uplift4.brightnessreef-第29部分

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　　Yet；　watching　her　use　sorcerous　rays　and　probes　to　appraise　a　mangy…looking　carrion　snorter；　Lark　could　not　help　but　imagine　the　beast　responding　by　rearing　up　on　its　hind　legs　and　reciting　an　ode　to　the　radeship　of　living　things。　Ling's　group　clearly　thought　they　might　find　something　precious；　emerging　on　Jijo　ahead　of　schedule。　Once　potential　is　there；　all　it　takes　is　help　from　a　patron　to　set　a　new　race　on　the　Upward　Path。
　　A　few　texts　in　Biblos　disagreed。　A　birth　does　not　always　need　a　midwife；　they　claimed。
　　Lark　chose　to　follow　up　that　idea　during　the　next　part　of　the　trek。
　　〃A　while　back　you　implied　Earthlings　aren't　known　as　wolflings　anymore。〃
　　Ling　smiled　enigmatically。　〃Some　still　believe　that　old　myth。　But　others　have　known　the　truth　for　quite　a　while。〃
　　〃The　truth？〃
　　〃About　where　we　came　from。　Who　gave　humanity　the　boon　of　thought　and　reason。　Our　true　patrons。　The　Rothen　mentors　and　guides　we　owe　everything　we　are；　and　ever　will　be。〃
　　Lark's　heart　beat　faster。　A　few　tomes　on　the　subject　had　survived　the　fire　that　ravaged　the　Biblos　xenology　shelves；　so　he　knew　the　debate　was　still　raging　when　the　sneakship　Tabernacle　left　for　Jijo；　three　centuries　ago。　In　those　days；　some　speculated　that　humanity　had　been　helped；　in　secret　by　clandestine　benefactors；　long　before　the　historical　era。　Others　held　out　for　the　model　of　Darwin…that　intelligence　could　evolve　all　by　itself；　without　outside　help；　despite　the　skepticism　of　Galactic　science。　Now　Ling　insisted　the　debate　was　settled。
　　〃Who　are　they？〃　Lark　asked　in　a　hushed　voice。　〃Did　some　Rothen　e　to　Jijo　with　you？〃
　　That　smile　returned；　a　knowing　look；　tugging　her　high　cheekbones。　〃Truth　for　truth。　First　you　tell　me　the　real　story。　What's　a　pack　of　humans　doing　here　on　this　dreary　little　world？〃
　　〃Uh。。。　which　pack　are　you　talking　about？　Yours　or　mine？〃
　　Her　silent　smile　was　his　only　answer；　as　if　to　say…〃Go　ahead　and　be　coy；　I　can　wait。〃
　　Ling　followed　tracers　left　by　the　relentless　robot；　leading　from　one　sedated　creature　to　the　next。　As　the　day　waned；　she　picked　up　the　pace　until　they　reached　the　crest　of　a　long　ridge。　From　there；　Lark　saw　several　more　plateaus　to　the　north；　slanting　up　toward　Rimmer　peaks。　Instead　of　the　usual　covering　of　native　trees；　the　nearest　mesa　bore　a　blanket　of　darker　green；　a　dense　sward　of　giant　boo…stems　so　huge　that　individuals　could　be　made　out　even　from　where　he　stood。　A　few　streaks　of　stone；　and　one　of　water；　broke　the　expanse　of　gently　swaying　tubes。
　　Their　final　specimen　was　an　unfortunate　rock…staller；　no　more　than　a　curled…up　ball　of　spines　when　they　cut　away　the　webbing　the　robot　used　to　restrain　its　victims。　Ling　prodded　the　creature　with　a　tool　that　emitted　a　short；　sharp　spark；　but　got　no　reaction。　She　repeated；　at　a　higher　setting。　Lark's　stomach　turned　as　he　caught　a　stench　from　curling　smoke。
　　〃It's　dead；〃　he　diagnosed。　〃I　guess　your　robot　ain't　perfect；　after　all。〃
　　Lark　dug　a　latrine　ditch　and　prepared　a　fire。　His　meal　was　leaf…wrapped　bread　and　cheese。　Hers　bubbled　when　she　broke　the　foil　seals；　stinging　Lark's　nose　with　unfamiliar；　enticing　tangs。　It　wasn't　quite　dark　by　the　time　he　gathered　her　empty　packets　to　be　carried　back　and　sealed　as　dross。
　　Ling　seemed　inclined　to　resume　their　conversation。
