bh.houseatreides-第124章

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eparing　to　engage　the　huge　Holtzman　engines　that　would　carry　it　in　wild　leaps　across　foldspace。
　The　passengers　aboard　family　frigates　within　the　liner's　holding　bay　discerned　no　movement　whatsoever；　no　motion　from　the　engines；　no　change　in　position；　no　sound。　The　packed　ships　hung　in　their　isolated　spaces　like　data　bricks　in　a　secure　library　plex。　All　Houses　followed　the　same　rules；　putting　their　faith　in　the　ability　of　a　single　mutated　creature　to　find　a　safe　course。
　Like　giedi…cattle　in　a　slaughter　pen；　thought　Rabban　as　he　climbed　into　his　invisible　attack　ship。
　He　could　have　wiped　out　a　dozen　frigates　before　anyone　figured　out　what　was　going　on。　Given　free　rein；　Rabban　would　have　enjoyed　causing　such　mayhem；　the　exhilarating　sensation　of　extravagant　violence。。。。
　But　that　was　not　in　the　plan；　at　least　not　for　now。
　His　uncle　had　developed　a　scheme　of　beautiful　finesse。　〃Pay　attention　and　learn　from　this；〃　he'd　said。　Good　advice；　Rabban　admitted　to　himself。　He　had　been　discovering　the　benefits　of　subtlety　and　the　enjoyment　of　a　revenge　long　savored。
　This　didn't　mean　Rabban　would　forsake　the　more　blunt　forms　of　violence　at　which　he　excelled；　on　the　contrary；　he　would　simply　add　the　Baron's　methods　to　his　homicidal　repertoire。　He'd　be　a　well…rounded　person　by　the　time　he　took　over　the　leadership　of　House　Harkonnen。
　In　an　unobtrusive　movement；　the　hatches　of　the　Harkonnen　family　frigate　slid　open；　and　the　containment　field　faded　just　long　enough　to　let　Rabban's　sleek　warship　descend　into　the　sealed　vacuum　within　the　Heighliner　hold。
　Slowly；　quietly；　patiently。
　Before　anyone　could　see　his　fighter　craft；　he　engaged　the　no…field；　working　the　controls　the　way　Piter　de　Vries　had　shown　him。　He　felt　no　different；　saw　no　change　in　the　view　transmitted　from　his　monitors。　But　now　he　was　a　killer　ghost：　invisible；　invincible。
　From　anyone　else's　viewpoint；　and　from　external　sensors；　all　electromagnetic　signals　impinging　on　the　no…field　would　reflect　off　and　bend　around；　transforming　his　ship　into　an　empty　spot。　The　attack　craft's　engines；　more　silent　than　the　softest　whisper；　made　no　detectable　sound　or　vibration。
　No　one　would　suspect　a　thing。　No　one　could　even　imagine　an　invisible　ship。
　Rabban　activated　the　no…ship's　attitude　jets；　silently　coaxing　the　deadly　craft　away　from　the　innocent…looking　Harkonnen　frigate；　toward　the　Atreides　vessel。　This　attack　ship　was　too　big　for　his　liking；　not　very　maneuverable　and　rather　bulky　for　a　quick　fighter；　but　its　invisibility　and　stone…silence　made　all　the　difference。
　His　thick　fingers　danced　over　the　control　panels；　and　he　felt　a　measure　of　glee；　of　power；　glory；　and　satisfaction　yet　to　e。　Soon　a　ship　full　of　nasty；　brutish　Tleilaxu　would　be　destroyed。　Hundreds　of　them　would　die。
　Always　before；　Rabban　had　used　his　position　in　House　Harkonnen　to　get　what　he　wanted　without　question；　to　manipulate　other　people　and　kill　those　few　who　were　unfortunate　enough　to　stand　in　his　way。　But　that　had　been　mere　play　for　his　personal　amusement。　Now　he　was　performing　a　vital　function；　an　act　upon　which　the　future　of　House　Harkonnen　depended。　The　Baron　had　picked　him　for　this　mission；　and　he　vowed　to　do　it　well。　He　certainly　didn't　want　to　be　sent　back　home　to　his　father。
　Rabban　maneuvered　the　ship　into　place　slowly；　gently　　no　hurry；　now。　He　had　the　entire　transspace　voyage　in　which　to　start　a　war。
　With　the　no…field　around　his　attack　craft；　he　felt　like　a　hunter　concealed　in　a　blind。　This　was　a　different　kind　of　hunting；　though；　requiring　more　sophistication　than　blowing　up　sandworms　on　Arrakis；　more　finesse　than　chasing　children　in　the　Harkonnen　forest　preserve。　Here；　his　trophy　would　be　a　change　in　Imperial　politics。　In　the　end　he　would　hang　the　trophies　of　greater　power　and　fortunes　for　House　Harkonnen　on　his　wall；　stuffed　and　mounted。
　The　invisible　attack　craft　approached　the　Atreides　frigate；　almost　close　enough　to　touch。
　Noiselessly；　Rabban　powered　up　his　weapons　systems；　making　sure　his　full　array　of　multiphase　projectiles　was　ready　to　launch。　He　would　rely　on　manual　targeting　in　a　case　like　this。
