bh.houseatreides-第24节

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ides。
　He　drew　the　curve…bladed　fishing　knife　from　its　sheath　at　his　back　and　made　ready　to　fight。　His　heart　pounded　as　he　tried　to　guess　his　peril；　to　prepare　in　some　way。　An　Atreides　had　no　qualms　about　shedding　necessary　blood。
　The　branches　and　pointed　leaves　moved；　then　opened　to　reveal　a　round　plaz　pad　on　the　ground。　With　a　hum　of　machinery；　a　transparent　lift　tube　emerged　from　beneath　the　surface；　looking　totally　incongruous　on　the　rugged　landscape。
　A　stocky　young　man　stood　inside　the　transparent　tube；　grinning　a　warm　wele。　He　had　blond；　unruly　hair　that　looked　tousled　despite　careful　bing；　he　wore　loose　military…style　trousers　and　a　color…shifting　camouflage　shirt。　His　pale；　open　face　had　soft　edges　from　outgrown　baby　fat。　A　small　pack　hung　on　the　stranger's　left　shoulder；　similar　to　the　one　he　carried　in　his　hand。　He　appeared　to　be　about　Leto's　age。
　The　transparent　lift　came　to　a　stop；　and　a　curved　door　rotated　open。　A　breath　of　warm　air　brushed　Leto's　hands　and　face。　He　crouched；　ready　to　attack　with　his　fishing　knife；　though　he　could　not　imagine　this　innocuous…looking　stranger　to　be　a　killer。
　〃You　must　be　Leto　Atreides；　right？〃　the　young　man　said。　He　spoke　in　Galach；　the　mon　language　of　the　Imperium。　〃So　should　we　start　out　with　a　day　hike？〃
　Leto's　gray　eyes　narrowed　and　fixed　on　the　purple…and…copper　Ixian　helix　adorning　the　boy's　collar。　Trying　to　hide　his　immense　relief　and　maintain　a　professional；　even　suspicious　facade；　Leto　nodded　and　lowered　the　tip　of　the　knife；　which　the　stranger　had　pretended　not　to　notice。
　〃I'm　Rhombur　Vernius。　I；　uh；　thought　you'd　want　to　stretch　a　bit　before　we　settle　in　down　below。　I　heard　you　like　being　outdoors；　though　I　prefer　to　be　underground　myself。　Maybe　after　you　spend　a　little　time　with　us；　you'll　feel　at　home　in　our　cavern　cities。　Ix　is　really　quite　nice。〃
　He　looked　up　at　the　clouds　and　high…altitude　sleet。　〃Oh；　why　is　it　raining？　Vermilion　hells；　I　hate　being　in　unpredictable　environments。〃　Rhombur　shook　his　head　in　disgust。　〃I　told　weather　control　to　give　you　a　warm；　sunny　day。　My　apologies；　Prince　Leto　　but　this　is　just　too　dreary　for　me。　How　about　we　go　down　to　the　Grand　Palais？〃
　Catching　himself　rambling；　Rhombur　dropped　both　day　packs　inside　the　lift　tube　and　nudged　Leto's　floating　luggage　inside　as　well。　〃It's　good　to　meet　you　at　last。　My　father's　been　talking　about　Atreides　this　and　Atreides　that　for　so　long。　We'll　be　studying　together　for　some　time；　probably　family　trees　and　Landsraad　politics。　I'm　eighty…seventh　in　line　to　the　Golden　Lion　Throne；　but　I　think　you　rank　even　higher　than　I　do。〃
　Golden　Lion　Throne。　The　Great　Houses　were　ranked　according　to　an　elaborate　CHOAM…Landsraad　system；　and　within　each　House　was　a　sub…hierarchy　based　upon　primogeniture。　Leto's　ranking　was　indeed　substantially　higher　than　the　Ixian　Prince's　　through　his　mother　he　was　actually　a　great…grandson　of　Elrood　IX；　through　one　of　his　three　daughters　by　his　second　wife；　Yvette。　But　the　difference　was　meaningless；　the　Emperor　had　many　great…grandchildren。　Neither　he　nor　Rhombur　would　ever　get　to　be　Emperor。　Serving　as　Duke　of　House　Atreides　would　offer　enough　of　a　challenge；　Leto　thought。
