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第三回 錦江春色來天地
Chapter 3: The
文祥的艙位是四ｃ三ａ，位於第四層左側的一間單人房。艙房約有三坪大小，一應設備俱全。全部旅程需時七天，文祥不喜歡躲在船艙裡做夢，打算到頂層電離罩下的甲板，觀賞太空景色。
Wen Xiang’s
cabin was no. 4c3a, a single room located on the left side of the 4th
level. It was about 3 ping in size and
equipped with all necessary facilities.
The journey would require 7 days.
Wen Xiang wasn't inclined to hide in his cabin
and dream. He intended to go up to
the top deck, which was protected by an ion shield, and enjoy the view of
space.
這電離罩是利用高電壓使碳分子電離化，再用分子工程技術加壓降溫，重整碳晶體的結構。碳分子結合成正三角形，是最理想的穩定結構，每平方公分可以承受兩百公噸的壓力。這種電離罩通常是透明的，表面有一層微波感應薄膜，經由訊號的變化，電腦可以控制薄膜分子的排列，藉此變換電離罩的顏色。
This ion shield is made by utilizing high
voltage to ionize carbon molecules.
Then, by the use of molecular engineering technology, increase pressure
and reduce temperature, thereby rearranging the structure of the carbon
crystals. The carbon molecules
combine to form an equilateral triangle, the most ideal and stable type of
structure. Each square centimeter
of carbon molecule can withstand 200 tons of pressure. Generally, this type of ion shield is
transparent. The surface has a
microwave sensory membrane. By
altering the signals, the computer is able to control the molecular arrangement
of the membrane and in this manner change the color of the ion shield.
將微波訊號放大，並顯示在電離化的碳結構上，又稱「電離屏」。將電離屏與恆溫材料結合，便可製成「電離板」，是今日最重要的建築材料，年產量約為十億噸。
When
the microwave signal of the ion shield is enhanced and displayed on an ionized
carbon structure, it is known as an "ion screen”. When this ion screen is combined with
thermostatic materiel, an “ion board” is created. This is the key construction material
today, with an annual average production of around 1 billion tons.
在地球上，幾乎所有的電腦服務區都以電離板為建材。其優點是堅固耐震，且能將熱能轉換為電能，更重要的是其幾可亂真的影像顯示功能。通過這種與環境合而為一的影像，真實幻境及虛擬實境才得以竟功。
On
Earth, almost all areas with computer services use ion board for building
material. It is firm and can withstand
earthquakes. Furthermore, it can
transform heat into electricity.
More importantly, the image display function can make illusion pass for
reality. By using this function,
which can integrate with the environment, Reality in Illusion and Virtual Reality
are therefore possible.
在太空船上，電離板最佳的功能是可以自動調整艙房大小。基於各人的習慣，有人喜歡獨居，有人喜歡合住。在這裡，人人擁有相同的基本空間，但是隨時可以通知服務處，或分房，或合併。對電離板而言，只是一條電腦指令的處理而已。
On the spaceship, the most
outstanding function of the ion board is that it can automatically adjust the
size of one's cabin. Based on
personal preferences, some people prefer to live alone while others may prefer
living in the company of others.
Here, everybody has basically the same kind of room. However, one can contact the service
center any time to either separate or combine rooms. As far as the ion board is concerned, it
is merely executing a computer command.
三坪的空間雖然不大，但是除了必要的標準設備外，四壁及天花板五面都是擬真的景物，看上去氣魄恢宏，毫無狹隘局促之感。既然是擬真，所有的景色都可由旅客任意挑選。地面又置有感應器，只要人一走動，空間及景物就及時地呈三維轉換，真所謂步移景換、水送山迎，讓人難辨真假。
Though an area of 3 ping is not large, aside from
basic facilities, the four walls and ceiling are all scenes of simulated reality. The room looks imposing and majestic
without the feeling of being small and uncomfortable. Since it simulates reality, travelers
can choose any scene they please.
Sensors have been installed on the floor. As one moves, the space and scene will
automatically create a 3-D change in time.
It truly lives up to the saying: “one step and the scene changes”, or
“the water bids goodbye, and the mountain
awaits”. It's hard to distinguish
between what is genuine and what is contrived.
不僅是太空艙，就以地球上的人來說，個人生存的空間是必備的，生活的基本物質也保證絕不缺乏。因此，「家」往往就成了個人生活的全部世界，除了家庭伴侶的選擇外，電腦還會協助人們，把家裡佈置得和想像中的天堂一樣。
This
is not restricted to spaceships.
For people on Earth, personal living space is essential and basic
facilities are guaranteed.
Therefore, “home” often becomes an individual's entire world. Aside from choosing one's spouse, the
computer also helps people decorate their homes in a manner corresponding to
their vision of paradise.
只是天堂僅限於家門之內，一超出這個範圍，便是「貝幣」的天下。所謂貝幣，是電腦統一規劃的世界貨幣，只是種虛擬的數據，記錄在個人的資料庫中，卻有一套很嚴謹的制度，是價值交換的標準。貝幣採十進位制，僅有元角分三級。個人的行為只要有利於大眾，就可換算為個人的貝幣值。
Unfortunately this paradise is
limited to the home. Beyond lies the world of “Bei” currency. Bei is the
computer-unified currency of the universe.
Each person's theoretical wealth is entered into his or her database.
However, it is rigorously regulated and is the standard for exchange. Bei currency uses
the
decimal system and is classified in dollars, dimes, and
cents. All individual work of
benefit to the public is converted into an equivalent sum of Bei.
根據二○二四宣言中的人權協定，人只要不出家門，一切需求都由電腦義務提供。包括衣食、能源、造夢機、身歷境設施，以及各種資訊服務，如公共媒體上亮相的「明星」清單、郵購寶石、金剛鑽、外燴的鮑魚餐、龍肝湯等等，應有盡有。
According
to the human rights agreement, as set forth in the 2024 Declaration, as long as
one stays home, the computer is obligated to provide an individual's every
need. This service includes
clothing, food, energy supply; devices for dream creation, “Personal Experience
Reality”, and all types of information service, such as the list of
“celebrities” who appear in the public media, mail order purchase of gems or
diamonds, a catered abalone meal or exotic soups. Everything one could possibly need.
