fh.godemperorofdune-第13章

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　for　garrisons　which　were　increased　in　size。　Editor's　note：　The　only　pertinent　garrisons　were　those　on　the　home　planets　of　the　Bene　Gesserit；　Ixians　and　Tleilaxu。　Spacing　Guild　monitors　were　not　increased。）
　PRIESTHOOD
　Except　for　the　few　natural　deaths　and　replacements　which　are　listed　in　attachments；　there　have　been　no　significant　changes。　Those　consorts　and　officers　delegated　to　perform　the　ritual　duties　remain　few；　their　powers　abridged　by　continuing　requirement　for　consultation　with　Arrakis　before　taking　any　important　action。　It　is　the　opinion　of　the　Reverend　Mother　Syaksa　and　some　others　that　the　religious　character　of　the　Fish　Speakers　is　slowly　being　devolved。
　BREEDING　PROGRAM
　Other　than　the　unexplained　reference　to　Siona　and　to　our　failure　with　his　father；　we　have　nothing　significant　to　add　to　our　continued　monitoring　of　the　Lord　Leto's　breeding　program。　There　is　evidence　of　a　certain　randomness　in　his　plan　which　is　reinforced　by　the　Lord　Leto's　statement　about　genetic　goals；　but　we　cannot　be　certain　that　he　was　truthful　with　Sister　Chenoeh。　We　call　your　attention　to　the　many　instances　where　he　has　either　lied　or　changed　directions　dramatically　and　without　warning。
　The　Lord　Leto　continues　to　prohibit　our　participation　in　his　breeding　program。　His　monitors　from　our　Fish　Speaker　garrison　remain　adamant　in　〃weeding　out〃　our　births　to　which　they　object。　Only　by　the　most　stringent　controls　were　we　able　to　maintain　the　level　of　Reverend　Mothers　during　this　reporting　period。　Our　protests　are　not　answered。　In　response　to　a　direct　question　from　Sister　Chenoeh；　the　Lord　Leto　said：
　〃Be　thankful　for　what　you　have。〃
　This　warning　is　duly　noted　here。　We　have　transmitted　a　gracious　letter　of　thankfulness　to　the　Lord　Leto。
　ECONOMICS
　The　Chapter　House　continues　to　maintain　its　solvency。　but　the　measures　of　conservation　cannot　be　eased。　In　fact；　as　a　precaution；　certain　new　measures　will　be　instituted　in　the　next　reporting　period。　These　include　a　reduction　in　the　ritual　uses　of　melange　and　an　increase　in　the　rates　charged　for　our　usual　services。　We　expect　to　double　the　fees　for　the　schooling　of　Great　House　females　across　the　next　four　reporting　periods。　You　are　hereby　charged　to　begin　preparing　your　arguments　in　defense　of　this　action。
　The　Lord　Leto　has　denied　our　petition　for　an　increase　in　our　melange　allotment。　No　reason　was　given。
　Our　relationship　with　the　bine　Honnete　Ober　Advancer　Mercantiles　remains　on　a　sound　footing。　CHOAM　has　acplished　in　the　preceding　period　a　regional　cartel　in　Star　Jewels；　a　project　whereby　we　gained　a　substantial　return　through　our　advisory　and　bargaining　functions。　The　ongoing　profits　from　this　arrangement　should　more　than　offset　our　losses　on　Giedi　Prime。　The　Giedi　Prime　investment　has　been　written　off。
　GREAT　HOUSES
　Thirty…one　former　Great　Houses　suffered　economic　disaster　in　this　reporting　period。　Only　six　managed　to　maintain　House　Minor　status。　（See　attached　list。）　This　continues　the　general　trend　noted　over　the　past　thousand　years　where　the　once　Great　Houses　melt　gradually　into　the　background。　It　is　to　be　noted　that　the　six　who　averted　total　disaster　were　all　heavy　investors　in　CHOAM　and　that　five　of　these　six　were　deeply　involved　in　the　Star　Jewel　project。　The　lone　exception　held　a　diversified　portfolio；　including　a　substantial　investment　in　antique　whale　fur　from　Caladan。
　（Our　ponji　rice　reserves　were　increased　almost　twofold　in　this　period　at　the　expense　of　our　whale　fur　holdings。　The　reasons　for　this　decision　will　be　reviewed　in　the　next　period。）
　FAMILY　LIFE
