bh.houseatreides-第89节

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…thumper〃　journey。
　The　wind　was　fresh；　and　the　sand　was　bright；　and　the　Fremen　took　enormous　pleasure　in　their　grand　adventure。　Kynes　sat　atop　his　palanquin　like　an　emperor　himself；　looking　out　over　the　desertscape。　For　him　the　dunes　were　endlessly　fascinating；　and　yet　strangely　the　same　at　so　many　latitudes。
　Near　Heinar's　sietch　a　month　earlier；　Kynes　had　flown　alone　in　his　small　Imperial　ornithopter；　exploring　aimlessly。　He　had　been　blown　off　course　by　a　small　storm。　He'd　held　control；　even　against　the　gusting　winds；　but　he　had　been　awestruck　to　look　down　upon　the　open　sands　where　the　storm　had　scoured　clean　a　flat　white　basin　　a　salt　pan。
　Kynes　had　seen　such　things　before；　but　never　here　on　Dune。　The　geological　formation　looked　like　a　white　mirrored　oval；　marking　the　boundaries　of　what　had　once　been　an　open　sea　thousands　of　years　ago。　By　his　estimate；　the　pan　was　three　hundred　kilometers　long。　It　thrilled　him　to　imagine　that　in　the　past；　this　basin　might　have　been　a　large　inland　ocean。
　Kynes　had　landed　the　'thopter　and　stepped　out　in　his　stillsuit；　ducking　low　and　squinting　into　the　blowing　dust。　He　knelt　and　dug　his　fingers　into　the　powdery　white　surface。　He　tasted　his　fingertip　to　confirm　what　he'd　suspected。　Bitter　salt。　Now　he　could　have　no　doubt　that　there　had　once　been　open　water　on　this　world。　But　for　some　reason　it　had　all　disappeared。
　As　successive　sandworms　took　them　below　the　equator　and　into　the　deep　southern　portion　of　the　wasteland　planet；　Kynes　saw　many　other　such　things　to　remind　him　of　his　discovery：　glinting　depressions　that　might　have　been　the　remnants　of　ancient　lakes；　other　open　water。　He　mentioned　these　things　to　his　Fremen　guides；　but　they　could　explain　them　only　by　myths　and　legends　that　made　no　scientific　sense。　His　fellow　travelers　seemed　more　intent　on　their　destination。
　Finally；　after　exhausting　and　long　days；　they　left　the　last　worm　behind。　The　Fremen　pushed　on　into　the　rocky　landscapes　of　the　deep　southern　regions　of　Dune；　near　the　antarctic　circle　where　the　great　Shai…Hulud　refused　to　travel。　Though　a　few　water　merchants　had　explored　the　northern　ice　caps；　the　lower　latitudes　remained　primarily　uninhabited；　avoided；　shrouded　in　mystery。　No　one　came　here　　except　for　these　Fremen。
　Growing　more　and　more　excited；　the　troop　walked　for　a　day　over　gravelly　ground；　until　finally　Kynes　saw　what　they　had　been　so　eager　to　show　him。　Here；　the　Fremen　had　created　and　tended　a　vast　treasure。
　Not　far　from　the　diminutive　polar　ice　cap　in　a　region　where　he　had　been　told　the　weather　was　too　cold　and　inhospitable　for　habitation；　the　Fremen　of　various　sietches　had　set　up　a　secret　camp。　Following　the　length　of　a　wash；　they　entered　a　rugged　canyon。　The　floor　was　posed　of　stones　rounded　from　long…ago　running　water。　The　air　was　chilly；　but　warmer　than　he　had　ever　expected　so　deep　in　the　antarctic　circle。
