uplift4.brightnessreef-第10章

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　　As　the　slow　duras　passed；　the　full　import　of　her　prediction　sank　in。
　　Biblos。
　　The　Hall　of　Books。
　　Once　already；　fire　had　taken　a　terrible　toll　there。　Even　so；　the　remaining　archive　was　humanity's　greatest　contribution　to　the　mons　and　a　cause　of　both　envy　and　wonder　among　the　other　races。
　　What　will　we　bee；　if　it's　gone？　True　pastoralists？　Gleaners；　living　off　remnants　swiped　from　ancient　Buyur　sites？　Farmers　all？
　　That　was　how　the　other　five　had　seemed；　when　humans　first　came。　Bickering　primitives　with　their　barely　functioning　mons。　Humanity　introduced　new　ways；　changed　the　rules；　almost　as　much　as　the　arrival　of　the　Egg　several　generations　later。
　　Now　shall　we　slide　downslope　faster？　Losing　the　few　relics　that　remind　us　we　once　roamed　galaxies？　Shucking　our　books；　tools；　clothes；　till　we're　like　glavers？　Pure；　shriven　innocents？
　　According　to　the　Scrolls；　that　was　one　path　to　salvation。　Many；　like　Jop；　believed　in　it。
　　Sara　tried　to　see　hope；　even　if　word　came　back　of　flames　and　dust　in　the　night。　At　any　time；　hundreds　of　books　were　outside　Biblos；　on　loan　to　far…flung　munities。
　　But　few　texts　in　Sara's　specialty　ever　left　their　dusty　shelves。　Hilbert。　Somerfeld。　Witten　and　Tang。　Eliahu…names　of　great　minds　she　knew　intimately　across　centuries　and　parsecs。　The　intimacy　of　pure；　near…perfect　thoughts。　They'll　burn。　The　sole　copies。　Lately　her　research　had　swung　to　other　areas…the　chaotic　ebb　and　flow　of　language…but　still　she　called　mathematics　home。　The　voices　in　those　books　had　always　seemed　soul…alive。　Now　she　feared　learning　they　were　gone。
　　Then　abruptly；　another　notion　occurred　to　her；　pletely　unexpected；　glancing　off　her　grief　at　a　startling　angle。
　　If　Galactics　really　have　e；　what　do　a　few　thousand　paper　volumes　really　matter？　Sure；　they'll　judge　us　for　our　ancestors'　crime。　Nothing　can　prevent　that。　But　meanwhile；　aboard　their　ships。。。
　　It　occurred　to　Sara　that　she　might　get　a　chance　to　visit　a　pletely　different　kind　of　library。　One　towering　over　the　Biblos　cache；　the　way　the　noon　sun　outblazed　a　candle。　What　an　opportunity！　Even　if　we're　all　soon　prisoners　of　the　galactic　Lords　of　Migration；　destined　for　some　prison　world；　they　can　hardly　deny　us　a　chance　to　read！
　　In　accounts　of　olden　days　she　had　read　about　〃accessing〃　puter　databases；　swimming　in　knowledge　like　a　warm　sea；　letting　it　fill　your　mind；　your　pores。　Swooping　through　clouds　of　wisdom。
　　I　could　find　out　if　my　work　is　original！　Or　if　it's　been　done　ten　million　times；　during　a　billion　years　of　Galactic　culture。
　　The　thought　seemed　at　once　both　arrogant　and　humbling。　Her　fear　of　the　great　starships　was　undiminished。　Her　prayer　remained　that　it　was　all　a　mistake；　or　a　meteor；　or　some　illusion。
　　But　a　rebel　corner　of　her　roiling　mind　felt　something　new…a　wakened　hunger。
　　If　only。。。
　　Her　thought　broke　against　an　interruption。　Suddenly；　high　overhead；　a　boy　stuck　his　head　through　a　slit　window。　Hanging　upside　down；　he　cried…〃No　fires！〃
　　He　was　joined　by　others；　at　different　openings；　all　shouting　the　same　thing。　Chimps　joined　in；　shrieking　excitement　across　the　crowded　meeting　hall。
　　〃No　fires…and　the　roof…of…stone　still　stands！〃
　　Old　Henrik　stood；　then　spoke　two　words　to　the　elders　before　departing　with　his　son。　Amid　the　flustered　babble　of　the　throng；　Sara　read　the　exploser's　expression　of　resolve　and　the　decisive　message　of　his　lips。
　　〃We　wait。〃
　　
　　Asx
　　OUR　CARAVAN　OF　RACES　MARCHED　TOWARD　where　the　alien　ship　was　last　seen…a　blazing　cylinder…descending　beyond　a　low　hill。　Along　the　way；　Vubben　continued　chanting　from　the　Scroll　of　Danger。　Voices　cried　out　ahead。　Crowds　jostled　along　a　ridgetop；　hissing　and　murmuring。　We　must　nudge　past　men　and　hoon　to　win　our　way　through。　Whereupon；　did　we　not　gaze　across　a　nest？　A　new　clearing　lined　with　shattered　trees；　still　smoking　from　whatever　ray　had　cut　them　down。
