bh.houseatreides-第41节

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　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　so　all　the　people　remained　standing。　He　listened　to　the　droning；　curiously　impassioned　words　of　one　suboid；　a　short；　muscular　man　at　the　front　of　the　room。　In　the　man's　voice；　and　in　the　fire　in　his　eyes；　Leto　detected　emotions　that　he　found　peculiar；　in　view　of　what　he　had　heard　about　the　suboids；　that　they　were　placid　and　undemanding。
　〃We　build　the　Heighliners；〃　he　said；　and　his　voice　grew　louder。　〃We　manufacture　the　technological　objects；　yet　we　make　none　of　the　decisions。　We　do　as　we　are　manded；　even　when　we　know　those　plans　are　wrong！〃
　The　suboids　began　to　mutter　and　mumble。
　〃Some　of　the　new　technologies　go　beyond　what　is　forbidden　by　the　Great　Revolt。　We　are　creating　thinking　machines。　We　don't　need　to　understand　the　blueprints　and　designs；　because　we　know　what　they　will　do！〃
　Hesitating；　Leto　drew　back　into　the　shadows　of　the　archway。　He　had　walked　enough　among　the　mon　people　that　he　usually　wasn't　afraid　of　them。　But　something　strange　was　going　on　here。　He　wanted　to　run；　yet　needed　to　listen。。。。
　〃Since　we　are　suboids；　we　have　no　participation　in　profits　from　Ixian　technology。　We　have　simple　lives　and　few　ambitions　　but　we　do　have　our　religion。　We　read　the　Orange　Catholic　Bible　and　know　in　our　hearts　what　is　right。〃　The　suboid　speaker　raised　a　massive；　knuckled　fist。　〃And　we　know　that　many　of　the　things　we've　been　building　here　on　Ix　are　not　right！〃
　The　audience　moved　restlessly　again；　on　the　verge　of　being　riled。　Rhombur　had　insisted　that　this　group　had　no　ambitions；　did　not　have　the　capacity　for　them。　Here；　though；　Leto　saw　otherwise。
　The　suboid　speaker　narrowed　his　eyes　and　spoke　ominously。　〃What　are　we　going　to　do？　Should　we　petition　our　masters　and　demand　answers？　Should　we　do　more？〃
　He　swept　his　gaze　over　the　gathered　listeners　　then　suddenly；　like　two　sharp　flechettes；　his　eyes　skewered　Leto　eavesdropping　in　the　archway　shadows。　〃Who　are　you？〃
　Leto　stumbled　backward；　raising　his　hands。　〃I'm　sorry。　I　got　lost。　I　didn't　mean　anything　by　it。〃　Normally；　he　would　know　how　to　make　himself　wele；　but　now　his　confusion　raised　his　senses　to　a　fever　pitch。
　The　worker　audience　spun　about；　and　their　eyes　slowly　lit　with　prehension。　They　realized　the　implications　of　what　the　speaker　had　said　and　what　Leto　had　overheard。
　〃I'm　really　sorry；〃　Leto　said。　〃I　meant　no　trespass。〃　His　heart　pounded。　Sweat　sparkled　on　his　brow；　and　he　sensed　extreme　danger。
　Several　suboids　began　to　move　toward　him　like　automatons；　picking　up　speed。
　Leto　offered　them　his　most　congenial　smile。　〃If　you'd　like；　I　can　speak　with　Earl　Vernius　for　you；　bring　some　of　your　grievances　〃
　The　suboids　closed　in；　and　Leto　bolted　and　ran。　He　rushed　back　through　the　low　corridors；　turning　at　random；　ducking　down　passageways　as　the　workers　hurried；　ineffectually　pursuing　and　growling　in　anger。　They　flooded　out；　spreading　into　side　corridors　in　their　search　for　him；　and　Leto　could　not　remember　the　way　back　to　the　open　cavern。。。。
