bh.houseatreides-第71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！


　〃Look　at　me；　I　said！〃　Hawat　snapped。　〃I　could　have　leaped　forward　and　gutted　both　of　you　in　the　instant　you　exchanged　those　cute　little　glances。〃　He　took　a　menacing　step　toward　them。
　Leto　and　Rhombur　wore　fine　clothes；　fortable　yet　regal…looking。　Their　capes　snapped　about　in　the　breeze。　Leto's　was　brilliant　emerald　merh…silk　trimmed　in　black；　while　the　Prince　of　Ix　proudly　sported　the　purple　and　copper　of　House　Vernius。　But　Rhombur　looked　decidedly　uneasy　to　be　out　under　the　towering　sky。　〃It's　all　so。。。wide…open；〃　he　whispered。
　After　interminable　silence；　Hawat　raised　his　chin；　ready　to　begin。　〃First　of　all；　remove　those　ridiculous　capes。〃
　Leto　reached　up　to　the　clasp　at　his　throat；　but　Rhombur　hesitated　just　a　moment。　Within　the　space　of　a　heartbeat；　Hawat　had　ripped　out　his　short　sword　and　slashed　the　tiny　cord　mere　millimeters　from　the　Prince's　jugular　vein。　The　wind　grasped　the　purple…on…copper　cape　and　carried　it　like　a　lost　banner　over　the　cliff。　The　cloth　flew　like　a　kite　until　it　drifted　to　the　churning　water　below。
　〃Hey！〃　Rhombur　said。　〃Why　did　you　〃
　Hawat　sidestepped　the　indignant　outcry。　〃You　came　here　to　learn　weapons　training。　So　why　did　you　dress　for　a　Landsraad　ball　or　an　Imperial　banquet？〃　The　Mentat　snorted；　then　spat　with　the　wind。　〃Fighting　is　dirty　work；　and　unless　you　intend　to　conceal　weapons　in　those　capes；　wearing　them　is　foolish。　It's　like　carrying　your　own　burial　shroud　on　your　shoulders。〃
　Leto　still　held　his　green　cape　in　his　hands。　Hawat　reached　forward；　grabbed　the　end　of　the　fabric；　snapped　it；　twirled　it　around…and　in　a　flash　had　captured　Leto's　right　hand；　his　fighting　hand。　Hawat　yanked　hard　and　thrust　out　with　his　foot　to　catch　the　young　man's　ankle。　Leto　sprawled　on　the　rocky　ground。
　Static　spun　in　front　of　his　eyes；　and　he　gasped　to　catch　his　breath。　Rhombur　laughed　at　his　friend；　then　managed　to　restrain　himself。
　Hawat　yanked　the　cape　free　and　tossed　it　up　in　the　air；　where　it　blew　out　on　the　ocean　winds　to　join　Rhombur's。　〃Anything　can　be　a　weapon；〃　he　said。　〃You're　carrying　your　swords；　and　I　see　daggers　at　your　sides。　You　have　shields；　all　of　which　are　obvious　weapons。
　〃However；　you　should　also　conceal　an　assortment　of　other　niceties：　needles；　stun…fields；　poison　tips。　While　your　enemy　can　see　the　obvious　weapons〃　　Hawat　took　a　long　training　sword　and　slashed　it　in　the　air　　〃you　can　use　them　as　a　decoy　to　attack　with　something　even　deadlier。〃
　Leto　stood　up　straight；　brushing　dirt　and　debris　from　himself。　〃But；　sir；　it's　not　sporting　to　use　hidden　weapons。　Doesn't　that　go　against　the　strictures　of　〃
　Hawat　snapped　his　fingers　like　a　gunshot　in　front　of　Leto's　face。　〃Don't　talk　to　me　about　pretty　points　of　assassination。〃　The　Mentat's　rough　skin　turned　more　ruddy；　as　if　he　barely　kept　his　anger　in　check。　〃Is　your　intention　to　show　off　for　the　ladies；　or　to　eliminate　your　opponent？　This　is　not　a　game。〃
