bh.houseatreides-第79部分

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　Curious；　Kynes　looked　over　at　his　work　alcove。　He　would　bring　along　his　notes　to　document　this　journey。　〃But　how　long　will　it　take？〃
　〃Twenty　thumpers；〃　Stilgar　answered　in　the　terminology　of　the　deep　desert；　then　called　over　his　shoulder　as　he　left；　〃Far　to　the　south。〃
　Kynes's　wife　Frieth；　now　enormously　pregnant；　nevertheless　spent　long　hours　working　the　looms　and　the　stillsuit…repair　benches。　This　morning　Kynes　finished　his　coffee　and　breakfasted　at　her　side；　though　they　spoke　little　to　each　other。　Frieth　simply　watched　him；　and　he　felt　he　didn't　understand　a　thing。
　Fremen　women　seemed　to　have　their　own　separate　world；　their　own　place　in　the　society　of　these　desert　dwellers；　with　no　connection　to　the　interaction　Kynes　had　found　elsewhere　in　the　Imperium。　It　was　said；　though；　that　Fremen　women　were　among　the　most　vicious　of　fighters　on　the　battlefield；　and　that　if　an　enemy　were　left　wounded　and　at　the　mercy　of　these　ferocious　women；　he　would　be　better　served　to　kill　himself　outright。
　Then；　too；　there　was　the　unanswered　mystery　of　the　Sayyadinas；　the　holy　women　of　the　sietch。　Thus　far　Kynes　had　seen　only　one　of　their　number；　dressed　in　a　long　black　robe　like　that　of　a　Bene　Gesserit　Reverend　Mother　　and　no　Fremen　seemed　willing　to　tell　him　much　about　them。　Different　worlds；　different　mysteries。
　Someday；　Kynes　thought　it　might　be　interesting　to　pile　a　sociological　study　of　how　different　cultures　reacted　and　adapted　to　extreme　environments。　He　wondered　what　the　harsh　realities　of　a　world　could　do　to　the　natural　instincts　and　traditional　roles　of　the　sexes。　But　he　already　had　too　much　work　to　do。　Besides；　he　was　a　Planetologist；　not　a　sociologist。
　Finishing　his　meal；　Kynes　leaned　forward　and　kissed　his　Fremen　wife。　Smiling；　he　patted　her　rounded　belly　beneath　her　robes。　〃Stilgar　says　I　must　acpany　him　on　a　journey。　I'll　be　back　as　soon　as　I　can。〃
　〃How　long？〃　she　inquired；　thinking　of　the　baby's　impending　birth。　Apparently　Kynes；　obsessed　with　his　long　view　of　events　on　this　planet；　had　not　noted　his　own　child's　expected　due　date　and　had　forgotten　to　allow　for　it　in　his　plans。
　〃Twenty　thumpers；〃　he　said；　though　he　wasn't　exactly　certain　how　much　distance　that　meant。
　Frieth　raised　her　eyebrows　in　quiet　surprise；　then　lowered　her　gaze　and　began　to　clean　up　their　breakfast　dishes。　〃Even　the　longest　journey　may　pass　more　quickly　when　the　heart　is　content。〃　Her　tone　betrayed　only　the　slightest　disappointment。　〃I　shall　await　your　return；　my　husband。〃　She　hesitated；　then　said；　〃Choose　a　good　worm。〃
　Kynes　didn't　know　what　she　meant。
　Moments　later；　Stilgar　and　eighteen　other　young　Fremen　decked　out　in　full　desert　garb　led　Kynes　through　the　tortuous　passages　down　and　out　of　the　barrier　mountain　and　onto　the　enormous　western　sea　of　sands。　Kynes　felt　a　pang　of　worry。　The　parched　expanse　seemed　too　far　and　too　dangerous。　Now　he　was　glad　he　wasn't　alone。
　〃We're　going　across　the　equator　and　below；　Umma　Kynes；　to　where　we　Fremen　have　other　lands；　our　own　secret　projects。　You　shall　see。〃
　Kynes's　eyes　widened；　he　had　heard　only　grim　and　terrible　stories　about　the　uninhabitable　southern　regions。　He　stared　into　the　forbidding　distance　as　Stilgar　rapidly　checked　over　the　Planetologist's　stillsuit；　tightening　fastenings　and　adjusting　filters　to　his　own　satisfaction。　〃But　how　will　we　travel？〃　He　knew　the　sietch　had　its　own　ornithopter；　just　a　skimmer　actually；　not　nearly　large　enough　to　carry　so　many　people。
