bh.houseatreides-第47部分

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　〃But　what　about　my　parents？〃　Rhombur　asked。　〃And　Kailea？〃
　〃We've　got　a　plan　for　this；　an　option。　You　and　your　family　should　all　meet　at　a　rendezvous　point。　By　all　the　saints　and　sinners；　I　hope　my　people　remember　what　to　do。　For　the　first　time；　it　isn't　a　drill。〃
　The　car　made　several　track　changes；　clicking　and　humming　along　with　increased　speed；　and　then　ascended　steeply　into　darkness。　Presently　the　track　leveled　off　and　the　vehicle　was　bathed　in　light　as　it　sped　past　an　immense　window　wall　of　one…way　armor…plat。　They　caught　just　a　glimpse　of　the　riots　down　below：　flares　of　spontaneous　fires　and　swirling　demonstrations　going　on　beneath　the　city。　Another　explosion；　and　one　of　the　transparent　upper　walkway　tubes　shattered；　tumbling　in　shards　to　the　floor　of　the　cavern　far　below；　tiny　puppetlike　figures　of　pedestrians　flailed　and　fell　to　their　doom。
　〃Stop　here；　Captain！〃　Rhombur　cried。　〃I　need　to　see　what's　happening　out　there。〃
　〃Please；　sir；　keep　it　to　a　few　seconds；〃　the　captain　said。　〃The　rebels　could　breach　that　wall。〃
　Leto　found　it　hard　to　prehend　what　he　was　hearing。　Rebels？　Explosions？　Emergency　evacuations？　Ix　had　seemed　so　sophisticated；　so　peaceful；　so。。。protected　from　discord。　Even　dissatisfied　with　their　lot；　how　could　the　suboids　have　orchestrated　such　a　massive　and　coordinated　assault？　Where　could　they　have　gotten　the　resources？
　Through　the　one…way　panel；　Leto　saw　uniformed　Vernius　soldiers　fighting　a　losing　battle　against　swarms　of　the　pale；　smooth…skinned　opponents　down　on　the　grotto　floor。　The　suboids　hurled　crudely　made　explosive　or　incendiary　devices；　while　Ixians　cut　the　mobs　down　with　purple　beams　of　lasgun　fire。
　〃mand　says　the　suboids　are　rebelling　on　all　levels；〃　Zhaz　said　in　a　tone　of　disbelief。　〃They're　screaming　'Jihad'　as　they　attack。〃
　〃Vermilion　hells！〃　Rhombur　said。　〃What　does　the　Jihad　have　to　do　with　anything？　What　could　it　have　to　do　with　us？〃
　〃We　need　to　leave　the　window；　sir；〃　Zhaz　insisted；　tugging　at　Rhombur's　sleeve。　〃We　have　to　make　it　to　the　rendezvous　point。〃
　Rhombur　lurched　back　from　the　window　as　part　of　a　tiled　street　collapsed　behind　it；　and　wave　upon　wave　of　the　pale　suboids　scrambled　out　of　the　dark　tunnels　beneath。
　The　railcar　picked　up　speed　along　the　track　and　curved　left　into　darkness；　then　ascended　again。　Rhombur　nodded　to　himself；　his　face　pinched　and　distressed。　〃We've　got　secret　mand　centers　on　the　upper　levels。　Precautions　have　been　taken　for　this　sort　of　thing；　and　by　now　our　military　units　will　have　surrounded　the　most　vital　manufacturing　facilities。　It　shouldn't　take　long　to　subdue　this。〃　The　Earl's　son　sounded　as　if　he　were　trying　to　convince　himself。
　At　the　front　of　the　car；　Zhaz　leaned　intently　over　the　board；　which　cast　his　face　in　pale　light。　〃Look　out　　trouble　ahead；　sir！〃　He　wrenched　the　controls。　The　railcar　rocked；　and　Zhaz　took　a　side　track。　The　other　two　guards　brought　their　weapons　to　bear；　squinting　into　the　rocky　darkness　all　around　them；　ready　to　fire。
　〃Unit　Four　has　been　overrun；〃　Captain　Zhaz　said。　〃Suboids　broke　through　the　sidewalls。　I'm　trying　for　Three　instead！〃
　〃Overrun？〃　Rhombur　said；　and　his　face　flushed　with　either　embarrassment　or　fear。　〃How　in　the　hells　could　suboids　do　that？〃
　〃mand　says　Tleilaxu　are　involved　　and　some　of　their　Face　Dancers。　They're　all　heavily　armed。〃　He　gasped　as　he　stared　at　the　reports　flowing　in。　〃May　God　protect　us！〃
