bh.houseatreides-第15章

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　And　he　was　at　the　center　of　the　field！
　Duncan　thrashed；　desperate　to　move。　He　drifted　toward　the　opposite　edge　of　the　levitation　zone；　away　from　the　guards。　They　continued　to　fire；　but　the　change　in　air　pressure　pushed　their　stun　blasts　even　farther　off　the　mark　than　before。　He　saw　the　uniformed　men　making　adjustments。
　Below　him　were　other　doorways；　ramps；　and　platforms　that　led　into　the　bowels　of　Barony。　Maybe　he　could　reach　one。。。if　he　could　just　escape　the　confining　field。
　Another　stun　blast　tore　past　and　this　time　caught　the　edge　of　his　back　near　his　shoulder；　numbing　him；　making　the　muscles　and　skin　crawl　with　a　sensation　like　a　thousand　stinging　insects。
　Duncan　finally　wrenched　himself　away　from　the　field　and　dropped。　Falling　facedown；　he　saw　the　platform　just　in　time。　He　reached　out　with　his　good　arm　and　snagged　a　railing。　The　bullet…train　screamed　past；　whistling　as　it　displaced　air。。。missing　him　by　centimeters。
　He　hadn't　had　time　to　pick　up　much　momentum　in　his　fall；　even　so；　the　jarring　stop　nearly　ripped　his　other　arm　out　of　its　socket。　Duncan　scrambled　up　and　ran　into　a　tunnel；　but　found　only　a　tiny　alcove　with　metawalls。　He　could　see　no　exit。　The　hatch　was　sealed　and　locked。　He　pounded　on　it；　but　couldn't　go　anywhere。
　Then；　the　outer　door　clanged　shut　behind　him；　sealing　him　into　a　small　armor…walled　box。　He　was　trapped。　This　time　it　was　over。
　Moments　later；　the　guards　unsealed　the　rear　hatch。　Their　stares；　as　pointed　as　their　weapons；　held　a　mixture　of　anger　and　admiration。　Duncan　waited　with　resignation　for　them　to　gun　him　down。
　Instead；　the　hunt　captain　smiled　without　humor　and　said；　〃Congratulations；　boy。　You　made　it。〃
　EXHAUSTED　AND　BACK　in　his　cell；　Duncan　sat　with　his　mother　and　father。　They　ate　their　daily　meal　of　bland　cereals；　starch…cakes；　and　protein　chips　　nutritionally　satisfying　yet　almost　maliciously　made　with　either　foul　flavors　or　no　taste　whatsoever。　So　far　the　boy　hadn't　been　told　more　by　his　captors；　just　that　he'd　〃made　it。〃　That　had　to　mean　freedom。　He　could　only　hope。
　The　family's　cell　was　filthy。　Though　his　parents　tried　to　keep　it　clean；　they　had　no　brooms；　mops；　or　soap；　and　very　little　water；　which　couldn't　be　wasted　on　mere　sanitation。
　During　the　months　of　confinement；　Duncan　had　undergone　vigorous　and　violent　〃training；〃　while　his　family　sat　fearfully　offstage；　doing　nothing　with　their　days。　All　of　them　had　been　given　numbers；　slave…cell　addresses；　and　（with　the　exception　of　Duncan）　nothing　to　do　　no　labor；　no　entertainment。　They　simply　awaited　any　change　in　their　sentence。。。and　dreaded　that　such　a　change　would　someday　e。
　Now　with　excitement　and　pride　Duncan　told　his　mother　of　his　adventures；　how　he　had　outwitted　the　pursuers；　how　he　had　been　resourceful　enough　to　defeat　even　the　best　Harkonnen　trackers。　None　of　the　other　children　had　succeeded　on　this　day；　but　Duncan　was　certain　he'd　done　what　was　necessary　to　buy　freedom。
　Any　minute　now　they'd　be　released。　He　tried　to　imagine　his　family　standing　together　again；　free；　outside；　looking　up　into　a　clear；　starlit　night。
　His　father　gazed　proudly　at　the　boy；　but　his　mother　found　it　difficult　to　believe　that　such　a　thing　could　possibly　be　true。　She　had　good　reason　not　to　trust　Harkonnen　promises。
　Before　long；　the　cell　lights　flickered；　and　the　opaque　door　field　became　transparent；　then　opened。　A　group　of　blue…uniformed　prison　guards　stood　beside　the　smiling　hunt　captain　who　had　chased　him。　Duncan's　heart　leaped。　Are　we　going　to　be　set　free？
　He　didn't　like　the　hunt　captain's　smile；　though。
　The　uniformed　men　stepped　aside　in　deference　to　a　man　with　broad　shoulders；　thick　lips；　and　big　muscles。　His　face　was　sunburned　and　ruddy；　as　if　he　had　spent　a　great　deal　of　time　far　from　gloomy　Giedi　Prime。
　Duncan's　father　sprang　to　his　feet；　then　bowed　clumsily。　〃M'Lord　Rabban！〃
　Ignoring　the　parents；　Rabban's　eyes　sought　out　only　the　round…faced　young　trainee。　〃The　captain　of　the　hunt　tells　me　you're　the　best　boy；〃　he　said　to　Duncan。　As　he　stepped　into　the　cell；　the　guards　hustled　in　behind　him。　Rabban　grinned。
