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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQo1kceohP
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6dd888uJS
「快出來，慢跑時間到了！你不怕生病嗎？」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DTqcqdrcK
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK64ZhaFAbp
嘉娜莉敲打房門。齊波翻過身，把棉被蓋上頭頂。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl966SQNHY1
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubotfkwAti
突然，一雙手抓起被單，把憂鬱少年捲到半空。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzFUnPCXyq
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXyOLqBKvB
「噢！妳……怎麼進來的啦？」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16fJfeKGOL
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8grgwx3NK
「生日當密碼，當我不知道？走了！」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVLl1YMaGt
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8DMPXIrZT
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2vsqpLiys
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwt3aWJXID
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUC5EMNwhRa
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXcrHg91YS
「哦！納沃的駕駛？終於看到真面目了。」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJBSST1QPc
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6i4pWwQXf
蓬鬆爆炸頭、充滿節奏的腔調，他是吉米。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ip3U0gra7
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhh9ykJXNEQ
「謝謝你救了大家，不要灰心。」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvBuudjAJI
「漁船都有逃生裝置，他們有足夠時間的。」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITgNmcqJ8Q
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80uWLQTpsO
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31uezP1tSJ
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2KmRvE29Xf
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgSTDBn5mqP
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6hnAIrkw2
齊波被女孩眼中的漩渦吸引，不知不覺就忘記呼吸。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpy8GRp4kFF
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxexW1tqUx1
她輕拍胸口，張開小嘴擺出三個形狀。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPZZDZzE83
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhiLn4J3yJ
「麗、伊、斯……妳不能說話嗎？」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTASe6i12MB
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkuk0XUiNM
女孩點頭，拿出紙筆塗塗寫寫，塞到齊波手中。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ucVbINuRA
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCU35QTrKu
笑一個(╹◡╹)478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2fABMuDe8
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIM89ZSMx4P
「笑……現在？」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjH0z492Lwc
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7XFNaF52X
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5Yyy6duuY
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqNcb0kkzw
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5M7bPvri1W
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3nGpMEHnT3
「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。」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJt9aIPM76
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZwjHcd3yL
「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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAC7gegmZU2
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxLUJWZqHd
拉卡利‧透納的鼻子佔滿視線，把吉米嚇得往後跳。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkmBfaXSol
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xEOsiEQm4
「咳嗯……醫生，她狀況怎麼樣？」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3J1O0RYJUU
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5GKuAGQ8Y
「嗯，這些病徵……怎麼翻譯比較好……」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXL0xqiPoW8
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNpd6LMVTI
努那船醫的遺憾表情已經給出答案：吉米不想面對的答案。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTnDvpyNPF
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwGjHOMLJQ
「唉……還是得指望帝國科技嗎……」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjxzOLJ2je
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCpjQBZgKb
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WIG39ZZJZ
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShpdT0izrL
「我知道妳看開了……但是，大家還需要妳啊，我也是……」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMkI7l52zh
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDKmeOcYtx
「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……」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXI7Kexl8bH
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG90s2L87jJ
「謝謝你！謝謝……願意幫我們……」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWMCjK9Re8
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0iOTgdt48S
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKJyrSKNCX
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0uM3otzk8
「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。」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWXyI0LhwI
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgQi9G1chK
「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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡouyUFWzGXv
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFp9laDXRQ
「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。」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNusISj1nh
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZuHMATdkf
「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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSdyeHMgYz
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcwF66UXM6
「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……」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBh8q07UQKz
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMwMxdxIrly
「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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjvLcp7t73
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqVgB9KtrS
「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！」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnZFaJXjqW
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTcjECg2pF
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsCX1R8QD6
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEBO6ncegE
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0q6SXpgWgj
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkWqOh8OoJ
「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……」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoaAGIGacl
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Qi5KE9Zwg
「嘖，真不是時候……」吉米騷騷頭，準備告訴米勒封港的壞消息。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhQjViHlmD
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYUW03o3gP
「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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyc92RF2o1
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiMQoDbxNd
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdiaJIZcjM
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGuvd1U0bDF
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgX62n77yv
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8RVXuhVZF
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigP1SKI3as
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMARGftaST
「那些人在燒的……是錢嗎？」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGglFLZLpbP
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZKJZmsdpN
「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……」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwany0VPpOD
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCxrQyHM8xh
吉米確認麗伊斯的輪椅開啟步行功能，同時講解歷史。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9V3OfebaN
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLDFXcoYzQ
「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⸺」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Saw1UHpMn
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fTINolnET
「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。」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznar5hCEMH
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqnppQSxyu2
「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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhe0yf7PIT2
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97p7xXAqzs
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2IVA1tbnI
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsVwCIa7be
「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。」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpdiHUXXqO
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLe5EJMDhW
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepn2oMbV54
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISFhJ4OoHn
「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！」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqYtmU9G6n
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5JEXY0LaX
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzbCP1eJqB
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eJ9Ynah3v
「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！」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcgV3489Nk
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrSqOJxuY7
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYFVXXOMiP
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbLQS5ET62
「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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3T7mNWVcKV
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGvMMjmWpE
「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。」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLF4O1lGE8M
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4C4vgVWzTz
「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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSFlWun0iG
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooJuSFt7ZJ
「可惜，外環牛排耶……」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUPUUasAEC
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjHRTy8rtp
兩位嚮導拔下觸鬚、節足，開始大快朵頤。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgM9BBrLDAd
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddzB7FMGD3
「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……」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekf9msd5Gn
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNOkXzQpA1
「還能怎麼吃？用手抓嗎……」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2u9I4AThy
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmq084rs0P
「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？」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZ9JXxiBLI
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEpQPGQy6v
「這個嘛……還沒決定……」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORjFVOMbDl
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuRinqzmSG
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfX1McV8s8D
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASeAi0WacM
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sPXy4VLXI
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5znb2wDkX
「吉米，她一直都這麼……特別嗎？」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABlfctBigW
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7nq35J5wg
「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……」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdMJ0iRse1
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsqcvSU5DT9
「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！」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdbR1mB9Xd
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTZqwDZIhA
「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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzl2LXZfis
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡml8NrIpyyc
麗伊斯的雙眸與閃光共鳴，手語開始滔滔不絕。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhzGV4FMtw
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTEnnVhVf5
「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？」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhuFLGGspBp
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ280SUydkwz
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPSx7g1UjE
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNZhxrzbUt
「它……是冷的？」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndl9WwHHN6
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSoDN7nnjj
「廢話……等等，這些原子好像認識彼此很久……」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObZLSvJCqG
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgoPhfRfWRa
「嘉娜？別裝了啦，呵呵。」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡihLqWzBDG4
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUQUSHwedm
「看來我們的攝影師有點資質？啊，甜品來了，吃了會更有感覺。」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauwDgQ7paX
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMKqSWywOt
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。478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPfvr97HYi
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrD0G65sPH
「這是什麼？」478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2U10qcoSF
478Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBFwoEcRmw
「這是……大麻果汁……」
