bh.houseatreides-第107章

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ed　spot　where　the　crops　had　been　leveled；　plowed　under；　and　then　salted　so　that　nothing　would　ever　grow　there　again。　A　manor　house　had　been　burned　to　the　ground　and　then　covered　with　syncrete。　Of　Shando's　grave　there　was　nothing；　but　he　felt　her　presence。
　My　love　has　been　here。
　Under　the　dim　double　suns；　Dominic　knelt　on　the　ruined　land　and　wept　until　he　lost　all　track　of　time。　And　when　the　tears　had　run　out　of　him；　his　heart　was　filled　with　a　great；　hard　emptiness。
　Now　he　was　at　last　ready　for　the　next　step。
　And　so　Dominic　Vernius　traveled　the　backwater　worlds　of　the　Imperium；　gathering　loyal　men　who　had　escaped　from　Ix　　men　who　would　prefer　to　work　with　him；　no　matter　his　goals；　than　drowse　through　quiet　lives　on　agricultural　planets；　eking　out　mundane　livings。
　He　rounded　up　fellow　officers　who　had　fought　with　him　during　the　Rebellion　on　Ecaz；　people　to　whom　he　owed　his　life　a　dozen　times　over。　In　searching　out　these　men；　he　knew　he　put　himself　at　great　peril；　but　Dominic　trusted　his　former　rades。　Despite　the　large　bounty　that　remained　on　his　head；　he　knew　none　of　them　would　be　willing　to　pay　the　price　in　conscience　of　betraying　their　former　mander。
　Dominic　hoped　that　the　overwhelmed　new　Padishah　Emperor　Shaddam　IV　would　not　think　to　track　down　the　subtle　movements　and　disappearances　of　men　who　had　fought　under　Vernius　back　when　Shaddam　had　barely　been　in　his　teens　and　not　even　the　heir　apparent　to　the　throne。。。back　in　the　days　when　Crown　Prince　Fafnir　had　been　first　in　the　line　of　succession。
　Many　years　had　passed　now；　long　enough　that　most　of　those　veterans　sat　around　talking　about　the　glory　days；　convincing　themselves　the　war　and　the　bloodshed　had　been　more　exciting　and　more　glorious　than　it　really　was。　About　a　third　of　them　chose　not　to　join　him；　but　the　others　quietly　signed　on　and　awaited　further　orders。。。。
　When　Shando　had　gone　into　hiding；　she'd　erased　all　records；　changed　her　name；　used　unmarked　credits　to　buy　a　small　estate　on　the　gloomy　world　of　Bela　Tegeuse。　Her　one　mistake　had　been　in　underestimating　the　persistence　of　the　Emperor's　Sardaukar。
　Dominic　would　not　make　his　wife's　mistake。　For　what　he　had　in　mind；　he　would　go　where　no　one　could　see　him。。。a　place　where　he　could　prey　upon　the　Landsraad　and　be　a　thorn　in　the　Emperor's　side。
　That　was　about　the　only　weapon　he　had　left。
　Ready　to　begin　his　real　work；　Dominic　Vernius　took　the　pilot　controls　of　an　unregistered　smuggler's　craft　loaded　with　a　dozen　loyal　men。　These　rades　had　gathered　up　hoarded　cash　and　equipment　in　order　to　join　him　in　striking　a　blow　for　glory　and　honor　　and　perhaps　vengeance　along　the　way。
　Then　he　went　to　the　Vernius　family's　stockpile　of　atomics　　forbidden　weapons；　nevertheless　held　in　reserve　by　every　Great　House　of　the　Landsraad。　Absolutely　restricted　by　the　articles　of　the　Great　Convention；　the　Ixian　atomics　had　been　secreted　away　for　generations；　sealed　on　the　dark　side　of　a　moonlet　orbiting　the　fifth　planet　in　the　Alkaurops　system。　The　Tleilaxu　vermin　on　Ix　knew　nothing　of　this。
　Now　Dominic's　smuggler　ship　carried　enough　doomsday　firepower　to　annihilate　a　world。
　〃Vengeance　is　in　the　hands　of　the　Lord；〃　stated　the　Orange　Catholic　Bible。　But　after　what　he　had　gone　through；　Dominic　did　not　feel　terribly　religious；　nor　did　he　care　to　be　bound　by　the　niceties　of　law。　He　was　a　renegade　now；　and　beyond　the　touch　　or　protection　　of　the　legal　system。
　He　envisioned　himself　as　the　greatest　of　all　smugglers；　hiding　where　no　one　would　find　him；　yet　where　he　could　inflict　great　economic　damage　on　all　the　powerhouses　that　had　betrayed　him　and　refused　to　offer　help。
　With　these　atomics；　he　could　make　his　mark　on　history。
