bh.houseatreides-第114部分

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　Imperial　servants　and　distributed　later　to　the　populace；　in　conjunction　with　an　additional　week　of　festivities　on　Kaitain。
　After　all　the　celebrations　were　plete；　Shaddam　would　finally　be　able　to　get　down　to　the　business　of　ruling　his　Empire　of　a　Million　Worlds。
　In　the　final　analysis；　the　legendary　event　called　Leto's　Gambit　became　the　basis　of　the　young　Duke　Atreides's　immense　popularity。　He　successfully　projected　himself　as　a　shining　beacon　of　honor　in　a　galactic　sea　of　darkness。　To　many　members　of　the　Landsraad；　Leto's　honesty　and　naivete　became　a　symbol　of　honor　that　shamed　many　of　the　Great　and　Minor　Houses　to　alter　their　behavior　toward　each　other。。。for　a　short　time；　at　least；　until　familiar　old　patterns　reemerged。
　…Origins　of　House　Atreides：　Seeds　of　the　Future　in　the　Galactic　Imperium；　by　Bronso　of　Ix
　Furious　that　his　plot　had　failed；　Baron　Harkonnen　raged　up　and　down　the　halls　of　his　family　Keep　on　Giedi　Prime。　He　screamed　demands　that　his　personal　staff　find　a　dwarf　for　him　to　torture；　he　needed　a　creature　to　dominate；　something　he　could　crush　entirely。
　When　Yh'imm；　one　of　the　Baron's　entertainment　monitors；　plained　that　it　wasn't　exactly　sporting　for　him　to　persecute　a　man　solely　on　the　basis　of　his　physical　size；　the　Baron　ordered　Yh'imm's　legs　amputated　at　the　knees。　In　that　way；　the　soon…to…be…shortened　entertainment　monitor　would　fit　the　Procrustean　bill　nicely。
　As　the　howling；　pleading　man　was　hauled　away　to　the　Harkonnen　surgeons；　the　Baron　summoned　his　nephew　Glossu　Rabban　and　the　Mentat　Piter　de　Vries　to　attend　him　for　a　vital　discussion；　to　be　held　in　the　Baron's　workroom。
　Waiting　for　them　at　a　worktable　spread　with　papers　and　ridulian　crystal　reports；　the　Baron　boomed　in　his　basso　voice；　〃Damn　the　Atreides；　from　the　boy…Duke　to　his　bastard　ancestors！　I　wish　they'd　all　died　in　the　Battle　of　Corrin。〃
　He　whirled　when　de　Vries　entered　the　workroom　doorway；　and　the　Baron　nearly　lost　his　balance　with　suddenly　clumsy　muscle　control。　He　grasped　the　edge　of　the　table　to　steady　himself。　〃How　could　Leto　survive　that　trial？　He　had　no　proof；　no　defense。〃　Muted　glowglobes　floated　overhead　in　the　room。　〃He　still　doesn't　have　a　clue　what　really　happened。〃
　The　Baron's　bellow　echoed　through　the　enclosure　and　out　an　open　door　into　the　halls；　which　were　lined　with　polished　stone　and　brasswork。　Rabban　hurried　down　the　corridor。　〃And　damn　Shaddam　for　his　meddling！　Just　because　he's　Emperor；　what　gives　him　the　right　to　take　sides？　What's　in　it　for　him？〃
　Both　Rabban　and　de　Vries　hesitated　at　the　iron…arched　entrance　to　the　workroom；　not　anxious　to　step　into　the　maelstrom　of　the　Baron's　wrath。　The　Mentat　closed　his　eyes　and　rubbed　his　thick　eyebrows；　trying　to　think　of　what　to　say　or　do。　Rabban　went　to　an　alcove　and　poured　himself　a　strong　glass　of　kirana　brandy。　He　made　slurping　animal　noises　as　he　drank。
　The　Baron　stepped　away　from　the　table　and　paced　the　floor；　his　movements　oddly　jerky；　as　if　he　were　having　difficulty　controlling　his　equilibrium。　His　clothes　seemed　tight　on　him　from　his　recent　weight　gains。
　〃It　was　supposed　to　start　a　sudden　war；　and　after　the　carnage　who　could　pick　up　the　pieces？　But　somehow　the　damned　Atreides　kept　everyone　from　killing　each　other。　By　insisting　on　a　risky　Trial　by　Forfeiture　　ancient　rites　be　damned！　　and　his　willingness　to　sacrifice　himself　just　to　protect　his　precious　friends　and　crew；　Leto　Atreides　has　gained　favorable　attention　in　the　Landsraad。　His　popularity　is　soaring。〃
