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

with joy, then crashed, as if weighed down by the burden of war memories and

realizations. Vergyl and his fellow relief workers hurried up the ramp to

surround the lead officer and escorted him into the safety of Giedi City.

Along with his surviving sub-commanders, Xavier Harkonnen spent hours

dispensing reports and debriefing League officials, but he insisted on breaking

away from these painful duties to spend a few hours with his brother.

He arrived at Vergyl’s small home unrested, eyes bloodshot and haunted.

When the two of them hugged, Xavier remained stiff for a moment, before

weakening and returning his dark-skinned brother’s embrace. Despite the

physical dissimilarities that marked their separate racial heritage, they knew that

the bonds of love had nothing to do with bloodlines and everything to do with

the loving family experiences they had shared in the household of Emil and

Lucille Tantor. Leading him inside, Vergyl could sense the tremors Xavier was

suppressing. He distracted Xavier by introducing him to his wife of two years,

whom Xavier had never met.

Sheel was a young, dark-haired beauty not accustomed to receiving guests

of such importance. She had not even traveled to Salusa Secundus to meet

Vergyl’s parents or to see the Tantor family estate. But she treated Xavier as her

husband’s welcome brother, instead of as a celebrity.

One of Aurelius Venport’s merchant ships had arrived only a week before,

carrying melange from Arrakis. Sheel had gone out this afternoon and spent a

week’s pay to get enough of the expensive spice to add to the fine, special dinner

she prepared.

As they ate, their conversation remained subdued and casual, avoiding any

mention of war news. Weary to the bone, Xavier seemed barely to notice the