There had been no attack, just the trailing to herd5 the men to the northeast. And Rynch had lost the first tight pinch of panic, though he knew the folly6 of underestimating the unknown.
They climbed with unspoken consent, going clear to the top, where they huddled7 together on a four-foot tableland. Hume unhooked his distance lenses, but it was toward the rises of the mountains that he aimed them, not along the back trail.
Rynch wriggled8 about, studied the river and its banks. The beasts there were quiet, blue-green lumps, standing9 down on the river bank or squatting10 in the grass.
"Nothing." Hume lowered the lenses, held them before his broad chest as he still watched the peaks.[47]
"What did you expect?" Rynch snapped. He was hungry, but not hungry enough to abandon the islet.
Hume laughed shortly. "I don't know. Only I'm sure they are heading us in that direction."
"Look here," Rynch rounded on him. "You know this planet, you've been here before."
"Then you must have combed it pretty thoroughly12. How is it that you didn't know about them?" He gestured to their pursuers.
"That is what I would like to ask a few assorted13 experts right about now," Hume returned. "The verifiers registered no intelligent native life here."
"No native life." Rynch chewed that over, came up with the obvious explanation. "All right—so then maybe our blue-backed friends are imported. Suppose someone's running a private business of his own here and wants to get rid of visitors?"
Hume looked thoughtful. "No." He did not enlarge upon his negative. Sitting down he pulled a cylinder14 container from a belt loop and shook out four tablets, handing two to Rynch, mouthing the others.
"Vita-blocks—good for twenty-four hours sustenance15."
The iron rations16 depended upon by all exploring services did not have the satisfying taste of real food. However Rynch swallowed them dutifully before he descended17 with Hume to river level. The Hunter splashed water from the stream into a depression in the rock and dropped a pinch of clarifying powder into it.
"With the dark," he announced, "we might be able to get through their lines."
"You believe that?"
Hume laughed. "No—but one doesn't overlook the factor of sheer luck. Also, I don't care to finish up at the place they may have chosen for us." He tilted18 his chin to study the sky. "We'll take watches and rest in turn. No use trying anything until it is dark—unless they start to move in. You take the first one?"
As Rynch nodded, Hume edged back into a crevice2 as a shelled creature withdrawing to natural protection, going to sleep as easily as if he could control that state by will.[48] Rynch, watching him curiously19 for a second or two before climbing up to a position from which he judged he could see all sides of their refuge, determined20 not to be surprised.
The watchers were crouched21 down, waiting with that patience which had impressed him from his first sight of the camp sentries22 back in the forest. There was no movement, no sound. They were simply there—on guard. And Rynch did not believe that the darkness of night would bring any relaxation23 of that vigilance.
He leaned back, feeling the grit24 of the rocky surface against his bare back and shoulders. Under his hand was the most efficient and formidable weapon known to the frontier worlds, from this post he could keep the enemy under surveillance and think.
Hume had had him planted here, in the first place, provided with the memory of Rynch Brodie—the reward for him was to be a billion credits. Too much staff work had gone into his conditioning for just a small stake.
So Rynch Brodie was on Jumala, and Hume had come with witnesses to find him. Another part of his mind stood aloof25 now, applauding the clearness of his reasoning. Rynch Brodie was to be discovered a castaway on Jumala. Only, matters had not worked out according to Hume's plan. In the first place he was certain he had not been intended to know that he was not Rynch Brodie. For a fleeting26 second he wondered why that conditioning had not completely worked, then went back to the problem of his relationship with Hume.
No, the Out-Hunter had expected a castaway who would be just what he ordered. Then this affair of the watchers—creatures the Guild men had not found here a few months ago—Rynch felt a small cold chill along his spine27. Hume's game was one thing, something he could understand, but the silent beasts were another and somehow far more disturbing threat.
Rynch edged forward, watching the mist on the water, his brain striving to solve this other puzzle as neatly28 as he thought he had discovered the reason for his scrambled29 memories and his being on Jumala.
The mist was an added danger. Thick enough and those watchers could move in under its curtain. A needler was efficient, yes, but it could wipe out only an enemy at which[49] it was aimed. Blind cross sweeping30 with its darts31 would only exhaust the clip without results, save by lucky chance.
On the other hand, suppose they could turn that same gray haze33 to their own advantage—use it to blanket their withdrawal34? He was about to go to Hume with that suggestion when he sighted the new move in their odd battle with the aliens.
A wink35 of light—two more—blinking, following the erratic36 course by the pull of the stream. All bobbing along toward the rugged37 coastline of the islet. Those had appeared out of nothingness as suddenly as the globes when this chase had begun.
The globes and the winking38 lights on the water connected in his mind, argued new danger. Rynch took careful aim, fired a dart32 at one which had grounded on the pointed39 tip of the rocks where the river current came together after its division about the island. For the first time Rynch realized those things below were moving against the current—they had come upstream as if propelled.
He had fired and the light was still there, two more coming in behind it, so that now there was an irregular cluster of them. And there was activity on the water-washed rocks before them. Just as the scavengers had moved ahead of the globes on land, so now aquatic40 creatures had come out of the river, were flopping41 higher on the islet. And those lights were changing color—from white to reddish-yellow.
Rynch scrabbled with one hand in a rock crevice, found a stone he had noted42 earlier. He hurled43 that at the cluster of lights. There was a puff44 of brilliant red, one was gone. Something flopping on the rocks gave a mewling cry and somersaulted back into the water. Then a finger of mist drew between Rynch and the lights which were now only faint, glowing patches. He swung down from his perch45, shook Hume awake.
The Out-Hunter made that instant return to full consciousness which was another defense46 for the men who live long on the rim47 of wild worlds.
"What—?"
Rynch pulled him forward. The mist had thickened, but there were more of those ominous48 lights at water level, spreading down both sides of the point, forming a wall. Dark forms moved out of the water ahead of them, flopping[50] on the rocks, pressing higher, towards the ledge49 where the men stood.
"Those globes—I think they're moving in the river now." Rynch found another stone, took careful aim, and smashed a second one. "The needler has no effect on them," he reported. "Stones do—but I don't know why."
They searched about them in the crevices for more ammunition50, laying up a line of fist-sized rocks, while the lights gathered in, spreading farther and farther down the shores of the islet. Hume cried out suddenly, and aimed his ray tube below. The lance of its blast cut the dark as might a bolt of lightning.
With a shrill51 squeal52, a blot53 shadow detached from the slope immediately below them. A vile54, musky scent55, now mingled56 with the stench of burning flesh, set them coughing.
"Water spider!" Hume identified. "If they are driving those out and up at...."
He fumbled57 at his equipment belt and then tossed an object downward to disintegrate58 in a shower of fiery59 sparks. Wherever those sparks touched rock or ground they flared60 up in tall thin columns of fire, lighting62 up the nightmare on the rocks and up the ledges63.
Rynch fired the needler, Hume's ray tube flashed and flashed again. Things squealed64, or grunted65, or died silently, while clawing to reach the upper ledges. He could not be sure of the nature of some of those things. One, armed and clawed as the scavengers, was nearly as large as a water-cat. And a furry66, man-legged creature, with a double-jawed head, bore also a ring of phosphorescent eyes set in a complete circle about its skull67. They were alien life routed out of the water.
"The lights—smash the lights!" Hume ordered.
Rynch understood. The lights had driven these attackers out of the river. Put out the lights and the boiling broth68 of water dwellers69 might conceivably return to their homes. He dropped the needler, took up stones and set about the business of finishing off as many of the lights as he could.
Hume fired into the crawling mass, pausing only once to send another of those flame bombs crashing to illuminate70 the scene. The water creatures bewildered, clumsy out of their element, were so far at his mercy. But their numbers,[51] in spite of the piling dead, were still a dangerous threat.
Rynch tore gapping holes in that line of lights. But he could see, through the mist, more floating sparks, gathering71 to take their places, perhaps herding72 before them more water things to attack. Except for those few gaps he had wrought73, the islet was now completely enveloped74.
"Ahhhh—" Hume's voice arose in a roar of anger and defiance75. He stabbed his ray down at a spot just below their ledge. A huge segmented, taloned76 leg kicked, caught on the edge of the stone at the level of their feet, twisted aloft again and was gone.
"Up!" Hume ordered. "To the top!"
Rynch caught up two handsful of stones, holding them to his chest with his left arm as he made a last cast to see one light puff out in answer. Then they both scrambled on to that small platform at the top of the islet. By the aid of the burning flame-torches the Hunter had set, they could see that most of the rocky slopes below them now squirmed with a horrible mass of water life.
Where Hume had fired his ray there was fierce activity, as the living feasted on the slain77 and quarreled over the bounty78. But from other quarters the crawling advance pressed on.
One more flare—then they would be in the dark with the mist hiding the forward-moving enemy.
"They—or what sent them. They know what they are doing."
"You mean they must have done this before?"
"I think so. That L-B back there—it made a good landing, and there are supplies missing from its lockers80."
"Which you removed—" Rynch countered.
"No. There might have been real castaways landed here. Not that we found any trace of them. Now I can guess why—"
"But you Guild men were here, and you didn't run into this!"
"I know." Hume sounded baffled. "Not a sign then."
Rynch threw the last of his stones, heard it clink harmlessly against a rock. Hume balanced an object on the palm of his hand.[52]
"Last flare!"
"What's that? Over there?"
Rynch had sighted the flashing out of the dark from the river bank, making a pattern of flickers81 which bore no relation to the infernal lights at the water's edge.
Hume's ray tube pointed skyward as he answered with a series of short bursts.
"Take cover!" The call came weirdly82 out over the water, the tone dehumanized. Hume cupped his mouth with one hand, shouted back:
"We're on top—no cover."
They flattened84, lay almost in each other's arms, curled on that narrow space. Even through his closed eyelids85 Rynch caught the flash of vivid, man-made lightning crashing first on one side of the islet and then on the other, and sweeping every crawling horror out of life, into odorous ash. The backlash of that blast must have caught the majority of the lights also. For when Rynch and Hume cautiously sat up, they saw only a handful of widely scattered86 and dulling globes below.
They choked, coughed, rubbed watering eyes as the fumes87 from the scorched88 rocks wreathed up about their perch.
"Flitter with life line—above you!"
That voice had come out of what should have been empty air over their heads. A gangling89 line trailed across their bodies, a line with a safety belt locked to it, and a second was uncoiling in a slow loop as they watched.
"Haul away!" Hume called. The lines tightened92, their bodies swung up clear of the blasted river island, as their unseen transport headed for the eastern shore.
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1
pinnacle
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| n.尖塔，尖顶，山峰；(喻)顶峰 | |
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crevice
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| n.(岩石、墙等)裂缝；缺口 | |
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crevices
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| n.（尤指岩石的）裂缝，缺口( crevice的名词复数 ) | |
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lengthening
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| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的现在分词 )； 加长 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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7
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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wriggled
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等） | |
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9
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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10
squatting
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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guild
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| n.行会，同业公会，协会 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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13
assorted
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| adj.各种各样的，各色俱备的 | |
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cylinder
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| n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸 | |
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sustenance
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| n.食物，粮食；生活资料；生计 | |
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rations
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| 定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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18
tilted
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| v. 倾斜的 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sentries
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| 哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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23
relaxation
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| n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐 | |
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24
grit
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| n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关 | |
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25
aloof
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| adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的 | |
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fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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29
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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30
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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31
darts
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| n.掷飞镖游戏；飞镖( dart的名词复数 )；急驰，飞奔v.投掷，投射( dart的第三人称单数 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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dart
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| v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲 | |
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haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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34
withdrawal
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| n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销 | |
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35
wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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erratic
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| adj.古怪的，反复无常的，不稳定的 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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38
winking
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| n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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39
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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aquatic
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| adj.水生的，水栖的 | |
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41
flopping
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| n.贬调v.（指书、戏剧等）彻底失败( flop的现在分词 )；（因疲惫而）猛然坐下；（笨拙地、不由自主地或松弛地）移动或落下；砸锅 | |
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42
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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43
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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44
puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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45
perch
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| n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于 | |
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46
defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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47
rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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48
ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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49
ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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50
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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51
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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52
squeal
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| v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音 | |
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53
blot
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| vt.弄脏（用吸墨纸）吸干；n.污点，污渍 | |
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54
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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55
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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56
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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57
fumbled
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| （笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下 | |
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58
disintegrate
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| v.瓦解，解体，（使）碎裂，（使）粉碎 | |
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59
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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60
Flared
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| adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词 | |
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61
flare
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| v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发 | |
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62
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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63
ledges
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| n.（墙壁，悬崖等）突出的狭长部分( ledge的名词复数 )；（平窄的）壁架；横档；（尤指）窗台 | |
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64
squealed
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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65
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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66
furry
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| adj.毛皮的；似毛皮的；毛皮制的 | |
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67
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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68
broth
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| n.原(汁)汤(鱼汤、肉汤、菜汤等) | |
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69
dwellers
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| n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 ) | |
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70
illuminate
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| vt.照亮，照明；用灯光装饰；说明，阐释 | |
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71
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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72
herding
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| 中畜群 | |
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73
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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74
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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76
taloned
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77
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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78
bounty
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| n.慷慨的赠予物，奖金；慷慨，大方；施与 | |
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79
scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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80
lockers
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| n.寄物柜( locker的名词复数 ) | |
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81
flickers
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| 电影制片业； （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的名词复数 ) | |
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82
weirdly
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| 古怪地 | |
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83
flatten
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| v.把．．．弄平，使倒伏；使(漆等)失去光泽 | |
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84
flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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85
eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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86
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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87
fumes
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| n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体 | |
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88
scorched
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| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦 | |
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89
gangling
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| adj.瘦长得难看的 | |
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90
unison
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| n.步调一致，行动一致 | |
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91
buckled
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| a. 有带扣的 | |
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92
tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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