Arrakeen, Arrakis, 10,225 AG, Sunday morning
The previous day the Tleilaxu had delivered the ghola of Duncan Idaho to the palace in Arrakeen. This was the second time the former swordsmaster and loyal servant of House Atreides had been brought back to life. The previous version had been offered as a gift to Paul Atreides, and, after being the first ghola ever to have the memories of his previous life restored, had married Paul's sister Alia.
The new one would still have to be made to remember. It would require intense psychological trauma, but it could, and would, be done.
Leto poured himself a cup of water from a carafe. Not quite as precious as it had once been, he still drank with the sense of reverence of a Fremen.
The Tleilaxu could have restored the ghola's memories, but he had deliberately not ordered them to, not this time. There would be so many more of them in the future, and the method would be increasingly refined. The Tleilaxu would count this as their advantage, not Leto's, but in this they were blinded by their own desire for knowledge.
He drank, then placed the empty glass on the table. Plans would have to be set in motion.
But Leto's thoughts were interrupted by a happy squeal, and the expression on his face shifted as he knelt and extended his arms towards his daughter. She could not yet walk on her own, but with her hands in the secure grip of Harah's, Hania's feet stumbled across the floor.
"She insisted," Harah said, as Leto scooped Hania up into his arms.
"The sietch would be a better place for her to explore than the palace," Leto replied. Harah didn't object to this, or comment, but she shook her head and smiled at the child. "I'll leave you now," she said. "Call for me if you need anything."
Alone with Hania, Leto walked over to the window, where the sunlight created a bright square on the floor. Hania made a noise, waving an arm at one of the tiny rock lizards that now and then found their way into the palace. In an instant it was gone, as usual.
"Hunting requires more stealth, little one," Leto said softly, but the child just looked into his eyes. He smiled. "One day I will teach you."
[Open for Alice, or for Ghanima if she's there, or for phonecalls.]
The new one would still have to be made to remember. It would require intense psychological trauma, but it could, and would, be done.
Leto poured himself a cup of water from a carafe. Not quite as precious as it had once been, he still drank with the sense of reverence of a Fremen.
The Tleilaxu could have restored the ghola's memories, but he had deliberately not ordered them to, not this time. There would be so many more of them in the future, and the method would be increasingly refined. The Tleilaxu would count this as their advantage, not Leto's, but in this they were blinded by their own desire for knowledge.
He drank, then placed the empty glass on the table. Plans would have to be set in motion.
But Leto's thoughts were interrupted by a happy squeal, and the expression on his face shifted as he knelt and extended his arms towards his daughter. She could not yet walk on her own, but with her hands in the secure grip of Harah's, Hania's feet stumbled across the floor.
"She insisted," Harah said, as Leto scooped Hania up into his arms.
"The sietch would be a better place for her to explore than the palace," Leto replied. Harah didn't object to this, or comment, but she shook her head and smiled at the child. "I'll leave you now," she said. "Call for me if you need anything."
Alone with Hania, Leto walked over to the window, where the sunlight created a bright square on the floor. Hania made a noise, waving an arm at one of the tiny rock lizards that now and then found their way into the palace. In an instant it was gone, as usual.
"Hunting requires more stealth, little one," Leto said softly, but the child just looked into his eyes. He smiled. "One day I will teach you."
[Open for Alice, or for Ghanima if she's there, or for phonecalls.]