經典科幻文學:《 基本上無害 Mostly Harmless》 第5章7
'OK,' said Tricia. 'Right. What is the problem that your leader says you have?'
“好吧。”崔茜卡說，“行，你們的領袖說你們遇上了問題，是什麼問題？”
'Triangulation.'
“三角測量。”
'I beg your pardon?'
“抱歉，什麼？”
'Astrology is a very precise science. We know this.'
“占星術是一門非常精確的科學，這我們知道。”
'Well…' said Tricia, then left it at that.
“唔……”崔茜卡沒往下說。
'But it is precise for you here on Earth.'
“但它的精確是針對你們地球的。”
'Ye… e… s…' She had a horrible feeling she was getting a vague glimmering of something.
“沒……沒……沒錯”她有種可怕的感覺，覺得自己好像瞥見了一丁點兒真相的影子。
'So when Venus is rising in Capricorn, for instance, that is from Earth. How does that work if we are out on Rupert? What if the Earth is rising in Capricorn? It is hard for us to know. Amongst the things we have forgotten, which we think are many and profound, is trigonometry.'
“所以，比方說，當提到金星在摩羯座升起的時候，那是從地球的角度說的。那如果我們是在魯伯特又怎麼樣？當地球在摩羯座升起的時候又怎麼樣？這我們實在很難知道。在我們忘記的事情裏頭——我們認爲那些事情不僅數量巨大，而且非常深刻——就包括了三角函數。”
'Let me get this straight,' said Tricia. 'You want me to come with you to… Rupert…'
“看我是不是理解對了。”崔茜卡道，“你們想讓我跟你們去……魯伯特……”
'Yes.'
“是的。”
'To recalculate your horoscopes for you to take account of the relative positions of Earth and Rupert?'
“幫你們重新計算你們的天宮圖，好把地球和魯伯特的相對位置也算進去？”
'Yes.'
“是的。”
'Do I get an exclusive?'
“能讓我做個獨家報道嗎？”
'Yes.'
“能。”
'I'm your girl,' said Tricia, thinking that at the very least she could sell it to the National Enquirer.
“就這麼定了。”崔茜卡道，她很有信心，最少最少這也能賣給美國的八卦雜誌。
As she boarded the craft that would take her off to the furthest limits of the Solar System, the first thing that met her eyes was a bank of video monitors across which thousands of images were sweeping. A fourth alien was sitting watching them, but was focused on one particular screen that held a steady image. It was a replay of the impromptu interview which Tricia had just conducted with his three colleagues. He looked up when he saw her apprehensively climbing in.
她登上將把自己載往太陽系盡頭的飛船，首先映入眼簾的是一大堆監視器，上頭閃爍着上千幅圖像。第四個外星人坐在飛船上望着他們，只不過他看的是一臺畫面平穩的監視器——上頭正回放崔茜卡剛纔的即興採訪。見她憂心忡忡地爬進飛船，外星人擡起頭來。
'Good evening, Ms. McMillan,' he said. 'Nice camera work.'
“晚上好，麥克米倫女士。”他說，“攝影機玩得真好。”
