第五章_希尔纳加之影_星际小说_游戏英语_英语游戏

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Chapter 5

第五章

Under the command of general Edmund Duke, the warships of Alpha Squadron were always ready for battle. In fact, the troops were eager for it.

command: 指挥 general: 将军 under the command of: 在...的指挥下 warship: 战舰 always: 总是 be ready for: 为...作准备 battle: 战斗 troop: 军队 be eager for: 渴望...

在Edmund Duke将军的指挥下，Alpha Squadron的战舰随时都可以进行战斗。事实上，他们也渴望战斗。

The devastating first conflict with the Zerg and the Protoss had obliterated the fringe colony worlds of Chau Sara and Mar Sara,

devastating: 毁灭性的确 first: 第一次 conflict with: 和...战斗 obliterate: 抹去 fringe: 边缘 colony: 殖民地 world: 世界

在先前Zerg和Protoss间的那场破坏性的战争中，殖民世界边缘的Chau Sara和Mar Sara,

the Confederacy government world of Tarsonis, and the Protoss home planet of Aiur.

government: 政府 home: 家园 planet: 星球

联邦政府所在地Tarsonis，以及Protoss的家园星球Aiur都相继成为了牺牲品。

Duke hated aliens—of any flavor. He woke up at night in his flagship cabin trying to strangle the sweaty sheets on his bunk.

hate: 讨厌 alien: 外星人 any: 任何 flavor: 风味 wake up: 醒来 at night: 在晚上 flagship: 旗舰 cabin: 船舱 try: 试图 strangle: 扼下 sweaty: 汗湿的 sheet: 被单 bunk: 铺位

Duke讨厌外星人——任何方面都是。他经常在晚上忽然醒来，坐在他旗舰的船舱里，试图扯下床上被汗湿的被褥。

In the upheavals of the recent war, the charismatic rebel Arcturus Mengsk, leader of the violent Sons of Korhal,

upheaval: 剧变 recent: 近来的 war: 战争 charismatic: 有魅力的 rebel: 反叛者 leader:领导者 violent: 暴力的

在那场战争的剧变中，以神自居的造反者Arcturus Mengsk，暴力组织Sons of Korhal的领导人，

had seized command of what had been the Terran Confederacy and crowned himself the new emperor.

seize: 夺取 command: 掌控 crown: 冠冕 confederacy: 联邦 himself: 他自己 emperor: 皇帝

夺取了原本属于Terran联邦的权力，自封为新的皇帝。

Duke didn't think the man was particularly honorable or trustworthy or even talented. Mengsk was a politician, after all.

particularly: 特别 honorable: 可敬的 trustworthy: 值得信任的 even: 甚至 talented: 有才能的 politician: 政治家 after all: 不管怎样

Duke并不认为那个人很值得尊敬，或者值得信任，甚至怀疑他到底有没有才能。不管怎么说，Mengsk只是一个政客。

Different government, same military. General Duke just did his job.

different: 不同的 same: 相同的 military: 军队 just: 仅仅 job: 工作

不同的政府，相同的军队。Duke将军只是完成他的工作而已。

Since he wanted to keep his command, Duke had no compunction about obeying whatever Emperor Arcturus Mengsk told him to do. The general knew who issued his orders.

since: 自从 want: 想 keep: 继续 compunction: 良心不安 about: 关于 obey: 服从 whatever: 无论什么 tell: 吩咐 issue: 发行 order: 命令

他只想继续指挥，对于Arcturus Mengsk大帝要他干的事情，他并不感到良心有什么过意不去的地方。将军知道谁去执行他的命令。

Many of the vessels had been damaged in the conflict, including his flagship, the Norad II.

vessel: 船舰 damage: 损坏 conflict: 战斗 include: 包括 flagship: 旗舰

战争中很多飞船都遭到了破坏，包括他的旗舰Norad II。

Since then, however, the new Emperor Mengsk had spent a lot of money to pump up the military.

since: 自从 then: 那时 however: 无论如何 emperor: 皇帝 spend: 花费 a lot of: 许多 money: 金钱 pump up: 加大 military: 军队

从那以后，Mengsk大帝花了很多财力升级军队。

Alpha Squadron's damaged ships had been refurbished, their weapons had been reloaded, and they had been sent out into space again.

