Дюна
Book One: Dune
Theothershearditthen—anabrasiveslithering,distantandgrowinglouder.
“Damnsloppywaytooperate,”theDukemuttered.
Aircraftbeganflappingoffthesandaroundthem.ItremindedtheDukeofatimeinhishomeplanet’sjungles,asuddenemergenceintoaclearing,andcarrionbirdsliftingawayfromthecarcassofawildox.
Thespiceworkerssloggeduptothesideofthe’thopter,startedclimbinginbehindtheDuke.Halleckhelped,draggingthemintotherear.
“Inyougo,boys!”hesnapped.“Onthedouble!”
Paul,crowdedintoacornerbysweatingmen,smelledtheperspirationoffear,sawthattwoofthemenhadpoorneckadjustmentsontheirstillsuits.Hefiledtheinformationinhismemoryforfutureaction.Hisfatherwouldhavetoordertighterstillsuitdiscipline.Mentendedtobecomesloppyifyoudidn’twatchsuchthings.
Thelastmancamegaspingintotherear,said,“Theworm!It’salmostonus!
Blastoff!”
TheDukeslidintohisseat,frowning,said:“Westillhavealmostthreeminutesontheoriginalcontactestimate.Isthatright,Kynes?”Heshuthisdoor,checkedit.
“Almostexactly,myLord,”Kynessaid,andhethought:Acoolone,thisduke.
“Allsecurehere,Sire,”Hallecksaid.
TheDukenodded,watchedthelastofhisescorttakeoff.Headjustedtheigniter,glancedoncemoreatwingsandinstruments,punchedthejetsequence.
Thetake-offpressedtheDukeandKynesdeepintotheirseats,compressedthepeopleintherear.KyneswatchedthewaytheDukehandledthecontrols—gently,surely.
