按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Then； without asking； without giving thanks or making any ment whatsoever； the first grim Fremen youth took the vehicle； its injured passenger； and the bodies； and drove off rapidly； spewing sand and dust in all directions。 Kynes watched it go； along with his desert…survival kit and maps； including many he had prepared himself。
He found himself alone with the third young man a guard； or a friend？ If these Fremen meant to strand him without his supplies； he would be dead before long。 Perhaps he could get his bearings and make it back to the village of Windsack on foot； but he had paid little attention to the locations of population centers during his recent wanderings。 An inauspicious end for an Imperial Planetologist； he thought。
Or perhaps the young men he'd rescued wanted something else from him。 Because of his own newly formed dreams for the future of Arrakis； Kynes desperately wanted to know the Fremen and their unorthodox ways。 Clearly； these people were a valuable secret hidden from Imperial eyes。 He thought they'd be sure to greet him with enthusiasm once he told them his ideas。
The remaining Fremen youth used a small patch…kit to repair a fabric rip on the leg of his stillsuit； then said； 〃e with me。〃 He turned toward a sheer rock wall a short distance away。 〃Follow； or you'll die out here。〃 He flashed an indigo…eyed glare over his shoulder。 His face held a hard humor； an impish smile as he said； 〃Do you think the Harkonnens will take long to seek vengeance for their dead？〃
Kynes hurried to him。 〃Wait！ You haven't told me your name。〃
The young man looked at him strangely； he had the blue…within…blue eyes of long spice addiction； and weathered skin that gave him an appearance of age far beyond his years。 〃Is it worthwhile to exchange names？ The Fremen already know who you are。〃
Kynes blinked。 〃Well； I did just save your life and the lives of your panions。 Doesn't that count for something among your people？ It does in most societies。〃
The young man seemed startled； then resigned。 〃You are right。 You have forged a water bond between us。 I am called Turok。 Now we must go。〃
Water bond？ Kynes suppressed his questions and trailed after his panion。
In his well…worn stillsuit； Turok scrambled over the rocks toward the vertical cliff。 Kynes trudged beside fallen boulders； slipping on loose footing。 Only as they approached did the Planetologist notice a discontinuity in the strata； a seam that split the old uplifted rock； forming a fissure camouflaged by dust and muted colors。
The Fremen slipped inside； penetrating the shadows with the speed of a desert lizard。 Curious and anxious not to bee lost； Kynes followed； moving quickly。 He hoped he would get a chance to meet more of the Fremen and learn about them。 He didn't waste time considering that Turok might be leading him into a trap。 What would be the point？ The young man could easily have killed him out in the open。
Turok stopped in the cool shade； giving Kynes a moment to catch up。 He pointed toward specific places on the wall near him。 〃There； there and there。〃 Without waiting to see if his charge understood； the youth stepped in each indicated spot； near…invisible handholds and footholds。 The young man slithered up the cliff； and Kynes did his best to climb after。 Turok seemed to be playing a game with him； testing him somehow。
But the Planetologist surprised him。 He was no water…fat bureaucrat； no mere bumbler into places where he didn't belong。 As a wanderer on some of the harshest worlds the Imperium had to offer； he was in good shape。
Kynes kept pace with the youth； climbing up behind him； using the tips of his fingers to haul his body higher。 Moments after the Fremen boy stopped and squatted on a narrow ledge； Kynes sat beside him； trying not to pant。
〃Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth；〃 Turok said。 〃Your filters are more efficient that way。〃 He nodded in faint admiration。 〃I think you might make it all the way to the sietch。〃
〃What's a sietch？〃 Kynes asked。 He vaguely recognized the ancient Chakobsa language； but had not studied archaeology or phonetics。 He had always found it irrelevant to his scientific study。
〃A secret place to retreat in safety it's where my people live。〃
〃You mean it's your home？〃
〃The desert is our home。〃
〃I'm eager to talk with your people；〃 Kynes said； then continued； unable to contain his enthusiasm。 〃I've formed some opinions of this world and have developed a plan that might interest you； that might interest all the inhabitants of Arrakis。〃
〃Dune；〃 the Fremen youth said。 〃Only the Imperials and the Harkonnens call this place Arrakis。〃
〃All right；〃 Kynes said。 〃Dune； then。〃
DEEP IN THE rocks ahead of them waited a grizzled old Fremen with only one eye； his useless left socket covered by a puckered prune of leathered eyelid。 Naib of Red Wall Sietch； Heinar had also lost two fingers in a crysknife duel in his younger days。 But he had survived； and his opponents had not。
Heinar had proven to be a stern but petent leader of his people。 Over the years； his sietch had prospered； the population had not decreased； and their hidden stockpiles of water grew with every cycle of the moons。
In the infirmary cave； two old women tended foolish Stilgar； the injured youth who had been brought in by groundcar only moments ago。 The old women checked the medical dressing that had been applied by the outsider； and augmented it with some of their own medicinals。 The crones conferred with each other； then both nodded at the sietch leader。
〃Stilgar will live； Heinar；〃 one old woman said。 〃This would have been a mortal wound； had it not been tended immediately。 The stranger saved him。〃
〃The stranger saved a careless fool；〃 the Naib said； looking down at the young man on the cot。
For weeks； troublesome reports of a curious outsider had reached Heinar's ears。 Now the man； Pardot Kynes； was being led to the sietch by a different route； through rock passageways。 The stranger's actions were mind…boggling an Imperial servant who killed Harkonnens？
Ommun； the Fremen youth who had brought bleeding Stilgar back to the sietch； waited anxiously beside his injured friend in the cave shadows。 Heinar turned his monocular gaze to the young man； letting the women continue to tend their patient。 〃Why is it that Turok brings an outsider to our sietch？〃
〃What were we to do； Heinar？〃 Ommun looked surprised。 〃I needed his vehicle to bring Stilgar here。〃
〃You could have taken this man's groundcar and all his possessions and given his water to the tribe；〃 the Naib said； his voice low。
〃We can still do that；〃 one of the women rasped； 〃as soon as Turok gets here with him。〃
〃But the stranger fought and killed Harkonnens！ We three would have died； had he not arrived when he did；〃 Ommun insisted。 〃Is it not said that the enemy of my enemy is my friend？〃
〃I do not trust or even understand the loyalties of this one；〃 Heinar said； crossing his sinewy arms over his chest。 〃We know who he is； of course。 The stranger es from the Imperium a Planetologist； they say。 He remains on Dune because the Harkonnens are forced to let him do his work； but this man Kynes answers only to the E