fh.godemperorofdune-第51部分

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y。
　Leto's　acute　senses　detected　the　explosion　and　located　it。　With　an　instant　fury　which　he　was　later　to　regret；　he　shouted　for　his　Fish　Speakers　and　manded　them　to　〃wipe　out　the　Face　Dancers；〃　even　the　ones　he　had　spared　earlier。
　On　immediate　reflection；　the　sensation　of…fury　itself　fascinated　Leto。　It　had　been　so　long　since　he　had　felt　even　mild　anger。　Frustration；　irritation…these　had　been　his　limits。　But　now；　at　a　threat　to　Hwi　Noree；　fury！
　Reflection　caused　him　to　modify　his　initial　mand；　but　not　before　some　Fish　Speakers　had　raced　from　the　Royal　Presence；　their　most　violent　desires　released　by　what　they　had　seen　in　their　Lord。
　〃God　is　furious！〃　some　of　them　shouted。
　The　second　blast　caught　some　of　the　Fish　Speakers　emerging　into　the　plaza；　limiting　the　spread　of　Leto's　modified　mand　and　igniting　more　violence。　The　third　explosion；　located　near　the　first　one；　sent　Leto　himself　into　action。　He　propelled　his　cart　like　a　berserk　juggernaut　out　of　his　resting　chamber　into　the　Ixian　lift　and　surged　to　the　surface。
　Leto　emerged　at　the　edge　of　the　plaza　to　find　a　scene　of　chaos　lighted　by　thousands　of　free…floating　glowglobes　released　by　his　Fish　Speakers。　The　central　stage　of　the　plaza　had　been　shattered；　leaving　only　the　plasteel　base　intact　beneath　the　paved　surface。　Broken　pieces　of　masonry　lay　all　around；　mixed　with　dead　and　wounded。
　In　the　direction　of　the　Ixian　Embassy；　directly　across　the　plaza　from　him；　there　was　a　wild　surging　of　bat。
　〃Where　is　my　Duncan？〃　Leto　bellowed。
　A　guard　bashar　came　racing　across　the　plaza　to　his　side　where　she　reported　through　panting　breaths：　〃We　have　taken　him　to　the　Citadel；　Lord！〃
　〃What　is　happening　over　there？〃　Leto　demanded；　pointing　at　the　battle　outside　the　Ixian　Embassy。
　〃The　rebels　and　the　Tleilaxu　are　attacking　the　Ixian　Embassy；　Lord。　They　have　explosives。〃
　Even　as　she　spoke；　another　blast　erupted　in　front　of　the　Embassy's　shattered　facade。　He　saw　bodies　twisting　in　the　air；　arching　outward　and　falling　at　the　perimeter　of　a　bright　flash　which　left　an　orange　afterimage；　studded　with　black　dots。
　With　no　thought　of　consequences；　Leto　shifted　his　cart　onto　suspensors　and　sent　it　bulleting　across　the　plaza…a　hurtling　behemoth　which　sucked　glowglobes　into　its　wake。　At　the　battle's　edge；　he　arched　over　his　own　defenders　and　plunged　into　the　attackers'　flank；　aware　only　then　of　lasguns　which　sent　livid　blue　arcs　leaping　toward　him。　He　felt　his　cart　thudding　into　flesh；　scattering　bodies　all　around。
　The　cart　spilled　him　directly　in　front　of　the　Embassy；　rolling　him　off　onto　a　hard　surface　as　it　struck　the　rubble　there。　He　felt　lasgun　beams　tickle　his　ribbed　body；　then　the　inner　surge　of　heat　followed　by　a　venting　belch　of　oxygen　at　his　tail。　Instinct　tucked　his　face　deep　into　its　cowl　and　folded　his　arms　into　the　protective　depths　of　his　front　segment。　The　worm…body　took　over；　arching　and　flailing；　rolling　like　an　insane　wheel；　lashing　out　on　all　sides。
