— Page Break — CHAPTER FIVE Over the next cycles, Orion Pax kept up his corre spondence with Megatron. These conversations honed Orion Pa x’s own sense of what he beli eved regarding castes, individuality, and free will. According to Megatron, their dialogue was al s o refining his ideas. “You force me to think clearly, librarian,” Megatron said via videolink several cycles after their first inte raction. “A leader needs this.” Orion Pax thought that some of Megatron’s ideas were still unclear. What exactly, he asked, did Megatron intend to do? Were they going to take their grieva n c e s t o t h e H i g h C o u n c i l ? W h a t s o r t o f p l a n w a s contemplated? “I have other associates considering these questions , too,” Megatron said, an d he would say no more. This made Orion Pax nervous—for good reason, according to Jazz. “You n e e d t o b e v e r y s u r e t h a t y o u know what you’re getting into here,” his friend said. “I ’ll stand by and watch, whatever happens; but you could be letting yourself in for serious conseq uences. Right now you’re just talking; the minute you do more than that, there are laws involved. Are you prepared t o break laws?” Because Orion Pax didn’t have a g ood answer for this question, he a sked it of Megatron. “Who makes the laws?” was Megatron’s answer. “Did anyone consult you? Di d anyone consult me?” Orion Pax had no answer for that, either. “Listen, my friend,” Jazz said. “What would happen if anytime on e of us felt left out of the law-making pr o ce s s, he started a revolution? Can you imag ine what this place would look like?” “No,” Orion Pax said. “We’re a long way from that. We ’ve got the opposit e, don’t you see? Nobody ever says anything. Who decided that we should be in castes? What do our leaders say about it now?” Nothing, was the answer to that. Sentinel Prime was not a visible leader; the High Council busied itself with the minutiae of governance and avoided the big questions. Acr oss Cybertron, argued Megatron—and Orion Pax had to agree—Cybertronians had grown lazy, satisfied w ith what was handed to them. “Is this the same race that built the Space Bridges?” Megatron asked rhetorically . “Are we still alight with the AllSpark? Then why do we let others speak for us, act for us, decide what we will and will not do?” There was something different about him. Orion Pax could see it as well as any other sentient being who spent time in contact with Megatron. He was difficult to ignore, and when he spoke of in dividual freedom it was easy to think—no matter how many Cybertronians might be in his audience—that he was talking directly to you. Still, Orion Pax had never met him in person. He wasn’t sure the risk was worth it. In truth, he wasn’t sure what the risks were. Megatron began to encourage him. “If you would unders tand Cybertron, librarian, you must see Kaon,” he said. “Maybe if you saw Iacon, you wo uld understand Cybertron better yo urself,” countered Orion Pax. “Oh, I will see Iacon. Have no fear of that,” Megatr on said. Something about the tone of his voice made Orion P ax want to change the subject. The last thing he 16 — Page Break — wanted to do was provoke a fight with Megatron when he was just beginning to understand what Megatron’s ideas meant… and what he, Orion Pax, had to contribute to the discussion. He believ ed some things in common with the hard-bitten survivor of Kaon’s pits, but in ot her ways he felt that despite their commonalities, there were fundamental differ ences in the way t hey approached the qu estion of freedom an d will. “Why Megatronus?” he asked. He ha d heard Megat ron answer the questi on before, in slightly different ways. H e moved along, refined his ideas and rhetoric. Orion Pax re alized he was witnessing the growth and rise of a genuinely important leader… but of what? And where would he lead? “I assume the name of one of the Thirteen because— alth ough only one of them ever called himself th e Fallen—they all fell away from their original mission. They all failed their future, wh ich is our present. I took that name because the principles I believe in have fallen. Freedom has no caste, so ther e is no place for it in Cybertron today. History makes some bo ts villains for doing what they thought was right; if that happens to me as wel l, so b e it. I can onl y do what is the right thing to do.” Megatron cycl ed through his alt-form weapons as he spoke. At the periphery of the screen Orion Pax could see some of Megatron’s inner circle. He only knew two of them, Soundwave and Shockwave. Soundwave c arried Mi nicons, which made Orion Pax nervous. Minicons made him think of surveillance and treachery. Shockwave was cold and formal, a dedicated scientist out of place among the bulk of Megatron’s followers. It seemed, to judge from the single exampl e of Shockw ave, that Megatron was beginning to realize his goal of bringing different castes together. Scientists and st eelworkers—let alone gla diators—seldom mixed unless one was giving the other orders, and that relationship, Orion Pax could see, was reversed here. Megatron was clearly in charge. “In the pits of Kaon there is no second-guessing,” he continued. “ There are no shades of gray, no fine distinctions. You find those in the Ha ll of Records, perhaps, but not here. Down here you make a decision and commit to it with every atom… or else you die.” Orion Pax looked around. He was alone in his wing of the Hall of Records, and had done what he could to insulate this channel from the normal data-harvesting protocols that applie d to traffic into and out of the Hall. Still, he spoke quietly. “You re a lly think the Thirteen thought ab out their actions this way?” “It doesn’t matter to me,” Megatron said. “Megatronu s has been gone for a long time. I am here. You are here. What we do is not up to Megatronus, or to Liege Maximo, or a ny other myth. What we do is up to us.” “Who is us?” Orion Pax aske d a few solar cycles later. “Whoever wants to be,” Megatron said with a laug h. “When you’re taking on the world, you can’t be choosy about who wants to be on your side.” “So you have followers in Kaon,” Orion Pax said. “Where else?” “That’s the kind of question a spy would ask.” “I f you were worried about that, we woul d have stopped talking a long time ago.” “ P e r h a p s , p e r h a p s n o t . S o u n d w a v e s a y s I s h o u l d w o r r y t h a t y o u w i l l b e t r a y m e . ” M e g a t r o n l a u g h e d . “ I s a y back to him that if I thought you were going to betray me, I would meet yo u in the arena and settle things like warriors. Would you fight me in the ri ng for your principles, librarian? Can you tell your principles from mine?” “I think I can,” Orion Pax said. “And I would fight anyone for them.” As he said it, he realized it was true.
