bh.houseatreides-第13节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


nsion　in　her。　Janess；　who　didn't　participate；　frequently　glanced　over　her　shoulder；　as　if　watching　for　something。
　Moments　later　Harkonnen　troops　had　e；　grabbing　Duncan's　parents；　himself；　even　his　uncle　and　two　cousins。　He　understood　intuitively　that　Janess　had　been　the　cause　of　it　all；　for　whatever　reason。　He'd　never　seen　her　again；　and　he　and　his　family　had　been　in　prison　for　half　a　year　now。。。。
　Behind　him；　an　overhead　trapdoor　opened　with　a　hiss。　Two　blue…uniformed　pursuers　dropped　through；　pointed　at　him；　and　laughed　in　triumph。　Weaving　from　side　to　side；　Duncan　dashed　ahead。　A　lasgun　blast　ricocheted　off　the　wall　plates；　leaving　a　lightning…bolt　scorch　mark　down　the　corridor。
　Duncan　smelled　the　ozone　from　the　singed　metal。　If　even　one　of　those　bolts　hit　him；　he'd　be　dead。　He　hated　the　way　the　hunters　snickered；　as　if　they　were　merely　toying　with　him。
　A　pair　of　pursuers　charged　out　of　a　side　passage　only　a　meter　in　front　of　him；　but　Duncan　moved　too　fast。　They　didn't　recognize　him　or　react　quickly　enough。　He　struck　one　stout　man　in　the　knee　and　knocked　him　sideways　before　dashing　between　the　two　at　a　full　run。
　The　stout　man　stumbled；　then　shouted　as　a　laser　bolt　singed　his　armor；　〃Stop　firing；　you　idiot！　You'll　hit　one　of　us！〃
　Duncan　ran　as　he'd　never　run　before；　knowing　his　child's　legs　couldn't　outrace　adults　conditioned　for　fighting。　But　he　refused　to　give　up。　It　wasn't　in　his　blood。
　Ahead；　where　the　corridor　opened；　he　saw　bright　lights　at　an　intersection　of　passageways。　As　he　approached；　he　skidded　to　a　stop　only　to　find　that　the　cross…passage　was　no　tunnel　at　all；　but　a　suspensor　tube；　a　cylindrical　shaft　with　a　Holtzman　field　in　the　center。　Levitating　bullet…trains　shot　down　the　tube　without　resistance；　traveling　from　one　end　of　the　enormous　prison　city　to　the　other。
　There　were　no　doors；　no　open　passageways。　Duncan　could　run　no　farther。　The　men　surged　close　behind　him；　extending　their　guns。　If　he　surrendered；　he　wondered　if　they　would　still　shoot　him　down。　Probably；　he　thought；　since　I've　gotten　their　adrenaline　going。
　The　suspensor　field　shimmered　in　the　center　of　the　horizontal　shaft　in　front　of　him。　He　vaguely　knew　what　it　would　do。　He　had　only　one　place　left　to　go；　and　he　wasn't　sure　what　would　happen　　but　he　knew　he'd　be　punished；　or　most　likely　slaughtered；　if　the　guards　captured　him。
　So　as　they　pressed　closer；　Duncan　turned　around　and　gazed　into　the　suspensor　field。　Taking　a　deep　breath　for　courage；　he　swung　his　short　arms　behind　him　and　leaped　out　into　the　open　shimmering　tube。
　His　curly　black　hair　rippled　in　the　breeze　as　he　plummeted。　He　shouted；　the　sound　halfway　between　a　despairing　wail　and　a　cry　of　glorious　release。　If　he　died　here；　at　least　he　would　be　free！
　Then　the　Holtzman　field　wrapped　around　him　and　caught　him　with　a　jolt。　Feeling　as　if　his　stomach　had　just　lurched　to　the　center　of　his　chest；　Duncan　found　himself　adrift　in　an　invisible　net。　He　floated　without　falling；　hanging　in　the　neutral　center　of　the　field。　This　force　held　the　bullet…trains　suspended　as　they　careened　through　mammoth　Barony。　It　could　certainly　hold　him。
