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

“That is why we need to keep fighting.” Vergyl lifted his chin. His bravery

sounded tinny in his own ears. “Let me fight at your side against Omnius! The

Army of the Jihad is in constant need of soldiers. It’s time for me to get into the

real battles in this war!”

Now Xavier Harkonnen seemed to awaken. Dismay flashed across his face.

“You don’t want that, Vergyl. Not ever.”

Vergyl secured an assignment working aboard the Jihad warship as it

underwent repairs for the better part of two weeks. If he couldn’t fly off and fight

on alien battlefields, at least he could be here recharging weapons, replacing

damaged Holtzman shield systems, and strengthening armor plating.

While Vergyl diligently performed every task the team supervisors assigned

to him, his eyes drank in details about how the ship’s systems functioned.

Someday, if Xavier ever relented and allowed him to participate in the Holy

DUNE: WHIPPING MEK

8

Jihad, Vergyl wanted to command one of these vessels. He was an adult—

twenty-three years old—but his influential brother had the power to interfere

with anything he tried to do . . . and had already done so.

That afternoon, as he checked off the progress of repairs on his display pad,

Vergyl came upon one of the battleship’s training chambers. The dull metal door

stood half open, and he heard a clattering and clanging of metal, and the

grunting sounds of someone straining with great effort.

Rushing into the chamber, Vergyl stopped and stared in astonishment. A

long-haired, battle-scarred man—a mercenary, judging from his wild, disheveled

appearance—threw himself in violent combat against a fighting robot. The