uplift4.brightnessreef-第32部分

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　　Wiser　than　your　own。
　　…The　Scroll　of　Promise
　　　
　　Alvin's　Tale
　　SO　THERE　WE　WERE；　WAY　UP　IN　THE　THIN；　DRY　AIR　atop　Mount　Guenn；　surrounded　by　heat　and　dust　and　sulfury　smells　from　Uriel's　forge；　and　what　does　Gybz　the　Alchemist　want　to　talk　to　us　about？
　　The　traeki　tells　us　we're　being　sent　to　a　different　kind　of　hell。
　　But　hold　on；　Alvin。　Spin　the　yarn　the　way　an　old…time　human　storyteller　would。　Describe　the　scene；　then　the　action。
　　Gybz　concocts　recipes　for　metal　and　glass　in　a　grimy　workshop；　quite　unlike　Uriel's　prim；　spotless　hall　of　spinning　disks。　Mineral　powders　spill　across　stained　wooden　shelves　and　earthenware　jars　stink　with　noxious　liquids。　One　slit　window　overlooks　a　northern　vista　stretching　all　the　way　down　to　a　splash　of　painful　color　that　could　only　be　the　Spectral　Flow；　which　means　the　chamber　is　about　as　high　as　you　can　get　without　tumbling　into　Mount　Guenn's　simmering　caldera。
　　Below　the　window；　flies　swarmed　over　a　pile　of　nicely　aged　kitchen　mulch。　I　hoped　we　weren't　interrupting　Gybz　at　dinner。
　　The　four　of　us…Huck；　Pincer；　Ur…ronn；　and　me…had　e　up　to　the　alchemy　lab　at　the　mand　of　Uriel；　the　great　blacksmith；　ruler　of　this　fortress　of　industry　perched　on　Jijo's　trembling　knee。　At　first　I　figured　she　sent　us　away　just　to　get　rid　of　some　irritating　youngsters；　while　she　conferred　with　a　human　sage　over　how　to　improve　her　beloved　mobile　of　gears；　pulleys；　and　whirling　glass。　The　chief　assistant；　Urdonnol；　muttered　disapproval　while　shepherding　us　up　a　long　ramp　to　the　traeki's　mixing　room。　Only　our　pal　Ur…ronn　seemed　cheerful；　almost　ebullient。　Huck　and　I　exchanged　a　glance；　wondering　why。
　　We　found　out　when　Gybz　shuffled　ers　mottled；　conical　bulk　around　from　behind　a　workbench。　Words　bubbled　from　a　speaking　tube　that　puckered　the　third…from…the…top　ring。
　　〃Bright　youths　of　four　races；　be　made　wele！　Sublime　news　for　you；　it　is　an　honor　to　relate。　A　decision　to　approve　your　expedition；　this　has　occurred。　Your　endeavor　to　reach；　visit；　explore　the　nearest　reaches　of　the　Upper　Midden；　this　you　may　attempt。〃
　　Gybz　paused；　venting　puffs　from　a　purple　synthi　ring。　When　the　traeki　resumed；　it　was　in　warbling；　uneven　Anglic；　with　a　voice　that　sounded　strained。
　　〃The　attempt　will　have。。。　the　full　backing　of　Mount　Guenn　Forge。　As　evidence　of　this　support；　behold…your　pleted　window！〃
　　The　Master　of　Mixes　gestured　with　a　wraparound　tentacle　toward　a　wooden　crate　near　the　wall；　with　its　cover　removed。　Amid　drifts　of　fine　sawdust；　there　gleamed　a　curved　pane　of　thick　glass；　flawless　to　the　eye。
　　Pincer…Tip　danced　excitedly；　his　red…clawed　feet　noisy　on　the　stone　floor。　〃Beautiful…iful！〃
　　Gybz　agreed。　〃It　has　been　treated　with　proper　coatings…for　clear　vision　in　the　planned　environment。〃
　　Ur…ronn　snaked　her　long　neck　around　to　inspect　the　bubble…pane。
　　〃This　last　phase　was　delicate。　Thank　you；　Gyfz；　for　the　exquisite　coatings！〃
　　Ur…ronn　turned　to　explain　to　Huck　and　me；　〃After　months　of　delay；　Uriel　suddenly　agreed　just　three　days　ago　to　allow　the　casting。　And　since　the　results　were　good　on　the　first　try；　she　will　let　this　count　toward　a　kun…urul。〃
　　That　was　urrish　plains　dialect　for　a　master　work。　One　qualifying　the　maker　for　craftsman　status。　It　would　take　Ur…ronn　a　long　way　toward　fulfilling　her　ambitions。
