The gruesome assassination of Caid Frank Rikan threw the entire Sardaukar corps into a state of shock and anger. The careful burns left on his body were an insult of unmatched magnitude, a desecration of honor unlike no other; only a well-trained Sardaukar warrior could handle the lasblade so professionally. Burseg Dermring was enraged. He swore not to rest until the murderer is located and penalized.
A political murder! He had no doubt Corrino was behind this. The remaining members of the former Imperial House attempted, desperately, to regain control of the now-renegade Sardaukar corps. All their plots and conspiracies aimed at accomplishing this goal for thirty years failed miserably. Yet they refuse to give in, knowing that by losing the Sardaukar they'd lose any power they still possess.
The murder of Rikan served a threat to the Sardaukar. Ever since Dermring became Burseg the Corps' disobedience of Corrino intensified. Disobedience? Dermring considered the term preposterous. How can one disobey who is no longer his master?
Rikan watched the downfall of Corrino and urged the Bursegs to sever the ties between the Corps and the fallen House altogether, lest the Sardaukar would follow.
And now he's dead, leaving Dermring with a choice to be made.
The choice was there all along, but now it seemed more urgent. Barkan Dermring was the third Burseg since Shaddam IV has renounced the title, following an order of Emperor Paul Muad'dib. Muad'dib has sought to eliminate Corrino's power by tearing the strongest army in the galaxy from their grasp. He had succeeded, but not immediately. The first non-Corrino Burseg, Aris Mon-Zaven, held the title for sixteen years, commanding over the majority of Sardaukar, and supplying the Corrinos with a small force of his elite soldiers as their guard. His relations with them were mostly positive, yet he had allowed a gap of independence which they could not tolerate. Eventually, he was murdered amidst political turmoil.
The second, Hans Mortimer, managed to keep the corps together by crushing separatists, thus centralizing the power back in his hands. A strong man, killed, ironically, by illness, with no satisfactory evidence for a different causa mortis.
Shortly after, the high-ranking officers held their first elections in order to avoid another round of bloody power battles. Dermring was neither the strongest, most talented nor most charismatic of them. He was a good tactician but inexperienced in politics.
He got lucky. They elected him because all sides were certain he'd be easy to manipulate. They were wrong. Dermring knew he won't have the same fortune again and acted quickly. The man they considered a puppet immediately launched a purge of the ranks, eliminating his rivals one after the other.
No rivals remained within the Corps. His men were loyal; Rikan was respected by all.
During his time in power, Dermring considered the option of acquiring a mentat.
A mentat would bring great use to him, advising him of the effects his actions could bring at a time like this. Unfortunately, the political implications of acquiring one would be too far-reaching; it would be a signal, both to Corrino and the Imperium that the Sardaukar are becoming far too assertive. Dermring would admit that his tactical skills are inferior to those of a mentat, yet at least for now they were sufficient.
The Corrinos were a nuisance to him before; yet now, they became the enemy.
The Hall of Heroes was a center of magnificence among the terrible waste that engulfed Salusa Secundus. Emperors of the past held their war briefings among the marble columns, under a ceiling so tall it was difficult to estimate its height.
A woman in long robes entered the great hall, a cold emotionless gaze on her attractive face. Such facial expression could only be the result of decades of training by the Bene Gesserit. The wrinkles on her, while barely visible, betrayed that she was not as young as she seemed.
"Peace be upon you, Burseg."
"Glad to see you, Lady Anetta."
"I have come carrying a message of sorrow on behalf of the sisterhood. It is my duty to inform that we would not tolerate such actions of violence and terrorism. The distinguished Caid was a friend to us and therefore we feel obliged to provide you with any sort of aid that you may require for locating the murderer."
"Let it be known that I am thankful to the sisterhood for its generous proposal. However… I would have to decline it. The matter is the responsibility of the corps alone and no help would be required. You are, of course, welcome to remain on Salusa Secundus for as long as… Your duty requires."
"It is unwise, Burseg… To refuse such a generous offer."
Dermring's experience with the sisterhood allowed him to sense the slightest use of The Voice in her speech. Whether intentional or not, it was somewhat unsettling.
The Burseg stepped forward, closing the distance between them. He knew it was a rude gesture which would make his interlocutor uncomfortable. He was significantly taller than her, but a great headpiece made her figure appear intimidating.
Lady Anetta neither moved nor changed her expression at his approach. She acted exactly as expected; a tiniest sign of embarrassment would have been a failure to follow the behavior expected of her.
