A TASTE OF XENOS—AR Yemruk

“畏惧外星生物.厌恶外星生物.杀死外星生物.吃掉外星生物.”

—主厨巴西利厄斯三世

我敢打赌，他们一定会将过错都怪到我的头上，但我拒绝为这场可怕的事故负责。如果最坏的结果还是发生了，即我不能再活着为自己辩护了，那就让这封信来解释一切吧.

“它必须精致到极点.富有异域风情.甚至还带点危险刺激的感觉.它必须是令人愉悦和着迷的.它必须是完美无缺的”.这就是船长对我提出的要求。帝皇保佑，我，区区一个仆人，只能听令行事.

我和我的副厨师长，利维亚，决定下到货舱里去，希望能在厄琉西斯号拖网渔船打捞上来的无尽渔获寻找到沧海遗珠.我们把抹布捂在脸上，用来抵御腥臭，在由令人窒息的鱼类、甲壳类和头足类动物翻腾起的浪潮中涉水穿行.我们把上等的叶鳍、鳐鱼和鱿鱼分开，其中任何一种单独拎出来都可以做成一道美餐，但是没有一道能符合船长的要求.这是一项令人恶心的工作.利维亚提议找几个一线厨师代替我去寻找合适的食材，但我可不会冒在值班期间犯任何错误的风险.不,当船长将我提拔到新的岗位上时，我就发誓不会重蹈我前任的覆辙，站在蛋白质处理器的内部擦拭沉淀物.我发誓绝不犯错，亦绝不做个平庸的厨师长.但随着搜寻的继续，我开始担心，我们前方的道路只有平庸一途.

然后它出现了.是利维亚发现的它,身体半埋在水中，只露出个屁股.虽然花了不少功夫，但我们还是成功的把它从湿滑的污秽中拔了出来.我以前从未见过这种生物.形似蛆虫，足有一个成人那么长，红润的甲壳上面还覆盖着蓝色的骨甲,6条带爪的细腿，还有它的嘴，足足占据了身体的三分之一，里面长满了锋利的牙齿.它血红色的双眼中，仿佛寄宿了某种东西.即使已经死了，它的凝视依旧使我恐惧得浑身颤抖.凭借我所学到的知识和人生阅历，我希望能听从自己的直觉，把这个生物留在发现它的地方，但利维亚提醒了我，我们还有命令在身.在满船的渔获中除了此物，再没有别的东西可以满足船长的愿望了.

利维亚是对的.

回到厨房，铃声响起，标志着晚宴正式开始.一队男仆将盛在银盘中的开胃菜送到大厅，送给船长，他的军官们，以及来自内务部的访问代表团.当他们在楼上被激起食欲时，我正在斟酌该如何最好的料理这个外星生物，最终还是利维亚说服了我，就用处理传统泰拉龙虾的方式来烹饪并上桌它—最简单的方法.用盐海水煮，佐以黄油即可.它的壳在煮的过程中从棕色变成了深红色。煮熟后，两个厨师将它从桶中取出，并放在台面上.他们刮掉了甲壳并去皮，然后将背部撕开，露出里面嫩滑的白肉.我表扬了我的手下们，并向他们保证，船长会以他们出色的工作为荣，然后命令男仆将它送去楼上的大厅.但晚宴尚未结束，可没有时间留给我们休息，我们还有道甜点需要准备.

30分钟后，当蛋糕刚从烤箱中拿来，酱汁浇在千层酥上时，外面的走廊上突然传出一声巨响.厨房里顿时陷入一片寂静。当我进入走廊时，一个托盘还在甲板上摇晃着。破碎的餐具撒的到处都是.一个男仆倚靠着舱壁，脖子上有个大洞，鲜血正从中喷涌而出。还未等我走到他的身边，我就听到了一声可怕的尖叫，透过舱口，从上一层的甲板传来.我被吓呆了.我听到了步枪射出激光的声音.窗玻璃随即应声而碎.警报声开始响起，应急的红灯不停的闪烁，传来了更多步枪发射激光的声音.利维亚冲出了厨房，大声喊叫着什么.她的目光越过了我，望向舱口方向，双眸睁得滚圆.随着她的目光我转过身体。恐慌顿时席卷了我的全身，我的视野开始变得狭窄，我耳朵里的血流声震耳欲聋，完全盖过了其他一切的声音。远处有一道人影站在走廊尽头的舱口前，虽然只能看出一道剪影，但毫无疑问，它穿着一套军官的制服.闪烁的应急灯映照在它的脸上，但那已经谈不上是一张人脸了，更像是一团融化的血肉，咬牙切齿，双目赤红。在那道人影身后，逐渐出现了更多的人影.他们开始朝着我们奔了过来.

