Chapter 13

Exodus! Movement of Jah people.

Send us another Brother Moses!

Robert Marley – Fremen Minstrel

Dax had resigned himself to a crucifixion by his mother. It was just a matter of who got to him first the Tech or the Empress. He sat on the floor, pulled out the data crystal and decided to review the agenda for the meeting.

As he pulled out the crystal and an item fell out. He looked at it. How did that get in there? It was a holo-image carrier an image had popped up of a christening at Mike'N Steitch that the Royal House Hold had attended. Then it occurred to him – he'd placed it in the case intedning to place it in his office. He obviously had not got round to executing that intent.

The image showed his mother holding the baby of the hour. At the four second mark the image changed, this time it was an image of Amasso and himself... then the image changed and this time it was Alexi, the latest Bene Gesserit to arrive on Arakkis. For some reason his mother had allowed her to stay. He didn't remember her at the christening though.

He hit the pause button and studied the image. He turned it left then right. There was something familiar about her; he just couldn't put his finger on it. "... and why should you?"

Dax's head whipped round. Still sitting he completed a circle. He confirmed - he was alone. "...are you?" The voice said again.

He groaned now his visions were eroding his sanity. "Please, Dax control yourself." The voice snorted. "You are as sane as any man. Now focus."

"On what?" He asked. [Now, I'm speaking to images.]

"The image before you." Came the reply.

Instantly he looked at Alexi. The image waved at him. "Oh, God!" He shut his eyes and rubbed them. When he reopened them a woman sat before him.

"Fear not." The apparition comforted. "I am not here to harm you... Do you not recognize me?"

He gulped and stared hard. Slowly a thought germinated in his mind. "The Lady Jessica?" [There he'd said it; now take me to the mad house now!] He thought.

"You are not mad, Dax." She assured him. "Just... gifted. Yes, I am the Lady Jessica. It seems that Lady Alexi has more of me than the physical."

He frowned. "Why..."

"... am I here?" he nodded. She got serious. "House Atreides is heading full tilt towards an abyss. The members - your ancestors can feel it. We needed to warn you."

He got alert. "What abyss!"

"We cannot see. We do not know." She confessed. "We do know this, you are part of the puzzle. The House will fall and you must ensure that like the Phoenix we rise again."

"But I am the younger of two... why me?"

"By a mere minute." She reminded him. "One's fate is set before one is even born. Amasso's destiny lies elsewhere. Yours is to ensure the survival of this Great House."

He got curious. "... and Lady Alexi?"

"She too will have her role... but not yet. As you will be father to the epoch to come - so she will be mother."

He absorbed the information, "You are telling me that she..."

"... is to be your wife."

"WIFE!" he squealed.

"Wife... life partner... bound concubine... label it what you will." Jessica replied. "But know this... your fate and hers are intertwined." Dax just looked at her, "The Bene Gesserit is a society dedicated to the preservation of the genetics that will continue the human race. The irony being that every now and then a human is expended to achieve the goal. You are right to be suspicious of the order."

"Are you not Bene Gesserit?"

"I was. But I am Atreides." She explained.

"Not Harkonnen?" He needed to know.

"The blood flowed in my veins and so it is in yours. Are you Harkonnen?" She saw his reaction. "I thought so. Even as you look the Bene Gesserit gift horse in the mouth - accept it. Alexi will be your foundation in the times to come... and like you she is Bene Gesserit trained. As all Atreides are."

"The threat..." He prompted.

"...Will be upon you soon enough." Jessica warned. "Take this time to be with your family and to know Alexi. We are all products of our time and so will be this threat. This is all can tell you young Atreides." On that note the vision disappeared and Dax was left with the image of

Alexi that changed after four seconds even though he had not released the pause.

The next image was that of his father and Mick'N sharing a joke.



~*~*~*~*~

INTERNAL MEMO

FROM: KWISATZ MOTHER

TO: MOTHER SUPERIOR

AS PER THE LAST REPORT THE LADY ALEXI HAS BEEN MADE CABINET SECRETARY. AS ANTICIPATED THE INITIAL OVERTURE WAS NOT APPRECIATED BECAUSE OF HER YOUTH, THE EMPRESS WAS FINALLY CONVINCED, HOWEVER AND THE LADY ALEXI IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO EXPLOIT HER CONSTANT ENCOUNTERS WITH THE LORD DAX.

