bh.houseatreides-第37节

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n　accusing　finger　and　nodding　in　satisfaction。　Leto　looked　over　at　the　charcoal…colored　ovoid。　〃Are　you　saying　that　thing　has　a　brain？〃
　〃By　all　the　saints　and　sinners；　you　mean　in　violation　of　the　strictures　after　the　Great　Revolt？〃　Captain　Zhaz　replied　in　stern　surprise。　〃　'Thou　shalt　not　make　a　machine　in　the　likeness　of　the　human　mind。'〃
　〃We're；　uh；　very　careful　about　that；　Leto；〃　Rhombur　said；　using　a　purple　towel　to　wipe　sweat　from　the　back　of　his　neck。　〃Nothing　to　worry　about。〃
　Leto　didn't　back　down。　〃Well；　if　the　mek　scans　people；　if　it　reads　them　as　you　said；　how　does　it　process　the　information？　If　not　through　a　puter　brain；　then　how？　This　isn't　just　a　reactive　device。　It　learns　and　tailors　its　attack。〃
　Kailea　jotted　notes　down　on　her　crystal　pad　and　adjusted　one　of　the　gold　bs　in　her　copper…dark　hair。　〃There　are　many　gray　areas；　Leto；　and　if　we　tread　very　carefully　House　Vernius　stands　to　make　a　tremendous　profit。〃　She　ran　a　fingertip　along　her　curved　lips。　〃Still；　it　might　be　best　to　test　the　waters　by　offering　some　unmarked　models　on　the　black　market　first。〃
　〃Don't　trouble　yourself；　Leto；〃　Rhombur　said；　avoiding　the　unfortable　subject。　His　tousled　blond　hair　still　dripped　with　sweat；　and　his　skin　showed　a　flush　from　his　exertion。　〃House　Vernius　has　teams　of　Mentats　and　legal　advisors　scrutinizing　the　letter　of　the　law。〃　He　looked　over　at　his　sister　for　reassurance。　She　nodded　absently。
　In　some　of　his　instruction　sessions　in　the　Grand　Palais；　Leto　had　learned　of　interplanetary　patent　disputes；　minor　technicalities；　subtle　loopholes。　Had　the　Ixians　e　up　with　a　substantially　different　way　of　using　mechanical　units　to　process　data；　one　that　did　not　raise　the　spectre　of　thinking　machines　like　those　that　had　enslaved　mankind　for　so　many　centuries？　He　didn't　see　how　House　Vernius　could　have　created　a　self…learning；　reactive；　adaptable　fighting　mek　without　somehow　going　over　the　line　into　Jihad　violation。
　If　his　mother　ever　found　out；　she　would　haul　him　home　from　Ix；　no　matter　what　his　father　might　say。
　〃Let's　see　just　how　good　this　product　is；〃　Leto　said；　taking　up　a　weapon　and　turning　his　back　on　Kailea。　He　could　feel　her　eyes　on　his　bare　shoulders；　the　muscles　of　his　neck。　Zhaz　stood　back　casually　to　watch。
　Leto　shifted　his　pike　from　hand　to　hand　and　jogged　onto　the　floor。　Taking　a　classic　fighting　stance；　he　called　out　a　degree　of　difficulty　to　the　charcoal　oval　shape。　〃Seven　point　two…four！〃　Eight　notches　higher　than　the　time　before。
　The　mek　refused　to　move。
　〃Too　high；〃　the　training　master　said；　thrusting　his　bearded　chin　forward。　〃I　disabled　the　dangerous　higher　levels。〃
　Leto　scowled。　The　fight　instructor　did　not　want　to　challenge　his　students；　or　risk　more　than　the　slightest　injury。　Thufir　Hawat　would　have　laughed　out　loud。
　〃Are　you　trying　to　show　off　for　the　young　lady；　Master　Atreides？　Could　get　you　killed。〃
　Looking　at　Kailea；　he　saw　her　watching　him；　a　bemused；　teasing　expression　on　her　face。　She　quickly　turned　to　the　ridulian　pad　and　scratched　a　few　more　ciphers。　He　flushed；　felt　the　hotness。　Zhaz　reached　over　to　grab　a　soft　towel　from　a　rack　and　tossed　it　to　Leto。