的確，有人把家中裝潢成瓊宮玉宇、珍樓寶屋，甚至名山勝水、海市蜃樓；也有人嚮往自然景色，原始森林、石乳洞穴，簡直是五花八門，無奇不有。喜歡運動的人隨時可以「出發」到各種虛擬實境的運動場去，運動項目更是多如牛毛。要贏想輸、甚至參加職業陣營，都可以隨心選擇。至於個人的技術水準，也是唯心論證，不論好壞都能參加正式比賽。只是在那種場合，一切全憑真功夫，如假包換。此外，這些由電腦所提供的「虛擬實境」，也都有專人製作，範圍遍及一應人生事務，以便任人挑選，隨意享受。
Some people actually decorate their
dwellings into fabulously rich palaces or luxurious and expensive homes, while
others go to the extent of creating famous scenic sites or mirages. Some are attracted by natural scenery,
and design their homes as primal forests or stalactite caves. These designs are
found in such great variety that the most bizarre features can be found. Sports enthusiasts can “set out” for any
sports stadium whenever they please by means of Virtual Reality. There are countless sport listings. One can win or lose, or even join a
professional team. It's all up to
the individual. Individual skill
levels are based on one's own estimation.
Good or bad, anyone can participate in regular competition. However, how one performs on the field
or court depends on one's genuine ability. There's no way to fake it. Moreover, these computer-provided
“Virtual Realities” have been created by specialists. The subject matter of these various
realities embraces every aspect of life, making it convenient for any person to
choose and enjoy.
但是，一出家門，就屬於「公共場合」，一切交通食宿等，全在電腦控制之下。公共場合需要付費，基本上是以時空係數計價，每十公里／小時為一貝分，至於太空旅行則另有規定。換句話說，一個人為公眾貢獻越大，他在公共場合的自由度就越高。
However, outside of one’s door, lies the “public area". Here, transportation, food and lodging
are all controlled by computer.
Individuals are required to pay for use of these services in public
areas. Basic charges are based on
units of space/time, and are calculated at 1 cent Bei per 10 km/hr. Space travel is governed by a different
set of rules. In other words, for
those who have made a significant contribution to the community, freedom in the
public areas is less restricted.
如果貝幣值不夠，人就必須乖乖地待在「無障礙」的家中，若想出門，真可說是「連門都沒有」。如果身體不適，私用電腦上有各式生理探測儀器，舉凡體溫、血壓、血醣、尿酸、內分泌……等都可測量。一旦真的病了，則由電腦自動「遙診」。
Those who lack a sufficient amount of Bei, must be content to remain in their “obstacle free”
homes. Should they want to get out
of the house, there's no hope. For
those who don't feel well, their personal computer is capable of providing
every type of examination. Testing
or measurement of body temperature, blood pressure, blood sugar, uric acid, glandular secretions and so on, can all be performed. If a person is really ill, the computer
will automatically conduct a “distance diagnosis”.
萬一憋不住了，想「外出」遊玩，虛擬實境保證包君如意。因為它能滿足各種感官需求，可以說比真實還要「真實」，但因限於設備，只能在家中使用。至於另外一種「虛擬幻境」，雖然聲色懾人，卻無法滿足其他如味覺、嗅覺與體覺等的需求。
If the person really cannot stand it anymore and yearns to “go
out”, Virtual Reality will provide guaranteed satisfaction. For the simple reason that it can
satisfy all demands of the sense organs, it can be said to be more “real” than
reality. However, due to equipment
limitations, it is only suitable for home use. As for the “Virtual Illusion” model,
though the sound and coloration are very attractive, it is incapable of
satisfying other senses, such as taste, smell, and physical sensation.
生存生活有了保障，小偷、強盜絕跡了，個人的虛榮心也有了發洩的管道，人人皆大歡喜。可是有利就有害，有得必有失，如果一切都是要有盡有，有就相當於無。人總是喜歡與別人相比，快樂往往要建立在他人的痛苦上。一旦發現人人都快樂時，結果是快樂就相當於痛苦。因此，今人最常有的痛苦，就是不知道自己為什麼痛苦？
With
survival and livelihood guaranteed, thieves and brigands no longer exist. Personal vanity has found a means of
fulfillment and everyone lives happily ever after. However, advantage is always accompanied
by disadvantage; and where there is gain, there is bound to be loss. When everything conceivable can be
obtained, it's the same as having nothing at all. People inevitably compare themselves
with others. Happiness is always
built upon the suffering of others.
Once people realize that everyone is happy, their happiness becomes
equivalent to misery. Therefore,
the common source of contemporary man's misery is that he himself doesn’t
understand why he is miserable.
有個很著名的故事，當事人是原英國爵士、第三屆人類議會議長愛德華˙謝勒。他個性好勝，曾得過騎術冠軍、射擊冠軍，又是足球隊長，在社會上備受尊重，仕途也堪稱一帆風順。新時代的到來，他貢獻頗大，尤其是他的《法制與人權》一書，曾是電腦參考的重點。
There
is a famous story about a man named Edward˙Shylor, originally a Lord in Britain and House Speaker
for the 3rd meeting of the Human Council. He liked to win and was a champion
horseman, marksman, and was captain of his football team. He was highly respected in society and
his career was proceeding smoothly.
His contribution to the arrival of the new era was considerable,
especially his book, “Law and Human Rights”, which at one time had been an
important computer reference work.
二○三二年，他卸任了，卻一直無法接受這個事實。他認為家裡一切都是假的，而他又累積了足夠的貝幣，因此終年在外旅行、發表演說。不料他的演說漸漸失去了聽眾，在「床頭金盡」之後，他仍不願回家。電腦當局便設計了一個陷阱，讓他不自覺地回到家中，永生做著他自以為真的巡迴演說大夢。
He
had been retired in 2032 but he could never accept it as a fact. He believed everything in his home was
illusory. Since he had accumulated
more than enough
這件事是一位研究人員，在一篇學術報告中揭發的，被媒體稱做「卸任效應」。這篇論文發表時，還曾引起社會大眾的恐慌，大家紛紛要求電腦當局道歉，並保證不再有這種「陷阱」發生。結果，電腦果真公開保證，只是在缺乏客觀佐證、真實與虛幻交錯的生活中，誰也不知道該相信什麼，不能相信什麼。久而久之，大家都茫然了。
A
researcher revealed this incident in an academic journal. The media termed it the “Retirement
Syndrome”. Upon publication this
thesis instantly caused an uproar among the general
public. They demanded the Computer
Authority Bureau apologize and promise that there would be no more “traps” of
this kind in the future. As a result,
the computer actually did make a public promise. However, in the absence of objective
evidence, and in a life where reality and illusion intermingles, people no
longer knew what to believe and what not to believe. Over the passage of time, people could
no longer be certain.
