bh.houseatreides-第99部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


pons　control　　a　stilo　bar　with　multicolored　panels　　and　blasted　shots　in　all　directions；　most　of　which　missed　entirely；　although　he　did　remove　one　drone　with　a　spray　of　multiphase　projectiles。　They　all　knew　the　bull's…eye　was　a　mere　accident；　and　Rhombur　took　no　pride　in　it。
　〃Patience　and　control；　Prince；〃　Hawat　said。　〃You　must　use　each　shot　as　if　it　were　your　last。　Make　it　count。　Once　you've　learned　to　hit　things；　then　you　can　be　more　liberal　with　your　expenditures。〃
　Leto　chased　after　the　drones　as　Rhombur　fired　with　the　full　array　of　weapons　available　to　him。　When　Rhombur　had　finally　succeeded　in　eliminating　all　the　targets；　he　and　Leto　switched　positions　and　went　through　more　practice　maneuvers。
　Two　hours　passed　swiftly；　and　finally　the　Mentat　instructed　them　to　return　to　the　Guild　Heighliner　so　they　could　make　themselves　fortable　before　the　navigator　folded　space　and　guided　the　ship　to　Kaitain。
　SETTLED　IN；　LOUNGING　on　his　plush　hawk…crested　chair；　Leto　stared　out　the　window　into　the　crowded　cluster　of　ships　inside　the　Heighliner　bay。　He　sipped　a　mug　of　mulled　wine　that　reminded　him　of　Kailea　and　the　stormy　night　when　they　had　rummaged　through　the　Old　Duke's　Possessions。　He　longed　for　peaceful　interludes　and　warm　panionship；　though　he　knew　it　would　be　a　long　time　before　his　life　became　settled　again。
　〃The　ships　are　so　close　together　here；〃　he　said。　〃It　makes　me　uneasy。〃　He　watched　two　Tleilaxu　transports　take　positions　near　the　Atreides　frigate。　Beyond　the　transports　a　Harkonnen　frigate　hung　in　its　Guild…assigned　place。
　〃Nothing　to　worry　about；　my　Duke；〃　Hawat　said。　〃By　the　rules　of　warfare　dictated　by　the　Great　Convention；　no　one　can　fire　a　weapon　inside　a　Heighliner。　Any　house　breaking　that　rule　faces　permanent　forfeiture　of　its　access　to　Guild　ships。　No　one　would　risk　that。〃
　〃Are　our　shields　up　anyway？〃　Leto　asked。
　〃Vermillion　hells；　no　shields；　Leto！〃　Rhombur　said；　with　alarm　in　his　voice。　He　laughed。　〃You　should　have　learned　more　about　Heighliners　on　Ix　　or　were　you　looking　at　my　sister　the　whole　time？〃
　Leto　flushed　crimson；　but　Rhombur　explained　quickly。　〃Aboard　a　Heighliner；　shields　interfere　with　the　ship's　Holtzman　propulsion　system；　preventing　it　from　folding　space。　An　active　shield　disrupts　a　Navigator's　ability　to　hold　his　navigation　trance。　We'd　be　dead　in　space。〃
　〃It　is　also　forbidden　under　our　Guild　transport　contract；〃　Hawat　said；　as　if　the　legal　reason　might　somehow　carry　more　weight。
　〃So　we're　all　here　unprotected；　naked；　and　trusting；〃　Leto　grumbled；　still　seeing　the　Harkonnen　ship　through　the　plaz　ports。
　Rhombur　said　with　a　defeated　smile；　〃You're　making　me　remember　how　many　people　wish　me　dead。〃
　〃All　ships　inside　this　Heighliner　are　equally　vulnerable；　Prince；〃　Hawat　said。　〃But　you　should　not　concern　yourself　just　yet。　Your　greatest　peril　lies　ahead；　on　Kaitain。　For　now；　even　I　intend　to　rest　a　bit。　Here　on　board　our　frigate；　we　are　as　safe　as　we　can　be。〃
　Leto　looked　out　and　up　at　the　distant　roof　of　the　Heighliner　hold。　High　above　in　a　miniscule　navigation　chamber；　a　single　Navigator　in　a　tank　of　orange　spice　gas　controlled　the　enormous　bulk　of　the　ship。
　Despite　Hawat's　assurances；　he　remained　uneasy。　Beside　him；　Rhombur　fidgeted　as　well；　but　struggled　to　cover　his　anxiety。　With　an　agitated　breath　the　young　Duke　sat　back；　trying　to　let　his　tension　drain　away　and　prepare　for　the　political　crisis　he　was　about　to　initiate　on　Kaitain。