　〃You　should　have　seen　him　in　today's　exercise；　m'Lord；〃　the　hunt　captain　said。　〃Never　had　a　more　resourceful　pup。〃
　Rabban　nodded。　〃Number　11368；　I've　seen　your　records；　watched　holos　of　your　hunts。　How　are　your　injuries？　Not　too　bad？　You're　young；　so　you'll　heal　quickly。〃　His　eyes　hardened。　〃Lots　more　fun　left　in　you。　Let's　see　how　you　do　against　me。〃
　He　turned　about。　〃e　with　me　for　the　hunt；　boy。　Now。〃
　〃My　name　is　Duncan　Idaho；〃　the　boy　responded；　in　a　defiant　tone。　〃I'm　not　a　number。〃　His　voice　was　thin　and　high…pitched；　but　held　a　gruff　bravery　that　shocked　his　parents。　Surprised；　the　guards　turned　to　stare　at　him。　Duncan　looked　to　his　mother　for　support；　as　if　hoping　for　some　kind　of　challenge　or　reward。　Instead；　she　tried　to　hush　him。
　Rabban　coolly　snatched　a　lasgun　from　the　guard　standing　next　to　him。　Without　the　slightest　pause；　he　fired　a　lethal　blast　into　the　chest　of　Duncan's　father。　The　man　slammed　against　the　wall。　Before　his　corpse　could　slide　to　the　floor；　Rabban　shifted　his　weapon　and　incinerated　the　head　of　Duncan's　mother。
　Duncan　screamed。　Both　of　his　parents　tumbled　to　the　floor；　lifeless　mounds　of　blistering；　burned　flesh。
　〃Now　you　have　no　name；　11368；〃　Rabban　said。　〃e　with　me。〃
　The　guards　grabbed　him；　not　even　letting　Duncan　rush　to　his　fallen　parents。　Not　even　giving　him　time　to　cry。
　〃These　men　will　have　to　prepare　you　before　we　can　begin　the　next　round　of　fun。　I　need　a　good　hunt　for　a　change。〃
　The　guards　dragged　Duncan；　kicking　and　screaming；　out　of　the　noisome　cell。　He　felt　dead　inside　　except　for　an　icy　flame　of　hatred　that　blossomed　in　his　chest　and　burned　away　all　vestiges　of　his　childhood。
　The　populace　must　think　their　ruler　is　a　greater　man　than　they；　else　why　should　they　follow　him？　Above　all　a　leader　must　be　a　showman；　giving　his　people　the　bread　and　circuses　they　require。
　…DUKE　PAULUS　ATREIDES
　The　weeks　of　preparation　for　his　sojourn　on　Ix　passed　in　a　blur　as　Leto　tried　to　drink　up　a　year's　worth　of　memories　and　store　them；　fixing　all　the　images　of　his　ancestral　home　in　his　mind。　He　would　miss　Caladan's　moist　salty　air；　its　fog…shrouded　mornings；　and　the　musical　afternoon　rainstorms。　How　could　a　stark；　colorless　machine　planet　pare　with　this？
　Of　the　many　palaces　and　vacation　villas　on　the　water…rich　planet；　Castle　Caladan；　perched　high　on　a　cliff　over　the　sea；　was　the　true　place　where　Leto　belonged；　the　main　seat　of　government。　Someday；　when　he　finally　put　on　the　ducal　signet　ring；　he　would　be　the　twenty…sixth　Duke　Atreides　to　sit　in　the　Castle。
　His　mother　Helena　spent　much　time　fussing　over　him；　seeing　omens　in　many　things；　and　quoting　passages　she　considered　important　from　the　Orange　Catholic　Bible。　She　was　distressed　to　be　losing　her　son　for　a　year；　but　would　not　countermand　the　Old　Duke's　orders　　not　in　anyone's　hearing；　at　least。　Her　expression　was　troubled；　and　Leto　realized　it　especially　alarmed　her　that　Paulus　had　chosen　to　send　him　to　Ix；　of　all　places。　〃It's　a　festering　hotbed　of　suspect　technology；〃　she　said　to　him　when　her　husband　was　gone；　far　out　of　earshot。
　〃Are　you　sure　you　aren't　just　reacting　because　Ix　is　the　main　rival　to　House　Richese；　Mother？〃　he　asked。
　〃I　think　not！〃　Her　long；　slender　fingers　paused　as　they　laced　up　an　elegant　collar　on　his　shirt。　〃House　Richese　relies　on　old；　tried…and…true　technology　　established　devices　that　fall　safely　within　prescribed　guidelines。　No　one　questions　Richesian　adherence　to　the　strictures　of　the　Jihad。〃
　She　looked　at　him；　her　dark　eyes　hard；　then　cracking　with　tears。　She　stroked　his　shoulder。　From　a　recent　spurt　of　growth；　he　was　almost　her　height。　〃Leto；　Leto；　I　don't　want　you　to　lose　your　innocence　there；　or　your　soul；〃　she　told　him。　〃There's　too　much　at　stake。〃
　Later；　in　the　dining　hall　during　a　quiet　family　meal　of　fish　stew　and　biscuits；　Helena　had　once　again　begged　the　Old　Duke　to　send　him　somewhere　else。　Paulus　merely　laughed　at　her　concerns；　though；　until　finally　her　quiet　but　firm　refusal　to　back　down　drove　him　to　rage。　〃Dominic　is　my　friend　　and　by　God　our　son　couldn't　learn　at　the　hands　of　a　better　man！〃
　Trying　to　concentrate　on　his　own　meal