bh.houseatreides-第84章

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ce　analyses；　our　settings。〃
　〃No；　keep　on；〃　Fenring　growled。
　I've　got　the　bastard　where　I　want　him；　Ajidica　thought；　and　he　doesn't　like　it　one　bit。　Still；　he　had　the　distinct　impression　that　this　assassin　would　do　away　with　him　without　a　second　thought。　Even　now；　despite　the　tightest　security　scans；　Fenring　no　doubt　carried　a　number　of　weapons　concealed　within　his　clothing；　skin；　and　hair。
　He　will　make　the　attempt　as　soon　as　I'm　not　needed；　when　Shaddam　thinks　he　has　everything　he　wants。
　Hidar　Fen　Ajidica　had　his　own　concealed　weapons；　though。　He　had　set　up　contingency　plans　to　deal　with　the　most　dangerous　of　outsiders。。。to　ensure　that　the　Tleilaxu　remained　in　control　at　all　times。
　Our　laboratories　may　indeed　e　up　with　a　substitute　for　the　spice；　he　thought。　But　no　powindah　will　ever　learn　how　it　is　made。
　Our　timetable　will　achieve　the　stature　of　a　natural　phenomenon。　A　planet's　life　is　a　vast；　tightly　interwoven　fabric。　Vegetation　and　animal　changes　will　be　determined　at　first　by　the　raw　physical　forces　we　manipulate。　As　they　establish　themselves；　though；　our　changes　will　bee　controlling　influences　in　their　own　right　　and　we　will　have　to　deal　with　them；　too。　Keep　in　mind；　though；　that　we　need　control　only　three　percent　of　the　energy　surface　　only　three　percent　　to　tip　the　entire　structure　over　into　our　self…sustaining　system。
　…PARDOT　KYNES；　Arrakis　Dreams
　When　his　son　Liet　was　a　year　and　a　half　old；　Pardot　Kynes　and　his　wife　embarked　on　a　journey　into　the　desert。　They　dressed　their　silent　child　in　a　custom…fitted　stillsuit　and　robes　to　shield　his　skin　against　the　sun　and　the　heat。
　Kynes　was　delighted　to　spend　time　with　his　family；　to　show　them　what　he　had　acplished　in　the　transformation　of　Dune。　His　entire　life　rested　on　sharing　his　dreams。
　His　three　apprentices；　Stilgar；　Turok；　and　Ommun；　had　tried　to　insist　on　going　along　to　protect　and　guide　him；　but　Kynes　would　hear　none　of　it。　〃I've　spent　more　years　alone　in　the　wilderness　than　any　of　you　have　been　alive。　I　can　handle　a　few　days'　sojourn　with　my　family。〃　He　made　a　shooing　gesture　with　his　hands。　〃Besides；　haven't　I　given　you　enough　work　to　do　　or　shall　I　find　additional　tasks？〃
　〃If　you　have　more　for　us　to　do；〃　Stilgar　said；　〃we　will　gladly　do　it　for　you。〃
　〃Just。。。just　keep　yourselves　busy；〃　Kynes　said；　nonplussed；　then　set　off　on　foot　with　Frieth　and　young　Liet。　The　baby　rode　one　of　the　sietch's　three　kulons；　a　domesticated　desert　ass　that　had　been　brought　to　Dune　by　smugglers　and　prospectors。
　The　animal's　water　price　was　high；　despite　its　inbred　adaptation　to　a　harsh；　arid　environment。　The　Fremen　had　even　developed　a　modified　four…legged　stillsuit　for　the　beast；　which　saved　some　of　the　moisture　the　animal　exuded。　But　in　such　a　contraption　the　kulon　had　difficulty　moving　　in　addition　to　the　fact　that　it　looked　ridiculous　　and　Kynes　decided　not　to　bother　with　such　extreme　measures。　This　required　taking　extra　water　on　the　journey；　which　the　animal　carried　in　literjons　attached　to　its　back。
　In　the　shadow　of　morning；　the　tall；　bearded　Kynes　led　his　small　party　up　a　winding　thread　that　only　a　Fremen　would　have　called　a　path。　His　eyes；　like　Frieth's；　were　the　blue　of　the　Ibad。　The　desert　ass　picked　its　way　up　the　precipitous　slope；　but　made　no　sound　of　plaint。　Kynes　didn't　mind　walking；　he　had　done　so　for　much　of　his　life；　during　his　years　of　ecological　study　on　Salusa　Secundus　and　Bela　Tegeuse。　His　muscles　rippled；　whipcord…tough。　Besides；　when　he　went　on　foot　he　could　keep　his　eyes　focused　more　on　the　pebbles　and　varying　grains　of　sand　beneath　his　boots　than　on　the　distant　mountains　or　the　sweltering　sun。
