[Dune7: Advent]

*

[Book Two - Chapter One]

The Bene Gesserit witches indulge in word-games and passive manipulation. The methods they choose to maintain the self-delusion of being able to exert what little influence they might have had once have driven them into a trap they built themselves: millennia of puppeteering rather than actively influencing people and cleansing their environment of unwanted elements have engrained into their policies a propensity for assuming the position of the weakest, the inept. Their inability to react to an outside force of unexpected size and power will be the instrument of their undoing.

-Great Honoured Matre Dama.

            Murbella looked out the window of her study, over the rooftops of the Sisterhood’s central complex on Chapter House, towards the orchards. Other Memory showed her what the view from this window had been like a century ago: long rows of large, strong trees bearing flawless fruit, supplying food for all of Central and many parts of the surrounding areas. The contrast with the current situation was saddening, in a way. The activities of the sandtrout that facilitated the growth of the desert had removed most of the moisture on the planet from places accessible to the roots of the vast majority of plants and trees. The few moderately healthy trees that remained in the orchard were stocky, and bore small, ill-tasting fruit. Still, Murbella continued to insist these last few reminders of the fact Chapter House had once been a very fertile planet would not be removed.

There is something strangely compelling about watching the degeneration of life at the hands of another species, she thought. Let my sisters think I’m morbid. The resilience of these trees - still succeeding in staying alive under these conditions - actually teaches us an important lesson: death will come eventually, but that does not give us an excuse to stop living.

She was both Bene Gesserit Mother Superior and Great Honoured Matre, thus combining both factions into a single sisterhood. The alliance was still fragile, Bene Gesserit and Honoured Matres continually strugling to find a balance between hate, fear, admiration and common sense. The plan constructed and executed by Alma Mavis Taraza and Darwi Odrade had worked - just barely.

Murbella had ruled the alliance for almost a decade now, and still members of both factions clashed regularly - the recent influx of new Honoured Matres from farther away in the realms of the Scattering had only made matters worse. These new arrivals had not lived through the events that had brought the two forces together - they had only heard about them, and they appeared not to understand the necessity of the alliance.

Murbella sat back in her chairdog. The education of the Honoured Matres is progressing, but the first acolyte from their ranks has yet to survive the Spice Agony - the three that have tried so far did not make it. They were impetuous, not ready at all to endure the extreme pain that accompanies the unlocking of Other Memory - but how do you explain the necessity of many years of intense training to people who alread think themselves to be superior?

            She turned towards her desk, and saw the map on the wall Odrade’s aide Streggi had started so many years ago, detailing the growth of the desert. And then there’s the Spice, she thought.

The desert covered a large part of the planet, leaving only the regions far to the north and south able to sustain any plant life of significance. The vast majority of the crops that fed the inhabitants of Chapter House were grown in enormous greenhouses, or underground caverns lit by sunlight filtering down through prisms for the plant species less tolerant of extreme heat. Water conserving policies reminiscent of those practiced by the ancient Fremen of Dune were already being implemented in some instances: special clothing was required for anyone staying outdoors for long amounts of time, and buildings were being installed with airlocks, keeping the precious moisture inside.

These measures were not strictly necessary yet, but Murbella had thought it wise the sisters on Chapter House would start getting used to a tight water discipline. Being a Reverend Mother, I can’t do anything but plan for the long term, she thought.

Everything was being sacrificed for Taraza’s vision. Murbella understood that vision involved the best possible future for the Sisterhood, but still she couldn’t help wondering if all the sacrifices were worth it. Even though Odrade was present in her Other memory, and with her Taraza, she still had trouble understanding the finer points of the plan that was supposed to turn the vision into reality.

The presence of the worms on Chapter House will give the Sisterhood its own source of the Spice, as well as the control over any religion surrounding either Shai-Hulud or The Tyrant. The former part of the plan has already worked, albeit on a very small scale, but Sheeana and Duncan are gone - even the most potent tools of the Missionaria Protectiva have so far proven unable to compensate for that particular loss. The persona of neither Taraza nor Odrade had felt compelled to help Murbella solve this problem in all these years, and at this moment they again refused to offer their advice.

