bh.houseatreides-第143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！


　the　Baron's　limbs　and　joints　had　been　growing　increasingly　sore　of　late；　his　muscles　were　weakened　and　trembled；　his　body　was　losing　its　edge。。。。
　For　now　the　Baron　would　simply　make　up　his　own　sport。　Once　Yh'imm's　stumps　were　cauterized　and　sealed；　he　would　pretend　the　hapless　monitor　was　Duke　Atreides　himself。　That　would　be　fun。
　The　Baron　paused　and　realized　how　foolish　it　was　for　him　to　be　so　upset　over　the　failure　of　a　single　plan。　For　uncounted　generations　the　Harkonnens　had　spun　subtle　traps　for　their　hated　mortal　enemies。　But　the　Atreides　were　difficult　to　kill；　especially　when　their　backs　were　to　the　wall。　The　feud　extended　all　the　way　back　to　the　Great　Revolt；　the　betrayal；　the　accusations　of　cowardice。　Since　that　time；　Harkonnen　had　always　hated　Atreides；　and　vice　versa。
　And　so　it　would　always　be。
　〃We　still　have　Arrakis；〃　the　Baron　said。　〃We　still　control　melange　production；　even　though　we're　under　CHOAM's　thumb　and　the　watchful　eye　of　the　Padishah　Emperor。〃　He　grinned　at　Rabban；　who　grinned　back　at　him；　strictly　out　of　habit。
　Deep　in　the　heart　of　the　dirty　and　dark　grandeur　of　Harkonnen　Keep；　the　Baron　clenched　his　fist　and　raised　it　high　in　the　air。　〃As　long　as　we　control　Arrakis；　we　control　our　own　fortunes。〃　He　clapped　a　hand　on　his　nephew's　padded　shoulder。　〃We　will　wring　spice　from　the　sands　until　Arrakis　is　nothing　more　than　an　empty　husk！〃
　The　universe　contains　untapped　and　heretofore　unimagined　energy　sources。　They　are　before　your　very　eyes；　yet　you　cannot　see　them。　They　are　in　your　mind；　yet　you　cannot　think　them。　But　I　can！
　…TIO　HOLTZMAN；
　Collected　Lectures
　On　the　Spacing　Guild　world　of　Junction；　the　one　who　had　been　D'murr　Pilru　was　brought　before　a　tribunal　of　Navigators。　They　didn't　tell　him　the　reason；　and　even　with　all　his　intuition　and　conceptual　understanding　of　the　universe；　he　could　not　fathom　what　they　wanted　from　him。
　No　other　trainees　joined　D'murr；　none　of　the　new　Pilots　who　had　learned　the　ways　of　foldspace　with　him。　On　a　huge　open　parade　ground　of　stunted　blakgras；　the　sealed　spice…filled　tanks　of　the　high…level　tribunal　were　arrayed　in　a　semicircle　on　grooved　flagstones；　where　tracks　from　thousands　of　previous　convocations　could　still　be　seen。
　D'murr's　smaller　tank　sat　in　front　of　them　all；　solitary　at　the　center　of　the　semicircle。　Relatively　new　to　his　life　as　a　Navigator；　still　a　low…ranking　Pilot；　he　retained　much　of　his　human　shape　inside　the　enclosed　tank。　The　members　of　the　tribunal　　Steersmen　all；　each　inside　his　own　tank　　showed　only　bloated　heads　and　monstrously　altered　eyes　peering　out　through　the　murk　of　cinnamon…orange。
　I　will　be　like　them　someday；　D'murr　thought。　At　one　time　he　would　have　recoiled　in　horror；　now　he　accepted　it　as　inevitable。　He　thought　of　all　the　new　revelations　he　would　have　along　the　way。
　The　Guild　tribunal　spoke　to　him　in　their　shorthand；　higher…order　mathematical　language；　thoughts　and　words　municated　through　the　fabric　of　space　itself　　vastly　more　efficient　than　any　human　conversation。　Grodin；　the　Head　Instructor；　acted　as　their　mouthpiece。
　〃You　have　been　monitored；〃　said　Grodin。　By　long…standing　procedure；　Guild　Instructors　set　up　holorecording　devices　in　every　Heighliner　navigation　chamber　and　every　training　tank　of　the　new　and　unproven　Pilots。　Periodically　in　the　ships'　circuitous　routes　between　the　stars；　these　recordings　were　removed　from　the　transports　and　cargo　ships　and　delivered　to　Junction。
　〃All　evidence　is　studied　in　detail　as　a　routine　matter。〃　D'murr　knew　that　Guild　Bank　officials　and　their　economic　partners　in　CHOAM　had　to　make　certain　that　important　navigation　rules　and　safeguards　were　being　followed。　He　questioned　none　of　it。
　〃The　Guild　is　perplexed　by　targeted　and　unauthorized　transmissions　being　directed　to　your　navigation　chamber。〃
　His　brother's　munication　device！　D'murr　reeled　inside　his　tank；　floating　free；　seeing　all　the　dizzy　possibilities；　the　punishments　and　retributions　he　might　face。　He　could　bee　one　of　those　pathetic　failed　Navigators；　stunted　and　inhuman　　the　physical　price　paid；　but　the　benefits　not　reaped。　But　D'murr　knew　his　ability　was　strong！　Perhaps　the　Steersmen　would　forgive。。。。
