bh.houseatreides-第23章
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ice in the belly of a fish。 He could see the ceiling high overhead； but not the walls kilometers away。 Other ships； large and small； were arrayed in the hold： frigates； cargo haulers； shuttles； lighters； and armored monitors。 Strapped…together stacks of 〃dump boxes〃 unpiloted cargo containers designed to dump material directly from low orbit onto a planet's surface hung next to the main exterior hatches。
Guild regulations； etched on ridulian crystals mounted to the main wall of every room； prohibited passengers from leaving the isolation of their ship。 Through adjacent windows Leto snatched glimpses of passengers inside other craft a potpourri of races bound for all parts of the Imperium。
The Wayku deckhands finished their first round of service； and the passengers waited。 The trip through foldspace took no more than an hour； but preparations for departure sometimes required days。
Finally； with no announcement whatsoever； Leto detected a faint； smooth purring that seemed to e from far away。 He could feel it in every muscle of his body。 〃We must be heading out；〃 he said； turning to the soostone merchants； who seemed unimpressed。 From the quick diverting of their eyes and the way they studiously ignored him； Leto thought they must consider him an uncultured yokel。
In an isolated chamber high atop the craft； a Guild Navigator swimming in a tank of gas saturated with melange began to enpass space with his mind。 He envisioned and threaded a safe passage through the fabric of foldspace； transporting the Heighliner and its contents across a vast distance。
At dinner the previous evening in the Castle's dining hall； Leto's mother had wondered aloud if Navigators might somehow violate the machine…human interaction prohibited by the Butlerian Jihad。 Knowing Leto would soon be off to Ix and at risk of moral tainting； she innocently made the suggestion as she nibbled on a mouthful of lemon…broiled fish。 She often used a most reasonable tone when she uttered her provocative statements。 The effect was like dropping a boulder into a pool of still water。
〃Oh； nonsense； Helena！〃 Paulus said； wiping his beard with a napkin。 〃Where would we be without Navigators？〃
〃Just because you have bee accustomed to a thing； does not make it right； Paulus。 The Orange Catholic Bible says nothing about morality being defined by personal convenience。〃
Before his father could argue the point； Leto interrupted。 〃I thought that Navigators just saw the way； a safe way。 Holtzman generators actually operate the spacecraft。〃 He decided to add a quote he remembered from the Bible。 〃 'The highest master in the material world is the human mind； and the beasts of the field and the machines of the city must be forever subordinate。' 〃
〃Of course； dear；〃 his mother said； and dropped the subject。
Now； he didn't notice any change of sensation upon passing into foldspace。 Before Leto knew it； the Heighliner arrived in another solar system Harmonthep； according to the transport schedule。
Once there； Leto had to wait for five more hours as cargo ships and shuttles went in and out of the Heighliner hold； as well as transports and even a superfrigate。 Then the Guild ship moved off again； folding space to a new solar system Kirana Aleph； this time where the cycle occurred once more。
Leto took a nap in the sleeping partments； then emerged to buy two of the sizzling meat sticks and a potent cup of stee。 Helena might wish he'd been escorted by Atreides house guards； but Paulus had insisted that there was only one way for his son to learn to take care of himself。 Leto had an agenda and instructions； and he vowed to do just that。
Finally； on the third stop； a Wayku deckhand ordered Leto to descend three decks and board an automatic shuttle。 She was a stern…looking woman in a gaudy uniform and did not seem to be in the mood for conversation。 Her headset thrummed with an undercurrent of melody。
〃Is this Ix？〃 Leto inquired； reaching for his suspensor…buoyed suitcases。 They followed him as he moved。
〃We are in the Alkaurops system；〃 she said。 Her eyes couldn't be seen because of her dark glasses。 〃Ix is the ninth planet。 You get off here。 We've already jettisoned the dump boxes。〃
Leto did as he was instructed； making his way toward the indicated shuttle； though he wished he had been given more warning and more information。 He didn't know exactly what he was supposed to do once he arrived on the high…tech industrial world； but he assumed Earl Vernius would greet him or at least send some sort of weling party。
He took a deep breath and tried not to let his anxiety grow too intense。
The robo…piloted shuttle plummeted out of the Heighliner hold toward the surface of a planet traced with mountains； clouds； and ice。 The automated shuttle functioned according to a limited set of instructions； and conversation wasn't in its repertoire of skills。 Leto was the only passenger aboard； apparently the only traveler bound for Ix。 The machine planet weled few visitors。
As he looked out the porthole； though； Leto had a sinking feeling that something had gone wrong。 The Wayku shuttle approached a high mountain plateau with Alpine forests in sheltered valleys。 He saw no buildings； none of the grand structures or manufacturing facilities he had expected。 No smoke in the air； no cities； no sign of civilization at all。
This couldn't possibly be the heavily industrialized world of Ix。 He looked around； tensing up； ready to defend himself。 Had he been betrayed？ Lured here and stranded？
The shuttle came to a stop on a stark plain strewn with flecked granite boulders and small clumps of white flowers。 〃This is where you get out； sir；〃 the robo…pilot announced in a synthesized voice。
〃Where are we？〃 Leto demanded。 〃I'm supposed to be going to the capital of Ix。〃
〃This is where you get out； sir。〃
〃Answer me！〃 His father would have used a booming voice to wrench a reply from this stupid machine。 〃This can't be the capital city of Ix。 Just look around you！〃
〃You have ten seconds to exit the craft； sir； or you will be forcibly ejected。 The Guild operates on a tight schedule。 The Heighliner is already prepared to depart for the next system。〃
Cursing under his breath； Leto nudged his drifting luggage and stepped onto the rubble…strewn surface。 Within seconds the white； bullet…shaped craft rose and dwindled to a pinpoint of orange light in the sky； before it disappeared from view entirely。
His pair of suitcases hovered beside him； and a clean…smelling wind ruffled his hair。 Leto was alone。 〃Hello？〃 he shouted； but no one answered。
He shivered as he stared at rugged mountain ridges dusted with snow and glacial ice。 Caladan； mostly an ocean world； had very few mountains approaching this grandeur。 But he had not e to see mountains。 〃Hello！ I'm Leto Atreides； from Caladan！〃 he called out。 〃Is anyone here？〃
A sick feeling clenched his chest。 He was far from home on an unknown world； with no way to find out where in the vast universe he was。 Is this even Ix？ The brisk wind was cold and sharp； but the open plain remained eerily quiet。 Oppressive silence hung in the thin air。
He had spent his life hearing the lullaby of the ocean； the songs of gulls； and the bustle of villagers。 Here he saw nothing； no weling party； no signs of habitation。 The world looked untouched。。。empty。
If I've been stranded here； will anyone be able to find me？
Thickening clouds concealed the sky； though he saw a distant blue sun through a break in the cover。 He shivered again and wondered what he should do； where he should go。 If he was going to be a Duke； he had to learn to make decisions。
A drizzle of sleet began to fall。
The paintbrush of history has depicted Abulurd Harkonnen in a most unfavorable light。 Judged by the standards of his older half brother； Baron Vladimir； and his own children Glossu Rabban and Feyd…Rautha Rabban； Abulurd was a different sort of man entirely。 We must； however； assess the frequent descriptions of his weakness； inpetence； and foolhardy decisions in light of the ultimate failure of House Harkonnen。 Though exiled to Lankiveil and stripped of any real power； Abulurd secured a victory unmatched by anyone else in his extended family：
