bh.houseatreides-第47章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　I　can　get　back　at　them。〃
　Duncan　sneered。　〃Maybe　I'm　just　a　boy；　but　I　spent　all　night　beating　the　Harkonnens　at　their　hunting　game。　I　watched　Rabban　kill　my　mother　and　father。　Who　knows　what　else　they've　done　to　my　uncles；　aunts；　and　cousins？〃
　〃I　doubt　there's　anyone　left　alive　on　Giedi　Prime　with　the　name　of　Idaho　　especially　after　the　embarrassment　you　caused　them　tonight。　Tough　luck。〃
　〃If　they　did　that；　it　was　a　waste　of　effort；〃　he　said；　trying　to　hide　the　pain。　〃I　didn't　know　my　relatives　anyway。〃
　Janess　increased　the　flitter's　speed；　boosting　them　low　across　the　dark　trees　and　away　from　the　wilderness　preserve。　〃Right　now；　I'm　helping　you　get　away　from　the　hunters；　so　just　shut　up　and　be　glad。　You　don't　have　any　other　options。〃
　She　ran　the　craft　without　lights；　keeping　her　engines　masked；　though　Duncan　couldn't　imagine　how　they　could　ever　escape　from　prying　Harkonnen　eyes。　He　had　killed　several　of　the　hunters　　and　worse；　he　had　outwitted　and　humiliated　Rabban。
　Duncan　allowed　himself　the　slightest　satisfied　smile。　ing　forward；　he　slumped　exhausted　into　a　seat　beside　Janess；　who　had　strapped　herself　into　the　pilot's　chair。　〃Why　should　I　trust　you？〃
　〃Did　I　ask　you　to　trust　me？〃　She　flashed　a　dark…eyed　glance　at　him。　〃Just　take　advantage　of　the　situation。〃
　〃Are　you　going　to　tell　me　anything？〃
　Janess　flew　in　silence　for　a　long　moment；　racing　over　the　bunched　treetops　before　she　answered。　〃It's　true。　Yeah；　I　reported　your　parents　to　the　Harkonnens。　I'd　heard　rumors；　knew　your　mother　and　father　had　done　something　to　get　the　officials　angry　　and　the　Harkonnens　don't　like　people　who　make　them　angry。　I　was　looking　out　for　myself　and　saw　an　advantage。　By　turning　them　in；　I　thought　I　might　get　a　reward。　Besides；　your　parents　caused　the　problem　themselves　in　the　first　place。　They　made　the　mistakes。　I　was　just　trying　to　cash　in　on　it。　Nothing　personal。　Somebody　else　would　have　done　it；　if　I　hadn't。〃
　Duncan　scowled；　clenching　his　grimy　hands。　He　wished　he　had　the　nerve　to　use　his　knife　on　this　woman；　but　that　would　cause　the　flitter　to　crash。　She　was　his　only　way　out。　For　now。
　Her　face　contorted　into　an　angry　grimace。　〃But　what　did　the　Harkonnens　give　me　in　return？　A　reward；　a　promotion？　No　　nothing。　A　kick　in　the　teeth。　Not　even　a　'thank　you　very　much。'　〃　A　troubled　look　crossed　her　face；　disappearing　as　quickly　as　a　tiny　cloud　scudding　across　the　sun。　〃It's　not　easy　to　do　something　like　that；　you　know。　You　think　I　enjoyed　it？　But　on　Giedi　Prime　opportunities　arise　rarely　enough；　and　I'd　watched　too　many　of　them　pass　me　by。
　〃This　should　have　really　changed　things　for　me。　But　when　I　approached　them　to　ask　for　the　slightest　bit　of　consideration；　they　threw　me　out　and　ordered　me　not　to　e　back　again。　It　was　all　for　nothing；　and　that　makes　it　even　worse。〃　Her　nostrils　flared。　〃Nobody　does　that　to　Janess　Milam　without　risking　plenty。〃
　〃So　you're　not　doing　this　for　me　at　all；〃　Duncan　said。　〃Not　because　you　feel　guilty　about　what　you　did　and　all　the　pain　you　caused　people。　You　just　want　to　get　even　with　the　Harkonnens。〃
　〃Hey；　kid；　just　take　your　breaks　where　you　can　get　them。〃
　Duncan　rummaged　in　one　of　the　storage　partments　until　he　found　two　fruit…rice　bars　and　a　sealed　bubble　of　juice。　Without　asking；　he　tore　into　the　packets　and　began　stuffing　himself。　The　bars　tasted　only　faintly　of　cinnamon；　a　flavor…enhancer　to　simulate　melange。
　〃You're　wele；〃　Janess　said　sarcastically。
　He　didn't　reply；　chewed　loudly。
　All　night　long　the　flitter　soared　over　the　lowlands　toward　the　forbidding　city　of　Barony。　For　a　moment　Duncan　thought　she　intended　to　dump　him　back　into　prison；　where　he　would　have　to　go　through　everything　all　over　again。　He　slipped　his　hand　into　his　pocket；　felt　the　handle　of　his　dull　knife。　But　Janess　flew　the　unmarked　craft　beyond　the　prison　plex　and　headed　south；　past　a　dozen　cities　and　villages。
　They　had　stopped　for　a　day；　hiding　out　during　the　afternoon；　replenishing　their　supplies　at　a　small　way　station。　Janess　provided　him　with　a　blue　singlesuit；　cleaned　up　his　wound　as　best　she　could；　and　crudely　administered　medical　treatment。　She　tended　him　with　no　special　care；　but　merely　expressed　the　hope　that　he　would　not　draw　attention　to　himself。
