bh.houseatreides-第90节

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could　tell　the　people　she　cared　about　that　she　was　alive　and　safe。　She　ached　to　see　them；　but　didn't　dare　make　contact；　because　of　the　risk　to　herself　and　those　who　had　fled　with　her。
　Harvesting　machinery　clattered　along　the　neat　rows　of　crops；　plucking　ripe　produce。　The　brilliant　glowdisks　cast　extended　shadows　like　stealthy　creatures　that　prowled　the　fields。　Some　of　the　shaggy　hired　workers　joined　in　a　singsong　chant　as　they　moved　about　gathering　crops　too　fragile　for　mechanical　picking。　Suspensor　baskets　ready　for　market　waited　at　the　pickup　station。
　Only　a　few　of　her　most　loyal　household　retainers　had　been　allowed　to　acpany　her　here　in　this　new　life。　She　hadn't　wanted　any　loose　ends；　no　one　who　could　report　to　Imperial　spies　　neither　had　she　wanted　to　put　faithful　panions　in　danger。
　Only　with　extreme　care　did　she　dare　talk　with　the　few　familiar　people　who　lived　near　her　on　Bela　Tegeuse。　A　handful　of　furtive　conversations；　quick　glances；　and　smiles　were　the　most　she　dared。　eyes　or　operatives　could　be　anywhere。
　With　a　carefully　laid　trail　of　identity　documents；　the　Lady　had　bee　a　respectable　woman　named　Lizett；　a　widow　whose　fictitious　husband　　a　local　merchant　and　minor　official　of　CHOAM　　had　left　her　enough　financial　resources　to　run　this　modest　estate。

　Her　entire　existence　had　altered：　no　more　pampered　activities　at　court；　no　music；　banquets；　or　receptions；　no　functions　with　the　Landsraad　　not　even　tedious　Council　meetings。　She　simply　lived　from　day　to　day；　remembering　old　times　and　longing　for　them　while　accepting　the　reality　that　this　new　life　might　be　the　best　she　could　ever　obtain。
　Worst　of　all；　she　might　never　see　her　loved　ones　again。
　Like　an　inspector　surveying　her　troops；　the　Lady　walked　down　the　lanes　of　crops；　assessing　vermilion　spiny　fruits　that　dangled　on　suspended　vines。　She　had　worked　hard　to　memorize　the　names　of　the　exotic　produce　she　grew。　It　was　important　to　put　up　a　convincing　front；　to　be　able　to　make　idle　conversation　with　anyone　and　avoid　arousing　suspicion。
　Whenever　she　appeared　outside　her　manor　house；　she　wore　a　lovely　necklace　of　Ixian　manufacture；　a　disguised　hologenerator。　It　shrouded　her　face　with　a　field　that　distorted　her　fine　features；　softened　her　cheekbones；　widened　her　delicate　chin；　altered　the　color　of　her　eyes。　She　felt　safe。。。enough。
　Pausing　to　look　up；　she　saw　a　glittering　rain　of　shooting　stars　near　the　horizon。　Across　the　dim　landscape　the　lights　of　ranches　and　a　distant　village　shimmered。　But　this　was　something　else　entirely。　Artificial　lights　　transports　or　shuttles？
　Bela　Tegeuse　was　not　a　populous　planet。　Its　fortunes　and　resources　were　small；　its　chief　claim　to　history　a　dark　and　bloody　one：　Long　ago；　it　had　been　the　site　of　slave　colonies；　hardy　but　struggling　villages　from　which　slaves　were　harvested　and　subsequently　planted　on　other　worlds。　She　felt　like　a　prisoner　herself。。。but　at　least　she　had　her　life　and　knew　her　family　was　safe。
　〃No　matter　what；　never　let　your　guard　down；　my　love；〃　her　husband　had　warned　as　he　parted　pany　from　her。　〃Never。〃