我吓得掉头就跑.

冷冻库就在正前方。我冲到冷库前，猛地拉开门，旋即又转身关上，在大门关闭前，我看见利维亚正踉踉跄跄朝着我奔来.但怪物们就紧跟在她的身后.我却什么也做不了.在她绝望的注视下，我砰的一声，用力关上了冷库的门，几乎是同一时刻，怪物的身躯便撞在了门上.门的另一边，尖叫声，敲击声，不绝于耳.怪物们试图破门而入，幸好这扇门是由厚重的钢铁制成，我随即又破坏了闩锁控制装置.最终它们放弃了，不再想方设法试图闯进冰库，但我现在也被困在了里面.我听到外面传来了更多的激光枪声，我也尝试过大声呼救，但并没有人来救我.

冷库里实在太冷了，我几乎感觉不到我的手指在写字了，而且制冷系统也无法从内部关闭.尽管恐惧和肾上腺素尚且不断的在我体内流淌，但我仍随时都有失去意识的可能.在此之前，我必须重申我的清白。我之所以烹饪那个外星生物，完全是听命于船长的奇想和要求.但现在，当我写下这封信时，我对整件事情的脉络又有了全新的，清晰的思路。毕竟，是利维亚发现的这只野兽，是她不顾我的疑虑和担忧坚持要使用它做食材，是她用扫描仪给它做的检查，清洗并且建议我们应该采取何种的方法去烹调它.难道这一切只是出于她的愚昧无知吗？是一个普通的错误？还是出于某种更邪恶的目的？我现在能做的也只有猜测罢了.

愿帝皇保佑，能引导人们发现这一封信，让世人知晓这场惨案的真相.

渣翻，不保证准确率，各位看官随意。

‘Fear the alien. Hate the alien. Kill the alien. Eat the alien.’

– Chef Basilious III

“畏惧外星生物.厌恶外星生物.杀死外星生物.吃掉外星生物.”

—主厨巴西利厄斯三世

They’ll hang this on me, I guarantee it, but I refuse to be held responsible.

我敢打包票，他们一定会将过错都扣到我的头上，但我拒绝为这场灾难负责。

If the worst should come to pass and I’m no longer alive to plead my case, then let this letter speak for me.

如果最坏的结果还是发生了，我不能再活着为自己辩护了，那就让这封信来解释一切吧.

‘It must be exquisite beyond compare.Exotic. Dangerous even.It must delight and enthral. It must be perfect.’ 

它必须精致的无与伦比.有异域风情.甚至还带点危险的感觉.它必须是令人愉悦和着迷的.它必须是完美的.

Those were the captain’s orders, and Emperor save me, I, a mere servant, obeyed.

这是船长的命令，帝皇保佑，而我，区区一个仆人，只能听令行事.

My sous-chef, Livia, and I descended into the hold to scour the endless chaff deposited by the Eleusian trawlers. 

我和我的副厨师长，利维亚，决定下到货舱里去，在厄琉西斯拖网渔船打捞上来的无尽渔获寻找沧海遗珠.

We held rags to our faces to fend off the stench and waded through the writhing tide of choking fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods. 

我们把抹布捂在脸上，用来抵御腥臭，在由令人窒息的鱼类、甲壳类和头足类动物翻腾的浪潮中涉水穿行.

We separated the choicest lobefins, rays, and squid, any of which would have made for a fine repast, but none of them fit the captain’s bill. 

我们把上等的叶鳍、鳐鱼和鱿鱼分开，任何一种单独拎出来都可以做成一道美餐，但是没有一道能符合船长的要求.

It was revolting work. Livia had offered to go in my stead with a few of the line cooks, but I would not risk any blunders on my watch. 

这是一项令人恶心的工作.利维亚提议找几个一线厨师代替我去寻找合适的食材，但我不会冒在值班期间犯任何错误的风险.

