Дюна
Book Three: The Prophet
Whywon’tyoufacethesefigures,Baron,andunderstandwhattheymean?”
TheBaronspokeinacoldlymeasuredcadence:“Thisisyourjob,Mentat.
Whatdotheymean?”
“IgaveyouDuncanIdaho’sheadcountonthesietchhevisited,”Hawatsaid.
“Itallfits.Iftheyhadjusttwohundredandfiftysuchsietchcommunities,theirpopulationwouldbeaboutfivemillion.Mybestestimateisthattheyhadatleasttwicethatmanycommunities.Youscatteryourpopulationonsuchaplanet.”
“Tenmillion?”
TheBaron’sjowlsquiveredwithamazement.
“Atleast.”
TheBaronpursedhisfatlips.ThebeadyeyesstaredwithoutwaveringatHawat.IsthistrueMentatcomputation?hewondered.Howcouldthisbeandnoonesuspect?
“Wehaven’tevencutheavilyintotheirbirth-rate-growthfigure,”Hawatsaid.“We’vejustweededoutsomeoftheirlesssuccessfulspecimens,leavingthestrongtogrowstronger—justlikeonSalusaSecundus.”
“SalusaSecundus!”theBaronbarked.“WhathasthistodowiththeEmperor’sprisonplanet?”
“AmanwhosurvivesSalusaSecundusstartsoutbeingtougherthanmostothers,”Hawatsaid.“Whenyouaddtheverybestofmilitarytraining—”
“Nonsense!Byyourargument,IcouldrecruitfromamongtheFremenafterthewaythey’vebeenoppressedbymynephew.”
Hawatspokeinamildvoice:“Don’tyouoppressanyofyourtroops?”
“Well...I...but—”
“Oppressionisarelativething,”Hawatsaid.