"Are you afraid of me, Lady Anetta?"
"The Bene Gesserit is afraid of no one."
"I did not ask about the sisterhood."
"We are living through an odd time, Burseg."
"Then you are afraid of the Emperor."
She did not respond, staring at him with never-flickering brown eyes.
"Enough. You did not come here for flattery and small talk. I am a military man and find no importance in petty formalities. Deliver me the sisterhood's argument."
"So be it. I should inform you that we do not favorably view the meddling of the Sardaukar in the political order. As agents of peace we are afraid your interference may disturb the balance we are attempting to restore. The murder of Caid Rikan is of a potential to create chaos which must be avoided. Therefore the sisterhood would establish supervisors who would see that the investigation would be accomplished as shortly as possible and would not develop into a political scandal."
"Does not favorably view us?" Dermring mocked her words, "Preserve the order?! What order, Anetta? Continue your desperate conspiracies against the Emperor? Restore Corrino's former might? Corrino's doomed; they are at the mercy of the Emperor as well as you are. Your attempts to prevent the inevitable would bring the Fedaykins' rage upon you. The old universe is destroyed, and so are you. As for me…"
Dermring walked away, sitting on a chair by a great table. "My only concern is the survival of the Sardaukar corps. We were formed by Corrino. Commanded by Corrino for centuries. But if Corrino has fallen, we would find another path to follow. I would make my choice and you should make yours. We could be strong allies. Allies, not servants. Never again servants." Dermring lowered his voice, looking straight ahead. "Any Bene Gesserit interference on Salusa Secundus beyond that authorized by me would be met with high suspicion. Please deliver that message to your superiors."
"I would not be the judge of your actions." She whispered. "Farewell."
The Silver Lion was a magnificent gambling hall where Sardaukar officers spent the money gained by the rifle and the lasblade. It was a neutral place for a meeting between Dermring and Qasim Greyhound, the self-proclaimed leader of House Corrino. The neutrality of the location was a matter of importance. Dermring knew that Greyhound would refuse to attend a meeting held at the Hall of Heroes, and he would not grant him the gesture of ascending to The Corrino Refuge, the name he often designated to the palace.
The Corrino sovereign, a tall, aging man with a bald forehead and a crown of silver hair was accompanied by Sardaukar bodyguards. Sardaukar guards; his men, Dermring thought. The sovereign knew he cannot fully trust their loyalty. There was no doubt that thought disturbed his sleep. He was paranoid, and rightfully so.
"Glad to see you well, Burseg."
"I am equally happy. I suppose arriving here wasn't too much of a disturbance."
"Meeting my Burseg could never be a disturbance. I hoped that the meeting would not be limited to formal discussions. I do not wish for the Silver Lion to be left disappointed."
The Burseg smiled briefly. "As you wish, Greyhound. But there is the matter to discuss of supreme urgency. I believe you understand its importance."
The sovereign frowned when Dermring addressed him with his name. It seemed only appropriate, however, for him to do so in response to his authoritative tone of speech.
"Yes, well, you speak about the unfortunate incident of Caid Rikan on Teqalu. I bring my condolences and offer to provide his family with support. He has served Corrino loyally and should be remembered as one of our best men. If you wish, we could also provide additional funding for the task of locating his murderer. I trust that under your command he would be found quickly."
"He was assassinated by a Sardaukar, Greyhound. It was most probably a political murder. I must investigate all Sardaukar in service. That includes the battalions under your direct command. Therefore, I request access to the barracks to collect testimonies."
"It is possible. But I assure you it would not be necessary. I give you a word of honor to investigate my battalions myself. I have my own suspicions and would like to analyze the situation with the tools at my disposal. Also I would be more gratified to be addressed with my formal title."
Dermring was losing his patience. He became increasingly annoyed by the sovereign's circumvention.
"It is necessary. I demand it. I am not Mortimer, and I assure you that I follow only the interests of the Sardaukar Corps. It is an uncomfortable situation and you would do best to cooperate so it may be resolved quietly. It has to be done."
"I have given you my word. It is my responsibility." The Sovereign bent towards him and whispered, "You may be crossing the line, Burseg."
"Therefore, we have reached a breaking point. I am obliged in my responsibility as the Burseg of the Sardaukar Corps. You, my lord… Are not a Corrino."
The rage of the sovereign has driven him speechless. Dermring did not wait for a response. He turned his back to him and walked away, leaving him shrouded in anger and astonishment.