Over the next cycles, Orion Pax kept up his correspondence with Megatron.
These conversations honed Orion Pax’s own sense of what he believed regarding castes, individuality, and free will.
固定搭配:无
句子分析:复合句，“These conversations”是主语，“honed”是谓语，“Orion Pax’s own sense”是宾语，“of what he believed regarding castes, individuality, and free will”是后置定语修饰“sense”，其中“what he believed”是宾语从句作“of”的宾语，“regarding castes, individuality, and free will”是状语。
句子分析:并列句，“Sentinel Prime was not a visible leader”是第一个分句，“the High Council busied itself with the minutiae of governance and avoided the big questions”是第二个分句。
句子分析:复合句，“Across Cybertron”是状语，“argued Megatron”是插入语，“Cybertronians had grown lazy”是主句，“satisfied with what was handed to them”是伴随状语，其中“what was handed to them”是宾语从句作“with”的宾语。
句子分析:两个疑问句，“Are we still alight with the AllSpark?”是一般疑问句，“Then why do we let others speak for us, act for us, decide what we will and will not do?”是特殊疑问句，其中“what we will and will not do”是宾语从句作“decide”的宾语。
Orion Pax could see it as well as any other sentient being who spent time in contact with Megatron.
固定搭配:“as well as”意为“也，和……一样”；“spend time in doing sth.”意为“花费时间做某事”；“in contact with”意为“与……接触”。
句子分析:复合句，“Orion Pax”是主语，“could see”是谓语，“it”是宾语，“as well as any other sentient being”是比较状语，“who spent time in contact with Megatron”是定语从句修饰“sentient being”。
He was difficult to ignore, and when he spoke of individual freedom it was easy to think—no matter how many Cybertronians might be in his audience—that he was talking directly to you.
固定搭配:“speak of”意为“谈到，提及”；“no matter”意为“无论，不管”。
句子分析:并列复合句，“He was difficult to ignore”是第一个分句，“when he spoke of individual freedom it was easy to think…that he was talking directly to you”是第二个分句，其中“when he spoke of individual freedom”是时间状语从句，“it was easy to think…that he was talking directly to you”是主句，“no matter how many Cybertronians might be in his audience”是让步状语从句。
句子分析:主从复合句，“He wasn’t sure” 为主句，“the risk was worth it” 是宾语从句。
翻译:“他不确定这个风险是否值得。”
单词分析:
risk:名词，词源来自意大利语 “risco”，词义：风险；危险。
记忆方法:联想 “risk” 发音像 “锐斯克”，尖锐的危险 → 风险。
形近词:risque（有伤风化的）。
发音解析:
音节分解:ri + sk /rɪsk/，重音在第一音节
规则:ri → /rɪ/， “ri” 发短音 /rɪ/。
规则:sk → /sk/， “sk” 发 /sk/ 音。
In truth, he wasn’t sure what the risks were.
固定搭配:“in truth”，含义：“事实上；实际上”。
句子分析:主从复合句，“he wasn’t sure” 为主句，“what the risks were” 是宾语从句。
翻译:“事实上，他不确定有哪些风险。”
Megatron began to encourage him. “If you would understand Cybertron, librarian, you must see Kaon,” he said.
