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寢室天花板，方形燈罩右上角，保護漆有點剝落。無謂細節烙印在碧綠網膜，少年還是闔不上眼，只想就這樣躺著。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gfxnDMpCT
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「快出來，慢跑時間到了！你不怕生病嗎？」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbTvjQIbQL
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嘉娜莉敲打房門。齊波翻過身，把棉被蓋上頭頂。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEB9Km8lm7
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突然，一雙手抓起被單，把憂鬱少年捲到半空。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOf8v5Xs2A
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「噢！妳……怎麼進來的啦？」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5A9DeHcVgX
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSfSqEWFxx3
「生日當密碼，當我不知道？走了！」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafrkwdJ0Px
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55P7PQSRqK
嘉娜莉拖著虛軟男孩，一起飄進起居走廊。滾筒區塊的模擬重力能讓組員運動，確保肌肉骨骼不會退化。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkCnJ7fVWW
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCNh2e84E7
齊波低頭慢走，不想與其他人交談，但，幾張陌生面孔經過，他還是忍不住瞄了一眼。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjOuBBsy5c0
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhzbRaIB6u
「哦！納沃的駕駛？終於看到真面目了。」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5wttsnxHF
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蓬鬆爆炸頭、充滿節奏的腔調，他是吉米。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUe7h4ppql
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrfrThOMDe
「謝謝你救了大家，不要灰心。」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxYGAjGq1F
「漁船都有逃生裝置，他們有足夠時間的。」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemH5MvMN3j
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rBWMi4HCG
和善的金髮男女長相神似。理查、凱倫兄妹自我介紹後，一位少女從後方出現。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCh8X01RsBW
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6IiyEOfLSQ
她坐著輪椅，大半張臉都被長髮遮住。重重眼圈略顯病態，也凸顯出那雙異樣瞳孔：像是黑洞，又像星團。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTQqSvC8hw
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98BIIBdmR9
齊波被女孩眼中的漩渦吸引，不知不覺就忘記呼吸。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPV6zgRxP5x
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHNYZE3xUw
她輕拍胸口，張開小嘴擺出三個形狀。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGrrzpWXBx
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6MGb4bqhf
「麗、伊、斯……妳不能說話嗎？」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeoEMw1fGe
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLAfW6nwry
女孩點頭，拿出紙筆塗塗寫寫，塞到齊波手中。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUHfvbHka3
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlXI4JkDkt
笑一個(╹◡╹)418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBrE7CnWWz
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DaHuMopMV
「笑……現在？」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWSJqQ8GJt
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGha0w61fc5
無法拒絕充滿期待的神情，齊波勉強撐起嘴角，心中枷鎖似乎少了那麼一點重量。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVuboH2UNJ
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Ol3m9dA3K
麗伊斯瞇起眼睛，回敬甜美笑容。吉米感激地握了少年的手，帶領電台成員往醫護艙飄去。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJki4Tn8c8
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERI6pBk7I3
「她好像能聽到『宇宙的聲音』……」嘉娜莉拿出兩雙慢跑鞋，「什麼量子軌跡慣性、萬物記憶媒介之類的……聽不懂，但是超酷。」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5LYFkEKFT
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Muo1UQhUJ
「那就是……不可思議吧？」齊波換上鞋子，把思緒抽離煩惱深淵。
醫護室半透明布簾上，圓滾大頭的影子前後踱步。外環男子終於按耐不住，偷偷探進診間。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7K2ra3gpj0
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkm3EAwTNCi
拉卡利‧透納的鼻子佔滿視線，把吉米嚇得往後跳。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkQiJXRoex
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoA97KZSipX
「咳嗯……醫生，她狀況怎麼樣？」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1tXSK9FRS
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYoPTap81ev
「嗯，這些病徵……怎麼翻譯比較好……」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYP70YELDNt
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1c6WOBHVyc
努那船醫的遺憾表情已經給出答案：吉米不想面對的答案。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG626VIUaz8
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSMGwSjEj8
「唉……還是得指望帝國科技嗎……」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyMvGdl5Xz
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZVl4eLVGX
輪椅少女滑出布簾，拉動吉米的外套，比了一串手勢。喉頭傳出的氣音，充滿對生命的殷切期盼。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPnIQaDK9Ah
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsN3juzx6HF
「我知道妳看開了……但是，大家還需要妳啊，我也是……」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Bzg73g5e7
