bh.houseatreides-第95节

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　After　an　interminable　instant；　the　lift　tube　opened　　but　as　he　dashed　through　the　doorway；　C'tair　accidentally　dropped　the　bag　containing　the　parts　he　had　just　purchased。　No　time　to　retrieve　it。
　With　a　muttered　curse　he　dived　into　the　lift　and　ordered　the　correct　floor　in　a　harsh；　manding　whisper。　Just　in　time；　the　door　clicked　shut；　and　the　sound　of　voices　faded。　He　worried　that　the　guards　might　disable　the　lift　or　call　in　Sardaukar　　so　he　needed　to　exit　quickly。　It　seemed　to　take　forever　to　reach　his　floor。
　The　door　opened；　and　C'tair　peered　out　carefully；　looking　right　and　left。　No　signs　of　anyone　here。　Reaching　back　into　the　lift　tube；　he　programmed　it　to　stop　at　four　other　floors；　then　sent　it　off　empty　to　soar　even　higher　into　the　crustal　passages。
　Seconds　later；　C'tair　stood　sweating　in　the　sanctuary　of　his　shielded　chamber；　thankful　to　have　escaped　with　his　life；　but　angry　at　himself　for　his　carelessness。　He　had　lost　the　precious　ponents；　and　also　given　the　Tleilaxu　a　clue　as　to　what　he　had　been　up　to。
　Now　they　would　be　looking　for　him　specifically。
　We　all　live　in　the　shadows　of　our　predecessors　for　a　time。　But　we　who　determine　the　fate　of　planets　eventually　reach　the　point　at　which　we　bee　not　the　shadows；　but　the　light　itself。
　…PRINCE　RAPHAEL　CORRINO；
　Discourses　on　Leadership
　As　an　official　member　of　the　Federated　Council　of　Great　and　Minor　Houses；　Duke　Leto　Atreides　embarked　on　a　Heighliner　and　traveled　to　Kaitain　for　the　next　Landsraad　meeting。　Wearing　his　formal　mantle　off…planet　for　the　first　time；　he　thought　he　had　recovered　enough　from　the　loss　of　his　father　to　make　a　major　public　appearance。
　After　Leto　had　made　his　decision　to　attend；　Thufir　Hawat　and　several　other　Atreides　protocol　advisors　had　locked　themselves　with　him　in　Castle　meeting　rooms　to　give　him　crash　courses　in　diplomacy。　The　advisors　hovered　around　him　like　stern　teachers；　insisting　that　he　be　brought　up　to　speed　on　all　the　social；　economic；　and　political　factors　a　Duke　must　take　into　account。　Harsh　glowglobes　lit　the　stone…walled　room；　while　a　sea　breeze　drifted　in　through　the　open　window；　bringing　with　it　the　sound　of　crashing　waves　and　screaming　gulls。　Despite　the　distractions；　Leto　attended　to　the　lectures。
　For　his　turn；　the　new　Duke　had　insisted　that　Rhombur　sit　beside　him　during　the　training　sessions。　〃One　day　he　will　need　to　know　all　these　things；　when　his　House　is　restored；〃　Leto　had　said。　Some　advisors　had　looked　skeptical；　but　they　did　not　argue。
　As　he　departed　from　Cala　City　Spaceport；　acpanied　only　by　Thufir　Hawat　as　his　escort　and　confidant；　Leto's　counselors　had　warned　him　against　rash　behavior。　Leto　had　pulled　his　cloak　tighter　around　his　shoulders。　〃I　understand；〃　he　said；　〃but　my　sense　of　honor　drives　me　to　do　what　I　must　do。〃
　By　ancient　tradition　it　was　Leto's　right　to　appear　in　the　Landsraad　forum　and　put　forth　his　demand。　A　demand　for　justice。　As　the　new　Duke；　he　had　an　agenda；　and　enough　anger　and　youthful　naivete　to　believe　he　just　might　succeed；　no　matter　what　his　advisors　might　tell　him。　Sadly；　though；　he　remembered　the　few　times　when　his　father　had　petitioned　the　Landsraad；　Paulus　had　always　returned　home　red…faced；　expressing　scorn　and　impatience　at　the　bumbling　bureaucracy。
