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Kynes's eyes widened； he had heard only grim and terrible stories about the uninhabitable southern regions。 He stared into the forbidding distance as Stilgar rapidly checked over the Planetologist's stillsuit； tightening fastenings and adjusting filters to his own satisfaction。 〃But how will we travel？〃 He knew the sietch had its own ornithopter； just a skimmer actually； not nearly large enough to carry so many people。
Stilgar looked at him with an expectant expression。 〃We shall ride； Umma Kynes。〃 He nodded toward the youth who had long ago taken a wounded Stilgar back to the sietch in Kynes's groundcar。 〃Ommun will bee a sandrider this day。 It is a great event among our people。〃
〃I'm sure it is；〃 Kynes said； his curiosity piqued。
In their desert…stained robes the Fremen marched out across the sand； walking single file。 Beneath the robes they wore stillsuits； and on their feet temag desert boots。 Their indigo…blue eyes gazed out of the far past。
One dark figure raced forward along a dune crest several hundred meters ahead of the rest of his group。 There he took a long dark stake and shoved it into the sand； tinkering with controls until finally Kynes could hear the reverberating thump of repetitive pounding。
Kynes had already seen such a thing during Glossu Rabban's ultimately frustrating worm hunt。 〃He's trying to make a worm e？〃
Stilgar nodded。 〃If God wishes。〃
Kneeling on the sands； Ommun removed a cloth…wrapped bundle of tools。 These he sorted and laid out neatly。 Long iron hooks； sharp loads； and coils of rope。
〃Now what is he doing？〃 Kynes asked。
The thumper pounded its rhythm into the sand。 The Fremen troop waited； carrying packs and supplies。
〃e。 We must be ready for the arrival of Shai…Hulud；〃 Stilgar said； nudging the Planetologist to follow as they trudged into position on the sun…drenched dunes。 The Fremen whispered among themselves。
Presently Kynes detected what he had experienced only once before； the unforgettable hissing； rushing roar of a sandworm's approach as it was drawn inexorably to the throb of the thumper。
On top of the dune Ommun crouched； grasping his hooks and goads。 Long curls of rope hung at his waist。 He remained perfectly motionless。 His Fremen brethren waited on the crest of a nearby dune。
〃There！ Do you see it？〃 Stilgar said； hardly able to suppress his excitement。 He pointed off to the south where the sand rippled as if a subterranean warship were heading straight for the thumper。
Kynes didn't know what was going on。 Did Ommun intend to battle the great beast？ Some sort of a ceremony or sacrifice before their long journey across the desert？
〃Be ready；〃 Stilgar said and grasped Kynes's arm。 〃We will help you in every way we can。〃
Before the Planetologist could ask another question； a roaring vortex of sand formed around the thumper。 Alert and battle…ready； Ommun skittered back； crouching down； ready to spring。
Then the enormous mouth of the sandworm emerged from the depths and engulfed the thumper。 The monster's broad…ringed back rose out of the desert。
Ommun sprinted； running with all his might to keep pace with the moving worm； but he wallowed in the loose sand。 Then he sprang； onto the arched； segmented back using the hooks and claws to haul himself atop one of the worm segments。
Kynes stared in awe； unable to organize his thoughts or prehend what the daring young man was doing。 This can't be happening； he thought。 It's not possible。
Ommun dug one of his scooplike hooks into the crevice between worm segments and then yanked hard； separating the well…protected rings and exposing pinkish flesh underneath。
The worm rolled to keep its sensitive exposed segment away from the abrasive sands。 Ommun scrambled up and planted another hook； spreading wide a second segment so that the worm was forced to rise higher out of its secret world beneath the desert。 At the highest point on the worm's back； behind its huge head； the young Fremen planted a stake and dropped his long ropes so that they hung from the sides。 Now he stood tall and proud on the worm； signaling for the others to e。
Cheering； the Fremen ran forward； bringing Kynes with them。 He stumbled to keep up。 Three other young men scaled the ropes； adding more of what they called 〃maker hooks〃 to keep the worm above the dunes。 The big creature began to move forward； but in a confused fashion； as if unable to understand why these bothersome creatures were goading it。
