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case." He himself had piloted the invisible warcraft and launched the attack
that should have triggered a full-scale Atreides-Tleilaxu war.
Not wanting to let the Mentat grow too smug, the Baron agreed. "It never hurts
to have a backup plan."
THE PREPARATIONS WERE swift and complete. Captain Kryubi insisted that his men
follow Piter de Vries's instructions to the letter. Rabban marched through the
hangars and barracks like a warlord, maintaining an appropriate level of tension
among the troops.
Guild transport had already been summoned, while a Harkonnen frigate was
stripped and loaded with more than its normal complement of men and weapons,
along with the ultrasecret ship that had been used only once, a full decade
earlier.
From a military standpoint the invisibility technology was a potential boon
unlike any other in recorded history. Theoretically, it would let the
Harkonnens deliver crushing blows to their enemies without being detected in any
way. Imagine what Viscount Moritani of Grumman would pay for such an advantage.
The unseen warcraft had functioned effectively on its maiden voyage, but further
plans had been delayed while technicians repaired mechanical bugs that cropped
up afterward. While most of the problems were minor, some -- involving the no-
field generator itself -- proved more stubborn. And the Richesian inventor was
no longer alive to offer assistance. Nevertheless, the ship had performed well
enough in recent tests, though the quavery-voiced mechanics warned that it might
not be entirely battleworthy. . . .
One of the slowest-moving cargo workers had had to be crushed gradually in a
steam-press to give sufficient incentive to his peers so that they would not
miss the scheduled departure time. The Baron was in a hurry.
THE FULLY LOADED FRIGATE went into geostationary orbit over Wallach IX, directly
above the Mother School complex. Standing on the bridge of the frigate with
Piter de Vries and Glossu Rabban, the Baron transmitted no signal to the Bene
Gesserit headquarters. He didn't have to.
"State your business," a female voice demanded over the comsystem, stiff and
unwelcoming. Did he detect an undertone of surprise?
De Vries replied formally, "His Excellency the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen of Giedi
Prime wishes to speak with your Mother Superior on a private channel."
"Not possible. No prior arrangements have been made."
The Baron leaned forward and boomed into the comsystem, "You have five minutes
to establish a confidential connection with your Mother Superior, or I will
communicate on an open line. That could prove, ah . . . embarrassing."
The pause was longer this time. Moments before the deadline, a different,
rasping voice came over the speaker. "I am Mother Superior Harishka. We are on
my personal comlink."
"Good, then listen carefully." The Baron smiled.
De Vries recited the case. "The articles of the Great Convention are most
explicit regarding certain serious crimes, Mother Superior. These laws were
established in the wake of the horrors committed by thinking machines on
humanity. One of the ultimate crimes is the use of atomics against human
beings. Another is aggression by biological warfare."
"Yes, yes. I am not a military historian, but I can get someone to quote the
exact phrasing, if you wish. Does your Mentat not take care of such
bureaucratic details, Baron? I don't see what this has to do with us. Would
you like me to tell you a bedtime story as well?"
Her sarcasm could only mean she had begun to grow nervous. " 'The forms must be
obeyed,' " the Baron quoted. "The punishment for a violation of these laws is
immediate annihilation of the perpetrators at the hands of the Landsraad. Every
Great House has sworn to deliver an overwhelming combined force against the
offending party." He paused, and his words became more menacing. "The forms
have not been obeyed, have they, Mother Superior?"
Piter de Vries and Rabban looked at each other, both grinning.
The Baron continued. "House Harkonnen is prepared to bring a formal complaint
before the Emperor and the Landsraad, charging the Bene Gesserit with the
illegal use of biological weapons against a Great House."
"You speak nonsense. The Bene Gesserit have no aspirations of military power."
She sounded entirely baffled. Was it possible she did not know?
"Know this, Mother Superior -- We have incontrovertible evidence that your
Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam intentionally inflicted a biological scourge
upon my person while I was providing a service demanded by the Sisterhood. Ask
the bitch yourself, if your underlings keep such information from you."
The Baron did not mention that the Sisterhood had blackmailed him with
information about illegal spice-stockpiling activities. He was ready for that
subject if it surfaced again, since all of his melange hoards had been moved to
remote regions of distant Harkonnen worlds, where they would never be
discovered.
Contented, the Baron sat back, listening to the deep silence. He imagined the
appalled horror on the old Mother Superior's face. He twisted the knife deeper.
"If you doubt our interpretation, read the wording of the Great Convention again
and see if you care to risk it in open Landsraad court. Bear in mind, too, that
the instrument of your attack -- Reverend Mother Mohiam -- was delivered to me
on a Guild ship. When the Guild discovers that, they will not be pleased." He
tapped his fingertips on a console. "Even if your Sisterhood is not demolished,
you will receive severe sanctions from the Imperium, heavy fines, even
banishment."
Finally, in a voice that almost managed to cover how the threat had shaken her,
Harishka said, "You exaggerate your case, Baron, but I wish to be open-minded.
What is it you want from us?"
He could feel her squirm. "I will take a shuttle down to the surface and meet
with you privately. Send up a pilot to shepherd us through your planetary
defense systems." He did not bother to point out his arrangements to transmit
the evidence and accusations directly to Kaitain, should anything happen to them
on this journey. The Mother Superior would already know. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]