bh.houseatreides-第87章
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〃I'm starving； too；〃 Rhombur said。 〃Uh； need any help？〃
Leto drew himself up and raised his aquiline nose haughtily in the air。 〃Sir； I am the resident ducal heir； with a long resume asserting my petence to prepare a simple foodpak。〃 He strutted to the sheltered galley as Rhombur sorted through the wet coral stones； like a kid playing with marbles。
Some were perfectly spherical； others misshapen and pitted。 Rhombur wondered why certain ones had a blazing inner brilliance while others were dull by parison。 He set the three largest stones on the midship deck and watched the sunlight glitter on them； a pale shadow to the brilliance trapped within。 He noted their differences； wondered what he and Leto could do with the treasure。
He missed his own collection of gems and crystals； agates and geodes from Ix。 He had wandered through caves and tunnels and shafts to find them。 He had learned so much of geology that way and then the Tleilaxu had driven him and his family from their world。 He'd been forced to leave everything behind。 Although he left it unsaid； Rhombur decided if he ever saw his mother again； he could make a grand gift for her。
Leto leaned out of the galley door。 〃Lunch is ready。 e and eat before I feed it to the fishes。〃
Rhombur trotted in to sit at the small table while Leto served up two bowls of steaming Caladanian oyster chowder； seasoned with nouveau wine from House Atreides vineyards。 〃My grandmother came up with this recipe。 It's one of my favorites。〃
〃Well； not bad。 Even if you made it。〃 Rhombur slurped from his bowl and licked his lips。 〃It's a； um； good thing my sister didn't e along；〃 he said； trying to hide the joking tone in his voice。 〃She probably would have tried to wear fancy clothes； and you know she'd never have gone swimming with us。〃
〃Sure；〃 Leto said； unconvinced。 〃You're right。〃 It was obvious to anyone how he and Kailea flirted with each other； though Rhombur understood politically speaking that a romance between them would be unwise at best； and dangerous at worst。
Out on the midship deck just aft of them； the sun beat down； warming the wooden floorboards； drying the splashed water and exposing the fragile coral gems to the open； oxidizing air。 Simultaneously； the three largest gems burst into incandescent flares； merging into a miniature nova of intense heat； hot enough to burn through a metal starship hull。
Leto leaped to his feet； knocking aside his bowl of chowder。 Through the broad plaz windowports he could see blue…orange flames shooting up； setting the deck on fire； including the lifeboat。 One of the coral gems shattered； spraying hot fragments in all directions； each of which started secondary fires。
Within seconds； two more gems burned pletely through the coracle deck and dropped into the cargo hold below； where they ate through crates。 One burned open a spare fuel container； igniting it with an explosive burst； while the second gem seared all the way through the bottom hull until it extinguished itself in the refreshing water again。 The wickerwood hull； though treated with a fire…retardant chemical； would not hold up against such heat。
Leto and Rhombur rushed out of the galley； shouting at each other but not knowing what to do。 〃The fire！ We've got to get the fire out！〃
〃They're coral gems！〃 Leto looked for something with which to extinguish the blaze。 〃They burn hot； can't be put out easily。〃 Swelling flames licked the deck； and the coracle rocked with an explosion belowdecks。 On its davits the lifeboat was a lost cause； pletely enveloped in flames。
〃We could sink；〃 Leto said； 〃and we're too far from land。〃 He grabbed a chemical extinguisher； which he sprayed on the flames。
He and his panion took out the hoses and pumps from a front partment and doused the boat with seawater； but the cargo hold was already engulfed。 Greasy black smoke drifted through cracks in the top deck。 A warning beep signified that they were taking on large amounts of water。
〃We're going to sink！〃 Rhombur shouted； reading the instrumentation。 He coughed from the acrid smoke。
Leto tossed a flotation vest to his friend as he buckled another one around his waist。 〃Get on the shore…。 Announce our position and send a distress。 You know how to operate it？〃
Rhombur yelped an affirmative； while Leto used another chemical extinguisher； but soon exhausted its charge without effect。 He and Rhombur would be trapped out here； floating with only the debris of the boat around them。 He had to reach land and settle where they could wait。
He remembered his father lecturing him： 〃When you find yourself in the midst of a seemingly impossible crisis； take care of the solvable parts first。 Then； after you've narrowed the possibilities； work on the most difficult aspects。〃
He heard Rhombur shouting into the shore…； repeating the distress call。 Leto now ignored the fire。 The coracle was sinking； and would soon be underwater； leaving them stranded。 He looked toward the port side and saw frothing water around the tangle of the reef。 He dashed for the cabin。
Before the fire could reach the aft engines； he started the boat； used the emergency cutoff to sever the anchor； and raced toward the reef。 The flaming coracle was like a et on the water。
〃What are you doing？〃 Rhombur cried。 〃Where are we going？〃
〃The reef！〃 he shouted。 〃I'll try to run aground there so we don't sink。 Then you and I can work to put out the fire。〃
〃You're going to crash us into a reef？ That's crazy！〃
〃You'd rather sink out here？ This boat is going down； one way or another。〃 As if to emphasize his point another small container of fuel exploded belowdecks； sending a shudder through the floor。
Rhombur grasped the secured galley table to keep his balance。 〃Whatever you say。〃
〃Did you get an acknowledgment on the shore…？〃
〃No。 I； uh； hope they heard us。〃 Leto told him to keep trying； which he did； still without receiving a response。
The waves curled around them； low to the deck rail。 Black smoke poured into the sky。 Fire licked at the engine partment。 The coracle dipped lower； dragging； taking on water rapidly。 Leto pushed the engines； still charging toward the rocks。 He didn't know if he would win this race。 If he could just run them up on the reef； he and Rhombur could stay safely beside the wreckage。 He didn't know how long it would take for rescuers to arrive。
As if driven by a demon； whitecaps rose in front of them； threatening to form a barrier。 But Leto held course and did not slacken the acceleration。 〃Hang on！〃
At the last moment； the engines died as fire engulfed them。 The coracle cruised forward on sheer momentum and crashed into the jagged reef。 The grinding halt threw both Leto and Rhombur to the deck。 Rhombur struck his head and stood up； blinking； dazed。 Blood trickled down his forehead； very close to the old injury he had received during the orship escape from Ix。
〃Let's go！ Overboard！〃 Leto yelled。 He grabbed his friend's arm and pushed him out of the cabin。 From the forward partment； Leto tossed hoses and portable pumps into the frothing water。 〃Dip this end of the hose into the deepest water you can reach！ And try not to cut yourself on the reef。〃
Rhombur scrambled over the rail； while Leto followed； trying to maintain his balance in the churning tide pools and rough surf。 The boat was snagged； so for the moment they needn't worry about drowning just disfort。
The pumps started； and seawater sprayed out of two hoses； one held by each boy。 The water fell in a thick curtain onto the flames。 Rhombur swiped blood out of his eyes and kept directing his hose。 They doused the coracle with endless torrents until finally； slowly； the flames began to die back。
Rhombur looked bedraggled and miserable； but Leto felt oddly exhilarated。 〃Perk up； Rhombur。 Think about it。 On Ix we had to escape from a revolution that nearly destroyed the whole planet。 Makes this little mishap seem like child's play； wouldn't you say？〃
〃Uh； right；〃 the other said； glumly。 〃Most fun I've had in ages。〃
The two of them sat waist deep in the surging water； playing their hoses over the fire。 Smoke continued to rise into the clear Caladan sky like a distress beacon。
Soon they heard the di
