uplift4.brightnessreef-第42节

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　　〃Is　that　what　you　are　asking　of　me　now？〃　the　matriarch　went　on；　speaking　with　a　different　set　of　vents。　The　timbre　of　her　Anglic　accent　changed。　〃If　refuge　is　your　need　against　this　frightful　storm；　then　I　and　my　sisters　offer　it。　Five　fives　of　human　settlers；　our　neighbors　and　friends；　may　bring　their　babes　and　chimps　and　smaller　beasts。　I　am　sure　other　lake…mothers　in　these　hills　will　do　the　same。　We'll　protect　them　here　until　your　criminal　cousins　depart；　or　till　they　blast　this　house　to　splinters　with　their　almighty　power；　setting　the　lake　waters　boiling　to　steam。〃
　　The　words　were　so　unexpected；　so　free　of　any　context　in　Dwer's　foggy　brain；　that　he　could　not　pass　them。
　　The　male　human　grunted。　〃And　if　we　ask　for　more？〃
　　〃For　our　sons；　you　mean？　For　their　rash　courage　and　spiky　claws？　For　their　armored　shells；　so　tough　and　yet　so　like　soft　cheese　when　sliced　by　Buyur　steel？〃　The　qheuen　mother's　hiss　was　like　that　of　a　bubbling　kettle。　Dwer　counted　five　overlapping　notes；　all　vents　working　at　once。
　　〃That　is　more；〃　she　mented　after　a　pause。　〃That　is　very　much　more　indeed。　And　knives　of　Buyur　steel　are　like　whips　of　soft　boo；　pared　to　the　new　things　we　all　fear。〃
　　Dwer　stepped　around　the　corner；　where　several　lanterns　bathed　the　faces　of　those　he　had　been　listening　to。　He　shielded　his　eyes　as　two　humans　stood…a　dark　stern…looking　man　in　his　mid…forties　and　a　stocky　woman　ten　years　younger；　with　light…colored　hair　severely　tied　back　from　a　broad　forehead。　The　qheuen　matron　rocked　briefly；　lifting　two　legs　to　expose　flashes　of　claw。
　　〃What　new　things　do　you　fear；　revered　mother？〃　Dwer　asked　hoarsely。　Turning　to　the　humans；　he　went　on。　〃Where　are　Lark　and　Rety？〃　He　blinked。　〃And　there。。。　was　a　glaver；　too。〃
　　〃All　are　well。　All　have　departed　for　the　Glade；　bearing　vital　information；〃　the　qheuen　whistle…spoke。　〃Meanwhile；　until　you　recover；　you　honor　this　lake　as　our　guest。　I　am　known　as　Tooth　Slice　Shavings。〃　She　lowered　her　carapace　to　scrape　the　floor。
　　〃Dwer　Koolhan；〃　he　answered；　trying　awkwardly　to　bow　with　arms　crossed　over　his　chest。
　　〃Are　you　all　right；　Dwer？〃　the　man　asked；　reaching　toward　him。　〃You　shouldn't　be　up　and　about。〃
　　〃I'd　say　that's　up　to　Captain　Koolhan　himself；〃　the　woman　mented。　〃There's　much　to　discuss；　if　he's　ready。〃
　　Dwer　peered　at　them。
　　Danel　Ozawa　and。。。　Lena　Strong。
　　He　knew　her。　They　had　been　scheduled　to　meet　at　Gathering；　in　fact。　Something　having　to　do　with　that　stupid　tourism　idea。
　　Dwer　shook　his　head。　She　had　used　a　word；　strange　and　dire…sounding。
　　Captain。
　　〃The　militia's　been　called　up；〃　he　reasoned；　angry　with　his　mind　for　moving　so　slowly。
　　Danel　Ozawa　nodded。　As　chief　forester　for　the　Central　Range；　he　was　nominally　Dwer's　boss；　though　Dwer　hardly　saw　him　except　at　Gatherings。　Ozawa　was　a　man　of　imposing　intellect；　a　deputy　sage；　sanctioned　to　make　rulings　on　matters　of　law　and　tradition。　As　for　Lena　Strong；　the　blond　woman　was　aptly　named。　She　had　been　a　crofter's　wife　until　a　tree　fell…accidentally；　she　claimed…on　her　shiftless　husband；　whereupon　she　left　her　home　village　to　bee　one　of　the　top　lumberjack…sawyers　on　the　river。
