Arrakeen, Arrakis, 10,232 AG, Saturday morning
”And then the Ixians will build a huge ship, with space enough for the population of two minor planets. Once in orbit it will split in half, and one will go back in time and one forward. It will mess up your plans terribly and you will have to find a way to fix it.”
Hania studied the hexagon cards in front of her. ”And there will be another sandstorm, one which fills the streets of Arrakeen with sand, and we will all go out and make sandcastles large enough to live in.”
She looked up at Leto with an enigmatic smile. ”I can see it.”
Leto smiled back. No doubt she could, but the source was a very vivid imagination and not prescient vision. While gathering up the tarot cards and putting them back in the box he said: ”You bring bad tidings, I hear. How will I be able to join you and your mother in Sietch Tabr when I have to find a way to solve unexpected time travel and sand castles?”
”Oh, it won’t happen anytime soon,” Hania replied. ”Maybe in a century or so.”
The Dune Tarot, introduced during the reign of Muad’Dib to cloud his oracular sight, had been a playful way for Leto to find out if his daughter had inherited that particular Atreides gift. It quickly became clear that she had not, but also that she found it delightful to make up stories which she claimed was based on the cards. This had become an amusing pastime they enjoyed together, and as Hania would leave for Tabr later that day the two of them had spent the morning playing this game. Irulan had let the girl skip her lessons today, but she would no doubt compensate for that later. Leto suspected that his stepmother, as much as she loved Hania and took her role as her tutor very seriously, quite enjoyed some time to herself, which she would likely be spending working on her historical essays.
”Does that mean you will come with me?” Hania knew well that Leto found it hard to resist that look, for the happiness of his child meant as much to him as his own. In that, at least, he was still human.
”I can’t, but I will be with you all in my thoughts.” He reached out to ruffle her hair. There were things that needed his attention in Arrakeen.
Hearing the steps approach before Hania did, Leto turned around. ”Duncan,” he greeted, as the familiar figure appeared in the doorway. The ghola of Duncan Idaho, whom the Tleilaxu had created for him, did not yet have the memories of the original but was called by the same name.
”Duncan!” Hania jumped to her feet and ran across the room to wrap her arms around the man. She looked up at him. ”I’m going to Sietch Tabr this afternoon, but will you play with me in the garden before that?”
Leto looked calmly at Duncan, who briefly met his gaze. The look was enough to confirm that the ghola remembered the order he had been given. He might not have his memories, but loyalty seemed to be part of the genetic makeup of Duncan Idaho.
You are not to spend time with Hania when I am not present. Leto had spoken to Duncan a few weeks earlier on his matter. It had worried him how his daughter had made friends with the most dangerous, the most unpredictable, person in Arrakeen. While Duncan himself would never harm the girl, he was a ghola without memories and not even Leto was quite sure what the Tleilaxu had planned for him. There was a trap, this he knew, but the precise information was muddled, which could mean that his daughter was somehow involved. To be invisible to prescience was the freedom he wished for her, but as a parent it was the most painful thing that he knew the future of all the universe, but could not predict the dangers threatening his own child.
Duncan Idaho had been unhappy, but he was loyal and he understood the reasons. Hania was a child testing the rules of her father and did not accept that a friend could also be a danger. The look she gave Leto now was proof enough of that.
”I’m afraid your father has other things planned for me,” Duncan gently told Hania. ”Some other day.”
The angle of the light falling on the floor showed that it was almost noon. ”Your meal should be ready, Hania,” Leto said. ”And have you packed your bags?”
It was clear from his voice that he would not change his mind, and so the girl left the room, her body language showing her protest.
Idaho turned to Leto. ”I have news, my lord.”
Leto nodded. ”I know. But let me hear your version of them.”
Being used to that response, the ghola continued: ”Some of the Sardaukar meet secretly in the cellar of an inn in Arrakeen.”
”They plot to turn against me.” Leto nodded. ”The Fremen will defeat them, and they know it.”
”If you say so, my lord. But they too are not quite…”
”Yes, but their hatred of the Sardaukar will be enough.”
”Still, there will be unrest.”
”There will. Unless we make an example of them beforehand. Your source will not know their plans, but she will know someone who will.”
”If you already know this…?”
”Details can evade me, Duncan.” Or rather, fate needed the actions of an humanity uncertain of the outcome. ”Return when you know more.”
Duncan Idaho bowed lightly and left the room, leaving Leto alone. This was no danger, not yet, but it was a suitable test for the ghola. His memories needed to be restored before the discontent in the two military forces serving the Atreides spiraled out of control.
He walked over to the high window and looked out across the city and to the desert beyond. Hands leaning against the windowsill he closed his eyes and felt the burning sun on his skin. Visions of this view passed before his inner eye, a century from now, five centuries, a millennia. Vegetation was gradually taking over, clouds could be seen in the sky. There would be no more Fremen riding sandworms across the open sands. Distraction, Leto told himself, I need distraction, if I can’t have happiness.
