Дюна
Book One: Dune
Paulheldhimselfapartfromthehumor,hisattentionfocusedontheprojectionandthequestionthatfilledhismind.Hepointedtotheimageonthetable,said:“Thufir,aretheresandwormsbigenoughtoswallowthatwhole?”
Quicksilencesettledonthetable.TheDukecursedunderhisbreath,thenthought:No—theyhavetofacetherealitieshere.
“There’rewormsinthedeepdesertcouldtakethisentirefactoryinonegulp,”Hawatsaid.“UphereclosertotheShieldWallwheremostofthespicing’sdonethereareplentyofwormsthatcouldcripplethisfactoryanddevouritattheirleisure.”
“Whydon’tweshieldthem?”Paulasked.
“AccordingtoIdaho’sreport,”Hawatsaid,“shieldsaredangerousinthedesert.Abody-sizeshieldwillcalleverywormforhundredsofmetersaround.Itappearstodrivethemintoakillingfrenzy.We’vetheFremenwordonthisandnoreasontodoubtit.Idahosawnoevidenceofshieldequipmentatthesietch.”
“Noneatall?”Paulasked.
“It’dbeprettyhardtoconcealthatkindofthingamongseveralthousandpeople,”Hawatsaid.“Idahohadfreeaccesstoeverypartofthesietch.Hesawnoshieldsoranyindicationoftheiruse.”
“It’sapuzzle,”theDukesaid.
“TheHarkonnenscertainlyusedplentyofshieldshere,”Hawatsaid.“Theyhadrepairdepotsineverygarrisonvillage,andtheiraccountsshowaheavyexpenditureforshieldreplacementsandparts.”
“CouldtheFremenhaveawayofnullifyingshields?”Paulasked.
“Itdoesn’tseemlikely,”Hawatsaid.
