Chapter 37 (Success is a matter of definitions)

Josef Venport, with Mentat Draigo Roget and scientist Dr. Ptolemy, observes seven cymek Titans—walker bodies piloted by proto-Navigator brains—testing on Arrakis. Shield use is intended to provoke a sandworm, validating theories that Holtzman fields enrage the creatures.

When a massive sandworm attacks, the Titans coordinate, some dropping shields and maneuvering. The worm swallows Hok Evander’s shielded cymek, but from inside it uses explosives and acid to cut free, mortally wounding the worm. The victory costs three Titans, alarming Ptolemy, while Venport focuses on the proof that a worm can be killed.

A second sandworm erupts unexpectedly into the contested territory. It smashes and swallows the remaining Titans in rapid succession, erasing Ptolemy’s elite team despite the earlier success. Ptolemy is devastated, mourning lost subjects such as Hok, Adem, Xinshop, and Yabido.

Venport remains exhilarated, seeing strategic potential despite total losses. He authorizes Ptolemy to build many more cymeks, imagining their use against the Butlerians, the “Half-Manford,” and even as forces to secure control of the Imperium if necessary.