bh.houseatreides-第40部分

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　Kailea　shook　her　head　and　tapped　her　crystal　pad。　〃Our　Mentats　and　legal　advisors　are　meticulous　about　the　precise　strictures　of　the　Jihad；　and　our　quality…control　methods　are　effective。　We're　on　solid　ground；　and　they　can　prove　every　assertion　we　make。〃
　Dominic　chewed　his　lower　lip。　〃The　suboids　couldn't　possibly　have　specifics；　since　there　aren't　any　violations。　At　least　we　haven't　knowingly　stepped　over　the　line；　not　in　any　instance。〃
　Kailea　studied　her　father；　then　looked　down　at　the　bustling　work　area　again。　〃Maybe　you　should　have　Captain　Zhaz　and　a　team　of　inspectors　turn　over　every　stone；　investigate　every　aspect　of　our　design　and　manufacturing　processes。　Prove　to　the　suboids　that　their　plaints　are　groundless。〃
　Dominic　considered　the　idea。　〃Of　course　I　don't　want　to　be　too　hard　on　the　workers。　I　want　no　crackdowns；　and　certainly　no　revolts。　The　suboids　are　to　be　treated　well；　as　always。〃　He　met　her　gaze；　and　she　seemed　very　much　an　adult。
　〃Yes；〃　Kailea　said；　her　voice　hardening。　〃They　work　better　that　way。〃
　Like　the　knowledge　of　your　own　being；　the　sietch　forms　a　firm　base　from　which　you　move　out　into　the　world　and　into　the　universe。
　…Fremen　Teaching
　Pardot　Kynes　was　so　fascinated　by　the　Fremen　culture；　religion；　and　daily　routine　that　he　remained　pletely　oblivious　to　the　life…and…death　debate　raging　around　him　in　the　sietch。　Naib　Heinar　had　told　him　he　could　talk　to　the　people　and　describe　his　ideas　　and　so　he　talked；　at　every　opportunity。
　For　an　entire　cycle　of　the　moons；　the　Fremen　whispered　their　opinions　in　small　caves　and　dens；　or　shouted　them　across　tables　in　private　meetings　of　the　sietch　elders。　Some　of　them　even　empathized　with　what　the　strange　outworlder　was　saying。
　Though　his　fate　remained　undecided；　Kynes　didn't　slow　for　a　moment。　Sietch　guides　took　him　around　and　showed　him　many　things　they　thought　would　interest　him；　but　the　Planetologist　also　stopped　to　ask　questions　of　women　working　in　the　stillsuit　factories；　of　old　men　tending　water　supplies；　and　of　withered　grandmothers　operating　solar　ovens　or　filing　rough　burrs　off　scrap　metal。
　The　bustling　activity　around　the　sealed　caves　astonished　him：　Some　workers　trampled　spice　residue　to　extract　fuel；　others　curded　spice　for　fermentation。　Weavers　at　power　looms　used　their　own　hair；　the　long　fur　of　mutated　rats；　wisps　of　desert　cotton；　and　even　skin　strips　from　wild　creatures　to　make　their　durable　fabric。　And　of　course　schools　taught　the　young　Fremen　desert　skills；　as　well　as　ruthless　bat　techniques。
　One　morning　Kynes　awoke　refreshed；　perfectly　fortable　after　spending　the　night　on　a　mat　on　the　hard　floor。　Throughout　much　of　his　life；　he　had　slept　in　the　open　on　rough　ground。　His　body　could　find　rest　just　about　anywhere。　He　breakfasted　on　dehydrated　fruits　and　dry　cakes　the　Fremen　women　had　baked　in　thermal　ovens。　The　beginnings　of　a　beard　covered　his　face；　a　sandy　stubble。
　A　young　woman　named　Frieth　brought　him　a　serving　tray　with　meticulously　prepared　spice　coffee　in　an　ornate　pot。　During　the　entire　ritual；　she　directed　her　deep　blue　eyes　downward；　as　she　had　done　every　morning　since　Kynes's　arrival　at　the　sietch。　He　hadn't　thought　anything　of　her　cool；　efficient　attentions　until　someone　had　whispered　to　him；　〃She　is　the　unmarried　sister　of　Stilgar；　whose　life　you　saved　against　the　Harkonnen　dogs。〃
