bh.houseatreides-第66部分

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oom；　thoughts　percolated　through　his　mind；　overwhelming　him　like　a　demonic　possession。　The　contact　had　sparked　something　unexpected　in　his　own　brain；　an　amazing　reaction。
　For　days　he　did　not　leave　the　enclosure；　consumed　with　his　enhanced　memories；　using　the　prototype　apparatus　to　focus　his　thoughts　to　an　obsessive　clarity。　Hour　after　hour；　the　replayed　conversation　became　clearer　to　him；　words　and　double　meanings　blossoming　like　flower　petals。。。as　if　he　traversed　his　own　kind　of　foldspace　of　mind　and　memory。　Nuances　of　D'murr's　dialogue　became　increasingly　apparent；　meanings　C'tair　hadn't　noticed　at　first。　This　gave　him　only　an　inkling　of　what　his　brother　had　bee。
　He　found　it　exciting。　And　terrifying。
　Finally；　ing　back　to　awareness　an　unknown　number　of　days　later；　he　noticed　that　food　and　beverage　packages　lay　scattered　around　him。　The　room　stank。　He　looked　in　a　mirror；　shocked　to　see　that　he　had　grown　a　scratchy　dark　brown　beard。　His　eyes　were　bloodshot；　his　hair　wild。　C'tair　barely　recognized　himself。
　If　Kailea　Vernius　were　to　set　eyes　on　him　now；　she　would　draw　back　in　horror　or　disdain　and　send　him　to　work　in　the　dimmest　lower　levels　with　the　suboids。　Somehow；　though；　after　the　tragedy　of　Ix；　the　rape　of　his　beautiful　underground　city；　his　boyish　crush　on　the　Earl's　daughter　seemed　irrelevant。　Of　all　the　sacrifices　C'tair　had　made；　that　was　among　the　smallest。
　And　he　was　sure　there　would　be　harder　ones　to　e。
　Before　cleaning　himself　or　the　hiding　place；　though；　he　began　preparations　for　the　next　call　to　his　brother。
　Perceptions　rule　the　universe。
　…Bene　Gesserit　Saying
　A　robo…controlled　shuttle　left　its　orbiting　Heighliner　in　the　Laoujin　system　and　streaked　toward　the　surface　of　Wallach　IX；　transmitting　appropriate　security　codes　to　bypass　the　Sisterhood's　primary　defenses。　The　Bene　Gesserit　homeworld　was　just　another　stop　on　its　long　circuitous　route　wandering　among　the　stars　in　the　Imperium。
　Her　thick　hair　beginning　to　turn　gray；　her　body　starting　to　hint　at　its　age；　Gaius　Helen　Mohiam　thought　it　would　be　good　to　be　home　after　many　months　of　other　duties；　each　separate　assignment　a　thread　in　the　vast　Bene　Gesserit　tapestry。　No　Sister　understood　the　entire　pattern；　the　entire　weaving　of　events　and　people；　but　Mohiam　did　her　part。
　With　her　advancing　pregnancy；　the　Sisterhood　had　called　her　home；　to　remain　at　the　Mother　School　until　such　time　as　Mohiam　delivered　the　much…anticipated　daughter。　Only　Kwisatz　Mother　Anirul　prehended　her　true　value　to　the　breeding　program；　how　everything　hinged　on　the　child　she　now　carried。　Mohiam　understood　that　this　baby　was　important；　but　even　the　whispers　of　her　Other　Memory；　which　could　always　be　called　upon　to　offer　a　cacophony　of　advice；　remained　deliberately　silent　on　the　subject。
　The　Guild　shuttle　carried　only　her。　Working　under　the　spectre　of　the　Jihad；　the　Richesian　manufacturers　of　the　robo…pilot　had　gone　out　of　their　way　to　make　a　clunky…looking；　rivet…covered　device　that　most　vehemently　neither　emulated　the　human　mind　nor　looked　the　least　bit　human。。。or　even　sophisticated；　for　that　matter。
　The　robo…pilot　transported　passengers　and　materials　from　a　big　ship　to　the　surface　of　a　planet；　and　back　again　in　a　well…rehearsed　chain　of　events。　Its　functions　included　barely　enough　programming　flexibility　to　deal　with　air…traffic　patterns　or　adverse　weather　conditions。　The　robo…pilot　took　its　shuttle　in　a　routine　sequence：　from　Heighliner　to　planet；　from　planet　to　Heighliner。。。