　　None　of　the　rest　of　us　have　started　professions；　or　even　decided　what　we　want　to　do；　I　thought；　a　little　jealously。
　　On　the　other　hand；　urs　have　to　hurry。　They　don't　get　that　much　time。
　　I　glanced　at　Urdonnol；　who　was　Ur…ronn's　top　rival　as　Uriel's　heir。　I　didn't　need　a　rewq　to　read　her　annoyance　with　all　this　fuss　over　what　she　called　a　〃childish　hobby〃…the　making　of　an　experimental　deep　diving　craft。
　　You　should　know　better；　I　thought；　feeling　a　bit　sorry　for　Urdonnol。　Uriel　also　has　a　useless　pastime；　that　room　full　of　spinning　disks。　Ur…ronn's　project　shares　that　just…for…the…hell…of…it　quality。　It's　a　similarity　between　them　that　goes　beyond　mere　kin…scent。
　　To　Ur…ronn；　then；　this　had　also　been　a　smart　career　move。　I　felt　happy　for　our　friend。
　　〃The　glass　was　tested　to　withstand　hydrostatic　pressures　exceeding　those　at　fifty　cords　depth；〃　she　mented　with　evident　satisfaction。　〃And　when　you　add　the　lanterns　and　other　gear　Uriel　is　kindly　lending　us…〃
　　〃Us？〃　Huck　cut　in；　breaking　the　mood。　She　spun　to　face　Ur…ronn　with　three　outthrust　eyes。　〃What　you　mean　us；　honky？　You're　volunteering　to　e　along；　then？〃
　　Ur…ronn's　narrow　head　snapped　back；　staring　at　Huck。　Then　her　neck　slumped　in　an　S…curve。
　　〃I　will。。。　if　I　can。〃
　　〃Huck！〃　I　chided。　It　was　mean　to　rub　Ur…ronn's　nostril　in　her　limitations。　I　could　hear　Huck's　spokes　vibrate　with　tension。
　　Gybz　interrupted　with　another　venting；　this　time　pungent　like　rusty　metal。
　　〃If　possible；　an　urrish　presence　will　be　called　for。〃　The　traeki　seemed　short　of　breath。　〃But　even　if　that　proves　impossible；　fear　not。　A　member　from　Mount　Guenn　shall。。。　acpany　this　bold　undertaking。。。　to　its　deepest　depths。〃
　　I　had　trouble　following　Gybz's　halting；　accented　Anglic。　Huck　and　I　shared　a　confused　look。
　　〃It　is　i/we。。。　who　shall　part…wise　acpany。。。　this　august　group；〃　Gybz　explained；　wheezing　through　the　topmost　ring。　With　that；　the　traeki　showed　us　something　none　of　us　expected；　shuffling　around　to　expose　an　oozing　blister　on　its　far　side；　halfway　up　the　fleshy　stack。　It　was　no　normal　swelling；　where　the　traeki　might　be　making　another　tentacle　or　readying　chemicals　for　the　mill。　A　crack　split　the　swollen　zone；　exposing　something　slick　and　wriggly　within。
　　Staring；　I　realized…the　traeki　was　vlen…budding　before　our　eyes！
　　While　the　crevice　widened；　the　Master　of　Mixes　seemed　to　flutter。　A　plex　gurgle　of　vaguely　sickening　noises　acpanied　something　that　began　to　emerge；　slithering　through　the　opening；　then　sliding　down　the　traeki's　sloping　flank；　trailing　loose　fibers　behind　it。
　　〃Gosh…osh…osh…osh…osh。。。〃　Pincer　repeated　in　turn　from　each　leg…vent；　his　sensor　strip　spinning　frantically。　Urdonnol　edged　away　nervously　while　Huck　rolled　back　and　forth；　torn　between　curiosity　and　revulsion。　I　felt　sharp；　biting　sensations　as　little　Huphu；　our　noor　beast　mascot；　scrambled　up　my　back　and　onto　my　shoulder；　growling　anxiously。　Half…consciously　I　stroked　her　sleek　pelt；　rumbling　an　umble　that　must　have　sounded　more　confident　than　I　felt。
　　Glistening　with　slime；　the　thing　landed　on　the　floor　with　a　plopping　sound　and　lay　almost　still；　ripples　coursing　around　its　quadruple　torus　of　miniature　rings。　Meanwhile；　realignments　quivered　under　the　flaccid　skin　of　the　traeki　parent。
　　〃Not　to。。。　be　concerned；〃　a　somewhat　altered　voice　burbled　from　the　oration　peak　of　the　old　stack　of　rings；　〃i/we　adjust。。。　reconfigure。〃