　Stilgar　looked　at　him　with　an　expectant　expression。　〃We　shall　ride；　Umma　Kynes。〃　He　nodded　toward　the　youth　who　had　long　ago　taken　a　wounded　Stilgar　back　to　the　sietch　in　Kynes's　groundcar。　〃Ommun　will　bee　a　sandrider　this　day。　It　is　a　great　event　among　our　people。〃
　〃I'm　sure　it　is；〃　Kynes　said；　his　curiosity　piqued。
　In　their　desert…stained　robes　the　Fremen　marched　out　across　the　sand；　walking　single　file。　Beneath　the　robes　they　wore　stillsuits；　and　on　their　feet　temag　desert　boots。　Their　indigo…blue　eyes　gazed　out　of　the　far　past。
　One　dark　figure　raced　forward　along　a　dune　crest　several　hundred　meters　ahead　of　the　rest　of　his　group。　There　he　took　a　long　dark　stake　and　shoved　it　into　the　sand；　tinkering　with　controls　until　finally　Kynes　could　hear　the　reverberating　thump　of　repetitive　pounding。
　Kynes　had　already　seen　such　a　thing　during　Glossu　Rabban's　ultimately　frustrating　worm　hunt。　〃He's　trying　to　make　a　worm　e？〃
　Stilgar　nodded。　〃If　God　wishes。〃
　Kneeling　on　the　sands；　Ommun　removed　a　cloth…wrapped　bundle　of　tools。　These　he　sorted　and　laid　out　neatly。　Long　iron　hooks；　sharp　loads；　and　coils　of　rope。
　〃Now　what　is　he　doing？〃　Kynes　asked。
　The　thumper　pounded　its　rhythm　into　the　sand。　The　Fremen　troop　waited；　carrying　packs　and　supplies。
　〃e。　We　must　be　ready　for　the　arrival　of　Shai…Hulud；〃　Stilgar　said；　nudging　the　Planetologist　to　follow　as　they　trudged　into　position　on　the　sun…drenched　dunes。　The　Fremen　whispered　among　themselves。
　Presently　Kynes　detected　what　he　had　experienced　only　once　before；　the　unforgettable　hissing；　rushing　roar　of　a　sandworm's　approach　as　it　was　drawn　inexorably　to　the　throb　of　the　thumper。
　On　top　of　the　dune　Ommun　crouched；　grasping　his　hooks　and　goads。　Long　curls　of　rope　hung　at　his　waist。　He　remained　perfectly　motionless。　His　Fremen　brethren　waited　on　the　crest　of　a　nearby　dune。
　〃There！　Do　you　see　it？〃　Stilgar　said；　hardly　able　to　suppress　his　excitement。　He　pointed　off　to　the　south　where　the　sand　rippled　as　if　a　subterranean　warship　were　heading　straight　for　the　thumper。
　Kynes　didn't　know　what　was　going　on。　Did　Ommun　intend　to　battle　the　great　beast？　Some　sort　of　a　ceremony　or　sacrifice　before　their　long　journey　across　the　desert？
　〃Be　ready；〃　Stilgar　said　and　grasped　Kynes's　arm。　〃We　will　help　you　in　every　way　we　can。〃
　Before　the　Planetologist　could　ask　another　question；　a　roaring　vortex　of　sand　formed　around　the　thumper。　Alert　and　battle…ready；　Ommun　skittered　back；　crouching　down；　ready　to　spring。
　Then　the　enormous　mouth　of　the　sandworm　emerged　from　the　depths　and　engulfed　the　thumper。　The　monster's　broad…ringed　back　rose　out　of　the　desert。
　Ommun　sprinted；　running　with　all　his　might　to　keep　pace　with　the　moving　worm；　but　he　wallowed　in　the　loose　sand。　Then　he　sprang；　onto　the　arched；　segmented　back　using　the　hooks　and　claws　to　haul　himself　atop　one　of　the　worm　segments。
　Kynes　stared　in　awe；　unable　to　organize　his　thoughts　or　prehend　what　the　daring　young　man　was　doing。　This　can't　be　happening；　he　thought。　It's　not　possible。
　Ommun　dug　one　of　his　scooplike　hooks　into　the　crevice　between　worm　segments　and　then　yanked　hard；　separating　the　well…protected　rings　and　exposing　pinkish　flesh　underneath。
