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！
utside Grodin's tank； peering in with a curious； wide…eyed expression。。。。
So pleasant in here； D'murr thought without forming words as he absorbed the story。 With enlarged nostrils he drew in a deep breath of the sharp； rich melange。 Humans with dulled senses pared this pungent scent to strong cinnamon。。。but melange was so much more than that； so infinitely plex。
D'murr no longer needed to concern himself with the mundane affairs of humans； so trivial were they； so limited and shortsighted： political machinations； populations milling about like ants in a disturbed hill； lives flickering bright and dull like sparks from a campfire。 His former life was only a vague and fading memory； without specific names or faces。 He saw images； but ignored them。 He could never go back to what he had been。
Instead of simply finishing his story about the dinosaur creature； Steersman Grodin spoke on a tangent about the technical aspects of what the chosen student had just acplished on his interstellar journey； how they had employed high…order mathematics and dimensional changes to peer into the future much the same way the long…necked monster had looked into his tank。
〃A Navigator must do more than observe；〃 Grodin's scratchy voice said over the speaker。 〃A Navigator utilizes what he sees in order to guide spaceships safely through the void。 Failure to apply certain basic principles may lead to Heighliner disasters and the loss of all lives and cargo aboard。〃
Before any of the new adepts like D'murr could bee Pilots into foldspace； they must master how to deal with crises such as partially folded space； faulty prescience； the onset of spice intolerance； malfunctioning Holtzman generators； or even deliberate sabotage。
D'murr tried to envision the fates that had befallen some of his unfortunate predecessors。 Contrary to popular belief； Navigators did not themselves fold space； the Holtzman engines did that。 Navigators used their limited prescience to choose safe paths to travel。 A ship could move through the void without their guidance； but that perilous guessing game invariably led to disaster。 A Guild Navigator did not guarantee a safe journey but he vastly improved the odds。 Problems still arose when unforeseen events occurred。
D'murr was being trained to the limit of the Guild's knowledge。。。which could not include every eventuality。 The universe and its inhabitants were in a state of constant change。 All of the old schools understood this； including the Bene Gesserit and the Mentats。 Survivors learned how to adjust to change； how to expect the unexpected。
At the edge of his awareness； his melange tank began to move on its suspensor field and fell into line behind the tanks of the other students。 He heard an assistant instructor reciting passages from the Spacing Guild Manual； gas circulation mechanisms hummed around him。 Every detail seemed so sharp； so clear； so important。 He had never felt so alive！
Inhaling deeply of the orange…hued melange； he felt his concerns begin to dissipate。 His thoughts drew back into order； sliding smoothly into the neuropathways of his Guild…enhanced brain。
〃D'murr。。。D'murr； my brother。 。 。〃
The name swirled with the gas； like a whisper in the universe a name he no longer used now that he had been assigned a Guild navnumber。 Names were associated with individuality。 Names imposed limitations and preconceptions； family connections and past histories； they imposed individuality the antithesis of what it meant to be a Navigator。 A Guildsman merged with the cosmos and saw safe paths through the wrinkles of fate； prescient visions that enabled him to guide matter from place to place like chesspieces in a cosmic game。
〃D'murr； can you hear me？ D'murr？〃 The voice came from the speaker inside his tank； but also from a great distance。 He heard something familiar in the timbre； the inflections。 Could he have forgotten so much？ D'murr。 He'd almost erased that name from his thoughts。
D'murr's mind made connections that were being less and less important； and his slack mouth formed gurgling words。 〃Yes。 I hear you。〃
Nudged by its attendant； D'murr's tank glided along a paved path； toward an immense； bulbous building where the Navigators lived。 No one else seemed to hear the voice。
〃This is C'tair；〃 the transmission continued。 〃Your brother。 You can hear me？ Finally； this thing worked。 How are you？〃
〃C'tair？〃 The fledgling Navigator felt his mind fold back into itself； pressing to the remnants of its sluggish； pre…Guild state。 Trying to be human again； just for a moment。 Was that important？
