bh.houseatreides-第67节

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　the　deception；　he　wouldn't　dare　expose　it　for　fear　of　destroying　his　own　family　holdings。　Abulurd　revered　the　memory　of　their　father　too　much　for　that。
　The　Baron　walked　away　from　the　kirana　brandy；　and　the　sweet　burning　taste　turned　sour　in　the　back　of　his　mouth。　He　wore　a　loose　maroon…and…black　pajama　top　tightly　sashed　across　his　flat　stomach。　The　pale　blue　griffin　crest　of　House　Harkonnen　emblazoned　the　left　breast。　He'd　left　his　arms　bare　to　show　off　his　biceps。　His　reddish　hair　was　cut　short；　tousled　for　a　rakish　look。
　He　looked　hard　at　de　Vries。　The　Mentat　gulped　from　a　small　bottle　of　deep　red　sapho　juice。　〃Are　we　ready；　my　Baron？　She's　waiting　outside。〃
　〃Yes；　Piter。〃　He　lounged　back　in　a　chair。　His　silky　pants　were　loose；　and　the　prying　eyes　of　the　Reverend　Mother　would　be　able　to　detect　no　bulge　of　a　weapon　　no　expected　weapon。　He　smiled。　〃Go　and　send　her　in。〃
　WHEN　MOHIAM　PASSED　into　the　main　hall　of　the　Keep；　Burseg　Kryubi　and　his　troops　closed　the　doors　behind　her；　remaining　outside。　The　locks　sealed　with　a　click。　Immediately　on　her　guard；　she　noted　that　the　Baron　had　orchestrated　every　detail　of　this　encounter。
　The　two　of　them　seemed　to　be　alone　in　the　long　room；　which　was　austere　and　cold；　awash　in　glaring　light。　The　entire　Keep　conveyed　the　impression　of　square　corners　and　unsoftened　harshness　the　Harkonnens　loved　so　well；　this　place　was　more　an　industrial　conference　room　than　a　sumptuous　palace　hall。
　〃Greetings　again；　Baron　Harkonnen；〃　Mohiam　said　with　a　smile　that　overlaid　politeness　on　top　of　her　scorn。　〃I　see　you've　been　anticipating　our　meeting。　Perhaps　you're　even　eager？〃　She　looked　away；　glancing　at　her　fingertips。　〃It's　possible　I　shall　allow　you　a　bit　more　pleasure　this　time。〃
　〃Maybe　so；〃　the　Baron　said；　affably。
　She　didn't　like　the　answer。　What　is　his　game？　Mohiam　looked　around；　sensing　the　air　currents；　peering　into　shadows；　trying　to　hear　the　heartbeat　of　some　other　person　lying　in　wait。　Someone　was　there。。。but　where？　Did　they　plan　to　murder　her？　Would　they　dare？　She　monitored　her　pulse；　prevented　it　from　accelerating。
　The　Baron　definitely　had　more　in　mind　than　simple　cooperation。　She　had　never　expected　an　easy　victory　over　him；　especially　not　this　second　time。　The　heads　of　some　Minor　Houses　could　be　crushed　or　manipulated　　the　Bene　Gesserit　certainly　knew　how　to　do　it　　but　this　wouldn't　be　the　fate　of　House　Harkonnen。
　She　looked　at　the　Baron's　stygian　eyes；　straining　with　her　Truthsayer　abilities；　but　unable　to　see　what　he　was　thinking；　unable　to　unravel　his　plans。　Mohiam　felt　a　twinge　of　fear　deep　inside；　barely　recognized。　Just　how　much　would　the　Harkonnens　dare？　This　Baron　couldn't　afford　to　refuse　the　Sisterhood's　demand；　knowing　what　information　the　Bene　Gesserit　held　against　him。　Or　would　he　risk　the　possibility　of　heavy　Imperial　penalties？
　Of　equal　import；　would　he　risk　a　Bene　Gesserit　punishment？　That；　too；　was　no　small　matter。
