uplift4.brightnessreef-第68节

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nybody；　got　to　study　it。
　　Anyway；　what　was　a　savage　shaman　going　to　achieve　with　his　crude　glass　lenses　and　such？　The　tools　lying　near　the　bird　might　have　impressed　the　old　Rety；　who　thought　Dwer's　hunting　bow　was　so　great。　But　all　that　changed　after　meeting　Besh；　Rann；　and　the　other　star…humans。　Now　she　knew…despite　all　his　airs；　Lester　Cambel　was　just　like　Jass　or　Bom；　or　any　of　the　other　idiots　back　in　the　Gray　Hills。　Stupid　braggarts。　Bullies。　Always　taking　things　that　didn't　belong　to　them。
　　Under　the　bright　flare　of　a　mirrored　oil　lamp；　Cambel　flipped　through　a　book。　Its　pages　crackled；　as　if　they　had　not　been　turned　in　a　very　long　time。　Rety　couldn't　make　out　much　from　her　vantage　point；　perched　on　a　cleft　high　up　one　craggy　cavern　wall。　Not　that　she　could　read；　anyway。　Most　of　each　page　seemed　to　be　taken　up　with　drawings　with　lots　of　little　crisscrossing　lines。　Nothing　much　resembled　a　bird。
　　e　on；　yee；　she　thought；　restlessly。　I'm　countin'　on　you！
　　She　was　taking　a　big　risk。　The　little　male　had　assured　her　he　could　handle　it；　but　what　if　he　got　lost　while　sneaking　around　to　the　other　side？　Or　forgot　his　lines？　Rety　would　be　furious　if　the　little　guy　wound　up　getting　hurt！
　　Cambel's　assistant　stood　up　and　left　the　chamber；　perhaps　on　some　brief　errand；　or　else　to　retire　for　the　night。　Either　way；　this　was　a　perfect　time！　e　on；　yee！
　　After　so　long　writhing　through　dark　passages；　always　fearful　the　little　candle　would　go　out；　Rety　found　the　cool　brilliance　of　the　sage's　lamp　harsh　to　the　eyes。　With　reluctance　she　had　blown　out　her　own　light　while　creeping　the　last　few　meters；　lest　its　glow　draw　attention。　Now　she　regretted　it。　What　if　I　have　to　retreat　the　way　I　came？　She　couldn't　willingly　face　that　path　again。　But　as　a　last　resort；　if　someone　were　chasing　her。。。　？
　　Too　bad　she　had　no　way　to　restart　the　candle。　Maybe　I　should've　learned　to　use　one　of　those　〃match〃　things　the　Slopies　boast　about。　She　had　been　too　awed　by　the　sudden　burst　of　flame　to　pay　close　attention　when　Dwer；　and　later　Ur…Jah；　tried　showing　how　they　worked。　It　was　all　the　fault　of　Jass　and　Bom；　of　course；　who　didn't　like　womenfolk　controlling　fire　on　their　own。
　　But　fire's　just　fine　for　scaring　or　burning　women；　ain't　it？　she　pondered　angrily；　touching　her　face。　Maybe　I'll　e　back　someday；　Jass。　Maybe　I'll　bring　another　kind　of　fire。
　　Rety　reentered　her　favorite　fantasy；　flying　off　to　live　with　the　sky…humans　on　their　home　star。　Oh；　at　first　she'd　start　out　as　a　sort　of　pet　or　mascot。　But　just　give　her　time！　She'd　learn　whatever　it　took　in　order　to　rise　up；　until　she　became　so　important。。。
　　So　important　that　some　great　Rothen　prince　would　put　a　ship…a　fleet　of　ships！…at　her　mand；　to　go　with　her　back　to　Jijo。
　　It　was　fun　picturing　the　look　on　Jass's　smug　handsome　face；　when　the　sky　over　the　Gray　Hills　went　dark　at　noon；　and　then　her　words　booming　from　above…
　　〃you　wise　mister　human　sir？〃
　　The　tiny　voice　shook　her　back　to　the　present。　She　sought　down　below…and　spied　yee　trotting　nervously　near　the　leg　of　Lester　Cambel's　chair。