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfeBd5v2hjh
「等等，我可沒說要放棄。」透納走到兩人之間，遞出一包藥品，「我會想辦法，盡量延緩麗伊斯小姐的萎縮症狀，讓你們有更多時間……」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLCTmT1d7ny
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVlLzmJVExx
「謝謝你！謝謝……願意幫我們……」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRtoN2TkJk
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcK7oEhSyUX
吉米操著哭腔緊抱船醫。透納的臉被埋進蓬鬆頭髮，隱約能看到麗伊斯的釋懷笑容，跟記憶中的孩兒臉龐重疊。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1558OgiJdk
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBNh9fLhpr
「對了……艾嘉艦長轉達，天王星那邊要請你們帶路，順便帶駕駛員小鬼散散心。」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUBHDztmWa
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpE6cjHuRYd
「好主意，我以前混過那邊啊！事不宜遲！」
賽蓮與領航者停在宇宙垃圾構成的屏障中。追尋者掛上貨運牌照，前往天王星殖民地：烏拉努斯之環，吉米的小艇也緊跟在後。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLzH5P1sa0
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPtM1sKVfh
「米勒呼叫古拉摩，OBU負責去找以前線人，看有沒有管道把K62金屬賣了……你們就到處打聽，這邊最近情勢緊繃，也許有機會搧風點火。」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcIdu7Z7ai
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbCFRGqOymx
「收到，好像在幹大事的感覺囉？」爆炸頭男子關閉通訊，看向後座的麗伊斯，還有努那少年少女。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdq3suDkZkt
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFO9hz8exq
「各位旅客，左手邊躺著轉的是天王星，『烏環』位在它跟太陽的重力平衡點，是內接泰坦、外接邊境的人口密集地⸺聽說從地球方向過來，就能看到雙環交疊……」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcgO0jAUZ0
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo9j6aTeCxD
「想不到這艘能座四個人！」嘉娜莉四處觀望、齊波默默不語、麗伊斯一如往常彎起嘴角。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5in1qoGoHs
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynexQzAUHz
「好吧，妳們對古拉摩‧響音比較有興趣……它也是烏環垃圾堆裡挖出來改的⸺不擅長戰鬥，但是可以變成人形，還有一個秘密模式！」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRb9w1ur2A
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjMzbYt7ZE
飛艇搖搖晃晃，貼近宏偉的環狀構造體。其規模是商會太空站數千倍，居住區分成內外兩側，各往相反方向轉動，只能靠中央電梯連通。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5HD0UhEZp
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQvwmVOsuO
古拉摩排進隊列等待港口安檢，前方船隻卻一艘接著一艘掉頭離開。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3BIWYggus
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZRhRUwjeb
「警告，根據邊境管制規則，如果沒有外交、醫療、軍事級通關證明，禁止入站，請不要浪費時間⸺燃料補給只接受帝國信望點數……」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORCJcdsFa2
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24MsAmZDxb
「嘖，真不是時候……」吉米騷騷頭，準備告訴米勒封港的壞消息。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDhOleuBBo
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWYpnHvm5K
「那個，AI弄好通關手續了。」齊波拿出通訊裝置，爆炸頭男子不可置信地回瞪。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRSkX5Yzpc6
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORCmnKEr4b
透過竄改資料，四人成功入境。一路上，只見吉米不斷與安檢人員耳語，把帝國銅板塞進他們口袋。用兜帽遮臉的麗伊斯回過頭，示意少年少女跟上她的輪椅。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOoccmEcAB
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居住區接駁電車被抗議群眾癱瘓。武裝軍警圍出一條路，護送「高等國民」搭乘專車往「上」移動。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYThwkZQi4
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAOkdjhyWL
吉米帶隊避開騷亂，進入逃生階梯。透過鋼骨縫隙，嘉娜莉拿出相機，用鏡頭觀察目的地⸺下城。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAr6nuXAOP
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「那些人在燒的……是錢嗎？」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFsqE5bZeT
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcp7ezLdQQJ
「嗯啊，我剛問了一下，四百萬烏環幣只能換一個信望點，那些鈔票用來取暖比較實在……」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy49kCCIi3w
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtw3OESLLk
吉米確認麗伊斯的輪椅開啟步行功能，同時講解歷史。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPby7k5eMQJ
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVh7qBX8sW
「帝國分裂之後，烏環跟OBU一起宣布獨立，上城那些有姓氏的平民以為能擺脫貴族重稅……但，失去母國援助，他們才知道生活多辛苦⸺」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3OygNnnQQh
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「這讓他們學會患難與共，與下城單名者分享資源了嗎？沒有……他們選出一個『回歸派』總理，準備交給新月軍接管……不處理通膨、失業，還有維生設備老化問題。」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvID9vJZXK6
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRIsYzhR6A
「所以，這邊才會嚴重對立？加入新月軍能提升姓氏階級，皆大歡喜不是嗎？」嘉娜莉開啟階梯艙門，跟著嚮導套上雨衣和氧氣罩。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLaU3XGSoa
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwu1AQpBo6
下城區塊緊鄰宇宙，天頂被隔板遮蔽。內圈居住區的汙水管線年久失修，經離心力拉扯，排遺與垃圾會在外圈產生各種「氣象」。今天，是充滿氨味的濃霧。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFGDS52IDVI
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZJ2ucJ4Aw
「皆大歡喜？這裡也就兩種階級，一起提升也沒用⸺高級居民在頭頂拉屎，下面的人只能乖乖撐傘……抱歉，用詞不雅。」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYK244MjQE
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4v3mDXcX4
