bh.houseatreides-第57节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃You　can't　do　this　　you'll　doom　our　people　to　destruction！〃　Yuta　Brey　shouted　at　Elrood。
　〃Messenger；　you　are　impertinent；　just　like　Dominic　Vernius。　Tax　my　patience　no　more。〃　Looking　sternly　at　the　Tleilaxu　representative；　Elrood　manded：　〃Ambassador　Tooy；　bring　me　your　proof　　incontrovertible　proof　　within　two　days；　or　withdraw　your　forces　from　Ix。〃
　Mofra　Tooy　bowed。　Concealed　from　the　Guildsmen　directly　behind　him；　a　slight　smile　worked　briefly　at　the　edges　of　his　mouth；　then　faded。
　〃Very　well　then；〃　the　Ixian　Ambassador　said；　trembling　now　with　rage。　〃I　hereby　demand　an　immediate　Security　Council　session　of　the　Landsraad。〃
　〃And　you　shall　have　it；　precisely　according　to　law；〃　Elrood　said。　〃I　have　already　acted　in　the　manner　I　believe　best　serves　the　Imperium。　Mofra　Tooy　here　will　address　the　Council　in　two　days；　and　you　may　do　the　same。　If　you　wish　to　return　to　your　planet　in　the　meantime；　I　will　divert　an　express　Heighliner　for　your　use。　But　be　warned；　if　these　charges　are　indeed　valid；　Ambassador；　House　Vernius　will　have　much　to　atone　for。〃
　WIPING　PERSPIRATION　FROM　his　shaven　head；　Dominic　Vernius　studied　his　Ambassador　to　Kaitain。　Pilru　had　just　delivered　a　shocking　report　to　the　Earl　and　his　Lady。　The　man　was　clearly　anxious　to　search　for　his　missing　son　in　the　chaos　of　the　underground　city；　though　he　had　been　back　on　the　planet　for　less　than　an　hour。　They　stood　together　in　a　subterranean　operations　center；　deep　within　the　ceiling　of　rock；　since　the　transparent　Orb　Office　in　the　Grand　Palais　was　too　vulnerable　in　time　of　war。　Machinery　sounds　could　be　heard；　tube　transports　moving　Ixian　troops　and　equipment　through　the　catabs　of　the　planetary　crust。
　The　defensive　battles　had　not　been　going　well。　Through　well…planned　sabotage　and　carefully　arranged　bottlenecks；　Tleilaxu　now　controlled　most　of　the　underworld；　and　the　Ixians　were　being　herded　into　smaller　and　smaller　areas。　The　rebellious　suboids　vastly　outnumbered　the　besieged　Ixian　defenders；　and　the　Tleilaxu　invaders　took　full　advantage；　manipulating　the　pale…skinned　workers　with　ease。
　〃Elrood　has　betrayed　us；　my　love；〃　Dominic　said；　holding　his　wife。　They　had　only　the　dirty　clothes　on　their　backs　and　a　few　household　treasures　they　had　managed　to　rescue。　He　understood　everything　now；　though。　〃I　knew　the　Emperor　hated　me；　but　I　never　expected　such　loathsome　behavior；　not　even　from　him。　If　only　I　could　prove　it。〃
　Looking　pale　and　more　fragile　than　ever；　though　her　eyes　flared　with　iron　determination；　the　Lady　Shando　drew　a　deep　breath。　Delicate　lines　etched　around　her　exquisite　eyes　and　mouth　were　the　only　indications　of　her　advancing　age；　subtle　reminders　to　Dominic　to　treasure　her　beauty；　love；　and　fine　character　more　each　day。　Stepping　to　his　side；　she　looped　one　arm　through　his。　〃Maybe　if　I　went　to　him　and　threw　myself　on　his　mercy？　He　might　be　reasonable；　for　whatever　memories　he　still　holds　of　me。。。。
