bh.houseatreides-第36节

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r　Bene　Gesserit　plans。　She　was　just　doing　her　duty。　To　her　the　Baron　was　a　tool；　a　sperm　donor　who　had　to　play　his　part。
　Mohiam　lifted　her　dark　skirt　and　lay　back　on　the　bed；　propping　her　head　up　to　look　at　him。　〃e；　Baron；　let　us　waste　no　more　time。　After　all；　it's　such　a　small　thing。〃　She　let　her　gaze　drop　down　to　his　crotch。
　As　he　flushed　with　rage；　she　continued　in　a　soft　voice；　〃I　have　the　ability　to　increase　your　pleasure；　or　to　deaden　it。　Either　way；　the　results　will　be　the　same　to　us。〃　She　smiled　with　her　thin　lips。　〃Just　think　of　the　hidden　melange　stockpiles　you'll　be　able　to　keep　without　the　Emperor's　knowledge。〃　Her　voice　grew　harder。　〃On　the　other　hand；　just　try　to　imagine　what　old　Elrood　will　do　to　House　Harkonnen　if　he　finds　out　you've　been　cheating　him　all　along。〃
　Scowling；　the　Baron　fumbled　with　his　robe　and　lurched　toward　the　bed。　Mohiam　closed　her　eyes　and　muttered　a　Bene　Gesserit　benediction；　a　prayer　to　calm　herself　and　to　focus　her　bodily　actions　and　her　inner　metabolism。
　The　Baron　was　more　nauseated　than　aroused。　He　couldn't　bear　to　look　at　Mohiam's　naked　form。　Fortunately　she　kept　most　of　her　clothes　on；　as　did　he。　She　worked　with　her　fingers　until　he　stiffened；　and　he　kept　his　eyes　closed　during　the　entire　mechanical　act。　Behind　his　eyes；　he　had　no　choice　but　to　fantasize　about　earlier　conquests；　the　pain；　the　power。。。anything　to　take　his　mind　from　the　revolting　and　messy　act　of　male…female　intercourse。
　It　wasn't　lovemaking　by　any　means；　just　a　tired　ritual　between　two　bodies　in　order　to　exchange　genetic　material。　For　both　of　them　it　was　barely　even　sex。
　But　Mohiam　got　what　she　wanted。
　AT　HIS　ONE…WAY　private　observation　window；　Piter　de　Vries　moved　silently；　surreptitiously。　As　a　Mentat　he　had　learned　how　to　glide　like　a　shadow；　how　to　see　without　being　seen。　An　ancient　law　of　physics　claimed　that　the　mere　act　of　observation　changed　parameters。　But　any　good　Mentat　knew　how　to　observe　broader　issues　while　remaining　invisible；　unknown　to　the　subjects　of　his　scrutiny。
　De　Vries　had　often　watched　the　Baron's　sexual　escapades　through　this　peephole。　Sometimes　the　acts　disgusted　him；　occasionally　they　fascinated。。。and　rarer　still；　they　gave　the　Mentat　ideas　of　his　own。
　Now；　he　silently　kept　his　eyes　to　the　tiny　observation　holes；　drinking　in　details　as　the　Baron　was　forced　to　copulate　with　the　Bene　Gesserit　witch。　He　watched　his　master　with　great　amusement；　enjoying　the　man's　utter　disfiture。　He　had　never　seen　the　Baron　so　nonplussed。　Oh；　how　he　wished　he　had　found　time　to　set　up　the　recording　apparatus　so　he　could　enjoy　this　again　and　again。
　The　moment　she'd　made　her　demands；　de　Vries　had　known　the　unavoidable　oute。　The　Baron　had　been　a　perfect　pawn；　utterly　ensnared；　with　no　choice　in　the　matter。
　But　why？
　Even　with　his　great　Mentat　prowess；　de　Vries　could　not　understand　what　the　Sisterhood　wanted　with　House　Harkonnen　or　its　offspring。　Surely；　the　genetics　weren't　that　spectacular。
　For　now；　though；　Piter　de　Vries　just　enjoyed　the　show。