　　〃Your　sage；　Cambel；　says　that　no　one　recalls　exactly　why　your　ancestors　came。　Some　sooners　sneak　into　fallow　worlds　as　rogue　breeding　groups。　Others　are　fleeing　war　or　persecution。　I'd　like　to　know　what　your　own　founders　told　the　races　already　here；　when　they　arrived。〃
　　Among　the　Six；　the　term　sooner　applied　to　small　bands　who　slinked　away　from　the　Slope　to　invade　territory　forbidden　under　the　sacred　Scrolls。　But　I　guess　we're　all　〃sooners〃　in　that　sense。　Even　those　living　on　the　Slope。　In　his　heart；　Lark　had　always　known　it。
　　Still；　he　had　been　manded　to　lie。
　　〃You　are　mistaken；〃　he　said。　Deceit　tasted　foul。　〃We're　castaways。　Our　bined　ship…〃
　　The　forayer　woman　laughed。　〃Please。　That　clever　trick　set　us　back　a　day　or　so。　But　before　our　ship　left；　we　knew。　The　story　is　impossible。〃
　　Lark's　lips　pressed。　No　one　had　expected　the　bluff　to　last　long。　〃How　do　you　figure？〃
　　〃It's　simple。　Humans　have　only　been　in　Galactic　space　four　centuries　or　so…three　hundred　and　fifty　Jijoan　cycles。　It's　quite　impossible　for　Earthlings　to　have　been　aboard　the　same　ship　that　brought　g'Keks　to　this　world。〃
　　〃Why　is　that？〃
　　〃Because；　my　good　rustic　cousin；　by　the　time　humans　entered　the　galactic　scene；　there　weren't　any　g'Kek　to　be　found。〃
　　Lark　blinked　while　she　continued。
　　〃When　we　saw　you　all　there；　lining　the　valley　rim；　we　recognized　most　of　the　types。　But　we　had　to　look　up　the　g'Kek。　Imagine　our　surprise　when　one　word　flashed；　right　at　the　top。
　　〃The　word　was…extinct。〃
　　Lark　could　only　stare。
　　〃Your　wheeled　friends　are　rare；〃　Ling　concluded。　〃Those　here　on　Jijo　are　surely　the　last　of　their　kind。〃
　　And　just　when　I　was　starting　to　like　you。。。
　　Lark　could　swear　there　was　a　kind　of　satisfaction　in　her　eyes；　over　the　shock　her　news　caused。
　　〃So　you　see；〃　Ling　added；　〃each　of　us　has　truths　to　share。　I've　just　told　you　one。　I　hope　you'll　be　as　open　with　me。〃
　　He　kept　his　voice　even。　〃You　haven't　found　me　helpful　so　far？〃
　　〃Don't　get　me　wrong！　Your　sages　have　been　so　obscure　about　certain　matters。　They　may　not　have　understood　our　questions。　As　you　and　I　converse　at　greater　length；　some　issues　may　clarify。〃
　　Lark　saw　what　was　going　on。　Divide　and　interrogate。　He　had　not　been　present　when　the　sky…humans　met　with　the　sages。　She　was　sure　to　catch　him　in　a　net　of　discrepancies　if　he　weren't　extremely　careful。
　　〃For　instance；　when　Kunn　asked　about　sightings　of　other　spacecraft；　since　the　first　sooners　came　to　Jijo；　we　were　told　about　visits　by　Zang　globes；　dipping　down　to　lick　the　sea；　and　some　distant　lights　long　ago　that　might　have　been　Institute　survey　ships。　But　we're　really　interested　in　occurrences　that　might　have　taken　place　much　more…〃
　　A　sharp　trill　interrupted　her。　Ling　lifted　the　blue　finger…ring。
　　〃Yes？〃
　　Her　head　tilted；　listening　to　a　whisper　projected　near　one　ear。
　　〃For　sure？〃　she　demanded；　surprise　infecting　her　voice。　Ling's　hands　flapped　at　her　belt　pouch；　pulling　forth　the　pocketbook　receiver；　whose　twin　screens　came　alight　with　forest　images；　moving　ahead　through　the　lowering　evening　gloom。　Machines　don't　sleep；　Lark　observed。
　　〃Switch　view　from　probe　four　to　probe　five；〃　Ling　requested。　The　scene　changed　abruptly　to　a　blur　of　static。　On　the　right；　all　the　charts　and　graphs　showed　the　flat　slashes　that　denoted　〃zero〃　in　Galactic　Six。
　　〃When　did　it　happen？〃　the　forayer　woman　demanded　of　her　unseen　colleague。　Lark　watched　her　face；　wishing　he　could　hear　more　of　the　other　end　of　the　conversation　than　a　vague　murmur。
