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Book Two: Muad‘dib
Youcanseebythewayit’swind-cutthat’sthewindwardface.There’llbecrevassesthere,deepones.”
“Hadwebettergetstarted?”sheasked.
Hestood,helpedhertoherfeet.“Areyourestedenoughforaclimbdown?Iwanttogetascloseaspossibletothedesertfloorbeforewecamp.”
“Enough.”Shenoddedforhimtoleadtheway.
Hehesitated,thenliftedthepack,settleditontohisshouldersandturnedalongthecliff.
Ifonlywehadsuspensors,Jessicathought.It’dbesuchasimplemattertojumpdownthere.Butperhapssuspensorsareanotherthingtoavoidintheopendesert.Maybetheyattractthewormsthewayashielddoes.
Theycametoaseriesofshelvesdroppingdownand,beyondthem,sawafissurewithitsledgeoutlinedbymoonshadowleadingalongthevestibule.
Paulledthewaydown,movingcautiouslybuthurryingbecauseitwasobviousthemoonlightcouldnotlastmuchlonger.Theywounddownintoaworldofdeeperanddeepershadows.Hintsofrockshapeclimbedtothestarsaroundthem.Thefissurenarrowedtosometenmeters’widthatthebrinkofadimgraysandslopethatslanteddownwardintodarkness.
“Canwegodown?”Jessicawhispered.
“Ithinkso.”
Hetestedthesurfacewithonefoot.
“Wecanslidedown,”hesaid.“I’llgofirst.Waituntilyouhearmestop.”
“Careful,”shesaid.
Hesteppedontotheslopeandslidandslippeddownitssoftsurfaceontoanalmostlevelfloorofpackedsand.Theplacewasdeepwithintherockwalls.
Therecamethesoundofsandslidingbehindhim.