damaged: 受损的 ship: 船 refurbish: 翻新 weapon: 武器 reload: 重新加载 send out:送出 space: 太空 again: 再次

Alpha Squadron损坏的飞船都被修复了，甚至武器都经过了升级，随后被再次送入太空。

His fleet consisted of Battlecruisers, Wraiths, Science Vessels, and Dropships, a full-fledged force ready for a dangerous galaxy.

fleet: 舰队 consist of: 由...组成 full-fledged: 成熟的 force: 军队 ready for: 为...作好准备 dangerous: 危险的 galaxy: 宇宙

Battlecruiser、Wraith、Science Vessel和Dropship组成了他坚不可摧的舰队，随时可以开赴危险的宇宙。

The cursed Protoss and Zerg were still out there somewhere.

curse: 诅咒 still: 仍然 out: 在外 somewhere: 某个地方

邪恶的Protoss和Zerg仍然在那儿的某一个地方。

Alpha Squadron had left Korhal, the emperor's new capital planet, which had been damaged by Confederacy vengeance many years before.

leave: 离开 capital: 首都 planet: 星球 damage: 摧毁 confederacy: 联邦 vengeance:报复 many years before: 多年前

Alpha Squadron早就离开了Korhal这颗多年前曾经被联邦的炮火摧毁，而今天却成为了大帝的首都星的星球。

But Arcturus Mengsk had had the last laugh . . . and General Duke still had his military command. Nothing else mattered much to the general.

last: 最后 laugh: 笑 general: 将军 military: 军队 command: 掌控 nothing: 没有事情 else: 其它的 matter: 要紧 much: 十分

但是Arcturus Mengsk笑到了最后……至于Duke将军，则依然把持着指挥权。对于将军来说，其他什么事情都不重要。

For months, the ships of Alpha Squadron had been out on routine survey missions, mapping potential colony worlds, reestablishing contact with others that had fallen by the wayside.

month: 月 ship: 船 routine: 例行的 survey: 测湛 mission: 任务 map: 在地图上标记出 potential: 可能的 colony: 殖民地 world: 世界 reestablish: 重建 contact with: 和...联系 other: 别的 fall: 落下 by the wayside: 在一旁

这几个月来，Alpha Squadron的战舰一直在执行例行的测绘工作，标记可能的殖民世界，以及和其他失去联络的星球重建连接。

Duke could not have imagined a more boring assignment—not for a brilliant strategist like himself, and not for his loyal soldiers either.

imagine: 想像 more: 更（多的） boring: 无聊的 assignment: 任务 brilliant: 卓越的 strategist: 战略家 like: 像 himself: 他自己 loyal: 忠诚的 soldier: 士兵

Duke简直想不出还有什么事情比这更无聊——这种任务根本不该由像他这样才华横溢的战略家来执行，也不该扔给他那些忠诚的士兵。

But the political situation with the newly formed Terran Dominion was still unsteady, and Mengsk had picked his own men to form the Imperial Guard close to home.

political: 政治上的 situation: 形势 newly: 新近 form: 形成 unsteady: 不稳定的 pick:挑选 own: 自己的 close to: 靠近 home: 家园

不过刚刚建立的Terran Dominion的政治状况还不稳定，Mengsk只让他自己的人组建守护主星的Imperial Guard。

Presumably, General Duke had not yet convinced the emperor of his loyalty, so he and Alpha Squadron were dispatched far away, where they could cause little trouble.

presumably: 据推测 yet: 还 convince: 使信服 loyalty: 忠诚 so: 所以 dispatch: 派遣 far away: 远地 cause: 引起 little: 极少 trouble: 麻烦

大概Duke将军也没下定决心忠于大帝，所以他和他的Alpha Squadron被远远调开，免得他们惹什么麻烦。

Duke preferred to avoid politics anyway, and if those two malicious species wanted to come back for another dogfight, he'd be happy to give it to them, all right.

prefer to: 更喜欢 avoid: 避免 politic: 政治 anyway: 不管怎样 if: 如果 malicious: 恶毒的 species: 种类 want: 想 come back: 回来 another: 再一次 dogfight: 混战 happy:高兴的 give: 给 all right: 好（口语）

