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Book Two: Muad‘dib
I’msurehe’stheoneweneed.He’lllearn.Andsuchalovelybody.Reallyalovelyboy.
***
Attheageoffifteen,hehadalreadylearnedsilence.
—from“AChild’sHistoryofMuad‘Dib”bythePrincessIrulan
AsPAULfoughtthe‘thopter’scontrols,hegrewawarethathewassortingouttheinterwovenstormforces,hismorethanMentatawarenesscomputingonthebasisoffractionalminutiae.Hefeltdustfronts,billowings,mixingsofturbulence,anoccasionalvortex.
Thecabininteriorwasanangryboxlightedbythegreenradianceofinstrumentdials.Thetanflowofdustoutsideappearedfeatureless,buthisinnersensebegantoseethroughthecurtain.
Imustfindtherightvortex,hethought.
Foralongtimenowhehadsensedthestorm’spowerdiminishing,butstillitshookthem.Hewaitedoutanotherturbulence.
Thevortexbeganasanabruptbillowingthatrattledtheentireship.Pauldefiedallfeartobankthe’thopterleft.
Jessicasawthemaneuverontheattitudeglobe.
“Paul!”shescreamed.
Thevortexturnedthem,twisting,tipping.Itliftedthe’thopterlikeachiponageyser,spewedthemupandout—awingedspeckwithinacoreofwindingdustlightedbythesecondmoon.
Paullookeddown,sawthedust-definedpillarofhotwindthathaddisgorgedthem,sawthedyingstormtrailingawaylikeadryriverintothedesert-moon-graymotiongrowingsmallerandsmallerbelowastheyrodetheupdraft.
“We’reoutofit,”Jessicawhispered.
Paulturnedtheircraftawayfromthedustinswoopingrhythmwhilehescannedthenightsky.
