uplift4.brightnessreef-第75节
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needed no help reading his colleague's excitement。
〃Lark…ark； Harullen…en；〃 Uthen stammered out several vents； in unmatched timbres。 Harullen scornfully turned his cupola while the newer caught his breath。
〃e quickly； both of you。 They've e out！〃
〃Who's e…？〃 Lark began； before realizing that Uthen could mean but one thing。
He nodded。 〃Just give me a dura。〃
Lark ducked back under the tent flap； fumbled for his own pilgrimage robe； then paused by the writing desk。 He snatched the unfinished letter from under the folio and slid it into a sleeve； along with a sharpened pencil。 Ink was more elegant and wouldn't smudge。 Still； Sara wouldn't give a damn； so long as the letter got there and contained the latest news。
〃e on！〃 Uthen urged； impatiently； when Lark reemerged。 〃Hop aboard and let's hoof it！〃 The gray qheuen scientist dipped one end of his shell to the ground。 This time； Harullen groaned annoyance。 Sure； kids did it all the time； but it wasn't dignified for an adult gray…especially one with ancestry like Uthen's…to go around carrying a human on his back。 Still； they would move faster now； toward the Meadow of Concealed Aliens； hurrying to see the wonder that had emerged。
If anything； Ling understated when she called them beautiful。
Lark had never envisioned anything quite like them。 Not when leafing through ancient picture books； or reading pre…Contact works of space fiction。 Not even in his dreams。
In the vernacular of Jijo's exiled tribes； it was mon to call all Galactics 〃star…gods。〃 Yet here； strolling a forest clearing； were beings that seemed all but literally worthy of the name； so exquisite were they to behold。 Lark could stand it only for moments at a stretch； then had to look away lest his eyes fill with tears and his chest begin to ache。
Ling and the other forayer humans formed a guard of honor around their noble patrons； while vigilant robots hovered。 Occasionally； one of the tall stoop…shouldered Rothen crooked a finger； beckoning Rann or Besh to lean upward and explain something； like children called on to recite； gesturing at a nearby tree； one of the tent…pavilions； a herd of spline beasts； or a shy infant g'Kek。
Crowds gathered。 Proctors of Gathering； armed with red…dyed sticks； kept people from pressing too close； but there seemed small likelihood of a shameful outburst。 Hardly anyone even whispered； so thick was the atmosphere of awe。
The effect seemed greatest on the humans present； most of whom stared with hushed wonderment and bewildered familiarity。 Rothen were humanoid to an uncanny degree； with high noble foreheads； wide sympathetic eyes； eloquent noses； and droopy； soft…fringed eyebrows that seemed to purse with sincere； attentive interest in anyone or everything they encountered。 Nor were these parallels coincidental； Lark supposed。 Physical and emotional affinities would have been cultivated during the long process of uplift； tens of thousands of years ago； when Rothen experts tinkered and modified a tribe of graceless but promising apes back on Pliocene Earth； altering them gradually into beings almost ready for the stars。
That assumed these creatures really were humanity's long…hidden patrons； as Ling claimed。 Lark tried to retain an attitude of cautious neutrality but found it hard in the face of such evidence。 How could this race be any other than humankind's lost patrons？
When the two august visitors were introduced to the assembled High Sages； Lark drew fort from the serene expressions of Vubben； Phwhoon…dau； and the others； none of whom wore rewq for the occasion。 Even Lester Cambel remained posed…at least on the outside…when presented to Ro…kenn and Ro…pol； whose names Rann proclaimed for all to hear。
By human standards； Ro…kenn appeared to be male。 And though Lark tried not to be overly influenced by analogies； the more delicate…featured Ro…pol struck him as possibly female。 The crowd murmured when the two smiled…revealing small white teeth…conveying apparent pleasure at the meeting。 Ro…pol's grin creased in ways that might even be called dimples。 The word merry tempted Lark； as a way to describe the slighter Rothen's cheerful mien。 It wouldn't be hard to like a face like that； so warm； open； and filled with understanding。
It makes sense； Lark thought。 If the Rothen really are our patrons； wouldn't they have ingrained us with similar esteem patterns？
