uplift4.brightnessreef-第92节

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　　Two　clusters　of　onlookers　formed　semicircles；　one　backing　the　assembled　sages；　the　other　reverently　standing　behind　the　star…god。　Many　in　the　second　group　had　been　patients　at　the　forayers'　clinic　or　believed　their　claims　of　righteousness　above　all　law。　Among　the　humans　on　that　side；　faith　in　their　rediscovered　patrons　seemed　to　glow；　depicted　by　Lark's　new　rewq　as　intense　red　fire；　surrounding　their　faces。
　　Gone　was　the　Rothen's　prior　mien　of　furious　wrath。　Ro…kenn's　humanoid　features　once　more　conveyed　charismatic　poise；　even　serene　indulgence。　He　spent　another　dura　looking　over　the　jumble　of　parts；　then　spoke　in　prim　Galactic　Seven。
　　〃I　see　nothing　here　of　interest。　Why　do　you　show　me　these　things？〃
　　Lark　expected　the　young　urrish　radical…leader　of　the　rebel　zealots…to　answer；　as　both　plaintiff　and　defendant；　justifying　her　group's　violence　by　diverting　blame　to　the　aliens。　But　the　young　dissenter　kept　well　back；　huddling　with　a　crowd　of　humans　and　urs；　consulting　texts。
　　The　hoonish　sage；　Phwhoon…dau；　stepped　forward　to　confront　the　Rothen　emissary。
　　〃We　seek　to　ascertain　whether　these　tools　of　high　acumen　are　yours。　Tools　which　some　of　our　children　found；　within　the　last　turning　of　Jijo's　axis。　Tools　which　someone　buried　surreptitiously；　in　close　contact　with　our　beloved　Egg。〃
　　Lark　watched　Ling's　reaction。　Since　he　already　knew　her　pretty　well；　no　rewq　was　needed　to　translate　her　shock　of　recognition。　Nor　the　embarrassment　that　followed　as　she　worked　things　out　in　her　own　head。　That's　all　I　needed　to　know；　Lark　thought。
　　Ro…kenn　seemed　nonchalant。　〃I　can　only　guess　that　some　among　you　natives　placed　it　there…as　your　foolish　rebels　placed　explosives　under　our　station。〃
　　Now　Ling's　reaction　was　to　blink　in　surprise。　She　didn't　expect　to　hear　him　lie。　At　least　not　so　baldly；　with　no　time　to　prepare　a　smooth　performance。
　　Glancing　to　one　side；　the　star…woman　noticed　Lark's　scrutiny　and　quickly　looked　away。　Lark　wasn't　proud　of　the　satisfaction　he　felt；　over　the　reversal　of　their　moral　positions。　Now　it　was　her　turn　to　feel　ashamed。
　　〃Use　your　instrumentalities；〃　Phwhoon…dau　urged　the　tall　Rothen。　〃Analyze　these　implements。　You　will　find　the　technology　far　beyond　anything　we　Six　can　now　produce。〃
　　Ro…kenn　shrugged　with　an　elegant　roll　of　his　shoulders。　〃Perhaps　they　were　left　by　the　Buyur。〃
　　〃In　that　place？〃　Phwhoon…dau　boomed　amusement；　as　if　Ro…kenn　had　made　a　good…natured　jest。　〃Only　a　century　ago；　that　entire　valley　glowed　white…hot　from　the　Egg's　passage　to　the　upper　world。　These　tendrils　would　not　have　survived。〃
　　The　crowd　murmured。
　　Lark　felt　a　tug　on　his　sleeve。　He　glanced　around　to　see　that　a　short　blond　figure…Bloor　the　Portraitist…had　slinked　up　behind；　bearing　a　box　camera　and　tripod。
　　〃Let　me　shoot　under　your　arm！〃　the　photographer　whispered　urgently。
　　Lark　felt　a　frisson　of　panic。　Was　Bloor　mad？　Trying　this　in　the　open；　with　the　robots　at　their　wariest？　Even　if　Lark's　body　shielded　that　angle；　people　on　both　sides　would　see。　Despite　Phwhoon…dau's　masterful　performance；　could　they　count　on　loyalty　from　everyone　in　the　milling　throng？
