bh.houseatreides-第32部分

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　This　woman　had　betrayed　him　to　the　Harkonnens。
　Janess　pressed　a　hand　over　his　mouth　before　he　could　cry　out　and　clamped　his　head　in　a　firm　arm　lock。　He　couldn't　escape。
　〃Got　you；〃　she　said；　her　voice　a　harsh　whisper。
　She　had　betrayed　him　again。
　We　consider　the　various　worlds　as　gene　pools；　sources　of　teachings　and　teachers；　sources　of　the　possible。
　…Bene　Gesserit　Analysis；
　Wallach　IX　Archives
　Baron　Vladimir　Harkonnen　was　no　stranger　to　despicable　acts。　Still；　being　coerced　into　this　encounter　disturbed　him　more　than　any　vile　situation　he　had　ever　been　in。　It　threw　him　pletely　off…balance。
　And　throughout　it　all；　why　did　this　damned　Reverend　Mother　have　to　be　so　calm；　so　smug？
　Embarrassed；　he　sent　away　his　guards　and　officials；　purging　all　possible　eavesdroppers　from　the　brooding　Harkonnen　citadel。　Where　is　Rabban　when　I　need　him？　Off　on　a　hunt！　He　sulked　back　to　his　private　chambers；　as　ready　as　he　would　ever　be。　His　stomach　churned。
　Nervous　sweat　glistened　on　his　forehead　as　he　stepped　through　the　ornate　arched　doorway；　then　flicked　on　the　privacy　curtains。　Perhaps　if　he　extinguished　the　glowglobes　and　pretended　he　was　doing　something　else。。。。
　When　he　entered；　the　Baron　was　relieved　to　see　that　the　witch　had　not　taken　off　her　clothes；　had　not　reclined　seductively　on　the　mussed　bedcoverings　in　anticipation　of　his　return。　Instead；　she　sat　fully　robed；　a　prim　Bene　Gesserit　Sister；　just　waiting　for　him。　But　a　maddeningly　superior　smile　curved　her　lips。
　The　Baron　wanted　to　slash　that　smile　away　with　a　sharp　instrument。　He　took　a　deep　breath；　appalled　that　this　witch　could　make　him　feel　so　helpless。
　〃The　best　I　can　offer　you　is　a　vial　of　my　sperm；〃　he　said；　trying　to　be　gruff　and　in　control。　〃Impregnate　yourself。　That　should　be　sufficient　for　your　purposes。〃　He　lifted　his　firm　chin。　〃You　Bene　Gesserit　will　just　have　to　accept　that。〃
　〃But　it's　not　acceptable；　Baron；〃　the　Reverend　Mother　said；　sitting　up　straighter　on　the　divan。　〃You　know　the　strictures。　We're　not　Tleilaxu　growing　offspring　in　tanks。　We　Bene　Gesserit　must　have　birth　through　natural　processes；　with　no　artificial　meddling；　for　reasons　you're　incapable　of　understanding。〃
　〃I'm　capable　of　understanding　plenty；〃　the　Baron　growled。
　〃Not　this　you　aren't。〃
　He　hadn't　expected　the　gambit　to　work　anyway。　〃You　need　Harkonnen　blood　　what　about　my　nephew　Glossu　Rabban？　Or　better　yet；　his　father；　Abulurd。　Go　to　Lankiveil　and　you　could　have　as　many　children　as　you　want　through　him。　You　won't　have　to　work　so　hard。〃
　〃Unacceptable；〃　Mohiam　said。　She　fixed　him　with　a　cold；　narrow…lidded　glare。　Her　face　looked　plain；　pasty；　and　implacable。　〃I　am　not　here　to　negotiate；　Baron。　I　have　my　orders。　I　must　return　to　Wallach　IX　carrying　your　child。〃
　〃But。。。what　if　〃
　The　witch　held　up　her　hand。　〃I've　made　it　perfectly　clear　what　will　happen　if　you　refuse。　Make　your　decision。　We'll　have　you　either　way。〃
　His　private　chamber　had　suddenly　bee　an　alien　and　threatening　place　to　him。　He　squared　his　shoulders；　flexed　his　biceps。　Though　a　muscular　man；　lean　of　body；　with　fast　reflexes；　his　only　escape　seemed　to　involve　pummeling　this　woman　into　submission。　But　he　also　knew　about　Bene　Gesserit　fighting　abilities；　especially　their　arcane　weirding　ways。。。and　felt　a　twinge　of　doubt　as　to　whether　he　would　be　the　victor　in　such　a　struggle。
