bh.houseatreides-第30章
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usiness philosophy。 He had warmed to Rhombur's enthusiasm； though often he had to help explain difficult concepts to the Ixian Prince。 Rhombur wasn't slow…witted； just。。。distant from many practical matters。
Every third morning； the young men left their classrooms behind and worked out on the automated training floor。 Leto loved the exercise and the rush of adrenaline； while both Rhombur and the fight instructor seemed to find this an antiquated requirement added to the curriculum only because of Earl Vernius's memories of warfare。
Leto and the bristly…haired captain watched stocky Prince Rhombur wield a golden pike against a sleek and responsive fighting mek。 Zhaz didn't train personally against his students。 He felt that if he and his security troops did their jobs； no member of House Vernius need ever stoop to barbaric hand…to…hand bat。 He did； however； help program the self…learning bat drones。
In its resting position； the man…sized mek was a featureless charcoal ovoid no arms； legs； or face。 Once the fight began； however； the Ixian unit morphed a set of crude protrusions and took on varying shapes based upon feedback from its scanner； telling it how best to defeat an adversary。 Steel fists； knives； flexsteel cables； and other surprises could be thrust from any point on its body。 Its mechanical face could disappear entirely or change expression from a dullness designed to lull an opponent to a ferocious red…eyed glare； or even fiendish glee。 The mek interpreted and reacted； learning with each step。
〃Remember； no regular patterns；〃 Zhaz shouted to Rhombur。 His beard protruded like a shovel from his chin。 〃Don't let it read you。〃
The Prince ducked as two blunted darts sped past his head。 A surprise knife thrust from the mek drew a trickle of blood on the young man's shoulder。 Even with the injury； Rhombur feinted and attacked； and Leto was proud of his royal peer for not crying out。
On several occasions Rhombur had asked Leto for advice； even critiques on sparring style。 Answering honestly； Leto kept in mind that he himself was not a skilled professional instructor nor did he want to reveal too much of Atreides techniques。 Rhombur could learn those from Thufir Hawat； the Old Duke's swordmaster himself。
The tip of the Prince's blade found a soft spot on the mek's charcoal body； and it fell over 〃dead。〃
〃Good； Rhombur！〃 Leto called。
Zhaz nodded。 〃Much better。〃
Leto had fought the mek twice that day； defeating it each time on higher difficulty settings than Prince Rhombur was using。 When Zhaz asked how Leto had acquired such skills； the young Atreides hadn't said much； not wishing to brag。 But now he had firsthand proof that the Atreides method of training was superior； despite the mek's chilling near intelligence。 Leto's background involved rapiers； knives； slow…pellet stunners； and body…shields and Thufir Hawat was a more dangerous and unpredictable instructor than any automated device could ever hope to be。
Just as Leto took up his own weapon and prepared for the next round； the lift doors opened and Kailea entered； sparkling with jewels and a fortable metal…fiber outfit whose design seemed calculated to look gorgeous but casual。 She bore a stylus and ridulian recorder pad。 Her eyebrows arched in feigned surprise at finding them there。 〃Oh！ Excuse me。 I came to look at the mek design。〃
The Vernius daughter usually contented herself with intellectual and cultural pursuits； studying business and art。 Leto couldn't keep himself from watching her。 At times her eyes almost seemed to flirt with him； but more often she ignored him with such intensity he suspected she shared the same attraction he felt。
During his time in the Grand Palais； Leto had crossed her path in the dining hall； on the open observation balconies； in library facilities。 He had responded to her with snatches of awkward conversation。 Aside from the inviting sparkle in her beautiful green eyes； Kailea had given him no special encouragement； but he couldn't stop thinking about her。
She's only a stripling； Leto reminded himself； playing at being a Lady。 Somehow； though； he couldn't convince his imagination of that。 Kailea had plete confidence that she was destined for a greater future than living underground on Ix。 Her father was a war hero； the head of one of the wealthiest Great Houses； and her mother had been beautiful enough to be an Imperial concubine； and the girl herself had an excellent head for business。 Kailea Vernius obviously had a wealth of possibilities。
She focused her plete attention on the motionless gray ovoid。 〃I've gotten Father to consider marketing our new…phase fighting meks mercially。〃 She studied the motionless training machine； but glanced at Leto out of the corner of her eye； noted his strong profile and regal； high…bridged nose。 〃Ours are better than any other bat device adaptable； versatile； and self…learning。 The closest thing to a human adversary developed since the Jihad。〃
He felt a chill； thinking back to all the warnings his mother had given him。 Right now she would be pointing an accusing finger and nodding in satisfaction。 Leto looked over at the charcoal…colored ovoid。 〃Are you saying that thing has a brain？〃
〃By all the saints and sinners； you mean in violation of the strictures after the Great Revolt？〃 Captain Zhaz replied in stern surprise。 〃 'Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of the human mind。'〃
〃We're； uh； very careful about that； Leto；〃 Rhombur said； using a purple towel to wipe sweat from the back of his neck。 〃Nothing to worry about。〃