　Storms　beget　storms。　Rage　begets　rage。　Revenge　begets　revenge。　Wars　beget　wars。
　…Bene　Gesserit　Conundrum
　The　Guild　Heighliner's　external　hull　hatches　were　sealed；　the　cavernous　openings　closed；　and　the　vessel　made　ready　to　depart。　Soon　the　Navigator　would　go　into　his　trance；　and　the　ship　would　be　under　way。　The　next　and　final　destination　on　this　route　would　be　Kaitain；　where　representatives　of　the　Great　and　Minor　Houses　of　the　Landsraad　had　begun　arriving　for　the　coronation　of　Padishah　Emperor　Shaddam　IV。
　The　Navigator　maneuvered　the　enormous　vessel　away　from　the　gravity　well　of　Caladan　and　out　into　open　space；　preparing　to　engage　the　huge　Holtzman　engines　that　would　carry　it　in　wild　leaps　across　foldspace。
　The　passengers　aboard　family　frigates　within　the　liner's　holding　bay　discerned　no　movement　whatsoever；　no　motion　from　the　engines；　no　change　in　position；　no　sound。　The　packed　ships　hung　in　their　isolated　spaces　like　data　bricks　in　a　secure　library　plex。　All　Houses　followed　the　same　rules；　putting　their　faith　in　the　ability　of　a　single　mutated　creature　to　find　a　safe　course。
　Like　giedi…cattle　in　a　slaughter　pen；　thought　Rabban　as　he　climbed　into　his　invisible　attack　ship。
　He　could　have　wiped　out　a　dozen　frigates　before　anyone　figured　out　what　was　going　on。　Given　free　rein；　Rabban　would　have　enjoyed　causing　such　mayhem；　the　exhilarating　sensation　of　extravagant　violence。。。。
　But　that　was　not　in　the　plan；　at　least　not　for　now。
　His　uncle　had　developed　a　scheme　of　beautiful　finesse。　〃Pay　attention　and　learn　from　this；〃　he'd　said。　Good　advice；　Rabban　admitted　to　himself。　He　had　been　discovering　the　benefits　of　subtlety　and　the　enjoyment　of　a　revenge　long　savored。
　This　didn't　mean　Rabban　would　forsake　the　more　blunt　forms　of　violence　at　which　he　excelled；　on　the　contrary；　he　would　simply　add　the　Baron's　methods　to　his　homicidal　repertoire。　He'd　be　a　well…rounded　person　by　the　time　he　took　over　the　leadership　of　House　Harkonnen。
　In　an　unobtrusive　movement；　the　hatches　of　the　Harkonnen　family　frigate　slid　open；　and　the　containment　field　faded　just　long　enough　to　let　Rabban's　sleek　warship　descend　into　the　sealed　vacuum　within　the　Heighliner　hold。
　Slowly；　quietly；　patiently。
　Before　anyone　could　see　his　fighter　craft；　he　engaged　the　no…field；　working　the　controls　the　way　Piter　de　Vries　had　shown　him。　He　felt　no　different；　saw　no　change　in　the　view　transmitted　from　his　monitors。　But　now　he　was　a　killer　ghost：　invisible；　invincible。
　From　anyone　else's　viewpoint；　and　from　external　sensors；　all　electromagnetic　signals　impinging　on　the　no…field　would　reflect　off　and　bend　around；　transforming　his　ship　into　an　empty　spot。　The　attack　craft's　engines；　more　silent　than　the　softest　whisper；　made　no　detectable　sound　or　vibration。
　No　one　would　suspect　a　thing。　No　one　could　even　imagine　an　invisible　ship。
　Rabban　activated　the　no…ship's　attitude　jets；　silently　coaxing　the　deadly　craft　away　from　the　innocent…looking　Harkonnen　frigate；　toward　the　Atreides　vessel。　This　attack　ship　was　too　big　for　his　liking；　not　very　maneuverable　and　rather　bulky　for　a　quick　fighter；　but　its　invisibility　and　stone…silence　made　all　the　difference。
　His　thick　fingers　danced　over　the　control　panels；　and　he　felt　a　measure　of　glee；　of　power；　glory；　and　satisfaction　yet　to　e。　Soon　a　ship　full　of　nasty；　brutish　Tleilaxu　would　be　destroyed。　Hundreds　of　them　would　die。
