Dune_ House Atreides - Brian Herbert [81]
During his time in the Grand Palais, Leto had crossed her path in the dining hall, on the open observation balconies, in library facilities. He had responded to her with snatches of awkward conversation. Aside from the inviting sparkle in her beautiful green eyes, Kailea had given him no special encouragement, but he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
She’s only a stripling, Leto reminded himself, playing at being a Lady. Somehow, though, he couldn’t convince his imagination of that. Kailea had complete confidence that she was destined for a greater future than living underground on Ix. Her father was a war hero, the head of one of the wealthiest Great Houses, and her mother had been beautiful enough to be an Imperial concubine, and the girl herself had an excellent head for business. Kailea Vernius obviously had a wealth of possibilities.
She focused her complete attention on the motionless gray ovoid. “I’ve gotten Father to consider marketing our new-phase fighting meks commercially.” She studied the motionless training machine, but glanced at Leto out of the corner of her eye, noted his strong profile and regal, high-bridged nose. “Ours are better than any other combat device—adaptable, versatile, and self-learning. The closest thing to a human adversary developed since the Jihad.”
He felt a chill, thinking back to all the warnings his mother had given him. Right now she would be pointing an accusing finger and nodding in satisfaction. Leto looked over at the charcoal-colored ovoid. “Are you saying that thing has a brain?”
“By all the saints and sinners, you mean in violation of the strictures after the Great Revolt?” Captain Zhaz replied in stern surprise. “ ‘Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of the human mind.’ ”
“We’re, uh, very careful about that, Leto,” Rhombur said, using a purple towel to wipe sweat from the back of his neck. “Nothing to worry about.”
Leto didn’t back down. “Well, if the mek scans people, if it reads them as you said, how does it process the information? If not through a computer brain, then how? This isn’t just a reactive device. It learns and tailors its attack.”
Kailea jotted notes down on her crystal pad and adjusted one of the gold combs in her copper-dark hair. “There are many gray areas, Leto, and if we tread very carefully House Vernius stands to make a tremendous profit.” She ran a fingertip along her curved lips. “Still, it might be best to test the waters by offering some unmarked models on the black market first.”
“Don’t trouble yourself, Leto,” Rhombur said, avoiding the uncomfortable subject. His tousled blond hair still dripped with sweat, and his skin showed a flush from his exertion. “House Vernius has teams of Mentats and legal advisors scrutinizing the letter of the law.” He looked over at his sister for reassurance. She nodded absently.
In some of his instruction sessions in the Grand Palais, Leto had learned of interplanetary patent disputes, minor technicalities, subtle loopholes. Had the Ixians come up with a substantially different way of using mechanical units to process data, one that did not raise the spectre of thinking machines like those that had enslaved mankind for so many centuries? He didn’t see how House Vernius could have created a self-learning, reactive, adaptable fighting mek without somehow going over the line into Jihad violation.
If his mother ever found out, she would haul him home from Ix, no matter what his father might say.
“Let’s see just how good this product is,” Leto said, taking up a weapon and turning his back on Kailea. He could feel her eyes on his bare shoulders, the muscles of his neck. Zhaz stood back casually to watch.
Leto shifted his pike from hand to hand and jogged onto the floor. Taking a classic fighting stance, he called out a degree of difficulty to the charcoal oval shape. “Seven point two-four!” Eight notches higher than the time before.
The mek refused to move.
“Too high,” the training master said, thrusting his bearded chin