bh.houseatreides-第23部分

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　pleted　later　today；　another　triumph　for　us。　We'll　take　you　through　all　the　modifications　we've　made；　so　you　can　learn　them　as　part　of　your　apprenticeship　here。〃
　Leto　smiled；　but　already　his　head　felt　as　if　it　might　explode。　He　didn't　know　how　much　more　new　input　he　could　absorb。　By　the　time　the　year　was　up；　he　would　be　a　different　person　entirely。
　There　are　weapons　you　cannot　hold　in　your　hand。　You　can　only　hold　them　in　your　mind。
　…Bene　Gesserit　Teaching
　The　Bene　Gesserit　shuttle　descended　to　the　dark　side　of　Giedi　Prime；　landing　in　the　well…guarded　Harko　City　spaceport　just　before　midnight；　local　time。
　Concerned　about　what　the　damned　witches　wanted　from　him　now　that　he　had　e　home　from　the　desert　hellhole　of　Arrakis；　the　Baron　went　to　a　shielded　upper　balcony　of　Harkonnen　Keep　to　watch　the　lights　of　the　arriving　craft。
　Around　him；　the　monolithic　blackplaz…and…steel　towers　shone　garish　lights　into　the　smoke…smeared　darkness。　Walkways　and　roads　were　covered　by　corrugated　awnings　and　filtered　enclosures　to　protect　pedestrians　from　industrial　waste　and　acid　rain。　Given　a　little　more　imagination　and　attention　to　detail　during　its　construction；　Harko　City　could　have　been　striking。　Instead；　the　place　looked　stricken。
　〃I　have　the　data　for　you；　my　Baron；〃　said　a　nasal　but　sharp　voice　behind　him；　as　close　as　an　assassin。
　Startled；　the　Baron　turned；　flexing　his　well…muscled　arms。　He　scowled。　The　gaunt…robed　form　of　his　personal　Mentat；　Piter　de　Vries；　stood　at　the　doorway　to　the　balcony。
　〃Don't　ever　sneak　up　on　me；　Piter。　You　slither　like　a　worm。〃　The　parison　brought　to　mind　his　nephew　Rabban's　desert　hunting　expedition　and　its　embarrassing　results。　〃Harkonnens　kill　worms；　you　know。〃
　〃So　I've　heard；〃　de　Vries　answered　dryly。　〃But　sometimes　moving　silently　is　the　best　way　to　acquire　information。〃　A　wry　smile　formed　on　his　lips；　which　were　stained　red　from　the　cranberry…colored　sapho　juice　Mentats　drank　in　order　to　increase　their　abilities。　Always　seeking　physical　pleasures；　curious　to　experiment　with　additional　addictions；　the　Baron　had　tried　sapho　himself；　but　found　it　to　be　bitter；　vile　stuff。
　〃It's　a　Reverend　Mother　and　her　entourage；〃　de　Vries　said；　nodding　toward　the　lights　of　the　shuttle。　〃Fifteen　Sisters　and　acolytes；　along　with　four　male　guards。　No　weapons　that　we　could　detect。〃
　De　Vries　had　been　trained　as　a　Mentat　by　the　Bene　Tleilax；　genetic　wizards　who　produced　some　of　the　Imperium's　best　human　puters。　But　the　Baron　hadn't　wanted　a　mere　data…processing　machine　with　a　human　brain…he'd　wanted　a　calculating　and　clever　man；　someone　who　could　not　only　prehend　and　pute　the　consequences　of　Harkonnen　schemes；　but　who　could　also　use　his　corrupt　imagination　to　assist　the　Baron　in　achieving　his　aims。　Piter　de　Vries　was　a　special　creation；　one　of　the　infamous　Tleilaxu　〃twisted　Mentats。〃
　〃But　what　do　they　want？〃　the　Baron　muttered；　gazing　at　the　landed　shuttle。　〃Those　witches　seem　damned　confident　ing　here。〃　His　own　blue…uniformed　troops　marched　out　like　a　wolf　pack　before　any　of　the　passengers　emerged　from　the　ship。　〃We　could　erase　them　in　an　instant　with　our　most　trivial　House　defenses。〃
　〃The　Bene　Gesserit　are　not　without　weapons；　my　Baron。　Some　say　they　themselves　are　weapons。〃　De　Vries　raised　a　thin　finger。　〃It's　never　wise　to　incur　the　wrath　of　the　Sisterhood。〃