　〃The　session's　over。　Distractions　of　this　sort　are　not　good　for　your　training；　and　can　lead　to　serious　injury。〃　He　turned　to　the　Princess。　〃Lady　Kailea；　I　request　that　you　avoid　the　training　floor　whenever　Leto　Atreides　is　fighting　our　meks。　Too　many　hormones　in　the　way。〃　The　guard　captain　could　not　cover　his　amusement。　〃Your　presence　could　be　more　dangerous　than　any　enemy。〃
　We　must　do　a　thing　on　Arrakis　never　before　attempted　for　an　entire　planet。　We　must　use　man　as　a　constructive　ecological　force　　inserting　adapted　terraform　life：　a　plant　here；　an　animal　there；　a　man　in　that　place　　to　transform　the　water　cycle；　to　build　a　new　kind　of　landscape。
　…Report　from　Imperial　Planetologist　PARDOT　KYNES；　directed　to　Padishah　EMPEROR　ELROOD　IX　（unsent）
　When　the　blood…spattered　Fremen　youths　asked　Pardot　Kynes　to　acpany　them；　he　didn't　know　whether　he　was　to　be　their　guest　or　prisoner。　Either　way；　the　prospect　intrigued　him。　Finally；　he　would　have　his　chance　to　experience　their　mysterious　culture　firsthand。
　One　of　the　young　men　quickly　and　efficiently　carried　his　injured　panion　over　to　Kynes's　small　groundcar。　The　other　Fremen　reached　into　the　back　storage　partments　and　tossed　out　Kynes's　painstakingly　collected　geological　samples　to　make　more　room。　The　Planetologist　was　too　astonished　to　object；　besides；　he　didn't　want　to　alienate　these　people　　he　wanted　to　learn　more　about　them。
　In　moments；　they　had　stuffed　the　bodies　of　the　dead　Harkonnen　bravos　into　the　bins；　no　doubt　for　some　Fremen　purpose。　Perhaps　a　further　ritual　desecration　of　their　enemies。　He　ruled　out　the　unlikely　possibility　that　the　youths　simply　wished　to　bury　the　dead。　Are　they　hiding　the　bodies　for　fear　of　reprisals？　That；　too；　seemed　wrong　somehow；　not　in　keeping　with　what　little　he　had　heard　about　Fremen。　Or　will　these　desert　folk　render　them　for　resources；　reclaiming　the　water　in　their　tissues？
　Then；　without　asking；　without　giving　thanks　or　making　any　ment　whatsoever；　the　first　grim　Fremen　youth　took　the　vehicle；　its　injured　passenger；　and　the　bodies；　and　drove　off　rapidly；　spewing　sand　and　dust　in　all　directions。　Kynes　watched　it　go；　along　with　his　desert…survival　kit　and　maps；　including　many　he　had　prepared　himself。
　He　found　himself　alone　with　the　third　young　man　　a　guard；　or　a　friend？　If　these　Fremen　meant　to　strand　him　without　his　supplies；　he　would　be　dead　before　long。　Perhaps　he　could　get　his　bearings　and　make　it　back　to　the　village　of　Windsack　on　foot；　but　he　had　paid　little　attention　to　the　locations　of　population　centers　during　his　recent　wanderings。　An　inauspicious　end　for　an　Imperial　Planetologist；　he　thought。
　Or　perhaps　the　young　men　he'd　rescued　wanted　something　else　from　him。　Because　of　his　own　newly　formed　dreams　for　the　future　of　Arrakis；　Kynes　desperately　wanted　to　know　the　Fremen　and　their　unorthodox　ways。　Clearly；　these　people　were　a　valuable　secret　hidden　from　Imperial　eyes。　He　thought　they'd　be　sure　to　greet　him　with　enthusiasm　once　he　told　them　his　ideas。
