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men as a rare root plant and brushed the dust from its tiny waxy leaves。
〃Look here； Frieth；〃 he said； like a teacher； his eyes shining。 〃Marvelously tenacious。〃
Frieth nodded。 〃We have dug those roots in times of need。 It is said a single tuber can yield half a liter of water； enough for a person to survive for several days。〃
Kynes wondered how much desert knowledge Stilgar's sister held within her Fremen mind； until now she had shared virtually none of it with him。 It was his own fault； he told himself； for not paying enough attention to her。
Eager to eat the fresh leaves of the struggling plant； the kulon lowered its muzzle to the ground； nostrils flaring as it sniffed。 But Kynes nudged it away。 〃That plant is too important to be a snack for you。〃
He scanned the ground； intent on finding other tubers； but noticed none in the immediate vicinity。 From what he had learned； these plants were native to Dune； survivors of whatever cataclysm had drained or diverted the moisture from this world。
The travelers took a short break to feed their child。 As Frieth set up a shade…floater on a ledge； Kynes recalled the work of recent months and the tremendous progress he and his people had already made as they began their centuries…long project。
Dune had once been a botanical testing station； an isolated outpost with a few sample plantings placed centuries ago in the days of Imperial expansion。 This had been done even before the prescient and geriatric properties of melange were discovered。。。back when this world had been a desert hellhole with no discernible use。 But the botanical stations had been abandoned； the sparse plantings as well as animal and insect life…forms were left to fare as best they could in the rough environment。
Many species had survived and diversified； demonstrating remarkable durability and adaptability。。。mutated sword grasses； cacti； and other arid…country vegetation。 Kynes had already arranged with smugglers to bring in cargoes of the most promising seeds and embryos。 Fremen workers then set about sowing the sands and spreading the precious seeds； each one a vital kernel of life； a grain of Dune's future。
From a water merchant； Kynes had learned of the death of Emperor Elrood IX。 That had brought back vivid memories of his audience on Kaitain； when the ancient ruler had given him his assignment to e here and research the ecology of Arrakis。 The Planetologist owed his entire future to that one meeting。 He owed Elrood a great debt of gratitude； but he doubted the ancient Emperor had even remembered him in the last year or so。
Upon hearing the startling news； Kynes had considered trudging back to Arrakeen； booking passage on a Heighliner； and attending the state funeral but decided he would have felt entirely out of place。 He was a desert dweller now； rugged； hardened； and far from the niceties of Imperial politics。 Besides； Pardot Kynes had much more important work to plete here。
In the deep south； far from Harkonnen watchers； the Fremen had planted adaptive poverty grasses along the downwind sides of chosen dunes； anchoring them across the prevailing westerly winds。 Once the slipfaces were held stable； the windward faces of the dunes grew higher and higher； trying to overe the plantings； but the Fremen moved their grasses to keep pace； eventually building gigantic sifs that rose as a sinuous soft barrier for many kilometers； some of them more than fifteen hundred meters high。。。。
As he contemplated； Kynes heard his wife stirring under the shadefloater。 She talked gently to the child as young Liet suckled her breast through a stillsuit flap。
Next； Kynes pondered the second phase of the ecological transformation process； in which he and his team would plant tougher sword grasses； add processed chemical fertilizers； build windtraps and dew； precipitators。 Later； careful not to pressure the fragile new ecology； they would add deeper plantings； including amaranth； pigweed； scotch broom； and dwarf tamarisk； followed by familiar desert icons such as saguaro and barrel cactus。 The timetable scrolled out toward the horizon； decades and centuries hence。
In Dune's northern inhabited areas； the Fremen had to content themselves with small plantings and hidden growths。 The vast population of Fremen knew the terraforming secret and labored with their collective sweat and lifeblood。。。and managed to keep the monumental task and its acpanying dream hidden from prying eyes。
