第四章
[The psychohistorian] Constance Wildman would have us believe that the Robotech Wars were nothing more than a series of incestuous struggles and Freudian-inspired rivalries-the Masters and their "children," the Zentraedi; the various intrigues that blossomed around "primal goddess" Lynn-Minmei; the Flower as grail, nutrient mother's milk...And she adduces the Regis-Tesla-Regent triangle to strengthen her case; for where else "do we find a more perfect archetypal representation of the rebellious son who wishes to kill the father and possess the mother·" To which one might be tempted to answer: in the relationship between Zor and Haydon.
［心理历史学家］康斯坦斯·怀尔德曼要让我们相信，几次宇宙大战只不过是一系列乱伦冲动和弗洛伊德式对抗——统治者和他们的“孩子”天顶星人；围绕着“初始女神”林明美所萌发的色欲；花儿如同圣杯、富有养分的母乳……她引用瑞吉斯—泰斯拉—瑞金特的三角关系来支持她的论断并发问：究竟在何处“才能找到比这个叛逆之子弑父娶母更完美的典型？”如若有答案的话，那便是：佐尔与海顿之间的恩怨。
Footnote in Reedy Kahhn's Riders on the Storm: The Regent's Invid
——摘自丽迪·卡恩《风暴骑兵：瑞金特的因维一族》的脚注
"And you actually threatened Edwards·" the Regent's voice screamed through the communicator."You fool! You were supposed to entice him, not drive him further from my grasp."
“你真地威胁爱德华兹了？”通讯器上传出瑞金特的尖啸声：“你这个蠢材！派你去是为了引诱他，而不是把他从我的掌控中赶走！”
In his quarters on the fleet flagship, the Invid simulagent gulped and found his voice."I was only trying to get information out of him-as you yourself requested. But he wouldn't reveal anything about his homeworld. And worse still, he didn't seem to believe me when I spoke of the power of our empire."
因维替身正在旗舰上的寓所里。他噎了一会儿才开口说话：“我只是尽力从他那儿套取信息——按您自己的要求。但他一点也不肯泄露自己母星的信息。更糟糕的是，当我谈到我们帝国的国力时，他似乎不相信我。”
The Regent made a sour expression."Well, how could he, coming from the likes of you· Do you know nothing of subtlety· Have you forgotten all that the brain taught you about intelligence gathering· It's as though you've made up your mind to deal with the Humans in your own sloppy fashion, when your mission was to be my eyes and ears. Not my mouth!"
瑞金特面色愠恼。“嗯，就你这副样子，他怎么可能会相信？你一点微妙都不懂吗？难道你忘了主脑教给你如何搜集情报了吗？你这么干看来就是决心要用自己草率的方式来对付这些人类，可你的任务是为我听为我看，不是为我说！”
The simulagent winced, and turned to see if any of the soldiers were laughing behind his back. How could he begin to explain what he was going through-how the feel of power had worked its own magic on his mind, a magic that outweighed any concerns for diplomacy or "subtlety." But he kept these things tucked away from the being he was born to answer to, and instead thought to address the Regent as one might expect a servant to behave.
替身往回缩了一下，又转身看看身后有没有士兵笑话他。他如何才能开口解释自己的经历呢？如何解释那权力的滋味已在他头脑里施展了魔法，份量超越了所有的外交或“微妙”呢？但他还是决定把这些感受裹藏起来，不让瑞金特这个自己生来就要为他汇报的人知道。他反而以仆从的举止对瑞金特说道：
"I apologize, Your Highness. It's these Humans...they confuse me."
“向您致歉，殿下。是这些人类……让我糊涂了。”
"Yes," the Regent told him, softening his tone some,"I can understand that much. But I begin to wonder about this Edwards. It strikes me that perhaps he has seen through my ruse-no thanks to you."
“好的，”瑞金特对他说，语调有所缓和：“我还是能理解的。但我对这个爱德华兹产生了好奇。我忽然想到他可能看穿了我的策略——倒不是由于你的缘故。”
The simulagent lowered his snout to the communicator remote."Tell me how I can make amends. I am but your humble servant."
替身朝着远程通讯器垂下自己的尖嘴：“告诉我该如何弥补，我是您卑微的仆人。”
The Regent wagged a finger."And it would profit you to keep that in mind." He showed the sphere the palms of his hands."Why does everyone feel they can think for themselves· First my wife, now you...Only Tesla served me well." He waved his hands in the air."Arg, this whole affair is my fault anyway, sending a servant to do a conqueror's work." The Regent adjusted his robes."I want you to return to Optera. There's nothing more you can do on Tirol, and if I permit you to stay any longer, it's likely you'll undo something."
瑞金特一只手指摇了摇，说：“你只要把这个记在心里，就对自己有好处。”他伸出两只手掌朝通讯球展示着，“为什么每个人都认为他们能够为自己考虑？先是我的妻子，现在是你……只有泰斯拉曾为我好好尽力。”他又朝空中挥舞起双手：“啊，这整件事终究是我的错，派个奴仆去做征服者的工作。”瑞金特整理了一下长袍，“我要你回奥普特拉。在泰洛你已经没什么可做的了，要是我允许你在这里多待一阵子的话，你很可能会给我帮倒忙。”
"But, Your High-"
“可是，殿——”
"Don't argue with me! We can do without the captured brain a while longer, and there are other ways to extract the information we want about the Masters, the Matrix, and the Humans' homeworld. Better to let the situation on Tirol deteriorate of its own accord. Then Edwards and I will talk." The Regent's eyes stared out from the sphere, gazing coldly at his simulagent."You may have my looks"-he sighed-"but you certainly lack my talents."
“不要和我争辩！没有那个被俘虏的主脑，我们仍能坚持一段时间，还有其他办法能提取我们想要的关于统治者、母体、人类母星的信息。最好让泰洛的局势自行恶化。到那时爱德华兹将会和我对话。”瑞金特的双眼透过通讯球冷冷地盯着他的替身。“也许你有我的相貌，”——他叹息道——“可你的确没有我的本事。”
Rick slammed his hand down on the console-mike stud and shouted Wolff's call sign into the pickup. One minute Jonathan had been reporting that all signals were go for disengagement, and the next thing anyone knew he was saying something about the Beta having separated from the VT. And now the GMU seemed to have lost contact with both components.
瑞克重重地把手拍在控制台的话筒柱上，对着拾音器大喊沃尔夫的呼号（注：在无线电通讯中，呼号是电台的名称和代号，是识别空中无线电波发射的标志之一，即后文所提的升星）。一分钟前，乔纳森正报告一切就绪可执行脱离，但之后大家便听到他说什么贝塔已经从变形战机上分开的事情。而现在GMU看来已经和阿尔法贝塔两机都失去了联络。
"Rising Star, come in," Rick urged."Wolff! Respond. What's going on up there·" He swung around to Jean and Vince, who were busy at adjacent consoles."Anything·"
“升星，快回答，”瑞克催促道：“沃尔夫！快回答！上面发生什么事了？”他转身去看吉英和文斯，他俩正在紧邻的控制台上繁忙工作。“有什么进展？”
Jean swiveled to face him."Too much cloud cover for a visual on the Beta, but scanners show it on an accelerated course for the drive module. The Alpha's way off the mark. We should have some data soon."
吉英扭头面对他说：“云量太多，无法看到贝塔。但扫描器显示，它正在前往驱动模块的航线上加速。阿尔法偏离了目标。我们会很快获得一些数据的。”
"Was it the globes·"
“是圆球的原因么？”
"Can't tell, Rick," Vince said without turning around.
“不好说，瑞克。”文斯头也不回地回答。
Just then Wolff's voice crackled into life through the room's speakers."-actly sure what happened. Sarna was just passing along instructions to the orbs, then all of a sudden the Beta broke away. We're way off course. Can you give as a new heading·"
这时，沃尔夫的声音喀喇喇地从扬声器传了出来：“——确切了解到底发生了什么。莎娜当时正给圆球们发送指令，随后贝塔就突然分离了。我们正偏离航线。你能给我们新航向么？”
"Coming up," Rick answered him."Do you have any traffic from Janice·"
“马上就好，”瑞克回答。“你和贾妮斯通话了吗？”
"Negative, Rick. I can't even get a fix on the ship."
“没有，瑞克。我连贝塔的方位都不知道。”
"She's closing on the module, Jonathan," Vince said."Any guesses·"
“她正接近模块，乔纳森。”文斯说：“你能推测出什么吗？”
"Not right now."
“现在还不行。”
Rick was about to add something when the hatch hissed open."We've got troubles, sir," a Skull pilot announced.
瑞克正想再说点什么，舱门嘶嘶地打开了。“我们有麻烦了，长官。”一名骷髅中队的飞行员报告。
"We're aware of it," Rick said, more harshly than was necessary.
“我们知道了，”瑞克回答，语调有些过于严厉。
The captain took a puzzled look around."No, sir, in the caves. We're under attack."
这位机长疑惑地四望，又说：“不是的，长官。是在洞穴，我们正遭遇袭击。”
"Attack· From what·" Rick noticed for the first time that the woman was covered with dirt. Her face was smeared with some unidentifiable black fluid or grease.
“袭击？从哪里来？”瑞克这时才发现这位女机长身上盖着一层灰土。不知名的黑色液体或油污抹脏了她的脸。
"Uh," the pilot stammered,"you're going to have to decide for yourself, sir."
“啊，”飞行员结结巴巴地说，“您得自己看看才能知道，长官。”
Rick and the pilot left the base at a run. Outside, Rick saw scores of orbs streaming from the mouth of the cave. Veidt and a handful of Praxians and mecha pilots were doing their best to calm the creatures, but Max and Miriya, along with half the Wolff Pack, were nowhere in sight.
瑞克和这位飞行员奔跑着离开基地。外面，瑞克看到几十个球体从洞穴开口处涌出。维特、几个普拉西斯人以及几个战机飞行员都在尽其所能让生物们安静，但麦克斯、米莉娅以及沃尔夫战队的半数队员都不在视线之内。
"In here, sir!" the pilot was shouting, motioning to the cavernous entrance.
“这儿，长官！”女机长大喊，指向洞穴入口。
The floor of the cave was shaking, and Rick heard low rumbling sounds he initially attributed to tectonic tremors; then he realized that he was hearing explosions. These grew more concussive as he neared the grotto.
洞底摇晃着，瑞克听到低沉的隆隆声，起初他以为是地壳震动声，随后他意识到还有爆炸声传来。他接近洞穴时，震动越来越明显。
The place was in a state of near pandemonium, dozens of orbs bobbing along, underlit by intense flashes of explosive light that was pouring out from holes and shafts in the floor; strident voices raised above the clatter of weapon fire; and something else-a kind of shrill, clacking noise, as eerie as it was loud.