Leto didn't back down。 〃Well； if the mek scans people； if it reads them as you said； how does it process the information？ If not through a puter brain； then how？ This isn't just a reactive device。 It learns and tailors its attack。〃
Kailea jotted notes down on her crystal pad and adjusted one of the gold bs in her copper…dark hair。 〃There are many gray areas； Leto； and if we tread very carefully House Vernius stands to make a tremendous profit。〃 She ran a fingertip along her curved lips。 〃Still； it might be best to test the waters by offering some unmarked models on the black market first。〃
〃Don't trouble yourself； Leto；〃 Rhombur said； avoiding the unfortable subject。 His tousled blond hair still dripped with sweat； and his skin showed a flush from his exertion。 〃House Vernius has teams of Mentats and legal advisors scrutinizing the letter of the law。〃 He looked over at his sister for reassurance。 She nodded absently。
In some of his instruction sessions in the Grand Palais； Leto had learned of interplanetary patent disputes； minor technicalities； subtle loopholes。 Had the Ixians e up with a substantially different way of using mechanical units to process data； one that did not raise the spectre of thinking machines like those that had enslaved mankind for so many centuries？ He didn't see how House Vernius could have created a self…learning； reactive； adaptable fighting mek without somehow going over the line into Jihad violation。
If his mother ever found out； she would haul him home from Ix； no matter what his father might say。
〃Let's see just how good this product is；〃 Leto said； taking up a weapon and turning his back on Kailea。 He could feel her eyes on his bare shoulders； the muscles of his neck。 Zhaz stood back casually to watch。
Leto shifted his pike from hand to hand and jogged onto the floor。 Taking a classic fighting stance； he called out a degree of difficulty to the charcoal oval shape。 〃Seven point two…four！〃 Eight notches higher than the time before。
The mek refused to move。
〃Too high；〃 the training master said； thrusting his bearded chin forward。 〃I disabled the dangerous higher levels。〃
Leto scowled。 The fight instructor did not want to challenge his students； or risk more than the slightest injury。 Thufir Hawat would have laughed out loud。
〃Are you trying to show off for the young lady； Master Atreides？ Could get you killed。〃
Looking at Kailea； he saw her watching him； a bemused； teasing expression on her face。 She quickly turned to the ridulian pad and scratched a few more ciphers。 He flushed； felt the hotness。 Zhaz reached over to grab a soft towel from a rack and tossed it to Leto。
〃The session's over。 Distractions of this sort are not good for your training； and can lead to serious injury。〃 He turned to the Princess。 〃Lady Kailea； I request that you avoid the training floor whenever Leto Atreides is fighting our meks。 Too many hormones in the way。〃 The guard captain could not cover his amusement。 〃Your presence could be more dangerous than any enemy。〃
We must do a thing on Arrakis never before attempted for an entire planet。 We must use man as a constructive ecological force inserting adapted terraform life： a plant here； an animal there； a man in that place to transform the water cycle； to build a new kind of landscape。
…Report from Imperial Planetologist PARDOT KYNES； directed to Padishah EMPEROR ELROOD IX （unsent）
When the blood…spattered Fremen youths asked Pardot Kynes to acpany them； he didn't know whether he was to be their guest or prisoner。 Either way； the prospect intrigued him。 Finally； he would have his chance to experience their mysterious culture firsthand。
One of the young men quickly and efficiently carried his injured panion over to Kynes's small groundcar。 The other Fremen reached into the back storage partments and tossed out Kynes's painstakingly collected geological samples to make more room。 The Planetologist was too astonished to object； besides； he didn't want to alienate these people he wanted to learn more about them。
In moments； they had stuffed the bodies of the dead Harkonnen bravos into the bins； no doubt for some Fremen purpose。 Perhaps a further ritual desecration of their enemies。 He ruled out the unlikely possibility that the youths simply wished to bury the dead。 Are they hiding the bodies for fear of reprisals？ That； too； seemed wrong somehow； not in keeping with what little he had heard about Fremen。 Or will these desert folk render them for resources； reclaiming the water in their tissues？
Then； without asking； without giving thanks or making any ment whatsoever； the first grim Fremen youth took the vehicle； its injured passenger； and the bodies； and drove off rapidly； spewing sand and dust in all directions。 Kynes watched it go； along with his desert…survival kit and maps； including many he had prepared himself。
He found himself alone with the third young man a guard； or a friend？ If these Fremen meant to strand him without his supplies； he would be dead before long。 Perhaps he could get his bearings and make it back to the village of Windsack on foot； but he had paid little attention to the locations of population centers during his recent wanderings。 An inauspicious end for an Imperial Planetologist； he thought。
Or perhaps the young men he'd rescued wanted something else from him。 Because of his own newly formed dreams for the future of Arrakis； Kynes desperately wanted to know the Fremen and their unorthodox ways。 Clearly； these people were a valuable secret hidden from Imperial eyes。 He thought they'd be sure to greet him with enthusiasm once he told them his ideas。
The remaining Fremen youth used a small patch…
