# ■ 1 AOL

Five hundred kilometres over Europe，Ship OM-45 moved north．In a room at the back of the ship，Kiah watched the numbers on the computer in front of him．

‘Time for dinner，’Rilla said．

The numbers changed quickly and Kiah's eyes didn't move．Rilla went across the room to his table．She began to watch the numbers，too．

‘What's wrong with the satellite？’she asked．She was a beautiful girl，about twenty years old，with long black hair and big eyes．

‘Nothing's wrong with the satellite，’Kiah answered quietly．‘It's the AOL．’He began to write the numbers in the book on his table．

Suddenly，the numbers stopped changing．Kiah looked at Rilla．‘Over Europe，’he said．‘It's happening．The AOL is breaking up．There are big holes in the AOL and they're getting bigger．’

‘You're right！Shall we see Captain Seru now，before dinner？’

Kiah stood up．He was nearly two metres tall，with dark eyes and hair．‘Yes，come on，’he said．

Quickly，they went to Captain Seru's room．They waited at the door．

‘Come in！’captain Seru called．She was a little woman with a fat face．‘Come in！Would you like a drink？’

‘No，thank you，’Kiah answered．‘I'd like you to look at these numbers．’Kiah gave Captain Seru his book．

Captain Seru looked at the numbers．Suddenly，her face changed．‘No，no， ’she said．‘I don't want to talk．It's late and I'm tired．Sit down and have a drink．’

Kiah and Rilla sat down．There was a big window in Captain Seru's room．Kiah looked out of the window at the dark sky．He saw the Moon．It was cold and white in the dark sky．

‘Captain Seru，’he began．‘It's important．Look at those numbers carefully．The AOL is beginning to—’

‘Stop！’captain Seru stood up and put her hands in her pockets．She went to the window and looked at the sky．

‘Three hundred years ago，Earth nearly died，’Rilla said．‘Earth stopped dying because of the AOL．But now，over Europe，the AOL is breaking up．We would like you to talk to Earth Commander．’

Captain Seru did not move．‘Do you remember Adai？’she asked．She didn't wait for an answer．‘I was on his ship，two years ago．One evening，the satellite gave us interesting numbers about the AOL．We went back to Earth and saw Earth Commander．’captain Seru stopped speaking．

Rilla looked at Kiah．‘And then？’she asked Captain Seru．

‘Gog was angry，very angry，’captain Seru said．‘In the end，he sent Adai to the Moon． Adai's there now，Commander of the Moon colony，under the Moon．’

Kiah waited for a second or two．‘I know about Adai． But we need to talk to Earth Commander again．These numbers are worse．’

Captain Seru's face went red．‘You don't understand．I'm not going to talk to Gog．Last time，he sent me to a weather ship in the Antarctic！This is my first Ship for two years！’And Captain Seru began drinking．

Kiah stood up．‘Thank you，Captain Seru．’

Captain Seru said nothing．

Kiah and Rilla left the room，and walked slowly downstairs．The Ship was dark and quiet．It was eight o'clock and every-body was at dinner．

‘What are we going to do next？’Rilla asked．

‘I need to talk to Adai，’Kiah said．

‘OK，talk to Adai．But he's far away on the Moon colony，’Rilla said．‘Let's visit Commander Zadak．’

‘Zadak？Commander of Australia？ He's famous！’

‘Yes．He's my father's friend．He worked with my father in Brazil ten years ago．Perhaps he can help us．’

Kiah smiled．‘Good！We return to Earth next week．I can phone Adai from Kisangani and then we can go to Australia． But now，I'm hungry！Let's get some dinner．’

■ 1 人工臭氧層

OM-45號宇宙飛船在歐洲上空500公里的高度向北飛行。飛船尾部的一個房間裡，凱注視著面前計算機屏幕上的數字。

“該吃飯了。”瑞拉叫他。

那些數字飛快地變換著，凱眼都不眨一下。瑞拉穿過房間走到他的桌旁。她也開始觀察那些數字。

“衛星怎麼了？”她問。她是個美麗的女孩，大約二十歲，黑黑的長髮，大大的眼睛。

“衛星沒問題，”凱平靜地回答，“是人工臭氧層。”他伏在桌上，開始往一個本子上記錄那些數字。

突然，那些數字停止了變換。凱轉向瑞拉。“在歐洲上空，”他說，“已經開始了。人工臭氧層正在破裂。那上面本來就有大洞了，現在那些洞還在增大。”

“說得對，咱們現在去見塞魯船長吧，待會兒再吃飯好嗎？”

凱站起身。他身高几乎有兩米，眼睛和頭髮都是黑色的。“好，走吧。”他說。

他們迅速朝塞魯船長的房間走去。他們等在船長的門外。

“進來！”塞魯船長喊道。她是個胖臉的小個子女人。“進來！喝點什麼嗎？”

“不用，謝謝，”凱說，“我想請您看看這些數字。”凱把自己的筆記本遞給塞魯船長。

塞魯船長看了看那些數字。突然，她的臉色變了。“不，不，”她說，“我不想談。時候不早了，我也累了。坐下喝點什麼吧。”

凱和瑞拉坐了下來。塞魯船長的房間裡有一扇大窗子。凱透過玻璃凝望黑色的天空。他看見了月亮。在黑色的天幕下月亮顯得冰冷皎潔。

“塞魯船長，”他開口了，“這事很重要。仔細看看那些數字。人工臭氧層已經開始……”

“別說了。”塞魯船長站起身把雙手插進衣兜。她走到窗前注視著天空。

“300年前，地球幾乎毀滅，”瑞拉說，“因為有人工臭氧層地球才免於災難。但是現在，在歐洲上空，人工臭氧層正在破裂。我們希望您能和地球司令高格談一談。”

塞魯船長沒有動。“你還記得阿岱嗎？”她問。不等回答，她接著說：“兩年前我在他的船上。一天晚上衛星發回了關於人工臭氧層的一些不尋常的數據。我們回到地球去見地球司令。”塞魯船長停了下來。

瑞拉看了一眼凱。“然後呢？”她問船長。

“高格生氣了，特別生氣，”塞魯船長說，“最後，他把阿岱分配到了月球。阿岱現在還在那兒，在月亮下面作月亮部族的司令。”

凱等了一兩秒鐘：“我知道阿岱的事。但是我們需要再和地球司令談談。這些數據比上次的還要糟。”

塞魯船長的臉漲紅了：“你不明白。我不會去跟高格說的。上次他把我發配到了南極的一艘氣象飛船上。我第一次在飛船上呆了兩年。”塞魯船長喝了一口水。

凱站起身：“謝謝您，塞魯船長。”

塞魯船長沒說話。

凱和瑞拉出了門，腳步遲緩地下樓去了。飛船裡寂靜漆黑。8點鐘了，大家都在吃飯。

“下一步咱們怎們辦？”瑞拉問。

“我得跟阿岱談談。”凱說。

“好，跟阿岱談談。可是他現在在遙遠的月亮部族，”瑞拉說，“咱們還是去見扎達克司令吧。”

“扎達克？澳大利亞司令？他很有名氣呢！”

“是的，他是我父親的朋友。10年前他和我父親一起在巴西工作。也許他能幫忙。”

凱笑了，“好，咱們下週回地球后。我可以在基桑加尼給阿岱打個電話，然後咱們就去澳大利亞。現在嘛，我可餓了。咱們吃飯去吧。”