bh.houseatreides-第5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！
hat exactly have I been chosen for？〃
Elrood cackled at that and sat back。 〃How refreshing to see someone more concerned with satisfying his own curiosity than with saying the right thing； or pandering to these stupid clingers and buffoons。〃 As he smiled； Elrood's face turned rubbery； the wrinkles stretching back。 His skin had a grayish； parchment tone。 〃The report says you grew up on Salusa Secundus； and you wrote definitive； plex reports on the ecology of the planet。〃
〃Yes； Sire； uh； Your Majesty。 My parents were bureaucratic functionaries； sent to work in your Imperial prison there。 I was just a child and went along with them。〃
In truth； Kynes had heard rumors that his mother or father had displeased Elrood somehow； and that they had been transferred in disgrace to the punishment planet。 But young Pardot Kynes had found the wastelands fascinating。 After the tutors were finished with him； he'd spent his days exploring the blasted wilderness taking notes； studying the insects and weeds and hardy animals that had managed to survive the ancient atomic holocaust。
〃Yes； yes； I understand that；〃 Elrood said。 〃After a while your parents were transferred to another world。〃
Kynes nodded。 〃Yes； Sire。 They went to Harmonthep。〃
The Emperor waved a hand to dismiss the reference。 〃But later you returned to Salusa； of your own free will？〃
〃Well； uh； there was still much more for me to learn on Salusa；〃 he answered； stifling an embarrassed shrug。
Kynes had spent years by himself in the outback； piecing together the mysteries of the climate and ecosystems。 He had suffered many hardships； endured much disfort。 He had even been pursued once by Laza tigers and survived。 Afterward； Kynes had published an extensive treatise about his years there； opening remarkable windows of understanding to the once…lovely； now…abandoned Imperial capital planet。
〃The wild desolation of the place whetted my interest in ecology。 It's so much more interesting to study a。。。damaged world。 I find it difficult to learn anything in a place that's too civilized。〃
Elrood laughed at the visitor's ment and looked around so that all the other members of the Court chuckled as well。 〃Like Kaitain； you mean？〃
〃Well； I'm sure there must be interesting places here； too； Sire；〃 Kynes said； hoping he hadn't made an inexcusable faux pas。
〃Well spoken！〃 Elrood boomed。 〃My advisors have chosen you wisely； Pardot Kynes。〃
Not knowing what else to do or say； the Planetologist bowed awkwardly。
After his years on Salusa Secundus； he had gone on to the swampy tangles of dimly lit Bela Tegeuse； and then to other places that interested him。 He could live off the land just about anywhere； his needs were few。 To him； most important of all was the harvesting of scientific knowledge； looking under rocks and seeing what secrets the natural processes had left for him to find。
But his curiosity was piqued now。 What had brought him to such impressive attention？ 〃If I may ask again； Your Majesty。。。what exactly do you have in mind for me？〃 Then he added quickly； 〃Of course； I am happy to serve in whatever capacity my Emperor wishes。〃
〃You； Kynes； have been recognized as a true world…reader； a man capable of analyzing plex ecosystems in order to harness them to the needs of the Imperium。 We have chosen you to go to the desert planet of Arrakis and work your magic there。〃
〃Arrakis！〃 Kynes could not restrain his astonishment and yes； pleasure…at the prospect。 〃I believe the nomadic Fremen inhabitants call it Dune。〃
〃Whatever its name；〃 Elrood said a little sharply； 〃it is one of the most unpleasant yet important worlds in the Imperium。 You know； of course； Arrakis is the sole source of the spice melange。〃
Kynes nodded。 〃I've always wondered why no searchers have ever found spice on any other world。 And why doesn't anyone understand how the spice is created or deposited？〃
〃You are going to understand it for us；〃 the Emperor said。 〃And it's about time； too。〃
Kynes suddenly realized he might have overstepped his bounds； and he balked a little。 Here he was in the grandest throne room on a million worlds； having an actual conversation with Emperor Elrood IX。 The other members of the Court stared at him； some with displeasure； some with horror； some with wicked glee as if they anticipated a severe punishment momentarily。
But soon Kynes found himself thinking of the sweeping landscape of scoured sands； majestic dunes； and monstrous sandworms visions he'd only seen in filmbooks。 Forgetting his minor lapse in tact； he caught his breath and waited for the details of his assignment。
〃It is vitally important to the future of the Imperium that we understand the secret of melange。 To date； no one has spent the time or effort to unravel its mysteries。 People think of Arrakis as an unending source of riches； and they don't care about the mechanics or the details。 Shallow thinking。〃 He paused。 〃This is the challenge you will face； Pardot Kynes。 We install you as our official Imperial Planetologist to Arrakis。〃
As Elrood made this pronouncement； he looked down at the weathered； middle…aged man and assessed him privately。 He saw immediately that Kynes was not a plex man： His emotions and alliances lay wide…open on his face。 Court advisors had indicated that Pardot Kynes was a man utterly without political ambitions or obligations。 His only true interest lay in his work and in understanding the natural order of the universe。 He had a childlike fascination for alien places and harsh environments。 He would do the job with boundless enthusiasm； and would provide honest answers。
Elrood had spent too much of his political life surrounded by simpering sycophants； brainless yes…men who said what they thought he wanted to hear。 But this rugged man filled with social awkwardness was not like that。
Now it was even more important that they understand the facts behind the spice； in order to improve the efficiency of operations； vital operations。 After seven years of inept governorship by Abulurd Harkonnen； and the recent accidents and mistakes made by the overambitious Baron Vladimir Harkonnen； the Emperor was concerned about a bottleneck in spice production and distribution。 The spice must flow。
The Spacing Guild needed vast amounts of melange to fill the enclosed chambers of their mutated Navigators。 He himself； and all the upper classes in the Empire； needed daily （and increasing） doses of melange to maintain their vitality and to extend their lives。 The Bene Gesserit Sisterhood needed it in their training to create more Reverend Mothers。 Mentats needed it for mental focus。
But though he disagreed with many of Baron Harkonnen's recent harsh management activities； Elrood could not simply take Arrakis for himself。 After decades of political manipulations； House Harkonnen had been placed in charge after the ouster of House Richese。
For a thousand years now； the governorship of Arrakis had been an Imperial boon； granted to a chosen family that would wring the riches out of the sands for a term not to exceed a century。 Each time the fief changed hands； a firestorm of pleas and requests for favors bombarded the Palace。 Landsraad support came with many strings attached； and some of those strings felt like nooses to Elrood。
Though he was Emperor； his position of power rested in a careful and uneasy balance of alliances with numerous forces； including the Great and Minor Houses of the Landsraad； the Spacing Guild； and the all…enpassing mercial bines such as CHOAM。 Other forces were even more difficult to deal with； forces that preferred to remain behind the scenes。
I need to disrupt the balance； Elrood thought。 This business of Arrakis has gone on too long。
The Emperor leaned forward； seeing that Kynes was fairly bursting with joy and enthusiasm。 He actually wanted to go to the desert world all the better！ 〃Find out everything you can about Arrakis and send me regular reports； Planetologist。 House Harkonnen will be instructed to give you all the support and cooperation you need。〃 Though they certainly won't like an Imperial Observer snooping around。
Newly installed in the planetary governorship； Baron Harkonnen was wrapped around the Emperor's finge