　At　a　window　seat　in　the　shuttle；　Mohiam　reflected　on　the　delicious　revenge　she　had　exacted　on　the　Baron。　It　had　been　months　already；　and　no　doubt　he　still　suspected　nothing；　but　a　Bene　Gesserit　could　wait　a　long　time　for　the　appropriate　payment。　Over　the　years；　as　his　precious　body　weakened　and　bloated　from　the　disease；　an　utterly　defeated　Vladimir　Harkonnen　might　even　contemplate　suicide。
　Mohiam's　vengeful　action　might　have　been　impulsive；　but　it　was　fitting　and　appropriate　after　what　the　Baron　had　done。　Mother　Superior　Harishka　would　not　have　allowed　House　Harkonnen　to　go　unpunished；　and　Mohiam　thought　her　spontaneous　idea　had　been　cruelly　apt。　It　would　save　the　Sisterhood　time　and　trouble。
　As　the　ship　descended　into　the　cloud　layer；　Mohiam　hoped　this　new　child　would　be　perfect；　because　the　Baron　would　no　longer　be　of　any　use　to　them。　But　if　not；　the　Sisterhood　always　had　other　options　and　other　plans。　They　had　many　different　breeding　schemes。
　Mohiam　was　of　a　type　considered　optimal　for　a　certain　mysterious　genetic　program。　She　knew　the　names　of　some；　but　not　all；　of　the　other　candidates；　and　knew　as　well　that　the　Sisterhood　didn't　want　simultaneous　pregnancies　in　the　program；　fearing　this　might　muddle　the　mating　index。　Mohiam　did　wonder；　though；　why　she　had　been　selected　again；　after　the　first　failure。　Her　superiors　hadn't　explained　it　to　her；　and　she　knew　better　than　to　ask。　And　again；　the　Voices　in　Other　Memory　kept　their　counsel　to　themselves。
　Do　the　details　matter？　she　wondered。　I　carry　the　requested　daughter　in　my　womb。　A　successful　birth　would　elevate　Mohiam's　stature；　might　even　result　in　her　eventual　election　as　Mother　Superior　by　the　proctors；　when　she　got　much　older。。。depending　on　how　important　this　daughter　really　was。
　She　sensed　the　girl　would　be　very　important。
　Aboard　the　robo…piloted　shuttle；　she　felt　a　sudden　change　of　motion。　Looking　out　the　narrow　window；　she　saw　the　horizon　of　Wallach　IX　lurch　as　the　craft　flipped　over　and　plunged　down；　out　of　control。　The　safety　field　around　her　seat　glimmered　an　unfamiliar；　disconcerting　yellow。　Machine　sounds；　which　had　been　limited　to　a　smooth　whir；　now　screamed　through　the　cabin；　hurting　her　ears。
　Lights　blinked　wildly　on　the　control　module　ahead　of　her。　The　robo's　movements　were　jerky　and　uncertain。　She　had　been　trained　to　handle　crises；　and　her　mind　worked　rapidly。　Mohiam　knew　about　occasional　malfunctions　on　these　shuttles　　statistically　unlikely　　exacerbated　by　the　lack　of　pilots　with　the　ability　to　think　and　react。　When　a　problem　did　occur　　and　Mohiam　felt　herself　in　the　midst　of　one　now　　the　potential　for　disaster　was　high。
　The　shuttle　plummeted；　lurching　and　bucking。　Clothlike　scraps　of　cloud　slapped　the　windows。　The　robo…pilot　went　through　the　same　circular　motions；　unable　to　try　anything　new。　The　engine　flared　out；　went　silent。
　This　can't　be；　Mohiam　thought。　Not　now；　not　when　I'm　carrying　this　child。　Viscerally；　she　felt　that　if　she　could　just　survive　this；　her　baby　would　be　healthy　and　would　be　the　one　so　badly　needed　by　the　Sisterhood。
　But　dark　thoughts　assailed　her；　and　she　began　to　tremble。　Guild　Navigators；　such　as　the　one　in　the　Heighliner　above　her；　utilized　higher…order　dimensional　calculations；　and　they　did　so　in　order　to　see　the　future；　enabling　them　to　maneuver　ships　safely　through　the　dangerous　voids　of　foldspace。　Had　the　Spacing　Guild　learned　of　the　secret　Bene　Gesserit　program；　and　did　they　fear　it？
