bh.houseatreides-第123部分

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e　hours　before　the　Heighliner　pletes　loading　and　unloading　and　is　ready　to　depart。　I　suggest　we　use　this　time　for　training；　m'Lord。〃
　〃You　always　suggest　that；　Thufir；〃　Rhombur　said。
　〃Because　you　are　young　and　require　considerable　instruction；〃　the　Mentat　countered。
　Leto's　plush　frigate　was　so　full　of　amenities　that　he　and　his　entourage　could　forget　they　were　even　off…planet。　But　he'd　had　enough　of　relaxing；　and　the　anxiety　of　impending　events　filled　him　with　a　nervous　energy　that　he　wanted　to　discharge。　〃You　have　a　suggestion；　Thufir？　What　can　we　do　out　here？〃
　The　Master　of　Assassins'　eyes　lit　up。　〃In　space；　there　are　many　things　a　Duke　　and　a　Prince　〃　he　said　with　a　nod　to　Rhombur；〃　can　learn。〃
　A　WINGLESS　BAT　pod　the　size　of　an　ornithopter　dropped　out　of　the　hold　of　the　Atreides　frigate　and　descended　away　from　the　Heighliner；　into　space。　Leto　worked　the　controls　with　Rhombur　sitting　in　the　copilot's　seat　to　his　right。　It　reminded　Leto　for　a　moment　of　their　brief　training　attempt　in　the　Ixian　orship；　a　near　disaster。
　Hawat　stood　behind　them　wearing　a　mobile　crash　restraint。　In　his　harness　he　looked　like　a　pillar　of　wisdom；　frowning　down　at　the　two　young　men　as　they　felt　their　way　through　the　bat　pod's　controls　for　the　first　time。　An　emergency　override　panel　floated　in　front　of　Hawat。
　〃This　craft　is　different　from　a　coracle　at　sea；　young　sirs；〃　Hawat　said。　〃Unlike　the　larger　ships；　we're　in　zero　gravity　here；　with　all　the　flexibility　and　constraints　that　implies。　You　have　both　done　the　simulations；　but　now　you　are　about　to　discover　what　real　space　bat　is　all　about。〃
　〃I　get　to　fire　the　weapons　first；〃　Rhombur　said；　repeating　their　prior　arrangement。
　〃And　I'm　piloting；〃　Leto　added；　〃but　we　switch　in　half　an　hour。〃
　Behind　him；　Hawat　spoke　in　a　monotone：　〃It's　not　likely；　m'Lord　Duke；　that　you　will　find　yourself　in　a　situation　that　requires　space　bat；　but　〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　I　should　always　be　prepared；〃　Leto　said。　〃If　I've　learned　anything　from　you；　Thufir；　it's　that。〃
　〃First　you　must　learn　maneuvering。〃　Hawat　guided　Leto　through　a　series　of　cruising　curves　and　sharp　arcs。　He　stayed　sufficiently　far　from　the　enormous　Heighliner；　but　close　enough　that　he　felt　it　constituted　a　genuine　obstacle　at　this　speed。　Once；　Leto　reacted　too　quickly　and　plunged　the　bat　pod　into　an　uncontrolled　spin；　which　he　pulled　out　of　by　firing　reaction　jets　to　stop　them　without　sending　the　craft　spiraling　in　the　opposite　direction。
　〃Reaction　and　counter…reaction；〃　Hawat　said；　with　approval。　His　now…tilted　mobile　crash　restraint　righted　itself。　〃When　you　and　Rhombur　had　your　boating　accident　on　Caladan；　you　were　able　to　run　aground　on　a　reef　to　stop　things　from　getting　worse。　Here；　though；　there　is　no　safety　net　to　catch　you。　If　you　spin　out　of　control；　you　will　continue　to　do　so　until　the　proper　countermeasures　are　taken。　You　could　fall　and　burn　up　in　the　atmosphere；　or　in　deeper　space　you　might　hurtle　into　the　void。〃
　〃Uh；　let's　not　do　any　of　that　today；〃　Rhombur　said。　He　looked　over　at　his　friend。　〃I'd　like　to　try　some　practice　shots　now；　Leto；　if　you　can　keep　this　thing　flying　straight　for　a　few　minutes。〃
　〃No　problem；〃　Leto　said。
　Bending　to　the　weaponeer　station　between　the　boys；　Hawat　said；　〃I　loaded　skeet…drones　into　the　hold。　Rhombur；　try　to　fire　and　nullify　as　many　of　them　as　you　can。　You　have　free　range　to　use　whatever　weaponry　you　wish。　Lasbeams；　conventional　explosives；　or　multiphase　projectiles。　But　first；　m'Lord〃　　Hawat　squeezed　Leto's　shoulder　　〃please　take　us　around　to　the　other　side　of　the　planet　where　we　won't　have　to　worry　about　hitting　the　Heighliner　when　Rhombur's　shots　go　wild。〃
　With　a　chuckle；　Leto　did　as　he　was　instructed；　cruising　high　above　the　clouds　of　Caladan　to　the　nightside；　where　the　planet　lay　black　below　them　except　for　necklaces　of　city　lights　strung　along　the　distant　coasts。　Behind　them；　the　glare　of　Caladan's　sun　formed　a　halo　against　the　dark　eclipse　of　the　planet。
　Hawat　launched　a　dozen　spinning；　glittering　globes　that　flew　off　on　random　paths。　Rhombur　grabbed　the　weapons　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。
　T