[科幻]宿主- 第73部分

　“Could　you　hand　me　the　soap；　please；　Wanda？”　Trudy　asked　from　my　left。

　An　electric　current　ran　through　my　body　at　the　sound　of　my　name　spoken　by　a　female　voice。　Numbly；　I　
passed　her　the　soap　and　then　rinsed　the　sting　off　my　hand。

　“Thank　you；”　she　added。

　“You’re　wele；”　I　murmured。　My　voice　cracked　on　the　last　syllable。

　I　passed　Lily　in　the　hall　a　day　later　on　my　way　to　find　Jamie　before　dinner。

　“Wanda；”　she　said；　nodding。

　“Lily；”　I　answered；　my　throat　dry。

　Soon　it　wasn’t　just　Doc　and　Ian　who　asked　questions　at　night。　It　surprised　me　who　the　most　vocal　were：　
exhausted　Walter；　his　face　a　worrisome　shade　of　gray；　was　endlessly　interested　in　the　Bats　of　the　Singing　
World。　Heath；　usually　silent；　letting　Trudy　and　Geoffrey　talk　for　him；　was　outspoken　during　these　
evenings。　He　had　some　fascination　with　Fire　World；　and　though　it　was　one　of　my　least　favorite　stories　to　
tell；　he　peppered　me　with　questions　until　he’d　heard　every　detail　I　knew。　Lily　was　concerned　with　the　
mechanics　of　things—she　wanted　to　know　about　the　ships　that　carried　us　from　planet　to　planet；　their　
pilots；　their　fuel。　It　was　to　Lily　that　I　explained　the　cryotanks—something　they　had　all　seen　but　few　
understood　the　purpose　of。　Shy　Wes；　usually　sitting　close　to　Lily；　asked　not　about　other　planets　but　
about　this　one。　How　did　it　work？　No　money；　no　repense　for　work—why　did　our　souls’　society　not　
fall　apart？　I　tried　to　explain　that　it　was　not　so　different　from　life　in　the　caves。　Did　we　not　all　work　without　
money　and　share　in　the　products　of　our　labor　equally？

　“Yes；”　he　interrupted　me；　shaking　his　head。　“But　it’s　different　here—Jeb　has　a　gun　for　the　slackers。”

　Everyone　looked　at　Jeb；　who　winked；　and　then　they　all　laughed。

　Jeb　was　in　attendance　about　every　other　night。　He　didn’t　participate；　he　just　sat　thoughtfully　in　the　back　
of　the　room；　occasionally　grinning。

　He　was　right　about　the　entertainment　factor；　oddly；　for　we　all　had　legs；　the　situation　reminded　me　of　the　
See　Weeds。　There　had　been　a　special　title　for　entertainers　there；　likeforter　orHealer　orSeeker。　I　
was　one　of　theStorytellers；　so　the　transition　to　a　teacher　here　on　Earth　had　not　been　such　a　change；　
profession…wise；　at　least。　It　was　much　the　same　in　the　kitchen　after　dark；　with　the　smell　of　smoke　and　
baking　bread　filling　the　room。　Everyone　was　stuck　here；　as　good　as　planted。　My　stories　were　something　

　

　I　was　in　about　my　fourth　week　as　an　informal　teacher　when　life　in　the　caves　changed　again。

　The　kitchen　was　crowded；　as　was　usual。　Jeb　and　Doc　were　the　only　ones　missing　besides　the　normal　
two。　On　the　counter　next　to　me　was　a　metal　tray　of　dark；　doughy　rolls；　swollen　to　twice　the　size　they’d　
started　at。　They　were　ready　for　the　oven；　as　soon　as　the　current　tray　was　done。　Trudy　checked　every　
few　minutes　to　make　sure　nothing　was　burning。

　Often；　I　tried　to　get　Jamie　to　talk　for　me　when　he　knew　the　story　well。　I　liked　to　watch　the　enthusiasm　
light　up　his　face；　and　the　way　he　used　his　hands　to　draw　pictures　in　the　air。　Tonight；　Heidi　wanted　to　
know　more　about　the　Dolphins；　so　I　asked　Jamie　to　answer　her　questions　as　well　as　he　could。

　The　humans　always　spoke　with　sadness　when　they　asked　about　our　newest　acquisition。　They　saw　the　
Dolphins　as　mirrors　of　themselves　in　the　first　years　of　the　occupation。　Heidi’s　dark　eyes；　disconcerting　
underneath　her　fringe　of　white…blond　hair；　were　tight　with　sympathy　as　she　asked　her　questions。

