uplift4.brightnessreef-第86部分

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n　of　sincerity。
　　〃Hr…rm；　well；　that's　great；〃　I　said；　umbling　for　peace。　〃Not　that　any　of　us　ever　thought　any　different。　Right；　Huck？　Pincer？〃
　　Both　of　them　hurried　to　agree；　and　some　of　the　tension　passed。　Underneath；　however；　seeds　of　worry　had　been　laid。　Huck；　I　thought；　you'd　bring　a　jar　full　of　scorpions　in　a　lifeboat；　then　drop　it　just　to　see　who　swims　the　best。
　　We　got　under　way　again　and　soon　were　near　enough　to　see　how　big　the　jack　really　was。　Each　of　the　bulbous　balloonlike　things　at　its　spiky　tips　was　larger　than　Wuphon's　Dream。　〃There's　one　of　the　cables　Uriel　talked　about；〃　Pincer　announced；　waving　a　claw　toward　one　spike；　from　which　a　glossy　black　strand　made　a　relatively　straight　line；　though　buried　in　places；　aimed　north；　in　the　direction　we　had　e。
　　〃I　bet　anything　that　line's　broken　somewhere　tween　here　and　the　cliffs；〃　Huck　ventured。　〃Prob'ly　used　to　go　all　the　way　to　some　secret　cleft　or　cave　near　Terminus　Rock。　From　there　the　cache　might've　been　hauled　in　without　an　urs　ever　having　to　get　her　hooves　wet。　That　end　point　may've　gotten　cut　in　an　avalanche　or　quake；　like　the　one　that　killed　my　folks。　This　jack　thing　is　a　backup；　so　the　cord　can　be　picked　up　again；　even　if　the　first　end　point　is　lost。〃
　　〃Good　thinking。　It　does　explain　one　thing　that　had　me　puzzled…why　Uriel　had　so　much　equipment　on　hand。　Stuff　that　proved　so　useful　for　diving。　In　fact；　it　makes　me　wonder　why　she　needed　us　at　all。　Why　didn't　she　have　a　hidden　bathy　of　her　own　in　the　first　place？〃
　　Ur…ronn　was　getting　over　her　funk。　〃A　g'Kek　accountant　inventories　the　forge　warehouse　regularly。　He'd　notice　anything　as　un…urrish　as　a　suvnarine；　just　lying　around；　ready　to　ve　used。〃
　　Her　voice　was　sarcastic。　Yet　Huck　agreed。
　　〃The　difficult　parts　were　there；　the　pumps　and　valves　and　gaskets。　I'm　sure　Uriel　and　her　predecessors　figured　they　could　whip　up　a　hull　and　the　rest　in　a　matter　of　months。　Who　ever　expected　an　emergency　to　strike　so　quick？　Besides；　we　bunch　of　crazy　kids　offered　a　perfect　cover　story。　No　one　will　associate　us　with　god…caches　from　the　Galactic　past。〃
　　〃I　prefer　to　think；〃　Pincer　interjected；　with　a　dramatically　miffed　tone　of　voice；　〃that　the　real　reason　Uriel　begged　pretty…please　to　be　allowed　to　join　our　team　was　the　superior　design　and　craftsmanship　of　our　ship…hip。〃
　　We　quit　bickering　to　stare　at　him　for　a　moment…then　laughter　filled　the　tiny　cabin；　making　the　hull　vibrate　and　waking　Huphu　from　her　nap。
　　The　four　of　us　felt　better　then；　ready　to　get　on　with　the　mission。　The　hard　part　was　over；　it　appeared。　All　we　had　to　do　now　was　order　Ziz　to　attach　a　clamp　to　the　cord　on　the　jack's　other　side　and　signal　Uriel　to　haul　away。　There　would　then　be　a　long　wait　while　we　slowly　rose　up　toward　the　surface；　since　g'Keks　and　urs　are　even　more　likely　than　humans　to　get　the　bends　if　air　pressure　changes　too　rapidly。　From　books　we　knew　it's　an　awful　way　to　die；　so　a　tedious　ascent　was　an　accepted　necessity。　We　had　all　packed　snacks；　as　well　as　personal　articles　to　help　pass　the　time。
