Дюна

           “Youlookamess,”hesaid.

           “You’renotsoprettyyourself,”shesaid.

           Theystartedtolaugh,thensobered.

           “Thatshouldn’thavehappened,”Paulsaid.“Iwascareless.”

           Sheshrugged,feelingcakedsandfallawayfromherrobe.

           “I’llputupthetent,”hesaid.“Betterslipoffthatrobeandshakeitout.”Heturnedaway,takingthepack.

           Jessicanodded,suddenlytootiredtoanswer.

           “There’sanchorholesintherock,”Paulsaid.“Someone’stentedherebefore.”

           Whynot?shethoughtasshebrushedatherrobe.Thiswasalikelyplace—

           deepinrockwallsandfacinganothercliffsomefourkilometersaway—farenoughabovethedeserttoavoidwormsbutcloseenoughforeasyaccessbeforeacrossing.

           Sheturned,seeingthatPaulhadthetentup,itsrib-domedhemisphereblendingwiththerockwallsofthefissure.Paulsteppedpasther,liftinghisbinoculars.Headjustedtheirinternalpressurewithaquicktwist,focusedtheoillensesontheothercliff,liftinggoldentaninmorninglightacrossopensand.

           Jessicawatchedashestudiedthatapocalypticlandscape,hiseyesprobingintosandriversandcanyons.

           “Therearegrowingthingsoverthere,”hesaid.

           Jessicafoundthesparebinocularsinthepackbesidethetent,movedupbesidePaul.

           “There,”hesaid,holdingthebinocularswithonehandandpointingwiththeother.

           Shelookedwherehepointed.

           “Saguaro,”shesaid.“Scrawnystuff.”

           “Theremaybepeoplenearby,”Paulsaid.

           “Thatcouldbetheremainsofabotanicaltestingstation,”shewarned.