Дюна
Book One: Dune
Drop’emonthedesertlikethattraitorsaid,cut’emonceortwice,leavetheevidencefortheworms.Nothingtocleanupafterwards.”
“Yeah...well,Iguessyou’reright,”Scarfacesaid.
Jessicalistenedtothem,watching,registering.ButthegagblockedherVoice,andtherewasthedeafonetoconsider.
Scarfaceholsteredhislasgun,tookherfeet.Theyliftedherlikeasackofgrain,maneuveredherthroughthedooranddumpedherontoasuspensor-buoyedlitterwithanotherboundfigure.Astheyturnedher,fittinghertothelitter,shesawhercompanion’sface—Paul!Hewasbound,butnotgagged.Hisfacewasnomorethantencentimetersfromhers,eyesclosed,hisbreathingeven.
Ishedrugged?shewondered.
Thetroopersliftedthelitter,andPaul’seyesopenedthesmallestfraction—
darkslitsstaringather.
Hemustn’ttrytheVoice!sheprayed.Thedeafguard!
Paul’seyesclosed.
Hehadbeenpracticingtheawareness-breathing,calminghismind,listeningtotheircaptors.Thedeafoneposedaproblem,butPaulcontainedhisdespair.
Themind-calmingBeneGesseritregimenhismotherhadtaughthimkepthimpoised,readytoexpandanyopportunity.
Paulallowedhimselfanotherslit-eyedinspectionofhismother’sface.Sheappearedunharmed.Gagged,though.
Hewonderedwhocould’vecapturedher.Hisowncaptivitywasplainenough—tobedwithacapsuleprescribedbyYueh,awakingtofindhimselfboundtothislitter.Perhapsasimilarthinghadbefallenher.LogicsaidthetraitorwasYueh,butheheldfinaldecisioninabeyance.
