uplift4.brightnessreef-第113节

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rally；　that　his　urgent　business　lay　there。　But　he　might　have　planned　to　leave　our　group　at　Crossroads；　where　the　rest　of　us　would　turn　uphill　toward　the　Egg。
　　〃Others　of　my　guild　have　already　gone　to　help　the　High　Sages。　But　the　boy　and　I　have　interests　in　another　direction。　And　while　we're　on　the　subject；　I　suggest　you　should　consider　ing　along；　Sara。　For　one　thing；　it's　the　last　direction　the　Urunthai　are　likely　to　look。〃
　　It　was　the　longest　speech　she　had　ever　heard　Kurt　make；　and　her　mind　churned　with　implications。　For　instance；　why　was　he　saying　this　in　front　of　Ulgor？
　　Because　any　determined　urs　could　track　a　bunch　of　humans　and　donkeys　over　a　fresh　trail。　Obviously；　Ulgor　has　to　e　along；　or　else　be　eliminated。
　　But　then；　didn't　the　same　logic　require　that　they　murder　all　the　other　survivors；　too？　Kurt　surely　knew　that　Sara　would　never　permit　that。　Anyway；　the　problem　would　not　go　away　simply　because　they　got　a　couple　of　days'　head　start。　A　good　tracker；　like　Dwer；　could　hunt　them　even　over　a　trail　that　had　gone　cold。
　　She　started　to　raise　these　matters；　then　stopped；　realizing　that　Kurt　could　not　give　a　satisfactory　answer　with　the　seething　outlaws　listening　nearby。
　　〃You　know　I　can't　go；〃　she　said　at　last；　shaking　her　head。　〃These　men　and　urs　will　die　if　left　here　like　this；　all　trussed　up；　and　we　clearly　can't　release　them。〃
　　If　she　had　any　doubts　about　that；　one　look　into　Dedinger's　wrath…filled　eyes　settled　the　matter。　That　cold　fury　was　a　problem　only　a　great　deal　of　time　and　distance　would　solve。　The　more　the　better。　〃I'll　stay　and　take　care　of　them　till　their　friends　arrive；〃　she　added。　〃The　Urunthai　will　probably　protect　me；　since　I　fought　to　help　save　some　of　them…though　they　may　still　keep　me　prisoner。　I　may　even　be　able　to　stop　'em　from　slaughtering　Dedinger's　gang。
　　〃But　you　and　Jomah　ought　to　go　ahead。　Assuming　we　get　some　of　the　donkeys　back；　you　can　take　Prity　and　the　Stranger　along。　With　tons　of　luck　you　might　get　them　somewhere　with　a　pharmacist　and　a　strong　militia　outfit。　I'll　follow　for　several　arrowflights　and　brush　away　your　trail；　then　I'll　use　more　donkeys　to　trample　a　mess　of　false　paths　leading　out　of　here。〃
　　A　soft　whistle　of　grudging　respect　escaped　Ulgor。　〃You　are；　indeed；　your　vrother's　sister。〃
　　Sara　turned　and　pointed　at　the　elegant　tinker。　〃Of　course　this　means　you　have　used　up　the　free　time　you　earned　by　helping　us　at　the　battle's　end。〃　She　bent　to　pick　up　a　length　of　tent　rope。　〃It's　time　for　you　to　join　the　others　by　the　fire；　neighbor。〃
　　Ulgor　backed　away。　〃You　and　who　else　plan　on　enforcing　that　ruling？〃　she　asked　in　defiant　GalSix。
　　Kurt　cocked　the　pistol。　〃Me　and　my　magic　wand；　Ulgor。　You　just　stop　right　there。〃
　　Ulgor's　long　neck　slumped　in　defeat。　〃Oh；　all　right；〃　she　murmured；　disconsolately。　〃If　you're　going　to　ve　so　insistent。　I　suffose　I　can　stand　it　for　a　little　while。〃
　　Amid　Ulgor's　stream　of　placating　words；　it　took　a　dura　or　two　for　Sara　to　realize…she's　still　hacking　up！