句子分析:包含直接引语的复合句，直接引语中 “If you would understand Cybertron” 是条件状语从句，“you must see Kaon” 是主句。
翻译:“威震天开始鼓励他。‘图书管理员，如果你想了解塞伯坦，你必须去看看卡隆。’他说。”
单词分析:
Megatron:名词，词源可能是创造的词汇，词义：威震天（变形金刚角色名）。
记忆方法:直接记忆这个角色名。
形近词:无。
发音解析:
音节分解:Me + ga + tron /ˈmeɡətrɒn/，重音在第一音节
规则:Me → /me/， “Me” 发 /me/ 音。
规则:ga → /ɡə/， “ga” 发 /ɡə/ 音。
规则:tron → /trɒn/， “tron” 发 /trɒn/ 音。
Cybertron:名词，词源可能是创造的词汇，词义：塞伯坦（变形金刚的母星）。
记忆方法:直接记忆这个星球名。
形近词:无。
发音解析:
音节分解:Cy + ber + tron /ˈsaɪbətrɒn/，重音在第一音节
规则:Cy → /saɪ/， “Cy” 发 /saɪ/ 音。
规则:ber → /bə/， “ber” 发 /bə/ 音。
规则:tron → /trɒn/， “tron” 发 /trɒn/ 音。
librarian:名词，词源来自 “library”（图书馆），词义：图书管理员。
记忆方法:“library”（图书馆）+“-ian”（表示人）→ 图书馆的人 → 图书管理员。
形近词:library（图书馆）。
发音解析:
音节分解:li + brar + ian /laɪˈbreəriən/，重音在第二音节
规则:li → /laɪ/， “li” 发 /laɪ/ 音。
规则:brar → /breə/， “brar” 发 /breə/ 音。
规则:ian → /iən/， “ian” 发 /iən/ 音。
Kaon:名词，词源可能是创造的词汇，词义：卡隆（地名）。
记忆方法:直接记忆这个地名。
形近词:无。
发音解析:
音节分解:Ka + on /ˈkeɪɒn/，重音在第一音节
规则:Ka → /keɪ/， “Ka” 发 /keɪ/ 音。
规则:on → /ɒn/， “on” 发 /ɒn/ 音。
“Maybe if you saw Iacon, you would understand Cybertron better yourself,” countered Orion Pax.
句子分析:主从复合句，“Maybe if you saw Iacon” 是条件状语从句，“you would understand Cybertron better yourself” 是主句，“countered Orion Pax” 表示奥利安·派克斯反驳。
翻译:“也许如果你去看看艾康，你自己会更好地了解塞伯坦。”奥利安·派克斯反驳道。
单词分析:
Iacon:名词，词源可能是创造的词汇，词义：艾康（地名）。
记忆方法:直接记忆这个地名。
形近词:无。
发音解析:
音节分解:Ia + con /ˈaɪəkɒn/，重音在第一音节
规则:Ia → /aɪə/， “Ia” 发 /aɪə/ 音。
规则:con → /kɒn/， “con” 发 /kɒn/ 音。
“Oh, I will see Iacon. Have no fear of that,” Megatron said.
固定搭配:“have no fear of”，含义：“不必害怕”。
句子分析:简单句，“Oh, I will see Iacon” 是陈述句，“Have no fear of that” 是祈使句。
翻译:“哦，我会去看看艾康的。别担心这个。”威震天说。
Something about the tone of his voice made Orion Pax want to change the subject.
句子分析:简单句，“Something about the tone of his voice” 作主语，“made” 是谓语，“Orion Pax” 是宾语，“want to change the subject” 是宾语补足语。
翻译:他说话的语气让奥利安·派克斯想换个话题。
单词分析:
tone:名词，词源来自拉丁语 “tonus”，词义：语气；音调。
记忆方法:联想 “tone” 发音像 “痛”，生气时语气会很 “痛” → 语气。
形近词:tome（大部头书）。
发音解析:
音节分解:to + ne /təʊn/，重音在第一音节
规则:to → /təʊ/， “to” 发 /təʊ/ 音。
规则:ne → /n/， “ne” 发 /n/ 音。
The last thing he wanted to do was provoke a fight with Megatron when he was just beginning to understand what Megatron’s ideas meant… and what he, Orion Pax, had to contribute to the discussion.
句子分析:主从复合句，“The last thing he wanted to do was provoke a fight with Megatron” 是主句，“when he was just beginning to understand…” 是时间状语从句，从句中又包含两个宾语从句 “what Megatron’s ideas meant” 和 “what he, Orion Pax, had to contribute to the discussion”。
He believed some things in common with the hard – bitten survivor of Kaon’s pits, but in other ways he felt that despite their commonalities, there were fundamental differences in the way they approached the question of freedom and will.
