As speed and altitude gradually decreased, the San Jacinto transitioned entirely to plasma thrusters for deceleration and gravity generation. She descended along the Martian equator, her path leading toward the scar of Mars—the Valles Marineris. Half of its parched cliffs were bathed in feeble sunlight, while the other half lay shrouded in its own shadow.
随着速度与高度的逐步降低,圣哈辛托号逐步过渡到完全以等离子推进引擎减速与承担重力,她沿着火星赤道,逐步降低高度,前方就是火星的疤痕,水手号峡谷,一半被孱弱的阳光照亮它干涸的峭壁,另一半隐没于它自身的阴影之中.
Standing on the bridge, Lübeck watched the visual feedback of the mothership's altitude and speed changes. He longed to pilot the ship himself—he loved flying anything, be it planes or starships—but he also needed to give his crew the chance to familiarize themselves with their respective stations.
吕贝克站在舰桥,注视着母舰的高度,速度变化的视觉反馈,他很想自己亲自操纵这条船,他喜欢驾驶会飞的东西,不管是飞机还是飞船,可是他也需要给自己的船员机会来熟悉每个人自己的岗位操作.
The spacecraft glided smoothly along its preprogrammed trajectory. As Lübeck alternated between monitoring data and visual feedback, he found himself momentarily distracted. Earlier that afternoon, he had pointed out to Brittany which medical station offered the best vantage point for observing the entire landing sequence. He wondered if she and her friends had all gone there as he suggested.
平顺的操作,飞船严格依照预设轨迹飞行,吕贝克在交替查看数据与视觉反馈之间依然有了走神儿的闲暇,今天午饭后他曾经给布列塔尼介绍过船上的哪一个医疗站适合观看整个降落过程,不知道她和她的朋友们是不是如他所说都去了那里.Gazing upon the Sunset Canyon before him, with its wild, crimson cliffs weathered by the passage of time, Lübeck truly wished to share such a moment with his one and only companion, Brittany.
望着眼前这残阳峡谷,荒野赤壁,历尽岁月的沧桑,吕贝克真的很想和自己唯一的伴侣,布列塔尼一同度过这样的时刻.
Ahead along the descent path lies the Hermes Base, situated in Coprates Canyon east of the Mariner's Gulch. There, a large portal built into the canyon's sheer cliffs awaits the San Jacinto, which will dock there to await formal deployment.
下降轨迹的前方就是赫尔墨斯基地,座落在水手号峡谷东部的科普拉特斯峡谷,在那里有一个依托于峡谷峭壁建造的大型传送门,而圣哈辛托号就是要把自己停靠在那里,等待正式部署.
The canyon was now devoid of sunlight, the colossal airship's hull having sunk beneath the earth's surface. Yet even at a depth of thousands of meters, it appeared somewhat small and lonely—like a child returning home, having seen the outside world only to recall memories of its former home and the path back to it.
峡谷里已经没有什么光照了,硕大的空天母舰船体已经隐没于地表之下,但是在千米级别深度的峡谷里,也显得些许渺小孤单了,就像一个回家的孩子,看过了外面的世界,才又想起自己曾经家的记忆和记忆里那回家的路.
The Hermes Base is entirely embedded within the sheer cliffs of the canyon. It is precisely by leveraging the basalt walls that the spatial structure of the teleportation portal was constructed, while all other supporting base facilities serve auxiliary functions corresponding to the primary objective.
赫尔墨斯基地完全处于峡谷的峭立岩壁中,正是依靠玄武岩壁才建立了传送门的空间结构,而其它配套基地设施都是相应于主体目的的辅助功能.
As the hovering San Jacinto gradually approached the rock face, she adopted a strategy of increasing output from her antigravity engines while reducing plasma thruster jets to solely maintain attitude control. The colossal vessel slowly drew near the docking bay housing the teleportation portal on the rock wall. Base lights illuminated her metallic bow. Fortunately, she didn't need to dock—after all, in the universe she was being transported to, there was no distinction between front and rear.