这里混乱如魔窟，阵阵爆炸引起的强烈闪光从地面洞口和井口下方射出，照亮了几十个不停跃动的圆球；刺耳的人声交杂在武器开火的咔咔声里；还有别的——尖锐的哔哔剥剥声，既响亮又阴森。
Rick glanced around, trying to make sense of things. Karen Penn was off in a corner, terrified, although Kami and Learna were by her side. Teal stood some distance from them, alone near what looked to be a limb of rock. Gnea and Bela were carrying coiled lengths of cord toward a shaft opening; close by were a couple of Perytonians and a few men from Wolff's team, donning gas masks and strapping on web-gear ammo packs.
瑞克环顾四周，想理清这里的情况。凯伦·潘在对面的角落，尽管卡米和莱亚娜站在她两侧，她还是吓坏了。缇尔离他们稍远，独自站在一块手臂般的岩石突出处。妮雅和贝拉背着卷好的长绳朝一个井口走去；近处是两个佩里顿人和沃尔夫战队的几名战士，戴着防毒面具，身上缠着弹药带。
Without warning someone thrust a Wolverine into his hands.
一句提醒也没有，有人往他手里猛塞了支金刚狼。
"Max!" Rick said, whirling around."What's-"
“麦克斯！”瑞克迅速转身，问：“怎么——”
"Cover up," Max cut him off. He tossed Rick a mask and trotted off toward the shaft, cradling an Owens Mark IX mob gun."Jack and Rem are trapped down there," he called over his shoulder."We've killed a bunch of them already, but they just keep coming!"
“戴好，”麦克斯打断他。他扔给瑞克一个面具，朝井口小跑过去，抱着一支欧文斯9型防暴枪。“杰克和雷陷在下面了，”他扭头说：“我们已经干掉几个了，可它们源源不断地过来！”
"Killed a bunch of what· Who keeps coming·"
“干掉几个什么？谁源源不断地过来？”
At the opening, Max pulled down his respirator and hooked on to one of the cords that had been lowered into the shaft."Ready·" he shouted above the din from down below. Breathless, Rick followed his lead, and the two of them took to the rigs.
在井口，麦克斯拉下面罩，抓住一根垂到井下的绳子。“准备好了吗？”他大喊的声音压住了洞下传来的噪音。瑞克摒住呼吸，跟在麦克斯后面，两人顺着绳子溜了下去。
A moment later, on the floor of an enormous sublevel room, Rick was certain they had overshot their mark and landed in hell. In the strobing light he could see they were standing on the rim of a massive well that seemed to drop straight down to the planet's molten core. Here, too, the ceiling was covered with orbs-most of them of greater size than any he had seen on the surface; but it was the creatures crawling up out of that well that had left him speechless. They might have been Hovertank-size spiders, except for their eyestalks, double-tiered segmented bodies, and front-facing mouths. And if they weren't the devil's own creation, Rick decided, then he didn't ever want to meet their maker. For no god could have loved so hideous and evil-looking a beast.
片刻后，二人进入一个巨大的地下空间。站在地面上，瑞克一时间觉得自己必定是打偏了目标，错进了地狱。在阵阵频闪的光线里他看到他俩正站在一口巨井的边缘，这井深不可测，仿佛直通普拉西斯的熔融地核。这儿的天花板也一样覆满圆球，绝大多数都比地面上他所见过的圆球要大；但是让他目瞪口呆的是正从井里往上爬出的生物。它们有气垫坦克那么大，形似蜘蛛，但是它们长着眼柄，双层身躯分节，嘴巴朝向正前方。瑞克心想，无论是谁造就了这些怪物，就算他不是魔鬼，我也不想见他。没有神祗会喜欢形貌如此丑陋邪恶的虫豸。
It thrilled him to realize that the black stickiness coating the cavern's floor was blood from these things, but even that was not enough to wash the fear out of him. He remembered reading somewhere that there was an actual endogenous terror hormone certain creatures gave rise to in the human body; and indeed he seemed to remember them in some primal corner of his mind. But then he suddenly recalled where he had actually seen them: they were the creatures an ancient and unknown Praxian hand had depicted on the cave's walls!
他意识到洞穴地面上的黑色粘液正是那些家伙的血，心中激动了一下，但这不足以洗清他心中的恐惧。他记起在哪里曾读过某些生物会使得人类体内的内生恐惧荷尔蒙（注：即肾上腺素类物质）含量上升；他又有印象，自己头脑某个原始角落里曾有它们的身影。突然间，他想起来（实际上在哪里见过这些怪物）了：这正是洞壁上那些古代普拉西斯人之手绘制出的生物！
Tesla was amazed by the Human female's strength. He had finally succeeded in dragging her backward into the Beta's cargo space and now had both of Janice's seemingly frail wrists firmly clasped in his own hands, but it had been a struggle all the way. Burak, meanwhile, had slid forward into the cockpit seat to handle the controls. The drive module was looming into view through the VT's canopy, right on schedule, and theirs for the taking.
这个人类女性的力量让泰斯拉十分讶异。他终于成功地将她往后拖到贝塔机的货舱，现在又用自己的双手钳住她一双看似纤细的手腕，但这都经过了一番搏斗。与此同时，伯拉克溜到前面的机舱座位，操纵起控制器来。透过变形机的机舱罩，驱动模块已经在眼前若隐若现，完全符合预定时间，让他们唾手可得。
"Welcome to our crew," Tesla was saying to the still-untamed female."Glad to have you aboard." Jonathan Wolff's urgent voice could be heard over the open net.
“欢迎加入我们的机组，”泰斯拉对仍在挣扎的女人说道。“很高兴能有你在机上。”而在开放通讯网上仍传来沃尔夫急切的声音。
Janice twisted around, almost breaking free of his hold, and glared at him."Is this any way to treat a guest·"
贾妮斯扭动着，差点脱开了他的控制，瞪着他说：“你就是这么招待客人的？”
"If I let you free, will you promise to behave·"
“要是我放开你，你能保证听话么？”
Janice gave her head a defiant toss."Try me."
贾妮斯蔑视地扬起头，答道：“试试看啊。”
Tesla eased his grip, and the android everyone thought a woman lunged for Burak's neck. Tesla pinioned her arms and threw her roughly against the aft bulkhead; he was pleased to see some of the fight go out of her.
泰斯拉刚松开手，那个外人都以为她是人类女性的人造人朝伯拉克直扑过去。泰斯拉捆住她的双臂，粗暴地把她抛向机尾舱壁；他很高兴地发现她的斗志已经有些松懈。
"Burak," Janice said weakly, one hand to her head."What's your part in this· I can't believe you'd leave your friends to die back there."
“伯拉克，”贾妮斯虚弱地说，一手扶着自己的头。“你在这里算什么角色？我不能相信你会把你的朋友抛弃在那儿，任他们去死。”
Burak showed her his profile, velvety horns and heavily boned brows accented amber in the display lights."It's the only way I can help free my planet," he offered."You can't understand-"
伯拉克侧面对她，茸角与突出的眉骨在显示屏的光线下勾勒出琥珀色的轮廓。“只有这样我才能帮助我的星球重归自由。”他答道：“你不会明白的——”
"Enough of this," Tesla interrupted, taking stock of the wounds Janice's fingernails had opened on his arms."Pay attention to what you're doing. And shut down the comm," he added, gesturing to the net switch.
“够了，”泰斯拉打断了他的话，一边端详着自己手臂上被贾妮斯的指甲划破的伤口。“把注意力放在自己的工作上。关掉通讯器，”他补充道，朝通讯网的开关挥了挥手。
The crystalline-shaped Spherisian module filled their view now, eclipsing the stars. Burak matched the Beta's course to the module's seemingly slow-motion end-over-end roll, and began to maneuver the mecha along the drive's scorched and much-abused hull. He utilized the onboard computer to communicate with the module's own, and within minutes the docking-bay hatch was opened; the Beta was home free.
晶体形状的史菲利思模块在他们视野中越来越大，遮住了点点星光。模块以慢动作节奏头尾翻滚着，伯拉克调整贝塔机的航线使之协调一致，并开始沿着模块烧焦破损的外壳做机动动作。他利用贝塔的机上电脑与模块的电脑通讯，几分钟后，停机舱舱门打开；贝塔机笃定能驶入飞船了。
When the bay had repressurized, the trio climbed from the Beta cockpit and eventually found their way to the bridge. Tesla carried Janice the entire way, bear-hugged to his huge chest like some sort of stuffed toy he couldn't live without. Burak lugged along the mutated fruits he had smuggled aboard the VT before liftoff.
飞船舱内重新加压后，三人从贝塔机机舱爬出，最终找到了通往舰桥的路。泰斯拉一路上都抱着贾妮斯，好似胸前抱着个极心爱的毛绒玩具，若要丢了便活不下去。伯拉克则边走边费力拖着一包变种果子，变形机上天前他就将果子偷运了进来。
The Invid was feeling omnipotent-not only because he had so easily outwitted the Sentinels, but because he would soon be on his way to Optera for the face-to-face encounter with the Regent he had so often envisioned these past periods. The fruits from Karbarra and Praxis had, so he believed, rendered him superior to the monarch he had once served as soldier and would-be son. And now it was time for the Regent to step aside and grant him his due position as leader of the Invid race. Tesla had come to understand that it took more than mere strength to lead; it took insight and vision, and these gifts were his in abundance.
这个因维人产生了一种无所不能的感觉——不只是因为他智胜了哨兵同盟，还因为他将很快踏上前往奥普特拉的路上，和瑞金特面对面地相会。之前这段时间里，他曾不断地想象这场会面。过去他充当过这位君主的战士，并自诩为他的儿子，但他相信，卡巴拉和普拉西斯的果子，已经给了他超越瑞金特的能力。现在正是瑞金特让出位子并授予他应得的因维之族领袖地位的时候了。泰斯拉开始领悟，领导族群需要的不只是单纯的力量，还需要洞察力和见识，而这两样才能他都充分具备。
But as they arrived at the drive's control room, some very real problems presented themselves, eroding Tesla's fantasies and summoning an anger from his depths.
但当他们到达驱动模块的控制室时，出现了一些非常实际的问题，这侵蚀了泰斯拉的白日美梦，召唤出了他内心深处的愤怒。
"But you told me you could astrogate this ship!"
“可你告诉过我你能驾驶这船宇宙飞行的！”
With a gesture of helplessness, Burak turned from the starmaps and spacefold charts he had called up on the Spherisian guidance monitors."I thought I could, but now..."
伯拉克从史菲利思导航监视器上调出的星图与空间折叠图前转过身，做了个无助的手势，说道：“我以为自己能行，可现在……”
Tesla stormed over to him and began to scan the screens, puzzling over the datascrolls. He pointed a thick finger at one of them."Here. Here is Optera."