　　〃Hm？　What　was　that？〃　Cambel　asked；　yee　jumped　as　the　chair　scraped　back；　pushed　by　the　sage；　who　peered　about　in　confusion。
　　〃message　for　wise　human！　message　from　wise　grandma　urs；　Ur…Jah！〃
　　Now　Cambel　looked　down；　first　amazed；　then　quizzically　intrigued。
　　〃Yes；　small　one？　And　how　did　you　get　down　here　past　the　guard？〃
　　〃guard　he　look　out　for　danger；　look　right　past　yee。　is　yee　danger？〃
　　The　tiny　urs　laughed；　mimicking　Rety's　own　nervous　giggle。　She　hoped　Cambel　didn't　recognize　the　similarity。
　　The　sage　nodded；　gravely。　〃No；　I　suppose　not。　Unless　someone　gets　you　angry；　my　friend；　which　I'll　strive　not　to　do。　So　now；　what's　this　about　a　message　at　this　time　of　night？〃
　　yee　did　a　little　dance　with　his　hooves　and　lifted　both　arms　dramatically；　〃urgent　time　for　talk…talk；　look　at　dead　birdie　later！　go　Ur…Jah　now。　now！〃
　　Rety　feared　his　vehemence　would　rouse　suspicion。　But　the　balding　human　put　down　his　tools　at　once　and　stood　up。　〃Well　then；　let's　go。〃
　　Rety's　hopes　soared；　then　sank　as　Cambel　lifted　the　bird　with　both　hands。
　　No！　Put　it　down！
　　As　if　prodded　by　her　tense　mental　urging；　the　sage　paused；　shook　his　head；　and　put　the　machine　back；　picking　up　his　notebook　instead。
　　〃Lay　on；　Macduff；〃　he　said　to　yee；　motioning　with　a　sweep　of　one　arm。
　　〃great　sage　says　what？〃　the　small　urs　tilted　his　head。
　　〃I　said。。。　oh；　never　mind。　An　obscure　allusion。　Guess　I'm　just　tired。　Shall　I　carry　you；　sir？〃
　　〃no！　yee　lead　wise　human；　walk　this　way！　this　way！〃　and　he　scampered　off　eagerly；　pausing　impatiently　and　backtracking　several　times　as　the　sage　followed　ploddingly　behind。
　　When　they　both　had　vanished　up　the　tunnel　leading　toward　the　main　entrance；　Rety　wasted　no　time　slithering　down　the　crumbly；　slanting　limestone　wall　till　she　tumbled　bottom…first　onto　the　floor　of　the　laboratory　cave。　She　scrambled　up　and　hurried　to　the　table　where　her　bird　lay；　headless　as　it　had　been　ever　since　the　fight　with　the　alien　robot。
　　Its　breast　lay　spread　open　like　a　carcass　at　a　feast；　exposing　innards　like　none　Rety　had　ever　seen；　glittering　like　jewels。　What　did　the　stinker　do；　gut　it　like　a　herd　chick？　She　fought　to　check　her　rage。　Rann　might　not　pay　if　the　fools　have　ruined　it　by　mucking　inside！
　　She　looked　closer。　The　opening　was　too　clean　to　have　been　hacked　with　a　knife。　In　fact；　when　she　hesitantly　touched　the　bird's　ribcage；　it　seemed　to　roll　smoothly　around　the　line　where　it　was　still　connected…like　the　hinged　door　she　had　seen　on　a　big　cabinet；　and　marveled　at；　while　visiting　the　forayers'　medical　tent。
　　I　see。　You　just　close　it　like。。。　this。
　　She　lifted　the　smaller　section　through　an　arc；　till　it　swung　shut　with　a　decisive　click。
　　Now　Rety　regretted　her　haste。　There　was　no　more　chance　to　look　closer　at　the　little　flashings　inside。　Oh；　well。　None　of　my　biznis；　anyway；　she　thought；　and　plucked　up　her　prize。　At　least　I　don't　pretend　I'm　any…thin'　but　a　sooner　an'　a　savage。
　　Though　not　forever。　Once　I　get　off　Jijo；　I'll　learn。　I'll　learn　all　right！
