bh.houseatreides-第43部分

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　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　Navigators？　His　high…ranking　parents　had　only　given　the　twins　an　opportunity　to　be　considered；　not　a　guarantee。　Could　he　make　the　cut？　Was　he　really　that　special？　He　ran　a　hand　through　his　dark　hair；　found　sweat　on　his　fingertips。
　〃If　you　perform　well　enough　on　the　test；　you'll　both　bee　important　representatives　of　the　Spacing　Guild；〃　his　mother　had　said；　smiling　with　a　severe　pride。　〃Very　important。〃　C'tair　felt　a　lump　grow　in　his　throat；　and　D'murr　drew　himself　taller。
　Kailea　Vernius；　Princess　of　the　household　of　Ix；　had　also　wished　the　two　of　them　well。　C'tair　suspected　the　Earl's　daughter　was　leading　them　on；　but　he　and　his　brother　both　enjoyed　flirting　with　her。　Occasionally；　they　even　pretended　to　be　jealous　when　Kailea　referred　in　passing　to　young　Leto；　heir　to　House　Atreides。　She　played　the　twins　against　each　other；　and　he　and　D'murr　engaged　in　a　good…natured　rivalry　for　her　affections。　Still；　he　doubted　their　families　would　ever　agree　to　a　match；　so　it　was　unlikely　that　there　could　be　any　future　in　it。
　If　C'tair　joined　the　Guild；　his　duties　would　take　him　far　from　Ix　and　the　underground　metropolis　he　loved　so　well。　If　he　became　a　Navigator；　so　many　things　would　change。。。。
　They　arrived　in　front　of　the　embassy　reception　chamber；　half　an　hour　early。　D'murr　paced　beside　his　anxious　brother；　who　was　entranced　and　nonmunicative；　as　if　pletely　focused　on　his　thoughts　and　desires。　Though　the　two　young　men　looked　identical；　D'murr　seemed　so　much　stronger；　so　much　more　dedicated　to　the　challenge；　and　C'tair　struggled　to　emulate　him。
　Now；　in　the　waiting　area；　he　swallowed　hard；　repeating　the　words　he　and　his　brother　had　shared；　like　a　mantra；　in　their　quarters　that　morning。　I　want　to　be　a　Navigator。　I　want　to　join　the　Guild。　I　want　to　leave　Ix　and　sail　the　starlanes；　my　mind　joined　to　the　universe。
　At　seventeen；　they　both　felt　rather　young　to　endure　such　a　grueling　selection　process；　one　that　would　lock　them　permanently　on　a　life；　path；　no　matter　what　they　might　decide　later　on。　But　the　Guild　wanted　resilient　and　malleable　minds　inside　bodies　that　had　sufficiently　matured。　Navigators　who　trained　at　young　ages　often　proved　to　be　the　best　performers；　some　even　reaching　the　highest　rank　of　Steersman。　Those　candidates　taken　too　early；　however；　could　mutate　into　ghastly　shapes　fit　only　for　menial　tasks；　the　worst　failures　were　euthanized。
　〃Are　you　ready；　brother？〃　D'murr　asked。　C'tair　drew　strength　and　enthusiasm　from　his　twin's　confidence。
　〃Absolutely；〃　he　said。　〃We're　going　to　be　Navigators　after　today；　you　and　I。〃
　Fighting　misgivings；　C'tair　reassured　himself　that　he　wanted　this；　it　would　be　a　great　credit　to　his　abilities；　an　honor　for　his　family。。。but　he　could　not　remove　the　spectre　of　doubt　that　nagged　at　him。　In　his　heart　he　didn't　want　to　leave　Ix。　His　father；　the　Ambassador；　had　instilled　in　both　of　his　sons　a　deep　appreciation　for　the　underground　engineering　marvels；　the　innovations；　and　the　technological　acumen　of　this　planet。　Ix　was　like　no　other　world　in　the　Imperium。
　And；　of　course；　if　he　left；　Kailea　would　be　forever　lost　to　him　as　well。
　When　they　were　summoned　forward　deeper　into　the　labyrinth　of　the　embassy；　the　twins　walked　through　the　portal；　side　by　side；　feeling　very　alone。　They　had　no　escorts；　no　one　to　cheer　them　to　victory　or　console　them　if　they　failed。　Their　father　wasn't　even　present　to　offer　his　support；　the　Ambassador　had　recently　been　sent　to　Kaitain　in　preparation　for　another　Landsraad　submittee　meeting。
