uplift4.brightnessreef-第19部分

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e　really　are。
　　Blade　sidled　alongside；　his　blue　carapace　steaming　as　dew　evaporated　from　the　seams　of　his　shell…a　sure　sign　of　anxiety。　He　rocked　a　plex　rhythm　among　his　five　chitinous　legs。
　　〃Sara；　do　you　have　a　rewq？　Can　you　put　it　on　and　see　if　I'm　mistaken？〃
　　〃Sorry。　I　gave　mine　up。　All　those　colors　and　raw　emotions　get　in　the　way　of　paying　close　attention　to　language。〃　She　did　not　add　that　it　had　grown　painful　to　wear　the　things；　ever　since　she　made　the　mistake　of　using　one　at　Joshu's　funeral。　〃Why？〃　she　asked。　〃What's　got　you　worried？〃
　　Blade's　cupola　trembled；　and　the　rewq　that　was　wrapped　around　it　quivered。　〃The　people　onshore…they　seem。。。　strange　somehow。〃
　　Sara　peered　through　the　morning　haze。　The　Bing　Villagers　were　mostly　human；　but　there　were　also　hoon；　traeki；　and　qheuens　in　the　mix。　Likes　attract；　she　thought。　Orthodox　fanaticism　crossed　racial　lines。
　　As　does　heresy；　Sara　noted；　recalling　that　her　own　brother　was　part　of　a　movement　no　less　radical　than　the　folk　who　had　brought　down　this　bridge。
　　Several　coracles　set　forth　from　tree…shrouded　shelters；　aiming　to　intercept　the　riverboat。　〃Are　they　ing　to　pilot　us　through？〃　young　Jomah　asked。
　　He　got　his　answer　when　the　first　grappling　hook　whistled；　then　fell　to　the　deck　of　the　Hauph…woa。
　　Others　swiftly　followed。
　　〃We　mean　you　no　harm。〃　shouted　a　thick…armed　man　in　the　nearest　skiff。　〃e　ashore；　and　we'll　take　care　of　you。　All　we　want　is　your　boat。〃
　　That　was　the　wrong　thing　to　say　to　the　proud　crew　of　a　river…runner。　Every　hoon　but　the　helmsman　ran　to　seize　and　toss　overboard　the　offending　hooks。　But　more　grapplers　sailed　aboard　for　every　one　they　removed。
　　Then　Jomah　pointed　downstream。　〃Look！〃
　　If　anyone　still　wondered　what　the　Bingites　planned　for　the　Hauph…woa；　all　doubts　vanished　at　the　sight　of　a　charred　ruin；　blackened　ribs　spearing　upward　like　a　huge；　half…burned　skeleton。　It　triggered　an　umble　of　dismay　from　the　crew；　resonating　down　Sara's　spine　and　sending　the　noor　beasts　into　frenzied　fits　of　barking。
　　The　hoon　redoubled　their　efforts；　tearing　frantically　at　the　hooks。
　　Sara's　first　instinct　was　to　shield　the　Stranger。　But　the　wounded　man　seemed　safe；　still　unconscious　under　Pzora's　protecting　bulk。
　　〃e　on；〃　she　told　Blade。　〃We　better　help。〃
　　Pirates　often　used　to　attack　ships　this　way　until　the　Great　Peace。　Perhaps　the　attackers'　own　ancestors　used　the　technique　in　deadly　earnest；　during　the　bad　old　days。　The　grapples；　made　of　pointy　Buyur　metal；　dug　deep　when　the　cables　tautened。　Sara　realized　in　dismay　that　the　cords　were　mule　fiber；　treated　by　a　traeki　process　that　made　them　damnably　hard　to　cut。　Worse；　the　lines　stretched　not　just　to　the　coracles　but　all　the　way　to　shore；　where　locals　hauled　them　taut　with　blocks　and　tackle。　Hoon　strength；　helped　by　Blade's　great　claws；　barely　sufficed　to　wrestle　the　hooks　free。　Still；　Sara　tried　to　help；　and　even　the　g'Kek　passenger　kept　lookout　with　four　keen　eyes；　shouting　to　warn　when　another　boat　drew　near。　Only　Jop　leaned　against　the　mast；　watching　with　clear　amusement。　Sara　had　no　doubt　who　the　orthodox　tree　farmer　was　rooting　for。
　　The　beach　loomed　ever　closer。　If　the　Hauph…woa　made　it　past　midpoint；　she'd　have　the　river's　pull　on　her　side。　But　even　that　force　might　be　too　little　to　break　the　strong　cords。　When　the　keel　scraped　sand；　it　would　spell　the　end。