　The　remaining　Fremen　youth　used　a　small　patch…kit　to　repair　a　fabric　rip　on　the　leg　of　his　stillsuit；　then　said；　〃e　with　me。〃　He　turned　toward　a　sheer　rock　wall　a　short　distance　away。　〃Follow；　or　you'll　die　out　here。〃　He　flashed　an　indigo…eyed　glare　over　his　shoulder。　His　face　held　a　hard　humor；　an　impish　smile　as　he　said；　〃Do　you　think　the　Harkonnens　will　take　long　to　seek　vengeance　for　their　dead？〃
　Kynes　hurried　to　him。　〃Wait！　You　haven't　told　me　your　name。〃
　The　young　man　looked　at　him　strangely；　he　had　the　blue…within…blue　eyes　of　long　spice　addiction；　and　weathered　skin　that　gave　him　an　appearance　of　age　far　beyond　his　years。　〃Is　it　worthwhile　to　exchange　names？　The　Fremen　already　know　who　you　are。〃
　Kynes　blinked。　〃Well；　I　did　just　save　your　life　and　the　lives　of　your　panions。　Doesn't　that　count　for　something　among　your　people？　It　does　in　most　societies。〃
　The　young　man　seemed　startled；　then　resigned。　〃You　are　right。　You　have　forged　a　water　bond　between　us。　I　am　called　Turok。　Now　we　must　go。〃
　Water　bond？　Kynes　suppressed　his　questions　and　trailed　after　his　panion。
　In　his　well…worn　stillsuit；　Turok　scrambled　over　the　rocks　toward　the　vertical　cliff。　Kynes　trudged　beside　fallen　boulders；　slipping　on　loose　footing。　Only　as　they　approached　did　the　Planetologist　notice　a　discontinuity　in　the　strata；　a　seam　that　split　the　old　uplifted　rock；　forming　a　fissure　camouflaged　by　dust　and　muted　colors。
　The　Fremen　slipped　inside；　penetrating　the　shadows　with　the　speed　of　a　desert　lizard。　Curious　and　anxious　not　to　bee　lost；　Kynes　followed；　moving　quickly。　He　hoped　he　would　get　a　chance　to　meet　more　of　the　Fremen　and　learn　about　them。　He　didn't　waste　time　considering　that　Turok　might　be　leading　him　into　a　trap。　What　would　be　the　point？　The　young　man　could　easily　have　killed　him　out　in　the　open。
　Turok　stopped　in　the　cool　shade；　giving　Kynes　a　moment　to　catch　up。　He　pointed　toward　specific　places　on　the　wall　near　him。　〃There；　there　　and　there。〃　Without　waiting　to　see　if　his　charge　understood；　the　youth　stepped　in　each　indicated　spot；　near…invisible　handholds　and　footholds。　The　young　man　slithered　up　the　cliff；　and　Kynes　did　his　best　to　climb　after。　Turok　seemed　to　be　playing　a　game　with　him；　testing　him　somehow。
　But　the　Planetologist　surprised　him。　He　was　no　water…fat　bureaucrat；　no　mere　bumbler　into　places　where　he　didn't　belong。　As　a　wanderer　on　some　of　the　harshest　worlds　the　Imperium　had　to　offer；　he　was　in　good　shape。
　Kynes　kept　pace　with　the　youth；　climbing　up　behind　him；　using　the　tips　of　his　fingers　to　haul　his　body　higher。　Moments　after　the　Fremen　boy　stopped　and　squatted　on　a　narrow　ledge；　Kynes　sat　beside　him；　trying　not　to　pant。
　〃Breathe　in　through　your　nose　and　out　through　your　mouth；〃　Turok　said。　〃Your　filters　are　more　efficient　that　way。〃　He　nodded　in　faint　admiration。　〃I　think　you　might　make　it　all　the　way　to　the　sietch。〃
　〃What's　a　sietch？〃　Kynes　asked。　He　vaguely　recognized　the　ancient　Chakobsa　language；　but　had　not　studied　archaeology　or　phonetics。　He　had　always　found　it　irrelevant　to　his　scientific　study。
　〃A　secret　pla