bh.houseatreides-第30节

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　Guild；　symbolizing　infinity　inside　a　rounded　convex　cartouche。
　Constructed　in　place　deep　underground；　the　spaceship　rested　on　a　suspensor…jack　mechanism；　which　elevated　the　craft　so　that　large　groundtrucks　could　drive　underneath　the　hull。　Suboid　workers　in　silver…and…white　uniforms　scanned　the　fuselage　with　handheld　devices；　performing　rote　duties。　As　the　teams　of　underclass　workers　checked　the　Guild　craft；　readying　it　for　space；　lines　of　light　danced　around　the　manufacturing　center　　energy　barriers　to　repel　intruders。
　Cranes　and　suspensor　supports　looked　like　tiny　parasites　crawling　over　the　Heighliner's　hull；　but　most　of　the　machinery　was　clustered　against　the　sloping　walls　of　the　chamber；　moved　out　of　the　way。。。for　a　launch？　Leto　didn't　think　it　was　possible。　Thousands　of　surface…bound　workers　swarmed　like　a　static　pattern　across　the　ground；　removing　debris　and　preparing　for　the　departure　of　the　incredible　ship。
　The　buzz　of　the　audience　in　the　observation　chamber　grew　louder；　and　Leto　sensed　something　was　about　to　happen。　He　spotted　numerous　screens　and　images　transmitted　by　eyes。　Numbed　by　the　spectacle；　he　asked；　〃But。。。how　do　you　get　it　out？　A　ship　this　size？　There's　a　rock　ceiling　overhead；　and　all　the　walls　look　solid。〃
　One　of　the　eager…faced　twins　next　to　him　looked　down　with　a　confident　smile。　〃Wait　and　see。〃　The　two　identical　young　men　had　widely　set　eyes　on　squarish　faces；　intent　expressions；　furrowed　brows；　they　were　several　years　older　than　Leto。　Their　pale　skin　was　an　inevitable　consequence　of　spending　their　lives　underground。
　Between　them；　Kailea　cleared　her　throat　and　looked　at　her　brother。　〃Rhombur？〃　she　said；　flashing　a　glance　at　the　twins　and　at　Leto。　〃You're　forgetting　your　manners。〃
　Rhombur　suddenly　remembered　his　obligations。　〃Oh；　yes！　This　is　Leto　Atreides；　heir　to　House　Atreides　on　Caladan。　And　these　two　are　C'tair　and　D'murr　Pilru。　Their　father　is　Ix's　Ambassador　to　Kaitain；　and　their　mother　is　a　Guild　banker。　They　live　in　one　of　the　wings　of　the　Grand　Palais；　so　you　might　see　them　around。〃
　The　young　men　bowed　in　unison　and　seemed　to　draw　closer　to　Kailea。　〃We're　preparing　for　Guild　examination　in　the　next　few　months；〃　one　of　the　twins；　C'tair；　said。　〃We　hope　to　pilot　a　ship　like　that　someday。〃　His　dark　head　nodded　toward　the　immense　vessel　below。　Kailea　watched　them　both　with　a　worried　glint　in　her　green　eyes；　as　if　she　wasn't　too　sure　about　the　idea　of　their　being　Navigators。
　Leto　was　moved　by　the　sparkle　and　eagerness　he　saw　in　the　young　man's　deep　brown　eyes。　The　other　brother　was　less　social　and　seemed　to　be　interested　only　in　the　activity　below。　〃Here　es　the　Navigator's　chamber；〃　D'murr　said。
　Below；　a　bulky　black　tank　floated　ahead　on　a　cleared　path；　borne　on　industrial　suspensors。　Traditionally；　Guild　Navigators　masked　their　appearance；　keeping　themselves　hidden　in　thick　clouds　of　spice　gas。　It　was　generally　believed　that　the　process　of　being　a　Navigator　transformed　a　person　into　something　other　than　human；　something　more　evolved。　The　Guild　said　nothing　to　confirm　or　deny　the　speculations。
