bh.houseatreides-第45节

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s；　though　he　did　so　clumsily。　Heaving　a　heavy　sigh；　Turok　assisted　him；　explaining　the　most　effective　way　to　dress　out　the　suit　and　adjust　the　fittings　to　optimize　its　efficiency。
　〃You　have　bought　a　decent　stillsuit。　It　is　of　Fremen　manufacture；〃　the　young　man　observed。　〃In　this　at　least　you　have　chosen　well。〃
　Kynes　followed　Turok　to　the　storage　chamber　where　his　groundcar　had　been　kept。　The　Fremen　had　stripped　it　of　amenities；　and　his　equipment　lay　in　open　boxes　on　the　cave　floor；　inspected　and　cataloged。　No　doubt　the　sietch　inhabitants　had　been　trying　to　determine　how　they　could　put　these　things　to　use。
　They're　still　planning　to　kill　me；　Kynes　thought。　Haven't　they　heard　a　thing　I've　said？　Oddly；　the　thought　neither　depressed　nor　frightened　him。　He　simply　took　the　knowledge　as　a　challenge。　He　was　not　about　to　give　up　　there　was　too　much　left　to　do。　He　would　have　to　make　them　understand。
　Among　the　clutter　he　found　his　weather　apparatus　and　tucked　the　ponents　under　his　arms；　but　made　no　ment　about　what　had　been　done　to　his　possessions。　He　knew　Fremen　had　a　munal　mentality：　Every　item　owned　by　an　individual　was　owned　by　the　entire　munity。　Since　he　had　spent　so　much　of　his　life　alone；　relying　only　on　himself　and　his　abilities；　he　found　it　difficult　to　absorb　such　a　mind…set。
　Turok　did　not　offer　to　carry　any　of　the　equipment；　but　led　the　way　up　steep　steps　that　had　been　rough…hewn　into　the　stone　wall。　Kynes　panted　but　did　not　plain。　Ahead　of　him　the　guide　shifted　aside　numerous　barricades；　moisture　baffles；　and　doorseals。　Turok　flashed　glances　over　his　shoulder　to　make　sure　the　Planetologist　was　keeping　up；　then　increased　his　speed。
　Finally　they　emerged　from　a　cleft　atop　the　rubble…strewn　peaks。　The　young　Fremen　leaned　back　in　the　shadow　of　the　rocks；　keeping　himself　cool；　while　Kynes　stepped　out　into　open　sunlight。　All　around　them　the　stone　was　coppery　brown　with　a　few　discolorations　of　lichen。　A　good　sign；　he　thought。　The　advance　footprints　of　biological　systems。
　As　he　stared　out　at　the　sweeping　vista　of　the　Great　Basin；　he　saw　dunes　that　were　the　grayish　white　and　brown　of　newly　deposed　rock　grains；　as　well　as　the　buttery　yellow　of　older；　oxidized　sand。
　From　the　sandworms　he'd　seen；　as　well　as　the　teeming　sand　plankton　in　the　spice…rich　sands；　Kynes　knew　that　Dune　already　had　the　basis　for　a　plex　ecosystem。　He　was　certain　it　would　take　only　a　few　crucial　nudges　in　the　proper　direction　to　make　this　dormant　place　blossom。
　The　Fremen　people　could　do　it。
　〃Imperial　man；〃　said　Turok；　stepping　forward　from　the　shade；　〃what　is　it　you　see　when　you　stare　out　onto　the　desert　like　that？〃
　Kynes　answered　without　looking　at　him。　〃I　see　limitless　possibilities。〃
　IN　A　SEALED　chamber　deep　in　the　sietch；　wizened　Heinar　sat　at　the　head　of　a　stone　table；　glaring　with　his　single　eye。　Trying　to　remain　apart　from　the　debate；　the　sietch　Naib　watched　the　council　elders　shout　at　each　other。
