bh.houseatreides-第114章

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　〃On　Kaitain？〃　Rabban　said。
　〃Something　more　interesting　than　that；　I　suspect；〃　de　Vries　said。
　The　Baron　sipped　the　warm　sweetness　of　the　aged　brandy。　〃Ahhh；　it　will　be　delicious　revenge。　And　Leto　won't　even　see　it　ing；　won't　know　which　direction　it　came　from。〃
　Rabban's　eyes　lit　up。　〃We'll　make　him　squirm；　Uncle？〃
　The　Baron　handed　crystal　snifters　to　his　nephew　and　his　Mentat。　Rabban　drained　his　brandy　in　a　single　gulp；　while　de　Vries　simply　stared　at　it　as　if　performing　a　chemical　analysis　with　his　eyes。
　〃Yes；　Rabban；　he'll　squirm　and　squirm　until　a　big　Imperial　boot　steps　on　him。
　No　one　but　a　Tleilaxu　may　set　foot　in　Bandalong；　holiest　city　of　the　Bene　Tleilax；　for　it　is　fanatically　guarded　hallowed　ground；　purified　by　their　God。
　…Diplomacy　in　the　Imperium；
　a　Landsraad　publication
　The　burn…scarred　building　had　once　been　an　Ixian　fighting…mek　factory。。。one　of　the　sacrilegious　industries　that　defied　the　holy　mandments　of　the　Butlerian　Jihad。　But　not　anymore。　Hidar　Fen　Ajidica　gazed　at　the　rows　of　tanks　and　attendants；　satisfied　now　to　see　that　the　place　had　been　fully　cleansed　and　put　to　good　use。　God　will　approve。
　Following　the　Tleilaxu　victory；　the　facility　had　been　emptied　of　its　poisonous　machinery　and　blessed　by　fully　robed　Masters；　so　that　it　could　be　used　for　the　exalted　purposes　of　the　Bene　Tleilax。　Despite　the　mandment　and　support　from　old　Emperor　Elrood；　now　dead；　Ajidica　had　never　considered　this　an　Imperial　project。　The　Tleilaxu　did　not　act　for　the　benefit　of　anyone　but　themselves　and　their　God。　They　had　their　own　purposes；　which　would　never　be　understood　by　the　unclean　outsiders。
　〃Tleilaxu　strategy　is　always　woven　within　a　web　of　strategies；　any　one　of　which　may　be　the　real　strategy；〃　he　intoned　the　axiom　of　his　people。　〃The　magic　of　our　God　is　our　salvation。〃
　Every　axlotl　tank　contained　the　ingredients　of　a　different　experiment；　each　representing　an　alternate　avenue　for　solving　the　artificial　melange　problem。　No　outsider　had　ever　seen　a　Tleilaxu　axlotl　tank；　and　none　understood　their　true　function。　To　produce　the　precious　spice；　Ajidica　knew　he　would　have　to　use　unsettling　means。　Others　would　be　horrified；　but　God　will　approve；　he　repeated　in　his　secret　soul。　Eventually；　they　would　mass…produce　the　spice。
　Realizing　the　plexity　of　his　challenge；　the　Master　Researcher　had　brought　in　technological　adepts　from　Tleilax　One　　learned　men　who　had　widely　divergent　views　on　how　that　goal　might　be　attained。　At　this　early　point　in　the　process；　all　options　must　be　considered；　all　evidence　studied　for　clues　to　be　inserted　directly　into　the　DNA　code　of　organic　molecules；　which　the　Tleilaxu　called　the　Language　of　God。
　All　of　the　technological　adepts　agreed　that　artificial　spice　must　be　grown　as　an　organic　substance　in　an　axlotl　tank；　because　the　tanks　were　holy　sources　of　life　and　energy。　Master　Researchers　had　nurtured　countless　previous　programs　with　astonishing　results；　from　digs　to　clones　and　gholas。。。though　there　had　been　many　unfortunate　failures；　as　well。
　These　exotic　vessels　were　the　most　sacred　of　Tleilaxu　discoveries；　with　their　workings　shielded　even　from　Crown　Prince　Shaddam；　his　aides；　and　his　Sardaukar。　Such　secrecy　and　security　here　on　Ix　　now　Xuttah　　had　been　a　requirement　of　the　original　bargain　with　Emperor　Elrood。　The　old　man　had　agreed　with　deprecating　amusement；　must　have　assumed　he　could　take　those　secrets　whenever　he　wished。
　Many　people　made　such　ridiculous　assumptions　about　the　Tleilaxu。　Ajidica　was　accustomed　to　being　dismissed　by　fools。
　No　one　other　than　a　Tleilaxu　Master　or　a　full…blooded　Tleilaxu　Researcher　would　ever　have　access　to　this　knowledge。　Ajidica　drew　a　deep　breath　of　the　rank　chemicals；　the　unpleasant　humid　stink　that　was　an　inevitable　consequence　of　the　functioning　tanks。　Natural　odors。　I　feel　the　presence　of　my　God；　he　thought；　forming　the　words　in　Islamiyat　　the　arcane　language　that　was　never　spoken　aloud　outside　of　kehls；　the　secret　councils　of　his　race。　God　is　merciful。　He　alone　can　guide　me。
