bh.houseatreides-第20节

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ated　in　the　past　in　order　to　wipe　out　enemies　of　the　Emperor　or　the　Guild。
　Leto　thought　that　of　all　the　things　he　was　leaving　behind；　he　would　miss　his　father's　insights　most；　the　Old　Duke's　brief　and　perceptive　lessons　tossed　off　the　cuff。　〃The　Empire　functions　beyond　mere　laws；〃　Paulus　continued。　〃An　equally　strong　foundation　is　the　network　of　alliances；　favors；　and　religious　propaganda。　Beliefs　are　more　powerful　than　facts。〃
　Leto　stared　through　the　thick　sky　at　the　magnificent；　distant　ship　and　frowned。　It　was　often　difficult　to　separate　truth　from　fiction　。。。。
　He　watched　a　speck　of　orange　appear　below　the　immense　orbiting　craft。　The　color　became　a　streak　of　descending　light　that　resolved　into　the　shape　of　a　shuttle；　which　soon　hovered　over　the　Cala　landing　field。　Four　white　gulls　whipped　around；　soaring　in　the　stirred　air　currents　from　the　shuttle's　descent；　then　flew　shrieking　out　to　the　sea　cliffs。
　Around　the　shuttle；　a　shield　shimmered　and　flickered　off。　All　along　the　spaceport　fences；　pennants　snapped　in　a　salty　morning　breeze。　The　shuttle；　a　white　bullet…shaped　craft；　floated　across　the　field　toward　the　embarkation　platform　on　which　Leto　and　his　parents　stood　separate　from　the　honor　guard。　A　crowd　of　onlookers　and　well…wishers　waved　and　shouted　from　the　outskirts　of　the　landing　field。　The　craft　and　platform　connected；　and　a　door　slid　open　in　the　fuselage。
　His　mother　came　forward　to　say　her　goodbyes；　embracing　him　without　words；　she　had　threatened　simply　to　watch　from　one　of　the　towers　in　Castle　Caladan；　but　Paulus　had　convinced　her　otherwise。　The　crowd　cheered　and　shouted　their　farewells；　Duke　Paulus　and　Lady　Helena　stood　hand　in　hand　and　waved　back　at　them。
　〃Remember　what　I　told　you；　son；〃　Paulus　said；　referring　to　intense　counseling　he　had　given　the　boy　in　recent　days。　〃Learn　from　Ix；　learn　from　everything。〃
　〃But　use　your　heart　to　know　what　is　true；〃　his　mother　added。
　〃Always；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　miss　you　both。　I'll　make　you　proud　of　me。〃
　〃We　already　are；　lad。〃　The　older　man　stepped　back　to　the　formal　guard　escort。　He　exchanged　Atreides　salutes　with　his　son　　an　open　right　hand　beside　the　temple　　and　all　the　soldiers　did　the　same。　Then　Paulus　bounded　forward　to　give　Leto　a　hearty　hug　。。。。
　Moments　later　the　robo…piloted　shuttle　rose　away　from　the　black　cliffs；　churning　seas；　and　cloud…wreathed　croplands　of　Caladan。　Inside；　Leto　sat　in　a　plush　chair　in　the　observation　lounge；　peering　out　a　windowport。　As　the　craft　reached　the　indigo　darkness　of　space；　he　saw　the　metallic　island　of　the　Guild　Heighliner　with　sunlight　glinting　off　its　surface。
　At　their　approach；　a　yawning　black　hole　opened　in　the　underside。　Leto　took　a　deep　breath；　and　the　immense　ship　swallowed　the　shuttle。　He　envisioned　what　he　had　once　seen　in　a　filmbook　about　Arrakis；　a　sandworm　inhaling　a　spice　harvester。　The　metaphor　unsettled　him。
　The　shuttle　slid　smoothly　into　the　docking　port　of　a　Wayku　passenger　ship　that　hung　in　its　designated　berth　inside　the　cavernous　hold　of　the　Heighliner。　Leto　boarded；　his　suitcases　floating　along　behind；　and　made　up　his　mind　to　do　as　his　father　had　instructed。