　But　Leto　would　start　fresh；　with　high　hopes。
　Under　the　eternally　sunny　skies　of　Kaitain；　the　massive　Landsraad　Hall　of　Oratory　stood　high　and　imposing；　the　tallest　peak　in　a　mountain　range　of　legislative　edifices　and　government　offices　surrounding　an　ellipsoidal　mons。　The　Hall　had　been　erected　by　contributions　from　all　the　Houses；　each　noble　family　trying　to　outdo　the　others　in　grandeur。　Representatives　from　CHOAM　had　helped　to　procure　resources　from　across　the　Imperium；　and　only　by　special　order　of　a　former　Emperor　　Hassik　Corrino　III　　had　the　exorbitant　Landsraad　construction　plans　been　curtailed；　so　as　not　to　overshadow　the　Imperial　Palace　itself。
　Following　the　nuclear　holocaust　on　Salusa　Secundus　and　the　relocation　of　the　Imperium's　seat　of　government；　everyone　had　been　anxious　to　establish　an　optimistic　new　order。　Hassik　III　had　wanted　to　show　that　even　after　the　near　obliteration　of　House　Corrino；　the　Imperium　and　its　business　would　continue　at　a　more　exalted　level　than　ever　before。
　Banners　of　the　Great　Houses　rippled　like　a　rainbow　of　dragon　scales　along　the　outer　walls　of　the　Landsraad　Hall。　Standing　there　in　the　glittering　mons　surrounded　by　towering　metal…and…plaz　buildings；　Leto　was　hard…pressed　to　locate　the　green…and…black　flag　of　House　Atreides；　but　finally　found　it。　The　purple…and…copper　colors　of　House　Vernius　had　been　taken　down　and　publicly　burned。
　Thufir　Hawat　stood　beside　the　young　Duke。　Leto　longed　for　the　presence　of　his　friend　Rhombur；　but　it　was　not　yet　safe　for　the　exiled　Ixian　Prince　to　leave　the　sanctuary　of　Caladan。　Dominic　Vernius　still　had　not　emerged　from　hiding；　even　following　reports　of　Shando's　death；　Leto　knew　the　sharp…eyed　man　would　be　mourning　in　his　own　way。　And　plotting　revenge。。。。
　In　any　case；　Leto　would　have　to　do　this　himself。　His　father　would　have　expected　no　less　of　him。　So；　under　the　bright　Kaitain　sunshine；　he　squared　his　shoulders；　thought　of　his　family　history　and　all　that　had　occurred　since　the　dark　days　of　Atreus；　and　fixed　his　gaze　forward。　He　marched　ahead　along　the　flagstoned　streets；　not　allowing　himself　to　feel　small　in　the　face　of　the　Landsraad's　grandeur。
　As　they　entered　the　Hall　of　Oratory　in　the　pany　of　other　family　representatives；　Leto　spotted　the　colors　of　House　Harkonnen；　with　its　pale　blue　griffin　symbol。　Just　looking　at　the　banners；　he　could　name　a　few　other　families：　Houses　Richese；　Teranos；　Mutelli；　Ecaz；　Dyvetz；　and　Canidar。　In　the　center　of　all　the　flags　hung　the　much　larger　Imperial　banner　of　House　Corrino；　in　striking　scarlet　and　gold　with　its　central　lion　symbol。
　The　fanfare　surrounding　his　entrance；　and　that　of　the　other　arriving　representatives；　was　deafening　and　constant。　As　the　men　and　a　few　women　entered；　a　crier　announced　each　person's　name　and　position。　Leto　saw　only　a　few　true　nobles；　most　arrivals　were　Ambassadors；　political　leaders；　or　paid　sycophants。
