bh.houseatreides-第26部分

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　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　leave　the　tracer　there。　As　bait。
　Crawling　outside　again；　Duncan　scooped　up　a　handful　of　grainy　snow。　Red　droplets　spattered　on　the　pale　sandstone　ledge。　He　packed　the　snow　against　the　blood　streaming　from　his　shoulder；　and　the　sharp　cold　deadened　the　pain　of　his　self…inflicted　cut。　He　pressed　the　ice　hard　against　the　wound　until　pink…tinged　snow　melted　between　his　fingers。　He　grabbed　another　handful；　no　longer　caring　about　the　obvious　marks　he　left　in　the　drift。　The　Harkonnens　would　e　to　this　place　anyway。
　At　least　the　snow　had　stanched　the　flow　of　blood。
　Then　Duncan　scrambled　up　and　away　from　the　cave；　careful　to　leave　no　sign　of　where　he　was　going。　He　saw　the　bobbing　lights　down　in　the　valley　split　up；　members　of　the　hunting　party　had　chosen　different　routes　as　they　climbed　the　bluff。　A　darkened　ornithopter　whirred　overhead。
　Duncan　moved　as　quickly　as　he　could；　but　took　care　not　to　splash　fresh　blood　again。　He　tore　strips　from　his　shirt　to　dab　the　oozing　wound；　leaving　his　chest　naked　and　cold；　then　he　pulled　the　ragged　garment　back　over　his　shoulders。　Perhaps　the　forest　predators　would　smell　the　iron　blood　scent　and　hunt　him　down　for　food　rather　than　sport。　That　was　a　problem　he　didn't　want　to　consider　right　then。
　With　loose　pebbles　pattering　around　him；　he　circled　back　until　he　reached　the　overhang　above　his　former　shelter。　Duncan's　instinct　was　to　run　blindly；　as　far　as　he　could　go。　But　he　made　himself　stop。　This　would　be　better。　He　squatted　behind　the　loose；　heavy　chunks　of　rock；　tested　them　to　be　sure　of　his　strength；　and　dropped　back　to　wait。
　Before　long；　the　first　hunter　came　up　the　slope　to　the　cave　hollow。　Clad　in　suspensor…augmented　armor；　the　hunter　slung　a　lasgun　in　front　of　him。　He　glanced　down　at　a　handheld　device；　counterpart　to　the　Richesian　tracer。
　Duncan　held　his　breath；　making　no　move；　disturbing　no　pebbles　or　debris。　Blood　sketched　a　hot　line　down　his　left　arm。
　The　hunter　paused　in　front　of　the　hollow；　noting　the　disturbed　snow；　the　bloodstains；　the　targeting　blip　on　his　tracer。　Though　Duncan　couldn't　see　the　man's　face；　he　knew　the　hunter　wore　a　grin　of　scornful　triumph。
　Thrusting　the　lasgun　into　the　hollow　ahead　of　him；　the　hunter　ducked　low；　bending　stiffly　in　his　protective　chest　padding。　On　his　belly；　he　crawled　partway　into　the　darkness。　〃Found　you；　little　boy！〃
　Using　his　feet　and　the　strength　of　his　leg　muscles；　Duncan　shoved　a　lichen…smeared　boulder　over　the　edge。　Then　he　moved　to　the　second　one　and　kicked　it　hard；　pushing　it　to　the　abrupt　dropoff。　Both　heavy　stones　fell；　tumbling　in　the　air。
　He　heard　the　sounds　of　impact　and　a　crack。　A　sickening　crunch。
　Then　the　gasp　and　gurgle　of　the　man　below。
　Duncan　scrambled　to　the　edge；　saw　that　one　of　the　boulders　had　struck　to　one　side；　bouncing　off　and　rolling　down　the　steep　slope；　gathering　momentum　and　taking　loose　scree　along　with　it。
　The　other　boulder　had　landed　on　the　small　of　the　hunter's　back；　crushing　his　spine　even　through　the　padding；　pinning　him　to　the　ground　like　a　needle　through　an　insect　specimen。
　Duncan　climbed　down；　gasping；　slipping。　The　hunter　was　still　alive；　though　paralyzed。　His　legs　twitched；　thumping　the　toes　of　his　boots　against　the　frost…hard　ground。　Duncan　wasn't　afraid　of　him　anymore。
　Squeezing　past　the　man's　bulky；　armored　body　into　the　hollow；　Duncan　shone　his　handlight　down　into　the　man's　glazed；　astonished　eyes。　This　wasn't　a　game。　He　knew　what　the　Harkonnens　would　do　to　him；　had　already　seen　what　Rabban　had　done　to　his　parents。
　Now　Duncan　would　play　by　their　rules。
　The　dying　hunter　croaked　something　unintelligible　at　him。　Duncan　did　not　hesitate。　His　eyes　dark　and　narrow　　no　longer　the　eyes　of　a　child　　he　bent　forward。　The　knife　slipped　in　under　the　man's　jawline。　The　hunter　squirmed；　raising　his　chin　as　if　in　acceptance　rather　than　defiance　　and　the　dull　blade　cut　through　skin　and　sinew。　Jugular　blood　spurted　out　with　enough　force　to　splash　and　spatter　before　forming　a　dark；　sticky　pool　on　the　floor　of　the　cave。