　Always　before；　Rabban　had　used　his　position　in　House　Harkonnen　to　get　what　he　wanted　without　question；　to　manipulate　other　people　and　kill　those　few　who　were　unfortunate　enough　to　stand　in　his　way。　But　that　had　been　mere　play　for　his　personal　amusement。　Now　he　was　performing　a　vital　function；　an　act　upon　which　the　future　of　House　Harkonnen　depended。　The　Baron　had　picked　him　for　this　mission；　and　he　vowed　to　do　it　well。　He　certainly　didn't　want　to　be　sent　back　home　to　his　father。
　Rabban　maneuvered　the　ship　into　place　slowly；　gently　　no　hurry；　now。　He　had　the　entire　transspace　voyage　in　which　to　start　a　war。
　With　the　no…field　around　his　attack　craft；　he　felt　like　a　hunter　concealed　in　a　blind。　This　was　a　different　kind　of　hunting；　though；　requiring　more　sophistication　than　blowing　up　sandworms　on　Arrakis；　more　finesse　than　chasing　children　in　the　Harkonnen　forest　preserve。　Here；　his　trophy　would　be　a　change　in　Imperial　politics。　In　the　end　he　would　hang　the　trophies　of　greater　power　and　fortunes　for　House　Harkonnen　on　his　wall；　stuffed　and　mounted。
　The　invisible　attack　craft　approached　the　Atreides　frigate；　almost　close　enough　to　touch。
　Noiselessly；　Rabban　powered　up　his　weapons　systems；　making　sure　his　full　array　of　multiphase　projectiles　was　ready　to　launch。　He　would　rely　on　manual　targeting　in　a　case　like　this。
　At　point…blank　range；　he　couldn't　possibly　miss。
　Rabban　turned　his　no…ship；　pointing　the　gunports　toward　two　nearby　vessels；　Tleilaxu　transports　that　had；　through　a　substantial　Harkonnen　bribe　paid　to　the　Guild；　been　ordered　to　park　adjacent　to　the　Atreides　frigate。
　Bound　from　Tleilax　Seven；　the　ships　undoubtedly　carried　genetic　products；　the　specialty　of　the　Bene　Tleilax。　Each　ship　would　be　manded　by　Tleilaxu　Masters；　with　a　crew　of　Face　Dancers；　their　shape…shifting　servants。　The　cargo　might　be　slig　meat；　animal　grafts；　or　a　few　of　those　abominable　gholas　　clones　grown　from　the　flesh　of　dead　humans；　copies　nurtured　in　axlotl　tanks　so　that　bereaved　families　could　once　again　see　fallen　loved　ones。　Such　products　carried　high　price　tags　and　made　the　gnomelike　Tleilaxu　extremely　wealthy；　despite　the　fact　that　they　undoubtedly　would　never　be　granted　Great　House　status。
　This　was　perfect！　With　all　the　Landsraad　listening；　young　Duke　Leto　Atreides　had　declared　his　vendetta　against　the　Tleilaxu；　swearing　vengeance　for　what　they　had　done　to　House　Vernius。　Leto　had　not　been　circumspect　with　regard　to　the　statements　he'd　made　on　the　record。　Everyone　knew　how　much　he　must　hate　the　occupants　of　these　Tleilaxu　ships。
　As　a　bonus；　the　renegade　Rhombur　Vernius　was　at　this　very　moment　aboard　the　Atreides　frigate；　yet　another　person　to　be　caught　in　the　Harkonnen　web；　yet　another　victim　in　what　would　soon　be　a　bloody　Atreides…Tleilaxu　war。
　The　Landsraad　would　accuse　Duke　Leto　of　being　a　hothead　　brash；　impetuous；　and　violent；　pushed　to　ill…advised　acts　by　his　misplaced　Ixian　friendships　and　his　inconsolable　grief　over　the　death　of　his　father。　Poor；　poor　Leto；　so　inadequately　trained　to　cope　with　the　pressures　bearing　down　on　him。
　Rabban　knew　full　well　what　conclusions　the　Landsraad　and　the　Imperium　would　draw；　because　his　uncle　and　the　twisted　Mentat　had　explained　it　to　him　in　detail。
　Hovering　immediately　in　front　of　the　Atreides　frigate；　invisible　and　cloaked　in　anonymity；　Rabban　targeted　the　nearby　Tleilaxu　ships。　With　a　smile　on　his　generous　lips；　he　reach