bh.houseatreides-第41章

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e　the　fight　began；　however；　the　Ixian　unit　morphed　a　set　of　crude　protrusions　and　took　on　varying　shapes　based　upon　feedback　from　its　scanner；　telling　it　how　best　to　defeat　an　adversary。　Steel　fists；　knives；　flexsteel　cables；　and　other　surprises　could　be　thrust　from　any　point　on　its　body。　Its　mechanical　face　could　disappear　entirely　or　change　expression　　from　a　dullness　designed　to　lull　an　opponent　to　a　ferocious　red…eyed　glare；　or　even　fiendish　glee。　The　mek　interpreted　and　reacted；　learning　with　each　step。
　〃Remember；　no　regular　patterns；〃　Zhaz　shouted　to　Rhombur。　His　beard　protruded　like　a　shovel　from　his　chin。　〃Don't　let　it　read　you。〃
　The　Prince　ducked　as　two　blunted　darts　sped　past　his　head。　A　surprise　knife　thrust　from　the　mek　drew　a　trickle　of　blood　on　the　young　man's　shoulder。　Even　with　the　injury；　Rhombur　feinted　and　attacked；　and　Leto　was　proud　of　his　royal　peer　for　not　crying　out。
　On　several　occasions　Rhombur　had　asked　Leto　for　advice；　even　critiques　on　sparring　style。　Answering　honestly；　Leto　kept　in　mind　that　he　himself　was　not　a　skilled　professional　instructor　　nor　did　he　want　to　reveal　too　much　of　Atreides　techniques。　Rhombur　could　learn　those　from　Thufir　Hawat；　the　Old　Duke's　swordmaster　himself。
　The　tip　of　the　Prince's　blade　found　a　soft　spot　on　the　mek's　charcoal　body；　and　it　fell　over　〃dead。〃
　〃Good；　Rhombur！〃　Leto　called。
　Zhaz　nodded。　〃Much　better。〃
　Leto　had　fought　the　mek　twice　that　day；　defeating　it　each　time　on　higher　difficulty　settings　than　Prince　Rhombur　was　using。　When　Zhaz　asked　how　Leto　had　acquired　such　skills；　the　young　Atreides　hadn't　said　much；　not　wishing　to　brag。　But　now　he　had　firsthand　proof　that　the　Atreides　method　of　training　was　superior；　despite　the　mek's　chilling　near　intelligence。　Leto's　background　involved　rapiers；　knives；　slow…pellet　stunners；　and　body…shields　　and　Thufir　Hawat　was　a　more　dangerous　and　unpredictable　instructor　than　any　automated　device　could　ever　hope　to　be。
　Just　as　Leto　took　up　his　own　weapon　and　prepared　for　the　next　round；　the　lift　doors　opened　and　Kailea　entered；　sparkling　with　jewels　and　a　fortable　metal…fiber　outfit　whose　design　seemed　calculated　to　look　gorgeous　but　casual。　She　bore　a　stylus　and　ridulian　recorder　pad。　Her　eyebrows　arched　in　feigned　surprise　at　finding　them　there。　〃Oh！　Excuse　me。　I　came　to　look　at　the　mek　design。〃
　The　Vernius　daughter　usually　contented　herself　with　intellectual　and　cultural　pursuits；　studying　business　and　art。　Leto　couldn't　keep　himself　from　watching　her。　At　times　her　eyes　almost　seemed　to　flirt　with　him；　but　more　often　she　ignored　him　with　such　intensity　he　suspected　she　shared　the　same　attraction　he　felt。
　During　his　time　in　the　Grand　Palais；　Leto　had　crossed　her　path　in　the　dining　hall；　on　the　open　observation　balconies；　in　library　facilities。　He　had　responded　to　her　with　snatches　of　awkward　conversation。　Aside　from　the　inviting　sparkle　in　her　beautiful　green　eyes；　Kailea　had　given　him　no　special　encouragement；　but　he　couldn't　stop　thinking　about　her。
　She's　only　a　stripling；　Leto　reminded　himself；　playing　at　being　a　Lady。　Somehow；　though；　he　couldn't　convince　his　imagination　of　that。　Kailea　had　plete　confidence　that　she　was　destined　for　a　greater　future　than　living　underground　on　Ix。　Her　father　was　a　war　hero；　the　head　of　one　of　the　wealthiest　Great　Houses；　and　her　mother　had　been　beautiful　enough　to　be　an　Imperial　concubine；　and　the　girl　herself　had　an　excellent　head　for　business。　Kailea　Vernius　obviously　had　a　wealth　of　possibilities。
　She　focused　her　plete　attention　on　the　motionless　gray　ovoid。　〃I've　gotten　Father　to　consider　marketing　our　new…phase　fighting　meks　mercially。〃　She　studied　the　motionless　training　machine；　but　glanced　at　Leto　out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye；　noted　his　strong　profile　and　regal；　high…bridged　nose。　〃Ours　are　better　than　any　other　bat　device　　adaptable；　versatile；　and　self…learning。　The　closest　thing　to　a　human　adversary　developed　since　the　Jihad。〃
