But nobody's going to break your heart, if it hasn't been done already. "It's a question of a little money against a lot of annoyance. The General blinked at me and plucked at the edge of his rug. The heat didn't get any less hot with the brandy in me. On my honor and my word - there was no choice.I finished my second drink and wiped my lips and my face. That choice will cost you and our House dearly." "You're the one who has made a choice here, Paulus. She lashed out at him with such vehemence that Leto took a silent step backward in surprise out in the shadowy hall. They are what they are, and I can't hate them for it." Do you think they've ever held the Orange Catholic Bible? It's not their fault. "The children can't help who they are, Paulus - they didn't ask to be born there, raised there, exposed to anything but proper teachings. Rhombur soaked up the experience of water and wind and sun, smiling. The Prince of Ix stood at the bow while Leto worked the controls. The two of them descended the narrow cliffside path and staircase, holding on to rails and vaulting weathered steps, avoiding the slippery moss and the white encrustations of salty spray. "You must live with the consequences, and be damned by them." Your decision alone, Paulus Atreides." Her voice was frighteningly cold. "Still it was your own decision, despite my warnings and despite my advice. But local coral gems were lovely, nonetheless. Because of the hazards and expense of containment, the gems did not support much of an off-world export market, given the more viable alternative of soostones from Buzzell. Coral gems were said to hold tiny living creatures that caused their inner fires to dance and simmer. These precious stones, found in knobby coral reefs, were popular pieces on Caladan, but perilous to handle. "Is your wife's leg better, Jerrik? Did you finish the roof on your smoke shed, Dom?" Rhombur watched Leto treat these people as friends while they loaded the gear. Servants packed them a lunch while three mariner assistants checked all the onboard systems in preparation for a day-long voyage. "Remember your rock collection? You and I are going to dive for coral gems." "It's about time you started to earn your keep around here."įinally, as Rhombur looked on with curiosity and trepidation, Leto clapped him on the shoulder. We can dive without air tanks." He slapped Rhombur on the back. Then we can go diving." He opened a compartment and withdrew a sack and a small spatulaknife for each of them. "We'll anchor about half a kilometer away so we don't risk ripping open the hull. "Just keeping you out of trouble is, uh, effort enough," Rhombur countered. Additional modules stored on shore could be installed to change the functions of the craft: adding more cabin space or converting one or both cargo holds to additional sleeping or habitation areas. Aft of the cabin were two decks, at midship and aftship, with cargo holds below: a nice setup for fishing or motor cruising. With a wide, beamy hull, it featured a spacious cutty cabin in the front and sleeping quarters beneath, reached via a spiral staircase. The Duke had several boats tied up at the dock, and Leto chose his favorite coracle, a white motorcraft around fifteen meters in length. "Now it's my turn to show you around Caladan." "A perfect day," Leto said, realizing that his friend was homesick for the lost underground city of Vernii, probably tired of too much weather. The ocean spread out like a blue-green prairie, curving off to the distant horizon. THE NEXT DAY, a calm and sunny morning, Leto stood next to Rhombur at an open window, admiring the quays at the base of the promontory.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |