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Book Two: Muad‘dib
SheknewhertrainedawarenesssoonwouldgiveherwhattheseFremenobviouslyhad—theabilitytosenseeventheslightestchangeintheair’smoisture.
Howtheyhadscurriedtotightentheirstillsuitswhenthecavewasopened!
Deepwithinthecave,someonebeganchanting:
“Imatravaokolo!
Ikorenjaokolo!”
Jessicatranslatedsilently:Theseareashes!Andtheseareroots!”
ThefuneralceremonyforJamiswasbeginning.
ShelookedoutattheArrakeensunset,atthebankeddecksofcolorinthesky.Nightwasbeginningtoutteritsshadowsalongthedistantrocksandthedunes.
Yettheheatpersisted.
Heatforcedherthoughtsontowaterandtheobservedfactthatthiswholepeoplecouldbetrainedtobethirstyonlyatgiventimes.
Thirst.
ShecouldremembermoonlitwavesonCaladanthrowingwhiterobesoverrocks...andthewindheavywithdampness.Nowthebreezethatfingeredherrobessearedthepatchesofexposedskinatcheeksandforehead.Thenewnoseplugsirritatedher,andshefoundherselfoverlyconsciousofthetubethattraileddownacrossherfaceintothesuit,recoveringherbreath’smoisture.
Thesuititselfwasasweatbox.
“Yoursuitwillbemorecomfortablewhenyou’veadjustedtoalowerwatercontentinyourbody,”Stillgarhadsaid.
Sheknewhewasright,buttheknowledgemadethismomentnomorecomfortable.Theunconsciouspreoccupationwithwaterhereweighedonhermind.No,shecorrectedherself:itwaspreoccupationwithmoisture.
Andthatwasamoresubtleandprofoundmatter.