　At　point…blank　range；　he　couldn't　possibly　miss。
　Rabban　turned　his　no…ship；　pointing　the　gunports　toward　two　nearby　vessels；　Tleilaxu　transports　that　had；　through　a　substantial　Harkonnen　bribe　paid　to　the　Guild；　been　ordered　to　park　adjacent　to　the　Atreides　frigate。
　Bound　from　Tleilax　Seven；　the　ships　undoubtedly　carried　genetic　products；　the　specialty　of　the　Bene　Tleilax。　Each　ship　would　be　manded　by　Tleilaxu　Masters；　with　a　crew　of　Face　Dancers；　their　shape…shifting　servants。　The　cargo　might　be　slig　meat；　animal　grafts；　or　a　few　of　those　abominable　gholas　　clones　grown　from　the　flesh　of　dead　humans；　copies　nurtured　in　axlotl　tanks　so　that　bereaved　families　could　once　again　see　fallen　loved　ones。　Such　products　carried　high　price　tags　and　made　the　gnomelike　Tleilaxu　extremely　wealthy；　despite　the　fact　that　they　undoubtedly　would　never　be　granted　Great　House　status。
　This　was　perfect！　With　all　the　Landsraad　listening；　young　Duke　Leto　Atreides　had　declared　his　vendetta　against　the　Tleilaxu；　swearing　vengeance　for　what　they　had　done　to　House　Vernius。　Leto　had　not　been　circumspect　with　regard　to　the　statements　he'd　made　on　the　record。　Everyone　knew　how　much　he　must　hate　the　occupants　of　these　Tleilaxu　ships。
　As　a　bonus；　the　renegade　Rhombur　Vernius　was　at　this　very　moment　aboard　the　Atreides　frigate；　yet　another　person　to　be　caught　in　the　Harkonnen　web；　yet　another　victim　in　what　would　soon　be　a　bloody　Atreides…Tleilaxu　war。
　The　Landsraad　would　accuse　Duke　Leto　of　being　a　hothead　　brash；　impetuous；　and　violent；　pushed　to　ill…advised　acts　by　his　misplaced　Ixian　friendships　and　his　inconsolable　grief　over　the　death　of　his　father。　Poor；　poor　Leto；　so　inadequately　trained　to　cope　with　the　pressures　bearing　down　on　him。
　Rabban　knew　full　well　what　conclusions　the　Landsraad　and　the　Imperium　would　draw；　because　his　uncle　and　the　twisted　Mentat　had　explained　it　to　him　in　detail。
　Hovering　immediately　in　front　of　the　Atreides　frigate；　invisible　and　cloaked　in　anonymity；　Rabban　targeted　the　nearby　Tleilaxu　ships。　With　a　smile　on　his　generous　lips；　he　reached　for　the　controls。
　And　opened　fire。
　Tio　Holtzman　was　one　of　the　most　productive　Ixian　inventors　on　record。　He　often　went　on　creative　binges；　locking　himself　up　for　months　on　end　so　that　he　could　work　without　interruption。　Sometimes　upon　emerging　he　required　hospitalization；　and　there　were　constant　concerns　over　his　sanity　and　well…being。　Holtzman　died　young　　barely　past　thirty　Standard　Years　　but　the　results　of　his　efforts　changed　the　galaxy　forever。
　…Biographical　Capsules；　an　Imperial　filmbook
　When　Rabban　departed　from　the　Harkonnen　frigate；　full　of　his　important　duty；　the　Baron　sat　in　a　high　observation　chair；　looking　out　into　the　enormous　Heighliner　hold。　The　Navigator　had　already　initiated　the　engines；　sent　the　gigantic　craft　through　foldspace。　The　smaller　ships　sat　arrayed　like　so　much　cordwood；　unaware　of　the　fire　that　was　rushing　toward　them。。。。
　Even　knowing　where　to　look；　he　couldn't　see　the　invisible　ship；　of　course。　But　the　Baron　glanced　at　his　chronometer；　knew　the　time　was　approaching。　He　stared　out　at　the　unsuspecting　Atreides　frigate；　silent　and　arrogant　in　its　assigned　berth；　and　kept　his　eyes　on　the　nearby　Tleilaxu　craft。　Tapping　his　fingertips　on　the　arm　of　the　chair；　he　watched　and　waited。
　Long　minutes　passed。
　Planning　the　attack；　Baron　Harkonnen　had　wanted　Rabban　to　use　a　lasgun　on　the　doomed　Tleilaxu　ships　　but　Chobyn；　the　Richesian　designer　of　the　experimental　craft；　had　left　a　murky　warning　scrawled　in　his　notes。　The　new　no…field　had　some　relationship　with　the　original　Holtzman　Effect　that　formed　the　foundation　for　shields。　Every　child　knew　that　when　a　lasgun　beam　struck　a　shield；　the　resulting　explosion　resembled　an　atomic　detonation。
　The　Baron　didn't　dare　take　that　risk；　and　since　the　Richesian　inventor　had　already　been　disposed　of；　they　couldn't　ask　further　questions。　Perhaps　he　should　have　thought　of　that　ahead　of　time。
　No　matter。　Lasguns　weren't　needed　to　damage　the　Tleilaxu　vessels　anyway；　since　ships　transported　in　a　Heighliner　hold　were　prohibited　from　ac