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CHAPTER 3
THE SARA SYSTEM
第三章
萨拉星系
The first contact with another sentient race, and they blow up a planet. Helluva calling card.
Contact: 接触 sentient: 有意识的 race: 种族 blow up: 炸毁 planet: 行星 card: 大手笔
第一次碰上人类以外的智慧种族，他们就炸毁了一个行星。真是大手笔啊。
Now, blowing up a planet is nothing new. Christ, we humans did it ourselves not too long ago.
Blow up:炸毁 planet: 行星 Christ: 上帝 human: 人类 long: 很久 ago: 以前
其实，炸毁一个行星也算不上什么新鲜事。上帝作证，我们人类不久前就这么干过。
There was a revolt on the planet Korhal IV. The inhabitants didn’t care much for the graft and corruption that was part and parcel of the Confederacy. They tried to rebel.
Revolt: 反叛 planet: 行星 inhabitant: 居民 care for: 喜欢 graft: 贪污 corruption: 受贿 part: 部分 parcel of: …的部分 Confederacy: 联邦 try: 试图 rebel: 反叛
柯哈Ⅳ行星上的居民，看不惯联邦内部的腐败糜烂，无法同流合污，于是发动叛乱。
At first the Confederacy tried a soft approach: they took out the rebellion’s leaders with assassins, ghost-troopers with personal cloaking devices.
At first: 起先 Confederacy: 联邦 soft: 温柔 approach: 对策 take out: 除去 rebellion:反叛 leader: 领导 assassin: 刺杀 ghost-trooper: 幽灵特工 personal: 针对个人的 cloak: 斗篷 device: 设施
刚开始的时候，联邦采取一种较为温柔的对策：他们出动用隐身技术装备起来的幽灵特工，去刺杀那些叛军首领。
Unsurprisingly, this approach just made the people of Korhal angrier and more rebellious. Sothe Confederacy took a harder line.
Unsurprising: 不奇怪的 approach: 对策 angry: 生气 rebellious: 反叛的 harder: 更猛烈的 line: 方针
十点不奇怪，这样做只能激起柯哈人民更旺盛的斗志，引发新一轮更强烈的反抗。于是联邦恼羞成怒，动真格的了。
We nuked Korhal IV from orbit.
Nuke: 摧毁 orbit: 轨道
我们用核武器摧毁了柯哈Ⅳ行星。
Apocalypse-class missiles. About a thousand of them.
apocalypse: 天启 class: 等级 missile: 导弹 thousand: 一千
启示录级核弹，一千多颗呀!
Some green-tagged idiot on Tarsonis pressed a button, and35 million people became nothing more than vapor and their homes nothing more than a memory.
green-tagged: 绿标签 idiot: 傻瓜 press: 按 button: 按钮 million: 百万 become: 变成 nothing more than: 只能算是 vapor: 飞烟 memory: 记忆
塔索尼斯上几个贴着国防绿标签的傻瓜一揿按钮，三千五百万活生生的人便化为了一阵飞烟，他们的故园从此只能存留在记忆之中。
Naturally, there were official justifications thereafter about the evil, menacing nature of Korhal,
Natural: 自然的 official: 官方的 justification: 声称 thereafter: 以后 evil: 邪恶的 menace: 威胁 nature: 本质
官方声称，柯哈之于是一伙邪恶的暴徒，
and how they were planning to do it to us if they got even the slightest chance.
Plan: 计划 even: 甚至 slight: 轻微的 chance: 机会
只要有机会便会对我们下毒手。当然，官方的说法肯定有他们的道理。
It was unfortunate that the proof of this accusation was located on a planet covered by blackened glass.
Unfortunate: 不幸的 proof: 证据 accusation: 指控 be located on: 在于 planet: 行星 be covered by: 被…覆盖 blackened: 黑糊糊的 glass: 玻璃状废渣
问题是证实这些指控的证据，全在那颗行星上；而那颗行星，却已经被政府炸成了一块黑糊糊的结晶体。
I think that’s what really scared the military about the vaporization of Chau Sara:
real: 真正的 scare: 害怕 military: 军事的 vaporization: 蒸发
在这次切奥·萨拉行星被摧毁的事件中，我觉得军方担惊受怕的真正原因是：
that there was something else out there that was just as crazy as we were. And they were better at it than we were. —THE LIBERTY MANIFESTO
else: 另外 crazy: 疯狂 as… as: 同…一样 better than: 比…好
啊，宇宙中竟然存在一个和我们人类一样疯狂的智慧种族。而且在轰炸星球这种事情上，他们干得比我们还漂亮。——利伯蒂的自述
Mike took advantage of the time the ship was in subwarp to pore through the open computer archives on the Sara system.
Take advantage of: 利用 subwarp: 超光速 pore: 读完 computer: 计算机 archive: 文件 system: 系
迈克利用诺德Ⅱ处在超光速飞行的时间里，仔细读完了计算机中关于萨拉星系的所有公开文件。
It was a fairly typical Fringe system, the ragged leading edge of the Confederacy’s ever-increasing sphere of power.
Fairly: 非常 typical: 典型的 Fringe: 边缘 system: 星系 ragged: 破碎的 edge: 边缘 leading: 主要的 Confederacy: 联邦 ever-increasing: 不断扩张的 sphere: 范围 power:势力
这是个相当典型的偏远星系，是联邦不断扩张的势力范围边缘上的一小块粗陋地盘。
The system had been found by a prospector before the Guild Wars, glommed onto by the Confederacy when it eclipsed that budding rival in space,
System: 系 be found: 被找到 prospector: 探矿者 Guild Wars: 行会战争 glom onto: 占有 Confederacy: 联邦 eclipse: 日蚀 budding: 发展中 rival: 对手 space: 太空
早在“行会战争”之前，萨拉星系就被一个探矿者发现。随即被联邦据为己有。
and was (according to the ship’s archives) the home of a growing pair of colony worlds.
according to: 根据 archive: 文件 grow: 增长 pair: 对 colony: 殖民 world: 世界
(根据船上的文件显示)并作为可居住的殖民星球。
The only thing that made the Sara system different from about a dozen other similar worlds was that there were two worlds in its habitable band instead of just one.