　〃I　wouldn't　let　you　do　it。　He　hates　you　now　and　resents　me　for　marrying　you。　Roody　is　beyond　passion。〃　Dominic　clenched　his　fists　and　studied　Ambassador　Pilru's　face；　but　found　no　hope　there。　Looking　back　at　Shando；　he　said；　〃Knowing　him；　he's　undoubtedly　set　up　intrigues　so　plex　that　he　couldn't　withdraw　now　if　he　wanted　to。
　〃We'll　never　receive　war　reparations；　even　if　we　are　victorious。　My　family　fortunes　will　be　confiscated；　my　personal　power　stripped。〃　He　lowered　his　voice；　trying　to　hide　the　despair。　〃And　all　to　get　even　with　me　for　taking　his　woman　away　from　him　a　long；　long　time　ago。〃
　〃I'll　do　whatever　you　want　me　to　do；　Dominic；〃　she　said　softly。　〃You　made　me　your　wife　instead　of　your　concubine。　I've　always　told　you。　。　。〃　Her　words　trailed　off。
　〃I　know；　my　love。〃　He　squeezed　her　hand。　〃I'd　do　anything　for　you；　too。　It　was　worth　the　cost。。。even　this。〃
　〃I　await　your　orders；　m'Lord；〃　Ambassador　Pilru　said；　deeply　agitated。　His　son　C'tair　was　out　there　somewhere；　hiding；　fighting；　perhaps　already　dead。
　Dominic　chewed　the　inside　of　his　mouth。　〃Clearly；　House　Vernius　has　been　singled　out　for　destruction；　and　there　is　but　one　alternative。　All　the　fabricated　charges　mean　nothing；　and　the　paper　shield　of　the　law　lies　torn　into　shreds。　The　Emperor　intends　to　destroy　us；　and　we　cannot　fight　House　Corrino；　especially　against　treachery　such　as　this。　I　don't　doubt　that　the　Landsraad　will　stall　and　then　pounce　upon　the　spoils　of　war。〃　Glowering；　he　squared　his　broad　shoulders　and　stood　straighter。　〃We　will　take　our　family　atomics　and　shields　and　flee　beyond　the　reach　of　the　Imperium。〃
　Pilru　bit　back　an　outcry。　〃Going。。。renegade；　my　Lord？　What　about　the　rest　of　us？〃
　〃Unfortunately；　we　have　no　choice；　Cammar。　It's　the　only　way　we　can　escape　with　our　lives。　I　want　you　to　contact　the　Guild　and　request　emergency　transport。　Invoke　any　favors　they　owe　us。　The　Guildsmen　observed　your　session　with　the　Emperor；　so　they　know　our　situation。　Tell　them　we　want　to　take　our　military　forces　with　us；　too　　what　little　we　have　left。〃　Dominic　hung　his　head。　〃I　never　imagined　it　would　e　to　this。。。thrust　from　our　Palace　and　our　cities。。。。〃
　The　Ambassador　nodded　stiffly；　then　departed　through　the　shimmer　of　a　shielded　doorway。
　One　wall　of　the　administrative　center　flashed　alive　with　four　projections　on　separate　panels　of　battles　raging　all　over　the　planet　　color　scenes　transmitted　by　portable　eyes。　Ixian　losses　continued　to　mount。
　Shaking　his　head；　Dominic　said；　〃Now　we　must　speak　to　our　closest　friends　and　retainers　and　inform　them　of　the　dangers　they　will　face　if　they　acpany　us。　It　will　be　much　more　difficult　and　dangerous　to　flee　with　us　than　to　be　subjugated　by　the　Tleilaxu。　No　one　will　be　forced　to　go　with　us；　it　will　be　volunteers　only。　As　a　renegade　House；　all　of　our　family　members　and　supporters　will　be　hunted　by　glory…seekers。〃
　〃Bounty　hunters；〃　Shando　said；　her　voice　heavy　with　mingled　sorrow　and　anger。　〃You　and　I　will　have　to　separate；　Dominic　　to　throw　them　off　our　trail　and　increase　our　chances。〃
　On　the　wall；　two　image　panels　fizzled　out；　as　the　Tleilaxu　found　transmitting　eyes　and　disabled　them。
