〃Alvin； give me a boost so I can look！〃
〃Hr…r…rm？ But…〃
〃Alvin！〃 A wheel stroked one of my footpads； as a warning to do what I was told。
〃What？ A boost？〃 I saw no ramp or other way for Huck to reach the scope's eyepiece； only a chair resting next to the table。 Still； the best course would be to let her have her way； as quickly and silently as possible； rather than forcing an argument。
〃Hrrrm。。。 well； all right。 But keep it quiet； will you？〃
I stepped behind Huck； squatted down； and slung both arms under her axle frame。 I grunted； lifting her to bring one stalk level with the eyepiece。
〃Hold still！〃 she hissed。
〃I am。。。 hrm…rm。。。 trying。。。〃
I let my arm bones slip slightly； so the elbow joints clicked into a locked position…a trick I'm told humans and urs are jealous of； since even the strongest human who tried this would have to do it using muscle power alone。 Even so； Huck had put on weight； and holding her in place meant standing in a bent…over half…squat。 Whenever I grunted； she'd twist a free stalk round to glare； just a handsbreadth from my face； as if I was annoying her on purpose。
〃Hold it； you unbuff hoon！。。。 Okay； I can see now。。。 a whole lot of stars。。。 more stars。。。。 Hey； there's nothing but stars in here！〃
〃Huck；〃 I murmured； 〃did I ask you to keep it quiet？〃
Ur…ronn whistled a sigh。 〃Of course there's only stars； you hoof…stinky g'Kek！ Did you think you could count the fortholes on an orviting starshif with this little tele…scofe？ At that height； it'll twinkle like any other foint source。〃
I was impressed。 We all know Ur…ronn is the best mechanic in our bunch； but who figured she knew astronomy； as well？
〃Here； give ne a chance to look。 It's fossible I can tell which star isn't a star； if its fosition changes in relation to others。〃
Huck's wheels spun angrily in air； but she could no more deny the fairness of Ur…ronn's request than keep me from lowering her to the ground。 I straightened with relief； and some crackling of cartilage； as she rolled away； grumbling。 Ur…ronn had to put both forehooves on the chair in order to rise up and peer through the eyepiece。
For a few moments； our urrish pal was silent； then she trilled frustration。 〃They really are all just stars； far as I can tell。 Anyway； I forgot…a starshif in orvit would drift out of view in just a few duras； even with the tracking engine turned on。〃
〃Well； I guess that's it；〃 I said； only half disappointed。 〃We'd better head on back now…〃
That's when I saw that Huck was gone。 Whirling； I finally spied her； heading straight for the doorway I had seen earlier！
〃Remember what we discussed？〃 she called rearward at us； speeding toward the back…lit rectangle。 〃The real evidence will be on those photographic plates you say Gybz spoke of。 That's what we came up here to look at in the first place。 e on！〃
I admit staring like a stranded fish； my throat sac blatting uselessly while Huphu gouged my scalp； gathering purchase for a spring。 Ur…ronn took off in a mad scramble after Huck； trying desperately to tackle her by the spokes before she reached the door…
…which swung open； I swear； at that very instant； casting a painful brightness that outlined a human silhouette。 A short； narrow…shouldered male whose fringe of head hair seemed aflame in the glare of several lanterns behind him。 Blinking； raising a hand to shade my eyes； I could dimly make out several easels in the room beyond； bearing charts； measuring rules； and slick glass plates。 More square plates lay racked on shelf after shelf； crowding the walls of the little room。
Huck squealed to a stop so suddenly her axles glowed。 Ur…ronn nearly rammed her； halting in frantic haste。 We all froze； caught in the act。
The human's identity wasn't hard to guess； since only one of his race lived on the mountain at the time。 He was only known far and wide as the most brilliant of his kind； a sage whose mind reached far； even for an Earthling； to grasp many of the arcane secrets that our ancestors once knew。 One whose intellect even the mighty self…assured Uriel bowed before。
The Smith of Mount Guenn was not going to be pleased with us for intruding on her guest。
Sage Purofsky stared for a long moment； blinking into the darkness beyond the doorway； then he raised a hand straight toward us； pointing。
〃You！〃 he snapped in a strangely distracted tone of voice。 〃You surprised me。〃
Huck was the first of us to recover。
〃Um； sorry。。。 uh； master。 We were just； er。。。〃
Cutting her off； but without any trace of rancor； the human went on。
