bh.houseatreides-第94节

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；　sweating；　waiting。　He　heard　nothing　except　his　own　breathing。　No　one　pried　at　the　concealed　door。　Nothing。
　After　a　tong　time；　he　allowed　himself　to　move。
　The　random　scanners　would　cause　serious　harm　to　his　shield's　ability　to　continue　hiding　him　and　his　stockpile。　C'tair　knew　he　had　to　steal　one　of　the　devices。　If　he　could　analyze　how　the　Tleilaxu　technology　worked；　he　might　set　up　a　system　to　counter　its　effects。
　Most　mornings；　the　halls　and　public　rooms　of　the　former　Grand　Palais　（now　a　Tleilaxu　government　office　building）　were　empty。　C'tair　slipped　out　of　a　concealed　access　shaft　and　into　a　storage　room　near　the　main　corridor。　From　there；　it　was　only　a　short　distance　to　a　lift　tube　that　led　straight　out　of　the　building；　across　to　other　stalactite　structures；　and　even　down　to　the　lower　levels。　He　could　keep　moving；　keep　up　appearances　　and　keep　himself　alive。　But　his　chances　would　be　better　if　he　could　foil　the　technology　scanners。
　The　routine　investigator　might　still　be　in　this　facility；　or　the　man　might　have　already　moved　to　a　different　level。　C'tair　sprinted　out　on　the　hunt；　listening；　watching　corridor　lights；　creeping　along。　He　had　already　learned　all　the　secrets　of　this　part　of　the　building。
　Although　C'tair　carried　a　stun…pistol　and　a　lasgun　at　his　side；　he　feared　that　Tleilaxu　sensor　nets　would　detect　their　use。　Then　dedicated　teams　would　be　sent　out　specifically　to　find　him。　That　was　why　he　held　a　long；　sharp　blade　in　one　hand。　It　would　be　efficient　and　silent。　The　best　choice。
　Setting　up　his　trap；　he　finally　spotted　a　balding；　pinch…faced　Tleilaxu　man　who　approached　down　the　hallway。　With　two　hands　he　held　a　little　screen　that　spewed　the　hues　and　patterns　of　fireworks。　The　investigator　was　so　intent　on　the　readings　he　did　not　at　first　notice　C'tair　　until　the　dark…haired　man　raced　forward　with　the　knife　blade　extended。
　C'tair　wanted　to　shout　his　hatred；　scream　out　a　challenge；　but　he　only　hissed　instead。　The　Tleilaxu　man's　mouth　dropped　open　in　an　O　to　reveal　little　white　teeth　like　pearls。　Before　the　investigator　could　cry　out；　C'tair　had　slashed　his　throat。
　The　man　tumbled　to　the　floor　in　a　spray　of　blood；　but　C'tair　caught　the　scanning　device　before　it　could　strike　the　hard　surface。　He　stared　hungrily　at　the　scanner；　barely　noticing　his　dying　enemy's　convulsions　as　a　slowing　lake　of　blood　spread　across　the　ornate；　polished　tiles　of　what　formerly　had　been　the　Grand　Palais　of　House　Vernius。
　C'tair　felt　no　remorse　whatsoever。　He　had　already　mitted　plenty　of　crimes　for　which　he　would　be　executed　if　the　fanatics　ever　got　hold　of　him。　What　did　one　more　matter；　so　long　as　his　conscience　was　clear？　How　many　people　had　the　Tleilaxu　annihilated？　How　much　Ixian　history　and　culture　had　their　takeover　destroyed？　How　much　blood　did　they　already　owe？
　Moving　quickly；　C'tair　dragged　the　body　into　the　access　shaft　that　led　up　to　his　secret　quarters　inside　the　solid　rock；　then　cleaned　up　the　leftover　blood。　Exhausted；　sticky　with　crusting　red　liquid；　C'tair　froze　for　a　moment　as　a　flash　of　his　former　life　pierced　his　hardened　conscience。　Looking　down　at　his　bloody　hands；　he　wondered　what　the　delicate　and　lovely　Kailea　Vernius　would　think　if　she　saw　him　now。　Every　time　they　had　known　they　would　see　her；　C'tair　and　his　brother　had　taken　extraordinary　care　to　groom　themselves　properly；　wear　dashing　clothes；　add　a　dab　of　cologne。
　He　spared　just　an　instant　to　mourn　what　the　Tleilaxu　had　forced　him　to　bee。。。and　then　wondered　if　Kailea　had　been　changed　as　well；　by　whatever　ordeals　she　had　endured。　He　realized　he　didn't　even　know　if　she　was　still　alive。　C'tair　swallowed　hard。

　But　he　wouldn't　survive　long；　either；　if　he　didn't　erase　the　evidence　of　his　crime　and　disappear　back　into　his　hiding　chamber。
　The　Tleilaxu　investigator　was　surprisingly　heavy　for　his　size；　suggesting　a　dense　bone　structure。　He　dumped　the　gray…skinned　body　into　a　nullentropy　bin；　the　sun　would　burn　out　in　the　Ixian　sky　before　the　corpse　began　to　rot。
　After　wiping　himself　clean　and　changing　his　clothes；　C'tair　set　to　work　on　the　primary　task　at　hand。　He　eagerly　took　the　stolen　scanner　back　to　his　workbench。
　It　was　fairly　easy　to　figure　out　how　to　operate　the　unit。　Its　controls　were　rudimentary：　a　black　touch　pad　and　an　amber　screen　that　identified　machines　and　technological　traces。　Markings　were　in　a　Tleilaxu　code　language；　which　he　deciphered　easily　by　speaking　the　words　into　a　decrypter　he　had　smuggled　into　the　shielded　room　during　the　first　frantic　days　after　the　takeover。
