第十章
The psy scanners the Invid employed on Garuda (on Hunter and the rest) were patterned on similar devices developed by the Tiresians. Ironically enough, the Robotech Masters had used the scanners on Zor shortly after his death,(and would use them again to monitor Zor Prime after the clone had been inserted into the Fifteenth ATAC), much as the Invid were using them on Rem.
History of the Second Robotech War, volume XXXI,"Tirol"
因维人在嘎鲁达（对卡特等人）使用的心理扫描仪仿制了泰雷西亚人所开发的类似设备。相当讽刺的是，机器人统治者曾将扫描仪用在死后不久的佐尔身上，（也将会在佐尔·普莱姆插入ATAC十五小队后，再一次对这个克隆使用，）而因维人扫描雷的行为与之如出一辙。
——第二次宇宙大战史，第三十一卷，“泰洛”
Dream a little dream with me.
何日入君梦
Late twentieth-century song lyric
——二十世纪晚期歌词
The male human was dreaming of pursuit. He was being chased by some sort of bird creature with an enormous wingspan, and-an Invid scientist had noted-a body shaped curiously like those of the raptorial birds depicted face-to-face on the Human's uniform insignia patch. The Human was running downhill, hopelessly out of control, with the bird pecking at his neck and back, flapping its great wings all the while. The backdrop for the dream was a world of ravaged landscapes, barren, cratered expanses of solidified volcanic flow. The Human was, and at the same time was not, both the pursued and pursuer. Crowds of other Humans seemed to be viewing the event from the sidelines, gesturing, pointing, applauding, laughing. One wore the face of the injured Human female who was presently being terrorized by dreams of her own-although she was sympathetic here, eager to help the running man, so it appeared.
这名男性人类梦见的是追猎。他正被某种鸟类追赶。它有着巨大的翼展，而且——正如一名因维科学家所指出的——它的身躯莫名其妙地同这人制服徽章上互相面对的一双猛禽相仿。这人顺山势奔下，大鸟一直扑动着巨翼，不停啄着他的脖颈和后背，他绝望地失去了控制。梦境的背景是一个地貌残破、贫瘠的世界，大片火山岩浆流凝固后遍布陨坑。这个人类，一会儿是猎物，一会儿又是追猎者（是猎物也是猎手，同时不是猎物和猎手，或者理解为他的视角也在不停转变。）其余人类集聚成群，仿佛在局外观看着，指指点点，鼓掌欢呼。其中一人的相貌与那位受了伤、此刻正在自己的梦境中饱受惊吓的人类女性一样——而在他的梦里，她富有同情心，渴望能帮助正在奔跑的男人。
"There's nothing of use to us in this one's thoughts," the head scientist said dismissively. Disappointed, he turned from the images in the instrumentality sphere and moved to the sphere his assistants had set up to monitor the dreams of the injured female.
“这人的思想对我们而言全无用处。”科学家首领不屑一顾地说。他失望地从球幕仪器的画面前转身，朝助手们为监视那名受伤女性的梦境而架设好的另一个球幕走去。
Lisa, like Rick, Karen, and Rem, was strapped on her back to a kind of gurney, with her head positioned beneath a thick and heavy-looking ring-shaped device that resembled a scaled-down version of an MRI scanner. What the Invid scientists were calling dreams, however, were of the wide-eyed variety-altered states of consciousness, hellish ones by and large, normally kept locked away behind those proverbial doors of perception. Five minutes of exposure to Canada's tainted atmosphere had been enough to elicit them. The scientists had no way of knowing whether this constituted what would amount to a lethal exposure-some Invid had lasted as long as half an hour without suffering irreversible effects. But these Humans were fragile things; physically strong for their size, it was true, but with limited tolerance for even the slightest of psychic assaults. They were inhabitants of the base realms, the sensate worlds at the lower end of the spectrum, as insubstantial as interstellar dust, and therefore highly expendable.
丽莎和瑞克、凯伦还有雷一样，都被绑在一张轮脚病床上平躺着。她的头部摆在一台外形厚重的环状设备下方，那东西的样子像个缩小的核磁共振扫描仪。因维科学家们虽称之为梦境，但实际上他们双目圆睁，意识正经历着各种状态的转变。这些梦境的每个方面都极度丑恶，以往通常都禁闭在感知之门的后面。在嘎鲁达污染的大气中暴露五分钟，足以将它们召唤出来。科学家们无从得知这样是否已达到了致死的暴露剂量——有些因维人能够坚持半小时也不会发生不可逆转的损害。但这些人类是脆弱的玩意儿；以他们的体型来看，身体还算强壮，这点没错，但对待哪怕是最微弱的心理攻击，他们的承受力也很有限。他们是低贱国度的住民，来自能谱低端的感官世界，如星际尘埃一般微不足道，因此，他们的生命可以随意消耗。
The leader of the white-robed group now activated the sphere attached to the device above Lisa's head, and here, too, the scientists encountered images of pursuit. Kami, muzzled and shackled in a corner of the hive's lab, was too deep into his own delirium to take note of their dismay.
白袍当中的首领这时激活了丽莎头上那台设备的球幕。这个梦里，科学家们也看到了追猎的场面。在蜂房实验室的一角，卡米上着镣铐被封了嘴，深陷于自己的狂乱当中，没发觉他们的沮丧失望。
"It seems to be something of a fixation with them," one of the assistants ventured.
“好像他们都对这个很执着，”一名助理大胆进言。
The Human female was for all intents and purposes trapped on a spiral staircase that lacked any clear-cut terminus. Moreover, whatever it was that was pursuing her, hunting her, was so vague a thing as to be untranslatable by the sphere's Protoculture circuitry. There were momentary flashes of a feline creature, however, that brought to mind the Invid's own Hellcats. But the central concern of the dream and dreamer was the female's seemingly reduced size.
这位人类女性，无论从哪里看，都被困在一段没有明确终点的螺旋楼梯里。此外，追猎她的东西十分模糊，球幕的史前文化电路连一点都无法传译出来。
"Some reference to the Zentraedi, perhaps·"
“多少涉及到天顶星人，或许？”
The master scientist made a disgruntled sound."Who can tell with these beings· Let us move on."
主科学家发出了不快的声音：“对这些生物，谁能推断？我们往下继续。”
They grouped together in front of Karen's sphere next, arms folded and four-fingered hands tucked into the sleeves of their robes. The master among them had found himself strangely moved by this green-eyed, honey-haired Human; but unfortunately her dream-terrors proved to be as pedestrian and unrevealing as the previous ones. Her world was at least populated with a host of other beings, but they were there principally to insure that Karen was suitably horrified by the prospect of being buried alive.
接着他们聚集在凯伦的球幕前，个个交叠双臂，四指大手揣在袍袖里。科学家首领之前发现自己奇怪地对这个绿眸、蜜色头发的人类有感觉；但不幸的是，她的惊恐之梦明显与前人一样平庸无奇，看不出意义。不过，她的世界里至少还聚集了一群生物，可他们出现在那儿，主要是为了确保凯伦能被自己将被活埋的前景吓倒。
The master expressed his distaste after a minute's viewing."What a pitiful race...One wonders why they don't walk in fear of their own shadows. They've been more traumatized than Optera itself."
首领观看了一分钟后，表达了自己的厌恶。“可怜的种族啊……他们走路时竟然没有害怕自己的影子，真是个奇迹。他们所受的精神创伤，比奥普特拉自身所遭受的更严重。”
By now they had reached Rem-the Tiresian-and to their absolute astonishment, there in living color and as big as life in the center of the attendant sphere was Optera. This much could have been accounted for and dismissed, but next they found themselves viewing images of the Regis in her pretransformed state! And this was not the defoliated Optera of their ravenous present, but the edenic homeworld of their racial past-a verdant wonderland, with fields of Flowers basking in the warmth of the planet's twin suns, stretching as far as the eye could see across a landscape of arcadian beauty. Here was the lost harmony, the innocent splendor, the paradisiacal ease they could now access only in moments of collective trance, or at the mystical promptings of the Queen-Mother herself.
这时他们来到雷——这个泰雷西亚人身前。让他们彻底震惊的是，在相伴的球幕中央，生动展现的是实景大小的奥普特拉。这大都可被解释而且不予理会，但他们没料到下一幕竟然是瑞吉斯在转变之前的样子！而且，这不是如今地狱般已遭灭植的奥普特拉，而是他们一族过去的伊甸园——这颗行星青葱茂密，一片田园美景中，花儿之地沐浴在孪生双日温暖的阳光下，遍布目之所及。这是失落的和谐，无瑕的辉煌，天堂的平静，他们只能在集体迷幻时，或是经历母后神秘地亲自提示才能体验得到。
The scientists were reduced to silence, to tears of an ethereal sort.