The worms on Rakis needed to be destroyed to free the universe from the constraints of Leto’s vision, but what if his hold still hasn’t been broken? Here on Chapter House the worms are multiplying again, and hundreds of Reverend Mothers disappeared into the Second Scattering, carrying sandtrout with them to possibly start a similar transformation on another planet. Who knows how many worms were stolen from Rakis and taken elsewhere, and Arrakis before the Tyrant’s reign? We know the Spacing Guild tried several times - do we know for a fact they did not succeed? Silence remained.

Murbella glanced at her desk, and saw the stacks of files there, still waiting to be read, begging to be approved or otherwise processed by the Mother Superior. Bellonda kept bringing them in, regardless of how much had yet to be done from the previous batch. She let out a long sigh, a telling gesture she would never allow herself to make in front of an acolyte. Of course the watchdogs spying on her right now would speculate about this lack of discipline on her part, perhaps even spreading rumours about how tired the Mother Superior was and how this weakened her authority, but Murbella had realised very early on that showing herself to be human on carefully chosen moments could actually strengthen her leadership. Perhaps this is the influence of Odrade?, she wondered.

Murbella knew the work was important, and she assured herself she would eventually catch up with the recently increased workload, but at that moment a different priority emerged: the need to eat. It was supper time, and even though Murbella, being a Reverend Mother, had the ability to modify her body chemistry to compensate for a temporary lack of nourishment, she realised the act of eating itself would envigorate her in many ways.

She went down to the common mess hall and sat down at a table of acolytes, just like Odrade had done many times while she was Mother Superior. Murbella was upholding a tradition, one she rather enjoyed because it gave her access to sources of information about the atmosphere in Central other than her personal advisors, and allowed her to maintain a connection with her lower-ranked sisters.

After a short while an acolyte presented her with a variety of small plates and bowls of food, without any doubt carefully tuned to what she needed at that moment. The enchanting aromas of a spicy soup, rice and a mixture of meat and various vegetables greeted her - she almost couldn’t prevent her mouth from watering. The speed with which her meal had been prepared demonstrated the skill and dedication of the cooking staff, but it also pointed out a potential flaw in her behaviour.

Have I slipped into predictable patterns?, Murbella thought. What food I prefer might be a relatively unimportant aspect of my life, but what if this means I’m creating both easily recognizable behavioural patterns and unconscious dependency structures on much more fundamental levels?

A discussion at the far end of Murbella’s table caught her attention. Usually, acolytes would eat in silence whenever Mother Superior was present, occasionally whispering something to someone close by, but this was different: these two acolytes were speaking loudly, and Murbella could detect a hint of animosity in their voices.

Aaah, Bene Gesserit versus Honoured Matre, she thought, noting the small embroidered dragon on the white acolyte robe of one, where the robe of the other had no markings. The rift still exists.

“It takes many years of training to prepare for the Agony. The Water Of Life unleashes your deepest fears,” the Bene Gesserit acolyte explained. She was a beautiful, graceful young girl with curly red hair cascading down her back and bright blue eyes set in a delicate, light-skinned face - a rare combination indeed.

She is called Natalia, Murbella remembered. Very young, but she has definite potential.

“I don’t fear,” the Honoured Matre said.

This one is a recent arrival, Murbella noted.

“Everyone fears. It’s a fundamental aspect of what it means to be human,” Natalia paraphrased the Bene Gesserit lesson she had once learnt.

            The Honoured Matre snorted. “I have heard your Litany Against Fear. Face the fear, let it pass through you, only you remain - was that it? A children’s verse, a trick, that is all. It’s a sign of weakness that you would need such a thing.”

            It was clear Natalia was insulted. “The intent is not to ignore or destroy the fear, but to learn from it and avoid being dominated by it.”

She should learn to better control her facial expressions, Murbella thought.

“Fear is a warning mechanism - trust the wisdom of your own body,” the Honoured Matre said.

“Fear is not meant to incapacitate - if it does, that points out a deficit in your intuition, a blunting by false security. It is meant to increase physical power as well as your awareness of your surroundings.”

“Of course!”, the Honoured Matre said in the most derisive way she could manage. “There is hope for you yet, witch.”

