bh.houseatreides-第104节

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　Weapons　emerged　from　the　snub　nose　of　the　craft。　The　plaz　side　window　slid　open　so　that　one　grinning　soldier　in　Harkonnen　uniform　could　extend　his　lasgun　rifle。　He　had　room　to　swing　the　stock　and　take　aim。
　As　his　wife　passed　the　desert　ass；　she　gave　a　bloodcurdling　shriek　and　slapped　the　kulon　hard　on　its　hindquarters。　The　startled　animal　brayed　and　bucked　before　galloping　off　up　the　winding　path；　spraying　loose　rocks　with　its　hooves。
　Frieth　turned　the　other　way　and　ran　downhill；　her　face　hard　and　intent。　Kynes　did　his　best　to　follow。　They　stumbled　back　down　the　slope；　dodging　boulders；　seeking　shadows。　Kynes　couldn't　believe　she　had　left　Liet　alone；　until　he　realized　that　his　young　son　was　far　more　protected　than　either　of　them　was。　The　baby　folded　into　the　shadows；　instinctively　falling　silent　and　remaining　still。
　He　felt　clumsy　and　exposed；　but　Frieth　seemed　to　know　what　to　do。　She　had　been　raised　as　a　Fremen　and　understood　how　to　melt　into　the　desert。
　The　'thopter　roared　past　them　and　targeted　on　the　panicked　kulon。　Frieth　must　have　known　the　Harkonnens　would　pick　off　the　animal　first。　The　side　gunner　leaned　out　of　his　open　window；　his　sunburned　face　smiling。　He　fired　a　near…invisible　bolt　of　white…orange　fire　from　the　lasgun；　which　sliced　the　desert　ass　into　slumping　hunks　of　meat；　several　of　which　tumbled　down　the　steep　cliffside；　while　the　head　and　forelegs　lay　steaming　on　the　path。
　Then　lasgun　explosions　began　to　track　down　the　rock　wall；　sparking　chips　of　stone　that　flew　off。　Barely　able　to　keep　their　footing；　Kynes　and　Frieth　ran　pell…mell。　She　threw　him　against　the　wall　behind　the　barest　protrusion　of　lava　rock；　and　the　lasgun　bolts　ricocheted　off；　missing　them　by　centimeters。　Kynes　could　smell　the　fresh　ozone　and　stone　smoke　in　the　air。
　The　'thopter　came　closer。　The　side　gunner　leaned　out；　aiming　his　weapon；　choosing　this　kind　of　sport　rather　than　letting　the　pilot　target　them　with　the　heavier　weaponry　built　into　the　craft　itself。
　At　that　moment　Kynes's　guardian　troops　opened　fire。
　From　hidden　battlements　in　the　camouflaged　cliff　wall　near　the　cave；　Fremen　gunners　shot　the　armored　hull　of　the　'thopter。　Brilliant　lasers　dazzled　the　cockpit　viewport。　One　unseen　defender　used　an　old…fashioned　artillery　launcher；　shoulder…mounted；　to　fire　small　explosives　obtained　from　smugglers。　The　artillery　shell　struck　the　underbelly　of　the　scout　craft；　making　it　lurch　and　rock　in　the　air。
　The　sudden　jolt　knocked　the　precariously　balanced　side　gunner　from　his　seat。　He　tumbled　out　of　the　craft；　screaming；　and　fell　through　the　air　to　shatter　in　an　explosive　spray　of　red　flesh　against　the　rocks　far　below；　his　abandoned　lasgun　rifle　clattered　after　him。
　Frieth　huddled　against　the　cliff　wall；　holding　Kynes　close；　astonished　at　the　unexpected　Fremen　defense。　He　could　tell　she　had　expected　to　fight　the　attackers　single…handedly　　but　he　had　other　protectors　as　well。
