bh.houseatreides-第106部分

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　nudged　the　platter　toward　Ajidica　to　offer　his　guest　a　morsel。
　The　diminutive　man　drew　back　and　refused　to　touch　the　food。　Shaddam　frowned。　〃Slig　meat　is　of　your　own　manufacture。　Don't　you　Tleilaxu　eat　your　own　delicacies？〃
　Ajidica　shook　his　head。　〃Though　we　breed　those　creatures；　we　do　not　consume　them　ourselves。　Please　forgive　me；　Sire。　You　need　offer　me　no　amenities。　Let　us　discuss　what　we　must。　I　am　anxious　to　return　to　Xuttah　and　my　laboratories。〃
　Shaddam　sniffed；　relieved　that　he　didn't　have　to　make　any　further　attempts　to　be　polite。　He　had　no　interest　in　displaying　proper　etiquette　to　this　man。　Instead；　he　rubbed　his　temples；　where　his　long…standing　headache　threatened　to　grow　even　worse　within　the　hour。　〃I　must　make　a　request　　no；　a　demand　as　your　Emperor。〃
　〃Forgive　me；　my　Lord　Prince；〃　Ajidica　interrupted；　〃but　you　have　not　yet　been　crowned。〃
　The　guards　at　the　door　stiffened。　Shaddam's　eyes　flew　open　wide　in　astonishment。　〃Does　any　man's　mand　bear　more　weight　than　mine？　In　all　the　Imperium？〃
　〃No；　m'Lord。　I　was　merely　correcting　a　matter　of　semantics。〃
　Shaddam　pushed　the　food　platter　to　one　side　and　leaned　over　the　table　like　a　predator；　so　close　that　he　could　smell　the　man's　unpleasant　odors。　〃Listen　to　me；　Hidar　Fen　Ajidica。　Your　people　must　withdraw　your　charges　in　the　trial　of　Leto　Atreides。　I　don't　want　this　matter　to　e　to　open　court。〃　He　sat　back　again；　took　another　bite　of　slig　meat；　and　continued　with　his　mouth　full。　〃So；　just　drop　your　accusations；　I'll　send　some　treasure　your　way；　and　everything　will　settle　down。〃
　He　made　the　solution　sound　so　simple。　When　the　Tleilaxu　man　did　not　respond　immediately；　Shaddam　rambled　on；　trying　to　be　gracious。　〃After　discussing　this　with　my　advisors；　I　have　decided　that　the　Tleilaxu　can　be　pensated；　paid　blood　money　for　their　losses。〃　Shaddam　brought　his　reddish　eyebrows　together　in　a　stern　expression。　〃Real　losses　only；　though。　Gholas　don't　count。〃
　〃I　understand；　Sire；　but　I　am　sorry　to　say　that　what　you　ask　is　impossible。〃　Ajidica's　voice　remained　low　and　smooth。　〃We　cannot　ignore　such　a　crime　mitted　against　the　Tleilaxu　people。　It　strikes　to　the　heart　of　our　honor。〃
　Shaddam　nearly　choked　on　another　bite　of　his　food。　〃　'Tleilaxu'　and　'honor'　aren't　words　usually　used　in　the　same　conversation。〃
　Ajidica　brushed　the　insult　aside。　〃Nevertheless；　all　of　the　Landsraad　is　aware　of　this　horrible　event。　If　we　withdraw　our　objections；　then　House　Atreides　will　have　attacked　us　openly　　destroyed　our　ships　and　people　　with　impunity。〃　The　pointed　tip　of　his　nose　twitched。　〃Surely　you　have　enough　statecraft；　Sire；　to　know　that　we　cannot　back　down　on　this　matter。〃
　Shaddam　fumed。　His　headache　was　getting　worse。　〃I'm　not　asking　you。　I'm　telling　you。〃
　The　little　man　considered　this　for　some　time；　his　dark　eyes　glittering。　〃Might　I　inquire　as　to　why　the　fate　of　Leto　Atreides　is　so　important　to　you；　Sire？　The　Duke　represents　a　relatively　unimportant　House。　Why　not　throw　him　to　the　wolves　and　give　us　our　satisfaction？〃
　Shaddam　growled　deep　in　his　throat。　〃Because　somehow　Leto　knows　about　your　artificial…spice　activities　on　Ix。〃
　Alarm　finally　registered　on　Ajidica's　masked　features。　〃Impossible！　We　have　maintained　the　utmost　security。〃
