uplift4.brightnessreef-第55节

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　else　is　watching。　Even　if　no　one　ever　knows。
　　Despite　all　the　well…recited　flaws　of　Galactic　civilization；　Lark　knew　the　rules　protecting　fallow　worlds　were　right。　Though　he'd　been　born　flouting　them；　it　was　still　his　duty　to　help　see　to　it　they　were　obeyed。
　　Contrary　to　his　own　words；　he　had　no　objection；　in　principle；　to　Ling's　bunch　eliminating　local　witnesses；　if　the　means　were　gentle。　Take　a　gene…tailored　plague；　one　leaving　everyone　healthy　but　sterile。　That　might　handle　their　witness　predicament　and　solve　Jijo's　problem　as　well。
　　Ah；　but　Lark　also　had　a　duty　to　oppose　the　raiders'　gene…stealing　scheme。　That；　too；　was　a　violation　of　Jijo；　not　unlike　rape。　With　the　sages　apparently　waffling；　only　the　zealot　conspiracy　seemed　willing　to　fight　the　alien　threat。
　　Hence　Lark's　impassioned　lie；　meant　to　build　trust　between　two　very　different　radical　bands。　He　wanted　a　coalition　with　the　zealots；　for　one　simple　reason。　If　there　were　plans　afoot；　Lark　wanted　a　say　in　them。
　　Cooperate　for　now；　he　told　himself　as　he　spoke　on；　using　his　best　oratorical　skills　to　soothe　their　suspicions；　arguing　persuasively　for　alliance。
　　Cooperate；　but　keep　your　eyes　open。
　　Who　knows？　There　may　e　a　way　to　acplish　both　goals　with　a　single　stroke。
　　
　　Asx
　　THE　UNIVERSE　DEMANDS　OF　US　A　SENSE　OF　IRONY。　For　example；　all　the　effort　and　good　will　that　forged　the　Great　Peace　was　worthwhile。　We　folk　of　the　mons　became　better；　wiser　because　of　it。　We　also　supposed　it　would　work　in　our　favor；　if/when　Galactic　inspectors　came　to　judge　us。　Warring　nations　do　more　harm　to　a　world　than　those　who　calmly　discuss　how　best　to　tend　a　shared　garden。　It　would　surely　weigh　well　that　we　were　courteous　and　gentle　criminals；　not　rapacious　ones。
　　Or　so　we　reasoned。　Did　we　not；　my　rings？
　　Alas；　no　judges　dropped　from　the　sky；　but　thieves　and　liars。　Suddenly；　we　must　play　deadly　games　of　intrigue；　and　those　skills　are　not　what　they　were　in　days　before　mons　and　Egg。
　　How　much　more　capable　we　might　have　been；　if　not　for　peace！
　　We　rediscovered　this　truth　with　sharp　pangs　today；　when　a　panting　galloper　showed　up　with　dispatches　from　the　forge…study　of　Uriel　the　Smith。　Words　of　warning。　Dire　admonitions；　telling　of　sky…portents；　urging　that　we　brace　ourselves　for　visitation　by　a　starship！
　　Oh；　tardy　premonition！　A　caution　that　arrived　too　late　by　far。
　　Once；　stone　citadels　nestled　on　bitter…cold　peaks；　from　north　of　Biblos　all　the　way　down　to　the　tropic　settlements　of　the　Vale；　flashing　messages　via　cleverly　fashioned　mirrors；　outracing　the　swiftest　urrish　couriers　or　even　racing　birds。　With　their　semaphore；　humans　and　their　allies　mobilized　speedily　for　battle；　making　up　skillfully　for　their　lack　of　numbers。　In　time；　urs　and　hoon　developed　systems　of　their　own；　each　clever　in　its　way。　Even　we　traeki　formed　a　network　of　scent…spore　trackers；　to　warn　of　possible　danger。
