bh.houseatreides-第49部分

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affront；　but　Dominic　had　no　idea　how　the　retaliation　would　e；　or　where　it　would　strike。　Elrood　had　always　been　unpredictable。
　〃You　just　have　to　stay　one　step　ahead　of　him；〃　Kailea　said。　〃You're　good　at　that。〃　She　thought　of　the　wily　way　her　father　had　stolen　the　Emperor's　concubine　right　out　from　under　his　nose。。。and　how　Elrood　had　never　forgotten　the　fact。　The　slightest　touch　of　resentment　darkened　her　words。　She　would　rather　have　grown　up　on　marvelous　Kaitain；　instead　of　here；　under　the　ground。
　〃I　can't　stay　ahead　of　him　if　I　don't　know　which　direction　he's　moving；〃　Dominic　replied。　The　Ixian　Earl　seemed　to　be　floating　upside　down；　with　the　solid　rock　ceiling　and　the　spires　of　the　Grand　Palais　above　his　head；　and　only　open　air　beneath　his　feet。

　Kailea　straightened　the　lace　on　her　gown；　adjusted　the　trim；　and　bent　as　she　studied　shipping　records　and　pared　manifests　again；　hoping　to　determine　a　better　pattern　for　distributing　Ixian　technology。　Dominic　didn't　expect　her　to　do　better　than　his　experts；　but　he　let　her　have　her　fun。　Her　idea　to　send　out　Ixian　self…learning　fighting　meks　to　a　few　black　market　dealers　had　been　a　stroke　of　genius。
　He　paused　a　moment　for　a　wistful　smile　that　made　his　long　mustache　sink　into　the　seams　around　his　mouth。　His　daughter　was　stunningly　beautiful；　a　work　of　art　in　every　way；　made　to　be　an　ornament　in　some　great　lord's　household。。。but　she　was　sharp…witted；　too。　Kailea　was　a　strange　mixture；　all　right：　fascinated　by　court　games　and　styles　and　everything　to　do　with　the　grandeur　of　Kaitain；　but　also　doggedly　determined　to　prehend　the　workings　of　House　Vernius。　Even　at　her　age；　she　understood　that　behind…the…scenes　business　plexities　were　a　woman's　real　key　to　power　in　the　Imperium　　unless　she　joined　the　Bene　Gesserit。
　Dominic　didn't　think　his　daughter　understood　Shando's　decision　to　leave　the　Imperial　Court　and　e　with　him　to　Ix。　Why　would　the　lover　of　the　most　powerful　man　in　the　universe　leave　all　that　splendor　to　marry　a　weather…beaten　war　hero　who　lived　in　a　city　underground？　At　times；　Dominic　wondered　the　same　thing；　but　his　love　for　Shando　knew　no　bounds；　and　his　wife　often　told　him　she　had　never　regretted　her　decision。
　Kailea　offered　a　stark　contrast　with　her　mother　in　all　but　appearance。　The　young　woman　couldn't　possibly　be　fortable　in　her　extravagant　clothes　and　finery；　yet　she　wore　her　best　at　all　times；　as　if　afraid　she　might　miss　an　opportunity。　Perhaps　she　resented　the　lost　chances　in　her　life；　and　would　rather　be　warded　off　to　a　sponsor　in　the　Imperial　Palace。　He'd　noticed　that　she　toyed　with　the　affections　of　the　twin　sons　of　Ambassador　Pilru；　as　if　marriage　to　one　of　them　might　tie　her　to　the　embassy　on　Kaitain。　But　C'tair　and　D'murr　Pilru　were　scheduled　to　test　for　positions　in　the　Spacing　Guild；　and　if　they　passed　the　examination　they　would　be　off…planet　within　a　week。　At　any　rate；　Dominic　was　sure　he　could　arrange　a　much　more　profitable　match　for　his　only　female　child。
　Perhaps　even　to　Leto　Atreides。。。
　A　eye　blinked　yellow　on　the　wall；　interrupting　his　thoughts。　An　important　message；　an　update　of　the　troubling　rumors　that　had　spread　like　poison　through　a　cistern。
　〃Yes？〃　he　said。　Without　being　asked；　Kailea　walked　across　the　invisible　floor　and　stood　next　to　him　to　read　the　report　as　it　imaged　itself　on　the　quicksilver　surface　of　his　desk。　Her　emerald　eyes　narrowed　as　she　read　the　words。
　The　smell　of　his　daughter's　faint　perfume　and　the　glitter　of　bs　in　her　dark　bronze　hair　brought　a　paternal　smile　to　his　face。　Such　a　young　lady。　Such　a　young　businesswoman。
　〃Are　you　sure　you　want　to　concern　yourself　with　this；　child？〃　he　asked；　wishing　to　shelter　her　from　the　grim　news。　Labor　relations　were　so　much　more　plex　than　technological　innovations。　Kailea　just　looked　at　him　in　annoyance　that　he　would　even　ask　the　question。
　He　read　more　details　on　what　he　had　been　told　earlier　in　the　day；　though　he　still　couldn't　quite　believe　everything　Leto　Atreides　claimed　he'd　heard　and　seen。　A　disturbance　was　brewing　in　the　deep…ground　manufacturing　facilities；　where　the　suboid　workers　had　begun　plaining　　an　unprecedented　situation。
