bh.houseatreides-第85节

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　hair。　He　wished　instead　that　he　could　use　the　laser　to　attack　the　Tleilaxu。　Other　teams　hauled　the　girders　and　plates　away；　stacking　them　for　the　next　assembly　project。
　With　ringing　and　clanging　all　around　him；　C'tair　recalled　a　better；　more　ordered　time；　when　he'd　stood　with　D'murr　and　Kailea　on　the　observation　deck　above。　So　long　ago；　it　seemed。　They　had　watched　a　Navigator　guide　the　last　new　Heighliner　out　of　the　grotto。　Perhaps　it　would　be　the　last　such　ship　ever　built。。。unless　C'tair　could　help　overthrow　these　destroyers。
　The　magnificent　ship　gradually　fell　to　pieces；　and　the　echoing　sounds　and　chemical　smells　were　horrific。　Did　suboids　work　this　way　all　the　time？　If　so；　he　could　begin　to　imagine　how　they　might　have　been　dissatisfied　enough　to　consider　a　rebellion。　But　C'tair　could　not　believe　the　violence　had　been　entirely　at　the　workers'　instigation。
　Had　this　all　been　part　of　the　Emperor's　plan？　To　destroy　House　Vernius　and　quash　progress？　Where　and　how　the　Bene　Tleilax　came　into　play　in　the　scheme　of　influences；　C'tair　wasn't　certain。　Of　all　races；　these　were　the　most　hated　people　in　the　known　galaxy。　Surely；　Elrood　could　have　found　any　number　of　Great　Houses　to　take　over　the　operations　on　Ix　without　disrupting　the　economics　of　the　Imperium。　What　else　could　the　Padishah　Emperor　have　in　mind　for　these　religious　fanatics？　Why　would　he　dirty　his　hands　with　them？
　In　disgust；　C'tair　watched　other　changes　in　the　grotto；　facilities　being　modified；　as　he　continued　the　work　of　dismantling　the　Heighliner。　The　new　Tleilaxu　overlords　were　busy　little　creatures；　always　hurrying　about　in　a　mysterious　manner；　setting　up　clandestine　operations　in　the　largest　structures　on　Ix；　locking　formerly　open　facilities；　shuttering　windows；　erecting　stun…fences　and　minefields。　Keeping　their　filthy　little　secrets。
　C'tair　took　it　as　his　mission　to　learn　all　those　secrets；　by　whatever　means　necessary；　however　long　it　might　take　him。　The　Tleilaxu　must　fall。。。。
　The　ultimate　question：　Why　does　life　exist？　The　answer：　For　life's　sake。
　…ANONYMOUS；　thought　to　be　of　Zensunni　origin
　Two　Reverend　Mothers　stood　talking　on　a　treeless　knoll：　one　old；　one　young。　Behind　clouds；　the　waning　sun；　Laoujin；　threw　the　long　shadows　of　their　hooded　black　robes　down　the　slope。　Over　the　centuries　an　untold　number　of　other　Reverend　Mothers　had　stood　on　the　same　spot；　under　the　same　sun；　discussing　grave　matters　relevant　to　their　times。
　If　the　two　women　wished；　they　could　revisit　those　past　crises　through　Other　Memory。　The　Reverend　Mother　Anirul　Sadow　Tonkin　made　such　thought…journeys　more　than　most；　each　circumstance　was　just　another　minor　step　along　the　long；　long　road。　Over　the　past　year　she　had　let　her　bronze…brown　hair　grow　long；　until　its　locks　hung　down　to　her　narrow　chin。
　At　the　base　of　the　knoll　a　whitecrete　building　was　under　construction。　Like　worker　bees；　female　laborers；　each　one　with　an　entire　blueprint　in　her　mind；　operated　heavy　equipment；　preparing　to　lift　roof　modules　into　place。　To　the　rare　outside　observer；　Wallach　IX　with　its　Bene　Gesserit　libraries　and　schools　seemed　always　the　same；　but　the　Sisterhood　was　ever　adapting　for　survival；　ever　changing；　ever　growing。