　〃Can't　see　a　thing　inside；〃　C'tair　said。
　〃Yes；　but　that's　a　Navigator　in　there。　I　can　sense　him。〃　D'murr　leaned　forward　so　intently　it　seemed　as　if　he　wanted　to　fly　through　the　metaglass　observation　window。　When　the　twins　both　ignored　her；　intent　on　the　ship　below；　Kailea　turned　instead　to　Leto　and　met　his　gaze　with　sparkling　emerald　eyes。
　Rhombur　gestured　down　at　the　ship　and　continued　his　rapid　mentary。　〃My　father　is　excited　about　his　new　enhanced…payload　Heighliner　models。　I　don't　know　if　you've　studied　your　history；　but　Heighliners　were　originally　of；　uh；　Richesian　manufacture。　Ix　and　Richese　peted　with　one　another　for　Guild　contracts；　but　gradually　we　won　by　bringing　all　aspects　of　our　society　into　the　process：　uh；　subsidies；　conscriptions；　tax　levies；　whatever　it　took。　We　don't　do　things　halfway　on　Ix。〃
　〃I've　heard　you're　also　masters　of　industrial　sabotage　and　patent　law；〃　Leto　said；　remembering　what　his　mother　had　claimed。
　Rhombur　shook　his　head。　〃Lies　told　by　jealous　Houses。　Vermilion　hells；　we　don't　steal　ideas　or　patents　　we　waged　only　a　technological　war　against　Richese；　and　won　without　firing　a　single　shot。　But　as　sure　as　if　we'd　used　atomics；　we　struck　mortal　blows　against　them。　It　was　either　them　or　us。　A　generation　ago　they　lost　their　stewardship　of　Arrakis　at　about　the　same　time　they　lost　their　lead　in　technology。　Bad　family　leadership；　I　guess。〃
　〃My　mother　is　Richesian；〃　Leto　said　crisply。
　Rhombur　flushed　with　deep　embarrassment。　〃Oh；　I'm　sorry。　I　forgot。〃　He　scratched　his　tousled　blond　hair　just　to　give　his　hands　something　to　do。
　〃That's　okay。　We　don't　wear　blinders；〃　Leto　said。　〃I　know　what　you're　talking　about。　Richese　still　exists；　but　on　a　vastly　smaller　scale。　Too　much　bureaucracy　and　too　little　innovation。　My　mother's　never　wanted　to　take　me　there；　not　even　to　visit　her　family。　Too　many　painful　memories；　I　suppose；　though　I　think　she　hoped　marrying　my　father　might　help　restore　Richese　fortunes。〃
　Below；　the　tank　bearing　the　mysterious　Navigator　entered　an　orifice　at　the　front　end　of　the　Heighliner。　The　polished　black　chamber　vanished　into　the　vessel's　immensity　like　a　gnat　inhaled　into　the　mouth　of　a　large　fish。
　Though　she　was　younger　than　her　brother；　when　Kailea　spoke；　her　voice　sounded　more　businesslike。　〃The　new　Heighliner　program　is　going　to　be　the　most　profitable　of　all　time　for　us。　Large　sums　will　be　pouring　into　our　accounts　from　this　contract。　House　Vernius　will　get　twenty…five　percent　of　all　the　solaris　we　save　the　Spacing　Guild　during　the　first　decade。〃
　Overwhelmed；　Leto　thought　back　to　the　small…scale　activities　on　Caladan：　the　pundi　rice　harvest；　the　boats　unloading　cargoes　from　ships。。。and　the　dedicated　cheers　the　population　had　hurled　at　the　Old　Duke　after　the　bullfight。
　Grating　sirens　sounded　from　speakers　mounted　throughout　the　huge　chamber。　Below；　like　iron　filings　flowing　within　magnetic…field　lines；　the　suboid　workers　evacuated　from　all　sides　of　the　newly　constructed　Heighliner。　Up　and　down　the　ceiling　city；　lights　twinkled　from　other　large　observation　windows　in　the　stalactite　towers。　Leto　could　make　out　tiny　forms　pressed　close　to　distant　panes。