　　In　desperation；　the　crew　hit　on　a　new　tactic。　Taking　up　axes；　they　chopped　away　at　planks　and　rails；　wherever　a　grapple　had　dug　in；　tearing　out　whole　wooden　chunks　to　throw　overboard；　attacking　their　own　vessel　with　a　fury　that　was　dazzling　to　behold；　given　normal　hoon　placidity。
　　Then；　all　at　once；　the　deck　jerked　under　Sara's　feet　as　the　whole　boat　suddenly　shuddered；　slewing；　as　if　the　center　mast　were　a　pivot。
　　〃They've　hooked　the　rudder！〃　someone　cried。
　　Sara　looked　over　the　stern　and　saw　a　massive　metal　barb　speared　through　the　great　hinged　paddle　the　helmsman　used　to　steer　the　ship。　The　rudder　could　not　be　pulled　aboard　or　chopped　loose　without　crippling　the　Hauph…woa；　leaving　it　adrift　and　helpless。
　　Prity　bared　her　teeth　and　screamed。　Though　shivering　with　fear；　the　little　ape　started　climbing　over　the　rail；　till　Sara　stopped　her　with　a　firm　hand。
　　〃It's　my　job；〃　she　said　tersely；　and　without　pause　shrugged　out　of　her　tunic　and　kilt。　A　sailor　handed　her　a　hatchet　with　a　strap…thong　through　the　haft。
　　Don't　everybody　speak　up　all　at　once　to　argue　me　out　of　doing　this；　she　thought　sardonically；　knowing　no　one　would。
　　Some　things　were　simply　obvious。
　　The　hatchet　hung　over　one　shoulder。　It　wasn't　forting　to　feel　its　metal　coolness　stroke　her　left　breast　as　she　climbed；　even　though　the　cutting　edge　still　bore　a　leather　cover。
　　Clothes　would　have　been　an　impediment。　Sara　needed　her　toes；　especially；　to　seek　footholds　on　the　Hauph…woa's　stern。　The　clinker　construction　style　left　overlaps　in　the　boards　that　helped　a　bit。　Still；　she　could　not　prevent　shivering；　half　from　the　morning　chill　and　partly　from　stark　terror。　Sweaty　palms　made　it　doubly　hard；　even　though　her　mouth　felt　dry　as　urrish　breath。
　　I　haven't　done　any　climbing　in　years！
　　To　nonhumans；　this　must　look　like　another　day's　work　for　a　tree…hugging　Earthling。　Kind　of　like　expecting　every　urs　to　be　a　courier　runner；　or　all　traekis　to　make　a　good　martini。　In　fact；　Jop　was　the　logical　one　for　this　task；　but　the　captain　didn't　trust　the　man；　with　good　reason。
　　The　crew　shouted　tense　encouragement　as　she　clambered　down　the　stern；　holding　the　rudder　with　one　arm。　Meanwhile；　derisive　scorn　came　from　the　coracles　and　those　ashore。　Great。　More　attention　than　I　ever　had　in　my　life；　and　I'm　stark　naked　at　the　time。
　　The　mule…cable　groaned　with　tension　as　villagers　strained　on　pulleys　to　haul　Hauph…woa　toward　the　beach；　where　several　gray　qheuens　gathered；　holding　torches　that　loomed　so　frighteningly　close　that　Sara　imagined　she　could　hear　the　flames。　At　last；　she　reached　a　place　where　she　could　plant　her　feet　and　hands…bracing　her　legs　in　a　way　that　forever　surrendered　all　illusions　of　personal　modesty。　She　had　to　tear　the　leather　cover　off　the　ax　with　her　teeth　and　got　a　bitter　electrical　taste　from　the　reddish　metal。　It　made　her　shudder…then　tense　up　as　she　almost　lost　her　grip。　The　boat's　churning　wake　looked　oily　and　bitter　cold。
　　Jeers　swelled　as　she　hacked　at　the　rudder　blade；　sending　chips　flying；　trying　to　cut　a　crescent　around　the　embedded　hook。　She　soon　finished　gouging　away　above　the　grapple　and　was　starting　on　the　tougher　part　below；　when　something　smacked　the　back　of　her　left　hand；　sending　waves　of　pain　throbbing　up　her　arm。　She　saw　blood　ooze　around　a　wooden　sliver；　protruding　near　the　wrist。
　　A　slingshot　pellet　lay　buried　halfway　in　the　plank　nearby。
