"Frank Herbert - Dune 4 - God Emporer of Dune" - читать интересную книгу автора (Herbert Brian & Frank)

beside the cot. Her heavy, muscular body
strained against the thin blue garment. There was a steady deliberation about
her, the actions of someone constantly adjusting to great physical strength. She
turned at the cot and studied the place where the desk had been. There was only
a rectangular gray panel like all the others. No bit of lint, no strand of hair,
nothing caught there to reveal the panel's secret.
Nayla took a deep, restorative breath and let herself out of the room's only
door into a gray passage dimly lighted by widely spaced white glowglobes. The
machinery sounds were louder here. She turned left and a few minutes later was
with Siona in a somewhat larger room, a table at its center upon which things
stolen from the Citadel had been arranged. Two silvery glowglobes illuminated
the scene-Siona seated at the table, with an assistant named Topri standing
beside her.
Nayla nurtured grudging admiration for Siona, but Topri, there was a man worthy
of nothing except active dislike. He was a nervous fat man with bulging green
eyes, a pug nose and thin lips above a dimpled chin. Topri squeaked when he
spoke.
"Look here, Nayla! Look what Siona has found pressed between the pages of these
two books."
Nayla closed and locked the room's single door.
"You talk too much, Topri," Nayla said. "You're a blurter. How could you know if
I was alone in the passage?"
Topri paled. An angry scowl settled onto his face.
"I'm afraid she's right," Siona said. "What made you think I wanted Nayla to
know about my discovery?"
"You trust her with everything!"
Siona turned her attention to Nayla. "Do you know why I trust you, Nayla?" The
question was asked in a flat, unemotional voice.
Nayla put down a sudden surge of fear. Had Siona discovered her secret?
Have I failed my Lord?
"Have you no response to my question?" Siona asked.
"Have I ever given you cause to do otherwise?" Nayla asked.
"That's not a sufficient cause for trust," Siona said. "There's no such thing as
perfection-not in human or machine."
"Then why do you trust me?"
"Your words and your actions always agree. It's a marvelous quality. For
instance, you don't like Topri and you never try to conceal your dislike."
Nayla glanced at Topri, who cleared his throat.
"I don't trust him," Nayla said.
The words popped into her mind and out of her mouth without reflection. Only
after she had spoken did Nayla realize the true core of her dislike: Topri would
betray anyone for personal gain.
Has he found me out?
Still scowling, Topri said, "I am not going to stand here and accept your
abuse." He started to leave but Siona held up a restraining hand. Topri
hesitated.
"Although we speak the old Fremen words and swear our loyalty to each other,
that is not what holds us together," Siona said. "Everything is based on
performance. That is all I measure. Do you understand, both of you?"
Topri nodded automatically, but Nayla shook her head from side to side.