bh.houseatreides-第100节

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　He　led　them　into　a　main　chamber。　〃We　three　could　hide　here　and　resist　an　attack　even　from　contraband　atomics。　No　one　would　find　us。　Nullentropy　bins　hold　supplies　and　weapons　to　last　forever。　I　have　placed　everything　vital　to　House　Harkonnen　in　here；　from　genealogical　records　to　financial　documents；　to　our　blackmail　material　　all　the　nasty；　fascinating　details　we　have　on　the　other　Houses。〃
　Rabban　took　a　seat　at　a　highly　polished　table　and　punched　a　button　on　a　panel。　Suddenly　the　walls　became　transparent；　glowing　yellow　to　spotlight　distorted　corpses；　twenty…one　in　all；　hanging　suspended　in　the　gaps　between　plaz　sheets；　on　display。
　〃Here's　the　construction　team；〃　Rabban　said。　〃It's　our　special。。。memorial　to　them。〃
　〃Rather　pharaonic；〃　the　Baron　said；　in　a　lighthearted　tone。
　The　flesh　of　the　corpses　was　discolored　and　bloated；　the　faces　contorted　in　macabre　death　grimaces。　The　victims'　expressions　contained　a　larger　measure　of　sad　resignation　than　terror　of　impending　death。　Anyone　building　such　a　secret　chamber　for　the　Harkonnens　must　have　realized　they'd　be　doomed　from　the　start。
　〃They'll　be　unpleasant　enough　to　look　at　while　they　rot；〃　the　Baron　said；　〃but　we'll　eventually　have　nice　clean　skeletons　to　admire。〃
　The　remaining　walls　were　layered　with　intricate　scrollwork　showing　blue　Harkonnen　griffins　as　well　as　gross　and　pornographic　images　of　human　and　human…animal　copulation；　suggestive　designs；　and　a　mechanical　clock　that　would　have　offended　most　observers。　Rabban　looked　at　it　and　chuckled　as　the　male　and　female　parts　interacted　in　a　steady；　eternal　rhythm。
　De　Vries　turned　around；　analyzing　the　details　and　applying　them　to　his　own　Mentat　projection。
　The　Baron　smiled。　〃The　room　is　surrounded　by　a　shielding　projection　that　renders　an　object　invisible　in　all　wavelengths。　No　scanner　can　detect　this　enclosure　by　sight；　sound；　heat；　or　even　touch。　We　call　it　a　no…field。　Think　of　it。　We're　standing　in　a　place　that　doesn't　exist　as　far　as　the　rest　of　the　universe　is　concerned。　It's　the　perfect　spot　for　us　to　discuss　our。。。delicious　plans。〃
　〃I've　never　heard　of　such　a　field　　not　from　the　Guild；　not　from　Ix；〃　de　Vries　said。　〃Who　invented　it？〃
　〃You　may　remember　our。。。visiting　researcher　from　Richese。〃
　〃Chobyn？〃　the　Mentat　asked；　then　answered　his　own　question。　〃Yes；　that　was　his　name。〃
　〃He　came　to　us　in　secret　with　a　cutting…edge　technique　the　Richesians　had　developed。　It's　a　new　and　risky　technology；　but　our　friend　Chobyn　saw　its　possibilities。　He　wisely　brought　it　to　House　Harkonnen　for　our　private　exploitation；　provided　we　give　him　sufficient　remuneration。〃
　〃And　we've　certainly　paid　him　enough；〃　Rabban　added。
　〃Worth　every　solari；〃　the　Baron　continued。　He　drummed　his　fingers　in　a　habitual　rhythm　on　the　tabletop。　〃Inside　this　no…globe；　not　a　soul　can　overhear　us；　not　even　a　Guild　Navigator　and　his　damnable　prescience。　We've　now　got　Chobyn　working　on。。。something　even　better　for　us。〃
　Rabban　impatiently　slumped　back　in　one　of　the　seats。　〃Let's　get　on　with　what　we　need　to　talk　about。〃