泰斯拉对他大发雷霆，自己开始搜索屏幕，辨认起数据来。他用一根粗大的手指指向其中一条。“这里，奥普特拉在这里。”
Burak's eyes opened wide."Optera! But, Tesla-Peryton, we're going to Peryton."
伯拉克双眼圆睁，说：“奥普特拉！但是，泰斯拉——佩里顿，我们要去的是佩里顿。”
Telsa pushed him aside."In due time," he said absently."First there is something I must attend to."
泰斯拉把他推到一边。“时机到了再去，”他敷衍着：“先去那边，我有事情必须处理。”
Burak steeled himself."Then attend to it without my help."
伯拉克刻意冷酷地说：“那就自己去处理吧，我不帮你。”
Tesla made a violent motion with his hands, but checked himself short of the Perytonian's neck, taking him instead by the shoulders, fraternally."Of course, my dear. To Peryton, then." Tesla's hands urged Burak down into one of the acceleration seats."Now, why don't we try to figure this out together, step by step. Let's just say for example's sake that we did want to fold for Opteraspace...Now, how would we do that, my friend...·"
泰斯拉的双手猛地朝着佩里顿人的脖子掐去，但快接近的时候，他抑制住自己，手改变了方向，朝肩膀压下，仿佛兄长一般。“当然了，亲爱的朋友。那么，我们去佩里顿。”泰斯拉用手把伯拉克按在一个加速座椅上。“现在，我们为什么不把这事情一步步地弄清楚呢。让我们就是举个例子，我们比如要想折叠到奥普特拉空间……现在，我们如何去做呢，我的朋友……？”
Janice took in the exchange from across the room. The two mutineers had all but forgotten about her, so it was easy enough to jack into the drive's systems while their attention was focused elsewhere. In a short time she had completed her bit of cybernetic magic. No matter what they fed into the ship's astrogational computers now, the module was locked on course for the Fantoma space system.
贾妮斯弄明白了房间那头的争论。两个叛变者已经忘了她，于是利用他们注意力正集中在别处的机会，她可以轻易地入侵驱动系统。很快，她便完成了那点控制工程魔术。现在，不管他们往这艘船的导航电脑里馈送什么样的数据，模块已经锁定了前往凡托玛空间的航线。
Janice smiled to herself, wondering how Tesla would take to surprises.
贾妮斯暗自微笑，想知道泰斯拉会如何面对这份“惊喜”。
At first it was believed that Baker and Rem had been captured or eaten by the bristly eight-legged crawling nightmares delivered up from the Praxian netherworld; but subsequently the Sentinels found that their two teammates were simply being detained-the word someone from the Wolff Pack had used. Jack and Rem had been probed and manhandled, but apparently were safe. It seemed that the arachnids-Gnea and Bela had a name for them no one could pronounce-had no taste for meat. Moreover, the creatures weren't on a feeding frenzy at all-nor, for that matter, were they interested in counterattacking the beings who were busy lancing them with lasers and rockets. Like the orbs, these living anachronisms-unseen on Praxis for millennia-were attempting to flee the storms that burned at the planet's transformed core.
起初大家以为贝克和雷被这些从普拉西斯底层送来的八腿刚毛爬行恐兽捕获或者干脆吃掉了；但随后哨兵们发现这两位队友只是在下面被“扣留”了——这个字眼是沃尔夫战队的某人用的。杰克和雷被探查时也遭到了粗暴对待，但看来还算安全。看来这些蛛形生物——妮雅和贝拉用一个外人不会发音的专名来称呼它们——不喜食肉。还有，那些生物完全不处于捕食狂躁期——谈到这里，其实它们对忙于用激光和火箭炮投向自己的人们也没有反击的兴趣。和圆球们一样，这些与时代不合的生物们——在普拉西斯星上有成千上万年都未曾出现过——正努力逃离这场燃自普拉西斯星已变形地核深处的烈火风暴。
Rick was long past his initial fright, but the sour taste of fear remained in his mouth. It struck him as odd that while in his day he had fought fifty-foot giants and walking slugs, ridden into battle alongside humanoid clones, ursine warriors, and amazons on Robotsteeds, he could experience such utter terror at the sight of giant spiders. Maybe, he had decided, it was the very mindlessness of the creatures; after all, even the Invid weren't monsters, were they· The Praxian women had been equally frightened, and Rick tried to imagine what it might be like to go up against, say, dinosaurs.
瑞克早已从最初的惊骇中恢复，但嘴里仍能尝到那份恐惧的酸楚。他突然觉得奇怪，他经历过与五十英尺高的巨战士和蜗牛人拼杀；也曾和克隆人、熊人、骑着钢铁战马的蛮族女战士并肩冲入战场，怎么会在看到巨蜘蛛时感到如此彻底的畏惧。他找了个理由，大约是因为这种生物没有智慧吧；毕竟，就算是因维人，也算不上怪兽，不是吗？普拉西斯女人们也一样害怕，瑞克试着想象，这对于她们来说就好比，嗯，大战恐龙。
But if the creatures hadn't actually added to the Sentinels' plight, they had done nothing to improve things. Countless orbs had exited the cave, and now there was a nasty bit of mopping up to do down below while the rest of the orbs were mustered for further lift assists. To make matters worse, there was still no word from the Beta, and one of the Spherisians had gone and gotten himself stuck in a rock!
可就算这些生物没给哨兵的困境雪上加霜，它们也没带来任何转机。无数圆球已经离开了洞穴，现在剩下的圆球们正召集起来准备进一步协助抬升，而此时下面又还有打扫战场的脏活要干。更糟糕的是，贝塔机音讯全无，还有个史菲利斯人离开了，被困在了岩石当中。
Presently, Rick and some of the others were grouped around Teal and the hand that had once belonged to her friend. Baldan was merged with the wall-the way a Mesoamerican bas-relief could be said to be merged to a stela. His profile was frozen but plainly visible, and there was a crystalline mass protruding from the section of rock where his chest might have been. The crystal grew before the astonished eyes of the assembled group.
此刻，瑞克等人聚到了缇尔与那块曾是她朋友手臂的岩石周围。鲍丹和洞壁结合在一起——好似中美洲的浅浮雕刻在石碑上。他的侧面一动不动但清晰可见。还有一大块结晶体突出在岩石的断面上，那曾经是他的胸部。那水晶在人群惊讶的目光前生长着。
"No, you can't, Baldan-please stop this!" Teal was shouting to the wall. She swung around to Rick."He is attempting to transfer his essence. But this has never been achieved on any world but Spheris." She looked back at the engorged growth."And I don't want to raise it!"
“不，你不能这样，鲍丹——快停下来！”缇尔对着洞壁大喊。她朝瑞克转过身来，说：“他在试着将自己的髓质传送过来。但这在史菲利思之外的星球上，从来没有成功过。”她回头望着那充血般生长的晶体，又说：“而且我也不想要养着它！”
Again the crystal enlarged. Teal put her hands to her head in a panicked gesture and pleaded with Baldan to stop. But ultimately her hands reached for the faceted thing and she began to tug at it.
晶体又长大了一截。缇尔双手抱头，惊慌失措，又恳求鲍丹快停下来。可最后她还是朝那多面晶体伸出双手，开始拖拽它。
"It's no use, Baldan," she cried."It will die!"
“没用的，鲍丹，”她哭喊着：“它会死的！”
Rick moved in to give her a hand, and with some effort the two of them managed to pull the crystal loose. The hollow pop! sent a shudder up Rick's back. Baldan's profile receded into the wall and vanished. Teal dropped the crystal from her trembling hands and regarded it.
瑞克走近，帮了她一把。两人费了些力气，终于拔出了水晶。随着空洞的一声噗响，瑞克的后背一阵战栗。鲍丹的侧影退入洞壁，消失了。缇尔将水晶从发抖的手掌里放下，端详着它。
"The child is lifeless...dead." She looked around at the others."Baldan is lost to us."
“这孩子没有生命……死了。”她环视四周众人，说：“我们失去了鲍丹。”
Whimpering sounds found their way out from under Kami and Learna's breathing tubes. Rick took Teal by the shoulders."What did he tell you·"
卡米和莱亚娜的呼吸管漏出了呜咽声。瑞克扶住缇尔的肩膀：“他告诉了你什么？”
She stared at him blankly for a moment, then said,"The Invid. They must have been using Praxis for experiments of some sort. It was the chambers they hollowed out that gave birth to those creatures. And these same chambers have ushered in this world's demise."
她茫然地注视他，片刻后说道：“因维人。他们一定是利用普拉西斯星做某种试验。是那些坑洞，他们挖空了坑洞，生出那些动物。也正是这些坑洞将这个星球引向灭亡。”
"But what kind of experiments·" Rick demanded."What were they trying to create·"
“可那又是什么样的试验？”瑞克追问：“他们试图造出什么生命？”
Teal shook her head.
缇尔摇摇头。
Tight-lipped, Rick released her and motioned a radioman over to him."Any word from the Beta·" he asked Vince when the GMU link was established.
瑞克双唇紧闭，松开了她，挥手让一个通讯兵过来。“贝塔机有消息吗？”接通了GMU的通讯后，他问文斯。
"They've reached the module," Vince updated."But we're not getting through to them."
“他们已经到达模块，”文斯给了他最新情报：“但我们还是一直联络不上他们。”
Rick summarized what had gone down in the caverns."I want to speak with Tesla as soon as they call in. He must know something about all this-these pits. Maybe there's a way to reverse it·"
瑞克扼要地说了说下面洞穴发生的事情。“一旦他们通讯过来，我要和泰斯拉说话。他一定知道些这里的原委——这些坑洞。也许能有什么办法能逆转呢？”
"Unlikely," Vince responded."But I'm sure Tesla will tell us what he knows. He's practically one of us now."
“不太可能，”文斯回答。“但我保证泰斯拉会将自己所知告诉我们的。如今，他已经是我们中事实上的一员了。”
With a little help from the GMU's computers, the Alpha was back on course. Wolff and his Haydonite copilot were I at a loss to explain the unexpected separation, but they assumed Janice had done so with some good purpose in mind, and that her radio silence was nothing more than a glitch in the system. It didn't occur to either of them that there was conspiracy afoot.
有了GMU电脑的小小帮忙之后，阿尔法机重回航道。沃尔夫和他的海顿人副驾驶无法解释贝塔意外的分离，但他们认定贾妮斯这么做是因为她心中有合理的目的，而她保持无线电静默也是系统上出故障的原因。这两个人谁也没想到这里面蕴有阴谋。
Wolff continued in this hopeful vein, even after he had learned that the Beta had apparently made a successful docking with the drive module. That singed piece of orbiting space debris was above him now, and he was getting all he could from the Alpha to make up for lost time. It was only when his radio requests for docking coordinates were ignored that he began to suspect foul play. The hunch became full-fledged concern when he couldn't get the Alpha's onboard systems to interface with the module. Consequently, the docking-bay shields remained closed, and unless something could be done to open them, the Alpha was going to wind up dead in space.