　As　has　been　observed　by　our　investigators　over　the　preceding　two　thousand　years；　the　homogenization　of　family　life　continues　unabated。　The　exceptions　are　those　you　would　expect：　the　Guild；　the　Fish　Speakers；　the　Royal　Courtiers；　the　shape…changing　Face　Dancers　of　the　Tleilaxu　（who　are　still　mules　despite　all　efforts　to　change　that　condition）；　and　our　own　situation；　of　course。
　It　is　to　be　noted　that　familial　conditions　grow　more　and　more　similar　no　matter　the　planet　of　residence；　a　circumstance　which　cannot　be　attributed　to　accident。　We　are　seeing　here　the　emergence　of　a　portion　of　the　Lord　Leto's　grand　design。　Even　the　poorest　families　are　well　fed；　yes；　but　the　circumstances　of　daily　life　grow　increasingly　static。
　We　remind　you　of　a　statement　from　the　Lord　Leto　which　was　reported　here　almost　eight　generations　ago：
　〃I　am　the　only　spectacle　remaining　in　the　Empire。〃
　Reverend　Mother　Syaksa　has　proposed　a　theoretical　explanation　for　this　trend；　a　theory　which　many　of　us　are　beginning　to　share。　RM　Syaksa　attributes　to　Lord　Leto　a　motive　based　on　the　concept　of　hydraulic　despotism。　As　you　know；　hydraulic　despotism　is　possible　only　when　a　substance　or　condition　upon　which　life　in　general　absolutely　depends　can　be　controlled　by　a　relatively　small　and　centralized　force。　The　concept　of　hydraulic　despotism　originated　when　the　flow　of　irrigation　water　increased　local　human　populations　to　a　demand　level　of　absolute　dependence。　When　the　water　was　shut　off；　people　died　in　large　numbers。
　This　phenomenon　has　been　repeated　many　times　in　human　history；　not　only　with　water　and　the　products　of　arable　land；　but　with　hydrocarbon　fuels　such　as　petroleum　and　coal　which　were　controlled　through　pipelines　and　other　distribution　networks。　At　one　time；　when　distribution　of　electricity　was　only　through　plicated　mazes　of　lines　strung　across　the　landscape；　even　this　energy　resource　fell　into　the　role　of　a　hydraulic　despotism　substance。
　RM　Syaksa　proposes　that　the　Lord　Leto　is　building　the　Empire　toward　an　even　greater　dependence　upon　melange。　It　is　worth　noting　that　the　aging　process　can　be　called　a　disease　for　which　melange　is　the　specific　treatment；　although　not　a　cure。　RM　Syaksa　proposes　that　the　Lord　Leto　may　even　go　so　far　as　introducing　a　new　disease　which　can　only　be　suppressed　by　melange。　Although　this　may　appear　farfetched；　it　should　not　be　discarded　out　of　hand。　Stranger　things　have　happened；　and　we　should　not　overlook　the　role　of　syphilis　in　early　human　history。
　TRANSPORT/GUILD
　The　three…mode　transportation　system　once　peculiar　to　Arrakis　（that　is；　on　foot　with　heavy　loads　relegated　to　suspensorborne　pallets；　in　the　air　via　ornithopter；　or　off…planet　by　Guild　transport）　is　ing　to　dominate　more　and　more　planets　of　the　Empire。　Ix　is　the　primary　exception。
　We　attribute　this　in　part　to　planetary　devolution　into　sedentary　and　static　life…styles。　And　partly　it　is　the　attempt　to　copy　the　pattern　of　Arrakis。　The　generalized　aversion　to　things　Ixian　plays　no　small　part　in　this　trend。　There　is　also　the　fact　that　the　Fish　Speakers　promote　this　pattern　to　reduce　their　work　in　maintaining　order。
　Over　the　Guild's　part　in　this　trend　hangs　the　absolute　dependence　of　the　Guild　Navigators　upon　melange。　We　are；　therefore；　keeping　a　close　watch　upon　the　joint　effort　of　Guild　and　Ix　to　develop　a　mechanical　substitute　for　the　Navigators'　predictive　talents。　Without　melange　or　some　other　means　of　projecting　a　heighliner's　course；　every　translight　Guild　voyage　risks　disaster。　Although　we　are　not　very　sanguine　about　this　Guild…Ixian　project；　there　is　always　the　possibility　and　we　shall　report　on　this　as　conditions　warrant。
　THE　GOD　EMPEROR
　Other　than　some　small　increments　of　growth；　we　note　little　change　in　the　bodily　characteristics　of　the　Lord　Leto。　A　rumored　aversion　to　water　has　not　been　confirmed；　although　the　use　of　water　as　a　barrier　against　the　original　sandworms　of　Dune　is　well　documented　in　our　records；　as　is　the　water…death　by　which　Fremen　killed　a　small　worm　to　produce　the　spice　essence　employed　in　their　orgies。