　He　saw　the　guards　rushing　to　the　edge　of　the　platform；　shouting　at　him　in　anger。　One　shook　a　fist。　Two　others　pointed　their　guns。
　Duncan　flailed　in　the　field；　trying　to　swim　　anything　to　move　away。
　With　a　shout　of　alarm；　a　guard　knocked　the　other's　lasgun　aside。　Duncan　had　heard　about　the　nightmarish　effects　of　a　lasgun　beam　crossing　a　Holtzman　field：　They　produced　an　interacting　destructive　potential　as　deadly　as　forbidden　atomics　themselves。
　So　the　guards　fired　their　stun　weapons　instead。
　Duncan　writhed　in　the　air。　Though　he　could　get　no　leverage；　at　least　he　made　a　moving　target　as　he　squirmed　and　spun。　Stun　blasts　arced　on　either　side　of　him；　diverted　into　curving　paths。
　Despite　the　confining　embrace　of　the　Holtzman　field；　he　felt　the　air　pressure　change　around　him；　sensed　the　currents　of　movement。　He　rotated　himself；　bobbing　in　the　air　　until　he　saw　the　oning　lights　of　a　bullet…train。
　And　he　was　at　the　center　of　the　field！
　Duncan　thrashed；　desperate　to　move。　He　drifted　toward　the　opposite　edge　of　the　levitation　zone；　away　from　the　guards。　They　continued　to　fire；　but　the　change　in　air　pressure　pushed　their　stun　blasts　even　farther　off　the　mark　than　before。　He　saw　the　uniformed　men　making　adjustments。
　Below　him　were　other　doorways；　ramps；　and　platforms　that　led　into　the　bowels　of　Barony。　Maybe　he　could　reach　one。。。if　he　could　just　escape　the　confining　field。
　Another　stun　blast　tore　past　and　this　time　caught　the　edge　of　his　back　near　his　shoulder；　numbing　him；　making　the　muscles　and　skin　crawl　with　a　sensation　like　a　thousand　stinging　insects。
　Duncan　finally　wrenched　himself　away　from　the　field　and　dropped。　Falling　facedown；　he　saw　the　platform　just　in　time。　He　reached　out　with　his　good　arm　and　snagged　a　railing。　The　bullet…train　screamed　past；　whistling　as　it　displaced　air。。。missing　him　by　centimeters。
　He　hadn't　had　time　to　pick　up　much　momentum　in　his　fall；　even　so；　the　jarring　stop　nearly　ripped　his　other　arm　out　of　its　socket。　Duncan　scrambled　up　and　ran　into　a　tunnel；　but　found　only　a　tiny　alcove　with　metawalls。　He　could　see　no　exit。　The　hatch　was　sealed　and　locked。　He　pounded　on　it；　but　couldn't　go　anywhere。
　Then；　the　outer　door　clanged　shut　behind　him；　sealing　him　into　a　small　armor…walled　box。　He　was　trapped。　This　time　it　was　over。
　Moments　later；　the　guards　unsealed　the　rear　hatch。　Their　stares；　as　pointed　as　their　weapons；　held　a　mixture　of　anger　and　admiration。　Duncan　waited　with　resignation　for　them　to　gun　him　down。
　Instead；　the　hunt　captain　smiled　without　humor　and　said；　〃Congratulations；　boy。　You　made　it。〃
　EXHAUSTED　AND　BACK　in　his　cell；　Duncan　sat　with　his　mother　and　father。　They　ate　their　daily　meal　of　bland　cereals；　starch…cakes；　and　protein　chips　　nutritionally　satisfying　yet　almost　maliciously　made　with　either　foul　flavors　or　no　taste　whatsoever。　So　far　the　boy　hadn't　been　told　more　by　his　captors；　just　that　he'd　〃made　it。〃　That　had　to　mean　freedom。　He　could　only　hope。
