uplift4.brightnessreef-第95部分

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　　〃Something's　ing　out！〃　Lena　exclaimed；　turning　the　telescope。　〃It's　the　robot！〃
　　Dwer　saw　a　hovering　black　dot　with　dangling　tendrils　separate　from　the　ship；　whose　hatch　then　closed。　The　air　shimmered　from　expelled　dust　as　humming　motors　lifted　the　scout　off　the　ground。　The　gray　arrowhead　was　larger　than　the　house　Dwer　grew　up　in；　yet　it　wafted　upward　and　turned　lightly；　stopping　when　its　nose　pointed　almost　due　south。　Then　the　heavens　echoed　its　fierce　growl　as　it　plunged　away；　receding　faster　than　anything　he　had　ever　seen。
　　〃Damn；〃　Danel　cursed。　〃We　missed　our　best　opportunity。〃
　　Lena　wasn't　watching　the　departing　scout。　Instead；　her　eyes　followed　the　black　robot；　now　cruising　toward　the　tribal　village。
　　〃Don't　worry；〃　she　assured。　〃I　expect　we'll　get　another　chance。〃
　　The　glavers　were　back。　Of　all　irksome　times　for　the　stupid　things　to　tag　along！
　　They　must　have　followed；　at　their　own　lazy　pace；　all　the　way　from　last　night's　campsite。　Now　they　mewled　unhappily　at　the　sights　and　smells　of　the　fetid　ravine；　but　that　did　not　keep　them　from　following　Dwer　as　he　left　the　shelter　of　the　forest；　heading　toward　the　cluster　of　rude　huts。
　　Dwer　glanced　back　at　Lena　Strong；　crouched　at　the　edge　of　the　last　line　of　trees。　With　raised　eyebrows；　she　asked　if　he　wanted　her　to　shoot　the　idiotic　beasts。　He　said　no　with　a　terse　headshake。　They　were　dangerous　only　to　a　man　who　was　trying　to　hide。　And　he　did　not　mind　being　conspicuous　at　this　point。　In　fact；　that　was　the　general　idea。
　　Still；　when　he　passed　a　rotting　log；　he　gave　it　several　swift　kicks；　exposing　a　rich　trove　of　grubs　swarming　the　interior。　The　distracted　glavers　crooned　delight　and　dove　in　for　the　kill。
　　Which　left　just　one　irritation；　the　scampering　noor　beast；　who　darted　through　the　meadow　grass　and　between　his　legs。
　　Trying　to　ignore　Mudfoot　and　carrying　his　bow　slung　over　one　shoulder；　Dwer　walked　with　feigned　nonchalance　past　a　devastation　of　jagged　tree　stumps　toward　the　bustling　sooner　tribe。　The　prisoners'　pen　lay　a　quarter　of　an　arrowflight　to　the　left；　the　huts　to　the　right。　Straight　ahead；　a　cook　fire　fumed　smoke　that　hovered　lazily；　as　if　reluctant　to　depart。
　　e　on；　people；　Dwer　mused　when　he　was　over　halfway　across　the　pocket　meadow　and　still　unnoticed。　Don't　you　have　any　son　of　sentry　system？
　　He　pursed　his　lips　and　whistled　a　tune…〃Yankee　Doodle；〃　the　first　thing　to　e　to　mind。
　　Finally；　one　of　the　kids　peering　at　the　urrish　captives　glanced　his　way；　did　a　gaping　double　take；　and　began　screaming；　pointing　at　Dwer。
　　Well；　whatever　works。
　　Their　reaction　might　have　been　different　as　recently　as　a　week　ago。　For　generations　these　people　had　seen　no　outsiders　at　all。　Now；　after　making　contact　with　an　urrish　band；　then　flying　aliens　and　a　lost　cousin　transformed　into　a　goddess；　they　took　his　arrival　pretty　well。　Only　three　out　of　four　ran　away；　howling　in　terror。　Hesitantly；　with　goggle…eyes　that　showed　white　around　the　rims；　the　remainder　gathered　to　stare　at　him；　edging　forward　in　a　clump　when　he　showed　no　sign　of　aggression。
　　Dwer　motioned　for　one　boy　to　e　forward。
　　〃Yeah；　that's　right；　you！　Don't　worry；　I　won't　bite。〃
　　He　squatted　down　in　order　to　seem　less　imposing。　The　boy；　a　filthy　urchin；　looked　like　one　for　whom　bravado　was　as　important　as　life。　Dwer　knew　the　type。　With　others　watching；　the　lad　would　rather　die　than　let　himself　show　fear。　Puffing　his　chest　out；　the　kid　took　several　steps　toward　Dwer；　glancing　back　to　make　sure　his　courage　was　being　noted。
