“没关系，我已经没有放射性了。” 史强对坐在旁边的汪淼说，“这两天，我让人家像洗面口袋似的翻出来洗了个遍。	"Don't worry," Shi Qiang said to Wang, as he sat down next to him at the meeting table. "I'm not radioactive anymore. The last couple of days they've washed me inside and outside like a flour sack.
这次会议本来没安排你参加，是我坚决要求请你来的，嘿，我保准咱哥俩这次准能出风头的。”	They didn't originally think you needed to attend this meeting, but I insisted. Heh. I bet the two of us are going to be important this time."
史强说着，从会议桌上的烟灰缸中拣出一只雪茄屁股，点上后抽一口，点点头，心旷神怡地把烟徐徐吐到对面与会者的面前，其中就有这支雪茄的原主人斯坦顿，一名美国海军陆战队上校，他向大史投去鄙夷的目光。	As Da Shi spoke, he picked a cigar butt out of the ashtray, lit it, and took a long drag. He nodded, and, in a slow, relaxed manner, blew the smoke into the faces of the attendees sitting on the other side of the table. One of the people sitting opposite him was the original owner of the cigar, Colonel Stanton of the U.S. Marine Corps. He gave Da Shi a contemptuous look.
这次与会的有更多的外国军人，而且都穿上了军装。	Many more foreign military officers were at this meeting than the last. They were all in uniform.
在人类历史上，全世界的武装力量第一次面对共同的敌人。	For the first time in human history, the armed forces of the world's nations faced the same enemy.
常伟思将军说：“同志们，这次与会的所有人，对目前形势都有了基本的了解，用大史的话说，信息对等了。	General Chang said, "Comrades, everyone at this meeting now has the same basic understanding of the situation. Or, as Da Shi here would put it, we have information parity.
人类与外星侵略者的战争已经开始，虽然在四个半世纪后，我们的子孙才会真正面对来自异星的三体人侵者，我们现在与之作战的仍是人类；但从本质上讲，这些人类的背叛者也可以看成来自地球文明之外的敌人，我们是第一次面对这样的敌人。	The war between alien invaders and humanity has begun. Our descendants won't face the Trisolarans for another four and a half centuries. For now, our opponents are still human. Yet, in essence, these traitors to the human race can also be seen as enemies from outside human civilization. We have never faced an enemy like this.
下一步的作战目标十分明确，就是要夺取‘审判日’号上被截留的三体信息，这些信息，可能对人类文明的存亡具有重要意义。”	The next war objective is very clear: We must capture the intercepted Trisolaran messages stored on Judgment Day. These messages may have great significance for our survival.
“我们还没有惊动‘审判日’号，这艘巨轮目前仍以合法的身份行驶在大西洋上，它已向巴拿马运河管理局提出申请，将于四天后通过运河。	"We haven't yet done anything to draw the suspicion of Judgment Day. The ship still sails the Atlantic freely. It has already submitted plans to the Panama Canal Authority to pass through the canal in four days.
这是我们采取行动的一次绝好的机会，随着形势的发展，很可能不会再有这样的机会了。	This is a great opportunity for us. As the situation develops, such an opportunity may never arise again.
现在，全球的各个作战中心都在制定行动方案，这些方案将由总部在十小时之内选择并确定一个。	Right now, all the Battle Command Centers around the globe are drafting up operation plans, and Central will select one within ten hours and begin implementation.
我们这次会议的任务，就是讨论行动方案，最后确定一至三个最可行的上报总部。	The purpose of this meeting is to discuss possible plans of operation, and then report one to three of our best suggestions to Central.
各位，时间很紧，我们必须以最高效率工作。”	Time is of the essence, and we must work efficiently.
“请注意，所有方案都要确保一点：保证‘审判日’号上三体信息的安全并夺取得它。	"Note that any plan must guarantee one thing: the secure capture of the Trisolaran messages.
‘审判日’号是由油轮改装的，船体上层和内部都增加了复杂的结构，据说即使是船员，在进人不常去的区域时也要凭借地图认路，我们对其结构的了解就更少了。	Judgment Day was rebuilt from an old tanker, and both the superstructure and the interior have been extensively renovated with complex structures to contain many new rooms and passageways. Supposedly even the crew relies on a map when entering unfamiliar areas. We, of course, know even less about the ship's layout.
目前，我们甚至不知道‘审判日’号计算机中心的确切位置，也不知道被截留的三体信息是否存贮于计算机中心的服务器上、有几个备份。	Right now, we cannot even be certain of the location of the computing center on Judgment Day, and we don't know whether the intercepted Trisolaran messages are stored in servers located in the computing center, or how many copies they have.
我们要达到目标的唯一途径，就是全面占领和控制‘审判日’号，这中间最困难的，就是在攻击行动中避免敌人删除三体信息。	The only way to achieve our objective is to completely capture and control Judgment Day. "The most difficult part is preventing the enemy from erasing Trisolaran data during our attack.
删除这些信息极其容易，敌人在紧急时刻不太可能进行常规删除，因为以目前的技术很容易恢复，但只需对服务器硬盘或其他存贮装置打上一梭子，一切就都完了，这前后在十秒钟内就能完成。	Destroying the data would be very easy. The enemy would not use conventional methods to erase the data during an attack, because it's easy to recover the data using known technology. But if they just emptied a cartridge clip at the server hard drive or other storage media, it would all be over, and doing so would take no more than ten seconds.
而我们，必须在行动被觉察前十秒之内，使存贮装置附近的敌人失去行动能力。	So we must disable all enemies near the storage equipment within ten seconds of their detecting an attack.
由于存贮装置的位置不明，备份数量也不清楚，所以必须在极短的时间内，在被目标觉察之前，消灭‘审判日’号上的全部敌人，同时又不能对其内部的其他设施，特别是计算机设备造成重大损坏。	Since we don't know the exact location of the data storage or the number of copies, we must eliminate all enemies on Judgment Day within a very brief period of time, before the target has been alerted. At the same time, we can't heavily damage the facilities within, especially computer equipment.
因此，这次任务十分困难，有人甚至认为是不可能完成的。”	Thus, this is a very difficult task. Some think it's impossible."