科学家们都无法言语，留下了超越现实的泪水。
"It's as if..."
“这好像……”
"Say it," the master demanded.
“说，”首领命令道。
"...as if this one knew our world before the techno-voyager's arrival."
“……好像这人在那个科技航行者来临前就了解了我们的世界。”
"These are his thoughts."
“这些是他的思想。”
With what would translate as shame, the master scientist deactivated the sphere and led his group to a sphere significantly larger than the rest-their communications instrumentality, overshadowed by a relatively small specimen of bubble-chambered brain.
随着可谓是耻辱场面的传出，首领关闭了球幕，又领着他的队伍到了一个明显比其它设备更大的球幕前——这是他们的通讯仪器，和一个置于泡沫室的脑体小样相比仍然见绌。
"We must inform the Regent of this at once."
“我们必须马上通知瑞金特这件事。”
"And say what·"
“说什么？”
"That we have found Zor!"
“说我们找到了佐尔！”
It had taken Jack all the inner strength he could muster to keep from tearing down into that basin orchard with guns blazing...He had heard the explosion that dropped the first Scout ship, and had scrambled up to the top of the crater rim like a mountain goat on amphetamines. Weapon fire, follow-up blasts...by the time he got there, Rick and the others were surrounded by Invid soldiers-more than even he wanted to go up against. Lisa was down, Rick bending over her. Kami, Rem, Karen! He had located a safe vantage point and watched as his friends were led off to the hive; then a short time later they had reappeared at the dome's tunnellike entrance, this time stripped of their transpirators. For some reason he had felt compelled to time their exposure, sitting there powerless and near crazed while the chronometer display counted off the minutes, five heart-stopping minutes! He had run for the place where they had stashed the cycs, found his way back to the trails they had cut in predawn light, reentered the village...all the while expecting Shock Troopers to emerge from the ground, Hellcats or Robo-automata to leap on him from the treetops. Pursued by nightmares...
杰克召唤出了内心全部的力量控制住自己，才没有将枪口对准盆地的果园将它轰个稀巴烂……他听到了将第一架侦察机击落的那声爆炸，还如同一只吃了安非他明（注：安非他明又叫苯丙胺，刺激剂的一种，能够增加人的机敏性，暂时减轻疲劳感并增加攻击性，曾是体育界滥用最严重的一种兴奋剂。）的山羊一般，奋力爬上了陨坑边的坡坎。交火，接着又是爆炸……当他抵达那儿时，瑞克等人已经被因维士兵包围——尽管他想奋起一搏，但敌人太多了。丽莎倒下了，瑞克弯腰护着她。卡米，雷，凯伦！他找到了一处安全的有利地点，注视着他的朋友们被领入蜂房；过了一小会儿，他们又出现在穹顶隧道般的入口，这一次他们的呼吸面罩被摘除了。出于某种理由，他觉得自己非得为他们的暴露计时不可，他无力地坐在那儿，当计时器显示一分钟一分钟过去，他变得近乎疯狂，五分钟！心脏几乎停止跳动的五分钟！他跑向他们之前藏匿气垫摩托的地点，找到了他们在黎明前的微光里切出的踪迹，沿着它再次进入了村庄……一路上都担心突击骑兵机从地面出现，地狱猫或别的机器兽从树顶扑来。一路上都被噩梦紧追。
Jack was just now finishing his hurried and breathless recap, sitting cross-legged in the village longhouse and sucking nutrient through a tube while the chief and some of the Sentinels watched him.
此刻，杰克刚刚急匆匆地把这让人透不过气的事情讲述完，正盘腿坐在村里的长条木屋中，用吸管饮着营养液。酋长和一些哨兵成员望着他。
"We've gotta spring them," he said at last, his thirst slaked."Right away, before they're moved."
“我们得把他们弄出来，”他最后这样说道，而自己也已经不那么口渴了。“立刻行动，在他们转移之前。”
The chief spoke to a member of the tribe; the male Garudan nodded his head a few times and took off in a rush."He has been instructed to pass the word," the chief explained."We will be alerted if and when they are moved."
酋长对着部落一员讲话；这名嘎鲁达男子数次点头后匆匆离去。“我令他去传话，”酋长解释，“他们如果转移的话，我们会第一时间得到警报。”
Learna was beside herself, her neck fur on end. She had tried time and time again to Send herself to the hive, but each of her attempts had ended in failure."Kami will die inside the hive. He must be returned to Garuda's air."
莱亚娜情绪激动，颈部毛发竖立。她一次次的努力请求派自己去蜂房，但每次尝试都以失败告终。“卡米会死在蜂房里的。他必须要回到嘎鲁达的空气中去。”
"He wasn't brought out with the rest of them," Jack told her, then turned to Cabell."How long is too long·"
“他没有和其他人一起被带出来，”杰克告诉她，随后转向卡贝尔说：“时间多久会产生问题？”
The old man made as if to stroke his beard under the suit."I can't answer you, Jack. Tirol sent the Zentraedi here, the clones...I believe Rem and I are the first Tiresians to set foot on Garuda since Zor himself landed here."
老人挥了挥手，仿佛在隔着防护服捋里面的胡须。“我无法回答你，杰克。泰洛过去派天顶星来到这里，还有克隆人……我相信雷和我是自佐尔亲自着陆此地之后，踏上嘎鲁达星的首批泰雷西亚人。”
"Can't you even estimate it·" Jack pressed him.
“你连估计一下都不能吗？”杰克追问他。
Cabell saw Jack's frustration and concern."I don't imagine anything less than fifteen minutes would prove fatal." He was relieved to see Jack relax some.
卡贝尔看出了杰克的挫败感和担心。“我想少于十五分钟的话不会致命。”他欣慰地看到杰克松了口气。
"But why would they do that-why not just kill them, Wise One·" Gnea thought to ask.
The chief shrugged his powerful shoulders."To torture them, perhaps to see if they could learn anything from their thoughts."
“但他们为何要这么做——干嘛不直接杀人，聪明人？”妮雅想了想问道。
"All right," Max broke in,"suppose we wait till dusk. Your people will be heading back to the camps by then, right·"
“好吧，”麦克斯插话，“假设我们一直等到黄昏。到那时，你的人会回营地来，对吗？”
Learna and the chief nodded, uncertain.
莱亚娜和酋长点点头，并不肯定。
"We stage a diversionary raid on one of the other hives. Try to draw off as many of their mecha as we can. At the same time, a rescue team goes in."
“我们分出一路攻击其余的蜂房之一。我们尽量多地吸引他们的机甲。与此同时，打入一组救援队。”
"Agreed," Jack said, and some of the others joined him in voicing their support.
“同意，”杰克说，还有些人也开口支持他。
"I don't know," Cabell objected when everyone had quieted down."It's risky. Those hives are much more complex than they appear."
“我不知道，”卡贝尔在所有人安静下来之后，提出反对意见。“风险很高。那些蜂房比看起来的要复杂得多。”
"Well, of course it's risky," Jack argued,"but I don't see that we have any choice. What are we supposed to do-walk up and knock on the door· Uh, excuse me, but we were wondering if you might be willing to return our teammates-"
“嗯，当然风险很高，”杰克辩称，“但我看我们别无选择。我们还能干什么呢——走上前去敲门？啊，打扰了，不过我们想知道您是否愿意归还我们的队友？”
"There is an easier way to get them back."
“有个更容易的法子把他们弄回来。”
Jack swung around to see who had interrupted him. When he saw it was Burak he fell silent, along with almost everyone else. The Perytonian had become something of an invisible being since the attempted mutiny, and to hear him suddenly speak, much less offer an opinion, was something of an event.
杰克扭过身去看是谁插了他的话。当他发觉这人是伯拉克之后，就闭上嘴沉默了，和几乎其他所有人一样。自从那次佩里顿人企图叛乱之后，他基本上成了个隐形人，突然间听到他开口说话，更别提这次是提出了一个观点，实在是不同寻常。
"You are forgetting our race in the hold," Burak said to the group's collective puzzlement.
“你忘了，我们桌上抠了张瓦牌。”
"You mean 'ace in the hole,'" Jack corrected him.
“你的意思是‘扣了张王牌’吧，”杰克替他纠正。
"Whatever-"
“管他是——”
"Tesla," Cabell exclaimed.
“泰斯拉，”卡贝尔惊呼。
The devil from Peryton nodded.
来自佩里顿的恶魔点点头。
"A hostage exchange·" Max asked.
