bh.houseatreides-第44节

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　Perhaps　even　to　Leto　Atreides。。。
　A　eye　blinked　yellow　on　the　wall；　interrupting　his　thoughts。　An　important　message；　an　update　of　the　troubling　rumors　that　had　spread　like　poison　through　a　cistern。
　〃Yes？〃　he　said。　Without　being　asked；　Kailea　walked　across　the　invisible　floor　and　stood　next　to　him　to　read　the　report　as　it　imaged　itself　on　the　quicksilver　surface　of　his　desk。　Her　emerald　eyes　narrowed　as　she　read　the　words。
　The　smell　of　his　daughter's　faint　perfume　and　the　glitter　of　bs　in　her　dark　bronze　hair　brought　a　paternal　smile　to　his　face。　Such　a　young　lady。　Such　a　young　businesswoman。
　〃Are　you　sure　you　want　to　concern　yourself　with　this；　child？〃　he　asked；　wishing　to　shelter　her　from　the　grim　news。　Labor　relations　were　so　much　more　plex　than　technological　innovations。　Kailea　just　looked　at　him　in　annoyance　that　he　would　even　ask　the　question。
　He　read　more　details　on　what　he　had　been　told　earlier　in　the　day；　though　he　still　couldn't　quite　believe　everything　Leto　Atreides　claimed　he'd　heard　and　seen。　A　disturbance　was　brewing　in　the　deep…ground　manufacturing　facilities；　where　the　suboid　workers　had　begun　plaining　　an　unprecedented　situation。
　Kailea　took　a　deep　breath；　marshaling　her　thoughts。　〃If　the　suboids　have　such　grievances；　why　haven't　they　elected　a　spokesman？　Why　haven't　they　delivered　any　formal　demands？〃
　〃Oh；　they're　just　grumbling；　child。　They　claim　they're　being　forced　to　assemble　machines　in　violation　of　the　Butlerian　Jihad；　and　they　don't　want　to　perform　'blasphemous　labor。'　〃
　The　message　screen　went　dark　after　they　finished　reading　the　summary　report；　and　Kailea　stood　up；　hands　on　her　hips。　Her　skirts　rustled　as　she　huffed。　〃Wherever　do　they　get　such　ridiculous　ideas？　How　can　they　even　begin　to　understand　the　nuances　and　plexities　of　running　these　operations？　They　were　bred　and　trained　in　Ixian　facilities　　who　put　those　thoughts　in　their　minds？〃
　Dominic　shook　his　gleaming　head；　and　realized　his　daughter　had　raised　a　very　good　question。　〃You're　right。　Suboids　certainly　couldn't　e　up　with　such　extrapolations　on　their　own。〃
　Kailea　continued　to　be　indignant。　〃Don't　they　realize　how　much　we　give　them？　How　much　we　provide；　and　how　much　it　costs？　I've　looked　at　the　costs　and　benefits。　The　suboids　don't　know　how　good　they　have　it　pared　to　workers　on　other　planets。〃　She　shook　her　head；　and　her　curved　mouth　bent　downward　in　a　frown。　She　looked　through　the　floor　at　her　feet；　to　the　manufactories　in　the　cavern　far　below。　〃Maybe　they　should　visit　Giedi　Prime　　or　Arrakis。　Then　they　wouldn't　plain　about　Ix。〃
　But　Dominic　wouldn't　let　go　of　her　first　thread　of　conversation。　〃Suboids　are　bred　for　limited　intelligence；　only　enough　to　perform　assigned　tasks。。。and　they're　supposed　to　do　it　without　plaining。　It's　part　of　their　mental　makeup。〃　He　joined　his　daughter　in　staring　down　at　the　floor　of　the　grotto；　which　swarmed　with　Heighliner　construction　workers。　〃Could　our　bio…designers　have　overlooked　something　important？　Do　the　suboids　have　a　point？　The　definition　of　machine…minds　enpasses　a　broad　range；　but　there　might　be　gray　areas。。。。〃
