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〃Cloudy sky； Jobee；〃 Nelo replied with a polite nod； and kept walking。 Not that a few duras' idle banter would hurt。 But if he learns I'm visiting Sara； he'll drop by later with half the town to find out what I learned about her new pet。。。 the stranger with the hole in his head。
Once upon a time； it had been a fallen chipwing with a broken tail rudder； or a wounded toyo pup。 Anything sick or hurt used to wind up in his storeroom； where Sara tended it in a box lined with his finest felt。 Nelo had figured his adult daughter finally past that phase…till she returned from a routine gleaning trip a few days ago； with a wounded man thrashing on a stretcher。
Once Nelo might have opposed an outsider； even a sick one； lodging in his daughter's treehouse。 Now he was glad to see anything draw her from a year's hard work and isolation。 One of Sara's guildmasters had written to him recently； plaining that she was shirking a principal duty of a woman of her caste； prompting Nelo to write back； rebuking the fellow's impudence。 Still； any interest Sara showed in a man was cause for guarded hope。
From the covered walkway； Nelo spied the town exploser and his young son； inspecting an anchor…pier of the great dam。 Forbidding and earnest； with deep…chiseled features； Henrik reached into a recessed hole and withdrew a bulb…ended clay tube。 Scrutinizing the charge； the exploser held it for his son to sniff。
Nelo was suddenly acutely aware of the mighty lake； lurking behind the dam； ready to sweep away the locks and factories if ever a signal came for Henrik to do his duty。 He also felt a pang of jealousy over that knowing tete…a…tete between father and child…the sort that he once had with his own sire。 One he hoped to share again； with someone who loved paper as he did。
If only one of the three kids would give me an heir。
I'll have one yet； he vowed。 If I must bribe the sages to mand it！
Henrik slipped the tube back inside； resealing the hole with clay。
A low sigh hissed to Nelo's left； where he saw another person also watching the explosers。 Log Biter； matriarch of the local qheuenish hive； squatted by a tree stump with all five legs drawn in。 Nervous exhalations stirred dust beneath her blue carapace； and she wore a rewq over her vision strip…as if that would tell her much about Henrik and son！
Anyway； what was Log Biter worried about？ Surely this was just routine maintenance。 Dole's human villagers would never sacrifice the dam； source of their wealth and prestige。 Only a few orthodox fools wanted that。
And Nelo's eldest son。
Everyone's edgy； he thought； turning away。 First an abnormal winter； then Ulkoun's proposition； and Lark's heresy。 And now Sara es home with a mysterious outsider。
Is it any wonder I have trouble sleeping？
Most villagers' homes lay safe from the glowering sky； nestled high in the trunks of mighty garu trees； where strains of edible moss flourished on wide branch…top gardens。 It seemed a niche made for Earthlings； just as blue qheuens loved lakes； and dry plains suited urrish tribes。
Nelo and Prity had to stop briefly while children herded braying bush…turkeys across the forest loam。 A pair of opal…skinned glavers； perturbed while rooting for grubs； lifted their round heads and sniffed haughtily。 The children laughed； and the glavers' bulging eyes soon dimmed； the light of anger costing too much effort to maintain。
It was the familiar rhythm of village life； and Nelo would happily go on taking it for granted； but for his eldest son's words before leaving for Gathering； when Lark explained the reason for his heresy。
〃Nature is taking hold of this world again； Father； moving beyond the patterns imposed by its former tenants。〃
Nelo had been doubtful。 How could unsapient life change a world in less than a million years？ Without a guiding race to tend it； as a farmer manages a garden？
〃It's what declaring a world fallow is all about；〃 Lark went on。 〃Letting it rest and recover without interference。〃
〃Without the likes of us； you mean。〃
〃That's right。 We aren't supposed to be on Jijo。 We do harm simply living here。〃
It was the moral dilemma of the Six。 The ancestors of each race had felt they had strong reasons to e so far in sneakships； planting outlaw seed on a forbidden world。 The Scrolls spoke of crime blended with desperate hope。 But Nelo's son stressed only the felony。 Moreover； Lark and his rades planned finally doing something about it。 A grand gesture at this year's Gathering； atoning for generations of guilt with an act of devotion； both holy and terrible。
〃What foolishness！〃 Nelo had protested。 〃When civilization finally resettles this galaxy； there'll be no sign our kind ever lived here。 Not if we live righteously； by Egg and Oath。 What you plan will make no difference！〃
In any quarrel with Dwer； there would have been defiant shouting。 But Lark was even more frustrating to talk to； masking his purist heresy behind an obstinate civility he must have inherited from his mother。
〃It doesn't matter if our crime is never discovered； Father。 What matters is we don't belong here。 We simply should not exist。〃
Villagers saluted their paper…crafter as Nelo and Prity passed by。 But today he only glowered； wishing acridly that his offspring wouldn't vex him so…first by neglecting his wishes； then by inflicting the ferment of their disturbing ideas。
Several boats lay berthed at the town dock。 Nimble； sleek…furred noor beasts scampered across the masts； tending lines and camouflage shrouds； as their kind had been trained to do for centuries by the tall； long…snouted hoon。 The crew of one vessel helped some local men load a cargo of glass and metal； scavenged from a Buyur site upriver； destined for reprocessing by the smiths of Ur…Tanj town； or else bound for the dross pits； far out to sea。
Normally； Nelo might have paused to watch； but Prity tugged his sleeve； urging him upward； into the blue…gray branches of the grove。
As they turned； sudden shouts blared。 Men dropped their burdens and hoon sailors crouched； splaying shaggy legs。 Creaking tree trunks swayed like the ship masts as lines snapped and ripples stitched the water。 A cloud of leaves poured from the forest； filling the air with spinning spiral forms。 Nelo recognized the basso rumble of a quake！ Spine…tingling fear mixed with a strange thrill as he pondered whether to try for open ground。
The tumult passed before he could decide。 Branches kept swaying； but the walkway planks ceased vibrating and the watery ripples vanished like dreams。 Relieved sailors snorted。 Villagers made reverent hand gestures； for Jijo's flexings were sacred omens of the planet's healing force； even when they brought riotous ruin。 Once； a century ago； a more violent quake had brought forth the Holy Egg； a blessing worth all the pain that acpanied its birth。
Oh； Mother Jijo； Nelo prayed as the last temblors faded。 Let things go well at Gathering。 Let the sages talk Lark and his friends out of their foolish plan。
And perhaps； he dared add； let Dwer also meet a girl of good family and settle down？
He knew better than to ask a third wish。 Sara would