文祥跨上最後一個梯級，站在頂層甲板上，眼前頓時一片燦燦繁星。穿過透明的電離罩，可以清晰地看到太空無垠的景色。這時地球正浮在半空，像一個巨大的水晶球，山海平疇，在白雲蒙翳下隱約可見。
Wen
Xiang climbed up the last step and stood on the top
deck. His eyes were greeted by a
vast sea of glistening stars.
Through the transparent ion shield, he had a clear view of limitless
space. At this moment, the Earth
was floating in midair, like a gigantic crystal ball. Mountains, oceans, and plains could be
glimpsed beneath a slight concealment of white clouds.
甲板是由一塊塊約半公尺見方、反光柔和的明磚舖成的，有些區域畫有座椅等形狀，人只要稍作停留，就有座位升起，機器茶几則自動送上目錄，供應各式食物飲料。
The
deck was composed of soft, reflecting
Ming bricks; each a half-meter square.
Some areas contained the outlines of chairs and tables. All one needed to do was linger there
and a seat would rise up. A
mechanical tea tray would automatically deliver a menu offering various dishes
and drinks.
文祥選了一個視野較佳的位置坐下，左側有一位衣著光鮮的白種中年人正準備坐下。那人見右側有人，立刻從口袋掏出一張金卡，在文祥面前晃了一晃，說：「它就是我，先生你呢？」
Wen Xiang chose a seat with a slightly better view and took a seat. On his left, a well-dressed middle-aged Caucasian male was preparing to sit down. When he realized someone was sitting to his right, he immediately drew out a gold card from his pocket and flashed it in front of Wen Xiang, saying: “Here is my card. And you, sir?”
文祥莫明其妙，耳內文娃已開口了：「卡門˙米勒，心理復健師。」接著又補充了一句：「這是復古的新時尚，有些人喜歡用名片自我介紹。」
Wen
Xiang was puzzled. Wen Wa, spoke
in his ear: “Carmine˙Miller, psychotherapist,” quickly adding: “It’s a
new fashion to imitate old customs.
Some people like to use name cards when introducing themselves.”
心理復建是新興的一種職業，以「客觀心理」為理論根據，相關的從業者有心理師、辨證師、復健師等，專門為人解決真假不分的問題。事實上，客觀心理學可以說是佛洛伊德「夢的解析」的延伸。由於大眾有此需求，他們也就成為自由業中炙手可熱的驕子，有些心理師經常週遊太空，儼然電腦時代的新星。
Psychotherapy was a new profession. Its theory was based on the “objective psyche”. Related professions such as psychiatry, psychoanalysis, and mental rehabilitation all specialized in helping people solve their difficulty in distinguishing reality from illusion. Actually, objective psychology could be considered an extension of Freud’s “Interpretation of Dreams”. Because the majority of people had this need, their freelance profession had become all the rage. Some psychiatrists frequently took interplanetary trips. They had become the new stars of the computer age.
「在下文祥，藝術從業員。」文祥怕被認出來，特意把帽子拉低。在這個時代，衣著十分自由，室內戴帽是很正常的事。
“I’m Wen Xiang, an art
practitioner.” Wen Xiang was afraid of being recognized so he deliberately
pulled his hat down low. In this
day and age, people dressed as they pleased. It was normal for people to wear a hat
indoors.
「好極了，那我們有得聊，我也從事藝術品的鑑賞與收藏。」
“Great. We’ll have a lot to talk about. I'm also a connoisseur and collector of
art.”
「喔！卡門先生，你可能誤會了，我是從業人員，不是藝術創作家。」
“Well, Mr. Carmine, I'm afraid you
misunderstand. I work in art, but
I'm not a creative artist.”
「嗯，那你對薩邁爾的瘋狂畫有什麼看法？」
“Well, what do you think about Somare’s crazy paintings?”
「我沒有看過。」
“I’ve never seen any.”
「那總聽過華特˙史耐德的月球交響詩吧！」
“Then you must have heard of Walter˙Snyder’s
Moon Symphonic Poem!”
「也沒有。」
“Nope.”
「列文斯基的希希里里舞呢？」
“Lewinsky’s Sisilili Dance?”
「沒聽說過。」
“Never heard of it.”
「真的？那你總有什麼喜歡的藝術吧！」
“Really? You must like some kind of art?”
「我喜歡潑墨山水。」文祥被惹煩了，只好反將一軍。
“I’m partial to landscape paintings executed in the
ink-splash style.” Wen Xiang was annoyed and was hitting back.
「黑色有深有淺的山水畫？那是誰的作品？」文祥說的是漢語，卡門聽到的是電腦的即時英譯。即令電腦翻譯水準不惡，遇到一些專有名詞，經常會譯得出人意表。
“Chiaroscuro Landscape paintings?” Whose work
would that be?” Wen Xiang was talking in Chinese and what Carmine heard was the
computer’s instant English translation.
Though the computer was pretty good at translating, when confronted with
technical terms, it often translated them in an unexpected way.
「八大山人。」文祥見卡門一臉心理效應的模樣，暗暗好笑。兩人話不投機，卡門只好聳聳肩，自顧自的點飲料去了。
“Ba
Da Shan Ren.” When Wen Xiang
saw Carmine's reflective face, he smiled to himself. Since they didn't seem to have anything
in common to talk about, Carmine shrugged and turned his attention to ordering
his drink
文祥右邊有一大片空位子，沒有多久，便來了七個怪模怪樣、膚色各異、身材不一的人。為首的是位黑人，他體格魁梧，頭插羽飾，身披虎皮，手中還握著一根金光熠熠的權杖。他先環顧四週，黑白分明的眸子，掃過時令人不寒而慄。
On
Wen Xiang’s right, there was an area with many empty
seats. Before long, seven strange
looking people approached, each of different skin color and appearance. The one in front was a big, strong black
man. A feather ornament adorned his
head and his body was robed in a tiger skin. In his hand he held a glittering gold
scepter. He first looked about
him. When his glance swept over
them, the contrasting black and white of his eyes made people tremble.
