"Dune 03 - Whipping Mek (Short Story)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Herbert Brian & Frank)

upon the brave jihadi defenders.

If only he had been out there himself, Vergyl could have helped in the fight.

But Xavier—the commander of the battle group—always seemed to fight against

his brother’s eagerness with nearly as much persistence as he fought against the

machine enemy.

W

DUNE: WHIPPING MEK

2

When the landing systems finished locking down, dozens of egress hatches

opened on the lower hull. Middle-ranking Jihad commanders emerged,

bellowing for assistance. All medically qualified personnel were called in from

the city; others were shuttled from across the continents of Giedi Prime to help

the wounded soldiers and rescued colonists.

Triage and assessment stations were set up on the spaceport grounds.

Official military personnel were tended first, since they had pledged their lives to

fight in the great struggle ignited by Serena Butler. Their crimson-and-green

uniforms were stained and badly patched; they’d obviously had no chance to

repair them during the many weeks of transit from Peridot Colony. Mercenary

soldiers received second-priority treatment, along with the refugees from the

colony.

Vergyl rushed in with the other ground-based soldiers to help, his large

brown eyes flicking back and forth in search of answers. He needed to find

someone who could tell him what had happened to Segundo Harkonnen. Worry

scratched at Vergyl’s mind while he worked. Perhaps everything was all right . . .

but what if his big brother had been killed in a heroic rally? Or what if he was