　Questions　fell　in　an　avalanche　around　Leto。　Tleilaxu？　Why　would　they　attack　Ix？　Jihad？　This　is　a　machine　planet。。。and　the　Tleilaxu　are　religious　fanatics。　Do　they　fear　Ixian　machines　enough　to　use　their　tank…grown　shape…shifters　to　infiltrate　the　suboid　workforce？　That　would　explain　the　coordination。　But　why　would　they　be　so　interested？　Why　here？
　As　the　railcar　soared　along；　Zhaz　scrutinized　the　board；　where　he　received　battle　reports。　〃By　all　the　saints　and　sinners！　Tleilaxu　engineers　have　just　blown　the　pipelines　that　feed　heat　from　the　molten　core　of　the　planet。〃
　〃But　we　need　that　energy　to　run　the　factories；〃　Rhombur　cried；　still　hanging　on　to　his　seat。
　〃They've　also　destroyed　recycling　lines　where　the　industrial　waste　and　exhaust　chemicals　are　dumped　into　the　mantle。〃　Now　the　captain's　voice　sounded　more　ragged。　〃They're　hitting　at　the　heart　of　Ix　　paralyzing　our　manufacturing　capacity。〃
　As　Leto　thought　back　on　what　he　had　learned　during　his　months　on　this　planet；　pieces　of　the　puzzle　began　fitting　together　in　his　mind。　〃Think　about　it；〃　he　said；　〃all　of　that　can　be　fixed。　They　knew　exactly　where　to　hit　in　order　to　cripple　Ix　without　causing　permanent　damage。。。。〃　Leto　gave　a　grim　nod；　the　reason　suddenly　clear　to　him。　〃The　Tleilaxu　want　this　world　and　its　facilities　intact。　They　plan　to　take　over　here。〃
　〃Don't　be　ridiculous；　Leto。　We'd　never　give　Ix　to　the　filthy　Tleilaxu。〃　Rhombur　looked　perplexed　more　than　miffed。
　〃We　may　not。。。have　any　choice　in　the　matter；　sir；〃　Zhaz　said。
　At　Rhombur's　barked　mand　for　weapons　one　of　the　guards　opened　a　cabinet　beneath　the　railcar　and　brought　out　a　pair　of　flechette　pistols　and　shield　belts；　which　he　handed　to　both　Princes。
　Without　questioning；　Leto　snapped　on　the　belt；　touched　a　test　button　to　confirm　that　the　unit　was　operational。　The　projectile　weapon　felt　cold　in　his　hand。　He　checked　its　clip　of　deadly　darts；　accepted　two　additional　packs　from　the　guard；　and　slid　them　into　partments　on　the　shield　belt。
　The　escape　pod　thundered　into　a　long；　dark　tunnel。　Ahead；　Leto　saw　light；　which　grew　larger　and　brighter　by　the　second。　He　remembered　what　his　father　had　said　to　him　about　the　Tleilaxu：　〃They　destroy　anything　that　resembles　a　thinking　machine。〃　Ix　would　have　been　a　natural　target　for　them。
　The　light　ahead　touched　them　now；　dazzling　his　eyes；　and　they　roared　into　it。
　Religion　and　law　among　the　masses　must　be　one　and　the　same。　An　act　of　disobedience　must　be　a　sin　and　require　religious　penalties。　This　will　have　the　dual　benefit　of　bringing　both　greater　obedience　and　greater　bravery。　We　must　depend　not　so　much　on　the　bravery　of　individuals；　you　see；　as　upon　the　bravery　of　a　whole　population。
　…PARDOT　KYNES；　address　to　gathered　representatives　of　the　greater　sietches
　Oblivious　to　the　fate　that　had　been　decided　for　him；　Pardot　Kynes　strolled　through　the　tunnels；　acpanied　by　his　now…faithful　panions　Ommun　and　Turok。　The　three　went　to　visit　Stilgar；　who　rested　and　healed　in　his　family　chambers。
　At　first　sight　of　his　visitor；　a　lean　Stilgar　sat　forward　on　his　sickbed。　Though　his　wound　should　have　been　fatal；　the　Fremen　youth　had　almost　entirely　recovered　in　a　short　time。　〃I　owe　you　the　water　of　my　life；　Planetologist；〃　he　said；　and　with　great　seriousness　spat　upon　the　floor　of　the　cave。