　〃They're　working　too　slowly。　I　wanted　them　finished　already；〃　Anirul　said；　rubbing　her　forehead；　she　had　been　experiencing　chronic　headaches　of　late。　As　Mohiam　came　closer　to　term；　Anirul's　responsibilities　as　Kwisatz　Mother　were　tremendous。　〃Do　you　realize　how　few　days　remain　until　the　baby　is　due？〃
　〃Blame　no　one　but　yourself；　Anirul。　You　demanded　that　this　be　no　ordinary　birthing　facility；〃　Mother　Superior　Harishka　said　sternly。　The　Kwisatz　Mother　flushed　and　looked　away。　〃Every　Sister　knows　how　important　it　is。　Many　of　them　suspect　this　is　not　just　another　child　to　be　lost　in　the　web　of　our　breeding　programs。　A　few　have　even　been　talking　about　the　Kwisatz　Haderach。〃
　Anirul　tucked　a　loose　strand　of　bronze　hair　behind　her　ear。　Unavoidable。　All　the　Sisters　know　of　our　dream；　but　few　suspect　how　close　it　is　to　reality。〃　She　shifted　her　skirts　around　her　and　sat　down　on　the　soft　grass　of　the　knoll。　She　gestured　toward　the　construction　where　the　sounds　of　carpentry　rang　clear　in　the　air。　〃Mohiam　is　due　to　deliver　in　a　week；　Mother　Superior。　We　don't　even　have　the　roof　on　yet。
　〃They　will　finish；　Anirul。　Calm　yourself。　Everyone　is　doing　her　best　to　follow　your　orders。〃
　Anirul　reacted　as　if　slapped；　then　covered　her　reaction。　Does　Reverend　Mother　see　me　as　an　untempered　and　impetuous　girl？　Perhaps　she　had　been　too　insistent　with　her　instructions　for　the　facility；　and　sometimes　Mother　Superior　looked　at　her　with　a　certain　amount　of　resentment。　Is　she　jealous　that　Other　Memory　chose　me　to　lead　such　an　ambitious　program？　Does　she　resent　my　knowledge？
　〃I'm　not　as　young　as　you're　treating　me；〃　Anirul　said；　against　the　better　judgment　of　the　voices。　Very　few　of　the　Bene　Gesserit　had　the　weight　of　history　inside　them　the　way　she　did。　Very　few　knew　all　of　the　machinations；　every　step　of　the　Kwisatz　Haderach　program；　every　failure　or　success　over　the　millennia；　every　deviation　in　the　plan；　for　more　than　ninety　generations。　〃I　have　the　knowledge　to　succeed。〃
　Mother　Superior　frowned　at　her。　〃Then　put　more　faith　in　our　Mohiam。　She's　delivered　nine　daughters　for　the　Sisterhood　already。　I　trust　her　to　control　the　exact　moment　at　which　she　chooses　to　give　birth；　even　to　delay　her　labor　if　necessary。〃　A　scrap　of　brittle　hair　blew　out　of　its　prim　containment　and　feathered　across　the　old　woman's　cheek。　〃Her　role　in　this　is　more　important　than　any　birthing　facility。〃
　Anirul　challenged　the　chastising　tone。　〃True。　And　we　must　not　have　another　failure；　like　the　last。〃
　Not　even　a　Reverend　Mother　could　master　all　facets　of　embryonic　development。　Through　her　internal　processes　she　could　set　her　own　metabolism；　but　not　the　metabolism　of　the　child。　Selecting　her　baby's　sex　was　an　adjustment　of　the　mother's　chemistry；　choosing　the　precise　egg　and　sperm　to　unite。　But　once　the　zygote　started　growing　in　the　womb；　the　offspring　was　effectively　on　its　own；　beginning　a　process　of　growing　away　from　the　mother。