一名日本自卫队军官说：“我们认为，唯一可能成功的行动，是借助于我方潜伏在‘审判日’号内部，并对三体信息的存贮位置熟悉的侦察人员，在行动前控制或转移存贮设备。”	A Japanese Self-Defense Forces officer said, "We believe that the only chance for success is to rely on spies on Judgment Day. If they're familiar with where the Trisolaran information is stored, they can control the area or move the storage equipment elsewhere right before our operation."
有人问：“对‘审判日’号的监视和侦察一直是由北约军事情报机构和CIA负责的，有这样的潜伏者吗？”	Someone asked, "Reconnaissance and monitoring of Judgment Day have always been the responsibility of NATO military intelligence and the CIA. Do we have such spies?"
“没有。” 北约协调员说。	"No," the NATO liaison said.
“那我们后面剩下的，就是扯淡了。” 大史插上一句，立刻遭到很多人的白眼。	"Then we have nothing more to discuss except bullshit," said Da Shi. He was met with annoyed looks.
斯坦顿上校说：“消灭一个封闭结构内部的人员，同时对其中的其他设施又不造成损坏，我们首先想到的就是球状闪电武器。”	Colonel Stanton said, "Since the objective is eliminating all personnel within an enclosed structure without harming other equipment within, our first thought was to use a ball lightning weapon."
丁仪摇摇头：“不行，这种武器已广为人知，我们不知道船体是否装备了屏蔽球状闪电的磁场墙；即使没有，球状闪电虽然可以保证消灭船内的所有人员，但也不能保证同时性；而且，球状闪电进入船体内部后，可能还要在空中游荡一段时间才会释放能量，这段时间短则十几秒钟，长就有可能达到一分钟甚至更多，他们完全有时间察觉到袭击并采取毁灭信息的行动。”	Ding Yi shook his head. "The existence of this kind of weapon is now public knowledge. We don't know if the ship has been equipped with magnetic walls to shield against ball lightning. Even if it hasn't, a ball lightning weapon can indeed kill all personnel within the ship, but it cannot do so simultaneously. Also, after the ball lightning enters the ship, it may hover in the air for some time before releasing its energy. This wait time can last from a dozen seconds to a minute or longer. They will have enough time to realize they've been attacked and destroy the data."
斯坦顿上校说：“那么中子弹呢？”	Colonel Stanton asked, "What about a neutron bomb?"
“上校，您应该知道那也是不行的！”	"Colonel, you should know that's not going to work."
一名俄罗斯军官说，“中子辐射不能瞬间致死，中子弹攻击后，船里敌人剩下的时间够开一次我们这样的会了。”	The speaker was a Russian officer. "The radiation from a neutron bomb cannot kill right away. After a neutron bomb attack, the amount of time left to the enemy would be more than enough for them to have a meeting just like this one."
“另一个方案就是神经毒气，但由于其在船内的释放和扩散有一个过程，也不可能达到将军所说的目标。” 一名北约军官说。	"Another thought was to use nerve gas," a NATO officer said. "But releasing it and having it spread throughout the ship would take time, so it still doesn't achieve General Chang's requirements."
“剩下的选择就是震荡炸弹和次声波了。” 斯坦顿上校说，人们都期待着他的下文，但他却没有接着说出什么来。	"Then the only choices left are concussion bombs and infrasonic waves," Colonel Stanton said. Others waited for him to finish his thought, but he said nothing more.
大史说：“震荡炸弹是我们警方用的玩意儿，确实可以一下子把建筑物里的人震昏，但目前好像只对一两个房间有用。	Da Shi said, "I use concussion bombs in police work, but they're toys. They're indeed capable of stunning people inside a building into unconsciousness, but they're only good for a room or two.
你们有能一次震昏一船人那么大个儿的吗？”	Do you have any concussion bombs big enough to stun a whole oil tanker full of people?"
斯坦顿摇摇头，“没有，即使有，那样大的爆炸物也不可能不破坏船内的设施。”	Stanton shook his head. "No. Even if we did, such a large explosive device would certainly damage equipment inside the ship."
“次声波武器呢？” 有人问。	"So what about infrasonic weapons?" someone asked.
“还在实验阶段，无法用于实战。	"They're still experimental and cannot be used in live combat.
特别是那船十分巨大，以现在试验中的次声波武器的功率，如果对整个‘审判日’号同时攻击，最多也就是让里面的晕恶心而已。”	Also, the ship is very large. At the power level available to current experimental prototypes, the most that a full assault on Judgment Day could do is to make the people inside feel dizzy and nauseous."
“哈，”大史抽得只剩下一粒花生大小的雪茄头说，“我说过剩下的就是扯淡了吧，都扯这么长了，大家记住首长的话：时间紧迫！”	"Ha!" Da Shi extinguished the cigar butt, now as tiny as a peanut. "I told you all we have left to discuss is bullshit. We've been at it for a while now. Let's remember what the general said: 'Time is of the essence!'"
他坏笑着转向译员，一名一脸不自在的漂亮女中尉，“回吧同志，意思到了就行。”	He gave a sly grin to the translator, a female first lieutenant who looked unhappy with his language. "Not easy to translate, eh, comrade? Just get the approximate meaning across."
但斯坦顿居然似乎听懂了，他用刚刚抽出的一根雪茄指着史强说：“这个警察有什么资格这么对我们讲话？”	But Stanton seemed to understand what he was saying. He pointed at Shi Qiang with a fresh cigar that he had just taken out. "Who does this policeman think he is, that he can talk to us this way?"
“你的资格呢？”	"Who do you think you are?"
大史反问。	Da Shi asked.
“斯坦顿上校是资深的特种作战专家，他几乎参加过越战以来所有的重大军事行动。” 一名北约军官说。	"Colonel Stanton is an expert in special ops," a NATO officer said. "He has been a part of every major military operation since the Vietnam War."
“那告诉你我的资格：二十多年前，我所在的侦察排，穿插到越军纵深几十公里，占领了那里的一座严密设防的水电站，阻止了越南人炸坝阻断我军进攻道路的计划。	"Then let me tell you who I am. More than thirty years ago, my reconnaissance squad managed to sneak dozens of kilometers behind Vietnamese lines and capture a hydroelectric station under heavy guard. We prevented the Vietnamese plan to demolish the dam with explosives, which would have flooded the attack route for our army.
