"Frank Herbert - Dune 4 - God Emporer of Dune" - читать интересную книгу автора (Herbert Brian & Frank)

Leto recognized the inner question: "How many of me have there been?" The
Duncans always wanted to know this. Every Duncan asked it and no answer
satisfied. They doubted.
In his saddest Muad'Dib voice, Leto asked: "Do you take no pride in my
admiration, Duncan? Haven't you ever wondered what it is about you that makes me
desire you as my constant companion through the centuries?"
"You know me to be the ultimate fool!"
"Duncan!"
The voice of an angry Muad'Dib could always be counted on to shatter Idaho.
Despite the fact that Idaho knew no Bene Gesserit had ever mastered the powers
of Voice as Leto had mastered them, it was predictable that he would dance to
this one voice. The lasgun wavered in his hand.
That was enough. Leto was off the cart in a hurtling roil. Idaho had never seen
him leave the cart this way, had not even suspected it could happen. For Leto,
there were only two requirements-a real threat which the worm-body could sense
and the release of that body. The rest was automatic and the speed of it always
astonished even Leto.
The lasgun was his major concern. It could scratch him badly, but few understood
the abilities of the pre-worm body to deal with heat.
Leto struck Idaho while rolling and the lasgun was deflected as it was fired.
One of the useless flippers which had been Leto's legs and feet sent a shocking
burst of sensations crashing into his awareness. For an instant, there was only
pain. But the worm-body was free to act and reflexes ignited a violent paroxysm
of flopping. Leto heard bones cracking. The lasgun was thrown far across the
floor of the crypt by a spasmodic jerk of Idaho's hand.
Rolling off of Idaho, Leto poised himself for a renewed attack but there was no
need. The injured flipper still sent pain signals and he sensed that the tip of
the flipper had been burned away. The sandtrout skin already had sealed the
wound. The pain had eased to an ugly throbbing.
Idaho stirred. There could be little doubt that he had been
mortally injured. His chest was visibly crushed. There was obvious agony when he
tried to breathe, but he opened his eyes and stared up at Leto.
The persistence of these mortal possessions! Leto thought.
"Siona," Idaho gasped.
Leto saw the life leave him then.
Interesting, Leto thought. Is it possible that this Duncan and Siona . . . No!
This Duncan always displayed a true sneering disdain for Siona's foolishness.
Leto climbed back onto the Royal Cart. That had been a close one. There could be
little doubt that the Duncan had been aiming for the brain. Leto was always
aware that his hands and feet were vulnerable, but he had allowed no one to
learn that what had once been his brain was no longer directly associated with
his face. It was not even a brain of human dimensions anymore, but had spread in
nodal congeries throughout his body. He had told this to no one but his
journals.
===
Oh, the landscapes I have seen! And the people! The far wanderings of the Fremen
and all the rest of it. Even back through the myths to Terra. Oh, the lessons in
astronomy and intrigue, the migrations, the disheveled flights, the leg aching
and lung-aching runs through so many nights on all of those cosmic specks where
we have defended our transient possession. I tell you we are a marvel and my