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nt behemoth slumped into the desert。
In the end； only skeletal； cartilaginous ribs and milky teeth were left。 Then even these remains sank slowly； dissolving into mounds of loose gelatin covered by sand。
The Harkonnen troops stepped back to a safer distance。
To Kynes； it seemed as if he had seen a thousand years of decay in only a few seconds。 Accelerated entropy。 The hungry desert seemed eager to swallow every shred of evidence； to conceal the fact that a human had defeated a sandworm。
As Kynes thought about it； more in confusion and growing amazement than in dismay at losing all chance of dissecting the specimen； he wondered just how strange the life cycle of these magnificent beasts must be。
He had so much to learn about Arrakis。。。。
Rabban stood； seething and furious。 The muscles in his neck stretched taut like iron cables。 〃My trophy！〃 He whirled； clenched his fists； and struck Thekar full across the face； knocking him flat onto the sands。 For a moment； Kynes thought the Baron's nephew might actually kill the desert man； but Rabban turned his rage and fury on the still…dissolving； shuddering heap of the sandworm sinking into the exploded sands。
He screamed curses at it。 Then as Kynes watched； a determined look came into Rabban's cold； menacing eyes。 His sunburned face flushed a deeper red。 〃When I return to Giedi Prime； I'll hunt something a lot more satisfying。〃 Then； as if distracted from all thoughts of the sandworm； Rabban turned and stalked away。
One observes the survivors； and learns from them。
…Bene Gesserit Teaching
0f all the fabled million worlds in the Imperium； young Duncan Idaho had never been anywhere but Giedi Prime； an oil…soaked； industry…covered planet filled with artificial constructions； square angles； metal； and smoke。 The Harkonnens liked to keep their home that way。 Duncan had known nothing else in his eight years。
Even the dark and dirt…stained alleys of his lost home would have been a wele sight now； though。 After months of imprisonment with the rest of his family； Duncan wondered if he would ever again go outside the huge enslavement city of Barony。 Or if he would live to see his ninth birthday； which shouldn't be too far off now。 He wiped a hand through his curly black hair； felt the sweat there。
And he kept running。 The hunters were ing closer。
Duncan was beneath the prison city now； with his pursuers behind him。 He hunched down and rushed through the cramped maintenance tunnels； feeling like the spiny…backed rodent his mother had let him keep as a pet when he was five。 Ducking lower； he scuttled along in tiny crawl spaces； smelly air shafts； and power…conduit tubes。 The big adults with their padded armor could never follow him here。 He scraped his elbow on the metal walls； worming his way into places no human should have been able to navigate。
The boy vowed not to let the Harkonnens catch him at least not today。 He hated their games； refused to be anyone's pet or prey。 Negotiating his way through the darkness by smell and instinct； he felt a stale breeze on his face and noted the direction of the air circulation。
His ears recorded echoes as he moved： the sounds of other prisoner children running； also desperate。 They were supposedly his teammates； but Duncan had learned through previous failures not to rely on people whose feral skills might not match his own。
He swore he would get away from the hunters this time but knew he would never be entirely free of them。 In this controlled environment the stalking teams would catch him again and run him through the paces； over and over。 They called it 〃training。〃 Training for what； he didn't know。
Duncan's right side still ached from the last episode。 As if he were a prized animal； his tormentors had put his injured body through a skin…knit machine and ace…cellular repair。 His ribs still didn't quite feel right； but they had been getting better each day。 Until now。
With the locator beacon implanted in the meat of his shoulder； Duncan could never really escape from this slaveholding metropolis。 Barony was a megalithic construction of plasteel and armor…plat； 950 stories tall and 45 kilometers long； with no ground…level openings whatsoever。 He always found plenty of places to hide during the Harkonnen games； but never any freedom。
The Harkonnens had many prisoners； and they had sadistic methods of making them cooperate。 If Duncan won in this training hunt； if he eluded the searchers long enough； the keepers had promised that he and his family could return to their former lives。 All the children had been promised the same thing。 Trainees needed a goal； a prize to fight for。
He ran by instinct through the secret passageways； trying to muffle his footfalls。 Not far behind； he heard the blast and sizzle of a stun gun firing； a child's high…pitched squeal of pain； and then teeth…chattering spasms as another one of the young boys was brought to ground。
If the searchers captured you； they hurt you sometimes seriously and sometimes worse； depending upon the current supply of 〃trainees。〃 This was no child's game of hide…and…seek。 At least not for the victims。
Even at his age； Duncan already knew that life and death had a price。 The Harkonnens didn't care how many small candidates suffered during the course of their training。 This was how the Harkonnens played。 Duncan understood cruel amusements。 He had seen others do such things before； especially the children with whom he shared confinement； as they pulled the wings off insects or set tiny rodent babies on fire。 The Harkonnens and their troops were like adult children； only with greater resources； greater imaginations； greater malice。
Without making a sound； he found a narrow； rusted access ladder and scrambled up into the darkness； wasting no time on thought。 Duncan had to do the unexpected； hide where they'd have trouble reaching him。 The rungs； pitted and scarred with age； hurt his hands。
This section of ancient Barony still functioned； power conduits and suspensor tubes shot through the main structure like wormholes straight； curved； hooking off at oblique angles。 The place was one enormous obstacle course； where the Harkonnen troops could fire upon their prey without risking damage to more important structures。
Above him in a main corridor； he heard booted feet running； filtered voices through helmet municators； then a shout。 A nearby pinging sound signaled that the guards had homed in on his locator implant。
Hot white lasgun fire blasted the ceiling over his head； melting through metal plates。 Duncan let go of the ladder and allowed himself to drop； freefall。 One armed guard peeled up the hot…edged floor plate and pointed down at him。 The others fired their lasguns again； severing the struts so that the ladder fell in tandem with the small boy。
He landed on the floor of a lower shaft； and the heavy ladder clattered on top of him。 But Duncan didn't cry out in pain。 That would only bring the pursuers closer。。。though he had no real hope of eluding them for long because of the pulsing beacon in his shoulder。 How could anyone but Harkonnens win this game？
He pushed himself to his feet and ran with a new； frantic desire for freedom