沃尔夫的思路继续朝这个乐观的方向发展，就算他得知贝塔机显然已经成功驶入驱动模块后也是如此。现在这块烧焦的太空废墟在他的正上方沿轨道绕行，他在阿尔法上正尽一切所能全力弥补已浪费的时间。只是当他用无线电呼叫对接坐标点的请求也被无视时，他才开始怀疑里面有鬼。而当他无法使阿尔法的机载系统和模块交互时，心中的隐隐怀疑已变成了重大问题。随之而来的是停机舱防护门紧闭不开。得做点什么把它弄开，否则阿尔法机就只能以永远停留太空而告终了。
Even if that meant going extravehicular.
哪怕这意味着要舱外行动。
Sarna took over the controls while Wolff suited up. Praxis turned below them like a cataracted eye. The telepath strapped in, bringing the Alpha as close as she could to the module's scarred hull; then Wolff blew the canopy. He floated up and out of the VT on a tether line, took hold of the side of the pinwheeling ship, and tried to center his attention on the alien external control panel. Sarna spoke to him through the helmet relays, avoiding the net in favor of frequencies of a cerebral sort. Wolff heard her thoughts as spoken words as he fumbled with Spherian switches designed for hands more sensitive than his own.
沃尔夫穿上太空服，而莎娜则接管了驾驶。普拉西斯星在他们下方，好似一只生了白内障的眼睛。（莎娜的）心电感应将阿尔法和模块绑在一起，飞机尽可能地接近了模块伤痕累累的外壳；随后沃尔夫离开了机舱。他系着一根绳索，从机舱飘起飞离，抓住了风车般旋转的船体，把精力集中在外星飞船的外部控制面板上。莎娜通过头盔中继器和他通话，使用脑波频率，从而避开了通讯网。沃尔夫摸索着史菲利斯飞船上那些为比自己更敏感的手指所设计的开关时，能听到她的思想，清晰如话语一般。
But a short while later the hatch was sliding open and pocketing itself in the crystalline hull. Sarna engaged the Alpha's attitude jets and began to maneuver the ship to safety.
好在没过多久，舱门便滑开隐入了晶体船壳。莎娜操纵着阿尔法的姿态调整喷气口，飞机安全入舱。
The Beta was inside, empty; and fortunately, Wolff decided, there was no welcoming party there to greet them. Down on the hold floor now he armed himself with a rifle and two handguns; Sarna had perfect recall of the module's corridor and compartment layout, so she led the way. They were barely out of the docking area when the ship lurched.
贝塔机在里面，空无一人；沃尔夫想，幸亏这里也没有什么欢迎派对问候他们。这时，他带了一支步枪和两支手枪充当武装，走下飞机，踏上船舱地板；莎娜对这个模块的走廊舱房布局记得很清楚，于是在前面领路。他们刚刚走出停机舱，船体便侧倾起来。
"We're leaving orbit," Sarna told him.
“我们正驶离轨道，”莎娜告诉他。
Wolff felt the rumble of the module's drives ladder its way up his legs. Sarna hovered along the corridor at an increased pace, then abruptly right-angled herself into a large cabinspace and told Wolff strap himself into one of the seats.
沃尔夫感到模块的驱动器隆隆震动传到了他的腿上。莎娜加快“脚步”，沿着走廊飘过，突然间她直角转弯进入一个大船舱，让沃尔夫坐进座椅，绑紧安全带。
Wolff regarded the acceleration couch and threw her a questioning look.
沃尔夫望着加速座椅，向她投去疑问的目光。
"We're preparing to fold," she told him.
“我们要准备折叠，”她告诉他。
"They've what!"
“他们已经什么？！”
"They folded," Vince Grant repeated."The module's gone."
“他们折叠了，”文斯·格兰特又重复了一遍。“模块不见了。”
Rick leaned against one of the GMU command-center consoles to catch his breath. He had run all the way from the cave only to hear the bad news as soon as he came through the hatch.
瑞克倚靠住一架GMU指挥中心的控制台，才稳住呼吸。他从洞穴一路跑来，结果一进舱门就只听来了这条坏消息。
"But, but, did they-"
“但，但是他们——”
"Not one word," Jean cut in."The last message we had was from Wolff. He was sure something had happened to Janice."
“一个字也没说，”吉英插话。“我们收到的最后一条消息是沃尔夫发来的。他确定贾妮斯出事了。”
"Tesla," Rick said, biting out the name.
“泰斯拉，”瑞克咬牙切齿地吐出这个名字。
Vince nodded."That's my guess."
文斯点头。“我也这么猜测。”
"But where's the Alpha now·" Rick added, looking back and forth between the two of them.
“可是现在阿尔法在哪里？”瑞克追问，来回扫视着二人。
Jean pushed herself back from the console, her hands on the arms of the chair."That's the weird part. The Alpha made it aboard."
吉英推了一下控制台，自己顺势后退，又把手搭在椅子扶手上。“这才是奇怪之处。阿尔法自行登上了模块。”
Rick fell silent; it felt for a moment as though they were speaking to him in a foreign tongue. He shook his head, hoping everything would settle into some sort of order."Maybe it wasn't Tesla. Maybe Janice knows something we don't..."
瑞克沉默了；有那么片刻他觉得他们在用外语在对他讲话。他摇摇头，希望能理清一切回归秩序。“也许不是泰斯拉。也许贾妮斯知道些我们不知道的事情……”
"Okay," Vince said.
“不错。”文斯说。
"And maybe she managed to get word to Wolff, but he couldn't reach us..."
“要不也许她设法联系上了沃尔夫，但他又联系不上我们……”
"Okay, again."
“也不错。”
"And maybe they had to fold because they realized there was no way to get everyone offworld using the VTs..."
“或者也许他们非得折叠不可，因为他们意识到用变形机无法把每个人都从这个星球运走。”
"Uh huh." Vince folded his arms."So they take off for Karbarra or Tirol, figuring we'll be able to wait it out."
“嗯哼。”文斯交叠双臂。“所以他们出发前往卡巴拉或者泰洛，推断我们能够等的及。”
Rick left it unanswered. There was no need, anyway, now that the tremors had recommenced. A steady, thunderous roar filtered into the room; somewhere nearby, mountain ranges were beginning to crumble.
瑞克没回答他。他们没必要，不管怎么说，现在地震已经开始了。一阵连续雷击般的轰鸣传入房内；就在不远处，片片山脉开始崩溃。
It was a short jump. Wolff could feel himself coming out of the fold's dizzying effects, and was on his feet even before Sarna had furnished him with an all-clear sign.
这是短程折叠。沃尔夫能感到自己正从折叠时的眩晕状态走出，甚至在莎娜给他手势施展“完全清醒”的思维效果之前，他就已经站立起身了。
When the two of them burst onto the module's bridge, they found Tesla and Burak seated at the controls. Janice was off to one side, asleep, Wolff thought.
当这两人突然冲进模块的舰桥时，他们发现泰斯拉和伯拉克坐在控制台边。贾妮斯在另一侧，看似睡着了，沃尔夫这么认为。
Tesla and Burak both swung around as they heard the hiss of the hatch. The Invid's snout dropped open when he saw Wolff standing there armed to the teeth, and he immediately fell backward against his coconspirator, hoping Wolff would read it as Burak attempting a capture.
泰斯拉和伯拉克听到舱门开启嘶嘶声时，都转身回望。因维人看到沃尔夫全副武装站在那里时，尖嘴惊讶地张开合不拢，随后立刻向后摔倒，倒向自己的同谋，希望沃尔夫会以为伯拉克在擒拿他。
The two XTs rolled across one of the console benches and down onto the floor. Taken completely off guard, Burak didn't know what had hit him. But Tesla was forcing himself into a subordinate position now, and ordering Burak to grab him by the neck.
两个外星人在控制台的一条座凳上翻滚，摔倒在地上。伯拉克毫无防备，完全不知道是什么把他击倒。但泰斯拉这时尽力摆出一副恭顺的姿态，要求伯拉克捏住他的脖颈。
"Fight, you idiot!" Tesla was whispering."You've go to make them believe you had nothing to do with this!"
“打我，你这个笨蛋！”泰斯拉低语：“你得让他们相信你和这件事没有瓜葛才行！”
Burak finally got the message and threw his hands around the Invid's thick neck. The two of them butted heads and snarled and cursed at each other. Burak was working his thumbs up Tesla's snout by the time Wolff succeeded in pulling him away.
伯拉克最终领会了精神，双手卡住因维人的粗脖子。二人头角相抵，怒吼着互相咒骂对方。沃尔夫费力拉开伯拉克时，他正用两只拇指掰泰斯拉的尖嘴。
"Back off!" Wolff told him, brandishing one of the handguns."Tesla, on your feet!"
“退后！”沃尔夫挥舞着一支手枪告诉他：“泰斯拉，站起来！”
Sarna hovered over to the com.
莎娜漂浮着移到通讯器那里。
The Invid raised his hands, but remained on his knees, pleading with Wolff not to kill him, and confessing to his attempt to seize the ship.
因维人举起双手，但仍然跪着，求沃尔夫饶他一命，还坦白了他控制飞船的企图。
"And if it wasn't for this horned fiend I'd have-"
“而且如果不是这个长角恶魔，我就能——”
"Cut the crap," Wolff said. He turned around to Burak, who was trying his best to look innocent, even heroic."You threw in with this slug."
“闭上臭嘴，”沃尔夫说。他转身面对伯拉克，他正努力摆出一副无辜甚至有些英勇的表情。“你竟然和这个蜗牛掺和。”
"I didn't!" Burak argued."He put a spell on us!"
“我没有！”伯拉克争辩着：“他给我们施了法术！”
"A spell·" Wolff almost laughed."You mean he made you do it·"
“法术？”沃尔夫差点笑出声来：“你是说他逼你干的？”
Burak pointed to Janice."Ask her if you don't believe me."
伯拉克指着贾妮斯，说：“你不相信我就去问她。”
Janice had reactivated herself. She looked at Wolff and said,"They were in it together-"
贾妮斯已经重新激活了自己。她看着沃尔夫说道：“他们是一起的——”
"Liar!" Burak yelled.
“你撒谎！”伯拉克大喊。
"-but they couldn't seem to agree on a destination. So I made the decision for them."
“——但他们好像不能就目的地大成一致。所以我就替他们决定了。”
Tesla and Burak traded looks.
泰斯拉和伯拉克互望，交换眼神。
"Where are we·" Wolff said, as confused as anyone else.