「古嚕嚕，你坐這邊！」黑人指著左前方一個位子。
“Gululu, you
sit here!” The black man pointed to
a seat on his left front.
一個猴子一般，古銅皮膚，只在下身圍了一圈玄色皮兜、乾瘦得不成人形的中年人，一聲不響，三兩下跳進了指定的位子，兩眼猶骨碌碌地四處張望。
A monkey-like, tanned middle-aged man, clad in only black leather loincloth, and appallingly skinny, wordlessly jumped onto the appointed seat in two or three bounds. The rolling eyes continued to look about him.
「格瑞達，你坐在他右邊。」
“Greda, sit on
his right.”
格瑞達聞聲，從人群後慢步走了出來，她一亮相，全場為之一歎。那一頭如雲金髮、惹火的身材，白裡透紅的膚色，已夠引人遐思綺想，再看她舉手投足間，媚目流波、柔肌顫動，直讓人骨髓酥融、魂銷魄蕩。
Upon hearing this, Greda stepped
forth from the others. As she
emerged, everyone gasped. Her cloud
-like blond hair, her provocative body, and her flushed, fair skin, were enough
to arouse fantasies. The way she
moved, the overflowing sensuality in her beautiful eyes, and the soft movement
of her flesh, made a man go weak in the knees and shook him to his very soul.
「老大，叫我跟那死猴子坐呀！」
“Sir, are you telling me to sit with that
damn monkey!”
連她的抱怨聲，都讓人盪氣迴腸，甲板右側有個漢子立刻站了起來，興奮地說：「我這裡有空位，快來這裡。」
Even the sound of her complaint was
alluring and disconcerting. A man
on the right side of the deck immediately stood up, and enthusiastically said,
“Here's an empty seat; over here.”
格瑞達向那人拋了一個令人窒息的媚眼，略帶羞意地「嗯」了一聲：「小傻子，別急，待會夢中見，看你能活多久！」
Greda gave the man a
look that took his breath away, and she replied with a shy “Um. Be patient, little fool. See you in dreamland. Then let’s see how long you'll last!”
「坐下！」黑人用權杖一指，格瑞達伸了伸舌頭，黑人語帶玄機地說：「有人不知死活與我無干，妳給我規矩點！」
“Sit down!" said the black man
pointing with his scepter, but Greda only stuck her
tongue out at him. The black man
said mysteriously: “If someone doesn’t understand when they're in danger,
that's no concern of mine. You just
behave yourself!”
那漢子見格瑞達沒有過去，大聲嚷道：「喂！你這黑小子，是誰不知死活？」
When the man saw Greda
wasn't going to come over, he loudly shouted: “Hey! You,
black boy. Who’s the one who
doesn’t sense danger?”
黑人緩緩地回過頭去，目不交睫地瞪著那漢子。過了一會，那人居然不聲不響，乖乖地坐了下去。
The
black man slowly turned around and fixed the man with an unblinking stare. After a long moment, the man sat
down again without a word.
「千奇！百怪！你們坐在他們旁邊。」黑人繼續唱名。
“Hey, Creepy and Weirdo! Come out and
sit next to them.” The black man
continued his roll call.
一個身材高瘦得出奇，一個卻矮胖得要命的兩個怪物聞聲而出。那高個子身著白麻布衣，昂首大步走在前面，回頭卻對矮子說：「老怪，坐先。」
Two
bizarre creatures emerged, one unusually tall and scrawny, the other short and
stocky. The tall one was dressed in
white linen clothes and walked in front with great strides, his head held
high. Turning to his short
companion he said, “Weirdo, old pal, after you.”
百怪一身黑色，頭只及千奇的胸部，個性似乎出奇地倔強。
Dressed in black, Weirdo's head barely
came to Creepy’s chest. He gave an impression of being extremely
headstrong.
「老怪，坐先。」
“Creepy, old buddy, go ahead.”
「你坐先！」千奇再讓。
“You first!”
Creepy repeated.
「你才坐先！」百怪堅持。
“Only after you”, Weirdo insisted.
千奇滿面得意，欣然就坐。百怪見他面帶微笑，眉頭一皺，想了想，搖搖頭，也坐了下來。
Satisfied, Creepy sat down without
another word. When Weirdo spotted Creepy's smile, he frowned in thought, shook his head and
also sat down.
文祥因見千奇、百 怪二人帶有粵人口音，心存好感，便多加了一分注意。照他們的行逕看來，不像有德有能的公職人員，也不似有才氣的藝術家。說是自由業，卻又像個部隊般，紀律嚴明，簡直有點不倫不類。
When
Wen Xiang found that both Creepy and Weirdo had Cantonese
accents, he felt friendly towards them and paid closer attention. Judging from the way they behaved they
didn't look like virtuous and capable government
employees, nor did they resemble talented artists. If freelancers, they
seemed like a well-disciplined unit. They were hard to categorize.
在不願打擾他人，或不希望被別人聽到的情況下，文祥便用「指語」與電腦交談。指語是倉頡輸入法的一種，原則上不論手放在何處，只要按照一定的規則，電腦就可由指關節運動的位置，讀出主人所輸入的字碼。這種方法曾經使用在手握的輸入裝置上，由於手可以自由置放，輸入者得免於疲勞。但因不久之後，語音輸入技術即告成熟，故並未大量推廣，只流行在倉頡法的使用者當中。
When
Wen Xiang did not want to disturb others, or wished
to avoid being overheard, he would use “finger language” to talk with his
computer. “Finger language” is one
of the Cangjie (C.J.) methods of keying in the
computer. Theoretically, no matter
where the hand is placed, as long as a particular protocol is followed, the
computer will be able to read the keyed-in characters by detecting which finger
joints have been moved. This method
was formerly used on a hand-held input device. Because the fingers could be moved
freely, people were spared the fatigue of keying in. However, before long voice input
technology was developed. For this
reason, finger language was never promoted on a large scale and remained
popular only among users of C.J.
「他們是什麼人？」文祥用指語問道。
“Who are they?” Wen Xiang
asked using finger language.
