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"Leave me now," he whispered

- = I am both father and mother to my people I have known the ecstasy of birth and the ecstasy of death and I know the patterns that you h the universe of shapes? Yes! I have seen you outlined in light That universe which you say you see and feel, that universe is ies focus upon it and I am in any realm and every realm Thus, you are born

- The Stolen Journals "My FISH SPEAKERS tell me that you went to the Citadel ily at Idaho, who stood near where Hwi had sat only an hour ago Such a se of time-yet Leto felt the emptiness as centuries

"I needed time to think," Idaho said He looked into the shadowy pit where Leto&039;s cart rested

"And to talk to Siona?"

"Yes" Idaho lifted his gaze to Leto&039;s face

"But you asked for Moneo," Leto said

"Do they report on every movement I make?" Idaho demanded

"Not every movement"

"Sometimes people need to be alone"

"Of course But do not bla concerned about you"

"Siona says she is to be tested!"

"Was that why you asked for Moneo?"

"What is this test?"

"Moneo knows I presumed that hy you wanted to see hi! You know"

"Siaynoq has upset you, Duncan I am sorry"

"Do you have any idea what it&039;s like to be hola&039;s lot is not easy," Leto said "Some lives are harder than others"

"I don&039;t need any juvenile philosophy!"

"What do you need, Duncan?"

"I need to know sos"

"Such as?"

"I don&039;t understand any of these people around you! Without showing any surprise about it, Moneo tells ainst you His own daughter!"

"In his day, Moneo too was a rebel"

"See what I mean? Did you test hi you"

Idaho glared at hiovern The more I find out, theon"

"How fortunate that you have discovered the way of wisdoe raised his voice to a battlefield roar which filled the small room

Leto smiled "Duncan, have I not told you that when you think you know so?"

"Then tellon"

"My friend Duncan Idaho is acquiring a new habit He is learning always to look beyond what he thinks he knows"

"All right, all right" Idaho nodded his head slowly in tithe Fish Speakers to the Coht them off! The escort that took y And the ones who brought me back here when you"

"They kno much it pleases me to see children of Duncan Idaho"

"Damn you! I&039;m not your stud!"

"No need to shout, Duncan"

Idaho took several deep breaths, then: "When I tell them &039;no,&039; they act hurt at first and then they treat "

"Don&039;t they obey you?"

"They don&039;t question anything unless it&039;s contrary to your orders I didn&039;t want to coht you"

"You know dalad you came, Duncan"

"Oh, I can see that!"

"The Fish Speakers kno special you are, how fond I am of you, how much I owe you It&039;s never a question of obedience and disobedience where you and I are concerned"

"Then what is it a question of?"

"Loyalty,,

Idaho fell into pensive silence

"You felt the power of Siaynoq?" Leto asked

"Mumbo jumbo"

"Then why are you disturbed by it?"

"Your Fish Speakers aren&039;t an army, they&039;re a police force" "By my name, I assure you that&039;s not so Police are inevitably corrupted"

"You tempted me with power," Idaho accused

"That&039;s the test, Duncan"

"You don&039;t trust me?"

"I trust your loyalty to the Atreides implicitly, without question"

"Then what&039;s this talk of corruption and testing?"

"You were the one who accuseda police force Police always observe that criminals prosper It takes a pretty dull policeman to miss the fact that the position of authority is the most prosperous criue and stared at Leto with obvious puzzleal the prisons to"

"What good are laws and prisons when the breaking of a law is not a sin?"

Idaho cocked his head slightly to the right "Are you trying to tell ion is"

"Punishant"

Idaho hooked a thumb over his shoulder toward the world outside the door "All this talk about death penalties that flogging and"

"I try to dispense with casual laws and prisons wherever possible"

"You have to have some prisons!"

"Do I? Prisons are needed only to provide the illusion that courts and police are effective They&039;re a kind of job insurance"

Idaho turned slightly and thrust a pointing finger toward the door through which he had entered the s but prisons!"

"I guess you could think of anywhere as a prison if that&039;s the way your illusions go&039;&039; "Illusions!" Idaho dropped his hand to his side and stood dualities, the perfect illusions behind which a prosperous power structure can operate while observing, quite accurately, that it is above its os"

"And you think crimes can be dealt with by

"Not criion can"

"Have you noted the pri to corrupt a overnment"

"And what is this corruption?"

"Essentially, it&039;s the failure to observe and worship the holiness of the God Leto"

"You?"

"Me"

"But you toldthat"

"You think I don&039;t believe in odhead? Be careful, Duncan"

Idaho&039;s voice cary flatness "You told me that one of my jobs was to help keep your secret, that you

"

"You don&039;t know my secret"

"That you&039;re a tyrant? That&039;s no"

"Gods have more power than tyrants, Duncan"

"I don&039;t like what I&039;"

"When has an Atreides ever asked you to like your job?"

"You ask e, jury and executioner" Idaho broke off

"And what?"

Idaho remained silent

Leto stared across the chill distance between the a fish on a line, Leto thought Youpoint of every eleing hi too rapidly this time Leto felt sadness

"I won&039;t worship you," Idaho said

"The Fish Speakers recognize that you have a special dispensation," Leto said

"Like Moneo and Siona?"

"Much different"

"So rebels are a special case"

Leto grinned "All of my most trusted administrators were rebels at one time"