fh.godemperorofdune-第57章

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mes　were　it　not　for　Anteac's　Mentat　abilities　at　data　absorption。
　Anteac　shook　her　head　as　she　considered　what　must　be　reported　to　her　Sisters　at　the　Chapter　House。　They　already　would　be　studying　the　import　of　her　previous　message。　A　machine　which　could　shield　itself　and　contents　from　the　penetrating　prescience　of　even　the　God　Emperor？　Was　that　possible？　Or　was　this　a　different　kind　of　test；　a　test　of　Bene　Gesserit　candor　with　their　Lord　Leto？　But　now！　If　he　did　not　already　know　the　genesis　of　this　enigmatic　Hwi　Noree　。　。　。
　This　new　development　reinforced　Anteac's　Mentat　summation　of　why　she　had　been　chosen　for　the　mission　to　Ix。　The　God　Emperor　did　not　trust　this　knowledge　to　his　Fish　Speakers。　He　did　not　want　Fish　Speakers　suspecting　a　weakness　in　their　Lord！
　Or　was　that　as　obvious　as　it　appeared？　Wheels　within　wheels…that　was　the　way　of　the　Lord　Leto。
　Again；　Anteac　shook　her　head。　She　bent　then　and　resumed　her　account　for　the　Chapter　House；　leaving　out　the　revelation　that　the　God　Emperor　had　chosen　a　bride。
　They　would　learn　it　soon　enough。　Meanwhile；　Anteac　herself　would　consider　the　implications。
　
　If　you　know　all　of　your　ancestors；　you　were　a　personal　witness　to　the　events　which　created　the　myths　and　religions　of　our　past。　Recognizing　this；　you　must　think　of　me　as　a　myth…maker。
　…The　Stolen　Journals
　THE　FIRST　explosion　came　just　as　darkness　enfolded　the　City　of　Onn。　The　blast　caught　a　few　venturesome　revelers　outside　the　Ixian　Embassy；　passing　on　their　way　to　a　party　where　（it　was　promised）　Face　Dancers　would　perform　an　ancient　drama　about　a　king　who　slew　his　children。　After　the　violent　events　of　the　first　four　Festival　Days；　it　had　taken　some　courage　for　the　revelers　to　emerge　from　the　relative　safety　of　their　quarters。　Stories　of　death　and　injury　to　innocent　bystanders　circulated　all　through　the　City…and　here　it　was　again…more　fuel　for　the　cautious。
　None　of　the　victims　and　survivors　would　have　appreciated　Leto's　observation　that　innocent　bystanders　were　in　relatively　short　supply。
　Leto's　acute　senses　detected　the　explosion　and　located　it。　With　an　instant　fury　which　he　was　later　to　regret；　he　shouted　for　his　Fish　Speakers　and　manded　them　to　〃wipe　out　the　Face　Dancers；〃　even　the　ones　he　had　spared　earlier。
　On　immediate　reflection；　the　sensation　of…fury　itself　fascinated　Leto。　It　had　been　so　long　since　he　had　felt　even　mild　anger。　Frustration；　irritation…these　had　been　his　limits。　But　now；　at　a　threat　to　Hwi　Noree；　fury！
　Reflection　caused　him　to　modify　his　initial　mand；　but　not　before　some　Fish　Speakers　had　raced　from　the　Royal　Presence；　their　most　violent　desires　released　by　what　they　had　seen　in　their　Lord。
　〃God　is　furious！〃　some　of　them　shouted。
　The　second　blast　caught　some　of　the　Fish　Speakers　emerging　into　the　plaza；　limiting　the　spread　of　Leto's　modified　mand　and　igniting　more　violence。　The　third　explosion；　located　near　the　first　one；　sent　Leto　himself　into　action。　He　propelled　his　cart　like　a　berserk　juggernaut　out　of　his　resting　chamber　into　the　Ixian　lift　and　surged　to　the　surface。
　Leto　emerged　at　the　edge　of　the　plaza　to　find　a　scene　of　chaos　lighted　by　thousands　of　free…floating　glowglobes　released　by　his　Fish　Speakers。　The　central　stage　of　the　plaza　had　been　shattered；　leaving　only　the　plasteel　base　intact　beneath　the　paved　surface。　Broken　pieces　of　masonry　lay　all　around；　mixed　with　dead　and　wounded。
　In　the　direction　of　the　Ixian　Embassy；　directly　across　the　plaza　from　him；　there　was　a　wild　surging　of　bat。
　〃Where　is　my　Duncan？〃　Leto　bellowed。
　A　guard　bashar　came　racing　across　the　plaza　to　his　side　where　she　reported　through　panting　breaths：　〃We　have　taken　him　to　the　Citadel；　Lord！〃
　〃What　is　happening　over　there？〃　Leto　demanded；　pointing　at　the　battle　outside　the　Ixian　Embassy。
　〃The　rebels　and　the　Tleilaxu　are　attacking　the　Ixian　Embassy；　Lord。　They　have　explosives。〃
　Even　as　she　spoke；　another　blast　erupted　in　front　of　the　Embassy's　shattered　facade。　He　saw　bodies　twisting　in　the　air；　arching　outward　and　falling　at　the　perimeter　of　a　bright　flash　which　left　an　orange　afterimage；　studded　with　black　dots。