　〃I　know　that；　idiot！　So；　what's　the　Reverend　Mother's　name　and　what　does　she　want？〃
　〃Gaius　Helen　Mohiam。　As　to　what　she　wants。。。her　Sisterhood　has　refused　to　say。〃
　〃Damn　them　and　their　secrets；〃　the　Baron　grumbled；　as　he　spun　about　on　the　plaz…enclosed　balcony。　He　strode　toward　the　corridor　to　go　meet　the　shuttlecraft。
　Piter　de　Vries　smiled　after　him。　〃When　a　Bene　Gesserit　speaks；　she　often　does　so　in　riddles　and　innuendos；　but　her　words　also　hold　a　great　deal　of　truth。　One　simply　needs　to　excavate　it。〃
　The　Baron　responded　with　a　deep　grunt；　kept　going。　Intensely　curious　himself；　Piter　followed。
　On　the　way；　the　Mentat　reviewed　his　knowledge　of　these　black…robed　witches。　The　Bene　Gesserit　occupied　themselves　with　numerous　breeding　schemes；　as　if　farming　humanity　for　their　own　obscure　purposes。　They　also　manded　one　of　the　greatest　storehouses　of　information　in　the　Imperium；　using　their　intricate　libraries　to　look　at　the　broad　movements　of　peoples；　to　study　the　effects　of　one　person's　actions　amidst　interplanetary　politics。
　As　a　Mentat；　de　Vries　would　have　loved　to　get　his　hands　on　that　storehouse　of　knowledge。　With　such　a　treasure　trove　of　data　he　could　make　putations　and　prime　projections　　perhaps　enough　to　bring　down　the　Sisterhood　itself。
　But　the　Bene　Gesserit　allowed　no　outsiders　into　their　archives；　not　even　the　Emperor　himself。　Hence　there　wasn't　much　on　which　even　a　Mentat　could　base　his　calculations。　De　Vries　could　only　guess　at　the　arriving　witch's　intentions。
　THE　BENE　GESSERIT　liked　to　manipulate　politics　and　societies　in　secret；　so　that　few　people　could　trace　the　exact　patterns　of　influence。　Nevertheless；　the　Reverend　Mother　Gaius　Helen　Mohiam　knew　how　to　plan　and　execute　a　spectacular　entrance。　With　black　robes　swishing；　flanked　by　two　immaculately　dressed　male　guards　and　followed　by　her　troop　of　acolytes；　she　strode　into　the　reception　hall　of　the　ancestral　Harkonnen　Keep。
　Seated　at　a　gleaming　blackplaz　desk；　the　Baron　waited　to　receive　her；　acpanied　by　his　twisted　Mentat；　who　stood　on　one　side　with　a　few　handpicked　personal　guards。　To　exhibit　his　utter　contempt　and　lack　of　interest　for　these　visitors；　the　Baron　wore　a　sloppy；　casual　robe。　He　had　prepared　no　refreshments　for　them；　no　fanfare；　no　ceremony　whatsoever。
　Very　well；　Mohiam　thought；　perhaps　it's　best　we　keep　this　encounter　a　private　matter　anyway。
　In　a　strong；　firm　voice　she　identified　herself；　then　took　one　step　closer　to　him；　leaving　her　entourage　behind。　She　had　a　plain　face　that　showed　strength　rather　than　delicacy　　not　ugly；　but　not　attractive　either。　In　profile　her　nose；　while　unremarkable　from　the　front；　was　revealed　to　be　overlong。　〃Baron　Vladimir　Harkonnen；　my　Sisterhood　has　business　to　discuss　with　you。〃
　〃I'm　not　interested　in　doing　business　with　witches；〃　the　Baron　said；　resting　his　strong　chin　on　his　knuckles。　His　spider…black　eyes　looked　the　assemblage　over；　assessing　the　physiques　and　physical　appearance　of　her　male　guards。　The　fingers　of　his　free　hand　tapped　a　nervous　rhythm　against　his　thigh。
　〃Nevertheless；　you　will　hear　what　I　have　to　say。〃　Her　voice　was　iron。
　Seeing　the　blustering　rage　building　within　the　Baron；　Piter　de　Vries　stepped　forward。　〃Need　I　remind　you；　Reverend　Mother；　where　you　are？　We　did　not　invite　you　to　e　here。〃
