late afternoon when the three began their long walk. Each step was plodding and difficult, and they sank in up to their ankles. Loose sand held them back, caressing their legs and encouraging them to stay, to stop walking, to sit down and welcome hot, desiccating death … .
“Will we see worms out here?” Barri seemed interested, but not fearful.
“Oh, they’re out here, young Master. The mining vibrations of our spice harvesters attract them, but we’re too small to get their attention, like pebbles tossed across the dunes.”
“Even so,” Jesse said, “keep your eyes peeled for rippling sand.”
It was a balancing act to maintain a fast enough pace to cover distance before their supplies ran out without exhausting themselves to the point of collapse. Although they were weary by the time night fell, they rested only briefly before continuing their long journey in the cool darkness, when they would perspire less.
IN CARTHAGE, THE headquarters mansion was in turmoil. Static discharge from the dust had played havoc with comm systems across the planet, but General Tuek had transmitted a message as soon as the storm cleared. He’d been forced to shout his dire news twice before Dorothy could understand him.
“The search parties have found no sign of them?” She tried to be as strong and stony as one of the blocky statues the Hoskanners had left behind. “Has their whole flight path been checked?”
Static noises. A garbled response. She repeated herself, and Tuek answered, “Every flightworthy vehicle is combing the desert, but the Coriolis winds wiped out all signs.”
Anger and accusations edged her voice. “How could you let them fly into a storm, General? You are responsible for the nobleman’s safety!” Even when he does foolish things … like his father and his brother . Despair threatened to overwhelm her, like an inundation of sand burying her for eternity. My son, my son!
Tuek looked miserable himself, but frowned at her condemnation. “Madam, one doesn’t prevent Nobleman Linkam from doing anything once he has a mind to do it. Sweet affection, if I had known, I’d have used a stunner myself and tied him up in one of the spice silos until he came to his senses.”
“How about the observation satellites? Don’t we have any with high enough resolution to scan for the ornijet’s locator beacon?”
“Dr. Haynes has been working nonstop, but he’s managed to get only four of the satellites working at all, and they’re not worth much! We should already have picked up the beacon—unless it’s not functioning.”
“Can you scan for the hull metal? Debris?”
“Not with all the distorted fields.” Tuek drew a deep breath, sounding impatient; apparently, he had already considered every suggestion she’d made. He acted as if she was stepping on his toes. Back on Catalan, he and Dorothy had both been powerful, often at odds but with clearly segregated duties. On Duneworld, though, business and defense overlapped heavily. “But we’ll find him. I’m flying out on a scout patrol myself.”
“Do you need extra men?”
“No, there aren’t enough vehicles. I’ve shut down spice operations to devote all crews to the search. Please don’t tell me how to do my job.”
Dorothy bit her lip. Jesse would hate any slowdown in production, and so would the sandminers, who desperately wanted to earn their freedom. If only he had listened to her about the dangers of going to the forward base—and taking Barri with him.
The static was growing worse. “Just … send me regular reports!”
After signing off, she went to find Gurney Halleck. The jongleur would round up his own teams, commandeer any functional flyer, and send men to scour the desert. If stern old Tuek couldn’t rescue her family, maybe Gurney could.
11
I have seen many worlds in the Known Universe: some beautiful, some bland, some so alien they defy description or understanding. Duneworld is the most enigmatic of the
“Will we see worms out here?” Barri seemed interested, but not fearful.
“Oh, they’re out here, young Master. The mining vibrations of our spice harvesters attract them, but we’re too small to get their attention, like pebbles tossed across the dunes.”
“Even so,” Jesse said, “keep your eyes peeled for rippling sand.”
It was a balancing act to maintain a fast enough pace to cover distance before their supplies ran out without exhausting themselves to the point of collapse. Although they were weary by the time night fell, they rested only briefly before continuing their long journey in the cool darkness, when they would perspire less.
IN CARTHAGE, THE headquarters mansion was in turmoil. Static discharge from the dust had played havoc with comm systems across the planet, but General Tuek had transmitted a message as soon as the storm cleared. He’d been forced to shout his dire news twice before Dorothy could understand him.
“The search parties have found no sign of them?” She tried to be as strong and stony as one of the blocky statues the Hoskanners had left behind. “Has their whole flight path been checked?”
Static noises. A garbled response. She repeated herself, and Tuek answered, “Every flightworthy vehicle is combing the desert, but the Coriolis winds wiped out all signs.”
Anger and accusations edged her voice. “How could you let them fly into a storm, General? You are responsible for the nobleman’s safety!” Even when he does foolish things … like his father and his brother . Despair threatened to overwhelm her, like an inundation of sand burying her for eternity. My son, my son!
Tuek looked miserable himself, but frowned at her condemnation. “Madam, one doesn’t prevent Nobleman Linkam from doing anything once he has a mind to do it. Sweet affection, if I had known, I’d have used a stunner myself and tied him up in one of the spice silos until he came to his senses.”
“How about the observation satellites? Don’t we have any with high enough resolution to scan for the ornijet’s locator beacon?”
“Dr. Haynes has been working nonstop, but he’s managed to get only four of the satellites working at all, and they’re not worth much! We should already have picked up the beacon—unless it’s not functioning.”
“Can you scan for the hull metal? Debris?”
“Not with all the distorted fields.” Tuek drew a deep breath, sounding impatient; apparently, he had already considered every suggestion she’d made. He acted as if she was stepping on his toes. Back on Catalan, he and Dorothy had both been powerful, often at odds but with clearly segregated duties. On Duneworld, though, business and defense overlapped heavily. “But we’ll find him. I’m flying out on a scout patrol myself.”
“Do you need extra men?”
“No, there aren’t enough vehicles. I’ve shut down spice operations to devote all crews to the search. Please don’t tell me how to do my job.”
Dorothy bit her lip. Jesse would hate any slowdown in production, and so would the sandminers, who desperately wanted to earn their freedom. If only he had listened to her about the dangers of going to the forward base—and taking Barri with him.
The static was growing worse. “Just … send me regular reports!”
After signing off, she went to find Gurney Halleck. The jongleur would round up his own teams, commandeer any functional flyer, and send men to scour the desert. If stern old Tuek couldn’t rescue her family, maybe Gurney could.
11
I have seen many worlds in the Known Universe: some beautiful, some bland, some so alien they defy description or understanding. Duneworld is the most enigmatic of the
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