　That　morning；　as　the　ominous　hour　ticked　closer　and　closer；　C'tair　and　D'murr　had　sat　at　the　breakfast　table　in　the　ambassadorial　residence；　picking　over　a　selection　of　colored　pastries　while　S'tina　played　a　message　their　father　had　holo…recorded　for　them。　They'd　had　little　appetite；　but　they　listened　to　Cammar　Pilru's　words。　C'tair　tried　to　hear　some　special　hints　or　knowledge；　anything　he　could　use。　But　the　Ambassador's　shimmering　image　merely　gave　them　encouragement　and　platitudes；　like　echoes　of　a　well…worn　speech　he　had　used　many　times　in　his　diplomatic　duties。
　Then；　after　a　final　hug；　their　mother　had　stared　at　each　of　them　before　she　hurried　off　to　her　daily　duties　at　Guild　Bank　headquarters；　a　section　of　the　drab　building　that　now　hung　before　them。　S'tina　had　wanted　to　be　at　her　sons'　side　during　the　testing；　but　the　Guild　had　forbidden　it。　Navigator　testing　was　an　intensely　private　and　personal　matter。　Each　of　them　had　to　do　it　by　himself；　relying　on　his　abilities　alone。　So　their　mother　would　be　in　her　office；　probably　distracted；　probably　worried　for　them。
　As　S'tina　said　goodbye；　she　did　manage　to　hide　most　of　the　horror　and　despair　on　her　face。　C'tair　had　noticed　the　flicker；　but　D'murr　had　not。　He　wondered　what　his　mother　had　hidden　from　them　during　their　preparations　for　the　test。　Doesn't　she　want　us　to　succeed？
　Navigators　were　the　stuff　of　legends；　shrouded　in　secrecy　and　Guild…fostered　superstitions。　C'tair　had　heard　whispered　rumors　about　bodily　distortions；　the　damage　that　intense　and　constant　immersion　in　spice　could　wreak　upon　a　human　physique。　No　outsider　had　ever　seen　a　Navigator；　so　how　were　those　people　to　know　what　kind　of　changes　might　surge　through　the　body　of　someone　with　such　phenomenal　mental　abilities？　He　and　his　brother　had　laughed　at　the　silly　speculations；　convincing　each　other　how　outrageous　such　ideas　could　be。
　But　are　they　so　outrageous？　What　does　Mother　fear？
　〃C'tair　　keep　focused！　You　look　upset；〃　D'murr　said。
　C'tair's　tone　overflowed　with　sarcasm。　〃Upset？　Absolutely。　I　wonder　why！　We　are　about　to　take　the　biggest　test　of　our　lives；　and　no　one　knows　how　to　study　for　it。　I'm　worried　we　haven't　prepared　enough。〃
　D'murr　looked　at　him　with　intense　concern；　gripping　his　brother's　arm。　〃Your　nervousness　may　be　your　failing；　brother。　A　Navigator　test　isn't　about　studying。　It's　about　natural　ability　and　the　potential　to　expand　our　minds。　We'll　have　to　pass　safely　through　the　void。　Now　it's　your　turn　to　remember　what　old　Davee　Rogo　told　us：　You　can　only　be　successful　if　you　let　your　mind　go　beyond　the　boundaries　that　other　people　have　set　for　themselves。　C'tair；　open　up　your　imagination　and　go　beyond　the　boundary　with　me。〃
　His　brother's　confidence　seemed　unshakable；　and　C'tair　had　no　choice　but　to　nod。　Davee　Rogo　　until　this　morning；　he　hadn't　thought　about　the　crippled　and　eccentric　Ixian　inventor　in　years。　When　they'd　been　ten；　the　twins　had　met　the　famous　innovator　Rogo。　Their　father　had　introduced　them；　imaged　holograms　of　them　with　the　man　for　the　ambassadorial　scrapbook　shelf；　then　fluttered　off　to　meet　other　important　people。　The　two　boys；　though；　had　continued　talking　with　the　inventor；　and　he　had　invited　them　to　visit　his　laboratory。　For　two　years　afterward；　Rogo　had　set　himself　up　as　an　offbeat　mentor　to　C'tair　and　D'murr；　until　his　death。　Now　the　twins　had　only　Davee　Rogo's　advice　to　remember；　and　his　confidence　that　they　would　succeed。
　Rogo　would　be　scolding　me　for　my　doubts　now；　C'tair　thought。
　〃Think　about　it；　brother。　How　does　one　practice　for　the　job　of　moving　huge　ships　from　one　star　system　t