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Chapter 2 Visit to Australia
第2章 訪問澳大利亞
On Friday, after three weeks in space, Kiah and Rilla finished work and left Ship OM-45 on a space plane to Kisangani. Kiah phoned Adai and Rilla phoned Commander Zadak in Australia.
這是個星期五，凱和瑞拉已經在太空飛行了三周。他們結束了工作，離開OM-45號宇宙飛船，乘航天飛機飛往基桑加尼。凱和瑞拉分別跟阿岱和在澳大利亞的司令扎達克通了電話。
The next morning they took an aeroplane to Sydney. A taxi took them from the airport to Commander Zadak's office, some kilometres north of Sydney.
第二天早晨他們乘飛機來到悉尼。一輛出租車把他們從機場帶到了悉尼以北幾公里以外扎達克司令的辦公室。
"Wait for us here," Kiah said to the taxi driver.
“在這兒等我們。”凱吩咐出租車司機。
Kiah and Rilla walked to the gate. About ten guards stood in front of the gate. Across the road, a train waited.
凱和瑞拉朝大門走去。門口站著大約十幾個衛兵。一輛火車正等在馬路對面。
"Rilla, OM-45," Rilla said. "To see Commander Zadak at four-thirty."
“我叫瑞拉，OM-45號的，”瑞拉說，“扎達克司令4點半要接見我們。”
"Let me call the Commander's office," the guard said.
“我給司令辦公室打個電話。”衛兵說。
Kiah and Rilla waited. It was hot and Kiah began to feel thirsty.
凱和瑞拉站在那兒等著。天氣很熱，凱感到口干舌燥。
The guard came back. "I'm sorry," he said, "The Commander can't see you."
那個衛兵回來了。“對不起，”他說，“司令不能見你們。”
"But I talked to the Commander yesterday," Rilla said. "He wanted to see us at four-thirty."
“可是我昨天跟司令說過，”瑞拉說，“他答應今天4點半見我們。”
"The Commander is leaving on the train in three minutes," the guard said.
“再過三分鐘司令就要坐火車出發了。”衛兵說。
"Can we wait and see him here?" Kiah asked.
“我們能不能在這兒等著見他一面？”凱問。
"No!" the guard shouted. "Get out of here!"
“不行！”衛兵喊了起來，“出去！”
Kiah and Rilla walked back to the taxi.
凱和瑞拉回到出租車那兒。
"Where's the driver?" Kiah asked.
“司機哪去了？”凱問。
"Look! He's sitting under that tree," Rilla said.
“那不是嘛！在那棵樹下坐著呢。”瑞拉說。
Just then, Commander Zadak came out of the gate. He was a very tall, big man with blue eyes and a lot of white hair. Two guards marched in front of him, and two guards marched behind him. They all carried guns.
正說著，扎達克司令出現在大門口。他高大魁梧，藍眼睛，長著一頭濃密的白發。四個衛兵兩前兩后闊步護衛著他。他們都帶著槍。
"There he is!" Rilla cried. "Commander!" And she began to run along the road to him.
“他在那兒！”瑞拉喊了起來，“扎達克司令！”她隨即順著馬路朝他跑去。
Commander Zadak did not stop. A guard opened the door of the train and the Commander got in. Slowly, the train began to move.
扎達克司令并沒有停下腳步。一個衛兵打開火車門，扎達克跨了進去。火車緩緩地開動了。
Kiah ran to the taxi and jumped in. Then he drove the taxi fast down the road. The taxi driver saw him and ran after him. The train began to move faster. Suddenly, Kiah drove the taxi off the road. He drove in front of the train and stopped.
凱奔向那輛出租車，迅速坐進車里。隨即他開著車飛快地順路而下。出租車司機看見了他，在后面緊追不放。火車在加速。突然，凱把出租車開下了馬路。直駛到火車前頭停了下來。
The train came nearer. And then the train stopped, very near the taxi, and some guards jumped off. Kiah opened the door and got out of the taxi.
