Hunters of Dune - Brian Herbert [120]
“Mother Commander, we bring dire news! An urgent warning.”
Murbella could see figures with her in the oval ship’s crowded cockpit, but the Sister had not used any code words to denote that she was being forced or held captive. Knowing the others were listening, but not knowing who they were, Murbella carefully selected her words after identifying the young woman. “Yes . . . Iriel. Where have you come from?”
“Gammu.”
With every moment, the transmitted images became clearer. Murbella could see five people inside the vessel’s piloting chamber. Many of them wore the traditional clothing of Gammu. The anxious passengers appeared to be bruised and battered; dried blood caked their cheeks and clothes. At least two of those aboard appeared to be either dead or unconscious.
“No choice . . . no chance. We had to take the risk.”
Murbella snapped at the nearest woman in the communications center. “Send up a retrieval ship. Get those people down here safely—now!”
“Not much time,” the priestess transmitted; her whole body shook with utter weariness. “Need to warn you. We escaped from Gammu before the Heighliner departed, but the whores nearly killed us. They know what we discovered. When is the Guildship coming?”
“We still have several hours,” Murbella said, trying to sound reassuring.
“It may be sooner, Mother Commander. They know.”
“What do they know? What have you discovered?”
“Obliterators. The Honored Matres on Gammu still have four Obliterators. They received orders from their Matre Superior Hellica on Tleilax. They are coming here aboard the Guildship. They mean to destroy Chapterhouse.”
THOUGH NOT SEVERELY injured, Priestess Iriel was exhausted and nearly starved. She had used all of her bodily reserves to help the small ship escape. Three of her six companions died before they could receive medical attention; the others were taken to the Keep’s infirmary.
Before resting, Iriel insisted on finishing the report to her Mother Commander, even though she could barely remain upright. Murbella summoned potent melange drinks, and the stimulant temporarily revived the battered young woman.
Iriel told of her ordeal on Gammu. She had been assigned to that planet for several years now, given orders to prepare the populace for the coming conflict. By preaching the message of Sheeana and the need to stand against the Outside Enemy, Iriel had cultivated wholehearted fanatical followers. The more concerned the people of Gammu grew about the danger from the outside, the more they wanted to hear Iriel’s message of hope and urgency.
But the rebel Honored Matres also had one of their strongest enclaves there. As the cult spread, the entrenched whores had struck, hunting down Sheeana’s followers. Perversely, the persecution made the cultists more resolute and determined. When Iriel had asked for their help in stealing this vital information and escaping from Gammu, she’d had no trouble finding volunteers. Fifteen of her brave followers had died before the warning ship could take off.
“You have done what was required of you, Iriel. You delivered your warning in time. Now go recover.” Murbella held the Ridulian crystal sheets that the priestess had stolen from the Honored Matres.
Just then the Heighliner arrived—two hours ahead of schedule.
Iriel glanced knowingly at her Mother Commander. “Our work is only just beginning.”
Murbella had hoped for more time, but had not counted on it. Only an hour earlier, suspensor-propelled launchers had placed hundreds of new-design Richesian space mines in orbit.