bh.houseatreides-第34节

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ogist　assigned　to　Arrakis。〃
　He　looked　down　at　his　blood…smeared　skin　and　decided　not　to　extend　a　hand　in　greeting。　In　their　culture；　they　might　misinterpret　the　gesture。　〃I'm　very　pleased　to　introduce　myself。　I've　always　wanted　to　meet　the　Fremen。〃
　It's　easier　to　be　terrified　by　an　enemy　you　admire。
　…THUFIR　HAWAT；　Mentat　and　Security　mander　to　House　Atreides
　Hidden　by　the　thick　pines；　Duncan　Idaho　knelt　in　the　soft　needles　on　the　ground；　feeling　little　warmth。　The　chill　night　air　deadened　the　resinous　evergreen　scent；　but　at　least　here　he　was　sheltered　from　the　razor　breezes。　He　had　gone　far　enough　from　the　cave　that　he　could　pause　and　catch　his　breath。　For　just　a　moment。
　He　knew　the　Harkonnen　hunters　wouldn't　rest；　though。　They　would　be　particularly　incensed　now　that　he'd　killed　one　of　their　party。　Maybe；　he　thought；　they　might　even　enjoy　the　chase　more。　Especially　Rabban。
　Duncan　opened　the　medpak　he'd　stolen　from　the　ambushed　tracker　and　brought　out　a　small　package　of　newskin　ointment；　which　he　slathered　over　the　incision　on　his　shoulder；　where　it　hardened　to　an　organic　bond。　Then　he　wolfed　down　the　nutrition　bar　and　stuffed　the　wrappings　into　his　pockets。
　Using　the　glow　of　his　handlight；　he　turned　to　study　the　lasgun。　He'd　never　fired　such　a　weapon　before；　but　he　had　watched　the　guards　and　the　hunters　operate　their　rifles。　He　cradled　the　weapon　and　fiddled　with　its　mechanisms　and　controls。　Pointing　the　barrel　upward；　he　attempted　to　understand　what　he　was　supposed　to　do。　He　had　to　learn　if　he　meant　to　fight。
　With　a　sudden　surge　of　power；　a　white…hot　beam　lanced　out　toward　the　upper　boughs　of　the　pine　trees。　They　burst　into　flames；　crackling　and　snapping。　Smoldering　clumps　of　evergreen　needles　fell　around　him　like　red…hot　snow。
　Yelping；　he　dropped　the　gun　to　the　ground　and　scrambled　backward。　But　he　snatched　it　up　again　before　he　could　forget　which　bination　of　buttons　he　had　pushed。　He　had　to　remember　and　know　how　to　use　them。
　The　flames　overhead　flared　like　a　bonfire　beacon；　exuding　curls　of　sharp　smoke。　With　nothing　to　lose　now；　Duncan　fired　again；　aiming　this　time；　just　to　make　sure　he　could　use　the　lasgun　to　defend　himself。　The　cumbersome　weapon　was　not　built　for　a　small　boy；　especially　not　with　his　throbbing　shoulder　and　sore　ribs；　but　he　could　use　it。　He　had　to。
　Knowing　the　Harkonnens　would　run　toward　the　blaze；　Duncan　scampered　out　of　the　trees；　searching　for　another　place　to　hide。　Once　again　he　made　for　higher　ground；　keeping　to　the　ridgeline　so　he　could　continue　observing　the　hunting　party's　scattered　glowglobes。　He　knew　exactly　where　the　men　were；　exactly　how　close。
　But　how　can　they　be　so　stupid；　he　wondered；　making　themselves　so　obvious？　Overconfidence。。。was　that　their　flaw？　If　so；　it　might　help　him。　The　Harkonnens　expected　him　to　play　their　game；　then　cower　and　die　when　he　was　supposed　to。　Duncan　would　just　have　to　disappoint　them。
　Maybe　this　time　we'll　play　my　game　instead。