火車越來越近了。在就要撞到出租車的時候，它停了下來。幾個衛兵從車廂里跳了下來。凱打開車門從出租車里出來。
"Put up your hands!" the guards shouted.
“舉起手來！”衛兵們朝他喊。
Two of the guards began to hit Kiah.
兩個衛兵對凱一陣拳打腳踢。
"Stop that!" Someone shouted. "Bring him over here!" It was Commander Zadak.
“住手！”有人喊了一聲，“把他帶到這兒來！”是扎達克司令。
Kiah stood in front of the Commander. Just then, Rilla arrived.
凱站到了司令面前。正在這時，瑞拉趕到了。
"Oh, it's you!" Commander Zadak said. He did not smile. "Rilla, your father's going to be angry."
“噢，是你。”扎達克司令說話了。他不帶一絲笑容：“瑞拉，你父親會生氣的。”
"We want to talk to you, Commander," Rilla said. "It's very important."
“我們想和您談談，司令，”瑞拉說，“這事非常重要。”
"Very well. I'm listening."
“說吧，我聽著呢。”
Kiah began to talk. "Two years ago, Adai told you about the holes in the AOL. Now they're worse. The AOL is breaking up over Europe. Please look at these numbers and this satellite picture."
凱開口了：“兩年前阿岱曾跟您談過臭氧層上的洞。現在情況更糟了。歐洲上空的臭氧層已經開裂。請您看看這些數據和這張衛星照片。”
He gave his book to Commander Zadak and the Commander looked at the numbers.
他把筆記本遞給扎達克司令，扎達克看了看本子上的數據。
"It's important, Commander," Kiah said. "In ten years Earth is going to die."
“這事非常重要，司令，”凱說，“10年后地球就要毀滅了。”
"You stopped my train because of this?" Commander Zadak asked. "Two years ago Adai talked to me about the AOL. Then he talked to Earth Commander, and what happened? Where is Adai now? Is the Moon colony helping the AOL?"
“你們攔住我的火車就為這事？”扎達克司令問，“兩年前阿岱跟我談過臭氧層的事。然后他又跟地球司令談了這件事。之后又怎么樣了呢？阿岱現在在哪？月亮部族能幫助修復臭氧層嗎？”
"We know about Adai, Commander," Rilla said. "But someone needs to talk to Earth Commander again."
“我們知道阿岱的事，司令。”瑞拉說，“但是得有人再去跟地球司令談談。”
"I'm going to talk to Gog about rain, I can tell you that. Earth needs rain: there was no rain last winter. Half of Australia has no water and my trees here are dying. Without rain, many people are going to die. Is Gog going to understand that? I don't know!"
“我可以告訴你們，我正準備去跟高格談談雨水的事。地球需要雨水：去年冬天沒下雨。澳大利亞有一半地區沒有水，我們的樹都要枯死了。假如沒有水的話很多人都要活不下去了。高格會理解這一切嗎？我不知道。”
Commander Zadak began to walk back to his train. "Move that taxi!" he called to his guards.
扎達克司令朝他的火車走去。“把那輛出租車弄走！”他朝衛兵們喊。
Some guards moved the taxi back to the road and then they jumped on to the train again. The train began to move.
幾個衛兵把出租車推到了公路上，然后跳上了火車。火車啟動了。
"OK," the taxi driver shouted. "What are you going to do next? Drive my taxi into the river?"
“好啊，”出租車司機喊道，“你們還想干什么？把我的出租車開到河里去？”
Kiah smiled. He took some money from his pocket and gave it to the taxi driver.
凱笑了。他從衣兜里拿出一些錢遞給出租車司機。
The taxi driver looked at the money. "OK, OK, " he said. "Where now? Back to the airport?"
出租車司機看了看那些錢。“好吧，好吧。”他說，“現在去哪？回機場？”
Kiah took Rilla's hand, "Yes," he said. "Let's get back to Kisangani. We can phone Adai again tomorrow."
凱拉住瑞拉的手。“是的，”他說，“咱們回基桑加尼去。我們明天再給阿岱打個電話。”
