Dune_ House Atreides - Brian Herbert [123]
“Bring me the regulations and two Mentats to run independent analyses. Find something to get us out of this!” The Emperor appeared suddenly alert, pumped up by the crisis. “House Corrino must not interfere with the Tleilaxu takeover of Ix. Our future depends on it.”
“As . . . you wish, Sire.” Hesban bowed and left in a rustle of his deep blue finery, still perplexed but willing to follow orders.
Minutes later a house servant entered the anteroom carrying a projector and a blackplaz oval screen. Bustling about, the servant set up the apparatus on a table. Fenring moved it into position so the Emperor could see it better.
Hesban returned, flanked by two Mentats, their lips stained red with sapho juice. Outside the door, the Sardaukar elite guard held back several representatives who clamored for entry. Clearly recognizable above the clamor was the high-pitched, agitated voice of the Ixian Ambassador.
Fenring called up recorded data on shigawire reels as Chamberlain Hesban summarized the events and the prob-lem for the two Imperial Mentats. Images danced above the table—black words printed in Galach. Staying close to his friend, Shaddam peered into the depths of the law as if he might spot some subtlety that had eluded everyone else.
Both Mentats stood rigid, eyes distant, as they ran their separate analyses of the law and its subsidiary codes. “To begin,” one of the Mentats said, “take a look at six point three.”
The words scrolled across the projector field in a blur, then stopped on a particular page. One of the sections was highlighted in red, and a second holo copy of the page appeared in midair. The duplicate floated to the Emperor’s lap, so that both he and the others could read it.
“Won’t work,” the second Mentat said. “Cross-reference seventy-eight point three, volume twelve.”
Leaning close, Elrood scanned the regulation. Then he passed a hand through the page, and it disappeared. “Rotten Guild,” he said. “We’ll bring them to their knees as soon as—” Fenring cleared his throat to interrupt the failing Emperor’s train of thought before he could reveal too much.
The holoprojector began searching again as the Mentats fell silent. Chamberlain Hesban leaned close to study pages that slowed in front of him.
“Blast these regulations! That’s what I’d like to do, use atomics on all the laws.” Elrood continued to fume. “Do I rule the Imperium, or don’t I? Having to pander to the Landsraad, having to avoid stepping on the Guild’s toes . . . an Emperor shouldn’t be required to bow to other powers.”
“Quite right, Sire,” Hesban acknowledged. “But we’re caught in a web of treaties and alliances.”
“Maybe this is something,” Fenring said, presently. “Jihad Appendix nineteen point oh-oh-four.” He paused. “In matters involving the Butlerian Jihad and the strictures established thereafter, the Emperor is given additional latitude to make decisions regarding punishment for those who breach the prohibition against thinking machines.”
The Emperor’s sunken eyes lit up. “Ah, and since there is some question here about possible Ixian violations, perhaps we can legally proceed with ‘all due caution.’ Especially since we have recently received disturbing reports about machine developments.”
“We have?” the Chamberlain asked.
“Certainly. Remember the self-learning fighting meks on the black market? That bears closer scrutiny.”
Shaddam and Fenring smiled at each other. They all knew such a stance might not hold up to prolonged scrutiny, but for now Elrood only needed to delay taking action. The Tleilaxu would seal their conquest in another day or two. Without outside support, House Vernius didn’t have a chance.
Hesban added, studying the precise Galach words, “According to this Appendix, the Padishah Emperor