　The　grizzled　man　focused　on　Rhombur；　staring　so　intently　that　the　young　man　backed　up　half　a　step。　〃Word　has　it　there's　an　Imperial　bounty　on　your　head；　Prince；　if　you　ever　leave　the　sanctuary　of　Caladan。　You　are　the　exiled　son　of　House　Vernius。　Your　life　is　not　that　of　a　moner。　You　never　know　when　the　death　blow　will　fall；　so　you　must　be　prepared　at　all　times。　Court　intrigues　and　politics　have　their　own　rules；　but　oft'times　the　rules　are　not　known　to　all　players。〃
　Rhombur　swallowed　hard。
　Turning　to　Leto；　Hawat　said；　〃Lad；　your　life　is　in　danger；　too；　as　heir　to　House　Atreides。　All　Great　Houses　must　constantly　be　on　the　alert　against　assassination。〃
　Leto　straightened；　fixing　his　gaze　on　the　instructor。　〃I　understand；　Thufir；　and　I　want　to　learn。〃　He　looked　over　at　Rhombur。　〃We　want　to　learn。〃
　Hawat's　red…stained　lips　smiled。　〃That's　a　start；〃　he　said。　〃There　may　be　clumsy　clods　working　for　other　families　in　the　Landsraad　　but　you；　my　boys；　must　bee　shining　examples。　Not　only　will　you　learn　shield…and…knife　fighting　and　the　subtle　arts　of　killing；　you　must　also　learn　the　weaponry　of　politics　and　government。　You　must　know　how　to　defend　yourselves　through　culture　and　rhetoric；　as　well　as　with　physical　blows。〃　The　warrior　Mentat　squared　his　shoulders　and　stood　firm。　〃From　me　you　will　learn　all　these　things。〃
　He　switched　on　his　body…shield。　Behind　the　shimmering　field　he　held　a　dagger　in　one　hand；　a　long　sword　in　the　other。
　Instinctively；　Leto　switched　on　his　own　shield　belt；　and　the　flickering　Holtzman　field　glimmered　in　front　of　him。　Rhombur　fumbled　to　do　the　same　just　as　the　Mentat　feigned　an　attack；　pulling　back　at　the　last　possible　second　before　drawing　blood。
　Hawat　tossed　the　weapons　from　hand　to　hand　　left；　right；　and　left　again　　proving　he　could　use　either　for　a　killing　strike。　〃Watch　carefully。　Your　lives　may　someday　depend　on　it。
　Any　path　that　narrows　future　possibilities　may　bee　a　lethal　trap。　Humans　do　not　thread　their　way　through　a　maze；　they　scan　a　vast　horizon　filled　with　unique　opportunities。
　…The　Spacing　Guild　Handbook
　Junction　was　an　austere　world　of　limited　geographic　variations；　unadorned　scenery；　and　strict　weather　control　to　remove　troublesome　inconveniences。　A　serviceable　place；　it　had　been　chosen　as　Spacing　Guild　headquarters　because　of　its　strategic　location　rather　than　its　landscapes。
　Here；　candidates　learned　to　bee　Navigators。
　Second…growth　forests　covered　millions　of　hectares；　but　they　were　stunted　box　trees　and　dwarf　oaks。　Certain　Old　Terran　vegetables　grew　in　abundance；　cultivated　by　the　locals　　potatoes；　peppers；　eggplants；　tomatoes；　and　a　variety　of　herbs　　but　the　produce　tended　to　bee　alkaloid；　edible　only　after　careful　processing。
　After　his　mind…opening　examination；　stunned　by　the　new　vistas　opened　to　him　through　the　melange　surge；　D'murr　Pilru　had　been　brought　here　without　a　chance　to　say　his　goodbyes　to　his　twin　brother　or　his　parents。　At　first　he　had　been　upset；　but　the　requirements　of　Guild　training　rapidly　filled　him　with　so　many　wonders　that　he'd　disregarded　everything　else。　He　found　he　could　now　focus　his　thoughts　much　better。。。and　forget　much　more　easily。