　Even　though　he　himself　carried　a　royal　title；　Leto　did　not　feel　powerful　or　important。　After　all；　what　was　the　Duke　of　a　mid…level　House　pared　with　even　the　prime　minister　of　one　of　the　wealthy　families？　Though　he　controlled　the　economy　and　population　of　Caladan　and　the　other　holdings　of　Atreides；　many　Great　Houses　held　dominion　over　far　more　wealth　and　worlds。　He　envisioned　himself　for　a　moment　as　a　small　fish　among　sharks；　then　quashed　such　thoughts　before　they　could　diminish　his　confidence。　The　Old　Duke　had　never　allowed　him　the　luxury　of　feeling　small。
　In　the　enormous　Hall　he　wondered　where　he　might　find　the　empty　seats　formerly　occupied　by　House　Vernius；　he　took　only　small　satisfaction　in　knowing　that；　though　they　now　held　Ix；　the　Bene　Tleilax　would　never　receive　any　such　honors。　The　Landsraad　would　not　allow　despised　Tleilaxu　representatives　into　this　exclusive　club。　Normally　Leto　would　have　had　no　patience　for　such　wholesale　prejudice；　but　in　this　case　he　made　an　exception。
　As　the　Council　meeting　menced　with　interminable　formalities；　Leto　took　his　seat　in　a　plush　black…and…maroon　booth　along　one　side；　similar　to　those　provided　for　the　dignitaries　of　other　Houses。　Hawat　joined　him；　and　Leto　watched　the　business　unfold；　eager　to　learn；　ready　to　do　his　part。　But　he　had　to　wait　until　his　name　was　called。
　The　real　family　heads　could　not　be　bothered　to　attend　every　such　meeting；　and　as　a　number　of　trivial　matters　were　heard　　items　that　dragged　on　for　far　longer　than　was　necessary　　Leto　soon　understood　why。　Little　business　was　acplished　despite　all　the　talking　and　arguing　and　niggling　over　fine　points　of　protocol　or　Imperial　law。
　Newly　installed　in　his　title；　though；　Leto　would　make　this　his　formal　reception。　When　the　scrolling　agenda　signaled　his　turn　to　speak　at　long　last；　the　young　man　crossed　the　dizzying　expanse　of　polished　floor　in　the　cavernous　chamber；　unacpanied　by　the　warrior　Mentat　or　any　other　assistant；　and　climbed　to　a　central　lectern。　Trying　not　to　look　like　a　mere　teenager；　he　remembered　his　father's　powerful　presence　and　recalled　the　cheers　as　they　stood　in　the　arena；　holding　a　bull's…head　high。
　Gazing　across　the　sea　of　bored；　dignified　representatives；　Leto　took　a　deep　breath。　Amplifiers　would　snatch　his　words　and　transmit　them　so　that　all　listeners　could　hear；　shigawire　recordings　were　made　for　documentation　purposes。　This　would　be　a　vital　speech　for　him　　most　of　these　people　had　no　inkling　of　his　personality；　and　few　even　knew　his　name。　Realizing　that　they　would　form　their　impression　of　him　from　the　words　he　said　that　day；　Leto　felt　the　weight　on　his　shoulders　grow　even　heavier。
　He　waited　to　be　certain　he　had　everyone's　attention；　though　so　late　in　the　Council　meeting　he　doubted　anyone　had　the　mental　energy　required　to　concentrate　on　anything　new。
　〃Many　of　you　were　friends　and　allies　of　my　father；　Paulus　Atreides；〃　he　began；　then　dropped　his　bombshell；　〃who　was　recently　murdered　through　a　heinous　and　cowardly　act　of　assassination。〃　He　glanced　pointedly　over　at　the　seats　held　by　representatives　of　House　Harkonnen。　He　didn't　know　t