bh.houseatreides-第3部分

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kes。
　Finally　the　ornithopter　leveled　off；　steadied　itself　again；　and　cruised　low　over　the　dune　plain。　The　pilot　emitted　an　audible　sigh　of　relief。
　Where　the　great　opening　had　been　ripped　into　the　layered　sand；　the　Baron　now　saw　glittering　translucent　shapes　like　maggots　on　a　carcass：　sandtrout；　rushing　toward　the　explosion。　Soon　giant　worms　would　e；　too。　The　monsters　couldn't　possibly　resist　this。
　Try　as　he　might；　the　Baron　couldn't　understand　spice。　Not　at　all。
　The　'thopter　gained　altitude；　taking　them　toward　the　spotters　and　the　carryalls　that　had　been　caught　unawares。　They　hadn't　been　able　to　retrieve　the　spice　factory　and　its　precious　cargo　before　the　explosion；　and　he　could　blame　no　one　for　it　　no　one　but　himself。　The　Baron　had　given　them　explicit　orders　to　remain　out　of　reach。
　〃You　just　saved　my　life；　pilot。　What　is　your　name？〃
　〃Kryubi；　sir。〃
　〃All　right；　then；　Kryubi　　have　you　ever　seen　such　a　thing？　What　happened　down　there？　What　caused　that　explosion？〃
　The　pilot　took　a　deep　breath。　〃I've　heard　the　Fremen　talking　about　something　they　call　a。。。spice　blow。〃　He　seemed　like　a　statue　now；　as　if　the　terror　had　transformed　him　into　something　much　stronger。　〃It　happens　in　the　deep　desert；　where　few　people　can　see。〃
　〃Who　cares　what　the　Fremen　say？〃　He　curled　his　lip　at　the　thought　of　the　dirty；　nomadic　indigents　of　the　great　desert。　〃We've　all　heard　of　spice　blows；　but　nobody's　ever　actually　seen　one。　Crazy　superstitions。〃
　〃Yes；　but　superstition　usually　has　some　kind　of　basis。　They　see　many　things　out　in　the　desert。〃　Now　the　Baron　admired　the　man　for　his　willingness　to　speak　out；　though　Kryubi　must　know　of　his　temper　and　vindictiveness。　Perhaps　it　would　be　wise　to　promote　him　。。。。
　〃They　say　a　spice　blow　is　a　chemical　explosion；〃　Kryubi　continued；　〃probably　the　result　of　a　pre…spice　mass　beneath　the　sands。〃
　The　Baron　considered　this；　he　couldn't　deny　the　evidence　of　his　own　eyes。　One　day　maybe　someone　would　understand　the　true　nature　of　melange　and　be　able　to　prevent　disasters　like　this。　So　far；　because　the　spice　was　seemingly　inexhaustible　to　those　willing　to　make　the　effort；　no　one　had　bothered　with　a　detailed　analysis。　Why　waste　time　on　tests；　when　fortunes　waited　to　be　made？　The　Baron　had　a　monopoly　on　Arrakis　　but　it　was　also　a　monopoly　based　on　ignorance。
　He　gritted　his　teeth　and　knew　that　once　they　returned　to　Carthag　he　would　be　forced　to　blow　off　some　steam；　to　release　his　pent…up　tensions　on　〃amusements；〃　perhaps　a　bit　more　vigorously　than　he　had　earlier　intended。　He　would　have　to　find　a　special　candidate　this　time　　not　one　of　his　regular　lovers；　but　someone　he　would　never　have　use　for　again。　That　would　free　him　of　restraint。
　Looking　down；　he　thought；　No　longer　any　need　to　hide　this　site　from　the　Emperor。　They　would　record　it；　log　it　as　a　find；　and　document　the　destruction　of　the　crew　and　equipment。　No　need　to　manipulate　the　records　now。　Old　Elrood　would　not　be　pleased；　and　House　Harkonnen　would　have　to　absorb　this　financial　setback。
　As　the　pilot　circled　around；　the　surviving　spice　crew　assessed　their　damages　on　the　ground；　and　over　the　link　reported　losses　of　men；　equipment；　and　spice　load。　The　Baron　felt　rage　boiling　within　him。
　Damn　Arrakis！　he　thought。　Damn　the　spice；　and　damn　our　dependence　on　it！
　
　We　are　generalists。　You　can't　draw　neat　lines　around　planetwide　problems。　Planetology　is　a　cut…and…fit　science。