Duke更倾向于远离政治。如果那两个凶恶的种族愿意再回来混战一场，他倒是会很开心地把这一切政权纷争都扔给它们。

Damned aliens! In any case, the general expected to uncover more information and more strongholds of the evil Zerg or the treacherous Protoss—

damn: 该死的 alien: 外星人 in any case: 无论怎样 expect: 期望 uncover: 揭露 information: 信息 stronghold: 据点 evil: 恶魔 treacherous: 危险的

该死的外星人！不管什么情况下，相比找条路回到文明的地区，他更希望能在哪儿了解到更多关于恶魔Zerg或者奸诈的Protoss——

he didn't care which—out here in the uncharted areas than he would ever find back home in the civilized sectors.

care: 在乎 uncharted: 地图上没标识的 area: 地域 than: 相比 ever: 在任何时候 find:找到 civilize: 变得文明 sector: 部分

他并不在乎到底是哪个——的信息和据点。

After so much time on patrol, General Duke had assessed the fleet's resources, looked at their military capabilities,

patrol: 巡逻 general: 将军 assess: 评估 fleet: 舰队 resource: 资源 look at: 看了看 military: 军队 capability: 性能

舰队已经巡航了很久了，Duke将军估计了一下舰队剩下的资源，看了看军队的容量，

and given orders for Alpha Squadron to stop at the next Vespene-rich asteroid field.

give: 给 order: 命令 stop: 停止 next: 下一个 rich: 富的 asteroid: 小行星 field: 领域

然后命令Alpha Squadron在下一个富含Vespene的小行星地带停下来。

He intended to stuff his ships to the gills with more resources than the emperor had allowed him.

intend: 计划 stuff: 填满 ship: 船 gill: 及耳（量液单位） emperor: 皇帝 allow: 允许

他故意往军舰里装入比大帝允许的数量更多的资源。

Now, he stood on the flagship, the rebuilt and completely repaired Norad II —now named Norad III —a Battlecruiser with all the punch General Duke could ever wish for.

stand: 站立 flagship: 旗舰 rebuilt: 重建 repair: 修理 completely: 彻底地 name: 取名 all: 全部 punch: 武器 ever: 从来 wish: 希望

现在，他站在他的旗舰上。当年的Norad II被彻底维修重建了——现在叫Norad III——成了一艘拥有了各种Duke将军梦想过的武器的战列巡洋舰。

Ready to go.

ready: 准备就绪的 go: 进行

已经准备好出发了。

He just wished he had something to fight against, rather than doing this continuous . . . social studies homework assignment.

just: 仅仅 something: 某些东西 fight: 战斗 against: 再次 rather than: 而不是 continuous: 连续不断的 social: 社会的 study: 调查 assignment: 任务

他希望遇到什么东西好打一仗，总比做这种无穷无尽的……社会调查任务来的有意思。

Did Emperor Mengsk really want to know about the status of podunk colony worlds? Surely the new ruler of the Terran Dominion had more important things on his mind.

know about: 了解... status: 状况 podunk: 偏僻的（小镇） colony:殖民地 world: 世界 surely: 确实 ruler: 统治者 important: 重要的 thing: 事情 on one’s mind: 在...心里

Mengsk大帝真的想知道偏僻的殖民世界的情况？显然在Terran Dominion新领导人的心里有很多更重要的事情。

Duke looked out the portholes of his flagship and watched the activity around him in space.

look out: 向外看 porthole: 舷窗 watch: 观看 activity: 行动 around: 在...周围 space:空间

Duke从他旗舰的舷窗里往外看去，看着周围空间里正在执行的任务。

All his soldiers moved efficiently—not because they were trying to impress their commander, but because they were truly that good . He had seen to that himself.

soldier: 士兵 efficiently: 高效地 because: 因为 try: 努力 impress: 给...留下印象 commander: 指挥官 truly: 真实地 that: 那样 see to: 注意 himself: 他自己

所有的士兵都在高效地工作——不是因为他们想给长官留下个好印象，只是他们确实就很棒。他早就亲眼看过了。

On Vespene-rich asteroids in the belt, faint wisps of the silvery gas escaped into space from the low gravity, making the floating rocks look like played-out comets.

