Sandworms of Dune - Brian Herbert [126]
Since all hands—at least the known ones—were sealed in the meeting hall, any hidden traitors could very well be trapped inside. In the next few days, over the course of meticulous testing, any remaining Face Dancers among them would be rooted out.
At first, the younger children born during the journey seemed to think it was a game, but they soon grew restless; the people became uncomfortable and suspicious, wondering why only a handful of individuals were allowed to come and go on mysterious assignments. And why was the horrid little Tleilaxu one of the trusted ones? Many of those aboard still viewed Scytale with open scorn, but he was accustomed to such treatment. The Tleilaxu race had always been despised and distrusted. Now who was to blame?
Working frantically over the past day, he and the Suk doctors had assembled enough analytical kits to perform a genetic comparison on every untested individual. As a backup plan, he had also created enough of his Face Dancer–specific toxic gas to fill numerous canisters, though Sheeana was not ready to approve such a hazardous experiment—not yet. They didn’t trust him enough and kept the gas under their strict control.
He didn’t trust them entirely, either. After all, he was a Tleilaxu Master, perhaps the last one in existence. Secretly, he put together a more startling, fail-safe test, knowing full well what he was doing. He told no one of it.
When all was ready, Scytale sat in a front row for what he expected to be an important process of revelation. He watched the uneasy Bene Gesserits, Suk doctors, archivists, and proctors. Out in the audience, Teg sat next to the Rabbi and two Bene Gesserit Sisters. The ghola children were a few rows away, each of them already proven to be untainted. Duncan Idaho waited by one of the sealed doors, and male Bene Gesserits guarded the other exit points.
While the gathered passengers waited, Sheeana spoke from the front of the meeting chamber, her words clear and uncompromising, with an edge of Voice. “We have discovered a Face Dancer among us, and we believe there are more in this room.”
A moment of shocked silence extended uneasily as she attempted to make eye contact with every individual. Scytale was not surprised that no one stepped forward. The old Rabbi looked simultaneously indignant and lost without the rest of his people. From the seat next to the old man, Teg told him to be patient. The Rabbi glared but did not argue.
“We have created a foolproof test.” Sheeana sounded weary even though her voice boomed. “It will be tedious and time-consuming. But you will all submit to it.”
“I hope none of you has anything better to do.” Duncan crossed his arms over his chest and flashed a grim smile. “The doors will remain guarded until this process is complete.”
Scytale and the Suk doctors came forward to the stage, carrying kits, syringes, and chemical swabs. “As each one of you is cleared, our ranks of reliable allies will grow. No Face Dancer can elude this scrutiny.”
“Who was this Face Dancer you caught?” one of the Sisters asked, an undertone of anxiety in her voice. “And why do you assume there are others among us? What is your evidence?” When Sheeana explained how the worms had killed Thufir Hawat, stunned murmurs rippled through the audience.
The Bashar called from his seat, with an edge of guilt and revulsion in his tone. “We know that the false Thufir could not have been responsible for all the sabotage incidents we have on record. He was with me, in person, when several of the known incidents occurred.”
“How do I know you’re not all Face Dancers?” The Rabbi rose to his feet and glared at Sheeana, the Suk doctors, and especially