　…PARDOT　KYNES；　Treatise　on　the　Environmental　Recovery　of　Post…Holocaust　Salusa　Secundus
　0n　the　Imperial　planet　Kaitain；　immense　buildings　kissed　the　sky。　Magnificent　sculptures　and　opulent　tiered　fountains　lined　the　crystal…paved　boulevards　like　a　dream。　A　person　could　stare　for　hours。
　Pardot　Kynes　managed　to　catch　only　a　glimpse　of　the　urban　spectacle　as　the　royal　guards　marched　him　at　a　rapid　clip　into　the　Palace。　They　had　no　patience　for　a　simple　Planetologist's　curiosity；　nor　any　apparent　interest　in　the　city's　wonders。　Their　job　was　to　escort　him　to　the　tremendous　vaulted　throne　room；　without　delay。　The　Emperor　of　the　Known　Universe　could　not　be　kept　waiting　for　mere　sight…seeing。
　The　members　of　Kynes's　escort　wore　gray…and…black　uniforms；　impeccably　clean　and　adorned　with　braids　and　medals；　every　button　and　bauble　polished；　every　ribbon　straightened　and　pressed。　Fifteen　of　the　Emperor's　handpicked　staff；　the　Sardaukar；　surrounded　him　like　an　army。
　Still；　the　splendor　of　the　capital　world　overwhelmed　Kynes。　Turning　to　the　guard　closest　to　him；　he　said；　〃I'm　usually　out　in　the　dirt；　or　tromping　through　swamps　on　a　planet　where　nobody　else　wants　to　be。〃　He　had　never　seen；　or　even　imagined；　anything　like　this　in　all　of　the　rugged　and　out…of…the…way　landscapes　he　had　studied。
　The　guard　made　no　response　to　this　tall；　lean　off…wonder。　Sardaukar　were　trained　to　be　fighting　machines；　not　conversationalists。
　〃Here　I've　been　scrubbed　clean　down　to　the　third　layer　of　my　skin　and　dressed　like　a　noble。〃　Kynes　tugged　at　the　thick　corded　fabric　of　his　dark　blue　jacket；　smelled　the　soap　and　scent　of　his　own　skin。　He　had　a　high　forehead；　with　sparse；　sandy　hair　bed　straight　back。
　The　escort　hurried　up　a　seemingly　endless　waterfall　of　polished　stone　steps；　ornately　highlighted　with　gold　filigree　and　creamy；　sparkling　soostones。
　Kynes　turned　to　the　guard　on　his　left。　〃This　is　my　first　trip　to　Kaitain。　I'd　wager　you　don't　even　notice　the　sights　anymore；　if　you　work　here　all　the　time？〃　His　words　hung　on　a　wistful　smile；　but　again　fell　on　deaf　ears。
　Kynes　was　an　expert　and　well…respected　ecologist；　geologist；　and　meteorologist；　with　added　specialties　in　botany　and　microbiology。　Driven；　he　enjoyed　absorbing　the　mysteries　of　entire　worlds。　But　the　people　themselves　often　remained　a　plete　mystery　to　him　　like　these　guards。
　〃Kaitain　is　a　lot　more。。fortable　than　Salusa　Secundus　　I　grew　up　there；　you　know；〃　he　continued。　〃I've　been　to　Bela　Tegeuse；　too；　and　that's　almost　as　bad；　dim　and　bleak　with　two　dwarf　suns。〃
　Finally　Kynes　faced　forward；　consenting　to　mutter　to　himself。　〃The　Padishah　Emperor　called　me　from　halfway　across　the　galaxy。　I　wish　I　knew　why。〃　None　of　these　men　ventured　to　offer　any　explanations。
　The　entourage　passed　under　a　pitted　archway　of　crimson　lava　rock　that　bore　the　ponderous　oppression　of　extreme　age。　Kynes　looked　up；　and　with　his　geological　expertise　recognized　the　massive　rare　stone：　an　ancient　archway　from　the　devastated　world　of　Salusa　Secundus。
　It　puzzled　him　that　anyone　would　keep　such　a　relic　from　the　austere　planet　where　Kynes　had　spent　so　many　years；　an　isolated　prison　world　with　a　ruined　ecosystem。　But　then　he　recalled；　feeling　like　a　fool　for　having　forgotten　it；　that　Salusa　had　once　been　the　Imperial　capital；　millennia　ago。。。before　the　disaster　changed　everything。　No　doubt　House　Corrino　had　brought　this　archway　here　intact　as　a　reminder　of　their　past；　or　as　some　sort　of　trophy　to　show　how　the　Imperial　family　had　overe　planet…destroying　adversity。