　Learn　from　everything。　His　determined　curiosity　pushing　his　intimidation　aside；　Leto　climbed　a　stairway　to　the　main　passenger　lounge；　where　he　found　a　seat　on　a　bench　by　another　window。　Two　soostone　merchants　sat　nearby；　their　rapid　conversation　sprinkled　with　jargon。　Old　Paulus　had　wanted　Leto　to　learn　how　to　fend　for　himself。　So；　to　enhance　the　experience；　Leto　was　traveling　as　an　ordinary　passenger；　with　no　special　amenities；　no　pomp　or　entourage；　no　indication　that　he　was　the　son　of　a　Duke。
　His　mother　had　been　horrified。
　Aboard　the　ship；　Wayku　vendors　wearing　dark　glasses　and　ear…clamp　headsets　moved　from　passenger　to　passenger；　selling　confections　and　perfumed　beverages　at　exorbitant　prices。　Leto　waved　off　a　persistent　vendor；　though　the　spicy…salty　broths　and　broiled　meat　sticks　smelled　delicious。　He　could　hear　an　overflow　of　music　from　the　man's　headset；　saw　his　head；　shoulders；　and　feet　moving　to　the　beat　of　music　piped　into　his　skull。　The　Wayku　did　their　jobs；　tended　to　the　customers；　but　managed　to　live　in　their　own　sensory　cacophony；　they　preferred　the　universe　within　to　any　spectacle　they　might　experience　outside。
　This　mass…transit　craft；　operated　by　the　Wayku　under　Guild　contract；　carried　passengers　from　system　to　system。　A　disgraced　House　Major　whose　planets　had　all　been　destroyed　in　the　Third　Coalsack　War；　the　Wayku　were　gypsies　now　and　lived　as　nomads　aboard　Guild　Heighliners。　Although　ancient　surrender　terms　prevented　members　of　their　race　from　setting　foot　on　any　planet　in　the　Imperium；　the　Guild　had；　for　undisclosed　reasons；　granted　them　sanctuary。　For　generations；　the　Wayku　had　showed　no　interest　in　petitioning　the　Emperor　for　amnesty　or　a　revocation　of　the　severe　restrictions　placed　upon　them。
　Looking　through　the　window　of　the　lounge；　Leto　saw　the　dimly　illuminated　cargo　hold　of　the　Heighliner；　a　vacuum　chamber　so　large　that　this　passenger　ship　was；　by　parison；　even　smaller　than　a　grain　of　pundi　rice　in　the　belly　of　a　fish。　He　could　see　the　ceiling　high　overhead；　but　not　the　walls　kilometers　away。　Other　ships；　large　and　small；　were　arrayed　in　the　hold：　frigates；　cargo　haulers；　shuttles；　lighters；　and　armored　monitors。　Strapped…together　stacks　of　〃dump　boxes〃　　unpiloted　cargo　containers　designed　to　dump　material　directly　from　low　orbit　onto　a　planet's　surface　　hung　next　to　the　main　exterior　hatches。
　Guild　regulations；　etched　on　ridulian　crystals　mounted　to　the　main　wall　of　every　room；　prohibited　passengers　from　leaving　the　isolation　of　their　ship。　Through　adjacent　windows　Leto　snatched　glimpses　of　passengers　inside　other　craft　　a　potpourri　of　races　bound　for　all　parts　of　the　Imperium。
　The　Wayku　deckhands　finished　their　first　round　of　service；　and　the　passengers　waited。　The　trip　through　foldspace　took　no　more　than　an　hour；　but　preparations　for　departure　sometimes　required　days。
