Дюна
Book Three: The Prophet
PaullaybesidehiminaslitofrockhighontheShieldWallrim,eyefixedtothecollectorofaFrementelescope.Theoillenswasfocusedonastarshiplighterexposedbydawninthebasinbelowthem.Thetalleasternfaceoftheshipglistenedintheflatlightofthesun,buttheshadowsidestillshowedyellowportholesfromglowglobesofthenight.Beyondtheship,thecityofArrakeenlaycoldandgleaminginthelightofthenorthernsun.
Itwasn’tthelighterthatexcitedStilgar’sawe,Paulknew,buttheconstructionforwhichthelighterwasonlythecenterpost.Asinglemetalhutment,manystoriestall,reachedoutinathousand-metercirclefromthebaseofthelighter—atentcomposedofinterlockingmetalleaves—thetemporarylodgingplaceforfivelegionsofSardaukarandHisImperialMajesty,thePadishahEmperorShaddamIV.
FromhispositionsquattingatPaul’sleft,GurneyHallecksaid:“Icountninelevelstoit.MustbequiteafewSardaukarinthere.”
“Fivelegions,”Paulsaid.
“Itgrowslight,”Stilgarhissed.“Welikeitnot,yourexposingyourself,Muad’Dib.Letusgobackintotherocksnow.”
“I’mperfectlysafehere,”Paulsaid.
“Thatshipmountsprojectileweapons,”Gurneysaid.
“Theybelieveusprotectedbyshields,”Paulsaid.“Theywouldn’twasteashotonanunidentifiedtrioeveniftheysawus.”
Paulswungthetelescopetoscanthefarwallofthebasin,seeingthepockmarkedcliffs,theslidesthatmarkedthetombsofsomanyofhisfather’stroopers.
