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ous 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 therefore controlled all spice production； the Baron had no wish to see a substitute developed； or any other source found。
Expert desert crews located the spice； and the Imperium used it but beyond that； the details didn't concern him。 There was always risk to spice workers； always the danger that a worm would attack too soon； that a carryall would malfunction； that a spice factory would not be lifted away in time。 Unexpected sandstorms could e up with startling speed。 The casualty rate and the equipment losses to House Harkonnen were appalling。。。but melange paid off nearly any cost in blood or money。
As the ornithopter circled in a steady； thrumming rhythm； the Baron studied the industrial spectacle below。 Baking sun glinted off the spice factory's dusty hull。 Spotters continued to prowl the air； while groundcars cruised beneath them； taking samples。
Still no sign of a worm； and every moment allowed the crew to retrieve more spice。 The workers would receive bonuses except for that captain and House Harkonnen would bee richer。 The records could be doctored later。
The Baron turned to the pilot。 〃Call our nearest base。 Summon another carryall and another spice factory。 This vein seems inexhaustible。〃 His voice trailed off。 〃If a worm hasn't shown up by now； there just might be time。。。。〃
The ground crew captain called back； broadcasting on a general frequency since the Baron had shut down his own receiver。 〃Sir； our probes indicate that the temperature is rising deep below a dramatic spike！ Something's going on down there； a chemical reaction。 And one of our ground…roving teams just broke into a swarming nest of sandtrout。〃
The Baron growled； furious with the man for municating on an unencrypted channel。 What if CHOAM spies were listening？ Besides； no one cared about sandtrout。 The jellylike creatures deep beneath the sand were as irrelevant to him as flies swarming around a long…abandoned corpse。
He made a mental note to do more to this weakling captain than just remove him from the work crews and deny him a bonus。 That gutless bastard was probably handpicked by Abulurd。
The Baron saw tiny figures of scouts tracking through the sands； running about like ants maddened with acid vapor。 They rushed back to the main spice factory。 One man leaped off his dirt…encrusted rover and scrambled toward the open door of the massive machine。
〃What are those men doing？ Are they abandoning their posts？ Bring us down closer so I can see。〃
The pilot tilted the ornithopter and descended like an ominous beetle toward the sand。 Below； the men leaned over； coughing and retching as they tried to drag filters over their faces。 Two stumbled on the shifting sand。 Others were rapidly battening down the spice factory。
〃Bring the carryall！ Bring the carryall！〃 someone cried。
The spotters all reported in。 〃I see no wormsign。〃
〃Still nothing。〃
〃All clear from here；〃 said a third。
〃Why are they evacuating？〃 the Baron demanded； as if the pilot would know。
〃Something's happening；〃 the crew captain yelled。 〃Where's that carryall？ We need it now！〃
The ground bucked。 Four workers stumbled and pitched facefirst onto the sand before they could reach the ramp to the spice factory。
〃Look； m'Lord！〃 The pilot pointed downward； his voice filled with awe。 As the Baron stopped focusing on the cowardly men； he saw the sand trembling all around the excavation site； vibrating like a struck drumhead。
The spice harvester canted； slipped to one side。 A crack opened in the sands； and the whole site began to swell from beneath the ground； rising in the air like a gas bubble in a boiling Salusan mudpot。
〃Get us out of here！〃 the Baron shouted。 The pilot stared for a fraction of a second； and the Baron swept his left hand with the speed of a cracked whip； striking the man hard on the cheek。 〃Move！〃
The pilot grabbed the 'thopter controls and wrenched them into a steep ascent。 The articulated wings flapped furiously。
On the terrain below； the swollen underground bubble reached its apex then burst； hurling the