　She　got　up　and　glided　across　the　room　with　silent　steps；　then　sat　rigidly　on　the　edge　of　the　Baron's　stained　and　unmade　bed。　〃If　it's　any　consolation；　I　take　no　more　pleasure　in　this　act　than　you　do。〃
　She　looked　at　the　Baron's　well…made　body；　his　broad　shoulders；　his　firm　pectorals　and　flat　abdomen。　His　face　had　a　haughty　look；　clearly　noble…born。　In　other　circumstances　Vladimir　Harkonnen　might　even　have　been　an　acceptable　lover；　like　the　male　trainers　with　whom　the　Bene　Gesserit　had　matched　Mohiam　throughout　her　childbearing　years。
　She　had　already　delivered　eight　daughters　to　the　Bene　Gesserit　school；　all　of　them　raised　apart　from　her　on　Wallach　IX　or　on　other　training　planets。　Mohiam　had　never　tried　to　follow　their　progress。　That　was　not　the　Sisterhood's　way。　Her　daughter　by　Baron　Harkonnen　would　be　no　different。
　Like　many　well…trained　Sisters；　Mohiam　had　the　ability　to　manipulate　her　most　minute　bodily　functions。　In　order　to　bee　a　Reverend　Mother；　she　had　been　required　to　alter　her　own　biochemistry　by　taking　an　awareness…spectrum　poison。　In　transmuting　the　deadly　drug　within　herself；　she　had　passed　inward　through　the　long　echoing　bloodlines；　enabling　conversation　with　all　of　her　female　ancestors；　the　clamorous　inner　lives　of　Other　Memory。
　She　could　prepare　her　womb；　ovulate　at　will；　even　choose　the　sex　of　her　child　from　the　moment　the　sperm　and　egg　united。　The　Bene　Gesserit　wanted　a　daughter　from　her；　a　Harkonnen　daughter；　and　Mohiam　would　deliver；　as　instructed。
　With　only　limited　details　of　the　numerous　breeding　programs；　Mohiam　did　not　understand　why　the　Bene　Gesserit　needed　this　particular　bination　of　genes；　why　she　had　been　selected　to　bear　the　child　and　why　no　other　Harkonnen　could　produce　a　viable　offspring　for　Bene　Gesserit　plans。　She　was　just　doing　her　duty。　To　her　the　Baron　was　a　tool；　a　sperm　donor　who　had　to　play　his　part。
　Mohiam　lifted　her　dark　skirt　and　lay　back　on　the　bed；　propping　her　head　up　to　look　at　him。　〃e；　Baron；　let　us　waste　no　more　time。　After　all；　it's　such　a　small　thing。〃　She　let　her　gaze　drop　down　to　his　crotch。
　As　he　flushed　with　rage；　she　continued　in　a　soft　voice；　〃I　have　the　ability　to　increase　your　pleasure；　or　to　deaden　it。　Either　way；　the　results　will　be　the　same　to　us。〃　She　smiled　with　her　thin　lips。　〃Just　think　of　the　hidden　melange　stockpiles　you'll　be　able　to　keep　without　the　Emperor's　knowledge。〃　Her　voice　grew　harder。　〃On　the　other　hand；　just　try　to　imagine　what　old　Elrood　will　do　to　House　Harkonnen　if　he　finds　out　you've　been　cheating　him　all　along。〃
　Scowling；　the　Baron　fumbled　with　his　robe　and　lurched　toward　the　bed。　Mohiam　closed　her　eyes　and　muttered　a　Bene　Gesserit　benediction；　a　prayer　to　calm　herself　and　to　focus　her　bodily　actions　and　her　inner　metabolism。
　The　Baron　was　more　nauseated　than　aroused。　He　couldn't　bear　to　look　at　Mohiam's　naked　form。　Fortunately　she　kept　most　of　her　clothes　on；　as　did　he。　She　worked　with　her　fingers　until　he　stiffened；　and　he　kept　his　eyes　closed　during　the　entire　mechanical　act。　Behind　his　eyes；　he　had　no　choice　but　to　fantasize　about　earlier　conquests；　the　pain；　the　power。。。anything　to　take　his　mind　from　the　revolting　and　messy　act　of　male…female　intercourse。
　It　wasn't　lovemaking　by　any　means；　just　a　tired　ritual　between　two　bodies　in　order　to　exchange　genetic　material。　For　both　of　them　it　was　barely　even　sex。
　But　Mohiam　got　what　she　wanted。
