bh.houseatreides-第85部分

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his　former　life　pierced　his　hardened　conscience。　Looking　down　at　his　bloody　hands；　he　wondered　what　the　delicate　and　lovely　Kailea　Vernius　would　think　if　she　saw　him　now。　Every　time　they　had　known　they　would　see　her；　C'tair　and　his　brother　had　taken　extraordinary　care　to　groom　themselves　properly；　wear　dashing　clothes；　add　a　dab　of　cologne。
　He　spared　just　an　instant　to　mourn　what　the　Tleilaxu　had　forced　him　to　bee。。。and　then　wondered　if　Kailea　had　been　changed　as　well；　by　whatever　ordeals　she　had　endured。　He　realized　he　didn't　even　know　if　she　was　still　alive。　C'tair　swallowed　hard。

　But　he　wouldn't　survive　long；　either；　if　he　didn't　erase　the　evidence　of　his　crime　and　disappear　back　into　his　hiding　chamber。
　The　Tleilaxu　investigator　was　surprisingly　heavy　for　his　size；　suggesting　a　dense　bone　structure。　He　dumped　the　gray…skinned　body　into　a　nullentropy　bin；　the　sun　would　burn　out　in　the　Ixian　sky　before　the　corpse　began　to　rot。
　After　wiping　himself　clean　and　changing　his　clothes；　C'tair　set　to　work　on　the　primary　task　at　hand。　He　eagerly　took　the　stolen　scanner　back　to　his　workbench。
　It　was　fairly　easy　to　figure　out　how　to　operate　the　unit。　Its　controls　were　rudimentary：　a　black　touch　pad　and　an　amber　screen　that　identified　machines　and　technological　traces。　Markings　were　in　a　Tleilaxu　code　language；　which　he　deciphered　easily　by　speaking　the　words　into　a　decrypter　he　had　smuggled　into　the　shielded　room　during　the　first　frantic　days　after　the　takeover。
　Understanding　the　innards　of　the　Tleilaxu　scanner　posed　a　far　more　difficult　problem。　C'tair　had　to　work　with　extreme　caution　because　of　the　probable　existence　of　a　proprietary　anti　tampering　system　that　could　melt　down　interior　parts。　He　didn't　dare　take　a　tool　to　the　scanner　and　attempt　to　pry　it　open。　He　would　have　to　use　passive　methods。
　Again　he　wished　the　spirit　of　old　Rogo　might　reappear　to　provide　valuable　advice。　C'tair　felt　very　much　alone　in　this　all…but…forgotten　room；　and　at　times　had　to　fight　off　the　temptation　to　feel　sorry　for　himself。　He　found　strength　in　the　realization　that　he　was　doing　something　extremely　important。　The　future　of　Ix　might　rest　on　what　covert　battles　he　managed　to　win。
　He　had　to　survive　and　keep　his　hiding　place　intact；　since　his　protective　cocoon　housed　the　important　transspace　municator。　Before　long；　he　might　also　find　a　way　of　locating　the　survivors　of　House　Vernius　and　render　valuable　assistance　to　them。　Perhaps　he　was　the　only　survivor　who　could　liberate　his　beloved　world。
　And　to　protect　the　shielded　room；　C'tair　needed　to　figure　out　the　damnable　Tleilaxu　scanner。。。。
　Finally；　after　days　of　frustration；　he　used　a　sounding　device　in　the　hope　of　creating　a　reflected　schematic　of　the　scanner's　interior。　To　his　surprise　something　clicked。　He　set　the　scanner　down　on　the　workbench　and　backed　away。　Then；　approaching　again　to　examine　the　device　closely；　C'tair　found　that　a　seam　had　opened　on　one　side。　He　applied　pressure　on　each　side　of　the　split　and　pulled。
　The　scanner　opened　without　exploding　or　melting　down。　Before　his　delighted　eyes　he　discovered　not　only　the　guts　of　the　unit；　but　also　a　pin…activated　holoprojector　that　caused　a　User　Guide　image　to　appear　in　the　air　　a　dapper　holo…man　happy　to　explain　everything　about　the　scanner。
