All was confusion inside Wuphon's Dream as we plunged toward our doom。 We tumbled left and right； banging against the inner hull； against cranks； handles； levers； and each other。 The view outside； when I could see past my wildly gesturing rades； was a jumbled confusion of phosphorescent dots caught in the eik beams； plus occasional glimpses of a rising cliff face； and then quick flashes of something else。
Something…or some things…lustrous and gray。 Agile； flitting movements。 Then curious strokings； rubbing our vessel's hull； followed by sharp raps and bangs all along the flanks of our doomed boat。
Pincer kept babbling about monsters。 I honestly thought he'd gone crazy； but Ur…ronn and Huck had changed their wailing cries and were leaning toward the glass； as if transfixed by what they saw。 It was all so noisy； and Huphu was clawing my aching backside between frenzied attacks on the walls。
I felt sure I made out Huck saying something like…
〃What…or who…could they possibly be？〃
That's when the whirling shapes divided； vanishing to both sides as a new entity arrived； causing us all to gasp。
It was huge； many times the size of our bathy； and it swam with easy grace； emitting a growl as it came。 From my agonizing prison at the back； I could not make out much except two great eyes that seemed to shine far brighter than our failing eik beams。
And its mouth。 I recall seeing that all too well； as it spread wide； rushing to meet us。
The hull groaned； and there were more sharp bangs。 Ur…ronn yelped as a needle spray of water jetted inward； ricocheting back at me。
Numb with fear； I could not stop my whirling brain long enough to have a single clear thought； only a storm of notions。
These were Buyur ghosts； I guessed； e to punish living fools who dared invade their realm。
They were machines； cobbled together from relics and remnants that had tumbled into the Rift since long before the Buyur； in epochs so old； even the Galactics no longer recalled。
They were home…grown sea monsters。 Jijo's own。 Products of the world's most private place。
These and other fancies flashed through my muddled brain as I watched； unable to look away from those terrible onrushing jaws。 The Dream buffeted and bucked…in sea currents； I now suppose； but at the time it felt she was struggling to get away。
The jaws swept around us。 A sudden surge brought us hurtling to one side。 We hit the interior of the great beast's mouth； crashing with such force that the beautiful glass bubble cracked。 Frosted patterns spread from the point of impact。 Ur…ronn wailed； and Huck rolled her eyestalks tight； like socks going in a drawer。
I grabbed Huphu； ignoring her tearing claws； and took a deep breath of stale air。 It was awful stuff； but I figured it would be my last chance。
The window gave up at the same moment the air hose snapped。
The dark waters of the Rift found their rapid way into our shattered ship。
XXIV。 THE BOOK OF THE SLOPE
Legends
It took twenty years to recover the first human band of sooners…a sizeable group who fled to the scrublands south of the vale； rejecting the Covenant of Exile that their leaders had signed； just before the Tabernacle went tumbling to the depths。 They risked both desolation and the law in order to get away； and had to be dragged back； shuddering in dread； all because they could not bring themselves to trust hoon or traeki。
In retrospect this seems so ironic； since it was qheuens and urs who caused human settlers grief during two subsequent centuries of war。 Why then did so many Earthlings fear the peaceful ringed ones； or our cheerful friends with the broad shoulders and booming voices？ The star…cousins of both traeki and hoon must have seemed quite different when our ancestors' first starships emerged onto the lanes of Galaxy Four。
Unfortunately； most galactology records burned in the Great Fire。 But other accounts tell of relentless hostility by mighty； enigmatic star…lords calling themselves Jophur； who took a leading role in the Sequestration of Mudaun。 That fearsome atrocity led directly to the Tabernacle exodus…an outrage executed with single…minded precision and utter resoluteness。 Traits not often observed in traeki here on the Slope。
It is also said that hoon were at Mudaun； portrayed in the accounts as dour； officious； unhappy beings。 A race of stern accountants； dedicated to population control and tabulating the breeding rates of other races； unswayed by appeals to mercy or forbearance。
Could anyone recognise； in these descriptions； the two most easy…going members of the Six？
No wonder hoon and traeki seem the least prone to nostalgia about good old days； back when they new about as gods of space。
Annals of the Jijoan mons
Sara
WITH DAWN BLEACHING THE EASTERN SKY； weary travelers trudged into Uryutta's Oasis after a long night march across the parched Warril Plain…a teeming； thirsty crowd of donkeys and simlas； humans and hoon。 Even urrish pilgrims stepped daintily to the muddy shore and dipped their narrow heads； wincing at the bitter； unmasked taste of plain water。
Full summer had broken over the high steppe； when hot winds ignited rings of circle grass； sending herds stampeding amid clouds of dust。 Even before the present crisis； wayfarers avoided the summer sun； preferring the cool moonlight for travel。 Urrish guides bragged they would know the plain blindfolded。
That's fine for them； Sara thought； swishing her aching feet in the oasis spring。 An urs doesn't fall on her face when a chance stone turns underfoot。 Me； I like to see where I'm going。
Predawn light revealed mighty outlines to the east。 The Rimmers； Sara thought。 The mixed…race expedition was making good time； hurrying to reach the Glade before events there reached a climax。 On the plus side； she was anxious to see her brothers； and to learn how well Bloor was implementing her idea。 There might also be medical help for her ward； the Stranger； if it seemed safe to reveal him to the aliens。 A big if。 Nor had she quite given up on getting to see one of the fabled library consoles of the Great Galactics。
Yet there was also much to fear。 If the star…gods did plan on wiping out all witnesses； it would surely start at the Glade。 Above all； Sara worried that she might be taking the Stranger into the hands of his enemies。 The dark； ever…cheerful man seemed eager to go； but did he really understand what was involved？
A whistling sigh fluted from Pzora's corrugated cone； as the traeki siphoned water from the pond； fatigued despite having ridden all the way in a donkey…drawn chariot。 A new rewq draped across Pzora's sensor ring； one of two Sara had bought from the fresh supply at Kandu Landing； to help the traeki pharmacist treat the wounded alien； even though she wasn't keen on the symbionts herself。
A chain of bubbles broke the surface near Sara's foot。 By Loocen's silver light； she made out Blade； from Dolo Village； resting underwater。 The hasty trek had been hard on red qheuens； and blues like Blade； as well as those humans too big to burden a donkey。 Sara had been allowed to mount every even…numbered midura。 Even so； her body ached。 Serves me right for leading a bookish； cloistered life； she thought。
A raucous cheer rose up where urrish donkey…drivers piled grass and dung to make a campfire。 Simla blood was drained into a tureen； followed by chopped meat； and soon they were slurping tepid sanguinary stew； lifting their long necks to swallow； then bending for more…sinuous silhouettes whose rise and fall was eerily acpanied by the Stranger's plinking dulcimer。 Meanwhile a hoon cook； proud of her multirace cuisine； banged pots and sprinkled powders until spicy aromas finally overcame the stench of roast simla； restoring even Sara's queasy appetite。
A little while later； full dawn revealed stunning tan…and…green mountains towering across the eastern horizon。 The Stranger laughed as he worked shirtless； helping Sara and the other humans do a typical camp…chore assigned to Earthlings…erecting shelters of g'Kek blur cloth； to shade travelers and beasts through the blazing day。 The star…man's mutenes