Murbella could see the Bene Gesserit acolytes straining to repress a gasp. Some of the Honoured Matre acolytes showed the same reaction, but a small number appeared to enjoy what had happened. Natalia briefly glanced towards the Mother Superior, but otherwise retained her composure admirably.

She continued, as if she hadn’t heard the insult. “Sadly, fear also forces you to make a decision which more often than not leans towards the side of impetuousity and animal instinct. The real achievement lies in restraining that unconscious drive and conditioning it to let only the important information filter through to the consciousness, while relapsing into safe behavioural patterns in the short span of time the consciousness requires to catch up.”

“Honoured Matres wouldn’t know how to do that,” a Bene Gesserit acolyte blurted out, and immediately covered her mouth with her hands when she realised what she had said.

A real Bene Gesserit acolyte would never have said that, Murbella thought, no matter how inexperienced she was. She looked closer. That isn’t one of ours… , and immediately Murbella realised how what she had thought revealed where her real allegiances lay, no matter how much she tried to be a leader to both factions.

The Honoured Matre laughed. Tiny flecks of orange appeared in her eyes, signaling that she was getting angry. “Ah yes. You refer to the theory that you witches constructed about us. We have a large unconsciousness, don’t we?”

This was news to many at the table, and Murbella was suprised that an Honoured Matre knew about it. Records from before the merger detailing Bene Gesserit knowledge of and speculations about Honoured Matres had intentionally been kept secret.

“Ah, no…,” Natalia began.

The Honoured Matres at the table rose, their eyes blazing orange. The leader, the one who had spoken, prepared to attack Natalia, but another Honoured Matre in her party stopped her, their movements almost too fast to follow.

Immediately guards from all sides intervened, and started clearing the mess hall, Bene Gesserit acolytes and Honoured Matres leaving through different exits.

Murbella briefly looked at the Bene Gesserit acolyte who had made the careless remark while she was being ushered away to a safe place by Reverend Mother guards. It’s very subtle, but she has minute traces of surgery around the eyes. They wanted to mask the typical orange flecks that would appear in Honoured Matre eyes when provoked and give her the blue eyes of longtime Melange addiction, but they also wanted someone to notice these alterations had been made.

Despite the recent increase in intelligence reports about a possible Honoured Matre uprising - a few sceptics amongst the Bene Gesserit watchdogs had been producing a steady stream of such reports since the start of the alliance - Murbella was genuinely surprised. This entire incident was planned - a show for my benefit! Poor Natalia… unwittingly a pawn in this game. And whoever was behind it has somehow managed to access confidential Bene Gesserit files…

            While Murbella was being led to her study, she realised what had just happened. I have been given an open declaration of war.

[Dune7: Advent]

*

[Book Two - Chapter Two]

Unbridled expansion of living space and the interaction with new cultures and environments in the Scattering have allowed for the emergence of new abilities - the few encounters of our allies with Honoured Matres confirm this. However physically powerful these whores might be, there are even more powerful beings out there, chasing them back to the Old Empire. Rumours of human-beast hybrids, the fact these beings are referred to as “the enemies of many faces” and the contents of the recently intercepted “Prometheus Manifesto” provide us with clues about their origin an extent of their powers. Prime computation of every Bene Gesserit Mentat paints the same picture: an alliance of descendants of Scattered Ixians and Tleilaxu, who have a functional network of spies in the Old Empire. Traces of our own influence on the ancestors of this new superpower have been detected, which suggests it is likely that slight modifications to Missionaria Protectiva protocols for dealing with Ix and the Bene Tleilax will prove to be effective in overcoming this threat.

-Bene Gesserit Analysis.

            Murbella knew that she was being watched. Without knowing exactly by who or from where (surely the “why?” had been made abundantly clear in the mess hall a week ago), she could sense the presence of an observer. Not deriving this knowledge from any concrete sense data, she theorised the extraction of information from the environment by this observer somehow caused a transformation in the aura of the space around her, but quickly dismissed this line of thought as pure fabrication. Perhaps it was interesting as an example of how a particular problem might give rise to an odd array of theories to choose from, each one of them perhaps acceptable within a theoretical frame formed by freely chosen axioms, but the vast majority of them ultimately untenable if one chose to maintain certain relatively uncontestable assertions about the world - the principle of underdetermination of theories by data in action.

