第六次星穹擴(kuò)張的晨曦
本文節(jié)選自鈦帝國9版規(guī)則書，由于該小說沒有標(biāo)題，故用故事的背景暫且代之 。該譯文作為練習(xí)僅為個(gè)人與交流使用，不用作商業(yè)用途。?
她的指揮官邁著大步走進(jìn)了靜謐議堂，夏司'伊爾·塞西·烏梅就陪在他的身旁?？删吹臍W'夏珊有四名榮譽(yù)護(hù)衛(wèi)，曾在數(shù)十個(gè)戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)上浴血奮戰(zhàn)過的烏梅是其中任職最久的一位。饒是如此，此時(shí)的她也在和壓倒性的敬畏感竭力相抗。她的指揮官能夠受邀覲見至高以太就已經(jīng)是與有榮焉了。而他的保鏢也能廁身其間，這讓她幾乎無法自已。
Shas'el Sa'cea Umeh flanked her Commander as he strode into the Chamber of Serene Audience. She was one of four honour guards assigned to venerable O'Shasan, and was the longest serving of them all, blooded on dozens of battlefields. Still, even she struggled with feelings of overwhelming awe in this moment. For her Commander to be invited into the presence of the Ethereal Supreme conferred honour enough. To lead his bodyguard in that moment was almost more than she could take in.
以鈦家門主星的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)而言，他們進(jìn)入的那座穹頂并不特別巨大，也不是非常宏偉。這座穹頂由不透明的水晶構(gòu)成，其最高點(diǎn)位于烏梅頭頂上方六百英尺之處。（其大小）可以勉強(qiáng)讓一個(gè)獵核在它的橘玫色的石質(zhì)地板上列隊(duì)。從位于穹頂兩側(cè)中部的螺旋氣流中有水流涌落，它們汩汩地沒入了一條深邃的石質(zhì)水渠之中，那條水渠從穹頂?shù)匕宓闹虚g切劃而過，就此將其一分為二。盛在精雕細(xì)琢的瓷碗中的熒熒之火正沿著水渠的兩端翩翩起舞。只見四個(gè)低矮的臺(tái)座依著水渠的邊緣排成了一列，火氏、水氏、氣氏和土氏各居其一，它們每一個(gè)都標(biāo)有各自的氏族徽記。當(dāng)歐'夏珊站到火氏的臺(tái)座上時(shí)，他滿懷敬意的向位于其對(duì)面的土氏和氣氏臺(tái)座點(diǎn)了點(diǎn)頭。于是那一小群科學(xué)家和外交官也紛紛還之以禮。
The dome they entered was not especially large orgrandiose by the standards of T'au Prime. Formed from opaque crystal, it reached its apex barely a hundred feet above EI'Umeh's head. A Hunter Cadre might have drawn up their ranks upon the roseblush stone of its floor, but just barely. Water fell through spiralling air currents from halfway up either side of the dome, chuckling into a deepstone channel that cut across the middle of the dome's floor and divided it in two. Small flames danced along the channel's edges, held in beautifully carved ceramic bowls. Four low daises lined one edge of the channel,one for each of the Fire Caste, Water Caste, Air Caste and Earth Caste, designated by the respective caste's symbol. As O'Shasan took up his position upon the Fire Caste dais, he nodded respectfully to his counterparts occupying the Earth and Water daises. From amidst their own small gatherings of scientists and diplomats, they returned the gesture.
在水渠的另一邊立著一柱高起的臺(tái)座，在它后面擺放的是這間廳室中僅有的宏偉之物。它是一尊雕像，高的足以在眾人面前赫然聳現(xiàn)。它刻畫的是偉大以太銨'威，他伸出的雙臂仿佛就像是在表示歡迎，又像是在獻(xiàn)上祝福，他的面龐斜斜地朝向群星。盡管它非常壯觀，但位于前面那個(gè)臺(tái)座上的存在依然令這尊雕像黯然失色，他的兩側(cè)隨侍著面容嚴(yán)肅的榮譽(yù)衛(wèi)士。
On the other side of the channel rose a higher dais,behind which stood the room's only concession to grandeur. It was a statue, tall enough to loom overall there assembled. It depicted the great Ethereal Aun'Wei, his arms outstretched as though in welcome or benediction, his face tilted towards the stars. For all its magnificence, the statue could not eclipse the being who occupied the dais before it, flanked by his own stern-faced honour guards.
