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Who was the wo used by Paliht came into Ghanima&039;s mind: Each planet has its own period, and each life likewise
She recalled Pali the transht in the sietch school Mathematics The man was a matheh mathematics until censured by the Priesthood He was aprocess could be understood with extree without a transfer of values
I should&039;ve suspected hins were all there
Then, with an acid tightening of her stomach: He killed my brother!
She forced herself to calmness Palimbasha would kill her, too, if she tried to pass hie Now she understood the reason for this un-Freht, this betrayal of the hidden entrance They atching by that light to see if either of their victi for the And now that Ghanima had seen the transmitter, she could explain certain of the handone of the transesture
The presence of this pair said much to Ghanima Likely every way into the sietch carried a similar watcher in its depths
She scratched her nose where dust tickled it Her wounded leg still throbbed and the knife arers remained numb Should it come to a knife, she would have to use the blade in her left hand
Ghani the maula pistol, but its characteristic sound would be sure to attract unwanted attention Some other ould have to be found
Palimbasha turned away froht The woht while she talked There was a trained alertness about the wo the edges of her eyes She was more than just a useful tool, then She was part of the deeper conspiracy
Ghanima recalled now that Paliovernor under the Regency He would be part of a larger plan, that was clear There would be many others with hies of the problem thus exposed, probed into it If she could take one of these guardians alive, many others would be forfeit
The whiffle of a sht Ghanis Her e silent barrier in her mind, found a priestess of Jowf captured in Assyria by Sennacherib The memories of that priestess told Ghanima ould have to be done here Palimbasha and his woerous They knew nothing of Jowf, knew not even the name of the planet where Sennacherib and the priestess had faded into dust The thing which was about to happen to the pair of conspirators, if it were explained to the here
And ending here
Rolling onto her side, Ghanis She uncapped the sandsnorkel, re filter within it Now she had an open tube She selected a needle from the repair pack, unsheathed her crysknife, and inserted the needle into the poison hollow at the knife&039;s tip, that place where once a sandworm&039;s nerve had fitted Her injured arm made the work difficult Shethe poisoned needle with caution while she took a wad of spice-fiber frohtly into the fiber wad, forhtly into the tube of the sandsnorkel
Holding the weapon flat, Ghani slowly to cause minimal disturbance in the alfalfa As she ht Yes, there were piu mob They were notorious biters of huo unnoticed, swatted aside as a biting fly A decision remained: Which one of those two to take - the man or the woman!
Muriz The name came unbidden into Ghanima&039;s s said about her She was one of those who fluttered around Paliht She was easily swayed, a weak one
Very well Paliht
Ghanima put the tube to her mouth and, with the memory of the priestess of Jowf clearly in her awareness, she sighted carefully, expelled her breath in one strong surge
Palimbasha batted at his cheek, dreay a hand with a speck of blood on it The needle was nowhere to be seen, flicked away by theand Paliive away beneath hiainst the wo with the dead weight when Ghanima came up beside her and pressed the point of an unsheathed crysknife against her waist
In a conversational tone, Ghanima said: "Make no sudden o of Pali forces you will find an underlying h the use of words Frooverned populace s, to confuse the syible universe In the maintenance of such a power structure, certain sy - sy with economic manipulation or those which define the local interpretation of sanity Synal that its users are accuht into a power process, our Imperial Security Force es -Lecture to the Arrakeen War College by, The Princess Irulan
"It is perhaps unnecessary to tell you," Farad&039;n said, "but to avoid any errors I&039;ll announce that a mute has been stationed with orders to kill you both should I show signs of succu to witchery"
He did not expect to see any effect froratified his expectations
Farad&039;n had chosen with care the setting for this first examination of the pair, Shaddarandeur it made up for with exotic appointments Outside it was a winter afternoon, but the less cha siht frolobes of the purest Ixian crystal
The news from Arrakis filled Farad&039;n with quiet elation Leto, the er Ghani sister, was in the custody of her aunt and reputedly was a hostage The full report did much to explain the presence of Idaho and the Lady Jessica Sanctuary hat they wanted Corrino spies reported an uneasy truce on Arrakis Alia had agreed to submit herself to a test called "the Trial of Possession," the purpose of which had not been fully explained However, no date had been set for this trial and two Corrino spies believed it h: there had been fighting between desert Fremen and the Iht governs were now neutral ground, designated after an exchange of hostages Ghanies, although the working of this reht to the audience securely bound in suspensor chairs Both were held down by deadly thin strands of shigahich would cut flesh at the slightest struggle Two Sardaukar troopers had brought theone away silently
The warning had, indeed, been unnecessary Jessica had seen the arht, an old but efficient projectile weapon in his hand She allowed her gaze to roam over the room&039;s exotic inlays The broad leaves of the rare iron bush had been set with eye pearls and interlaced to for The floor beneath her was alternate blocks of diaular borders of passaquet bones These had been set on end, laser-cut and polished Selected hard materials decorated the walls in stress-woven patterns which outlined the four positions of the Lion symbol claimed by descendants of the late Shaddaold
Farad&039;n had chosen to receive the captives while standing He wore uniforolden jacket of elf-silk open at the throat His only decoration was the princely starburst of his royal family worn at the left breast He was attended by the Bashar Tyekanik wearing Sardaukar dress tans and heavy boots, an ornate lasegun carried in a front holster at the belt buckle Tyekanik, whose heavy visage was known to Jessica from Bene Gesserit reports, stood three paces to the left and slightly behind Farad&039;n A single throne of dark wood sat on the floor near the wall directly behind the two
"Now," Farad&039;n said, addressing Jessica, "do you have anything to say?"