　As　the　Harkonnen　'thopter　reeled　in　the　sky；　Fremen　defenders　opened　fire　on　its　vulnerable　engine　ponents。　The　air　smelled　of　fire　and　burned　metal。　The　pilot　desperately　attempted　to　stabilize；　while　black　smoke　spewed　from　exhaust　ports　and　lifeblood　lubricants　sizzled　out　of　severed　transport　lines。　The　craft　spun；　whined；　and　lumbered　toward　the　ground。
　The　'thopter　struck　the　side　of　the　cliff；　split　open；　and　continued　to　scrape　down　the　rock　wall。　In　vain；　the　articulated　wings　kept　beating；　twitching　like　involuntary　muscles；　until　the　craft　smashed　into　the　base　of　the　ridge。
　〃I　know　of　no　sietch　up　here；〃　Frieth　said；　breathless　and　confused。　〃Who　are　these　people？　What　tribe　claims　them？〃
　〃Troops　of　mine；　defending　the　project。〃
　Below；　he　noticed　that　the　Harkonnen　pilot　had　survived　the　crash。　Part　of　the　canopy　popped　open；　and　the　wounded　man　began　to　crawl　out；　holding　one　dangling　arm。　Within　moments　camouflaged　Fremen　troops　boiled　out　of　the　rocks　and　swarmed　over　the　wreckage。
　The　pilot　tried　to　duck　back　into　the　dubious　safety　of　his　craft；　but　two　Fremen　pulled　him　out。　A　flash　of　blue…white　crysknife；　then　a　splatter　of　crimson；　and　the　pilot　was　dead。　Watermen　　consecrated　body　handlers　　whisked　away　the　corpse　to　where　its　water　could　be　recovered。　Kynes　knew　any　moisture　or　fertilizer　chemicals　derived　from　this　victim　would　be　devoted　to　the　Plaster　Basin　project；　rather　than　to　enriching　any　particular　family　unit。
　〃But　what　could　be　so　important　up　here？〃　Frieth　asked。　〃What　is　it　you　are　doing；　husband？〃
　He　rewarded　her　with　a　sparkling　smile。　〃You　will　see。　I　wanted　you　to　be　our　first　visitor。〃
　Frieth　hurried　back　to　retrieve　their　child　from　his　sheltered　hiding　place。　She　picked　up　the　baby；　checked　him　for　injuries。　Young　Liet　had　not　even　begun　to　cry。　〃He's　a　true　Fremen；〃　she　said　proudly；　holding　him　up　for　Kynes　to　see。
　Below；　organized　teams　began　dismantling　the　ruined　'thopter；　stripping　away　the　metal；　the　engines；　the　stash　of　supplies。　Younger　Fremen　crawled　up　the　dangerous　cliff　face　to　retrieve　the　fallen　lasgun　rifle。
　Kynes　led　his　wife　past　the　remains　of　the　butchered　kulon。　He　gave　a　sad　sigh。　〃We'll　have　meat　at　least　　that's　a　rarity。　And　I　think　there's　good　cause　for　celebration；　once　we　get　to　the　cave。〃
　The　Fremen　worked　furiously　to　scour　away　all　traces　of　the　crash；　dragging　the　heavy　ponents　into　hidden　tunnels；　repairing　scars　in　the　rock；　even　bing　the　sand　on　the　desert　floor。　Though　Kynes　had　been　with　these　people　for　some　time；　their　hardened　efficiency　still　astonished　him。
　Striding　in　the　lead　now；　he　led　Frieth　to　the　low；　shielded　opening　shortly　past　noon。　The　sun　burned　down；　its　line　of　yellow　fire　sharpening　the　jagged　crest　of　the　mountains。　Drifting　out　of　the　cave；　the　smell　of　cool；　rock…moist　air　was　like　a　refreshing　breath。
　Kynes　plucked　out　his　nose　plugs　and　inhaled　deeply；　gesturing　for　his　wife　to　do　the　same；　though　she　seemed　reluctant　to　shuck　her　desert　survival　instincts。　Then　she　grinned　in　amazement　as　she　looked　deep　into　the　shadows。　〃I　smell　water；　my　husband。〃
　He　took　her　arm。　〃e　with　me。　This　is　something　I　want　you　to　see。〃