　　〃Replay　the　last　ten　minutes　before　the　probe　failed。〃
　　The　left…hand　screen　soon　lit　with　images；　showing　a　narrow　green　corridor　with　a　ribbon　of　sky　above　and　a　stream　of　scummy　water　below。　The　close　walls　consisted　of　closely　packed　stems　of　towering　great…boo。
　　〃Go　to　double　speed；〃　Ling　asked　impatiently。　The　great　columns　swept　by　in　a　blur。　Lark　leaned　closer；　finding　the　scene　familiar。
　　Abruptly；　the　slim　aisle　spilled　into　a　shallow　crater；　a　rubble…strewn　bowl　with　a　small　lake　at　its　center；　rimmed　by　a　thorny　barricade　of　looping　vines。
　　Wait　a　minute。　I　know　this　place。。。。
　　A　set　of　livid　cross…hairs　crawled　across　the　holio　display；　converging　near　the　frothy　lake　shore；　while　the　right…hand　screen　flashed　red　symbols　in　technical　Gal…Six。　Lark　had　to　labor；　but　managed　to　make　out　certain　words…
　　。。。　anomaly。。。　unknown　source。。。　strong　digital　activity。。。
　　His　stomach　churned　as　the　camera…eye　sped　toward　the　disturbance；　swooping　by　slabs　of　ancient　Buyur　masonry；　as　crimson　symbols　clustered　toward　the　central　field　of　view。　Everything　inside　that　tunnel　of　attention　grew　more　vivid；　while　the　periphery　dimmed。　Seething　emblems　flashed　preparations　that　Lark　read　with　dismay…the　readying　of　weapons；　powering　up　for　use。
　　Dwer　always　said　this　mule…spider　was　nastier　than　most　and　warned　people　to　stay　away。　But　what　on　Jijo　could　the　robot　have　to　worry　about？
　　Another　thought　struck　him。
　　My　God；　isn't　this　the　direction　Dwer　was　headed；　chasing　after　that　runaway　glaver？
　　The　machine　decelerated。　Lark　recognized　the　thick　tangle　of　an　aged　mule…spider；　its　vines　splayed　across　the　remains　of　some　ancient　Buyur　structure。
　　The　robot's　view　skimmed　past　a　pale　figure；　hunched　on　the　ground；　and　Lark　blinked。
　　Was　that　a　glaver；　lying　in　the　open？　Ifni；　we　went　to　such　trouble　hiding　them；　and　this　machine　shoots　past　one　without　noticing。
　　Another　surprise　slipped　by　the　camera's　periphery　as　it　slowed。　A　lean　animal；　four…footed　and　wiry；　black　fur　nearly　blending　with　the　dark　tangle。　The　white　teeth　of　a　noor　flashed　briefly；　chattering　surprised　defiance　at　the　onrushing　machine；　then　vanishing　to　one　side　as　the　robot　cruised　on；　single…mindedly。
　　A　noor？　Up　in　the　mountains？　Without　knowing　why；　Lark　tasted　bile。
　　The　machine　slowed　to　a　crawling　hover。　Red　crosshairs　converged　downward　toward　a　point　throbbing　with　rhythms　of　crimson　menace。
　　。。。　digital　cognizance。。。　level　nine　or　greater。。。　the　GalSix　symbols　throbbed。　Little　could　be　made　out　in　the　gloomy　snarl　below；　except　some　vague　flutterings　near　the　center　of　the　cross…hairs。　The　robot　must　be　targeting　with　senses　other　than　vision。
　　。。。　autonomous　decision。。。　terminate　threat　immediately。。。
　　Suddenly；　the　dim　scene　flashed　with　brilliance。　The　central　field　blazed　white　as　shafts　of　angry　lightning　tore　into　the　morass；　slicing　the　mule…spider's　medusa　limbs。　Boiling　juices　sprayed　from　whipping；　severed　vines　while　red　targeting　circles　danced　back　and　forth；　seeking　something　that　kept　dodging　randomly　within　a　confined　space。
　　Ling　was　reading　the　data…filled　right…hand　screen；　cursing　the　robot's　inability　to　make　a　clean　kill。　So　Lark　felt　sure　he　alone　glimpsed　a　brief　outline　at　one　edge　of　the　holio　panel。　It　flashed　just　an　instant　but　seemed　to　sear　his　optic　nerve。
　　One…no；　two　cluste