“交换人质？”麦克斯问道。
Burak grinned beneath his mask."Something like that."
伯拉克在面罩里咧嘴一笑。“跟这个差不多。”
On Optera, the Regent's servant reported only that five Sentinels had been captured on Garuda; he knew better than to steal the scientists' thunder. The Regent was relaxing in his sterile nutrient bath when the communique was received, having discovered that he could essentially guarantee messages merely by setting foot in the Olympic-size tub. Anxious for some news of Tesla, or information regarding the next destination of the Sentinels, he had spent the better part of a week in the bath, waiting. Now he practically ran to the throne room, sashing his robe as he approached the communicator sphere.
在奥普特拉，摄政王的仆从报告：只有五名哨兵在嘎鲁达星被俘；他还不至于蠢到抢了那些科学家的风头。收到这条通讯时，瑞金特正在他的无菌营养液里沐浴静息。他之前已经发现，就算只泡在奥林匹克标准的大池子里，也能基本确保不错过每条消息。他已经在池子里泡了大半个星期，等待着，急切地期盼泰斯拉的音信，或是哨兵同盟下一步目标的情报。此刻，他几乎是奔向王座大殿，一边走近通讯球一边系上长袍的腰带。
"Five Sentinels," he said out of breath."Which ones·""A Garudan, three Humans, and...a Tiresian." The Regent was pleased to learn that he had correctly anticipated the Sentinels' destination. He had passed the word to all his lieutenants that their troops be placed on alert. But it was captives he was after this time, not body counts, and no mention was to be made of his supposed assassination. With captives in hand, he hoped to learn whether or not Tesla had been acting alone, or in league with the rebels.
“五名哨兵，”他气喘吁吁地说，“都是什么人？”
“一个嘎鲁达人，三个地球人，还有……一个泰雷西亚人。”
瑞金特得知自己正确地预测了哨兵的目的地之后，十分高兴。他之前给全体副官传话，命令他们的部队进入警戒状态。但这次他要的是活捉俘虏，不是死尸，对自己被刺的假象也是只字未提。手上有了俘虏，他就希望能从中得知，那究竟是泰斯拉独自行动，还是与叛军合谋所为。
"A Tiresian you say."
“一个泰雷西亚人，你说。”
"Yes, my liege. We have him here with us now." The Regent peered at the terror-stricken face centered in the sphere's image, and brought his hand to his snout in a gesture of contemplation."This one looks...familiar somehow."
“是的，殿下。现在他就在我们这儿。”瑞金特瞅着那张映在球幕中央被恐惧扭曲的脸庞，伸手扶着自己的尖嘴，仿佛是沉思状。“这个人看起来……有几分面熟啊。”
"Well he should, Your Highness," the master scientist said as Rem's image de-rezzed."We subjected the three Humans and the Tiresian to Garuda's atmosphere in an effort to extract the data you requested."
“应该是，殿下，”随着雷的影像从屏幕消散，科学家首领说道。“我们将三个地球人和这个泰雷西亚人暴露在嘎鲁达的大气之下，为了套取您要求的信息。”
"And·" the Regent replied anxiously."Did you discover the location of the Humans' homeworld-this Earth!"
“然后呢？”瑞金特急切地回答。“你们有没有发现这些人类的母星——那个地球！”
"No. However, we may have a clue as to the whereabouts of the matrix," the scientist was quick to add."My lord, allow us to screen for your pleasure the results of the Tiresian's exposure."
“没有。然而，我们可能找到了关于母体下落的线索。”科学家迅速补充道。“殿下，请允许我们为您播放泰雷西亚人大气暴露后的结果，供您欣赏。”
The Regent scowled at the sphere."Do not bore me with details," he cautioned.
瑞金特对球幕皱眉：“别拿无聊细节来烦我。”他警告道。
"You will find this anything but boring," the scientist told him.
“您一定不会觉得这个无聊的。”科学家告诉他。
The Regent viewed the playback for a moment, then staggered backward, collapsing into his high-backed throne. He sat agape, a defeated husband watching tapes of his wife...the seduction, the transgression, the cruel aftermath, all captured in graphic detail. That face, that face...
瑞金特观看了片刻回放，朝后踉跄几步，轰然倒在自己的高背王椅上。他愕然呆坐，一个失败的丈夫观看着自己妻子的录影带……引诱、出轨、残酷的后果，一幕幕活灵活现。那张脸，那张脸……
"How·" the Regent finally managed."How is this possible· He is dead." Or is he· the Regent suddenly asked himself. Could he have been duped all these years into thinking Zor dead, when in fact...No, he thought. Zor was dead. But what then was the origin of these images· A simulagent, perhaps, like the very one he had created to take his place at the summit-
“怎么会？”瑞金特终于说了句话。“这怎么可能？他已经死了。”他死了吗？瑞金特突然问自己。会不会他这些年来一直被蒙在鼓里，以为佐尔已经死了，而实际上……不会，他想。佐尔已经死了。但这些画面的源头又是哪里？一个替身，也许，就像他在高层会晤的时候，所派出的他自己制造的替代品一样——
"We know Zor is dead," the scientist was saying."But somehow his memory lives on in this one-a clone, we suspect."
“我们知道佐尔死了，”科学家说，“但不知什么原因，他的记忆还活在这个人身上——他是克隆人，我们怀疑。”
The Regent came bolt upright in the chair."The matrix!"
瑞金特挺身，在椅子上坐得笔直：“母体！”
"Precisely."
“正是。”
"He must be sent to Optera at once!"
“必须将他立刻送到奥普特拉来！”
The scientist inclined his head some."Of course, my lord. But would it not be best to take advantage of Garuda's proximity to Haydon IV· May I remind Your Highness of the devices there that are far superior-"
科学家朝前探了探头。“当然，殿下。但是不是最好利用一下嘎鲁达星临近海顿四号星的优势呢？容我提醒殿下，那儿的设备要远远超过——”
"Yes, yes. See that it is arranged. I will leave immediately," the Regent added, already on his feet.
“是的，是的。你好好安排此事。我将立刻动身，”瑞金特补充道，已经站起身来。
"There is one small detail, however..."
“不过，还有个细节小问题……”
"What·"
“什么？”
"We have learned that the Regis is there."
“我们得知，瑞吉斯在那儿。”
"On Haydon IV·!"
“在海顿四号星？！”
"Yes, my lord. Should we wait until she leaves before transporting the clone·"
“是的，殿下。我们要等到她离开之后，再运送这个克隆人吗？”
The Regent started to agree, but bit off his words. Why not let her see the clone· he asked himself. Why not let her look once more upon Zor's face, into his very thoughts and recollections· He laughed out loud. To be there, to see her face when the clone was presented...
瑞金特刚想同意，但又把话吞回。为什么不让她看看这个克隆？他自问。为什么不让她再次看看佐尔的脸蛋，看看这个人内心的思想和回忆？他放声大笑。去那儿，去看看她的样子，把克隆摆在她面前的样子……
"No, you are not to wait," the Regent said shortly."In fact, you are simply to say that you have a gift for her-a gift from her loving husband!"
“不，你不要等，”瑞金特很快说道，“实际上，你只需说，你要交给她一个礼物——是深爱她的丈夫，送给她的礼物！”
"I need to see Tesla at once," Burak told Janice as he stepped from the shuttle's ramp into the SDF-7's docking bay. Gnea and Max had ridden up with him, but they were already rushing off to meet with Wolff and Vince Grant.
“我要立刻见泰斯拉，”伯拉克对贾妮斯说，他从穿梭机的坡道走下，进入SDF-7的港区。妮雅和麦克斯与他一起上船，但此刻他俩已经急匆匆地前去会见沃尔夫和文斯·格兰特了。
Janice thought she heard something akin to arrogance in the Perytonian's voice, but decided to leave it unchallenged."Of course, Burak," she said, motioning for him to follow her.
贾妮斯察觉出这个佩里顿人的声音里有一份近似傲慢的语调，但她还是决定不去招惹他。“当然，伯拉克。”她答道，同时朝他做了个手势，让他跟着自己。
They didn't speak for the duration of the long walk to the cargo hold that had become Tesla's quarters; but short of the closed hatch Burak stopped and said,"Alone." The Perytonian positioned himself between Janice and the hatch.
运货舱充当了泰斯拉的居所，在通往那里的一段长路上，他俩一直无语；但快到紧闭的舱门处时，伯拉克停下脚步，开了口：“我自己进。”这个佩里顿人挡在了贾妮斯和舱门中间。
"Something I should know·" she risked.
“告诉我原因？”她抛开顾忌问他。
"You should know that he doesn't like you very much," Burak whispered back menacingly, gesturing over one shoulder with his two-thumbed hand.