　　None　of　these　feats　survived　peace。　The　semaphore　was　abandoned；　the　system　of　signal　rockets　allowed　to　lapse。　Until　lately；　merce　alone　simply　did　not　justify　such　costly　media…though　ironically　just　last　year　investors　had　begun　speaking　of　reoccupying　those　frigid　stone　aeries；　resuming　the　network　of　flashed　messages。
　　Had　they　moved　faster；　would　we　have　received　Uriel's　warning　in　time？
　　Would　receiving　it　have　made　any　difference　in　our　fate？
　　Ah；　my　rings。　How　vain　it　is　to　dwell　on　might…have…beens。　Other　than　solipsism；　it　may　be　the　most　mad　thing　that　unitary　beings　waste　their　time　doing。
　　
　　Rety
　　〃DO　YOU　HAVE　SOMETHING　FOR　ME？〃
　　Rann；　the　tall；　stern…looking　leader　of　the　sky…humans；　held　out　his　hand　toward　her。　In　the　late　twilight；　with　wind　rustling　a　nearby　thicket　of　pale　boo；　it　seemed　to　Rety　that　each　of　his　calloused　fingers　was　like　her　entire　wrist。　Moonlight　brought　out　shadows　on　Rann's　craggy　features　and　wedgelike　torso。　She　tried　not　to　show　it；　but　Rety　felt　all　too　insignificant　in　his　presence。
　　Are　all　men　like　this；　out　there　among　the　stars？　The　thought　made　her　feel　funny；　like　earlier；　when　Besh　told　her　it　was　possible　to　smooth　away　her　scars。
　　First　had　e　bad　news。
　　〃We　cannot　do　anything　about　it　here　in　our　little　clinic；〃　the　forayer　woman　had　told　her；　during　Rety's　brief　turn　at　the　aliens'　sick　call；　near　their　buried　station。
　　She　had　been　standing　in　line　for　half　the　morning；　a　horrid　wait；　spent　shuffling　between　a　g'Kek　with　a　wheezy；　lopsided　wheel　and　an　aged　urs　whose　nostril　dripped　a　ghastly　gray　fluid。　Rety　tried　hard　not　to　step　in　it　each　time　the　queue　moved　forward。　When　her　chance　finally　came　to　be　examined　under　bright　lights　and　probing　rays；　her　hopes　soared；　then　crashed。
　　〃This　kind　of　dermal　damage　would　be　easy　to　repair　back　home；〃　Besh　had　said；　while　ushering　Rety　toward　the　tent　flap。　〃Bio…sculpting　is　a　high　art。　Experts　can　mold　a　pleasant　form　out　of　even　primitive　material。〃
　　Rety　wasn't　offended。　Primitive　material。　It's　what　I　am；　all　right。　Anyway；　at　the　time　she　was　dazed　from　imagining…what　if　Galactic　wizardry　could　give　her　a　face　and　body　like　Besh；　or　Ling？
　　She　set　her　feet；　refusing　to　budge　till　Besh　let　her　speak。
　　〃They…they　say　you　may　take　some　humans　with　you；　when　you　go。〃
　　Besh　had　looked　down　at　her　with　eyes　the　color　of　golden…brown　gemstones。
　　〃Who　says　such　things？〃
　　〃I。。。　hear　stuff。　Rumors；　I　guess。〃
　　〃You　should　not　believe　all　rumors。〃
　　Had　there　been　extra　emphasis　on　the　word　all？　Rety　leaped　on　any　excuse　for　hope。
　　〃I　also　hear　you　pay　good　when　folks　bring　things　you　want…or　news　you　need。〃
　　〃That　much　is　true。〃　Now　the　eyes　seemed　to　glitter　a　little。　From　amusement？　Or　greed？
　　〃And　if　the　news　is　really；　really　valuable？　What'd　be　the　reward　then？〃
　　The　star…woman　smiled；　a　grin　full　of　friendship　and　promise。　〃Depending　on　how　helpful　or　precious　the　information…the　sky's　the　limit。〃
　　Rety　had　felt　a　thrill。　She　started　to　reach　into　her　belt　pouch。　But　Besh　stopped　her。　〃Not　now；〃　the　woman　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃It　is　not　discreet。〃