　　Still；　I　was　anxious　to　get　on　with　it。　Claustrophobia　was　nothing　pared　with　the　ordeal　that　would　mence　when　everyone　onboard…each　in　his　or　her　unique　way…started　feeling　the　need　to　go；　as　some　Earthling　books　politely　put　it；　〃to　the　bathroom。〃
　　There　would　be；　it　seemed；　one　slight　difficulty　in　clamping　on　to　the　second　cord。
　　We　saw　the　problem　at　once；　upon　rolling　around　to　look　at　the　Jack's　other　side。
　　The　second　cord　was　missing。
　　Or　rather；　it　had　been　cut。　Fresh…looking　metal　fibers　waved　gently　in　the　subsea　currents；　hanging　like　an　unbraided　urrish　tail　from　one　of　the　jack's　spiky　ends。
　　Nor　was　that　all。　When　Ur…ronn　cast　our　beams　across　the　ocean　floor；　we　saw　a　wavy　trail　in　the　mud；　meandering　south；　in　which　direction　the　cord　apparently　had　been　dragged。　None　of　us　knew　how　to　tell　if　this　was　done　days；　or　jaduras；　or　years　ago。　But　the　word　recent　came　to　mind。　No　one　had　to　say　it　aloud。
　　Electric　sparks　flashed　as　Ur…ronn　reported　the　situation　to　those　waiting　in　the　world　of　air　and　light。　Surprise　was　evident　in　a　long　delay。　Then　an　answer　came　back　down；　crackling　pulses　across　the　tiny　spark　gap。
　　If　in　good　health；　follow　trail　for　two　cables；　then　report。
　　Huck　muttered。　〃As　if　we've　got　any　choice；　with　Uriel　controlling　the　winch。　Like　a　little　case　of　narcosis　or　the　cramp…jitters　would　make　a　difference　to　her？〃
　　This　time；　Ur…ronn　didn't　turn　around；　but　both　tails　switched　Huck's　torso　sharply；　just　below　the　neckline。
　　〃Ahead　one　half；　Alvin；〃　Pincer　manded。　With　a　sigh；　I　bent　over　to　begin　again。
　　So　we　set　forth；　keeping　one　beam　focused　on　the　snake…trail　through　the　mud；　while　Ur…ronn　cast　the　other　searchlight　left　and　right；　up　and　down。　Not　that　seeing　a　threat　in　advance　would　give　us　any　kind　of　useful　warning。　There　was　never　a　vessel　as　unarmed；　slow；　and　helpless　as　Wuphon's　Dream。　That　severed　cord　we　had　seen…it　had　been　made　by　beings　using　Galactic　technology；　intended　to　survive　millennia　underwater　and　still　retain　immense　strength。　Whatever　had　sliced　it　apart　wasn't　anything　I　wanted　to　make　angry。
　　A　deeper；　more　solemn　mood　filled　the　cabin　as　we　crept　onward。　After　cranking　for　more　than　a　midura　against　the　ever…changing　traction　of　slippery　muck；　my　arms　and　back　were　starting　to　feel　the　stinging　tingle　of　second…stage　fatigue。　I　was　too　tired　to　umble。　Behind　me；　Huphu　expressed　her　boredom　by　rummaging　through　my　backpack；　tearing　open　a　package　of　pish　fish　sandwiches；　nibbling　part　of　it　and　scattering　the　rest　through　the　bilge。　Splashing　noises　and　a　wet　tickling　on　my　toe…pads　told　of　water　accumulating　down　there…whether　from　excess　humidity；　or　some　slow　leak；　or　our　own　disgusting　wastes；　I　didn't　care　to　guess。　The　aroma　inside　was　starting　to　get　both　plex　and　pretty　damn　ripe。　I　was　fighting　another　onset　of　confinement　dread　when　Pincer　let　out　a　shrill　yell。
　　〃Alvin；　stop！　Back　up！　I　mean　engines　back　full！〃