Nor were Earthlings alone affected。 After all； the Six Races had a lot of experience with each other。 You didn't have to be a qheuen to sense the charisma of a stately queen； so why shouldn't an urs； or hoon； or g'Kek sense this potent humanoid magnetism？ Even without rewq； most of the nonhumans present seemed caught up in the prevailing mood…hope。
Lark recalled Ling's assurance that the forayer mission would succeed without incident； and Jijo's mons needn't be changed in any but positive ways。 〃It will all work out；〃 she had said。
Ling had also told him the Rothen were special beings； even among high Galactic clans。 Operating in deliberate obscurity； they had quietly arranged for Old Earth to lie fallow； off the colonization lists； for half a billion years； an acplishment with implications Lark found hard to imagine。 Needing no fleets or weapons； the Rothen were influential； mystical； mysterious…in many ways godlike even pared with those beings whose vast armadas thundered across the Five Galaxies。 No wonder Ling and her peers thought themselves above so…called 〃laws〃 of migration and uplift； as they sifted Jijo's biosphere for some worthy species to adopt。 No wonder she seemed fearless over the possibility of being caught。
The newly cave…fledged rewq also appeared dazzled； ever since the tall pair emerged from the buried research station。 The one on Lark's brow trembled； casting splashy aurae around the two Rothen till he finally had to peel it back。
Lark tried to wrest control over his thoughts； reclaiming a thread of skepticism。
It may be that all advanced races learn to do what the Rothen are doing now…impressing those beneath them on the ladder of status。 Perhaps we're all extra…susceptible on account of being primitives； having no other experience with Galactics。
But skepticism was slippery as the Rothen emissaries conversed with the sages in voices that seemed warm； passionate。 A robot amplified the discourse for all to hear。
〃We two now express grateful and respectful honors for your hospitality；〃 Ro…kenn said in a very prim； grammatically perfect GalSixish。
〃Furthermore； we now express regret for any anxiety our presence may have generated among your noble mons；〃 Ro…pol added。 〃Only of late have we e to realize the depth of your unease。 Overing our natural reticence…our shyness； if you will…we now emerge to soothe your quite unwarranted fears。〃
Again； whispers of tentative hope from the crowd…not an easy emotion for Jijoan exiles。
Ro…kenn spoke again。
〃Now we express joy and appreciation to have been invited to attend your sacred rites。 One of us shall acpany you on this eve； to witness the wonderment inherent in； and remarkably expressed by； your renowned and Holy Egg。〃
〃Meanwhile；〃 Ro…pol continued； 〃the other of us shall withdraw to contemplate how best to reward your mons for your pains； your worries； and your hard sequestered lives。〃
Ro…pol appeared to muse on the problem for a moment； choosing her words。
〃Some gift； we foresee。 Some benefaction to help you through the ages ahead； as each of your cojoined races seeks salvation down the long； courageous path known as Return…to…innocence。〃
A murmur coursed the ranks of onlookers…pleasure at this surprising news。
Now each of the sages took turns making a weling speech； starting with Vubben； whose aged wheels squeaked as he rolled forward to recite from one of the oldest scrolls。 Something apropos about the ineffable nature of mercy； which drifts upward from the ground when least expected； a grace that cannot be earned or even merited； only lovingly accepted when it es。
Lark let the neophyte rewq slip back over his eyes。 The Rothen pair remained immersed in a nimbus of confused colors； so while Vubben droned on； he turned and scanned the assembled onlookers。
Of course rewq offered no magic window to the soul。 Mostly； they helped make up for the fact that each race came equipped with brain tissue specifically adapted for reading emotional cues from its own kind。 Rewq were most effective when facing another rewq…equipped being； especially if the two symbionts first exchanged empathy hormones。
Is that why the sages aren't wearing theirs now？ In order to protect secret thoughts？
From the throng he picked up ripples of fragile optimism and mystical wonder； cresting here and there with spumelike waves of near…religious fervor。 There were other colors； however。 From several dozen qheuens； hoon； urs； and men…proctors and militia guards…there flowed cooler shades of duty。 Refusal to be distracted by anything short of a major earthquake。
Another glittering twinkle Lark quickly recognized as a different kind of duty； more plex； focused； and vain。 It acpanied a brief reflection off a glass lens。 Bloor and his rades at