　〃Perhaps　I　should　remind　you；〃　she　snapped　at　the　Mentat；　〃that　we　are　capable　of　running　a　detailed　analysis　of　all　Harkonnen　spice…production　activities　on　Arrakis　　the　equipment　used；　the　manpower　expended；　pared　with　spice　production　actually　reported　to　CHOAM；　as　opposed　to　our　own　precise　projections。　Any　anomalies　should　be　quite。。。revealing。〃　She　raised　her　eyebrows。　〃We've　already　done　a　preliminary　study；　based　upon　firsthand　reports　from　our〃　　she　smiled　　〃sources。〃
　〃You　mean　spies；〃　the　Baron　said；　indignantly。
　She　could　see　that　he　regretted　these　words　as　soon　as　they　were　uttered；　for　they　hinted　at　his　culpability。
　The　Baron　stood　up；　flexing　his　arm　muscles；　but　before　he　could　counter　Mohiam's　innuendo；　de　Vries　interjected；　〃Perhaps　it　would　be　best　if　we　made　this　a　private　meeting；　just　between　the　Reverend　Mother　and　the　Baron？　There's　no　need　to　turn　a　simple　conversation　into　a　grand　spectacle。。。and　matter　of　record。〃
　〃I　agree；〃　Mohiam　said　quickly；　assessing　the　twisted　Mentat　with　a　glint　of　approval。　〃Why　don't　we　adjourn　to　your　chambers；　Baron？〃
　He　pouted；　his　generous　lips　forming　a　dark　rose。　〃And　why　should　I　take　a　Bene　Gesserit　witch　into　my　private　quarters？〃
　〃Because　you　have　no　choice；〃　she　said　in　a　low；　hard　voice。
　In　shock；　the　Baron　mused　at　her　audacity；　but　then　he　laughed　out　loud。　〃Why　not？　We　can't　get　any　less　pretentious　than　that。〃
　De　Vries　watched　them　both　with　narrowed　eyes。　He　was　reconsidering　his　suggestion；　running　data　through　his　brain；　figuring　probabilities。　The　witch　had　jumped　too　quickly　at　the　idea。　She　wanted　to　be　alone　with　the　Baron。　Why？　What　did　she　have　to　do　in　private？
　〃Allow　me　to　acpany　you；　my　Baron；〃　de　Vries　said；　already　strutting　toward　the　door　that　would　take　them　through　halls　and　suspensor　tubes　to　the　Baron's　private　suite。
　〃This　matter　is　best　kept　between　the　Baron　and　myself；〃　Mohiam　said。
　Baron　Harkonnen　stiffened。　〃You　don't　mand　my　people；　witch；〃　he　said　in　a　low；　menacing　tone。
　〃Your　instructions　then？〃　she　asked；　insolently。
　A　moment's　hesitation；　and：　〃I　grant　your　request　for　a　private　audience。〃
　She　tipped　her　head　in　the　slightest　of　bows；　then　glanced　behind　her　at　her　acolytes　and　guards。　De　Vries　caught　a　flicker　of　her　fingers；　some　sort　of　witch　hand　signal。
　Her　birdlike　eyes　locked　on　to　his；　and　de　Vries　drew　himself　up　as　she　said；　〃There　is　one　thing　you　can　do；　Mentat。　Be　so　kind　as　to　make　certain　my　panions　are　weled　and　fed；　since　we　won't　have　time　to　stay　for　pleasantries。　We　must　return　posthaste　to　Wallach　IX。〃
　〃Do　it；〃　Baron　Harkonnen　said。
　With　a　look　of　dismissal　toward　de　Vries；　as　if　he　were　the　lowest　servant　in　the　Imperium；　she　followed　the　Baron　out　of　the　hall　。。。。
　Upon　entering　his　chambers；　the　Baron　was　pleased　to　note　that　he　had　left　his　soiled　clothes　in　a　pile。　Furniture　lay　in　disarray；　and　a　few　red　stains　on　the　wall　had　not　been　sufficiently　scrubbed。　He　wanted　to　emphasize　that　the　witch　did　not　deserve　fine　treatment　or　a　particularly　well…planned　wele。
　Placing　his　hands　on　his　narrow　hips；　he　squared　his　shoulders　and　raised　his　firm　chin。　〃All　right；　Reverend　Mother；　tell　me　what　it　is　you　want。　I　have　no　time　for　further　word　games。〃
　Mohiam　released　a　small　smile。　〃Word　games？〃　She　knew　that　House　Harkonnen　understood　the　nuances　of　politics。。。perhaps　not　the　kindhearted　Abulurd；　but　certainly　the　Baron　and　his　advisors。　〃Very　well；　Baron；〃　she　said　simply。　〃The　Sisterhood　has　a　use　for　your　genetic　line。〃
　She　paused；　relishing　the　look　of　shock　on　his　hard　face。　Before　he　could　splutter　a　res