　Dominic　softened　his　voice。　〃Later；　after　our　House　and　planet　have　been　restored　to　us；　we'll　remember　what　we　did　here　and　what　was　said。　This　is　history。　High　drama。　Let　me　tell　you　a　little　story；　a　parallel　case　study。〃
　〃I　do　enjoy　your　stories；〃　she　said　with　a　gentle　smile　on　her　strong　yet　delicate　face。　Her　hazel　eyes　danced。　〃Very　well；　what　will　we　tell　our　grandchildren？〃
　Momentarily　he　focused　on　a　fresh　crack　in　the　ceiling　and　water　that　trickled　down　a　wall。　〃Salusa　Secundus　was　once　the　Imperial　capital　world。　Do　you　know　why　they　moved　it　to　Kaitain？〃
　〃Some　problem　with　atomics；〃　she　replied。　〃Devastation　on　Salusa。〃
　〃According　to　the　Imperial　version；　it　was　an　unfortunate　accident。　But　House　Corrino　only　says　that　because　they　don't　want　to　give　people　ideas。　The　truth　is　that　another　renegade　family；　a　Great　House　whose　name　was　stripped　from　historical　records；　managed　to　land　on　Salusa　with　their　family　atomics。　In　a　daring　raid　they　bombed　the　capital　and　set　off　an　ecological　catastrophe。　The　world　still　hasn't　recovered。〃
　〃An　attack　with　atomics？　I　didn't　know　that。〃
　〃Afterward　the　survivors　moved　the　Imperial　throne　to　Kaitain；　in　a　different；　more　secure　solar　system；　where　young　Emperor　Hassik　III　rebuilt　the　government。〃　Seeing　the　concern　on　his　wife's　face；　he　drew　her　closer　and　held　her　tightly。　〃We　won't　fail；　my　love。〃
　The　last　wall　panels　fizzled　and　went　dead　as　the　Tleilaxu　knocked　out　the　remaining　eyes。
　In　the　Imperium　there　exists　the　〃principle　of　the　individual；〃　noble　but　rarely　utilized；　whereby　a　person　who　violates　a　written　law　in　a　situation　of　extreme　peril　or　need　can　request　a　special　session　of　the　court　of　jurisdiction　in　order　to　explain　and　support　the　necessity　of　his　actions。　A　number　of　legal　procedures　derive　from　this　principle；　among　them　the　Drey　Jury；　the　Blind　Tribunal；　and　the　Trial　by　Forfeiture。
　…Law　of　the　Imperium：　mentaries
　Despite　disastrous　military　losses　during　the　unexpected　revolt；　many　secret　places　still　remained　on　Ix。　Centuries　ago；　during　the　paranoid　times　after　House　Vernius　took　over　the　machine　operations；　engineers　sworn　to　secrecy　had　laid　down　an　unrecorded　honeyb　of　transmission…shielded　rooms；　algae…chambers；　and　hideouts　masked　from　discovery　by　remarkable　Ixian　ingenuity。　It　would　take　centuries　for　an　enemy　to　ferret　them　out；　even　the　ruling　House　had　forgotten　half　of　them。
　Guided　by　Captain　Zhaz　and　the　troop　of　personal　bodyguards；　Leto　and　Rhombur　concealed　themselves　in　an　algae…walled　chamber；　which　was　entered　via　an　access　tube　that　led　upward　into　the　crust　of　the　planet。　Routine　enemy　scans　would　detect　only　the　life　signs　of　the　algae；　since　massive　dampening　fields　surrounded　the　rest　of　the　isolated　chamber。
　〃We'll　only　have　to　stay　here　a　few　days；〃　Rhombur　said；　struggling　to　recapture　his　usual　optimism。　〃Surely　by　then；　Landsraad　or　Imperial　forces　will　have　e　to　our　rescue；　and　House　Vernius　can　begin　rebuilding　Ix。　Things　will　all　work　out。〃
　Narrowing　his　eyes；　Leto　remained　silent。　If　his　suspicions　were　correct；　it　could　well　take　much　longer　than　that。
　〃This　chamber　is　just　a　rendezvo