uplift4.brightnessreef-第128部分

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　　Then　another　sound　joined；　in　basso　counterpoint。　A　rapid；　unrhythmic　thumping　that　made　the　ground　tremble　like　an　approaching　machine。
　　Kurt　cocked　the　pistol；　holding　it　in　front　of　him。
　　Suddenly；　a　shadow　took　form　at　the　western　fringe　of　firelight。　A　monstrous　shape；　slanted　and　heavy；　protruding　forward　at　a　rising　angle；　leading　with　an　appendage　that　flailed　and　thrashed　like　a　cluster　of　waving　arms　and　legs。　Sara　gasped　and　stepped　back。
　　A　moment　later　it　resolved　itself；　and　she　let　out　a　shuddering　sigh；　recognizing　Ulgor　as　the　protrusion；　moaning　in　distress　and　shame；　held　up　in　the　air　by　the　adamant　embrace　of　two　armored；　pincer…equipped；　chitinous　arms。
　　Qheuenish　arms。　The　remaining　three　out　of　five　stumbled　forward　clumsily；　fighting　for　balance　as　the　writhing　urs　fought　to　break　free。
　　〃Resistance　is　useless；〃　a　scratchy　but　familiar　voice　whistled　from　two　leg…vents；　a　voice　dry　with　the　same　caked　dust　that　fooled　Sara　at　first；　into　thinking　the　armor　was　slate　gray。　Only　near　the　fire　did　a　hint　of　the　true　shade　of　blue　glimmer　through。
　　〃Hello　f…f…folks；〃　croaked　Blade；　son　of　Log　Biter　of　Dolo　Dam。　〃Could　anybody　s…s…spare　a　drink　of　water？〃
　　The　night　was　clear；　windy；　and　extremely　cold　for　this　time　of　year。　They　nursed　their　fuel　supply　for　the　fire　and　draped　fragments　of　the　shredded　tent　over　huddled　groups　of　captives；　to　help　them　retain　body　heat。　Darkness　hauled　the　urs…including　a　tightly　bound　Ulgor…down　toward　sleep；　but　the　human　insurgents　muttered　together　under　their　makeshift　shelter；　making　Sara　ponder　glumly　what　they　must　be　scheming。　Clearly　they　had　less　desire　than　the　surviving　members　of　UrKachu's　band　to　see　more　Urunthai　arrive　over　the　hilltops；　tomorrow　or　the　next　day。　If　they　sawed　or　chewed　through　their　bindings　in　the　darkness；　what　deterrence　value　would　Kurt's　pistol　hold　in　the　event　of　a　sudden　charge？
　　Granted；　many　of　the　men　were　flash…blinded。　And　Blade　was　a　fort　to　have　around。　Even　wheezing　dust；　and　with　the　softer　chitin　of　a　blues　he　was　an　intimidating　figure。　With　him　present；　Sara　and　the　others　might　even　risk　taking　turns　trying　to　get　some　sleep。
　　If　only　we　knew　what's　happened　to　the　star…man；　she　worried。
　　He'd　been　gone　for　several　miduras。　Even　with　Loocen　now　up　to　shed　a　wan　glow　across　the　country…side；　it　was　all　too　easy　to　imagine　the　poor　fellow　getting　lost　out　there。
　　〃The　gunshot　helped　lead　me　to　your　camp；〃　Blade　explained　once　Sara　and　Jomah　had　sponged　out　his　vents　and　eye　circle；　using　up　much　of　their　precious　water。　〃I　was　being　rather　desperate；　unable　to　follow　your　trail　in　the　fading　light；　when　I　heard　the　bang。　A　bit　later；　there　was　the　reflection　of　your　fire　off　yonder　spire。〃
　　Sara　looked　up。　A　flicker　did　seem　to　dance　across　the　tall　stone　tower。　Perhaps　it　would　guide　the　Stranger　home。
　　〃Imagine　my　surprise；　though；　when　someone　came　running　forth　to　greet　me！〃　Blade　chuckled　out　three　vents。　〃Of　course；　my　shock　was　nothing　like　Ulgor's　when　she　saw　me！〃
　　The　qheuen's　tale　was　simple；　if　valiant。　He　had　waited　underwater；　back　at　Uryutta's　Oasis；　until　UrKachu's　fast　group　departed；　followed　by　the　slower　expedition　of　captives　and　booty。　Blade　spent　the　time　contemplating　his　options。　Should　he　strike　out　for　Crossroads　or　some　other　settlement？　Or　else　try　to　follow　and　give　help　when　help　might　do　the　most　good？　Either　decision　would　mean　dehydration　and　pain…not　to　mention　danger。　Sara　noticed　that　Blade　never　mentioned　a　third　option：　to　wait　at　the　oasis　until　someone　came　along。　Perhaps　it　never　occurred　to　him。
　　〃One　thing　I　didn't　expect…to　find　you　four　in　charge；　having　overe　both　groups　all　by　yourselves！　It　appears　you　never　needed　rescue；　after　all。〃
　　Jomah　laughed　from　atop　Blade's　carapace；　where　he　was　sponging　off　the　qheuen's　scent…slits。　The　boy　hugged　his　blue　cupola。　〃You　saved　the　day！〃
　　Sara　nodded。　〃You're　the　biggest　hero　of　all；　dear；　dear　friend。〃
