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…The Orange Catholic Bible
For months； Leto had stayed in the underground city of Vernii as the honored guest of Ix。 By now； he had bee fortable with the strangeness of his new surroundings； with the routine； and with self…confident Ixian security fortable enough to grow careless。
Prince Rhombur was a chronic late sleeper； while Leto was the opposite； an early riser like the fishermen on Caladan。 The Atreides heir wandered the upper stalactite buildings alone； going to observation windows and peeking in on manufacturing…design procedures or fabrication lines。 He learned how to use the transit systems and discovered that his bioscram card from Earl Vernius opened many doors for him。
Leto gleaned more from his wanderings and his voracious curiosity than he did from instructional meetings hosted by various tutors。 Remembering his father's admonishment to learn from everything； he took the self…guiding lift tubes； when none were available； he grew accustomed to using walkways； cargo lifts； or even ladders to go from one level to another。
One morning； after awakening refreshed and restless； Leto went to one of the upper atriums and stepped out〃 onto an observation balcony。 Even sealed underground； the caverns of Ix were so vast that they had their own air currents and wind patterns； though it was a far cry from the Castle towers and windy cliffsides of his home。 He took a deep breath； filling his lungs to capacity； but the air here always smelled of rock dust。 Maybe it was just his imagination。
Stretching his arms； Leto looked out and down toward the broad grotto that had held the Guild Heighliner。 Among the scars of construction and support machinery； he could pick out the already…sprouting skeleton of another massive hull； flash…welded together by teams of suboid workers。 He watched the low…level inhabitants working with insect efficiency。
A cargo platform drifted by； passing directly below the balcony as it made a gradual descent to the distant work area。 Leto leaned over the railing and saw that the platform's surface was loaded with raw materials mined from the crust of the planet。
On impulse； he climbed over the balcony rim； took a deep breath； and dropped two meters to land atop a pile of girders and plating destined for the Heighliner construction site。 He assumed he could find a way to get back up to the stalactite buildings using his bioscram card and his understanding of the city workings。 A pilot underneath the hovering platform guided the lowering load； he didn't seem to notice or care about his unexpected passenger。
Cool breezes riffled through Leto's hair as he descended toward the warmer surface。 Thinking of ocean winds； he sucked in another deep breath。 Here beneath the immense vault of the ceiling； he felt a freedom that reminded him of the seashore。 With the thought came a pang of homesickness for the ocean breezes of Caladan； the noises of the village market； the booming laugh of his father； even the prim concern of his mother。
He and Rhombur spent too much time confined within the buildings of Ix； and Leto often longed for fresh air and a cold wind on his face。 Perhaps he would ask Rhombur to acpany him up to the surface again。 There； the two of them could wander around the wilderness and look up at an infinite sky； and Leto could stretch his muscles and feel real sunlight on his face instead of the holographic illumination displayed on the cavern ceiling。
While the Ixian Prince was not Leto's equal as a fighter； neither was he the spoiled son so mon among many Great Houses。 He had his interests and loved collecting rocks and minerals。 Rhombur had an easy； generous way about him； and an unflagging optimism； but that was not to be misinterpreted。 Beneath the soft shell was a fierce determination and a desire to excel in every pursuit。
In the gigantic manufacturing grotto； supports and suspensor jacks had been readied for the new Heighliner already taking shape。 Equipment and machinery stood waiting near where holo blueprints shimmered in the air。 Even with full resources and huge numbers of suboid。 workers； such a vessel required the better part of a Standard Year to construct。 The cost of a Heighliner was equivalent to the economic output of many solar systems； thus； only CHOAM and the Guild could finance such massive projects； while House Vernius as the manufacturer reaped incredible profits。
The docile working class on Ix far outnumbered the administrators and the nobles。 On the floor of the grotto； low archways and huts built into the solid rock provided entrances to a warren of living quarters。 Leto had never visited the suboids himself； but Rhombur had assured him that the lower classes were well taken care of。 Leto knew then crews labored around the clock to build each new ship。 The suboids certainly worked hard for House Vernius。
The cargo platform levitated downward to the rocky cavern floor； and teams of workers came forward to unload the heavy raw materials。 Leto sprang down； landed on his hands and feet； then stood and brushed himself off。 The strangely placid suboids had pale skin dust with freckles。 They looked at him with doe eyes and didn't ask any questions or object to his presence； they simply averted their gazes and went about their tasks。
The way Kailea and Rhombur talked about them； Leto had imagined the suboids to be less than human； muscular troglodytes without minds； who simply labored and sweated。 But the people around him could easy have passed for normals； perhaps they weren't brilliant scientists or diplomats； but the working class didn't appear to be animals either。
With his gray eyes open wide； Leto walked along the grotto floor； staying out of the way as he observed the Heighliner construction。 Leto admired the sheer engineering and management of such an incredible job。 In the heavier； dustier air on the ground； he smelled an acrid tang of laser…welding and alloy…fusing materials。
The suboids followed a master plan； using step…by…step instructions like a hive organism。 They concluded each increment of the huge task without being overwhelmed by the amount of work still in store for them。 The suboids did not chatter； sing； or roughhouse。。。behavior Leto had seen among the fishermen； farmers； and factory workers of Caladan。 These pale…skinned laborers remained intent only on their tasks。
He thought he imagined well…hidden resentment； a simmering anger beneath calm； pale faces； but he didn't feel afraid down here alone。 Duke Paulus had always encouraged Leto to play with villager children； to go out on fishing boats； to mix with merchants and weavers in the marketplace。 He had even spent a month working in the pundi rice fields。 〃In order to understand how to rule a people；〃 the Old Duke had said； 〃you must first understand the people themselves。〃
His mother had frowned upon such activities； of course； insisting that the son of a Duke should not dirty his hands with the mud of rice paddies or foul his clothes with the slime of a sea catch。 〃What good does it do for our son to know how to skin and gut a fish？ He will be the ruler of a Great House。〃 But Paulus Atreides had his own way of insisting； and he made it clear that his wishe