bh.houseatreides-第40节

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　One　morning；　after　awakening　refreshed　and　restless；　Leto　went　to　one　of　the　upper　atriums　and　stepped　out〃　onto　an　observation　balcony。　Even　sealed　underground；　the　caverns　of　Ix　were　so　vast　that　they　had　their　own　air　currents　and　wind　patterns；　though　it　was　a　far　cry　from　the　Castle　towers　and　windy　cliffsides　of　his　home。　He　took　a　deep　breath；　filling　his　lungs　to　capacity；　but　the　air　here　always　smelled　of　rock　dust。　Maybe　it　was　just　his　imagination。
　Stretching　his　arms；　Leto　looked　out　and　down　toward　the　broad　grotto　that　had　held　the　Guild　Heighliner。　Among　the　scars　of　construction　and　support　machinery；　he　could　pick　out　the　already…sprouting　skeleton　of　another　massive　hull；　flash…welded　together　by　teams　of　suboid　workers。　He　watched　the　low…level　inhabitants　working　with　insect　efficiency。
　A　cargo　platform　drifted　by；　passing　directly　below　the　balcony　as　it　made　a　gradual　descent　to　the　distant　work　area。　Leto　leaned　over　the　railing　and　saw　that　the　platform's　surface　was　loaded　with　raw　materials　mined　from　the　crust　of　the　planet。
　On　impulse；　he　climbed　over　the　balcony　rim；　took　a　deep　breath；　and　dropped　two　meters　to　land　atop　a　pile　of　girders　and　plating　destined　for　the　Heighliner　construction　site。　He　assumed　he　could　find　a　way　to　get　back　up　to　the　stalactite　buildings　using　his　bioscram　card　and　his　understanding　of　the　city　workings。　A　pilot　underneath　the　hovering　platform　guided　the　lowering　load；　he　didn't　seem　to　notice　or　care　about　his　unexpected　passenger。
　Cool　breezes　riffled　through　Leto's　hair　as　he　descended　toward　the　warmer　surface。　Thinking　of　ocean　winds；　he　sucked　in　another　deep　breath。　Here　beneath　the　immense　vault　of　the　ceiling；　he　felt　a　freedom　that　reminded　him　of　the　seashore。　With　the　thought　came　a　pang　of　homesickness　for　the　ocean　breezes　of　Caladan；　the　noises　of　the　village　market；　the　booming　laugh　of　his　father；　even　the　prim　concern　of　his　mother。
　He　and　Rhombur　spent　too　much　time　confined　within　the　buildings　of　Ix；　and　Leto　often　longed　for　fresh　air　and　a　cold　wind　on　his　face。　Perhaps　he　would　ask　Rhombur　to　acpany　him　up　to　the　surface　again。　There；　the　two　of　them　could　wander　around　the　wilderness　and　look　up　at　an　infinite　sky；　and　Leto　could　stretch　his　muscles　and　feel　real　sunlight　on　his　face　instead　of　the　holographic　illumination　displayed　on　the　cavern　ceiling。
　While　the　Ixian　Prince　was　not　Leto's　equal　as　a　fighter；　neither　was　he　the　spoiled　son　so　mon　among　many　Great　Houses。　He　had　his　interests　and　loved　collecting　rocks　and　minerals。　Rhombur　had　an　easy；　generous　way　about　him；　and　an　unflagging　optimism；　but　that　was　not　to　be　misinterpreted。　Beneath　the　soft　shell　was　a　fierce　determination　and　a　desire　to　excel　in　every　pursuit。
　In　the　gigantic　manufacturing　grotto；　supports　and　suspensor　jacks　had　been　readied　for　the　new　Heighliner　already　taking　shape。　Equipment　and　machinery　stood　waiting　near　where　holo　blueprints　shimmered　in　the　air。　Even　with　full　resources　and　huge　numbers　of　suboid。　workers；　such　a　vessel　required　the　better　part　of　a　Standard　Year　to　construct。　The　cost　of　a　Heighliner　was　equivalent　to　the　economic　output　of　many　solar　systems；　thus；　only　CHOAM　and　the　Guild　could　finance　such　massive　projects；　while　House　Vernius　　as　the　manufacturer　　reaped　incredible　profits。
　The　docile　working　class　on　Ix　far　outnumbered　the　administrators　and　the　nobles。　On　the　floor　of　the　grotto；　low　archways　and　huts　built　into　the　solid　rock　provided　entrances　to　a　warren　of　living　quarters。　Leto　had　never　visited　the　suboids　himself；　but　Rhombur　had　assured　him　that　the　lower　classes　were　well　taken　care　of。　Leto　knew　then　crews　labored　around　the　clock　to　build　each　new　ship。　The　suboids　certainly　worked　hard　for　House　Vernius。
　The　cargo　platform　levitated　downward　to　the　rocky　cavern　floor；　and　teams　of　workers　came　forward　to　unload　the　heavy　raw　materials。　Leto　sprang　down；　landed　on　his　hands　and　feet；　then　stood　and　brushed　himself　off。　The　strangely　placid　suboids　had　pale　skin　dust　with　freckles。　They　looked　at　him　with　doe　eyes　and　didn't　ask　any　questions　or　object　to　his　presence；　they　simply　averted　their　gazes　and　went　about　their　tasks。
　The　way　Kailea　and　Rhombur　talked　about　them；　Leto　had　imagined　the　suboids　to　be　less　than　human；　muscular　troglodytes　without　minds；　who　simply　labored　and　sweated。　But　the　people　around　him　could　easy　have　passed　for　normals；　perhaps　they　weren't　brilliant　scientists　or　diplomats；　but　the　working　class　didn't　appear　to　be　animals　either。
