bh.houseatreides-第87部分

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　〃I'm　starving；　too；〃　Rhombur　said。　〃Uh；　need　any　help？〃
　Leto　drew　himself　up　and　raised　his　aquiline　nose　haughtily　in　the　air。　〃Sir；　I　am　the　resident　ducal　heir；　with　a　long　resume　asserting　my　petence　to　prepare　a　simple　foodpak。〃　He　strutted　to　the　sheltered　galley　as　Rhombur　sorted　through　the　wet　coral　stones；　like　a　kid　playing　with　marbles。
　Some　were　perfectly　spherical；　others　misshapen　and　pitted。　Rhombur　wondered　why　certain　ones　had　a　blazing　inner　brilliance　while　others　were　dull　by　parison。　He　set　the　three　largest　stones　on　the　midship　deck　and　watched　the　sunlight　glitter　on　them；　a　pale　shadow　to　the　brilliance　trapped　within。　He　noted　their　differences；　wondered　what　he　and　Leto　could　do　with　the　treasure。
　He　missed　his　own　collection　of　gems　and　crystals；　agates　and　geodes　from　Ix。　He　had　wandered　through　caves　and　tunnels　and　shafts　to　find　them。　He　had　learned　so　much　of　geology　that　way　　and　then　the　Tleilaxu　had　driven　him　and　his　family　from　their　world。　He'd　been　forced　to　leave　everything　behind。　Although　he　left　it　unsaid；　Rhombur　decided　if　he　ever　saw　his　mother　again；　he　could　make　a　grand　gift　for　her。
　Leto　leaned　out　of　the　galley　door。　〃Lunch　is　ready。　e　and　eat　before　I　feed　it　to　the　fishes。〃
　Rhombur　trotted　in　to　sit　at　the　small　table　while　Leto　served　up　two　bowls　of　steaming　Caladanian　oyster　chowder；　seasoned　with　nouveau　wine　from　House　Atreides　vineyards。　〃My　grandmother　came　up　with　this　recipe。　It's　one　of　my　favorites。〃
　〃Well；　not　bad。　Even　if　you　made　it。〃　Rhombur　slurped　from　his　bowl　and　licked　his　lips。　〃It's　a；　um；　good　thing　my　sister　didn't　e　along；〃　he　said；　trying　to　hide　the　joking　tone　in　his　voice。　〃She　probably　would　have　tried　to　wear　fancy　clothes；　and　you　know　she'd　never　have　gone　swimming　with　us。〃
　〃Sure；〃　Leto　said；　unconvinced。　〃You're　right。〃　It　was　obvious　to　anyone　how　he　and　Kailea　flirted　with　each　other；　though　Rhombur　understood　　politically　speaking　　that　a　romance　between　them　would　be　unwise　at　best；　and　dangerous　at　worst。
　Out　on　the　midship　deck　just　aft　of　them；　the　sun　beat　down；　warming　the　wooden　floorboards；　drying　the　splashed　water　　and　exposing　the　fragile　coral　gems　to　the　open；　oxidizing　air。　Simultaneously；　the　three　largest　gems　burst　into　incandescent　flares；　merging　into　a　miniature　nova　of　intense　heat；　hot　enough　to　burn　through　a　metal　starship　hull。
　Leto　leaped　to　his　feet；　knocking　aside　his　bowl　of　chowder。　Through　the　broad　plaz　windowports　he　could　see　blue…orange　flames　shooting　up；　setting　the　deck　on　fire；　including　the　lifeboat。　One　of　the　coral　gems　shattered；　spraying　hot　fragments　in　all　directions；　each　of　which　started　secondary　fires。
　Within　seconds；　two　more　gems　burned　pletely　through　the　coracle　deck　and　dropped　into　the　cargo　hold　below；　where　they　ate　through　crates。　One　burned　open　a　spare　fuel　container；　igniting　it　with　an　explosive　burst；　while　the　second　gem　seared　all　the　way　through　the　bottom　hull　until　it　extinguished　itself　in　the　refreshing　water　again。　The　wickerwood　hull；　though　treated　with　a　fire…retardant　chemical；　would　not　hold　up　against　such　heat。
　Leto　and　Rhombur　rushed　out　of　the　galley；　shouting　at　each　other　but　not　knowing　what　to　do。　〃The　fire！　We've　got　to　get　the　fire　out！〃
　〃They're　coral　gems！〃　Leto　looked　for　something　with　which　to　extinguish　the　blaze。　〃They　burn　hot；　can't　be　put　out　easily。〃　Swelling　flames　licked　the　deck；　and　the　coracle　rocked　with　an　explosion　belowdecks。　On　its　davits　the　lifeboat　was　a　lost　cause；　pletely　enveloped　in　flames。
　〃We　could　sink；〃　Leto　said；　〃and　we're　too　far　from　land。〃　He　grabbed　a　chemical　extinguisher；　which　he　sprayed　on　the　flames。
　He　and　his　panion　took　out　the　hoses　and　pumps　from　a　front　partment　and　doused　the　boat　with　seawater；　but　the　cargo　hold　was　already　engulfed。　Greasy　black　smoke　drifted　through　cracks　in　the　top　deck。　A　warning　beep　signified　that　they　were　taking　on　large　amounts　of　water。
　〃We're　going　to　sink！〃　Rhombur　shouted；　reading　the　instrumentation。　He　coughed　from　the　acrid　smoke。
