uplift4.brightnessreef-第78章

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ithout　starting　out　quite　so　confrontationally。〃
　　Sara　stared　at　him；　then　burst　out　with　a　guffaw。　It　seemed　to　cut　some　of　the　tension　when　he　joined　with　a　booming　chuckle…one　that　took　Sara　back　to　her　earliest　days　as　a　student；　underneath　the　overhanging　fist…of…stone。
　　〃Dedinger；〃　she　said；　breathing　the　name　without　voice。
　　The　smile　was　still　thin；　disdainfully　bitter。
　　〃I　wondered　if　you'd　recognize　me。　We　labored　in　different　departments；　though　I've　followed　your　work　since　I　was　expelled　from　paradise。〃
　　〃A　paradise　you　sought　to　destroy；　as　I　recall。〃
　　He　shrugged。　〃I　should　have　acted；　without　trying　for　consensus　first。　But　collegial　habits　were　hard　to　break。；　By　the　time　I　was　ready；　too　many　people　knew　my　beliefs。　I　was　watched　night　and　day　until　the　banishment。〃
　　〃Aw；　too　bad。　Is　this　your　way　of　getting　another　chance？〃　She　motioned　toward　the　bonfire。
　　〃Indeed。　After　years　in　the　wilderness；　ministering　to　a　flock　of　the　fallen…humans　who　have　progressed　furthest　along　the　Path…I've　learned　enough…〃
　　UrKachu's　shrill　whistle　of　impatience　was　not　in　any　known　language；　yet　its　short…tempered　insistence　was　plain。　Again；　Dedinger　lifted　an　eyebrow。
　　〃Shall　we　go；　now？〃
　　Sara　weighed　trying　again　to　get　him　to　name　a　destination；　out　loud。　But　Dedinger　was　insane；　not　stupid。　Her　insistence　might　rouse　suspicions　and　maybe　even　give　Blade　away。
　　With　an　acquiescent　shrug；　she　clambered　back　aboard　the　patient　donkey。　Watching　with　narrowed　eyes；　the　Stranger　remounted；　too；　followed　by　Kurt　and　Prity。
　　The　remaining　survivors　of　the　ill…starred　caravan　seemed　both　pitying　and　relieved　to　be　less　important　to　the　Urunthai。　As　the　fast　group　rode　out　of　the　Oasis；　heading　south；　the　fading　bonfire　wafted　bitter　odors；　along　with　dust　and　pungent　animal　smells。
　　Sara　glanced　back　toward　the　moonlit　pool。
　　Did　you　hear　any　of　that；　Blade？　Were　you　asleep？　Was　it　a　garbled　blur　of　uncertain　noise？
　　Anyway；　what　good　could　a　lone　blue　qheuen　do；　in　the　middle　of　a　parched　plain？　His　best　bet　was　to　stay　by　the　pond　till　help　came。
　　A　mutter　of　beasts　lifted　behind　Sara　as　the　second　party　got　under　way；　more　slowly；　following　the　same　path。
　　Makes　sense。　The　larger　bunch　will　trample　the　trail　of　the　smaller。　At　some　point；　UrKachu　will　veer　us　off；　letting　any　pursuers　keep　following　the　main　party。
　　Soon　they　were　alone　on　the　high　steppe。　Urunthai　trotted　alongside；　agile　and　contemptuous　of　the　awkward　humans；　who　winced；　dragging　their　toes　as　they　rode。　In　reaction；　the　men　began　taking　turns　sliding　off　their　mounts　to　run　at　a　steady　lope　for　several　arrow…flights　before　swinging　back　aboard。　This　shut　up　the　derisive　urs　and　also　seemed　a　good　way　to　avoid　saddle　sores。
　　Alas；　Sara　knew　she　was　in　no　physical　condition　to　try　it。　If　I　live　through　this；　I'm　definitely　getting　into　shape；　she　thought；　not　for　the　first　time。
　　The　man　with　slate　eyes　ran　next　to　Sara　for　a　few　duras；　sparing　her　a　wry；　eloquent　smile。　He　was　so　wiry　and　strong；　it　amazed　Sara　that　she　recognized　him。　The　last　time　she　had　seen　Savant　Dedinger；　he　was　a　pale　intellectual　with　a　middle…aged　paunch；　an　expert　on　the　most　ancient　scrolls；　and　author　of　a　text　Sara　carried　in　her　own　slim　luggage。　A　man　once　honored　with　status　and　trust；　till　his　orthodox　fanaticism　grew　too　extreme　for　even　the　broad…minded　High　Council。
　　These　days；　the　sages　preached　a　plex　faith　of　divided　loyalty；　split　evenly　between　Jijo；　on　the　one　hand；　and　the　ancestors'　outlaw　plan；　on　the　other。　It　was　a　tense　trade…off。　Some　solved　it　by　choosing　one　allegiance　over　the　other。
