bh.houseatreides-第115章

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s　in　the　calmest　of　tones。　〃When　God　wills　our　success；　it　will　happen。　We　move　according　to　His　schedule；　not　our　own；　and　not　Prince　Shaddam's。　That　is　the　way　of　the　universe。〃
　Fenring's　huge　eyes　flashed　dangerously。　〃You　realize　how　important　this　is？　Not　only　to　the　future　of　House　Corrino　and　the　economy　of　the　Imperium。。。but　to　your　personal　survival；　as　well？〃
　〃Most　certainly。〃　Ajidica　did　not　react　to　the　threat。　〃My　people　have　learned　the　value　of　waiting。　An　apple　plucked　too　soon　may　be　green　and　sour；　but　if　one　merely　waits　until　it　is　ripe；　then　the　fruit　is　sweet　and　delicious。　When　perfected；　the　artificial　spice　will　alter　the　entire　power　structure　of　the　Imperium。　It　is　not　possible　to　engineer　such　a　substance　overnight。〃
　Fenring　glowered。　〃We　have　been　patient；　but　that　cannot　continue。〃
　With　a　generous　smile；　Ajidica　said；　〃If　you　wish；　we　can　convene　regular　meetings　to　display　our　work　and　progress。　Such　distractions；　however；　would　only　slow　our　experiments；　our　substance　analyses；　our　settings。〃
　〃No；　keep　on；〃　Fenring　growled。
　I've　got　the　bastard　where　I　want　him；　Ajidica　thought；　and　he　doesn't　like　it　one　bit。　Still；　he　had　the　distinct　impression　that　this　assassin　would　do　away　with　him　without　a　second　thought。　Even　now；　despite　the　tightest　security　scans；　Fenring　no　doubt　carried　a　number　of　weapons　concealed　within　his　clothing；　skin；　and　hair。
　He　will　make　the　attempt　as　soon　as　I'm　not　needed；　when　Shaddam　thinks　he　has　everything　he　wants。
　Hidar　Fen　Ajidica　had　his　own　concealed　weapons；　though。　He　had　set　up　contingency　plans　to　deal　with　the　most　dangerous　of　outsiders。。。to　ensure　that　the　Tleilaxu　remained　in　control　at　all　times。
　Our　laboratories　may　indeed　e　up　with　a　substitute　for　the　spice；　he　thought。　But　no　powindah　will　ever　learn　how　it　is　made。
　Our　timetable　will　achieve　the　stature　of　a　natural　phenomenon。　A　planet's　life　is　a　vast；　tightly　interwoven　fabric。　Vegetation　and　animal　changes　will　be　determined　at　first　by　the　raw　physical　forces　we　manipulate。　As　they　establish　themselves；　though；　our　changes　will　bee　controlling　influences　in　their　own　right　　and　we　will　have　to　deal　with　them；　too。　Keep　in　mind；　though；　that　we　need　control　only　three　percent　of　the　energy　surface　　only　three　percent　　to　tip　the　entire　structure　over　into　our　self…sustaining　system。
　…PARDOT　KYNES；　Arrakis　Dreams
　When　his　son　Liet　was　a　year　and　a　half　old；　Pardot　Kynes　and　his　wife　embarked　on　a　journey　into　the　desert。　They　dressed　their　silent　child　in　a　custom…fitted　stillsuit　and　robes　to　shield　his　skin　against　the　sun　and　the　heat。
　Kynes　was　delighted　to　spend　time　with　his　family；　to　show　them　what　he　had　acplished　in　the　transformation　of　Dune。　His　entire　life　rested　on　sharing　his　dreams。
　His　three　apprentices；　Stilgar；　Turok；　and　Ommun；　had　tried　to　insist　on　going　along　to　protect　and　guide　him；　but　Kynes　would　hear　none　of　it。　〃I've　spent　more　years　alone　in　the　wilderness　than　any　of　you　have　been　alive。　I　can　handle　a　few　days'　sojourn　with　my　family。〃　He　made　a　shooing　gesture　with　his　hands。　〃Besides；　haven't　I　given　you　enough　work　to　do　　or　shall　I　find　additional　tasks？〃
　〃If　you　have　more　for　us　to　do；〃　Stilgar　said；　〃we　will　gladly　do　it　for　you。〃
　〃Just。。。just　keep　yourselves　busy；〃　Kynes　said；　nonplussed；　then　set　off　on　foot　with　Frieth　and　young　Liet。　The　baby　rode　one　of　the　sietch's　three　kulons；　a　domesticated　desert　ass　that　had　been　brought　to　Dune　by　smugglers　and　prospectors。
　The　animal's　water　price　was　high；　despite　its　inbred　adaptation　to　a　harsh；　arid　environment。　The　Fremen　had　even　developed　a　modified　four…legged　stillsuit　for　the　beast；　which　saved　some　of　the　moisture　the　animal　exuded。　But　in　such　a　contraption　the　kulon　had　difficulty　moving　　in　addition　to　the　fact　that　it　looked　ridiculous　　and　Kynes　decided　not　to　bother　with　such　extreme　measures。　This　required　taking　extra　water　on　the　journey；　which　the　animal　carried　in　literjons　attached　to　its　back。
