Hunters of Dune - Brian Herbert [158]
It was an overcast morning on Chapterhouse, with clouds that owed more to dust storms than to rain. A cold front had swept in. Such were the vagaries of climate in the ecosystem’s death throes. On the practice field far below, the Valkyries wore heavy-hooded black robes and gloves against the biting wind, though Reverend Mothers could manipulate their metabolism to endure temperature extremes. Their furious mock combat engagements were breathtaking as they abandoned themselves to violence. They had all heard the news of the destruction of Richese.
“Tleilax is our last and only target,” Kiria said. “We should move without delay. Strike now, and without mercy.”
Janess was more cautious. “We cannot afford anything but total victory. That is their most powerful remaining stronghold, the one where the whores are most entrenched.”
Murbella’s expression turned cagey. “That is why we will employ a different tactic. I need the two of you to open the way.”
“But we will strike Tleilax?” Kiria was fixated on the idea.
“No, we will conquer it.” The bitter breeze increased in intensity. “I will kill Matre Superior Hellica myself, and the Valkyries will eradicate the rest of the rebel whores. Once and for all.”
Murbella wanted to bravely reassure them that the New Sisterhood would get other weapons, other ships. But from where? And how would they pay for such a massive expenditure when they were already nearly bankrupt, their credit extended beyond any realistic ability to repay?
The necessary steps were clear to her. Increase spice-harvesting efforts in the Chapterhouse desert band and offer more spice to the ravenous Guild, which should convince them to cooperate with the Sisterhood’s much larger plan to defend humanity. If she fed their insatiable hunger for melange, the Guild would be happy to help her mount an effective military operation. A small enough price to pay.
“What is your plan, Mother Commander?” Janess asked.
She turned to her grim-faced daughter and the brash Kiria. “You two will take a team down to Tleilax in secret. Dress as Honored Matres and move among them, exposing their weaknesses. I give you three weeks to find ways to bring down our enemies from within their own ranks, and then to implement the scheme. Be ready in time for my full-scale assault.”
“You want me to pretend to be one of the whores?” Janess asked.
Kiria sniffed. “It will be simple for us. No Honored Matre could control herself well enough to walk undetected among us, but the converse is not true.” She flashed a feral grin at Janess. “I can show you how.”
The other young woman was already grasping the possibilities. “By moving secretly among them, we can plant explosives in key strongholds, sabotage their defenses, and transmit encoded plans with all the details of how well entrenched they are in Bandalong. We can cause chaos and disruption at a critical moment—”
Kiria cut her off. “We will open the way for you, Mother Commander.” She flexed her clawlike fingers, anxious to let herself become bloodthirsty again. “I look forward to it.”
Murbella stared into the distance. After Tleilax was secured, the New Sisterhood, the Spacing Guild, and all other allies of humanity could face the real Enemy. If we are to be destroyed, let it be at the hands of our true foe, rather than from a knife in the back.
“Send for a Guild representative, immediately. I have a proposal to make.”
The Scattering spread us far from the reach of any single threat. It also changed us, making our genetic lines diverge so that never again would “human”mean only one thing.
—MOTHER SUPERIOR ALMA MAVIS TARAZA,
request for analysis and modification
of Bene Gesserit breeding program
T
eg circled the no-ship’s lighter over a forested area near one of the unusual native settlements. Sheeana noted a parklike city with cylindrical towers interspersed through thick trees, camouflaged to blend in with the forest landscape. The Handlers (if that was who they truly were) distributed their settlements evenly throughout