bh.houseatreides-第47部分

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　produce　melange。〃
　〃The　same　way　you　grow　gholas　from　dead　human　cells？〃　the　Emperor　said；　scowling　with　revulsion。　〃And　clones？〃
　Intrigued　and　surprised；　Shaddam　glanced　over　at　Fenring。　Axlotl　tanks？
　Ajidica　continued　to　focus　on　Elrood。　〃In。。。effect；　my　Lord。〃
　〃Why　e　to　me？〃　Elrood　asked。　〃I　should　think　the　diabolical　Tleilaxu　would　create　a　spice　substitute　for　themselves　and　leave　the　Imperium　at　their　mercy。〃
　〃The　Bene　Tleilax　are　not　a　mighty　race；　Sire。　If　we　discovered　how　to　produce　our　own　melange；　and　kept　the　secret　for　ourselves；　we　know　it　would　bring　down　the　wrath　of　the　Imperium。　You　yourself　would　send　in　Sardaukar；　tear　the　secret　from　our　grasp；　and　destroy　us。　The　Spacing　Guild　and　CHOAM　would　be　happy　to　assist　you　　and　the　Harkonnens；　too；　would　defend　their　spice　monopoly　at　all　costs。〃　Ajidica　gave　a　thin；　humorless　smile。
　〃It's　good　to　see　that　you　understand　your　subordinate　position；〃　Elrood　said；　resting　his　bony　elbow　on　the　arm　of　the　heavy　throne。　〃Not　even　the　wealthiest　Great　House　has　ever　developed　a　military　force　to　oppose　my　Sardaukar。〃
　〃Thus；　we　have　prudently　decided　to　ingratiate　ourselves　with　the　most　powerful　presence　in　the　galaxy　　the　Imperial　House。　In　that　way　we　can　reap　the　greatest　benefit　from　our　new　research。〃
　Elrood　placed　a　long　finger　on　his　papery　lips；　considering。　These　Tleilaxu　were　clever；　and　if　they　could　manufacture　the　substance　exclusively　for　House　Corrino；　and　cost…effectively；　the　Emperor　would　have　a　powerful　bargaining　chip。
　The　economic　difference　could　be　huge。　House　Harkonnen　could　be　driven　into　the　ground；　bankrupted。　Arrakis　would　bee　of　little　value；　with　the　product　there　paratively　expensive　to　get　out　of　the　sand。
　If　this　gnome　could　do　as　he　suggested；　the　Landsraad；　CHOAM；　the　Spacing　Guild；　the　Mentats；　and　the　Bene　Gesserit　would　be　forced　to　seek　favors　from　the　Emperor　in　order　to　get　their　supplies。　Most　of　the　important　scions　of　noble　families　were　already　addicted　to　melange；　and　Elrood　himself　could　bee　their　supplier。　Excitement　blossomed　within　him。
　Ajidica　interrupted　Elrood's　train　of　thought。　〃Let　me　emphasize　that　this　will　be　no　simple　task；　Sire。　The　precise　chemical　structure　of　melange　is　extraordinarily　difficult　to　analyze；　and　we　must　separate　out　which　ponents　are　necessary　for　the　substance　to　be　effective；　and　which　are　irrelevant。　In　order　to　achieve　this　goal；　the　Tleilaxu　will　require　enormous　resources；　as　well　as　the　freedom　and　time　to　pursue　our　avenues　of　research。〃
　Fenring　shifted　on　the　polished　steps　and；　while　looking　up　at　old　Emperor；　interjected：　〃My　Lord；　I　see　now　that　Master　Ajidica　was　right　in　seeking　privacy　for　this　audience。　Such　an　undertaking　must　be　carried　out　entirely　in　secret　if　House　Corrino　is　to　have　an　exclusive　source。　Ah；　certain　powers　in　the　Imperium　would　do　anything　to　prevent　you　from　creating　an　independent　and　inexpensive　supply　of　spice；　hm…m…m…m？〃
