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Farad&039;n turned astare on Idaho, looked to the Bashar "What think you, Tyek?"

The Bashar apparently was having thoughts similar to those Jessica professed He said: "I like her reasoning Caution!"

"He&039;s a ghola-mentat," Farad&039;n said "We could test him to the death and not find a certain answer"

"But it&039;s a safe working assumption that we may&039;ve been tricked," Tyekanik said

Jessica knew the rief only kept hi hiin with," Jessica said, "I ht announce publicly that I ca," Farad&039;n said

"You&039;d have to trust rant me the complete freedom of Salusa Secundus," Jessica said "There could be no appearance that I spoke out of conored her "What reason would you give?"

"That I&039;m the Sisterhood&039;s plenipotentiary sent here to take over your education"

"But the Sisterhood accuses -"

"That&039;d require a decisive action from you," Jessica said

"Don&039;t trust her!" Wensicia said

With extrelanced at her, said: "If you interrupt me once more, I&039;ll have Tyek remove you He heard you consent to the formal investiture That binds him to me now"

"She&039;s a witch, I tell you!" Wensicia looked to the ainst the side wall

Farad&039;n hesitated Then: "Tyek, what think you? Have I been witched?"

"Not in ment She -"

"You&039;ve both been witched!"

"Mother" His tone was flat and final

Wensicia clenched her fists, tried to speak, whirled, and fled the roo himself once more to Jessica, Farad&039;n asked: "Would the Bene Gesserit consent to this?"

"They would"

Farad&039;n absorbed the ihtly "What does the Sisterhood want in all of this?"

"Yourlook at Jessica, h to speak, but re to say so to say that the Bene Gesserit hat they&039;ve alanted: a universe which won&039;t interfere with them"

"An obvious assumption," Farad&039;n said, "but I hardly see why you intrude with it"

Idaho&039;s eyebrows aould not perly, he smiled

Farad&039;n saw the smile, whirled to confront Idaho "I amuse you?"

"This whole situation a Guild by using them to carry instruments of assassination to Arrakis, instruments whose intent could not be concealed You&039;ve offended the Bene Gesserit by killing apro -"

"You call hola?"

"No I believe you didn&039;t know about the plot But I thought the situation needed bringing into focus"

"Don&039;t forget that he&039;s a ht," Farad&039;n said Once more he faced Jessica "Let us say that I free you and you randson&039;s death The mentat is correct"

"Was it your mother?" Jessica asked

"My Lord!" Tyekanik warned

"It&039;s all right, Tyek" Farad&039;n waved a hand easily "And if I say it wasin the test of this internal break a the Corrino, Jessica said: "You must denounce her and banish her"

"My Lord," Tyekanik said, "there could be trickery within trickery here"

Idaho said: "And the Lady Jessica and I are the ones who&039;ve been tricked"

Farad&039;n&039;s jaw hardened

And Jessica thought: Don&039;t interfere, Duncan! Not now! But Idaho&039;s words had sent her own Bene Gesserit abilities at logic into an to wonder if there were the possibility that she was being used in ways she didn&039;t understand Ghanima and Leto The pre-born could draw upon countless inner experiences, a storehouse of advice farBene Gesserit depended upon And there was that other question: Had her own Sisterhood been coht not trust her After all, she&039;d betrayed them once to her Duke

Farad&039;n looked at Idaho with a puzzled frown "Mentat, I need to knohat this Preacher is to you"

"He arranged the passage here I We did not exchange ten words Others acted for him He could be He could be Paul Atreides, but I don&039;t have enough data for certainty All I know for certain is that it was time fortricked," Farad&039;n reminded him

"Alia expects you to kill us quietly and conceal the evidence of it," Idaho said "Having rid her of the Lady Jessica, I&039; served her Sisterhood&039;s purposes, is no longer useful to the the Bene Gesserit to account, but they in"

Jessica closed her eyes in concentration He was right! She could hear the mentat firmness in his voice, that deep sincerity of pronouncement The pattern fell into place without a chink She took two deep breaths and triggered the h her mind, came out of the trance and opened her eyes It was done while Farad&039;n moved from in front of her to a position within half a step of Idaho - a space of no more than three steps

"Say no ht ainst Bene Gesserit conditioning

Idaho, about to speak, closed his mouth

"I command here," Farad&039;n said "Continue, mentat"

Idaho remained silent

Farad&039;n half turned to study Jessica

She stared at a point on the far wall, reviehat Idaho and the trance had built The Bene Gesserit hadn&039;t abandoned the Atreides line, of course But they wanted control of a Kwisatz Haderach and they&039;d invested too ram They wanted the open clash between Atreides and Corrino, a situation where they could step in as arbiters And Duncan was right They&039;d ee with control of both Ghanima and Farad&039;n It was the only compromise possible The wonder was that Alia hadn&039;t seen it Jessica sed past a tightness in her throat Alia Aboht to pity her But as left to pity Ghanima?

"The Sisterhood has promised to put you on the throne with Ghanima as your mate," Jessica said

Farad&039;n took a backward step Did the witch read h your mother," Jessica said "They told you I was not privy to their plan"

Jessica read revelation in Farad&039;n&039;s face How open he was But it was true, the whole structure Idaho had deh to the fabric on the lia of this," Jessica said "Duncan was correct: they trickedaction in the Sisterhood&039;s traditional pattern - a reasonable story, easily accepted because it squared hat one ht believe of their motives But they wanted Jessica out of the way - a flawed sister who&039;d failed them once

Tyekanik moved to Farad&039;n&039;s side "My Lord, these two are too dangerous to -"

"Wait a bit, Tyek," Farad&039;n said "There are wheels within wheels here" He faced Jessica "We&039;ve had reasons to believe that Alia ave an involuntary start, controlled hiawire had cut

Jessica allowed herself a sinal Leto as lover, father of her children, confidant and friend, saw his trait of cold reasoning filtered now through the twistings of an Abo considered"

"Duncan, I told you to be silent," Jessica said She addressed Farad&039;n "Her price o inconsequential deaths - the two of us"

"We suspected treachery," Farad&039;n said "Wasn&039;t it your son who said &039;treachery breeds treachery?&039; "

"The Sisterhood is out to control both Atreides and Corrino," Jessica said "Isn&039;t that obvious?"

"We&039;re toying noith the idea of accepting your offer, Lady Jessica, but Duncan Idaho should be sent back to his loving wife"

Pain is a function of nerves, Idaho reht comes to the eyes Effort comes from the muscles, not from nerves It was an old mentat drill and he coht wrist and severed an artery against the shigawire

Tyekanik leaped to the chair, hit its trip lock to release the bindings, shouted forat once through doors hidden in wall panels

There was always a bit of foolishness in Duncan, Jessica thought

Farad&039;n studied Jessica a moment while theto accept his Alia"

"That&039;s not why he cut his wrist," Jessica said