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f mistakes and bad judgment。
In all the Imperium； Arrakis a hellhole that some might consider a punishment rather than a reward was the only known source of the spice melange； a substance worth far more than any precious metal。 Here on this parched world； it was worth even more than its weight in water。
Without spice； efficient space travel would be impossible。。。and without space travel； the Imperium itself would fall。 Spice prolonged life； protected health； and added a vigor to existence。 The Baron； a moderate user himself； greatly appreciated the way it made him feel。 Of course； the spice melange was also ferociously addictive； which kept the price high 。。。。
The armored 'thopter flew over a seared mountain range that looked like a broken jawbone filled with rotted teeth。 Up ahead the Baron could see a dust cloud extending like an anvil into the sky。
〃Those are the harvesting operations； m'Lord Baron。〃
Hawklike attack 'thopters grew from black dots in the monochrome sky and swooped toward them。 The municator pinged； and the pilot sent back an identification signal。 The paid defenders mercenaries with orders to keep out unwele observers circled away and took up protective positions in the sky。
So long as House Harkonnen maintained the illusion of progress and profits； the Spacing Guild didn't need to know about every particular spice find。 Nor did the Emperor； nor CHOAM。 The Baron would keep the melange for himself and add it to his huge stockpiles。
After Abulurd's years of bumbling； if the Baron acplished even half of what he was capable of； CHOAM and the Imperium would see a vast improvement。 If he kept them happy； they wouldn't notice his substantial skim； would never suspect his secret spice stashes。 A dangerous stratagem if discovered。。。but the Baron had ways of dealing with prying eyes。
As they approached the plume of dust； he took out a pair of binoculars and focused the oil lenses。 The magnification permitted him to see the spice factory at work。 With its giant treads and enormous cargo capacity； the mechanical monstrosity was incredibly expensive and worth every solari expended to maintain it。 Its excavators kicked up cinnamon…red dust； gray sand； and flint chips as they dug down； scooping up the surface of the desert； sifting for aromatic spice。
Mobile ground units ranged across the open sand in the vicinity of the factory； dipping probes beneath the surface； scraping samples； mapping the extent of the buried spice vein。 Overhead； heavier machinery borne by jumbo ornithopters circled； waiting。 Peripherally； spotter craft cruised up and down the sands with alert watchers searching for the telltale ripples of wormsign。 One of the great sandworms of Arrakis could swallow their entire operation whole。
〃M'Lord Baron；〃 the pilot said and handed the municator wand over to him； 〃the captain of the work crew wishes to speak with you。 This is your Baron。〃 He touched his ear to listen to the pickup。 〃Give me an update。 How much have you found？〃
Below on the sands； the crew captain answered； his voice gruff； his manner annoyingly unimpressed with the importance of the man to whom he was speaking。 〃Ten years working spice crews； and this deposit's beyond anything I've ever seen。 Trouble is； it's buried deep。 Normally； you know； we find the spice exposed by the elements。 This time it's densely concentrated； but。。。〃
The Baron waited for only a moment。 〃Yes； what is it？〃
〃Something strange going on here； sir。 Chemically； I mean。 We've got carbon dioxide leaking from below； some sort of a bubble beneath us。 The harvester's digging through outer layers of sand to get at the spice； but there's also water vapor。〃
〃Water vapor！〃 Such a thing was unheard…of on Arrakis； where the moisture content of the air was nearly unmeasurable； even on the best of days。
〃Could have stumbled on an ancient aquifer； sir。 Maybe buried under a cap of rock。〃
The Baron had never imagined finding running water beneath the surface of Arrakis。 Quickly he considered the possibilities of exploiting a free…flowing water resource by selling it to the populace。 That was sure to upset the existing water merchants； who had grown too swollen with self…importance anyway。
His basso voice rumbled。 〃Do you think it's contaminating the spice somehow？〃
〃Not able to say； sir；〃 said the crew captain。 〃Spice is strange stuff； but I've never seen a pocket like this before。 It doesn't seem。。。right somehow。〃
The Baron looked over at the 'thopter pilot。 〃Contact the spotters。 See if they've picked up any wormsign yet。〃
〃No wormsign； m'Lord；〃 the pilot said； scanning the reply。 The Baron noticed sparkles of sweat on the man's forehead。
〃How long has the harvester been down there？〃
〃Nearly two standard hours； sir。〃
Now the Baron scowled。 One of the worms should definitely have e before now。
Inadvertently； the pilot had left the system open； and the crew captain gruffly acknowledged over the speaker。 〃Never had this much time either； sir。 The worms always e。 Always。 But something's going on down here。 Gases are increasing。 You can smell it in the air。〃
Taking a deep breath of the recycled cabin air； the Baron detected the musky cinnamon smell of raw melange scooped from the desert。 The ornithopter flew in a holding pattern now； several hundred meters from the main harvester。
〃We're also detecting vibrations underground； some kind of a resonance。 I don't like it； sir。〃
〃You're not paid to like it；〃 the Baron replied。 〃Is it a deep worm？〃
〃I don't think so； sir。〃
He scanned the estimates being transmitted from the spice harvester。 The numbers boggled his mind。 〃We're getting as much from this one excavation as a month's production on my other sites。〃 He drummed his fingers on his right thigh in a rhythmic pattern。
〃Nevertheless； sir； I suggest that we prepare to pack up and abandon the site。 We could lose 〃
〃Absolutely not； Captain；〃 the Baron said。 〃There's no wormsign； and you've already got nearly a full factory load。 We can bring down a carryall and give you an empty harvester if you need it。 I'm not leaving behind a fortune in spice just because you're getting nervous。。。just because you have an uneasy feeling。 Ridiculous！〃
When the work leader tried to push his point； the Baron interrupted； 〃Captain； if you're a nervous coward； you're in the wrong profession and in the employ of the wrong House。 Carry on。〃 He switched off the municator and made a mental note to remove that man from his position as soon as possible。
Carryalls hovered above； ready to retrieve the spice harvester and its crew as soon as a worm appeared。 But why was it taking so long for one to e？ Worms always protected the spice。
Spice。 He tasted the word in his thoughts and on his lips。
Veiled in superstition； the substance was an unknown quantity； a modern unicorn's…horn。 And Arrakis was inhospitable enough that no one had yet deciphered the origin of melange。 In the vast canvas of the Imperium； no explorer or prospector had found melange on any other planet； nor had anyone succeeded in synthesizing a substitute； despite centuries of attempts。 Since House Harkonnen held the planetary governorship of Arrakis； and