　　And　poised　amid　this　devastation…shimmering　from　its　heat　of　entry…lay　the　cause。
　　Nearby；　human　and　urrish　crafters　argued　in　the　strange　dialect　of　the　engineering　caste；　disputing　whether　this　nub　or　that　blister　might　be　weaponry　or　sensors。　But　which　of　us　on　Jijo　has　the　expertise　to　guess？　Our　ships　long　ago　went　down　to　join　this　planet's　melting　crust。　Even　the　most　recent　arrivals；　humans；　are　many　generations　removed　from　starfarers。　No　living　member　of　the　mons　ever　saw　anything　like　this。
　　It　was　a　ship　of　the　Civilization　of　the　Five　Galaxies。　That　much　the　techies　could　tell。
　　Yet　where　was　the　rayed　spiral？　The　symbol　required　to　be　carried　on　the　forward　flank　of　every　sanctioned　ship　of　space？
　　Our　worried　lore…masters　explain…the　spiral　is　no　mere　symbol。　Silently；　it　rides。　Impartially；　it　records。　Objectively；　it　bears　witness　to　everything　seen　and　done；　wherever　the　vessel　may　fly。
　　We　peered　and　sought；　but　in　the　ordained　place　there　lay　only　a　burnished　shine。　It　had　been　rubbed　away；　smoother　than　a　qheuenish　larva。
　　That　was　when　confusion　gave　way　to　understanding。　Realization　of　what　this　ship　represented。
　　Not　the　great　Institutes；　as　we　first　thought。
　　Nor　the　righteous；　mighty；　legalistic　star…clans　or　the　mysterious　Zang。
　　Not　even　exiles　like　ourselves。
　　None　of　those；　but　outlaws。　Felons　of　an　order　worse　than　our　own　ancestors。
　　Villains。
　　Villains　had　e　to　Jijo。
　　　
　　III。　THE　BOOK　OF　THE　SEA
　　It　is　a　Paradox　of　Life　that　all　species　breed　past　mere　replacement。
　　Any　paradise　of　plenty　soon　fills；　to　bee　paradise　no　more。
　　By　what　right；　then；　do　we　exiles　claim　a　world　that　was　honorably　set　aside；　to　nurture　frail　young…life　in　peace；　and　be　kept　safe　from　hungry　nations？
　　Exiles；　you　should　fear　the　law's　just　wrath；　to　find　you　here；　unsanctioned；　not　yet　redeemed。
　　But　when　judgment　es；　law　will　also　be　your　shield；　tempering　righteous　wrath　with　justice。
　　There　is　a　deeper　terror；　prowling　the　angry　sky。
　　It　is　a　different　peril。　One　that　stalks　in　utter　absence　of　the　law。
　　　The　Scroll　of　Danger
　　　
　　Alvin's　Tale
　　ALL　RIGHT；　SO　I'M　NOT　AS　QUICK　AS　SOME。　I'LL　never　think　as　fast　as　Huck；　who　can　run　verbal　circles　around　me。
　　It's　just　as　well；　I　guess。　I　could've　grown　up　in　this　little　hoon　port　thinking　I　was　such　a　clever　fellow…as　witty　and　gloss　as　my　literary　nicknamesake…just　'cause　I　can　read　any　Anglic　book　and　fancy　myself　a　writer。　Good　thing　I　had　this　little　g'Kek　genius　living　in　the　khuta　next　door；　to　remind　me　that　an　above…average　hoon　is　still　a　hoon。　Dull　as　a　brick。
　　Anyway；　there　I　was；　squatting　between　two　of　my　best　friends　while　they　fussed　over　what　we　should　do　with　the　ing　summer；　and　it　never　occurred　to　me　that　both　Huck　and　Pincer　were　ring…coring　me　at　more　than　one　level。
　　Pincer　only　spent　a　few　duras　trying　to　tell　us　about　his　latest　〃monsters〃…grayish　shapes　he　thought　he　glimpsed　through　the　murk；　while　bored；　tending　his　hive's　lobster　pens。　He's　pulled　that　one　on　us　so　many　times；　we　wouldn't　listen　if　he　brought　us　a　molar　from　Moby　Dick；　with　a　peg　leg　jammed　like　a　toothpick　on　one　end。　Sighing　from　all　five　vents　at　once；　he　gave　up　babbling　about　his　latest　sighting；　and　switched　over　to　defending　his　Project　Nautilus。
　　Pincer　was　upset　to　learn　that　Huck　wanted　to　abandon　the　scheme。　Legs　lifted　on　opposite　sides　of　his　hard　shell；　hissing　like　tubes　on　a　calliope。
　　〃Look；　we　already　agreed…deed。　We　just　gotta　finish　the　bathy；　or　else　what've　we　been　working…king　on　for　a　year　now…ow！〃