固定搭配:“in common”，含义：“共同；共有”；“in other ways”，含义：“在其他方面”。
句子分析:并列复合句，由 “but” 连接两个分句，前一个分句 “He believed some things in common with the hard – bitten survivor of Kaon’s pits” 是简单句，后一个分句 “he felt that…” 中 “that” 引导宾语从句，宾语从句中又包含 “despite their commonalities” 这个让步状语。
He had heard Megatron answer the question before, in slightly different ways.
句子分析:简单句，“He” 是主语，“had heard” 是谓语，“Megatron answer the question” 是宾语补足语，“in slightly different ways” 是方式状语。
翻译:他以前听过威震天以略有不同的方式回答这个问题。
He moved along, refined his ideas and rhetoric.
句子分析:简单句，“He” 是主语，“moved along” 和 “refined his ideas and rhetoric” 是并列谓语。
翻译:他不断前进，完善自己的想法和言辞。
单词分析:
refined:形容词，词源来自 “refine”（提炼；完善），词义：精炼的；精致的；完善的。
记忆方法:“re-”（再）+“fine”（好的）→ 再次变好 → 完善。
形近词:refine（提炼；完善）。
发音解析:
音节分解:re + fined /rɪˈfaɪnd/，重音在第二音节
规则:re → /rɪ/， “re” 发 /rɪ/ 音。
规则:fined → /faɪnd/， “fined” 发 /faɪnd/ 音。
rhetoric:名词，词源来自希腊语 “rhetorike”，词义：修辞；言辞；花言巧语。
记忆方法:联想 “rhetoric” 发音像 “热头瑞克”，热情地说一些话 → 言辞。
形近词:rhetorical（修辞的）。
发音解析:
音节分解:rhe + to + ric /ˈretərɪk/，重音在第一音节
规则:rhe → /re/， “rhe” 发 /re/ 音。
规则:to → /tə/， “to” 发 /tə/ 音。
规则:ric → /rɪk/， “ric” 发 /rɪk/ 音。
Orion Pax realized he was witnessing the growth and rise of a genuinely important leader… but of what? And where would he lead?
句子分析:主从复合句，“Orion Pax realized” 为主句，“he was witnessing the growth and rise of a genuinely important leader” 是宾语从句，后面 “but of what?” 和 “And where would he lead?” 是两个疑问句。
“I assume the name of one of the Thirteen because— although only one of them ever called himself the Fallen—they all fell away from their original mission.
句子分析:主从复合句，“I assume the name of one of the Thirteen” 是主句，“because…” 引导原因状语从句，从句中 “although only one of them ever called himself the Fallen” 是让步状语。
It seemed, to judge from the single example of Shockwave, that Megatron was beginning to realize his goal of bringing different castes together.
固定搭配:“to judge from”，含义：“从……判断”。
句子分析:这是一个主语从句，“It”是形式主语，真正的主语是“that Megatron was beginning to realize his goal of bringing different castes together”，“to judge from the single example of Shockwave”是插入语。
翻译:“从震荡波这一个例子来看，似乎威震天正在开始实现他将不同阶层聚集在一起的目标。”
Scientists and steelworkers—let alone gladiators—seldom mixed unless one was giving the other orders, and that relationship, Orion Pax could see, was reversed here.
固定搭配:“let alone”，含义：“更不用说”。
句子分析:“unless one was giving the other orders”是条件状语从句，“and”连接两个并列句。“that relationship, Orion Pax could see, was reversed here”中“Orion Pax could see”是插入语。
You find those in the Hall of Records, perhaps, but not here.
Down here you make a decision and commit to it with every atom… or else you die.” Orion Pax looked around.
固定搭配:“commit to”，含义：“致力于；承诺”；“or else”，含义：“否则”。
句子分析:并列句，由“or else”连接两个选择。
翻译:“在这里，你要做出决定，并全身心地投入其中……否则你就会死。”奥利安·派克斯环顾四周。
He was alone in his wing of the Hall of Records, and had done what he could to insulate this channel from the normal data – harvesting protocols that applied to traffic into and out of the Hall.
句子分析:这是一个并列复合句，由“and”连接两个并列部分。前半部分“He was alone in his wing of the Hall of Records”是主系表结构；后半部分“had done what he could to insulate this channel from the normal data – harvesting protocols…”中，“what he could”是宾语从句，“that applied to traffic into and out of the Hall”是定语从句，修饰“protocols”。
“I say back to him that if I thought you were going to betray me, I would meet you in the arena and settle things like warriors.”
固定搭配:“say back to”意为“回应某人”；“settle things”意为“解决问题；解决争端”。
句子分析:这是一个复合句，“that if I thought you were going to betray me, I would meet you in the arena and settle things like warriors”是宾语从句，其中“if I thought you were going to betray me”是条件状语从句，使用了虚拟语气。