I MUST EXPRESS MY IMPATIENCE AT THE APPARENT SLOW PROGRESS WITH WHICH THE TWO HAVE PROGRESSED. THE FUTURE OF THE BREEDING PROGRAM NOW RESTS ON THE SHOULDERS OF A TWENTY YEAR OLD AND A TWENTY FOUR YEAR OLD.

EVEN AS I CHANT THE PATIENCE KOMBULI I AM AWARE OF THE NEED TO BREAK THE STALEMATE THAT SEEMS TO BE SETTLING.

KWISATZ MOTHER

~*~*~*~*~

The doors finally slid open and Dax looked up and saw Alexi looking down at him. His heart skipped a beat. He heard Jessica's voice echo in his mind. [Your fate and hers are intertwined. As you will be father to the epoch to come - so she will be mother.]

Alexi looked down at Dax sitting cross-legged on the floor head in hand. Then he looked up and their eyes locked. She sensed that something had changed. She didn't need to be Bene Gesserit trained to sense it, any woman would know. And she did.

Dax reached up and the rescuers pulled him out.

"Nice of you to join us, Dax!" Amasso said.

"Nice to be back." Dax replied and kept staring at Alexi.

"I shall inform the Empress that you are safe." Alexi turned to leave. Just before she rounded the corner she looked back - Dax was still watching her. She resumed her route and smiled to herself.

Amasso finally poked his brother in the ribs. "Hey!" Dax faced him.

"Something I should know?" Amasso indicated the way that Alexi had gone.

"Oh... I'm THAT stupid!" Dax grinned.

"Yeah, you are!" Amasso replied.

"I need a drink." Dax walked off leaving an amazed twin behind. Amasso snapped out of the shock and called "Hey! Wait for me!"

~*~*~*~*~

Disaster Manager Reverend Mother Zelron had been handed the assignment of the undetected movement of ten million Bene Gesserit Sisters off the war ripped Caladan. When she had been given the duty of the Exodus, it had seemed a daunting one. Having studied the requirements she now KNEW it was nigh impossible.

The continued war would prove an asset as they could move under the cover of that. Also to be factored into the equation were recruits and reproduction after all the work of the Sisterhood never stopped, even under the Tyrant. The corollary of this also had to be factored: defection and death.

Even then she estimated that if she were able to move a minimum of one hundred and twenty five thousand sisters per annum it would take at least forty years if all went well; a more realistic estimate would be fifty years.

The decision was made, however, and the Exodus was a go. So she activated the standing committee on Disaster Management. They were all there – Logistics, Finance, Operations, and Planning.

~*~*~*~*~

Amasso and Dax returned to the Sietch in time for the meeting.

Fremen were a people molded by the elements. Living the desert life meant hard decisions were taken quickly. Debate was for the Imperium.

So it was at the assembly.

The problem was simple. Were there or were there not sand worms on Salusa Secundus?

The Hall of Maud'Dib held too many to count yet there was not a mummer of conversation. Finally Naib Mike'N spoke. "We go to Salusa Secundus. It is the only way. The spice is of Dune and Dune alone. We must know what grows below the surface of Salusa Secundus."

"All I can say is 'You ought never to take anything that don't belong to you -- if you cannot carry it off." Lee announced, "… and I'm quoting some one I forget who."

"I know I didn't just hear that." A voice sailed out.

"Hey. If the cap fits…" before he could turn the peaceful meeting into a riot his friends quickly escorted him out to prevent him continuing to embarrass himself and them. Not before the Naibs had committed Lee's face to memory.

"Is Dune some garden where Shai-Hulud can be plucked at will?" Savan demanded.

Now there was a rumble from the multitude. With one voice it said "Salusa Secundus. Salusa Secundus. Salusa Secundus."

Amasso closed his eyes and smiled inwardly. He was going to war again!