　Helpful　and　cheery；　the　User　Guide　had　no　concerns　about　a　petitor　stealing　the　technology　of　the　unit；　since　it　depended　upon　the　rare　and　precious　〃Richesian　mirror；〃　which　no　outsider　had　been　able　to　duplicate。　Constructed　of　unknown　minerals　and　polymers；　such　mirrors　were　thought　to　contain　geodome　prisms　within　prisms。
　As　C'tair　studied　the　scanner；　he　grudgingly　admired　its　construction；　and　for　the　first　time　suspected　Richesian　involvement　in　the　plot　against　Ix。　The　hatreds　were　long…standing；　and　Richesians　would　have　gladly　assisted　in　the　destruction　of　their　chief　rivals。。。。
　Now　C'tair　had　to　use　his　own　intuitive　knowledge；　the　scraps　of　ponents；　and　this　Richesian　mirror　to　create　a　disabling　device　to　block　the　scanner。　After　repeated　queries　to　the　annoyingly　solicitous　Guide；　he　began　to　unravel　a　solution。。。。
　THE　EVENING　MEETING　with　the　black　marketers　had　been　nerve…wracking　again；　with　many　frightened　glances　over　his　shoulder；　but　what　choice　did　C'tair　have？　Only　these　illicit　traders　had　been　able　to　procure　the　few　ponents　he　needed　for　his　scan…blocker。
　Finally；　after　making　his　purchases；　he　returned　to　the　quiet　building　overhead；　using　a　biometric　ID　scrambler　card　to　trick　the　entrance　station　into　thinking　he　was　a　Tleilaxu　technician。　As　he　rode　the　lift　tube　up　through　the　former　Grand　Palais　toward　his　hiding　room；　C'tair　thought　of　the　numerous　drawings　he　had　left　scattered　across　his　workbench。　He　was　eager　to　return　to　work。
　When　he　stepped　out　into　the　corridor；　though；　C'tair　realized　he　had　arrived　on　the　wrong　floor。　Instead　of　windowless　doors　and　storage　rooms；　this　level　held　a　number　of　offices　separated　by　clear　plaz。　Dull　orange　night…lights　burned　in　the　offices；　bold；　ominous　signs　on　the　doors　and　windows　were　written　in　an　unknown　Tleilaxu　language。
　He　paused；　recognizing　the　place。　He　hadn't　gone　far　enough　up　into　the　solid　rock　layers。　Once；　he　thought　angrily；　these　rooms　had　been　conference　chambers；　ambassadorial　offices；　meeting　rooms　for　members　of　the　Court　of　Earl　Vernius。　Now　they　looked　so。。。so　functional。
　Before　he　could　retreat；　C'tair　heard　something　on　his　left　　a　clank　of　metal　and　a　scuffing　noise　　and　ducked　back　toward　the　lift　tube　to　return　to　his　own　floor。　Too　late。　He'd　been　seen。
　〃You　there；　stranger！〃　a　shadowy　man　called　out　in　Ixian…accented　Galach。　〃e　out　where　we　can　see　you。〃　Probably　one　of　the　collaborators　　an　Ixian　turncoat　who　had　sold　his　soul　to　the　enemy　at　the　expense　of　his　own　people。
　Fumbling　with　his　bioscram　card；　C'tair　trembled　at　hearing　the　heavy　sounds　of　approaching　boots。　He　swiped　the　card　through　the　lift…control　reader。　More　voices　called　out。　He　expected　weapons　fire　at　any　moment。
　After　an　interminable　instant；　the　lift　tube　opened　　but　as　he　dashed　through　the　doorway；　C'tair　accidentally　dropped　the　bag　containing　the　parts　he　had　just　purchased。　No　time　to　retrieve　it。
　With　a　muttered　curse　he　dived　into　the　lift　and　ordered　the　correct　floor　in　a　harsh；　manding　whisper。　Just　in　time；　the　door　clicked　shut；　and　the　sound　of　voices　faded。　He　worried　that　the　guards　might　disable　the　lift　or　call　in　Sardaukar　　so　he　needed　to　exit　quickly。　It　seemed　to　take　forever　to　reach　his　floor。
　The　door　opened；　and　C'tair　peered　out　carefully；　looking　right　and　left。　No　signs　of　anyone　here。　Reaching　back　into　the　lift　tube；　he　programmed　it　to　stop　at　four　other　floors；　then　sent　it　off　empty　to　soar　even　higher　into　the　crustal　passages。