这就是我的资格：我战胜过打败了你们的敌人。”	That's who I am. I defeated an enemy who once defeated you."
“够了大史！”	"That's enough!"
常伟思拍拍桌子说，“不要扯远了，你可以说出自己的方案。”	General Chang slammed the table. "Don't bring up irrelevant matters. If you have a plan, say what it is."
“我看没必要在这个警察身上浪费时间。”	"I don't think we need to waste time on this policeman,"
斯坦顿上校轻蔑地说，同时开始点雪茄。	Colonel Stanton said contemptuously, as he lit his cigar.
没等译员翻译，大史就跳起来说：“泡立死（Police），我两次听出这个词了，咋的，看不起警察？	Without waiting for a translation, Da Shi jumped up. "'Pao-Li-Si'—I heard that word twice. What? You look down on the police?
要说甩一堆炸弹把那大船炸成碎末，那你们军人行；但要是从里面完好地取出什么东西，别看你肩上扛着几颗星，还不如小偷儿。	If you're talking about dropping some bombs and turning that ship into smithereens, yeah, you military are the experts. But if you're talking about retrieving something out of it without damage, I don't care how many stars are on your shoulder, you aren't even as good as a thief.
这种事儿，要出邪招，绝对的邪招！	For this kind of thing, you have to think outside the box. OUT. OF. THE. BOX!
这个，你们远比不上罪犯，他们是出邪招的大师！	You will never be as good at it as criminals, masters of out-of-the-box thinking.
知道那招儿能邪到什么程度？	"You know how good they are?
我办过一个盗窃案，罪犯能把行驶中的列车中间的一节车厢偷了，前后的其余部分又完好地接起来开到终点站，用的工具只是一根钢丝绳和几只铁钩子。	I once handled a robbery where the criminals managed to steal one car out of a moving train. They reconnected the cars before and after the one they were interested in so that the train got all the way to its destination without anyone noticing. The only tools they used were a length of wire cable and a few steel hooks.
这才是特种作战专家！	Those are the real special ops experts.
而像我这样儿在基层摸爬滚打了十几年的重案刑警，受到了他们最好的培养和教育。”	And someone like me, a criminal cop who has been playing cat and mouse with them for more than a decade, has received the best education and training from them."
“说你的方案，否则就不要再发言了！” 常伟思指着大史说。	"Tell us your plan, then," General Chang said. "Otherwise, shut up!"
“这儿这么多重量级人物，我刚才怕轮不上我，那样老领导您又会说我这人没礼貌了。”	"There are so many important people here that I didn't think it was my place to speak. And I was afraid that you, General, would say I was being rude again."
“你已经没礼貌到家了！	"You're already the definition of rudeness.
快些。	Enough!
说你的邪招！”	Tell me what your out-of-the-box plan is."
史强拿起一支笔，在桌面上画了两条弯曲的平行线，“这是运河，”	Da Shi picked up a pen and drew two parallel curves on the table. "That's the canal."
又拿起烟灰缸放到两条线之间，“这是‘审判日’号。”	He put the ashtray between the two lines. "This is Judgment Day."
然后，他探身越过桌面，一把扯下了斯坦顿上校刚点燃的雪茄。	Then he reached across the table and pulled Colonel Stanton's just-lit cigar out of his mouth.
“我不能容忍这个白痴了！” 上校站起来大叫。	"I can no longer tolerate this idiot!" the colonel shouted, standing up.
“史强，出去。” 常伟思厉声说。	"Da Shi, get out of here!" General Chang said.
“等我说完，就一分钟。”	"Give me one minute. I'll be done soon."
大史说着，向斯坦顿伸出另一只手。	Da Shi extended a hand in front of Colonel Stanton.
“什么？” 上校不解地问。	"What do you want?" the colonel asked, puzzled.
“再给我一支。”	"Give me another one."
斯坦顿犹豫了一下，从一个精致的木盒中又拿出一支雪茄递给史强，后者将第一支雪茄冒烟的一头按到桌面上，使它竖立在桌子上画的巴拿马运河岸边，将另一支的一头弄平，立到“运河”的另一边。	Stanton hesitated for a second before taking another cigar out of a beautiful wooden box and handing it to Da Shi. Da Shi took the smoking end of the first cigar and pressed it against the table so that it stood on the shore of the Panama Canal that he'd drawn on the table. He flattened the end of the other cigar and erected it on the other shore of the canal.
“在运河两岸立两根柱子，柱子之间平行地扯上许多细丝，间距半米左右，这些细丝是汪教授他们制造出来的那种叫‘飞刃’的纳米材料。”	"We set up two pillars on the shores of the canal, and then between them we string many parallel, thin filaments, about half a meter apart. The filaments should be made from the nanomaterial called 'Flying Blade,' developed by Professor Wang.
	A very appropriate name, in this case."
史强说完，站在那里等了几秒钟，举起双手对着还没有反应过来的人们说：“完了，就这些。” 说完转身走出了会场。	After Shi Qiang finished speaking, he stood and waited a few seconds. Then he raised his hands, said to the stunned crowd, "That's it," turned, and left.
空气凝固了，所有人像石化般一动不动，连周围电脑的嗡嗡声似乎都变得小心翼翼。	The air seemed frozen. Everyone present stayed still like stone statues. Even the droning from the computers all around them seemed more careful.
不知过了多久，才有人怯生生地打破沉寂：“江教授，‘飞刃’是丝状的吗？”	After a long while, someone timidly broke the silence, "Professor Wang, is 'Flying Blade' really in the form of filaments?"
汪淼点点头，“用我们现有的分子建筑技术，只能生产出丝状的材料，粗细大约相当于头发丝的十分之一……	Wang nodded. "Given our current molecular construction technique, the only form we can make is a filament. The thickness is about one-hundredth the thickness of human hair....
这些史警官会前向我了解过。”	Officer Shi got this information from me before the meeting."
“现有的数量够吗？”	"Do you have enough material?"
“运河有多宽？	"How wide is the canal?
船的高度？”	And how tall is the ship?"
“运河最窄处一百五十米，‘审判日’号高三十一米，吃水八米左右。”	"The narrowest point of the canal is one hundred fifty meters wide. Judgment Day is thirty-one meters tall, with a draft of eight meters or so."
