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nsion in her。 Janess； who didn't participate； frequently glanced over her shoulder； as if watching for something。
Moments later Harkonnen troops had e； grabbing Duncan's parents； himself； even his uncle and two cousins。 He understood intuitively that Janess had been the cause of it all； for whatever reason。 He'd never seen her again； and he and his family had been in prison for half a year now。。。。
Behind him； an overhead trapdoor opened with a hiss。 Two blue…uniformed pursuers dropped through； pointed at him； and laughed in triumph。 Weaving from side to side； Duncan dashed ahead。 A lasgun blast ricocheted off the wall plates； leaving a lightning…bolt scorch mark down the corridor。
Duncan smelled the ozone from the singed metal。 If even one of those bolts hit him； he'd be dead。 He hated the way the hunters snickered； as if they were merely toying with him。
A pair of pursuers charged out of a side passage only a meter in front of him； but Duncan moved too fast。 They didn't recognize him or react quickly enough。 He struck one stout man in the knee and knocked him sideways before dashing between the two at a full run。
The stout man stumbled； then shouted as a laser bolt singed his armor； 〃Stop firing； you idiot！ You'll hit one of us！〃
Duncan ran as he'd never run before； knowing his child's legs couldn't outrace adults conditioned for fighting。 But he refused to give up。 It wasn't in his blood。
Ahead； where the corridor opened； he saw bright lights at an intersection of passageways。 As he approached； he skidded to a stop only to find that the cross…passage was no tunnel at all； but a suspensor tube； a cylindrical shaft with a Holtzman field in the center。 Levitating bullet…trains shot down the tube without resistance； traveling from one end of the enormous prison city to the other。
There were no doors； no open passageways。 Duncan could run no farther。 The men surged close behind him； extending their guns。 If he surrendered； he wondered if they would still shoot him down。 Probably； he thought； since I've gotten their adrenaline going。
The suspensor field shimmered in the center of the horizontal shaft in front of him。 He vaguely knew what it would do。 He had only one place left to go； and he wasn't sure what would happen but he knew he'd be punished； or most likely slaughtered； if the guards captured him。
So as they pressed closer； Duncan turned around and gazed into the suspensor field。 Taking a deep breath for courage； he swung his short arms behind him and leaped out into the open shimmering tube。
His curly black hair rippled in the breeze as he plummeted。 He shouted； the sound halfway between a despairing wail and a cry of glorious release。 If he died here； at least he would be free！
Then the Holtzman field wrapped around him and caught him with a jolt。 Feeling as if his stomach had just lurched to the center of his chest； Duncan found himself adrift in an invisible net。 He floated without falling； hanging in the neutral center of the field。 This force held the bullet…trains suspended as they careened through mammoth Barony。 It could certainly hold him。
He saw the guards rushing to the edge of the platform； shouting at him in anger。 One shook a fist。 Two others pointed their guns。
Duncan flailed in the field； trying to swim anything to move away。
With a shout of alarm； a guard knocked the other's lasgun aside。 Duncan had heard about the nightmarish effects of a lasgun beam crossing a Holtzman field： They produced an interacting destructive potential as deadly as forbidden atomics themselves。
So the guards fired their stun weapons instead。
Duncan writhed in the air。 Though he could get no leverage； at least he made a moving target as he squirmed and spun。 Stun blasts arced on either side of him； diverted into curving paths。
Despite the confining embrace of the Holtzman field； he felt the air pressure change around him； sensed the currents of movement。 He rotated himself； bobbing in the air until he saw the oning lights of a bullet…train。
And he was at the center of the field！
Duncan thrashed； desperate to move。 He drifted toward the opposite edge of the levitation zone； away from the guards。 They continued to fire； but the change in air pressure pushed their stun blasts even farther off the mark than before。 He saw the uniformed men making adjustments。
Below him were other doorways； ramps； and platforms that led into the bowels of Barony。 Maybe he could reach one。。。if he could just escape the confining field。