“你应该知道，他可不怎么喜欢你，”伯拉克低声威胁地回答，举起一只双拇指的手越过肩上，朝身后指指。
Janice laughed."And we make such an adorable couple. Is it my looks or my personality·"
贾妮斯笑了出来。“我们俩可真是绝配。是因为我的外表还是性格？”
Burak contorted his demon face for her benefit.
伯拉克的魔鬼脸被她气得面容扭曲。
"Keep doing that and your face is going to stay that way," she said, moving off.
“继续保持，你的脸就不会恢复原样啦！”她说完就离开了。
Burak snorted and entered the hold, pulling smuggled Fruits from his uniform and casually tossing them to Tesla, who was seated on an enormous crate.
伯拉克哼哼一声，进了船舱，从自己的制服里拉出偷运的果子。泰斯拉正坐在一个巨大的木箱上，伯拉克随手就把果子扔给了他。
"What's this all about·" the Invid asked peevishly, as one of the mutant Fruits bounced off his snout.
“这究竟是怎么回事？”一个变种果子弹起来砸到了因维人的尖嘴，他愠恼地问道。
"I have good news," Burak announced, assuming a proud stance and allowing Tesla to regard him a moment."You claim to be more evolved than the Regent. That means the scientists would recognize your greatness, does it not·"
“我有好消息，”伯拉克宣告。他摆了个骄傲的站姿，好让泰斯拉敬重地看他一会儿。“你自称比瑞金特进化的更高，那就意味着那些科学家会承认你的伟大之处，是不是？”
Tesla ducked his snout, looked around the hold like a felon, and motioned for Burak to keep his voice down."Yes, certainly," he said."But what does this have to do with anything·"
泰斯拉急忙低头，埋下自己的尖嘴，像个重罪犯人般四下环顾船舱，然后做个手势，示意伯拉克把声音压低。“是，当然了，”他说。“但这又有什么关系？”
Burak studied one of the Fruits."Suppose I could arrange for an audience with the scientists here·"
伯拉克仔细地把玩着一个果子。“设想一下，我要是能在这儿安排一次和这些科学家的会面呢？”
Tesla shot to his feet, horrified by the prospect."You must-"
泰斯拉猛地站起，这个前景让他十分恐惧。“你必须——”
"Hunter and a few of the others were captured," Burak quickly explained, gazing up at the Invid."I suggested that we exchange you for them. That way-"
“卡特连同几个人都被俘了，”伯拉克迅速解释道，抬头直视因维人。“我提议，用你去交换他们。用这个方法——”
"You what·"
“你说什么？”
"That way you'll be able to assert your right to the throne-just as you...wanted...What's wrong·"
“用这个方法，你就能伸张自己的王权了——就像你……你想要的……哪里不对了？”
Wearily, Tesla had reseated himself."You fool," he muttered, shaking his hands."You've just sealed my fate."
泰斯拉疲倦地又坐下来。“你这个笨蛋，”他咕哝着，摇着双手。“你就这么封死了我的命运。”
"B-but..."
“但，但是……”
"It's too soon, Burak, too soon. The Regis will send me to the pits." He glanced up."The next time you see Tesla he'll be a maggot."
“太快了，伯拉克，太快。瑞吉斯会把我送到坑里的。”他朝上一瞥。“下次你再见到泰斯拉，他就变成蛆虫了。”
Burak made a distressed sound, seeing his own dreams for Peryton go up in smoke; and just then Janice, Vince Grant, Gnea, and Lron burst into the hold. The amazon Praxian had an armed blaster in her hands.
伯拉克一声哀叹，仿佛看到了自己的佩里顿梦想化作了一片烟尘；就在这时，贾妮斯、文斯·格兰特、妮雅和勒荣闯入了船舱。普拉西斯蛮女战士双手还端着一支长筒枪。
"Everybody ready·" Janice said brightly, looking back and forth between Burak and Tesla. Cautiously, Lron and Grant had moved in to shackle the Invid's wrists and place a prisoner bib around his neck.
“都准备好了没有？”贾妮斯欢快地说着，来回看着伯拉克和泰斯拉。勒荣和格兰特小心地靠近因维人，给他的手腕戴上镣铐，从脖子套上囚服。
"All right, Invid, let's go," Gnea said, brandishing the weapon.
“好了，因维人，我们走。”妮雅一边说一边挥舞着武器。
Lron gave Tesla a light shove.
勒荣轻轻推了一把泰斯拉。
Tesla looked down and caught Janice's smile.
泰斯拉低头，目光刚好迎到贾妮斯的微笑。
"Guess this is your lucky day," she told him.
“我猜今天是你的幸运日，”她告诉他。
Jonathan Wolff sat on the bridge of the cruiser with his feet up on one of the duty-station consoles. He was alone for a change, Grant and most of the crew having rushed off for the ordnance bay. Well within reach, on the floor beside the command chair, was a bottle of Southlands brandy. It was almost empty.
乔纳森·沃尔夫坐在星际巡洋舰的舰桥里，双脚跷在一个值班控制台上。格兰特和绝大多数船员已经奔向弹药库，留下他独自待着，调剂一下心情。在指挥椅边的地上，触手可及之处，放着一瓶南大陆白兰地。几乎已经空了。
"To rescues," Wolff said now, toasting Garuda through the forward viewport and lifting the bottle to his lips. He gulped down half an inch and shuddered.
“为了营救，干杯，”沃尔夫对着前向观察窗外的嘎鲁达星敬酒，把酒瓶举到嘴边。他吞下一口，瓶中下了半寸，身上一阵战栗。
The Hunters had gone and gotten themselves captured, along with Karen, Rem, and that Garudan-Kami. And Max or somebody figured they could swap them for Tesla, only Wolff didn't put much stock in it. Of course he hadn't said that to them-oh no, mustn't burst anyone's bubble, chin up and all that ancient rot. But that was what he felt. The Invid would go back on their word, maybe the Sentinels would go back on theirs, somebody would betray somebody else...he didn't need to be there to see it all go down.
卡特夫妇已经走了，还被俘虏了，和他们一起被俘的还有凯伦、雷、还有那个嘎鲁达人——卡米。而麦克斯或别的谁认为能用泰斯拉把他们换回来，只有沃尔夫对这个不太寄希望。当然，他没这么对他们说——哦，不，绝不能戳穿任何人的肥皂泡，得鼓舞士气，那些老掉牙的玩意儿。但他就是这么觉得。因维人会违背诺言，也许哨兵同盟也会违背诺言，张三会背叛李四……他不需要亲临现场，就能看到这些事情恶化。
"So here's to betrayals," he said, and took another pull."Minmei, you...meanie."
“这一杯为了背叛，”他说完，又吞了一大口。“明美，你……这个自私小人。”
Doubled over in laughter, Wolff swung his legs off the control panel. Yes, she was a meanie all right, telling him to take a walk, falling in love with his enemy."Earth's enemy," Wolff emphasized."Have to give the man his due." He drank again, staring blankly at the bottle when he lowered it, rocking back and forth.
沃尔夫笑得弯下了腰，把腿从控制台上挪了下来。是，她的确是个自私小人，告诉他去散散步，又爱上了他的敌人。“地球的敌人，”沃尔夫强调。“非得让他受到应有的惩罚不可。”他又喝了一口，放下酒瓶，来回摇晃，茫然地盯着它。
Without warning, a tone sounded on the bridge and nearly sent him out of his skin. He reached out for the com stud and slammed his fist down, missing it, but getting it on the third try.
没有警告，舰桥上响起了一阵乐音，让他大吃一惊。他靠近通讯器按钮，挥拳猛捶，却没命中，直到第三拳才搞定。
"Wolff," he said.
“我是沃尔夫，”他说。
"A small craft," one of the new crewmen reported."Not much bigger than an Alpha. Transport, maybe."
“一艘小飞船，”一名新船员报告道：“比阿尔法机大不了多少。可能是运输机。”
"Put it up," Wolff said, swinging to a monitor screen.
“打上屏幕，”沃尔夫说，转身朝着监视器的屏幕。
"No can do, sir. Too far for visuals."
“办不到，长官。太远了，超出目视距离。”
"Is it within range·"
“在射程内吗？”
"Just barely."
“勉强在。”
"Armed·"
“带武装？”
"Negative, sir. But it launched from the sector where the Hunters are being held."
“没有，长官。但它是从卡特夫妇被扣押的那个区域发射的。”
Wolff contemplated the blip on the screen.