“我们现在在哪里？”沃尔夫问道，和每个人一样都疑惑不解。
"Fantoma," Janice said, and Tesla fainted.
“凡托玛，”贾妮斯话音刚落，泰斯拉便昏倒了。
《沙丘》六部曲合集
《波西杰克逊》系列合集
《猎魔人》合集
［心理历史学家］康斯坦斯·怀尔德曼要让我们相信，几次宇宙大战只不过是一系列乱伦冲动和弗洛伊德式对抗——统治者和他们的“孩子”天顶星人；围绕着“初始女神”林明美所萌发的色欲；花儿如同圣杯、富有养分的母乳……她引用瑞吉斯—泰斯拉—瑞金特的三角关系来支持她的论断并发问：究竟在何处“才能找到比这个叛逆之子弑父娶母更完美的典型？”如若有答案的话，那便是：佐尔与海顿之间的恩怨。
Footnote in Reedy Kahhn's Riders on the Storm: The Regent's Invid
——摘自丽迪·卡恩《风暴骑兵：瑞金特的因维一族》的脚注
"And you actually threatened Edwards·" the Regent's voice screamed through the communicator."You fool! You were supposed to entice him, not drive him further from my grasp."
“你真地威胁爱德华兹了？”通讯器上传出瑞金特的尖啸声：“你这个蠢材！派你去是为了引诱他，而不是把他从我的掌控中赶走！”
In his quarters on the fleet flagship, the Invid simulagent gulped and found his voice."I was only trying to get information out of him-as you yourself requested. But he wouldn't reveal anything about his homeworld. And worse still, he didn't seem to believe me when I spoke of the power of our empire."
因维替身正在旗舰上的寓所里。他噎了一会儿才开口说话：“我只是尽力从他那儿套取信息——按您自己的要求。但他一点也不肯泄露自己母星的信息。更糟糕的是，当我谈到我们帝国的国力时，他似乎不相信我。”
The Regent made a sour expression."Well, how could he, coming from the likes of you· Do you know nothing of subtlety· Have you forgotten all that the brain taught you about intelligence gathering· It's as though you've made up your mind to deal with the Humans in your own sloppy fashion, when your mission was to be my eyes and ears. Not my mouth!"
瑞金特面色愠恼。“嗯，就你这副样子，他怎么可能会相信？你一点微妙都不懂吗？难道你忘了主脑教给你如何搜集情报了吗？你这么干看来就是决心要用自己草率的方式来对付这些人类，可你的任务是为我听为我看，不是为我说！”
The simulagent winced, and turned to see if any of the soldiers were laughing behind his back. How could he begin to explain what he was going through-how the feel of power had worked its own magic on his mind, a magic that outweighed any concerns for diplomacy or "subtlety." But he kept these things tucked away from the being he was born to answer to, and instead thought to address the Regent as one might expect a servant to behave.
替身往回缩了一下，又转身看看身后有没有士兵笑话他。他如何才能开口解释自己的经历呢？如何解释那权力的滋味已在他头脑里施展了魔法，份量超越了所有的外交或“微妙”呢？但他还是决定把这些感受裹藏起来，不让瑞金特这个自己生来就要为他汇报的人知道。他反而以仆从的举止对瑞金特说道：
"I apologize, Your Highness. It's these Humans...they confuse me."
“向您致歉，殿下。是这些人类……让我糊涂了。”
"Yes," the Regent told him, softening his tone some,"I can understand that much. But I begin to wonder about this Edwards. It strikes me that perhaps he has seen through my ruse-no thanks to you."
“好的，”瑞金特对他说，语调有所缓和：“我还是能理解的。但我对这个爱德华兹产生了好奇。我忽然想到他可能看穿了我的策略——倒不是由于你的缘故。”
The simulagent lowered his snout to the communicator remote."Tell me how I can make amends. I am but your humble servant."
替身朝着远程通讯器垂下自己的尖嘴：“告诉我该如何弥补，我是您卑微的仆人。”
The Regent wagged a finger."And it would profit you to keep that in mind." He showed the sphere the palms of his hands."Why does everyone feel they can think for themselves· First my wife, now you...Only Tesla served me well." He waved his hands in the air."Arg, this whole affair is my fault anyway, sending a servant to do a conqueror's work." The Regent adjusted his robes."I want you to return to Optera. There's nothing more you can do on Tirol, and if I permit you to stay any longer, it's likely you'll undo something."
瑞金特一只手指摇了摇，说：“你只要把这个记在心里，就对自己有好处。”他伸出两只手掌朝通讯球展示着，“为什么每个人都认为他们能够为自己考虑？先是我的妻子，现在是你……只有泰斯拉曾为我好好尽力。”他又朝空中挥舞起双手：“啊，这整件事终究是我的错，派个奴仆去做征服者的工作。”瑞金特整理了一下长袍，“我要你回奥普特拉。在泰洛你已经没什么可做的了，要是我允许你在这里多待一阵子的话，你很可能会给我帮倒忙。”
"But, Your High-"
“可是，殿——”
"Don't argue with me! We can do without the captured brain a while longer, and there are other ways to extract the information we want about the Masters, the Matrix, and the Humans' homeworld. Better to let the situation on Tirol deteriorate of its own accord. Then Edwards and I will talk." The Regent's eyes stared out from the sphere, gazing coldly at his simulagent."You may have my looks"-he sighed-"but you certainly lack my talents."
“不要和我争辩！没有那个被俘虏的主脑，我们仍能坚持一段时间，还有其他办法能提取我们想要的关于统治者、母体、人类母星的信息。最好让泰洛的局势自行恶化。到那时爱德华兹将会和我对话。”瑞金特的双眼透过通讯球冷冷地盯着他的替身。“也许你有我的相貌，”——他叹息道——“可你的确没有我的本事。”
Rick slammed his hand down on the console-mike stud and shouted Wolff's call sign into the pickup. One minute Jonathan had been reporting that all signals were go for disengagement, and the next thing anyone knew he was saying something about the Beta having separated from the VT. And now the GMU seemed to have lost contact with both components.
瑞克重重地把手拍在控制台的话筒柱上，对着拾音器大喊沃尔夫的呼号（注：在无线电通讯中，呼号是电台的名称和代号，是识别空中无线电波发射的标志之一，即后文所提的升星）。一分钟前，乔纳森正报告一切就绪可执行脱离，但之后大家便听到他说什么贝塔已经从变形战机上分开的事情。而现在GMU看来已经和阿尔法贝塔两机都失去了联络。
"Rising Star, come in," Rick urged."Wolff! Respond. What's going on up there·" He swung around to Jean and Vince, who were busy at adjacent consoles."Anything·"
“升星，快回答，”瑞克催促道：“沃尔夫！快回答！上面发生什么事了？”他转身去看吉英和文斯，他俩正在紧邻的控制台上繁忙工作。“有什么进展？”
Jean swiveled to face him."Too much cloud cover for a visual on the Beta, but scanners show it on an accelerated course for the drive module. The Alpha's way off the mark. We should have some data soon."
吉英扭头面对他说：“云量太多，无法看到贝塔。但扫描器显示，它正在前往驱动模块的航线上加速。阿尔法偏离了目标。我们会很快获得一些数据的。”
"Was it the globes·"
“是圆球的原因么？”
"Can't tell, Rick," Vince said without turning around.
“不好说，瑞克。”文斯头也不回地回答。
Just then Wolff's voice crackled into life through the room's speakers."-actly sure what happened. Sarna was just passing along instructions to the orbs, then all of a sudden the Beta broke away. We're way off course. Can you give as a new heading·"
这时，沃尔夫的声音喀喇喇地从扬声器传了出来：“——确切了解到底发生了什么。莎娜当时正给圆球们发送指令，随后贝塔就突然分离了。我们正偏离航线。你能给我们新航向么？”
"Coming up," Rick answered him."Do you have any traffic from Janice·"
“马上就好，”瑞克回答。“你和贾妮斯通话了吗？”
"Negative, Rick. I can't even get a fix on the ship."
“没有，瑞克。我连贝塔的方位都不知道。”
"She's closing on the module, Jonathan," Vince said."Any guesses·"
“她正接近模块，乔纳森。”文斯说：“你能推测出什么吗？”
"Not right now."
“现在还不行。”
Rick was about to add something when the hatch hissed open."We've got troubles, sir," a Skull pilot announced.
瑞克正想再说点什么，舱门嘶嘶地打开了。“我们有麻烦了，长官。”一名骷髅中队的飞行员报告。
"We're aware of it," Rick said, more harshly than was necessary.
“我们知道了，”瑞克回答，语调有些过于严厉。
The captain took a puzzled look around."No, sir, in the caves. We're under attack."
这位机长疑惑地四望，又说：“不是的，长官。是在洞穴，我们正遭遇袭击。”
"Attack· From what·" Rick noticed for the first time that the woman was covered with dirt. Her face was smeared with some unidentifiable black fluid or grease.
“袭击？从哪里来？”瑞克这时才发现这位女机长身上盖着一层灰土。不知名的黑色液体或油污抹脏了她的脸。
"Uh," the pilot stammered,"you're going to have to decide for yourself, sir."
“啊，”飞行员结结巴巴地说，“您得自己看看才能知道，长官。”
Rick and the pilot left the base at a run. Outside, Rick saw scores of orbs streaming from the mouth of the cave. Veidt and a handful of Praxians and mecha pilots were doing their best to calm the creatures, but Max and Miriya, along with half the Wolff Pack, were nowhere in sight.
瑞克和这位飞行员奔跑着离开基地。外面，瑞克看到几十个球体从洞穴开口处涌出。维特、几个普拉西斯人以及几个战机飞行员都在尽其所能让生物们安静，但麦克斯、米莉娅以及沃尔夫战队的半数队员都不在视线之内。
"In here, sir!" the pilot was shouting, motioning to the cavernous entrance.
“这儿，长官！”女机长大喊，指向洞穴入口。
The floor of the cave was shaking, and Rick heard low rumbling sounds he initially attributed to tectonic tremors; then he realized that he was hearing explosions. These grew more concussive as he neared the grotto.
洞底摇晃着，瑞克听到低沉的隆隆声，起初他以为是地壳震动声，随后他意识到还有爆炸声传来。他接近洞穴时，震动越来越明显。
The place was in a state of near pandemonium, dozens of orbs bobbing along, underlit by intense flashes of explosive light that was pouring out from holes and shafts in the floor; strident voices raised above the clatter of weapon fire; and something else-a kind of shrill, clacking noise, as eerie as it was loud.