　　I　wish　I　could　report　that　I　saw　what　caused　this　outburst；　but　my　view　was　blocked　by　frenzied　silhouettes。　Besides；　I　had　my　hands　full　fighting　the　momentum　of　the　crank；　which　seemed　determined　to　keep　turning　in　the　same　direction　despite　me；　driving　the　wheels　ever　forward。　I　held　the　wooden　rods　in　a　strangle　grip　and　heaved　with　all　my　might；　feeling　something　pop　in　my　spine。　Finally；　I　managed　to　slow　the　axles；　then　at　last　bring　them　to　a　stop。　But　for　all　my　grunting　effort；　I　could　not　make　them　turn　the　other　way。
　　〃I'm　getting　a　list！〃　Huck　announced。　〃Tilting　forward　and　to　port。〃
　　〃I　didn't　see　it　ing！〃　Pincer　cried　out。　〃We　were　climbing　a　little　hill；　then　it　just　came　out　of　nowhere；　I　swear！〃
　　Now　I　could　feel　the　tilt。　The　Dream　was　definitely　tipping　forward　even　as　Huck　frantically　pumped　ballast　aft。　The　eik　beams　seemed　to　flail　around　the　darkness　up　ahead；　offering　an　unsettling　view　of　yawning　emptiness　where　before　there　had　been　a　gently　sloping　plain。
　　I　finally　managed　to　get　the　crank　turning　backward；　but　any　sense　of　victory　was　short…lived。　One　of　the　magnetic　clutches…attached　to　a　wheel　salvaged　from　Huck's　aunt；　I　believe…gave　way。　The　remaining　roller　bit　hard　into　the　mud；　with　the　effect　of　abruptly　slewing　us　sideways。
　　The　beams　now　swung　along　the　lip　of　the　precipice　we　were　poised　upon。　Apparently；　what　we　had　thought　was　the　main　floor　of　the　Rift　had　been　but　a　shelf　along　the　outskirts　of　the　actual　trench。　The　true　gash　now　gaped；　ready　to　receive　us；　as　it　had　received　so　many　other　things　that　would　never　again　partake　in　affairs　up　where　stars　glittered　bright。
　　So　many　dead　things；　and　we　were　about　to　join　them。
　　〃Shall　I　cut　ballast？〃　Huck　asked；　frantically。　〃I　can　cut　ballast。　Pull　the　signal　cord　to　have　Ziz　inflate。　I　can　do　it！　Shall　I　do　it？〃
　　I　reached　out　and　took　two　eyestalks；　gently　stroking　them　in　the　calming　way　I　had　learned　over　the　years。　She　wasn't　making　any　sense。　The　weight　of　all　the　steel　hawser　we　trailed　was　greater　than　a　few　bricks　slung　under　the　belly　of　Wuphon's　Dream。　If　we　cut　the　hawser　too；　we　might　rise　all　right。　But　then　what　would　keep　the　air　hose　from　tangling　and　snapping　as　we　spun　and　tumbled？　Even　if　it　miraculously　survived；　unsnarled；　we　would　shoot　up　like　the　bullet…ship　in　Verne's　First　Men　in　the　Moon。　Even　Pincer　would　probably　die　of　the　bends。
　　More　practical　with　death　looming　before　us；　Ur…ronn　fired　off　rapid　spark…pulses；　telling　Uriel　to　yank　us　home　without　delay。　Good　idea。　But　how　long　would　it　take；　I　wondered；　for　the　crew　above　to　haul　in　all　the　slack？　How　fast　could　they　do　it　without　risking　a　crimp　in　the　air　hose？　How　far　might　we　fall　before　two　opposite　pulls　met　in　a　sudden　jerk？　That　moment　of　truth　would　be　when　we　discovered　just　how　well　we'd　built　the　Dream。
　　Helplessly；　I　felt　the　wheels　lose　contact　with　the　muddy　shelf　as　our　brave　little　bathy　slid　over　the　edge；　starting　a　long　languid　fall　into　darkness。
　　　
　　That；　I　guess；　would　be　a　nice；　dramatic　place　to　end　a　chapter；　with　our　heroes　tumbling　into　the　black　depths。　A　true…to…life　cliff…hanger。
　　Will　the　crew　ever　make　it　home　aga