Be different from: 与…不同 dozen: 十二个 similar: 相似的 habitable: 人类居住可行的 instead of: 而不是 just: 只有
与其它类似的星系相比较，萨拉星系有一个显著的独特之处：这个星系可供人类定居生存的行星有两颗，而不是一颗。
Chau Sara was the smaller and more outlying of the worlds, and had the larger colony.
Outlying: 偏远的 larger: 更大的 colony: 殖民
切奥·萨拉小些，更偏远一些，发配到这儿的人倒不少。
It had been settled, in Confederate tradition, as a penal colony, and a lot of its (now former) inhabitants had still been serving hard time.
settle: 居住 Confederate: 联邦的 tradition: 传统 penal: 犯人的 colony: 流放地 former: 先前的 inhabitant: 居民 serve: 经受 hard: 艰苦的 time: 岁月
依照联邦惯例，这颗行星成为犯人的流放地，大多数居民从事苦役，经受着艰辛生活的磨炼。
Mar Sara had a more eclectic mix of former prospector and soldier:
eclectic: 编选而成的 mix: 混合 prospector: 探矿者 soldier: 士兵
玛尔·萨拉上的居民则主要是探矿者、士兵。
along with a couple of religious types that didn’t agree with the Tarsonian limits of tolerance for other faiths.
along with: 连同…一起 a couple of: 一些 religious: 宗教的 type: 类型 agree with: 同意 limit: 限制 tolerance: 忍受 faith: 信仰
另外还有些信仰非主流宗教的信徒，他们不满于塔索尼斯政府的宗教政策，因此迁来此地。
Both planets had rich potential for mineral exploitation, but of course the Confederacy had dibs on those resources.
potential: 潜力 mineral: 矿产的 exploitation: 开发 of course: 当然 Confederacy: 联邦 have dibs on: 分享 resource: 资源
两颗行星的矿物资源都很丰富，当然啦，资源的所有权属于联邦。
The locals would have to either work under Confederate contracts or flee to new Fringe Worlds.
local: 当地人 contract: 契约 flee: 逃离 Fringe: 偏远的 World: 世界
当地居民无论干什么工作，都必须同联邦签订契约，否则，就只好逃到更边缘的世界去。
Mike checked the current UNN reports. There was a small bit about a disruption of signals from the Sara system,
Check: 核对 current: 当前的 report: 报道 bit: 一点儿 disruption: 播发 signal: 信号 system: 系统
迈克浏览了最新一期宇宙网络新闻社(UNN)的报道。只有一处轻描淡写地提到，萨拉星系与我们的通讯联系中断。
but most of the broadcast was given over to the latest Sons of Korhal outrage (poison gas in a public plaza on Haji), and a multitrain monorail pileup on Moira.
Broadcast: 广播 latest: 最新的 outrage: 暴行 poison: 毒性的 public: 公众的 plaza: 广场 gas: 气体 multirail: 多列列车 monorail: 单轨铁路 pileup: 连环相撞
大部分篇幅播发的都是“柯哈之子”的暴行(在哈吉行星的露天广场施放毒气)，以及莫伊拉行星发生的多列列车在高速单道铁轨上连环相撞的事件，
Mike composed a brief blurb, summarizing his discussion with Colonel Duke and noting that he was under full military restrictions in future reporting.
Compose: 写作 brief: 简报 blurb: 宣传 summarize: 总结 discussion: 讨论 colonel: 上校 note: 注明 military:军事 restriction: 限制 future: 未来 report: 报道
迈克写好一个富于煽动性的简报，准备发给安德森。在这份简报中，迈克提到自己与杜克上校的谈话，说明未来的采访工作会受到全面的军事限制。
That meant that his report would be meaned over before it left the ship and then again before it was broadcast.
mean: 意味着 broadcast: 报道 mean: 删改
那意味着迈克撰写的所有报道，在从诺德Ⅱ发回之前，都将一字一句被军方删改一遍。
Handy Anderson would be simultaneously griping about military censorship and dancing around his office in joy for the scoop.
simultaneous: 同时 gripe: 抓住 military: 军事的 censorship: 检查制度 dance: 跳舞 office: 办公室 joy: 高兴 scoop: 独家新闻
想像得出，汉迪·安德森收到这个简报后，一定会破口大骂军事检查制度，同时，又会被迈克挖掘到的这个千载难逢的新闻题材搞得兴奋不已，在办公室翩翩起舞。
If I’m lucky, thought Mike, he’ll dance too close to that damned window of his.
Lucky: 幸运的 Damn: 该死的 window: 窗户
如果老天有眼，迈克想，就让这个该死的恐高症患者一直舞到窗户边上去。
Mike prepared a second report, this one scrambled under cipher software and burned onto a minidisk.
Prepare: 准备 second: 第二的 report: 报告 scramble: 勉强拼凑 cipher: 密码 software: 软件 burn: 烧录 minidisk: 小光碟
迈克动手准备第二份报告，用密码软件编写，刻制在一张小光碟上。
This one wasn’t going anywhere, but if something happened to them, and their bodies were found, someone would know what was going on. It was a grim insurance policy.
Happen to: 发生于 body: 尸体 grim: 严酷的 be found: 被发现 insurance: 保险 policy:保险单
这是—份不打算向任何地方发出的报告，是一份严酷的保险单。如果自己玩掉了小命，只要尸体被人发现，人们就可以通过这张碟片，了解到曾经发生过的事情。
He had just finished the second report when a large shadow blocked the light.
Finish: 完成 second: 第二的 report: 报告 large: 巨大的 shadow: 阴影 block: 遮住了 light: 光线
他刚刚完成第二份报告，一个巨大的阴影就遮住了屋里的光线。
Mike looked up into the face of Lieutenant Swallow, now a foot taller and several hundred pounds heavier.