　Fenring　could　see　that　the　old　man　recognized　the　enormous　political　and　economic　advantages　Ajidica's　proposal　could　bring　him　　even　in　light　of　everyone's　instinctive　loathing　for　the　Tleilaxu。　He　sensed　the　balance　shifting；　the　senile　Emperor　ing　to　exactly　the　conclusion　Fenring　wished。　Yes；　the　ancient　creature　can　still　be　manipulated。
　Elrood　himself　saw　many　forces　hanging　in　the　balance。　Since　the　Harkonnens　were　ambitious　and　intractable；　he　would　have　preferred　to　place　another　Great　House　in　charge　of　Arrakis；　but　the　Baron　would　remain　in　power　for　decades　yet。　For　political　reasons；　the　Emperor　had　been　forced　to　grant　this　valuable　quasi…fief　to　House　Harkonnen　after　ousting　Richese；　and　the　new　fief　holders　had　dug　themselves　in。　Too　much　so。　Even　the　debacle　of　Abulurd's　governorship　（he'd　been　installed　in　his　position　at　the　request　of　his　father　Dmitri　Harkonnen）　had　not　brought　the　desired　result。　The　effect　had　been　the　exact　opposite；　in　fact；　once　the　Baron　had　maneuvered　himself　into　a　position　of　power。
　But　what　to　do　with　Arrakis　afterward？　Elrood　thought。　I　would　want　total　control　of　it　as　well。　Without　its　monopoly　on　spice；　the　place　might　e　cheap。　At　the　right　price；　it　could　prove　useful　for　something　else。。。an　incredibly　harsh　military　training　area；　perhaps？
　〃You　were　correct　in　bringing　your　ideas　to　our　attention；　Hidar　Fen　Ajidica。〃　Elrood　clasped　his　hands　on　his　lap；　clinking　gold　rings　together；　refusing　to　apologize　for　his　earlier　rudeness。　〃Please　give　us　a　detailed　summary　of　your　needs。〃
　〃Yes；　my　Lord　Emperor。〃　Ajidica　bowed　again；　keeping　his　hands　folded　in　his　billowing　maroon　sleeves。　〃Most　importantly；　my　people　will　need　equipment　and　resources。。。a　place　in　which　to　do　our　research。　I　will　be　in　charge　of　this　program　myself；　but　the　Bene　Tleilax　require　an　appropriate　technological　base　and　industrial　facilities。　Preferably　ones　that　are　already　functional　　and　well　defended。〃
　Elrood　pondered　the　question。　Surely；　among　all　the　worlds　in　the　Imperium；　there　must　be　someplace；　a　high…tech　world　with　industrial　capabilities。。。。
　Puzzle　pieces　snicked　into　place；　and　he　saw　it：　a　way　to　obliterate　his　old　rival　House　Vernius　　payback　for　Dominic's　effrontery　involving　the　royal　concubine　Shando；　and　for　the　new　Heighliner　design　that　threatened　to　wreak　havoc　on　Imperial　profit　systems。　Oh；　this　will　be　magnificent！
　Sitting　on　the　steps　to　the　crystal　pedestal　of　the　throne；　Hasimir　Fenring　did　not　understand　why　the　Emperor　smiled　with　such　smug　satisfaction。　The　silence　drew　out　for　a　long　moment。　He　wondered　if　it　might　have　something　to　do　with　the　mind…eating　effects　of　the　slow　chaumurky。　The　old　man　would　soon　bee　increasingly　irrational　and　paranoid。　And　after　that　he　would　die。　Horribly；　I　hope。
　But　before　then；　all　the　proper　wheels　would　have　been　set　in　motion。
　〃Yes；　Hidar　Fen　Ajidica。　We　do　have　the　place　for　your　efforts；　I　believe；〃　Elrood　said。　〃A　perfect　place。〃
　Dominic　must　not　know　until　it　is　too　late；　the　Emperor　thought。　And　then　he　must　know　who　did　it　to　him。　Right　before　he　dies。
　The　timing；　as　in　so　many　matters　of　the　Imperium；　had　to　be　precise。