　Frieth　had　fine　features　and　smooth；　tanned　skin。　Her　hair　appeared　long　enough　to　flow　to　her　waist；　if　ever　she　undid　it　from　her　water　rings　and　let　it　fall。　Her　manner　was　quiet　but　all…knowing；　in　the　Fremen　way；　she　rushed　to　fulfill　every　small　wish　Kynes　bothered　to　express；　often　without　his　realizing　it。　He　might　have　noticed　how　beautiful　she　was；　had　he　not　been　so　intent　on　noticing　everything　else　around　him。
　After　he　had　sipped　his　pungent；　cardamom…laced　coffee　down　to　the　dregs；　Kynes　hauled　out　his　electronic　pad　to　jot　down　notes　and　ideas。　At　a　noise；　he　looked　up　to　see　wiry　young　Turok　standing　in　the　doorway。　〃I'm　to　take　you　anywhere　you　wish；　Planetologist；　so　long　as　you　remain　within　Red　Wall　Sietch。〃
　Kynes　nodded　and　smiled；　disregarding　the　constraints　of　being　a　captive。　They　did　not　rankle　him。　It　was　understood　that　he　would　never　leave　the　sietch　alive　unless　the　Fremen　accepted　him　and　decided　to　trust　him　pletely。　If　he　did　join　the　munity；　there　could　be　no　secrets　between　them；　on　the　other　hand；　if　the　Fremen　chose　to　execute　him　in　the　end；　there　would　have　been　no　point　in　keeping　secrets　from　a　dead　man。
　Previously　Kynes　had　seen　the　tunnels；　the　food…storage　chambers；　the　guarded　water　supplies；　even　the　Huanui　deathstills。　In　fascination　he　had　watched　the　family　groups　of　desert…hardened　men；　each　with　his　several　wives；　he　had　seen　them　pray　to　Shai…Hulud。　He'd　begun　to　pile　a　mental　sketch　of　this　culture　and　the　political　and　familial　ties　within　the　sietch；　but　it　would　take　decades　to　unravel　all　the　subtle　relationships；　all　the　nuances　of　obligations　laid　down　upon　their　kinsmen　many　generations　earlier。
　〃I'd　like　to　go　to　the　top　of　the　rock；〃　he　said；　remembering　his　duties　as　Imperial　Planetologist。　〃If　we　could　retrieve　some　of　the　equipment　from　my　groundcar　　I　presume　you've　kept　it　safe？　　I'd　like　to　establish　a　weather　station　here。　It's　imperative　that　we　collect　climate　data　　temperature　variations；　atmospheric　humidity；　and　wind　patterns　　from　as　many　isolated　spots　as　possible。〃
　Turok　looked　at　him；　surprised　and　disbelieving。　Then　he　shrugged。　〃As　you　wish；　Planetologist。〃　Knowing　the　conservative　ways　of　the　sietch　elders；　Turok　was　pessimistic　about　the　fate　of　this　enthusiastic　but　not　terribly　bright　man。　What　a　futile　effort　it　would　be　for　Kynes　to　continue　his　vigorous　work。　But　if　it　kept　him　happy　in　his　last　days。。。
　〃e；〃　Turok　said。　〃Put　on　your　stillsuit。〃
　〃Oh；　we'll　only　be　out　for　a　few　minutes。〃
　Turok　scowled　at　him；　looking　stern　and　much　older。　〃A　breath　of　moisture　is　water　wasted　into　the　air。　We　are　not　so　rich　we　can　afford　to　waste　water。〃
　Shrugging；　Kynes　pulled　on　his　crinkling；　slick…surfaced　uniform　and　took　the　time　to　attach　all　the　seals；　though　he　did　so　clumsily。　Heaving　a　heavy　sigh；　Turok　assisted　him；　explaining　the　most　effective　way　to　dress　out　the　suit　and　adjust　the　fittings　to　optimize　its　efficiency。
　〃You　have　bought　a　decent　stillsuit。　It　is　of　Fremen　manufacture；〃　the　young　man　observed。　〃In　this　at　least　you　have　chosen　well。〃
　Kynes　followed　Turok　to　the　storage　chamber　where　his　groundcar　had　been　kept。　The　Fremen　had　stripped　it　of　amenities；　and　his　equipment　lay　in　open　boxes　on　the　cave　floor；　inspected　and　cataloged。　No　doubt　the　sietch　inhabitants　had　been　trying　to　determine　how　they　could　put　these　things　to　use。