汪淼盯着桌上的雪茄，粗略计算了一下，“基本上够吧。”	Wang stared at the cigars on the table and did some mental calculations. "I think I should have enough."
又是一阵漫长的沉默，与会者都在试图使自己从震惊中恢复过来。	Another long silence. Everyone was trying to recover from their astonishment.
“如果存贮三体信息的设备，硬盘光盘之类的，也被切割呢？”有人问。	"What if the equipment storing Trisolaran data, such as hard drives and optical disks, is also sliced?"
“几率不大吧。”	"That doesn't seem likely."
“被切割也问题不大，”一名计算机专家说，“那种细丝极其锋利，切口一定很齐，在这种状态下，无论是硬盘光盘，还是集成电路存贮体，其中的信息绝大部分都可以恢复。”	"Even if they were sliced," a computer expert said, "it's not a big deal. The filaments are extremely sharp, and the cut surfaces would be very smooth. Given that premise, whether it's hard drives, optical disks, or integrated circuit storage, we could recover the vast majority of the data."
“还有别的更可行的方案吗？”	"Anyone got a better idea?"
常伟恩看看会场，没人说话，“好，下面就集中讨论这个方案，开始研究细节吧。”	Chang looked around the table. No one spoke. "All right. Then let's focus on this and work out the details."
一直沉默的斯坦顿上校站了起来，“我去叫警官回来。”	Colonel Stanton, who had been silent the whole time, stood up. "I will go and ask Officer Shi to come back."
常伟思挥挥手示意他坐下，然后喊了一声：“大史！”	General Chang indicated that he should remain seated. Then he called out, "Da Shi!"
史强走了进来，带着那一脸坏笑看了看众人，拿起桌上“运河”边上的两支雪茄，把点过的塞到嘴里，另一支揣进口袋。	Da Shi returned, grinning at everyone. He picked up the cigars on the table. The one that had been lit he put into his mouth, and the other he stuffed into his pocket.
有人问：“‘审判日’号通过时，那两根柱子能承受‘飞刃’吗？	Someone asked, "When Judgment Day passes, can those two pillars bear the force applied against the Flying Blade filaments?
会不会柱子首先被割断呢？”	Maybe the pillars would be sliced apart first."
汪淼说：“这个能解决，有少量片状的‘飞刃’材料，可以用作细丝在柱子上固定处的垫片。”	Wang said, "That's easy to solve. We have some small amounts of Flying Blade material that are flat sheets. We can use them to protect the parts of the column where the filaments are attached."
下面的讨论主要是在海军军官和航海专家们之间进行了。	The discussion after that was mainly between the naval officers and navigation experts.
“‘审判日’号是巴拿马运河能通过的最大吨位的船只了，吃水很深，所以还要考虑纳米丝在水下的布设。”	"Judgment Day is at the upper limit in terms of tonnage that can pass through the Panama Canal. It has a deep draft, so we have to consider installing filaments below the waterline."
“水下部分比较困难，如果时间来不及倒是可以放弃，那里主要放置发动机、燃油和一些压舱物，噪音、震动和干扰都很大，环境恶劣，计算机中心和类似的机构不太可能设在那个位置。	"That will be very difficult. If there's not enough time, I don't think we should worry about it. The parts of the ship below the waterline are used for engines, fuel, and ballast, causing a lot of noise, vibration, and interference. The conditions are too poor for computing centers and other similar facilities to be located there.
倒是在水上部分，如果纳米丝的间距再小一些，效果肯定更好。”	But for the parts above water, a tighter nanofilament net will give better results."
“那在运河的三个船闸之一动手是最好的了，‘审判日’号是巴拿马尺型船，通过时正好填满船闸，‘飞刃’丝的长度只需三十二米左右，间距可以很小，立柱子和拉丝的操作相对也容易些，特别是水下部分。”	"Then it's best to set the trap at one of the locks along the canal. Judgment Day is built to Panamax specifications, just enough to fill the thirty-two-meter locks. Then we would only need to make the Flying Blade filaments thirty-two meters long. This will also make it easier to erect the pillars and string the filaments between them, especially for the underwater parts."
“不行，船闸处情况复杂，船在闸中要由四台轨道机车牵引通过，速度很慢，而这时也肯定是‘审判日’号上最警觉的时候，在切割过程中时极有可能被发现。”	"No. The situation around the locks is too unpredictable. Also, a ship inside the lock must be pulled forward by four 'mules,' electric locomotives on rails. They move slowly, and the time inside the locks will also be when the crew is most alert. An attempt to slice through the ship during that time would most likely be discovered."
“是否可以考虑米拉弗洛莱斯船闸外面的美洲大桥？	"What about the Bridge of the Americas, right outside the Miraflores Locks?
桥墩就可以用作拉丝的柱子。”	The abutments at the two ends of the bridge can serve as the pillars for stringing the filaments."
“不行，桥墩的间距太宽，‘飞刃’材料肯定不够的。”	"No. The distance between the abutments is too great. We don't have enough Flying Blade material."
“那么我们就确定下来，行动位置是盖拉德水道的最窄处，一百五十米宽，算上建支柱的余量，按一百七十米吧。”	"Then it's decided: The site of operation should be the narrowest point of the Gaillard Cut, a hundred and fifty meters across. Add in some slack for the pillars ... let's call it a hundred seventy meters."
汪淼说：“要这样，拉丝的间距最小就是五十厘米，再小，材料不够了。”	Wang said, "If that's the plan, then the smallest distance between the filaments will be fifty centimeters. I don't have enough material for a tighter net."
“那就是说，”大史吐出一口烟，“得想法让那船白天过运河。”	"In other words, we have to make sure the ship crosses during the day," Da Shi said, blowing out another mouthful of smoke.
“为什么？”	"Why?"
“夜里船上的人睡觉啊，都是躺着的，五十厘米的空当太大了，白天他们就是坐着或蹲着，也够了。”	"At night the crew will be sleeping, which means they'll all be lying down. Fifty centimeters between filaments leaves too much of a gap. But during the day, even if they're sitting or crouching, the distance is sufficient."
响起了零星的几声笑，重压下的人们感到了一丝带着血腥味的轻松。	A few scattered laughs. The attendees, all under heavy stress, felt a bit of release tinged with the smell of blood.