　　With　a　helpless　sigh；　he　lifted　his　left　arm　enough　for　Bloor　to　aim　at　the　confrontation　on　the　Glade。
　　〃Then　I　have　no　other　explanation　for　these　items；〃　Ro…kenn　answered；　referring　to　the　snarled　mass　of　gear。　〃You　are　wele　to　speculate　to　the　extent　that　you　are　able；　until　our　ship　arrives。〃
　　Ignoring　the　implied　threat；　the　hoonish　sage　went　on　with　an　air　of　calm　reason　that　made　the　Rothen　seem　edgy　by　parison。
　　〃Is　speculation　required？　It's　been　asserted　that　several　sets　of　eyes　observed　your　robots；　on　a　recent　foggy　night；　deliberately　implanting　these　devices　underneath　our　sacred　stone…〃
　　〃Impossible！〃　Ro…kenn　burst　forth；　temper　once　more　flaring。　〃No　life…forms　were　in　any　position　to　witness　on　that　night。　Careful　scans　beforehand　showed　no　sentient　beings　within　range　when…〃
　　The　Rothen　emissary　trailed　off　midsentence；　while　onlookers　stared；　awed　and　amazed　that　an　urbane　star…god　could　be　suckered　by　so　obvious　a　ploy。
　　He　must　be　awfully　accustomed　to　getting　his　way；　Lark　thought；　to　fall　for　such　a　simple　trap。
　　Then　a　strange　notion　occurred　to　him。　Many　Earthly　cultures；　from　ancient　Greece　and　India　to　High…California；　depicted　their　gods　as　spoiled；　temperamental　adolescents。
　　Could　that　be　racial　memory？　Maybe　these　guys　really　are　our　long…lost　patrons；　after　all。
　　〃Thank　you　for　the　correction；〃　Phwhoon…dau　answered；　with　a　graceful　bow。　〃I　only　said　it　was　so　asserted。　I　shall　rebuke　those　who　suggested　it。　We　will　take　your　word　that　there　were　no　witnesses　on　the　night　that　you　now　admit　your　robots　planted　these　strange；　alien　devices　next　to　our　Egg。　Shall　we　leave　that　aspect　now　and　proceed　to　why　they　were　planted　in　the　first　place？〃
　　Ro…kenn　appeared　to　be　chewing　on　his　mistake；　working　his　jaw　like　a　human　grinding　his　teeth。　Lark's　rewq　showed　a　discolored　swath　that　seemed　to　ripple　across　the　upper　part　of　the　Rothen's　face。　Meanwhile　Bloor　whispered　contentment　as　he　took　another　picture；　pushing　a　cover　slide　over　the　exposed　plate。　Go　away；　Lark　silently　urged　the　little　man；　to　no　avail。
　　〃I　see　no　further　purpose　to　be　served　by　this　session；〃　the　alien　finally　announced。　He　turned　and　began　to　move　away；　only　to　stop　when　confronted　by　the　gaping　crater　where　his　station　once　lay；　recalling　that　he　had　no　place　to　go。
　　Of　course　Ro…kenn　could　climb　aboard　a　robot　and　simply　fly　off。　But　till　either　Kunn's　aircraft　or　the　star…ship　arrived；　there　was　only　wilderness　to　flee　to。　No　shelter　beyond　this　glade　filled　with　inconvenient　questions。
　　A　shout　rose　up　from　the　cluster　of　urs　and　men　over　to　the　left。　The　huddle　broke；　revealing　a　beaming　Lester　Cambel；　burdened　by　several　large…format　volumes　as　he　hurried　forward。　〃I　think　we　found　it！〃　he　announced；　kneeling　with　several　assistants　beside　one　of　the　spheroidal　knobs　that　ran　along　the　tangled　mass　of　cable。　While　an　aide　pried　at　the　box；　Lester　explained。
