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e spine of a sleeping leviathan。
〃There's the reef；〃 Leto said。 〃We'll anchor about half a kilometer away so we don't risk ripping open the hull。 Then we can go diving。〃 He opened a partment and withdrew a sack and a small spatulaknife for each of them。 〃The coral gems don't grow very deep。 We can dive without air tanks。〃 He slapped Rhombur on the back。 〃It's about time you started to earn your keep around here。〃
〃Just keeping you out of trouble is； uh； effort enough；〃 Rhombur countered。
After the coracle was secured on its anchor cord； Leto pointed a scanner overboard to map out the contours of the reefs below。 〃Look at this；〃 he said； letting his friend view the screen。 〃See those crannies and tiny caves？ That's where you'll find the coral gems。〃
Rhombur peered at the scanner； nodding。
〃Each one is encrusted with a husk； like an organic scab that grows around them。 Doesn't look like much until you crack one open and see the most beautiful pearls in all creation； like molten droplets from a star。 You have to keep them wet at all times； because the open air oxidizes them instantly and they bee extremely pyrophoric。〃
〃Oh；〃 Rhombur said； unsure what the word meant； though he was too proud to ask。 Fumbling； he attached his belt； which held the spatulaknife and a small waterlume for probing the darkest caves。
〃I'll show you when we get down there；〃 Leto said。 〃How long can you hold your breath？〃
〃As long as you；〃 the Prince of Ix said； 〃naturally。〃
Leto stripped off his shirt and pants； while Rhombur hurried to do the same。 Simultaneously； both young men dived overboard。 Leto stroked downward into the warm water； pulling himself deeper until he felt the pressure around his skull。
The large reef was a convoluted； permanently submerged landscape。 Tufts of coralweed waved in the gentle currents； the tiny mouths on their leaves snaring bits of plankton。 Jewel…toned fish darted in and out of holes in the layered coral。
Rhombur grabbed his arm and pointed at a long purplish eel that drifted by； streaming a rainbow…hued； feathery tail。 The Ixian looked ical with his cheeks swollen； trying to hold in his air。
Grasping the rough coral； Leto pulled himself along and peered into cracks and crevices。 He shined the beam of his waterlume all around in his search。 With his lungs aching； he finally found a discolored knob and signaled for Rhombur； who swam over。 But as Leto pulled out his spatula…knife to pry free the coral gem； Rhombur flailed his arms and swam upward as fast as he could； his air exhausted。
Leto remained beneath the water； though his chest pounded。 Finally； he pried loose the nodule； which would likely yield a medium…sized coral gem。 With it he swam upward； his chest ready to burst； and finally splashed to the surface where Rhombur clung； panting； to the edge of the coracle。
〃Found one；〃 Leto said。 〃Look。〃 Holding the gem underneath the water； he tapped it with the blunt edge of his knife until the outer covering cracked free。 Inside； a slightly misshapen ovoid gleamed with self…contained pearly light。 Tiny glimmering specks circulated like molten sand trapped within transparent epoxy。
〃Exquisite；〃 Rhombur said。
Dripping wet； Leto climbed out of the water and onto the midship deck； by the lifeboat station。 He dipped a bucket overboard； filling it with seawater； and dropped the coral gem inside before it could dry out in his hands。 〃Now you have to find one of your own。〃
With his blond hair plastered to his head by seawater； the Prince nodded； drew several deep gulps of air； then swam downward again。 Leto dived after him。
Within an hour the pair had gathered half a bucket of the beautiful gems。 〃Nice haul；〃 Leto said； squatting on the deck beside Rhombur； who； fascinated with the treasure； dipped his fingers into the bucket。 〃You like those？〃
Rhombur grunted。 His eyes danced with a child's delight。
〃I've worked up quite an appetite；〃 Leto said。 〃I'll go prep the foodpaks。〃
〃I'm starving； too；〃 Rhombur said。 〃Uh； need any help？〃
Leto drew himself up and raised his aquiline nose haughtily in the air。 〃Sir； I am the resident ducal heir； with a long resume asserting my petence to prepare a simple foodpak。〃 He strutted to the sheltered galley as Rhombur sorted through the wet coral stones； like a kid playing with marbles。
Some were perfectly spherical； others misshapen and pitted。 Rhombur wondered why certain ones had a blazing inner brilliance while others were dull by parison。 He set the three largest stones on the midship deck and watched the sunlight glitter on them； a pale shadow to the brilliance trapped within。 He noted their differences； wondered what he and Leto could do with the treasure。