“你真是个魔鬼。” 一位联合国女官员对大史说。	"You're truly a demon," a female UN official said to Da Shi.
“会伤及无辜吗？”	"Will innocent bystanders be hurt?"
汪淼问，他的声音中带着明显可以听出来的颤抖。	Wang asked, his voice trembling.
一名海军军官回答：“过船闸时要有十几名接缆工人上船，不过船通过后他们就下去了。	A naval officer replied, "When the ship goes through the locks, more than a dozen cable workers will come onboard, but they'll all get off after the ship passes.
巴拿马引水员要随船走完八十二公里的运河，肯定要牺牲掉。”	The Panama Canal pilot will have to accompany the ship the entire eighty-two kilometers, so the pilot will have to be sacrificed."
一名CIA官员说：“还有‘审判日’号上的一部分船员，他们对这船是干什么的可能并不知情。”	A CIA officer said, "And some of the crew aboard Judgment Day probably don't know the real purpose of the ship."
“教授，这些事现在不用想，这不是你们要考虑的事情。 我们要取得的信息关系到人类文明的存亡，会有人做出最后决定的。” 常伟思说。	"Professor," General Chang said, "do not concern yourself with these thoughts.
我们要取得的信息关系到人类文明的存亡，会有人做出最后决定的。”	The information we need to obtain has to do with the very survival of human civilization. Someone else will make the call."
散会时，斯坦顿上校把那个精致的雪茄木盒推到史强面前：“警官，上好的哈瓦纳，送给你了。”	As the meeting ended, Colonel Stanton pushed the beautiful cigar box in front of Shi Qiang. "Captain, the best Havana has to offer. They're yours."
四天后，巴拿马运河盖拉德水道。	Four days later, Gaillard Cut, Panama Canal
汪淼没有一点儿身处异国他乡的感觉。	Wang could not even tell that he was in a foreign country.
他知道，西面不远处是美丽的加通湖，东面则是壮丽的美洲大桥和巴拿马城，但他都无缘见到，两天前他乘坐飞机从国内直接飞到巴拿马城附近的托库门军用机场，然后就乘直升机直接来到这里。	He knew that to the west, not too far away, was beautiful Gatun Lake. To the east was the magnificent Bridge of the Americas and Panama City. But he had had no chance to see either of them. Two days earlier, he had arrived by direct flight from China to Tocumen International Airport near Panama City and then rode a helicopter here.
眼前的景色太平常了，正在进行的运河拓宽工程使两岸山坡上的热带雨林变得稀稀拉拉，坡上露出了大片黄土，那色彩真的使汪淼感到对这里很熟悉。	The sight before him was very common: The construction work under way to widen the canal caused the tropical forest on both slopes to be quite sparse, revealing large patches of yellow earth. The color felt familiar to Wang.
运河看上去也很普通，可能是因为在这一段它十分狭窄的缘故。 这段水道是在上世纪初由十万人一锹锹开凿出来的。	The canal didn't seem very special, probably because it was so narrow here, but a hundred thousand people had dug out this part of the canal in the previous century, one hoe at a time.
汪淼和斯坦顿上校坐在半山坡一座凉亭的躺椅上，两人都穿着宽大的花衬衣，大草帽扔在一边，看上去就是两个普通的游客。	Wang and Colonel Stanton sat on lounge chairs under an awning halfway up the slope. Both wore loose, colorful shirts, with their Panama hats tossed to the side, looking like two tourists.
在这个位置，下面的运河尽收眼底。	
就在他们下方的运河两岸上，分别平放着两根二十四米长的钢柱，五十根一百六十米的超强度纳米丝已经按约零点五米的间距连接在两根钢柱上，只是每根纳米丝靠右岸的一端还连接了一段普通钢丝，这可以使纳米丝随着系在上面的坠物沉入河底，这样做是为了让其他的船只通过。	Below, on each shore of the canal, a twenty-four-meter steel pillar lay flat against the ground, parallel to the shore. Fifty ultrastrong nanofilaments, each 160 meters long, were strung between the pillars. At the end on the eastern shore, every filament was connected to a length of regular steel wire. This was to give the filaments enough slack so that they could sink to the bottom of the canal, aided by attached weights. The setup permitted other ships safe passage.
好在运河上的运输并不像汪淼想象的那么繁忙，平均每天只有四十艘左右的大型船舶通过。	Luckily, traffic along the canal wasn't quite as busy as Wang had imagined. On average, only about forty large ships passed through each day.
两根钢柱的一端都与活动铰结相连，只有等待“审判日”号前面的最后一艘船通过，才能拉回普通钢丝，把纳米丝在右岸钢柱上做最后固定，然后钢柱才能立起来。	
行动的代号是“古筝”，这是很自然的联想，而纳米丝构成的切割网则被称为“琴”。	The operation's code name was "Guzheng," based on the similarity between the structure and the ancient Chinese zither by that name. The slicing net of nanofilaments was thus called the "zither."
一小时前，“审判日”号已由加通湖驶人盖拉德水道。	An hour earlier, Judgment Day had entered the Gaillard Cut from Gatun Lake.
斯坦顿问汪淼以前是否来过巴拿马，汪淼说没有。	Stanton asked Wang whether he had ever been to Panama before. Wang said no.
“我在1989年来过。” 上校说。	"I came here in 1989," the colonel said.
“是那次战争吧？”	"Because of that war?"
“是，但对我来说是最没有印象的一次战争，只记得在梵蒂冈大使馆前为被包围的诺列加总统播放杰克逊的摇滚舞曲《无处可逃》，那是我的主意。”	"Yes, that was one of those wars that left me with no impression. I only remember being in front of the Vatican embassy as 'Nowhere to Run' by Martha and the Vandellas played for the holed-up Noriega. That was my idea, by the way."
下面的运河中，一艘通体雪白的法国游轮正在缓缓驶过，铺着绿地毯的甲板上，有几名穿得花花绿绿的游客在闲逛。	In the canal below them, a pure white French cruise ship slowly sailed past. Several passengers in colorful clothing strolled leisurely on the green-carpeted deck.
“二号观察哨报告，目标前方已没有任何船只。”	"Second Observation Post reporting: There are no more ships in front of the target."