　He　felt　a　chill；　thinking　back　to　all　the　warnings　his　mother　had　given　him。　Right　now　she　would　be　pointing　an　accusing　finger　and　nodding　in　satisfaction。　Leto　looked　over　at　the　charcoal…colored　ovoid。　〃Are　you　saying　that　thing　has　a　brain？〃
　〃By　all　the　saints　and　sinners；　you　mean　in　violation　of　the　strictures　after　the　Great　Revolt？〃　Captain　Zhaz　replied　in　stern　surprise。　〃　'Thou　shalt　not　make　a　machine　in　the　likeness　of　the　human　mind。'〃
　〃We're；　uh；　very　careful　about　that；　Leto；〃　Rhombur　said；　using　a　purple　towel　to　wipe　sweat　from　the　back　of　his　neck。　〃Nothing　to　worry　about。〃
　Leto　didn't　back　down。　〃Well；　if　the　mek　scans　people；　if　it　reads　them　as　you　said；　how　does　it　process　the　information？　If　not　through　a　puter　brain；　then　how？　This　isn't　just　a　reactive　device。　It　learns　and　tailors　its　attack。〃
　Kailea　jotted　notes　down　on　her　crystal　pad　and　adjusted　one　of　the　gold　bs　in　her　copper…dark　hair。　〃There　are　many　gray　areas；　Leto；　and　if　we　tread　very　carefully　House　Vernius　stands　to　make　a　tremendous　profit。〃　She　ran　a　fingertip　along　her　curved　lips。　〃Still；　it　might　be　best　to　test　the　waters　by　offering　some　unmarked　models　on　the　black　market　first。〃
　〃Don't　trouble　yourself；　Leto；〃　Rhombur　said；　avoiding　the　unfortable　subject。　His　tousled　blond　hair　still　dripped　with　sweat；　and　his　skin　showed　a　flush　from　his　exertion。　〃House　Vernius　has　teams　of　Mentats　and　legal　advisors　scrutinizing　the　letter　of　the　law。〃　He　looked　over　at　his　sister　for　reassurance。　She　nodded　absently。
　In　some　of　his　instruction　sessions　in　the　Grand　Palais；　Leto　had　learned　of　interplanetary　patent　disputes；　minor　technicalities；　subtle　loopholes。　Had　the　Ixians　e　up　with　a　substantially　different　way　of　using　mechanical　units　to　process　data；　one　that　did　not　raise　the　spectre　of　thinking　machines　like　those　that　had　enslaved　mankind　for　so　many　centuries？　He　didn't　see　how　House　Vernius　could　have　created　a　self…learning；　reactive；　adaptable　fighting　mek　without　somehow　going　over　the　line　into　Jihad　violation。
　If　his　mother　ever　found　out；　she　would　haul　him　home　from　Ix；　no　matter　what　his　father　might　say。
　〃Let's　see　just　how　good　this　product　is；〃　Leto　said；　taking　up　a　weapon　and　turning　his　back　on　Kailea。　He　could　feel　her　eyes　on　his　bare　shoulders；　the　muscles　of　his　neck。　Zhaz　stood　back　casually　to　watch。
　Leto　shifted　his　pike　from　hand　to　hand　and　jogged　onto　the　floor。　Taking　a　classic　fighting　stance；　he　called　out　a　degree　of　difficulty　to　the　charcoal　oval　shape。　〃Seven　point　two…four！〃　Eight　notches　higher　than　the　time　before。
　The　mek　refused　to　move。
　〃Too　high；〃　the　training　master　said；　thrusting　his　bearded　chin　forward。　〃I　disabled　the　dangerous　higher　levels。〃
　Leto　scowled。　The　fight　instructor　did　not　want　to　challenge　his　students；　or　risk　more　than　the　slightest　injury。　Thufir　Hawat　would　have　laughed　out　loud。
　〃Are　you　trying　to　show　off　for　the　young　lady；　Master　Atreides？　Could　get　you　killed。〃
　Looking　at　Kailea；　he　saw　her　watching　him；　a　bemused；　teasing　expression　on　her　face。　She　quickly　turned　to　the　ridulian　pad　and　scratched　a　few　more　ciphers。　He　flushed；　felt　the　hotness。　Zhaz　reached　over　to　grab　a　soft　towel　from　a　rack　and　tossed　it　to　Leto。
　〃The　session's　over。　Distractions　of　this　sort　are　not　good　for　your　training；　and　can　lead　to　serious　injury。〃　He　turned　to　the　Princess。　〃Lady　Kailea；　I　request　that　you　avoid　the　training　floor　whenever　Leto　Atreides　is　fighting　our　meks。　Too　many　hormones　in　the　way。〃　The　guard　captain　could　not　cover　his　amusement。　〃Your　presence　could　be　more　dangerous　than　any　enemy。〃
　We　must　do　a　thing　on　Arrakis　never　before　attempted　for　an　entire　planet。　We　must　use　man　as　a　constructive　ecological　force　　inserting　adapted　terraform　life：　a　plant　here；　an　animal　there；　a　man　in　that　place　　to　transform　the　water　cycle；　to　build　a　new　kind　of　landscape。
　…Report　from　Imperial　Planetologist　PARDOT　KYNES；　directed　to　Padishah　EMPEROR　ELROOD　IX　（unsent）
　When　the　blood…spattered　Fremen　youths　asked　Pardot　Kynes　to　acpany　them；　he　didn't　know　whether　he　was　to　be　their　guest　or　prisoner。　Either　way；　the　prospect　intrigued　him。　Finally；　he　would　have　his　chance　to　experience　their　mysterious　culture　first