　Many　inventions　have　selectively　improved　particular　skills　or　abilities；　emphasizing　one　aspect　or　another。　But　no　achievement　has　ever　scratched　the　plexity　or　adaptability　of　the　human　mind。
　…Ikbhan's　Treatise　on　the　Mind；　Volume　II
　On　one　side　of　the　faux…stone　practice　floor　in　the　Ixian　Grand　Palais；　Leto　stood　beside　Guard　Captain　Zhaz；　panting。　The　fight　instructor　was　an　angular　man　with　bristly　brown　hair；　thick　eyebrows；　and　a　square…cut　beard。　Like　his　students；　Zhaz　wore　no　shirt；　only　beige　fighting　shorts。　The　smell　of　sweat　and　hot　metal　hung　in　the　air　despite　the　best　efforts　of　an　air…exchange　apparatus。　As　on　most　mornings；　though；　the　training　master　spent　more　time　watching　than　fighting。　He　let　the　battle…machines　do　all　the　work。
　After　his　regular　studies；　Leto　loved　the　change　of　pace；　the　physical　exercise；　the　challenge。　By　now　he　had　settled　into　a　routine　on　Ix；　undergoing　hours　of　high…tech　physical　and　mental　training；　with　added　time　for　tours　of　technological　facilities　and　instruction　in　business　philosophy。　He　had　warmed　to　Rhombur's　enthusiasm；　though　often　he　had　to　help　explain　difficult　concepts　to　the　Ixian　Prince。　Rhombur　wasn't　slow…witted；　just。。。distant　from　many　practical　matters。
　Every　third　morning；　the　young　men　left　their　classrooms　behind　and　worked　out　on　the　automated　training　floor。　Leto　loved　the　exercise　and　the　rush　of　adrenaline；　while　both　Rhombur　and　the　fight　instructor　seemed　to　find　this　an　antiquated　requirement　added　to　the　curriculum　only　because　of　Earl　Vernius's　memories　of　warfare。
　Leto　and　the　bristly…haired　captain　watched　stocky　Prince　Rhombur　wield　a　golden　pike　against　a　sleek　and　responsive　fighting　mek。　Zhaz　didn't　train　personally　against　his　students。　He　felt　that　if　he　and　his　security　troops　did　their　jobs；　no　member　of　House　Vernius　need　ever　stoop　to　barbaric　hand…to…hand　bat。　He　did；　however；　help　program　the　self…learning　bat　drones。
　In　its　resting　position；　the　man…sized　mek　was　a　featureless　charcoal　ovoid　　no　arms；　legs；　or　face。　Once　the　fight　began；　however；　the　Ixian　unit　morphed　a　set　of　crude　protrusions　and　took　on　varying　shapes　based　upon　feedback　from　its　scanner；　telling　it　how　best　to　defeat　an　adversary。　Steel　fists；　knives；　flexsteel　cables；　and　other　surprises　could　be　thrust　from　any　point　on　its　body。　Its　mechanical　face　could　disappear　entirely　or　change　expression　　from　a　dullness　designed　to　lull　an　opponent　to　a　ferocious　red…eyed　glare；　or　even　fiendish　glee。　The　mek　interpreted　and　reacted；　learning　with　each　step。
　〃Remember；　no　regular　patterns；〃　Zhaz　shouted　to　Rhombur。　His　beard　protruded　like　a　shovel　from　his　chin。　〃Don't　let　it　read　you。〃
　The　Prince　ducked　as　two　blunted　darts　sped　past　his　head。　A　surprise　knife　thrust　from　the　mek　drew　a　trickle　of　blood　on　the　young　man's　shoulder。　Even　with　the　injury；　Rhombur　feinted　and　attacked；　and　Leto　was　proud　of　his　royal　peer　for　not　crying　out。
　On　several　occasions　Rhombur　had　asked　Leto　for　advice；　even　critiques　on　sparring　style。　Answering　honestly；　Leto　kept　in　mind　that　he　himself　was　not　a　skilled　professional　instructor　　nor　did　he　want　to　reveal　too　much　of　Atreides　techniques。　Rhombur　could　learn　those　from　Thufir　Hawat；　the　Old　Duke's　swordmaster　himself。