　At　another　time　she　might　have　enjoyed　playing　games　with　him；　mental　and　physical　sparring　with　a　strong　opponent。　He　was　slippery　and　could　bend　and　twist　far　more　easily　than　he　could　break。　But　right　now　the　Baron　fell　beneath　her　contempt；　serving　as　a　stud　whose　genes　were　required　by　the　Sisterhood。　She　didn't　know　why；　or　what　importance　this　daughter　might　hold；　but　if　Mohiam　returned　to　Wallach　IX　with　her　mission　unfulfilled；　she　would　receive　a　severe　reprimand　from　her　superiors。
　She　decided　not　to　waste　any　additional　time。　Summoning　the　full　Voice　talents　the　Bene　Gesserit　had　taught　her；　word　and　tone　manipulations　that　no　untrained　human　could　resist；　she　said　curtly；　〃Cooperate　with　me。〃　It　was　a　mand　she　expected　him　to　obey。
　The　Baron　just　smiled。　He　didn't　move；　but　his　eyes　flicked　to　one　side。　Mohiam　was　so　startled　at　the　ineffectiveness　of　Voice　that　she　realized　too　late　the　Baron　had　set　a　different　trap　for　her。
　The　Mentat　Piter　de　Vries　had　already　launched　himself　out　of　a　hidden　alcove。　She　turned；　battle…ready；　but　the　Mentat　moved　as　swiftly　as　any　Bene　Gesserit　could。
　The　Baron　took　it　all　in；　and　enjoyed　what　he　was　seeing。
　De　Vries　held　a　crude　but　effective　weapon　in　his　hands。　The　old…fashioned　neural　scrambler　would　serve　as　a　brutal　high…powered　stunning　device。　He　fired　a　volley　before　she　could　move。　The　crackling　waves　slammed　into　her；　short…circuiting　her　mind/muscle　control。
　Mohiam　fell　backward；　twitching　and　wrenching　with　painful　spasms；　every　square　centimeter　of　her　skin　alive　with　imaginary　biting　ants。
　Such　a　delightful　effect；　the　Baron　thought　as　he　watched。
　She　dropped　to　the　polished…stone　floor；　arms　and　legs　akimbo；　as　if　she　had　been　squashed　by　a　giant　foot。　Her　head　struck　the　hard　tiles；　and　her　ears　rang　from　the　blow。　Unblinking；　her　eyes　stared　up　at　the　vaulted　ceiling。　Even　with　extreme　prana…bindu　muscular　control；　she　couldn't　move。
　Finally　the　mocking　face　of　the　Baron　loomed　over　her；　pushing　itself　into　her　limited　field　of　view。　Her　arms　and　legs　jittered　with　random　nerve　impulses。　She　felt　warm　wetness　and　realized　that　her　bladder　had　let　go。　A　thin　line　of　spittle　trickled　from　the　corner　of　her　lip　down　her　cheek；　weaving　a　path　to　the　base　of　her　ear。
　〃Now　then；　witch；〃　the　Baron　said；　〃that　stunner　will　do　no　permanent　damage。　In　fact；　you'll　have　bodily　control　again　in　about　twenty　minutes。　Time　enough　for　us　to　get　to　know　one　another。〃　He　walked　around　her；　smiling；　passing　in　and　out　of　her　peripheral　vision。
　Raising　his　voice　so　that　electronic　pickups　would　transmit　everything　to　the　hidden　observers；　he　continued。　〃I　know　what　false　blackmail　material　you　have　fabricated　against　House　Harkonnen；　and　my　lawyers　are　prepared　to　deal　with　it　in　any　court　of　the　Imperium。　You　have　threatened　to　use　it　if　I　don't　grant　you　another　child；　but　that　is　a　toothless　threat　from　toothless　witches。〃
　He　paused；　then　smiled　as　if　an　idea　had　just　occurred　to　him。　〃Still；　I　don't　mind　giving　you　the　additional　daughter　you　desire。　Really；　I　don't。　But　know　this；　witch；　and　take　my　message　back　to　your　Sisterhood：　You　cannot　twist　Baron　Vladimir　Harkonnen　to　your　purpose　without　suffering　the　consequences。〃