　Understanding　the　innards　of　the　Tleilaxu　scanner　posed　a　far　more　difficult　problem。　C'tair　had　to　work　with　extreme　caution　because　of　the　probable　existence　of　a　proprietary　anti　tampering　system　that　could　melt　down　interior　parts。　He　didn't　dare　take　a　tool　to　the　scanner　and　attempt　to　pry　it　open。　He　would　have　to　use　passive　methods。
　Again　he　wished　the　spirit　of　old　Rogo　might　reappear　to　provide　valuable　advice。　C'tair　felt　very　much　alone　in　this　all…but…forgotten　room；　and　at　times　had　to　fight　off　the　temptation　to　feel　sorry　for　himself。　He　found　strength　in　the　realization　that　he　was　doing　something　extremely　important。　The　future　of　Ix　might　rest　on　what　covert　battles　he　managed　to　win。
　He　had　to　survive　and　keep　his　hiding　place　intact；　since　his　protective　cocoon　housed　the　important　transspace　municator。　Before　long；　he　might　also　find　a　way　of　locating　the　survivors　of　House　Vernius　and　render　valuable　assistance　to　them。　Perhaps　he　was　the　only　survivor　who　could　liberate　his　beloved　world。
　And　to　protect　the　shielded　room；　C'tair　needed　to　figure　out　the　damnable　Tleilaxu　scanner。。。。
　Finally；　after　days　of　frustration；　he　used　a　sounding　device　in　the　hope　of　creating　a　reflected　schematic　of　the　scanner's　interior。　To　his　surprise　something　clicked。　He　set　the　scanner　down　on　the　workbench　and　backed　away。　Then；　approaching　again　to　examine　the　device　closely；　C'tair　found　that　a　seam　had　opened　on　one　side。　He　applied　pressure　on　each　side　of　the　split　and　pulled。
　The　scanner　opened　without　exploding　or　melting　down。　Before　his　delighted　eyes　he　discovered　not　only　the　guts　of　the　unit；　but　also　a　pin…activated　holoprojector　that　caused　a　User　Guide　image　to　appear　in　the　air　　a　dapper　holo…man　happy　to　explain　everything　about　the　scanner。
　Helpful　and　cheery；　the　User　Guide　had　no　concerns　about　a　petitor　stealing　the　technology　of　the　unit；　since　it　depended　upon　the　rare　and　precious　〃Richesian　mirror；〃　which　no　outsider　had　been　able　to　duplicate。　Constructed　of　unknown　minerals　and　polymers；　such　mirrors　were　thought　to　contain　geodome　prisms　within　prisms。
　As　C'tair　studied　the　scanner；　he　grudgingly　admired　its　construction；　and　for　the　first　time　suspected　Richesian　involvement　in　the　plot　against　Ix。　The　hatreds　were　long…standing；　and　Richesians　would　have　gladly　assisted　in　the　destruction　of　their　chief　rivals。。。。
　Now　C'tair　had　to　use　his　own　intuitive　knowledge；　the　scraps　of　ponents；　and　this　Richesian　mirror　to　create　a　disabling　device　to　block　the　scanner。　After　repeated　queries　to　the　annoyingly　solicitous　Guide；　he　began　to　unravel　a　solution。。。。
　THE　EVENING　MEETING　with　the　black　marketers　had　been　nerve…wracking　again；　with　many　frightened　glances　over　his　shoulder；　but　what　choice　did　C'tair　have？　Only　these　illicit　traders　had　been　able　to　procure　the　few　ponents　he　needed　for　his　scan…blocker。
　Finally；　after　making　his　purchases；　he　returned　to　the　quiet　building　overhead；　using　a　biometric　ID　scrambler　card　to　trick　the　entrance　station　into　thinking　he　was　a　Tleilaxu　technician。　As　he　rode　the　lift　tube　up　through　the　former　Grand　Palais　toward　his　hiding　room；　C'tair　thought　of　the　numerous　drawings　he　had　left　scattered　across　his　workbench。　He　was　eager　to　return　to　work。
　When　he　stepped　out　into　the　corridor；　though；　C'tair　realized　he　had　arrived　on　the　wrong　floor。　Instead　of　windowless　doors　and　storage　rooms；　this　level　held　a　number　of　offices　separated　by　clear　plaz。　Dull　orange　night…lights　burned　in　the　offices；　bold；　ominous　signs　on　the　doors　and　windows　were　written　in　an　unknown　Tleilaxu　language。
　He　paused；　recognizing　the　place。　He　hadn't　gone　far　enough　up　into　the　solid　rock　layers。　Once；　he　thought　angrily；　these　rooms　had　been　conference　chambers；　ambassadorial　offices；　meeting　rooms　for　members　of　the　Court　of　Earl　Vernius。　Now　they　looked　so。。。so　functional。
　Before　he　could　retreat；　C'tair　heard　something　on　his　left　　a　clank　of　metal　and　a　scuffing　noise　　and　ducked　back　toward　the　lift　tube　to　return　to　his　own　floor。　Too　late。　He'd　been　seen。
　〃You　there；　stranger！〃　a　shadowy　man　called　out　in　Ixian…accented　Galach。　〃e　out　where　we　can　see　you。〃　Probably　one　of　the　collaborators　　an　Ixian　turncoat　who　had　sold　his　soul　to　the　enemy　at　the　expense　of　his　own　people。
　Fumbling　with　his　bioscram　card；　C'tair　trembled　at　hearing　the　heavy　sounds　of　approaching　boots。　He　swiped　the　card　through　the　lift…control　reader。　More　voices　called　out。　He　expected　weapons　fire　at　any　moment。
　After　an　interminable　instant；　the　lift　tube　opened　　but　as　he　dashed　through　the　doorway；　C'tair　accidentally　dropped　the　bag　containing　the　parts　he　had　just