　〃We　are　curious；〃　Grodin　said。
　D'murr　told　them　everything；　explained　everything　he　knew；　gave　them　every　detail。　Trying　to　remember　what　C'tair　had　told　him；　he　reported　on　the　conditions　inside　sealed　Ix；　the　Tleilaxu　decision　to　return　to　more　primitive　Heighliner　designs。　The　Heighliner　decision　disturbed　them；　but　the　tribunal　was　more　interested　in　the　functioning　of　the　〃Rogo　transceiver〃　itself。
　〃Never　have　we　had　instantaneous　foldspace　transmission；〃　Grodin　said。　For　centuries　all　messages　had　been　carried　by　Couriers；　in　physical　form；　on　a　physical　ship　that　traveled　through　foldspace　much　faster　than　any　known　method　of　transmission　could　skim　across　space。　〃Can　we　exploit　this　innovation？〃
　D'murr　realized　the　military　and　economic　potential　of　such　a　device；　if　it　could　ever　prove　feasible。　Though　he　didn't　know　all　the　technical　details；　his　brother　had　created　an　unprecedented　system；　and　one　most　intriguing　to　the　Spacing　Guild。　They　wanted　it　for　themselves。
　A　senior　tribunal　member　suggested　the　possibility　of　using　a　mentally　enhanced　Navigator　on　both　ends；　rather　than　a　mere　human；　like　C'tair　Pilru。　Another　questioned　whether　the　link　was　more　mental　than　technological；　an　enhanced　connection　because　of　the　former　closeness　of　the　twins；　the　similarity　of　their　brain　patterns。
　Perhaps；　among　the　vast　pool　of　Pilots；　Navigators；　and　Steersmen；　the　Guild　could　find　others　with　similar　mental　connections。。。though　it　would　likely　be　rare。　Nevertheless；　despite　the　cost　and　difficulty；　this　method　of　munication　was　perhaps　a　service　that　could　be　tested；　and　then　offered　at　great　expense　to　the　Emperor。
　〃You　may　retain　your　status　as　Pilot；〃　Grodin　said；　releasing　him　from　the　inquiry。
　FOR　SEVERAL　WEEKS　after　returning　in　triumph　from　Kaitain；　Duke　Leto　Atreides　and　Rhombur　Vernius　had　awaited　a　response　from　the　new　Emperor　to　their　request　for　an　Imperial　audience。　Leto　was　prepared　to　board　a　shuttle　and　travel　to　the　Imperial　Palace　the　moment　a　Courier　arrived　with　a　confirmed　slot　in　the　Emperor's　calendar。　He　had　vowed　to　make　no　mention　of　his　bluff　message；　decided　not　to　pursue　the　matter　of　a　Corrino…Tleilaxu　connection。。。but　Shaddam　IV　had　to　be　curious。
　If　another　week　passed　without　a　response；　however；　Leto　would　go　there　even　without　an　appointment。
　Attempting　to　ride　the　momentum　of　his　increasing　stature　and　popularity；　Leto　wished　to　discuss　amnesty　and　reparations　for　House　Vernius。　He　believed　this　would　be　the　best　chance　to　bring　the　situation　to　a　fortuitous　conclusion；　but　as　the　days　passed　in　Imperial　silence；　he　saw　the　opportunity　slipping　like　silt　through　his　fingertips。　Even　optimistic　Rhombur　became　agitated　and　frustrated；　while　Kailea　grew　more　and　more　resigned　to　their　limited　options　in　life。
　Finally；　in　a　standard　munique　via　human　Courier　bearing　a　message　cylinder；　the　Emperor　suggested　　since　he　had　very　little　free　time　for　conversation　with　his　cousin　　that　they　make　use　of　a　new　and　untried　method　being　offered　by　the　Spacing　Guild；　an　instantaneous　process　called　Guildlink。　It　involved　the　mental　connection　of　two　Guild　Navigators　positioned　in　separate　star　systems；　a　Heighliner　in　orbit　around　Caladan　and　another　over　Kaitain　could　theoretically　arrange　a　conversation　involving　Duke　Leto　Atreides　and　Emperor　Shaddam　IV
　〃At　last　I'll　be　able　to　speak　my　piece；〃　Leto　said；　though　he　had　never　before　heard　of　this　munication　method。　Shaddam　seemed　anxious　to　try　it　for　his　own　purposes；　and　this　way　no　one　would　see　him　actually　meeting　with　Duke　Leto　Atreides。
　Kailea's　emerald　eyes　lit　up；　and　she　even　ignored　the　distasteful　bull's…head　that　hung　in　the　dining　hall。　She　went　to　change　her　dress　into　proud　Vernius　colors；　though　it　wasn't　likely　she　would　be　seen　in　the　transmission　at　all。　Rhombur　came　at　the　appointed　hour；　acpanied　by　Thufir　Hawat。　Leto　sent　all　the　other　retainers；　guards；　and　household　staff　out　of　the　room。
　The　Heighliner　that　had　brought　the　original　Courier　remained　in　geost