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Book Two: Muad‘dib
ThegreenandblackAtreidesbannerwouldbecomeasymbolofterror.
Wildlegionswouldchargeintobattlescreamingtheirwarcry:“Muad’Dib!”
Itmustnotbe,hethought.Icannotletithappen.
Buthecouldfeelthedemandingraceconsciousnesswithinhim,hisownterriblepurpose,andheknewthatnosmallthingcoulddeflectthejuggernaut.Itwasgatheringweightandmomentum.Ifhediedthisinstant,thethingwouldgoonthroughhismotherandhisunbornsister.Nothinglessthanthedeathsofallthetroopgatheredhereandnow—himselfandhismotherincluded—couldstopthething.
Paulstaredaroundhim,sawthetroopspreadoutinaline.Theypressedhimforwardagainstalowbarriercarvedfromnativerock.BeyondthebarrierintheglowofStilgar’sglobe,Paulsawanunruffleddarksurfaceofwater.Itstretchedawayintoshadows—deepandblack—thefarwallonlyfaintlyvisible,perhapsahundredmetersaway.
Jessicafeltthedrypullingofskinonhercheeksandforeheadrelaxinginthepresenceofmoisture.Thewaterpoolwasdeep;shecouldsenseitsdeepness,andresistedadesiretodipherhandsintoit.
Asplashingsoundedonherleft.ShelookeddowntheshadowylineofFremen,sawStilgarwithPaulstandingbesidehimandthewatermasters
emptyingtheirloadintothepoolthroughaflowmeter.Themeterwasaroundgrayeyeabovethepool’srim.Shesawitsglowingpointermoveasthewaterflowedthroughit,sawthepointerstopatthirty-threeliters,sevenandthree-thirty-secondsdrachms.
Superbaccuracyinwatermeasurement,Jessicathought.