As the Fremen kept pace； they tossed up supplies； packs were lashed to the worm's back with more ropes。 The first riders assembled a small structure as fast as they could。 Prodded by Stilgar； an astonished Kynes ran up beside the towering worm。 The Planetologist could feel friction heat rising from beneath； and he tried to imagine what awesome chemical fires formed a furnace deep within the worm itself。
〃Up you go； Umma Kynes！〃 Stilgar shouted； helping him place his feet into loops in the ropes。 Clumsily； Kynes scrambled up； his desert boots finding purchase on the worm's rough hide。 He climbed and climbed。 The simmering energy of Shai…Hulud caused him to lose his breath； but Stilgar helped him to the top where the other Fremen riders had gathered。
They had assembled a crude platform and seat for him； a palanquin。 The other Fremen stood； holding their ropes against the enormous worm as if it were a bucking steed。 Gratefully； Kynes took the proffered seat and held on to the arms。 He had a disconcerting feeling up here； as if he didn't belong and could easily be toppled off and crushed to death。 The rolling movement of the worm made his stomach lurch。
〃Normally such seats are reserved for our Sayyadinas；〃 Stilgar said。 〃But we know you do not have the training to ride Shai…Hulud； and so this shall be a place of honor for our prophet。 There is no shame in it。〃
Kynes nodded distractedly and looked ahead。 The other Fremen congratulated Ommun； who had successfully pleted this important rite of passage。 He was now a respected sandrider； a true man of the sietch。
Ommun pulled on the ropes and hooks； guiding the worm。 〃Haiiii…Yoh！〃 The huge sinuous creature raced across the sands； heading south。。。。
KYNES RODE ALL that day； with the dry； dusty wind blowing in his face and sunlight reflecting off the sands。 He had no way of estimating the speed at which the worm cruised； but he knew it must be astonishing。
As the hot breezes whipped around him； he could smell freshets of oxygen and the flinty burned…stone odors of the worm's passage。 In the absence of extensive plant cover on Dune； the Planetologist realized the worms themselves must generate much of the atmospheric oxygen。
It was all Kynes could do to hold on to his palanquin。 He had no way to access his notes and records in the pack on his back。 What a magnificent report this would make though he knew in his heart he could never give such information to the Emperor。 No one but the Fremen knew this secret； and it must remain that way。 We are actually riding a worm！ He had other obligations now； new and far more important allegiances。
Centuries earlier； the Imperium had placed biological testing stations at strategic points on the surface of Dune； but such facilities had fallen into disrepair。 In recent months Kynes had been reopening them； using a few Imperial troops assigned to the planet just to maintain appearances； for the most part； though； he staffed them with his own Fremen。 He was amazed at the ability of his sietch brothers to infiltrate the system； find things for themselves； and employ technology。 They were a marvelously adaptable breed and adapting was the only way to survive on a place like Dune。
Under Kynes's direction the Fremen workers stripped equipment from the isolated biological stations； took necessary items back to their sietches； and filled out paperwork to report the pieces as lost or damaged； the oblivious Imperium then replaced the losses with new instruments so that the station monitors could continue their work。。。。
After hours of rapid travel across the Great Flat； the enormous worm became sluggish； exhibiting obvious fatigue； and Ommun had difficulty exerting control。 The worm showed signs of wanting to bury itself beneath the sand； increasingly willing to risk abrading its sensitive； exposed tissue。
Finally Ommun brought the behemoth around until it ground to a halt； exhausted。 The troop of desert men dropped off while Kynes slid down the rough worm segments onto loose sand。 Ommun tossed down the remaining packs and dismounted； letting the worm too utterly tired to turn and attack them wallow its way into the sands。 The Fremen removed the hooks so the worm； their Shai…Hulud； could recover。
The men sprinted to a line of rock； where there would be caves and shelter； and Kynes was surprised to see a small sietch that weled them for the night with food and conversation。 Word of the Planetologist's dream had spread to all the secret places across Dune； and the sietch leader there told them it was his great honor to host Umma Kynes。
The next day the group set off again on another sandworm； and another。 Kynes soon gained a more plete understanding of what Stilgar had meant with his assessment of a 〃twenty…thumper〃 jo