Chapter 23

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Chapter 23

Post by Freakzilla »

This is the fallacy of power: ultimately it is effective only in an absolute, a
limited universe. But the basic lesson of our relativistic universe is that
things change. Any power must always meet a greater power. Paul Muad'Dib taught
this lesson to the Sardaukar on the Plains of Arrakeen. His descendants have yet
to learn the lesson for themselves
.
-The Preacher at Arrakeen

Jessica and Alia are conducting the morning audience from two identical thrones with Alia on the right, masculine position. The first supplicant is a troubadour who had been robbed and left nothing but his clothing and baliset. Alia give the first judgement to Jessica who asks him if he plays well. He claims to be as good as Gurney Halleck. He is begging for transportation money and Jessica asks where he wants to go, to which he replies Farad'n's Court. Jessica decides that if she enjoys his music she will keep him at he Atreides Court, if she is offended, she will send him into the desert to toil for his passage money, she deems him just right for Farad'n she will send him there. He agrees and sings a song mocking the Atreides and calls Alia the "female death spirit who walks without feet". Alia is offended but Jessica says he's just repeating what can be heard on the streets. Jessica says his tounge cust like a crystnife and he's perfect for Farad'n, which elicits laughter from the court. The second supplicant is a Fremen Naib and former Fedaykin who claims to be there on a matter of the desert. As a priest emerges from the mob yelling for them not to listen to the man because he came on false pretenses, Jessica notices Alia flash the handsign for "now!" and she dodges left, throne and all, rolling away just in time to hear two shots from a Maula pistol. She dove into the throng of supplicants and notices Alia didn't even flinch. It was the priest who had the pistol and the supplicants were holding him. The Fremen chops him in the throat and he strangles on the floor. Jessica orders him saved for questioning. Someone kills him anyway. Jessica tells the Naib that the attack was on her, not him and he vows that the tribes will hear of this. Everyone realizes it was a conspiracy and Alia was in on it. They go back to the audience and the Fedaykin Naib says he has come to see Jessica and when Alia interupts she tells her to be silent and calls her "murderous abomination" and blames Alia for the attempt on her life. Alia goes pale and begins tapping her fingers in the manner of the dead Baron. The Naib claims that the sandworms are becoming scarce and there has been rain. Jessica understands, no worm, no spice. Alia calls it superstition and fear of the ecological transformation and claims they only do what Kynes and Paul designed. Jessica accuses Alia of attempting to destroy spice production and calls her evil. She makes her way through the crowd calling for Fedaykin to follow. There were six in the room, five make it out alive behind her.
They were destroyed because they lied pretentiously. Have no fear that my wrath
will fall upon you because of your innocent mistakes.

~Leto II, God Emperor
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