商业托福阅读：星球大战第二章(3)

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　　The Commander pursed his lips, shook his head slightly, perhaps a bit sympathetically, as he considered the woman. "She’ll die before she gives you any information." Vader’s reply was chilling in its indifference. "Leave that to me." He considered a moment, then went on. "Send out a wide-band distress signal.
  D8 U) h0 N" W' e　　Indicate that the Senator’s ship encountered an unexpected meteorite cluster it could not avoid. Readings indicate that the shift shields were overridden and the ship was hulled to the point of vacating ninety-five percent of its atmosphere. Inform her father and the Senate that all aboard were killed." A cluster of tired-looking troops marched purposefully up to their Commander and the Dark Lord. Vader eyed them expectantly.
( c( O3 j+ }" o5 J: u　　"The data tapes in question are not aboard the ship. There is no valuable information in the ship’s storage banks and no evidence of bank erasure," the officer in charge recited mechanically. "Nor were any transmissions directed outward from the ship from the time we made contact. A malfunctioning lifeboat pod was ejected during the fighting, but it was confirmed at the time that no life forms were on board." Vader appeared thoughtful. "It could have been a malfunctioning pod," he mused, "That might also have contained the tapes. Tapes are not life forms. In all probability any native finding them would be ignorant of their importance and would likely clear them for his own use. Still…" "Send down a detachment to retrieve them, or to make certain they are not in the pod," he finally ordered the Commander and attentive officer. "Be as subtle as possible; there is no need to attract attention, even on this miserable outpost world." As the officer and troops departed, Vader turned his gaze back to the Commander.
$ O. m! P) K/ i8 n! K# B* y+ z　　"Vaporize this fighter—we don’t want to leave anything. As for the pod, I cannot take the chance it was a simple malfunction. The data it might contain could prove too damaging. See to this personally, Commander. If those data tapes exist, they must be retrieved or destroyed at all costs." Then he added with satisfaction, "With that accomplished and the Senator in our hands, we will see the end of this absurd rebellion." "It shall be as you direct, Lord Vader," the Commander acknowledged. Both men entered the accessway to the cruiser.
　　"What a forsaken place this is!" Threepio turned cautiously to look back at where the pod lay half buried in sand.
5 `1 S% e, c. j  x　　His internal gyros were still unsteady from the rough landing. Landing! Mere application of the term unduly flattered his dull associate.
　　On the other hand, he supposed he ought to be grateful they had come down in one piece. Although, he mused as he studied the barren landscape, he still wasn’t sure they were better off here than they would have been had they remained on the captured cruiser. High sandstone mesas dominated the skyline to one side. Every other direction showed only endless series of marching dunes like long yellow teeth stretching for kilometer on kilometer into the distance. Sand ocean blended into sky- glare until it was impossible to distinguish where one ended and the other began.

, P3 A, ^% d% c　　A faint cloud of minute dust particles rose in their wake as the two robots marched away from the pod. That vehicle, its intended function fully discharged, was now quite useless. Neither robot had been designed for pedal locomotion on this kind of terrain, so they had to fight their way across the unstable surface.
　　"We seem to have been made to suffer," Threepio moaned in self-pity. "It’s a rotten existence." Something squeaked in his right leg and he winced. "I’ve got to rest before I fall apart. My internals still haven’t recovered from that headlong crash you called a landing." He paused, but Artoo Detoo did not. The little automation had performed a sharp turn and was now ambling slowly but steadily in the direction of the nearest outjut of mesa.
　　"Hey," Threepio yelled. Artoo ignored the call and continued striding.

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　　"Where do you think you are going?" Now Artoo paused, emitting a stream of electronic explanation as Threepio exhaustedly walked over to join him.
8 }. i3 H* s' A5 U. A# _　　"Well, I’m not going that way," Threepio declared when Artoo had concluded his explanation. "It’s too rocky." He gestured in the direction they had been walking, at an angle away from the cliffs. "This way is much easier." A metal hand waved disparagingly at the high mesas. "What makes you think there are settlements that way, anyhow?" A long whistle issued from the depths of Artoo.
　　"Don’t get technical with me," Threepio warned. "I’ve had just about enough of your decisions." Artoo beeped once.
　　"All right, go your way," Threepio announced grandly. "You’ll be sandlogged within a day, you nearsighted scrap pile." He gave the Artoo unit a contemptuous shove, sending the smaller robot tumbling down a slight dune. As it struggled at the bottom to regain its feet, Threepio started off toward the blurred, glaring horizon, glancing back over his shoulder. "Don’t let me catch you following me, begging for help," he warned, "because you won’t get it." Below the crest of the dune, the Artoo unit righted itself. It paused briefly to clean its single electronic eye with an auxiliary arm. Then it produced an electronic squeal, which was almost, though not quite, a human expression of rage. Humming quietly to itself then, it turned and trudged off toward the sandstone ridges as if nothing had happened.</p>