　Finally；　with　no　announcement　whatsoever；　Leto　detected　a　faint；　smooth　purring　that　seemed　to　e　from　far　away。　He　could　feel　it　in　every　muscle　of　his　body。　〃We　must　be　heading　out；〃　he　said；　turning　to　the　soostone　merchants；　who　seemed　unimpressed。　From　the　quick　diverting　of　their　eyes　and　the　way　they　studiously　ignored　him；　Leto　thought　they　must　consider　him　an　uncultured　yokel。
　In　an　isolated　chamber　high　atop　the　craft；　a　Guild　Navigator　swimming　in　a　tank　of　gas　saturated　with　melange　began　to　enpass　space　with　his　mind。　He　envisioned　and　threaded　a　safe　passage　through　the　fabric　of　foldspace；　transporting　the　Heighliner　and　its　contents　across　a　vast　distance。
　At　dinner　the　previous　evening　in　the　Castle's　dining　hall；　Leto's　mother　had　wondered　aloud　if　Navigators　might　somehow　violate　the　machine…human　interaction　prohibited　by　the　Butlerian　Jihad。　Knowing　Leto　would　soon　be　off　to　Ix　and　at　risk　of　moral　tainting；　she　innocently　made　the　suggestion　as　she　nibbled　on　a　mouthful　of　lemon…broiled　fish。　She　often　used　a　most　reasonable　tone　when　she　uttered　her　provocative　statements。　The　effect　was　like　dropping　a　boulder　into　a　pool　of　still　water。
　〃Oh；　nonsense；　Helena！〃　Paulus　said；　wiping　his　beard　with　a　napkin。　〃Where　would　we　be　without　Navigators？〃
　〃Just　because　you　have　bee　accustomed　to　a　thing；　does　not　make　it　right；　Paulus。　The　Orange　Catholic　Bible　says　nothing　about　morality　being　defined　by　personal　convenience。〃
　Before　his　father　could　argue　the　point；　Leto　interrupted。　〃I　thought　that　Navigators　just　saw　the　way；　a　safe　way。　Holtzman　generators　actually　operate　the　spacecraft。〃　He　decided　to　add　a　quote　he　remembered　from　the　Bible。　〃　'The　highest　master　in　the　material　world　is　the　human　mind；　and　the　beasts　of　the　field　and　the　machines　of　the　city　must　be　forever　subordinate。'　〃
　〃Of　course；　dear；〃　his　mother　said；　and　dropped　the　subject。
　Now；　he　didn't　notice　any　change　of　sensation　upon　passing　into　foldspace。　Before　Leto　knew　it；　the　Heighliner　arrived　in　another　solar　system　　Harmonthep；　according　to　the　transport　schedule。
　Once　there；　Leto　had　to　wait　for　five　more　hours　as　cargo　ships　and　shuttles　went　in　and　out　of　the　Heighliner　hold；　as　well　as　transports　and　even　a　superfrigate。　Then　the　Guild　ship　moved　off　again；　folding　space　to　a　new　solar　system　　Kirana　Aleph；　this　time　　where　the　cycle　occurred　once　more。
　Leto　took　a　nap　in　the　sleeping　partments；　then　emerged　to　buy　two　of　the　sizzling　meat　sticks　and　a　potent　cup　of　stee。　Helena　might　wish　he'd　been　escorted　by　Atreides　house　guards；　but　Paulus　had　insisted　that　there　was　only　one　way　for　his　son　to　learn　to　take　care　of　himself。　Leto　had　an　agenda　and　instructions；　and　he　vowed　to　do　just　that。
　Finally；　on　the　third　stop；　a　Wayku　deckhand　ordered　Leto　to　descend　three　decks　and　board　an　automatic　shuttle。　She　was　a　stern…looking　woman　in　a　gaudy　uniform　and　did　not　seem　to　be　in　the　mood　for　conversation。　Her　headset　thrummed　with　an　undercurrent　of　melody。
　〃Is　this　Ix？〃　Leto　inquired；　reaching　for　his　suspensor…buoyed　suitcases。　They　followed　him　as　he　moved。
　〃We　are　in　the　Alkaurops　system；〃　she　said。　Her　eyes　couldn't　be　seen　because　of　her　dark　glasses。　〃Ix　is　the　ninth　planet。　You　get　off