　The　worm　rolled　to　keep　its　sensitive　exposed　segment　away　from　the　abrasive　sands。　Ommun　scrambled　up　and　planted　another　hook；　spreading　wide　a　second　segment　so　that　the　worm　was　forced　to　rise　higher　out　of　its　secret　world　beneath　the　desert。　At　the　highest　point　on　the　worm's　back；　behind　its　huge　head；　the　young　Fremen　planted　a　stake　and　dropped　his　long　ropes　so　that　they　hung　from　the　sides。　Now　he　stood　tall　and　proud　on　the　worm；　signaling　for　the　others　to　e。
　Cheering；　the　Fremen　ran　forward；　bringing　Kynes　with　them。　He　stumbled　to　keep　up。　Three　other　young　men　scaled　the　ropes；　adding　more　of　what　they　called　〃maker　hooks〃　to　keep　the　worm　above　the　dunes。　The　big　creature　began　to　move　forward；　but　in　a　confused　fashion；　as　if　unable　to　understand　why　these　bothersome　creatures　were　goading　it。
　As　the　Fremen　kept　pace；　they　tossed　up　supplies；　packs　were　lashed　to　the　worm's　back　with　more　ropes。　The　first　riders　assembled　a　small　structure　as　fast　as　they　could。　Prodded　by　Stilgar；　an　astonished　Kynes　ran　up　beside　the　towering　worm。　The　Planetologist　could　feel　friction　heat　rising　from　beneath；　and　he　tried　to　imagine　what　awesome　chemical　fires　formed　a　furnace　deep　within　the　worm　itself。
　〃Up　you　go；　Umma　Kynes！〃　Stilgar　shouted；　helping　him　place　his　feet　into　loops　in　the　ropes。　Clumsily；　Kynes　scrambled　up；　his　desert　boots　finding　purchase　on　the　worm's　rough　hide。　He　climbed　and　climbed。　The　simmering　energy　of　Shai…Hulud　caused　him　to　lose　his　breath；　but　Stilgar　helped　him　to　the　top　where　the　other　Fremen　riders　had　gathered。
　They　had　assembled　a　crude　platform　and　seat　for　him；　a　palanquin。　The　other　Fremen　stood；　holding　their　ropes　against　the　enormous　worm　as　if　it　were　a　bucking　steed。　Gratefully；　Kynes　took　the　proffered　seat　and　held　on　to　the　arms。　He　had　a　disconcerting　feeling　up　here；　as　if　he　didn't　belong　and　could　easily　be　toppled　off　and　crushed　to　death。　The　rolling　movement　of　the　worm　made　his　stomach　lurch。
　〃Normally　such　seats　are　reserved　for　our　Sayyadinas；〃　Stilgar　said。　〃But　we　know　you　do　not　have　the　training　to　ride　Shai…Hulud；　and　so　this　shall　be　a　place　of　honor　for　our　prophet。　There　is　no　shame　in　it。〃
　Kynes　nodded　distractedly　and　looked　ahead。　The　other　Fremen　congratulated　Ommun；　who　had　successfully　pleted　this　important　rite　of　passage。　He　was　now　a　respected　sandrider；　a　true　man　of　the　sietch。
　Ommun　pulled　on　the　ropes　and　hooks；　guiding　the　worm。　〃Haiiii…Yoh！〃　The　huge　sinuous　creature　raced　across　the　sands；　heading　south。。。。
　KYNES　RODE　ALL　that　day；　with　the　dry；　dusty　wind　blowing　in　his　face　and　sunlight　reflecting　off　the　sands。　He　had　no　way　of　estimating　the　speed　at　which　the　worm　cruised；　but　he　knew　it　must　be　astonishing。
　As　the　hot　breezes　whipped　around　him；　he　could　smell　freshets　of　oxygen　and　the　flinty　burned…stone　odors　of　the　worm's　passage。　In　the　absence　of　extensive　plant　cover　on　Dune；　the　Planetologist　realized　the　worms　themselves　must　generate　much　of　the　atmospheric　oxygen。
　It　was　all　Kynes　could　do　to　hold　on　to　his　palanquin。　He　had　no　way　to　access　his　notes　and　records　in　the　pack　on　his　back。　What　a　magnificent　report　this　would　make　　though　he　knew　in　his　heart　he　could　never　give　such　information　to　the　Emperor。　No　one　but　the　Fremen　knew　this　secret；　and　it　must　remain　that　way。　We　are　actually　riding　a　worm！　He　had　other　obligations　now；　new　and　far　more　important　allegiances。
　Centuries　earlier；　the　Imperium　had　placed　biological　testing　stations　at　strategic　points　on　the　surface　of　Dune；　but　such　facilit