　　Another　glanced　off　the　rudder；　ricocheting　from　the　boat's　stern；　then　skipping　across　the　water。
　　Someone　was　shooting　at　her！
　　Why　you　jeekee；　slucking；　devoluted。。。
　　Sara　found　an　unknown　aptitude　for　cursing；　as　she　went　through　a　wide　vocabulary　of　oaths　from　five　different　languages；　hacking　away　with　the　hatchet　more　vehemently　than　ever。　A　steady　drumbeat　of　pebbles　now　clattered　against　the　hull；　but　she　ignored　them　in　a　blur　of　heat　and　fury。
　　〃Otszharsiya；　perkiye！　Syookai　dreesoona！〃
　　She　ran　out　of　obscenities　in　Rossic　and　was　starting　to　plumb　urrish　GalTwo　when　the　plank　abruptly　let　out　a　loud　crack。　The　attached　cable　moaned；　yanking　hard　at　the　grappling　hook…
　　…and　the　tortured　wood　gave　way。
　　The　hook　snatched　the　ax　out　of　her　hand　as　it　tore　free；　glittering　in　the　sunlight。　Thrown　off　balance；　Sara　struggled　to　hold　on；　though　her　hands　were　slippery　from　sweat　and　blood。　With　a　gasp　she　felt　her　grip　fail　and　she　dropped；　sucking　in　deeply；　but　the　Roney　slammed　her　like　an　icy　hammer；　driving　air　from　her　startled　lungs。
　　Sara　floundered；　battling　first　to　reach　the　surface；　then　to　tread　water　and　sputter　a　few　deep　breaths；　and　finally　to　keep　from　getting　tangled　in　all　the　ropes　that　lay　strewn　across　the　water。　A　shiny　hook　passed　a　frightening　hand's　width　from　her　face。　Moments　later；　she　had　to　dive　down　to　avoid　a　snarl　of　cords　that　might　have　trapped　her。
　　The　boat's　turbulent　wake　added　to　her　troubles；　as　the　Hauph…woa　took　advantage　of　its　chance　to　flee。
　　Her　chest　ached　by　the　time　she　hit　surface　again…to　e　face…to…face　with　a　lanky　young　man；　leaning　on　the　rim　of　a　coracle；　clutching　a　slingshot　in　one　hand。　Surprise　rocked　him　back　when　their　eyes　met。　Then　his　gaze　dropped　to　notice　her　bareness。
　　He　blushed。　Hurriedly；　the　young　man　put　aside　his　weapon　and　started　shrugging　out　of　his　jacket。　To　give　to　her；　no　doubt。
　　〃Thanks。。。〃　Sara　gasped。　〃But　I　gotta。。。　go　now。〃
　　Her　last　glimpse　of　the　young　villager；　as　she　swam　away；　showed　a　crestfallen　look　of　disappointment。　It's　too　soon　yet　for　him　to　be　a　hardened　pirate；　Sara　thought。　This　new；　hard　world　hasn't　yet　rubbed　away　the　last　traces　of　gallantry。
　　But　give　it　time。
　　Now　she　had　the　river's　current　behind　her　as　she　swam；　and　soon　Sara　glimpsed　the　Hauph…woa　downstream。　The　crew　had　the　boat　turned　and　were　stroking　to　stay　in　place；　now　that　they　had　reached　a　safe　distance　from　Bing　Village。　Still；　it　was　a　hard　pull　to　reach　the　hull　at　last　and　start　up　the　rope　ladder。　She　only　made　it　halfway　before　her　muscles　started　to　cramp；　and　the　helpful　sailors　had　to　haul　it　in　the　rest　of　the　way　by　hand。
　　I've　got　to　get　stronger；　if　I'm　going　to　make　a　habit　of　having　adventures；　she　thought　as　someone　wrapped　a　blanket　around　her。
　　Yet；　Sara　felt　strangely　fine　while　Pzora　tended　her　wound　and　the　cook　made　her　some　of　his　special　tea。　Sara's　hand　ached；　and　her　body　throbbed；　yet　she　felt　also　something　akin　to　a　glow。
　　I　made　decisions；　and　they　were　right　ones。　A　year　ago；　it　seemed　every　choice　I　made　was　wrong。　Now；　maybe　things　have　changed。
　　Clutching　her　blanket；　Sara　watched　as　the　Hauph…woa　labored　back　upstream　along　the　west　bank；　to　a　point　where　they　could　take　aboard　the　stranded　caravan；　ferrying　the　urs　and　their　beasts　far　enough　to　have　no　worries　about　local　fanatics。　The　calm　teamwork　of　passengers　and　crew　wa