bh.houseatreides-第109节

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ek　against　one　of　the　gold　bs　in　her　copper…dark　hair。　He　could　feel　the　tension　in　her　arms；　and　sensed　that　they　both　wanted　to　share　a　much　more　passionate　embrace。
　Then；　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　the　daughter　of　Dominic　and　Shando　Vernius　clutched　her　brother　even　more　desperately。　〃Be　careful；　Rhombur。　This　is　so　dangerous。〃
　〃This　may　be　the　only　way　we　can　restore　our　family　name；〃　Rhombur　answered。　〃We　must　throw　ourselves　upon　the　mercy　of　Shaddam。　Perhaps　he'll　be　different　from　his　father。　He　has　nothing　to　gain　by　maintaining　the　sentence　against　us；　and　much　to　lose…especially　with　the　restlessness　in　the　Imperium。　He　needs　all　the　friends　and　strength　he　can　get。〃　He　smiled　and　swirled　the　purple…and…copper　cape。
　〃Ix　is　wasted　on　the　Bene　Tleilax；〃　Kailea　noted。　〃They　don't　have　an　inkling　about　how　to　run　a　galactic　business。〃
　Leto；　Rhombur；　and　Hawat　would　be　representatives　from　Caladan。　Brash　perhaps；　and　showy　in　their　impertinence…or　would　it　be　seen　as　calm　confidence？　Leto　hoped　for　the　latter。
　As　Duke；　he　knew　that　flying　in　the　face　of　Court　politics　was　unwise。　But　his　heart　told　him　to　gamble　when　the　stakes　were　important　enough；　when　he　was　on　the　side　of　righteousness　　where　he　always　intended　to　be。　The　Old　Duke　had　taught　him　no　less。
　His　father　had　shown　him　that　a　gambit　filled　with　bravado　often　paid　off　far　more　substantially　than　a　conservative　and　unimaginative　plan。。。so　why　not　this？　Would　the　Old　Duke　have　done　something　similar；　or　would　he；　guided　by　his　wife；　have　taken　a　safer　course？　Leto　had　no　answer　for　that；　but　was　thankful　that　he　didn't　have　anyone　like　the　stern　and　inflexible　Lady　Helena　getting　in　his　way　now。　When　he　decided　to　marry；　it　would　never　be　to　anyone　like　her。
　He　had　sent　a　formal　Courier　to　the　Sisters　in　Isolation　pound　on　the　Eastern　Continent；　notifying　his　mother　that　he　and　Rhombur　would　journey　to　Kaitain。　He　didn't　delineate　their　plan　or　ment　on　the　obvious　risk　involved；　but　he　wanted　her　to　be　prepared　for　the　worst。　With　no　other　heirs；　Lady　Helena　would　bee　the　ruler　of　House　Atreides　should　things　go　wrong；　should　Leto　find　himself　executed　or　〃accidentally〃　killed。　Though　he　knew　she　had　instigated　the　murder　of　his　father；　he　had　no　choice　in　this　circumstance。　It　was　a　matter　of　form。
　The　final　pieces　of　Atreides　luggage　and　trunks　were　loaded　aboard；　and　within　seconds　the　big　frigate　leaped　into　the　gray…locked　skies　of　Caladan。　This　would　be　different　from　his　previous　trips　　the　future　of　Rhombur's　bloodline　hung　in　the　balance。。。and　perhaps　his　own　as　well。
　With　all　the　ceremonial　fanfare；　Leto　was　fortunate　to　have　been　granted　an　Imperial　audience　four　days　after　the　coronation。　At　that　time　he　and　Rhombur　would　make　a　formal　petition　to　Shaddam；　stating　their　case　and　throwing　themselves　on　his　mercy。