　In　the　shadow　of　morning；　the　tall；　bearded　Kynes　led　his　small　party　up　a　winding　thread　that　only　a　Fremen　would　have　called　a　path。　His　eyes；　like　Frieth's；　were　the　blue　of　the　Ibad。　The　desert　ass　picked　its　way　up　the　precipitous　slope；　but　made　no　sound　of　plaint。　Kynes　didn't　mind　walking；　he　had　done　so　for　much　of　his　life；　during　his　years　of　ecological　study　on　Salusa　Secundus　and　Bela　Tegeuse。　His　muscles　rippled；　whipcord…tough。　Besides；　when　he　went　on　foot　he　could　keep　his　eyes　focused　more　on　the　pebbles　and　varying　grains　of　sand　beneath　his　boots　than　on　the　distant　mountains　or　the　sweltering　sun。
　Eager　to　please　her　husband；　Frieth　turned　her　attention　every　time　Kynes　pointed　out　a　rock　formation；　studied　a　spot　of　ground　for　its　position；　or　assessed　sheltered　crannies　as　possible　sites　for　planting　future　vegetation。　After　a　time　of　uncertainty；　she　also　pointed　things　out　to　him。　〃A　Fremen's　greatest　strength　is　in　observation；〃　Frieth　said；　as　if　quoting　an　old　proverb　for　him。　〃The　more　we　observe；　the　more　we　know。　Such　knowledge　gives　us　power；　especially　when　others　fail　to　see。〃
　〃Interesting。〃　Kynes　knew　little　about　his　Fremen　wife's　background。　He'd　been　too　busy　to　ask　her　for　many　details　about　her　childhood　and　her　own　passions；　but　she　didn't　seem　in　the　least　offended　by　his　preoccupation　with　the　terraforming　work。　In　Fremen　culture；　husbands　and　wives　lived　in　different　worlds　connected　by　only　a　few　narrow　and　fragile　bridges。
　Kynes　knew；　however；　that　Fremen　women　had　a　reputation　as　ferocious　fighters　　deadly　on　the　battlefield　and　feared　above　even　Imperial　soldiers　in　one…on…one　bat。　So　far；　he　had　managed　to　avoid　uncovering　Frieth's　vicious　streak；　and　he　hoped　never　to　see　it　for　himself。　Fiercely　loyal；　she　would　make　as　formidable　a　foe　as　she　did　a　friend。
　As　he　trudged　along；　a　small　piece　of　vegetation　caught　his　eye。　Halting　the　kulon　behind　him；　he　knelt　to　inspect　the　small；　pale　green　plant　that　grew　in　a　shaded　niche　where　dust　and　sand　had　collected。　He　recognized　the　specimen　as　a　rare　root　plant　and　brushed　the　dust　from　its　tiny　waxy　leaves。
　〃Look　here；　Frieth；〃　he　said；　like　a　teacher；　his　eyes　shining。　〃Marvelously　tenacious。〃
　Frieth　nodded。　〃We　have　dug　those　roots　in　times　of　need。　It　is　said　a　single　tuber　can　yield　half　a　liter　of　water；　enough　for　a　person　to　survive　for　several　days。〃
　Kynes　wondered　how　much　desert　knowledge　Stilgar's　sister　held　within　her　Fremen　mind；　until　now　she　had　shared　virtually　none　of　it　with　him。　It　was　his　own　fault；　he　told　himself；　for　not　paying　enough　attention　to　her。
　Eager　to　eat　the　fresh　leaves　of　the　struggling　plant；　the　kulon　lowered　its　muzzle　to　the　ground；　nostrils　flaring　as　it　sniffed。　But　Kynes　nudged　it　away。　〃That　plant　is　too　important　to　be　a　snack　for　you。〃
　He　scanned　the　ground；　intent　on　finding　other　tubers；　but　noticed　none　in　the　immediate　vicinity。　From　what　he　had　learned；　these　plants　were　native　to　Dune；　survivors　of　whatever　cataclysm　had　drained　or　diverted　the　moisture　from　this　world。
　The　travelers　took　a　short　break　to　feed　their　child。　As　Frieth　set　up　a　shade…floater　on　a　ledge；　Kynes　recalled　the　work　of　recent　months　and　the　tremendous　progress　he　and　his　people　had　already　made　as　they　began　their　centuries…long　project。
　Dune　had　once　been　a　botanical　testing　station；　an　isolated　outpost　with　a　few　sample　plantings　placed　centuries　ago　in　the　days　of　Imperial　expansion。　This　had　been　done　even　before　the　prescient　and　geriatric　properties　of　melange　were　discovered。。。back　when　this　world　had　been　a　desert　hellhole　with　no　discernible　use。　But　the　botanical　stations　had　been　abandoned；　the　sparse　plantings　as　well　as　animal　and　insect　life…forms　were　left　to　fare　as　best　they　could　in　the　rough　environment。
　Many　species　had　survived　and　diversified；　demonstrating　remarkable　durability　and　adaptability。。。mutated　sword　grasses；　cacti；　and　other　arid…country　vegetation。　Kynes　had　already　arranged　with　smugglers　to　bring　in　cargoes　of　the　most　promising　seeds　and　embryos。　Fremen　workers　then　set　about　sowing　the　sands　and　spreading　the　precious　seeds；　each　one　a　vital　kernel　of　li