This was painful and limiting； like a man putting blinders on himself； but the information was there： yes； his twin brother。 C'tair Pilru。 Human。 He got flashes of his father in ambassadorial dress； his mother in Guild Bank uniform； his brother （like himself） with dark hair and dark eyes； playing together； exploring。 Those images had been shunted out of his thoughts； like most everything of that realm。。。but not quite gone。
〃Yes；〃 D'murr said。 〃I know you。 I remember。〃
ON IX； IN a shadowed alcove where he used his cobbled…together transmission device； C'tair hunched over； desperate to avoid discovery but this was worth any risk。 Tears streaked down his cheeks； and he swallowed hard。 The Tleilaxu and the suboids had continued their rampages and purges； destroying any residue of unfamiliar technology that they found。
〃They took you away from me； in the Guild testing chamber；〃 C'tair said； his voice a husky whisper。 〃They wouldn't let me see you； wouldn't let me say goodbye。 Now I realize you were the lucky one； D'murr； considering everything that's happened here on Ix。 It would break your heart to see it now。〃 He took a deep； shuddering breath。 〃Our city was destroyed not long after the Guild took you away from us。 Hundreds of thousands are dead。 The Bene Tleilax now rule here。〃
D'murr paused； taking time to slide back into the limited manner of person…to…person munication。 〃I have guided a Heighliner through foldspace； brother。 I hold the galaxy in my mind； I see mathematics。〃 His sluggish words garbled together。 〃Now I know why。。。I know。。。Uhhh； I feel pain from your connection。 C'tair； how？〃
〃This munication hurts you？〃 He drew back from the transmitter； concerned； and held his breath； fearful that one of the furtive Tleilaxu spies might hear him。 〃I'm sorry； D'murr。 Maybe I should 〃
〃Not important。 Pain shifts； like a headache。。。but different。 Swimming through my mind。。。and beyond it。〃 D'murr sounded distracted； his voice distant and ethereal。 〃What connection is this？ What device？〃
〃D'murr； didn't you hear me？ Ix is destroyed our world； our city is now a prison camp。 Mother was killed in an explosion！ I couldn't save her。 I've been hiding here； and I'm at great risk while making this munication。 Our father is in exile somewhere。。。on Kaitain； I think。 House Vernius has gone renegade。 I'm trapped here； alone！〃
D'murr remained focused on what he considered the primary question。 〃munication directly through foldspace？ Impossible。 Explain it to me。〃
Taken aback at his twin brother's lack of concern over the horrendous news； C'tair nonetheless chose not to rebuke him。 D'murr had； after all； undergone extreme mental changes and couldn't be blamed for the way he was now。 C'tair could never understand what his twin had been through。 He himself had failed the Guild's tests； he had been too fearful and rigid。 Otherwise； he； too； might be a Navigator now。
Holding his breath； he listened to a creaking sound in the passageway overhead； distant footsteps that faded。 Whispering voices。 Then silence returned； and C'tair was able to continue the conversation。
〃Explain；〃 D'murr said again。
Eager for any kind of conversation； C'tair told his brother of the equipment he had salvaged。 〃Do you remember Davee Rogo？ The old inventor who used to take us into his laboratory and show us the things he was working on？〃
〃Crippled。。。suspensor crutches。 Too decrepit to walk。〃
〃Yes； he used to talk about municating in neutrino energy wavelengths？ A network of rods wrapped in silicate crystals？〃
〃Uhhh。。。pain again。〃
〃You're hurting！〃 C'tair looked around； fearful of the risk he continued to take himself。 〃I won't talk much longer。〃
The tone was impatient。 D'murr wanted to hear more。 〃Continue explanation。 Need to know this device。〃
〃One day during the fighting； when I really wanted to talk with you； bits and pieces of his conversation came back to me。 In the rubble of a ruined building； I thought I saw a hazy image of him next to me。 Like a vision。 He was talking in that creaky old voice； telling me what to do； what parts I would require and how to put them together。 He gave me the ideas I needed。〃
〃Interesting。〃 The Navigator's voice was flat and bloodless。
His brother's lack of emotion and passion disturbed him。 C'tair tried to ask questions about D'murr's Spacing Guild experiences； but his twin had no patience for the queries and said that he couldn't discuss Guild secrets； not even with his brother。 He had traveled through foldspace； and it was incredible。 That was all D'murr would say。
〃When can we talk again？〃 C'tair asked。 The apparatus felt dangerously warm； re