　The　family's　cell　was　filthy。　Though　his　parents　tried　to　keep　it　clean；　they　had　no　brooms；　mops；　or　soap；　and　very　little　water；　which　couldn't　be　wasted　on　mere　sanitation。
　During　the　months　of　confinement；　Duncan　had　undergone　vigorous　and　violent　〃training；〃　while　his　family　sat　fearfully　offstage；　doing　nothing　with　their　days。　All　of　them　had　been　given　numbers；　slave…cell　addresses；　and　（with　the　exception　of　Duncan）　nothing　to　do　　no　labor；　no　entertainment。　They　simply　awaited　any　change　in　their　sentence。。。and　dreaded　that　such　a　change　would　someday　e。
　Now　with　excitement　and　pride　Duncan　told　his　mother　of　his　adventures；　how　he　had　outwitted　the　pursuers；　how　he　had　been　resourceful　enough　to　defeat　even　the　best　Harkonnen　trackers。　None　of　the　other　children　had　succeeded　on　this　day；　but　Duncan　was　certain　he'd　done　what　was　necessary　to　buy　freedom。
　Any　minute　now　they'd　be　released。　He　tried　to　imagine　his　family　standing　together　again；　free；　outside；　looking　up　into　a　clear；　starlit　night。
　His　father　gazed　proudly　at　the　boy；　but　his　mother　found　it　difficult　to　believe　that　such　a　thing　could　possibly　be　true。　She　had　good　reason　not　to　trust　Harkonnen　promises。
　Before　long；　the　cell　lights　flickered；　and　the　opaque　door　field　became　transparent；　then　opened。　A　group　of　blue…uniformed　prison　guards　stood　beside　the　smiling　hunt　captain　who　had　chased　him。　Duncan's　heart　leaped。　Are　we　going　to　be　set　free？
　He　didn't　like　the　hunt　captain's　smile；　though。
　The　uniformed　men　stepped　aside　in　deference　to　a　man　with　broad　shoulders；　thick　lips；　and　big　muscles。　His　face　was　sunburned　and　ruddy；　as　if　he　had　spent　a　great　deal　of　time　far　from　gloomy　Giedi　Prime。
　Duncan's　father　sprang　to　his　feet；　then　bowed　clumsily。　〃M'Lord　Rabban！〃
　Ignoring　the　parents；　Rabban's　eyes　sought　out　only　the　round…faced　young　trainee。　〃The　captain　of　the　hunt　tells　me　you're　the　best　boy；〃　he　said　to　Duncan。　As　he　stepped　into　the　cell；　the　guards　hustled　in　behind　him。　Rabban　grinned。
　〃You　should　have　seen　him　in　today's　exercise；　m'Lord；〃　the　hunt　captain　said。　〃Never　had　a　more　resourceful　pup。〃
　Rabban　nodded。　〃Number　11368；　I've　seen　your　records；　watched　holos　of　your　hunts。　How　are　your　injuries？　Not　too　bad？　You're　young；　so　you'll　heal　quickly。〃　His　eyes　hardened。　〃Lots　more　fun　left　in　you。　Let's　see　how　you　do　against　me。〃
　He　turned　about。　〃e　with　me　for　the　hunt；　boy。　Now。〃
　〃My　name　is　Duncan　Idaho；〃　the　boy　responded；　in　a　defiant　tone。　〃I'm　not　a　number。〃　His　voice　was　thin　and　high…pitched；　but　held　a　gruff　bravery　that　shocked　his　parents。　Surprised；　the　guards　turned　to　stare　at　him。　Duncan　looked　to　his　mother　for　support；　as　if　hoping　for　some　kind　of　challenge　or　reward。　Instead；　she　tried　to　hush　him。
　Rabban　coolly　snatched　a　lasgun　from　the　guard　standing　next　to　him。　Without　the　slightest　pause；　he　fired　a　lethal　blast　into　the　chest　of　Duncan's　father。　The　man　slammed　against　the　wall。　Before　his　corpse　could　slide　to　the　floor；　Rabban　shifted　his　weapon　and　incinerated　the　head　of　Duncan's　mother。
　Duncan　screamed。　Both　of　his　parents　tumbled　to　the　floor