按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
'em survive？〃
Ur…ronn lowered her conical head。 In the dimness I could not tell if it denoted worry or rising anger。 I hurried to cut in。
〃Hr…rm。 You imply a long view of things。 A secret kept for generations。〃
〃For centuries；〃 Huck agreed。 〃Uriel no doubt was told by her master； and so on back to the first urrish ancestors。 And before Ur…ronn snaps one of my heads off； let me rush to add that the urs sages showed great restraint over the years； never seeking to use this cache during their wars with qheuens； then humans； even when they were getting their tails whipped。〃
That was meant to calm Ur…ronn？ I rushed to save Huck from mutilation。 〃Perhaps…hrm…humans and qheuens had their own caches； so there was a standoff。〃 Then my own words sank in。 〃Maybe those caches are being sought now； while we serve as Uriel's dipping claw； in search of this one。〃
There was a long silence。
Then Pincer spoke。
〃Sheesh…eesh…eesh。 Those aliens up at the Glade must really have the grown…ups spooked。〃
Another pause； then Huck resumed。 〃That's what I'm hoping all of this is about。 The aliens。 A mutual effort of the Six； pooling resources； and not something else。〃
Ur…ronn's neck twisted nervously。 〃What do you nean？〃
〃I mean； I'd have liked Uriel's word of honor that we're down here seeking powers for the defense of all the mons。〃
Not simply to arm urrish militia； in some of the grudge fights we've heard rumors about； I thought； finishing Huck's implication。 There was a tense moment when I could not predict what would happen next。 Had tension； worry； and Tyug's drugs strung our urrish friend to the point where Huck's baiting would make her snap？
Ur…ronn's neck slowly untwisted。 An effort of will； I saw by the dim light of the phosphors。 〃You have。。。〃 she began； breathing heavily。 〃You have the oath of this urs； that it will ve so。〃
And she repeated the vow in Galactic Two； following it with a laborious effort to spit on the floor； not an easy act for one of her kind。 A sign 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 ang