　　There　seemed　no　more　to　say　after　that。　Or　else；　everyone　was　too　tired　for　more　words。　They　watched　the　flames　in　silence　for　a　while。　At　one　point　Sara　stared　at　Loocen；　observing　the　bright；　reflected…sunlight　twinkle　of　abandoned　Buyur　cities；　those　enduring　reminders　of　the　might　and　glory　that　once　filled　this　solar　system　and　that　would　again；　someday。
　　We　sooners　are　like　Jijo's　dreams；　she　thought。　Ghostlike　wraiths　who　leave　no　trace　when　we　are　gone。　Passing　fantasies；　while　this　patch　of　creation　rests　and　makes　ready　for　the　next　phase　of　achievement　by　some　godlike　race。
　　It　was　not　a　forting　contemplation。　Sara　did　not　wish　to　be　a　dream。　She　wanted　what　she　did　and　thought　in　life　to　matter；　if　only　as　contributions　to　something　that　grew　better　with　time；　through　her　works；　her　children；　her　civilization。　Perhaps　this　desire　was　rooted　in　the　irreverent　upbringing　provided　by　her　mother；　whose　offspring　included　a　famous　heretic；　a　legendary　hunter；　and　a　believer　in　crazy　theories　about　a　different　kind　of　redemption　for　all　of　the　races　of　the　Six。
　　She　thought　back　to　her　conversation　with　Dedinger。
　　We'll　probably　never　know　which　of　us　would　have　been　right；　if　the　mons　had　been　left　alone　to　go　its　own　way。　Too　bad。　Each　of　us　believes　in　something　that's　beautiful；　in　its　own　way。　At　least；　a　whole　lot　more　beautiful　than　extinction。
　　Silence　allowed　some　of　the　world's　natural　sounds　to　grow　familiar　once　again；　as　residual　tintinnations　in　her　ears　slowly　ebbed。
　　I　should　be　glad　not　to　be　pletely　deaf　or　blind　at　this　point…let　alone　dead。　If　there's　any　permanent　damage；　I'll　manage　to　live　with　it。
　　The　Stranger　set　a　good　example；　ever　cheerful　despite　horrific　loss　of　much　that　had　made　him　who　he　was。　She　decided；　at　times　like　these；　any　attitude　but　gritty　stoicism　simply　made　no　sense　at　all。
　　Of　the　sounds　brought　forth　by　the　night；　some　were　recognizable。　A　floating　cadence　of　sighs　that　was　wind；　stroking　the　nearby　prairie　and　then　funneling　through　the　columns　of　twisted　stone。　A　distant；　lowing　moan　told　of　a　herd　of　gallaiters。　Then　came　the　grumbling　rattle　of　a　ligger；　warning　all　others　to　stay　out　of　its　territory；　and　the　keening　of　some　strange　bird。
　　While　she　listened；　the　keening　changed　in　pitch；　waxing　steadily　in　volume。　Soon　she　realized；　That's　no　bird。
　　It　wasn't　long　before　the　sound　acquired　a　throaty　power；　steadily　increasing　until　it　took　over　possession　of　the　night；　pushing　all　petitors　aside。　Sara　stood　up　and　the　bulging　tent　fragments　rippled　as　others　reacted　to　the　rising　clamor…a　din　that　soon　climaxed　as　a　bawling　roar；　forcing　her　hands　over　her　tender　ears。　Blade's　cupola　shrank　inward；　and　the　captive　urs　bayed　unhappy　counterpoint；　rocking　their　long　necks　back　and　forth。　Pebbles　fell　from　the　nearby　rocky　spires；　worrying　Sara　that　the　towers　might　topple　under　the　howling　shove　of　disturbed　air。
　　That　sound…I　heard　it　once　before。
　　The　sky　grew　radiant　as　something　bright　passed　into　view…decelerating　with　a　series　of　titanic　booms…a　glowing；　many…studded　tube　whose　heat　was　palpable；　even　at　a　distance　of…
　　Of　what？　Sara　had　glimpsed　a　starship　only　once　before；　a　far…off　glitter　from　her　treehouse　window。　Beyond　that；　she　had　pictures；　sketches；　and　dry；　abstract　measurements　to　go　on…all　useless　for　parison；　as　her　mind　went　numb。
　　It　must　still　be　high　up　in　the　atmosphere；　she　realized。　Yet　it　seemed　so　big。。。
　　The　god…ship　passed　from　roughly　southwest　to　northeast；　clearly　descending；　slowing　down　for　a　landing。　It　took　no　great　ingenuity　to　guess　its　destination。
　　For　all　its　awesome　beauty；　Sara　did　not　feel　anything　this　time　but　a　sour　churn　of　dread。
　　
　　Lark
　　IT　WAS　HARD　TO　MAKE　OUT　MUCH　FROM　A　DISTANCE。　The　blaze　of　light　ing　from　the　Glade　was　so　intense；　it　cast　long　shadows；　even　down　the　forested　lanes　of　a　mountainside；　many　leagues　away。
　　〃Now　you　see　what　you're　up　against；〃　Ling　told　him；　standing　nearby；　watched　by　a　half…dozen　wary　militiamen。　〃This　won't　be　anything　like　taking　down　a　couple　of　little　bodyguard　robots。〃
　　〃Of　that　I　have　no　doubt；〃　Lark　answered；　shading　his　eyes　t