　Shielded　from　the　outdated　weather…satellite　network　maintained　by　the　Guild；　Dominic　brought　his　ship　and　his　atomic　stockpile　down　in　an　uninhabited　polar　region　of　the　desert　planet　Arrakis。　A　brisk；　cool　wind　whipped　the　ragged　uniforms　of　his　men　as　they　stepped　onto　desolate　land。　Arrakis。　Their　new　base　of　operations。
　It　would　be　a　long　time　before　anyone　heard　of　Dominic　Vernius　again。　But　when　he　was　ready。。。the　entire　Imperium　would　remember。
　A　world　is　supported　by　four　things：　the　teaming　of　the　wise；　the　justice　of　the　great；　the　prayers　of　the　righteous；　and　the　valor　of　the　brave。　But　all　of　these　are　as　nothing　without　a　ruler　who　knows　the　art　of　ruling。
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　Leto　worked　his　way　down　to　the　shore　alone；　zigzagging　along　the　steep　cliffside　path　and　staircase　to　reach　the　old　quays　below　the　edifice　of　Castle　Caladan。
　Through　cloud　patches；　midday　sunlight　glimmered　off　the　placid　water　that　stretched　to　the　horizon。　Leto　paused　on　the　sheer；　black…rock　cliff；　shading　his　eyes　to　look　beyond　the　aqueous　kelp　forests；　the　fishing　fleets　with　their　chanting　crews；　and　the　line　of　reefs　that　sketched　a　hard　topography　onto　the　sprawling　sea。
　Caladan　　his　world；　rich　in　seas　and　jungles；　arable　land　and　natural　resources。　It　had　belonged　to　House　Atreides　for　twenty…six　generations。　Now　it　belonged　to　him；　uncontested。
　He　loved　this　place；　the　smell　of　the　air；　the　salt　of　the　ocean；　the　tang　of　kelp　and　fish。　The　people　here　had　always　worked　hard　for　their　Duke；　and　Leto　tried　to　do　his　best　for　them　as　well。　If　he　had　lost　his　Trial　by　Forfeiture；　what　would　have　happened　to　the　good　citizens　of　Caladan？　Would　they　even　have　noticed　if　these　holdings　had　been　given　over　to　the　surrogate　governorship　of；　say；　House　Teranos；　House　Mutelli；　or　any　other　reputable　member　of　the　Landsraad？　Perhaps。。。。　Perhaps　not。

　Leto；　though；　could　not　imagine　being　anyplace　else。　This　was　where　the　Atreides　belonged。　Even　if　he'd　been　stripped　of　everything；　he　would　have　returned　to　Caladan　to　live　out　his　life　near　the　sea。
　Though　Leto　knew　he　was　innocent；　he　still　did　not　understand　what　had　happened　to　the　Tleilaxu　ships　inside　the　Heighliner。　He　had　no　evidence　to　prove　to　anyone　else　that　he　hadn't　fired　the　blasts　that　nearly　triggered　a　major　war。　On　the　contrary；　he'd　certainly　had　sufficient　motive；　and　because　of　this；　the　other　Houses　had　been　reluctant　to　speak　strongly　in　his　defense；　allies　or　not。　Had　they　done　so；　they　would　have　risked　their　share　of　the　spoils　if　the　Atreides　holdings　were　forfeited　and　divided。　Yet　even　during　that　time；　many　Houses　had　sent　silent　expressions　of　approval　for　the　way　Leto　had　protected　his　crew　members　and　friends。
　And　then；　by　some　miracle；　Emperor　Shaddam　had　saved　him。
　On　the　flight　home　from　Kaitain；　Leto　had　spoken　at　length　with　Thufir　Hawat；　but　neither　the　young　Duke　nor　the　warrior　Mentat　could　fathom　Emperor　Shaddam's　reason　for　ing　to　the　aid　of　the　Atreides；　or　why　he　had　so　feared　Leto's　desperate　bluff。　Even　as　a　boy；　Leto　had　known　never　to　trust　an　explanation　of　pure　altruism；　no　matter　what　Shaddam　said　in　his　moving　statement　before　the　court。　This　much　was　certain：　The　new　Emperor　had　something　to　hide。　Something　involving　the　Tleilaxu。
　Under　Leto's　guidance；　Hawat　had　dispatched　Atreides　spies　to　many　worlds；　hoping　to　uncover　further　information。　But　the　Emperor；　forewarned　by　Leto's　mysterious；　provocative　message；　would　no　doubt　be　more　careful　than　ever。
　In　the　vast　spectrum　of　the　Imperium；　House　Atreides　was　still　not　particularly　powerful　and　had　no　hold　on　the　Corrino　family；　no　apparent　reason　to　be　protected。　The　blood　ties　were　not　in　themselves　enough。　Though　Leto　himself　was　a　cousin　to　Shaddam；　many　in　the　Landsraad　could　trace　their　bloodlines　at　least　peripherally　back　to　the　Corrinos；　especially　if　one　went　all　the　way　back　to　the　days　of　the　Great　Revolt。
