bh.houseatreides-第111节

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　Hovering　immediately　in　front　of　the　Atreides　frigate；　invisible　and　cloaked　in　anonymity；　Rabban　targeted　the　nearby　Tleilaxu　ships。　With　a　smile　on　his　generous　lips；　he　reached　for　the　controls。
　And　opened　fire。
　Tio　Holtzman　was　one　of　the　most　productive　Ixian　inventors　on　record。　He　often　went　on　creative　binges；　locking　himself　up　for　months　on　end　so　that　he　could　work　without　interruption。　Sometimes　upon　emerging　he　required　hospitalization；　and　there　were　constant　concerns　over　his　sanity　and　well…being。　Holtzman　died　young　　barely　past　thirty　Standard　Years　　but　the　results　of　his　efforts　changed　the　galaxy　forever。
　…Biographical　Capsules；　an　Imperial　filmbook
　When　Rabban　departed　from　the　Harkonnen　frigate；　full　of　his　important　duty；　the　Baron　sat　in　a　high　observation　chair；　looking　out　into　the　enormous　Heighliner　hold。　The　Navigator　had　already　initiated　the　engines；　sent　the　gigantic　craft　through　foldspace。　The　smaller　ships　sat　arrayed　like　so　much　cordwood；　unaware　of　the　fire　that　was　rushing　toward　them。。。。
　Even　knowing　where　to　look；　he　couldn't　see　the　invisible　ship；　of　course。　But　the　Baron　glanced　at　his　chronometer；　knew　the　time　was　approaching。　He　stared　out　at　the　unsuspecting　Atreides　frigate；　silent　and　arrogant　in　its　assigned　berth；　and　kept　his　eyes　on　the　nearby　Tleilaxu　craft。　Tapping　his　fingertips　on　the　arm　of　the　chair；　he　watched　and　waited。
　Long　minutes　passed。
　Planning　the　attack；　Baron　Harkonnen　had　wanted　Rabban　to　use　a　lasgun　on　the　doomed　Tleilaxu　ships　　but　Chobyn；　the　Richesian　designer　of　the　experimental　craft；　had　left　a　murky　warning　scrawled　in　his　notes。　The　new　no…field　had　some　relationship　with　the　original　Holtzman　Effect　that　formed　the　foundation　for　shields。　Every　child　knew　that　when　a　lasgun　beam　struck　a　shield；　the　resulting　explosion　resembled　an　atomic　detonation。
　The　Baron　didn't　dare　take　that　risk；　and　since　the　Richesian　inventor　had　already　been　disposed　of；　they　couldn't　ask　further　questions。　Perhaps　he　should　have　thought　of　that　ahead　of　time。
　No　matter。　Lasguns　weren't　needed　to　damage　the　Tleilaxu　vessels　anyway；　since　ships　transported　in　a　Heighliner　hold　were　prohibited　from　activating　their　shields。　Instead；　multiphase　projectiles　　the　high…powered　artillery　shells　remended　by　the　Great　Convention　to　restrict　collateral　damage　　would　do　the　job。　Such　shells　penetrated　the　fuselage　of　a　target　craft　and　destroyed　the　interior　of　the　vessel　in　a　controlled　detonation；　after　which　the　phased　secondary　and　tertiary　explosions　snuffed　onboard　fires　and　saved　the　remains　of　the　fuselage。　His　nephew　hadn't　understood　the　technical　details　of　the　attack；　Rabban　only　knew　how　to　aim　and　fire　the　weapons。　That　was　all　he　needed　to　know。
　Finally　the　Baron　saw　a　tiny　burst　of　yellow…and…white　fire；　and　two　deadly　multiphase　projectiles　streaked　out；　as　if　fired　from　the　front　of　the　Atreides　frigate。　The　projectiles　shot　like　gobbets　of　viscous　flame；　then　impacted。　The　doomed　Tleilaxu　transport　vessels　shuddered　and　glowed　bright　red　inside。