She had gotten used to the cameras of the Bene Gesserit watchdogs during her years in the no-ship with Duncan and in her function as Mother Superior since then, but the eyes following her movements now were much more vicious than Bellonda could be, even during her most inspired rants. It was exactly because of such potential threats that recently security surrounding Mother Superior had been tightened considerably.

Murbella had assured Bellonda time and time again that she was in no real danger - she was the most powerful Honoured Matre fighter, after all. Honoured Matre code of conduct - the mere mention of the concept had sent Bellonda into a fit of laughter - dictated anything other than direct confrontation in matters of succession was forbidden. Of course, there was a history of Great Honoured Matres being poisoned by ambitious underlings, but Murbella counted on her Bene Gesserit-trained metabolism to be able to take care of such coup-attempts.

            Deep inside Murbella knew that Bellonda’s fears were justified, and she herself had started feeling increased tension since the incident in the mess hall, at times bordering on fear. However, a combination of blind pride and being determined to provide both Honoured Matres and Bene Gesserit with a strong leader prevented her from admitting to having these feelings.

            Where are you, Duncan?, Murbella thought. I could always talk to you about these things. You were so strong, and I could be weak in your presence if that was what I needed… Our love was not merely physical.

            It was shortly after dusk and Murbella was walking in the garden, which was still relatively green, despite the continuing drought. Small, ornamented glowglobes illuminated the paths. She entered the maze, the tall hedges concealing her movements from the observers she knew were posted on several places in the garden. Two dark figures appeared around a bend; one of them swiftly but silently pulled Murbella into the shadows, while the other continued along the path Murbella had been following - a decoy to mask her disappearance.

            She was ushered along dark, hidden passages in the maze, and through a tiny, cleverly concealed door at the base of a large statue. A cramped hallway led to a small, brightly lit chamber.

            “Welcome, Mother Superior,” Bellonda said. She gestured Murbella to enter and take a seat at the conference table. Her escorts disappeared again, carefully sealing the door behind them. Across the table from Murbella and Bellonda two other Reverend Mothers sat, their eyes betraying nervousness.

            “Deliver your report, Sekil,” Bellonda said curtly.

            When the response did not come quickly enough, Bellonda said: “We realise you must have grown suspicious because of what you’ve seen and experienced, but we can guarantee you you are safe. This -,” she gestured, “- is a no-room. We cannot be detected by anyone outside.”

            Murbella remembered Sekil: she was one of her instructors during the initial stages of her Bene Gesserit education, but had been sent into the Second Scattering later. The other was called Fondalar - Murbella had no personal recollections of her, but had read her file while preparing for this meeting.

            Sekil began, her voice wavering. “We have returned from an assignment on Ard, a small and cold planet in the Kesel cluster. We bring you important information on the Prometheans.”

            “This is what the socalled ‘enemies of many faces’ call themselves,” Bellonda explained for Murbella’s benefit.

            “The armies of the Prometheans have already overrun many worlds,” Sekil continued. “Nothing appears to be able to stop them. Survivors are few, and the vast majority of those have been rendered effectively braindead by some type of biological weapon.”

            “The Honoured Matres had stolen one of these weapons, and used it during our attack at their headquarters on one of the Guild’s old Junction planets,” Murbella said.

            “This would be a logical extrapolation,” Sekil said.

            “Thank you so much for deeming our analysis acceptable,” Bellonda sneered.

            Sekil looked at Bellonda for a moment from the corners of her eyes, betraying that she felt intimidated by the physically large and verbally aggressive woman, but promptly continued her report.

“We have been able to gather that in virtually all cases, the Prometheans were aided by operatives they had placed in high places in governments and important organisations on those planets - it seems at least some of their numbers are Face Dancers even the most highly trained cannot unmask.”

            “Prometheans…,” Murbella muttered. “That name sounds so familiar.”

            “The Archives contain very little information on the name, as it concerns a period of the history of ancient Terra - many millennia prior to the point in time the earliest Other Memories originate from. Apparently ‘Prometheus’ was the son of a powerful ruler, who taught his father’s slaves the secrets of technology. They had been purposely kept in the dark, being allowed to know barely enough to perform their function. Prometheus was severely punished for his betrayal.”