　In　this　constant　state　of　alert；　the　Lady　noticed　the　spotlights　of　three　ornithopters　as　they　approached　from　the　distant　spaceport。　The　flying　craft　cruised　low　across　the　flat；　parched　landscape。　They　had　turned　on　their　full　nighttime　search　beacons；　though　this　was　the　best　daylight　Bela　Tegeuse　could　manage；　at　the　height　of　the　double　afternoon。
　She　felt　cold　fingers　wrap　around　her　heart；　but　nonetheless　stood　tall　and　drew　her　dark　blue　cloak　around　her。　Her　House　colors　would　have　been　preferable；　but　she　no　longer　dared　even　keep　such　items　in　her　wardrobe。
　A　voice　called　from　the　main　house。　〃Madame　Lizett！　Someone　is　ing；　and　they　refuse　to　answer　our　hails！〃
　Turning；　she　saw　the　narrow…shouldered　figure　of　Omer；　one　of　her　primary　assistants　from　the　old　days；　a　man　who　had　acpanied　her　here；　not　sure　what　else　to　do。　Certainly　nothing　else　would　be　as　important　or　fulfilling；　Omer　had　assured　her；　and　she　was　grateful　for　his　devotion。
　The　Lady　considered　fleeing　the　approaching　'thopters；　but　dismissed　the　idea。　If　these　intruders　were　whom　she　feared　they　might　be；　she　had　no　chance　of　escape。　And　if　her　intuition　was　wrong；　she　wouldn't　need　to　run。
　The　clustered　ornithopters　arrived　overhead；　wings　fluttering　and　engines　roaring。　They　set　down　roughly；　indiscriminately；　upon　her　planted　fields；　knocking　her　full…spectrum　glowdisks　out　of　alignment　and　crushing　crops。
　When　the　doors　of　the　three　ships　slid　open　and　troops　emerged；　she　knew　she　was　doomed。
　In　a　dreamlike　vision；　she　thought　back　to　a　happier　time；　the　arrival　of　quite　different　troops。　It　had　been　in　her　younger　days　at　the　Imperial　Court；　when　the　headiness　of　being　a　royal　courtesan　had　begun　to　fade。　The　Emperor　had　spent　much　time　with　her　for　a　while；　but　after　his　interest　waned　he　had　moved　on　to　other　concubines。　It　was　to　be　expected。　She　hadn't　felt　snubbed；　since　Elrood　continued　to　provide　for　her。
　But　then　one　day；　after　the　rebellion　on　Ecaz　had　been　crushed；　she　had　watched　a　victory　parade　of　Imperial　fighters　marching　down　the　streets　of　Kaitain。　The　banners　were　so　bright　they　made　her　eyes　ache；　the　uniforms　perfect　and　clean；　the　men　so　brave。　At　the　head　of　the　column；　she　had　caught　her　first　glimpse　of　her　future　husband；　a　proud　warrior　with　broad　shoulders　and　a　broad　grin。　Even　from　a　distance；　his　very　presence　had　dazzled　her；　and　she　had　felt　her　passions　awaken；　seeing　him　as　the　greatest　among　all　of　the　returning　soldiers。。。。
　These　soldiers　arriving　today　on　Bela　Tegeuse　were　different；　though　　much　more　frightening　in　the　dress　gray…and…black　of　Sardaukar　uniforms。
　A　Burseg　troop　mander　stepped　forward；　flashing　his　rank　insignia。　With　an　upward　chop　of　his　hand；　he　signaled　for　his　men　to　take　up　their　positions。
　Maintaining　her　pretense　with　only　a　shred　of　hope；　the　Lady　strode　forward　to　meet　him；　chin　high。　〃I　am　Madame　Lizett；　the　owner　of　this　estate。〃　Her　voice　was　hard　as　she　scowled　over　at　the　destroyed　crops。　〃Do　you　or　your　employers　intend　to　make　reparations　for　all　the　property　damage　your　clumsiness　just　caused？〃
