bh.houseatreides-第99章

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nd　shoved　it　into　the　sand；　tinkering　with　controls　until　finally　Kynes　could　hear　the　reverberating　thump　of　repetitive　pounding。
　Kynes　had　already　seen　such　a　thing　during　Glossu　Rabban's　ultimately　frustrating　worm　hunt。　〃He's　trying　to　make　a　worm　e？〃
　Stilgar　nodded。　〃If　God　wishes。〃
　Kneeling　on　the　sands；　Ommun　removed　a　cloth…wrapped　bundle　of　tools。　These　he　sorted　and　laid　out　neatly。　Long　iron　hooks；　sharp　loads；　and　coils　of　rope。
　〃Now　what　is　he　doing？〃　Kynes　asked。
　The　thumper　pounded　its　rhythm　into　the　sand。　The　Fremen　troop　waited；　carrying　packs　and　supplies。
　〃e。　We　must　be　ready　for　the　arrival　of　Shai…Hulud；〃　Stilgar　said；　nudging　the　Planetologist　to　follow　as　they　trudged　into　position　on　the　sun…drenched　dunes。　The　Fremen　whispered　among　themselves。
　Presently　Kynes　detected　what　he　had　experienced　only　once　before；　the　unforgettable　hissing；　rushing　roar　of　a　sandworm's　approach　as　it　was　drawn　inexorably　to　the　throb　of　the　thumper。
　On　top　of　the　dune　Ommun　crouched；　grasping　his　hooks　and　goads。　Long　curls　of　rope　hung　at　his　waist。　He　remained　perfectly　motionless。　His　Fremen　brethren　waited　on　the　crest　of　a　nearby　dune。
　〃There！　Do　you　see　it？〃　Stilgar　said；　hardly　able　to　suppress　his　excitement。　He　pointed　off　to　the　south　where　the　sand　rippled　as　if　a　subterranean　warship　were　heading　straight　for　the　thumper。
　Kynes　didn't　know　what　was　going　on。　Did　Ommun　intend　to　battle　the　great　beast？　Some　sort　of　a　ceremony　or　sacrifice　before　their　long　journey　across　the　desert？
　〃Be　ready；〃　Stilgar　said　and　grasped　Kynes's　arm。　〃We　will　help　you　in　every　way　we　can。〃
　Before　the　Planetologist　could　ask　another　question；　a　roaring　vortex　of　sand　formed　around　the　thumper。　Alert　and　battle…ready；　Ommun　skittered　back；　crouching　down；　ready　to　spring。
　Then　the　enormous　mouth　of　the　sandworm　emerged　from　the　depths　and　engulfed　the　thumper。　The　monster's　broad…ringed　back　rose　out　of　the　desert。
　Ommun　sprinted；　running　with　all　his　might　to　keep　pace　with　the　moving　worm；　but　he　wallowed　in　the　loose　sand。　Then　he　sprang；　onto　the　arched；　segmented　back　using　the　hooks　and　claws　to　haul　himself　atop　one　of　the　worm　segments。
　Kynes　stared　in　awe；　unable　to　organize　his　thoughts　or　prehend　what　the　daring　young　man　was　doing。　This　can't　be　happening；　he　thought。　It's　not　possible。
　Ommun　dug　one　of　his　scooplike　hooks　into　the　crevice　between　worm　segments　and　then　yanked　hard；　separating　the　well…protected　rings　and　exposing　pinkish　flesh　underneath。
　The　worm　rolled　to　keep　its　sensitive　exposed　segment　away　from　the　abrasive　sands。　Ommun　scrambled　up　and　planted　another　hook；　spreading　wide　a　second　segment　so　that　the　worm　was　forced　to　rise　higher　out　of　its　secret　world　beneath　the　desert。　At　the　highest　point　on　the　worm's　back；　behind　its　huge　head；　the　young　Fremen　planted　a　stake　and　dropped　his　long　ropes　so　that　they　hung　from　the　sides。　Now　he　stood　tall　and　proud　on　the　worm；　signaling　for　the　others　to　e。
　Cheering；　the　Fremen　ran　forward；　bringing　Kynes　with　them。　He　stumbled　to　keep　up。　Three　other　young　men　scaled　the　ropes；　adding　more　of　what　they　called　〃maker　hooks〃　to　keep　the　worm　above　the　dunes。　The　big　creature　began　to　move　forward；　but　in　a　confused　fashion；　as　if　unable　to　understand　why　these　bothersome　creatures　were　goading　it。
　As　the　Fremen　kept　pace；　they　tossed　up　supplies；　packs　were　lashed　to　the　worm's　back　with　more　ropes。　The　first　riders　assembled　a　small　structure　as　fast　as　they　could。　Prodded　by　Stilgar；　an　astonished　Kynes　ran　up　beside　the　towering　worm。　The　Planetologist　could　feel　friction　heat　rising　from　beneath；　and　he　tried　to　imagine　what　awesome　chemical　fires　formed　a　furnace　deep　within　the　worm　itself。
　〃Up　you　go；　Umma　Kynes！〃　Stilgar　shouted；　helping　him　place　his　feet　into　loops　in　the　ropes。　Clumsily；　Kynes　scrambled　up；　his　desert　boots　finding　purchase　on　the　worm's　rough　hide。　He　climbed　and　climbed。　The　simmering　energy　of　Shai…Hulud　caused　him　to　lose　his　breath；　but　Stilgar　helped　him　to　the　top　where　the　other　Fremen　riders　had　gathered。