沃尔夫对雷达屏幕上的尖角标记沉思着。
"Let it go," he said."The way things stand, what difference is one small ship going to make·"
“让它走吧，”他说。“事态如此，一艘小小飞船又能影响什么大局？”
《沙丘》六部曲合集
《波西杰克逊》系列合集
《猎魔人》合集
History of the Second Robotech War, volume XXXI,"Tirol"
因维人在嘎鲁达（对卡特等人）使用的心理扫描仪仿制了泰雷西亚人所开发的类似设备。相当讽刺的是，机器人统治者曾将扫描仪用在死后不久的佐尔身上，（也将会在佐尔·普莱姆插入ATAC十五小队后，再一次对这个克隆使用，）而因维人扫描雷的行为与之如出一辙。
——第二次宇宙大战史，第三十一卷，“泰洛”
Dream a little dream with me.
何日入君梦
Late twentieth-century song lyric
——二十世纪晚期歌词
The male human was dreaming of pursuit. He was being chased by some sort of bird creature with an enormous wingspan, and-an Invid scientist had noted-a body shaped curiously like those of the raptorial birds depicted face-to-face on the Human's uniform insignia patch. The Human was running downhill, hopelessly out of control, with the bird pecking at his neck and back, flapping its great wings all the while. The backdrop for the dream was a world of ravaged landscapes, barren, cratered expanses of solidified volcanic flow. The Human was, and at the same time was not, both the pursued and pursuer. Crowds of other Humans seemed to be viewing the event from the sidelines, gesturing, pointing, applauding, laughing. One wore the face of the injured Human female who was presently being terrorized by dreams of her own-although she was sympathetic here, eager to help the running man, so it appeared.
这名男性人类梦见的是追猎。他正被某种鸟类追赶。它有着巨大的翼展，而且——正如一名因维科学家所指出的——它的身躯莫名其妙地同这人制服徽章上互相面对的一双猛禽相仿。这人顺山势奔下，大鸟一直扑动着巨翼，不停啄着他的脖颈和后背，他绝望地失去了控制。梦境的背景是一个地貌残破、贫瘠的世界，大片火山岩浆流凝固后遍布陨坑。这个人类，一会儿是猎物，一会儿又是追猎者（是猎物也是猎手，同时不是猎物和猎手，或者理解为他的视角也在不停转变。）其余人类集聚成群，仿佛在局外观看着，指指点点，鼓掌欢呼。其中一人的相貌与那位受了伤、此刻正在自己的梦境中饱受惊吓的人类女性一样——而在他的梦里，她富有同情心，渴望能帮助正在奔跑的男人。
"There's nothing of use to us in this one's thoughts," the head scientist said dismissively. Disappointed, he turned from the images in the instrumentality sphere and moved to the sphere his assistants had set up to monitor the dreams of the injured female.
“这人的思想对我们而言全无用处。”科学家首领不屑一顾地说。他失望地从球幕仪器的画面前转身，朝助手们为监视那名受伤女性的梦境而架设好的另一个球幕走去。
Lisa, like Rick, Karen, and Rem, was strapped on her back to a kind of gurney, with her head positioned beneath a thick and heavy-looking ring-shaped device that resembled a scaled-down version of an MRI scanner. What the Invid scientists were calling dreams, however, were of the wide-eyed variety-altered states of consciousness, hellish ones by and large, normally kept locked away behind those proverbial doors of perception. Five minutes of exposure to Canada's tainted atmosphere had been enough to elicit them. The scientists had no way of knowing whether this constituted what would amount to a lethal exposure-some Invid had lasted as long as half an hour without suffering irreversible effects. But these Humans were fragile things; physically strong for their size, it was true, but with limited tolerance for even the slightest of psychic assaults. They were inhabitants of the base realms, the sensate worlds at the lower end of the spectrum, as insubstantial as interstellar dust, and therefore highly expendable.
丽莎和瑞克、凯伦还有雷一样，都被绑在一张轮脚病床上平躺着。她的头部摆在一台外形厚重的环状设备下方，那东西的样子像个缩小的核磁共振扫描仪。因维科学家们虽称之为梦境，但实际上他们双目圆睁，意识正经历着各种状态的转变。这些梦境的每个方面都极度丑恶，以往通常都禁闭在感知之门的后面。在嘎鲁达污染的大气中暴露五分钟，足以将它们召唤出来。科学家们无从得知这样是否已达到了致死的暴露剂量——有些因维人能够坚持半小时也不会发生不可逆转的损害。但这些人类是脆弱的玩意儿；以他们的体型来看，身体还算强壮，这点没错，但对待哪怕是最微弱的心理攻击，他们的承受力也很有限。他们是低贱国度的住民，来自能谱低端的感官世界，如星际尘埃一般微不足道，因此，他们的生命可以随意消耗。
The leader of the white-robed group now activated the sphere attached to the device above Lisa's head, and here, too, the scientists encountered images of pursuit. Kami, muzzled and shackled in a corner of the hive's lab, was too deep into his own delirium to take note of their dismay.
白袍当中的首领这时激活了丽莎头上那台设备的球幕。这个梦里，科学家们也看到了追猎的场面。在蜂房实验室的一角，卡米上着镣铐被封了嘴，深陷于自己的狂乱当中，没发觉他们的沮丧失望。
"It seems to be something of a fixation with them," one of the assistants ventured.
“好像他们都对这个很执着，”一名助理大胆进言。
The Human female was for all intents and purposes trapped on a spiral staircase that lacked any clear-cut terminus. Moreover, whatever it was that was pursuing her, hunting her, was so vague a thing as to be untranslatable by the sphere's Protoculture circuitry. There were momentary flashes of a feline creature, however, that brought to mind the Invid's own Hellcats. But the central concern of the dream and dreamer was the female's seemingly reduced size.
这位人类女性，无论从哪里看，都被困在一段没有明确终点的螺旋楼梯里。此外，追猎她的东西十分模糊，球幕的史前文化电路连一点都无法传译出来。
"Some reference to the Zentraedi, perhaps·"
“多少涉及到天顶星人，或许？”
The master scientist made a disgruntled sound."Who can tell with these beings· Let us move on."
主科学家发出了不快的声音：“对这些生物，谁能推断？我们往下继续。”
They grouped together in front of Karen's sphere next, arms folded and four-fingered hands tucked into the sleeves of their robes. The master among them had found himself strangely moved by this green-eyed, honey-haired Human; but unfortunately her dream-terrors proved to be as pedestrian and unrevealing as the previous ones. Her world was at least populated with a host of other beings, but they were there principally to insure that Karen was suitably horrified by the prospect of being buried alive.
接着他们聚集在凯伦的球幕前，个个交叠双臂，四指大手揣在袍袖里。科学家首领之前发现自己奇怪地对这个绿眸、蜜色头发的人类有感觉；但不幸的是，她的惊恐之梦明显与前人一样平庸无奇，看不出意义。不过，她的世界里至少还聚集了一群生物，可他们出现在那儿，主要是为了确保凯伦能被自己将被活埋的前景吓倒。
The master expressed his distaste after a minute's viewing."What a pitiful race...One wonders why they don't walk in fear of their own shadows. They've been more traumatized than Optera itself."
首领观看了一分钟后，表达了自己的厌恶。“可怜的种族啊……他们走路时竟然没有害怕自己的影子，真是个奇迹。他们所受的精神创伤，比奥普特拉自身所遭受的更严重。”
By now they had reached Rem-the Tiresian-and to their absolute astonishment, there in living color and as big as life in the center of the attendant sphere was Optera. This much could have been accounted for and dismissed, but next they found themselves viewing images of the Regis in her pretransformed state! And this was not the defoliated Optera of their ravenous present, but the edenic homeworld of their racial past-a verdant wonderland, with fields of Flowers basking in the warmth of the planet's twin suns, stretching as far as the eye could see across a landscape of arcadian beauty. Here was the lost harmony, the innocent splendor, the paradisiacal ease they could now access only in moments of collective trance, or at the mystical promptings of the Queen-Mother herself.
这时他们来到雷——这个泰雷西亚人身前。让他们彻底震惊的是，在相伴的球幕中央，生动展现的是实景大小的奥普特拉。这大都可被解释而且不予理会，但他们没料到下一幕竟然是瑞吉斯在转变之前的样子！而且，这不是如今地狱般已遭灭植的奥普特拉，而是他们一族过去的伊甸园——这颗行星青葱茂密，一片田园美景中，花儿之地沐浴在孪生双日温暖的阳光下，遍布目之所及。这是失落的和谐，无瑕的辉煌，天堂的平静，他们只能在集体迷幻时，或是经历母后神秘地亲自提示才能体验得到。
The scientists were reduced to silence, to tears of an ethereal sort.
