bh.houseatreides-第44章
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Fenring continued to hum； only fractionally quieter now。 〃The oils must be in precise balance； hm…m…m…m…ah？ You would rather have the starscope perfect； than fast。〃
Shaddam huffed。 〃You didn't ask my preference。〃
〃I decided for you。〃 He stood back from the starscope's calibrated phased optics and bowed with an annoyingly formal gesture。 〃My Lord Prince； I present to you an image from orbit。 See it with your own eyes。〃
Shaddam squinted into the eyepiece pickups until a shape became startlingly clear； soaring silently in the distance。 The image shifted between brittle resolution and murky ripples caused by atmospheric distortion。
The mammoth Heighliner was the size of an asteroid； hanging over Kaitain and waiting to be met by a flotilla of small ships from the surface。 A tiny movement caught his eye； and Shaddam spotted the yellow…white flickers of engines as frigates rose from Kaitain bearing diplomats and emissaries； followed by transports carrying artifacts and cargo from the Imperial capital world。 The frigates themselves were immense； flanked by cadres of smaller ships but the curve of the Heighliner's hull dwarfed everything。
At the same time； other ships departed from the Heighliner hold and descended toward the capital city。 〃Delegation parties；〃 Shaddam said。 〃They've brought tributes to my father。〃
〃Taxes； actually not tributes；〃 Fenring pointed out。 〃Same thing； in an old…fashioned sense； of course。 Elrood is still their Emperor； um…m…m…ah？〃
The Crown Prince scowled at him。 〃But for how much longer？ Is your damned chaumurky going to take decades？〃 Shaddam fought to keep his voice low； although subsonic white…noise generators supposedly distorted their speech to foil any listening devices。 〃Couldn't you find a different poison？ A faster one？ This waiting is maddening！ How much time has passed anyway？ It seems like a year since I've slept well。〃
〃You mean we should have been more overt about the murder？ Not advisable。〃 Fenring took his station back at the starscope； adjusting the automated trackers to follow the Heighliner along its orbit。 〃Be patient； my Lord Prince。 Until I suggested this plan； you were content to wait for decades。 What does a year or two matter pared with the length of your eventual reign； hm…m…m…m？〃
Shaddam nudged Fenring away from the eyepieces so he wouldn't have to look at his fellow conspirator。 〃Now that we've finally set the wheels in motion； I'm impatient for my father to die。 Don't give me time to brood about it and regret my decision。 I'll suffocate until I can ascend the Golden Lion Throne。 I was destined to lead； Hasimir； but some have been whispering that I'll never get the opportunity。 It makes me afraid to marry and father any children。〃
If he expected Fenring to attempt to convince him otherwise； the other man disappointed him with his silence。
Fenring spoke again after a few moments。 〃N'kee is slow poison by design。 We have worked long and hard to establish our plan； and your impatience can only cause damage and increase risk。 A more sudden act would certainly create suspicion in the Landsraad； hmmm？ They would seize upon any wedge； any scandal； to weaken your position。〃
〃But I am the heir to House Corrino！〃 Shaddam said； lowering his voice to a throaty whisper。 〃How can they question my right？〃
〃And you e to the Imperial throne bearing all the associated baggage； all the obligations； past antagonisms； and prejudices。 Don't fool yourself； my friend the Emperor is merely one sizable force among many that make up the delicate fabric of our Imperium。 If all the Houses banded together against us； even your father's mighty Sardaukar legions might not be able to hold out。 No one dares risk it。〃
〃When I'm on the throne； I intend to strengthen the emperorship； add some real teeth to the title。〃 Shaddam stood away from the starscope。
Fenring shook his head with exaggerated sadness。 〃I'd be willing to wager a cargo hold full of the highest…quality whale…fur that most of your predecessors have vowed the same thing to their advisors ever since the Great Revolt。〃 He drew a deep breath； narrowing his large dark eyes。 〃Even if the n'kee works as planned； you have at least another year to wait。。。so calm yourself。 Take fort in the increased symptoms of aging we've seen in your father。 Encourage him to drink more spice beer。〃
Miffed； Shaddam turned back to the phased optics and studied the hull patterns along the belly of the Heighliner； the mark of Ixian construction yards； the cartouche of the Spacing Guild。 The hold was crowded with fleets of frigates from various Houses； shipments assigned to CHOAM； and precious records earmarked for library archives on Wallach IX。
〃By the way； someone of interest is aboard that Heighliner；〃 Fenring said。
〃Oh？〃
Fenring crossed his arms over his narrow chest。 〃A person who appears to be a simple seller of pundi rice and chikarba root on his way to a Tleilaxu way station。 He's bearing your message for the Tleilaxu Masters； your proposal to meet with them and discuss covert Imperial funding of a large…scale project that will produce a substitute for the spice melange。〃
〃My proposal？ I made no such proposal！〃 Revulsion flickered across Shaddam's face。
〃Um…m…m； you did； my Lord Prince。 Ah； the possibility of using unorthodox Tleilaxu means to develop a synthetic spice？ What a good idea you had！ Show your father how smart you are。〃
〃Don't place the blame on me； Hasimir。 It was your idea。〃
〃You don't want the credit？〃
〃Not in the least。〃
Fenring raised his eyebrows。 〃You are serious about breaking the Arrakis bottleneck and setting up the Imperial House with a private； unlimited source of melange？ Aren't you？〃
Shaddam glowered。 〃Of course I'm serious。〃
〃Then we will bring a Tleilaxu Master here in secret to present his proposal to the Emperor。 We'll soon see how far old Elrood is willing to go。〃
Blindness can take many forms other than the inability to see。 Fanatics are often blinded in their thoughts。 Leaders are often blinded in their hearts。
…The Orange Catholic Bible
For months； Leto had stayed in the underground city of Vernii as the honored guest of Ix。 By now； he had bee fortable with the strangeness of his new surroundings； with the routine； and with self…confident Ixian security fortable enough to grow careless。
Prince Rhombur was a chronic late sleeper； while Leto was the opposite； an early riser like the fishermen on Caladan。 The Atreides heir wandered the upper stalactite buildings alone； going to observation windows and peeking in on manufacturing…design procedures or fabrication lines。 He learned how to use the transit systems and discovered that his bioscram card from Earl Vernius opened many doors for him。
Leto gleaned more from his wanderings and his voracious curiosity than he did from instructional meetings hosted by various tutors。 Remembering his father's admonishment to learn from everything； he took the self…guiding lift tubes； when none were available； he grew accustomed to using walkways； cargo lifts； or even ladders to go from one level to another。
One morning； after awakening refreshed and restless； Leto went to one of the upper atriums and stepped out〃 onto an observation balcony。 Even sealed underground； the caverns of Ix were so vast that they had their own air currents and wind patterns； though it was a far cry from the Castle towers and windy cliffsides of his home。 He took a deep breath； filling his lungs to capacity； but the air here always smelled of rock dust。 Maybe it was just his imagination。
Stretching his arms； Leto looked out and down toward the broad grotto that had held the Guild Heighliner。 Among the scars of construction and support machinery； he could pick out the already…sprouting skeleton of another massive hull； flash…welded together by teams of suboid workers。 He watched the low…level inhabitants working with insect efficiency。
A cargo platform drifted by； passing directly below the balcony as it made a gradual descent to the distant work area。 Leto leaned over the railing and saw that the platform's surface was loaded with raw materials mined from the crust of the planet。
On impulse； he climbed over the balcony rim；