　Piter　de　Vries　cleared　his　throat。　〃Perhaps；　my　Baron；　it　was　a　mistake　to　pit　them　against　the　Tleilaxu。　Nobody　cares　about　the　Tleilaxu。　It　was　difficult　to　foster　a　general　sense　of　outrage　among　the　Houses。　We　never　planned　for　this　matter　to　e　to　trial。〃
　〃We　made　no　mistakes！〃　Rabban　grunted；　immediately　defending　his　uncle。　〃Do　you　value　your　life；　Piter？〃
　De　Vries　didn't　respond；　nor　did　he　show　any　fear。　He　was　a　formidable　fighter　in　his　own　right；　with　tricks　and　experience　that　could　undoubtedly　defeat　Rabban's　brawn；　should　it　e　to　physical　bat。
　The　Baron　looked　at　his　nephew；　disappointed。　You　never　seem　to　grasp　anything　buried　beneath　even　a　single　layer　of　subtlety。
　Rabban　glared　at　the　Mentat。　〃Duke　Leto　is　just　an　impetuous　young　ruler　from　an　unremarkable　family。　House　Atreides　makes　its　ine　through　selling。。。pundi　rice！〃　He　spat　the　words。
　〃The　fact　is；　Rabban；〃　the　twisted　Mentat　said　smoothly；　with　the　voice　of　a　snake；　〃that　the　other　members　of　the　Landsraad　Council　actually　seem　to　like　him。　They　admire　what　this　boy…Duke　has　acplished。　We've　made　him　a　hero。〃
　Rabban　finished　his　drink；　poured　another；　slurped　it。
　〃The　Landsraad　Council　being　altruistic？〃　The　Baron　snorted。　〃That's　even　more　unbelievable　than　Leto　winning　his　case。〃
　From　the　surgery　rooms　down　the　long；　dim　halls；　grisly　noises　could　be　heard；　screams　of　agony　that　echoed　along　the　corridors　all　the　way　to　the　Baron's　workroom。　The　muted　glowglobes　flickered；　but　maintained　their　low　level　of　illumination。
　The　Baron　looked　piercingly　at　de　Vries；　then　gestured　toward　the　operating　rooms。　〃Perhaps　you'd　better　attend　to　this　yourself；　Piter。　I　want　to　make　certain　that　idiot　entertainment　monitor　survives　his　surgery。。。at　least　until　I've　made　sufficient　use　of　him。〃
　〃Yes；　my　Baron；〃　the　Mentat　said　and　scuttled　down　the　halls　to　the　medical　chambers。　The　screams　grew　higher…pitched　and　womanish。　The　Baron　heard　the　sounds　of　sizzling　cutterays　and　a　grinding　saw。
　The　Baron　thought　of　his　newly　shortened　plaything　and　what　he　would　do　to　Yh'imm　as　soon　as　the　painkillers　began　to　wear　off。　Or　could　it　be　possible　the　doctors　had　managed　their　task　without　using　any　painkillers？　Perhaps。
　Rabban　let　his　thick…lidded　eyes　fall　closed　in　supreme　pleasure；　just　listening　and　enjoying。　Given　the　choice；　he　would　rather　have　hunted　the　man　down　in　Giedi　Prime's　wilderness　preserve。　But　the　Baron　thought　that　sounded　like　too　much　trouble　　all　that　running　and　chasing　and　climbing　snow…covered　rocks。　He　could　e　up　with　far　better　ways　of　spending　his　time。　Besides；　the　Baron's　limbs　and　joints　had　been　growing　increasingly　sore　of　late；　his　muscles　were　weakened　and　trembled；　his　body　was　losing　its　edge。。。。
　For　now　the　Baron　would　simply　make　up　his　own　sport。　Once　Yh'imm's　stumps　were　cauterized　and　sealed；　he　would　pretend　the　hapless　monitor　was　Duke　Atreides　himself。　That　would　be　fun。
　The　Baron　paused　and　realized　how　foolish　it　was　for　him　to　be　so　upset　over　the　failure　of　a　single　plan。　For　uncounted　generations　the　Harkonnens　had　spun　subtle　traps　for　their　hated　mortal　enemies。　But　the　Atreides　were　difficult　to　kill；　especially　when　their　backs　were　to　the　wall。　The　feud　extended　all　the　way　back　to　the　Great　Revolt；　the　betrayal；　the　accusations　of　cowardice。　Since　that　time；　Harkonnen　had　always　hated　Atreides；　and　vice　versa。