　Seconds　later；　C'tair　stood　sweating　in　the　sanctuary　of　his　shielded　chamber；　thankful　to　have　escaped　with　his　life；　but　angry　at　himself　for　his　carelessness。　He　had　lost　the　precious　ponents；　and　also　given　the　Tleilaxu　a　clue　as　to　what　he　had　been　up　to。
　Now　they　would　be　looking　for　him　specifically。
　We　all　live　in　the　shadows　of　our　predecessors　for　a　time。　But　we　who　determine　the　fate　of　planets　eventually　reach　the　point　at　which　we　bee　not　the　shadows；　but　the　light　itself。
　…PRINCE　RAPHAEL　CORRINO；
　Discourses　on　Leadership
　As　an　official　member　of　the　Federated　Council　of　Great　and　Minor　Houses；　Duke　Leto　Atreides　embarked　on　a　Heighliner　and　traveled　to　Kaitain　for　the　next　Landsraad　meeting。　Wearing　his　formal　mantle　off…planet　for　the　first　time；　he　thought　he　had　recovered　enough　from　the　loss　of　his　father　to　make　a　major　public　appearance。
　After　Leto　had　made　his　decision　to　attend；　Thufir　Hawat　and　several　other　Atreides　protocol　advisors　had　locked　themselves　with　him　in　Castle　meeting　rooms　to　give　him　crash　courses　in　diplomacy。　The　advisors　hovered　around　him　like　stern　teachers；　insisting　that　he　be　brought　up　to　speed　on　all　the　social；　economic；　and　political　factors　a　Duke　must　take　into　account。　Harsh　glowglobes　lit　the　stone…walled　room；　while　a　sea　breeze　drifted　in　through　the　open　window；　bringing　with　it　the　sound　of　crashing　waves　and　screaming　gulls。　Despite　the　distractions；　Leto　attended　to　the　lectures。
　For　his　turn；　the　new　Duke　had　insisted　that　Rhombur　sit　beside　him　during　the　training　sessions。　〃One　day　he　will　need　to　know　all　these　things；　when　his　House　is　restored；〃　Leto　had　said。　Some　advisors　had　looked　skeptical；　but　they　did　not　argue。
　As　he　departed　from　Cala　City　Spaceport；　acpanied　only　by　Thufir　Hawat　as　his　escort　and　confidant；　Leto's　counselors　had　warned　him　against　rash　behavior。　Leto　had　pulled　his　cloak　tighter　around　his　shoulders。　〃I　understand；〃　he　said；　〃but　my　sense　of　honor　drives　me　to　do　what　I　must　do。〃
　By　ancient　tradition　it　was　Leto's　right　to　appear　in　the　Landsraad　forum　and　put　forth　his　demand。　A　demand　for　justice。　As　the　new　Duke；　he　had　an　agenda；　and　enough　anger　and　youthful　naivete　to　believe　he　just　might　succeed；　no　matter　what　his　advisors　might　tell　him。　Sadly；　though；　he　remembered　the　few　times　when　his　father　had　petitioned　the　Landsraad；　Paulus　had　always　returned　home　red…faced；　expressing　scorn　and　impatience　at　the　bumbling　bureaucracy。
　But　Leto　would　start　fresh；　with　high　hopes。
　Under　the　eternally　sunny　skies　of　Kaitain；　the　massive　Landsraad　Hall　of　Oratory　stood　high　and　imposing；　the　tallest　peak　in　a　mountain　range　of　legislative　edifices　and　government　offices　surrounding　an　ellipsoidal　mons。　The　Hall　had　been　erected　by　contributions　from　all　the　Houses；　each　noble　family　trying　to　outdo　the　others　in　grandeur。　Representatives　from　CHOAM　had　helped　to　procure　resources　from　across　the　Imperium；　and　only　by　special　order　of　a　former　Emperor　　Hassik　Corrino　III　　had　the　exorbitant　Landsraad　construction　plans　been　curtailed；　so　as　not　to　overshadow　the　Imperial　Palace　itself。
　Following　the　nuclear　holocaust　on　Salusa　Secundus　and　the　relocation　of　the　Imperium's　seat　of　government；　everyone　had　been　anxious　to　establish　an　optimistic　new　order。　Hassik　III　had　wanted　to　show　that　even　after　the　near　obliteration　of　House　Corrino；　the　Imperium　and　its　business　would　continue　at　a　more