当悬停的圣哈辛托号逐渐靠近岩壁,她采用了增大反重力引擎输出,减小等离子推进器喷射仅用于姿态控制用途的策略.一个庞然大物,缓缓靠近岩壁上传送门的停靠船坞,基地灯光照亮了她金属的船首,还好她不需要坐库,反正被传送到的宇宙里面也不分前后.
Amid the roar of plasma thrusters and the low-frequency hum of antigravity fields, the San Jacinto entered the portal dock in a near-hovering state.
伴随着等离子推进喷射的嘶吼,还有反重力场的低频振动,圣哈辛托号以近乎悬停的方式进入了传送门船坞,
When the aerospace carrier finally docked smoothly at its berth, cheers erupted from both the ship's crew and the base personnel. Yet the meeting and handover were brief. Having been confined within that enclosed space for far too long, the crew members were already eager to enter the base facilities, finally setting foot on solid ground once more.
当这艘空天母舰最终平稳停靠在自己的泊位,船上和基地的人都发出了欢呼,但仅是简短的会面与交接,船上的人在那个封闭空间里待得太久了,就已经急不可耐地进入基地设施,总算是双脚又踏在了大地上.
The passageway leading to the ship's exit quickly transformed from empty to teeming with people. Brittany and her unit disembarked together along the corridor. The weight of her gear behind her, luggage swaying before her, and the narrow, jostling passageway caused her slender frame to stagger slightly as she was carried along by the flow of passengers.
很快下船的通道,大厅里就从空荡荡变得人潮涌动.布列塔尼和她的部队单位也一起沿着通道下船,背后的沉重的装备,身前晃动的行李,狭窄磕碰的通道,使得她略显单薄的身形步履晃动着,在人流中被簇拥着前行.
The surging tide of people before her eyes, the swaying silhouettes in her field of vision—yet as her gaze pierced through the gaps in the crowd, Brittany instantly recognized that familiar figure standing against the backdrop of the throng. His navy blue woolen overcoat and white wide-brimmed hat made him seem like a rock standing firm amidst the surging waves of humanity, unshakable, as if waiting through the inevitable passage of time.
眼前涌动的人潮,眼前晃动的背影,可是就在视线穿过人流的间隙,布列塔尼一眼就认出了那个熟悉的身影,在人流的背景中伫立,他藏青色的海军呢大衣,白色大檐帽,仿佛人流涌浪之中屹立的岩石,岿然不动,又仿佛跨越时间流逝的宿命等待,
"Lübeck!" Brittany called his name, rushing forward to meet him.
"吕贝克,"布列塔尼呼喊着他的名字,迎了上去,
"I've been waiting for you," Lübeck said, taking off her backpack.
"我在等你,"吕贝克说着,卸下她的背包,
Oh, look, Bri got home first," the medical station staff teased the two before they could even exchange greetings.
"哦,看啊,布瑞先到家了,"还没等刚见面的两个人怎么样,同行的医疗站人员已经在打趣他们俩了,
Bree, how did you find your sugar daddy?
"布瑞,你是怎么找到糖爹的?"
"Hahaha," everyone laughed.
"哈哈哈哈,"大家都笑了,
Brittany was held in Lübeck's embrace, turning to watch her colleagues walk by with a playful smile. Lübeck smiled and nodded in greeting to them as well.
"What did they say?" Lübeck asked softly in Brittany's ear.
布列塔尼被吕贝克搂在怀里,回头嬉笑着看自己的同事走过,吕贝克也微笑和她们点头致意,
"她们怎么这么说?"吕贝克轻声在布列塔尼耳边询问,
She turned back and looked at Lübeck, saying,
她转回头,望着吕贝克说,
I told them you've reversed your age before.
"我告诉了她们你曾经逆转过年龄,"
Oh, do you guys talk about me often?
"哦,你们经常谈论我吗?"
Brittany nestled in Lübeck's embrace, swaying against his back,
"Why do you care about them? You should only think of me."
布列塔尼在吕贝克怀里,搂着他的背摇晃着,
"你管她们干嘛?你只可以想我,"
"Alright," Lübeck said, slinging Brittany's backpack over one shoulder and wrapping an arm around her waist. He led the way back to his quarters first, where they could finally relax and enjoy themselves at the base.