　From　a　sheer　cliff　overhead　where　ice　and　cold　winds　at　the　top　gave　way　to　warmer　air　in　the　depths；　water　actually　trickled　from　cracks　in　the　rock…and　ran　seasonally　along　the　length　of　the　wash　they　had　followed　to　get　there。　The　Fremen　teams　had　cleverly　installed　solar　mirrors　and　magnifiers　in　the　cliff　walls　to　warm　the　air　and　melt　frost　from　the　ground。　And　there；　in　the　rocky　soil；　they　had　nurtured　plants。
　Kynes　was　speechless。　It　was　his　dream；　before　his　very　eyes！
　He　wondered　if　the　source　could　be　water　from　hot　springs；　but　upon　touching　it　he　found　it　to　be　cool。　He　tasted；　and　found　it　not　sulfurous　but　refreshing　　easily　the　best　he　had　drunk　since　ing　to　Dune。　Pure　water；　not　recycled　a　thousand　times　through　filters　and　stillsuits。
　〃Behold　our　secret；　Umma　Kynes；〃　Stilgar　said。　〃We　have　done　all　this　in　less　than　a　year。〃
　Tufts　of　hardy　grass　grew　in　moist　patches　on　the　floor　of　the　arroyo；　bright　desert　sunflowers；　even　the　low；　creeping　vines　of　a　tough　gourd　plant。　But　most　amazing　of　all；　Kynes　saw　rows　of　stunted　young　date　palms；　clinging　to　life；　sucking　up　the　moisture　that　found　its　way　through　cracks　in　the　porous　rock　and　seeped　up　from　a　water　table　beneath　the　canyon　floor。
　〃Palm　trees！〃　he　said。　〃You've　already　begun。〃
　〃Yes；　Umma。〃　Stilgar　nodded。　〃We　can　see　a　glimpse　of　Dune's　future　here。　As　you　promised　us；　it　can　be　done。　Fremen　from　all　across　the　world　have　already　begun　your　tasks　of　scattering　grasses　on　the　downwind　sides　of　the　dunes　to　anchor　them。〃
　Kynes　beamed。　So；　they　had　been　listening　to　him　after　all！　Those　scattered　grasses　would　spread　out　their　webwork　of　roots；　retaining　water；　stabilizing　the　dunes。　With　equipment　stolen　from　the　biological　testing　stations；　the　Fremen　could　continue　their　work　of　cutting　catchbasins；　erecting　windstills；　and　finding　other　means　to　grasp　every　droplet　of　water　borne　on　the　wind。。。。
　His　group　remained　in　the　sheltered　canyon　for　several　days；　and　Kynes　felt　giddy　with　what　he　saw　there。　As　they　camped　and　slept　and　walked　among　the　palmaries；　Fremen　from　other　sietches　came　at　intervals。　This　place　seemed　to　be　a　new　gathering　point　for　the　hidden　people。　Emissaries　arrived　to　gaze　with　awe　upon　the　palm　trees　and　plants　growing　in　the　open　air；　upon　the　faint　smear　of　moisture　oozing　from　the　rocks。
　One　evening　a　single　sandrider　came　trudging　in　carrying　his　gear；　looking　for　Umma　Kynes。　Breathless；　the　newly　arrived　traveler　lowered　his　eyes；　as　if　he　didn't　want　to　meet　the　Planetologist's　gaze。
　〃At　your　mand；　our　numbering　has　been　pleted；〃　he　announced。　〃We　have　received　word　from　all　the　sietches；　and　we　now　know　how　many　Fremen　there　are。〃
　〃Good；〃　Kynes　said；　smiling。　〃I　need　an　approximate　number　so　I　can　plan　for　our　work。〃　Then　he　waited　expectantly。
　The　young　man　looked　up　and　stared　at　him　directly　with　blue…in…blue　eyes。　〃The　sietches　are　counted　in　excess　of　five　hundred。〃
　Kynes　drew　a　quick　breath。　Far　more　than　he　had　suspected！
　〃And　the　number　of　actual　Fremen　on　Dune　is　approximately　ten　million。　Would　you　like　me　to　pile　the　exact　numbers；　Umma　Kynes？〃
　Kynes　staggered　backward　with　a　gasp。　Incredible！　The　Imperial　estimates　and　the　Harkonnen　reports　had　implied　mere　hundreds　of　thousands；　a　million　at　the　very　most。