            “I see. In what way are these Prometheans related to the Tleilaxu?”, Murbella asked.

            “That is not exactly clear,” Fondalar said. “The ability of at least some of the Prometheans to modify their physical appearance certainly must have originated in Tleilaxu science, but it doesn’t appear likely they are actually the Tleilaxu we know. Their use of technology and the way this violates the rules of the Jihad suggests they either stole Tleilaxu knowledge, or somehow assimilated rogue Tleilaxu in the Scattering.”

            Bellonda briefly leafed through a file she picked up from the conference table before turning towards the two Reverend Mothers again. “Not long ago a document called ‘The Prometheus Manifesto’ was found circulating amongst recent Honoured Matre arrivals. It appears to be an answer to ‘The Atreides Manifesto’ of over a decade ago, enticing its readers to abolish the fundament of our society, the decrees of the Butlerian Jihad. It seems obvious this document was written by the… Prometheans, as you call them. Based on your experiences, can you either confirm or deny this?”

            Fondalar nodded. “This does appear likely. Unsubstatiated rumours tell of cyborgs amongst the Prometheans’ ranks, which together with our earlier comments would corroborate the theory that this new force somehow contains Ixians and Tleilaxu that met in the Scattering, but the apparent animosity between the two peoples that has been in place for millennia doesn’t seem conducive to such a mating.”

            “The origin of the Honoured Matres suggests strange things have been happening in the Scattering - no one would have predicted an alliance of Fish Speakers and Bene Gesserit beforehand. Still Reverend Mothers did allow themselves to be contaminated like that,” Bellonda said. She glanced over to her Mother Superior, and quickly added: “No offense intended, of course.”

            “Whatever happened in the Scattering to produce the Prometheans, it seems they are not the only faction we need to worry about,” Murbella said, attempting not to show her amusement with Bellonda’s uneasiness. “The Old Empire factions of both Ix and Tleilax have started mobilising as well. This might have something to do with the Tleilaxu plans for ascendancy - perhaps they want to eradicate the Ixians, who are grave sinners in their eyes, before they turn their attention to the rest of the Old Empire.”

            Murbella looked at each of the faces of those present, finding total agreement. She continued. “However, this new information appears to change that, suggesting that if the circumstances are extreme enough, as they must have been in the Scattering, ideological barriers such as the ones between Ix and Tleilax might be breached. The secretive nature of both these groups does not improve the potential success rate of our projections, but our contact with the Tleilaxu Masters Waff and Scytale strongly suggests at least the Tleilaxu would not attempt to look for any allies in any of their core activities, even while feigning to do so anyway.”

            Fondalar nodded. “Still, the Tleilaxu are probably planning something on their own. We have heard of Tleilaxu Face Dancers that could not be unmasked by even the most capable Reverend Mothers either, and some of them have reportedly infiltrated Bene Gesserit colonies.”

            Murbella considered this. The Tleilaxu have certainly improved their Face Dancers considerably in the past few decades, and even though Reverend Mothers have always been able to detect them - at least when aware of what characteristics to scan for if faced with a suspect subject - it is not inconceivable that they have finally succeeded in their efforts. This could prove to be very dangerous. Anyone could be suspect.

            What about these two?, she thought. Are they who they say they are?

            Murbella looked at Fondalar. She was nervous, but that was to be expected when faced with the Mother Superior, delivering such important information. Murbella’s gaze then moved over to Sekil. Small drops of perspiration were starting to form on the forehead of the old, small and sinewy Reverend Mother. Sekil noticed the Mother Superior watching her, and looked away - it was clearly making her feel uncomfortable.

For the tiniest fragment of a second, Murbella noticed an unfamiliar expression on Sekil’s face - a tightening of facial muscles not consistent with what she remembered of her instructor during her first few years on Chapter House.

Age or any other natural development could not have wrought such a change!, Murbella thought. A closer look at the old face of the increasingly nervous Sekil revealed another of these tiny slips.

In a fraction of a second, Murbella lept across the table, her right leg outstretched, demonstrating her deadly speed by crushing the Face Dancer’s windpipe. As the creature lay on the floor suffocating, Murbella bowed over it and demanded: “Who sent you?”