　　〃You　did　most　of　the　carpentry　and　testing；〃　I　pointed　out。　〃Huck　and　I　mostly　drew　up　plans　for…〃
　　〃Exactly！〃　Huck　interrupted；　two　eyes　bobbing　for　emphasis。　〃Sure；　we　helped　with　designs　and　small　parts。　That　was　fun。　But　I　never　signed　on　to　actually　ride　the　dam'　thing　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea。〃
　　Pincer's　blue　cupola　lifted　all　the　way　up；　and　his　slit…of…eyes　seemed　to　spin。　〃But　you　said　it　was　interesting…ing！　You　called　the　idea　uttergloss…loss！〃
　　〃True；〃　Huck　agreed。　〃In　theory；　it's　totally　puff。　But　there's　one　problem；　friend。　It's　also　jeekee　dangerous。〃
　　Pincer　rocked　back；　as　if　the　thought　had　never　occurred　to　him。　〃You。。。　never　said　anything　about　that　before。〃
　　I　turned　to　look　at　Huck。　I　don't　think　I　ever　heard　her　speak　that　word　till　then。　Dangerous。　In　all　our　adventures　growing　up；　she　always　seemed　the　one　ready　to　take　a　chance；　sometimes　daring　the　rest　of　us　with　cutting　taunts；　the　way　only　a　g'Kek　can　on　those　rare　occasions　when　they　put　away　politeness　and　try　to　be　nasty。　With　Huck　an　orphan；　and　Ur…ronn　and　Pincer　ing　from　low…kay　races；　no　one　was　going　to　miss　them　much　if　they　died。　So　it　normally　fell　on　me　to　be　the　voice　of　caution…a　role　I　hated。
　　〃Yeah；〃　Huck　said。　〃Well；　maybe　it's　time　someone　pointed　out　the　difference　between　taking　a　calculated　risk　and　mitting　flat…out　suicide。　Which　is　what　it'd　be　if　we　ever　took　a　ride　aboard　that　contraption　of　yours；　Pincer！〃
　　Our　poor　qheuenish　friend　looked　like　someone　had　stuck　him　in　a　leg…vent　with　a　stick。　His　cupola　went　all　wobbly。　〃You　all　know…ow　I'd　never　ask　my　friends…ends…〃
　　〃To　go　anywhere　you　wouldn't　go？〃　Huck　retorted。　〃Big　of　you；　since　you're　talking　about　dragging　us　around　underwater；　where　you're　built　to　be　perfectly　fortable。〃
　　〃Only　at　first…irst！〃　Pincer　retorted。　〃After　some　test　dives；　we'll　go　deeper。　And　I'll　be　in　there　with　you；　taking　all　the　same　chances…ances！〃
　　〃e　on；　Huck；〃　I　put　in。　〃Give　the　poor　guy's　shell　a　buff。〃
　　〃Anyway…ay；〃　Pincer　retaliated；　〃what　about　your　plan？　At　least　the　bathy　would　be　lawful　and　upright。　You　want　to　break　the　rules　and　do　sooner　stuff…uff！〃
　　Now　it　was　Huck's　turn　to　go　defensive。　〃What　sooner　stuff？　None　of　us　can　breed　with　each　other；　so　there's　no　chance　of　mitting　that　crime　while　we're　over　the　border。　Anyhow；　hunters　and　inspectors　go　beyond　the　markers。〃
　　〃Sure。　With　permission　from　the　sages…ages！〃
　　Huck　shrugged　two　stalks；　as　if　to　say　she　couldn't　be　bothered　with　petty　legalistic　details。　〃I　still　prefer　a　misdemeanor　over　flat…out　suicide。〃
　　〃You　mean　you　prefer　a　silly　little　trip　to　some　broken…down　Buyur　ruin；　just　to　read　boring　ol'　wall　markings…ings；　over　a　chance　to　see　the　Midden…idden？　And　real　live　monsters？〃
　　Huck　groaned　and　spun　a　disgusted　circle。　Earlier；　Pincer　had　told　us　about　a　thing　he　glimpsed　that　morning；　in　the　shallows　south　of　town。　Something　with　silvery…bright　scales　swooped　by；　he　swore；　flapping　what　looked　in　the　murky　distance　like　underwater　wings。　After　hearing　similar　stories　almost　since　Pincer's　molting　day；　we　didn't　give　this　one　a　lot　of　credit。
　　That　was　when　both　of　them　turned　to　me　to　decide！
　　〃Remember；　Alvin；〃　Huck　crooned。　〃You　just　promised…〃
　　〃You　promised　me；　months　ago！〃　Pincer　cried；　so　avid　that　he　didn't　stutter。
　　Right　then　I　felt　like　a　traeki　standing　between　two　piles　of　really　ripe　mulch。　I　liked　the　notion　of　getting　to　see　the　deep　Midden；　where　everything　slick　and　Galactic　had　gone　since　the　Buyur　went　away。　An　undersea　adventure　like　in　books　by　Haller　or　Verne。
　　On　the　other　hand；　Huck　was　right　about　Pincer's　plan　being　Ifni…spit。　The　risk　might　seem　worth