　〃Then　why　did　he　send　me　a　message？〃　Shaddam　demanded　as　he　half　stood　from　his　seat。　〃Leto　is　using　this　knowledge　as　a　bargaining　chip；　to　blackmail　me。　If　he　is　found　guilty　at　trial；　he　will　expose　all　of　your　work；　and　our　collusion　in　it。　I'll　be　faced　with　a　rebellion　in　the　Landsraad。　Think　of　it　　my　father；　with　my　help；　allowed　a　Great　House　of　the　Landsraad　to　be　overthrown。　Unprecedented！　And　not　just　by　any　rival　House；　but　by　you。。。the　Tleilaxu。〃
　Now　the　researcher　seemed　to　take　offense；　but　still　did　not　respond。
　Shaddam　groaned；　then　remembered　appearances　and　glowered　instead。　〃If　it　bees　known　that　I　did　all　this　in　order　to　have　access　to　a　private　source　of　artificial　spice；　thereby　cutting　the　Landsraad　and　the　Bene　Gesserit　and　the　Guild　out　of　their　profits；　my　reign　won't　last　a　week。〃
　〃Then　we　are　at　an　impasse；　m'Lord。〃
　〃No；　we　are　not！〃　Shaddam　roared。　〃The　pilot　of　the　surviving　Tleilaxu　ship　is　your　key　witness。　Get　him　to　change　his　story。　Perhaps　he　didn't　see　everything　as　clearly　as　he　thought　at　first。　You　will　be　well　rewarded；　both　from　my　coffers　and　from　those　of　House　Atreides。〃
　〃Not　sufficient；　Sire；〃　Ajidica　said　with　a　maddeningly　impassive　expression。　〃The　Atreides　must　be　humiliated　for　what　they　have　done。　They　must　be　embarrassed。　Leto　must　pay。〃
　The　Emperor　looked　down　his　nose　in　disdain　at　the　Tleilaxu　researcher。　His　voice　was　cold　and　controlled。　〃Would　you　like　me　to　send　more　Sardaukar　to　Ix？　I'm　sure　another　few　legions　walking　the　streets　would　keep　a　very　close　eye　on　your　activities　there。〃
　Ajidica　still　revealed　no　emotion。
　Shaddam's　gaze　turned　stony。　〃For　month　after　month　I've　waited；　and　still　you　haven't　produced　what　I　needed。　Now　you　say　it　could　take　decades　more。　Neither　of　us　will　last　that　long　if　Leto　exposes　us。〃
　The　Crown　Prince　finished　eating　the　slig　morsels　and　pushed　the　plate　away。　Though　the　dish　had　been　prepared　perfectly；　he　had　barely　tasted　it　because　his　mind　was　elsewhere；　distracted　by　the　throbbing　within　his　skull。　Why　did　being　Emperor　have　to　be　so　difficult？
　〃Do　what　you　will；　Sire；〃　Ajidica　said；　his　voice　more　strident　than　Shaddam　had　ever　heard　it。　〃Leto　Atreides　is　not　forgiven　and　must　be　punished。〃
　Wrinkling　his　nose；　Shaddam　dismissed　the　little　man；　gesturing　for　the　Sardaukar　to　haul　him　away。　Since　he　would　soon　be　the　Emperor　of　the　Known　Universe；　he　had　many　other　things　to　do；　important　things。
　If　only　he　could　get　rid　of　this　damned　headache。
　The　worst　sort　of　protection　is　confidence。　The　best　defense　is　suspicion。
　…HASIMIR　FENRING
　Thufir　Hawat　and　Rhombur　Vernius　could　leave　the　cell　at　their　leisure；　while　Leto　was　honor…bound　to　remain；　in　part　for　his　own　safety。　The　Mentat　and　the　Ixian　Prince　often　went　out　to　discuss　testimony　with　various　crew　members　from　the　Atreides　frigate　and　anyone　else　who　might　help　their　cause　in　any　way。
　Leto；　meanwhile；　sat　at　the　desk　alone　in　his　cell。　Although　the　old　Mentat　had　always　trained　him　never　to　sit　with　his　back　to　a　door；　Leto　felt　that　he　should　be　safe　enough　inside　a　maximum…security　cell。
　For　the　moment　he　reveled　in　a　few　moments　of　silence　and　concentration　as　he　pored　over　the　copious　evidence　projections　that　had　been　prepared　for　him。　Even　with　Sardaukar　guards　as　escorts；　he　would　have　been　reluctant　to　walk　through　the　Imperial　Palace　knowing　that　the　shadow　of　accusation　still　hung　over　him。　He　would　face　his　peers　soon　enough　and　proclaim　his　innocence。
