Дюна
Book One: Dune
Areallofthemsuchmenofmanytalents?”
“Gurney?”TheDukechuckled.“Gurney’soneofakind.Ilikehimwithmeforhiseyes.Hiseyesmissverylittle.”
Theplanetologistfrowned.
Withoutmissingabeatinhistune,Halleckinterposed:
“ForIamlikeanowlofthedesert,o!
Aiyah!amlikeanowlofthedes-ert!”
TheDukereacheddown,broughtupamicrophonefromtheinstrumentpanel,thumbedittolife,said:“LeadertoEscortGemma.Flyingobjectatnineo’clock,SectorB.Doyouidentifyit?”
“It’smerelyabird,”Kynessaid,andadded:“Youhavesharpeyes.”
Thepanelspeakercrackled,then:“EscortGemma.Objectexaminedunderfullamplification.It’salargebird.”
Paullookedintheindicateddirection,sawthedistantspeck:adotofintermittentmotion,andrealizedhowkeyeduphisfathermustbe.Everysensewasatfullalert.
“I’dnotrealizedtherewerebirdsthatlargethisfarintothedesert,”theDukesaid.
“That’slikelyaneagle,”Kynessaid.“Manycreatureshaveadaptedtothisplace.”
Theornithoptersweptoverabarerockplain.Paullookeddownfromtheirtwothousandmeters’altitude,sawthewrinkledshadowoftheircraftandescort.
Thelandbeneathseemedflat,butshadowwrinklessaidotherwise.
“Hasanyoneeverwalkedoutofthedesert?”theDukeasked.
Halleck’smusicstopped.Heleanedforwardtocatchtheanswer.
“Notfromthedeepdesert,”Kynessaid.“Menhavewalkedoutofthesecondzoneseveraltimes.They’vesurvivedbycrossingtherockareaswherewormsseldomgo.
