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y。
On the terrain below； the swollen underground bubble reached its apex then burst； hurling the spice harvester； the mobile crews； and everything else up off the surface。 A gigantic explosion of sand sprayed upward； carrying broken rock and volatile orange spice。 The mammoth factory was crushed and blasted to pieces； scattered like lost rags in a Coriolis storm。
〃What the devil happened？〃 The Baron's dark eyes went wide in disbelief at the sheer magnitude of the disaster。 All that precious spice gone； swallowed in an instant。 All the equipment destroyed。 The loss in lives hardly occurred to him； except for the wasted costs of crew training。
〃Hang on； m'Lord；〃 the pilot cried。 His knuckles turned white on the controls。
A hammer…blast of wind struck them。 The armored ornithopter turned end over end in the air； wings flailing。 The engines whined and groaned； trying to maintain stability。 Pellets of high…velocity sand struck the plaz windowports。 Dust…clogged； the 'thopter's motors made sick； coughing sounds。 The craft lost altitude； dropping toward the seething maw of the desert。
The pilot shouted unintelligible words。 The Baron clutched his crash restraints； saw the ground ing toward them like an inverted bootheel to squash an insect。
As head of House Harkonnen； he had always thought he would die by a treacherous assassin's hand。。。but to fall prey to an unpredictable natural disaster instead the Baron found it almost humorous。
As they plunged； he saw the sand open like a festering sore。 The dust and raw melange were being sucked down； turned over by convection currents and chemical reactions。 The rich spice vein of only moments before had turned into a leprous mouth ready to swallow them。
But the pilot； who had seemed weak and distractible during their flight； became rigid with concentration and determination。 His fingers flew over sky rudder and engine throttle controls； working to ride the currents； switching flow from one motor to another to discharge dust strangulation in the air intakes。
Finally the ornithopter leveled off； steadied itself again； and cruised low over the dune plain。 The pilot emitted an audible sigh of relief。
Where the great opening had been ripped into the layered sand； the Baron now saw glittering translucent shapes like maggots on a carcass： sandtrout； rushing toward the explosion。 Soon giant worms would e； too。 The monsters couldn't possibly resist this。
Try as he might； the Baron couldn't understand spice。 Not at all。
The 'thopter gained altitude； taking them toward the spotters and the carryalls that had been caught unawares。 They hadn't been able to retrieve the spice factory and its precious cargo before the explosion； and he could blame no one for it no one but himself。 The Baron had given them explicit orders to remain out of reach。
〃You just saved my life； pilot。 What is your name？〃
〃Kryubi； sir。〃
〃All right； then； Kryubi have you ever seen such a thing？ What happened down there？ What caused that explosion？〃
The pilot took a deep breath。 〃I've heard the Fremen talking about something they call a。。。spice blow。〃 He seemed like a statue now； as if the terror had transformed him into something much stronger。 〃It happens in the deep desert； where few people can see。〃
〃Who cares what the Fremen say？〃 He curled his lip at the thought of the dirty； nomadic indigents of the great desert。 〃We've all heard of spice blows； but nobody's ever actually seen one。 Crazy superstitions。〃
〃Yes； but superstition usually has some kind of basis。 They see many things out in the desert。〃 Now the Baron admired the man for his willingness to speak out； though Kryubi must know of his temper and vindictiveness。 Perhaps it would be wise to promote him 。。。。
〃They say a spice blow is a chemical explosion；〃 Kryubi continued； 〃probably the result of a pre…spice mass beneath the sands。〃
The Baron considered this； he couldn't deny the evidence of his own eyes。 One day maybe someone would understand the true nature of melange and be able to prevent disasters like this。 So far； because the spice was seemingly inexhaustible to those willing to make the effort； no one had bothered with a detailed analysis。 Why waste time on tests； when fortunes waited to be made？ The Baron had a monopoly on Arrakis but it was also a monopoly based on ignorance。
He gritted his teeth and knew that once they returned to Carthag he would be forced to blow off some steam； to release his pent…up tensions on 〃amusements；〃 perhaps a bit more vigorously than he had earlier intended。 He would have to find a special candidate this time not one of his regular lovers； but someone he would never have use for again。 That would free him of restraint。