            The creature’s muscles relaxed, the outspoken shapes of Sekil being replaced by bland, nauseatingly neutral features. A smile formed on its face, its raspy breathing growing shallow, and shortly thereafter stopping entirely.

[Dune7: Advent]

*

[Book Two - Chapter Three]

After the Worm died, humanity was freed from the oppression of the sword that could drop at the slightest provocation, the Fish Speaker army. In a reaction to the disappearance of the constraints of his reign the Tyrant had undoubtably foreseen, the human race expanded outward, into the uncharted territory far beyond the bounds of the Old Empire. While preserving the future of humanity this way, it also opened up the people remaining behind to a world of unknowns - a detachment of the development of various factions, with no guarantee of intent to cooperate and share between them. This was one of the major flaws of the Tyrant’s socalled Golden Path which the Sisterhood detected early on, and it seems the recent emergence of the Honoured Matres has proven this analysis was correct. Our own Scattering will be an attempt to prevent the destruction of our millennia-spanning program of educating humanity by decentralising our resources, and it will not fall in the same trap. Bene Gesserit training will ensure that.

-Mother Superior Darwi Odrade, argument in council.

            “The last time you were all summoned here, “ Murbella began, ”the Sisterhood was in peril of being eradicated by the Honoured Matres.” She sought out a few of the more prominent Honoured Matres in the crowd, and polled their reaction to her referring to this particular episode of recent history. Mazibul, an old but tall and very strong Honoured Matre, returned her stare with barely veiled animosity.

            She can’t be the mastermind of the recent declaration of war against me, Murbella thought. She’s certainly ambitious, as she should be on her age and at her particular station - old and of relatively low rank, but still intent on securing a better position for herself. However, she’s not too intelligent. She’s mainly where she is now because of her physical strength and a good sense of which more competent would-be leaders to ally with.

            The atmosphere in the great Common Room of Central was not what Murbella had hoped for. A feeling of unity and sisterhood would have been much more conducive of a proper reception of what it was she had to say - even collective fear of the Bene Gesserit and Honoured Matres’ common enemy would have been preferable over the current situation. There was a palpable tension between the two factions, characterised by a strict segregation, even during this gathering: seen from the stage, the Bene Gesserit present today occupied the right half of the hall, Honoured Matres - slightly less in number - the left half. Murbella did spot a few of the Sisterhood’s operatives amongst the Honoured Matre crowd.

It’s not unlikely that the converse is the case as well, Murbella realised. Honoured Matre agents have probably infiltrated what are thought to be purely Bene Gesserit groups. A decade ago they would have been uncovered almost immediately, but it appears they’ve learnt a lot since the start of the alliance.

            “Our alliance is in danger of being attacked by a force of unthinkable power - those amongst the Honoured Matres who have been in contact with the Prometheans know that the threat they represent eclipses anything we might be able to generate by way of defense. I have devised a plan that might save our combined forces from their fury.” Murbella paused, recalling the argumentative structure in which the still dormant thought elements referring to the details of the plan would find their general support, particular meaning and persuasive force.

“I will keep this brief. You all understand the structure of the Bene Gesserit as an organisation.” It was not a question - the lessons detailing the way the Sisterhood was built up were taught in the earliest stages of the education of a Bene Gesserit acolyte. Even the Honoured Matres present in the hall had all been required to learn this.

            “Cells of our alliance will scatter to locations undisclosed to their parallel cells, each taking with them a unique blend of knowledge and abilities tuned to the environment they will encounter, as well as a supply of Melange, Water Of Life and several sandtrout. Each group will attempt to form a new base, a center of Bene Gesserit and Honoured Matre power from which to expand and develop as the specific circumstances allow. Desertforming experiments with the intent of eventually producing Spice and Spice-products are part of this.”

            A murmur rose from the crowd as others from Murbella’s entourage took center stage to expand on what the Mother Superior had said.

            No! This is not the solution. For the first time in years, Odrade-within entered Murbella’s thoughts.