　The　fact　that　he　got　lost　probably　saved　him。　The　suboids　continued　to　block　his　retreat；　attempting　to　intercept　him　in　corridors　that　led　to　the　surface。　But　Leto　didn't　know　where　he　was　going　and　took　blind　turns；　sometimes　hiding　in　empty　alcoves；　until　finally　he　reached　a　small　maintenance　door　that　spilled　out　into　the　dusty　air　under　the　glaring　lights　of　industrial　glowglobes。
　Several　suboids；　seeing　his　silhouette　in　the　doorway；　shouted　from　deep　below；　but　Leto　raced　out　to　an　emergency　lift　tube。　He　swept　his　bioscram　card　through　the　reader　and　gained　access　to　the　upper　levels。
　Shaking　in　the　aftermath　of　a　burned…out　adrenaline　rush；　Leto　couldn't　believe　what　he　had　just　heard　and　didn't　know　what　the　suboids　would　have　done　had　they　caught　him。　He　had　been　astonished　enough　to　see　their　outrage　and　their　reactions。　Intellectually；　he　couldn't　believe　they　would　have　killed　him　　not　the　son　of　Duke　Atreides；　an　honored　guest　of　House　Vernius。　He　had　offered　to　help　them；　after　all。
　But　the　suboids　clearly　held　a　deep　potential　for　violence；　a　frightening　darkness　that　they　had　managed　to　hide　from　their　oblivious　rulers　above。
　Leto　wondered　with　dread　if　perhaps　there　might　be　other　enclaves　of　dissent；　other　groups　with　similarly　charismatic　speakers　who　could　manage　to　tap　into　the　low…level　dissatisfaction　of　the　vast　worker　population。
　As　he　rode　up　in　the　lift　chamber；　Leto　looked　down　and　saw　the　workers　below；　innocently　acting　out　their　roles；　carrying　out　their　daily　routines。　He　knew　he　had　to　report　what　he　had　overheard。　But　would　anyone　believe　him？
　He　realized　with　a　tightness　in　his　stomach　that　he　was　learning　far　more　about　Ix　than　he　had　ever　meant　to　know。
　Hope　can　be　the　greatest　weapon　of　a　downtrodden　people；　or　the　greatest　enemy　of　those　who　are　about　to　fail。　We　must　remain　aware　of　its　advantages　and　its　limitations。
　…LADY　HELENA　ATREIDES；
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　After　weeks　of　aimless　journeying；　the　cargo　ship　dropped　out　of　the　orbiting　Heighliner　and　sped　down　toward　the　cloud…swirled　atmosphere　of　Caladan。
　For　Duncan　Idaho；　the　end　of　his　long　ordeal　seemed　at　hand。
　From　his　stowaway　spot　in　the　cluttered　cargo　bay；　Duncan　shifted　a　heavy　box。　Its　metal　corners　grated　across　the　deckplates；　but　he　finally　got　the　burden　out　of　the　way　so　he　could　remove　the　cover　flange　on　a　small　windowport。　Leaning　close　to　the　protective　plaz；　Duncan　stared　down　at　the　ocean…rich　world。　Finally；　he　began　to　believe。
　Caladan。　My　new　home。
　Even　from　high　orbit；　Giedi　Prime　had　looked　dark　and　forbidding；　like　an　infected　sore。　But　Caladan；　home　of　the　legendary　Duke　Atreides　　mortal　enemy　of　the　Harkonnens　　seemed　like　a　sapphire　sparkling　with　a　blaze　of　sunlight。
　After　everything　that　had　happened　to　him；　it　still　seemed　impossible　that　the　surly　and　treacherous　woman　Janess　Milam　had　actually　been　true　to　her　word。　She　had　rescued　him　for　her　own　petty　reasons；　her　own　spiteful　revenge；　but　that　did　not　matter　to　Duncan。　He　was　here。
