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."Are you ready, brother?" D'murr asked.C'tair drew strength and enthusiasmfrom his twin's confidence."Absolutely," he said."We're going to be Navigators after today, you and I."Fighting misgivings, C'tair reassured himself that he wanted this; it would be agreat credit to his abilities, an honor for his family.but he could notremove the spectre of doubt that nagged at him.In his heart he didn't want toleave Ix.His father, the Ambassador, had instilled in both of his sons a deepappreciation for the underground engineering marvels, the innovations, and thetechnological acumen of this planet.Ix was like no other world in theImperium.And, of course, if he left, Kailea would be forever lost to him as well.When they were summoned forward deeper into the labyrinth of the embassy, thetwins walked through the portal, side by side, feeling very alone.They had noescorts, no one to cheer them to victory or console them if they failed.Theirfather wasn't even present to offer his support; the Ambassador had recentlybeen sent to Kaitain in preparation for another Landsraad subcommittee meeting.That morning, as the ominous hour ticked closer and closer, C'tair and D'murrhad sat at the breakfast table in the ambassadorial residence, picking over aselection of colored pastries while S'tina played a message their father hadholo-recorded for them.They'd had little appetite, but they listened to CammarPilru's words.C'tair tried to hear some special hints or knowledge, anythinghe could use.But the Ambassador's shimmering image merely gave themencouragement and platitudes, like echoes of a well-worn speech he had used manytimes in his diplomatic duties.Then, after a final hug, their mother had stared at each of them before shehurried off to her daily duties at Guild Bank headquarters, a section of thedrab building that now hung before them.S'tina had wanted to be at her sons'side during the testing, but the Guild had forbidden it.Navigator testing wasan intensely private and personal matter.Each of them had to do it by himself,relying on his abilities alone.So their mother would be in her office,probably distracted, probably worried for them.As S'tina said goodbye, she did manage to hide most of the horror and despair onher face.C'tair had noticed the flicker, but D'murr had not.He wondered whathis mother had hidden from them during their preparations for the test.Doesn'tshe want us to succeed?Navigators were the stuff of legends, shrouded in secrecy and Guild-fosteredsuperstitions.C'tair had heard whispered rumors about bodily distortions, thedamage that intense and constant immersion in spice could wreak upon a humanphysique.No outsider had ever seen a Navigator, so how were those people toknow what kind of changes might surge through the body of someone with suchphenomenal mental abilities? He and his brother had laughed at the sillyspeculations, convincing each other how outrageous such ideas could be.But are they so outrageous? What does Mother fear?"C'tair -- keep focused! You look upset," D'murr said.C'tair's tone overflowed with sarcasm."Upset? Absolutely.I wonder why! Weare about to take the biggest test of our lives, and no one knows how to studyfor it.I'm worried we haven't prepared enough."D'murr looked at him with intense concern, gripping his brother's arm."Yournervousness may be your failing, brother.A Navigator test isn't aboutstudying.It's about natural ability and the potential to expand our minds.We'll have to pass safely through the void.Now it's your turn to remember whatold Davee Rogo told us: You can only be successful if you let your mind gobeyond the boundaries that other people have set for themselves.C'tair, openup your imagination and go beyond the boundary with me."His brother's confidence seemed unshakable, and C'tair had no choice but to nod.Davee Rogo -- until this morning, he hadn't thought about the crippled andeccentric Ixian inventor in years.When they'd been ten, the twins had met thefamous innovator Rogo.Their father had introduced them, imaged holograms ofthem with the man for the ambassadorial scrapbook shelf, then fluttered off tomeet other important people.The two boys, though, had continued talking withthe inventor, and he had invited them to visit his laboratory.For two yearsafterward, Rogo had set himself up as an offbeat mentor to C'tair and D'murr,until his death.Now the twins had only Davee Rogo's advice to remember, andhis confidence that they would succeed.Rogo would be scolding me for my doubts now, C'tair thought."Think about it, brother.How does one practice for the job of moving hugeships from one star system to another in the wink of an eye?" To demonstrate,D'murr winked."You'll pass.We both will.Get ready to swim in spice gas."As they strode up to the embassy's inner reception desk, C'tair stared acrossthe underground city of Vernii, beyond the glittering chains of glowglobes thatilluminated the site where another Heighliner was already under construction.Perhaps someday he would fly that very vessel.Thinking of how the visitingNavigator had whisked the immense new Heighliner out of the cavern and into openspace, the young man felt an infusion of desire.He loved Ix, wanted to stayhere, wanted to see Kailea one last time -- but he also wanted to be aNavigator.The brothers identified themselves and waited.They stood together at the flatmarbleplaz counter in silence, each brooding with personal thoughts, as if atrance might increase their chances of succeeding.I will keep my mindcompletely open, ready for anything.A shapely female testing proctor appeared in a loose gray suit.The Guild'sinfinity symbol was stitched on her lapel, but she wore no jewelry or otherornamentation."Welcome," she said, without introducing herself."The Guildseeks the finest talent because our work is the most important.Without us,without space travel, the fabric of the Imperium would unravel.Think on that,and you will realize how selective we must be."She did not smile at all.Her hair was reddish brown and close-cropped; C'tairwould have found her attractive at any other time, but now he could think ofnothing beyond the impending examination.Checking their identification yet again, the proctor escorted the brothers toisolated, separate testing chambers."This is an individual test, and each ofyou must face it alone.There is no way you can cheat, or even help eachother," she said.Alarmed at being separated, C'tair and D'murr looked at each other, thensilently wished the other luck.THE CHAMBER DOOR closed behind D'murr with a loud and frightening slam.Hisears popped from the difference in air pressure.He was alone, intensely alone-- but he knew he was up to the challenge.Confidence is half the battle.He noted the armored walls, the sealed cracks, the lack of ventilation.Hissinggas boiled from a single nozzle in the ceiling.thickening clouds of rustyorange, with a sharp gingery tang that burned his nostrils.Poison? Drugs?Then D'murr realized what the Guild had in mind for him.Melange!Closing his eyes, he smelled the unmistakable cinnamon odor of the rare spice.Rich melange, an incredible wealth of it in the confined air, filling thechamber and permeating his every breath.Knowing the value of Arrakis spicefrom his mother's meticulous work in the Guild Bank, D'murr sucked in anotherlarge gulp [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]