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Book Two: Muad‘dib
Inavoicetomatchthatdryness,hesaid:“Yes,theyfoughtwell,indeed.”
Thecaptured’thoptertookoffwithalurchingflapofwings,angledupwardtothesouthinasteep,wing-tuckedclimb.
SotheseFremencanhandle’thopters,too,Hawatthought.
Onthedistantdune,aFremenwavedasquareofgreencloth:once...twice.
“Morecome!”theFremenbesideHawatbarked.“Beready.I’dhopedtohaveusawaywithoutmoreinconvenience.”
Inconvenience!Hawatthought.
Hesawtwomore’thoptersswoopingfromhighinthewestontoanareaofsandsuddenlydevoidofvisibleFremen.Onlyeightsplotchesofblue—thebodiesoftheSardaukarinHarkonnenuniforms—remainedatthesceneofviolence.
Another’thopterglidedinoverthecliffwallaboveHawat.Hedrewinasharpbreathashesawit—abigtroop-carrier.Itflewwiththeslow,spread-wingheavinessofafullload—likeagiantbirdcomingtoitsnest.
Inthedistance,thepurplefingerofalasgunbeamflickedfromoneofthediving’thopters.Itlacedacrossthesand,raisingasharptrailofdust.
“Thecowards!”theFremenbesideHawatrasped.
Thetroopcarriersettledtowardthepatchofblue-cladbodies.Itswingscreptouttofullreach,beganthecuppingactionofaquickstop.
Hawat’sattentionwascaughtbyaflashofsunonmetaltothesouth,a‘thopterplummetingthereinapowerdive,wingsfoldedflatagainstitssides,itsjetsagoldenflareagainstthedarksilveredgrayofthesky.Itplungedlikeanarrowtowardthetroopcarrierwhichwasunshieldedbecauseofthelasgunactivityaroundit.