　And　so　it　would　always　be。
　〃We　still　have　Arrakis；〃　the　Baron　said。　〃We　still　control　melange　production；　even　though　we're　under　CHOAM's　thumb　and　the　watchful　eye　of　the　Padishah　Emperor。〃　He　grinned　at　Rabban；　who　grinned　back　at　him；　strictly　out　of　habit。
　Deep　in　the　heart　of　the　dirty　and　dark　grandeur　of　Harkonnen　Keep；　the　Baron　clenched　his　fist　and　raised　it　high　in　the　air。　〃As　long　as　we　control　Arrakis；　we　control　our　own　fortunes。〃　He　clapped　a　hand　on　his　nephew's　padded　shoulder。　〃We　will　wring　spice　from　the　sands　until　Arrakis　is　nothing　more　than　an　empty　husk！〃
　The　universe　contains　untapped　and　heretofore　unimagined　energy　sources。　They　are　before　your　very　eyes；　yet　you　cannot　see　them。　They　are　in　your　mind；　yet　you　cannot　think　them。　But　I　can！
　…TIO　HOLTZMAN；
　Collected　Lectures
　On　the　Spacing　Guild　world　of　Junction；　the　one　who　had　been　D'murr　Pilru　was　brought　before　a　tribunal　of　Navigators。　They　didn't　tell　him　the　reason；　and　even　with　all　his　intuition　and　conceptual　understanding　of　the　universe；　he　could　not　fathom　what　they　wanted　from　him。
　No　other　trainees　joined　D'murr；　none　of　the　new　Pilots　who　had　learned　the　ways　of　foldspace　with　him。　On　a　huge　open　parade　ground　of　stunted　blakgras；　the　sealed　spice…filled　tanks　of　the　high…level　tribunal　were　arrayed　in　a　semicircle　on　grooved　flagstones；　where　tracks　from　thousands　of　previous　convocations　could　still　be　seen。
　D'murr's　smaller　tank　sat　in　front　of　them　all；　solitary　at　the　center　of　the　semicircle。　Relatively　new　to　his　life　as　a　Navigator；　still　a　low…ranking　Pilot；　he　retained　much　of　his　human　shape　inside　the　enclosed　tank。　The　members　of　the　tribunal　　Steersmen　all；　each　inside　his　own　tank　　showed　only　bloated　heads　and　monstrously　altered　eyes　peering　out　through　the　murk　of　cinnamon…orange。
　I　will　be　like　them　someday；　D'murr　thought。　At　one　time　he　would　have　recoiled　in　horror；　now　he　accepted　it　as　inevitable。　He　thought　of　all　the　new　revelations　he　would　have　along　the　way。
　The　Guild　tribunal　spoke　to　him　in　their　shorthand；　higher…order　mathematical　language；　thoughts　and　words　municated　through　the　fabric　of　space　itself　　vastly　more　efficient　than　any　human　conversation。　Grodin；　the　Head　Instructor；　acted　as　their　mouthpiece。
　〃You　have　been　monitored；〃　said　Grodin。　By　long…standing　procedure；　Guild　Instructors　set　up　holorecording　devices　in　every　Heighliner　navigation　chamber　and　every　training　tank　of　the　new　and　unproven　Pilots。　Periodically　in　the　ships'　circuitous　routes　between　the　stars；　these　recordings　were　removed　from　the　transports　and　cargo　ships　and　delivered　to　Junction。
　〃All　evidence　is　studied　in　detail　as　a　routine　matter。〃　D'murr　knew　that　Guild　Bank　officials　and　their　economic　partners　in　CHOAM　had　to　make　certain　that　important　navigation　rules　and　safeguards　were　being　followed。　He　questioned　none　of　it。
　〃The　Guild　is　perplexed　by　targeted　and　unauthorized　transmissions　being　directed　to　your　navigation　chamber。〃
　His　brother's　munication　device！　D'murr　reeled　inside　his　tank；　floating　free；　seeing　all　the　dizzy　possibilities；　the　punishments　and　retributions　he　might　face。　He　could　bee　one　of　those　pathetic　failed　Navigators；　stunted　and　inhuman　　the　physical　price　paid；　but　the　benefits　not　reaped。　But　D'murr　knew　his　ability　was　strong！　Perhaps　the　Steersmen