Looking down； he thought； No longer any need to hide this site from the Emperor。 They would record it； log it as a find； and document the destruction of the crew and equipment。 No need to manipulate the records now。 Old Elrood would not be pleased； and House Harkonnen would have to absorb this financial setback。
As the pilot circled around； the surviving spice crew assessed their damages on the ground； and over the link reported losses of men； equipment； and spice load。 The Baron felt rage boiling within him。
Damn Arrakis！ he thought。 Damn the spice； and damn our dependence on it！
We are generalists。 You can't draw neat lines around planetwide problems。 Planetology is a cut…and…fit science。
…PARDOT KYNES； Treatise on the Environmental Recovery of Post…Holocaust Salusa Secundus
0n the Imperial planet Kaitain； immense buildings kissed the sky。 Magnificent sculptures and opulent tiered fountains lined the crystal…paved boulevards like a dream。 A person could stare for hours。
Pardot Kynes managed to catch only a glimpse of the urban spectacle as the royal guards marched him at a rapid clip into the Palace。 They had no patience for a simple Planetologist's curiosity； nor any apparent interest in the city's wonders。 Their job was to escort him to the tremendous vaulted throne room； without delay。 The Emperor of the Known Universe could not be kept waiting for mere sight…seeing。
The members of Kynes's escort wore gray…and…black uniforms； impeccably clean and adorned with braids and medals； every button and bauble polished； every ribbon straightened and pressed。 Fifteen of the Emperor's handpicked staff； the Sardaukar； surrounded him like an army。
Still； the splendor of the capital world overwhelmed Kynes。 Turning to the guard closest to him； he said； 〃I'm usually out in the dirt； or tromping through swamps on a planet where nobody else wants to be。〃 He had never seen； or even imagined； anything like this in all of the rugged and out…of…the…way landscapes he had studied。
The guard made no response to this tall； lean off…wonder。 Sardaukar were trained to be fighting machines； not conversationalists。
〃Here I've been scrubbed clean down to the third layer of my skin and dressed like a noble。〃 Kynes tugged at the thick corded fabric of his dark blue jacket； smelled the soap and scent of his own skin。 He had a high forehead； with sparse； sandy hair bed straight back。
The escort hurried up a seemingly endless waterfall of polished stone steps； ornately highlighted with gold filigree and creamy； sparkling soostones。
Kynes turned to the guard on his left。 〃This is my first trip to Kaitain。 I'd wager you don't even notice the sights anymore； if you work here all the time？〃 His words hung on a wistful smile； but again fell on deaf ears。
Kynes was an expert and well…respected ecologist； geologist； and meteorologist； with added specialties in botany and microbiology。 Driven； he enjoyed absorbing the mysteries of entire worlds。 But the people themselves often remained a plete mystery to him like these guards。
〃Kaitain is a lot more。。fortable than Salusa Secundus I grew up there； you know；〃 he continued。 〃I've been to Bela Tegeuse； too； and that's almost as bad； dim and bleak with two dwarf suns。〃
Finally Kynes faced forward； consenting to mutter to himself。 〃The Padishah Emperor called me from halfway across the galaxy。 I wish I knew why。〃 None of these men ventured to offer any explanations。
The entourage passed under a pitted archway of crimson lava rock that bore the ponderous oppression of extreme age。 Kynes looked up； and with his geological expertise recognized the massive rare stone： an ancient archway from the devastated world of Salusa Secundus。
It puzzled him that anyone would keep such a relic from the austere planet where Kynes had spent so many years； an isolated prison world with a ruined ecosystem。 But then he recalled； feeling like a fool for having forgotten it； that Salusa had once been the Imperial capital； millennia ago。。。before the disaster changed everything。 No doubt House Corrino had brought this archway here intact as a reminder of their past； or as some sort of trophy to show how the Imperial family had overe planet…destroying adversity。
As the Sardaukar escort stepped through the lava arch and into the echoing splendor of the Palace itself； fanfare rang out from brassy instruments Kynes could not name。 He'd never been much of a student in music or the arts； not even as a child。 Why bother； when t