「他們是特遣隊隊員，為我們工作。」
“They are SWAT team
members. They work for us.”
甲板上相繼來了不少人，大家談笑生風，卻一點兒也不顯嘈雜。這就是音障的效用，電腦根據環境音波，使之反相，抵消部分音量，以免吵及他人。如今音量控制已經是電腦服務的基本項目之一了，由於二十世紀搖滾樂的泛濫，全世界有數億人聽覺受損，而且心理上呈現暴力傾向。是以噪音、毒品、犯罪、空氣、飲水五者，同為二十一世紀電腦當局防治污染的重點項目，而且取得了顯著的成效。
Gradually, many people came up on
deck. Everybody was cheerfully
talking and laughing but it was not at all noisy, thanks to sound block. The computer takes the sound waves of a
location, and then reverses them, thereby partially counteracting the volume so
that others are not disturbed.
Today, volume control has become one of the basic computer
services. Due to the flood of
rock-and-roll music in the 20th century, hundreds of millions
suffered from hearing disorder.
They had violent psychological tendencies as well. Therefore, the Computer Authority Bureau
listed noise, along with drugs, crime, air, and water, as the main targets of
pollution control. The results had
obviously been successful.
文祥想聽點音樂，文娃非常瞭解他的喜好，立刻啟動音障，播放他最喜愛的輕音樂。在樂音中仰視點點繁星，啜飲新泡的香茗，文祥真忘了身在何處。
Wen
Xiang wanted to listen to some music, and
過了不知多久，文祥面前的指示燈亮起，是左鄰的卡門，向他問詢。
After some time, the light of the
indicator in front of Wen Xiang flashed on. It was Carmine, sitting on his
left. He had some questions.
文祥真不想被打擾，但也不忍拒人於千里之外，只好關閉了隔音障，問道：「請問有什麼事嗎？」
Wen
Xiang really didn’t want to be interrupted, but he
couldn’t bring himself to say no.
So he turned off his sound block and asked: “What is it?”
「我想告訴你，我對中國藝術非常尊敬，只是一竅不通。」
“I want you to know that I have great respect for Chinese
Art. It's just that I know nothing
about it.”
「別放在心上，我知道的也有限。」
“Don’t give it a thought. I don't know much about it myself.”
「還有一件事……」卡門囁囁嚅嚅，欲言又止，最後終於鼓起勇氣，說：「老實對你說，我有一個很嚴重的毛病，電腦沒有用，必須有人幫忙。」
“One more thing…” Carmine started, then stopped again.
Finally, he summoned up courage and said: “To tell you the truth, I have
a serious problem. The computer is
useless. I need help from someone.”
「你說，只要我能力所及，應該沒有問題。」
“Shoot. If it's within my ability, there
shouldn’t be any problem.”
「請問你會在這裡待多久？」
“May I ask how long you’ll be here?”
文祥楞了一下，他原來只想再坐一下就走，卡門這麼一問，自己反倒不好馬上離開，便隨口道：「大概個把小時！」
Wen
Xiang was startled for a moment. He had only intended to sit for awhile
before going. But since Carmine
brought it up, he felt it would be awkward if he left right away, so he said
casually, “Probably an hour or so!”
「那好極了，我必須休息一下。我是心理學家，所以很瞭解問題所在。我們經常難分事物的真假，所以必須先找一個可資佐證的客觀標準。」
“That’s great. I need to take a break. I’m a psychologist so I understand where
the problem lies. We often can’t
tell the difference between what is spurious and what is genuine, it's first
necessary to find impartial supporting evidence.”
「那我能做什麼？」文祥最怕人喋喋不休，連忙打斷他。
“What can I do?” Wen Xiang
disliked pointless chatter and quickly interrupted him.
「我是說，希望你能做我的客觀佐證。」
“I mean, I’d like you to be my
impartial witness."
「怎麼做法？」文祥覺得不可思議，對方是個心理復健師，居然還要自己做他的客觀佐證。原來，一個客觀佐證者就是在對方弄不清真實與虛幻之時，有責任提醒對方，當前這一刻才是真實的世界。
“How?” Wen Xiang was
amazed. Carmine was a
psychotherapist and he was asking him to be his impartial witness? When someone was unable to distinguish
reality from illusion, the responsibility of an impartial witness was to remind
the subject that at that moment they were in the world of reality.
這是心理學家分辨真假的訣竅，由於人對電腦依賴過深，連在夢中都離不開他，結果電腦也成了主觀的一部分。真實是一，而假象無盡，但是人卻要求在任何幻境中，其刺激與感受都要和真實一模一樣。電腦完成了使命，人也迷失在真假之間。
This
was the psychologist's technique of distinguishing reality from illusion. Humans had come to depend too heavily on
their computers. They were unable
to leave the computer even in their dreams. As a result, the computer became a part
of subjectivity. There was only one
truth but there were countless illusions.
But people demanded that no matter what kind of illusion they
experienced, the stimulation and feelings must be exactly the same as in real
life. The computer had done what
was asked of it, and man was now lost between reality and illusion.
所以，一個客觀的真實佐證，就像燈塔一般，有指點迷津的作用。只是意志力不堅的人，難保不把燈塔看做螢火蟲，反而去撈水中的月亮。
For
this reason, to have an impartial supporting witness in reality was like a
beacon, preventing one from going astray.
It's just that there was no guarantee that weak willed individuals,
mistaking the beacon for a glowworm, might try to net the moon's reflection
from the water.
幫忙當然應該，只是這話出自一位心理復健師之口，就很不尋常了。卡門顯然是走頭無路，只好坦白地說：「請不要見笑，我來月球的時候，因為太寂寞了，出了一點問題。當時因為太空船正在做重力轉換，我一時頭暈，神志不清……」
Of
course one should help, but it was unusual to hear such words from a
psychotherapist. Carmine was
obviously at his wit's end, and could only bluntly say, “Please don’t laugh at
me. When I came to the Moon, I was
too lonely and something went wrong.
At that time, because the spaceship was going through gravity change, I
became dizzy and lost conscious...”
「那是生理的問題，與寂寞不相干。」
“That is a physical problem. It had nothing to do with loneliness.”
卡門擠擠眼睛說：「我知道，但是他們不知道呀！」
Carmine winked and said: “I know,
but they don’t!”
