资源描述:
《Arthur C. Clarke - 3001 - The Final Odissey》由会员上传分享,免费在线阅读,更多相关内容在学术论文-天天文库。
1、3001ThefinalOdysseyArthurC.ClarkeForCherene,TamaraandMelinda-mayyoubehappyinafarbettercenturythanminePROLOGUETheFirstbornCallthemtheFirstborn.Thoughtheywerenotremotelyhuman,theywerefleshandblood,andwhentheylookedoutacrossthedeepsofspace,theyfeltawe,andwonder-andloneliness.Assoonasthey
2、possessedthepower,theybegantoseekforfellowshipamongthestars.Intheirexplorations,theyencounteredlifeinmanyforms,andwatchedtheworkingsofevolutiononathousandworlds.TheysawhowoftenthefirstfaintsparksofintelligenceflickeredanddiedinthecosmicPage1night.Andbecause,inalltheGalaxy,theyhadfound
3、nothingmorepreciousthanMind,theyencourageditsdawningeverywhere.Theybecamefarmersinthefieldsofstars;theysowed,andsometimestheyreaped.Andsometimes,dispassionately,theyhadtoweed.Thegreatdinosaurshadlongsincepassedaway,theirmorningpromiseannihilatedbyarandomhammerblowfromspace,whenthesurv
4、eyshipenteredtheSolarSystemafteravoyagethathadalreadylastedathousandyears.Itsweptpastthefrozenouterplanets,pausedbrieflyabovethedesertsofdyingMars,andpresentlylookeddownonEarth.Spreadoutbeneaththem,theexplorerssawaworldswarmingwithlife.Foryearstheystudied,collected,catalogued.Whenthey
5、hadlearnedallthattheycould,theybegantomodify.Theytinkeredwiththedestinyofmanyspecies,onlandandintheseas.Butwhichoftheirexperimentswouldbearfruit,theycouldnotknowforatleastamillionyears.Theywerepatient,buttheywerenotyetimmortal.Therewassomuchtodointhisuniverseofahundredbillionsuns,ando
6、therworldswerecalling.Sotheysetoutoncemoreintotheabyss,knowingthattheywouldnevercomethiswayagain.Norwasthereanyneed:theservantstheyhadleftbehindwoulddotherest.OnEarth,theglacierscameandwent,whileabovethemthechangelessMoonstillcarrieditssecretfromthestars.Withayetslowerrhythmthanthepol
7、arice,thetidesofcivilizationebbedandflowedacrosstheGalaxy.Strangeandbeautifulandterribleempiresroseandfell,andpassedontheirknowledgetotheirsuccessors.Andnow,outamongthestars,evolutionwasdrivingtowardsnewgoals.ThefirstexplorersofEarthhadlongsincecometothelimitsoffleshandblood;assoonast
8、heirm