bh.houseatreides-第10部分

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　Carthag　did　not　appear　to　belong　here；　its　architecture　and　placement　were　offensive　to　his　sensibilities。　Kynes　had　an　innate　ability　to　see　how　the　fabric　of　an　ecosystem　meshed；　how　the　pieces　fit　together　in　a　natural　world。　But　this　population　center　was　wrong；　like　a　pustule　on　the　skin　of　the　planet。
　Another　outpost　to　the　southwest；　Arrakeen；　was　a　more　primitive　city　that　had　grown　slowly；　naturally；　nestled　against　a　mountainous　barrier　called　the　Shield　Wall。　Perhaps　Kynes　should　have　gone　there　first。　But　political　requirements　had　forced　him　to　establish　his　base　with　the　rulers　of　the　planet。
　At　least　that　had　given　him　the　opportunity　to　search　for　one　of　the　giant　sandworms。
　The　large　'thopter　transport　carrying　Rabban's　hunting　party　lifted　off；　and　soon　Kynes　received　his　initial　glimpse　of　the　true　desert。　Kynes　peered　out　the　windowplaz　at　the　rippled　wastelands　below。　From　experiences　in　other　desert　regions；　he　was　able　to　identify　dune　patterns。。。shapes　and　sinuous　curves　that　revealed　much　about　seasonal　wind　patterns；　prevailing　air　currents；　and　the　severity　of　storms。　So　much　could　be　learned　from　studying　these　ripples　and　lines；　the　fingerprints　of　weather。　He　pressed　his　face　to　the　plaz　observation　ports；　none　of　the　other　passengers　appeared　to　be　interested　at　all。
　The　Harkonnen　troops　fidgeted；　hot　in　their　heavy　blue　uniforms　and　armor。　Their　weapons　clattered　against　each　other　and　scraped　the　floor　plates。　The　men　seemed　uneasy　without　their　personal　body；　shields；　but　the　presence　of　a　shield　and　its　Holtzman　field　would　drive　any　nearby　worms　into　a　killing　frenzy。　Today；　Rabban　himself　wanted　to　do　the　killing。
　Glossu　Rabban；　the　twenty…one…year…old　son　of　the　planet's　former　lackluster　governor；　sat　up　front　near　the　pilot；　looking　for　targets　out　on　the　sand。　With　severely　cropped　brown　hair；　he　was　broad…shouldered；　deep…voiced；　and　short…tempered。　Icy　pale　blue　eyes　looked　out　from　a　sunburned　face。　He　seemed　to　do　everything　possible　to　be　the　opposite　of　his　father。
　〃Will　we　see　worm　tracks　from　the　sky？〃　he　asked。
　Behind　him；　Thekar　the　desert　guide　leaned　very　close；　as　if　wishing　to　remain　within　Rabban's　personal　space。　〃The　sands　shift　and　mask　the　passage　of　a　worm。　Often　they　travel　deep。　You　will　not　see　a　worm　moving　until　it　approaches　the　surface　and　is　ready　to　attack。〃
　The　tall；　angular　Kynes　listened　intently；　taking　mental　notes。　He　wanted　to　record　all　of　these　details　in　his　logbook；　but　that　would　have　to　wait　until　later。
　〃Then　how　are　we　going　to　find　one？　I　heard　the　open　desert　is　crawling　with　worms。〃
　〃Not　that　simple；　m'Lord　Rabban；〃　Thekar　responded。　〃The　great　worms　have　their　own　domains；　some　extending　to　hundreds　of　square　kilometers。　Within　these　boundaries　they　hunt　and　kill　any　intruders。〃
　Growing　impatient；　Rabban　turned　around　in　his　seat。　His　skin　grew　darker。　〃How　do　we　know　where　to　find　a　worm's　domain？〃
　Thekar　smiled；　and　his　dark；　close…set　eyes　took　on　a　distant　look。　〃All　of　the　desert　is　owned　by　Shai…Hulud。〃