"嗯,好的,"说着,吕贝克单肩挎起布列塔尼的背包,搂着她的腰,首先返回自己的驻地房间,然后就可以在这个基地里好好消遣一下了.
Hermes Base is the sole facility among Mars bases equipped with a portal serving aerospace motherships, providing mothership-level military assets with the capability for deployment across time and space. Consequently, its supporting facilities and services are the most luxurious and comprehensive, designed to meet the needs of space crews prior to their deployment missions. Due to construction cost considerations, however, all living quarters are situated on the surface, requiring elevator access to reach them.
赫尔墨斯基地是火星基地里面唯一拥有服务于空天母舰传送门的,提供母舰级别的军事资产跨越时空部署能力,所以这里的配套设施和服务也是最豪华丰富的,以满足太空船员们出发部署之前的需求.只是出于建造成本因素,生活设施都设置在地表,需要乘坐电梯上去.
Before venturing too far from Mars, the ship's day-night cycle remained synchronized with the base's local time. It was now evening, just in time for dinner, and Lübeck and Brittany arrived at the dining district within the base's commercial street.
Along the roadside of a small block stood buildings of diverse architectural styles, encompassing Nordic, British, Mediterranean, and other distinct designs.
在没有离开火星太远之前,船上的日夜周期与火星基地的时间是同步的,现在是傍晚,正好是晚餐时间,吕贝克和布列塔尼来到了基地内商业街的餐饮地段.
一个小街区的路边,坐落着不同风格的建筑,涵盖了北欧,英伦,地中海等不同风格.
As they walked, Lübeck asked softly,
"Want something to eat?"
边走边看,吕贝克轻声询问,
"吃点什么?"
"I don't know. You choose."
"我不知道啊,你选吧,"
"Then let me first give you a taste of my hometown," Lü Beck said, leading her into a restaurant where a sample beer was displayed at the entrance.
"那就先请你品尝一下我的家乡,"说着,吕贝克领着她走进里一个门口摆着试饮啤酒的餐馆,
There were so many specialty restaurants here that each one had relatively few customers. Upon entering, the bar counter faced you directly, flanked by simple wooden tables and chairs in their natural finish. Long tables were covered with red-and-blue checkered tablecloths. The two chose a spot by the window. Lübeck had Brittany sit by the window, while he took a seat beside her, facing the aisle.
这里的风味餐馆太多了,所以每一家的顾客并不多,进门正对着吧台,左右是简单的木制本色桌椅,长桌上铺着红蓝格子桌布,两人选了一处靠窗的位置,吕贝克让布列塔尼坐在了窗边,自己坐在了她的身边,过道一侧.
As they browsed the menu together, Lübeck was delighted to find a fish burger featuring his hometown specialty listed. He chose it, eager for her to try it. Somewhere along the way, Lübeck had begun wanting to share everything about himself with Brittany—including his past experiences.
陪着她浏览了菜单,吕贝克很高兴地发现有自己家乡特色的鱼肉汉堡在列,就选择了想给她尝尝,不知何时开始,吕贝克想要给布列塔尼介绍关于自己的一切,这也包括,自己曾经的生活经历.
After ordering, I gazed at Brittany. The pale green patterned glass of the window blurred the street scene, transforming passersby into mere patches of color and shadows drifting past the window. Against this hazy backdrop, Brittany's delicate features stood out all the more.
点过餐,望向布列塔尼,窗子的淡绿色压花玻璃模糊了街上的景致,来往行人只是化作了窗前色块浮影,飘移掠过.而这模糊的背景,更加凸显了布列塔尼秀气的脸庞,
"What's wrong?" Brittany asked, looking over with a smile. Though she knew exactly what was wrong, she still wanted to hear Lübeck say it to her herself.
"怎么了,"布列塔尼看过来笑着问,虽然她心里明白怎么了,但是她还是想听见吕贝克亲自说给自己听,
Lübeck didn't answer. He cupped her chin and gently turned her face toward him, kissing her lips.