Look up: 抬头看 face: 脸 lieutenant: 中尉 foot: 英尺 taller: 更高的 several: 多个 hundred: 百 pound: 磅 heavy: 重
迈克抬起头，看见艾米莉中尉的脸。眼前的艾米莉比平日高出一头，重量增加了好几百磅。
She was decked out in a combat suit, her natural strength boosted by servos and mechanisms.
deck out: 打扮 combat: 战斗 suit: 服装 natural: 自然的 strength: 力量 boost: 推进 servo: 伺服电动机 mechanism: 机械装置
她裹在战斗服里，靠战斗服内部的动办系统行动。
An empty belt clip at her side would soon be filled with an 8-millimeter C-14 gauss rifle, an Impaler, for when she went into action.
empty: 空的 belt: 皮带 clip: 夹住 be filled with: 装满… millimeter: 毫米 rifle: 步枪 impalter: 刺钉枪 action: 行动
身体一侧拴扎着一条皮带，一旦投入战斗，这条皮带上会挂一支8毫米C一14型磁力枪，外加一把钉刺枪，使她成为一个名副其实的杀手。
Her visor was open, and she beamed an excited smile at him. She looked like a girl expecting her first prom dance.
Visor: 面甲 beam: 流露出 excited: 兴奋的 smile: 微笑 look like: 看起来像 expect: 期盼 prom: 正式舞会 dance: 跳舞
她的头盔面罩向上揭起，对着迈克露出兴奋的微笑，看上去像那种盼着在自己第一次参加的成人舞会上出出风头的小女生。
“Sir? We’ll be coming out of subwarp soon. The colonel wants you on the bridge, at the soonest possible moment.” Then she was gone..
Come out of: 从…出来 subwarp: 超越光速 Colonel: 上校 soon: 很快 soonest: 最快的possible: 可行的 moment: 时刻
“先生?我们马上就要越出超光速飞行状态。上校想在指挥舱见你，如果你有空，请你赶快去。”女中尉说完，转身就走。
Meaning right damned now, thought Mike, and followed Swallow out of his quarters.
Mean: 意思是 right: 正好 damned: 该死的 follow: 跟随 quarters: 住所
这狗东西的意思是让我立刻就去，迈克想。赶紧跟在艾米莉后面离开自己的住处。
The passageways were no wider now, but with the bulky suits now in preponderance they had become one-way, with movement guided by huge arrows on the floor.
Passageway: 通道 wider: 更宽的 bulky: 庞大的 suit: 服装 in preponderance: 占优势 become: 变成 one-way: 单行道 movement: 行动 guide: 指导 huge: 粗大的 arrow:箭头 floor: 地板
通道并不比原来更宽，但现在大家都穿着体积庞大的战斗服，于是只好将这些通道用作单行道，地板上的粗大箭头指示方向，显然十分有效。
At several crossings Swallow held up to let other crewmen pass in front of them, and Mike had
the sudden feeling of being the only kindergartner in a sixth-grade class.
Several: 几个 cross: 交叉口 hold up: 停住 let: 让 crewman: 船员 pass: 通过 in front of: 在…前面 sudden: 突然 feeling: 感觉 kindergartner: 幼儿园 grade: 年级 class: 等级
在几个交叉口，艾米莉举手示意，让另一些身穿战斗服的士兵先走。迈克发现，在诺德Ⅱ上，目前只有自己没穿战斗服，他忽然间觉得自己像六年级里惟一的一个幼儿园小朋友。
“I’ve got to get me one of those suits,” he commented.
Suit: 服装 comment: 抱怨
“应该给我发一套那种服装。”他抱怨道。
“I was unaware you were trained in the CMC powered combat suit, sir,” said Swallow.
unaware: 没注意到 train: 训练 power: 动力 combat: 战斗 suit: 服装
“据我所知，你没有参加过CMC动力战斗服的使用训练，先生。”艾米莉说。
“I’ve read the manuals.”
Read: 阅读 manual: 手册
“我读过使用手册。”
“That knowledge would be barely sufficient for your own protection in a crisis situation, sir.
Knowledge: 知识 barely: 只不过 sufficient: 足够的 protection: 保护 crisis: 危机 situation: 情况
“那上面写的，只够你学会在危急时怎么保护自己，先生。
However, should something happen, it is my personal responsibility to make sure you get to safety.”
However: 然而 happen: 发生 personal: 个人的 responsibility: 责任 make sure: 确保 safety: 安全
不过，真要有什么危急情况出现，我会保护你的人身安全。这是我的职责，你不用担心。”
“I’m filled with confidence.” Mike smiled at Swallow’s back, just in case she had a camera trained on him.
Be filled with: 充满了… confidence: 信心 smile at: 朝着谁笑 in case: 万一 camera:相机 train on: 对准
“这可真让我充满信心呀。”迈克说，一边对着艾米莉的后背甜甜地微笑，生怕她那古怪的战斗服后面有一架照相机正对准自己。
The ship gave a transdimensional shudder, and the engines shifted back from subwarp. They were in Sara’s space.
Transdimensional: 空间转换的 shudder: 颤动 engine: 引擎 shift: 转换 subwarp: 超光速 space: 星系
诺德Ⅱ猛地一震，完成空间转换，引擎退出超光速飞行状态。现在，他们已经进入萨拉星系。
The bridge was now bathed in red light, accented by the green monitors that lined the lower deck. Colonel Duke was decked out in his own battle armor.
Be bathed in: 被…笼罩 accent: 带着口音讲 green: 绿色的 monitor: 显示器 line: 排成一行 lower: 低的 deck: 舱面 Colonel: 上校 deck: 穿上 battle: 战斗 armor: 盔甲
指挥舱辉映在一片红光中，红光从一排监控显示器上发出。杜克上校把他那套指挥官战斗服穿戴起来，
He looked like a gorilla at the court of King Arthur. A gorilla with a pointy head, wearing plate mail.