　AT　HIS　ONE…WAY　private　observation　window；　Piter　de　Vries　moved　silently；　surreptitiously。　As　a　Mentat　he　had　learned　how　to　glide　like　a　shadow；　how　to　see　without　being　seen。　An　ancient　law　of　physics　claimed　that　the　mere　act　of　observation　changed　parameters。　But　any　good　Mentat　knew　how　to　observe　broader　issues　while　remaining　invisible；　unknown　to　the　subjects　of　his　scrutiny。
　De　Vries　had　often　watched　the　Baron's　sexual　escapades　through　this　peephole。　Sometimes　the　acts　disgusted　him；　occasionally　they　fascinated。。。and　rarer　still；　they　gave　the　Mentat　ideas　of　his　own。
　Now；　he　silently　kept　his　eyes　to　the　tiny　observation　holes；　drinking　in　details　as　the　Baron　was　forced　to　copulate　with　the　Bene　Gesserit　witch。　He　watched　his　master　with　great　amusement；　enjoying　the　man's　utter　disfiture。　He　had　never　seen　the　Baron　so　nonplussed。　Oh；　how　he　wished　he　had　found　time　to　set　up　the　recording　apparatus　so　he　could　enjoy　this　again　and　again。
　The　moment　she'd　made　her　demands；　de　Vries　had　known　the　unavoidable　oute。　The　Baron　had　been　a　perfect　pawn；　utterly　ensnared；　with　no　choice　in　the　matter。
　But　why？
　Even　with　his　great　Mentat　prowess；　de　Vries　could　not　understand　what　the　Sisterhood　wanted　with　House　Harkonnen　or　its　offspring。　Surely；　the　genetics　weren't　that　spectacular。
　For　now；　though；　Piter　de　Vries　just　enjoyed　the　show。
　Many　inventions　have　selectively　improved　particular　skills　or　abilities；　emphasizing　one　aspect　or　another。　But　no　achievement　has　ever　scratched　the　plexity　or　adaptability　of　the　human　mind。
　…Ikbhan's　Treatise　on　the　Mind；　Volume　II
　On　one　side　of　the　faux…stone　practice　floor　in　the　Ixian　Grand　Palais；　Leto　stood　beside　Guard　Captain　Zhaz；　panting。　The　fight　instructor　was　an　angular　man　with　bristly　brown　hair；　thick　eyebrows；　and　a　square…cut　beard。　Like　his　students；　Zhaz　wore　no　shirt；　only　beige　fighting　shorts。　The　smell　of　sweat　and　hot　metal　hung　in　the　air　despite　the　best　efforts　of　an　air…exchange　apparatus。　As　on　most　mornings；　though；　the　training　master　spent　more　time　watching　than　fighting。　He　let　the　battle…machines　do　all　the　work。
　After　his　regular　studies；　Leto　loved　the　change　of　pace；　the　physical　exercise；　the　challenge。　By　now　he　had　settled　into　a　routine　on　Ix；　undergoing　hours　of　high…tech　physical　and　mental　training；　with　added　time　for　tours　of　technological　facilities　and　instruction　in　business　philosophy。　He　had　warmed　to　Rhombur's　enthusiasm；　though　often　he　had　to　help　explain　difficult　concepts　to　the　Ixian　Prince。　Rhombur　wasn't　slow…witted；　just。。。distant　from　many　practical　matters。
　Every　third　morning；　the　young　men　left　their　classrooms　behind　and　worked　out　on　the　automated　training　floor。　Leto　loved　the　exercise　and　the　rush　of　adrenaline；　while　both　Rhombur　and　the　fight　instructor　seemed　to　find　this　an　antiquated　requirement　added　to　the　curriculum　only　because　of　Earl　Vernius's　memories　of　warfare。
　Leto　and　the　bristly…haired　captain　watched　stocky　Prince　Rhombur　wield　a　golden　pike　against　a　sleek　and　responsive　fighting　mek。　Zhaz　didn't　train　personally　against　his　students。　He　felt　that　if　he　and　his　security　troops　did　their　jobs；　no　member　of　House　Vernius　need　ever　stoop　to　barbaric　hand…to…hand　bat。　He　did；　however；　help　program　the　self…learning　bat　drones。
　In　its　resting　position；　the　man…sized　mek　was　a　featureless　charcoal　ovoid　　no　arms；　legs；　or　face。　Once　the　fight　began；　however；　the　Ixian　unit　morphed　a　set　of　crude　protrusio