　　Reassuring　words；　but　everyone　knows　vlenning　is　a　dangerous　time　for　a　traeki；　when　the　unity　of　the　former　stack　is　challenged　and　sometimes　fails。　For　that　reason；　most　of　them　reproduce　externally；　growing　new　rings　singly；　in　pens；　or　buying　them　from　expert　breeders；　exchanging　and　swapping　for　the　full　set　of　traits　they　want　in　an　offspring。　Still；　vlenning　has　advantages；　I　hear。　Mister　Heinz　claims　to　have　witnessed　several；　but　I　bet　he　never　saw　a　four…tier　bud　emerge　like　this；　already　stacked　and　moving　on　its　own！
　　〃This　newly　detached　self　may　be　addressed…for　the　time　being…as　Ziz。　To　that　word…phrase　it　might　answer；　if　engraved　training　patterns　take　hold。　After　performing　its　function　with　merit；　it　may　then　return　for　augmentation　as　a　candidate　for　full　life。　Meanwhile；　it　is　schooled。。。　to　serve　your　quest；　ing　with　traits　you　may　require。〃
　　〃I　don't　know。〃　Ur…ronn's　head　swayed　an　oval　of　confusion。　〃Do　you　mean…〃
　　Huck　muttered；　〃Gybz；　what　are　we　supposed　to…〃
　　The　traeki　cut　in。
　　〃i/we　no　longer　answer　to　that　name。　Our　rings　vote　among　ourselves　now。　Please　do　not　speak　or　interfere。〃
　　We　fell　silent；　watching　in　awe　as　the　creature　literally　wrestled　with　itself；　within　itself。　A　rippling　seemed　to　rise　from　the　base　segment　all　the　way　up；　terminating　in　a　belch　of　yellow　vapor。　Waves　flowed　back　and　forth；　crosswise　as　well　as　vertical。　This　went　on　for　many　duras；　while　we　feared　Gybz　was　about　to　tear　erself　apart。
　　Finally；　the　tremors　lessened；　then　faded　away。　The　traeki　sensory　organs　refocused。　Words　bubbled　from　the　puckered　speech　mouth；　in　a　voice　transformed。
　　〃It　is　decided。
　　〃Provisionally；　you　may　call　us/me　Tyug　and　have　good　odds　that　this　stack　will　answer。。。〃
　　Another　pulse　of　throbbing。
　　〃That　i　will　answer。　Please　inform　Uriel　that　this　thing　is　done。　Furthermore；　tell　her　that　my/our　major　skill　cores　seem　to　be　intact。〃
　　Only　then　did　I　realize　what　had　been　at　risk　during　the　vlenning。　The　Master　of　Mixes　is　a　vital　member　of　Uriel's　team。　If　Gybz…if　Tyug…failed　to　remember　all　of　its　tricks　of　the　trade；　Mount　Guenn　alloys　might　not　shine　or　cut　as　well；　or　decay　so　pletely　with　the　passage　of　time。
　　Foolish　me。　I'd　been　worried　the　whole　time　about　the　poor　traeki's　life。
　　Huphu　slithered　down　my　back　and　approached　the　new…formed　traeki　half…entity；　which　was　already　gathering　an　array　of　flipperlike　feet　under　its　bottommost　segment；　waving　clumsy　tentacles　from　its　stubby　top　ring。　The　noor　sniffed　suspiciously；　then　settled　back　with　a　satisfied　trill。
　　Thus　Huphu　was　first　to　wele　Ziz…newest　member　of　our　band。
　　Now　if　only　we　had　a　human　kid；　we'd　be　a　true　six。
　　Omens　can　be　good　things；　as　any　sailor　knows。　Luck　is　uttergloss。　Fickle；　but　a　damn　sight　better　than　the　alternative。
　　I　had　a　feeling　we　were　going　to　need　all　of　Ifni's　help　we　could　get。
　　
　　X。　THE　BOOK　OF　THE　SLOPE
　　Legends
　　Among　qheuens　it　is　said　that　fleeing　to　Jijo　was　not　as　much　a　matter　of　survival　as　of　culture。
　　There　is　dispute　among　the　legends　that　have　been　passed　down　by　the　armored　ones；　since　their　landing　on　Jijo　over　a　thousand　years　ago。　Grays；　blues；　and　reds　each　tell　their　own　versions　of　events　before　and　after　their　sneakship　came。
　　Where　they　agree　is　that　it　all　began　in　Galaxy　One　where　the　sept　found　itselt　in　trouble　with　its　own　alliance。
　　According　to　our　surviving　copy　of　Basic　Galactic　Soci