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

commander stepped forward into the sunshine of Giedi Prime.

Xavier Harkonnen wore a clean segundo’s uniform with immaculate golden

insignia. By careful design, he cut a dashing military figure, one that would

inspire confidence and faith among his own troops as well as the civilians of

Giedi City. Fear was the worst enemy the machines could bring against them.

Xavier never offered any observer reason for uncertainty: Yes, brave humanity

would eventually win this war.

Grinning, Vergyl let out a sigh as all his doubts evaporated. Of course

Xavier had survived. This great man had led the strike force that liberated Giedi

Prime from the enslavement of cymeks and thinking machines. Xavier had

commanded the human forces in the atomic purification of Earth, the first great

battle of Serena Butler’s Jihad.

And the heroic Segundo Xavier Harkonnen would never stop until the

thinking machines were defeated.

But as Vergyl watched his brother walk down the ramp, he noticed that the

brave commander’s footsteps had a heavy, weary quality, and his familiar face

looked shell-shocked. Not even a hint of a smile there, no gleam in his gray eyes.

Just flat stoniness. How had the man gotten so old? Vergyl idolized him, needed

to speak with him alone as a brother, so that he could learn the real story.

But in public, Segundo Harkonnen would never let anyone see his inner

feelings. He was too good a leader for that.

Vergyl pushed his way through the throng, shouting and waving with the

others, and finally Xavier recognized him in the sea of faces. His expression lit

DUNE: WHIPPING MEK

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