按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ingly irrational behavior。 As if they needed more of that！
That very morning Brood had scolded Shaddam for not paying closer attention to his studies。 〃Watch； and learn！〃 one of his father's tedious phrases 〃Do as well as Fenring； for once。〃
Since childhood； Hasimir Fenring had attended classes with the Crown Prince。 Ostensibly； he provided panionship for Shaddam； while he himself gleaned an understanding of Court intrigues and politics。 In academics； Fenring always did better than his royal friend： He devoured any bit of data that could help him increase his position。
His mother Chaola； an introspective lady…in…waiting； had settled into a quiet home and lived on her Imperial pension after the death of the Emperor's fourth wife Habla。 In raising the two young boys together while she attended the Empress Habla； Chaola had given Fenring the chance to be so much more almost as if she had planned it that way。
These days Chaola pretended not to understand what her son did at Court； though she was Bene Gesserit…trained。 Fenring was wily enough to know that his mother prehended far more than her station suggested； and that many plans and breeding schemes had gone on without his knowledge。
Now Shaddam let out a miserable groan and turned from the machine。 〃Why can't the old creature just die and make it easy for me？〃 He covered his mouth； suddenly alarmed at what he had blurted。
Fenring paced the long floor； glancing up at the hanging banners of the Landsraad。 The Crown Prince was expected to know the colors and crests of every Great and Minor House； but Shaddam had difficulty simply remembering all the family names。
〃Be patient； my friend。 All in its own time。〃 In one of the alcoves； Fenring struck a bustible spike of vanilla…scented incense and inhaled a long breath of the fumes。 〃In the meantime； learn about subjects that will be relevant to your reign。 You'll need such information in the near future； hmm…m…m…ah？〃
〃Stop making that noise； Hasimir。 It's annoying。〃
〃Hmmmm？〃
〃It irritated me when we were children； and you know it still does。 Stop it！〃
In the adjoining room； behind supposed privacy screens； Shaddam could hear his tutor giggling； the sounds of clothes rustling； bedsheets； skin upon skin。 The tutor spent his afternoons with a willowy； achingly beautiful woman who had been sexually trained to Expert Class。 Shaddam had given the girl her orders； and her ministrations kept the tutor out of the way so that he and Fenring could have private conversations difficult enough in a palace full of prying eyes and attentive ears。
The tutor did not know； however； that the girl was intended for Elrood as a gift； a perfect addition to his harem。 This little trick gave the Crown Prince a large club to wield as a threat against the bothersome teacher。 If the Emperor ever found out。。。
〃Learning to manipulate people is an important part of ruling；〃 Fenring often told him upon suggesting an idea。 That much； at least； Shaddam had understood。 As long as the Crown Prince listens to my advice； Fenring thought； he could bee a good enough ruler； after all。
Screens displayed dull statistics of shipping resources； primary exports of major planets； holographic images of every conceivable product from the finest dyed whale…fur； to Ixian soothe…sonic tapestries。。。inkvines； shigawire； fabulous Ecazi art objects； pundi rice； and donkey dung。 Everything spewed from the teaching machine like an out…of…control font of wisdom； as if Shaddam was supposed to know and remember all the details。 But that's what advisors and experts are for。
Fenring glanced down at the display。 〃Of all the things in the Imperium； Shaddam； what do you suppose is most important； hm…m…m…m？〃
〃Are you my tutor now too； Hasimir？〃
〃Always；〃 Fenring replied。 〃If you turn out to be a superb Emperor； it will benefit all the populace。。。including me。〃
The bed in the next room made rhythmic； thought…scattering sounds。
〃Peace and quiet is the most important thing。〃 Shaddam grumbled his answer。
Fenring tapped a key on the teaching machine。 Machinery clicked； chimed； hummed。 An image of a desert planet appeared。 Arrakis。 Fenring slid onto the bench beside Shaddam。 〃The spice melange。 That's the most important thing。 Without it； the Imperium would crumble。〃
He leaned forward； and his nimble fingers flew across the controls； calling up displays of the desert planet's spice…harvesting activities。 Shaddam glanced at footage of a giant sandworm as it destroyed a harvesting machine in the deep wastelands。