　The　young　men　exchanged　the　half　handshake　of　the　Imperium；　interlocking　fingertips。　The　Ixian　Prince　wore　a　fire…jewel　ring　on　his　right　hand；　and　Leto　felt　no　rough　calluses。
　〃I　thought　I　was　in　the　wrong　place　after　I'd　landed；〃　Leto　said；　finally　letting　his　uneasiness　and　confusion　show　through。　〃I　believed　I　was　stranded　on　some　uninhabited　rock。　Is　this　really。。。Ix？　The　machine　planet？〃　He　pointed　toward　the　spectacular　peaks；　the　snow　and　rocks；　the　dark　forests。
　Remembering　what　his　father　had　told　him　about　the　Ixian　penchant　for　security；　Leto　noted　Rhombur's　hesitation。　〃Oh；　uh；　you'll　see。　We　try　not　to　make　ourselves　too　obvious。〃
　The　Prince　gestured　him　into　the　tube；　and　the　plaz　door　rotated　shut。　They　plunged　through　what　seemed　to　be　a　kilometer　of　rock。　Rhombur　continued　to　speak　calmly　even　as　they　plummeted。　〃Because　of　the　nature　of　our　technical　operations；　Ix　has　countless　secrets　and　many　enemies　who'd　like　to　destroy　us。　We　try　to　keep　our　dealings　and　our　resources　hidden　from　prying　eyes。〃
　The　two　young　men　passed　through　a　luminescent　honeyb　of　artificial　material；　then　into　a　vast　expanse　of　air　that　revealed　a　huge　grotto…world；　a　fairyland　protected　deep　within　the　crust　of　the　planet。
　Massive　crowns　of　graceful　support　girders　came　into　view；　connected　to　diamond　lattice　columns　so　tall　that　the　bottoms　were　not　visible　below。　The　plaz…walled　capsule　continued　to　descend；　floating　free　on　an　Ixian　suspensor　mechanism。　The　capsule's　transparent　floor　gave　Leto　the　unsettling　illusion　of　dropping　feetfirst　through　thin　air。　He　held　on　to　the　side　railing　while　his　floating　suitcases　bobbed　around　him。
　Overhead；　he　saw　what　looked　like　the　cloudy　Ixian　sky　and　the　blue…white　sun　peeking　through。　Projectors　concealed　on　the　surface　of　the　planet　transmitted　actual　weather　images　onto　high…resolution　screens　that　covered　the　rock　ceilings。
　This　enormous　underworld　made　the　inside　of　even　a　Guild　Heighliner　look　minuscule。　Hanging　down　from　the　roof　of　the　stone　vault；　Leto　saw　geometric　inverted　buildings；　like　inhabited　crystal　stalactites　connected　to　each　other　by　walkways　and　tubes。　Teardrop…shaped　aircraft　sped　noiselessly　through　the　subterranean　realm；　flitting　between　structures　and　supports。　Hang　gliders　carrying　people　flashed　by　in　streaks　of　brilliant　color。
　Far　down　on　the　floor　of　the　rough　cavern　he　spotted　a　lake　and　rivers　　all　deep　underground　and　protected　from　outsiders'　eyes。
　〃Vernii；〃　Rhombur　said。　〃Our　capital　city。〃
　As　the　capsule　slid　between　the　hanging　stalactite　buildings；　Leto　could　make　out　groundcars；　buses；　and　an　aerial　tube…transport　system。　He　felt　as　if　he　were　inside　a　magical　snowflake。　〃Your　buildings　are　incredibly　beautiful；〃　he　said；　his　gray　eyes　drinking　in　all　the　details。　〃I　always　thought　of　Ix　as　a　noisy　industrial　world。〃