　There　is　considerable　evidence　for　the　belief　that　the　Lord　Leto　has　increased　his　surveillance　of　Ix；　possibly　because　of　the　Guild…Ixian　project。　Certainly；　success　in　that　project　would　reduce　his　hold　upon　the　Empire。
　He　continues　to　do　business　with　Ix；　ordering　replacement　parts　for　his　Royal　Cart。
　A　new　ghola　Duncan　Idaho　has　been　sent　to　the　Lord　Leto　by　the　Tleilaxu。　This　makes　it　certain　that　the　previous　ghola　is　dead；　although　the　manner　of　his　death　is　not　known。　We　call　your　attention　to　previous　indications　that　the　Lord　Leto　himself　has　killed　some　of　his　gholas。
　There　is　increasing　evidence　that　the　Lord　Leto　employs　puters。　If　he　is；　in　fact；　defying　his　own　prohibitions　and　the　proscriptions　of　the　Butlerian　Jihad；　the　possession　of　proof　by　us　could　increase　our　influence　over　him；　possibly　even　to　the　extent　of　certain　joint　ventures　which　we　have　long　contemplated。　Sovereign　control　of　our　breeding　program　is　still　a　primary　concern。　We　will　continue　our　investigation　with；　however；　the　following　caveat：
　As　with　every　report　preceding　this　one；　we　must　address　the　Lord　Leto's　prescience。　There　is　no　doubt　that　his　ability　to　predict　future　events；　an　oracular　ability　much　more　powerful　than　that　of　any　ancestor；　is　still　the　mainstay　of　his　political　control。
　We　do　not　defy　it！
　It　is　our　belief　that　he　knows　every　important　action　we　take　far　in　advance　of　the　event。　We　guide　ourselves；　therefore；　by　the　rule　that　we　will　not　knowingly　threaten　either　his　person　or　such　of　his　grand　plan　as　we　can　discern。　Our　address　to　him　will　continue　to　be：
　〃Tell　us　if　we　threaten　you　that　we　may　desist。〃
　And：
　〃Tell　us　of　your　grand　plan　that　we　may　help。〃
　He　has　provided　no　new　answers　to　either　question　during　this　period。
　THE　IXIANS
　Other　than　the　Guild…Ix　project；　there　is　little　of　significance　to　report。　Ix　is　sending　a　new　Ambassador　to　the　Court　of　the　Lord　Leto；　one　Hwi　Noree；　a　niece　of　the　Malky　who　once　was　reputed　to　be　such　a　boon　panion　of　the　God　Emperor。　The　reason　for　the　choice　of　replacement　is　not　known；　although　there　is　a　small　body　of　evidence　that　this　Hwi　Noree　was　bred　for　a　specific　purpose；　possibly　as　the　Ixian　representative　at　the　Court。　We　have　reason　to　believe　that　Malky　also　was　genetically　designed　with　that　official　context　in　mind。
　We　will　continue　to　investigate。
　THE　MUSEUM　FREMEN
　These　degenerate　relics　of　the　once…proud　warriors　continue　to　function　as　our　major　source　of　reliable　information　about　affairs　on　Arrakis。　They　represent　a　major　budget　item　for　our　next　reporting　period　because　their　demands　for　payment　are　increasing　and　we　dare　not　antagonize　them。
　It　is　interesting　to　note　that　although　their　lives　bear　little　resemblance　to　that　of　their　ancestors；　their　performance　of　Fremen　rituals　and　their　ability　to　ape　Fremen　ways　remains　flawless。　We　attribute　this　to　Fish　Speaker　influence　upon　Fremen　training。
　THE　TLEILAXU
　We　do　not　expect　the　new　ghola　of　Duncan　Idaho　to　provide　any　surprises。　The　Tleilaxu　continue　to　be　much　chastened　by　the　Lord　Leto's　reaction　to　their　one　attempt　at　changing　the　cellular　nature　and　the　psyche　of　the　original。
　A　recent　envoy　from　the　Tleilaxu　renewed　their　attempts　to　entice　us　into　a　joint　venture；　the　avowed　purpose　being　the　production　of　a　totally　female　society　without　the　need　for　males。　For　all　of　the　obvious　reasons；　including　our　distrust　of　everything　Tleilaxu；　we　responded　with　our　usual　polite　negative。　Our　Embassy　to　the　Lord　Leto's　Decennial　Festival　will　make　a　full　report　of　this　to　him。
　Respectfully　submitted：
　The　Reverend　Mothers