He missed his own collection of gems and crystals； agates and geodes from Ix。 He had wandered through caves and tunnels and shafts to find them。 He had learned so much of geology that way and then the Tleilaxu had driven him and his family from their world。 He'd been forced to leave everything behind。 Although he left it unsaid； Rhombur decided if he ever saw his mother again； he could make a grand gift for her。
Leto leaned out of the galley door。 〃Lunch is ready。 e and eat before I feed it to the fishes。〃
Rhombur trotted in to sit at the small table while Leto served up two bowls of steaming Caladanian oyster chowder； seasoned with nouveau wine from House Atreides vineyards。 〃My grandmother came up with this recipe。 It's one of my favorites。〃
〃Well； not bad。 Even if you made it。〃 Rhombur slurped from his bowl and licked his lips。 〃It's a； um； good thing my sister didn't e along；〃 he said； trying to hide the joking tone in his voice。 〃She probably would have tried to wear fancy clothes； and you know she'd never have gone swimming with us。〃
〃Sure；〃 Leto said； unconvinced。 〃You're right。〃 It was obvious to anyone how he and Kailea flirted with each other； though Rhombur understood politically speaking that a romance between them would be unwise at best； and dangerous at worst。
Out on the midship deck just aft of them； the sun beat down； warming the wooden floorboards； drying the splashed water and exposing the fragile coral gems to the open； oxidizing air。 Simultaneously； the three largest gems burst into incandescent flares； merging into a miniature nova of intense heat； hot enough to burn through a metal starship hull。
Leto leaped to his feet； knocking aside his bowl of chowder。 Through the broad plaz windowports he could see blue…orange flames shooting up； setting the deck on fire； including the lifeboat。 One of the coral gems shattered； spraying hot fragments in all directions； each of which started secondary fires。
Within seconds； two more gems burned pletely through the coracle deck and dropped into the cargo hold below； where they ate through crates。 One burned open a spare fuel container； igniting it with an explosive burst； while the second gem seared all the way through the bottom hull until it extinguished itself in the refreshing water again。 The wickerwood hull； though treated with a fire…retardant chemical； would not hold up against such heat。
Leto and Rhombur rushed out of the galley； shouting at each other but not knowing what to do。 〃The fire！ We've got to get the fire out！〃
〃They're coral gems！〃 Leto looked for something with which to extinguish the blaze。 〃They burn hot； can't be put out easily。〃 Swelling flames licked the deck； and the coracle rocked with an explosion belowdecks。 On its davits the lifeboat was a lost cause； pletely enveloped in flames。
〃We could sink；〃 Leto said； 〃and we're too far from land。〃 He grabbed a chemical extinguisher； which he sprayed on the flames。
He and his panion took out the hoses and pumps from a front partment and doused the boat with seawater； but the cargo hold was already engulfed。 Greasy black smoke drifted through cracks in the top deck。 A warning beep signified that they were taking on large amounts of water。
〃We're going to sink！〃 Rhombur shouted； reading the instrumentation。 He coughed from the acrid smoke。
Leto tossed a flotation vest to his friend as he buckled another one around his waist。 〃Get on the shore…。 Announce our position and send a distress。 You know how to operate it？〃
Rhombur yelped an affirmative； while Leto used another chemical extinguisher； but soon exhausted its charge without effect。 He and Rhombur would be trapped out here； floating with only the debris of the boat around them。 He had to reach land and settle where they could wait。
He remembered his father lecturing him： 〃When you find yourself in the midst of a seemingly impossible crisis； take care of the solvable parts first。 Then； after you've narrowed the possibilities； work on the most difficult aspects。〃
He heard Rhombur shouting into the shore…； repeating the distress call。 Leto now ignored the fire。 The coracle was sinking； and would soon be underwater； leaving them stranded。 He looked toward the port side and saw frothing water around the tangle of the reef。 He dashed for the cabin。
Before the fire could reach the aft engines； he started the boat； used the emergency cutoff to sever the anchor； and raced toward the reef。 The flaming coracle was like a et on the water。
〃What are you do