Another stun blast tore past and this time caught the edge of his back near his shoulder； numbing him； making the muscles and skin crawl with a sensation like a thousand stinging insects。
Duncan finally wrenched himself away from the field and dropped。 Falling facedown； he saw the platform just in time。 He reached out with his good arm and snagged a railing。 The bullet…train screamed past； whistling as it displaced air。。。missing him by centimeters。
He hadn't had time to pick up much momentum in his fall； even so； the jarring stop nearly ripped his other arm out of its socket。 Duncan scrambled up and ran into a tunnel； but found only a tiny alcove with metawalls。 He could see no exit。 The hatch was sealed and locked。 He pounded on it； but couldn't go anywhere。
Then； the outer door clanged shut behind him； sealing him into a small armor…walled box。 He was trapped。 This time it was over。
Moments later； the guards unsealed the rear hatch。 Their stares； as pointed as their weapons； held a mixture of anger and admiration。 Duncan waited with resignation for them to gun him down。
Instead； the hunt captain smiled without humor and said； 〃Congratulations； boy。 You made it。〃
EXHAUSTED AND BACK in his cell； Duncan sat with his mother and father。 They ate their daily meal of bland cereals； starch…cakes； and protein chips nutritionally satisfying yet almost maliciously made with either foul flavors or no taste whatsoever。 So far the boy hadn't been told more by his captors； just that he'd 〃made it。〃 That had to mean freedom。 He could only hope。
The family's cell was filthy。 Though his parents tried to keep it clean； they had no brooms； mops； or soap； and very little water； which couldn't be wasted on mere sanitation。
During the months of confinement； Duncan had undergone vigorous and violent 〃training；〃 while his family sat fearfully offstage； doing nothing with their days。 All of them had been given numbers； slave…cell addresses； and （with the exception of Duncan） nothing to do no labor； no entertainment。 They simply awaited any change in their sentence。。。and dreaded that such a change would someday e。
Now with excitement and pride Duncan told his mother of his adventures； how he had outwitted the pursuers； how he had been resourceful enough to defeat even the best Harkonnen trackers。 None of the other children had succeeded on this day； but Duncan was certain he'd done what was necessary to buy freedom。
Any minute now they'd be released。 He tried to imagine his family standing together again； free； outside； looking up into a clear； starlit night。
His father gazed proudly at the boy； but his mother found it difficult to believe that such a thing could possibly be true。 She had good reason not to trust Harkonnen promises。
Before long； the cell lights flickered； and the opaque door field became transparent； then opened。 A group of blue…uniformed prison guards stood beside the smiling hunt captain who had chased him。 Duncan's heart leaped。 Are we going to be set free？
He didn't like the hunt captain's smile； though。
The uniformed men stepped aside in deference to a man with broad shoulders； thick lips； and big muscles。 His face was sunburned and ruddy； as if he had spent a great deal of time far from gloomy Giedi Prime。
Duncan's father sprang to his feet； then bowed clumsily。 〃M'Lord Rabban！〃
Ignoring the parents； Rabban's eyes sought out only the round…faced young trainee。 〃The captain of the hunt tells me you're the best boy；〃 he said to Duncan。 As he stepped into the cell； the guards hustled in behind him。 Rabban grinned。
〃You should have seen him in today's exercise； m'Lord；〃 the hunt captain said。 〃Never had a more resourceful pup。〃
Rabban nodded。 〃Number 11368； I've seen your records； watched holos of your hunts。 How are your injuries？ Not too bad？ You're young； so you'll heal quickly。〃 His eyes hardened。 〃Lots more fun left in you。 Let's see how you do against me。〃
He turned about。 〃e with me for the hunt； boy。 Now。〃
〃My name is Duncan Idaho；〃 the boy responded； in a defiant tone。 〃I'm not a number。〃 His voice was thin and high…pitched； but held a gruff bravery that shocked his parents。 Surprised； the guards turned to stare at him。 Duncan looked to his mother for support； as if hoping for some kind of challenge or reward。 Instead； she tried to hush him。
Rabban coolly snatched a lasgun from the guard standing next to him。 Without the slightest pause； he fired a lethal blast into the chest of Duncan's father。 The man slammed against the wall。 Before his corpse could slide to the floor； Rabban shifted his weapon and incinerated the head of Duncan's mother。
Duncan screamed。 Both of his parents tumbled to the floor