　They're　still　planning　to　kill　me；　Kynes　thought。　Haven't　they　heard　a　thing　I've　said？　Oddly；　the　thought　neither　depressed　nor　frightened　him。　He　simply　took　the　knowledge　as　a　challenge。　He　was　not　about　to　give　up　　there　was　too　much　left　to　do。　He　would　have　to　make　them　understand。
　Among　the　clutter　he　found　his　weather　apparatus　and　tucked　the　ponents　under　his　arms；　but　made　no　ment　about　what　had　been　done　to　his　possessions。　He　knew　Fremen　had　a　munal　mentality：　Every　item　owned　by　an　individual　was　owned　by　the　entire　munity。　Since　he　had　spent　so　much　of　his　life　alone；　relying　only　on　himself　and　his　abilities；　he　found　it　difficult　to　absorb　such　a　mind…set。
　Turok　did　not　offer　to　carry　any　of　the　equipment；　but　led　the　way　up　steep　steps　that　had　been　rough…hewn　into　the　stone　wall。　Kynes　panted　but　did　not　plain。　Ahead　of　him　the　guide　shifted　aside　numerous　barricades；　moisture　baffles；　and　doorseals。　Turok　flashed　glances　over　his　shoulder　to　make　sure　the　Planetologist　was　keeping　up；　then　increased　his　speed。
　Finally　they　emerged　from　a　cleft　atop　the　rubble…strewn　peaks。　The　young　Fremen　leaned　back　in　the　shadow　of　the　rocks；　keeping　himself　cool；　while　Kynes　stepped　out　into　open　sunlight。　All　around　them　the　stone　was　coppery　brown　with　a　few　discolorations　of　lichen。　A　good　sign；　he　thought。　The　advance　footprints　of　biological　systems。
　As　he　stared　out　at　the　sweeping　vista　of　the　Great　Basin；　he　saw　dunes　that　were　the　grayish　white　and　brown　of　newly　deposed　rock　grains；　as　well　as　the　buttery　yellow　of　older；　oxidized　sand。
　From　the　sandworms　he'd　seen；　as　well　as　the　teeming　sand　plankton　in　the　spice…rich　sands；　Kynes　knew　that　Dune　already　had　the　basis　for　a　plex　ecosystem。　He　was　certain　it　would　take　only　a　few　crucial　nudges　in　the　proper　direction　to　make　this　dormant　place　blossom。
　The　Fremen　people　could　do　it。
　〃Imperial　man；〃　said　Turok；　stepping　forward　from　the　shade；　〃what　is　it　you　see　when　you　stare　out　onto　the　desert　like　that？〃
　Kynes　answered　without　looking　at　him。　〃I　see　limitless　possibilities。〃
　IN　A　SEALED　chamber　deep　in　the　sietch；　wizened　Heinar　sat　at　the　head　of　a　stone　table；　glaring　with　his　single　eye。　Trying　to　remain　apart　from　the　debate；　the　sietch　Naib　watched　the　council　elders　shout　at　each　other。
　〃We　know　the　man's　loyalty；〃　said　one　old　man；　Jerath。　〃He　works　for　the　Imperium。　You've　seen　his　dossier。　He's　on　Dune　as　a　guest　of　the　Harkonnens。〃　Jerath　had　a　silver　ring　in　his　left　earlobe；　a　treasure　taken　from　a　smuggler　he'd　killed　in　a　duel。
　〃That　means　nothing；〃　said　another　elder；　Aliid。　〃As　Fremen；　do　we　not　don　other　clothes；　other　masks；　and　pretend　to　fit　in？　It's　a　means　of　survival　when　circumstances　require　it。　You；　of　all　people　should　know　not　to　judge　someone　solely　on　appearances。〃
　Garnah；　a　weary…looking　long…haired　elder；　rested　his　pointed　chin　on　his　knuckles。　〃I'm　most　incensed　at　those　three　young　idiots；　what　they　did　after　the　Planetologist　helped　them　defeat　the　Harkonnen　bravos。　Any　straight…thinking　adult　would　have　shrugged　and　sent　the　man's　shade　to　join　those　of　the　six　dead　vermin　on　the　ground。。。with　some　regret；　of　course；　but　still　it　should　have　been　done。〃　He　sighed。　〃These　are　inexperienced　youths；　poorly　trained。　They　should　never　had　been　left　alone　in　the　desert。〃
　Heinar　flared　his　nostrils。　〃You　cannot　fault　their　thinking；　Garnah。　There　was　the　moral　obligation　　Pardot　Kynes　had　saved　their　lives。　Even　brash　young　men　such　as　those　th