　As　the　Sardaukar　escort　stepped　through　the　lava　arch　and　into　the　echoing　splendor　of　the　Palace　itself；　fanfare　rang　out　from　brassy　instruments　Kynes　could　not　name。　He'd　never　been　much　of　a　student　in　music　or　the　arts；　not　even　as　a　child。　Why　bother；　when　there　was　so　much　natural　science　to　absorb？
　Just　before　passing　beneath　the　jewel…sparkling　roof　of　the　immense　royal　structure；　Kynes　craned　his　neck　upward　to　gaze　once　more　at　the　clear　sky　of　perfect　blue。
　On　the　trip　here；　inside　a　cordoned…off　section　of　the　Guild　Heighliner；　Kynes　had　taken　the　time　to　learn　about　the　capital　world；　though　he　had　never　before　applied　his　planet…understanding　skills　to　such　a　civilized　place。　Kaitain　was　exquisitely　planned　and　produced；　with　tree…lined　boulevards；　splendid　architecture；　well…watered　gardens；　flower　barricades。。。and　so　much　more。
　Official　Imperial　reports　claimed　it　was　always　warm；　the　climate　forever　temperate。　Storms　were　unknown。　No　clouds　marred　the　skies。　At　first；　he　thought　the　entries　might　have　been　mere　tourist　propaganda；　but　when　the　ornate　Guild　escort　craft　descended；　he　had　noted　the　flotilla　of　weather　satellites；　climate…bending　technology　that　　through　brute　force　　kept　Kaitain　a　peaceful　and　serene　place。
　Climate　engineers　could　certainly　strong…arm　the　weather　to　what　someone　had　foolishly　decided　was　optimal　　though　they　did　it　at　their　own　peril；　creating　an　environment　that　led；　ultimately；　to　malaise　of　the　mind；　body；　and　spirit。　The　Imperial　family　would　never　understand　that。　They　continued　to　relax　under　their　sunny　skies　and　stroll　through　their　well…watered　arboretums；　oblivious　to　an　environmental　catastrophe　just　waiting　to　unfold　before　their　covered　eyes。　It　would　be　a　challenge　to　stay　on　this　planet　and　study　the　effects　　but　somehow　Kynes　doubted　that　was　why　Emperor　Elrood　IX　had　summoned　him　here　。。。。
　The　escort　troops　led　him　deeper　into　the　echoing　Palace；　passing　statuary　and　classic　paintings。　The　sprawling　audience　chamber　could　well　have　been　an　arena　for　ancient　gladiatorial　events。　Its　floor　stretched　onward　like　a　polished；　multicolored　plain　of　stone　squares　　each　one　from　a　different　planet　in　the　Imperium。　Alcoves　and　wings　were　being　added　as　the　Empire　grew。
　Court　functionaries　in　dazzling　raiment　and　brilliant　plumage　strutted　about；　showing　off　fabrics　that　had　been　spun　with　threads　of　precious　metal。　Carrying　documents；　they　conducted　inexplicable　business；　hurrying　to　meetings；　whispering　to　each　other　as　if　only　they　understood　what　their　true　functions　were。
　Kynes　was　an　alien　in　this　political　world；　he　would　rather　have　the　wilderness　any　day。　Though　the　splendor　fascinated　him；　he　longed　for　solitude；　unexplored　landscapes；　and　the　mysteries　of　strange　flora　and　fauna。　This　bustling　place　would　give　him　a　headache　before　long。
　The　Sardaukar　guards　ushered　him　across　a　long　promenade　beneath　prismatic　lights；　taking　sharp；　rhythmic　footsteps　that　sounded　like　weapons　fire；　Kynes's　stumbles　provided　the　only　dissonance。
　Ahead　on　a　raised　dais　of　blue…green　crystal　sat　the　translucent　Golden　Lion　Throne；　carved　from　a　single　piece　of　Hagal　quartz。　And　on　the　dazzling　chair　perched　the　old　man　himself　　Elrood　Corrino　IX；　Imperial　ruler　of　the　Known　Universe。
　Kynes　stared　a