　　Confused　by　mixed　signals；　Kurt　wavered　until　Dedinger　cried　out。　〃She's　faking；　you　fools！〃
　　In　a　blur；　Ulgor　whipped　around　and　plunged　into　the　twilight　dimness。　Kurt　fired　once…and　missed…as　the　urrish　rump　vanished　amid　the　rocks。　Their　last　sight　of　Ulgor　was　a　flourish　of　twin　braided　tails。　The　captive　urs　lifted　their　heads　from　drug…hangover　misery　to　chortle　with　amused　glee。　Several　human　captives　laughed　at　the　exploser's　disfiture。
　　〃You　need　more　practice　with　that　thing；　grandpa；〃　Dedinger　observed。　〃Or　else　hand　it　to　a　guy　who　hit　something　the　one　time　he　tried。〃
　　Prity　bared　her　teeth　and　snarled　at　the　ex…sage；　who　sarcastically　feigned　terror；　then　laughed　again。
　　He　spent　time　around　chimps　in　Biblos；　Sara　thought；　laying　a　hand　on　Prity's　knee　to　restrain　her。　He　should　know　better。
　　Then　again；　there's　no　fool　like　a　bright　fool。　〃Well；　that　tears　it；〃　Kurt　muttered　to　Sara。　〃It's　my　fault。　I　should've　listened　to　you。　Tied　her　up；　even　though　she　helped　save　my　life。　Now　she　can　lurk　out　there　watching　us。　Or　run　and　bring　her　gang　before　we　get　far　enough　away。〃
　　Sara　shook　her　head。　Far　enough　away　for　what？　Surely　Ulgor's　escape　only　hastened　the　inevitable。
　　The　exploser　motioned　for　her　to　e　closer。　When　she　sat　down；　Kurt's　lips　pressed　together　hard　before　he　finally　decided　to　speak；　so　softly　that　her　battered　ears　could　barely　hear。
　　〃I've　been　thinkin'　lately；　Sara。。。　it　seemed　a　gift　from　the　Egg　to　find　you　traveling　with　us。　A　fluke…blessing　of　Ifni。　Your　skills　could　prove　quite　useful　to　something。。。　a　project　I'm　involved　with。　I　was　going　to　ask　you　at　Crossroads。〃　〃Ask　me　what？〃
　　〃To　e　south　with　us〃…his　voice　lowered　further　still…〃to　Mount　Guenn。〃
　　〃To　Mount…〃　Sara　blurted；　standing　up。
　　At　Kurt's　panicked　expression；　she　sat　back　down　and　dropped　her　voice。　〃You're　kidding；　right？　You　know　I　have　business　at　the　Glade。　Important　business。　If　the　radicals　think　the　Stranger　is　important　enough　to　kill　over；　don't　you　think　the　sages　ought　to　have　a　chance　to　look　him　over　and　decide　what　to　do？　Besides；　if　the　aliens　are　his　friends；　it's　our　duty　to　help　him　get　modern　medical…〃
　　Kurt　waved　a　hand。　〃All　quite　true。　Still；　with　the　path　from　here　to　the　Glade　blocked；　and　with　another　task　waiting　that　could　be　more　important…〃
　　Sara　stared　at　the　man。　Was　he　crazy　as　Dedinger？　What　could　possibly　be　more　important？
　　〃…a　task　one　of　your　colleagues　has　been　working　on；　down　at　the　place　I　mentioned；　for　several　weeks　now…〃
　　One　of　my　colleagues？　Sara　blinked。　She　had　seen　Bonner　and　Taine；　a　few　days　ago；　at　Biblos。　Plovov　was　at　Gathering。　Then　who。。。　？
　　One　name　came　to　mind。
　　Purofsky　the　astronomer？　Down　at　Mount　Guenn？　Doing　what；　in　the　Egg's　name？
　　〃…a　task　which　seems　to　cry　out　for　your　expertise；　if　I　might　be　so　bold。〃
　　She　shook　her　head。　〃That…place…is　all　the　way　beyond　the　Great　Swamp；　past　the　desert　and　the　Spectral　Flow！　Or　else　you　must　take　the　long　way　around　by　river　and　then　by　sea…〃
　　〃We　know　a　shortcut；〃　Kurt　put　in；　absurdly。