　They　had　assembled　a　crude　platform　and　seat　for　him；　a　palanquin。　The　other　Fremen　stood；　holding　their　ropes　against　the　enormous　worm　as　if　it　were　a　bucking　steed。　Gratefully；　Kynes　took　the　proffered　seat　and　held　on　to　the　arms。　He　had　a　disconcerting　feeling　up　here；　as　if　he　didn't　belong　and　could　easily　be　toppled　off　and　crushed　to　death。　The　rolling　movement　of　the　worm　made　his　stomach　lurch。
　〃Normally　such　seats　are　reserved　for　our　Sayyadinas；〃　Stilgar　said。　〃But　we　know　you　do　not　have　the　training　to　ride　Shai…Hulud；　and　so　this　shall　be　a　place　of　honor　for　our　prophet。　There　is　no　shame　in　it。〃
　Kynes　nodded　distractedly　and　looked　ahead。　The　other　Fremen　congratulated　Ommun；　who　had　successfully　pleted　this　important　rite　of　passage。　He　was　now　a　respected　sandrider；　a　true　man　of　the　sietch。
　Ommun　pulled　on　the　ropes　and　hooks；　guiding　the　worm。　〃Haiiii…Yoh！〃　The　huge　sinuous　creature　raced　across　the　sands；　heading　south。。。。
　KYNES　RODE　ALL　that　day；　with　the　dry；　dusty　wind　blowing　in　his　face　and　sunlight　reflecting　off　the　sands。　He　had　no　way　of　estimating　the　speed　at　which　the　worm　cruised；　but　he　knew　it　must　be　astonishing。
　As　the　hot　breezes　whipped　around　him；　he　could　smell　freshets　of　oxygen　and　the　flinty　burned…stone　odors　of　the　worm's　passage。　In　the　absence　of　extensive　plant　cover　on　Dune；　the　Planetologist　realized　the　worms　themselves　must　generate　much　of　the　atmospheric　oxygen。
　It　was　all　Kynes　could　do　to　hold　on　to　his　palanquin。　He　had　no　way　to　access　his　notes　and　records　in　the　pack　on　his　back。　What　a　magnificent　report　this　would　make　　though　he　knew　in　his　heart　he　could　never　give　such　information　to　the　Emperor。　No　one　but　the　Fremen　knew　this　secret；　and　it　must　remain　that　way。　We　are　actually　riding　a　worm！　He　had　other　obligations　now；　new　and　far　more　important　allegiances。
　Centuries　earlier；　the　Imperium　had　placed　biological　testing　stations　at　strategic　points　on　the　surface　of　Dune；　but　such　facilities　had　fallen　into　disrepair。　In　recent　months　Kynes　had　been　reopening　them；　using　a　few　Imperial　troops　assigned　to　the　planet　just　to　maintain　appearances；　for　the　most　part；　though；　he　staffed　them　with　his　own　Fremen。　He　was　amazed　at　the　ability　of　his　sietch　brothers　to　infiltrate　the　system；　find　things　for　themselves；　and　employ　technology。　They　were　a　marvelously　adaptable　breed　　and　adapting　was　the　only　way　to　survive　on　a　place　like　Dune。
　Under　Kynes's　direction　the　Fremen　workers　stripped　equipment　from　the　isolated　biological　stations；　took　necessary　items　back　to　their　sietches；　and　filled　out　paperwork　to　report　the　pieces　as　lost　or　damaged；　the　oblivious　Imperium　then　replaced　the　losses　with　new　instruments　so　that　the　station　monitors　could　continue　their　work。。。。
　After　hours　of　rapid　travel　across　the　Great　Flat；　the　enormous　worm　became　sluggish；　exhibiting　obvious　fatigue；　and　Ommun　had　difficulty　exerting　control。　The　worm　showed　signs　of　wanting　to　bury　itself　beneath　the　sand；　increasingly　willing　to　risk　abrading　its　sensitive；　exposed　tissue。
　Finally　Ommun　brought　the　behemoth　around　until　it　ground　to　a　halt；　exhausted。　The　troop　of　desert　men　dropped　off　while　Kynes　slid　down　the　rough　worm　segments　onto　loose　sand。　Ommun　tossed　down　the　remaining　packs　and　dismounted；　letting　the　worm　　too　utterly　tired　to　turn　and　attack　them　　wallow　its　way　into　the　sands。　The　Fremen　removed　the　hooks　so　the　worm；　their　Shai…Hulud；　could　recover。
　The　men　sprinted　to　a　line　of　rock；　where　there　would　be　caves　and　shelter；　and　　Kynes　was　surprised　to　see　　a　small　sietch　that　weled　them　for　the　night　with　food　and　conversation。　Word　of　the　Planetologist's　dream　had　spread　to　all　the　secret　places　across　Dune；　and　the　sietch　leader　there　told　them　it　was　his　great　honor　to　host　Umma　Kynes。
　The　next　day　the　group　set　off　again　on　another　sandworm；　and　another。　Kynes　soon　gained　a　more　plete　understanding　of　what　Stilgar　had　meant　with　his　assessment　of　a　〃twenty…thumper〃　journey。
　The　wind　was　fresh；　and　the　sand　was　bright；　and　the　Fremen　took　enormous　plea