这里混乱如魔窟，阵阵爆炸引起的强烈闪光从地面洞口和井口下方射出，照亮了几十个不停跃动的圆球；刺耳的人声交杂在武器开火的咔咔声里；还有别的——尖锐的哔哔剥剥声，既响亮又阴森。
Rick glanced around, trying to make sense of things. Karen Penn was off in a corner, terrified, although Kami and Learna were by her side. Teal stood some distance from them, alone near what looked to be a limb of rock. Gnea and Bela were carrying coiled lengths of cord toward a shaft opening; close by were a couple of Perytonians and a few men from Wolff's team, donning gas masks and strapping on web-gear ammo packs.
瑞克环顾四周，想理清这里的情况。凯伦·潘在对面的角落，尽管卡米和莱亚娜站在她两侧，她还是吓坏了。缇尔离他们稍远，独自站在一块手臂般的岩石突出处。妮雅和贝拉背着卷好的长绳朝一个井口走去；近处是两个佩里顿人和沃尔夫战队的几名战士，戴着防毒面具，身上缠着弹药带。
Without warning someone thrust a Wolverine into his hands.
一句提醒也没有，有人往他手里猛塞了支金刚狼。
"Max!" Rick said, whirling around."What's-"
“麦克斯！”瑞克迅速转身，问：“怎么——”
"Cover up," Max cut him off. He tossed Rick a mask and trotted off toward the shaft, cradling an Owens Mark IX mob gun."Jack and Rem are trapped down there," he called over his shoulder."We've killed a bunch of them already, but they just keep coming!"
“戴好，”麦克斯打断他。他扔给瑞克一个面具，朝井口小跑过去，抱着一支欧文斯9型防暴枪。“杰克和雷陷在下面了，”他扭头说：“我们已经干掉几个了，可它们源源不断地过来！”
"Killed a bunch of what· Who keeps coming·"
“干掉几个什么？谁源源不断地过来？”
At the opening, Max pulled down his respirator and hooked on to one of the cords that had been lowered into the shaft."Ready·" he shouted above the din from down below. Breathless, Rick followed his lead, and the two of them took to the rigs.
在井口，麦克斯拉下面罩，抓住一根垂到井下的绳子。“准备好了吗？”他大喊的声音压住了洞下传来的噪音。瑞克摒住呼吸，跟在麦克斯后面，两人顺着绳子溜了下去。
A moment later, on the floor of an enormous sublevel room, Rick was certain they had overshot their mark and landed in hell. In the strobing light he could see they were standing on the rim of a massive well that seemed to drop straight down to the planet's molten core. Here, too, the ceiling was covered with orbs-most of them of greater size than any he had seen on the surface; but it was the creatures crawling up out of that well that had left him speechless. They might have been Hovertank-size spiders, except for their eyestalks, double-tiered segmented bodies, and front-facing mouths. And if they weren't the devil's own creation, Rick decided, then he didn't ever want to meet their maker. For no god could have loved so hideous and evil-looking a beast.
片刻后，二人进入一个巨大的地下空间。站在地面上，瑞克一时间觉得自己必定是打偏了目标，错进了地狱。在阵阵频闪的光线里他看到他俩正站在一口巨井的边缘，这井深不可测，仿佛直通普拉西斯的熔融地核。这儿的天花板也一样覆满圆球，绝大多数都比地面上他所见过的圆球要大；但是让他目瞪口呆的是正从井里往上爬出的生物。它们有气垫坦克那么大，形似蜘蛛，但是它们长着眼柄，双层身躯分节，嘴巴朝向正前方。瑞克心想，无论是谁造就了这些怪物，就算他不是魔鬼，我也不想见他。没有神祗会喜欢形貌如此丑陋邪恶的虫豸。
It thrilled him to realize that the black stickiness coating the cavern's floor was blood from these things, but even that was not enough to wash the fear out of him. He remembered reading somewhere that there was an actual endogenous terror hormone certain creatures gave rise to in the human body; and indeed he seemed to remember them in some primal corner of his mind. But then he suddenly recalled where he had actually seen them: they were the creatures an ancient and unknown Praxian hand had depicted on the cave's walls!
他意识到洞穴地面上的黑色粘液正是那些家伙的血，心中激动了一下，但这不足以洗清他心中的恐惧。他记起在哪里曾读过某些生物会使得人类体内的内生恐惧荷尔蒙（注：即肾上腺素类物质）含量上升；他又有印象，自己头脑某个原始角落里曾有它们的身影。突然间，他想起来（实际上在哪里见过这些怪物）了：这正是洞壁上那些古代普拉西斯人之手绘制出的生物！
Tesla was amazed by the Human female's strength. He had finally succeeded in dragging her backward into the Beta's cargo space and now had both of Janice's seemingly frail wrists firmly clasped in his own hands, but it had been a struggle all the way. Burak, meanwhile, had slid forward into the cockpit seat to handle the controls. The drive module was looming into view through the VT's canopy, right on schedule, and theirs for the taking.
这个人类女性的力量让泰斯拉十分讶异。他终于成功地将她往后拖到贝塔机的货舱，现在又用自己的双手钳住她一双看似纤细的手腕，但这都经过了一番搏斗。与此同时，伯拉克溜到前面的机舱座位，操纵起控制器来。透过变形机的机舱罩，驱动模块已经在眼前若隐若现，完全符合预定时间，让他们唾手可得。
"Welcome to our crew," Tesla was saying to the still-untamed female."Glad to have you aboard." Jonathan Wolff's urgent voice could be heard over the open net.
“欢迎加入我们的机组，”泰斯拉对仍在挣扎的女人说道。“很高兴能有你在机上。”而在开放通讯网上仍传来沃尔夫急切的声音。
Janice twisted around, almost breaking free of his hold, and glared at him."Is this any way to treat a guest·"
贾妮斯扭动着，差点脱开了他的控制，瞪着他说：“你就是这么招待客人的？”
"If I let you free, will you promise to behave·"
“要是我放开你，你能保证听话么？”
Janice gave her head a defiant toss."Try me."
贾妮斯蔑视地扬起头，答道：“试试看啊。”
Tesla eased his grip, and the android everyone thought a woman lunged for Burak's neck. Tesla pinioned her arms and threw her roughly against the aft bulkhead; he was pleased to see some of the fight go out of her.
泰斯拉刚松开手，那个外人都以为她是人类女性的人造人朝伯拉克直扑过去。泰斯拉捆住她的双臂，粗暴地把她抛向机尾舱壁；他很高兴地发现她的斗志已经有些松懈。
"Burak," Janice said weakly, one hand to her head."What's your part in this· I can't believe you'd leave your friends to die back there."
“伯拉克，”贾妮斯虚弱地说，一手扶着自己的头。“你在这里算什么角色？我不能相信你会把你的朋友抛弃在那儿，任他们去死。”
Burak showed her his profile, velvety horns and heavily boned brows accented amber in the display lights."It's the only way I can help free my planet," he offered."You can't understand-"
伯拉克侧面对她，茸角与突出的眉骨在显示屏的光线下勾勒出琥珀色的轮廓。“只有这样我才能帮助我的星球重归自由。”他答道：“你不会明白的——”
"Enough of this," Tesla interrupted, taking stock of the wounds Janice's fingernails had opened on his arms."Pay attention to what you're doing. And shut down the comm," he added, gesturing to the net switch.
“够了，”泰斯拉打断了他的话，一边端详着自己手臂上被贾妮斯的指甲划破的伤口。“把注意力放在自己的工作上。关掉通讯器，”他补充道，朝通讯网的开关挥了挥手。
The crystalline-shaped Spherisian module filled their view now, eclipsing the stars. Burak matched the Beta's course to the module's seemingly slow-motion end-over-end roll, and began to maneuver the mecha along the drive's scorched and much-abused hull. He utilized the onboard computer to communicate with the module's own, and within minutes the docking-bay hatch was opened; the Beta was home free.
晶体形状的史菲利思模块在他们视野中越来越大，遮住了点点星光。模块以慢动作节奏头尾翻滚着，伯拉克调整贝塔机的航线使之协调一致，并开始沿着模块烧焦破损的外壳做机动动作。他利用贝塔的机上电脑与模块的电脑通讯，几分钟后，停机舱舱门打开；贝塔机笃定能驶入飞船了。
When the bay had repressurized, the trio climbed from the Beta cockpit and eventually found their way to the bridge. Tesla carried Janice the entire way, bear-hugged to his huge chest like some sort of stuffed toy he couldn't live without. Burak lugged along the mutated fruits he had smuggled aboard the VT before liftoff.
飞船舱内重新加压后，三人从贝塔机机舱爬出，最终找到了通往舰桥的路。泰斯拉一路上都抱着贾妮斯，好似胸前抱着个极心爱的毛绒玩具，若要丢了便活不下去。伯拉克则边走边费力拖着一包变种果子，变形机上天前他就将果子偷运了进来。
The Invid was feeling omnipotent-not only because he had so easily outwitted the Sentinels, but because he would soon be on his way to Optera for the face-to-face encounter with the Regent he had so often envisioned these past periods. The fruits from Karbarra and Praxis had, so he believed, rendered him superior to the monarch he had once served as soldier and would-be son. And now it was time for the Regent to step aside and grant him his due position as leader of the Invid race. Tesla had come to understand that it took more than mere strength to lead; it took insight and vision, and these gifts were his in abundance.
这个因维人产生了一种无所不能的感觉——不只是因为他智胜了哨兵同盟，还因为他将很快踏上前往奥普特拉的路上，和瑞金特面对面地相会。之前这段时间里，他曾不断地想象这场会面。过去他充当过这位君主的战士，并自诩为他的儿子，但他相信，卡巴拉和普拉西斯的果子，已经给了他超越瑞金特的能力。现在正是瑞金特让出位子并授予他应得的因维之族领袖地位的时候了。泰斯拉开始领悟，领导族群需要的不只是单纯的力量，还需要洞察力和见识，而这两样才能他都充分具备。
But as they arrived at the drive's control room, some very real problems presented themselves, eroding Tesla's fantasies and summoning an anger from his depths.
但当他们到达驱动模块的控制室时，出现了一些非常实际的问题，这侵蚀了泰斯拉的白日美梦，召唤出了他内心深处的愤怒。
"But you told me you could astrogate this ship!"
“可你告诉过我你能驾驶这船宇宙飞行的！”
With a gesture of helplessness, Burak turned from the starmaps and spacefold charts he had called up on the Spherisian guidance monitors."I thought I could, but now..."
伯拉克从史菲利思导航监视器上调出的星图与空间折叠图前转过身，做了个无助的手势，说道：“我以为自己能行，可现在……”
Tesla stormed over to him and began to scan the screens, puzzling over the datascrolls. He pointed a thick finger at one of them."Here. Here is Optera."
泰斯拉对他大发雷霆，自己开始搜索屏幕，辨认起数据来。他用一根粗大的手指指向其中一条。“这里，奥普特拉在这里。”
Burak's eyes opened wide."Optera! But, Tesla-Peryton, we're going to Peryton."