文祥懶得跟他胡扯，便問：「我能做什麼呢？」
Wen Xiang
was tired of this nonsense so he asked: “What can I do for you?”
「你只要提示我，這是太空船就可以了。」
“Just remind me that this is a spaceship, that's all.”
「只要提醒你你在太空船上？」
“Just remind you that you’re on a
spaceship?”
「是的，必要時，可以用力把我打醒，千萬別讓我一個人睡在這裡。」
“Yes. If it’s necessary, you can slap me
awake. Please don’t let me sleep
here alone.”
在烏沈沈的太空中，寧靜才是主宰，往前看去，就像一匹大莫與京的玄黑天鵝絨緯幕上，綴滿了無量無數的大小晶鑽。這時是地球的七月，黃道帶上，木星即將與地球、太陽成一直線，亦即所謂「木星衝」的位置。在這裡看木星，其亮度比地球上強得多，相當於一等星，在「人馬座」附近閃爍，非常耀眼。
In
the pitch-darkness of space, tranquility is master. Looking ahead, space was like an
enormous, jet-black velvet cloth, studded with numerous diamonds of varying
sizes. It was July on Earth. Jupiter would soon line up with the
Earth and Sun in the zodiac.
Jupiter’s location at that time was also known as “Jupiter in
Opposition”. Viewing Jupiter from
here, it was much brighter than when seen from Earth. It could be classified as a first
magnitude star. Scintillating near
Sagittarius, it dazzled the eye.
木星探險也曾是熱門話題，它直徑大而自轉快速，在赤道上，風速每小時高達四萬五千公里，相當於地球赤道風速的三十倍。那個著名的「大紅斑」，實際上是個發生在三百多年前的「熱帶颶風」，其面積比地球還大上三倍。此外，木星質量極大，密度卻甚低，球表全為液體。但是，人類還是在上面建了基地，供科學研究用。
Exploration
of Jupiter was once a popular issue.
Jupiter is large in diameter and it rotates swiftly. At its equator, the wind speed reaches
45,000 km per an hour, which is 30 times stronger than that on Earth. That famous “Great Red Spot” was
originally a “tropical hurricane” that took place over 300 years ago. It covers an area about 3 times the size
of the Earth. Moreover, Jupiter
consists of a low-density large mass, and its surface is covered with
liquid. But human beings
nevertheless built a base camp there for scientific study.
木星的衛星「歐羅巴」環境沒有那麼惡劣，上面還有結成冰狀的水，但不宜人居。因為木星強烈的引力，像個暴君一般，時時凌虐它的衛星，每日使之扭曲變形數次。若以地球的經驗來說，等於是每天不斷地發生十六級大地震。
The
environment on “ Europa”,
one of Jupiter's moons, was not so harsh.
Though it contains water, which forms an icy surface, it is not suitable for human habitation. Due to its powerful gravity, Jupiter, in the manner of a cruel despot, constantly abuses its moons. Everyday the shape of Europa is distorted many times. Measured in terms of experience here on Earth, this is the equivalent of a magnitude 16 earthquake taking place everyday.
其實，以當今的技術而言，人根本不必親身到任何地方探險，電腦機械人早已遍佈太陽系每一個角落。機械人沒有生死的困擾，只要有能源，它就是人類遙控的超級感官。再加上「模擬真實系統」，其效果遠比人親自抵達現場還要理想。
Actually, today’s technology allows
people to have adventures anywhere without needing to be present
personally. Computer robots were
long ago placed throughout the solar system. Robots are not bothered with problems of
life and death. As long as there is
energy, they are remote controlled supersensible organs operated by man. Together with the “Reality Simulating
System”, the effects far surpass any personal experience.
這種鏡頭，文祥在工作過程中，為了參考實況，曾在電腦協助下，看得甚多。此刻是乘坐太空船去火星，其實他對木星的認識反倒比火星為多。
In the normal course of his work
when Wen Xiang, aided by his computer, would consult
real conditions, he had seen this sort of scene many times. Though he was now on his way to Mars, he
actually knew more about Jupiter than Mars.
這時，陽光從太空船的磁帆後方照了過來，放射出五色迷離的極光。大部分的時間，極光只是一種淡淡的影子，就像肥皂泡上的彩絲一般。偶而，一陣抖動，又似飄浮不定的彩帶，被狂風颺起，散開滿天麗彩。
At
this moment, the sunlight shone from behind the magnetic sail, radiating a
vague aurora borealis in a variety of colors. Most of the time, the
aurora borealis was a faded shadow, like the strands of color on a soap bubble. On occasion it would wobble a bit, and
the light resembled floating color ribbons blown by the wind, scattering the
sky with beautiful colors.
陽光被太空帆吸收了，只剩下一圈暗紅的虛影。在右側下沿，有一圈淡藍的圓球，又似一顆兒時把玩的大玻璃彈珠，虛懸在漠漠遙空，那就人類的故鄉。
The
space sail absorbed the sunlight and only a phantom of dark-red halo
remained. To the lower right was a
ball surrounded by a light blue hue, resembling a large glass marble of the
kind children play with, suspended in vast space. It was the home of
太空船裡一片寂靜，四肢漂浮在星空裡，耳邊是巴哈的「Ｇ弦之歌」，文祥乘著音樂的翅翼，在九萬里之上，與群星同做逍遙之遊。
It was quiet in the spaceship. With his limbs floating among the stars,
the music of Bach’s Suite in “G” Minor filling his ears, Wen Xiang soared high in the sky on wings of music, traveling
with the stars, free from care.
當前的目的地是火星，去做什麼？採訪，報導，又為了什麼？為了那些終生沉迷在夢幻中的人們？當文祥專心於工作時，每一個動作都有明確的目標，從來沒有困擾疑惑過。一旦閒了下來，時間便成為動力，驅使著神經網絡，漫無止境地在記憶經驗中搜索。
His
destination was Mars. But why? Interviews, reports, but for what? For those who spend their entire lives
besotted with dreams? When Wen Xiang is focused on his work, every movement has a specific
purpose. He has never once doubted
or been confused. In leisure moments,
time is the incentive driving his neural network in a tireless search through
memory
十幾年前，文祥還是時代的新鮮人，正好與電腦同步地茁壯成長。當時，他正從事虛擬實境的攝製工作。他先選定需要的動態圖形，再利用電腦視覺辨識的功能，將之轉換成立體點線資料。這種工作需要極為敏銳的審美觀，還得頭腦清晰，才能將龐大的資料整理分類，與概念結合運用。
Over a decade ago, Wen Xiang was an apprentice of the era. He grew to maturity along with the
development of the computer. At
that time, he was working on Virtual Reality production. He first selected the necessary series
of animated graphics and then used the computer’s visual recognition function
to transfer them into 3-D geometrical data. This work required people with sharp
aesthetic sensitivity and an acute mind to categorize such an enormous amount
of data, and then combine it with appropriate concepts for use.
