bh.houseatreides-第59部分

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　〃They've　also　destroyed　recycling　lines　where　the　industrial　waste　and　exhaust　chemicals　are　dumped　into　the　mantle。〃　Now　the　captain's　voice　sounded　more　ragged。　〃They're　hitting　at　the　heart　of　Ix　　paralyzing　our　manufacturing　capacity。〃
　As　Leto　thought　back　on　what　he　had　learned　during　his　months　on　this　planet；　pieces　of　the　puzzle　began　fitting　together　in　his　mind。　〃Think　about　it；〃　he　said；　〃all　of　that　can　be　fixed。　They　knew　exactly　where　to　hit　in　order　to　cripple　Ix　without　causing　permanent　damage。。。。〃　Leto　gave　a　grim　nod；　the　reason　suddenly　clear　to　him。　〃The　Tleilaxu　want　this　world　and　its　facilities　intact。　They　plan　to　take　over　here。〃
　〃Don't　be　ridiculous；　Leto。　We'd　never　give　Ix　to　the　filthy　Tleilaxu。〃　Rhombur　looked　perplexed　more　than　miffed。
　〃We　may　not。。。have　any　choice　in　the　matter；　sir；〃　Zhaz　said。
　At　Rhombur's　barked　mand　for　weapons　one　of　the　guards　opened　a　cabinet　beneath　the　railcar　and　brought　out　a　pair　of　flechette　pistols　and　shield　belts；　which　he　handed　to　both　Princes。
　Without　questioning；　Leto　snapped　on　the　belt；　touched　a　test　button　to　confirm　that　the　unit　was　operational。　The　projectile　weapon　felt　cold　in　his　hand。　He　checked　its　clip　of　deadly　darts；　accepted　two　additional　packs　from　the　guard；　and　slid　them　into　partments　on　the　shield　belt。
　The　escape　pod　thundered　into　a　long；　dark　tunnel。　Ahead；　Leto　saw　light；　which　grew　larger　and　brighter　by　the　second。　He　remembered　what　his　father　had　said　to　him　about　the　Tleilaxu：　〃They　destroy　anything　that　resembles　a　thinking　machine。〃　Ix　would　have　been　a　natural　target　for　them。
　The　light　ahead　touched　them　now；　dazzling　his　eyes；　and　they　roared　into　it。
　Religion　and　law　among　the　masses　must　be　one　and　the　same。　An　act　of　disobedience　must　be　a　sin　and　require　religious　penalties。　This　will　have　the　dual　benefit　of　bringing　both　greater　obedience　and　greater　bravery。　We　must　depend　not　so　much　on　the　bravery　of　individuals；　you　see；　as　upon　the　bravery　of　a　whole　population。
　…PARDOT　KYNES；　address　to　gathered　representatives　of　the　greater　sietches
　Oblivious　to　the　fate　that　had　been　decided　for　him；　Pardot　Kynes　strolled　through　the　tunnels；　acpanied　by　his　now…faithful　panions　Ommun　and　Turok。　The　three　went　to　visit　Stilgar；　who　rested　and　healed　in　his　family　chambers。
　At　first　sight　of　his　visitor；　a　lean　Stilgar　sat　forward　on　his　sickbed。　Though　his　wound　should　have　been　fatal；　the　Fremen　youth　had　almost　entirely　recovered　in　a　short　time。　〃I　owe　you　the　water　of　my　life；　Planetologist；〃　he　said；　and　with　great　seriousness　spat　upon　the　floor　of　the　cave。
　Kynes　was　startled　for　a　moment；　then　thought　he　understood。　He　knew　the　importance　of　water　to　these　people；　especially　the　precious　moisture　contained　within　a　person's　body。　For　Stilgar　to　sacrifice　even　a　droplet　of　saliva　showed　him　a　great　honor。　〃I。。。appreciate　your　water；　Stilgar；〃　Kynes　said　with　a　forced　smile。　〃But　you　may　keep　the　rest　of　it　for　now。　I　want　you　to　be　well。〃
　Frieth；　Stilgar's　quiet　sister；　stayed　by　the　young　man's　bedside；　always　busy；　her　blue…in…blue　eyes　darting　from　side　to　side　in　search　of　something　else　to　do。　She　looked　long　at　Kynes；　as　if　assessing　him；　but　her　expression　was　unreadable。　Then　she　silently　glided　off　to　bring　more　unguents　that　would　speed　her　brother's　healing。
　Later；　as　Kynes　walked　along　the　sietch　passageways；　curious　people　gathered　to　follow　him　and　listen。　In　the　midst　of　their　daily　routines；　this　tall；　stubble…bearded　Planetologist　continued　to　be　something　new　and　interesting。　His　crazy　but　visionary　words　might　sound　ridiculous；　the　most　preposterous　of　fantasies；　but　even　the　sietch's　children　tagged　along　after　the　stranger。
　The　bemused　and　talkative　crowd　acpanied　Kynes　as　he　lectured；　gesturing　with　his　hands；　gazing　at　the　ceiling　as　if　he　could　see　the　open　sky　there。　Though　they　tried；　these　Fremen　could　not　imagine　the　sight　of　clouds　gathering　to　pour　rain　upon　the　desert。　Droplets　of　moisture　falling　from　the　empty　sky？　Absurd！
