bh.houseatreides-第27章

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s　capricious　crew　behaved　as　if　they　were　unruly　houseguests　with　no　long…term　investment　in　Arrakis。　As　Planetologist；　he　could　see　the　obvious　signs。　The　Harkonnens　were　plundering　the　world；　taking　as　much　melange　as　they　could　as　quickly　as　possible；　with　no　thought　to　the　future。
　Political　machinations　and　the　tides　of　power　could　quickly　and　easily　shift　alliances。　Within　a　few　decades；　no　doubt；　the　Emperor　would　hand　control　of　the　spice　operations　to　some　other　Great　House。　The　Harkonnens　had　nothing　to　gain　by　making　long…term　investments　here。
　Many　of　the　other　inhabitants　were　also　indigents：　smugglers；　water　merchants；　traders　who　could　easily　pull　up　stakes　and　fly　to　another　world；　a　different　boomtown　settlement。　No　one　cared　for　the　planet's　plight　　Arrakis　was　merely　a　resource　to　be　exploited；　then　discarded。
　Kynes　thought　the　Fremen　might　have　a　different　mind…set；　though。　The　reclusive　desert　dwellers　were　said　to　be　fierce　to　their　own　ways。　They　had　wandered　from　world　to　world　in　their　long　history；　been　downtrodden　and　enslaved　before　making　Arrakis　their　home　　a　planet　they　had　called　Dune　since　ancient　times。　These　people　had　the　most　at　stake　here。　They　would　suffer　the　consequences　caused　by　the　exploiters。
　If　Kynes　could　only　enlist　Fremen　aid　　and　if　there　were　as　many　of　these　mysterious　people　as　he　suspected　　changes　might　be　made　on　a　global　scale。　Once　he　accumulated　more　data　on　weather　patterns；　atmospheric　content；　and　seasonal　fluctuations；　he　could　develop　a　realistic　timetable；　a　game　plan　that　would　eventually　sculpt　Arrakis　into　a　verdant　place。　It　can　be　done！
　For　a　week　now；　he　had　concentrated　his　activities　around　the　Shield　Wall；　an　enormous　mountain　range　that　embraced　the　northern　polar　regions。　Most　inhabitants　settled　in　rocky　guarded　terrain　where；　he　supposed；　the　worms　could　not　go。
　To　see　the　land　up　close；　Kynes　chose　to　travel　slowly　in　a　one…man　groundcar。　He　puttered　around　the　base　of　the　Shield　Wall；　taking　measurements；　collecting　specimens。　He　measured　the　angle　of　strata　in　the　rocks　to　determine　the　geological　turmoil　that　had　established　such　a　mountainous　barrier。
　Given　time　and　meticulous　study；　he　might　even　find　fossil　layers；　limestone　clumps　with　petrified　seashells　or　primitive　ocean　creatures　from　the　planet's　much　wetter　past。　Thus　far；　the　subtle　evidence　for　primordial　water　was　clear　enough　to　the　trained　eye。　Uncovering　such　a　cryptozooic　remnant；　though；　would　be　the　keystone　of　his　treatise；　incontrovertible　proof　of　his　suspicions　。。。。
　Early　one　morning　Kynes　drove　in　his　trundling　groundcar；　leaving　tracks　on　loose　material　that　had　eroded　from　the　mountain　wall。　In　this　vicinity　all　villages；　from　the　largest　to　the　most　squalid　settlements；　were　carefully　marked　on　the　charts；　undoubtedly　for　purposes　of　Harkonnen　taxation　and　exploitation。　It　was　a　relief　to　have　accurate　maps　for　a　change。
　He　found　himself　near　a　place　called　Windsack；　the　site　of　a　Harkonnen　guard　station　and　troop　barracks　that　lived　in　an　uneasy　alliance　with　the　desert　dwellers。　Kynes　continued　along；　rocking　with　the　uneven　terrain。　Humming　to　himself；　he　stared　up　at　the　cliffsides。　The　putter　of　his　engines　served　as　a　lullaby；　and　he　lost　himself　in　thought。
　Then；　as　he　came　over　a　rise　and　rounded　a　finger　of　rock；　he　was　startled　to　encounter　a　small；　desperate　battle。　Six　muscular；　well…trained　soldiers　stood　in　full　Harkonnen　livery；　cloaked　in　body…shields。　The　bravos　held　ceremonial　cutting　weapons；　which　they　were　using　to　toy　with　three　Fremen　youths　they　had　cornered。