Look like: 看起来像 gorilla: 大猩猩 court: 法院 pointy: 非常尖的 head: 脑袋 plate:金属板 mail: 盔甲
这使他本人看上去完全成了亚瑟王庭院中豢养的一头大猩猩。菱形尖脑袋，合金板打就的盔铠。
He was surrounded by a small cluster of viewscreens, each with a different talking head feeding data to him.
Be surrounded by: 被…包围 a cluster of: 一大堆 view screen: 显示屏 different: 不同的 feed: 传输 data: 数据
他被一大堆显示屏包围着，每个显示屏上都有一个与其它显示屏上不同的人脑袋，在向上校汇报各种数据。
“Mr. Liberty, reporting as requested, sir,” said Swallow, managing another sharp salute, even in the heavy armor.
Report: 报到 request: 要求 manage: 达到 sharp: 标准的 salute: 敬礼 heavy: 笨重的armor: 战斗服
“利伯蒂先生向您报到，长官。”艾米莉说，裹在笨重的战斗服里，她敬的军礼居然同样标准。
“Colonel,” said Mike.
“上校。”迈克说。
Duke did not look away from the main screen. He said simply, “We’re nearing Chau Sara.”
Look away from: 从…转移目标 main: 主要的 screen: 屏幕 simple: 简单的 near: 靠近
杜克的眼睛没有离开指挥舱的主屏幕，他简短地说，“我们正靠近切奥·萨拉。”
At first Mike thought the main screen was malfunctioning. They were approaching Chau Sara from the night side.
At first: 起初 main: 主要的 screen: 屏幕 malfunction: 发生故障 approach: 靠近 night:夜晚
最初迈克以为主屏幕出了故障。他知道诺德Ⅱ应该从黑夜的一面逼近切奥·萨拉，
The large disk of the outer Saran world was a messy, rainbow smear of light, like that found on oily water.
Disk: 圆盘 outer: 外部 messy: 散乱的 rainbow: 彩虹 smear: 涂片 oily: 油的 water:水面
但屏幕上显示的却是一片五光十色的景象，凌乱的色彩闪烁不定，像漂着一层油的水面。
Then Mike realized that this was the surface of Chau Sara he was looking at.
Realize: 认识到 surface: 表面 look at: 看到
接着，迈克意识到自己看到的，是切奥·萨拉行星现在的状态。
It glowed with rippling bands of colors, rippling bands of colored at a handful of locations of bright spikes of orange.
Glow: 发光 ripple: 涟漪 band: 条纹 color: 颜色 a handful of: 几个 location: 位置 bright: 亮的 spike: 尖峰 orange: 橘红色的
主屏幕上那些彩色的涟漪，是切奥·萨拉表面发出的光和热。少数几个位置闪耀着橘红色的光斑，特别刺眼。
“What . . .” Mike blinked. “What did this?”
Blink: 眨眼
“天哪……”迈克使劲眨眼，“这是怎么啦?”
“First contact, Liberty,” said the colonel. “First contact of the most extreme kind. How are the scans?”
Contact: 接触 colonel: 上校 extreme: 极端的 kind: 类型 scan: 扫描
“与异星智慧生物的第一次接触，利伯蒂。”上校说，“极端类型的第一次接触。扫描情况怎么样?”
One of the technicians reported, “I get no life readings. Most of the surface area has been liquefied and sterilized.
Technician: 技术兵 report: 报告 readings: 读数 surface: 表面 liquefy: 液化 sterilize:熔化
技术兵报告：“没有生命活动迹象。表面大部分区域已经熔化。
This zone looks to be between twenty and fifty feet deep.”
Zone: 地带 feet: 英尺 deep: 深层 between: 之间
这个地带遭受的打击深入地表以下。”
“The settlements?” Mike asked.
Settlement: 殖民地
“是殖民地区域?”迈克忍不住发问。
The technician continued, “The orange spikes appear to be magma breaches through the planetary mantle. They are located at the locations of the known settlements.”
Technician: 技师 continue: 继续 orange: 橘红色的 spike: 长钉 appear: 看上去 magma: 岩浆 breach: 攻破 planetary: 行星的 mantle: 外壳 be located at: 位于 location:位置 known: 已知 settlement: 殖民地
技术兵继续报告：“橘红色的耀斑看上去像是岩浆喷发造成的，位置处于已知的殖民地区域。”
A pause. “Plus at least a dozen other locations.”
Pause: 稍停 plus: 另外 at least: 至少 dozen: 十二个 location: 位置
稍停片刻又补充道，“另外至少还有十二个区域受到攻击。”
Mike looked at the swirling, deadly rainbow on the screen. The sun was cresting the horizon ahead of them, and the world looked no better in the sunlight.
Swirling: 打旋的 deadly: 死亡的 rainbow: 彩虹 screen: 屏幕 crest: 升起 horizon: 地平线 ahead of: 在…前面 no better: 没有好转 sunlight: 太阳光
迈克眼睛发直，瞪着主屏幕上炫目的死亡彩虹和旋涡。萨拉星系的太阳正在升起，但这个阳光下的世界看上去却是如此恐怖，
Only a few dark clouds, thin as crow feathers, dragged across the sunlight side.
A few: 几个 dark: 乌黑的 cloud: 云朵 thin: 薄薄的 crow: 乌鸦 feather: 羽毛 drag:拖曳 sunlight: 阳光
几朵薄得像乌鸦羽毛一样的黑云，飞快地从阳光边掠过。
“In addition, eighty percent of the atmosphere has been blown off in the attack,” continued the technician.
In addition: 另外 percent: 百分之 atmosphere: 大气 blow off: 破坏 attack: 攻击 continue: 继续 technician: 技术兵
“另外，百分之八十的大气在攻击中被破坏。”技术兵还在报告。
“Any orbital presence?” asked Duke, an armorplated monolith in their midst.
orbital: 轨道 presence: 出现 armorplated: 装甲的 monolith: 整体 midst: 中间
“空间轨道上有什么发现?”包在合金盔甲中的杜克问。
“Working,” said the tech. Finally came the response, “Negative. Nothing of ours. Nothing of unknown origin either. There may be some fragments on a larger scan.”