　Kailea　shook　her　head　and　tapped　her　crystal　pad。　〃Our　Mentats　and　legal　advisors　are　meticulous　about　the　precise　strictures　of　the　Jihad；　and　our　quality…control　methods　are　effective。　We're　on　solid　ground；　and　they　can　prove　every　assertion　we　make。〃
　Dominic　chewed　his　lower　lip。　〃The　suboids　couldn't　possibly　have　specifics；　since　there　aren't　any　violations。　At　least　we　haven't　knowingly　stepped　over　the　line；　not　in　any　instance。〃
　Kailea　studied　her　father；　then　looked　down　at　the　bustling　work　area　again。　〃Maybe　you　should　have　Captain　Zhaz　and　a　team　of　inspectors　turn　over　every　stone；　investigate　every　aspect　of　our　design　and　manufacturing　processes。　Prove　to　the　suboids　that　their　plaints　are　groundless。〃
　Dominic　considered　the　idea。　〃Of　course　I　don't　want　to　be　too　hard　on　the　workers。　I　want　no　crackdowns；　and　certainly　no　revolts。　The　suboids　are　to　be　treated　well；　as　always。〃　He　met　her　gaze；　and　she　seemed　very　much　an　adult。
　〃Yes；〃　Kailea　said；　her　voice　hardening。　〃They　work　better　that　way。〃
　Like　the　knowledge　of　your　own　being；　the　sietch　forms　a　firm　base　from　which　you　move　out　into　the　world　and　into　the　universe。
　…Fremen　Teaching
　Pardot　Kynes　was　so　fascinated　by　the　Fremen　culture；　religion；　and　daily　routine　that　he　remained　pletely　oblivious　to　the　life…and…death　debate　raging　around　him　in　the　sietch。　Naib　Heinar　had　told　him　he　could　talk　to　the　people　and　describe　his　ideas　　and　so　he　talked；　at　every　opportunity。
　For　an　entire　cycle　of　the　moons；　the　Fremen　whispered　their　opinions　in　small　caves　and　dens；　or　shouted　them　across　tables　in　private　meetings　of　the　sietch　elders。　Some　of　them　even　empathized　with　what　the　strange　outworlder　was　saying。
　Though　his　fate　remained　undecided；　Kynes　didn't　slow　for　a　moment。　Sietch　guides　took　him　around　and　showed　him　many　things　they　thought　would　interest　him；　but　the　Planetologist　also　stopped　to　ask　questions　of　women　working　in　the　stillsuit　factories；　of　old　men　tending　water　supplies；　and　of　withered　grandmothers　operating　solar　ovens　or　filing　rough　burrs　off　scrap　metal。
　The　bustling　activity　around　the　sealed　caves　astonished　him：　Some　workers　trampled　spice　residue　to　extract　fuel；　others　curded　spice　for　fermentation。　Weavers　at　power　looms　used　their　own　hair；　the　long　fur　of　mutated　rats；　wisps　of　desert　cotton；　and　even　skin　strips　from　wild　creatures　to　make　their　durable　fabric。　And　of　course　schools　taught　the　young　Fremen　desert　skills；　as　well　as　ruthless　bat　techniques。
　One　morning　Kynes　awoke　refreshed；　perfectly　fortable　after　spending　the　night　on　a　mat　on　the　hard　floor。　Throughout　much　of　his　life；　he　had　slept　in　the　open　on　rough　ground。　His　body　could　find　rest　just　about　anywhere。　He　breakfasted　on　dehydrated　fruits　and　dry　cakes　the　Fremen　women　had　baked　in　thermal　ovens。　The　beginnings　of　a　beard　covered　his　face；　a　sandy　stubble。
