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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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZO3uVpN4H
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPkRddwAdx
「快出來，慢跑時間到了！你不怕生病嗎？」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugN9jcVlxX
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvzTOxQHEQ
嘉娜莉敲打房門。齊波翻過身，把棉被蓋上頭頂。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Qlipj5Ftl
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCKiDd3d2d
突然，一雙手抓起被單，把憂鬱少年捲到半空。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAQgrHFf9U
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvZct4SsI3
「噢！妳……怎麼進來的啦？」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFM2d1OSRi4
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlSyuh5KAA
「生日當密碼，當我不知道？走了！」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8KFBZxi5j
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9x29E9wnKd
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGQAq8KKHg
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wRvPnMCDf
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3PTn0W9fk
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4aN2wrVrc
「哦！納沃的駕駛？終於看到真面目了。」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJiBDFGkeW
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1pc7JlANm
蓬鬆爆炸頭、充滿節奏的腔調，他是吉米。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBinM0Qzssy
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYjsqCrLlZ
「謝謝你救了大家，不要灰心。」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NTcplLr9o
「漁船都有逃生裝置，他們有足夠時間的。」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xbian8AEC
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSuy3jUGUhW
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngyfGtnfgm
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfv0elks1PZ
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WNj4hqz8B
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0Gw5ZngDv
齊波被女孩眼中的漩渦吸引，不知不覺就忘記呼吸。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAVUiRyxCa
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnm6fuWW7sg
她輕拍胸口，張開小嘴擺出三個形狀。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFCIgaGjXO
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn32NCI6ddo
「麗、伊、斯……妳不能說話嗎？」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0IcsyKhCwB
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGuEVnJpVRM
女孩點頭，拿出紙筆塗塗寫寫，塞到齊波手中。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwF3gZ82Zn5
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rldQVA5tY
笑一個(╹◡╹)417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwiskndR2Cz
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh53vGnz6q8
「笑……現在？」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JJvgXejg8
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgVpLuPD7h
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYJI7hK31Y
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfQhgzawgJ
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1yTpx6ykC7
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYypcDHKi2b
「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。」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bB8r7S355
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVmoPOdCaCz
「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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6NF6OBrtz
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RGM8FJYvC
拉卡利‧透納的鼻子佔滿視線，把吉米嚇得往後跳。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUT59zFUQU7
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5hTrnxwEU
「咳嗯……醫生，她狀況怎麼樣？」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6HobwPZ08
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT57Wa09phl
「嗯，這些病徵……怎麼翻譯比較好……」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK47M6Bb34K
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzBYRPQOn9
努那船醫的遺憾表情已經給出答案：吉米不想面對的答案。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaO4USoLgso
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CeKftXh3Q
「唉……還是得指望帝國科技嗎……」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VG76rLS2t
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ286fYXgLU6
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvPbg33ki3
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJeDQWht1rb
「我知道妳看開了……但是，大家還需要妳啊，我也是……」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmu4MJCaiZW
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUHRKr8PDP
「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……」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3rLU1FH2X
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJ8cui0kfU
「謝謝你！謝謝……願意幫我們……」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbROBphhniE
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVo6YoilL91
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawqjSCnY12
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVL9wp28uDM
「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。」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQgr4GUW1H
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAs85zC933
「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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkF5BWh2kL3
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnp6uJF164Q
「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。」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OFFMMM9aQ
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLMf7gQ00d
「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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDgBcUY7oJT
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7sA7abrD3
「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……」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡog3pIZqH8O
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOIVKVIMOg
「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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqRBgqeGnI
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfFTYBzqFa
「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！」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9SC9ZAogC
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiIx7y6SGd
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdYDMytY83
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DUjLQrCSp
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWeSjJtt6k5
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgphmdqeKg
「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……」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvorYk0x2M3
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEO4qGHDZ8
「嘖，真不是時候……」吉米騷騷頭，準備告訴米勒封港的壞消息。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyDU1qMjo3
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEuZWMom5P
「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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mnJRc3ru6
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nnSHKa1fT
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLUtnOoNRHa
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFeGmyajW2T
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsoU69R7IU
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwquzQ3uQy
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5achwNSWa
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPxTkDrKYW
「那些人在燒的……是錢嗎？」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsyO9TZBeIa
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjQvC8dv9s
「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……」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySSlI4nF0S
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWWH6D52WL
吉米確認麗伊斯的輪椅開啟步行功能，同時講解歷史。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBvRr88Loq
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡToIRk2CGYa
「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⸺」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8On1TXgeOX
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWOj7sImBO
「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。」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgzjzl3NFu
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixSNI7j3mm
「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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKIDgXkwH6
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeR8NWD2SzR
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnao3EKzhM4
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHWlv0vtgJ
「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。」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6iUiWR3aV
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9l4htUBrx
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtnxuVK5wU
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8kkb9gnsL
「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！」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1jykqVvgD
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzsMtIfQ06
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDB6RCgv4oQ
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7W3HwHZT3
「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！」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Rx36mIH0W
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPWxgWe83E
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZWJTteQcS
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45pmd69ykx
「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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRrqTsY7GG
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbNQJoBv6z
「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。」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKH7LlH9uQ
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHa1O2PezG
「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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKvcWvVYD4
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQzuEGohEn
「可惜，外環牛排耶……」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMXLBsGf5a
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxB416I4FcE
兩位嚮導拔下觸鬚、節足，開始大快朵頤。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8oR6iKfr4
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxG5umkKs24
「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……」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Q030JPMSQ
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTeCjcZpaDb
「還能怎麼吃？用手抓嗎……」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2eyMG9uUz
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3hKQqT4uL
「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？」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDyQaeYa6hf
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWu5hz49g1I
「這個嘛……還沒決定……」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVSpo9nZkV
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3G2zqwblIC
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFK2GrWYM9D
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKYeotvg1P
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85KdNjyTTT
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「吉米，她一直都這麼……特別嗎？」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecgRDSI8O8
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「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……」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALAj3Pq87T
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5nWptjMmg
「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！」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeC3C0dSCct
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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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXf5lz0SsUm
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麗伊斯的雙眸與閃光共鳴，手語開始滔滔不絕。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTaXQ23kn6
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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？」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOpTfg2SHr
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡer78cDolFs
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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGelbA11KNW
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「它……是冷的？」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInb7U8J082
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「廢話……等等，這些原子好像認識彼此很久……」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJNE0YgOV7
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「嘉娜？別裝了啦，呵呵。」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxs6xWY5LzV
417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6iYbiBu0b8
「看來我們的攝影師有點資質？啊，甜品來了，吃了會更有感覺。」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lyisBKTji
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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。417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmIdOcXb98f
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「這是什麼？」417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKVn7jvP1P
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「這是……大麻果汁……」