　〃Shut　your　mouth！〃　one　of　the　soldiers　snapped；　snatching　up　his　lasgun。
　Foolish；　the　Lady　thought。　I　could　have　been　wearing　a　shield。　If　so；　and　if　he　had　fired；　this　section　of　Bela　Tegeuse　would　have　been　obliterated　in　a　pseudoatomic　explosion。
　The　Burseg　mander　held　up　his　hand　to　silence　the　soldier；　and　she　recognized　the　planned　gambit：　a　brash；　uncontrolled　soldier　to　intimidate　her；　a　firm　military　leader　showing　the　face　of　reason。　Good　soldier；　bad　soldier。
　〃We　are　here　on　Imperial　orders；〃　said　the　Burseg。　〃We're　investigating　the　whereabouts　of　surviving　traitors　of　a　certain　renegade　House。　Through　the　right　of　acquisition；　we　require　your　cooperation。〃
　〃I　am　unfamiliar　with　the　legalities；〃　the　Lady　said。　〃But　I　know　nothing　of　renegades。　I'm　just　a　widow　trying　to　run　a　modest　farm　here。　Allow　my　attorneys　to　consult　with　you。　I'll　be　happy　to　cooperate　in　whatever　manner　I　can；　though　I'm　afraid　you'll　be　disappointed。〃
　〃We　won't　be　disappointed；〃　the　brash　soldier　growled。
　Around　them；　her　hired　workers　had　ceased　their　activities；　frozen　in　place。　The　Burseg　stepped　forward　and　stood　directly　in　front　of　the　Lady；　who　did　not　flinch。　He　studied　her　face；　frowning。　She　knew　her　holo…masked　appearance　did　not　match　what　the　man　expected　to　see。　She　stared　back　at　him；　meeting　his　flat　gaze。
　Before　she　understood　his　intention；　his　hand　snatched　her　Ixian　necklace　and　yanked　it　away。　She　felt　no　different；　but　she　knew　her　disguise　had　dissolved。
　〃That's　more　like　it；〃　said　the　Burseg。　〃You　know　nothing　of　renegades；　eh？〃　He　laughed　scornfully。
　She　glared　at　him。　Sardaukar　troops　continued　to　file　out　of　the　three　'thopters；　taking　up　positions　around　her。　Some　of　them　burst　into　her　manor　house；　while　others　searched　the　barn；　sun…silo；　and　other　outbuildings。　Did　they　expect　her　to　be　harboring　a　major　military　force？　pared　to　her　accustomed　lifestyle；　it　seemed　she　could　barely　afford　new　clothes　and　hot　food。
　Another　grim…faced　Sardaukar　grabbed　her　arm。　She　tried　to　pull　away；　but　he　pushed　up　the　sleeve　of　her　cloak　and；　in　a　flash；　scratched　her　with　a　small　curette。　She　gasped；　thinking　the　soldier　had　poisoned　her；　but　the　Sardaukar　stood　back　calmly　to　analyze　the　blood　sample　he　had　stolen。
　〃Identity　confirmed；　sir；〃　he　said；　looking　over　at　his　Burseg　mander。　〃Lady　Shando　Vernius　of　Ix。〃
　The　troops　stepped　back；　but　Shando　did　not　move。　She　knew　what　was　ing。
　For　over　a　year；　the　old　Emperor　had　grown　increasingly　irrational；　his　mind　failing；　his　body　trembling。　Elrood　suffered　under　more　delusions　than　usual；　more　hatred　than　one　body　should　have　contained。　But　he　remained　the　Emperor；　and　his　decrees　were　followed　explicitly。
　The　only　question　in　her　mind　was　whether　they　would　torture　her　first　to　acquire　information　she　didn't　have　about　Dominic's　whereabouts。　Or　whether　they　would　just　finish　the　job。
　Through　a　side　door　of　the　big　house；　Omer　came　running；　shouting。　His　black　hair　was　in　disarray。　He　waved　a　crude　hunting　weapon　he　had　found　in　a　st