Tech: 技工 finally: 终于 response: 回应 Negative: 否定的 unknown: 不知道的 origin:原始 fragment: 碎片 larger: 更大的 scan: 扫描
“正在操作。”技术兵答应道。略作停顿之后回复：“没有。没发现我们的。也没发现来历不明的。也许增大扫描幅宽可以发现一些迹象。”
“Widen the scan,” said Duke. “I want to know if there’s anything out here. Ours or theirs.”
Widen: 调大 ours: 我们的 theirs: 他们的
“调大扫描幅宽。”杜克说，“轨道上无论有什么，我都要弄个明白，不管是我们的还是他们的。”
“Working . . . Definite fragments. Likely ours. Would need a salvage team to confirm.”
Definite: 确切的 fragment: 碎片 likely: 可能的 salvage: 抢救 team: 队伍 confirm: 证实
“执行操作……发现碎片。像我们的。需要抢险队进一步证实。”
“Why did they do this?” Mike asked, but no one answered him.
“他们为什么这样做?”迈克问。但是没人理他。
Techs in lighter-weight combat suits tapped displays with gauntleted hands, and the numerous heads on the screens all talked at once to Colonel Duke.
Tech: 技工 lighter-weight: 笨重发光 combat: 战斗 suit: 服装 tap: 轻敲 display: 显示 gauntlet: 铁手套 numerous: 大量的 screen: 屏幕 at once: 立刻 Colonel: 上校
技术兵们裹在笨重发光的战斗服内，戴着金属手套的手紧张地点击显示器。周围屏幕上的无数人脑袋，此时都闹哄哄地一齐对着杜克上校说话。
Finally Mike came up with a question he thought they could answer. “What did this? Nukes?”
Finally: 最后 come up with: 想出 answer: 回答 nuke: 核武器
最后，迈克提出一个他认为可以找到答案的问题，“他们用什么干的?核弹?”
The word seemed to reak Duke from his steady stream of information. He looked at the reporter. “Atomic delivery systems leave blackened glass and burning forests.
Seem to: 看起像… reak: 打动 steady: 稳定的 stream: 流 information: 信息 Atomic:原子的 delivery: 发送 system: 系统 leave: 留下 blackened: 黑乎乎的 glass: 结晶体 burning: 燃烧的 forest: 森林
这个词总算打动了杜克。他眼光扫向记者，“核打击系统使整个星球只剩下黑糊糊的结晶体和燃烧的森林。
Even Korhal had some surviving pockets of clear terrain, for a while at least. Chau Sara has been burned down to the liquid core in places.
Survive: 生存 pocket: 包裹 clear: 空旷的地方 terrain: 地域 for a while: 一会儿 at least: 至少 burn down: 烧毁 liquid: 液体 core: 中心
柯哈行星在遭启示录级核弹轰炸后，开阔地带还留下少数幸存者，至少暂时还算活物吧。切奥·萨拉算彻底毁啦，好几处岩浆都被炸得流出来了，
This is much more deadly than even Apocalypse bombs.”
Deadly: 致命的 apocalypse: 天启 bomb: 核弹
他们用的武器比我们的启示录级核弹威力大得多。”
“This”—Duke pointed at the screen—“is the work of an alien race, the Protoss.
Point at: 指着 screen: 大屏幕 work: 作品 alien: 外来的 race: 种族
“这——”杜克指着大屏幕，“是外来种族的杰作，普罗托斯族。
From what I’m being told, they warped in from nowhere, closer to the planet than we would ever attempt. Huge ships, and a lot of them.
Warp: 超出 nowhere: 无处 closer to: 更靠近 planet: 星球 attempt: 试图 huge: 巨大的 ship: 船只 a lot of: 许多
我得到的消息说，他们不知从哪里跃出超空间，突然现身，现身的地点距那个星球非常近，我们绝不敢靠得那么近。他们的飞船体型巨大，数量多极了。
Caught a few transports and scavenger ships and blew them out of the sky. Then they unleashed whatever-it-was on the planet and sterilized it like a three-minute egg.
Catch: 撞见 a few: 几个 transport: 运输 scavenger: 清除剂 blow out: 使爆裂 sky: 天空 unleash: 解开 whatever-it-was: 不管是什么 planet: 星球 sterilize: 杀菌 minute: 分钟 egg: 鸡蛋
咱们有几艘运输船和清理航道的飞船撞上他们，被炸了个灰飞烟灭。然后不知他们发射了些什么东西到行星上，管它是什么，总之立刻就把这个星球变成了不毛之地，像一颗煮过三分钟的鸡蛋。
Then they left again. Mar Sara’s on the other side of the sun right now, and they’re in a panic that they might be next.”
Leave: 离开 the other: 另一个 right now: 现在 panic: 恐慌，惶恐
干完这些事，他们不知又跑哪里去了。玛尔·萨拉星现在位于这个星系恒星的另一边，那里的人很担心普罗托斯族把他们当作下一个攻击目标。”
“Protoss.” Mike shook his head slightly, digesting the data.
shake: 摇晃 head: 头脑 slight: 轻微的 digest: 消化 data: 数据
“普罗托斯族。”迈克缓缓摇着他的头，想努力消化这个陌生的词汇。
Something was wrong there. He looked at the tech’s display, showing the deep radar holes punching down to the planet’s magma.
tech: 技工 display: 显示 show: 显示 deep: 深入的 radar: 雷达 hole: 洞 punch: 穿孔 planet: 星球 magma: 岩浆层
有些事情不对头。他盯住技术兵的显示器，上面显示出雷达深入扫描的图像，这些图像一直深入到行星的熔浆层。
“You have enough for your report, Mr. Liberty,” Duke said. “We will remain on station in the event of other hostiles for the foreseeable future.
Enough: 足够的 report: 报道 remain: 保持 station: 位置 in the event of: 万一 hostile:有敌意的 foreseeable: 可以预见的 future: 未来
“这下够你报道的啦，利伯蒂先生。”杜克说，“我们要停留在目前位置，抵御将来可能出现的敌对行动。
You may mention in any report you file that we will be joined by the Jackson V and the Huey Long within days.”
