bh.houseatreides-第126章
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ng to make a judgment about him。 He saw no love； approval； or disrespect in their faces just a nothingness； as if he had truly mitted a heinous act and no longer existed。
The sneering face of his mother appeared； faded。
Don't trust anyone； he thought。
A feeling of despondency settled over Leto； followed by extreme； bitter loneliness。 Deep inside himself； in a lifeless and bleak place； Leto saw his own emotionless gray eyes； staring back at himself。 It was cold here； and he shivered。
〃Leadership is a lonely task。〃
Would the Atreides lineage stop here with him at this nexus…moment； or would he father children whose voices would be added to those of all the Atreides since the days of the ancient Greeks？ He listened for his children in the cacophony； but did not sense their presence。
The accusing eyes did not waver。
Leto spoke the words to himself。 Government is a protective partnership； the people are in your care； to thrive or die based upon your decisions。
The images and sounds faded； and his mind became a quiet； dark place。
Barely a second had passed in his tension…spawned mental journey； and Leto knew exactly what he had to do； regardless of the consequences。
〃Activate shields！〃 he shouted。
PEERING AT AN observation screen in the belly of the seemingly innocent Harkonnen frigate； Rabban was surprised by what he saw。 He raced up from one deck to the next； until finally he stood red…faced and puffing in front of his uncle。 Before the indignant but timid Tleilaxu pilot could open fire； a shield began to shimmer around the Atreides ship！
But shields were forbidden by Guild transport contract； because they shattered a Navigator's trance and disrupted the foldspace field。 The Heighliner's enormous Holtzman generators would not function properly with the interference。 Rabban and the Baron both cursed。
The Heighliner shuddered around them as it plunged out of foldspace。
I N THE NAVIGATION chamber high atop the cargo enclosure； the veteran Navigator felt his trance crumble。 His brain waves diverged and circled back into themselves； spinning and twisting out of control。
The Holtzman engines groaned； and foldspace rippled around them； losing stability。 Something was wrong with the ship。 The Navigator spun in his tank of melange。 His webbed feet and hands flailed； and he sensed darkness ahead。
The massive ship veered off course； hurled back into the real universe。
WHILE RHOMBUR WAS thrown to the carpeted deck of the frigate in a tumble of purple…and…copper cloth； Leto grabbed a bulkhead rail to keep his balance。 He uttered a silent prayer。 He and his valiant crew could only ride this out and hope the Heighliner didn't emerge inside a sun。
Like a tree beside Leto； Thufir Hawat somehow maintained his balance by sheer force of will。 The Mentat teacher stood in a trance sorting through veiled regions of logic and analysis。 Leto wasn't certain how such projections could benefit them now。 Perhaps the question the odds of disaster following shield activation inside a Heighliner was so plex that it required layers and layers of mentation。
〃Prime projection；〃 Hawat announced； at long last。 He licked his cranberry…colored lips with a tongue of matching hue。 〃Thrown out of foldspace at random； odds of encountering a celestial body are calculated at one in。。。〃
The frigate jerked； and something thudded belowdecks。 Hawat's words were drowned out in the motion； and he slipped back into the secret realm of his Mentat trance。
Rhombur stumbled to his feet； tugging an earclamp headset in place over his tousled blond hair。 〃Activate shields on a moving Heighliner？ That's as crazy as； uh； someone firing on the Tleilaxu in the first place。〃 With wide eyes he looked at his friend。 〃This must be a day for crazy events。〃
Leto leaned over a bank of instruments； made a number of adjustments。 〃I had no choice；〃 he said。 〃I see it now。 Someone is trying to make it look like we attacked the Tleilaxu an incident that could spark a major war among the factions of the Landsraad。 I can envision all the old feuds ing into play； and battle lines being drawn here on the Heighliner。〃 He wiped his brow； smearing sweat away。 The intuition had e from his gut level； like something a Mentat might have realized。 〃I had to stop everything now； Rhombur； before it escalated。〃
The Heighliner's erratic motion finally ceased。 The background noise quieted。
Hawat finally snapped out of his trance。 〃You are right； my Duke。 Almost every House has a representative ship aboard this Heighliner； en route to the Emperor's coronation and wedding。 The battle lines drawn here would extend out into the Imperium； with war councils called and planets and armies aligning themselves on one side or another。 Inevitably more factions would arise； too； like the branches of a jacaranda tree。 Since the death of Elrood； alliances are already shifting as Houses look for new opportunities。〃
Leto's face flushed hot； his heart jackhammered。 〃There are powder kegs all over the Imperium； and one of them is right here within this cargo hold。 I'd rather see everyone on this Heighliner die because it would be nothing pared to the alternative。 Conflagrations in every corner of the universe。 Billions of deaths。〃
〃We've been set up？〃 Rhombur asked。
〃If war breaks out here； no one will care whether or not I really fired。 We've got to stop this cold； and then take the time to sort out the real answers。〃 Leto opened a link and spoke into it； his voice brisk and manding。 〃This is Duke Leto Atreides calling Guild Navigator。 Respond； please。〃
The line crackled； and an undulating voice came back； ponderous and distorted； as if the Navigator could not recall how to converse with mere humans。 〃All of us could have been killed； Atreides。〃 The way he pronounced the House name A…tray…a…dees brought to Leto's mind the word 〃traitor。〃 〃We are in unknown sector。 Foldspace gone。 Shields negate navigation trance。 Shut down Atreides shields immediately。〃
〃Respectfully； I must refuse；〃 Leto said。
Across the system he could hear other messages being shouted to the navigation chamber accusations and demands from the ships aboard。 Muffled； angry tones。
The Navigator spoke again。 〃Atreides must shut off shields。 Obey Guild laws and regulations。〃
〃Refused。〃 Leto stood firm； but his skin had gone pale and cold； and he knew his expression just barely concealed his terror。 〃I don't think you can get us out of here as long as my shields are on； so we stay here； wherever we are； until you accede to my。。。request。〃
〃After destroying a Bene Tleilax ship and activating your shields； you are in no position to make any requests！〃 cried an accented voice； a Tleilaxu。
〃Impertinent； Atreides。〃 It was the mutated Navigator's rumbling； underwater…sounding voice。
More muffled munications ensued； which the Navigator abruptly silenced。 〃State。。。request。。。Atreides。〃
Pausing； Leto met the inquiring but respectful gazes of his friends； then spoke into the system。 〃First； we assure you we did not fire upon the Tleilaxu； and we intend to prove it。 If we lower our shields； the Guild must guarantee the safety of my ship and crew； and transfer jurisdiction of this matter to the Landsraad。〃
〃The Landsraad？ This ship is under Spacing Guild jurisdiction。〃
〃You are bound by honor；〃 Leto said； 〃as are the members of the Landsraad； as am I。 There is in the Landsraad a legal procedure known as Trial by Forfeiture。〃
〃My Lord！〃 Hawat protested。 〃You can't mean to sacrifice House Atreides； all the centuries of noble tradition 〃
Leto shut off the voice pickup。 Placing a hand on the warrior Mentat's shoulder； he said； 〃If billions have to die for us to keep our fief； then Caladan isn't worth the price。〃 Thufir lowered his gaze in acquiescence。 〃Besides； we know we did not do this a Mentat of your stature shouldn't have much difficulty proving that。〃
Reactivating the link； Leto said； 〃I will submit myself to Trial by Forfeiture； but all hostilities must cease immediately。 There must be no retaliation； or I will refuse to deactivate my shields； and this Heighliner will remain here； nowhere。〃
Leto thought of bluffing； threatening to fire lasguns at his own shiel
