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Book One: Dune
“Mosteducatedpeopleknowthattheworstpotentialcompetitionforanyyoungorganismcancomefromitsownkind.”Hedeliberatelyforkedabiteoffoodfromhiscompanion’splate,ateit.
“Theyareeatingfromthesamebowl.Theyhavethesamebasicrequirements.”
Thebankerstiffened,scowledattheDuke.
“Donotmaketheerrorofconsideringmysonachild,”theDukesaid.Andhesmiled.
Jessicaglancedaroundthetable,notedthatBewthadbrightened,thatbothKynesandthesmuggler,Tuek,weregrinning.
“It’saruleofecology,”Kynessaid,“thattheyoungMasterappearstounderstandquitewell.Thestrugglebetweenlifeelementsisthestruggleforthefreeenergyofasystem.Blood’sanefficientenergysource.”
Thebankerputdownhisfork,spokeinanangryvoice:“It’ssaidthattheFremenscumdrinkthebloodoftheirdead.”
Kynesshookhishead,spokeinalecturingtone:“Nottheblood,sir.Butallofaman’swater,ultimately,belongstohispeople—tohistribe.It’sanecessitywhenyouliveneartheGreatFlat.Allwater’spreciousthere,andthehumanbodyiscomposedofsomeseventypercentwaterbyweight.Adeadman,surely,nolongerrequiresthatwater.”
Thebankerputbothhandsagainstthetablebesidehisplate,andJessicathoughthewasgoingtopushhimselfback,leaveinarage.
KyneslookedatJessica.“Forgiveme,myLady,forelaboratingonsuchanuglysubjectattable,butyouwerebeingtoldfalsehoodanditneededclarifying.”
“You’veassociatedsolongwithFrementhatyou’velostallsensibilities,”thebankerrasped.