　Rhombur　stood　near　Leto　as　the　spectators　around　them　fell　into　a　hush。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Leto　asked。　〃What's　happening　now？〃
　〃The　Navigator　is　going　to　fly　the　ship　out；〃　the　twin　C'tair　said。
　〃He'll　take　it　away　from　Ix　so　it　can　begin　its　rounds；〃　D'murr　added。
　Leto　stared　at　the　rock　ceiling；　the　impenetrable　barrier　of　a　planetary　crust；　and　knew　this　was　impossible。　He　heard　a　faint；　barely　discernible　humming。
　〃Piloting　such　a　vessel　out　isn't　difficult　　uh；　at　least；　not　for　one　of　them。〃　Rhombur　crossed　his　arms　over　his　chest。　〃Much　easier　than　guiding　a　Heighliner　back　into　a　confined　space　like　this。　Only　a　top…level　Steersman　could　do　that。〃
　As　Leto　watched；　holding　his　breath　just　like　all　the　other　spectators；　the　Heighliner　shimmered；　became　indistinct　　then　vanished　entirely。
　The　air　inside　the　huge　grotto　reverberated　with　a　loud　boom　from　the　sudden　volume　displacement。　A　tremor　ran　through　the　observation　building；　and　Leto's　ears　popped。
　The　grotto　now　stood　empty；　a　vast　enclosed　space　with　no　trace　of　the　Heighliner；　just　leftover　equipment　and　a　pattern　of　discolorations　on　the　floor　and　walls　and　ceiling。
　〃Remember　how　a　Navigator　operates　a　ship；〃　D'murr　said；　seeing　Leto's　confusion。
　〃He　folds　space；〃　C'tair　said。　〃That　Heighliner　never　passed　through　the　crustal　rock　of　Ix　at　all。　The　Navigator　simply　went　from　here。。。to　his　destination。〃
　A　few　members　of　the　audience　applauded。　Rhombur　seemed　immensely　pleased　as　he　gestured　to　the　new　emptiness　below　that　extended　as　far　as　they　could　see。　〃Now　we　have　room　to　start　building　another　one！〃
　〃Simple　economics。〃　Kailea　glanced　at　Leto；　then　demurely　flicked　her　eyes　away。　〃We　don't　waste　any　time。〃
　The　slave　concubines　permitted　my　father　under　the　Bene　Gesserit…Guild　agreement　could　not；　of　course；　bear　a　Royal　Successor；　but　the　intrigues　were　constant　and　oppressive　in　their　similarity。　We　became　adept；　my　mother　and　sisters　and　I；　at　avoiding　subtle　instruments　of　death。
　…From　〃In　My　Father's　House〃
　by　the　Princess　Irulan
　Crown　Prince　Shaddam's　tutoring　chambers　in　the　Imperial　Palace　would　have　been　large　enough　to　house　a　village　on　some　worlds。　With　total　disinterest；　the　Corrino　heir　brooded　in　front　of　his　teaching　machine　while　Fenring　watched　him。
　〃My　father　still　wants　me　to　sit　in　training　classes　like　a　child。〃　Shaddam　scowled　down　at　the　lights　and　spinning　mechanisms　of　the　machine。　〃I　should　be　married　by　now。　I　should　have　an　Imperial　heir　of　my　own。〃
　〃Why？〃　Fenring　laughed。　〃So　the　throne　can　skip　a　generation　and　go　directly　to　your　son　when　he　reaches　his　prime；　hmmmm？〃
　Shaddam　was　thirty…four　years　old　and　seemingly　a　lifetime　away　from　being　Emperor。　Each　time　the　old　man　took　a　drink　of　spice　beer；　he　activated　more　of　the　secret　poison　　but　the　n'kee　had　been　working　for　months；　and　the　only　result　seemed　to　be　increasingly　irrational　behavior。　As　if　they　needed　more　of　that！
　That　very　morning　Brood　had　scolded　Sh