Дюна
Book One: Dune
Heremovedhishand,resealedthepack.
Softly,Yuehclosedthe’thopterdoor,workedhiswaybacktothecornerofthehouseandaroundtowardtheflamingtrees.
Now,itisdone,hethought.
Oncemore,heemergedintothelightoftheblazingpalms.Hepulledhiscloakaroundhim,staredattheflames.SoonIwillknow.SoonIwillseetheBaronandIwillknow.AndtheBaron—hewillencounterasmalltooth.
***
ThereisalegendthattheinstanttheDukeLetoAtreidesdiedameteorstreakedacrosstheskiesabovehisancestralpalaceonCaladan.
—thePrincessIrulan:“IntroductiontoaChild’sHistoryofMuad’Dib”
THEBARONVladimirHarkonnenstoodataviewportofthegroundedlighterhewasusingasacommandpost.Outtheporthesawtheflame-lightednightofArrakeen.HisattentionfocusedonthedistantShieldWallwherehissecretweaponwasdoingitswork.
Explosiveartillery.
ThegunsnibbledatthecaveswheretheDuke’sfightingmenhadretreatedforalast-ditchstand.Slowlymeasuredbitesoforangeglare,showersofrockanddustinthebriefillumination—andtheDuke’smenwerebeingsealedofftodiebystarvation,caughtlikeanimalsintheirburrows.
TheBaroncouldfeelthedistantchomping—adrumbeatcarriedtohimthroughtheship’smetal:broomp...broomp.Then:BROOMP-BROOMP!
Whowouldthinkofrevivingartilleryinthisdayofshields?Thethoughtwasachuckleinhismind.ButitwaspredictabletheDuke’smenwouldrunforthosecaves.AndtheEmperorwillappreciatemyclevernessinpreservingthelivesofourmutualforce.