No, when the captain raised me to my new station, I vowed not to wind up like my predecessor, scrubbing sludge from inside the protein processors. 

不,当船长将我提拔到新的岗位上时，我就发誓不会重蹈我前任的覆辙，站在蛋白质处理器内擦拭沉淀物.

I vowed to leave no margin for error, no margin for mediocrity. 

我发誓绝不犯错，绝不做平庸之辈.

But as the hunt continued, I began to worry that mediocrity may be our only path forward.

但随着搜寻的继续，我开始担心，我们前方的道路只有平庸一途.

Then there it was. Livia found it, half buried, only its tail visible. 

然后它出现了.利维亚发现了它,半埋在水里，只露出个屁股.

It took some doing, but we managed to free it from the slippery dreck. 

虽然花了不少功夫，但我们还是成功的把它从湿滑的污秽中拔了出来.

I’d never seen anything like it before. 

我以前从未见过这种生物.

Maggot-like, but long as a man, clad in bony armour over a ruddy carapace, with half a dozen clawed legs, and its mouth, nearly a third the size of its body, crowded with razor-edged teeth.

形似蛆虫，足有一个成人那么长，红润的甲壳上面还覆盖着蓝色的骨甲,6条带爪的腿，还有它的嘴，足足占据了身体的三分之一，里面长满了锋利的牙齿.

It was something in its blood-red eyes, though… Even dead, its gaze made me quake with fear. 

它血红色的双眼中，仿佛寄宿了某种东西.即使已经死了，它的凝视依旧使我恐惧得颤抖.

With the knowledge I have now, I wish I’d listened to my gut, I should have left the creature where we found it, but Livia reminded me of our writ. 

以我现在所掌握的知识，我希望能听从自己的直觉，把这个生物留在发现它的地方，但利维亚提醒了我，我们还有命令在身.

Nothing else in the haul would sate the captain’s desire. 

在满船的渔获中除了此物，再没有别的东西可以满足船长的愿望了.

She was right.

利维亚是对的.

Back in the kitchens, a bell tolled, signalling dinner service had begun.

回到厨房，铃声响起，标志着晚宴正式开始.

An army of footmen carried hors d’oeuvres on silver trays up to the great hall, to the captain, his officers, and the visiting delegation from the Adeptus Administratum. 

一队男仆将盛在银盘中的开胃菜送到大厅，送给船长，他的军官们，以及来自内务部的访问代表团.

While they whet their appetites above, I considered how best to prepare the creature, but it was Livia who convinced me to cook and serve it as one traditionally would a Terran lobster—simply. Poach it in sea brine and serve with butter. 

当他们在楼上被激起食欲时，我正在斟酌该如何最好的料理这个外星生物，最终利维亚说服我，就用处理传统的泰拉龙虾的方式烹饪并上桌—简单.用盐海水煮，佐以黄油.

Its shell turned from brown to crimson as it boiled. 

它的壳在煮的过程中从棕色变成了深红色。

When it was finished, a pair of cooks lifted it from the vat and laid it on the countertop. 

煮熟后，两个厨师将它从桶中取出，并放在台面上.

They peeled and scraped away the armour, then split the back open to reveal the tender, white meat inside.

他们去皮并刮掉了甲壳，然后将背部撕开，露出里面嫩滑的白肉.

I commended my staff, assured them of the captain’s pride in their work, and ordered the footmen to deliver it to the hall above.

我表扬了我的手下们，并向他们保证，船长会以他们出色的工作为荣，然后命令男仆将它送去楼上的大厅.

But there was no reprieve during dinner service, and we still had dessert to prepare. 

但晚宴期间可没有时间留给我们休息，我们还有道甜点需要准备.

Thirty minutes later, as cakes were being removed from the oven and sauces drizzled over flaky pastries, there was a sudden crash from the corridor outside. 

30分钟后，当蛋糕刚从烤箱中拿来，酱汁浇在千层酥上时，外面的走廊上突然传出一声巨响.

Silence fell over the kitchen. 

厨房里一片寂静。

A serving tray was still wobbling on the deck when I emerged into the corridor.

当我进入走廊时，一个托盘还在甲板上摇晃着。

Broken dishware strewn everywhere. 

破碎的餐具撒的到处都是.

One of the footmen lay against the bulkhead, a hole in his neck, gushing blood.

