uplift4.brightnessreef-第106节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


lowed；　a　sure　sign　of　concern。　She　snorted；　and　her　mate　reared　backward　in　surprised　dismay。　They　whirled…and　fled　in　exactly　the　direction　Dwer　feared！
　　With　a　tracker's　sense　of　light　and　shadow；　he　noted　Jenin　Worley　crouching　by　a　tree；　where　the　forest　came　nearest　the　prison…corral。　One　of　Dwer's　objectives　had　been　to　attract　notice　away　from　there。
　　He　had　the　bow　off　his　shoulder　and　an　arrow　drawn　when　Mudfoot　suddenly　reared　out　of　the　tall　grass；　waving　its　forepaws　in　front　of　the　glavers；　hissing。　The　glavers　skidded　to　a　halt　and　reversed　course　with　astonishing　spryness；　cantering　away　with　the　noor　yipping　close　behind。
　　For　some　reason　the　locals　found　all　of　this　terrifically　funny。　It　didn't　seem　to　matter　that　they　had　never　seen　a　noor　before。　They　guffawed；　pointing　and　laughing　uproariously　at　the　glavers'　distress；　clapping　as　if　Dwer　had　put　on　a　show　for　their　benefit。　He　turned　around；　grinning　as　he　reslung　the　bow。　Anything　to　keep　their　regard　riveted　this　way。
　　Abruptly；　the　crowd　fell　silent　as　a　shadow　fell　across　Dwer。　A　low；　eerily　familiar　whine　raised　shivers　up　his　spine。　Shading　his　eyes　against　the　sun；　he　looked　up　toward　a　hovering　black　shape；　all　jutting　angles　and　hanging　tendrils；　like　a　certain　demon　that　still　haunted　his　dreams…the　fire…spitting　monster　that　had　finished　off　the　old　mule…spider　of　the　mountains。　Despite　a　penumbral　glare　surrounding　it　like　a　fierce　halo；　he　made　out　the　same　octagonal　symmetry。　Only　this　one　wore　a　rounded　silhouette；　perched　on　one　jutting　shoulder。
　　〃So。　You　made　it　all　the　way　here；　after　all；〃　the　silhouette　mented。　〃Not　bad　for　a　Slopie。　You're　no　fluff…baby；　I　guess…though　the　trip　seems　to've　wore　you　down　to　a　rag　man。　I　seen　you　look　better；　Dwer。〃
　　〃Thanks；　Rety；〃　he　said；　edging　aside　so　the　sun　would　not　blind　him。　He　also　wanted　to　get　closer　to　the　forest。　〃You；　on　the　other　hand；　never　looked　so　good。　Been　taking　it　easy？〃
　　She　answered　with　a　curt　chuckle　that　sounded　husky；　as　if　she　hadn't　laughed　a　lot　lately。　〃I　turned　down　the　offer　your　sages　made…to　have　me　hike　all　the　way　back　here　afoot；　guiding　a　bunch　o'　geeps。　Why　walk；　I　figured；　when　I　can　ride？〃
　　Now　he　could　make　her　out　clearly。　Except　for　the　old　scar；　she　seemed　quite　made　over；　as　they　said　in　certain　parts　of　Tarek　Town。　Yet　the　same　sullen　wariness　lay　in　her　eyes。
　　It　was　also　his　first　chance　to　have　a　good　look　at　an　alien　machine。　Eight　even　rectangles　made　up　its　sides；　black　without　highlights；　as　if　sunshine　had　trouble　glancing　off　it。　Below；　a　pair　of　tendril…arms　dangled　menacingly　on　either　side　of　a　globe　that　was　studded　with　glass　facets　and　metal　tubes。　Danel　had　warned　him　to　watch　out　for　that　globe。　On　top；　where　Rety　sat　in　a　lashed…on　saddle；　the　robot's　surface　looked　flat；　except　for　a　spire　rising　from　the　center。　An　〃antenna；〃　Danel　had　identified　it。
　　Dwer　nodded　toward　the　hovering　machine。
　　〃Seems　you've　been　making　new　friends；　Rety。〃