　　〃What　a　fine　young　man；〃　Dwer　mented。　〃And　what　would　your　name　be？〃
　　The　boy　looked　nonplussed；　as　if　no　one　had　ever　asked　him　that　before。　Didn't　everybody　in　the　world　grow　up　knowing　each　other's　names？
　　〃Well；　never　mind；〃　Dwer　said；　aware　the　throng　was　growing　larger　as　curiosity　overcame　dread。　〃I　want　you　to　run　an　errand　for　me。　If　you　do；　I'll　give　you　something　special；　understand？　Good。　Please　go　to　Rety。　Tell　her　someone　she　knows　is　waiting　for　her…〃　Dwer　turned　and　pointed　the　way　he　came。　〃…over　there。　By　the　trees。　Can　you　remember　that？〃
　　The　boy　nodded。　Already；　calculating　avarice　had　replaced　fear。　〃What'll　I　get？〃
　　Dwer　pulled　a　single　arrow　from　his　quiver。　It　was　made　by　the　best　fletchers　of　Ovoom　Town；　perfectly　straight；　with　a　tip　of　razor…sharp　Buyur　metal　that　gleamed　in　the　sunshine。　The　boy　reached　out；　but　Dwer　snatched　it　back。
　　〃After　you　bring　Rety。〃
　　Their　eyes　met　in　brief　understanding。　With　a　blase　shrug；　the　boy　swiveled　and　was　gone；　squeezing　past　the　crowd；　shouting　for　all　he　was　worth。　Dwer　stood　up；　winked　at　the　staring　tribesmen；　and　began　sauntering　back　toward　the　forest；　whistling　casually。　Glancing　back；　he　saw　a　good　part　of　the　clan　following　at　a　distance。　So　far；　so　good。
　　Oh；　hell；　he　cursed　when　he　saw　the　glavers。　Get　out　of　the　way；　will　you？
　　They　had　finished　browsing　at　the　rotten　log　and　now　sauntered　toward　him。　Dwer　worried…when　they　saw　the　villagers；　might　they　panic　and　bolt　toward　the　prisoners'　pen？　The　female　glaver　turned　one　globelike　eye　toward　the　approaching　crowd。　The　other　eye　then　followed；　a　sure　sign　of　concern。　She　snorted；　and　her　mate　reared　backward　in　surprised　dismay。　They　whirled…and　fled　in　exactly　the　direction　Dwer　feared！
　　With　a　tracker's　sense　of　light　and　shadow；　he　noted　Jenin　Worley　crouching　by　a　tree；　where　the　forest　came　nearest　the　prison…corral。　One　of　Dwer's　objectives　had　been　to　attract　notice　away　from　there。
　　He　had　the　bow　off　his　shoulder　and　an　arrow　drawn　when　Mudfoot　suddenly　reared　out　of　the　tall　grass；　waving　its　forepaws　in　front　of　the　glavers；　hissing。　The　glavers　skidded　to　a　halt　and　reversed　course　with　astonishing　spryness；　cantering　away　with　the　noor　yipping　close　behind。
　　For　some　reason　the　locals　found　all　of　this　terrifically　funny。　It　didn't　seem　to　matter　that　they　had　never　seen　a　noor　before。　They　guffawed；　pointing　and　laughing　uproariously　at　the　glavers'　distress；　clapping　as　if　Dwer　had　put　on　a　show　for　their　benefit。　He　turned　around；　grinning　as　he　reslung　the　bow。　Anything　to　keep　their　regard　riveted　this　way。
　　Abruptly；　the　crowd　fell　silent　as　a　shadow　fell　across　Dwer。　A　low；　eerily　familiar　whine　raised　shivers　up　his　spine。　Shading　his　eyes　against　the　sun；　he　looked　up　toward　a　hovering　black　shape；　all　jutting　angles　and　hanging　tendrils；　like　a　certain　demon　that　still　haunted　his　dreams…the　fire…spitting　monster　that　had　finished　off　the　old　mule…spider　of　the　mountains。　Despite　a　penumbral　glare　surrounding　it　like　a　fierce　halo；　he　made　out　the　same　octagonal　symmetry。　Only　this　one　wore　a　rounded　silhouette；　perched　on　one　jutting　shoulder。