　As　the　shuttle　hurtled　toward　disaster；　an　incredible　array　of　possibilities　tumbled　through　Mohiam's　mind。　The　safety　field　around　her　stretched　and　grew　more　yellow。　Her　body　pressed　against　it；　threatening　to　break　through。　Holding　her　hands　protectively　over　her　womb；　she　felt　a　frantic　desire　to　live；　and　for　her　unborn　child　to　thrive　　and　her　thoughts　went　beyond　the　parochial　concerns　of　a　mother　and　child；　to　a　much　larger　significance。
　She　wondered　if　her　suspicions　might　be　totally　in　error。　What　if　some　higher　force　than　either　she　or　her　Sisters　could　possibly　imagine　was　behind　this？　Were　the　Bene　Gesserit；　through　their　breeding　program；　playing　God？　Did　a　real　God　　regardless　of　the　Sisterhood's　cynicism　and　skepticism　toward　religion　　in　fact　exist？
　What　a　cruel　joke　that　would　be。
　The　deformities　of　her　first　child；　and　now　the　impending　death　of　this　fetus　and　Mohiam；　too。。。it　all　seemed　to　add　up　to　something。　But　if　so；　who　　or　what　　was　behind　this　emergency？
　The　Bene　Gesserit　did　not　believe　in　accidents　or　coincidences。
　〃　'I　must　not　fear；'　〃　she　intoned；　her　eyes　closed。　〃　'Fear　is　the　mind…killer。　Fear　is　the　little…death　that　brings　total　obliteration。　I　will　face　my　fear。　I　will　permit　it　to　pass　over　me　and　through　me。　And　when　it　has　gone　past　I　will　turn　the　inner　eye　to　see　its　path。　Where　the　fear　has　gone　there　will　be　nothing。　Only　I　will　remain。'　〃
　It　was　the　Litany　Against　Fear；　conceived　in　ancient　times　by　a　Bene　Gesserit　Sister　and　passed　on　to　generation　after　generation。
　Mohiam　took　a　deep　breath；　and　felt　her　trembling　subside。
　The　shuttle　held　position　momentarily；　with　her　window　pointed　planetward。　The　engine　sputtered　again。　She　saw　the　continental　mass　approaching　fast；　and　made　out　the　sprawling　Mother　School　plex；　a　labyrinthine　white…stuccoed　city　with　sienna　roof　tiles。
　Was　the　shuttle　being　sent　out　of　control　into　the　main　school；　with　some　terrible　explosive　force　aboard？　A　single　crash　could　wipe　out　the　heart　of　the　Sisterhood。
　Mohiam　struggled　against　the　safety　field；　but　could　not　break　free。　The　shuttle　shifted；　and　the　land　disappeared　from　view。　The　window　cocked　upward　to　reveal　the　blue…white　sun　on　the　edge　of　the　atmosphere。
　Then　her　safety　field　grew　clear；　and　Mohiam　realized　that　the　shuttle　had　righted　itself。　The　engine　was　on　again；　a　sweet　flow　of　machinery。　In　the　front　partment；　the　robo…pilot　moved　with　apparent　efficiency；　as　if　nothing　had　happened。　One　of　its　programmed　emergency　routines　must　have　worked。
　As　the　shuttle　set　down　smoothly　on　the　ground　in　front　of　the　grand　plaza；　Mohiam　breathed　a　long　sigh　of　relief。　She　rushed　to　the　doorhatch；　meaning　to　flee　into　the　safety　of　the　nearest　building。。。but　she　paused；　took　a　moment　to　pose　herself；　and　then　strode　calmly　out。　A　Reverend　Mother　had　to　maintain　appearances。
　When　she　glided　down　the　ramp；　Sisters　and　acolytes　swarmed　protectively　around　her。　Mother　Superior　demanded　that　the　shuttle　be　impounded　for　a　plete　overhaul　and　investigation；　seeking　evidence　of　sabotage　or　confirmation　of　a　simple　malfunction。　A　brusque　radio　transmission　from　the　Heighliner　above；　however；　prevented　this。
　Reverend　Mother　Anirul　Sadow　Tonkin　stood　waiting　to　greet　Mohiam；　beaming　with　pride；　looking　very　young　with　her　doel