科学家们都无法言语，留下了超越现实的泪水。
"It's as if..."
“这好像……”
"Say it," the master demanded.
“说，”首领命令道。
"...as if this one knew our world before the techno-voyager's arrival."
“……好像这人在那个科技航行者来临前就了解了我们的世界。”
"These are his thoughts."
“这些是他的思想。”
With what would translate as shame, the master scientist deactivated the sphere and led his group to a sphere significantly larger than the rest-their communications instrumentality, overshadowed by a relatively small specimen of bubble-chambered brain.
随着可谓是耻辱场面的传出，首领关闭了球幕，又领着他的队伍到了一个明显比其它设备更大的球幕前——这是他们的通讯仪器，和一个置于泡沫室的脑体小样相比仍然见绌。
"We must inform the Regent of this at once."
“我们必须马上通知瑞金特这件事。”
"And say what·"
“说什么？”
"That we have found Zor!"
“说我们找到了佐尔！”
It had taken Jack all the inner strength he could muster to keep from tearing down into that basin orchard with guns blazing...He had heard the explosion that dropped the first Scout ship, and had scrambled up to the top of the crater rim like a mountain goat on amphetamines. Weapon fire, follow-up blasts...by the time he got there, Rick and the others were surrounded by Invid soldiers-more than even he wanted to go up against. Lisa was down, Rick bending over her. Kami, Rem, Karen! He had located a safe vantage point and watched as his friends were led off to the hive; then a short time later they had reappeared at the dome's tunnellike entrance, this time stripped of their transpirators. For some reason he had felt compelled to time their exposure, sitting there powerless and near crazed while the chronometer display counted off the minutes, five heart-stopping minutes! He had run for the place where they had stashed the cycs, found his way back to the trails they had cut in predawn light, reentered the village...all the while expecting Shock Troopers to emerge from the ground, Hellcats or Robo-automata to leap on him from the treetops. Pursued by nightmares...
杰克召唤出了内心全部的力量控制住自己，才没有将枪口对准盆地的果园将它轰个稀巴烂……他听到了将第一架侦察机击落的那声爆炸，还如同一只吃了安非他明（注：安非他明又叫苯丙胺，刺激剂的一种，能够增加人的机敏性，暂时减轻疲劳感并增加攻击性，曾是体育界滥用最严重的一种兴奋剂。）的山羊一般，奋力爬上了陨坑边的坡坎。交火，接着又是爆炸……当他抵达那儿时，瑞克等人已经被因维士兵包围——尽管他想奋起一搏，但敌人太多了。丽莎倒下了，瑞克弯腰护着她。卡米，雷，凯伦！他找到了一处安全的有利地点，注视着他的朋友们被领入蜂房；过了一小会儿，他们又出现在穹顶隧道般的入口，这一次他们的呼吸面罩被摘除了。出于某种理由，他觉得自己非得为他们的暴露计时不可，他无力地坐在那儿，当计时器显示一分钟一分钟过去，他变得近乎疯狂，五分钟！心脏几乎停止跳动的五分钟！他跑向他们之前藏匿气垫摩托的地点，找到了他们在黎明前的微光里切出的踪迹，沿着它再次进入了村庄……一路上都担心突击骑兵机从地面出现，地狱猫或别的机器兽从树顶扑来。一路上都被噩梦紧追。
Jack was just now finishing his hurried and breathless recap, sitting cross-legged in the village longhouse and sucking nutrient through a tube while the chief and some of the Sentinels watched him.
此刻，杰克刚刚急匆匆地把这让人透不过气的事情讲述完，正盘腿坐在村里的长条木屋中，用吸管饮着营养液。酋长和一些哨兵成员望着他。
"We've gotta spring them," he said at last, his thirst slaked."Right away, before they're moved."
“我们得把他们弄出来，”他最后这样说道，而自己也已经不那么口渴了。“立刻行动，在他们转移之前。”
The chief spoke to a member of the tribe; the male Garudan nodded his head a few times and took off in a rush."He has been instructed to pass the word," the chief explained."We will be alerted if and when they are moved."
酋长对着部落一员讲话；这名嘎鲁达男子数次点头后匆匆离去。“我令他去传话，”酋长解释，“他们如果转移的话，我们会第一时间得到警报。”
Learna was beside herself, her neck fur on end. She had tried time and time again to Send herself to the hive, but each of her attempts had ended in failure."Kami will die inside the hive. He must be returned to Garuda's air."
莱亚娜情绪激动，颈部毛发竖立。她一次次的努力请求派自己去蜂房，但每次尝试都以失败告终。“卡米会死在蜂房里的。他必须要回到嘎鲁达的空气中去。”
"He wasn't brought out with the rest of them," Jack told her, then turned to Cabell."How long is too long·"
“他没有和其他人一起被带出来，”杰克告诉她，随后转向卡贝尔说：“时间多久会产生问题？”
The old man made as if to stroke his beard under the suit."I can't answer you, Jack. Tirol sent the Zentraedi here, the clones...I believe Rem and I are the first Tiresians to set foot on Garuda since Zor himself landed here."
老人挥了挥手，仿佛在隔着防护服捋里面的胡须。“我无法回答你，杰克。泰洛过去派天顶星来到这里，还有克隆人……我相信雷和我是自佐尔亲自着陆此地之后，踏上嘎鲁达星的首批泰雷西亚人。”
"Can't you even estimate it·" Jack pressed him.
“你连估计一下都不能吗？”杰克追问他。
Cabell saw Jack's frustration and concern."I don't imagine anything less than fifteen minutes would prove fatal." He was relieved to see Jack relax some.
卡贝尔看出了杰克的挫败感和担心。“我想少于十五分钟的话不会致命。”他欣慰地看到杰克松了口气。
"But why would they do that-why not just kill them, Wise One·" Gnea thought to ask.
The chief shrugged his powerful shoulders."To torture them, perhaps to see if they could learn anything from their thoughts."
“但他们为何要这么做——干嘛不直接杀人，聪明人？”妮雅想了想问道。
"All right," Max broke in,"suppose we wait till dusk. Your people will be heading back to the camps by then, right·"
“好吧，”麦克斯插话，“假设我们一直等到黄昏。到那时，你的人会回营地来，对吗？”
Learna and the chief nodded, uncertain.
莱亚娜和酋长点点头，并不肯定。
"We stage a diversionary raid on one of the other hives. Try to draw off as many of their mecha as we can. At the same time, a rescue team goes in."
“我们分出一路攻击其余的蜂房之一。我们尽量多地吸引他们的机甲。与此同时，打入一组救援队。”
"Agreed," Jack said, and some of the others joined him in voicing their support.
“同意，”杰克说，还有些人也开口支持他。
"I don't know," Cabell objected when everyone had quieted down."It's risky. Those hives are much more complex than they appear."
“我不知道，”卡贝尔在所有人安静下来之后，提出反对意见。“风险很高。那些蜂房比看起来的要复杂得多。”
"Well, of course it's risky," Jack argued,"but I don't see that we have any choice. What are we supposed to do-walk up and knock on the door· Uh, excuse me, but we were wondering if you might be willing to return our teammates-"
“嗯，当然风险很高，”杰克辩称，“但我看我们别无选择。我们还能干什么呢——走上前去敲门？啊，打扰了，不过我们想知道您是否愿意归还我们的队友？”
"There is an easier way to get them back."
“有个更容易的法子把他们弄回来。”
Jack swung around to see who had interrupted him. When he saw it was Burak he fell silent, along with almost everyone else. The Perytonian had become something of an invisible being since the attempted mutiny, and to hear him suddenly speak, much less offer an opinion, was something of an event.
杰克扭过身去看是谁插了他的话。当他发觉这人是伯拉克之后，就闭上嘴沉默了，和几乎其他所有人一样。自从那次佩里顿人企图叛乱之后，他基本上成了个隐形人，突然间听到他开口说话，更别提这次是提出了一个观点，实在是不同寻常。
"You are forgetting our race in the hold," Burak said to the group's collective puzzlement.
“你忘了，我们桌上抠了张瓦牌。”
"You mean 'ace in the hole,'" Jack corrected him.
“你的意思是‘扣了张王牌’吧，”杰克替他纠正。
"Whatever-"
“管他是——”
"Tesla," Cabell exclaimed.
“泰斯拉，”卡贝尔惊呼。
The devil from Peryton nodded.
来自佩里顿的恶魔点点头。
"A hostage exchange·" Max asked.
“交换人质？”麦克斯问道。
Burak grinned beneath his mask."Something like that."