　Kynes　brought　the　groundcar　to　a　lurching　halt。　The　deplorable　scene　reminded　him　of　how　he　had　once　watched　a　well…fed　Laza　tiger　playing　with　a　mangy　ground　rat　on　Salusa　Secundus。　The　satisfied　tiger　had　no　need　for　additional　meat；　but　simply　enjoyed　playing　the　predator；　it　trapped　the　terrified　rodent　between　some　rocks；　scratching　with　long；　curved　claws；　opening　painful；　bloody　wounds。。。injuries　that　were；　intentionally；　not　fatal。　The　Laza　tiger　had　batted　the　ground　rat　around　for　many　minutes　as　Kynes　observed　through　high…powered　oil　lenses。　Finally　bored；　the　tiger　had　simply　bitten　off　the　creature's　head　and　then　sauntered　away；　leaving　the　carcass　for　carrion　feeders。
　By　contrast；　the　three　Fremen　youths　were　putting　up　more　of　a　fight　than　the　ground　rat；　but　they　had　only　simple　knives　and　stillsuits；　no　body…shields　or　armor。　The　desert　natives　had　no　chance　against　the　fighting　skills　and　weaponry　of　Harkonnen　soldiers。
　But　they　did　not　surrender。
　The　Fremen　snatched　at　the　ground　and　threw　sharp　rocks　with　deadly　aim；　but　the　projectiles　bounced　harmlessly　off　the　shimmering　shields。　The　Harkonnens　laughed　and　pressed　closer。
　Out　of　sight；　Kynes　climbed　from　his　groundcar；　fascinated　by　the　tableau。　He　adjusted　his　stillsuit；　loosening　binders　to　give　him　more　freedom　of　movement。　He　made　sure　the　face　mask　was　in　place　but　not　sealed。　At　the　moment；　he　didn't　know　whether　to　observe　from　a　distance；　as　he　had　done　with　the　Laza　tiger。。。or　whether　he　should　aid　in　some　way。
　The　Harkonnen　troops　outnumbered　the　Fremen　two　to　one；　and　if　Kynes　came　to　the　defense　of　the　youths；　he　would　likely　find　himself　either　wounded　or　at　least　charged　with　interference　by　Harkonnen　officials。　A　sanctioned　Imperial　Planetologist　wasn't　supposed　to　meddle　in　local　events。
　He　rested　his　hand　near　the　weapon　blade　at　his　waist。　In　any　event；　he　was　ready；　but　hopeful　that　he　would　see　no　more　than　an　extended　exchange　of　insults；　escalating　threats；　and　perhaps　a　scuffle　that　would　end　in　hard　feelings　and　a　few　bruises。
　But　in　a　moment；　the　character　of　the　confrontation　changed　　and　Kynes　realized　his　stupidity。　This　was　not　a　mere　taunting　game；　but　a　deadly　serious　standoff。　The　Harkonnens　were　out　for　a　kill。
　The　six　soldiers　waded　in；　blades　flashing；　shields　pulsing。　The　Fremen　youths　fought　back。　Within　seconds；　one　of　the　natives　was　down；　gushing　bright　foaming　blood　from　a　severed　neck　artery。
　Kynes　was　about　to　shout；　but　swallowed　his　words　as　anger　turned　his　vision　red。　While　he'd　been　driving　along；　he　had　made　grandiose　plans　of　using　the　Fremen　as　a　resource；　a　true　desert　people　with　whom　he　could　share　ideas。　He　had　dreamed　of　adapting　them　as　a　grand　workforce　for　his　sparkling　scheme　of　ecological　transformation。　They　were　to　be　his　willing　allies；　enthusiastic　assistants。
　Now　these　blockheaded　Harkonnens　were　　for　no　apparent　reason　　trying　to　kill　his　workers；　the　tools　with　which　he　intended　to　remake　the　planet！　He　could　not　let　that　happen。
　While　the　third　member　of　their　band　lay　bleeding　to　death　on　the　sands；　the　other　two　Fremen；　with　only　primitive　milky　blue　knives　and　no　shields；　attacked　in　a　wild　frenzy　that　astounded　Kynes。　〃Taqwa！〃　they　screamed。
　Two　Harkonnens　fell　under　the　surprise　rally；　and　their　four　remaining　rades　were　slow　in　ing　to　their　aid。　Hesitantly；　the　blue…uniformed　soldiers　moved　toward　the　youths。
　Indignant　at　the　Harkonnens'　gross　injustice；　Kynes　reacted　on　impulse。　He　slid　toward　the　bravos　from　the　rear；　moving　quickly　and　silently。　Switching　on　his　personal　shield；　he　unsheathed　the　short…bladed　slip…tip　he　kept　for　self…defense　　a　shield…fighting　weapon；　with　poison　in　its　point。
　During　the　harsh　years　on　Salusa　Secundus；　he　had　learned　how　to　fight　with　it；　and　how　to　kill。　His　parents　had　worked　in　one　of　the　Imperium's　most　infamous　prisons；　and　the　day…to…day　environments　in　Kynes's　explorations　had　often　required　him　to　defend　himself　against　powerful　predators。