伯拉克双眼圆睁，说：“奥普特拉！但是，泰斯拉——佩里顿，我们要去的是佩里顿。”
Telsa pushed him aside."In due time," he said absently."First there is something I must attend to."
泰斯拉把他推到一边。“时机到了再去，”他敷衍着：“先去那边，我有事情必须处理。”
Burak steeled himself."Then attend to it without my help."
伯拉克刻意冷酷地说：“那就自己去处理吧，我不帮你。”
Tesla made a violent motion with his hands, but checked himself short of the Perytonian's neck, taking him instead by the shoulders, fraternally."Of course, my dear. To Peryton, then." Tesla's hands urged Burak down into one of the acceleration seats."Now, why don't we try to figure this out together, step by step. Let's just say for example's sake that we did want to fold for Opteraspace...Now, how would we do that, my friend...·"
泰斯拉的双手猛地朝着佩里顿人的脖子掐去，但快接近的时候，他抑制住自己，手改变了方向，朝肩膀压下，仿佛兄长一般。“当然了，亲爱的朋友。那么，我们去佩里顿。”泰斯拉用手把伯拉克按在一个加速座椅上。“现在，我们为什么不把这事情一步步地弄清楚呢。让我们就是举个例子，我们比如要想折叠到奥普特拉空间……现在，我们如何去做呢，我的朋友……？”
Janice took in the exchange from across the room. The two mutineers had all but forgotten about her, so it was easy enough to jack into the drive's systems while their attention was focused elsewhere. In a short time she had completed her bit of cybernetic magic. No matter what they fed into the ship's astrogational computers now, the module was locked on course for the Fantoma space system.
贾妮斯弄明白了房间那头的争论。两个叛变者已经忘了她，于是利用他们注意力正集中在别处的机会，她可以轻易地入侵驱动系统。很快，她便完成了那点控制工程魔术。现在，不管他们往这艘船的导航电脑里馈送什么样的数据，模块已经锁定了前往凡托玛空间的航线。
Janice smiled to herself, wondering how Tesla would take to surprises.
贾妮斯暗自微笑，想知道泰斯拉会如何面对这份“惊喜”。
At first it was believed that Baker and Rem had been captured or eaten by the bristly eight-legged crawling nightmares delivered up from the Praxian netherworld; but subsequently the Sentinels found that their two teammates were simply being detained-the word someone from the Wolff Pack had used. Jack and Rem had been probed and manhandled, but apparently were safe. It seemed that the arachnids-Gnea and Bela had a name for them no one could pronounce-had no taste for meat. Moreover, the creatures weren't on a feeding frenzy at all-nor, for that matter, were they interested in counterattacking the beings who were busy lancing them with lasers and rockets. Like the orbs, these living anachronisms-unseen on Praxis for millennia-were attempting to flee the storms that burned at the planet's transformed core.
起初大家以为贝克和雷被这些从普拉西斯底层送来的八腿刚毛爬行恐兽捕获或者干脆吃掉了；但随后哨兵们发现这两位队友只是在下面被“扣留”了——这个字眼是沃尔夫战队的某人用的。杰克和雷被探查时也遭到了粗暴对待，但看来还算安全。看来这些蛛形生物——妮雅和贝拉用一个外人不会发音的专名来称呼它们——不喜食肉。还有，那些生物完全不处于捕食狂躁期——谈到这里，其实它们对忙于用激光和火箭炮投向自己的人们也没有反击的兴趣。和圆球们一样，这些与时代不合的生物们——在普拉西斯星上有成千上万年都未曾出现过——正努力逃离这场燃自普拉西斯星已变形地核深处的烈火风暴。
Rick was long past his initial fright, but the sour taste of fear remained in his mouth. It struck him as odd that while in his day he had fought fifty-foot giants and walking slugs, ridden into battle alongside humanoid clones, ursine warriors, and amazons on Robotsteeds, he could experience such utter terror at the sight of giant spiders. Maybe, he had decided, it was the very mindlessness of the creatures; after all, even the Invid weren't monsters, were they· The Praxian women had been equally frightened, and Rick tried to imagine what it might be like to go up against, say, dinosaurs.
瑞克早已从最初的惊骇中恢复，但嘴里仍能尝到那份恐惧的酸楚。他突然觉得奇怪，他经历过与五十英尺高的巨战士和蜗牛人拼杀；也曾和克隆人、熊人、骑着钢铁战马的蛮族女战士并肩冲入战场，怎么会在看到巨蜘蛛时感到如此彻底的畏惧。他找了个理由，大约是因为这种生物没有智慧吧；毕竟，就算是因维人，也算不上怪兽，不是吗？普拉西斯女人们也一样害怕，瑞克试着想象，这对于她们来说就好比，嗯，大战恐龙。
But if the creatures hadn't actually added to the Sentinels' plight, they had done nothing to improve things. Countless orbs had exited the cave, and now there was a nasty bit of mopping up to do down below while the rest of the orbs were mustered for further lift assists. To make matters worse, there was still no word from the Beta, and one of the Spherisians had gone and gotten himself stuck in a rock!
可就算这些生物没给哨兵的困境雪上加霜，它们也没带来任何转机。无数圆球已经离开了洞穴，现在剩下的圆球们正召集起来准备进一步协助抬升，而此时下面又还有打扫战场的脏活要干。更糟糕的是，贝塔机音讯全无，还有个史菲利斯人离开了，被困在了岩石当中。
Presently, Rick and some of the others were grouped around Teal and the hand that had once belonged to her friend. Baldan was merged with the wall-the way a Mesoamerican bas-relief could be said to be merged to a stela. His profile was frozen but plainly visible, and there was a crystalline mass protruding from the section of rock where his chest might have been. The crystal grew before the astonished eyes of the assembled group.
此刻，瑞克等人聚到了缇尔与那块曾是她朋友手臂的岩石周围。鲍丹和洞壁结合在一起——好似中美洲的浅浮雕刻在石碑上。他的侧面一动不动但清晰可见。还有一大块结晶体突出在岩石的断面上，那曾经是他的胸部。那水晶在人群惊讶的目光前生长着。
"No, you can't, Baldan-please stop this!" Teal was shouting to the wall. She swung around to Rick."He is attempting to transfer his essence. But this has never been achieved on any world but Spheris." She looked back at the engorged growth."And I don't want to raise it!"
“不，你不能这样，鲍丹——快停下来！”缇尔对着洞壁大喊。她朝瑞克转过身来，说：“他在试着将自己的髓质传送过来。但这在史菲利思之外的星球上，从来没有成功过。”她回头望着那充血般生长的晶体，又说：“而且我也不想要养着它！”
Again the crystal enlarged. Teal put her hands to her head in a panicked gesture and pleaded with Baldan to stop. But ultimately her hands reached for the faceted thing and she began to tug at it.
晶体又长大了一截。缇尔双手抱头，惊慌失措，又恳求鲍丹快停下来。可最后她还是朝那多面晶体伸出双手，开始拖拽它。
"It's no use, Baldan," she cried."It will die!"
“没用的，鲍丹，”她哭喊着：“它会死的！”
Rick moved in to give her a hand, and with some effort the two of them managed to pull the crystal loose. The hollow pop! sent a shudder up Rick's back. Baldan's profile receded into the wall and vanished. Teal dropped the crystal from her trembling hands and regarded it.
瑞克走近，帮了她一把。两人费了些力气，终于拔出了水晶。随着空洞的一声噗响，瑞克的后背一阵战栗。鲍丹的侧影退入洞壁，消失了。缇尔将水晶从发抖的手掌里放下，端详着它。
"The child is lifeless...dead." She looked around at the others."Baldan is lost to us."
“这孩子没有生命……死了。”她环视四周众人，说：“我们失去了鲍丹。”
Whimpering sounds found their way out from under Kami and Learna's breathing tubes. Rick took Teal by the shoulders."What did he tell you·"
卡米和莱亚娜的呼吸管漏出了呜咽声。瑞克扶住缇尔的肩膀：“他告诉了你什么？”
She stared at him blankly for a moment, then said,"The Invid. They must have been using Praxis for experiments of some sort. It was the chambers they hollowed out that gave birth to those creatures. And these same chambers have ushered in this world's demise."
她茫然地注视他，片刻后说道：“因维人。他们一定是利用普拉西斯星做某种试验。是那些坑洞，他们挖空了坑洞，生出那些动物。也正是这些坑洞将这个星球引向灭亡。”
"But what kind of experiments·" Rick demanded."What were they trying to create·"
“可那又是什么样的试验？”瑞克追问：“他们试图造出什么生命？”
Teal shook her head.
缇尔摇摇头。
Tight-lipped, Rick released her and motioned a radioman over to him."Any word from the Beta·" he asked Vince when the GMU link was established.
瑞克双唇紧闭，松开了她，挥手让一个通讯兵过来。“贝塔机有消息吗？”接通了GMU的通讯后，他问文斯。
"They've reached the module," Vince updated."But we're not getting through to them."
“他们已经到达模块，”文斯给了他最新情报：“但我们还是一直联络不上他们。”
Rick summarized what had gone down in the caverns."I want to speak with Tesla as soon as they call in. He must know something about all this-these pits. Maybe there's a way to reverse it·"
瑞克扼要地说了说下面洞穴发生的事情。“一旦他们通讯过来，我要和泰斯拉说话。他一定知道些这里的原委——这些坑洞。也许能有什么办法能逆转呢？”
"Unlikely," Vince responded."But I'm sure Tesla will tell us what he knows. He's practically one of us now."
“不太可能，”文斯回答。“但我保证泰斯拉会将自己所知告诉我们的。如今，他已经是我们中事实上的一员了。”
With a little help from the GMU's computers, the Alpha was back on course. Wolff and his Haydonite copilot were I at a loss to explain the unexpected separation, but they assumed Janice had done so with some good purpose in mind, and that her radio silence was nothing more than a glitch in the system. It didn't occur to either of them that there was conspiracy afoot.
有了GMU电脑的小小帮忙之后，阿尔法机重回航道。沃尔夫和他的海顿人副驾驶无法解释贝塔意外的分离，但他们认定贾妮斯这么做是因为她心中有合理的目的，而她保持无线电静默也是系统上出故障的原因。这两个人谁也没想到这里面蕴有阴谋。
Wolff continued in this hopeful vein, even after he had learned that the Beta had apparently made a successful docking with the drive module. That singed piece of orbiting space debris was above him now, and he was getting all he could from the Alpha to make up for lost time. It was only when his radio requests for docking coordinates were ignored that he began to suspect foul play. The hunch became full-fledged concern when he couldn't get the Alpha's onboard systems to interface with the module. Consequently, the docking-bay shields remained closed, and unless something could be done to open them, the Alpha was going to wind up dead in space.
