80 years before the start of events in the original Dune book, so 10111 AG.
I don't remember anyone ever saying who was mining before the Harkonnens.
Pardot wasn't assigned to House Harkonnen, he was an Imperial Plantologist, owing alligence only to the Emperor.
They knew who he was, of course. No man arrived on Arrakis without a full dossier finding its way into the Fremen strongholds. They knew him: he was an Imperial servant.
- - -
The effect of Arrakis on the mind of the newcomer usually is that of overpowering barren land. The stranger might think nothing could live or grow in the open here, that this was the true wasteland that had never been fertile and never would be.
To Pardot Kynes, the planet was merely an expression of energy, a machine being driven by its sun.
This suggests he's a newcomer as his attitude is contrasted to that of the average newcomer.
A direct and simple man in many ways, Pardot Kynes. One must evade Harkonnen restrictions? Excellent. Then one marries a Fremen woman.
A newcomer but there are already Harkonnens in place.
In memory of Perach, who suffered and died needlessly.
I wish I could have been with you that one last time.