　Oh；　how　the　Baron　hoped　other　ships　had　been　watching　this！
　A　direct　hit　on　one　ship　left　it　a　hollow；　incinerated　hull　in　only　a　few　seconds。　By　design；　the　other　projectile　hit　the　tail　section　of　the　second　Tleilaxu　ship；　disabling　it　without　killing　everyone　aboard。　This　would　give　the　victims　an　excellent　opportunity　to　fire　back　at　the　Atreides　aggressors。　Then　things　would　escalate　nicely。
　〃Good。〃　The　Baron　smiled；　as　if　he　could　speak　directly　to　the　frantic　Tleilaxu　crew。　〃Now　you　know　what　to　do。　Follow　your　instincts。〃
　AFTER　LAUNCHING　THE　projectiles；　Rabban's　no…ship　darted　away；　passing　between　parked　frigates　that　loomed　high　overhead。
　On　an　emergency　frequency；　he　heard　the　damaged　Tleilaxu　ship　transmit　urgent　distress　messages：　〃Peaceful　Bene　Tleilax　transports　attacked　by　Atreides　frigate！　Violation　of　Guild　law。　Assistance　urgently　requested！〃
　At　that　moment；　the　Guild　Heighliner　was　nowhere　　in　transit　between　dimensions。　They　could　expect　neither　retaliation　nor　enforcement　until　they　emerged　from　foldspace　and　arrived　at　Kaitain。　By　then；　it　would　be　far　too　late。
　Rabban　hoped　this　would　be　more　like　a　tavern　brawl；　he　and　his　friends　often　marched　into　drinking　establishments　in　outlying　Giedi　Prime　villages　and　stirred　up　trouble；　cracked　open　a　few　heads；　and　had　a　fine　old　time。
　A　control…panel　screen　in　the　no…ship　showed　him　a　graphic　of　the　immense　cargo　hold；　with　a　gray　dot　representing　each　ship。　The　dots　changed　to　orange　as　the　ships　of　various　Houses　Major　powered　up　their　weapons；　prepared　to　defend　themselves　in　what　would　bee　an　all…out　brush　war。
　Feeling　like　an　unseen　mouse　on　the　floor　of　a　crowded　dance　hall；　Rabban　piloted　the　no…ship　behind　a　Harkonnen　freighter；　around　to　where　no　one　in　any　other　craft　could　see　the　Harkonnen　ship　open　a　hatch　and　allow　the　guerrilla　craft　inside。
　Within　the　safety　of　the　mother　ship；　Rabban　switched　off　the　no…field；　making　the　attack　craft　visible　to　the　Harkonnen　crew。　His　hatch　opened；　and　he　stepped　forth　onto　the　platform；　wiping　sweat　from　his　forehead。　His　eyes　sparkled　with　excitement。　〃Have　the　other　ships　started　shooting　yet？〃
　Klaxons　sounded。　Panicky　conversation　spat　out　of　the　system　like　shrapnel　from　a　maula　pistol。　Frantic　voices　in　Imperial　Galach　and　battle　code　sounds　spilled　over　from　the　crowded　links　inside　the　Heighliner：　〃The　Atreides　have　declared　war　on　the　Tleilaxu！　Weapons　fired！〃
　Smug　about　his　successful　attack；　Rabban　shouted　to　the　crew；　〃Activate　our　frigate's　weapons　array。　Make　sure　no　one　fires　on　us　　those　Atreides　are　ruthless；　you　know。〃　He　chuckled。
　Cargo…handling　equipment　gripped　the　small　craft；　then　lowered　it　into　a　space　between　false　bulkheads。　Panels　snicked　shut　over　the　opening；　which　even　Guild　scanners　could　not　detect。　Of　course　no　one　would　search　for　the　craft　anyway；　since　there　was　no　such　thing　as　an　invisible　ship。
　〃Defend　yourselves！〃　another　pilot　shouted　over　the　system。