伯拉克在面罩里咧嘴一笑。“跟这个差不多。”
On Optera, the Regent's servant reported only that five Sentinels had been captured on Garuda; he knew better than to steal the scientists' thunder. The Regent was relaxing in his sterile nutrient bath when the communique was received, having discovered that he could essentially guarantee messages merely by setting foot in the Olympic-size tub. Anxious for some news of Tesla, or information regarding the next destination of the Sentinels, he had spent the better part of a week in the bath, waiting. Now he practically ran to the throne room, sashing his robe as he approached the communicator sphere.
在奥普特拉，摄政王的仆从报告：只有五名哨兵在嘎鲁达星被俘；他还不至于蠢到抢了那些科学家的风头。收到这条通讯时，瑞金特正在他的无菌营养液里沐浴静息。他之前已经发现，就算只泡在奥林匹克标准的大池子里，也能基本确保不错过每条消息。他已经在池子里泡了大半个星期，等待着，急切地期盼泰斯拉的音信，或是哨兵同盟下一步目标的情报。此刻，他几乎是奔向王座大殿，一边走近通讯球一边系上长袍的腰带。
"Five Sentinels," he said out of breath."Which ones·""A Garudan, three Humans, and...a Tiresian." The Regent was pleased to learn that he had correctly anticipated the Sentinels' destination. He had passed the word to all his lieutenants that their troops be placed on alert. But it was captives he was after this time, not body counts, and no mention was to be made of his supposed assassination. With captives in hand, he hoped to learn whether or not Tesla had been acting alone, or in league with the rebels.
“五名哨兵，”他气喘吁吁地说，“都是什么人？”
“一个嘎鲁达人，三个地球人，还有……一个泰雷西亚人。”
瑞金特得知自己正确地预测了哨兵的目的地之后，十分高兴。他之前给全体副官传话，命令他们的部队进入警戒状态。但这次他要的是活捉俘虏，不是死尸，对自己被刺的假象也是只字未提。手上有了俘虏，他就希望能从中得知，那究竟是泰斯拉独自行动，还是与叛军合谋所为。
"A Tiresian you say."
“一个泰雷西亚人，你说。”
"Yes, my liege. We have him here with us now." The Regent peered at the terror-stricken face centered in the sphere's image, and brought his hand to his snout in a gesture of contemplation."This one looks...familiar somehow."
“是的，殿下。现在他就在我们这儿。”瑞金特瞅着那张映在球幕中央被恐惧扭曲的脸庞，伸手扶着自己的尖嘴，仿佛是沉思状。“这个人看起来……有几分面熟啊。”
"Well he should, Your Highness," the master scientist said as Rem's image de-rezzed."We subjected the three Humans and the Tiresian to Garuda's atmosphere in an effort to extract the data you requested."
“应该是，殿下，”随着雷的影像从屏幕消散，科学家首领说道。“我们将三个地球人和这个泰雷西亚人暴露在嘎鲁达的大气之下，为了套取您要求的信息。”
"And·" the Regent replied anxiously."Did you discover the location of the Humans' homeworld-this Earth!"
“然后呢？”瑞金特急切地回答。“你们有没有发现这些人类的母星——那个地球！”
"No. However, we may have a clue as to the whereabouts of the matrix," the scientist was quick to add."My lord, allow us to screen for your pleasure the results of the Tiresian's exposure."
“没有。然而，我们可能找到了关于母体下落的线索。”科学家迅速补充道。“殿下，请允许我们为您播放泰雷西亚人大气暴露后的结果，供您欣赏。”
The Regent scowled at the sphere."Do not bore me with details," he cautioned.
瑞金特对球幕皱眉：“别拿无聊细节来烦我。”他警告道。
"You will find this anything but boring," the scientist told him.
“您一定不会觉得这个无聊的。”科学家告诉他。
The Regent viewed the playback for a moment, then staggered backward, collapsing into his high-backed throne. He sat agape, a defeated husband watching tapes of his wife...the seduction, the transgression, the cruel aftermath, all captured in graphic detail. That face, that face...
瑞金特观看了片刻回放，朝后踉跄几步，轰然倒在自己的高背王椅上。他愕然呆坐，一个失败的丈夫观看着自己妻子的录影带……引诱、出轨、残酷的后果，一幕幕活灵活现。那张脸，那张脸……
"How·" the Regent finally managed."How is this possible· He is dead." Or is he· the Regent suddenly asked himself. Could he have been duped all these years into thinking Zor dead, when in fact...No, he thought. Zor was dead. But what then was the origin of these images· A simulagent, perhaps, like the very one he had created to take his place at the summit-
“怎么会？”瑞金特终于说了句话。“这怎么可能？他已经死了。”他死了吗？瑞金特突然问自己。会不会他这些年来一直被蒙在鼓里，以为佐尔已经死了，而实际上……不会，他想。佐尔已经死了。但这些画面的源头又是哪里？一个替身，也许，就像他在高层会晤的时候，所派出的他自己制造的替代品一样——
"We know Zor is dead," the scientist was saying."But somehow his memory lives on in this one-a clone, we suspect."
“我们知道佐尔死了，”科学家说，“但不知什么原因，他的记忆还活在这个人身上——他是克隆人，我们怀疑。”
The Regent came bolt upright in the chair."The matrix!"
瑞金特挺身，在椅子上坐得笔直：“母体！”
"Precisely."
“正是。”
"He must be sent to Optera at once!"
“必须将他立刻送到奥普特拉来！”
The scientist inclined his head some."Of course, my lord. But would it not be best to take advantage of Garuda's proximity to Haydon IV· May I remind Your Highness of the devices there that are far superior-"
科学家朝前探了探头。“当然，殿下。但是不是最好利用一下嘎鲁达星临近海顿四号星的优势呢？容我提醒殿下，那儿的设备要远远超过——”
"Yes, yes. See that it is arranged. I will leave immediately," the Regent added, already on his feet.
“是的，是的。你好好安排此事。我将立刻动身，”瑞金特补充道，已经站起身来。
"There is one small detail, however..."
“不过，还有个细节小问题……”
"What·"
“什么？”
"We have learned that the Regis is there."
“我们得知，瑞吉斯在那儿。”
"On Haydon IV·!"
“在海顿四号星？！”
"Yes, my lord. Should we wait until she leaves before transporting the clone·"
“是的，殿下。我们要等到她离开之后，再运送这个克隆人吗？”
The Regent started to agree, but bit off his words. Why not let her see the clone· he asked himself. Why not let her look once more upon Zor's face, into his very thoughts and recollections· He laughed out loud. To be there, to see her face when the clone was presented...
瑞金特刚想同意，但又把话吞回。为什么不让她看看这个克隆？他自问。为什么不让她再次看看佐尔的脸蛋，看看这个人内心的思想和回忆？他放声大笑。去那儿，去看看她的样子，把克隆摆在她面前的样子……
"No, you are not to wait," the Regent said shortly."In fact, you are simply to say that you have a gift for her-a gift from her loving husband!"
“不，你不要等，”瑞金特很快说道，“实际上，你只需说，你要交给她一个礼物——是深爱她的丈夫，送给她的礼物！”
"I need to see Tesla at once," Burak told Janice as he stepped from the shuttle's ramp into the SDF-7's docking bay. Gnea and Max had ridden up with him, but they were already rushing off to meet with Wolff and Vince Grant.
“我要立刻见泰斯拉，”伯拉克对贾妮斯说，他从穿梭机的坡道走下，进入SDF-7的港区。妮雅和麦克斯与他一起上船，但此刻他俩已经急匆匆地前去会见沃尔夫和文斯·格兰特了。
Janice thought she heard something akin to arrogance in the Perytonian's voice, but decided to leave it unchallenged."Of course, Burak," she said, motioning for him to follow her.
贾妮斯察觉出这个佩里顿人的声音里有一份近似傲慢的语调，但她还是决定不去招惹他。“当然，伯拉克。”她答道，同时朝他做了个手势，让他跟着自己。
They didn't speak for the duration of the long walk to the cargo hold that had become Tesla's quarters; but short of the closed hatch Burak stopped and said,"Alone." The Perytonian positioned himself between Janice and the hatch.
运货舱充当了泰斯拉的居所，在通往那里的一段长路上，他俩一直无语；但快到紧闭的舱门处时，伯拉克停下脚步，开了口：“我自己进。”这个佩里顿人挡在了贾妮斯和舱门中间。
"Something I should know·" she risked.
“告诉我原因？”她抛开顾忌问他。
"You should know that he doesn't like you very much," Burak whispered back menacingly, gesturing over one shoulder with his two-thumbed hand.