　A　young　woman　named　Frieth　brought　him　a　serving　tray　with　meticulously　prepared　spice　coffee　in　an　ornate　pot。　During　the　entire　ritual；　she　directed　her　deep　blue　eyes　downward；　as　she　had　done　every　morning　since　Kynes's　arrival　at　the　sietch。　He　hadn't　thought　anything　of　her　cool；　efficient　attentions　until　someone　had　whispered　to　him；　〃She　is　the　unmarried　sister　of　Stilgar；　whose　life　you　saved　against　the　Harkonnen　dogs。〃
　Frieth　had　fine　features　and　smooth；　tanned　skin。　Her　hair　appeared　long　enough　to　flow　to　her　waist；　if　ever　she　undid　it　from　her　water　rings　and　let　it　fall。　Her　manner　was　quiet　but　all…knowing；　in　the　Fremen　way；　she　rushed　to　fulfill　every　small　wish　Kynes　bothered　to　express；　often　without　his　realizing　it。　He　might　have　noticed　how　beautiful　she　was；　had　he　not　been　so　intent　on　noticing　everything　else　around　him。
　After　he　had　sipped　his　pungent；　cardamom…laced　coffee　down　to　the　dregs；　Kynes　hauled　out　his　electronic　pad　to　jot　down　notes　and　ideas。　At　a　noise；　he　looked　up　to　see　wiry　young　Turok　standing　in　the　doorway。　〃I'm　to　take　you　anywhere　you　wish；　Planetologist；　so　long　as　you　remain　within　Red　Wall　Sietch。〃
　Kynes　nodded　and　smiled；　disregarding　the　constraints　of　being　a　captive。　They　did　not　rankle　him。　It　was　understood　that　he　would　never　leave　the　sietch　alive　unless　the　Fremen　accepted　him　and　decided　to　trust　him　pletely。　If　he　did　join　the　munity；　there　could　be　no　secrets　between　them；　on　the　other　hand；　if　the　Fremen　chose　to　execute　him　in　the　end；　there　would　have　been　no　point　in　keeping　secrets　from　a　dead　man。
　Previously　Kynes　had　seen　the　tunnels；　the　food…storage　chambers；　the　guarded　water　supplies；　even　the　Huanui　deathstills。　In　fascination　he　had　watched　the　family　groups　of　desert…hardened　men；　each　with　his　several　wives；　he　had　seen　them　pray　to　Shai…Hulud。　He'd　begun　to　pile　a　mental　sketch　of　this　culture　and　the　political　and　familial　ties　within　the　sietch；　but　it　would　take　decades　to　unravel　all　the　subtle　relationships；　all　the　nuances　of　obligations　laid　down　upon　their　kinsmen　many　generations　earlier。
　〃I'd　like　to　go　to　the　top　of　the　rock；〃　he　said；　remembering　his　duties　as　Imperial　Planetologist。　〃If　we　could　retrieve　some　of　the　equipment　from　my　groundcar　　I　presume　you've　kept　it　safe？　　I'd　like　to　establish　a　weather　station　here。　It's　imperative　that　we　collect　climate　data　　temperature　variations；　atmospheric　humidity；　and　wind　patterns　　from　as　many　isolated　spots　as　possible。〃
　Turok　looked　at　him；　surprised　and　disbelieving。　Then　he　shrugged。　〃As　you　wish；　Planetologist。〃　Knowing　the　conservative　ways　of　the　sietch　elders；　Turok　was　pessimistic　about　the　fate　of　this　enthusiastic　but　not　terribly　bright　man。　What　a　futile　effort　it　would　be　for　Kynes　to　continue　his　vigorous　work。　But　if　it　kept　him　happy　in　his　last　days。。。
　〃e；〃　Turok　said。　〃Put　on　your　stillsuit。〃
　〃Oh；　we'll　only　be　out　for　a　few　minutes。〃
　Turok　scowled　at　him；　looking　stern　and　much　older。　〃A　breath　of　moisture　is　water　wasted　into　the　air。　We　are　not　so　rich　we　can　afford　to　waste　water。〃
　Shrugging；　Kynes　pulled　on　his　crinkling；　slick…surfaced　uniform　and　took　the　time　to　attach　all　the　seals；　though　he　did　so