[NFB due to distance. Open for Ghanima should she be paying a visit, or for phonecalls.]
Hania studied the hexagon cards in front of her. ”And there will be another sandstorm, one which fills the streets of Arrakeen with sand, and we will all go out and make sandcastles large enough to live in.”
She looked up at Leto with an enigmatic smile. ”I can see it.”
Leto smiled back. No doubt she could, but the source was a very vivid imagination and not prescient vision. While gathering up the tarot cards and putting them back in the box he said: ”You bring bad tidings, I hear. How will I be able to join you and your mother in Sietch Tabr when I have to find a way to solve unexpected time travel and sand castles?”
”Oh, it won’t happen anytime soon,” Hania replied. ”Maybe in a century or so.”
The Dune Tarot, introduced during the reign of Muad’Dib to cloud his oracular sight, had been a playful way for Leto to find out if his daughter had inherited that particular Atreides gift. It quickly became clear that she had not, but also that she found it delightful to make up stories which she claimed was based on the cards. This had become an amusing pastime they enjoyed together, and as Hania would leave for Tabr later that day the two of them had spent the morning playing this game. Irulan had let the girl skip her lessons today, but she would no doubt compensate for that later. Leto suspected that his stepmother, as much as she loved Hania and took her role as her tutor very seriously, quite enjoyed some time to herself, which she would likely be spending working on her historical essays.
”Does that mean you will come with me?” Hania knew well that Leto found it hard to resist that look, for the happiness of his child meant as much to him as his own. In that, at least, he was still human.
”I can’t, but I will be with you all in my thoughts.” He reached out to ruffle her hair. There were things that needed his attention in Arrakeen.
Hearing the steps approach before Hania did, Leto turned around. ”Duncan,” he greeted, as the familiar figure appeared in the doorway. The ghola of Duncan Idaho, whom the Tleilaxu had created for him, did not yet have the memories of the original but was called by the same name.
”Duncan!” Hania jumped to her feet and ran across the room to wrap her arms around the man. She looked up at him. ”I’m going to Sietch Tabr this afternoon, but will you play with me in the garden before that?”
Leto looked calmly at Duncan, who briefly met his gaze. The look was enough to confirm that the ghola remembered the order he had been given. He might not have his memories, but loyalty seemed to be part of the genetic makeup of Duncan Idaho.
You are not to spend time with Hania when I am not present. Leto had spoken to Duncan a few weeks earlier on his matter. It had worried him how his daughter had made friends with the most dangerous, the most unpredictable, person in Arrakeen. While Duncan himself would never harm the girl, he was a ghola without memories and not even Leto was quite sure what the Tleilaxu had planned for him. There was a trap, this he knew, but the precise information was muddled, which could mean that his daughter was somehow involved. To be invisible to prescience was the freedom he wished for her, but as a parent it was the most painful thing that he knew the future of all the universe, but could not predict the dangers threatening his own child.
Duncan Idaho had been unhappy, but he was loyal and he understood the reasons. Hania was a child testing the rules of her father and did not accept that a friend could also be a danger. The look she gave Leto now was proof enough of that.
”I’m afraid your father has other things planned for me,” Duncan gently told Hania. ”Some other day.”
The angle of the light falling on the floor showed that it was almost noon. ”Your meal should be ready, Hania,” Leto said. ”And have you packed your bags?”
It was clear from his voice that he would not change his mind, and so the girl left the room, her body language showing her protest.
Idaho turned to Leto. ”I have news, my lord.”
Leto nodded. ”I know. But let me hear your version of them.”
Being used to that response, the ghola continued: ”Some of the Sardaukar meet secretly in the cellar of an inn in Arrakeen.”
”They plot to turn against me.” Leto nodded. ”The Fremen will defeat them, and they know it.”
”If you say so, my lord. But they too are not quite…”
”Yes, but their hatred of the Sardaukar will be enough.”
”Still, there will be unrest.”
”There will. Unless we make an example of them beforehand. Your source will not know their plans, but she will know someone who will.”
”If you already know this…?”
”Details can evade me, Duncan.” Or rather, fate needed the actions of an humanity uncertain of the outcome. ”Return when you know more.”
Duncan Idaho bowed lightly and left the room, leaving Leto alone. This was no danger, not yet, but it was a suitable test for the ghola. His memories needed to be restored before the discontent in the two military forces serving the Atreides spiraled out of control.
He walked over to the high window and looked out across the city and to the desert beyond. Hands leaning against the windowsill he closed his eyes and felt the burning sun on his skin. Visions of this view passed before his inner eye, a century from now, five centuries, a millennia. Vegetation was gradually taking over, clouds could be seen in the sky. There would be no more Fremen riding sandworms across the open sands. Distraction, Leto told himself, I need distraction, if I can’t have happiness.
[NFB due to distance. Open for Ghanima should she be paying a visit, or for phonecalls.]