Dune Page #8

The Duke, Paul and SEVERAL ARMED GUARDS enter a

tunnel to a `thopter landing pad which is

illuminated by a shaft of light coming from a

chimney-like exit above. DR. KYNES and his Fremen

guard are standing next to Gurney.

KYNES:

(to Gurney)

So, this is Leto the Just...

GURNEY:

(sharply)

I hope I made myself clear. You may call

him "The Duke," "My lord," or "Sire." And

there is a more ancient term you might

keep in mind -- "Noble Born."

KYNES:

(inner voice)

Play out your little comedy while you can

off-worlders...

Gurney turns and activates a device...

93A. INSERT - ORNITHOPTER OPENING

...which causes the ornithopter behind to fold open

ready for flight.

--

93B. INT. TUNNEL - OBSERVATION ROOM - ARRAKEEN PALACE -

DAY:

The two parties meet and are introduced.

DUKE LETO:

So you are Dr. Kynes, the Imperial

Ecologist?

KYNES:

(turning to Gurney)

I prefer the more ancient term,

planetologist... Noble Born.

DUKE LETO:

This is my son, Paul.

PAUL:

Are you a Fremen?

KYNES:

I am a servant of the His Majesty the

Emperor. I have served His Majesty on

Arrakis long enough for my eyes to change.

PAUL:

(inner voice)

He's hiding something.

DUKE LETO:

I understand we have you to thank for

these stillsuits, Doctor.

KYNES:

They are Fremen suits. I hope they fit

well, my lord.

PAUL:

"Your gift is a blessing of the river."

Kynes' FREMEN GUARDS, hearing this are siezed with

agitation. Kynes QUIETS them, then studies Paul.

KYNES:

(inner voice)

The Mahdi will greet you with holy words

and your gifts will be a blessing.

(spoken, nonchalantly)

Most of the desert natives here are a

superstitious lot. They mean no harm. With

your permission, I will check the security

of your suits.

Gurney and the guard move forward warily.

GURNEY:

(angrily)

The Duke is to be addresses as...

--

Kynes comes forward and adjusts the Duke's suit,

checking seals and pulling on straps.

KYNES:

Basically...

GURNEY:

(leaping forward to protect his Duke)

Sire!

DUKE LETO:

It's all right Gurney.

Gurney steps back.

GURNEY:

Yes, Sire.

KYNES:

It's a high-efficiency filter and heat

exchange system. Perspiration passes

through the first layer and is gathered in

the second. The salt is separated.

Breathing and walking provide the pumping

action. The reclaimed water circulates to

catchpockets from which you can drink

through this tube at your neck. Urine and

feces are processed in the thigh pads.

Should you be in the open desert, remember

to breathe in through your mouth, out

through the nose tubes.

The Duke is now properly fitted. Kynes places the

noseplug into his nose.

KYNES (CONT'D)

With a Fremen suit in good working order,

one can sustain life for weeks, even in

the deep desert.

He removes the noseplug.

DUKE LETO:

My thanks.

KYNES:

With your permission...

Kynes turns to Paul, running his hands over the

slick fabric. He stands back with a puzzled

expression.

--

KYNES:

You've worn a stillsuit before?

PAUL:

No.

KYNES:

Your suit is fitted desert fashion. Who told you how

to do that?

PAUL:

No one. It... seemed the proper way.

KYNES:

That it is.

(inner voice)

He shall know your ways as if born to

them.

Kyne's Fremen guard are watching Paul very closely

now.

GURNEY:

We're wasting time, Sire.

Duke Leto, Dr. Kynes, Gurney and Paul enter the

ornithopter...

88. Through 89B. (Deleted)

90. INT. JESSICA'S CHAMBER - ARRAKEEN PALACE - DAY

Jessica trembles.

JESSICA:

(inner voice)

I must speak with you Leto!