            Murbella listened to a Bene Gesserit Proctor working through her list of arguments detailing why she felt Murbella’s plan would be effective in principle, but needed a few modifications to be able to achieve the desired effect in full. Simulflow allowed her to also confront Odrade. So there you are… finally.

            To be blunt, you’re really starting to make a mess of things.

            I’m merely extrapolating the plan you yourself implemented! Our own Scattering-

            Odrade interrupted sharply. I was wrong - I see that now. You have no excuse for making the same mistakes I made.

            I’m sure you know I’ve questioned the wisdom of a Second Scattering many times in the past decade, but you never felt compelled to either agree or disagree with me then - why should I listen to you now?

            Have you studied the Mentat teachings?

            The Mentat Handbook? Of course.

            What do they teach about memories?

            Many things.

            Odrade groaned. What do they say about the relationship between memories and reality?

            Murbella needed a moment to reconstruct the appropriate phrasing of the tenet. They say: “memory never recaptures reality. Memory reconstructs. All reconstructions change the original, becoming external frames of reference which inevitably fall short.”

            Very good.

Thank you. Murbella could not suppress a smile, which drew a surprised glance from Bellonda. Murbella decided she could explain later.

Odrade continued. Don’t be so damned clever! It means that whatever you experience in real life is much more powerful and effective than anything you can experience in your mind.

I know what it means, and I don’t agree. The majority of mental representations of external events have been integrated over one’s personal belief system, built up from the interpretations of past occurances that were formed in close interaction with reality. As such, those mental representations might differ rather profoundly from what was really the case - if it is even possible to speak of this - but that does mean they might resonate along perfectly with your identity, creating an effect a raw experience - also a notion riddled with conceptual problems - can never hope to cause.

Very well. I do agree with the Mentat Handbook on this, which is why I wanted to let you find out for yourself what was wrong with my plan.

Don’t you think it would have been much safer to warn me before I presented this plan to the Bene Gesserit and the… to the Sisterhood?

I’m warning you now.

Thanks. You’re a big help.

Quit feeling sorry for yourself! Taraza’s master plan had a terminal weakness, stimulating a development it was supposed to suppress, and I failed to see this. I even expedited this development further, by starting the desert-forming process here on Chapter House.

What is that weakness?, Murbella demanded. It seems you’re trying to tell me I’m about to make the same mistake.

Exactly! Part of Taraza’s plan was to release the universe from the grip the worms’ dreams.

            The worms’ dreams?

            Don’t act ignorant, because I know you’re not. The visions of both the Tyrant and his father determined the flow of history, and this influence did not subside after the Tyrant’s death, because his visions lived on in the worms his corpse spawned. The success of Taraza’s plan hinged on Sheeana and the knowledge she had of the language that controlled these worms, but as you might have noticed, she has been gone for quite some time. None of her students have mastered enough of the complex combinations of movements, chanting and excretion of pheromones to such an extent that they can be effective in communicating with or controlling these beasts. And the one we intended to control her with has left as well.

            Idaho, Murbella realised.

            Yes.

            I see. The gholas of Sheeana and Idaho that have been born in the past ten years were all deformed. Apart from that, the children of Duncan and Murbella are all unremarkable, as if there’s a force preventing them from growing and developing in the way we hoped they would. They are being trained, but even now they’re not showing any signs of extraordinary abilities yet - the youngest is almost eleven!

            They would have already shown their gifts if they’d had any, Odrade agreed.

            Perhaps we have indeed underestimated the power of Leto’s visions, as you are suggesting.

            Of course. I didn’t come up with this last night, you know. This is akin to a prime computation, based on painstakingly gathered data.

            Considering your admission of negligence earlier I really don’t see how you can justify being arrogant about this.

            Odrade decided to swallow her pride, and said: The advisable course of action is probably to attempt to modify the axolotl tanks to produce Melange and the Spice Poison - this will lessen our dependence on the worms. In Sheeana’s absence, the Missionaria Protectiva’s role in Taraza’s plan has no real chance of succeeding anyway.

            You’re contemplating killing the worms?

            It might be the only option left to us.

            I have two rather big problems with this. One: we have been trying to get our tanks to produce Spice for years, but we haven’t booked any real results. Two: how will your suggestion help us defeat the Prometheans, or, if not defeat, than at least survive their arrival in this sector?

