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Episode 01. A HAIRLINE FRACTURE
第一篇 应力性骨折
For all of cosmopolitan Earth type, who don't venture into the far
reach of the space, there's a planet way out in the outer colonies called
Eridanus II. If you're thinking of visiting, don't bother. It was catastrophic
glassed in a Covenant attack in 2530. The 19 years before it got wiped out,
our hero Master Chief Petty Officer John 117, then known as John, was born in
a metropolis called Elysium City—that's where I started.
"Do I remember him? Oh yeah. You don't forget a kid like that."
That's Deon Govender. He chatted with me in his home in the outer
colonies. Deon’s retired now, but years ago he taught John at Elysium City
Primary Education Facility Number 119. Apparently schools in the outer colonies
don’t have the catchiest names.
Govender: John was something else. He was sharp and quick, always
evaluating the situation. Other kids just gravitated to him you know?
Deon seemed most excited to talk about John's athletic ability. The
kids used to play king of the hill after school. You know, the old game where
you wrestle and push each other to try to be the last man standing.
Govender: I would walk by sometimes, see 'em playing after school
and without fail, I swear, it was always John standing alone at the top of
that hill. Every single day—matter of fact—I think the other kids
ended up fighting for king halfway up the hill. 'Cause nobody was messing
with John.
I definitely remember John. You're going way. . .
That's Ellie Bloom, another lifelong resident of the outer colonies.
When she was young, she and John lived on the same street, just a few houses
down.
Bloom: Well, he was little younger than me, but I tell you that boy
did not look like a kindergartener. He was a big kid. My friend Katrina and I
used to be in this vacant lot in the neighborhood. The three of us would build
these obstacle courses that are random junk and then race. You know, just kid
stuff.
As Ellie talked about her early years in Elysium, it wasn't long
before she was getting nostalgic.
Bloom: At warm night my parent would let us go out to the green space,
and lie on the grass. And we just lie there, stare up at the star. It was a
nice place to grow up.
Finding Ellie was a huge win foe me. When a planet's been glassed,
tracking down former residents can be damn near impossible. Any records kept
locally: paper, harden data storage, even human memories, after full-scale
glassing they're just gone. Thankfully tough, the Office of Naval Intelligence
or ONI had furnished me with a list of interviewees. That's how I got Deon.
But I wanted go the extra mile with the story, so I hitted up some of my old
connection in the Otter Colonies looking for more sources. Ellie was my only
hit so far.
Giraud: Did you keep in touch with John?
Bloom: No. I wasn't allow to use waypoint when I was little. But I did
keep in touch with Katrina. We still talk actually. You know, she probably
still remembers John. I'm gonna tell her that I talked to you. Wait, what was
this for again? It'a a military thing?
Giraud: Oh no. John, uh, John is the Master Chief.
Bloom: What? He. . .
Giraud: Yeah, John became the Master Chief.
Bloom: Like "the" Master Chief?
Giraud: Yup.
Bloom: Oh my god. No. . . Wait, are you serious?
Giraud: I'm not kidding ya.
Bloom: Oh my god. That was crazy.
Ellie lost her mind for a few minutes. I guess it's not everyday you
find out that your childhood playmate saved the galaxy.
Bloom: Oh my god. Now I'm definately telling Katrina. I mean, she's
gonna freak out.
All right. So maybe Ellie wasn't gonna be much help. I needed more of
a young warrior angle. Here's Deon again.
Govender: . . . the boxer story?
Giraud: No, no, no. What's that?
Govender: Ok, ok. So I thaught the primary you know right? But I also ran this
boxing league in the high school. The second week we're doing drill in the gym,
John walks in. Mind you: John was at six grade at the time. I said, "hey John,
what's up?" He says, "I wanna sign up for boxing." And I said, "John, you're
twelve you know. What are you talking about?"
Giraud: But John was adamant.
Govender: I looked at him. He ain't leaving. So I said okay what the hell.
Figure let it be a formative lesson for the kid. I put him in the ring with one
of the smaller guys. John pummeled this boy. It's over in about fifteen
seconds. So well alright. I put him in with this bruiser, a real good fighter.
Ok, good fighter. Two punches! John laid him out. Twelve years old!
I like talking to Deon. He was warm and funny and that grandfatherly
memory lain kinda way. I realized I got lost in it all, when the narrative took
a dark turn.