91. Through 92. (Deleted)

93C. EXT. ATREIDES ORNITHOPTER - TUNNEL - ARRAKEEN PALACE

- DAY

...and the thopter turns slowly as it goes up into

the light.

93D. (Deleted)

--

93E. EXT. ATREIDES ORNITHOPTER - DAY

From outside the Palace's atomic shield we see the

blur of the ornithopter pass through a porthole and

come out perfect like a gleaming jewel.

93F. Through 94. (Deleted)

94A. INT. ATREIDES ORNITHOPTER - DAY

KYNES:

Southeast over the Shield Wall. That's

where I told your sandmaster to

concentrate his harvesting.

95. EXT. ATREIDES ORNITHOPTER - DAY

They crest the top of the wall which opens out into

a black, level expanse of rock, cratered and

fractured. On the other side is the huge, seemingly

endless plain of sand, the Great Desert. In the hazy

distance, flashes of light can be seen.

96. INT. ATREIDES ORNITHOPTER - DAY

PAUL:

Will we see a worm?

KYNES:

Where there is spice and spice mining

there are always worms.

PAUL:

Always?

KYNES:

Always.

PAUL:

Why do they come?

KYNES:

To protect their territory. Vibrations

attract them.

--

PAUL:

(inner voice)

I've registered him now... a knife is a

sheath on his left arm... He's strong... a

person born to command... He's hiding many

things.

(out loud, suddenly)

Is there a relationship between the worms

and the spice?

Kynes turns instantly and stares at Paul. Gurney

sees the wonder in Kynes' eyes.

GURNEY:

The young master is a trained Mentat, an

advanced student of Prana Bindu has

studied under some of the finest teachers

in the Universe.

Kynes takes a second look at young Paul.

KYNES:

As I said... they defend the spice sands.

As to their relationship with the spice...

who knows.

97. Through 97A. (Deleted)

98. INT. ATREIDES ORNITHOPTER - DAY

GURNEY:

Dust cloud ahead, Sire.

KYNES:

That's it... spice mining... no other

cloud quite like it. See the spotters over

it? They're watching for wormsign... the

telltale sand waves. Seismic probes on the

surface, too Sire... worms can travel too

deep for their waves to show... Looks like

a good patch of spice.

DUKE LETO:

Wormsign? Is it wormsign?

--

KYNES:

Yes!... worm. Big one! You've got sharp

eyes Sire.... May I?

Kynes grabs the microphone and dials in the correct

frequency.

98A. through 99. (Deleted)

100. INT. ATREIDES ORNITHOPTER

From the window, we see that the sand below is

rippling, like water with a big fish just under the

surface.

KYNES:

(into radio, after having found the

frequency)

Calling Harvester Pad Nine. Wormsign!

STATIC... then a voice.

VOICE:

(over radio)

Who calls Pad Nine?

GURNEY:

(quickly)

Don't mention the Duke... This is an

uncoded channel.

KYNES:

Unlisted flight northeast of you...

wormsign on intercept course... estimated

contact fifteen minutes.

VOICE:

(over radio)

Have sighting confirmed. Stand by for fix.

Contact in sixteen minutes minus. Very

precise estimate. Who is on that unlisted

flight?

Kynes clicks off the radio.

DUKE LETO:

What happens now?

KYNES:

The carryall will come and lift off the

spice harvester. Try and get in close over

the harvester... you'll find this

interesting Sire.

--

The Duke accelerates the ornithopter in the

direction of the harvester. Paul can SEE...

101. EXT. HARVESTER - DESERT - DAY

...huge amounts of sand being spewn out of the

gigantic stack atop the metal and plasteel

harvester.

102. INT. ATREIDES ORNITHOPTER - DAY

KYNES:

They'll work until the very last minute.

The yellow cloud of the harvester envelops them. The

Duke flies up to get a closer look.

VOICE:

(over radio)

Spotter control... no sign of the

carryall... it isn't answering.

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