"Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson - Dune 09 - House Corrino" - читать интересную книгу автора (Herbert Brian & Frank)

The Emperor yawned. "All of them boring, as I recall." Now he remem-red the eccentric Pardot
Kynes, who had spent much of his life on rakis, shirking his duties and going native, preferring dust
and heat to : splendor of Kaitain. "I have lost interest in deserts." Especially now that ' al is at
hand.

"I understand your reservations about him, Sire, but Kynes could back and rile up the desert
workers. Who knows what influence he with them? They might decide to stage an immediate
general strike, reasing spice production and forcing Baron Harkonnen to crack ra. The Baron would
then request Sardaukar reinforcements, and from

Shaddam raised his well'manicured hand. "Enough! I see your point." : Chamberlain always cycled
through more consequences than an Deror needed to hear. "Let him in. But clean the dirt off of him
first."

Lm H? Tff immenS┬г Imperial Palace тДвpressive, but he was

arThan A3 h ** *FтДв*тДв ^^ C┬░"ld be more pi lar than the sheer vastness of Dune. He had stood
face-to-face with

DUNE: HOUSE CORRINO 9

monster Coriolis storms. He had ridden great sandworms. He had watched flickers of plant life
thrive in the most inhospitable conditions.

A man sitting on a chair, however expensive, could not match any of that.

His skin felt oily from the lotion the attendants had smeared all over it. His hair smelled of flowery
perfumes, and his body stank with unnatural deodorizers. According to Fremen wisdom, sand
cleansed the body and the mind. Once he returned from Kaitain, Kynes intended to roll naked on a
dune and stand out in the biting wind just to feel truly clean again.

Because he insisted on wearing his sophisticated stillsuit, the garment had been dismantled in a
thorough search for concealed weapons and listening devices. The components had been scrubbed
and lubricated, the carefully treated surfaces coated with strange chemicals, before the security men
let him have it back. Kynes doubted the vital piece of desert equipment would ever function
properly again, and he would have to discard it. Such a waste.

But since he was the son of the great prophet Pardot Kynes, Fremen would line up to the horizon
for the honor of making a new garment for him. After all, they shared one goal: the welfare of
Dune. But only Kynes could approach the Emperor and make the necessary demands.

These Imperial men understand so little.

Liet's mottled tan cape flowed behind him as he marched forward. On Kaitain it appeared to be no
more than coarse cloth, but he wore it like a royal mantle.

The Chamberlain announced his name curtly, as if offended that the Planetologist did not carry
sufficient noble or political titles. Kynes clomped across the floor in temag boots, not bothering to
walk with grace. He came to a stop in front of the dais and spoke boldly, without bowing. "Emperor
Shaddam, I must speak to you of spice and of Arrakis."