　And　where　did　the　Bene　Gesserit　fit　in？　Were　they　Leto's　allies；　or　his　enemies？　Why　had　they　offered　to　help　him？　Who　had　sent　the　information　about　Shaddam's　involvement　in　the　first　place？　The　coded　message　cube　had　disintegrated。　Leto　had　e　to　expect　hidden　enemies　　but　not　allies　who　remained　so　secretive。
　And；　most　enigmatic　of　all；　who　really　had　destroyed　the　Tleilaxu　ships？
　Alone　for　the　moment；　but　still　troubled；　Leto　stepped　away　from　the　cliffs　and　crossed　a　gentle　downslope　along　the　gray…black　shingle　at　the　water's　edge；　until　he　reached　the　quiet　docks。　All　the　boats　had　been　taken　out　for　the　day；　save　for　one　small　beached　coracle　and　a　yacht　at　anchor；　flying　a　faded　pennant　with　the　hawk　crest　of　the　Atreides。
　That　hawk　had　e　perilously　close　to　extinction。
　In　bright　sunlight；　Leto　sat　at　the　end　of　the　main　dock；　listening　to　the　lapping　waves　and　the　songs　of　gray　gulls。　He　smelled　salt　and　fish　and　the　sweet；　fresh　air。　He　remembered　when　he　and　Rhombur　had　gone　out　together　to　dive　for　coral　gems。。。the　accidental　fire　and　the　near　disaster　they　had　suffered　out　on　the　distant　reefs。　A　small　matter　in　parison　with　what　had　occurred　later。
　Peering　into　the　water　below　him；　he　watched　a　rock　crab　as　it　clung　to　the　dock　piling；　then　disappeared　into　the　blue…green　depths。
　〃So；　are　you　satisfied　to　be　a　Duke；　or　would　you　rather　be　a　simple　fisherman；　after　all？〃　Prince　Rhombur's　loud　voice　sounded　bright；　blustering　with　good　cheer。
　Leto　turned；　feeling　the　sun…warmed　dock　boards　beneath　the　seat　of　his　trousers。　Rhombur　and　Thufir　Hawat　trudged　across　the　crunching　shingle　toward　him。　Leto　knew　the　Master　of　Assassins　would　chide　him　for　sitting　with　his　back　vulnerable　to　the　open　beach；　where　the　white　noise　from　the　ocean　might　mask　any　stealthy　approach。
　〃Perhaps　I　can　be　both；〃　Leto　said；　standing　and　brushing　himself　off。　〃The　better　to　understand　my　people。〃
　〃　'Understanding　your　people　paves　the　road　to　understanding　leadership；'　〃　Hawat　intoned　　an　old　Atreides　maxim。　〃I　hope　you　were　meditating　upon　statecraft；　as　we　have　much　work　to　do；　now　that　all　is　returning　to　normal。〃
　Leto　sighed。　〃Normal？　I　think　not。　Someone　tried　to　start　a　war　with　the　Tleilaxu　and　blame　my　family　in　the　process。　The　Emperor　fears　what　he　thinks　I　know。　House　Vernius　is　still　renegade；　and　Rhombur　and　Kailea　remain　exiled　here；　though　at　least　they　were　pardoned　and　the　blood　price　on　their　heads　has　been　lifted。　Moreover；　my　name　was　never　actually　cleared　　a　lot　of　people　still　think　I　attacked　those　ships。〃
　He　scooped　up　a　beach　pebble　that　lay　on　the　dock　and　tossed　it　far　out　on　the　water　where　he　couldn't　discern　the　splash　it　made。　〃If　this　is　a　victory　for　House　Atreides；　Thufir；　it's　bittersweet；　at　best。〃
　〃Perhaps；〃　Rhombur　said；　standing　next　to　the　beached　coracle。　〃But　better　than　a　defeat。〃
　The　old　Mentat　nodded；　his　leathery　skin　reflecting　the　harsh　sun。　〃You　handled　yourself　with　an　air　of　true　honor　and　nobility；　my　Duke；　and　House　Atreides　has　gained　widespread　respect。　That　is　a　victory　you　must　never　discount。〃
　Leto　looked　up　at　the　tall　towers　of　Castle　Caladan　looming　high　on　the　cliff。　His　Castle；　his　home。
　He　thought　of　the　ancient　traditions　of　his　Great　House；　and　how　he　would　build　on　them。　In　his　royal　station　he　was　an　axis　upon　which　millions　of　lives　revolved。　The　life　of　a　simple　fisherman　might　have　been　easier；　after　all；　and　more　peaceful　　but　not　for　him。　He　would　always　be　Duke　Leto　Atreides。　He　had　his　name；　his　title；　his　friends。　And　life　was　good。
　〃e；　young　masters；〃