　　〃Highest…level　alert；〃　Ozawa　confirmed。　〃All　panies　activated。〃
　　〃What。。。　all？　Just　to　collect　a　little　band　of　sooners？〃
　　Lena　shook　her　head。　〃The　girl's　family　beyond　the　Rimmers？　This　goes　far　beyond　that。〃
　　〃Then…〃
　　Memory　assailed　Dwer。　The　blurry　image　of　a　hovering　monster；　firing　bolts　of　flame。　He　croaked；　〃The　flying　machine。〃
　　〃That's　right。〃　Danel　nodded。　〃The　one　you　encountered…〃
　　〃Lemme　guess。　Some　hotheads　dug　up　a　cache。〃
　　Dreamers　and　ne'er…do…wells　were　always　chasing　rumors　of　a　fabled　hoard。　Not　rubble　but　a　sealed　trove　buried　on　purpose　by　departing　Buyur。　Dwer　often　had　to　round　up　searchers　who　strayed　too　far。　What　if　some　angry　young　urs　actually　found　an　ancient　god…weapon？　Might　they　test　it　first　on　two　isolated　humans；　trapped　in　a　mule…spider　maze；　before　going　on　to　settle　larger　grudges？
　　Lena　Strong　laughed　out　loud。
　　〃Oh；　he's　a　wonder；　Danel。　What　a　theory。　If　only　it　were　true！〃
　　Dwer　lifted　a　hand　to　his　head。　The　vibration　of　the　water　wheel　seemed　labored；　uneven。　〃Well？　What　is　true？〃　he　demanded　testily；　then　stared　at　the　expression　on　Ozawa's　face。　The　older　man　answered　with　a　brief　eye…flick　heavenward。
　　〃No；〃　Dwer　whispered。
　　He　felt　strangely　remote；　detached。
　　〃Well　then　iz　all　over；　an'　I'm　out　of　a　job…no？〃
　　The　two　humans　grabbed　his　arms　as　he　let　go　of　the　thing　that　had　kept　him　going　until　now；　the　force　that　had　dragged　him　upward　out　of　unconsciousness　in　the　first　place：　duty。
　　Galactics。　Here　on　the　Slope；　he　thought　as　they　bore　his　weight　back　down　the　hall。　So　it's　e　at　last。　Judgment　Day。
　　There　was　nothing　more　to　do。　No　way　he　could　make　any　difference　at　all。
　　Apparently；　the　sages　didn't　agree。　They　thought　fate　might　yet　be　diverted；　or　at　least　modified　somehow。
　　Lester　Cambel　and　his　aides　are　making　plans；　Dwer　realized　the　next　morning　as　he　met　the　two　humans　again；　this　time　by　the　shore　of　the　forest…shrouded　mountain　lake。　Even　the　dam　wore　trees；　softening　its　graceful　outline；　helping　root　the　structure　firmly　to　the　landscape。　Stretched　out　on　an　elegant　wooden　bench；　Dwer　sipped　a　cool　drink　from　a　goblet　of　urrish　glass　as　he　faced　the　two　envoys　who　had　been　sent　all　the　way　to　see　him。
　　Clearly　the　leaders　of　Earthling…Sept　were　playing　a　plex；　multilayer　game…balancing　species　self…interest　against　the　good　of　the　mons　as　a　whole。　Bluff；　open…faced　Lena　Strong　seemed　untroubled　by　this　ambivalence；　but　not　Danel　Ozawa；　who　explained　to　Dwer　the　varied　reactions　of　other　races　to　the　invaders　being　human。
　　I　wish　Lark　had　stayed。　He　could　have　made　sense　of　all　this。　Dwer's　mind　still　felt　woozy；　even　after　a　night's　restoring　sleep。
　　〃I　still　don't　get　it。　What　are　human　adventurers　doing　out　here　in　Galaxy　Two？　I　thought　Earthlings　were　crude；　ignorant　trash；　even　in　their　own　little　part　of　Galaxy　Four！〃
　　〃Why　are　we　here；　Dwer？〃　Ozawa　replied。　〃Our　ancestors　came　to　Jijo　just　decades　after　acquiring　star　drive。〃