　〃We　know　the　man's　loyalty；〃　said　one　old　man；　Jerath。　〃He　works　for　the　Imperium。　You've　seen　his　dossier。　He's　on　Dune　as　a　guest　of　the　Harkonnens。〃　Jerath　had　a　silver　ring　in　his　left　earlobe；　a　treasure　taken　from　a　smuggler　he'd　killed　in　a　duel。
　〃That　means　nothing；〃　said　another　elder；　Aliid。　〃As　Fremen；　do　we　not　don　other　clothes；　other　masks；　and　pretend　to　fit　in？　It's　a　means　of　survival　when　circumstances　require　it。　You；　of　all　people　should　know　not　to　judge　someone　solely　on　appearances。〃
　Garnah；　a　weary…looking　long…haired　elder；　rested　his　pointed　chin　on　his　knuckles。　〃I'm　most　incensed　at　those　three　young　idiots；　what　they　did　after　the　Planetologist　helped　them　defeat　the　Harkonnen　bravos。　Any　straight…thinking　adult　would　have　shrugged　and　sent　the　man's　shade　to　join　those　of　the　six　dead　vermin　on　the　ground。。。with　some　regret；　of　course；　but　still　it　should　have　been　done。〃　He　sighed。　〃These　are　inexperienced　youths；　poorly　trained。　They　should　never　had　been　left　alone　in　the　desert。〃
　Heinar　flared　his　nostrils。　〃You　cannot　fault　their　thinking；　Garnah。　There　was　the　moral　obligation　　Pardot　Kynes　had　saved　their　lives。　Even　brash　young　men　such　as　those　three　realized　the　water　burden　that　had　been　placed　on　them。〃
　〃But　what　of　their　obligations　to　Red　Wall　Sietch　and　our　people？〃　long…haired　Garnah　insisted。　〃Does　a　debt　owed　to　a　mere　Imperial　servant　outweigh　their　loyalty　to　us？〃
　〃The　question　isn't　about　the　boys；〃　Aliid　interrupted。　〃Ommun；　Turok；　and　Stilgar　did　what　they　thought　was　best。　We　are　now　left　to　decide　about　this　Planetologist　and　his　fate。〃
　〃He's　a　madman；〃　the　first　elder；　Jerath；　said。　〃Have　you　heard　him　talk？　He　wants　trees；　open　water；　irrigation；　crops　　he　envisions　a　verdant　planet　instead　of　desert。〃　A　snort；　then　a　toying　with　the　ring　in　his　ear。　〃He's　mad；　I　say。〃
　Puckering　his　mouth　skeptically；　Aliid　pointed　out；　〃After　the　thousands　of　years　of　wandering　that　finally　brought　us　here　and　made　our　people　what　we　are　　how　can　you　scorn　one　man's　dream　of　paradise？〃
　Jerath　frowned；　but　accepted　the　point。
　〃Perhaps　Kynes　is　mad；〃　Garnah　said；　〃but　just　mad　enough　to　be　holy。　Perhaps　he's　mad　enough　to　hear　the　words　of　God　in　a　way　that　we　cannot。〃
　〃That　is　a　question　we　cannot　decide　among　us；〃　Heinar　said；　finally　using　a　Naib's　voice　of　mand　to　focus　the　discussion　back　on　the　matter　at　hand。　〃The　choice　we　face　is　not　about　the　word　of　God；　but　about　the　survival　of　our　sietch。　Pardot　Kynes　has　seen　our　ways；　lived　in　our　hidden　home。　By　Imperial　mand；　he　sends　reports　back　to　Kaitain　whenever　he　finds　himself　in　a　city。　Think　of　the　risk　to　us。〃
　〃But　what　of　all　his　talk　about　paradise　on　Dune？〃　Aliid　asked；　still　trying　to　defend　the　stranger。　〃Open　water；　dunes　anchored　by　grass；　palmaries　filled　with　tall　date　palms；　open　qanats　flowing　across　the　desert。〃
　〃Crazy　talk　and　no　more；〃　grumbled　Jerath。　〃The　man　knows　too　much　　about　us；　about　the　Fremen；　about　Dune。　He　cannot　be　allowed　to　hold　such　secrets。〃
　Doggedly；　Aliid　tried　again。　〃But　he　killed　Harkonnens。　Doesn't　that　place　upon　us；　and　our　sietch；　a　water　debt？　He　saved　three　members　of　our　tribe。〃