"I would inquire e are bound thus?" Jessica said, indicating the shigawire
"We have only just now received reports from Arrakis to explain your presence here," Farad&039;n said "Perhaps I&039;ll have you released presently" He smiled "If you -" He broke off as his mother entered by the State doors behind the captives
Wensicia hurried past Jessica and Idaho without a glance, presented a se cube to Farad&039;n, actuated it He studied the glowing face, glancing occasionally at Jessica, back to the cube The glowing face went dark and he returned the cube to his mother, indicated that she should show it to Tyekanik While she was doing this, he scowled at Jessica
Presently Wensicia stationed herself at Farad&039;n&039;s right hand, the darkened cube in her hand, partly concealed in a fold of her white gown
Jessica glanced to her right at Idaho, but he refused to aze
"The Bene Gesserit are displeased with me," Farad&039;n said "They believe I was responsible for the death of your grandson"
Jessica held her face e: So Ghanima&039;s story is to be trusted, unless She didn&039;t like the suspected unknowns
Idaho closed his eyes, opened thelance at Jessica, She continued to stare at Farad&039;n Idaho had told her about this Rhajia vision, but she&039;d seeue her lack of eh, that she wasn&039;t revealing
"This is the situation," Farad&039;n said, and he proceeded to explain everything he&039;d learned about events on Arrakis, leaving out nothing He concluded: "Your granddaughter survives, but she&039;s reportedly in the custody of the Lady Alia This should gratify you"
"Did you kill randson?" Jessica asked
Farad&039;n answered truthfully: "I did not I recently learned of a plot, but it was not ofexpression on that heart-shaped face, thought: Her doing! The lioness scheret
Returning her attention to Farad&039;n, Jessica said: "But the Sisterhood believes you killed hie"
As Wensicia hesitated, he spoke with an edge of anger which Jessica noted for future use "I said show it to her!"
Face pale, Wensicia presented the e face of the cube to Jessica, activated it Words flowed across the face, responding to Jessica&039;s eve movements: "Bene Gesserit Council on Wallach IX files forainst House Corrino in assassination of Leto Atreides II Arguned to Landsraad Internal Security Coes will be submitted for approval by all parties Your immediate response required Sabit Rekush for the Landsraad"
Wensicia returned to her son&039;s side
"How do you intend to respond?" Jessica asked
Wensicia said: "Since my son has not yet been formally invested as head of House Corrino, I will - Where are you going?" This last was addressed to Farad&039;n who, as she spoke, turned and headed for a side door near the watchfulback to my books and the other pursuits which hold much more interest for me"
"How dare you?" Wensicia demanded A dark flush spread from her neck up across her cheeks
"I&039;ll dare quite a few things in my own name," Farad&039;n said "You have made decisions in my name, decisions which I find extremely distasteful Either I will make the decisions in my own name from this point on or you can find yourself another heir for House Corrino!"
Jessica passed her gaze swiftly across the participants in this confrontation, seeing the real anger in Farad&039;n The Bashar Aide stood stiffly at attention, trying toWensicia hesitated on the brink of screa to accept any outcome from his throw of the dice Jessica rather ads in this confrontation which could be of value to her It seerandchildren had been e There could be little doubt of his truthfulness in saying he&039;d learned of the plot after its inception There was no er in his eyes as he stood there, ready to accept any decision
Wensicia took a deep, tre breath Then: "Very well The formal investiture will take place tomorrow You may act in advance of it now" She looked at Tyekanik, who refused to ht once ht But I do believe he has won She allowed her thoughts to return then to the ed their ers with a finesse which did credit to Bene Gesserit planning Hidden in the fore for Jessica&039;s eyes The fact of the e said the Sisterhood&039;s spies knew Jessica&039;s situation and they&039;d gauged Farad&039;n with a superb nicety to guess he&039;d show it to his captive
"I&039;d like an answer toherself to Farad&039;n as he returned to face her
"I shall tell the Landsraad that I had nothing to do with this assassination," Farad&039;n said "I will add that I share the Sisterhood&039;s distaste for the h I cannot be corief this may have caused you Fortune passes everywhere"
Fortune passes everywhere! Jessica thought That&039;d been a favorite saying of her Duke, and there&039;d been so in Farad&039;n&039;s nore the possibility that they&039;d really killed Leto She had to assume that Ghanima&039;s fears for Leto had motivated a colers would put Gurney in position to meet Leto then and the Sisterhood&039;s devices would be carried out Leto had to be tested He had to be Without the testing he was doomed as Alia was doomed And Ghanima Well, that could be faced later There was no way to send the pre-born before a Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiah "Sooner or later," she said, "it&039;ll occur to sohter could unite our two Houses and heal old wounds"
"This has already beenbriefly as his mother "My response was that I&039;d prefer to await the outcome of recent events on Arrakis There&039;s no need for a hasty decision"
"There&039;s always the possibility that you&039;ve already played into hter&039;s hands," Jessica said
Farad&039;n stiffened "Explain!"
"Matters on Arrakis are not as they aer unless Alia can contrive a way to use her"
"You expect hter oppose each other, that Atreides fights Atreides?"
Jessica looked at Wensicia, back to Farad&039;n "Corrino fights Corrino"
A wry smile moved Farad&039;n&039;s lips "Well taken Hoould I have played into your daughter&039;s hands?"
"By beco me"
"Abduct"
"Don&039;t trust this witch," Wensicia cautioned
"I&039;ll choose whoive me, Lady Jessica, but I don&039;t understand this matter of abduction I&039;d understood that you and your faithful retainer -"
"Who is Alia&039;s husband," Jessica said