一个男仆倚靠着舱壁，脖子上有个洞，鲜血正喷涌而出。

Before I even reached his side, I heard it—a terrified scream from the hatchway, from the deck above.

还未等我走到他的身边，我就听到了一声可怕的尖叫，透过舱口，从上一层甲板传来.

I froze. A lasgun cracked. Glass shattered. Alarms sounded, emergency lights flashed, more lasguns joined the first.

我被吓呆了.步枪射出一道激光.玻璃应声而碎.警报声响起，应急灯闪烁，更多的激光射来.

Livia burst out of the kitchen, yelling something.

利维亚冲出厨房，大声喊叫着什么.

She looked past me, her eyes wide.

她的目光越过了我，睁得滚圆.

I turned. Panic washed over me, my vision tunnelled, and the deafening sound of my own blood pumping in my ears drowned out everything else completely.

我转过身来。恐慌席卷了我的全身，我的视野变得狭窄，我耳朵里的血流声震耳欲聋，完全盖过了其他一切得声音。

A figure stood in the hatchway at the end of the corridor, silhouetted, but there was no doubt that it wore an officer’s uniform. 

远处有一道人影站在走廊尽头的舱口前，只能看出一道剪影，但毫无疑问，它穿着一套军官的制服.

The strobing emergency lights flashed over its face, only it was hardly a face at all, but a mass of melted flesh, gnashing teeth, and eyes—blood-red. 

闪烁的应急灯映照在它的脸上，但那根本算不上是一张脸，而是一团融化的血肉，咬牙切齿，双目赤红。

More figures appeared behind the first. Then they charged towards us. 

那道人影之后，出现了更多的身影.然后他们朝我们冲了过来.

I ran. 

我转身便跑.

The walk-in freezer was dead ahead. 

冷冻库就在正前方。

I made for it, tore the door open, turned to shut it, saw Livia sprinting towards me.

我冲到冷库前，猛地拉开门，旋即又转身关上，在大门关闭前，我看见利维亚正朝我奔来.

The things were right behind her. There was nothing I could do.

怪物们就在她的身后.我却什么也做不了.

The look in her eyes… 

她的眼神...

I slammed the door shut, and they crashed into it. 

我砰的关上门，随后怪物们便撞在了门上.

The screams and hammering against the other side… 

门的另一边，尖叫声，敲击声，不绝于耳.

The things tried to break through, but the door was plated steel, and I destroyed the latch control. 

怪物们试图破门而入，好在这扇门是由厚重的钢材制成，我随即破坏了闩锁控制装置.

Eventually they abandoned the effort to get in, but now I’m trapped.

最终他们不再努力试图闯进冰库，但我现在也被困在了里面.

I heard more lasguns, and I cried for help, but none came.

我听到外面传来更多的激光枪声，我尝试着大声呼救，但没有人来救我.

It’s so cold in here. I can hardly feel my fingers to write any more, and the refrigeration system can’t be disabled from inside. 

这里太冷了.我几乎感觉不到我的手指在写字了，而且制冷系统也无法从内部关闭.

Despite the constant fear and adrenaline coursing through me, unconsciousness threatens to overtake me. 

尽管恐惧和肾上腺素不断在我体内流淌，但我仍随时都可能失去意识.

Before it does, I must restate my innocence. 

在此之前，我必须重申我的清白。

I was at the whim of the captain and his demands. 

我之所以烹饪外星生物，完全是听命于船长的奇想和要求.

But now, as I write this, I see the events with newfound clarity.

但现在，当我写这封信时，我对整件事件有了新的清晰思路。

After all, it was Livia who found the beast, Livia who pressed for it despite my apprehension and misgivings, Livia who ran it through the scanners, cleaned it, and suggested the method by which we ought to cook it.

毕竟，是利维亚发现的这只野兽，是她不顾我的疑虑和担忧坚持要用它做食材，是她用扫描仪给它做的检查，清洗并且建议我们应该采取何种的方法去烹调它.

Was this all ignorance on her part? A simple mistake? Or something more sinister?

难道这一切只是出于她的愚昧无知吗？是一个普通的错误？还是出于更邪恶的目的？

I can only speculate. 

我也只能猜测.

Emperor protect me and guide any who read this, so that they might see the truth.

帝皇保佑，引导有人能看到这封信，让世人知晓这场惨案的真相.