　At　dusk　they　set　off　again；　heading　far　south　to　an　independent　spaceport。　Duncan　didn't　know　the　names　of　the　places　they　visited；　nor　did　he　ask。　No　one　had　ever　taught　him　geography。　Whenever　he　bothered　to　venture　a　question；　Janess　invariably　snapped　at　him　or　ignored　him　entirely。
　The　spaceport　plex　carried　a　flavor　of　rough　mercantile　personnel　and　the　Guild　rather　than　the　cumbersome　Harkonnen　style。　It　was　functional　and　efficient；　with　endurance　emphasized　over　luxury　or　eye　appeal。　Corridors　and　rooms　were　large　enough　for　the　movement　of　enclosed　tanks　holding　Guild　Navigators。
　Janess　parked　the　flitter…thopter　where　she　could　easily　retrieve　it；　then　set　her　own　hot…wired　security　systems　before　leaving　the　craft　behind。　〃Follow　me；〃　she　said。　With　young　Duncan　in　tow；　she　marched　out　into　the　bustle　and　chaos　of　the　spaceport。　〃I've　made　some　arrangements。　But　if　you　get　lost　here；　I'm　not　looking　for　you。〃
　Why　shouldn't　I　just　run？　I　don't　trust　you。〃
　I'm　going　to　put　you　on　a　ship　that'll　take　you　away　from　Giedi　Prime；　far　from　the　Harkonnens。〃　She　looked　down　at　him；　goading。　〃Your　choice；　kid。　I　don't　need　any　more　trouble　from　you。〃
　Duncan　clenched　his　teeth　and　followed　her　without　further　ment。
　Janess　tracked　down　a　battered　cargo　craft　swarming　with　workers　who　loaded　scuffed　cases　on　board。　Using　suspensor　pads；　they　dragged　heavy　pallets　into　the　holding　bay　and　stacked　them　haphazardly。
　〃Second　mate　of　this　ship　is　an　old　friend　of　mine；〃　Janess　said。　〃He　owes　me　a　favor。〃
　Duncan　did　not　ask　what　kind　of　people　a　woman　like　Janess　Milam　would　consider　friends。。。or　what　she　had　done　to　earn　herself　such　a　favor。
　〃I'm　not　going　to　pay　a　single　solari　for　your　passage；　Idaho　　your　family　has　already　cost　my　conscience　enough；　ruined　my　standing　with　the　Harkonnen　overlords；　and　got　me　nothing。　But　my　friend　Renno　says　you　can　ride　in　the　hold；　just　as　long　as　you　don't　eat　anything　other　than　standard　rations　or　cost　anyone　time　or　credits。〃
　Duncan　watched　the　spaceport　activities　around　him。　He　had　no　real　conception　of　what　life　would　be　like　on　any　other　world。　The　cargo　ship　looked　old　and　unimpressive　　but　if　it　provided　him　with　passage　away　from　Giedi　Prime；　then　it　was　a　golden　bird　from　heaven。
　Janess　took　him　roughly　by　his　arm　and　marched　him　toward　the　loading　ramp。　His　sore　shoulder　throbbed。　〃They're　hauling　recyclable　materials　and　other　salvage；　which　they'll　take　to　a　processing　station　on　Caladan。　That's　the　home　of　House　Atreides。。。archenemies　of　the　Harkonnens。　You　know　about　the　feud　between　those　Houses？〃　When　Duncan　shook　his　head；　Janess　laughed。　〃Of　course　not。　How　would　a　little　dirt　rodent　like　you　have　learned　anything　about　the　Landsraad　and　the　Great　Houses？〃
　She　stopped　one　of　the　workers　guiding　a　precariously　loaded　suspensor　platform。　〃Where's　Renno？　Tell　him　Janess　Milam　is　here　and　I　want　to　see　him　right　away。〃　She　glanced　down　at　Duncan；　who　stood　up　straight　and　tried　to　look　presentable。　〃Tell　him　I　brought　the　package　I　promised。〃
　Touching　a　municator　on　his　lapel；　the　man　mumbled　something　into　it。　Then；　without　acknowledging　Janess；　he　pushed　his　load　up　into　the　squat　cargo　hauler。
　Duncan　waited；　analyzing　the　activity　around　him；　while　Janess　frowned　and　fidgeted。　Before　long；　a　grubby…looking　man　emerged；　his　skin　smeared　with　colored　lubricants；　grime；　and　oily　sweat。
　〃Renno！〃　Janess　waved　to　him。　〃It's　about　damn　time！〃
　He　gave　her　a　tight　embrace；　followed　by　a　long　and　wet　kiss。　Janess　broke　away　as　quickly　as　she　could　and　pointed　to　Duncan。　〃There　he　is。　Take　him　to　Caladan。〃　She　smiled。　〃I　can't　think　of　a　better　revenge　than　to　deliver　this　boy　right　where　they　least　want　him　to　be　　and　where　they're　least　likely　to　find　him。〃
　〃You　play　dangerous　games；　Janess；〃　Renno　said。
　〃I　enjoy　games。〃　She　balled　her　fist　and　playfully　punched　him　in　the　shoulder。　〃Don't　tell　anyone。〃
　Renno　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃What's　the　po