　Leto　tossed　a　flotation　vest　to　his　friend　as　he　buckled　another　one　around　his　waist。　〃Get　on　the　shore…。　Announce　our　position　and　send　a　distress。　You　know　how　to　operate　it？〃
　Rhombur　yelped　an　affirmative；　while　Leto　used　another　chemical　extinguisher；　but　soon　exhausted　its　charge　without　effect。　He　and　Rhombur　would　be　trapped　out　here；　floating　with　only　the　debris　of　the　boat　around　them。　He　had　to　reach　land　and　settle　where　they　could　wait。
　He　remembered　his　father　lecturing　him：　〃When　you　find　yourself　in　the　midst　of　a　seemingly　impossible　crisis；　take　care　of　the　solvable　parts　first。　Then；　after　you've　narrowed　the　possibilities；　work　on　the　most　difficult　aspects。〃
　He　heard　Rhombur　shouting　into　the　shore…；　repeating　the　distress　call。　Leto　now　ignored　the　fire。　The　coracle　was　sinking；　and　would　soon　be　underwater；　leaving　them　stranded。　He　looked　toward　the　port　side　and　saw　frothing　water　around　the　tangle　of　the　reef。　He　dashed　for　the　cabin。
　Before　the　fire　could　reach　the　aft　engines；　he　started　the　boat；　used　the　emergency　cutoff　to　sever　the　anchor；　and　raced　toward　the　reef。　The　flaming　coracle　was　like　a　et　on　the　water。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Rhombur　cried。　〃Where　are　we　going？〃
　〃The　reef！〃　he　shouted。　〃I'll　try　to　run　aground　there　so　we　don't　sink。　Then　you　and　I　can　work　to　put　out　the　fire。〃
　〃You're　going　to　crash　us　into　a　reef？　That's　crazy！〃
　〃You'd　rather　sink　out　here？　This　boat　is　going　down；　one　way　or　another。〃　As　if　to　emphasize　his　point　another　small　container　of　fuel　exploded　belowdecks；　sending　a　shudder　through　the　floor。
　Rhombur　grasped　the　secured　galley　table　to　keep　his　balance。　〃Whatever　you　say。〃
　〃Did　you　get　an　acknowledgment　on　the　shore…？〃
　〃No。　I；　uh；　hope　they　heard　us。〃　Leto　told　him　to　keep　trying；　which　he　did；　still　without　receiving　a　response。
　The　waves　curled　around　them；　low　to　the　deck　rail。　Black　smoke　poured　into　the　sky。　Fire　licked　at　the　engine　partment。　The　coracle　dipped　lower；　dragging；　taking　on　water　rapidly。　Leto　pushed　the　engines；　still　charging　toward　the　rocks。　He　didn't　know　if　he　would　win　this　race。　If　he　could　just　run　them　up　on　the　reef；　he　and　Rhombur　could　stay　safely　beside　the　wreckage。　He　didn't　know　how　long　it　would　take　for　rescuers　to　arrive。
　As　if　driven　by　a　demon；　whitecaps　rose　in　front　of　them；　threatening　to　form　a　barrier。　But　Leto　held　course　and　did　not　slacken　the　acceleration。　〃Hang　on！〃
　At　the　last　moment；　the　engines　died　as　fire　engulfed　them。　The　coracle　cruised　forward　on　sheer　momentum　and　crashed　into　the　jagged　reef。　The　grinding　halt　threw　both　Leto　and　Rhombur　to　the　deck。　Rhombur　struck　his　head　and　stood　up；　blinking；　dazed。　Blood　trickled　down　his　forehead；　very　close　to　the　old　injury　he　had　received　during　the　orship　escape　from　Ix。
　〃Let's　go！　Overboard！〃　Leto　yelled。　He　grabbed　his　friend's　arm　and　pushed　him　out　of　the　cabin。　From　the　forward　partment；　Leto　tossed　hoses　and　portable　pumps　into　the　frothing　water。　〃Dip　this　end　of　the　hose　into　the　deepest　water　you　can　reach！　And　try　not　to　cut　yourself　on　the　reef。〃
　Rhombur　scrambled　over　the　rail；　while　Leto　followed；　trying　to　maintain　his　balance　in　the　churning　tide　pools　and　rough　surf。　The　boat　was　snagged；　so　for　the　moment　they　needn't　worry　about　drowning　　just　disfort。
　The　pumps　started；　and　seawater　sprayed　out　of　two　hoses；　one　held　by　each　boy。　The　water　fell　in　a　thick　curtain　onto　the　flames。　Rhombur　swiped　blood　out　of　his　eyes　and　kept　directing　his　hose。　They　doused　the　coracle　with　endless　torrents　until　finally；　slowly；　the　flames　began　to　die　back。
　Rhombur　looked　bedraggled　and　miserable；　but　Leto　felt　oddly　exhilarated。　〃Perk　up；　Rhombur。　Think　about　it。　On　Ix　we　had　to　escape　from　a　revolution　that　nearly　destroyed　the　whole　planet。　Makes　this　little　mishap　seem　like　child's　play；　wouldn't　you　say？〃
　〃Uh；　right；〃　the　other　said；　glumly。　〃Most　fun　I've　had　in　ages。〃
　The　two　of　them　sat　waist　deep　in　the　surging　water；　playing　their　hoses　over　the　fire。　Smoke　continued　to　rise　into　the　clear　Caladan　sky　like　a　distress　beacon。
　Soon　they　heard　the　di