　He　heard　a　noise　at　the　cell　confinement　field　behind　him；　but　delayed　looking　back。　With　a　humming　scriber　in　his　hand；　he　finished　a　paragraph　about　the　plete　destruction　of　the　first　Tleilaxu　ship；　noting　a　technical　detail　he　hadn't　considered　before。
　〃Thufir？〃　Leto　asked。　〃Have　you　forgotten　something？〃　Casually；　he　glanced　over　his　shoulder。
　A　tall　Landsraad　guard　stood　there　in　a　colorful；　billowing　uniform。　The　man　wore　a　strange　expression　on　his　broad　face；　especially　in　the　dark　eyes。　His　skin　looked　pasty；　as　if　painted　on。　And　Leto　spotted　something　different　about　the　body；　an　odd　lumpiness　in　the　man's　peculiar；　jerky　movements。　A　disturbing；　grayish　tone　to　the　skin　on　the　hands；　but　not　the　face。。。
　Reaching　under　his　desk；　Leto　slid　his　fingers　over　the　handle　of　a　knife　that　Hawat　had　sneaked　into　the　cell　for　him。　It　hadn't　been　difficult　for　the　warrior　Mentat。　Leto　felt　the　hilt；　gripped　it　without　shifting　his　position　or　changing　the　placid　and　expectant　expression　on　his　face。
　Every　lesson　the　weapons　master　had　ever　taught　him　simmered　in　his　muscles；　alert　and　ready。　Spring…coiled；　Leto　didn't　speak；　didn't　challenge　the　intruder。　But　he　knew　something　was　wrong；　and　his　life　was　on　the　line。
　In　a　heartbeat　the　tall　man　slipped　out　of　the　voluminous　uniform；　maneuvering　the　static…seals　that　held　the　cloth　together…and　when　the　fabric　slid　away；　so　did　the　dull；　expressionless　face。　A　mask！　The　hands　and　lower　arms　went；　too；　dropping　in　a　pile　on　the　floor　of　the　cell。
　Dizzy　with　confusion；　Leto　threw　himself　to　one　side；　tumbled　off　the　chair　onto　the　floor；　and　crouched　beside　the　slim　shelter　of　the　desk。　He　held　the　knife　ready；　still　out　of　the　intruder's　view；　and　considered　his　options。
　The　tall　guard's　body　split　at　the　waist；　as　if　breaking　in　half　　and　a　pair　of　Tleilaxu　men　spun　around　to　face　him；　each　a　leathery…faced　dwarf。　One　leaped　down　from　the　shoulders　of　the　other　and　tumbled　to　the　floor。　They　were　both　dressed　in　tight　black　outfits　that　showed　every　rippling；　thick　muscle。
　The　Tleilaxu　assassins　moved　away　from　one　another；　circling　him。　Their　tiny　eyes　glittered　like　buckshot。　Something　gleamed　in　each　of　their　hands　　four　weapons；　indistinct　but　assuredly　deadly。　Leaping　wildly　at　Leto；　one　of　the　Tleilaxu　screeched；　〃Die；　powindah　devil！〃
　In　a　flash；　Leto　considered　crawling　under　the　desk　or　the　cart；　but　first　he　decided　to　even　the　odds　by　killing　one　of　the　attackers。。。to　keep　them　from　acting　in　a　coordinated　plan。　With　well…practiced　aim；　he　hurled　Hawat's　knife。　It　found　its　mark；　pierced　the　dwarf's　jugular　and　knocked　him　backward。
　A　silvery　dart　whizzed　by　Leto's　ear；　and　now　he　rolled　behind　the　holo…cart；　which　continued　to　project　images　above　the　desk。　A　second　dart　struck　the　wall　beside　his　head；　chipping　the　stone。
　Then　he　heard　the　hum　of　a　lasgun。　An　arc　of　purple　light　filled　the　room。
　The　second　Tleilaxu's　body　slammed　into　the　holo…cart；　knocking　it　over。　His　face　oozed　onto　the　floor；　liquefied　by　the　hot　beam　of　light。　His　body　collapsed　near　Leto's　hiding　place。
　Thufir　Hawat　and　a　Landsraad　guard　captain　strode　into　the　cell　and　looked　down　at　Leto。　Behind　them；　guards　inspected　the　two　black…clad　bodies。　A　burned…meat　odor　hung　in　the　air。
　〃Somehow　they　got　past　our　security；〃　the　captain　said。
　〃I　wouldn't　call　that　security；〃　Hawat　snapped　at　him。
　One　of　the　guards　said；　〃This　one's　got　a　knife　in　his　throat。〃
　〃Where'd　the　knife