04-07-2016, 01:15 PM
Paul looked at Duncan who unwrapped what appeared to be a small mechanical staff with a sliding weight on one end and a sharp tip to be driven into the sand on the other.
“That, Master Matrix, is no issue.” Paul said as he accepted the rod and drove it into the ground. He tapped a button and the strange mechanical device began to rhythmically thump.
“You see, in cities one harnesses the power of cars or Ornithopters... but in the desert you must harness the power of the desert to survive.”
As he spoke a small shaking shook the ground. In the distance a great bulge, billowing in the sand like a whale about to surface could be seen. Paul kneeled and produced a set of hooks with crowbar like flat tips as well as a length of braided rope.
“The desert is a dangerous place but you must learn to accept, embrace, and eventually bend that danger to your will if you wish to survive.” He said, calmly walking towards the open bleed where the great creature moving under the sand was coming.
“I have placed a thumper. Thumpers call worms. Worms are spice. Spice is life.” He said as if he was reciting some sort of mantra or imparting some profound wisdom.
Suddenly a sandworm, some 20 feet in length, burst forth from the sand- a ringed maw of glittering white teeth threatening Paul. Paul, however, did not move. An overpowering smell of cinnamon and ozone hit the group- pungent and almost intoxicating in the atmosphere of fear it invoked. Still, Paul seemed to push this aside, and approached the worm as it dragged its bulk across the surface at an alarming speed. Running alongside it he wedged a hook under its flesh, exposing the softer flesh under the great armored segments of it’s body, and the great cylindrical creature made a strange wincing noise as it rolled to prevent the sand from getting in the exposed flesh. Paul clung on expertly and once on top hooked his other hook in to help steer it. He lashed the rope to his hook and tossed it over the side of the worm. It dangled at the ground, a skilled climber could climb it with ease.
“To answer your question Master Matrix- today we ride a worm to our destination.”
“That, Master Matrix, is no issue.” Paul said as he accepted the rod and drove it into the ground. He tapped a button and the strange mechanical device began to rhythmically thump.
“You see, in cities one harnesses the power of cars or Ornithopters... but in the desert you must harness the power of the desert to survive.”
As he spoke a small shaking shook the ground. In the distance a great bulge, billowing in the sand like a whale about to surface could be seen. Paul kneeled and produced a set of hooks with crowbar like flat tips as well as a length of braided rope.
“The desert is a dangerous place but you must learn to accept, embrace, and eventually bend that danger to your will if you wish to survive.” He said, calmly walking towards the open bleed where the great creature moving under the sand was coming.
“I have placed a thumper. Thumpers call worms. Worms are spice. Spice is life.” He said as if he was reciting some sort of mantra or imparting some profound wisdom.
Suddenly a sandworm, some 20 feet in length, burst forth from the sand- a ringed maw of glittering white teeth threatening Paul. Paul, however, did not move. An overpowering smell of cinnamon and ozone hit the group- pungent and almost intoxicating in the atmosphere of fear it invoked. Still, Paul seemed to push this aside, and approached the worm as it dragged its bulk across the surface at an alarming speed. Running alongside it he wedged a hook under its flesh, exposing the softer flesh under the great armored segments of it’s body, and the great cylindrical creature made a strange wincing noise as it rolled to prevent the sand from getting in the exposed flesh. Paul clung on expertly and once on top hooked his other hook in to help steer it. He lashed the rope to his hook and tossed it over the side of the worm. It dangled at the ground, a skilled climber could climb it with ease.
“To answer your question Master Matrix- today we ride a worm to our destination.”
![[Image: AXsJ8wI.png]](http://i.imgur.com/AXsJ8wI.png)