Дюна
Book One: Dune
The’thopterwasfullyairbornenow,andtheDukestudiedhisinstruments,glancedleftandrightathiswings.
“She’sveryheavy,Sire,”Hallecksaid.
“Wellwithinthetolerancesofthisship,”theDukesaid.“Youdidn’treallythinkI’driskthiscargo,didyou,Gurney?”
Halleckgrinned,said:“Notabitofit,Sire.”
TheDukebankedhiscraftinalongeasycurve—climbingoverthecrawler.
Paul,crushedintoacornerbesideawindow,stareddownatthesilentmachineonthesand.Thewormsignhadbrokenoffaboutfourhundredmetersfromthecrawler.Andnow,thereappearedtobeturbulenceinthesandaroundthefactory.
“Thewormisnowbeneaththecrawler,”Kynessaid.“Youareabouttowitnessathingfewhaveseen.”
Flecksofdustshadowedthesandaroundthecrawlernow.Thebigmachinebegantotipdowntotheright.Agiganticsandwhirlpoolbeganformingtheretotherightofthecrawler.Itmovedfasterandfaster.Sandanddustfilledtheairnowforhundredsofmetersaround.
Thentheysawit!
Awideholeemergedfromthesand.Sunlightflashedfromglisteningwhitespokeswithinit.Thehole’sdiameterwasatleasttwicethelengthofthecrawler,Paulestimated.Hewatchedasthemachineslidintothatopeninginabillowofdustandsand.Theholepulledback.
“Gods,whatamonster!”mutteredamanbesidePaul.
“Gotallourfloggin’spice!”growledanother.
“Someoneisgoingtopayforthis,”theDukesaid.“Ipromiseyouthat.”
Bytheveryflatnessofhisfather’svoice,Paulsensedthedeepanger.Hefoundthathesharedit.
