The snow in the round flower bed had already mostly melted, revealing the brown earth and deep green arborvitae. Little Lübeck ran back and forth among the bushes and around the flower bed searching. The childhood playmates were already nowhere to be seen — perhaps it was getting late and they had already gone home. Only this empty little garden remained, along with the lingering snow in the sunset glow.
圆形花坛的积雪已经大半融化,露出褐色泥土和深绿侧柏,小吕贝克奔跑着在灌木丛前后和花坛周围寻找,已经不见了小时候那些玩伴,也许是天色晚了,他们已经回家了.只剩下这个空荡荡的小花园,和晚霞中的残雪.
When Lübeck woke again from the dream and opened her eyes, there no longer seemed to be that feeling of loss and emptiness as before. Perhaps she had already adapted to the solitude of deep space.
当吕贝克再次从梦中醒来睁开眼睛,似乎不再有之前那样失落和空虚的感觉了,或许自己已经适应了深空中的孤寂,
It had already been who knows how long — the same routine day after day in deep space. And at some unknown point, she left. She came from deep space and returned to deep space. In the vast universe there was this one encounter, without reason, without clues.
已经不知过了多久,深空中日复一日的日常,也不知什么时候,她离开了.她从深空中来,又回到深空中去,浩瀚宇宙之中有这样一次相遇,没有缘由,没有线索.
Lübeck's mood had finally returned to calm. It was just that those deep, large eyes of hers in her mind would occasionally still stir a desire to explore the endless deep space, leaving one with lingering concern.
吕贝克的心情也终于恢复了平静,只是自己脑海中她那双深邃的大眼睛,偶尔还会勾起探索无尽的深空的欲望,让人牵挂.
Equally concerning, of course, were the young men and women piloting the Interceptors. One fighter from Ghost Knight Squadron had not returned as scheduled, but fortunately they were all two-person crews, and this had happened before.
同样让人牵挂的当然也包括驾驶拦截者的姑娘小伙子们,幽灵骑士中队有一架战机没有按计划返回,不过好在他们都是双人机组,并且他们以前也经常出现这种情况.
But Shizuka flew her fighter alone. There was truly no knowing how she, all by herself, would handle the challenges of the deep universe. One could only silently wish her safety.
但是静香只有一个人驾驶她那架战机,真不知道她孤单一个人怎么样应对宇宙深处的挑战,只能默默祝福她平安了.
Lübeck checked the mission logs for the deployment plan and execution records of the fighter that had not returned — nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The key point was that some of those Interceptor fighters had been deployed to spacetimes different from the mothership, and this mothership had no perception or communication capability across spacetimes. So Lübeck picked up the phone to the Combat Command Center.
吕贝克在任务记录中查询了那架未归航的战机部署计划和执行记录,看不出什么问题.关键是那些拦截者战机有的被部署到了不同于母舰的时空,而这艘母舰没有跨越时空的感知或者通信能力,于是吕贝克拿起了作战指挥中心的电话,
"This is the Captain, this is the Captain. Fighter 406 of SVF-12 Squadron is overdue from deployment. Inventory the reserve fighter resources. If the overdue period exceeds the red line, immediately dispatch two Interceptors to execute search and rescue procedures."
"我是舰长,我是舰长,SVF-12中队406号战机部署逾期未返航,清点一下后备战机资源,逾期超红线立即派两架拦截者执行搜索救援程序."
"Yes, Captain. Mission loaded."
"是,舰长,任务已加载."
After assigning the task, Lübeck began alone to review the gravitational field disturbance data detected by the mothership during the deployment of Fighter 406, but it was limited to the spacetime where the mothership was located. Before the end of the shift, Lübeck convened the Combat Command and Intelligence departments to exchange data and opinions.
安排任务后,吕贝克又独自查询起了406号战机部署过程中母舰探测到的引力场扰动数据,但是仅限于母舰所在的时空.下班之前,吕贝克召集了作战指挥和情报部门交换了数据和意见.
Some of that lost feeling would always be completely dispelled by Brittany's smiling face.