我就在銨'瓦的面前。為讓它變得真切一些，她在心中翻來覆去地叨念著這個(gè)念頭。我，伊爾'烏梅，就在至高以太的面前。
l am in the presence of Aun'Va. She had to repeat the thought to herself in an attempt to make it real. I, El'Umeh, am in the presence of the Ethereal Supreme.
他用安詳之至的目光注視著他們，在表現(xiàn)出謙卑的同時(shí)又露出了一種天生的卓越感。伊爾'烏梅努力地想要面對(duì)那目不轉(zhuǎn)睛的凝視，但她無法堅(jiān)持太久。相反地，她的目光游走到了那些位于穹頂邊緣的暗龕翳臺(tái)之上。當(dāng)意識(shí)到呆在那里的都是其他的以太時(shí)，她被嚇了一跳，他們有十幾個(gè)，也許更多。在正常的情況下，一個(gè)如此靜謐的存在會(huì)讓伊爾'烏梅為之神往。然而在這里，銨'瓦就像皎月之于疏遠(yuǎn)的群星一般讓他們黯然失色。
He looked upon them with absolute serenity, managing somehow to appear both humble and effortlessly superior. El'Umeh strove to meet that unblinking gaze,but she could not do so for long. Instead, her eyes skipped away to the shadowed alcoves and balconies around the dome's edge. She started as she realised these were occupied by other Ethereals, a dozen or more. Under normal circumstances one such serene being would have captured all of El'Umeh's attention.Here, Aun'Va eclipsed them as a moon gliding before distant stars.
一陣輕柔的嗡鳴聲讓伊爾'烏梅回過了神來。與生俱來的的戰(zhàn)斗本能將她的驚訝之心拋到了九霄云外，她開始小心翼翼地尋找聲音的來源。那聲音是從氣氏的臺(tái)座那里傳來的。只見隱藏式的全息圖像已經(jīng)變得栩栩如生了，那些光束相互交匯融通，構(gòu)筑出了一幅氣氏代表的強(qiáng)光全息圖。從對(duì)方的姿勢(shì)來看，全神貫注的她似乎正穩(wěn)穩(wěn)地站在臺(tái)座之上，那雙修長的胳膊以相互交叉姿勢(shì)恭恭敬敬地?cái)[在身后。然而從那條飄逸的發(fā)髻可以看出，她實(shí)際上位于軌道上的一條柯'瓦恰殖民艦中，無重力環(huán)境會(huì)讓她的骨骼更加自在。
A gentle hum intruded on EI'Umeh's awareness. Hard-wired combat instincts saw her set aside her wonderand search, discreetly, for the source of the sound. It came from the Air Caste dais. Concealed hololatheshad thrummed to life, their beams flickering through one another as they constructed a heavy-light hologramof the Air Caste representative. From her posture, she appeared to be stood firmly to attention upon her dais with her willowy arms folded respectfully behind her back. Only the lazy drift of her topknot betrayed that she was actually aboard an orbiting Kor'vattra colony ship, ingravity more comfortable to her bones.
只見銨'瓦模仿著他身后雕像的姿勢(shì)，舉起雙手向客人們致意。
Aun'Va greeted his guests with raised hands, emulatingthe posture of the statue at his back.
“為了替鈦'瓦勞心盡力，各位于今日前來我處。你們中的許多人都是遠(yuǎn)道而來。這一切都是值得的，歡迎大家。你們讓我倍感榮光?！?/strong>
'You come to me on this day in service to the T'au'va.Many of you have travelled far. All are worthy and all are welcome. You honour me.'