　He　uttered　no　cry　of　battle；　for　that　would　have　promised　his　element　of　surprise。　Kynes　held　his　weapon　low。　He　wasn't　particularly　brave；　merely　single…minded。　As　if　driven　by　a　force　beyond　the　person　who　held　it；　the　tip　of　Kynes's　blade　passed　slowly　through　the　bodyshield　of　the　nearest　Harkonnen；　then　pushed　hard　and　thrust　upward；　into　flesh；　cartilage；　and　bone。　The　blade　penetrated　beneath　the　man's　rib　cage；　pierced　his　kidneys；　and　severed　his　spinal　cord。
　Kynes　yanked　out　the　knife　and　rotated　halfway　to　his　left；　sliding　the　knife　into　the　side　of　a　second　Harkonnen　soldier；　who　was　just　turning　to　face　him。　The　shield　slowed　the　poisoned　blade　for　a　moment；　but　as　the　Harkonnen　thrashed；　Kynes　drove　the　point　home；　deep　into　the　soft　flesh　of　the　abdomen；　again　cutting　upward。
　Thus；　two　Harkonnens　lay　mortally　wounded　and　writhing　before　anyone　had　made　an　outcry。　Now　four　of　them　were　down；　including　those　the　Fremen　had　killed。　The　remaining　pair　of　Harkonnen　bullies　stared　in　shock　at　this　turn　of　events；　then　howled　at　the　brash　boldness　of　the　tall　stranger。　They　exchanged　bat　signals　and　spread　apart；　eyeing　Kynes　more　than　the　Fremen；　who　stood　ferocious　and　ready　to　fight　with　their　fingernails　if　necessary。
　Again　the　Fremen　lunged　against　their　attackers。　Again；　they　screamed；　〃Taqwa！〃
　One　of　the　two　surviving　Harkonnen　soldiers　thrust　his　sword　at　Kynes；　but　the　Planetologist　moved　rapidly　now；　still　angry　and　flushed　with　the　blooding　of　his　first　two　victims。　He　reached　upward；　rippling　through　the　shield；　and　neatly　slit　the　attacker's　throat。　An　entrisseur。　The　guard　dropped　his　sword　and　grasped　his　neck　in　a　futile　attempt　to　hold　his　lifeblood　inside。
　The　fifth　Harkonnen　crumpled　to　the　ground。
　As　the　two　Fremen　fighters　turned　their　revenge　upon　the　lone　remaining　enemy；　Kynes　bent　over　the　seriously　wounded　desert　youth　and　spoke　to　him。　〃Stay　calm。　I　will　help　you。〃
　The　young　man　had　already　sprayed　copious　amounts　of　blood　into　the　gravelly　dust；　but　Kynes　had　an　emergency　medpak　on　his　belt。　He　slapped　a　wound　sealant　on　the　ragged　neck　cut；　then　used　hypovials　with　ready　plasma　and　high…powered　stimulants　to　keep　the　victim　alive。　He　felt　the　young　man's　pulse　at　the　wrist。　A　steady　heartbeat。
　Kynes　saw　the　depth　of　the　damage　now　and　was　astonished　that　the　youth　hadn't　bled　more。　Without　medical　attention；　he　would　have　died　within　minutes。　But　still；　Kynes　was　amazed　the　boy　had　survived　this　long。　This　Fremen's　blood　coagulates　with　extreme　efficiency。　Another　fact　to　file　away　in　his　memory　　a　survival　adaptation　to　reduce　moisture　loss　in　the　driest　desert？
　〃Eeeeah！〃
　〃No！〃
　Kynes　looked　up　at　the　cries　of　pain　and　terror。　Off　to　one　side；　the　Fremen　had　dug　the　surviving　Harkonnen's　eyes　out　of　their　sockets；　using　their　blade　tips。　Then　they　made　slow　work　of　flaying　their　victim　alive；　stripping　away　ribbons　of　pink　skin；　which　they　stored　in　sealed　pouches　at　their　hips。
　Covered　with　blood；　Kynes　stood　up；　panting。　Seeing　their　viciousness　now　that　the　tables　had　been　turned；　he　began　to　wonder　if　he'd　done　the　right　thing。　These　Fremen　were　like　wild　animals　and　had　worked　themselves　into　a　frenzy。　Would　they　attempt　to　kill　him　now；　despite　what　he　had　done　for　them？　He　was　a　plete　stranger　to　these　desperate　young　men。
　He　watched　and　waited；　and　when　the　youths　had　finished　with　their　grisly　torture；　he　met　their　eyes　and　cleared　his　throat　before　speaking　in　Imperial　Galach。　〃My　name　is　Pardot　Kynes；　the　Imperial　Planetologist　assigned　to　Arrakis。〃
　He　looked　down　at　his　blood…smeared　skin　and　decided　not　to　extend　a