Brittany smiled, saying nothing more. Their eyes met, filled with tenderness and sweetness.
吕贝克没有回答,手扶她的下颌轻轻端过她的脸颊,亲吻了她的嘴唇,
布列塔尼一笑,没有再说什么,相视的眼神里温柔而甜蜜.
Pedestrians flowed past the restaurant's entrance, none noticing the two figures at the window—now drawing close, now drifting apart. They spoke softly, listened intently, shared food with delight, and clinked glasses in tender moments.
餐馆门前的街道行人过往,没人留意这餐馆窗前的两个人的身影,时而靠近,时而分离,或者倾诉,或者聆听,欢愉中互喂食物,温存里交杯之饮.
Stepping out the front door of the restaurant, Lübeck carried a bag of beer because Brittany wanted to drink with him, but she didn't want to get drunk outside—what a good girl.
走出餐馆前门,吕贝克手里拎了一提啤酒,因为布列塔尼想要陪他畅饮,但是她不想在外面醉倒,真是个好姑娘.
As a senior official, Lübeck's quarters were situated on the upper level of the base and featured a panoramic skylight—though, of course, it couldn't be opened. The two sat in reclining chairs, sipping German beer while gazing at the Martian night sky. In that moment, the celestial river before their eyes seemed to harmonize perfectly with the aroma on their tongues. The life-giving light from the stars had nurtured crops on Earth, which in turn had matured into fine wine through the passage of time. Now, that same wine stirred the hearts of both men.
作为高级官员,吕贝克的房间在地面上层,并且装备了全景天窗,当然了,这个天窗无法开启.两个人坐在躺椅上,一边品尝着德国啤酒,一边欣赏火星的星空,似乎在这一刻,眼里的星河与口中的芬芳完美结合,那来自星星的生命之光,在大地上长出作物,又用时间的累积陈酿成美酒,而此时,同样的美酒,同样地撩动着两个人的心弦,
When the spacecraft landed and life resumed on the ground, with sufficient security established, people increasingly gravitated toward ordinary lives.
当飞船降落,重新生活在地面上,有了足够的安全感,人们也更加倾向于普通人的生活,
"Eri, we're out of beer," Brittany said softly, setting her glass aside and breaking off her stargazing conversation with him.
"埃瑞,我们的啤酒已经喝光了,"布列塔尼停止与他的赏星闲聊,把酒杯放在一边,轻声说,
Lübeck discovered she could hold her liquor even better than he could. Under the faint starlight, he could see the flush on her cheeks. Reaching out to touch them, he felt they were slightly warm, which reminded him of the nebula's rosy glow.
"Like the Rosette Nebula," he whispered softly.
吕贝克发现她甚至比自己更有酒量,微微星光下也能看出她泛红的脸颊,伸手摸摸,有点烫,不由得让吕贝克想起了星云的霞飞,
"好像玫瑰星云,"他轻声耳语,
"What?" Brittany asked, somewhat puzzled.
"什么?"布列塔尼有些不解地问,
I mean, you're flushed like the pink of the Rosette Nebula.
"我是说,你喝红了脸,就好像玫瑰星云的粉红色,"
Brittany smiled. Being praised by her beloved was always delightful, no matter what the compliment.
"So, am I your rose?"
布列塔尼笑了,被自己的爱人夸奖总是美妙的,不管是什么样的夸奖,
"那么,我是你的玫瑰吗?"
"Yes, my pink rose," Lübeck murmured, kissing her lips. Her cheeks grew warm.
"是的,我的粉红玫瑰,"说着,吕贝克亲吻上她的嘴唇,她的脸颊有些热,
Brittany said nothing, simply responding to his kisses and caresses, savoring the moment of being praised and admired by her lover.
布列塔尼没有说什么,只是配合着他的亲吻与抚慰,享受自己被爱人赞美与欣赏的时刻,
When Lübeck embraced her body, it felt like a searing heat spanning the cosmos, awaiting the return of a ship setting sail for distant shores.
当吕贝克搂起她的身体,那仿佛是跨越星河的滚烫,在等待自己远航的船归巢.