沃尔夫的思路继续朝这个乐观的方向发展，就算他得知贝塔机显然已经成功驶入驱动模块后也是如此。现在这块烧焦的太空废墟在他的正上方沿轨道绕行，他在阿尔法上正尽一切所能全力弥补已浪费的时间。只是当他用无线电呼叫对接坐标点的请求也被无视时，他才开始怀疑里面有鬼。而当他无法使阿尔法的机载系统和模块交互时，心中的隐隐怀疑已变成了重大问题。随之而来的是停机舱防护门紧闭不开。得做点什么把它弄开，否则阿尔法机就只能以永远停留太空而告终了。
Even if that meant going extravehicular.
哪怕这意味着要舱外行动。
Sarna took over the controls while Wolff suited up. Praxis turned below them like a cataracted eye. The telepath strapped in, bringing the Alpha as close as she could to the module's scarred hull; then Wolff blew the canopy. He floated up and out of the VT on a tether line, took hold of the side of the pinwheeling ship, and tried to center his attention on the alien external control panel. Sarna spoke to him through the helmet relays, avoiding the net in favor of frequencies of a cerebral sort. Wolff heard her thoughts as spoken words as he fumbled with Spherian switches designed for hands more sensitive than his own.
沃尔夫穿上太空服，而莎娜则接管了驾驶。普拉西斯星在他们下方，好似一只生了白内障的眼睛。（莎娜的）心电感应将阿尔法和模块绑在一起，飞机尽可能地接近了模块伤痕累累的外壳；随后沃尔夫离开了机舱。他系着一根绳索，从机舱飘起飞离，抓住了风车般旋转的船体，把精力集中在外星飞船的外部控制面板上。莎娜通过头盔中继器和他通话，使用脑波频率，从而避开了通讯网。沃尔夫摸索着史菲利斯飞船上那些为比自己更敏感的手指所设计的开关时，能听到她的思想，清晰如话语一般。
But a short while later the hatch was sliding open and pocketing itself in the crystalline hull. Sarna engaged the Alpha's attitude jets and began to maneuver the ship to safety.
好在没过多久，舱门便滑开隐入了晶体船壳。莎娜操纵着阿尔法的姿态调整喷气口，飞机安全入舱。
The Beta was inside, empty; and fortunately, Wolff decided, there was no welcoming party there to greet them. Down on the hold floor now he armed himself with a rifle and two handguns; Sarna had perfect recall of the module's corridor and compartment layout, so she led the way. They were barely out of the docking area when the ship lurched.
贝塔机在里面，空无一人；沃尔夫想，幸亏这里也没有什么欢迎派对问候他们。这时，他带了一支步枪和两支手枪充当武装，走下飞机，踏上船舱地板；莎娜对这个模块的走廊舱房布局记得很清楚，于是在前面领路。他们刚刚走出停机舱，船体便侧倾起来。
"We're leaving orbit," Sarna told him.
“我们正驶离轨道，”莎娜告诉他。
Wolff felt the rumble of the module's drives ladder its way up his legs. Sarna hovered along the corridor at an increased pace, then abruptly right-angled herself into a large cabinspace and told Wolff strap himself into one of the seats.
沃尔夫感到模块的驱动器隆隆震动传到了他的腿上。莎娜加快“脚步”，沿着走廊飘过，突然间她直角转弯进入一个大船舱，让沃尔夫坐进座椅，绑紧安全带。
Wolff regarded the acceleration couch and threw her a questioning look.
沃尔夫望着加速座椅，向她投去疑问的目光。
"We're preparing to fold," she told him.
“我们要准备折叠，”她告诉他。
"They've what!"
“他们已经什么？！”
"They folded," Vince Grant repeated."The module's gone."
“他们折叠了，”文斯·格兰特又重复了一遍。“模块不见了。”
Rick leaned against one of the GMU command-center consoles to catch his breath. He had run all the way from the cave only to hear the bad news as soon as he came through the hatch.
瑞克倚靠住一架GMU指挥中心的控制台，才稳住呼吸。他从洞穴一路跑来，结果一进舱门就只听来了这条坏消息。
"But, but, did they-"
“但，但是他们——”
"Not one word," Jean cut in."The last message we had was from Wolff. He was sure something had happened to Janice."
“一个字也没说，”吉英插话。“我们收到的最后一条消息是沃尔夫发来的。他确定贾妮斯出事了。”
"Tesla," Rick said, biting out the name.
“泰斯拉，”瑞克咬牙切齿地吐出这个名字。
Vince nodded."That's my guess."
文斯点头。“我也这么猜测。”
"But where's the Alpha now·" Rick added, looking back and forth between the two of them.
“可是现在阿尔法在哪里？”瑞克追问，来回扫视着二人。
Jean pushed herself back from the console, her hands on the arms of the chair."That's the weird part. The Alpha made it aboard."
吉英推了一下控制台，自己顺势后退，又把手搭在椅子扶手上。“这才是奇怪之处。阿尔法自行登上了模块。”
Rick fell silent; it felt for a moment as though they were speaking to him in a foreign tongue. He shook his head, hoping everything would settle into some sort of order."Maybe it wasn't Tesla. Maybe Janice knows something we don't..."
瑞克沉默了；有那么片刻他觉得他们在用外语在对他讲话。他摇摇头，希望能理清一切回归秩序。“也许不是泰斯拉。也许贾妮斯知道些我们不知道的事情……”
"Okay," Vince said.
“不错。”文斯说。
"And maybe she managed to get word to Wolff, but he couldn't reach us..."
“要不也许她设法联系上了沃尔夫，但他又联系不上我们……”
"Okay, again."
“也不错。”
"And maybe they had to fold because they realized there was no way to get everyone offworld using the VTs..."
“或者也许他们非得折叠不可，因为他们意识到用变形机无法把每个人都从这个星球运走。”
"Uh huh." Vince folded his arms."So they take off for Karbarra or Tirol, figuring we'll be able to wait it out."
“嗯哼。”文斯交叠双臂。“所以他们出发前往卡巴拉或者泰洛，推断我们能够等的及。”
Rick left it unanswered. There was no need, anyway, now that the tremors had recommenced. A steady, thunderous roar filtered into the room; somewhere nearby, mountain ranges were beginning to crumble.
瑞克没回答他。他们没必要，不管怎么说，现在地震已经开始了。一阵连续雷击般的轰鸣传入房内；就在不远处，片片山脉开始崩溃。
It was a short jump. Wolff could feel himself coming out of the fold's dizzying effects, and was on his feet even before Sarna had furnished him with an all-clear sign.
这是短程折叠。沃尔夫能感到自己正从折叠时的眩晕状态走出，甚至在莎娜给他手势施展“完全清醒”的思维效果之前，他就已经站立起身了。
When the two of them burst onto the module's bridge, they found Tesla and Burak seated at the controls. Janice was off to one side, asleep, Wolff thought.
当这两人突然冲进模块的舰桥时，他们发现泰斯拉和伯拉克坐在控制台边。贾妮斯在另一侧，看似睡着了，沃尔夫这么认为。
Tesla and Burak both swung around as they heard the hiss of the hatch. The Invid's snout dropped open when he saw Wolff standing there armed to the teeth, and he immediately fell backward against his coconspirator, hoping Wolff would read it as Burak attempting a capture.
泰斯拉和伯拉克听到舱门开启嘶嘶声时，都转身回望。因维人看到沃尔夫全副武装站在那里时，尖嘴惊讶地张开合不拢，随后立刻向后摔倒，倒向自己的同谋，希望沃尔夫会以为伯拉克在擒拿他。
The two XTs rolled across one of the console benches and down onto the floor. Taken completely off guard, Burak didn't know what had hit him. But Tesla was forcing himself into a subordinate position now, and ordering Burak to grab him by the neck.
两个外星人在控制台的一条座凳上翻滚，摔倒在地上。伯拉克毫无防备，完全不知道是什么把他击倒。但泰斯拉这时尽力摆出一副恭顺的姿态，要求伯拉克捏住他的脖颈。
"Fight, you idiot!" Tesla was whispering."You've go to make them believe you had nothing to do with this!"
“打我，你这个笨蛋！”泰斯拉低语：“你得让他们相信你和这件事没有瓜葛才行！”
Burak finally got the message and threw his hands around the Invid's thick neck. The two of them butted heads and snarled and cursed at each other. Burak was working his thumbs up Tesla's snout by the time Wolff succeeded in pulling him away.
伯拉克最终领会了精神，双手卡住因维人的粗脖子。二人头角相抵，怒吼着互相咒骂对方。沃尔夫费力拉开伯拉克时，他正用两只拇指掰泰斯拉的尖嘴。
"Back off!" Wolff told him, brandishing one of the handguns."Tesla, on your feet!"
“退后！”沃尔夫挥舞着一支手枪告诉他：“泰斯拉，站起来！”
Sarna hovered over to the com.
莎娜漂浮着移到通讯器那里。
The Invid raised his hands, but remained on his knees, pleading with Wolff not to kill him, and confessing to his attempt to seize the ship.
因维人举起双手，但仍然跪着，求沃尔夫饶他一命，还坦白了他控制飞船的企图。
"And if it wasn't for this horned fiend I'd have-"
“而且如果不是这个长角恶魔，我就能——”
"Cut the crap," Wolff said. He turned around to Burak, who was trying his best to look innocent, even heroic."You threw in with this slug."
“闭上臭嘴，”沃尔夫说。他转身面对伯拉克，他正努力摆出一副无辜甚至有些英勇的表情。“你竟然和这个蜗牛掺和。”
"I didn't!" Burak argued."He put a spell on us!"
“我没有！”伯拉克争辩着：“他给我们施了法术！”
"A spell·" Wolff almost laughed."You mean he made you do it·"
“法术？”沃尔夫差点笑出声来：“你是说他逼你干的？”
Burak pointed to Janice."Ask her if you don't believe me."
伯拉克指着贾妮斯，说：“你不相信我就去问她。”
Janice had reactivated herself. She looked at Wolff and said,"They were in it together-"
贾妮斯已经重新激活了自己。她看着沃尔夫说道：“他们是一起的——”
"Liar!" Burak yelled.
“你撒谎！”伯拉克大喊。
"-but they couldn't seem to agree on a destination. So I made the decision for them."
“——但他们好像不能就目的地大成一致。所以我就替他们决定了。”
Tesla and Burak traded looks.
泰斯拉和伯拉克互望，交换眼神。
"Where are we·" Wolff said, as confused as anyone else.
“我们现在在哪里？”沃尔夫问道，和每个人一样都疑惑不解。
"Fantoma," Janice said, and Tesla fainted.
“凡托玛，”贾妮斯话音刚落，泰斯拉便昏倒了。