　The　Spacing　Guild　has　worked　for　centuries　to　surround　our　elite　Navigators　with　mystique。　They　are　revered；　from　the　lowest　Pilot　to　the　most　talented　Steersman。　They　live　in　tanks　of　spice　gas；　see　all　paths　through　space　and　time；　guide　ships　to　the　far　reaches　of　the　Imperium。　But　no　one　knows　the　human　cost　of　being　a　Navigator。　We　must　keep　this　a　secret；　for　if　they　really　knew　the　truth；　they　would　pity　us。
　…Spacing　Guild　Training　Manual　Handbook　for　Steersmen　（Classified）
　The　austere　Guild　Embassy　Building　contrasted　severely　with　the　rest　of　Ixian　grandeur　in　the　stalactite　city。　The　structure　was　drab；　utilitarian；　and　gray　among　the　sparkling　and　ornate　cavern　towers。　The　Spacing　Guild　had　priorities　beyond　ornamentation　or　ostentation。
　Today　C'tair　and　D'murr　Pilru　would　be　tested；　in　hopes　of　being　Guild　Navigators。　C'tair　didn't　know　whether　to　be　excited　or　terrified。
　As　the　twin　brothers　marched　shoulder　to　shoulder　across　a　shielded　crystal　walkway　from　the　Grand　Palais；　C'tair　found　the　Embassy　Building　so　aesthetically　repulsive　that　he　considered　turning　around　and　leaving。　In　the　face　of　the　Guild's　enormous　wealth；　the　lack　of　splendor　seemed　odd；　to　the　point　of　making　him　ill　at　ease。
　As　if　thinking　the　same　thing　but　ing　to　a　different　conclusion；　his　brother　looked　at　C'tair　and　said；　〃Once　the　wonders　of　space　are　opened　up　to　a　Guild　Navigator's　mind；　what　other　decorations　are　necessary？　How　can　any　ornamentation　rival　the　wonders　a　Navigator　sees　on　a　single　journey　through　foldspace？　The　universe；　brother！　The　whole　universe。〃
　C'tair　nodded；　conceding　the　point。　〃All　right；　we'll　both　have　to　use　different　criteria　from　now　on。　'Think　outside　the　box'　　remember　what　old　Davee　Rogo　used　to　tell　us？　Things　are　going　to　be　so。。。changed。〃
　If　he　passed　these　examinations；　he　would　have　to　be　up　to　the　challenge；　though　he　had　no　real　desire　to　leave　the　beautiful　cavern　city　of　Vernii。　His　mother　S'tina　was　an　important　Guild　banker；　his　father　a　respected　ambassador；　and　　with　help　from　Earl　Vernius　himself　　they　had　arranged　to　give　the　twins　this　remarkable　chance。　He　would　make　Ix　proud　of　him。　Maybe　someone　would　erect　a　sculpture　in　his　honor　someday；　or　name　a　side　grotto　after　him　and　his　brother。。。。
　While　their　father　attended　to　diplomatic　duties　with　the　Emperor　and　a　thousand　functionaries　on　Kaitain；　his　twin　sons　remained　in　the　underground　city；　grooming　and　preparing　themselves　for　〃bigger　things。〃　Over　the　years　of　their　subterranean　childhood；　C'tair　and　his　brother　had　e　to　the　Guild　facility　many　times　to　see　their　mother。　Always　before；　they　had　been　guests　in　the　building；　but　this　time　the　twins　were　going　for　a　much　more　rigorous　ordeal。
　C'tair's　future　would　be　determined　in　a　few　hours。　Bankers；　auditors；　and　merce　specialists　were　all　humans；　bureaucrats。　But　a　Navigator　was　so　much　more。
　No　matter　how　much　he　tried　to　shore　up　his　confidence；　C'tair　wasn't　certain　he　would　pass　the　mind…twisting　tests　anyway。　Who　was　he　to　think　he　could　bee　one　of　the　elite　Guild　Nav