Mention: 提及 report: 报告 file: 文件 join: 汇合 Long: 长的 within: 在…之内
你写的报道里可以提一下，几天之内，两艘战舰杰克森V号和休伊·朗号将会前来与我们汇合。”
The tech reached for his ear, then said, “Sir, we have anomalous readings.”
Tech: 技工 reach for: 触及到 ear: 耳朵 anomalous: 异常的 reading: 读数
技术兵报告的话音突然钻进迈克的耳朵，“长官，发现不明飞行物。”
“Location?” snapped the colonel, turning away from Liberty.
Location: 位置 snap: 厉声说 colonel: 上校 turn away from: 转身
“位置?”上校厉声喝问，立即转回身去看主屏幕。
“Zed-Two, Quadrant Five, one AU out. Numerous anomalies.”
quadrant: 象限 AU: 天文单位 numerous: 许多 anomalies: 异常现象
“坐标Z2，5区，一个单位误差，许多不明飞行物出现。”
“Bearing?”
Bearing: 方位
“方向?”
“Working.” A pause, and then a defeated shrug crept into the tech’s words. “Heading for Mar Sara, sir.”
Pause: 停顿 defeat: 打败 shrug: 耸肩 crept: 渐渐产生 tech: 技工 head for: 朝…方向去
“执行操作。”停顿片刻后，技术兵报告，“正向玛尔·萨拉飞去，长官。”
Duke nodded. “Prepare to intercept anomalous readings. Launch fighters when in range.”
Nod: 点头 Prepare to do: 准备做 intercept: 介入 anomalous: 异常的 reading: 读数 Launch: 发射 fighter: 战斗 in range: 在范围内
杜克点点头，“准备截击不明飞行物，进入射程后发射战斗机。”
Mike spoke before he thought, “Are you crazy?”
Speak: 说到 think: 考虑 crazy: 疯狂的
迈克脱口说道，“你疯啦?”
Duke turned back to the reporter. “That was a rhetorical question, I hope, son.”
Turn back to: 转身 reporter: 记者 rhetorical: 修辞性的 question: 问题 hope: 希望
杜克转过身面对记者，“孩子，我希望，你刚说过的这句话只是个修饰性的句子，不代表字面意思。”
“We’re one ship.”
“我们可只有一艘飞船呀。”迈克急得直跌脚。
“We’re the only ship between them and Mar Sara. We will intercept.”
Intercept: 阻止 ship: 飞船 only: 唯一
“我们是他们与玛尔·萨拉之间惟一的飞船。我们必须阻止他们。”
Mike almost said, “Easy for you, you’re in a hard-shelled battlesuit,” but caught himself.
Almost: 几乎 hard-shelled: 硬邦邦的 battlesuit: 战服 catch: 控制住
迈克差不多想破口大骂，“你他妈当然勇敢啦，藏在硬邦邦的乌龟壳里。”但他努力控制住自己。
Whatever could go through a planetary crust wouldn’t be stopped by a few layers of combat armor.
Whatever: 无论如何 go through: 穿通 planetary: 行星的 crust: 外壳 stop: 阻止 layer:层 combat: 战斗 armor: 盔甲
无论如何，能够穿透行星外壳的东西，不可能被这几层破金属装甲阻挡住吧。
Instead Mike took a deep breath and just gripped the railing, as if he were hoping that this might ease the eventual blow.
Instead: 而不是 deep: 深 breath: 呼吸 grip: 抓住 railing: 栏杆 as if: 好像 hope: 希望 might: 似乎 ease: 减轻 eventual: 最后的 blow: 打击
想骂骂不出，迈克只好深吸一口气，使劲握紧面前的栏杆，似乎这样做就能够减轻可能降临的猛烈打击。
“Approaching visual,” said the tech. “Putting on screen.”
Approach: 接近 visual: 图像 tech: 技工 put on: 接上 screen: 屏幕
“有图像了。”技术兵报告，“接上主屏幕。”
The main screen flickered to reveal a scattering of fireflies against the night sky. They looked almost pretty against the darkness.
Main: 主要的 screen: 屏幕 flicker: 闪烁 reveal: 显示 scatter: 散播 fireflies: 萤火虫 night: 夜晚 sky: 天空 almost: 几乎 pretty: 美丽的 darkness: 黑夜
像天女散花，密密麻麻萤火虫一样的彩色光斑在主屏幕上跳耀，它们映在黑夜的背景上，看起来绚丽极了。
Then Mike realized that there were hundreds of them, and that these were only the main ships. Smaller gnats danced around them.
Realize: 认识到 hundreds of: 数以百计 main: 主要的 smaller: 更小的 gnat: 蠓虫
Dance: 跳舞
迈克注意到它们数以百计，这还仅仅是主力舰。围着它们舞动的那些小虫子就更多啦。
“Are we within launching range for the Wraiths?” the colonel asked.
Within: 在…范围内 launch: 发射 range: 范围 Wraith: 幽灵 colonel: 上校
“我们的幽灵战机进入发射范围没有?”上校问道。
“Mark at two minutes,” replied the tech.
Mark: 标记 reply: 回答
“还需两分钟。”技术兵回答。
“Launch as soon as possible.”
“Launch: 发射 as soon as possible: 尽快
“尽快发射。”
Mike took a deep breath and wished that he had joined in the combat suit drills after all.