Kynes had the patience to see the metamorphosis take place little by little。 The Fremen had intense faith in their 〃Umma。〃 Their unquestioning belief in one man's dreams and cooperation with his difficult demands warmed his heart； but Kynes was determined to give them more than just grand lectures and empty promises。 The Fremen deserved to see a brilliant glimmer of hope and he had acplished just that。
Others knew about his place in Plaster Basin； of course； but he wanted to be the first to show it to Frieth and their baby son Liet。 〃I'm taking you to see something incredible；〃 Kynes said as his wife dismantled the minicamp。 〃I want to show you exactly what Dune can be。 Then you'll understand why I work at it so hard。〃
〃I already understand； husband。〃 Frieth smiled knowingly； then zip…sealed her pack。 〃You cannot keep secrets from me。〃 She looked at him with a strange confidence； and Kynes realized that he did not need to rationalize his dreams to the Fremen。 Any Fremen。
Surveying the increasing steepness and hazards of the trail； Frieth didn't place the child back on the kulon； but chose to carry him in her arms instead。
Caught up in his thoughts again； Kynes began speaking aloud to Frieth as if she were one of his most dedicated students。 〃The thing the ecologically illiterate don't realize about an ecosystem is that it's a system。〃 He grabbed on to a rock on the rough mountain wall and hauled himself forward。 He didn't look back to observe the kulon's difficulties in negotiating the tight turn。 Its hooves stumbled on loose rock； but it followed。
In his mother's arms； the baby Liet whimpered； then silenced himself。 Frieth continued to listen to her husband。
〃A system maintains a certain fluid stability that can be destroyed by a single misstep in only one niche。 Everything es crashing down with the slightest of mistakes。 An ecological system flows from point to point。。。but if something dams that flow； then the order collapses。 An untrained person might miss the impending collapse until it is too late。〃
Already the Fremen had introduced insect forms； populations of tunneling creatures to aerate the soil。 Kit fox； kangaroo mouse； and larger animals such as desert hares and sand terrapin； along with their appropriate predators； desert hawk and dwarf owl； scorpions； centipedes； and trapdoor spiders。。。even the desert bat and biting wasps every small point interconnected on the web of life。
He couldn't tell if Frieth understood what he was saying or if she was interested。 In her silence； she agreed with him wholeheartedly。 Just once； though； he wished his wife would debate with him。 But Pardot Kynes was her husband and considered a prophet among the Fremen。 Her own ingrained beliefs were too strong for her to question anything he said。
Kynes drew a deep breath through his nose filters and continued up the side of the mountain。 If they didn't reach the cave opening before afternoon； the sun would pass overhead and bake them。 They'd have to find shelter and wouldn't get to Plaster Basin until the following day。 Anxious to show them his ecological treasure vault； Kynes picked up the pace。
The rocks stood above them and to their right like the knobbed spine of a starving lizard； casting shadows； muffling sounds。 The kulon plodded along； sniffing the ground for something to eat。 Frieth； who carried the baby boy without plaint； suddenly froze。 Her blue eyes grew wide； flashing from side to side。 She cocked her head to listen。
Kynes； weary and hot； but with a spring of eager anticipation in his step； went for five meters before he noticed that his wife had paused。 〃Husband！〃 she said in a quick； harsh whisper。 Frieth looked up into the blue…white sky； as if trying to see through the mountainous barricade。
〃What？〃 he asked； blinking。
An armored scout 'thopter thrummed over the ridge and rose high from the other side of the mountain wall。 Kynes stared up at it； standing out in the sunlit open path。 He noted the sandstorm…scarred Harkonnen markings； the scratched paint of the blue…griffin symbol。
Frieth clutched the baby close and scrambled for cover。 〃Husband！ This way！〃 She tucked their baby into a sheltered cranny of rock far too small for either of the adults； then ran back to get Kynes before he'd managed to react。 〃Harkonnens we must hide！〃 She grabbed his stillsuit sleeve。
The two…man 'thopter circled around close to the cliffside。 Kynes realized they had been seen； he and his family made obvious targets on the exposed ridge。 Harkonnen troops often made sport of attacking lone Fremen； hunting them down with impunity。
Weapons emerged from the snub nose of the craft。 The plaz side window slid open so that one grinning soldier in Harkonnen uniform could extend his lasgun rifle。 He had room to