bh.houseatreides-第21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！


　〃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　here。　We've　already　jettisoned　the　dump　boxes。〃
　Leto　did　as　he　was　instructed；　making　his　way　toward　the　indicated　shuttle；　though　he　wished　he　had　been　given　more　warning　and　more　information。　He　didn't　know　exactly　what　he　was　supposed　to　do　once　he　arrived　on　the　high…tech　industrial　world；　but　he　assumed　Earl　Vernius　would　greet　him　or　at　least　send　some　sort　of　weling　party。
　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　tried　not　to　let　his　anxiety　grow　too　intense。
　The　robo…piloted　shuttle　plummeted　out　of　the　Heighliner　hold　toward　the　surface　of　a　planet　traced　with　mountains；　clouds；　and　ice。　The　automated　shuttle　functioned　according　to　a　limited　set　of　instructions；　and　conversation　wasn't　in　its　repertoire　of　skills。　Leto　was　the　only　passenger　aboard；　apparently　the　only　traveler　bound　for　Ix。　The　machine　planet　weled　few　visitors。
　As　he　looked　out　the　porthole；　though；　Leto　had　a　sinking　feeling　that　something　had　gone　wrong。　The　Wayku　shuttle　approached　a　high　mountain　plateau　with　Alpine　forests　in　sheltered　valleys。　He　saw　no　buildings；　none　of　the　grand　structures　or　manufacturing　facilities　he　had　expected。　No　smoke　in　the　air；　no　cities；　no　sign　of　civilization　at　all。
　This　couldn't　possibly　be　the　heavily　industrialized　world　of　Ix。　He　looked　around；　tensing　up；　ready　to　defend　himself。　Had　he　been　betrayed？　Lured　here　and　stranded？
　The　shuttle　came　to　a　stop　on　a　stark　plain　strewn　with　flecked　granite　boulders　and　small　clumps　of　white　flowers。　〃This　is　where　you　get　out；　sir；〃　the　robo…pilot　announced　in　a　synthesized　voice。
　〃Where　are　we？〃　Leto　demanded。　〃I'm　supposed　to　be　going　to　the　capital　of　Ix。〃
　〃This　is　where　you　get　out；　sir。〃
　〃Answer　me！〃　His　father　would　have　used　a　booming　voice　to　wrench　a　reply　from　this　stupid　machine。　〃This　can't　be　the　capital　city　of　Ix。　Just　look　around　you！〃
　〃You　have　ten　seconds　to　exit　the　craft；　sir；　or　you　will　be　forcibly　ejected。　The　Guild　operates　on　a　tight　schedule。　The　Heighliner　is　already　prepared　to　depart　for　the　next　system。〃
　Cursing　under　his　breath；　Leto　nudged　his　drifting　luggage　and　stepped　onto　the　rubble…strewn　surface。　Within　seconds　the　white；　bullet…shaped　craft　rose　and　dwindled　to　a　pinpoint　of　orange　light　in　the　sky；　before　it　disappeared　from　view　entirely。
　His　pair　of　suitcases　hovered　beside　him；　and　a　clean…smelling　wind　ruffled　his　hair。　Leto　was　alone。　〃Hello？〃　he　shouted；　but　no　one　answered。
　He　shivered　as　he　stared　at　rugged　mountain　ridges　dusted　with　snow　and　glacial　ice。　Caladan；　mostly　an　ocean　world；　had　very　few　mountains　approaching　this　grandeur。　But　he　had　not　e　to　see　mountains。　〃Hello！　I'm　Leto　Atreides；　from　Caladan！〃　he　called　out。　〃Is　anyone　here？〃
　A　sick　feeling　clenched　his　chest。　He　was　far　from　home　on　an　unknown　world；　with　no　way　to　find　out　where　in　the　vast　universe　he　was。　Is　this　even　Ix？　The　brisk　wind　was　cold　and　sharp；　but　the　open　plain　remained　eerily　quiet。　Oppressive　silence　hung　in　the　thin　air。