　IT　HAD　BEEN　worse　than　a　nightmare；　which　he　relived　in　the　brooding　days　as　the　Heighliner　journeyed　from　system　to　system　in　a　roundabout　way　to　Caladan：
　In　the　darkness　of　Forest　Guard　Station；　as　he　had　approached　the　mysterious　flitter　'thopter；　the　woman　had　snatched　Duncan；　gripping　tightly　before　he　could　defend　himself。　The　young　boy　had　reacted　with　fear　and　frantic　struggles；　but　Janess　yanked　his　arm；　breaking　open　the　hardened　newskin　he'd　placed　over　the　deep　cut　in　his　shoulder。
　With　surprising　strength　the　dusky…skinned　woman　hauled　him　inside　the　small　flitter　and　sealed　the　entry　hatch。　Yowling　like　a　wild　animal；　Duncan　thrashed　and　clawed；　trying　to　writhe　away　from　her　grip。　He　pounded　on　the　curved　hatch；　desperate　to　get　out；　to　run　once　again　into　the　night　filled　with　armed　hunters。
　But　instead；　the　flitter's　door　remained　locked。　Panting；　Janess　released　the　boy；　tossed　her　chocolate　hair；　and　glared　at　him。　〃If　you　don't　stop　it　right　now；　Idaho；　I'm　going　to　dump　you　in　the　laps　of　those　Harkonnen　hunters。〃
　Turning　away　from　him　with　disdain；　she　powered　up　the　flitter's　engines。　Duncan　could　feel　an　ominous　hum　travel　through　the　small　craft；　vibrating　through　the　seat　and　floor。　He　crouched　back　against　the　wall。
　〃You've　already　betrayed　me　to　the　Harkonnens！　You　were　the　one　who　made　those　men　take　my　parents　and　murder　them。　You're　the　reason　I　had　to　train　so　hard；　and　why　they're　hunting　me　now。　I　know　what　you　did！〃
　〃Yeah；　well；　things　have　changed。〃　She　raised　a　dusky　hand　in　a　meaningless　gesture；　turning　toward　the　piloting　controls。　〃I'm　not　helping　Harkonnens　anymore；　not　after　what　they　did　to　me。〃
　Indignant；　Duncan　clenched　his　fists　at　his　sides。　Blood　from　the　reopened　wound　seeped　onto　his　tattered　shirt。　〃What　did　they　do　to　you？〃　He　couldn't　imagine　anything　that　even　approached　the　anguish　he　and　his　family　had　endured。
　〃You　wouldn't　understand。　You're　just　a　youngster；　another　one　of　their　pawns。〃　Janess　smiled　as　she　raised　the　flitter　up　off　the　ground。　〃But　through　you；　I　can　get　back　at　them。〃
　Duncan　sneered。　〃Maybe　I'm　just　a　boy；　but　I　spent　all　night　beating　the　Harkonnens　at　their　hunting　game。　I　watched　Rabban　kill　my　mother　and　father。　Who　knows　what　else　they've　done　to　my　uncles；　aunts；　and　cousins？〃
　〃I　doubt　there's　anyone　left　alive　on　Giedi　Prime　with　the　name　of　Idaho　　especially　after　the　embarrassment　you　caused　them　tonight。　Tough　luck。〃
　〃If　they　did　that；　it　was　a　waste　of　effort；〃　he　said；　trying　to　hide　the　pain。　〃I　didn't　know　my　relatives　anyway。〃
　Janess　increased　the　flitter's　speed；　boosting　them　low　across　the　dark　trees　and　away　from　the　wilderness　preserve。　〃Right　now；　I'm　helping　you　get　away　from　the　hunters；　so　just　shut　up　and　be　glad。　You　don't　have　any　other　options。〃
　She　ran　the　craft　without　lights；　keeping　her　engines　masked；　though　Duncan　couldn't　imagine　how　they　could　ever　escape　from　prying　Harkonnen　eyes。　He　had　killed　several　of　the　hunters　　and　worse；　he　had　outwitted　and　humiliated　Rabban。
　Duncan　allowed　himself　the　slightest　satisfied