　De　Vries　sat　down　at　the　self…scrubbing　table；　eyes　bright；　Mentat　capabilities　already　whirling　and　grasping　the　implications　of　an　invisibility　technology。　How　it　could　be　used。。。
　The　Baron　shifted　his　gaze　from　his　blunt…featured　nephew　to　his　twisted　Mentat。　What　an　utter　contrast　these　two　are；　representing　the　extremes　of　the　intellectual　spectrum。　Rabban　and　de　Vries　both　needed　constant　supervision；　the　former　because　of　his　thick　skull　and　short　fuse；　and　the　latter　because　his　brilliance　could　be　equally　dangerous。
　Despite　his　obvious　deficiencies；　Rabban　was　the　only　Harkonnen　who　could　possibly　succeed　the　Baron。　Certainly　Abulurd　wasn't　qualified。　Other　than　those　two　bastard　daughters　the　Bene　Gesserit　had　forced　from　him；　the　Baron　had　no　children　of　his　own。　He　therefore　had　to　train　his　nephew　in　the　proper　uses　and　abuses　of　power；　so　he　could　eventually　die　content　with　the　knowledge　that　House　Harkonnen　would　continue　as　it　always　had。
　It　would　be　even　better；　though；　if　the　Atreides　were　destroyed。。。。
　Perhaps　Rabban　should　have　two　Mentats　to　guide　him；　instead　of　the　customary　one。　Because　of　his　bullish　nature；　Rabban's　rule　would　be　especially　brutal；　perhaps　on　a　scale　never　before　seen　on　Giedi　Prime；　despite　the　Harkonnens'　long　history　of　torture　and　harsh　treatment　of　slaves。
　The　Baron's　expression　became　grim。　〃Down　to　business。　Now　listen；　both　of　you。　Piter；　I　want　you　to　use　your　full　Mentat　abilities。〃
　De　Vries　removed　his　small　bottle　of　sapho　juice　from　a　pocket　inside　his　robe。　He　gulped；　and　smacked　his　lips　in　a　manner　that　the　Baron　found　repulsive。
　〃My　spies　have　reported　very　distressing　information；〃　the　Baron　said。　〃It　involves　Ix　and　some　plans　that　the　Emperor　seems　to　have　made　before　he　died。〃　He　drummed　his　fingers　in　time　to　the　little　ditty　that　always　ran　through　his　head。　〃This　plot　has　serious　implications　for　our　family's　fortunes。　CHOAM　and　the　Guild　don't　even　know　about　it。〃
　Rabban　grunted。　De　Vries　sat　up　straight；　awaiting　more　data。
　〃It　seems　that　the　Emperor　and　the　Tleilaxu　have　made　some　kind　of　an　alliance　to　do　unorthodox　and　highly　illegal　work。〃
　〃Sligs　and　shit　go　together；〃　Rabban　said。
　The　Baron　chuckled　at　the　analogy。　〃I've　learned　that　our　dearly　departed　Emperor　was　personally　behind　the　takeover　on　Ix。　He　forced　House　Vernius　to　go　renegade　and　set　the　Tleilaxu　up　so　they　could　begin　research；　adapting　their　methods　to　sophisticated　Ixian　facilities。〃
　〃And　what　research　is　that；　my　Baron？〃　de　Vries　asked。
　The　Baron　dropped　his　bomb。　〃They　seek　a　biological　method　to　synthesize　melange。　They　think　they　can　produce　their　own　spice　artificially　and　cheaply；　thereby　cutting　Arrakis　　us　　out　of　the　distribution　channels。〃
　Rabban　snorted。　〃Impossible。　Nobody　can　do　that。〃
　But　de　Vries's　mind　spun　as　related　information　clicked　into　place。　〃I　would　not　underestimate　the　Tleilaxu　　especially　when　bined　with　the　facilities　and　technology　on　Ix。　They'll　have　everything　they　need。〃