　A　Tleilaxu　whine　ensued。　〃We　give　notice　that　we　intend　to　fire　back。　We　are　well　within　our　rights。　No　provocation。。。blatant　disregard　for　Guild　rules。〃
　Another　voice；　coarse　and　deep：　〃But　the　Atreides　frigate　shows　no　weapons。　Maybe　they　were　not　the　aggressors。〃
　〃A　trick！〃　the　Tleilaxu　screeched。　〃One　of　our　ships　is　destroyed；　another　severely　damaged。　Can　you　not　see　with　your　own　eyes？　House　Atreides　must　pay。〃
　Perfect；　Rabban　thought；　admiring　his　uncle's　plan。　From　this　crux　point；　several　events　could　occur；　and　the　plan　would　still　work。　Duke　Leto　was　known　to　be　impetuous；　and　everyone　now　believed　he　had　mitted　a　heinous　and　cowardly　act。　With　any　luck；　his　ship　would　be　destroyed　in　a　retaliatory　attack；　and　the　Atreides　name　would　go　down　in　infamy　for　Leto's　treacherous　deed。
　Or　this　could　just　be　the　beginning　of　along　and　bloody　feud　between　House　Atreides　and　the　Tleilaxu。
　In　either　case；　Leto　would　never　be　able　to　untangle　himself。
　ON　THE　MAND　bridge　of　the　Atreides　frigate；　Duke　Leto　struggled　to　calm　himself。　Because　he　knew　his　ship　had　not　fired；　it　took　him　some　seconds　even　to　understand　the　accusations　being　shouted　at　him。
　〃The　shots　came　from　very　nearby；　my　Duke；〃　Hawat　said；　〃from　right　under　our　bow。〃
　〃So　that　was　no　accident？〃　Leto　said；　as　a　dismal　feeling　came　over　him。　The　destroyed　Tleilaxu　ship　still　glowed　orange；　while　the　pilot　of　the　other　vessel　continued　to　scream　at　him。
　〃Vermilion　hells！　Somebody　actually　fired　on　the　Bene　Tleilax；〃　Rhombur　said；　peering　out　the　armor…plaz　porthole。　〃And　it's　about　time；　if　you　ask　me。〃
　Leto　heard　the　cacophony　of　radio　traffic；　including　the　outraged　Tleilaxu　distress　calls。　At　first　he　wondered　if　he　should　offer　assistance　to　the　damaged　ships。　Then　the　Tleilaxu　pilot　started　howling　the　Atreides　name　and　demanding　his　blood。
　He　noted　the　burned…out　hull　of　the　destroyed　Tleilaxu　craft　　and　saw　the　guns　on　its　wounded　panion　swiveling　toward　him。　〃Thufir！　What's　he　doing？〃
　The　open　link　blared　a　furious　debate　between　the　Tleilaxu　and　those　who　refused　to　believe　in　Atreides　culpability。　Increasingly；　voices　supported　the　Tleilaxu　position。　Some　claimed　to　have　seen　what　happened；　claimed　to　have　witnessed　the　Atreides　ship　firing　upon　the　Tleilaxu。　A　dangerous　momentum　was　building。
　〃Vermilion　hells；　they　think　you　did　it；　Leto！〃　Rhombur　said。
　Hawat　had　already　dashed　to　the　defensive　panel。　〃The　Tleilaxu　have　powered　up　weapons　for　a　counterstrike　against　you；　my　Duke。〃
　Leto　ran　for　the　system　and　threw　open　a　channel。　In　only　a　few　seconds　his　thoughts　accelerated　and　pressed　in　a　manner　that　astonished　him；　for　he　was　not　a　Mentat　capable　of　advanced　reasoning　powers。　It　was　like　dream…pression；　he　realized。。。or　the　incredible　array　of　visions　that　reportedly　flashed　across　a　person's　mind　when　faced　with　imminent　death。　That's　a　grim　thought。　He　had　to　see　a　way　out　of　this。
　〃Attention！〃　he　shouted　into　the　voice　pickup。　〃This　is　Duke　Leto　Atreides。　We　did　not　fire　upon　the　Tleilaxu　ships。　I　deny　all　accusations。〃
　He　knew　they　would　not　believe　him；　would　not　cool　down　soon　enough　to　avoid　an　eruption　of　ope