　Kailea　took　a　deep　breath；　marshaling　her　thoughts。　〃If　the　suboids　have　such　grievances；　why　haven't　they　elected　a　spokesman？　Why　haven't　they　delivered　any　formal　demands？〃
　〃Oh；　they're　just　grumbling；　child。　They　claim　they're　being　forced　to　assemble　machines　in　violation　of　the　Butlerian　Jihad；　and　they　don't　want　to　perform　'blasphemous　labor。'　〃
　The　message　screen　went　dark　after　they　finished　reading　the　summary　report；　and　Kailea　stood　up；　hands　on　her　hips。　Her　skirts　rustled　as　she　huffed。　〃Wherever　do　they　get　such　ridiculous　ideas？　How　can　they　even　begin　to　understand　the　nuances　and　plexities　of　running　these　operations？　They　were　bred　and　trained　in　Ixian　facilities　　who　put　those　thoughts　in　their　minds？〃
　Dominic　shook　his　gleaming　head；　and　realized　his　daughter　had　raised　a　very　good　question。　〃You're　right。　Suboids　certainly　couldn't　e　up　with　such　extrapolations　on　their　own。〃
　Kailea　continued　to　be　indignant。　〃Don't　they　realize　how　much　we　give　them？　How　much　we　provide；　and　how　much　it　costs？　I've　looked　at　the　costs　and　benefits。　The　suboids　don't　know　how　good　they　have　it　pared　to　workers　on　other　planets。〃　She　shook　her　head；　and　her　curved　mouth　bent　downward　in　a　frown。　She　looked　through　the　floor　at　her　feet；　to　the　manufactories　in　the　cavern　far　below。　〃Maybe　they　should　visit　Giedi　Prime　　or　Arrakis。　Then　they　wouldn't　plain　about　Ix。〃
　But　Dominic　wouldn't　let　go　of　her　first　thread　of　conversation。　〃Suboids　are　bred　for　limited　intelligence；　only　enough　to　perform　assigned　tasks。。。and　they're　supposed　to　do　it　without　plaining。　It's　part　of　their　mental　makeup。〃　He　joined　his　daughter　in　staring　down　at　the　floor　of　the　grotto；　which　swarmed　with　Heighliner　construction　workers。　〃Could　our　bio…designers　have　overlooked　something　important？　Do　the　suboids　have　a　point？　The　definition　of　machine…minds　enpasses　a　broad　range；　but　there　might　be　gray　areas。。。。〃
　Kailea　shook　her　head　and　tapped　her　crystal　pad。　〃Our　Mentats　and　legal　advisors　are　meticulous　about　the　precise　strictures　of　the　Jihad；　and　our　quality…control　methods　are　effective。　We're　on　solid　ground；　and　they　can　prove　every　assertion　we　make。〃
　Dominic　chewed　his　lower　lip。　〃The　suboids　couldn't　possibly　have　specifics；　since　there　aren't　any　violations。　At　least　we　haven't　knowingly　stepped　over　the　line；　not　in　any　instance。〃
　Kailea　studied　her　father；　then　looked　down　at　the　bustling　work　area　again。　〃Maybe　you　should　have　Captain　Zhaz　and　a　team　of　inspectors　turn　over　every　stone；　investigate　every　aspect　of　our　design　and　manufacturing　processes。　Prove　to　the　suboids　that　their　plaints　are　groundless。〃
　Dominic　considered　the　idea。　〃Of　course　I　don't　want　to　be　too　hard　on　the　workers。　I　want　no　crackdowns；　and　certainly　no　revolts。　The　suboids　are　to　be　treated　well；　as　always。〃　He　met　her　gaze；　and　she　seemed　very　much　an　adult。
　〃Yes；〃　Kailea　said；　her　voice　hardening。　〃They　work　better　that　way。〃
　Like　the　knowledge　of　your　own　being；　the　sietch　forms　a　firm　base　from　which　you　move　out　into　the　world　and　into　the　universe。
　…Fremen　Teaching
　Pardot　Kynes　was　so　fascinated　by　the　Fremen　culture；　religion；　and　daily　routine　that　he　remained　pletely　oblivious　to　the　life…and…death　debate　raging　around　him　in　the　sietch。　Naib　Heinar　had　told　him　he　could　talk　to　the　people　and　describe　his　ideas　　and　so　he　talked；　at　every　opportunity。
　For　an　entire　cycle　of　the　moons；　the　Fremen　whispered　their　opinions　in　small　caves　and　dens；　or　shouted　them　across　tables　in　private　meetings　of　the　sietch　elders。　Some　of　them　even　empathized　with　what　the　strange　outworlder　was　saying。
　Though　his　fate　remained　undecided；　Kynes　didn't　slow　for　a　moment。　Sietch　guides　took　him　around　and　showed　him　many　things　they　thought　would　interest　him；　but　the　Planetologist　also　stopped　to　ask　questions　of　women　working　in　the　stillsuit　factories；　of　old　men　tending　water　supplies；　and　of　withered　grandmothers　operating　solar　ovens　or　filing　rough　burrs　off　scrap　metal。
　The　bustling　activity　around　the　sealed　caves　asto