　As　he　dashed　along；　he　avoided　patches　of　snow　and　kept　away　from　noisy　underbrush。　However；　Duncan's　focus　on　the　clustered　pursuers　distracted　him　from　seeing　his　real　danger。　He　heard　a　snap　of　dried　twigs　behind　and　above　him；　the　rustle　of　bushes；　then　a　clicking　of　claws　on　bare　rock　acpanied　by　heavy；　hoarse　panting。
　This　was　no　Harkonnen　hunter　at　all…but　another　forest　predator　that　smelled　his　blood。
　Skidding　to　a　halt；　Duncan　looked　up；　searching　for　gleaming　eyes　in　the　shadows。　But　he　didn't　turn　to　the　stark　outcropping　over　his　head　until　he　heard　a　wet…sounding　growl。　In　the　starlight；　he　discerned　the　muscular；　crouching　form　of　a　wild　gaze　hound；　its　back　fur　bristling　like　quills；　its　lips　curled　to　expose　flesh…tearing　fangs。　Its　huge；　huge　eyes　focused　on　its　prey：　a　young　boy　with　tender　skin。
　Duncan　scrambled　backward　and　fired　off　a　shot　with　the　lasgun。　Poorly　aimed；　the　beam　came　nowhere　close　to　the　stalking　creature；　but　powdered　rock　spewed　from　the　outcropping　below　the　gaze　hound。　The　predator　yelped　and　snarled；　backing　off。　Duncan　fired　again；　this　time　sizzling　a　blackened　hole　through　its　right　haunch。　With　a　brassy　roar；　the　creature　bounded　off　into　the　darkness；　howling　and　baying。
　The　gaze　hound's　racket；　as　well　as　flashes　from　the　lasgun　fire；　would　draw　the　Harkonnen　trackers。　Duncan　set　off　into　the　starlight；　running　once　more。
　HANDS　ON　HIS　hips；　Rabban　stared　down　at　the　body　of　his　ambushed　hunter　by　the　cave　hollow。　Rage　burned　through　him　　as　well　as　cruel　satisfaction。　The　devious　child　had　lured　the　man　into　a　trap。　Very　resourceful。　All　of　the　tracker's　armor　hadn't　saved　him　from　a　dropped　boulder　and　then　the　thrust　of　a　dull　dagger　into　his　throat。　The　coup　de　grace。
　Rabban　simmered　for　a　few　moments；　trying　to　assess　the　challenge。　He　smelled　the　sour　scent　of　death　even　in　the　cold　night。　This　was　what　he　wanted；　wasn't　it　　a　challenge？
　One　of　the　other　trackers　crawled　into　the　low　hollow　and　played　the　beam　of　his　handlight　around　the　cave。　It　lighted　the　smears　of　blood　and　the　smashed　Richesian　tracer。　〃Here　is　the　reason；　m'Lord。　The　cub　cut　out　his　own　tracking　device。〃　The　hunter　swallowed；　as　if　uncertain　whether　he　should　continue。　〃A　smart　one；　this　boy。　Good　prey。〃
　Rabban　glowered　at　the　carnage　for　a　few　moments；　his　sunburn　still　stung　on　his　cheeks。　Then　he　grinned；　slowly；　and　finally　burst　out　into　loud　guffaws。　〃An　eight…year…old　child　with　only　his　imagination　and　a　couple　of　clumsy　weapons　bested　one　of　my　troops！〃　He　laughed　again。　Outside；　the　others　in　the　party　stood　uncertainly；　bathed　in　the　light　of　their　bobbing　glowglobes。
　〃Such　a　boy　was　made　for　the　hunt；〃　Rabban　declared；　then　he　nudged　the　dead　tracker's　body　with　the　toe　of　his　boot。　〃And　this　clod　did　not　deserve　to　be　part　of　my　crew。　Leave　his　body　here　to　rot。　Let　the　scavengers　get　him。〃
　Then　two　of　the　spotters　saw　flames　in　the　trees；　and　Rabban　pointed。　〃There！　The　cub's　probably　trying　to　warm　his　hands。〃　He　laughed　again；　and　finally　the　rest　of　the　hunting　crew　snickered　along　with　him。　〃This　is　turning　into　an　exciting　night。〃