有些失落的情绪总会在布列塔尼的笑颜中被驱散的无影无踪,
The two walked into the officers' mess. Brittany was still habitually looking around in all directions.
两人走进军官餐厅,布列塔尼还是在习惯性地在四处张望,
"You don't need to look. She's already gone."
"你不用找了,她已经走了,"
"Oh? When did she leave?"
"哦?什么时候走的,"
"I don't know either."
"我也不知道,"
"Hahaha," Brittany laughed.
"哈哈哈,"布列塔尼笑了,
"That means you weren't paying attention to her."
"说明你没有对她上心,"
"Yeah, no one was competing with you for a man anyway."
"是啊,本来就没人和你抢男人,"
"Huh? How could there not be? Lucky I made my move early."
"唉?怎么没有,多亏我下手早,"
"Hahaha," Lübeck laughed too.
"哈哈哈,"吕贝克也笑了,
"Let's go, see what's good to eat, my big boy," Brittany said, pulling Lübeck hard toward the food service window.
"走,看看有什么好吃的,我的大男孩儿,"布列塔尼说着,用力拉着吕贝克走向食物领取窗口,
Lübeck had to hold her back a bit, so this excited kid wouldn't bump into anyone.
吕贝克不得不拽住她一点儿,以免这个兴奋的小朋友撞到别人.
After getting their food, that undisturbed little corner was always their space for a long chat after the day ended.
盛完食物,那个无人打扰的小角落,总是他们一天结束后的畅聊空间,
"After all these days of deployment, some crew members are already not adjusting well," Brittany always liked to tell Lübeck about her day's experiences after work.
"部署这些天之后已经有船员不适应了,"布列塔尼总喜欢在下班后向吕贝克讲述她这一天的经历,
"Oh? What's wrong?"
"哦?怎么了,"
"Auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations — they feel like someone's always talking to them. Our psychologist is busier than our surgeon."
"幻听,幻觉,觉得总有人在和他说话,我们的心理医生比外科医生忙,"
"Oh, then did I talk in my sleep?"
"哦,那我有说梦话吗?"
"Hehe, no. Why? Did I?"
"呵呵,没有,怎么?我有吗?"
"Didn't hear it."
"没听到,"
Brittany thought for a moment and said,
布列塔尼想了想说,
"Could it be because I sleep in your room, which is closer to the interior of the ship, so I can't hear any sounds that might be coming from the universe?"
"是不是因为我睡你的房间,比较靠近船体内部,所以听不到什么可能来自宇宙里的声音?"
"That analysis makes sense too," Lübeck patted her back, then gently stroked her lower back.
"你这个分析也有道理,"吕贝克拍了拍她的背,然后轻轻抚摸她的后腰,
"Hmm, so tomorrow I should suggest making a survey form, letting those who have hallucinations describe their environment," Brittany said, looking straight ahead, as if thinking about something.
"嗯,这么说明天我应该建议做一个调查表,让那些有幻觉的人说明他们所处的环境,"布列塔尼说着目视前方,似乎在思考什么,
Lübeck did not interrupt her, just quietly watched from the side — her cheeks, her fluttering eyelashes.
吕贝克没有打断她,只是在一边默默地看着,她的脸颊,她忽闪的睫毛,
People came and went in the mess hall. After dinner that day, the two did not go out for a walk. Both felt quite tired, so they went straight back to their room to rest.
餐厅里人来人往,今天两人吃过晚餐后没有出去散步,都觉得比较累了,便直接回房间休息.
After washing up, they lay in bed waiting for sleep to come. Brittany lay on her side next to Lübeck, her left arm draped across his chest, and asked,
洗漱完毕,躺在床上等待困意的来袭.布列塔尼侧身躺在吕贝克身边,左臂搂过他的胸前问,
"Lübeck, do you love me?"
"吕贝克,你爱我吗?"
Lübeck used his left hand, which was pinned under her waist, to touch her lower back. He did not answer.
吕贝克用被她压在腰间身下的左手摸了摸她的后腰,没有回答,
"Do you love Ruth?"
"你爱露丝吗?"
Lübeck smiled, turned his head to look at Brittany's smiling face by the pillow, raised his right hand, and gently brushed her hair.