　“They　look　more　like　huge　dragonflies　than　fish；　right；　Wanda？”　Jamie　almost　always　asked　for　
corroboration；　though　he　never　waited　for　my　answer。　“They’re　all　leathery；　though；　with　three；　four；　or　
five　sets　of　wings；　depending　on　how　old　they　are；　right？　So　they　kind　of　fly　through　the　water—it’s　
lighter　than　water　here；　less　dense。　They　have　five；　seven；　or　nine　legs；　depending　on　which　gender　they　
are；　right；　Wanda？　They　have　three　different　genders。　They　have　really　long　hands　with　tough；　strong　
fingers　that　can　build　all　kinds　of　things。　They　make　cities　under　the　water　out　of　hard　plants　that　grow　
there；　kind　of　like　trees　but　not　really。　They　aren’t　as　far　along　as　we　are；　right；　Wanda？　Because　they’ve　
never　made　a　spaceship　or；　like；　telephones　for　munication。　Humans　were　more　advanced。”

　Trudy　pulled　out　the　tray　of　baked　rolls；　and　I　bent　to　shove　the　next　tray　of　risen　dough　into　the　hot；　
smoking　hole。　It　took　a　little　jostling　and　balancing　to　get　it　in　just　right。

　As　I　sweated　in　front　of　the　fire；　I　heard　some　kind　of　motion　outside　the　kitchen；　echoing　down　the　
hall　from　somewhere　else　in　the　caves。　It　was　hard；　with　all　the　random　sound　reverberations　and　strange　
acoustics；　to　judge　distances　here。

　“Hey！”　Jamie　shouted　behind　me；　and　I　turned　just　in　time　to　see　the　back　of　his　head　as　he　sprinted　out　
the　door。

　I　straightened　out　of　my　crouch　and　took　a　step　after　him；　my　instinct　to　follow。

　“Wait；”　Ian　said。　“He’ll　be　back。　Tell　us　more　about　the　Dolphins。”

　Ian　was　sitting　on　the　counter　beside　the　oven—a　hot　seat　that　I　wouldn’t　have　chosen—which　made　
him　close　enough　to　reach　out　and　touch　my　wrist。　My　arm　flinched　away　from　the　unexpected　contact；　
but　I　stayed　where　I　was。

　“What’s　going　on　out　there？”　I　asked。　I　could　still　hear　some　kind　of　jabbering—I　thought　I　could　hear　
Jamie’s　excited　voice　in　the　mix。

　Ian　shrugged。　“Who　knows？　Maybe　Jeb…”　He　shrugged　again；　as　if　he　wasn’t　interested　enough　to　

　

　I　was　sure　I　would　find　out　soon　enough；　so　I　shrugged；　too；　and　started　explaining　the　incredibly　
plex　familial　relationships　of　the　Dolphins　while　I　helped　Trudy　stack　the　warm　bread　in　plastic　
containers。

　“Six　of　the　nine…　grandparents；　so　to　speak；　traditionally　stay　with　the　larvae　through　their　first　stage　of　
development　while　the　three　parents　work　withtheir　six　grandparents　on　a　new　wing　of　the　family　
dwelling　for　the　young　to　inhabit　when　they　are　mobile；”　I　was　explaining；　my　eyes　on　the　rolls　in　my　
hands　rather　than　my　audience；　as　usual；　when　I　heard　the　gasp　from　the　back　of　the　room。　I　continued　
with　my　next　sentence　automatically　as　I　scanned　the　crowd　to　see　who　I’d　upset。　“The　remaining　three　
grandparents　are　customarily　involved…”

　No　one　was　upset　with　me。　Every　head　was　turned　in　the　same　direction　I　was　looking。　My　eyes　
skipped　across　the　backs　of　their　heads　to　the　dark　exit。

　The　first　thing　I　saw　was　Jamie’s　slight　figure；　clinging　to　someone’s　arm。　Someone　so　dirty；　head　to　toe；　
that　he　almost　blended　right　in　with　the　cave　wall。　Someone　too　tall　to　be　Jeb；　and　anyway；　there　was　Jeb　
just　behind　Jamie’s　shoulder。　Even　from　this　distance；　I　could　see　that　Jeb’s　eyes　were　narrowed　and　his　
nose　wrinkled；　as　if　he　were　anxious—a　rare　emotion　for　Jeb。　Just　as　I　could　see　that　Jamie’s　face　was　
bright　with　sheer　joy。