　Using　all　of　her　training　to　focus　on　the　output　of　certain　nerves　and　muscles；　Mohiam　reconnected　her　eyes　so　that　she　could　at　least　move　them　to　look　around。　The　neural　scrambler　had　been　incredibly　effective；　though；　and　the　rest　of　her　body　lay　helpless。
　Fighting　his　revulsion；　the　Baron　reached　down　and　tore　at　her　skirts。　What　a　disgusting　form　she　had；　without　the　male　muscle　patterns　he　so　admired　and　desired。　〃My；　it　looks　like　you've　had　a　little　accident　here；〃　he　said；　frowning　at　the　urine…wet　fabric。
　Piter　de　Vries　stood　over　her　from　behind；　looking　down　at　her　broad；　slack　face。　She　saw　the　red…stained　lips　and　the　half…mad　glint　in　the　Mentat's　eyes。　Below；　the　Baron　knocked　her　legs　apart　and　then　fumbled　at　his　loose…fitting　black　pants。
　She　couldn't　see　what　he　was　doing；　didn't　want　to。
　Giddy　with　the　success　of　his　plan；　the　Baron　had　no　difficulty　maintaining　an　erection　this　time。　Flushed　in　the　afterglow　of　the　brandy　he　had　drunk；　he　stared　down　at　the　unattractive　woman；　imagined　her　as　a　withered　old　crone　that　he　had　just　sentenced　to　the　most　brutal　of　the　Harkonnen　slave　pits。　This　woman；　who　fancied　herself　so　great　and　powerful；　now　lay　pletely　helpless。。。at　his　mercy！
　The　Baron　took　enormous　pleasure　in　raping　her　　the　first　time　he　could　ever　recall　enjoying　himself　with　a　woman；　though　she　was　just　a　limp　piece　of　meat。
　During　the　violence　of　the　attack；　Mohiam　lay　supine　on　the　cold　floor；　furious　and　impotent。　She　could　feel　every　movement；　every　touch；　every　painful　thrust；　but　she　still　had　no　control　over　her　voluntary　muscles。　Her　eyes　remained　open；　although　she　thought　she　might　have　been　able　to　blink　if　she　worked　hard　enough　at　it。
　Instead　of　wasting　that　energy；　the　Reverend　Mother　concentrated　internally；　feeling　her　biochemistry；　changing　it。　The　Mentat's　stunner　weapon　hadn't　done　a　plete　job　on　her。　Muscles　were　one　thing；　but　internal　body　chemistry　was　quite　another。　The　Baron　Vladimir　Harkonnen　would　regret　this。
　Previously　she　had　manipulated　her　ovulation　to　achieve　the　peak　of　fertility　in　this　exact　hour。　Even　raped；　she　would　have　no　trouble　conceiving　a　new　daughter　with　the　Baron's　sperm。　That　was　the　most　important　consideration。
　Technically；　she　required　nothing　more　from　the　vile　man。　But　the　Reverend　Mother　Gaius　Helen　Mohiam　intended　to　give　him　something　back；　a　slow…acting　revenge　he　would　never　forget　for　the　rest　of　his　life。
　No　one　was　ever　allowed　to　forget　a　Bene　Gesserit　punishment。
　Though　she　remained　paralyzed；　Mohiam　was　an　acplished　Reverend　Mother。　Her　body　itself　contained　unorthodox　weapons　that　remained　at　her　disposal　even　now；　even　as　helpless　as　she　appeared　to　be。
　With　the　sensitivities　and　remarkable　functions　of　their　bodies；　Bene　Gesserit　Sisters　could　create　antidotes　for　poisons　introduced　into　their　systems。　They　were　able　to　neutralize　the　most　hideous　strains　of　diseases　to　which　they　had　been　exposed；　and　either　destroy　the　virulent　pathogens。。。or　render　them　latent　in　their　bodies；　keeping　the　diseas