the　old　fire　in　his　eyes。
　　〃Who　said　anything　about　giving　up！　What's　the　matter　with　you　three？　Look　at　your　faces。　Are　you　going　to　let　one　little　setback　get　you　down？〃
　　A　little　setback？　Dwer　wondered；　glancing　at　the　blast　scars　and　shattered　trees　surrounding　the　urrish　encampment。　〃I　don't　get　it。　You　said　we　can't　finish　our　mission。〃
　　〃So？〃　Danel　Ozawa　demanded。　〃We're　adaptable。　We'll　switch　missions！　We're　not　colonists　anymore…so　what？
　　〃We　can　still　be　warriors。〃
　　
　　Rety
　　THE　PRISONERS　LAY　DEJECTED。　IN　MUDDY　wallows；　necks　drooping；　already　stinking