　With　no　thought　of　consequences；　Leto　shifted　his　cart　onto　suspensors　and　sent　it　bulleting　across　the　plaza…a　hurtling　behemoth　which　sucked　glowglobes　into　its　wake。　At　the　battle's　edge；　he　arched　over　his　own　defenders　and　plunged　into　the　attackers'　flank；　aware　only　then　of　lasguns　which　sent　livid　blue　arcs　leaping　toward　him。　He　felt　his　cart　thudding　into　flesh；　scattering　bodies　all　around。
　The　cart　spilled　him　directly　in　front　of　the　Embassy；　rolling　him　off　onto　a　hard　surface　as　it　struck　the　rubble　there。　He　felt　lasgun　beams　tickle　his　ribbed　body；　then　the　inner　surge　of　heat　followed　by　a　venting　belch　of　oxygen　at　his　tail。　Instinct　tucked　his　face　deep　into　its　cowl　and　folded　his　arms　into　the　protective　depths　of　his　front　segment。　The　worm…body　took　over；　arching　and　flailing；　rolling　like　an　insane　wheel；　lashing　out　on　all　sides。
　Blood　lubricated　the　street。　Blood　was　buffered　water　to　his　body；　but　death　released　the　water。　His　flailing　body　slipped　and　slithered　in　it；　the　water　igniting　blue　smoke　from　every　flexion　place　where　it　slipped　through　the　sandtrout　skin。　This　filled　him　with　water…agony　which　ignited　more　violence　in　the　great　flailing　body。
　At　Leto's　first　lashing　out；　the　Fish　Speaker　perimeter　fell　back。　An　alert　bashar　saw　the　opportunity　now　presented。　She　shouted　above　the　battle　noise：
　〃Pick　off　the　stragglers！〃
　The　ranks　of　guardian　women　rushed　forward。
　It　was　bloody　play　among　the　Fish　Speakers　for　a　few　minutes；　blades　thrusting　in　the　merciless　light　of　the　glowglobes；　the　dancing　of　lasgun　arcs；　even　hands　chopping　and　toes　digging　into　vulnerable　flesh。　The　Fish　Speakers　left　no　survivors。
　Leto　rolled　beyond　the　Bloody　mush　in　front　of　the　Embassy；　barely　able　to　think　through　the　waves　of　water…agony。　The　air　was　heavy　with　oxygen　all　around　him　and　this　helped　his　human　senses。　He　summoned　his　cart　and　it　drifted　toward　him；　tipping　perilously　on　damaged　suspensors。　Slowly；　he　wriggled　onto　the　tipping　cart　and　gave　it　the　mental　mand　to　return　to　his　quarters　beneath　the　plaza。
　Long　ago；　he　had　prepared　himself　against　water…damage　room　where　blasts　of　superheated　dry　air　would　cleanse　and　restore　him。　Sand　would　serve　but　there　was　no　place　in　t　e　confines　of　Onn　for　the　necessary　expanse　of　sand　in　which　he　might　heat　and　rasp　his　surface　to　its　normal　purity。
　In　the　lift；　he　thought　of　Hwi　and　sent　a　message　to　have　her　brought　down　to　him　immediately。
　If　she　survived。
　He　had　no　time　now　to　make　a　prescient　search；　he　could　only　hope　while　his　body；　both　pre…worm　and　human；　longed　for　the　cleansing　heat。
　Once　into　the　cleansing　room；　he　thought　to　reaffirm　his　modified　mand　…　〃Save　some　of　the　Face　Dancers！〃　But　by　then　the　maddened　Fish　Speakers　were　spreading　out　through　the　City　and　he　had　not　the　strength　to　make　a　prescient　sweep　which　would　send　his　messengers　to　the　proper　meeting　points。
　A　Guard　captain　brought　him　word　as　he　was　emerging　from　the　cleansing　room　that　Hwi　Noree；　although　slightly　wounded；　was　safe　and　would　be　brought　to　him　as　soon　as　the　local　mander　thought　it　prudent。
　Leto　promoted　the　Guard　captain　to　sub…bashar　on　the　spot。
　She　was　a　heavyset　Nayla…type　but　without　Nayla's　square　face…features　more　rounded　and　closer　to　the　older　norms。　She　trembled　in　the　warmth　of　her　Lord's　approval　and；　when　he　told　her　to　return　and　〃make　doubly　certain〃　no　more　harm　came　to　Hwi；　she　whirled　and　dashed　from　his　presence。
　　didn't　even　ask　her　name；　Leto　thought；　as　he　rolled　himself　onto　the　new　cart　in　the　depression　of　his　small　audience　room。　It　took　a　few　moments　of　reflection　to　recall　the　new　sub…bashar's　name…Kieuemo。　The　promotion　would　have　to　be　reaffirmed。　He　lodged　a　mental　reminder　to　do　this　personally。　The　Fish　Speakers；　all　of　them；　would　have　to　learn　immediately　how　much　he　valued　Hwi　Noree。　Not　that　there　could　be　much　doubt　after　tonight。
　He　made　his　prescient　scan　then　and　dispatched　messengers　to　his　rampaging　Fish　Speakers。　By　then　the　damage　had　been　done…corpses　all　over　Onn；　some　Face　Dancers　and　some