斯坦顿的步话机响了起来。	Stanton's walkie-talkie squawked.
“把‘琴’立起来。”斯坦顿命令道。	Stanton gave the order. "Raise the zither."
几名头戴安全帽工人模样的人出现在两岸。	Several men wearing hard hats appeared on both shores, looking like maintenance workers.
汪淼站起身来，但上校拉住了他，“教授，你不用管，他们会干得很好。”	Wang stood up, but the colonel pulled him down. "Professor, don't worry. They know what to do."
汪淼看着右岸的人利索地抽回连接纳米丝的普通钢丝，把已经绷紧的纳米丝在钢柱上固定好。	Wang watched as those on the eastern shore rapidly winched back the steel wires attached to the nanofilaments and secured the tightened nanofilaments to the pillar.
然后，两岸的人同时拉动几根长钢索，使两根钢柱缓缓竖立起来。	Then, slowly, the two pillars were stood upright using their mechanical hinges.
为了伪装，两根钢柱上都挂了一些航标和水位标志。	As a disguise, the pillars were decorated with some navigational markings and water depth indicators.
他们干得很从容，甚至看上去有些懒洋洋的，像是在从事一件平淡乏味的工作。	The workers proceeded leisurely, as though they were simply carrying out their boring jobs.
汪淼盯着钢柱之间的空间看，那里看上去一无所有，但死亡之琴已经就位。	Wang gazed at the space between the pillars. There seemed to be nothing there, but the deadly zither was already in place.
“目标距琴四公里！” 步话机里的声音说。	"Target is four kilometers from the zither," the voice in the walkie-talkie said.
斯坦顿放下步话机，又继续刚才的话题，“我第二次来巴拿马是1999年，参加过运河主权交接的仪式，很奇怪，当我们来到管理局大楼前时，看到星条旗已经降下了，据说是应美国政府要求提前一天降下的，以避免在众人面前降旗的尴尬场面出现……	Stanton put the walkie-talkie down. He continued the conversation with Wang. "The second time I came to Panama was in 1999, to attend the ceremony for the handover of the canal to Panama. Oddly, by the time we got to the Authority's building, the Stars and Stripes were already gone. Supposedly the U.S. government had requested that the flag be lowered a day early to avoid the embarrassment of lowering the flag in front of a crowd....
那时以为是在目睹一个历史性的时刻，现在想想，这些事情是多么的微不足道。”	Back then, I thought I was witnessing history. But now that seems so insignificant."
“目标距琴三公里！”	"Target is three kilometers from the zither."
“是啊，微不足道。” 汪淼附和道。	"Yes, insignificant," Wang mumbled.
他根本没有听清斯坦顿在说什么，世界的其余部分对他来说已经不存在，他的全部注意力都集中到还没有在视野中出现的“审判日”号上。	He wasn't listening to Stanton at all. The rest of the world had ceased to exist for him. All of his attention was focused on the spot where Judgment Day would appear.
这时，早晨从太平洋东海岸升起的太阳正向太平洋西海岸落下，运河中金光粼粼，更近的下方，死亡之琴静静地立着，两根钢柱黑乎乎的，反射不出一点儿阳光，看上去比流过它们中间的运河更古老。	By now the sun that had risen over the Atlantic was falling toward the Pacific. The canal sparkled with golden light. Close by, the deadly zither stood quietly. The two steel pillars were dark and reflected no sunlight, looking even older than the canal that flowed between them.
“目标距琴两公里！”	"Target is two kilometers from the zither."
斯坦顿似乎没有听到步话机中的声音，仍在滔滔不绝地说着：“自从得知外星人的舰队正在向地球飞来后，我就得了失忆症。	Stanton seemed to not have heard the voice from the walkie-talkie. He continued, "After learning that the alien fleet is coming toward the Earth, I've been suffering from amnesia.
很奇怪，过去的事都记不清了，我指的是自己经历过的那些战争，都记不清了，像刚才所说的，那些战争都那么微不足道。	It's so strange. I can't recall many things from the past. I don't remember the details of the wars I experienced. Like I just said, those wars all seem so insignificant.
知道这件事以后，每个人在精神上都将成为新人，世界也将成为新的世界。	After learning this truth, everyone becomes a new person spiritually, and sees the world anew.
我一直在想，假设在两千年前或更早的时间，人们知道有一支外星入侵舰队将在几千年后到达，那现在的人类文明是什么样子？	I've been thinking: Suppose two thousand years ago, or even earlier, humanity learned that an alien invasion fleet would arrive a few thousand years later. What would human civilization be like now?
教授，你能设想一下吗？”	Professor, can you imagine it?"
“哦，不能……”	"Ah, no..."
汪淼心不在焉地敷衍着。	Wang answered perfunctorily, his mind elsewhere.
“目标距琴一点五公里！”	"Target is one point five kilometers from the zither."
“教授，我想您将成为新世纪的盖拉德，我们期待着您的‘巴拿马运河’建成。	"Professor, I think you will be the Gaillard of this new era. We're waiting for your new Panama Canal to be built.
不是吗？ 太空电梯其实就是一条运河，像巴拿马运河连接了两个大洋一样，太空电梯将地球和太空连接起来……”	Indeed, the space elevator is a canal. Just as the Panama Canal connected two oceans, the space elevator will connect space with the Earth."
汪淼现在知道，上校唠叨着这些无意义的废话，其实是想帮他度过这一艰难时刻。	Wang knew that the colonel's babbling was meant to help him through this very difficult time.
他很感激，但这作用不大。	He was grateful, but it wasn't working.
“目标距琴一公里！”	"Target is one kilometer from the zither."
“审判日”号出现了，在从侧面山脊上照过来的落日光芒中，它是河面一片金波上的一个黑色剪影。	Judgment Day appeared. In the light from the setting sun coming over the hills to the side, it was a dark silhouette against the golden waves of the canal.
这艘六万吨级的巨轮比汪淼想象的要大得多，它出现时，仿佛西边又突现了一座山峰，虽然汪淼知道运河可以通过七万吨级的船舶，但目睹这样的巨轮在如此窄小的河道中行驶，确实有一种奇怪的感觉。	The sixty-thousand-ton ship was much larger than Wang had imagined. Its appearance was like another peak abruptly inserted among the hills. Even though Wang knew that the canal was capable of accommodating ships as large as seventy thousand tons, witnessing such a large ship in such a narrow waterway was a strange feeling.
