Дюна
Book One: Dune
IfIweredowninopensand,I’dgetawayfromtheshipasfastasIcould.Aboutathousandmeterswouldbefarenough.
ThenI’dhidebeneathmyrobe.Awormwouldgettheship,butitmightmissme.”
“Thenwhat?”Halleckasked.
Kynesshrugged.“Waitforthewormtoleave.”
“That’sall?”Paulasked.
“Whenthewormhasgone,onemaytrytowalkout,”Kynessaid.“Youmustwalksoftly,avoiddrumsands,tidaldustbasins—headforthenearestrockzone.
Therearemanysuchzones.Youmightmakeit.”
“Drumsand?”Halleckasked.
“Aconditionofsandcompaction,”Kynessaid.“Theslighteststepsetsitdrumming.Wormsalwayscometothat.”
“Andatidaldustbasin?”theDukeasked.
“Certaindepressionsinthedeserthavefilledwithdustoverthecenturies.
Somearesovasttheyhavecurrentsandtides.Allwillswallowtheunwarywhostepintothem.”
Hallecksatback,resumedstrummingthebaliset.Presently,hesang:
“Wildbeastsofthedesertdohuntthere,
Waitingfortheinnocentstopass.
Oh-h-h,temptnotthegodsofthedesert,
Lestyouseekalonelyepitaph.
Theperilsofthe—”
Hebrokeoff,leanedforward.“Dustcloudahead,Sire.”
“Iseeit,Gurney.”
“That’swhatweseek,”Kynessaid.
Paulstretchedupintheseattopeerahead,sawarollingyellowcloudlowonthedesertsurfacesomethirtykilometersahead.
“Oneofyourfactorycrawlers,”Kynessaid.“It’sonthesurfaceandthatmeansit’sonspice.Thecloudisventedsandbeingexpelledafterthespicehasbeencentrifugallyremoved.There’snoothercloudquitelikeit.