　　The　girl　laughed　again…a　sharp　bark。　〃Friends　who'll　take　me　places　you　never　saw。〃
　　He　shrugged。　〃I'm　not　talking　about　star…gods；　Rety。　I　mean　the　friend　giving　you　a　ride；　right　now。　Last　time　I　saw　one　of　these　things；　it　was　trying　to　kill　us　both…〃
　　She　cut　in。　〃A　lot's　changed　since；　Dwer。〃
　　〃…and　oh；　yeah；　it　was　burning　the　hell　out　of　that　bird　thing　you　cared　so　much　about。　Ah；　well。　I　guess　sometimes　it　just　pays　better　to　join　those　who…〃
　　〃Shut　up！〃
　　The　robot　reacted　to　its　rider's　anger　by　bobbing　toward　him。　Retreating；　he　noted　movement　by　the　spherical　cluster　of　lenses　and　tubes　under　the　machine's　blocky　torso；　turning　fluidly　to　track　him。　On　a　hunch；　Ozawa　had　called　it　a　weapons　pod；　and　Dwer's　every　clawing　instinct　confirmed　the　guess。
　　A　crowd　gathered　beyond　Rety；　most　of　the　human　tribe；　watching　this　confrontation　between　a　ragged　stranger　and　one　of　their　own　who　had　harnessed　a　flying　devil。　It　must　seem　a　pretty　uneven　matchup。
　　Some　things　are　exactly　as　they　seem。
　　Dwer　caught　a　flash　of　movement　toward　the　prison…pen。　Jenin；　making　her　move。
　　〃Well？〃　Rety　demanded；　glaring　down　at　him。
　　〃Well　what？〃
　　〃You　sent　for　me；　idiot！　Did　you　hike　halfway　round　the　world　just　to　try　and　make　me　feel　guilty？　Why　didn't　you　stay　away；　once　you　saw　what's　going　on　here？〃
　　〃I　could　ask　you　the　same　question；　Rety。　What　are　you　doing？　Showing　off　for　the　folks？　Getting　some　payback？　Did　the　star…gods　have　some　special　reason　to　need　a　guide　to　this　armpit　of　Jijo？〃
　　plex　emotions　crossed　her　face。　What　finally　won　was　curt　laughter。
　　〃…armpit？　Heh。　That　just　about　tells　it　all。〃　She　chuckled　again；　then　leaned　closer。　〃As　for　what　Kunn　is　lookin'　for；　I　can't　tell　ya。　It's　a　secret。〃
　　Rety　was　a　lousy　bluffer。　You　don't　have　the　slightest　idea；　Dwer　pondered；　and　it　galls　you。
　　〃So；　where's　that　pack　of　Slopies　you　were　gonna　lead　out　here？〃　she　demanded。
　　〃In　hiding。　I　came　ahead　to　make　sure　it's　safe。〃
　　〃Why　shouldn't　it　be？　Nothin'　dangerous　here；　except　maybe　my　nasty　ol'　cousins。。。　an'　a　bunch　of　smelly　hinneys…〃
　　When　she　said　that；　a　piping　whistle；　like　faint；　piccolo　laughter；　vented　from　a　padded　pouch　at　her　waist。
　　〃And　killers　from　outer　space？〃　Dwer　added。　〃Planning　to　wipe　out　every　thinking　being　on　the　planet？〃
　　Rety　frowned。　〃That's　a　damn　lie！　They　ain't　gonna　do　it。　They　promised。〃
　　〃And　what　if　I　showed　you　proof？〃
　　Her　eyes　darted　nervously。　〃More　lies。　They　just　wouldn't　do　nothing　like　that！〃
　　〃Like　they　wouldn't　shoot　a　poor；　unsuspecting　bird…thing；　I　suppose。　Or　attack　those　urs　without　warning。〃
　　Rety　turned　red　as　Dwer　hurried　on。
　　〃e　along。　I'll　show　you　what　I'm　talking　about。〃
　　Before　she　could　refuse；　he　turned　to　walk　back　toward　the　forest。　〃I　left　it　over　there；　behind　that　stump。〃
　　The　girl　grumbled　but　followed　on　her　robot　steed。　Dwer　worried　that　the　machine　might　be　more　sophisticated　than　Ozawa　guessed。　The　reference　works　the　sage　had　studied　were　three　hundred　years　out　of　date　and　sparse　on　details。　What　if　the　robot　both　understood　speech　and　could　tell　he　was　lying？　What　if　it　could　read　his　thoughts！