　Eager　to　please　her　husband；　Frieth　turned　her　attention　every　time　Kynes　pointed　out　a　rock　formation；　studied　a　spot　of　ground　for　its　position；　or　assessed　sheltered　crannies　as　possible　sites　for　planting　future　vegetation。　After　a　time　of　uncertainty；　she　also　pointed　things　out　to　him。　〃A　Fremen's　greatest　strength　is　in　observation；〃　Frieth　said；　as　if　quoting　an　old　proverb　for　him。　〃The　more　we　observe；　the　more　we　know。　Such　knowledge　gives　us　power；　especially　when　others　fail　to　see。〃
　〃Interesting。〃　Kynes　knew　little　about　his　Fremen　wife's　background。　He'd　been　too　busy　to　ask　her　for　many　details　about　her　childhood　and　her　own　passions；　but　she　didn't　seem　in　the　least　offended　by　his　preoccupation　with　the　terraforming　work。　In　Fremen　culture；　husbands　and　wives　lived　in　different　worlds　connected　by　only　a　few　narrow　and　fragile　bridges。
　Kynes　knew；　however；　that　Fremen　women　had　a　reputation　as　ferocious　fighters　　deadly　on　the　battlefield　and　feared　above　even　Imperial　soldiers　in　one…on…one　bat。　So　far；　he　had　managed　to　avoid　uncovering　Frieth's　vicious　streak；　and　he　hoped　never　to　see　it　for　himself。　Fiercely　loyal；　she　would　make　as　formidable　a　foe　as　she　did　a　friend。
　As　he　trudged　along；　a　small　piece　of　vegetation　caught　his　eye。　Halting　the　kulon　behind　him；　he　knelt　to　inspect　the　small；　pale　green　plant　that　grew　in　a　shaded　niche　where　dust　and　sand　had　collected。　He　recognized　the　specimen　as　a　rare　root　plant　and　brushed　the　dust　from　its　tiny　waxy　leaves。
　〃Look　here；　Frieth；〃　he　said；　like　a　teacher；　his　eyes　shining。　〃Marvelously　tenacious。〃
　Frieth　nodded。　〃We　have　dug　those　roots　in　times　of　need。　It　is　said　a　single　tuber　can　yield　half　a　liter　of　water；　enough　for　a　person　to　survive　for　several　days。〃
　Kynes　wondered　how　much　desert　knowledge　Stilgar's　sister　held　within　her　Fremen　mind；　until　now　she　had　shared　virtually　none　of　it　with　him。　It　was　his　own　fault；　he　told　himself；　for　not　paying　enough　attention　to　her。
　Eager　to　eat　the　fresh　leaves　of　the　struggling　plant；　the　kulon　lowered　its　muzzle　to　the　ground；　nostrils　flaring　as　it　sniffed。　But　Kynes　nudged　it　away。　〃That　plant　is　too　important　to　be　a　snack　for　you。〃
　He　scanned　the　ground；　intent　on　finding　other　tubers；　but　noticed　none　in　the　immediate　vicinity。　From　what　he　had　learned；　these　plants　were　native　to　Dune；　survivors　of　whatever　cataclysm　had　drained　or　diverted　the　moisture　from　this　world。
　The　travelers　took　a　short　break　to　feed　their　child。　As　Frieth　set　up　a　shade…floater　on　a　ledge；　Kynes　recalled　the　work　of　recent　months　and　the　tremendous　progress　he　and　his　people　had　already　made　as　they　began　their　centuries…long　project。
　Dune　had　once　been　a　botanical　testing　station；　an　isolated　outpost　with　a　few　sample　plantings　placed　centuries　ago　in　the　days　of　Imperial　expansion。　This　had　been　done　even　before　the　prescient　and　geriatric　properties　of　melange　were　discovered。。。back　when　this　world　had　been　a　desert　hellhole　with　no　discernible　use。　But　the　botanical　stations　had　been　abandoned；　the　sparse　plantings　as　well　as　animal　and　insect　life…forms　were　left　to　fare　as　best　they　could　in　the　rough　environment。
　Many　species　had　survived　and　diversified；　demonstrating　remarkable　durability　and　adaptability。。。mutated　sword　grasses；　cacti；　and　other　arid…country　vegetation。　Kynes　had　already　arranged　with　smugglers　to　bring　in　cargoes　of　the　most　promising　seeds　and　embryos。　Fremen　workers　then　set　about　sowing　the　sands　and　spreading　the　precious　seeds；　each　one　a　vital　kernel　of　life；　a　grain　of　Dune's　future。
　From　a　water　merchant；　Kynes　had　learned　of　the　death　of　Emperor　Elrood　IX。　That　had　brought　back　vivid　memories　of　his　audience　on　Kaitain；　when　the　ancient　ruler　had　given　him　his　assignment　to　e　here　and　research　the　ecology　of　Arrakis。　The　Planetologist　owed　his　entire　future　to　that　one　meeting。　He　owed　Elrood　a　great　debt　of　gratitude；　but　he　doubted　the　ancient　Emperor　had　even　remembered　him　in　the　last　year　or　so。