　As　they　rounded　a　sharp　corner　whose　purpose　was　to　block　light　and　evaporation　from　the　grotto；　Kynes　gestured　magnanimously　to　indicate　the　Eden　he　had　made　in　Plaster　Basin。
　Yellow　glowglobes　hovered　at　the　ceiling。　The　air　was　rich　with　humidity；　redolent　with　the　scents　of　flowers；　shrubs；　trees。　The　sweet　sound　of　running　water　chuckled　from　narrow　grooved　troughs。　In　a　carefully　arranged　appearance　of　randomness；　flower　beds　burst　with　magenta　and　orange　blossoms。
　Irrigation　systems　trickled　droplets　into　algae…packed　tanks；　while　fans　stirred　the　air　to　keep　the　moisture　level　constant。　The　grotto　was　alive　with　flittering　patches　of　color；　butterflies；　moths；　and　bees；　heady　with　the　treasure　of　pollen　and　nectar　around　them。
　Frieth　gasped；　and　for　a　moment　Kynes　saw　through　the　porcelain　mask　of　her　face；　saw　much　more　than　he　had　ever　noticed　before。　〃This　is　paradise；　my　love！〃
　A　hummingbird　hovered　in　front　of　her　with　a　tiny　blur　of　wings；　then　darted　off　again。　In　their　own　euphoria　Fremen　gardeners　moved　about；　tending　the　plants。
　〃One　day　gardens　like　this　will　grow　all　across　Dune；　out　in　the　open　air。　This　is　a　showcase　with　growing　crops　and　plants　and　open　water；　fruit　trees；　decorative　flowers；　green　grasses。　We　have　here　a　symbol　for　all　Fremen；　to　show　them　my　vision。　Seeing　this；　they'll　understand　what　they　can　acplish。〃
　Moisture　ran　down　the　walls　of　the　cavern；　touching　parched　rock　that　had　known　nothing　but　thirst　for　uncounted　eons。　〃Even　I　did　not　truly　prehend；〃　Frieth　said；　〃。　。　。　until　now。〃
　〃Do　you　see　why　all　this　is　worth　fighting　for？　And　dying　for？〃
　Kynes　walked　around；　inhaling　the　scents　of　the　leaves；　sniffing　the　perfume　of　the　flowers。　He　found　a　tree　from　which　dangled　orange　globes　of　ripening　fruit。　He　plucked　one；　large　and　golden。　None　of　the　workers　would　question　his　right　to　the　fresh　produce。
　〃A　portygul；〃　he　said；　〃one　of　the　fruits　I　was　talking　about　back　at　Red　Wall　Sietch。〃　He　gave　it　to　Frieth　as　a　gift；　and　she　held　it　reverently　in　her　tanned　hands　as　the　greatest　treasure　she　had　ever　been　offered。
　Kynes　waved　expansively　at　the　enclosed　grotto。　〃Remember　this　well；　my　wife。　All　the　Fremen　must　see　this。　Dune；　our　Dune；　can　be　like　this　in　only　a　few　centuries。〃
　Even　innocents　carry　within　them　their　own　guilt　in　their　own　way。　No　one　makes　it　through　life　without　paying；　in　one　fashion　or　another。
　…LADY　HELENA　ATREIDES；
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　Immediately　after　hearing　the　announcement　of　the　first　Imperial　coronation　ceremony　in　almost　a　century　and　a　half；　House　Atreides　began　work　on　their　family　preparations。　From　dawn　until　the　fall　of　darkness；　the　servants　in　Castle　Caladan　went　from　wardrobe　to　storeroom；　gathering　the　clothing；　trinkets；　and　gifts　necessary　for　the　formal　journey　to　the　Imperial　Court。
　Meanwhile；　Leto　wandered　through　his　rooms；　trying　to　refine　his　plan　and　decide　the　best　way　to　obtain　a　dispensation　for　Rhombur　and　Kailea。　The　new　Emperor　Shaddam　must　hear　my　plea。
　His　protocol　advisors　had　bickered　for　hours　over　the　proper　colors　of　capes；　armbands；　and