　〃Ten　million！〃　He　hugged　the　astonished　young　Fremen　messenger。　So　many　willing　workers。　With　such　an　army　of　laborers；　we　can　indeed　remake　an　entire　planet！
　The　messenger　beamed　and　stepped　back；　bowing　at　the　honor　the　Planetologist　had　shown　him。
　〃And　there　is　more　news；　Umma　Kynes；〃　the　man　said。　〃I've　been　instructed　to　tell　you　that　your　wife　Frieth　has　given　birth　to　a　strong　young　son　who　is　sure　to　be　the　pride　of　his　sietch　one　day。〃
　Kynes　gasped　and　didn't　know　what　to　say。　He　was　a　father！　He　looked　at　Ommun　and　Stilgar　and　the　members　of　his　exploration　team。　The　Fremen　raised　their　hands　and　shouted　congratulations　to　him。　He　had　not　let　it　penetrate　through　his　consciousness　until　now；　but　he　felt　a　flood　of　pride　washing　over　his　surprise。
　Considering　his　personal　blessing；　Kynes　looked　at　the　palm　trees；　at　the　growing　grasses　and　flowers；　and　then　up　at　the　narrow　slice　of　blue　sky　framed　by　canyon　walls。　Frieth　had　given　birth　to　a　son！
　〃And　now　the　Fremen　number　ten　million　and　one；〃　he　said。
　Hatred　is　as　dangerous　an　emotion　as　love。　The　capacity　for　either　one　is　the　capacity　for　its　opposite。
　…Cautionary　Instructions　for　the　Sisterhood；　Bene　Gesserit　Archives；　Wallach　IX
　The　two　dim　suns　of　the　Kuentsing　binary　system　shone　through　the　murky　skies　of　Bela　Tegeuse。　The　blood…red　nearer　sun　imparted　a　purplish　cast　to　the　afternoon　sky；　while　the　icy…white　primary　　too　distant　to　add　much　heat　or　light　　hovered　like　an　illuminated　hole　in　the　twilit　heavens。　A　scrubby…surfaced　and　unappealing　planet；　it　was　not　on　any　of　the　main　Guild　transspace　routes；　and　Heighliners　didn't　often　stop　here。
　In　this　dismal　place；　the　Lady　supervised　her　above…ground　gardens　and　tried　to　remind　herself　that　this　was　her　temporary　home。　Even　after　the　better　part　of　a　year；　she　felt　herself　a　stranger　here。
　She　stared　into　the　cold　gloom　and　across　the　agricultural　fields　at　her　hired　local　workers。　Under　a　false　name；　she　had　used　some　of　her　remaining　hoarded　assets　to　buy　a　small　estate；　hoping　to　live　here。。。and　just　survive　until　she　could　be　reunited　with　the　others。　Since　her　desperate　flight；　she　had　not　seen　or　heard　from　them；　nor　had　she　let　her　guard　down　for　an　instant。　Elrood　still　lived；　and　the　hunters　were　still　out　there。
　Flat　glowdisks　spread　full…spectrum　light　over　the　fields；　pampering　the　rows　of　exotic　vegetables　and　fruits　that　would　be　sold　at　a　premium　to　wealthy　functionaries。
　Beyond　the　edges　of　the　fields；　the　native　vegetation　of　Bela　Tegeuse　was　bristly　and　hardy；　not　weling　at　all。　Kuentsing's　natural　sunlight　wasn't　bright　enough　to　foster　sufficient　photosynthesis　for　the　delicate　plants　in　the　Lady's　crops。
　She　felt　the　brisk　cold　against　her　face。　Her　sensitive　skin；　once　caressed　by　an　Emperor；　was　now　chapped　and　raw　from　the　harsh　elements。　But　she　had　vowed　to　be　strong；　to　adapt　and　endure。　And　it　would　have　been　so　much　easier　to　endure　if　only　she　could　tell　the　people　she　cared　about　that　she　was　alive　and　safe。　She　ached　to　see　them；　but　didn't