　Upon　hearing　the　startling　news；　Kynes　had　considered　trudging　back　to　Arrakeen；　booking　passage　on　a　Heighliner；　and　attending　the　state　funeral　　but　decided　he　would　have　felt　entirely　out　of　place。　He　was　a　desert　dweller　now；　rugged；　hardened；　and　far　from　the　niceties　of　Imperial　politics。　Besides；　Pardot　Kynes　had　much　more　important　work　to　plete　here。
　In　the　deep　south；　far　from　Harkonnen　watchers；　the　Fremen　had　planted　adaptive　poverty　grasses　along　the　downwind　sides　of　chosen　dunes；　anchoring　them　across　the　prevailing　westerly　winds。　Once　the　slipfaces　were　held　stable；　the　windward　faces　of　the　dunes　grew　higher　and　higher；　trying　to　overe　the　plantings；　but　the　Fremen　moved　their　grasses　to　keep　pace；　eventually　building　gigantic　sifs　that　rose　as　a　sinuous　soft　barrier　for　many　kilometers；　some　of　them　more　than　fifteen　hundred　meters　high。。。。
　As　he　contemplated；　Kynes　heard　his　wife　stirring　under　the　shadefloater。　She　talked　gently　to　the　child　as　young　Liet　suckled　her　breast　through　a　stillsuit　flap。
　Next；　Kynes　pondered　the　second　phase　of　the　ecological　transformation　process；　in　which　he　and　his　team　would　plant　tougher　sword　grasses；　add　processed　chemical　fertilizers；　build　windtraps　and　dew；　precipitators。　Later；　careful　not　to　pressure　the　fragile　new　ecology；　they　would　add　deeper　plantings；　including　amaranth；　pigweed；　scotch　broom；　and　dwarf　tamarisk；　followed　by　familiar　desert　icons　such　as　saguaro　and　barrel　cactus。　The　timetable　scrolled　out　toward　the　horizon；　decades　and　centuries　hence。
　In　Dune's　northern　inhabited　areas；　the　Fremen　had　to　content　themselves　with　small　plantings　and　hidden　growths。　The　vast　population　of　Fremen　knew　the　terraforming　secret　and　labored　with　their　collective　sweat　and　lifeblood。。。and　managed　to　keep　the　monumental　task　and　its　acpanying　dream　hidden　from　prying　eyes。
　Kynes　had　the　patience　to　see　the　metamorphosis　take　place　little　by　little。　The　Fremen　had　intense　faith　in　their　〃Umma。〃　Their　unquestioning　belief　in　one　man's　dreams　and　cooperation　with　his　difficult　demands　warmed　his　heart；　but　Kynes　was　determined　to　give　them　more　than　just　grand　lectures　and　empty　promises。　The　Fremen　deserved　to　see　a　brilliant　glimmer　of　hope　　and　he　had　acplished　just　that。
　Others　knew　about　his　place　in　Plaster　Basin；　of　course；　but　he　wanted　to　be　the　first　to　show　it　to　Frieth　and　their　baby　son　Liet。　〃I'm　taking　you　to　see　something　incredible；〃　Kynes　said　as　his　wife　dismantled　the　minicamp。　〃I　want　to　show　you　exactly　what　Dune　can　be。　Then　you'll　understand　why　I　work　at　it　so　hard。〃
　〃I　already　understand；　husband。〃　Frieth　smiled　knowingly；　then　zip…sealed　her　pack。　〃You　cannot　keep　secrets　from　me。〃　She　looked　at　him　with　a　strange　confidence；　and　Kynes　realized　that　he　did　not　need　to　rationalize　his　dreams　to　the　Fremen。　Any　Fremen。
　Surveying　the　increasing　steepness　and　hazards　of　the　trail；　Frieth　didn't　place　the　child　back　on　the　kulon；　but　chose　to　carry　him　in　her　arms　instead。
　Caught　up　in　his　thoughts　again；　Kynes　began　speaking　aloud　to　Frieth　as　if　she　were　one　of　his　most　dedicated　students。　〃The　thing　the　ecologically　illiterate　don't　realize　about　an　ecosystem　is　that　it's　a　system。〃　He　grabbed　on　to　a　rock　on　the　rough　mountain　wall　and　hauled　himself　forward。　He　didn't　look　back　to　observe　the　kulon's　difficulties　in　negotiating　the　tight　turn。　Its　hooves　stumbled　on　loose　rock；　but　it　followed。
　In　his　mother's　arms；　the　baby　Liet　whimpered；　then　silenced　himself。　Frieth　continued　to　listen　to　her　husband。
　〃A　system　maintains　a　certain　fluid　stabilit