　　〃So。　You　made　it　all　the　way　here；　after　all；〃　the　silhouette　mented。　〃Not　bad　for　a　Slopie。　You're　no　fluff…baby；　I　guess…though　the　trip　seems　to've　wore　you　down　to　a　rag　man。　I　seen　you　look　better；　Dwer。〃
　　〃Thanks；　Rety；〃　he　said；　edging　aside　so　the　sun　would　not　blind　him。　He　also　wanted　to　get　closer　to　the　forest。　〃You；　on　the　other　hand；　never　looked　so　good。　Been　taking　it　easy？〃
　　She　answered　with　a　curt　chuckle　that　sounded　husky；　as　if　she　hadn't　laughed　a　lot　lately。　〃I　turned　down　the　offer　your　sages　made…to　have　me　hike　all　the　way　back　here　afoot；　guiding　a　bunch　o'　geeps。　Why　walk；　I　figured；　when　I　can　ride？〃
　　Now　he　could　make　her　out　clearly。　Except　for　the　old　scar；　she　seemed　quite　made　over；　as　they　said　in　certain　parts　of　Tarek　Town。　Yet　the　same　sullen　wariness　lay　in　her　eyes。
　　It　was　also　his　first　chance　to　have　a　good　look　at　an　alien　machine。　Eight　even　rectangles　made　up　its　sides；　black　without　highlights；　as　if　sunshine　had　trouble　glancing　off　it。　Below；　a　pair　of　tendril…arms　dangled　menacingly　on　either　side　of　a　globe　that　was　studded　with　glass　facets　and　metal　tubes。　Danel　had　warned　him　to　watch　out　for　that　globe。　On　top；　where　Rety　sat　in　a　lashed…on　saddle；　the　robot's　surface　looked　flat；　except　for　a　spire　rising　from　the　center。　An　〃antenna；〃　Danel　had　identified　it。
　　Dwer　nodded　toward　the　hovering　machine。
　　〃Seems　you've　been　making　new　friends；　Rety。〃
　　The　girl　laughed　again…a　sharp　bark。　〃Friends　who'll　take　me　places　you　never　saw。〃
　　He　shrugged。　〃I'm　not　talking　about　star…gods；　Rety。　I　mean　the　friend　giving　you　a　ride；　right　now。　Last　time　I　saw　one　of　these　things；　it　was　trying　to　kill　us　both…〃
　　She　cut　in。　〃A　lot's　changed　since；　Dwer。〃
　　〃…and　oh；　yeah；　it　was　burning　the　hell　out　of　that　bird　thing　you　cared　so　much　about。　Ah；　well。　I　guess　sometimes　it　just　pays　better　to　join　those　who…〃
　　〃Shut　up！〃
　　The　robot　reacted　to　its　rider's　anger　by　bobbing　toward　him。　Retreating；　he　noted　movement　by　the　spherical　cluster　of　lenses　and　tubes　under　the　machine's　blocky　torso；　turning　fluidly　to　track　him。　On　a　hunch；　Ozawa　had　called　it　a　weapons　pod；　and　Dwer's　every　clawing　instinct　confirmed　the　guess。
　　A　crowd　gathered　beyond　Rety；　most　of　the　human　tribe；　watching　this　confrontation　between　a　ragged　stranger　and　one　of　their　own　who　had　harnessed　a　flying　devil。　It　must　seem　a　pretty　uneven　matchup。
　　Some　things　are　exactly　as　they　seem。
　　Dwer　caught　a　flash　of　movement　toward　the　prison…pen。　Jenin；　making　her　move。
　　〃Well？〃　Rety　demanded；　glaring　down　at　him。
　　〃Well　what？〃
　　〃You　sent　for　me；　idiot！　Did　you　hike　halfway　round　the　world　just　to　try　and　make　me　feel　guilty？　Why　didn't　you　stay　away；　once　you　saw　what's　going　on　here？〃
　　〃I　could　ask　you　the　same　question；　Rety。　What　are　you　doing？　Showing　off　for　the　folks？　Getting　some　payback？　Did　the　star…gods　have　some　special　reason　to　need　a　guide　to　this　armpit　of　Jijo？〃
　　plex　emotions　crossed　her　face。　What　finally　won　was　curt　laughter。
　　〃…armpit？　Heh。　That　just　about　tells　it　all。〃　She　chuckled　again；　then　leaned　closer。　〃As　for　what　Kunn　is　lookin'　for；　I　can't　tell　ya。　It's　a　secret。〃
　　Rety　was　a　lousy　bluffer。　You　don't　have　the　slightest　idea；　Dwer　pondered；　and　it　galls　you。
　　〃So；　where's　that　pack　of　Slopies　you　were　gonna　lead　out　here？〃　she　demanded。
　　〃In　hiding。　I　came　ahead　to　make　sure　it's　safe。〃
　　〃Why　shouldn't　it　be？　Nothin'　dangerous　here；　except　maybe　my　nasty　ol'　cousi