Govender: But then one week, John just didn't show up.
对于遍布在地球上、不曾到宇宙深处探险的人们，可能不知道外殖民地有颗星球叫
Eridanus II。如果你想要去造访一下的话，请打消这个念头，它已经在2530年被星盟攻
击以后催毁。在Eridanus II被毁灭的19年前，当时的John，也就是我们的英雄一级士官
长John 117出生于这个星球的Elysium市，而我也从这里开始挖掘真相。
我还记得他吗？当然，像那样的孩子可是忘不了的。
这是Deon Govender，我们在他位于外殖民地的家对谈。Deon已经退休了，他在好几
年前曾在Elysium市初等教育学校119号教过John。外殖民地的学校的名字真的很无趣。
Govender: John跟其他的孩子不一样，他很敏锐、反应快，总是在衡量周遭的状况。别
的孩子总是会被他吸引。
Deon在谈John的运动神经时感觉特别兴奋。以前的小孩放学后都会一起玩山丘之王，
就是那个要把别人推出去直到自己成为山丘上最后一个人的老游戏。
Govender: 下课后我有时会去看他们玩耍，每次最后一个站在山丘上的都是
John，屡试不爽。其实别的孩子都在一半的时候就在争谁是山丘之王了，因为没人比的
过John。
我绝对记得John。那是好久……
这是Ellie Bloom，另一个生下来就住在外殖民地的居民。她小时候跟John住在同一
条街上，只隔了几栋房。
Bloom: 他年纪比我小一点，但他看起来完全不是那样，他真的很大只。我跟我的朋友
Katrina当时会到附近的空地，我们三个会用废弃物盖障碍跑道，然后就在那里赛跑。
小孩嘛你懂的。
Ellie回忆她在Elysium的童年不久，讲著讲着她就开始思乡了。
Bloom: 晚上如果天气够暖和的话，我爸妈就会让我到绿地，躺在草地上。我们就躺在
那，盯着星空看。在那长大真的很棒。
能找到Ellie对我来说十分重要，当一个星球被glass以后，要再找到当地的居民几乎
是不能的。所有保存在当地的资料，包括文件、硬盘资料、甚至是人的记忆，在全面的
glass攻击之后就灰飞烟灭了。但多归了海军情报局也就是ONI，提供我一串受访者名单，
这就是我跟Deon取得联系的方法。但除此之外我还想更进一步深入这个故事，所以我找来
我在外殖民地的老友，Ellie是我目前唯一的希望。
Giraud: 你还有跟John联系吗？
Bloom: 没有，我小时候家里不准我用waypoint（译注：类似当时的网络），但我还有跟
Katrina联络，我们到现在都还会聊天。她大概也还记得John，我要跟她讲我们谈过。你
说这是什么访问，跟军方有关？
Giraud: 喔不是，呃，John其实就是士官长。
Bloom: 什么？他……
Giraud: 对，John成为了士官长。
Bloom: 就是那个士官长？
Giraud: 没错。
Bloom: 天啊。等一下，你是认真的吗？
Giraud: 我没在开玩笑。
Bloom: 老天，这太疯狂了。
Ellie陷入疯狂几分钟，毕竟不是每个人都会发现小时候的玩伴拯救了银河系。
Bloom: 喔天啊，我现在一定要跟Katrina讲了，她一定会兴奋到疯掉。
好吧，也许Ellie对我不会有太大的帮助。我想要多一点年轻勇士的故事。这是Deon
的访问。
Govender: ……我讲过拳击的故事了吗？
Giraud: 没有，是什么故事？
Govender: 好好好。我在国小教书嘛，但我也在中学带拳击社。我们在练习的第二周，
John来了，记住当时他才12岁。我说：“怎么啦，John？”他说：“我想要加入拳击社。”
我就说：“John，你才12岁，你真的知道你在干嘛吗？”
Giraud: 但他很坚定。
Govender: 我看他不想走的样子，所以我说好吧，就给他学一课。我安排他跟一个个子
比较小的对打，John把他打倒了，过程不到15秒。所以我就让他和一个壮汉打，很会打
的一个。结果两拳John就打他打倒了，John才12岁！
我喜欢跟Deon讲话，他亲切又幽默，还有他给人那种祖父的感觉。我都没发现我听
得忘我，直到故事来到了一个黑暗的转捩点。
Govender: 但是有一个礼拜，John就没出现了。