　〃By　what？　Stop　evading　my　questions。〃　Within　another　moment；　Kynes　was　sure　Rabban　would　cuff　the　desert　man　across　the　jaw。
　〃You　have　been　on　Arrakis　for　so　long；　and　you　did　not　know　this；　m'Lord　Rabban？　The　Fremen　consider　the　great　sandworms　to　be　gods；〃　Thekar　answered　quietly。　〃They　name　him；　collectively；　Shai…Hulud。〃
　〃Then　today　we　shall　kill　a　god；〃　Rabban　announced　in　a　loud　voice；　causing　the　other　hunters　in　the　back　of　the　partment　to　cheer。　He　turned　sharply　toward　the　desert　guide。　〃I　depart　for　Giedi　Prime　in　two　days；　and　must　have　a　trophy　to　take　back　with　me。　This　hunt　will　be　successful。〃
　Giedi　Prime；　Kynes　thought。　Ancestral　homeworld　of　House　Harkonnen。　At　least　I　won't　have　to　worry　about　him　once　he's　gone。
　〃You　will　have　your　trophy；　m'Lord；〃　Thekar　promised。
　〃No　doubt　about　that；〃　Rabban　said；　but　in　a　more　ominous　tone。
　Seated　alone　in　the　rear　of　the　troop　transport；　huddled　in　his　desert　gear；　Kynes　felt　unfortable　in　such　pany。　He　had　no　interest　in　the　glorious　ambitions　of　the　Baron's　nephew。。。but　if　this　excursion　gave　him　a　good　look　at　one　of　the　monsters；　it　could　be　worth　months　of　intensive　effort　on　his　own。
　Rabban　stared　out　through　the　front　of　the　transport；　his　hard；　squinting　eyes　were　surrounded　by　thick　folds　of　skin。　He　scrutinized　the　desert　as　if　it　were　a　delicacy　he　intended　to　eat；　seeing　none　of　the　beauty　Kynes　noted　in　the　landscape。
　〃I　have　a　plan；　and　this　is　how　we'll　follow　it。〃　Rabban　turned　to　the　troops　and　opened　the　system　to　the　spotter　ornithopters　flying　in　formation　around　the　transport。　They　cruised　out　over　the　expanse　of　open　sand。　The　dune　ripples　below　looked　like　wrinkles　on　an　old　man's　skin。
　〃That　outcropping　of　rock　down　there〃　　he　gestured；　and　read　off　the　coordinates　　〃will　be　our　base。　About　three　hundred　meters　from　the　rock　we'll　touch　down　in　the　open　sand；　where　we'll　drop　Thekar　with　a　gadget　he　calls　a　thumper。　Then　we'll　lift　off　to　the　safety　of　the　rock　outcroppings；　where　the　worm　can't　go。〃
　The　lean　desert　man　looked　up　in　alarm。　〃Leave　me　out　there？　But　m'Lord；　I'm　not　〃
　〃You　gave　me　the　idea。〃　He　turned　back　to　address　the　uniformed　troops。　〃Thekar　here　says　that　this　Fremen　device；　a　thumper；　will　bring　a　worm。　We'll　plant　one　along　with　enough　explosives　to　take　care　of　the　beast　when　it　es。　Thekar；　we　will　leave　you　behind　to　rig　the　explosives　and　trigger　the　thumper。　You　can　run　across　the　sands　and　make　it　to　safety　with　us　before　a　worm　can　e；　right？〃　Rabban　gave　him　a　delicious　little　grin。
　〃I　　I。。。〃　Thekar　stammered。　〃It　appears　I　have　no　choice。〃
　〃Even　if　you　can't　make　it；　the　worm　will　probably　go　for　the　thumper　first。　The　explosives　will　get　the　beast　before　you　bee　its　next　target。〃
　〃I　take　fort　in　that；　m'Lord；〃　Thekar　said。
　Intrigued　by　the　Fremen　device；　Kynes　considered　obtaining　one　for　himself。　He　wished　he　could　watch　this　desert　native　up　close　to　witness　how　he　ran　across　the　sands；　how　he　eluded　pursuit　from　the　vibration…sensitive　〃Old　Man　of　the　Desert。〃　But　the　Planetologist　knew　enough　to　remain　quiet　and　avoid　Rabban's　notice；　hoping　that　the　hot…blooded　young　Harkonnen　wouldn't　volunteer　him　to　assist　Thekar。