Take a deep breath: 深呼吸 wish: 希望 join: 参加 combat: 战斗 suit: 服装 drill: 训练 after all: 最后
迈克下意识地又做了一个深呼吸，心里直后悔，前段时间自己为什么不去参加CMC战斗服的军事训练呢。
Even at long range, the Protoss ships had form and definition. The largest were huge cylindrical creations, similar in appearance to luminous zeppelins.
range: 范围 form: 形状 definition: 清晰 huge: 巨大的 cylindrical: 圆柱的 creation: 创作 similar: 相似 in appearance: 看起来 luminous: 发光的 zeppelin: 飞船
甚至在现在这么远的距离，也完全能够看清楚普罗托斯族飞船的形状了。最大那种圆柱状的太空母舰，看上去类似发光的飞艇。
They were surrounded by hungry moths, and Mike realized these had to be their fighters,
Be surrounded by: 被…包围 hungry: 饥饿 moth: 飞蛾 realize: 意识到 fighter: 战斗机
围绕着它们上下盘旋的光点，像无数饥饿的飞蛾。迈克推测，这些飞蛾状的光点是他们的战机，
their equivalents of the A-17 Wraiths that were now in the hangars, just waiting for them to close to within striking range.
Equivalent: 同等物 Wraith: 幽灵 hangar: 飞机库 wait for: 等待 close to: 靠近
striking: 攻击的 range: 范围
就像诺德Ⅱ机库中那些整装待发的A—17幽灵战机，正在等待他们进入攻击范围。
Other golden ships danced between the larger carriers, glimmering like small stars.
golden: 金色的 ship: 飞船 between: 之间 carrier: 航空母舰 glimmer: 闪烁 star: 星星
另外还有些金色的飞船在太空母舰之间穿梭，像小星星一样闪烁不定。
Then, as Mike watched, one of the great carriers seemed to dissolve. There was a flash of light, a soft glowing, and then it was gone.
Watch: 观察 carrier: 运载机 seem to: 看起来 dissolve: 熔化 a flash of light: 一道光线 soft: 柔 glow: 光
然后，迈克看到，屏幕上一艘大飞船像在黑色的背景中忽然融化掉气样，柔光一闪，就消失了。
Another moment, and another flash, and another disappearance.
Moment: 片刻 flash: 闪烁 disappearance: 消失
片刻之后，又一艘一闪，接着，再一艘。
“Sir,” said the technician. “Anomalous reading disappearing.”
Technician: 技工 anomalous: 异常的 reading: 读数 disappear: 消失
“长官。”技术兵说，“不明飞行物正在消失。”
“Cloaking technology?” asked the colonel.
Cloak: 隐形 technology: 技术 colonel: 上校
“他们使用了隐形技术?”上校问。
Despite himself, Mike said, “At this scale?”
Despite: 不管 scale: 规模
迈克忘了自己的处境，忍不住说：“不可能吧，在他们占绝对优势的时候?”
“Working.” A huge pause, as deep as a canyon. “Negative. It appears that they are surrounding themselves with some form of subwarp field. They are retreating.”
huge: 巨大的 pause: 停顿 canyon: 峡谷 negative: 否定的 appear: 看来好像 surround: 包围 form: 形式 subwarp: 超越光速 field: 领地 retreat: 撤退
“正在操作。”静默，深如裂谷的静默。似乎过了很久，技术兵才报告，“没有使用隐形技术。他们好像进入了超光速飞行状态。是的，他们撤退了。”
As Mike watched, more of the ships began to flash and vanish.
Watch: 观察 flash: 闪烁 vanish: 即逝
迈克盯紧大屏幕，只见更多的普罗托斯族飞船一闪即逝。
The great carriers and their brood of smaller ships, the lesser golden vessels, all vanished like fey spirits with the coming of dawn.
Carrier: 航空母舰 Brood: 一窝 lesser: 小的 golden: 金色 vessel: 飞船 vanish: 消失 like: 像 fey: 具有魔法的 spirit: 精灵 dawn: 黎明
大的太空母舰，小的金色飞船，蛾子似的太空战机，转眼间消失得无影无踪，全都像消失在来临的黎明中会魔法的精灵一样。
Fey spirits that can burn a planet down to its molten core, Mike reminded himself.
burn down: 烧毁 planet: 星球 molten: 熔化的 core: 内核 remind: 提醒
能够熔化星球内核的精灵，迈克提醒自己。
The colonel allowed himself a smile. “Good. They’re afraid of us. Have all stations stand down, but remain alert for a trick.”
Allow: 允许 smile: 微笑 be afraid of: 害怕 station: 岗位 stand down: 退下 remain: 保持 alert: 警戒的 trick: 诡计
上校紧绷的脸放松，皱出笑容，“好。他们怕我们。所有人员稍息，但不要放松警惕，提防他们另有诡计。”
Mike shook his head. “This makes no sense. They have the power to toast a planet. Why are they afraid of us?”
Shake: 摇动 make no sense: 没有道理 power: 力量 toast: 烧烤 planet: 行星 be afraid of: 害怕
迈克把头摇得像拨浪鼓，“没道理呀。他们可以把一个星球随便拿来烧烤，为什么要怕我们?”
“Obvious,” said the colonel. “They’re spent. They don’t have enough force to engage us.”
Obvious: 明显的 colonel: 上校 spent: 精疲力竭的 enough: 足够的 force: 力量 engage: 交战
“这都不懂?”上校说，“他们的精力和能量都已耗尽，没有实力和我们再战。”
“We’re only one ship.” Mike shook his head angrily. “There were dozens out there.”
angry: 恼怒 dozen: 十二个
“我们只有一艘战舰。”迈克还在摇头，心中有些恼怒，“而他们，有数百艘。”
“They fear possible reinforcements.”
Fear: 害怕 possible: 可能的 reinforcement: 援军
“他们害怕我们后面有援军。”
“No, no. Something’s going on here. It doesn’t make human sense.”
human: 人类的 make sense: 讲得通
“不，不。一定有别的什么原因，他们的行为没有意义。实在太怪异了，根本说不通。”
“We’re not dealing with humans here,” said Duke, scowling. “Look at their firepower.”
deal with: 对待 human: 人类 scowl: 生气地皱眉 firepower: 火力
“我们不能老用人类的眼光去看问题。”杜克说，耸起了眉毛，“看看他们的武器，人类想像不出这种火力吧。”
“Exactly. These Protoss have superior numbers and firepower, and we’re facing them down? Why they are here?”