　　Looking　left　and　right；　Rety　realized　there　were　other　patients　around；　and　employees　of　the　forayers…members　of　the　Six　serving　as　assistants　in　the　aliens'　many　enterprises。　Any　one　could　be　a　spy　for　the　sages。
　　〃Tonight；〃　Besh　had　told　her　in　a　low　voice。　〃Rann　goes　walking　each　evening；　down　by　the　stream。　Wait　next　to　the　stand　of　yellow　boo。　The　one　just　ing　into　bloom。　e　alone；　and　speak　to　no　one　you　see　along　the　way。〃
　　Great！　Rety　had　thought　jubilantly　on　leaving　the　tent。　They're　interested！　It's　exactly　what　I　was　hoping　for。　And　just　in　the　nick　o'　time。
　　All　might　have　been　lost　if　it　had　taken　much　longer　to　make　contact。　The　chief　human　sage　had　decreed　she　must　leave　tomorrow；　acpanying　a　small　donkey　caravan　aimed　up　into　the　mountains；　along　with　two　silent　men　and　three　big　women　she　had　never　met　before。　Nothing　was　said；　but　she　knew　the　goal　was　to　catch　up　with　Dwer；　and　from　there　head　back　to　the　wilderness　she　came　from。
　　No　chance　of　that；　she　had　thought；　relishing　tonight's　rendezvous。　Dwer's　wele　to　go　play　hunter　in　the　forest。　While　he's　scratchin'　for　eats　in　the　Gray　Hills；　I'll　be　living　high　an'　mighty；　up　on　the　Dolphin's　Tail。
　　That　was　the　constellation　where；　rumor　had　it；　the　forayers　came　from；　although　the　crablike　sage；　Knife…Bright　Insight；　once　tried　explaining　to　Rety　about　galaxies　and　〃transfer　points〃　and　how　the　route　back　to　civilization　was　twisty　as　a　mule…spider's　vine。　None　of　it　made　sense；　and　she　figured　the　old　qheuen　was　probably　lying。　Rety　far　preferred　the　idea　of　going　to　a　star　she　could　clearly　see…which　meant　she　would　someday　look　back　at　Jijo　from　the　beautiful　Galactic　city　where　she'd　gone　to　live；　and　stick　her　tongue　out　every　night　at　Jass　and　Bom　and　their　whole　stinking　tribe。　And　Dwer　and　the　sages；　for　that　matter；　along　with　everyone　else　on　this　rancy　planet　who　was　ever　mean　to　her。
　　All　day　after　meeting　Besh　she　had　avoided　the　sages　and　their　servants；　seeking　the　clearings　several　arrow…flights　to　the　west；　where　some　pilgrims　were　trying　to　restore　a　few　of　the　festivities　of　Gathering。　Pavilions　that　had　been　taken　down　in　panic　were　now　restored；　and　many　folk　had　e　out　of　hiding。　There　was　still　plenty　of　tension。　But　some　people　seemed　determined　to　get　on　with。life；　even　if　just　for　a　little　while。
　　She　visited　one　tent　where　craft　workers　showed　wares　brought　from　all　over　the　Slope。　Their　goods　would　have　impressed　Rety　even　yesterday。　But　now　she　smiled　scornfully；　having　seen　the　bright　machines　the　sky…humans　used。　At　one　panel　discussion；　she　watched　hoon；　g'Kek；　and　human　experts　discuss　improved　techniques　for　weaving　rope。　The　atmosphere　was　hushed；　and　few　in　the　audience　asked　questions。
　　Nearby；　a　traeki　ring…breeder　displayed　some　flabby　donut　shapes　with　slender　arms；　eye　buds；　or　stubby　feet。　A　trio　of　mature　traeki　stood　near　the　pen；　perhaps　pondering　additions　to　a　newborn　stack　they　were　building　back　home。　Or　maybe　they　were　just　browsing。
　　Farther　along；　in　a　sun…dappled　glade；　chimp　acrobats　performed　for　a　crowd　of　children；　and　an　all…race　sextet　played　by　a