小倩是個模特兒，有一副甜美的面容和勻稱的身材，專作各種姿態表演。文祥發現她不僅有亮麗的外表，也有極為穎慧的頭腦。
Xiao Qian was a
model with a lovely face and well-proportioned figure who specialized in posing
for painters and for advertisements.
Wen Xiang discovered she was not only
physically attractive, she was bright, as well.
在一起工作了半年多，他們墮入了愛河，誓言共結同心，廝守終生。其實這種故事早已是陳腔濫調了，人們生生死死，來來去去，只有這種不知情感為何物的原始力量，能從遙遠的過去，一直延伸到今天、未來。
After working together for more
than half a year, they fell in love.
They vowed to love each other for the rest of their lives. Actually, stories of this kind are very
commonplace. People live and die,
come and go. Only the
incomprehensible primal power of love can reach out from a distant past into
the present and the future.
這種愛情故事，唯一與過往有所不同的，只是時空環境變化的因果關係。就在二人情投意合、水乳交融之間，國際競爭沒有了，族群對立不存在了，貧富相峙消弭了。他們慶幸生長在這個自由自在的時代，地老天荒，幸福無邊。
The only thing that differentiates
love stories of this kind is the karmic relationship brought about by changes
in time and space. When two people
are deeply in love and their temperaments are well suited, national differences
no longer count and racial conflict ceases. Poverty or wealth is no longer an
issue. They were glad to have been
born in this age of freedom that allowed them to live happily forever after.
怎麼都想不到，文祥正潛心工作，摒除外在聲色引誘的當兒，他發覺小倩變了。他曾懷疑是否兩人的性關係不夠協和，雖然這不是問題，文祥還是努力地滿足她，直到她每每香汗淋漓，次次高潮不斷。然而，有一天，在激情過後，小倩還是斷然向他攤牌，她唯一要分手的理由，是要嘗試更新奇的生活。
Who
would have thought that as Wen Xiang focused on his
work, turning his back on the temptations of the world, he found that Xiao Qian had changed.
At one point he had wondered if something could be amiss in their sexual
relationship. Though this was not a
problem, Wen Xiang did his best to satisfy her every
time, making her perspire with multiple orgasms. However, one day, after some passionate
loving making, Xiao Qian decisively laid her cards on
the table. The only reason she gave
for wanting to separate was that she wished to sample a different life
style.
文祥從雲端跌落深淵：「什麼新奇的生活？」
Wen
Xiang toppled from cloud 9 into a bottomless pit:
“What do you mean by different life style?”
「我要自由！」小倩絕望地喊著。
“I want to be free!” Xiao Qian raised her voice in desperation.
「妳還不夠自由嗎？我從來沒有干涉過妳呀！」
“Aren’t you free enough? I’ve never interfered with your life!”
「那麼，放我走吧！讓我離開！」
“Then, let me go! Let me leave!”
「難道妳忘了我們的誓言？」
“Have you forgotten our
vows?”
「可是，我也有遺忘它的自由！」
“But I have the freedom to forget
them!”
小倩走了，文祥還不死心，他追了出去，尾隨在後一看，幾乎氣蹶。原來，小倩加入的是一個性愛俱樂部，在那裡唯一的活動便是性交。
And so Xiao Qian
left. Wen Xiang
didn't give up, and followed her.
What he saw almost took his breath away. It turned out that Xiao Qian had joined a sex club where the sole activity was
sexual intercourse.
這種俱樂部會員眾多，全球約有十幾億人。幾個月前，文祥曾來此攝影，還特意帶了小倩同來，讓她開開眼界。這裡除了各種令人匪夷所思的軟硬體設備之外，其進行的儀式、交合的過程、搭配的對象，花樣之多更是聞所未聞。
This
club had over one billion members around the world. A few months ago, Wen Xiang had come here for filming. He had brought Xiao Qian
along so she could broaden her perspective. Here, aside from all sorts of
inconceivable software and devices, the multiplicity of rites, styles of
intercourse, and the selection of partners were unheard of.
他們不僅有理論基礎、實戰經驗，還獲得電腦當局的特別通融。緣因性交全然是一種體覺刺激，再有技巧，日子久了，感覺閥就會麻痺。如同過去有人吸食嗎啡一般，越吸癮頭越大，刺激強度必須一再提高，否則不能滿足。
They not only had a basic doctrine and
real time experience, they had also obtained a special relaxation of the rules
from the Computer Authority Bureau.
Because sexual intercourse is completely a physical stimulation, no
matter the degree of expertise, over a period of time the threshold limit
becomes desensitized. Just like
people who used morphine in the past; the more they used it, the greater their
addiction. The degree of stimulus
had to be raised again and again, or they would be incapable of satisfaction.
電腦當局之所以特別通融，是基於能源價值的考量。因為這些人全部且唯一的活動，就是性交，除了簡單的食物外，從來沒有其他的需求。而性交不僅不耗電，尚且能發熱，更能由熱生電－－這些人可以說是一種自發式的「生物發電機」，當然是多多益善。
The
reason the Computer Authority Bureau was accommodating this activity was based
on consideration of energy. Because
sexual intercourse was all they did, they required only simple food. They never had any other requests. Besides, sexual intercourse not only
didn't require electricity, it actually generated heat, and from that heat,
electricity was created. These
people could be considered as self-driven “biological generators”,
and the more of them the better.
電腦又通融什麼呢？原來每當性交者的感覺閥升高到了極限時，電腦便用「生理代謝器」加以治療，使其感覺閥降低，低到人們又能歡享「初試雲雨」的情趣。
In
what other ways did the computer accommodate them? When these sexual activists reached a
point of satiation, the computer would treat them by means of a “physiological
metabolism device”. This device
lowered their pleasure threshold to the level of their “first sexual
experience”.