Exactly: 正是 superior: 优势的 number: 数量 firepower: 火力 face down: 直接面对
“正是啊。这些普罗托斯族的飞船在数量和火力上都占绝对优势，我们招惹他们了吗?为什么他们出现在这里?”
“Mr. Liberty, that will be enough questions for the day.” The scowl deepened, but Mike ignored the warning.
Enough: 足够的 question: 问题 scowl: 怒容 deepen: 加深 ignore: 不理睬 warning:警告
“利伯蒂先生，你问得够多了，到此为止吧。”上校的眉毛耸得更高，但迈克不理睬这个警告。
“No, something’s not jake in all this. Look at the damage reports.” Mike pointed at one of the tech’s monitors.
Jake: 对的 look at: 看看 damage: 破坏 point: 报告 point at: 指着 tech: 技术兵 monitor: 显示器
“不，这个事件中有许多东西不清楚，看那些遭受破坏的地方。”迈克指着一个技术兵的显示器，
“They cooked an entire planet, but some places deeper than others. Every major human city, yes, but look.” Mike pointed at the wall of data.
Cook: 煮熟 entire: 整个的 planet: 星球 deeper: 更深的 major: 主要的 human: 人类的 point at: 指着 data: 数据
“他们煮熟了整个星球，但有些地区明显比别处破坏得厉害些。每个住人的城市，是的，但是再看。”迈克指向墙上的数据，
“There are strike zones on the other side of the planet, far away from any recorded human settlement. I know. I was just checking the archives.”
Strike: 攻击 the other side: 另一边 far away from: 离…很远 record: 记录 human: 人类的 settlement: 殖民区 check: 检查 archive: 档案
“看行星的另一面，正好相反，这面遭到剧烈打击的地方，都远离地图上的人类殖民区。我很清楚。我刚看过这个星球的材料。”
“I said that will be enough, Mister. We have more to worry about with the Protoss than just how effective they are in choosing their targets.”
Enough: 足够的 worry about: 担心 effective: 有效的 choose: 选择 target: 目标
“够了!先生。我们更关注普罗托斯族怎样确定他们的攻击目标。”
Mike’s face lit up as a connection was made deep in his brain. “And where did we get the name ‘Protoss,’ Colonel? Is that ours, or theirs?”
Light up: 容光焕发 connection: 联系 brain: 大脑 colonel: 上校 ours: 我们的 theirs:他们的
迈克大脑深处某个地方突然一激灵，他脸一热，“嘿，等等!我们从哪里得知‘普罗托斯族’这个称呼的?上校，是我们这样称孵他们，还是他们告诉我们的?”
“Mister Liberty!” Color was creeping up the sides of Duke’s face.
Creep up: 慢慢爬上 face: 脸
“利伯蒂先生!”上校勃然变色。
“And if it’s their name for themselves, how come we know it? Didn’t we have to know it in advance? Or did they send a warning before they attacked?”
How come: 怎么会…的 know: 知道 in advance: 事先 send: 发送 warning: 警告 attack: 攻击
“如果这是他们对自身的称呼，那我们是怎么知道的?在此之前我们真的什么都不知道吗?不会吧?他们是不是在攻击之前预先警告过我们?”
The reporter was raising his voice now, the way he would for a dissembling candidate in a precinct by-election.
reporter: 记者 raise: 调高 voice: 嗓音 dissembling: 掩饰的 candidate: 候选人 precinct: 选区 by-election: 递补选举
记者的嗓门越吊越高，像正在痛斥某个虚伪的选区候选人。
“Lieutenant Swallow!” Duke bit off the command.
Lieutenant: 中尉 bite: 咬牙切齿 command: 下令
“艾米莉中尉!”杜克咬牙切齿地下令。
“Yes, sir?” Another perfect salute.
Another: 另一个 perfect: 完美的 salute: 军礼
“到，长官。”又是一个漂亮的军礼。
“Escort Mr. Liberty off the bridge! Now!”
Escort: 陪同 bridge: 船
“马上送利伯蒂先生出去!快点!”
Mike gripped the railing firmly with both hands. A ligatured arm wrapped in metal snaked around his waist.
Grip: 抓住 railing: 栏杆 firm: 紧紧的 ligatured: 缚绳索的 arm: 手臂 be wrapped in: 裹在…中 metal: 金属 snake: 扭曲 waist: 腰
迈克两手死死抓紧面前的栏杆。一只金属手臂像蛇一样弯过来围住他的腰。
Mike was shouting now, “Dammit, Duke, you know more than you’re telling. This stinks to high heaven!”
Shout: 怒吼 know: 知道 stink: 发出恶臭 heaven: 天空
迈克怒骂，“见你的鬼去，杜克，你的秘密我就算不知道，闻也闻得出来——臭气熏天!”
“I said now, Lieutenant!” Duke snarled.
Lieutenant: 中尉 snarl: 咆哮
“我说了，快点!中尉!”杜克咆哮。
“This way, sir,” said Swallow, breaking Mike’s hold and pulling the reporter off his feet. With her prize, she retreated for the lift.
Break: 打破 hold: 抓住 pull: 拉 reporter: 记者 prize: 战利品 retreat: 后退 lift: 电梯
“这边请，先生。”艾米莉说，同时一把将迈克拎起来，拽开迈克紧握栏杆的手，提着她的“战利品”退出去。
Still shouting questions, Michael Liberty left the bridge.
Shout: 喊叫 question: 问题 leave: 离开 bridge: 指挥舱
闹嚷之中，迈克·利伯蒂被带出指挥舱。
The last thing he heard before the doors slid shut was Colonel Duke ordering the opening of a comm line with the colonial magistrate of Mar Sara.
Hear: 听到 door: 门 slide: 滑 shut: 关闭 colonel: 上校 order: 命令 opening: 开通 line: 线路 colonial: 殖民的 magistrate: 地方法官
在滑动的门关严实之前，迈克最后听到，杜克上校正在命令手下，立即开设一条与玛尔·萨拉殖民地行政当局联系的通讯线路。
作者：Jeff Grubb 翻译：佚名
解析：Michelle 编辑：destitution
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