　　The　bird　was　heavier　than　she　recalled。　Briefly；　her　heart　felt　full。　She　had　her　treasure　back！　She　crammed　the　heavy　bird…thing　into　her　pouch；　bypassing　the　books　strewn　across　the　table　as　she　hurried　off；　following　the　same　path　yee　and　Lester　Cambel　had　taken；　an　easy　stand…up　trail　leading　toward　the　outside　world。
　　The　way　was　lit　by　little　lamps；　hanging　from　a　thin　boo　pipe　stapled　to　the　hall。　Tiny　flames　flickered　an　eerie　blue　color；　leaving　wide　pools　of　shadow　in　between。　Dim　light　also　spilled　from　several　side　chambers；　now　mostly　empty　of　workers　as　it　was　nighttime　outside。　One　cell；　however；　seemed　to　blaze　with　bulky　lanterns。　Before　tiptoeing　past；　Rety　warily　eyed　two　human　occupants…who　were　luckily　turned　away；　murmuring　with　low　voices。　Drawings　of　the　star…gods；　their　aircraft；　and　other　tools　lay　tacked　on　a　dozen　or　so　easels。　The　cube…shaped　station…which　Rety　had　never　seen　unburied…lay　revealed　in　fine　detail；　more　grand　than　some　shattered　Buyur　site。　Yet　it　seemed　minute　next　to　the　monstrous　tube　depicted　on　the　next　sketch；　floating　above　the　forest。
　　My　starship；　she　mused；　though　cowed　by　the　thought　of　boarding　the　huge　vessel　when　it　returned　for　the　forayers。　She　must　remember　to　hold　her　chin　up　that　day　and　show　no　fear。
　　The　artists　had　caught　Rann's　distant　amused　gaze；　and　Kunn's　sharp　hunter's　glare　as　he　adjusted　the　claw　arm　of　a　hovering　robot。　The　pale　intensity　of　Besh　balanced　Ling's　dusky　half…cynical　expression。　Rety　knew　they　were　only　drawings；　like　the　ones　some　old　grandpas　used　to　scratch　on　a　cliff　overlooking　the　wintering　cave；　back　in　the　Gray　Hills。　Still；　the　lifelike　accuracy　seemed　spooky　and　magical。　The　Slopies　are　studying　the　star…men。　What　could　it　mean？
　　Rety　almost　tripped　in　her　haste　to　get　away。　Whatever　they're　planning；　it　won't　e　to　much。　She　set　her　mind　back　to　getting　out　of　this　place　and　making　the　rendezvous；　in　time。
　　The　mustiness　began　to　lift　and　the　harsh　echoes　softened。　Soon　she　heard　voices　ahead。。。　Lester　Cambel　trading　words　with　a　second　human。　Rety　tiptoed　to　the　next　bend　and　peered　around。　The　human　sage　could　be　seen　talking　to　the　cave　guard；　who　looked　down　at　yee　with　a　chagrined　expression。
　　〃Privacy　wasps　may　stop　the　tiniest　robots；〃　Cambel　said。　〃But　what　about　something　the　size　of　this　little　fellow？〃
　　〃Honestly；　sir。　I　can't　imagine　how　he　got　past…〃
　　Cambel　waved　off　the　apology。　〃There　was　no　harm　done　this　time；　son。　It's　mostly　their　contempt　that　protects　us…their　confidence　we　have　nothing　worth　spying　on。　Just　be　more　careful　from　now　on；　eh？〃
　　He　patted　the　young　man's　arm　and　turned　to　follow　as　yee　hurried　outside。　The　path　seemed　brightly　lit　by　moonshine；　piercing　through　gently　waving　forest　branches。　Still　clearly　perplexed；　the　guard　set　his　jaw　and　gripped　his　weapon…a　kind　of　pole　with　a　sharp…looking　knife…thing　at　one　end…standing　with　legs　slightly　apart；　in　the　center　of　the　entrance。　When　the　scrape　of　Cambel's　footsteps　faded；　Rety　counted　twenty　duras；　then　made　her　own　move。　Faking　calm；　she　saunter