　　Sara's　brother　gave　his　full　devotion　to　the　planet。　Lark　saw　wisdom　and　justice　in　the　billion…year…old　Galactic　ecological　codes。　To　him；　no　fancied　〃path　of　redemption〃　could　ever　make　up　for　flouting　those　rules。
　　Dedinger　took　the　opposite　extreme。　He　cared　little　about　ecology　or　species　preservation；　only　the　racial　deliverance　promised　by　the　Scrolls。　Seeking　pure　innocence　as　a　way　to　better　days。　Perhaps　he　also　saw　in　this　crisis　a　way　to　regain　lost　honors。
　　By　moonlight；　Sara　watched　the　banished　sage　move　with　wiry　grace…alert；　focused；　powerful…living　testimony　for　the　simpler　style　that　he　preached。
　　Deceptively　simple；　she　thought。　The　world　has　countless　ways　of　not　being　quite　as　it　seems。
　　The　Urunthai　slowed　after　a　while；　then　stopped　to　rest　and　eat。　Those　with　pouched　husbands　or　larvae　needed　warm　simla　blood　every　midura　or　so；　although　the　human　raiders　chafed　and　plained；　preferring　a　steady　pace　over　the　urrish　fashion　of　hurry…and…relax。
　　Soon　after　the　second　of　these　breaks；　UrKachu　veered　the　party　onto　a　stony　ledge　that　extended　roughly　southeast　like　the　backbone　of　some　fossilized　behemoth。　Rougher　terrain　slowed　the　pace；　and　Sara　took　advantage　to　dismount；　giving　respite　to　the　donkey　and　her　own　bottom。　Exercise　might　also　take　some　chill　stiffness　out　of　her　joints。　She　kept　her　right　arm　on　the　saddle　though；　in　case　some　unseen　stone　made　her　stumble　in　the　dark。
　　The　going　went　a　little　easier　with　second　moonrise。　Backlit　by　silvery　Torgen；　the　mountains　seemed　to　loom　larger　than　ever。　North…side　glaciers　drank　the　satellite's　angled　light；　giving　back　a　peculiar　blue　luminance。
　　The　Stranger　sang　for　a　while；　a　sweet；　soft　melody　that　made　Sara　think　of　loneliness。
　　I　am　a　bar'n　island；
　　apart　in　the　desult　sea；
　　and　the　nearest　skein　of　land
　　is　my　stark　thought　o'　thee。
　　O'　say　I　were　a　chondrite；
　　tumblin'　sool　an'　free；
　　would　you　be　my　garner…boat？
　　An'　e　to　amass　me？
　　It　was　Anglic；　though　of　a　dialect　Sara　had　never　heard；　with　many　strange　words。　It　was　problematical　how　much　the　star…man　still　grasped。　Still；　the　unrolling　verses　doubtless　roused　strong　feelings　in　his　mind。
　　Am　I　the　ice　that　slakes　your　thirst；
　　that　twinkles　your　bright　rings？
　　You　are　the　fantoom　angel…kin；
　　whose　kiss　gives　planets　wings。。。
　　The　recital　ended　when　UrKachu　trotted　back；　nostril　flaring；　to　plain　about　unbearable　Earthling　caterwauling。　A　purely　personal　opinion；　Sara　felt；　since　none　of　the　other　urs　seemed　to　mind。　Music　was　on　the　short　list　of　things　the　two　races　tended　to　agree　about。　Some　urs　even　said　that；　for　bringing　the　violus　to　Jijo；　they　could　almost　overlook　human　stench。
　　For　an　auntie；　UrKachu　seemed　a　particularly　irritable　sort。
　　The　man　from　space　fell　silent；　and　the　group　traveled　in　a　moody　hush；　punctuated　by　the　clip…clop　of　the　animals'　hooves　on　bare　stone。
　　The　next　blood…stop　took　place　on　the　wind…sheltered　lee　side　of　some　towering　slabs　that　might　be　natural　rock　forms　but　in　the　dimness　seemed　like　ruins　of　an　ancient　fortress；　toppled　in　a　long…ago　calamity。　One　of　the　weathered　desert…men　gave　Sara　a　chunk　of　gritty　bread；　plus　a　slab　of　bushcow　cheese　that　was　stale；　but　tasty　enough　to　one　who　found　herself　ravenously　hungry。　The　water　ration　was　disappointing；　though。　The　urs　saw　little　point　in　carrying　much。
　　Around　midnight；　the　party　had　to　ford　a　wide；　shallow　stream　that　flowed　through　a　desert　wadi。　Always　prepared；　Ulgor　slipped　on　sealed　booties；　crossing　with　dry　feet。　The　other　urrish　rebels　slogged　alongside　the　humans　and　animals；　then　dried　each　other's　legs　with　rags。　After　that；　the　Urunthai　seemed　eager　to　run　for　a　while；　till　the　moisture　wicked　out　of　their　fibrous　ankle　fur。