　“Here　we　go；”　Ian　muttered　beside　me；　his　voice　barely　audible　above　the　crackle　of　the　flames。

　The　dirty　man　Jamie　was　still　clinging　to　took　a　step　forward。　One　of　his　hands　rose　slowly；　like　an　
involuntary　reflex；　and　curled　into　a　fist。

　From　the　dirty　figure　came　Jared’s　voice—flat；　perfectly　devoid　of　any　inflection。　“What　is　the　meaning　
of　this；　Jeb？”

　My　throat　closed。　I　tried　to　swallow　and　found　the　way　blocked。　I　tried　to　breathe　and　was　not　
successful。　My　heart　drummed　unevenly。

　Jared！Melanie’s　exultant　voice　was　loud；　a　silent　shriek　of　elation。　She　burst　into　radiant　life　inside　my　
head。Jared　is　home！

　“Wanda　is　teaching　us　all　about　the　universe；”　Jamie　babbled　eagerly；　somehow　not　catching　on　to　
Jared’s　fury—he　was　too　excited　to　pay　attention；　maybe。

　“Wanda？”Jared　repeated　in　a　low　voice　that　was　almost　a　snarl。

　There　were　more　dirty　figures　in　the　hall　behind　him。　I　only　noticed　them　when　they　echoed　his　snarl　with　
an　outraged　muttering。

　A　blond　head　rose　from　the　frozen　audience。　Paige　lurched　to　her　feet。　“Andy！”　she　cried；　and　stumbled　
through　the　figures　seated　around　her。　One　of　the　dirty　men　stepped　around　Jared　and　caught　her　as　she　
nearly　fell　over　Wes。　“Oh；　Andy！”　she　sobbed；　the　tone　of　her　voice　reminding　me　of　Melanie’s。

　Paige’s　outburst　changed　the　atmosphere　momentarily。　The　silent　crowd　began　to　murmur；　most　of　them　
rising　to　their　feet。　The　sound　was　one　of　wele　now；　as　the　majority　went　to　greet　the　returned　
travelers。　I　tried　to　read　the　strange　expressions　on　their　faces　as　they　forced　grins　onto　their　lips　and　

　

　“It’s　going　to　be　okay；　Wanda；”　Ian　murmured　under　his　breath。　
I　glanced　at　him　wildly；　searching　for　that　same　guilt　on　his　face。　I　didn’t　find　it；　only　a　defensive　
tightening　around　his　vivid　eyes　as　he　stared　at　the　newers。


　“What　the　hell；　people？”　a　new　voice　boomed。　
Kyle—easily　identifiable　by　his　size　despite　the　grime—was　shoving　his　way　around　Jared　and　heading　
toward…　me。


　“You’re　letting　it　tell　you　its　lies？　Have　you　all　gone　crazy？　Or　did　it　lead　the　Seekers　here？　Are　youall　
parasites　now？”　
Many　heads　fell　forward；　ashamed。　Only　a　few　kept　their　chins　stiffly　in　the　air；　their　shoulders　squared：　


Lily；　Trudy；　Heath；　Wes…　and　frail　Walter；　of　all　people。　
“Easy；　Kyle；”　Walter　said　in　his　feeble　voice。　
Kyle　ignored　him。　He　walked　with　deliberate　steps　toward　me；　his　eyes；　the　same　vibrant　cobalt　as　his　

brother’s；　glowing　with　rage。　I　couldn’t　keep　my　eyes　on　him；　though—they　kept　returning　to　Jared’s　

dark　shape；　trying　to　read　his　camouflaged　face。　
Melanie’s　love　flowed　through　me　like　a　lake　bursting　through　a　dam；　distracting　me　even　more　from　the　
enraged　barbarian　closing　the　distance　quickly。


　Ian　slid　into　my　view；　moving　to　place　himself　in　front　of　me。　I　strained　my　neck　to　the　side　to　keep　my　
view　of　Jared　clear。　
“Things　changed　while　you　were　gone；　brother。”　
Kyle　halted；　face　slack　with　disbelief。　“Did　the　Seekers　e；　then；　Ian？”


　“She’s　not　a　danger　to　us。”　
Kyle　ground　his　teeth　together；　and　from　the　corner　of　my　eye；　I　saw　him　reach　for　something　in　his　
pocket。


　This　captured　my　attention　at　last。　I　cringed；　expecting　a　weapon。　The　words　stumbled　off