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Book Two: Muad‘dib
Jessicaglancedoncearoundthechamber,registeringitonhersensesintheBeneGesseritway—alaboratory,acivilplacefullofanglesandsquaresintheancientmanner.
“ThisisoneoftheImperialEcologicalTestingStationsmyfatherwantedasadvancebases,”Paulsaid.
Hisfatherwanted!Kynesthought.
AndagainKyneswonderedathimself.AmIfoolishtoaidthesefugitives?
WhyamIdoingit?It’dbesoeasytotakethemnow,tobuytheHarkonnentrustwiththem.
Paulfollowedhismother’sexample,gestaltingtheroom,seeingtheworkbenchdownoneside,thewallsoffeaturelessrock.Instrumentslinedthebench—dialsglowing,wiregridexplaneswithflutingglassemergingfromthem.Anozonesmellpermeatedtheplace.
SomeoftheFremenmovedonaroundaconcealingangleinthechamberandnewsoundsstartedthere—machinecoughs,thewhinniesofspinningbeltsandmultidrives.
Paullookedtotheendoftheroom,sawcageswithsmallanimalsinthemstackedagainstthewall.
“You’verecognizedthisplacecorrectly,”Kynessaid.“Forwhatwouldyouusesuchaplace,PaulAtreides?”
“Tomakethisplanetafitplaceforhumans,”Paulsaid.
Perhapsthat’swhyIhelpthem,Kynesthought.
Themachinesoundsabruptlyhummedawaytosilence.Intothisvoidtherecameathinanimalsqueakfromthecages.Itwascutoffabruptlyasthoughinembarrassment.
Paulreturnedhisattentiontothecages,sawthattheanimalswerebrown-wingedbats.Anautomaticfeederextendedfromthesidewallacrossthecages.
