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he folded her arms across her chest； and with a rustling of her robe departed from the birthing room； followed by her aides。
IN HIS BALCONY chambers at Harkonnen Keep； the Baron admired himself naked in the mirror； as he frequently liked to do。 There were many mirrors in his extensive apartment wing； and plenty of light； so that he might constantly enjoy the perfection of form that Nature had bestowed upon him。 He was lean and muscular； with good skin tone especially when his male lovers took the time to rub perfumed oils into every pore。 He feathered his fingers over the washboard ridges on his abdomen。 Magnificent。
No wonder the witches had requested that he breed with them a second time。 He was； after all； extraordinarily beautiful。 With their breeding programs； they would naturally desire the best stock。 His first child by that warthog Mohiam must have been so perfect that they wanted another。 Though he loathed the prospect； he asked himself if that was truly so horrible。
But he wished he knew how his offspring fit into the long…term plans of those devious； secretive women。 They had multiple breeding programs； and no one but a Bene Gesserit seemed to understand any of them。 Could this be used to his advantage somehow。。。or did they intend to turn the daughter against him at a later date？ They had been careful not to provide any bastard heirs； thus avoiding dynastic squabbles； not that he much cared anyway。 But what was in it for him？ Even Piter de Vries had been at a loss to offer an explanation。
〃You have not given us your response； Baron；〃 Sister Margot Rashino…Zea said from behind him。 She seemed not to show any disfort whatsoever at his nakedness。
In the reflecting glass he saw the beautiful； golden…haired Sister。 Did they think her beauty could tempt him； her shapeliness； her fine features？ Would he rather mate with her than with the other one？ Neither prospect appealed to him at all。
Representing the scheming Sisterhood； Margot had just spoken of the 〃need〃 for him to copulate a second time with the witch Mohiam。 It hadn't even been a year yet。 The gall of these creatures！ Margot； at least； used slippery words and a little finesse； rather than the brutish demands Mohiam had made of him that night long ago。 At least the witches had sent a better mouthpiece this time。
In front of the beautiful woman； he refused to put on any clothing； especially in the wake of her request。 Nude； he flaunted himself for her； but pretended not to notice。 Wouldn't that sleek beauty love to rut with someone like me。
〃Mohiam was rather too plain for my tastes；〃 he said； finally turning to face the Sisterhood's emissary。 〃Tell me； witch； was my first child a daughter； as I was promised？〃
〃How could it possibly make any difference to you？〃 Margot's gray…green eyes remained locked on his； but he could tell she wanted to let her gaze roam over his body； his muscles and his golden skin。
〃I didn't say it made any difference； foolish woman but I am of noble station and I asked you a question。 Answer me or die。〃
〃The Bene Gesserit do not fear death； Baron；〃 Margot said； in the calmest of tones。 Her serenity both irritated and intrigued him。 〃Yes； your first child was a girl；〃 she continued。 〃We Bene Gesserit can influence these things。 A son would have been of no use to us。〃
〃I see。 So why are you back？〃
〃I am not authorized to reveal more。〃
〃I find your Sisterhood's second request deeply offensive。 I told the Bene Gesserit never to bother me again。 I could have you killed for defying me。 This is my planet and my Keep。〃
〃Violence would not be wise。〃 Steady tone； with a threatening undercurrent。 How could she appear so strong and monstrous in such a deceptively lovely body？
〃You threatened to reveal my alleged spice stockpiles last time。 Have you e up with anything new； or are you using the same old blackmail？〃
〃We Bene Gesserit can always provide new threats if you wish； Baron； though evidence of your fraudulent spice…production reports should still be sufficient to bring down the Emperor's wrath。〃
The Baron raised an eyebrow and finally deigned to snatch a slick black robe from his dressing chair。 〃I have it on certain authority that several Great Houses have their own stockpiles of melange。 Some say even our own Emperor Elrood is not above the practice。〃
〃The Emperor is not in good humor or good health these days。 He seems to be preoccupied with Ix。〃
Baron Harkonnen paused to consider this。 His own spies at the royal Court on Kaitain reported that old Elrood had been increasingly unstable and short…tempered of late； with signs of paranoia。 His mind was going； his health was failing； and this caused him to be more vicious than ever； as evidenced by his blithely allowing the destruction of House Vernius。
〃What do you think I am？〃 the Baron asked。 〃A prized Salusan bull to be put out to stud？〃
He had nothing to fear； because the witches no longer had a scintilla of physical proof against him。 He had scattered his stockpile of spice to deep hiding places in the isolation of Lankiveil； and ordered the destruction of every scrap of evidence from Arrakis。 It had all been done expertly； by an ex…CHOAM auditor in his employ。 The Baron smiled。 Former employ； actually； since de Vries had already dealt with the man。
These Bene Gesserit could threaten him all they wanted； but had no real hold over him。 This knowledge gave him a new power； a new way to resist。
The witch continued staring at him impertinently。 He wanted to squeeze Margot's slender throat and shut her up forever。 But that wouldn't solve his problem； even if he survived the confrontation。 The Bene Gesserit would just send another； and another。 He needed to teach the witches a lesson they wouldn't soon forget。
〃Send your breeding mother to me； if you insist。 I shall prepare for her。〃 He knew exactly what he was going to do。 His Mentat Piter de Vries； and probably even his nephew Rabban； would be happy to help。
〃Very well。 The Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam will be on her way within a fortnight； Baron。〃 Without another word； Margot left。 Her sparkling blonde hair and milky skin seemed too radiant to be contained within the drab robes of the Sisterhood。