　Rabban　drew　himself　up。　〃But　if　the　Emperor　can　make　synthetic　spice；　what　happens　to　our　holdings？　What　happens　to　all　the　spice　stockpiles　we've　spent　years　building　up？〃
　〃Provided　the　new　synthetic　is　cheap　and　effective；　Harkonnen　spice…based　fortunes　would　evaporate；〃　de　Vries　said　stonily。　〃Practically　overnight。〃
　〃That's　right；　Piter！〃　The　Baron　slammed　a　ringed　fist　on　the　table。　〃Harvesting　spice　from　Arrakis　is　incredibly　expensive。　If　the　Emperor　has　his　own　source　of　cheap　melange；　the　market　will　collapse　and　House　Corrino　will　control　the　rest　　a　new　monopoly　held　entirely　in　the　hands　of　the　Emperor。〃
　〃CHOAM　won't　like　that；〃　Rabban　said　with　surprising　insight。
　De　Vries　suggested；　〃Then　we　will　have　to　get　this　information　to　the　Spacing　Guild。　We　must　reveal　to　them　what　the　Emperor　was　doing；　and　see　to　it　that　Shaddam　ceases　all　such　investigations。　CHOAM　and　the　Guild　won't　want　to　lose　their　investment　in　spice　production　either。〃
　〃But　what　if　the　new　Emperor　makes　a　treaty　with　them　first；　Piter？〃　the　Baron　asked。　〃CHOAM　is　partially　owned　by　House　Corrino。　Shaddam　will　be　out　to　make　his　mark　as　he　begins　his　reign。　What　if　CHOAM　presses　him　into　giving　them　access　to　the　synthetic　spice　at　an　extraordinary　discount；　as　the　price　of　their　cooperation？　The　Guild　would　love　to　have　a　cheaper；　reliable　supply。　They　might　abandon　Arrakis　altogether　if　it's　too　difficult。〃
　〃Then　we'll　be　the　only　ones　left　out　in　the　cold；〃　Rabban　growled。　〃House　Harkonnen　gets　stepped　on　by　everybody。〃
　The　Mentat's　eyes　fell　half…closed　as　he　droned　on。　〃We　can't　even　file　a　formal　plaint　with　the　Houses　of　the　Landsraad。　Knowledge　of　a　spice　substitute　would　create　a　feeding　frenzy　among　the　Federated　families。　Political　alliances　have　shifted　recently；　and　a　number　of　Houses　wouldn't　mind　if　our　monopoly　were　broken。　They　couldn't　care　less　if　the　price　of　melange　plummets。　The　only　ones　to　lose　would　be　those　who　had　invested　heavily　in　secret　and　illegal　spice　stockpiles；　or　those　who　invested　heavily　in　the　expensive　spice…harvesting　operations　on　Arrakis。〃
　〃In　other　words；　us　again　　and　a　few　of　our　closest　allies；〃　the　Baron　said。
　〃The　Bene　Gesserit；　and　your　little　sweetheart　among　the　witches；　would　probably　like　an　inexpensive　supply；　too。〃
　The　Baron　glowered　at　his　nephew。　Rabban　merely　chuckled。　〃So　what　can　we　do　about　it？〃
　De　Vries　answered　without　consulting　the　Baron。　〃House　Harkonnen　will　have　to　take　care　of　this　by　itself。　We　can　expect　no　outside　assistance。〃
　〃Remember　that　we're　only　a　quasi…fief　on　Arrakis；〃　the　Baron　said。　〃It　was　given　to　us　on　sufferance　from　CHOAM　and　the　Emperor。　And　now　it's　like　a　hook　on　which　they've　hung　us　out　to　dry。　We　must　be　extremely　careful。〃
　〃We　don't　have　enough　military　strength　to　fight　all　those　enemies；〃　Rabban　said。
　〃We'll　have　to　be　subtle；〃　de　Vries　said。
　〃Subtlety？〃　The　Baron　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃All　right；　I'm　willing　to　try　new　things。〃
　〃We　must　disrupt　this　Tleilaxu　research　on　Ix；〃　de　Vries　said；　〃preferably　destroy　it。　I　suggest　that　House　Harkonnen　also　liquidate　various　assets；　build　up　a　reserve　of　cash；　and　mi