rich: 富的 asteroid: 小行星 belt: 地带 faint: 眩晕的 wisp：缕 silvery: 银色的 gas: 气体 escape: 逸出 low: 低的 gravity: 重力 make: 产生 float: 浮动 rock: 岩石 look like: 看起来好像 played-out: 筋疲力尽的 comet: 彗星

在富含Vespene的小行星地带，由于低重力而逸出到空间中的银色气体形成了令人头晕的雾带，其间的小行星看起来都像彗星一样。

Mobile Space Construction Vehicles found the most powerful geysers and set down,

Mobile Space Construction Vehicles: 可移动式空间建设机 powerful: 强大的 geyser: 气矿 set down: 降下

可移动式空间建设机会搜寻最丰富的气矿然后降落下去，

using asteroid materials to build impromptu refineries, which captured and distilled the gas into usable form.

asteroid: 星状的 material: 原料 build: 建造 impromptu: 即兴的 refinery: 精炼厂 capture: 捕获 distill…into…: 将...蒸馏成... usable: 可用的 form: 形态

使用小行星上的原料就地建造精炼厂将气体捕获并蒸馏成可用的形态。

The SCVs bustled about like honeybees in a field of flowers, harvesting the gas and returning to the fleet with clear barrels of the fuel.

bustle: 奔忙 like: 像 honeybee: 蜜蜂 field: 田地 flower: 花朵 harvest: 收获 return to: 回到 clear: 清楚的 barrel: 桶 fuel: 燃料气

大群的SCV像花丛中的蜜蜂一样匆匆来回，收集气体并将成桶的油气运回飞船内。

Soon Duke's ships would be more than ready for anything . . . and, again, with nothing important to do.

soon: 不久 more than: 超出...的 ready for: 为...作好准备 anything: 任何事 again: 再次 nothing: 没有事情 important: 重要的

过不了多久Duke的舰队就能轻松应付任何可能发生的事情……然后再一次无事可做。

The task took no longer than necessary, following standard operating procedures.

task: 任务 necessary: 必要的 take no longer than necessary: 不浪费一点时间 follow: 遵照 standard: 标准的 operate: 操作 procedure: 步骤

任务没有浪费一点时间，完全照着标准的操作流程。

Still Duke paced the deck, glancing at status screens, barking orders to his officers, prowling about looking for something useful for his ships to do.

pace: 踱步 deck: 甲板 glance at: 瞥一眼 status screen: 状态显示器 bark:吼叫 order: 命令 officer: 官员 prowl about: 暗中寻觅... look for: 寻找 something: 某些东西 useful: 有用的 ship: 船

Duke依然缓步在指挥台边走来走去，不时瞥一眼状态显示器，把命令吼向他的官员，然后继续巡游，希望能找到什么有意义的事情让他的舰队去做。

Scouts in powered suits retrieved other valuable minerals from the asteroids in order to bring all of Alpha Squadron's ships and supplies up to optimal levels.

scout: 侦察员 powered suit: 武装战斗服 retrieve: 收回 other: 其他的 valuable: 有价值的 mineral: 矿石 asteroid: 小行星 in order to: 为了 bring up: 造就 all: 全部 supply:供给 optimal: 最理想的 level: 水平

穿着武装战斗服的侦察员回报了小行星带里其他有用的矿石，足以让Alpha Squadron所有的战舰和补给舰都提升到最佳动力水平。

During a lull, his helmsman and weapons officer, Lieutenant Scott, chose to speak up. “General, sir, might I ask you a question? Permission to speak freely?”

during: 在...期间 lull: 安静平息 helmsman: 舵手 weapon officer: 武器官 choose: 决定 speak up: 开口说话 general: 将军 sir: 长官 ask: 询问 question: 问题 permission: 允许 freely: 自由地

指挥室安静了下来。Duke的舵手兼武器官，Lieutenant Scott，终于开口了。“将军，长官，请问我能问一个问题吗？允许我随便说说？”

Tall, handsome, and forthright, Scott was well respected by the other Marines.