　〃Since　when　do　we　owe　the　Imperium　anything？〃　Jerath　asked　with　another　tug　on　his　earring。
　〃Anyone　can　kill　Harkonnens；〃　Garnah　added　with　a　shrug；　shifting　his　pointed　chin　to　his　other　fist。　〃I've　done　it　myself。〃
　Heinar　leaned　forward。　〃All　right；　Aliid　　what　of　this　talk　about　the　flowering　of　Dune？　Where　is　the　water　for　all　this？　Is　there　any　possibility　the　Planetologist　can　do　what　he　says？〃
　〃Haven't　you　heard　him？〃　Garnah　replied　in　a　mocking　tone。　〃He　says　the　water　is　here；　far　more　than　the　miserable　amounts　we　collect　for　our　sustenance。〃
　Jerath　raised　his　eyebrows　and　snorted。　〃Oh？　This　man　has　been　on　our　world　for　a　Standard　Month　or　two；　and　already　he　knows　where　to　find　the　precious　treasure　that　no　Fremen　has　discovered　in　generations　upon　generations　of　living　in　the　desert？　An　oasis　on　the　equator　perhaps？　Hah！〃
　〃He　did　save　three　of　our　own；〃　Aliid　persisted。
　〃Three　fools　put　themselves　in　the　way　of　the　Harkonnen　fist。　I　feel　no　obligation　to　him　for　their　rescue。　And　he　has　seen　crysknives。　You　know　our　law：　Who　sees　that　knife　must　be　cleansed　or　slain。。。。〃　Garnah's　voice　trailed　off。
　〃It　is　as　you　say；〃　Aliid　admitted。
　〃Kynes　is　known　to　travel　alone　and　explore　many　inhospitable　areas；〃　Heinar　said　with　a　shrug。　〃If　he　disappears；　he　disappears。　No　Harkonnen　or　Imperium　officials　will　ever　be　the　wiser。〃
　〃It　will　no　doubt　be　interpreted　as　a　simple　accident。　Our　world　is　not　a　fortable　place；〃　said　Garnah。
　Jerath　simply　smiled。　〃If　the　truth　is　told；　the　Harkonnens　may　be　perfectly　happy　to　get　rid　of　this　meddlesome　man　anyway。　There　is　no　risk　to　us　if　we　kill　him。〃
　Silence　hung　in　the　dusty　air　for　a　moment。　〃What　must　be；　must　be；〃　Heinar　said；　rising　to　his　feet　at　the　head　of　the　table。　〃All　of　us　know　this。　There　can　be　no　other　answer；　no　changing　of　our　minds。　We　must　protect　the　sietch　above　all；　no　matter　the　cost；　no　matter　the　burden　it　places　on　our　hearts。〃
　He　crossed　his　arms　over　his　chest。　〃It　is　decided。　Kynes　must　die。〃
　Two　hundred　thirty…eight　planets　searched；　many　of　only　marginal　habitability。　（See　star　charts　attached　in　separate　file。）　Resource　surveys　list　valuable　raw　materials。　Many　of　these　planets　deserve　a　second　look；　either　for　mineral　exploitation　or　possible　colonization。　As　in　previous　reports；　however；　no　spice　found。
　…Independent　scout　survey；　third　expedition；　delivered　to　EMPEROR　FONDIL　CORRINO　III
　Hasimir　Fenring　had　bribed　old　Elrood's　guards　and　retainers；　setting　up　what　he　called　〃a　surprise　secret　meeting　with　an　important；　though　unexpected；　representative。〃　The　weasel…faced　man　had　used　his　silken　tongue　and　his　iron　will　to　manipulate　the　Emperor's　schedules　to　leave　an　opening。　As　a　fixture　around　the　Palace　for　more　than　three　decades；　Fenring；　by　virtue　of　his　association　with　Crown　Prince　Shaddam；　was　a　man　of　influence。　With　various　methods　of　persuasion；　he　convinced　everyone　he　needed　to　convince。
　Old　Elrood　suspected　nothing。
　At　the　appointed　hour　of　the　Tleilaxu　delegate's　arrival；　Fenring　made　certain　he　and　Shaddam　were　present　in　the　audience