bh.houseatreides-第46部分
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Curious； Leto stopped at the archway to see many suboids gathered in a mon room。 There were no seats or benches that he could see； and so all the people remained standing。 He listened to the droning； curiously impassioned words of one suboid； a short； muscular man at the front of the room。 In the man's voice； and in the fire in his eyes； Leto detected emotions that he found peculiar； in view of what he had heard about the suboids； that they were placid and undemanding。
〃We build the Heighliners；〃 he said； and his voice grew louder。 〃We manufacture the technological objects； yet we make none of the decisions。 We do as we are manded； even when we know those plans are wrong！〃
The suboids began to mutter and mumble。
〃Some of the new technologies go beyond what is forbidden by the Great Revolt。 We are creating thinking machines。 We don't need to understand the blueprints and designs； because we know what they will do！〃
Hesitating； Leto drew back into the shadows of the archway。 He had walked enough among the mon people that he usually wasn't afraid of them。 But something strange was going on here。 He wanted to run； yet needed to listen。。。。
〃Since we are suboids； we have no participation in profits from Ixian technology。 We have simple lives and few ambitions but we do have our religion。 We read the Orange Catholic Bible and know in our hearts what is right。〃 The suboid speaker raised a massive； knuckled fist。 〃And we know that many of the things we've been building here on Ix are not right！〃
The audience moved restlessly again； on the verge of being riled。 Rhombur had insisted that this group had no ambitions； did not have the capacity for them。 Here； though； Leto saw otherwise。
The suboid speaker narrowed his eyes and spoke ominously。 〃What are we going to do？ Should we petition our masters and demand answers？ Should we do more？〃
He swept his gaze over the gathered listeners then suddenly； like two sharp flechettes； his eyes skewered Leto eavesdropping in the archway shadows。 〃Who are you？〃
Leto stumbled backward； raising his hands。 〃I'm sorry。 I got lost。 I didn't mean anything by it。〃 Normally； he would know how to make himself wele； but now his confusion raised his senses to a fever pitch。
The worker audience spun about； and their eyes slowly lit with prehension。 They realized the implications of what the speaker had said and what Leto had overheard。
〃I'm really sorry；〃 Leto said。 〃I meant no trespass。〃 His heart pounded。 Sweat sparkled on his brow； and he sensed extreme danger。
Several suboids began to move toward him like automatons； picking up speed。
Leto offered them his most congenial smile。 〃If you'd like； I can speak with Earl Vernius for you； bring some of your grievances 〃
The suboids closed in； and Leto bolted and ran。 He rushed back through the low corridors； turning at random； ducking down passageways as the workers hurried； ineffectually pursuing and growling in anger。 They flooded out； spreading into side corridors in their search for him； and Leto could not remember the way back to the open cavern。。。。
The fact that he got lost probably saved him。 The suboids continued to block his retreat； attempting to intercept him in corridors that led to the surface。 But Leto didn't know where he was going and took blind turns； sometimes hiding in empty alcoves； until finally he reached a small maintenance door that spilled out into the dusty air under the glaring lights of industrial glowglobes。
Several suboids； seeing his silhouette in the doorway； shouted from deep below； but Leto raced out to an emergency lift tube。 He swept his bioscram card through the reader and gained access to the upper levels。
Shaking in the aftermath of a burned…out adrenaline rush； Leto couldn't believe what he had just heard and didn't know what the suboids would have done had they caught him。 He had been astonished enough to see their outrage and their reactions。 Intellectually； he couldn't believe they would have killed him not the son of Duke Atreides； an honored guest of House Vernius。 He had offered to help them； after all。
But the suboids clearly held a deep potential for violence； a frightening darkness that they had managed to hide from their oblivious rulers above。
Leto wondered with dread if perhaps there might be other enclaves of dissent； other groups with similarly charismatic speakers who could manage to tap into the low…level dissatisfaction of the vast worker population。
As he rode up in the lift chamber； Leto looked down and saw the workers below； innocently acting out their roles； carrying out their daily routines。 He knew he had to report what he had overheard。 But would anyone believe him？
He realized with a tightness in his stomach that he was learning far more about Ix than he had ever meant to know。
Hope can be the greatest weapon of a downtrodden people； or the greatest enemy of those who are about to fail。 We must remain aware of its advantages and its limitations。
…LADY HELENA ATREIDES；
her personal journals
After weeks of aimless journeying； the cargo ship dropped out of the orbiting Heighliner and sped down toward the cloud…swirled atmosphere of Caladan。
For Duncan Idaho； the end of his long ordeal seemed at hand。
From his stowaway spot in the cluttered cargo bay； Duncan shifted a heavy box。 Its metal corners grated across the deckplates； but he finally got the burden out of the way so he could remove the cover flange on a small windowport。 Leaning close to the protective plaz； Duncan stared down at the ocean…rich world。 Finally； he began to believe。
Caladan。 My new home。
Even from high orbit； Giedi Prime had looked dark and forbidding； like an infected sore。 But Caladan； home of the legendary Duke Atreides mortal enemy of the Harkonnens seemed like a sapphire sparkling with a blaze of sunlight。
After everything that had happened to him； it still seemed impossible that the surly and treacherous woman Janess Milam had actually been true to her word。 She had rescued him for her own petty reasons； her own spiteful revenge； but that did not matter to Duncan。 He was here。
IT HAD BEEN worse than a nightmare； which he relived in the brooding days as the Heighliner journeyed from system to system in a roundabout way to Caladan：
In the darkness of Forest Guard Station； as he had approached the mysterious flitter 'thopter； the woman had snatched Duncan； gripping tightly before he could defend himself。 The young boy had reacted with fear and frantic struggles； but Janess yanked his arm； breaking open the hardened newskin he'd placed over the deep cut in his shoulder。
With surprising strength the dusky…skinned woman hauled him inside the small flitter and sealed the entry hatch。 Yowling like a wild animal； Duncan thrashed and clawed； trying to writhe away from her grip。 He pounded on the curved hatch； desperate to get out； to run once again into the night filled with armed hunters。
But instead； the flitter's door remained locked。 Panting； Janess released the boy； tossed her chocolate hair； and glared at him。 〃If you don't stop it right now； Idaho； I'm going to dump you in the laps of those Harkonnen hunters。〃
Turning away from him with disdain； she powered up the flitter's engines。 Duncan could feel an ominous hum travel through the small craft； vibrating through the seat and floor。 He crouched back against the wall。
〃You've already betrayed me to the Harkonnens！ You were the one who made those men take my parents and murder them。 You're the reason I had to train so hard； and why they're hunting me now。 I know what you did！〃
〃Yeah； well； things have changed。〃 She raised a dusky hand in a meaningless gesture； turning toward the piloting controls。 〃I'm not helping Harkonnens anymore； not after what they did to me。〃
Indignant； Duncan clenched his fists at his sides。 Blood from the reopened wound seeped onto his tattered shirt。 〃What did they do to you？〃 He couldn't imagine anything that even approached the anguish he and his family had endured。
〃You wouldn't understand。 You're just a youngster； another one of their pawns。〃 Janess smiled as she raised the flitter up off the ground。 〃But through you； I can get back at the