吕贝克笑了,扭头看着布列塔尼那枕边的笑脸,抬起右手,轻轻拨动她的秀发,
Seeing that Lübeck would not answer, Brittany looked at Lübeck with a grin, began to gently wriggle her body, moved downward, then squeezed her body between Lübeck's side and his left arm.
见吕贝克不回答,布列塔尼笑嘻嘻地望着吕贝克,开始轻轻扭动身体,向下移动,然后把自己的身体挤在了吕贝克的体侧与他的左臂之间,
Looking at Brittany, hidden at his own side, like a curious yet timid cat, only showing half her face, shoulders hunched, lying pressed against him.
望着布列塔尼,隐藏在了自己的体侧,好像好奇又胆怯的猫咪,只露出半张脸,耸着肩头,趴着靠在自己身边,
From her raised shoulders down to her sliding waist, then to her raised hips and thighs, then to her hidden knee hollows and upturned calves — her figure was like a wave dancing with rhythm, colliding against his straight, dull body lines, drawing him too into this vibrant dance of life.
从她耸起的肩头到滑落到的腰背,再到翘起的臀部和大腿,然后又是低藏的膝窝接翘起的小腿,她的身姿如同含着韵律舞动的波浪,碰撞在自己平直乏味的身体线条上,让自己也融入了这般活力的生命舞动之中.
Lübeck placed both hands under Brittany's armpits and gently pulled her back up, so she lay on his chest, leaning down to face his eyes.
吕贝克双手扶着布列塔尼的腋窝,轻轻又把她拉了上来,趴在自己胸前,俯身面对自己的双眼,
Her hair hung down lightly, falling on her cheeks. The freshly cut ends still felt a bit sharp.
她的发丝轻垂,落在脸颊,似乎新剪断的发尖感觉还有些犀利,
"I love you, Bri."
"我爱你,布瑞,"
Seeing that Brittany's big eyes were still looking him up and down, Lübeck held her cheeks with both hands, looked into her eyes, and said to her again,
看着布列塔尼那双大眼睛还在上下打量着自己,吕贝克双手扶着她的脸颊,望着她的眼睛再次对她说,
"I love you, Bri."
"我爱你,布瑞,"
Her gaze finally stopped wandering up and down. She pulled away his hands from her cheeks, lowered her head, and softly kissed his lips. Lübeck closed his eyes.
她的眼神终于不再上下撩动,拉开自己扶着她脸颊的手,低头轻吻在了自己的嘴唇,吕贝克闭上了双眼.
Her lips were so gentle, her lips were so hot. She pressed against his cheek, she kissed his neck. Her hands found his arms, slid to his palms, their fingers interlocked. Her body was like a wave, surging up the embankment.
她的唇是那么轻柔,她的唇是那样火热,她贴在脸颊,她吻在脖颈,她的双手寻着臂膀,滑到手掌,十指相扣,她的身体如同浪潮,涌上堤岸.
In the pounding of the tide, Lübeck's body also surged with the rhythm of the spring tide. That awakening early spring seemed to carry him back to the happy times of childhood.
在潮水的拍打中,吕贝克的身体也随着春潮的节律涌动,那苏醒的早春,仿佛又把他带回到了童年的快乐时光.
The gray sky occasionally had gaps where clouds drifted past, revealing the blue sky and bright sunshine behind. The air carried a damp scent — warm, life-filled dampness, no longer the icy shackles of winter.
灰蒙的天空时而有飘过云朵的间隙,露出背后天空的湛蓝和阳光的灿烂,空气里夹杂着潮湿的气息,温润的,饱含生机的潮湿气息,不再是冬季冰冷的桎梏.
Little Lübeck knew the harsh winter had passed, spring was coming. Stepping on the damp footprints in the snow below, looking through the gaps in the bare bushes — that was the direction spring was returning from, and also the direction she was returning from.
小小吕贝克知道严冬已过,春天就要到来,踩着脚下雪地里潮湿的脚印,一眼望过灌木枯枝的间隙,那是春天归来的方向,也是她归来的方向.
(Translated by ERNIE Bot)