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Dune-TheLostChapter

ItissaidthatDuncanIdahosencounterwiththeFremenignitedhopeforsurvivalwhen

theAtreidesfamilyarrivedonplanetArrakis.Hisquickthinkingandkeenjudgmenthelpedto

preventdisaster.Letitbeunderstood,however,thattheDukeLetoismostfortunatethatIdaho

ishisobedientservant.

FromManualofMuadDibbythePrincessIrulan.

Theornithopterglidedacrossthebarren,windysandsoftheplanetArrakis.Acrossthe

horizon,milesofsandydunescoveredexpansesoflandaswellastheoccasionalrock

formation.Inaddition,anunbearableandrelentlessheatenvelopedanythingthatventured

outside.ManningthecontrolswasDuncanIdaho,whowaschargedwiththetaskofactingas

DukeLetosambassadortotheFremen.

YouwanttoknowsomethingabouttheFremen,eh?afellowcomradehadtoldhim

earlier.Well,letmetellyouthis.Theyarethemostbizarrecreaturesonthisbloodyplanet.I

hearthatwhenanyoftheirpeopledie,theyperformsomecrazyritualsinordertosapthe

corpseofitswater.Thethingsthesepeopledoforsomesimplewater!

Withoutadoubt,Duncanwasfeelinguncertainabouttheresultshisfirstencounter

withtheFremenwouldproduce.Hestillhadmanyunansweredquestionssuchaswhythey

neverusedanyshieldsasameanstoprotectthemselvesfromattackorhowtheycould

possiblyadapttoaplanetwithsuchascarcesupplyofwater.

Scanningacrossthedeserthorizonfromhiswindow,Duncanspreadoutarudimentary

versionofamapcontainingthelocationofanearbyFremensietch.Frustrationwasbeginning

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tosetinashefailedtofindanysignsofrockylandscapes.Glancingupfromthemap,hisview

fromthewindowbecamedifficulttodiscernasdustbegantoaccumulateacrossthewindow.

ImprettysureImclosenow,hethought.Ishouldlandthethopterandgoovermy

plans.

Glidinglowerandeasingupontheaccelerator,Duncanexpertlymaneuveredthe

thopteruntilitgentlylandedonthesandyground.Switchingoffthecontrols,heagain

attemptedtointerpretthemapscrudedetailsinhopesofpinpointinghiscurrentlocation.

Exasperated,hehurledthewrinkledmaptowardsthewallandangrilystompedoutsideintothe

sun.

Glaringsunlightmethisuntrainedeyesandmomentarilylefthiminadaze.Acool

breezerefreshedhisthoughtsandallowedhimachancetorelax.Sighing,heshadedhiseyes

withhisrighthandashestudiedtheareainalldirections.Nomorethanahundredmetersto

hisright,hewasstartledtodiscoverthathedfailedtonoticethepresenceofalarge,jagged

cliff.

Excitedlyhethought:ThatmustbewheretheFremenare!

Itbeganasasteadytremblingacrosstheground.Theairbecamestiflingasifallthe

oxygenhaddisappeared.Thenthesoundsofaconcentratedhummingfromfarawaybecame

audibleandthenwerefollowedbytremorswhichgrewmorepowerfulandunstable.

Gaspinginfear,Duncanknewitcouldonlybethesignsofanapproachingsandworm.

Rushingbackintothethopter,hequicklyturnedontheswitchesandstartedtheengine.

However,thecraftwasunresponsiveasIdahoattemptedtoliftoff.

Comeon,comeon!hecriedfrantically.

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Duncanglanceduptothewindowtoseehowfarthewormwasbutrealizedthe

thopterwasslowlybeginningtosinkbeneaththesand!Hethought:Whatthehellisgoingon

here!

Slammingthecontrolstonoavail,heremovedhissafetyharnessandstumbledintothe

rearofthethopterinsearchofhisemergencypack.Withitinhand,hetookonelastlook

aroundandjumpedoutsideintothedesert.

Strainingtocarrythepack,Idaholumberedacrossahighslopingmoundheading

towardsthecliff.Ashortdistanceaway,hehesitatedinshockfromthegratingcrunchofthe

thopterbeingdevouredbythesandwormasitrosemajesticallyfromthegroundwithits

mouthopenandrowsofsharpteethexposed.Staringatthebeastwithhismouthgapingwide

andhisbodydrenchedinacoldsweat,hecomposedhimselfandcontinuedtorunahead.

Dontlookback!Duncantoldhimself.Eachstepbecameheavierandhisbreathfelt

constrictedasifunabletoutterasound.Lookingupatthecliff,heestimatedthathewas

approximatelyfiftyyardsaway.Nervously,helookedoverhisleftshoulderbacktowherehis

thopteroncestood.Tohisdismay,herealizedthatthesandwormwaschasingafterhim!

Ivegottohurry!Thecliffisonlyashortdistanceahead,Duncanthought.

Stumblingandfallingoveralow-lyingjaggedrock,Duncanscreamedinagonyasblood

rushedoutofthewoundonhisknee.Fightingbackthepain,hegatheredenoughstrengthto

reachthefrontofthetoweringcliff.Searchingdesperatelyforaplacetohide,heabandoned

hispackandstartedtoclimbthesidesofthecliffwall.Suddenly,thewallshookviolentlybut

Duncanbarelymanagedtoholdon.Lookingdown,hewasalarmedtofindthatthewormwas

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rammingitsmassivebodyacrossthestonebase,hopingthathedfalldowntohisdoom.The

wormrammedpowerfullyoncemoreandDuncanfelthimselfbegintoslipoff.

Justashelostaholdofthewall,adarkfigureflashedbyhissideandcaughthimswiftly

bythecollar.Thefiguredraggedhimroughlytowardsanarrow,darkcavehiddenbyatall

desertplant.Suddenly,theatmosphereturnedcompletelydarkaroundhimasheenteredthis

mysteriousplace.Aschaoticasitwas,asensationofpeaceabruptlysetin.

WhodarestoangertheShai-Huludandwreakhavocinourdomain!aterriblevoice

rangacross.Unabletoregisterthevoice,Duncanwasleftspeechless.Hiseyessoonadjustedto

thedim-lightingandcouldpartiallymakeouttheappearanceofthepersonwhohadspokento

him.

Answermenow!thepersonroaredashesteppeddaringlyclosertoDuncan.

ThesightoftheterribleblueeyesshockedDuncanandlefthimunabletomove.

Fremen,hegasped.