〃It's just as well； then。 I was about to ring for somebody。 Would you kindly take these notes to Uriel for me？〃
He held out a folded sheaf of papers； which Huck accepted in the grasp of one quivering tentacle…arm。 Her half…retracted eyestalks blinked in surprise。
〃That's a good lad；〃 the savant went on absentmindedly； and turned to go back into the little room。 Then Sage Purofsky stopped and swiveled to face us once more。
〃Oh； please also tell Uriel that I'm now sure of it。 Both ships are gone。 I don't know what happened to the bigger one； the first one； since it appeared only by lucky accident on one early set of plates； before anyone knew to look for it。 That orbit can't be solved except to say I think it may have landed。 But even a rough calculation based on the last series shows the second ship de…orbiting； heading into an entry spiral down to Jijo。 Assuming no later deviations or corrections； its course would have made landfall some days ago； north of here； smack dab in the Rimmers。〃
His smile was rueful； ironic。
〃In other words； the warning we sent up to the Glade may be somewhat superfluous。〃 Purofsky rubbed his eyes tiredly and sighed。 〃By now our colleagues at Gathering probably know a lot more about what's going on than we do。〃
I swear； he sounded more disappointed than worried over the arrival of something the exiles of Jijo had feared for two thousand years。
We all； even Huphu； stared for a long time…even after the man thanked us again； turned around； and closed the door behind him； leaving us alone with our only pany millions of stars； like pollen grains scattered on a shimmering ocean； stretching over our heads。 A sea of darkness that suddenly felt frighteningly near。
XII。 THE BOOK OF THE SLOPE
Legends
There is a word we are asked not to say too often。 And to whisper； when we do。
The traeki ask this of us； out of courtesy； respect； and superstition。
The word is a name…with just two syllables…one they fear ever to hear again。
A name they once called themselves。
A name presumably still used by their cousins； out on the star…lanes or the Five Galaxies。
Cousins who are mighty； terrifying； resolute； pitiless； and single…minded。
How different that description seems to make our own sept of ringed ones； from those who still roam the cosmos； like gods。 Those Jophur。
Of all the races who came to Jijo in sneakships； some； like qheuens and humans； were obscure and almost unknown in the Five Galaxies。 Others； like g'Keks and glavers； had reputations of modest extant； among those needing their specialised skills。 Hoon and urs had made a moderate impression； so much that Earthlings knew of them before landing； and worried。
But it is said that every oxygen…breathing； starfaring clan is familiar with the shape of stacked rings； piled high； ominous and powerful。
When the traeki sneakship came； the g'Kek took one look at the newers and went into hiding for several generations； cowering in fright until； at last； they realised…these were different rings。
When qheuen settlers saw them already here； they very nearly left again； without unloading or even landing their sneakship。
How came our beloved friends to have such a reputation to live down？ How came they to be so different from those who still fly in space； using that awful name？
Reflections on the Six；
Ovoom Press；
Year…of…Exile 1915
Asx
EITHER THE INVADERS ARE TRYING TO CONFUSE us； or else there is something strange about them。 At first； their powers and knowledge appeared as one might expect…so far above us that we seem as brutish beasts。 Dared we contrast our own meager wisdom； our simple ways； against their magnificent； unstoppable machines； their healing arts； and especially the erudition of their piercing questions about Jijoan life？ Erudition showing the vast sweep and depth of records at their mand； surely copied from the final survey of this world； a million years ago。 Yet。。。
They seem to know nothing about lorniks or zookirs。
They cannot hide their excitement； upon measuring specimen glavers； as if they have made a great discovery。
They make puzzling； nonsensical remarks concerning chimpanzees。
And now they want to know everything about mule…spiders； asking naive questions that even this inexpert stack of manicolored rings could answer。 Even if all of our/my toruses of sapiency were vlenned away； leaving nothing but instinct； memory； and momentum。
The sigil of the Great Library was missing from the bow of the great vessel that left their stati