他的話語就像一股電流一般傳遍了伊爾'烏梅的全身。就算是在最為狂野的夢(mèng)境中，她也從未想象過整個(gè)鈦帝國的至高以太會(huì)這樣向自己說話。此時(shí)此刻，她仿佛覺得自己只要憑著銨'瓦的話語便可拿著一把脈沖步槍踏入群星，然后為他征服一切。（有這種感覺的）并非只有她一人；伊爾'烏梅感覺到了那股激情，它正在火土水氣四氏的代表間傳遞著。鈦星人站得更直了。只見他們的雙眼閃閃發(fā)光。
His words ran through EI'Umeh like an electrical current.She had never in her wildest dreams imagined being addressed so by the Ethereal Supreme of the entire T'auEmpire! She felt in that moment as though she could step out into the stars with just a pulse rifle and Aun'Va's words,and she would conquer them all for him. Nor wasshe alone; El'Umeh felt the frisson that passed throughthe delegations of the Fire, Earth, Water and Air Castes.Tau stood straighter. Their eyes gleamed.
“作為你們氏族的代表，我召喚各位前來此處，因?yàn)槲倚枰蠹壹紡V益。”?銨'瓦接著說了下去，“全體委員大會(huì)會(huì)適時(shí)召開的，還請(qǐng)各位放心，諸位于今日回應(yīng)我的召喚并不會(huì)對(duì)那些參加以太議會(huì)的氏族代表造成任何不敬。然而，在座的各位都是你們氏族中的著名英雄，你們?cè)?jīng)漫步于群星之間，并且親眼目睹過那依舊在我們國境之外翻騰不已的黑暗。夏司'歐'夏珊；菲歐'歐'都'若斯；柯'歐'萊伊；釙'歐'穆'勒斯：你們每一位都是……經(jīng)驗(yàn)豐富之輩。你們要么曾經(jīng)遇到過自蒙特'耶'瓦出現(xiàn)以來就一直攪擾我方努力的奇怪異形，要么就曾經(jīng)親眼目睹過它在我們異形盟友中散播的瘋狂影響。你們可以……讓我發(fā)蒙啟蔽。這很重要，因?yàn)榇藭r(shí)此刻我們的帝國正處于命運(yùn)的十字路口。感謝第四和第五次星穹擴(kuò)張艦隊(duì)付出的犧牲，如今我們知道對(duì)潛流模組的失敗感到絕望是錯(cuò)誤的。實(shí)際上，我們已經(jīng)得知，這種裝置可以讓我們將鈦'瓦之光傳遞到比以往任何時(shí)候都要廣闊的地方中去。”
‘I have summoned you here as representatives of your castes, for I require your collective wisdom.' Aun'Va continued.'Rest assured the full council will meet in due time, and that in answering my summons today you do no dishonour to those caste representatives who attend the Ethereal Council. Yet each of you here is a renowned hero of your own caste, one who has walked the roads between the stars and seen first-hand the darkness that still churns beyond our borders. Shas'o'Shasan;Fio'o'Du'ros;Kor'o'Ley; Por'o'Mu'leth: you each possess...experience.You have encountered the strange aliens that have bedevilled our efforts since the Mont'yhe'va appeared,or else have seen with your own eyes the effects of the madness that it has spread amongst our alien allies.You can...enlighten me.This is vital, for in this hour our empire stands at a crossroads of destiny.Thanks to the heroic sacrifices of the Fourth and Fifth Sphere fleets, we know now that our despair at the failure of the Slipstream module was misplacead. we have learned that, in truth,this device grants us a greater reach than ever before to spread the light of the T'au'va.'
這話在伊爾'烏梅的腦海中引起了一絲如同叛逆一般的懷疑。有謠言說那里發(fā)生了災(zāi)難，還有一些第四次擴(kuò)張艦隊(duì)幸存者不愿提及的精神創(chuàng)傷。然而，在銨'瓦那平靜的凝視下，這種憤世嫉俗的想法根本不值一哂。光是想起這些事情就讓她感到羞愧難當(dāng)。烏梅的不安并沒有得到緩解，銨'瓦的下一句話讓她感覺到對(duì)方仿佛已經(jīng)察覺到了自已那轉(zhuǎn)瞬即逝的不忠。
This caused a traitorous flicker of doubt in El'Umeh's mind. There had been rumours of disaster, and of some shared trauma about which the Fourth Sphere survivors would not speak. Yet under Aun'Va's serene stare, such thoughts seemed cynical and unworthy. She burned with shame even to have thought such things.Her discomfort was not helped when Aun'Va's next words made her feel as though he had sensed her instant of disloyalty.