The Baron summoned de Vries。 They had to get to work。
Without a goal； a life is nothing。 Sometimes the goal bees a man's entire life； an all…consuming passion。 But once that goal is achieved； what then？ Oh； poor man； what then？
…LADY HELENA ATREIDES；
her personal journals
After his childhood years of repression on Giedi Prime； young Duncan Idaho found the lush world of Caladan a paradise。 He'd been landed without a map in a city on the opposite side of the world from Castle Caladan。 Janess's friend； the second mate Renno； had discharged his obligations to the boy； then kicked the stowaway out onto the streets of a lowland spaceport。
Paying no further attention to him； the crew off…loaded their cargo of recyclables and industrial scraps and took on a fresh load of pundi rice wrapped in bags made from grain fibers。 Without saying goodbye； without offering advice or even wishing Duncan well； the second mate had climbed back aboard his cargo hauler and returned to the Heighliner in orbit。
Duncan couldn't plain： At least he had escaped from the Harkonnens。 Now all he had to do was find Duke Atreides。
The boy stood there among strangers； on a strange world； watching the ship ascend into the cloudy sky。 Caladan was a planet of rich and pelling smells； the air moist and laden with the salt of the sea； the sourness of fish； and the spice of wildflowers。 In all his life on Giedi Prime； he had never encountered anything like it。
On the Southern Continent； the hills were steep and covered with intensely green grasses and terraced gardens hacked into the slopes like drunken stairsteps。 Teams of hardworking farmers moved about under the misty yellow sun； not wealthy but still happy。 Wearing old clothes； they transported fresh fruits and vegetables on suspensor…borne pallets to the marketplace。
As Duncan stared with hungry eyes at the passing farmers； one kindly old man gave him a small； overripe paradan melon； which the boy ate voraciously。 Sweet moisture dripped between his fingers。 It was the most delicious meal he'd ever had。
Seeing the boy's energy as well as his desperation； the farmer asked him if he would like to return and work in the rice paddies for a few days。 The old fellow offered no pay； only a place to sleep and some food。 Duncan readily agreed。
On the long walk back； the boy told him the story of his battles with the Harkonnens； how his parents had been arrested and killed； how he had been chosen for Rabban's hunt； and how he had eventually escaped。 〃Now I must present myself to Duke Atreides；〃 he said with plete faith。 〃But I don't know where he is； or how to find him。〃
The old farmer listened attentively； then gave a grave nod。 Caladanians knew the legends of their Duke； had witnessed the greatest of his bullfights at the departure of his son Leto to Ix。 The people here honored their leader； and to them it seemed fundamentally reasonable that any citizen could request an audience with the Atreides。
〃I can tell you the city where the Duke lives；〃 the old man said。 〃My sister's husband even has a map of the whole world； and I can show you。 But I don't know how you could get there。 It's very far away。〃
〃I'm young and strong。 I can make it。〃
The farmer nodded and led his visitor back to the rice paddies。
Duncan stayed four days with the man's family； working up to his waist in flooded fields。 He waded through the water； clearing channels； inserting small but hardy seedlings into the loose mud。 He learned the songs and chants of the pundi rice planters。
One afternoon spotters in the low…hanging trees banged on pans； sounding an alarm。 Moments later； ripples in the peaty water signaled the approach of a school of panther…fish； bog dwellers that swam in packs searching for prey。 They could strip the flesh off a farmer's bones in moments。
Duncan scrambled up one of the tangled tree trunks to join the other panicked rice farmers。 He hung in the low branches； pushing Spanish moss aside as he looked down and watched the ripples approach。 Beneath the water he could see large； many…fanged creatures armored with broad scales。 Several of the panther…fish circled around the trunk of the swamp tree in which Duncan had taken refuge。
Some of the creatures rose up on scaled elbows； rudimentary arms with front fins that had developed into clumsy claws。 With most of their bodies out of the water； the carnivorous fish stretched upward； large and deadly。 They blinked wet； slitted eyes at the young man who hung just out of reach in the branches above。 After a long moment of staring them down； Duncan climbed one branch higher。 The panther…fish submerged again； swirling away out of sight in the sprawling rice paddies。
The following day Duncan took a spare meal the farmer's family had packed for him and trudged off toward the coast； where he eventually found work as a net…rigger on a fishing boat that plied the waters of the warm southern seas。 At least the boat would take him to port on the continent where Castle Caladan lay。
For weeks he worked the nets； gutted the fish； and ate his fill in the galley。 The cook used a lot of spices that were unfamiliar to Duncan hot Caladanian peppers and mustards that made his eyes water and his nose run。 The men laughed at his disfiture； and told him he would never be a man until he could eat food like that。 To their surprise young Duncan took this as a challenge； and soon he began asking for extra seasoning。 Before long he could endure meals hotter than any other crew member。 The fishermen stopped teasing him and began to praise him instead。
Before the end of the voyage； a cabin boy in the next bunk did a calculation for Duncan that showed him that he was nine now； by almost six weeks。 〃I feel a lot older than that；〃 Duncan responded。
He hadn't expected to take so long to reach his destination； but his life was better now； despite the incredibly hard work he'd taken on。 He felt safe； freer in a way than he had ever felt before。 The men on the crew were his new family。
Under cloudy skies the fishing boat