　Blood　lubricated　the　street。　Blood　was　buffered　water　to　his　body；　but　death　released　the　water。　His　flailing　body　slipped　and　slithered　in　it；　the　water　igniting　blue　smoke　from　every　flexion　place　where　it　slipped　through　the　sandtrout　skin。　This　filled　him　with　water…agony　which　ignited　more　violence　in　the　great　flailing　body。
　At　Leto's　first　lashing　out；　the　Fish　Speaker　perimeter　fell　back。　An　alert　bashar　saw　the　opportunity　now　presented。　She　shouted　above　the　battle　noise：
　〃Pick　off　the　stragglers！〃
　The　ranks　of　guardian　women　rushed　forward。
　It　was　bloody　play　among　the　Fish　Speakers　for　a　few　minutes；　blades　thrusting　in　the　merciless　light　of　the　glowglobes；　the　dancing　of　lasgun　arcs；　even　hands　chopping　and　toes　digging　into　vulnerable　flesh。　The　Fish　Speakers　left　no　survivors。
　Leto　rolled　beyond　the　Bloody　mush　in　front　of　the　Embassy；　barely　able　to　think　through　the　waves　of　water…agony。　The　air　was　heavy　with　oxygen　all　around　him　and　this　helped　his　human　senses。　He　summoned　his　cart　and　it　drifted　toward　him；　tipping　perilously　on　damaged　suspensors。　Slowly；　he　wriggled　onto　the　tipping　cart　and　gave　it　the　mental　mand　to　return　to　his　quarters　beneath　the　plaza。
　Long　ago；　he　had　prepared　himself　against　water…damage　room　where　blasts　of　superheated　dry　air　would　cleanse　and　restore　him。　Sand　would　serve　but　there　was　no　place　in　t　e　confines　of　Onn　for　the　necessary　expanse　of　sand　in　which　he　might　heat　and　rasp　his　surface　to　its　normal　purity。
　In　the　lift；　he　thought　of　Hwi　and　sent　a　message　to　have　her　brought　down　to　him　immediately。
　If　she　survived。
　He　had　no　time　now　to　make　a　prescient　search；　he　could　only　hope　while　his　body；　both　pre…worm　and　human；　longed　for　the　cleansing　heat。
　Once　into　the　cleansing　room；　he　thought　to　reaffirm　his　modified　mand　…　〃Save　some　of　the　Face　Dancers！〃　But　by　then　the　maddened　Fish　Speakers　were　spreading　out　through　the　City　and　he　had　not　the　strength　to　make　a　prescient　sweep　which　would　send　his　messengers　to　the　proper　meeting　points。
　A　Guard　captain　brought　him　word　as　he　was　emerging　from　the　cleansing　room　that　Hwi　Noree；　although　slightly　wounded；　was　safe　and　would　be　brought　to　him　as　soon　as　the　local　mander　thought　it　prudent。
　Leto　promoted　the　Guard　captain　to　sub…bashar　on　the　spot。
　She　was　a　heavyset　Nayla…type　but　without　Nayla's　square　face…features　more　rounded　and　closer　to　the　older　norms。　She　trembled　in　the　warmth　of　her　Lord's　approval　and；　when　he　told　her　to　return　and　〃make　doubly　certain〃　no　more　harm　came　to　Hwi；　she　whirled　and　dashed　from　his　presence。
　　didn't　even　ask　her　name；　Leto　thought；　as　he　rolled　himself　onto　the　new　cart　in　the　depression　of　his　small　audience　room。　It　took　a　few　moments　of　reflection　to　recall　the　new　sub…bashar's　name…Kieuemo。　The　promotion　would　have　to　be　reaffirmed。　He　lodged　a　mental　reminder　to　do　this　personally。　The　Fish　Speakers；　all　of　them；　would　have　to　learn　immediately　how　much　he　valued　Hwi　Noree。　Not　that　there　could　be　much　doubt　after　tonight。
　He　made　his　prescient　scan　then　and　dispatched　messengers　to　his　rampaging　Fish　Speakers。　By　then　the　damage　had　been　done…corpses　all　over　Onn；　some　Face　Dancers　and　some　only…suspected　Face　Dancers。