　　〃Naturally；　none　of　us　has　the　slightest　idea　how　this　device　works；　but　Galactic　tech　is　so　refined　and　simplified；　after　a　billion　years；　that　most　machines　are　supposed　to　be　pretty　easy　to　use。　After　all；　if　humans　could　pilot　a　creaky；　fifth…hand　starship　all　the　way　to　Jijo；　the　things　must　be　darn　near　idiot…proof！〃
　　The　self…deprecating　jest　drew　laughter　from　both　sides　of　the　crowd。　Pressing　close　to　watch；　the　throng　left　no　easy　or　dignified　avenue　for　Ro…kenn　or　his　servants　to　escape。
　　〃In　this　case；〃　Cambel　continued；　〃we　assume　the　gadget　was　meant　to　go　off　when　all　the　pilgrims　were　in　place　near　the　Egg；　at　our　most　impressionable；　perhaps　as　we　finished　the　invocation。　A　good　guess　would　be　either　a　timer　or　some　remote　control　trigger；　possibly　a　radio　signal。〃
　　An　aide　succeeded　in　getting　the　cover　off；　with　an　audible　pop。　〃Now　let's　see　if　we　can　find　something　like　the　standard　manual　override　switch　they　show　on　page　fifteen…twelve；〃　Lester　said；　crouching　closer；　consulting　one　of　the　open　volumes。
　　Ro…kenn　stared　at　the　book；　filled　with　crisp　diagrams；　as　if　he　had　just　seen　something　deadly　creep　out　of　his　own　bedsheets。　Lark　noticed　that　Ling　was　looking　at　him　once　again。　This　time；　her　expression　seemed　to　say；　What　have　you　been　hiding　from　me？
　　Although　she　lacked　a　rewq；　Lark　figured　a　wry　smile　would　convey　his　reply。
　　You　assume　too　much；　my　dear。　It　blinded　you；　preventing　you　from　asking　sound　questions。　It　also　made　you　patronizing；　when　we　might　have　been　friends。
　　All　right；　maybe　that　was　too　plex　to　transmit　by　facial　expression　alone。　Perhaps　what　his　smirk　actually　said　was…Such　nerve！　You　accuse　me　of　hiding　things？
　　〃I　protest！〃　interjected　the　male　sky…human；　Rann；　towering　over　all　but　the　hoon　and　a　few　traeki　as　he　stepped　forward。　〃You　have　no　right　to　meddle　with　the　property　of　others！〃
　　Phwhoon…dau　crooned　softly；　〃Hr…r…then　you　avow　ownership　of　this　invasive　thing；　placed　without　permission　in　our　most　sacred　site？〃
　　Rann　blinked。　Clearly　he　hated　the　present　weakness　of　the　aliens'　position；　having　to　fence　words　with　savages。　Confused；　the　tall　sky…human　turned　to　Ro…kenn　for　guidance。　While　they　conferred；　heads　close　together；　Lester　Cambel　continued。
　　〃The　purpose　of　this　contraption　was　what　had　us　stymied　for　a　while。　Fortunately；　I'd　already　been　doing　some　research　on　Galactic　technologies；　so　the　texts　were　somewhat　familiar。　Finally；　I　found　it　listed　under　psi　emitters！〃
　　〃Here's　the　switch；　sir；〃　an　aide　declared。　〃Ready　when　you　are。〃
　　Lester　Cambel　stood　up；　raising　both　hands。
　　〃People！　This　is　a　first　and　final　warning。　We've　no　idea　what　we're　about　to　set　off。　I　assume　nothing　fatal；　since　our　guests　aren't　flying　out　of　here　at　top　speed。
　　However；　since　we've　no　time　for　careful　experiments；　I　advise　you　to　at　least　step　back。　The　cautious　among　you　may　retreat　some　greater　distance；　perhaps　twice　the　diameter　of　the　Egg。　I'll　count　down　from　ten。〃
　　Uthen　wanted　to　stay　and　watch；　Lark　thought。　But　I　made　him　go　hide　those　library　disk…things　we　found。
　　Did