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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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9sCB5jThY
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvIYFm71JmS
「快出來，慢跑時間到了！你不怕生病嗎？」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUq1fX9RpXT
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTjfkizrCC
嘉娜莉敲打房門。齊波翻過身，把棉被蓋上頭頂。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGolCa0Jb4X
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdzXWG3RUw
突然，一雙手抓起被單，把憂鬱少年捲到半空。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYE2wqeeFzM
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb52Fq9M8UC
「噢！妳……怎麼進來的啦？」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgkcVinWqJ
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXW0zOfZbDW
「生日當密碼，當我不知道？走了！」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGTo4w69xW
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklSiZsiOdA
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxpufSvRha
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJKWR7byd9
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPcvaNpv2nk
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlLB3igd3Z
「哦！納沃的駕駛？終於看到真面目了。」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqlSdGX45qk
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltvc3Fw2Uc
蓬鬆爆炸頭、充滿節奏的腔調，他是吉米。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Hxsk5DxUZ
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6p9JBFxkg
「謝謝你救了大家，不要灰心。」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOZxFFBSIv
「漁船都有逃生裝置，他們有足夠時間的。」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9V1DtFhfGD
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvp12GQrXZ
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4JMpoPP8Ok
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMwivhjy06
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzw47JaEHu
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5preaocW4E
齊波被女孩眼中的漩渦吸引，不知不覺就忘記呼吸。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7U7RcTkpR
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡut4nxC6qAD
她輕拍胸口，張開小嘴擺出三個形狀。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6tN4j7IQ2
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZl0ibsfzx
「麗、伊、斯……妳不能說話嗎？」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07Mrk2jAgl
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0HuX2fJfM
女孩點頭，拿出紙筆塗塗寫寫，塞到齊波手中。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxHw8kxfHW
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRu7muh7xb
笑一個(╹◡╹)422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hvr039j8A
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoO2ktazNaS
「笑……現在？」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJd5hCtsUXp
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvusKUwkWUi
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMf8n9fPW4
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF15HJrqCG8
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2ZoV61pA7
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJteyGwkbQ7
「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。」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOtzApqMY4n
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2q2tGfG9j8
「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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeV9XqHKVb
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgRG6uFk1eF
拉卡利‧透納的鼻子佔滿視線，把吉米嚇得往後跳。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfJpGWas7E
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡocNN9HOxo5
「咳嗯……醫生，她狀況怎麼樣？」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIjSUAwjVq
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpI7oGRj0As
「嗯，這些病徵……怎麼翻譯比較好……」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdayUPgVaES
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4O8ZF3tzVY
努那船醫的遺憾表情已經給出答案：吉米不想面對的答案。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsq5AQqzrfS
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOcVUVuvtwx
「唉……還是得指望帝國科技嗎……」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6h0eoaGCBP
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0eJb82zuRs
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQyCycgnOB
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghXhWOTKDK
「我知道妳看開了……但是，大家還需要妳啊，我也是……」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBS0YSTrlD
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLni7286cw
「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……」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGx42hKKMv
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7drx42Cu1
「謝謝你！謝謝……願意幫我們……」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrK3iAG6Au
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf55NgIlbd7
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvOsMHM2pg
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4qIoFNch5
「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。」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoe77khhz5h
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLY58p5Dw1X
「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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8ysMi1h71
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCoagijUQ2
「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。」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75GfdmbKON
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5GNYUrQli
「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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vizZ3Ogeu
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOGACykUqP
「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……」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhM3bjX0sLM
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAp113zx43
「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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNoBpETnJR
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWHXiCaGOt
「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！」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ040narJQbi
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefD9Cejjsl
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWnifjT1Ah
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrfI6DGOKa
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡda9KMQcQr8
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXkV7RR0w9
「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……」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECgiJvE6sA
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHYdaKaljr
「嘖，真不是時候……」吉米騷騷頭，準備告訴米勒封港的壞消息。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfoHh9f0qVU
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJEyNIKUku
「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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GvfbFy6FD
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvpK1yDpo5
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKKu471Ut8
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDPyx0uVlD
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSTrpgkL5F
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZzhdV9a78
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgrykpXCsS
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOC9isBZMzp
「那些人在燒的……是錢嗎？」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5GPesLKJp
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzat7U68KF
「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……」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9C4ges9Sij
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfw3ZK2BDq7
吉米確認麗伊斯的輪椅開啟步行功能，同時講解歷史。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5zC5mAA0O
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKP6tJa6i2
「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⸺」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gTqz3eOx5
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2BU02F8Cu
「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。」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTW6bqHnbcH
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbqbzivZEW
「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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgxpSCKdlv
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDKrHnWClx
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzceD5V87eI
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKT0qD1IF6f
「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。」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoW4ZVqqYb
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGY4qU0Ptp
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjgaNnBomY
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCHAxRsgDy
「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！」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMyP0HvnUC
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8T8BHVk5X
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswpvRzAYh8
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8xxO8CYCFd
「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！」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7n6R2TZQh8
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9wcrYJUdf
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVV30DVHgoZ
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zfK9cJiFw
「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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqojmUd44qz
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVfdUY6oGD
「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。」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjOd5I6VYh
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhpR2Zzlrg
「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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VTIr5IF8T
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDOGklu9TF
「可惜，外環牛排耶……」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi70RJaiOYc
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgPryggvpb
兩位嚮導拔下觸鬚、節足，開始大快朵頤。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFkoHr6X0S
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ13jW2GJV3
「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……」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWTHdwrP4J
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTMmcfDkzk
「還能怎麼吃？用手抓嗎……」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGZq4EdTAP
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbP5de2u1e
「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？」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW9R99I7uhG
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2aTVef3oJ
「這個嘛……還沒決定……」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4aMPkm6Cbb
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC70lYvnWls
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡagt377ukgx
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fjHt11vcj
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbzWkfsxdIc
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iaGFUjgN4
「吉米，她一直都這麼……特別嗎？」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdZvVCR4St
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtc0UjMxACS
「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……」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2ELXYToax
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5r1dPCbqj
「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！」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡum0DPTtHcY
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTTYgNqeF6
「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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FzneRbBJw
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqy2ICGYra
麗伊斯的雙眸與閃光共鳴，手語開始滔滔不絕。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxOEePCMAj
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSySXai0OIX
「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？」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZDnkvzq2Z
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQZEuIUGNp
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivbSywDatg
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「它……是冷的？」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncff27TG4Z
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「廢話……等等，這些原子好像認識彼此很久……」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIofwwHhZzO
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「嘉娜？別裝了啦，呵呵。」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡickXoREqyP
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadiR1adgAM
「看來我們的攝影師有點資質？啊，甜品來了，吃了會更有感覺。」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbenhFelqWY
422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVtON7g0um
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。422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKPs5hsjHog
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「這是什麼？」422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGNzWCrHDG
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「這是……大麻果汁……」