　A　glowglobe　floated　in　front　of　his　eyes；　blinking　red。。。long；　long；　short；　pause。。。long；　short；　color　change　to　blue。。。five　rapid　blinks　and　back　to　red。　The　Crown　Prince's　emissary　was　anxious　to　see　him。　Hidar　Fen　Ajidica　knew　not　to　keep　Hasimir　Fenring　waiting。　Though　he　had　no　noble　title　of　his　own；　the　impatient　Fenring　was　the　Imperial　heir's　closest　friend；　and　Fenring　understood　the　manipulations　of　personal　power　better　than　most　great　leaders　in　the　Landsraad。　Ajidica　even　bore　a　certain　amount　of　respect　for　the　man。
　With　resignation　Ajidica　turned　and　passed　easily　through　an　identity　zone　that　would　have　been　deadly　to　anyone　not　properly　sanctioned。　Even　the　Crown　Prince　himself　would　be　unable　to　pass　through　safely。　Ajidica　smiled　at　the　superiority　of　his　people's　ways。　Ixians　had　used　machinery　and　force　fields　for　security；　as　the　ruthless　and　clumsy　suboid　rebels　had　discovered。。。causing　messy　detonations　and　collateral　damage。　Tleilaxu；　on　the　other　hand；　used　biological　agents；　unleashed　through　ingenious　interactions　　toxins　and　nerve　mists　that　rendered　powindah　infidels　lifeless　the　moment　they　set　foot　where　they　didn't　belong。
　Outside　in　the　secure　waiting　area；　a　smiling　Hasimir　Fenring　greeted　Ajidica　as　the　researcher　exited　the　identity　zone。　From　some　angles　the　weak…chinned　man　looked　like　a　weasel　and　from　others　a　rabbit；　innocuous　in　appearance；　but　oh　so　dangerous。　The　two　faced　each　other　in　what　had　once　been　an　Ixian　lobby　connected　through　an　intricate　network　of　clear…plaz　lift　tubes。　This　deadly　Imperial　killer　stood　more　than　a　head　taller　than　the　Master　Researcher。
　〃Ah；　my　dear　Fen　Ajidica；〃　Fenring　purred；　〃your　experiments　go　well；　hm…m…m…m…ah？　Crown　Prince　Shaddam　is　eager　to　receive　an　update　as　he　begins　the　work　of　his　Imperium。〃
　〃We　make　good　progress；　sir。　Our　uncrowned　Emperor　has　received　my　gift；　I　presume？〃
　〃Yes；　very　nice；　and　he　sends　his　appreciation。〃　He　smiled　tightly　as　he　thought　of　it：　a　silver…furred　hermafox；　capable　of　self…replication；　an　unusual　living　bauble　that　served　no　useful　purpose　whatsoever。　〃Wherever　did　you　e　up　with　such　an　interesting　creature？〃
　〃We　are　adepts　with　the　forces　of　life；　sir。〃　The　eyes；　Ajidica　thought。　Watch　his　eyes。　They　reveal　dangerous　emotions。　Vicious　now。
　〃So　you　enjoy　playing　God？〃　Fenring　said。
　With　controlled　indignation；　Ajidica　retorted；　〃There　is　but　one　God　All　High。　I　would　not　presume　to　take　His　place。〃
　〃Of　course　not。〃　Fenring's　eyes　narrowed。　〃Our　new　Emperor　sends　his　gratitude；　but　points　out　one　gift　he　would　have　greatly　preferred　　a　sample　of　artificial　spice。〃
　〃We　are　working　hard　on　the　problem；　sir；　but　we　told　Emperor　Elrood　from　the　outset　that　it　would　take　many　years；　possibly　even　decades；　to　develop　a　pleted　product。　Much　of　our　labor　heretofore　has　simply　been　consolidating　our　control　on　Xuttah　and　adapting　the　existing　facilities。〃
　〃You've　made　no　tangible　progress；　then？〃　Fenring's　scorn　was　so　extreme　that　he　couldn't　conceal　it。
　〃There　are　many　promising　signs。〃
　〃Good；　then　may　I　tell　Shaddam　when　he　should　expect　his　gift？　He　would　like　to　receive　it　prior　to　his　coronation；　in　six　weeks'　time。〃
　〃I　don't　think　that　is　possible；　sir。　You　brought　us　a　supply　of　melange　as　a　catalyst　less　than　a　Standard　Month　ago。〃
　〃I　gave　you　enough　of　the　stuff　to　buy　several　planets。〃
　〃Of　course；　of　course；　and　we　are　moving　as　quickly　as　possible。　But　the　axlotl　tanks　must　be　grown　and　modified；　probably　through　several　generations。　Shaddam　must　be　patient。〃
　Fenring　studied　the　little　Tleilaxu；　looking　for　signs　of　deception。　〃Patient？　Remember；　Ajidica；　an　Emperor　does　not　have　unlimited　patience。〃
　The　dwarf…sized　man　did　not　like　this　Imperial　predator。　Something　in　Fenring's　overlarge　dark　eyes　and　his　speech　carried　a　threatening　undertone；　even　when　discussing　mundane　subjects。　Make　no　mistake。　This　man　will　be　our　new　Emperor's　enforcer　　the　one　who　will　murder　me　if　I　fail。
　Ajidica　took　a　deep　breath；　but　concealed　it　in　a　yawn　to　avoid　showing　fear。　When　he　spoke；　it　was　in　the　calmest　of　tones。　〃When　God　wills　our　success；　it　will　happen。　We　move　according　to　His