　Anirul　said；　〃I　can　feel　that　this　daughter　will　be　vital；　a　crux　point。〃
　A　loud　thump　sounded　below；　and　Anirul　grimaced。　One　of　the　roof　sections　had　tumbled　into　the　interior　of　the　building；　and　the　Sister　workers　rushed　about　to　correct　the　mistake。
　Mother　Superior　uttered　a　profanity。
　THROUGH　HERCULEAN　EFFORTS　the　birthing　facility　was　pleted；　on　time；　while　Kwisatz　Mother　Anirul　marched　back　and　forth。　Only　hours　before　the　scheduled　birth；　construction　workers　and　robos　put　on　the　finishing　touches。　Medical　equipment　was　brought　in　and　connected。　Glowglobes；　beds；　blankets。。。even　a　warm　blaze　in　the　archaic　wood…burning　fireplace　Mohiam　had　requested。
　As　Anirul　and　Harishka　inspected　the　job；　still　smelling　of　dust　and　construction　materials；　they　paused　to　watch　the　noisy　entrance　of　a　motorized　gurney　bearing　an　enormously　pregnant　Gaius　Helen　Mohiam。　She　was　alert　and　sitting　up；　already　experiencing　increased　contractions。　Reverend　Mothers　and　white…smocked　medical　attendants　escorted　her　in；　clucking　excitedly　like　hens。
　〃This　was　too　close；　Mother　Superior；〃　Anirul　said。　〃I　don't　appreciate　additional　stress　points　in　an　already…plex　task。〃
　〃Agreed；〃　said　Harishka。　〃The　Sisters　will　be　reprimanded　for　their　lethargy。　Though；　if　your　designs　had　been　less　ambitious。。。〃　She　let　the　thought　hang　in　the　air。
　Ignoring　Mother　Superior；　Anirul　noted　the　trim　and　decoration　of　the　room；　with　its　intricate　ivory　and　pearl　inlays　and　ornate　wood　carvings。　Perhaps　she　should　have　had　them　concentrate　more　on　functionality　than　on　extravagance。。。。
　Harishka　crossed　her　thin　arms　over　her　chest。　〃The　design　of　this　new　facility　is　similar　to　what　we　had　before。　Was　it　really　necessary？〃
　〃This　is　not　similar　at　all；〃　Anirul　said。　Her　face　flushed；　and　she　washed　the　defensive　tone　out　of　her　words。　〃The　old　birthing　room　simply　wasn't　functional　anymore。〃
　Mother　Superior　gave　a　condescending　smile；　she　understood　the　need　for　an　untainted　building；　with　no　old　memories；　no　ghosts。　〃Anirul；　through　our　Missionaria　Protectiva　we　manipulate　the　superstitions　of　backward　peoples。。。but　we　Sisters　aren't　supposed　to　be　superstitious　ourselves。〃
　Anirul　took　the　ment　with　good　humor。　〃I　assure　you；　Mother　Superior；　such　conjecture　is　preposterous。〃
　The　older　woman's　almond　eyes　glittered。　〃Other　Sisters　are　saying　you　thought　the　old　birthing　room　had　a　curse　on　it；　which　caused　the　first　child's　deformities。。。and　its　mysterious　death。〃
　Anirul　drew　herself　up　straight。　〃This　is　hardly　the　proper　time　to　discuss　such　a　thing；　Mother　Superior。〃　She　scanned　the　frantic　preparations：　Mohiam　placed　on　the　birthing　bed；　Sisters　gathering　warm　karthan…weave　towels；　liquids；　pads。　An　incubator　chamber　blinked　with　monitors　on　the　wall。　First…ranked　midwives　bustled　around；　preparing　for　unforeseen　plications。
　On　her　gurney；　Mohiam　looked　entirely　posed　now；　her　thoughts　turned　inward；　meditating。　But　Anirul　noticed　how　old　she　appeared；　as　if　the　last　shreds　of　youth　had　been　drained　from　her。
　Harishka　placed　a　sinewy　hand　on　Anirul's　forearm　in　a　sudden