|
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.His flaccid arms rested on the grittydesktop.A year and a half ago, the Bene Gesserit had brought him to an impasse, withthreats and counterthreats, blackmail in both directions.Rabban had lost theirno-ship.He and the witches had remained at a safe but uneasy distance fromeach other.Still, the wounds rankled, and he grew weaker -- and fatter -- every day.His scientists had been trying to build another no-ship, without the assistanceof the Richesian genius Chobyn, whom Rabban had slain.The Baron saw red everytime he thought of his nephew's numerous blunders.Plans and holorecordings of the original construction process had been flawed,or so the Baron's scientists claimed.As a result, their first new prototypehad crashed into the obsidian slopes of Mount Ebony, killing the entire crew.Serves them right.The Baron wondered if he would prefer a sudden death like that to torturousdebilitation and decay.He had poured an enormous amount of solaris into astate-of-the-art medical research facility on Giedi Prime, with the grudging,part-time assistance of the Richesian Suk doctor Wellington Yueh, who was stillmore interested in his cyborg research than in finding ways to help thesuffering Baron.The Richesian Premier still hadn't sent him a bill for theservices, but the Baron didn't care.Despite all this effort, there had been no results, and continued threats didn'tseem to help.For the Baron, the simple act of walking, which he'd once done soeffortlessly and with such grace, was now a major task.Soon the wormhead canewould not be enough."I have news of an interesting development, my Baron," Piter de Vries said,gliding into the dusty Carthag offices.He frowned at the interruption.The gaunt Mentat, wearing a pale blue robe, hidhis sapho-stained smile."The concubine of Duke Leto Atreides has sentinquiries to the Imperial Court, seeking the services of a personal lady-in-waiting.I came to inform you as soon as I was able.However, because of theurgency involved, I.took the liberty of setting a plan in motion." The Baron raised his eyebrows."Oh? And what is this interesting plan that youfelt needed no approval from me?""There is a certain matron living in the household of Suuwok Hesban, the son ofElrood's former Court Chamberlain Aken Hesban.For some time now, she hasprovided us with excellent information on the Hesban family.At my instigation,this matron, Chiara Rash-Olin, has let it be known that she is interested in theAtreides position, and is to be interviewed on Caladan.""Inside the Atreides household?" the fat man said.He saw a crafty smile formon the slender Mentat's face, which mirrored the Baron's own delight."Thatprovides some.interesting opportunities."KAILEA WAITED IN THE LOBBY of the Cala Municipal Spaceport, pacing a floor ofembedded seashells and limestone fossils.Behind her stood dashing CaptainSwain Goire, whom Leto had assigned as her personal bodyguard.The guard's darkhair and lean features reminded her of Leto's own.She was early for the arriving shuttle and its passenger from Kaitain.She hadalready met Chiara, interviewing the matronly woman here on Caladan.The newlady-in-waiting came with impeccable references, had even worked for the familyof Emperor Elrood's personal Chamberlain.She was able to tell endless storiesabout the splendid court life on Kaitain.Kailea had accepted her immediately.Why an intelligent old woman would ever want to leave the Imperial capital forthe comparative backwater of Caladan, she could not understand."Oh, but I lovethe sea.And I love the peace," Chiara had answered."When you get older,lovely child, you may feel the same way."Kailea doubted that, but could hardly contain her excitement at the good fortunein finding this woman.She had waited anxiously while Thufir Hawat inspectedChiara Rash-Olin's past, questioned her about previous years of service.Eventhe old Mentat had been unable to find fault with her background.As her pregnancy progressed, Kailea had counted the days until Chiara began tofulfill her duties.On the day of the scheduled arrival, Leto was holding courtin Castle Caladan, listening to the complaints and disputes of his people, butKailea had departed early for the nearby airfield, which was dotted withskyclippers, 'thopters, and other aircraft.With barely restrained anticipation, Kailea studied the large spaceportbuilding, marking details she hadn't noticed before.The original bulbous shapehad been modified with interior moldings, modern windows, and decorations.Butit still looked old and quaint, unlike the marvelous architecture of Kaitain.She heard an atmospheric thump, felt it even through the floor.A streak ofblue-orange light broke through the cloud cover from the supersonic descent ofthe bullet-shaped lighter.The small vessel slowed abruptly on high-poweredsuspensors, then came to a gentle perch on the field.Shields pulsed, flickedoff."Precisely on time," Swain Goire said beside her.The handsome captain stoodstraight and tall, like a hero from a filmbook."The Guild prides itself onpunctuality." "Not soon enough for me." Kailea hurried forward to meet the disembarkingpassengers.Chiara chose not to dress the part of a servant.Over her plump form she wore atraveling suit of comfortable zeetwill, and her iron-gray hair was coiffed intoan elegant swirl, capped with a jeweled beret.Her pink cheeks glowed."What a pleasure to see you again, dear," Chiara purred.She breathed deeply ofthe moist, salty air.Behind her trailed eight suspensor-borne trunks, bulgingat their clasps.With a glance at Kailea's barely rounded belly and then into her green eyes, shecommented, "It must be a routine pregnancy so far.You're looking well, mydear.A little peaked, perhaps, but I have remedies for that."Kailea beamed.At last she had an intelligent companion, someone with Imperialsophistication to help her with the troubling details -- household matters andbusiness decisions required by her demanding, though loving, Duke.Walking beside the old lady-in-waiting, Kailea asked the foremost question onher mind."What's the latest from the Imperial Court?""Oh, my dear! There is so much to tell you."It is true that one may become rich through practicing evil, but the power ofTruth and Justice is that they endure.and that a man can say of them,"They are a heritage from my father."-Fifth Dynasty (Old Terra) calendar: The Wisdom of PtahhotepAS FAR AS RABBAN WAS CONCERNED, his uncle could not have conceived a more cruelpunishment for the no-ship debacle.At least Arrakis was warm and had clearskies, and Giedi Prime offered all the comforts of civilization.Lankiveil was just.miserable.Time dragged at such a pace that Rabban found himself appreciating the geriatricbenefits of melange.He would have to live longer than a normal life span justto make up for all this abysmally wasted time.He had absolutely no interest in the isolated monastic fortresses deep in themountains.Likewise, he refused to go to the villages that dotted theconvoluted fjords: They held nothing but smelly fishermen, native hunters, anda few vegetable growers who found fertile land in the cracks of the steep blackmountains. Rabban spent most of his time on the largest island in the north, close to theglacial ice sheet and far from the swimming lanes of the Bjondax fur whales.Itwas not civilization by any standard, but at least it had factories, processingplants, and a spaceport to send loads of whale fur to orbit.There, he could bewith people who understood that resources and raw materials existed for thebenefit of whatever House owned them.He lived in CHOAM company barracks and commandeered several large rooms forhimself [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
Archiwum
|