bh.houseatreides-第12章
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〃I know that all too well； m'Lord；〃 Thekar said。 His olive skin now had a grayish； oily tinge of terror。
The ornithopter struts kissed the sands； throwing up loose dust。 The hatch opened； and Thekar determined； now grabbed his thumper and sprang out； landing with spread feet on the soft desert。 He flashed a longing glance back up at the flying craft； then turned toward the dubious safety of the line of solid rock some three hundred meters away。
The Bator handed the explosives down to the hapless desert man； while Rabban gestured for them to hurry。 〃I hope you don't bee worm food； my friend；〃 he said with a laugh。 Even before the doors could close on the ornithopter； the pilot lifted off the sands again； leaving Thekar alone。
Kynes and the other Harkonnen soldiers rushed to the starboard side of the transport； crowding the windowplaz to watch their guide's desperate actions out on the open sands。 The desert man had reverted to a different； feral human being as they watched。
〃Excuse me。 Just how much explosive does it take to kill a worm？〃 Kynes asked curiously。
〃Thekar should have plenty； Planetologist；〃 the Bator answered。 〃We gave him enough to wipe out an entire city square。〃
Kynes turned his attention back to the drama below。 As the craft rose higher； Thekar worked in a flurry； grabbing the explosive ponents； piling them in a mound and linking them together with shigawire cables。 Kynes could see tiny ready lights winking on。 Then the whip…thin man stabbed his thumper into the sand next to the deadly cache； as if he were pounding a stake into the heart of the desert。
The troop 'thopter swerved and arrowed straight toward the bulwark of rock where the great hunter Rabban would wait in fort and safety。 Thekar triggered the thumper's spring…wound mechanism and began to run。
Inside the ornithopter； some of the soldiers placed bets on the oute。
Within moments the craft alighted on the ridge of blackened； pitted rock that looked like a reef in the soft desert。 The pilot shut down his engines； and the 'thopter doors opened。 Rabban shoved his troops aside to be the first to stand upon the shimmering rock。 The others in the party piled out afterward； Kynes waited his turn and emerged from the rear。
The guards took up watch positions； directing the oil lenses of their binoculars at the small running figure。 Rabban stood tall； holding a high…powered lasgun； though Kynes couldn't imagine what he intended to do with the weapon at this point。 Through a spotting…scope； the Baron's nephew stared out into the heat…addled air； seeing the ripples and mirages。 He centered on the clacking thumper and the dark landmark of piled explosives。
One of the high spotter 'thopters reported possible wormsign about two kilometers to the south。
Out on the desert； Thekar ran frantically； kicking up sand。 He advanced toward the archipelago of safety； the rocky islands in the sea of sand but he was still many minutes away。
Kynes watched the odd manner in which Thekar placed his footsteps。 He seemed to jitter and hop erratically； running like a spastic insect。 Kynes wondered if this was some sort of arrhythmic pattern to fool an oning sandworm。 Was this technique something that desert travelers learned？ If so； who could teach it to Kynes？ He had to know everything about this place and its people； the worms and the spice and the dunes。 Not only was it his Imperial directive： Pardot Kynes wanted to know for himself。 Once he became involved in a project； he hated unanswered questions。
The group waited； and time passed slowly。 The soldiers talked。 The desert man continued his peculiar running； moving imperceptibly closer。 Kynes could feel the stillsuit micro…sandwich layers sucking up his droplets of sweat。
He knelt and studied the umber rock at his feet。 Basaltic lava； it contained eroded pockets that had been formed from leftover gaseous bubbles in the molten rock； or softer stone eaten away by the legendary Coriolis storms of Arrakis。
Kynes picked up a handful of sand and let it run through his fingers。 Not unexpectedly； he saw that the grains of sand were quartz particles； shimmering in the sun with a few flecks of darker material that might have been magnetite。
At other places he had seen rusty colorations in the sand； striations of tan； orange； and coral； hinting at various oxides。 Some of the coloring could also have been from weathered deposits of the spice melange； but Kynes had never seen unprocessed spice in the wild before。 Not yet。
Finally； the spotter 'thopters overhead confirmed an approaching worm。 A large one； moving fast。
The guards rose to their feet。 Looking out onto the blurry landscape； Kynes saw a ripple on the sand； like an immense finger being drawn beneath the surface； disturbing the upper layers。 The size of it astounded him。
〃Worm's ing in from the side！〃 the Bator called。
〃It's going straight for Thekar！〃 Rabban shouted； with cruel glee。 〃He's between the worm and the thumper。 Awe； bad luck。〃 His wide face now showed a different kind of anticipation。
Even from this distance； Kynes could see Thekar put on a burst of speed； forgetting his staggering walk as he saw the mound of the approaching worm tunneling toward him faster and faster。 Kynes could well imagine the look of horror and hopeless despair on the desert man's face。
Then with a grim resolve and a sudden desperation； Thekar came to a full stop and lay flat on the sand； motionless； staring up at the sky； perhaps praying fervently to Shai…Hulud。
With the tiny footstep vibrations stopped； the distant thumper seemed as loud as an Imperial band。 Thump； thump； thump。 The worm paused then altered its path to head straight toward the cache of explosives。
Rabban gave a twitch of a shrug； nonchalant acceptance of an irrelevant defeat。
Kynes could hear the underground hiss of shifting sands； the approach of the behemoth。 It came closer and closer； attracted like an iron filing to a deadly magnet。 As it neared the thumper； the worm dived deeper underground； circled； and came up to engulf that which had attracted it； angered it or whatever instinctive reaction these blind leviathans experienced。
When the worm rose from the sands； it revealed a mouth large enough to swallow a spacecraft； ascending higher and higher； its maw opening wider as its flexible jaws spread like the petals of a flower。 In an instant it engulfed the insignificant black speck of the thumper and all the explosives。 Its crystal teeth shone like tiny sharp thorns spiraling down its bottomless gullet。
From three hundred meters away； Kynes saw ridges of ancient skin； overlapping folds of armor that protected the creature in its passage beneath the ground。 The worm gulped the booby…trapped bait and began to wallow into the sands again。
Rabban stood up with a demonic grin on his face and worked small transmitting controls。 A hot breeze dusted his face； peppering his teeth with grains of sand。 He pushed a button。
A distant thunderclap sent a tremor through the desert。 The sands shifted in tiny avalanches from the fingernail dunes。 The sequenced bomb ripped through the internal channels of the worm； blasting open its gut and splitting its armored segments。
As the dust cleared； Kynes saw the writhing； dying monstrosity that lay in a pool of disrupted sand； like a beached fur…whale。
〃That thing's more than two hundred meters long！〃 Rabban cried； taking in the extent of his kill。
The guards cheered。 Rabban turned and pounded Kynes on the back with nearly enough strength to dislocate his shoulder。
〃Now there's a trophy； Planetologist。 I'm going to take this back to Giedi Prime with me。〃
Almost unnoticed； Thekar finally arrived； sweating and panting； hauling himself up to safety on the rocks。 He looked behind him with mixed emotions at the faraway dead creature sprawled on the sands。
Rabban led the charge as the worm ceased its final writhing。 The eager guards sprinted across the sands； shouting； cheering。 Kynes； anxious now to see the amazing specimen up close； hurried along； stumbling as Harkonnen troops plowed a battered path ahead of him。
Many minutes later； panting and hot； Kynes stood awestruck in front of the towering m