　Inside　the　personnel　partment　at　the　back　of　the　craft；　the　Bator　　a　mander　of　a　small　troop　　and　his　underlings　looked　through　the　weapons　stockpile；　removing　lasguns　for　themselves。　They　rigged　explosives　to　the　stakelike　mechanism　that　Thekar　had　brought　along。　A　thumper。
　With　curious　eyes；　Kynes　could　see　that　it　was　just　a　spring…wound　clockwork　device　that　would　thunk　out　a　loud；　rhythmic　vibration。　When　plunged　into　the　sand；　the　thumper　would　send　reverberations　deep　below　the　desert　to　where　〃Shai…Hulud〃　could　hear　them。
　〃As　soon　as　we　land；　you'd　better　rig　up　these　explosives　fast；〃　Rabban　said　to　Thekar。　〃The　engines　of　these　ornithopters　will　do　a　good　job　of　attracting　the　worm；　even　without　the　help　of　your　Fremen　toy。〃
　〃I　know　that　all　too　well；　m'Lord；〃　Thekar　said。　His　olive　skin　now　had　a　grayish；　oily　tinge　of　terror。
　The　ornithopter　struts　kissed　the　sands；　throwing　up　loose　dust。　The　hatch　opened；　and　Thekar　　determined；　now　　grabbed　his　thumper　and　sprang　out；　landing　with　spread　feet　on　the　soft　desert。　He　flashed　a　longing　glance　back　up　at　the　flying　craft；　then　turned　toward　the　dubious　safety　of　the　line　of　solid　rock　some　three　hundred　meters　away。
　The　Bator　handed　the　explosives　down　to　the　hapless　desert　man；　while　Rabban　gestured　for　them　to　hurry。　〃I　hope　you　don't　bee　worm　food；　my　friend；〃　he　said　with　a　laugh。　Even　before　the　doors　could　close　on　the　ornithopter；　the　pilot　lifted　off　the　sands　again；　leaving　Thekar　alone。
　Kynes　and　the　other　Harkonnen　soldiers　rushed　to　the　starboard　side　of　the　transport；　crowding　the　windowplaz　to　watch　their　guide's　desperate　actions　out　on　the　open　sands。　The　desert　man　had　reverted　to　a　different；　feral　human　being　as　they　watched。
　〃Excuse　me。　Just　how　much　explosive　does　it　take　to　kill　a　worm？〃　Kynes　asked　curiously。
　〃Thekar　should　have　plenty；　Planetologist；〃　the　Bator　answered。　〃We　gave　him　enough　to　wipe　out　an　entire　city　square。〃
　Kynes　turned　his　attention　back　to　the　drama　below。　As　the　craft　rose　higher；　Thekar　worked　in　a　flurry；　grabbing　the　explosive　ponents；　piling　them　in　a　mound　and　linking　them　together　with　shigawire　cables。　Kynes　could　see　tiny　ready　lights　winking　on。　Then　the　whip…thin　man　stabbed　his　thumper　into　the　sand　next　to　the　deadly　cache；　as　if　he　were　pounding　a　stake　into　the　heart　of　the　desert。
　The　troop　'thopter　swerved　and　arrowed　straight　toward　the　bulwark　of　rock　where　the　great　hunter　Rabban　would　wait　in　fort　and　safety。　Thekar　triggered　the　thumper's　spring…wound　mechanism　and　began　to　run。
　Inside　the　ornithopter；　some　of　the　soldiers　placed　bets　on　the　oute。
　Within　moments　the　craft　alighted　on　the　ridge　of　blackened；　pitted　rock　that　looked　like　a　reef　in　the　soft　desert。　The　pilot　shut　down　his　engines；　and　the　'thopter　doors　opened。　Rabban　shoved　his　troops　aside　to　be　the　first　to　stand　upon　the　shimmering　rock。　The　others　in　the　party　piled　out　afterward；　Kynes　waited　his　tu