　In　the　glorious　first　days　of　his　regime；　would　the　new　Padishah　Emperor　risk　casting　a　dark　pall　upon　the　festivities　by　renewing　a　sentence　of　death？　Many　Houses　still　saw　omens　in　every　action；　and　Shaddam　was　rumored　to　be　as　superstitious　as　any　of　them。　This　omen　would　be　clear　enough。　By　his　own　decision；　Shaddam　would　establish　the　tenor　of　his　reign。　Would　the　Emperor　want　to　begin　by　denying　justice？　Leto　hoped　not。
　The　ducal　frigate　took　its　assigned　position　inside　the　Heighliner's　cavernous　but　crowded　cargo　bay。　Nearby；　shuttles　full　of　passengers　moved　delicately　into　position；　along　with　transports　and　cargo　ships　filled　with　the　trading　goods　of　Caladan：　pundi　rice；　medicinals　from　processed　kelp；　handmade　tapestries；　and　preserved　fish　products。　Privately　owned　lighters　were　still　loading　merchandise　into　the　hold；　ferrying　up　from　the　surface　to　the　Heighliner。　This　huge　Guild　ship　had　gone　from　world　to　world　on　its　roundabout　route　to　Kaitain；　and　the　province…sized　cargo　bay　was　dotted　with　ships　from　other　worlds　in　the　Imperium；　all　on　their　way　to　the　coronation。
　While　they　waited；　Thufir　Hawat　looked　at　the　chronometer　mounted　on　a　bulkhead　of　the　frigate。　〃We　still　have　three　hours　before　the　Heighliner　pletes　loading　and　unloading　and　is　ready　to　depart。　I　suggest　we　use　this　time　for　training；　m'Lord。〃
　〃You　always　suggest　that；　Thufir；〃　Rhombur　said。
　〃Because　you　are　young　and　require　considerable　instruction；〃　the　Mentat　countered。
　Leto's　plush　frigate　was　so　full　of　amenities　that　he　and　his　entourage　could　forget　they　were　even　off…planet。　But　he'd　had　enough　of　relaxing；　and　the　anxiety　of　impending　events　filled　him　with　a　nervous　energy　that　he　wanted　to　discharge。　〃You　have　a　suggestion；　Thufir？　What　can　we　do　out　here？〃
　The　Master　of　Assassins'　eyes　lit　up。　〃In　space；　there　are　many　things　a　Duke　　and　a　Prince　〃　he　said　with　a　nod　to　Rhombur；〃　can　learn。〃
　A　WINGLESS　BAT　pod　the　size　of　an　ornithopter　dropped　out　of　the　hold　of　the　Atreides　frigate　and　descended　away　from　the　Heighliner；　into　space。　Leto　worked　the　controls　with　Rhombur　sitting　in　the　copilot's　seat　to　his　right。　It　reminded　Leto　for　a　moment　of　their　brief　training　attempt　in　the　Ixian　orship；　a　near　disaster。
　Hawat　stood　behind　them　wearing　a　mobile　crash　restraint。　In　his　harness　he　looked　like　a　pillar　of　wisdom；　frowning　down　at　the　two　young　men　as　they　felt　their　way　through　the　bat　pod's　controls　for　the　first　time。　An　emergency　override　panel　floated　in　front　of　Hawat。
　〃This　craft　is　different　from　a　coracle　at　sea；　young　sirs；〃　Hawat　said。　〃Unlike　the　larger　ships；　we're　in　zero　gravity　here；　with　all　the　flexibility　and　constraints　that　implies。　You　have　both　done　the　simulations；　but　now　you　are　about　to　discover　what　real　space　bat　is　all　about。〃
　〃I　get　to　fire　the　weapons　first；〃　Rhombur　said；　repeating　their　prior　arrangement。
　〃And　I'm　piloting；〃　Leto　added；　〃but　we　switch　in　half　an　hour。〃
　Behind　him；　Hawat　spoke　in　a　monotone：　〃It's　not　likely；　m'Lord　Duke；　that　you　will　find　yourself　in　a　situation　that　requires　space　bat；　but　〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　I　should　always　be　prepared；〃　Leto　said。　〃If　I've　learned　anything　from　you；　Thufir；　it's　that。〃