　　When　the　pace　slackened　again；　Sara　slid　off　her　mount　to　walk。　Soon　a　low　voice　spoke　from　her　right。
　　〃I　meant　to　tell　you…I've　read　your　paper　on　linguistic　devolution　from　Indo…European。〃
　　It　was　the　scholar…turned…hunter；　Dedinger；　striding　beyond　her　donkey's　other　flank。　She　watched　him　for　a　long　moment　before　answering。
　　〃I'm　surprised。　At　fifty　pages；　I　could　afford　to　get　only　five　photocopies　cranked；　and　I　kept　one。〃
　　Dedinger　smiled。　〃I　still　have　friends　in　Biblos　who　send　me　engaging　items；　now　and　then。　As　for　your　thesis；　while　I　enjoyed　your　ideas　about　grammatical　reinforcement　in　pre…literate　trading　clans；　I'm　afraid　I　can't　bring　myself　to　accept　your　general　theory。〃
　　Sara　didn't　find　it　surprising。　Her　conclusions　ran　counter　to　everything　the　man　believed　in。
　　〃That's　the　way　of　science…a　cycle　of　give…and…take。　No　dogmatic　truth。　No　rigid；　received　word。〃
　　〃As　opposed　to　my　own　slavish　devotion　to　a　few　ancient　scrolls　that　no　human　had　a　hand　in　writing？〃　The　flinty　man　laughed。　〃I　guess　what　it　es　down　to　is　which　direction　you　think　people　are　heading。　Even　among　conservative　Galactics；　science　is　about　slowly　improving　your　models　of　the　world。　It's　future…oriented。　Your　children　will　know　more　than　you　do；　so　the　truth　you　already　have　can　never　be　called　'perfect。'
　　〃That's　fine　when　your　destiny　lies　upward；　Sara。　But　tradition　and　a　firm　creed　are　preferable　if　you're　embarked　on　the　narrow；　sacred　road　downhill；　to　salvation。　In　that　case；　argument　and　uncertainty　will　only　confuse　your　flock。〃
　　〃Your　flock　doesn't　seem　confused；〃　she　acknowledged。
　　He　smiled。　〃I've　had　some　success　winning　these　hard　men　over　to　true　orthodoxy。　They　dwell　much　of　each　year　on　the　Plain　of　Sharp　Sand；　trapping　the　wild　spike…sloths　that　lurk　in　caves；　under　the　dunes。　Most　don't　read　or　write；　and　their　few　tools　are　handmade；　so　they　were　already　far　down　the　Path。　It　may　prove　harder　convincing　some　other　groups。〃
　　〃Like　the　Explosers　Guild？〃
　　The　former　scholar　nodded。
　　〃An　enigmatic　clan。　Their　hesitation　to　do　their　duty；　during　this　crisis；　is　disturbing。〃
　　Sara　raised　her　eyes　toward　Kurt　and　Jomah。　While　the　senior　exploser　snored　atop　an　ambling　donkey；　his　nephew　held　another　one…sided　conversation　with　the　Stranger；　who　smiled　and　nodded　as　Jomah　chattered。　The　star…man　made　an　ideal；　uncritical　audience　for　a　shy　boy；　just　beginning　to　express　himself。
　　〃Maybe　they　figure　they　can　blow　it　all　up　just　once；〃　Sara　mented。　〃Then　they'll　have　to　scratch　for　a　living；　like　everyone　else。〃
　　Dedinger　grunted。　〃If　so；　it's　time　someone　reminded　them；　respectfully；　of　their　obligations。〃
　　She　recalled　Jop's　talk　of　taking　Kurt　somewhere　to　be　〃persuaded。〃　In　more　violent　times；　the　expression　carried　chilling　implications。
　　We　may　be　headed　back　to　such　times。
　　The　flinty　insurgent　shook　his　head。
　　〃But　never　mind　all　that。　I　really　want　to　discuss　your　fascinating　paper。　Do　you　mind？〃
　　When　Sara　shrugged；　Dedinger　continued　in　an　amiable　tone；　as　if　they　sat　in　a　Biblos　faculty　lounge。
　　〃You　admit　that　proto…Indo…European；　and　many　other　human　mother　tongues；　were　more　rigorous　and　rational　than　the　dialects　that　evolved　out　of　them。　Right　so　far？〃
　　〃According　to　books　carried　here　by　the　Tabernacle。　All　we　have　is　inherited　data。〃
　　〃And　yet　you　don't　see　this　trend　as　an　obvious　sign　of　decay　from　perfection？　From　original　grammars　designed　for　our　use　by　a　patron　race？〃
　　She　sighed。　There　might　be　weirder　things　in　the　universe　than　holding　an　abstract　chat　with　her　kidnapper　under　a　desert　sky；　but　none　came　to　mind。
　　〃The　structure　of　those　early　tongues　could　have　risen　out　of　selective　pressure；