快步躲進地下街。齊波發現，身處底層，這裡卻沒有令人作嘔的惡意。人與人、店家與店家互助體諒，搭建出亂中有序的生態系。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrvgBAqI7D
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60b1pwFBsY
「吉米跟你們說啦，上面的人永遠不懂，這裡的拉麵宇宙無敵……坐吧，我請客！」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOz7vepeS6
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9s39ZaWhzc
熟食攤位占據走道，鋁製圓桌與小板凳，四人入座就很擠，但也格外溫馨。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAXanSbE4O
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3UI24RDuT
「大將！一人一碗拉麵，油多多、蒜多多，然後還要加『四個』……什麼？兩個？不對不對，四個！」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQJCXWeoeP
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2QKGCON3y
齊波聽不懂吉米在喊什麼，索性看向麗伊斯。她滿臉期待，用雙手表現出碗與筷子。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡue4172Ygwr
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDHJGr3nys
「我知道，努那也有，鯨魚油細麵，好吃。」三人比手劃腳談笑，暫時卸下肩上重擔。數分鐘後，吉米端上香味四溢、散發金光的湯麵，還有兩盤黑色甲殼生物。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDah82PMQ9
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumZDDGTfRC
「食用蜚蠊，老闆說你們外地人不敢吃，叫我買兩隻就好……試試看，證明他錯了。」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBODwPw1etX
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjiuG5MjA9O
「不，他是對的……」嘉娜莉收起翻譯裝置，把號稱人類天敵的昆蟲推開。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3A0AazegKE
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhA6CVKteCt
「可惜，外環牛排耶……」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebbuzVXPSR
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5hGl8JLk6
兩位嚮導拔下觸鬚、節足，開始大快朵頤。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8cSlWAq7q
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcvPtaqg7x
「對了……齊波，那個AI好厲害啊……聽說，很久以前的人工智慧……嘿嘿，連我們怎麼吃麵都不知道……」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCT7nwJxyOF
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdx9QXu0qj
「還能怎麼吃？用手抓嗎……」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1jyg3E9fT
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5iswpnUDU
「但是啊……它們學畫畫、寫書、唱歌、做些雜事……就這樣忍氣吞聲，等待時機到來，然後，一舉取代了人類，直到帝國限制技術⸺說實在，外環勞工也該向AI學習，它叫什麼名子啊？」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmoJH8GKYV
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUpFQLwL5e
「這個嘛……還沒決定……」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62R37xFSBX
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNuJgPiIp2L
齊波啜飲湯頭，各種刺激轟炸味蕾。重鹹食品廣受勞工喜愛，卻讓他滿頭大汗。遠處的警笛作響、附近的人群爭吵，都影響不了飽餐時光。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRZNRwCoLq
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碗公見底，少年滿足地呼氣時，看到麗伊斯閉著雙眼撫摸桌角。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFLp0sTDHK
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「吉米，她一直都這麼……特別嗎？」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcFLDXO4PR
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7y8mDPALzg
「哼哼……我第一次遇到她，天啊，還以為只是個普通瘋子，不過……那雙眼睛有種拉力，讓我忍不住又去找她……」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZOxYiMSqaQ
418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhAFa8VAuy
「我們會坐在樓梯上發呆，看著商會大樓，札廣那傢伙，總是擺一堆收藏品炫耀，其中，就包括那把吉他⸺看著看著，麗伊斯突然擺起手勢，我花了兩天才想通，那就是演奏方法！」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9irOHTYvYj
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「哇喔，所以她真的會通靈？」嘉娜莉拿出相機，拍下輪椅女孩的照片。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMpGLNL28p
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麗伊斯的雙眸與閃光共鳴，手語開始滔滔不絕。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2Vd9EG4yt
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「嗯……她說……這張桌子是穀神星工廠製造，裡面的構成元素有九成……來自同一顆中子星噴流？」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCcf6SEcy8
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神秘女孩伸出手，邀請一頭霧水的三人感受神奇巧合。齊波效法麗伊斯閉上眼精，專注在掌心的金屬觸感。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWzdenuqXk
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「它……是冷的？」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81cUcrNFai
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「廢話……等等，這些原子好像認識彼此很久……」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35LZwl4Jd5
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「嘉娜？別裝了啦，呵呵。」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2ruzPWhGT
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「看來我們的攝影師有點資質？啊，甜品來了，吃了會更有感覺。」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSolTcVbAtr
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麵攤老闆端上幾顆草綠色膠凍，吉米露出迷茫眼神。少年少女把臉湊近，端詳裡面的發光粉末。418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtS7S7n0fNa
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「這是什麼？」418Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUrwptVz8u
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「這是……大麻果汁……」