　And　many　have　seen　me　kill；　he　thought。
　While　he　waited　for　Hwi's　arrival；　he　reviewed　what　had　just　happened。　This　had　not　been　a　typical　Tleilaxu　attack；　but　the　previous　attack　on　the　road　to　Onn　fitted　into　a　new　pattern；　all　of　it　pointing　at　a　single　mind　with　lethal　purpose。
　I　could　have　died　out　there；　he　thought。
　That　began　to　explain　why　he　had　not　anticipated　this　attack；　but　there　was　a　deeper　reason。　Leto　could　see　that　reason　rising　into　his　awareness；　a　summation　of　all　the　clues。　What　human　knew　the　God　Emperor　best？　What　human　possessed　a　secret　place　from　which　to　conspire？
　Malky！
　Leto　summoned　a　guard　and　told　her　to　ask　if　the　Reverend　Mother　Anteac　had　yet　left　Arrakis。　The　guard　returned　in　a　moment　to　report。
　〃Anteac　is　still　in　her　quarters。　The　mander　of　the　Fish　Speaker　Guard　there　says　they　have　not　e　under　attack。〃
　〃Send　word　to　Anteac；〃　Leto　said。　〃Ask　if　she　now　understands　why　I　put　her　delegation　in　quarters　at　a　distance　from　me？　Then　tell　her　that　while　she　is　on　Ix　she　must　locate　Malky。　She　is　to　report　that　location　to　our　local　garrison　on　Ix。〃
　〃Malky；　the　former　Ixian　Ambassador？〃
　〃The　same。　He　is　not　to　remain　alive　and　free。　You　will　inform　our　garrison　mander　on　Ix　that　she　is　to　make　close　liaison　with　Anteac；　providing　every　necessary　assistance。
　Malky　is　to　be　brought　here　to　me　or　executed；　whichever　our　mander　finds　necessary。〃
　The　guard…messenger　nodded；　shadows　lurching　across　her　features　where　she　stood　in　the　ring　of　light　around　Leto's　face。　She　did　not　ask　for　a　repetition　of　the　orders。　Each　of　his　close　guards　had　been　trained　as　a　human…recorder。　They　could　repeat　Leto's　words　exactly；　even　the　intonations；　and　would　never　forget　what　they　had　heard　him　say。
　When　the　messenger　had　gone；　Leto　sent　a　private　signal　of　inquiry　and；　within　seconds；　had　a　response　from　Nayla。　The　Ixian　device　within　his　cart　reproduced　a　non…identifiable　version　of　her　voice；　a　flatly　metallic　recital　for　his　ears　alone。
　Yes；　Siona　was　at　the　Citadel。　No；　Siona　had　not　contacted　her　rebel　panions。　〃No；　she　does　not　yet　know　that　I　am　here　observing　her。〃　The　attack　on　the　Embassy？　That　had　been　by　a　splinter　group　called　〃The　Tleilaxu…Contact　Element。〃
　Leto　allowed　himself　a　mental　sigh。　Rebels　always　gave　their　groups　such　pretentious　labels。
　〃Any　survivors？〃　he　asked。
　〃No　known　survivors。〃
　Leto　found　it　amusing　that；　while　the　metallic　voice　provided　no　emotional　tones；　his　memory　supplied　them。
　〃You　will　make　contact　with　Siona；〃　he　said。　〃Reveal　that　you　are　a　Fish　Speaker。　Tell　her　you　did　not　reveal　this　earlier　because　you　knew　she　would　not　trust　you　and　because　you　feared　exposure　since　you　are　quite　alone　among　Fish　Speakers　in　your　allegiance　to　Siona。　Reaffirm　your　oath　to　her。　Tell　her　that　you　swear　by　all　that　you　hold　holy　to　obey　Siona　in　anything。　If　she　mands　it；　you　will　do　it。　All　of　this　is　truth；　as　you　well　know。〃
　〃Yes；　Lord。〃
　Memory　supplied　the　fanatic　emphasis　in　Na