　　〃…and　just　a　while　ago　we　were　plotting　a　mad　dash　just　to　reach　the　nearest　village；　as　if　it　were　as　hopeless　as　a　journey　to　a　moon！〃
　　〃I　never　said　it　would　be　easy。〃　Kurt　sighed。　〃Look；　all　I　want　to　know　right　now　is　this。　If　I　could　convince　you　it　was　possible；　would　you　e？〃
　　Sara　bit　back　her　initial　reply。　Kurt　had　already　pulled　miracle　powers　and　god…machines　out　of　that　satchel　of　his。　Did　he　also　have　a　magic　carpet　in　there？　Or　a　fabled　antigravity　sled？　Or　a　gossamer…winged　glider　to　catch　the　offshore　wind　and　loft　them　to　a　distant　mountain　of　fire？
　　〃I　can't　waste　time　talking　nonsense。〃　She　stood　up；　worried　about　the　Stranger。　It　was　getting　dark　fast；　and　though　Ulgor　had　fled　to　the　northwest；　there　was　no　guarantee　she　would　not　circle　around　to　seek　and　surprise　the　man　from　space。　〃I'm　going　to　go　look…〃
　　A　scream　interrupted；　making　her　jump。　A　shrill　ululation　of　surprise　and　outrage　that　warbled　melodically；　almost　like　a　snatch　of　frantic　song；　rebounding　off　the　rocks　so　many　times　that　their　bruised　ears　could　not　pin　down　where　it　came　from。　Sara's　back　shivered　with　empathic　terror　at　the　awful　sound。
　　Prity　snatched　up　one　of　the　long　urrish　knives　and　stepped　closer　to　the　nervous　prisoners。　Jomah　fondled　the　smallest　of　the　desert　hunters'　bows；　nocking　an　arrow　against　the　string。　Sara　flexed　her　hands；　knowing　that　a　weapon　should　be　in　them；　but　the　thought　of　holding　one　felt　obscene。　She　could　not　bring　herself　to　do　it。
　　A　character　flaw；　she　admitted；　a　bit　dazedly。　One　I　shouldn't　pass　on　to　kids。　Not　if　we're　headed　into　an　age　of　violence　and　〃heroes。〃
　　Tension　built　as　the　wail　intensified。　An　eerie　howl　that　seemed　one　part　pain；　one　part　despair；　and　eight　parts　humiliation；　as　if　death　would　be　preferable　to　whatever　the　screamer　was　going　through。　It　grew　louder　and　more　frenzied　with　each　passing　dura；　causing　the　prisoners　to　crowd　together；　peering　anxiously　into　the　gloom。
　　Then　another　sound　joined；　in　basso　counterpoint。　A　rapid；　unrhythmic　thumping　that　made　the　ground　tremble　like　an　approaching　machine。
　　Kurt　cocked　the　pistol；　holding　it　in　front　of　him。
　　Suddenly；　a　shadow　took　form　at　the　western　fringe　of　firelight。　A　monstrous　shape；　slanted　and　heavy；　protruding　forward　at　a　rising　angle；　leading　with　an　appendage　that　flailed　and　thrashed　like　a　cluster　of　waving　arms　and　legs。　Sara　gasped　and　stepped　back。
　　A　moment　later　it　resolved　itself；　and　she　let　out　a　shuddering　sigh；　recognizing　Ulgor　as　the　protrusion；　moaning　in　distress　and　shame；　held　up　in　the　air　by　the　adamant　embrace　of　two　armored；　pincer…equipped；　chitinous　arms。
　　Qheuenish　arms。　The　remaining　three　out　of　five　stumbled　forward　clumsily；　fighting　for　balance　as　the　writhing　urs　fought　to　break　free。
　　〃Resistance　is　useless；〃　a　scratchy　but　familiar　voice　whistled　from　two　leg…vents；　a　voice　dry　with　the　same　caked　dust　that　fooled　Sara　at　first；　into　thinking　the　armor　was　slate　gray。　Only　near　the　fire　did　a　hint　of　the　true　shade　of　blue　glimmer　through。
　　〃Hello　f…f…folks；〃　croaked　Bla