Дюна
Book Two: Muad‘dib
“Youshould’veknowntheconsequencesoftryingtohelpthechildofthatDuke.”
I’mdelirious,Kynesthought.
Thevoiceseemedtocomefromhisright.Kynesscrapedhisfacethroughsand,turningtolookinthatdirection—nothingexceptacurvingstretchofdunedancingwithheatdevilsinthefullglareofthesun.
“Themorelifethereiswithinasystem,themorenichesthereareforlife,”
hisfathersaid.Andthevoicecamenowfromhisleft,frombehindhim.
Whydoeshekeepmovingaround?Kynesaskedhimself.Doesn’thewantmetoseehim?
“Lifeimprovesthecapacityoftheenvironmenttosustainlife,”hisfathersaid.“Lifemakesneedednutrientsmorereadilyavailable.Itbindsmoreenergyintothesystemthroughthetremendouschemicalinterplayfromorganismtoorganism.”
Whydoeshekeepharpingonthesamesubject?Kynesaskedhimself.IknewthatbeforeIwasten.
Deserthawks,carrion-eatersinthislandasweremostwildcreatures,begantocircleoverhim.Kynessawashadowpassnearhishand,forcedhisheadfartheraroundtolookupward.Thebirdswereablurredpatchonsilver-bluesky
—distantflecksofsootfloatingabovehim.
“Wearegeneralists,”hisfathersaid.“Youcan’tdrawneatlinesaroundplanet-wideproblems.Planetologyisacut-and-fitscience.”
What’shetryingtotellme?Kyneswondered.IstheresomeconsequenceIfailedtosee?
Hischeekslumpedbackagainstthehotsand,andhesmelledtheburnedrockodorbeneaththepre-spicegasses.Fromsomecorneroflogicinhismind,athoughtformed:Thosearecarrion-eaterbirdsoverme.