与它的巨大相比，下面的河流似乎已不存在，它像一座在陆地上移动的大山。	Given its immensity, the canal below seemed to no longer exist. The ship was a mountain gliding across solid earth.
适应了朝阳的光芒后，汪淼看到“审判日”号的船体是黑色的，上层建筑是雪白的，那面巨型天线不见了。	After he grew used to the sunlight, Wang saw that Judgment Day's hull was pitch black, and the superstructure was painted pure white. The giant antenna was gone.
巨轮发动机的轰鸣声已经可以听到，还有一阵轰轰的水声，那是它浑圆的船首推起的浪排冲击运河两岸发出的。	They heard the roar from the ship's engines, accompanied by the churning sound of waves that had been generated by the round prow slapping against the shores of the canal.
随着“审判日”号与死亡之琴距离的缩短，汪淼的心跳骤然加速，呼吸也急促起来，他有一种立刻逃离的冲动，但一阵虚弱使他已无法控制自己的身体。	As the distance between Judgment Day and the deadly zither closed, Wang's heart began to beat faster, and his breath became short. He had a desire to run away, but he felt so weak that he could no longer control his body.
他的心中突然涌起了一阵对史强的憎恨，这个王八蛋怎么会想出这样的主意？！	All at once, he was overwhelmed by a deep hatred for Shi Qiang. How could the bastard have come up with such an idea?
正像那位联合国女官员所说，他是个魔鬼！	Like that UN official said, he is a demon!
但这种感觉转瞬即逝，他想到如果现在大史在身边，那自己的情况会好得多。	But the feeling passed. He thought that if Da Shi were by his side, he would probably feel better.
斯坦顿上校曾申请大史同来，但常伟思没批准，那边现在更需要他。	Colonel Stanton had invited Shi Qiang to come, but General Chang refused to give permission because he said that Da Shi was needed where he was.
汪淼感觉到上校拍了拍他的手。	Wang felt the colonel's hand on his back.
“教授，一切都会过去的。”	"Professor, all this will pass."
“审判日”号正在过去，它在通过死亡之琴。	Judgment Day was below them now, passing through the deadly zither.
当它的舰首接触两根钢技之间似乎空无一物的平面时，汪淼头皮一紧，但什么都没有发生，巨轮庞大的船体从两根钢技间徐徐驶过。	When its prow first contacted the plane between the two steel pillars, the space that seemed empty, Wang's scalp tightened. But nothing happened. The immense hull of the ship continued to slowly sail past the two steel pillars.
当船体通过一半时，汪淼甚至怀疑钢柱间的纳米丝是不是真的就不存在。	When half the ship had passed, Wang began to doubt whether the nanofilaments between the steel pillars really existed.
但一个小小的迹象否定了他的怀疑，他注意到船体上层建筑最高处的一根细长的天线从下部折断了，天线滚落下来。	But a small sign soon negated his doubt. He noticed a thin antenna located at the very top of the superstructure breaking at its base, and the antenna tumbling down.
很快，纳米丝存在的第二个迹象出现了，而这险些让汪淼彻底崩溃。	Soon, there was a second sign indicating the presence of the nanofilaments, a sign that almost made Wang break down.
“审判日”号宽阔的甲板上很空荡，只是后甲板上有一个人在用水龙头冲洗缆桩，汪淼从高处看得很清楚，当船的这一部分从钢柱间移过的瞬间，那人的身体突然僵硬了，水龙头从他手里滑落；与此同时，连接龙头的胶皮水带也在不远处断成两截，水从那里白花花地喷了出来，那人直直地站了几秒钟就倒下了，他的身体在接触甲板的同时分成两截。	Judgment Day's wide deck was empty save for one man standing near the stern hosing down the ship's bollards. From his vantage point, Wang saw everything clearly. The moment that that section of the ship passed between the pillars, the hose broke into two pieces not too far from the man, and water spilled out. The man's body stiffened, and the nozzle tumbled from his hand. He remained standing for a few seconds, then fell. As his body contacted the deck, it came apart in two halves.
那人的上半部分还在血泊中爬行，但只能用两只半条的手臂爬，因为他的手臂也被切断了一半。	The top half crawled through the expanding pool of blood, but had to use two arms that were bloody stumps. The hands had been cleanly sliced off.
船尾通过了两根钢柱后，“审判日”号仍在以不变的速度向前行驶，一时看不出更多的异样。	After the stern of the ship went between the two pillars, Judgment Day continued to sail forward at the same speed, and everything seemed normal.
但汪淼听到发动机的声音发生了怪异的扭曲，接着被一阵杂乱的巨响所代替，那声音听起来像一台大马达的转子中被扔进去一个扳手，不，是很多个扳手一一他知道，这是发动机的转动部分被切割后发出的。	But then Wang heard the sound of the engine shift into a strange whine, before turning into chaotic noise. It sounded like a wrench being thrown into the rotor of a large motor—no, many, many wrenches. He knew this was the result of the rotating parts of the engine having been cut.
在一声刺耳的破裂声后，“审判日”号的船尾一侧出现了一个破洞，这洞是被一个巨大的金属构件撞出的。	After a piercing, tearing sound, a hole appeared in the side of the stern of Judgment Day, made by a large metallic piece punching through the hull.
那个飞出的构件旋即落人水中，激起了高高的水柱，在它一闪而过之际，汪淼看出那是船上发动机的一段曲轴。	A broken component flew out of the hole and fell into the water, causing a large column of water to shoot up. As it briefly flew past, Wang recognized it as a section of the engine crankshaft.
一股浓烟从破洞中涌出，在右岸直线航行了一段的“审判日”号就拖着这道烟尾开始转向，很快越过河面，撞到左岸上。	A thick column of smoke poured out of the hole. Judgment Day, which had been sailing along the right shore, now began to turn, dragging this smoky tail. Soon it crossed over the canal and smashed into the left shore.
汪淼看到，冲上岸坡的巨大船首在急剧变形的同时，将土坡像水那样冲开，激起汹涌的土浪。	As Wang looked, the giant prow deformed as it collided into the slope, slicing open the hill like water, causing waves of earth to spill in all directions.