　He　had　spent　his　life　hearing　the　lullaby　of　the　ocean；　the　songs　of　gulls；　and　the　bustle　of　villagers。　Here　he　saw　nothing；　no　weling　party；　no　signs　of　habitation。　The　world　looked　untouched。。。empty。
　If　I've　been　stranded　here；　will　anyone　be　able　to　find　me？
　Thickening　clouds　concealed　the　sky；　though　he　saw　a　distant　blue　sun　through　a　break　in　the　cover。　He　shivered　again　and　wondered　what　he　should　do；　where　he　should　go。　If　he　was　going　to　be　a　Duke；　he　had　to　learn　to　make　decisions。
　A　drizzle　of　sleet　began　to　fall。
　The　paintbrush　of　history　has　depicted　Abulurd　Harkonnen　in　a　most　unfavorable　light。　Judged　by　the　standards　of　his　older　half　brother；　Baron　Vladimir；　and　his　own　children　Glossu　Rabban　and　Feyd…Rautha　Rabban；　Abulurd　was　a　different　sort　of　man　entirely。　We　must；　however；　assess　the　frequent　descriptions　of　his　weakness；　inpetence；　and　foolhardy　decisions　in　light　of　the　ultimate　failure　of　House　Harkonnen。　Though　exiled　to　Lankiveil　and　stripped　of　any　real　power；　Abulurd　secured　a　victory　unmatched　by　anyone　else　in　his　extended　family：　He　learned　how　to　be　happy　with　his　life。
　…Landsraad　Encyclopedia　of　Great　Houses；　post…Jihad　edition
　Though　the　Harkonnens　were　formidable　foes　in　the　arena　of　manipulations；　subterfuge；　and　disinformation；　the　Bene　Gesserit　were　undisputed　masters。
　In　order　to　achieve　the　next　step　in　their　grand　breeding　scheme；　a　plan　that　had　been　in　place　since　ten　generations　before　the　downfall　of　thinking　machines；　the　Sisterhood　needed　to　find　a　fulcrum　that　would　make　the　Baron　bend　to　their　will。
　It　didn't　take　them　long　to　figure　out　the　weak　point　in　House　Harkonnen。
　Presenting　herself　as　a　new　domestic　servant　on　cold　and　blustery　Lankiveil；　the　young　Bene　Gesserit　Sister　Margot　Rashino…Zea　infiltrated　the　household　of　Abulurd　Harkonnen；　the　Baron's　younger　half　brother。　Beautiful　Margot；　hand…selected　by　Kwisatz　Mother　Anirul；　had　been　trained　in　the　ways　of　spying　and　ferreting　out　information；　of　connecting　mismatched　tidbits　of　data　to　construct　a　broader　picture。
　She　also　knew　sixty…three　ways　to　kill　a　human　being　using　nothing　but　her　fingers。　The　Sisterhood　worked　hard　to　maintain　their　appearance　as　brooding　intellectuals；　but　they　also　had　their　mandos。　Sister　Margot　was　counted　among　their　best。
　The　lodge　house　of　Abulurd　Harkonnen　sat　on　a　rugged　spit　of　land　that　extended　into　deep　water　bordered　by　narrow　Tula　Fjord。　A　fishing　village　surrounded　the　wooden　mansion；　farms　pushed　inland　into　the　thin　and　rocky　valleys；　but　most　of　the　planet's　food　supply　came　from　the　frigid　sea。　Lankiveil's　economy　was　based　on　the　rich　whalefur　industry。
　Abulurd　lived　at　the　base　of　dripping　mountains；　whose　tops　were　rarely　seen　through　the　looming　steel…gray　clouds　and　lingering　mist。　The　main　house　and　surrounding　village　was　the　closest　thing　to　a　capital　center　this　frontier　world　had　to　offer。