　　The　tree　stump　was　thicker　than　most。　The　sooners　must　have　worked　hard　with　their　primitive　tools　to　hack　it　down；　when　they　made　this　clearing。　Dwer　bent　to　pick　up　two　things　he　had　stashed　on　the　far　side。　One；　a　slender　tube；　he　slid　up　his　tunic　sleeve。　The　other　was　a　leather…bound　book。
　　〃What　is　it？〃　Rety　demanded；　nudging　the　robot　to　drop　closer。　Atop　the　machine's　flat　upper　surface　there　protruded　short　tentacle…things　with　glossy　ends。　Three　swiveled　toward　Dwer；　while　the　fourth　watched　for　danger　from　the　rear。　So　far；　Danel　Ozawa　had　been　right　about　the　robot's　mechanical　organs。　If　these　were　〃eyes；〃　then　that　narrow　spindle　jutting　up　from　the　robot's　center…
　　〃Show　me！〃　Rety　demanded；　dropping　closer　still；　peering　at　the　small　volume；　containing　about　a　hundred　paper　pages；　a　treasure　from　Danel's　Legacy。
　　〃Oh；　it's　a　book；〃　she　muttered　with　contempt。　〃You　think　you　can　prove　anything　with　this？　The　Rothen…kin　have　pictures　that　move；　an'　talk；　an'　tell　you　anythin'　you　want　to　know！〃
　　Exactly；　Dwer　thought。　They　can　create　images　to　show　exactly　what　you　want　to　see。
　　But　he　answered　with　a　friendly　nod。　〃Oh；　sorry；　Rety。　I　forgot；　you　can't　read。　Well；　open　it　up；　and　you'll　find　this　book　has　pictures；　too。　I'll　explain　them；　if　you　like。〃
　　This　part　had　been　Danel's　idea。　Back　at　Gathering；　the　lesser　sage　had　seen　Rety　flip　through　dozens　of　picture　books　in　apparent　fascination…when　she　felt　no　one　was　watching。　Dwer　was　trying　to　mix　insult　with　encouragement；　shame　with　curiosity；　so　the　girl　would　have　no　choice　but　to　look　at　this　one。
　　Wearing　an　unhappy　grimace；　Rety　reached　down　further　and　accepted　the　book。　She　sat　up　and　riffled　the　paper　leaves；　clearly　puzzled。　〃I　don't　get　it。　What　page　should　I　look　at？〃
　　The　robot's　hover…fields　brushed　Dwer's　leg；　making　all　the　hairs　stand　on　end。　His　mouth　felt　dry；　and　his　heart　pounded。　He　fought　a　wave　of　anticipation…weakness　by　pure　force　of　will。
　　〃Oh；　didn't　I　open　it　to　the　right　picture？　Here；　let　me　show　it　to　you。〃
　　As　Rety　turned　toward　him；　the　robot　dropped　lower。　Dwer　raised　his　arms；　reaching　toward　the　book；　but　staggered　when　he　bumped　the　robot's　side。
　　It　was　fiery　death　if　the　thing　thought　it　was　being　attacked。　Would　the　machine　recognize　normal　human　clumsiness　and　make　allowances？
　　Nothing　happened。　The　robot　didn't　fear　his　touch。
　　〃Hey；　watch　it；〃　he　plained。　〃Tell　your　pal　here　to　take　it　easy；　will　you？〃
　　〃What？　It's　not　any　o'　my　doin'。〃　She　kicked　the　machine。　〃Leave　him　be；　you　stupid　thing！〃
　　Dwer　nodded。　〃All　right；　let's　try　again。〃
　　Both　hands　went　up。　His　legs　were　like　coiled　springs…and　Dwer's　life　seemed　to　float　above　him　like　a　sound；　ready　to　flee　on　the　wind。
　　He　leaped。
　　The　robot's　brief　hesitation　ended　in　a　sudden　yowl；　joined　instantly　by　a　series　of　sharp　detonations；　ing　from　the　nearby　forest。　Heat　flared　between　Dwer's　legs　as　he　yanked　two　of　the　sensor…heads；　using　them　as　han