与此同时，“审判日”号开始散成四十多片薄片，每一片的厚度是半米，从这个距离看去是一片片薄板，上部的薄片前冲速度最快，与下面的逐级错开来，这艘巨轮像一叠被向前推开的扑克牌，这四十多个巨大的薄片滑动时相互磨擦，发出一阵尖利的怪音，像无数只巨指在划玻璃。	At the same time, Judgment Day began to separate into more than forty slices, each slice half a meter thick. The slices near the top moved faster than the slices near the bottom, and the ship spread open like a deck of cards. As the forty-some metal slices moved past each other, the piercing noise was like countless giant fingernails scratching against glass.
在这令人无法忍受的声音消失后，“审判日”号已经化做一堆岸上的薄片，越靠上前冲得越远，像从一个绊倒的服务生手中向前倾倒的一摞盘子。	By the time the intolerable noise ended, Judgment Day was spilled on the shore like a stack of plates carried by a stumbling waiter, the plates near the top having traveled the farthest.
那些薄片看上去像布片般柔软，很快变形，形成了一堆复杂的形状，让人无法想象它曾是一艘巨轮。	The slices looked as soft as cloth, and rapidly deformed into complicated shapes impossible to imagine as having once belonged to a ship.
大批士兵开始从山坡上冲向河岸，汪淼很惊奇附近究竟在什么时候什么地方隐蔽了这么多人。	Soldiers rushed toward the shore from the slope. Wang was surprised to find so many men hidden nearby.
直升机群轰鸣着沿运河飞来，越过覆盖着一层色彩斑斓的油膜的河面，悬停在“审判日”号的残骸上空，抛撒大量的白色灭火剂和泡沫，很快控制了残骸中正在蔓延的火势，另外三架直升机迅速用缆索向残骸放下搜索人员。	A fleet of helicopters arrived along the canal with their engines roaring; crossed the canal surface, which was now covered by an iridescent oil slick; hovered over the wreckage of Judgment Day; and began to drop large quantities of fire suppression foam and powder. Shortly, the fire in the wreckage was under control, and three other helicopters began to drop searchers into the wreckage with cables.
斯坦顿上校已经离开了，汪淼拿起了他放在草帽上的望远镜，克服着双手的颤抖观察被“飞刃”切割成四十多片的“审判日”号。	Colonel Stanton had already left. Wang picked up the binoculars he'd left on top of his hat. Overcoming his trembling hands, he observed Judgment Day.
这时，它有一大半已被灭火粉剂和泡沫所覆盖，但仍有一部分暴露着。	By this time, the wreckage was mostly covered by fire-extinguishing foam and powder, but the edges of some of the slices were left exposed.
汪淼看到了切割面，像镜面般光滑，毫不走形地映着天空火红的朝霞。	Wang saw the cut surfaces, smooth as mirrors. They reflected the fiery red light of dusk perfectly.
他还看到了镜面上一块深红色的圆斑，不知是不是血。	He also saw a deep red spot on the mirror surface. He wasn't sure if it was blood.
三天以后。	Three days later
审问者：你了解三体文明吗？	INTERROGATOR: Do you understand Trisolaran civilization?
叶文洁：不了解，我们得到的信息很有限，事实上，三体文明真实和详细的面貌，除了伊文斯等截留三体信息的降临派核心人员，谁都不清楚。	YE WENJIE: No. We received only very limited information. No one has real, detailed knowledge of Trisolaran civilization except Mike Evans and other core members of the Adventists who intercepted their messages.
审问者：那你为什么对其抱有那样的期望，认为它们能够改造和完善人类社会呢？	INTERROGATOR: Then why do you have such hope for it, thinking that it can reform and perfect human society?
叶文洁：如果他们能够跨越星际来到我们的世界，说明他们的科学已经发展到相当的高度，一个科学如此昌明的社会，必然拥有更高的文明和道德水准。	YE: If they can cross the distance between the stars to come to our world, their science must have developed to a very advanced stage. A society with such advanced science must also have more advanced moral standards.
审问者：你认为这个结论，本身科学吗？	INTERROGATOR: Do you think this conclusion you drew is scientific?
叶文洁：……	YE: ...
审问者：让我冒昧推测一下：你的父亲深受你祖父科学救国思想的影响，而你又深受父亲的影响。	INTERROGATOR: Let me presume to guess: Your father was deeply influenced by your grandfather's belief that only science could save China. And you were deeply influenced by your father.
叶文治（不为人察觉地叹息一声）：我不知道。	YE: (sighing quietly) I don't know.
审问者：现在告诉你，我们已经得到了被降临派截留的全部三体信息。	INTERROGATOR: We have already obtained all the Trisolaran messages intercepted by the Adventists.
叶文洁：哦…… 伊文斯怎么样了？	YE: Oh ... what happened to Evans?
审问者：在对”审判日”号采取行动的过程中，他死了。	INTERROGATOR: He died during the operation to capture Judgment Day.
（伊文斯被“飞刃”切割成三段。	
当时他身处“审判日”号的指挥中心，他最上面的那部分向前爬行了一米多，死的时候双眼盯着爬向的那个方向，正是在那个方向的一台电脑中，找到了被截留的三体信息。 ）	But the posture of his body pointed us to the computers holding copies of the Trisolaran messages. Thankfully, they were all encoded with the same self-interpreting code used by Red Coast.
叶文洁：信息很多吗？	YE: Was there a lot of data?
审问者：很多，约28G。	INTERROGATOR: Yes, about twenty-eight gigabytes.
叶文洁：这不可能，星际间超远程通讯的效率很低，怎么可能传送这么大的信息量？！	YE: That's impossible. Interstellar communication is very inefficient. How can so much data have been transmitted?
审问者：开始时我们也这样想，但事情远远超过了所有人的想象，即使是最大胆、最离奇的想象。	INTERROGATOR: We thought so at first, too. But things were not at all as we had imagined—not even in our boldest, most fantastic imaginations.
这样吧，请你阅读这些信息的一部分，你将看到自己美好幻想中的三体文明是什么样子。	How about this? Please read this section of the preliminary analysis of the captured data, and you can see the reality of the Trisolaran civilization, compared with your beautiful fantasies.