Дюна
Book One: Dune
”HeglancedatFeyd-Rautha,notinghisnephew’slips,thefullandpoutinglookofthem,theHarkonnengeneticmarker,nowtwistedslightlyinamusement.“ThisisaMentat,Feyd.Ithasbeentrainedandconditionedtoperformcertainduties.
Thefactthatit’sencasedinahumanbody,however,mustnotbeoverlooked.Aseriousdrawback,that.Isometimesthinktheancientswiththeirthinkingmachineshadtherightidea.”
“Theyweretoyscomparedtome,”Pitersnarled.“Youyourself,Baron,couldoutperformthosemachines.”
“Perhaps,”theBaronsaid.“Ah,well....”Hetookadeepbreath,belched.
“Now,Piter,outlineformynephewthesalientfeaturesofourcampaignagainsttheHouseofAtreides.FunctionasaMentatforus,ifyouplease.”
“Baron,I’vewarnedyounottotrustonesoyoungwiththisinformation.Myobservationsof—”
“I’llbethejudgeofthis,”theBaronsaid.“Igiveyouanorder,Mentat.
Performoneofyourvariousfunctions.”
“Sobeit,”Pitersaid.Hestraightened,assuminganoddattitudeofdignity—asthoughitwereanothermask,butthistimeclothinghisentirebody.“InafewdaysStandard,theentirehouseholdoftheDukeLetowillembarkonaSpacingGuildlinerforArrakis.TheGuildwilldepositthematthecityofArrakeenratherthanatourcityofCarthag.TheDuke’sMentat,ThufirHawat,willhaveconcludedrightlythatArrakeeniseasiertodefend.”
“Listencarefully,Feyd,”theBaronsaid.“Observetheplanswithinplanswithinplans.”
Feyd-Rauthanodded,thinking:Thisismorelikeit.
