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〃Look at me； I said！〃 Hawat snapped。 〃I could have leaped forward and gutted both of you in the instant you exchanged those cute little glances。〃 He took a menacing step toward them。
Leto and Rhombur wore fine clothes； fortable yet regal…looking。 Their capes snapped about in the breeze。 Leto's was brilliant emerald merh…silk trimmed in black； while the Prince of Ix proudly sported the purple and copper of House Vernius。 But Rhombur looked decidedly uneasy to be out under the towering sky。 〃It's all so。。。wide…open；〃 he whispered。
After interminable silence； Hawat raised his chin； ready to begin。 〃First of all； remove those ridiculous capes。〃
Leto reached up to the clasp at his throat； but Rhombur hesitated just a moment。 Within the space of a heartbeat； Hawat had ripped out his short sword and slashed the tiny cord mere millimeters from the Prince's jugular vein。 The wind grasped the purple…on…copper cape and carried it like a lost banner over the cliff。 The cloth flew like a kite until it drifted to the churning water below。
〃Hey！〃 Rhombur said。 〃Why did you 〃
Hawat sidestepped the indignant outcry。 〃You came here to learn weapons training。 So why did you dress for a Landsraad ball or an Imperial banquet？〃 The Mentat snorted； then spat with the wind。 〃Fighting is dirty work； and unless you intend to conceal weapons in those capes； wearing them is foolish。 It's like carrying your own burial shroud on your shoulders。〃
Leto still held his green cape in his hands。 Hawat reached forward； grabbed the end of the fabric； snapped it； twirled it around…and in a flash had captured Leto's right hand； his fighting hand。 Hawat yanked hard and thrust out with his foot to catch the young man's ankle。 Leto sprawled on the rocky ground。
Static spun in front of his eyes； and he gasped to catch his breath。 Rhombur laughed at his friend； then managed to restrain himself。
Hawat yanked the cape free and tossed it up in the air； where it blew out on the ocean winds to join Rhombur's。 〃Anything can be a weapon；〃 he said。 〃You're carrying your swords； and I see daggers at your sides。 You have shields； all of which are obvious weapons。
〃However； you should also conceal an assortment of other niceties： needles； stun…fields； poison tips。 While your enemy can see the obvious weapons〃 Hawat took a long training sword and slashed it in the air 〃you can use them as a decoy to attack with something even deadlier。〃
Leto stood up straight； brushing dirt and debris from himself。 〃But； sir； it's not sporting to use hidden weapons。 Doesn't that go against the strictures of 〃
Hawat snapped his fingers like a gunshot in front of Leto's face。 〃Don't talk to me about pretty points of assassination。〃 The Mentat's rough skin turned more ruddy； as if he barely kept his anger in check。 〃Is your intention to show off for the ladies； or to eliminate your opponent？ This is not a game。〃
The grizzled man focused on Rhombur； staring so intently that the young man backed up half a step。 〃Word has it there's an Imperial bounty on your head； Prince； if you ever leave the sanctuary of Caladan。 You are the exiled son of House Vernius。 Your life is not that of a moner。 You never know when the death blow will fall； so you must be prepared at all times。 Court intrigues and politics have their own rules； but oft'times the rules are not known to all players。〃
Rhombur swallowed hard。
Turning to Leto； Hawat said； 〃Lad； your life is in danger； too； as heir to House Atreides。 All Great Houses must constantly be on the alert against assassination。〃
Leto straightened； fixing his gaze on the instructor。 〃I understand； Thufir； and I want to learn。〃 He looked over at Rhombur。 〃We want to learn。〃
Hawat's red…stained lips smiled。 〃That's a start；〃 he said。 〃There may be clumsy clods working for other families in the Landsraad but you； my boys； must bee shining examples。 Not only will you learn shield…and…knife fighting and the subtle arts of killing； you must also learn the weaponry of politics and government。 You must know how to defend yourselves through culture and rhetoric； as well as with physical blows。〃 The warrior Mentat squared his shoulders and stood firm。 〃From me you will learn all these things。〃
He switched on his body…shield。 Behind the shimmering field he held a dagger in one hand； a long sword in the other。
Instinctively； Leto switched on his own shield belt； and the flickering Holtzman field glimmered in front of him。 Rhombur fumbled to do the same just as the Mentat feigned an attack； pulling back at the last possible second before drawing blood。