            I think I have found a way in which Spice production by axolotl tanks is possible. It will require an appropriately talented sister to sacrifice her mental and physical freedom, but I’m sure we can find someone that’s suited to the task. As for your other point: you’re giving up too easily. The Honoured Matres are the most feared fighters from the Scattering, we are the most dangerous of the socalled Old Empire. Do I need to continue?

            Yes. We… The Honoured Matres conquered world after world after they arrived in this sector of space in force. I can remember that each and every one of them who had come into contact with the Prometheans was positively terrified of ever having to face them again. A new Scattering is the only way the Sisterhood and its activities stand a chance of surviving this threat.

            We will speak about this later. Right now the worms present a much bigger problem.

How do we know the worms’ dreams really influence the course of history? All we have are the Tyrant’s own words, and we can’t trust him - he was a pathological liar.

            Be careful with such thoughts!, Odrade reprimanded her host. Dismissing the Worm as a liar or a madman tempts one to ignore the things he taught us about ourselves as well as the profound influence he still has on us, and as a Reverend Mother you should know there is nothing more dangerous than refusing to learn the lessons history forces upon us.

            If the Tyrant’s dreams indeed influence the unfolding of history, the worms on Chapter House might not be the only ones we need to worry about, Murbella remarked. Can we be sure that no worms remain elsewhere in the universe?

            Before Odrade could answer, a disturbance in front of the stage demanded Murbella’s full attention. Mazibul had worked her way forward, and now addressed the Mother Superior directly.

            Pointing her finger, she said: “You are unfit to lead. Your plan to supposedly save us reeks of cowardice.” Gesturing towards the other side of the hall, where the Bene Gesserit were gathered, she sneered: “You have been contaminated by the flawed teachings of these witches. What you propose is not the Honoured Matre way.”

            She looked around her, demanding support from her peers, and did find a few eager glances, but Murbella understood not all of these expressed agreement with the course of action Mazibul had chosen - some wanted to see this annoying old Honoured Matre put in her place for once, perhaps even killed.

            With a leap that appeared effortless, Mazibul was on the stage, facing Murbella. Bellonda attempted to intervene, but Murbella gestured her to stand back.

            “A duel is not necessary, Mazibul,” Murbella tried. “If you have any suggestions on how to improve my plan, you can express them now.”

            Mazibul noticed the vaguely patronising tone at which Murbella had said this, and this enraged her. She charged, jumping up into the air, her left leg stretched forward. Murbella stepped aside, catching Mazibul’s kick in the fabric of her robe between her right arm and chest, preventing the deadly foot from hitting any part of the body beneath it. Taking hold of the leg, she used Mazibul’s momentum to swing her around and throw her against the floor. Realising the Honoured Matre would not accept an offer to cease hostilities, Murbella immediately dropped down, breaking the attacker’s neck from behind with a powerful blow of her left fist.

“Is anyone else as foolish as Mazibul here? Does anyone else feel the need to challenge me or the decisions I have made?”, Murbella shouted, at the same time trying to assess the dominant opinion amongst the present Honoured Matres. No answer came, and the crowd appeared to respect the way this dispute had been settled - for now.

Murbella caught a quick glance of an older Honoured Matre, whom a quick perusal of her knowledge of Honoured Matre adept files revealed to be called Donelid.

Apparently this was a name she had chosen for herself, referring to an obscure myth about a woman who became a witch, ate her children, poisoned her husband and conquered an entire planet before disappearing forever, reportedly to another plane of reality. A relatively short-lived religion had formed around the demon she had thus become in the eyes of some, which had caused the deaths of thousands - the religious practice included ritual rape and human sacrifice.

It appears this Honoured Matre has cultivated the story that she has come into contact with that demon, perhaps even housing its spirit, Murbella recalled. What is recorded of her career suggests her ferocity matches that of her namesake.

            The smile that shaped Donelid’s lips suggested she had an agenda of her own, at once mocking Murbella by insinuating there were things even she didn’t know, and commending the Mother Superior for performing her role so well in a plan eclipsing her own. Murbella watched her leave the hall. Could she be the one?

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                                                                Last modified: May 24, 2000