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Jop shrugged。 〃Ridiculous on the face of it。 What would humans be doin' out here？ When our ancestors left Earth on an aged thirdhand tub； not a single human scientist understood its workings。 The folks back home couldn't have caught up with galactic standard tech for another ten thousand years。〃
Sara watched Blade and the hoon captain react with surprise。 It was no secret； what Jop had said about human technology at the time of exile； but they must find it hard to picture。 On Jijo； Earthlings were the engineers； the ones most often with answers。
〃And who would want to ferfetrate such a hoax？〃 Ulgor asked； lowering her conical head。 Sara read tension in the urs's body stance。 Uh…oh； she thought。
Jop smiled。 〃Why； maybe some bunch that sees opportunity； amid the chaos； to besmirch our honor and have one last chance at revenge before Judgment Day。〃
Human and urs faced each other； each grinning a bright display of teeth…which could be taken equivocally as either friendly or threatening。 For once； Sara blessed the sickness that had caused nearly everyone's rewq to curl up and hibernate。 There would have been no ambiguity with symbionts to translate the meaning in Jop's and Ulgor's hearts。
At that moment； a squirt of pinkish steam jetted between the two…a swirling fume of cloying sweetness。 Jop and Ulgor retreated from the cloud in opposite directions； covering their noses。
〃Oops； i express repentance on our/my behalf。 This pile's digestive torus still retains； processes； deletes the richness of esteemed hoonish shipboard fare。〃
Unperturbed； the captain of the Hauph…woa said…〃How fortunate for you； Pzora。 As to the subject at hand； we must still decide what advice to send back to Dolo Village and the settlements of the Upper Roney。 So let me ask Jop。。。。 Hrrrm…what if we consider a simpler theory…there is no hoax by the honored sages； brr？〃
Jop still waved the air in front of his face； coughing。 〃That brings us to possibility number two…that we are being tested。 The Day has e at last； but the noble Galactics are undecided what to do with us。 Maybe the great Institutes hired human actors to play this role； offering us a chance to tip the scales one way through right action； or the other by choosing incorrectly。 As for what advice we send upriver； I say we counsel that demolition should proceed according to the ancient plan！〃
Blade； the young qheuen delegate； reared back on three legs； lifting his blue carapace； stammering and hissing so that his initial attempts at Anglic came out garbled。 He switched to Galactic Two。
〃Madness you betray！ This （lunatic） thing； how can you say？ Our mighty dam （glorious to see and smell） must fall？ For what reason； if our （illicit） existence on Jijo he already known？〃
Jop explained； 〃True； we can't hide our crime of colonization。 But we can start the process of removing our works from this scarred world。 By showing our good intentions； we'll prove we merit leniency。
〃What we must not do…and I fear our sages may be fooled…is offer any cooperation to these humans who pretend to be gene raiders。 No bribes or service； since that； too； must be part of the test。〃
Ulgor snorted doubt。 〃And fossivility three？ What if they turn out to ve felons； after all？〃
Jop had shrugged。 〃Then the same answer holds。 Passive resistance。 Fade into the countryside。 Tear down our cities…〃
〃Burn the libraries；〃 Sara cut in； and Jop glanced her way； then nodded； curtly。
〃Above all else。 They are the roots of conceit。 Our outrageous pretense at remaining civilized。〃 He waved around him at the old Buyur chamber that had been converted to a tavern； the soot…stained walls adorned with spears； shields； and other souvenirs of the bloody siege of Tarek Town。 〃Civilized！〃 Jop laughed again。 〃We're like parrot…ticks； reciting verses we do not understand； pathetically miming the ways of the mighty。 If pirates have indeed e； such vanities can only lessen our skill at burrowing down。 Our only chance of survival will be to blend in with Jijo's animals。 To bee the innocents that glavers are； in their blessed salvation。 A salvation we might have achieved by now； had humans not foiled nature with our so…called Great Printing。
〃So you see it does not matter；〃 he concluded with a shrug of finality。 〃Whether the visitors from space are noble chancellors from the Institute of Migration or the foulest criminals to prowl space。 Either way； they are our judgment； e at last。 Our sole option remains the same。〃
Shaking her head in bemusement； Sara had mented； 〃You're starting to sound like Lark。〃
But Jop saw nothing ironic in that。 His radicalization had intensified each day since the deafening； terrifying specter shook the tree farms； leaving trails of noise and heat that seared the sky。
〃This is a bad thing；〃 Blade had said to Sara； later that evening； after Jop left to meet friends and fellow believers。 〃He seems sure of his reasoning and virtue…like a gray queen； unshakably convinced of her righteousness。〃
〃Self…righteousness is a plague that afflicts all races； except the traeki；〃 answered Fakoon； bowing two stalks toward Pzora。 〃Your folk are lucky to be spared the curse of egotism。〃
The Dolo Village pharmacist had vented a soft sigh。 〃i/we urge you to make no simple assumptions； dear rades。 It is said that we； too； once possessed that talent； whose partner is the gift/curse of ambition。 To excise it from our natures meant leaving behind some of our greatest treasures； our finest rings。 It must not have been an easy thing to do。
〃One of the things we/i fear most about restored contact with Galactics is something you other species and beings may not understand…we fear temptation by an enticing offer。
〃We fear an offer to be made whole。〃
The clinic was a place of wheels…of g'Kek surgeons and patients on push…chairs。 Many of the traeki pharmacists used skooter…wagons； pushing along faster than most could walk alone。 No wonder the smooth planarity of city life appealed to two of the Six。
The Stranger's room was on the fifth floor； looking out across the confluence of the rivers Roney and Bibur。 Both steam ferries could be seen moored under screening arbors； now operating only at night； since vigilante groups had threatened to burn them if they budged by day。 And this morning confirming word came down from the Glade。 The High Sages； too； wanted no unnecessary signs of technology revealed by the Six。 Destroy nothing。 Conceal everything。
It only added to a growing sense of confusion among mon folk。 Was this Judgment Day or not？ Sounds of raucous argument were heard in all parts of town。 We need some goal to unite us； Sara thought； or we'll start ing apart； skin and pelt； shell and spokes。
A traeki attendant motioned Sara through to the private chamber that had been given the Stranger。 The dark man looked up when she entered； and smiled with clear delight to see her。 He laid aside a pencil and pad of pale paper； on which Sara glimpsed the scene outside the window…one of the steam ferries； outlined with subtle countershading。 Pinned to the wall was another sketch depicting the shipboard concert on the fantail of the Hauph…woa； capturing a gentle interlude amid the storm of crisis。
〃Thank you for ing；〃 said an elderly； sallow…faced woman seated by the Stranger's bedside； looking surprisingly like a g'Kek； in coloration； her startling blue eyes； and also the way a wheelchair framed her blanket…shrouded form。 〃We have been making progress； but there are some things I wanted to try only after you arrived。〃
Sara still wondered why Ariana Foo； of all people； had taken an interest in the wounded man。 With Lester Cambel and most other sages away； she was the highest ranking human savant left this side of Biblos。 One might expect her to have more urgent things on her mind right now； than focusing her keen intellect on the problem of the Stranger's origins。
The g'Kek doctor rolled forward； his voice mellow； with a cultured accent。
〃First； Sara； please tell us…have you recalled anything further about our patient's aspect； the day you pulled him from the swamp all burned and torn？〃
She shook her head silently。
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