　〃We；　uh；　foster　that　impression　for　outsiders。　We've　discovered　structural　materials　that　are　not　only　aesthetically　pleasing　but　extremely　light　and　strong。　Living　here　underground；　we're　both　protected　and　hidden。〃
　〃And　it　lets　you　keep　the　surface　of　the　world　in　pristine　condition；〃　Leto　pointed　out。　The　Prince　of　Ix　looked　as　if　he　hadn't　even　considered　that　advantage。
　〃The　nobles　and　administrators　live　in　the　upper　stalactite　buildings；〃　Rhombur　continued。　〃Workers；　shift　supervisors；　and　all　the　suboid　crews　live　below　in　warrens。　Everyone　works　together　for　the　prosperity　of　Ix。〃
　〃More　levels　beneath　this　city？　People　live　even　deeper　down　there？〃　〃Well；　not　really　people。　They're　suboids；〃　Rhombur　said；　with　a　dismissive　wave　of　one　hand。　〃We've　specifically　bred　them　to　perform　drudgery　without　plaint。　Quite　a　triumph　of　genetic　engineering。　I　don't　know　what　we'd　do　without　them。〃
　Their　floating　partment　skirted　a　tube…transport　path　and　continued　to　follow　the　upside…down　skyline。　As　they　approached　the　most　spectacular　of　the　inverted　ceiling　palaces　　a　huge；　angled　structure　hanging　suspended　like　an　archaic　cathedral　　Leto　said；　〃I　assume　your　Inquisitors　await　me？〃　He　raised　his　chin　and　prepared　himself　for　the　ordeal。　〃I've　never　had　a　deep　mental　scan　before。〃
　Rhombur　laughed　at　him。　〃I　can；　uh；　arrange　a　mind　probe　if　you　really　wish　to　undergo　the　rigors。。。。〃　The　Ixian　Prince　studied　Leto　intently。　〃Leto；　Leto；　if　we　didn't　trust　you　in　the　first　place；　you　never　would　have　been　allowed　on　Ix。　Security　has；　um；　changed　a　lot　here　since　your　father's　day。　Don't　listen　to　all　those　dark；　sinister　stories　we　spread　about　ourselves。　They're　just　to　scare　away　the　curious。〃
　The　capsule　finally　settled　onto　a　sprawling　balcony　constructed　of　interlocking　tiles；　and　Leto　felt　a　holding　apparatus　engage　underneath　them。　The　chamber　began　to　move　laterally　toward　an　armorplaz　building。
　Leto　tried　not　to　let　his　relief　show。　〃All　right。　I'll　defer　to　your　judgment。〃
　〃And　I'll　do　the　same　when　we're　on　your　planet。　Water　and　fish　and　open　skies。　Caladan　sounds。。。uh；　wonderful。〃　His　tone　said　the　exact　opposite。
　Household　personnel　clad　in　black…and…white　livery　streamed　out　of　the　armor…plaz　building。　Forming　a　neat　line　on　each　side　of　the　tube　path；　the　uniformed　men　and　women　stood　rigidly　at　attention。
　〃This　is　the　Grand　Palais；〃　Rhombur　said；　〃where　our　staff　will　see　to　your　every　wish。　Since　you're　the　only　current　visitor；　you　might　be　in　for　some　pampering。〃
　〃All　these　people　just　to　serve。。。me？〃　Leto　remembered　the　times　when　he'd　had　to　scale　and　fillet　the　fish　he　caught；　if　he　wanted　to　eat。
　〃You　are　an　important　dignitary；　Leto。　The　son　of　a　Duke；　the　friend　of　our　family；　an　ally　in　the　Landsraad。　Do　you　expect　anything　less？〃
　〃In　truth；　I'm　from　a　House　with　no　substantial　wealth；　on　a　planet　where　the　only　glamour　es　from　fishermen；　harvesters　of　floating　paradan　melons；　and　pundi　rice　farmers。〃
　Rhombur　laughed；　a　friendly　peal。　〃Oh；　and　you're　modest；　too！〃
　Followed　by　the　suspensor…borne　luggage；　the　young　men　walked　side　by　side　up　three　wide；　elegant　stairs　into　the　Grand　Palais。
　Look