Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson Dune House Atreides

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."Three fools put themselves in the way of the Harkonnen fist.I feel noobligation to him for their rescue.And he has seen crysknives.You know ourlaw: Who sees that knife must be cleansed or slain." Garnah's voicetrailed off."It is as you say," Aliid admitted."Kynes is known to travel alone and explore many inhospitable areas," Heinarsaid with a shrug."If he disappears, he disappears.No Harkonnen or Imperiumofficials will ever be the wiser.""It will no doubt be interpreted as a simple accident.Our world is not acomfortable place," said Garnah.Jerath simply smiled."If the truth is told, the Harkonnens may be perfectlyhappy to get rid of this meddlesome man anyway.There is no risk to us if wekill him."Silence hung in the dusty air for a moment."What must be, must be," Heinarsaid, rising to his feet at the head of the table."All of us know this.Therecan be no other answer, no changing of our minds.We must protect the sietchabove all, no matter the cost, no matter the burden it places on our hearts."He crossed his arms over his chest."It is decided.Kynes must die."Two hundred thirty-eight planets searched, many of only marginal habitability.(See star charts attached in separate file.) Resource surveys list valuable rawmaterials.Many of these planets deserve a second look, either for mineralexploitation or possible colonization.As in previous reports, however, nospice found.-Independent scout survey, third expedition, delivered to EMPEROR FONDIL CORRINOIIIHasimir Fenring had bribed old Elrood's guards and retainers, setting up what hecalled "a surprise secret meeting with an important, though unexpected,representative." The weasel-faced man had used his silken tongue and his ironwill to manipulate the Emperor's schedules to leave an opening.As a fixturearound the Palace for more than three decades, Fenring, by virtue of hisassociation with Crown Prince Shaddam, was a man of influence.With variousmethods of persuasion, he convinced everyone he needed to convince.Old Elrood suspected nothing.At the appointed hour of the Tleilaxu delegate's arrival, Fenring made certainhe and Shaddam were present in the audience chamber -- ostensibly as eagerstudents of the bureaucracy, intent on becoming viable leaders of the Imperium.Elrood, who liked to think he was instructing these proteges in importantmatters of state, had no idea the two young men laughed at him behind his back.Fenring leaned close to the Crown Prince and whispered in his ear, "This isgoing to be most entertaining, hm-m-m-m-ah?""Watch, and learn," Shaddam said ponderously, then raised his chin in the airand snickered.The huge embossed doors swung open, sparkling with soostones and rain crystals,etched with ghlavan metal.Sardaukar guards, standing stiff and formal in theirgray-and-black uniforms, snapped to attention for the new arrival."Now the show begins," Fenring said.He and Shaddam kept further chuckles tothemselves.Liveried house pages stepped forward to introduce the off-world visitor in arippling overtone of processed, electronically translated pomp."My LordEmperor, Highness of a Million Worlds -- the Master Hidar Fen Ajidica,representative of the Bene Tleilax, is here at your request for a privatemeeting."A gnomelike man with grayish skin walked proudly into the hall flanked by pasty-faced guards and his own retainers.His slippered feet scuttled like whisperedgossip across the polished stones of the floor.A ripple of surprise and distaste passed through the attendees at court.Chamberlain Aken Hesban, his mustaches drooping, stood indignantly behind thethrone and glared at the Emperor's scheduling advisors as if this were some sortof trick.Elrood IX lurched forward in his massive throne and demanded to see hiscalendar.Thus caught off guard, the old reprobate might just be surprised enough tolisten, Fenring thought.With surprising astuteness, Chamberlain Hesban's eaglegaze fell on him, but Fenring returned the look with only a bland, curiousexpression.Ajidica, the Tleilaxu representative, waited patiently, letting the chatter andwhispers flow around him.He had a narrow face, long nose, and a pointed blackbeard that protruded like a trowel from his cleft chin.Maroon robes gaveAjidica an air of some importance.His skin was weathered-looking, and pale anddiscolored blotches marked his hands, especially on the fingers and palms, as iffrequent exposure to harsh chemicals had neutralized the melanin.Despite hisdiminutive stature, the Tleilaxu Master came forward as if he had a perfectright to be in the Imperial audience chamber of Kaitain.From the side of the room Shaddam studied Ajidica, and his nose wrinkled, fromthe lingering food odors that were so characteristic of the Tleilaxu."May the one true God shine his light upon you from all the stars in theImperium, my Lord Emperor," said Hidar Fen Ajidica, placing his palms togetherand bowing as he quoted from the Orange Catholic Bible.He stopped in front ofthe massive Hagal-quartz throne.The Tleilaxu were notorious for handling the dead and harvesting corpses forcellular resources, yet they were unquestionably brilliant geneticists.One oftheir first creations had been a remarkable new food source, the slig ("sweetestmeat this side of heaven"), a cross between a giant slug and a Terran pig.Theoverall populace still thought of sligs as tank-bred mutations, however -- uglycreatures who excreted slimy, foul-smelling residue, and whose multiple mouthsground incessantly on garbage.This was the context in which people thought ofthe Bene Tleilax, even as they savored marinated slig medallions in saucesprepared from rich Caladan wines.Elrood drew back his bony shoulders into a firm line.He frowned down at thevisitor."What is.this doing here? Who let this man in?" The oldEmperor looked around the echoing room, his eyes flashing bright."No TleilaxuMaster has ever entered my Court for a private audience.How do I know he's nota Face Dancer mimic?" Elrood glared down at his personal secretary, then overat his Chamberlain."And since he got on my schedule at all, how do I knowyou're not a Face Dancer yourself? This is outrageous."The personal secretary stepped back, appalled at the suggestion.DiminutiveAjidica looked up at the Emperor, calmly letting the resentment and prejudicewash past without being affected by it."My Lord Elrood, tests can be performedto prove that none of our shapeshifters has subsumed the identity of anyone inyour Court.I assure you, I am no Face Dancer.Neither am I an assassin, nor aMentat.""And why are you here?" Elrood demanded."As one of the premier scientists of the Bene Tleilax, my presence here wasrequested." The gnomish man hadn't moved a centimeter, and remained at the footof the Golden Lion Throne, unflappable in his maroon robes."I have developedan ambitious plan that can benefit the Imperial family, as well as my ownpeople.""Not interested," the Padishah Emperor said.He flicked a glance at hisSardaukar, began to raise his gnarled hand to issue a command of forcefuldismissal.The Court attendees watched, amused and eager.Hasimir Fenring rapidly stepped forward, knowing he had only an instant tointercede."Emperor Elrood, may I speak?" He didn't wait for permission, buttried to appear innocent and interested."The sheer audacity of this Tleilaxu'sarrival has me curious.I find myself wondering what he has to say [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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