“我們知道，越過我們疆域的邊界，踏入更為廣闊的銀河之黯，這些事情是要?dú)v危涉險(xiǎn)的。所有的嘗試都值得一試。作為一個(gè)民族，如果我們回避危險(xiǎn)和未知的話，也許時(shí)至今日，我們依然還被迫滯留在一顆孤零零的星球上。如果我們還存在的話……”
'we know that to reach beyond the confines of our realm,to step forth into the darkness of the wider galaxy, that these things are not without risk. No endeavour worth the trying ever was.As a people, had we shied away from the dangerous and the unknown then perhaps we would still languish upon but a single planet to this day. If we existed at all...'
這種對(duì)蒙'特'奧的暗示如果出自其他任何人，那都是一種嚴(yán)重違反社交禮儀的行為。而如果出自銨'瓦，那就是對(duì)躊躇和懦弱的嚴(yán)厲警告。伊爾烏梅發(fā)現(xiàn)決絕之火正在她體內(nèi)熊熊燃燒。她不會(huì)讓自己的先祖因這種失敗而蒙羞辱恥。
From anyone else, such an allusion to the Mon't'au would have been a ghastly breach of social etiquette. From Aun'Va it was a stern admonition against hesitancy and cowardice. EI'Umeh found the fires of determination burning within her. She would not shame the memory of her forebears through such failings.
“我們都知道自己的職責(zé)，”?銨'瓦如此說道，只見他的目光緩緩地從眾人身上掃過，“我們都知道自己的天命。即使是現(xiàn)在，我們帝國的無數(shù)勇敢公民們依然在群星間辛勤地勞作。為了將鈦'瓦之光帶給所有值得所擁的生靈，他們努力奮戰(zhàn)著。這是他們所要承擔(dān)的角色，這至關(guān)重要。然而，我們?cè)诮裉欤ǖ乃魉鶠椋┮餐瑯又匾?。我的客人們，我們的身上可是肩?fù)著選擇的重?fù)?dān)啊?！?/span>
'We all know our duty,' said Aun'Va, his gaze passing slowly across them.'We all know our destiny.Countless brave citizens of our empire toil out there amongst the stars even now.They fight and strive to bring the T'au'va to all who are worthy and deserving of its light. That is their part to play, and it is crucial. On this day, though,ours is every bit as vital. Upon us, my guests, lies the burden of choice.'
一聞此言，伊爾'烏梅的身子頓時(shí)繃得緊緊的。她感到歷史性的時(shí)刻正在逼近，它重重地壓在了她的身上，壓在了所有正在屏息等待銨'瓦下一句話的人的身上。
EI'Umeh stiffened at this.She felt the sudden nearness of history, the weight of it bearing down upon her, and upon all those others who waited with bated breath for Aun'Va's next words.
“通過和加入我方的每一個(gè)世界每一個(gè)人民團(tuán)結(jié)一致，我們的帝國變得愈發(fā)強(qiáng)大。然而，盡管我們英勇無畏眾志成城，但我的人數(shù)和資源還是有限的。很快，我必須做出選擇，這些資源究竟要用于何方，因?yàn)樗鼈儫o法同時(shí)用到所有的前線上。我和至高議會(huì)必須做出決定——是要將我們帝國的影響力投送到奈姆'雅三角洲的另一邊、并將位于彼端星蔓的一眾星系盡數(shù)征服呢？還是利用我們的新發(fā)明再度橫越鳩'拉所稱的達(dá)摩克利斯灣，去收復(fù)我們失落的家門世界，并進(jìn)一步深入銀河的西畔？要知道，我的客人們，這可不是什么異想天開。菲歐'維·卡'布托和他的科學(xué)家們向我保證，他們對(duì)原型設(shè)計(jì)做出了改進(jìn)，從而使得潛流模塊在大規(guī)模使用時(shí)會(huì)變得比以往任何時(shí)候都要安全、都要穩(wěn)定。有了這么一個(gè)裝置，群星（間的距離）會(huì)變得比以往任何時(shí)候都要近，我們抵達(dá)那里（的路途）會(huì)更加暢通無阻?！?/strong>
'With every world every people who join us in unity, our? empire becomes stronger.Still,while our courage and belief are boundless,our resources and our numbers remain finite.I must chose,soon,where to direct those resources,for they cannot fight on all fronts at once. I and the High Coucil must determine - do we throw the weight of our empire behind the Nem'yar Atoll and the conquest of all those star systems in the expanse beyond?Or do we exercise our new-found reach to once again push beyond what the Gue'la call the Damocles Gulf, to reclaim the septs that were lost and drive deeper than ever into western galactic reaches? Understand, my guests, this is not some mere dream. Fio'vre Ka'buto and his scientists assure me that the modifications they have made to their original designs render the Slipstream module safer and more stable than ever before when deployed en masse.With such a device at our disposal, the stars are closer than ever, and our duty to reach them clearer.'