　The　tip　of　the　Prince's　blade　found　a　soft　spot　on　the　mek's　charcoal　body；　and　it　fell　over　〃dead。〃
　〃Good；　Rhombur！〃　Leto　called。
　Zhaz　nodded。　〃Much　better。〃
　Leto　had　fought　the　mek　twice　that　day；　defeating　it　each　time　on　higher　difficulty　settings　than　Prince　Rhombur　was　using。　When　Zhaz　asked　how　Leto　had　acquired　such　skills；　the　young　Atreides　hadn't　said　much；　not　wishing　to　brag。　But　now　he　had　firsthand　proof　that　the　Atreides　method　of　training　was　superior；　despite　the　mek's　chilling　near　intelligence。　Leto's　background　involved　rapiers；　knives；　slow…pellet　stunners；　and　body…shields　　and　Thufir　Hawat　was　a　more　dangerous　and　unpredictable　instructor　than　any　automated　device　could　ever　hope　to　be。
　Just　as　Leto　took　up　his　own　weapon　and　prepared　for　the　next　round；　the　lift　doors　opened　and　Kailea　entered；　sparkling　with　jewels　and　a　fortable　metal…fiber　outfit　whose　design　seemed　calculated　to　look　gorgeous　but　casual。　She　bore　a　stylus　and　ridulian　recorder　pad。　Her　eyebrows　arched　in　feigned　surprise　at　finding　them　there。　〃Oh！　Excuse　me。　I　came　to　look　at　the　mek　design。〃
　The　Vernius　daughter　usually　contented　herself　with　intellectual　and　cultural　pursuits；　studying　business　and　art。　Leto　couldn't　keep　himself　from　watching　her。　At　times　her　eyes　almost　seemed　to　flirt　with　him；　but　more　often　she　ignored　him　with　such　intensity　he　suspected　she　shared　the　same　attraction　he　felt。
　During　his　time　in　the　Grand　Palais；　Leto　had　crossed　her　path　in　the　dining　hall；　on　the　open　observation　balconies；　in　library　facilities。　He　had　responded　to　her　with　snatches　of　awkward　conversation。　Aside　from　the　inviting　sparkle　in　her　beautiful　green　eyes；　Kailea　had　given　him　no　special　encouragement；　but　he　couldn't　stop　thinking　about　her。
　She's　only　a　stripling；　Leto　reminded　himself；　playing　at　being　a　Lady。　Somehow；　though；　he　couldn't　convince　his　imagination　of　that。　Kailea　had　plete　confidence　that　she　was　destined　for　a　greater　future　than　living　underground　on　Ix。　Her　father　was　a　war　hero；　the　head　of　one　of　the　wealthiest　Great　Houses；　and　her　mother　had　been　beautiful　enough　to　be　an　Imperial　concubine；　and　the　girl　herself　had　an　excellent　head　for　business。　Kailea　Vernius　obviously　had　a　wealth　of　possibilities。
　She　focused　her　plete　attention　on　the　motionless　gray　ovoid。　〃I've　gotten　Father　to　consider　marketing　our　new…phase　fighting　meks　mercially。〃　She　studied　the　motionless　training　machine；　but　glanced　at　Leto　out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye；　noted　his　strong　profile　and　regal；　high…bridged　nose。　〃Ours　are　better　than　any　other　bat　device　　adaptable；　versatile；　and　self…learning。　The　closest　thing　to　a　human　adversary　developed　since　the　Jihad。〃
　He　felt　a　chill；　thinking　back　to　all　the　warnings　his　mother　had　given　him。　Right　now　she　would　be　pointing　an　accusing　finger　and　nodding　in　satisfaction。　Leto　looked　over　at　the　charcoal…colored　ovoid。　〃Are