Sandworms of Dune - Brian Herbert [96]
“Keep their bodies for dissection and analysis, along with the others. If nothing else, maybe we can learn something that will allow us to detect them among us.”
The young woman waited while Murbella scanned the long list of names. She felt a cold whisper run down her spine as an entry in the third column of one sheet caught her eye. She felt as if she had been struck a heavy blow.
Gianne.
Her own daughter, her youngest child by Duncan Idaho. For years the girl had delayed passing through the Agony, never reaching the point where she was ready for the ordeal. Gianne had shown great promise, but that was not nearly enough. Though she had not demonstrated herself to be ready, the girl—among thousands of others—had been forced to take the poison early, the only chance of surviving.
Murbella reeled in shock. She should have been at Gianne’s side, but in the chaos no one had told the Mother Commander when her daughter would be given the Water of Life. Most Sisters did not even realize that Gianne was her daughter. The frantic, exhausted helpers would not have known. With her priorities set in true Bene Gesserit fashion, Murbella had tended to her official duties and had gone without sleep for several days in succession.
I should have been there to support her and help, even if I could only watch over her as she died.
Yet no one had informed her. No one had known that Gianne was special.
I should have thought to check on her, but I put it off, made assumptions.
With so many events crashing around her, Murbella had misplaced her own daughter’s life. First Rinya, and now Gianne, both lost to the perilous Agony. Only two other daughters remained: Janess was off at the battlefront fighting thinking machines, while her sister Tanidia, not knowing the identity of her parents, had been sent to join the Missionaria. Though both of them faced risks, they might at least avoid contracting the horrific plague.
“Two of my children dead,” she said aloud, though the messenger did not understand. “Oh, what would Duncan think of me?” Murbella set the report aside. She closed her eyes for a moment, drew a deep breath, and straightened herself. Pointing to the name on the list of victims she said, “Take me to her.”
The messenger glanced down, ran a quick assessment. “The bodies in that column have been hauled off to the spaceport. ’Thopter loads of them are taking off right now.”
“Hurry. I must try to see her.” Murbella rushed out of the hall, glancing back to be certain the young woman was right behind her. Though the Mother Commander felt disturbingly numb, she had to do this.
They took a groundcar to the nearby spaceport, where the fluttering hum of ’thopters droned. On the way, the young Reverend Mother activated her commline, and in a quiet voice requested information. She then directed the driver of the car to take a particular access road.
On all of the spaceport landing pads, large cargo ’thopters were being loaded with the dead, and were lifting off as soon as they were full. In normal, better times when Bene Gesserits died, they would be buried in the thriving orchards or gardens. The bodies would decompose and provide nourishment and fertilizer. Now they piled up so fast that even large cargo ships could barely keep up with removing them.
The young assistant directed the driver to a specific grid in the landing zone, where a dark green ’thopter was being loaded by workers. Bundle after bundle of bodies went into the large hold. “She has to be in that one, Mother Commander. Would you . . . would you like them to unload so that you can find and identify her?”
As the two women stepped out of the groundcar, Murbella felt stunned, but tried to steel herself. “Not necessary. It is only her body, not