　Kynes　was　startled　for　a　moment；　then　thought　he　understood。　He　knew　the　importance　of　water　to　these　people；　especially　the　precious　moisture　contained　within　a　person's　body。　For　Stilgar　to　sacrifice　even　a　droplet　of　saliva　showed　him　a　great　honor。　〃I。。。appreciate　your　water；　Stilgar；〃　Kynes　said　with　a　forced　smile。　〃But　you　may　keep　the　rest　of　it　for　now。　I　want　you　to　be　well。〃
　Frieth；　Stilgar's　quiet　sister；　stayed　by　the　young　man's　bedside；　always　busy；　her　blue…in…blue　eyes　darting　from　side　to　side　in　search　of　something　else　to　do。　She　looked　long　at　Kynes；　as　if　assessing　him；　but　her　expression　was　unreadable。　Then　she　silently　glided　off　to　bring　more　unguents　that　would　speed　her　brother's　healing。
　Later；　as　Kynes　walked　along　the　sietch　passageways；　curious　people　gathered　to　follow　him　and　listen。　In　the　midst　of　their　daily　routines；　this　tall；　stubble…bearded　Planetologist　continued　to　be　something　new　and　interesting。　His　crazy　but　visionary　words　might　sound　ridiculous；　the　most　preposterous　of　fantasies；　but　even　the　sietch's　children　tagged　along　after　the　stranger。
　The　bemused　and　talkative　crowd　acpanied　Kynes　as　he　lectured；　gesturing　with　his　hands；　gazing　at　the　ceiling　as　if　he　could　see　the　open　sky　there。　Though　they　tried；　these　Fremen　could　not　imagine　the　sight　of　clouds　gathering　to　pour　rain　upon　the　desert。　Droplets　of　moisture　falling　from　the　empty　sky？　Absurd！
　Some　of　the　children　laughed　at　the　very　idea　of　rain　on　Dune；　but　Kynes　kept　talking；　explaining　the　steps　of　his　process　to　reap　the　faintest　breath　of　water　vapor　from　the　air。　He　would　collect　every　sparkle　of　dew　in　the　shadows　to　help　twist　Arrakis　in　the　way　he　required；　to　pave　the　way　for　a　brilliant　new　ecology。
　〃You　must　think　of　this　world　in　engineering　terms；〃　Kynes　said；　in　a　professorial　tone。　He　was　happy　to　have　such　an　attentive　audience；　though　he　wasn't　sure　how　much　they　understood。　〃This　planet；　taken　in　its　entirety；　is　merely　an　expression　of　energy；　a　machine　driven　by　its　sun。〃　He　lowered　his　voice　and　looked　down　at　a　young；　wide…eyed　girl。　〃What　it　requires　is　reshaping　to　fit　our　needs。　We　have　the　ability　to　do　that　on。。。Dune。　But　do　we　have　the　self…discipline　and　the　drive？〃
　He　lifted　his　gaze　to　someone　else。　〃That　is　up　to　us。〃
　By　now　Ommun　and　Turok　had　heard　most　of　Kynes's　lectures。　Although　they　had　scoffed　at　first；　eventually　the　words　had　sunk　in。　Now；　the　more　they　heard　of　his　unbridled　enthusiasm　and　bright　honesty；　the　more　they　actually　began　to　believe。　Why　not　dream？　Judging　from　the　expressions　on　the　faces　of　his　listeners；　they　could　see　that　other　Fremen　had　started　to　consider　the　possibilities　as　well。
　The　sietch　elders　called　these　converts　optimistic　and　overly　gullible。　Undaunted；　Kynes　continued　to　spread　his　ideas；　as　outrageous　as　they　might　seem。
　WEARING　A　GRIM　expression；　Naib　Heinar　squinted　his　one　eye　and　extended　the　holy　crysknife；　still　sheathed。　The　strong　warrior　standing　rigid　in　front　of　him　held　out　his　hands　to　receive　the　gift。
　The　Naib　intoned　ritual　words。　〃Uliet；　older　Liet；　you　have　been　chosen　for　this　task　for　the　good　of　our　sietch。　You　have　proven　yourself　many　times　in　battle　against　the　Harkonnens。　You　are　an　acplished　worm　rider　and　one　of　the　greatest　fighters　among　the　Fremen。〃
　A　man　of　middle　years　and　craggy　features；　Uliet　bowed。　His　hands　remained　outstretched。　He　waited　and　did　not　flinch。　Though　a　deeply　religious　man；　he　held　his　awe　in　check。
　〃Take　this　consecrated　crysknife；　Uliet。〃　Hein