bh.houseatreides-第28部分

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！


gger　arena；　a　longer　chase；　higher　stakes。。。but　in　essence　the　same　game　he　had　trained　for　in　the　prison　city。
　The　upper　hatch　slid　open　behind　him　to　reveal　two　light…haloed　forms：　a　person　he　recognized　as　the　hunt　captain　from　Barony；　and　the　broad…shouldered　man　who　had　killed　Duncan's　mother　and　father。　Rabban。
　Turning　away　from　the　sudden　light；　the　boy　kept　his　dark…adapted　eyes　toward　the　open　meadow　and　the　thick　shadows　of　black…needled　trees。　It　was　a　starlit　night。　Pain　shot　through　Duncan's　ribs　from　the　earlier　rough　training；　but　he　tried　to　put　it　out　of　his　mind。
　〃Forest　Guard　Station；〃　the　hunt　captain　said　to　him。　〃Like　a　vacation　in　the　wilderness。　Enjoy　it！　This　is　a　game；　boy　　we　leave　you　here；　give　you　a　head　start；　and　then　we　e　hunting。〃　His　eyes　narrowed。　〃Make　no　mistake；　though。　This　is　different　from　your　training　sessions　in　Barony。　If　you　lose；　you'll　be　killed；　and　your　stuffed　head　will　join　Lord　Rabban's　other　trophies　on　a　wall。〃
　Beside　him；　the　Baron's　nephew　gave　Duncan　a　thick…lipped　smile。　Rabban　trembled　with　excitement　and　anticipation；　and　his　sunburned　face　flushed。
　〃What　if　I　get　away？〃　Duncan　said　in　a　piping　voice。
　〃You　won't；〃　Rabban　answered。
　Duncan　didn't　press　the　issue。　If　he　forced　an　answer；　the　man　would　simply　have　lied　to　him　anyway。　If　he　managed　to　escape；　he　would　just　have　to　make　up　his　own　rules。
　They　dumped　him　out　onto　the　frost…smeared　meadow。　He　had　only　thin　clothes；　worn　shoes。　The　cold　of　the　night　hit　him　like　a　hammer。
　〃Stay　alive　as　long　as　you　can；　boy；〃　Rabban　called　from　the　door　of　the　cruiser；　ducking　back　inside　as　the　throb　of　the　engines　increased　in　tempo。　〃Give　me　a　good　hunt。　My　last　one　was　very　disappointing。〃
　Duncan　stood　immobile　as　the　craft　lifted　into　the　air　and　roared　off　toward　a　guarded　lodge　and　outpost。　From　there；　after　a　few　drinks；　the　hunting　party　would　march　out　and　track　down　their　prey。
　Maybe　the　Harkonnens　would　toy　with　him　a　while；　enjoying　their　sport。。。or　maybe　by　the　time　they　caught　him　they　would　be　chilled　to　the　bone；　longing　for　a　hot　beverage；　and　they'd　simply　use　their　weapons　to　cut　him　to　pieces　at　the　first　opportunity。
　Duncan　sprinted　toward　the　shelter　of　trees。
　Even　when　he　left　the　meadow　behind；　his　feet　left　an　obvious　trail　of　bent　grass　blades　in　the　frost。　He　brushed　against　thick　evergreen　boughs；　disturbed　the　chuff　of　dead　needles　as　he　scrambled　upslope　toward　some　rugged　sandstone　outcroppings。
　In　the　handlight　beam；　he　saw　cold　steam…breath　bursting　like　heartbeats　from　his　nostrils　and　mouth。　He　toiled　up　a　talus　slope；　tending　toward　the　steepest　bluff　faces。　When　he　struck　the　rocks；　he　grasped　with　his　hands；　digging　into　crumbling　sedimentary　rock。　Here；　at　least；　he　wouldn't　leave　many　footprints；　though　pockets　of　old；　crystalline　snow　had　drifted　like　small　dunes　on　the　ledges。