〃Arrakis is the only known source of melange in the universe。〃 Fenring curled his hand into a fist and brought it down with a hard thump on the milky marbleplaz tabletop。 〃But why？ With all the Imperial explorers and prospectors； and the huge reward House Corrino has offered for generations； why has no one found spice anywhere else？ After all； with a billion worlds in the Imperium； it must be somewhere else。〃
〃A billion？〃 Shaddam pursed his lips。 〃Hasimir； you know that's just hyperbole for the masses。 The tally I've seen is only a million or so。〃
〃A million； a billion； what's the difference； hmmmm？ My point is； if melange is a substance found in the universe； we should find it in more than one place。 You know about the Planetologist your father sent to Arrakis？〃
〃Of course； Pardot Kynes。 We expect another report from him at any moment。 It's been a few weeks since the last one。〃 He raised his head in pride。 〃I've made a point to read them whenever they arrive。〃
From the curtained side room； they heard gasping and giggling； heavy furniture sliding aside； something overturning with a thump。 Shaddam allowed himself a thin smile。 The concubine was well trained； indeed。
Fenring rolled his large eyes； then turned back to the teaching machine。 〃Pay attention； Shaddam。 Spice is vital； and yet all production is controlled by a single House on a single world。 The threat of a bottleneck is enormous； even with Imperial oversight and pressure from CHOAM。 For the stability of the Imperium； we need a better source of melange。 We should create it synthetically if we have to。 We need an alternative。〃 He turned to the Crown Prince； his dark eyes glittering。 〃One that's in our control。〃
Shaddam enjoyed discussions like this much more than the tutor's programmed learning routines。 〃Ah； yes！ An alternative to melange would shift the entire balance of power in the Imperium； wouldn't it？〃
〃Exactly！ As it is； CHOAM； the Guild； the Bene Gesserit； the Mentats； the Landsraad； even House Corrino； all fight over the spice production and distribution from a single planet。 But if there was an alternative； one solely in the hands of the Imperial House； your family would bee true Emperors； not just puppets under the control of other political forces。〃
〃We are not puppets；〃 Shaddam snapped。 〃Not even my doddering father。〃 He flicked a nervous glance at the ceiling； as if eyes might be hidden there； though Fenring had already run thorough scans for observational apparatus。 〃Uh； long may he live。〃
〃As you say； my Prince；〃 Fenring said without conceding a millimeter。 〃But if we put the wheels in motion now； then you will reap those benefits when the throne is yours。〃 He fiddled with the teaching machine。 〃Watch； and learn！〃 he said in a creaking falsetto imitation of Elrood's ponderous pronouncements。 Shaddam chuckled at the sarcasm。
The machine displayed scenes of Ixian industrial acplishments； all the new inventions and modifications that had been made during a profitable rule by House Vernius。 〃Why do you think it is the Ixians can't use their technology to find a spice alternative？〃 Fenring asked。 〃They've been instructed time and again to analyze the spice and develop another option for us； yet they play with their navigation machines and their silly timepieces。 Who needs to tell the exact hour on any planet of the Imperium？ How are those pursuits more important than the spice itself？ House Vernius is an utter failure； as far as you are concerned。〃
〃This tutoring machine is Ixian。 The annoying new Heighliner design is Ixian。 So's your high…performance groundcar and。。。〃
〃Off the point；〃 Fenring said。 〃I don't believe House Vernius invests any of its technological resources in solving the alternative…spice problem。 It is not a high priority for them。〃
〃Then my father should give them firmer guidance。〃 Shaddam clasped his hands behind his back and tried to look Imperial； flushed with forced indignation。 〃When I'm Emperor； I'll be certain people understand their priorities。 Ah； yes； I will personally direct what is most important to the Imperium and to House Corrino。〃
Fenring circled the teaching machine like a prowling Laza tiger。 He plucked a sugared date from a fruit tray unobtrusively displayed on a side table。 〃Old Elrood made similar pronouncements a long time ago； yet so far he hasn't followed through on any of them。〃 He waved his long…fingered hand。 〃Oh； in the beginning he asked the Ixians to look into the matter。 He also offered a large bounty for any explorer who found even melange precursors on uncharted planets。〃 He popped the date into his mouth； licked his sticky fingers； and swallowed the smooth； sweet fruit。 〃Still nothin