文祥還記得，當時小倩很不齒這些人的行為，她認為這是對人性莫大的侮辱。
Wen
Xiang still remembered how Xiao Qian
had despised these people at the time.
She thought they were a great insult to human nature.
「電腦當局怎麼可以這樣？你看這些人，他們變成什麼了？」
“How could the Computer Authority Bureau
allow this? Look at these people,
what has become of them?”
文祥還一直替俱樂部辯護，怎麼也想不到，自己最心愛的小倩，如今也成為「電源」的一部分。以致他每一想到用電，心中就如刀割輪絞，痛不欲生。
Wen
Xiang always defended the club, but he never could
have imagined that today his beloved Xiao Qian was
part of the “electricity”. Now
whenever he used electricity, it felt as if a knife had been driven into his
heart and twisted, causing unimaginable pain.
在這無垠的太空裡，電源直接來自太陽，為什麼還是會想到她呢？以文祥的條件，大可以向電腦當局申請，把這一段慘痛的記憶清除掉。可是他寧願自我放逐，因為在潛意識裡，他太愛小倩了，他既不願想起、偏生又不能忘記她。
In
the endlessness of space, power came directly from the Sun. Why did he still think about her? With Wen Xiang’s
status, he could have asked the Computer Authority Bureau to erase this painful
memory. However, he chose exile
instead. Deep in his heart, he was
still very much in loved with Xiao Qian. And while he didn't want to think about
her, he was still unable to forget her.
文祥坐不住了，也該去洗手間了，他一按身旁的控制鈕，開啟了一條便道。他站起身來，前面甲板上出現了一條青熒熒冷光照就的道路，中間有連續閃動的箭頭，直指後艙一個半圓的穹門。
Wen Xiang did not feel like sitting there any longer. It was time to go to the bathroom. He pushed the button next to him, activating a passageway. As he stood up a passageway appeared, illuminated by a cold pale blue light from the deck right in front of him. In the center of the passage, a series of arrows blinked continuously, pointing towards an arched door at the rear cabin.
文祥走在便道上，頭頂著點點星辰，別有一番夢幻的滋味。想想自己也實在太不爭氣了，小倩是過去的幻覺，不切實際，他甩甩頭，想把記憶中的小倩甩出去。
As
Wen Xiang proceeded through the passage, a multitude
of stars twinkled above his head, as if in some magnificent dream. But when you thought about it, he was
really a hopeless case. Xiao Qian was an illusion from the past; thinking about her was
impractical. He shook his head,
trying to get her out of his mind.
到了盥洗室，他取出身上的排洩包，丟在回收筒內。既然是在船上，一切便利，可以每天處理，他便取了一個一日份的排洩包，裝在股間。這也是電腦的一大德政，人的排洩器都已經過改裝。排洩包有特殊的功能，會將水分排出，臭氣分解掉，只留下乾粉狀的化學物質。這些回收物是最佳的有機化合物，經過電腦分類處理後，可以循環再應用。
When he was in the bathroom, he removed
the waste pack and threw it into the recycle basket. Since he was on a spaceship, everything
was convenient. He could replace
the pack everyday. So he took a
one-day waste pack and placed it between his buttocks. This was also one of the computer’s
greatest amenities. Human excretory
functions had been modified. The
waste pack had a unique method that could remove liquid and disperse offensive
odors, leaving only some chemical matter in dry powder form. This powder was an organic compound of
the highest quality. After it had been categorized and processed by the
computer it could be recycled and used again and again.
一出盥洗室，一高一矮兩個身影就跳入眼中，是千奇與百怪。
As
soon as he was out of the bathroom, two figures, one tall and one short, met
his eyes. They were Creepy and
Weirdo.
只聽千奇說：「有請，行先！」
Wen Xiang
heard Creepy say: “Please, after you!”
百怪睜大眼睛，想了一想，毫不客氣，跨著大步就進去了。
Weirdo's eyes opened wide as he thought
for an instant, and then, without any further pretense at courtesy, entered
with long strides.
文祥正要開口和千奇打招呼，百怪又開門，探出一個圓頭來：「幾天？」
Just as Wen Xiang
was preparing to greet Creepy, Weirdo opened the door, and sticking his round
head out, asked, “How many days?”
「一天。」千奇答。
“One.” Creepy answered.
「為什麼一天？」
“Why one day?”
「隨你。」
“Suit yourself.”
百怪想了又想，最後決定：「一天！」
Weirdo
pondered on this for a while and having made up his mind, said, “One day!”
「千奇先生，去火星貴幹？」文祥覺得千奇風格清雅，有出塵之感，頗令人心儀。
“Mr. Creepy, may I ask why
you’re going to Mars?” Wen Xiang felt Creepy had an elegant manner which made him seem
to be indifferent to worldly concerns.
It was very intriguing.
「公幹。」
“On business.”
「我是文祥，去火星採訪。」一聽是公幹，文祥倒不好再問了。
“I’m Wen Xiang. I’m going to Mars to cover the
news.” When Wen Xiang
heard “on business” it was awkward to inquire further.
「幾號頻道？」
“For what
channel?”
「我是特約的獨立攝影師。」千奇約有兩米高，文祥在他面前不得不抬頭。這時光線由下照上來，帽簷形同虛設，一張臉讓人看得清清楚楚的。
“I’m a designated independent
photographer.” Creepy was about 2
meters tall and Wen Xaing had to raise his head to
talk to him. At this time, the
light shone down from above, and Wen Xiang’s hat brim
did not provide him with any privacy.
His face was clearly visible.
千奇打量了文祥一會，說：「噢，是你，我們一家人。」
Creepy looked at Wen Xiang for a second and said: “Oh it’s you. You’re one of us.”
「一家人？」文祥看千奇的神情，知道已經被認出了：「你們也是出任務的？」
“One of you?” When Wen Xiang
saw Creepy ’s face, he knew he had been recognized:
“You’re on a mission, too?”
「我們製造任務。」正說著，百怪開門出來，千奇對百怪說：「認得他吧？」
“We formulate missions.” Just when they were talking, Weirdo
opened the door and emerged. Creepy
said to Weirdo: “Recognize him?”
百怪看了一陣，說：「不識。」