“你应该知道，他可不怎么喜欢你，”伯拉克低声威胁地回答，举起一只双拇指的手越过肩上，朝身后指指。
Janice laughed."And we make such an adorable couple. Is it my looks or my personality·"
贾妮斯笑了出来。“我们俩可真是绝配。是因为我的外表还是性格？”
Burak contorted his demon face for her benefit.
伯拉克的魔鬼脸被她气得面容扭曲。
"Keep doing that and your face is going to stay that way," she said, moving off.
“继续保持，你的脸就不会恢复原样啦！”她说完就离开了。
Burak snorted and entered the hold, pulling smuggled Fruits from his uniform and casually tossing them to Tesla, who was seated on an enormous crate.
伯拉克哼哼一声，进了船舱，从自己的制服里拉出偷运的果子。泰斯拉正坐在一个巨大的木箱上，伯拉克随手就把果子扔给了他。
"What's this all about·" the Invid asked peevishly, as one of the mutant Fruits bounced off his snout.
“这究竟是怎么回事？”一个变种果子弹起来砸到了因维人的尖嘴，他愠恼地问道。
"I have good news," Burak announced, assuming a proud stance and allowing Tesla to regard him a moment."You claim to be more evolved than the Regent. That means the scientists would recognize your greatness, does it not·"
“我有好消息，”伯拉克宣告。他摆了个骄傲的站姿，好让泰斯拉敬重地看他一会儿。“你自称比瑞金特进化的更高，那就意味着那些科学家会承认你的伟大之处，是不是？”
Tesla ducked his snout, looked around the hold like a felon, and motioned for Burak to keep his voice down."Yes, certainly," he said."But what does this have to do with anything·"
泰斯拉急忙低头，埋下自己的尖嘴，像个重罪犯人般四下环顾船舱，然后做个手势，示意伯拉克把声音压低。“是，当然了，”他说。“但这又有什么关系？”
Burak studied one of the Fruits."Suppose I could arrange for an audience with the scientists here·"
伯拉克仔细地把玩着一个果子。“设想一下，我要是能在这儿安排一次和这些科学家的会面呢？”
Tesla shot to his feet, horrified by the prospect."You must-"
泰斯拉猛地站起，这个前景让他十分恐惧。“你必须——”
"Hunter and a few of the others were captured," Burak quickly explained, gazing up at the Invid."I suggested that we exchange you for them. That way-"
“卡特连同几个人都被俘了，”伯拉克迅速解释道，抬头直视因维人。“我提议，用你去交换他们。用这个方法——”
"You what·"
“你说什么？”
"That way you'll be able to assert your right to the throne-just as you...wanted...What's wrong·"
“用这个方法，你就能伸张自己的王权了——就像你……你想要的……哪里不对了？”
Wearily, Tesla had reseated himself."You fool," he muttered, shaking his hands."You've just sealed my fate."
泰斯拉疲倦地又坐下来。“你这个笨蛋，”他咕哝着，摇着双手。“你就这么封死了我的命运。”
"B-but..."
“但，但是……”
"It's too soon, Burak, too soon. The Regis will send me to the pits." He glanced up."The next time you see Tesla he'll be a maggot."
“太快了，伯拉克，太快。瑞吉斯会把我送到坑里的。”他朝上一瞥。“下次你再见到泰斯拉，他就变成蛆虫了。”
Burak made a distressed sound, seeing his own dreams for Peryton go up in smoke; and just then Janice, Vince Grant, Gnea, and Lron burst into the hold. The amazon Praxian had an armed blaster in her hands.
伯拉克一声哀叹，仿佛看到了自己的佩里顿梦想化作了一片烟尘；就在这时，贾妮斯、文斯·格兰特、妮雅和勒荣闯入了船舱。普拉西斯蛮女战士双手还端着一支长筒枪。
"Everybody ready·" Janice said brightly, looking back and forth between Burak and Tesla. Cautiously, Lron and Grant had moved in to shackle the Invid's wrists and place a prisoner bib around his neck.
“都准备好了没有？”贾妮斯欢快地说着，来回看着伯拉克和泰斯拉。勒荣和格兰特小心地靠近因维人，给他的手腕戴上镣铐，从脖子套上囚服。
"All right, Invid, let's go," Gnea said, brandishing the weapon.
“好了，因维人，我们走。”妮雅一边说一边挥舞着武器。
Lron gave Tesla a light shove.
勒荣轻轻推了一把泰斯拉。
Tesla looked down and caught Janice's smile.
泰斯拉低头，目光刚好迎到贾妮斯的微笑。
"Guess this is your lucky day," she told him.
“我猜今天是你的幸运日，”她告诉他。
Jonathan Wolff sat on the bridge of the cruiser with his feet up on one of the duty-station consoles. He was alone for a change, Grant and most of the crew having rushed off for the ordnance bay. Well within reach, on the floor beside the command chair, was a bottle of Southlands brandy. It was almost empty.
乔纳森·沃尔夫坐在星际巡洋舰的舰桥里，双脚跷在一个值班控制台上。格兰特和绝大多数船员已经奔向弹药库，留下他独自待着，调剂一下心情。在指挥椅边的地上，触手可及之处，放着一瓶南大陆白兰地。几乎已经空了。
"To rescues," Wolff said now, toasting Garuda through the forward viewport and lifting the bottle to his lips. He gulped down half an inch and shuddered.
“为了营救，干杯，”沃尔夫对着前向观察窗外的嘎鲁达星敬酒，把酒瓶举到嘴边。他吞下一口，瓶中下了半寸，身上一阵战栗。
The Hunters had gone and gotten themselves captured, along with Karen, Rem, and that Garudan-Kami. And Max or somebody figured they could swap them for Tesla, only Wolff didn't put much stock in it. Of course he hadn't said that to them-oh no, mustn't burst anyone's bubble, chin up and all that ancient rot. But that was what he felt. The Invid would go back on their word, maybe the Sentinels would go back on theirs, somebody would betray somebody else...he didn't need to be there to see it all go down.
卡特夫妇已经走了，还被俘虏了，和他们一起被俘的还有凯伦、雷、还有那个嘎鲁达人——卡米。而麦克斯或别的谁认为能用泰斯拉把他们换回来，只有沃尔夫对这个不太寄希望。当然，他没这么对他们说——哦，不，绝不能戳穿任何人的肥皂泡，得鼓舞士气，那些老掉牙的玩意儿。但他就是这么觉得。因维人会违背诺言，也许哨兵同盟也会违背诺言，张三会背叛李四……他不需要亲临现场，就能看到这些事情恶化。
"So here's to betrayals," he said, and took another pull."Minmei, you...meanie."
“这一杯为了背叛，”他说完，又吞了一大口。“明美，你……这个自私小人。”
Doubled over in laughter, Wolff swung his legs off the control panel. Yes, she was a meanie all right, telling him to take a walk, falling in love with his enemy."Earth's enemy," Wolff emphasized."Have to give the man his due." He drank again, staring blankly at the bottle when he lowered it, rocking back and forth.
沃尔夫笑得弯下了腰，把腿从控制台上挪了下来。是，她的确是个自私小人，告诉他去散散步，又爱上了他的敌人。“地球的敌人，”沃尔夫强调。“非得让他受到应有的惩罚不可。”他又喝了一口，放下酒瓶，来回摇晃，茫然地盯着它。
Without warning, a tone sounded on the bridge and nearly sent him out of his skin. He reached out for the com stud and slammed his fist down, missing it, but getting it on the third try.
没有警告，舰桥上响起了一阵乐音，让他大吃一惊。他靠近通讯器按钮，挥拳猛捶，却没命中，直到第三拳才搞定。
"Wolff," he said.
“我是沃尔夫，”他说。
"A small craft," one of the new crewmen reported."Not much bigger than an Alpha. Transport, maybe."
“一艘小飞船，”一名新船员报告道：“比阿尔法机大不了多少。可能是运输机。”
"Put it up," Wolff said, swinging to a monitor screen.
“打上屏幕，”沃尔夫说，转身朝着监视器的屏幕。
"No can do, sir. Too far for visuals."
“办不到，长官。太远了，超出目视距离。”
"Is it within range·"
“在射程内吗？”
"Just barely."
“勉强在。”
"Armed·"
“带武装？”
"Negative, sir. But it launched from the sector where the Hunters are being held."
“没有，长官。但它是从卡特夫妇被扣押的那个区域发射的。”
Wolff contemplated the blip on the screen.
沃尔夫对雷达屏幕上的尖角标记沉思着。
"Let it go," he said."The way things stand, what difference is one small ship going to make·"
“让它走吧，”他说。“事态如此，一艘小小飞船又能影响什么大局？”