　FROM　HIS　HIGH　vantage　Duncan　gazed　into　the　distance；　away　from　the　guarded　lodge。　A　bright　light　blinked　on　and　off；　paused；　then　fifteen　seconds　later　flashed　on　and　off　again。　Some　kind　of　signal；　separate　from　the　Harkonnen　hunters；　far　from　the　lodge　or　the　station　or　any　nearby　settlements。
　Duncan　turned；　curious。　The　light　flashed；　then　fell　dark。　Who　else　is　out　here？
　Forest　Guard　Station　was　a　restricted　preserve　for　the　sole　use　of　Harkonnen　family　members。　Anyone　discovered　trespassing　would　be　killed　outright；　or　used　as　prey　in　a　future　hunt。　Duncan　watched　the　tantalizing　light　flickering　on　and　off。　It　was　clearly　a　message。。。。　Who's　sending　it？
　He　took　a　deep　breath；　felt　small　but　defiant　in　a　very　large　and　hostile　world。　He　had　no　place　else　to　go；　no　other　chance。　So　far；　he　had　eluded　the　hunters。。。but　that　couldn't　last　forever。　Soon　the　Harkonnens　would　bring　in　additional　forces；　ornithopters；　life…tracers；　perhaps　even　hunting　animals　to　follow　the　smell　of　blood　on　his　shirt；　as　the　wild　gaze　hound　had　done。
　Duncan　decided　to　make　his　way　to　the　mysterious　signaler　and　hope　for　the　best。　He　couldn't　imagine　finding　anyone　to　help　him；　but　he　had　not　given　up　hope。　Maybe　he　could　find　a　means　of　escape；　perhaps　as　a　stowaway。
　First；　though；　he　would　lay　another　trap　for　the　hunters。　He　had　an　idea；　something　that　would　surprise　them；　and　it　seemed　simple　enough。　If　he　could　kill　a　few　more　of　the　enemy；　he'd　have　a　better　chance　of　getting　away。
　After　studying　the　rocks；　the　patches　of　snow；　the　trees；　Duncan　selected　the　best　point　for　his　second　ambush。　He　switched　on　his　handlight　and　directed　the　beam　at　the　ground　so　that　no　sensitive　eyes　would　spot　a　telltale　gleam　in　the　distance。
　The　pursuers　weren't　far　behind　him。　Occasionally；　he　heard　a　muffled　shout　in　the　deep　silence；　saw　the　hunting　party's　firefly　glowglobes　illuminating　their　way　through　the　forest；　as　the　trackers　tried　to　anticipate　the　path　their　quarry　would　take。
　Right　then　Duncan　wanted　them　to　anticipate　where　he　would　go。。。but　they　would　never　guess　what　he　meant　to　do。　Kneeling　beside　a　particularly　light　and　fluffy　snowdrift；　he　inserted　the　handlight　into　the　snow　and　pushed　it　down　through　the　cold　iciness　as　far　as　he　could。　Then　he　withdrew　his　hand。
　The　glow　reflected　from　the　white　snow　like　water　diffusing　into　a　sponge。　Tiny　crystals　of　ice　refracted　the　light；　magnifying　it；　the　drift　itself　shone　like　a　phosphorescent　island　in　the　dark　clearing。
　Slinging　the　lasgun　in　front　of　him；　ready　to　fire；　he　trotted　back　to　the　sheltering　trees。　He　lay　on　a　cushion　of　pine　needles　flat　against　the　ground；　careful　to　present　no　visible　target；　then　rested　the　barrel　of　the　lasgun　on　a　small　rock；　propping　it　in　position。
　Waiting。
　The　hunters　came；　predictably；　and　Duncan　felt　that　their　roles　had　reversed：　Now　he　was　the　hunter；　and　they　were　his　game。　He　aimed　the　weapon；　fingers　tense　on　the　firing　stud。　At　last　the　group　entered　the　clearing。　Startled　to　find　the　shining　snowdrift；　they　milled　about；　trying　to　figure　out　what　it　was；　what　their　prey　had　done。
　Two