Dune_ House Atreides - Brian Herbert [256]
“I’m no Mentat, Thufir . . . but I smell Harkonnens in this,” Leto mused as he ran his finger in circles on the slick, cold surface of the blueplaz table. He had to think, had to be strong.
Hawat gave him a concise analysis. “When a foul deed occurs, three principal trails invariably lead to the responsible party: money, power, or revenge. This incident was a setup, designed to destroy House Atreides—possibly linked to the scheme that killed your father.”
Leto heaved an enormous sigh. “Our family had a few quiet years under Dmitri Harkonnen and his son Abulurd, when the Harkonnens seemed to let us live in peace. Now I’m afraid the old feud has resurfaced. From what I hear, the Baron revels in it.”
The Mentat smiled grimly. “Exactly what I was considering, m’Lord. I am absolutely baffled as to how they might have accomplished such an ambush with so many other ships watching. Proving such a conjecture in Landsraad court will be even more difficult.”
A guard appeared at the force-barred cell and entered, carrying a small parcel. Without uttering a word or even looking Leto in the eyes, he placed the package on the slick table and departed.
Hawat ran a scanner over the suspicious parcel. “Message cube,” he said. Gesturing for Leto to stand back, the Mentat removed the wrapping to reveal a dark object. He found no markings, no indication of the sender, yet it seemed to be important.
Leto held up the cube, and it glowed after recognizing his thumbprint. Words flowed across its face in synchronization with his eye movements, two sentences that spoke volumes of provocative information.
“Crown Prince Shaddam, like his father before him, maintains a secret and illegal alliance with the Bene Tleilax. This information may prove valuable to your defense—if you dare use it.”
“Thufir! Look at this.” But the words dissolved before he could shift the face of the cube toward the Mentat. Then the message cube itself crumbled to brittle debris in his palm. He had no idea who could have sent such a bombshell to him. Is it possible that I have secret allies on Kaitain?
Suddenly uneasy, even paranoid, Leto switched to Atreides hand signals, the secret language Duke Paulus had taught close members of his household. The young man’s hawklike face darkened as he recounted what he had read and asked who could have sent it.
The Mentat considered for just a moment, then answered with his own flickering hand gestures: “The Tleilaxu are not known for their military prowess, but this connection might explain how they could so easily crush the Ixians and their defensive technology. Sardaukar might secretly maintain control over the downtrodden populace underground.” Thufir finished: “Shaddam is mixed up in this somehow, and doesn’t want that fact revealed.”
Leto’s fingers flashed in inquiry: “But what does that have to do with the attack inside the Heighliner? I don’t see a connection.”
Hawat pursed his stained lips and spoke aloud in a husky whisper. “Maybe there isn’t one. But it might not matter, so long as we can use the information in our darkest hour. I propose a bluff, my Duke. A spectacular, desperate bluff.”
In a Trial by Forfeiture, the normal rules of evidence do not apply. There are no disclosure requirements that evidence be revealed to the opposition or to the magistrates prior to the court proceedings. This places the person with secret knowledge in a uniquely powerful position—commensurate with the extreme risk he takes.
—Rogan’s Rules of Evidence, 3rd Edition
As Crown Prince Shaddam read the unexpected message cube from Leto Atreides, a wave of crimson rage tinted his face.
“Sire, my defense documentation includes a full disclosure of your relationship with the Tleilaxu.”
“Impossible! How could he know?” Shouting an obscenity, Shaddam smashed the cube against the wall, chipping the indigo-veined marble. Fenring scuttled forward to pick up the pieces, anxious to preserve