　The　buildings　of　junction　　huge　bulging　shapes　with　rounded　and　angular　extrusions　　were　of　standard　Guild　design；　much　like　the　Embassy　on　Ix：　practical　in　the　extreme　and　awe…inspiring　in　their　immensity。　Each　structure　bore　a　rounded　cartouche　containing　the　mark　of　infinity。　Mechanical　infrastructures　were　both　Ixian　and　Richesian；　installed　centuries　earlier　and　still　functioning。
　The　Spacing　Guild　preferred　environments　that　did　not　interfere　with　its　important　work。　To　a　Navigator；　any　distractions　were　potentially　dangerous。　Every　Guild　student　learned　this　lesson　early；　as　did　the　young　candidate　D'murr　　far　from　home　and　totally　engrossed　in　his　studies　to　the　exclusion　of　any　worries　about　his　former　planet's　troubles。
　On　a　blakgras　field　he　was　immersed　in　his　own　container　of　melange　gas　　half　swimming　and　half　crawling　as　his　body　continued　to　change；　his　physical　systems　altering　to　adapt　to　the　bombardment　of　spice。　Membranes　had　begun　to　connect　his　toes　and　fingers；　his　body　had　grown　longer　than　before　and　more　flaccid；　taking　on　a　fish　shape。　No　one　had　explained　the　extent　of　the　inevitable　changes　to　him；　and　he　neither　chose　　nor　needed　　to　ask。　It　made　no　difference。　So　much　of　the　universe　had　been　opened　to　him；　he　considered　it　a　modest　price　to　pay。
　D'murr's　eyes　had　grown　smaller；　without　lashes；　they　were　also　developing　cataracts。　He　didn't　need　them　to　see　anymore；　though；　since　he　had　other　eyes。。。inner　vision。　The　panorama　of　the　universe　unfolded　for　him。　In　the　process；　he　felt　as　if　he　were　leaving　everything　else　behind。。。and　it　didn't　bother　him。
　Through　the　haze　D'murr　saw　that　the　blakgras　field　was　covered　with　neat　rows　of　containerized　candidates　and　their　Navigator　trainers。　One　life　per　container。　The　tanks　vented　orange　clouds　of　filtered　melange　exhaust；　swirling　around　masked　humanoid　attendants　who　stood　nearby；　waiting　to　move　the　tanks　when　told　to　do　so。
　The　Head　Instructor；　a　Navigator　Steersman　named　Grodin；　floated　inside　a　black…framed　tank　that　had　been　raised　high　on　a　platform；　the　trainees　saw　him　more　with　their　minds　than　with　their　eyes。　Grodin　had　just　returned　from　foldspace　with　a　student；　whose　tank　was　adjacent　to　his　and　connected　with　flexible　tubing；　so　that　their　gases　merged。
　D'murr　himself　had　acplished　short　flights　on　three　occasions　now。　He　was　considered　one　of　the　top　trainees。　Once　he　learned　to　travel　through　foldspace　by　himself；　he　could　be　licensed　as　a　Pilot；　the　lowest…ranking　Navigator。。。but　still　vastly　higher　than　he'd　once　been　as　a　mere　human。
　Steersman　Grodin's　foldspace　treks　were　legendary　quests　of　discovery　through　inprehensible　dimensional　knots。　The　Head　Instructor's　voice　gurgled　from　a　speaker　inside　D'murr's　tank；　using　higher…order　language。　He　described　a　time　he　had　transported　dinosaur…like　creatures　in　an　old…style　Heighliner。　Unknown　to　him；　the　monsters　could　stretch　their　necks　to　incredible　lengths。　While　the　Heighliner　was　in　flight；　one　had　chewed　its　way　into　a　navigation　chamber；　so　that　its　face　appeared　outside　Grodin's　tank；　peering　in　with　a　curious；　wide…eyed　expression。。。。
　So　pleasant　in　here；　D'