　〃First　you　must　learn　maneuvering。〃　Hawat　guided　Leto　through　a　series　of　cruising　curves　and　sharp　arcs。　He　stayed　sufficiently　far　from　the　enormous　Heighliner；　but　close　enough　that　he　felt　it　constituted　a　genuine　obstacle　at　this　speed。　Once；　Leto　reacted　too　quickly　and　plunged　the　bat　pod　into　an　uncontrolled　spin；　which　he　pulled　out　of　by　firing　reaction　jets　to　stop　them　without　sending　the　craft　spiraling　in　the　opposite　direction。
　〃Reaction　and　counter…reaction；〃　Hawat　said；　with　approval。　His　now…tilted　mobile　crash　restraint　righted　itself。　〃When　you　and　Rhombur　had　your　boating　accident　on　Caladan；　you　were　able　to　run　aground　on　a　reef　to　stop　things　from　getting　worse。　Here；　though；　there　is　no　safety　net　to　catch　you。　If　you　spin　out　of　control；　you　will　continue　to　do　so　until　the　proper　countermeasures　are　taken。　You　could　fall　and　burn　up　in　the　atmosphere；　or　in　deeper　space　you　might　hurtle　into　the　void。〃
　〃Uh；　let's　not　do　any　of　that　today；〃　Rhombur　said。　He　looked　over　at　his　friend。　〃I'd　like　to　try　some　practice　shots　now；　Leto；　if　you　can　keep　this　thing　flying　straight　for　a　few　minutes。〃
　〃No　problem；〃　Leto　said。
　Bending　to　the　weaponeer　station　between　the　boys；　Hawat　said；　〃I　loaded　skeet…drones　into　the　hold。　Rhombur；　try　to　fire　and　nullify　as　many　of　them　as　you　can。　You　have　free　range　to　use　whatever　weaponry　you　wish。　Lasbeams；　conventional　explosives；　or　multiphase　projectiles。　But　first；　m'Lord〃　　Hawat　squeezed　Leto's　shoulder　　〃please　take　us　around　to　the　other　side　of　the　planet　where　we　won't　have　to　worry　about　hitting　the　Heighliner　when　Rhombur's　shots　go　wild。〃
　With　a　chuckle；　Leto　did　as　he　was　instructed；　cruising　high　above　the　clouds　of　Caladan　to　the　nightside；　where　the　planet　lay　black　below　them　except　for　necklaces　of　city　lights　strung　along　the　distant　coasts。　Behind　them；　the　glare　of　Caladan's　sun　formed　a　halo　against　the　dark　eclipse　of　the　planet。
　Hawat　launched　a　dozen　spinning；　glittering　globes　that　flew　off　on　random　paths。　Rhombur　grabbed　the　weapons　control　　a　stilo　bar　with　multicolored　panels　　and　blasted　shots　in　all　directions；　most　of　which　missed　entirely；　although　he　did　remove　one　drone　with　a　spray　of　multiphase　projectiles。　They　all　knew　the　bull's…eye　was　a　mere　accident；　and　Rhombur　took　no　pride　in　it。
　〃Patience　and　control；　Prince；〃　Hawat　said。　〃You　must　use　each　shot　as　if　it　were　your　last。　Make　it　count。　Once　you've　learned　to　hit　things；　then　you　can　be　more　liberal　with　your　expenditures。〃
　Leto　chased　after　the　drones　as　Rhombur　fired　with　the　full　array　of　weapons　available　to　him。　When　Rhombur　had　finally　succeeded　in　eliminating　all　the　targets；　he　and　Leto　switched　positions　and　went　through　more　practice　maneuvers。
　Two　hours　passed　swiftly；　and　finally　the　Mentat　instructed　them　to　return　to　the　Guild　Heighliner　so　they　could　make　themselves　fortable　before　the　navigator　folded　space　and　guided　the　ship　to　Kaitain。
　SETTLED　IN；　LOUNGING　on　his　plush　hawk…crested　chair；　Leto　stared　out　the　window　into　the　crowded　cluster　of　ships　inside　the　Heighliner　bay。　He　sipped　a　mug　of　mulled　wine　that　reminded　him　of　Kailea