　The　outcroppings　protruded　from　the　side　of　the　ridge；　sentinels　above　the　carpet　of　forest。　Wind　and　rain　had　eaten　holes　and　notches　out　of　the　cliffs；　some　barely　large　enough　for　rodents'　nests；　some　sufficient　to　hide　a　grown　man。　Driven　by　desperation；　Duncan　climbed　until　he　could　barely　breathe　from　the　exertion。
　When　he　reached　the　top　of　an　exposed　sandwich　of　rock　that　was　rust　and　tan　in　his　light　beam；　he　squatted　on　his　heels　and　looked　all　around；　assessing　his　wilderness　surroundings。　He　wondered　if　the　hunters　were　ing　yet。　They　wouldn't　be　far　behind　him。
　Animals　howled　in　the　distance。　He　flipped　off　the　light　to　conceal　himself　better。　The　old　injuries　to　his　ribs　and　back　burned　with　pain；　and　his　upper　arm　throbbed　where　the　pulsing　locator　beacon　was　implanted。
　Behind　him；　more　shadowy　bluffs　rose　tall　and　steep；　honeybed　with　notches　and　ledges；　adorned　with　scraggly　trees　like　unsightly　whiskers　sprouting　from　a　facial　blemish。　It　was　a　long；　long　way　to　the　nearest　city；　the　nearest　spaceport。
　Forest　Guard　Station。　His　mother　had　told　him　of　this　isolated　hunting　preserve；　a　particular　favorite　of　the　Baron's　nephew。　〃Rabban's　so　cruel　because　he　needs　to　prove　he's　not　like　his　father；〃　she　had　once　said。
　The　young　boy　had　spent　most　of　the　nearly　nine　years　of　his　life　inside　giant　buildings；　smelling　recycled　air　laden　with　lubricants；　solvents；　and　exhaust　chemicals。　He　had　never　known　how　cold　this　planet　could　get；　how　frigid　the　nights。。。or　how　clear　the　stars。
　Overhead；　the　sky　was　a　vault　of　immense　blackness；　filled　with　tiny　light…splashes；　a　rainstorm　of　pinpricks　piercing　the　distances　of　the　galaxy。　Far　out　there；　Guild　Navigators　used　their　minds　to　guide　city…sized　Heighliners　between　stars。
　Duncan　had　never　seen　a　Guild　ship；　had　never　been　away　from　Giedi　Prime　　and　now　doubted　he　ever　would。　Living　inside　an　industrial　city；　he'd　never　had　reason　to　learn　the　patterns　of　stars。　But　even　if　he　had　known　his　pass　points　or　recognized　the　constellations；　he　still　had　no　place　to　go　。。。。
　Sitting　atop　the　outcropping；　looking　out　into　the　sharp　coldness；　Duncan　studied　his　world。　He　huddled　over　and　drew　his　knees　up　to　his　chest　to　conserve　body　heat；　though　he　still　shivered。
　In　the　distance；　where　the　high　ground　dipped　into　a　wooded　valley　toward　the　stark　silhouette　of　the　guarded　lodge　building；　he　saw　a　train　of　lights；　bobbing　glowglobes　like　a　fairy　procession。　The　hunting　party　itself；　warm　and　well　armed；　was　sniffing　him　out；　taking　their　time。　Enjoying　themselves。
　From　his　vantage　point；　Duncan　watched　and　waited；　cold　and　forlorn。　He　had　to　decide　if　he　wanted　to　live　at　all。　What　would　he　do？　Where　would　he　go？　Who　would　care　for　him？
　Rabban's　lasgun　had　left　nothing　of　his　mother's　face　for　him　to　kiss；　nothing　of　her　hair　for　him　to　stroke。　He　would　never　again　hear　her　voice　as　she　called　him　her　〃sweet　Duncan。〃
　Now　the　Harkonnens　intended　to　do　the　same　to　him；　and　he　couldn't　prevent　it。　He　was　just　a　boy　with　a　dull　knife；　a　handlight；　and　a　rope。　The　hunters　had　Richesian　beacon　trackers；　heated　body　armor；　and　powerful　weapons。　They　outnumbered　him　ten　to　one。　He　had　no　chance。