　With　his　gray　eyes　open　wide；　Leto　walked　along　the　grotto　floor；　staying　out　of　the　way　as　he　observed　the　Heighliner　construction。　Leto　admired　the　sheer　engineering　and　management　of　such　an　incredible　job。　In　the　heavier；　dustier　air　on　the　ground；　he　smelled　an　acrid　tang　of　laser…welding　and　alloy…fusing　materials。
　The　suboids　followed　a　master　plan；　using　step…by…step　instructions　like　a　hive　organism。　They　concluded　each　increment　of　the　huge　task　without　being　overwhelmed　by　the　amount　of　work　still　in　store　for　them。　The　suboids　did　not　chatter；　sing；　or　roughhouse。。。behavior　Leto　had　seen　among　the　fishermen；　farmers；　and　factory　workers　of　Caladan。　These　pale…skinned　laborers　remained　intent　only　on　their　tasks。
　He　thought　he　imagined　well…hidden　resentment；　a　simmering　anger　beneath　calm；　pale　faces；　but　he　didn't　feel　afraid　down　here　alone。　Duke　Paulus　had　always　encouraged　Leto　to　play　with　villager　children；　to　go　out　on　fishing　boats；　to　mix　with　merchants　and　weavers　in　the　marketplace。　He　had　even　spent　a　month　working　in　the　pundi　rice　fields。　〃In　order　to　understand　how　to　rule　a　people；〃　the　Old　Duke　had　said；　〃you　must　first　understand　the　people　themselves。〃
　His　mother　had　frowned　upon　such　activities；　of　course；　insisting　that　the　son　of　a　Duke　should　not　dirty　his　hands　with　the　mud　of　rice　paddies　or　foul　his　clothes　with　the　slime　of　a　sea　catch。　〃What　good　does　it　do　for　our　son　to　know　how　to　skin　and　gut　a　fish？　He　will　be　the　ruler　of　a　Great　House。〃　But　Paulus　Atreides　had　his　own　way　of　insisting；　and　he　made　it　clear　that　his　wishes　were　law。
　And　Leto　had　to　admit　that　despite　sore　muscles；　an　aching　back；　and　sunburned　skin；　those　times　of　hard　work　had　satisfied　him　in　a　way　that　grand　banquets　or　receptions　hosted　in　Castle　Caladan　could　not。　As　a　result　he　thought　he　understood　the　mon　folk；　how　they　felt；　how　hard　they　worked。　Leto　appreciated　them　for　it；　rather　than　scorning　them。　The　Old　Duke　had　been　proud　of　his　son　for　prehending　that　fundamental　point。
　Now　as　he　walked　among　the　suboids；　Leto　tried　to　understand　them　in　the　same　way。　Powerful　glowglobes　hovered　over　the　work　site；　driving　back　shadows；　maintaining　a　starkness　in　the　air。　The　grotto　was　large　enough　that　the　construction　sounds　did　not　echo　back；　but　reflected　and　faded　into　the　distance。
　He　saw　one　of　the　openings　into　the　lower　tunnels　and　since　no　one　had　yet　questioned　his　business　there；　Leto　decided　this　would　be　a　good　opportunity　to　learn　more　about　the　suboid　culture。　Maybe　he　could　discover　things　even　Rhombur　didn't　know　about　his　own　world。
　When　a　crew　of　workers　emerged　from　the　archway；　clad　in　service　overalls；　Leto　slipped　inside。　He　wandered　into　the　tunnels　and　spiraled　down；　passing　hollowed…out　living　partments；　identical　and　evenly　spaced　rooms　that　reminded　him　of　the　chambers　in　an　insect　hive。　Occasionally；　though；　he　spotted　homey　touches：　colorful　fabrics　or　tapestries；　a　few　drawings；　images　painted　on　the　stone　walls。　He　smelled　cooking；　heard　low　conversations　but　no　music　and　not　much　laughter。
　He　thought　of　his　days　spent　studying　and　relaxing　in　the　inverted　skyscrapers　overhead；　with　their　polished　floors；　ser…chrome　and　faceted　crystalplaz　windows；　the　soft　beds　and　fortable　clothes；　the　fine　foods。
　On　Caladan；　ordinary　citizens　could　petition　the　Duke　whenever　they　wished。　Leto　remembered　when　he　and　his　father　would　walk　in　the　marketplaces；　talking　to　the　merchants　and　craftsmen；　allowing　themselves　to　be　seen　and　known　as　real　people　rather　than　as　faceless　rulers。
　He　didn't　think　Dominic　Vernius　even　noticed　the　differences　between　himself　and　his　rade　Paulus。　The　hearty；　bald　Earl　gave　all　of　his　attention　and　enthusiasm　to　his　family　and　the　workers　in　his　immediate　vicinity；　paying　attention　to　overall　industrial　operations　and　business　politics　to　keep　the　Ixian　fortunes　pouring　in。　But　Dominic　viewed　the　suboids　as　resources。　Yes；　he　cared　for　them　well　enough；　just　as　he　maintained　his　precious　machinery。　But　Leto　wondered　if　Rhombur　and　his　family　treated　the　suboids　as　people。
　He'd　already　gone　down　many　levels；　and　felt　the　unfortable　tightness　of　stale　air。　The　tunnels　ahead　became　darker　and　emptier。　The　quiet　corridors　led　deeper　into　open　rooms；　mon　areas　from　which　he　heard　voices；　a　rustling　of　bodies。　He　was　about　to　turn　back；　knowing　he　had　a　full　day　ahead　of　him：　studies　and　lectures　about　mechanical　operations　and　industrial　processes。　Rhombur　probably　hadn't　even　eaten　breakfast　yet。
　Curious；　Leto　stopped　at　the　archway　to　see　many　suboids　gathered　in　a　mon　room。　There　were　no　seats　or　benches　that　he　could　see；　and　s