　Some　of　the　children　laughed　at　the　very　idea　of　rain　on　Dune；　but　Kynes　kept　talking；　explaining　the　steps　of　his　process　to　reap　the　faintest　breath　of　water　vapor　from　the　air。　He　would　collect　every　sparkle　of　dew　in　the　shadows　to　help　twist　Arrakis　in　the　way　he　required；　to　pave　the　way　for　a　brilliant　new　ecology。
　〃You　must　think　of　this　world　in　engineering　terms；〃　Kynes　said；　in　a　professorial　tone。　He　was　happy　to　have　such　an　attentive　audience；　though　he　wasn't　sure　how　much　they　understood。　〃This　planet；　taken　in　its　entirety；　is　merely　an　expression　of　energy；　a　machine　driven　by　its　sun。〃　He　lowered　his　voice　and　looked　down　at　a　young；　wide…eyed　girl。　〃What　it　requires　is　reshaping　to　fit　our　needs。　We　have　the　ability　to　do　that　on。。。Dune。　But　do　we　have　the　self…discipline　and　the　drive？〃
　He　lifted　his　gaze　to　someone　else。　〃That　is　up　to　us。〃
　By　now　Ommun　and　Turok　had　heard　most　of　Kynes's　lectures。　Although　they　had　scoffed　at　first；　eventually　the　words　had　sunk　in。　Now；　the　more　they　heard　of　his　unbridled　enthusiasm　and　bright　honesty；　the　more　they　actually　began　to　believe。　Why　not　dream？　Judging　from　the　expressions　on　the　faces　of　his　listeners；　they　could　see　that　other　Fremen　had　started　to　consider　the　possibilities　as　well。
　The　sietch　elders　called　these　converts　optimistic　and　overly　gullible。　Undaunted；　Kynes　continued　to　spread　his　ideas；　as　outrageous　as　they　might　seem。
　WEARING　A　GRIM　expression；　Naib　Heinar　squinted　his　one　eye　and　extended　the　holy　crysknife；　still　sheathed。　The　strong　warrior　standing　rigid　in　front　of　him　held　out　his　hands　to　receive　the　gift。
　The　Naib　intoned　ritual　words。　〃Uliet；　older　Liet；　you　have　been　chosen　for　this　task　for　the　good　of　our　sietch。　You　have　proven　yourself　many　times　in　battle　against　the　Harkonnens。　You　are　an　acplished　worm　rider　and　one　of　the　greatest　fighters　among　the　Fremen。〃
　A　man　of　middle　years　and　craggy　features；　Uliet　bowed。　His　hands　remained　outstretched。　He　waited　and　did　not　flinch。　Though　a　deeply　religious　man；　he　held　his　awe　in　check。
　〃Take　this　consecrated　crysknife；　Uliet。〃　Heinar　now　grasped　the　carved　hilt　and　yanked　the　long　milky　white　blade　from　its　sheath。　The　crysknife　was　a　sacred　relic　among　the　Fremen；　fashioned　from　the　crystal　tooth　of　a　sandworm。　This　particular　blade　was　fixed；　keyed　to　the　body　of　its　owner　so　that　the　weapon　would　dissolve　upon　his　death。
　〃Your　blade　has　been　dipped　in　the　poisonous　Water　of　Life；　and　blessed　by　Shai…Hulud；〃　Heinar　continued。　〃As　is　our　tradition；　the　sacred　blade　must　not　be　sheathed　again　until　it　has　tasted　blood。〃
　Uliet　took　the　weapon；　suddenly　overwhelmed　by　the　importance　of　the　task　for　which　he　had　been　selected。　Intensely　superstitious；　he　had　watched　the　great　worms　in　the　desert　and　had　ridden　atop　them　many　times。　But　never　had　he　allowed　himself　to　bee　familiar　with　the　magnificent　creatures。　He　could　not　forget　that　they　were　the　manifestations　of　the　great　creator　of　the　universe。
　〃I　shall　not　fail　the　will　of　Shai…Hulud。〃　Uliet　accepted　the　blade　and　held　it　up　high；　with　its　poisoned　tip　pointed　away　from　him。
　The　other　elders　stood　behind　the　one…eyed　Naib；　firm　in　their　decision。　〃Take　two　watermen　with　you；〃　Heinar　said；　〃to　collect　the　water　of　this　Planetologist　and　use　it　for　the　good　of　our　sietch。〃
　〃Perhaps　we　should　take　a　small　amount　and　plant　a　bush　in　his　honor；〃　said　Aliid；　but　no　one　seconded　the　suggestion。
　Out　of　the　stone…walled　chamber　Uliet　walked　tall　and　proud；　a　warrior　of　the　Fremen。　He　did　not　fear　this　Planetologist；　though　the　outsider　spoke　fervently　of　his　wild　and　preposterous　plans；　as　if　he　were　guided　by　a　holy　vision。　A　shudder　went　up　the　assassin's　spine。
　Uliet　narrowed　his　deep　blue　eyes　and　forced　such　thoughts　from　his　mind　as　he　strode　down　the　shadowed　passageways。　Two　watermen　followed　him；　bearing　empty　literjons　for　collecting　Kynes's　blood；　and　absorbent　cloths　to　soak　up　every　drop　that　might　spill　on　the　stone　floor。
　The　Planetologist　was　not　difficult　to　find。　An　entourage　trailed　him；　their　faces　filled　with　either　awe　or　skepticism　tinged　with　wonder。　Tower