　It　might　be　easier　if　he　just　sat　there　and　waited　for　them　to　e。　Eventually　the　trackers　would　find　him；　inexorably　following　his　implanted　signal。。。but　he　could　deny　them　their　sport；　spoil　their　fun。　By　surrendering；　by　showing　his　utter　contempt　for　their　barbaric　amusements；　he　could　gain　a　small　victory　at　least：　the　only　one　he　was　likely　to　have。
　Or　Duncan　Idaho　could　fight　back；　try　to　hurt　the　Harkonnens　even　as　they　hunted　him　down。　His　mother　and　father　hadn't　had　an　opportunity　to　fight　for　their　lives；　but　Rabban　was　giving　him　that　chance。
　Rabban　considered　him　a　mere　helpless　boy。　The　hunting　party　thought　that　gunning　down　a　child　would　provide　them　with　some　amusement。
　He　stood　up　on　stiff　legs；　brushed　his　clothes；　and　stopped　his　shivers。　I　won't　go　down　like　that；　he　decided　just　to　show　them；　just　to　prove　they　can't　laugh　at　me。
　He　doubted　the　hunters　would　be　wearing　personal　shields。　They　wouldn't　think　they'd　need　such　protection；　not　against　the　likes　of　him。
　The　knife　handle　felt　hard　and　rough　in　his　pocket；　useless　against　decent　armor。　But　he　could　do　something　else　with　the　blade；　something　painfully　necessary。　Yes；　he　would　fight　　for　all　he　was　worth。
　Crawling　up　the　slope；　climbing　from　rock　to　fallen　tree；　maintaining　his　balance　on　the　scree；　Duncan　made　his　way　to　a　small　hollowed…out　hole　in　the　lumpy　sandstone。　He　avoided　the　patches　of　remaining　snow；　keeping　to　the　iron…frozen　dirt　so　as　to　leave　no　obvious　tracks。
　The　tracer　implant　would　bring　them　directly　to　him；　no　matter　where　he　ran。
　Above　the　cave　hollow；　an　overhang　in　the　near…vertical　bluff　wall　provided　his　second　opportunity：　loose；　lichen…covered　sandstone　chunks；　heavy　boulders。　Perhaps　he　could　move　them　。。。。
　Duncan　crawled　inside　the　shelter　of　the　cave　hollow；　where　he　found　it　no　warmer　at　all。　Just　darker。　The　opening　was　low　enough　that　a　grown　man　would　have　to　belly…crawl　inside；　there　was　no　other　way　out。　This　cave　wouldn't　offer　him　much　protection。　He'd　have　to　hurry。
　Squatting　there；　he　switched　on　the　small　handlight；　pulled　off　his　stained　shirt；　and　brought　out　the　knife。　He　felt　the　lump　of　the　tracer　implant　in　the　meat　of　his　upper　left　arm；　the　back　of　the　tricep　at　his　shoulder。
　His　skin　was　already　numb　from　the　cold；　his　mind　dulled　by　the　shock　of　his　circumstances。　But　when　he　jabbed　with　the　knife；　he　felt　the　point　dig　into　his　muscle；　lighting　the　nerves　on　fire。　Closing　his　eyes　against　reflexive　resistance；　he　cut　deeply；　prodding　and　poking　with　the　tip　of　the　blade。
　He　stared　at　the　dark　wall　of　the　cave；　saw　skeletal　shadows　cast　by　the　wan　light。　His　right　hand　moved　mechanically；　like　a　probe　excavating　the　tiny　tracer。　The　pain　shrank　to　a　dim　corner　of　his　awareness。
　At　last　the　beacon　fell　out；　a　bloody　piece　of　micro…constructed　metal　clinking　to　the　dirty　floor　of　the　cave。　Sophisticated　technology　from　Richese。　Reeling　with　pain；　Duncan　picked　up　a　rock　to　smash　the　tracer。　Then；　thinking　better　of　it；　he　set　the　rock　down　again　and　moved　the　tiny　device　deep　into　the　shadows　where　no　one　could　see　it。
　Better　to　leav