tall: 高大的 handsome: 英俊的 forthright: 直率的 well: 完全地 respect: 尊敬 marine:海军陆战队士兵

高大、英俊而又直率，别的士兵都很尊敬Scott。

“I assume all my officers have brains in their heads, Lieutenant. Otherwise, I'd just commission a crew of robots.”

assume: 假定 brain: 脑思想 head: 脑袋 otherwise: 否则 just: 仅仅 commission: 委任 a crew of: 一组 robot: 机器人

“我向来假定我的官员的脑袋里都有大脑，Lieutenant。否则，我就是在命令一帮机器人了。”

Duke was bored enough to give the young man his permission, though normally such boldness would have earned him a reprimand.

bore: 使厌烦 enough: 足够地 give: 给 young: 年轻的 though: 尽管 normally: 通常 such: 这样 boldness: 冒失 earn: 获得 reprimand: 训斥

Duke实在是太无聊了，于是允许了这位年轻人的请求。在平常，这样冒失的行为只能得到他的一番训斥。

“I assume you have a plan, sir?” Lieutenant Scott said. “Are we waiting to make our move?”

assume: 设想 plan: 计划 say: 说道 wait: 等待 make move: 采取行动

“我假设您有计划，长官，是吗？”Lieutenant Scott说。“我们是不是正在等待出发？”

“I always have a plan,” Duke said gruffly.

gruffly: 粗暴地

“我从来都有计划。”Duke不耐烦的说。

“What kind of plan, sir? Are we going to strike back at the unlawful Dominion and overthrow Emperor Mengsk?

kind: 种类 strike back: 反击 unlawful: 非法的 dominion: 统治 overthrow: 推翻 emperor: 皇帝

“什么计划呢，长官？我们是不是要回去和那个非法的政权开战，然后推翻Mengsk大帝？

Are we going to help establish a government in exile for the overthrown Terran Confederacy?”

help: 帮助 establish: 建立 government: 政府 in exile: 流亡中

我们是不是要去帮流亡的Terran联邦重建政府？”

“Enough, Lieutenant!” General Duke said, raising his voice to a roar. “If the emperor hears such words he will convict you of treason.”

enough: 够了（口语） lieutenant: 中尉 raise: 提高 voice: 声音 roar: 咆哮 if: 如果 hear: 听到 word: 言语 convict…of: 宣判...有罪 treason: 叛国

“够了，中尉！“Duke抬高了声音，吼到。”如果大帝听到你这么说他立刻会治你叛国罪。“

“But, General, sir—they are rebels .” Scott seemed dubious. “Sons of Korhal. They were our enemies.”

rebel: 反叛者 seem: 看起来 dubious: 怀疑的 son: 儿子 enemy: 敌人

“但是，将军，长官——他们才是叛徒。“Scott似乎很怀疑。”Korhal之子。他们才是我们的敌人。“

Duke pounded his fist on the command console of the Norad III.

pound: 猛击 fist: 拳头 console: 控制台

Duke紧握的拳头猛的砸到Norad III上的指挥终端上。

“They are currently the lawful government of all Terrans. Would you have me become a rebel myself, just so that I can wreak vengeance on another pack of rebels?

currently: 目前 lawful: 合法的 become: 变成 rebel: 叛徒 wreak: 泄愤 vengeance: 报复 another: 另一个 pack: (一)群

“他们现在才是所有Terran的合法政府。你是不是想让我也变成叛徒，这样好去报复另外一帮叛徒？

May I remind you that our duty is to follow the orders of our commander in chief.

remind: 提醒 duty: 职责 follow: 遵从 order: 命令 commander: 指挥官 chief: 首领

我提醒你我们的职责是服从上级指挥官下达给我们的指令。

After the destruction of Tarsonis, and now that we've finally driven back the Zerg, our legal political leader just happens to be Emperor Mengsk. You would do well not to forget that, son.”

destruction: 毁灭 finally: 终于 drive back: 驱回 legal: 合法 political: 政治的 leader: 领导者 happen to: 碰巧 forget: 忘记

Tarsonis毁灭之后，现在我们终于把Zerg赶走了，只是我们的合法政治领袖碰巧变成了Mengsk大帝而已。你应该好好记住这点，孩子。”

Lieutenant Scott realized it was time to hold any further comments in check.