　Duncan　could　not　spend　time　thinking　about　what　he　had　done；　could　not　wait　for　the　hunter's　body　to　cool。　He　rummaged　through　the　items　on　the　man's　belt；　found　a　small　medpak　and　a　ration　bar。　Then　he　tugged　the　lasgun　free　from　the　clenching　grip。　Using　its　butt；　he　smashed　the　blood…smeared　Richesian　tracer；　grinding　it　into　metal　debris。　He　no　longer　needed　it　as　a　decoy。　His　pursuers　could　hunt　him　with　their　own　wits　now。
　He　figured　they　might　even　enjoy　the　challenge；　once　they　got　past　their　fury。
　Duncan　crawled　out　of　the　hollow。　The　lasgun；　almost　as　tall　as　he　was；　clattered　as　he　dragged　it　behind　him。　Below；　the　hunting　party's　trail　of　glowglobes　came　closer。
　Now　better　armed　and　nourished　by　his　improbable　success；　Duncan　ran　off　into　the　night。
　Many　elements　of　the　Imperium　believe　they　hold　the　ultimate　power：　the　Spacing　Guild　with　their　monopoly　on　interstellar　travel；　CHOAM　with　its　economic　stranglehold；　the　Bene　Gesserit　with　their　secrets；　the　Mentats　with　their　control　of　mental　processes；　House　Corrino　with　their　throne；　the　Great　and　Minor　Houses　of　the　Landsraad　with　their　extensive　holdings。　Woe　to　us　on　the　day　that　one　of　those　factions　decides　to　prove　the　point。
　…COUNT　HASIMIR　FENRING；
　Dispatches　from　Arrakis
　Leto　had　barely　an　hour　to　rest　and　refresh　himself　in　his　new　quarters　in　the　Grand　Palais。　〃Uh；　sorry　to　rush　you；〃　said　Rhombur　as　he　backed　through　the　sliding　door　into　the　crystal…walled　corridor；　〃but　this　is　something　you　won't　want　to　miss。　It　takes　months　and　months　to　build　a　Heighliner。　Signal　me　when　you're　ready　to　go　to　the　observation　deck。〃
　Still　unsettled　but　mercifully　alone　for　a　few　moments；　Leto　rummaged　through　his　luggage；　made　a　cursory　inspection　of　his　room。　He　looked　at　the　carefully　packed　belongings；　much　more　than　he　could　ever　need；　including　trinkets；　a　packet　of　letters　from　his　mother；　and　an　inscribed　Orange　Catholic　Bible。　He　had　promised　her　he　would　read　verses　to　himself　every　night。
　He　stared；　thinking　of　how　much　time　he　would　need　just　to　make　himself　at　home　　a　whole　year　away　from　Caladan　　instead　left　everything　in　its　place。　There　would　be　time　enough　to　do　all　that　later。　A　year　on　Ix。
　Tired　after　the　long　journey；　his　mind　still　boggling　at　the　weighty　strangeness　of　this　underground　metropolis；　Leto　stripped　off　his　fortable　shirt　and　sprawled　back　on　the　bed。　He　had　barely　managed　to　test　out　the　mattress　and　fluff　up　the　pillow　before　Rhombur　came　pounding　on　his　door。　〃e　on；　Leto！　Hurry　up！　Get　dressed　and　we'll；　uh；　catch　a　transport。〃
　Still　fumbling　to　get　his　arm　through　his　left　sleeve；　Leto　met　the　other　young　man　in　the　hall。
　A　bullet　tube　took　them　between　the　upside…down　buildings　to　the　outskirts　of　the　underground　city；　and　then　a　lift　capsule　dropped　them　to　a　secondary　level　of　buildings　studded　with　observation　domes。　After　emerging；　Rhombur　bustled　through　the　crowds　gathered　at　the　balconies　and　broad　windows。　He　grabbed　Leto's　arm　as　they　pushed　past　Vernius　guards　and　assembled　spectators。　The　Prince's　face　was　flushed；　and　he　turned　quickly　to　the　others　there。　〃What　time　is　it？　Has　it　happened　yet？〃
　〃Not　yet。　Another　ten　minutes。〃
　〃The　Navigator's　on　his　way。　His　chamber's　being　escorted　across　the　field　right　now。〃
　Muttering　thanks　and　pardons；　Rhombur　led　his　confused　panion　to　a　broad　metaglass　window　in　the　sloping　wall　of　the　observation　gallery。
　At　the　far　end　of　the　room　another　door　glided　open；　and　the　crowd　parted　for　two　dark…haired　young　men　　identical　twins；　from　the　looks　of　them。　Small　in　stature；　they　flanked　Rhombur's　sister　Kailea　as　proud　escorts。　In　the　brief　time　since　Leto　had　last　seen　her；　Kailea　had　somehow　managed　to　change　into　a　different　dress；　less　frilly　but　no　less　beautiful。　The　twins　seemed　drunk　with　her　presence；　and　Kailea　seemed　to　enjoy　their　fawning　attention。　She　smiled　at　both　of　them　and　guided　them　toward　a　good　spot　at　the　observation　window。
　Rhombur　took　Leto　to　stand　beside　them；　far　more　interested　in　the　view　than　in　the　members　of　the　crowd。　Glancing　around；　Leto　as