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.Did you think me unawareof the progression geometrics dictated by the laws which govern my breedingprogram?""I have seen your stock book, Lord.""Then you know that I keep track of the recessives and weed them out.The keygenetic dominants are my concern.""And the mutations, Lord?" There was a sly note in Moneo's voice which causedLeto to study the man intently."We will not discuss that subject, Moneo."Leto watched Moneo pull back into his cautious shell.How extremely sensitive he is to my moods, Leto thought.I do believe he hassome of my abilities there, although they operate at an unconscious level.Hisquestion suggests that he may even suspect what we have achieved in Siona.Testing this, Leto said, "It is clear to me that you do not yet understand whatI hope to achieve in my breeding program."Moneo brightened."My Lord knows I try to fathom the rules of it.""Laws tend to be temporary over the long haul, Moneo.There is no such thing asrule-governed creativity.""But Lord, you yourself speak of laws which govern your breeding program.""What have I just said to you, Moneo? Trying to find rules for creation is liketrying to separate mind from body.""But something is evolving, Lord.I know it in myself!"He knows it in himself! Dear Moneo.He is so close."Why do you always seek after absolutely derivative translations, Moneo?" "I have heard you speak of transformational evolution, Lord.That is the labelon your stock book.But what of surprise.""Moneo! Rules change with each surprise.""Lord, have you no improvement of the human stock in mind?"Leto glared down at him, thinking: If I use the key word now, will heunderstand? Perhaps."I am a predator, Moneo.""Pred." Moneo broke off and shook his head.He knew the meaning of theword, he thought, but the word itself shocked him.Was the God Emperor joking?"Predator, Lord?""The predator improves the stock.""How can this be, Lord? You do not hate us.""You disappoint me, Moneo.The predator does not hate its prey.""Predators kill, Lord.""I kill, but I do not hate.Prey assuages hunger.Prey is good."Moneo peered up at Leto's face in its gray cowl.Have I missed the approach of the Worm? Moneo wondered.Fearfully, Moneo looked for the signs.There were no tremors in the giant body,no glazing of the eyes, no twisting of the useless flippers."For what do you hunger, Lord?" Moneo ventured."For a humankind which can make truly long-term decisions.Do you know the keyto that ability, Moneo?""You have said it many times, Lord.It is the ability to change your mind.""Change, yes.And do you know what I mean by longterm?""For you, it must be measured in millennia, Lord.""Moneo, even my thousands of years are but a puny blip against Infinity.""But your perspective must be different from mine, Lord." "In the view ofInfinity, any defined long-term is shortterm.""Then are there no rules at all, Lord?" Moneo's voice conveyed a faint hint ofhysteria.Leto smiled to ease the man's tensions."Perhaps one.Short-term decisions tendto fail in the long-term."Moneo shook his head in frustration."But, Lord, your perspective is.""Time runs out for any finite observer.There are no closed systems.Even I onlystretch the finite matrix." Moneo jerked his attention from Leto's face and peered into the distances of themausoleum corridors.I will be here someday.The Golden Path may continue, but Iwill end.That was not important, of course.Only the Golden Path which he couldsense in unbroken continuity, only that mattered.He returned his attention toLeto, but not to the all-blue eyes.Was there truly a predator lurking in thatgross body?"You do not understand the function of a predator," Leto said.The words shocked Moneo because they smacked of mind-reading.He lifted his gazeto Leto's eyes."You know intellectually that even I will suffer a kind of death someday," Letosaid."But you do not believe it.""How can I believe what I will never see?"Moneo had never felt more lonely and fearful.What was the God Emperor doing? Icame down here to discuss the problems of the peregrination.and to findout about his intentions toward Siona.Does he toy with me?"Let us talk about Siona," Leto said.Mind-reading again!"When will you test her, Lord?" The question had been waiting in the front ofhis awareness all this time, but now that he had spoken it, Moneo feared it."Soon.""Forgive me, Lord, but surely you know how much I fear for the well being of myonly child.""Others have survived the test, Moneo.You did."Moneo gulped, remembering how he had been sensitized to the Golden Path."My mother prepared me.Siona has no mother.""She has the Fish Speakers.She has you.""Accidents happen, Lord."Tears sprang into Moneo's eyes.Leto looked away from him, thinking: He is torn by his loyalty to me and hislove of Siona.How poignant it is, this concern for an offspring.Can he not seethat all of humankind is my only child?Returning his attention to Moneo, Leto said, "You are right to observe thataccidents happen even in my universe.Does this teach you nothing?""Lord, just this once couldn't you.""Moneo! Surely you do not ask me to delegate authority to a weak administrator."Moneo recoiled one step."No, Lord.Of course not.""Then trust Siona's strength."Moneo squared his shoulders."I will do what I must.""Siona must be awakened to her duties as an Atreides.""Yes, of course, Lord.""Is that not our commitment, Moneo?""I do not deny it, Lord.When will you introduce her to the new Duncan?""The test comes first."Moneo looked down at the cold floor of the crypt.He stares at the floor so often, Leto thought.What can he possibly see there?Is it the millennial tracks of my cart? Ahhh, no-it is into the depths that hepeers, into the realm of treasure and mystery which he expects to enter soon.Once more, Moneo lifted his gaze to Leto's face."I hope she will like theDuncan's company, Lord.""Be assured of it.The Tleilaxu have brought him to me in the undistortedimage.""That is reassuring, Lord.""No doubt you have noted that his genotype is remarkably attractive to females.""That has been my observation, Lord." "There's something about those gently observant eyes, those strong features andthat black-goat hair which positively melts the female psyche.""As you say, Lord.""You know he's with the Fish Speakers right now?""I was informed, Lord."Leto smiled.Of course Moneo was informed."They will bring him to me soon forhis first view of the God Emperor.""I have inspected the viewing room personally, Lord.Everything is inreadiness.""Sometimes I think you wish to weaken me, Moneo.Leave some of these details forme."Moneo tried to conceal a constriction of fear.He bowed and backed away."Yes,Lord, but there are some things which I must do."Turning, he hurried away.It was not until he was ascending in the lift thatMoneo realized he had left without being dismissed.He must know how tired I am.He will forgive.===Your Lord knows very well what is in your heart.Your soul suffices this day asa reckoner against you.I need no witnesses.You do not listen to your soul, butlisten instead to your anger and your rage.-Lord Leto to a Penitent,From the Oral HistoryThe following assessment of the state of the Empire in the year I of the reignof the Lord Leto is taken from The Welbeck Abridgment.The original is in theChapter House Archives of the Bene Gesserit Order.A comparison reveals that thedeletions do not subtract from the essential accuracy of this account.IN THE name of our Sacred Order and its unbroken Sisterhood, this accounting hasbeen judged reliable and worthy of entry into the Chronicles of the ChapterHouse [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]