realize: 意识到 time: 时期 hold: 掌握 any: 无论哪个 further: 更远的 comment: 议论 in check: 在控制中

Lieutenant Scott发现是时候停下这个话题了。

Duke lowered his voice, knowing that all of his Marines were impatient to strike against the vile aliens.

lower: 放低 impatient: 不耐烦的 strike against: 打击... vile: 邪恶的 alien: 外星人

Duke放轻了声音，他知道他的战士们等着和凶残的外星人打仗都等到不耐烦了。

“We are engaged in a fight for the human race, Lieutenant. Let's keep our priorities where they belong.”

engage in: 投入到... fight: 战斗 human race: 人类 keep: 保持 priority: 重点 belong:应归入

“我们正投身于为了人类的战争中，Lieutenant。让我们把注意力先放在他们身上吧。”

The other officers on the bridge, many of whom probably felt the same as Lieutenant Scott,

other: 其他的 officer: 官员 bridge: 桥一个 many: 许多 probably: 很可能 feel: 感到 the same as…: 与...相同

其他在桥上的官员们，其实很多都有着和Lieutenant Scott相同的感受。

took the reprimand to heart and very quickly found urgent duties with which to occupy themselves.

reprimand: 谴责 heart: 内心 quickly: 快速地 find: 找到 urgent: 紧急的 duty: 任务 occupy: 使忙碌

而现在他们只好先把不满都收起来，转身去执行他们各自紧急的任务。

The general sat back in his command chair, watching the remaining tedious operations taking place out in the asteroid belt. A military leader must always remain focused on his goal.

general: 将军 sit back: 坐回 command: 指挥 chair: 椅子 watch: 观看 remain: 保持 tedious: 单调乏味的 operation: 操作 take place: 进行 asteroid: 小行星 belt: 地带 military: 军队 leader: 领导者 always: 总是 focus on: 集中于 goal: 目标

将军坐回他的指挥椅，看着小行星带里余下的单调乏味的工作。作为军队指挥官的人必须时刻牢记他的目标，

He did not neglect attention to details. A conflict could be won or lost because of a tiny item that someone had overlooked.

neglect: 忽视 attention: 注意 detail: 细节 conflict: 战斗 win: 胜利 lose: 失败 because of: 由于 tiny: 微小的 item: 项目 overlook: 忽略

不过他也不会忽视细节。战斗的胜负也许只在那些一般人不去重视的小事情上。

Alpha Squadron had always prided itself on being the first military unit into a fight, and also the first group out. Right now, though, there was no place to go.

always: 总是 pride: 使自豪 itself: 它本身 unit: 单元 fight: 战斗 also: 而且 group:组 right now: 现在 though: 可是 place: 地方

Alpha Squadron总会为他们第一个冲向战场而又第一个凯旋而自豪。可是现在，他们却没有地方可以去。

Even when the mineral and Vespene operations were completed in the asteroids and the ships withdrew to begin their slow journey through space again,

even: 甚至 when: 当...时候 mineral: 矿石 operation: 行动 complete: 完成 withdraw:撤退 begin: 开始 slow: 缓慢的 journey: 旅行 through: 穿过 space: 太空

尽管小行星带中收集Vespene和矿石的工作已经结束，舰队已经回缩准备再次开始他们缓慢的星际旅行，

General Duke knew that nothing exciting would happen.

know: 知道 nothing: 没有事情 exciting: 令人兴奋的 happen: 发生

Duke将军心里清楚还是不会发生什么能让人激动的事情。

He retired to his quarters after turning over command to a surprised Lieutenant Scott.

retire: 退出 quarters: 营房处所 turn over: 移交 surprise: 使吃惊

向吃惊的Lieutenant Scott下达了一条命令后，Duke将军离开了他的岗位。

He saw no tactical advantage to their current mission and decided to take some time to hone his skills.

tactical: 战术上的 advantage: 优势 current: 当前的 mission: 任务 decide: 决定 take time: 花时间 some: 一些 hone: 磨练 skill: 能力

他没发现这次任务有任何战术上的优势，于是决定花一些时间提升自己的水平。

General Duke spent the next three days at his own computer screens, challenging himself with exciting tactical war games in order to sharpen his edge.