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predictable, Hasimir. You always warned me not to be predictable."
Fenring had the good grace to look embarrassed. He held his silence.
"You're the one who got me into this risky scheme in the first place, and who
knows when we'll see any payback from our dangerous investment on Ix."
Shaddam's eyes flashed fire. "Synthetic spice, indeed! I wish we'd never
allied with the Tleilaxu. And now I'm stuck with the unpleasant aftermath. See
where your scheming has gotten us?"
"Hm-m-m-m-ah, I won't be drawn into an argument with you, Shaddam. It wouldn't
be productive. But you knew the risks from the outset, and the enormous
possible gains. Please be patient."
"Patient? At the moment we're faced with two distinct possibilities." Shaddam
sat back down and hunched forward on the throne, hawklike. "As you said, either
I will be crowned, and you and I can rise to the top together -- or we go down
together . . . into exile or death." He let his breath out in a slow whistle.
"At the moment we're both in mortal danger, all because of your infernal spice
scheme."
Fenring pressed his last desperate idea, large eyes flicking from side to side
in search of some escape. "You have had some disturbing news, Sire. I can
sense it. Tell me what has happened." Few things in the Imperial Palace or the
capital city occurred without Fenring knowing about them immediately.
Shaddam clasped his long-fingered hands together. Fenring flushed and leaned
forward, his dark eyes widening with interest. The Crown Prince sighed in
resignation. "The Tleilaxu sent two assassins to kill Leto Atreides in his
protected cell."
Fenring's heart leaped, wondering if this was good news or bad. "And did they
succeed?"
"No, no. Our young Duke somehow managed to smuggle a weapon in and protected
himself. But this causes me great concern."
Fenring hunkered down, astonished at the news. "That's impossible. I thought
you'd already spoken to our Tleilaxu contact and told him in no uncertain terms
--"
"I did," Shaddam snapped. "But apparently you aren't the only one who no longer
listens to my commands. Either Ajidica ignored my instructions, or he has no
power to control his own people."
Fenring growled, happy to divert the Crown Prince's anger. "We need to strike
back in a similar manner: Let Hidar Fen Ajidica know that he must heed all
orders from his Emperor, or the price will grow much higher."
Shaddam looked at him, but his eyes were weary now and no longer as warm or open
as they had once been. "You know exactly what to do, Hasimir."
Fenring seized the chance to restore himself to the Crown Prince's good graces.
"I always do, Sire." He scuttled away across the long reception hall.
Shaddam paced the polished floor in front of the crystalline throne, trying to
calm himself and put his thoughts in order. Just as Fenring reached the
archway, he called out, "This isn't over between us, Hasimir. Things must
change once I am crowned."
"Yes, Sire. You must . . . hm-m-m-m, do as you see fit." Bowing deeply,
Fenring backed out of the audience chamber, relieved to depart with his life.
When faced with necessary actions, there are always choices. So long as the job
gets done.
-COUNT HASIMIR FENRING,
Dispatches from Arrakis
The Tleilaxu pilot who had survived the Atreides attack inside the Heighliner
was a material witness at the trial, and thus had been forced to remain on
Kaitain. He wasn't a prisoner, and his needs were taken care of, though no one
sought out his company. The Bene Tleilax hadn't even made his name commonly
known. He wanted to be back on his ship, back at work.
However, because of the huge influx of guests arriving for Shaddam's upcoming
coronation ceremony and the Imperial wedding, accommodations were difficult to
find. Shaddam's protocol ministers had taken great pleasure in finding only an
austere and unpleasant room for the man.
Much to the protocol ministers' annoyance, the Tleilaxu pilot didn't seem to
mind. He said nothing in complaint while he waited, and sulked and stewed until
he could bring the foul criminal Leto Atreides to justice . . . .
Kaitain nights were perfect, clear and full of stars and moons. Through
shimmering curtains of auroras, complete darkness never fell. Even so, most of
the capital city slept during certain hours.
Hasimir Fenring easily crept into the sealed room that held the Tleilaxu man.
He moved stealthily, like a shadow on a suspensorlift, and made no sound, used
no illumination. He was accustomed to the night; it was his friend.
Fenring had never seen a Tleilaxu asleep before -- but as he stepped closer to
the bed, he found the pilot already sitting up, totally awake. The gray-skinned
man stared at him through the darkness as if he could see better even than
Shaddam's henchman.
"I have a flechette pistol trained directly at your body core," the Tleilaxu
said. "Who are you? Have you come to kill me?"
"Hm-m-m-m-ah, no." Fenring recovered quickly and used his sweetest, silkiest
voice to introduce himself. "I am Hasimir Fenring, boon companion to Crown
Prince Shaddam, bearing a message and a request."
"What is it?" the pilot said.
"Crown Prince Shaddam beseeches you to reconsider the details of your testimony,
hm-m-m-m? He desires peace among the Houses of the Landsraad, and does not wish
for such a shadow to fall upon House Atreides, whose members have served the
Padishah Emperors since the time of the Great Revolt."
"Nonsense," the Tleilaxu snapped. "Leto Atreides fired upon our sovereign
ships, destroying one, damaging mine. Hundreds are dead. He has created the
largest political firestorm in recent decades."
"Yes, yes!" Fenring said. "And you can prevent it from escalating further,
hmmm? Shaddam wishes to begin his reign with quiet and prosperity. Can you not
consider the larger picture?"
"I think only of my people," the pilot said," and how we have been wronged by
one man. Everyone knows the Atreides is guilty, and he must pay the price.
Only then will we be satisfied." He smiled with thin lips. The flechette
pistol in his hand did not move a millimeter. Fenring could see how this man
could have risen to the rank of pilot; he clearly had the stomach to command
ships. "After that happens, Shaddam may have as quiet a reign as he chooses."
"You make me sad," Fenring said, sounding disappointed. "I will take your
answer back to the Crown Prince." He crossed his arms over his chest and bowed
in farewell, extending his palms forward. The motion triggered two needle guns
mounted to his wrists. In silence, they fired deadly paralytic darts into the
pilot's throat.
The Tleilaxu clenched in a spasm, reflexively firing the flechette pistol.
Fenring easily ducked out of the way. The long spikes hammered into the wall
and hung there quivering. A second later, an occupant in the adjacent room
pounded on the wall for quiet.
Still in darkness, Fenring studied his work. The evidence was all here, and the
Bene Tleilax would understand what had happened. After the outrageous
assassination attempt on Leto Atreides -- despite Shaddam's specific orders for
them to drop the matter -- Hidar Fen Ajidica had much to atone for.
The Tleilaxu prided themselves on their ability to keep secrets. No doubt they [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]