Hawat tossed the weapons from hand to hand left； right； and left again proving he could use either for a killing strike。 〃Watch carefully。 Your lives may someday depend on it。
Any path that narrows future possibilities may bee a lethal trap。 Humans do not thread their way through a maze； they scan a vast horizon filled with unique opportunities。
…The Spacing Guild Handbook
Junction was an austere world of limited geographic variations； unadorned scenery； and strict weather control to remove troublesome inconveniences。 A serviceable place； it had been chosen as Spacing Guild headquarters because of its strategic location rather than its landscapes。
Here； candidates learned to bee Navigators。
Second…growth forests covered millions of hectares； but they were stunted box trees and dwarf oaks。 Certain Old Terran vegetables grew in abundance； cultivated by the locals potatoes； peppers； eggplants； tomatoes； and a variety of herbs but the produce tended to bee alkaloid； edible only after careful processing。
After his mind…opening examination； stunned by the new vistas opened to him through the melange surge； D'murr Pilru had been brought here without a chance to say his goodbyes to his twin brother or his parents。 At first he had been upset； but the requirements of Guild training rapidly filled him with so many wonders that he'd disregarded everything else。 He found he could now focus his thoughts much better。。。and forget much more easily。
The buildings of junction huge bulging shapes with rounded and angular extrusions were of standard Guild design； much like the Embassy on Ix： practical in the extreme and awe…inspiring in their immensity。 Each structure bore a rounded cartouche containing the mark of infinity。 Mechanical infrastructures were both Ixian and Richesian； installed centuries earlier and still functioning。
The Spacing Guild preferred environments that did not interfere with its important work。 To a Navigator； any distractions were potentially dangerous。 Every Guild student learned this lesson early； as did the young candidate D'murr far from home and totally engrossed in his studies to the exclusion of any worries about his former planet's troubles。
On a blakgras field he was immersed in his own container of melange gas half swimming and half crawling as his body continued to change； his physical systems altering to adapt to the bombardment of spice。 Membranes had begun to connect his toes and fingers； his body had grown longer than before and more flaccid； taking on a fish shape。 No one had explained the extent of the inevitable changes to him； and he neither chose nor needed to ask。 It made no difference。 So much of the universe had been opened to him； he considered it a modest price to pay。
D'murr's eyes had grown smaller； without lashes； they were also developing cataracts。 He didn't need them to see anymore； though； since he had other eyes。。。inner vision。 The panorama of the universe unfolded for him。 In the process； he felt as if he were leaving everything else behind。。。and it didn't bother him。
Through the haze D'murr saw that the blakgras field was covered with neat rows of containerized candidates and their Navigator trainers。 One life per container。 The tanks vented orange clouds of filtered melange exhaust； swirling around masked humanoid attendants who stood nearby； waiting to move the tanks when told to do so。
The Head Instructor； a Navigator Steersman named Grodin； floated inside a black…framed tank that had been raised high on a platform； the trainees saw him more with their minds than with their eyes。 Grodin had just returned from foldspace with a student； whose tank was adjacent to his and connected with flexible tubing； so that their gases merged。
D'murr himself had acplished short flights on three occasions now。 He was considered one of the top trainees。 Once he learned to travel through foldspace by himself； he could be licensed as a Pilot； the lowest…ranking Navigator。。。but still vastly higher than he'd once been as a mere human。
Steersman Grodin's foldspace treks were legendary quests of discovery through inprehensible dimensional knots。 The Head Instructor's voice gurgled from a speaker inside D'murr's tank； using higher…order language。 He described a time he had transported dinosaur…like creatures in an old…style Heighliner。 Unknown to him； the monsters could stretch their necks to incredible lengths。 While the Heighliner was in flight； one had chewed its way into a navigation chamber； so that its face appeared outside Grodin's tank； peering in with a curious； wide…eyed expression。。。。
So pleasant in here； D'