伊爾'簡(jiǎn)直無法相信她聽到的一切。
El'Umeh couldn't believe what she was hearing.
第六次星穹擴(kuò)張，她如此想到，由于驚詫的緣故她感到有點(diǎn)頭暈?zāi)垦?。至高以太正在考慮進(jìn)行第六次星穹擴(kuò)張，而且關(guān)于它應(yīng)該從哪里開始，他正在詢問我指揮官的看法！
The Sixth Sphere Expansion, she thought, light-headed with amazement. The Ethereal Supreme is considering the commencement of the Sixth Sphere Expansion, and he is asking for my Commander's thoughts on where it should occur!
這種事情前所未聞。第五次星穹擴(kuò)張依然在寂靜之域的彼端打得如火如荼。歐'夏瑟拉親自領(lǐng)軍，那在神奇的蟲洞彼端殖民了新的世界，建立了新的家門。盡管伊爾'烏梅并沒有掌握所有的信息，但她對(duì)帝國在集結(jié)和出動(dòng)那支艦隊(duì)上花費(fèi)了大量資源一事有著深刻的印象。一想到要在第五次星穹擴(kuò)張依然還在進(jìn)行的情況下集結(jié)第六次擴(kuò)張部隊(duì)……鈦?zhàn)逯嬗虻膹V度和規(guī)模真的變得如此巨大了嗎？
Such a thing was unheard of. The battles of the Fifth Sphere Expansion still raged beyond the Zone of Silence.O'Shaserra herself led the push to colonise new worlds and raise new septs beyond the fabled wormhole.El'Umeh was hardly in possession of all the data, yet she had the impression that the empire had expended vast resources already on gathering and launching that fleet.To think that it could muster a sixth expansion even while the fifth was still underway... had the scope and scale of Tau space truly grown so vast?
也許是蒙特'耶'瓦的緣故，她突然如此想到。也許以太們知道發(fā)生了什么，以及如何制止它。
Perhaps it is the Mont' yhe'va, she thought suddenly. Perhaps the Ethereals understand what has happened, and how to stop it.
除非……？
Unless...?
伊爾'烏梅惱怒地將突如其來的疑慮置之腦后。以太是智慧的象征，而銨'瓦是他們當(dāng)中最為偉大的存在。他們知道的最清楚，而且他們無所畏懼。
Angry at herself, El'Umeh discarded her sudden doubts. The Ethereals were wisdom personified, and Aun'Va greatest of them all. They knew best and they feared nothing.
“我知道各位心有所慮，”?銨瓦如此說道，伊爾'烏梅立刻就把懸著的心放了下來，“我能理解它們，我會(huì)接受它們。來吧，我的賓客們——現(xiàn)在該你們發(fā)言了。將大家的報(bào)告提交上來吧。說出你們的意見。我們一起來慎重地商討一番吧。讓大家齊心并力，將我們的希望重鑄如新?！?/strong>
'l see your questions,' said Aun'Va, and at once EI'Umeh felt reassured. 'l understand and I welcome them. Come,my guests - now it is your time to speak. Deliver your reports. Offer your ideas.Together let us deliberate.Together, let us forge our hopes anew.'