　Since　strangers　were　rare；　Margot　took　precautions　not　to　be　noticed。　She　stood　taller　than　many　of　the　stocky　and　muscular　natives；　so　she　disguised　herself　with　a　slight　stoop。　She　dyed　her　honey…blonde　hair　dark　and　cut　it　thick　and　shaggy；　a　style　favored　by　many　of　the　villagers。　With　chemicals；　she　treated　her　smooth；　pale　skin　to　make　it　weathered　and　lend　it　a　darker　cast。　She　blended　in；　and　everyone　accepted　her　without　a　second　glance。　For　a　woman　trained　by　the　Sisterhood；　maintaining　the　sham　was　easy。
　Margot　was　only　one　of　numerous　Bene　Gesserit　spies　dispatched　to　the　widespread　Harkonnen　holdings；　where　they　would　surreptitiously　scour　any　and　all　business　records。　The　Baron　had　no　reason　to　suspect　such　scrutiny　at　this　time　　he'd　had　very　few　dealings　with　the　Sisterhood　　but　if　any　of　their　female　spies　were　discovered；　the　lean　and　vicious　man　would　have　no　punctions　against　torturing　them　for　explanations。　Luckily；　Margot　thought；　any　well…trained　Bene　Gesserit　could　stop　her　own　heart　long　before　inflicted　pain　could　force　her　to　reveal　secrets。
　Traditionally；　the　Harkonnens　were　adept　at　manipulation　and　concealment；　but　Margot　knew　she　would　find　the　necessary　incriminating　evidence。　Though　other　Sisters　had　argued　for　digging　closer　to　the　heart　of　Harkonnen　operations；　Margot　had　concluded　that　Abulurd　would　make　the　perfect　patsy。　The　younger　Harkonnen　demibrother　had；　after　all；　run　the　spice　operations　on　Arrakis　for　seven　years：　He　must　have　some　information。　If　anything　needed　to　be　hidden；　the　Baron　would　likely　do　it　here；　unexpectedly；　right　under　Abulurd's　nose。
　Once　the　Bene　Gesserit　uncovered　a　few　of　the　Harkonnens'　mistakes　and　held　proof　of　the　Baron's　financial　indiscretions；　they　would　have　the　blackmail　weapon　so　desperately　needed　to　advance　their　breeding　program。
　Dressed　as　an　indigenous　villager　in　dyed　wools　and　furs；　Margot　slipped　into　the　rustic　great　house　at　the　docks。　The　structure　stood　tall　and　was　posed　of　massive　wood；　stained　dark。　Fireplaces　in　every　room　filled　the　air　with　resinous　smoke；　and　glowglobes　tuned　to　yellow…orange　did　their　best　to　approximate　sunlight。
　Margot　cleaned；　she　dusted；　she　helped　with　the　cooking。。。she　searched　for　financial　records。　Two　days　in　a　row；　the　Baron's　amiable　half　brother　greeted　her；　smiling；　weling；　he　noticed　nothing　whatsoever　amiss。　A　trusting　sort；　he　seemed　unconcerned　for　his　own　safety；　and　allowed　locals　and　strangers　to　wander　into　the　main　rooms　and　guest　quarters　of　his　mansion；　even　close　to　his　person。　He　had　gray…blond　hair；　long　to　his　shoulders；　and　a　seamed；　ruddy　face　that　was　disarmed　by　a　perpetual　half　smile。　It　was　said　that　he'd　been　a　favorite　of　his　father　Dmitri；　who　had　encouraged　Abulurd　to　take　over　the　Harkonnen　holdings。。。but　Abulurd　had　made　so　many　bad　choices；　so　many　decisions　based　on　people　rather　than　business　necessities。　It　had　been　his　downfall。
　Wearing　warm　and　prickly　Lankiveil　clothing；　Margot　kept　her　gray…green　eyes　downcast　and　concealed　behind　lenses　that　made　them　appear　brown。　She　could　have　made　herself　into　a　golden…haired　beauty　and　had；　in　fact；　considered　seducing　Abulurd　and　simply　taking　the　inf