　　Dwer　shrugged。　〃They　were　selfish　bastards。　Willing　to　endanger　the　whole　race　just　to　find　a　place　to　breed。〃
　　Lena　sniffed；　but　Dwer　kept　his　chin　raised。　〃Nothing　else　makes　sense。〃
　　Our　ancestors　were　self…centered　scoundrels…Lark　had　put　it　one　day。
　　〃You　don't　believe　the　stories　of　persecution　and　flight？〃　Lena　asked。　〃The　need　to　hide　or　die？〃
　　Dwer　shrugged。
　　〃What　of　the　g'Keks？〃　Ozawa　asked。　〃Their　ancestors　claimed　persecution。　Now　we　learn　their　race　was　murdered　by　the　Inheritors'　Alliance。　Does　it　take　genocide　to　make　the　excuse　valid？〃
　　Dwer　looked　away。　None　of　the　g'Keks　he　knew　had　died。　Should　he　mourn　millions　who　were　slaughtered　long　ago　and　far　away？
　　〃Why　ask　me？〃　he　murmured　irritably。　〃Can　anything　I　do　make　a　difference？〃
　　〃That　depends。〃　Danel　leaned　forward。　〃Your　brother　is　brilliant　but　a　heretic。　Do　you　share　his　beliefs？　Do　you　think　this　world　would　be　better　off　without　us？　Should　we　die　out；　Dwer？〃
　　He　saw　they　were　testing　him。　As　a　top　hunter；　he'd　be　valuable　to　the　militia…if　he　could　be　trusted。　Dwer　sensed　their　eyes；　watching；　weighing。
　　Without　doubt；　Lark　was　a　deeper；　wiser　man　than　anyone　Dwer　knew。　His　arguments　made　sense　when　he　spoke　passionately　of　higher　values　than　mere　animal　reproduction…certainly　more　sense　than　Sara's　weird　brand　of　math…based；　what…if　optimism。　Dwer　knew　firsthand　about　species　going　extinct…the　loss　of　something　beautiful　that　would　never　be　recovered。
　　Maybe　Jijo　would　be　better　off　resting　undisturbed；　according　to　plan。
　　Still；　Dwer　knew　his　own　heart。　He　would　marry　someday；　if　he　found　the　right　partner；　and　he　would　sire　as　many　kids　as　his　wife　and　the　sages　allowed；　drinking　like　a　heady　wine　the　love　they　gave；　in　return　for　his　devotion。
　　〃I'll　fight；　if　that's　what　you're　askin'；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　perhaps　ashamed　to　admit　it。　〃If　that's　what　it　takes　to　survive。〃
　　Lena　grunted　with　a　curt；　satisfied　nod。　Danel　let　out　a　soft　sigh。
　　〃Fighting　may　not　be　necessary。　Your　militia　duties　will　be　taken　up　by　others。〃
　　Dwer　sat　up。　〃Because　of　this？〃　He　motioned　toward　the　bandages　on　his　feet　and　left　hand。　Those　on　the　right　were　already　off；　revealing　that　the　middle　finger　was　no　longer　the　longest；　a　disconcerting　but　noncrippling　amputation；　healing　under　a　crust　of　traeki　paste。　〃I'll　be　up　and　around　soon；　good　as　ever。〃
　　〃Indeed；　I　am　counting　on　it。〃　Ozawa　nodded。　〃We　need　you　for　something　rather　arduous。　And　before　I　explain；　you　must　swear　never　to　inform　another　soul；　especially　your　brother。〃
　　Dwer　stared　at　the　man。　If　it　were　anyone　else；　he　might　have　laughed　scornfully。　But　he　trusted　Ozawa。　And　much　as　Dwer　loved　and　admired　his　brother；　Lark　was　without　any　doubt　a　heretic。　〃It's　for　the　good？〃　he　asked。
　　〃I　believe　so；〃　the　older　man　said；　in　apparent　sincerity。
　　Dwer　sighed　unhappily。　〃All　right　then。　Let's　hear　what　you　have　in　mind。〃
　　
　　Asx
　　THE　ALIENS　DEMANDED　TO　SEE　CHIMPANZEES；　then　marveled　over　those　we